After fresh intelligence inputs suggested that a group of terrorists from Pakistan has infiltrated into India, defence bases in Punjab and Jammu area have been placed on high alert.

"The defence bases in and around Punjab and Jammu are on high alert. The Indian Air Force has put its airbases in Punjab including Pathankot and Jammu on orange alert," government sources said.

"The inputs were received by forces today morning after which they are taking all precautions to protect the defence bases," they said.

A few days ago, the bases were on high alert but the alert levels were brought down a couple of days later, they said.

There have been reports of a possible terror attack on major defence facilities since August 5 when the Centre moved to abrogate Article 370 that granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Late last month, intelligence agencies had issued a warning against a module of eight to ten Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists. The input suggests that the terror group may possibly try to carry out a suicide attack against air force bases in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

After fresh intelligence inputs suggested that a group of terrorists from Pakistan has infiltrated into India, defence bases in Punjab and Jammu area have been placed on high alert.

After fresh intelligence inputs suggested that a group of terrorists from Pakistan has infiltrated into India, defence bases in Punjab and Jammu area have been placed on high alert. "The defence bases in and around Punjab and Jammu are on high alert. The Indian Air Force has put its airbases in Punjab including Pathankot and Jammu on orange alert," government sources said. "The inputs were received by forces today morning after which they are taking all precautions to protect the defence bases," they said. A few days ago, the bases were on high alert but the alert levels were brought down a couple of days later, they said. There have been reports of a possible terror attack on major defence facilities since August 5 when the Centre moved to abrogate Article 370 that granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Late last month, intelligence agencies had issued a warning against a module of eight to ten Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists. The input suggests that the terror group may possibly try to carry out a suicide attack against air force bases in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence bases in Punjab, Jammu on orange alert after fresh intelligence input of terror attack

At a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is batting for indigenisation, the Force is planning to acquire the new 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia and equip them with indigenous weapon systems such as the Astra air. 
 
"The proposal for the acquisition of 21 MiG-29s would be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council soon. The IAF wants the MiG-29s to be of the upgraded MiG-29s that are already in service," defence sources told ANI. 
 
"The IAF also wants that the aircraft should be equipped with the Indian weapon systems including the Astra missiles," they said. 
 
The sources said there are other indigenous equipment and weapons which would be integrated with the aircraft once the deal comes through. 
 
The MiG-29s now have a new airframe and had been lying unused in Russia. 
 
The push for promoting indigenous weapons has come at a time when IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria has made it clear that the force will fully back indigenisation efforts such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the fifth Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme. 
 
The IAF had carried out a study to check if the airframes of the MiG-29s on offer were good enough for it to operate for a long time. 
 
MiG-29s are flown by the IAF and the pilots are familiar with it but the ones offered by the Russians are different from the ones in the Indian inventory. 
 
The Indian Navy also operates the MiG-29 'K' and is the only operator of this version of the plane. It is having a rough experience with the planes which are difficult to maintain and their settings change immediately after they land on the aircraft carrier. 
 
The IAF has three squadrons of the MiG-29s which have been undergoing upgrades for extended life and are considered to be very good planes in the air defence roles.

At a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is batting for indigenisation, the Force is planning to acquire the new 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia and equip them with indigenous weapon systems such as the Astra air.

At a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is batting for indigenisation, the Force is planning to acquire the new 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia and equip them with indigenous weapon systems such as the Astra air. "The proposal for the acquisition of 21 MiG-29s would be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council soon. The IAF wants the MiG-29s to be of the upgraded MiG-29s that are already in service," defence sources told ANI. "The IAF also wants that the aircraft should be equipped with the Indian weapon systems including the Astra missiles," they said. The sources said there are other indigenous equipment and weapons which would be integrated with the aircraft once the deal comes through. The MiG-29s now have a new airframe and had been lying unused in Russia. The push for promoting indigenous weapons has come at a time when IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria has made it clear that the force will fully back indigenisation efforts such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the fifth Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme. The IAF had carried out a study to check if the airframes of the MiG-29s on offer were good enough for it to operate for a long time. MiG-29s are flown by the IAF and the pilots are familiar with it but the ones offered by the Russians are different from the ones in the Indian inventory. The Indian Navy also operates the MiG-29 'K' and is the only operator of this version of the plane. It is having a rough experience with the planes which are difficult to maintain and their settings change immediately after they land on the aircraft carrier. The IAF has three squadrons of the MiG-29s which have been undergoing upgrades for extended life and are considered to be very good planes in the air defence roles.

IAF wants new MiG-29s to be equipped with indigenous weapons

Air Force Day 2019: Indian Air Force celebrates 87th anniversary

The Royal Australian Navy commenced its largest deployment of 2019, with the new Air Warfare Destroyer HMAS Hobart leading a nine-ship task group out of Sydney on Thursday (September 26).

Australia's newest navy destroyer 'Hobart' departs for Asia deployment

Saudi Arabia Deploys American-Made Patriot Defence System. But Has The System Failed To Prevent The Attacks On Oil Facilities?

Gravitas: Saudi Arabia spends billions on Defence, But why can't it protect its assets?

India and South Korea on Friday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart with an aim to intensify defence cooperation between the two countries.

"The ministers exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest. Two MoUs to further defence educational exchanges and extend logistical support to each other's navies were signed. These agreements will help enhance defence cooperation between India-Republic of Korea," the Office of Raksha Mantri (Ministry of Defence) tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the Defence Minister held bilateral talks with his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-Doo where they reviewed defence cooperation between both countries.

