Page 4 - Defence Ministry

If women fly Rafale in IAF, why fewer in Army legal wing: SC asks Centre

If a woman can fly Rafale fighter jet in the Indian Air Force, then why are fewer women officers in gender neutral posts of Judge Advocate General (legal) branch of the Army, the Supreme Court wondered recently and questioned the Centre's rationale on a 50-50 selection criterion. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan on May 8 reserved its verdict on the plea of two officers Arshnoor Kaur and Astha Tyagi, who despite securing 4th and 5th ranks respectively -- higher in merit than their male counterparts -- weren't selected for the JAG department due to fewer vacancies earmarked for women. The officers challenged the disproportionate vacancies for men and women and said they could not be selected as there were only three vacancies for women out of the total six posts. "Prima facie, we are satisfied with the case set up by the petitioner 1 Arshnoor Kaur," the bench noted while reserving its verdict. The top court went on, "Accordingly, we direct the respondents to initiate .

Ex-defence minister AK Antony backs armed forces' action against Pakistan

Congress stalwart A K Antony on Saturday said he fully backs the steps taken by the Indian armed forces in the ongoing conflict with Pakistan. Speaking to reporters here, the former Union Defence Minister said the central government has left it to the Armed forces to take appropriate action and he fully supports them. "Beyond that, I have nothing more to say. I am not going to sit and discuss the action they are taking," he said. Tensions between the two neighbours soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes, under Operation Sindoor, targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages. Antony said that families in Kerala of soldiers who are deployed in the border areas should be supported and comforted by the government and the local residents. The Congress leader also welcomed the recent reshuffle in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committ

Op Sindoor: Defence min calls up 14 Territorial Army battalions for duty

The defence ministry order is backdated to take effect from February 10, 2025, and will remain valid for a period of three years, until February 9, 2028

SEAD, off-ramp, and the Pahalgam trigger: A conflict vocabulary grows

Terms like kinetic action, SEAD, and escalatory ladder now define how India and Pakistan are scripting a conflict that shows no signs of stepping off the warpath

Operation Sindoor shows courage, valour of armed forces: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Operation Sindoor was carried out with minimal collateral damage, which was possible due to the professional training of the Indian armed forces

'Targeted those who killed innocents': Rajnath Singh on Operation Sindoor

Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commended Indian armed forces for carrying out precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

Preparing for the worst: Emergency health kits every household should have

As tensions mount after Operation Sindoor, having a well-stocked emergency health kit can help families in India stay safe during disruptions, evacuations, or medical access crises

Will give a befitting reply to those who cast evil eye on India: Rajnath

Rajnath Singh assured the public that India under PM Modi's leadership will act strongly against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 28 Indians

Rajnath Singh holds meeting with PM Modi on security preparedness

This meeting comes a day after Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan briefed the Defence Minister on the key decisions

Tri-services future warfare course to be held in Delhi from Apr 21 to May 9

The second edition of Tri-services Future Warfare Course for senior military officers will be held at Manekshaw Centre here from April 21 to May 9, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Saturday. The three-week course will focus on how technology impacts war-fighting, "necessitating a re-look at the thinking, concepts, doctrines, strategies and tactics, techniques and procedures," it said. The course will be conducted under the aegis of Integrated Defence Staff headquarters and coordinated by the tri-services think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. This edition features an enhanced curriculum covering specialised subjects and domain-specific warfare developments in military operations, the statement said. "Building on the success of the first course held in September 2024, this expanded three-week programme continues the vision of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan to prepare officers for the complex challenges of modern warfare," the statement said. "The co

INS Tarkash undertakes Passex with New Zealand Navy in Gulf of Aden

Passex involved a range of interoperability drills, including cross-deck landings, cross-boarding, Sea Rider exchanges, and tactical manoeuvres, all integrated with communication procedure exercises

