Latest news with #RajnathSingh
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Indian Navy will lead New Delhi's response to any future Pakistani aggression: Singh
NEW DELHI: India will use the firepower of its navy in response to any future aggression by Pakistan, India's defence minister said on Friday, weeks after the fiercest fighting in decades between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Relations between India and Pakistan are tense after four days of fighting this month, which involved fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery before a ceasefire was announced. 'If Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy,' Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of the western Indian state of Goa. A spokesperson for Pakistan's military referred Reuters to a May 12 statement, which said there would be a 'comprehensive and decisive' response whenever Pakistan's sovereignty was 'threatened and territorial integrity violated'. The latest fighting erupted after 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, were killed in an April 22 attack in Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan territory claimed by both nations. New Delhi blamed the attack on 'terrorists' backed by Pakistan, which denied the charge. A ceasefire took effect on May 10 and a top Pakistani military official told Reuters on Friday that both countries were close to reducing their troop build-up along their border to pre-conflict levels. The Indian Navy has said it deployed its carrier battle group, submarines and other aviation assets in the northern Arabian Sea within 96 hours of the April 22 attack. Defence Minister Singh said 'Operation Sindoor', under which India launched the strikes on Pakistan, was paused, but not yet over. 'We stopped our military actions on our own terms. Our forces had not even started showing their might,' he said.
The Print
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Print
All about J-35A, the Chinese fifth-generation stealth fighter Pakistan plans to acquire
Pakistan, the reports suggest, placed its official order in December 2024, with delivery of over 30 fighters anticipated between August 2025 and early 2026. Islamabad is said to have finalised the purchase of up to 40 of these stealth fighters from China. If the delivery takes place, it will mark the first international export of the aircraft which was unveiled in Zhuhai Air Show in November last year. New Delhi: The Chinese imprint on Pakistan armed forces is set to deepen further as reports suggest that Beijing is fast-tracking the delivery of its fifth-generation J-35A stealth fighter jet to its long-time ally. The deal is being hailed in the two countries as a game-changer for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The aircraft will complement and enhance the PAF's modernisation drive, which includes recent inductions of the JF-17 Block III and J-10CE fighters. Currently, India is pursuing its own project to develop a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet–the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA). On Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the approval of the AMCA programme execution model. Developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), a subsidiary of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the J-35 is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter evolved from the FC-31 Gyrfalcon prototype—a once privately funded project aimed at the export market after SAC lost the J-XX program bid to Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. First introduced as the 'F-60' at a Beijing innovation contest in September 2011, the FC-31 took to the skies on 31 October 2012. Although initially outside China's official military development stream, growing interest from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the PLA Navy prompted the FC-31's transformation into two formal variants: a land-based J-35A for the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) and a carrier-based version for the PLA Naval Air Force (PLANAF). As of now, China is the only country besides the US (F-22 and F-35) to field two operational fifth-generation stealth fighters—the Chengdu J-20 'Mighty Dragon' and the Shenyang J-35. While the J-20 is tailored for long-range air superiority, the J-35A offers multirole versatility with a lighter footprint and greater export potential. Also Read: From non-delivery of fighters to constant delays & 'black sheep', IAF chief speaks out Copy cat? The J-35A is reported to come with next-generation avionics, sensor fusion systems, and a weapons payload capacity of up to 8,000 kg—2,000 kg internally and 6,000 kg externally. What catches the eye is the striking similarity it shares with the F-35 that often led to the accusation of the Chinese copying the American stealth fighter, a charge that has stuck with the Asian powerhouse given its notoriety of cloning technology either borrowed or stolen from Russia and the West. While both the J-20 and J-35A feature stealth and advanced avionics, they serve distinct roles. The J-20, with its larger airframe, more powerful WS-10C or future WS-15 engines, and extensive sensor suite, is designed for long-range air dominance. In contrast, the J-35A offers multirole agility and is tailored for medium-range missions. The J-20 remains China's flagship stealth platform, while the J-35A opens new possibilities for China's defense exports and allied force multipliers. The arrival of the J-35A in Pakistan will be a defining moment in South Asia's military landscape. Analysts suggest that the new stealth fleet could give the PAF a 7–14 year advantage in fifth-generation capability over India, depending on the AMCA timeline. The platform's success will depend heavily on seamless integration with Pakistan's existing infrastructure and China's continued support in training, logistics, and maintenance. Once operational, the aircraft will not only elevate Pakistan's aerial combat abilities but also underscore China's growing influence as a global defense supplier and stealth aircraft innovator. Aditya Shrikhande is an intern who graduated from ThePrint School of Journalism. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: In wake of Jamnagar crash, a look at chequered legacy of IAF's SEPECAT Jaguar
