1. PM Modi inaugurates 16TH Armed Forces Conference in Kolkata

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 15 inaugurated the three-day Combined Commanders' Conference (CCC) at the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army at Vijay Durg, the erstwhile Fort William, in Kolkata.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also attended the crucial meet, the first such conference after Operation Sindoor.

The issue of Theatre commands is likely to be discussed during the conference.

2. Indian Navy gets anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd delivered INS Androth, the second of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs) being built by the shipyard for the Navy , said in a post on X by GRSE.

The warship is named after the Androth Island in the Lakshadweep Archipelago. The ship is fitted with an indigenous 30 mm Naval Surface Gun (NSG), manufactured by GRSE. These ships have Combat Management Systems on board and are  armed with lightweight torpedoes as well as anti-submarine warfare rockets.

The Indian Navy had placed an order for 16 Advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs), eight (08) each to be built by GRSE and another Indian shipyard. GRSE has delivered two out of these eight vessels.  The first warship, INS Arnala, was delivered on May 8 and commissioned into the Navy on June 18.

3. Defence Ministry approves Defence Procurement Manual 2025

In a major reform initiative to streamline, simplify, enable and rationalise the revenue procurement process in the Ministry of Defence, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the new Defence Procurement Manual 2025. The budget for revenue procurement in BE 2025 is about Rs 100,000 crore, as said in a post on X by the Defence Ministry.

In a major thrust to Aatmanirbharta, the Manual will expedite revenue procurement for the Services, enable Indian industry, including startups and MSMEs, with simple processes, promote innovation and support enterprise. Working capital issues faced by industries have been eased by providing supportive financing options and relaxing unnecessary penalties, it mentioned.

Research and Development by industry, academia and DPSUs will get a boost and support with several enabling provisions. Peculiar concerns relating to defence revenue procurement and those relating to a level playing field for the industry have been addressed. The new Manual is aligned with the Procurement Manual for Goods issued by the Ministry of Finance, it said.

4. Three Maoists killed in a gunfight in Jharkhand

Three Maoists, including one carrying a Rs 1 crore bounty on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district on Monday morning, police said.

The encounter broke out in the Pantitri forest under the Gorhar police station limits around 6 am between the squad of Sahdev Soren of the banned CPI (Maoist) and security forces, a senior officer said.

The bodies of Sahadev Soren, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, and two other Maoists have been recovered during the search operation.

5. Pakistani President visits Chinese aircraft facility

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari visited the Chinese state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which manufactures the JF-17 and J-10C fighter aircraft.

During the visit, President Zar­dari met with the company’s engineers and scientists and pra­ised the Chinese-made aircraft’s capabilities.

He was briefed on AVIC’s products, including the J-10, the co-production of the JF-17 Thun­der with Pakistan, the J-20 stea­l­th fifth-generation fighter airc­r­aft, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

6. Israel intensifies Gaza City bombing

Israeli forces destroyed at least 30 residential buildings in Gaza City and forced thousands of people from their homes, Palestinian officials said. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived on September 14 to discuss the future of the conflict.

Israel has said it plans to seize the city, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering, as part of its declared aim of eliminating the militant group Hamas, and has intensified attacks on what it has called Hamas's last bastion.

The group's political leadership in Doha, which has engaged in on-and-off negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal, was targeted by Israel in an airstrike on September 9.

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.