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Drones are now potent weapons that can be exploited by state and non-state actors alike, says former major general

India’s growing drone industry may be racing ahead on the civilian front, but it faces serious national security risks that are yet to be fully addressed, warns retired Major General M Indrabalan. In an exclusive interview with Business Today Digital, he cites lessons from the Russia-Ukraine and Iran-Israel conflicts to underline how low-cost drones have evolved into potent offensive tools.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the Controllers’ Conference of the Defence Accounts Department in New Delhi today, calling on the department to evolve from a controller to a facilitator and support India’s growing defence needs with efficiency, agility, and innovation. He also Stated that India is entering a new phase of re-armament, driven by capital-intensive investments and a shift from viewing defence as expenditure to economic investment.

The valour displayed during Operation Sindoor & the demonstration of domestic equipment, further increased the global demand for our indigenous products: Raksha Mantri at Controllers’ Conference 2025

“With increasing participation of the private sector, our responsibility is no longer that of a controller, but of a facilitator”

“Peace time is nothing but an illusion. Even during periods of relative calm, we must prepare for uncertainty. Sudden developments can force a complete shift in our financial and operational posture”

Defence Spending should be termed as Economic Investment with Multiplier Impact: RM

“Our effort is to ensure that decisions are taken swiftly so that we can begin manufacturing larger engines right here in India”

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the Controllers’ Conference of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) in New Delhi on July 07, 2025, emphasising the department’s critical role in strengthening the operational readiness and financial agility of the Armed Forces. Referring to the success of Operation Sindoor, he stated that the valour displayed and demonstration of the capability of domestic equipment has further increased the global demand for the indigenous products. “The world is looking at our defence sector with new respect. A single delay or error in financial processes can directly affect operational preparedness,” he said.  He also called on the DAD to evolve from a ‘controller’ to a ‘facilitator’ in sync with increasing participation of the private sector in defence.

Shri Rajnath Singh credited the ongoing transformation in the defence sector to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, under whose guidance the country has moved towards Aatmanirbharta and structural reform in defence planning, finance, and innovation. “Most of the equipment we once imported is now being made in India. Our reforms are succeeding because of the clarity of vision and commitment at the highest level,” he added.

Addressing the larger geopolitical context, Raksha Mantri mentioned the rising global military expenditure reaching $2.7 trillion in 2024, as per Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and stated that this opens up tremendous opportunities for India’s indigenous defence industries. He stressed that with the Prime Minister’s focus on ‘Aatmanirbharta in Defence’, India’s industries must be prepared for the global demand shift and play a larger role in exports and innovation. “Our effort is to ensure that decisions are taken swiftly so that we can begin manufacturing larger engines right here in India and that this journey begins with the hands of Indians,” he added, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building advanced indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.

Highlighting the increasing strategic and economic significance of the defence sector, Shri Rajnath Singh called for a shift in perception from defence spending as mere expenditure to an economic investment with multiplier impact. “Until recently, defence budgets were not seen as part of the national economy. Today, they are growth drivers,” he added. He mentioned that India, along with the rest of the world, is entering a new phase of re-armament, marked by capital-intensive investments in the defence sector. He urged the department to incorporate Defence Economics in their planning and assessments, including social impact analysis of R&D projects and dual-use technologies.

The Raksha Mantri also referred to the recently launched Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme with a budget of Rs 1 lakh crore, which prioritises defence sector innovation and procurement of high-end technology. He encouraged the DAD to become active enablers in ensuring smooth implementation and timely funding of such projects, particularly from start-ups, MSMEs, and the private sector. He highlighted the fact, for the first time, the Defence Acquisition Council has approved the acquisition of weapon systems through the capital route, and urged the Department to be prepared for financial activities related to this shift.

Shri Rajnath Singh praised the department’s new motto ‘Alert, Agile, Adaptive’ and noted that these are not mere words, but a reflection of the work culture required in today’s rapidly evolving defence environment. He urged officials to undertake internal reform through self-introspection, rather than relying solely on external audits or consultants. “Improvements made through internal evaluation create living organisations. These reforms are more organic, with fewer barriers,” he stated.

“Peace time is nothing but an illusion. Even during periods of relative calm, we must prepare for uncertainty. Sudden developments can force a complete shift in our financial and operational posture. Whether it’s stepping up equipment production or adapting financial processes, we must be ready with innovative techniques and responsive systems at all times,” Raksha Mantri stated. He urged the DAD to incorporate this mindset into their planning, budgeting and decision-making systems.

Shri Rajnath Singh spoke extensively about the transformation in public procurement through Government e-Marketplace (GeM), which has facilitated transparency and private sector engagement. He noted that the Ministry of Defence has procured goods and services worth over Rs 2 lakh crore through GeM till FY 2024-25, and called upon Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs) and Competent Financial Authorities (CFAs) to maximise its use to ensure transparency and efficiency.

The Raksha Mantri appreciated the rollout and impact of the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration – Raksha) platform, which has integrated over 32 lakh defence pensioners under a transparent, faceless pension delivery system. “Crores of rupees are disbursed through SPARSH every month. When I see such systems working for our veterans, it reaffirms that our strength lies not just in budget figures, but in our gratitude towards their sacrifice,” he underlined while firmly stating that caring for veterans is a duty, not a favour.

Shri Rajnath Singh also referred to upcoming digital initiatives such as the Comprehensive Pay System and Centralised Database Management System, which will simplify pay & personnel data management and support faster, real-time decision-making across services. He welcomed the department’s work on the Vision Document and Roadmap for Defence Finance & Economics, while urging timely implementation and the ability to make course corrections, if required.

Raksha Mantri urged the department to move towards faceless and time-bound payment systems to encourage increased participation from private players in defence manufacturing. “The more efficient and transparent your processes, the greater the confidence in our system,” he stated.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that even small errors in the department’s processes can have significant consequences. “At the place where you are working, if you make even a small mistake, then the soldiers do not get the necessary resources on time. Due to our negligence, there can be a problem in budget allocation and it directly affects operational readiness,” he emphasized.

The Raksha Mantri also congratulated the Defence Secretary & CGDA for achieving full utilisation of the capital budget in the previous financial year, and expressed confidence that the department would maintain the same fiscal discipline going forward. He stressed that financial planning should focus not only on budget growth, but also on efficiency-led growth, ensuring the right deployment at the right time for the right objective.

“Let us all pledge to remain alert, agile, and adaptive so that our work remains relevant and impactful. Our responsibility is immense, and every decision we make contributes to the larger vision of national security and self-reliance,” Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted. He also commended the conference agenda, which includes sessions on Change Management, Budgeting, Internal Audit, Procurement, Industry Partnerships, and Capacity Building.

The key highlights of the event were the release of the Vision Document, Mission Statement, New Motto, second edition of the Market Intelligence Report 2025 and Revised Defence Accounts Code.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr. Samir V Kamat, Financial Adviser (Defence Services) Shri S G Dastidar, and Controller General of Defence Accounts Dr Mayank Sharma were also present on the occasion.

***

Ministry of Defence, Government of India

Ever wondered what really happens when pirates hijack a ship? Or how an oil tanker hit by a missile is saved in the middle of nowhere? Or who stands guard when storms, drones and missiles threaten the country’s lifelines?

This isn’t a movie – this is Operation Sankalp.
And Raksha Sutra brings you the Guardians of the Seas – the warriors who dive into the fire, hunt pirates in the dark, and carry out daring missions that deserve to be heard.

Tap on the links below to listen to how the Indian Navy’s bravest guard millions of miles of restless waves.

RODRA is a website created to act as an interface between the Veteran Officers / Dependents and Officers Record Office. It acts as a digital repository and facilitates all issues pertaining to documentation, pension and grievances.

Veteran Officers and their families can easily register on RODRA for seamless support. Click on the link above to register.

www.rodra.gov.in

#INSIDETHECAPITAL: India, despite spending almost $20 billion in purchases in the past decade and a half, has not gotten technology transfer on any major equipment like planes, drones or copters

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

India’s plan to produce more than 500 indigenous fighter jets over the next two decades hinges upon getting aero-engines – which it does not make.

Aspirations of becoming self-reliant in making fighter jets have two verticals: One, to get the US firm General Electric to speed up pending supplies of the contracted engines. Secondly, to get the US government to okay a joint venture for technology transfer that has been pending to make a powerful aero-engine in India.

This issue is now testing the strength and agility of the India-US military partnership – that, so far, has been a buyer-seller relationship. India, despite spending almost $20 billion in purchases in the past decade and a half, has not gotten technology transfer on any major equipment like planes, drones or copters.

The first test case of technology transfer is the proposed joint venture to make the General Electric’s F414 engine in India, in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The joint venture was announced in June 2023 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden met in the US.

In New Delhi, patience is running out. In the past one week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has twice mentioned engines. In a telephone call to his US counterpart Pete Hegseth, Rajnath sought a fast-track delivery of GE F404 engines needed for the Tejas Mark1-A fighter jets. He also suggested a quick signing of an agreement for the joint production of F414 engines between GE and HAL. The GE 414 is 35 per cent more powerful than its predecessor the F404.

India plans to use the F414 engine in the Tejas Mark2 jets — some 180 in number, the naval jets – about 100 – and the initial version of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Besides, the delay in supplies of contracted F404 engines has left a question mark on the reliability of supplies.

In 2021, GE signed a $716 million contract with the Ministry of Defence-owned HAL to supply 99 F404 engines for the Tejas Mark-1A jets. Supplies were to start in April 2023 at the rate of 16 engines a year, but that has not happened. The HAL is tasked to make 180 of the Tejas Mark-1A jets in two tranches of 83 and 97 jets. The order for additional engines hinges upon how fast the first contract moves.

The delay in supplies of F404 engines has set back the delivery schedule of the jet. Phased deliveries of HAL’s first tranche of 83 planes to the IAF were to start in March 2024, but have still not started.

The GE has given a revised timeline of 12 engines this year and 20 engines the year thereafter.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) presently has 31 squadrons (16-18 planes each) of fighter jets against the mandate of 42 to tackle a collusive two-front threat against Pakistan and China. The planes were needed as of yesterday, and engines were needed a day before yesterday.

Rajnath Singh has promised: “Our effort is to ensure that decisions are taken swiftly so that we can begin manufacturing larger engines right here in India.”

India already makes helicopter engines in a joint venture with French company Safran and has got the licence to produce the AL 31-F jet engines used in the Sukhoi 30-MKI jets.

The first accident involving the Jaguar happened in April 1981, when an aircraft on a low-level training flight was hit by a vulture

The crash of a Jaguar fighter aircraft in Rajasthan on Wednesday, in which two pilots were killed, is the third major accident involving this type of aircraft this year, and has again focused attention on the IAF’s ageing fleet and the challenges it faces in modernisation and sustainability.

The aircraft, an “IB” twin-seater trainer version, had taken off from Suratgarh airbase for a routine training mission and crashed in an agricultural field in Bhanoda village of Churu district around 1.25 pm.

“An IAF Jaguar trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported,” the IAF said. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Earlier this year, the IAF had lost a Jaguar from its Ambala airbase in March, though the pilot had ejected, and another IB version from Jamnagar in April, in which one of the pilots, a Flight Lieutenant, was killed and the other was seriously injured. The Jaguar forms the core of IAF’s deep penetration strike element.

There have been accidents involving the Jaguar in the past, with IAF sources saying that the fleet has suffered close to 60 major and minor incidents in its 45-year service with the Air Force, with about two dozen airframes being written off and 17 pilots losing their lives so far.

The first accident involving the Jaguar happened in April 1981, when an aircraft on a low-level training flight was hit by a vulture. This was followed by the first fatal crash in May 1982, when a Jaguar flew into a hill, killing its pilot, a Flight Lieutenant.

The worst year for the fleet, perhaps, was 1999, when five incidents involving the Jaguar were reported. In 2004, four incidents were reported while three incidents each were reported in 1984, 1995 and 2018. Some years have also been incident free for the fleet.

In recent years, according to IAF officers, sustainability of the fleet and maintenance have become a cause for concern and ageing has made it prone to technical failure. Experts estimate that roughly 60 per cent of the fleet remains serviceable at any given time.

The aircraft’s underpowered Rolls Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 881 engines is another issue and the IAF’s move to re-equip the aircraft with a more powerful Honeywell engine did not make any headway due to cost factors.

Barring a lone surviving squadron of the MiG-21, the Jaguar is now the oldest fighter aircraft in the IAF’s inventory. In 1979, 40 aircraft were imported from the UK followed by licence manufacture of 150 aircraft by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, with aircraft rolling off the assembly lines as late as 2007. India is the sole remaining Jaguar operator, with other users — France, UK, Oman, Nigeria and Ecuador — having retired them.

At present, the IAF operates around 114 twin-engine Jaguars, equipping six squadrons – Nos 5, 6, 14, 16, 27 and 224, based at Ambala, Jamnagar and Gorakhpur, forming a crucial element of its strike capability and tactical reconnaissance. Some Jaguars have also been modified for the maritime role with anti-ship missiles.

The Jaguars were initially armed with the Matra R-550 Magic short range air-to-air missile, in an unconventional position on over-the-wing pylons as a means of self-defence during strike missions.

A few years ago, the IAF began re-equipping the Jaguar with the DARIN-III advanced navigation and attack avionics suite, and earlier this year, initiated another project to re-equip the fleet with new generation close combat air-to-air missiles, transport platforms as well as cruise missiles and UAVs.

Recently, India procured 31 decommissioned Jaguar airframes from France and two each from the UK and Oman, along with several thousand aero-spares to replace some aircraft lost due to attrition and ensure serviceability of the existing fleet.

Though the IAF has not disclosed the aircraft employed to carry out precision strikes in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May this year, it is believed that Jaguars may have taken part. The IAF now plans to modify 112 Jaguars for launching High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) Mark-II bombs, a family of guided munitions developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The first indigenously designed diving support vessel that can carry out deep-sea rescue operations has been delivered to the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam.

The warship, that is named Nistar, is specialised to undertake ‘deep sea diving and rescue operations – a capability with select navies across the globe.

It has the capability to undertake ‘deep sea diving up to 300 metres depth. The ship also has a side diving stage for undertaking diving operations up to 75 metres depth.

The ship will also serve as the ‘Mother Ship’ for the deep submergence rescue vessel (DSRV) to rescue and evacuate personnel, in case of an emergency in a submarine underwater.

The ship is equipped with a combination of remotely operated vehicles to undertake diver monitoring and salvage operations up to a depth of 1,000 metres.

The ship’s name, ‘Nistar’, originates from Sanskrit and means liberation, rescue or salvation. The ship, measuring 118 metres with a tonnage of nearly 10,000 tonnes, is installed with state-of-the-art diving equipment, the Indian Navy said.

The Nistar has nearly 75 per cent indigenous content and is line with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the Make in India campaign.

Director General (DG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), GP Singh, on Wednesday conducted a detailed review of the security arrangements at the Nunwan base camp in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Nunwan base camp is one of the two routes for the Amarnath Yatra, which is already underway in Kashmir.According to the CRPF, the DG travelled from Jammu to Srinagar via the Amarnath Yatra route and reviewed the security preparedness first-hand.

At Chanderkote village in Ramban, he interacted with officers of the J&K Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), gaining valuable insights into the coordinated security grid, the CRPF said on X.

At Lamber in Banihal, the DG CRPF reviewed the arrangements made by the 166 Battalion, CRPF, to “ensure a secure and spiritually fulfilling experience for the devotees.”

CRPF said on Wednesday that as part of his journey along the Amarnath Yatra route, the DG CRPF carried out a detailed review of the security setup at the Nunwan Base Camp, Pahalgam—“reinforcing CRPF’s active role in ensuring a safe and smooth pilgrimage for all devotees.”

At the headquarters of the 116 Battalion in Pahalgam, where he stayed overnight, the DG engaged “in an informal interaction with the troops, highlighting the importance of the yatra and our collective responsibility to make every devotee feel secure and at ease.”

“He appreciated the personnel for their alertness, professionalism and sense of purpose in service,” the CRPF said. During his road journey, the CRPF chief also met the pilgrims and inquired about their well-being.

“He made efforts to understand their experiences and suggestions regarding the facilities and security arrangements provided during the Yatra,” the CRPF said, adding that the pilgrims appreciated the efforts of the CRPF along with all security forces.

The DG CRPF also directed officials to immediately act on some positive suggestions provided by the pilgrims, the CRPF said. The pilgrimage to the holy cave began on July 3 from the Valley. There are two Yatra routes—the traditional Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The yatra will conclude on August 9.

Over one lakh pilgrims have already paid obeisance at the holy cave, according to officials.

Even as global institutions unravel — the WTO weakened, UN muted, climate compacts gamed — India remains composed.

Lt Gen SS Mehta (Retd)

Op Sindoor message: India will not be baited into China-Pak’s games of escalation, but neither will it flinch. PTI

IN an age of rising tensions and retreating truths, India nears 80 years of freedom with quiet deliberation. Our trail is a record that needs retelling — even as we envision our hundredth, not by expanding power but by deepening purpose.

While others scramble for dominance, India holds its course — anchored not in ideology, but in a civilisational ethic we call youmanship (not misspelt): dharmaniti — a steady code of national conduct, shaped by memory, guided by proportion and rooted in restraint. It is not a slogan; it is how we act even when unseen and how we stop despite all eyes being on us. This ethic is drawn from our oldest vocabulary.

The world wobbles under war and warning. Gaza bleeds; Ukraine attrits; Iran and Israel test thresholds. Trade has turned coercive. Climate virtue is weaponised. Technology is both tool and threat. Nuclear restraint, once sacred, now slips casually into rhetoric. The UN remains paralysed. The P5 act only when interests align. The very architecture that promised balance has long been wired to exclude by design.

