Page 7 - Military

Military's first tactical transport C-295 aircraft lands in Vadodara

The aircraft would be formally inducted into the IAF at a ceremony in Hindon near Delhi on September 25

US in active talks with India over producing military systems: Pentagon

The United States is in active talks with the Indian government to look at producing military systems in areas related to ISR and ground-based conventional warfare, a senior Pentagon official said. Efforts are also on to establish a reciprocal defence procurement agreement with India, Siddharth Iyer, Director for South Asia Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defence said here on Tuesday at an event organised by the prestigious Hudson Institute. "We are in active talks with the Indian government to look at producing military systems in areas related to ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), and then of course ground-based conventional warfare. And we'll have more to say on that as they become ripe," he said. Indian-American Iyer said the talks between India and the US to finalise the security of supply arrangement, which would streamline the ability of defence firms to procure their requirements, is making good progress. "We are also moving at an aggressive clip to ...

600 'Vibhav' anti-tank mines with safety mechanism inducted into Army

Six hundred indigenously-manufactured self-neutralising anti-tank mines, known as "Vibhav", have been inducted into the Army to provide mobility kill against all enemy armoured vehicles, officials said on Monday. The anti-tank mine is made of new-age plastic, which gives it adequate strength and durability to withstand the requirements of storage, handling and operating in varying field conditions, they added. "It (the 'Vibhav' anti-tank mine) is already in production. It has been completed. It is now in demand. It has been inducted into the Indian Army. Six hundred mines have been inducted (recently)," an official of the manufacturing company told PTI. Designed and developed completely indigenously in a joint venture with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in India, "Vibhav" is a point-attack anti-tank munition, the officials said. They said the mines are designed to provide mobility kill against all enemy armoured vehicles. "Made from new age plastic, the m

Defence ministry clears procurement of military hardware worth Rs 45,000 cr

The Defence Ministry on Friday cleared procurement of various weapons systems and platforms including Dhruvastra short range air-to-surface missile and 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 45,000 crore. A total of nine procurement proposals were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, officials said. "All these procurements will be made from Indian vendors under Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDMM)/Buy (Indian) category which will give substantial boost to the Indian defence Industry towards achieving the goal of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," the defence ministry said. To enhance protection, mobility, attack capability and increase survivability of mechanised forces, the DAC accorded the approval for procurement of Light Armoured Multipurpose Vehicles (LAMV) and Integrated Surveillance and Targeting System (ISAT-S), the ministry said in a statement. The DAC cleared also cleared the procurement

'Premeditated villainous act' says Prigozhin's plane crash report: Kremlin

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov's remarks came in response to a media query on Wednesday about whether the investigation could feature an international dimension

Gabon Military officers announce seizing power days after prez election

Nearly a dozen soldiers took to state television and said they were overturning the presidential election and called for calm among the population. We reaffirm our commitment to respecting Gabon's commitments to the national and international community," said a spokesperson for the group. The soldiers on television were comprised of members from the gendarme, the republican guard and other factions of the security forces. Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba, 64, was seeking a third term in elections this weekend that could extend his family's 55-year political dynasty. He served two terms since coming to power in 2009 after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled the country for 41 years. There was concern of violence before the election due to deep-seated grievances among the population of some 800,000 people. Nearly 40 per cent of Gabonese ages 15-24 were out of work in 2020, according to the World Bank. After last week's vote, the Central African nation's Communications .

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's funeral held privately in Russia

The Wagner founder's funeral took place "in a closed format," according to Concord Management, the company Prigozhin owned

Kim Jong Un asks his military to be ready to smash US-led invasion plot

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for his military to be constantly ready for combat to thwart plots to invade his country, as he accused the US of conducting "more frantic" naval drills with its allies near North Korea, state media reported Tuesday. The US and South Korean militaries are holding joint summer exercises that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. The allies have insisted the drills are defensive in nature. Kim said in a speech marking the country's Navy Day that falls on Monday that the waters off the Korean Peninsula have been made unstable "with the danger of a nuclear war" because of US-led hostilities, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. He cited a recent US-South Korean-Japanese summit, the deployment of US nuclear strategic assets and the US drills with its allies. "The prevailing situation requires our navy to put all its efforts into rounding off the war readiness to maintain the constant combat alertness and get prepared to break

American military brings in artificial intelligence robot for aerial combat

And gaining and maintaining an edge in artificial intelligence is one element of an increasingly open race with China for technological superiority in national security

Plane crashes near Moscow, mercenary chief Prigozhin on passenger list

Earlier TASS had reported that ten people had died after a private jet crashed in Russia's Tver region north of Moscow. The jet, en route from Moscow to St Petersburg, was carrying seven passengers an

