Author: Defenceline Webdesk

A Democratic senator on Thursday requested that an inspector general oversight body designate one of the agency watchdogs to spearhead reviews of the ongoing war in Iran, citing a requirement in federal statute. In her letter, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., pointed to a provision in the U.S. Code mandating that the chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency tap an IG to head oversight of a military “overseas contingency operation that exceeds 60 days.” The U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on Feb. 28. “IG quarterly reporting, audits, inspections and investigations related to OCOs have promoted valuable transparency…

As it struggles to ship oil through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is looking for alternative land routes to import and export goods. In March, Iran exported 1.84 million barrels per day (BPD) to Asian customers, mostly China. Although some ships managed to evade the blockade, Iran still cannot transport as much oil as it produces each day.   Iran is turning to railway routes through Central Asia as a safer passage for trade with China. While Iran can transport some of its oil over land by rail through Central Asia, it does not have the capability to transport the same…

Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies has secured the lowest bidder position in a ₹85.21 crore tender floated by Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) to supply 81 Remote Controlled Weapon Stations (RCWS) for the Indian Army’s Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARVs).This marks a significant step in strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities and ensuring combat readiness for support platforms.Zen Technologies’ victory in this competitive tender highlights its growing role in India’s defence modernisation drive. The contract involves equipping ARVs, which are primarily used to tow and repair battle-damaged tanks such as the T-72 and T-90, with advanced RCWS.These vehicles often operate in live combat zones,…

NIPP . . . the Trump Administration is enforcing a mix of these two principles: the defense of the Western Hemisphere from extra-continental adversaries (China, Russia, Iran), while actively… Source link

WASHINGTON — The top member on the House Armed Services subcommittee focused on cyber had a stark warning about the how America’s greatest geopolitical rival is positioning itself to overwhelm the US military in cyberspace. “China has 10:1 people doing offensive cyber to us. I think we should be expanding our capabilities,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told Breaking Defense on the sidelines of the 4th Annual National Cyber Innovation Forum Thursday. US Cyber Command does a “great job with what they have,” he said, “but I think we’re underfunded and undermanned.” Recently a Pentagon official described how part of the…

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Maryland—Much has been made of the new systems the Army is bringing online as part of its Continuous Transformation efforts, but getting old systems into shape is also part of the effort. In a small office space at Combat Capabilities Development Command, a group of 25 soldiers and civilian engineers, on loan from local units, is fielding requests from across the service to make its many data systems talk to each other.The pilot Army Data Operations Center, launched on April 3, is to run until the end of September, when the Army will decide whether and how…

When India’s Supreme Court reiterated that the exclusion of Dalit converts from Scheduled Caste (SC) status is “absolute and admits no exception,” it did more than settle a doctrinal question. It revived a foundational constitutional dilemma: can the law deny protection against caste-based discrimination simply because an individual has changed religion? More critically, does caste itself disappear upon conversion, or does the law merely choose not to see it? This tension between constitutional text and social reality lies at the heart of the debate on SC status for converts to Islam and Christianity. The legal position rests on Clause 3…

India and China convened the 35th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing on Wednesday, with both sides describing the discussions as constructive and forward-looking.The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) Sujit Ghosh, while the Chinese side was headed by Hou Yanqi, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The official release from the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the meeting reviewed the situation in the border areas, noting satisfaction with the progress in maintaining peace and tranquillity. This stability,…

N. Attrill, State of the Strait U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he might speak… Source link

The war in Iran has helped spark regional interest in the burgeoning Turkish defense industry, which includes a growing assortment of unmanned applications. Breaking Defense Middle East Bureau Chief Agnes Helou recently returned from the SAHA defense expo in Istanbul, where many of these systems were on display. In this edition of the Middle East Defense Digest, Helou describes what she witnessed and how some industry officials from the region are feeling about future acquisitions. Source link