PM Modi Bikaner visit live updates: PM inaugurates Deshnoke Station, to visit Nal airbase next
Prime Minister Modi inaugurates the redeveloped Deshnoke Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and flags off the Bikaner-Mumbai Express. He will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate, and dedicate to the nation several development projects worth over Rs 26,000 crore, and address a public gathering in Palana.
PM Modi is presently at the Karni Mata temple before he heads to the Nal airbase where he will be addressing soldiers. He is also set to inaugurate 103 Amrit Stations.
PM Modi seeks the blessings of Karni Mata in south Bikaner before leaving for Nal airbase, which was targeted during Operation Sindoor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate 103 Amrit Stations on May 22, 2025, via video conference from Bikaner, Rajasthan. This ambitious project, developed at a cost exceeding Rs 1,100 crore, spans 86 districts across 18 states and Union Territories, aiming to modernise railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS). Read More
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First Post
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Rs 62,000 crore deal for 97 Tejas LCA Mk1A fighter jets gets govt's green light
The new fleet is expected to help phase out India's ageing MiG-21 jets, which the government has decided to retire in the coming weeks India has approved the acquisition of 97 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A fighter jets for the air force. The clearance was given at a high-level meeting on Tuesday (August 19), paving the way for state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to expand production of the indigenous aircraft, ANI cited defence sources as saying. It marks the second major order for the fighter, following an earlier deal for 83 aircraft worth around Rs 48,000 crore. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Replacing ageing MiGs The new fleet is expected to help phase out India's ageing MiG-21 jets, which the government has decided to retire in the coming weeks. The defence ministry and air force command have fully backed the programme, which officials say will not only strengthen the IAF but also boost India's defence manufacturing ecosystem, creating business for hundreds of small and medium enterprises. HAL, long seen as the backbone of India's aerospace industry, has been central to Modi's efforts to revive indigenous fighter production. The prime minister himself flew a sortie in the trainer variant of the Tejas last year, the first time an Indian leader had flown in a combat aircraft. Indigenous content and future plans The LCA Mark 1A is equipped with upgraded avionics and radar compared with the first 40 Tejas aircraft supplied to the air force. Officials said the new batch will have more than 65% indigenous content. The latest order underscores India's ambitions for self-reliance in defence, with HAL expected to secure further contracts for more than 200 LCA Mark 2 jets and a similar number of the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. Former air chief marshal VR Chaudhari had first signalled the expansion of the Tejas programme in 2022 during a visit to Spain, calling the planned order a 'mega boost' to indigenous fighter manufacturing. The government has framed the Tejas programme as a symbol of its Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, and as a marker of India's push to emerge as an aerospace power. With inputs from agencies
India.com
15 minutes ago
- India.com
After big loss in Operation Sindoor, Pakistan inducts new surveillance aircraft that will blind the enemy radar from 500 km, its name is...
New Delhi: During Operation Sindoor in early May, India shot down two AWACS surveillance aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force. One of the Pakistani AWACS was shot down by India's S-400 air defense system from a distance of 314 kilometers, while the other was destroyed in the attack on the airbase. This has reduced the surveillance capability of the Pakistan Air Force by about 70 percent. But now, according to the latest report, the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft has been included in the Pakistan Air Force, whose surveillance capability is claimed to be 500 km. How has Pakistan modified the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft? The Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft is to enhance an electronic warfare capability. In this, Pakistan has installed the Aselsan HAVA SOJ system with the help of Turkey, which will increase its ability to stand-off jamming and surveillance of enemy air defense (SEAD/DEAD). With the help of Turkish defense companies Aselsan and Turkish Aerospace Industries, Pakistan has converted this aircraft into a surveillance electronic warfare aircraft. How much will the capability of the Pakistan Air Force increase? This surveillance aircraft is equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)-based Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) jammers, wideband electronic intelligence (ELINT) sensors, communication denial systems and radar deception equipment. It is claimed that this aircraft is capable of disrupting enemy networks from a distance of more than 500 km. The biggest advantage that the Pakistan Air Force will get from this is that it can disrupt the enemy's network while being at stand-off range from a very high altitude, while it makes a safe path for its attack squadron. According to sources, this aircraft has already joined the Pakistan Air Force and is being integrated into the strategic mission planning of the Pakistan Air Force. What does Pakistan say about this aircraft? A senior Pakistan Air Force official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Khyber Mail newspaper that 'the induction of this aircraft is a significant leap in our ability to shape the electronic warfare space. The Global 6000 equipped with HAVA SOJ provides us with a persistent high altitude electronic warfare capability, thereby strengthening our defence position.' Turkey has already converted several Global 6000 aircraft for the Air Force under its HAVA SOJ program, and Pakistan's variant has been specially designed keeping in mind regional threats.
