SOURCE: AFI

In a significant intelligence breakthrough, Indian air defence systems and radars have gathered extensive data on Chinese-origin military equipment deployed by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during the recent India-Pakistan aerial clashes in May 2025. The information, which includes electronic and digital signatures of advanced weaponry such as the J-10C and JF-17 combat jets, the PL-15 active radar-guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), and the HQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM), is poised to enhance India’s defensive capabilities and provide valuable insights to New Delhi’s strategic partners.

The data collection occurred during Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on May 7, 2025, targeting terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The PAF’s response, involving Chinese-supplied platforms and munitions, inadvertently exposed these systems to India’s sophisticated air defence network, including the Russian-origin S-400 Triumf and indigenous systems like the Akash and QRSAM. According to a defence official, “The parameters of weapons systems can be reconfigured for export versions, but access to basic information such as electronic signatures allows a country’s defensive equipment to be better calibrated to counter such threats.”

SOURCE: AFI

In a landmark achievement for India’s defense indigenization efforts, a 5.56x45mm Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbine, designed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Forge’s subsidiary, Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd, has emerged as the lowest bidder (L1) in the Indian Army’s recent procurement tender.

Valued at approximately ?2,000 crore, this contract represents the largest single order for an Indian-designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM) weapon system since the induction of the INSAS rifle in the early 2000s. The success of this carbine underscores the growing capabilities of India’s defense industry and the government’s push for self-reliance under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

SOURCE: AFI

Boeing’s potential revival of the C-17 Globemaster III production line has gained traction as India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) accelerates efforts to streamline procurement processes, replacing lengthy field trials with simulations to meet urgent military needs. Announced on June 18, 2025, these reforms align with India’s likely interest in ordering additional C-17s, a heavy-lift cargo aircraft critical to its strategic airlift capabilities. This article explores Boeing’s production prospects, India’s procurement overhaul, and the implications for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and global defense markets.

Boeing is considering restarting production of the C-17 Globemaster III, a versatile military transport aircraft, nearly a decade after halting its assembly line in 2015. At the Paris Air Show 2025, Boeing’s Vice President of Global Services-Government Services, Turbo Sjogren, confirmed “very early” discussions with an unnamed country, with additional interest from nations including India, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.

SOURCE: AFI

In a concerning development, central and international investigative agencies have initiated a probe into the potential use of high-power microwave (HPM) or electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-based devices linked to a series of cargo ship incidents in the Arabian Sea. The investigation follows a surge in maritime accidents in the region, raising alarms among maritime insurance firms and global shipping authorities.

The US-based Joint Marine Insurance Committee (JMIC) recently released a report highlighting evidence of EMP-level electromagnetic activity detected in connection with several of these incidents. Such activity could indicate the use of advanced technological devices capable of disrupting a ship’s navigational and operational systems, potentially leading to collisions, groundings, or other accidents. The report has intensified concerns about the safety of maritime routes in the Arabian Sea, a critical corridor for global trade.