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Republic of Korea: Defence Min Rajnath Singh had official talks with Jeong Kyeong-Doo, Min of National Defence of Republic of Korea. Also, two Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, to further defence educational exchanges&amp;extend logistical support to each other’s navies <a href="https://t.co/nMzGZ3k7VS">pic.twitter.com/nMzGZ3k7VS</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1169818118656380931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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During the meeting, both sides agreed that there was great potential to further boost defence ties.

"The Ministers noted that defence cooperation lies at the heart of the special strategic partnership between India and the ROK. They discussed the ongoing cooperation at Service to Service level and prospects for enhanced cooperation between India and Korea defence industries," the Ministry added.Singh is currently on a three-day visit to South Korea since Wednesday with an aim to intensify bilateral defence and security relations.

India is developing strong military hardware cooperation with South Korea as the Indian Army has already inducted the K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers (which has roots in South Korea's K-9 Thunder) built in partnership with the Indian firm Larsen and Toubro.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

India and South Korea on Friday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart with an aim to intensify defence cooperation between the two countries.

India and South Korea on Friday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart with an aim to intensify defence cooperation between the two countries. "The ministers exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest. Two MoUs to further defence educational exchanges and extend logistical support to each other's navies were signed. These agreements will help enhance defence cooperation between India-Republic of Korea," the Office of Raksha Mantri (Ministry of Defence) tweeted. Earlier in the day, the Defence Minister held bilateral talks with his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-Doo where they reviewed defence cooperation between both countries. Republic of Korea: Defence Min Rajnath Singh had official talks with Jeong Kyeong-Doo, Min of National Defence of Republic of Korea. Also, two Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, to further defence educational exchanges&extend logistical support to each other’s navies pic.twitter.com/nMzGZ3k7VS — ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2019 × During the meeting, both sides agreed that there was great potential to further boost defence ties. "The Ministers noted that defence cooperation lies at the heart of the special strategic partnership between India and the ROK. They discussed the ongoing cooperation at Service to Service level and prospects for enhanced cooperation between India and Korea defence industries," the Ministry added.Singh is currently on a three-day visit to South Korea since Wednesday with an aim to intensify bilateral defence and security relations. India is developing strong military hardware cooperation with South Korea as the Indian Army has already inducted the K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers (which has roots in South Korea's K-9 Thunder) built in partnership with the Indian firm Larsen and Toubro.

India, South Korea ink 2 MoUs to boost defence cooperation

A joint military exercise, Yudh Abhyas, between India and the US has commenced at Joint Base Lewis McChord near Washington DC.

Yudh Abhyas 2019, which started on Thursday, will continue till September 18.

"The exercise is one of the biggest joint military exercise and defence corporation endeavours between India and the USA," an Army spokesperson said.

This is the 15th edition of `Yudh Abhyas`, which is hosted alternately between the two countries.The 14th edition of the exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2018, was hosted by India in Uttarakhand.&nbsp;

A joint military exercise, Yudh Abhyas, between India and the US has commenced at Joint Base Lewis McChord near Washington DC. Yudh Abhyas 2019, which started on Thursday, will continue till September 18.

A joint military exercise, Yudh Abhyas, between India and the US has commenced at Joint Base Lewis McChord near Washington DC. Yudh Abhyas 2019, which started on Thursday, will continue till September 18. "The exercise is one of the biggest joint military exercise and defence corporation endeavours between India and the USA," an Army spokesperson said. This is the 15th edition of `Yudh Abhyas`, which is hosted alternately between the two countries.The 14th edition of the exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2018, was hosted by India in Uttarakhand.

Yudh Abhyas 2019: India-USA begin joint military exercise

The Army has inked a multi-year, $347 million deal to develop a new class of long-range precision strike missiles as part of a broader US effort to develop hypersonic weapons, <a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/f-21-will-give-india-significant-edge-with-greater-standoff-capability-lockheed-martin-211145">Lockheed Martin</a> announced in a press release on Friday.

"As the prime contractor for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) systems integration project, the Lockheed Martin-team will develop and integrate a land-based hypersonic strike prototype in partnership with the Army Hypersonic Project Office," the release said.

The release disclosed a separate $352 Army contract for Dynetics Technical Solutions (DTS) to produce the first commercially manufactured set of Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) systems.

DTS is one of a handful of US defense contractors that will work with Lockheed Martin on the project, the release said.

Both Russia and China are believed to be well ahead of the US in developing a new class of weapons that can fly up to 20 times the speed of sound, according to US officials.

In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin compared the development of the Russia’s Avangard hypersonic missile system to the launch of the first satellite in an address to Parliament.

Putin also said that jets carrying Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missiles had successfully demonstrated their unique characteristics during field testing.

The speed of hypersonic weapons makes them almost impossible to detect and destroy with existing missile defense technology.

The Army has inked a multi-year, $347 million deal to develop a new class of long-range precision strike missiles as part of a broader US effort to develop hypersonic weapons, Lockheed Martin announced in a press release on Friday.

