NEW DELHI — Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace expects to start developing a new hypersonic missile, the BrahMos-2, this year. Also, tests for the air-launched version of the existing BrahMos supersonic cruise missile are scheduled to begin next year. “We expect to be able to start the tests of BrahMos missiles launched from aircraft. Various types of aircraft, including Su-30 MKI fighters, are expected to be armed with these missiles,” says BrahMos Aerospace Director Alexander Maksichev.

India will soon begin designing and developing a national civil aircraft for providing connections between the country's smaller cities and major metropolitan areas. The National Aeronautics Laboratory (NAL) has been entrusted with the project, says Ashwani Kumar, federal junior minister for science and technology.

Faced with a July 31 deadline to meet the requirements for joining the Star Alliance, representatives of Air India and the global airline group will soon meet with government officials to set the date for the national carrier’s formal entry into the 27-member partnership. “In a meeting of the Star Alliance’s Chief Executives Board at Barcelona on June 3, the Star Alliance appraised the readiness of Air India to join Star Alliance by July 31,” an Air India spokesman says.