Asianet Newsable

GE F404 Engine Snag Compounds LCA Mk1A Delays; MoD Warns HAL Over Missed Deadlines

Anish Kumar — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:14:56 +0530

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has issued a strict directive to state-owned aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), warning the company to adhere to contractual delivery deadlines for the light combat aircraft (LCA) Mk1A and to make up for time lost, delays that have now stretched beyond two years.

The development follows mounting concerns over persistent delivery delays, further compounded by a technical snag in one of the recently delivered GE Aerospace F404-IN20 engines.

At a high-level review meeting earlier this month the HAL was also informed about the formal penalty clause. A follow-up meeting, to be chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with the participation of Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and HAL’s Chairman and Managing Director Ravi Kota, has been scheduled for September 2026.

Engine Snag and Supply Chain Hiccups

A significant setback emerged with the sixth GE Aerospace F404-IN20 engine delivered to HAL. The engine arrived with a technical snag, which a senior HAL official confirmed has since been rectified.

“Following standard operating procedure, we detect any issue upon the engine's arrival and immediately inform GE Aerospace,” the official told Asianet Newsable, adding that the fault likely stemmed from a transshipment issue and described it as routine.

Since April 2025, HAL has received a total of six F404-IN20 engines from GE Aerospace, with the most recent delivery arriving in May 2025. The engines are part of a ₹5,375-crore contract signed in 2021 for the supply of 99 F404-IN20 engines to power the Mk1A fleet.

HAL is currently engaged in integration of Israeli AESA radar, systems certification, and other pre-delivery processes that must be completed before the jets can formally be handed over to the IAF.

The Strategic Urgency: A Force in Deficit

The IAF currently operates 30 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons, the minimum considered necessary to fight a credible two-front war against both China and Pakistan simultaneously. Each lost year means the gap widens.

IAF chief ACM AP Singh has, on multiple occasions, publicly expressed displeasure over the pace of LCA Mk1A deliveries. The induction of new Tejas jets was conceived as the most immediate remedy to the IAF’s depleting combat strength, as ageing MiG-21s and other legacy platforms are retired.

The LCA Mk1A Programme: Scale and Stakes

The Tejas Mk1A is a 4.5-generation delta-wing multi-role combat aircraft, indigenously designed by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by HAL. The first-generation LCA Mk1 entered service in 2016; of the 40 jets ordered in that initial tranche, 38 have been inducted to date.

In 2021, the IAF placed a follow-on order for 83 LCA Mk1A jets at a total cost of ₹46,000 crore, with deliveries originally expected to commence in February 2024 at an average rate of eight aircraft per year. Those timelines have slipped, with HAL now committing to 12 deliveries annually once the programme reaches full tempo, a target that requires resolving both engine supply delays and certification bottlenecks.

A second, larger order for 97 additional Mk1As, was signed in September 2025 at a cost of ₹62,370 crore. Combined, the two orders account for a fleet of 180 Tejas Mk1A aircraft.

Indian Navy To Commission Latest Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft Malvan On July 22

Anish Kumar — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:10:38 +0530

New Delhi: The Indian Navy will commission Malvan, the second of the Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC), on July 22, 2026.

The chief of the air staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, will preside over the ceremony. The flag officer commanding-in-chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, will also be present, along with other senior naval officers, representatives from Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi, veterans, and distinguished guests.

Also Read: Indian Army To Procure 450 Carl Gustaf Mark-IV Rocket Launchers

Inside India’s Indigenous ASW-SWC Program

Built at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, “Malvan epitomizes India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision in modern naval shipbuilding and design,” an official said.

With more than 80 percent indigenous content, the ship exemplifies the country’s growing mastery in warship design, construction and integration.

The Indian Navy will commission Malvan, the second of the Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC), on July 22.@indiannavy @DefPROMumbai pic.twitter.com/sU37fiNma5

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) July 16, 2026

“Compact yet formidable, the ship reflects agility, precision and endurance – qualities essential for asserting dominance in shallow waters.”

The commissioning of Malvan marks the continued induction of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water warriors – sleek, swift and proudly Indian.

Also Read: INS Trikand Foils Pirate Attack on MV Golden Arsenal Near Djibouti, All 21 Crew Safe

Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram Named New CMD of Hindustan Shipyard Limited

Anish Kumar — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 20:56:12 +0530

Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd), has taken charge as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam, stepping into one of the most strategically significant roles in India's defence public sector.

A Long-Awaited Handover

Rear Admiral Raghuram succeeds Captain Ganti Venkateswarlu, HSL's Director (Shipbuilding), who had been holding additional charge of the CMD's post. The transition follows a recommendation of Rear Admiral Raghuram's name by the Public Enterprises Selection Board earlier this year, and subsequent clearance from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Before taking over at HSL, he served as Assistant Chief of Materiel, where he was responsible for the maintenance of key naval platforms.

A Career Built Across the Navy's Technical Backbone

Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 10 November 1989, Rear Admiral Raghuram brings over three and a half decades of service to his new role. He was conferred the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017 in recognition of his distinguished service, and is an alumnus of the Naval College of Engineering, Lonavala, Cranfield University in the UK, the Naval War College, and the National Defence College.

Over the course of his career, he built expertise spanning afloat operations, equipment life cycle support, research and development, warship design, combat system integration, and instructional postings. He served onboard the frontline warships INS Gomati and INS Trishul - including as part of the commissioning crew of the latter and gained further specialisation through postings at the Naval Dockyard, the Afloat Support Team for Talwar-class ships, and WESEE.

His command and leadership appointments include Commanding Officer of INS Valsura and Principal Director Electrical Engineering at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy). He has also held senior technical and staff roles as Command Electrical Officer at Headquarters Eastern Naval Command, Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at Headquarters Western Naval Command, and postings at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, and Naval Headquarters.

The Shipyard He Now Leads

Hindustan Shipyard Limited is one of India's oldest shipbuilding establishments, founded in 1941 and brought under government ownership in 1952. Today, it is the country's second-largest shipyard after Cochin Shipyard, with a covered building dock capable of handling vessels of up to 80,000 deadweight tonnage.

HSL holds Mini Ratna Category-I status under the Ministry of Defence's Department of Defence Production.

As the higher of the two Mini Ratna tiers, this status gives HSL's board greater financial autonomy, including higher spending limits on capital expenditure, joint ventures, subsidiaries, and technology partnerships without requiring prior government approval for each decision. In practical terms, this allows the yard to move faster on infrastructure upgrades, contracts, and partnerships, which is a meaningful advantage given the scale of projects currently underway.

Submarines: The Shipyard's Strategic Core

Submarine work remains HSL's most strategically significant capability, and one of the few such capacities among Indian shipyards. The yard has carried out extended medium refits of the Navy's Kilo-class submarines, including INS Sindhukirti, INS Vela, and INS Vagli, with the medium refit and modernisation of INS Sindhukirti currently in progress. HSL had earlier carried out the retrofit of INS Sindhuvir ahead of its transfer to Myanmar.

Looking ahead, the shipyard is preparing to expand beyond refit work into submarine construction itself, in partnership with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited - a move aimed at deepening India's domestic submarine industrial base and reducing reliance on foreign yards.

Beyond Submarines: Indigenous Builds and Global Outreach

HSL's portfolio also includes specialised vessels such as Diving Support Vessels built with a high proportion of indigenous content, and it delivered INS Dhruv, India's first indigenously built Ocean Surveillance Ship.