The Army has inked a multi-year, $347 million deal to develop a new class of long-range precision strike missiles as part of a broader US effort to develop hypersonic weapons, Lockheed Martin announced in a press release on Friday. "As the prime contractor for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) systems integration project, the Lockheed Martin-team will develop and integrate a land-based hypersonic strike prototype in partnership with the Army Hypersonic Project Office," the release said. The release disclosed a separate $352 Army contract for Dynetics Technical Solutions (DTS) to produce the first commercially manufactured set of Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) systems. DTS is one of a handful of US defense contractors that will work with Lockheed Martin on the project, the release said. Both Russia and China are believed to be well ahead of the US in developing a new class of weapons that can fly up to 20 times the speed of sound, according to US officials. In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin compared the development of the Russia’s Avangard hypersonic missile system to the launch of the first satellite in an address to Parliament. Putin also said that jets carrying Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missiles had successfully demonstrated their unique characteristics during field testing. The speed of hypersonic weapons makes them almost impossible to detect and destroy with existing missile defense technology.

Lockheed Martin wins $347 million US army deal for hypersonic strike missile development

Here's A Report That Charts The Evolution Of Defence Ties Between China & Pakistan

Gravitas: Defence Ties between China & Pakistan: A Brief History

In the run-up to the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, 2019, the first of this two-part series focused on the initiation of the Kargil conflict.

In this concluding part, I intend to bring to the public some aspects of conflict progression, the constraints on the Indian Army to clear the intrusion and, briefly, where we stand today with reference to a potential repeat of Kargil.

The relatively slow response in May 1999 towards the expulsion of the intrusion was due to the lack of intelligence on the actual spread and magnitude of the intrusion. &nbsp;

In the mountains at higher altitudes, small infantry forces merge well with scraggy peaks and unless probing actions actually get into contact with intruding elements, it is difficult to ascertain the extent of ingress. &nbsp;&nbsp;

There were gaps in the defences and with vacated winter posts yet unoccupied by the Indian Army, the exercise to ascertain the frontage and exact locations was a challenge. &nbsp;

The IAF activated and flew a number of missions, but found determination of pinpoint targets difficult due to heights it had to fly at to avoid Pakistani shoulder-fired missiles. &nbsp;

Shortly thereafter came the restriction preventing both the army and the IAF from crossing the LoC. The implication was that the IAF had to fly parallel to the LoC while the Army’s operations could not plan to adopt rear, and sometimes even flanking approaches, to reach the occupied heights, which stood at 16,000 to 18,000 feet. &nbsp;

Troops had to be redeployed from the Kashmir Valley; in fact the entire 8 Mountain Division had to disengage from the counter-terror grid, acclimatise the troops and be prepared for high-altitude assault. &nbsp;

This is one of the most hazardous operations infantrymen ever undertake, having to climb 6,000 to 7,000 feet from the Dras-Mashkoh valley floor to reach their objectives. &nbsp;

Each assault by a company of 80-100 men took the better part of a week or more to attain even a modicum of success with the threat of a counterattack always present. &nbsp;

En route they suffered severe privations, very limited logistical support and heavy casualties. Higher attrition occurred due to the decision not to cross the LoC and it remains a point of debate whether anything was achieved by this. &nbsp;

At higher diplomatic levels, it helped in securing international recognition of India’s sense of responsibility and perhaps put Pakistan on the mat. &nbsp;

That helped in the US decision to force Pakistan to vacate the territory not yet cleared by the Indian Army. Some may argue that it saved many more casualties that Indian Army may have suffered, if it had to recapture every single occupied post.

What needs to be remembered is that this was not a war fought by individual arms or services of the army. Logistics played a major role and the decisions to deploy 100 artillery guns for each battalion assault, along with direct firing by Bofors guns, were all game changers. It was the collective contribution of the Army and IAF, which ensured victory for the Indian forces. &nbsp;

At another level, the failure of the Pakistan Army to collect their dead, feigning that they were freedom fighters, left the Indian Army on a higher moral plane. Honourable burial of the enemy’s dead followed with full honours due to them.

The state of preparedness of the Indian Army to fight such a war was actually abysmal. Kargil was a relatively low priority sector with assessment of potential employment of just a brigade by Pakistan in the eventuality of a full-scale war. &nbsp;

That would have had different implications. A standalone operation is something else. Military wherewithal had to be collected from different locations and flown to Kargil, reserve formations had to move and acclimatise the troops. &nbsp;

All the while, the footprint of Pakistan-sponsored terror in Kashmir Valley and Jammu was increasing, taking full advantage of the attention focused on Kargil.

One of the earliest decisions after the conflict was to curtail the Srinagar-based 15 Corps’ responsibility to the area between Zojila and Jawahar Tunnel and hand over operational responsibility of Ladakh, including Kargil, to the newly raised Headquarters 14 Corps. &nbsp;

The Kargil Review Committee was set up as a consequence of the admission that all was not well with national security. The Committee did yeoman service with its recommendations and a Group of Ministers (GoM) was set up to examine the recommendations. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s unfortunate that even with as big a trigger as Kargil 1999, the implementation of identified recommendations of the GoM were never implemented in letter and spirit. Half-baked measures such as creation of HQ Integrated Defence Staff as against an integrated Ministry of Defence were made. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Eighteen years down the line it has not happened. The fast-track acquisitions processed by the government in 1999-2001 have never been replicated and Indian troops yet fight with the same rifles they fought with in 1999. &nbsp;

India is definitely better equipped to handle crises of the Kargil type but no adversary repeats his strategy. It will be another plan and another place. National security capability demands a holistic ability to assess what, where and how an adversary may target India’s security. It also demands rapid response and appropriate capability to give our forces a more than equal chance to prevent the adversary achieving his aim. &nbsp;

All this can at no time be at levels of hundred per cent readiness, but optimisation is always possible and that is what we should be focused upon, without turfs and without personalities. &nbsp;

It has to be an institutional approach, the start point of which is surely a National Security Strategy paper from the government followed by a serious debate in Parliament.

