If you run an IT firm, a logistics company, or a specialized consultancy, you’ve probably looked at the Indian Defence sector and thought, “Not for me. They only buy guns, tanks, and aircraft.”
For years, you were mostly right. The Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) was written for goods. Trying to sell “services” or “expertise” to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Service contracts were often shoehorned into “Goods” procurement rules, leading to the dreaded L1 (Lowest Bidder) trap—where the cheapest (and often least capable) provider won, and quality suffered.
That era ended with the release of DPM 2025.
Hidden away in this massive document is a brand-new addition that changes everything for the service sector: Chapter 12.
For the first time, the MoD has codified specific rules for “Procurement of Services.” They have finally acknowledged that buying expert advice is not the same as buying spare parts.
Here is why Chapter 12 is a game-changer for your business.
1. The Death of “L1 Only”: Enter QCBS
This is the single biggest victory for quality. Under the old system, if you were a top-tier engineering consultancy competing against a “mom-and-pop” shop that quoted peanuts, you lost. The system was blind to expertise; it only saw price.
Chapter 12 changes the rules. It explicitly authorizes Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) for consultancy services.
What does this mean? It means the Armed Forces can now give up to 80% weightage to Technical Capability and only 20% to Price. If you have superior domain knowledge, better past performance, or a more robust methodology, you can win the contract even if you are more expensive.
Armed Forces are no longer forced to buy the cheapest advice. They can now buy the best.
2. Defining the Opportunity: It’s Not Just “Consulting”
The manual breaks services into two massive buckets, both of which are now open for structured business:
Consultancy Services: This is for the “Brain Power.” Think Advisory, Project Management, Engineering Services, Architectural Design, and Specialized IT studies.
Non-Consultancy Services: This is for the “Muscle Power.” Logistics, Facility Management, Security, IT Support, Outsourcing of routine maintenance, and Training.
The market is huge. The Armed Forces are looking to shed non-core activities. They want to outsource logistics, IT management, and facility operations so soldiers can focus on fighting. Chapter 12 is the green light to make that happen.
3. Stability: The Shift to Long-Term Outsourcing
Ad-hoc contracts are a nightmare for business planning. You can’t hire staff if you don’t know if the contract will exist in six months.
DPM 2025 explicitly promotes the Outsourcing of Services on a long-term basis. This means the MoD is moving towards multi-year contracts with defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs). For an MSME, this translates to predictable revenue streams and the confidence to invest in scaling up your team.
4. The ‘Single Source’ Exception
Have a niche capability that no one else has?
Previously, we had to force a “multi-vendor situation” even if it didn’t make sense. Now, Chapter 12 provides a clear, codified path for Single Source Selection (Nomination). If you can justify that you are the only firm with the requisite expertise for a highly specialized task, the system now has a mechanism to hire you directly without the theatre of a generic tender.
The Catch: The “Paper” Wall
The opportunity is massive, but let me be clear: The process is rigorous.
Because we are moving away from L1, the scrutiny on the Technical Bid is intense. To win under QCBS, your proposal needs to be flawless.
Your Statement of Case (SoC) must prove the necessity.
Your Terms of Reference (ToR) must be watertight to avoid scope creep.
Your response to the Technical Evaluation Criteria must be mapped to the specific operational needs of the user.
Writing these documents is harder than selling a product. You aren’t just selling a spec sheet; you are selling a solution.
This is where an experienced Veteran would help you.
The government wants to buy your services, but you need to know how to sell them on paper. Experienced Veterans can help companies draft the Terms of Reference and Proposals that align with these new DPM statutes, ensuring your expertise gets the score it deserves.
The door to the Defence Service Sector is finally open. Don’t stand outside just because you don’t know how to knock.
In her 85-minute speech to present the 2026-2027 Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (9th consecutive budget presentation), did not specifically mention defence allocations/defence-specific initiatives, but took time to mention exemption for disability pensions. Other variations were; instead of her photo-op of making halwa before the presentation, she being fed curd and sugar by President Murmu, and invoking birthday of Guru Ravidas at the beginning of her speech – part of the campaign to woo Dalit votes.
The defence allocation (excluding pensions) for FY 2026-27 is INR 6,13,340 crore (USD 67.03 billion); allocation towards capital expenditure is INR 2,19,306 crore (USD 23.9 billion) and revenue expenditure allocation is INR 3,65,479 crore (USD 39.9 billion). This is rated a 15.18% increase over FY 2025–26 (BE), although inflation and fall of the rupee versus dollar tell a different figure. The accent is on capital outlay surging by 22%, compared to 17% surge in revenue expenditure for operational readiness, troop sustenance and logistics.
About 37% of the INR 1,71,338 crore for defence pensions goes to civilian defence employees and finance ministry personnel on deputation to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Overall defence allocation is 1.997% (just short of 2%) although higher than FY 2025-2026 when it was at 1.91%. This 1.997% of GDP defence allocation is the highest-ever by any BJP government; in the instant case considered adequate to cope with the China-Pakistan threat; while China’s estimated defence budget for 2026 is projected to be approximately USD 542.7 billion.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chickened out when asked by the then Army Chief MM Naravane in 2020 for orders against advancing PLA tanks in Eastern Ladakh. Caught on the wrong foot in Parliament now, Rajnath wants the book to be produced, knowing full-well its publication was stopped by the government. Isn’t he aware government took this action after excerpts of the book were released in media by the publisher in 2023; indicating political pusillanimity, with Rajnath claiming he had spoken to the prime minister? A habitual liar, Rajnath even told Parliament that 28 organizations were consulted before imposing the Agnipath scheme – did these include the ISI and MSS?
