मैगज़्टर गोल्ड के साथ असीमित हो जाओ
10,000 से अधिक पत्रिकाओं, समाचार पत्रों और प्रीमियम कहानियों तक असीमित पहुंच प्राप्त करें सिर्फ
Key India-Russia Defence Deals
Geopolitics
|July 2018
This checklist of big-ticket defence programmes shows how critical Russian weapons systems are to maintain India’s military primacy in the region.
-
Sukhoi Super 30 upgrade
With a targeted fleet strength of 272 Su-30 MKI Flankers, the Indian Air Force (IAF) operates the world’s third-largest Sukhoi fleet after Russia and China. The IAF is now gearing up for a $6 billion upgrade known as Super Sukhoi 30. Why is this upgrade critical? The first of the Flankers built to the current specification were delivered to India back in 2004. Since then, a lot of new technology has become available. The modernisation programme will give the first batch, of 44 Sukhois, new sensors, weapons and radars plus improved super manoeuvrability, kinetic performance, range and aircraft availability rate. It could also add some rudimentary stealth capability.
The Super 30 upgrade is being fast-tracked because the PLA Air Force has an even larger fleet of over 400 Flankers – a mix of Russian imports plus Chinese knockoffs. Also, the Chinese Flanker fleet is being bolstered by 24 units of the even more advanced and extremely long range fighter-bomber, the Su-35 Super Flanker. The Su-35 is also known as the “Stealth Killer” for its deadly blend of limited stealth characteristics and super manoeuvrability. In a simulated air combat exercise conducted by the Rand Corporation, the Su-35s shot down the American F-35 in every war gamed scenario.
S-400 missile defence system
यह कहानी Geopolitics के July 2018 संस्करण से ली गई है।
हजारों चुनिंदा प्रीमियम कहानियों और 10,000 से अधिक पत्रिकाओं और समाचार पत्रों तक पहुंचने के लिए मैगज़्टर गोल्ड की सदस्यता लें।
क्या आप पहले से ही ग्राहक हैं? साइन इन करें
Geopolitics से और कहानियाँ
Geopolitics
JOINTNESS TO REDEFINE MARITIME AIR POWER
The buzzword in New Delhi is multidomain warfare, which involves a high level of jointness between the three services. As mentioned in the last issue of Geopolitics (November 2025), jointness takes time and requires a large investment by the government in weapons systems, sensors, and training. But sensible and easy steps can be taken, especially in the maritime sphere, to integrate the Coast Guard, Air Force, and Navy into a potent force to safeguard the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, argues AMIT GUPTA
8 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
THERMAL IMAGING AND BALLISTIC PROTECTION DRIVE SOLDIER MODERNISATION
Contemporary defence modernisation prioritises integrated soldier systems blending advanced thermal imaging with lightweight multi-hit ballistic protection, meeting demands for superior low-visibility awareness and survivability against evolving threats. India's indigenous manufacturing push aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat, enhancing national security. A special report
5 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
INDIA'S NEW HIGH-ALTITUDE PIVOT NEAR THE CHINA BORDER
Just kilometres from the LAC, India has activated one of the world's highest military airfields, a dramatic shift in Ladakh's strategic landscape. The Mudh-Nyoma airbase, now fully operational, signals faster mobility, sharper surveillance and a renewed posture along a frontier where infrastructure has become the new currency of power.
2 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
THE MARITIME MAKEOVER
JOSEPH P CHACKO analyses the transforming role of the Indian Navy as an indigenous force multiplier, a modern blue-water fleet, and a crucial instrument in shaping India's emergence as an integral Indo-Pacific power
17 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
GUARDING THE RIM
India's post-26/11 coastal security system boasts radars, patrol boats and new laws - yet beneath the optics lie old weaknesses. Training gaps, stranded infrastructure, jurisdictional clutter and climate stress continue to erode readiness.VISHAL DUGGAL reports
9 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
SAGAR DEFENCE INAUGURATES PUNE FACILITY
Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd has inaugurated its new plant in Pune, India. The plant will manufacture Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs), marking a major step forward in the partnership with Liquid Robotics, a Boeing company, that was announced earlier this year to co-develop and co-produce advanced maritime systems.
2 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
COCHIN SHIPYARD: THE COUNTRY'S SOLE AIRCRAFT CARRIER BUILDER
India is getting ready to add another aircraft carrier that will be nuclear-powered to its fleet, joining INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. SUBHANGI PALVE takes a look at the only shipyard in the country to have built one.
7 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
ICEYE'S BLUEPRINT FOR THE NEXT FRONTIER
ICEYE's fusion of miniaturised satellites, AI, and agile manufacturing transforms geospatial power, enabling nations to swiftly understand, decide, and act for strategic foresight, disaster preparedness, and security through real-time Earth Observation. A Special Report
4 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
A report that calls for action
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has concluded that India’s current Indian Ocean strategy is fragmented, under-resourced, and insufficiently coordinated to meet accelerating geopolitical, security, and environmental challenges, especially China's expanding presence.
3 mins
December 2025
Geopolitics
SHOW STOPPER
The 19th edition of the Dubai Airshow recorded deals worth a historic USD 202 billion, but was marred by the unfortunate fatal crash of an IAF Tejas fighter jet. ATUL CHANDRA reports
10 mins
December 2025
Translate
Change font size