Rupal Kalebere<\/p>\n\n\n\n
India\u2019s defence capability development in July 2026 was marked by progress across five broad areas: air and missile defence; precision strike and unmanned warfare; airborne surveillance and command-and-control; maritime and undersea capability; and indigenous technology and operational sustainment. Developments ranged from acquisition approvals and developmental trials to the commissioning of operational platforms and the expansion of domestic industrial participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The month was also significant for the breadth of capability development. While several developments strengthened near-term operational readiness, others, particularly in long-range air defence, airborne surveillance and propulsion represent investments in capabilities that will mature over a longer horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air and Missile Defence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Air and missile defence emerged as one of the clearest capability priorities during July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On 3 July, the Defence Acquisition Council accorded Acceptance of Necessity for capital acquisition proposals estimated at approximately \u20b952,000 crore. A substantial portion of the Army-related approvals concerned protection against increasingly diverse aerial threats. These included the AKASH TARANG Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Electronic Warfare System, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile weapon systems and Very Short Range Air Defence Systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The combination is significant because it addresses different portions of the air-defence spectrum. AKASH TARANG is intended specifically to strengthen protection against unmanned aerial systems, while V-SHORADS provides a short-range layer against low-altitude threats. MRSAM provides engagement capability at greater distances against a broader set of aerial targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The development of the upper layers of this architecture progressed on 23 July, when DRDO conducted the maiden flight-test of the Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile. The missile successfully intercepted an electronic target simulating a high-speed and high-altitude aerial threat. According to the Ministry of Defence, the system is intended to engage fighter aircraft, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and larger airborne platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The significance of Kusha lies in the development of a broader integrated air-defence system rather than simply another interceptor. DRDO and industry partners are developing the associated missiles, radars and command-and-control architecture, indicating an effort to build domestic competence across the complete engagement chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taken together, the July developments suggest continued movement towards a layered ground-based air-defence architecture, extending from counter-UAS and very-short-range systems to medium- and long-range interception. The increasing prominence of UAVs within these requirements also indicates that air defence is being adapted to a threat environment in which relatively inexpensive unmanned systems coexist with conventional aircraft and missile threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Precision Strike, Unmanned Systems and Battlefield Survivability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n July also saw developments aimed at increasing the reach and survivability of land forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On 8 July, DRDO successfully tested the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. The rocket was tested at a user-defined minimum range of 60 km, completed its planned manoeuvres and struck the designated target along its predicted trajectory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the more consequential elements of the test was that the longer-range rocket was fired from the existing in-service Pinaka launcher. This creates the possibility of progressively expanding the Pinaka family across multiple ranges while retaining launcher commonality. From an operational perspective, such commonality can reduce the requirement for separate launcher fleets and associated logistics chains while allowing artillery formations greater flexibility in matching munitions to target depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The test reflects the continuing transition of Pinaka from a primarily area-saturation rocket artillery system towards a broader precision-fire architecture capable of engaging targets at increasing distances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The DAC approvals of 3 July reinforced this trend. The Army received in-principle approval for the procurement of jet-based kamikaze drone systems, indicating a growing requirement for expendable precision-strike systems. The same acquisition package included Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and Active Protection Systems for tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These developments address both sides of battlefield survivability. MPATGMs strengthen infantry capability against mechanised threats, while Active Protection Systems are intended to increase the survivability of Indian armoured platforms against incoming anti-tank weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The combination of guided rockets, loitering or kamikaze systems, improved anti-armour weapons and active vehicle protection illustrates the changing character of land warfare. The emphasis is increasingly on precision engagement, distributed unmanned strike and protection against increasingly capable anti-armour threats, rather than simply numerical expansion of conventional platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Airborne Surveillance, ISR and Command-and-Control<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A second major area of capability development was airborne surveillance and persistent intelligence collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On 22 July, DRDO\u2019s Centre for Air Borne Systems signed two contracts under the AEW&C Mk-II programme. AI Engineering Services Limited was contracted to convert six A321 aircraft from commercial configuration, while Adani Defence Systems and Technologies was selected as Development-cum-Production Partner for the programme\u2019s mission systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CABS and Adani Defence will subsequently undertake integration of the mission systems onto the modified aircraft and participate with the Indian Air Force in flight testing and certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The programme is intended to provide improved airborne surveillance, endurance, secure communications, situational awareness and command-and-control capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The importance of the AEW&C Mk-II programme is therefore not simply the addition of surveillance aircraft. Airborne early-warning systems function as force multipliers by extending radar coverage beyond ground-based radar horizons and providing airborne nodes capable of coordinating fighters and other air-defence assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The industrial structure of the programme is also notable. Domestic companies are being integrated into aircraft conversion, mission-system development, systems integration and testing. This indicates an attempt to create competence within the domestic aerospace ecosystem beyond component manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A related prospective ISR capability was reflected in the 3 July DAC approval for procurement of a Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellite for the Indian Air Force. The platform is intended to support persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, telecommunications and remote sensing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although still at the acquisition-approval stage, the proposal is significant because high-altitude pseudo-satellite systems can occupy the operational space between conventional aircraft and satellites, offering prolonged coverage over designated areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Together, the AEW&C Mk-II and FW-HAPS developments indicate growing emphasis on\u00a0persistent surveillance, distributed sensing and networked command-and-control\u00a0as central components of air-power effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (To be Continued)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rupal Kalebere India’s defence capability development in July 2026 was marked by progress across five broad areas: air and missile defence; […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[1054,805,793,738,947,265,204,289,239,788,870,161,705],"yoast_head":"\n