High-profile Indian dignitaries have paid tribute to the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, ahead of the formal state funeral ceremonies in Tehran. The update was shared by the Embassy of Iran in India in a post on X, which stated, "Indian Dignitaries Pay Tribute to the Martyred Leader of Iran, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei." The image shared by the Embassy of Iran in India on X featured People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and Salman Khurshid, who heads the Congress party's foreign affairs department, along with other delegates preparing to travel for the high-profile state proceedings.Mufti flew from New Delhi to Tehran on Thursday evening to attend the funeral ceremonies of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled from July 4, becoming the only non-Shia politician from Jammu  &  Kashmir and Ladakh to be invited by Iran.Following the initial departure of these prominent political figures, the official government delegation also .

Ali Khamenei funeral

The high-profile Indian visit coincides with the formal commencement of the state mourning rituals in Tehran

The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy security, AI, defence, supply chains, mobility and investments while advancing economic resilience and Indo-Pacific stability

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi jointly press the button during the inauguration of an initiative at the India-Japan Business Forum

Business Standard

The ministry said these platforms would support persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, while also enabling telecommunications and remote sensing functions

Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

Modern conflicts rely on rapid adaptation and low-cost capabilities rather than high manoeuvre alone, as demonstrated in the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions involving Iran, and China's strategic posture

Polish-made unmanned tracked ground vehicles (UGV) KUNA, deployed by Ukraine in the war against Russia, during an open test of unmanned weapon systems at the Military Institute of Armament Technology training ground in Poland on February 19, 2026 (Ph

Taiwan, China, US Iran tensions, Russia Ukraine Conflict, Military weapon

The Trump administration has repositioned China as an economic competitor to be managed through deal-making rather than a systemic adversary to be countered through alliances

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on May 14, 2026 (Photo: PTI)

US China, Donald Trump, China US trade, China visit

France supports India's multi-alignment with flexible defence deals, from helicopters to submarines, fortifying Indo-Pacific security ties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting in Mumbai in February 2026 (Photo:MEA)

For the EU and India to make progress in their strategic relationship, they will have to transcend the commercial-economic dynamics of their relationship.

Leaders of the European Union and India sign the Security and Defence Partnership agreement at the Hyderabad House, New Delhi, on January 27, 2026 (Photo: Reuters)

President Donald Trump has announced a US counter-blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent the passage of Iranian oil shipments

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 6, 2026

By shifting the Nato into a transactional alliance, Europe must build its own sovereign deterrence

(From left to right) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italia

NATO, NATO alliance, Europe, United States

Can China replace the United States (US) as the principal external anchor in West Asia? The short answer is no, but the longer answer is more consequential than a simple negative

A Chinese warship participates in joint Navy exercise of Iran, China and Russia in the Gulf of Oman, Iran, on March 12. Iranian Army

The impasse continues, with the Hormuz being closed by Iran, thereby aggravating an already disrupted global energy market and the US maintaining the naval blockade that seeks to choke Iran's economy

Operation Epic Fury, Suez Canal, US-Israel war, World War II

modern warfare, modern war, cyber attack, artificial intelligence, robotics

Representational image (Imaging: Ajaya Mohanty)

As India strengthens its defence capabilities with AI and frontier technology, the armed forces face a rapidly evolving landscape of information warfare, cyber threats, and autonomous combat systems

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil with the indigenous light combat Tejas aircraft (Photo: HAL)

HAL is leveraging its legacy and ramping up research & development to secure its place in India's evolving defence landscape

Operation Sindoor involved the IAF successfully utilising the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system to counter Pakistani air attacks (Photo: Reuters)

A new set of disruptive technologies, indiscriminate use of air power, and obstinate willingness on both sides to test the tripwires have made the India-Pakistan conflict much more complex

