2004 India Special Weapons News Reports

2004 India
Special Weapons News

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

December

PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 28 Dec 2004 -- Pakistan and India have concluded another round of their on-going peace dialogue but no significant breakthrough is reported in their most contentious territorial dispute over Kashmir.
PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 27 Dec 2004 -- Pakistan and India have reported progress in their year-long peace process but they remain far apart on ways to resolve their territorial dispute over Kashmir, the cause of two of the three wars between them.
INDIA/RAO DEATH VOA 23 Dec 2004 -- P.V. Narasimha Rao, a former prime minister of India, has died of heart failure. Mr. Rao is best remembered for opening up India's protected economy in 1991.
India, Sri Lanka carry out naval exercise IRNA 17 Dec 2004 -- The first joint naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka began about 10 nautical miles off Colombo yesterday, it was reported here on Friday.
Nuclear policy based on consensus: PM IRNA 16 Dec 2004 -- Declaring that India was now a nuclear power, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday asserted the country`s policies on nuclear and defence would be based on "continuity and national consensus."
Pakistan, India N-talks remain inconclusive but `constructive` IRNA 15 Dec 2004 -- Pakistani and Indian officials on Wednesday did not reach any agreement during their two-day talks on ways and means to avert any possible nuclear conflict but described the talks as constructive and cordial.
PAKISTAN-INDIA TALKS VOA 15 Dec 2004 -- Negotiators from Pakistan and India have completed two days of talks on measures to avoid the possibility of a nuclear war between the two nations. The talks are due to resume at a later date.
INDIA/RUMSFELD VOA 09 Dec 2004 -- The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld has paid a visit to the Indian capital New Delhi for discussions on how to improve military relations between the two nations. Mr. Rumsfeld made no comment on India's warning to the U.S. not to sell fighter jets to neighboring Pakistan.
INDIA/PAKISTAN TALKS VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- India and Pakistan have ended two days of talks on a popular proposal to start a bus service linking the capitals of divided Kashmir. But the two sides apparently failed to resolve their differences over how to implement the proposal.
Russia to export warplanes to India IRNA 07 Dec 2004 -- Russia will meet its obligations to deliver to India multi-mission planes Su-30 MKI by the end of this year, the president of Irkut corporation, Alexei Fyodorov, said.
INDIA/NAGA REBELS VOA 07 Dec 2004 -- Separatist leaders from the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland and senior Indian officials have expressed their commitment to ending the country's oldest rebellion.
Russia, India set to expand military cooperation IRNA 04 Dec 2004 -- Russia and India intend to expand cooperation in military hardware predominantly in the aircraft and arms systems of the fifth generation.
Russia, India agree on military interaction in Central Asia IRNA 04 Dec 2004 -- A Russian military delegation source in the Indian capital told Itar-Tass on Saturday that Russia and India had agreed on the possibility of military interaction in Central Asia, including Tajikistan.
PAKISTAN-INDIA RAIL VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- Rivals Pakistan and India have agreed to reopen a key rail link between the two countries that has been closed for almost 40 years. The deal may be one of the most important transportation agreements between the two countries since air links resumed last year.
INDIA/PUTIN VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- At the start of a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, India and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to a strong relationship. The countries say they will give new momentum to their long-term friendship by expanding military and business ties.
BHOPAL/LEGAL VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- Twenty years after the world's worst industrial disaster, the people of the Indian city of Bhopal still want justice. A breakdown at the Union Carbide pesticide factory caused a toxic cloud to fall on the city, killing thousands of people. But activists say efforts to compensate the victims fully have largely bogged down in lawsuits and bureaucracy.
INDIA/BHOPAL ANNIVERSARY VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- The central Indian city of Bhopal is marking the 20th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster, which has killed more than 15-thousand people. Local activists and global rights groups are at the forefront of the observances.
India: Twenty Years Later, Bhopal Still Reeling From World's Deadliest Chemical Accident RFE/RL 02 Nov 2004 -- It has been 20 years since the world's deadliest industrial chemical accident occurred in the central Indian city of Bhopal. Thousands of residents died in their sleep on the night of 2 December 1984, when toxic clouds of methyl isocyanate gas escaped from a pesticide plant. The Indian government says at least 15,000 people have died since then as a result of the accident. The owner of the pesticide plant at the time of the accident -- U.S.-based Union Carbide Corporation -- carried out an initial cleanup operation and made payments to the Indian government of $470 million. New Delhi, however, has yet to disburse two-thirds of those funds, which were meant to help victims. Meanwhile, chemicals from the plant continue to contaminate drinking water.
INDIA/PUTIN SCENESETTER VOA 02 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India for a three-day visit Friday to consolidate a historically strong friendship. The two countries announced plans to jointly develop high-technology military hardware.
November
Akash missile successfully test-fired IRNA 30 Nov 2004 -- `Akash`, the indigenously built surface-to-air missile was test-fired for the second time in four days from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 kms from Balasore, Orissa.
India`s test fires surface to air Akash missile IRNA 26 Nov 2004 -- India`s indigenously built medium range multi target surface-to-air missile `Akash` was test-fired on Friday from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 14 km in Balasore in the Eastern Indian State of Orissa, official sources said.
Pakistani national arrested in Indian Capital for spying IRNA 26 Nov 2004 -- A Pakistani national has been arrested here on charges of alleged spying with police claiming to have recovered "sensitive defense related documents and photographs from him.
INDIA PAKISTAN TALKS VOA 24 Nov 2004 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is concluding a two-day trip to India, where he discussed a number of topics, including the disputed region of Kashmir -- the main issue dividing the two nations. Both sides say they remain committed to the peace process, although, as expected, the talks produced no new developments.
INDIA / PAKISTAN UPDATE VOA 23 Nov 2004 -- Hours after the start of a visit to India by Pakistan's Prime Minister, leaders say both sides want to press ahead with the stalled peace talks. Still, no major breakthrough between the two nations is expected.
PAKISTAN / AZIZ INDIA SCENESETTER VOA 21 Nov 2004 -- The prime ministers of India and Pakistan will meet this week (Tuesday) in the Indian capital, New Delhi, to prepare for a second round of peace talks this month over the long-disputed region of Kashmir.
INDIA / SINGH REBELS VOA 21 Nov 2004 -- India's prime minister has invited rebel groups in the country's restive northeast for talks to end decades of conflict in the region. Manmohan Singh made the offer on a three-day tour of the region amid tight security.
