SOURCE: AFI

The long-anticipated Tejas Mk 2 light combat aircraft (LCA), proudly designed and made in India, could finally take its maiden flight by 2025, now powered by an American engine. Prabhulla Chandran VK, the Director of Avionics and Weapons Systems at the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the pivotal organization behind the indigenous fighter’s design, provided this promising update.

Hope for the Tejas Mk 2 soared when GE Aerospace of the United States announced on June 22 that it had inked a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force. This announcement coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant achievement, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft has surpassed a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometers from Earth, effectively escaping the sphere of our planet’s gravitational influence. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced this milestone, revealing that the spacecraft is now charting its course towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1).

This remarkable feat marks the second instance in which ISRO has successfully sent a spacecraft beyond Earth’s gravitational pull, with the first being the Mars Orbiter Mission.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended a 51-year-old man named Seiminlun Gangte from the hill district of Churachandpur in a case tied to a transnational conspiracy. This conspiracy involves terror groups operating from Myanmar and Bangladesh with the aim of “waging war” against the Government of India by exploiting the ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur.

Seiminlun Gangte was taken into custody by the NIA in connection with a case registered suo moto on July 19 in New Delhi. His arrest took place in the Phuoljang area. According to his wife, Mangshi Seiminlun, before the unrest erupted, her husband worked as an English teacher at a private school in Kwakta. Subsequently, due to the violence that began in May, he shifted to Churachandpur, where he worked at a warehouse, transporting goods for the proprietor Kamaluddin, residing in Kwakta.

SOURCE: REUTERS

The death toll from a large blast at a mosque in Pakistan rose to 59 on Saturday as the government vowed to find the perpetrators and accused India’s intelligence agency of being involved. Friday’s blast tore through a mosque in Mastung in the southern province of Balochistan after a bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle where people were gathering for a procession to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad.

Pakistani officials have long claimed that India sponsors violent groups in Pakistan – claims India has always denied.

SOURCE: ANI

The residents of the bordering villages in Arunachal Pradesh are expressing their outrage over China’s actions towards the North Eastern state and asserted that the state will forever remain an integral part of India.

In August this year, China released a ‘standard map’ claiming Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of its territory. The villagers of Sengnup, Kharseneng, and Grengkhar villages under the Tawang sector said that they are living in a peaceful environment and they feel secure because of the Indian army and the current government.

SOURCE: ANI

United Kingdom Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan on Saturday said that she was “concerned” to see that the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from meeting the Gurudwara Committee in Glasgow. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Trevelyan said that the security and safety of foreign places is of utmost importance and places of worship in the United Kingdom should be open to all.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan said, “Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all.” Earlier today, India’s High Commission in London said it has reported to authorities in the UK the “disgraceful incident” at the Glasgow Gurudwara where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the High Commissioner and Consul General of India.

SOURCE: PTI

Nearly 96 per cent work of the strategically crucial Sela Tunnel, which will enable “all-weather” connectivity to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, is complete and it is likely to be inaugurated by the year-end, BRO officials said on September 30.

Final touches are being provided to the tunnel, along with installation of safety measures inside it, they added. The Sela Tunnel has been excavated below the 4,200-metre (13,800 ft) Sela Pass, which is often closed due to snowfall and landslides.

SOURCE: ANI

 India’s High Commission to the United Kingdom on Saturday said it has reported to authorities in the UK the “disgraceful incident” at the Glasgow Gurudwara where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami.

“On September 29, 2023, three persons- all from areas outside Scotland-deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues”, the High Commission of India, London said in a statement today.

SOURCE: ANI

A Sikh restaurant owner, who earlier received threats from Khalistani elements for being vocal against them, has now claimed that his car was shot at and vandalised by the extremists in West London.

A video posted on X by Insightuk2, which describes itself as a social movement of British Hindus and Indians, claimed that some unidentified assailants allegedly opened fire at the car of Harman Singh Kapoor, adding that his family has been subjected to constant threats of violence and rape by alleged Khalistan supporters.

SOURCE: PTI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted the sole accused in the Kerala train arson case that left three persons, including a child, dead and nine injured in April, an official said on Saturday.

Sharukh alias Sharukh Saifi, who lived in the Shaheen Bagh area of New Delhi and was self-radicalised by following online propaganda of radical Islamic preachers, has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Railways Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

SOURCE: PTI

Lieutenant General Raghu Srinivasan assumed charge as the 28th director general (DG) of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Saturday, the Defence Ministry said. His appointment to the top post in the BRO follows the superannuation of Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry. Prior to his appointment as the 28th DG of the BRO, the general officer was holding the appointment of Commandant, College of Military Engineering, Pune, the ministry said in a statement.

Mr Srinivasan is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in 1987.

SOURCE: AFI

For decades, Canada has been a refuge for Sikhs who left their homeland in India during the 1980s and 1990s, seeking safety amidst the turmoil surrounding the demand for Khalistan, an independent Sikh state. Today, nearly 800,000 Sikhs reside in Canada, constituting the largest Sikh community outside of India.

While the Sikh separatist movement has waned in India, it remains alive within the Canadian Sikh diaspora, straining the relationship between India and Canada. The situation escalated significantly after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on September 23 that his government had “credible allegations” implicating the Indian government in the murder of a Sikh activist on Canadian soil.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently unveiled the Enhanced Collaborative Autonomous Rover System (ECARS) at the annual North Tech Symposium held at IIT Jammu. ECARS, a cutting-edge 4X4 multi-terrain operative unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), has been developed by Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd from Pune, marking a remarkable leap in India’s autonomous military technology.

The North Tech Symposium, a collaborative event organized by the Indian Army’s Headquarters of Northern Command, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), and IIT-Jammu, serves as a vital platform for the defense industry to showcase its latest innovations. It brings together defense manufacturers, industry experts, and academicians to deliberate upon the evolving requirements of the Indian Army. This annual event features product launches, military equipment displays, and exhibitions, making it an ideal venue for the unveiling of groundbreaking technologies like ECARS.

SOURCE: AFI

The skies above Hyderabad witnessed a remarkable display of military prowess as a formation of four Typhoon fighter jets and a Voyager tanker from the Royal Air Force (RAF) touched down at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for a refueling stop on a recent Wednesday. This noteworthy event serves as a testament to the strengthening partnership between the United Kingdom and India in the field of defense.

Gareth Wynn Owen, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Telangana & Andhra Pradesh, took to social media to share his enthusiasm about this significant development. In a tweet, he exclaimed, “Hello Royal Air Force! A flight comprising four Typhoons and one Voyager made a refueling stop at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Testimony to the growing defense interaction between the UK and India air forces.”

SOURCE: AFI

In a remarkable display of determination and skill, the Indian Navy has achieved a significant milestone by safely retrieving two massive steam generators from a stranded barge in the vicinity of the VO Chidambaranar port. After a challenging 19-day operation marked by relentless efforts, these crucial components destined for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) were successfully brought to safety on Wednesday.

The saga began when four steam generators, each weighing approximately 310 tonnes and intended for reactors 5 and 6 at the KKNPP, arrived at the VOC Port from Russia on August 12. Two of these generators were transported to the KKNPP site via barge on August 26 and 27, while the remaining two were set to follow suit on August 8.