Military Acquisitions, Partnerships & Developments

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/sidhant/status/2019355504707850568?s=20 ---> India looks for sale of dornier aircraft, cooperation in Scorpene subs, maintenance of Su-30 aircraft & supply of naval platform to Malaysia: Top MEA official, Secy East P Kumaran.

[Kakkaji]

'Owned by', not just 'made in' India: MoD looks to reset defence buying
https://www.business-standard.com/exter ... 073_1.html
11 Feb 2026

Going forward, India’s effort to build and retain sovereign control over its military capabilities will prioritise co-development and the retention within the country of intellectual property (IP), source codes, critical design data, and the ability to upgrade platforms independently, rather than merely the local manufacture of foreign-origin equipment, according to a draft policy document released by the government late on Tuesday that will govern the procurement of everything from tanks and warships to fighter jets and drones.

“For the next decade, the metric of success is not just ‘Made in India’, but ‘Owned by India’,” said the Draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026, which the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released for comments and suggestions from stakeholders.

[Rakesh]

'Owned by', not just 'made in' India: MoD looks to reset defence buying
https://www.business-standard.com/exter ... 073_1.html
11 Feb 2026

https://x.com/nitingokhale/status/20212 ... 79072?s=20 ---> The draft of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2026 is out. Many aspects to study but this is my first observation. Categories for capital acquisition (I missed the last one when I was crystal gazing in December 2025. https://mod.gov.in/dod/sites/default/fi ... P-2026.pdf

1. Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) [‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)]’. This category refers to the acquisition of defence equipment, system, platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems, sub-assemblies, assemblies, components, ammunition and software, as the case may be, that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured, by Indian vendors as defined in Para 23 below, including additional conditions at Sub-Paras 23.1 and 23.2 of this chapter and meet the specified Indigenous Design (ID) and Indigenous Content (IC) requirements.

2. Buy (Indian) and Manufacture in India. The ‘Buy (Indian) and Manufacture in India’ category refers to the acquisition of defence equipment, system, platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems, sub-assemblies, assemblies, components, ammunition and software, as the case may be, from Indian vendors as defined at Para 23 below, excluding additional conditions at Sub-Paras 23.1 and 23.2, meeting the specified IC requirement. It comprises two essential components:-

17.2.1. Buy Component. This involves the direct purchase of equipment from Indian Vendors. The Indian vendor may import the required equipment, system, platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems, sub-assemblies, assemblies, components, ammunition and software, as the case may be, from foreign OEMs.

17.2.2. Manufacture Component. This entails indigenous manufacture of equipment, system, platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems, sub-assemblies, assemblies, components, ammunition and software, as the case may be and may follow a graduated approach to production, comprising semi-knocked down kits, completely knocked down kits and indigenous manufacturing, along with testing, integration, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility and upgrades, through transfer of technology (ToT) to the Indian vendor.

17.2.3. Acquisition under this category may be carried out with Buy Quantity as Zero with complete quantities being manufactured indigenously. Equipment / systems / platforms figuring on the Positive Indigenisation Lists, notified by MoD, may be procured under this category, only if Buy quantities are Zero.

3. Buy (Global) and Manufacture in India. The “Buy (Global) and Manufacture in India” category refers to an outright purchase of equipment, system, platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems, sub-assemblies, assemblies, components, ammunition and software, as the case may be, from foreign vendors, in quantities as considered necessary, followed by indigenous manufacture of the entire / part of the equipment and spares / assemblies / sub-assemblies / Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility for the equipment, through its subsidiary in India / through a Joint Venture / through an Indian Production Agency (PA) (with ToT of critical technologies as per specified range, depth and scope to the Indian PA), meeting stipulated IC. Indian vendors are eligible to participate in the Buy (Global) and Manufacture in India category. Acquisition under this category can also be carried out without any initial procurement of equipment in the FF state. All payments for the ‘Manufactured’ portion will be
paid to the vendor in Indian Rupees as per contract provisions. Equipment / systems / platforms figuring on the Positive Indigenisation Lists, notified by MoD, may be procured under this category, only if Buy quantities are Zero.