South Asia: Analysts Say Indian Troop Withdrawal From Kashmir A 'Significant' Step Forward RFE/RL 18 Nov 2004 -- New Delhi began pulling a small percentage of its troops out of Indian-administered Kashmir yesterday. An Indian military officer said the withdrawal will eventually involve at least 20,000 soldiers. Up to 500,000 Indian troops are estimated to be in the Muslim-majority state, where they are trying to quell a 15-year-old separatist rebellion.
KASHMIR WITHDRAWAL/VIOLENCE VOA 17 Nov 2004 -- India's prime minister says he is prepared to hold unconditional talks with anyone working for peace in the disputed region of Kashmir. Mr. Singh made his comment as India began a reduction of troops in the region, part of new round of peace initiatives between India and Pakistan.
INDIA KASHMIR TROOPS VOA 12 Nov 2004 -- India has announced it will reduce troops in the disputed region of Kashmir in the next few months because of a decline in separatist violence. Pakistan and Kashmiri leaders are praising the decision and say it could give a boost to the peace talks.
Another Indian Army Mirage 2000 crashes in Gwalior, pilot killed IRNA 10 Nov 2004 -- An Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 fighter caught fire and crashed Tuesday night in the forests of Barsota, 75 kilometers from Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, some 15 minutes after take-off.
October
India test-fires surface-to-surface Prithvi III missile IRNA 27 Oct 2004 -- India`s most sophisticated medium range surface-to-surface missile `Prithvi` III, capable of carrying nuclear warheads within a range of up to 300 kms, on Wednesday was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 kms from Balasore in the eastern Indian state of Orissa.
KASHMIR/DIPLOMACY VOA 26 Oct 2004 -- A call by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to debate bold new ways of solving the decades-old Kashmir dispute has met with a lukewarm response from India.
India with no clue on US plan to impose sanctions on 3 entities IRNA 25 Oct 2004 -- India has said it was not aware of any plans by the US to impose sanctions on three Indian entities for allegedly helping Iran with its nuclear weapons programs.
India for dialogue between advanced nuclear powers & other countries IRNA 23 Oct 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday suggested a constructive dialogue between advanced nuclear powers and other countries to evolve more effective measures to stem the tide of proliferation without unduly constraining the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
India reviews nuclear capabilities in a meet IRNA 15 Oct 2004 -- The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) under the Chairmanship of Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, reviewed all aspects of India`s nuclear capabilities.
INDIA/REBEL TALKS VOA 15 Oct 2004 -- The government of India's Andhra Pradesh state has begun the first-ever talks with the Maoist rebel group that has been active in the state for decades. Governments in other states, where Maoist insurgents are also active, will be watching the talks with interest.
INDIA/WAR SCRAP VOA 15 Oct 2004 -- The Indian government says it will tighten laws on importing metal scrap after hundreds of shells and rockets have been found in recent shipments. The material is coming from war zones such as Iraq.
INDIA/NORTHEAST SEPARATISTS VOA 05 Oct 2004 -- India's remote northeast has been hit by the worst violence in recent years as a wave of militant attacks in three days left more than 60 people dead and at least two hundred injured.
INDIA VIOLENCE VOA 04 Oct 2004 -- In India's remote northeast, six people were killed Monday as the region continues to reel under violence blamed on separatist militants. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the government is tightening security after more than 60 people have been killed and two hundred injured in a wave of attacks in the region.
INDIA/BOMBS VOA 02 Oct 2004 -- Two explosions in northeastern India have killed at least 19 people and injured scores more. The blasts took place in the remote northeastern region of Nagaland, home to a long-running separatist conflict.
September
UN/INDIA/PAKISTAN VOA 24 Sep 2004 -- The leaders of India and Pakistan have launched a fresh effort to improve the troubled relationship between the two nuclear-armed rivals. The two men met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York. They agreed on several confidence-building measures, including the possibility of a joint gas pipeline project.
India`s eminent nuclear scientist Ramanna dead IRNA 24 Sep 2004 -- India`s eminent scientist and doyen of India`s nuclear program, Raja Ramanna, died of an intestinal problem in a hospital here at the age of 79.
UN/India/Pakistan VOA 23 Sep 2004 -- The leaders of South Asian rivals India and Pakistan are to meet Friday (tomorrow/today) on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly debate in New York. The meeting, and conciliatory remarks by both during their visit to New York, are being viewed as signs that the nuclear armed neighbors may be ready to put an end to nearly six decades of hostility.
Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 crashes in Madhya Pradesh IRNA 23 Sep 2004 -- Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft crashed near Gwalior in the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday afternoon with the pilot ejecting safely.
India successfully launches EDUSAT satellite for education IRNA 21 Sep 2004 -- India`s Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) successfully launched EDUSAT, the country`s first thematic satellite dedicated exclusively for educational services, into a Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR) in Sriharikota, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on Monday.
INDIA PAKISTAN KASHMIR VOA 21 Sep 2004 -- The Indian government is denying a news report that it might offer territorial concessions to Pakistan in the dispute over Kashmir. The denial comes just days before the leaders of the two countries are to meet in New York.
India to launch Indonesian satellite IRNA 18 Sep 2004 -- India`s Antrix Corporation Limited concluded a contract for commercial launching of a satellite of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), Indonesia.
INDIA/US/PAK/NUCLEAR VOA 19 Sep 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets this week in New York with President Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
India testfires surface-to-air Trishul missile IRNA 15 Sep 2004 -- Trishul, India`s most sophisticated and indigenous short-range missile, was successfully testfired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 from Balasore in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, on Wednesday, defense sources said.
Indian Cabinet gives a go ahead for revival of AWACS project IRNA 10 Sep 2004 -- Five years after a setback to its indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) program, Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave the go ahead for the revival of the project setting a timeframe of seven years for its development at a cost of Rs 18 billion.
INDIA/PAKISTAN VOA 08 Sep 2004 -- India and Pakistan have expressed confidence that their ongoing dialogue will lead to a peaceful settlement of their disputes. The foreign ministers of the two countries held talks earlier this week in the Indian capital.
INDIA / PAKISTAN TALKS WRAP VOA 06 Sep 2004 -- India's foreign minister says modest progress was made in two days of peace talks with his Pakistani counterpart in New Delhi. The decades-old Kashmir dispute is hindering progress.
INDIA PAKISTAN TALKS DAY ONE VOA 05 Sep 2004 -- Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers have ended the first day of peace talks in New Delhi on a satisfactory note.
India has credible nuclear deterrence in place: defense minister IRNA 05 Sep 2004 -- Asserting that the country had credible nuclear deterrence in place, Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said that specialized forces were being raised to tackle nuclear threat in all its dimensions.
INDIA/PRIME MINISTER VOA 04 Sep 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed New Delhi's commitment to peace with Pakistan. He has also said his government would negotiate with any militant group willing to give up violence.
