SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a recent conversation with BharatShakti Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale, Arun Ramchandani, Executive Vice President and Head of L&T Defence, advocated for a National Consortium model as the most effective approach for manufacturing India’s ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the country’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. This strategic proposal aligns with India’s push for self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and aims to leverage the collective strengths of public and private sector players to deliver a cutting-edge combat platform for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The AMCA is India’s flagship project to develop a fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed to enhance the IAF’s combat capabilities with advanced features like stealth, agility, sensor fusion, and AI-assisted mission systems. Conceived as a 25-tonne, twin-engine, multi-role fighter, the AMCA incorporates internal weapons bays, radar-absorbent materials, and serpentine air intakes to ensure low observability. The project, led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Ministry of Defence, has gained urgency following the IAF’s declining squadron strength—currently at 30-odd squadrons against a sanctioned 42.5—and the lessons learned from Operation Sindoor, a recent conflict that underscored the need for advanced air superiority platforms.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant step toward advancing India’s indigenous aerospace capabilities, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a key laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has proposed converting one of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft into a Flying Test Bed (FTB) for testing the Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE) and engines for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program. Sources close to idrw.org indicate that this proposal is on the verge of receiving clearance, marking a crucial milestone in India’s pursuit of self-reliance in jet engine technology.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reportedly approached the IAF to explore the feasibility of lending an older IL-76 aircraft for this purpose. The aircraft would serve as a platform for in-flight testing of engines under development, a critical process to validate performance, reliability, and integration under real-world conditions. This move comes as an alternative to India’s reliance on Russia’s Gromov Flight Research Institute, which provides an IL-76 test bed for engine testing but requires a lengthy wait of 9-10 months to schedule such tests. During these tests, one of the IL-76’s four engines is replaced with the engine under evaluation, allowing engineers to assess its performance in flight.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Taiwan has formally requested the purchase of India’s indigenously developed Drone Detect, Deter, and Destroy (D4) anti-drone system, sources told idrw.org. The system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Zen Technologies, gained global attention for its effectiveness in neutralizing Turkish-origin drones and loitering munitions during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. Taiwan’s interest marks a significant step in strengthening defense ties with India amid growing regional tensions with China.
The D4 system, a cornerstone of India’s counter-drone capabilities, demonstrated its prowess in Operation Sindoor, where it successfully jammed and neutralized Pakistani drone swarms, including Turkish-supplied Bayraktar TB2 drones and other loitering munitions. The system’s multi-layered approach, combining soft-kill techniques like radio frequency (RF) jamming and GPS spoofing with hard-kill options such as laser-based directed energy weapons (DEWs), proved highly effective in thwarting aerial incursions along India’s western border.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is poised to deliver the first Tejas Mk-1A fighter jet from its new production facility in Nashik by the end of June 2025, marking a significant milestone in India’s indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) program. The Nashik facility, HAL’s third Tejas production line alongside two in Bengaluru, is a strategic move to ramp up production and address delays that have plagued the program. The Indian Air Force (IAF), which signed a Rs 48,000 crore contract in February 2021 for 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets, has been eagerly awaiting these advanced fighters to bolster its combat capabilities.
The Tejas Mk-1A, an upgraded variant of the HAL Tejas, features enhanced avionics, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, improved electronic warfare systems, and compatibility with advanced weaponry like the Astra and Derby missiles. Its multirole capabilities—spanning interception, ground-attack, and aerial combat—were proven during Operation Sindoor, where the Tejas demonstrated agility and operational effectiveness in countering Pakistani air intrusions. The Nashik line’s activation is expected to accelerate deliveries, helping the IAF phase out aging MiG-21s and strengthen its frontline squadrons.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
India’s quest for self-reliance in defence technology has long hinged on the development of an indigenous jet engine, a goal epitomized by the Kaveri engine program. Group Captain Ajay Ahlawat (Retd), a former Indian Air Force (IAF) officer and defence analyst, recently described the Kaveri experience as “a story of a glass more than half full.” Despite its challenges, the program has delivered a functional engine, a wealth of data, and invaluable experience at a relatively low cost.
However, Ahlawat cautions that the Kaveri, now a mature engine, has limited potential for further improvement and cannot meet the thrust requirements of India’s next-generation fighters like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Tejas Mk2. To address this critical shortfall, he advocates for a new engine—tentatively dubbed Kaveri 2.0—and a strategic decision to either develop it indigenously or partner with a global original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The clarion call, he emphasizes, is clear: “Fund Indigenous Engine.”
