Only 75 aircraft were deployed to support the invasion, observes Group Captain Murli Menon (retd).
In Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had deployed additional squadrons of the Chinese-origin HQ-9 air defence systems, which could not do much against the Indian aircraft when they brought down multiple terror targets inside Pakistan.
One factor which could have gone against the MiG-35 in the Indian deal is that the IAF's 62-odd MiG-29s coming up for upgradation to the UPG standard, will have features close to the MiG-35 or even better.
The attacks against the Pakistani air force have taken them at least five years back and caused great damage to them and their Chinese and Turkish inventory of weapons.
Moscow's international airports were temporarily closed due to safety concerns after air defense forces intercepted multiple Ukrainian drones.
An Indian Air Force Su-30 MKI fighter jet went missing shortly after taking off from Jorhat airbase in Assam, prompting a search and rescue operation.
The Indian defence ministry has initiated a project to indigenously design and develop a 1000-kg aerial bomb for the Indian Air Force (IAF), aiming to enhance self-reliance in the defence sector.
When asked about Bessent's announcement allowing certain Russian oil sales to India and whether the US is considering any other moves, including tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), Trump said, "If there were some, I would do it just to take a little of the pressure off."
Ukraine's capital Kyiv came under a large-scale missile and drone attack overnight on December 27, with multiple explosions reported across the city and surrounding regions, one day ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as diplomatic efforts continue to end the four-year-long war.
An Indian Air Force Su-30 MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam during a training mission, prompting an immediate search operation for the missing pilots.
The Army has now fallen behind the other two services for four years in a row.
United States President Donald Trump has backed a sanctions bill that could impose 500 per cent tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, giving the White House leverage against countries like China and India to stop them from purchasing cheap oil from Moscow.
United States President Donald Trump has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'knew he was not happy' with India's purchases of Russian oil and that Washington, DC can raise tariffs on New Delhi 'very quickly'.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
A senior Russian diplomat has expressed apprehension over the possibility of the US attempting to regain control of the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, amidst escalating military tensions in the region.
US President Donald Trump has shared an article suggesting that the option of enforcing a naval blockade was available in the context of Iran, as peace talks ended in a stalemate in Islamabad after differences of opinion arose between the two parties on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear capacities.
'We need to give Pakistan something serious to think about on its eastern front -- that is the only way to actually help Afghanistan right now.'
The ministry of defence of the United Arab Emirates on Monday said its air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple aerial threats launched from Iran, as tensions in the region continue to rise.
'The additional Rafales will be from a vastly improved version compared to the 36 acquired for the IAF under the 2016 deal.'
India's defence sector is on the cusp of a 'super cycle' of growth, driven by escalating geopolitical conflicts and a strong policy push towards indigenous manufacturing, with major players like BEL, HAL, and BDL poised for significant order inflows and technological advancements.
The modern war is about quality over quantity, points out Mihir S Sharma.
India has gained the least since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and was penalised the most, while the US, China and the European Union emerged as the biggest beneficiaries from the war.
Ukrainian forces conducted large-scale drone strikes on several air bases deep inside Russia, destroying multiple combat planes, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said on Sunday.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that India will significantly reduce Russian oil imports by year-end, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance.
United States Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday claimed that Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra spoke to him last month about India buying less Russian oil and asked him to tell President Donald Trump to relieve the 25 per cent tariff.
Group Captain Shukla was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2006.
US President Donald Trump warned India about potential tariffs for continuing to purchase oil from Russia, claiming he received assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India would halt such purchases.
Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.
The defence ministry is likely to take up the proposal by the Indian Air Force for approval at a defence acquisition council meeting planned to be held on October 23, sources said.
This weekend, Donald Trump has begun to say the quiet part out loud -- that he wants to take control of Iran's oil, a formulation more in line with his robber-baron style of international relations.
US President Donald Trump claimed India will stop buying oil from Russia, while also stating China will cut back substantially. He also discussed the conflict between India and Pakistan, reiterating his claim of helping settle the conflict.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
The largest tranche came in July, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with the DAC according acceptance of necessity -- or initial approval -- for 10 capital acquisition proposals amounting to approximately 1.05 trillion through indigenous sourcing.
Amid rising tensions, Israel's Defence Minister has issued a stark warning that any leader succeeding Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be considered a target, as reports suggest his son Mojtaba may be next in line.
Travel disruptions following airspace closures in the Gulf have forced Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev to miss an Indian Wells exhibition, while an ATP Challenger in Fujairah was cancelled amid security concerns.
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
He said that the US is financially and from a national security standpoint 'far stronger' and more respected than ever before because of tariffs.
India's merchandise exports experienced a slight decrease in February, while imports surged due to increased gold and silver purchases, leading to a widened trade deficit. The West Asia crisis is expected to further impact trade in the coming months.
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