INDIA PAKISTAN TALKS OPEN VOA 04 Sep 2004 -- India and Pakistan's foreign ministers are opening (have opened) key talks in the process of building peace between the neighboring countries.
August
INDIA/BLASTS VOA 26 Aug 2004 -- In India's northeastern state of Assam, two separate explosions have killed five people and wounded more than 40. Anjana Pasricha in New Delhi reports, the violence is the latest in a series of recent attacks blamed on separatist militants.
INDIA/PAKISTAN/TERRORISM VOA 15 Aug 2004 -- In India, at least 12 people have been killed and several injured in a powerful bomb blast in the northeastern state of Assam. The explosion took place as India and Pakistan celebrated their independence from British rule with vows to crush terrorism and improve relations with each other.
India/Pakistan: Talks Bolster Hopes For Peace Process RFE/RL 12 Aug 2004 -- India and Pakistan say two days of talks between their interior ministers have enhanced the peace process by allowing both sides to share their views on terrorism and drug smuggling. Both issues are linked to their wider dispute over the divided region of Kashmir. So far, the peace process launched in January has achieved little concrete progress beyond agreements for further talks. But one prominent U.S. expert on South Asia predicts the nuclear-capable neighbors will achieve a major breakthrough as soon as September that will reduce the risk of a nuclear confrontation.
PAKISTAN INDIA TALKS VOA 11 Aug 2004 -- Pakistan and India have wrapped up two days of talks, describing the meetings as "candid" and "constructive."
PAKISTAN / INDIA / TALKS VOA 10 Aug 2004 -- Pakistan and India have begun a new round of talks in Islamabad (Tuesday) to discuss how to fight drug smuggling and terrorism.
INDIA/KASHMIR ATTACK VOA 05 Aug 2004 -- Suspected Islamic militants attacked a paramilitary camp in Indian Kashmir, killing nine soldiers. It is the second attack in the region in a week, and came as India and Pakistan opened talks on the disputed region.
July
A multinational exercise kicks off in Delhi IRNA 29 Jul 2004 -- The eight-day multinational exercises, jointly being co-hosted by US and India on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief which is provided under UN mandated Peace Keeping Operations, kicked off here in South Delhi Thursday.
INDIA / KASHMIR VOA 28 Jul 2004 -- Suspected Islamic militants in Indian Kashmir, have attacked a military camp, killing five soldiers and wounding several others. Two gunmen were also killed in the clash, which comes at the height of the tourist season in the Himalayan region, claimed by both India and neighboring Pakistan.
INDIA/CHINA TALKS VOA 27 Jul 2004 -- India and China have ended two days of talks on a boundary dispute that has troubled relations between the two countries for decades.
PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 23 Jul 2004 -- Pakistan and India say they're committed to settling their territorial dispute over Kashmir. The divided region is at the center of decades of hostility between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 19 Jul 2004 -- Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan are set to meet this week in Islamabad to discuss a peace process to improve bilateral ties. The talks will take place on the sidelines of a meeting of the regional forum known as South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, SAARC.
India has nuclear technology foresight: Chidambaram IRNA 15 Jul 2004 -- The growth of nuclear energy in the future will be the fastest in India and China because the maximum energy demand will be from them, R. Chidambaram, principal scientific advisor to Indian Government said.
INDIA / US VOA 14 Jul 2004 -- Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage says he believes India and Pakistan are growing more confident of the peace process intended to end years of tension over the disputed region of Kashmir. Mr. Armitage is in the Indian capital for the first high-level U.S. visit to New Delhi since its new government came to power in May.
Pakistan concerned over Indian defense budget increase: minister IRNA 09 Jul 2004 -- Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Friday Islamabad is "concerned" but not worried over the increase in the Indian defense budget.
INDIA/BUDGET VOA 08 Jul 2004 -- India's new left-leaning government is promising to maintain high economic growth, even as it pledges more funds to benefit the country's poor. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the government also raised defense spending substantially in its annual budget.
June
INDIA/PAKISTAN PEACE TALKS VOA 28 Jun 2004 -- India and Pakistan have agreed to hold a sustained dialogue to solve their long-standing dispute over Kashmir. The two countries will also reopen consulates in their largest cities, the latest sign that relations between the South Asian rivals are improving.
INDIA/US/SPACE VOA 27 Jun 2004 -- India and the United States are exploring ways to step up trade and collaboration in civilian space-related activities. New avenues in commerce between the two countries have opened up since the United States eased decades of restrictions on high-technology exports to India.
INDIA/PAK TALKS VOA 27 Jun 2004 -- Indian and Pakistan officials have opened talks in New Delhi aimed at tackling their dispute over Kashmir and easing five decades of hostility between them.
INDIA/PAK/PEACE TALKS VOA 25 Jun 2004 -- Indian and Pakistani officials begin talks in New Delhi on Sunday on Kashmir, the disputed region that has embittered relations since the countries gained independence from British rule in 1947. The dialogue is seen as a significant step forward in a peace process, which began last year.
India`s ISRO nears deal with US based Raytheon IRNA 24 Jun 2004 -- The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is about to sign a major contract with a US company, Raytheon.
Technology transfer in India to be linked to defense deals IRNA 24 Jun 2004 -- The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Center will try to link the transfer of technology to defense procurement deals.
US policy may deter India`s growth in satellite-launch market IRNA 23 Jun 2004 -- Nations wanting to take advantage of up to 30 percent cheaper satellite launches by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) were unlikely to be allowed to do so if they had either bought US-made satellites or satellites that had US-made components, the local media reported here Wednesday.
Indian Air Force to participate in multi-nation exercise in Alaska IRNA 23 Jun 2004 -- Indian Government has cleared the participation of an Indian Air Force contingent in a multi-nation exercise hosted by the United States at its military flight training range in Alaska.
State's Morin Encourages Greater U.S.-India Space Cooperation Washington File 22 Jun 2004 -- Increased U.S.-Indian cooperation in space technologies could lead to tremendous advances in economic development, according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lee Morin.
India, Pak review progress in bilateral relations including J&K IRNA 22 Jun 2004 -- India and Pakistan on Monday reviewed the progress in all aspects of bilateral relations including Jammu & Kashmir, and implementation of the framework for the dialogue process worked out in February by the foreign secretaries of the two countries.
President Bush Praises U.S.-India Space Cooperation Washington File 21 Jun 2004 -- Following is the text of a message from President Bush to participants in the India-United States Conference on Space Science, Applications, and Commerce that took place in Bangalore, India, June 21.