Hans India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Rajnath: If Navy had acted, Pak would have split into 4
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh aboard India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, on Friday warned Pakistan of the Indian Navy's unmatched strength, stating that had the Navy joined its sister forces in active combat during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan would have faced a worse outcome than in 1971, surmising that it could have been divided into four parts. "1971 is a witness to this, that when the Indian Navy came into action, Pakistan was divided from one to two. If the Indian Navy had come into action in Operation Sindoor, then Pakistan would not only have been divided into two parts, but I think it would have been divided into four parts," Singh proclaimed. The Defence Minister was speaking during his visit to INS Vikrant, currently deployed in the Arabian Sea, where he reviewed operational readiness and praised the Navy's role in neutralising threats during the operation. Singh commended the Indian Navy's silent but effective role in bottling up Pakistani naval assets, asserting that their aggressive deployment, maritime dominance, and high state of preparedness prevented Pakistan from challenging Indian interests at sea and kept its naval assets confined to their own shores. "During 'Operation Sindoor', the Indian Navy has impressed every Indian with its silent service. Despite remaining silent, the Indian Navy succeeded in tying down the Pakistani Army," he said. "The role of the Navy in this entire integrated operation has been glorious. During Operation Sindoor, when the Air Force destroyed the terror bases on Pakistani soil, your aggressive deployment in the Arabian Sea, unmatched maritime domain awareness and maritime supremacy confined the Pakistani Navy to its own shores. They could not even muster the courage to come into the open sea," the minister added.
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
For talks, Pakistan should hand over Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar: Rajnath
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday again clarified that if there are talks with Pakistan, they will 'only be on terrorism and PoK' and maintained that 'if Pakistan is serious about talks, it should hand over terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India so that justice is served'. He asserted: 'Both of them are not only in India's list of 'Most Wanted Terrorists', they are also UN Designated Terrorists. Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the Mumbai attacks, has been brought to India recently. Hafiz Saeed is also guilty of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and justice must be done for his crimes.' Addressing officers and sailors on board India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, off the Goa coast, Singh refered to Operation Sindoor, saying, 'Operation Sindoor is not just military action, but India's frontal assault against terrorism, and if Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy.' Commending the Indian Navy's 'silent service' during Operation Sindoor, the minister said the Navy's aggressive deployment in the Arabian Sea during Operation Sindoor, along with its unmatched maritime domain awareness and supremacy, confined the Pakistani Navy to its shores.
Business Recorder
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Navy will lead New Delhi's response to any future Pakistani aggression: Singh
NEW DELHI: India will use the firepower of its navy in response to any future aggression by Pakistan, India's defence minister said on Friday, weeks after the fiercest fighting in decades between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Relations between India and Pakistan are tense after four days of fighting this month, which involved fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery before a ceasefire was announced. 'If Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy,' Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of the western Indian state of Goa. A spokesperson for Pakistan's military referred Reuters to a May 12 statement, which said there would be a 'comprehensive and decisive' response whenever Pakistan's sovereignty was 'threatened and territorial integrity violated'. The latest fighting erupted after 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, were killed in an April 22 attack in Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan territory claimed by both nations. New Delhi blamed the attack on 'terrorists' backed by Pakistan, which denied the charge. A ceasefire took effect on May 10 and a top Pakistani military official told Reuters on Friday that both countries were close to reducing their troop build-up along their border to pre-conflict levels. The Indian Navy has said it deployed its carrier battle group, submarines and other aviation assets in the northern Arabian Sea within 96 hours of the April 22 attack. Defence Minister Singh said 'Operation Sindoor', under which India launched the strikes on Pakistan, was paused, but not yet over. 'We stopped our military actions on our own terms. Our forces had not even started showing their might,' he said.
