Washington, April 29: The United States is sharpening its military focus on China as its primary long-term strategic challenge, with senior commanders warning that cyber capabilities and special operations forces will be critical in maintaining an edge in an increasingly contested global environment.

At a Senate hearing on the posture of US Special Operations Command and Cyber Command, Admiral Frank Bradley said American forces must simultaneously address multiple threats but remain oriented toward Beijing.

“We must also orient our force on the long-term pacing challenge of China,” Bradley told lawmakers during his testimony as he outlined a security landscape shaped by overlapping risks from Russia, Iran and transnational networks.

He said US forces no longer have “the luxury of focusing on only a single goal or mission,” describing a strategic environment defined by what officials called “simultaneity” — managing competition and conflict across regions and domains.

Cyber Command leaders stressed that technological competition, particularly in artificial intelligence, is central to countering China’s military rise. General Joshua Rudd said maintaining superiority in advanced technologies is essential to preserving US advantages.

“I think it’s critical that the US has the technological advantage in every aspect of warfighting,” he said, adding that Washington must “retain and maintain our advantage” as AI becomes more deeply embedded in military operations.

Lawmakers warned that China is actively leveraging emerging technologies. In exchanges during the hearing, officials agreed that Beijing is using artificial intelligence in military applications, underscoring the urgency of the technological race.

The Pentagon is responding through a sweeping overhaul known as “Cybercom 2.0,” aimed at strengthening the cyber workforce and accelerating innovation. Katherine Sutton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for cyber policy, said adversaries are moving rapidly to exploit vulnerabilities.

“Our adversaries have moved beyond conducting espionage and theft, and are preparing for conflict by pre-positioning disruptive capabilities inside our nation’s critical infrastructure,” Sutton said.

Responding to a question, Sutton described cyber as “the connective tissue of modern warfare.” Integration across domains is essential to counter increasingly sophisticated threats, she added.

Highlighting the growing role of partnerships in countering China, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, Bradley said strengthening alliances and building partner capacity remain central to deterrence.

He pointed to long-standing relationships in the region, emphasising that trust and credibility built over decades enable the United States to share intelligence and support partners facing evolving threats.

“Foremost and most important in any strategy of deterrence is to have that stronger alliance,” he said.

Special operations forces, which make up a small fraction of the military, provide “an indispensable asymmetric advantage,” particularly in contested environments where conventional forces may be limited.

At the same time, lawmakers expressed concern about the pace of operations and the strain on personnel, warning that sustained high demand could affect readiness over the long term.

Mumbai: In a major breakthrough for Indian intelligence and anti-narcotics agencies, international drug trafficker Salim Dola, a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, is set to be brought to Mumbai today after 5 pm following his deportation to India from Turkey.

Dola was brought to India early Tuesday morning as part of a highly confidential and coordinated international operation led by the Narcotics Control Bureau under ‘Operation Global-Hunt.’ He arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on a special aircraft after being detained in Istanbul based on intelligence inputs shared by Indian agencies with foreign authorities.

Upon arrival, he was taken into custody by NCB officials and questioned at the airport. After initial interrogation, officials confirmed that Dola will now be transported to Mumbai later today, where he will be taken to the NCB office for further probe and legal proceedings.

Dola was a key figure in an international drug trafficking syndicate with operations spanning India, Dubai and several other countries. His name has reportedly surfaced in connection with a large-scale synthetic drug racket, raising serious concerns about the extent of the network.

Security agencies suspect that the syndicate has links with the infamous D-Company, indicating a possible nexus between global narcotics cartels and organised crime groups. Dola was earlier active in Mumbai’s Dongri area before allegedly shifting his base to Dubai, from where he is believed to have managed a major drug supply chain targeting India. Officials have also claimed he used a Saudi Arabian passport to facilitate international travel.

The arrest follows sustained action against his network. In October 2025, the Mumbai Crime Branch extradited his close aide Mohammad Salim Sohel Sheikh from Dubai. A month later, four of his family members, including his son Tahir Dola, were also brought to India after being arrested abroad. The NCB had earlier announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his capture, while an Interpol Red Corner Notice had intensified efforts to track him globally.

Dola’s custodial interrogation in Mumbai is expected to yield crucial leads on international drug trafficking routes and could expose deeper links between narcotics syndicates and the underworld network linked to Dawood Ibrahim. Further investigation is underway.

Navi Mumbai: The much-awaited ‘Missing Link’ stretch on the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai–Pune Expressway will be opened to public traffic from May 1, with only light motor vehicles (LMVs) and passenger buses allowed in the initial phase, according to a notification issued by the Maharashtra Traffic Police.

As per the notification, the phased rollout has been planned to ensure commuter safety and address technical considerations within the tunnel section, with goods vehicles barred from using the route during the initial period.

In Phase I, from May 1 to October 31, entry will be restricted to LMVs and passenger vehicles, while goods-carrying vehicles will remain prohibited. From November 1 onwards, a review of the first six months will be conducted to assess the feasibility of allowing goods vehicles, and a decision will be taken accordingly, the notification stated.

The notification further stated that vehicles carrying hazardous or inflammable materials, including explosives, will be strictly prohibited from using the Missing Link at all times in line with tunnel safety protocols. Such vehicles will continue to use the existing expressway.

Speed limits have been fixed at 100 kmph for cars and 80 kmph for passenger buses on the Missing Link stretch. It also clarified that minor speed violations within a permissible margin will not attract action under Section 183 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

The notification was issued by Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) Praveen Salunke, which will remain in force from the date the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) opens the road for public use until further orders.