DEFENCE NEWS

BHEL-DRDO Gas Turbine Infrared Suppression Deal

• Enhances naval stealth by reducing infrared signatures of warships using LM2500 gas turbines.
• BHEL, founded in 1956, is one of India's largest public-sector engineering companies.

INS Mahendragiri Delivered

• Sixth Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) stealth frigate, built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.
• Project 17A frigates represent a major step-up in stealth, automation and survivability over earlier Indian warship classes.

CINBAX-II 2026 — India-Cambodia Exercise

• Company-level joint training under UN Chapter VII mandate, involving Maratha Light Infantry troops.
• Held at the Royal Cambodian Air Force Training Centre in Kampong Speu Province.

First Salvo Launch of NASM-SR

• DRDO-Navy trial demonstrated waterline-hit capability from a naval helicopter platform.
• Two missiles were launched in quick succession, marking a first for India's air-launched anti-ship missile programme.

President Murmu Visits ARTRAC Headquarters, Shimla

• Reviewed the Army Training Command's role in enhancing operational training standards.
• ARTRAC is responsible for shaping training doctrine across the Indian Army.

IG Defence Unveils KAL and JWALA Systems

• KAL is India's first long-range one-way attack drone (1,000 km range); JWALA is a rapid-response missile platform.
• Unveiled at the North Tech Symposium 2026, highlighting the private sector's growing defence-manufacturing role.

HNLMS De Ruyter Visits Kochi

• Part of a five-month Indo-Pacific deployment strengthening India-Netherlands maritime cooperation.
• The ship was escorted by Indian Navy Fast Interceptor Craft during its arrival.

IOS Sagar-INS Sunayna Visits Yangon

• Aligns with India's MAHASAGAR vision for Indian Ocean maritime security cooperation.
• MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across Regions.

₹1,476 Crore BEL Contract for Mobile Electronic Systems

• Requires minimum 72% indigenous content under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category.
• Signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi.

DRDO's CBRN Field Training Centre, Burari Plains

• Strengthens India's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergency-response readiness.
• Part of the upcoming CBRN Centre of Excellence under the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences.

Joint Commanders' Conference, Jaipur

• Coincided with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, focused on 'Military Capability in New Domains'.
• Attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and CDS General Anil Chauhan.

India-Algeria Joint Commission's First Meeting

• Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in training, military exercises and defence industries.
• The two countries signed Rules of Procedure to guide future Joint Commission meetings.

INS Sudarshini's Lokayan-26 Voyage

• Reached Mindelo, Cape Verde — the final African stop before crossing to the Caribbean.
• Includes cross-training exchanges with the Cape Verde Coast Guard as part of naval diplomacy.

TARA — India's First Indigenous Glide Weapon

• Converts unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons; developed by DRDO's RCI Hyderabad.
• Successfully flight-tested off the Odisha coast, marking a key milestone for precision-strike capability.

IIT Madras' First International Deep-Tech Centre, Menlo Park

• A launchpad for Indian deep-tech startups to access global capital and mentorship.
• Announced at the SelectUSA Investment Summit, with a total investment of USD 7.5 million.

Skyroot Aerospace Becomes India's First Space-Tech Unicorn

• Valuation reached USD 1.1 billion after raising USD 60 million; fourth Indian unicorn of 2026.
• The funding round was co-led by Sherpalo Ventures and GIC Private Limited.

ICGS Achal Commissioned

• An Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel commissioned at Goa Shipyard Limited.
• Its name, meaning 'firm', symbolises the Coast Guard's commitment to coastal protection.

Scramjet Combustor Long-Duration Test

• DRDL achieved over 1,200 seconds of run-time, a key milestone for hypersonic missile technology.
• Surpasses an earlier 700-second test conducted in January 2026, marking real progress in scramjet endurance.

Steel-Cutting for Fleet Support Ship No. 5

• Held at Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam; each FSS will displace over 40,000 tonnes.
• Fleet Support Ships enable at-sea replenishment, boosting the Navy's blue-water operating range.

India-Australia 10th Defence Policy Talks

• Reaffirmed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue established in 2025.
• Reflects deepening Quad-aligned defence cooperation between India and Australia.

IAF's 88-Hour 'Operation Sindoor' Commemorative Run

• Marked the first anniversary of the 88-hour air operation with about 600 participants.
• Flagged off from India Gate by the Air Officer in Charge Administration.

Agni MIRV Missile Test

• Demonstrated capability to strike multiple targets simultaneously from a single missile system.
• MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicle) technology significantly boosts strategic deterrence value.

