SOURCE: ANI

In what could be termed as one of the biggest pushes for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ in the defence sector, the Indian Air Force is going to place orders for 156 more Prachand Light Combat Helicopters, with HAL, which would be deployed at both the China and Pakistan front by the IAF and the Indian Army. The two services have already inducted 15 of these choppers in their fleet in the last 15 months after holding trials in the most extreme weather conditions and terrain in the world.

“The Indian Air Force as the lead service has moved a proposal to the government for buying 156 more Prachand choppers as a joint acquisition case which is likely to get approved soon,” senior defence officials told ANI. Recently, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had announced from foreign soil about the force’s intent to buy around 100 more Light Combat Aircraft Mark 1A to push indigenisation.

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG

India is planning to add more self-propelled long range artillery to its arsenal after officials conducted a study indicating their effectiveness in shaping Russia’s war in Ukraine.

India wants to obtain another 400 of these guns, which would make the equipment about a sixth of all artillery pieces in the Indian armory, according to officials aware of the details, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. 

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Navy is making significant strides in the development of niche technologies through its ‘Swavlamban’ initiative, which fosters collaboration with startups and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The initiative, launched last year, aims to advance indigenous technologies across various domains, from autonomous weaponized swarms to fire-fighting robots and beyond.

Vice Admiral S J Singh, Navy vice chief, highlighted the progress achieved under the ‘Swavlamban’ initiative, stating that it has not only accelerated technology development but also streamlined procurement processes. The Navy has secured Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs) for 12 projects, valued at nearly Rs 1,500 crores, with procurement orders worth Rs 200 crore already signed. Singh emphasized that more such contracts are on the horizon.

SOURCE: AFI

In Canada, concerns are growing over the influence of rogue elements within the country’s security services on its foreign policy. Observers suggest that a few anonymous members of Canada’s unaccountable security apparatus have exerted control over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet, forcing them to act in ways that align with the spies’ interests rather than the nation’s best interests.

Leaked intelligence regarding alleged Chinese interference in Canada’s domestic affairs has been a focal point of these concerns. It’s believed that this information was selectively shared by these elements in the security services. Trudeau’s response, which included appointing a special rapporteur and eventually capitulating to demands for a public inquiry, has been criticized as bending to the pressure of these unaccountable actors.

SOURCE: AFI

Tensions are rising in the diplomatic arena as Bangladesh joins the list of nations expressing grievances against Canada’s extradition policies. The focus of this controversy is Canada’s refusal to extradite Noor Chowdhury, the self-confessed assassin of Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In an exclusive interview, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, AK Abdul Momen, expressed his concerns, stating, “Canada must not be a hub of all the murderers. The murderers can go to Canada and take shelter, and they can have a wonderful life while those they killed, their relatives are suffering.” This statement highlights a growing sentiment among nations that Canada’s extradition stance, particularly its opposition to the death penalty, is increasingly viewed as a protective shield for criminals.

SOURCE: AFI

The prospect of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s upcoming visit to India later this year has garnered significant interest from both sides. Although the discussions surrounding this visit are in their preliminary stages, if realized, it would be a momentous occasion as it marks the first visit by a Ukrainian President to India since the Ukraine conflict erupted last year.

The matter of President Zelensky’s visit has been the subject of discussions at various levels with the Indian authorities, including through the National Security Advisor (NSA) level mechanism. Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval have engaged in deliberations regarding this visit.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant development, the Indian Army has issued an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the acquisition of 6,425 units of Multi Spectral Camouflage Nets (MSCN) specially designed for deployment in High Altitude Areas (HAA). This collaborative effort between the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) places a strong emphasis on indigenous production under the ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ classification.

Under this AoN, the Indian Army will receive 6,175 nets tailored for High Altitude areas, while the IAF will procure 250 units for various applications within their domain. Previously, the IAF had acquired 6,000 similar MSCNs, produced by an Indian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) – M/s Entremonde Polycoaters Ltd. These acquisitions are intended to provide camouflage for IAF installations.

SOURCE: PTI

A group of eminent Indian-Americans has condemned the brazen hateful comments and a hostile environment against Hindus in Canada and asked Ottawa not to mix freedom of expression with freedom for terror and endorse hate crimes by being silent on the issue. The demand by Indian-Americans came after an offensive video from a pro-Khalistan group threatening Hindus in Canada to leave the country went viral.

“It is concerning to see Khalistani terrorists repeatedly threaten Hindu Canadians by desecrating and scarring Hindu sacred spaces on Canadian soil. Silence in the face of such brazen Hinduphobia – or worse, the justification that this is an acceptable form of political expression – is tantamount to the endorsement of hate crimes,” said Professor Indu Vishwanathan, co-founder and co-director of the Understanding Hinduphobia at the Hindu University of America.

SOURCE: IANS

A group of Indian hackers has claimed the responsibility for a cyberattack that temporarily disabled the website of the Canadian Armed Forces. The development came in the wake of diplomatic relations between India and Canada nosediving in the last week over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The group of Indian hackers named Indian Cyber Force shared the screenshot on the social media platform X. The group also shared the screenshot of taking down the Canadian Armed Forces. The group in its post on X claimed responsibility and said: “Canadian Airforce Website has been taken down. Target – forces.ca/en/ Check host – check-host.net/check-report/1… Duration: 2 hour.”

SOURCE: PTI

The Afghan embassy in India has purportedly come out with a communication on closing down its operations and New Delhi is examining its authenticity, sources have said.

The embassy has been headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay and it is learnt that he is currently in London. Mamundzay was appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government and he has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

SOURCE: REUTERS

When the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission landed on the moon, more than 8 million people tuned in for the event’s YouTube live-stream – a record for the site.

The landing was a win for India’s low-cost space engineering, and science, as well as a quiet initiative to rebrand the 54-year-old space agency as approachable, according to more than a dozen current and former employees, and 10 consultants and industry experts.

SOURCE: PTI

The Gujarat police have registered an FIR against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), for threatening to turn the Cricket World Cup, starting on October 5 at Narendra Modi stadium here, into “World Terror Cup”, an official said on Friday.

In the first information report (FIR), the cyber crime branch of the Ahmedabad police said that people from across the country have received Pannun’s threat via a pre-recorded voice message sent from a foreign number.