SOURCE: AFI

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is gearing up to produce a range of advanced air-to-ground weapons systems to complement its growing fleet of fighter jets. These weapons will enhance the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) capabilities in precision strike operations and strengthen the country’s defense posture.

These weapons systems will be integrated with various IAF fighter jets, including the indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The Tejas has demonstrated impressive capabilities in air-to-ground operations, even outperforming the Jaguar fighter jet, which is known for its ground attack capabilities.

SOURCE: ANI

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, at a press conference in Delhi, said on Friday that China may have legitimate reasons to be in the Indian Ocean region but India is the resident power here. Admiral Kumar, on being asked about the increasing grip of China in the Indian Ocean region, said, “The oceans are considered to be a common heritage; they can be used for the legitimate economic aspirations of any nation. So in that regard, if you look at China, it may have a legitimate reason to be present in the Indian Ocean region for economic activities.

But we, as the resident naval power in the Indian Ocean, keep an eye on what all is happening there.” “We try to keep the extra regional forces that are present in the region under surveillance and keep a watch on their activities–what are they engaged in, what are their intentions and so on. So, that is why we deploy our surveillance assets–ships, submarines, aircraft, UAVs and others.

SOURCE: PTI

India’s third home-built 700 MW nuclear power reactor being developed at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan on Thursday achieved a significant milestone with the completion of the hot conditioning of its primary heat transport system, nuclear power operator NPCIL said. “Unit-7 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) 7&8, the third reactor in the indigenous 700 MW series, achieved a major milestone of successful completion of Hot Conditioning of the Primary Heat Transport (PHT) system on November 30,” the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said in a statement.

Hot conditioning is a prelude to further commissioning activities such as Initial Fuel Loading (IFL), First Approach to Criticality (FAC) and eventual start of electricity generation. RAPP-7 is the first unit of the RAPP 7&8 (2X700 MW) project being built in Rawatbhata. Its twin unit, RAPP-8 is also at an advanced stage of construction.

SOURCE: PTI

The Indian Navy has appointed the first woman commanding officer in a naval ship in sync with its philosophy of ‘all roles-all ranks’ for female personnel, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Friday. Addressing a press conference ahead of Navy Day, Admiral Kumar said the Indian Navy’s ships, submarines, and aircraft have sustained a high operational tempo in the strategic waters in the last one year.

On China’s increasing forays into the Indian Ocean, he said Indian Navy monitors all activities in the region. “Our ships, submarines, and aircraft have sustained a high operational tempo – undertaking missions and tasks encompassing military, diplomatic, constabulary and benign roles,” he said.

SOURCE: PTI

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Friday said the government is putting all-out efforts to bring back eight former naval personnel from Qatar, who were handed death sentences by a Qatari court.

“We are working closely to ensure that their interests are looked after,” Admiral Kumar said at a media briefing. “The government of India is putting all-out efforts to ensure they are brought back,” he said. The Indian nationals were on October 26 given death sentence by Qatar’s Court of First Instance. India described the ruling as “deeply” shocking and vowed to explore all legal options in the case.

SOURCE: ANI

Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent call for India’s cooperation in the investigation of the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, former diplomat TP Sreenivasan said that India is not involved in such activities.

“So it’s a complex issue, but, I certainly know that India is not involved. So there could be some misunderstanding on again, because India is not in this kind of business,” Mr Sreenivasan told ANI. On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on the Indian government to cooperate with Canada in the investigation of the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, CBC News reported.

SOURCE: ANI

The White House National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, stressed on Friday that the US continues to improve its strategic partnership with India. On the other side, he added that the US “takes this very seriously,” referring to the indictment by the US Department of Justice against an Indian in an alleged foiled assassination plot.

While speaking at a press briefing, Kirby said, “India remains a strategic partner, and we are going to continue to work to improve and strengthen that strategic partnership with India.”

SOURCE: ANI

On Canada’s accusation of Indian involvement in the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Vikram Doraiswami, on Thursday, said, “Let the inquiry committee come to a decision. We share values and interests with our partners.”

“The government that has had anything to do with it. There is an inquiry that’s on let that come up with it,” Doraiswami said while speaking to the media after the conclusion of the Indo-Pacific Conference in London on Thursday.

SOURCE: ANI

The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R. Hari Kumar, said on Friday, during his speech at a press conference ahead of Navy Day, that more than 1,000 women agniveers have been incorporated into the Indian Navy. Admiral Kumar, while lauding the Agnipath scheme, said that the implementation of Agnipath has been a much-needed, transformational change. “Our first batch of Agniveers graduated from the premier-winning establishment, INS Chilka, in March this year. And importantly, this batch of Agnivirs includes 272 female Agniveer trainees as well,” said Admiral Kumar.

“And going further, the second batch of Agniveers had a total of 454 women and I want to say that with the third batch, which has just been inducted, we have now crossed over 1000 women affiliates in the navy,” he added. Admiral Kumar asserted that these statistics stand testament to the Indan Navy’s philosophy of all roles and all ranks with regard to the deployment of women in the service, both for officers and for personnel below the rank of officer. “We also appointed the first woman commanding officer of an Indian naval ship.

SOURCE: PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said India’s two major borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh will be completely secured in the next two years, with work underway to plug gaps in about 60 km stretch along these two fronts. Shah was speaking after taking salute from a ceremonial parade of the Border Security Force (BSF) on the occasion of its 59th Raising Day celebrations here.

The minister said the Narendra Modi government has fenced and plugged gaps in about 560 km of the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders in the last nine years since it came to power at the Centre.

SOURCE: PTI

The Supreme Court on Friday orally observed that the power of the Punjab Police has not been taken away by the Centre’s decision to expand the BSF’s jurisdiction to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50-km stretch from the International Border as compared to the earlier 15 km limit.

The bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, hearing the 2021 lawsuit of the Punjab government, said the issues for adjudication by this court have to be settled.

SOURCE: ANI

The 14th Annual Special Forces and Diver Refresher course conducted by the Indian Navy’s Mobile Training Team at Mauritius concluded on November 24, which saw three weeks of intense training by 50 personnel, the Indian Navy said in a statement on Friday. The closing ceremony was presided over by Anil Kumarsing Dip, Commissioner of Police, Mauritius.

Indian Navy Marine Commandos and Divers Mobile Training Team (MTT) were in Mauritius for the 14th edition of Special Forces and Diving Refresher Camp.

SOURCE: PTI

An unidentified terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Friday. A gun battle broke out at New Colony in Arihal area of the district on Thursday after security forces launched an anti-militancy operation in the orchards there, the officials said.

One terrorist was shot dead as the operation continued, officials said.