On Cam: Trump Loses Cool At Biden; Calls Him 'SON OF A B*TCH' On LIVE TV
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has announced that Russia's Oreshik hypersonic missile systems will be deployed in Belarus by the end of 2025. The agreement was finalized with President Vladimir Putin in Volgograd. Lukashenko made the declaration during Belarus' independence anniversary celebrations, saying the first positions are already planned. The Oreshik missiles, praised for their high-speed performance, are expected to be mounted on Belarusian-made chassis. Earlier this year, a small batch of those vehicles was built and tested. The deployment marks a new phase in military integration between Minsk and Moscow and is likely to alarm NATO's eastern members.#russia #Belarus #HypersonicMissiles #Oreshnik #putin #Lukashenko #MissileDeployment #MilitaryAlliance #Geopolitics #StrategicWeapons #NATOBorder #RussiaBelarus #NATOWatch #UkraineWar
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News18
40 minutes ago
- News18
Saudi Arabia Activates First THAAD Missile Killer, Iran "Fully Prepared" to Counter Israel-US
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First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
How Nato's rising security budget is good news for Indian defence manufacturing
Europe's defence expansion is constrained by limited local manufacturing capacity and skilled workforce shortages, this is where Indian defence manufacturers can step in read more Nato members have been scrambling to bolster their defence capabilities since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022. Reuters The 2025 Nato Summit, which took place in The Hague on June 24-25, brought together representatives of all 32-member nations of the alliance. On top of the agenda was an agreement to increase national security expenditure to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, with 3.5 per cent allocated to hard capabilities and a further 1.5 per cent on security-related spending, including infrastructure and cyber security, by 2035. 'It is a historic day,' is what Nato Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska said. 'It is a colossal commitment that thirty-two countries have made. It is a game-changer.' The capabilities for air defence alone, she added, will increase fivefold through the new funding. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This increase was due to repeate d criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has long accused European allies of relying too heavily for their security on Washington, which he argues bears a disproportionate share of Nato's military burden. Therefore, the increase will start the process of shifting the burden from the US to Europe. When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this imbalance became clear, as Europe was exposed as being critically reliant on the US for its security. Incidentally, in 2024, the US spent $935 billion on defence, more than double the combined total of all other NATO members. Whereas, as per SIPRI, Germany's military expenditure increased by 28 per cent to reach $88.5 billion, making it the biggest spender in Central and Western Europe and the fourth biggest in the world. While some countries, including Spain and Slovakia, voiced concerns about this rapid escalation, Germany has taken a leading role by announcing an unprecedented increase in military spending. It will boost defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2029, an increase from a 2 per cent Nato quota that it only achieved for the first time in three decades in 2024. Under the leadership of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, it has embraced rearmament with a boldness unseen since the end of the Second World War. The Rearmament of Germany 'We will decide to invest significantly more in our security,' Merz told the Bundestag ahead of the Nato leaders' summit in The Hague. 'Not to do the United States a favour but because Russia actively threatens the freedom of the entire Euro-Atlantic area.' Germany is now embarking on its biggest military rearmament since the Second World War, signalling its intent to assume a more assertive role within Nato and across Europe. Given that a highly militarised Germany twice brought the world to war, this latest iteration has drawn great interest. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For decades, Germany maintained a cautious approach to defence spending, shaped by fiscal conservatism and historical sensitivities. Post-World War II pacifism, combined with stringent debt rules, contributed to a defence budget that consistently fell short of Nato's 2 per cent GDP benchmark. For much of the second half of the 20th century, Germany was characterised by its rejection of military might as an instrument of state power. Its military, the Bundeswehr, remained poorly equipped, with a defence budget that rarely exceeded 1.1 per cent of GDP. Strict controls were placed on arms exports, and strategic leadership was largely left to the country's Nato allies, led by the US. This was the established trend in postwar Germany. Rearmament was met with public resistance, shaped by memories of the nation's past. The Bundeswehr, established in 1955, was intentionally built with no projection of offensive power. For decades, as Germany became Europe's economic powerhouse, its security policies remained largely reactive and rooted within Nato's strategic architecture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, those days now seem to be firmly behind it, with Berlin emerging as a prominent defence hub for Europe. Soon after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, former Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a 'Zeitenwende' – German for a historic turning point – with a 100-billion-euro ($116 billion) special fund to bring the military up to speed. This year, the Merz government passed a defence budget worth 2.4 per cent of GDP, the highest level of military expenditure in Germany's postwar history, and announced long-term aspirations to raise it to 5 per cent. The goal is to ramp up annual defence spending from €95 billion ($111 billion) in 2025 to €162 billion by 2029. To enable this shift, Berlin has introduced legal changes allowing it to bypass its constitutional debt brake and seek EU approval to classify defence spending as exceptional, allowing it to skirt the bloc's deficit limits, a departure from a long-standing tradition of fiscal restraint. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The country's constitutional debt brake rule limited government borrowing to 0.35 per cent of GDP. However, an exemption from debt rules for defence spending was approved in March after much political debate. The transformation goes beyond budgets and legislation. Merz has pledged to build the Bundeswehr into 'the strongest conventional army in Europe' by 2031. The plan includes an expansion of its active forces from 182,000 troops to 203,000 by 2031, with a long-term target of 240,000. The military's role is expanding beyond Germany's borders as well. In May, Berlin announced that an armoured brigade would be permanently stationed in Lithuania, the first long-term deployment of a German force beyond its own borders since the Second World War. This shift aims to support Nato's Eastern flank amid growing concerns about Russian aggression. Modernisation is proceeding at a rapid pace. Under a new rearmament directive issued by Chief of Defence General Carsten Breuer, the Bundeswehr is acquiring advanced weapons and equipment, including air defence and precision-strike capabilities, space assets, advanced electronic warfare tools and munitions reserves. The procurement programme includes Patriot missile systems, Eurofighter and F-35 fighter jets, Leopard 2 tanks, PzH 2000 howitzers and sophisticated military drones. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This shift by Germany marks a pivotal moment for Nato and for Europe: the emergence of a post-American mindset in defence policy, with Berlin increasingly taking on responsibilities long held by the US. At the transatlantic level, Germany's evolving strategy also reflects growing uncertainty about Washington's role in Nato, especially amid the decisions of the Trump administration. The result is a more assertive and autonomous German military posture, one that is reshaping the security architecture of Europe. In view of the threat posed by Russia, analysts see reason to invest more money in the armed forces, which have been neglected for decades. 'It's not about pleasing the Americans, nor is it about lining the pockets of the arms industry,' security expert Aylin Matle from the German Council on Foreign Relations said. 'It's in Germany's national interest to be capable of defending itself.' Implications for India With 32 countries poised to substantially increase defence spending, India needs to position itself as a supplier of military equipment. Fortunately, the Ministry of Defence's goal of achieving Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by the end of this decade aligns perfectly with Europe's search for reliable, diversified suppliers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Europe's defence expansion is constrained by limited local manufacturing capacity and skilled workforce shortages. As a result, European nations are increasingly looking at partnerships and collaborations with Indian defence manufacturers. This is an environment where Indian defence manufacturers can step in as contributors to high-tech systems and platforms apart from supplying subsystems. The Summit also prioritised hybrid threats like cyber-attacks and infrastructure sabotage. To counter these threats, Nato will strengthen collective deterrence across land, sea, air, cyber, and space. For defence technology companies, this translates into faster procurement of AI, cyber tools, autonomous systems, and space-based capabilities. For India, therefore, the increase in Nato's defence spending and rearmament of Germany and revitalisation of its defence industry present significant opportunities for scaling up engagement and deeper cooperation. With our growing defence manufacturing capabilities and role in the global supply chain, this is an opportunity to expand our market and deepen cooperation with a country which is one of our most important partners in Europe. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Nato Summit 2025 set bold ambitions. But the manner in which these commitments reshape defence procurement and defence technology will depend largely on the manner in which Indian defence industries are able to deliver as per the compliance frameworks, with the latest technology and quality and at the scale required within the specified delivery schedules. The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
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First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
Israel used 230 kg bomb in Gaza café strike killing 24; experts say may constitute war crime
The use of heavy munition in an area known to be filled with unprotected civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, was likely unlawful and could amount to a war crime, according to report, citing experts read more Palestinians check an area of a cafe that was damaged in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on Monday. AP The Israeli military used a 500lb (230kg) bomb, a powerful and wide-impact weapon, in a strike on a crowded beachfront café in Gaza on Monday, according to The Guardian report, citing evidence reviewed by news outlet. The use of such munition in an area known to be filled with unprotected civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, was likely unlawful and could amount to a war crime, added the report, citing international law experts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to the report, ordnance experts have identified weapon fragments found in the ruins of al-Baqa café as parts of a US-made MK-82 general-purpose 230kg bomb, commonly used in airstrikes over recent decades. The large crater at the scene further supports the use of a powerful bomb like the MK-82, added the report, citing two ordnance specialists. An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson said the strike is under review, adding that 'steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance' prior to the attack. The cafe strike killed 24 to 36 Palestinians, with dozens injured, according to medical and other officials. The dead included a prominent filmmaker, an artist, a 35-year-old housewife, and a four-year-old child. Among the wounded were a 14-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl. Under international law, attacks causing civilian deaths must not be excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage. While interpretation varies, experts say only a target of major strategic value could justify such high civilian casualties, reported The Guardian. The café had two levels — an open upper deck and a lower floor with large beach-facing windows — and was in a location clearly visible from the air. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The Israeli military hasn't said exactly whom it was targeting but it said it used aerial surveillance to minimise civilian casualties, which means it knew the cafe was teeming with customers at the time," The Guardian quoted Gerry Simpson, of Human Rights Watch, as saying. 'The military would also have known that using a large guided air-dropped bomb would kill and maim many of the civilians there. The use of such a large weapon in an obviously crowded cafe risks that this was an unlawful disproportionate or indiscriminate attack and should be investigated as a war crime,' Simpson added. Dr Andrew Forde, an assistant professor of human rights law at Dublin City University, said the strike was shocking. 'When you see a situation where there are heavy munitions being used, particularly [in a] crowded civilian space, even with the best targeting in the world … that will necessarily create an indiscriminate outcome that is not in compliance with … the Geneva conventions,' he told The Guardian. Founded nearly 40 years ago, the family-run al-Baqa café was a popular spot for young people and families in Gaza City. Despite widespread malnutrition and looming famine in Gaza, some residents with savings or salaries still frequent the few cafés that remain open. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Al-Baqa was located in Gaza's port area, which was not covered by any Israeli evacuation orders ahead of the strike. Israel has access to a wide range of munitions and has often used smaller, precision-guided weapons in targeted strikes across Gaza, Lebanon, and more recently Iran. In a prior statement, the IDF said that even the most sophisticated measures employed to assess civilian harm were hardly ever perfect and that its choice of munitions was 'a professional matter contingent on the nature of the strike's objective'. 'While some targets are suitable for smaller payloads, others may require heavier munitions to achieve mission success – for example, when intending to destroy structures that are built with certain hard materials, large structures, or underground tunnel,' the statement read. On Tuesday, an Israeli government spokesperson said the IDF 'never, ever targets civilians.' Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields — a claim Hamas denies. With inputs from agencies STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
