NEW DELHI — A Russian-made Kilo class submarine operated by the Indian navy caught fire after a massive explosion and sank in the dockyard in Mumbai, marking one of the worst-ever disasters for the country’s submarine program. The explosion and fire took place aboard the INS Sindhurakshak with about 18 people on board shortly after midnight Aug. 14, a defense ministry spokesman says.

NEW DELHI — India’s defense ministry says the Indian air force (IAF) has not yet made any formal request to buy more Swiss-made Pilatus PC-7 MK2 trainers instead of waiting for the country’s indigenous basic trainer aircraft (BTA) project to deliver. “As far as the ministry of defense is concerned, that project [the Indian-made BTA] is still on,” Defense Minister A.K. Antony says.

NEW DELHI — India has activated the atomic reactor on board its first indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the INS Arihant, enabling it to undergo sea trials. A defense ministry official says the 83 megawatt pressurized water reactor on Arihant has been started. “Now the submarine will undergo extensive sea trials before being made operational,” the official says. INS Arihant has been undergoing trials at the Indian navy’s submarine base in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in southern India.