Overview

• Air Chief Marshal AP Singh warned that not a single indigenous defence project has met its delivery schedule, exposing gaps in procurement timelines.
• The Ministry of Defence has formally approved the AMCA initiative with private firms partnering DRDO and HAL on its design and production.
• The Indian Air Force operates just 31 squadrons against an authorised strength of 42, with an ageing fleet and delayed Tejas LCA deliveries compounding readiness shortfalls.
• Experts and military officials are urging a review of the Defence Acquisition Procedure, 2020, to eliminate bureaucratic inertia and impose strict time-bound procurement milestones.
• India allocates around $71 billion to defence R&D—far below global peers—while setting targets for ₹3 lakh crore in annual production and ₹50 000 crore in exports by 2029.