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
India-China talks yield broad breakthroughs
India and China on Tuesday unveiled a slew of initiatives to address their border dispute and normalise bilateral ties in the wake of the LAC standoff, ranging from steps to explore an 'early harvest' in boundary delimitation to resumption of direct flights and facilitation of trade and investment flows. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI) The measures were announced following visiting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's talks with National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval under the Special Representatives mechanism and his meeting with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China at the end of this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. The Prime Minister confirmed his presence in Tianjin after meeting Wang on Tuesday evening. Both Doval and Wang pointed to steady progress in bilateral relations and easing of tensions on the border after the understanding last October to end the face-off on the Line of Actual Control, reflecting the growing thaw in ties amid geo-economic churn caused by the trade policies of the US administration. At the meeting of the Special Representatives, the two sides agreed to create an expert group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs to explore 'early harvest in boundary delimitation', and to set up another working group under the WMCC to 'advance effective border management' and maintain peace and tranquillity, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. The two sides will create 'general level mechanisms' for the eastern and middle sectors of the border, which cover Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim, respectively. These will be in addition to the existing general level mechanism for the western sector, which covers Ladakh, the scene of the standoff which lasted well over four years. The two sides also agreed to hold an early meeting of the mechanism for the western sector. The two sides further agreed to use diplomatic and military mechanisms to carry forward border management and discuss de-escalation, beginning with principles and modalities, the statement said. India and China emphasised the need for a 'political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework' for settling the border issue in line with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question signed in 2005, the statement added. Several other initiatives were finalised at Wang's meeting with Jaishankar on Monday, including resumption of direct flights 'at the earliest' and finalisation of an updated air services agreement. Direct flights stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic and this continued after the face-off on the LAC. Both sides also agreed to facilitate visas for tourists, businesses, media and other visitors. Besides reopening border trade through three designated points at Lipulekh pass, Shipki pass and Nathu La, both sides agreed to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through concrete measures. India had restricted foreign direct investments from China through Press Note 3 in April 2020. The two sides will also continue and expand the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Manasarovar lake in the Tibet region, starting from 2026. The pilgrimage resumed after a gap of five years in April. The two sides agreed to 'give full play to the role of India-China Expert Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers' and discuss the renewal of relevant MoUs. 'The Chinese side agreed to share hydrological information during emergency situations based on humanitarian considerations,' the statement said against the backdrop of Indian concerns about China's plan to build a mega dam in Tibet. Both sides also agreed to support each other in hosting diplomatic events. For instance, China will support India's presidency of Brics in 2026, and India will back China in hosting the 2027 Brics Summit. They will resume bilateral dialogue mechanisms and exchanges to address each other's concerns and manage differences, including holding a meeting of the High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026. The Chinese side welcomed Modi's attendance at the upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin, and the Indian side looked forward to a successful summit with fruitful outcomes. Both sides agreed a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship is in the mutual interest of both countries to 'realise their development potential fully'. India and China also agreed to uphold multilateralism, enhance communication on major international and regional issues, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and promote a multipolar world that safeguards the interest of developing countries. In what appeared to be a reference to the trade policies of the US administration, a Chinese foreign ministry statement quoted Wang as saying that the two sides reached consensus on 'deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly addressing global challenges, and opposing unilateral bullying'. Wang also said the two sides reached a new consensus on the border issue, including 'properly handling sensitive points and initiating boundary demarcation negotiations where conditions permit'. The 24th round of talks under the Special Representatives mechanism focused on 'de-escalation, delimitation and boundary affairs', the external affairs ministry said. Wang was quoted by the Chinese foreign ministry as saying that the two sides should 'set goals in border control, demarcation negotiations and cross-border exchanges'. Wang is the first Chinese minister to visit India since the two sides ended a standoff on the LAC last October and agreed to revive mechanisms to normalise ties. Both Doval and Wang acknowledged the Special Representatives' meeting had assumed greater significance as it was held ahead of Modi's visit to China for the SCO Summit. Doval said India and China have benefited from peace and tranquillity on the border since the end of the face-off and made progress in various areas. Pointing to an 'upward trend' in relations over the past nine months, he said: 'Borders have been quiet, there has been peace and tranquillity, our bilateral engagements have been more substantial.' Wang described the border situation as 'stable and improving' and said the setbacks experienced by India and China in the past few years were not in the interests of the people of both sides. The meeting between Modi and President Xi Jinping in October last year 'provided impetus for the proper settlement of the boundary question', he added. 'We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders,' Wang said. 'The Chinese side attaches great importance to the Prime Minister's visit to China to attend the SCO Summit at our invitation.' Despite the signs of a thaw, there were also indications of continuing concerns on the Indian side, including cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, a close ally of China, and Beijing's plans to build what will be the world's largest hydropower dam in Tibet that could affect the flows in the Brahmaputra river. The Indian side strongly raised all forms of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, while recalling that one of the original objectives of the SCO, which is currently led by China, was to counter the 'evil of terrorism', the external affairs ministry said in a statement. Wang 'concurred that countering terrorism should be given the highest priority', the statement added. External affairs minister S Jaishankar, who met Wang on Monday, 'underlined India's concerns with regard to the mega dam construction being undertaken by China in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra river), which will have implications for lower riparian states,' the statement said. Jaishankar strongly underlined the 'need for utmost transparency' on this project, it added. The two Special Representatives met even as a senior Indian government official said Wang had assured Jaishankar at their meeting on Monday that China is addressing India's concerns regarding restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals, fertilisers and large tunnel boring machines.
