All posts by webadmin

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully tested its Military Combat  Parachute System (MCPS) at one of the world’s highest-altitude drop zones in Ladakh. 

The trials were carried out at Nyoma, close to the Line of Control in south-eastern Ladakh. The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently commissioned an airbase at Nyoma, which is among the world’s highest airbases for fighter aircraft operations.

The MCPS has been designed and developed by DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, and the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory, Bengaluru.

During the trial, ADRDE test jumpers Wg Cdr Rahul Jha, Chief Test Jumper, MWO RJ Singh and MWO Vivek Tiwari executed a jump from an altitude of 22,000 feet above mean sea level, DRDO said on Wednesday.

The  parachute was deployed at 20,000 feet, with the jumpers landing safely at an altitude of 13,700 feet. The trial was conducted in temperatures as low as minus 15°C . 

The test jumpers utilised the MCPS and all other sub-systems, including an indigenous para computer, oxygen system and jumpsuits.

Nyoma has previously been used for several military exercises, including the para-dropping of troops, vehicles and equipment.

“The successful trial demonstrated the efficacy, reliability and tactical employability of MCPS in extreme high-altitude conditions, reinforcing India’s commitment to self-reliance in critical defence technologies,” DRDO said. 

Earlier, the MCPS had successfully undergone a combat freefall jump from an altitude of 32,000 feet. This makes it the only parachute system currently in operational use by the Indian Armed Forces capable of deployment above 25,000 feet.

The system incorporates several enhanced tactical features, including a lower rate of descent and superior steering capabilities. These enable paratroopers to safely exit aircraft, deploy their  parachutes at predetermined altitudes, navigate accurately and land at designated zones.

The MCPS is also compatible with Navigation with Indian Constellation, also providing the freedom of use against any adversary of our choice and is not susceptible to interference/denial of service by outside parties/nations.

The system incorporates several enhanced tactical features, including a lower rate of descent and improved steering capabilities. These enable paratroopers to safely exit aircraft, deploy their parachutes at predetermined altitudes, navigate accurately and land at designated zones.

The move is aimed at increasing industry participation in the defence ecosystem and accelerating indigenous production of advanced weapon systems

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved a proposal for the transfer of DRDO-developed technology of all conventional missile systems to domestic private industry for production within the country.

Announcing the decision, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the transfer of technology by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) “marked an important milestone in promoting greater participation of domestic industries in the defence ecosystem”.

The move was aimed at enhancing operational capability, reducing import dependence and increasing domestic value addition, while supporting the growth of India’s defence manufacturing sector, the ministry said.

In military parlance, “conventional missiles” destroy targets using traditional high explosives, fragmentation effects or kinetic impact. They do not carry nuclear, biological or chemical warheads. 

The MoD has not disclosed the details of the missiles covered under the “transfer of technology” initiative. However, going by the reference to “conventional missiles”, the list could include the Akash air defence missile system; the quick reaction surface-to-air missiles; air-launched Astra and the Nag missiles.

So far, the ministry-owned public sector undertaking Bharat Dynamics Limited had been producing the missiles. The government’s go-ahead to the private industry is expected to boost production capacity and address the fledgling export market for Indian missile systems.

In a post on social media platform X, Rajnath’s office said the transfer of technology would be subject to specified qualifications, certifications and regulatory requirements.

The latest MoD initiative is different from a move announced last week that sought private partners for the manufacturing of strategic missiles. On August 17, the DRDO invited Indian private companies to apply as long-term partners for making missiles and guided bombs. The tender was issued by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, on behalf of the DRDO’s Missile and Strategic Systems (MSS) cluster.

The DRDO website describes the MSS cluster as “being responsible for the design and development of state-of-the-art missiles and strategic systems required for the country’s deterrence and defence”. In simpler terms, missiles such as the inter-continental Agni system and the under-development hypersonic missiles are part of the MSS cluster.

Former CDS General Anil Chauhan’s fresh account of India’s strikes near Kirana Hills, close to Sargodha in Pakistan, during Operation Sindoor differs from India’s original public position articulated in May 2025.

Kirana Hills is associated with Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Speaking on Tuesday, at an event organised by Vivekananda International Foundation, the former CDS revealed new details about the 15-month-old confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. He said an Indian loitering munition had “accidentally” hit Kirana Hills while searching for Pakistani radars. 

General Chauhan, who retired on May 31, explained that India had sent numerous loitering munitions towards the Sargodha area. Kirana Hills is located about 10 km north of the Pakistani city. According to him, these munitions can loiter for roughly two hours while searching for a target. If they fail to locate one, they are designed to strike a target or designated area anyway.