In 2023, EAM S Jaishankar, chief architect of covering up China’s land grab in Eastern Ladakh, publicly said, “Look, they (China) are the bigger economy. What am I going to do? As a smaller economy, I am going to pick up a fight with the bigger economy? It is not a question of being reactionary, it’s a question of common sense.”. But why did Jaishankar advise Prime Minister Modi to say Koi Na Aya, Koi Na Ghusa, and prompted Rajnath to say, “Not even an inch of territory lost”?
But Jaishankar is right about China’s bigger economy; with analysts noting China’s USD 30 trillion economy slowdown doesn’t guarantee Indian economy will match before the middle of the century, if at all; India would need to grow consistently at 8% annually over the next 25 years while China grows at a glacial 2%, which is unlikely. Can we. stop bragging about out a USD 4 trillion economy – especially when 1% of our population holds over 40% of India’s wealth and our GDP per capita is USD 2.818, compared to China’s USD 13.806?
The emphasis on capital acquisitions in this budget should also be seen in the backdrop of 1.8 lakh manpower shortages in Indian Armed Forces – 1 lakh in the Army alone. News indicates youth from Punjab are not joining the Army and plans are afoot to make upthe manpower shortages of Gorkha Regiment by including Kumaoinis/Garhwalis. But the political apex refuses to acknowledge that youth are charry to join as Agniveers with an uncertain future, despite assurances some would be later absorbed in CAPF, or serve as security guards with political parties or corporates. The fact that Agniveers are made to join the 1.4 million Indian Armed Forces but not the 2.16 million civil, armed and special police forces speaks volumes; is the military a necessary evil?
In July 2019, Nirmala Sitharaman, when questioned about the finance ministry decision to tax disability pension of military personnel, put the onus on the Army. This JNU-product is a darling of the deep-state also because she managed to grab a huge amount of defence land. Report of the Justice LN Reddy (One-Man Judicial Committee) on OROP, which favoured the military, has been in the freezer since its submission in October 2016. But when a veteran colonel raised a question about OROP during Nirmala Sitharaman’s pre-election rally in early 2019, she shouted him down, screeching and gesticulating; her photo of that moment appeared in newspapers (inset). Little wonder social media calls her “Bulbul-e-Hindostan” – in short ‘Bulbul’ or India’s Nightingale.
Sitharaman now wants to terminate income tax benefits on disability pensions for all but “boarded out” – ostensibly due to misuse of exemption (sic). Do you disarm a force if there is a case of fratricide? A veteran-strategist calls it a wholesale retreat from honour, and by narrowing the definition of those “worthy” of support, the government has effectively abandoned thousands of soldiers who sacrificed their physical well-being in the line of duty.
An excellent write up on the withdraw of Income Tax exemption to all but those boarded out.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE NATION
" Devaluation of Sacrifice and the Death of the Moral Contract"
To
The Citizens of India,
The Military Leadership,
The Policy Makers of this…
But this gutter-level move is in the backdrop of freebies galore to influence votes, purchasing votes before elections; INR 10,000 to every woman of Bihar and now Assam CM Sarma announcing INR 8,000 to every woman in Assam – are women in Assam inferior to the ones in Bihar? In any case, no one will know how many women received or did not receive this amount. Then there are central funds, including some not audited, with on-line distribution, the actual execution of which can hardly be fully monitored. Bulbul hasn’t mentioned the amount involved in disability pension exemptions, and whether the savings will create another 100 smart cities. Of the 1.4 billion Indians only about 5% (including Armed Forces personnel) pay income tax, and after poodle-faking for 12 years, she is now talking of widening the tax base?
The talk of cutting red-tape and ease of business has been on for several years. CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, himself in MoD and member of the Defence Acquisition Council, urged the defence industry at the 2025 Chanakya Defence Dialogue to be truthful about capabilities and deliver at globally competitive costs on time, saying, “We have problems like our procurement procedures are so slow, that it is difficult to imbibe technology at the rate the Armed Forces would want to.” Is the CDS as helpless as a wet kitten?
The focus on MSMEs, new funds/schemes etc is good. But India had over six crore (60 million) MSMEs registered in early 2025, of which only about 40% received bank credit. With the sector under stress, over 35,000 MSMEs shut down in FY 2024-25 and 75,000+ in the last five years. Does this bode well for India? Isn’t it a shame that the government used only 5% funds in FY 2025-2026 allocated for employment and job skilling?
R&D directly relates to national security and India’s rise and development. But Sitharaman didn’t give any figures for R&D investment, present or planned. India spends about 0.6%-0.7% of its GDP on R&D, compared to over 2.4% by China and over 3.5% by the US. 2024-2025 data showed total R&D investment by India, China and the US was USD 17 billion. USD 496 billion and USD 886 billion respectively. This despite India being the 4th largest economy globally, and soon to become 3rd as mentioned by Modi. Moreover, India’s private sector contributes only 36% to R&D, compared to over 70% by the US, China and Germany, while India writes of bank loans the Corporate because they fund elections. With roughly 26% of global R&D output, Beijing enjoys an overwhelming edge in new age warfare; drone swarms, electronic warfare, quantum decryption, and the like.
