To come into force on April 1 | Evaluation twice a year
The Army has introduced new fitness parameters, making physical tests mandatory for all ranks — Agniveer to General. These shall apply to the entire 13 lakh-strong force.
Sources said under the new framework — called the combined physical test (CPT) — the existing Battle Physical Efficiency Test (BPET) and the Physical Proficiency Test (PPT) had been merged. The comprehensive assessment would reflect the evolving operational requirements of modern warfare.
A new grading system has been introduced with the parameters for completing the tests being graded as super excellent, excellent, good and satisfactory. The test scores will be included in the annual confidential reports (ACRs), affecting promotions and evaluations.
The test will be conducted twice a year and will be applicable to all personnel up to the age of 60 — Lieutenant General-rank officers, the senior-most after the Army Chief, retire at 60. The Army Chief serves till the age of 62.
At present, the BPET is conducted till 45 years of age while the PPT is conducted till 50 years of age.
The new rules will come into force on April 1, 2026. The preparatory work at each Army unit across the country will start on October 15.
The test parameters will vary for each age group. The test will be an age-based benchmark for a fair and inclusive assessment and will be rank-neutral and gender-neutral. Parameters of terrain and climate, where the test will be conducted, have been factored in. For units in high-altitude areas — 9000-ft plus — the parameters have been relaxed.
Among the age-variable tests, the soldiers will have to do a 3.2-km run, besides a specified number of push-ups and sit-ups. Younger soldiers will even need to display their ability to do vertical rope climbing.
A unit operational efficiency test has been introduced for the first time. This entails the entire unit carrying out route marches to foster collective physical endurance — needed in battle — and to ensure coordination.
The sources said the CPT aimed to establish a realistic, inclusive and standardised testing regime that recognised the diverse environmental conditions and demographics across the force. Despite increasing technological advancements, physical endurance, agility and mental resilience remained fundamental to combat readiness.
The new framework has been developed through an extensive study of data from previous assessments of the physical test. The Army Training Command and the Adjutant General’s Branch have given their inputs which have been benchmarked against “Khelo India” standards and those of foreign armies.
2 soldiers missing in south Kashmir forest, massive search op underway
Two Army soldiers have gone missing in the forest areas of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, prompting security forces to launch a massive search operation.
Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said on X late on Wednesday night, “On the intervening night of October 6 and 7, an operational team in the Kishtwar range encountered a severe snowstorm and whiteout conditions in the mountains of south Kashmir. Since then, two soldiers have lost communication. Intense search and rescue operations have been launched, but progress has been hampered by prevailing adverse weather conditions.”
Locals from nearby villages stated that an “intense search” is in progress following the disappearance. A resident of Ahlan Bala, located near the Gadool forest, told The Tribune that the location where the soldiers went missing is approximately nine kilometers from the last village.
“There was heavy rainfall in the area, and the higher reaches experienced snowfall. It’s very difficult to say where they might have gone,” the local said.
The Gadool forests have seen militant activity in the past. In September 2023, three security personnel — Col Manpreet Singh, Maj Ashish Donchak, and Jammu and Kashmir Police DSP Humayun Muzamil — were killed in a fierce gunfight in the same area. That operation lasted several days and ended with the killing of two militants.
In 2024, a Territorial Army soldier also went missing during a search operation in the same forest. His body was later recovered by security forces.
Security officials remain cautious about drawing conclusions. “The weather conditions in the area were extremely bad. At this point, we cannot confirm whether militants are involved. Our focus is on locating the missing soldiers,” an official said.
Rafale, Sukhoi and S-400 squadrons awarded ‘Unit Citations’
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh awarded these at the Air Force day parade at Hindon air bases
Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fighter jet and missile squadrons which played a key part in Operation Sindoor were today awarded ‘Unit Citations’ appreciating their role in the skirmish with Pakistan in May this year.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh awarded the citations at the Air Force day parade at Hindon air bases, east of the National capital.
Citations were awarded to a squadron of Rafale jets and Sukhoi 30-MKI jets.
The Sukhoi 30-MKI jet squadron number 222 that did the maximum damage to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases on May 10 was awarded the citation. The IAF’s Sukhoi jets launched BrahMos missiles onto the PAF air bases, 13 of them were damaged leading to a call by Pakistan seeking cessation of hostilities. The 17 squadron, that flies the Rafale, was also awarded for its role. On May 7, when operation Sindoor was started, the precision missiles on board the French-orgin jet hit at terrorist camps in Pakistan.