INDIA/PAKISTAN NUCLEAR VOA 20 Jun 2004 -- India and Pakistan have agreed to establish a telephone hotline for nuclear issues and have pledged not to conduct further nuclear tests. The agreements are the fruit of two days of talks held in the Indian capital on confidence-building measures between the rivals.
INDIA/PAKISTAN NUCLEAR TALKS VOA 19 Jun 2004 -- Indian and Pakistani officials have opened talks in New Delhi on ways to reduce the risk of nuclear war between the two countries. Tthe talks aim to build confidence between the two governments.
INDIA/PAKISTAN/NUCLEAR TALKS/PREVIEW VOA 18 Jun 2004 -- An eight-member Pakistani delegation has arrived in India to hold talks on nuclear issues. The talks will focus on reducing the chances of a nuclear conflict between the two countries.
KASHMIR / VIOLENCE VOA 13 Jun 2004 -- In Indian Kashmir, authorities have stepped up security following attacks that killed at least seven people, including two tourists, and injured dozens of others. The attacks have come at a time when domestic tourism to the Himalayan region is on the rise.
South Asia: India Wants Kashmiri Groups To Join Peace Talks RFE/RL 07 Jun 2004 -- India's new government released its first policy statement to the parliament in New Delhi today. The wide range of issues in the government's program includes a pledge to open talks with key separatist groups in the divided region of Kashmir, as well as a push for economic reforms and religious tolerance.
India: New Delhi Calls For 'Common Nuclear Doctrine' With Pakistan And China RFE/RL 02 Jun 2004 -- India's newly elected government has called for Pakistan and China to join New Delhi in direct, three-way talks about a "common nuclear doctrine." The move is one of several steps taken by India's new Congress Party-led cabinet that appears aimed at moving the peace process forward with its two nuclear-armed neighbors.
INDIA / PAKISTAN VOA 01 Jun 2004 -- A top official of India's new government says it will continue on the road to peace with Pakistan that was started by the previous government. India's new foreign minister says the two countries will hold peace talks in New Delhi later this month.
Indo-US Defense Policy Group meeting to reassess military ties begins IRNA 01 Jun 2004 -- The three-day Indo-US Defense Policy Group (DPG) meeting began here Tuesday to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations including strategic issues, joint exercises, training and acquisition.
May
India's intelligence in crisis after double agent disclosure IRNA 29 May 2004 -- India`s external intelligence service has been rocked by revelations that Ravinder Singh, a joint secretary-level officer of the country suspected of having defected to the United States, may have been a double agent.
Indian Army chief for indigenization of weapons IRNA 26 May 2004 -- General N C Vij, chief of staff of the Indian Army, advocated indigenization of weapons so that "India does not have to look over its shoulders when the chips are down."
India asks Pakistan to put back talks on nuclear issues- Islamabad IRNA 23 May 2004 -- Pakistan says India on Sunday requested for the postponement of the scheduled talks on nuclear confidence building measures, citing the reason that its external affairs minister has not yet taken office.
INDIA KASHMIR/ATTACK VOA 23 May 2004 -- In Indian Kashmir, at least 26 people have been killed and 10 others injured in an attack blamed on suspected Islamic militants. The violence erupted a day after a new government took office in India.
INDIA POLITICS VOA 20 May 2004 -- India's prime minister-designate Manmohan Singh is promising to balance economic reforms with development for the poverty-stricken. He also says he will continue the peace process with nuclear-rival Pakistan and seek harmony between India's religious communities.
INDIA / POLITICS VOA 18 May 2004 -- India's Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi has declined to become the country's next prime minister following outrage on the part of Hindu nationalists over the prospect of having a foreign-born prime minister. Her decision has stunned her party and its allies. As Anjana Pasricha reports, India's former finance minister Manmohan Singh is now the leading contender for the post.
INDIA/GANDHI VOA 15 May 2004 -- In India, newly-elected Congress Party lawmakers have chosen Sonia Gandhi as their leader, virtually assuring that a foreign-born woman will become the next prime minister of the world's largest democracy. The party's political allies are also expected to endorse her for the country's top job.
INDIA/POLITICS VOA 14 May 2004 -- In India, the Congress Party that emerged victorious in recent parliamentary elections has begun to put together a new coalition government. The party is also building a consensus with its political allies on choosing the country's next prime minister, who could be the Italian-born leader of the party, Sonia Gandhi.
INDIA / P-M RESIGNS VOA 13 May 2004 -- In a surprise upset, India's Congress Party has beaten the party of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in national parliamentary elections. The Congress Party, led by Sonia Gandhi, is expected to form a new government and announce a prime minister in the next few days.
INDIA / ELECTION VOA 13 May 2004 -- In a surprise upset, India's Congress Party has beaten the party of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in national parliamentary elections. The Congress Party, led by Sonia Gandhi, is expected to form a new government and announce a prime minister in the next few days.
U-S-INDIA REACT VOA 13 May 2004 -- The United States has congratulated India's Congress Party for the strong showing in parliamentary election will apparently allow its leader, Sonia Gandhi, to become the country's next prime minister. U-S officials say they believe a Congress-led Indian government will continue peace efforts with Pakistan.
India: Congress Opposition Party Claims Victory In Election Shock RFE/RL 13 May 2004 -- In a sensational upset, India's main opposition Congress party -- led by Sonia Gandhi -- appears to have unseated the National Democratic Alliance government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Final results from the marathon general election are expected this evening, but Vajpayee has already conceded defeat.
INDIA / RESIGNATION VOA 13 May 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has resigned after a surprise defeat in the national parliamentary election. The winners, a coalition led by Sonia Gandhi's Congress Party are due to decide on the next prime minister in the coming days.
INDIA ELECTION VOA 13 May 2004 -- Leaders of India's Bharatiya Janata Party have conceded defeat in national elections after early results indicated a surprise win by the opposition Congress Party. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is expected to resign later Thursday.
INDIA ELECTIONS VOA 12 May 2004 -- Indian political leaders are jockeying for coalition partners a day before results are expected in the parliamentary election. Polls suggest that the prime minister's ruling coalition may not win the easy victory it had expected - and a hung Parliament could be the result.
INDIA ELECTION VOA 10 May 2004 -- Polls have closed in India after the fifth and final round of voting in the nation's parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee called the ballot six-months early to capitalize on a surge in popularity to keep his hold on parliament. But some opinion polls suggest that the opposition Congress Party may fare better than expected.
India imposes total ban on illegal recruitment by US in Iraq IRNA 08 May 2004 -- Taking serious note of the "illegal recruitment of ex-servicemen by private agencies for security duty in Iraq," India`s External Affairs Ministry Friday directed the Protector-General of Emigrants to put a total ban on such recruitments and take action against the erring employment agencies.
