SOURCE: AFI

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has shed light on a critical moment in recent geopolitical history, highlighting the perilous tensions between India and Pakistan following a series of escalatory events in the wake of a terrorist attack in Kashmir. In his recollection, Pompeo underscores the gravity of the situation and the pivotal role played by diplomatic intervention in preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome.

Pompeo recalls a period of heightened distrust and animosity between the two South Asian neighbors, particularly in the aftermath of an Islamist terrorist attack in Kashmir that claimed the lives of forty Indian citizens. The attack, which occurred on February 14, served as a catalyst for a sequence of events that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of a full-scale conflict.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is gearing up for its grand war exercise, ‘Gagan Shakti,’ scheduled from April 1 to 10. This large-scale drill, touted as the biggest since Vayu Shakti, aims to comprehensively test the IAF’s war preparedness and firing capabilities.

Spanning across various locations in India, Gagan Shakti will witness a display of the IAF’s aerial prowess at the Pokhran field firing range in Jaisalmer. Additionally, the exercise will be conducted in Bhuj (Gujarat), Ladakh, the western front, the northeast front in Arunachal Pradesh, and other key areas.

SOURCE: AFI

Indian fishermen off the coast of Tamil Nadu have retrieved a Chinese HM2000 profiling float, according to a video that went viral on Instagram nearly two weeks ago. The HM2000 is an autonomous instrument developed by Qingdao Hisun Ocean Equipment Corporation specifically for oceanographic profiling.

Equipped with an SBE41 or SBE41CP CTD sensor, the HM2000 is capable of collecting data on conductivity, temperature, and depth. These floats have previously been used in studies of the western Pacific Ocean’s circulation patterns.

SOURCE: AFI

Indian refiners, both state-owned giants like Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum, and private players, are now shying away from Russian crude oil transported by PJSC Sovcomflot tankers. This move comes amid tightened US sanctions and growing scrutiny to avoid any violation.

The concern lies in potential repercussions for dealing with sanctioned entities. As a result, Indian refiners are meticulously checking the ownership of each vessel to ensure no connection to Sovcomflot or other sanctioned groups. This heightened caution has led to delays for several oil ships carrying Russian cargo off the Indian coast.

SOURCE: REUTERS

India’s federally administered region of Jammu and Kashmir will auction its lithium reserves again as part of a third-tranche, a government source with direct knowledge said on Friday.

The auction will take place again as the government received only two bids in the first round, the source said. “A total of seven critical mineral blocks are being put up for auction as composite license in this third Tranche,” the government had said earlier this month in a statement.

SOURCE: PIB

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, visited, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington on 22 March 2024. The CAS addressed the student officers from the Indian Armed Forces and Friendly Foreign Countries undergoing the 79th Staff Course and the permanent staff of DSSC.

The CAS in his address to the officers covered the challenges confronting the Indian Air Force, it’s capability development plan & jointmanship. He spelt out the Transition of IAF into a contemporary and future ready Aerospace Force. He reiterated the vision as spelt out in the IAF doctrine, which envisages an agile and adaptive Air Force to provide decisive aerospace power in pursuit of national interests. The dominant role played by IAF during evacuation of Indian diaspora from Conflict Zones and during disaster relief operations was highlighted by the CAS. He also highlighted the significant air power lessons derived from existing conflicts such as Russia – Ukraine War and Israel – Hamas conflict.

SOURCE: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday received Bhutan’s highest civilian award, the ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo,’ the first foreign Head of the Government to receive the honour. The award has been conferred to Prime Minister Modi in recognition of “his outstanding contribution to the growth of India-Bhutan relations and for his distinguished service to the Bhutanese nation and people.” 

“Honoured to be conferred with ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’ Award by Bhutan. I dedicate it to 140 crore Indians,” PM Modi posted on X soon after.

