Defence Now - Latest Indian Defence News

Indian Navy Inducts More Mig-29 K to Be Used From Aircraft Carriers

Defence Minister AK Antony has announced in the Parliament that 15 Russian MiG-29 K fighters have been inducted in the Indian Navy. These MiG-29 K fighters have been inducted for carrier-borne operations and will operate from INS Vikramaditya once it is inducted in December this year.

While indicating that 15 MiG-29K have been inducted, Defence Minister added that a contract has been concluded to acquire an additional 29 MiG-29Ks to strengthen the air combat...

Indian DPSUs Increase Exports to the US, Europe and Asia

The Minister of State for Defence M.M.Pallam Raju has stated in the Parliament that since 2009-2010, the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) have exported products worth nearly $ 4.03 billion (Rs 1,815 crore) to over 50 countries including the US, UK, China, and Israel amongst others. The Minister has stated that the state-run Defence units are continually progressing in terms of exports.

Minister of State (Defence) M.M.Pallam Raju has tab...

State-Run NAL Ties Up With Pvt Firm to Convert ‘Hansa’ Trainer into a Uav

The state-run National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) has entered into an agreement with private sector firm Kadet Defence Systems to convert the ‘Hansa’ trainer aircraft into an optional unmanned vehicle. Hansa is a lightweight trainer-cum-general purpose aircraft developed indigenously by NAL. The agreement also entails joint development of a new tactical drone.

NAL had developed the Hansa trainer aircraft fabricated entirely out of composite materials and it ...

Homegrown Version of Bofors Artillery to Be Tested Today

The Indian Army’s artillery modernization will gain some mileage as India’s first indigenously built artillery gun is subjected to trials today. The first user-trials of the artillery gun manufactured by state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) are taking place at Pokhran in Rajasthan.

Following the purchase of the Bofors artillery two and a half decades ago, India has finally succeeded in creating its own homegrown version of the artillery gun at the Field Fi...

India to Test ‘Nirbhay Cruise Missile, Develop Agni-V Variant with Mutliple Warhead Capabilities

Following the successful launch of the Agni-V missile, the state-run DRDO is gearing up for the first flight of the homegrown subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay. According to DRDO officials, the first flight of Nirbhay cruise missile will take place this year itself from the Integrated Test Range at Balasore in Odisha. Besides, DRDO is also working on equipping the recently tested Agni-V missile with multiple warheads.

As for the indigenously developed subsonic...

Defence Min clears procurement projects of over Rs 7,000 crore

Speeding up the military modernisation process, the Defence Ministry today cleared procurement projects worth over Rs 7,000 crore including the long-pending acquisition of 145 Ultra Light Howitzers from the US under a Rs 3,000-crore deal.

The decision to go ahead with the procurement of 145 M777 howitzers from the US under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route and several other items was taken at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council...

Goa Shipyard Signs Contract to Build Six Vessels for Indian Coast Guard

India's Defence Ministry-owned Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) signed a contract with the government to build six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), officials have said.

The order is said to be worth $400 million or Rs.1,800 crore.

"The vessels are based on in-house design of GSL, which has considerable expertise in designing and constructing a range of patrol vessels for the Indian Defence forces...

New Safety Organisation Envisaged For Indian Navy

Indian Navy is envisaging having a new 'Safety Organisation' to enhance safe operations of its warships, submarines and aircraft in view of its increasing fleet strength planned over the next decade.

This issue was discussed at the just concluded naval commanders conference held in New Delhi.

Indian Navy has had mishaps in the recent months involving its warships and submarines such as merchant vessel MV Nordlake ramming ...

IAF to procuring 75 Pilatus aircraft from Switzerland with worth over Rs. 1,800 crore

Fulfilling Air Force's long-pending requirement, government on Thursday cleared a proposal worth over Rs. 1,800 crore for procuring 75 Pilatus aircraft from Switzerland to train its rookie pilots.

Government has approved the deal to procure 75 Pilatus Basic Trainer Aircraft for IAF, highly placed Defence ministry sources said in New Delhi.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security ...

PAN-India Optical Fibre Cable Network for Defence Forces at an Additional cost of $1.3 Billion

India is poised to have an exclusive pan-India Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) for its Defence Forces which will help them to vacate the radio waves they currently occupy. The proposal for the pan-India OFC is currently being processed and it will be to the tune of $ 1.3 billion.

The need for such an exclusive OFC is strategic since all the three armed forces require a robust communications network. A dedicated and highly secure state-of-the-art OFC network for th...