India Needs National Maritime Commission to Safeguard Strategic and Economic Interests: Experts

By Rear Admiral Dhiren Vig (Retd)

NEW DELHI: The growing instability in West Asia and the increasing weaponisation of maritime choke points have renewed calls for India to establish a National Maritime Commission (NMC) to strengthen maritime security, streamline governance and accelerate the country’s blue economy ambitions. Strategic analysts and maritime experts argue that recent geopolitical developments, including disruptions to oil and gas supply routes in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), have exposed vulnerabilities in India’s maritime preparedness and highlighted the urgent need for an apex-level maritime body....more

Apache Choppers, Howitzers: US Clears $428-Million Defence Support To India

WASHINGTON, May 19: The Donald Trump administration in the United States has cleared two potential foreign military sales to India worth a combined $428.2 million, covering follow-on support for AH-64E Apache helicopters and sustainment assistance for M-777 A2 ultra-light howitzers, according to the US State Department.

The proposed agreements were announced by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs in separate congressional notifications. The package for long-term sustainment support for M-777 A2 Ultra-Light Howitzers, valued at an estimated $230 million, include "ancillary items; spares; repair and return; training; technical assistance; field service representative; depot capability; and other related elements of logistics and programme support," the statement said.

The principal contractor for the howitzer support package will be BAE Systems.

The other package for sale of Apache helicopters' follow-on support services and related equipment is valued at $198.2 million, for which contractors are Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Indian Army received its first two artillery gun systems from the US in 2017.

In a separate notification, the State Department approved a possible $198.2 million sale linked to Apache helicopters.

"The US Department of State has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India for its purchase of Apache Helicopters, follow-on support services and related equipment," the statement said.

Both notifications stressed that the proposed sales would support Washington's broader strategic objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions," the State Department said, using identical language in both notifications.

The proposed sales would improve India's capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defence, and deter regional threats. "India will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces," the statement said.

The State Department further noted that the proposed sales "will not alter the basic military balance in the region" and would have "no adverse impact on US defence readiness".

The approvals come amid expanding defence cooperation between India and the United States, which have steadily deepened military ties over the past decade through arms sales, joint military exercises and technology-sharing initiatives.

'Will strengthen defence cooperation': Rajnath Singh during bilateral talks in Vietnam

HANOI, May 19: Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday held a ministerial-level bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang in Hanoi, as India and Vietnam reviewed expanding defence ties and regional security cooperation.

During the talks, Singh highlighted the historical foundations of the India-Vietnam relationship and underscored the significance of his visit coinciding with the 136th birth anniversary of former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh.

"It is a privilege for me to be present in Vietnam for this important meeting. I feel particularly proud that our meeting is taking place on the occasion of the 136th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh. He was a visionary leader who is held in high regard in India. His historic visit to India in 1958 laid a strong foundation for lasting relations between the two countries," Singh said.

The Defence Minister also emphasised that the visit comes at a key moment in bilateral relations, marking ten years of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

"This is a milestone that reflects the depth, maturity, and strength of our bilateral relations. I am happy that during your recent visit to India, this has now been upgraded to an 'Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'," he stated.

Singh expressed confidence that the discussions in Hanoi would deepen military cooperation and expand strategic engagement between the two nations.

"I am confident that our discussion today will further strengthen our defence cooperation and will also open new paths for cooperation in the years to come," he added.

In a post on X, Singh said the meeting focused on expanding cooperation in maritime security, the defence industry, military training and regional stability.

"Held a productive bilateral meeting with Gen. Phan Van Giang, Defence Minister of Vietnam. We reviewed the growing India-Vietnam defence partnership and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in maritime security, defence industry, training and regional stability," Singh said.

He added, "India remains committed to strengthening its Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam."

During the visit, the two sides jointly inaugurated a Language Lab established at the Air Force Officers College in Vietnam and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology.

"Glad that both sides also exchanged an MoU in the field of AI and quantum technology, marking another important step in our Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Singh stated.

India ready to counter any cross-border misadventure: Navy chief designate

MUMBAI, May 12: Indian Navy chief designate Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has said the country has been a victim of terrorism for several years, and asserted that it remains prepared to counter and quell any "misadventure" from across the border.