Rajnath Singh inaugurates various infra projects at Karwar naval base

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to flag off Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR from the strategically located Karwar naval base in Karnataka on Saturday under a mission that seeks to reinforce India's commitment to regional maritime security and international cooperation. During his visit to the base in the afternoon, he will also inaugurate some newly developed infrastructure at the key naval site, officials said. The Navy is expanding the crucial naval base as part Project 'Seabird'. "Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh will flag off #INSSunayna as the Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR with 44 personnel from 9 navies embarked onboard, from #Karwar today," the Office of Raksha Mantri posted on X on Saturday. It also shared a video in the post depicting the training phases, held both on land and at sea under this mission. "IOS SAGAR will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the Indian Ocean Region, reaffirming India's commitment to build stronger ties with its maritime neighbours and .

Govt inks Rs 2.5K cr pacts with AVNL for Nag Missile System, light vehicles

The government on Thursday inked two contracts worth Rs 2,500 crore including one for procurement of anti-tank weapon platform Nag Missile System (NAMIS) tracked version, seeking to enhance the Army's operational readiness across a varied spectrum of operations. These contracts under Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category were signed here in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The ministry said it has signed a contract with Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited for the procurement of Nag Missile System (NAMIS) tracked version of anti-tank weapon platform and also with Force Motors Ltd & Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for around 5,000 light vehicles for the armed forces at a total cost of around Rs 2,500 crore. "The total cost of contract for the procurement of NAMIS (Tr) weapon system, developed by Defence Research & Development Laboratory of DRDO, is Rs 1,801.34 crore. It marks a significant

Defence ministry inks Rs 6,900 cr deal for procurement of ATAGS, vehicles

The defence ministry on Wednesday inked contracts with the Bharat Forge Ltd and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd for the procurement of advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) and high mobility gun towing vehicles respectively at a total cost of about Rs 6,900 crore. With the deals, total contracts worth Rs 1.40 lakh crore have been signed by the ministry for capital procurement till date in the current financial year, according to an official readout. The 155 mm/52 calibre ATAGS will replace the vintage and smaller calibre guns and enhance the artillery capabilities of the Indian Army, the defence ministry said. The procurement of this gun system marks a significant milestone in the modernisation of the Artillery Regiments, enhancing operational readiness, it said. ATAGS, renowned for its exceptional lethality, will play a crucial role in bolstering the Army's firepower by enabling precise and long-range strikes, the ministry added.

'Survival in today's battlespace.... about those who can adapt': CDS

The CDS, in his talk on national security architecture and change management in the Year of Defence Reforms, gave a deep insight into the functioning of the Department of Military affairs

Govt approves faster defence procurement guidelines, ATAGS for Army

Military procurements worth ₹54K cr get preliminary approval

Radars, jets & more: Indian Air Force lists key acquisitions for 2025-26

IAF plans to focus on the indigenous upgrade of its Russian-origin Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, Signal Intelligence and Communication Jamming aircraft, and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft

Rajnath Singh holds talks with Netherlands' counterpart Ruben Brekelmans

Brekelmans is on a visit to India to attend the Raisina Dialogue, which is underway in New Delhi from March 17

Rajnath Singh, Tulsi Gabbard, discuss defence, info sharing to boost ties

The Asia leg of Gabbard's trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited

Pravaig's 'Veer' undergoes military trials, wins iDEX defence award

Bengaluru-based EV startup Pravaig's all-terrain stealth vehicle, Veer -- the world's first operational EV designed for tactical defense use -- has undergone military trials and won the prestigious iDEX award from the Ministry of Defence. "In a major step towards strategic autonomy, Pravaig has won the prestigious iDEX Award for its VEER Electric Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (E-TATV) -- a cutting-edge, highly stealthy vehicle designed for forward patrolling, reconnaissance, and ISR operations," Pravaig Dynamics said in a post on X. Atima Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pravaig, won the iDEX Award by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence, "for deepening India's sovereignty by building cutting-edge defence technologies and reinforcing the country's strategic autonomy." The scheme for iDEX-Innovations for Defence Excellence was launched in May 2021 by DIO to foster innovation and technolog