Energy

Jammu and Kashmir attracted a record ₹5,824 crore in industrial investment in 2025-26, opening new factories and creating jobs. Across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, stalled projects, limited industrial investment, unemployment, and repeated shutdowns reveal a stark economic divide. The contrast highlights how stability and investor confidence shape the region's economic future.

Japan has successfully launched JAXA’s MMX mission aboard an H3 rocket, beginning a landmark journey to Mars’ moons Phobos and Deimos. The spacecraft aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos and return it to Earth by 2031, potentially resolving long-standing questions about the moons’ origins and the early solar system.

Swadeshi Empresa has secured DGQA clearance for its indigenous FF Bot firefighting robots, strengthening India's efforts to protect military fuel depots, ammunition facilities, and aircraft hangars. With an Indian Air Force delivery completed ahead of schedule, the milestone highlights the growing role of defence robotics in infrastructure protection and operational resilience.

BAE Systems has secured a U.S. Space Force contract to develop ultra-compact, radiation-hardened satellite communications terminals. Built around space-hardened software-defined radios, the system is designed to withstand jamming, electromagnetic interference, and space radiation while supporting military communications from LEO to GEO.

Lockheed Martin has unveiled PAC-3 Edge, a next-generation interceptor designed to counter hypersonic and advanced missile threats. Building on PAC-3 MSE technology, the system features an advanced seeker, multi-pulse propulsion, and upgraded controls. Testing is planned for 2027, with deployment targeted for 2031.

Does the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement extend Pakistan's nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia or Turkey? While the pact promises collective defense, no official statement confirms nuclear sharing. As Iran watches developments and Turkey's ratification remains pending, the agreement's true strategic implications remain an open question.

Poland is investing 500 million PLN to accelerate its domestic space industry through the new Vinci Space Tech Fund. Backed by BGK and strategic partners including ICEYE, the fund will provide 10–100 million PLN to high-growth companies developing satellites, Earth observation, communications, propulsion, photonics, AI, and other strategic technologies.

PlanetiQ has secured a $3.3 million NASA task order to provide GNSS Polarimetric Radio Occultation and ionospheric Total Electron Content data. The acquisition will support research into precipitation, atmospheric conditions, and space weather while expanding NASA’s use of commercial satellite-derived observations.