Podcasts about defence minister rajnath singh

Asserting that no place in Pakistan remained safe for terrorists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told soldiers at the Adampur air base in Punjab that India's drones, and missiles gave sleepless nights to Pakistan. His speech came a day after his first public address since India launched Operation Sindoor. PM Modi also reiterated the new 3-point doctrine he had unveiled a day earlier, including that New Delhi will no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail. During his early morning visit to Adampur, the Prime Minister hailed the Indian Air Force personnel, saying that they made every Indian proud, and had created history. Modi got briefed by the Air Force personnel on the situation, and also interacted with jawans. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a key briefing with military chiefs on Tuesday, with the CDS, Army Chief, Navy Chief, Vice Air Chief and Defence Secretary in attendance.India's Operation Sindoor precision strikes destroyed nearly 20% of Pakistan Air Force infrastructure and multiple fighter jets, official sources said Tuesday. The strikes targeted key bases like Sargodha and Bholari, which housed F-16s and JF-17s, in retaliation to Pakistani drone and missile attacks. Over 50 people, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf, were killed in Bholari. India also hit ammunition depots and several other airbases across Pakistan. Satellite imagery confirmed major damage. The strikes mark a significant strategic and psychological blow to Pakistan's military capabilities.In a verdict six years in the making, the Mahila Court in Coimbatore on Tuesday convicted all nine accused in the 2019 Pollachi sexual assault case and awarded them life imprisonment. The nine men were found guilty of multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, sexual harassment, rape, gangrape, and extortion. The incident, which came out just weeks before the 2019 general elections, led to Tamil Nadu's then ruling AIADMK getting politically cornered with allegations of inaction and links to the accused. President Droupadi Murmu has sought the Supreme Court's opinion under Article 143(1) on whether timelines can be legally imposed on the President and Governors for acting on state Bills. This comes after the Court, in April, set a three-month deadline for the President to act on Bills referred by Governors, despite no such timeline existing in Article 201 of the Constitution. The Court stated that delays beyond this period must be explained to the concerned state. The President now seeks clarity on whether these directives are justiciable.Following India's move to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan has shown willingness for talks for the first time. Pakistan's Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza has reportedly responded to India's notification and offered to discuss New Delhi's specific objections. India's decision came in response to the attack, which heightened diplomatic tensions. The IWT, signed in 1960, governs water sharing between the two nations. Pakistan's response marks a rare shift, potentially opening the door to dialogue amid ongoing hostilities.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 13th of May and here are the headlines.Asserting that no place in Pakistan remained safe for terrorists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told soldiers at the Adampur air base in Punjab that India's drones, and missiles gave sleepless nights to Pakistan. His speech came a day after his first public address since India launched Operation Sindoor. PM Modi also reiterated the new 3-point doctrine he had unveiled a day earlier, including that New Delhi will no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail. During his early morning visit to Adampur, the Prime Minister hailed the Indian Air Force personnel, saying that they made every Indian proud, and had created history. Modi got briefed by the Air Force personnel on the situation, and also interacted with jawans. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a key briefing with military chiefs on Tuesday, with the CDS, Army Chief, Navy Chief, Vice Air Chief and Defence Secretary in attendance.At least three militants have been killed in the ongoing encounter in the upper reaches of Shopian in South Kashmir. Gunshots were heard Tuesday morning after which senior police officials confirmed the presence of militants in the area. In the contact, there was an exchange of fire between security forces and militants. However, with the operation ongoing, officials have refrained from divulging further details at this point.In a verdict six years in the making, the Mahila Court in Coimbatore on Tuesday convicted all nine accused in the 2019 Pollachi sexual assault case and awarded them life imprisonment. The nine men were found guilty of multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, sexual harassment, rape, gangrape, and extortion. The incident, which came out just weeks before the 2019 general elections, led to Tamil Nadu's then ruling AIADMK getting politically cornered with allegations of inaction and links to the accused. Judge R Nandhini Devi pronounced the sentence Tuesday afternoon, following arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared the Class 12 results 2025 today (May 13). The result of Class 10 will also be announced soon. In Class 12, there is a minor increase in pass percentage as compared to the previous year. In the CBSE Class 12 examinations, a total of 17,04,367 students were registered. Out of these, 16,92,794 students appeared, and 14,96,307 students passed the exam. Students can check their results on the official websites — cbse.gov.in, cbseresults.nic.in, and results.cbse.nic.in. The CBSE Class 10 board exams were conducted by the board from February 15 to March 18, 2025, in a pen and paper format. This year, 24.12 lakh CBSE Class 10 students appeared for the exams in 84 subjects.US President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia, in what will be the first stop of a three-day tour that will also see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, has greeted Trump upon arrival in Riyadh. US President Donald Trump was greeted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the sounds of a 21-gun salute and trumpets. The two leaders then headed to the Royal Court where a lengthy procession of dignitaries, officials, business figures waited their turn to shake hands with them. The Saudi-US Investment Forum has also begun, with the two leaders expected to take part later today. Saudi Arabia is the first leg of Trump's regional tour that also includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.That's all for today. This was the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

This is the Catch Up on 3 things by The Indian Express and I am Ichha SharmaToday is the 9th of May and here are this week's headlineIn a decisive military action, India launched "Operation Sindoor" in the early hours of Wednesday, executing precision strikes on nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists. During a press briefing in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh detailed the operation's objectives and outcomes. They confirmed the destruction of camps associated with notorious terrorists Ajmal Kasab and David Headley. The strikes were meticulously planned to avoid civilian casualties, utilizing advanced weaponry and precision-guided munitions. Targets were carefully selected to dismantle terrorist infrastructure while sparing Pakistani military installations, underscoring India's intent to avoid escalation.A day after India struck Pakistan terror camps, during a special briefing on Operation Sindoor the government said today that the “Pahalgam attack was the first escalation,”. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the media again on a day India neutralised an air defence system in Lahore. This comes on a day of fast-paced developments after India asked OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content originating from Pakistan. Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned that those trying to test India's patience should be ready to face ‘quality action' like yesterday's in a reference to Operation Sindoor. The day started with India's reveal that Indian Armed Forces neutralised an air defence system in Lahore after Pakistan attempted overnight strikes on multiple Indian cities.India conducted a nationwide civil defence exercise, codenamed 'Operation Abhyas,' across 244 districts. This large-scale mock drill, organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs and coordinated by the National Disaster Management Authority, aimed to bolster emergency preparedness amid escalating tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The drills simulated various hostile scenarios, including air raids with siren activations, blackout procedures, urban fire emergencies, search and rescue operations, casualty evacuations, and the establishment of temporary hospitals. Major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Pune participated, with specific activities like a 10-minute blackout observed in Haryana and siren activations in Delhi's 11 districts.The Supreme Court warned Indraprastha Apollo Hospital on March 25 that AIIMS may take over its management if it continues to violate land lease terms requiring free treatment for poor patients. Over 12 years, Apollo reportedly allocated only 17% of its mandated Economically Weaker Section (EWS) beds, with some years as low as 12%. The court's rebuke follows a review of internal records revealing chronic underperformance. The hospital was granted land at concessional rates with the condition of providing EWS care, a commitment it now risks losing if non-compliance continues.India and the United Kingdom inked a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday (May 6), bringing to an end around three years of negotiations. The timing of the deal, signed by the world's fifth and sixth largest economies, respectively, is significant. It comes as global trade is reeling under the tariffs unleashed by US President Donald Trump in early April. The agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion a year, from 2040 onwards, Britain said. Trade between the two nations totalled £42.6 billion in 2024. Total UK exports to India amounted to £17.1 billion, while total UK imports from India amounted to £25.5 billion in 2024. India was Britain's 11th-largest trading partner last year. Britain said the deal was the “biggest and most economically significant” bilateral trade agreement it had signed since leaving the European Union in 2020 (what was dubbed “Brexit”).

