Defence

New Delhi, 31st July 2025: India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation during the 13th India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting, held at the Secretary level for the first time, in New Delhi on July 30, 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense, Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi, who is leading a high-level defence delegation on a two-day official visit to India. Both sides agreed to elevate defence ties to match the growing momentum in areas such as trade, investment, and people to people relations. The two sides agreed to enhance military training cooperation and discussed their respective training requirements. India offered to provide customised training courses tailored to the UAE’s needs. They also agreed to cooperate on maritime security through sharing of information. In a bid to explore new avenues of defence collaboration, both countries held discussions on training cooperation, defence industrial partnerships, and Service-to-Service engagements. They agreed to pursue joint manufacturing initiatives, including models similar to the collaboration between ICOMM (India) and CARACAL (UAE) for small arms production. The potential for co-developing next generation defence technologies in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence was also discussed, alongside opportunities in shipbuilding including refits and upgrades, and maintenance of common platforms. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Indian Coast Guard and the UAE National Guard to establish a framework for enhanced cooperation in search and rescue operations, pollution response, anti-piracy efforts, and related maritime security domains. In the run-up to the JDCC, India and UAE also held the 4th Army-to-Army, 9th Navy-to-Navy, and inaugural Air-to-Air Staff Talks from July 28-29, 2025. These deliberations focused on enhancing military exercises, training, and Subject Matter Expert Exchange. The UAE delegation is scheduled to call on the Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth on July 31, 2025, and will participate in the 2nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum, co-inaugurated by the UAE Under Secretary and India’s Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar. India and UAE share a robust and growing defence relationship, underpinned by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s landmark visit to the UAE in 2015. India’s upcoming participation in the Dubai Air Show in November 2025 is set to further reinforce this momentum. (Courtesy: PIB/MoD)

Tamilnadu, 29th July 2025: Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed an MoU to establish a state-of-the-art testing facility in Mechanical & Material domain Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor in Tiruchirappalli under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), on July 28, 2025 in New Delhi. The MoU was exchanged between the senior officials of MoD and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO), in the presence of Secretary (Defence Production), MoD Shri Sanjeev Kumar. The DTIS provides up to 75% government funding as ‘Grant-in-Aid’, with the remaining 25% funded by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), comprising Indian private entities and State/Central Governments. For the Mechanical & Material domain testing facility, Micro Labs, a private entity, is the lead SPV member. Other members of the SPV consortium are Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited, Bharat Earth Movers Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Vaidheswaran Industries. Upon the completion of the project, it will provide advanced testing equipment and services to both government and private industry, thus giving a boost to ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence. With an outlay of Rs 400 Crore, the DTIS was launched by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, to set up state-of-the-art testing facilities in collaboration with private industry and Central/State Government. The objective is to promote Aatmnirbharta through indigenous defence production and by reducing military equipment imports. To provide impetus to defence and aerospace sectors within the Defence Industrial Corridors, seven testing facilities were approved – four in Tamil Nadu and three in Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi, 24th July 2025: Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held a bilateral meeting with Director General, Israel Ministry of Defence Major General (Res) Amir Baram in New Delhi on July 23, 2025. The two sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation with a long-term perspective. They concurred to work towards developing an institutional framework for further deepening of defence ties. The Israel DG condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and conveyed full support for India’s fight against terrorism. Defence Secretary reiterated India’s zero tolerance approach to terrorism and condemned the October 07, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel and called for the release of all hostages. The two sides also reviewed the progress of the ongoing defence collaboration activities since last Joint Working Group meeting held in July 2024 in India. This visit by DG Israel MoD marks a pivotal step in India-Israel defence relations and reinforces both sides’ commitment to enhance their strategic partnership.

