SOURCE: ANI

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued five fishermen from a sinking Indian fishing boat Premsagar, at mid-sea, approximately 50 km from Porbandar on Sunday.

The ICG’s action came in response to an SOS call. ICG Ship C-16 sailed immediately from Porbandar after input from the fisheries community regarding the sinking boat was received at Maritime Rescue Sub Centre Porbandar of Indian Coast Guard’s Dist HQ -1 (South Gujarat Daman & Diu), according to a statement by the Indian Coast Guard.

SOURCE: PTI

A 20-year-old man arrested for allegedly intruding into the restricted area of the Air Force Station at Sheva near Uran in Raigad district of Maharashtra has intellectual disabilities, and he had no ulterior motive, a police official said on Sunday.

According to the official from Nhava Sheva police station, Tariq Ul Nuhu Sheikh, a resident of the Indira Nagar slum colony in Navi Mumbai, was spotted loitering inside the defence establishment around 00.30 hours on March 23.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant move, Indian drone manufacturer IdeaForge is expanding its horizons by venturing into the realm of logistics with the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of carrying payloads of up to 100 kg over distances of 100 km. This strategic shift, as articulated by Ankit Mehta, the co-founder & CEO of IdeaForge, not only marks a milestone in the company’s trajectory but also opens avenues for pioneering urban air mobility solutions.

With a proven track record in supplying drones to the Indian Army, IdeaForge has established itself as a leading player in the defense sector. Leveraging its expertise in UAV technology, the company is now poised to revolutionize logistics with drones tailored for commercial applications. This transition underscores IdeaForge’s commitment to innovation and its adaptability to emerging market demands.

SOURCE: AFI

Pakistan’s new government stated on the country’s National Day that peaceful coexistence founded on equality and mutual respect serves as the guiding principles of its foreign policy. This principle, according to Islamabad, also underpins its desire for a peaceful relationship with India.

However, Pakistan also emphasized that peace and stability in the region can only be achieved through a peaceful settlement of all outstanding issues, including the “core” issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir region is a territory claimed by both India and Pakistan and has been a source of tension between the two countries for decades.

SOURCE: PTI

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu must stop being “stubborn” and seek dialogue with neighbours to overcome the financial challenges, his predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said. Solih made these remarks days after Muizzu, widely seen as a pro-China leader, urged India to provide debt relief to the archipelago nation.

Muizzu, 45, defeated Solih, 62, in the presidential election held in September last year. Speaking at an event in Male’ to rally support for Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary candidates contesting four constituencies in Maafannu, Solih said he had seen media reports that suggest Muizzu wants to talk to India for debt restructuring.

SOURCE: PTI

China on Monday continued to claim that Arunachal Pradesh is part of its territory, notwithstanding India dismissing Beijing’s claim as “absurd” and “ludicrous”. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated China’s claim reacting to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s assertions on Saturday, dismissing China’s repeated claims on Arunachal Pradesh as “ludicrous” and that the frontier state was a “natural part of India”.

“This is not a new issue. I mean China has laid claim, it has expanded its claim. The claims are ludicrous to begin with and remain ludicrous today,” Jaishankar said in response to a question on the Arunachal issue after delivering a lecture at the prestigious Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) of the National University of Singapore (NUS).

SOURCE: ANI

The Western Seaboard witnessed eight submarines operating together in a recently concluded exercise in the Arabian Sea, demonstrating their high levels of operation readiness, officials said on Monday.

In a post on X, Western Naval Command said, Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh embarked the units at sea and reviewed the conduct of the exercise. He complimented the pack for their professionalism and splendid conduct.

SOURCE: ANI

In the Right of Reply against Pakistan during 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh slammed Pakistan for supporting terrorists and said Islambad should be advised to stop terror factories that continue to launch cross-border terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

At the 148th Assembly of the IPU in Geneva, Harivansh Narayan Singh said, “IPU Members are well aware that Pakistan has an established history of harboring, aiding and actively supporting terrorists. Let me recall that Osama Bin Laden, the face of global terror, was found in Pakistan. The country holds the ignoble record of hosting one of the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UN Security Council. I trust that Pakistan will draw the correct lessons for the good of its own people.”

SOURCE: PTI

Russia is a country with which India has always had a positive relationship and both countries have taken extra care to look after each other’s interests, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, as he dismissed the notion that Moscow is drifting towards China.

Interacting with the Indian community in Singapore, Jaishankar said India should look at its relationship with Russia or any other country from its perspective.

SOURCE: IANS

Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Saturday said that the Indian Navy ships deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden will ensure the safety of seafarers. “As part of the ongoing Operation Sankalp, Indian Navy ships are deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden towards the safety of seafarers and mercantile trade passing through the region,” the Indian Navy Chief said.

He said that the Indian Navy displayed have high degree of professionalism and upheld the principles of international law and commitment to ensuring safe seas and maritime security in the region.

SOURCE: IANS

India and Russia should deepen their economic and industrial relations further than having a buyer-seller relationship, said Russian Senator Konstantin Dolgov. “India is an important partner for Russia in logistics but the relationship should not be just a buyer-seller relationship. India should take steps to deepen its economic relations with Russia,” Dolgov told IANS here on Monday.

Dolgov representing the Murmansk Oblast constituency in Russia was here to participate in the session on `Production of Rare Earth Metals. Global Demand and National Challenges’ at the global nuclear power conference AtomExpo 2024.

SOURCE: PTI

India has signed an additional grant of Sri Lanka Rupees 150 million to build houses and infrastructure facilities in the Buddhist sacred town of Anuradhapura, the Indian High Commission has said.

Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India, and the relevant Sri Lankan officials on March 21 exchanged letters about the grant to the island nation.

SOURCE: ANI

In a significant operation, the security forces have uncovered a Naxal weapons workshop and a stockpile of locally made firearms in Odisha’s Koraput district. The discovery was part of an operation conducted close to the Sunki area in Koraput on Sunday.

“Acting swiftly on specific intelligence provided by field ‘G’ Team, an Anti-Naxalite Deployment (ADP) consisting of three Sub-Officers and 14 Other Ranks, under the command of Inspector Sandeep Kerketta, was deployed from COB Sunki, at 6 am,” said the Border Security Force (BSF) During patrolling near Alasi village, the force said, the ADP encountered two suspicious individuals in the jungle, who promptly fled towards the Andhra border upon noticing the presence of the BSF ADP party.

SOURCE: ANI

Assam Rifles apprehended one cadre belonging to the insurgent group, National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang Yung Aung) in the general area of Merangkong, Nagaland, officials said on Monday. According to a press release from HQ IGAR (N), the apprehended individual and the recovered weapon have been handed over to the police.

The operation was conducted on March 23. “Acting on specific intelligence regarding the presence of a cadre in the general area of Merangkong, Nagaland, Assam Rifles launched a special operation on March 23, 2024 and apprehended one cadre of the NSCN-KYA Group,” the statement added.

SOURCE: ANI

US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, on Monday extended Holi wishes to the people of India
In a video message shared on X, the US envoy Garcetti expressed warm wishes to all celebrating the festival of Holi.

“I want to wish everybody a very happy Holi. We have this amazing gujiyas, which has a little bit of an American twist with some pistachios in here, beautiful rose water. There’s no better way than to celebrate Holi across the Indo-Pacific together,” Garcetti said in a video message while showcasing special Gujiyas adorned with an American twist.