Page 4 - Defence

Jharkhand's uranium can aid nuclear weapon manufacturing, says CM Soren

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday said the state is endowed with uranium and can contribute significantly to the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. Addressing the Defence East Tech symposium here, Soren said his government is ready to fully cooperate with the Centre to make the defence sector self-reliant. "Jharkhand is endowed with uranium and can contribute to nuclear weapon manufacturing. The state government is ready to cooperate fully with the Centre to make the defence sector self-reliant," Soren said. Uranium is a key component for the development of nuclear weapons. In a post on X, the CM said, "If you want (Armed Forces) to add a new dimension in the field of defence, then you should completely set aside your concerns from the government's side. Engage in dialogue with the government, we are ready to provide cooperation in every way, in every manner." "It is also a matter of great fortune today that the CDS is present here as well. And I believe that their ..

Op Sindoor a reality check, certain capability gaps noticed: Defence secy

Amid rising competitive populism and economic protectionism around the world, India needs to project its hard power alongside its soft power, said Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Friday. Singh was speaking at the Southern Command Defence Tech 2025 seminar (STRIDE 2025) here. Addressing the gathering, Singh said the trend of increasing globalisation and free trade has been brought to a halt by geopolitical factors linked to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe and the rise of populist leadership patterns across the globe. These trends are causing competitive populism and economic protectionism around the world, accompanied by economic fragmentation, the decline of multilateral institutions, and a growing tide of nationalism. As a result, the need to back a soft power with hard power is becoming more and more critical at a time when strategic deal-making requires you to be able to project hard power as well, said Singh. He also said there is a need to bring ..

Japan will invest 10 trillion yen in India over next decade: PM Modi

The announcement comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, held talks during the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit in Tokyo

US govt could take stakes in defence companies: Commerce Secretary Lutnick

Following Lutnick's comments, shares of Lockheed were up 1.1%, while Boeing was up about 0.7% and Palantir was down about 1%

India, Kuwait discuss avenues to deepen ties in trade, defence, energy

India and Kuwait on Tuesday undertook a comprehensive review of the bilateral relations during a key meeting, as the two sides also discussed avenues to further deepen the strategic partnership in trade, defence, energy, culture, and people-to-people ties. The seventh round of Foreign Office Consultations between India and Kuwait was held in Delhi. "Both sides discussed the various ongoing initiatives and avenues to further deepen our strategic partnership in various spheres, including political, trade, investment, defence, energy, culture, and people-to-people ties," the Ministry of External Affairs said. During the meeting, both sides undertook a comprehensive review of the bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, it said. The consultations were co-chaired by Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the MEA, Aseem R Mahajan, and Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kuwait, Sameeh Essa Johar .

Search operation underway after drone sightings near LoC in J&K's Poonch

Security forces have launched a search operation after around half-a-dozen drones from Pakistan were sighted hovering over several forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Monday. The movement of the drones from across the border was picked up over Balakote, Langote and Gursai nallah in Mendhar sector at 9.15 pm on Sunday, the officials said. They said the drones, believed to be launched for surveillance, were seen flying very high and returned to the Pakistani side within five minutes. However, the area was cordoned off and a search was launched with the first light of the day in several areas where the movement of the drones was picked up to ensure that there was no air dropping of weapons or narcotics, the officials said. The use of drones by Pakistan to drop weapons and narcotics has emerged as a major challenge for the security agencies over the past couple of years and accordingly, police have announced a reward

India successfully test-fires ICBM Agni 5 missile from Odisha's Chandipur

It was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, it added

India awards senior military officers who planned, executed Op Sindoor

India on Thursday recognised the acts of gallantry by the armed forces personnel and the role of senior military brass involved in the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor in its annual list of military honours on the eve of 79th Independence Day. Indian Air Force pilots involved in the strikes on terror infrastructure and military installations in Pakistan as well as those manning the S-400 air defence systems, which played a critical role during the May 7 to 10 hostilities between the two countries were among those conferred the coveted awards. Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, Indian Army's DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma are among top military officers conferred Sarvottam Yudh Seva medal. Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor and Air Marshal Jeetendra Misra, heading the South Western Air Command and the Western Air Command respectively have also been conferre

BSE Index Services launches defence index with semi-annual reconstitution

BSE Index Services, an arm of stock exchange BSE, on Wednesday announced the launch of defence index to track the performance of those stocks representing the theme. The BSE India Defence Index is derived from the constituents of BSE 1000 Index, and reconstituted semi-annually in June and December. This new index can be used for running passive strategies such as ETFs and Index Funds as well as gauging the performance of the defence sector in India, BSE Index Services said in a statement. It can also be used for benchmarking PMS strategies, mutual fund schemes and fund portfolios. "The defence sector in India is undergoing a transformative phase, driven by policy reforms, increased budgetary allocations, and a rising emphasis on indigenous manufacturing. The BSE India Defence Index offers investors a transparent, rules-based, and investable benchmark to capture this growth story," BSE Index Services MD & CEO Ashutosh Singh said.

