Military Acquisitions, Partnerships & Developments

[nishant.gupta]

^^ They have a JV with Tatas and a plant in Hyderabad for making wings. Even Bharat Forge is competent and making some parts of engine wings from its plant in Pune for Rolls Royce.

[SBajwa]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-ne ... 78816.html

BhargavAstra counter swarm drone system developed and tested.

[Cain Marko]

Did India really need the MQ9 reaper? recent reports don't inspire much confidence....

https://www.businessinsider.com/reign-o ... ing-2025-5

[drnayar]

Did India really need the MQ9 reaper? recent reports don't inspire much confidence....

https://www.businessinsider.com/reign-o ... ing-2025-5

looking at how the houthis downed no less than six MQ 9 s and near missed a F35., American technology edge is not really what it is hyped to be.. its just marketing .. like an iphone when an android will be much more functional and customisable !!

[Hriday]

^^
Karan M said that MQ-9 is more cost-effective than the manned P-8I, especially in peacetime. During conflict, even sending a fighter jet is risky. So not a proper comparison. Before a conflict, we can use it as a high-altitude surveillance along the border.

[Hriday]

Some excerpts given below the link without quote function.
https://m.economictimes.com/news/defenc ... 531587.cms

MoD slashed timelines for some processes in procurement cycle, saving about 69 weeks: Defence Secretary

..noting that the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 is being revisited to reflect current realities, shifting from the traditional nomination-based cost-plus procurement to a competitive pricing model where both public and private sectors can vie for orders.

The upsurge in exports can be gauged from the fact that our exports have grown 30 times in the last ten years to Rs 23,622 crores in the last financial year.

Domestic defence sales also increased from Rs 43746 crores in 2014 to Rs 127000 crores in 2023-24.

Singh also highlighted record achievements in the financial year 2024-25, noting that the MoD has completely utilised the defence modernisation budget for the first time in the past five years and signed contracts worth a record Rs 2 lakh crores during the last financial year, which is the highest ever achieved and double that of the figures for 2023-24.

It would also help the Ministry demand a higher share in the union budget, leading to a minimum defence to GDP ratio of 2.5 per cent in five years as a first step and thereafter to 3 per cent in the medium term.

[Rakesh]

India Shifts From Nomination To Tendering For Major Defence Projects
https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/exc ... -secretary
11 June 2025

This policy change is expected to benefit private players like Larsen & Toubro Ltd. and Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Ltd., which have underutilised shipyards capable of building ships.

[Rakesh]

India actively considering Russia's proposal to supply and make Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets
https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/exclusiv ... 619394.htm
11 June 2025

Sources said the government is likely to issue a request for proposal for the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) program next week which will be followed by the first pre-bid meeting in 15 days. The government may then invite bids in 45 days.

VIDEO: https://x.com/VinodDX9/status/1932817711907606665 ---> Interesting updates by CNBC-TV18

1) RFP for AMCA expected in next week
2) "Make in India" offered for Su-57
3) No consideration of F-35 as of now
4) Safran & RR proposal for fifth gen engine
5) Possibility of additional Rafale
6) Possibility of additional S-400

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1932813142201151822 ---> A Su057 will make sense if all these are

[pravula]

So, will we recover our FGFA investment?

[V_Raman]

Did India get tech transfer for R73 and ASRAAM?

Can ASRAAM be fired from SAMAR?

These systems seem quite cheap and super effective - very similar to IRIS-T level performance!!

[chetak]

https://www.business-standard.com/compa ... 072_1.html


Bharat Forge signs MoU with France’s Turgis Gaillard to locally produce AAROK drones for the Indian Armed Forces

— Long-endurance UAVs set to ENHANCE surveillance & STRIKE capabilities

[drnayar]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1932813142201151822 ---> A Su057 will make sense if all these are

Admiral, the glaring problem of the Su-57 not being a true blue stealth fighter still remains. I think the AMCA when it flies would have a smaller RCS. Su-57 is stealth optimized only in the frontal area, else same as Rafale.

Its engines with TVC is a potent one nevertheless.

[Rakesh]

Dassault Aviation Partners with Reliance Group to manufacture Falcon 2000 Business Jets in India for Global Market
https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/gr ... al-market/
18 June 2025

[Chinmay]

https://www.business-standard.com/compa ... 072_1.html
Bharat Forge signs MoU with France’s Turgis Gaillard to locally produce AAROK drones for the Indian Armed Forces

— Long-endurance UAVs set to ENHANCE surveillance & STRIKE capabilities

Isnt this just an unmanned HTT-40? What stops us from converting the HTT-40 into an unmanned drone like the AAROK?

