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First Post
18-05-2025
- Business
- First Post
Operation Sindoor on 'strategic pause', govt gives military power for emergency buying
India has given emergency powers to its armed forces to buy weapons worth up to ₹40,000 crore, following a strong warning to Pakistan that the current pause in Operation Sindoor is only temporary unless it stops cross-border terrorism. read more A Pakistan Army soldier stands in front of damaged building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muzaffarabad, in PoK on May 7. Reuters With New Delhi issuing a stern warning to Islamabad that the current pause in Operation Sindoor is only temporary unless Pakistan stops supporting cross-border terrorism, the government has granted emergency procurement (EP) powers to the armed forces, allowing purchases of up to ₹40,000 crore, The Times of India reported. Officials told TOI on Saturday that the Defence Acquisitions Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, recently approved the sixth round of emergency purchases (EP-6) for the Army, Air Force and Navy to boost and replenish their weapons stockpiles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The first four rounds of EP were approved during the military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, while the fifth focused on counter-terrorism operations. Under EP-6, the armed forces can fast-track multiple contracts – each worth up to ₹300 crore – covering both capital and revenue expenditure, bypassing the usual lengthy procurement procedures. 'The contracts must be finalised within 40 days, with deliveries completed within a year. These powers will be exercised by the three Service vice chiefs,' an official said. This will allow the armed forces to quickly strengthen their stockpiles of missiles, long-range weapons, loitering and precision-guided munitions, kamikaze drones, counter-drone systems, and other arms and ammunition. There is a 15% cap on both capital and revenue procurements from the total defence budget allocated for the current financial year. 'All EP-6 purchases must be carried out with the concurrence of financial advisers, and special permission is required for imports,' the official added. 'While actual expenditure is likely to remain below the 15% ceiling, the provision gives the Services the necessary flexibility to address urgent operational gaps and replenish ammunition stocks depleted during the four days of intense hostilities from 7 to 10 May,' officials further said. For instance, the IAF used a range of advanced weapons during its precision strikes, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles (jointly developed with Russia), Israeli-origin Crystal Maze-2 and Rampage missiles, Spice-2000 precision-guided bombs, as well as French-origin Scalp cruise missiles and Hammer air-to-ground munitions. The IAF also deployed Israeli-made Harop and Harpy kamikaze drones, as reported earlier by TOI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
With Operation Sindoor still on, military gets emergency purchase powers
NEW DELHI: With India making it clear that the cessation of hostilities under Operation Sindoor is only a 'strategic pause' if Pakistan does not mend its ways in fuelling cross-border terrorism , govt has granted emergency procurement (EP) powers to the armed forces with an overall outer limit of around Rs 40,000 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The EP-6 approval for Army, IAF and Navy to further boost as well as replenish their arms stockpiles was granted by the Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council just a few days ago, officials told TOI on Saturday. The first four EPs were granted during the military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh, while the fifth was for counter-terror operations. Under EP-6, the armed forces can fast-track multiple contracts, each worth Rs 300 crore, under both capital and revenue heads instead of following the normal long-winded procurement procedure. 'The contracts have to be finalised within 40 days, with deliveries to be completed in one year. The powers will be exercised by the three Service vice chiefs,' an official said. This will allow the armed forces to quickly build their arsenals of missiles and other long-range weapons, loiter and precision-guided munitions, kamikaze drones and counter-drone systems, among other weapons and ammunition. There is a 15% cap each on the total capital and revenue procurements of the overall defence outlay earmarked for the ongoing fiscal. 'All EP-6 purchases have to take place with the concurrence of the financial advisors, while special permission is needed for imports,' the official said. 