Connect with us
Thursday,26-June-2025
Breaking News

Business

Astra missile order a big step in India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat drive

Published

on

The Defence Ministry’s announcement of signing a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for supply of ASTRA MK-I Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile (AAM) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy at a cost of Rs 2,971 crore is yet another major move towards manufacturing and maintenance of defence equipment to achieve the vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.

ASTRA MK-I BVR AAM has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) based on the staff requirements issued by the IAF catering for Beyond Visual Range as well as Close Combat Engagement reducing the dependency on foreign sources.

Until now, the technology to manufacture missiles of this class indigenously was not available.

Air-to-air missile with BVR capability provides large standoff ranges to fighter aircraft which can neutralise the adversary aircraft without exposing itself to enemy’s air defence measures, thereby gaining and sustaining superiority of the air space. This missile is technologically and economically superior to many such imported missile systems.

ASTRA MK-I missile and all associated systems for its launch, ground handling and testing has been developed by DRDO in coordination with the IAF. The missile, for which successful trials have already been undertaken by the IAF, is fully integrated on the Su 30 MK-I fighter aircraft and will be integrated with other fighter aircraft in a phased manner, including the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas). The Indian Navy will integrate the missile on the MiG 29K fighter aircraft as well.

The project, which will act as a catalyst for development of infrastructure and testing facilities, essentially embodies the spirit of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and will help facilitate realising the country’s journey towards self-reliance in this sector. It will also create opportunities for several MSMEs in aerospace technology for a period of at least 25 years.

In continuous pursuit to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing and minimise imports under ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the ministry’s Department of Defence Production (DDP) has already intensified the drive for indigenisation of defence items by its DPSUs. The progress is being reviewed on a weekly basis by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.

A comprehensive user-friendly dashboard on its SRIJAN Portal has also been developed to monitor the status of progress of indigenisation. This dashboard enables real-time end-to-end updates of various activities being taken up by the respective DPSUs during the process of indigenisation. It provides transparent information, analytics and various customised reports to assess the performance of the DPSUs.

Relevant information like details of items to be indigenised, tentative order quantity, concerned DPSU, route of indigenisation to be adopted, details of in-charge Nodal Officer, details of expression of Interests, Requests for Proposal, project sanction order, etc. have been kept in public domain to make it accessible to the industry.

The ministry believes that the move can become a game changer in intensifying the indigenisation process.

While addressing the three-day 39th Commanders’ Conference of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in New Delhi on Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had highlighted his ministry sanctioning a large number of projects, including acquisition of Pollution Control Vessels and mid-term Life Upgradation of Dornier Fleet, to modernise the ICG.

Flight test of indigenously developed helicopter launched anti-tank guided Missile ‘Helina’ being carried out from Advanced Light Helicopter at high-altitude ranges

“Today, the manufacturing and servicing/repairing of ships and aircraft of ICG is being done indigenously. The ICG is spending almost 90% of its capital budget on the development of indigenous assets,” Singh had said while appreciating the ICG’s efforts towards achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

On May 27, the Defence Minister undertook a sea sortie on stealth submarine ‘INS Khanderi’ and witnessed a wide range of operational drills at Karwar strengthening the resolve of achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Singh had described ‘INS Khanderi’ as a shining example of the ‘Make in India’ capabilities of the country and appreciated the fact that 39 of the 41 ships/submarines ordered by the Indian Navy are being built in Indian shipyards.

Crime

Bengaluru: Nursing student raped by PG owner after confessing to theft; accused held

Published

on

Bengaluru, June 25: An incident has been reported from Bengaluru on Wednesday where a nursing student was allegedly raped by the owner of a paying guest (PG) accommodation after she confessed to a theft, officials said.

The police have arrested the accused.

The arrested person has been identified as 35-year-old Ravi Teja Reddy, the owner of the PG facility.

According to the police, Reddy raped the 21-year-old woman after she admitted to stealing three gold rings from another girl residing in the same PG.

Following the victim’s complaint, Reddy has been booked for rape and taken into police custody.

The victim, a nursing graduate from Andhra Pradesh, had joined the PG only a week prior to the incident and was searching for a job, the police said.

Investigations revealed that the victim had allegedly stolen three gold rings from another PG inmate.

She had also disconnected the CCTV camera wire during the theft.

