SOURCE: AFI

Agnikul Cosmos, a leading Indian space tech startup, has achieved a significant milestone with the successful completion of a crucial ground test. This test paves the way for the upcoming launch of their orbital launch vehicle, Agnibaan.

The test showcased Agnikul’s indigenously developed data acquisition systems and flight computers. The test setup has meticulously replicated the Agnibaan SOrTeD (Small Orbital Reusable Test Demonstrator) vehicle and launchpad environment at Sriharikota, mirroring the actual launch conditions. The test also successfully validated the functionality of the entire avionics chain within the SOrTeD vehicle. This chain plays a critical role in controlling the vehicle’s propulsion system.

SOURCE: ANI

The German government is fully backing negotiations with the Indian Navy for its Project 75 India tender to build six new conventional submarines in which German firm Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is partnering with Indian Mazgaon Dockyards Limited as one of the two competing industry teams, Germany’s Ambassador to India Philipp Ackerman said.

In an interview over email, the German envoy said that New Delhi was at the forefront of Berlin’s business strategy in Asia where it was strongly diversifying its business relations due to the “increasingly challenging behaviour of India’s big neighbour in the North East” and other reasons.

SOURCE: ANI

Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande on Monday called upon the force to be always prepared for ‘black swan’ events and “expect the unexpected” even as he identified technology as the new area for strategic competition among nations. In an address at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, Gen Pande highlighted the weaponisation of technology, especially its extension across various domains – from information to supply chains.

The Army Chief emphasised the importance of cross-functional synergy among the three services to effectively assess threats, articulate strategies, identify capabilities, formulate policies, achieve preparedness, and respond appropriately within the national security framework.

SOURCE: ANI

The United States has said that it “will not get into the middle of the situation” following allegations by Pakistan on India and has urged both countries to avoid escalation of tensions and resolve differences via dialogue.

The response by US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller came after he was asked about Washington’s stance on a recent UK media report citing Pakistani officials alleging that India carried killings of individuals associated with terrorism and extremism on Pakistani soil. Indian officials have termed the allegations as “false and malicious anti-India propaganda.”

SOURCE: ANI

Saudi Arabia appears to support India’s stance on Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement with Pakistan. It urged India and Pakistan to resolve their “outstanding issues” bilaterally. The two nations issued a joint statement after the meeting between Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The joint statement reads, “The two sides stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, (especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute) to ensure peace and stability in the region.”

SOURCE: PTI

Asserting that China couldn’t encroach a “single inch” of land under the Narendra Modi government, Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday claimed that people will never forget how former PM Jawaharlal Nehru said “bye-bye” to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh during the 1962 Chinese aggression.

Addressing an election rally in Lakhimpur, he said the BJP-led government at the Centre secured the country’s border with Bangladesh and stopped infiltration.

SOURCE: PTI

India termed the UN Security Council resolution that demanded immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan a “positive step,” asserting that the humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict is “simply unacceptable.” “We are deeply troubled by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis has deepened and instability has been increasing in the region and beyond,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, told a UN General Assembly meeting here Monday.

She said India views the adoption of a resolution on March 25 by the UN Security Council “as a positive step.” Ms Kamboj said the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children.

SOURCE: ANI

ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission team received the 2024 John L “Jack” Swigert, Jr, Award for Space Exploration, a top award from the US-based Space Foundation. This annual award honors a space agency, company, or consortium of organizations in the realm of space exploration and discovery.

The award was presented at the Space Foundation’s yearly opening ceremony of the Space Symposium in Colorado on April 8. Consul General of India in Houston, DC Manjunath received the award on behalf of ISRO’s Chandrayaan team.

SOURCE: ANI

Just like devotees waited for the construction of Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir at Ayodhya for around 500 years, a village in Chattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Sukma district waited for 21 years to open the doors of Lord Ram’s temple till a camp of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was established. After the establishment of CRPF’s 74th battalion camp, security forces have reopened the temple in Keralapenda village, that was shut down 21 years ago following the threat issued by Naxals.

The doors of the Ram Mandir was closed in 2003 following the threat issued by Naxals, near village Lakhapal and Kerlapenda.

SOURCE: AFI

India and Brazil are ramping up their defense collaboration by exploring co-development and production of up to two dozen defense equipment, according to sources familiar with the discussions. This initiative signifies a deeper security partnership between the two nations.

The shortlist reportedly includes armored vehicles and small arms, signifying a strategic shift towards domestic production of these critical military equipment.

SOURCE: AFI

Soldiers from the Indian Army’s Central Command are undergoing training at the Grenadiers Regimental Center in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, to operate the recently introduced AK-203 rifle. This rifle, a product of Indo-Russian collaboration, is being manufactured in India.pen_spark

The AK-203 boasts several advantages over the previously used AK-47 and INSAS rifles. It’s lighter, weighing only 3.8 kilograms, and offers superior firepower. The effective firing range of the AK-203 is approximately 800 meters, exceeding both older rifles. Additionally, it boasts a faster rate of fire, capable of discharging 700 rounds per minute – 50 rounds more than the INSAS.