The shipyard has been steadily expanding its international footprint. It has held discussions with the Vietnam People's Navy on potential submarine refit work, opening a possible entry point into the Southeast Asian maintenance market, and has engaged with Myanmar following the earlier retrofit and transfer of INS Sindhuvir.

Talks have also been held with the Philippines on defence cooperation, part of a wider push to position India and HSL in particular as a maritime defence exporter in the Indo-Pacific region. On the domestic front, HSL signed an MoU with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in February 2026 to jointly pursue a large-scale national shipbuilding programme.

A Financial Turnaround

The shipyard's operational trajectory has shifted markedly in recent years, moving from a loss-making entity to a profitable one. In FY 2023-24, HSL posted a record profit after tax of ₹118.82 crore alongside its highest-ever production value, underscoring a broader turnaround in its financial and operational performance.

Operation Amistad: Indian Army Sets Up 20-Bed Field Hospital in Earthquake-Hit Venezuela

Anish Kumar — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:34:54 +0530

New Delhi: The Indian Army medical task force has successfully established a 20-bed fully functional field hospital in the quake-hit Venezuela, committing to providing any critical medical support as part of Operation Amistad.

The medical facility will be expanded to 50 beds capacity to meet rising demands, an Indian Army official said. “The facility has already been running, treated 42 outpatients and had one admission.”

Indian Army medical task force has successfully established a fully functional field hospital which is committed to providing any critical medical support.@adgpi pic.twitter.com/vcawUlnYfd

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) June 29, 2026

Designed to deliver comprehensive care under one roof, “the Indian Army’s hospital is fully staffed and equipped with specialised services, including dedicated medical officers, surgeons, and anaesthetists, dental and orthopaedic specialists.”

He further stated that the facility also provides essential on-site X-ray and laboratory diagnostics. “The team is professionally prepared to deliver life-saving treatments and dependable healthcare exactly where it is needed most.”

On June 26, the Army dispatched a specialised medical contingent to assist in humanitarian relief efforts in the affected region.

The medical team from 60 Para Field Hospital departed from Hindon Air Force Station aboard two Indian Air Force aircraft.

The contingent comprises 41 personnel, including nine medical officers.

Besides, the team had also carried approximately six tonnes of medical stores and humanitarian relief supplies provided by the Ministry of External Affairs.

About BHISHM Cube

In addition, one of the two aircraft is transporting a BHISHM Cube (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri) under India’s Aarogya Maitri Project.

The BHISHM Cube is a state-of-the-art, indigenous, rapidly deployable modular medical facility designed specifically for disaster and humanitarian response.

Comprising compact, self-contained medical modules, it can be quickly assembled into a fully functional field hospital capable of delivering advanced trauma care, emergency surgeries, intensive care support and essential medical treatment for up to 200 patients.

Equipped with portable ventilators, patient monitors, diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, power generation and oxygen support systems, the BHISHM Cube significantly enhances India’s capability to provide swift and effective medical assistance during humanitarian crises anywhere in the world.

Zorawar: Can India's Mountain Tank Survive Its Own Success?

Girish Linganna — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:48:29 +0530

Somewhere in Ladakh, a young tank crew will one day climb into a machine named after a nineteenth-century general who took armies across the Himalayas. Whether that machine arrives as the nimble mountain fighter it was meant to be, or as something heavier and slower, is a question the Indian Army is wrestling with right now.

Start with the paperwork, because that is where the newest trouble lies. In December 2022, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared an Acceptance of Necessity for 354 light tanks, part of a larger basket of proposals worth Rs 84,328 crore. The first 59 would come from the DRDO–Larsen & Toubro partnership that built the prototype; the rest would be thrown open to competition. That competition, worth roughly Rs 20,000 crore, has now produced a lowest bidder in Tata Advanced Systems, with Mahindra Defence Systems, the second-lowest, also permitted to build. Each has 130 weeks to deliver two prototypes.

Here is the worry. A tank is not a drawing; it is a body of hard-won lessons. The first firing trial reveals what bends. The first winter at altitude reveals what freezes. The first production run reveals which bolt nobody can source. L&T and DRDO are collecting those lessons today. If the bulk of the fleet then comes from a different company on a different development track, India may pay for the same education twice. Competition in manufacturing is healthy. Competition in fundamental design, after an indigenous platform has already been built and tested, is a costlier proposition.

Now rewind to why any of this exists. In 2020, when Chinese forces pushed into eastern Ladakh, India rushed its T-72 and T-90 tanks up into the mountains. These are fine weapons, but they weigh 40 to 50 tonnes, and the Himalayas are unforgiving to weight. Bridges have limits. Roads are few. Thin air starves engines. Across the line, the People's Liberation Army had brought the Type 15, a tank built for exactly that terrain. India had wanted a light tank since the mid-1980s and had quietly abandoned the idea by the mid-1990s. Galwan reopened the file overnight.

Russia offered a quick fix. In June 2021, this writer reported that Moscow had proposed the Sprut-SDM-1 following Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's 2020 visit. On paper it was startling: 18 tonnes, amphibious, airliftable, yet carrying the same 125 mm gun as the T-90 and firing the same family of ammunition. The Russians achieved this by a simple trade: enormous firepower, minimal armour.

India chose to build instead. DRDO and L&T turned a concept into a rolling prototype in about two years, a speed that surprised even the army. The result, Zorawar, weighs 25 tonnes, mounts a 105 mm gun, swims, fits inside a transport aircraft, and carries a high power-to-weight ratio, meaning plenty of engine muscle for every tonne it hauls, the difference between a scooter and a motorcycle on a steep climb.

The army's 2021 Request for Information was anything but modest. Inside a 25-tonne limit it wanted protection on every face of the vehicle, including the roof and the floor. It asked for explosive reactive armour — bricks that blast outward to break an incoming warhead — and for both kinds of missile defence: soft-kill systems that confuse a missile's guidance, and hard-kill systems that shoot it down. It also wanted cover against weapons that dive from above, a sealed cabin against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, fire detection and suppression, all-round cameras, electronic warfare, and the ability to fight drones. That is a tall order for a machine that still has to climb, swim and fly in pieces inside a transport aircraft.

On armour, the army eventually settled on STANAG Level 3, a NATO yardstick for how much punishment a vehicle can absorb. The present Zorawar actually offers Level 4 over its protected frontal areas, enough to shrug off heavy machine-gun fire and shell splinters. It cannot stop a main battle tank's round or a modern anti-tank missile, but it was never meant to. A light tank survives by being hard to find, hard to hit, and quick to leave.

Yet the army now wants more armour, and that demand could push induction back by up to two years. Every extra plate is paid for in fuel, ammunition, or speed. Push Zorawar to 30 tonnes and it drifts towards the Type 15, which weighs 33 tonnes, 36 with added armour, carries a comparable gun, cannot swim, and has served China since 2018 in the hundreds. India would then own neither the Sprut's featherweight punch nor an MBT's shield, only an awkward middle.

No one should fault commanders for wanting their soldiers home. But the mountains taught a lesson in 2020: weight is a liability. Protecting the concept matters as much as protecting the tank, and that line deserves careful watching.

