Recent 6 months news in Defence

The 22nd edition of the annual bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army (IA) and the US Army named “Yudh Abhyas 2026” is held at Bikaner in Rajasthan and Auli in Uttarakhand.

The exercise is being conducted under the “Operation Pathways” framework to enhance military cooperation and strategic ties between the two nations. The IA contingent is represented by an infantry battalion of the Rajput Regiment. The US contingent features elite, Arctic-trained soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division (“Arctic Angels”) and the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF).

The DRDO has launched the ‘SHIELD’ (S-band High-Power Microwave Integrated Evaluation for Lethality and Damage) programme. The initiative aims to bolster indigenous capabilities in the emerging directed-energy technology sector.

The 4th edition of the bilateral maritime exercise between India and Malaysia named “Samudra Laksamana” has commenced in Lumut Naval Base, Malaysia.

The Indian Navy is participating in the exercise with INS Mysore (a Delhi-class guided-missile destroyer), while the Royal Malaysian Navy is represented by the vessels KD Lekir and KD Gagah Samudera.

Defense startup Apollyon Dynamics has set a national record with its electric interceptor drone named “Ahuti Mk II”, which reached a maximum speed of 498 km/h.

It is identified as the fastest multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in India. The UAV was evaluated at the Indian Army ranges with the support of defense authorities.

The 2nd edition of the bilateral air exercise ‘Veer Guardian-2026’ between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) is held at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has released a document on Defence Diplomacy named ‘RAKSHA’ in New Delhi. The document outlines the vision of India for strengthening international defence ties over the next 10 years.

The ‘RAKSHA’ framework identifies defence diplomacy as a primary driver for fostering international cooperation and increasing defence exports. It is to be noted that the strategy is integrated with the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Union Minister Rajnath Singh, has accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for various capital acquisition proposals worth ₹1.1 lakh crore.

In alignment with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, 98% of the total procurement value will be sourced from the domestic Indian industry to bolster indigenous defence manufacturing.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully conducted a drop trial of the indigenous Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) named ‘Khagantak-243’, demonstrating an enhanced long-range air-to-ground precision strike capability.

The 300 kg-class airborne Long Range Stand-Off Precision Guided Glide Bomb was developed through a collaborative partnership between Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and JSR Dynamics.

India and China have held the inaugural Corps Commander-level military meeting in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian delegation was led by Lt Gen Girish Kalia, the commander of the Rangapahar-based 3 Corps.

The meeting, hosted at the Wacha-Damai Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point near Kibithu in the Anjaw district, marks the first time this high-level dialogue mechanism was used in the Eastern Sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The DRDO has successfully tested the indigenous high-altitude Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS) at the Nyoma-Mudh Drop Zone in Leh, Ladakh. The test involved safe jumps from an altitude of 22,000 feet above sea level at a temperature of -15°C to validate special operations capabilities.

The MCPS was designed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Uttar Pradesh, while the integrated life-support systems were developed by the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL) in Bengaluru.

India has formally secured dialogue partner status in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a 6th-generation fighter jet project popularly known as “Tempest”.

Launched in 2022, the GCAP is a trilateral initiative between the UK, Italy, and Japan to collaborate on military and industrial objectives for 6th-generation combat air capabilities.

The Indian Army (IA) has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the USA to procure 100 FGM-148 Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) systems through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. The deal is valued at $93 million.

The agreement also establishes a framework for the potential future co-production of the missile systems in India. The FGM-148 Javelin is manufactured by the Javelin Joint Venture (JV), a partnership between USA-based RTX Corporation and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Samtel HAL Display Systems Ltd (SHDS), a Joint Venture (JV) between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Samtel Avionics, has inaugurated its new manufacturing facility in Gurugram, Haryana. It is the first public-private JV established within the Indian defence avionics sector.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) has unveiled three indigenous micro and small gas turbine engines designated as NJ-05, NJ-50, and NJ-100 at the CSIR Headquarters in New Delhi.

These engines, developed for deployment in defence Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and missile systems, feature thrust capacities of 5 kg (NJ-05), 50 kg (NJ-50), and 100 kg (NJ-100) to meet various operational needs. It is to be noted that these engines operate on the ‘Brayton cycle’, which is a thermodynamic cycle describing the workings of a constant-pressure heat engine.

The 2nd edition of the bilateral maritime exercise named “SAHYOG HOP-TAC” between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) has concluded off the coast of Chennai.

The ICG deployed 8 ships and 6 aircraft for the exercise, while the VCG was represented by the patrol vessel CSB 8002 and a 6-member delegation.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has laid the foundation stone for a ₹472 crore T-72 and T-90 Tank Overhaul Project at the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) in Madhya Pradesh. VFJ is a production unit of the Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL).

The facility is designed to overhaul 80 tanks annually. It is to be noted that the total annual requirement of the Indian Army (IA) is 230 tanks.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Transfer of Technology (ToT) of all conventional missile systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to domestic defence manufacturers.

The decision, announced in New Delhi, aims to enhance the participation of Indian private industries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the national defence supply chain.

Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL) has successfully produced and test-fired the first 100% indigenized AK-203 “Sher” assault rifle, manufactured entirely using Indian components and materials.

The rifle, featuring a firing rate of 700 rounds per minute, an effective range of up to 800 m, and a 415 mm barrel, is designed to replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifle. It is to be noted that IRRPL is a Joint Venture (JV) established between India and Russia in 2019 to locally manufacture AK-203 assault rifles

Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) has handed over the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Ajit (Yard 1277) to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The vessel is the 7th in a series of 8 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) being constructed for the ICG.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had awarded the ₹473 crore contract to GSL in 2022 under the Buy-Indian Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (Buy-IDDM) scheme.

The Indian Navy (IN) has commissioned ‘INS Nipun’, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar Class, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

The vessel is indigenously designed and built by the Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) in Visakhapatnam. It aims to enhance the deep-sea diving, underwater intervention, and submarine rescue capabilities of the IN.