[williams]

https://www.business-standard.com/compa ... 072_1.html
Bharat Forge signs MoU with France’s Turgis Gaillard to locally produce AAROK drones for the Indian Armed Forces

— Long-endurance UAVs set to ENHANCE surveillance & STRIKE capabilities

Isnt this just an unmanned HTT-40? What stops us from converting the HTT-40 into an unmanned drone like the AAROK?

Bharat forge is betting on producing this before something like Archer-NG is ready in a couple of years. If they win they might probably get to export it and perhaps get some interim orders. We don't need to convert HTT-40, Archer-NG program is in advanced stages and it will compete with these foreign platforms soon.

[sanjayc]

The biggest order for Indian made small arms. Close to half a million carbines! DRDO- ARDE design. To be made by @BharatForgeLtd-

[Cain Marko]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1932813142201151822 ---> A Su057 will make sense if all these are

Admiral, the glaring problem of the Su-57 not being a true blue stealth fighter still remains. I think the AMCA when it flies would have a smaller RCS. Su-57 is stealth optimized only in the frontal area, else same as Rafale.

Its engines with TVC is a potent one nevertheless.

How is it not a true blue stealth fighter?

[A Deshmukh]

Now that our US relations are tanked, we have to assume the worst.
Tejas Mk1A, Mk2 engines will not come or if they come they will be significantly delayed,
We will need another line in parallel which can be independent of western influence.
So Su-57 MakeII will come.

[Aditya_V]

I don't our relations have tanked, all it shows is Pakis are begging the US to help after Chinese and Turkish weapons failed. US needs Pak for month or 2 perhaps- I don't US is going to get bogged down like Afghanistan or Iraq.

Off course, we have no choice but to Develop our own engines, but given that we are covertly helping Israel with Hermes 900, Ammo, etc , I am sure we can work with GE to get the F404, F414 engine running in India.

But Make in India is must, peruse Kaveri, order Nirbhay with Manik Engine sin thousands, small electric or Jet engined SAAW's to hit Paki airbases in numbers.

[VinodTK]

Cross posting



Defence Secretary RK Singh on India's defence budget and requirements

Interesting video 7.49 minutes long; the statement made by many that the GOI is not allocating required resources is wrong, the issue is forces cannot consume the allocated resources in a timely manner as per the Defense Secretary.

[Jay]

So Su-57 MakeII will come.

Absolutely dumb decision if we put our chips with SU 57.

[pravula]

So Su-57 MakeII will come.

Absolutely dumb decision if we put our chips with SU 57.

We absolutely will. All said and done, none of the other 5th gen aircraft on offer/plan is gonna be as good as F-22/Su-57 in WVR knife fight.

[drnayar]

Absolutely dumb decision if we put our chips with SU 57.

We absolutely will. All said and done, none of the other 5th gen aircraft on offer/plan is gonna be as good as F-22/Su-57 in WVR knife fight.

Why do you need stealth fighters for a WVR Engagement?!

[pravula]

No one will know how the fight will end up before launch.

[konaseema]

We have been in this predicament, since we saw the Chinese rollout their J-20. With the news that Pakistan is going to acquire J-35, there is this concern that a J-35 with PAF is like a garland in the hands of a monkey. Having said that, since we have the radar network and the Air Defense network that can detect / engage these fighters, can we extrapolate this to J-35? If the answer is yes, we can confidently say that we have our defenses against such a 5th generation aircraft. What we lack is on the offensive domain to counter something like J-35 or a J-20. If the IAF wants a 5th generation aircraft for its offensive capabilities to take the battle into Pakistan's airspace, they will make a decision to urge the government to procure 2-3 squadrons of Su-57 jets. But given the recent Air 2 Air combat or for the lack of it during Operation Sindoor, I wonder why we will need a 5th generation fighter jet to carry out the strikes we did from our own airspace. But then, will we buy the Su-57 in its current avatar with AL-41 engines or will we wait a little longer for the AL-51 engines to be integrated with Su-57? Or what are those gaps that we have within our Air Defense network to handle a 5th generation aircraft that needs to be filled before PAF gets these jets?

[pravula]

The recent Iran-Isreal would be a case study in this. Iran has zero aircrafts attacking or defending. Isreal has just ballistic/cruise missiles to contend with and can launch their payload without much opposition (even with supposed S300 batteries).