SOURCE: PTI

Pakistan is using a mix of social media, local influencers and narcotics to radicalise the Kashmir youth to pick up the gun but Army has launched various people-friendly initiatives to counter the propaganda of the inimical elements, a senior army officer has said.

General Officer Commanding of Army’s 15 Corps Lieutenant General ADS Aujla said the attempts from across the Line of Control (LoC) to push narcotics was a cause of concern as it was destroying the future generation of Kashmir.

SOURCE: PTI

India’s import of cheap Russian oil scaled another record in May and is now more than the combined oil bought from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE and the US, industry data showed.

India took 1.96 million barrels a day from Russia in May, 15 per cent more than the previous high in April, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa. Russia now makes up for nearly 42 per cent of all crude oil India imported in May. This is the highest share for an individual country in recent years. The rise in Russian share came at the cost of traditional suppliers in the Middle East. Shipments from Saudi Arabia slipped to 560,000 tonnes – the lowest since February 2021, according to figures from the shipping analytics company.

SOURCE: PTI

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said holding the G20 event in Kashmir will not benefit tourism in the Valley till India and Pakistan resolve the “future” of the Union Territory through dialogue.

He also said Jammu and Kashmir was suffering heavy losses because of the lack of an elected government. “The question is whether we will benefit in terms of tourism arrivals from these countries? That cannot happen till the situation here does not improve and the situation will not improve till the two big countries do not hold dialogue on how to shape the future of this state,” Abdullah told reporters here.

SOURCE: PTI

Members of Manipuri civil society and students’ organisations on Sunday held a ‘peace rally’ at Jantar Mantar here and demanded that the government check the influx of “illegal migrants” into the state from Myanmar.

The rally, organised by the Manipur Coordinating Committee, Delhi, a group of civil society and students’ organisations, was attended by a large number of people from the state living in the national capital.

SOURCE: PTI

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in India on Sunday on a two-day visit to explore ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, especially in areas of transfer of critical technologies for co-development of military hardware.

Secretary Austin’s trip comes over two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington during which the two sides are expected to unveil initiatives to expand the India-US global strategic partnership.

SOURCE: ANI

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel shot down a Pakistani drone carrying narcotics across the Attari-Wagah border, officials said on Monday. According to officials, the Pakistani drone, which violated Indian airspace, was intercepted and shot down by alert BSF personnel in Amritsar.

“The gross weight of the recovered consignment of suspected narcotics is approximately 3.2 kg,” the officials said in a statement. Further reports are awaited.

SOURCE: PTI

At least four soldiers were killed on Sunday when their truck fell into a ravine in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The accident was reported from the Changan area in the Neelum Valley, when the cargo truck was moving from Batrasi to Mandkaro.

Local police told the media that the driver lost control of the vehicle and it plunged into a deep gorge.

SOURCE: PTI

The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested four Bangladeshi nationals in Meerut for posing as Indian citizens with fake documents, officials said on Sunday. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Singh Sajwan said the Meerut unit of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) received information about the presence of some suspicious people in Kharkhoda.

Inspector Dharmendra Singh Yadav, in-charge of the ATS Field Unit, Meerut, and his team arrested Sojib Khan, Mohd. Montu Khan, Mohd. Majidul Khan and Mozzem Khan from the Hapur-Meerut Road in Dhirkheda on Saturday.

SOURCE: ANI

The Navy, as a self-driven and environmentally responsible force, has always been committed towards environment protection and green initiatives. As guardian of the seas, the Navy employs a number of ships, submarines and aircraft that have high energy intensity, thus increased energy efficiency is paramount in every operation and process the Navy undertakes, an official statement said on Sunday.

Some of the noteworthy initiatives towards ‘Clean and Green Navy’, are elaborated in succeeding paragraphs.

SOURCE: API

As the Indian Navy eagerly awaits the government’s decision on selecting the aircraft for its flagship aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the choice between the Rafale and the F/A-18 Super Hornet has become a topic of intense discussion. With both aircraft possessing unique strengths and capabilities, the decision holds significant implications for India’s naval aviation capabilities. Let us delve into the features and advantages offered by each aircraft, as well as the considerations that will shape the final decision.

The Rafale, a French-built multirole fighter jet, has gained worldwide recognition for its exceptional performance and advanced technologies. Equipped with cutting-edge avionics, radar systems, and weaponry, the Rafale has demonstrated its versatility in various combat scenarios. Its ability to engage both air and surface targets, along with its long-range strike capabilities, make it a formidable asset for naval operations.

SOURCE: API

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to hold bilateral defence talks with his counterparts from the United States and Germany, Lloyd Austin and Boris Pistorius, next week. The objective of these discussions is to strengthen military and industrial ties between the nations. The meetings will address key issues and initiatives aimed at enhancing defence collaboration.

Notably, the Indian defence minister is expected to address the Rs 50,000 crore deal for the construction of six conventional submarines during his conversation with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. This deal, which has been pending for over two years, holds significant importance for the Indian Navy’s plan to replace its ageing submarine fleet.

SOURCE: API

Tonbo Imaging, a Bangalore-based company, has revealed that the Indian Army has upgraded its 9K111?1M Konkurs?M anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) systems with Tonbo’s Sarisa longwave infrared (LWIR) thermal imagers, according to a source at Tonbo.

Sarisa is a highly advanced thermal imaging camera designed to detect, recognize, and identify threats at long ranges, even in challenging weather conditions and during both day and night operations. It is specifically designed to be mounted on the Konkurs-M ATGW launcher, with mounting brackets that allow for easy installation in the optics channel.

SOURCE: AFI

Speaking at the inauguration of a Technical Hindi Seminar titled ‘Space robotics – a true game changer for future space programmes,’ organized by the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Somanath emphasized the significant role that robotics will play in upcoming space missions.

He highlighted the importance of deploying space robots prior to human missions to explore and study potential possibilities and challenges in space. By sending robots ahead, ISRO aims to gather vital information and data to enhance the success and safety of future manned missions.

SOURCE: The Morning

The Government of Sri Lanka is in discussions with India to establish a small arms ammunition manufacturing plant, The Sunday Morning reliably learns. Over the last several decades, Sri Lanka has held talks with several countries on establishing a domestic ammunition industry, but none have been successful.

According to a source close to the matter, discussions between the Indian Ocean neighbours have been ongoing for months, with several delegations visiting both countries to grasp the industrial process and ground situation.

SOURCE: REUTERS

Senior officials from about two dozen of the world’s major intelligence agencies held a secret meeting on the fringes of the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore this weekend, five people told Reuters.

Such meetings are organised by the Singapore government and have been discreetly held at a separate venue alongside the security summit for several years, they said. The meetings have not been previously reported.