Coimbatore, 18th July 2025: The first set of wing assemblies for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, produced by Larsen & Toubro, was handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on July 17, 2025. Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar attended the event virtually as General Manager (LCA Tejas Division) Shri M Abdul Salam received the assemblies on behalf of HAL from Precision Manufacturing & Systems Complex unit of L&T. In his address, the Secretary (Defence Production) commended the efforts of HAL and L&T towards achieving self-reliance. He hailed HAL for spearheading collaboration with different private sector partners, nurturing them and ensuring enhanced capability. He expressed confidence in meeting the requirement of the production target for LCA Tejas. He called for expanding horizons and focusing on reducing dependency on other countries. CMD, HAL Dr DK Sunil, who was present during the handing over, termed it as a testament to years of dedicated hand-holding and a shared commitment to excellence from HAL and L&T. “HAL is working with suppliers, both large and SMEs, as an initiative towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in the aerospace and defence sector. HAL has effectively built a parallel aircraft structural assembly line in the private sector which will help in capacity augmentation of the LCA Tejas program,” he said. Senior Vice President & Head, L&T Precision Engineering & Systems Shri Arun Ramchandani said L&T is set to supply four wing sets annually, with plans to scale up production to 12 sets per annum through advanced assembly processes and automation, he added. Till date, the LCA Tejas Division has received structural modules of Air Intake Assemblies from Lakshmi Machine Works, Rear fuselage assembly from Alpha Tocol, Loom Assemblies from Amphenol, Fin & Rudder Assemblies from Tata Advanced Systems, Centre Fuselage Assembly from VEM Technologies and Wing Assemblies from Larsen & Toubro for the LCA Mk1A. (Content & Image courtesy: PIB/HAL)

Moscow, 1st July 2025: ROSOBORONEXPORT JSC (part of Rostec State Corporation) has handed over another Project 11356 frigate, built by United Shipbuilding Corporation, to the Indian Navy.The commissioning ceremony took place on July 1, 2025 in Kaliningrad. The eighth Project 11356 frigate, built in Russia for the Indian Navy, was christened Tamal, which means “Sword” in Sanskrit. “The successful completion of construction, testing and delivery of the frigate Tamal to India demonstrates ROSOBORONEXPORT’s readiness to effectively fulfill any naval contracts, taking into account current global market trends. The eighth Project 11356 frigate is a model of technology cooperation. It incorporates more than 20 Indian-made ship systems, including the BrahMos supersonic missile system, an automated communications system, a surface search and target acquisition radar, and a sonar station,” – said Alexander Mikheev, Director General of ROSOBORONEXPORT JSC. – “Today the Company is actively developing partnerships with Indian public and private enterprises to jointly develop and manufacture military products on the partner’s territory. We are discussing 50+ projects for all services of the armed forces and are already working on a number of them”. Tamal is a frigate that meets all the current requirements of the global naval shipbuilding market. Its radars are capable of timely detecting all types of air attack weapons, including advanced low-flying anti-ship missiles. The ship has a reliable air defence system based on the Shtil-1 vertical-launch SAM system developed and manufactured by Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation. The ship’s armament is sufficient to counter current and emerging threats. Its artillery armament, consisting of 100mm and 30mm artillery systems, together with an EW system, can repel UAV attacks and effectively counter unmanned surface vehicles. The ship has a reinforced helipad, enabling it to operate a Ka-31 long-range early warning helicopter. The delivered frigate Tamal has excellent seaworthiness: it is able to travel 4,850 miles without refueling and stay at sea for 30 days without resupply. Currently India is already operating 7 Project 11356 frigates. In December 2024 a commissioning ceremony for frigate Tushil took place in Kaliningrad. In addition, India’s Goa Shipyard Limited launched the ninth and tenth frigates of this project, which are being built by Indian shipbuilders with the assistance of ROSOBORONEXPORT. ROSOBORONEXPORT aims to strengthen the Russian defence industry’s positions in the Indian arms market through unique technology cooperation proposals that none of its competitors can make today. Issues related to the continuation of ongoing projects in the field of joint development and production of naval equipment, aircraft, armored vehicles, small arms, ammunition are being actively considered, and new ones are also being discussed.

New Delhi, 27th June 2025: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China on June 26, 2025. The two Ministers held in-depth discussions on a range of subjects covering current geopolitical situations, cross-border terrorism and Indo-Russian defence cooperation. The Russian Defence Minister highlighted the long-standing Indo-Russian relations which have stood the test of time and expressed solidarity with India on the horrendous and cowardly terrorist act of 22nd April in Pahalgham, Jammu & Kashmir. It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, being held in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent necessity of augmenting defence production, especially in critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms. Supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes were some of the key takeaways of the meeting.

