Author: Defenceline Webdesk

India is launching a sweeping modernisation of its ageing T-72 tanks under Project Rhino, aiming to extend their service life beyond 2030 with new engines, advanced fire-control systems, enhanced protection, and even conversion into unmanned combat platforms under the Aditi 4.0 initiative, reported TOI.This upgrade is driven by the need to maintain battlefield parity with China and Pakistan while preparing for the induction of the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV).The T-72 tank was first inducted into the Indian Army in 1978. At the time, it was considered one of the most advanced armoured fighting vehicles in the world. Armed with…

Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong flew into Nanning on May 18, accompanied by officials from the ministries of finance, foreign affairs, digital development, and manpower, for a visit that was described in media reports as an effort to “deepen Singapore’s ties with China at the regional level.” In addition to meeting Guangxi Communist Party chief Chen Gang, Lee made site visits to Nanning, the southern gateway of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC). The ILSTC is a multimodal freight corridor, spanning rail, road, and sea, and running from Chongqing in western China southwest through Guangxi to Qinzhou Port on the Beibu…

Vadodara-based defence startup Svaayatt Systems has successfully field tested its SGV-500 Scorpion unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with the Indian Army, marking a significant milestone in India’s indigenous combat robotics program.The trials validated its weapon integration, mobility, and remote precision engagement capabilities, positioning it as a frontline support system for future battlefield deployments.The SGV-500 Scorpion is a compact, tracked unmanned ground platform designed for multi-terrain operations.Developed by Svaayatt Systems in Vadodara, Gujarat, the UGV has been engineered to meet modern battlefield requirements, including surveillance, fire support, perimeter defence, and direct engagement of enemy infantry and light vehicles.The system reflects India’s push…

Lorcan Lovett is a Welsh journalist based in Southeast Asia who has reported across the region with a focus on Myanmar since 2017. He has just returned from a trip to the war-torn country and to Bangladesh, where he toured the refugee camps housing the Rohingya. He says life remains tough in the camps but those with access to the internet are following the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague where judges are deliberating on allegations that senior generals in the Myanmar junta committed a genocide against the Rohingya. A verdict is expected in about three months. Lovett…

Bhargavastra, developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited, is India’s first indigenous micro-missile counter-drone system, designed to neutralise hostile drones, loitering munitions, and swarm attacks at low cost.Following successful trials at Odisha’s Gopalpur firing range, the system has entered final trials and is expected to significantly bolster India’s counter-drone warfare capabilities.Bhargavastra represents a major leap in India’s indigenous defence innovation under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The system combines unguided micro-rockets and guided micro-missiles to provide a layered defence against aerial threats.The unguided rockets form the first layer, saturating the airspace to destroy drone swarms within a wide radius, while the…

Indian and Chinese civilizations have known about each other and been in contact with each other for over 2,000 years. Any book or article that focuses on the relationship between India and China will usually include some mention of their long — and usually peaceful — ties. These include trade and civilizational influence. The export of Buddhism from India to China, and its long-term impact on that society is invariably alluded to. Additionally, China is India’s largest trading partner today. However, there is little historical evidence of influence in the other direction: Indian interest in Chinese thought or literature. Moreover,…

India is accelerating its defence modernisation by giving private companies a central role in manufacturing advanced platforms such as the AMCA stealth fighter and the Suryastra rocket launcher. Defence exports have surged, and New Delhi aims for private firms to contribute half of production capacity as part of its ambition to become a top-three global exporter by 2047.India’s defence sector is undergoing a profound transformation as private industry takes on responsibilities once dominated by state-owned enterprises.The government has made clear that reducing dependence on imported weapons is a strategic priority, and private firms are now being entrusted with flagship projects. Among…

The Arakan Army (AA)’s military campaign to liberate the Arakan region from the Myanmar military has sparked allegations and counter-allegations of killings and arson by the warring sides. Among the most recent cases is a massacre that reportedly happened at the Rohingya Muslim-inhabited Htan Shauk Khan village in northern Rakhine State’s Buthidaung Township, where the AA has been accused of butchering innocent civilians two years ago. Human rights organizations have alleged that the AA killed at least 170 residents of the village, including women and children, on May 2, 2024, during a battle with the Myanmar military. The report by…

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal concluded his three-day visit to Canada on 28 May 2026, leading India’s largest-ever business delegation and focusing on accelerating Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations, with both nations committed to expanding bilateral trade from $8.5 billion to $50 billion by 2030.His engagements spanned academia, innovation centres, government leaders, investors, and the Indo-Canadian community, reinforcing momentum in economic and strategic ties.Piyush Goyal’s visit combined high-level diplomacy with grassroots engagement. He addressed faculty, researchers, and students at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, outlining India’s rapid economic progress and opportunities for…

The recent visit of the Pakistani leadership to Beijing has injected new energy and robustness into the Sino-Pakistani bilateral partnership. During the visit, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held extensive meetings with the Chinese leadership, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang also held separate discussions with Field Marshal Munir. These interactions, ranging from formal sessions to candid exchanges, highlight a partnership that is adapting to the changing global order. The interactions suggest a deliberate alignment of core interests amid complex regional dynamics, and underscore how defense…