India's Jet Engine Blackhole | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 45

More from Ctrl + Alt + Defence

1. 

   18 Jul 2026 · 43 min

   The Stealth Score: China: 500+, India: 0 | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 48

   A startling new assessment suggests China may already have over 500 operational J-20 stealth fighters-and could field 1,000 by 2030. What does this mean for India's security? On this week's #CtrlAltDefence, Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor examine China's unprecedented military-industrial expansion, the growing air power imbalance, and what India must do to prepare for the future. Episode 48 Watch now: https://youtu.be/d1E1SQMXWpQ China may have over 500 operational J-20 stealth fighters today Why Beijing's fighter production is now outpacing global expectations What China's stealth fleet means for…

2. 

   11 Jul 2026 · 39 min

   Yeh Dil Maange More | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 47

   A deeply personal conversation on the life, legacy and enduring spirit of Captain Vikram Batra, PVC, one of India's most celebrated war heroes. On this special episode of Ctrl Alt Defence, Vishnu Som speaks with Vishal Batra, Captain Vikram Batra's identical twin brother, about the man behind the legend-from their childhood and shared dream of serving the nation to the defining moments of the Kargil War that made "Yeh Dil Maange More" a battle cry etched into India's military history. The discussion explores Vishal Batra's new book, Yeh Dil Maange More, which draws on Captain Vikram Batra's…

3. 

   4 Jul 2026 · 42 min

   China's Border Buildup | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 46

   China's expanding footprint along the India-China border comes under the spotlight on this week's #CtrlAltDefence with Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor. NDTV's world-exclusive satellite investigation reveals new Chinese villages, roads and infrastructure in a part of Arunachal Pradesh occupied by China since 1959. The podcast raises fresh questions about Beijing's long-term border strategy. Episode 46 Watch now: https://youtu.be/lxs0KDTKTPI NDTV's exclusive satellite images reveal China's construction activities in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh that it has encroached upon since 1959. New…

4. 

   13 Jun 2026 · 43 min

   Is France's FCAS The IAF's Future? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 44

   A fiercely debated episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som tackle one of India's biggest defence dilemmas - should India join France's futuristic FCAS fighter programme, or double down on an indigenous solution? Episode 44 of the podcast Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FrVFtWQWAA Should India join the French-led FCAS sixth-generation fighter programme? AMCA vs FCAS: Can India afford two parallel fighter projects? Lessons from the FGFA/Su-57 partnership with Russia China's sixth-generation aircraft and the growing airpower gap Can India realistically develop…

5. 

   30 May 2026 · 48 min

   Can HAL Deliver? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 43

   A high-intensity episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som unpack the crisis, delays and big questions surrounding HAL, Tejas and India's future airpower ambitions - just as HAL gets a new chief at a critical moment. Episode 43 of the podcast Watch now: https://youtu.be/L6bK3cscsF8 Tejas Mk1A delays: What's really holding back deliveries? New HAL Chairman Ravi K takes charge amid mounting pressure Dhruv helicopter setbacks and HAL's credibility challenge Tejas Mk2, AMCA & India's struggle to keep pace with China AI warfare, drone swarms & the future of unmanned combat Can HAL…

6. 

   23 May 2026 · 51 min

   The Big Boom | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 42

   A power-packed episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som break down India's rapid missile advancements, hypersonic ambitions, MIRV capability, and the future of strategic deterrence. Episode 42 of the podcast Watch now: https://youtu.be/Cw9eowMnT7k India's "Big Boom" moment - major missile tests explained Agni-5 MIRV test signals a major leap in India's nuclear deterrence Scramjet breakthrough pushes India closer to hypersonic weapons Can hypersonic weapons make missile defence obsolete? BrahMos evolution, naval firepower & India's future war doctrine Why modern warfare is…

7. 

   3 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 18 min

   IAF Foxbats Over Pakistan: The True Story Revealed | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 59

   For nearly 25 years, the Indian Air Force operated one of the world's fastest and most secretive reconnaissance aircraft in near-total secrecy. The MiG-25 Foxbat could climb beyond 65,000 feet, cruise at more than twice the speed of sound and cross sensitive airspace before an adversary could fully react. But what was it actually like to fly this extraordinary machine? On Episode 59 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Air Marshal Sumit Mukerji and Wing Commander Pradeep Jaswant Thakur, two former MiG-25 pilots who reveal what it was like to fly the Foxbat and carry out…

8. 

   26 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

   Uri Surgical Strikes: The Truth Nobody Knows | 10th Anniversary | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 58

   What really happened behind India's 2016 surgical strikes across the Line of Control? How was the operation planned, what happened inside the crucial meetings before the mission, and what did it take to bring every soldier back safely? On Episode 58 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Lieutenant General Satish Dua (retd.), the former Chinar Corps Commander who was at the centre of the planning and execution of the 2016 surgical strikes, in a rare first-hand account of one of India's most significant special forces operations. Ten years after the Uri terror attack and the…

9. 

   19 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

   Greatest IAF Pilot's Last Interview | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 57

   What does it take to face four enemy fighters alone, survive a close-range dogfight and return to base with a damaged aircraft and almost no ammunition? On Episode 57 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Flt Lt Alfred Tyrone Cooke, Vir Chakra, one of the most remarkable fighter pilots of the 1965 India-Pakistan War, in what became his final interview. Flt Lt Alfred Cooke passed away on September 18, 2026, just three days after recording this conversation. Episode 57 Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfZ6UBjj2Hw The September 7, 1965 mission that made Alfred Cooke a…

10. 

    12 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 27 min

    India's Nuclear Submarine Story, Arihant's 1st Captain Speaks | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 56

    What does it take to build, operate and sustain a nuclear submarine? And after INS Arihant, where does India's undersea warfare capability go from here? On Episode 56 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak exclusively to Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru (retd.), the first commanding officer of INS Arihant, India's first homegrown nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. Episode 56 Watch now: https://youtu.be/wxUwPjfiKgI How INS Arihant went from years of preparation to its first sea trials The reactor's first criticality and the journey towards full power How India progressively…

Every episode of Ctrl + Alt + Defence →