India
SOURCE: PTI
Jailed radical preacher Amritpal Singh’s father Tarsem Singh Thursday said he will float a political party in Punjab on the eve of Maghi Mela on January 14. Tarsem Singh said the outfit will be launched from the Muktsar district of Punjab on the occasion of Maghi. He said Amritpal Singh will lead the party when he comes out from prison, till then he will take its reins with him.
Tarsem Singh said he would announce the party’s name and agenda in the presence of the ‘Sikh Sangat’.
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Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday criticised the BJP-led central government for allegedly remaining silent on atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, questioning the Centre’s “inadequate” diplomatic response to the crisis and accused the BSF of aiding infiltrators to destabilise West Bengal.
The TMC national general secretary urged the Centre to give a befitting reply to the anti-India narrative in such a manner that Bangladesh understands. Raising concerns over the Centre’s response to the crisis, Mr Banerjee alleged, “Why are the prime minister, foreign minister, defence minister, and the union home minister silent on the situation in Bangladesh? The BJP government talks about valour and ‘Parakram’ but has not responded adequately to the atrocities on minorities in the neighbouring country.” He also claimed that state BJP leaders, who “constantly criticise the TMC government”, should instead ask their central leadership to be vocal about the issue.
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Sustained efforts by the Army, in collaboration with telecom service providers, in the past five months has brought border areas and remote villages in Ladakh, including remote locations of Kargil and Siachen, on the digital connectivity map.
In a post on X on Thursday, the Indian Army also shared a video of this journey and glimpses of the change it has brought to the lives of local people in the region. In its post captioned ‘Indian Army for India’s First Villages: Bringing Connectivity & Hope to Remote Areas’, the Army said the border areas and remote villages in Ladakh were “devoid of 4G mobile connectivity” until June 2024.
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India on Wednesday declared 2025 as the year of defense reforms, with a focus on rolling out integrated theatre commands to boost tri-services synergy and ensure simpler, time-sensitive military procurement. The broader aim is to transform the military into a technologically advanced force.
The overall goal of the nine-point reforms planned by the defense ministry is to foster deeper collaboration among key stakeholders, break silos, eliminate inefficiencies, and optimize the utilization of resources. These reforms aim to lay the foundation for “unprecedented” advancements in defense preparedness, ensuring India’s security and sovereignty amidst 21st-century challenges, said Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) were facilitating militants and infiltrators from Bangladesh to enter the state and further stated that because of this there were disruptions in the region.
While addressing the State Administrative Review Meeting at the Nabanna Sabhaghar in Kolkata the Bengal CM stated that if the BSF continues to facilitate such activities, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would protest against them.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
The Indian space economy is set to grow nearly 5 times from $8.4 billion to around $44 billion in the next decade, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, has stressed.
Investments in the sector reached Rs 1,000 crore in 2023 alone, placing India as a frontline player globally. India’s space sector has also emerged as a significant foreign exchange earner. Of the 220 million euros earned through launching foreign satellites, 187 million euros was generated in the last eight years. Countries benefiting from ISRO’s services include the US, France, Japan and others.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
Deposed premier Sheikh Hasina’s extradition is one of the several issues with India that Bangladesh would pursue while strong bilateral ties with Washington, Delhi and Beijing are priorities of the interim government, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain said on Wednesday.
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 when she fled the country following a massive student-led protest that toppled her 16-year regime. Bangladesh-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”.
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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir’s Union Territory status is a temporary phase and that the central government fulfils its promise of restoring its statehood.
“It has been a little over two months since we came to power. It took us time to understand how the UT government works. We have been associated with the government earlier, but there is a vast difference between that form and the present form,” Abdullah said at a media interaction at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
Toxic waste lying at Bhopal’s Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) premises for the last 40 years was finally shifted on Wednesday to Pathampur dumping site in Dhar district, around 30 km, from Indore. The convoy of 12 container trucks carrying around 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste moved from Bhopal to Pithampur amid tight security arrangements by the administration and police, late on Wednesday.
A green corridor was set up to cover around 250 km between the UCIL and Pithampur. Highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, killing at least 5,479 people and leaving thousands with serious and long-lasting health issues. It is considered to be among the worst industrial disasters in the world.
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Four employees of a construction company suffered minor injuries in an attack on a bus that was carrying them to a project site in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on Wednesday, leading to the detention of eight people who are being interrogated, officials said.
The bus carrying the employees of the company to a tunnelling project site in Marog was intercepted at Seri in the evening by masked men, who boarded the vehicle and assaulted its occupants, the officials added.
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Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma, who is currently on a sabbatical, has lent her support to the book ‘In Her Defence: Ten Landmark Judgments on Women in the Armed Forces’, authored by Navdeep Singh and Shivani Dasmahapatra.
On Thursday, the actor took to the Stories section of her Instagram, and re-shared a post from the publishers of the book. She wrote on the picture, “In Her Defence, a tribute to the strength of women in the Armed Forces. Kudos to @navdeepsinghindia & @lenswandererart for this incredible work (sic).”
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The Defence Ministry on Wednesday declared 2025 as the year of reforms and that the aim will be to facilitate establishment of integrated theatre commands to bolster jointness among the three services.
The reform measures would be rolled out to transform the armed forces into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force capable of multi-domain integrated operations, it said.The ministry said the focus in 2025 will be on new domains such as cyber and space, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonic and robotics.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
The Indian Army on Tuesday emphasised the importance of honouring and remembering the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers, particularly those posted along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir as they continue to uphold their duty with perseverance and unwavering dedication. In a post on X, the Indian Army said that the armed forces remain steadfast and resolute in their mission to protect the nation’s borders., despite facing extreme weather conditions.
“As we welcome the New Year, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on the incredible sacrifices made by our soldiers, especially those guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Army posted on X. “The Indian Army, despite facing extreme weather conditions — from searing heat in the summer in Rajasthan to bone-chilling cold in the winter in Ladakh, J&K, Himachal, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim — remains steadfast in its duty,” it said. “The rugged, treacherous terrain, often covered in snow or turning into a swamp during the monsoon, presents constant challenges, yet our soldiers persevere with unwavering commitment: Indian Army,” it added.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
In a historic moment, the Indian Army on Wednesday released a Special Day Cover to commemorate the remarkable achievements of its Animal Transport (Mountain Artillery) Units. The occasion, which witnessed the final march of these iconic units into the annals of military history, was graced by several distinguished personalities, including Lt Gen VMB Krishnan, QMG, Lt Gen Preet Mohindera Singh, Directorate General of Supplies & Transport, and Senior Colonel Commandant, alongside Maj Gen MK Khan, Additional Directorate General Army Postal Service, and senior officials of the Army Service Corps.
The Special Day Cover, released by the Army Postal Service Corps, pays tribute to the invaluable role of mules and muleteers, who have played a vital part in military operations over the centuries. The Indian Army has a proud and enduring history of utilising mules for transport in a wide range of military campaigns and operations.
Continue readingSOURCE: PIB
Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra assumed command of the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command on 01 January 2025.
The Air Marshal was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 06 December 1986. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy Pune, Air Force Test Pilots School, Bangalore, Air Command and Staff College, USA and Royal College of Defence Studies, UK. A Fighter Combat Leader and an experimental Test Pilot, Air Marshal Mishra has more than 3000 hours of flying experience.
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