Indian Defence News

DRDO is soliciting global bids for a flight-proven, high-thrust miniature engine in a move that signals accelerating ambitions in cruise weapons and autonomous aerial systems.

Bharat Electronics Limited has awarded a ₹29.8 crore order to Goa-based RRP Defense for supplying high-precision germanium lenses used in thermal imaging and infrared defence systems. The lenses are important for night-vision devices, surveillance systems and weapon sights. The deal supports India’s defence indigenisation push.

The Ministry of Defence has issued a Rs 290 crore tender to procure 386 dual-technology mine detectors capable of identifying both metallic and non-metallic explosives.

DRDO has completed final configuration development trials of its unmanned aerial vehicle-launched precision guided missile, the ULPGM-V3, testing it in both air-to-ground and air-to-air modes at the NOAR near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

The Bengaluru-based company, which claims to be among a handful of private firms globally with in-house high power microwave technology, will integrate and commission an HPM system for naval platforms.

India is finalizing a Rs 70,000-crore deal for six AIP-equipped submarines even as it operates no such vessels today, while Pakistan rapidly expands its own underwater fleet with Chinese assistance.

IAF officer Squadron Leader Saanya has become the first woman to earn prestigious Category-A Qualified Flying Instructor qualification, the highest instructional rating for military pilots in India. Trained at Flying Instructors School in Tambaram near Chennai, she completed rigorous flying and ground training to achieve the top instructor grade.

IAF is developing AGNI, an advanced combat simulation system designed to train pilots and military commanders for modern warfare. Unlike older simulators, AGNI will connect fighter jets, drones, missiles on one real-time network. The system will simulate air, land and sea battles using virtual reality, electronic warfare and satellite imagery.

With no aircraft delivered more than two years past the original deadline, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s new chief has promised the Indian Air Force that the first Tejas-Mk1A jets will arrive by August or September 2026.

The Indian Army and Royal Cambodian Army successfully concluded the second edition of the 14-day joint military exercise CINBAX-II 2026 in Cambodia’s Kampong Speu Province. The exercise focused on tactical operations in semi-urban environments, including sniper drills, drone operations, mortar training, combat first aid and disaster relief.