This is the Catch Up on 3 things by The Indian Express and I am Ichha SharmaToday is the 8th of May and here are today's headlinesA day after India struck Pakistan terror camps, during a special briefing on Operation Sindoor the government said today that the “Pahalgam attack was the first escalation,”. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the media again on a day India neutralised an air defence system in Lahore. This comes on a day of fast-paced developments after India asked OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content originating from Pakistan. Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned that those trying to test India's patience should be ready to face ‘quality action' like yesterday's in a reference to Operation Sindoor. The day started with India's reveal that Indian Armed Forces neutralised an air defence system in Lahore after Pakistan attempted overnight strikes on multiple Indian cities.India said today that an “Air Defence system at Lahore” is “reliably learnt” to have been “neutralised” after Pakistan “attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India”. “Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,”  a Press Information Bureau statement read. Earlier in the day, sources had told The Indian Express that any military target in Lahore or other parts of Pakistan will only be hit in response to any offensive action from their side.The Border Security Force (BSF) troops in Punjab's Ferozepur sector shot dead an unidentified Pakistani intruder when he tried to enter the Indian territory on the intervening night last night and today, said officials. The body has been handed to the police, and investigations are going on to ascertain his identity. According to officials, the incident occurred near Gate No. 207 at the Lakha Singhwala Hithar BSF checkpost in the Mamdot sector of the Ferozepur district, one of the six border districts in Punjab.Built as a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles form a crucial part of India's arsenal, with Uttar Pradesh set to be the centre of its production. On May 11, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate a BrahMos missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow whose target is to produce 80 to 100 missiles annually. The unit, whose foundation stone was laid in 2021, is part of a Defence Industrial Corridor that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in 2018 during the global investors' summit.Ukraine's parliament voted today in favour of ratifying a minerals deal signed with the United States, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure future military assistance from Washington in its fight to repel Russian troops. Despite misgivings by some Ukrainian lawmakers over whether the government had provided them with all the information on the deal and over some of its compromises, 338 voted in favour of ratifying the agreement, with none against. Some lawmakers had raised concerns over the lack of detail of some of the deal's provisions, such as how an envisaged investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction would be governed or how any contributions would be made.

To get your dose of daily business news, tune into Mint Top of the Morning on Mint Podcasts available on all audio streaming platforms. https://open.spotify.com/show/7x8Nv1RlOKyMV5IftIJwP1?si=bf5ecbaedd8f4ddc This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started.  IndiGo Soars to New Highs but Faces Valuation Concerns IndiGo's stock hit a 52-week high of ₹5,190, fueled by strong management commentary and rising air travel demand from the Mahakumbh gathering and an extended wedding season. Passenger traffic surged 17% YoY, lifting revenue per seat. Since January, the stock has gained 25%, delivering a 58% annual return—far outpacing the Nifty 50. However, its valuation of 9.5x earnings exceeds global airline peers like Air China (8.8x) and the industry average (5.5x). IndiGo plans to expand international capacity from 28% to 40% by 2030, adding one aircraft per week and cutting grounded planes. Despite strong fundamentals, analysts warn the upside is limited, with Motilal Oswal and Nuvama setting target prices below its current ₹5,097 level. Eli Lilly Brings Mounjaro to India Eli Lilly has launched Mounjaro, its diabetes and weight-loss drug, in India after securing regulatory approval. With over 101 million diabetes cases and rising obesity, India is a key market for the pharma giant. Already sold in the UK and Europe under the same name and as Zepbound in the U.S., Mounjaro is expected to tap into a global obesity drug market projected to reach $150 billion annually by the 2030s. CEO David Ricks had hinted at a 2025 India launch, and now it's a reality. Accenture's Warning Spells Trouble for IT Sector Accenture flagged macroeconomic uncertainty in the U.S., citing weaker earnings and federal contract delays under the Trump administration. The IT giant's Q2 revenue fell 5.8% sequentially to $16.66 billion but grew 5.4% YoY. Its Q3 revenue outlook remains between $16.9 billion and $17.5 billion, with full-year growth guidance capped at 7%. For Indian IT majors like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro, this signals headwinds, as analysts predict slower growth for India's $283-billion IT sector in FY26 due to high interest rates and geopolitical risks. However, AI offers a bright spot—Accenture secured $1.4 billion in Gen AI bookings last quarter, with total AI-related orders hitting $5.6 billion since September 2023. The Corporate Rebranding Wave: More Than Just a Name Change? Following Zomato's shift to Eternal, CK Birla Group's HIL Ltd has rebranded as BirlaNu Ltd, while Hindalco has also refreshed its identity. Experts say rebranding reflects strategic shifts, next-gen leadership, and market differentiation. Over 1,100 Indian companies have changed names in the past two decades, with BFSI, real estate, and IT leading the trend. A third of newly listed companies rebrand within five years of their IPO, highlighting competitive pressures. But does it impact stock prices? Not necessarily—PwC's Raghav Narsalay notes that unless tied to a major business shift, investor reactions remain muted. India Approves ₹54,000 Crore Defence Boost India has cleared a massive military upgrade, approving key acquisitions for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Highlights include: • Air Force: Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft to enhance aerial surveillance. • Army: Upgraded 1,350-HP engines for T-90 tanks, improving mobility in high-altitude regions. • Navy: Indigenously developed Varunastra torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also announced measures to speed up procurement as part of the government's “Year of Reforms” initiative. These moves reinforce India's focus on military modernization and operational readiness.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 4th of February and here are the headlines.In his reply to the Motion of Thanks in the parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude for the opportunity to address the House for the 10th time. He highlighted that 25 crore people had overcome poverty due to NDA-led government schemes. PM Modi emphasised that the government's focus was on providing water connections to the people, with 75 per cent of households lacking tap water before the NDA's tenure.Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's claims regarding the border issue with China. Rahul had quoted the Army Chief, suggesting Chinese forces were inside Indian territory, while Prime Minister Modi denied such claims. Rajnath clarified that Rahul had misquoted the Army Chief, reaffirming the government's stance on the border situation, and emphasising that the military continues to address the issue diplomatically.In another headline making news, the United States has started deporting Indian migrants as part of US President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement strategy. A C-17 aircraft carrying 205 Indian nationals departed from San Antonio, Texas. A US embassy spokesperson in Delhi confirmed that the deportation, emphasised the administration's stance on tightening immigration laws and sends a message against illegal migration, which affects an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.In news from the national capital, Delhi Police filed a case against Chief Minister Atishi for violating prohibitory orders a day before the Delhi Assembly elections. Atishi, who is the AAP candidate from Kalkaji, was reportedly involved in a gathering with party volunteers in Govindpuri. Police claimed that despite the requests to disperse under the Model Code of Conduct, the crowd persisted. Two AAP workers were also charged for allegedly assaulting a police officer during the incident.In global news today, China announced retaliatory tariffs on United States imports after the US imposed a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods. Beijing will levy 10-15 per cent tariffs on US products including crude oil, agricultural machinery, and liquefied natural gas. Coal and LNG imports will face a 15 per cent tariff, while items like pickup trucks and large-engine cars will incur a 10 per cent tariff. The measures will take effect on 10th of February, escalating trade tensions between the two nations.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is in Russia for talks, particularly ongoing issues with legacy military equipment. Despite efforts to diversify its defence partnerships, India remains heavily dependent on Russian and Soviet-era systems. In Ep XXXX of #CutTheClutter, Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta along with Snehesh Alex Philip & Swasti Rao, discuss India's multi-alignment defence strategy, balancing act with Russia, & need for reforms in the defence industry back home. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ad-lite experience, exclusive content, special privileges & more – Subscribe to ThePrint for Special benefits: https://theprint.in/subscribe/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @arvindmenswear66  @arvindmenswear66  This Season, Embrace Royalty & Legacy with our New Season Launch of Luxury Primante Collection Fabrics. Discover our latest showcase featuring the esteemed People's Prince, Dr. Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar. Own your day, visit your nearest Arvind Store and craft your perfect look. #TheArvindStore #OwnYourLegacy #OwnTheMoment https://tinyurl.com/3wa2zatn

