Defence

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan commissioned INS Nipun at Mumbai on 31 August. Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, it is the second Diving Support Vessel of the Nistar class and joins the Western Naval Command, carrying the Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel and saturation diving capability.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the Javelin Joint Venture — a partnership of the U.S. firms Raytheon and Lockheed Martin — signed a memorandum of understanding on 31 August to explore co-production of the Javelin All Up Round missile in India. It follows the Army’s Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system.

The Defence Minister released the strategic framework on 3 September. It sets out India’s road map for defence diplomacy and global defence partnerships over the next ten years, resting on deeper bilateral and multilateral ties, joint military exercises, indigenous defence exports under Make in India, and maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.

The sixteenth edition of Aero India, Asia’s largest air show, will be held at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru from 8 to 12 February 2027. It is organised by the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence; exhibitor registrations opened on 3 September 2026.

India signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the United States on 28 August to procure Javelin anti-tank guided missile systems through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales route. The purchase uses the emergency procurement powers granted to the armed forces after Operation Sindoor, under which each equipment purchase may go up to ₹300 crore. The Javelin is a medium-range guided missile designed to engage armoured vehicles and fortified positions.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the transfer of technology of all conventional missile systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation to Indian companies. The move is intended to carry missile projects from the development stage to industrial-scale production. It also widens the participation of Indian industry in the defence ecosystem by creating opportunities for private sector firms.

The Indian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Air Force held Exercise Udara Shakti 2026, a biennial bilateral tactical air combat exercise, in Malaysia. The IAF flew Rafale fighters supported by a C-17 Globemaster III, while the RMAF fielded Su-30MKM, F/A-18D Hornet and A400M Atlas aircraft. The exercise focused on dissimilar air combat training and joint mission planning.

The Defence Ministry simplified its export and licensing rules to help Indian defence manufacturers reach global markets faster. Under the revised Defence Export Standard Operating Procedure, stakeholder consultation with the Ministries and government agencies concerned has been dispensed with for exports of non-lethal defence items to most destinations.