Kolkata port raises security level amid India-Pak tensions, cancels staff leave
Acting on the directive, SMP Kolkata has raised its security level to Level 2, as mandated by the Directorate General of Shipping. All personnel have been instructed to maintain high vigilance. Authorities have asked employees to report any suspicious activity in the port premises or waterways to the security personnel without delay.advertisementTo maintain full operational readiness, the port has cancelled all employee leave—including that of contractual staff—from May 10 to May 14, 2025. Additionally, employees must remain at headquarters, even on their scheduled weekly off days. Pilots and dock pilots are also on high alert, ready to execute emergency evacuations from both Kolkata Dock System (KDS) and Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) if needed.SMP Kolkata is also stepping up its cybersecurity infrastructure. The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) has been tasked with implementing strict protocols to prevent cyber threats. A detailed circular on this front will be issued shortly.Authorities will conduct regular security drills involving all stakeholders to ensure preparedness for any contingency. The port will suspend operations during any planned or unplanned blackout to mitigate risks effectively.To tighten access control, CISF and PSO personnel have been directed to allow entry only to individuals with valid Dock Entry Permits or official Photo ID cards.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
From code to combat: AI-driven drones rewrite battle rules from Op Spider Web to Operation Sindoor
In an insightful conversation with Firstpost, Sai Pattabiram, Founder and CEO of an Indian drone manufacturer company, Zuppa, explained the significance of drones in modern warfare and the challenges that come with it. read more In the span of just a few months, the world witnessed three innovative military operations that changed the dynamics of modern warfare. These missions were: Operation Spider Web, Operation Rising Lion and Operation Sindoor. All these military operations had one thing in common: the use of autonomous drones where AI plays a key role in their trajectories and the actual work of the drones. While the technology has made the war games a level playing field, it has also raised numerous security concerns. In an insightful conversation with Firstpost, Sai Pattabiram, founder and CEO of an Indian drone manufacturer company, Zuppa, explained the significance of drones in modern warfare and the challenges that come with it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zuppa is a Chennai-based drone manufacturer and seller to the Indian army. Its drones took part in Operation Sindoor India, launched to target nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the Pahalgam terror attack. Pattabiram explained the tech that makes these drones so vital for various services. 'One needs to understand that a drone is unmanned because an embedded electronic motherboard known as the autopilot has replaced the Human pilot,' he said. 'This autopilot consists of both hardware and software layers that enable a user to use it much like a mobile phone or a laptop. This is called the Cyber Physical Stack of the drone, as shown below: Pattabiram mentioned that it is the electronic layer where the automation and AI drone technology are usually built. 'The evolution of drone tech in terms of deployment that has been witnessed across conflicts globally, from Operation Sindoor to Operation Spider Web and everything in between, has been in these layers,' Pattabiram told Firstpost. 'The technology life cycle of innovation happening in this layer has dropped significantly to 8 – 10 weeks. Thus, indicating an innovation in drone use happening every 2-3 months. Much of this evolution that has been witnessed today has been in these layers,' he said. Pattabiram emphasised that the future of drone technology will be its ability to adapt quickly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From delivering groceries to delivering bombs In the span of just a few years, there has been an evolution in how drones are being used. From delivering items one purchased online to dropping bombs and turning into suicide bombers. While speaking on the evolution of the use of drones, Pattabiram emphasised that the dual-use technology can deliver anything, be it food or bombs. 'Initially, drones' dual-use technology was not given enough care across the world, not only in India. Nobody looked at it as a dual-use technology. They all looked at it as separate military applications and separate civilian applications,' he told Firstpost. However, Pattabiram also pointed out how these drones can be used by terrorists, raising a security concern. 'Civilians, military and terrorists can use the same thing for three very different purposes. Like a farmer can use a drone for spraying pesticides or nutrients. The military could use it to use a drone to ship material from point A to point B, and the terrorists could use it as a kamikaze mode or even as a bomb dropping,' he said. 'So this dual-use nature of drones is what is now turning out to be a kind of revolution for most of the people in the security apparatus or the security organisations. And this all started primarily with Ukraine using FPV drones.