External Affairs Defence Security News

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches Fleet Support Ship-1 in Vizag

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched Fleet Support Ship 1 (FSS 1), laid the keel of FSS-5 and also inaugurated the upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath Crane at the Hindustan Shipyard Ltd here. These milestones demonstrate India's indigenous shipbuilding competencies, a PIB press release said. The upgraded Slipway-4, with its extended length and enhanced load-bearing capability, supported by the goliath crane will enable the shipyard to build and launch vessels of up to 45,000 DWT. This is a prominent expansion of the shipyard's capacity to undertake large and complex platforms. Likewise, FSS-1, the first of five fleet support ships being built for the Indian Navy, entered the waters of the Bay of Bengal just 18 months after steel cutting, said the press release. "These 43,500-tonne vessels will replenish warships at sea, extending the Navy's endurance and reach across the Indian Ocean Region. The keel laying of FSS-5 will mark the programme's steady march ..

India summons Pakistan envoy over Ferozepur border firing incident

India summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires after Pakistan protested the alleged killing of two men near the Punjab border, with both sides giving different accounts of the October 2 incident

IAF chief says long delays in production of fighters 'are going to hurt'

Air Chief Marshal A P Singh added that the Indian Air Force should have a squadron strength of 36-40 until it is increased

PM Modi, Trump discuss bilateral cooperation, global peace and security

Both reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and agreed to maintain close engagement to deepen cooperation for the benefit both countries

Major food crisis coming for Global South, says EAM S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister says trade negotiations created bumps in India-US ties, while Washington's approach to terrorism and mobility also affected the relationship

DRDO, CSIR to develop lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has joined hands with CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) as technology partner for a Rs 50-crore project to develop indigenous advanced lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles. The four-year project, being executed with DRDO laboratories including the Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) in Maharashtra and TBRL in Chandigarh, is at an advanced stage and seeks to take the technology from laboratory development to large-scale manufacturing with an industry partner to be selected by DRDO. The technology is aimed at replacing imported transparent armour while reducing its weight and thickness by up to 50 per cent. "The Rs 50-crore project is aimed at developing advanced indigenous bulletproof glass technology for defence applications and aligns our R&D capabilities directly with national strategic requirements," CSIR-CGCRI Director Bikramjit Basu told PTI. The project is focused on ..

India, WFP discuss challenges to humanitarian efforts on UNGA sidelines

MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George met WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau and discussed the evolving global landscape and challenges facing humanitarian efforts

Jaishankar meets Canadian, Mexican, Venezuelan counterparts at UNGA

Jaishankar held separate meetings with his Canadian, Mexican and Venezuelan counterparts on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.

No dilution in India's zero-tolerance approach to terrorism: Jaishankar

Jaishankar reiterated India's zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism as he called out Pakistan for misrepresenting facts at the United Nations General Assembly

Brics or UN is a 'false choice', group supports UN reform: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that choosing between groupings such as BRICS and the United Nations is "a false choice", emphasising that smaller groups are supportive of the global organisation and would like to see it reformed. "I think it's a false choice. The UN is the UN. It may have many shortcomings. It also has many achievements, and obviously, when you want to reform it, when you want to change it, it's natural to focus on the shortcomings. But I don't think that should lead us to be dismissive of the UN," Jaishankar said. The minister was addressing a session titled 'Ruptures & Ramparts: Building Bridges for a Changing World' organised on the margins of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly by the Observer Research Foundation, Reliance Foundation, UN in India and the Permanent Mission of India to the UN here Thursday. Participating in the session, moderated by ORF President Samir Saran, were Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade ..

India, Turkey, Egypt part of talks to unblock Black Sea shipping: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President ​Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that in addition ​to these countries, there were also proposals ‌from other nations ‌to deblock the Black Sea.

Jaishankar talks regional and global developments with foreign counterparts

Jaishankar began his engagements on day four of the high-level week with a meeting with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda.

Defence Ministry orders 160 anti-airfield weapons for Indian Air Force

The Rs 810.79 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics covers 160 satellite-guided glide bombs and associated equipment, with deliveries scheduled between 2027-28 and 2028-29

German envoy urges deeper India defence ties amid geopolitical uncertainty

Jasper Wieck says Germany is ready to sign the $8 billion submarine pact and seeks closer defence cooperation with India amid a worsening strategic environment

Global South in 'front row' of crises, 'back row' of decisions: Jaishankar

The Global South needs to be part of decision-making structures that deliberate on issues that directly pertain to our future, he said

Gen Z considers India-Israel defence ties above US, France: Survey

A pan-Indian survey of Gen Z highlighted a "perceptible recalibration in generational awareness" among the youth who consider Israel to be among the top five nations in diplomatic ties and among the top three in defence cooperation, ahead of traditional allies such as the US and France, the India Israel Centre said. Recent cultural narratives, pop culture touchpoints and podcasts have begun bringing to light Israel's critical role in delivering emergency laser-guided munitions and surveillance support to Indian armed forces, rapidly changing perceptions of who India's time-tested allies are, according to a statement by the India Israel Centre. As per the survey, 52 per cent of respondents aged 18-29 believed India-Israel defence ties to be robust, placing Israel third alongside other countries, including Russia. France was slightly behind with 51 per cent and the US at 46 per cent. The survey also found that 41 per cent of respondents placed Israel among India's key diplomatic ...

India is firmly committed to Bhutan's progress: EAM S Jaishankar

Jaishankar arrived in Bhutan on Wednesday on a two-day official visit aiming to further strengthen the biltareal ties and cooperation between the two countries.

The Modi way is to build coalitions in a fractured world

Modi speaks of India becoming a "rule shaper" rather than merely a "rule taker".

Bharat Forge, Pratt & Whitney join hands for India's HALE UAV programme

An Indian firm and an American defence major on Tuesday announced that they will work together to support the development of India's high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle. In a statement, Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada said they will evaluate the integration of advanced turboprop engines into a HALE unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), being designed and developed under a programme by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Pratt & Whitney is a business of US-based RTX. The collaboration supports India's indigenous unmanned aerial systems efforts under the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. HALE UAVs provide long-endurance surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance across land and maritime domains. "Pratt & Whitney Canada will evaluate engine compatibility, performance and installation requirements. Bharat Forge will lead engine-airframe integration, including installation design and systems interfaces, drawing on ...

Brics Day 2: Leaders to discuss resilience, innovation, sustainability

Brics leaders will discuss resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability on Sunday as India hosts the second day of Brics summit