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New Indian Express
27-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Ahead of Parliament debate, Congress flags 'background' to Op Sindoor, Trump's '26' ceasefire claims
NEW DELHI: Ahead of a discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor, the Congress on Sunday recapitulated the events forming the backdrop to the debate, prominent among them US President Donald claiming "26 times" since May 10 that he stopped Operation Sindoor by threatening to cut off trade with India. The opposition party said the debate was a long time coming, but "better late than never." "The Lok Sabha is scheduled to begin a 16-hour debate on Pahalgam-Op Sindoor tomorrow and the Rajya Sabha is set to do so the day after tomorrow. The INC had been demanding a special two-day session of Parliament immediately after Operation Sindoor was abruptly halted. That demand was ignored. Nevertheless, better late than never," party leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. The Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22, but the terrorists directly responsible have still not been brought to justice, the party's general secretary, in-charge, communications, said. Reportedly, they were involved in earlier terror attacks in Poonch (December 2023) and Gangagir and Gulmarg (October 2024), Ramesh said. At the request of the Congress, an all-party meeting was held and chaired, not by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as demanded, but by the Defence Minister on April 24, where questions on intelligence lapses were raised, he said. On May 30, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan made significant revelations on tactical mistakes in the first two days of Operation Sindoor, he said. These revelations were made in Singapore. "On June 29, 2025, the Indian Defence Attache in Indonesia, Group Captain Shiv Kumar, said that political decisions hampered military operations during Operation Sindoor and also appeared to have indicated the extent of our aircraft losses," he said. On July 4, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh revealed that India contended with and battled against China during Operation Sindoor, both in terms of hardware and software, Ramesh said, calling it a "completely new scenario." "On July 14, 2025, the LG of J&K Manoj Sinha publicly admitted that the Pahalgam terror attacks were undoubtedly a security failure," he said. Ramesh also highlighted that since May 10, Trump has claimed "26 times" that he stopped Operation Sindoor by threatening to cut off trade with India. Trump also claimed that five fighter jets may have been shot down, the Congress leader pointed out. "He (Trump) has hosted the Pakistan Army Chief for lunch which has never been done before. The US Central Command Chief, Gen. Michael Kurilla, had called Pakistan a phenomenal partner in counter-terrorism operations. And just the day before yesterday the US Secretary lauded Pakistan in his meeting with its Deputy PM," Ramesh said. He said the outlandish claims made by sections of the Indian media during Operation Sindoor, "with instigation by the PM's media managers," led to a mockery of whatever serious narrative was sought to be built up. The narrative had more takers at home than in countries where an outreach took place, Ramesh said. Opposition parties have agreed to a special discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor on Monday in Lok Sabha and the next day in Rajya Sabha. The debate is hoped to bring normalcy to Parliament after a virtual washout of the first week's proceedings.
Entrepreneur
09-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Sanlayan Technologies Secures INR 186 Crore in Series A to Drive Defence Innovation
Sanlayan aims to grow its engineering team fivefold over the next six months by recruiting R&D scientists, domain experts, retired military personnel, and senior executives from both private and public sector defence institutions You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Sanlayan Technologies, a Bengaluru-based aerospace and defence startup, has raised INR 186 crore in a heavily oversubscribed Series A funding round. The latest investment, led by prominent investors Ashish Kacholia, Lashit Sanghvi, and Jungle Ventures, saw participation from existing backers Gemba Capital and Singularity Ventures, alongside new entrant Shastra VC. The funding marks a significant leap for the company as it sharpens focus on indigenous defence capabilities. The latest round follows a INR 36 crore raise in March 2024, also led by Jungle Ventures through its First Cheque@Jungle platform. Shortly after, Sanlayan acquired a majority stake in Dexcel Electronics, an electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) firm with a 25-year track record in key Indian defence programs including the Sukhoi, Jaguar, LCA Tejas, and Chandrayaan-3 missions. Rishab Malik, partner at Jungle Ventures, noted the combined impact of capital infusion and operational focus. "The revenue ramp-up at Dexcel, combined with strategic capital and Sanlayan's operating discipline, reinforces our confidence in their ability to scale sustainably across the defence electronics value chain," he said. Sanlayan's approach to building capabilities across India's defence electronics ecosystem relies on a three-fold strategy: acquiring mature defence MSMEs, building in-house research and development, and forming global partnerships. The startup is currently developing an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for India's unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) program, leveraging its internal R&D while collaborating with five domestic startups and international OEMs for advanced joint development. "What drew us to Sanlayan was their clear understanding of India's defence electronics landscape, and their hybrid strategy to solve it," said investor Ashish Kacholia. "This is not just a business opportunity; it's a national imperative." The company plans to rapidly scale its operations with a major hiring drive. Sanlayan aims to grow its engineering team fivefold over the next six months by recruiting R&D scientists, domain experts, retired military personnel, and senior executives from both private and public sector defence institutions. "India's defence sector is at a once-in-a-generation inflection point," said Rohan Gala, co-founder and CEO of Sanlayan. "We are allocating capital for suo-moto development of critical technologies for CUAS and EW systems. In the last six months, we have strengthened Dexcel's design and manufacturing capabilities and are now gearing up to execute large-scale indigenisation and upgrade programs."
NDTV
29-05-2025
- General
- NDTV
"Same Planet, Different World": INSV Tarini Crew Completes Global Voyage
Panaji: "The world of the sea is the same planet but a whole different world," said Lt Cdr Roopa A of the Indian Navy on Thursday as she and her partner Lt Cdr Dilna K returned to Goa after successfully circumnavigating the globe in a sailing boat. The duo, with back-up support from the Navy, covered more than 25,600 nautical miles in 238 days in INSV Tarini, their sailing boat. It was the first circumnavigation of the globe in a sailing vessel by Indian women in 'double-handed' mode, said a Navy spokesperson. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed the two intrepid women and their vessel upon the completion of the eight-month 'Navika Sagar Parikrama II (NSP II)' expedition at Mormugao Port Authority in Vasco. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, who had flagged off the expedition on October 2 last year, was also present. The whole country was proud of the achievement of the two women officers, Singh said. "You have not just gone around Earth but you have also made a place in the heart of every Indian," he said, calling them "the country's brave daughters". "After meeting you both today, I feel as if a father is meeting his two daughters," the minister added. Women have played a pivotal role in the Indian Defence system since gaining entry, and women officers played an important role in aerial attacks on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir during Operation Sindoor, he said. Admiral Tripathi said Navika Sagar Parikrama II was a historic milestone for the Navy. The defence minister's interaction with the crew during the expedition gave them moral support, he added. Speaking on the occasion, Lt Cdr Dilna K said, "Yes, we made it. "On October 2, we left Goa with lot of hope and we stand here alive and strong together," she said. They flew the national flag and the Indian Navy flag across the globe, she said, adding, "Wherever we landed, we were cheered. We proudly represented India in this journey of lifetime." The expedition was a promise she had made to her father, Dilna said, adding, "He is no more with me, but I felt his presence throughout the journey. My mother and my husband held me really strong. And you let me fly. I wish everyone get a husband like mine." Talking about her experiences, Lt Cdr Roopa A said she felt like she lived all her seven lives in these eight months. "The world of the sea is the same planet but whole different world," she said. Referring to her partner Dilna, Roopa said, "In this voyage I found a friend in you and a friend in myself whom I can trust lifelong." Her family has been her "spine" throughout her life as she made unconventional choices, she said, adding, "I dedicate this journey to you all (family) but this is not going to be my last. There was no end to the earth or challenges in this journey." Talking about some of the more difficult moments in the voyage, she recalled a night when they had a navigation panel "black-out". "It took us three hours, but felt like an eternity to get back the control," she added. They saw different moods of the ocean. "(At times) The waves were 20 feet high. We also had the days when sea was calm, we felt sea was heavenly. We lived in the cold which froze us. Even today when we were approaching the coast, the monsoon kept us on the toes," she said. The journey showed the world what Indian women are made of, Roopa said, adding that there was a point during the journey when they realised "this is an Indian dream which we were breathing and living." The expedition was flagged off on October 2, 2024 by Admiral Tripathi from the Boat pool of INS Mandovi in Goa. After 39 days of non-stop voyage across the Indian Ocean, INSV Tarini made her first land-fall at Fremantle, Australia, on November 9, the Navy spokesperson said. "In their second stop, having traversed 4,450 nautical miles after crossing the Great Australian Bight and the Tasman Sea, they arrived at Lyttelton, the port of Christchurch, New Zealand, on December 22, 2024," the spokesperson said. Subsequently, marking the "most demanding and dramatic leg" of the expedition, the crew arrived at Port Stanley on February 18, 2025. "One of the most significant achievement of this leg was that Tarini became the first sail ship to cross Point Nemo in South Pacific, often referred to as the Oceanic Pole of inaccessibility, on January 30," the spokesperson said. Having traversed 3,896 nautical miles and crossing the Prime Meridian and braving the 'Roaring Forties', the Tarini reached Cape Town, South Africa on March 31, 2025, and then started its homeward journey.