Tejas Dropped It, Ghatak Needs It: The Second Life of DRDO's Kaveri

Girish Linganna — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:19:16 +0530

In the summer of 2004, a team of Indian engineers returned home from Russia carrying a heavy disappointment. Their Kaveri jet engine had failed its high-altitude tests, ending hopes of powering the first production Tejas fighters. For the next two decades, the name Kaveri became associated with delays, setbacks and wounded pride. This week, a leaner member of the same engine family was reported back from the same country with the kind of result those engineers had waited more than twenty years to hear.

The Kaveri dry engine has completed trials at two Russian establishments — the Central Institute of Aviation Motors and the Gromov Flight Research Institute. It did not merely pass. Against a reported target of about 46 kilonewtons of thrust, it recorded a peak of 48.5 kilonewtons. Thrust is simply the push that drives an aircraft forward. A thrust of 48.5 kilonewtons is roughly equal to the force produced by the weight of five tonnes — about five small cars. For the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bengaluru, the DRDO laboratory that kept the programme alive through its darkest years, the result is a long-awaited vindication.

Why travel all the way to Russia? The air at great heights is thin and extremely cold. An engine that performs perfectly on the ground can struggle at altitude, much like a trekker gasping for breath on a Himalayan pass. India currently lacks a facility capable of carrying out the complete range of such high-altitude engine testing. So, the Kaveri was first tested in chambers that recreate the low temperatures and reduced air pressure. It was then tested in the open sky, reportedly mounted on an Il-76 transport aircraft in place of one of its regular engines.

The word "dry" simply means that this version of Kaveri does not use an afterburner, which sprays additional fuel into the hot exhaust for a short burst of extra thrust. Removing it brings two important advantages: better fuel efficiency and a cooler exhaust. Both matter for an aircraft that must stay hidden and airborne for long periods.

Those are exactly the qualities required by the aircraft this engine is intended to power. Ghatak is India's secretive unmanned combat aircraft, a tailless flying-wing design intended to strike deep inside hostile territory while remaining difficult to detect on radar. Imagine a boomerang-shaped aircraft with no cockpit and no conventional tail. Its smooth shape is designed to scatter radar waves rather than reflect them back. Reports describe it as a 13-tonne aircraft — about as heavy as a mid-sized bus full of passengers — capable of carrying around 1.5 tonnes of weapons inside its body, so nothing hangs in the open for a radar to catch. Ghatak is expected to fly fast, though below the speed of sound, and will make extensive use of carbon-composite materials, which are light and strong.

Its purpose is to go where sending a human pilot could be extremely dangerous. Ghatak is intended to enter heavily defended airspace, gather intelligence and strike targets. It could eventually work alongside manned fighters, taking on the most dangerous missions while aircraft such as the Su-30MKI or the future AMCA operate nearby. A smaller, roughly one-tonne technology demonstrator called SWiFT flew in 2022.

To understand why an engine test deserves national attention, consider an uncomfortable reality. India designs and manufactures combat aircraft, yet not one of its frontline fighters currently flies with an Indian-designed jet engine. The Tejas depends on a foreign powerplant. Helicopters such as the Dhruv also use engines developed with foreign involvement. The engine is the heart of an aircraft, and India's aviation hearts have largely depended on technology from abroad. This leaves the country's air power exposed to foreign delivery schedules, international supply chains and changing political relationships. A supplier's delay can become India's delay. A diplomatic chill can ground a fleet.

Caution is necessary, however. This successful test does not end India's dependence on foreign aircraft engines. The Kaveri dry engine must still be cleared by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), the body that decides whether a military aircraft system is safe to fly. Only then come fitting it to the aircraft and, later, flight trials of Ghatak itself. Earlier reports placed the rollout of the first prototype around late 2029 or early 2030. An operational Ghatak remains some distance away.

Still, something important has changed. A programme marked by decades of setbacks has produced a rare and measurable success, achieved by engineers who absorbed criticism, learnt from failures and returned to the very country where their earlier hopes had once collapsed. What they have opened is still only a narrow path towards true Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance, in aircraft engines. But it is a real path — and this time, it begins with an Indian heart beating strongly in thin, freezing air.

(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or stance of the organization. The organization assumes no responsibility for the content shared.

A Tin Container Trapped This Himalayan Bear For Four Days, Then The Army Arrived

Divya Danu — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:45:40 +0530

Indian Army soldiers have rescued a Great Himalayan bear that spent four days struggling to survive after a tin container became stuck over its mouth in Gurez Valley, Bandipora district. The distressed animal was spotted in Khapuri village, located close to the Line of Control (LoC). With the bear unable to feed or drink properly because of the container, the situation became increasingly serious.

Indian Army personnel in Gurez rescued a Himalayan bear found with a tin container stuck over its mouth. pic.twitter.com/Xmb8oXfZhY

— DD NEWS SRINAGAR (@ddnewsSrinagar) August 12, 2026

Brother Performs Last Rites In Haridwar After Learning Of Sonipat Man's Death At Old-Age Home in News

Army launches search for trapped bear

After receiving information about the animal, Army personnel launched a search operation in coordination with the Wildlife Department. The rescue was not straightforward, as the bear was in difficult and rugged terrain.

Soldiers searched the area before finally locating the animal. They approached it carefully and managed to remove the tin container from its mouth, freeing the bear from the trap.

The rescue has since drawn praise online, with social media users appreciating the soldiers for helping an animal in distress. One user said it must have been frightening for the bear and hoped it would make a full recovery.

भारतीय सेना सिर्फ सीमाओं की रक्षा नहीं करती गुरेज़ घाटी में जवानों ने वन्यजीव विभाग के साथ मिलकर उस हिमालयी भालू को बचाया, जिसके मुंह में टिन का डिब्बा बुरी तरह फंस गया था. चार दिनों से तड़प रहे भालू को तलाशकर सुरक्षित रूप से डिब्बा हटाया गया और इलाज के लिए वन्यजीव पशु…

— Ravish Pal Singh (@ReporterRavish) August 12, 2026

Another post praised the Army for going beyond its role of guarding the nation's borders, highlighting the soldiers' efforts to protect wildlife as well.

Truly inspiring! Indian Army soldiers once again go beyond the call of duty, rescuing a Himalayan bear that struggled for four days with a tin container stuck over its mouth near the LoC in Gurez Valley. Compassion that knows no boundaries. Proud of our brave soldiers who… pic.twitter.com/zPfaHcfmJy

— IndianArmy in Jammu & Kashmir (Fan Page) (@IndianArmyinJK) August 11, 2026

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Bear taken for medical care

Following the rescue, the bear was handed over to the Wildlife Department. It was shifted to a nearby wildlife veterinary centre, where experts will examine its condition and keep it under observation.

The animal's four-day ordeal could have left it weak or injured, making medical assessment important before it returns to the wild. Officials said the bear will be released back into its natural habitat once veterinary experts declare it fit.

Containers and other discarded objects can become dangerous traps for animals searching for food. The incident highlighted such challenges faced by wildlife living around human settlements and remote mountain areas.

The rescue was another example of a difficult operation carried out in challenging terrain. Their efforts have been widely appreciated by people online, who described the rescue as a reminder that compassion can extend beyond the battlefield and towards wildlife in need.

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Inside SHIELD: India's Invisible Drone Killer

Girish Linganna — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:09:27 +0530

In an Indian laboratory, a powerful microwave lamp will be switched on. Small electronic brains placed in front of it will freeze, restart, or die. That is the whole point. Before India can protect its radars, command posts and aircraft from a microwave attack, it must first create that attack on purpose, measure it honestly, and learn from it.