Amid the deafening talk of Atmanirbhar Bharat, what is happening in terms of defence and national security? Nobel Laureate David Gros, speaking at the Quantum India Bengaluru Summit 2025, said “You can’t just ‘Make in India’ by using science done elsewhere”; emphasizing India must “discover, invent, and then make”; increase R&D and promote a culture of scientific inquiry, not rely on foreign technology, also pointing out lack of enabling infrastructure preventing India’s vast talent from leading in global scientific progress.
What are we up to?
• Over the last decade plus, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) periodically pointed out excessive time delays by DRDO, sub-standard products, many priced more than the same category available off-the-shelf, and lack of accountability. But the reorganization of DRDO continues to drag on.
• A CAG report tabled in Parliament (December 2025) pointed out 72% Army contracts under emergency procurement (EP) not delivered within stipulated time and deviations regularising violating procurement processes/rules.
• Another CAG report labelled combat free-fall parachutes, developed by DRDO at a cost of INR 10.75 crores over 13 years and claimed successful, failures and “seriously life threatening”.
• An article in ‘Swarajya’ details how India is “botching” its military worse than the US.
• The article ‘After 10-Year Delay, India Set To Import German AIP Submarines In $8 Billion Deal; Setback For Atmanirbhar Bharat’ points out how six submarines for Project 75I could have been indigenously developed by Larsen and Toubro instead of importing German technology.
• At the 2025 Chanakya Defence Dialogue, the CDS doubted the percentage of indigenous content under ‘Make -in-India, which in many cases perhaps only amounts to “assembling” foreign products with minor tinkering. But what takes the cake is the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft under development will forever remain hostage to foreign blockages which amounts to outsourcing national security. So much for Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Why should the finance minister worry, if the defence minister is not? As to how “progressive” is the 2026-2027 budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, readers would do well to read the article by her JNU-mate at the following link.
The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal.
For over three decades, I sat on the “other side” of the table. I’ve evaluated countless proposals, sat through endless technical presentations, and unfortunately, watched brilliant engineering ideas from Indian MSMEs die a slow death.
Why? Not because the technology was bad. But because the procurement process was designed for buying, not building. It was rigid, risk-averse, and frankly, intimidating.
But something has changed. And if you are an aerospace manufacturer, a defence startup, or a deep-tech MSME, you need to sit up and pay attention.
The Ministry of Defence has released the Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025. While most people are skimming through the standard clauses, there is a hidden gem that changes the entire landscape of Revenue Procurement: Chapter 10.
For the first time, the Indian Armed Forces aren’t just looking for vendors; they are looking for partners. Here is why DPM 2025 is a goldmine for your business—and how you can claim your share.
1. The ‘Suo Moto’ Revolution: Don’t Wait to be Asked
In the past, you had to wait for a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a tender. You were reactive. If we didn’t ask for it, you couldn’t sell it.
Clause 10.9 shatters that barrier. It introduces the ‘Suo Moto’ proposal.
This means you don’t have to wait for the Armed Forces to release a tender. If you have identified a part, a sub-system, or a technology that is currently being imported, you can proactively approach the Directorate of Indigenisation with a proposal to make it in India. You pitch the solution, and if it meets the requirement, the process starts. You are now the driver, not just a passenger.
2. Cash Flow is King (And We Finally Get It)
I know the biggest killer for MSMEs is working capital. You can’t eat “potential orders.” You need cash to buy raw materials and run R&D.
DPM 2025 addresses this head-on. Under Clause 10.15.3, the government can now release up to 30% Advance Payment against a bank guarantee for development projects.
Even better? There is No Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) required for these development contracts. The system is finally acknowledging that your money should go into engineering, not locked up in bank guarantees before you’ve even started.
3. Removal of Risk: Punishment is Out, Partnership is In
Development is messy. Prototypes fail. Timelines stretch. In the old days, if you were late, you were hit with Liquidated Damages (LD)—penalties that could wipe out your profit margin. It made R&D too risky for smaller players.
Chapter 10 changes the rules. Clause 10.18.1 explicitly allows for the waiver of Liquidated Damages during the development phase. The MoD understands that R&D has inherent uncertainties. We are no longer here to punish you for the “trial” in “trial and error.”
4. Guaranteed ROI: The 5-Year Promise
The nightmare scenario for any vendor is this: You spend two years developing a product, you prove it works, and then… the government issues a new open tender, and someone else undercuts you by ₹10.
That fear ends now. Clause 10.18.1 provides for an Initial Order Quantity (IOQ) to be placed immediately upon successful development. More importantly, it allows for Long Term Procurement from the successful developer for up to 5 years without re-tendering.
This is your Return on Investment. If you build it and it works, you are the supplier. Period.
The Bottom Line
The government has laid out the red carpet. The policy (DPM 2025) is revolutionary, the intent (Atmanirbhar Bharat) is clear, and the funding is available.
However, let me offer a word of caution. While the policy is new, the process—the Statement of Case, the commercial bid structure, the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) negotiations—remains complex. A brilliant product can still be rejected if the proposal doesn’t speak the language of the Armed Forces HQ or fails to map the Operational Requirement (OR) correctly.
This is where the gap lies
You have the engineering capability. We the veterans have the operational insight.
Navigating this manual requires someone who understands both the cockpit and the conference room. A seasoned veteran who has managed these requirements from the inside, can help you translate your technical prowess into a winning, compliant Defence proposal.
Chapter 10 is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Don’t let it get lost in the paperwork. Let’s build something together.
