India's Defence Institutions Gear Up for Cutting-Edge Military Training Models

The Indian Ministry of Defence has issued a tender for 25 three-dimensional training models featuring some of the world's most advanced weapons systems. This procurement is a significant development in the country's defence education and training landscape, as it aims to provide a tangible tool for understanding and comparing the capabilities and configurations of potential adversary and foreign military systems.

The procurement is listed under the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) with a bid number of GEM/2026/B/7745802 and a tender ID of 99068484. The tender was published on August 1, 2026, and bids are scheduled to close on August 22, 2026, at 3:30 PM. The tender carries an Earnest Money Deposit of ₹21,000.

The procurement includes a wide range of military platforms and weapon systems from around the world, including advanced Chinese aircraft, naval vessels, missiles, strategic weapons, armoured vehicles, air-defence systems, and infantry weapons. The aerospace component includes scale models of the Mirage III, Chengdu J-20, JF-17 Thunder, F-16, Shenyang J-31/J-35, and Bayraktar TB2.

The presence of several Chinese combat aircraft is particularly notable, as the J-20 and J-31/J-35 represent China's emerging stealth-fighter capability and are therefore relevant to understanding the evolution of modern airpower. The inclusion of the F-16 and JF-17 provides another layer of comparative value, particularly for studying aircraft operated by countries in India's wider security environment.

The naval portion of the procurement is similarly focused on significant foreign military platforms. The requested models include the Type 96 submarine, China's Fujian aircraft carrier, Type 055 destroyer, and Tughril-class frigates. The Fujian is China's most advanced domestically built aircraft carrier and features electromagnetic aircraft-launch technology, while the Type 055 represents one of China's most capable large surface combatants.

The missile and strategic-weapons category is even more significant. The requirement includes models representing the DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle, DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile, CM-400, CX-1 supersonic missile, and Fateh-II rocket system. The inclusion of the DF-17 and DF-41 suggests that the models could support instruction involving strategic weapons, long-range strike capabilities, and emerging missile technologies.

The procurement also covers ground warfare systems, including the ZTZ Type 99A main battle tank, VT-4/Haider tank, HQ-9 air-defence system, Z-10 helicopter, and other military equipment. Infantry weapons such as the QBZ-95 assault rifle and RPG-7 are also included in the listed product mix.

The models could be used for training, intelligence briefings, capability comparison, wargaming, force-structure studies, and professional military education. For military planners and students, physical models can offer advantages when discussing spatial relationships and platform characteristics. Aircraft and ships can be examined from different angles, while missile and armoured-system models can be used to illustrate deployment concepts and comparative capabilities.

The procurement highlights how defence education increasingly incorporates detailed visual aids alongside digital simulation and computer-based training. Physical models remain useful because they can be rapidly deployed during briefings without requiring specialised software or simulation infrastructure.

The tender itself does not indicate that the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS) is acquiring operational examples of any of these foreign weapons. The requirement is specifically for training models, and the procurement should therefore be understood as an educational and analytical capability.

The selection of systems provides an interesting snapshot of the types of foreign military capabilities that Indian defence institutions consider relevant enough to warrant dedicated physical training representations. The inclusion of advanced Chinese aircraft, strategic missiles, naval platforms, and air-defence systems is particularly noteworthy given their relevance to India's evolving security environment.

The procurement could soon result in a collection of 25 detailed military models covering some of the world's most prominent contemporary weapons systems. For HQIDS, the models could provide a tangible tool for understanding, comparing, and briefing personnel on the capabilities and configurations of potential adversary and foreign military systems. This development will undoubtedly enhance India's defence education and training capabilities, preparing its military personnel to face the complex security challenges of the 21st century.