SOURCE: IDRW.ORG TEAM.

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) marked a significant milestone on March 2nd, 2024, with the steel cutting ceremony for the world’s first zero-emission feeder container vessel powered by green hydrogen fuel cells. This groundbreaking project, undertaken for Samskip, a leading Netherlands-based logistics company, represents a major leap forward in sustainable maritime transportation.

The ceremony, held at CSL’s premises, coincided with Samskip’s sustainability day celebrations at their headquarters in Rotterdam. This symbolic alignment highlights the shared commitment towards a cleaner future for the shipping industry.

SOURCE: AFI

Leonardo, the Italian aerospace and defense giant (formerly known as Finmeccanica), has re-entered the Indian civil aviation market following the lifting of a ban imposed in 2014.

The company, which was embroiled in a VVIP helicopter bribery scandal involving AgustaWestland choppers, has partnered with Universal Vulkaan Aviation Pte. Limited to distribute its AW109, AW139, and AW169 helicopter models in India. This marks a significant development for both parties as Leonardo seeks to re-establish its presence in the growing Indian market.

SOURCE: AFI

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft experienced a technical issue on 1st March afternoon, leading to a controlled emergency landing. The aircraft took off at 2:30 PM and encountered a landing gear related glitch shortly after its departure. As a precautionary measure, the crew declared an emergency.

Due to the significant fuel load onboard, the pilots opted to conduct holding patterns above the city to burn off excess fuel, ensuring a safe landing weight for the aircraft. This procedure is standard practice in such situations to minimize risk.

SOURCE: AFI

India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, held a meeting with a local trade board in British Columbia, Canada, on Friday. The event, however, was marked by tense circumstances as the venue was surrounded by pro-Khalistan elements protesting Verma’s visit.

This marked Verma’s first visit to Surrey since the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure within the pro-Khalistan community. The planned meeting reportedly faced attempts by protestors to disrupt it.

SOURCE: AFI

Azam Cheema, the intelligence chief of Lashkar-e-Toiba, a terrorist organization, has died in Pakistan. 70-year-old Cheema breathed his last in Faisalabad Hospital in Pakistan as per Media report. Azam Cheema is said to have died of a heart attack. But in Pakistan’s jihadi circles, there is an atmosphere of doubt. Many are still not convinced that Azam Cheema’s death was caused by the Heart attack. Some jihadist organisations have fear Because many terrorists have been killed mysteriously in Pakistan in the last few months.

Especially the anti-India terrorists are being hunted down. Pakistan alleges that Indian intelligence agencies are behind the killing of Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists. But India has rejected these allegations.

SOURCE: IANS

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the Centre has resolved a large number of problems in the northeastern states and made the region violence and insurgency free, while over 10,000 militants from various outfits have shunned the path of violence and surrendered before the government.

Addressing the tripartite meeting between the Home Ministry, Tripura government and leaders of the opposition Tipra Motha Party (TMP) in the national capital, the Home Minister said that various accords were signed with many militant outfits in the northeast to restore peace and accelerate all-round development and welfare of the region.

SOURCE: AFP

Sri Lanka on Friday awarded the construction of three solar and wind hybrid power generation facilities to an Indian company after scrapping a tender won by a Chinese firm. India has long been concerned about growing Chinese influence in the island nation, which sits near key global shipping lanes and which India considers to be within its sphere of influence.

The project, initially financed by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan, was temporarily shelved two years ago after India raised concerns over China’s involvement.

SOURCE: PTI

A Karachi-bound ship from China was stopped by Indian security agencies at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva port on suspicion that it contained a dual-use consignment that could be used for Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme, officials here said on Saturday.

The customs officials, based on an intelligence input, halted a Malta-flagged merchant ship — CMA CGM Attila — at the port en route to Karachi on January 23 and inspected the consignment, which included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, originally manufactured by an Italian company.

SOURCE: ANI

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the names of four Indian Air Force pilots who will be part of India’s first human space flight program, Gaganyaan, the National Defence Academy (NDA) said that it would be yet another milestone crossed by the cadets of the NDA in conquering uncharted territory after Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to reach space.

“This unique achievement in pursuit of our country’s maiden manned mission is yet another milestone crossed by the cadets of the National Defence Academy in conquering uncharted territory and bringing laurels to our nation, as was done by another distinguished NDA alumni, Squadron leader (later Wing commander) Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space way back in 1984,” the NDA said in a statement.

SOURCE: PTI

Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt inaugurated the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) jetty at Vadinar in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district as a step towards augmenting infrastructure development in the ICG’s strategically important North-West region.

While inaugurating the jetty on Friday, the Union minister lauded the role played by the ICG in safeguarding national maritime interests in its areas of responsibility, an official release said. “The development of the jetty was undertaken by the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) as a deposit work at a cost of Rs 74 crore,” the ICG said in the statement. On average, the headquarters deploys 10 to 12 ships and two to three aircraft daily for security, surveillance, and to keep constant vigil at sea, it said.

SOURCE: PTI

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said there seems to be a link between the blast at the city’s popular eatery Rameshwaram Cafe, and the cooker explosion that took place in the coastal city of Mangaluru in 2022, and all angles are being looked into by the police.

He said the government is committed to a fair probe, and police have been given a free hand to investigate the incident at the quick-service eatery in the Brookefield area of the information technology corridor in east Bengaluru that left ten people injured.

SOURCE: PTI

One smuggler was killed and four others, including three BSF personnel, were injured after a mob attacked the paramilitary force near the Indo-Bangladesh boundary in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district, the border guards said on Saturday.

The incident happened on Friday night at Dalia village when the group of people, suspected to be smugglers from India and Bangladesh, gathered on both sides of the border to smuggle goods, the BSF said in the statement.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant move towards achieving the vision of #AtmanirbharBharat (Self-reliant India), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with an Indian manufacturer on March 1, 2024, to upgrade the simulator for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30 MKI aircraft.

This upgrade, led by a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), marks a crucial step in India’s journey towards self-sufficiency in defense manufacturing. The upgraded simulator will incorporate all indigenous weapons and capabilities, providing IAF pilots with an enhanced and realistic training experience.

SOURCE: AFI

The iconic Indian Navy’s TU142 aircraft has found a new and permanent home, transformed into a museum in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. The inauguration ceremony, held on March 1, 2024, was graced by the presence of Smt Vanga Geetha Viswanath, the esteemed Member of Parliament for Kakinada.

This museum, nestled on the scenic Kakinada beach, marks a significant addition to the existing naval aviation museums in Visakhapatnam and Kolkata. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to delve into the rich history of the TU142 and its service to the Indian Navy.

SOURCE: AFI

In a significant stride towards bolstering its indigenous capabilities, the Indian Navy recently inked a pivotal contract with iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) developer M/s Adisan Systems LLP. The agreement entails the supply of Reeled Compressed Air Foam (RCAF) systems, aimed at replacing imported counterparts currently onboard naval ships. This milestone not only marks a substantial leap in self-reliance but also resonates strongly with the AatmaNirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) and Make In India initiatives championed by the Government of India.

The fruition of this contract is the culmination of an intense 14-month-long journey, characterized by meticulous design, development, rigorous trials, and eventual contract finalization. This remarkably swift timeline underscores the Navy’s commitment to swiftly adopt indigenous solutions while fostering innovation within the defense sector.