SOURCE: AFI

The high-powered committee led by K. VijayRaghavan has encountered turbulence as a group of senior defense scientists opposes its January 2024 report titled ‘Redefining Defence Research and Development.’ The report, submitted to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has sparked dissent among some senior scientists at the DRDO, who have expressed doubts about its feasibility.

A contingent of top defense scientists has sought an audience with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the ultimate authority in the matter, to voice their concerns regarding the report’s contents. Key points of contention include proposals to bring the DRDO under the PMO’s purview and grant the armed forces a greater role in technology development. The panel asserts that the DRDO’s involvement in expansive defense projects has led to significant delays and resource wastage. Disagreements have also arisen over proposed changes to staff recruitment practices, favoring campus hiring through interviews over direct recruitment.

SOURCE: ANI

In the pursuit of advancing the Defence Sector through the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) held deliberations with Swedish marine engine maker, Marine Jet Power (MJP). The Indian Coast Guard has persistently aimed at the indigenisation of spares for foreign-origin equipment installed onboard ICG ships in partnership with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).

Over the past year, extensive discussions regarding propulsion systems have unfolded.On February 14, 2024, Jonas Tegstrom, the CEO of Marine Jet Power (MJP) Sweden, visited the Indian Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi to reaffirm his company’s commitment to enhancing indigenous content in waterjet systems.

SOURCE: PTI

ISRO was holding discussions ‘internally’ on its plan for the launch of the Chandrayaan-4 mission and was involved in developing a ‘novel design’ and ‘high-end technology’ in this connection, a top official said on Saturday.

After successfully launching the Chandrayaan-3 rocket on the south pole of the Moon in August 2023, ISRO has drawn up a more “complex” mission of bringing back the soil from the surface of the Moon to the Earth.

SOURCE: AFI

The Arakan Army (AA), an armed ethnic group fighting Myanmar’s military junta, has surprisingly expressed support for the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) in a recent interview. This project, spearheaded by India, aims to connect the two nations through a waterway and road link, offering significant economic benefits.

Despite ongoing conflict with the Myanmar military, the AA spokesperson, representing the United League of Arakan (ULA), stated that the project would be “totally safe” after they “re-capture Kaladan and Laymro river deltas.” This signals a potential shift in stance, given prior concerns about the project’s impact on local communities and potential exploitation by the junta.

SOURCE: PTI

The joint satellite mission ISRO has undertaken with US’ NASA was not for surveillance purposes, but aimed at studying the Earth with a focus on sustainability, the space agency chief S Somanath said on Saturday.

The Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO is involved with The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, for developing a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite to study the Earth following the impact of climate change, he said.

SOURCE: ANI

The Houthis, a group of armed rebels based in Yemen and backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for a new missile attack on a British oil tanker amid Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported. The targeted vessel, identified by the United States as a Panamanian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil bound for India, faced a barrage of naval missiles on the Red Sea.

Yahya Saree, the group’s military spokesperson, said in a televised statement on Saturday that a “large number of appropriate naval missiles” were used to target the Pollux tanker in the Red Sea in “accurate and direct” hits, Al Jazeera reported.

SOURCE: PTI

Often dubbed as “naughty boy” for its spotty success rate, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-II of ISRO has earned new sobriquets such as “mature”, “obedient”, “smarty” and “natty” after two consecutive successful launches.

The GSLV on Saturday placed the INSAT-3DS satellite in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), the second successful mission after it placed the NVS-01 satellite for India’s own satellite-based navigation system NavIC.

SOURCE: PTI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday displayed its firepower capability at a mega exercise featuring over 120 aircraft, including frontline fighter jets and attack helicopters in Rajasthan’s Pokhran desert. In the Vayu Shakti exercise, the IAF also demonstrated the capabilities of its long-range drones and air-to-air missiles as well as its increasing strength in the rapid deployment of combat assets by airlifting weapons like M-777 ultra-light howitzers and other military platforms.

In keeping with the exercise’s theme ‘Lightning Strike from the Sky’, over 120 aircraft displayed the IAF’s offensive capabilities by day as well as by night.

SOURCE: PTI

Moving ahead on its mission to study the Earth and ocean surfaces, ISRO on Saturday successfully launched its next-generation weather observation satellite INSAT-3DS onboard a GSLV rocket into a precise orbit.

The flawless mission prompted the ISRO to virtually heave a sigh of relief over the challenging GSLV rocket technology, as the director of today’s mission said the “naughty boy has matured into an obedient, disciplined boy,” apparently referring to its past unsuccessful missions. ISRO Chairman S Somanath said the success gave the space agency “greater confidence,” as the GSLV will be next deployed in the NISAR mission, a collaborative effort with the US’ NASA.

SOURCE: PTI

India maintained for many decades that there should be a two-state solution to the Palestine issue and an increasing number of nations are now not only endorsing it but considering it as “more urgent” than before, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday amid concerns over the prevailing situation in Gaza.

S Jaishankar made the remarks at an interactive session at a security conference in Munich in presence of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

SOURCE: PTI

 A drone on way to deliver a package hit the rooftop of a house before falling on the ground, triggering a scare in a residential locality here, police said on Friday. The incident took place in G Block of South City 2 residential area around 5 pm on Thursday, they said. Police said the drone was being flown by Skye Air at a time when prohibitory orders are enforced due to Chief Minister M L Khattar’s visit in the district and a case has been registered against the company.

The RWA of the society informed the Sector 50 police station about the incident and a police team reached the spot.

SOURCE: AFI WITH IDRW.ORG TEAM.

India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has recently approved the procurement of heavyweight torpedoes, marking a significant step towards enhancing the attacking capabilities of its Kalvari-class submarines. This move comes after the cancellation of a previous contract with Italian firm Whitehead Alenia Systemi Subacquei (WASS) due to concerns surrounding alleged bribery practices.

The new acquisition, details of which are yet to be disclosed, aims to equip Kalvari-class submarines with advanced weaponry, bolstering their underwater strike potential. This upgrade is crucial in light of India’s growing maritime ambitions and the need to counter evolving threats in the region.

SOURCE: AFI

Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Adviser of India, raised concerns about cross-border terrorism and the potential misuse of Afghan territory by proscribed groups during a recent meeting. He emphasized the need for a multi-pronged approach to address the challenges in Afghanistan, focusing on humanitarian aid, inclusive governance, counter-terrorism efforts, and economic development.

Misri highlighted the dangers of cross-border terrorism, specifically mentioning groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which are designated as terrorist organizations by the UN Security Council. He stressed the importance of preventing Afghan soil from being used for “sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist acts.” This statement underscores India’s concerns about the potential threat posed by these Pakistan-based groups to its own security.

SOURCE: IANS

 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has done it again. It has skipped the number ’13’ — generally considered “unlucky” — while numbering its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket, which is set to fly on Saturday evening with the weather satellite INSAT-3DS.

Chennai, Feb 17 (IANS) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has done it again. It has skipped the number ’13’ — generally considered “unlucky” — while numbering its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket, which is set to fly on Saturday evening with the weather satellite INSAT-3DS.

SOURCE: ANI

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its meteorological satellite INSAT-3DS aboard spacecraft GSLV F14 at 5:35 pm this evening from the Sriharikota spaceport. It will study weather forecasts and natural disaster warnings. In its 16th mission, the GSLV aims to deploy the INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Subsequent orbit-raising maneuvers will ensure that the satellite is positioned in a Geo-stationary Orbit.

INSAT-3DS Satellite is a follow-on mission of Third Generation Meteorological Satellite from Geostationary Orbit.