October 2019 - India Special Weapons News

Violations, Violence and Repression Remain Rampant in Indian-Administered Kashmir: UN VOA 31 Oct 2019 -- The U.N. human rights office has denounced what it calls the ongoing repression in Indian-administered Kashmir and is urging the government to restore the rights stripped from the region's millions of Muslim inhabitants in August.
Peace Elusive as Kashmir Loses Special Status VOA 31 Oct 2019 -- Indian Kashmir officially became a federally ruled territory Thursday, nearly three months after New Delhi stripped its decades-old special status, but peace remains elusive in the Himalayan region that has been wracked by a violent separatist insurgency and is the flashpoint of its dispute with Pakistan.
India formally divides Kashmir to tighten grip over Muslim-majority region Press TV 31 Oct 2019 -- India has formally divided the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir into two new federally-administered territories, aiming to tighten its grip on the restive Himalayan valley.
India Raises Aksai Chin Issue as China Calls Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation 'Unlawful, Void' Sputnik 31 Oct 2019 -- Aksai Chin is a sparsely populated area about the size of Switzerland under Chinese jurisdiction. Pakistan handed control over a part of it, measuring 5,180 sq km, to China in 1963, prompting criticism from India, who blasted it as an illegal act.
Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir Divided Into Two Territories Sputnik 31 Oct 2019 -- In a surprise move in early August, India abrogated Articles 370 and 35A, "temporary" provisions in the Constitution to strip the restive state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and divided it into two federally administered territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
India's Biggest Nuclear Power Project Was Cyber-Attacked, Gov't Body Admits, Day After Denying It Sputnik 31 Oct 2019 -- he Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu had said earlier that a cyber-attack on its systems was impossible, despite Twitter being abuzz with speculation of a spy virus infiltration.
India Ends Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir VOA 30 Oct 2019 -- As of early Thursday, India lost one state and gained two federal territories as part of the government's effort to take control of years of insurgency.
India to Lease One-Fourth of its Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Saudi Aramco Sputnik 30 Oct 2019 -- India aims to invest heavily in augmenting energy infrastructure to eradicate energy poverty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India's quest to be a $5 trillion economy is not only about quantitative growth but also about improving the quality of life for every Indian.
India's First-Ever Naval Exercise with Saudi Arabia Soon Amid Gulf Powers' Battle Sputnik 30 Oct 2019 -- Amid political uncertainty in the Gulf region, India has joined hands with Saudi Arabia and France to secure shipping routes in the Western and Southern Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy had to rush warships and aircraft to the Persian Gulf in August to undertake maritime security operations amid tensions between the US and Iran.
Far-right EU lawmakers visit Kashmir amid unrest Press TV 29 Oct 2019 -- Clashes have broken out in Indian-controlled Kashmir while about 30 far-right European lawmakers were on a contentious visit to the disputed Himalayan region.
European Parliament Delegation Visits Disputed Kashmir RFE/RL 29 Oct 2019 -- A group of European Parliament members arrived in Kashmir on October 29 -- the first foreign delegation to visit the disputed Himalayan region since India canceled its semiautonomous status and imposed severe restrictions in early August.
India should 'unlock' freedom curbs in disputed Kashmir, urges UN human rights chief UN News 29 Oct 2019 -- The people of Indian-administered Kashmir continue to be deprived of numerous basic freedoms, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday, before urging the Indian authorities "to unlock the situation".
India's Modi says relations with Saudi Arabia moving toward strategic partnership Press TV 29 Oct 2019 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that his country is seeking closer energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia despite recent attacks on oil facilities that exposed the kingdom's vulnerability to threats.
Philippine Army Eyes India's Supersonic BrahMos Missile to Beef Up its Coastal Security Sputnik 28 Oct 2019 -- To strengthen its coastal defences, the Philippines believes India's BrahMos missile, with a flight range of 290 kilometres, can ensure the lower dispersion of targets, quicker engagement time and non-interception by any known weapons system in the world.
India to Send Naval Aircraft to France's Reunion Island for Indian Ocean Joint Surveillance Mission Sputnik 28 Oct 2019 -- The move comes as part of of a broader political understanding between India and France to have closer maritime cooperation in the southern Indian Ocean, where the latter administers the islands of Réunion, Mayotte and the French Southern and Atlantic Lands.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry Summons Indian Envoy Over Cross-Border Artillery Fire Sputnik 25 Oct 2019 -- Last week, Pakistan's foreign ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner to lodge a strongly-worded protest for targeting civilians in cross-border fire due to an alleged violation of the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Nepazir Sector.
