The Real Risk Is Not Tejas Crashing – It’s HAL Moving Too Slowly

By BPN News Desk February 23, 2026

Op-Eds Opinion

The recent dip in HAL’s share price after a Tejas training accident is a textbook case of misplaced panic. Predictable anxiety over a runway overshoot and a temporarily grounded fleet has dominated the headlines, but these are just the surface-level optics. In the high-stakes world of fighter

Op-Eds Opinion

Rafale Bombs Made In India: The Real Start Of India’s Smart Weapons Industry

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

When the BEL–Safran HAMMER joint venture was announced, it was treated like another routine “Make in India” defence press release. Another agreement, another assembly line, another promise of localisation. But this project is fundamentally different from most of India’s past defence manufacturing efforts. This time India is not trying to build the aircraft. It is […]

Op-Eds Opinion

India To Finalize SCALP Deal During Macron Visit After Operation Sindoor Success

By BPN News Desk February 11, 2026

France President Emmanuel Macron’s upcoming visit to India is expected to coincide with New Delhi moving ahead on a fresh purchase of SCALP long-range cruise missiles for the Indian Air Force. The timing is not accidental. The weapon’s combat use during Operation Sindoor converted what was once a capability on paper into a capability proven […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Expert Analysis of Operation Sindoor and the Rafale Narrative

By BPN News Desk January 27, 2026

This analysis is based on a detailed independent military study titled Operation Sindoor: The India–Pakistan Air War (7–10 May 2025), authored by Adrien Fontanellaz and published as an exploratory note by the Centre for Historical and Political-Military Studies. The report reconstructs the conflict using open-source intelligence, satellite imagery, technical assessments,

Op-Eds Opinion

Why the Rafale Production Line Matters More Than the Jet Itself

By BPN News Desk January 20, 2026

India’s Rafale deal is usually reduced to familiar talking points. How many aircraft, how much money, and whether the jet is better than its rivals. That framing misses the real strategic value of the agreement. The most important outcome of the Rafale deal is not the fighter itself, but the decision to build a production […]

Defence National

India To Consider Proposal For 114 Rafale Jets

By BPN News Desk January 15, 2026

The Centre is expected to soon consider the Indian Air Force’s proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets from France as part of its long-pending fighter acquisition plan. The proposal is likely to be taken up by the Defence Acquisition Council, which clears major defence purchases. Deal Structure And Scope The planned acquisition is expected […]

International

China Delivers 36 J-10C Jets to Pakistan: US Report

By BPN News Desk December 24, 2025

A recent United States defence assessment has stated that China has delivered a total of 36 J-10C multirole fighter aircraft to Pakistan, a figure that matches the number of Rafale fighter jets currently operated by the Indian Air Force. The development highlights continuing military modernisation efforts in South Asia and the deepening defence partnership between […]

International

Ukraine Signs Letter For Up To 100 Rafale Jets

By BPN News Desk November 18, 2025

Ukraine has signed a letter of intent with France to potentially acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets, along with drones and advanced air-defence systems. The announcement followed President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The understanding marks one of the largest prospective defence packages between the two countries. What

Defence National

President Murmu Flies In Rafale Fighter From Ambala

By BPN News Desk October 29, 2025

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday took a sortie in a Dassault Rafale fighter jet from Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana. This was her second flight in a frontline combat aircraft, following her earlier sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI from Tezpur in April 2023. Significance Of The Sortie The flight makes President Murmu the first […]

Op-Eds Opinion

A Squadron Boost or a Logistics Burden? The Case for Buying Qatar’s Typhoons

By BPN News Desk October 12, 2025

Unverified reports that India may be eyeing Qatar’s Eurofighter Typhoon jets have triggered a wave of speculation. With the Indian Air Force facing a squadron strength far below the sanctioned 42, the idea of acquiring nearly new fighters from Doha sounds tempting. But the question remains—would these jets be a quick fix or a long-term […]