
Navy hosts 13 nations in naval working group meeting to boost maritime security
Rear Admiral Nirbhay Bapna, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation & Intelligence), reaffirmed India's commitment to regional maritime security and highlighted the importance of multilateral efforts to tackle evolving challenges at sea.Delegates discussed ways to enhance information sharing, boost Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), and strengthen coordinated responses to emerging threats. The group also worked on developing common operational guidelines and practical measures for regional cooperation.The outcomes of the meeting are expected to strengthen collective efforts in ensuring a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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The Hindu
13 hours ago
- The Hindu
KBC hosts officers Sofiya Qureshi, Vyomika Singh for Independence Day show, stirs row
The appearance of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who became the faces of Operation Sindoor, along with Commander Prerna Deosthalee of the Indian Navy on the Independence Day special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) has ignited controversy. While many praised the selection of participants for the show, controversy erupted after Kaun Banega Crorepati released a promo of the episode on its social media platforms. Critics took to social media to accuse the government of using the armed forces for political purposes. The episode hosted by actor Amitabh Bachchan will be aired on August 15. In the teaser, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is heard saying, 'Pakistan ye karta chala aa raha hai. Toh jawab dena banta tha sir. Isiliye Operation Sindoor ko plan kiya gaya'. (Pakistan has been doing this. So it was necessary to respond, sir. That is why Operation Sindoor was planned.) The episode is expected to feature discussions on Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the decision to feature the officers on a reality show has drawn criticism online, with netizens questioning how such an appearance was approved so soon after a high-stakes military operation. All for propagating info on Op Sindoor but KBC is not the platform! Dont trivialize a major strategic victory this way! A well made 2hr documentary would be better if thats the objective #KaunBanegaCrorepati#OperationSindoor — Curious jeevi (@curiousjeevi) August 13, 2025 Have you ever seen anything like this after a military operation in any serious country? How is this even allowed for someone in service? The current regime is shamelessly using our forces for its petty politics and hyper nationalism. — Mohit Chauhan (@mohitlaws) August 12, 2025 Our Army was sacrosanct, above politics, beyond PR. Today, Modi govt parades serving soldiers on shows like KBC for image building. Even our Army has been made a political tool for Modi's PR. Our forces are to defend the nation, not a politician's — Mayank Saxena (@mayank_sxn) August 12, 2025 This is just unbelievable 🤯 Operation Sindoor heroes appearing on national TV show KBC Just because one "nationalist" party wants to milk some votes? — Amock_ (@Amockx2022) August 12, 2025 Also read: Entry of women in Indian Army has a chequered history Operation Sindoor was a mission by the Indian armed forces in the early hours of May 7, 2025, in a swift and decisive military action against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The mission carried out 24 precision strikes on nine different targets.


India Today
16 hours ago
- India Today
KBC hosts officers Sofiya Qureshi, Vyomika Singh after Op Sindoor, stirs row
The appearance of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who were the face of Operation Sindoor and led the media briefings, on a special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) has sparked a controversy, with social media users slamming the use of armed forces for "PR" and "political mileage".Apart from the two officers, the special Independence Day episode will feature Commander Prerna Deosthalee, who last year became the first ever woman officer to be handed over the command of a warship in the Indian Navy. advertisementOFFICERS LED OP SINDOOR BRIEFINGSA short teaser of the episode, which will be aired on August 15, was shared by the makers recently, showing the officers being accorded a grand welcome by KBC host Amitabh Bachchan. The promo for the action-packed episode shows Colonel Qureshi explaining why Operation Sindoor, which India launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, was needed."Pakistan has been carrying out such (terror) acts repeatedly. A response was necessary, and that's why Operation Sindoor was planned," she the optics of the two officers appearing on a reality show and speaking about the operation has not gone down well with netizens. Several also questioned the "compulsion" of inviting the officers fully uniformed."Have you ever seen anything like this after a military operation in any serious country? How is this even allowed for someone in service? The current regime is shamelessly using our forces for its petty politics and hyper-nationalism," one user questioned if armed forces protocol allows sending officers on reality shows like KBC."The Indian Armed Forces have some protocol, some dignity and huge respect. Politicians are ruining it for their personal benefit. That's shameful," he said.A third commented, "Our Army was sacrosanct, above politics, beyond PR. Our forces are to defend the nation, not a politician's brand."WHAT PROTOCOL SAYSComing to protocol, Army dress regulations stipulate that the official uniform cannot be worn at cultural events or social gatherings. Moreover, it can't be worn when visiting public places or restaurants, while travelling on public transport or when travelling in a civilian further says that the official uniform can't be worn when participating in non-official recognised activities, unless authorised in writing by the commanding Malayalam movie star Mohanlal, who was feted with honorary Lieutenant Colonel's rank two years ago, was accused of misusing his uniform for commercial purposes by appearing in Kerala government advertisements. Mohanlal, however, denied the charges.- EndsMust Watch


Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
India reaffirms commitment to free and open maritime order at UNSC
Advt Advt At a high-level UN Security Council debate on maritime security held in New York, India strongly reaffirmed its commitment to a free, open and rules-based maritime order , grounded in international law and guided by the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS ).The debate, chaired by the Permanent Mission of Panama, brought together global stakeholders to address pressing challenges in maritime governance and the session, Tanmaya Lal, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Secretary (West), spoke of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) -India's vision for maritime security, outlined by Prime Minister Narendra also congratulated Panama for taking over the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the critical importance of sea routes for global trade, energy supplies, communication cables, the traditional and non-traditional threats, and India's longstanding maritime tradition, Lal stated that India, as one of the world's largest economies, has strong stakes and interests in maritime security."India, with a coastline of more than 11,000 km and nearly 1,300 offshore islands and islets, has an Exclusive Economic Zone spread over nearly 2.3 million sq km. India shares maritime boundaries with 7 nations. There are 12 major ports, 200 smaller ports, and nearly 30 shipyards on the Indian coast, continuing the longstanding shipbuilding tradition. India is also the third largest supplier of seafarers to the global maritime industry," he stated that a large section of the Indian population resides close to the coasts and millions of Indians derive their livelihood from the ocean highlighted that the scale of maritime safety and security challenges, as well as the urgent importance of economic stability and environmental sustainability concerns, is huge for India."India is a founding member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), and is an observer at the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). We also engage with a range of partners at other formats such as the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC), Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA), and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical & Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)," the MEA official emphasised."Operational coordination is achieved through working groups and exercises like Coordinated Patrols (CORPATs), Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), ASEAN-India Maritime exercises, exercise MILAN hosted by India, IONS Chiefs Conclave and exercise Malabar. India and the EU have conducted joint naval activities in the Gulf of Guinea to reinforce maritime security," he further stated that in a unique initiative, an Indian Naval Ship, recently served as an Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, sailed with nearly 50 crew from 9 partner countries of the Indian Ocean Region, undertaking joint maritime security ongoing work on a Deep Ocean Mission , Lal said, will contribute to the understanding of deep-sea ecosystems, facilitating sustainable fisheries and biodiversity called for genuine international cooperation to address the collective challenges to maritime security and prosperity, adding that as a responsible maritime power, India stands ready to continue contributing to these joint efforts.