'Kalam & Kavach 3.0' Conference

• Centred on Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, Innovation (JAI) and Indigenisation/International Collaboration (I²).
• Brings together policymakers, military leadership, industry and startups on a shared strategic platform.

AMCA Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre, Puttaparthi

• Foundation laid for the fifth-generation fighter programme, with an outlay of about ₹15,000 crore.
• The Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre itself is being built for roughly ₹2,000 crore.

Pakistan Commissions First Hangor-Class Submarine

• First of eight Chinese-built submarines due by 2028; features Air Independent Propulsion.
• AIP allows the submarine to stay submerged for 2-3 weeks without surfacing.

Indian Navy's Naval Sailing Node at Bhojtal, Bhopal

• Inaugurated by CNS Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi to promote inland sailing training.
• Bhojtal (Upper Lake) is one of Central India's largest artificial lakes, ideal for sail training.

Stricter Defence Vendor Debarment Norms

• Up to 5-year debarment for poor performance and 10-year ban for ethical misconduct, replacing the 2016 framework.
• Reflects a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and underperformance in defence procurement.

Rajnath Singh's Vietnam-South Korea Visit

• Aimed at strengthening defence-industrial and maritime cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
• Comes amid India's broader 'Act East' policy of deepening ties with Southeast and East Asian partners.

'Kaal Bhairava' UCAV's Overseas Manufacturing

• Flying Wedge Defence's AI-powered drone to be built in Portugal under 'Operation 777'.
• Developed in collaboration with SKETCHPIXEL, a European fighter-jet simulation specialist.

Tonbo Imaging's ADITI 3.0 Navy Contract

• Covers integration of a High Power Microwave system for naval platforms.
• Supported under the Ministry of Defence's iDEX initiative for defence innovation.

India Receives Fourth S-400 Squadron

• Part of a $5.43 billion 2018 deal with Russia for five squadrons.
• S-400 Triumf is a long-range surface-to-air system capable of intercepting aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles.

L&T-Exail Unmanned Mine Countermeasure Systems

• Supports the Navy's proposed 12-vessel Mine Counter Measure programme.
• L&T will act as Prime Contractor, offering the Unmanned MCM Suite to participating shipyards.

PRAGATI 2026 Multilateral Exercise, Meghalaya

• Hosted at Umroi with 12 nations, focused on counter-terror and jungle-warfare coordination.
• PRAGATI stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region.

INS Sanghmitra Launched

• First of four Shachi-class Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels, built under Buy (Indian-IDDM).
• Launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.

Army-Navy Affiliation MoA

• Strengthens inter-service jointness through structured exchanges and joint operations.
• Signed by the Adjutant General of the Army and Chief of Personnel of the Navy.

Maroon Beret Passing-Out Parade, Garud Regimental Training Centre

• Marked completion of training for IAF Garud special-forces operatives.
• Held at Air Force Station Chandinagar, with AVM Rahul Gupta as chief guest.

138th Offshore Security Coordination Committee Meeting

• Held in Ahmedabad under DG Coast Guard Paramesh Sivamani to review offshore security.
• Focused on protecting India's offshore installations and critical energy infrastructure.

Ring Gantry Linear Accelerator, Army Hospital (R&R)

• Boosts advanced radiotherapy cancer-care capacity for defence personnel.
• Commissioned in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

Indian Navy's Fleet Expansion Plan

• 45 ships to be acquired in 3-4 years; in-principle approval for 195 more, targeting ~300 warships by 2035.
• Current fleet strength stands at around 130 ships.

NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex, Shirdi

• A ₹5,000 crore facility expected to generate about 4,000 jobs.
• Inaugurated alongside the flagging-off of the Suryastra rocket-launching system.

INS Sudarshini's Trans-Atlantic Crossing

• First such crossing by the ship, reaching Antigua and Barbuda; last done by INS Tarangini in 2007.
• Part of the ongoing Lokayan-26 global training expedition.

AMCA Request for Proposal Issued

• India's first indigenous 5th-generation stealth fighter programme, with five prototypes planned.
• Also includes one dedicated structural test aircraft in the development plan.

Indian Army's 'Q-FORCE' Logistics App

• An integrated digital platform for real-time logistics coordination across terrains.
• Aims to improve supply-chain efficiency and resource-planning across military operations.

16th India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue

• Co-chaired by Defence Secretaries of both countries to review ongoing engagements.
• Held in Singapore, reflecting the long-standing defence relationship between the two nations.

Indian Coast Guard's Mundra Coast Anti-Narcotics Operation

• Seized about 115 kg of cocaine worth roughly ₹1,150 crore, jointly with Gujarat ATS.
• Highlights the Coast Guard's growing role in maritime anti-smuggling operations along India's western coast.