SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Egyptian Air Force recently explored options for modernizing its fleet of light fighter jets, which could include a visit to India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to assess the LCA Tejas Mk1A. However, Egypt’s decision is complicated by stiff competition from Turkey’s Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which is offering its newly developed Hürjet jet trainer and light attack aircraft as a strong contender.
The LCA Tejas Mk1A is India’s domestically designed, single-engine, multirole light fighter aircraft. Known for its agility, advanced avionics, and operational versatility, the Tejas Mk1A has been a flagship program for HAL and a symbol of India’s growing defense manufacturing capabilities. Recently, HAL has made efforts to position the Tejas Mk1A in the international market, targeting countries looking to modernize their aging fleets with a cost-effective, yet capable platform.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) has embarked on a significant project titled “SDR for LCA Mk-II Aircraft”, aiming to develop Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking (MANET) waveforms for advanced communication in India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-II program. This initiative addresses the growing demand for more robust, secure, and adaptive communication systems, capable of seamless operations in various mission-critical environments, from air-to-air and air-to-ground to direct ground communications.
As modern warfare becomes increasingly dependent on real-time data and communications, traditional communication systems struggle to meet the evolving requirements. The Indian Air Force (IAF), through the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), has outlined the need for a versatile communication system that integrates multiple platforms, operates across different frequency bands, and ensures secure, real-time information sharing during missions.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s Kalyani Group is actively exploring ways to expand its armoured vehicle business in India, following the successful introduction of its India-specific modified M4 armoured vehicles. The M4, based on the Mbombe 4 built by South Africa’s Paramount Group, has garnered significant purchases by the Indian Army.
Both companies are now considering possibly manufacturing the enhanced variant of the Mbombe 6 Mark 3, in India. The Mbombe 6 is a highly agile 6×6 infantry fighting vehicle that offers exceptional performance and protection.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The ongoing joint military exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2024, has provided a platform for the US Army to showcase its advanced weaponry alongside India’s indigenous capabilities. One such demonstration involved the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and India’s Pinaka Multiple Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL).
HIMARS is a highly mobile missile launcher mounted on a five-tonne truck. It can fire six guided missiles simultaneously, each capable of striking targets with precision. Additionally, HIMARS can launch a single Army Tactical Missile System missile, extending its range to 186 miles (300 km).
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The US Navy has taken a significant step forward with the MQ-25, its unmanned carrier-based refueler, by successfully simulating the Joint Precision Approach Landing System (JPALS). This groundbreaking technology offers “hands-off” navigation and guidance, making it a key capability for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operating from aircraft carriers. JPALS enables precise and autonomous landings in challenging sea conditions, providing the reliability and safety needed for future unmanned naval operations. As the US Navy pushes the boundaries of naval aviation, this development holds important lessons for other navies, including India’s.
For the Indian Navy, which is rapidly modernizing and seeking to enhance its blue-water capabilities, the success of the MQ-25 and JPALS offers a roadmap to the future of unmanned naval aviation. By adopting and adapting such technologies, India could significantly bolster its naval capabilities. The Indian Navy should seriously consider developing a similar system indigenously in collaboration with the private sector, particularly as the country’s defense ecosystem grows in capability and ambition.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Abhijit Singh, a former naval officer and Senior Fellow heading the Maritime Policy Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), recently discussed India’s evolving nuclear posture in his latest column. Singh highlighted the induction of India’s second indigenous nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), the INS Arighat, and explored the implications of this development for India’s nuclear doctrine. The discussion has brought to light a critical debate: Should India reconsider its No First Use (NFU) policy as strategic competition in the Indian Ocean intensifies?
The induction of INS Arighat marks a significant milestone in India’s strategic capabilities, further strengthening its nuclear triad. However, it also raises questions about the future direction of India’s nuclear policy. As Singh notes, there is an ongoing debate among strategic thinkers and policymakers about whether India should rethink its commitment to the NFU policy, which pledges not to use nuclear weapons unless first attacked by an adversary with nuclear weapons.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
India’s space program has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, culminating in the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3. The nation is now charting a bold course for its future space exploration endeavors, encompassing human spaceflight, lunar exploration, and beyond.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
The Indian Navy said that a MQ-9B Predator High Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft (HALE RPA) encountered a technical failure on Wednesday, after which the aircraft was navigated to a safe area over the sea and carried out a controlled ditching at sea off Chennai.
“A High Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft (HALE RPA) leased by the Indian Navy operating from INS Rajali, Arakonnam (near Chennai) encountered a technical failure at about 1400 hrs whilst on a routine surveillance mission which could not be reset in flight,” the Ministry of Defence said
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
Taking a proactive approach towards promoting indigenous industry, the India Navy has formed two task forces under Rear Admiral-rank officers to reach out to the Indian manufacturers to find solutions for its requirements for weapons systems and equipment.
The Naval Headquarters led by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has formed two task forces led by Rear Admiral-rank officers who are visiting the Indian industry to find out the products and equipment they are making or can make for the Indian Navy and how they can meet the force’s requirements, defence officials told ANI. The officers who are leading the initiative include one from the operational branch, while the other one is from the technical side, they said.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
For over seventy years, Pakistan has harboured aspirations of incorporating Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), into its territory. This ambition has been a foundational element of its national narrative, driven by religious, strategic, and ideological motivations. However, despite the political rhetoric, emotional appeals, and the manipulation of religious sentiments, the notion of integrating Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan remains impractical.
It is, in reality, an illusion—one that disregards the region’s intricate history, its political realities, and the significant economic and social challenges that Pakistan currently faces.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
Karnataka IT & BT, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said that the state government aims to create an economic value of 17 billion US dollars by controlling 40 per cent of the national space market.
“The Karnataka government has played a crucial role in driving industrial development and is making significant efforts to establish the state as a hub for future space technology,” he underlined. Speaking at the inauguration of the Space Expo 2024, organised by the Department of Information Technology in Bengaluru, Priyank Kharge highlighted Karnataka’s commitment to innovation and advancement in space technology.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
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The upcoming Quad summit in Delaware will show that the four-country group is more strategically aligned and more relevant than ever before, the White House said Wednesday.
“We believe that you’ll see coming out of this summit that the Quad is more strategically aligned and more relevant than ever before,” John Kirby, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Director told reporters at a news conference here.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
India on Wednesday abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that demanded that Israel bring an end, “without delay”, to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution, with 124 nations voting in favour, 14 against and 43 abstentions, including that by India.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
The entire 1,643 km porous India-Myanmar border, known for the smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics, will be fenced at a cost of ? 31,000 crore, sources said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said fencing work had been completed in 30 km of the border, which he termed the root cause of the ethnic violence in Manipur. The Cabinet Committee on Security has, in principle, approved the construction of border fencing and roads along the 1,643-km international border between India and Myanmar at an approximate cost of ? 31,000 crore, sources said.
Continue readingSOURCE: UNI
India has trashed a UN report critical of Indian elections, terming the comments in the report as unwarranted and out of touch with reality, and leading to concerns of bias and lack of objectivity. Anupama Singh, First Secretary, at the Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, giving India’s statement under Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances at the 57th Session of the Human Rights Council (9 September-11 October 2024) said on Tuesday: “We have taken note of the annual report presented by the Working Group (WG) on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances as well as the thematic report on elections.
“As regards elections, we are proud to have successfully concluded the world’s biggest electoral exercise and elected a government that reflects the will of the people. Thus, we find the comments in the report unwarranted and out of touch with reality, leading to concerns of bias and lack of objectivity.
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