 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-kargil-99-conflict-termination-2775761">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

In the run-up to the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, 2019, the first of this two-part series focused on the initiation of the Kargil conflict.

In the run-up to the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, 2019, the first of this two-part series focused on the initiation of the Kargil conflict. In this concluding part, I intend to bring to the public some aspects of conflict progression, the constraints on the Indian Army to clear the intrusion and, briefly, where we stand today with reference to a potential repeat of Kargil. The relatively slow response in May 1999 towards the expulsion of the intrusion was due to the lack of intelligence on the actual spread and magnitude of the intrusion. In the mountains at higher altitudes, small infantry forces merge well with scraggy peaks and unless probing actions actually get into contact with intruding elements, it is difficult to ascertain the extent of ingress. There were gaps in the defences and with vacated winter posts yet unoccupied by the Indian Army, the exercise to ascertain the frontage and exact locations was a challenge. The IAF activated and flew a number of missions, but found determination of pinpoint targets difficult due to heights it had to fly at to avoid Pakistani shoulder-fired missiles. Shortly thereafter came the restriction preventing both the army and the IAF from crossing the LoC. The implication was that the IAF had to fly parallel to the LoC while the Army’s operations could not plan to adopt rear, and sometimes even flanking approaches, to reach the occupied heights, which stood at 16,000 to 18,000 feet. Troops had to be redeployed from the Kashmir Valley; in fact the entire 8 Mountain Division had to disengage from the counter-terror grid, acclimatise the troops and be prepared for high-altitude assault. This is one of the most hazardous operations infantrymen ever undertake, having to climb 6,000 to 7,000 feet from the Dras-Mashkoh valley floor to reach their objectives. Each assault by a company of 80-100 men took the better part of a week or more to attain even a modicum of success with the threat of a counterattack always present. En route they suffered severe privations, very limited logistical support and heavy casualties. Higher attrition occurred due to the decision not to cross the LoC and it remains a point of debate whether anything was achieved by this. At higher diplomatic levels, it helped in securing international recognition of India’s sense of responsibility and perhaps put Pakistan on the mat. That helped in the US decision to force Pakistan to vacate the territory not yet cleared by the Indian Army. Some may argue that it saved many more casualties that Indian Army may have suffered, if it had to recapture every single occupied post. What needs to be remembered is that this was not a war fought by individual arms or services of the army. Logistics played a major role and the decisions to deploy 100 artillery guns for each battalion assault, along with direct firing by Bofors guns, were all game changers. It was the collective contribution of the Army and IAF, which ensured victory for the Indian forces. At another level, the failure of the Pakistan Army to collect their dead, feigning that they were freedom fighters, left the Indian Army on a higher moral plane. Honourable burial of the enemy’s dead followed with full honours due to them. The state of preparedness of the Indian Army to fight such a war was actually abysmal. Kargil was a relatively low priority sector with assessment of potential employment of just a brigade by Pakistan in the eventuality of a full-scale war. That would have had different implications. A standalone operation is something else. Military wherewithal had to be collected from different locations and flown to Kargil, reserve formations had to move and acclimatise the troops. All the while, the footprint of Pakistan-sponsored terror in Kashmir Valley and Jammu was increasing, taking full advantage of the attention focused on Kargil. One of the earliest decisions after the conflict was to curtail the Srinagar-based 15 Corps’ responsibility to the area between Zojila and Jawahar Tunnel and hand over operational responsibility of Ladakh, including Kargil, to the newly raised Headquarters 14 Corps. The Kargil Review Committee was set up as a consequence of the admission that all was not well with national security. The Committee did yeoman service with its recommendations and a Group of Ministers (GoM) was set up to examine the recommendations. It’s unfortunate that even with as big a trigger as Kargil 1999, the implementation of identified recommendations of the GoM were never implemented in letter and spirit. Half-baked measures such as creation of HQ Integrated Defence Staff as against an integrated Ministry of Defence were made. Eighteen years down the line it has not happened. The fast-track acquisitions processed by the government in 1999-2001 have never been replicated and Indian troops yet fight with the same rifles they fought with in 1999. India is definitely better equipped to handle crises of the Kargil type but no adversary repeats his strategy. It will be another plan and another place. National security capability demands a holistic ability to assess what, where and how an adversary may target India’s security. It also demands rapid response and appropriate capability to give our forces a more than equal chance to prevent the adversary achieving his aim. All this can at no time be at levels of hundred per cent readiness, but optimisation is always possible and that is what we should be focused upon, without turfs and without personalities. It has to be an institutional approach, the start point of which is surely a National Security Strategy paper from the government followed by a serious debate in Parliament. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Kargil Vijay Diwas: Institutional approach is needed in defence preparedness

Trump has issued orders to build a space force. U.S space command will oversee defence in space. China quickly catching up in space missions. China has tested space weaponry multiple times. Watch this video to know more.

China flexes its muscles in space

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman enhanced the defence budget marginally but exempted defence imports from custom duties which will help the services save around Rs 25,000 crore annually.

"In a significant development, import of Defence Equipment not manufactured in India has been exempted from Basic Customs Duty. This will have an impact of augmenting the Defence Budget by approximately Rs 25,000 crore on account of savings in expenditure on Customs Duty over the next five years," the Defence Ministry said.

Rs 3,18,931.22 crore has been earmarked for Defence excluding Defence Pensions. For Defence Pension, an amount of Rs 1,12,079.57 crore has been provided in Budget Estimate 2019-20.