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It's the 6th of May and here are today's headlines.Exuding confidence that the BJP would form the government in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government's “expiry date” was 4th of June– the day the results come out. Addressing a rally in Berhampur parliamentary constituency, Modi said, quote, “Today is May 6. By June 6, a BJP chief minister will be nominated and on June 10, an oath-taking ceremony will be held. Write it down. I have come here to welcome you to the BJP government's oath-taking ceremony. The double engine government will come to Odisha for the first time,” unquote. Odisha Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls.A day ahead of polling in all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, 16 schools in Ahmedabad received bomb threat emails today. According to JCP (Crime Branch) Sharad Singhal, 12 schools in Ahmedabad city and four in Ahmedabad rural jurisdiction received the threat emails around 6 am. The emails were received from a Russian domain name ‘mail.ru'. He further stated that combing operations were undertaken in all the schools and “nothing was found”, terming the threats to be “hoax”.National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today warned about Pakistan being a nuclear power in response to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's comment on people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir wanting to merge with India. Abdullah said, quote, “If the defence minister is saying it then go ahead. Who are we to stop? But remember, they (Pakistan) are also not wearing bangles. It has atom bombs, and unfortunately, that atom bomb will fall on us." Unquote. Reportedly, Rajnath on Sunday stated that India won't have to capture PoK with force because “its people, on their own, would want to be part of the country after seeing the development in Kashmir”.The Bombay High Court today granted temporary bail of two months, on health grounds, to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, arrested in a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate. Goyal was arrested by the central agency in September last year and had approached the high court after a special court denied his bail plea. The court also asked Goyal to surrender his passport and directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with sureties.The third phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held on 7th of May with voters in 94 parliamentary constituencies across 12 states and Union Territories casting their ballot to elect the new government. By tomorrow evening, over 280 constituencies will have gone to polls, meaning that more than half of the total seats in Lok Sabha will have been decided. That leaves polling in 263 constituencies in the four remaining phases. The state of Gujarat and the union territories of Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will complete polling in a single phase on Tuesday.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Earlier this month, following a report in The Guardian stating that the Indian government had killed about 20 people in Pakistan since 2020 as part of a broader plan to eliminate terrorists on foreign soil, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded that India will enter Pakistan to kill terrorists. A few days later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, said that under a strong government, “atankwadiyon ko ghar mein ghus ke mare jata hai (terrorists are being killed in their homes)”. Is the Indian government justified in targeting terrorists outside the border? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Rakesh Sood, a former diplomat who served as Ambassador to Afghanistan, France, and Nepal. He was also Special Envoy of the Prime Minister on Disarmament and Nonproliferation until 2014; Tara Kartha, the director for research at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. She spent 17 years at the National Security Council Secretariat, which sits at the apex of India's national security architecture Host: Suhasini Haidar.

It's election time in India. The Modi government is touting India's strength abroad as one of its achievements. Earlier in April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an election rally that India today kills terrorists in their own homes. Asked about a report in the Guardian newspaper that India had killed 20 alleged terrorists in recent years in Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Delhi would pursue and kill terrorists in Pakistan if they staged attacks in India. In 2023, Canada accused Indian agents of being responsible for the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on its territory. So, what does all this mean for India's foreign policy and standing in the world? Is this the right approach to adopt? What are the potential dangers of such actions sparking a wider conflict with Pakistan? Or create foreign policy fissures with other countries? Guest: Nirupama Subramanian, senior journalist and former correspondent of The Hindu in Pakistan. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It's the 4th of March and here are today's headlines.The Supreme Court today overruled its 1998 majority ruling in the JMM bribery case in which the apex court had said that members of Parliament and state legislatures were immune from prosecution for accepting bribes for voting or speaking in a certain manner in the House. The court said, quote, “corruption and bribery by members of the legislature erode probity in public life”. The question had arisen in the context of bribery charges against Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Sita Soren in connection with the 2012 Rajya Sabha election to two seats from the state. Several senior BJP leaders todayy took to X and added ‘Modi Ka Parivar' (Modi's family) in their social media handle usernames. This comes as a statement in solidarity with their party's top leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi after RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav's ‘no family' remark. The leaders who have done this so far include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president J P Nadda, Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari among others.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today that a huge country like India cannot remain dependent on import of military hardware as such dependency can be “fatal” for its strategic autonomy. Singh added that the annual volume of domestic defence production has crossed the record figure of Rs 1 lakh crore which was nearly Rs 44,000 crore around 2014. He further stated that India had to face “trouble” in “difficult times” in the past due to its reliance on defence imports.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Enforcement Directorate, saying that he was ready to answer the probe agency's questions. The ED had summoned the AAP leader for the eighth time today in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Seeking a date after 12th of March, Kejriwal said, quote “ED summons are legally invalid and illegal… I wrote letters to them but they haven't replied to any of my letters. As per law, ED proceedings are like judicial proceedings. I am ready to give answers through video conferencing.” Unquote.As many as 81 tourists stranded in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley due to closure of roads after heavy snowfall have been shifted to safer places. Meanwhile, over 650 roads, including five national highways, in the state remained closed for vehicular movement today following several avalanches and landslides caused by incessant rain and snow for the past three days, according to the state emergency operation centre.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It's the 27th of December and here are the headlines.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, today visited Jammu and Kashmir, days after an ambush by militants on Army vehicles in Poonch left four soldiers dead. Addressing troops in the border district of Rajouri, he said, quote,"I believe in your bravery and steadfastness… Terrorism should be finished from Jammu and Kashmir and you need to move forward with this commitment. I have full faith that you will achieve victory." Unquote.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to embark on another yatra from 14th January to 20th March. Announcing the decision, Congress MP K C Venugopal said, quote, "The Congress Working Committee, during its meeting, asked Rahul Gandhi to launch an East-West yatra, following which, he decided to respect the opinion of the CWC and do it. As such, he will be starting his yatra from January 14 from Manipur and end it in Mumbai. It will be called the Bharat Nyay Yatra." Unquote.Days after several wrestlers returned their awards Congress MP Rahul Gandhi met Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and other grapplers in Haryana today. Later, he posted on X, quote, "With years of relentless hard work, patience, and unparalleled discipline, an athlete brings medals for his country by nurturing the soil with his blood and sweat… There is just one question – if these athletes leave their training grounds and if India's daughters have to fight for their rights and justice on the streets, who will encourage their children to choose this path?" Unquote.Protests demanding the implementation of 60 per cent Kannada in all signboards in Bengaluru city turned to vandalism in many parts of the city today. Several boards were defaced during a procession by Karnataka Rakshna Vedike. The procession was taken out after the pro-Kannada outfit had set a December 27 deadline for all establishments in Bengaluru to implement the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike order mandating 60 per cent Kannada in signage across the city.Hours after a suspected explosion outside the Israel Embassy in New Delhi and a letter addressed to the ambassador at the site, Tel Aviv has issued a travel advisory for its citizens in India, suspecting that the blast near the embassy was "a possible terror attack". Israeli nationals have been warned to try to avoid going to crowded places (malls and markets) and places identified as serving Westerners/Jews and Israelis.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It's the 26th of December and here are the headlines.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Central government has taken the recent attacks on merchant navy ships very seriously and will take strict action against those responsible by pulling them out even from the "depths of seas". Singh said, quote,"The Indian government has taken the drone attack on MV Chem Pluto and attack on MV Saibaba in the Red Sea seriously. We will find those who executed the recent attacks on merchant navy ships even from the depths of the seas and take strict action against them." Unquote.Battling difficult terrains and dense forests, security forces continued to carry out cordon and search operations for the sixth consecutive day today to track down the terrorists behind the ambush that left four soldiers dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch last week. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to visit ground zero on Wednesday with top Army and civilian officials monitoring the situation in Poonch.Meanwhile, criticising the Narendra Modi-led BJP government for not engaging in peace talks with Pakistan, Lok Sabha MP and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today warned that India could meet the same fate as Gaza if a solution is not found through dialogue. Invoking former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Abdullah, stressed on how both India and Pakistan "will prosper if friendly relations are maintained."Stealth guided missile destroyer INS Imphal, which has an ability to fire extended range supersonic BrahMos missile, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in Mumbai today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar were present at the event that marked the formal induction of the third of four ‘Visakhapatnam' class destroyers into the Navy. Designed by the navy's in-house organisation, Warship Design Bureau and constructed by defence PSU Mazagon Dock Limited, it will join the Western Naval Command.As per the health ministry, India recorded 412 fresh cases of Covid-19, while the number of active cases of the infection has gone up to 4,170. The death toll due to the viral disease was recorded at 5,33,337 with three new fatalities reported from Karnataka in a span of 24 hours. India's Covid case tally currently stands at 4,50,09,660.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

