The Indian Air Force on Wednesday blamed a 'technical malfunction' of the weapon system, for its Mirage-2000 fighter jet dropping a bomb 15 km outside the Pokhran firing range, in Rajasthan on Monday night. "The court of inquiry into the technical malfunction of the weapon system on-board the aircraft has already begun," an IAF officer said. The IAF also stated that the 100-pound bomb had exploded, but did not damage any civilian or government property.
T P Sreenivasan, India's former Governor to the International Atomic Energy Agency and ex-Indian Ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna, has predicted that the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal will be honoured regardless of whatever dispensation comes to power following the general election in May. Sreenivasan noted that "two of the three coalitions vying for power in India are committed to amend it, though not to abandon it."
After failing to hit its target in the previous test, a new version of the 290 km-range supersonic BrahMos cruise missile was on Wednesday successfully test launched at a firing range in Pokhran in Rajasthan.
Retired Commodore Uday Bhaskar, leading strategic analyst, has predicted that the Indo-US relationship 10 years into the future will still remain on track even if the bilateral civilian nuclear deal is not consummated because it is now driven largely by non-government actors.
In perhaps what could be his valedictory address before he departs from Washington when his terms expires on March 31, the Indian ambassador to United States, Ronen Sen--a key protagonist of the US-India civilian nuclear agreement--said the consummation of the deal freed India from "an albatross around our necks," in the form of nuclear technology and fuel isolation that worsened after India's May 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests.
Defence Minister A K India on Tuesday successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable BrahMos missile, with a range of 290 kms, at Pokhran. Antony told reporters in New Delhi that the test was pre-planned and not directed against any country. The missile, capable of touching a speed of 2.8 times that of sound, was launched during the trial in its vertical mode, Defence Research and Development Organisation officials told PTI.
Singh, a former Army officer, had been ill after a fall at his home in August 2014 and was admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital. He had been in and out of the hospital and was admitted again in June this year.
A day after the BrahMos missile was test-fired, the Defence Research and Development Organisation on Tuesday said there were some minor hitches during the trial. The problems occurred in the last stage of the test, which was conducted in the Pokhran ranges of Rajasthan on a new version of BrahMos missile on Tuesday, DRDO officials said.
In the wake of the Indian nuclear tests on May 17, 1974 and growing concern about the spread of nuclear weapons capabilities, the US intelligence community prepared a Special National Intelligence Estimate titled 'Prospects for Further Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons', a document that was released on Tuesday by the National Security Archive.
He's very gracious when all is well, like when he is winning. But he's prone to jump in fright when someone stands up to him.
India was forced to drop plans to explode a nuclear bomb for the second time in 20 years in 1994 at the last moment, according to the nuclear scientist in-charge of the aborted atomic test programme. Nuclear scientist Krishnan Santhanam told Times Now TV that the plans to explode the bomb at Pokhran was put on "hold" due to apparent US pressure.
As dawn broke on the Pokhran field firing ranges late last year, three of India's latest T-90 tanks readied themselves on the firing line.
Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal Saturday said India "converted adversity into opportunity" by developing its own civilian fast-breeder reactors when it was denied nuclear technology post-Pokhran.
'When economic policies were attacked by people on his own side, he went ahead despite all the criticisms in the coalition, within the party and the Sangh Parivar.'
South African gun major Denel, who were the third bidders for the Indian contract to purchase 400 more 155MM .52 calibre towed guns, have not been invited to the trials.
President Pranab Mukherjee pays an emotional tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam
The Comptroller and Auditor General, in his latest report, had pulled up the government for tardy progress in technology transfer for upgradation of these guns.
'His emphasis on self-reliance is essentially due to the fact he wanted India to be a nuclear weapons country.' Dr P K Iyengar remembers the father of India's nuclear programme.
The crash occurred at 0930 IST when the plane was taking part in a 'range sortie', an IAF spokesman said.
'China need not worry about a truly 'resurgent India'.' 'It's not going to happen.'
Among them was P Venugopalan, leading designer of the propulsion systems for Prithvi, Agni and BrahMos missiles.
The assassination bids on Musharraf were nothing but manifestation of that country's terrorism promotion activity, he said.\n\n
Putting behind the post-Pokhran freeze on export of dual use technologies, the US has inked an agreement with India to substantially boost bilateral high technology trade to further consolidate the strategic relationship between the two countries.
Asked about his newfound aggression in Parliament, the former PM said he wanted to tell people that he was 'still around'.
Sports fraternity mourns former PM Vajpayee's demise
Parliament on Tuesday hailed A P J Abdul Kalam as the "real gem" of India, saying the death of the former President has taken away its "true son" who became the driving force behind the country's space and missile programme.
Dr Kakodkar's strategic stubbornness ultimately got India what it wanted though the negotiations with the US went to the wire, notes Shivanand Kanavi.
The 145 M-777 guns, manufactured by the BAE Systems, are being taken to Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan for test firing.
The hits and misses of the week.
The hits and misses of the week.
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