Our choices, from 1948 to 2025, tell a consistent story. We stopped at the doorstep of Lahore, returned Haji Pir, and did not capture Muzaffarabad, even in pursuit. We retook Kargil without crossing the line. We liberated Dhaka and repatriated 90,000 prisoners of war, who were treated generously under the Geneva Conventions. We went to the Maldives and Sri Lanka on invitation. On nuclear matters, we uphold the principle of No First Use (NFU) without brinkmanship. In each case, India had the force to go further, but had a greater intent to not abandon proportion. Where others retreat unfinished, India ends with clarity and conviction.

In 1962, the Hindi-Chini-bhai-bhai bonhomie dissolved into coercion when China, an ancient civilisation with whom we sought peaceful coexistence, chose deception over dialogue. The war was swift. When the dust settled, one did ask: what did China gain by forsaking civility and what did it lose by discarding the coexistence ethic? The trust was broken.

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Lord Curzon, delivering a Romanes lecture on ‘Frontiers’ at Oxford in 1907, remarked that “there is more to be got from unsettled borders than settled.” A century later, China seems to have absorbed that creed and weaponised it.

Today, with India’s restraint tested and resolve demonstrated, China finds itself not leading, but gaming a role — that of the heir apparent of proxy coercion. Operation Sindoor was the first instance to call that bluff. It was also a message to China and its proxy Pakistan: that India will not be baited into their games of escalation, but neither will it flinch. The elephant remembers. And from memory, it calibrates with proportion, not provocation.

India’s rise has not followed the Palmerstonian playbook of eternal interests and expendable allies. It has preferred consistency over coercion. In an era when deterrence becomes a spectacle and alliances turn transactional, India stands for balance — not because it is easy, but because it is right.

Our global posture reflects this ethic. We engage in multi-dimensional alignments, not dependence. We advocate reform in trade, tech and climate governance — not for power, but for fairness. We pursue peace, even as we prepare for war. India does not claim to be a pole. It offers something rarer: a fulcrum; not a location, but a principle.

Where the world tilts, India steadies. When others provoke, we calibrate. In Ukraine and Iran, we called for de-escalation — not out of distance, but deliberate neutrality. As superpowers create polarity, India seeks multi-polarity.

The high table rarely seats the consistent and the steady — it rewards the pliable.

Even as global institutions unravel — the WTO weakened, UN muted, climate compacts gamed — India remains composed. It absorbs turbulence without amplifying it. Its ambition: conscience, not conquest. This is restraint as realism. India does not just echo the past, it scripts the future. And in that future, it must serve as the anchor for the Global South. If G7 marks weight, then G20 must reflect conscience. India is its natural centre — not because it demands to lead, but because it refuses to abandon proportion.

As the world stumbles toward 2047, what it needs is not more grand funerals, but a moral core; a conscience; a fulcrum. Not Munir’s divisive death served for dinner; not Netanyahu’s doctrine of displacement; not Zelenskyy’s comedy turning into a European tragedy; not Russia clinging to a Tsarist nightmare; not China walking the Curzon line to slice and grab the Himalayas, now with proxies. And certainly not Trump — disrupting democracies, gaming institutions and emboldening proxies in every theatre.

India has faced its provocations too — but it has not yielded to vendetta or vacillation. It held the line.

In the global memoryscape, where one civilisation remembers, another feigns forgetfulness. India, like the elephant, carries a long memory — of betrayal and forbearance, of alliances honoured and lines never crossed. China, like the dragon, chooses amnesia — testing boundaries once respected, rewriting understandings once shared. But memory matters. It is the moral ledger of history. And while the elephant moves slowly, it does not forget.

At the heart of this quiet confidence is its youth: calloused in hand, agile in mind, wired for innovation and rooted in civilisational morality. They ask for no crutches. They seek no validation. They script a signal all their own — seeking only that their talent be tapped.

India does not want to be the pole. It chooses to be the fulcrum — the unseen balance that steadies a splintering world. And nowhere is this clearer than in our National Anthem. Jana Gana Mana is not a chant of supremacy; it is a symphony of belonging. It is the evocation of this idea that makes India the fulcrum.

Restraint is a measure. A world order that does not recognise restraint will soon exhaust its capacity for recovery.

Let the UN@80 debate this and ask: what did we overlook? And who paid the price? It is a climactic call for global introspection.

Lt Gen SS Mehta (Retd) is ex-Western Army Commander and Founder Trustee, Pune International Centre.