SOURCE: ANI

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday highlighted the importance of emerging technologies in national security, saying that technological prowess has become the new currency of deterrence and data has become the new capital of trade and security. Speaking at the fourth General Bipin Rawat Memorial Lecture in Delhi, Gen Dwivedi said that national security is about wholesome capability to wage war and deter war. “Security is about wholesome capability to wage war and deter war.

Healthy military-civil fusion, Aatm Nirbhar defence industrial base, dual-use assets at the national level, well-informed and empowered decision-makers of time framework, and inclusive approach for citizen warriors play a pivotal role,” Dwivedi said. “Technology prowess has become the new currency of deterrence. Data has become the new capital of trade and security,” he added.

SOURCE: ANI

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday said that the world has been “cooling down” from major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, with the turmoil “interspersed” with “subnational conflicts” and common threats to global peace like terrorism, radicalisation, and mass cyber-attacks. He also pointed out a “subtle” shift from democracy to “authoritarianism,” which feeds into the turmoil in the world. “The world is just cooling down from two major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, wherein the majority of nations took sides based on realism, idealism or religion.

The turmoil is also interspersed with ongoing subnational conflicts and common threats to global peace like terrorism, radicalisation, mass cyber-attacks, and a subtle shift from democracy to authoritarianism,” Dwivedi said while speaking at the fourth General Bipin Rawat Memorial Lecture here.

SOURCE: IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade, deepening defence cooperation, and maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

Addressing media after holding talks at New Delhi’s Hyderabad House, the two leaders also took a firm stance against terrorism and agreed to enhance people-to-people ties.

SOURCE: ANI

An updated list of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) names a group of 67 terrorist organisations and unlawful associations facing a ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for their role in terrorist activities against India, threatening the country’s security.

The list released by the Ministry of Home Affairs names 45 organizations that are officially categorized as terrorist organizations under Section 35 of the UAPA and are included in the First Schedule of the Act. The remaining 22 groups are classified as unlawful associations under Section 3(1) of the UAPA.
Many of these organizations have been involved in militancy, separatism, and violent activities across India. The MHA keeps on updating such list. The declaration of these banned organisations is part of India’s ongoing efforts to curb terrorism and extremist activities within its borders.

SOURCE: UNI

Security forces averted a major tragedy when they recovered and destroyed an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday. Army in a post on X said that “the IED was recovered in the general area Narikut Forest Kupwara”.

“ChinarWarriors and @BSF_Kashmir averted a terror incident today by recovering and destroying an IED in general area Narikut Forest, Kupwara. #IndianArmy remains resolute in its commitment to keep Kashmir terror-free”, Army posted on X

SOURCE: PTI

An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said here.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Krumhoora village of Zachaldara following information about the presence of terrorists in the area, they said.The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists opened fire at the security forces.

SOURCE: PTI

The Centre has recently accorded approval for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission to study the Moon, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said on Sunday. At an event to felicitate him for taking over as the Chairman of the Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation, Narayanan said that unlike the Chandrayaan-3 mission which carried the 25-kg rover ‘Prayagyaan’, the Chandrayaan-5 mission would carry a 250 kg rover to study the Moon’s surface.

The Chandrayaan mission consists of studying the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-1 successfully launched in 2008 took chemical, mineralogical and photo-geologic mapping of the Moon. The Chandrayaan-2 mission (2019) was 98 per cent success but just two per cent of the Mission could not be achieved in the final stages.

SOURCE: IANS

India’s defence industry is rapidly evolving into a global powerhouse as the country’s defence exports surged to an all-time high of Rs 21,083 crore in FY24 A 32.5 per cent increase from the previous year’s Rs 15,920 crore, as per a report. According to the Nuvama report, over the past decade, India’s defence exports have grown 31 times, solidifying its presence in the global market and increasing international demand.

The Indian government has set an ambitious target of Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by FY29, reflecting its commitment to strengthening the sector. In FY25 alone, exports are projected to reach Rs 20,300 crore. This helped in reinforcing India’s position as a key player in the international defence supply chain.

SOURCE: ANI

Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday said the rise of China as a dominant economic and strategic force hampers India’s effort to be the natural leader for the Global South. He said India needs to look at the possibilities of Africa as a future power centre.

“The rise of China as a dominant economic and strategic force adds complexity, creates competition, and hampers India’s effort to be the natural leader for the Global South,” General Dwivedi said at the fourth General Bipin Rawat Memorial Lecture in Delhi.

SOURCE: ANI

During an extensive podcast with American research scientist Lex Fridman, that touched upon geopolitics and current international issues of importance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about advocating for the role of peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In his podcast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the guest, Lex Fridman asked PM Modi his approach towards the process of peacemaking. Lex Fridman said, “You have spoken about, you have the experience, you have the skill, you have the geopolitical leverage to be the biggest peacemaker in the world today,..Can you maybe explain how you approach the process of making peace, helping make peace between two warring nations, for example, Russia and Ukraine?”

SOURCE: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the discourse around the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat was an attempt to create a false narrative and his political opponents in power at the Centre wanted him to be punished but the courts cleared his name.

In a podcast with Lex Fridman, Modi said the perception that the 2002 riots were the biggest riots ever in Gujarat was an attempt to push misinformation. “If you review the data from before 2002, you will see that Gujarat faced frequent riots. Curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere. Communal violence would erupt over trivial issues such as kite flying contests or even bicycle collisions,” Modi said.

SOURCE: PTI

Over 200 investors from outside Jammu and Kashmir have been provided land in the industrial estates to set up their business units in Jammu and Kashmir in the past decade, official data said.

The process of land acquisition by outside investors, mostly from Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, marked manifold increase after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories in August 2019.

SOURCE: ANI

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Sunday visited the Navi Mumbai airport site, which is almost ready for the operations.

“Visited the Navi Mumbai International Airport site today–a world-class airport taking shape. Set for inauguration this June, it will redefine connectivity and growth. A true gift to India!” Gautam Adani wrote on Instagram, sharing visuals from his visit to the airport.

SOURCE: PTI

The Punjab Police will bring back seven associates of jailed MP and radical preacher Amritpal Singh from Assam’s Dibrugarh jail as the state government has decided not to extend their detention under the stringent National Security Act, said a senior police officer on Sunday.

The seven associates will face the law in the 2023 Ajnala police station attack incident, the officer said. The detention period of these seven persons is going to expire and the state government has decided not to extend their detention under the NSA, he said.

SOURCE: IANS

Abu Qatal, a key Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and one of the most wanted terrorists involved in the 2023 Rajouri attack and the 2024 Reasi bus attack, has been killed in Pakistan under mysterious circumstances, according to media reports.

Also known as Faisal Nadeem, Qatal was reportedly shot dead by unidentified attackers late on Saturday night, 15 March. Qatal had been a high-priority target for Indian security agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Indian Army, due to his role in orchestrating several deadly attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.