I realise that much has been said about L1 being an inefficient procurement procedure, rightfully. While Technical evaluation, L1+L2, DAP, QCs, IDDM, Idex, Make 1, Make 2 etc have been introduced.. What other feasible solutions are there to make the process better for our demanding times?
Surely, we cannot go back to the pre L1 days of zero accountability and nigh high loopholes and individual interference as opposed to institutions and systematic procedures.
So, do members have their own policy suggestions that balances accountability, time, technology, industry, old guard and startups? Both politically and technologically feasible.
Surely, we cannot go back to the pre L1 days of zero accountability and nigh high loopholes and individual interference as opposed to institutions and systematic procedures.
So, do members have their own policy suggestions that balances accountability, time, technology, industry, old guard and startups? Both politically and technologically feasible.
I was kind of taken aback. It was a serious take from the veteran. How do things become so binary? What about the rest of the strategic arsenal and other missile systems? Also, seriously Reliance, Adani?
The divide has become quite sharp for def. X folks. I hope that some takes are purely related to engagements.
The divide has become quite sharp for def. X folks. I hope that some takes are purely related to engagements.
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India plans to make it much easier for foreign firms to invest in defence companies, two government sources with knowledge of the matter said - a move that would align with efforts to boost domestic manufacturing after last year's conflict with Pakistan.
The cap on foreign direct investment in defence firms with existing licences under the so-called automatic route, where government approval is not required, is set to be raised to 74% from 49%, the sources said.
The government is also in discussions about dropping a condition that stipulates foreign investment beyond 74% is only allowed if it "results in access to modern technology" - wording that has been criticised by experts as vague and ambiguous.
MOVE WOULD ALLOW FOREIGN FIRMS TO TAKE MAJORITY STAKES
The planned easing of these rules, which has not been previously reported, is aimed at encouraging companies from defence partner nations to take majority stakes in Indian ventures, said the sources who were not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified.The reforms could be enacted in the next couple of months, they added.
Another condition set to be dropped is a requirement for fully export-oriented defence manufacturers to set up domestic maintenance and support facilities, the sources said.
"This condition compelled companies to first set up a base for maintenance activities, which can now be outsourced by the export-oriented units, making it easier for them to attract foreign investment," said Amit Cowshish, a former defence ministry official.
MUTED INVESTMENT THUS FAR
Foreign defence firms that currently have operations in India through joint ventures or strategic partnerships include France's Airbus (AIR.PA), Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), of the U.S. and Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. India also has extensive defence ties with Russia.That said, foreign equity inflows into India's defence sector have been muted, accounting for $26.5 million of total foreign inflows of $765 billion in the 25 years through September 2025, according to government data.
The defence ministry is asking for a 20% increase in spending in the budget for fiscal 2026/27 over the $75.36 billion allotted for the current year. Last year, the government also said it aimed to nearly double domestic production of defence equipment to $33.25 billion and boost defence exports to $5.5 billion by 2029.
Defence exports grew 12% year-on-year in 2024/25 to $2.6 billion - a record high as India seeks to shed its long-standing status as one of the world's largest arms importers.
I wonder how they think India got Agni and Prithvi series missiles then.There are a lot of individuals that go around saying 'not a single' org in India invests in R&D to improve its systems. I apologise. Seems to kind of fall flat when you do a basic search or even ask an AI chat bot.
I obtained the following results for 2023-24 (Stats provided by Gemini). I took HAL as an example and got this comparison done.
This is just a note presented to refute such blank statements.
Note: Currency conversions are approximate based on average exchange rates for the reporting period (1 USD ≈ 83 INR, 0.92 EUR, 10.5 SEK, 1300 KRW).
Company Country Spending ($) Percentage of R&D (as per Revenue) Primary area of focus HAL India
~$340 Million (₹2,826 Cr) 10.0% LCA Tejas Mk1A/Mk2, AMCA, Helicopters (LUH/LCH), Engines Dassault Aviation France
~$690 Million (€637 M) 10.7% Rafale upgrades, Falcon business jets, Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Saab AB Sweden
~$360 Million (3.8B SEK) 7.3% Gripen E/F fighter, Radar systems (GlobalEye), Ground combat KAI (Korea Aerospace) South Korea
~$165 Million (215B KRW) ~5.7% KF-21 Fighter, FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft, Helicopters Leonardo Italy
~$2.4 Billion (€2.2B) 14.4% Helicopters, Defense Electronics, Cyber, Aircraft Division Lockheed Martin USA
$3.2 Billion 4.8% F-35, Missiles, Space, Skunk Works (Advanced Development)
Indian Army, Navy to procure domestically built handheld C-UAS
The Indian Army and the Navy have each awarded a contract to Noida-based IG Defence to procure an undisclosed number of units of a counter-unmanned aircraft system...
www.janes.com
The Indian Army and the Navy have each awarded a contract to Noida-based IG Defence to procure an undisclosed number of units of a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS).
