In a major development in the Congress, the party has formed an informal committee comprising General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi, political secretary to Sonia Gandhi Ahmed Patel and Defence Minister AK Antony to look into the party's affairs, as the Congress president will be away since she is undergoing treatment in the United States.
A separatist sponsored shutdown affected normal life in Srinagar and other towns Saturday.
The meeting between central trade union leaders and senior ministers failed in New Delhi on Monday night with the unions refusing to accept the government's appeal to postpone their two-day call for strike from Wednesday.
Trade unions in various sectors including transport, banking, construction and public sector undertakings will participate in a two-day nation strike on February 20-21 to protest the Centre's inability to tackle issues of inflation, unemployment and labour law violations. The protesting unions will also hold protest rallies at Azad Maidan and in Bandra. Union members have also threatened to hold a public rally till Parliament to press for their demands.
With Army Chief Gen V K Singh highlighting shortage of equipment, the defence ministry on Monday appeared to be fast-tracking decision-making as it approved a plan for development of capabilities and effected a major change in offset policy by including transfer-of-technology.
The tussle for No 2 position in United Progressive Alliance-II has put the spotlight on the political careers of A K Antony and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, which show striking similarities.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday demanded Defence Minister A K Antony's resignation, upping the ante against the government over the controversy surrounding the army chief's allegation that he was offered a bribe for the clearance of Tatra truck contracts. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, BJP leader Prakash Javadekar asked whether the minister was patronising corruption as no action has been taken against anybody though a probe was ordered two years ago.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday differed with former Army chief general Deepak Kapoor's deposition before the Adarsh Commission that the high rise was not a security threat.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday cautioned the three services chiefs to be 'transparent' in the process of weapon trials and procurement as he cleared proposals worth around Rs 6,000 crore for the armed forces.
Expressing concern over Chinese military infrastructure buildup, Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said India was working to match it to protect the country's territory and build an effective deterrence.
Paying homage to soldiers who fought in the 1962 Indo-China war, Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday ruled out any possibility of the repeat of the war and said armed forces were confident of protecting the country against any such threat. This is the first time that the Indian defence establishment has honoured the dead and participants of the 1962 war officially.
Aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov will be handed over towards the end of next year, Russia said on Wednesday as India conveyed its "serious concern" over the prolonged delay and asked it to adopt a "wartime approach" for ensuring its early delivery.
The main focus during the two-day Chintan Shivir to be held in Jaipur over the weekend would be on the political discussion and how the party plans to strategise to win back the mandate it received in 2004 and 2009, reports Renu Mittal.
Close on the heels of clinching the Indian Air Force contract for supply of mid-air refuellers, European consortium Airbus will now bid for the Rs 12,000-crore global tender to be floated by India for procuring 56 medium-lift transport aircraft to replace its vintage Avro planes.
Negotiations over the border row with China are in the final stages, Defence Minister A K Antony said in New Delhi on Monday.
Hitting out at Tharoor, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee working president and the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Kodikkunnil Suresh on Friday said everybody in the party should work according to it's policies and programmes.
Warning against the danger of weapons of mass destruction falling into wrong hands, Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said nations will need to work together to defeat such challenges.
The United States on Wednesday promised to initiate measures to provide access to dual use technology to India which has been contending that American norms were leading to denial of export of such sophisticated items.
The situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and strengthening of military cooperation between India and the United States are expected to come up for discussions American Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, who arrives in New Delhi on Tuesday for a two-day visit, will have with Indian leaders.
"...In an era of globalisation and interdependence, the balance between the rights of States and the freedoms of the larger global community is vital for international trade and global security," Defence Minister A K Antony said in apparent reference to Chinese build-up in the area
The just retired Army Chief General V K Singh may find himself embroiled in inquiries into some of his bold acts while in the service.
The Delhi government on Thhursday announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of five National Cadet Corps from the city who drowned in the Periyar River in Kerala. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit condoled the death of the students.
A Cabinet minister tells Sheela Bhatt that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken a gamble on the FDI in retail issue and insists that the Congress party is with him.
A Cabinet minister tells Sheela Bhatt that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken a gamble on the FDI in retail issue and insists that the Congress party is with him.
The Pakistani military on Sunday dismissed reports that army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani would meet Indian Defence Minister A K Antony on the sidelines of a regional defence meeting in Singapore.
In an unprecedented move, Defence Minister A K Antony has granted one-time special sanction to the Indian Air Force to grant commission to a flying cadet from Manipur paralysed below the waist due to injuries in an air crash.
Seven years before its scheduled completion, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has already announced a two-year delay in the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) India and Russia are to jointly develop, says Ajai Shukla
The government on Monday said it has conveyed its concerns to China about its activities in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
India is pursuing with Pakistan the case of Captain Saurabh Kalia, who was tortured and killed by Pakistani troops after being captured in the Kargil sector in May 1999, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Sunday. "We are handling it in an appropriate manner. We will pursue it and now we are pursuing it with Pakistan," he told reporters after laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to commemorate the 41st anniversary of India's victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
The government has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate whether there is any involvement of anti-national elements, terrorist organisations and land mafia in case of an encroachment on defence land in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.
India and Pakistan have agreed to continue the dialogue in Siachen for early resolution of outstanding issues there, and have reaffirmed the resolve to make serious, sustained and result oriented efforts to seek an amicable solution, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
The government on Monday said it has denied a recent assertion made by US Pacific Command Chief Admiral Robert Willard regarding the presence of United States special forces in India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari have underlined the need to move step-by-step and find pragmatic and mutually acceptable solutions to India-Pakistan bilateral issue, government told the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday said that efforts were on to resolve the disputed Sir Creek issue with Pakistan.
The central government on Wednesday stated that China had intruded twice into Indian airspace in March when its helicopters were found flying over territories of Himachal Pradesh.
As the moves to select the next incumbent of Rashtrapati Bhavan gain momentum, Dravida Munettra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi is believed to have conveyed to Defence Minister A K Antony that he would go along with whoever was Congress President Sonia Gandhi's choice for the next President of the republic, despite his party's unhappiness with the Congress, writes Neerja Chowdhury
India and Pakistan have agreed to hold meaningful and result-oriented discussion to demilitarise the Siachen glacier region where 26 soldiers died during deployment last year, the government told the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Congress has alleged that the government caused loss of over Rs 41,000 crore to the exchequer and endangered national security by bypassing the state-run HAL in favour of some businessman "friends".
Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday said he would "seriously" pursue the inquiry into allegations of corruption in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters by India. "I have not seen the (news) report. I can assure you I will seriously pursue the inquiry," Antony told reporters outside Parliament House when asked about allegations of corruption in the helicopter purchase deal.
The strategic and security implications from Af-Pak region, China's strategic rivalry and domestic and trans-national terrorism were the challenges outlined by Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday who said these cannot be felt in the same measure by other countries.
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