News18 is set to host the DEFCON Summit 2026, in association with The Chanakya Dialogues, on September 24 in New Delhi. The summit, beginning at 10 am, will bring together policymakers, military leaders, diplomats, defence industry representatives and strategic thinkers to discuss India’s evolving defence, aerospace and security landscape.

The event will focus on India’s journey from self-reliance to becoming a trusted global defence partner, against the backdrop of an increasingly complex global security environment. Discussions will cover emerging technologies, indigenous defence capabilities, strategic partnerships and new-age threats across cyber, space and unconventional warfare.

The summit will also examine India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat ambitions in defence manufacturing, the expansion of the country’s aerospace capabilities, and how India can deepen partnerships with global allies while maintaining strategic autonomy. Cybersecurity and the changing nature of unconventional threats will also form part of the discussions around national security planning.

The event will be headlined by Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence, Government of India, and will feature senior military and government officials including General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.), Governor of Mizoram; Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.), Governor of Bihar; T. G. Bharath, Minister of Industries & Commerce, Andhra Pradesh; General NS Raja Subramani, Chief of Defence Staff; Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of Naval Staff; Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary; Dipti Mohil Chawla, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence; and Sanjay Jaju, Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana.

The lineup also includes Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Denis Alipov, Russian Ambassador to India; Dr Jasper Wieck, Ambassador of Germany to India and Bhutan; Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Denmark Ambassador; Lt Gen Puneet Ahuja, Director General Strategic Planning, IHQ, MoD; and Dr Amit Sharma, Additional Director General and Advisor (Cyber Security), DRDO.

Former service chiefs and senior defence figures participating in the summit include General Manoj Pande, former Chief of Army Staff; Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, former Chief of Air Staff; Admiral R Hari Kumar, former Chief of Naval Staff; Lt Gen MU Nair, former National Cyber Security Coordinator; and Lt Gen Anil Kumar Bhatt, Director General, Indian Space Association.

The industry lineup features Jetendra (JS) Gavankar, CEO and Country Head, Safran India; Tarun Wig, Co-founder and CEO, Innefu Labs; Ashish Saraf, VP and Country Head India, Pratt & Whitney; Sourya Choudhury, Co-Founder and CTO, Apollyon Dynamics; Ashok Atluri, Chairman and Managing Director, Zen Technologies; Vivek Krishnan, CEO, SSS Defence; Ashish Kansal, Executive Director, SMPP Group; and Amit Mahajan, Director, Paras Defence & Space Technologies.

Speaking about the summit, Jyoti Kamal, Managing Editor, News18 India, said the event would bring together defence experts at a time of significant shifts in geopolitical dynamics. “DEFCON will not only deliberate on what is happening right now but also look beyond the immediate to examine the larger forces shaping India’s defence and security,” she said, adding that News18 aims to make complex discussions accessible and insightful for its audiences.

The News18 DEFCON Summit 2026 is scheduled to take place on September 24 in New Delhi, bringing together voices from government, the armed forces, diplomacy, strategic affairs and the defence industry for discussions on India’s evolving national security landscape.