SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director, CB Ananthakrishnan, has provided an update on the timeline for the Tejas Mk2 fighter jet program. According to Ananthakrishnan, the first deliveries of the Tejas Mk2 to the Indian Air Force (IAF) are expected by the end of 2029. This schedule hinges on the successful completion of key development milestones.
The first Tejas Mk2 prototype is currently planned to roll out by the end of 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for 2026. Following this, the aircraft will undergo a rigorous developmental flight test program lasting approximately 2-3 years. This extensive testing phase is crucial for ensuring the aircraft’s performance and airworthiness before production can begin.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant move towards self-reliance in strategic defence capabilities, India embarked on an ambitious project in February 2015: the indigenous construction of six nuclear-powered attack submarines. This program, known as Project 75 Alpha, marks a major milestone for India’s underwater warfare capabilities.
Collaborating with esteemed partners such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and the Indian Navy, India’s endeavor aims to realize the development of a formidable 6000-ton displacement submarine. Endowed with cutting-edge technology and a versatile arsenal, these nuclear attack submarines are poised to redefine undersea warfare capabilities.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed, through Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, that progress is being made on the indigenously developed HAL Prachand (LCH) attack helicopter. While 15 Limited Series Production (LSP) models are currently undergoing evaluation by both the IAF and the Indian Army, some minor issues are being addressed.
The IAF has identified some areas for improvement on the LCH platform. These are categorized as “minor issues” and are currently being addressed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the manufacturer. Additionally, the IAF and Indian Army have jointly requested further enhancements to the Prachanda’s capabilities.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Vietnam has reportedly shown interest in the Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMVs) developed by India’s Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). These anti-surface warfare corvettes are designed for the Indian Navy and will be equipped with advanced stealth features and powerful weaponry.
The NGMVs are designed to be agile and stealthy, with a low radar cross-section (RCS) to minimize detection. They will also incorporate advanced technology to reduce infrared, acoustic, and magnetic signatures, making them difficult to track by enemies.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
India’s recent delivery of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines marks a significant development in its defense export ambitions. This move not only bolsters the Philippines’ maritime defense capabilities but also presents India with an opportunity to promote the BrahMos missile to other countries facing tensions with China.
Several Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. Equipping these countries with the BrahMos can act as a deterrent against Chinese aggression, potentially creating a strategic counterweight in the region.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Debak Das, an assistant professor at the University of Denver, has drawn attention to India’s successful test of an Agni-V ballistic missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology on March 11, 2024, codenamed Mission Divyastra.
While this development signifies a significant leap in India’s nuclear deterrence capabilities, China is likely to maintain a numerical and qualitative advantage in nuclear weapons delivery.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
In a recent address, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd.), underscored India’s steadfast commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. Speaking at an event, Bhadauria emphasized the decisive actions taken by the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership to combat terrorism, particularly in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.
Reflecting on India’s response to terrorist incidents, Bhadauria highlighted the surgical strikes conducted across the Line of Control (LoC) in response to cross-border terrorism. He noted that these strikes targeted terrorist launchpads, sending a clear message of India’s resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and national security.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday thwarted Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s attempt to raise the Kashmir issue as he kicked off his crucial three-day visit to Islamabad. While making his opening statement during the joint presser, Sharif thanked the Iranian President for taking Pakistan’s side on the Kashmir dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi.
”We are thankful to Iran for its support for the Kashmir cause,” said Sharif adding that the both sides have identified and agreed to cooperate on matters of mutual interest and regional concern.However, he failed to get any word of support from the Iranian President as he refrained from giving any comment on the issue and remained focused on addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
The Chinese government has arbitrarily arrested and detained over one million Uyghurs and members of other predominantly Muslim minority groups from 2017 to 2023, according to a report released by the United States. The “2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices” released by the US on Tuesday, emphasised that the genocide and crimes against humanity have occurred during the year in China against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.
Significant human rights issues included credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings by the government; enforced disappearances by the government; torture by the government; involuntary or coercive medical or psychological practices; harsh and life-threatening prison and detention conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention by the government including, since 2017, of more than one million Uyghurs and members of other predominantly Muslim minority groups in extrajudicial internment camps, prisons, and an additional unknown number subjected to daytime-only “re-education” training; the lack of an independent judiciary and Communist Party control over the judicial and legal system; political prisoners; transnational repression against individuals in other countries, and arbitrary interference with privacy including pervasive and intrusive technical surveillance and monitoring.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
The satellite imagery has shown significant expansion in glacial lakes in the Himalayas, especially in India, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Monday. The satellite data archives spanning the past 3 to 4 decades provide valuable insights into changes occurring in glaciated environments.
Long-term satellite imagery covering the catchments of Indian Himalayan river basins from 1984 to 2023 indicates significant changes in glacial lakes. Of the 2,431 lakes larger than 10 hectares identified during 2016-17, 676 glacial lakes have notably expanded since 1984. Specifically, 130 of these lakes are situated within India, with 65, 7, and 58 lakes located in the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra River basins, respectively, the statement read.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Two Indian students’ teams from the New Delhi area and Mumbai have won awards from the NASA for the Human Exploration Rover Challenge. The KIET Group of Institutions, Delhi-NCR has won the award in the “Crash and Burn” category of the annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) award, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on Monday.
The Kanakia International School from Mumbai was given the “Rookie of the Year” award.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
A government employee was shot by terrorists in J&K’s Rajouri district on Monday evening and succumbed to his injuries in a hospital, officials said. Officials said that terrorists fired at Mohd Razaq of Kunda Tope village in the Shahdhara Sharif area of Rajouri.
“He was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to critical injuries. Terrorists had fired four pistol shots at the victim from close range,” an official said.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
The IAF on Monday rejected reports that a fire had broken out at the Air Headquarters in Delhi and said no such incident had taken place at Vayu Bhavan or its immediate vicinity.
Reports by some publications suggested that the claimed incident occurred on Sunday. “#Fakenews. Multiple social media posts have reported about a fire incident at Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhavan, in New Delhi. It is hereby informed that no such fire incident has taken place in Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhavan, or its immediate vicinity,” the Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a post on X.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
At the height of the Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra Police have apprehended a dreaded Maoist, who carried a bounty of Rs 1.5 lakh on his head, officials said on Monday. The rebel is identified as Dilip Motiram Pendam, 34, who was caught in the Bhamragad region after he was found moving around suspiciously near the villages and the forests there.
Among other crimes, Pendam is accused of planting a deadly claymore mine and 2 pressure cooker bombs in the Nelgunda-Gongwada and Laheri in March 2023, intending to kill security forces personnel and loot their arms and ammunition.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted the Narendra Modi government has eliminated terrorism from the country as he issued a stern warning to Maoists in Chhattisgarh, asking them to surrender or else they will be rooted out from the state in two years.
He said in the last four months alone, 90 Maoists were neutralised in Chhattisgarh under the BJP government, comments coming after 29 Maoists were gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Kanker, which is part of the Bastar region, on April 16.
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