Notably, a S-400 air defence missile squadron was also given the ‘unit Citation’. The Russian origin system which has a mix of radars and long-range hit at several Pakistan planes and missiles. Last month IAF Chief hailed the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile system and called it a “game-changer” in saying the S-400 denied the enemy freedom to operate even inside its own territory.
The IAF chief also awarded a ‘citation’ to a squadron of loitering ammunition. The squadron uses special drones which do a ‘kamikaze’ strike and self-destruct at target.
The loitering ammunition was used to strike a targets in Pakistan.
MoD Achieves 650 Defence Innovation Contracts Worth ₹3,000 Crore Propel Atmanirbhar Bharat in Indigenous R&D And Production Milestone Under iDEX
India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has achieved a significant milestone under its flagship Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, marking a decisive step in strengthening indigenous defence innovation and manufacturing.
The ministry has now awarded a cumulative total of around 650 innovation and development contracts to Indian start-ups, MSMEs, and individual innovators. These contracts collectively account for an investment value of approximately ₹3,000 crore, aimed at accelerating rapid prototyping and technology maturation across diverse domains within the national defence ecosystem.
Expanding The Innovation Ecosystem
The iDEX platform, launched in 2018, has evolved into a major catalyst for India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision in defence R&D. The latest milestone reflects not only the success in attracting young innovators and private enterprises into the defence domain but also a systemic transformation in how the MoD facilitates dual-use and military technology. The contracts awarded span over 50 technology categories, including unmanned aerial and ground systems, advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) payloads, encryption-based secure communication networks, AI-driven battlefield analytics, and miniaturised propulsion and guidance systems.
Accelerating Rapid Prototyping And Technology Transition
Under the iDEX model, innovators and MSMEs receive early-stage funding, technical mentorship, and direct access to user agencies within the Indian Armed Forces and DRDO. The ₹3,000 crore investment serves as both a developmental grant and a market-access mechanism—enabling start-ups to move from concept demonstrations to production-ready prototypes. Many of these projects are now entering integration trials with tri-service platforms, including drone swarms, secure tactical radios, maritime surveillance systems, and counter-UAV technologies validated by the Army Design Bureau and Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisations (NIIO).
Strengthening Defence Industrial Supply Chains
Beyond innovation competitions, iDEX has become the foundation of a sustainable defence industrial base supporting Make in India under procurement categories such as Make-II and iDEX Prime. These structured pathways promote co-development with public sector units and defence production agencies like HAL, BEL, and BDL, while leveraging private sector agility. The expanding base of over 350 start-ups and 100 MSMEs is enabling modular subsystems development, import substitution, and component-level innovation in avionics, sensors, secure networking, EW systems, and materials science.
Policy Support And Future Roadmap
The milestone aligns with the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP 2020) and MoD’s goal to channel at least 25% of its R&D budget toward industry-led innovation. The Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) and iDEX Prime verticals continue to identify mission-ready technologies for field deployment by 2026–27. Furthermore, integration with the Technology Development Fund (TDF) and newly established Defence Industrial Corridors in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh ensures that iDEX-supported prototypes advance into scalable production stages.
Significance For Aatmanirbhar Bharat
This cumulative progress demonstrates how iDEX has become the centrepiece of the MoD’s self-reliance architecture—bridging the gap between idea incubation and product induction. By empowering Indian innovators with funding, mentorship, and user interface, the platform is reinforcing India’s defence supply autonomy and reducing reliance on imported components. The 650 awarded projects collectively symbolise a maturing ecosystem that merges innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic defence capability building—laying the operational and technological groundwork for a robust Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the coming decade.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
HAL’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Program Nearing Technical Resolution And Production Milestones
HAL’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program is approaching a significant breakthrough, with critical technical challenges expected to be resolved by the end of the year. This development marks a major step toward enabling Limited Series Production (LSP) for the helicopter, which had previously faced delays due to several technical hurdles.
The resolution of these issues is expected to streamline its subsequent user trials, paving the way for official induction and operational deployment.
