Terrorist killed in encounter with security forces, 2 trapped in Operation Akhal
In this Battle Cry special broadcast, the focus is on the Indian Army's push to be future combat ready following Operation Sindoor. The discussion centres on new fighting formations announced by the Chief of the Army Staff, which include the Rudra All Arms Brigade, and the Bhairav Light Commando Battalion, an elite special forces unit.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
MoD clears big arms deals, including BrahMos, armed drones, worth Rs 67,000cr
NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Tuesday gave the initial nod for the procurement of 87 new heavy-duty armed drones and over 110 more air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which IAF used as the primary weapon to strike Pakistani airbases and radar sites in May, among several modernisation proposals collectively worth Rs 67,000 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The acceptance of necessity (AoN) granted by the Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) for the 87 armed medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely-piloted aircraft will see an Indian company tying up with a foreign one to produce the drones with "an indigenous content of 60%". "The need for such MALE drones, armed with air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided bombs as well as capable of operating at long ranges, was acutely felt for the three services during Operation Sindoor," a senior official told TOI. Armed forces hope to induct 87 new MALE drones, which are faster than 'Predator' HALE The 87 drones, with ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and weapon-carrying capability, will cost around Rs 20,000 crore. Another Rs 11,000 crore will be for logistical and other support by the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) for 10 years," the senior official added. India, of course, had used Israeli-origin Harop and Harpy kamikaze drones, which act as cruise missiles by exploding into enemy assets and radars, to hit targets deep inside Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities. The armed forces hope to induct the 87 new MALE drones, which return to their bases after strike missions, faster than the 31-armed MQ-9B 'Predator' HALE (high-altitude, long endurance) drones ordered from the US for Rs 32,350 crore in Oct last year, which will be delivered only in the 2029-30 timeframe. The over 110 air-launched BrahMos missiles, which are jointly manufactured by India and Russia, in turn, will cost around Rs 10,800 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These 450-km range missiles, which fly almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8, combined with Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, with a combat radius of about 1,500-km, constitute a deadly weapons package, as was witnessed during Operation Sindoor. The DAC also accorded AoN for eight BrahMos fire control systems and vertical launchers for older Indian warships for Rs 650 crore. Around 20 frontline warships, including the latest destroyers and frigates, are already armed with the BrahMos missiles. In March last year, the defence ministry had inked a Rs 19,519 crore deal for procurement of over 220 BrahMos missiles for frontline warships with the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace. The total value of deals inked for BrahMos has crossed Rs 58,000 crore over the years, with the missiles becoming the "prime conventional (non-nuclear) precision strike weapons" for the armed forces. For the Army, the DAC gave the nod for new thermal imager-based driver night-sights for infantry combat vehicles (BMPs). "This would provide higher mobility and operational advantage," another official said.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Amit Shah now India's longest-serving home minister
NEW DELHI: Amit Shah on Tuesday reached the career milestone of becoming the longest-serving home minister, drawing compliments from PM Narendra Modi for an even-studded spell marked by landmark decisions like abolition of special status of J&K, enactment of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, promulgation of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and a hammer blow to Maoist insurgency. Amit Shah, who has been home minister for 2,258 days, has overtaken BJP stalwart L K Advani, who had a run of 2,256 days in the politically crucial position. Govind Ballabh Pant, a Congess giant and former UP CM, had the third longest tenure as home minister. I nterestingly, Shah achieved the distinction on the the 6th anniversary of the scrapping of the special status for J&K - one of the foundational objectives of BJP. While addressing a meeting of NDA parliamentary group, the PM congratulated Shah, whose tenure as BJP chief was also impressive. Modi saying, "It is just the beginning", sparked curiosity among MPs. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, however, clarified that Modi's reference was to BJP-led NDA's ongoing success. In his speech, Shah spoke about Operation Sindoor, calling it a symbol of India's resolute political will and firm response to attacks. Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said Modi commended Shah for uniting NDA partners. Shah, who served as Gujarat home minister under Modi's CM-ship, became the country's home minister on May 30 2019 and is serving. Apart from the home ministry, he is also the country's first cooperation minister.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Call for debate on Op Sindoor backfired on Opposition: PM Modi
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that the opposition's demand for a debate on Operation Sindoor boomeranged on them, with the entire country seeing their reluctance to acknowledge the success of the armed forces, exposing the disconnect between their stand and popular sentiments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Modi emphasised that while the entire country celebrated the valour of troops, the opposition raised doubts about their accomplishment. "Such discussions are welcome but the opposition failed to see the sentiments of 140 crore Indians. They must now regret demanding this debate," sources quoted him as saying at NDA parliamentary party meeting. They failed to read nation's pulse and ended up scoring a self goal, he further said, according to sources. Modi recalled that he had referred to the opposition's failure to grasp the national achievement right at the outset of his speech during the debate. "Today, I stand to present India's perspective and hold a mirror to those who fail to see it," sources quoted him as saying. Sources said Modi urged NDA leaders to amplify the collective voice of a "New India," which has resolutely responded to terrorists and their patrons. His remarks drew applause from NDA MPs, who greeted him with chants of "Har Har Mahadev". After the meeting - the first during Parliament's monsoon session - NDA leaders marched from the Balayogi Auditorium to the new Parliament building, showcasing unity. Meanwhile, opposition MPs protested near the Gandhi statue, demanding a discussion on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Modi emphasised the NDA's identity as a natural and organic alliance, reflecting on its successes since its founding in 1998 and its potential for future achievements. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At the NDA meeting - the second since the govt's formation in June 2024 -Modi was felicitated for his "exceptional leadership" in guiding India's response to Pahalgam terror attack. Modi urged MPs to participate enthusiastically in upcoming events like the Tiranga Yatra, held annually before Independence Day, and National Space Day on Aug 23. He highlighted historical significance of Aug 5, marking the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which ended special rights for J&K, and the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in 2020.