General Chauhan said that one such loitering munition “must have come and hit one of those hills”.

His remarks represent a reversal of India’s official position in May 2025. At the time, Air Marshal AK Bharti, then Director General of Air Operations, dismissed the suggestion that India had struck the site. Responding to a question about reports that Kirana Hills housed nuclear installations, he said: “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it. We have not hit Kirana Hills.”

General Chauhan’s words now confirm, rather than deny, that a strike apparently occurred near or on a nuclear-linked site, even if it was unintentional. This marks a shift from India’s position in May 2025: from saying that Kirana Hills had not been hit to acknowledging that an Indian munition likely struck the hills, albeit unintentionally.

Back in May 2025, shortly after Operation Sindoor, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ruled out a radiation leak or radioactive release from any nuclear facility in Pakistan.

However, the IAEA statement addressed only the question of radiation leakage. It did not establish whether a conventional strike had physically occurred near or at Kirana Hills. In other words, the statement neither confirmed nor denied that a strike had taken place; it only indicated that no radioactive release had been detected.

Against the backdrop of the IAEA statement and General Chauhan’s latest remarks, there have also been unrelated claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington helped avert a “nuclear war” between India and Pakistan. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has rejected that characterisation, maintaining that the conflict remained conventional. 

The IAEA’s “no radiation leak” statement and General Chauhan’s latest admission that a loitering munition likely struck Kirana Hills are therefore not necessarily contradictory. A conventional munition could have struck near or on Kirana Hills without breaching or damaging nuclear-related facilities in a manner that resulted in a measurable radioactive release.

General Chauhan’s remarks help close a year-old information gap, but they also raise important questions. Kirana Hills is associated with Pakistan’s nuclear programme, and even an accidental strike near such a site carries considerable strategic significance. In a nuclear-armed rivalry, uncertainty over whether nuclear-adjacent infrastructure has been hit — deliberately or accidentally — can influence threat perceptions, signalling and crisis behaviour.

General Chauhan’s comments about Kirana Hills also came alongside other revelations, including his assessment of Pakistan’s ability to verify Indian losses and his reference to India’s stated principle of “always delivering the last strike” in an escalation ladder.

In hindsight, some of his remarks may be intended not merely as a technical clarification but also to shape the retrospective narrative of Operation Sindoor: one in which India maintained the upper hand, controlled escalation and ultimately retained escalation dominance.

British engine free from any US restrictions on technology

India will receive a full transfer of technology (ToT) and retain the intellectual property rights (IPR) for the  engine being offered by British aerospace major Rolls-Royce to power the country’s under-development fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). 

The core technology being offered to India by the UK is under an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) and is free from any US-imposed restrictions under the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), UK officials said. 

India is wanting ‘deep’ transfer of technology, including what is called the ‘single crystal blade’, a part of the engine, that does not heat up, allowing greater thrust.

The British offer is about India and Rolls-Royce designing an engine for India, a ground-breaking, fifth-generational engine with a 120-plus kilo newton thrust with scope of increasing the thrust to 145 kilo newton. In aviation circles, an engine with such power has not been developed, so far, for fighter jets.

Details of  the British offer have emerged days after the Rolls Royce and Reliance Industries Limited, on August 14,  announced a partnership to develop an indigenous combat engine for India’s under development fifth generation AMCA.

Rolls Royce faces competition from Safran of France which has partnered the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) under the DRDO – to make the 120 KN engine.

Rolls Royce makes any engine entirely on its own. One such engine engines powers the F-35B, the marine variant of the fifth-generation plane used by US and its NATO allies. The technology and experience exists and the Rolls Royce’s engine making is free from any ties into the American system. Only three companies make an entire engine – the Rolls Royce and two US companies – others need to source some parts from US.

UK officials Rolls-Royce bringing in  knowledge base and is targeting a roll out the  new engine by 2034. 

LeasingHigh-End Luxury Automobiles

The UK India collaboration stems from the ‘India-UK Vision 2035’ released in June last year. Defence is one of the five key pillars of that ‘Vision 2035’. A 10-year Defence Industrial Roadmap has been adopted. This targets to deepen collaboration in advanced technologies and complex weapons, supporting innovation and co-development, through cooperation programs such Jet Engine Advanced Core Technologies (JEACT).

The 120 kilo newton engine is to power the AMCA which is progressing. The Ministry of Defence has invited three companies to send in their Request for Proposal (RFP) for technical and commercial bids for the project.

The bidders invited for the  RFP are — Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), which is competing independently; a consortium led by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), State-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), and Dynamatic Technologies Ltd; and another consortium of Bharat Forge, PSU BEML and Data Patterns. 

The winning partner will work with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation to build five flying prototypes and one structural test aircraft. The shortlisted firms, selected based on their technical capabilities, will compete to build prototypes of the fighter aircraft.

None of the three invited to bid, are engine makers hence the need to source an engine.

Rs 472-crore project to augment existing capacity at Avadi, bridge annual overhaul gap and boost operational readiness

A new facility for overhauling Army tanks will come up at the Ministry of Defence-owned Vehicle Factory in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, adding to the existing tank-overhaul capacity in the country.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rs 472-crore project, which is projected to have the capacity to overhaul 80 tanks annually and boost the Indian Army’s operational readiness. 

The facility will supplement the existing tank-overhaul capacity of the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, Tamil Nadu. The Army requires 230 tanks to be overhauled each year, while the Avadi facility currently has the capacity to overhaul 150 tanks. The new unit at Jabalpur will bridge this gap and help ensure that more tanks are overhauled annually and remain in war-fighting condition.

The Army has nearly 4,000 Russian-origin T-72 and T-90 tanks in its fleet, besides a smaller number of indigenous Arjun tanks.

The new overhaul facility will also create opportunities for MSMEs to supply mechanical, electrical, electronic and hydraulic components, assemblies and subsystems.

At the event, Singh described the project as a testament to India’s growing technological prowess and industrial capabilities. Speaking about the changing nature of warfare, he emphasised that while the nature of warfare was changing, the relevance of tanks had not diminished but evolved.

“There is a need to equip tanks with superior sensors and capabilities aligned with modern battlefield requirements,” he added.

“Modern warfare demands combined capabilities rather than dependence on a single platform,” the minister said. Tanks, infantry, artillery, drones, air power, surveillance and precision weapons together form an integrated combat system, a concept demonstrated by the Indian Army through its ‘Integrated Battle Group’. 

The Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, is under the Defence Public Sector Undertaking Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL).

What is tank overhaul?

Army tank overhaul refers to a comprehensive maintenance and refurbishment process in which a tank is inspected, repaired and restored to a fully operational condition. It is distinct from routine servicing or field repairs and involves much deeper maintenance.

Tank systems such as the engine, transmission, running gear, tracks, sprockets, gun and turret systems, electrical and electronic systems, and hull components are separated for individual inspection.

Each component is checked against technical specifications to determine wear, damage or degradation, including barrel wear, engine hours, armour integrity and suspension condition.

Worn or damaged components such as engines, gearboxes, tracks, optics and weapon systems are repaired, reconditioned or replaced with new or refurbished parts.

Overhauls can also be used to integrate upgrades, including improved fire-control systems, modern communication equipment, night-vision systems and engine upgrades.

A security team comprising state police personnel reached the ambush site on Friday morning and retrieved the bodies

The bodies of four Naga civilians killed in an ambush in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district were retrieved on Friday morning, a day after the attack, officials said.

The four were killed and another person injured when armed assailants attacked a vehicle in an isolated area between Makui Ashang and Thanamba Naga villages around 8.30 am on Thursday, they said.

One of the deceased was the principal of a private school.

Security forces had attempted to retrieve the bodies on Thursday evening but could not reach the site due to an alleged blockade and disruptions at a village along the route, officials said.

A security team comprising state police personnel reached the ambush site on Friday morning and retrieved the bodies, which were being taken to Senapati district headquarters, they said.

On Thursday night, a large number of people gathered at Senapati district headquarters and staged a protest, demanding that the bodies be brought to the Naga-majority district.

Meanwhile, village volunteers fired several rounds in the air as a mark of respect when the bodies reached Thonglang Atongba in Kangpokpi district, officials said.

Following the killings, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh chaired a high-level security meeting and directed security forces to identify, arrest and take action against those involved in the attack.

The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Naga community in the state, accused two militant outfits—Kuki National Front (P) and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) — of being involved in the ambush.

The deceased have been identified as Tadsongbou Ringkangmai, the founder and principal of a private school, M Wijunamai, Anil Wijunamai, and Wisobou Charenamai, the chairman of the Chawangkining Village Authority. The injured person has been identified as Gaikamang Ringkangmai.

All five victims belong to the Liangmai Naga community.

India will purchase the Javelin, an anti-tank missile, from the US. The missile is fired by troops on the ground and can target tanks, armoured vehicles, and fortified positions of the adversary at distances up to 5 kms. The Javelin system is an advanced, medium-range, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile. 