On January 29th, at the Twelfth Kolkata International Children’s Film Festival, ROSKINO, supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, will present five Russian films as part of the Russian Film Days India 2026.
Kolkata International Children’s Film Festival presents fiction, animated, documentary and educational films from all over the world to wide children and teenagers’ audience to broaden the horizon for young viewers. This year, the festival will be held for 12th time across eight venues throughout the city of Kolkata.
The Russian film program at the festival:
The Big Trip 3: Race Around the World (2024, directed by Vasily Rovensky)—the family-audience franchise continued. After his two big adventures, Mick-Mick the Bear dreams of having calm and predictable life surrounded by his family and bees. But his dream is hopeless. The long-awaited new addition to the family presents a new problem: the silly stork brings the wrong baby… again! To fix this, Mick-Mick launches on a new journey. But this time it’s not going to be that easy.
Detective Chirp & the Golden Beehive (2022, directed by Grigory Vozhakin) is an animated story that won the next generation’s hearts both in Russia and abroad. The residents of the Honey Valley are preparing for their favorite holiday: the Town Day, when a unique artefact is displayed for everyone to see: the Golden Beehive. The legend has it that it was discovered by the founders of the Honey Valley, and it is said that the town will be showered by thousands of misfortunes if the hive disappears. Right before the holiday, the hive is stolen. And the main suspect is Chirp the Squirrel, Detective Sofi’s assistant. Chirp and his friends are now to unravel the case, find the true thief, and return the Golden Beehive, restoring peace in the Valley.
The Dino Family (2025, directed by Maxim Volkov) is yet another successful show beloved by foreign guests of Russian film festivals. Schoolboy Phil Dino’s life is spiraling downward: his classmates laugh at him, girls don’t notice him, while his father embarrasses him with the family heritage: a paleontology museum forgotten by everyone. But it all flips around when Phil accidentally activates a portal to the Mesozoic. Now, he’s in for a dino challenge in the jungles in the company of a chatty velociraptor, his helicopter father, and the girl he likes at school. It seems that the time has come for Phil to realize that belonging to the Dino family is not so bad.
Don’t Mess with Baba Yaga (2025, directed by Alexander Voytinsky) is a kind and magical comedy starring Svetlana Khondchenkova. When ten-year-old Petya gets a new nanny—strange, grumpy, yet incredibly charming—he’s fast to grasp that she’s not like everyone else. She became a nanny to go undercover, while she is actually Baba Yaga, the legendary magician who lost her mortar and hid among people. Now, it’s up for Petya alone to help her to get her magic powers back. In return, she teaches the boy to fly. Not just in her mortal—in his everyday life, too.
Finnick 2 (2025, directed by Denis Chernov) the continued story about the charming house boogie Finnick and his friends’ adventures. It’s been a year since Finnick and Christina successfully prevented a threat to the city. An absurd accident makes Finnick lose invisibility, which puts the whole house boogie kind’s existence in jeopardy. Besides, a dangerous hunter named Eugene is now after Finnick himself. The friends are to go on an incredible journey to find a magical staff that can help them fix everything.
It has become an annual tradition for ROSKINO, with support from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, to conduct two-way events—big-scale Russian Film Festivals in India and Indian Film Festivals in Russia—and organize Russian film screenings and Russia’s regular participation at Indian festivals.
For example, on December 5th to 7th, New Delhi witnessed
the big-scale Russian Film Festival, dedicated to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, with its full houses of viewers who came to watch outstanding modern films, Q&A sessions with filmmakers and stars, and a business program.
Moreover, in December 2025, the Indian capital hosted the screening of films that participated in the Diamond Butterfly Open Eurasian Film Award organized by the Russian Culture Fund with support the Ministry of Culture of Russia and participation of ROSKINO.
India’s foreign policy continues to do Cha-Cha-Cha in reverse gear – one step forward, two steps back. There is much emphasis on learning from the past, but we forgot Chanakya’s mantra of Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed, wherein Gadhey Ko Mama Bolna Chahiye (call the donkey “Uncle”)) when needed, be it Tom, Jerry or Donald Trump. Before Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the US to attend the Quad Summit chaired by then POTUS Joe Biden, Trump announced “friend” Modi will come to see him. But Modi avoided him, which ignited Trump’s tail. Then came the missing call to Donkey Uncle.
Pakistan “bought” Trump despite India being the fourth largest global economy, even though our debt repayment is becoming difficult with 40%+ taxpayers’ money going into repayments.
Social media is awash with India cocking a snook at Trump’s 500+ tariffs threat because we are signing FTA with multiple countries. Then why has India’s import of Russian crude dropped 29% month-to-month, recording lowest ever in December 2025? Now the Reliance Group is to buy oil from Venezuela in USD, eating further into our reserves and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav attended a rare mineral meeting in the US. American weapons and weapon platforms continue to be imported despite proven unreliability of the US. A billion-dollar plus deal for F-404 engines is only for 80% technology transfer, not 100%. In Trump’s first presidency, we gave up on cheaper and next-door Iranian oil and now we are scared to take the Russian offer of Su-57 with full technology transfer under Make in India – going for more expensive Rafales (bigger kickbacks)? A tweet by Dr. Brahma Chellaney, says..
