SOURCE: AFI

India’s strategic push to bolster its maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is at a critical juncture as the United States has increased the price of six additional Boeing P-8I Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) by approximately 50% from its 2021 offer, citing rising supply chain costs. With Washington showing little flexibility on pricing, New Delhi is confronted with a difficult decision: pay the inflated cost of approximately $3.6 billion for the six aircraft or scale back to five to manage budgetary constraints. The outcome of this deal may also hinge on the speed and responsiveness of the U.S. in addressing India’s emergency procurement requests, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing India-U.S. defence partnership.

The P-8I Poseidon, a variant of the U.S. Navy’s P-8A, is a long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft renowned for its advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. India currently operates a fleet of 12 P-8I aircraft, split between squadrons at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu, and Goa, which have accumulated over 40,000 flight hours since their induction in 2013. These aircraft, equipped with advanced sensors like the APY-10 surveillance radar, Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye aft radar, and magnetic anomaly detectors (MAD), have been pivotal in monitoring the IOR, particularly in response to the growing naval presence of China.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has significantly enhanced its operational capabilities through the strategic use of long-range stand-off weapons and advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems, according to Lt Gen David A. Deptula (Ret.), a distinguished United States Air Force veteran. Speaking on recent developments in India’s air combat strategy, Deptula highlighted how these advancements, coupled with satellite-fed targeting, have shifted the tactical balance in India’s favor, particularly following critical operations after May 7, 2025.

Lt Gen Deptula, known for his expertise in airpower strategy, emphasized that the IAF’s adoption of longer-range stand-off weapons has been a game-changer. Air-launched cruise missiles, such as the BrahMos-A and the indigenous Long-Range Cruise Missile (LRCM), along with extended-range air-to-air missiles like the Astra Mk-2, have enabled Indian aircraft to engage targets without entering high-risk zones defended by advanced enemy air defence systems. This capability allows the IAF to project power effectively while minimizing exposure to dense threat envelopes.

SOURCE: AFI

The recent crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) SEPECAT Jaguar fighter jet in Churu, Rajasthan, on July 9, 2025, which claimed the lives of two pilots, has drawn sharp scrutiny from a South Korean defence analyst, who pointed to the outdated Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour engines as a critical factor in the incident.

Speaking to idrw.org, the analyst, leveraging South Korea’s own experience with retiring its BAE Hawk fleet due to poor engine spare support, warned that the IAF’s continued reliance on ageing Jaguars and BAE Hawks, powered by these legacy engines, poses significant operational risks. With Rolls-Royce’s limited support and a U.S.-dominated supply chain complicating spares availability, the analyst urged the IAF to expedite plans for replacing these aircraft to prevent further losses and ensure operational readiness.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, to neutralize terrorist infrastructure along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), has underscored the pivotal role of the M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer and Excalibur precision-guided munitions in modern warfare. On the first day of the operation, nine terrorist targets were engaged, with seven successfully destroyed using Excalibur GPS-guided munitions fired from M777 155 mm howitzers.

The operation’s success has intensified India’s push to acquire additional Excalibur rounds to bolster its precision-strike capabilities, while highlighting the need to convert trust in critical equipment into long-term reliability. However, uncertainties surrounding defence cooperation with the incoming Trump administration pose challenges to India’s strategic procurement plans.

SOURCE: AFI

In the wake of India’s recent military successes, such as Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Indian military faces a new challenge: effectively shaping the narrative around its capabilities in an era of information warfare. Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), leveraging publicly available data from satellite imagery, social media, and other digital platforms, has emerged as a powerful tool in modern conflicts, as seen in global theatres like Ukraine.

To counter disinformation from adversaries like Pakistan and China, and to project its growing military prowess, the Indian military must forge a strategic partnership with India’s burgeoning OSINT community. Such collaboration could amplify India’s narrative warfare capabilities, enhance public perception of its military strength, and counter hostile propaganda, but it requires overcoming bureaucratic hurdles and rethinking restrictive policies.