What happened?
On August 15, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Sudarshan Chakra Mission, a bold new initiative aimed at identifying and inducting future weapons over the next decade to create a comprehensive national security shield. The mission will focus on developing and manufacturing the entire system indigenously, including precision strike elements and safeguarding strategic and civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, railways, and centres of faith.
Why it matters to India
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, the PM emphasized self-reliance in defence, highlighting India’s success in Operation Sindoor with homegrown weapons. He outlined plans to modernize and strengthen the national security shield by 2035. The mission will incorporate cutting-edge technologies to counter evolving threats, including cyber defence and offence, space-based assets, anti-drone systems, offensive drones, and a tri-service missile force. A significant focus will be on developing an indigenous fighter jet engine, a key element for future fighter jets, marking a decisive step toward technological independence in defence.