US Hopes to Provide State-of-the-Art Fighter Aircraft to India Sputnik 25 Oct 2019 -- The US and India have agreed to move forward with the joint development and manufacturing of military equipment under the umbrella of the India-US Defence Technologies and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
Pakistan, India Sign 'Historic' Deal to Open Border Crossing for Sikh Pilgrims VOA 24 Oct 2019 -- Pakistan and India signed a landmark agreement Thursday on the opening of a new border crossing for Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit one of their holiest places in Pakistan.
Away from Cross-border Fire, India, Pakistan Ink Historic Kartarpur Corridor Agreement Sputnik 24 Oct 2019 -- While relations between India and Pakistan have hit a new low since the 14 February terror attack on Indian troops and the decision by India to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Sikh pilgrims have been allowed to visit shrines across the neighbouring country's borders.
India Rolls Out Red Carpet for Industries to Boost Military Sales Sputnik 24 Oct 2019 -- Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that country would achieve a target of $5 billion for defence exports by 2024. However, he did not mention what products India will export to achieve the target.
Philippines Cozies Up to India, Both Wary of China VOA 23 Oct 2019 -- The Philippines has agreed to strengthen defense ties with India, an increasingly significant Western ally in Asia, as part of its accumulation of foreign support in case fragile ties with China suddenly break down.
NASA Finds No Traces of Indian Vikram Lunar Lander on Moon's Surface - Project Scientist Sputnik 23 Oct 2019 -- NASA has found no trace of the Indian lunar lander, dubbed Vikram, in the images captured during its Moon orbiter's latest flyby of the lunar region where the lander made a hard landing on 7 September, Project Scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission Noah Petro said.
India Cuts Defence Exports to Turkey Amid Growing Tensions With Ankara - Reports Sputnik 23 Oct 2019 -- India has cut down its defence exports to Turkey, including explosives and detonators, due to Ankara's growing military cooperation with Islamabad, with whom New Delhi has had a decades-long strained relationship, the Economic Times reported, citing sources.
Indian Border Guard Shells Pakistani Drones Spotted in Punjab Airspace - Reports Sputnik 22 Oct 2019 -- The Border Security Force of India's Punjab state detected several drones that entered the national airspace from the Pakistani side and opened fire at them, the ANI news agency reported, citing sources in the border police.
Senior US Diplomat Says Administration Concerned about Human Rights in Kashmir VOA 22 Oct 2019 -- A senior U.S. diplomat told lawmakers Tuesday the administration of President Donald Trump "remains concerned" about India's clampdown on the part of Kashmir it controls, but supports India's development goals in the region.
Pakistan Flies Diplomats to Kashmir Site of Deadly Clashes With India VOA 22 Oct 2019 -- Pakistan flew a group of about 15 foreign diplomats Tuesday to its administered part of the disputed Kashmir region and gave them a tour of the sites of deadly skirmishes this week with India.
India Tests BrahMos Cruise Missile Amid Tensions With Pakistan Sputnik 22 Oct 2019 -- Amid persisting cross-border firing for the past many days, India has successfully carried out two tests of BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles from mobile launchers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Islamabad Denies India's Claim That it Destroyed 'Terror Camps' in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir Sputnik 21 Oct 2019 -- Hours after the Indian Army claimed to have launched an attack on Pakistan-administered Kashmir and said it destroyed three terror camps in the region, the Pakistan army has categorically denied these claims.
India Opens Bridge Capable of Handling Fighter Jet Over 'River of Death' Near China Border Sputnik 21 Oct 2019 -- The river bridge is crucial for troops and military equipment deployment in the Eastern Ladakh region - a contentious region between China and India. China had recently upped its ante in the area calling the entire region disputed after India declared Ladakh a separate administrative zone under the direct control of Delhi.
India Opens World's Highest Battlefield to Public to Integrate Kashmir Through Tourism Sputnik 21 Oct 2019 -- Nearly three months after India repealed the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the government has started the process of completing Kashmir's integration through tourism.
India, Pakistan exchange fire over de facto Kashmir border Press TV 20 Oct 2019 -- Indian and Pakistani forces have exchanged mortar shells and rifle fire in the disputed Kashmir region, leaving multiple casualties on both sides.
