Indian Navy Commodore Amit Srivastava described the voyage of the indigenously built sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya as a historic achievement after the ship successfully completed its 18-day journey from Porbandar in Gujarat to Muscat, Oman. Speaking at Port Sultan Qaboos, he praised the Indian Navy’s trained crew for overcoming every challenge during the expedition.

Srivastava highlighted that the vessel was constructed through the joint efforts of the Indian Navy, DRDO, and other agencies, and emphasized that the ship will soon begin its return journey to India after routine inspections and maintenance. Business leaders Kiran Ashar and Anil Khimji, who were present to witness the ship’s arrival, expressed great excitement, calling the moment emotional and historic.

The expedition was commanded by Commander Vikas Sheoran, with Commander Y. Hemant Kumar serving as Officer-in-Charge. The crew included four officers and thirteen sailors. Member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council Sanjeev Sanyal, who sailed with the crew, shared daily updates of the journey.

INSV Kaundinya is a traditional stitched sail vessel, inspired by a 5th-century ship depicted in the Ajanta Caves. The project was launched in July 2023 through a partnership between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, with construction using ancient stitching techniques by Kerala artisans under master shipwright Babu Sankaran. The ship was launched in February 2025 at Goa.

The Indian Navy oversaw the design and validation process, using historical sources and modern hydrodynamic testing. The vessel features culturally significant symbols, including the Gandabherunda, the Sun, a Simha Yali figurehead, and a Harappan-style stone anchor, honoring India’s rich maritime heritage. Named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, the ship represents India’s ancient tradition of oceanic exploration and cultural exchange.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Italy has officially announced that its Trapani-Birgi Air Base in Sicily will become the first F-35 training school outside the United States, responding to growing demand for pilot training following new European orders of the aircraft. The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) and Lockheed Martin will oversee the development of the facility, with initial ground training set to begin by December 2028 and the completion of the “Lightning Training Centre” expected by July 2029, according to the Italian Defense Ministry.

The €112.6 million ($131.4 million) project, funded by Italian taxpayers, will include two full mission simulators. Trapani-Birgi will also become Italy’s third F-35 base, hosting one squadron of Italian jets and one for international students, alongside existing bases at Amendola and Ghedi. The ministry stated that the new school addresses the increasing training needs driven by NATO and European participation in the F-35 program. It emphasized Italy’s strong political commitment to strengthening its strategic role, highlighting that Trapani will be the first F-35 Pilot Training Center outside the U.S.

Italian defense firm Leonardo was selected by Lockheed Martin to co-develop the school, building on their partnership in the F-35 Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul, and Upgrade (MRO&U) hub at Cameri Air Base in northern Italy. Cameri handles final assembly and maintenance for Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, and even U.K.-based F-35s. The new school also builds on Italy’s expanding international pilot training efforts. The Italian Air Force’s training school at Decimomannu in Sardinia operates 22 M-346 jets with 40 instructors and has trained pilots from countries including Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, the U.K., and Saudi Arabia.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Defense News.

Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, has urged the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to strictly adhere to delivery schedules for critical projects to ensure the Indian Air Force (IAF) remains operationally ready amid evolving security challenges. He made these remarks in Bangalore during the inauguration of the two-day national seminar, ‘Aeronautics 2047’, organized by ADA at the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).

The seminar also commemorates 25 years of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS program, a milestone Air Chief Marshal Singh congratulated ADA for achieving. He stressed that delays in inductions could impact IAF preparedness in an increasingly dynamic geopolitical environment. Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman of DRDO, emphasized the need to develop indigenous technologies to reduce import dependence, aligning with the vision of a developed India by 2047.

The event brought together experts from industry, academia, and the aerospace sector to discuss innovations in aircraft manufacturing, digital production methods, aerodynamics, propulsion, flight testing, and digital twin technologies. Sessions also addressed certification, avionics integration, flight control, maintainability, AI in design, and precision manufacturing of aircraft components.

A significant focus was on the evolution of the TEJAS aircraft, designed entirely by ADA, which has completed over 5,600 successful flights with contributions from over 100 government labs, academic institutions, and industries. The TEJAS incorporates advanced technologies like carbon composites, fly-by-wire systems, glass cockpits, and digital utility management, establishing India’s capabilities in indigenous fighter development.

Future variants, including TEJAS MK-1A, MK-2, and naval versions, are under development to meet operational requirements with upgraded avionics, enhanced mission systems, and improved indigenous content. Currently, 38 TEJAS aircraft—32 fighters and six trainers—are inducted across two IAF squadrons. The seminar also includes an exhibition by PSUs, industries, and MSMEs, showcasing indigenously developed aerospace products and reflecting the growing domestic manufacturing ecosystem.

Air Chief Marshal Singh’s emphasis on timely delivery aligns with India’s strategic priorities, particularly amid rising border tensions and regional security challenges. Dr Kamat’s focus on self-reliance underscores Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives, fostering technological sovereignty and reducing foreign dependency.

