SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is gearing up to induct the Tejas MkII, a 4.5-generation medium-weight fighter jet designed to replace the aging Mirage-2000 fleet, drawing inspiration from the French Rafale while building on the lessons learned from the Tejas Mk1A.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Tejas MkII promises to be India’s largest and most advanced indigenous fighter in the medium-range class. With enhanced capabilities, modern avionics, and a focus on self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Tejas MkII aims to reduce India’s reliance on Russian-origin jets like the MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI while emulating the Rafale’s multirole prowess to counter regional threats from China and Pakistan.
Continue readingSOURCE: IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India’s premier aircraft manufacturer, is grappling with a persistent flaw in the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), leaving military, naval, and coast guard variants grounded for nearly six months. The issue, which has plagued the indigenously developed chopper since a fatal crash on January 5, 2025, has raised concerns about the helicopter’s reliability and HAL’s ability to address critical safety concerns. Letters exchanged between the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and HAL, reviewed by Hindustan Times, reveal ongoing struggles to pinpoint and fix the lingering defect.
The troubles began with a tragic accident on January 5, 2025, when a Dhruv helicopter crashed off Porbandar, Gujarat, killing two pilots. The crash prompted an immediate grounding of the fleet as the Indian Navy and Coast Guard launched investigations. Subsequent airworthiness checks on May 1, 2025, identified safety concerns, leading to the continued grounding of the helicopters. Army and air force variants, which share the same platform, were also affected, though their operational status remains less publicized.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
According to report in the NDTV, The Indian Navy demonstrated its maritime dominance when a MiG-29K fighter jet intercepted a lone Pakistan Navy RAS-72 Sea Eagle maritime patrol aircraft a few days after the cessation of military hostilities between India and Pakistan. The incident, which occurred during the ongoing Operation Sindoor in May 2025, showcased the Navy’s vigilance as the INS Vikrant-led battle group tracked and forced the Pakistani aircraft to retreat. This encounter underscores the tense aftermath of the India-Pakistan conflict and the Indian Navy’s readiness to protect its maritime boundaries.
The RAS-72 Sea Eagle, a maritime patrol variant of the ATR-72 turboprop aircraft, was detected by the INS Vikrant battle group, comprising over 36 warships and submarines, shortly after the ceasefire was brokered on May 10, 2025. Operating in the Arabian Sea, the Vikrant group had been on high alert following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The Pakistani aircraft, likely conducting surveillance near the India-Pakistan maritime boundary, was tracked using the battle group’s advanced radar and sensor suite.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director D.K. Sunil has announced that the company is engaged in discussions with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to collaborate on providing maintenance services for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as they are integrated into India’s tri-service operations. The move comes as India prepares to induct the MQ-9B Predator drones, powered by the Honeywell TPE331 engine, which is also utilized in HAL’s HTT-40 trainer aircraft and Do-228 transport planes.
Sunil highlighted the synergy between the MQ-9B’s propulsion system and HAL’s existing expertise, positioning the company as a natural partner for GA-ASI. The collaboration aims to leverage HAL’s familiarity with the Honeywell TPE331 engine to offer localized maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for the MQ-9B fleet, which is expected to enhance operational readiness and reduce dependency on foreign support. This partnership aligns with India’s push for self-reliance in defense under the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
According to report in the NDTV, Indian Navy had meticulously planned a decisive strike on Pakistani warships stationed at Karachi’s dry docks and harbor during the height of Operation Sindoor, which began on May 7, 2025. Equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles on surface warships and Klub missiles on Kilo-class submarines, the Navy was on the brink of launching a devastating assault. However, the operation was aborted as Pakistan urgently sought a ceasefire, averting a potential escalation that could have crippled its naval capabilities.
Following India’s retaliatory airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, triggered by the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, the Indian Navy positioned its Western Fleet, including the INS Vikrant-led carrier battle group, within striking range of Karachi. Intelligence indicated that Pakistani warships, including frigates and submarines, were concentrated at the Karachi dry docks and harbor, a critical hub for the Pakistan Navy. The plan involved targeting these assets to neutralize Pakistan’s maritime threat and disrupt its economic lifeline, as Karachi handles 60% of the country’s trade.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
A provocative claim attributed to Chinese political analyst Victor Gao, citing a now-deleted statement by Chinese diplomat Gao Zhikai, has ignited a firestorm of reactions in India. Gao reportedly suggested that China should reject the McMahon Line and lay claim to territories extending up to the Ganga River, including parts of Bihar, as part of an expansive territorial narrative. The claim, which surfaced on Chinese platforms and was later removed, has been met with a mix of amusement and indignation in India, with many accusing China of fabricating historical justifications to support baseless territorial ambitions. This incident adds to ongoing tensions over China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang, and Ladakh—regions India asserts were never under Chinese control.
