SOURCE: AFI

Nuclear reactors offer a powerful source of electricity generation. However, a traditional concern is the limited use of fuel and the creation of spent fuel waste. India’s Fast Breeder Reactor program tackles these issues head-on, aiming for efficient fuel usage and reduced waste.

Unlike conventional reactors that solely use readily fissionable uranium-235, a fast breeder reactor (FBR) goes a step further. It creates more fuel than it consumes while generating electricity. This “breeding” process is achieved by utilizing alternative fuel sources like uranium-238 or thorium, which are more abundant in nature.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for a critical mission that will test a key technology for its ambitions of enabling a sustained human presence in space. This mission involves a landing experiment (LEX) for a scaled-down Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) scheduled to take place at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Challakere, Chitradurga, Karnataka.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath confirmed the upcoming LEX, highlighting its significance. Reusable Launch Vehicles offer a significant cost advantage over traditional expendable launch vehicles. By being reusable, RLVs can drastically reduce the cost of space missions, making space exploration more sustainable in the long run.

SOURCE: ANI

The Indian Navy thwarted the piracy attempt on MV Ruen, which was under the control of Somalian pirates since last December, by safely evacuating 17 crew members and coercing 35 pirates to surrender.

The Indian Navy informed in a statement that the mission was carried out by INS Kolkata on Saturday. “INS Kolkata, a mission deployed in the Arabian Sea, through the sustained high tempo of operations, has thwarted the designs of the Somali pirates to hijack ships transiting through the region by intercepting the pirate ship MV Ruen, on March 16. The merchant vessel had been hijacked in December 2023 and was under the control of the Somalian Pirates till now,” the statement read.

SOURCE: PTI

A day after capturing 35 Somali pirates and freeing 17 hostages held by them in a dramatic operation, the Indian Navy on Sunday said the action reflects its resolve to reinforcing peace and stability in the Indian Ocean and thwarting resurgence of piracy in the region.

The Navy seized former Maltese-flagged merchant vessel (MV) Ruen on Saturday around 2,600 km off the Indian coast in a well-calibrated operation that experts say was the first such successful takeover of a vessel from Somali pirates in the last around seven years.

SOURCE: PTI

Amid criticism of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) from the US and other parts of the globe, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said it is important to put it in the context of the Partition, and underlined that there are a “number of examples” in which many countries have fast-tracked citizenship.

During an interaction at the India Today Conclave 2024 on Saturday, he also responded to questions on an Indian national, facing charges in a murder-for-hire plot to kill a Khalistani separatist on American soil and US Ambassador Eric Garcetti’s remarks a day earlier on its impact on US-India ties.

SOURCE: ANI

apan Foreign Affairs Minister Yoko Kamikawa emphasised that ‘The Raisina Roundtable’ represented the special strategic partnership between Japan and India, stressing that both nations are key partners.

Thought leaders and practitioners from India and Japan, and like-minded partners and the other Quad countries participated in the inaugural edition of the ‘Raisina Roundtable’ held in Japan earlier this month. Kamikawa emphasised that India is the ideal partner for Japan to collaborate and work on identifying solutions to the problems of a rising Global South.

SOURCE: ANI

An Indian Army contingent departed for Seychelles on Sunday to participate in the 10th edition of Joint Military Exercise ‘LAMITIYE-2024’, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The Joint Exercise between the Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) will be conducted at Seychelles from March 18-27. ‘LAMITIYE’ meaning ‘Friendship’ in the Creole language is a biennial training event and has been conducted in the Seychelles since 2001.

45 personnel each from the GORKHA RIFLES of the Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) will participate in the exercise. “The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability in sub-conventional operations in a semi-urban environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations.

SOURCE: ANI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday boldly addressed criticism on the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and questioned the global understanding of historical events, adding that the government has an obligation to the people who were let down at the time of partition.

“I am not questioning the imperfections or otherwise of their democracy or their principles or lack of it. I am questioning their understanding of our history. If you hear many comments from many parts of the world, it is as though the partition of India has never happened. And there were no consequential problems which the CAA is supposed to address,” he said.

SOURCE: ANI

Renowned socio-political activist, Javed Ahmad Beigh on Friday intervened at the UNHRC session in Geneva and strongly raised the issue of the plight of Pashtun Shias of Parachinar, which is located in the Kurram district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Speaking on behalf of India at the 31st meeting of the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Beigh strongly raised the issue of the miserable plight of Pashtun Shias of Parachinar, which is located in the Kurram district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

SOURCE: PTI

Eighteen Hindu refugees from Pakistan residing in Ahmedabad have been granted Indian citizenship during a camp attended by Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi.

At the camp organised at the District Collector’s office on March 16, Mr. Sanghavi conferred Indian citizenship to the 18 persons and urged them to work together to realise the dream of a new India.

SOURCE: ANI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached four immovable properties of 11 accused as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ in the ISIS module case in Pune being used for IED fabrication and its training and planning of terrorist acts. The attached properties in Kondhwa, Pune (Maharashtra), are linked with 11 accused persons, including three absconders, said the NIA on Sunday.

As per the agency, it is a move forward on the NIA’s mandate to dismantle the global terror outfits’ network in the country, and “the four properties were being used for IED fabrication and its training and planning of terrorist acts.” The NIA has already charged all 11 in the case. Attached under Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the properties are residential houses and flats linked with accused Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam, Md. Rizwan Ali, Kadir Dastagir Pathan, Simab Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh, Talha Liyakat Khan, Shamil Nachan and Aakif Nachan.

SOURCE: AFI

India’s upcoming Astra MKII Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) was indeed showcased at the Exercise Bharat Shakti in Pokhran, Rajasthan, on March 12, 2024. This marks a significant development in India’s indigenous air defense capabilities.

The Astra MKII BVRAAM, boasting a range of 160 kilometers, is still under development. However, upon completion, it is poised to become the mainstay of India’s air-to-air missile arsenal in the coming years. This indigenous weapon system will provide the Indian Air Force with a critical edge in beyond-visual-range aerial engagements.