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zuppa's Kamikaze Micro Drone Ajeet Mini. Image Source: Zuppa 'Now, FPV drones today are known as kamikaze drones. Today we know it as drones which can damage lethally, which can deliver lethal blows, like Operation Spider that happened recently. But FPV drones were never intended to be this,' he explained. 'FPV drones were racing drones. There is an FPV racing league and Ukraine and Russia, both countries, that practically use FPV, flyers, people who do drone racing to fly these drones into war. Drones as Dual-use technology weren't expected and weren't something people thought of,' he added. Ukraine Operation Spider Web: The concerns & opportunities On June 1, 2025, Russia was rocked by a drone attack on its key military infrastructure. Ukraine eventually announced that after over one and a half years of planning, they had conducted what they called 'Operation Spider Web'. In the mission, Ukraine used a whopping 117 drones to strike the Russian airfield. What was shocking was the fact that the strikes were conducted 600 kilometres away from the battleline and 1,000 kilometres away from the Ukrainian border. While speaking to Firstpost, Pattabiram noted that this was the 'first time we saw the use of the remote operational capabilities of the drone.' He also mentioned how Elon Musk's Starlink played a crucial role in the operation. 'While Kamikaze drones themselves haven't changed much since their first use in the Ukraine-Russia war, it's their evolution in terms of deployment that has been changing modern warfare. Like Operation Spider Web was a very innovative use of Kamikaze drones way inside enemy lines,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine's Security Chief Briefs President Zelenskyy on Operation Spider's Web. Image: X/@ZelenskyyUa However, he also stated that the 'true impact of Operation Spider Web is not only on Russia, but it is on the entire global security ecosystem, given the scale and asymmetry of damage it has inflicted in terms of cost and operational preparedness'. 'This operation has galvanised the former Indian Army Chief to state that the Entire Country is now a battlefield thanks to the scale of this operation,' he said. Not something new Another point on which Pattabiram emphasised was the fact that 'such a kind of operation has not happened in India. 'In India, if you see, we have had the Jammu air base attack in 2021. Which again was possibly by a locally operated drone. Possibly even locally assembled using locally available material. Means material within India,' he said. 'So the Operation Spider Web has woken up the security apparatus across the world. This Operation is going to change the way people look at drones. The way people operate drones in war as well,' he said. Open source code and the risks of hijacks One of the key aspects of the Operation Spider Web is the fact that Ukraine used open-source codes to develop the drones that ultimately struck the Russian airfield. However, if the easily available codes fall into the wrong hands, the impact would be detrimental. While raising concerns over the matter, Pattabiram recalled the hijacking of an Indian drone back in August 2024. 'The drone was taken over on the 23rd of August 2024 by Pakistan, and it's not like that was the first time it's happened, it's happened before as well. A lot of this can be directly attributed to the use of open source code,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD SBU chief Lt. Gen. Vasyl Maliuk is standing beside a schematic map of the operation. @SBUkr 'The code layer of a drone is where the vulnerability of hacking or the vulnerability of misuse lies. The code can be downloaded from GitHub, and it can be used, and the commands can be directly given to the drone to hack. So, considering this open-source code is a major risk from a security perspective,' he explained. The need for a regulatory framework When asked how the risk can be tackled, Pattabiram suggested innovative ideas. 'The key is that there is a lot of learning that is possible from the telecom sector. Chinese phones that were sold here without IMEI numbers. Which meant there was no traceability of the phone. So they could be misused for various things, and nobody knows where it is. Now, today the drone is in the same status. Despite the civilian drone regulation having been in place since 1921. For the last 4 years, nobody knows where a drone is operating or who is operating,' he averred. 'So, considering this, DGCA has a digital sky on which you can register a drone. But there is something beyond the online portal on which you register, and you get one thing called a UIN number. So the regulatory framework has a very simple thing to be done, i.e. using the telecom as a learning point.' 'So all they need to do is completely stop the import of autopilots and then introduce SIM cards into every autopilot in India. So that every SIM card has an IMEI number. And it has an IMEI number, which is your subscriber number. This way, you can trace the drone from the telecom network to where it is. Who is operating it, and the moment you have got the IMEI number, and you have done a KYC for it, you know who owns the drone,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When it comes to imported autopilots, Pattabiram said that those drones need to be controlled. 