1. Centre approves order for 97 Tejas MK-1A jets

The Centre has cleared an order for 97 additional LCA Mk1A aircraft that are to be made by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on August 19.

The order, valued at ₹62,000 crore, will take the total number of LCA Mk1A fighters in the air force to 180, adding to an earlier order of 83 that is  being delivered. Adding the 40 Tejas MK-I fighter jets in the IAF  the total number of Tejas fighters is going to be 220 in IAF which is 11 squadrons.

The fighter jets will be manufactured at two production lines in Bengaluru and Nashik. The HAL plans is to ramp up production capacity to deliver 24 jets annually.

2. Netra MK-2 cleared by CCS

The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the  acquisition of six  Netra MK-2 airborne radars  worth Rs 19,000 crore.

The Netra MK-2 will be mounted on the Airbus A321 aircraft.The aircraft will have active electronically scanned array antenna-based radars and electronic signal intelligence systems. The IAF operates 3 Netra MK-I AEW&C.

All the six aircraft will be delivered by 2033-34.

3. Military and Civil experts discuss ways to build future tech Army 

Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi and NITI Aayog's CEO B V R Subrahmanyam co-chaired a meeting of military and civil experts, with the deliberations focussing on harnessing cutting-edge innovations to build a future-ready Indian Army, in line with the national vision of Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat.

The Indian Army has declared 2024 as the "Year of Technology Absorption" and is undertaking various initiatives to induct niche technology and systems into its inventory.

The Indian Army, in a post on X said "Indian Army and NITI Aayog engaged in a high-level discussion on the Absorption of Frontier Technologies. #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS, and Shri B V R Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, jointly chaired a meeting of military and civil experts to explore convergence of strengths in the technology domain," .

4. Himachal Pradesh cadet appointed as Hindu Chaplain by Royal Navy

The UK's Royal Navy has appointed its first-ever Hindu chaplain, the first non-Christian to be appointed for the official role of offering spiritual support to fellow naval officers based on the tenets of Hinduism.

Bhanu Attri, originally from Himachal Pradesh, took over his new role last week after undergoing a somewhat different course from other Navy cadets.

He went through six weeks of officer instruction, including sea survival with four weeks at sea aboard the warship HMS Iron Duke, and three weeks focused on the role of a military chaplain.

5. South Korea US drills a rehearsal for war: Kim Jong Un

North Korean state media KCNA reported on August 19, 2025 that Kim Jong Un had instructed his military to move quickly to expand the country’s nuclear weapons programme. His statement coincided with the start of joint United States-South Korea military exercises.

Kim said the drills were “an obvious expression of their will to provoke war.” He described them as “a clear expression of their intention to remain most hostile and confrontational” to North Korea.

The United States and South Korea began the Ulchi Freedom Shield this week. The 11-day exercise will see about 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, take part in large-scale field maneuvers and computer-simulated operations.

6. All units of CRPF alerted about fake app targeting sensitive info

The CRPF has alerted its more than 3.25 lakh staffers against an un-authorised mobile app mimicking one of its authentic online platforms. The force warned that it poses serious security risks by trying to access vital personal and organizational details of the troopers.

The fraudulent application named 'Sambhav Application Writer' app is being advertised through various social media platforms, including WhatsApp and YouTube, an advisory issued by the Information Technology (IT) wing of the paramilitary force said on August 18, 2025.

The original 'CRPF Sambhav' app is used by the combat personnel and other staffers of the force to check their personal and administrative details like salary, finances, leaves and eligibility for transfers.

7. Pentagon to spend $3.5 billion to restock weapons 

The Pentagon plans to spend more than $3.5 billion to replenish inventories in the wake of recurring Israel operations, underscoring the costs of maintaining a stepped-up presence in West Asia.

The funds, outlined in budget documents prepared through mid-May, are meant for both weapons restocking - such as for the missiles fired to repel Iranian attacks, including at least $1 billion for RTX missile interceptors - as well as for a range of mundane tasks including radar upkeep, refurbishing vessels and transporting munitions.

 Almost every paragraph outlining US-specific items to be bankrolled is tagged as an "emergency budget request."

8. Idea Forge launches Q6V2 UAV for Geo-Spatial Intelligence

Idea Forge Technology Limited, a global leader in drone technology, today unveiled its most versatile mapping UAV, the Q6V2 GEO, making its worldwide debut at PRAGYA 2025. PRAGYA 2025 is the company’s inaugural customer event themed this year for Advancing Possibilities in Geospatial Intelligence. 

The Q6V2 GEO has been purpose-built to map anything, anywhere, with all-terrain performance, even in the most extreme environments. Whether it is glacier mapping in the Himalayas, surveying complex urban landscapes, conducting dense forest studies, or monitoring industrial corridors, the Q6V2 GEO delivers unmatched performance.

This survey-grade UAV offers more than 50 minutes of flight time with a LiDAR payload, under 7 kg take-off weight, and exceptional accuracy through advanced IMU on-board, PPK-enabled geotagging and seamless CORS integration. Its five modular and third-party payloads make it one of the most versatile UAV platforms in its class, seamlessly switching between high-resolution photogrammetry, including the newly launched 61 MP AI-enabled payload - SHODHAM M61, LiDAR, oblique imaging, hyperspectral sensing, and thermal detection to address a wide range of use cases. 

Arjun Dev Singh

Arjun Dev Singh has a deep interest in defence, security, and strategic affairs. With a strong analytical lens and a passion for military and geopolitical developments, Arjun strives to bring clarity and context to complex national and international issues.