SOURCE: PTI

The Biden Administration looks forward to expanding its “critical and critically important” partnership with India and creating a more prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, the White House has said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made the remarks on Monday while responding to questions on the priorities of US President Joe Biden in the remaining six months of his administration. “We look forward to continuing to expand our critical and critically important partnership and how it’s going to benefit the American people,” she said while addressing her daily news conference.

SOURCE: PIB

The 10^th edition of India- Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise MITRA SHAKTI commenced today, at Army Training School, Maduru Oya, Sri Lanka. The Exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 12^th to 25^th August 2024.

Indian contingent comprising of 106 personnel is being represented by a Battalion of Rajputana Rifles along with personnel from other arms and services. The Sri Lankan contingent is being represented by personnel from Gajaba Regiment of Sri Lankan Army. Joint Exercise MITRA SHAKTI is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Sri Lanka. Last edition was conducted in Pune in Nov 2023.

SOURCE: IANS

 A team of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) officials who arrived from Telangana, on Tuesday, broke open popular Maoist leader Murali Kannempilly’s home after he failed to open the front door.

Kannempilly is known as Kerala’s most-wanted Maoist leader. The NIA team arrived in Kochi as part of the ongoing probe related to the arrest of Maoist Sanjoy Deepak Rao, the Central Committee Member of CPI (Maoist) in Telangana in September last year.

SOURCE: PTI

Jindal Stainless on Monday said it will manufacture customised stainless steel and speciality low-alloy steel sheets for defence projects of BrahMos Aerospace.

The company will also supply steel plates from its Hisar plant in Haryana, it said in a statement. Jindal Stainless has been accredited by BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd as a qualified vendor for the manufacturing and supply of steel sheets and plates, it added.

SOURCE: PTI

ISRO on Monday said its latest earth observation satellite EOS-08 will now be launched onboard the third and final developmental flight of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 on August 16.

The space agency had earlier announced that the launch will be on August 15. ISRO did not cite any reason for the delay.The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites, the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency said.

SOURCE: PTI

India’s first astronaut Rakesh Sharma on Monday said returning to Earth aboard the Soyuz spacecraft was the most thrilling experience of his space travel and for a moment he thought he would not make it back safely.

Mr Sharma shared his experiences as an astronaut at an event ‘Youth Sabha 2047: Shaping India’s Future,’ organised by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, and the United Nations Foundation. In an interaction with Awais Ahmed, the co-founder and CEO of Pixxel Space, Mr Sharma said he was not worried about the launch phase of his space journey because everything was controlled by a computer.

SOURCE: ANI

Lauding the US-India ties, the White House on Monday (local time) said that President Joe Biden views the United States’ relationship with India as one of the most consequential in the world, adding that both countries “work closely” on vital priorities.

In a press briefing on Monday (local time), White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre said that the US works with India on key priorities, including the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue).

SOURCE: ANI

Amid heightened tensions in Bangladesh following the ouster of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, the Indian Coast Guard said that security has been beefed up along the international maritime boundary line to prevent any illegal intrusion in India.

Deputy Director General Anupam Rai of the Indian Coast Guard told ANI on Monday that the security has been bolstered to address any potential threats. “After the political unrest in Bangladesh, Indian Coast Guard has enhanced its patrolling and surveillance along the international maritime boundary line…To prevent any hostile act and illegal intrusion we have beefed up the security, positioned two to three ships…Sunderban Creek areas are being patrolled by our air cushion vessels and interceptor boats,” ICG Deputy DG Anupam Rai told ANI.

SOURCE: PIB

A U.S. delegation led by Ms. Isabel Casillas Guzman, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) visited Innovations for Defence Excellence-Defence Innovation Organisation, Department of Defence Production, and witnessed the techno-showcase organised by iDEX-DIO at IIT Delhi on August 12, 2024. The delegation interacted with the Indian side led by Shri Amit Satija, Joint Secretary (Defence Production).

An overview on iDEX was presented to the US delegation, highlighting how iDEX has been able to create a robust defence innovation ecosystem by fostering the development of deep-tech technologies by engaging with startups and MSMEs.

SOURCE: UNI

Jammu and Kashmir Police along with other sister concern agencies in a significant breakthrough in the ongoing anti-terror operation on Monday apprehended a Kathua-based kingpin of over ground workers (OGW) network along with his eight other associates for allegedly providing logistic support and guiding them to reach upper reaches of Doda-Udhampur Kathua districts for terror activities.

Police spokesman said that based on intelligence inputs provided by central intelligence agencies and after successful operation in Gandoh Doda, where three foreign terrorists were gunned down, the security forces zeroed in on a module, wherein freshly infiltrated terrorist were found active with support of local handlers and successfully reached the upper reaches of UdhampurDoda and Kathua.

SOURCE: PTI

A 25-year-old Bangladeshi man was arrested from the Mumbai International Airport while trying to flee to Saudi Arabia on a fake Indian passport, police said on Monday. The accused, identified as Mohammad Osman Karamat Ali Biswas, has been staying in India illegally since 2012. He had made two trips to Saudi Arabia in 2016 and 2023 using a fake passport.

Police claimed Biswas managed to get his passport renewed at the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) during his last trip in 2023.

SOURCE: UNI

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday expressed his anger over the increasing
infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. Talking to news agency ANI, he said, “I think 200-300 terrorists
have infiltrated. How did they come and from where? They did not fall from the sky, were they
dropped from drones.

The question is how did they come? Someone must be responsible for them crossing the border.” He said that they are infiltrating either from the border of Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan or Gujarat. You see who is dying. Colonels, majors and soldiers are always getting martyred. Local people are also getting martyred. The people of the country are asking how is this happening? The central government should answer about this.

SOURCE: PTI

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Sunday extended an invitation to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to visit the Himalayan nation. Oli extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi for the visit through visiting Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who paid a courtesy call on the Nepalese Prime Minister, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s secretariat here.

Oli was sworn in as Nepal’s prime minister for a fourth time last month. He assumed office after the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ lost the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.

SOURCE: PTI

One of the “great lessons” from the India-Pakistan war in 1971 is that fighting a war is not just a military affair, but a “total affair” that includes politics and diplomacy, former army chief Gen VN Sharma (retd) said on Sunday.

He was speaking at the launch of a new book ‘1971 Strategy Campaign Valor’ written by a young author at the India International Centre here. The volume celebrates the Indian heroes of the war that led to the birth of a new nation Bangladesh in 1971, and charts the high points of the crucial battles fought. It was released in the presence of IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and former Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, among others.

SOURCE: PTI

India’s Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor has held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s top aide, Andriy Yermak, in Kyiv and the focus of the meeting was learnt to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned trip to the eastern European country this month.

A readout issued by Kyiv on Saturday said Yermak emphasised the importance of restoring “just peace” for Ukraine and “India’s participation in this process”.