Page 13 - Defence

Will continue to support allies, proud to have welcomed 115,000 Afghans: US

Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, marking the conclusion of two years since the end of the war in Afghanistan, has said that the US will "continue to push to help resettle our Afghan allies".

Iran warns Israel that it will face retaliation for its airstrike on Syria

Iran's foreign minister condemned Wednesday an Israeli airstrike on the international airport of the Syrian city of Aleppo, saying such attacks would eventually face retaliation. Hossein Amirabdollahian made his comments during a news conference in the Syrian capital, Damascus, where he was beginning a two-day visit. On Monday, an Israeli airstrike damaged Aleppo's airport, putting the runway out of service. The airport has been targeted several times this year, including two attacks in March that also put it out of service. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years but it rarely acknowledges or discusses the operations. Often the strikes target Syrian military forces or Iranian-backed groups. Tehran has been a main backer of the Syrian government since a 2011 uprising turned into full-blown civil war. It has sent thousands of Iran-backed fighters to Syria, helping to tip the balance of power in the favour of .

North Korea launches ballistic missiles toward sea after US flies bombers

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Wednesday night, its neighbours said, hours after the US flew long-range bombers for drills with its allies in a show of force against the North. The launches, the latest in the North's barrage of weapons tests since last year, came amid ongoing annual US-South Korean military exercises that North Korea regards as a rehearsal for invasion. There were no reports of damages caused by Wednesday's launches. But observers say North Korea likely aimed to demonstrate again it has missiles capable of striking key targets in South Korea in protest at its rivals' military exercises. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the North Korean missiles both travelled about 360 kilometres before landing in the waters of the Korean Peninsula's east coast. It said the missiles were launched from the North's capital region. The Joint Chiefs of Staff called the launches a grave provocation that threatens ...

Defence ministry clears Rs 7,800 cr acquisition including LMG, helicopter

The defence ministry on Thursday approved capital acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 7,800 crore that included procurement of electronic warfare suite for Mi-17 V5 helicopters. The proposals were cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The defence ministry said the proposals approved by the DAC included one on procurement of 7.62x51 mm Light Machine Gun (LMG) and another on acquisition of weapons MH-60R helicopters of the Indian Navy. "A Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting, held under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 7,800 crore," the ministry said in a statement. "To enhance the efficiency of the Indian Air Force, the DAC has granted AoN for procurement and installation of Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite on Mi-17 V5 helicopters under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category," it said. The EW suite will be procured f

CBI arrests Canada-based businessman in defence espionage case: Official

The CBI has arrested a Canada-based businessman in connection with a defence espionage case in which a journalist and a former Navy commander were held in May, officials said on Tuesday. Rahul Gaggal, a businessman who had taken Permanent Residency in Canada in 2019, was arrested in the case when he landed here on Monday, they said. He has been sent to four days of custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by a special court, the officials said. The agency had earlier arrested freelance journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and former Navy commander Ashish Pathak for allegedly collecting sensitive information on defence matters and passing them on to foreign intelligence agencies In its charge sheet filed before a special court here last month, the CBI had named Raghuvanshi and Pathak as accused in the alleged violation of the Official Secrets Act and related offences, the officials said. Raghuvanshi and Pathak were arrested on May 16.

Elon Musk told Pentagon that he spoke to president Putin directly: Report

Musk made the comments during an October conversation with Colin Kahl, then the Pentagon's top policy official, about Ukrainian forces losing connection to Space X's Starlink service

First long-range side swing revolver launched, can hit targets up to 50 m

The country's first long-range side swing revolver 'Prabal' with "twice the range of other revolvers" was launched on Friday for civilians and arms dealers. Manufactured by the state-owned enterprise Advanced Weapons and Equipment India (AWEIL) based in Kanpur, the Prabal revolver boasts of a firing range of up to 50 metres, officiating director Rajiv Sharma said. Sharma said the .32 bore revolver is capable of accurately hitting targets up to 50 metres away. "This range is more than double that of other revolvers currently in production, establishing Prabal as a frontrunner in the field of long-range handguns," he added. "The feature that sets Prabal apart from its counterparts is the incorporation of a side swing out cylinder. This innovative design element eliminates the need to fold the firearm for cartridge insertion, simplifying the reloading process and enhancing user convenience," he said. Sharma said the single and double action 'Prabal' revolver weighs 675 grams (excludi

