SOURCE: PTI
A special court has convicted a man from Gujarat for conspiring with Pakistan-backed ISI agents to carry out terrorist acts in the country, a statement issued by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said.
Rajakbhai Kumbhar is the second accused to be convicted in the case which was registered by the NIA in 2020, it said. He was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by the special NIA court on Tuesday under different provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with a maximum sentence of six years, the statement said.
Continue readingSOURCE: IDRW.ORG
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to travel to Russia in early December to commission INS Tushil, the first of two advanced stealth frigates being constructed at the Kaliningrad-based Yantar Shipyard under a $2.5 billion contract. This significant milestone marks a crucial step in the strengthening of the Indian Navy’s maritime capabilities, as INS Tushil is the first of the two frigates being built under a follow-on agreement to the Talwar-class vessels.
In 2016, India and Russia signed an inter-governmental agreement for the construction of four frigates. The agreement was formalized in 2018, with two frigates to be built at Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, and the remaining two at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in India. The construction of these frigates was part of a strategic plan to bolster India’s naval fleet, and the new ships are an advanced iteration of the Talwar-class frigates, based on the Russian Krivak III-class design.
Continue readingSOURCE: IDRW.ORG
India’s state-owned engineering giant, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), is inviting private sector participation in the design and development of a hydraulically operated Main Winch for the Arjun Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle (ARRV). The initiative is part of the larger goal to enhance the indigenous development of defense technologies under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative.
The proposed winch system, with a 50-ton single-line pull capacity, will be a crucial component for the Arjun ARRV, enabling it to perform critical recovery operations in the field. The double capstan-type winch design will offer operational flexibility and control, particularly in high-load recovery scenarios.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The Chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with a former Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief, has underscored the need for the development of a 110kN-class engine for India’s ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program. This new engine, designed to power India’s 5th-generation fighter jet, will mark a significant leap forward in engine technology, featuring advancements that will not only serve the AMCA but also provide a foundation for future 6th-generation aircraft platforms.
The call for a 110kN engine stems from the need to equip the AMCA with a powerplant that meets the demands of modern air combat, while also ensuring future scalability. The AMCA, envisioned as a 5th-generation fighter, requires an engine that incorporates next-generation technologies, with a focus on thermal reduction measures, stealth features, and superior thrust-to-weight ratios.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The world of submarine design and development mourns the loss of Academician Igor Dmitriyevich Spassky, who passed away on October 22, 2024, at the age of 98. Renowned as a visionary and a pioneer, Spassky played a pivotal role in shaping the Soviet Union’s, and subsequently Russia’s, submarine fleet.
Born in 1926, Spassky dedicated his life to the design and engineering of submarines. He rose through the ranks to become the head of the Central Design Bureau of Marine Equipment “Rubin,” one of the most prestigious research and development centers in the Soviet Union.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The Indian Navy has opted for the MQ-9B Reaper drones, developed by General Atomics, to bolster its maritime surveillance capabilities, after the indigenously developed TAPAS UAV failed to meet the Navy’s specific operational requirements. Speaking on the subject, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, noted that the MQ-9B drones will be critical in fulfilling the need for comprehensive surveillance across India’s expansive oceanic territories, which the TAPAS was unable to effectively deliver.
The TAPAS UAV (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance), also known as TAPAS-BH-201, is a part of the Rustom family of drones developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Initially conceived to meet the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) needs of the Indian armed forces, TAPAS was expected to serve as a cost-effective and indigenous alternative to imported platforms.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
In a recent interview with Suno Digital, Ex-Commodore Sajid Mehmood Shehzad HI(M) of the Pakistani Navy has highlighted Indian aircraft carriers as a primary target for the Pakistani Navy in the event of a conflict with India. Shehzad emphasized that these powerful warships would be a priority if they ever approached Pakistani coastal waters.
While acknowledging the challenges associated with targeting aircraft carriers, which are often accompanied by protective carrier strike groups, Shehzad suggested that the Indian Navy might be hesitant to bring them closer to the Pakistani coastline. The Indian Navy is likely to keep its aircraft carriers at a safe distance from the Arabian Sea, reducing the risk of confrontation.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has confirmed that, Sandeep Singh Sidhu, one of its employees. Sandeep Singh Sidhu is wanted for promoting terrorist activities in Punjab and is accused in the high-profile assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a Shaurya Chakra awardee. Sandhu was gunned down outside his home in Bhikhiwind, Punjab, in October 2020. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India, which took over the case in 2021, has linked Sidhu to the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), implicating him in a larger conspiracy behind the murder.
Sidhu, 43, who currently resides in Abbotsford, British Columbia, works as a superintendent for the CBSA, Canada’s border enforcement and immigration agency. Despite his high-profile role, Sidhu is accused of harboring connections with several terrorist outfits, including Pakistan-based Khalistani operatives. According to an NIA dossier submitted to the Supreme Court of India, Sidhu is accused of promoting separatist activities in Punjab, raising serious concerns about his involvement in global terror networks while working for a key Canadian law enforcement agency.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold bilateral talks on Wednesday on the margins of the Brics summit in Russia, in their first structured meeting since the eastern Ladakh border row erupted in May 2020.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the announcement, a day after India and China firmed up an agreement on patrolling by their militaries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, in a major breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.
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The US has said it would not be fully satisfied until there is “meaningful accountability” resulting from India’s investigations into the alleged foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.
The Indian government has denied its association or involvement with such a plot to kill an American national on US soil. Following allegations by the US, New Delhi had set up an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
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The US has said that it will continue to work and have “strong positive relationship with India, Brazil and South Africa.
While addressing a media briefing on Tuesday (local time), US Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said that US works bilaterally with the countries in a number of key areas. He noted that US intends to manage its relationship and competition with China responsibly.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, October 22 reiterated to Russian President Vladimir Putin that India is ready to provide any possible assistance in the future to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“We are in regular contact regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As I have said before, we believe that problems should be resolved peacefully. We fully support the earliest possible establishment of peace and stability. In all our efforts, we give priority to humanity, and we are ready to provide any possible assistance in the future,” said PM Modi in his opening remarks at the bilateral meeting with Putin at the Governor’s Palace in Kazan.
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Union Minister of Civil Aviation K Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday said India has totally banned the import of drones to encourage local talent to manufacture them.
Addressing the two-day national drone summit at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, the Civil Aviation Minister noted that the government banned drone imports as it does not want some other country or company to benefit at the cost of India.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
One worker was killed and another was missing while 14 others were injured in a powerful blast at Ordnance Factory Khamaria in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district on Tuesday morning, October 22 officials said.
Of those injured, one was in ICU, they said. The factory’s general manager M N Haldar said the explosion took place during the “boil out” process of a Russian missile around 10.45 AM. It was a regular process, being carried out on a daily basis, he said.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes “good neighbourly relations” between India and China will be strengthened following their agreement on border de-escalation, his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Tuesday.
“We certainly welcome any positive engagement between the nations of China and India, and we hope that the process of good neighborly relations will be strengthened,” he said at the daily UN briefing. The neighbours reached an agreement on patrolling along the nearly 3,500-km Line of Actual Control to end the four-year-long border confrontation that led to a fatal clash.
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