That idea is called SHIELD — the S-band High-Power Microwave Integrated Evaluation System for Lethality and Damage. DRDO has asked Indian companies to build it under the Technology Development Fund: here is the problem, invent the machine in India. The Fund is meant for Indian firms, especially small companies and startups, so this hardware is made here rather than bought abroad.

What is a high-power microwave?

A kitchen oven uses a few hundred watts of the same waves that carry Wi-Fi and radar to heat food. An HPM system takes that idea and makes it fierce, throwing much stronger pulses through open air. When the field over a target becomes large enough, a chip gets confused, a computer restarts, or the electronics are ruined. Soldiers call this a soft kill. The drone may look unhurt, but its radio, camera and flight computer have stopped thinking. Against a swarm this matters: a laser must stare at one drone until it burns, while one microwave pulse washes over several at once.

Why S-band?

That is the slice of radio from about 2 to 4 gigahertz. It is a crowded neighbourhood: home Wi-Fi, some satellite phones, airport radars, and the remote-control links of cheap drones. If energy arrives at a frequency a device already uses, it slips more easily into antennas and cables. So this test machine asks a blunt question: if a real attack came in this band, which box would stumble, which recover, and which never wake again?

The key number is a peak electric field of at least 3 kilovolts per metre, measured at a distance where the beam has settled, not right at the antenna. Imagine 3,000 volts stretched across a one-metre stick. That is huge next to the faint field around a phone. It is still a laboratory strength, used to study weakness, not the fiercer field of a finished weapon beside its target.

The machine will fire in short bursts. Engineers call the on-and-off pattern the duty cycle — the fraction of time the transmitter is actually shouting. Keep that fraction low and the heat stays under control, while each burst hits like a hammer. Without cooling plates and heat sinks, the chips inside would overheat and fail.

The heart of SHIELD is a Gallium Nitride solid-state amplifier. Older high-power machines used vacuum tubes such as magnetrons and klystrons, which still produce enormous bursts. DRDO's own S-band prototype in Bengaluru is publicly described as peaking around 450 megawatts and knocking down small quadcopters at about one kilometre. Solid-state GaN is a different road: no long warm-up, instant start, blocks stacked like Lego, and if one chip fails the rest keep working. A huge tube weapon usually needs a truck. A GaN unit can be built small enough to hang under a drone, which is why the tender mentions drone mounting.

The most important line: SHIELD is not a battlefield gun. It is a measuring instrument. Scientists will use it to see how badly a microwave field breaks radios, sensors, computers and flight controllers. India is already working on HPM weapons separately, including tests against swarms. What was missing is a repeatable bench — a standard lamp — against which shielding, cable layout, filters and spare computers are judged before they fly into a real fight.

A student with a physics book hears several chapters at once: how field strength falls with distance, why an antenna's focus matters, why a chip dies when a sudden voltage punches through the thin layers inside that act like switches, and why cooling is half the job in high-power electronics.

For everyone else the meaning is simpler. Today's wars are full of cheap flying computers. Shooting a missile at every small drone is a bill no country can keep paying. Directed energy offers a magazine made mostly of electricity. But no country can field such systems, or harden its own radars, unless it can first switch the threat on in a lab.

If SHIELD works, India will not only own a test machine. It will own people who can design these transmitters, handle violent bursts of power, keep dense electronics cool, and turn field readings into protection rules. The drone-mountable line points to the next chapter: lift this lamp off the workbench into the sky, where movement and the routes the energy uses to sneak into wires and antennas no longer look like a textbook — they look like war.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or stance of the organization. The organization assumes no responsibility for the content shared.

Indian Navy Looks To HSL As Long-Term Shipbuilding Partner

Anish Kumar — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:12:52 +0530

New Delhi: India Navy’s deputy chief Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, recently visited Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), a government-owned shipyard, to see how it’s growing as part of the country’s naval shipbuilding plans. HSL’s chief, Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram (Retd), showed him around and explained the yard’s recent projects, upgraded facilities, and improved technical skills.

Speaking to HSL’s staff, Vice Admiral Sobti praised how far the yard has come, calling it a longtime, trusted partner of the Navy that will play a major role in India's growing maritime industry.

He also signaled a change in how the Navy wants to work with HSL going forward, not just as a place that builds ships, but as a true strategic partner. This means working together not only to build vessels, but also to support them throughout their entire service life, including upgrades and mid-life refits.

At the same time, he made it clear that meeting deadlines and maintaining quality still matter most, since shipyards taking on bigger responsibilities can’t afford to fall behind on delivery.

He also stressed that skilled and experienced workers are the most important factor behind any shipyard's ability to perform well, adding that HSL has been building valuable experience over time.

All about HSL

It’s one of India’s oldest shipyards, founded in 1941 and taken over by the government in 1952. It falls under the Ministry of Defence and holds “Mini Ratna Category-I” status, a rank given to profitable government companies that gives them more independence in decisions about spending, partnerships, and technology, without needing approval for every single case.

HSL is currently India’s second-biggest shipyard, behind only Cochin Shipyard, and its dock can handle ships weighing up to 80,000 tonnes. The yard is especially known for submarine work. It’s one of the few facilities in India capable of building and repairing submarines, having carried out major refits on Kilo-class submarines like INS Sindhukirti, INS Vela, and INS Vagli, with Sindhukirti’s refit still ongoing.

HSL is now preparing to start building submarines as well, in partnership with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.

It has also built other specialized ships, including Diving Support Vessels made largely with Indian-made parts, and INS Dhruv, India's first home-built ocean surveillance ship.

Inside India’s Deadly Game-Changing Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon

Girish Linganna — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:02:49 +0530

At Rahim Yar Khan Air Base in Pakistan, the main runway tells the story. During Operation Sindoor, India's strikes on Pakistani airbases last year, a bomb tore a massive crater into it, and the frontline base could not function for months. The weapon behind that blow was the Smart Anti Airfield Weapon, or SAAW, and India now wants many more of them.

Earlier this week, a deal worth ₹811 crore, more than $84 million, was signed for 160 of these bombs for the Indian Air Force. When a weapon proves itself in real combat, a country does not shelve it. It orders more. The message is clear: India wants a bigger stock of bombs that can shut down enemy airfields.

Why target a runway at all? We usually picture air battles as fighter jets chasing each other across the sky. But an air force is only as strong as the ground it takes off from. Think of a runway as the only road out of a city. Break the road, and every car stays parked, however powerful its engine. Along with runways, the SAAW is built to hit taxi tracks, hangars, bunkers, radars and air traffic control buildings, everything that makes flying possible. It does not need to destroy an enemy's whole fleet. It only needs to take the runway offline.

The version India is buying is the satellite-guided SAT SAAW, an air-to-ground weapon dropped from an aircraft. It is a lightweight glide bomb with no engine. Picture a paper plane released from a height: it keeps moving forward on its own. In the same way, the SAAW glides nearly 100 kilometres to its target, so pilots can release it from a safe distance, well away from enemy air defences.

A pair of wings on its body works like a bird's, helping it turn and steer in flight. Satellite navigation guides it to within just seven metres of its aim. Because it follows satellites, like the map on a phone, the enemy cannot easily confuse it with false radar signals or jamming.

Most importantly, once the bomb leaves the aircraft, it needs no further instructions. It finishes the job on its own. That is why it is called a fire-and-forget smart bomb, and why it ranks among the smartest weapons of its kind in the world. Three Indian Air Force aircraft can carry it today: the Su-30MKI, the Jaguar and the Hawk.

