Defense

The message from India is clear. Future defence cooperation with France must focus on co-development, co-design, co-production and co-manufacturing. This means India wants a larger share of work inside the country, from structural manufacturing and components to maintenance, repair, overhaul and possible integration of Indian systems. Rafale is now becoming a test case for the next stage of India-France defence ties.

The K9 Vajra-T is not just a weapon platform. It is also an industrial success story. The first batch of 100 guns was produced with major Indian participation through Larsen & Toubro’s defence manufacturing ecosystem. The project showed that a private Indian company could build a complex tracked artillery platform with high quality, integration capability and delivery discipline. This is important because India’s defence industry has often been judged by its ability to produce complex platforms, not only simple components.

Autonomous military vehicles can play an important role in modern war because supply chains are now direct targets. Ammunition, fuel, food, spares and medical material must reach forward positions even under surveillance, artillery threat and drone observation. A connected and autonomous logistics vehicle can reduce the exposure of drivers and support troops while improving movement discipline across dangerous routes. Such systems can also operate in convoy formations, support last-mile delivery and serve in high-risk zones where human presence must be limited.

This is a major moment for India’s indigenous defence architecture. It brings together two different but equally important requirements of modern warfare: protection of the homeland from advanced missile threats and the ability to strike enemy warships at sea with precision. One system strengthens India’s shield. The other strengthens India’s maritime sword.

The design is modular. A full BHISHM system consists of 72 portable mini cubes. Thirty-six mini cubes form one mother cube, and two mother cubes form a complete BHISHM Cube. Each mini cube contains specific medical supplies, instruments or support items. This structure allows the system to be split, carried, tracked, assembled and used according to the emergency. Instead of waiting for a large hospital truck or container to arrive, responders can move smaller modules through difficult terrain, flood zones, mountains, conflict areas or narrow urban corridors.