1. F-35 fighter jet makes emergency landing

The F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US airbase on 19 March after reportedly being struck by a missile fired by Iran. The aircraft was part of the US’s ongoing Operation Epic Fury and was flying a combat mission over Iran at the time of the incident.

2. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry meets Anduril delegation

Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, met a delegation led by Brian Schimpf, Co-Founder and CEO of Anduril. The discussion focused on advancing defence innovation and deepening technology partnerships, with an emphasis on expanding Anduril’s footprint in India under the Make in India initiative.

3. India must work in mission mode for a drone manufacturing hub: Raksha Mantri

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh stressed the need to build a robust drone production ecosystem to ensure strategic autonomy, strengthen defence preparedness and promote self-reliance amid current geopolitical uncertainties. Speaking at the National Defence Industries Conclave at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, he said India must work in mission mode to emerge as a global hub for indigenous drone manufacturing in the coming years.

4. Pentagon seeking $200 billion in additional funds for Iran war

The Pentagon is seeking an additional $200 billion from Congress for the Iran war, with the request routed through the White House. The proposed funding—on top of previously approved allocations—comes amid rising concerns over the US national debt, which has crossed $39 trillion. The request faces uncertainty in Congress, where lawmakers have not formally authorised the war and are increasingly uneasy about its scope and strategy.

5. Northrop Grumman Talon aircraft flies with Shield AI’s Hivemind software

Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ testbed completed its first partner mission autonomy flight using Shield AI’s Hivemind software. The flight demonstrated a plug-and-play architecture that enables rapid integration of third-party AI systems, reducing development time and costs. During the mission, Hivemind successfully commanded the aircraft, executing combat air patrol and target engagement manoeuvres before seamlessly transitioning back to Northrop Grumman’s Prism autonomy software, in line with US Government Reference Architecture standards.

Chakra Desk

Chakra News is a specialised digital media platform committed to in-depth coverage of India’s defence, national security, geopolitics, and critical technologies.