What does it say about India’s Reliance group — owned by Mukesh Ambani, the country’s wealthiest man — that it is among the first foreign entities to line up to buy Venezuelan oil effectively seized by the United States? By pursuing this trade, Reliance is implicitly recognizing…
An Indo-American view is that India lost Trump to Pakistan not only because Modi not telephoning Trump, and Trump’s idiocies, but also because: one, Vinay Kwatra was posted as India’s ambassador to the US despite his dismal performance in Bangladesh; two, tackling the Donald Trump Administration was left to EAM S Jaishankar and his son Dhruva Jaishankar who is influencing India’s foreign policy.
India’s appeasement of the US is in the backdrop of Indian politicians settling their children in the west. Dr. Jaishankar’s son Dhruva and daughter Medha are US citizens living in the US. NSA Ajit Doval’s son Vivek is a British citizen, living in Singapore, and director of the ‘GNY Asia Fund’; registered 13 days after Modi announced demonetisation in November 2016. There are allegations of potential conflicts of interest and links to increased FDI from Cayman Islands after demonetisation. Of Piyush Goel’s two children, one is settled in Washington DC. These are only few examples.
US ambassador to India Sergio Gor posted on X: “A quick update: @SecRubio Just concluded a positive call with @DrSJaishankar. They discussed next steps regarding our bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals and a possible meeting next month.” So, we are looking for a critical mineral deal with the US (like Pakistan) while importing REEs from China! Fearing Trump, no defence deal was announced during the recent 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit at New Delhi. Expect the same meek approach (submitting to trade in Dollars) when India chairs the 2026 BRICS Summit: with Jaishankar already announcing focus on ‘humanity-first’ strategy to promote global welfare. What humanity first when India lacks guts to condemn severe human right violations against women by Taliban and genocide in Gaza with 71,000+ Palestinians killed and attacks continuing?
Europe, with its Nazi-cum-neo-Nazi culture, will continue to be part of Washington’s kennel club. Witness German Chancellor Friedrich Merz raised the issue of India importing Russian oil during his recent trip to India. With total focus on trade, FTA’s are sought sans “any other” consideration. After economic offender Lalit Modi jeered India, the MEA says “will bring back all fugitives” by 2047? Several economic fugitives have origins/companies in Gujarat, and many like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, are in the UK. So why didn’t we link their extradition with the FTA when India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty effective since 1993? Is this deliberate act being deflected by the election stunt of getting back the Kohinoor?
India’s backflip from a feigned standagainst China, to prostrating is even more amusing. Gone is India’s demand for return to the 2020 pre-April territorial status and troop deployment by both sides in Eastern Ladakh. Shaksgam Valley is in the spotlight presently, but PLA deployments in Shaksgam and improving infrastructure has been ongoing for years. A new Chinese road entering Shaksgam through Aghil Pass, and a Pakistani road connecting Muzaffarabad to Mustagh Pass on the border with Shaksgam, and linking beyond to Yarkand in China was in the works. China plans to open a front for Siachen from the North through Shaksgam and through Turkistan La. Now China has unambiguously claimed that Shaksgam Valley is Chinese territory, coinciding with a vice minister–led Chinese delegation visiting BJP headquarters in New Delhi. Chinese help to Pakistan during Operation ‘Sindoor’, which resulted in multiple IAF aircraft losses on day one are forgotten! Reports of India planning to remove all restrictions on Chinese investments and businesses would obviously be implemented soon.
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi rubbishing Chinese claim to Shaksgam has no meaning, when Jaishankar and Doval lack guts to say this face-to-face to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other Chinese officials. Presently, 100-120 Pakistani terrorists are poised to infiltrate into India. There eight active terror camps in Pakistan; six across the LoC and two across the IB. Why are we not at least hitting the launch pads and terrorist camps across the LoC? Are we afraid of Pakistani response? Does the Army still have the so-called free hand? Should we borrow political will from Israel?
Covering up the government’s pusillanimity is amusing. One Sheikh Chilli claims India got back 1,000 sq km territory from China.
Another post says Indian Army has regained patrolling rights to 982 sq km in Depsang (Eastern Ladakh) of territory lost to China in 1962, and gained access to 56 sq km in Demchok. Question in social media is should Jaishankar/Doval or both be given Padma Award for this?
The Indian Army has gained patrolling rights to ~982 sq kms of territory in the Eastern Depsang area of Eastern Ladakh area that India lost to China in the 1962 War.
Also India gained access to ~56 sq kms of territory in the Demchok area of Eastern Ladakh. pic.twitter.com/cyd724RkOi
The fact is India was patrolling these areas before China redrew the LAC in Eastern Ladakh in 2020: we then lost control of 26 out of 65 Patrolling Points (PPs). After two years plus of denying access to Indian patrols, the 2024 India-China Border Patrol Agreement was signed; restoring patrolling rights in Depsang (not entire Eastern Ladakh). This agreement underscored territorial claims of both countries, this too with following caveats: Indian patrols to be on foot or horseback, not vehicle-borne; both sides to info each other through hotline at least 24 hrs prior to the patrol; one PP can be visited in a month by both sides. So, no area has been retrieved, which we lost in 2020 and China continues to call the shots; allowing access to our patrols with conditions. PLA continues to consolidate in their new locations. China was constructing a border village in Demchok bang on the LAC, which must be competed now. There is no change in the areas of Galwan, Hot Spring and Pangong Tso. On the north bank of Pangong Tso, India is left with one solitary post between Fingers 2 and 3, but we cannot patrol eastwards as before, while PLA has positioned tanks at Finger 10 and the metalled road linking it to Finger 3 is intact.
