India’s Ministry of Defence has signed two significant agreements with the US for long-term support of the Navy’s MH-60R helicopters, worth INR 7,995 crore. Over five years, the package enhances sustainment with spares, training, and local repair facilities, promoting self-reliance and operational readiness for anti-submarine and other critical missions.
On November 26, 2025, India approved a INR 7,280-crore scheme to establish an integrated manufacturing ecosystem for sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPM). This initiative aims to enhance domestic production, reduce import reliance, and support the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, aligning with India’s Net Zero 2070 commitments while creating skilled jobs and boosting advanced manufacturing.
India and Vietnam established a significant maritime partnership through a landmark agreement on submarine search and rescue support on November 10, 2025. This agreement, signed during the 15th Defence Policy Dialogue, enhances defence collaboration and strategic alignment amid rising regional tensions, particularly with China, while promoting technological cooperation and expanding joint initiatives in the Indo-Pacific.
India’s defence production reached a record INR 151,000 crore (USD 17 billion) for 2024-25, driven mainly by state-run industries. Defence exports rose to INR 6,695 crore (USD 755 million). New initiatives and collaborations aim to enhance self-reliance and sustainability, positioning India as a future global defence manufacturing hub.
At the India Defence Conclave 2025, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the importance of shared defence innovation and collaborations for enhancing India’s military capabilities against evolving threats. He highlighted moving from dependence to dominance through strategic partnerships, dual-use technologies, and civil-military fusion, asserting that operational efficiency is critical for future warfare.
India’s Zuppa and Divide By Zero Technologies are partnering to create mobile rapid fabrication units for 3D printing and assembling drones at the frontlines. This initiative enhances defence self-reliance, allowing forces to manufacture drones on demand, increasing adaptability and effectiveness in real-time mission scenarios, and positioning India as a global leader in defense innovation.
Adani Defence & Aerospace received the SIDM Champion Award 2025 for excellence in ammunition design and manufacturing. The award, presented by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, highlights the advanced capabilities of their 500-acre Ammunition Complex in Kanpur. CEO Ashish Rajvanshi emphasized the company’s commitment to enhancing India’s self-reliance in defense production and expanding its manufacturing ecosystem.
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has transferred 12 technology licensing agreements to industry partners during SAMANVAY 2025 in Bengaluru. This initiative, part of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ program, focuses on collaboration in defence technologies, enhancing India’s self-reliance in manufacturing and fostering innovation among industries and start-ups.
By John Spencer India’s transformation into a modern defence power began in 2014, when Prime Minister Modi launched the “Make in India” initiative. The goal was clear: reduce dependence on foreign arms imports and build a world-class domestic defence industry. The policy incentivised joint ventures, opened the defence […]
By A Correspondent New Delhi: India‘s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts with state-run Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited for the procurement of Nag Missile System (NAMIS) tracked version of anti-tank weapon platforms and Force Motors Limited and Mahindra & Mahindra Limited for around 5,000 light vehicles for […]
By A Correspondent Bengaluru (Karnataka): French technology major Thales Group‘s United Kingdom arm and Indian state-run missile maker Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) on Feb. 10, 2025, announced the agreement signing for an initial supply of Laser Beam Riding Man Portable Air Defence Systems (LBRM) to the Indian armed […]
By N. C. Bipindra India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts with its state-run companies and a private sector firm to boost the firepower of its army’s Pinaka air defence rockets. An MoD statement on Feb. 6, 2025, said the deal, worth Rs 10,147 crore (~US$1.2 billion), will […]
L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited director Arun Ramchandani tells our editor N. C. Bipindra in an interview during DefExpo-2022 that ‘Sea Ceptor‘ offering to the Indian Navy for its air defence requirement is a futuristic technology. The company is currently making MICA missile equipment in Coimbatore in Tamil […]
In an interview during DefExpo-2022, Rolls-Royce India and South Asia president Kishore Jayaraman tells our editor N. C. Bipindra that the company aims to partner the Indian Navy for design, development and deployment of India’s first electric warship. Q. Kindly provide an overview of the progress of Rolls-Royce’s […]
In an interview ahead of DefExpo-2022, General Atomics Global Corporation chief executive Dr Vivek Lall tells our editor N. C. Bipindra that the American firm is continuing its discussions with the Indian government on procurement programmes, both in the Aeronautical Systems and the Energy and Electromagnetic Systems divisions […]