Taking into account both the budget and pensions, the allocation for defence comes to Rs 4,31,010.79 crore.

The allocation for Defence accounts for 15.47 per cent of the total Central Government expenditure for the Financial Year 2019-20.

"The allocation of Rs 3,18,931.22 crore represents a growth of 7.93 per cent over Budget Estimates (2,95,511.41 crore) and 6.87 per cent over Revised Estimates (Rs 2,98,418.72 crore), respectively for the Financial Year 2018-19," the ministry said.

Out of Rs 3,18,931.22 crore allocated for the Financial Year 2019-20, Rs 2,10,682.42 crore is for Revenue (expenditure meaning for paying salaries and maintaining g existing inventory while Rs 1,08,248.80 crore have been given for Capital expenditure for the Defence Services and the Organisations/Departments under Ministry of Defence.

The amount of Rs 1,08,248.80 crore allocated for Capital expenditure, includes modernisation related expenditure.

The Capital Allocation of Ministry of Defence under BE 2019-20 is 31.97 per cent of the total Central Government Capital Expenditure, which is Rs 3,38,569 crore.&nbsp;

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman enhanced the defence budget marginally but exempted defence imports from custom duties which will help the services save around Rs 25,000 crore annually.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman enhanced the defence budget marginally but exempted defence imports from custom duties which will help the services save around Rs 25,000 crore annually. "In a significant development, import of Defence Equipment not manufactured in India has been exempted from Basic Customs Duty. This will have an impact of augmenting the Defence Budget by approximately Rs 25,000 crore on account of savings in expenditure on Customs Duty over the next five years," the Defence Ministry said. Rs 3,18,931.22 crore has been earmarked for Defence excluding Defence Pensions. For Defence Pension, an amount of Rs 1,12,079.57 crore has been provided in Budget Estimate 2019-20. Taking into account both the budget and pensions, the allocation for defence comes to Rs 4,31,010.79 crore. The allocation for Defence accounts for 15.47 per cent of the total Central Government expenditure for the Financial Year 2019-20. "The allocation of Rs 3,18,931.22 crore represents a growth of 7.93 per cent over Budget Estimates (2,95,511.41 crore) and 6.87 per cent over Revised Estimates (Rs 2,98,418.72 crore), respectively for the Financial Year 2018-19," the ministry said. Out of Rs 3,18,931.22 crore allocated for the Financial Year 2019-20, Rs 2,10,682.42 crore is for Revenue (expenditure meaning for paying salaries and maintaining g existing inventory while Rs 1,08,248.80 crore have been given for Capital expenditure for the Defence Services and the Organisations/Departments under Ministry of Defence. The amount of Rs 1,08,248.80 crore allocated for Capital expenditure, includes modernisation related expenditure. The Capital Allocation of Ministry of Defence under BE 2019-20 is 31.97 per cent of the total Central Government Capital Expenditure, which is Rs 3,38,569 crore.

Customs duty exemption to help defence forces save Rs 25,000 crore annually: Defence Ministry

The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a three-week-long coordinated operation from May 16 in their respective border areas, targeting several militant groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam, defence sources said on Sunday.

India, Myanmar armies target militants of north-eastern states in coordinated operation

The 53rd edition of the Paris Air Show is set to open its doors on Monday (June 17) amid safety concerns, trade wars and growing security tensions in the Gulf dampening spirits at the world's largest planemakers as they arrive for this week's gathering with little to celebrate despite bulging order books.

Boeing crisis, trade tensions to cast pall over Paris Air Show

PM Modi will address Maldives Parliament and he will also meet top leaders.PM Modi will also attend surveillance radar system. Watch this video to know more.

Maldives: Big Push For Neighbourhood First Policy

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PM Modi's first foreign trip in second term to Maldives

Defence, Cricket & Export will be PM Modi's top agenda as he embarks on first Bilateral Visit to Maldives. Watch full video to know more.

Defence, Cricket & Export on PM Modi's agenda as he embarks on first Bilateral Visit to Maldives

The United States is "playing with fire" with its support for self-ruled Taiwan, China said on Thursday, in angry comments ahead of a meeting between Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

The two countries, locked in an escalating trade war, are also at odds over a series of strategic issues, from the disputed South China Sea to democratic Taiwan, claimed by China as its sacred territory, to be taken by force if needed.

Wei and Shanahan - who on his first day as acting defence secretary in January said the US military would focus on "China, China, China" - are both attending the annual Shangri-La defence forum in Singapore which begins on Friday, where they are expected to meet.

China has been particularly incensed by recent U.S. Navy patrols in the Taiwan Strait, US&nbsp;legislation in support of Taiwan and a meeting between Taiwan`s national security chief David Lee and White House national security adviser John Bolton.

Speaking at a regular monthly news briefing, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian described military ties between Beijing and Washington as generally good.&nbsp;

But he took a much darker tone when asked about US support for Taiwan, an issue China has long described as the most sensitive in relations between the two countries.

"Recently, the US sides has been continually playing the `Taiwan card`, trying in futile to `use Taiwan to control China`. This is deluded," Wu said.

"The series of actions the US side has taken is playing with fire, seriously harms the development of military relations between China and the United States, and seriously harms peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait area."

Taiwan`s air, sea and land forces conducted an exercise to repel an invading force on Thursday, as its defence minister pledged to defend the island against what it sees as China`s rising military threat.

Washington has no formal ties with Taipei, but is its most important international supporter and main supplier of arms.