4. Buy (Global). The ‘Buy (Global)’ category refers to the outright purchase of equipment, system, platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems, sub-assemblies, assemblies, components, ammunition and software, as the case may be, from foreign vendors, subject to meeting the stipulated IC requirements. In case of procurement through foreign vendors, Government-to-Government (G2G) route / Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) may also be adopted for equipment meeting strategic / long-term requirements. Indian vendors are permitted to participate in the Buy (Global) category. No equipment / systems / platforms figuring on the Positive Indigenisation Lists, notified by MoD, shall be procured under this category. For all cases being progressed under the Buy (Global) category, the SoC for AoN should include a proposal for accord of AoN for indigenous development through the Make or Design & Development (D&D) category.

[Rakesh]

'Owned by', not just 'made in' India: MoD looks to reset defence buying
https://www.business-standard.com/exter ... 073_1.html
11 Feb 2026

https://x.com/ParthVa53135321/status/20 ... 62381?s=20 ---> Read the initial DAP pages superficially, it's a long read. Here is initial things I found.

Twitter Thread on one page ---> https://twitter-thread.com/t/2021249062125662381

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/manupubby/status/2021444283539259402?s=20 ---> Age old L1 model set to be tweaked as government looks at major defence procurement overhaul. Draft rules focus on IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) over ToT (Transfer of Technology). Big boost for companies invested in R&D and startups. DAP 2026 moves from Made in India to Owned by India. Fast track procedure.

https://x.com/lakshmishaks/status/20214 ... 31105?s=20 ---> Draft DAP tweaks L1 for India’s $23 billion defence capex: bids get up to 10% credit for indigenous design/IPR and extra weight for enhanced performance. Goal shifts from “made in India” to “owned by India,” with 30–50% faster timelines and tighter foreign buy approvals.

Defence Buying 2.0: Sturdier L1 formula & more to boost ‘Made in India’
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 169941.cms
11 Feb 2026

[SRajesh]

^^ Admiral Saab
We have not moved out of the Menon Model of Procurement even though we have been buying stuff for 70+ years!!
Slow centralized with a heavy Political and Bureaucratic control over acquisitions :
Multiple layers of control and approvals
Long drawn negotiations
Almost negligent autonomyfor forces
Enduring bureaucratic control

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/sidhant/status/2023012194057884086?s=20 ---> India, France Defence ministers talk next week:

- Defence pact to be renewed for ten years
- Hammer missile joint venture MoU to be signed
- Reciprocal officer deployment announcement expected
- H125 helicopter assembly line to inaugurated virtually

Announcement:-

[Rakesh]

India-France Sign MoUs On Hammer Missiles, Defence Cooperation Agreement
https://lokmarg.com/india-france-sign-m ... agreement/
17 Feb 2026

[uddu]

https://x.com/Indrani1_Roy/status/2023819749139116420
@Indrani1_Roy
Is there any area except Vikas Engines where the French have actually transferred tech in the past 50 years?

https://x.com/ANI/status/2023752037851361396
@ANI
#WATCH | Mumbai: French President Emmanuel Macron says, "Whether it's the Rafale, submarines, or the engines for fifth-generation fighter jets, there are many areas where we are working together with India. We believe in technology transfer, and we have tried to do the same, as you desired. We both believe in strategic autonomy. You mentioned the defence sector, and I also spoke about it. But there are many other areas where our thinking is shared, even in the field of space. Our relationship in these areas has been excellent for many years. They have grown significantly stronger, and that's why, when we're hosting a summit in France in July, we've invited India to the space sector. We're also working on a common roadmap to address global challenges and find a path for the world that's distinct from hegemony."

"Aeronautics is also a key area, and the high-speed rail network is another area where we're emerging as a reliable partner...We want to ensure the best technology transfer and to achieve this, we are inaugurating the Innovation Year today with the Prime Minister of India. We want our investors, whether they are our startups, our companies, our R&D centres, or other centres, to work together."

[S_Madhukar]

So instead of begging Dassault France for spares we will beg Dassault India. No humiliation to beg before a gora but local sahib only. Back to EIC. My guess is since we don’t have much bargaining power thanks to our R&D underinvestment we are trying to produce as much locally and diversify not ours but European supply chains and get some skilling and actual deliveries in the process whereas with HAL it is neither.

[bala]

Indrani1_Roy/status/2023819749139116420
@Indrani1_Roy
Is there any area except Vikas Engines where the French have actually transferred tech in the past 50 years?

