Ajit Doval, former director of the Intelligence Bureau and the likely NSA, has an enviable record for courage under fire, reports Vicky Nanjappa/Rediff.com
'It is the government's most important duty to ensure that when war breaks out, the armed forces are absolutely ready to face the adversary -- well equipped, well trained and in high spirits,' says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
'New Delhi feels that given the internal dynamics in Pakistan and the overwhelming powers wielded by the army, one will have to wait for better times to see any meaningful progress in the India-Pakistan relationship,' says Ambassador G Parthasarthy.
'The Indian soldier will fight where he is asked to, and he always has.' 'It is up to us as a democratic society to see that his service and sacrifice is for the most useful causes, and that we do not needlessly ask him to die for us,' says Aakar Patel.
'There are retaliatory incursions, ambushes, captures and killings by Indian forces along the 700 km border; alleged spies are caught on both sides, then mutually traded as pawns; envoys are summoned in both capitals to be routinely given dressing downs.' 'And there is always a handy courier pigeon, like Sajjan Jindal, sent over to test the troubled waters,' says Sunil Sethi.
Kovind, the 71-year-old BJP veteran, who rose from a modest background is set to occupy the country's highest constitutional office.
'Jin Jiang had invested in Louvre Hotels.' 'Louvre, a couple of months ago, took a majority in Sarovar hotels.' 'So they are coming in now.' 'Look at the Chinese -- two quarters ago they took 25 percent in Hilton.' And then HNA also took majority in Carlson (Radisson).'
With the tide of public disillusionment rising against his government, Arvind Kejriwal is trying at least publicly to extend the olive branch to both Narendra Modi and Najeeb Jung. Privately, he has confided to his confidantes that much as he dislikes it, he must do his best to soften these two reigning deities.
When Barack Obama lands in Delhi for the Republic Day celebrations, he will be taken along the city's prime esplanade in a vehicle fitted with a special night-vision system, tear gas cannons, steel wheels, a blood bank holding the president's blood type and its own oxygen supply. Obama's Cadillac limousine, or the 'Beast', as the US Secret Service likes to call it, will be used to ferry him during the course of his visit to India. Obama's, however, is not the only fortress on wheels that will trundle down Rajpath. Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels in a BMW 7-Series 760Li Security Edition Here is a comparison between Obama's Cadillac and Modi's BMW
The challenges authorities face in cleaning Ganga and other holy rivers in Varanasi.
'In contrast to the generally buoyant tone of the Economic Survey in January, he sounds uncharacteristically pessimistic, saying that forces in the world economy -- slowing global trade, protectionism, robots -- will limit India's manufacturing to levels well below what propelled East Asia's economies decades ago.'
Lok Sabha elections result of 2019 tells us the Modi wave has only consolidated, instead of waning.
Markets ended higher, amid firm global cues, and are on track for third straight day of gains.
After being pounded for an entire day by Cyclone Hudhud, the storm is weakened on Monday leaving behind a trail of destruction in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
The ten-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi culminated on Sunday as thousands of devotees immersed idols of the elephant-headed deity.
Cheteshwar Pujara surpassed Vijay Merchant's record for the most double hundreds by an Indian in first-class cricket -- a record that stood for almost 70 years. A roundup of Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy matches on Thursday.
So far among the Indian batsmen, only one player had more first-class hundreds before the age of 18 -- batting legend Sachin Tendulkar who had seven three figure scores.
Kynan Chenai gave himself an advance birthday gift by securing a quota place for the Rio Olympics but London Games silver medallist Vijay Kumar's hopes of earning a berth went up in smoke at the Asia Olympic Qualifying Competition for shooting, in New Delhi on Thursday.
Brigadier M P Bajwa (retd), commander of the troops that captured Tiger Hill, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih how a band of young soldiers won the Kargil War's most famous battle with their blood and grit.
The Aam Aadmi Party has removed its MLA Alka Lamba as party spokesperson after she "deviated from party line" while making a statement on Transport Minister Gopal Rai being relieved of the charge.
The PNB ambassador is Virat Kohli, Priyanka Chopra and Siddharth Malhotra are the faces of the Nirav Modi label, Kangana Ranaut, Kriti Sanon and others endorse the family of brands under the Gitanjali Group.
'Often reviled, mostly ignored, sometimes venerated, he has taken it all in his stride.' 'He has stood by the nation through thick and thin,' says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
Ramdev made nature-to-goodness products popular, and reaped benefits. Then he seemed to lose focus and the last thing it needs is more distraction, like the passionate founder shooting his mouth off yet again
'It does not look like unemployment is a priority for the government.' 'If there was one external factor which could have made an impact on low investment and low jobs, it was the Budget and it has not made any difference.' '2020 is going to be a difficult and challenging year.'
Somdev Devverman kept India's hopes alive in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie with a 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic, in Delhi, on Friday.
Facebook enabled users to mark themselves safe in Chennai since Thursday morning
The Long Range Surface to Air Missile jointly being developed by India and Israel is an answer to potential threats from Pakistan's anti-ship missile.
Putin said India was facing a serious problem on account of terrorism and it was not an "imaginary thing".
The district administration has also ordered closure of all colleges and higher secondary schools in Srinagar for Monday.
'People feel concerned about the future, whether it is the land or the jobs.' 'The BJP came to power in Assam with promises of maati, bheti (home, hearth and identity), land, jobs and culture.' 'Are these going to taken care of? I think those are real concerns.' 'The Assam chief minister (Sarbananda Sonowal) was one of the leaders of the All Assam Students Union which fought for and is one of the signatories to the Assam Accord.' 'Today, his comrade-in-arms (Samujjal Bhattacharya, chief advisor, AASU) is leading the opposition in the streets.'
A blast occurred near the Indian consulate in Jalalabad near Kabul on Saturday. No one was hurt. The police believe it to be caused by a suicide bomber.
Prasanna D Zore appeals to the Shiv Sena 11 -- the MPs at the heart of the current national controversy -- to forget rotis and poor service at Maharashtra Sadan and instead deliver millions of Mumbaikars from their daily travel troubles.
After three decades of glorious service, the Sea Harrier jets of the Indian Air Force will fly into the sunset on Wednesday.
India celebrates 17th Kargil Vijay Diwas on Tuesday, pays homage to martyrs of 1999 war.
Even as Indian Railways is gearing up to roll out high-speed passenger services, it seems set to record its worst performance in three years on accidents.
'In the case of an India-Pakistan confrontation, the Chinese may undertake more than just posturing, thereby constraining us from deploying adequate forces for decisive results,' warns Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
'Notwithstanding the realisation among the Indian leadership to build up its navy for the force's expanding role, the Indian Navy was allocated only 15% of the interim defence budget presented in Parliament in February 2019.' 'The outlay for the navy's capital acquisition is not even adequate to meet its committed liabilities,' points out Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
'His essential doctrine was only the local police can fight terror.' '"You can't fire at mobs throwing stones," he said, adding one has to think innovatively, even defensively, sometimes.' Shekhar Gupta remembers the uncoventional SuperCop.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Monday
We bring you a collection of some of the best photographs taken this week by ace Reuters photographers.
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