Page 4 - Defence

Japan's new PM expresses regret for governing party's slush fund scandal

New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba opened his first policy speech in office Friday by expressing deep regrets over the governing party's slush funds scandal that dogged his predecessor. Ishiba replaced Fumio Kishida on Tuesday with the paramount mission of quickly pacifying public anger over financial misconduct in the Liberal Democratic Party and regaining support ahead of an Oct 27 parliamentary election. I will achieve politics that is not for politicians but for the people, Ishiba said, pledging to provide sincere explanations and ensure that lawmakers abide by the rules. He set five policy pillars to uphold, including security, economy and disaster resilience. Ishiba said he will bolster Japan's military capability to defend itself from threats from China, Russia and North Korea under the framework of the Japan-US security alliance. He did not mention two goals he advocated before taking office making the Japan-US security alliance more equitable and establishing a .

Need for future leaders to enhance decision-making in battlespace: CDS

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Friday said there is a need for future strategic leaders to enhance quick decision-making in technology-driven battlespace where timelines are shrinking rapidly. In his address at the closing of the pioneering tri-Services Future Warfare Course, General Chauhan underscored that artificial intelligence, machine learning, advancements in stealth technology and hypersonics and also robotics will dictate the character of future wars. The course aims to create a cadre of tech-enabled military commanders equipped with handling the complexities of the modern battlespace. Apart from being personally driven by the Chief of the Defence Staff, the course was rank-agnostic, with participants having service ranging from 13 to 30 years, the defence ministry said in a statement. "A dynamic security environment coupled with the proliferation of niche technologies, changing character of warfare and lessons learnt from recent and ongoing conflicts ...

DRDO successfully conducts 1st phase firing trials of light tank 'Zorawar'

During the field trials conducted in the desert terrain, the Light Tank demonstrated exceptional performance

A safe place for women: Military needs greater gender sensitisation

The military's growing number of women officers highlights the need for gender sensitisation. Recent harassment cases show systemic flaws that must be addressed for true gender equality

Indian Navy looking to conclude 3 deals worth Rs 1.25 trn by end of FY25

The Indian Navy has also been provided full support by the government for its urgent modernisation requirements, as it has been provided the highest ever capital budget of Rs 61,000 crore this year

IDF strikes Hezbollah rocket launchers as Israel declares 48-hour emergency

Israel's Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, declared an emergency. This comes as a "special situation in the home front," which enables the IDF Home Front Command to issue restrictions

Indian Coast Guard D-G Rakesh Pal dies due to cardiac arrest in Chennai

Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rakesh Pal, who played a key role in boosting his force's operational prowess, died at a hospital in Chennai on Sunday following a cardiac arrest, officials said. Pal had taken charge as the 25th Indian Coast Guard (ICG) chief on July 19 last year. The officer, who was to attend an ICG event along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital (RGGH) after he complained of chest pain. "Deeply saddened at the untimely demise of Shri Rakesh Pal, DG, Indian Coast Guard in Chennai today," the defence minister said on 'X'. "He was an able and committed officer under whose leadership ICG was making big strides in strengthening India's maritime security. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family," he said. Singh also visited the hospital where he paid respects to Pal. The officer, who was an ardent music lover and an avid sports enthusiast, hailed from Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by wife Dipa Pal and two

US takes additional steps to support Israel's defence amid regional tension

On Saturday, the US issued an alert, calling its citizens to book any ticket available to leave Lebanon

Prez Xi urges hi-tech smart system usage to boost China's border defence

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for greater use of technology and the deployment of a smart system for border defence to meet new opportunities and challenges, amidst Beijing's unresolved land and maritime territorial disputes with its neighbours. The instructions were made during a group study session on Tuesday attended by the Communist Party's 24-member Politburo, its top policymaking body. Xi highlighted the need to strengthen technological empowerment in border defence, enhance the development of new methods and conditions for border, maritime, and air defence, and build a comprehensive and smart management and control system," Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Thursday. This aligns with Xi's repeated calls to improve the use of advanced technology in the armed forces to meet modernisation goals by 2027 and achieve the goal of building a world-class military by 2050. Tuesday's meeting lacked details about what the smart systems would entail, the Post