The United States Embassy in India on Friday welcomed the Indian Army’s signing of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the purchase of the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system through the US.

In November last year, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the sale of the Javelin to India via a notification, stating that the US State Department had approved the sale of 100 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy round, 25 command-launch units, training aids, simulation rounds, spare parts, and full lifecycle support.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor posted on X saying, “This agreement reflects a defense partnership that is growing deeper, more capable, and more consequential.”

The Javelin agreement demonstrates the depth of U.S. support for the Indian Army and creates new opportunities for defense industries of both countries to work together, Gor said.

The Javelin is used by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and numerous international customers and is designed for use against a wide array of targets, including armored vehicles and fortified positions. The Javelin system is produced in partnership between two US companies – RTX and Lockheed Martin.

The landmark signature also opens discussions on mutually beneficial co-production and additional opportunities to strengthen the defense industrial bases of both countries, the US Embassy statement said.

The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has held that the spouse being employed in a foreign country is reasonable grounds for a soldier to seek premature retirement on compassionate grounds.

A nursing assistant in the Army Medical Corps (AMC) had applied for premature retirement from the Army on compassionate grounds in September 2024 after rendering 14 years of service. His request was turned down by the Army in view of deficiency of manpower, organisational constraints and service exigencies.

He contended before the AFT that due to service restrictions and existing domestic problems and difficulties he was not able to look after his family, comprising old and ailing parents, his wife who is working as a nurse in Qatar and three children, nor able to enjoy his married life.

He averred that his wife does not have a good relationship with his parents due to inter-caste marriage and she visits once in a year to meet him and their elder child. He added that his wife is threatening to divorce him if he does not leave the service due to the problems faced by her after the birth of twin girls.

He pointed out that his six-year old son currently resides with his parents at his native place and it is difficult for his elderly mother to look after him as she also has to take care of his bed-ridden father. His education was also getting affected.

The soldier claimed that faced with difficulties of his wife being in service overseas and threatening divorce, the ill health of his parents and upbringing of his children, he was unable to perform his military duties effectively.

The Army had contended that in his present rank, the soldier was liable to serve till March 2034 and given his trade of nursing assistant, any deficiency in this cadere would result in compromising the life and limb of patients and it may affect optimal functioning of a military hospital.

Further, to address the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on recruitment in the Indian Army, restrictions were imposed by the competent authority on grant of pre-mature retirement. 

The Tribunal’s Bench comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Gupta and Maj Gen Sanjay Singh ruled on August 19 that considering all aspects of the matter, that is improved post-Covid pandemic situation and the soldier’s apprehension that his marriage may not survive if he does not leave the Army, his request for premature retirement should be reviewed and reconsidered by the competent authority.

New Delhi must strategise to enforce stability in its neighbourhood

Admiral Arun Prakash retd

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on August 7 continues to be in the spotlight. Against the backdrop of the ongoing US/Israel-Iran conflict, its geopolitical and military ramifications are being closely examined in the context of West Asia. For India, however, strategic prudence demands that this pact be viewed through the lens of Operation Sindoor. 

Following India’s May 2025 missile strikes against Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, the latter avoided a prolonged, conventional escalation by engaging in high-intensity drone and electronic warfare before seeking an early ceasefire. During this conflict, while the bulk of Pakistan’s hardware and technical support came from China, Türkiye’s supply of unmanned aerial vehicles and electronic warfare devices underscored Ankara’s willingness to back Islamabad against New Delhi. Four months after Op Sindoor, Pakistan formalised a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, guaranteeing that aggression against either country would be considered aggression against both.

On the diplomatic front, Pakistan, notwithstanding its severe domestic  political fragmentation and fragile economy, has adroitly leveraged recent security crises into political capital. Its alignment with Washington and its high-risk role as a key mediator between the US and Iran have demonstrated Islamabad’s knack for exploiting its geopolitical weight.

India’s post-Uri surgical strikes (2016) and post-Pulwama airstrikes (2019) showed that while New Delhi could call Pakistan’s nuclear bluff, it had yet to re-establish effective conventional military deterrence. The destruction inflicted on Pakistan’s military by Op Sindoor was intended to project “deterrence by punishment”, but before its efficacy could be confirmed, the Mecca Agreement may have disturbed the balance of power in the subcontinent and given encouragement to hotheads in Islamabad.

India’s strategic planners must now formulate doctrines and acquire capabilities tailored to this emerging reality. Deterrence relies on certitude: India’s response must guarantee punishment so swift and so severe that neither of its two adversaries (China and Pakistan) ever doubts the cost of provocation and the accompanying loss of face in the international arena.