Pakistan, Indian Exchange Of Fire Kills At Least Seven At Border RFE/RL 20 Oct 2019 -- At least four civilians and three soldiers are said to have died during cross-border skirmishes between Pakistani and Indian troops late on October 19, reportedly making it one of the deadliest days since New Delhi revoked the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir in August.
India Says Two Soldiers and One Civilian Killed by Pakistani Forces Along Line of Control Sputnik 20 Oct 2019 -- New Delhi stated on Sunday that after the incident the Indian military struck the enemy, causing casualties and damage to the Pakistani forces.
Amid Border Tensions With Pakistan, India Begins Using American Satellite Guided Artillery Shells Sputnik 20 Oct 2019 -- The 155mm satellite guided artillery rounds were ordered following the February 2019 military standoff and subsequent border skirmishes between the two nuclear-armed nations.
India on Alert as Afghan Origin Terrorists Enter Kashmir Sputnik 17 Oct 2019 -- Pakistan had categorically rejected India's claims about the re-activation of terror training camps on its territory and stated that it was the local people who are fighting for their rights in Kashmir.
Pakistan Rules Out Diplomatic Engagement with India Over its Kashmir Decision Sputnik 17 Oct 2019 -- Pakistan has suspended diplomatic, trade and communication relations with India after New Delhi stripped the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status in August.
MiG 29, Eurofighter Typhoon Vying for Supremacy As India, Oman Begin Joint Air Exercise Sputnik 17 Oct 2019 -- India's MiG-29 fighter jet is participating in an international exercise abroad for the first time.
India's Second Moon Mission Begins Spectroscopic Studies of Lunar Surface Sputnik 17 Oct 2019 -- Despite the setback in India's second lunar mission – Chandrayaan-2, the rover of the satellite continues to go around the Moon with all its payloads and is completely functional. The lander failed to soft-land on the surface of the Moon and lost contact with the Earth Station of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
India says 3 militants killed in Kashmir shootout Press TV 16 Oct 2019 -- India says three militants have been killed in a gun battle with Indian security forces in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
India Puts Defence Bases in Punjab, Jammu on 'Orange Alert' Following Intel Inputs of Terror Attack Sputnik 16 Oct 2019 -- India has put its defence facilities in the northern states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir on high alert following intelligence inputs that suggested a group of suspected terrorists from Pakistan has infiltrated into India.
Indian Fighter Jets Using Smaller Airfields to Be Combat Ready in Case of War with China Sputnik 16 Oct 2019 -- The Indian military has been holding high-level military exercises in the Himalayas near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since September. The frequency of these exercises has increased after reports of a military build-up by China since the Doklam stand-off in 2017. The LAC is the de-facto border between India and China.
India again halts text messaging services in Kashmir Press TV 15 Oct 2019 -- The Indian government has blocked text messaging services for mobile phones in the Indian-administered Kashmir only a day after a communication lockdown had been partially terminated in the disputed region.
India Boosts Afghanistan's Might with Attack Choppers amid US-Taliban Peace Bid Sputnik 15 Oct 2019 -- Afghanistan had requested that India provide new parts and repairs to 11 grounded Mi-35 helicopters and seven transport aircraft in 2016. In December 2016, India supplied four Mi-25 attack helicopters and delivered two other attack choppers to the Afghan Air Force in May of this year.
Xi, Modi chart course ahead for new era People's Daily 15 Oct 2019 -- Informal meeting in India designed to build mutual trust between neighbors
India Arrests Over One Hundred Daesh Suspects Inspired by Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik Sputnik 14 Oct 2019 -- India's Ministry of Home Affairs had denied the presence of Daesh (Islamic State) in the country for many years, maintaining that peace-loving Indian Muslims would not get involved with the terror organization. Since the second half of 2018, however, a large number of suspects linked to Daesh have been arrested across India.
Xi and Modi Meet, Focus on Trade, Border VOA 12 Oct 2019 -- Indian and Chinese leaders at an informal summit Saturday sidestepped their differences and said they will tackle a huge trade deficit that has been troubling India, and enhance measures to strengthen border security.
Leaders of India, China have frank discussions defuse border tensions Press TV 12 Oct 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping says he had a free and frank discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their second annual summit aimed at defusing decades of tensions between their countries over border disputes, including an ongoing row over Kashmir.