Who the prime minister’s advisors are is ambiguous. Modi wrote to the UAE to lift the ban on the movie ‘Dhurandhar’ although the movie is banned in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Pakistan. This indicates the limited influence India has, while we boast of leading the Global South. As if on a cue, Gen Dwivedi visited a Hindu temple during an official visit to the UAE, although he avoided visiting the Pashupatinath Temple when he went to Nepal.
Can we shut the door to the US, withdraw from Quad, saying we will reconsider when America behaves and its reliability is established? Apparently no, even though some European countries are reconsidering their ties with the US. We should have occupied Karakoram Pass when China invaded Eastern Ladakh in 2020, but instead, we meekly vacated the Kailash range in our own territory. How long will India be unable to stand up to China and the US; although spin doctors will depict Trump and Xi kowtowing to Modi. With India opening the floodgates for China (ignoring all aspects of security), there is a view that India should immediately convene a RIC meeting at New Delhi, sending a strong signal to Trump. But Trump could then cancel the US citizenship of children of Jaishankar, Doval, Goyal and other Indian politicians, and boot them out, since he plans to cancel the citizenship of even naturalized US citizens.
A “smart” strategy would have been treating the Chinese delegation at BJP headquarters to gau mutra (cow urine), making them join Shri Mahakal Mahotsav/Magh Mela 2026@Prayagraj, and bathe in the holy waters. This could have made China shut its evil eye on Arunachal, return Aksai Chin and Shaksgam to us, and even plan on vacating Tibet.
The author is an Indian army veteran. Views expressed are personal.
In the complex ecosystem of airline operations, safety, reliability and cost‐control hinge on far more than just the flight crew or the visible engineering teams on the tarmac. At the core of this is the CAMO – the organisation responsible for continuing airworthiness of the fleet. Whether a scheduled airline or a non-scheduled operator (NSOP), a robust CAMO is vital. It is the heart and soul of the airline’s aircraft availability, regulatory compliance, asset integrity and ultimately the success or failure of the operation.
This article examines why CAMO matters so much, how oversight failures can lead to catastrophic consequences, how best-in-class CAMOs deliver value and finally provides a proposed ranking structure for CAMOs in India (scheduled vs non-scheduled vs FTO) to help benchmark performance and best practices within the aviation industry.
What CAMO Actually Does
At its most basic, CAMO stands for Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation. Its core functions include:
Developing and implementing the maintenance programme for each aircraft, aligned to the aircraft type certificate-holder requirements and regulator (e.g., Directorate General of Civil Aviation India (DGCA), European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)).
Monitoring fleet reliability, analysing defect trends, and ensuring corrective action is taken (especially for recurrent faults).
Ensuring all airworthiness directives (ADs), service bulletins (SBs), modifications, maintenance data are incorporated and complied with.
Overseeing the maintenance providers (Part 145 organisations), subcontractors, ensuring the aircraft configuration control, and ensuring the continuation of airworthiness certificates.
Ensuring that records, documentation, traceability, safety management system (SMS) practices are in place.
In short: CAMO ensures that an aircraft remains airworthy for each flight, over its lifetime, and that the airline meets its regulatory obligations. Without a strong CAMO, an airline is metaphorically flying blind.
Aircraft Under Maintenance In Hangar (Image credits: Adobe)
Why CAMO Is So Critical for Airlines
Safety & Risk Mitigation
A small oversight by CAMO – missed AD, unmonitored recurring fault, improper configuration control – can cascade into a major in-flight incident. As the adage goes: “the aircraft is safe only as long as the airworthiness chain is unbroken.” For example, recurrent faults that are not addressed properly by the CAMO’s defect control system can undermine the entire maintenance programme.
Operational Reliability & Asset Utilisation
Airlines depend on high aircraft utilisation. CAMO contributes by optimising scheduled checks, ensuring minimal AOG (Aircraft on Ground) events, proper planning of maintenance slots, predictive analytics for wear and tear. As research shows, forecasting models in maintenance help avoid downtime and part shortages.
Regulatory Compliance
In India, for example, the DGCA found 263 safety-related lapses at Indian carriers in one annual audit. Some of these lapses trace back to ineffective airworthiness oversight, in which the CAMO function plays a central role.
Cost Control
Proper CAMO practices reduce unscheduled maintenance, avoid regulatory fines, reduce component wear, optimise labour and parts. A strong CAMO is a major contributor to the airline’s bottom line – especially in an environment of intense cost pressure.
Brand & Reputation
A serious airworthiness incident reflects poorly on the operator’s brand, has insurance and regulatory consequences, and can cause major long-term damage. The CAMO is the first line of defence.
Where Oversight Failures Have Cost Big Time
Here are a few cases that underline the stakes for CAMO.
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 (2000): A loss of control due to improper lubrication and failed maintenance of the jackscrew assembly. The oversight of the maintenance programme and follow-up by airworthiness management was lacking.
Chalk’s Ocean Airways Flight 101 (2005): Structural failure due to undetected fatigue cracks which persisted because the airline’s maintenance programme failed to address long-term structural problems. The CAMO oversight of ageing aircraft was weak.
Recurring Fault Oversight: The article “The Importance of Addressing Recurrent Aircraft Defects” emphasises that CAMO must monitor, analyse and investigate recurrent faults-failure to do so jeopardises safety.
Indian Airlines Safety Audit (2025): The DGCA audit found widespread lapses at Indian carriers; many of these relate to airworthiness oversight, documentation and compliance areas under CAMO purview.
