Amidst media investigations alleging that peacekeepers from Indian Army were embroiled in gold and ivory smuggling and giving arms to militias in Congo, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "Anyone found guilty will not be spared". The allegations, Antony said, were being probed by United Nations investigators.
"The joint development of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft will mark the start of cooperation in the development of major state-of-the-art new technology weapon systems," Antony said, adding that both India and Russia would have equal financial and technological stakes and issues related to the intellectual property and specific requirement of the Indian Air Force have been resolved.
"I should think that we will have a final answer within about two weeks time or so," Mehta told reporters here while replying to a question on when the committee headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was expected to submit its report. "But they (the Mukherjee committee) are in the process of finding out what are the issues involved. And I'm sure they will take the right decision pretty quickly," he said.
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.
There is no change in India's Pakistan policy after general elections in the neighbouring country, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Saturday. "There was no change in our policy towards Pakistan," he told mediapersons at the Hindustan Aeronautics complex in Nashik.
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'.
Defence Minister A K Antony, on his maiden visit to the United States, lauded the Indian American community for their sustained activism and lobbying on behalf of the India-US civilian nuclear deal, which he said was catalytic in helping to fructify it.Antony was speaking at a reception, organised by the Indian American community of the Washington, DC metropolitan area, at the Indian embassy."You played a major role in shaping public opinion in India and the US," Antony said.
'The Congress cannot appreciate people with an independent opinion.' 'That's why many people left the party.'
Defence Minister A K Antony emphasised the upcoming five-nation naval wargames, which will include the US, were not aimed at any third country, but to help Indian forces enhance their fighting capabilities.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh continues to be in the hot soup. The crisis regarding the Indo-Pakistan joint statement simply refuses to blow over with the party now giving charge to Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony to diffuse the situation, retrieve the issue with the least damage to the government.
With Pakistan again indulging in cross-border firing and militants making yet another infiltration attempt in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, Defence Minister A K Antony termed the developments a matter of concern and said the ceasefire should be maintained.
We have been fine-tuning and improving the Defence procurement Procedure based on periodical reviews," he said while inaugurating the 5th International Land and Naval Systems Exhibition in New Delhi. "The current procurement procedure is also under review to make it more transparent and user-friendly," Antony said.
The controversial Logistics Support Agreement and expansion of United States military sales to India are expected to figure prominently during the two-day visit of Defence Secretary Robert Gates from February 26. During the security dialogue, the two sides will review their strategic cooperation in various fields and explore ways to enhance the ties during the visit, sources said.
There are allegations of lapses in treatment provided to the late Kerala governor.
India has plans to more than double the number of Russian-made Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft in Indian Air Force fleet to 230 by 2015, Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister's Office on Thursday night rubbished as "mischievous" the reports that a statement on the killing of five Indian soldiers on the Line of Control was changed at its behest. "Such allegations being made are mischievous and have no basis," a PMO spokesman said.
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.
"We have to provide better salaries and incentives to people joining the defence forces to enable the forces to compete with the other sectors," he said.
There has been no noticeable change in Pakistan's attitude in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Friday. He added that actions, not statements made by the neighbouring country, were important.
With Intelligence inputs warning of a possible aerial terror attack, Defence Minister A K Antony today said the armed forces were ready to take on any future threats against the country. "We are ready for any eventuality," Antony told reporters while replying to a question on the sidelines of a function to honour war widows in New Delhi.
The AWACS will provide IAF means to keep a tab on enemy aircraft and missiles taking off from across the border, thereby enhancing response time.
Defence Minister A K Antony has deferred his visit to Japan, scheduled from June 28, apparently in view of the political developments surrounding the Indo-US nuclear deal. Antony was to undertake a five-day visit aimed at enhancing defence cooperation between the two countries.
During the nearly two-hour meeting that lasted almost till midnight at 10 Janpath, Mukherjee, the government's pointsman on the deal with United Progressive Alliance allies and the Left parties, and Antony apprised Sonia of the talks they had with leaders of the constituents of the ruling alliance and the Communist Party of India-Marxist and CPI in the last two days. Emerging from the meeting, neither Mukherjee nor Antony spoke to the media.
Faced with intelligence inputs of a possible threat from the skies on the pattern of 9/11, the Indian Air Force has decided to install a highly sophisticated radar in Delhi to detect low-flying aircraft. The decision to install 'Aerostat' radar in Delhi comes close on the heels of Defence Minister A K Antony saying that the country needs to guard against aerial threats.
With India's coastal security already breached by terrorists in Mumbai, Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday warned the armed forces of possible terror attacks from airborne platforms similar to the 9/11 attacks in the US.
The Army on Monday said it has initiated administrative action against three officers and three junior commissioned officers for alleged pilferage of special rations meant for soldiers serving in Siachen Glaciers, the world's highest battle-field.
Defence Minister A K Antony will head a seven-member high-level group constituted by Congress chief Sonia to give suggestions to revive the party against the backdrop of series of debacles including in Karnataka and Gujarat Assembly elections.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday indicated a revamp of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, to give it capability to produce futuristic systems within the country."DRDO will have to play a crucial role in providing strategic defence with suitable delivery systems to the nation," Antony said. The DRDO and the end-users, the armed forces, would have to work with greater synergy to achieve the goal of self-reliance and minimise dependence on foreign nations.
A liberalised leave policy and employment of counsellors have been suggested as steps to reduce suicides and fratricides among the security forces.
With the country's armed forces and defence establishments making strides to become network-centric, Antony said cyber attacks would pose a major threat. He said with terrorist and non-state actors clandestinely acquiring sophisticated cyber technology, this threat could be more ominous.
"Indian armed forces' exercise and interaction with foreign forces are for upgrade of skills and providing them a chance to get acquainted with hi-tech weapons," Defence Minister A K Antony said on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders conference in New Delhi.
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.
"We have to constantly upgrade our military and economic capabilities," the minister told army commanders while referring to relations with China as he opened the five-day top army commanders bi-annual conference in Delhi. His remarks are significant as the minister has just undertaken a major tour of the Sino-Indian frontier in Arunachal Pradesh.
Defence Minister A K Antony will co-chair the commission meeting with Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to hold talks on a wide-ranging agenda of military technical cooperation, covering key spheres, including timely delivery of contracted military systems, in the light of the reported settlement of the cost-escalation issue and supply of defence systems.
The party high command has set up a high profile three-member panel of Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony, and political adviser to Congress president Ahmed Patel to review the performance of Deshmukh, who has been at the receiving end from his detractors.Speculation is rife for the past some months that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is keen to replace him."The Congress periodically conducts in-house exercises, " Tiwari said.
The party will hold the internal elections by October 15.
However, the government would not follow the policy of "hot pursuit" against pirates in the present case, as it had wider implications, Defence Minister A K Antony said after the Defence Accounts Day function in New Delhi.
Defence Minister, along with the Army Chief General Deepak Kumar and Defence Secretary Vijai Singh, is likely to arrive at Tawang where state Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu would receive them. Antony is scheduled to visit some forward areas in the border district before flying by chopper to Tenga, an important Army base in the district. The visit of Antony assumes significance in the light of recent disclosure that China has laid claim for Tawang.
Coinciding with the visit of Defence Minister A K Antony to the US, the Pentagon has announced the sale of Harpoon missiles to India along with associated equipment and services for a total value of about USD 170 million.
However, trials of the missile were awaiting the necessary platform, which will be identified by the Navy soon.
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