Yes, in Helos the engine is joint venture with HAL. Vikas engine is a different story. At that time, french space was short handed and they needed people to work on their projects. They subcontracted ISRO and a bunch of ISRO people worked with them. During this period, tricky things were debugged by ISRO people for their project including ISRO's Nambi Narayanan who was the key to fixing their main major issues. This team came back and built their own Vikas engine, no drawings shared, just their experience. France agreed to test the Indian rocket for a small fee.

[Kanoji]

Indrani1_Roy/status/2023819749139116420
@Indrani1_Roy
Is there any area except Vikas Engines where the French have actually transferred tech in the past 50 years?

Yes, in Helos the engine is joint venture with HAL. Vikas engine is a different story. At that time, french space was short handed and they needed people to work on their projects. They subcontracted ISRO and a bunch of ISRO people worked with them. During this period, tricky things were debugged by ISRO people for their project including ISRO's Nambi Narayanan who was the key to fixing their main major issues. This team came back and built their own Vikas engine, no drawings shared, just their experience. France agreed to test the Indian rocket for a small fee.

Please watch the movie "Rocketry- The Nambi Effect" on Netflix. A well made movie that clearly depicts the contribution of Indian engineers and specifically Nambi to the French Viking engine. It also poignantly depicts the personal trials and tribulations that Nambi and his family had to under go due to the blatantly false spy charges and the eventual vindication of his innocence by the Supreme court.

[bala]

Please watch the movie "Rocketry- The Nambi Effect" on Netflix.

Yes i watched long time ago in a theatre, and much of what i wrote is from the movie. One thing I learned from rocketry is that you need to induce instability to get overall stability - that is true gyan!

[Kanoji]

Please watch the movie "Rocketry- The Nambi Effect" on Netflix.

Yes i watched long time ago in a theatre, and much of what i wrote is from the movie. One thing I learned from rocketry is that you need to induce instability to get overall stability - that is true gyan!

Bala sir,

My note about the movie was for Uddu ji. From your post, I guessed, accurately it appears, that you had seen the movie.

[Prem Kumar]

https://swarajyamag.com/defence/dap-202 ... -otherwise

An incisive article in Swarajya. It calls out the systemic rot that has crept into our Atmanirbhar classification. Points to fatal flaws in DAP 2026 that classifies both true innovation & Adani-style screwdrivergiri as "Atmanirbhar"

Many here & on social media have made this point. The JV-baniyas are winning. Either Rajnath Singh is too dumb or too uncaring or too cynical/manipulative to do this. Needless to say, Modi is too, given that he is the puppet-master

We will forever be a 3rd rate power at this rate. Modi-Rajnath duo have successfully screwed us over. At least during the 80s and 90s, we had the decency to call it "license assembly" and not pretend like we are innovators

[chetak]

Ahead of PM Modi’s historic Israel visit, Israel has offered India the Golden Horizon hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile for deep-strike missions.

It may integrate with Su-30MKI, offering 800 km launch range and 1,500–2,000 km reach at Mach 5+.


https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/vid ... 701653.cms

[uddu]

Ahead of PM Modi’s historic Israel visit, Israel has offered India the Golden Horizon hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile for deep-strike missions.

It may integrate with Su-30MKI, offering 800 km launch range and 1,500–2,000 km reach at Mach 5+.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/vid ... 701653.cms

This is the Sparrow missile of Israel. About 6.5 meter in length. More or less like our Rudram series. How in the world is it able to achieve 2000 km? Fired from Stratosphere?
https://www.ft.com/content/56064051-e88 ... 6717c8c38b

more details here
https://grokipedia.com/page/Sparrow_(target_missile)

Said to have a range of 800km
Golden Horizon ALBM: Why Israel’s secret missile is a game-changer for India
https://zeenews.india.com/world//india- ... 19347.html

Israel Pitches Golden Horizon ALBM To Arm Su-30MKI Against Two-Front Foes
https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2026/0 ... bm-to.html

https://www.intelligenceonline.com/midd ... 520602-gra
Link says a warhead of 150kg and about 8.5 Meter long missile. Compare that to the Rudram-3. 500kg warhead.

Rudram-4 Hypersonic Missile: 6,000 KMPH, 1,500 KM Range, To Boost Su-30MKI Strike Power
https://www.news18.com/india/rudram-4-h ... 36785.html

Rudram-3 Hypersonic Missile Ready For Su-30MKI Trials
https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2025/1 ... y-for.html

With projected speeds exceeding Mach-5 and a range of 550–600 km, the Rudram-3 significantly enhances the IAF’s standoff strike envelope. Launching from beyond enemy air defence reach, it ensures superior survivability of the aircraft while retaining the element of surprise against well-protected radar networks.