Malay Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Funding terror': India urges IMF to halt Pakistan's US$1b loan
SRINAGAR, INDIA, May 16 — Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should reconsider a US$1 billion (RM4.3 billion) loan to Pakistan alleging it was 'funding terror', a move denounced by Islamabad as proof of New Delhi's desperation. India and Pakistan last week clashed in the worst military violence in decades, killing around 70 people before agreeing a ceasefire that began tomorrow. The confrontations were sparked by an attack on tourists by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir last month that New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing — a charge it denies. 'I believe a big portion of the US$1 billion coming from IMF will be used for funding terror infrastructure,' Singh told troops at an air force base in western India. 'I believe any economic assistance to Pakistan is nothing less than funding terror.' Despite India's objections, the IMF last week approved a loan programme review for Pakistan, unlocking a US$1 billion payment which the state bank said has already been received. A fresh US$1.4 billion loan was also approved under the IMF's climate resilience fund. India — which also represents Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh on the IMF board — abstained from the review vote with a statement from its finance ministry stating, 'concerns over the efficacy of IMF programmes in case of Pakistan given its poor track record'. 'India was the lone country which tried to stop it and it failed. It again reflects Indian frustration. Trying to criticise an institution like IMF speaks about this desperation,' Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters. Pakistan came to the brink of default in 2023, as a political crisis compounded an economic downturn and drove the nation's debt burden to terminal levels before being saved by a US$7 billion bailout from the IMF which sparked further crucial loans from friendly nations. Removed from watchlist Pakistan, which has long battled militancy within its borders, has faced scrutiny over its ability to combat illicit financing, including to militant organisations and in 2022 was put on an international money-laundering watchlist. However, the Financial Action Task Force removed Pakistan from it so-called grey-list in 2022 after 'significant progress' which included charges being filed against suspected militants accused of being involved in the 2008 attacks in India's Mumbai. Singh claimed it was 'clear that in Pakistan, terrorism and their government are hand in glove with each other. 'In this situation there is a possibility that their nuclear weapons could get their way into the hands of terrorists. This is a danger not just for Pakistan but the entire world,' he said. Singh yesterday called for Pakistan's nuclear arsenal to be put under the surveillance of the UN's atomic energy agency, with Islamabad firing back that the international community should investigate a nuclear 'black market' in India. Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad today, where the two discussed the ceasefire, according to a statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry. It came as the government also held ceremonies across the country to celebrate the military. 'Pakistan's Armed Forces remain fully prepared and resolutely committed to defending every inch of our territory. Any aggression will be countered,' Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said while visiting troops yesterday. The disputed Muslim-majority region of Kashmir has been at the heart of several wars between the two neighbours, who administer separate portions of the divided territory. Militants stepped up operations on the Indian side of Kashmir from 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked the region's limited autonomy and imposed direct rule from New Delhi. — AFP
India Today
12-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
BrahMos: India's supersonic edge in modern warfare
With Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurating a state-of-the-art production facility in Lucknow under the Defence Industrial Corridor, the arrival of the Next Generation BrahMos marks a major leap. Lighter, smarter, and boasting extended range, these missiles signal India's commitment to future-ready defence. #Brahmos #India #Defence #BrahmosMissile #News #IndianDefence #Missile
