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Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC rejects Thackeray's request for early hearing for using Shiv Sena symbol
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused an urgent hearing to a Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) application for using the name Shiv Sena and its bow and arrow symbol for the Maharashtra local bodies election. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. (ANI) A bench of justices MM Sundresh and K Vinod Chandran directed the matter to be listed on July 14, noting the election was yet to be notified. 'What is the urgency now? Even if it is notified, you can seek directions in the pending matter.' Shiv Sena (UBT) moved the application in a pending petition challenging the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s February 17, 2023, order recognising the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Thackeray, said the application needs to be heard urgently as the election to 27 municipal corporations, 232 municipal councils, and 125 nagar panchayats will be notified soon. He referred to the May 6 Supreme Court direction to the Maharashtra government to complete the election within four months. The local polls have not been held since 2022 due to a challenge to a state law granting 27% Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation. The opponents of the law argued it failed the 2021 Supreme Court-mandated triple test, requiring the setting up of a commission to provide empirical data on OBC backwardness, fixing the quantum of reservation in each local body, and ensuring the total reservation does not exceed the 50% cap. The Supreme Court laid down the cap in the 1992 Indira Sawhney case. On May 6, the Supreme Court cited the pending challenge to the law. It said the reservation shall be provided to the OBC communities as per the law as it existed before the 2022 report of the Banthia Commission. The new law was passed based on the report. Kamat argued that once the elections are notified, the symbols cannot be allotted. He added that either the February 17, 2023, ECI order should be set aside or the matter should be heard on an urgent basis. Kamat referred to a similar symbol dispute related to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Supreme Court directed the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction to issue a public notice in the newspapers saying that the allocation of the clock symbol to it is sub judice. It said that the symbol will be used subject to the outcome of the proceedings before the court. The court added that the disclaimer should be in every template, advertisement, audio, or video clip issued on behalf of the Ajit Pawar faction. Kamat requested the court to pass similar directions in the Shiv Sena symbol dispute matter. He added a large number of voters, especially the working class, rural masses, and marginalised communities, identified Shiv Sena and its symbol, the saffron flag, and the emblem of a roaring tiger with the name of the party inscribed below, with the founder Balasaheb Thackeray. Kamat said the Shinde faction was campaigning under the name of Shiv Sena and the bow and arrow symbol. He added that this affects the voting pattern. 'This is causing grave prejudice to the petitioner who is rightfully entitled to use the said name and symbol, and to the general public at large who are being misled into believing that the respondents represent the real Shiv Sena.' The Shinde faction's lawyer objected to the application, saying the court rejected a similar request on May 7, a day after the order was passed for local elections. The Shinde faction pointed out that the ECI had permitted the Uddhav Thackeray faction to contest elections under the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) with the flaming torch symbol for two years. The bench told Kamat, 'Even if elections are held, your rights will not go as the matter is pending here.' Shinde replaced Thackeray as the chief minister as he formed the government with the Bharatiya Janata Party's help in June 2022 after the Shiv Sena's split. Thackeray quit as the governor called for a floor test. The Supreme Court in May 2023 said the governor was not justified in calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority on the floor of the House. It added that there was no material to show Thackeray had lost the confidence of the House. The court did not restore power to Thackeray as he resigned before the floor test.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hypersonic missiles, next-gen BrahMos, new air defence: DRDO chief reveals long list of India's future-ready weapons
India is advancing a wide range of indigenous defence technologies including hypersonic missiles , long-range air defence systems, and next-generation fighter aircraft, according to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat. In an interview to NDTV, Dr. Kamat outlined DRDO 's current and future projects that aim to enhance India's strategic deterrence and battlefield capabilities across air, land, and sea. BrahMos and its smaller successor A key focus area is the BrahMos missile , co-developed with Russia and currently launched from Su-30MKI fighter jets. To increase deployment flexibility, DRDO is working on BrahMos-NG, a next-generation variant designed to fit into more fighter platforms. BrahMos-NG is lighter and smaller, allowing wider deployment across India's air fleet. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Air conditioners without external unit. (click to see prices) Air Condition | Search Ads Search Now Undo India's hypersonic weapons programme India is also developing two types of hypersonic weapons — a cruise missile and a glide vehicle. The glide vehicle project is at a more advanced stage. Dr. Kamat said, 'We should be able to complete developmental trials in two to three years and then we can go for induction.' For the hypersonic cruise missile, scramjet propulsion has already been successfully tested for 1,000 seconds. Full-scale development awaits government approval. Once cleared, it may take five to seven years to reach operational status. Live Events Air-to-air and air-to-ground missile upgrades DRDO is extending its missile capabilities with new variants of the Astra air-to-air missile. The existing Mk-1 is in service, while Mk-2 and Mk-3 with longer range are under development. Meanwhile, the Rudram series of air-to-ground missiles is being upgraded. Rudram-2, Rudram-3, and Rudram-4 are in different stages of development. Surface-to-air defence and anti-drone technologies Under the Kusha programme, India is developing long-range surface-to-air missiles to match capabilities like the Russian S-400. The system is internally known as 'Sudarshan Chakra'. In parallel, DRDO is also developing directed energy weapons including high-powered lasers and microwave systems to neutralise drones and other aerial threats. Mobile artillery and light tanks India's indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) is being adapted into a mobile version. Last year, the government approved a proposal for 814 truck-mounted, self-propelled 155mm gun systems costing around ₹15,000 crore. Apart from defence PSUs, private firms like Tata, L&T, Bharat Forge , and Mahindra Defence have been approached for participation. Dr. Kamat also shared details about the light tank project named Zorawar. Built with L&T for high-altitude deployment along the border with China, the 25-tonne tank is expected to see 354 units inducted by the Indian Army. Naval weapons nearing induction For the Indian Navy, DRDO is developing torpedoes, naval mines, and other undersea warfare technologies. Dr. Kamat said many of these systems are 'close to induction,' signalling near-term deployment of several indigenous maritime platforms. Fifth-generation fighter response to China-Pakistan axis Dr. Kamat commented on reports that Pakistan may receive 40 J-35 stealth aircraft from China by next year. India's response is the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft ( AMCA ), which received formal sanction in 2024. In a previous interview, Dr. Kamat said, 'The AMCA will take 10 years to complete and would be ready by 2035.' According to an Economic Times report, the Indian Air Force is expected to procure six squadrons — around 120 aircraft. Unlike the Tejas programme where HAL led manufacturing, AMCA will follow a new production model. The government has issued an expression of interest to bring in either HAL, a private firm, or a public-private joint venture as the lead production partner. Lessons from recent operations Dr. Kamat stressed the need for future weapons to operate without external support. Citing lessons from Operation Sindoor, he said, 'All weapons must function without GPS or communication,' highlighting DRDO's focus on autonomous systems that can work in electronically denied environments. India's defence strategy is moving towards greater self-reliance and operational flexibility through indigenous technologies. The DRDO's ongoing work across multiple platforms reflects a long-term commitment to building modern, multi-domain defence capabilities.
NDTV
19-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
'India's Hypersonic Glide Missile Is In Advanced Stage': DRDO Chief To NDTV
New Delhi: Indian weapons systems were a success during Operation Sindoor when India struck Pakistan during its 100-hour aerial battle, damaging enemy airfields, drones, and air defence systems. BrahMos, Akash surface-to-air missile, the D4 anti-drone system, and other systems designed and developed by the country's premier defence research and development body, DRDO, performed exceptionally well. The chief of DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, spoke to NDTV about the future of BrahMos, India's quest to develop a hypersonic missile and the lessons learnt during Operation Sindoor. The Future of BrahMos The world's fastest supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, was developed in partnership with Russia and struck Pakistani airfields during the conflict. BrahMos is universal - It can be launched from land, sea and air platforms. Dr Kamat shared an update on the developments in the BrahMos programme and said the scientists are looking at extending its range and having a smaller version capable of attaching to other fighter jets apart from the Su-30MKI. "We are increasing the range of the BrahMos missile. We are also looking at making it smaller so it can be mounted on all our air platforms. Today's BrahMos can be mounted only on the Sukhoi 30. But we are working on making a smaller version of BrahMos, which we are calling BrahMos-NG, and then it can be mounted on any of our platforms," Dr Kamat said. India's Hypersonic Missiles The ongoing Iran-Israel aerial battle started with drones, long-range ballistic missiles, followed by Tehran using hypersonic missiles (capable of flying at speeds five times more than the speed of sound) that are manoeuvrable and evade enemy air defences. India is not behind in its development of hypersonic. Last year, the DRDO test-fired a long-range hypersonic missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted a flight trial of its long range hypersonic missile on 16th Nov 2024 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha. Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has congratulated DRDO, Armed Forces and the Industry for successful flight… — रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) November 17, 2024 Dr Kamat spoke about the hypersonic missile system and said the agency is developing Hypersonic Cruise Missiles, meaning missiles that can travel consistently at hypersonic speeds and Hypersonic Glide Missiles or Vehicles (HGVs). "The hypersonic glide missile is in a much more advanced state. We have done one development trial, and we expect that in the next two to three years, we will complete all the development trials, and then it will be inducted," the DRDO chief said. "In hypersonic cruise missiles, we have recently proven scramjet propulsion for more than 1000 seconds, which is a major breakthrough. We hope the government will sanction a program to convert this scramjet propulsion into a hypersonic cruise missile weapon system. I estimate that it will take about five to seven years before it can be inducted," he added. Iran recently used the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile against Israel in the ongoing conflict. These warheads can glide, with a booster, at hypersonic speeds at low altitude toward the target, making it difficult for air defences to neutralise them because of their manoeuvrability. The DRDO chief further spoke about India's other weapon systems that are in development. "We are working on a variety of air-to-air missiles. We are going for higher ranges than our present Astra, which we now call Astra Mark 2 and Astra Mark 3. We are looking at air-to-ground missiles, which are known as Rudram 2, Rudram 3 and Rudram 4, which will have increasing ranges. These are air-to-ground missiles. Then we are looking at a variety of surface-to-air missiles for air defence applications. You are aware of our program KUSHA. We are also working on a directed energy weapon for anti-drones. So, this will be based on both lasers and high-power microwaves," he said. Dr Kamat shared an update on the Zorawar light tank, which was developed in record time by the DRDO. These tanks, intended for deployment in the rugged terrain of Ladakh, Sikkim and other high-altitude areas, completed their development trials, and user trials will start soon. The need for light tanks arose when India was engaged in a direct military engagement with the Chinese PLA in Ladakh in 2020, and the latter deployed its ZQ-15 Light Tanks to counter India's T-72 Ajeya and T-90 Bhishma tanks. "Our pipeline is quite strong and in the next two to three years, several of our weapon systems and sensors will get inducted into our services," Dr Kamat said. Stealth Fighter Programme And Lessons Learnt During Op Sindoor India recently took a step forward in the direction of building an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the "execution model" for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) that will be developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in cooperation with industry partners. "We have started work on all our platforms, such as LCA Tejas Mark 1, LCA Mark 1A and LCA Mark 2, were done together, partnering with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as our production partner. But in the AMCA's case, we are looking at an expression of interest to identify a partner. This partner can be HAL, can be a private sector, or it could be a joint venture between HAL and a private sector or between two private sector companies," he said. To a question about what lessons DRDO learnt from Operation Sindoor, the agency's chief said, "It is very clear to us now that all our weapon systems have to work in an electronically denied environment. The systems will be denied GPS and will be denied their communication. We have to develop fully autonomous weapon systems, which can work in any electronically denied environment."
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Time of India
Hell of fire: India to get new 300-km range Pinaka missile system soon that can fire 12 missiles in 44 seconds
What is Pinaka Live Events Features of Pinaka Future developments (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will soon begin manufacturing new variants of the Pinaka rocket system with extended ranges of 120 km and 300 km. These systems are expected to be inducted into the Indian Army within the next three to five years, according to DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. an interview with India TV, Dr. Kamat affirmed that India's artillery capability is now fully self-reliant and that all developments will be aligned with national defence DRDO has been instrumental in advancing these capabilities, particularly in the area of air defence. Dr. Kamat stated that the Indian Army has already inducted the Pinaka and the enhanced-range variant of the Pinaka rocket system. In addition, DRDO has completed trials for the Guided Pinaka system , with procurement expected shortly. This guided version is designed to deliver precision strikes on designated is also in progress on Pinaka-3 and Pinaka-4 , more powerful variants of the Pinaka system, with ranges of 120 km and 300 km, which are slated for future induction into the Pinaka is a multi-barrel rocket launcher developed by DRDO laboratories in Pune. It features advanced navigation and control systems. The MK-I version has a range of approximately 40 km, while the Pinaka II and MK-II ER have a range of 60 km and 90 km Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL), an all-weather, rocket artillery weapon system, continues to serve as a critical component of India's battlefield capabilities. Designed