SOURCE: API

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a contract worth $115.23 million (Rs9.5 billion) to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the delivery of 129 DR-118 radar warning receivers (RWR) to improve the electronic warfare capabilities of the Indian Air Force’s Su-30 MKI multi-role fighter aircraft.

Local Indian companies will procure DR-118 sub-assemblies, which provide very good sensitivity, selectivity, and wideband instantaneous bandwidth.

SOURCE: API

Avtar Khanda, who was arrested by London police last week for attacking the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission in London, is an Indian citizen who has applied for political asylum in the UK, which is still pending, and he still carries an Indian passport, for which Indian authorities have asked UL to deport him back to India.

Avtar Khanda was seen removing the Indian flag and attempting to replace it with a Khalistani flag when he was stopped by an Indian official. Khanda has been in the UK for several years and has sought asylum, claiming political persecution in India.

SOURCE: REUTERS

Plane giants Airbus and Boeing face mounting pressure to set up jetliner plants in India, after the country’s civil aviation minister told Reuters the “time has come” to serve its soaring demand with jets assembled on domestic soil.

Jyotiraditya Scindia said conditions were ripe for a “leap of faith” by both jetmakers as India’s fast-growing aeronautical industry reaches an “inflection point” – highlighted by plans to assemble Airbus C295 military transport planes locally in India.

SOURCE: UNI

Ministry of Defence, on March 24, 2023, signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Hyderabad for procurement of two Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems ‘Project Himshakti’ at an overall cost of approximately Rs 3,000 crore. The project is under the Buy {Indian – IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured)} category comprising contemporary and niche technologies.

Project Himshakti is an integrated EW System for mountainous terrain for Indian Army. The system is designed & developed using DLRL’s indigenous technology for interception. It also has low power ECM chain and Electro-Optical Sensor sub-system.

SOURCE: PTI

Pro-Khalistan fugitive Amritpal Singh addressed five gatherings in 10 days across Punjab, inciting hundreds of Sikhs to get ready for the “ultimate sacrifice” for the cause, before the police crackdown on his outfit earlier this month, officials said.

The radical preacher’s activities showed his methodical efforts to disturb peace in the state, they claimed. During his speeches and sermons, he coaxed at least 1,000 people to remain prepared to make the “ultimate sacrifice” and alleged that the government was leaving no stone unturned in its quest to disarm Sikhs by revoking their weapons licences, the officials said.

SOURCE: PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has once again decided to decrease the jurisdiction of “disturbed areas” declared under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur.

In a series of tweets, Shah said this decision has been taken on account of significant improvement in the security situation in northeast India.

SOURCE: ISRO

 ISRO received the Crew Module structure simulated assembly for the Integrated Air-Drop Test (IADT)meant for validating the sequence and performance of parachute systems in the Gaganyaan mission. The module was designed by Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), ISRO and the hardware has been realized by Shri Venkateswara Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad. Shri Somanath S, Chairman, ISRO/ Secretary, DoS, and senior officials of ISRO graced the occasion.

This un-pressurized single wall Crew Module structure simulates the shapeand size of the actual Gaganyaan crew module.

SOURCE: ANI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised the contributions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to the internal security of the nation and for carrying out the responsibility of safely conducting the democratic process.

During his address on the occasion of 84th CRPF Day, Mr Shah said, “For the first time, CRPF Day is being celebrated in a Naxalite area. CRPF has contributed to the internal security of the nation. The nation salutes women CRPF personnel. CRPF’s contribution is significant.”

SOURCE: IANS

Responding to the concerns of a Sikh MP over internet suspension in Punjab, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said her country is closely following the developments in the state, and will continue to address the concerns of the community.

Authorities in Punjab have started to ease internet suspension in Punjab imposed as part of a manhunt for Waris Punjab De chief and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, who continues to evade arrest. “My colleagues and I have heard from constituents regarding the ongoing mass suspension of internet services in Punjab, India. Canadians have families and friends who are visiting Punjab, who do not have access to the internet,” MP from Malton-Mississauga, Iqwinder Gaheer, rose in the House to ask Joly.

SOURCE: IANS

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday began the countdown for the launch of its LVM3 rocket carrying 36 satellites of the UK-based Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) scheduled for Sunday.

“The countdown started at 8.30 a.m and is progressing smoothly,” a senior ISRO official told IANS. During the countdown, the rocket and satellite systems will be checked, while fuel for the rocket will also be filled. The Indian rocket LVM3 standing 43.5 metre tall and weighing 643 tonne will blast off at 9 a.m. from the second launch pad at the rocket port in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh carrying OneWeb’s final instalment of 36 Gen1 satellites weighing 5,805 kg.

SOURCE: IANS

The Khalistani menace against India continues unabated with anti-India elements defacing and spray-painting a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Canada with spiteful graffiti in a recent display of cowardice. The incident was reported in the early hours of Thursday near the City Hall in the town of Hamilton in Ontario where the statue, gifted by the Indian government, is located, the Daily Hunt reported.

According to a video of the vandalism, a Khalistani flag was also found attached to the six-feet tall bronze statue, which was doused with paint and graffiti abusing Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

SOURCE: IANS

 Sri Lanka has used the very first tranche of the IMF loan of $330 to repay part of Indian credit line. State Minister for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told media that $120 million was used to settle the loan taken from India.

“Over the recent past India gave credit lines to import much-needed essentials, including medicine and fuel, and we were to settle part of it on Thursday which we did it on that day itself,” the State Minister said.

SOURCE: PTI

The National Security Guards (NSG) has carried out a full-fledged anti-hijacking drill at the Jammu airport, officials said on Saturday.

The drill was conducted by the NSG with the activation of the Anti-Hijack Committee (AHC) at the Jammu Air Force Station on Friday, a defence PRO said. He said the exercise involved all the key stakeholders, including the Indian Air Force, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Union Territory administration, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

SOURCE: PTI

The railway line connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country will be completed this year, and the special ‘Vande Bharat’ trains will chug in the Union Territory next year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference at Nowgam railway station here, he said the Udhampur-Banihal track, connecting Jammu with Srinagar, will be completed by December this year, or early next year.