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The Hindu
6 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Bare borders: A.P. Coastal Security Police left adrift without boats or backing
Just days before the mysterious sinking of Pakistan's submarine PNS Ghazi off Visakhapatnam coast during the India-Pakistan War of 1971, an unusual sighting by local fishermen hinted at secrets lurking beneath the sea — secrets that would soon shape a dramatic chapter in naval history. In the early hours of December 5, 1971, fishermen heading out in their traditional boats spotted a massive black object, shaped like a pointed gourd, rising from the depths near the coast. Frightened and uncertain, they rushed back to shore and reported the strange sight to local authorities. This unexpected encounter became a vital intelligence clue for the Indian Navy, confirming that the elusive Ghazi was operating close to Visakhapatnam's harbour. But that was only the beginning. Soon after, villagers spotted tall, bearded men clad in lungi, speaking Hindi, buying large quantities of provisions, and paying in Indian rupees. Who were these mysterious visitors, and what was their true purpose? Former Naval officers believe the fishermen's first sighting was the submarine surfacing to recharge its batteries, while the second involved enemy crew members secretly restocking supplies ashore. Yet, beneath these accounts lay deeper stories, ones that revealed more than just wartime manoeuvres. Both sightings provided crucial intelligence to the Eastern Naval Command, led by Vice-Admiral N. Krishnan, enabling a coordinated strike based on multiple inputs. While there are various accounts of Ghazi's sinking, the official Indian version credits INS Rajput, an R-class destroyer, with sinking the submarine using depth charges. Role of coastal security Andhra Pradesh's long, porous coastline makes it vulnerable, and the local fishermen community plays a vital role in providing key intelligence to safeguard the coast. Recognising this, securing the shoreline became a national priority. After the 1999 Kargil War, a Union Government ministerial panel was tasked with revamping coastal security. Their solution: every coastal State should have a dedicated special force to patrol and protect its waters. This led to the creation of a three-layered coastal security system. The first layer, from the shoreline up to 12 nautical miles, is managed by the Coastal Security Police (CSP). From 12 to 200 nautical miles — the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — the Coast Guard takes charge, while beyond that, the Navy operates in international waters, explains Gopinath Jatti, DIG of A.P.'s CSP. In 2005, Andhra Pradesh received its initial allotment: six coastal police stations and 18 fast interceptor crafts (five weighing 12 tonnes and 13 of five tonnes), funded by the Union Government. With about 1,053 km of coastline stretching from Sriharikota in Nellore to HPCL in Visakhapatnam, the State hosts one major port, five non-major or private ports, 595 coastal villages, and 350 fish landing centers, all critical points needing protection. In the second phase, Andhra Pradesh was sanctioned 15 additional coastal police stations, bringing the total to 21, strengthening the State's ability to monitor and secure its vast coastline. Defunct boats, declining security After the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, CSP forces across States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Odisha received much-needed upgrades. However, Andhra Pradesh has fallen far behind despite its strategically vital installations. All 18 CSP boats in the State have been non-operational since 2018, when the annual maintenance contract (AMC) with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), the boat manufacturer, expired and was not renewed due to its steep cost of around ₹12 crore per year. The sanctioned strength of the CSP is about 1,500 personnel but only just over 500 are currently active. Many coastal police stations are in poor condition, suffering from a lack of proper maintenance and support. A major issue is that the five non-major ports in Andhra Pradesh are privately owned and secured by private agencies, leaving the CSP without any control or accountability. Only the Visakhapatnam Port is secured by the CISF, a Central paramilitary force. The State has about 29 islands, three of which are inhabited, but none have jetties for CSP personnel to effectively patrol or man them. Although the Union government has sanctioned ₹3 crore to build seven jetties, CSP officials say this funding is insufficient. Fresh proposals have been submitted to the Centre requesting increased support. Initiatives taken Despite numerous challenges, the CSP is striving to fulfil its mandate effectively. Speaking to The Hindu, said that with the CSP boats currently non-functional, they have stepped up joint patrolling efforts with the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. 'We take up two days of patrolling on naval ships and daily with the Coast Guards. This in one way also betters our seafaring skills,' he said. Another initiative is the adoption of fishing villages — each constable is assigned at least one village, allowing CSP to cover all 595 fishing communities. Explaining this approach, Mr. Jatti said, 'Our main idea is to get close to the community. We have seen in the past that the fishing community plays a vital role in information sharing. Moreover, this also helps us in organising community outreach programmes.' To bolster intelligence-gathering, Mr. Jatti has also launched a Coastal Intelligence Unit, headed by a DSP and staffed with 40 personnel, including inspectors. Its primary role is collecting intelligence from all coastal stakeholders — fishing communities, village inhabitants, trawler pilots and traditional fishermen. 'Post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the relevance of gathering intelligence inputs from various stakeholders, was recognised and well understood. This unit gathers information not only from the fishing community, but from all inhabitants of the coastal villages, trawler pilots and staff and traditional fishermen. Anything unusual is looked into and logged and shared with other intelligence agencies. This enables us to engage in continuous monitoring and fill lacunae. Moreover, to make people accessible to us, we have launched a toll free number 1093, to enable people to inform us about any happenings, including drowning and missing-at-sea complaints,' he said. Pending proposals A host of crucial proposals is currently awaiting clearance from the State government, that could revive and significantly strengthen the CSP. At the top of the list is the renewal of the annual maintenance contract (AMC) for the 18 Fast Interceptor Crafts (FICs) built by GRSE. Without this renewal, the already grounded fleet risks becoming completely defunct. Once operational, these FICs, designed for high-speed interception, search-and-rescue missions and anti-smuggling operations, would restore critical muscle to the CSP. So far, the force has cracked 42 cases involving illegal migrants, but their reach is currently limited without boats. To bridge the gap, CSP has proposed hiring 20 private boats for patrolling as an interim solution that would cost the State around ₹6 crore annually. Another proposal seeks to bring technology into play. CSP has requested funding to purchase 27 high-end surveillance drones, with an estimated price tag of ₹25 crore. These drones are expected to have a range of at least 5 km to suit maritime needs. 'Even if high-end drones aren't sanctioned, we have also included a lower-cost option — mid-range drones for ₹10 crore,' said a senior CSP official. To enhance beach patrolling, the force has also sought a few all-terrain vehicles. 'So far, our personnel have saved nearly 95 lives from drowning,' said Yet, the challenges aren't just technological or logistical. Though CSP is a fully recognised wing of the police, its legal powers are limited; it can currently operate under just 18 Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A proposal has been submitted to expand this to at least 50 Sections, enabling officers to act more decisively. Some progress has been made. 'Colour coding of fishing boats is done, and the installation of transponders is under way,' said Mr. Jatti. 'The Centre has sanctioned 3 lakh transponders. We have received 1 lakh, and about 60% have already been installed.' To tighten tracking, work is also under way to set up a centralised information centre. 'We need to know when each fishing boat leaves, who is aboard and when they return. This isn't just surveillance; it is about closing loopholes that traffickers or infiltrators might exploit,' Mr. Jatti explained. But until the pending proposals get the green light, these plans remain aspirations. For a force that guards over 1,000 km of coastline, time is ticking and the system must catch up before vulnerabilities are exploited.