India’s former ambassador to China, Ashok Kantha, tells Satarupa Bhattacharjya in a video interview that talks between the two countries are proving to be a protracted, difficult process > > > >

national security strategy, Indian military, opinion

Indian soldiers disembark from a military transport plane at a forward airbase in the Ladakh region on September 15, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

India's national security strategy is still developing, with challenges in balancing traditional and new threats

The integrated theatre command plan looks at India's strategic challenges and opportunities on land and in water:  General Anil Chauhan

Theatre command, Operation Sindoor, CDS, India Pakistan relations

China's rising stature and increasing oceanic access are shifting the rules of the game

USS Rafael Peralta near a vessel trying to sail to an Iranian port, as claimed by the CENTCOM, amid the US blockade at an unknown location in April 2026 (Photo: Reuters)

China, United States, BRICS, war

Can the force that has emerged in its 14th Five-Year Plan fight and win at the level of sophistication required

China, military, Defence reforms

The impact and cost-effectiveness of the Iranian drone have led major global powers to reverse-engineer it

Low-cost uncrewed combat attack system, a variant of the Shahed drone deployed by the United States against Iran in Februrary 2026

The core component of China's deterrence will pose challenges for India in the event of a conflict

A PHZ-11 122mm multiple launch rocket system fired from a brigade during a live-training exercise in March 2026. Photo: China military website

As Xi ousts his top military general and controls both the party and the gun, Taiwan's anxiety escalates unprecedentedly high levels

Internally in China, as mentioned, the purging of General Zhang Youxia will send shockwaves through the PLA and the Communist Party itself. (Photo: reuters)

Internally in China, as mentioned, the purging of General Zhang Youxia will send shockwaves through the PLA and the Communist Party itself.

Lina Khatib, associate fellow, Middle East and North Africa programme Chatham House talks to 
BS Blueprint

Lina Khatib

A veteran of four decades in the defence industry, Arun T Ramchandani, Senior Vice-President (Precision Engineering & Systems) at Larsen & Toubro, speaks to BS Blueprint >

Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari (retired) tells Bhaswar Kumar that India urgently needs an overarching, empowered and professional body to drive military aerospace projects.

Hilal Khashan speaks to Mohammad Asif Khan on Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, the internal challenges facing Hezbollah, and the broader regional dynamics shaping the conflict. >

An expert in European foreign and security policy, SVEN BISCOP speaks to BS Blueprint

The Blueprint Podcast with Sven Biscop

A destroyed tank on a field, following a fight between the Ethiopian and the Tigray forces in Afar region, Ethiopia, on February 25, 2022 (Photo: Reuters)

ethiopia war

Below are pictures of hypersonic and supersonic weapons as featured in Blueprint June 2026

Hypersonic weapons

Below are pictures of naval technology and modern defence maritime weapons as featured in Blueprint May 2026

The United Kingdom (UK) Royal Navy has bolstered its mine-hunting capabilities by integrating modern uncrewed equipment into the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Lyme Bay in March.

Taliban soldiers using anti-aircraft gun in Khost province, Afghanistan, on February 27, 2026

Asserting that a "terrorist is a terrorist", India has called on the international community to work collectively to root out the "murderous ideology" without finding any grievance to justify terrorism.
"India has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades. Our people have paid the price of terrorism in lives lost, families scarred, and societies shattered. This experience has shaped India's approach: there can be no justification for terrorism."
"Irrespective of any grievance, political cause or strategic calculation, terrorism in all its forms and manifestations must be condemned unequivocally," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni has said.
Assessing the UN General Assembly on the adoption of the Ninth Review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS), on Wednesday, Parvathaneni said the international community must reject double standards in counter-terrorism.
He emphasised that there is an obligation to hold ...

