Page 2 - External Affairs Defence Security News

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.

Rajnath lays foundation for 5 expansion projects of GRSE, Yantra India

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday virtually laid the foundation stone for five brownfield expansion projects of the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, and Yantra India Ltd, from Kolkata. Singh was accompanied by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during the foundation laying ceremony here. The projects comprise three facilities of GRSE and two of Yantra India. Speaking on the occasion, Singh said foundation was laid for five projects worth nearly Rs 3,500 crore in West Bengal. "The state will take steps to usher in a new renaissance of development. The news of closures and lockouts of factories in West Bengal has now been replaced by the launch of new projects," he said. As part of its capacity expansion, GRSE has signed lease agreements with the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) for two small shipyards on either bank of the Hooghly, along with a 32-acre riverside property at Raichak, to enhance its capabilities in warship construction and refit, a

IAF is not against theaterisation, says Air Chief Marshal AP Singh

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is not against theaterisation and it is insisting on having an objective approach for any new initiative that should ensure minimal disruption to the existing structures, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said on Saturday. In an address at an event in Kanpur, the Air Chief Marshal called for not "shaking up" the existing system and batted for looking internally to further enhance India's military prowess rather than copying anything from another country. The government had announced the theaterisation plan in 2019 to ensure greater synergy among the three services. However, no visible forward movement has been made towards it. Under the theaterisation model, the government seeks to integrate the capabilities of the army, air force and navy and optimally utilise their resources for wars and operations. "I can assure my own people here that the Air Force is not against theaterisation the way the media puts it," he said. "What the Air Force ha

China to be India's main long-term competitor, says ex-Army chief Naravane

India's attention towards Pakistan was driven largely by the continuing threat of terrorism, but China is going to be New Delhi's main competitor across multiple domains in the long-term, asserted former Army chief General Manoj Naravane on Thursday. While refraining from using the term "enemy" in context of China, he stressed the need for a strong military deterrence while resolving long-standing differences with Beijing through dialogue. Speaking about security challenges New Delhi faces from its neighbours, Naravane noted Pakistan and China were in a different category though India had fought wars with both countries and had unsettled borders with them. He was speaking at the launch of his new book 'The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries', published by Rupa Publications. "Pakistan and China are a totally different ballgame. We have fought wars with both of them. We have unsettled borders. So they will always remain on our radar as a threat, as a

Su-30MKI, T-90 parts among ₹3,000-cr defence items to be indigenised

MoD's sixth Positive Indigenisation List bars import of 405 'strategically important items' from a specified date

Australian regional leader to visit India; trade, investment ties in focus

Australian regional leader Chris Minns will lead an official delegation to India later this month seeking to strengthen his state's economic, education and cultural ties with one of its key international partners, according to an official statement on Sunday. New South Wales Premier Minns will undertake an official visit to New Delhi and Mumbai from August 31 to September 3, his office said. New South Wales (NSW) is Australia's most populous state and is home to Sydney, the country's largest city and a major financial, business and education hub. In 2024-25, NSW and India traded goods worth AUD 6.87 billion (USD 4.86 billion), making India one of the state's "most important trading partners", the statement said. "I'm proud that my first overseas visit as Premier will be to India. It reflects the importance of the relationship and the enormous contribution the Indian community makes to NSW," Minns said. The visit was announced by Minns at an event in Sydney marking India's 80th ...

Diplomatic premises inviolable: MEA condemns Embassy vandalism in Slovenia

The diplomatic friction comes shortly after high-level bilateral engagements between the two nations

Nepal PM Balen Shah meets Indian envoy, discusses 'historic' bilateral ties

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Monday held his first one-on-one meeting with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and emphasised the need to deepen the country's "historic relationship" with India. Shah met Srivastava at the Prime Minister's Office in Singha Durbar. The meeting covered Nepal-India bilateral relations, mutual interests, development partnership and areas of cooperation, according to the prime minister's secretariat. Srivastava congratulated Shah and expressed his commitment to further strengthening relations and cooperation between the two countries. "Honoured to call on Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Nepal (@ShahBalen) this morning. Conveyed warm greetings from Prime Minister Modi ji (@narendramodi). Had an engaging and productive exchange of views on further deepening robust, multifaceted India-Nepal partnership," Ambassador Srivastava posted on X. Shah emphasised the need to deepen Nepal's "historic relationship" with India and work together in areas of shared .

Spain looks to replace its envoy to India over alleged financial dealings

The move follows allegations that the envoy sought financial support from Indian visa processing firm and used Embassy funds to promote cultural events in India

'Honey-trapped' IAF officer held on charges of sharing defence information

A wing commander of the Indian Air Force allegedly passed defence information to a woman suspected to be a Pakistan intelligence operative

India-Uzbekistan should look at doubling trade in next 3 yrs: Piyush Goyal

India and Uzbekistan should look at doubling bilateral trade in the next three years as huge opportunities are there in enhancing cooperation in areas like mining, pharma, and healthcare, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. The two-way commerce stood around USD 1.5 billion. Trade will have to lead from the front to boost economic ties between the two countries, he said, adding, "let's look to double trade in next three years". He was speaking at the India-Uzbekistan Business Forum meeting here. Goyal also called upon businesses of both sides to invest in each other's economies. He added that while India is strong in areas like IT, skilled work force, digital public infrastructure, Uzbekistan offers opportunities in segments such as mining and cotton production. If the two countries can look at negotiating a free trade agreement, he said, "That is a promising idea. We can look at that." Speaking at the function, Laziz Kudratov, Uzbekistan's Minister of ...