While young couples today prefer to move out on their own, joint families are still not quite a thing of the past. Sherin Mammen explores the changing dynamics in this regard.
There are judicial precedents where it has been held that if payment is made for temporary disablement, it would be taxable, points out Tinesh Bhasin.
The Indian Navy rescued 26 people, including 11 Indians on-board a sinking merchant vessel with the help of an Italian warship after they were released by Somali pirates following a ransom payment. After being in captivity in Somalia since April last year, MV RAK Africana, a ship owned by captain Ajay Kotwal, could not sail out of the Somali coast on March 9 because of engine problems, Navy officials said.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on the six persons sentenced to 20-year imprisonment, out of the eight crew members who were on board the merchant vessel 'Henry'.
The world needs to wake up to this new dimension of war at sea and be prepared to face the 'unknown enemy' who have the advantage of attacking at their choice of location and time, cautions Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The Centre on Friday said that the Indian Navy had 'coordinated' with other navies operating in the piracy-affected region to provide security cover to MV Suez, the Egyptian merchant vessel with six Indian nationals, which was released by Somali pirates four days ago. "The Navy coordinated with other navies in the region so that security cover could be provided to MV Suez, the ship which was released by pirates recently.
They prefer foreign markets owing to comparatively lower margins than Indian exchanges.
"De-watering by pumps from INS Trikand and CGS Amal are continuing operation to keep the vessel safe. Presently, MV Infinity One continues to list and is proceeding to Karwar (with INS Trikhand escorting it) at slow speed. The vessel is expected to enter harbour later in the day," a defence spokesperson said on Thursday morning.
'The Chinese navy is large and expanding both in numbers and capability by the day.' 'India too must take measures to safeguard its own interests, now and in the future.'
A week after it guarded 13 merchant vessels from piracy attack, an Indian warship has once again warded off an attempt by sea brigands on nine cargo ships including an Indian vessel off the Yemeni coast in Gulf of Aden.
Expressing gratitude to the media and the government for the release of merchant ship Stolt Valor, its captain Prabhat Goyal said on Tuesday that the Indian Navy should engage in "hot pursuit" to deal with pirates.
US central command said that several US personnel are undergoing evaluation for "traumatic brain injuries" and at least one Iraqi service member was wounded in the attack.
An Indian-flagged crude oil tanker is among two vessels that came under drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Southern Red Sea, the United States Central Command has said.
In the second major anti-piracy operation off Lakshadweep in 10 days, the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard on Sunday apprehended 52 men including 28 suspected Somali pirates on board a ship after a brief gun-battle near the islands.
Somali and Yemeni pirates' attempt to hijack for ransom Indian cargo vessels sailing off the Somalia coast has once again been thwarted by an Indian warship.
With 40 officers and 260 men, INS Kochi sailed into the eye of a cyclonic storm and rescued 125 men who had jumped into the sea from a sinking barge. It was one of the Indian Navy's greatest rescue operations.
"Since Saturday afternoon, the 12 Somali and 11 Yemeni pirates are kept in custody on board INS Mysore and they are being fed with the rations meant for sailors," Navy officials said in Delhi on Monday. "We have not received any instructions yet from the Defence Ministry or the External Affairs Ministry on what needs to be done with the pirates," they said
As severe cyclonic storm 'Remal' initiated its landfall process between the coasts of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal on Sunday evening, authorities took swift action, evacuating over 1 lakh people from vulnerable areas of the state to safety.
Rediff reader Purnendu Shorey, 48, a former captain in merchant navy based out of Mumbai shares some of his learnings.
Unregulated floating private armouries carrying combatants of certain countries are a matter of concern and can have serious security implications for the country including infiltration of terrorists that can lead to 26/11-type attacks, Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi warned on Tuesday.
In July last year, a vessel collided with the Mumbai High platform, killing 26 people and destroying the platform.
In a strong display of its prowess in the global fight against the menace of piracy threatening maritime trade near Horn of Africa, Indian Navy's guided missile destroyer INS Mysore repulsed the pirate attack on Ethiopian flag-bearing MV Gibe that was sailing 150 nautical miles off Aden in Yemen around noon, a Navy spokesperson said in New Delhi.
Three passengers, including a British national of Goan-origin, who arrived at the international airport near here on a flight from the United Kingdom on early Friday, tested positive for COVID-19, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.
Three piracy attempts in last four days in the Gulf of Aden have been thwarted by the Indian Navy which neutralised eight armed Somali pirates, navy officials said on Monday.
Fire-fighters, along with Navy personnel, are battling a major blaze to salvage warship INS Vindhyagiri, which is listing after colliding with a merchant vessel at the Mumbai harbour. "The fire broke out soon after the ship collided with another vessel on Sunday evening. The Mumbai fire brigade was alerted early on Monday," fire brigade sources said. There is nobody on board the warship as everybody was evacuated on Sunday evening.
At about 6 am on Thursday, about 450 nautical miles off West of Mumbai, a merchant ship MV BBC Orinoco with a crew of 14 members, including five Ukrainians and nine Filipinos, reported being attacked by pirates.
Five days after it broke free from its tow and ran aground at the Juhu beach, efforts began on Thursday to salvage freighter MV Wisdom with Naval helicopters pressed into service.
Engagement with neighbours is a strategic imperative, and not an option, asserts Rup Narayan Das.
The navy launched a SeaKing chopper at 7:58 am from INS Shikra, Colaba, while CG launched two Chetak helicopters at around 8:40 am for the rescue operation.
India's historical focus on its continental borders has overshadowed its maritime ambitions, but that is changing quickly, notes Ajai Shukla.
'An area of land has already been earmarked for their protected habitation.' 'There are also steps being taken to take care of the coral zone and mangroves.'
On the 25th anniversary of the battle that made his war cry 'Dil Maange More' part of national lore, we republish that feature to salute Captain Batra's ultimate sacrifice for the nation.
Days after the brush off incident between their warships in the Gulf of Aden, Indian Navy on Friday said Pakistani ship PNS Babur had damaged a part of INS Godavari by moving too close to it.
In the general euphoria surrounding the safe return of the Stolt Valor and its crew we tend to forget some of the more disturbing aspects of the incident.
She will be the first woman to receive the International Maritime Organisation Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for her dramatic rescue.
Suspected pirates on Thursday attempted to hijack an Indian ship in the Gulf of Aden, but were apprehended by a United States missile cruiser, which 'quickly' responded to the merchant vessel's distress call. The Indian-flagged Motor Vessel Premdivya sent a distress call reporting that she had been fired by a small skiff and suspected pirates were attempting to board it. The guided missile cruiser Vella Gulf intercepted the call and navy copter signaled for the skiff to stop
The government will chart out a plan for the evacuation of seafarers stuck on international waters amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Union Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya has said. Thousands of Indian seafarers are currently stuck aboard cruise ships and cargo vessels in far off waters, and maritime bodies have been demanding from the government strategies for bringing them home fearing that delays might result in disruption in supply chain.
"We are the government. The Navy and the Defence Ministry are not the government," he added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held wide ranging discussions with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran and their discussion focused on the long term framework for India's involvement with the strategically vital Chabahar port and the North-South connectivity project.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances