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Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Colonel Sofia Qureshi's family steals spotlight at PM Modi's Vadodara roadshow after Operation Sindoor
Colonel Sofia Qureshi's family was present during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow in Vadodara, Gujarat, on Monday morning. Colonel Qureshi, known for her leadership in Operation Sindoor, has been widely acknowledged as a symbol of strength in the armed forces. Her family was among the thousands who turned out to see the Prime Minister during his first visit to Gujarat following the operation. Family attends roadshow, PM Modi bows in acknowledgement Prime Minister Modi's roadshow began at Vadodara airport and continued to the Air Force Station. Thousands lined the kilometre-long route waving the Indian flag and showering flowers. Among them were Colonel Qureshi's parents, Taj Mohammad Qureshi and Halima Qureshi, along with her twin sister Shyna Sunsara and brother Sanjay Sunsara described their presence as a moment of pride. She said PM Modi bowed toward them during the roadshow, and they returned the gesture. 'It felt like he was sending a message that no one needs to fear—we are all together,' she told reporters. #WATCH | Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a roadshow in Vadodara.(Source: DD News) Family reflects on Colonel Qureshi's role and PM's gesture Ms Sunsara, who was born just 15 minutes after Colonel Qureshi, spoke of the inspiration she draws from her sister's service. 'She's not just my sister anymore—she belongs to the country,' she said. She also acknowledged PM Modi's efforts in promoting women's Mohammad Qureshi said the Prime Minister recognised and greeted the family, and Halima Qureshi added that they welcomed him with flowers. 'She is not only our daughter but the daughter of this country,' she said. A symbolic moment after Operation Sindoor Sanjay Qureshi, Colonel Qureshi's brother, called the experience of seeing the Prime Minister 'a great pleasure.' Speaking of his sister's contribution, he said, 'A woman taking a stand for other women—there's nothing more powerful than that.' He credited the Indian defence forces and the government for giving her the opportunity and added that the country cannot progress without women's empowerment. Prime Minister Modi later posted online expressing his gratitude to the people of Vadodara: 'Extremely delighted to be in this great city... Gratitude to all those who showered their blessings.' He is currently on a two-day visit to Gujarat, where he will inaugurate development projects worth Rs 82,000 crore, launch two Vande Bharat trains from Dahod, and hold two more roadshows.
Business Upturn
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
BEL pitches indigenous Akashteer system that played key role in thwarting Pakistan's drone attacks in Operation Sindoor
By Aditya Bhagchandani Published on May 14, 2025, 14:32 IST Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a key Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Defence, has come into the spotlight amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions and the success of Operation Sindoor, after the company's AI-powered Akashteer Air Defence System played a decisive role in intercepting hostile drones and missiles from across the border. Akashteer, a fully indigenous, AI-powered air defense platform, was jointly developed by BEL, DRDO, and ISRO. The system successfully intercepted Pakistani drones, loitering munitions, and missiles, preventing them from entering Indian airspace, according to multiple official sources and reports by DD News. Described as India's first operational AI war-cloud built without foreign components or satellite dependencies, Akashteer demonstrated superiority over Pakistan's air defense infrastructure. While Pakistan's HQ-9 and HQ-16-based systems failed to detect Indian strikes and respond effectively, Akashteer conducted real-time tracking, target engagement, and interception with autonomous precision. A DD News post on X highlighted that Akashteer automates the detection, tracking, and engagement of enemy threats by integrating radar systems, sensors, and communication technology into a single operational framework. It provides a real-time air picture to command centers, enabling coordinated defense responses. Founded in 1954, BEL has long been the backbone of India's defense electronics ecosystem, producing systems for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. With expansion into space electronics, smart cities, and homeland security, BEL is now being seen as the vanguard of India's next-generation AI warfare capabilities. With Akashteer proving its mettle on the battlefield, BEL shares have been gaining steadily amid rising geopolitical tensions, as investors bet on its deepening role in India's strategic defense response. Aditya Bhagchandani serves as the Senior Editor and Writer at Business Upturn, where he leads coverage across the Business, Finance, Corporate, and Stock Market segments. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, he not only contributes insightful articles but also oversees editorial direction for the reporting team.
Mint
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
What is Akashteer? India's own ‘Iron Dome' of an air defence system that defeated Pakistani drones, missiles
On the intervening night of May 8-9, Pakistan launched a series of coordinated drone and missile attacks along India's western border, targetting 26 locations. A day later, Pakistan violated the Indian airspace once again. Drones, possibly armed, were seen at several locations. Defence officials said that these attacks were intercepted by India's air defence systems, including the defence system, preventing significant damage. So, what are India's air defence systems? An impenetrable 'Iron Dome' – akashteer. Akashteer is an indigenous Artificial Intelligence-powered Air Defence System which is designed and manufactured jointly by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). It was Akashteer which stopped all Pakistani inbound airborne drones, missiles, other micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other loitering munitions and prevented them from entering the Indian airspace. DD News on Wednesday, in a series of posts on X, explained what Akashteer does and it successfully defeated Pakistan's repeated attempts to attack India. Probably the first operational AI war-cloud built entirely without any foreign components or satellite dependencies, Akashteer takes superiority over Pakistan's air defence response. Consisting of HQ- 9 & HQ-16, Pakistan's air defence systems proved to be a failure to detect Indian projectiles and intercept them in timely manner, resulting in heavy losses. ''Akashteer', the fully AI-powered autonomous defence system successfully did the real-time target interception and indulged in drone warfare,' a DD News post said. "The air defence system provides a common, real-time air picture to all involved parties (control room, radars, and Air Defense Guns), enabling coordinated air defense operations. It is a system designed to automate detection, tracking and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. It integrates various radar systems, sensors and communication technologies into a single operational framework," the DD News said. According to DD News, Akashteer gathers data from multiple sources, processes it and then allows for automated, and real-time engagement decisions. Part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) framework, Akashteer works in coordination with other systems like ISRO satellites and Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NAVIC) GPS. Akashteer's brilliance is in its intelligent warfare. Where traditional models of air defence rely heavily on ground-based radars, human-monitored systems, and surface-to-air missile batteries triggered by command chains, Akashteer's technology allows for monitoring of low-level airspace in battle areas and efficient control of Ground-Based Air Defence Weapon Systems. 'Akashteer is capable of intercepting and neutralising hostile UAVs without detection, using no active radar signatures. It relied entirely on stealth drone tracking, satellite surveillance, and AI-based decision-making,' DD News' post on X said. With Akashteer as an air defence system, India is now the first non-Western nation to successfully integrate its autonomous drone swarms, indigenous satellite surveillance, and AI battlefied coordination into a single, real-time combat platform. 'In one line, Akashteer has demonstrated that it sees, decides and strikes faster than anything the world has fielded,' DD News said. A vehicle-based system, Akashteer functions autonomously, with drones capable of altering flight paths, selecting targets, and coordinating strikes without operator input. Since it is mobile, it is easier to handle in hostile environment. "The integration of multiple elements reduces the possibility of friendly fire, enabling quick engagement of hostile targets, and guarantee friendly aircraft safety in contested airspace," DD News said. The sensors integrated include 3D tactical radars, low-level lightweight radars, and the akash weapon system, it added.
Scroll.in
13-05-2025
- Business
- Scroll.in
Why the trade deal with India is a strategic win for the UK
After more than three years and 14 rounds of negotiations, the UK and India have finally announced a free trade agreement – FTA. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will formally sign the deal on a visit to India later this year. This is the biggest and most economically significant bilateral trade deal the UK has struck since leaving the EU. It will have implications for both businesses and workers. In 2024, the UK's trade with India was worth 43 billion pounds – 17.1 billion pounds of exports and 25.5 pounds billion of imports. Government modelling estimates that trade between the nations will increase by as much as 39% and the UK's GDP will expand by 4.8 billion pounds or 0.1 percentage points per year as a result. India's economy is growing fast. It is expected to expand by 6% annually, becoming the world's third largest economy by 2028 after the US and China. This certainly makes the deal with the UK very timely. With a population of more than 1.4 billion and a growing middle class, the country offers huge market potential. Its import demand is predicted to grow by 144% between 2021 and 2035. This combination of strong economic growth and increasing numbers of citizens with disposable cash makes a compelling case for the deal. Both the UK and India have agreed to reduce tariffs under the deal. India will immediately lower its 150% tariffs on Scotch whisky and gin to 75%, and then to 40% within 10 years. Tariffs on foodstuffs such as lamb, salmon and cheeses will fall from around 30% to zero. Simplified trade rules, including faster customs processing, reduced barriers such as complex labelling requirements, and enhanced support for small businesses should bring gains for companies. Timely customs clearance will support exports of perishable items like Scottish salmon, where delays reduce the product's shelf life. Similarly, exporters of things like biscuits and cheese will benefit from streamlined paperwork and be able to compete in India's growing market. Under the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, sensitive items like dairy products, apples, cheese, etc. are excluded from any duty concession by India to protect its farmers. India has secured significant commitments across sectors for Indian service suppliers in digitally delivered… — DD News (@DDNewslive) May 6, 2025 There will no longer be limits on the number of UK businesses allowed to provide telecommunications, environmental and construction services. And UK businesses will