Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/1HailQfocJE

Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/1HailQfocJE

Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/1HailQfocJE

In this episode of Global Order, Gopal Sutar, Former Chief of Media Communications, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) speaks to Hindol Sengupta. He breaks down the strategic importance of India’s indigenous HAL Tejas fighter aircraft in the wake of the recent Tejas crash at the Dubai Airshow 2025, an incident that tragically claimed the life of an Indian Air Force pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal. The discussion explores how such setbacks impact India’s defence aspirations and export efforts, while emphasizing why Tejas remains central to the modernization of the Indian Air Force. Despite accidents being part of the aviation development process, Sutar highlights the rigorous testing Tejas has undergone, the internal evaluations underway, and HAL’s commitment to learning and improving from every challenge. Sutar also discusses how decades of technology denial propelled India’s push for indigenous defence manufacturing, the operational significance of Tejas for decades to come, and why building sovereign capabilities, especially in engine manufacturing, is more crucial than ever. 00:00 - 02:33 - Opening 02:34 - 05:22 - Why is Tejas still critical for India? 05:23 - 06:58 - The denial of technology that drove the Tejas Programme 06:59 - 08:59 - The two Tejas accidents 09:00 - 11:16 - What went wrong with the Tejas in Dubai? 11:17 - 12:39 - Changes within HAL after the accident 12:40 - 16:05 - The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Project 16:06 - 19:18 - Building Indigenous Defence Manufacturing Industry in India 19:19 - 21:25 - The role of Tejas in the future 21:26 - 22:23 - Engine supply delays from GE 22:24 - 25:05 - The challenge of indigenous engine production 25:06 - 26:09 - Closing #india #defence #technology #indigenousproduction #Tejas #HAL #dubaiairshow #tejasaccident #engineproduction #defencenews #globalorder #globalaffairs #industry #podcast

Dr. Peter Layton discusses whether crewed fighter aircraft are becoming the weakest link in modern airpower. He argues that, much like battleships in earlier eras, crewed fighters are growing increasingly vulnerable, costly, and less adaptable to the rapidly evolving threat environment. While acknowledging the skill and bravery of pilots, he suggests that technological and operational realities are shifting airpower toward more flexible, unmanned, and distributed systems. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSpHx7bx4zA&t=2s

Dr Peter Layton discusses India's recent urgent order for approximately three hundred S-400 missiles from Russia, attributing it to the system's proven effectiveness and heavy usage during Operation Sindoor.​ He also expresses surprise that Russia has not proposed setting up a factory in India to produce Shahed (‘Shiha’) drones, inexpensive Iranian drones refined by Russia and pivotal in the Ukraine war, given their affordability, mass production, and ease of technology transfer. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSpHx7bx4zA&t=2s

Dr. Peter Layton discusses tactical lessons from Operation Sindoor, stressing the need for agile forces adaptable to sudden battlefield changes rather than rigid optimizations over the years. He cautions that India’s renewed interest in stealth platforms risks becoming an “over-focus” that may prove counterproductive in a future conflict. Dr Layton urges flexible mindsets and forces. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSpHx7bx4zA&t=2s

Dr. Peter Layton discusses the success of India's air defense in Operation Sindoor, highlighting the high volume of rockets, missiles, and drones launched, and those intercepted. He also notes that defensive systems' true performance remain uncertain until combat tested. Electronic warfare played a key role, as both belligerents deployed it extensively. Indian electronic warfare likely outperformed Pakistani defenses, while Pakistani efforts were less successful against Indian systems, emphasizing the importance of both quantity ("mass") and sophistication in such conflicts. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSpHx7bx4zA