Niger's neighbours out of options as defence chiefs plan military force

Regional countries are facing a crisis of legitimacy as they run out of options and time to restore democratic rule in Niger after soldiers ousted the president last month, say analysts. Defence chiefs from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, are meeting in Ghana Thursday to discuss Niger's crisis after a deadline passed for mutinous soldiers to release and reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or face military intervention. Bazoum was overthrown in July and remains under house arrest with his wife and son in the capital, Niamey. This is the first meeting since ECOWAS ordered the deployment of a standby force last week to restore constitutional rule in the country. It's unclear if or when troops would intervene. A force would likely consist of several thousands soldiers from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Benin and could take weeks or months to prepare, say conflict experts. ECOWAS has a poor track record in stemming the region's rampant coups: neighboring Burkina Faso and Mal

Murmu to launch advanced stealth frigate, de-addiction campaign in Kolkata

President Droupadi Murmu will visit in Kolkata on Thursday, during which she will launch an advanced stealth frigate for the Indian Navy and a de-addiction campaign. Murmu will launch the 'Vindhyagiri' at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd's (GRSE) facility on the banks of Hooghly river, further propelling India's maritime prowess, a defence official said. This is the sixth of seven ships being built under 'Project 17 Alpha' for the Navy. The first five ships of the project were launched between 2019 and 2022. This is the third and last stealth frigate that the Kolkata-based warship maker was contracted to build for the Navy under the project. The official said that 75 per cent of orders for equipment and systems of P17A ships are from indigenous firms, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The state-of-the-art ship will be fitted with the latest gadgets and undergo extensive trials before being handed over to the Indian Navy for commissioning into ...

India gained new strategic strength in recent years: PM in I-Day speech

India has gained a new strategic strength in recent years and the country's borders are now more secure than ever, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort. The prime minister said a number of military reforms are being undertaken to modernise the armed forces and make them young and battle ready to deal with the future challenges. He also reiterated the government's unwavering resolve to ensure national security amid the current global security scenario. "India has gained a new strategic strength in recent years and today our borders are more secure than ever," Modi said. The prime minister also emphasised that the people of the country feel safe today as there has been a drastic decline in the number of terrorist attacks. When the country is peaceful and secure, new goals of development are achieved, he said. The prime minister also referred to the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme and said it was implemented by his

Army bought weapons worth Rs 7,300 cr from domestic firms to counter China

Another Rs 7,000 crore worth of orders is in the final stages of procurement and is likely to be completed in the coming weeks

India, UK hold first Defence & Military Tech Cooperation workshop in London

Senior government officials, sectoral experts and industry representatives came together in London for a first-of-its-kind discussion to explore synergies between India and the UK in the defence and military technology sector and work as a catalyst to enhance bilateral cooperation in the sphere. The UK-India Defence and Military Technology Cooperation workshop, organised by the London-based think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in partnership with India's Bharat Shakti defence platform on Tuesday, explored collaborative defence research and industrial production partnerships between the two countries. It covered topics such as the Evolving strategic context of UK-India defence relations', 'Perspectives on India's Atmanirbhar programme and the UK's defence technology partnerships' and boosting military and manufacturing partnerships against the backdrop of the India-UK 2030 Roadmap's focus on Defence and Security' as a key pillar of bilateral ties. "This is

Pixxel wins grant to develop miniaturised multi-payload satellites for IAF

Pixxel has solidified its position as a leading innovator in the space tech sector, building and launching made in India and the world's highest-resolution commercial hyperspectral imaging satellites

Ashok Leyland bags orders worth Rs 800 cr to supply defence vehicles

Company will deliver to the Indian Army field artillery tractor and gun-towing vehicle