'It should not be an open item. A drone autopilot cannot be imported under OGL or a general licence. There should be specific people who are allowed and authorised to import it based on licensing. And the second is that all autopilots need to have a SIM card on them. If this is done, then I think one can get rid of a lot of problems. The first drone war in South Asia: India-Pak conflict While the Indian and Pakistani military clashed with each other on numerous occasions, the conflict that erupted following the devastating Pahalgam attack saw drones taking the centre stage. 'Operation Sindoor was the first time a totally non-contact remote war played out in the subcontinent, with neither side crossing either the IB or the LOC. This was possible primarily on account of the deployment of remote technologies like drones and missiles,' Pattabiram said. 'Having said that, it is important to note the fact that the small drone war has been happening even before Operation Sindoor, with Pakistan violating lower-level Indian airspace over the past couple of years, every day by sending hundreds of drones to deliver drugs, small arms, explosives, etc. This war is interestingly continuing even after May 10th 2025.' A debate will take place in the Upper House of Parliament over India's Operation Sindoor. Representational Image 'The importance of addressing and building capabilities for this particular type of low intensity, dispersed, highly asymmetric war is one of the biggest learning's from Operation Sindoor. This is exactly the kind of warfare that is stretching out the Ukraine-Russia war for over three years now. The Israel-Iran war and the Israel-Houthi wars are other such conflicts that are stretching out. The result of such stretched-out, open-ended conflicts can be both costly and debilitating to the economies of the countries involved,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pattabiram emphasised that India needs to build capabilities and abilities to block enemy drones from coming to India. Mentioning how Pakistan often uses drones to send drugs within the Indian borders, he called for finding ways to neutralise these threats. A general view of a damaged portion of a building, after it was hit by an Indian strike, in Muridke near Lahore, Pakistan, May 7. Jain played a big part in Operation Sindoor. Reuters AI & Drones During the conversation with Firstpost, Pattabiram noted that AI automation is going to be the future of drones. 'The question of trying to operate them manually is not going to be feasible. The skill level required to fly this kind of FPV drone takes years for somebody to build into that kind of capability. Due to this, it is not scalable as well,' he said. 'It needs to be AI-based. It needs to have self-autonomous capabilities, which do not exist. But looks like many of the countries and many of the companies, including us, are also working along those lines in terms of autonomous AI and Machine learning is being infused into drones,' he asserted, emphasising that the integration of AI and drones is an 'unavoidable future'. So, the swarm drone concept is another concept that is going to be very, very strong going forward. The only thing that you will see grow going forward is the technology content, and the way the technology is used is going to start scaling very well,' he said. Operation Rising Lion: Are drone bases new sleeper cells? After Israel conducted Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities, it was revealed that Mossad had drone bases within Iranian territory. It was from these bases that they activated the drones and conducted the strikes on military and nuclear facilities in Iran. While talking about the operation, Pattabiram compared setting up drone bases within enemy territory to setting up sleeper cells or deploying terrorists on foreign land. 'It is more on the lines of a terrorist operation. So it is like you are having terrorists within the country, within the enemy country, and you are operating those sleeper cells,' he said. 'In some ways, it is very similar to a sleeper cell concept. And that is exactly what Ukraine and Israel, or Mossad, did. They have activated certain existing assets in terms of people within the other country. This is very, very similar to what has been happening in India. In terms of Pahalgam, or in terms of Patankot or in terms of Bombay, 26-11. Now, in the terrorist case it is human, in this case it is a drone. But the basic concept is the same,' he said. Pattabiram emphasised that the only way to counter these attacks would be the same way one works on counter terrorism measures. 'So it is a counter terrorism and counterinsurgency kind of scenario that has to be used for something like this. Now, one of the ways of figuring it out is controlling the availability of material to be able to activate these things. And the second is legitimacy in terms of seeing who is using this material, who is buying this material,' he explained. Are drones replacing battle tanks? Over the decades, the rules of warfare have evolved significantly. From the use of horses to battle tanks. Then missiles came into play, making countries target each other irrespective of the distance. However, the three operations that rocked the world in the span of a few weeks beg one question: Are drones replacing battle tanks? When Firstpost asked this question, Pattabiram said drones are being used for the first time as a 'de-escalatory asymmetric'. 