Bhaswar Kumar

The Amca programme could deliver the defence sector's own Maruti moment

Beneath the defence budget's headline numbers lie cuts, windfalls and diverging fortunes

Initial variants of the Amca are slated to be powered by American engines, while a more powerful engine is planned to be co-developed with a foreign partner

Despite setting a record production figure, FY26 broke the uninterrupted acceleration in annual defence production growth recorded between FY21 and FY25

Lieutenant General Seth will assume office on the afternoon of June 30, 2026, when the incumbent, General Upendra Dwivedi, retires from service

Only three of India's 16 public sector arms manufacturers meet global benchmarks

Missiles once reserved for nuclear war are increasingly shaping conventional conflict, and India must keep up

Move follows lessons drawn from West Asia crisis, Russia-Ukraine war, and Pakistan's decision to raise Army Rocket Force Command

But the proliferation of stealth platforms and the advent of sixth-generation technologies have not made the Rafale obsolete for the IAF, source says

IAF willing to accept deliveries if jet is combat-capable and remaining gaps are assured to be bridged in a timely manner

Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said the launch of a formal loyal wingman programme is 'a very high-priority target'

Defence Secretary sets targets of Rs 8.8 trillion in defence production and Rs 2.8 trillion in arms exports by 2047; calls on industry to deliver on time and collaborate more closely

Lt Gen N S Raja Subramani (Retd.) to lead military integration push, while Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan takes charge amid maritime security challenges

Ex-diplomats say the 'peacemaker' role in US-Iran talks is not a zero-sum game for India but needs recalibration

Iran's missile-and-drone arsenal offset a huge US deployment

The incumbent, CDS General Anil Chauhan, will complete his tenure on May 30, 2026

Vice Admiral Swaminathan, who is presently the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai, will take charge on May 31, with his tenure lasting up to December 31, 2028

Capex up, sharper focus on air defence and drones

Work underway to set up geospatial and communication agencies for the armed forces

While a top Pentagon official has said the war in West Asia has cost the US $25 billion so far, the estimate does not account for damage to American bases in the region