As GPS disruptions grow, India eyes indigenous quantum navigation boost

As disrupting GPS has become a key tactic, QQMNS offers India a chance to leapfrog traditional systems with a sovereign, denial-proof alternative

Inaugural India-New Zealand defence strategic dialogue held in Delhi

The inaugural edition of India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue was held here on Tuesday with an aim to discuss security perspectives and further bolster bilateral cooperation, officials said. The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), defence ministry, Amitabh Prasad and Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand, Kathleen Pearce. "Both nations expressed satisfaction at the ongoing defence cooperation and identified means to enhance the existing areas of collaboration, especially in the fields of training, capability building, defence industry, maritime security and multinational cooperation," the Indian defence ministry said. The co-chairs also articulated steps in the direction of emerging areas of cooperation and issues pertaining to global commons, officials said. "The Indian side complimented New Zealand for its successful command of CTF-150 in which five Indian Navy personnel were also deputed as staff. Both sides als

Iran founds new Supreme National Defence Council after attacks by Israel

Iran founded a new defence council after attacks in June by Israel and the US, Iranian state media reported Monday. Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the country's highest security body, made the decision to establish the Supreme National Defence Council, which will be headed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, the report said. The council will handle defensive plans and improve the capabilities of Iran's armed forces. Members will include the speaker of Parliament, the head of the judiciary and the chiefs of military branches and related ministries, the report said. The defence, intelligence and foreign ministries are expected to be council members, although the report did not provide those details. Iran's decision follows a 12-day air war by Israel and the US that led to the deaths of nearly 1,100 people including military chiefs and commanders. A ceasefire has been in force since shortly after the airstrikes targeted Iran's major nuclear facilities. Iran had a similar counc

Defence MSMEs must maintain quality to join global supply chain: BEL chief

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the defence and aerospace sectors must adhere to stringent quality standards to become part of the global supply chain, Bharat Electronics Limited chairman and managing director Manoj Jain said on Saturday. Speaking at the curtain-raiser of the 7th edition of the India Manufacturing Show (IMS), billed as the 'Aerospace & Defence Engineering Expo', Jain stressed the importance of quality and certification. "MSMEs must align with stringent quality and certification standards if they are to be part of the global supply chain," he said, adding that flexibilitywithout compromising regulatory complianceis essential from both large industries and MSMEs. "This calls for a mindset change across the ecosystem," he noted. IMS 2025 is being organised by Laghu Udyog Bharati-Karnataka in association with the IMS Foundation. The international expo, scheduled to be held from November 6-8 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, will showcase core ..

A glimmer of hope as Beijing processes rare-earth magnet requests

The export restrictions, which took effect on April 4, apply to rare earth magnets, which are critical components in industries ranging from automobiles and electronics to health care and defence

Australia hosts largest-ever military exercise with 19 nations taking part

The largest-ever war fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, is underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships. Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint exercise between the United States and Australia. This year, more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom, will take part over three weeks, Australia's defense department said on Sunday. Malaysia and Vietnam are also attending as observers. The exercise will also take part in Papua New Guinea, Australia's nearest neighbour. It is the first time Talisman Sabre activities have been held outside Australia. Chinese surveillance ships have monitored naval exercises off the Australian coast during the last four Talisman Sabre exercises and were expected to surveil the current exercise, .

Turkish FM, defence minister to meet Pak PM, look to boost defence ties

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defence Minister Yasir Guler are in Pakistan to hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on issues of mutual interest, including defence industry cooperation. The two arrived here on Wednesday on an official visit. Radio Pakistan reported that during their official engagements, important issues of mutual interest will be discussed. The visit reflects the close and brotherly ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual trust, it reported. Sources said that among other engagements, the two would also hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on bilateral ties, regional issues, and defence industry cooperation. Turkiye has strong ties with Pakistan and expressed solidarity with it during the military conflict with India in May, which angered India but Istanbul has continued efforts to bolster ties with Islamabad.

AVPL International announces $1 mn R&D investment for defence drones

Drone manufacturing and training firm AVPL International on Friday announced an investment of USD 1 million (about Rs 8.5 crore) towards research and development of defence drones. in April 2025, the company committed USD 12 million to drone training and manufacturing. The new investment aims to accelerate the indigenous development of advanced unmanned aerial systems (UAS) tailored for India's defence, homeland security, and dual-purpose applications, according to a company statement. "The investment focuses on addressing critical gaps in India's drone ecosystem, such as reducing dependence on imported components, developing intelligent drones with advanced swarm autonomy, and creating indigenous counter-UAS capabilities to protect critical assets. "AVPL's efforts also include high-altitude platforms capable of sustained flight in extreme terrains, with specific attention to the Himalayan region," it said. The investment will also contribute towards enhancing AVPL's manufacturing

SMPP bags orders for jackets and helmets worth ₹300 cr from Indian Army

Defence equipment manufacturer SMPP Ltd has bagged two orders worth Rs 300 crore from the Indian Army, the company said. Under the order, the company will supply bulletproof jackets and advanced ballistic helmets to the Indian Army under the emergency provision, SMPP said in a statement. SMPP will supply 27,700 bulletproof jackets and 11,700 advanced ballistic helmets to the Indian army. The order is valued at over Rs 300 crore," the company said. The bulletproof jackets come with advanced features like dynamic load distribution and quick release system which increase the operational efficiency by enhancing soldier comfort while offering protection against the most lethal armour piercing bullets. The advanced ballistic helmet is the world's first helmet which provides protection from AK-47 fired lethal hard steel core ammunition, as per the company. SMPP has been leading the personal protection market in India with more than 90 per cent market share (as per 1Lattice report) driven

Ghana shows 'clear interest' in defence support from India: MEA secretary

'There is clear interest in having India's support in terms of equipment, training of the personnel, and being able to source equipment from India, which has now become a leader in defence exports.'

Hope US can complete major pending defence sales to India: Pete Hegseth

The US has expressed hope that it can complete several major pending American defence sales to India, as it stressed that Washington and Delhi are mutually aware of the security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday at the Pentagon and said he had a productive conversation on advancing the India-US defence partnership, building on growing convergences of interests, capabilities and responsibilities. According to the Department of Defence (DoD) news article, Hegseth said the US and India are mutually aware of the security concerns in the region, and both nations have the ability to counter that threat together." Hegseth also touched on US efforts to provide India with the tools needed to counter threats in the Indo-Pacific region, the DoD news said. The United States is very pleased with the successful integration of many US defence items into India's inventory," Hegseth said, according to the DoD