to deliver high volumes of fire within a short time, the Pinaka system is intended for rapid, concentrated strikes on critical and time-sensitive enemy and capable of operating in diverse conditions, the Pinaka system's launcher is equipped with high pointing accuracy and a quick response mechanism, enabling effective engagement of sensitive areas. During firing, the launcher is stabilized using four hydraulically actuated outriggers. The main cradle, which clamps the rocket pods, is mounted on a revolving base and carries two pods side-by-side. Each pod is fitted with six launcher tubes arranged in a 2x3 matrix, allowing a salvo of 12 rockets to be fired in just 44 system offers multiple operational modes. It can be operated through a Fire Control Computer (FCC), a Launcher Computer (LC), or manually. Initialization is handled via an Automatic Gun Alignment and Pointing System (AGAPS) or a Dial Sight, ensuring flexibility in technical features of the Pinaka system include shoot-and-scoot capability with automatic leveling and stabilization, a maximum rocket programming time of 20 seconds for all 12 rockets, and onboard inertial navigation for accurate and rapid target laying. The launcher achieves a position accuracy of one milliradian in both azimuth (AZ) and elevation (EL).With its advanced automation, fast deployment, and high firepower, the Pinaka system plays a pivotal role in enhancing India's artillery strength and operational indicate that Indian army is planning to induct 22 Pinaka regiments by Kamat also noted ongoing efforts to develop layered air defence systems similar to Israel's Iron Dome. Currently, India operates systems such as the Akash missile, QRSAM, and the Russian-made S-400. Development is also underway on the Kusha missile system, which is expected to be comparable to Russia's S-500. Multiple units of these systems will be necessary to ensure comprehensive national defence coverage, he added.
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Business Standard
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
DRDO showcases future-ready defence tech at Indo-Defence 2024 in Jakarta
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is participating in the Indo-Defence 2024 exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia, from June 11 to 14, as part of the India Pavilion. The event provides a platform for DRDO to showcase India's cutting-edge defence technologies from its defence R & D powerhouse. In a post on X on Tuesday, DRDO shared information and attached a video showcasing some of its cutting-edge technologies, such as ASTRA MK-I, Remotely Operated Vehicle-Daksh, Low Frequency Dunking Sonar (LFDS-X), Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW & C), Wheeled Armoured Platform (Whap), Varunastra Heavy Weight Torpedo, and Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile. DRDO is showcasing Future-Ready Defence Technologies at #IndoDefence2024 in Jakarta as part of India Pavilion ???? Hall F-46, JIExpo Kemayoran ???? June 11-14, 2025 Explore cutting-edge innovations from India's defence R&D powerhouse. #MakeInIndia #AtmanirbharBharat — DRDO (@DRDO_India) June 10, 2025 Sharing the details, DRDO posted that the India Pavilion, where its technologies are showcased, is located at Hall F-46, JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta. Earlier, in line with the government's vision to establish a robust defence industrial ecosystem with the participation of both public and private sectors, Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), a DRDO laboratory located in Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, has taken a major step forward by transferring technologies of nine systems to 10 industries. The licensing agreements were handed over in the presence of the Secretary of Defence R & D and Chairman of DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, during an event organised at VRDE on June 7, according to the Ministry of also signed an MoU with COEP Technological University, Pune, to collaborate on cutting-edge technologies and emerging areas. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kamat complimented DRDO and the industry for the exceptional performance of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor. He also suggested that the industry plan for surge capacity. He appreciated the efforts of VRDE in providing high-end technological solutions for land systems and weapon platforms. Scientist and Director General (Armament and Combat Engineering) Cluster, DRDO Prof (Dr) Prateek Kishore; Director, VRDE G Ramamohana Rao and other senior scientists were present at the occasion with industry representatives. Last month, DRDO inaugurated the Quantum Technology Research Centre (QTRC) at Metcalfe House, Delhi. The facility was inaugurated by the Secretary, Department of Defence R & D and Chairman, DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, to further strengthen Indigenous quantum capabilities for strategic and defence is equipped with state-of-the-art experimental setups designed to propel research and development in critical quantum domains. The key capabilities of this centre include Characterisation of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers and Distributed Feedback Lasers; Test-beds for evaluating single-photon sources; Set-up for characterisation of Micro-Fabricated Alkali Vapour Cell; and Experimental platforms for developing and validating Quantum Key Distribution techniques to enable ultra-secure communication and safeguard national security in the post-quantum era, spearheaded by Scientific Analysis Group (SAG), DRDO. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