Its battle record sealed this order. During Operation Sindoor, India used several standoff weapons, meaning weapons fired from a distance, to strike 11 Pakistani airbases. The SAAW was one of them, and Rahim Yar Khan showed what a single well-placed bomb can do.

The SAAW is also part of a growing Indian family of glide bombs. The Gaurav, a long-range glide bomb, reaches nearly 150 kilometres and, like the SAAW, has foldable wings and satellite navigation. The Gautam is a glide bomb without wings, with a strike range of 30 kilometres. The Khagantak-243 goes farthest, at nearly 180 kilometres. It was successfully tested on 2 September and is moving towards final induction.

Behind all of them lies something deeper than hardware. For years, India had to turn to Russia, Israel or France for glide and standoff weapons, and every purchase came with a cost and political strings. Today, these smart bombs are made at home by Indian talent. That cuts the import bill, removes the political costs, and means India will not have to wait on others when it matters most.

The SAAW brings together precision, long reach and a simple target. For the pilots who fly with it and the country that built it, 160 more is not just an order. It is proof that India now trusts its own hands to guard its skies.

Why Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi Is Being Called India's 'Drone General'

Anish Kumar — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:19:52 +0530

New Delhi: When General Upendra Dwivedi retires as Chief of Army Staff on June 30, 2026, he will leave behind an army that looks very different from the one he inherited. The numbers tell part of the story — 50,000 drones deployed, more than 25 hubs built across the country, a reach of 500 kilometres, nearly 25 policy documents written, and 32 nations brought together at a single military conclave. That is why many now call him the “Drone General.”

But the numbers alone don’t explain what actually happened. They show the result. They don’t show the thinking behind it. The key was a choice General Dwivedi made early on: he treated modernisation not as something to plan for gradually, but as an urgent problem that needed solving now. He didn’t need to look far for reasons.

Wars in Ukraine and Gaza were showing the world, in real time, what future battlefields would look like — fast, transparent, and dominated by drones, electronic warfare, and precision weapons.

An army built around large numbers of soldiers and traditional equipment was simply not built for that kind of war. General Dwivedi saw the gap and decided to close it quickly.

What followed was not a superficial upgrade. New units were built from scratch — Bhairav Battalions, Ashni Platoons, Divyastra Batteries, and Rudra All Arms Brigades — designed specifically for modern, multi-domain warfare.

The drone and counter-drone hubs that now dot the country were not showpieces. They were built to actually sustain operations. And because an army that relies on foreign suppliers for its most critical equipment is an army with a serious weakness, domestic drone production was pushed hard.

The doctrinal side was just as important. Nearly 25 policy and strategy documents gave the transformation a clear direction and intellectual backbone. The goal set out in them was ambitious: every soldier should understand and be able to work with drone technology. That kind of change cannot happen if only a few specialist units are trained. It requires the whole institution to shift.

Operation Sindoor

Operation Sindoor showed that a significant part of the institution had. In a live campaign, the Indian Army used drones, loitering munitions, electronic warfare, and real-time intelligence in a coordinated and effective way. What had been a plan on paper became a proven method of fighting. Strategic observers have since described Sindoor as a blueprint for India’s future approach to warfare — which is really just another way of saying that what General Dwivedi built actually worked when it mattered. He also worked to strengthen India’s position internationally.

Thirty-two nations came together through the UNTCC Chiefs Conclave. A platform called “Friends for Life” connected nearly 100,000 alumni of Indian military training institutions around the world. Infrastructure projects along border regions served both military and civilian purposes. None of this was a distraction from the core mission.

It all reflected the same understanding: a strong modern military is connected to the world around it, and draws strength from those connections.

Germany Joins India's IFC-IOR, Deploys First Maritime Liaison Officer

Anish Kumar — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:28:50 +0530

New Delhi: Strengthening its maritime partnership with India, Germany has stationed its first International Liaison Officer (ILO) to the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram. It marks a significant step in enhancing cooperation on maritime security and information sharing across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Commander Oliver Vanek joined the IFC-IOR on Thursday as the IFC-IOR’s 17th International Liaison Officer and the first representative from Germany.

“The induction ceremony was attended by Colonel Klaus Willi Merkel, Defence Attaché of Germany to India,” the IFC-IOR said.

The liaison officers at IFC-IOR

Germany’s participation expands the multinational network of liaison officers at the IFC-IOR, which serves as a key regional hub for maritime information sharing, maritime domain awareness and coordination among partner nations.

“The addition of a German officer is expected to strengthen collaborative efforts to monitor maritime activities, improve information exchange and support regional security initiatives across the IOR,” an Indian Navy official said.

Germany’s induction brings the perspective of a major European maritime partner to the IFC-IOR’s growing international framework, the IFC-IOR added.

The move reflects the increasing convergence between India and Germany on ensuring the safety, security and stability of critical sea lanes that carry a significant share of global trade and energy supplies.

Established by the Indian Navy, the IFC-IOR plays a central role in enhancing maritime domain awareness by sharing real-time information on shipping movements, piracy, illegal fishing, trafficking, maritime disasters and other security-related incidents with partner countries and international agencies.

The centre has steadily expanded its international outreach by hosting liaison officers from friendly foreign nations, enabling faster coordination and information exchange.

A milestone for India-Germany defence ties

The induction of Germany’s first liaison officer is also seen as another milestone in the growing India-Germany strategic partnership.

In recent years, the two countries have expanded defence and security cooperation through high-level engagements, naval interactions and shared support for a rules-based maritime order.

Officials said the latest development reinforces the shared commitment of India and Germany to maintaining a free, open, secure and stable Indian Ocean Region through closer collaboration, enhanced maritime domain awareness and stronger international partnerships.

It must be mentioned that just days ago, Indonesia deputed its liaison officer at the centre.

Netra AEW&C Gets Full Combat Clearance: DRDO Hands Over Final Operational Clearance Certificate to Indian Air Force

Anish Kumar — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:42:17 +0530

New Delhi: India’s indigenous airborne early warning programme reached a definitive juncture on Wednesday when the Defence Research and Development Organisation formally handed over the final operational clearance (FOC) certificate for the Netra airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system to the Indian Air Force at its Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru.

The FOC certifies that the system is fully combat-ready, structurally sound, and equipped with all required mission capabilities.

For a platform as complex as Netra – which knits together an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electronic support measures, communication suites, software-defined radios, data links, and a self-protection electronic warfare suite on a single modified airframe – the clearance carries considerable weight. Achieving FOC indicates that the system has met the required performance benchmarks under realistic operating conditions and can now be fielded as a mature military capability.

The ceremony was presided over by the deputy chief of the air staff, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti.

From concept to combat: A two-decade journey

The origins of the Netra programme trace back to 2003, when the IAF and DRDO jointly assessed the feasibility of developing an indigenous AEW&C system. Following government approval, CABS was designated as the nodal agency for design, system integration, and testing.

Four other DRDO laboratories contributed to the effort: the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment developed the primary radar, the Defence Electronics Application Laboratory handled communication systems and data links, the Defence Avionics Research Establishment worked on the self-protection suite and electronic warfare measures, and the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory provided communication support.

