SOURCE: AFI

Russia has refuted Western media reports suggesting India is abandoning its reliance on Russian weaponry. In a recent interview, the Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, highlighted India’s continued production of Russian-designed T-90 tanks and Su-30MKI fighter jets under license agreements.

Ambassador Alipov emphasized that India has already produced nearly 1,000 T-90 tanks and 300 Su-30MKI aircraft, signifying a strong and ongoing military partnership between the two nations. He contrasted Russia’s approach with Western countries, claiming Russia offers full transfer of advanced military technology to India, unlike potential limitations imposed by other arms suppliers.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian government has received the final Letter of Offer (LOA) from the US for the purchase of 31 armed MQ-9B drones. This follows the State Department’s initial notification on February 1st and a 30-day window for potential objections from US lawmakers.

The final LOA includes the negotiated price between the US and the manufacturer for the drones. The Indian Navy, the lead agency in this acquisition, will now review the details. If the price is deemed satisfactory, the proposal will be forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for final approval.

SOURCE: AFI

The US intelligence community believes China intends to establish additional military bases and access agreements globally, including locations near India. According to a March 11th report titled “The Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community,” China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aims to “project power and protect China’s interests abroad” through this expansion.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar are identified as possible targets. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Seychelles are mentioned as potential locations. Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Tajikistan, and Tanzania are also listed as potential areas of interest for China.

SOURCE: AFI

A recent live-fire exercise conducted by China near the contested border with India has heightened existing tensions between the two nations. Chinese state media reported that a female missile platoon successfully launched a missile against a “subsonic target aircraft” at high altitude on the Karakoram Plateau.

India has reportedly bolstered its military presence along the LAC in recent months. News outlets like Bloomberg have cited the deployment of an additional 10,000 Indian soldiers to the disputed border.

SOURCE: ANI

In a major capability boost, the Indian Army on Friday raised its first Apache attack helicopter squadron in the desert sector in Jodhpur near the Pakistan front. The squadron was raised today in Jodhpur in the presence of Director General Indian Army Aviation Lt Gen Ajay Suri and officials from the original manufacturer Boeing along with other senior officials, Indian Army Officials told ANI.

The Indian Army Apache helicopters would camouflage desert colours and the first batch of choppers would arrive and join the fleet by May this year, they said.

SOURCE: IANS

India on Friday rejected the US State Department’s “concerns” regarding the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and termed it as “misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted”Asserting that the CAA is about giving citizenship and not about taking it away, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Lectures by those who have a limited understanding of India’s pluralistic traditions and the region’s post-partition history are best not attempted”.

“As regards the US State Department statement on the implementation of CAA and comments made by several others, we are of the view that it is misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted,” Randhir Jaiswal said, addressing a weekly media briefing.

SOURCE: PTI

A group of eminent Indian-Americans in Silicon Valley has held a special meeting with senior officials of the Department of Justice, FBI and police and told that the US soil is being used for terrorist activities against India.

The group held the meeting with senior officials of the Department of Justice, FBI and local police this week on increasing hate crimes against Hindus in California. During the meeting, Indian-Americans expressed their displeasure and dissatisfaction that the law enforcement agencies in the US have not been able to take any action against those who are espousing terrorism activities in India, according to multiple persons present in the meeting.

SOURCE: ANI

The first batch of Indian personnel in the Maldives has been replaced by technical personnel, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. “The turnaround of the first team of personnel who were operating the ALH helicopter has been completed. So, the first batch that had to be replaced has been completed. The turnaround has happened,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a weekly briefing. Notably, the Mohamed Muizzu-led Maldives government has formally requested that India withdraw its troops from Male.

The external affairs ministry earlier informed that both India and the Maldives have agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of the Maldives. Last month, the MEA said that the first batch of Indian technical personnel reached Maldives to replace the defence personnel. India and the Maldives have held two high-level core group meetings and the third one is expected to take place soon.

SOURCE: PIB

Indian Navy’s Mission Deployed warship & an LRMP responded to a piracy attack on MV Abdullah, a Bangladeshi-flagged vessel, whilst enroute from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates.

On receipt of intimation, the LRMP was immediately deployed & after locating the MV in evening of 12-Mar 24, attempted to establish communication to ascertain status of ship’s crew members. However, no response was received from the ship.

SOURCE: PTI

Indian tourists, who used to flock to the Maldives, are now shunning the island nation and its tourism industry is already feeling the pinch of declined revenue, prompting calls for mending the fence with New Delhi.

India has slipped to sixth position in 2024 compared to being a topper in visitor numbers in 2023, prompting voices from the local tourism industry to flag the danger for the tourism-dependent economy of the archipelagic country in the Indian Ocean.

SOURCE:

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed its first ever CSR agreement with the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) to collaborate on applied research.

In the spirit of India’s self-reliance, the IAI-IIT CSR agreement demonstrates IAI’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility in India. The cooperation includes collaborative projects, training, and research consultancy. This alliance between IAI and IIT Delhi demonstrates a shared vision leveraging cutting-edge research to drive progress and technological excellence, shaping together the future of technology in India.

SOURCE: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the invitation of his Bhutanese counterpart, Tshering Tobgay to visit Bhutan next week, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. PM Modi met the Prime Minister of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay in New Delhi on Thursday. “On behalf of the King of Bhutan, PM Tshering Tobgay extended invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Bhutan next week.

Prime Minister accepted the invitation,” the MEA said in a press release. Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay is in India on an official visit, which is his first overseas visit after assuming office in February 2024. “Both leaders reviewed the progress in various areas of bilateral partnership, including infrastructure development, connectivity, energy, hydropower cooperation, people to people exchanges and development cooperation.

SOURCE: IANS

 Six Pakistani Hindu migrants, living in Rajasthan for years, were granted Indian citizenship on Friday. Additional District Collector (South) Shafali Kushwaha handed over the citizenship certificates to the migrants — Premlata, Sanjay Ram, Bejal, Jajraj, Keku Mai and Gomand Ram — here.

Premlata, 41, who came to India in 2010 after being displaced from Karachi, Pakistan, expressed her gratitude to the district administration. She said, “After coming to India, we have got the real feeling of freedom.”

SOURCE: AFI

The Security Committee of the Council of Ministers of India has greenlit an ambitious venture – the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project. With a staggering investment of 1.8 billion dollars earmarked for its development, India is set to embark on a journey to bolster its military capabilities in the aerospace domain. This move signifies a significant departure from India’s historical reliance on Russian military technology and marks a decisive step towards self-sufficiency in defense.

Traditionally, India has maintained close ties with Russia in the defense sector, relying on Soviet-era military equipment and technology. However, recent developments indicate a shift in this paradigm. Despite Russia’s unveiling of the Su-75 Checkmate, a fifth-generation fighter aircraft aimed at markets like India, the response from New Delhi was tepid at best. This lukewarm reception underscores India’s waning reliance on Russian military hardware, signaling a desire to diversify its sources and develop indigenous capabilities.

SOURCE: AFI

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have joined forces in a significant partnership to supply cutting-edge Communication and Electronic Warfare (EW) sensors and systems to the Indian Navy. The contract, valued at Rs 847.70 crore, underscores the commitment of both companies to bolster India’s defense capabilities through indigenous manufacturing and technological innovation.

Under the terms of the contract, BEL will provide 14 state-of-the-art Communication and EW sensors and systems, all of which will be domestically manufactured. These advanced systems will be installed on three Cadet Training Ships, enhancing the Indian Navy’s communication and electronic warfare capabilities.