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
India’s defense sector has long been recognized for its focus on functionality and innovation, but the Zorawar light tank, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Larsen & Toubro (L&T), brings a refreshing emphasis on aesthetics alongside performance. This sleek, modern-looking tank not only showcases India’s growing prowess in indigenous defense manufacturing but also underscores why the country should invest more in the visual appeal of its weaponry.
The Zorawar light tank, designed for high-altitude operations in regions like Ladakh, boasts a streamlined design with clean lines, a low profile, and a futuristic camouflage pattern that blends seamlessly with rugged terrains. Its angular turret and compact structure give it a striking, almost sci-fi-inspired appearance, setting it apart from the bulkier, utilitarian designs of traditional tanks. This aesthetic appeal isn’t just superficial—it reflects a thoughtful approach to modern warfare, where agility, stealth, and psychological impact matter as much as firepower.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) released a series of open tender notices for its key airbases—Korangi Creek, Masroor, and Murid (Chakwal)—highlighting ongoing efforts to maintain operational readiness amid heightened regional tensions. These tenders, issued by the PAF, provide insight into Pakistan’s military logistics and infrastructure priorities, particularly following India’s Operation Sindoor airstrikes in May 2025, which exposed vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s rapid-response capabilities, as seen with the prolonged runway repairs at Rahim Yar Khan airbase.
The PAF Airman Academy at Korangi Creek, a major training hub near Karachi, issued a tender notice for registered firms and suppliers to provide sports and miscellaneous items. The tender specifies requirements for the maintenance and upkeep of facilities, including sports grounds for football, volleyball, cricket, and hockey, along with other recreational equipment. Bidders are required to submit quotations by June 16, 2025, with technical and financial specifications to be collected from the BWO Fit tenders office. This tender underscores the PAF’s focus on maintaining morale and physical fitness for its personnel, critical for a force under pressure in a volatile security environment.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
National Security Advisory Board chairman Alok Joshi on Thursday emphasised the need for intelligence sharing among government agencies for better results and asserted that one of the challenges agencies face is breaking the silos in which they operate.
Joshi, who was addressing delegates at the ‘Police Technology Summit 2025’ at Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar, headed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), apex level agencies in the country’s intelligence mechanism, before helming NSAB.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Hoax bomb threats made to the Indian civil aviation sector broke all records in 2024 as their number rose by more than 300 times over the last six years. Almost 60 per cent of these menacing messages were sent using social-media platform X, an official report has said.
A total of 1,019 such threats were received last year as compared to 330 such messages made during the preceding years between 2018 and 2023. The maximum of such messages, 687, were received in October 2024, according to the report accessed by PTI.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
A senior Maoist leader carrying Rs 40 lakh bounty was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Thursday, sources said.
According to the sources, Maoists’ Central Committee member Gautam, alias Sudhakar, was gunned down in the latest gunfight, which comes days after CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, was killed by security forces in the Bastar region, dealing a major blow to the armed movement.
Continue readingA Pakistani national residing in Goa since 2016 on long-term visa on Thursday moved the Supreme Court in wake of the Centre’s notification revoking the visas of Pakistani nationals following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead. Following the attack, the Centre issued a notification revoking the visas granted to Pakistani nationals except for those mentioned in the communication and gave a specific timeline for their deportation.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Suspicious spyware-like applications in the mobile phone of Nagpur-based Sunita Jamgade, who has been held on espionage charges after she crossed over to Pakistan last month before being repatriated, officials said on Thursday.
The 43-year-old woman’s act of entering Pakistan has sparked security concerns with agencies probing possible espionage links, they said.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
An encounter took place between the militants and the security forces in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar, officials said.
A defence spokesman said late Thursday night that upon receiving specific information about the movement of cadres of an unidentified militant outfit in the Pongchau Circle areas of Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district along the India-Myanmar border, security forces launched a patrol to dominate the border areas earlier in the day.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
The Arunachal Pradesh government has launched a Statewide crackdown to detect and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, an official said on Thursday (June 5, 2025).
Acting on directives issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the State has instructed all districts to immediately constitute district task forces (DTFs) to identify undocumented immigrants and ensure strict enforcement of Inner Line Permit (ILP) provisions.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
The Jammu and Kashmir Congress demanded an early restoration of statehood to the Union Territory on Thursday, a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Jammu region to inaugurate the first Vande Bharat train to the valley.
The party also demanded a special package for the victims of Pakistani shelling along the borders during Operation Sindoor last month. Addressing a press conference here, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) working president Raman Bhalla said the prime minister should end the ambiguity over the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
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