Three ERJ-145 aircraft were procured from Embraer of Brazil and extensively modified to meet military requirements. These modifications included in-flight refuelling capability, satellite communication systems, advanced avionics, electrical upgrades, and aerodynamic and structural changes.

The first Netra aircraft was delivered to the IAF in February 2017 and received its initial operational clearance (IOC) in October 2017 after trial runs at Bhisiana Air Force Station. The second and third aircraft were received by the IAF in 2019 and 2023 respectively.

The Netra Mk1 is built on a modified Embraer ERJ-145 twin-engine aircraft and features an indigenously developed AESA radar system.

The dorsal-mounted radar provides 240-degree electronic scan coverage with a detection range of approximately 250–300 kilometres.

It has capability of tracking targets deep inside adversary territory without breaching international borders.

It is also fitted with a secondary surveillance radar, electronic and communication counter-measures, line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight data links, and secure voice communication systems.

Its endurance of over eight hours, extendable via in-flight refuelling, further enhances its operational reach.

India is among only four countries in the world to have indigenously developed an AEW&C system of this type.

Tested in anger

Netra played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role in the Balakot surgical strikes in February 2019, providing crucial surveillance cover during the pre-dawn aerial attack.

During the retaliatory operation the following day, when Pakistan Air Force F-16 combat jets attempted to violate Indian airspace, it was the indigenous AEW&C that alerted MiG-21s and other fighters on air patrol about the incoming F-16s, resulting in the aerial engagement that followed.

During Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, the IAF deployed the Netra Mk1A testbed – originally developed by DRDO for testing purposes – in an operational role.

The Netra aircraft were also deployed during the India-China border stand-off in 2020.

In his address at Wednesday’s ceremony, Air Marshal Bharti specifically referenced the system’s operational record during Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes, noting that indigenous systems offer the services the flexibility to adapt platforms to an evolving warfighting environment through modifications – a degree of autonomy that imported systems do not readily afford.

Distinguished scientist and director general of DRDO’s electronics cluster, Dr BK Das, described the Netra AEW&C as a demonstration of what coordinated effort among operational users, scientific agencies, and defence production establishments can produce.

Indian Army’s IBG Era Begins: Six Major Generals Lead New Warfighting Formations from July 1

Anish Kumar — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:38:05 +0530

New Delhi: In one of the most significant structural reforms undertaken by the Indian Army in recent decades, six Major Generals have assumed command of five newly raised Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) and one dedicated Fire Support Group (FSG) on July 1. The IBGs have been designed to deliver faster, leaner and more decisive military responses.

The move represents the first large-scale implementation of the Army’s long-discussed IBG concept, aimed at replacing cumbersome mobilisation procedures with integrated, mission-ready combat formations capable of responding to emerging threats at short notice.

A Trial Run, Not a Full Rollout

The entire exercise has been conceived as a pilot project, with 17 Mountain Strike Corps designated as the test-bed where the IBG and FSG model will be put through its paces under real operational conditions. The Army’s intent is to use this trial to validate the concept before committing to a wider transformation. The structure is expected to be extended to other Corps across the force.

What Makes an IBG Different?

The IBG concept has been on the Army’s drawing board for years, and this rollout is its first serious test in the field. Unlike a conventional division, which has to pull together infantry, armour, artillery and support units from scattered formations before it can fight, an IBG is built to be self-contained from day one.

Each one fuses infantry, mechanised forces, armour, artillery, engineers, air defence, signals and logistics into a single combined-arms package under one commander, so it can move and fight as a cohesive whole rather than being assembled piecemeal once a crisis breaks out.

A New Layer of Command: The Chief Operations Officer

A key institutional change accompanying the IBGs is the creation of the Chief Operations Officer (COO) appointment, to be held by a Brigadier in each formation. According to people familiar with the reorganisation, the COO is meant to act as the operational nerve centre of the formation – pulling together planning, intelligence, logistics, firepower and battlefield execution into one coordinated effort.

With the COO handling this day-to-day operational synchronisation, the Major General in command is freed up to focus on broader strategic and operational judgement calls, including during fast-moving situations in both peacetime and conflict.

Why the Army Wants a Shorter Chain of Command?

The underlying motivation is speed. In the existing setup, an operational decision often has to travel through several layers of headquarters before it translates into action on the ground. The IBG structure pushes more authority down to field commanders, cutting out intermediate steps so that tactical developments can be answered faster and combat power can be mobilised in a fraction of the time it currently takes.

The Fire Support Group’s Role

Standing apart from the five IBGs but raised alongside them, the new Fire Support Group has also been placed under a Major General. It brings long-range artillery, rocket systems, precision-strike capabilities and surveillance assets together under one roof, designed to deliver concentrated, on-demand firepower to combat formations as operations unfold, rather than leaving them to draw on dispersed fire assets.

Part of a Larger Transformation Drive

The IBG and FSG rollout sits within a broader modernisation effort that gathered momentum after the 2020 military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. That episode pushed the Army to move faster on building agile formations, deepening jointness with the other services, integrating drones and loitering munitions into its operations, expanding network-centric warfare capabilities, and decentralising command.

INS Trikand Foils Pirate Attack on MV Golden Arsenal Near Djibouti, All 21 Crew Safe

Anish Kumar — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:23:35 +0530

New Delhi: Indian Naval Ship Trikand, a mission-deployed stealth frigate of the Indian Navy operating in the Gulf of Aden, responded swiftly to a piracy attempt on MV Golden Arsenal, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier, on July 1. The ship under attack, MV Golden Arsenal, a St Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier, was roughly 300 nautical miles east-northeast of Djibouti and en route from Aden, Yemen, when it sent out the alert.

MV Golden Arsenal, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier, en route from Aden, Yemen, with 21 crew members, including one Indian national, reported an attempted pirate attack approximately 300 nautical miles east-northeast of Djibouti on July 1. Mission deployed… pic.twitter.com/Fzn0eKtooE

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) July 2, 2026

INS Trikand alerted

Word reached the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region – the multinational maritime security hub India has run out of Gurugram since 2018 – which passed the alert on to INS Trikand. The frigate, already on deployment in the area, was sent to intercept.

The bulk carrier had 21 crew aboard, one of them Indian, and took damage to its bridge structure and nearby compartments in the attack. The crew locked themselves into the ship’s citadel and came through unharmed.

A boarding party from Trikand went aboard the next morning to clear the vessel. They found no one hiding aboard, and the crew was able to leave the citadel. Navy personnel then stayed on to help the crew work out how bad the damage was.

Overhead, a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft flew reconnaissance passes to build a fuller picture of the area – one of several long-range surveillance aircraft the navy keeps for this kind of work.

Once the ship had been cleared and the threat was gone, Trikand wrapped up the operation and Golden Arsenal carried on with its voyage.

It’s the latest in a busy stretch for Indian warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean under the navy's long-running Operation Sankalp.

MV Fareeda 5's distress call

On June 17, Trikand answered a distress call from MV Fareeda 5 and drove off a suspected pirate approach in the western Indian Ocean. Before that, on May 27, the destroyer INS Kolkata did the same for MV Mashallah 1.

The pattern fits a broader spike: piracy is picking up again off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, with maritime security trackers logging more than a dozen incidents since January 2026, several of them hijackings. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency bumped its threat rating for the region up to “severe” in April.

India has kept warships on anti-piracy duty in the Gulf of Aden since 2008, watching over one of the busiest shipping lanes on the planet, the route linking Asia to Europe and the Americas through the Suez Canal.

The Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022 gives the navy and other agencies the power to put captured pirates on trial in Indian courts. That law was put to use in 2024, when naval commandos freed a hijacked ship off Somalia and brought 35 suspected pirates back to Mumbai to face charges.

DRDO Explores Alternate Engines For AMCA as GE F414 Costs Spiral Threefold

Anish Kumar — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:27:48 +0530

New Delhi: Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is actively scouting for alternate engine options for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) prototype after the projected cost of the American GE Aerospace F414 engines soared to nearly three times the originally anticipated figure, people familiar with the development confirmed.

Besides, the prototype, the F414-INS6 turbofan engine has also been planned as the interim powerplant for AMCA Mk1, tentatively powering its first 2-4 squadrons of around 60-70 fighters before a more powerful indigenous engine becomes available.

A twin-engine, AMCA is a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, designed for air supremacy and deep-strike missions. It features a low radar cross-section, supercruise capabilities, and internal weapons bays.

However, “the sharp price escalation has compelled DRDO to reconsider its dependence on the American turbofan,” a source said.

Currently, the ADA is negotiating for the procurement of 15 engines for the five AMCA prototypes.

Another source stated that the unit cost of an engine stood at Rs 70-80 crore prior to the latest price hike.

It must be noted that the development comes months after the HAL and GE Aerospace concluded the technical agreement. The two sides are currently undergoing commercial negotiations for the F414-INS6 engine.

It should also be mentioned that HAL and ADA are negotiating separately. Sources added: “The requirements are different so we are negotiating separately. HAL is pursuing for its light combat aircraft Mk2 while ADA is for fifth-generation AMCA programme.”

Why Is GE Raising the Price of the F414 Engine?

The escalation in engine price is part of a broader trend in global defence acquisitions, driven by inflation, supply chain disruptions, and the evolving nature of technology transfer agreements.

The supply chain crisis has been compounded by a shortage of critical aerospace-grade raw materials, specialist components sourced from geopolitically sensitive suppliers, and surging manufacturing costs at GE Aerospace’s facilities.

In 2025, the American giant had announced investment of nearly $1 billion in US manufacturing ecosystem to stabilize its supply chain, but the damage to India’s cost calculus has already been done.

GE Aerospace also committed to set up a dedicated F414 engine assembly line in India and has sought over $800 million or Rs 6,000 crore to establish the same.

The manufacturing is to be undertaken by the state-owned plane maker – Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Bengaluru facility under a licensed production agreement.

HAL has targeted rolling out the first “Made-in-India” F414 engine by mid-2029, for its LCA Mk2 fighter jet.

Engine for AMCA Mk2

Amid these concerns, UK’s Rolls-Royce, France’s Safran, and GE have all presented proposals to the DRDO, with Safran offering 100 per cent technology transfer including full intellectual property rights, and Rolls-Royce also pitching for 100 percent ToT and complete IP transfer.

On the programme front, the Ministry of Defence has issued an RFP for five AMCA prototypes to three shortlisted private-sector-led consortia: Larsen & Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, and Bharat Forge-BEML.

Being a twin-engine aircraft, each of the five prototypes will require three engines – two operational and one spare – bringing the total engine requirement for the prototype phase to 15 engines.

The RFP mandates the first prototype flight within 30 months of contract signing, with 1,800 test sorties to be completed within 84 months across all five aircraft.

India Clears Rs 52,000 Crore Defence Boost with Anti-Drone Systems and High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite

Anish Kumar — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:21:08 +0530

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh-chaired Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Friday granted in-principle clearance to a set of capital acquisition proposals worth an estimated Rs 52,000 crore, intended to strengthen the army, navy and air force. An AoN is the first formal step for the defence procurement process. It clears a proposal to proceed to subsequent stages, including technical evaluation, trials and price negotiations with vendors, but it does not amount to a signed contract.

Rajnath Singh-headed Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity to various acquisition proposals for the Defence Forces at an estimated cost of about Rs 52,000 crore. pic.twitter.com/9eAeYG5992

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) July 3, 2026

Approvals for Indian Army

For the army, approval was given for six systems. Among them is an anti-drone electronic warfare system named Akash Tarang, intended to protect army formations from unmanned aerial threats, and Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) systems, meant to help infantry counter enemy armour.

The council also cleared the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) weapon system, for defence against aerial threats at medium range, and the Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), which uses multi-spectral sensors to improve resistance to enemy countermeasures. Rounding off the army's list are an active protection system for tanks, designed to intercept incoming projectiles before they strike, and a jet-based kamikaze drone system, a loitering munition intended to combine electronic warfare capability with lower running costs than comparable systems.

Approvals for Indian Navy

For the navy, the DAC approved procurement of a Multi Influence Ground Mine (MIGM), a sea mine designed to restrict the movement of adversary vessels, and a Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS), fitted with sensors to improve situational awareness at sea.

It also cleared the setting up of a Land Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion systems, to test motors and associated propulsion equipment meant for naval vessels.

Approvals for Indian Air Force

For the air force, approval was accorded for a Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (FW-HAPS), among other proposals. HAPS are solar-powered, high-endurance unmanned aircraft that operate in the stratosphere, typically 18 to 20km above the earth, and can remain airborne for extended periods, offering satellite-like surveillance and communication coverage at a fraction of the cost of an actual satellite.

According to the defence ministry, the platform is meant to be used for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as telecommunication and remote sensing.

Friday's clearance is one of several such approvals the DAC has made this year. In August 2025, the council cleared proposals worth about Rs 67,000 crore, including compact autonomous surface craft and BrahMos fire-control systems for the navy.

The ministry has said that in the 2025-26 financial year, the DAC granted AoN for 55 proposals worth a cumulative Rs 6.73 lakh crore, while capital procurement contracts worth Rs 2.28 lakh crore were signed in the same period, the highest for any financial year on record.

Indian Army To Procure 450 Carl Gustaf Mark-IV Rocket Launchers

Anish Kumar — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:00:33 +0530

New Delhi: In a major boost to its infantry firepower modernisation drive, the Indian Army has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the procurement of 450 units of the 84mm Light Weight Rocket Launcher, Carl Gustaf Mark-IV, complete with accessories and spares. According to the RFP, the weapon should be weighing no more than seven kilograms, a barrel life of 1,500 rounds or 15 years, with an effective range of 350 - 800 metres.

Crucially, the new launcher must outperform the older Mark-III variant in both accuracy and reliability, while functioning reliably in temperatures ranging from -20°C to +50°C, a clear nod to India’s diverse operational terrain, from high-altitude Himalayan posts to the deserts of Rajasthan.

“Delivery is expected within 12 months of contract signing.”

Notably, the RFP also restrict bidders from countries sharing a land border with India, a provision introduced in the aftermath of heightened border tensions in recent years.

About the tender

The tender also lays out a rigorous 15-year product support obligation on the winning vendor, along with a 24-month warranty and mandatory Joint Receipt Inspection protocols once the equipment lands on Indian soil.

It is pertinent to mention here that the move reflects the Army’s continued push to replace legacy anti-tank and bunker-busting systems with lighter, more lethal, shoulder-fired platforms, reinforcing infantry units at a time of sustained focus on border preparedness.

Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth Reviews Gajraj Corps' Operational Readiness

Anish Kumar — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:17:04 +0530

New Delhi: The chief of the army staff, General Dhiraj Seth, visited the Gajraj Corps on July 16, 2026, and reviewed its operational preparedness and combat readiness.