According to reports, Victor Gao, Vice President of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization, referenced a statement by diplomat Gao Zhikai, who allegedly argued that the McMahon Line—a 1914 boundary established under the Simla Accord between British India and Tibetan representatives—is illegitimate. The claim, which surfaced on Chinese social media platforms, went further, suggesting that China’s “ancestral territory” extends south to the Ganga River, encompassing parts of Bihar and other northern Indian states. This so-called “Victor Gao Line,” as dubbed by some Chinese netizens, was reportedly deleted from platforms like Weibo, but not before it was widely circulated and picked up by Indian media and social media users.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Russia has reaffirmed its commitment to deliver the remaining two S-400 Triumf air defense systems to India, with the fourth battery scheduled for 2026 and the final fifth battery expected in 2027. The announcement, made during recent bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, addresses delays caused by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and underscores the strategic importance of the $5.43 billion deal signed in 2018.
The confirmation came from Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov during talks with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, on June 26, 2025. India, which has already inducted three S-400 squadrons since the first delivery in December 2021, had anticipated the full complement of five by 2023. However, the war in Ukraine disrupted Russia’s production and supply chains, pushing back the timeline. The latest assurance pegs the fourth battery’s arrival to 2026, with the fifth following in 2027, aligning with earlier indications from Russian officials.
Continue readingSOURCE: REUTERS
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart that the two countries should seek a “permanent solution” to their decades-old border dispute, in a new push for a conclusive outcome. Singh met China’s Dong Jun on the sidelines of the meeting of the defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Qingdao on Thursday and stressed on solving issues between the countries through a structured roadmap, India’s defence ministry said in a statement on Friday,
Singh met China’s Dong Jun on the sidelines of the meeting of the defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Qingdao on Thursday and stressed on solving issues between the two countries through a structured roadmap, the ministry said in a statement. The world’s two most populous nations – both nuclear powers – share a 3,800 km (2,400 mile), largely undemarcated and disputed border in the Himalayas and have gone to war over it.
Continue readingSOURCE: PIB
LMWY.jpeg)
‘Adamya’ the first Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) under the eight FPV Project at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) was inducted in the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on June 26, 2025, in Goa. The FPV is the first ship in its class within the ICG fleet to feature Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPPs) and indigenously developed gearboxes, offering superior maneuverability, operational flexibility, and enhanced performance at sea.
The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a 30mm CRN-91 gun, two 12.7mm stabilized remote-control guns with fire control systems, an Integrated Bridge System (IBS), an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), and an Automated Power Management System (APMS). These advanced systems will empower the ICG to perform its charter of duties with increased precision, efficiency, and responsiveness across India’s extensive maritime domain.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
India on Friday handed over the spares for Seychelles Defence Forces a day after Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Teg arrived at Seychelles’ Port Victoria on a five-day operational port call marking another milestone in India’s strategic outreach in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Captain Vikas Guleria, INS Teg’s Commanding Officer handed over the spares for Seychelles Defence Forces to the country’s Chief of Defence Forces Major General Michael Rosette at ceremony held onboard INS Teg. High Commissioner of India, Kartik Pande was also present on the occasion.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday stressed that the core objective of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is to combat terrorism and that all member nations must reflect this shared goal in both words and actions.
Addressing an event in the national capital, Jaishankar underlined India’s consistent position that terrorism must not be justified, glorified, or shielded under any pretext — a message that resonated with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s refusal to endorse a joint statement at the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun Thursday held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), including India, Chinese media reported.
The defence ministers of the SCO member states were in this port city of China to attend a two-day conclave. India was represented by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. There is no official word from the Indian side on Singh’s reported meeting with Dong.A Chinese readout of the meeting said India does not seek confrontation with China and it is for enhancing communication and mutual trust.
Continue readingSOURCE: REUTERS
India would not allow a UN investigator to join a probe of a crashed Air India jet that some safety experts had criticized for delays in analysis of crucial black box data, two senior sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Earlier this week, the United Nations aviation agency took the unusual step of offering India one of its investigators to provide assistance following the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash killing at least 260 people in Ahmedabad on June 12.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
The J&K Police on Friday arrested three people for their alleged involvement in activities prejudicial to the security and sovereignty of the country, officials said.
The three persons were identified as Irfan Mohiuddin Dar of Sangrampora Sopore, Mohd Asif Khan of Harwan Bomai, and Gowhar Maqbool Rather of Hardushiva. They had reportedly been under surveillance for some time, said the officials, adding that they were booked under the harsh Public Safety Act (PSA).
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Security forces have arrested three militants, including a woman, belonging to various proscribed outfits in Manipur, police said on Friday. A woman cadre of the banned Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) was arrested from Haobam Marak area in Imphal West district on Thursday, a senior officer said.
She was allegedly involved in extortion and had threatened officials and courier service operators in Imphal, he said. One active cadre of the outlawed Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG) was arrested from Samurou in Imphal West district on Thursday for allegedly being involved in extortion in valley areas. A pistol was recovered from him, the officer said.
Continue reading