New Delhi, 27th June 2025: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China on June 26, 2025. The two Ministers held in-depth discussions on the need to maintain peace and tranquility along the Indo-China border. Raksha Mantri acknowledged the work being undertaken by both sides to bring back semblance of normalcy in the bilateral relations. He highlighted the necessity of solving the complex issues through a structured roadmap of permanent engagement and de-escalation. Rajnath Singh also stressed on border management and to have a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism on the issue. He emphasised the need to create good neighbourly conditions to achieve best mutual benefits as well as to cooperate for stability in Asia and the world. He also called for bridging the trust deficit created after 2020 Border standoff, by taking action on ground.

The only fully-funded, in-production and variant-agnostic solution to meet the electronic warfare demands of F-16 operators around the world. L3Harris’ Viper Shield is accomplishing critical production milestones. The production hardware configuration is currently in flight testing, and Electromagnetic interference (EMI/EPT) Safety of Flight testing began for its next iteration of software development. Viper Shield is an advanced electronic warfare (EW) suite that significantly enhances both offensive and defensive capabilities. It is the only EW capability for the F-16 that is fully funded through development. Well into its development cycle, Viper Shield is an excellent and advanced solution for the global F-16 fleet. Seamless Integration with F-16 Variants One of Viper Shield’s most impressive features is its compatibility with various F-16 configurations. It seamlessly fits into the Block 70/72 new aircraft, as well as the Block 40 and Block 50 F-16 fleets, including D-models, without requiring any redesign. It can also be integrated into previous F-16 blocks through a podded system, which attaches to an aircraft without requiring extensive internal modifications. The podded system incorporates the same Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), optimizing sustainment while ensuring the same electronic warfare protection regardless of internal or external configuration This adaptability puts Viper Shield 3-5 years ahead of its competitors, guaranteeing that L3Harris’ international partners receive the most advanced capabilities. Robust Funding and Expanding Partnerships The development of Viper Shield is fully funded and backed by six partner nations, with more expected to join this year. “This strong financial support and the substantial number of orders underscore the confidence and trust placed in Viper Shield’s capabilities,” said Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “Our competitors simply cannot match this level of readiness and support for the global F-16 fleet.” System Performing Under Pressure Viper Shield production hardware flight testing began in January 2025 with test flight in a single-seat Block 70 F-16. In addition, environmental testing of production hardware in an anechoic chamber has commenced and will prove Viper Shield’s ability to perform reliably in various operational conditions. Spiral software development of the all-digital, software-defined system continues, allowing the L3Harris team to test enhancements while also producing hardware for current customers. In Production and Scaling to Meet Demand Ushering in the next generation of digital fighter pilot protection, Viper Shield is designed for modern aircraft to defeat advanced threats. Units have been in production for nearly a year and the team is rapidly scaling to meet customer demands. L3Harris is on track to deliver Viper Shield production hardware by 2025, with a ramp-up to full production by mid-2026 for the 168 systems currently on contract. This timeline reflects the company’s dedication to meeting global demands with precision and speed. ( News based on the Press Release. It is published unedited)

Jakarta,13rd June 2025: Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, has made its presence at the Indo Defence Expo & Forum 2025, being held from 11th-14th June in Jakarta, Indonesia. Known for established expertise in next-generation artillery platforms and land systems, as well as a plethora of defence solutions across domains, KSSL is reinforcing its position as a key player in the global defence landscape. KSSL is focusing on its flagship indigenous solutions – Garuda 105 and MArG 45. The Garuda 105, an ultra-lightweight 105mm/37 calibre Mounted Gun System, stands out for its rapid deployment capabilities, especially suited for high-altitude and quick-response operations. It’s a Shoot & Scoot” and “go anywhere” gun system. The MArG 45 series, comprising 155mm mounted gun systems available in both 39 and 45 calibre configurations, showcases India’s advanced artillery engineering designed for precision, mobility, and power. KSSL’s presence is perceived as a significant step forward in fostering defence industrial collaboration between India and Indonesia. As the largest defence exhibition of its kind in Southeast Asia, Indo Defence Expo & Forum 2025 provides extensive industrial networking and defence export opportunities, that help build on the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. KSSL’s participation at Indo Defence Expo 2025 not only highlights its technological capabilities but also underscores the broader vision of India to deepen defence ties and promote indigenous solutions in the global market.