It's the eastern front with China that has become tense after a border clash between Chinese and Indian troops in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on the 9th of December. India and China, listeners may recall, are still engaged in dialing down Chinese transgressions in multiple areas in eastern Ladakh through negotiations that have been slow and protracted. Four days after the incident in Tawang, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed both Houses of Parliament that Chinese troops unilaterally tried to alter the status quo in the Yangtse area, but were rebuffed by Indian soldiers. So, what does one make of the latest aggressive posture displayed by the Chinese in the eastern sector? To discuss this issue, we have Dr. Jabin T. Jacob, Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations and Governance Studies of the Shiv Nadar University. 

In this latest Hindi bulletin: Member of the Northern Territory Parliament dies suddenly at 52; A group of Australians stranded in Peru by political unrest; Cricket Australia to name the South Africa test trophy after current series ends and more.

Antariksh Matters #1: Spying on Spy Satellites— Pranav R SatyanathIn February this year, the United States launched a nondescript satellite simply designated as NROL-87. Those who keep a close of space launches know that the NROL designation stands for national security satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. The satellite likely entered a 284 x 425 km Sub-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 97.25 degrees. The NROL-87, also designated as USA 326, is suspected to be a new generation of electro-optical imaging satellite. This spy satellite, one among many operated by the US, kept to itself with nothing to bother its mission. Until now.Earlier this month, Russia launched a nondescript satellite on board a Soyuz-2.1V from the Plesetsk launch site. The secret satellite, Kosmo-2558, was launched just as NROL-87 passed above the Russian launch complex. Space watchers like Jonathan McDowell quickly predicted that Kosmos-2558 would likely reach the planar orbit of NROL-87 within 80 km of the American spy satellite’s range. The orbital behaviour of the Kosmos-2558 resembles that of an ‘inspector satellite’, which, in other words, means that Russia launched a satellite to spy on another satellite.Of course, the presence of inspector satellites in space is not a new phenomenon. Classified under the category of Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), satellites have been launched to either inspect or potentially attack other satellites in the past. Not all RPO satellites have malign intentions. For example, in the 1990s, Canada proposed using inspector satellites to verify arms control agreements in outer space. More recently, however, RPOs have been viewed with suspicion. The sharp increase in the number of satellites being placed in orbit has made it all the more difficult to predict the purpose of satellites which may or may not have military utility. Since countries do not disclose details of the satellites they launch, the lack of transparency does little to decrease uncertainties. Policymakers and policy analysts have considered several possible solutions to the problem of transparency. Some scholars propose a pre-launch notification mechanism under which countries not only notify others of the launches of rockets and ballistic missiles that are set to take place but also provide details about the nature of the launch vehicle or ballistic missile.Pre-launch notification agreements concerning ballistic missiles have been signed in bilateral settings in the past. The United States and Russia signed such an agreement in 1988. India and Pakistan signed a similar agreement in 2005. No attempt has been made to craft similar agreements for space launch vehicles. One reason might be that providing pre-launch notifications might be because countries fear that adversary countries might take countermeasures against potential spy satellites. Such concerns were expressed as far back as 1958, as seen in the memorandum from the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) to the President of the United States.Another solution that has been proposed to avoid the risk of RPOs is to implement a keep-out zone for satellites. While such an agreement does not require a verification mechanism, countries could choose to use space situational awareness (SSA) capabilities to enforce a keep-out zone agreement. SSA capabilities have their limitations as no single national system can currently provide full coverage of Low-earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Establishing a global SSA network is also challenging and expensive.Although RPOs have not been a problem till date, they may become a problem in the future. Analysts have already begun to take notice of the increase in RPOs in recent years. If countries wish to mitigate the risks associated with RPOs, they must start preliminary negotiations sooner rather than later.(The author would like to thank Aaron Bateman for providing access to declassified documents related to the US space progaramme.)Antariksh Matters #2: The Indian Army’s ‘Skylight’ Exercise— Aditya RamanathanIt would be unusual for readers of this newsletter to find an entry describing an exercise conducted by the Indian Army. However, there was much about the recently concluded Exercise Skylight that was unusual, and that warranted an entry in Technopolitik. What little is known about the exercise comes from scant official information and a few news stories. The Army’s official Twitter handle described it as a satellite communication exercise. It went on to add:“100% satellite communication assets were activated to ensure operational readiness of hi-tech satellite systems and exercise various contingencies.”The tweet would indicate Exercise Skylight tested all of the Army’s orbital communications (which are scattered across multiple satellites) and that these systems were tested for ‘contingencies’. What might be these contingencies? ThePrint cited an anonymous source who indicated the Army wanted to validate its ability to use space-based communications as a redundancy during wartime:“Conflict situations demand space-based communication because we are going by the assumption that the primary means of communication — terrestrial media — gets disrupted”.Of course, the Army understands the vital advantages space-based communications provide. This is especially evident in the Himalayas along the Line of Actual Control (LaC) with China, where satellites can enable tactical communication well beyond the line-of-sight. The Russia-Ukraine war also seems to loom over Exercise Skylight. The Times of India cited an anonymous source as saying the Army was carefully following the use of cyber and electronic warfare in that conflict. In particular, the Army appears to be impressed by the resilience of the SpaceX Starlink satellite internet constellation, which Ukrainian forces have been using to coordinate operations against Russia. In the coming years, the Army is expected to look to acquire easily portable satellite phones and “satellite high speed data backbone,” which would likely require a constellation of low earth orbit  (LEO) satellites link Starlink.Before it turns to LEO, the Army will be most eager to get its own communications satellite in geostationary orbit. In March, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh cleared the path for developing the GSAT-7B satellite for the Indian Army. At present, the Army shares satellites with the other services and civilian organisations. If the GSAT-7B is put into orbit by the planned date of 2025, the Army will join the Indian Navy (which already operates the GSAT-7A) and the Indian Airforce (which operates the GSAT-7C) in having its own dedicated communications satellites parked over the most suitable spot of orbital real estate.Matsyanyaaya: How can the US-India iCET Succeed?— Arjun GargeyasA couple of months ago, the United States (US) and India decided to enhance cooperation in the technology domain. President Biden and Prime Minister Modi’s meeting resulted in the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) announcement to expand the existing partnership between the two states in specific strategic technology sectors. One interesting aspect of the iCET remains the departments spearheading the initiative. Both states' National Security Councils have been responsible for driving forward outcome-oriented projects related to the iCET. The defence and national security angle behind the technology cooperation is clearly visible through this initiative. With certain technology sectors attaining a strategic status, the iCET has the ability to help the two states focus on technologies that might have a massive impact on the security and military side. These agreements, when announced can create a flutter of conversation and remain exciting on paper. But what are the actual policy implementations under the iCET which can actually translate into on ground impact for both the states? Are there areas of focus which can improve the effectiveness of the initiative itself is something to look at. A People-Centric Approach The single point of focus in the initiative should be the human capital model to achieve the desired outcomes. Technical knowledge is central to the overall development of emerging technology areas such as 5G, quantum computing and semiconductors. With human capital being the biggest strength for both India and US, the iCET will thrive if it is made individual-centric. The governments should facilitate this exchange of ideas and foster the talent pool that exists in both countries. One of the goals set by the initiative as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was to forge better linkages between government, academia and industry in specific technology areas. This would entail cross-border human capital movement being essential to achieving those goals. Scientists, engineers and other researchers in both countries who are involved in working on critical technologies can have access to research facilities in both countries under the initiative. The exchange of STEM researchers between universities across both countries and industrial leaders and technology entrepreneurs engaged in developing strategic tech can help translate lab-level research into potential applications. An important area in the people-centric approach are the students and academic researchers studying in each other’s universities. Although this is heavily skewed towards Indians in the US academic institutions, this initiative can introduce academic fellowships for scholars to work and contribute to specific emerging technology sectors. This would help in IP creation and dissemination across borders as well as cultivate a thriving set of scientists and engineers who can contribute to technology collaboration at the government level.Focus on Funding Specific Research ProjectsAs per the White House Press Release, the US-India iCET will involve the scientific government departments from both states. As per the press statement, the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the US, along with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) will drive forward the implementation of research projects under the initiative. The statement also mentioned that the US has agreed to join six of India’s Technology Innovation hubs. This is in the hope of spearheading over 25 projects across emerging domains such as artificial intelligence and data science. This sets the foundation for another area of focus for the success of the initiative. One of the main objectives of the iCET must be to secure funding (for research and product development) for outcome-driven projects that employ critical and emerging technologies. Enhancing technological cooperation between the two states and improving the efficiency of the initiative can be done when government bodies would indulge in funding crucial research projects on emerging technologies. The iCET must put its resources into funding and supporting specific research projects that can provide a solid output and outcome. The focus must be on emerging technology areas that have the potential to use said technology to create different applications and products to tackle some of the biggest challenges faced by both countries. Improving agriculture output, mitigating climate change effects and similar research can be prioritised for funding. Another aspect would be to identify areas of technology that might dominate in the near future and focus on them. Developing state-of-the-art quantum computer systems, and building telecommunication networks using 6G are just a few among the plethora of technology areas on which the iCET can spend its resources on. Our Reading Menu[Book] A Technological History of Cold-War India, 1947–⁠1969: Autarky and Foreign Aid by William A.T. Logan.[Article] Wargame of Drones: Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Crisis Escalation by Erik Lin-Greenberg.[Report] Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains: An Affirmative Agenda for International Cooperation by William Alan Reinsch et. al. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hightechir.substack.com