Indian Air Force Jaguar crashes near Ambala, pilot safe IRNA 08 May 2004 -- An Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter aircraft Friday crashed within three minutes of take off from the airbase at Ambala, in the northern Indian state of Haryana, but the pilot, Flt Lt Tamaskar, bailed out safely.
INDIA/ELECTIONS VOA 05 Apr 2004 -- Millions of Indians have voted in the latest stage of the country's five-phase parliamentary elections. Sporadic violence marred the polling in several states, leaving at least three people dead.
Pakistan, India to hold nuclear talks on May 25-26 IRNA 02 Apr 2004 -- Pakistan and India are set to hold nuclear talks later this month as part of confidence-building measures between the nuclear-armed rival neighbors.
April
India, UK defense consultations begin in Delhi IRNA 28 Apr 2004 -- The two-day meeting of the Indo-UK Defense Consultative Group (DCG) began here Tuesday.
Indian Air Force copter crashes in J&K, one dead IRNA 22 Apr 2004 -- An Indian Air Force (IAF) Cheetah helicopter on a training flight crashed near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri Sector of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Thursday killing one pilot and injuring another, official sources said.
INDIA / ELECTION VOA 20 Apr 2004 -- In India, polls have closed at the end of the first of five days of voting in a national parliamentary election in the world's largest democracy. Voting was marred by violence in some parts of the country, with at least 15 people reported killed.
Indian Army to become network-centric warfare IRNA 15 Apr 2004 -- The structural changes in the Indian Army in the form of a new post of Deputy Chief of Army Staff (information systems) will be complete by the end of May this year.
KASHMIR/ELECTION VIOLENCE VOA 14 Apr 2004 -- In Indian Kashmir, surging violence has killed at least one person and wounded 27 others. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is expressing hope that rivals India and Pakistan can work toward a durable peace.
Situation in Iraq not conducive to sending troops: India IRNA 13 Apr 2004 -- The Indian government on Monday said that the situation in Iraq was not conducive to sending troops to that country.
Situation in Iraq "dangerous": Russia IRNA 09 Apr 2004 -- Russian Deputy foreign minister Anatoly E Safonov said on Thursday evening that the developing situation in Iraq is dangerous and such a scenario was expected following the US-led military action in that country.
INDIA/EXPLOSION VOA 08 Apr 2004 -- In Indian Kashmir, at least four people were killed and two state ministers injured during an attack by suspected Islamic militants on an election rally. The attack follows violence blamed on communist rebels that claimed the lives of at least 26 policemen Wednesday in the eastern part of the country.
Indian Army opens new battle training school for J&K troops IRNA 01 Apr 2004 -- Faced with charges of human rights violations, the Indian Army on Wednesday opened a new battle training school in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, which will aim to sensitize soldiers on humanitarian issues and preventing collateral damages.
March
Indian forces called out after ethnic clashes in Assam IRNA 29 Mar 2004 -- Federal soldiers were called out Sunday in India`s restive northeastern state of Assam where 34 people were killed in a string of ethnic clashes during the past five days, officials said.
India`s test fires surface to air Akash missile twice IRNA 29 Mar 2004 -- India`s indigenously built medium range multi-target surface-to-air missile `Akash` was test-fired on Monday from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 13 km in Balasore in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, official sources said.
Indo-US infantry exercises begin at India`s Variangate IRNA 27 Mar 2004 -- On the heels of the India-US Air Force Fighter Exercise, India and the US on Saturday begin their first infantry exercise on "Low Intensity Conflict Operations in Jungle Terrain."
INDIA/KASHMIR TALKS VOA 27 Mar 2004 -- India's Deputy Prime Minister and Kashmiri separatist leaders have concluded talks aimed at returning peace to Indian Kashmir. It was the second meeting between the two sides since they began an historic dialogue earlier in the year.
U-S PAKISTAN INDIA VOA 20 Mar 2004 -- India has criticized a recent decision by the United States to give Pakistan special military status, saying it could hurt ties between the two countries.
India test fires extended version of `Prithvi` missile IRNA 19 Mar 2004 -- India`s extended version most sophisticated medium range surface-to-surface missile `Prithvi` capable of carrying nuclear war heads was on Friday successfully test fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 13 kms from Balasore in the Eastern Indian State of Orissa.
India to sign contract to buy jet trainer aircraft from Britain PLA Daily 15 Mar 2004 -- Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes indicated on Sunday that the final agreement to buy 66 Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft from British Aerospace is likely to be signed on Monday.
POWELL / INDIA VISIT VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell is scheduled to leave Sunday (has left) on a trip to meet with leaders in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. He first stops in New Delhi where he plans to discuss recent agreements to expand U-S and Indian cooperation on nuclear and space technology and the revived peace process between India and Pakistan. Rrelations between India and Pakistan have dramatically improved since Mr. Powell's last visit to the region.
INDIA / KASHMIR VOA 11 Mar 2004 -- In Indian Kashmir, officials say two soldiers have been wounded in an attack by Islamic militants. Violence has been raging in the region despite a new bid for peace between India and Pakistan.
Indian Army drafts new war doctrine IRNA 05 Mar 2004 -- Indian Army has drafted a new war doctrine and it would be finalised after receiving suggestions from all quarters, said the Chief of Indian Army Staff, N.C. Vij, at a seminar here.
POWELL / SOUTH ASIA VOA 05 Mar 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit India, Pakistan and Afghanistan on a week-long South Asian trip later this month. He'll lend support to revived peace talks between India and Pakistan and discuss reconstruction and counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan.
February
ISRAEL/INDIA VOA 29 Feb 2004 -- Israel's Security Cabinet has approved the sale of three spy planes to India for one-point-one-billion dollars.The U-S administration, which originally opposed the sale, has now given its backing to the deal.
India, Israel held discussions on defense issues in Delhi IRNA 28 Feb 2004 -- The Israeli air force commander-in-chief, Major-General Dan Halutz, during his four-day visit to India held discussions with Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy on Thursday, local press reported here on Saturday.
Jaguar crashes in India`s Rajasthan, pilot killed IRNA 26 Feb 2004 -- Indian Air Force, Jaguar plane crashed in Pokhran, killing the pilot in the western Indian state of Rajasthan Thursday morning, police said.
India, US ten-day air exercises concludes at Bhopal IRNA 26 Feb 2004 -- Signaling a new level of military cooperation between India and US, Indian Air Force`s frontline aircrafts and pilots Wednesday matched skills with US Air Force over the skies of Bhopal in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, local media reported here on Thursday.
