logo
Amit Shah to visit Jammu, Poonch on May 29, 30

Amit Shah to visit Jammu, Poonch on May 29, 30

Time of Indiaa day ago

Amit Shah
JAMMU: Union home minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Jammu and the border district of Poonch on May 29 and 30. This would be his first visit to the Union Territory of J&K following Operation Sindoor.
Shah is expected to hold a security review meeting in Jammu on May 29, official sources said. The next day, he is expected to visit Poonch — the district worst-affected in the recent Indo-Pak military escalations — and meet the families who lost members and houses in cross-border shelling by Pakistan.
Shah's last visit to J&K was on April 23, a day after the Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists. The home minister had visited the spot of the massacre in Baisaran Valley, accompanied by J&K CM Omar Abdullah and lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha. Shah also went to a govt hospital in south Kashmir's Anantnag to inquire about the condition of those injured in the attack, and later paid tributes to the victims at a wreath-laying ceremony in Srinagar.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

15k women in Sindoor-coloured sarees to welcome Modi in Bhopal on May 31
15k women in Sindoor-coloured sarees to welcome Modi in Bhopal on May 31

Hindustan Times

time25 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

15k women in Sindoor-coloured sarees to welcome Modi in Bhopal on May 31

Bhopal : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be welcomed by 15,000 women in Sindoor (vermillion) coloured sarees as a symbolic gesture of gratitude for Operation Sindoor –– India's direct military response to Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack –– during his visit to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh on May 31. PM Modi will participate in a women's conference in Bhopal to mark the commemoration of the 300th birth anniversary of Lok Mata Ahilya Bai, the 18th century ruler of the Malwa kingdom. The BJP women wing said that the party has chosen 15,000 volunteers, who will wear the vermillion-coloured sarees, from 1,300 mandals to welcome the Prime Minister during the event. 'The vermillion sarees are a tribute to the PM Modi and our armed forces, who gave befitting reply to the terrorism following the Pahalgam incident. The sarees will be provided by the party to the women,' said Madhya Pradesh minister of state Krishna Gaur. The security arrangements at helipad and venue including traffic management, will be handled entirely by women officer. IPS Sonali Mishra will lead the security operations. 'The women police personnel will accompainy the security detail at the helipad and manage, traffic, stage and crowd management. For the first time, 47 women officers will lead the VIP security,' said a senior officer of police. BJP state president VD Sharma said, 'Even the food and water services will be provided by over 600 women of Self-Helped Groups. The Prime Minister is coming to Bhopal on May 31 to participate in the Women Empowerment Conference and all the arrangements for the program including his welcome and honour will be taken care of by Nari Shakti. This women's conference is dedicated to women empowerment. This conference will create a new history.'

Time for Indian defence PSUs to either deliver or get out of the way
Time for Indian defence PSUs to either deliver or get out of the way

Hindustan Times

time27 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Time for Indian defence PSUs to either deliver or get out of the way