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

Netanyahu voices support for military after his son lambastes officials

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to reassure the Israeli public and army Tuesday of his full support for the military following recent rhetorical attacks on senior security officials by his far-right political allies and divisive son. Thousands of military pilots and soldiers have vowed not to turn up for reserve duty in protest of Netanyahu's contentious plan to overhaul the country's judiciary, sparking a backlash from the Israeli leader's coalition allies and other ultranationalists. The prime minister and defense minister reject any attack on senior security establishment officials and fully back the commanders and soldiers of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), who are working day and night for the security of Israel, Netanyahu's office said. Growing opposition within the Israeli military to government plans to weaken the Supreme Court poses perhaps the most serious threat to the legislation, which has already spurred unrelenting street demonstrations and fury from former

LS gives nod to bill to evolve disciplinary code for tri-services military

A new tri-service legal architecture, it is hoped, will bring in benefits such as maintenance of effective discipline by the heads of ISOs

Rajnath to present military inter-services organisations bill in Lok Sabha

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will present the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, According to the legislative business listed for the day in Lok Sabha

Support for Niger at risk as military takeover threatens stability: Blinken

Political instability in Niger resulting from a military takeover that deposed the president this week threatens the economic support provided by Washington to the African nation, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Saturday. Members of the Niger military announced on Wednesday they had deposed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and on Friday named Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani as the country's new leader, adding Niger to a growing list of military regimes in West Africa's Sahel region. Blinken, who is in Australia as part of a Pacific tour, said the continued security and economic arrangements that Niger has with the US hinged on the release of Bazoum and the immediate restoration of the democratic order in Niger. Our economic and security partnership with Niger which is significant, hundreds of millions of dollars depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order that has been disrupted by the actions in the last few days, Blink

Niger adds to growing list of countries in the Sahel run by the military

Mutinous soldiers in Niger this week overthrew the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum, adding to a growing list of military regimes in West Africa's Sahel region and raising fears of regional destabilization. The Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert, faces growing violence from Islamic extremists, which in turn has caused people to turn against elected governments. The military takeovers have followed a similar pattern: The coup leaders accuse the government of failing to meet the people's expectations for delivering dividends of democracy. They say they will usher in a new democratic government to address those shortcomings, but the process gets delayed. Karim Manuel, west and central Africa analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit, says the military governments threaten to unwind democratic gains made not just in the Sahel region but in the broader West Africa region. This increases political instability going forward and makes the

Soldiers declare Niger general as head of state after he leads a coup

Mutinous soldiers who staged a coup in Niger declared their leader the new head of state on Friday, hours after the general asked for national and international support despite rising concerns that the political crisis could hinder the nation's fight against jihadists and boost Russia's influence in West Africa. Spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said on state television that the constitution was suspended and Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani was in charge. Various factions of Niger's military have reportedly wrangled for control since members of the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum, who was elected two years ago in Niger's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France. Niger is seen as the last reliable partner for the West in efforts to battle jihadists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in Africa's Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence in the fight against extremism. France has 1,500 ...

Russian navy ships visit Shanghai as countries reaffirm military ties

A pair of Russia navy ships are visiting China as the countries reaffirm their military ties amid Russia's war in Ukraine. The Cold War-era frigates Gromkiy and Otlichnyy arrived in the financial hub of Shanghai, China's largest city and biggest port, on Wednesday for a seven-day visit. Following the port call, the ships will conduct joint drills with their Chinese counterparts focusing on ship-to-ship communications, maneuvering in formation and maritime search and rescue, state television's military channel reported Thursday. The visit follows a meeting Monday in Beijing between China's defense minister and the head of Russia's navy, the first formal military talks between the friendly neighbors since a short-lived mutiny by the Russian mercenary group Wagner. China has reassured Russia of its continued support since the uprising, and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu told Russian Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov that China hoped for increased exchanges, joint exercises and other form

Condition of Bhim Army chief stable, attackers' vehicle recovered: Police

The vehicle used by the attackers of Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was recovered from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, police said on Thursday. Meanwhile, police in Amethi district registered a case under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after it came to light that a Facebook page had issued a death threat to Aazad days before the attack. Activists of the Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party held a demonstration at Parivartan Chowk here and demanded proper security for Aazad. They were later taken into custody by police. A bullet grazed the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur's Deoband, where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home, on Wednesday evening. The vehicle used by Aazad's attackers was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The number plate of the car showed it was registered in Haryana, the police ...

Pak govt tells SC trial of those involved in May 9 attacks yet to begin

The Pakistan government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that the trial of civilians allegedly involved in attacks on the army facilities has not yet started in the military courts. A six-member bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik was hearing the pleas challenging the trial of civilians under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 and the Official Secret Act, 1923. Attorney General Mansoor Awan told the bench during the hearing that the trial of civilians involved in the May 9 violence was yet to begin after the chief justice on Monday hoped the trial would not commence while the court was hearing the case. The development came as the military spokesman on Monday told the media that 102 civilians were in military custody for trial at 17 military courts which were already functional under the existing laws. No trial has started yet and that also takes time. The ..