SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
The Indian Navy is preparing to enhance its amphibious capabilities by acquiring a new fleet of Landing Platform Docks (LPDs). A decision on whether to opt for an entirely indigenous design or to collaborate with foreign partners for the project is expected soon. These versatile platforms are envisioned to serve not only as key assets for amphibious operations but also as command centers for various military and humanitarian missions.
In 2021, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a Request for Information (RFI) for procuring four LPDs for the Navy. The RFI limits participation to Indian shipyards, allowing them to partner with foreign entities for designs and technical expertise. The project is an essential part of the Navy’s modernization efforts to meet its operational requirements in amphibious warfare, disaster relief, and unmanned platform deployment.
Continue readingSOURCE: IDRW.ORG.
New Delhi-based startup Botlab Dynamics has made impressive strides in drone technology with the development of a lightweight Nano Drone designed for precision surveillance and reconnaissance operations. These Nano Drones are compact yet powerful tools that can be deployed swiftly to scan and secure potential infiltration and exfiltration routes for India’s defense forces. The Indian Navy is currently leading the testing of these advanced Nano Drones and is expected to place orders in the near future, marking a major step in the integration of indigenous technology into India’s security apparatus.
Botlab Dynamics won the prestigious iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) Challenge, where the company’s Nano Drone stood out for its innovative design and strategic applications. The iDEX initiative, an arm of the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), encourages technology startups to develop cutting-edge solutions for the Indian armed forces. Botlab Dynamics met this challenge by designing a Nano Drone that weighs less than 250 grams and covers a range of up to 2 kilometers, making it an ideal tool for field operations in high-stakes scenarios.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to extend the service life of its MiG-21 Bison fighters due to delays in the induction of the indigenous Tejas Mk1A fighter jets. Originally scheduled to retire by December 2025, the MiG-21 Bison fleet will continue to operate until the Tejas Mk1A program can fill the gap in operational capabilities.
The IAF had planned to establish its first Tejas Mk1A squadron at Nal Air Force Base in Rajasthan’s Bikaner by July 2024, marking a major step forward in modernizing its fleet. However, delays in the supply of engines required for the Tejas Mk1A jets have hindered the production capabilities of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). These delays have pushed back the timeline for replacing the aging MiG-21s.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
India’s quest for a robust Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system has been a cornerstone of its strategic defense initiatives for over two decades. As missile threats continue to evolve, developing a comprehensive system capable of intercepting and neutralizing incoming ballistic missiles is a critical priority for the nation. Spearheaded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India’s indigenous BMD program has made significant progress, but the question remains: how close is India to operationalizing its first indigenous BMD shield?
The Indian BMD program is structured into two primary layers of defense: the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) for exo-atmospheric interception (outside the Earth’s atmosphere) and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) for endo-atmospheric interception (within the Earth’s atmosphere). Together, these systems aim to provide a comprehensive shield against incoming missile threats, ranging from short-range tactical missiles to long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Mumbai-based drone manufacturer ideaForge has achieved a significant milestone, ranking third globally among dual-use drone manufacturers. This remarkable feat places the Indian company behind Insitu from the United States, which secured the top spot, and Quantum-Systems from Germany, which claimed second place.
ideaForge, a pioneer in drone technology, has gained global recognition for its cutting-edge UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) designed for dual-use purposes, catering to both civilian and defense applications. Its high ranking highlights India’s growing prominence in the global drone ecosystem and underscores the company’s technological prowess and innovative capabilities.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The Indian Navy has confirmed a collision between its submarine INS Karanj and a fishing boat, FV Marthoma, off the Goa coast on November 21, 2023. The incident resulted in the unfortunate loss of two fishermen.
While the submarine sustained damage, it remains operational, according to Vice Admiral Dinesh K Singh. “Whenever there’s a collision, some damage is inevitable. The Navy assessed the damage, and repairs are underway,” he stated.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Amid escalating concerns over the reported rise in violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, attributed to what some claim is a U.S.-backed regime, hardline Hindu nationalist groups in India are calling for decisive action. These groups have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in various parts of the country.