However, she asked another inmate whether the CCTV footage would still be recorded despite the wire of the CCTV camera being cut.

This conversation was shared with Reddy, which raised his suspicion on the nurse.

Reddy then summoned the victim for questioning and threatened to hand her over to the police.

The girl reportedly confessed to the theft, after which Reddy instructed his aides to retrieve the hidden valuables, police added.

When the victim pleaded with Reddy to forgive her and not to inform the police, he allegedly slapped her and sexually assaulted her.

Initially hesitant to file a complaint, the victim later confided in a male friend.

The friend then contacted a city-based advocate, who helped lodge a formal complaint with the police.

Based on the complaint, the police sent the victim for a medical examination and arrested the accused.

Reddy has been booked under Sections 64(1), 74, and 75(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.

In her complaint, the victim said that Reddy initially touched her private parts under the pretext of checking her.

When she resisted, he allegedly forced her to perform oral sex.

The FIR further mentions that the victim, unable to control her urge to vomit after the assault, ran to the restroom.

Reddy followed her and allegedly forced her to have unnatural sex again.

The victim also said that Reddy later threatened her not to reveal the incident to anyone.

It was only after the victim’s friends came to her support that she gathered the courage to file a complaint.

Continue Reading

International

South Korea welcomes Israel-Iran ceasefire, commends US’ diplomatic efforts

Published

on

Seoul, June 25: The South Korean Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and praised the diplomatic efforts led by the US and other involved countries.

“We hope that all parties will faithfully implement the terms of the agreement so that tensions in the region can be eased swiftly,” the ministry said in a statement.

As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, South Korea “will continue to participate in the international community’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East,” Yonhap news agency reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had officially taken effect, urging both sides to maintain restraint.

“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!” Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social.

The announcement came amid escalating violence in the Middle East, but President Trump’s declaration appeared to catch both parties off guard. The ceasefire claim was quickly contradicted by Iran, which asserted it had not received any formal proposal from Washington and had not agreed to a bilateral ceasefire.

US President Trump also wrote, “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘Peace’! I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real winners!”

“Both Nations will see tremendous love, peace and prosperity in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of righteousness and truth. The future for Israel & Iran is unlimited and filled with great promise. God bless you both!” he added.

Earlier, Iran announced a unilateral halt to its military operations against Israel, effective 4 a.m. local time, but made it clear that the pause was conditional, based entirely on whether Israel would stop its own airstrikes and military actions.

Continue Reading

Crime

PFI had ‘hit list’ of 950 in Kerala including judge, reveals NIA probe

Published

on

Kochi, June 25: In a startling revelation made by the National Investigating Agency (NIA), it has surfaced that the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) had prepared a hit list of 950 people in Kerala.

The list, which surfaced in the media on Wednesday, included a now-retired district judge.

Incidentally, this list was submitted early this month by the NIA at a special court here when the bail applications of four accused in the murder of RSS leader Sreenivasan came up for hearing. The NIA opposed the bail strongly. The four accused, identified as Muhammad Bilal, Riyasudheen, Ansar K.P. and Saheer K.V., were arrested for murdering Sreenivasan at Palakkad, Kerala, in 2022.

The list of 950 was compiled after getting confirmed inputs from different places by the NIA probe team. It includes eight documents seized from the 51st accused, Sirajudheen, which contain a list of 240 people from other communities.

Then, while conducting a search held at Periyar Valley Campus at Aluva, NIA was able to get the details of five targeted persons from the purse of the 15th accused, Abdul Wahad, who is presently on the run.

It was in this list that the name of a former district judge was found.

Another document seized from an accused, who turned approver later, contained a hit list with the names of 232 people.

Similarly, a search held at the home of the 69th accused, Ayoob, a hit list containing the names of about 500 people was found.

When the NIA was probing the Sreenivasan case, the PFI link emerged. It was later found that PFI had sinister plans to create unrest in the country.

During the investigation, the anti-terror agency got details of the PFI carrying out physical and arms training for its cadres.

The NIA has now claimed that it has voice clips and witness statements that reveal the ‘India 2047 plan’ of setting up Islamic rule in India.

The special court, after hearing both sides and going through the documents produced before it, observed that there were reasonable grounds for believing that the accusation against the petitioners was prima facie true, and rejected the bail petition.

Continue Reading

Trending