A senior US&nbsp;defence official said the fact that Shanahan was going to the Shangri-la dialogue during a period of tension with Iran was a sign that the United States was committed to the region and its allies.&nbsp;

During a meeting with Wei, Shanahan is expected to bring up better communication between the two militaries to avoid the risk of miscalculation, the US official said.

While Wei will likely tackle the Sino-US trade dispute and the hardening Trump administration approaches to Taiwan and the South China Sea, Asian states will be looking for calming messages, according to security experts and regional diplomats.&nbsp;

"Regional countries will be expecting reassurances that China`s intentions are in fact peaceful given its growing military might," said Singapore-based regional security analyst Ian Storey. Storey, of Singapore`s ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said Wei must also speak to his domestic constituents, given the fact his address and a rare question-and-answer session are expected to be shown prominently in China.

"In the current environment maybe they won`t want him to be too accommodating. He can be expected to blame the US&nbsp;for growing tensions in the South China Sea and there is no way he is going to admit that China is part of the problem."

The United States is "playing with fire" with its support for self-ruled Taiwan, China said on Thursday, in angry comments ahead of a meeting between Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

The United States is "playing with fire" with its support for self-ruled Taiwan, China said on Thursday, in angry comments ahead of a meeting between Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. The two countries, locked in an escalating trade war, are also at odds over a series of strategic issues, from the disputed South China Sea to democratic Taiwan, claimed by China as its sacred territory, to be taken by force if needed. Wei and Shanahan - who on his first day as acting defence secretary in January said the US military would focus on "China, China, China" - are both attending the annual Shangri-La defence forum in Singapore which begins on Friday, where they are expected to meet. China has been particularly incensed by recent U.S. Navy patrols in the Taiwan Strait, US legislation in support of Taiwan and a meeting between Taiwan`s national security chief David Lee and White House national security adviser John Bolton. Speaking at a regular monthly news briefing, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian described military ties between Beijing and Washington as generally good. But he took a much darker tone when asked about US support for Taiwan, an issue China has long described as the most sensitive in relations between the two countries. "Recently, the US sides has been continually playing the `Taiwan card`, trying in futile to `use Taiwan to control China`. This is deluded," Wu said. "The series of actions the US side has taken is playing with fire, seriously harms the development of military relations between China and the United States, and seriously harms peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait area." Taiwan`s air, sea and land forces conducted an exercise to repel an invading force on Thursday, as its defence minister pledged to defend the island against what it sees as China`s rising military threat. Washington has no formal ties with Taipei, but is its most important international supporter and main supplier of arms. A senior US defence official said the fact that Shanahan was going to the Shangri-la dialogue during a period of tension with Iran was a sign that the United States was committed to the region and its allies. During a meeting with Wei, Shanahan is expected to bring up better communication between the two militaries to avoid the risk of miscalculation, the US official said. While Wei will likely tackle the Sino-US trade dispute and the hardening Trump administration approaches to Taiwan and the South China Sea, Asian states will be looking for calming messages, according to security experts and regional diplomats. "Regional countries will be expecting reassurances that China`s intentions are in fact peaceful given its growing military might," said Singapore-based regional security analyst Ian Storey. Storey, of Singapore`s ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said Wei must also speak to his domestic constituents, given the fact his address and a rare question-and-answer session are expected to be shown prominently in China. "In the current environment maybe they won`t want him to be too accommodating. He can be expected to blame the US for growing tensions in the South China Sea and there is no way he is going to admit that China is part of the problem."

US 'playing with fire' on Taiwan, China says ahead of defence meeting

India and Sri Lanka Monday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the defence sector, including training Sri Lankan military personnel, as foreign secretary Sanjay Mitra called on President Maithripala Sirisena.

Mitra arrived on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on Sunday during which he will participate in several high-level defence cooperation meetings.

He will also meet his counterpart Hemasiri Fernando and chief of defence staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, besides visiting the central town of Kandy and the north-central town of Anuradhapura.

India and Sri Lanka have agreed for enhanced cooperation in the areas of security and defence including regional security, said a statement from the president Sirisena's office.

The statement came after Sirisena's meeting with Mitra here this morning, it said.

India has agreed to train Sri Lankan defence personnel, it added.

Training of Sri Lankan defence personnel in India became an explosive issue during former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalitha's time.

She had demanded the expulsion of two Sri Lankan officers from the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington in the State.

India and Sri Lanka Monday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the defence sector, including training Sri Lankan military personnel, as foreign secretary Sanjay Mitra called on President Maithripala Sirisena.

India and Sri Lanka Monday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the defence sector, including training Sri Lankan military personnel, as foreign secretary Sanjay Mitra called on President Maithripala Sirisena. Mitra arrived on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on Sunday during which he will participate in several high-level defence cooperation meetings. He will also meet his counterpart Hemasiri Fernando and chief of defence staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, besides visiting the central town of Kandy and the north-central town of Anuradhapura. India and Sri Lanka have agreed for enhanced cooperation in the areas of security and defence including regional security, said a statement from the president Sirisena's office. The statement came after Sirisena's meeting with Mitra here this morning, it said. India has agreed to train Sri Lankan defence personnel, it added. Training of Sri Lankan defence personnel in India became an explosive issue during former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalitha's time. She had demanded the expulsion of two Sri Lankan officers from the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington in the State.

India, Sri Lanka agree for greater defence cooperation

ISRO's PSLV-C45, which lifted off from Sriharikota on Monday&nbsp;carrying India's EMISAT satellite, is capable of placing satellites in three different orbits.&nbsp;

Describing the launch a very important milestone, former ISRO chairman&nbsp;G Madhavan Nair said ''It's not only going to launch our own satellite but also those from other nations''.

