In a bid to build a blue-water navy capable of operating across oceans, Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday commissioned the first of the Shivalik-class multi-role frigate with stealth features.
The makes of these fighter planes were MiGs, Su-30 MKI and Jaguar. Six pilots were killed in these crashes. This includes 2 MiG-21 aircrafts that crashed during take off.
The 16th round of India-China border talks will be held in Beijing on June 28 followed by the visit of Defence Minister A K Antony a week later as the two countries are set to resume top level contacts to build on the recent visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to New Delhi.
The only business that the House could transact was laying of official papers on the table of the House.
Ahead of Indo-Pak talks, Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said that despite problems with its neighbours, India will continue to engage them in dialogue to find a solution in the long run.
The Congress Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh West constituency Takam Sanjay has urged the Centre to focus more on developing the frontier in Arunachal Pradesh after reports of a massive development in China across the border.
Recently, former Army chief general J J Singh, before laying down office, had suggested that histories of the conflict with China and Indo-Pak wars should be made available to military strategists and other stakeholders to draw the right lessons from them.
Showcasing its precision strike capabilities during day and night, Indian Air Force on Sunday carried out a massive fire power blitzkrieg using its frontline aircraft such as SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MIG 27 and MIG 29, at the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan.
The nuclear-tipped Agni-III has all cities in both Pakistan and China, including Beijing, within its striking range and will be India's second strike deterrent.
India on Thursday said its foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan will 'not be affected' despite increased infiltration by militants from across the border or the neighbouring nation failing to dismantle terror groups operating from its soil.
Earlier this week, Defence Minister A K Antony advised General Kapoor to initiate disciplinary action against Lt General Prakash, as against the Army chief's recommendation to initiate administrative action against his former aide.
The two-day State Visit to Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is also the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1997.
Army headquarters sources told PTI that General Kapoor, who was in the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan yesterday to witness the BrahMos missile test, took the opportunity to go on an unscheduled visit to the forward areas in Bikaner and Bhatinda regions of the two border states.
Amid reports that Pakistan may seek extradition of Malegaon blast accused Lieuteant Colonel Shrikant Purohit in the Samjhauta Express blast case, India on Tuesday virtually rejected the demand, saying Islamabad had no locus standi in the investigations involving the Army officer."The case (Malegaon blast) is under examination by the Anti-Terror Squad (of Maharashtra Police). It is our internal matter. We are investigating it. How can Pakistan be concerned with that,"he said.
India on Saturday asked Pakistan to be "sincere" in acting against terror groups on its soil in its own interest and "not to satisfy India".
Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday said a Navy inquiry has established a senior officer's connections with a Russian woman, but it was yet to be probed whether the link had influenced the price hike of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier.
The elephant in the room will permeate the conversations, predicts Rup Narayan Das.
Accusing the government of engaging in a 'game of quiet diplomacy' with certain groups in Jammu and Kashmir, a Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament on Monday claimed it was playing into their hands by withdrawing 30,000 troops from the state. BJP leader S S Ahluwalia said during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha that a 'game of quiet diplomacy is being played with certain groups'. Without naming the separatists, the BJP leader said, "There are secret meetings held with them."
Sources said Sonia Gandhi referred to Azad and others twice during her brief address and the issues raised by them.
A total of 234 army personnel have died fighting terrorists in the last four years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
India on Friday asked the world community to cooperate in its efforts to get Pakistan act against terror outfits operating from its soil. "We expect cooperation from all world communities to get speedy results to our demands," Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters here to a question on United States President Barack Obama's reference to Pakistan and Afghanistan as the central front in America's war against terrorism.
Modi, who arrived in Cairo on Saturday after concluding a high-profile state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden, was received at the airport by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
The only sensible solution is in having a separate pay commission for the armed forces.
The willingness to collaborate ranges from combat aircraft to early warning systems and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, tactical missiles and military propulsion systems, Defence Minister A K Antony told an international seminar.
The job of the police is to essentially provide security along the coast and it is the job of coast guard or navy to provide maritime security
Besides Dr Singh, the meeting was attended by Defence Minister A K Antony, Army Chief J J Singh, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and others.
Expressing hope of reusing the sunken INS Sindhurakshak submarine, the Navy on Tuesday said its record was "not all that bad" in terms of accidents when compared to other navies in the world, soon after it was pulled up by Defence Minister AK Antony for the mishap.
The air element has a great psychological effect on the adversary as it can raise the morale of our forces while lowering that of the adversary, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd).
Voicing concern over the plight of civilians caught in the Sri Lankan Army offensive against the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam in rebel-held areas, India has asked Colombo to ensure their safety and security.
Japan also reported that five of those missiles landed in its exclusive economic zone, understandably causing grave concern.
In the final step to operationalise the India-United States nuclear agreement, American President George W Bush has sent the text of the landmark agreement to the US Congress for final approval.The move by the White House comes five days after the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group granted a waiver for India to carry out nuclear commerce.In a statement, the White House said it was transmitting the text of the agreement 'concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy'.
However, trials of the missile were awaiting the necessary platform, which will be identified by the Navy soon.
Modi's visit to the US will commence in New York, where he will lead the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the headquarters of the United Nations on June 21.
The sophisticated Russian-made MiG-29K maritime fighter aircraft, which will be based on under-construction aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, were formally inducted into the Navy by Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday.Four MiG 29Ks of the 'Black Panthers' squadron were inducted at a ceremony that was also attended by Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma.
Army Chief Deepak Kapoor has refused to accept a 20 per cent hike in his pension provided on the basis of his disability suffered during service.
'Anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity'
Pakistan's reluctance to authenticate has prevented any move in talks over the issue.
The Defence Minister was deliberating on India's friendly and cordial relations with all nations, especially countries in our immediate neighbourhood.
Russia has proposed a price escalation of $1.2 billion for re-equipping aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Under a contract worth $1.5 billion signed between Russia and India, Moscow was to deliver the carrier along with its compliment of MiG-29K fighters in August 2007, but asked for an increase in cost to almost double, saying the warship needed a lot of additional work and would have to undergo almost a year-long sea trial in Russian waters.
Ratcheting up their protests one notch, the three service chiefs met Defence Minister AK Antony today to tell him the Sixth Pay Commission's recommendations relating to the services were inadequate and would not prevent attrition. The three chiefs said they wanted an average increase of 50 to 60 per cent in salaries, whereas all the pay commission offered was 28 to 33 per cent hike.
