SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
In a striking display of India’s advancing defence capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) showcased a full-scale model of the Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) under Project Dhvani at the ‘Vigyan Vaibhav’ defence exhibition held at Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad, from February 28 to March 2, 2025. This unveiling, inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marks a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of cutting-edge hypersonic technology, positioning the nation among global leaders in this domain. Project Dhvani, with its innovative wave-rider design, promises to redefine efficiency and performance at hypersonic speeds, offering a glimpse into the future of India’s military arsenal.
Project Dhvani represents DRDO’s ambitious foray into developing Hypersonic Glide Vehicles capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5—approximately 6,200 km/h—while evading modern air defence systems. The full-scale model displayed at Gachibowli Stadium embodies the wave-rider configuration, a design that leverages the vehicle’s own shockwaves to minimize aerodynamic drag and enhance lift, ensuring superior performance in the hypersonic regime. This approach, rooted in advanced aerodynamics, allows the HGV to “ride” its shockwaves, reducing energy loss and enabling sustained high-speed flight.
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India’s aerospace sector is buzzing with excitement, and at the heart of this momentum is DG Propulsion Private Limited (DPPL), a Delhi-based startup making waves with its indigenous jet engine technology. Prateek Dhawan, the company’s visionary Director, recently revealed ambitious plans to venture into the turbofan engine segment—a move that could redefine DPPL’s role in the global aviation landscape. Speaking about the company’s future, Dhawan emphasized that this leap hinges on securing investments within the next two to three years, a timeline that aligns with DPPL’s rapid rise following the success of its DG J40 jet engine.
DPPL has already carved a niche for itself with the DG J40, a micro-turbojet engine designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and defense applications. Boasting a thrust capacity of 40 kgf, the J40 has proven its mettle through rigorous testing, including a notable one-hour endurance run that exceeded expectations. This success has not only showcased India’s growing prowess in aerospace innovation but also put DPPL on the radar of investors, defense contractors, and industry watchers. Now, buoyed by this achievement, Dhawan sees an opportunity to take DPPL into the next frontier: turbofan engines.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
India’s quest for a robust and modern air force has gained significant momentum in recent years, driven by rising regional tensions and the need to counter sophisticated adversaries like China and Pakistan. With the United States recently signaling its willingness to offer the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II to India, a unique opportunity has emerged for New Delhi to bolster its stealth capabilities. However, to maximize the strategic value of this potential acquisition, India could look to emulate Israel’s approach with its customized F-35I Adir variant. This article explores how India could procure F-35 jets tailored to its specific needs, akin to Israel’s model, and delves into what makes the F-35I Adir a standout among the global F-35 fleet.
Israel’s procurement of the F-35I Adir offers a compelling example of how a nation can adapt a foreign-built platform to align with its unique security requirements while maintaining operational independence. Unlike most F-35 operators, Israel negotiated significant concessions from the United States and Lockheed Martin, allowing it to integrate indigenous systems and establish a degree of self-reliance. This approach has made the F-35I Adir distinct from other variants, such as the standard F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C used by the U.S. and its allies.
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India’s next-generation air defense capabilities are poised for a critical test as the Akash-NG (New Generation) surface-to-air missile (SAM) prepares for high-altitude trials within the next two months. Under the watchful eyes of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army, these trials will push the system to its limits in rugged, mountainous terrain—likely along the northern borders—marking a significant step toward its operational deployment. With developmental testing nearing completion, the Akash-NG is on track to bolster India’s ability to counter advanced aerial threats, from fighter jets to drones, in challenging environments.
The Akash-NG, an advanced iteration of the indigenous Akash SAM system, has been in development since 2016, with a budget of ?470 crore (approximately $78 million in 2023 terms). Designed by DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad, and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), this missile promises enhanced lethality over its predecessors. Unlike the original Akash, which has a range of 25-30 kilometers and an altitude ceiling of 18 kilometers, the Akash-NG extends its reach to 70-80 kilometers, thanks to a dual-pulse solid rocket motor and a sleek, lightweight design.
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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has embarked on an ambitious journey to revolutionize space travel with the development of a nuclear thermal rocket propulsion system, incorporating a cutting-edge 10 kW RF-powered plasma engine. This initiative, detailed in recent announcements, positions India at the forefront of advanced propulsion technologies, promising to unlock faster, more efficient interplanetary and deep-space missions.
