Ctrl + Alt + Defence

India's indigenous fighter programme was meant to transform the country's combat aviation. So why is the Tejas Mk1A still facing delays, and what does that mean for the Tejas Mk2 and AMCA?

On Episode 53 of #CtrlAltDefence, Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor speak to independent defence analyst and aviation photographer Angad Singh about the state of India's fighter aircraft programmes, the problems with project management and accountability, and the long road towards an indigenous jet-engine capability.

Episode 53
Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9hvPY2Xre4

Why Tejas Mk1A is still delayed despite engine availability
The project management failures behind India's fighter programmes
HAL, DRDO and the question of accountability
Why India's jet-engine roadmap remains a major concern
Tejas Mk2: Can India still make the programme work?
AMCA and the uncertainty over its engine roadmap
Why the IAF continues to back Tejas despite its problems
India's fighter squadron shortfall and the urgent numbers game
Does India urgently need a fifth-generation stealth fighter?
Kaveri lessons: What went wrong with India's indigenous engine programme
Angad Singh on his passion for aviation photography and filming India's fighters

From Tejas and AMCA to jet engines, fighter numbers and India's future air-power strategy, this episode takes a hard look at what is working, what is not, and what needs to change in Indian military aviation.

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Operation Sindoor put India's air power to the test. But what happened inside the IAF's command rooms as the strikes unfolded?

On Episode 52 of #CtrlAltDefence, Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor speak to Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force and former Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southwest Air Command, about his first-hand experience of Operation Sindoor and the decisions made during the 88-hour conflict. 

This episode of Ctrl Alt Defence with Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor was recorded ahead of the release of Declassified: Operation Sindoor, a two-part docuseries on the 88-hour military operation and strategic response following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack.

From the war room and air-defence engagements to India's fighter shortfall and the future of combat aviation, this episode offers a rare view of Operation Sindoor from one of the commanders who was there.

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The Rafale deal is moving forward. But behind the headline number lies a much bigger question: how much of this fighter programme can India truly make its own?

On Episode 51 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som discuss France's ₹3.25 lakh crore bid for 114 Rafales, the push to integrate Indian weapons, and the proposed Safran-DRDO engine partnership.

Episode 51
Watch now: https://youtu.be/h3cFYeoA12Y

France submits its techno-commercial bid for 114 Rafales
Why 94 of the fighters are expected to be built in India
The push to integrate Astra, BrahMos and other Indian weapons
What India needs to make its own weapons work seamlessly on the Rafale
Why indigenous weapons integration has become a key part of the deal
The proposed Safran-DRDO engine partnership explained
Why access to jet-engine technology could matter more than the Rafale numbers
What the deal could mean for Tata, L&T and India's wider aerospace industry
What India's ₹3.25 lakh crore investment could deliver beyond the aircraft themselves
Can India turn a Rafale purchase into a bigger step towards aerospace self-reliance?

From the Rafale's weapons and production line to the technology behind India's next fighter engines, this episode looks at what India is actually getting-and what it still needs to build for itself.

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India's quest for indigenous propulsion technology may have reached a turning point. Can a new rotating detonation engine developed by an Indian startup transform the future of missiles, drones, hypersonic weapons—and even space launch systems?

On this week's #CtrlAltDefence, Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor are joined by Saurav Jha, founder and CEO of D-Propulse, to decode one of India's most ambitious indigenous propulsion projects and why it could redefine military technology.

India has successfully tested its next-generation indigenous long-range air defence system, Project Kusha (Extended Range Surface-to-Air Missile), marking a major milestone in the country's missile programme. Can this become India's answer to the S-400—and eventually protect against stealth fighters like China's J-20?

On this week's #CtrlAltDefence, Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor break down India's biggest indigenous air defence project, why Project Kusha matters, and how it fits into India's layered air defence network.

A startling new assessment suggests China may already have over 500 operational J-20 stealth fighters-and could field 1,000 by 2030. What does this mean for India's security?

On this week's #CtrlAltDefence, Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor examine China's unprecedented military-industrial expansion, the growing air power imbalance, and what India must do to prepare for the future.

Episode 48
Watch now: https://youtu.be/d1E1SQMXWpQ

China may have over 500 operational J-20 stealth fighters today
Why Beijing's fighter production is now outpacing global expectations
What China's stealth fleet means for the Indian Air Force
Why India still has zero operational stealth fighters
Can AWACS, anti-stealth radars, drones and electronic warfare bridge the capability gap?
AMCA, Tejas Mk2 and the long road to India's next-generation air power
Why industrial capacity-not just technology-will define the future balance of power

A detailed look at China's stealth fighter surge, India's air power challenges, and the decisions that will shape the future of Indian military aviation. Watch now.

A deeply personal conversation on the life, legacy and enduring spirit of Captain Vikram Batra, PVC, one of India's most celebrated war heroes.