US to upgrade military command in Japan amid growing concerns over China

The two countries agreed Sunday to upgrade the command functions of the US forces in Japan for better coordination of the US-Japan bilateral alliance

Kargil Vijay Diwas: MP to UP, 6 states announce job quotas for Agniveers

The Odisha government on Friday announced a 10 per cent quota and five years of age relaxation for Agniveers in the state's uninformed services. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made the announcement before leaving for Delhi to attend the governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog on Saturday. "Our soldiers are our pride. Agniveers, who are trained by our defence forces, are qualified to serve the nation in various security-related sectors," he said. "The Agniveer scheme is a historic initiative launched by PM Narendra Modi. This initiative has made our youth able and fearless so that they can face various challenges in life. That is why the Odisha government has decided to recruit Agniveers in the state's uniformed services," he added.

Philippines, Singapore broaden defence ties with new military agreement

The Philippines is signing a defence pact with Singapore on Wednesday that will allow their militaries to broaden their engagement, including holding joint exercises to prepare for humanitarian emergencies and other contingencies, Philippine officials said. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro will sign the Defence Cooperation Agreement with his counterpart in Singapore, two Philippine officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity ahead of the signing. Details of the agreement were not immediately available. Since territorial hostilities between China and the Philippines surged last year at two hotly disputed shoals in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's administration has taken steps to forge new security alliances with a number of Asian and Western countries and allowed a US military presence at more Philippine bases under a 2014 defense pact. In his state of the nation address before the Philippine Congress on Monday, Marcos stressed that

Houthi sea-drone strikes on vessels require armed-guards review: India

India's Directorate General of Shipping said in a notice on its website that the recent spate of sea-drone attacks has raised the question of how effective some private security providers are

Nation's defence priority, 'aatmaribharta' is what we are riding on: IAF

He further said that, as an Indian Air Force, we are engaged with the DRDO, private industry, communications, command and control, and we already have a very robust Air Defence network

Important to draw right lessons from Kargil war, not repeat mistakes: CDS

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan on Thursday hailed the heroics of Indian bravehearts in the Kargil conflict and said besides recalling memories of a war, it is also important to look at its aftermath and draw the "right lessons" for the future. Speaking at an event held here to mark the 25th anniversary of the Kargil war, he also said "We must not repeat the same mistakes". War and warfare are evolving at a very, very rapid pace. Their character and nature are changing rapidly because of transformation in technology and ongoing geopolitical flux, he said. "The memories of sacrifices made by our soldiers must become a part of our national folklore, as indeed it has become with the Kargil war," Gen Chauhan said. Saga, bravery and fortitude must continue to inspire future generations of the youth as well as soldiers who join the Indian armed forces, the CDS said. Besides recalling memories of war, it is also important to look at its aftermath and draw useful lessons for the future, he said.

India gets one of the most powerful non-nuclear bombs, 2x lethal than TNT

Named SEBEX 2, this explosive has been evaluated, tested, and certified by the Navy under its Defence Export Promotion Scheme

What is the Tibet-China Dispute Act passed by US Congress last week?

China claims that Tibet has been under central Chinese rule for over 700 years

Will Modi 3.0 spur rally in PSU stocks again? Selectively, say analysts

PSU stocks to buy: Analysts caution that premium valuation of PSU stocks may lead to limited upside from here

Pakistan govt announces nearly 15% hike in defence Budget for 2024-25

Pakistan on Wednesday announced a nearly 15 per cent hike in its defence spending and allocated Rs 2,122 billion in the 2024-25 budget, marking a significant increase from last year amidst strenuous efforts to secure a fresh loan from the IMF to meet the cash-strapped nation's external liabilities. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the budget in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, the first budget of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) coalition government which came to power after the February 8 general elections. Last year, the government allocated Rs 1,804 billion for defence, which was higher than the Rs 1,523 billion allocated the previous year. Aurangzeb said the government set a 3.6 per cent GDP growth target for the next year -- higher than the 3.5 per cent set for the outgoing year. The country however missed that target and could only achieve 2.38 per cent growth. He said the total volume of the budget

Who is Lt General Upendra Dwivedi, the new Indian Army chief? Key details

Upendra Dwivedi, who is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, has vast operational experience in dealing with China and Pakistan and will succeed Gen. Manoj Pande