Rajnath Singh on 3-day visit to Malaysia to boost bilateral defence ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday on a three-day visit that is aimed at further boosting bilateral defence and strategic ties. Singh is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with his Malaysian counterpart Dato' Seri Mohamad Hasan, besides calling on Prime Minister YB Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim. "Delighted to arrive in the beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur. Looking forward to my engagements with the political leadership of Malaysia, further strengthening of bilateral defence ties and Enhanced Strategic Partnership," Singh tweeted. Malaysia is among a handful of countries showing keen interest in procuring India's indigenously developed Tejas aircraft. Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. On Saturday, the defence ministry said Singh and Hasani will review defence cooperation between the two countries and explore new initiatives to further strengthen the engagements. "India and Malaysi

MoD, HAL sign Rs 458 cr contract for two upgraded Dorniers for Coast Guard

The aircraft will be fitted with several advanced equipment including a glass cockpit, maritime patrol radar, electro-optic infrared device, and mission management system

India, Tanzania agree on five-year roadmap for defence cooperation

India and Tanzania have finalised a five-year roadmap to expand overall bilateral defence cooperation including in areas of infrastructure building and collaboration in military equipment and technology. Both sides agreed on the roadmap at the second edition of India-Tanzania Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting that was held in Arusha on June 28 and 29. "During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of opportunities for collaboration with a view to enhancing security in the Indian Ocean Region," the defence ministry said. It said the Indian delegation highlighted the growing prowess of the Indian defence manufacturing to export to friendly countries. "A five-year roadmap for defence cooperation was also agreed to between the two sides, which covers initiatives ranging from customised training and capacity building to maritime cooperation, infrastructure building and collaboration in defence equipment and technology," the ministry said in a ...

India, Egypt elevate ties to 'Strategic Partnership' during Modi's visit

India and Egypt on Sunday elevated their relationship to a 'Strategic Partnership' as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held wide-ranging talks with a particular focus on enhancing political and security cooperation. Modi, who is visiting Egypt at the invitation of President Sisi, held one-on-one conversation with El-Sisi during which they also took stock of what is happening on important issues of the region and the world. Addressing a media briefing on the visit by Modi, the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said four MoUs and agreements were signed, including the "most important and landmark" one on the "Strategic Partnership" between India and Egypt. "The two leaders had a private one-on-one conversation during which, following up on the India visit of President Sisi earlier this year, the two leaders discussed a whole range of bilateral cooperation and also took stock of what is .

'Drone procurement will strengthen India's aerospace, defence ecosystems'

Baba Kalyani, Chairman and MD of Bharat Forge Limited and founding president of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers has hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden for emphasising on co-production of critical systems and platforms "identifying avenues for joint research and development in advanced technologies."Kalyani termed the PM Modi's US visit, a reflection of "strengthening engagement between two great and large democracies."He said, "Historic state visit being accorded to PM Modi by US President Joe Biden is reflective of strengthening engagement between two great and large democracies, to scale up the Indian market and its requirements, combined with our overlapping strategic interest, create both an opportunity and imperative for businesses on either side...to expand bilateral trade & commerce, to strengthen engagement including strategic sectors such as defence, space, 5G, semi-conductor amongst others and collaborate to co-develop critical ..

Govt eases policy related to export of certain types of drones, UAVs

The government on Friday eased norms for the export of certain categories of drones, meant for civilian-end uses, with a view to facilitating the outbound shipments of high-tech items. The commerce ministry's arm DGFT said the export of drones/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) of certain specifications would be allowed under the General Authorization for Export of Drones (GAED), a one-time general licence valid for three years. "The export of Drones/UAVs not covered under the specified categories in SCOMET list and capable of range equal to or less than 25 km and delivering a payload of not more than 25 kg (excluding the software and technology of these items) and meant for only civilian end-use, will now be subject to GAED," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said. Exports of items under the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) list are permitted only against an export authorisation issued on this behalf. "In line with the emphasi