Germany has sent a small military team to Greenland as European countries step up support for Denmark amid US pressure over the Arctic territory. The deployment is part of wider joint exercises aimed at improving security cooperation and strengthening NATO’s presence in the region.
Germany approved €8.4 billion in arms export licences in 2025, marking a clear drop after two record years. Government data show a sharp fall in approvals for Ukraine, while Norway became the largest recipient and licences for Turkey rose to their highest level since 1999.
The UK and Norway have agreed to operate a combined fleet of Type 26 frigates and deepen defence cooperation to counter rising Russian submarine activity and protect critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic.
Franco-German manufacturer KNDS has secured 350 orders from five countries for the newest Leopard 2A8 main battle tank, with Germany alone committing to 123 units and planning to expand its purchase. The upgraded A8 variant features enhanced protection systems and represents several billion euros in confirmed contracts, with production expected to run for years.
Germany has presented the Leopard 2A8 and Panzerhaubitze 2000 A4 in Munich, with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius outlining the Bundeswehr’s plans for new armoured systems, production requirements and cooperation with European partners. The Bundeswehr has ordered 123 new Leopard 2A8 tanks.
The Ukraine war and expanding global conflict showered a windfall on German arms companies like Rheinmetall and TKMS, with some startups like Helsing becoming the upstarts of the weapons industry, and other legacy companies like Heckler & Koch even experiencing a dramatic reversal of fortunes.
The €150 billion SAFE fund will come into force on May 29, offering loans to EU states for defence procurement, that will require 65 percent of all purchases to be of European origin, with contractors required to fully control design to avoid new dependencies.
As NATO races to supply Ukraine before Trump takes office, Europe is struggling to touch two percent of its GDP on defence expenditure while Russia plans to spend more than 32 percent of its national budget on its military.
The strategy paper that is said to be an evolving, ‘living document,’ includes ‘detailed plans’ for eventualities that range from defending Germany to deterring Russian manoeuvres on NATO’s eastern flank and anticipates that Germany might have to become a ‘hub for tens or hundreds of thousands of troops’ that have to be transported east, besides logistics for war materiel.
Seventy-four Israeli companies were supposed to exhibit at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on the outskirts of Paris, later this month, before they were banned after French President Emmanuel Macron called for Israeli attacks on Rafah to stop. Israeli stands were empty at the Dubai Airshow held last November, shortly after the October 7th attack by Hamas. But they were back on display at the Singapore Airshow held last February.
Norway, Spain and Ireland will recognize an independent Palestinian state, their leaders said in near simultaneous announcements on Wednesday, defying staunch opposition from Israel. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in Oslo he hoped other countries would join in the initiative, believing it will advance the prospects for peace after more than seven months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Former naval aviator Captain K.P. Sanjeev Kumar examines the San Juan tragedy, pointing out that after half a century of operating submarines, India still does not have organic submarine rescue capability and asks why navies such as ours invest in submarines without closing the loop on submarine rescue.
This is the second and concluding installment of the two-part analysis of the process of acquisition of 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Lockheed Martin’s new variant of its successful F-16 fighter aircraft, the F-16V, will have upgraded capabilities that might remind readers of the configuration offered by them for the IAF contest for 126 MMRCA, designated the F-16IN.
Unsurprisingly, India’s two largest defense suppliers are also the biggest exhibitors at the show. Israel has taken up the most space at the show with 1,293 square meters and Russia brings the largest number of companies to the show, with the count at 37.