'While the actual expenditure is likely to be less than the overall 15% outer limit, it gives the Services the requisite flexibility to meet urgent operational gaps and replenish their ammunition stocks depleted in the four days of intense hostilities from May 7 to 10,' he added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now IAF jets, for instance, used BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which are jointly produced in India with Russia, the Israeli-origin air-to-ground Crystal Maze-2 and Rampage missiles and Spice- 2000 precision-guided bombs, and French-origin Scalp cruise missiles and Hammer air-to-ground precision-guided munitions, for their precision strikes, as earlier reported by TOI. IAF also used Israeli Harop and Harpy kamikaze drones. Similarly, Army units launched loitering munitions like SkyStriker as well as fired 'smart' extended range artillery shells like Excalibur to hammer specific targets. The armed forces also used a wide array of weapons as part of the multi-layered air defence network. They included the Barak-8 medium range surface-to-air missiles, jointly developed with Israel, and the indigenous Akash missiles.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Two airports targeted In 24 hours: First Jammu, then Srinagar
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday night repelled 300 to 400 drones launched by Pakistan across the entire western front to target military and civilian establishments and then undertook a swift counter-strike against four air defence sites, even as deadly artillery duels led to soldiers being killed on both sides. The Pakistani attack resumed on Friday night, with drones once again being spotted in 26 locations in a wide arc, ranging from Srinagar, Baramulla and Awantipora in the north to Bhuj in the south, along both the international border and the Line of Control with Pakistan. Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list The locations targeted included Srinagar airport , Avantipora air base, Baramulla, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. "These included armed drones posing potential threats to civilian and military targets," an officer said. The attack on Srinagar airport followed one on Jammu the previous night. While the armed forces neutralised the bulk of the drones with a variety of air defence weapons, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in severe injuries to members of a family. On Thursday, the intrusion by drones, mainly Turkish but some also from China, came in three waves at 36 locations across the LoC and IB, stretching from Leh to Sir Creek, between 8pm and midnight. Pakistan also used an armed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to target Bathinda military station, headquarters of the Army's 10 'Chetak Corps'. The UAV was swiftly detected and neutralised by Indian air defence systems. "These provocative and escalatory actions taken by Pakistan last night were targeted at Indian cities and civilian infrastructure, in addition to some military targets. The Indian armed forces responded proportionately, adequately and responsibly," foreign secretary Vikram Misri said at a briefing. The counter-strike saw four Israeli-origin Harop and Harpy armed drones being launched once again by the IAF against four air defence sites in Pakistan. "One of our drones was able to destroy an air defence radar," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said. Indian air defence units, which are plugged into the IAF's fully-automated integrated air command and control system (IACCS) network, destroyed 50 of the Pakistani drones using L-70 anti-aircraft guns, ZU-23 twin-barrel guns and other weapons. Another 20 drones were brought down after being jammed by a variety of devices, while the rest flew back across the border. With some of the drones being unarmed, Wing Commander Singh said, "The possible purpose of these large-scale aerial intrusions was to test our air defence systems and gather intelligence." Pak used Turkiye-built armed drones in strikes across LoC Preliminary forensic analysis of some drone debris showed they were Asisguard Songar drones of Turkey, she said. Equipped with both daylight and infrared cameras, the Turkish drones have an operational range of 10 km and can be configured for various missions ranging from area surveillance to target detection and destruction. Turkiye has deep ties with Pakistan and has repeatedly endorsed Islamabad's position on Kashmir. Along the 778-km LoC, Pakistan also carried out heavy artillery shelling and used armed drones in Tangdhar, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor and Udhampur areas in Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday night. Around 20 ceasefire violations were recorded, 13 south of the Pir Panjal range and seven north of it. In the heavy exchange of fire, at least one Indian soldier was killed and another 10 injured. Two civilian deaths were also reported from the Uri sector. "Pakistan army also suffered major losses in Indian retaliatory fire," Colonel Sofia Qureshi said. The shadowboxing between the rival navies also continued in the northern Arabian Sea, with both issuing 'NavArea' warnings for ships to stay away from specified coordinates due to firing exercises by their warships. India's drills will take place till May 13, while Pakistan's will finish a day earlier.