''The uniqueness of this mission is, it's going to place satellites in three&nbsp;different orbits. I hope it'll be 100% success as usual," Nair said.

Around 17 minutes after the launch, the EMISAT was placed in an orbit in 753.6 km from the altitude.

Aimed at electromagnetic measurement, the&nbsp;indigenously&nbsp;built satellite weighs around 436 kg and is designed to help the military to find ''hostile radars''.

The PSLV-C45 rocket carrying the indigenously built satellite was lifted off from the radar at around 9:27 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Along with EMISAT, the rocket also carried 28 other foreign satellites and three scientific instruments.

ISRO's PSLV-C45, which lifted off from Sriharikota on Monday carrying India's EMISAT satellite, is capable of placing satellites in three different orbits. Describing the launch a very important milestone, former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said ''It's not only going to launch our own satellite but also those from other nations''.

ISRO's PSLV-C45, which lifted off from Sriharikota on Monday carrying India's EMISAT satellite, is capable of placing satellites in three different orbits. Describing the launch a very important milestone, former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said ''It's not only going to launch our own satellite but also those from other nations''. ''The uniqueness of this mission is, it's going to place satellites in three different orbits. I hope it'll be 100% success as usual," Nair said. Around 17 minutes after the launch, the EMISAT was placed in an orbit in 753.6 km from the altitude. Aimed at electromagnetic measurement, the indigenously built satellite weighs around 436 kg and is designed to help the military to find ''hostile radars''. The PSLV-C45 rocket carrying the indigenously built satellite was lifted off from the radar at around 9:27 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Along with EMISAT, the rocket also carried 28 other foreign satellites and three scientific instruments.

Defence satellite EMISAT to help military to find 'hostile radars'

Missile defence milestone for pentagon

Rear Admiral Didier Malterre,&nbsp;Commander of the French Joint Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean, visited India last week and discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence engagement with top officials.

The French Joint Forces Commander, during his maiden official trip to New Delhi after assuming command, first visited the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) and the Information Fusion Centre (IFC).

His trip to the two centres came after Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of the French Naval Staff, made a trip there two months ago, a french Embassy statement said.

Jointly run by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guards, IMAC focuses on the analysis of maritime information across the world.

It draws on numerous sources of information for building its database on the global maritime situation, particularly by relying on its agreements with partner countries.

At the end of 2018, India also established IFC to monitor the region. It plays a central role in coordinating information in the Indian Ocean.

During the visit from February 26-28, the Commander of the French Joint Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean held meetings with top officials of the Indian Navy such as Vice Admiral M S Pawar, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command, and Vice-Admiral Ashok Kumar, Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, as well as at the Integrated Defence Staff level, represented by Lieutenant-General Amarjeet Singh Bedi.&nbsp;

Rear Admiral Didier Malterre, Commander of the French Joint Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean, visited India last week and discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence engagement with top officials.

Rear Admiral Didier Malterre, Commander of the French Joint Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean, visited India last week and discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence engagement with top officials. The French Joint Forces Commander, during his maiden official trip to New Delhi after assuming command, first visited the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) and the Information Fusion Centre (IFC). His trip to the two centres came after Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of the French Naval Staff, made a trip there two months ago, a french Embassy statement said. Jointly run by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guards, IMAC focuses on the analysis of maritime information across the world. It draws on numerous sources of information for building its database on the global maritime situation, particularly by relying on its agreements with partner countries. At the end of 2018, India also established IFC to monitor the region. It plays a central role in coordinating information in the Indian Ocean. During the visit from February 26-28, the Commander of the French Joint Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean held meetings with top officials of the Indian Navy such as Vice Admiral M S Pawar, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command, and Vice-Admiral Ashok Kumar, Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, as well as at the Integrated Defence Staff level, represented by Lieutenant-General Amarjeet Singh Bedi.

French Joint Forces Commander in Indian Ocean visits India, holds talks with top defence officials

Defence Minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/do-not-believe-in-people-who-spread-rumours-nirmala-sitharaman-to-ex-servicemen-201119">Nirmala Sitharaman</a> said Tuesday the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-options-available-if-there-is-another-terrorist-strike-official-sources-201309">Indian Air Force strike</a> that destroyed a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot area was "not a military action" as there was no civilian casualty.

She also said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had not given any casualty figure in his media briefing after the air strike and only gave a statement which is the government's "position".

Gokhale has said the non-military and preemptive strike on the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-dossiers-on-pulwama-contain-no-actionable-evidence-claim-pakistani-media-quoting-sources-201161">Jaish-e-Mohammed </a>training camp killed a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.

Sitharaman's remarks come amid some Opposition leader demanding evidence about the number of terrorists killed in the air strike.

The IAF, which carried out the strike on February 26, said on Monday that government would provide details on the casualty figures as the Air Force only sees if a target has been hit or not.

On Tuesday, the defence minister said, "There was no need to analyse more on Balakot strike" as she declined to link the air strike on terror camp with the coming Lok Sabha election.

"After Pulwama attack, we were waiting patiently for days... When we got information the terrorist attacks were originating from that region (Pakistan), without military action, we carried out the strike pointedly," she told reporters in Chennai on the sidelines of the launch of Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PMSYM), a pension scheme.

"Civilians in the vicinity or surrounding areas were not affected in any way, so we have been saying the strike we carried out after Pulwama suicide bombing was not a military action," she added.

