Page 2 - External Affairs Defence Security News

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

Modi-Xi stress stronger business ties, mobility to consolidate thaw

Concerns on trade imbalance, supply chain issues and market access to be addressed, says MEA

'Unacceptable': India condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi oil installations

India on Wednesday condemned the latest wave of attacks carried out by Houthi militants on oil installations in Saudi Arabia, and said the strikes undermined regional security. The Iran-backed Houthi militant group targeted Saudi oil facilities and some other civilian infrastructure on Tuesday, triggering widespread apprehensions about further escalation in the West Asia conflict. India condemned the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, especially the targeting of civilian and economic facilities, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He added that such attacks that undermined regional security and stability and threatened freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb were "unacceptable". Jaiswal was responding to a media query. The attacks on Saudi oil facilities came amid the US ramping up its economic sanctions against Iran. The Houthis have been majorly operating from Yemen.

Pakistan will remain a threat for the times to come, says former CDS

India's former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan (retired) said on Saturday that China, on the other hand, is a long-term challenge

Adani Defence signs 5-year ammunition supply pact for AK-203 rifles

Adani Defence & Aerospace has signed a five-year agreement with Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd to supply indigenously produced 7.62x39 mm ammunition for AK-203 assault rifles being manufactured in India, creating an integrated domestic supply chain for the India-Russia rifle programme. Under the agreement, Adani Defence will supply the small-calibre ammunition required for the AK-203 programme for five years, providing an Indian source of supply and supporting continuity of ammunition availability over the contract period, according to the company. The pact brings together rifle production by Indo-Russian Rifles, or IRRPL, and ammunition manufacturing by Adani Defence, linking two parts of the AK-203 programme within India's defence manufacturing ecosystem. IRRPL was established in 2019 under an India-Russia intergovernmental agreement to manufacture AK-203 rifles for the Indian Armed Forces. Its manufacturing facility is located at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district. The joint

Ukraine defence minister pledges 'clear' plan to get early loan release

Ukraine's new defence minister plans to seek an early release of EU loan funds as Kyiv faces a $27 billion military budget deficit amid its war with Russia

India, Uzbekistan agree to deepen cooperation in trade, defence, energy

India and Uzbekistan on Sunday agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. Modi is on a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 at the invitation of Mirziyoyev. This is his fourth visit to the Central Asian country. Modi received a ceremonial welcome as he arrived to hold delegation-level talks with Mirziyoyev, with the two leaders discussing ways to further deepen the India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership and advance their shared developmental visions of 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Yangi Uzbekistan'. The talks covered a range of areas, including trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy, according to the Indian side. Modi had earlier said the India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership had witnessed significant advancement in recent years and expressed his desire to further deepen cooperation in k

Need to guard against internal strife and narrow interests: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday urged people to remain vigilant against internal strife, saying some individuals have repeatedly betrayed the nation for their narrow interests and caused severe harm to the country, even without using weapons, through their ideology and actions. "Freedom is not merely a right, it comes with responsibility. Democracy is not limited to just casting a vote, it also entails fulfilling one's duties, respecting the Constitution and discharging one's responsibilities towards the nation," he said Singh was speaking at the inauguration of the Fragrance Park and unveiling of the statues of Lala Lajpat Rai and Shaheed Bhagat Singh in Lucknow's Chowk area. "We have lost our independence a number of times in the past due to infighting. Some people have always taken advantage of this. For the sake of their narrow interests, they have repeatedly betrayed India. Even without weapons, such individuals have caused immense harm to India through their ideolog

India buys US Javelin anti-tank missiles for Army in Rs 292-crore deal

A medium-range, man-portable, shoulder-launched missile, the Javelin is designed to engage tanks, other armoured systems and bunkers

India, China to hold trans-border rivers mechanism meeting in September

Ajit Doval and Wang Yi also agreed to add military meeting points and hotlines, improve border management and maintain communication on hydrological data-sharing issues

Datanomics: Submarine push highlights India's missed naval deadlines

This development highlights India's long-delayed naval projects and its spending patterns on naval fleets and infrastructure.