Indian defence delegation meets French officials in Paris; Rafale marine programme formally launched
An Indian defence delegation met with French officials at the Paris Air Show, formally launching the Rafale marine programme. Simultaneously, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi attended a US Navy-hosted Key Leader Engagement, advocating for maritime security through innovation. He also reviewed indigenous defence manufacturing at Solar Industries, emphasizing public-private synergy and the growing importance of counter-drone systems.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
An Indian defence delegation led by Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Maritime Systems) Dinesh Kumar met with French defence officials at the Paris Air Show on Thursday.The French side was headed by Lt Gen Gael Diaz De Tuesta, Director General of Armament.According to French defence officials, the meeting between the two sides also marked the formal launch of the Rafale marine programme , which already equips the Indian Air Force.Meanwhile, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi on Thursday attended the 12th Key Leader Engagement, which was hosted virtually by US Navy's Pacific fleet Admiral Stephen T. Koehler.Admiral Tripathi highlighted his vision on "achieving maritime security in the Indo-Pacific through innovation and technology" in the Key Leader Engagement on Wednesday, which involved 19 nations.The Indian Navy , in a post on X, said, "Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, CNS, attended the 12th Key Leader Engagement hosted virtually by Adm Stephen T Koehler, @USPacificFleet, on Jun 25, involving 19 nations. CNS highlighted his vision on 'Achieving Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific Through Innovation and Technology."Earlier, on June 13, Admiral Tripathi said that Operation Sindoor is on a pause, but it is an operation in progress.Speaking to ANI, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi said, "Operation Sindoor is under pause; it is still underway. As a naval chief, I will reserve my comments on this. It's an operation in progress."He also commented on evolving warfare technology, particularly non-contact warfare and counter-drone systems, underscoring their growing importance.On counter-drone systems, he said that non-contact warfare will stay, and this area of weapons and equipment was not catered to 10-12 years ago."It is undeniable that non-contact warfare is going to stay. In it, drones and loitering munitions, and therefore defence against them in terms of counter-drone systems, there is a whole series of weapons and equipment that one had probably not catered for 10-12 years ago," he said on Thursday.Reinforcing the focus on indigenous defence capabilities, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, accompanied by Chairman of Solar Industries India Limited , Satyanarayan Nuwal, reviewed the manufacturing processes of various defence products at the firm's headquarters in Nagpur.Speaking to ANI, the Navy Chief lauded the products and progress made by Solar Industries India Ltd. He added that there needs to be synergy between the public and private sectors, as the latter is new in defence production."It's really eye-opening to see what progress has been made by Solar (Solar Group) in the last 14-15 years. As far as the synergy between the public and private sectors in the defence ecosystem is concerned, it is a must because some public sector companies have been working in this field for many decades, and private companies are relatively new. So there is a need for them to talk to each other and learn from each other," Admiral Tripathi told ANI.Chairman of Solar Industries India Ltd, Satyanarayan Nuwal, said that they showed the Navy Chief their drones and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and also showed the Navy officials their Counter-Unmanned Aerial System, Bhargavastra.Talking to ANI, Satyanarayan Nuwal said, "Today, we mainly showed our facility with drones and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). We showed the composite manufacturing unit of UAS. We also showed Bhargavastra (Counter-Unmanned Aerial System) to them... This counter-drone system is a significant thing... Considering present situations, we learnt that the biggest need is for long-range missiles. We have already presented a proposal in this regard..." (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Macron challenges Europe to rival US, China in space