'When a war moved from a horse to a tank, the tank was far more expensive than a horse. But still, people took it because it offered certain strong advantages over a horse. When it moved from propeller planes to jet planes, jet planes were far ahead of propeller planes in terms of capabilities. So even though it was higher in terms of cost, people adopted it because it delivered asymmetric impact to the forces,' he explained. When bombs evolved into missiles, a similar kind of asymmetry happened where the cost escalated, but the impact also escalated. But drones are the first time in the history of warfare where it has gone the other way around. Where the cost has reduced, but the impact has increased.' 'So, thereby enabling larger deployment of drones, covering larger areas and being cost-effective, they are a de-escalative asymmetry which delivers a higher impact,' he added. To support his assertion, Pattabiram gave an example of how to take down a tank with millions of dollars of Russian bombers, Ukraine just used $2,000 drones. 'So, where this also plays is now if somebody were to use missiles to stop drones, then you are stopping a $2000 drone with a $2 million missile. When it comes to that kind of equation, it can bleed a country,' he said. Can drones be a deterrent in war as nuclear weapons have been? When asked if drones can be given the same stature as nuclear weapons for deterrence in war, Pattabiram emphasised that while drones can be solid levellers, they are not deterrents and the impact is not as significant as a nuclear weapon. 'The drones are turning out to be more of irritants and more of psychological players, rather than being something like an impact player, like nuclear weapons,' Pattabiram said. 'Nuclear weapons have more of an impact as a deterrent. Whereas drones are turning out to be more than something, they start affecting people psychologically as well as people, keep irritating and chipping away.' 'So nuclear is something like, one hard bang. This is something that gives a thousand cuts. So, drones and nuclear weapons can't be compared to that extent; one is kind of destructive in one shot. So there is a difference between the two,' he concluded. While drones might not be as lethal as nuclear weapons, one thing remains clear: they will be at the centre stage of modern warfare.
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
Jammu-Kashmir encounter: Operation continues for 4th day in Kulgam's Akhal Devsar, one terrorist neutralised
Security forces continued their operation in the Akhal Devsar area of South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Monday for the fourth consecutive day. So far, one terrorist has been neutralised in the operation. According to the Chinar Corps, the terrorist was killed during a gunfight on Saturday that continued overnight in the Akhal area of South Kashmir's Kulgam district. The joint operation was carried out by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir police, CRPF, and the Special Operations Group (SOG). In a post on X, Chinar Corps of the Indian Army said, 'OP AKHAL, Kulgam. Intermittent and intense firefight continued through the night. Alert troops responded with calibrated fire and tightened the noose while maintaining contact.' 'One terrorist has been neutralised by the security forces so far. Operation continues,' the post added. In an earlier operation by the Indian Army's White Knight Corps in the Poonch sector on 30 July, two terror operatives were neutralised while attempting to infiltrate across the LoC. The White Knight Corps said, ' Operation Shivashakti. In a successful anti-infiltration operation, alert troops of the Indian Army eliminated two terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the Line of Control.' 'Swift action and accurate firepower thwarted the nefarious designs. Three weapons have been recovered. Synergistic and synchronised intelligence inputs from own intelligence units and JK Police led to a successful operation,' the statement read. On 29 July, Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Lok Sabha that the Lashkar-e-Taiba top commander Suleman, involved in the Pahalgam terror attack, was among the three terrorists killed by security forces during Operation Mahadev in Jammu and Kashmir. 'In the Operation Mahadev, Suleman alias Faizal..., Afghan and Jibran, these three terrorists were killed in a joint operation of the Indian Army, CRPF and J&K Police... Suleman was an A-category commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Afghan was an A-category Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist. And Jibran was also an A-grade terrorist... All three terrorists who killed our citizens in the Baisaran valley have been eliminated.,' Shah said during the second debate on the Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha. The three terrorists were killed in Operation Mahadev in an intense firefight with security forces in the Harwan area near Dachigam National Park of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.
