SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), overseeing the Eurodrone programme, has extended an offer to India for a customized variant of the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft system. The programme, led by Airbus’s defence unit in collaboration with industrial partners Airbus Defence & Space Spain, Dassault Aviation, and Leonardo, has gained traction since India joined as an observer in August 2024. This move signals a potential deepening of defense ties between India and Europe, leveraging India’s growing interest in advanced UAV technology.
The development was first highlighted by idrw.org, which reported that a team from India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently visited the Hallbergmoos site near Munich, where Eurodrone manufacturing is underway. This visit, confirmed by idrw.org, provided DRDO officials with an in-depth look at the platform’s capabilities. Significantly, they were informed that the Eurodrone’s modular architecture allows for customization with local technologies, including those already developed by DRDO for its indigenous Tapas and Archer-NG UAV programs.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is on the cusp of a breakthrough with its indigenously developed Datran 1500 HP engine, a powerhouse designed to propel India’s Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) into a new era of self-reliance.
Boasting an impressive 90% indigenous content, the engine—developed in collaboration with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML)—is gearing up for mobility trials following the completion of most ground runs. Slated to begin integration into an older Arjun MBT by late 2025, the Datran engine marks a critical step in reducing India’s dependence on foreign technology, with full-scale production potentially greenlit by late 2027.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to deliver a significant boost to India’s combat aviation with its order for 156 Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand units, split between 90 for the Indian Army and 66 for the Indian Air Force.
However, despite India’s push for self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the first batch of these indigenous attack helicopters will continue to rely on an imported component the Nexter-supplied 20mm M621 cannon. According to sources cited by idrw.org, developing a locally designed 20mm indigenous chin-gun is progressing. Still, it will not be ready in time for integration into the initial production run.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
A British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II fighter jet, valued at over $100 million, has been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala, India, for nearly 10 days due to a hydraulic system failure. The advanced stealth aircraft, which made an emergency landing on June 14, 2025, after encountering low fuel and adverse weather conditions, is now facing parking fees as airport authorities prepare to calculate charges based on the jet’s specifications. This unprecedented situation has drawn significant attention, with the aircraft parked at Bay 4 under tight security provided by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
The F-35B, part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific region when it was forced to divert to Thiruvananthapuram, a pre-designated emergency recovery airfield. Initial attempts by Royal Navy technicians to repair the hydraulic issue, critical for the jet’s Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) capabilities, have been unsuccessful. A team of engineers from the UK and the US is expected to arrive soon to address the issue, but if repairs fail, the jet may need to be airlifted back to the UK using an RAF C-17 Globemaster III.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
A senior Indian Army official, speaking to idrw.org, has highlighted the urgent need for a modern fleet of medium-class helicopters to bolster the Army’s operational capabilities. The official emphasized that while the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is focused on developing a domestic replacement for the aging Mi-17 helicopters, the Army requires a mix of conventional and advanced helicopters tailored for specialized, high-risk missions.
The Indian Army envisions a dual-purpose helicopter fleet capable of executing both routine transport duties and complex special operations, including missions behind enemy lines. However, the official cautioned that medium-class helicopters, without advanced features like stealth and enhanced speed, could be vulnerable to enemy fire during such high-stakes operations. “It’s not simply about using medium-class helicopters for special missions,” the official noted. “Without factoring in the risk of being shot down, these platforms need to integrate cutting-edge technology to ensure mission success.”
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs, is set to convene on July 1 to discuss critical acquisitions for the Indian Navy and Army. High on the agenda are the procurement of a dozen advanced minesweepers for the Navy and the scaling of Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM) systems for the Army, in a push to bolster India’s defense capabilities.
The Indian Navy is seeking to acquire 12 state-of-the-art minesweepers, to be built indigenously, aligning with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. These vessels, weighing approximately 3,000 tons each, are designed to match modern international standards and will be versatile, capable of performing multiple roles, including minesweeping, minelaying, and anti-submarine warfare. With an estimated cost of over Rs 3,500 crore per minesweeper, the total package is projected to be worth Rs 43,000 crore.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
In a compelling recent interview, Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai, PhD, D.Sc., the visionary Founder CEO and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace (1995-2014), shed light on the origins and evolution of the Indo-Russian BrahMos project. A key highlight of the discussion was his revelation about the significant role played by Russian President Vladimir Putin in fostering this landmark joint venture between Russia and India.
Dr. Pillai, a renowned scientist and the driving force behind BrahMos, emphasized Putin’s personal enthusiasm for the project. He noted that Putin was keenly interested in ensuring the success of the collaboration, viewing it as a model for future Indo-Russian partnerships.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) S Somanath has taken on the role of Honorary Chief Technical Advisor at Skyroot Aerospace, country’s leading private rocket developer. In his new capacity, Somanath will advise Skyroot as the city-based startup prepares for the launch of its Vikram-1 launch vehicle, India’s first privately developed launch vehicle capable of deploying satellites in Earth’s orbit, a release from the firm said on Thursday.
The 23-meter-tall rocket is also India’s first carbon-composite space launch vehicle and features a liquid-engine powered Orbital Adjustment Module that can precisely maneuver in the vacuum for last-mile delivery of satellites.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Bangladesh interim government of Muhammad Yunus on Thursday dismissed the idea of any emerging alliance between Dhaka, Beijing and Islamabad, saying the recent meeting between the three countries was not political.
“We are not forming any alliance,” foreign affairs adviser M Touhid Hossain told reporters at the foreign ministry, when asked for comments about the trilateral meeting in China’s Kunming on June 19.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada, India on Thursday said it is looking at strengthening the bilateral partnership with Ottawa in several areas including trade and energy.
“That particular matter is under judicial process right now. So, we will have to see how it goes,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, referring to the case relating to the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to embark on a five-nation tour next week to attend the BRICS summit in Brazil and to enhance India’s ties with four other nations, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
Besides Brazil, Modi is set to visit Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina and Namibia, they said. The main focus of the trip will be his visit to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro to participate in the BRICS summit on July 6 and 7.
Continue readingSOURCE: REUTERS
The state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), which is a nuclear power company, has extended the deadline to industrial users for proposals on setting up small nuclear reactors of 220 megawatts electric (MWe), amid a growing interest among companies in cleaner energy sources.
NPCIL announced in a Wednesday notice that it has extended to September 30, 2025 the deadline for proposals for the establishment of Bharat Small Reactors in existing or new industries. The previous deadline was June 30.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
India is one of the important areas of Belarus’s foreign policy, the country’s Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin spotlighted during his meeting with Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh held on the sidelines of the SCO Defence Ministers Meeting in China’s Qingdao, on Thursday.
“Our countries have the same positions on current issues of international security. Belarus and India are united in the issue of the need to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve existing conflicts,” Khrenin said during his meeting with Singh.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
One terrorist was killed on Thursday in an ongoing gunfight between the security forces and the terrorists in J&K’s Udhampur district’s Basantgarh area. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti said that four terrorists are believed to be trapped in the ongoing encounter.
Speaking with reporters, the IGP said the contact with the terrorists was established around 8.30 a.m., but the weather is unfavourable. “The situation will become clear once the weather improves. As per our assessment, a group of four terrorists is holed up,” he said.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted a series of searches across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to probe Khalistani terror network, officials said. NIA teams launched searches at 18 locations in the three northern states in the morning. They seized various incriminating materials, including mobiles, digital devices and documents, officials said.
The searches were conducted at the premises of suspects linked with banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Kulbir Sidhu, US-based gangster Manish alias Kaka Rana, and their nodes based in India and various other countries, according to a statement issued by the probe agency.
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