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Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
India Holds Major Air Drill Near Pakistan Weeks After Giant Dogfight
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. India concluded a massive two-day air combat drill along its southern border with Pakistan, according to multiple Indian news outlets. Newsweek has reached out to the Indian Defense Ministry and the office of Pakistan's prime minister for comment. Why It Matters The exercise took place nearly a month after India launched its military campaign "Operation Sindoor" targeting Pakistan in their biggest confrontation in decades following a deadly attack on a tourist bus in Kashmir that killed 26 people. Pakistan denied Indian accusations of involvement in that attack. Four days of fighting was marked by an extensive air battle, one of the largest dogfights since World War II, before the two nuclear rivals reached a ceasefire agreement following U.S. diplomatic efforts. Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighter jet takes off during Ex Desert Knight-21, a bilateral air exercise between IAF and French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace) at Air Force Station... Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighter jet takes off during Ex Desert Knight-21, a bilateral air exercise between IAF and French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace) at Air Force Station in Jodhpur on January 23, 2021. More PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images What To Know The Indian Air Force issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) earlier this week for a large-scale exercise scheduled for June 7 and 8, taking place in Rajasthan's southern sector near the Pakistan border. Aircraft deployed included the Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Sukhoi-30, according to Indian outlets including Firstpost, The Shillong Times, and Mathrubhumi English. In May, Pakistan said it shot down several Indian planes, including the French-made Rafale and Russian Sukhoi, with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar saying Chinese J-10C jets were used in the operation. Diplomatic tensions have continued despite a ceasefire agreed under U.S. pressure. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Pakistan of disrupting infrastructure development in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam attack, Reuters reported Friday. Pakistan accused India of using claims of developmenta in Jammu and Kashmir to mask an unprecedented military presence, arbitrary arrests, and efforts to alter the region's demography in violation of international law, according to The Associated Press of Pakistan. Growing tensions also surround India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam attack. What People Are Saying India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh wrote in The Times of India on June 6: "India has made it clear that we have a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Talks and terrorism cannot go hand-in-hand. Any future dialogue with Pakistan will focus solely on terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Also, if Pakistan is serious, it must hand over UN-designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar." Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said on June 6, as quoted by the Associated Press of Pakistan: "We are deeply dismayed that the Indian Prime Minister has once again chosen to accuse Pakistan of involvement in the Pahalgam attack, without presenting a single piece of credible evidence." What Happens Next Relations between India and Pakistan remain tense and any incident could easily prompt a resumption of hostilities.
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Ally Receives Anti-Ship Missile Boost Against China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philippines confirmed on Wednesday that it will receive another shipment of supersonic anti-ship missiles amid tensions with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters China's territorial claims in the South China Sea have covered over 90 percent of the waters, overlapping with claims by the Philippines, a United States treaty ally, and other regional countries. It maintains a steady presence there by deploying naval and coast guard vessels. The Philippines received the first batch of the shore-based, anti-ship variant of the BrahMos cruise missiles from India in April 2024. The missile has a stated range of 180 miles for its baseline version, while its extended-range variant can hit targets as far as 310 miles away. The additional delivery of the BrahMos cruise missiles comes as the U.S. has sent its ship-sinking missiles, the NMESIS, to the Philippines for a joint war game this month, as well as a Chinese aircraft carrier deployment near the Southeast Asian archipelagic state this week. What To Know The expected arrival of the second shipment of the BrahMos cruise missiles was revealed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Reuters reported, which will be the second of three BrahMos cruise missile batteries the Philippines ordered from India three years ago. "We will do what needs to be done to ensure they are used properly," the defense chief told reporters. It was unclear where the missiles would be deployed once they were in the nation. An Indian army BrahMos cruise missile launcher is displayed at a parade in New Delhi on January 15, 2011. An Indian army BrahMos cruise missile launcher is displayed at a parade in New Delhi on January 15, 2011. PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images Each missile battery consists of three mobile firing units with attached command and control technology, a radar, as well as support vehicles and units, the Philippine Daily Inquirer said. In addition to the Philippines, Vietnam, which has maritime disputes with China, is poised to become the second country in the South China Sea to acquire the BrahMos cruise missiles. With regard to the ongoing Balikatan war game between the U.S. and the Philippines, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, blamed Manila for undermining the "common interests" of countries in the region by carrying out joint patrols and exercises. "The Philippines holds a candle to the devil by currying favor and colluding with the U.S. and other outside countries to make provocations," the spokesperson said, adding that China will "resolutely safeguard" its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. What People Are Saying Don McLain Gill, geopolitical analyst and lecturer at De La Salle University in Manila, told Newsweek: "This [BrahMos cruise missile] adds an important and practical layer of deterrence for the Philippines amidst the latter's limited military resources vis-a-vis China." Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, said: "We always hold that military cooperation between countries should not target or hurt the interests of any third party, nor should it jeopardize regional peace and stability." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Philippines will further enhance its overall military power by purchasing additional weapons to counter China's threats. It has ordered the F-16 fighter aircraft from the U.S., while receiving a missile-armed corvette from South Korea recently.