Kashmir separatist group suspends talks with Indian government PLA Daily 26 Feb 2004 -- The Hurriyat Conference, which is a conglomerate of nearly two dozen separatist parties in Jammu and Kashmir, has announced the suspension of talks with Indian central government.
India takes note of nuke-tech export from Pakistan: Vajpayee PLA Daily 24 Feb 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said Monday that India has taken serious note of the clandestine export of nuclear technology from Pakistan.
Indian Air Force MiG 21 plane crashes in Gujarat, one killed IRNA 20 Feb 2004 -- Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 fighter plane crashed in Lakha Bhawana, 25 kms from Jamnagar in the Western Indian state of Gujarat Friday morning, killing one civilian and injuring 12 persons, local media reported.
Indo-US joint combat exercise will strengthen ties: Law IRNA 20 Feb 2004 -- US Pacific Air Force spokesman Major James W Law on Friday said Indo-US joint combat exercise would further strengthen Indo-American ties.
Hailing progress in talks between India and Pakistan, Annan urges leaders to stay course UN News Centre 19 Feb 2004 -- Encouraged by the "steady progress" being made in the bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the two South Asian neighbours to press forward in tackling sensitive issues.
INDIA-PAK TALKS / REACT VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- An agreement between India and Pakistan on a road map for future talks has been hailed around the world as an encouraging sign the two nations are ready to put years of tensions behind them. But that enthusiasm is also tempered by warnings that most of the work towards peace has yet to be done.
Pakistan, India agree to peace roadmap IRNA 18 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan and India agreed on Wednesday to a roadmap for composite dialogue to discuss and arrive at peaceful settlement of all bilateral issues including Jammu and Kashmir to the satisfaction of both sides.
PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 18 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan and India have drawn up an agenda for a groundbreaking series of peace talks to end more than a half-century of conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals. V-O-A's Michael Kitchen reports from Islamabad, officials say the new dialogue stands a much better chance for success than past efforts to end the cycle of conflict.
PAKISTAN / INDIA/TALKS VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan and India have broadly agreed on the framework for sustained peace talks about Kashmir and other disputes straining bilateral ties.
Pakistan, India resume dialogue process PLA Daily 17 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan and India here on Monday restarted their dialogue process after an over two-year gap, official sources from Pakistani foreign office told Xinhua.
Indo-US joint air exercise begins PLA Daily 17 Feb 2004 -- In the biggest-ever fighter maneuvers, India and United States Monday commenced a ten-day joint air exercises over the Gwalior skies, north India, accordingto the Press Trust of India(PTI).
PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- Officials from India and Pakistan have met for a second day of peace talks in Islamabad. As Ayaz Gul reports from the Pakistani capital, a Pakistani official says that one issue likely to be discussed is a mechanism to keep disputes between the two neighbors from degenerating into nuclear war.
South Asia: India, Pakistan Start Talks On Kashmir Agenda RFE/RL 16 Feb 2004 -- India and Pakistan today began three days of talks focusing on nuclear security and their half-century dispute over Kashmir.
Pakistan, India conclude opening session of talks IRNA 16 Feb 2004 -- Senior Pakistani and Indian officials wrapped up on Monday the opening session of three-day talks, which will set agenda for sustained dialogue over Kashmir and other issues of dispute, sources in the Foreign Office said.
Pakistan says talks with India were `cordial, constructive` IRNA 16 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan described as `cordial and constructive` the talks with India on Monday and said the two sides discussed modalities and time-frame for the resumption of the composite dialogue between the two countries.
French nuclear-powered carrier to figure in joint exercise with India PLA Daily 16 Feb 2004 -- Intending to raise its militaryengagement with India, France will field its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, and a SNA-type nuclear submarine in the next round of joint naval exercise, the HindustanTimes reported Saturday.
First Indo-US air war-games maneuvers begins in Bhopal Monday IRNA 16 Feb 2004 -- The Indian Air Force with a whole range of its fighters began war games maneuvers along with US Air Force`s combat aircraft in Gwalior, the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh Monday.
India set to test fire Agni-III missile PLA Daily 16 Feb 2004 -- India is set to test-fire this year its new longer-range 'Agni-III' surface-to-surface missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the Press Trust of India (PTI)reported on Sunday.
PAKISTAN/INDIA/TALKS VOA 16 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan and India have resumed a stalled peace dialogue after a gap of nearly three years. The three-day discussions are primarily to establish a framework for a long process of engagement between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have fought three wars with each other.
PAKISTAN / INDIA TALKS VOA 15 Feb 2004 -- A delegation from India has arrived in Pakistan to prepare high-level talks on how to resolve the two nations' long-running dispute over Kashmir. The nuclear-armed rivals are returning to the negotiating table after a gap of nearly three years, during which they almost went to war.
INDIA / PAKISTAN TALKS VOA 12 Feb 2004 -- Indian and Pakistani officials are expected to meet next week (Feb 16-18) for the first time since the two nations agreed to renew talks aimed at ending decades of hostility. The three-day meeting will set the agenda for future higher-level discussions on disputes - including the region of Kashmir and the question of nuclear proliferation.
India test fires Surface-to-Air Trishul missile IRNA 10 Feb 2004 -- Indian defense scientists test-fired the short range surface-to-air missile Trishul from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, 15 kms from Balasore in the Eastern Indian State of Orissa on Tuesday, defense sources said.
Five N-E separatists groups hold talks with India to end violence IRNA 09 Feb 2004 -- At least five frontline separatist groups from India`s troubled northeast are holding secret talks with New Delhi to end more than five-decades of violent insurgency in the region, officials Monday said.
Indian defense yearbook dwells on threat to Indian energy security PLA Daily 09 Feb 2004 -- The latest Indian Defense Yearbook said that another possible war by the United States in West Asia could spark off a new wave of "uncontrollable anti-Americanism" in the Arab and Muslim world, give a boost to terrorism and seriously affect petroleum supplies to India.
Indian soldiers concerned about nuclear war: survey PLA Daily 09 Feb 2004 -- India's first-ever survey on the attitudes of army personnel has shown that 65 percent polled said they were concerned about the prospect of a nuclear war.
India`s MiG-23 crashes, pilot killed in Rajasthan IRNA 07 Feb 2004 -- An Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-23 fighter aircraft Saturday crashed while participating in an exercise over Pokhran Range, 40 km from Jaisalmer in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, killing the pilot, local media reported here on Saturday.
Private sector participation in Indian defense production on rise IRNA 07 Feb 2004 -- India`s Minister of State for Defense Chaman Lal Gupta on Friday evening said, that with the growth of public sector (PSUs) in Defense Production, a large number of industrial units in the Private Sector also have grown with varied scales of operation, which are involved in outsourcing raw materials, components, sub-systems/assemblies and sub-assemblies to ordnance factories and Defense PSUs.