The propoganda in the reach of 2000 km is Su-30MKI carrying it to 1200km and then launching it and the missile travelling 800km more. What is that the same cannot be acheived by Rudram-3 series? 1200km Sukhoi and 600km range. 1800km reach possible. This is with Rudram-3 payload of 500kg, while the Golden Israeli one comes with 150kg.

[Manish_Sharma]

https://x.com/shanaka86/status/2026435962008654158?s=20

Israel has offered India full technology transfer for Iron Dome and Iron Beam. Not a sale. A transfer. Joint production, domestic manufacturing, integration into India’s multi-layered air defense grid. $8.6 billion in defense agreements expected to be formalized before Modi’s plane leaves Israeli airspace tomorrow.

Iron Beam is the part that should stop you. A 100-kilowatt laser weapon that destroys incoming drones and rockets at $2 per shot. Two dollars. An Iron Dome interceptor costs $50,000 to $100,000 per missile. Iron Beam makes the economics of attrition warfare irrelevant.

Israel has never transferred this technology to anyone. Not the United States. Not the UK. Not Germany.

India is the first.

Now ask yourself why Israel is handing its most advanced defensive technology to the world’s fifth-largest economy this week, of all weeks.

Because Netanyahu is not selling weapons. He is buying an alliance. The “hexagon” he described publicly, a coalition against what he called radical Sunni and Shiite axes, requires India to have skin in the game. You do not give a country your most classified defense technology unless you need that country committed to your security architecture for decades.

Iron Dome technology transfer makes India structurally dependent on Israeli defense integration. Maintenance, upgrades, software updates, threat library sharing, all of it creates institutional ties that outlast any single government.

[Rakesh]

Airbus-Tata to ramp up H125 helicopter output to 10 per year by 2029
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 555871.cms
19 Feb 2026

[Rakesh]

Israel-India defense boost: Major deals mark a turning point in strategic relations
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-887915
25 Feb 2026

[Rakesh]

How PM Modi’s Israel Visit To Add More Muscle To Indian’s Military’s Might

Prime Minister Modi is on a two‑day visit to Israel amid Gaza, US–Iran tensions and a massive American miilitary buildup. From long‑range Israeli stand‑off weapons and joint missile‑defence under Mission Sudarshan Chakra to the India–Middle East corridor and Netanyahu’s “hexagon” vision, HT's Shishir Gupta unpacks India’s risky but ambitious play.

[Jay]

All of these foreign acquisitions, and partnerships are a bit nauseating. Something does not feel right. It has the smell of desperation coupled with lack of self-belief and a will to avoid hard work. It feels India is the new bride every one want to have their way with and we are happy to let them.

[uddu]

All of these foreign acquisitions, and partnerships are a bit nauseating. Something does not feel right. It has the smell of desperation coupled with lack of self-belief and a will to avoid hard work. It feels India is the new bride every one want to have their way with and we are happy to let them.

Many of these news are planted stories in the media to push narratives. That never means that acquisition will not happen. Today these kind of foreign acquisition is coming through backdoor and in Opaque manner. No discussion or news of it allowed to leak to the press and pushed through the backdoor of how the PULS became Suryastra in the Indian Army. That's the level of corruption.

[Aditya_V]

Thats the idea, many in the media are working to make you feel Atmanirbarta will never work, there is some corruption, quid pro quo but there are many achievements. We would not be having Uttaam, Viruprakasha and other radars- it was unimaginable 10 years ago. Rafale deal most probably involves some help with KDE- but that cannot be announced at the rooftops, many of the capabilities we showed in Operation Sindoor were unknown to the public.

We have 3 SSBN's and working on many other things, Foreigners will use every leverage to make domestic capability to fail. When Pakistan publishes a PPT with 6-0, the whole media laps it up, although to me it looks like nothing went down, except some JF-17's and F-16's, A Mirage 3 crash in POK is shown as SU-30/Mig 29, while Iranian claims are ignored.

It will take us another 10-20 years of hard work before we become near our potential.

[A_Gupta]

Atmanirbhara Bharat of your dreams, as exhibited in this thread, even with the best effort is two decades away. In the meantime the country has to run somehow.

