NEW DELHI — India’s defense ministry is zeroing in on an effort to buy 194 microlight aircraft for training and research. The request for proposals was released in March. One of the contenders is Pipistrel, a Slovenia-based light-aircraft maker. “If Pipistrel gets short-listed, it will set up a microlight field in the ‘go-fly zone’ near Jaipur and initially invest up to €2 million [$2.88 million],” says Vibhooti Singh Deora, CEO of Microlight Aviation Private Ltd. (MAPL).

NEW DELHI — Lockheed Martin could re-enter India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition with its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, if nascent congressional action in Washington is any indication. Two months ago, the Indian government shut U.S. companies out of the $11 billion program, rejecting Lockheed Martin’s offer of the F-16IN Super Viper and Boeing’s bid of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

NEW DELHI — India is well on its way to creating a minimum credible nuclear deterrent, a senior defense official says. “There is a huge amount of work going on toward creating a credible minimal deterrence to ensure our adversaries don’t take us by surprise. We are way up and ahead of what we need to do in protecting the country,” says Air Vice Marshal K.J. Mathews, commander-in-chief of Strategic Forces Command.