Parvathaneni Harish, Parvathaneni

India also stressed that countering terror financing must remain central to the international community's collective efforts

Press Trust of India

India and Malaysia on Wednesday reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral military cooperation as part of a key meeting held here, during which the two sides also discussed opportunities for expanding collaboration in the fields of defence technology and cyber security.
The 12th India-Malaysia Sub Committee Meeting on Military Cooperation (SCMC) was co-chaired by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Amitabh Prasad and Assistant Chief of Staff, Defence Operations & Training, Malaysian Armed Forces, Maj Gen Amer Mahmud Bin Abdul Rahman.
"The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral military cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the steady progress achieved," the defence ministry said in a statement.
The discussions covered ongoing defence engagements, including military-to-military exchanges, bilateral exercises, training, staff talks, capacity building, maritime cooperation, and cooperation in emerging domains.
"Both sides acknowledged the successful conduct of ...

India, Malaysia

The discussions covered ongoing defence engagements, including military-to-military exchanges, bilateral exercises, training, staff talks, capacity building, maritime cooperation, and cooperation in e

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was given a one-year extension on Wednesday, till July 14 next year.
Widely regarded as an expert on China, Misri was appointed to the post in June 2024.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension for a period of one year beyond July 14, 2026, that is, up to July 14, 2027, under the provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(d).
The rule has a provision for extension in service for the defence secretary, foreign secretary, home secretary, director of the Intelligence Bureau, secretary of Research and Analysis Wing, and a few others beyond the age of retirement of 60 years.
Career diplomat Misri, a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, was working as the Deputy National Security Adviser (Dy NSA) before his appointment as the foreign secretary.
He has the rare distinction of serving as private secretary to three prime ministers -- Inder Kumar Gujral, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.
Before he was appointed as the deputy NSA, Mis

Vikram Misri, Vikram, Misri

Widely regarded as an expert on China, Misri was appointed to the post in June 2024

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff during Operation Sindoor, took charge as the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff on Wednesday, officials said.
He succeeded Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who superannuated on June 30 after four decades of service in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Air Marshal Dixit was accorded a guard of honour at the Vayu Bhawan  the headquarters of the IAF  as he took charge as the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS).
Prior to the ceremony, the air officer visited the National War Memorial and laid a wreath to pay homage to the fallen heroes of the armed forces.
Before being appointed as VCAS, he was serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) here.
Air Marshal Dixit assumed the appointment of CISC on May 1, 2025, which he relinquished on June 30.
The HQ IDS said in an X post on Tuesday, "His tenure at HQ IDS was defined by landmark contributions that reshap

Ashutosh Dixit

He succeeded Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who superannuated on June 30 after four decades of service in the Indian Air Force (IAF)

General Dhiraj Seth, an accomplished military officer with the rare distinction of heading two operational Army commands along the western front, took charge as the new Chief of the Army Staff on Tuesday, officials said.
Gen Seth assumed the reins of the 1.3 million-strong force at a time when it is forging a path to become a self-reliant and future-ready Army while meeting challenges on the borders.
The general officer succeeded General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired on Tuesday after an illustrious career spanning over 40 years in the armed forces.
Gen Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.
Prior to becoming the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), he served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Gen Seth took over as the COAS at a time when the global geo-strategic environment remains dynamic, with challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements 

Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth

The former Vice Chief of the Army Staff succeeds General Upendra Dwivedi and takes command of the 1.3 million-strong force amid ongoing modernisation and self-reliance initiatives

China's Wars - The Politics and Diplomacy Behind its Military Coercion traces how the country has utilised methods of military coercion to exert dominance without getting into a major conflict

The book is written by the former foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale

China, War Conflict, military

Folland Gnat, operated by the IAF during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, earned success against Pakistan’s F-86 Sabre jets in aerial combat over East Pakistan, now Bangladesh

Operation Sindoor, India Pakistan relations, Pahalgam attack, Fighter jet

Target Tehran traces the deep tentacles of Israeli intelligence in Iran that proved decisive in the latest clash

The Wall Street Journal called it the best book of the year in 2023, when it was published

