Government Seeks To Expand Indigenous Defence Industry Capacity

28 Feb 2026 CW Team

The Trainee Officers of the Indian Foreign Service 2025 batch called on the Raksha Mantri at South Block, New Delhi on 25 February 2026. The interaction was convened to familiarise the officers with the defence establishment and strategic priorities. The Ministry of Defence issued the briefing as part of a structured orientation programme for new diplomats.

The Raksha Mantri underlined the Government of India’s determination to expand the capacity of the indigenous defence industry for local production and exports under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and he highlighted the crucial role of Indian diplomats in realising that vision. He set out steps that the Government has taken to absorb niche technologies in the defence sector and noted that India has moved from being a major importer of defence equipment to a manufacturer and exporter of platforms in all domains. The remarks placed emphasis on leveraging national industrial capacity to project strategic autonomy.

The minister observed that the global comity of nations is closely following India’s growth story and looking to its leadership role, and he encouraged the officers to work with honesty and integrity to further India’s positive image abroad. He reminded them that they represent the aspirations of one point four billion (bn) Indians and urged them to remain open to new ideas, people and perspectives from every culture. He also asked them to carry the values of India’s civilisational wisdom while conducting their duties.

Before the interaction, officials from relevant verticals of the Ministry of Defence briefed the officers on defence diplomacy initiatives, the defence budget, Tri-service integration and defence acquisition processes. The batch comprised 55 trainee officers, including 53 Indian trainees and two trainees from Bhutan. The ministry noted the officers’ achievement in joining the Indian Foreign Service and conveyed congratulations for their hard work.

Infrastructure Urban

10 Apr 2026

Güntner Showcases Cooling Tech at China Expo

Güntner showcased its latest refrigeration and air conditioning innovations at China Refrigeration 2026, highlighting digital intelligence and carbon-neutral solutions.The company presented its aicore™ Controls and IoT platform, designed to optimise energy consumption, enable remote monitoring and enhance lifecycle management of cooling systems. The solution integrates advanced controllers and cloud-based capabilities to improve operational efficiency and reduce energy use.Güntner also demonstrated advancements in heat pump technologies, including its role in projects such as the Ordos Zer..

Superb Realty Ties Up with Praan for AI Air Tech

Superb Realty has partnered with Praan to deploy AI-powered autonomous air infrastructure across over one million sq ft of real estate in Mumbai, marking a significant move towards intelligent indoor environments.The rollout will begin at Superb Altura and expand across upcoming residential and mixed-use developments. The initiative aims to integrate real-time sensing, adaptive purification and AI-led optimisation to improve indoor air quality and occupant experience.Praan’s technology is designed to remove ultrafine particles significantly smaller than conventional systems and eliminate har..

DAAKit Raises $138,000 in Pre-Seed Round

DAAKit has raised $138,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures to expand its hyperlocal fulfilment network and strengthen technology capabilities.The company plans to use the funds to launch 25 new dark stores across Tier I and Tier II cities, enhance its technology infrastructure, and expand its leadership and operations teams. Currently operational in Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, DAAKit is also piloting expansion into Tier II markets through Lucknow.Built on an asset-light, technology-driven model, the platform enables brands to position inventory ..