
Rajnath holds key talks with Russian counterpart on defence, terror, geopolitics
New Delhi, June 27 (UNI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a key bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov, during which the two leaders held extensive talks on various topics, including the prevailing geopolitical situation, cross-border terrorism, and the ongoing Indo-Russian defence cooperation.
During the meeting that took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, China, yesterday, Russian Minister Belousov expressed solidarity with India over the 'horrendous and cowardly' terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, a Defence Ministry statement said.
He reaffirmed Russia's continued support and commitment to India in fight against terrorism.
The talks assumed particular significance as they took place against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the growing imperative to enhance domestic defence production. The discussion focused on strengthening collaboration in critical areas such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern warfare capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms.
Key outcomes of the meeting included the supply of S-400 air defence systems, upgrades to the Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, and the expedited procurement of essential military hardware to bolster India's operational preparedness.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


United News of India
21 minutes ago
- United News of India
Op Sindhu: India halted evacuation operations on June 25. will take further action based on situation
New Delhi, June 27 (UNI) Following the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and the re-opening of the airspace, India has halted evacuation operations of its nationals on June 25, and will take further action based on the evolving situation in West Asia. Giving an update on Operation Sindhu, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement today:'In view of the recent developments in West Asia, the Government of India launched Operation Sindhu on June 18 to evacuate Indian nationals from conflict zones in Iran and Israel.A total of 4,415 Indian nationals (3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel) have been evacuated so far using 19 special evacuation flights, including three IAF C-17 aircraft. The evacuated Indian nationals included more than 1,500 women and 500 OCI card-holders, nine Nepali nationals, four Sri Lankan nationals and one Iranian, spouse of an Indian national, were also evacuated from Iran. On June 17-18, Indian Missions in Tehran, Yerevan, and Ashgabat coordinated the evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran through land border crossings to Armenia and Turkmenistan. Special evacuation flights commenced on June 18 and facilitated the return of Indian nationals to New Delhi. The majority of evacuations were carried out through Mashhad, after Iran opened its airspace for evacuation flights under Operation Sindhu on June 20 on India's request. 'We thank the Government of Iran for this gesture.' A total of 3,597 Indian nationals — including students, workers, professionals, pilgrims and fishermen - from more than 15 Indian states - were brought back to India from Yerevan, Ashgabat and Mashhad from June 18 -26, using 15 special evacuation Israel leg of Operation Sindhu commenced on June 23. Indian Missions in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Amman and Cairo facilitated the movement of Indian nationals across land borders to Jordan and Egypt. A total of 818 Indian nationals were evacuated, including students, workers and professionals. They were evacuated from Amman and Sharm al Sheikh from June 22-25, using four evacuation flights including three IAF C-17 aircraft.'In view of the re-opening of the airspace, evacuation operations were halted on June 25. Further actions will be taken based on the evolving situation in West Asia.''The Government of India is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad. Under PM Narendra Modi's guidance, Operation Sindhu is another demonstration of this commitment. 'We thank the Governments of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Armenia and Turkmenistan for their support during Operation Sindhu. Indian Missions will stay engaged with host Governments and the Indian community in Iran, Israel and the wider West Asia region,' it said. UNI RN


United News of India
25 minutes ago
- United News of India
Iran's enriched uranium stockpile at Fordo was relocated ahead of US airstrikes: reports
Tehran, June 27 (UNI) Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium was reportedly relocated from its key Fordo facility ahead of the June 22 US airstrikes, according to preliminary intelligence assessments shared by European officials, the Financial Times reported on Friday. The move, if confirmed, would suggest that Iran retained much of its 408kg stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity — close to weapons-grade — despite US President Donald Trump's assertion that the strikes had 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear program, as per Iran International. EU officials cited by the FT said Iran's stockpile was likely distributed across multiple sites and not concentrated at Fordo at the time of the attack. One early intelligence report indicated 'extensive damages, but not full structural destruction' at the underground Fordo facility near Qom. The US has not provided definitive intelligence to European allies on the current status of Iran's nuclear capabilities, and Washington's future diplomatic direction remains unclear, EU officials told the FT. Talks between European ministers and Iranian officials had taken place just before the strikes, but follow-up diplomacy is stalled. 'We're in a volatile place where the E3 is waiting on the US, who appear to themselves be waiting on the Israelis.' Israeli intelligence officials had earlier said that Iran's stockpile of highly-enriched uranium was trapped below ground by attacks during its 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States, and while possibly still intact, it would also not be possible to move it, as Tel Aviv and Washington will pick up any attempts to recover it.
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
43 minutes ago
- First Post
Putin says Russia ready for new peace talks with Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was ready to hold a new round of peace negotiations with Ukraine, potentially in Istanbul, although the time and venue had yet to be agreed. read more President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia is open to resuming peace talks with Ukraine possibly in Istanbul, although no agreement has been reached on the timing or location. Speaking in Minsk, Putin acknowledged that significant differences remain between the proposals previously exchanged by both countries but expressed optimism that ongoing discussions could help bridge those gaps. He added that negotiators from both sides remain in regular contact and confirmed Russia's willingness to hand over the remains of an additional 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, Russian forces launched 363 Shahed and decoy drones as well as eight missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said Friday, claiming that air defences stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles. Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry. The Ukrainian air force said that 359 incoming drones were either intercepted or electronically jammed. Ukraine is employing new countermeasures against Russia's escalation of combined missile and drone attacks, officials say. Instead of relying on ground-based mobile teams to shoot down Shaheds, Ukraine is deploying interceptor drones it has developed. The Ukrainian attack forced three Russian airports to briefly suspend flights, officials said. The authorities also briefly closed the Crimean Bridge overnight as drones targeted Crimea. Neither Russia nor Ukraine reported any major damage or casualties in the attacks. With inputs from agencies