SOURCE: THE PRINT

The Indian Army conducted a pan-India exercise to test and validate its entire satellite-based communication network to ensure operational readiness in case of a conflict in the future.

Called ‘Skylight’, the exercise was conducted from 25 to 29 July. Sources in the defence and security establishment said the exercise involved all kinds of satellite communication, from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Ladakh, where India and China have engaged in a military stand-off for the past two years.

SOURCE: PTI

Satpal Singh, 28, and his Afghan Sikh family heaved a sigh of relief after they arrived in India from Taliban-controlled Kabul, hoping to begin a normal life in this country. Gurdwara Karta-E-Parwan in Kabul, where more than 150 Sikhs were staying, was struck by terrorists on June 18. Mr Singh’s shop, too, came under the attack. To make things worse, he could not get his ailing father treated as he had minimum access to hospitals.

Mr Singh told PTI that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan not only pushed the Sikhs there into financial misery, but also kept them under constant fear.

SOURCE: PTI

The Indian Navy on Friday inked a pact with ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad on data sharing and cooperation on satellite-based naval applications.

Navy officials said both the organisations will have a common platform of mutual cooperation, wherein the scientific advancements by the SAC would be synergised into the Indian Navy’s efforts to protect the country’s maritime interests.

SOURCE: ANI

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Friday rejected any claims that India is in talks with a bilateral trade agreement with Afghanistan for the import of Lithium.

“There is no proposal for such a bilateral trade agreement with Afghanistan,” said Mr Muraleedharan in response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha. Answering whether the Government is aware of the effect of extending China Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, the Union Minister said, the government has seen reports regarding the proposed extension of the so-called CPEC.

SOURCE: PTI

The two new accused arrested in the murder case of Amravati-based pharmacist Umesh Kolhe were present at a “biryani party” held to celebrate the killing, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told a special court here on Friday. The NIA made the allegations while seeking the custody of the accused, Maulavi Mushfique Ahmad (41) and Abdul Arbaz (23), who were arrested from Amravati on Wednesday.

The accused were presented before special judge A K Lahoti, who remanded them to the custody of the NIA till August 12. The probe agency informed the court that the duo had allegedly helped the other accused to remain at large after committing the crime.

SOURCE: PTI

 Border Security Force (BSF) Bhuj on Friday apprehended one Pakistani fisherman and seized five Pakistani fishing boats very close to International Border in the general area of Harami Nalla in Gujarat’s Bhuj. According to BSF Gujarat Frontier, the seized boats were thoroughly searched and nothing suspicious was recovered from the boats except fishing nets and equipment.

“BSF troops observed the movement of some boats in close vicinity of IB and cordoned the area. During the search of the area, five Pakistani fishing boats were seized and a Pakistani fisherman was apprehended,” said BSF.

SOURCE: TIMES NOW

The Defence Minister on Friday said that the US and Australia are among countries that have evinced interest in indigenously-developed light combat aircraft. The other countries include Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

In written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) responded in October last year to Request for Proposal(RFP) issued against tender released by Malaysia’s Royal Malaysian Air Force for 18 Fighter Lead In Trainer – Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT–LCA).
The Union minister further said that the HAL offered LCA Tejas twin-seater variant.

SOURCE: NDTV

A startup in Maharashtra’s Pune has created the country’s first passenger drone – Varuna. The pilotless drone, developed for the Indian Navy, can carry a payload of up to 130 kgs. The drone has the power to cover 25 kilometres of distance with that weight.

The drone, manufactured by Sagar Defense Engineering Company, is capable of a safe landing even after a technical snag in the air. In case of emergency, the parachute will automatically open and help in a safe landing.

SOURCE: HINDU BUSINESLINE

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) — the Tata Sons’ subsidiary which has emerged as the country’s leading private defence manufacturing company, is confident of jointly producing with Airbus more than 40 of the 56 C-295 transport aircraft in India which would be “more affordable globally”.

