SOURCE: ANI

India has launched ‘Operation Indravati’ to evacuate its nationals from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated in a post on social media platform X. As part of the ongoing operation, 12 Indians were evacuated on Thursday. Taking to his official X handle, Jaishankar posted, “12 Indians evacuated today. Fully committed to the security and well-being of our nationals abroad.”

“Thank the Government of the Dominican Republic for their support,” he added.

SOURCE: AFI

Agnikul Cosmos, the Indian space startup, has unveiled a detailed breakdown of its highly anticipated Agnibaan SOrTeD (Suborbital Tech Demonstrator) rocket. This breakdown offers a glimpse into the key components that will propel the vehicle during its upcoming test flight.

The Agnibaan SOrTeD features a nose cone meticulously crafted from carbon composite. This cone serves a critical purpose – safeguarding the precious cargo it carries from the harsh environmental conditions encountered during flight.

SOURCE: AFI

The Argentine Army’s 24th Mechanized Infantry Regiment recently wrapped up unique training exercises in the rugged Patagonia region. The exercises involved soldiers honing their motorcycle combat skills, with an interesting detail emerging from the official photos released by the Army.

One soldier was pictured equipped with an AT4 anti-tank launcher, showcasing the potential integration of motorcycles into various tactical scenarios. Notably, the motorcycles used in these exercises were the Royal Enfield Himalayan, an adventure motorcycle manufactured by the Indian company Royal Enfield.

SOURCE: AFI

Gurpreet Singh, a 26-year-old Indian national and supporter of the Khalistan movement, has been sentenced to 28 months in jail for a stabbing attack during last year’s Indian Independence Day celebrations in Southall, UK.

Singh carried out the attack using a kirpan, a religious sword often carried by Sikhs. He wounded two men of Indian origin and a female police officer during the altercation. The court records indicate that Singh was found to be in possession of three kirpans in total, but used one with a particularly dangerous 20cm blade in the assault.

SOURCE: AFI

Russia’s Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, has expressed unwavering confidence in the strength of the India-Russia partnership. In an interview with Rossiya-24, he asserted that attempts to disrupt their cooperation, presumably referencing Western sanctions, will be futile.

“No matter who” tries to hinder their ties, Ambassador Alipov declared that India and Russia consistently find methods to navigate around sanctions and maintain their collaboration. He emphasized, “it’s impossible to prevent” this continued partnership.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Navy, in a display of swift and coordinated action, played a key role in the successful rescue of multiple hijacked vessels and their crews across two separate operations.

In a collaborative effort, the Indian Navy joined forces with the Seychelles Defence Forces and the Sri Lanka Navy to intercept a hijacked vessel. Their combined efforts led to the apprehension of all three pirates by the Seychelles Coast Guard. Most importantly, the six crew members on board were rescued and confirmed safe.

SOURCE: ANI

The United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and “strongly opposes” any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by China across the Line of actual Control, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said. The Biden administration official’s statement came a few days after the Chinese military repeated its claim over the northeast state after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a visit to the state and launched development projects.

Earlier this week, the Chinese defence ministry reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, terming the Indian State as as “Zangan- an inherent part of China’s territory,” saying, Beijing “never acknowledges and firmly opposes” the “so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India”. “Zangnan is China’s inherent territory, and China never recognises and firmly opposes India’s illegal establishment of the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’,” said spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defence Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang on March 15.

SOURCE: PTI

China on Thursday said it firmly opposes the US recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory and affirmed that Washington has nothing to do with the India-China border dispute. It also accused the US of “instigating and using other countries’ disputes” for selfish geopolitical interests.

China’s strong reaction came hours after US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel’s remarks that the United States “recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory.” Patel also said, “We (the US) strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control.” “China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing while replying to a question posed by the official Chinese media.

SOURCE: UNI

The launch of Chennai-based Space Start-up Agnikul Cosmos’ first rocket Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD) from the SHAR Range, Sriharikota, scheduled for Friday morning, was postponed due to a technical issue. Agnikul Cosmos on Thursday evening announced that the launch was put on hold and fresh dates would be announced later.

It said “Holding our launch out of an abundance of caution based on certain minor observations from the full countdown rehearsals last night.” “Will keep you all posted on the new date and time. Thanks a lot for all the support that has been pouring in”, it said.

SOURCE: PTI

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) and the Indian Navy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote technology development, innovative solutions and undertaking joint research and development, according to a statement issued on Thursday.

The studies include propulsion systems, instrumentation and sensors, industrial engineering and operational research, nanotechnology and hydrodynamic study of fluids, computer-aided design, study of mechanical design of systems and equipment, study of acoustics, quantum computing and quantum mechanics and robotics, it said.

SOURCE: PTI

One Helicopter Unit has been inducted at Air Force Station Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, a move that will ensure availability of sufficient resources with the Southern Air Command’s headquarters to enhance operational capabilities as well as meet peacetime tasks, officials said on Wednesday. The unit was inducted at a ceremony held on March 19.

The Southern Air Command (SAC) is based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. SAC was established in July 1984 “in response to certain geopolitical developments to ensure effective command and control of IAF assets and facilitate quick deployment of combat forces in the event of threats developing in the Indian Ocean Region,” the defence ministry said.

SOURCE: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Bhutan has been postponed due to inclement weather conditions there and the new dates are being worked out by the two sides, the ministry of external affairs said on Wednesday.

Modi was scheduled to visit Bhutan on March 21-22 as part of the Indian government’s emphasis on its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’.

SOURCE: AFI

India’s acquisition of the S-400 long-range air defense missile system from Russia has been hit by a further delay. While three squadrons have already been delivered, the remaining two squadrons won’t arrive until August 2026, according to information conveyed by Russia to India.

This delay is attributed to the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine. The original agreement stipulated delivery of all five squadrons by 2024. However, Russia’s focus on its own military needs in the conflict has necessitated a revised schedule.

SOURCE: AFI

The much-anticipated launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite is experiencing a delay. Initially planned for an early 2024 launch, the mission will now likely lift off no earlier than late May.

This shift comes despite the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirming that the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) intended for the NISAR mission is on schedule for completion by March-April. However, final testing and integration of the sophisticated radar instrument on the satellite itself are taking longer than anticipated.

SOURCE: Bloomberg

India’s investigation into US claims of an attempted murder of a Sikh leader in New York found that rogue operatives not authorised by the government had been involved in the plot, according to senior officials familiar with the matter.

At least one person directly involved in the alleged attempted assassination is no longer working for India’s main spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, the officials said, asking not to be identified because the details of the investigation haven’t been made public.