Reports from Bangladesh highlight a troubling increase in attacks on the minority Hindu population. Activists allege that systematic violence, including displacement, destruction of property, and targeted killings, amounts to a genocide against the Hindu community in the neighboring country. The situation has drawn criticism from Hindu nationalist groups in India, who accuse international powers, including the United States, of supporting the Bangladeshi regime despite its alleged failure to protect minorities.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Wednesday said that nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) provide the third leg of the nuclear triad. He added that the next SSBN will be commissioned in the “coming months”. “As far as the nuclear weapons are concerned, our stated policy is of no first use. And therefore the government had decided about the nuclear triad. The SSBNs provide that option for the third leg of the nuclear triad, which some people feel is the most reliable because it remains underwater and therefore not likely to be detected easily,” Tripathi told ANI on the occasion of Indian Navy Day.
“We have obviously commissioned the second ship in August, and it is carrying out various trials, and then we’ll do whatever she’s supposed to do. And similarly, next one, in the coming months and years, it will be a part of our navy and provide the nation with an alternative for deterrence as also the second strike capability as part of a nuclear triad,” he added.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
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Isro’s trusted workhorse PSLV rocket carrying two satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA), lifted off from the spaceport here on Thursday. The launch was rescheduled to 4:04 pm today and a revised countdown was set after sorting out an anomaly detected in the propulsion system of one of the satellites on Wednesday, minutes before the launch.
As the countdown concluded, the PSLV C-59 blasted off to place Proba-3 spacecraft in the desired orbit.
Continue readingSOURCE: PIB
Recognising the growing importance of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) for space sustainability, ISRO System for Safe and sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM) has been established to focus all efforts related to spaceflight safety and debris mitigation and for dealing with the emerging challenges in operating in a congested space environment.
Network for Space object TRacking and Analysis (NETRA) has been approved by GOI for SSA capacity building.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘India-first’ policy and the ‘Make in India’ initiative and expressed Russia’s willingness to establish manufacturing operations in India. Addressing the 15th VTB Russia Calling Investment Forum in Moscow, President Putin drew parallels between Russia’s import substitution programme and India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The two-day forum started in Moscow on Wednesday. “Prime Minister Modi has a similar programme called Make in India. We are also ready to set up our manufacturing operations in India. The Indian government, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, has been creating stable conditions, driven by a policy of putting India first. We believe that investing in India is profitable,” the Russian President said.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
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Union Minister for state Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed Rajya Sabha in a written reply that 71,231 new posts have been created in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) & Assam Rifles (AR) in the last five years from 2020 to 2024.
MoS Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply informed Rajya Sabha that there are 100,204 vacancies in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) & Assam Rifles (AR) as on October 30, 2024.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
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The Indian Coast Guard has rescued 12 crew members of a merchant vessel from the country which sank in the north Arabian Sea during its voyage from Porbandar in Gujarat to Bandar Abbas port in Iran, officials said on Thursday.
The vessel ‘MSV Al Piranpir’ sank on Wednesday outside Indian waters, within Pakistan’s search and rescue region. Hence, the Indian Coast Guard carried out the rescue operation in collaboration with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), the ICG said in a release.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
District Reserve Guard (DRG) head constable was killed in an encounter with Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Wednesday, a senior police official said. The gunfight broke out at around 1 pm in the forest on the border of Sonpur and Kohkameta police station areas in Abujhmad when a joint team of security personnel was conducting an anti-Naxal operation, he said.
District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force personnel were involved in the operation launched on Tuesday, the official said.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
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Naxalites have killed two former heads village panchayats in separate incidents in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said on Thursday.
Naxalites in their pamphlets claimed former sarpanch Suklu Parsa was a BJP worker and accused the other deceased, Sukhram Avlam, of helping cops in setting up a police camp. Parsa was killed on Wednesday in Bhairamgarh police station limits, while Avlam was murdered the same day in Naimed area, an official here said.
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