Operation Sindoor was targeted specifically at terrorists and terrorist camps that participated in a very dastardly incident in Pahalgam in 2025, said Swaminathan, the Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.

The country cannot accept terrorist activities in the country, especially when they come from foreign soil, he asserted at an event organised by the Bramha Research Foundation, a think tank, in Mumbai on Monday.

"Anybody who is sensible in the world knows the misadventure does not come anywhere or anytime from India. India has always been in a responding kind of mode. The misadventure comes from across the border. People can say what they want, but as far as we are concerned, India will remain prepared and if any misadventure comes from that side we are actually ready to quell it," Swaminathan said.

He was responding to reports of remarks made by Field Marshal Asim Munir, also the Chief of Defence Forces of Pakistan, that any future misadventure against Islamabad will result in extremely widespread and dangerous, far-reaching and painful consequences for New Delhi.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 persons, mostly tourists, were gunned down, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, carrying out airstrikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating at least 100 terrorists.

Swaminathan said Operation Sindoor is important to make sure India does not continue to be a victim of terrorism. It also reminds about what needs to be done to make the country stronger. As far as the Indian office is concerned, Operation Sindoor is ongoing, he maintained.

"So we continue to be prepared for whatever challenges anybody might throw at us, and we continue to negotiate terrorism from a position of strength," the Navy chief designate asserted.

The global security environment is undergoing profound change. Supply chains are increasingly weaponised, access to critical technologies is contested, and geopolitical competition is reshaping the strategic landscape across all regions and all domains, he pointed out.

"Nations that depend excessively on external suppliers, for defence preparedness, expose themselves, not only to economic vulnerability, but also to strategic uncertainty," Swaminathan said.

Stressing that nearly 95 per cent of India's trade by volume and roughly 70 per cent by value continues to transit on the seas, he said the country's energy security, oil, batteries, the energy that fuels its cities, etc, comes by ships.

India's competitiveness depends on safety lanes, he emphasised.

"The Indian Ocean is, and has always been, India's arena. Today, the Indo-Pacific emerges as a defining theatre of 21st-century geopolitics. The Indian Ocean is becoming even more contested, more watched, and more consequential. The Indian Navy is the guardian of this domain," Swaminathan said.

The Indian Navy is not a peacetime ceremonial force but an operational navy deployed continuously across the vast and complex maritime theatre, he stressed.

To fulfil its mandate, the navy must be equipped, armed, maintained and sustained with systems and platforms that are designed, developed and built in India, he said, emphasising self-reliance.

Vice Admiral Swaminathan was appointed India's next Chief of the Naval Staff on May 9. He succeeds Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who retires from service on May 31.

Indian Army gets FPV kamikaze drones, UAV-launched precision munitions

HYDERABAD, May 11: The Indian Army has received two new indigenous combat systems under Emergency Procurement (EP-6), including the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Munition (ULPGM) and the AGNIKAA VTOL-1 First-Person View (FPV) Kamikaze Drone.

Defence sources said that the systems were handed over in Hyderabad in the presence of officials from the Army's Western Command following successful high-altitude, electronic warfare (EW) and precision-guided munition firing trials.

The two systems, ULPGM and AGNIKAA VTOL-1, have been designed, developed and manufactured indigenously.

The ULPGM, co-developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Adani Defence & Aerospace, is India's first indigenous loitering munition in its category. The system is equipped with an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker and can be launched from UAVs to target both stationary and moving targets.

The UAV has an operational range of up to 20 kilometres, while the munition itself has a strike range of 2.5 kilometres.

The system is designed to operate in all weather conditions, during both day and night. It is also capable of functioning in GPS-denied and communication-jammed environments due to its anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities.

The ULPGM carries a two-kg warhead capable of neutralising both soft and hard targets and has an accuracy of one metre CEP (Circular Error Probable).

The missile has also been integrated with retractable UAV platforms, providing greater operational flexibility in contested electronic warfare environments.

The second system, AGNIKAA VTOL-1, has been described as India's first FPV (First-Person View) kamikaze drone in its class.

The drone has been developed as an anti-personnel precision-strike platform designed for urban warfare, confined spaces and open battlefield operations. It is capable of operating in GPS-denied and electronic warfare environments.

The AGNIKAA VTOL-1 has also undergone successful high-altitude and EW trials, validating its readiness for deployment in difficult operational terrains, sources added.

