India, Saudi Arabia hold Inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks, with focus on defence cooperation
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
The Inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks between the Indian Army and the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) took place in New Delhi from April 23-24, with the discussions centered around strengthening defence ties through the Annual Defence Cooperation Plan, which included plans for Joint Exercise Sada Tanseeq , military training and education, domain expert exchanges, and collaborative efforts in operational logistics.In a post on X, Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence wrote, "Inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks (AAST) between the Indian Army and the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) were held in New Delhi from 23-24 April 2025. Discussions focused on the Annual Defence Cooperation Plan, covering Joint Exercise Sada Tanseeq, training, military education, domain expert exchanges and engagements in areas of mutual interest."The post added, "Both sides also explored avenues of collaboration in operational logistics, battlefield management systems and niche technologies to enhance interoperability and capability development."Earlier, following the State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia, both sides appreciated the deepening of the defence ties as a key pillar of the Strategic Partnership, and welcomed the creation of a Ministerial Committee on Defence Cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Council.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a joint statement said, "They noted with satisfaction the growth of their joint defence cooperation, including numerous 'firsts' like the first ever Land Forces exercise SADA TANSEEQ, two rounds of the Naval Exercises AL MOHED AL HINDI, many high-level visits, and training exchanges, towards ensuring the security and stability of the region. They welcomed the outcomes of the 6th meeting of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation held in Riyadh in September 2024, noting the initiation of staff-level talks between all three services. Both sides also agreed to enhance defence industry collaboration."Both sides welcomed the growth of the economic relationship, as well as the strengthening of trade and investment ties between India and Saudi Arabia in recent years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Dhumma's Bluestar event messaging went beyond Gargaj, had a Patna Sahib outreach
Jalandhar: On the 41st anniversary of Operation Bluestar at Akal Takht, Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma-led Damdami Taksal showed it clout by not letting Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj to speak or honour the families of the "martyrs" (people who were killed in the Army action in 1984), but the messaging went beyond this. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Damdami Taksal also made it a point to invite two Takht Patna Sahib high priests and give them prominence at a function held at its Mehta Chowk headquarters on the same day. These high priests were barred by Akal Takht on May 21 from 'panthic services'. Both priests, along with three others, retaliated on the same day by declaring the jathedars of Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib "tankhaiya" and summoned Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The two high priests in question were Patna Sahib head granthi Giani Baldev Singh and granthi Gurdial Singh. Both, along with three other priests, issued another directive on June 1, giving Sukhbir an extension and asking him to appear before them on June 10 to present his side, warning him with "stringent action" if he failed to do so. To communicate the message further, both were made to stand next to Darbar Sahib head granthi Giani Raghbir Singh when he addressed the congregation. Two others who were made to flank him included Darbar Sahib granthi Palwinderpal Singh, a former student of taksal, and a representative from Takht Hazur Sahib. Baldev Singh also addressed the congregation. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami also addressed the function, while quite a few granthis of Darbar Sahib and leaders of different sampardas (traditional groups) attended the gathering. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A press statement issued by the taksal mentioned Raghbir Singh as "jathedar", while former Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh, who is now working as granthi at Darbar Sahib, was mentioned as Kesgarh Sahib jathedar. Both Raghbir Singh and Sultan Singh were unceremoniously sacked from their posts of jathedars in March, and their removal led to a big controversy. Taksal chief Baba Dhumma has been agitating against their removal and has been objecting to Gargaj's appointment and taking charge as jathedar, arguing that 'maryada' was not followed. At the June 6 function at Akal Takht, Gargaj gave his message through the 'ardas'. While Baba Dhumma got an upper hand as his point prevailed, Gargaj, after the function, gained some sympathy from the community members. The tradition of Akal Takht jathedar not giving his message on that day was broken to avert a clash. Box – Clash between Akal Takht and Patna Sahib clergy Five Sikh high priests at Akal Takht, including Akal Takht acting jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Tek Singh Dhanaula, in their meeting on May 21 held that an earlier directive by Akal Takht on Dec 6, 2022, about Baldev Singh and Gurdial Singh was not complied with, and barred them from rendering panthic services. At that time, Giani Harpreet Singh was acting jathedar of Akal Takht. The May 21 directive also explicitly mentioned that Baldev Singh was not fit to render services at Takht Patna Sahib or in the panthic sphere. Both priests were also asked to appear at Akal Takht and present their side. Until then, they were barred from rendering 'panthic services'. The Akal Takht directive also asked the Takht Patna Sahib management committee to appear at Akal Takht and present its side. Hours after this directive, the five granthis (priests) of Takht Patna Sahib, including Baldev Singh and Gurdial Singh, hit back by declaring Gargaj and Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Tek Singh Dhanaula 'tankhaiya'. They asked Sukhbir Singh Badal to appear there for "his interference and being a conspirator" in the whole affair and asked the Patna Sahib management committee to not appear at Akal Takht. They also held that from now on, no directive from Akal Takht or from any other yakht would be implemented at Takht Patna Sahib nor complied with. When Baba Dhumma announced his opposition to Gargaj's address, to further buttress his case, he prominently cited the Takht Patna Sahib clergy declaring him 'tankhaiya'. MSID:: 121707935 413 |