One of the main hurdles involved autopilot certification. Earlier, delays in obtaining certification for the autopilot system impacted the helicopter’s readiness for user trials and slowed down its integration schedule. Recent progress suggests that HAL and its technical partners have made substantial advancements in finalising the autopilot system, ensuring compliance with both civil and military regulatory standards.
Noise attenuation, another crucial aspect, had also contributed to delays, particularly affecting pilot comfort and helicopter operational signatures. Recent modifications and user feedback indicate that noise reduction technology for the LUH has been significantly improved, aligning with operational requirements for both Army and IAF roles.
Scrutiny over autorotation performance was a major concern, especially regarding the helicopter’s stability and safety margins during emergency power losses. Recent flight tests and technical tweaks have demonstrated marked improvements in autorotation handling, addressing previous stability issues that slowed the helicopter’s induction timeline.
Earlier, the induction plans faced setbacks due to persistent doubts over autorotation criteria and stability margins, which slowed the overall timeline. However, recent user-driven modifications—focused on enhancing stability and handling during autorotation—are promising signs that the program is back on track. These enhancements are expected to meet the stringent operational standards required for frontline deployment.
With these technical hurdles nearing resolution, HAL is poised to initiate Limited Series Production in early 2026. This move will facilitate comprehensive user evaluations, formulating the final operational clearance procedures for the LUH in both Army and IAF service. The program’s resurgence aligns with the broader Indian defence modernisation drive, targeting indigenous rotary-wing systems as replacements for ageing Cheetah and Chetak platforms.
The recent progress indicates that the HAL LUH is transitioning from a period of delays rooted in certification and noise issues into a phase of steady production and operational validation, setting the stage for its anticipated deployment in 2026.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
Pakistan Secures AIM-120 Air-To-Air Missiles Deal; PAF Eyes F-16 Fleet Upgrade Amid Renewed Ties With Washington
Pakistan is set to receive AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) from the United States under a recently modified contract announced by the U.S. Department of War (DoW), formerly known as the Department of Defence.
The agreement signals a notable development in U.S.-Pakistan defence relations, particularly as Washington once again lists Islamabad as a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) recipient after years of limited engagement.
According to the U.S. DoW’s press release dated September 30, defence contractor Raytheon received a USD 41.6 million modification to an existing firm-fixed-price contract (FA8675-23-C-0037, modification P00026). The amendment brings the total value of the broader AMRAAM production contract to over USD 2.51 billion. The work, encompassing production of the latest AIM-120C8 and D3 variants, is scheduled for completion by May 2030.
The contract identifies a broad list of FMS recipients beyond Pakistan, including partner nations such as the UK, Poland, Japan, Israel, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia. However, Pakistan’s inclusion stands out given strained security cooperation since 2018, when U.S. aid to Islamabad was suspended.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles are compatible with Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcons, which form the backbone of its air combat fleet. PAF previously employed older AIM-120C5 variants, acquired alongside Block 52 F-16s delivered in 2010 under a deal for approximately 500 missiles.
The newer C8 export variant mirrors key features of the AIM-120D models used by the U.S. Air Force, including enhanced datalink guidance, longer effective range, and improved resistance to electronic countermeasures. Defence analysts interpret this as a potential move by PAF to modernise its interception capabilities and reinforce its deterrence posture.
The AMRAAM gained prominence during the 2019 post-Balakot aerial engagements when Pakistan’s F-16s reportedly used AIM-120C5 missiles against Indian Air Force MiG-21s over the Line of Control. The fresh acquisition plan revives security concerns in New Delhi, given that the new variant dramatically extends beyond the C5’s engagement envelope.
The Balakot operation in February 2019 had targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed training camps in Pakistan’s Balakot region following terror attacks in Pulwama. The Indian Air Force successfully neutralised multiple militant structures, which led to heightened skirmishes between the two air forces.
This strike and subsequent aerial conflict set off years of tension between New Delhi and Islamabad, but current developments indicate Islamabad’s gradual reintegration into selective U.S. defence frameworks. The shift aligns with broader geopolitical recalibrations under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Notably, ties strengthened following Operation Sindoor in May 2025, when India carried out retaliatory strikes targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) after the Pahalgam terror attack.