Today Defence News in Tamil - 20.06.2022 | Indian Army news | Indian Defence News #IndianDefenceNews #DefenceNews #samugamtvnews ‣ China providing support to terrorists - India strongly opposes ‣ Acquisition of BrahMos is just the beginning- Philippines ‣ Opposition parties conducting politics in national security: BJP accusation ‣ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets chiefs of Army, Navy and IAF

Battered by demonetisation, pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, the Indian economy has started showing some signs of revival now. In May, the number of employed people jumped by one million. It resulted in a drop in unemployment rates from 7.83% in April to 7.12% in May. Economists, however, are sceptical. Some say that it is difficult to get the real picture of unemployment from the methodology used by the Centre for Monitoring India Economy or CMIE. The same CMIE, however, recently conceded that more than half of the 900 million Indians of legal working age -- roughly the population of the US and Russia combined – are not looking for a job at all.   And amid these hopeful and gloomy numbers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced to give central government jobs to 1 million people in the next year and a half. But in February this year, the government had told Rajya Sabha that there were over 872,000  vacant posts in central government departments as on 1st March 2020. As many as 910,153 vacancies existed as on 1st March 2019 and 683,823 as on 1st March 2018.   The government had also said that the Staff Selection Commission, the Union Public Service Commission, and the Railway Recruitment Boards had recruited 265,468 people during 2018-19 and 2020-21. India is still far behind the US, China and others in public sector employment. In 2015, there were nearly 39 million public-sector employees in China. This would mean 5 per cent of China's workforce had public sector employment. The corresponding figures for the UK in 2021 were 17 per cent, and for the EU, it was 18 per cent. In the US, 6.9 per cent of the total workforce was employed in the government in 2020. This does not include state government employment. If we were to assume that state employment is four times that of central government and armed forces employees, India's total public sector employment would be in the vicinity of 20 million. Even after an addition of 1 million, India will still have only 2.2 per cent of its total workforce employed in the public sector.   In August of 2020, a McKinsey Global Institute report had said that India needed to generate 90 million non-farm jobs between 2023 and 2030 in order to absorb new workers and an additional 30 million workers who could shift from farm work to non-farm sectors. The report had said that to absorb this influx, India would need close to 12 million additional gainful non-farm jobs every year starting in financial year 2023. This would be triple of the four million non-farm jobs created annually between 2012 and 2018.   The government on Tuesday also announced a major reform in how soldiers will be recruited for the army, navy and airforce by way of the new Agnipath scheme. Under the model, soldiers will be recruited from those between the ages of 17.5 to 21 years. These 'Agniveers' will serve for four years. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that this scheme will increase employment opportunities with new skills in different sectors. Under this scheme, most soldiers will exit the service in four years. Out of the 45,000 recruited annually, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue under permanent commission. According to one report, the model will make the permanent force levels of the country's armed forces much leaner. So, its net impact on employment generation remains to be seen.     As reported by Business Standard, an urban job scheme along the lines of MNREGA is back in debate after a report commissioned by the Prime Minister's advisors recommended it. The report, commissioned by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, has recommended such a scheme based on its assessment that a gap between the labour force participation rate in rural and urban areas is widening.   The government also has an ambitious target of generating over 6 million jobs in five years from the production-linked incentive schemes. Meanwhile, i

India and US receive a reality check as they intensify talks in Washington: agree to disagree on Ukraine, announce agreements on other fronts. This week saw high-level, intense meetings between India and the United States- as PM Modi and US President Biden announced a surprise virtual summit to take place just before talks between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and their American counterparts US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Gen (Retd) Lloyd Austin. While Austin and Blinken have visited Delhi in the past year, this is the first 2+2 Ministerial held since the Biden administration took over, and the fourth such meeting ever. At present India holds a 2+2 with only 4 countries: the US, Australia, Japan, and Russia, which are seen as a productive way to discuss Diplomatic, Military and Strategic issues altogether. And the 4 meetings they held yielded some agreements, although the talks focused for a considerable part, according to both sides, on the situation in Ukraine. Read more

