Carnegie India 299d ago

#CarnegieDefenseInsights #IndiaDefenseReform #TheatreCommands #AMCA #JetEngineInnovation #IndianNavy #NavalExpansion #RanSamvad #DefenceTech #Jointness In this edition of Carnegie Insights, host Dinakar Peri takes us through the top three developments in India’s defense ecosystem Ran Samvad Tri-Service Seminar & Theatre Commands Debate At the inaugural tri-service seminar Ran Samvad, held at the Army War College in Madhya Pradesh, deliberations centered around the impact of technology in warfare. What stood out was the views from the top military brass on the proposed formation of theatre commands, with the Air Force Chief cautioning against any rush to create new structures and Navy Chief pressing for theater commands as the ultimate goal in integration and jointness. The Chief of Defense Staff said that decisions would be taken with national interest in mind. India–France Jet Engine Co-Development for AMCA Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India would be partnering with France's Safran to co-develop a new high-thrust engine for the indigenous fifth-generation jet, AMCA, that is under development. Naval Momentum: Warship Inductions & Strategic Expansion The Indian Navy recently commissioned INS Himgiri and INS Udayagiri, advancing a record year of eight new frontline ships (with four more on the way). These state-of-the-art Project 17A frigates not only enhance multi-domain operational capability but also reflect India’s growing shipbuilding ecosystem. Together, they mark a milestone in the Navy’s trajectory toward its 2035 target of 170–175 vessels in the backdrop of China’s rapid naval buildup. Dinakar Peri is a Fellow in the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Formerly a defense correspondent with The Hindu for nearly 11 years, he brings extensive expertise in strategic affairs, earned through his journalism, think‑tank work, and academic background. He holds an MSc in Biotechnology and an MBA in Business Sustainability, and prior to his media career, worked as a researcher at prestigious institutes such as IICT (Hyderabad) and TIFR (Mumbai). 00:00 Introduction 01:16 Ran Samvad: The First Tri-Service Seminar 06:27 Theater Commands: A Major Military Reorganization 15:35 Co-Development of Jet Engines with France 20:01 Commissioning of New Naval Ships and Their Significance