India looking for Swedish weapons systems for self propelled guns IRNA 07 Feb 2004 -- India`s Defense Secretary Ajay Prasad Friday evening said that there was requirement for self-propelled and towed guns for the Indian Army and concluded that SWS Sweden are one of the parties whose products are under consideration.
INDIA / DEFENSE VOA 06 Feb 2004 -- India's booming economy is allowing the government to invest more heavily in the country's defense and technology sectors -- fueling the belief that India could rise to become a regional or global superpower, and change the way the nation thinks of itself.
India test-flies pilotless Lakshya aircraft IRNA 05 Feb 2004 -- India`s pilotless target aircraft `Lakshya` was successfully test-flown with an improved engine on Thursday from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-Sea in Eastern Indian State of Orissa, local media reported here Thursday.
India to acquire latest technologies for defense: Minister IRNA 05 Feb 2004 -- India`s Secretary for Defense Production and Supplies, Uma Pillai, said that India is a large market and the low cost of production, availability of highly skilled manpower and industrial infrastructure, make joint ventures in India "an excellent commercial proposition."
Revolution in military affairs is about technology: Fernandes IRNA 04 Feb 2004 -- India`s Defense Minister George Fernandes on Wednesday said the revolution in military affairs is about technology and not manpower.
India, Nepal holds secretary level talks in Kathmandu IRNA 04 Feb 2004 -- After the Bhutanese action against Indian separatists, New Delhi now wants Nepal to launch operations against Maoist insurgents in its territory, local press reported here on Wednesday.
US will prove to be a threat to India: Gen Padmanabhan IRNA 04 Feb 2004 -- Former chief of army staff (COAS) of India General S. Padmanabhan has predicted the India-United States bonhomie currently in full vigor will not last long.
INDIA/BLEACH FREED VOA 04 Feb 2004 -- India has released from prison a British man who had been sentenced to life in the 1990s for smuggling weapons to rebel groups in the east of the country. VThe British government intervened on his behalf.
January
India Seems Ready to Release British Gun Runner VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- India looks ready to release from prison a British citizen convicted of smuggling weapons to rebel groups in the east of the country during the mid-1990s.
US to add 30,000 people to armed forces PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has authorized the thinly-stretched US Army to temporarily exceed the limit by as much as 30,000, the Army's top general told Congress Wednesday.
US acting as facilitator in Kashmir talks IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- A top Kashmir leader today disclosed that United States was acting as a facilitator in recently held path breaking talks his group held with New Delhi.
10 militants killed in Jammu and Kashmir IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- Ten militants were killed and 1 arrested in 2 encounters in north Kashmir while elsewhere in Kashmir Valley a civilian died and 3 ultras were nabbed overnight, local media reported here on Friday.
Pakistan, India to resume stalled dialogue on Feb 16 IRNA 27 Jan 2004 -- Pakistan and India will commence composite dialogue from February 16 in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesman Masud Khan at weekly news briefing here on Tuesday.
INDIA / PAKISTAN TALKS VOA 27 Jan 2004 -- Pakistan says bilateral talks with India to settle disputes between the nuclear-armed rivals will resume next month. The main issue straining relations involves the mountain territory of Kashmir - the cause of two wars.
INDIA KASHMIR PAKISTAN VOA 27 Jan 2004 -- A Kashmiri separatist leader is calling on the Indian government and Islamic militants to call a ceasefire in the troubled region - perhaps as soon as next week. The leader from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, which represents a number of separatist organizations, also wants India to let the group travel to Pakistan to meet with officials.
KASHMIR/VAJPAYEE VOA 23 Jan 2004 -- Separatist leaders from the disputed region of Kashmir are expected to meet with India's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee later Friday. The meeting comes after historic first talks between the separatists and a senior Indian official, which have raised hopes that the two sides can bring an end to 14 years of bloodshed.
INDIA KASHMIR TALKS VOA 23 Jan 2004 -- Separatist leaders from Kashmir have held their first ever meeting with India's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The meeting, described as a courtesy call, comes a day after the government and the separatists denounced violence in Kashmir and agreed to take steps toward ending 14 years of fighting in the disputed region.
INDIA / KASHMIR / TALKS VOA 22 Jan 2004 -- India's Deputy Prime Minister and Kashmiri separatist leaders have agreed to a take a step-by-step approach toward ending years of bloodshed in the disputed region. The two sides released a joint statement after holding their first direct talks since the insurgency began in Kashmir 14-years ago.
CONGRESS / INDIA VOA 21 Jan 2004 -- India's foreign minister, Yashwant Sinha, has met with U-S lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The Indian official, on a two-day visit to Washington, discussed issues including India's reluctance to join the U-S-led coalition in Iraq, Pakistan-India talks, and India-U-S cooperation.
INDIA/TIBET VOA 21 Jan 2004 -- Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has expressed his support for the idea of India helping facilitate talks between Tibetan and Chinese leaders.
INDIA/KASHMIR TALKS VOA 21 Jan 2004 -- The Indian government and Kashmiri separatist leaders will meet in the Indian capital on Thursday. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, this will be the first direct, high-level meeting between the two sides since a Muslim separatist insurgency erupted in Kashmir 14-years ago.
U-S / INDIA / TALKS VOA 20 Jan 2004 -- President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell held meetings Tuesday with visiting Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha, reviewing U-S-Indian bilateral ties and India's moves to ease tensions with Pakistan.
Russia/India: Both Sides Happy As Defense Deal Is Signed RFE/RL 20 Jan 2004 -- Moscow and New Delhi today signed a $1.6 billion deal finalizing India's purchase of a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier, fighter jets, and helicopters. Observers say it's a sweet agreement for both sides, allowing Russia to bolster its sagging arms industry and India its regional strategic capacity.
India sign deal with Russia for purchase of carrier Gorshkov IRNA 20 Jan 2004 -- India signed on Tuesday an over 1.5 billion dollar deal with Russia to purchase the 45,000 ton aircraft carrier `Admiral Gorshkov`.
INDIA DEFENSE VOA 20 Jan 2004 -- India has signed deal to purchase an aircraft carrier and 12 fighter jets from Russia, after nearly a decade of negotiations. But the deal also comes as India strengthens ties with the United States.
Russian defense minister arrives on an official visit to India IRNA 19 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense minister Sergei Ivanov arrived here on a three-day official visit to India Monday evening.
PAKISTAN/INDIA/KASHMIR VOA 19 Jan 2004 -- With the Indo-Pakistani ceasefire in Kashmir now nearly two months old, villagers in the remote mountain territory have seen their lives drastically altered for the better. Roads on the Pakistani side once closed because of Indian shelling are now open, and schools and hospitals are open again.