These examples show that when CAMO fails to deliver, consequences can be catastrophic loss of life, regulatory action, financial ruin.
When Vigilant CAMO Saved Lives & Cash
On the flip side, many airlines credit their high-performing CAMO functions with averting major incidents, reducing cost and ensuring aircraft availability. While detailed public case studies are fewer (due to confidentiality), the following generic observations illustrate the point:
A CAMO that instituted real-time defect trending discovered a pattern of hydraulic pump failures on one fleet type. By acting early, modifying the maintenance schedule and monitoring spares supply proactively, it avoided multiple AOGs, each of which would have cost the airline hundreds of thousands of dollars per day.
An airline CAMO that implemented a digital documentation system (ensuring no missed ADs or SBs) recorded zero AD-related non-compliances over two years versus industry-average rates of 1-2 %. That translated into regulatory compliance, lower insurance premiums, and improved reliability.
A CAMO with strong configuration control identified mismatched part serial numbers on a component during an airworthiness review; the part was grounded before entry into service in India, preventing a potential in-flight failure scenario.
These successes highlight that CAMO, when structured, resourced and empowered properly, becomes a centre of value creation not merely cost.
Key Enablers of a High-Performing CAMO
To implement a world-class CAMO, airlines (and non-schedule operators) should focus on:
Clear organisational structure & governance: Including a Nominated Post Holder – Continuing Airworthiness (NPCA) with direct line to senior management.
Robust maintenance programmes: Aligned with manufacturer and regulator requirements, reviewed periodically.
Reliability and defect management systems: Analytics on rejection rates, trend monitoring, root-cause investigation.
Data & digital systems: For configuration control, documentation, AD/SB tracking, digital logs.
Linkage with operations and engineering: CAMO must not be siloed; it needs operational awareness of utilisation, defects, mission profiles.
Competence & training: Personnel with regulatory, engineering, maintenance knowledge; continuous training in human factors, SMS.
Proactive audit & review: Internal and external audits, self-assessment, performance indicators (e.g., AOG rate, AD compliance, off-wing defects).
Change management & culture: Encouraging reporting, transparency, learning from near misses.
As one industry-paper emphasised: “We are not getting value out of our airworthiness reviews” unless the CAMO function is well-resourced and empowered.
Ranking Structure for CAMOs: India Context
To encourage benchmarking and drive continuous improvement, the following proposed ranking structure for CAMOs in India may be adopted. These are illustrative and subjective; actual performance must be measured via KPIs.
Scheduled Airline CAMOs
Rank
Tier
Characteristics / KPIs
Tier 1
Best in class
Zero major findings in audits, high aircraft availability (>95 %), AD/SB compliance 100%, strong reliability trend performance
Tier 2
Good
Some minor findings, aircraft availability 90-95 %, minor AD non-compliance corrected promptly
Tier 3
Developing
Frequent audit findings, high unscheduled maintenance, availability <90%
FTO CAMOs face unique challenges (diverse fleet types, high utilisation, trainees). Ranking could be:
Premier FTO CAMO: Certified mint performance, very low airworthiness issues, effective maintenance planning.
Standard FTO CAMO: Acceptable record, some findings but managed.
Emerging FTO CAMO: Needs support, multiple maintenance or oversight gaps.
*Note: Specific airline names omitted to avoid unfair ranking without full data.
Future Outlook & Imperatives
Digital Transformation: CAMOs must harness analytics, predictive maintenance, IoT sensors to shift from reactive to proactive. The research confirms that tailored maintenance strategies deliver ~13% cost savings over generic approaches.
Global Benchmarking: Indian CAMOs should benchmark against global best practices (EASA, FAA) and leverage standardised processes.
Regulatory Emphasis: With audits uncovering hundreds of lapses, regulators will focus more on CAMO performance airlines must be ready.
Talent & Culture: As fleets grow and technology becomes more complex (eVTOL, hybrid models), CAMO staff must evolve – not only technically but culturally toward continuous improvement.
Integration with Operations: The CAMO must not be a standalone function – it must be fully integrated with demand planning, operations, engineering and safety management.
To Summarize
For any airline – scheduled or non-scheduled, the continuing airworthiness management organisation is not a peripheral function; it is central to everything. It is the heartbeat that ensures the fleet flies, meets regulatory standards, performs reliably and costs are contained. The examples of oversight failures prove how quickly things can go wrong. Equally, the success stories show how CAMO can save lives, money and reputation.
If you are an airline executive, maintenance director or part of the airworthiness team, the message is clear: invest in, empower, and prioritise your CAMO. Because when your CAMO is strong, your airline structure becomes resilient, efficient and future-ready. Treat your CAMO not as a cost centre, but as a strategic enabler and you elevate safety, performance and profitability.
Inaugurating the two-day national seminar ‘Aeronautics 2047’ organised by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), commenced at Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), Bengaluru on January 04, 2026, Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal AP Singh said meeting commitment schedules was critical at a time when the operational environment was rapidly evolving and requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were growing, even as he congratulated ADA on the completion of 25 years of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. ‘Aeronautics 2047’ was also to trace the journey of LCA Tejas from early design sketches to operational squadrons, The LCA Mk-1A, an advanced variant of Tejas, is expected to serve as a key platform for meeting the IAFs operational requirements.