By Tim Hepher, Giulia Segreti, Makini Brice PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron threw France's backing behind plans for a European satellite manufacturing champion and called for accelerated deployment of Starlink-type satellites as he declared space the new theatre for world power competition. Speaking at the Paris Airshow on Friday, after France moved to take control of Starlink competitor Eutelsat , Macron called for an energetic push spanning launchers to manufacturing and services as he set out a strategy to counter the sprawling rocket-to-telecoms interests of U.S. billionaire Elon Musk. Staged amid the conflict between Israel and Iran, the world's largest aerospace event has mostly been dominated by geopolitical and trade tensions and fragile supply chains, rather than the usual glittering jetliner order announcements. On Friday, attention turned from defence displays to space. "At the intersection of all these public and private questions, as well as civil, military, scientific and industrial ones, space has in some way become a gauge of international power," Macron said in a speech to delegates. Europe has taken a lead in Earth observation but has struggled for years to keep up with the United States and China in a domain now considered as strategic as the planet's oceans. It lost independent access to orbit for more than a year in 2023 following technical problems, delays and a breakdown of ties with Russia over Ukraine that halted use of Soyuz rockets. Despite Europe being the world's largest exporter of satellites, its two main manufacturers - Airbus and a tie-up between Thales and Italy's Leonardo - have struggled to make money and want to pool those activities. "They have our full support and confidence. I want us to build this new champion as soon as possible," Macron said. "This is what will allow us, as Europeans, to have the scale to improve competitiveness and volume. It's a sector consolidation." Under pressure from Musk's cheaper low Earth-orbit Starlink satellites and a shift away from bespoke satellites in higher orbit, Airbus, Thales and Leonardo have said they are discussing plans code-named Project Bromo to forge a combined venture. Previous efforts to pool satellite-making have been thwarted by competition concerns. DEFENCE SPENDING In a third battleground, the importance of satellite services and connectivity has been highlighted by Ukraine. On Thursday, France agreed to inject $1.55 billion into debt-laden Eutelsat, sending its shares soaring. U.S. and Chinese spending on space dwarfs European budgets and insiders say industrial squabbling has curbed co-operation. The European Space Agency says the U.S. accounted for nearly two-thirds of the global space budget in 2023; Europe just 11%. Space budgets may get a lift from defence funds flowing into the sector. But fiscal room for Macron's new agenda is tight. "Partnership between public and private capital will be needed and this requires a considerable effort", said Jean-Pierre Darnis, associate fellow at the Foundation for Strategic Research. France is struggling to get public finances under control after spending spiralled higher last year. Europe is already hiking defence spending after U.S. President Donald Trump's team made clear that the United States was no longer willing to be the main guarantor of Europe's security. "The big story of this show is sovereignty in the wake of some of the statements by (Trump) questioning U.S. commitment to Europe and to NATO," said Vago Muradian, founder of the Defense & Aerospace Report. Macron flew into Le Bourget days before a NATO summit on a French Air Force A400M transport plane - itself a symbol of Europe's shifting priorities after years of battles over costs. The future of Europe's troop plane had been under threat after some of its European NATO sponsor nations including France and Spain slowed the pace of deliveries or cut their orders. Exports have also fallen short of expectations. But Airbus signed an agreement with procurement agency OCCAR at the show to stabilise production until 2029. Weapons makers and buyers are increasingly touting the label "ITAR-free" to avoid getting caught up in U.S. export controls for certain components, a senior European industry official said. ITAR stands for International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Some U.S. suppliers are scoping out ways of offering ITAR-free product lines to avoid being left out by the European spending wave, analysts said. The commercial side of the show fell silent on Friday after being overshadowed by last week's crash of an Air India Boeing 787 jet in India. Boeing sat out any announcements as Airbus and Embraer rolled out deals earlier in the week. Some airlines are shunning such shows to announce purchases in Washington or other capitals as aircraft become a currency of choice in a new style of transactional politics, delegates said. Organisers said the show nonetheless had record attendance.
