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SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Greece has extended an offer to India to acquire its fleet of French-made Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets. This offer comes amidst a significant modernization effort for the Hellenic Air Force, which recently placed orders for both Rafale and F-35 jets.

General Dimitrios Houpis, Chief of the General Staff of the Defense Forces for Greece, visited India this month and presented the offer as per people familiar with matter told idrw.org. Greece in 2000 purchased 15 Mirage 2000-5s from Dassault Aviation, including five two-seat 2000-5BG trainers and ten single-seat 2000-5EG fighters.

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SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has announced significant progress on its Light Tank project, codenamed Zorawar. Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary of Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, confirmed that the tank is currently undergoing rigorous internal testing at Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Hazira facility.

Designed for rapid deployment in challenging terrains, the Zorawar prioritizes mobility. It achieves this through a combination of strategic air transportability, extended cruising range, and exceptional maneuverability with low ground pressure. This allows the tank to be swiftly operational in even the most remote locations.

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SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

French defence giant Naval Group has entered the fray for a major Indian Navy contract, offering its M940 Oostende mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) in partnership with an undisclosed Indian shipyard. This move comes in response to a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Indian Navy last year to bolster its mine-warfare capabilities with the acquisition of 12 MCMVs built in Indian shipyards.

The Indian Navy’s latest attempt to procure MCMVs follows at least three previous unsuccessful endeavours. This renewed push underscores the critical need to modernize the Navy’s mine-countermeasure fleet to effectively safeguard India’s vast coastline.

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SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Air Force’s next-generation Astra Mark II air-to-air missile is reportedly nearing a crucial phase in its development. According to media reports, developmental trials in full configuration will be conducted in the coming months.

The Astra Mark II promises a significant improvement over its predecessor, the Astra Mark I. With an estimated range of 160 kilometers, it boasts a 45% increase compared to the Mark I’s 110 kilometers. This extended reach puts it in the same ballpark as the widely used AIM-120D missile, potentially offering the Indian Air Force a tactical advantage in aerial engagements.

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SOURCE: AFI

Argentina has taken a significant step in modernizing its air force with the official signing of a deal to acquire 24 ex-Danish F-16A/B Fighting Falcon Multi-role Lightweight fighters. The signing ceremony was led by Argentinian Minister of Defense Luis Petri.

This move comes after Argentina considered offers for the Indian-made LCA Tejas and the Chinese JF-17. However, the ex-Danish F-16s emerged as the frontrunner due to their attractive price tag – reportedly less than $24 million per unit – which is significantly lower than the cost of new Tejas or JF-17s. This competitive pricing likely played a decisive role in Argentina’s decision.

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SOURCE: AFI

The Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative has issued a challenge to Indian private sector companies. The goal? Develop a groundbreaking software module for predictive maintenance of critical machinery aboard naval vessels.

This innovative module will play a crucial role in ensuring the operational readiness of India’s naval fleet.

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SOURCE: AFI

Garuda Aerospace, a leading Indian drone manufacturer, recently conducted a successful demonstration of their DRONI drone in Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir, featuring the Indian Army. Company claims that DRONI drone showcased the capabilities of this versatile drone for military applications.

Named after cricket legend MS Dhoni, the DRONI is a small but mighty drone manufactured by Garuda Aerospace. Equipped with a powerful 48MP camera boasting a 1/2.3 CMOS sensor, it can capture stunning 4K video footage at 30 fps. The integrated 3-axis gimbal ensures smooth and stable aerial shots, even during flight.

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SOURCE: PTI

Quizzed about reported statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on crossing borders to kill terrorists, the Biden administration said the US would not involve itself on the matter but “encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid any escalation and find a resolution through dialogue”.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was responding to questions at a news conference on Tuesday on alleged operations by India in other countries to eliminate terrorists.

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SOURCE: PIB

The first international workshop on ‘Emerging Technologies & Challenges for Exoskeleton’ is being held in Bengaluru on April 16-17, 2024. The workshop, which has been organised by the Defence Bio-Engineering & Electromedical Laboratory of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), was inaugurated by Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, in the presence of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) Lt Gen JP Mathew.

In his keynote address, the DRDO Chairman emphasised the importance of the transformational exoskeleton technology and its immense applications in military & civilian environments. He urged the diverse stakeholders including the R&D community, the Armed Forces, industry, and academia to work together to address the challenges and chalk out the roadmap for the future of Exoskeletons.

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SOURCE: PTI

 India in 2023 showcased itself as a global leader as it demonstrated a greater willingness to counter China’s activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region and took steps to modernise its military and reduce its dependency on Russian origin-equipment, the top US intelligence official has told Congress.

The remarks by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency came during a Congressional hearing on defence intelligence countering China. “During the past year, India has showcased itself as a global leader by hosting the Group of 20 economic summit and demonstrated a greater willingness to counter PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” Kruse told members of the House Armed Services Committee — the subcommittee on intelligence and special operations.

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SOURCE: PTI

ISRO Chairman S Somanath today announced that India aims to achieve debris-free space missions by 2030. Addressing the 42nd Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) annual meet here, he said ISRO has a very clearly laid out plan as far as space exploration and space utilisation are concerned for the coming days.

“It is one of the intent or initiative of India to ensure that debris-free space missions are conducted so as to ensure the sustainability of space. I would like to make this initiative a declaration today, possibly this can be discussed and debated in the coming days,” Mr Somanath, also Secretary in the Department of Space, said.

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SOURCE: PTI

Pakistan sustained its nuclear modernisation efforts last year despite its economic turmoil as its contentious relationship with India continues to drive its defence policy, the top US intelligence official has told Congress.

The remarks by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency came during a Congressional hearing on China on Monday???. Kruse told lawmakers that Pakistan has sought international support, including from the UN Security Council, to resolve its dispute with India about Kashmir. Separately, Islamabad and New Delhi have maintained an uneasy ceasefire along the shared Line of Control since February 2021, he said.

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SOURCE: ANI

The Israeli Embassy on Tuesday hit back at the hate speech against Indians and urged people to fact-check before falling for any fake news and propoganda, as incidents of hate speech are on the rise after the conflict in the Gaza Strip and Iran-Israel tension.

Calling the viral video of an Indian YouTuber, showing that he was denied entry into an Israeli bar “fake news” and “propoganda,” the Israeli Embassy in India urged people to fact-check, stressing that Israel loves its Indian brothers and and sisters and will not listen to hate speech.

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SOURCE: PTI

India has underscored the need for a reformed UN Security Council that better reflects the geographical and developmental diversity of the United Nations today, emphasising that the majority of the world body’s membership supports calls for expanding permanent seats in the powerful organ.

India has been at the forefront, especially leading the Global South, demanding reforms in the United Nations and seeking a place as a permanent member of the 15-member UN Security Council. “India is in favour of expansion of UN Security Council membership in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, as this is the only way to achieve genuine reform of the Security Council and make it legitimate, representative, responsive and effective,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said Monday.

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SOURCE: PTI

At least 29 Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Tuesday, police officials said. Three security personnel suffered injuries in the fierce gun-battle and a large quantity of weapons was also recovered from the spot, they said.

The gunfight took place at around 2 pm in Hapatola forest between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits, when a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Maoist operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.

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