The drone has a range of up to five kilometres, an endurance of 30 minutes and a top speed of 60 kmph.

The system has a lethality radius of five metres against human targets and soft-skinned vehicles. It is also equipped with a three-layered trigger mechanism and a four-layer trigger safety system aimed at ensuring operator safety and mission reliability.

Defence sources further said that the system is highly agile, can be rapidly deployed and remains resilient in GPS-denied electronic warfare environments.

Sky Reaper Drone Unveiled: India’s New High-Speed Combat UCAV

JAMMU, May 12: Cutting-edge drones are being developed for the Indian Army at IIT Jammu with the support of DRDO. Their unique features are making these drones exceptionally lethal.

The drone development team informed that these drones—being built through the collaboration of IIT Jammu and DRDO—can currently fly at speeds ranging from 400 km/h to 550 km/h.

There are further plans to increase this speed, with the team confirming preparations are underway to push the drone's capabilities even further.

Govt appoints new CDS, Navy chief amid theatre command restructuring push

NEW DELHI, May 10: The government on Saturday appointed Lieutenant General N S Raja Subramani (Retd.) as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), a role in which he is likely to carry forward the process of reorganising the country’s armed forces under an integrated theatre command structure, bringing with him more than four decades of military experience.

Lt Gen Subramani (Retd.) will assume these positions with effect from the date he takes charge and will serve until further orders. The incumbent, CDS General Anil Chauhan, will complete his tenure on May 30, 2026.

Lt Gen Subramani (Retd.) is regarded as an expert on the military dynamics and operational requirements of both the western and northern borders, and has been serving as Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat since September 1, 2025. Prior to that, he served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025. He also served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, from March 2023 to June 2024.

He also commanded 2 Corps, the Indian Army’s premier strike corps on the western front. In addition, he has experience in counter-insurgency operations in both Assam and Jammu & Kashmir, mountain warfare, military intelligence, and military diplomacy, having served as Defence Attaché in Kazakhstan.

His appointment comes at a time when at least three sets of recommendations on the establishment of integrated theatre commands have been submitted to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, even as the armed forces undergo substantial organisational adjustments — a process that appears to have gathered pace in the wake of Operation Sindoor, the four-day conflict with Pakistan in May last year. Considered the most significant military reform in India since Independence, the transition towards geographically defined theatre commands has been protracted, partly owing to the need to address concerns raised from certain quarters within the armed forces.

The plan envisages three such formations: a China-focused Northern Theatre Command, a Pakistan-focused Western Theatre Command, and a Maritime Theatre Command. Once established, these formations will integrate units from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force under a single commander, enhancing efficiency through the unification of personnel, assets, infrastructure, and logistics across the three services.

The incoming CDS will also oversee the armed forces’ ongoing modernisation, including the expansion and creation of organisations such as the Defence Geospatial Agency, Data Force, Drone Force, and Cognitive Warfare Action Force. These changes will have a significant impact on the induction of technologies ranging from autonomous systems to embedded artificial intelligence (AI).

Alongside the announcement of the new CDS’ appointment, the government on the same day appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. He will succeed the incumbent, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who is set to retire on May 31, 2026. Vice Admiral Swaminathan, who has been serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command since July 31 last year, will assume charge on May 31, with his tenure extending until December 31, 2028.

Vice Admiral Swaminathan brings with him nearly four decades of military experience, including commanding major surface combatants such as the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Commissioned into the Navy on July 1, 1987, he is a specialist in communication and electronic warfare.

His appointment comes amid an unabated expansion of the Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, heightened threats from unconventional actors such as the Houthis in Yemen, and repeated disruptions to seaborne commerce and energy supplies stemming from continuing tensions in West Asia.

India conducts successful flight trial of advanced variant of Agni missile with MIRV system

NEW DELHI, May 9: India conducted a successful Flight trial of an Advanced Agni missile with MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry Vehicle) system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on Friday.

In a social media post, the Defence Ministry said that the missile was flight tested with Multiple payloads, targeted to different targets spatially distributed over a large geographical area in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Ministry said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO, Indian Army, and Industry on the successful flight test of Agni Missile with MIRV Capability.

Singh stated that this would add an incredible capability to the country’s defence preparedness against the growing threat perceptions.