SOURCE: ANI

As Pakistan seeks to change the constitutional status of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) rejects the same saying that instead of fighting for the interests of the ruling elite in the guise of identity and chauvinism, the real salvation of the oppressed people in the region lies in the establishment of a society free of exploitation.

The constitutional status of the region is intended to be fixed once again. Despite several changes, the constitutional status of the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the distribution of powers between the local government could not be satisfied with the different governments and the state of Pakistan.

SOURCE: Siasat Daily

Touting itself as “Paradise on Earth”, Kashmir now attracts many Indian tourists including NRIs from the Gulf region keen to visit it. Some Kashmiris living abroad and also playing their part of role to promote tourism and investments in their state amidst the improving situation since the abrogation of Article 370.

In the latest webinar, some prominent NRIs in the port city of Jeddah have been impressed by latest developments in Jammu and Kashmir. The webinar, hosted by a prominent NRI, Pradeep Sharma, hails from Jammu, has explained the changes in terms of development and economic prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir since abrogation of the article 370.

SOURCE: PTI

India and Pakistan should resolve their differences over the Kashmir issue peacefully through dialogue and consultation, China said on Friday on the third anniversary of the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

In August 2019, the Indian government bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories and abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution which accorded special status to the erstwhile state.

SOURCE: ANI

On his first visit to the country, China’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong on Thursday arrived in India and held talks with a senior Indian official regarding the overall situation in the war-torn nation, reported ANI. While it was a quiet visit that took place earlier this week, Xiaoyong also took to Twitter to share a picture from the meeting. 

Notably, it was the official’s first visit to India which came over four months after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi travelled to India.

SOURCE: News18

The Army has undertaken two separate projects as part of its efforts towards archiving war histories, News18 has learnt. As per sources in the government, the projects have been initiated by the Army’s Training Command (ARTRAC). The Mhow-based Army War College will be the nodal authority for the projects and Delhi-based think tank United Services Institution of India (USI) will support the research work on the military history content as an expert body.

The first project will include digitising and archiving the military history pertaining to the Army. While the digitisation process began in May this year, a government source told News18 that the project will be completed in two phases — the first for content that is declassified and then for unclassified content.

SOURCE: PTI

The Indian Army is planning to use 5G services to boost frontline troops communication services that will be essential in a tactical battlefield area, sources in the defence establishment said on Saturday. The Army was the lead service when a joint services study was recently conducted on implementation of 5G in armed forces, they said. The study has been completed and its recommendations are being studied by the three services — Army, Navy, Air Force, they noted.

The Indian Army will exploit 5G to support operations in tactical battlefield area, they said.

SOURCE: HT

The Indian Air Force Heritage Centre coming up in Sector 18 will miss the Independence Day launch. The IAF and the UT?administration had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 3 and the centre was expected to be ready by August 15.

However, at a meeting of the UT and IAF officials on Friday, it was conceded that the project will not be ready by Independence Day. But it was decided to speed up the process of the museum’s establishment to open it to public soon.

SOURCE: PTI

African American singer Mary Milben, who is known for her moving rendition of ‘Om Jai Jagadish Hare’ and ‘Jana Gana Mana’, is travelling to India to attend the celebrations related to the country’s 75th anniversary of Independence.

“Following in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his pilgrimage to India in 1959, I am honoured to represent the United States as a cultural ambassador for the 75th Anniversary celebration of India’s Independence,” Millben said in a statement ahead of her trip at the invitation of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

SOURCE: PTI

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has opened the doors for persecuted minorities from Pakistan, who fled the country and entered India on or before December 31, 2014, to practise medicine here. It has invited applications from such people who have obtained Indian citizenship for the grant of permanent registration to practise modern medicine, or allopathy.

According to a public notice issued by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UMEB) of the NMC on Friday, the shortlisted applicants will be allowed to appear in an examination to be conducted by the commission or an agency authorised by it.

SOURCE: PTI

India on Friday strongly opposed efforts by Beijing and Islamabad to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying such actions would be “inherently illegal” and “unacceptable” as the project passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

At a meeting of the CPEC Joint Working Group (JWG) last month, Pakistan and China decided to welcome interested third countries to join the flagship project. “The government has seen reports regarding the proposed extension of the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Any such actions by any party directly infringe on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Minister of State for External Affairs M Muraleedharan said.

SOURCE: PTI

India on Friday hit out at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its latest statement on Jammu and Kashmir and said it “reeks of bigotry”. In a strong reaction, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said such statements only expose the OIC as an organization devoted to a “communal agenda being pursued through terrorism”.

On the third anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and its bifurcation, the OIC called on the international community to take steps to resolve the “dispute” in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.

SOURCE: ANI

Indian Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari reviewed and flew indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1 ‘Tejas’, Light Combat Helicopter and HTT-40, said officials on Friday. The Indian Air Force chief was on a two-day visit to Bengaluru and reviewed the aircraft which are being inducted into IAF as part of its drive towards ‘AtmaNirbhartaInDefence’.

“CAS was on a two-day visit to Bengaluru where he flew the #indigenous platforms, Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1 ‘Tejas’, Light Combat Helicopter & HTT-40, which are being inducted into #IAF as part of its drive towards AtmaNirbhartaInDefence, ‘ Tweeted IAF.

SOURCE: PTI

The government on Friday said it accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) or in-principle approval for procurement of military equipment worth ? 1,83,778 crore since 2020-21. Under India’s defence acquisition norms, AoN is the first step toward procurement of any military equipment and hardware. After the grant of AoN, tendering and contracting process is undertaken by the respective services and the ministry of defence.

“In the period 2020-21 to 2022-23 (till June 30), 59 AoNs amounting to ? 1,83,778.34 crore have been accorded and 91 contracts amounting to ? 1,19,045.3 crore have been concluded,” Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said in Lok Sabha.

SOURCE: PTI

The total value of defense offset commitment that needed to be implemented over the last 15 years has been estimated at USD 6.83 billion, the government said in Lok Sabha on Friday. Replying to a question, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said offset claims worth 82.13 per cent of the total offset commitment have been submitted till August 1.

The figure of the total offset commitment of USD 6.83 billion is also till August 1. Under India’s offset policy, the foreign defence entities, for all contracts worth ? 2000 crore or more are mandated to spend at least 30 per cent of the total contract value in India through procurement of components, transfer of technologies or setting up of research and development activities.

SOURCE: Tribune News Service

Work on setting up an integrated perimeter security system (IPSS) around Indian Air Force bases has been hit due to Covid-19. So far, it has been completed in only four of the 22 bases selected under the project, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is doing the IPSS which includes electrical smart power fence component. It is completed at four stations. “Work at remaining 18 IAF stations has been delayed primarily due to the pandemic, worldwide shortage of semiconductor, lock down at Germany and its impact on sourcing of data centre shell,” the MoD said.