General Bipin Rawat (63), India's first Chief of Defence Staff, his wife Madhulika, and 11 other military personnel were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. The Russian-made Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed near Coonoor municipality, in the Nilgiri Hills, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The exact cause of the crash, which happened in foggy weather around noon, isn't clear yet, and an investigation is on. After taking off from the Sulur air force base in Coimbatore, where the General had arrived from Delhi, the chopper was on its way to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, where he was scheduled to deliver a lecture. The crash happened only 10 minutes from the destination, according to news reports. Air Force officer Group Captain Varun Singh is reported to be the sole survivor of the crash. The heavily wooded hilly terrain of the crash site made rescue operations difficult, with the nearest road several kilometres away. Rescuers had to trek to the site, and there was no access to fire engines or even piped water. Locals helped, carrying water in buckets and pots, according to various news reports. The Indian Army confirmed that Brigadier LS Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel H Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh, Junior Warrant Officers Das and Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender, Lance Naik Vivek, and Lance Naik S Teja were the other defence personnel killed in the crash, according to The Hindu. Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Commanding Officer of the 109 Helicopter Unit (the Knights) at Air Force Station, Sulur, and Squadron Leader Kuldeep, piloted the crashed chopper, according to The Hindu. “I am deeply anguished,” India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter. “Gen. Bipin Rawat was an outstanding soldier. A true patriot, he greatly contributed to modernising our armed forces and security apparatus. His insights and perspectives on strategic matters were exceptional. His passing away has saddened me deeply. Om Shanti,” the prime minister said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in the parliament on Thursday. Condolences have come in from around the world. In a Pentagon statement, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin III, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley and Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said they were “deeply saddened” by the general's death. “As India's first chief of defence, he made a lasting impact on the Indian military and reinforced our strong military-to-military relationship between the US and India," they said. General Bipin Laxman Singh Rawat (63) was born in a family of military officers. His father, Laxman Rawat, was a lieutenant general in the Indian Army. Bipin Rawat attended the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, where he received the ‘sword of honour.' He was commissioned into the Indian Army as a second lieutenant in 1978. In 2016, he was appointed India's 27th Chief of Army Staff. He was the third officer from the Gorkha Brigade to become the chief of the Army Staff, after Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and General Dalbir Singh Suhag. In January 2019, he was named India's first Chief of Defence Staff. That same year, during a visit to America, General Rawat was inducted to the United States Army Command and General Staff College International Hall of Fame. The general's highly decorated distinguished service included several strategic military initiatives in India, along our borders, and on international peace-keeping missions in Africa. The mortal remains of the General and his wife are to be brought to New Delhi today, and the funeral is to take place on Friday. They are survived by two daughters.

India's benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty ended 2020-21 with gains of around 70%, the most in 11 years. India's market capitalisation climbed over 80% during the year – by Rs 91 trillion to Rs 204 trillion. The stock market performance translated into profits for some of the top cabinet ministers in the government, too, reveal declarations submitted with the Prime Minister's Office. Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah's net worth grew 32% to almost Rs 38 crore in FY21. This was mainly due to a 74% jump in the value of shares held by him. He declared the total value of his securities at Rs 24.5 crore as of March 31, 2021, compared with Rs 13.5 crore the previous year. His portfolio includes Rs 19.7 crore worth of inherited securities and Rs 3.78 crore worth of purchased securities. According to the affidavit submitted by Shah to the Election Commission in 2019, his listed equity portfolio consisted of more than 190 stocks. His top holdings include Reliance Industries, L&T Finance, Tata Consultancy Services, UltraTech Cement, Hindustan Unilever, Maruti Suzuki and ITC. The value of stocks in Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's portfolio grew by 96% to Rs 5.33 crore from Rs 2.72 crore in FY20. Among the richest ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet, Goyal also saw his net worth increasing by Rs 2.8 crore, or 10%, to Rs 30.26 crore. Meanwhile, the Franklin Templeton Credit Crisis impacted Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri's assets. His disclosure shows investments worth Rs 18.6 lakh in Franklin Credit Risk Fund, one of the six schemes voluntarily wound up by the fund house last year. The scheme had marked down the value of its exposure to YES Bank and Vodafone Idea's debt after creating segregated portfolios. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was inducted into the Union Cabinet in July held three listed stocks – Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals, L&T and Vedanta – which together had a value of Rs 6.23 lakh. Another new face in the Union Cabinet, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, has declared mutual fund investments to the tune of about Rs 11 lakh. His MF holdings account for a minuscule portion of his total assets of Rs 35.4 crore. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have no exposure to the stock market, and they have seen only marginal increase in their net worths. While the value of Sitharaman's assets were almost unchanged from Rs 1.4 crore in her FY20 disclosure, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's total assets fell marginally from Rs 5.21 crore to Rs 4.93 crore. And, finally, the latest declaration made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows his net worth as of March 31 at Rs 3.07 crore. This is up by nearly Rs 22 lakh from Rs 2.85 crore last year which is a jump of 7%. PM Modi has no stock market or mutual fund investments. His assets have mainly increased due to receipts from bank fixed deposits.

While introducing the Bill, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that its provisions will not prevent ordnance factory workers from expressing their grievances.   Read full article here: https://theprint.in/opinion/unions-say-essential-defence-services-bill-against-right-to-strike-but-even-ilo-sets-limits/712057/

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting via video conferencing to review the preparedness and assistance being provided by the Armed Forces.DRDO chairperson Dr G Satheesh Reddy said new anti-COVID drug 2-DG should work against various strains of the COVID-19 virus.Launching a scathing attack at the West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over the arrest of state ministers and a senior party MLA, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said the Governor is a "bloodsucker For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Telangana government announced a 10-day lockdown in the state starting from 12 May 10 am. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy announces 10 lakh Rs ex-gratia for the families of those who died at Ruia Hospital in Tirupati. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the 255 bedded COVID hospital set up by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in Lucknow For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari wins the Nandigram constituency by 1736 votes, defeating TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.Mamata Banerjee is likely to return as the Chief Minister for the third consecutive term with the TMC leading in over 200 seats. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday congratulated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, DMK leader MK Stalin and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Serum Institute of India announced that it was reducing the price of its Covishield vaccine from Rs 400 to Rs 300 per dose for the states. Election Commission said that Candidates will not be allowed inside vote counting centres on Sunday without a negative Covid report or two vaccine doses. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Defence Research and Development Organisation will set up 500 medical oxygen plants within the next three months. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

The CBI has detained Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on charges of corruption. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a review meeting with ministry officials to discuss ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 situation in the country. Haryana government has decided to give free vaccine to everyone above the age of 18 yers at government hospitals in the state For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

On the eve of US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin visit to India, the Chairman of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SRFC) Bob Menendez urged Secretary Austin to raise concerns about India's “deteriorating situation of democracy”Secretary Austin's visit, which started on 19 March, is the maiden visit by a high-ranking member of President Joe Biden administration and is expected to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other senior national officials.In this letter to Austin, Menendez noted “getting the US-India partnership right is critical to addressing 21st-century challenges, and that includes urging the Indian government to uphold democratic values and human rights.” The criticism is certainly not the latest comment on India's democracy, the most recent coming from a US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House which slated India from “Free” to “Partly Free” in its annual report on global political rights and liberties.The Centre termed the Freedom House report as “misleading, incorrect, and misplaced.” Minister Jaishankar further slammed the report and called out the outlets for their “hypocrisy”The letter from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is a very influential government body on US foreign policy, does raise questions on how the Centre should handle criticism from external bodies and governments and where its response is warranted. Host and Producer: Himmat ShaligramGuest:Vivek Katju, former Secretary (West, Ministry of External Affairs Editor: Shelly Walia Music: Big Bang FuzzListen to The Big Story podcast on:Apple: https://apple.co/2AYdLIl Saavn: http://bit.ly/2oix78C Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2ntMV7S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IyLAUQ Deezer: http://bit.ly/2Vrf5Ng Castbox: http://bit.ly/2VqZ9ur