Rebuilding credible conventional deterrence will require heavy investment in creating war reserves for extended conflicts by quickly absorbing technological, logistic and operational lessons from the Ukrainian and Iranian battlefields. Awaiting urgent redressal is our government’s flawed and lethargic decision-making mechanism that has resulted in severe capability gaps in recent decades. Examples: the progressive erosion in the IAF’s combat aircraft strength; the inordinately delayed development of an indigenous jet engine that will impact its 5th- and 6th-generation aircraft projects; imposition of the ill-conceived and debilitating Agniveer recruitment/training scheme on the military; slippages in the Navy’s diesel submarine and aircraft carrier projects, and many others.

India’s uniquely hazardous security predicament is embodied in having two nuclear-armed adversaries as well as strained relations with others in the neighbourhood. Moreover, while its own defence-industrial base may take a decade or more to reach maturity, it remains substantially import-dependent. The ongoing geopolitical turmoil should leave us under no illusion that dependence on external sources for military hardware can be perilous for national security. 

Thus, the urgent question that needs New Delhi’s focus is not whether India can prevail in a two-front confrontation, but how it can find a “breathing spell” of stability/tranquillity to allow uninterrupted progress towards technological self-reliance. The threats posed by China and Pakistan are qualitatively different, and each deserves the closest attention of our highly regarded diplomatic corps.

For Islamabad, Kashmir is not merely a territorial dispute; it serves as a pivot on which the military establishment’s domestic credibility rests. A settlement of Indo-Pak disputes by eliminating the so-called “existential threat” posed by India would demolish the military’s raison d’être. As for Beijing, it views the unresolved Line of Actual Control as a strategic lever to keep India geopolitically boxed into South Asia. The settlement of territorial issues would permit India to bring strategic focus on maritime capabilities and the Indo-Pacific, where China is most vulnerable.

India cannot match China’s defence spending or technological prowess overnight, but it can manage the border to avoid unintended escalation. Achieving this demands three priorities: active diplomatic and military contact, relentless infrastructure building, and a forward-leaning military posture that will ensure that — unlike the past — any future Chinese incursions incur painful costs. On this front, the goal is steady stabilisation for the long haul.

With regard to Pakistan, India should maintain a firm military posture and a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, while quietly exploring back-channel diplomacy to test whether the Generals can be incentivised to shun cross-border terrorism. With senior RSS leaders such as Mohan Bhagwat and Dattatreya Hosabale signalling support for people-to-people dialogue, such outreach is unlikely to trigger domestic backlash and could pave the way for a viable modus vivendi on the western front. 

This dual-track approach rests on a clear strategic calculus: while Pakistan remains bogged down by economic distress, tensions on the Durand Line and ethnic unrest, its enhanced international standing and newly minted security alliances could embolden renewed adventurism. India must strategise to enforce stability in its neighbourhood.

IAF Chief backs theatre commands, but cautions against ‘pre-baked’ model

Indian Navy Commodore-Rank Officer Sentenced to 7 Years’ Rigorous Imprisonment, Fined ₹75 Lakh in Corruption Case

AFT upholds ‘severe displeasure’ against Brigadier in Poonch civilian deaths case

Su-30 pilot battled catastrophic failure, extreme g-forces to land safely, gets Shaurya Chakra

Lt Gen Nair takes over as Colonel of Punjab Regiment

Iran says world has accepted it has defeated US

IAF Cheetah helicopter evacuates Indian-origin US citizen from 15,000-foot glacier in Ladakh

Indian Army raises ‘Baaz battalion’ for drone operations along Pakistan front

Bangladesh open to joining Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye defence pact: Ministers

Maldives’ largest infra project advances with India’s support after final segment of Thilamale Bridge is installed

Militant arrested in Manipur for ‘involvement’ in 2021 ambush on Assam Rifles convoy

NEXT PAGE

India capable of becoming global shipbuilding hub: Rajnath

Who is Mihir Ahuja aka Baldy in ‘Operation Safed Sagar’? From -25°C shoots to Kargil War’s MiG-21s

India decides no boarding pass stamping at airports for international travellers from September 1

Chinese robots beat Usain Bolt’s 100m world record at Beijing games

Cargo vessel sinking tragedy: 3 ships deployed to intensify search of 22 crew members off Odisha coast

Kitney murge bhun diye?’: The chilling testimony of Amritsar’s Jagdish Kaur that brought Sajjan Kumar down

Rs 72,000 crore drone pipeline: 3 Indian defence stocks riding the fast-track surge

Partition of 1947: How the Indian Army Was Divided Between India and Pakistan