RUSSIA / INDIA VOA 19 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is in India for three days of talks that Russian and Indian defense sources say could result in an agreement for India to purchase a Russian aircraft carrier.
Indian, Pakistani FMs to resume dialogue next month PLA Daily 18 Jan 2004 -- The Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M. Kasuri, and resolved to go ahead with the dialogue, planned for February, Pakistani Foreign Office said.
Sri Lankan delegation to discuss defense agreement with India IRNA 15 Jan 2004 -- A high level Sri Lankan defense delegation arrived here on Wednesday to discuss a broad bilateral defense agreement between the two countries, local press reported here on Thursday.
PAKISTAN INDIA TRAIN VOA 15 Jan 2004 -- Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have resumed cross-border passenger rail service, one day after extending a newly opened bus service between the two countries.
India`s Akash missile test-fired successfully again IRNA 13 Jan 2004 -- India`s indigenously built medium range surface-to-air missile `Akash` was test-fired on Wednesday from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 13 km in Balasore in the eastern Indian state of Orissa for the second time within two days.
India tests surface-to-air missile PLA Daily 14 Jan 2004 -- India Tuesday test-fired its medium range surface-to-air missile Akash from the Integrated TestRange (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, east India.
India test-fires surface-to-air Akash missile IRNA 13 Jan 2004 -- India Tuesday test-fired its medium range surface-to-air missile Akash from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 13 km from Balasore, in the Eastern Indian state of Orissa.
US, India step up nuclear, defense cooperation PLA Daily 13 Jan 2004 -- US President George W. Bush announced on Monday that the United States and India will step up cooperation on civilian nuclear activities and expand talks on missile defense.
SAARC SUMMIT: NEW DELHI AND ISLAMABAD 'BREAK THE ICE' US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 12 Jan 2004
INDIA POLITICS VOA 12 Jan 2004 -- India's prime minister has called for early national elections - perhaps as soon as April. The move to call an election nearly six months ahead of schedule was widely expected as the prime minister's party has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN VOA 12 Jan 2004 -- Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan have agreed to restart peace talks on Kashmir and other bilateral issues next month -- after a break of more than two years. During a regional meeting last week in Pakistan's capital city Islamabad, leaders from the two nations both affirmed a commitment to begin what they called a peace process.
Armitage Praises Indian-Pakistani Peace Initiative Washington File 09 Jan 2004 -- Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said the political courage and statesmanship of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf have brought about the peace initiative between India and Pakistan.
INDIA-PAKISTAN VOA 06 Jan 2004 -- Dana Dillon from the Heritage Foundation, discusses recent developments in talks between India and Pakistan. Mr. Dillon is a specialist in Army intelligence and Army foreign affairs.
South Asia: India And Pakistan Launch 'Broad Peace Dialogue' On All Disputes RFE/RL 06 Jan 2004 -- Pakistan and India today announced they are ready to start a broad dialogue on all disputed issues -- including the divided region of Kashmir -- in an effort to reach a lasting peace deal.
India, Russia clear decks for sale of aircraft carrier PLA Daily 05 Jan 2004 -- After weeks of hard negotiations, India has cleared the acquisition of the 45,000-ton aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia, according to the Press Trustof India (PTI).
PAKISTAN / INDIA VOA 06 Jan 2004 -- Pakistan and India have agreed to resume official talks in February, in an effort to settle differences including the long-running dispute in Kashmir. The discussions are resuming after a gap of more than two years.
Annan hails meetings between leaders of India and Pakistan UN News Centre 05 Jan 2004 -- Lauding new contacts between the leaders of India and Pakistan, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged further dialogue between the two South Asian nations to settle their differences.
South Asia: Talks In Islamabad Raise Hopes Of Progress On Kashmir RFE/RL 05 Jan 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf have met for the first time in more than two years on the sidelines of a regional summit in Islamabad. Although described as a "courtesy call," today's talks lasted more than an hour and have raised hopes for peace through a dialogue on Kashmir.
INDIA / PAKISTAN VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- leaders of Pakistan and India have met on the sidelines of the South Asian regional summit in Islamabad. Ayaz Gul reports, the much-anticipated meeting - the first in more than two years - is another step in the thawing relations between the nuclear rival nations.
INDIA /PAKISTAN REACT VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- The meeting between Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad has raised hopes that the two nations may seek new ways to end years of hostility.
Pakistan, India stick to their stand on Kashmir IRNA 04 Jan 2004 -- Despite relaxation of tension between India and Pakistan, both countries seem unmoved over their stand on the disputed issue of Kashmir.
SAARC: INDIA/PAKISTAN VOA 04 Jan 2004 -- The prime ministers of India and Pakistan have held a much-hoped-for bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a regional summit.
SAARC SUMMIT VOA 04 Jan 2004 -- The Indian and Pakistani prime ministers have met on the sidelines of a summit of south Asian leaders in Pakistan. The meeting is seen as a sign of improving relations between the two rival countries. The leaders of seven South Asian nations have opened a three-day summit expected to strengthen regional ties.
Ceasefire with Pakistan `holding on`: Indian army chief IRNA 03 Jan 2004 -- India said ceasefire with Pakistan was `holding on` although its troops were prepared to meet any challenge from across the border.
Kashmir solution in my lifetime: Indian Premier IRNA 02 Jan 2004 -- India`s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed optimism that a solution to the Kashmir issue was possible during his lifetime, local press reported here on Friday.
BUSH PAKISTAN INDIA VOA 01 Jan 2004 -- President Bush says India and Pakistan seem to be resolving their long-standing disputes slowly but surely. Mr. Bush also says he sees progress in Pakistan's efforts to control extremists.
Pakistan, India exchange list of N-installations: official IRNA 01 Jan 2004 -- Amid improvement in relations, Pakistan and India on Thursday exchanged lists of nuclear installations under a special agreement signed in 1988 which prohibited them from attacking each other`s nuclear facilities, a Foreign Office official said.
India proposes four more steps toward peace with Pakistan IRNA 01 Jan 2004 -- On the eve of SAARC summit, India on Wednesday proposed to Pakistan to hold technical level talks this month on bus links between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad under Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
INDIA / PAKISTAN FLIGHTS VOA 01 Jan 2004 -- The first commercial flight between Pakistan and India in two years touched down in the Indian capital, New Delhi Thursday. India and Pakistan agreed to resume transport links as part of ongoing efforts to improve their tense relationship. The resumption of flights comes three days before the start of an important regional summit in Pakistan.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

2004 India Special Weapons News

2004 India
Special Weapons News