Page 11 - Defence

GPT-4 poses little risk of in creation of bioweapons, says OpenAI

For months, lawmakers and even some tech executives have raised concerns about whether AI can make it easier for bad actors to develop biological weapons

'India moving fast in defence production, 2,920 items indigenised so far'

India is moving "fast and steady" in defence production and so far indigenised 2,920 defence items out of 4,666 listed items, Director (DIP), Department of Defence Production, Amit Satija said on Wednesday. He was speaking on the topic ' Enhancing the participation of MSMEs in the Defence sector' at a state-level conclave of Defence MSMEs in Nagpur, organised by the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry). Satija said multiple initiatives have been undertaken by the Ministry of Defence, especially the Department of Defence Production. "Out of 4,666 defence items, including assemblies, sub-assemblies, raw materials, critical spares and components etc, which were listed for indigenisation, 2,920 items have already been indigenised," he said. Referring to the Make-1 and Make-2 categories, Satija said several industry-friendly provisions are built in, such as relaxation in the eligibility criteria, minimal documentation, and other provisions for considering ...

Rolls-Royce, Azad Engineering partner to make defence aero-engine parts

Power and propulsion solutions provider Rolls-Royce on Monday said it has signed an agreement with Azad Engineering for making complex defence aero-engine components in India. Under the long-term agreement, Hyderabad-based Azad Engineering will manufacture and supply complex components for defence aircraft engines and thus join the global supply chain for complex category components for Rolls-Royce's technologically advanced aero-engines, the company said in a statement. "Strong collaboration has been at the heart of Rolls-Royce's journey of success in India. As we work towards strengthening the defence ecosystem, we are happy to expand our supply chain in India in partnership with Azad Engineering," Rolls-Royce Executive Vice President Business Development and Future Programmes and Head of Global Networks, Alex Zino, said. The sourcing of complex components from India for aero-engine programmes further advances the goal of capability creation in the country, he added. Azad ...

China assures Pak of support to defend sovereignty after Iran's airstrikes

China has assured Islamabad of its support in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity even while welcoming on Tuesday the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Islamabad after their recent air strikes against each other. As China's Foreign Minister Sun Weidong visited Pakistan on a mediation mission, a statement from Foreign Ministry on Monday said it is maintaining close contacts with Pakistan and Iran to bridge their differences. China on January 18 offered to play a constructive role to ease tension between Pakistan and Iran following their missile strikes against each other and asked the two countries to "exercise restraint and calmness and avoid escalation. Earlier on January 18, Pakistan conducted "precision military strikes" against what it called "terrorist hideouts" in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province that killed 9 people. The attack was seen as retaliation to Iranian missile and drone attacks on January 16 which targeted two bases of the Sunni ..

India-US partnership within Quad enhances security: General Atomics

The collaboration between India and the US within the Quad framework enhances security and strengthens the ability to respond to emerging geopolitical threats and promotes a rules-based international order, according to a top Indian-American executive in the American defence industry. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive for the General Atomics Global Corporation, also said as his company is building its support network within India, it is also reaching out to the Indian high-tech sector. Collaboration between the U.S. and India, within the Quad framework, enhances security by fostering a strategic partnership to address common challenges, such as regional stability, maritime security, and counterterrorism, Lall told PTI in an interview. The US, Japan, India and Australia had in 2017 given shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad or the Quadrilateral coalition to counter China's aggressive behaviour in the resource-rich Indo-Pacific region. Lall is on the Advisory Board of

IAF indigenised more than 60,000 components in 2-3 years: Air Chief Marshal

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Saturday said the IAF has indigenised more than 60,000 components in the last two to three years. He also said the Air Force cannot rely on foreign OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) for repair and overhaul maintenance activities and that it has to be done in-house. The IAF chief was speaking with reporters on the sidelines of a programme held in the Bhonsala Military School in Nagpur. Queried on tracing the wreckage of a transport aircraft of Indian Air Force in the Bay of Bengal off the Chennai coast, the Air Chief Marshal said, "Unfortunately, it took so long but finally we at least got the technology to (explore) deep sea and locate such things in seabed". "We are grateful to the Ministry of Ocean and Earth Sciences for facilitating this and to be able to discover this wreckage. It brings closure to a long pending sad accident". The wreckage of an IAF transport aircraft has been located at a depth of around 3.4 km in the Bay of Bengal, ne

North Korea fires 90 artillery shots from western coast, alleges Seoul

North Korea conducted a new round of artillery firing drills near the disputed sea boundary with South Korea on Saturday, officials in Seoul said. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired more than 60 rounds near the western sea boundary. A day earlier, North Korea fired about 200 artillery shells near the area, prompting South Korea to conduct its own firing drills in response. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it strongly urges North Korea to halt acts that heighten tensions.

