Page 5 - Defence

RInfra takes flight with ₹5,000 crore bet on aircraft upgrade business

Reliance Infrastructure is looking to turbocharge its defence vertical with a focus on aircraft upgrade programmes, eyeing an opportunity of Rs 5,000 crore over the next 7-10 years, sources said. This strategic foray positions Reliance Infrastructure as India's first private sector company to independently execute a comprehensive aircraft upgrade programme without being the original manufacturer -- a domain traditionally dominated by public sector units and OEMs. According to a company source, the company has already marked a significant milestone by successfully upgrading 55 Dornier-228 aircraft under a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), in collaboration with US-based avionics firm Genesys. Initially awarded a contract for 37 aircraft, Reliance secured a repeat order for an additional 18 units following the successful execution of an earlier contract. The total value of the Dornier upgrade contract was Rs 350 crore, sources said. The upgraded Dornier fleet is operatio

Conditions right to lift defence spend to 2.5% GDP by FY30: Defence secy

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh underscored that FY25 marked the first time in five years that the military modernisation budget was fully exhausted

Operation Sindoor must push India to reorient priorities, alliances

The United States under Donald Trump has turned out to be a superpower with a flexible spine. Far from being supportive, it has ended up re-hyphenating Pakistan with India

Indian Army Postal Service Corps launches Meghdoot Millennium software

Indian Army Postal Service Corps launched Meghdoot Millennium, Army-tailored postal software. The software was inaugurated by Vandita Kaul, Secretary, Department of Posts & Lieutenant General VMB Krishnan, Quarter Master General, on May 27.Sharing an X post, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of Ministry of Defence (Army), said, "Army Postal Service Corps, in step with Indian Army's technological leap, launches Meghdoot Millennium - a real-time, secure, Army-tailored postal software by Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology, Mysuru. The software was inaugurated by Ms Vandita Kaul, Secretary, Department of Posts & Lieutenant General VMB Krishnan, Quarter Master General, on 27 May 2025."The ADGPI called this software a 'digital leap' and shared glimpses of the launch ceremony of the software in the X post.Army Postal Service Corps (APSC), according to the Indian Army's website, enjoys the largest Postal System in the world. APSC works to extend

Andhra CM Naidu seeks Centre's support for solar and defence projects

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday met three Union ministers here and sought the Centre's support for the state's renewable energy initiatives, a defence manufacturing hub proposal and a major water transfer project. In his meeting with Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Prahlad Joshi, Naidu requested for the allocation of rooftop solar capacity under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and urged expediting approval of the proposals submitted by state electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) in January. "Had a fruitful meeting... With the Centre's support, we will reduce energy costs, empower our people, and lead India's clean energy transition," Naidu, a key ally of the NDA, said in a post on X after meeting Joshi. The chief minister has set a target of installing 20 lakh rooftop solar units by 2025. Under the scheme, SC/ST households will receive free rooftop solar systems, while backward caste households will get Rs 10,000 per kWp ...

Army deployed air defence to protect Golden Temple from Pak drones: Lt Gen

Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha says Army deployed guns at Golden Temple to counter Pakistani drone threats; operation was cleared after coordination with temple authorities

China launches new military academies as part of army modernisation

China increased its defence budget by 7.2% to about $245 billion to support its military restructuring

If India gets 10 Abdul Kalams, we can nail R&D: Former DRDO scientist

If India has 10 Abdul Kalams, we can really bring about a change in the way we approach research and development, said former DRDO scientist Prahlada Ramarao on Sunday. Bengaluru-based Ramarao was part of the missile-building team put together by India's "Missile Man" and former President A P J Abdul Kalam. The indigenous surface-to-air missile system, famously called Akash, that he and his team worked on for nearly 15 years, since 1983, is having its moment of glory, as it withstood the onslaught of Pakistani missiles and drones, especially on May 8 and 9. "The biggest difficulty for India is that we are individually good, but cannot work together as a team. Kalam was very good at addressing this. He taught me how to bring the energy of individuals synergistically to achieve a purpose. That is why I feel, if we have 10 Kalams, India will truly lead," Ramarao told PTI. Ramarao said he was only 34 years old when he was made the project director for the surface-to-air missile project