The LCA MK-2 and the naval variant are currently under development. Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development, and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Dr Samir V Kamat stressed the importance of developing indigenous technology to reduce dependence on imports. This, he said, was central to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The IAF has been facing a severe shortage of fighter squadrons – now just about equalling the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). This is not the first time the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal ACM AP Singh has publicly raised the issue of slippage in the delivery schedule of LCA Tejas. Amid these continuing serious concerns of the IAF regarding fighter squadron shortages and delays in LCA Tejas deliveries, which has a direct bearing on national security, Dr Samir Kamat has now assured that even as HAL Tejas LCA Mk-1A is in the early stages of induction into the IAF, both the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and LCA Tejas Mark-II are on schedule.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event to mark the 25 years of the LCA Tejas flight programme, Kamat said, “LCA has been a marvellous journey. Now this aircraft is inducted. Now our focus is on the Mark-II variant of LCA and AMCA. Both these programs are now on schedule, and we hope to deliver our commitment to the Indian Air Force.” The first flight of Mark-II, according to him, is expected to happen in June-July 2026, and AMCA is likely to be rolled out by the end of 2028. The first flight of the aircraft may happen by early 2029. He said AMCA, being a fifth-generation aircraft, will have several new technologies. “It’s a stealth aircraft, so several new technologies will come in with AMCA,” he was quoted as saying.
According to Kamat, the decision to target the June–July 2026 window for the first flight of Tejas Mk II is based on rigorous internal assessments regarding design finalisation, subsystem integration, and pre-flight clearances. If this schedule is met, it will mark a pivotal moment for Indian military aviation. The LCA Mk2 is not merely an upgrade but a substantial evolution over the existing Tejas Mk1/Mk1A variants. Often referred to as a Medium Weight Fighter (MWF), the Mk2 is designed with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 17.5 tonnes, significantly heavier than the 13.5-ton Mk1A. It will be powered by the robust General Electric F414-INS6 engine, generating 98 kN of thrust, and will feature close-coupled canards for improved manoeuvrability. This platform is envisioned as the bridge to India’s future fifth-generation fighter programmes, such as the AMCA.
It is no secret that the major reason for delay in the Tejas program is the inordinate delivery of aeroengines by GE. It would be naïve to believe that this was due to reasons beyond the control of GE. For months our media has been talking of GE transferring 100% technology of the F-404 engine to India; which obviously was fake propaganda. The latest now is that GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is expected to finalize the F414 Engine technology transfer deal by March 2026, and the first indigenous unit targeted by 2029. According to sources close to the development, negotiations for the prospective USD 1.5 billion contract have been concluded, establishing a framework for an unprecedented 80% Transfer of Technology (ToT). Once approved by both governments, a process anticipated to complete within the first quarter of 2026, HAL is to commence the phased absorption of critical manufacturing technologies; with the goal to establish a comprehensive domestic ecosystem for building, servicing, and sustaining these advanced propulsion systems.
The Cabinet Committee for Security (CCS) had approved the Tejas Mk2 program in September 2022, allocating nearly INR 10,000 crore for its development. However, this approval included a crucial condition. Prototype development would begin only after India achieved clarity on the jet engine partnership with the United States. Compare this with the ToT for the aeroengine yet to be signed – hopefully by March 2026. But the ToT is only for 80%, which implies the control will remain with the US. This does not inspire much confidence, with the delays in delivery of F-404 previously signed and agreed to by GE (only five received?), as well as the inordinate delay in delivering Apache helicopters. While the negotiating team has reportedly committed USD 1.5 billion in the deal but with only 80% ToT the control will remain with the US; a country which is highly unreliable and can switch off anytime – the indirect Kill Switch.
Witness Donald Trump now lying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked “may I see you please” and then requested him for 68 Apache helicopters, which would be delivered on time. Trump has now threatened Inda with 500% tariffs for buying Russian oil. There is every reason to believe that the Trump Administration behind the Tejas jet crash at the Dubai Air Show in which the pilot Wing Commander Namansh Syal was killed. Trump’s attack on Venezuela, bombing of Caracas without declaration of war, abducting President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores who was apparently tortured as is visible in this tweeted picture of hers, indicates Trump is Satan incarnate.
Screen grab of Cilia Flores vide tweet by @yasiragha1234 dtd 07 Jan 2026
The US, UK, Russia, France, and China are the primary nations with comprehensive, self-reliant jet engine industries for advanced fighters and commercial jets. In our case, development of the Kaveri engine, which began in 1986, has taken nearly 40 years and is suitable only for UAVs; it cannot power the Tejas. Compare this with the US, UK, Russia, France, and China having indigenous engines to power their advanced fighters and commercial jets. Britain’s jet fighter engine development took roughly a decade; operational deployment, with the Frank Whittle turbojet in 1930 and the first British jet, the ‘Gloster Meteor’, flying in 1943. The US developed its first viable jet fighter engines relatively quickly by adapting British designs, with GE running its first jet engine in about a year (1941-1942) after licensing Whittle’s technology. What is so special about these countries that we couldn’t do the same? Has this been by default or design – it certainly raises a stink.
In 1979, the Japanese ambassador to India, addressing the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, said there was a time when Japan was nowhere in computers. So, the government called the scientists, industry, academia and said this is the money and place to work, we want to beat America in five years; Japan did it in three years. Aero Engines are far more complex than computers but shouldn’t that have been our approach rather than banking only on DRDO and the Kaveri engine?
The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal.
The Indian Army has gained patrolling rights to ~982 sq kms of territory in the Eastern Depsang area of Eastern Ladakh area that India lost to China in the 1962 War.