West Asia continues to sit on a powder keg

US soldiers walk past surface-to-air missiles of the former regime of Saddam Hussain in Tikrit, Iraq, on September 1, 2003

The index witnessed a mixed trend, with 12 constituents posting gains. The combined market capitalisation of the companies stood at over ₹11.5 trillion for the second straight month

The technical breakout in the BSE Defence Index led to a broad-based buying. Photo: Shutterstock

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

DPSUs, arms export, defence news

Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and France emerge as top export destinations

US no longer top destination for India’s aerospace exports

US no longer top destination for India's aerospace exports

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

Under one-third of US Navy deployed

The index reached a market capitalisation of ₹11.6 trillion, with all 25 constituents moving northward. MTAR Technologies and Apollo Micro Systems led the surge

The technical breakout in the BSE Defence Index led to a broad-based buying

Precision strike missile is a surface-to-surface missile with a range of about 500 kilometres with inertial navigation system and gps guidance

A Lockheed Martin-built HIMARS fires the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) during a US Army flight test in 2019 (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

LUCAS, PrSM, missile, West Asia conflict, Precision strike

Mini-submarines are emerging as a critical layer in India's maritime warfare

Mini-submarines, shipping routes, Strait of Hormuz,

India is developing a new generation of autonomous systems to tackle mines

New man-portable autonomous underwater vehicles developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam, in November 2025

The LRGR-120 has an increased range of about 120 kilometres (km) from the previous 40-50 km along with guided accuracy

Pinaka long-range guided rocket (LRGR-120)

Any Israeli attempt to kill Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister, or Mohammad Ghalibaf, the Parliament speaker, would have derailed peace talks, American officials feared

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister

Pakistan on Thursday said its mediators, along with Qatar, concluded separate meetings with the US and Iranian negotiators in Doha and reported "positive progress" on various aspects of the MoU, with the two sides agreeing to further discussions.
The US and Iran signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 18, aimed at restoring peace in West Asia. It was followed by technical-level talks in Switzerland on June 21, with Pakistan and Qatar as mediators.
"Qatari and Pakistani mediators concluded separate meetings with the US and Iranian negotiators in Doha today (Thursday), with positive progress made on issues related to the aspects of the Islamabad MOU, building on the Lake Lucerne Summit," the Foreign Office said.
Though the next date of talks was not announced, it was decided to continue discussions after the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"Parties have agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be set

US-Iran, Iran, US

The US and Iran had signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 18, aimed at restoring peace in West Asia

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pressed President Trump earlier to cripple Iran. But as Iran asserted its power, the prince urged a cease-fire, and is now pursuing his security priorities

Donald Trump, Trump, Mohammed bin Salman, Salman

The next meeting will take place ​after funeral processions for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali ​Khamenei, who is due to be buried on July 9

Iranian spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei

Reuters

President Donald Trump says US-Iran talks in Qatar are progressing well, expressing optimism over denuclearisation efforts and discussions on a lasting ceasefire

donald trump, trump

Sanctions and blockades are used as nonconventional tools to apply force

A satellite image showing smoke billowing at Aramco oil facility in Saudi Arabia after a reported attack, following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war on April 8, 2026 (Photo: Reuters)

The geoeconomic battlefield

'This is the need of the hour'

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

The Ukrainian military shoots down a missile during a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, in January 2026 (Photo: Reuters)

Sustaining the costly offensive

The United Arab Emirates' Opec exit could open doors for India

A silver lining

The US-Iran 'virtual' conflict spotlights the growing impact of cognitive warfare

Memes at war

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The military lessons for India from West Asia include preparing for protracted wars, interviewees say

Munitions placed near a B‑1B Lancer military aircraft at RAF Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, on April 7, 2026

Conflict call

Precision-guided missiles matter more than ever

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, jointly developed by the DRDO and Russia’s NPOM, is the world’s fastest precision-guided weapon