In an exclusive interview with Business Line, TASL CEO and MD Sukaran Singh spoke extensively about indigenously built new unmanned and optronics systems the company will roll out, besides the need to push for development of core technologies for real self-reliance in the defence sector. Edited excerpts:

SOURCE: THE HINDU

Amid growing number of international reactions to developments in the Taiwan straits and tensions between the U.S. and China, New Delhi chose to maintain a “studied silence” on the unfolding situation, omitting any mention of it even in talks held by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Phnom Penh. The decision not to issue a statement said officials and experts, is deliberate, as New Delhi seeks to avoid controversy on a sensitive issue between the U.S. and China, and also given that India, unlike other countries in the region, has not referenced the “One China” policy since at least 2010.

On Thursday, Mr. Jaishankar attended the ASEAN-India summit, and held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as Foreign Ministers of Australia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

SOURCE: ProPakistani.PK

The United States Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Dr. Bonnie Jenkins, has said that the US is in constant contact with Pakistan and India on nuclear security issues but joining the treaty is a decision that both countries will have to make in their own interests.

She stated this at a media briefing on the Tenth Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in New York on 3 August. While elaborating on the NPT Review Conference and its outcomes, Dr. Jenkins said that the NPT has been functional for 50 years with 180 member states but engagement with Pakistan and India on many issues, including the nuclear issues, is desired.

SOURCE: INDIA TODAY

A joint R&D activity between the Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITRoorkee) has resulted in developing indigenous radio frequency power amplifiers to meet the futuristic requirements of Programmable Radios being developed by DEAL, DRDO.

The research group led by Professor Karun Rawat at IIT Roorkee, and a group of Scientists and Engineers led by Pinaki Sen from DEAL, DRDO have designed these amplifiers to be simultaneously able to fulfill the high-efficiency requirements (for thermal management) and good linearity for signal fidelity.

SOURCE: Odisha Diary.

The steps taken by the Government to enhance Research and Development in defence manufacturing are as follows: DRDO has introduced a policy on selection of the Development cum Production Partner (DcPP) for DRDO developed systems, which ensures involvement of industries from the beginning of development cycle and lead to reduction in the time-frame of the development-to-induction cycle.

DRDO has promulgated new Transfer of Technology (ToT) policy and procedure with ‘Nil’ ToT fee for its industry partners Development cum Production Partners (DcPP)/ Production Agency (PA) and ‘Nil’ royalty for supply to Indian Armed Forces and Govt. Deptt. This will enhance capabilities and competitiveness of Indian industries in global market. This will also provide further boost to Indian industries in defence manufacturing sector to achieve higher self-reliance.

SOURCE:  PTI

A parliamentary panel on Thursday complimented the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for managing to bring down the import of missiles, radars and other key military systems to an almost “negligible” level by focusing on their indigenous manufacturing.

At the same time, the Standing Committee on Defence criticised the government for a shortfall of Rs 3,002 crore in the allocation to the DRDO for 2021-22 as against the proposed outlay at the budget estimate (BE) stage. The 13th report of the committee, headed by Jual Oram and comprising around 30 lawmakers including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, was tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

SOURCE:  The Print

On 17 April 1949, Nehru wrote to Sardar Patel over an intelligence report that indicated that the Praja Parishad—a political party based in Jammu and affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh—was calling for a zonal plebiscite. Nehru felt that this was harmful to India’s interests, and took particular note of the fact that the party was being financed by the Maharaja through the Dharmarth Trust.

The continuing public differences between the Maharaja and Sheikh Abdullah were debilitating India’s image internationally, and Nehru stated, almost ominously, that ‘it is no longer safe for us to allow matters to drift’. He referred to a previous discussion with Sardar Patel, which involved Ayyangar as well, where it was decided that the future of the monarchy in Jammu and Kashmir should be decided by the people of Jammu and Kashmir acting through a Constituent Assembly. To make this happen, he suggested that the Maharaja should be asked to leave the state for a while.