Page 2 - External Affairs Defence Security News

India, Malaysia discuss ways to deepen defence ties, cyber cooperation

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 ...

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes charge as Vice Chief of Indian Air Force

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

PM Modi concludes 3-day visit to Seychelles with 'substantive outcomes'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday concluded his three-day visit to Seychelles, during which he held wide-ranging talks with President Patrick Herminie to boost bilateral ties and advance a common vision for a safe and prosperous Indian Ocean region. PM Modi was seen off at the airport by Seychelles' Vice-President Sebastien Pillay and members of the Indian diaspora. "My visit to Seychelles has been filled with substantive outcomes that will boost the India-Seychelles friendship," Modi said in a post on X after departure. Modi said the past 50 years of India-Seychelles ties have been marked by deep trust and shared progress. "The next fifty years will be defined by innovation, sustainability and shared prosperity." During the visit, which began on Saturday, Modi attended the golden jubilee celebrations of the National Day of Seychelles as the Guest of Honour. "I am happy to have joined the National Day celebrations and that too during the time when Seychelles marks 50 years of

Jaishankar holds key meetings in Mongolia to deepen strategic partnership

Jaishankar said he met the Speaker of the State Great Khural, Sandag Byambatsogt, and welcomed his support for India-Mongolia parliamentary exchanges and friendship

India to host key Brics security conclave amid rising geopolitical tensions

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian NSA Sergei Shoigu and other top BRICS security officials will converge in New Delhi on Monday for a two-day conclave that will focus on pressing geopolitical and regional security challenges. The conclave of BRICS National Security Advisers will be chaired by NSA Ajit Doval. China has already announced that Wang will attend the deliberations. The Chinese foreign minister is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Doval. It is learnt that Iranian Supreme National Security Council's Deputy Secretary Nezamipour is also expected to join the conclave that is set to prepare the grounds for the BRICS summit to be held in September in India. New Delhi is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the influential grouping. BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025. The BRICS has .

FY26 arms production hits record ₹1.78 trn; pvt sector share nears 25%

Despite setting a record production figure, FY26 broke the uninterrupted acceleration in annual defence production growth recorded between FY21 and FY25

PM Modi rebuilt India as 'bastion of security' in 12 years: Amit Shah

Home minister cites surgical strike, air strike, Operation Sindoor, Article 370 abrogation and Northeast accords as NDA marks 12 years in office

India's annual defence production surges to ₹1.78 trillion in 2025-26

India's annual defence production touched an all-time high of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in the financial year 2025-26, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. The milestone represents a 15.6 per cent growth over the previous fiscal year's output of Rs 1.54 lakh crore and a staggering 110 per cent increase since 2020-21 when the figure was Rs 84,643 crore, it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the "remarkable rise" in India's defence production in recent years is the result of the collective efforts of the Department of Defence Production and all other stakeholders. "This upward trajectory is a clear indicator of the country's expanding defence industrial base," he said. "With sustained policy support, several new initiatives, increased private sector participation, and growing export capabilities, the defence production sector is poised for continued acceleration in the years ahead," he said.

Goyal, Nice mayor discuss expanding India-France cooperation in innovation

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Nice's Mayor Eric Ciotti exchanged views on cooperation between India and France

Centre appoints Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth as next Chief of Army Staff

Vice Chief of the Army Staff will succeed Gen Upendra Dwivedi; Armoured Corps officer has commanded two operational Army Commands

India lodges strong protest after US strikes kill 3 sailors off Oman coast

India on Thursday said three merchant ships with Indian crew members came under attack from American military off the coast of Oman in the last four days, resulting in the death of three nationals, and it has lodged a strong protest with the US over the strikes. It was New Delhi's first public acknowledgement that the US Navy targeted the three ships with Indian crew members. New Delhi asserted that these attacks must stop. A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was disabled by US forces on June 8. All crew members were safely rescued. On June 10, the US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, killing three out of the 24 Indian sailors on board. Another vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians, was attacked on Thursday. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a news briefing that the three separate strikes on Settebello, Marivex and Jalveer "came from the US Navy". In a social media post, the US Cen

Defence ministry signs ₹449 crore deal for 20 indigenous Navy GNSS jammers

The induction of the systems will support the safe operation of Indian Navy vessels in complex operational conditions

Defence, space-tech startups move beyond metros for testing, manufacturing

As defence and space-tech ventures move from design to deployment, many are expanding testing, manufacturing and training operations into smaller cities to access land, airspace and lower costs

World leaders greet Modi on becoming India's longest-serving elected PM

World Leaders on Wednesday greeted Narendra Modi on becoming India's longest-serving elected prime minister, praising his leadership and dedication to public service. Narendra Modi reached the milestone of becoming India's longest-serving prime minister on Wednesday, with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 days in office, surpassing the record of the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison congratulated PM Modi and praised him for transforming India's economy. "Warm congratulations to PM @narendramodi on becoming India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister. A true statesman who has transformed India's economy and standing in the world. Proud of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we built together," Morrison posted on social media on Wednesday. Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, praised Modi for his years of dedicated public service and leadership in advancing India's development. "This achievement stands as a testament to his years

US Senators, business leaders greet Modi on becoming longest-serving PM

US Senator John Cornyn, the co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, has greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming the longest-serving elected prime minister and said his tenure has been "nothing short of transformational". On Wednesday, Narendra Modi became India's longest-serving prime minister, with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 days in office, surpassing the record of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. "Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi on becoming India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister - 4,399 days of leadership earned through the trust of 1.4 billion people across three democratic mandates," Cornyn, the Republican Senator from Texas, said in a post on X. "From lifting 250 million out of poverty to making India the world's fastest-growing major economy, PM Modi's tenure has been nothing short of transformational. The US-India partnership has never been stronger," Cornyn said. Nehru, who was first elected to the post in 1952, took the oath of office

India modernises nuclear programme, deploys warheads for first time: Sipri

India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2025 and is increasingly focusing on long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China, according to Sipri

India urges UN to review sanctions on Afghanistan amid changed realities

Several leaders of the Taliban, which took control of Kabul in August 2021, are listed under the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council

India among top 5 military spenders; has 190 nuclear warheads: Sipri

India was the fifth largest military spender in the world, with an expenditure of USD 92.1 billion in 2025, according to a report by an international think-tank, which also mentioned the "unusually severe military crisis" that erupted between India and Pakistan last year. In its annual assessment report launched on Monday, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) also said that India has approximately 190 nuclear warheads as of January 2026, compared to Pakistan's estimated stockpile of 170. "Key findings of SIPRI Yearbook 2026 are that states are increasingly relying on nuclear weapons as instruments of national power -- reversing decades of efforts to reduce the numbers and role of nuclear weapons -- even as the risks of miscalculation and escalation are rising," SIPRI said in a statement. The Stockholm-based think-tank said India is believed to have once again "slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal" in 2025 and continued development of new types of nuclear ...

With approx 190 warheads, India widens nuke arsenal lead over Pak: Report

The report has described Operation Sindoor as 'an unusually severe military crisis' between the two nuclear neighbours India and Pakistan in May 2025

Defence Ministry enhances armed forces' spending powers, boosts efficiency

The revised delegation of financial powers is expected to facilitate procurements worth over ₹1.25 trillion and improve operational efficiency across the armed forces