India’s fighter aircraft strength will be down to 31 squadrons by the end of the year, down from 42. It will further reduce when Mirage 2000, MiG-29, and Jaguar squadrons are phased out.
India has paid a steep price for HAL’s unchecked dominance, evident in the MiG-era overhauls, the decades-long Tejas saga, and the troubled ALH programme.
With AMCA rollout expected to take a decade, Defence Secretary Rajesh Singh confirms talks for fifth-gen jets amid reports of Pakistan acquiring Chinese stealth fighters.
EOI was marked a historic shift in defence procurement & industrial participation policy since this meant that HAL will have to bid along with private firms to bag the contract.
In the latest episode of ThePrint’s ‘Off The Cuff’, former air force chief VR Chaudhari spoke at length about Operation Sindoor and its impact on the IAF’s future.
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said IAF was mostly outward looking when it came to procurements but a 'rap on the knuckles' made it look inwards, adding that 'atmanirbharta' is key.
HAL has so far been the only entity in India to manufacture fighter planes. It will now have to compete against private companies, like TATA, Adani, L&T and other interested players.
China’s rapid military modernisation is altering the regional power balance to the detriment of India’s security. India needs to pivot toward a multi-domain defence strategy.
Discriminatory laws limit firms from hiring willing women, and removing such barriers can help narrow the economic gap between developing and developed countries.
While bond yields tend to fall amid low inflation & interest rate cuts, market experts say they’ve been rising due to concerns over tax collections, fiscal deficit & potential impact of US tariffs.
A panel of experts moderated by ThePrint’s Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta drew connections between insights of 1965 Indo-Pak War and strategic takeaways highlighted by Op Sindoor.
In its toughest time in decades because of floods, Punjab would’ve expected PM Modi to visit. If he has the time for a Bihar tour, why not a short visit to next-door Punjab?
COMMENTS