The first goal of Atmanirbhara Bharat thus has to be, not to eliminate all foreign dependency, but eliminate any foreign chokehold on India.

This means that when it is a single-supplier situation, India has to have as much leverage on the supplier country as the supplier country has on India. And ideally, there is always more than one supplier, and no chokehold.

The whole reason that trade exists is because that is how the economics works, it is advantageous not to try to do everything oneself. But wherever India can conceivably develop a competitive advantage, it must try, not throw up hands and say it is impossible. From that angle, yes, India's efforts have often not been sufficient. The second goal of Atmanirbhara Bharat must be to address that.

Lastly, in high tech. defense, ultimately India needs to be master of its own destiny, because that is what the nature of power geo-politics imposes on the country. That is the third goal of Atmanirbhara Bharat, and the one that will take the longest.

[uddu]

Atmanirbhara Bharat of your dreams, as exhibited in this thread, even with the best effort is two decades away.

I will put it at a decade away for the IAF, if they really adopt it. But what we see is keep pushing the indigenous efforts timelines further away without inducting it. Take the case of UTTAM radar or even the case of LRLACAM and other missile after the Nirbhay induction has not happened while multiple missiles from abroad got inducted. The attention is on imports rather than on first preference for indigenous systems. The Mindset change has still not happened within the forces except the IN to a large extent. Systems are suddenly needed, that could have been created based on existing tech. Take the case of Pinaka vs PULS. I don't think any effort was made to present a requirement to DRDO needing a system similar to the imported system. It was quickly imported and then the need of so and so range missiles. The Solar industries themselves must have made a system capable of launching both rockets and drones, if asked for it. There was the Maverick Manohar Parikkar who could guide the forces and course correct and get Tejas indcuted and which today could lead to Tejas MK1A And MK2 variants in the work. He could get HTT-40 realized for the IAF. A capable trainer rather than go for the easy import route. The current DM is an OK minister rather than an excellent DM. The only worry today is that of a totally incompetent person taking his place if Shri Rajnath Singh is replaced today.

[uddu]

https://x.com/Kunal_Biswas707/status/20 ... 0761103445
@Kunal_Biswas707
People who were in the AD branch or understand modern SPAAGs can figure out by looking at BEL's Mountain Fire Control Radar: you have a surveillance radar and a tracking radar coupled with thermal sights—all you lack is an AAA gun and a good SPAAG design to make it work


There are private players with such guns
Kalyani Group Unveils Indigenous 30mm Naval Gun for Enhanced Maritime Defense
https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-det ... e-Defense/
2024-11-23
Pune-based defense powerhouse Kalyani Group has taken a significant step in India’s self-reliance journey with the unveiling of its advanced 30mm naval gun, tailored to enhance close-in defense capabilities for smaller warships. This development aligns with India’s broader goal of reducing dependence on foreign arms imports under the Make-I category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, while bolstering indigenous manufacturing through the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Kalyani 40mm based CIWS | Completed trials | Drone Killer

A Close-in weapon system or CIWS is the last line of defence against hostile arial threat and that's why they need to be highly accurate, programmable with high rate of fire. The gun mount of CIWS moves at high speed with precision enabling the system’s defensive capabilities against incoming targets and threats. Indian armed forces have requirement of such CIWS on warships & land. At present they are heavily relying on foreign CIWS which include guns from Russia and BAE systems. Back in 2018, Indian Air Force has launched a $1.5 billion program to buy new-generation close-in weapon systems to replace obsolete L-70 and ZU-23-2B air defense systems. In the lights of the same Bharat Forge Limited has developed new cutting-edge close-in weapon system (CIWS). If you look at the tender, it was for the domestic firms, which means the Kalyani’s CIWS has very good chances of getting selected for this. As per the Indian Air force requirement, The CIWS units will have a short-range, and its air defense guns should have a range of 3.5 kilometres and be capable of firing 200 rounds of ammunition per minute. The Air Force aims to induct homemade CIWS units within the next four years and will integrate the systems with air command-and-control systems that perform air traffic and surveillance management functions. When the tender was issued there was no domestic solution for this. Kalyani group took this opportunity and now they have developed CIWS specifically designed and developed to keep aerial threats at bay and continuously protect the vast airspace. The CIWS is developed in collaboration with BAE Systems and IAI has proven lethal against various air targets, including small aero-models and drones and has completed its trials.

