Defense

The contract for six Air Cushion Vehicles was signed with Chowgule & Company Private Limited, Goa, on October 24, 2024. These platforms are designed for multipurpose maritime roles and are expected to give the Indian Coast Guard greater speed, reach and flexibility in areas where conventional boats may face operational limitations. ACVs can operate over shallow waters, marshy areas and difficult coastal terrain, making them particularly useful for India’s vast coastline, island territories, river mouths, creeks and sensitive coastal zones.

The first batch consists of 135 men and 9 women, selected for the 166 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army (Home & Hearth), Assam. The recruits are scheduled to leave for Shillong on May 15 to complete formalities before training. The male recruits will undergo training in Shillong, while the nine women recruits will proceed to Bengaluru for their training.

These warheads can manoeuvre independently and strike separate targets hundreds of kilometres apart. A single missile can therefore threaten multiple cities, air bases, command centres, or missile silos simultaneously.

A scramjet, or supersonic combustion ramjet, is an air-breathing engine designed for flight at hypersonic speeds, generally above Mach 5. Unlike conventional rocket motors that carry both fuel and oxidiser, a scramjet uses oxygen from the atmosphere, allowing sustained high-speed flight in the atmosphere. This makes the technology highly valuable for long-range hypersonic cruise missiles, where speed, manoeuvrability and reduced reaction time for enemy air-defence systems are crucial.

Mission Drishti attempts to bridge this gap through what GalaxEye describes as a “multi-sensor fusion” approach. The company’s architecture seeks to combine SAR and optical payload data into integrated intelligence products capable of delivering both high reliability and human-readable situational awareness. This creates the possibility of near-persistent observation of sensitive regions with significantly enhanced target detection and monitoring capability.

According to reports, the woman, identified as Olina Ningshen, was allegedly abducted by militants associated with the Kuki National Army (B) faction and Village Volunteers Eastern Zone (VVEZ) from Namlee village near the Indo-Myanmar border. The abduction reportedly took place during a period of unrest and violence in the border villages of Kamjong district.

The missile was tested with multiple payloads aimed at different targets spread across a vast geographical region in the Indian Ocean Region. According to the Ministry of Defence, the trial demonstrated India’s capability to engage multiple strategic targets using a single missile system.

Named Achal, meaning “firm” or “steadfast”, the vessel has been designed to undertake a broad range of operational duties, including coastal and offshore surveillance, maritime interdiction, search and rescue missions, anti-smuggling operations, and marine pollution response. Officials said the ship will significantly enhance the operational readiness of the Indian Coast Guard across India’s maritime zones.