China abruptly ousts nine military lawmakers as defense purge widens

The nation's top legislative body revoked the lawmakers' membership during a Friday meeting, the official Xinhua News Agency reported

IAF Chief Chaudhari visits 2 frontline operational bases in western sector

The IAF chief was briefed on the operational readiness of the bases, the statement said

2023 defence wrap: US supports India's defence modernisation plans

Calling 2023 a 'decisive year', the US Department of Defence, in an official release has stated that it is supporting allies and partners as they invest in their capabilities

N Korea's Kim Jong Un pledges to advance his atomic ambitions in New Year

That's according to an address he gave at a major policy-setting meeting attended by top cadres from his ruling party

Stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Imphal commissioned into Navy

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony Admiral Hari Kumar said that the INS Imphal is the first warship to be named after a prominent city of the north-east

Sanjay Bhandari case: Court issues NBW against UK national Sumit Chaddha

"Cognizance of the offence of money laundering as defined in u/Sec. 3 r/w Sec. 17 punishable u/Sec. 4 of PMLA, 2002, has already been taken on October 5, 2020," noted the court

China unveils Hu Zhongming as new naval chief amid rising maritime tensions

Hu Zhongming was promoted to the rank of general at a ceremony in Beijing attended by President Xi Jinping on Monday

Israel to increase defence spending by at least $8 billion as war rages

The ministry, in a document presented to parliament on Monday, said the overall 2024 budget will probably have to total 562 billion shekels

Israeli airstrike in Syria kills Iranian General Seyed Razi Mousavi

An Israeli airstrike on Monday in a Damascus neighbourhood killed a high-ranking Iranian general, Iranian state media said. The killing of Seyed Razi Mousavi, a long-time adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria, comes as clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border between Hezbollah and Israel continue to intensify with fears of the Israel-Hamas war sparking a regional spillover with Iran-backed groups. The Israeli strikes killed two other generals earlier this month in Syria. Israel struck the Sayida Zeinab neighbourhood, located near a Shiite Muslim shrine, Iran's official news agency IRNA and Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. IRNA described Mousavi as a close companion of Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force who was slain in a US drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. Neither the Israeli military nor Syrian state media immediately issued a statement about the attack. Though IRNA didn't prov

India takes over as co-chair of IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security

India has taken over as co-chair of the IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security and HADR for the forthcoming cycle, officials said on Friday. The eighth Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs was conducted by the Royal Thai Navy in Bangkok from December 19-22, the defence ministry said in a statement. The chiefs of navies and senior delegates from 27 member and observer countries took part in the event, it said. Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar attended the event with a three-member naval delegation. During the conclave, Thailand assumed the duties of "chair of IONS and the work plan for the next two years was finalised", the statement added. "As a first, a flag designed by India was selected as the IONS flag. India also took over as the co-chair of IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security and HADR for the forthcoming cycle. Republic of Korea Navy was welcomed by the conclave as the latest 'observer', raising the collective strength of IONS to 34 (25 members

PM GatiShakti Defence Portal created, 300 projects identified: Army Chief

He said that this interconnection between security and concomitant infrastructure needs, underscores the Indian Army, as one of the contributors to holistic national development

US Senate passes annual defence policy bill with $886 billion package

The National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) is one of the largest bills passed annually by lawmakers and is a yearlong process for Congress

Stephanie Pope to be next CEO of Boeing, with effective from Jan 1

Boeing has promoted the head of its services business to chief operating officer, putting the female executive in discussion as a potential heir apparent to CEO David Calhoun in a male-dominated industry. Boeing said Monday that Stephanie Pope's elevation to the job, which includes the title of executive vice president, takes effect January 1. Pope has spent nearly 30 years at Boeing, holding down key financial jobs in the company's defense, commercial airplanes and services divisions. She became CEO of the services unit last year. Some industry observers were quick to tap Pope, 51, as a contender to become the aerospace company's next CEO. Richard Aboulafia, managing director of aerospace consultant AeroDynamic Advisory, named Pope and Chief Financial Officer Brian West as potential successors to Calhoun. Calhoun, 66, has held the top job since January 2020, when he replaced Dennis Muilenburg, who was fired during the fallout from two fatal crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets. .