The coming years will test India’s defence industry like never before. Success will depend on collaboration between DRDO, ADA, HAL, private firms, and international partners.
As per the timeline decided, 5 prototypes of India’s own fifth-generation fighter are set to be rolled out by 2031, with the first by 2028 using the GE 414 engine.
India spends heavily on defence but does not finance it. That distinction separates mature defence-industrial economies from those trapped in yearly budget cycles.
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.
In West Bengal, Left is in a dead heat with Congress for the wooden spoon; Maoism in the tribal heartland has been entombed; and in Kerala, the Left fights double incumbency.
Increase in employment subsidy, Rs 500 crore for estate revamp, new townships in pipeline—but land cost, power breakdowns and inspector raj top among key worries for industry leaders.
CDS Anil Chauhan says future space capability will not be built by government agencies alone. ‘It will be co-developed with industry, start-ups, and technology innovators’.
American objectives are unmet. They neither have muscle nor motivation to resume the war. As for Iran, the regime didn’t just survive, it’s now led by more radical individuals.
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