[bala]

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts worth ₹5,083 crore for the acquisition of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III (Maritime Role) for the Indian Coast Guard and Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch - Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy, significantly improving maritime security in India. The contracts were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh at South Block in New Delhi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_W8xi6sqX0

[uddu]

This is why induction of Version 1 is necessary so that we can move ahead and create the next one. From induction of Nagastra which has a range of 100km smaller drones to much more capable and larger Sheshnaag-150 drone with range of 1000km that's how progress is made with induction with iteration. Not sitting idle without placing order forcing us to keep importing. Iterative induction was what Manohar Parrikar was doing. He got Akash Inducted and we got Akash NG today and better versions will emerge in the future. He gave us iterative development model. Sadly after his demise both NS and RS ignored this model and lost the advantage of inducted systems and today the tilt is towards imports. Hope they get back to the iterative induction model and keep inducting weapons and keep the force with better and better iterative systems as time progress, rather than going around saying "Weapons dedo babaa..weapons dedoo..allah ke naam pe weapons dedoo..S400 mijjile nahi mila babaa jaldi bejoo engine nahi mila babaa dedoo"

India Quietly Works On Homegrown Sheshnaag-150 As US And Iran Launch Suicide Drones
As the world watches Iran's Shahed-136 low-cost suicide drones and America's own Shahed-inspired LUCAS drones exact disproportionate damage on the battlefield for a fraction of the cost of conventional weapons, India's own answer to this class of warfare, the Sheshnaag-150, is quietly but steadily making headway in development testing.

The long-range swarming attack drone, built from scratch by Bengaluru-based defence startup Newspace Research Technologies (NRT), first flew a year ago. But in the wake of Operation Sindoor, during which NRT was called upon by the Indian military to deploy some of its other drone capabilities at the warfront, the urgency around a mature, home-grown, long-range swarming strike capability has sharpened dramatically. What was once a promising internal development program is now viewed through a far more operationally urgent lens.

[uddu]

Massive : Ghatak UCAV Approved


https://x.com/shreedharsingh9/status/20 ... 3958088114
@shreedharsingh9
Ghatak will have an internal fuel load of 3.7 ton which is more than 1.2 t higher than the fuel capacity of Tejas , Ghatak will have a good combat radius.

[uddu]

The ATAGS or Amogh is already in production. First lot of the 307 ordered is ready by 2025. By today about 9 to 10 could be ready. 18 ATAGS will form the first regiment by Feb 2027, ATAGS being much more modern and new technologies comes with many new features and the ability to fire further than Dhanush. These two guns are not competing but complementing each other in replacing the large number of old artillery guns in IA inventory. Parellel production of both Dhanush and ATAGS will continue. For the follow on order for towed guns, the lighter version of ATAGS is also ready.

Army’s first regiment of long-range ATAGS artillery guns to be ready by February 2027
Updated on: 08 Jul 2025, 12:43 am
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation ... ruary-2027

“The first gun system is ready for the mandatory first of product model test. The first regiment of 18 ATAGS will be inducted within a year thereafter,” said RP Pandey, Project Director (PD) of ATAGS, speaking to The New Indian Express.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 794626.ece

300 Dhanush for the Army | Making a comeback | हिंदी में

[Rakesh]

DRDO, Indian Navy Test Air-Droppable ‘ADC-150’ Container from P-8I Aircraft
https://bharatshakti.in/drdo-indian-nav ... -aircraft/
10 March 2026

[Rakesh]

Bharat Forge launches flight components manufacturing facility with French co Liebherr-Aerospace
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/in ... 437766.cms
11 April 2026

[Rakesh]

114 Rafales, 60 MTA aircraft, AEW&C deals to be concluded in 2026-27: Defence ministry to parl panel
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ind ... 765032.cms
24 March 2026

[Rakesh]

X-Post from the 6th Generation Fighter Program thread...

Not directly relevant to this thread but we should play our cards right and try to become a defense manufacturing hub for lot of western countries (European & US). ....

Now this may not give us IPR and may be screwdriver giri but this is will give us jobs for masses, will upgrade our skill level in hi tech manufacturing, will have pay offs for our indigenous programs as well, will give us leverage with developed economies of the world.

+1

Absolutely right.

This is exactly what our shrewd 'baniya' PM, Modi ji saw 2+ decades ago during his Gujarat CM stint and he brought it to scale at the national level during his PM stint.

