1. Adani Defence Delivers 2,000 ‘Prahar’ LMGs — 11 Months Ahead of Schedule
Adani Defence & Aerospace handed over the first batch of 2,000 indigenously manufactured Prahar 7.62 mm Light Machine Guns to the Indian Army at a ceremony in Gwalior. Delivered in just seven months, the consignment arrives 11 months ahead of the contracted schedule. The Prahar — a licensed version of the Israeli Negev NG7 — is manufactured at Adani’s 100-acre Small Arms Complex with over 90% domestic sourcing. The total order stands at approximately 40,000 units, replacing the ageing INSAS LMG platform across infantry formations.
2. MoD Signs Rs 858 Crore Twin Contracts — Tunguska AD System & P8I Inspection
The Ministry of Defence signed two contracts totalling Rs 858 crore to bolster operational readiness across the Army and Navy. The first, valued at Rs 445 crore, was inked with JSC Rosoboronexport for Tunguska Air Defence Missile Systems — close-in weapons providing layered protection against low-altitude aerial threats. The second, worth Rs 413 crore, was signed with Boeing India Defense for depot-level inspection of the Navy’s P8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft, with 100% indigenous content under the Buy Indian category.
3. Project 75I Edges Toward Breakthrough — Germany Signals Deal ‘Within Weeks’
India’s long-pending Project 75I submarine programme is entering its decisive final phase. German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann has signalled that negotiations for six advanced AIP-equipped submarines are at an advanced stage, with a deal potentially closeable within weeks. The programme is a critical pillar of India’s underwater fleet expansion, targeting both the western and eastern seaboards. Development comes alongside deliberations on ‘Project 75 Additional’ for three more Scorpene-class submarines, reflecting the Navy’s aggressive push to address fleet shortfalls in an increasingly contested maritime environment.
4. Northern Army Commander Presents 93 Awards at Investiture Ceremony 2026
Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Northern Army Commander, presented 93 awards — comprising 52 individual honours and 41 unit citations — at the Northern Command Investiture Ceremony 2026 in Udhampur, J&K. Personnel were recognised for extraordinary valour in counter-insurgency operations, high-altitude deployments, and sensitive border missions across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The ceremony underscored the Indian Army’s sustained operational tempo along both the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control in some of the world’s most demanding terrain.
5. GTRE Closes EOI for 120 kN AMCA Aero Engine — India’s Most Critical Propulsion Quest
The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), DRDO’s Bengaluru-based aero engine laboratory, concluded submissions for its Expression of Interest seeking a Development-cum-Production Partner for India’s Indigenous Advanced High Thrust Class Aero Engine (AHTCE). The EOI closed on 26th March 2026 with no extension granted — signalling acute programme urgency. The 120 kN thrust-class turbofan engine is designed to power the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and future UCAVs, marking a pivotal step in India’s long-standing quest for self-reliance in high-performance military propulsion.