Speaking to Janes, senior vice-president at IG Defence Major General R C Padhi (retd) said the company will be supplying its IG T-Shul Pulse Anti-Drone Gun to the Indian Army and the Navy.
“The IG T-Shul Pulse Anti-Drone Gun is a handheld, electronic warfare-based jammer designed to disrupt and neutralise hostile drones in operational environments,” Padhi said. He added that IG Defence intends to complete deliveries of the C-UAS by the end of February.
IG T-Shul is an eight-channel jammer gun capable of simultaneously disrupting multiple drone control and navigation frequencies, including 430 MHz, 900 MHz, 1.2 GHz, 1.4 GHz, 1.6 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.2 GHz, and 5.8 GHz, Padhi said.
“The IG T-Shul Pulse Anti-Drone Gun offers an effective jamming range of up to 2 km under line-of-sight conditions, weighs just 6.5 kg, and can be deployed in under a minute.
“The system is built for harsh military environments, with IP55 protection, MIL-STD-810G and MIL-STD-461E compliance, and reliable performance across temperatures from -20°C to 70°C,” he added.
“Unlike many legacy or single-band jammers in the Indian market, our T-Shul Pulse uses a multiband, directional electronic denial architecture, allowing it to counter frequency-agile drones more effectively while minimising interference with friendly communications.
“It is also fully standalone, network-independent, and electronically isolated, which reduces cyber and electromagnetic vulnerabilities and makes it more suitable for front-line and maritime operations,” Padhi said.
₹500 Cr Chiplet & SiP Thermal Detectors Semicon plant by Paras Defence
Heterogeneous/3D packaging, chiplet integration, and System-in-Package (SiP) facility focused on cooled thermal imaging systems, with 10,000 high-end detectors per year target, with Phase 1 ops by end-2027
HgCdTe, InSb & InGaAs, wafer-level detector materials are likely to be imported or licensed; plant will feature indigenous electronics, chiplet-based designs, SiP integration & module assembly. Approach allows India to build thermal imaging modules even while domestic wafer capabilities are being developed.
Most cooled thermal IR detectors & related electronics remain imported. When factoring complete sub/systems & foreign-sourced modules, potential ₹1,000 crore/year in import substitution + potential for export-ready thermal imaging modules.
economictimes.indiatimes.com
Heterogeneous/3D packaging, chiplet integration, and System-in-Package (SiP) facility focused on cooled thermal imaging systems, with 10,000 high-end detectors per year target, with Phase 1 ops by end-2027
HgCdTe, InSb & InGaAs, wafer-level detector materials are likely to be imported or licensed; plant will feature indigenous electronics, chiplet-based designs, SiP integration & module assembly. Approach allows India to build thermal imaging modules even while domestic wafer capabilities are being developed.
Most cooled thermal IR detectors & related electronics remain imported. When factoring complete sub/systems & foreign-sourced modules, potential ₹1,000 crore/year in import substitution + potential for export-ready thermal imaging modules.
Indian defence company to invest ₹500 cr in chip plant
Paras Defence and Space Technologies Ltd is investing Rs 500 crore to establish a new semiconductor production facility, aiming to cater to domestic and export markets. Production is slated to begin by the end of 2027, focusing on chiplet integration and advanced system-in-package technologies...
Solar grp develops 125kg air bomb for NATO, Russian fighter aircraft | Nagpur News - The Times of India
Nagpur: The Solar Defence And Aerospace Limited, a top Nagpur-based company in defence and explosives sector, has developed the first universal 125kg .
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
The Solar Defence And Aerospace Limited, a top Nagpur-based company in defence and explosives sector, has developed the first universal 125kg air bomb that could be used equally on NATO (Western) and Russian fighter aircraft apart from addressing technical, logistic challenges faced by the Indian Air Force.
Solar group chairman Satyanarayan Nuwal provided information about the bomb recently in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh.
The 125kg air bomb completed user trials on Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft and received approval for fitment. Its integration on the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi-30MKI fleet was underway, and tests including adaptation and pit drop trials were expected to be completed soon.