SOURCE: ANI

India and Mauritania held their first Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Mauritania’s national capital, Nouakchott on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official press release. The meeting was co-chaired by the MEA Additional Secretary, Sevala Naik Mude and Mauritania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Bilateral Cooperation, Mohammed El Hanchi Kettab.

” The 1st Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Mauritania was held in Nouakchott on 21 March 2024, co-chaired by Shri Sevala Naik Mude, Additional Secretary (Central & West Africa), Ministry of External Affairs from Indian side and Mohammed El Hanchi KETTAB, Ambassador, Director General of Bilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamic Republic of Mauritania,” MEA said in a release.

SOURCE: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Bhutan on a two-day State visit to further cement India’s unique relations with the Himalayan nation as part of the country’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy.

PM Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome upon his arrival at the Paro airport. He was warmly received by Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan, at Paro airport and accorded a ceremonial welcome. Prime Minister Modi received a warm welcome, with the Bhutanese people lining the entire 45-kilometre route from Paro International Airport to Thimphu which was also decked up with Indian and Bhutanese flags.

SOURCE: IANS

The Maharashtra Police have arrested a dreaded, wanted Maoist who carried a Rs 150 lakh reward on his head, officials said here on Friday. The accused – identified as Peka Madi Pungati (42) was caught near a traffic check post during a security blockade enforced by the CRPF and Bhamragad QRT teams.

Acting on a tip-off that a person was lurking around suspiciously in the forests near the checkpost, the security personnel detained him for questioning. During the interrogation, it emerged that he was a wanted Maoist linked with a Jan Militia active in the Gadchiroli jungles and placed him under arrest, days before the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state will begin on April 19.

SOURCE: AFI

ISRO has achieved a major milestone in the area of Reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology, through the RLV LEX-02 landing experiment, the second of the series, conducted at Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga in Karnataka today morning at 7:10 hrs IST.

After the RLV-LEX-01 mission was accomplished last year, RLV-LEX-02 demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of RLV from off-nominal initial conditions at release from Helicopter. The RLV was made to undertake more difficult manoeuvres with dispersions, correct both cross-range and downrange and land on the runway in a fully autonomous mode. The winged vehicle, called Pushpak, was lifted by an Indian Airforce Chinook helicopter and was released from 4.5 km altitude. After release at a distance of 4 km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously approached the runway along with cross-range corrections. It landed precisely on the runway and came to a halt using its brake parachute, landing gear brakes and nose wheel steering system.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Army has significantly bolstered its air defense capabilities along the northern borders with China by deploying new indigenous integrated drone detection and interdiction systems (IDD&IS).

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Bharat Electronics, these Mark-1 variant IDD&IS systems represent a significant stride in India’s domestic defense production.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Naval Station Rajali (INSRajali), located under the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) at Arakkonam, is gearing up to host a P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the US Navy for Exercise Tiger Triumph 24.

This joint exercise signifies a growing partnership between the Indian and US Navies. The primary focus of Tiger Triumph 24 will be on enhancing interoperability between the two forces in conducting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

SOURCE: AFI

A high-level delegation from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), led by Vice Admiral Egawa Hiroshi, President of the Command and Staff College, visited the Naval War College in Goa today.

The delegation interacted with staff members of the Naval War College and the National Defence College Course (NHCC) batch of 2023-24. During the visit, the JMSDF delegation expressed their appreciation for the Naval War College’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities.

SOURCE: PIB

National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on March 21, 2024 to conduct various awareness programmes throughout the country to enhance public perceptions on peaceful use of nuclear power and disseminate scientific & authentic information. The MoU was signed between DG NCC Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh and Executive Director (Corporate Communication & Corporate Planning), NPCIL Shri BVS Shekhar.

The NPCIL will be providing resource persons in this initiative for field engagements with the NCC during the camps and various activities by educating the cadets. The MoU also facilitates a unique opportunity to the cadets to visit various facilities of NPCIL across the country, thereby giving a first-hand experience on peaceful use of nuclear energy, its technical and technological aspects.