Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the chances of conflict with India were increasing with the passage of time despite efforts by different countries to defuse the tensions between the two neighbours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended India's actions against terrorism, stating no country stopped India and criticizing the Congress party for not supporting the armed forces. He highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor and warned Pakistan against further misadventures.
'Please do not let hate win. Come to Jammu and Kashmir, come as travellers and go back as believers.'
A 30-minute blackout rehearsal was conducted in the Ferozepur Cantonment area in Punjab on Sunday evening amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. The drill, which took place from 9 pm to 9:30 pm, involved turning off all lights in the area after a siren went off. The exercise was part of a routine preparedness exercise to ensure the effectiveness of blackout procedures during potential war threats. Police and security forces have also increased vigilance in the area, with checkpoints set up at strategic locations and social media activities under surveillance.
A BSF personnel was killed in Gujarat by family members of a boy, whom he accosted for allegedly uploading a video of his minor daughter online, police said.
Such violations have not been very common since India and Pakistan agreed for a renewed ceasefire along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir on February 20, 2021.
The BSF recovered the black-coloured drone, a quadcopter of 'DJ Matrice 300 RTK' make, with an attached payload of 2.1 kilogram suspected heroin attached through an iron ring, the spokesperson said.
A delegation of the National Commission for Women (NCW), led by its chairman Vijaya Rahatkar, met with riot-affected women in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, assuring them of safety and demanding an NIA probe into the recent communal clashes. The women narrated their harrowing experiences and demanded permanent BSF camps in select areas of the district. The NCW team also visited relief camps in Malda district and assessed the condition of women affected by the violence.
The important and courageous task of guarding the border, which used to be particularly bestowed on men, is now being assigned to women.
Emotional scenes were witnessed across the country as the last rites of those killed in shelling by Pakistan during the recent military conflict with India were performed on Sunday.
'Other than blaming the pilot, there is zero accountability.'
Two female constables of the 73 battalion fired 25 rounds at the drone and brought it down at 11.05 pm. During a search operation, the BSF recovered a partially-damaged hexacopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with six rotors.
'Only those who live through these situations understand the true cost of war.'
Abdul Waheed was brought from Srinagar by the Jammu and Kashmir police for his repatriation to Pakistan.
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said on Friday that the ceasefire with India was holding and the country is committed to it. He also said that Pakistan is committed to making the ceasefire hold and de-escalation succeed, and then engagement to lead to stability and resolution of issues. Khan said that the two militaries have a channel of communication through the Directors General of Military Operations, through which they are working for de-escalation, in terms of the movement of troops. He added that Pakistan remains committed to the ceasefire announced on May 10 and lately, both sides have taken steps for de-escalation and return of stability.
The state declared only 4834 sensitive booths on which only CAPFs are deployed but actually, there were more sensitive polling booths, DIG Guleria said.
The casualties were reported hours before India and Pakistan agreed to end hostilities, which soared after the Indian Armed Forces hit terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir earlier this week in response to the Pahalgam attack.
The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on Monday deliberated on various aspects of the May 10 understanding reached between the two sides on cessation of hostilities.
A drone that was shot down by the Border Security Force along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab last year had taken flight and had 'footprints' in China and Pakistan, a BSF spokesperson said on Wednesday quoting a forensic analysis report.
'The long term strategy is that this government wants to create a second class citizen list.'
Security checks have been intensified in Paltan Bazaar, a well-known market in Dehradun, following concerns about the unauthorised sale of military uniforms on Friday.
In a video shared by officials, Modi, wearing a BSF uniform, can be seen offering sweets to the personnel on board a patrol vessel.
The Army further made it clear that the continuation of a break in hostilities, as decided in the DGMOs interaction of May 12, has no expiry date to it.
A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, who inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistani side on Wednesday in the Punjab sector, has been captured by Pak Rangers and his handing back is awaited, officials said Thursday.
These were the first incidents in 2023 where Pakistani intruders were killed at the 2,289 km-long border that runs along Jammu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab on India's western flank.
Joginder Tuteja looks at the month's releases in theatres.
The BSF said that it was the fourth drone shot down by them in the last two days.
Security forces killed at least 26 Naxalites in a fierce exchange in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, while four more were gunned down in Kanker district, the state's Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on Friday. The encounter, which occurred on Thursday, took place while the Naxalites were gathered for a Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) meeting, a period observed between March and June. The Deputy CM hailed the operation as a major achievement against the Naxals.
Amid concerns of espionage, the Rajasthan administration has intensified security measures along the India-Pakistan border, with authorities in Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar banning the use of Pakistani SIM cards.
Congress leader Udit Raj criticized party colleague Shashi Tharoor for his reported remarks that India breached the Line of Control (LoC) for the first time during the 2016 surgical strike on a terror base, saying he should be declared a "super spokesperson of the BJP". Raj argued that India had crossed the LoC in 1965 and 1971, and that the UPA government had also conducted surgical strikes. Tharoor had reportedly said that India breaching the LoC to conduct a surgical strike was "something we had not done before". This is not the first time Raj has criticized Tharoor for his comments on India-Pakistan relations. Last month, Raj had hit out at Tharoor for his reported "no country has 100-per cent foolproof intelligence" remarks, questioning how Tharoor could be giving the BJP a "clean chit" on the Pahalgam terror attack. Tharoor had hit back at Raj, saying the latter is a former BJP MP and "is better qualified to understand who speaks for the BJP".
Embraer sees a lot of opportunities in India in the commercial and business jets as well as military aircraft and eVTOL segments, its CEO Francisco Gomes Neto has said as the Brazilian seeks to strengthen its foot print in the fast growing Indian market. Besides, the company is in talks with IndiGo and Air India to explore the possibility of selling its E-2 aircraft, which can have up to 146 seats.
This is the second such incident along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu division in two days.
Army personnel keep vigil along the Line of Control ahead of the New Year.
The final NRC, a list of Indian citizens residing in Assam, was released in 2019 by excluding 19,06,657 people. However, it has not been notified by the Registrar General of India, leaving the controversial document without any official validity.
Supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) clashed with police in West Bengal on Monday during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, leading to several injuries and the torching of multiple police vehicles. The clash occurred after police stopped ISF supporters from attending an anti-Waqf Act rally in Kolkata. The protests escalated when the crowd attempted to break through police barricades. The situation was brought under control after a large police force was deployed. ISF leader Naushad Siddique condemned the Waqf Act and accused the BJP of trying to incite communal tension. Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress dismissed the ISF as a "party of no consequence." Communal violence related to the Waqf Act has also occurred in other parts of West Bengal.
Bangladesh has summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka over border tensions, accusing India of violating a bilateral agreement by constructing fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border. The development comes after Bangladesh officials alleged that India had halted construction of barbed wire fencing due to strong opposition from the Border Guard Bangladesh and local residents.
No casualties were reported on the Indian side even as the BSF has decided to lodge a "protest" with their Pakistani counterparts and have sought a flag meeting on Saturday.
Some reports suggest that the Centre has empowered the BSF to conduct searches, arrest suspects and make seizures up to an area of 50 km inside the Indian territory from the international border.
India's fresh restrictions on limiting access to Bangladeshi exports appear to be in response to Dhaka denying certain value-added items from the Northeast to enter that country through the land transit points.
An Army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was killed in an encounter with terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The terrorists' infiltration attempt was thwarted, but the JCO succumbed to injuries sustained during the encounter. This incident comes after a recent brigade commander-level flag meeting between India and Pakistan to discuss border management, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the region.
