Recent 6 months news in Defence

Samtel HAL Display Systems Ltd (SHDS), a Joint Venture (JV) between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Samtel Avionics, has inaugurated its new manufacturing facility in Gurugram, Haryana. It is the first public-private JV established within the Indian defence avionics sector.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) has unveiled three indigenous micro and small gas turbine engines designated as NJ-05, NJ-50, and NJ-100 at the CSIR Headquarters in New Delhi.

These engines, developed for deployment in defence Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and missile systems, feature thrust capacities of 5 kg (NJ-05), 50 kg (NJ-50), and 100 kg (NJ-100) to meet various operational needs. It is to be noted that these engines operate on the ‘Brayton cycle’, which is a thermodynamic cycle describing the workings of a constant-pressure heat engine.

The 2nd edition of the bilateral maritime exercise named “SAHYOG HOP-TAC” between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) has concluded off the coast of Chennai.

The ICG deployed 8 ships and 6 aircraft for the exercise, while the VCG was represented by the patrol vessel CSB 8002 and a 6-member delegation.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has laid the foundation stone for a ₹472 crore T-72 and T-90 Tank Overhaul Project at the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) in Madhya Pradesh. VFJ is a production unit of the Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL).

The facility is designed to overhaul 80 tanks annually. It is to be noted that the total annual requirement of the Indian Army (IA) is 230 tanks.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Transfer of Technology (ToT) of all conventional missile systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to domestic defence manufacturers.

The decision, announced in New Delhi, aims to enhance the participation of Indian private industries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the national defence supply chain.

Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL) has successfully produced and test-fired the first 100% indigenized AK-203 “Sher” assault rifle, manufactured entirely using Indian components and materials.

The rifle, featuring a firing rate of 700 rounds per minute, an effective range of up to 800 m, and a 415 mm barrel, is designed to replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifle. It is to be noted that IRRPL is a Joint Venture (JV) established between India and Russia in 2019 to locally manufacture AK-203 assault rifles

Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) has handed over the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Ajit (Yard 1277) to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The vessel is the 7th in a series of 8 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) being constructed for the ICG.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had awarded the ₹473 crore contract to GSL in 2022 under the Buy-Indian Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (Buy-IDDM) scheme.

The Indian Navy (IN) has commissioned ‘INS Nipun’, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar Class, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

The vessel is indigenously designed and built by the Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) in Visakhapatnam. It aims to enhance the deep-sea diving, underwater intervention, and submarine rescue capabilities of the IN.

The US Navy has unveiled a next-generation Long Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM) named ‘Air Intercept Missile (AIM)-424 Malice’.

Developed by Raytheon (a subsidiary of RTX Corporation), the missile possesses an operational strike range exceeding 250 nautical miles (463 km).

Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace Technologies Pvt Ltd (FWDA), an Indian defence startup, has unveiled the “FWD Supreme Lite”, marking the first AI-piloted fighter jet programme in India.

Designed and developed entirely in India, the fighter jet demonstrator weighs approximately 250 kg, offering an endurance of up to 30 hrs and an operational range of 3,000 km.

The aircraft is designed around the ‘Mobbing Doctrine’, a new warfare doctrine that proposes the deployment of a larger number of AI-piloted fighter aircraft.

The Territorial Army, in collaboration with CyberPeace, has launched a national-level hackathon named “Terrier Cyber Quest 2026” (TCQ 3.0).

The initiative aims to address defence, cybersecurity, and information-domain challenges by promoting indigenous solutions in Artificial Intelligence (AI), threat mitigation, and digital awareness.

General Dhiraj Seth, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, has visited Nepal at the invitation of Ashok Raj Sigdel, COAS of the Nepal Army, to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and military-to-military ties.

He was conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by Ramchandra Paudel, the President of Nepal, during an investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Sheetal Niwas) in Kathmandu.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) has delivered ‘Samarthak’, the first Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) to the Indian Navy (IN).

The vessel features over 75% indigenous content and is designed to serve as a versatile trial and evaluation platform.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has awarded a contract worth ₹155 crore to the Indrajaal-Sigma consortium for the procurement of the “Indrajaal Ranger Mobile Anti-Drone Patrol Vehicle” (ADPV).

The ADPV is the only mobile Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) platform in India to receive approval from the Anti-Rogue Drone Technology Committee (ARDTC).

The Ministry of Defence, through the Department of Defence Production (DDP), has notified the 6th Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) comprising 405 defence items.

It includes 389 items from Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and 16 from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

The PIL focuses on critical components, spares, and raw materials, carrying an estimated business potential of ₹3,070 crore.

The initiative aims to boost domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.

India has signed an MoU with Armenia to strengthen the bilateral defence industrial partnership.

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has delivered the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) named ‘Mangrol’ to the Indian Navy.

The vessel features over 80% indigenous content and is equipped for underwater surveillance, ASW operations in coastal waters, and Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), including mine warfare.

The 15th edition of the annual joint military exercise between India and Thailand named “MAITREE-XV” is organised in Surat Thani, Thailand. The Indian Army contingent is represented by the personnel from the 9 Gorkha Rifles.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has flagged off the All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek Aparajita - Parang La 2026, a flagship adventure activity of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), in New Delhi.

The trek will traverse the Parang La Pass, which connects the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh with the Changthang region of Ladakh. The expedition team, comprising 28 Girl Cadets with an average age of 19 years, will be led by three women officers representing the three defence services.

Kawa UAV Pvt Ltd (Hoverit) has successfully conducted the maiden flight of the first indigenous jet-powered loitering munition of India, named ‘Divyastra Mk3’. The test flight was carried out at the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The munition was developed with an indigenous jet engine by DG Propulsion, achieving this milestone within 1 year of the initiation of the programme.