Hence 'Make in India' which is the necessary precursor to 'Made in India'

The Strategic Logic of the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership
https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/ ... artnership
21 March 2026

Amid global uncertainty, the SDP provides India and Europe a framework to deepen defence industrial cooperation and advance strategic autonomy for both sides.

[Rakesh]

^^^

“India needs a defence and military technology partner” Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd)

[Rakesh]

Bharat Dynamics lines up two plants as ₹26,000 crore order book builds
https://www.cnbctv18.com/market/bharat- ... 875215.htm
25 March 2026

Bharat Dynamics will set up two manufacturing facilities in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, aligned with its ₹26,000 crore order book, while additional orders worth ₹15,000 crore are expected in FY27.

[bala]

This Rajnath Singh interview shows what the thinking is in India with collaboration, imports and domestic IDDM.

Rajnath Singh Reveals India’s Plan to Build Jet Engines & Drones Domestically

Within a year, we will reach a position where we will build the engines for these fighter planes in India, on Indian soil, by Indian hands. Work on indigenous drones has already begun: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh



// leaves you much disappointed with the caliber of leadership in the defence ministry. No one is going to give high tech for free and this make in India stuff is mere screwdrivergiri.

[drnayar]

The "brute force" engineering approach is what defined the development of engines like the Pratt & Whitney F135 or the Eurojet EJ200.
While there isn't "magic," many aerospace engineers argue that the difficulty lies in the materials science and integration:

The "Heat" Barrier: It’s one thing to design an engine; it's another to develop single-crystal turbine blades that can operate at temperatures higher than their own melting point. .. success

The Data Loop: Flight Test Beds (FTB) and High Altitude Test Cells are crucial because they provide the "failed" data points needed to refine the software (FADEC) and cooling geometries. .. MISSING

Institutional Memory: A huge part of the "funds and manpower" is simply keeping a team together for 20 years so that the lessons learned on one failure aren't lost before the next prototype. .. MISSING

[VinodTK]

From: Times of India

Tunguska system, P8I maintenance in Rs 858-crore deal: Defence ministry boosts air, maritime capabilities

NEW DELHI: The ministry of defence on Friday signed contracts worth Rs 858 crore for the procurement of the Tunguska Air Defence Missile System and maintenance support for the Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft fleet, aimed at boosting the country’s air and maritime defence capabilities.
The agreements was inked at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and senior officials, according to a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau. The move is part of a broader effort to modernise India’s defence infrastructure while simultaneously boosting indigenous capabilities under the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat push.
Image credit MOD

Of the total outlay, Rs 445 crore has been earmarked for the procurement of the Tunguska Air Defence Missile System for the Indian Army, while Rs 413 crore has been allocated for depot-level inspection and maintenance of the Indian Navy’s P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

Strengthening air defence and Indo-Russian ties

The contract for the Tunguska system has been signed with Russia’s state arms exporter JSC Rosoboronexport, reinforcing the long-standing defence partnership between New Delhi and Moscow.

According to the official statement, the system is expected to enhance India’s multi-layered air defence capabilities against aerial threats including aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles. The acquisition comes at a time when evolving battlefield dynamics, particularly the rise of drone warfare and precision-guided munitions, have increased the need for responsive, mobile air defence systems.

The deal also reflects continuity in Indo-Russian defence cooperation, even as India diversifies its procurement sources. Russia has historically been a key supplier of air defence systems to India, and platforms like Tunguska continue to play a role in bridging gaps in short-range air defence.

Boost to maritime readiness through P8I maintenance

Alongside the missile procurement, the Ministry has also signed a Rs 413 crore contract with Boeing India Defense Pvt Ltd for depot-level maintenance of the Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft.

Notably, the maintenance work will be carried out with 100 percent indigenous content, aligning with the government’s emphasis on domestic manufacturing and self-reliance. The P8I aircraft, which serve as the backbone of India’s maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities, require regular and sophisticated maintenance to ensure operational readiness.

By bringing such maintenance capabilities within the country, the government aims to reduce dependence on foreign support while building a domestic ecosystem for high-end defence servicing.

What is the Tunguska air defence missile system

The 2K22 Tunguska is a Soviet-origin, tracked, self-propelled air defence system designed to provide protection to ground forces against low-flying aerial threats. Known by its NATO designation SA-19 “Grison”, the system combines both missile and gun-based defence in a single platform.

