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India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Yunus Turns To Pakistan's Ally Turkey: Bangladesh Races To Arm With Tanks, Rockets And Guns Aimed At India?
Bangladesh Turkey Defence Ties: The runway lights at Dhaka's military airport glowed faintly on the evening of July 21. A sleek Air Force aircraft taxied before taking off into the night. Onboard was Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, one of the most powerful men in Bangladesh's interim government, heading to Istanbul, Turkey. This was not a routine visit. It was a quiet but telling signal of something deeper brewing between Bangladesh and Turkey. Behind closed doors in Dhaka, the interim government led by Mohammed Yunus has begun redrawing the nation's military roadmap. And in that plan, Turkey is fast replacing China as the go-to partner for weapons, war machines and battlefield technology. Two Chiefs, One City Earlier this month, Bangladesh's Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan had also flown out of Dhaka. While his itinerary officially marked a private U.S. visit, a crucial segment of his journey placed him in Turkey between July 22 and 25. Both the Navy and Air Force heads being in Istanbul during the same week was not a coincidence. It was a calibrated show of intent. Invited by Turkish military leadership, they are now holding meetings that could redefine Bangladesh's defense ties. Discussions are reportedly centered around arms deals, joint training and strategic cooperation. The focus? Building a new defense spine that is not Chinese. Guns, Rockets and Tanks The early signs of this tilt had surfaced last year when Bangladesh quietly acquired 18 Boran 105 mm howitzer guns from Turkey's MKE Corporation. Those who know the defense corridors in Dhaka say this is only the beginning. There is an active plan to scale that number up to 200 units in the coming years. In the pipeline are Turkish-made TRG-230 and TRG-300 rocket systems, which are designed for high-speed and long-range devastation. Otokar's Tulpar light tanks are also on the wishlist. If deals go through, Bangladesh will gain battlefield mobility it has not had before. A Silent Goodbye to China? China has long been the dominant force in supplying arms to Dhaka. But the mood is shifting. Earlier this month, an official trip by Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman to Beijing was cancelled without much explanation. The visit had been planned under an invitation by the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Its quiet withdrawal has set tongues wagging in South Block and beyond. For decades, Beijing had counted Bangladesh among its reliable strategic partners in South Asia. But the new signals from Dhaka suggest that loyalty may no longer be guaranteed. The Man Behind the Curtain Observers in Dhaka say Yunus is shaping a new foreign policy doctrine through the backdoor of military diplomacy. His meetings with Turkish Defense Industry Secretary Haluk Görgün during a hush-hush visit on July 8 were not just ceremonial. Görgün met all three service chiefs. But it was his private conversation with Yunus, arranged discreetly by Bangladesh's military intelligence wing, that raised eyebrows. Sources familiar with the visit say that the mood was warm. Mutual interests were discussed. The tone was strategic, not transactional. A Broader Ideological Bond At the centre of this new closeness lies more than just weapons. There is an ideological undercurrent that aligns Yunus' worldview with that of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Both share a deep admiration for the Islamic world's lost past. Erdoğan dreams of reviving the Caliphate-era influence. Yunus, meanwhile, faces growing pressure from Islamist groups within Bangladesh's political ecosystem. The shift from China's secular and communist approach to Turkey's faith-infused military industrial complex is practical as well as philosophical. What's Next If Bangladesh continues on this path, it may soon sign deals that permanently alter its security alignment in South Asia. Indian defense watchers are already tracking this evolution with unease. The presence of two military chiefs in Istanbul, both negotiating arms deals simultaneously, could well be the start of a strategic triangle between Dhaka, Ankara and Islamabad. For now, the Yunus administration is not saying much. But in the skies above Istanbul and in the corridors of Turkish defense halls, a new kind of partnership is taking shape – one that may redraw regional equations far beyond the Bay of Bengal.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
US, Indonesia sign trade deal: Trump calls it ‘huge win'; mineral access, Boeing deal for America
. United States and Indonesia have agreed on a new trade deal that will reduce tariffs and allow more American goods into the Southeast Asian country. The White House said on Tuesday that Indonesia will also ease its export restrictions on critical minerals like nickel, copper and cobalt — which are key for electric vehicles and electronics. Under the deal, US will lower a planned tariff on Indonesian products from 32 percent to 19 percent. However, items suspected of being transshipped to avoid duties will face a higher 40 percent rate. US president Donald Trump celebrated the agreement on his social media platform, Truth Social on Tuesday, calling it a 'huge win' for American businesses. He said Indonesia will cut 99 percent of its tariff barriers, making it easier for US companies to sell industrial, tech and agricultural goods there. . In return, Indonesia is expected to buy American products, including Boeing aircraft, farm produce and energy. The two countries are still working on finalising the agreement in the coming weeks. A US official said the deal could be worth at least $50 billion for the US in terms of new trade and purchases. The official also said Indonesia will no longer try to tax cross-border data flows — something the US had opposed — and will accept US vehicle safety standards. The agreement comes ahead of a 1 August deadline, when the US is set to raise tariffs on several countries. Similar trade deals have also been announced with Britain, Vietnam and the Philippines.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Chinese Firm Unveils World's First Humanoid Robot Capable Of Changing Own Battery
A Chinese firm has launched a humanoid robot that can change its own battery, allowing it to run autonomously for 24 hours in seven days without human intervention. The world's first autonomous robot, Walker S2, has been developed by UBTECH Robotics. Watch the video here: The robot is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 95 pounds (43 kilograms), the company said in a video posted on YouTube. It has 20 joints or mechanisms that can move in different ways, allowing flexible movement. It is also compatible with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which enables seamless connectivity. The robot uses a 48-volt lithium battery in a dual-battery system, allowing it to walk for two hours or stand for four hours before needing a recharge. The battery takes around 90 minutes to fully recharge. The video, posted by the robotics firm, showed the robot working in an industrial setting. The reports have also mentioned that Walker S2 is designed for use in settings like factories or public venues, where it can interact with customers or perform tasks autonomously. The company, established in March 2012, is one of the leading humanoid robots and smart service robots companies. It was officially listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 29 December 2023. The company claims it has developed a full stack of humanoid robotic technologies independently to align its mission of "bringing intelligent robots into every family and making everyday life more convenient and intelligent". "We are also one of few companies in the world to accomplish mass production of small torque to large torque servo actuators. Our self-developed Walker is China's first commercialized biped life-sized humanoid robot," the company says.