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
#SelfieWithDaughter: 10 years of rural click that appealed to global audience
On June 9, 2015, the world witnessed the birth of the now-iconic hashtag #SelfieWithDaughter. What started as a local initiative in Bibipur village of Jind district of Haryana, soon managed to capture global attention. Aiming to promote gender equality, the campaign raises awareness about ills, including female foeticide. Now, 10 years later, more than 2 lakh social media posts and thousands of news articles now carry a phrase that didn't exist in headlines before 2015. The movement reshaped conversations on gender -- both online and offline, and resonated so strongly that Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised it in his Mann Ki Baat radio address in July 2015. PM Modi applauded Sunil Jaglan, a young sarpanch and the spirit behind #SelfieWithDaughter. During a conversation with HT, Jaglan said that #SelfieWithDaughter is no longer a campaign, but a social movement and a commitment by society. 'So far, we have taken some bold steps as a foundation for the campaign. We introduced 'Lado Panchayat'. The traditional khap panchayats were male-only councils, and for the first time, women were invited to the table, and the council came together to publicly condemn sex-selective abortion — a powerful shift in a deeply patriarchal setting. We also brought up 'women's happiness charts' to monitor the well-being of females in homes, and created 'Balika Sabha' (girls' assemblies) to give young girls a platform to speak, share and be heard,' he said. Under Sunil as sarpanch, a resolution was also passed to ban the use of abusive language against women that was known as 'Gali band ghar'. 'The campaign gained strong community support and had a significant positive impact — for the first time, such incidents were openly discussed in the gram sabha, and those who used abusive language were held accountable. We have touched every perspective,' he added. Jaglan said that families have now started celebrating their daughters, sharing positive stories and images that brought a sense of unity and optimism in a time of crisis. 'Now people are taking this as a commitment and investing in health, education and financial independence of their daughters. Now, people have started making 'period chart' for the women of their families. So far, two lakh plates with daughter's name have been put outside homes. This is the real result and future of #SelfieWithDaughter,' he said. Despite initiatives like #SelfieWithDaughter and 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' -- that also started from Haryana a decade ago -- the sex ratio at birth still remains a challenge in the state. The sex ratio at birth (SRB) is a critical indicator of gender equality. According to the figures from the Civil Registration System (CRS) up to December 2024, Haryana recorded its lowest sex ratio at birth in eight years in 2024 and registered a six-point drop from figures a year ago. The SRB dipped to 910 female births per 1,000 male births in 2024, a six-points drop from 916 in 2023 and the lowest after 2016, when it stood at 900. Government interventions have been undertaken largely—crackdowns on illegal sex determination clinics, strict enforcement of the PCPNDT Act, authorities have this year seized about 8,800 MTP kits and registered over 50 FIRs, including at least 18 against online sellers of the kits, but a lot still needs to be done. Vijender Singh, an assistant professor with the department of sociology, Kurukshetra University, believes that there has been a lot of awareness regarding equality in the society, but what lacks is enough incentivisation to classes other than lower strata. 'Government needs to expand its incentives in the middle and higher section of the society. These sections are aware with the issues and problems arising out of it, but shy away due to lack of incentives that are limited only to those below a certain income level,' he added.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump inviting public to Fort Bragg? Here's truth behind the text message you received
Several social media users on Sunday shared screenshots of what they claimed was an invitation by President Donald Trump to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military bases in the world. The message, which some X users have flagged as suspicious, aligns with Trump's confirmed visit. The president will be in North Carolina on Tuesday to take part in celebrations for the Army's 250th year. The text message, according to X posts and CityView NC, was sent by America250 organization. 'Americans will gather at Fort Bragg — home to the most elite military in the world — to celebrate the unmatched strength, sacrifice, and accomplishments of the men and women who defend our nation. This special event will honor the courageous warriors ready to defend liberty at a moment's notice and recognize their enduring commitment to America's security and values," it reads. Guests have been asked to pre-register. However, no official White House or Fort Bragg source confirms a broad public invitation. Reacting to the message, one person tweeted: 'It's a good thing I'm not willing to waste my life in prison just to take out president Trump, cuz his team just invited me to one of their functions at Fort Bragg. I'm going to decline because I don't have any Trump merchandise to sell at the event.' Trump is scheduled to visit Fort Bragg on June 10, 2025, to kick off the Army's 250th birthday celebrations. The visit follows his campaign promise to restore the base's name from Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg. The text implies unrestricted public access, but Fort Bragg's strict security limits attendance to pre-registered civilians and DoD cardholders, per No evidence supports a mass public invitation, and the America250 VIP events were donor-exclusive, per Similar text campaigns have pushed scams or political fundraising, as seen in 2024 election cycles, per NBC News.