With a specific impulse (Isp) ranging from 4,000 seconds at 300 mN thrust to an impressive 10,000 seconds at 120 mN, this engine leverages radio frequency (RF) excitation in helicon mode to generate plasma, offering unparalleled flexibility and scalability. Here’s a closer look at this groundbreaking endeavor and its potential to redefine India’s role in the cosmic frontier.
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In a provocative critique, Ashley Tellis, a former advisor to the U.S. Department of State and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has raised serious doubts about the operational effectiveness of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles recently acquired by the Philippines.
Speaking to India’s media outlet The Print in an article published on February 28, 2025, Tellis argued that while the $375 million deal marks a significant milestone in Philippines-India defence ties, the Southeast Asian nation lacks the critical infrastructure to fully leverage these advanced weapons. Without robust Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities, he warned, the BrahMos missiles risk being reduced to a symbolic gesture rather than a transformative military asset.
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In a major boost to India’s defence export ambitions, Solar Industries India Limited, a Nagpur-based explosives and ammunition manufacturer, announced on February 28, 2025, that it, along with its subsidiary, has secured export orders worth ?2,150 crore for the supply of defence products.
Solar Industries India Limited, renowned for its expertise in explosives, propellants, and ammunition systems, revealed that the orders encompass a range of defence products, though specific details about the items and the recipient countries remain undisclosed due to strategic sensitivities. The company, along with its subsidiary Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), will collaborate to fulfill the contract, leveraging their combined manufacturing capabilities and technological prowess.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Friday set his sights on becoming a major aerospace power by 2047. He said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has already taken significant steps towards achieving this goal, including educating its personnel to be more space-oriented.
Addressing the ‘Chanakya Dialogues Conclave’, the Air Chief Marshal said, “We would like to be an aerospace power by 2047… We have already taken steps towards educating our people to be more space-oriented.”
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Pitching for developing indigenous capabilities for defence manufacturing, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Friday said the Indian Air Force would prefer a “homegrown” system even if it gives “slightly lesser performance”.
Speaking at the Chanakya Dialogues conclave here on the theme of “Bharat 2047: Atmanirbhar In War”, the Air Force chief also said that there is a need for manufacturing at least 35-40 military aircraft in India every year and stressed the target is not impossible to meet.
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The ISRO will resume experiments on the SpaDeX mission in mid-March by trying to separate the two satellites – Chaser and Target – and re-dock them again as it attempts to master the technologies for future projects.
The SpaDeX mission was launched on December 30 last year when it placed in orbit two satellites – SDX01 and SDX02 – to demonstrate the docking experiment in space. After several attempts, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was successful in docking the two satellites on January 16.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday reviewed the security situation in Manipur with a focus on bringing back normalcy in the restive state and surrender of illegal and looted arms held by different groups, sources said. This was the first such meeting held after the imposition of the President’s rule in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 2023. Over 250 persons have lost their lives in the violence.
“The Home Minister took stock of the security situation in Manipur. A detailed briefing was given on the overall law and order situation in the state,” said a source.Sources said that the focus of the meeting was on bringing back the pre-May 2023 level of normalcy and on the surrender of illegal and looted arms held by different groups.
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The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its verdict on the bail plea of alleged middleman Christian Michel James in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the accused counsel. Probe agencies reported irregularities over the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland.
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Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday extended the deadline for the surrender of looted and illegal arms until 4 pm on March 6 following demands by people from both hill and valley areas for additional time, an official statement said.
“Upon the expiry of the seven-day deadline for the voluntary surrender of arms, there have been requests from both the valley and hill areas to extend the period. I have considered these requests and decided to extend the deadline until 4 pm on March 6,” the statement read.
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Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday, police said. The gunfight took place in the morning in a forest under the Kistaram police station area, where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said.
He said personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action — an elite unit of the CRPF) are involved in the operation launched on Friday based on inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area.
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A Bangladeshi citizen was shot dead by BSF in Tripura’s Sepahijala district after a group of smugglers from both sides of the international boundary attacked the border guards, the force said on Saturday.
The Border Security Guard (BSF) said one of its employees was also injured in the attack by the smugglers. A group of 20 to 25 Bangladeshi miscreants entered the Indian territory at Putia under Kalamchoura police station and met several Indian associates late on Friday evening.
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