SOURCE: ANI

The Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared a proposal for 34 new Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv choppers, of which nine will be inducted in the Indian Coast Guard while 25 of them will go to the Indian Army.

The helicopters would be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The Indian Coast Guard is going to get nine of these choppers, while the Indian Army will be inducting 25 of them into their fleets, top government sources told ANI.

SOURCE: PTI

Taking a dig at China, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said Beijing has not observed longstanding written agreements with India and blamed it for the bloodshed at the borders in 2020, the first in more than four decades.

Speaking at the inaugural Raisina Roundtable in Tokyo, an event by the think tank, Mr Jaishankar also spoke about how he expected a change in Russia’s direction towards the rest of the world and it may likely want multiple options in Asia.

SOURCE: PTI

The Maldivian defence force on Thursday said it will have operational authority over the helicopter given by India to the island nation and the civilian crew that will pilot it. Addressing a press conference, the Principal Director of Plans, Policy, and Resources Management for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), Colonel Ahmed Mujuthaba Mohamed said that discussions are underway for withdrawing Indian troops from the Maldives.

He emphasised that the government of President Mohamed Muizzu has decided not to permit any foreign troops to remain stationed in the Maldives beyond May 10, PSM News, the state broadcaster reported.

SOURCE: ANI

As part of the vision of ‘Making AI in India’ and ‘Making AI Work for India,’ the Union Cabinet has approved the comprehensive national-level India Artificial Intelligence mission with a budget outlay of ? 10,371.92 crore.

Briefing media after a meeting of the union cabinet, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that IndiaAI mission will establish a comprehensive ecosystem catalyzing AI innovation through strategic programmes and partnerships across the public and private sectors.

SOURCE: AFI

The Indian Army is set to hold a tri-services demonstration of indigenously developed weapon systems and platforms in an exercise called ‘Bharat Shakti’ on March 12th in Pokharan, Rajasthan.

The exercise will showcase the firepower of a range of Made-in-India weapon systems, including the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, Arjun tanks, Dhanush howitzers, Tejas fighter aircraft, and various versions of the ALH Dhruv helicopters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, and Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande are all expected to attend the event .

SOURCE: PIB

The Modi Government has declared the dreaded mastermind of several terror attacks Mohammad Qasim Gujjar alias Salman alias Suleman as a designated terrorist.

In a post on X Platform, the Home Minister’s Office said that “The Modi government has declared the dreaded mastermind of several terror attacks Mohammad Qasim Gujjar alias Salman alias Suleman as a designated terrorist.

SOURCE: PTI

Punjab Cabinet minister Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal said today that the state government is in touch with the Centre over the five young people stranded in Russia. The matter came up during the Zero Hour in the ongoing Budget session of the state assembly. Congress MLA Pargat Singh said five persons from Punjab, who went to Russia, have been forced to participate in a war with Ukraine.

“My only request is that this matter should be taken up with the Centre and they be brought back,” Mr Singh said in the House.

SOURCE: ANI

The Border Security Force caught a Pakistani national near the India-Pakistan border fence in Amritsar, an official statement issued on Thursday read. The force said that on the night of March 6, forward-deployed troops in Amritsar observed the suspected movement of a person in the area ahead of the border fence.

“The troops on duty immediately challenged and caught hold of him as he tried to escape towards the International boundary. Upon questioning, the apprehended person was revealed to be a Pakistani national,” BSF posted on X.

SOURCE: IDRW.ORG TEAM.

On March 7, 2024, India issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for a large no-fly zone encompassing areas over the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean region. This NOTAM, effective on March 13, 2024, designates a restricted airspace spanning 3,550 kilometers, hinting at a possible missile test.

While the specific details of the test are not officially confirmed, experts speculate that it could involve either the Agni-V Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) or the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

SOURCE: AFI

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Nasik Division organized a private industry outreach program today to engage the private sector in the upcoming indigenous upgrade program for the Su-30MKI fighter jets.

The program saw the participation of 56 representatives from various private companies, who displayed keen interest in contributing their skills and capabilities to the project.

SOURCE: AFI

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh officially launched seven Mine-Protected Vehicles (MPVs) for the Manipur Police on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024, at the 1st Manipur Rifles Parade Ground. This significant addition to the state’s police force is aimed at enhancing security and ensuring the safety of Manipur’s citizens.

The event witnessed the presence of dignitaries, including Director General of Police (DGP) Shri Rajiv Singh, who expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for providing the MPVs and motivating the police force. He further stated that three more MPVs are expected to arrive soon, emphasizing their commitment to utilizing these vehicles for maintaining control over potentially volatile areas and ensuring public safety.

SOURCE: PIB

“India’s defence apparatus is today stronger than ever as the Government, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is focusing on bolstering it with the sentiment of Indianness,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at a Defence Summit organised by a private media organisation in New Delhi on March 07, 2024. He termed ‘perspective’ as the major difference between the current and the previous dispensations, stating that the present government ardently believes in the capabilities of the people of India, while those in power earlier were somewhat skeptical about their potential.

Shri Rajnath Singh described promoting ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence manufacturing as the biggest change brought about by the Government, which is giving a new shape to India’s defence sector. He enumerated the reformative steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to achieve self-reliance, including setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu; notification of positive indigenisation lists; reserving 75% of capital procurement budget for domestic industry; corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board; and schemes/initiatives such as Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), iDEX Prime, Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) & Technology Development Fund (TDF).

SOURCE: AFI

Dassault Aviation is accelerating production of its Rafale fighter jet in response to a surge in global demand. The French aerospace company aims to manufacture 22 Rafales per year, significantly exceeding its previous target of 15 units. This ambitious plan comes after falling short of the target last year, producing only 13 jets.

To achieve this goal, Dassault is ramping up production, targeting a rollout of two Rafales per month. This increased output aims to not only meet the yearly target of 22 units but potentially even surpass it, reaching 24 jets by year-end.

SOURCE: ANI

Citing the turbulence in India’s relationship with China amid the border standoff, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it is a cause of concern if a country doesn’t observe written agreements with its neighbours and also raises a question on the said country’s intentions. India’s foreign minister also said that when big power shifts take place in the Indo-Pacific region, there are accompanying and strategic consequences.

Addressing the Raisina Roundtable organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Tokyo on Thursday, Jaishankar said, “There is the reality of very big power shifts in Indo-Pacific. When there are shifts in the power capabilities and influence and ambitions, then there are all accompanying and strategic consequences of that.” He further said that although countries intend to keep relationships stable despite changing dynamics but that has not been the case with China.

SOURCE: ANI

In a veiled attack on China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India has never attacked any country nor occupied its land, but if any country challenges India, the country is in a position to give a ‘befitting’ reply. The Defence Minister was speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2024 on Thursday, wherein, he highlighted the strong transformation in India’s defence sector in the last 10 years “Whether from land, air, or sea, if anyone attacks India, our forces will respond strongly…We have never attacked any country nor have occupied even an inch of anyone’s land.

But, if anyone bats an eyelid at us, we are in a position to give a befitting reply,” he said at the event. India and China have been locked in a military stand-off for nearly four years after the confrontations at friction points in eastern Ladakh in 2020. The 20th round of Corps Commander-level talks between New Delhi and Beijing was held last October at Chushul as part of the ongoing efforts for overall disengagement and de-escalation to resolve the stand-off Rajnath Singh emphasized the focus laid towards self-reliance in the defence sector, adding that the Modi government has worked on strengthening the country while believing in its capabilities.