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Action was so swift that we cannot express gratitude in words': Indian evacuee from Iran after Delhi touchdown
A fresh batch of Indian nationals evacuated from Iran landed safely in Delhi on Saturday under Operation Sindhu, as part of the Government of India's ongoing efforts to bring back its citizens from conflict-hit regions. Indian students returning from Iran via Armenia, under an evacuation operation facilitated by the Government of India, react while exiting from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi.(PTI) The Indian Embassy in Tehran coordinated the safe movement of students, while the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ensured their safe return. An Indian national who was evacuated from Iran, Zaffar Abbas Naqvi, recounted how he and his family stayed indoors initially after hearing about the attack on Iran. They later moved to Mashhad, which also came under attack, prompting them to contact the Indian government. Naqvi praised the swift action taken by the government and thanked Prime Minister Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath for their support. "Everything was going fine, but one day we heard that Iran had been attacked. We stayed indoors for some time. We then moved to Mashhad. Soon Mashhad came under attack. We then contacted the Indian government. The action was so swift that we cannot express our gratitude in words. I want to thank Modi ji and Yogi ji who made all the arrangements for us...," said Naqvi. Kulsum, an Indian national evacuated from Iran, expressed relief at being back home safely, saying the situation in Iran was worrisome and the government's help was invaluable Speaking to ANI, Kulsum said, "The situation in Iran is not good. We were very worried. The government helped us a lot and brought us back home safely." Another Indian national who was evacuated from Mashhad, Mohammad Ali Qazim expressed gratitude towards the Indian government for their help in crossing the border and returning home safely. He mentioned that the situation in Iran, especially in Tehran, was not good. "I am coming from Mashhad. It feels very good to return home... We had gone on a religious journey. The situation there is not good, especially in Tehran... Indian government helped us a lot in crossing the border and bringing us to India. The UP government is also helping us a lot by taking us back home..." he said. The operation continues to bring relief to families across India, with coordinated efforts from both the Central and State governments ensuring the safe return of citizens amid the ongoing tensions in the region. Earlier, chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Hindustan Zindabad' echoed through Delhi Airport late Friday night as a special flight carrying 290 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu touched down. Emotional returnees, including students and religious pilgrims, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Indian government for ensuring their safe return amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. The special flight landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 11:30 PM IST on Friday night and was received by Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Kumar Chatterjee. Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said in a post on X, "Operation Sindhu flight brings citizens home. Evacuated 290 Indian nationals from Iran, including students and religious pilgrims, by a charter flight. The flight arrived in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 20 June and was received by Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Chatterjee." He added, "The Government of India is grateful to the Government of Iran for the facilitation of the evacuation process." (ANI)
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the war between India and Pakistan': Trump does it again
US President Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his claim that he helped stop a war between India and Pakistan but said he will never receive a Nobel Peace Prize for it. In a post on Truth Social, Trump listed a series of diplomatic efforts he claims credit for, while criticising the Nobel committee for ignoring them. 'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the war between India and Pakistan,' Trump wrote, referencing recent tensions between the two countries following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Skal I på bilferie til sommer? Scandlines Læs mere Undo India had carried out targeted strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. In response, Pakistan launched attempted strikes on Indian military positions on May 8, 9, and 10. The exchange ended on May 10 following a understanding reached after direct military-level talks between the two sides. Live Events Despite India's official stance and PM Modi's confrontation with him that the ceasefire was the outcome of Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level dialogue, Trump claimed the de-escalation followed American diplomatic engagement. He has repeated the claim several times, stating the U.S. urged both sides to end hostilities and promised enhanced trade ties in return. The US President claimed that he will never be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, even as he he arranged a peace treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda like he did for othere nations. I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia (A massive Ethiopian built dam, stupidly financed by the United States of America, substantially reduces the water flowing into The Nile River)," Trump said. Trump also referenced his previous diplomatic push in the Middle East. 'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East which, if all goes well, will be loaded to the brim with additional Countries signing on, and will unify the Middle East for the first time in 'The Ages!'' he said. 'No, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that's all that matters to me!' Trump concluded. Meanwhile, the Pakistan government issued a statement announcing that it would formally recommend Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. A statement said, 'President Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship… ultimately securing a ceasefire and averting a broader conflict.' It also praised Trump's past 'offers' on the Kashmir issue and called his role 'pivotal.' Earlier this week, President Trump hosted Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir at the White House. Speaking afterward, he said, 'Reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war... ending the war.' Trump added that trade talks were underway with both India and Pakistan.
