SOURCE: AFI
In a recent development, eight Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighter jets arrived at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska for a joint combat simulation exercise. This deployment has drawn the attention of military analysts, with many believing it to be a veiled response to the ongoing tensions between India and China.
The simulated air combat scenario reportedly pits the Rafale against the American F-35 stealth fighter, acting as a stand-in for the Chinese J-20. This simulated matchup provides a valuable training opportunity for Indian pilots, allowing them to gain insights into the capabilities of the J-20, a fighter jet frequently deployed by China along the disputed Sino-Indian border.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
The recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore witnessed a significant development in US-India defense relations. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted the “very strong relations” between the two nations and announced progress on a collaborative project – the co-production of fighter jet engines and armored vehicles.
As part of this initiative, India will be receiving 80% of the Transfer of Technology (ToT) for the advanced F414 engine, which will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. This engine is set to power the Tejas MkII program, a key component of India’s indigenous defense modernization efforts.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
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In a significant development that has raised geopolitical concerns, China has deployed advanced stealth jets close to the Indian border near Sikkim. This maneuver highlights the escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors and has prompted discussions on India’s potential response. The move is seen as part of China’s broader strategy to assert its dominance in the region and test India’s military preparedness.
Sikkim, a northeastern Indian state, shares a sensitive and strategically important border with China. The region has been a flashpoint for Sino-Indian tensions, most notably during the Doklam standoff in 2017. The deployment of stealth jets by China in this area signals a deliberate show of strength, potentially aimed at securing its claims and enhancing its aerial superiority in the region.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
A Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone, known for its use in Ukraine, has reportedly been downed or crashed in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. This incident raises questions about the drone’s effectiveness in different conflict zones.
Reports suggest a Bayraktar TB2 drone, equipped with laser-guided MAM-L munitions, was lost in Ethiopia’s Horo Guduru Welega Zone. While details remain unclear, this incident highlights the drone’s vulnerability in active conflicts.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
On this day in 2008, the Indian Air Force (IAF) accomplished the seemingly impossible. An An-32 transport aircraft, a workhorse of the IAF fleet, landed at the world’s highest airstrip, Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), situated at a staggering 16,614 feet.
This remarkable feat pushed the boundaries of the An-32’s capabilities. Landing at such an extreme altitude is no easy task, and DBO presented an additional challenge – an unpaved surface.
Continue readingSOURCE: IANS
A ‘wanted’ handler of four Sri Lankan ISIS terrorists, who were taken into custody in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, was arrested by Lankan Police Intelligence on Friday. The 46-year-old terror suspect, Osman Pushparaja Gerard, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo, Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman said.
After the arrests of four suspects by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for having links with terrorist outfit ISIS, Sri Lanka launched a high-level investigation with the participation of two main intelligence branches of the police, the CID and the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) and other military intelligence services.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
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Pakistan on Friday refused to share details of consular access to the two Indian nationals held on the charges of spying, saying such access had been provided from time to time.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was asked at the weekly briefing about the reported consular access to two Indians who were arrested for allegedly spying in Gilgit-Baltistan. I will not go into the details of such communications. However, Pakistan does from time to time arrange consular access for the Indian High Commission to its nationals, she said.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
About 60 drones have either been brought down or recovered by the BSF along the India-Pakistan border during the two-and-a-half months of the Model Code of Conduct, in force for the ongoing general elections, according to official data.
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday said it recovered two China-made drones along with drugs (methamphetamine) from the frontier areas of Punjab’s Tarn Taran district. The unmanned aerial vehicles were recovered on Thursday separately from the farming fields of the district’s CB Chand and Kalsian villages, it said.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
Indian-origin Sunita Williams’ piloted ‘Starliner’ is set to launch into space on Saturday, after the joint mission of US space agency NASA and aircraft major Boeing was previously hit by snags. The flight will mark Williams’ third space mission. According to NASA, the flight to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to lift off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre around 10 pm Indian Standard Time today.
‘Suni’ Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore will be the first humans to go aboard Starliner spacecraft as part of the US space agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFP
The political temperature is already high in the country regarding the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the creator of ChatGPT, ‘OpenAI’, has made a big disclosure, due to which the political turmoil is likely to increase further. It claims it took action within 24 hours to stop the deceptive use of AI in covert campaigns focused on Indian elections.
In such a situation, there was no significant increase in the number of people using it. ‘OpenAI’ said in a report on its website that ‘STOIC’, an Israeli political campaign management firm, had published some material on the Gaza conflict as well as the Indian elections. Prepared. ‘In May, the network began producing commentaries focused on India, including criticism of the ruling BJP and praise of the opposition Congress Party,’ it said. “We disrupted some activities related to the Indian elections in May less than 24 hours after they began,” the report said.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday expressed hope that the government would rethink its policy on the release of political prisoners by adopting a “humane approach” and showing some leniency.
Farooq was allowed to offer Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid here after four weeks.
Continue readingSOURCE: ANI
As anticipation builds for the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj, has underscored India’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism.
Kamboj expressed excitement for the summit on Thursday, highlighting India’s proactive stance in embracing the opportunity to repurpose the UN for collective global progress. “Excited for the upcoming UN Summit of the Future! India’s dedication to committed multilateralism shines as we embrace this opportunity to repurpose the UN for collective global progress. Together, we can achieve the greater good,” Kamboj said in a post on X.
Continue readingSOURCE: PTI
Flight operations at the Srinagar International Airport had to be halted for an hour on Friday after a bomb threat as the authorities took preventive measures, officials said.
The Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Srinagar Airport received a bomb threat on an Air Vistara flight from New Delhi, prompting a response from the authorities, including the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for the security at the airport, the officials said.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is undergoing a significant modernization effort, with plans to simplify its fighter jet fleet in the coming decades. Currently, the IAF operates a diverse range of aircraft, including MiG-21s, Mirage-2000s, Jaguars, MiG-29s, Rafales, and Su-30MKIs. This variety presents logistical and training challenges.
The IAF aims to streamline its fleet to just five fighter jet types within the next 20 years. This will involve the gradual phasing out of older jets like the MiG-21, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, and MiG-29.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is setting its sights on a potential helicopter deal with Argentina, following the South American nation’s decision to acquire American F-16 fighter jets instead of the Indian Tejas.
This comes after a promising visit in 2022, where a high-level Argentinian delegation led by Lt Gen Juan Martin Paleo, Joint Chief of Staff of the Argentine Armed Forces, toured HAL facilities in Bangalore.
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