Pin-point power

India needs low-cost interceptors to confront the new dynamics of drone warfare

A Sting interceptor drone flies during a training in Ukraine in April 2026

Attrition's new rule

The West Asia conflict has presented a paradox for the future of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor

A CCTV footage of smoke rising from the Haifa oil refinery in Israel after a reported Iranian attack on March 19, 2026

The promised gateway

Undersea drones

How predictive AI is changing outcomes in conflict

The hyperwar is here

Private players call for the government to identify 'national champions' in defence buying

Private defence firms have made gains in producing armoured vehicles and light tanks, exemplified by the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled tracked artillery gun (centre), developed through collaboration with foreign partners in India

Slender hopes of mindset shift

A summit finds that countries are being pragmatic in the pursuit of national interests

Raisina Dialogue, Diplomacy, Defence and geopolitical news

Pallbearers of the 'liberal order'

Gaps in India's surveillance fleet highlight serious vulnerability in a conflict situation

Netra airborne electronic warfare and control, a specially modified ERJ-145 aircraft fitted with indigenous sensors (PHOTO: IAF)

India's missing eyes in the sky

India's defence modernisation hinges on an ecosystem of military-grade semiconductors

Some materials and modules of the gallium nitride chips (Photo: AGNIT Semiconductors)

A silicon gap

satellites, operational satellites, orbit, India

A Dark Matter

The strategic side of India-US ties is largely unaffected. So far

Personnel from the Indian and the US armies interact during Exercise Yudhabhyas held in the United States in 2025

On the mend or not

India needs many more warships, but must first choose between consolidation and competition in shipbuilders

An Indian Navy ship at the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai

A fork in the road for defence shipyards

The US pressure has cast a shadow on India's strategic bet on the Chabahar Port

Chabahar is an important component of the INSTC (PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK)

The Iran quagmire

Inside China's military upheaval: Power struggle or consolidation?

India's armed forces are adopting artificial intelligence. Analysts urge advancing it

A device for underwater domain awareness that uses AI or machine learning and goes through voluminous data (Photo: Ministry of Defence)

The future in the present: AI in the armed forces

With Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's capture, the United States reasserts its pre-eminence in Latin America

Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted for a courthouse appearance to face multiple charges,including narco-terrorism, in New York City on January 5, 2026 (Photo: Reuters)

A return to spheres of influence in Venezuela

The army has found an answer to China's rapid build-up of infrastructure and military installations on the border

Indian Army personnel assembling the 3D-printed structure (Photo: Indian Army)

3D-printed military structures dot the Himalayas

India's Global South ambition runs up against China's power - making coalition-building, not solo leadership, the more realistic path

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa during the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025 (Photo: Reuters)

How India can lead the Global South

From power grids to payments, India's digital backbone is increasingly under strain

Cyber suraksha exercise in June 2025 (Photo: PIB)

Cyber war without a strategy

Industry insiders expect the government to push military modernisation much further - and faster

The Indian Air Force light combat helicopter Prachand performs during the Aero India airshow in Bengaluru on February 13, 2023 (Photo: Reuters)

Inside the next Defence budget

Why winter gear is central to building  the country's Himalayan deterrence

Breakdown of the Himkavach (Photo: DRDO; Graphics: Blueprint design desk)

Holding the frigid ground

From Chola naval power to Curzon's imperial spectacle and today's Indo-Pacific contest, the Indian Ocean has long shaped Asia's politics, trade, and ideas

Subhas Chandra Bose transfers in a rubber raft from a German to a Japanese submarine in the Indian Ocean in April 1943 (Photo: Netaji Research Bureau, Kolkata)

A geopolitical history of the Indian Ocean arena

Naval mines have re-emerged as potent instruments of modern conflict but India is not immune to their destructive power

INS Kozhikode (M-71), a Karwar-class minesweeper commissioned in 1988, carrying out mine-laying and clearing operations before it was decommissioned in 2019 (Photo: Indian Navy)

Exploding sleeper cells of the sea

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