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Business Standard
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Operation Sindoor: India strikes air defence systems deep inside Pakistan
Stating that its proportionate response had nullified Pakistan's attempt to escalate following the killing of at least 100 terrorists and their associates in the ongoing Operation Sindoor, India on Thursday said its armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at multiple locations within Pakistan, neutralising at least one such system in Lahore. This was after thwarting Pakistan's bid to strike several military targets in northern and western India, including Srinagar, Amritsar, and Chandigarh, using drones and missiles. Indian armed forces employed Israeli-origin 'HAROP' loitering munitions, which combine the characteristics of an unmanned aerial vehicle and a missile, to strike targets in Rawalpindi, a city in the Pakistani province of Punjab, which is home to the headquarters of the Pakistan Army; Lahore, the capital of the same province; and Karachi, the capital city of the Sindh province and home to the country's largest and busiest seaport, said a source in the know. The guided HAROP munition is designed to destroy high-value targets like command posts, supply depots, and air defence systems, and does so by diving at its intended target and detonating itself on it. Another source indicated that India still possessed adequate numbers of the loitering munition. At least one of these strikes was confirmed to be successful. 'It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system in Lahore has been neutralised,' said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in an official release. The strike in Lahore hit a Chinese-developed long-range surface-to-air missile system, belonging to the HQ-9 family, said a source aware of the matter. The HQ-9 is a derivative of the well-known Russian S-300 system. As of Thursday evening, the Indian armed forces' operation was described as ongoing, and troops remained on alert. The MoD said that on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of 'military targets' in northern and western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, and Jammu in Jammu & Kashmir; Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, and Bathinda in Punjab; the Union Territory of Chandigarh; Nal, Phalodi, and Uttarlai in Rajasthan; and Bhuj in Gujarat. The attempt was made 'using drones and missiles', which were neutralised by the 'Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems' of the Indian armed forces, added the MoD. As of afternoon, the debris of these attacks was being recovered from a number of locations and served as proof of the Pakistani attacks. In response, the MoD said the Indian armed forces on Thursday morning targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. It added that the Indian response was in the 'same domain with same intensity as Pakistan'. The MoD underscored that during Wednesday's press briefing on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, dubbed Operation Sindoor, New Delhi had called its response 'focused, measured and non-escalatory'. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India would invite a suitable response. 'Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military,' said the MoD. Also on Thursday, the government said Operation Sindoor was ongoing, a day after the military action saw Indian armed forces conduct precision military strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) during a 25-minute pre-dawn operation, which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh referred to as the country exercising its 'Right to Respond' to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people, including one national of Nepal. Wednesday's operation included about 24 precision strikes across the nine locations identified as hubs of terrorist activity, with five targets hit in PoJK and four in the Pakistani province of Punjab. Defence Minister Singh told an all-party meeting on Thursday that at least 100 terrorists and their associates had been killed in Operation Sindoor. Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff said in a post on X late Thursday evening that military stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir, had been targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. There had been no losses. The post confirmed that the threat had been neutralised by the Indian armed forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic means.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
What are Harop drones? Weapon used by India to target Pakistan air defence systems
Harop drone (Picture from Israel Aerospace Industries) NEW DELHI: Indian armed forces reportedly deployed Israeli-origin Harop drones to carry out precision strikes on air defence systems in Pakistan as part of their ongoing ' Operation Sindoor '. One of the key targets, Pakistan's air defence installation in Lahore, was neutralised by India's drone action. The strikes comes in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Operation Sindoor Pahalgam payback continues: Operation Sindoor Day 2 keeps Pakistan on edge 'Operation Sindoor': PM Modi chairs high-level review meet on national security Operation Sindoor: India repels drone, missile attack across LoC What are Harop drones? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Mysterious Photos That Cannot Be Explained True Edition Undo Harop drones, known for their radar-seeking capabilities, were used to attack multiple strategic locations across Pakistan. The Harop, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is a loitering munition - a cross between a drone and a missile - capable of independently identifying and destroying high-value targets, particularly radar systems and air defence platforms. According to the Military Balance report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Harop is a part of India's growing arsenal of unmanned precision-strike capabilities . Designed for deep precision attacks, the Harop can loiter over target zones for up to nine hours using an electro-optic seeker to locate, identify, and strike from multiple angles. Its immunity to satellite jamming (GNSS) and real-time human oversight give it both autonomy and flexibility in complex battlefield environments. The drones are launched from canister-based systems mounted on mobile ground vehicles or naval platforms, making them deployable across diverse terrains and suitable for fast, targeted strikes. India's use of the Harop in 'Operation Sindoor' is a clear signal that it is aiming to not only eliminate terror infrastructure but also degrade Pakistan's defensive capabilities to prevent further incursions.