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First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
Jaw broken, spinal fracture: How extra cabin luggage fees led Army officer to ‘murderous assault' against SpiceJet staff
A major controversy has erupted over an incident at Srinagar airport, where a senior Army officer allegedly assaulted several SpiceJet ground staff on July 26. According to the airline, the officer reacted angrily after being asked to pay extra for excess cabin luggage. He then reportedly turned violent, attacking four staff members with punches, repeated kicks, and even a queue stand read more The clash took place during the boarding of SpiceJet flight SG-386 to Delhi. Image: News18 A huge row has erupted over an altercation at Srinagar airport, where a senior Army officer allegedly attacked and severely injured several SpiceJet ground staff on July 26. The officer was reportedly asked to pay a fee for excess baggage while flying out of Srinagar. That is when the situation is reported to have turned violent. ALSO READ | SpiceJet flight's window frame comes loose mid-air. How risky is that? SpiceJet said it has filed a police complaint and also written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, calling the incident a 'murderous assault' and demanding action. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, the Indian Army released a statement saying that it remains committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and takes all allegations seriously. So, what caused the clash? And what has happened since? Let's break down the story: Army officer thrashes SpiceJet staff: What happened? The clash took place during the boarding of SpiceJet flight SG-386 to Delhi. The officer, who is currently posted at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, allegedly reacted angrily when airline staff told him he had to pay extra charges for carrying luggage over the cabin limit. VIDEO | On July 26, 2025, a passenger reportedly assaulted the SpiceJet employees at the Srinagar boarding gate of flight SG-386 after being informed about excess cabin baggage. Despite being escorted back by CISF for bypassing security protocol, the passenger launched a brutal… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 3, 2025 He was carrying two cabin bags weighing 16 kg in total, more than double the allowed limit of 7 kg, the airline said. When the staff informed him of the extra weight and the fee, the officer allegedly refused to pay and tried to enter the aerobridge without completing the required boarding checks, violating security rules, NDTV reported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official in charge of airport security then took him back to the boarding gate. That's when, according to SpiceJet, things turned violent. The airline claims the officer became aggressive and physically attacked four members of the ground staff. The assault included punches, repeated kicks, and hitting them with a queue stand. SpiceJet said one staff member was knocked unconscious and others suffered serious injuries, including a spinal fracture and jaw injury. 'Our staff members suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks and a queue stand,' the airline said. All four were taken to the hospital and are still receiving treatment. Videos of the incident have now gone viral on social media. 'Murderous assault': What did SpiceJet say? In its statement, SpiceJet strongly criticised the attack and said it had filed an FIR and initiated steps to place the passenger on a no-fly list. The airline has also written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. As per the FIR, accessed by CNN-News18, the Army officer has been booked for 'murderous assault' following the altercation. The FIR describes the incident as 'unprovoked', 'violent', and 'abusive', targeting 'multiple civilian employees of SpiceJet'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It has been filed under sections 115(2), 126(2), 351(2), and 131 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and assault or use of criminal force, according to News18. The complaint also mentions that the officer 'verbally abused and criminally intimidated in an aggressive and threatening manner'. SpiceJet said it had submitted CCTV footage of the incident to the authorities. 'SpiceJet strongly condemns any act of violence against its employees and will pursue this matter to its fullest legal and regulatory conclusion,' the airline said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ | UK airport chaos: What led to over 100 flights being cancelled across Britain? What did the officer say? Speaking to The Indian Express, the officer said, 'I have no story to tell. The story is that they harassed me and provoked me. That is all.' Sources told The Times of India that the officer was on emergency leave and had also filed an FIR, alleging that he was mistreated and missed his flight. What did the Indian Army say? Meanwhile, the Indian Army issued a statement on Sunday, saying it is committed to maintaining the highest standards of discipline and takes all such complaints seriously. 'The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to uphold the highest standards of discipline and conduct, and takes all allegations seriously,' the statement read. It added that the Army is fully cooperating with the authorities in the ongoing investigation. With inputs from agencies