Until now, different types of bombs with the same capability had to be developed due to differences in suspension lugs, release mechanisms and avionics interfaces on NATO (Western) and Russian-made aircraft, creating complications in production, storage, certification and maintenance. Solar group's universal bomb addressed this by using adaptive suspension and interface architecture and remaining compatible with both NATO and Russian carriage standards, enabling fitment and use on various fighter aircraft without separate platform-specific modifications.
The company started receiving international demand from such countries, and the option was expected to be cost-effective by eliminating the need for different bomb inventories.
The air bomb project formed part of Solar group's expansion in the aerial munitions sector. The company previously manufactured artillery shells, rockets, warheads and propellants. The project aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy in the defence production sector and provided an indigenous alternative to importing bombs.
Is Solar building its own version of the SAAW?Solar grp develops 125kg air bomb for NATO, Russian fighter aircraft | Nagpur News - The Times of India
Nagpur: The Solar Defence And Aerospace Limited, a top Nagpur-based company in defence and explosives sector, has developed the first universal 125kg .
The Solar Defence And Aerospace Limited, a top Nagpur-based company in defence and explosives sector, has developed the first universal 125kg air bomb that could be used equally on NATO (Western) and Russian fighter aircraft apart from addressing technical, logistic challenges faced by the Indian Air Force.
Solar group chairman Satyanarayan Nuwal provided information about the bomb recently in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh.
The 125kg air bomb completed user trials on Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft and received approval for fitment. Its integration on the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi-30MKI fleet was underway, and tests including adaptation and pit drop trials were expected to be completed soon.
Until now, different types of bombs with the same capability had to be developed due to differences in suspension lugs, release mechanisms and avionics interfaces on NATO (Western) and Russian-made aircraft, creating complications in production, storage, certification and maintenance. Solar group's universal bomb addressed this by using adaptive suspension and interface architecture and remaining compatible with both NATO and Russian carriage standards, enabling fitment and use on various fighter aircraft without separate platform-specific modifications.
The company started receiving international demand from such countries, and the option was expected to be cost-effective by eliminating the need for different bomb inventories.
The air bomb project formed part of Solar group's expansion in the aerial munitions sector. The company previously manufactured artillery shells, rockets, warheads and propellants. The project aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy in the defence production sector and provided an indigenous alternative to importing bombs.
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The 125 kg bomb (akin to Mk 81) is an aircraft delivered air to ground munition for use against targets such as buildings, troop concentrations and light armoured vehicles. The 125 kg bomb will comply to US military Mk 81 bomb design standards. This 125 kg bomb will be compatible for carriage by IAF Western and Russian origin aircraft. The Mk 81 type bombs can be carried by a wide range of aircraft, including fighter jets and attack aircraft. This bomb can also be equipped with guidance kits like the Paveway series for converting these into smart munitions.
The 125 kg bomb (akin to Mk 81) is an aircraft delivered air to ground munition for use against targets such as buildings, troop concentrations and light armoured vehicles. The 125 kg bomb will comply to US military Mk 81 bomb design standards. This 125 kg bomb will be compatible for carriage by IAF Western and Russian origin aircraft. The Mk 81 type bombs can be carried by a wide range of aircraft, including fighter jets and attack aircraft. This bomb can also be equipped with guidance kits like the Paveway series for converting these into smart munitions.
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I’ve started avoiding X because discussions around Indian defence issues there rarely stay rational. Almost any development triggers emotional posturing rather than a calm, nuanced point by point discussion and this happens irrespective of whether the subject is indigenous or foreign equipment.
I understand that not everyone has deep domain knowledge; I don’t either beyond. I'm a rookie. But that’s precisely why good-faith engagement matters. Calm discussion allows people to learn from one another, test assumptions, and gain new perspectives.
Unfortunately, the defence discourse on X is driven less by understanding and more by clicks and engagement. Emotional outrage is rewarded, nuance is penalized, and genuine discussion gets drowned out. Another thing with that platform is there is too much factionalism/tribalism there, that platform is made to nurture such behaviour (well most SMs these days are that). Then there is politics which brings a whole different kind of tribalism in each & every issue (not saying politics doesn't play a role, it does play a role & it should be part of the equation but idk how to put it but...). The less we talk about that here the better.
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I think he isn't really serious. It's just usual veteran engagement farming post. There are a bunch of them who do this on X.
Disappointing. Let's just leave it at that. Many accounts related to def are after engagements...so not that surprising.
I love how people go onto X(actually no fk that its Twitter and elon can SMC) and expect a non toxic environment.
