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Defence Ministry
In the backdrop of the ongoing West Asian conflict, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are not distant events, they are stark realities with direct implications for India's security and economic stability. Addressing the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security on day one of his three-day visit to the country, he also asserted that the world today is faced with new security threats, and the technological transformation has made the situation highly complex and intricately connected. A new approach with the willingness to adapt to the changing environment is the need of the hour, the minister said. Singh also made a strong pitch for enhanced collaboration between the defence industrial ecosystems of India and Germany. His visit to Germany also comes amid the West Asia conflict that has stretched for over 50 days, with global ramifications. "For a developing country like India, which relies on the West Asian regi
The defence ministry has initiated the process for the indigenous design and development of a 1000-kg aerial bomb akin to Mk-84 for the IAF, aiming to boost India's 'Aatmanirbharta' in the sector, according to senior officials. The project is structured in two phases. The first involves design and development of six prototypes (live and inert), including associated tail units and equipment, they said. The second is the procurement phase, which will commence with the issuance of a commercial Request for Proposal (RFP) to the qualifying development agencies. The system is intended to be "compatible with both Russian and Western-origin aircraft" currently operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), a senior official said. The Ministry of Defence has "issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) for design, development and procurement of 1,000-kg aerial bombs (akin to Mk-84) along with tail units and associated equipment under the provisions of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020", the
The Defence Ministry on Tuesday sealed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore for the procurement of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and surface-to-air missiles. While the ALH Mk-II helicopters are being procured for the Indian Coast Guard, the Shtil missiles will be deployed onboard the Indian Navy's warships. "The contract for ALH Mk-III (maritime role) along with operational role equipment, an engineering support package, and performance-based logistics support, valued at Rs 2,901 crore, has been inked with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd," the ministry said. It said these twin-engine helicopters incorporate state-of-the-art features superior to the currently operated airborne platforms and are capable of undertaking a wide spectrum of maritime security missions from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea. "The induction will significantly enhance the Indian Coast Guard's capability for fulfilling the duties of safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore installatio
The maiden flight test of Pinaka long-range guided rocket was conducted successfully on Monday, and it impacted the target with "textbook precision", the defence ministry said. The test was conducted at Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. The rocket was tested for its maximum range of 120 km "demonstrating all in-flight manoeuvres" as planned. "The maiden flight test of Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR 120) was conducted successfully at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur today," the ministry said. The LRGR impacted the target with "textbook precision", the ministry said in a statement. All the deployed range instruments tracked the flight throughout its trajectory, it said. The LRGR was launched from the in-service Pinaka launcher demonstrating its versatility and providing launch capability of Pinaka variants of different range from the same launcher, officials said. This rocket is designed by Armament Research and Development Establishment, a lab of the DRDO
India has signed up to procure additional satellite-linked Heron MK II drones under emergency provisions, aiming to significantly enhance its defence capabilities following their effective use during Operation Sindoor, according to an Israeli defence industry source. The Heron MK II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), already in service with the Indian Army and Air Force, will now be incorporated into the Indian Navy, said the source working with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). In September, the defence ministry issued the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the acquisition of 87 MALE drones, with a focus on an indigenous Make in India programme that allows foreign collaboration. "For us, India is a major customer," the unnamed IAI official said. "Our partnership spans over three decades and generations of systems." After Operation Sindoor, all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces have selected the Heron MK II for emergency procurement, the official stated, but did not disclose the
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said while there is instability on the borders, new types of crime, terrorism and ideological wars are emerging within society. Laying a wreath at the National Police Memorial here on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day, Singh also said that the military and police function on different platforms, but their mission is the same -- to protect the nation. To have a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the minister said, balancing the external and internal security of the nation is more important than ever. A joint parade of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Delhi Police was held as part of the event. On the present-day challenges, the defence minister said while there is instability on the borders, new types of crime, terrorism and ideological wars are emerging within society. Crime has become more organised, invisible and complex, and its purpose is to create chaos in society, undermine trust and challenge the stability of the nation, he ...