SOURCE: AFI

In a significant milestone for India’s indigenous defense manufacturing, Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman of Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (a subsidiary of Solar Industries), has confirmed the successful completion of an order for 480 Nagastra-1 man-portable suicide drones for the Indian Army.

The delivery, finalized in 2025, follows the handover of the first batch of 120 units last year, marking a pivotal achievement for the company and reinforcing its growing stature in India’s defense sector. The Nagastra-1, a lightweight and precise loitering munition, is designed to neutralize hostile threats with lethal accuracy, showcasing India’s strides toward self-reliance under the “Make in India” initiative.

SOURCE: AFI

Former Pakistani Senator Faisal Raza Abidi has once again stirred controversy with a provocative appearance on national television, where he urged Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels to expand their missile and drone attacks beyond Israel to include India. Abidi, known for his fiery rhetoric and unfiltered commentary, claimed that India is among the “biggest supporters of the Jews” and accused the country of supplying Israel with weapons to sustain the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

His remarks, delivered with characteristic intensity, have reignited debates about his political stance, the role of inflammatory rhetoric in Pakistan’s public discourse, and the broader implications of involving external militant groups in regional rivalries.

SOURCE: AFI

A recently surfaced undated video featuring Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate and interim Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, has ignited a firestorm of debate and concern in India. In the clip, which has gone viral across social media platforms as of March 31, 2025, Yunus is heard stating, “The Seven Sisters are the landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean, and we [Bangladesh] are the only guardians of the ocean.” These remarks, attributed to Yunus—who assumed power in Bangladesh following what critics describe as an illegal power grab after the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024—have raised alarm bells in India.

The statement is being interpreted as a veiled warning, especially given recurring calls from Bangladeshi student leaders and politicians for the annexation of India’s northeastern Seven Sisters to form a so-called “Greater Bangladesh.”

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) stands at a critical juncture as it seeks to modernize its fleet and bolster its strategic capabilities amid evolving regional threats. While the IAF has made strides in acquiring advanced fighter jets and missile systems, its pace of securing approvals for large-scale strategic programs from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) often lags behind the urgency demanded by the geopolitical landscape.

In contrast, the Indian Navy has demonstrated remarkable agility in navigating bureaucratic hurdles and achieving rapid progress in its strategic initiatives—most notably with its Nuclear Attack Submarine (SSN) program and the K-series Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) program. The IAF could significantly benefit from adopting the Navy’s playbook to expedite its own high-priority projects.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant stride toward bolstering India’s underwater defense capabilities, the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a premier research arm of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has successfully tested its High Endurance Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HEAUV) in a lake environment.

The trials, conducted as part of the vehicle’s ongoing development, demonstrated flawless performance across multiple runs, validating its dynamics in both surface and submerged conditions. With perfect functioning of its sonar and communication systems, the HEAUV is emerging as a promising asset for India’s naval ambitions, showcasing the nation’s growing prowess in indigenous defense technology.

SOURCE: AFI

In a landmark development for India-US nuclear collaboration, the United States Department of Energy (DoE) has granted regulatory approval to Holtec International, a New Jersey-based firm, to design and build nuclear reactors in India. Announced on March 26, 2025, this authorization allows Holtec to share unclassified Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology with three Indian entities: its regional subsidiary Holtec Asia, Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd, and Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T). This breakthrough, nearly two decades after the signing of the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement in 2007, marks a significant step toward unlocking the commercial potential of the long-stalled nuclear partnership, aligning with India’s clean energy ambitions and deepening bilateral ties.

The DoE’s approval falls under the stringent “10CFR810” regulation of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which governs the transfer of nuclear technology. Previously, US companies were permitted to export nuclear equipment to India but were barred from manufacturing or designing reactors locally—a restriction that hindered progress under the 2007 agreement, also known as the 123 Agreement. The March 26 authorization lifts this barrier, enabling Holtec to collaborate with Indian firms on the development of SMRs, a next-generation nuclear technology poised to transform the global energy landscape.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Air Force (IAF), tasked with the critical responsibility of delivering nuclear weapons in retaliation as part of India’s nuclear triad, relies heavily on its fleet of fighter jets to execute this mission. Currently, the IAF’s nuclear delivery mechanism involves aircraft such as the Mirage 2000, Jaguar, and potentially the Rafale, equipped with gravity-based nuclear bombs.

This approach, however, necessitates that these aircraft fly over or near their target areas, exposing them to advanced enemy air defenses and increasing the risk of mission failure. As regional security dynamics evolve and adversaries bolster their air defense capabilities, it’s time for the IAF to transition to air-launched nuclear-capable missiles—offering a safer, more flexible, and strategically superior deterrent.

SOURCE: AFI

The air-launched BrahMos-NG (Next Generation), a 1.3-ton supersonic cruise missile capable of reaching speeds of Mach 3.5, is generating significant buzz on the international stage. With its first test flight slated for 2026, this Indo-Russian anti-ship and anti-ground weapon system has already piqued the interest of over a dozen countries. The missile’s promise of speed, precision, and adaptability is turning heads, particularly as subsonic cruise missiles—commonly offered for air-launched platforms—have exposed vulnerabilities in contested airspace, a lesson starkly illustrated by the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.

Developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the BrahMos-NG builds on the success of its predecessor, the BrahMos missile, which has already secured a reputation as one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles. Weighing just 1.3 tons—half the weight of the original BrahMos—and designed for a range of up to 290 km (extendable to 450 km with upgrades), the NG variant is compact enough to be integrated into a variety of platforms, including lighter fighters like India’s Tejas, as well as heavyweights like the Su-30 MKI and Rafale. Its Mach 3.5 speed and reduced radar cross-section make it a formidable option for both anti-ship and land-attack roles.

SOURCE: AFI

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has recently restructured its fighter fleet into a tiered system: the JF-17 Block 3 as the lower/mid-tier, the J-10C as the mid/upper-tier, and the anticipated acquisition of the Chinese J-35 stealth fighter as the upper-tier. While this modernization appears to bolster the PAF’s capabilities on paper, a closer examination reveals why this development might actually be advantageous for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

This article explores the operational dynamics of each jet, their estimated mission readiness rates, and the strategic implications for India, focusing on how these developments could expose vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s air strategy.

SOURCE: AFI

The GTX37-14U, developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) under India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), stands as a pioneering achievement in the nation’s quest for self-reliance in aero-engine technology. Conceived in the 1970s, this afterburning turbojet engine marked India’s first fully indigenous jet engine design, laying the groundwork for subsequent advancements in military aviation propulsion. Though it never powered an operational fighter aircraft, the GTX37-14U remains a testament to GTRE’s early ambitions and engineering ingenuity, offering valuable lessons for India’s ongoing engine development programs.

GTRE, established in 1959 as the Gas Turbine Research Centre (GTRC) in Kanpur and later relocated to Bengaluru in 1961, was tasked with advancing India’s gas turbine technology for military applications. The GTX37-14U emerged from this mission, with its development beginning in the mid-1970s as a demonstrator engine for fighter aircraft. First run in 1977, it completed its demonstrator phase by 1981, showcasing GTRE’s ability to design and test a complex propulsion system from scratch—a feat accomplished with limited resources and expertise compared to global aerospace powers.