Unlike conventional air defence systems that rely solely on missiles, the Tunguska integrates surface-to-air missiles with twin 30 mm autocannons. This hybrid design allows it to engage targets across different ranges and altitudes, making it particularly effective against fast-moving and low-altitude threats such as helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles.

The system was developed to overcome limitations observed in earlier platforms, particularly the ZSU-23-4, which had a shorter range and lacked early warning capabilities. Development began in 1970 under the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula, led by chief designer A. G. Shipunov.

Designed for modern battlefield threats

One of the defining features of the Tunguska system is its ability to operate in all weather conditions, both day and night, providing continuous protection to infantry and armoured units.

The missile component, primarily from the 9M311 family, is capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 8 to 10 kilometres and altitudes of up to 3,500 metres. These missiles are guided using a radio command system and are designed to achieve high accuracy, with a lethal warhead that disperses metal fragments in a ring pattern upon detonation.

Complementing the missiles are dual 30 mm autocannons, which can fire at extremely high rates, ranging between 3,900 and 5,000 rounds per minute. These guns are particularly effective at close range, providing a rapid-response defence against sudden threats such as low-flying helicopters or incoming munitions.

The combination of guns and missiles ensures that the system can handle both long-range engagements and immediate, short-range threats, significantly improving survivability on the battlefield.

Radar and tracking capabilities

The Tunguska is equipped with an advanced radar and fire control system that enables it to detect, track, and engage multiple targets simultaneously.

Its target acquisition radar offers a 360-degree field of view and can detect aerial threats at distances of up to 18 kilometres. The tracking radar, integrated with a digital fire control computer, ensures precise targeting and engagement.

The system is also designed to function in electronically contested environments, with resistance to various forms of interference. In addition to radar-based targeting, it includes optical tracking systems that allow operators to engage targets even if radar signals are jammed.

This layered targeting capability makes the Tunguska particularly resilient in modern warfare scenarios, where electronic warfare plays a critical role.

Mobility and battlefield integration

Mounted on a tracked chassis, the Tunguska is highly mobile and capable of keeping pace with armoured formations. It can operate across varied terrains and climatic conditions, with the ability to function in temperatures ranging from extreme cold to intense heat.

The system is designed to operate as part of a larger air defence network. A typical battery consists of multiple combat vehicles supported by command posts and maintenance units, allowing coordinated engagement of multiple targets.

Each unit can receive targeting data from external sources such as early warning radars or airborne systems, enabling it to function within a broader integrated air defence architecture.

Evolution and upgrades

Since its induction into service in the early 1980s, the Tunguska system has undergone several upgrades to improve its performance and adaptability.

The original 2K22 version was followed by improved variants such as the 2K22M and 2K22M1, which introduced better fire control systems, enhanced missiles, and improved reliability. The latest variants are capable of engaging smaller and more agile targets, including modern cruise missiles and drones.

These upgrades have ensured that the system remains relevant in contemporary combat environments, where threats are increasingly diverse and technologically advanced.

Operational use and global footprint

The Tunguska system has been used by several countries, including India, and has seen operational deployment in various conflicts. It has been employed by Russian forces and has also featured in recent conflicts involving both Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Its continued use across different theatres underscores its effectiveness as a short-range air defence solution.

For India, the acquisition of the Tunguska system is part of a broader strategy to strengthen its layered air defence network. As aerial threats evolve, particularly with the proliferation of drones and precision weapons, the need for systems capable of rapid response at short ranges has become increasingly critical.

The procurement also complements other air defence assets in India’s inventory, contributing to a comprehensive shield against a wide spectrum of aerial threats.

At the same time, the emphasis on indigenous maintenance for platforms like the P8I reflects a parallel effort to build self-reliance in defence capabilities. By combining targeted imports with domestic capacity-building, India is seeking to balance operational readiness with long-term strategic autonomy.

A dual-track approach to defence modernisation

The Rs 858 crore contracts highlight a dual-track approach in India’s defence policy: strengthening operational capabilities through strategic acquisitions while investing in domestic infrastructure and expertise.

As regional and global security dynamics continue to evolve, such measures are likely to play a crucial role in ensuring that India remains prepared to address both conventional and emerging threats.

The inclusion of advanced systems like Tunguska, alongside a push for indigenous maintenance and production, signals a calibrated effort to modernise the armed forces without compromising on self-reliance.