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh slammed Mamata government in West Bengal saying poverty and unemployment are rampant in the state.BJP candidate from Tarakeshwar in Bengal, Swapan Dasgupta, has resigned as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.Responding to Anil Desai's question whether disinvestment would reduce the role of Public Sector Bank FM Nirmala Sitharaman said that it is done to increase the ease of doing business For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Assam on Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Tamil Nadu's Salem that the Sino-India disengagement process in eastern Ladakh is complete after nine rounds of diplomatic and military level talks. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will launch the party's Bengal campaign with a rally in the minority-dominated Vidhan Sabha constituency on February 25. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Terming 'ease of living' as the mantra of government, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched e-Chhawani portal. Indian and Chinese troops and tanks disengaging from the banks of Pangong lake area in Eastern Ladakh where they had been deployed opposite each other for almost ten months.PM Narendra Modi approves an ex-gratia of 2 lakh rupees each to the next of kin of deceased in Madhya Pradesh bus accident. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Climate activist Nikita Jacob, who is involved in the controversial "Toolkit" document case related to farmers' protest, has admitted that there was a Zoom meeting before Republic Day .Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches e-Chhawani portal. Chief of Defence Staff general Bipin Rawat is also present at the event.Dismissing the remarks by Haryana Congress leader Vidya on extending support to farmers' agitation by providing liquor, leader Rakesh Tikait said that "such people" don't have anything to do with Farmer's movement. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saying that he didn't speak a word on the most important strategic area - Depsang Plains - from where China had entered. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Bijnor and Meerut of Uttar Pradesh on 15th February to attend Kisan Panchayat.The Congress has given the name of party Mallikarjun Kharge for the post of the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

India and China on Thursday announced an agreement to disengage from Pangong Lake, which has been at the heart of the recent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Speaking in Parliament, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said both sides will cease their forward deployments both on the north and south banks of the lake in a phased, coordinated, and verified manner, and return to their permanent bases. On Wednesday, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) similarly announced an agreement “to start synchronised and organised disengagement”. Both have agreed to a temporary moratorium on patrolling in the disputed areas north and south of the lake and have already begun withdrawing armoured elements and tanks. In this episode, we examine the details behind this disengagement plan. What does this agreement mean for the recent tensions along the LAC? Where does this leave other points of discord that remain unresolved? What are the next steps, and where do India and China go from here? Guests: Dinakar Peri and Vijaita Singh, Correspondents for The Hindu Host: Ananth Krishnan

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to make a statement in Rajya Sabha today, regarding ‘Present Situation in Eastern Ladakh'.Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated Platinum Jubilee Foundation Day celebrations of Central Building Research Institute, via video conference.Two people were killed and another was seriously injured when an SUV crashed along a Chicago expressway. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is d Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to make a statement on ‘Present Situation in Eastern Ladakh' in Lok Sabha. Rescue operation temporarily halted in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district due to a rise in the level of water in Rishiganga river. The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Raj Kapoor's grandson Armaan Jain in money laundering case. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that through sustained talks, both India and China have reached an agreement for disengagement on the north and west bank of Pangong Lake. PM Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda pay floral tribute to former Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary. Ahead of Assembly polls in West Bengal, Union Home Minster flagged off the fourth Poriborton Yatra from Cooch Behar. For more live news download Etv Bharat Download ETV Bharat on App store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/etv-bharat/id1453416186 Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etvbharat.android Or watch us live on – www.etvbharat.com ETV Bharat is a Division of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. , is a comprehensive digital national news platform conceived to deliver seamless news and information services, using video-centric Mobile App and Web Portals. It is first-of-its kind offering in India in terms of diversity and depth, dedicated journalists network, reach of 24 states with services in 13 languages i.e.– Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia and English. ETV Bharat is the latest initiative of the five-decade old multi-dimensional Ramoji Group. The Group's highly successful media endeavors include : Eenadu - one of the largely circulated language dailies in the country , and ETV Network with Telugu general entertainment, infotainment and news channels. With a strong lineage of the most trusted media house, ETV Bharat would draw on its strengths of decades' long experience and innovation. ETV Bharat will combine the new technologies of mobile and digital media to engage news and information seekers in a new connected world. It will be driven by well-established news gathering setup, technology specialists and other professionals.

India is ready to supply various weapons systems, including missiles and electronic warfare systems, to countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. "India is ready to supply various types of Missile systems, Light Combat Aircrafts/Helicopters, Multi-Purpose Light Transport aircraft, Warship and Patrol Vessels, Artillery Gun systems, Tanks, Radars, Military Vehicles, Electronic Warfare Systems and other weapons systems to IOR countries," he said at the event which was organised at the sidelines of the Aero India-2021. Why is this important? Listen in. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/business-line/message

India remembered the martyrs of the 2001 parliament attack. On this day in 2001, terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed attacked the seat of India's democracy. Five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper and two Parliament Watch and Ward Staff died taking on the terrorists. A gardener and a photojournalist were also killed. PM Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tributes to the security personnel who laid down their lives in the 2001 parliament terror attack At a ceremony at the Parliament complex, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu, Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers and many Opposition party leaders paid their respects to those who lost their lives in this terrorist attack. India's active COVID-19 caseload has fallen to 3.62 per cent of the total cases, according to the Union Health Ministry. India's active caseload stands at 3,56,546 as on date.30,254 persons were found to be COVID-19 positive in the country over the last 24 hours, 33,136 new recoveries were registered during the same period. Real-Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) will be made available round the clock on all days from December 14, 2020. This comes under a year of Reserve Bank making NEFT 24x7Transactions of a minimum of Rs 2 lakh or more can be done via RTGS with no maximum ceiling --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/business-line/message

After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his country will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest, the first world leader to voice his views on the farmers' protests, India slammed his remarks as “ill-formed” and "unwarranted". Peeved over Canada's remarks, reports said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar would skip a Canada-led virtual meeting on COVID-19. On the same day as India protested, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a dig at the state of internal affairs across the border in Pakistan and on countries that "can neither make their own road nor walk on it." Do these statements suggest interventionism in international affairs is on the rise? Is domestic politics taking increasing precedence in how countries conduct foreign policy, and is the principle of non-intervention in international affairs a relic of the past that needs revisiting? Guests: Srinath Raghavan, Professor at Ashoka University; Senior Fellow at Carnegie India; Author of "The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia" Suhasini Haidar, National Editor and Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Hindu

Podcast: In Focus by The Hindu (LS 42 · TOP 1.5% what is this?)Episode: India's spat with Canada, and a larger question of Interventionism in International Affairs | The Hindu In Focus PodcastPub date: 2020-12-11After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his country will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest, the first world leader to voice his views on the farmers' protests, India slammed his remarks as “ill-formed” and "unwarranted". Peeved over Canada's remarks, reports said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar would skip a Canada-led virtual meeting on COVID-19. On the same day as India protested, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a dig at the state of internal affairs across the border in Pakistan and on countries that "can neither make their own road nor walk on it." Do these statements suggest interventionism in international affairs is on the rise? Is domestic politics taking increasing precedence in how countries conduct foreign policy, and is the principle of non-intervention in international affairs a relic of the past that needs revisiting? Guests: Srinath Raghavan, Professor at Ashoka University; Senior Fellow at Carnegie India; Author of "The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia" Suhasini Haidar, National Editor and Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The HinduThe podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Hindu, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

