SOURCE: ANI

Defence Ministry’s Hindustan Shipyard Limited is carrying out the design and development of the five fleet support ships indigenously and has terminated all arrangements with Turkish firms for the programme.

The steel-cutting ceremony of the first of the five Fleet Support Ships was held on Wednesday, April 10, in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Defence Secretary Giridhar Armane. The contract was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year with a value of around Rs 22,000 crore for building five large-sized naval vessels.

SOURCE: ANI

Refuting all reports of India lost a “substantial” amount of land to China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh affirmed that no one can occupy even an inch of Indian land under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Reacting to the reports of Chinese construction near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), he said that both countries are independent in carrying out construction on their side of the LAC. On being asked if China has occupied any piece of Indian land, the Defence Minister said, “I don’t think so”.

“Commander-level talks are going on between India and China,” Singh said in an exclusive interview with ANI. “There are some issues, some date back to 2013, which need to be resolved.” He further said that both countries are holding talks with the belief that a resolution will be reached.

SOURCE: PTI

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has raised the issue of the killing of a Khalistani Sikh separatist on the country’s soil last year and asserted that his government stood up to defend the rights and freedoms of all Canadians.

Trudeau, who was testifying at a high-profile public inquiry looking into foreign interference in Canada’s electoral process on Wednesday, also alleged that the previous government was “cosy” with the Indian government.

SOURCE: ANI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asserted that Pakistan should end terrorism emanating from its soil and if the country feels it is not capable of doing so, it can take India’s help. In an interview with ANI, Rajnath Singh stressed that if Pakistan tries to destabilise India using terrorism, it will have to bear the consequences. India has repeatedly emphasised that it will not tolerate cross-border terrorism and it cannot keep aside terrorism to improve ties with Islamabad.

New Delhi has also said the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere in which there is no terror, hostility or violence. Rajnath Singh said if Pakistan’s intention is clear, it should act decisively against cross-border terrorism. “If Pakistan attempts to destabilize India through terrorism, it will have to face the consequences.

SOURCE: ANI

Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army conducted a training exercise, involving the firing of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) at a super high-altitude area of 17000 feet in Sikkim on Thursday, Defence PRO, Guwahati informed through a press release. Missile-firing detachments from mechanised and infantry units of the entire Eastern Command participated in the training exercise.

Missile-firing detachments from mechanised and infantry units of the entire Eastern Command participated in the training exercise.

SOURCE: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said under the strong BJP-led government at the Centre, the country’s security forces are eliminating terrorists on their home turf. Addressing an election rally here, PM Modi said the echoes of ‘Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar’ (Modi government once again) were being heard across the country as people have seen the benefits of a stable government.

“Enemies took advantage and terrorism spread whenever there were weak and unstable governments in the country. But under a strong Modi government, our forces are killing terrorists on their own turf,” he said.

SOURCE: PTI

In an apparent bid to woo Indian tourists back to the Maldives, a major tourism body in Male has announced that it will hold road shows across key Indian cities. As the number of Indian tourists to the Maldives continues to decline, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) held discussions with India’s High Commissioner here, Munu Mahawar, on enhancing travel and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

A full-blown backlash was directed at the Maldives following derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media by three Maldivian officials after Modi posted photos and video of the pristine Lakshadweep Islands on India’s west coast on January 6 on his X handle.

SOURCE: AFI

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, the Vice Chief of the Indian Army Staff (VCOAS), recently undertook a visit to the Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) and the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) at Avadi. This visit highlighted the Indian Army’s commitment to self-reliance in developing and maintaining its armored vehicle fleet.

Lt Gen Dwivedi was briefed on advancements in armored vehicle technologies, including the Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun and the T-90S Bhishma tank’s upgraded variant, the T-90 Mk-III.

SOURCE: PTI

For the first time, India will post defence attaches in several countries including Ethiopia, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Philippines, Armenia and Poland in line with its broader policy initiative to expand strategic ties with key regions, a move that comes amid renewed geopolitical rivalries.

New Delhi is also appointing a new defence attache to the tiny African nation of Djibouti that serves as a major maritime gateway around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and is considered as a prized location for military bases, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

SOURCE: IANS

As he released the BJP manifesto for Lok Sabha Elections in Mizoram’s Aizawl on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spotlighted the special emphasis the Narendra Modi government has been laying on completing major pending connectivity projects in the strategically-located region.

Addressing party workers and media, S. Jaishankar mentioned how the government has been working hard to create access to Myanmar’s Sittwe Port through a road from Mizoram. “It has been having some problems right now. But certainly, as we look after the elections, it will be one of our priorities to see that the road is completed as soon as possible. We would also like to see more border haats with both Bangladesh and Myanmar,” said the EAM.

SOURCE: ANI

Highlighting successful US-India law enforcement cooperation in combating cybercrimes, US Ambassador Eric Garcetti on Wednesday termed the bilateral ties between the two nations, “a multiplicative relationship.”

Ambassador Garcetti, speaking at a special screening of the documentary ‘Bogus Phone Operators’ in New Delhi, underscored the significance of the collaboration between the United States and India in addressing various challenges, including cyber-security threats.

SOURCE: UNI

Security forces busted a terror module when they arrested three associates of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and recovered incriminating material and ammunitions from their possession in Jammu Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday. The three individuals were identified as Owais Ahmad Waza and Basit Fayaz Kaloo, both residents of Ganie Hamam Baramulla, and Faheem Ahmad Mir of Mir Sahab Old Town Baramulla, police said.

“The three are assisting and providing information about security force movements and their intentions was to disturb the peace process in the Baramulla given forthcoming Parliamentary elections, orchestrated by their handlers across the border”, Police said and added, “The involvement of these three individuals posed a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India”.

SOURCE: REUTERS

Apple Inc has warned its users in India and ninety-one other countries that they were possible victims of a “mercenary spyware attack”, according to a threat notification email that was sent to targeted users.

The company discovered that attackers tried to “remotely compromise the iPhone”, Apple said in the notification email seen by Reuters. Mercenary spyware attacks are rare and vastly more sophisticated than regular cybercriminal activity or malware, according to the notification email.

SOURCE: PTI

A terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday, police said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Fressipora village in Rajpora area of the south Kashmir district following inputs about the presence of terrorists there, they said.

They said the search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the forces, who retaliated. In the ensuing encounter, the terrorist was killed, the police said.

SOURCE: PTI

A 52-year-old migrant worker was allegedly killed in an attack at a construction site in Shillong’s Mawroh area on Wednesday, police said. Miscreants, who are yet to be identified, attacked three labourers at the private construction site around 11.15 am with a crowbar, they said.

“Due to the assault, one Arjun Ray was severely injured,” SP of East Khasi Hills district Rituraj Ravi said. Ray was admitted to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences where he died, he said.