India's indigenous fighter jet programme reached a key milestone on Friday, October 17, 2025, as the Tejas Mk1A made its maiden flight at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Nashik facility.
India has declared 2025 as the year of defence reforms, aiming to establish integrated theatre commands to enhance synergy among the three armed forces and transform the military into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force. The reforms will also focus on streamlining acquisition procedures, promoting collaboration, and leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics.
'The heat shield technology for re-entry vehicles was first mastered in DRDO for the Agni missile.' 'This is why the Americans were so opposed to Agni in the 1980s, unlike other missiles -- it was a re-entry vehicle.'
The weapon system is customised to operate in altitude above 4,500 metres and has latest upgrades including indigenously developed Radio Frequency seeker, as per the release.
India successfully test-fired the newly-developed tactical missile Pralay, capable of carrying conventional warheads, from APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha. The missile, developed by DRDO, has a range of 150 to 500 km and a payload capacity of 500-1,000 kg.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan emphasizes the importance of self-reliance in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) for India, citing recent global conflicts and Operation Sindoor as examples of their strategic importance.
China has commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, featuring advanced electromagnetic catapults, amidst rising tensions and military modernization efforts.
The Indian government outlines its futuristic defence programme, Sudarshan Chakra Mission, focusing on indigenous development, predictive technologies, and targeted counter-action systems to enhance national security.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) expressed deep sorrow over the death of an Indian Air Force pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, in a Tejas aircraft crash during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show. The incident involved the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and marked the second crash involving a HAL-manufactured aircraft in 20 months.
After being launched, the glide bomb steer towards the target using a highly accurate hybrid navigation scheme, the ministry said.
'This policy is a vision to position Karnataka as the epicentre of India's space ambitions'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended India's actions against terrorism, stating no country stopped India and criticizing the Congress party for not supporting the armed forces. He highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor and warned Pakistan against further misadventures.
The government plans to establish a fully indigenous manufacturing ecosystem with an annual production capacity of up to 6,000 tonnes. The scheme is expected to run for seven years, according to official documents.
India has approved proposals to procure weapons and military hardware worth Rs 79,000 crore, including Nag missiles, amphibious warfare ships, and electronic intelligence systems, to enhance the military's combat capabilities.
The government on Wednesday approved a Rs 7,280 crore scheme to promote manufacturing of rare earth permanent magnets, a move which would help reduce India's dependence on China.
Of the 156 LCH, 90 would be for the Indian Army while 66 would be for the Indian Air Force.
HAL's order book amounts to Rs 2.45 trillion by end of Q2FY26, implying a book-to-bill ratio of 32 times based on FY25 revenue.
Modi inaugurated the Semicon India 2025 in Delhi, in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada.
'Currently, it takes between two and three years to formulate the request for proposal for procuring specific military equipment for the armed forces. It should not be this way.'
After Operation Sindoor, the Army and Navy now view the IAF as not a supporting arm, but the spearhead of India's warfighting capability, capable of decisive outcomes across domains, explains Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
The Indian side would prefer to get S-500 air defence system which has more range than the S-400 but it would require a clearance from the top Russian leadership for its sale, they said.
This is seen as the first concrete opportunity to break HAL's monopoly in combat aircraft manufacturing, potentially opening the door to a private-sector fighter jet producer.
"This time, the country partner of the trade show is Russia. That means we are further strengthening a time-tested partnership through this trade show," the Prime Minister said.
INS Udaygiri and INS Himagiri marks the first occasion when two frontline surface combatants constructed at two different shipyards were commissioned simultaneously.
The synergised demonstration of indigenous defence capabilities during 'Bharat Shakti' is a "testimony to its commitment towards modernisation through indigenisation," the sources said.
The Navy would be using the missiles for equipping its Veer-class warships while the Indian Air Force would be using them to equip its Russian-origin Su-30 MKI fighter jet fleet, the sources said.
A big question mark is on whether Shashi Tharoor, who had led the delegation to the US among other countries, will be picked as speaker by the Congress, as the seasoned Lok Sabha member's enthusiastic endorsement of the government's action following the terror attack has soured his ties with his party.
'Our problem is not a budget deficit but a trust deficit. We need to trust our institutions and industries to innovate and lead. That is the way forward for India.'
'Taxpayers' money cannot be given to these companies which can access the market and buy GPUs at a competitive price from any vendor.'
The ATAGS has a range of 35-45 kilometres, depending on the ammunition used, and achieved a 47-km firing range during trials.
India's premier defence research organisation DRDO has awarded seven new projects to private entities to develop key military assets including underwater launched unmanned aerial vehicle and long-range remotely operated systems.
the defence ministry told Parliament on Monday that foreign procurement in defence has risen to Rs 50,061 crore (Rs 500.61 billion) in 2021-2022 from Rs 37,030 crore (Rs 370.30 billion) in 2017-2018.
India successfully intercepted or neutralized all Pakistani missiles and drones that targeted 15 Indian cities on Wednesday night, according to official sources. The attack, which was launched in response to India's Operation Sindoor, involved the deployment of Barak-8 missiles, S-400 Triumph air defense systems, Akash surface-to-air missiles, and indigenously developed anti-drone equipment. India retaliated with precision strikes on Pakistani territory, destroying an HQ-9 air defense unit in Lahore and damaging key radar infrastructure. The incident highlights the strength of India's air defense capabilities and its ability to project power with surgical precision.
India's robust air defence system effectively thwarted Pakistani attempts to target Indian installations.
According to the DRDO chairman, the BrahMos missile, primarily launched from Sukhoi Mk 1, was used during the offensive phase.
'Government officials use Gmail and ordinary phones without basic security consciousness.' 'Interoperability, especially in joint exercises with countries like the US, worries me.' 'It often means we open our systems to them, but they don't reciprocate.' 'They could have kill switches in their systems and might even be able to affect ours.'
The role of the space sector in armed conflicts came into sharp focus during Operation Sindoor, which saw extensive use of drones and loitering munitions and tested the capabilities of air defence systems such as indigenously developed Akash Teer.
DRDO's failures over the decades have contributed significantly to India becoming the world's biggest weapons importer, points out Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd).
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said the Indian Air Force's attacks during Operation Sindoor restored offensive air action. He highlighted the effective use of air power in shaping military outcomes and praised the performance of indigenously developed weapons.
The Indian Navy, which was earlier looking towards the US for design expertise, technical know-how and operational practices, is now considering the advantages of working with the Royal Navy.