Twenty-six years ago, Israeli-built Searcher Mark I and II drones were introduced by the Indian Army in the Kargil war theatre for reconnaissance, while the US had tested the armed version of the MQ-1 Predator drone in the erstwhile Yugoslavia in 1995. India will be acquiring the first of 31 Predator MQ-9B drones from the US in 2028, even as its principal adversary, China, has already developed the Wing Loong II armed drone and supplied it to its tributary state, Pakistan. Operation Sindoor, however, has shown that unmanned combat air systems (UCAVs) have limited capabilities in highly contested airspace, and the era of long-range missiles and air defence systems has dawned in the Indian subcontinent. The era of tanks leading battles with infantry troops is long over, with stand-off weapons becoming the principal platforms for engaging the enemy. It is quite evident that the Indian Army's role has metamorphosed into defending territory from air-, land-, and sea-launched weapons. The Air Force is the spearhead for launching counterattacks against the enemy, and the Navy's role is to strike deep into enemy territory with its heavy-calibre missiles and weaponry. The Indian Army plays a definitive role when the war objective is to occupy enemy territory and hold it against counterattacks post-occupation. After the Air Force and Army pulverized Pakistan's air bases and air defences, it is clear that Islamabad will push for greater conventional and nuclear deterrence against India, with support from China, Turkey, and other Islamic states under the banner of the Ummah. China, in turn, will continue using Pakistan as a convenient proxy to challenge India, arming it with new Yuan-class submarines, long-range missiles, and fighter jets. Given that the US continues to supply weapons to Pakistan, just as Russia does to China, India has no option but to pursue Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Aatmanirbharta' (self-reliance) initiative to catch up in military-tech advancements. Geopolitics will always remain volatile, and the need of the hour is a proven and trusted supply chain. While the DRDO and Indian public sector undertakings (PSUs) have contributed to military-tech development and production, Operation Sindoor presents an opportunity for the Indian private sector to step forward and establish its own R&D units for advanced military systems, with the potential for dual-use technologies. The DRDO and defence PSUs must act as enablers, not obstacles, to private sector initiatives. The hard truth is that India is surrounded by hostile neighbours and extremist ideologies, and must therefore remain battle-ready at all times. In this context, the Indian armed forces cannot afford to wait indefinitely for the public sector to conceptualize, test, demonstrate, and induct hardware technologies. Cases in point include beyond visual range missiles for Prachand helicopters, shoulder-fired and air-launched anti-tank guided missiles, aircraft engines, long-range surface-to-air missiles, and more. This underscores that the Indian public sector cannot build everything on its own without sharing space with the private sector. The armed forces cannot wait forever for the public sector to deliver, especially given the persistent threat of terror strikes from Pakistan-based groups. While the Indian public may be appeased by models of advanced multi-role combat aircraft or a fifth-generation fighter, it is well understood that these projects will only come to fruition when independent India turns 100. In the interim, the Indian armed forces require state-of-the-art technologies such as long-range SAMs, counter-drone systems, and hypersonic missiles—especially since China cannot be trusted on the LAC, just as its lackey Pakistan cannot be trusted on the LoC. Rather than rely on Russia or the West for military hardware technologies, the Modi government must demand delivery and accountability from the Indian public sector, just as the public sectors deliver in Israel, France, and other European powers. The US government also supported its defence majors in the 1960s by funding R&D and purchasing their products. For India to emulate this, the socialist mindset of civilian-military bureaucrats in the defence ministry must change.

Mock drills in States bordering Pakistan today
Mock drills in States bordering Pakistan today

Hans India

time29 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Mock drills in States bordering Pakistan today

Jaipur: Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, mock drills will be conducted on Thursday in the border states of Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Punjab, officials said on Wednesday. These drills in the states bordering Pakistan will be held following directives from the Union government, as these areas came under heavy attack from across the border during the recent conflict between the two nations. Sirens will be sounded during the drills, and emergency preparedness systems will be closely examined. The Civil Defence department in Rajasthan has already initiated preparations and is issuing instructions to all districts. Special emphasis is being placed on the districts located along the India-Pakistan border, where enhanced measures are underway. Jodhpur District Collector Gaurav Agarwal confirmed that a mock drill will be held in Jodhpur on Thursday, although the exact timing is yet to be finalised. Barmer Collector Tina Dabi added, 'We have received instructions regarding the mock drill scheduled for tomorrow. A meeting will be held to plan its implementation.' This comes after a similar exercise was conducted on May 7 in 28 cities across Rajasthan, aimed at preparing for potential air strikes. The increased focus on emergency preparedness came after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 when, in response, the Indian defence forces launched 'Operation Sindoor', targeting nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan in which over 100 terrorists were neutralised. The operation has led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. A mock drill is a simulation exercise designed to assess how the public and administration would respond in the event of an emergency, such as an air strike or bomb attack.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store