The fourth and the final foundational military pact — the 'Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation' or BECA has been signed between India and the US. This expands information sharing between the countries' Armed forces. It allows India to gain access to geospatial data from the United States' military satellites. This could include nautical and aeronautical charts, satellite images, commercial and other unclassified imagery, geophysical, geomagnetic and gravity data, etc. But the US military has as much to gain from it, as India does. In the backdrop of the upcoming US Elections and the Indo-China standoff at the LAC, this crucial deal was signed in the third annual ‘2+2' ministerial-level talks attended by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. But what does it mean for India's defence, especially in context of the ongoing tensions with China? Tune in! References: 2+2 today, decks cleared for key India-US defence agreement Producer and Host: Shorbori PurkayasthaGuests: Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, ORF Editor: Rinki Sanyal Music: Big Bang FuzzListen to The Big Story podcast on: Apple: https://apple.co/2AYdLIl Saavn: http://bit.ly/2oix78C Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2ntMV7S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IyLAUQ Deezer: http://bit.ly/2Vrf5Ng

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges people to light a 'diya' at their homes to honour security forces; Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says that India wants an end to the border tension with China in eastern Ladakh; BJP's Uttar Pradesh chief Swatantra Dev Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided when the country would be at war with Pakistan and China and Samsung chief Lee Kun-hee no more. Download the Deccan Herald app for iOS devices here: https://apple.co/30eOFD6 For latest news and updates, log on to www.deccanherald.com Check out our e-paper www.deccanheraldepaper.com To read news on the go, sign up to our Telegram channel t.me/deccanheraldnews

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh calls BJP-JD(U) partnership as "superhit" as the opening pair of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag in cricket; British scientist says that coronavirus will be around for "evermore" as it is unlikely it will be eradicated; the government decides to give Rs 3,737 crore bonus to 30.67 lakh central government employees; Eknath Khadse leaves BJP to join NCP and former CBI chief R K Raghavan says Bofors scandal is an example of a genuine case being sabotaged by a government run by a party that has a lot to hide. Download the Deccan Herald app for iOS devices here: https://apple.co/30eOFD6 For latest news and updates, log on to www.deccanherald.com Check out our e-paper www.deccanheraldepaper.com To read news on the go, sign up to our Telegram channel t.me/deccanheraldnews

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, US duo win Nobel Economics Prize; Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar takes up health portfolio; Power outage hits Mumbai; Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu tests negative for Covid-19; Supreme Court issues notice to the Centre on pleas challenging the validity of farm laws; govt announces Rs 12,000 crore interest-free 50-year loan to states for spending on capital projects; Hathras victim's family appears before high court and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says that China is also creating a dispute at the border with India as if it was part of a mission.

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, CCB officials served notice to Diganth and Aindrita Ray in the drug scandal case; Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says that India is committed to a peaceful resolution of the border stand-off with China in Ladakh and Flipkart says that it will create over 70,000 direct jobs ahead of its upcoming Big Billion Days sale and the festive season. Download the Deccan Herald app for Android devices here: https://bit.ly/2UgttIO Download the Deccan Herald app for iOS devices here: https://apple.co/30eOFD6 For latest news and updates, log on to www.deccanherald.com Check out our e-paper www.deccanheraldepaper.com To read news on the go, sign up to our Telegram channel t.me/deccanheraldnews

In your evening brief, From The Newsroom, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe to not make attempts to unilaterally change the LAC's status quo. The railway board chairman said on Saturday that 80 new special trains will be started from September 12, reservations for which will open September 10. Rhea Chakraborty's brother Showik was remanded to the custody of Narcotics Control Bureau till September 9. Download the Deccan Herald app for iOS devices here: https://apple.co/30eOFD6 For latest news and updates, log on to www.deccanherald.com Check out our e-paper www.deccanheraldepaper.com To read news on the go, sign up to our Telegram channel t.me/deccanheraldnews

A day after delivering a strong message to China from Lukung. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Amarnath cave temple, Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. The Defence Minister is on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army chief General MM Naravane are also escorting him. On the first day of his visit, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh joined with the troops in Lukung, Ladakh. Along with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane, yesterday. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/latestnewssuno/support

In today's episode, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says that India is not a weak country and no power in the world can touch even an inch of its land, Rahul slams Modi government and BBMP requests extension of the lockdown in Bengaluru Download the Deccan Herald app for Android devices here: https://bit.ly/2UgttIO Download the Deccan Herald app for iOS devices here: https://apple.co/30eOFD6 For latest news and updates, log on to www.deccanherald.com Check out our e-paper www.deccanheraldepaper.com To read news on the go, sign up to our Telegram channel t.me/deccanheraldnews

The defence ministry has agreed to allow the invalid pension to armed forces personnel. With less than 10 years of qualifying duty. Invalid pension is implied for those invalided out of duty on account of disability. Which is approved as Neither Attributable to Nor Aggravated (NANA) by military service. "The proposal has been endorsed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The advantage of this decision will be usable to those Armed Forces Personnel. Who were in duty on or after 04.01.2019," the defence ministry said in a statement. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/latestnewssuno/support

From the Newsroom today, Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput has committed suicide in Mumbai. He was 34. He was found hanging in his apartment in Bandra. Amid a standoff with China on the Ladakh border, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that India will never compromise on its "national pride", asserting that it is no longer a "weak" country and that its security capability has increased. As the COVID-19 situation worsens in Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday held discussions with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the steps to be taken to tackle the spread of the coronavirus. Download the Deccan Herald app for Android devices here: https://bit.ly/2UgttIO Download the Deccan Herald app for iOS devices here: https://apple.co/30eOFD6 For latest news and updates, log on to www.deccanherald.com Check out our e-paper www.deccanheraldepaper.com To read news on the go, sign up to our Telegram channel t.me/deccanheraldnews

Breaking the silence on the continuing border stand-offs with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 30 said that the issue would be resolved through diplomatic dialogue. The government has, however, kept mum on what exactly the issues are. What do we know about the incidents along the Line of Actual Control? Where are the current tensions? What are the prospects of disengagement? Interview by Ananth Krishnan Guest: Dinakar Peri, New Delhi–based Defence Correspondent. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in

A new political map by Nepal has riled up animosity with India. This new map claims regions of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, which are at the trijunction of India, Nepal and Tibet, to be a part of Nepal's territory. By doing so, Nepal has rejected India's claim over these territories.The issue made a resurgence recently as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a crucial 80-km-long Link Road to Kailash-Mansarovar in Tibet, connecting the Lipulekh pass along the border with China.The Nepal government found that move to be "violating Nepal's sovereignty" and retorted with this new political map.What perhaps added more fuel to this fire was Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane commenting that all this was probably at the behest of "someone else" – hinting at China.So why has this been a festering issue for so long, and does China really have a role to play in this friction between India and Nepal? Tune in to The Big Story!Producer and Host: Shorbori PurkayasthaGuests:Manoj Kewalramani a Fellow-China Studies at The Takshashila InstitutionAkanksha Shah, Delhi-based Nepali Journalist Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa Music: Big Bang FuzzAlso Listen to: Pandemic or Revenge: What's Behind China's LAC Intrusion?References: India's Nepal Outreach Must Step Up Before China Makes Gains Can India Fight Off China's ‘Communist Unity' Agenda in Nepal? Nepal Objects to Link Road For Kailash Mansarovar, India Responds Listen to The Big Story podcast on:Apple: https://apple.co/2AYdLIl Saavn: http://bit.ly/2oix78C Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2ntMV7S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IyLAUQ Deezer: http://bit.ly/2Vrf5Ng Castbox: http://bit.ly/2VqZ9ur

Happymon Jacob speaks to Vipin Narang (Author of Nuclear Strategy in the Modern Era) about the status of India's No First Use Nuclear policy in light of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement that India's adherence to ‘No First Use' in future will depend on the circumstances. Mr. Narang argues that continued aggression by Pakistan has led to shift in India's counterforce strategy. It has prompted the leadership in Delhi to explore more flexible pre-emptive counterforce options in an attempt to re-establish deterrence. He also discusses nuclear escalation dynamics between India and Pakistan and possible strategies for the two nuclear armed neighbours.