CNBC
29-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Synopsys pulls full-year guidance, citing new China export restrictions
Synopsys pulled its guidance for the full fiscal year on Thursday, citing a letter it received from the U.S. Commerce Department on restrictions of sales of its products in China. The stock dropped about 3%. The announcement comes one day after Synopsys CEO Sassine Ghazi disputed a report that the White House told the company, as well as rivals Cadence and Siemens, to stop selling to clients in China. He said he had wanted to address the swirling of speculation. "Synopsys is currently assessing the potential impact of the BIS Letter on its business, operating results and financial condition," the company said in a statement on Thursday. On a conference call with analysts on Wednesday, Ghazi had said the company saw a slowdown in China during its fiscal second quarter, which ended on April 30. "Recall as we started sometime in FY 2024 communicating that we are seeing both a cumulative impact of the restrictions in China as well as the macro situation inside China have caused us to continue on communicating that this deceleration will continue, and that headwind has gotten stronger as we go through the each quarter over the last year, year and a half," he said.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Synopsys Delivers Earnings Win As US Tech Export Curbs Loom Over Industry
Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) shares are trading higher premarket on Thursday after the company reported second-quarter 2025 after market close on Wednesday. The company reported revenue of $1.60 billion, in line with the consensus estimate. The adjusted EPS of $3.67 beat the street view of $3.38. Gross profit increased to $1.29 billion from $1.15 billion in the year-ago quarter, and the operating income rose to $376.4 million from $332.1 million in the prior year Ghazi, president and CEO of Synopsys, said, 'The mega trends of AI, software-defined systems, and silicon proliferation continue to drive our growth. These trends are increasing design complexity and costs, while also increasing compute performance and energy demands. Synopsys is a trusted partner in addressing these challenges and a leader in applying AI to help customers innovate faster.' 'In a dynamic macro environment, Synopsys continues to execute with strong Q2 results on the top and bottom line,' said Shelagh Glaser, CFO of Synopsys. 'We're poised to deliver a solid second half, and we're reaffirming our full-year revenue and operating margin guidance, reflecting our confidence in the business and continued healthy demand for our products.' Synopsys increased its adjusted EPS guidance for FY25 to $15.11-$15.19, from the previous outlook of $14.88-$14.96. This new range surpasses the analyst consensus estimate of $14.89. The company has, however, reaffirmed its FY2025 sales outlook at $6.75 billion-$6.80 billion, which aligns with the $6.77 billion analyst estimate. Synopsys expects third-quarter revenue of $1.75 billion–$1.78 billion versus estimates of $1.76 billion and adjusted EPS of $3.82-$3.87 vs. consensus of $3.39. These new targets reflect Synopsys' shift in its fiscal year definition. Previously, the fiscal year concluded on the Saturday closest to October 31st, but it will now end precisely on October 31st each year. This change results in a shorter first half of fiscal year 2025 by ten days, compensated by an extra two days in the second half, leading to a total of eight fewer days in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The latest U.S. restrictions, designed to limit China's access to essential technology, are anticipated to have a notable impact on major electronic design automation (EDA) software providers Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CDNS) and Synopsys, which have significant exposure. According to Reuters, the U.S. Commerce Department has informed companies about expanded controls affecting EDA software, butane and ethane chemicals, machine tools, and aviation equipment. Addressing these reports, Synopsys CEO Sassine Ghazi told analysts that the company has not received a notice from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Investors can gain exposure to the stock via AXS Esoterica NextG Economy ETF (BATS:WUGI) and VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMHX). Price Action: SNPS shares are trading higher by 2.07% to $472 premarket at last check Thursday. Read Next:Photo via Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? SYNOPSYS (SNPS): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Synopsys Delivers Earnings Win As US Tech Export Curbs Loom Over Industry originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Business Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
US curbs chip design software, chemicals, other shipments to China
[WASHINGTON] The United States has ordered a broad swathe of companies to stop shipping goods to China without a licence and revoked licences already granted to certain suppliers, said three people familiar with the matter. The new restrictions – which are likely to escalate tensions with Beijing – appear aimed at choke points to prevent China from getting products necessary for key sectors, one of the people said. Products affected include design software and chemicals for semiconductors, butane and ethane, machine tools, and aviation equipment, the people said. Many companies received letters from the US Department of Commerce over the last few days informing them of the new restrictions. Firms that supply electronic design automation (EDA) software for semiconductors were sent letters on May 23 that licences would now be needed to ship to Chinese customers, two of the sources said. The electronic design automation software makers include Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens EDA, one said. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The two sources said the Commerce Department will review requests for licences to ship to China on a case-by-case basis, suggesting the action was not an outright ban. It is unclear whether the new restrictions are part of a broader strategy to create leverage for trade talks during a pause in the imposition of higher tariffs. The Commerce Department said it is reviewing exports of strategic significance to China, while noting 'in some cases, Commerce has suspended existing export licences or imposed additional licence requirements while the review is pending.' The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Shares of Cadence, which declined to comment, closed down 10.7 per cent and shares of Synopsys fell 9.6 per cent. Synopsys' CEO Sassine Ghazi said in a call with analysts that the company had not received a letter nor had it heard from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, which enforces export controls. 'We are aware of the reporting and speculations, but Synopsys has not received a notice from BIS ... We have not received a letter,' Ghazi said. After the market closed, Synopsys reaffirmed its revenue forecast for 2025. Its shares and those of Cadence bounced back 3.5 per cent in trading after the close. Siemens EDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Restricting Chinese firms' access to EDA tools would be a big blow to the industry as Chinese chip design customers heavily rely on top-of-the-line US software. In April, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens's Mentor Graphics together control more than 70 per cent of the market share in China. Chinese companies that have said they use Synopsys and Cadence software include design firm Brite Semiconductor, Zhuhai Jieli and semiconductor IP portfolio provider VeriSilicon. VeriSilicon and Brite did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Calls to Zhuhai Jielei went unanswered. 'Choke point' However, three sources familiar with the matter in the EDA tools industry said on Thursday (May 29) that business was still carrying on normally in China as companies awaited more clarification on how the restrictions need to be implemented. 'I believe this is another ineffective measure that will only help China advance its self-reliance, just like with semiconductors,' said Nori Chiou, investment director at Singapore-headquartered White Oak Capital Partners, adding that there are many pirated versions of these design tools, which are not hard to obtain. Chiou said once legitimate channels are blocked, many Chinese EDA companies will benefit. Domestic alternatives to the US firms' tools include Empyrean Technology and Primarius Technologies, whose shares jumped 17 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. In 2023, Huawei said it had developed its own EDA tools for chip designs that can be produced at 14-nanometre or more advanced technology. It has been blocked from using US suppliers since 2019. Any move to strip the software makers of their Chinese customers could deal a blow to their bottom. 'They are the true choke point,' said a former Commerce Department official, who added that rules restricting the export of EDA tools to China have been under consideration since the first Trump administration, but were ruled out as too aggressive. Synopsys relies on China for about 16 per cent of its annual revenue, and China accounts for about 12 per cent of annual revenue for Cadence. Synopsys, which partners with chip companies such as Nvidia, Qualcomm and Intel, provides software and hardware used for designing advanced processors. The Financial Times earlier reported that the Trump administration had ordered the software firms to stop selling their services to Chinese groups. REUTERS
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
US curbs export controls on chip design software and tools to China
The United States has imposed new export restrictions targeting a wide range of goods shipped to China, including semiconductor design software, chemicals, and industrial tools, Reuters reported, quoting sources. These new controls, likely to heighten Beijing-Washington tensions, target critical supply points to restrict China's access to essential sector components. The affected items include semiconductor design software, chemical compounds like butane and ethane, industrial machinery, and aviation-related equipment. The US commerce department recently dispatched notifications to various companies about these enhanced restrictions. Last Friday, companies providing electronic design automation (EDA) software for semiconductors were informed about new licensing requirements for Chinese customers, according to two Reuters. The Department confirmed its ongoing assessment of strategic exports to China, stating that "in some cases, Commerce has suspended existing export licenses or imposed additional license requirements while the review is pending." Cadence shares dropped 10.7% whilst Synopsys fell 9.6%. Synopsys' CEO Sassine Ghazi clarified during an analyst call that they hadn't received any communication from the Bureau of Industry and Security. "We are aware of the reporting and speculations, but Synopsys has not received a notice from BIS ... We have not received a letter," Ghazi stated. Post-market trading saw both companies recover somewhat, with 3.5% gains. Synopsys maintained its 2025 revenue projections. The potential removal of Chinese customers could substantially affect these companies' revenues and Chinese chip design capabilities. A former Commerce Department official noted these EDA tools are crucial control points, revealing that similar restrictions were considered during Trump's presidency but deemed too severe. Chinese markets represent significant revenue streams for these companies, with China contributing approximately 16% for Synopsys and 12% for Cadence. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