The four-day escalation ended on May 10 with a ceasefire monitored through DGMO-level communications between both nations. Islamabad credited Trump’s mediation for brokering the truce and even proposed his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pakistan’s prospective receipt of AIM-120C8 missiles could signify the start of an F-16 mid-life upgrade program, potentially involving avionics, radar modernisation (possibly AN/APG-83 SABR), and electronic warfare enhancements. Such an initiative would markedly increase the PAF’s combat endurance in beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagements and operational interoperability within U.S.-aligned systems.
Although the exact number of missiles destined for Pakistan remains unspecified, the contract amplifies speculation of a strategic thaw between Washington and Islamabad. It could also reflect America’s balancing strategy in South Asia, maintaining limited military cooperation with Pakistan while sustaining its robust defence partnership with India.
The reintroduction of advanced AMRAAM variants into South Asia may alter the regional air-power equilibrium, particularly as India continues to expand its indigenous air-to-air arsenal with Astra MK-2 and MK-3 missiles and further upgrades for Rafale and TEJAS MK-1A fighters. Defence experts caution that renewed U.S.-Pakistan defence linkages could challenge India’s strategic planning despite its expanding indigenous defence sector and partnerships with France and Israel.
Overall, the U.S. decision underscores shifting diplomatic equations while reasserting Washington’s role as a key arms supplier influencing South Asia’s complex security calculus.
Geetanjali Angmo, wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, met her husband in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur jail on Tuesday, their first meeting since his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
“Met @Wangchuk66 today with @RitamKhare and got the detention order which we will challenge,” Angmo wrote on X. She added that Wangchuk’s “spirit is undaunted. His commitment resolute! His resilience intact! He conveys heartfelt thanks to all for their support and solidarity.”
Angmo’s meeting came a day after the Supreme Court (SC) issued notices to the Centre and the Ladakh administration on her petition seeking Wangchuk’s immediate release from detention under the NSA, 1980. Angmo’s petition is scheduled for October 14 the SC.
SIA conducts multiple raids across Kashmir to bust sleeper cell module
The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Wednesday carried out searches at multiple locations across the Valley as part of its efforts to crack down on a sleeper cell module of terrorist organisations, officials said.
During the raids, some suspects were detained for questioning, the officials said.
The SIA carried out extensive searches at eight locations across seven districts in the Kashmir valley, they said. The searches were conducted as part of an ongoing investigation of case registered at Police Station CI/SIA Kashmir, they added.
“The case is related to the sleeper cell module operating in the Valley at the behest of terrorist commanders of proscribed terrorist organisations of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The module is used for spreading secessionist propaganda thereby radicalizing and recruiting the youth into the terror fold,” they said.
The search operation was conducted simultaneously across seven districts in the Valley from all three police ranges — North, Central and South Kashmir.
“During the raids, substantial incriminating materials have been seized and the suspects have been rounded up for further questioning,” the officials said.
Preliminary investigation has clearly brought out the active engagement of these entities in a terrorist conspiracy aimed at propagating and furthering anti-India narratives aimed not only at challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India but also at inciting disaffection, public disorder and communal hatred, they said.
The searches highlight the continued and unrelenting efforts of the SIA to ensure that the entire module is dismantled and to strike at the roots of the terror ecosystem, the officials added.
Bengaluru Police register FIR against lawyer who tried to hurl shoe at CJI
The FIR is registered against Rakesh Kishore following a complaint by Bhaktavachala, president of the All India Advocates Association
The Bengaluru Police on Wednesday registered a zero FIR against the lawyer who allegedly tried to hurl a shoe towards Chief Justice of India B R Gavai in his courtroom in the Supreme Court, officials said.
A zero FIR can be registered anywhere irrespective of where the alleged offence occurred.
The FIR was registered against Rakesh Kishore under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 133 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person of the BNS, following a complaint by Bhaktavachala, president of the All India Advocates Association here, they said.
The act of Rakesh Kishore is not pardonable and acceptable by any section of society. In fact, his act is punishable…this is a grave incident to be taken seriously,” the advocates association said in the complaint submitted to the SHO of Vidhan Soudha police station here.
Kishore (71) allegedly tried to hurl a shoe towards CJI Gavai in his courtroom in the Supreme Court on Monday, but was stopped by alert security personnel.
According to police sources, the errant lawyer was unhappy over the CJI’s remarks during a hearing last month concerning the restoration of a Vishnu idol in Khajuraho.
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