During the visit, Gen Seth was briefed on the prevailing security situation, operational readiness, and capability development initiatives by units and formations of Eastern Command in the area.

He also reviewed the measures undertaken by the formation to maintain peace, stability, and a secure environment in the region.

Also Read: Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram Named New CMD of Hindustan Shipyard Limited

Strengthening Ties: Bridging the Gap with Civil Administration

Gen Seth was apprised of the corps’ close coordination with the civil administration and Central Armed Police Forces through developmental initiatives, community outreach programmes, and sustained assistance to local authorities.

He commended the formation for its significant contribution towards maintaining internal security in Assam and Meghalaya, as well as its prompt and effective response during disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations.

Recognizing Professionalism and High Morale

Interacting with the troops, he praised their professionalism, high morale, and commitment to duty.

He also appreciated the formation’s innovative approach and effective adoption of emerging technologies to enhance operational capability.

“The army chief exhorted all ranks to remain mission-focused, strengthen inter-agency synergy, and maintain the highest standards of operational preparedness to effectively address emerging security challenges in an evolving multi-domain environment,” an official said.

Also Read: Indian Army’s IBG Era Begins: Six Major Generals Lead New Warfighting Formations from July 1

Malacca And Beyond: The Case For A Larger Indian Navy

Ashu Maan — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:50:52 +0530

Geography gave India something China cannot buy: a coastline that juts 1,600 km into open water, positioned directly across the shipping lanes that run from the Gulf to East Asia. That coastline now measures close to 11,100 km on official maps — up from the long-used 7,500 km figure, not because the land moved but because the Survey of India recalculated it more precisely in 2025. Add in 1,382 islands and an exclusive economic zone of roughly 2.37 million sq km, and a picture emerges: this is not a country sitting near the world's trade routes, it's a country the trade routes have to sail past. Ships bound for East Asia come within reach of Indian radar almost by default, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands guard the western entrance to the Malacca Strait almost by accident of location.

Chinese shipyards can outproduce Indian ones on raw tonnage. They cannot replicate this map. Still, a favorable map is worthless without ships in the water to make use of it — and that's the gap this piece is about.

The Sea Carries the Economy

Sea lanes move over 90% of India's trade by volume and more than 85% of its crude oil supply. Four choke corridors do most of the work: Hormuz, the Red Sea–Suez passage, Malacca, and Bab el-Mandeb. Before this year's disruption, something like 40 to 45% of India's crude, along with half its LNG and nine-tenths of its LPG, moved through Hormuz alone. Malacca carries a different mix — India isn't as dependent on it for oil as China is — but pharmaceutical ingredients, electronics, industrial inputs, and coal shipments from Australia and Indonesia all pass through it regardless. Block any one of these four gates and the effects show up in Indian refineries and factories within a matter of weeks, not months.

Surveying First, Sailing Later

What should worry planners isn't a Chinese carrier battle group steaming into the region next year — it's something quieter and harder to point to: a presence so constant that it stops registering as unusual. Roughly 64 Chinese survey and research vessels are active in these waters right now, and about 80% of them have documented links to the People's Liberation Army. Thirteen or more have already mapped the ocean floor in fine detail — exactly the kind of hydrographic data submarines need before they can operate safely in unfamiliar waters. Layer onto that a ring of ports Beijing has helped build or finance — Djibouti, Gwadar, Hambantota, Kyaukpyu — arranged conveniently around India's maritime rim, and a pattern becomes hard to miss: the infrastructure goes in years before the warships ever need to use it.

Submarines Next Door, Threats From the Water

Pakistan's naval doctrine leans on denial rather than dominance — submarines, anti-ship missiles, a sea-based nuclear deterrent, much of it built with Chinese assistance. April 2026 saw the commissioning of the first Hangor-class attack submarine, the opening delivery in a planned run of eight; four of those eight are being assembled in Karachi itself.

Not every maritime threat wears a uniform, though. Gunmen reached Mumbai by boat in November 2008, and that lesson hasn't expired. This year brought a fresh reminder from a different direction: Houthi forces have begun targeting Indian shipping interests outright, and in early August 2026 a projectile struck the Indian-flagged vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya off the Yemeni coast, sinking it. All fourteen crew — thirteen of them Indian nationals — survived and were pulled to safety. Indian naval escorts began shepherding crude tankers through Bab el-Mandeb within days of that strike, and today Indian ships hold position at multiple Gulf chokepoints at once, not just one.

Hormuz Showed How Cheaply a Strait Can Die

Of everything that's happened this year, nothing rewrote the strategic playbook quite like Hormuz. Iranian forces announced the strait closed in late February 2026, and traffic across it essentially stopped — hundreds of ships and their crews found themselves stuck inside the Gulf with nowhere to go. The price of India's crude basket tracked the crisis almost exactly: roughly $69 a barrel in February, north of $110 by mid-March, with spikes well above that at the peak.

No carrier group made this happen. Iran did it with missiles, drones, sea mines, and the simple fact of owning the coastline. That should retire an assumption a lot of navies have quietly relied on — that shutting a major artery requires blue-water muscle. It doesn't, apparently. A country with modest naval reach can choke off a global chokepoint on a shoestring budget, and hold it shut for the better part of a season.

Carriers Aren't the Extravagance Critics Claim

There's a familiar complaint that aircraft carriers are costly, easy to target, and not worth the money. It's a fair-sounding argument that misses what carriers are actually built to solve: distance.

Mumbai sits some 1,500 nautical miles from Hormuz. Bab el-Mandeb is further out still. No land-based squadron can hold station over those waters week after week — fuel and range won't allow it. A carrier group solves that problem by bringing its own runway, its own air-defense bubble, and its own command structure out to wherever the tankers actually are. That's the entire case for keeping one, or several, at sea.

The unglamorous half of the equation is escort duty, and it's a matter of headcount more than firepower. Frigates, destroyers, corvettes, and fleet tankers handle it — running convoys, boarding suspicious vessels, and simply staying visible long enough to deter trouble before it starts.

Blueprints Are Ready; Steel Isn't

Right now India fields two carriers — INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant — and one of them is routinely out of service for refit. On an unlucky day, that leaves exactly one carrier available for the entire Indian Ocean.

The Navy's own target is a 175-to-200-ship fleet by 2035; current strength sits somewhere in the 130-to-150 range, with more than fifty additional hulls already under construction. But IAC-2, the second carrier built domestically, is still stuck waiting for final sign-off from the government — ten years after the money for its design was first released. That gap matters because of timing: a warship takes roughly a decade from order to commissioning, while a crisis, as Hormuz proved, can materialize inside a week.

The old idea of the Indian Ocean as a natural buffer, a moat keeping trouble at bay, no longer holds. It's a lifeline now, and rival powers keep testing where it might snap.

This month's tankers made it through Bab el-Mandeb intact because Indian warships were already positioned to escort them. No guarantee holds next month — it could just as easily be four unescorted cargo ships and nothing standing between them and the missiles. Warships ordered today won't be ready until sometime in the 2030s, which leaves exactly one sensible option: place the order now.

Ashu Mann is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. He is pursuing a PhD in Defence and Strategic Studies. His research focuses include the India-China territorial dispute, great power rivalry, and Chinese foreign policy.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or stance of the organization. The organization assumes no responsibility for the content shared.