Cavalier India Defence Training Academy

The US has urged India to refrain from military transactions with Russia, saying that there is no blanket waiver under its Sanctions Act for the recent S-400 missile system purchase, in the first detailed comments on the tricky issue after the Biden administration has come to power. Speaking ahead of the Aero India summit in Bengaluru, the head of the US delegation has said India is an important and trusted partner for Indo-Pacific security and Washington DC is keen to work with India to develop key capabilities in the quest for self-reliance. On the S-400 issue — India has ordered the Russian surface to air missile system with deliveries expected towards the end of this year — US charged’affaires Don Heflin said there is a provision for case-by-case waiver of sanctions but no assurance has been given to India. “We urge all of our allies and partners to forego transactions with Russia that risk triggering sanctions under the countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act pa...

The 13th edition of Aero India, the defence ministry’s biannual air show, will see heightened government pitch for indigenous aircraft designs. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally sign India’s largest defence orders for Indian industry, a Rs 48,000 crore contract for 83 LCA Tejas Mark 1 aircraft on February 3. The contract--73 combat jets in the Mark 1A configuration and 10 Mark 1 trainers--will be signed on the inaugural day of the three-day Aero India 2021 air show beginning in Bengaluru on February 3. This contract, the single-largest order for an indigenously produced defence platform after the indigenous nuclear submarine project, was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on January 13. HAL is also poised to get a Rs 3,000 crore order for 15 Light Combat Helicopters, two of which have already been produced. It is not clear, however, whether this order will be inked at Aero India. The HAL-built Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), currently in development trials, w...