SOURCE: PTI

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said that Tehran will allow Indian authorities to meet 17 Indian crew members of a cargo vessel that was seized by the Iranian military near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

Amir-Abdollahian conveyed this to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a telephonic conversation on Sunday, according to an Iranian readout. In the talks, Jaishankar called for release of the Indians onboard Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel MSC Aries.

SOURCE: PTI

The Maldives is currently discussing with India if the island nation can make payments for its imports from the country in Maldivian Rufiyaa, a senior minister has said.

A similar arrangement is also being worked out for imports of goods from China, Minister for Economic Development Mohamed Saeed said and noted that annually, Maldives imports goods worth USD 780 million and USD 720 million from India and China respectively.

SOURCE: ANI

Amid rising tensions in West Asia, which were rendered far worse after Iran launched over 300 projectiles towards Israel in response to the air strike on its embassy in Syria, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that amid global hostilities and the spectre of war, the priority for the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, if elected for a third term, would be to secure the lives of fellow Indians in conflict zones.

Speaking at the launch of the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi stressed the significance of returning to power with a brute majority, saying it would help the government navigate the global challenges and rescue trapped and distressed Indian natives from conflict zones through decisive action.

SOURCE: ANI

As part of an outreach programme for the Assam Rifles retired fraternity of Nepal, the Director General of Assam Rifles visited Nepal, from April 8-13.

The visit was characterised by a series of events aimed at acknowledging the contribution of the veterans and addressing the welfare of Assam Rifles veterans and their families in Nepal, according to an official press release.

SOURCE: PTI

Citing a daring mid-sea anti-piracy operation undertaken by the Indian Navy recently, its chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Sunday said this mission further “cemented” India’s stature as the “first responder” and “preferred security partner” at sea.

In his address at a Naval Investiture Ceremony held at INS Hansa, Goa, he also urged the Navy personnel to “affirm and align all your actions to the vision of Ships First”.

SOURCE: ANI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday and took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of the ship, MSC Aries, seized by the Gulf nation.

The two leaders also discussed the current situation in the region and stressed the importance of avoiding escalation. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, “Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region.”

SOURCE: PTI

Amir Sarfaraz Tamba, an accused in the murder of Sarabjit Singh, the Indian death row prisoner in Pakistan, and a close associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit founder Hafiz Saeed, was killed by unidentified gunmen in an apparent “targeted attack” in Lahore on Sunday.

Tamba was attacked by motorcycle-borne assailants at his residence in Sanant Nagar, a thickly populated area of old Lahore in the afternoon. He was rushed in critical condition to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

SOURCE: ANI

Ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party, in its election manifesto titled ‘Sankalp Patra’, vowed to pursue permanent membership for the country in the United Nations Security Council.

In its manifesto, the BJP stated, “We are committed to seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council to elevate Bharat’s position in global decision making.” India has long sought a permanent seat on the Security Council to better represent the interests of the developing world. The nation’s quest has gained momentum with support from international community.

SOURCE: ANI

After Iran launched an attack on Israel with hundreds of drones, missiles on Saturday night, Israeli Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon talked about regional escalation and highlighted the fact that they cannot stand idle when people attack them.

While speaking to ANI, the Israeli envoy said, “If Hezbollah will escalate, they will meet escalation.” Gilon told ANI, “Since October, Israel is in de facto war by proxy with Iran.” “Iran is the financier, trainer, and equipper of all, Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen. All of them are fighting with us. And what happened yesterday is that Iran turned it from a war by proxy to a direct attack on Israel,” Naor Gilon said to ANI.

SOURCE: ANI

Following a barrage of drone strikes fired by Iran on Saturday towards Israel, a New York Times report states that Israel decided to carry out a retailtory attack on Tehran on Sunday morning, however it was cancelled after a phone call took place between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation.

After Israel successfully intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, the Biden administration cautioned Tel Aviv to avoid escalation in the Middle East, The Jerusalem Post reported citing NYT.

SOURCE: PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz and shared India’s concerns over the situation arising out of the Iran-Israel hostilities.

Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel by firing hundreds of drones and missiles in response to a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1. “Just concluded a conversation with Israel FM @Israel_katz. Shared our concern about the developments yesterday. Discussed the larger regional situation. Agreed to stay in touch,” S Jaishankar said on ‘X’.

SOURCE: PTI

Air India on Sunday decided to temporarily suspend flights to Tel Aviv amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An official said the direct flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will be suspended for now. Air India operates four weekly flights between the national capital and Israeli city.

The Tata group-owned carrier recommenced services to Tel Aviv on March 3 after a gap of nearly five months.

SOURCE: PIB

Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Weapon System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), has been field evaluated in different flight configurations several times with the objective of proving the technology with high superiority. The system consisted of the MPATGM, Launcher, Target Acquisition System, and the Fire Control Unit.

Adequate number of missile firing trials have been successfully conducted towards achieving compliance of complete operational envelop as stipulated in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (Infantry, Indian Army). The Warhead Flight Trials were successfully conducted at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Rajasthan on April 13, 2024. Missile performance and warhead performance were found to be remarkable.

SOURCE: AFI

Elon Musk’s ambitious satellite communications venture, Starlink, is on the verge of receiving approval from the Indian government for its license application. This development marks a significant step forward for the company’s plans to expand its global footprint in providing high-speed internet access via satellite technology.

The approval process comes at a time when there have been lingering concerns regarding Starlink’s ties to US security agencies. Despite these concerns, The Economic Times reports that the Indian government is expediting Starlink’s application and may grant “conditional approval” based on the firm’s commitments. This suggests that the government is cautiously optimistic about Starlink’s potential contributions to India’s telecommunications landscape while also ensuring that national security interests are safeguarded.

SOURCE: ANI

Israeli ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, emphasised that the Israel-linked cargo ship ‘MSC Aries’, seized by Iran on Saturday with 17 Indian nationals onboard, is “just piracy, simple, clear piracy,” adding that this should not be allowed.

Notably, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seized the Israel-linked MSC ARIES container ship near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, which had 17 Indian nationals onboard, according to the sources. The ship in question was the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship owned by Zodiac Maritime, based in London. Zodiac Maritime is a division of Zodiac Group, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.