SOURCE: AFI

As tensions simmer along the India-Pakistan border, India is placing significant trust in its indigenous Akash Air Defence System to counter a range of aerial threats, including Pakistani military jets, Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, and Chinese Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) like the CH-4 and Wing Loong II. With Pakistan bolstering its arsenal through acquisitions from Turkey and China, the Akash system’s versatility and proven capabilities make it a cornerstone of India’s air defence strategy.

As of 2016, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) was producing 50–60 Akash missiles per month, a rate that has likely scaled up to meet growing domestic and export demands. Here’s a deep dive into how the Akash system is poised to neutralize Pakistan’s aerial threats and why it remains a game-changer in the region.

SOURCE: AFI

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) may be compelled to phase out its stockpile of 500 AIM-120C-5 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) by the end of 2028, as the missiles approach the end of their operational service life. Acquired in 2010 under a $650 million F-16 ammunition contract signed in early 2006, these missiles, with an estimated unit cost of $1.3 million, have been a cornerstone of the PAF’s air-to-air combat capabilities. However, the aging propulsion systems and stringent maintenance requirements may force their retirement unless extended through costly service life extension programs (SLEPs).

The AIM-120C-5, manufactured by Raytheon (now RTX), is an all-weather, beyond-visual-range missile powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor enhanced under the AMRAAM Propulsion Enhancement Program (PEP). This upgraded motor, housed in the WPU-16/B propulsion unit, offers improved range and performance over earlier variants, with an operational range of approximately 105-120 kilometers. The PEP motor is designed to withstand operating and storage temperatures ranging from -65°F to +145°F, but its baseline service life is rated at 10 years from manufacture, which for the PAF’s missiles would have expired around 2020, given their production in the late 2000s.

SOURCE: AFI

Several major European airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, and SWISS, have begun voluntarily avoiding Pakistani airspace due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, following Pakistan’s closure of its airspace to Indian carriers. This development, reported by The Times of India, is causing significant disruptions to international flight routes, increasing operational costs, and extending travel times for passengers.

The decision by European carriers comes in the wake of Pakistan’s airspace restrictions, effective from April 24, 2025, which barred Indian-registered aircraft, charter operators, and private jets from overflying its territory. The move was part of Pakistan’s retaliatory measures after India accused Pakistani nationals of involvement in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 Hindu tourists in Jammu and Kashmir. India responded by closing its airspace to all Pakistani-registered aircraft, including military planes, from April 30 to May 23, 2025, further intensifying the aviation standoff.

SOURCE: AFI

The Bangladesh government has swiftly distanced itself from inflammatory remarks by Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, a former head of the Bangladesh Rifles (now Border Guard Bangladesh), who suggested that Bangladesh should occupy India’s seven northeastern states in the event of an Indian military retaliation against Pakistan following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The statement, posted on Rahman’s personal Facebook account on April 30, 2025, also proposed discussions with China for a joint military arrangement, escalating regional tensions already strained by the India-Pakistan standoff.

Rahman, currently the chairperson of the National Independent Commission investigating the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny, wrote in Bengali, “If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of Northeastern India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China.” The remarks, reported by The Tribune India, sparked immediate backlash in India, prompting Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a clarification on May 2, 2025, stating that Rahman’s views “do not reflect the position or policies of the government of Bangladesh” and that the government “neither endorses nor supports such rhetoric in any form or manner.”

SOURCE: AFI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Navdurga Missile Test Range in Nagayalanka, Andhra Pradesh, on May 2, 2025, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s defense infrastructure. Valued at ?1,460 crore (approximately $170 million), this state-of-the-art facility, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is poised to enhance India’s capabilities in testing advanced tactical missile systems, including surface-to-air and anti-tank missiles. The project, part of a broader ?58,000 crore development initiative unveiled during the Prime Minister’s visit to Amaravati, underscores India’s commitment to self-reliance in defense technology under the “Make in India” initiative.

Located in Gullalamoda village, Nagayalanka mandal, Krishna district, the missile test range will span over 300 acres near the coastal town of Machilipatnam, leveraging the region’s strategic geography at the confluence of the Krishna River and the Bay of Bengal. The facility will feature a launch control center, multiple launch pads, indigenous radars, telemetry, and electro-optical tracking systems, enabling comprehensive testing of both short- and long-range missile missions. Its coastal location offers a vast, unobstructed range for live-fire trials, with minimal risk to populated areas, making it ideal for simulating real-world combat scenarios.