‘Aeronautics 2047’ serves as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and forward-looking R&D in aeronautics. The TEJAS program exemplifies successful indigenization, program management, and operational reliability, setting the stage for advanced variants and naval adaptations, positioning India for aerospace leadership by 2047.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian Defence News.

Operation Sindoor has transformed military strategy and reinforced India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism. Experts hail it as a landmark operation that highlighted India’s military capability, technological edge, and resolute determination. In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India conducted precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir on 7 May. These operations compelled Islamabad to seek a ceasefire after its escalation attempts failed. By effectively neutralising Pakistani airbases, India signaled zero tolerance for terrorism, marking a strategic shift from surgical strikes to a doctrine of assured kinetic retaliation. Retired Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, an authority in counter-insurgency, noted that modern warfare increasingly relies on air defence as a primary instrument of power.

Despite changing regional dynamics—including unrest in Nepal, developments in Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus, and closer India-Afghanistan ties—Pakistan continues to support terrorism. Dhillon attributed the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan’s internal crises, including political paralysis, military corruption, economic collapse, and diplomatic failures. He warned that India, now the world’s fourth-largest economy and a military powerhouse, would respond even more decisively in any future “Operation Sindoor 2.0,” encompassing military, economic, political, and diplomatic measures.

Operation Sindoor set global precedents by engaging two nuclear powers without ground incursions. Unlike the 1971 war, which involved territorial capture and 93,000 prisoners, this operation avoided crossing the Line of Control or international borders. India’s air defences neutralized Chinese radars, aircraft, missiles, drones, F-16s, and AWACS, signaling a new era of warfare dominated by air, electronic, cyber, and space capabilities. Future conflicts are expected to target critical infrastructure—airlines, railways, power grids, and banks—while kinetic, cyber, and space operations converge in rapid, precise strikes.

Narrative warfare on social media and traditional platforms will complement kinetic operations. Dhillon emphasized the need for a centralized Integrated Information Centre to manage perception transparently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of targeting terrorists, their organizations, and sponsoring states alike underscores India’s unified national interest.

India’s operations exemplify surgical precision and minimal collateral damage, setting high ethical standards for counter-terrorism. Precision weapon selection reflects moral responsibility. Former High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria described Operation Sindoor as the most intense India-Pakistan confrontation of the 21st century. It showcased India’s conventional and technological superiority through drones, loitering munitions, electronic warfare, and layered air defences under the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), strengthened by indigenous capabilities and global partnerships. Cross-border terrorism is now treated as an act of war, demanding a forceful response beyond diplomacy.

This approach reflects “Integrated Deterrence,” combining military readiness, diplomatic pre-emption, economic leverage, and information dominance. Linking the Pahalgam attack to the retaliatory strikes demonstrated a predictable kinetic response, evolving from restraint to assured action. Bisaria traced this doctrine’s evolution: pre-2008 reliance on diplomacy and internal security, 2016 surgical strikes, 2019 Balakot airstrikes, culminating in 2025’s doctrinal shift.

India maintains deterrence while controlling escalation, targeting only terror sites amid global conflicts such as those in West Asia and Ukraine. This shift from victim to responder in nuclear South Asia has global implications, emphasizing the need for robust international media engagement to counter disinformation. Operation Sindoor decisively punished Pakistan’s proxy war, reaffirming India’s capability, resolve, moral authority, and strategic maturity. It also highlighted India’s focus on indigenous defence, with defence exports rising to ₹23,500 crore, enhancing self-reliance and strategic autonomy.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian defence news.

Whether it is issuing military threats toward Colombia and Cuba, suggesting the takeover of Greenland from Denmark, or capturing oil tankers in European and Caribbean seas, Donald Trump’s actions are forcing global leaders into constant crisis management. His renewed brand of American imperialism is reshaping international politics at a rapid pace. Jonathan Freedland discusses this shifting global landscape with Pulitzer Prize–winning author Anne Applebaum, examining what lies ahead in a world being rapidly transformed by the decisions of the US president.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

The United States’ confiscation of a sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker represents a significant escalation, denounced by Caracas as “international piracy.” Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman examine the underlying strategic signal the Trump administration is sending to Latin America in the context of China’s expanding influence, alongside Ross Feingold, Head of Research at Caerus Consulting. They assess whether this aggressive move qualifies as a justified national security action, whether it accomplished its intended objectives, and how neighbouring countries have responded in the immediate aftermath.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

On September 3, China held its largest military parade to date in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event featured tens of thousands of soldiers, along with hundreds of aircraft, ground vehicles, and advanced weaponry. More than just a show of military might, the parade was intended as a symbol of deterrence, national solidarity, and a display of Xi Jinping’s authority in a period of global uncertainty. Andrea Heng discussed the significance of the event with Dr. Mustafa Izzuddin, Senior International Affairs Analyst at Solaris.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.

On May 18, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel would relax its blockade to allow limited food supplies into Gaza, following the military’s declaration of “extensive ground operations” in both the northern and southern regions of the enclave. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman provide the latest updates from Stephen Zunes, Professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.