Indian Prime Minister Modi Played his Last Card by Revoking Kashmir Autonomy, says Imran Khan Sputnik 11 Oct 2019 -- Pakistan expressed solidarity with the people of Indian-administered Kashmir, and promised to continue addressing the international community about their plight since India stripped the state of special status and imposed curfews.
India Adopts Mechanisms to Track Drones Dropping Weapons from Pakistan Sputnik 11 Oct 2019 -- Concerned about drones allegedly being used to drop weapons and ammunition in the Indian state of Punjab from across the border, India's Home Ministry has ordered the adoption of anti-drone mechanisms to neutralise this new threat, a media report said.
India Deploys Warships Around Venue of Modi's Upcoming Informal Summit With China's Xi - Reports Sputnik 11 Oct 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is arriving in the southern city of Chennai on Friday afternoon for a two-day informal summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi will receive Xi in Mamallapuram – a UNESCO world heritage site, south of Chennai, on the shores of the Arabian Sea.
France Offers Jet Engine for India's Fifth Generation Fighter Jet Sputnik 11 Oct 2019 -- Safran makes the engines and electronics for the Rafale fighter jet but India has been making efforts to develop its own fighter jet engine for last two decades and is looking to build a home-grown aircraft.
President Xi arrives in India for 2nd informal summit with Modi Global Times 11 Oct 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Chennai, India, on Friday afternoon for the second informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is highly anticipated to continue the spirit of the first informal summit in Wuhan last year and make joint efforts to revive the Asian civilizations.
Modi, Xi Hold Informal Summit as Fresh Strains Cloud Ties VOA 11 Oct 2019 -- An informal summit between Chinese President Xi Jingping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi got off to a quiet start Friday as the two leaders shook hands and visited three ancient monuments in Mamallapuram, a coastal town in southern India.
Pakistan Warns India: Rafale or No Rafale, We Know How to Defend Ourselves Sputnik 10 Oct 2019 -- Days after Indian media platforms bragged about the new-found confidence of Indian security forces upon receiving the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets, the Pakistan government sought to clear the air with an indirect caution to its arch-rival.
China's Xi to Visit India Amid Strained Ties Over Kashmir VOA 09 Oct 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India to hold an informal summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11 and 12.
France delivers first Rafale fighter jets to India Press TV 08 Oct 2019 -- India has received the first batch of three dozen Rafale fighter jets purchased from France in a multi-billion-dollar deal in 2016, amid heightened military tensions with neighboring Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Receives First Rafale From France Sputnik 08 Oct 2019 -- Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Indo-French Strategic Partnership was a new high in bilateral defence cooperation and it would continue to grow and contribute to global peace, prosperity and environmental sustainability.
Indian Army Deploys American M-777 Light Howitzers Near China Border Sputnik 07 Oct 2019 -- The M777 guns will be part of the Mountain Strike Corps – a 90,000 strong special force meant to guard the approximately 40,000-kilometre long border with China. The M-777s are the first set of new howitzers acquired in three decades; India had shelved all contracts for field guns after the Bofors scandal in the late 1980s.
Indian Defence Minister Leaves for France to Receive First Batch of Rafale Jets Sputnik 07 Oct 2019 -- The first four of the 36 Rafale jets to be received by India by May 2020 will be handed over to the Indian defence minister on Tuesday following months of political debate over the 7.8 billion euro Rafale fighter jet deal.
China Objects to India's Ongoing Wargames in Northeastern Arunachal Pradesh: Report Sputnik 05 Oct 2019 -- The Indian Army's wargames in the strategically-located northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh have evoked a strong response from China.
India Admits Downing Own Mi-17 Chopper in Dogfight With Pak in February, Prompting Investigation Sputnik 04 Oct 2019 -- Rafale Deal
US Reportedly Warns Allies of Sanctions as India Defends Its 'Sovereign Right' to Buy Russian S-400s Sputnik 03 Oct 2019 -- Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said this week he was "reasonably convinced" that the United States would understand New Delhi's decision to purchase advanced defence equipment, including the S-400 missile defence system, from Russia.
India Reportedly Kicks Off Military Combat Drills Near Border With China Sputnik 02 Oct 2019 -- The Indian Army has kicked off a major military combat exercise in the strategically-located state of Arunachal Pradesh, a media report said.

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October 2019 - India Special Weapons News