
Spy planes, minesweepers, missiles: How Op Sindoor has triggered a ₹1tn defence shopping spree
Team TOI Plus
TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Jul 4, 2025, 17:21 IST
These critical purchases through indigenous sourcing have been cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council, a move that reflects the Modi govt's heightened focus on national security and self-reliance in defence manufacturing
The Modi government has granted initial approval for three major defence acquisition projects and seven smaller ones, together valued at over ₹1tn. The procurement spans a wide range of cutting-edge systems, including specialised surveillance aircraft, advanced minesweepers, quick-reaction air defence missiles, and underwater drones.
These critical purchases through indigenous sourcing were cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh , on July 3 — just weeks after the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Sindoor to Yogi-Raaj: Blend of creativity, innovation showcased at mango festival in Lucknow
Uniquely named and distinctively grown varieties, ranging from Sindoor to Yogi-Raaj, stole the show at the annual Mango Festival in Lucknow, showcasing creativity, nationalism and horticultural innovation. Mangoes displayed at the fesitval in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/HT Photo) Inaugurated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath at Awadh Shilpgram on Friday, the three-day festival displayed hundreds of mango varieties, but it was the unusually named ones among them that drew the attention of one and all. Among them was the red 'Sindoor' mango, named after 'Operation Sindoor', India's military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Operation Sindoor targeted terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in May. 'Its vermilion hue symbolises the valour of the Indian Army,' said SC Shukla, a noted mango grower from Lucknow. 'It has excellent shelf life, aroma, and taste making it a tribute to the country's pride.' 'Yogi-Raaj' and 'Modi' mangoes added more flavour to the festival. The Yogi-named variety, weighing around 1.5 kg, was developed by veteran horticulturist and Padma Shri Haji Kalimullah Khan, who said, 'Its weight reflects the impactful personality of Yogi Adityanath.' The 'Modi Mango', weighing around 400 grams, was developed in 2023 by Upendra Kr Singh, a Malihabad-based grower and general secretary of the Awadh Mango Producer Horticulture Committee. 'This variety was inspired by Modi's 56-inch chest metaphor and has been patented through ICAR-CISH (Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture),' he told HT. ICAR-CISH's Vineet Singh, a senior research fellow, added: 'It was developed from a seedling and showed superior quality, hence the patent was secured.' Apple-like mango? The 'Aam-Apple', a mango which was so apple-like in appearance that it confused many at first glance, turned heads at the festival. 'This variety was sourced from Goa and is now being grown in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar,' said Sanjay Singh, who showcased the fruit. 'It thrives in most climates and tastes incredibly sweet.'


Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
PM Narendra Modi lands in Argentina to a warm welcome; to hold talks with President Javier Milei
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Argentina on Saturday as part of his five-nation visit. The Indian community welcomed him in the capital, Buenos Aires. PM Modi is in Argentina on an official visit on July 4 and 5, at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei.(DPR PMO) Argentina is the third leg of PM Modi's five-nation tour after Ghana, and Trinidad and Tobago. It will be followed by visits to Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit and to Namibia. Ahead of Modi's visit, Indian ambassador to Argentina Ajaneesh Kumar hailed it a "momentous occasion," noting it will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM in over five decades. Laying out the itinerary of the PM's visit, Ambassador Kumar told ANI that the PM will pay homage to Jose de San Martin, widely regarded as the Father of the Argentine Nation, at the Plaza de San Martin in Buenos Aires. PM Modi will also hold delegation-level talks with Argentine President Javier Milei. Afterwards, he will visit the famous Boca Juniors Stadium to observe Argentine football. Ambassador Kumar also emphasised that this will be the Indian Prime Minister's first visit in over five decades and mentioned the "multifaceted" relations between both nations. "Prime Minister had the occasion to meet the President of Argentina last November during the G20 in Brazil. This visit will only consolidate the points discussed during the last meeting. India and Argentina relations are multifaceted. We have cooperation across a range of subjects. It was only last year that we celebrated 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries," he said. The rest of PM Narendra Modi's five-nation visit PM Modi is in Buenos Aires at the official invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina. After completing his visit to Argentina, PM Modi will head to Brazil from July 5 to July 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025. In the final leg of his five-nation tour, the PM will visit Namibia and also address its parliament.


Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Invest UP to organise roadshows in US, UK Europe to attract investment
The Invest UP will organise a series of global roadshows and strategic business engagements across the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom as part of its 'China plus one' strategy. (Pic for representation) The objective is to showcase state's investor-friendly policies, sectoral strengths, and readiness to host large-scale industrial investments from Fortune 500 companies and global leaders. The upcoming global outreach will feature high-level B2G (Business-to-Government) meetings and roundtable discussions in key cities including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Amsterdam, and Birmingham. These events, to be conducted in collaboration with Indian embassies and trade associations such as the US India Business Council (USIBC), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), aim to deepen engagement with global supply chain decision-makers. In the United States, state will engage with companies across multiple sectors—apparel (PVH Corp, Ralph Lauren, Coach), digital and cloud services (Google, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud), data centres (Equinix, Stack Infra), and consumer goods and manufacturing (Skechers, Mattel, TOMS, Jakks Pacific). The goal is to foster partnerships, explore joint ventures, and position the state as a competitive alternative for global production lines. Similarly, in Europe and the UK, Invest UP will connect with top firms in sectors such as automotive, chemicals, renewables, luxury fashion and footwear, food processing and life sciences. 'We are implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes sector-specific industrial policies, time-bound clearances, and sustained ease of doing business reforms,' said chief secretary, Manoj Kumar Singh. Combined with world-class infrastructure and a responsive governance model, these initiatives are positioning Uttar Pradesh as a preferred destination for both domestic and global investors. Our aim is not only to attract investment but to create long-term value chains and generate inclusive, employment-driven growth, Singh added. With over 33 sector-specific policies, a fast-track clearance system, and a responsive single-window platform, Uttar Pradesh has recorded the highest number of new factory registrations in India in 2024–25, underscoring the growing investor confidence in the state's reforms and opportunities, said the state government. By combining global outreach, progressive policy initiatives, and infrastructure readiness, Uttar Pradesh is well positioned to capitalise on the China+1 shift and emerge as India's next major manufacturing and innovation hub, added the government.