DGCA says 32 airports shut for civilian flight operations till May 15

Srinagar and Amritsar are among the 32 airports across the northern and western parts of the country that have been closed for civilian flight operations till May 15, according to aviation regulator DGCA. The decision came in view of the India-Pakistan military standoff. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities have issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and western India for all civilian flight operations. The closure will be effective from "May 9 to May 14 (which corresponds to 05:29 IST on May 15), due to operational reasons," DGCA said in a release. The airports include Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon and Jammu. Other airports in the list are Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar) and Leh. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ludhiana, Mun

Indian Navy, DRDO successfully test indigenous multi-influence ground mine

The Indian Navy and DRDO successfully tested the indigenous Multi-Influence Ground Mine, enhancing undersea warfare capabilities amid rising India-Pakistan tensions and regional missile tests

Parliamentary standing committee on defence to meet today at 3 PM

This development comes as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today

India, France to sign Rs 63,000 crore deal for 26 Rafale aircraft on Monday

Earlier, the French Defence Minister was scheduled to attend the signing in person but had to cancel his visit due to personal reasons

Think long-term: Rafale-M deal good, but IAF's bigger needs remain

The question now is how to fill the increasingly urgent needs of the IAF. It is worth recalling that the desired strength of the IAF is 42 squadrons, though it now has 31 squadrons

India, US to begin tri-service HADR exercise 'Tiger Triumph' on Tuesday

The Tiger Triumph humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise comes even as India continues its efforts to assist Myanmar under Operation Brahma, following last week's devastating earthquake

Ashok Leyland's defence unit bags orders worth Rs 700 cr from Indian Army

Contracts are for diverse range of vehicles combining 'superior reliability with exceptional off-road capability'

Govt clears Rs 62,000 crore deal to buy 156 Light Combat Helicopters

This would be the biggest order for the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited so far, and the choppers would be built at their plants in Bengaluru and Tumkur in Karnataka

Ashok Leyland's defence business bags multiple orders worth Rs 700 cr

With these orders, Ashok Leyland has further strengthened its position as a leader in advanced land mobility solutions for the armed and paramilitary forces

Indian, French Navies conclude 23rd Varuna Exercise with fleet review

The 23rd edition of bilateral exercise Varuna between Indian and French navies culminated on Saturday, following which French Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle and INS Vikrant did a fleet review some 80 nautical miles off the Goa coast. It saw the two navies working on below the surface and above the surface warfare domain as well as interacting with Indian submarines and aircraft like MiG29Ks and Rafale. The fleet review by French Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle and INS Vikrant took place at 4pm. The senior officials from both the navies had a debriefing before the culmination of the exercise. Captain Georges Antoine Florentin, commanding officer of Charles de Gaulle, and Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, chief of the French strike group, told PTI on board the aircraft carrier that the aim was to work together to improve interoperability. Varuna 2025 that started on March 19 had an exhilarating array of maritime exercises and complex manoeuvres across the sub-surface, surface, and

Germany's likely next leader seeks approval for huge defence, infra package

Germany's would-be next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is asking lawmakers Tuesday to allow the country to put whatever it takes into defense as doubts mount about the strength of the trans-Atlantic alliance, and to authorise an enormous fund for investment in its creaking infrastructure, financed by hefty borrowing. The outgoing parliament is set to meet for a final time to vote on the plans as Merz's center-right Union bloc works to put together a governing coalition with the center-left Social Democrats of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz after winning last month's election. Two-thirds majority needed The plans will need a two-thirds majority in parliament's lower house, the Bundestag, because they involve changes to Germany's strict self-imposed borrowing rules the so-called debt brake, which allows new borrowing worth only 0.35% of annual gross domestic product and is anchored in the constitution. That forced the prospective coalition partners into negotiations with the ...

Parliamentary panels' reports on defence, external affairs tabled in House

The MoD ranked second after the MoF in terms of budgetary allocations for 2025-26, while the MEA ranked 22nd