SOURCE: PTI

Asserting that Maldives is not a small nation, President Mohamed Muizzu has said that the steps taken by his government to ensure the Indian Ocean island nation’s security on its own should not concern any ”external parties”. The pro-China Maldivian leader’s comments came days after the first batch of Indian military personnel operating a helicopter gifted by India left the island nation after Muizzu stepped up his anti-India rhetoric.

Muizzu had asked India to withdraw nearly 90 military personnel from the island nation soon after he assumed office in November last year. India has agreed to replace the military personnel with civilians and continue the operations of two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft provided to the country for humanitarian and medical evacuation services.

SOURCE: IANS

A top leader from Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League on Saturday ruled out allegations of Indian interference in the country’s election, months after the crucial vote in January this year saw Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina storming back to power.

Awami League General Secretary, Obaidul Quader, came out strongly in support of his South Asian neighbour at the biennial conference, which was inaugurated by Indian High Commissioner, Pranay Kumar Verma.

SOURCE: IANS

Asserting that India has a ‘very challenging’ and ‘competitive neighbour’ in China, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that New Delhi needs to be patient but persevering while dealing with the East Asian nation.

Speaking at a media conclave, the Minister agreed that the relationship became much more complicated after 2020 but said that “it was building up over a period of time”. “I agree (that) since 2020, the relationship has become much more complicated. I accept that. But it was building up over a period of time… We weren’t honest about it even to ourselves. We weren’t really articulating it, and frankly, even strategising accordingly,” Jaishankar added.

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

The Indian warship INS Kolkata successfully cornered and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender on Saturday, ensuring the safe evacuation of 17 crew members from the pirate vessel without any injury, the Indian Navy said in an official statement.

In the rescue operation, which lasted for the last 40 hours, INS Kolkata intercepted the under-attack pirate ship Ruen, sailing almost 2600 km from the shores of the Indian Coast, and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions.

SOURCE: AFI

DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Limited, a leading provider of drone tech solutions, has secured a contract to supply essential IT hardware for the Indian Army’s upcoming Drone Lab in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

This announcement comes through a regulatory filing by the company. The contract includes supplying crucial IT equipment like CPUs, monitors, keyboards, and mice, which are vital for setting up and running the Drone Lab.

SOURCE: AFI

On Friday evening, Indian Army troops deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district apprehended a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK).

Official sources reported that soldiers noticed suspicious movement near the forward positions late on Friday. The individual was challenged and apprehended after which he was brought to a nearby army camp for questioning.

SOURCE: PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay a five-day visit to Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia beginning March 23 with an aim to boost bilateral ties and discuss regional issues of “mutual concern”.

Jaishankar’s first destination is expected to be Singapore. “External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, at the invitation of his counterparts, will be on an official visit to Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia from March 23 to 27,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a brief statement on Saturday.

SOURCE: PTI

The remains of a Hyderabad resident who was duped into working as a helper for the Russian army and died allegedly in the Russia-Ukriane conflict arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday.

AIMIM sources said late on Saturday that Mohammed Asfan’s remains reached his residence at Bazarghat in Hyderabad. The Indian Embassy in Moscow on March 6 confirmed Asfan’s death and said it was in touch with his family members in Hyderabad.

SOURCE: PTI

A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Saturday, police said. The gun battle occurred in the forest near Chilparas village under the Koyalibeda police station area, where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, Kanker Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela said.

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force (BSF) were involved in the operation, he said. After the guns fell silent, the body of a Naxalite, along with a weapon and explosive materials, were recovered from the spot, the official said.

SOURCE: IDRW.ORG

In a development raising concerns, a Pakistani Navy ship, PNS Rizwan (A294), has been spotted undertaking an inward journey from China. While the exact purpose of the voyage remains unclear, analysts believe it could be linked to intelligence gathering activities in the Arabian Sea.

The ship’s features, as reported by Open Source Naval Intelligence Tracker (OSNIT), point towards potential espionage applications. The presence of tracking radars suggests the vessel might be equipped for telemetry and intelligence collection.

SOURCE: AFI

A recent commentary by Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, a Pakistani analyst and professor, sheds light on how Pakistan perceives India’s successful test of the Agni-V missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.

Dr. Jaspal, writing for Arab News, expresses concern over the implications of this test for Pakistan’s security. He argues that the MIRV technology increases India’s offensive capabilities, bringing cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Islamabad within range of a single missile launch.