On this special episode of Ctrl Alt Defence, Vishnu Som speaks with Vishal Batra, Captain Vikram Batra's identical twin brother, about the man behind the legend-from their childhood and shared dream of serving the nation to the defining moments of the Kargil War that made "Yeh Dil Maange More" a battle cry etched into India's military history.

The discussion explores Vishal Batra's new book, Yeh Dil Maange More, which draws on Captain Vikram Batra's personal letters, family memories and untold stories to paint an intimate portrait of the Param Vir Chakra awardee beyond the battlefield. The book traces his journey from a young boy inspired by the Army to the officer who led from the front at Point 5140 and Point 4875 during the Kargil War.

Episode 47
Watch now: https://youtu.be/yXCV8ifggk4

China's expanding footprint along the India-China border comes under the spotlight on this week's #CtrlAltDefence with Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor.

NDTV's world-exclusive satellite investigation reveals new Chinese villages, roads and infrastructure in a part of Arunachal Pradesh occupied by China since 1959.  The podcast raises fresh questions about Beijing's long-term border strategy.

Episode 46
Watch now: https://youtu.be/lxs0KDTKTPI

NDTV's exclusive satellite images reveal China's construction activities in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh that it has encroached upon since 1959.
New border villages, roads and military-linked infrastructure explained
Why these developments matter despite diplomatic engagement between India and China
From Ladakh to Arunachal: How Beijing is changing facts on the ground
India's border infrastructure push and the race to match China's build-up
The McMahon Line, LAC and why the boundary dispute remains unresolved
China's military advantage, India's response and the strategic balance along the frontier
Can diplomacy with Beijing succeed without stronger military deterrence?

A detailed discussion on China's border strategy, India's military preparedness and what NDTV's exclusive investigation reveals about the future of the India-China frontier.

A deep dive into India's biggest defence technology challenge on this week's #CtrlAltDefence with Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor.

We discuss why fighter jet engines remain India's weakest strategic link.

Episode 45 
Watch now: https://youtu.be/URhJzZI19OM

AMCA faces fresh uncertainty amid reports of a GE engine pricing dispute
Why India's frontline fighter programmes still depend on foreign engines
Tejas Mk2, AMCA and the long-running F414 negotiations explained
The Kaveri engine story: where India's indigenous programme fell short
Safran vs Rolls-Royce: who could power India's next-generation fighter?
How China built a world-class fighter engine ecosystem while India fell behind
Why jet engines-not stealth or missiles-remain India's biggest defence technology gap

A candid discussion on what India must do to achieve true aerospace self-reliance. 
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A fiercely debated episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som tackle one of India's biggest defence dilemmas - should India join France's futuristic FCAS fighter programme, or double down on an indigenous solution?

Episode 44 of the podcast
Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FrVFtWQWAA

Should India join the French-led FCAS sixth-generation fighter programme?
AMCA vs FCAS: Can India afford two parallel fighter projects?
Lessons from the FGFA/Su-57 partnership with Russia
China's sixth-generation aircraft and the growing airpower gap
Can India realistically develop next-generation fighter technology alone?
Engines, stealth, sensors and the technology India still lacks
Is FCAS a strategic partnership or simply a very expensive necessity?

This episode is a deep dive in the hard choices facing Indian defence planners in an increasingly contested world.
 

A high-intensity episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som unpack the crisis, delays and big questions surrounding HAL, Tejas and India's future airpower ambitions - just as HAL gets a new chief at a critical moment.

Episode 43 of the podcast
Watch now: https://youtu.be/L6bK3cscsF8

Tejas Mk1A delays: What's really holding back deliveries?
New HAL Chairman Ravi K takes charge amid mounting pressure
Dhruv helicopter setbacks and HAL's credibility challenge
Tejas Mk2, AMCA & India's struggle to keep pace with China
AI warfare, drone swarms & the future of unmanned combat
Can HAL reinvent itself and shed its old PSU culture?
Why India may need private players to reshape defence aviation

From fighter jet integration issues to sixth-generation warfare, this episode dives deep into the realities, risks and future of India's military aerospace ecosystem.
 

A power-packed episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som break down India's rapid missile advancements, hypersonic ambitions, MIRV capability, and the future of strategic deterrence.

Episode 42 of the podcast
Watch now: https://youtu.be/Cw9eowMnT7k

India's "Big Boom" moment - major missile tests explained
Agni-5 MIRV test signals a major leap in India's nuclear deterrence
Scramjet breakthrough pushes India closer to hypersonic weapons
Can hypersonic weapons make missile defence obsolete?
BrahMos evolution, naval firepower & India's future war doctrine
Why modern warfare is becoming impossible to intercept

From hypersonic glide vehicles to submarine-launched deterrence, this episode dives deep into the technology shaping India's future battlefield edge.