not need to set up a company in India or be a resident in India to supply their services in these sectors. Once the FTA comes into force, which could take up to a year, the UK will allow 99% of Indian imports duty-free access into the UK. The sectors set to benefit most are footwear, textiles and clothing, as well as processed prawns, basmati rice and ready meals. These reductions will mean lower prices for UK consumers, given tariffs on clothing and footwear are 12% and 16% respectively. Tariffs on luxury cars will also be reduced from more than 100% to 10% under quotas on both sides. The FTA locks in zero tariffs on industrial machinery, advanced materials for use in hi-tech industries, and components for electric vehicles. This will position British suppliers inside a manufacturing market ranked the world's second-most attractive after China. In terms of workers, there were well publicised fears that the agreement might lead to UK workers being undercut by Indian counterparts. Plans for a so-called 'double contribution convention' grants a three-year exemption from national insurance contributions for Indian employees temporarily working in the UK. But this is a reciprocal deal and is likely to apply only to workers who are seconded from one country to the other, so should not result in UK workers being more expensive to hire. And although no changes to immigration policy are planned, the FTA will offer easier movement for skilled workers. UK providers of services like construction and telecoms will have access to India's growing market. Both countries have committed to encouraging the recognition of professional qualifications. A professional services working group for UK and Indian government officials will provide a forum to monitor and support this initiative. Timing is everything Against a backdrop of rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions, the UK-India FTA stands out as a strategic deal. It is also a significant milestone in Britain's Indo-Pacific 'tilt'. This approach gives UK firms a hedge against over-reliance on any single region or country-centric supply chains, to keep trade flowing in the event of more US tariff shocks, for example. With the US fixation on tariffs, and global supply chains facing continued disruption, securing preferential access to the world's fastest-growing major economy is a strategic win for the UK. From India's perspective, the trade deal is aligned with its rise as a 'China-plus-one' manufacturing hub (where businesses diversify to ensure they do not invest only in China). The UK and India share historical ties that are underpinned by cultural, educational and people-to-people links. The UK-India FTA marks a new phase in this relationship, where shared economic interests define a forward-looking partnership between the two countries. And in terms of its ongoing talks with the European Union, India could use the agreement to showcase its willingness to negotiate ambitious trade deals. For the UK, given its own upcoming trade and cooperation talks with the EU, the FTA with India demonstrates that new partnerships can be built while maintaining vital European ties.
India.com
12-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Why Turkey supported Pakistan in conflict with India? Expert exposes Erdogan's 'Ottoman Empire' dreams, says Ankara-Islamabad relations driven by...
(File) India-Pakistan tensions: China and Turkey were the only two countries who openly supported Pakistan in its recent conflict with India, even as the rest of the world, including other Muslim powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and more, adopted a neutral stance and supported India's fight against terrorism. Both China and Turkey supplied advanced weaponry, like drones and missiles to Pakistan, as the enemy nation launched strikes on Indian cities following Operation Sindoor, which was carried out by Indian armed forces in response to the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last month. While China's stance was predictable given its long-standing ties with Islamabad, the support from Turkey came as a surprise to many as Ankara has had good relations with New Delhi in the recent past. Pakistan-Turkey relations driven by Erdogan's caliphate dream? According to experts, the truth behind the newly-revamped Pakistan-Turkey relations lies in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's dream of re-establishing a modern version of the Ottoman Empire, and expanding Ankara's influence in the Islamic world by 'reviving the past glory of Turkey'. Speaking to DD News, Zahack Tanvir, a veteran journalist, activist, and foreign affairs expert, noted that Turkey's new alliance with Islamabad in rooted in the efforts of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to revive the Ottoman Caliphate and assert himself as a leader of a global Islamic empire under him. Tanvir pointed out that Erdogan has set his sights on empowering Pakistan because it is a nuclear-armed nation and a major military power in the Muslim world. 'Pakistan was created on the basis of religion, and Turkey's history is linked to the Ottoman Empire, the last Islamic caliphate. Additionally, Pakistan is also important from a geographical point of view. This is why Erdogan wants Islamabad under Turkey's umbrella,' he said. The expert also highlighted how Pakistan is a key part of the Erdogan's plan to 'conquer' the Muslim world by rebuilding a modern version of the Ottoman Empire, with him at the helm. How Turkey is influencing Pakistan's local culture? He noted that apart from military and financial assistance, Turkey is also making attempts to influence Pakistani culture by importing its own, which includes the release of an Urdu-dubbed version of 'Diriliş: Ertuğrul'– a popular Turkish web series based on the life of Ertuğrul Ghazi, the father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire. As per experts, Erdogan's narrative has found support among Pakistan top military and civilian leadership, hence Ankara is openly standing with Islamabad in the conflict with New Delhi, and often brings up the Kashmir issue, which it has no stake or business in. The Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Caliphate, founded by Osman I in the 13th century, was a major part of the Sunni Islamic caliphate under the Ottoman dynasty in the Ottoman Empire. At its peak, the Ottoman Empire ruled Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and a large part of the Arabian Peninsula from 1517 to 1924. However, the its collapse was triggered during the First World War, after which the Ottoman Caliphate ended, giving birth to modern day Turkey or Türkiye.