On February 14, a suicide bomber of the Pakistan-based JeM group rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel.

Sitharaman said Pakistan has failed to take action against terror groups despite India providing details of terrorist training camps.

"Pakistan has been informed about terrorist camps, with proof, by the present (NDA) and previous UPA government. But they neither took action, nor did they remove the terrorist training camps."

"Pakistan has been denying this globally, saying it was also a victim of terrorism," she said.

On peace talks proposed by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Sitharaman said, "We have always been telling that India will be ready to hold talks only if they act against terrorism."

Earlier, she distributed the first 10 identity cards to the beneficiaries of PMSYM, marking the launch of the scheme.

Around 20,000 beneficiaries from Tamil Nadu would be joining the pension scheme Monday, out of 72 lakh unorganised sector workers.

Appealing to the state government to increase the number of Common Service Centres and 'Amma' e-seva centres in the state, Sitharaman said PMSYM along with similar schemes of the state government would fetch Rs 4,000 pension to the beneficiaries.

Unorganised sector workers up to 40 years of age can subscribe to PMSYM, which entails a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to them from 60 years of age.

The scheme, announced in the Budget for 2019-20, is targeted at unorganised sector workers with a monthly income of up to Rs 15,000.

It mandates a monthly contribution of Rs 55 for an 18-year-old worker with equal contribution from the Centre.

The worker joining the scheme at the age of 40 years would contribute Rs 200, while workers at the age of 29 years would pay Rs 100.&nbsp;

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Tuesday the Indian Air Force strike that destroyed a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot area was "not a military action" as there was no civilian casualty.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Tuesday the Indian Air Force strike that destroyed a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot area was "not a military action" as there was no civilian casualty. She also said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had not given any casualty figure in his media briefing after the air strike and only gave a statement which is the government's "position". Gokhale has said the non-military and preemptive strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp killed a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders. Sitharaman's remarks come amid some Opposition leader demanding evidence about the number of terrorists killed in the air strike. The IAF, which carried out the strike on February 26, said on Monday that government would provide details on the casualty figures as the Air Force only sees if a target has been hit or not. On Tuesday, the defence minister said, "There was no need to analyse more on Balakot strike" as she declined to link the air strike on terror camp with the coming Lok Sabha election. "After Pulwama attack, we were waiting patiently for days... When we got information the terrorist attacks were originating from that region (Pakistan), without military action, we carried out the strike pointedly," she told reporters in Chennai on the sidelines of the launch of Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PMSYM), a pension scheme. "Civilians in the vicinity or surrounding areas were not affected in any way, so we have been saying the strike we carried out after Pulwama suicide bombing was not a military action," she added. On February 14, a suicide bomber of the Pakistan-based JeM group rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Sitharaman said Pakistan has failed to take action against terror groups despite India providing details of terrorist training camps. "Pakistan has been informed about terrorist camps, with proof, by the present (NDA) and previous UPA government. But they neither took action, nor did they remove the terrorist training camps." "Pakistan has been denying this globally, saying it was also a victim of terrorism," she said. On peace talks proposed by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Sitharaman said, "We have always been telling that India will be ready to hold talks only if they act against terrorism." Earlier, she distributed the first 10 identity cards to the beneficiaries of PMSYM, marking the launch of the scheme. Around 20,000 beneficiaries from Tamil Nadu would be joining the pension scheme Monday, out of 72 lakh unorganised sector workers. Appealing to the state government to increase the number of Common Service Centres and 'Amma' e-seva centres in the state, Sitharaman said PMSYM along with similar schemes of the state government would fetch Rs 4,000 pension to the beneficiaries. Unorganised sector workers up to 40 years of age can subscribe to PMSYM, which entails a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to them from 60 years of age. The scheme, announced in the Budget for 2019-20, is targeted at unorganised sector workers with a monthly income of up to Rs 15,000. It mandates a monthly contribution of Rs 55 for an 18-year-old worker with equal contribution from the Centre. The worker joining the scheme at the age of 40 years would contribute Rs 200, while workers at the age of 29 years would pay Rs 100.

Balakot air strike 'non-military action' as no civilian casualty caused: Nirmala Sitharaman

Pakistani intelligence agencies are using fake Facebook profiles with names of Indian women in an attempt to honey trap Indian defence forces'&nbsp;personnel, prompting authorities here to send out an alert.

The alert was sent out after one such Facebook profile was detected, from which friend requests are being sent.

"After inputs were received from our personnel about a Facebook profile (Facebook ID name deliberately withheld) using the name of an Indian woman and sending friend requests to military personnel, a thorough check was carried out and found that it was confirmed Pakistani Intelligence Operative and the profile was also created there only," defence intelligence sources told ANI.

"After this, a warning has been issued to defence forces'&nbsp;personnel to be alert about this profile to avoid falling in their trap," they said.

In the recent past, there have several cases where intelligence operatives using fake social media profiles honey-trapped Army personnel and passed on sensitive secret information to them.

Recently, an Army jawan was arrested after he was found to be in touch with a suspected ISI spy using the profile name of 'Anika Chopra'&nbsp;on Facebook and were chatting regularly on the social media and exchanging details and information about the jawam's armoured unit and its movement.

The Army is now tracking multiple accounts of officers and jawans to probe if the Pakistani spy account was in touch with other personnel also to get information from them, the sources said.

A Group Captain of the Indian Air Force was apprehended by the counter-intelligence units of the Army, Air Force and the Intelligence Bureau for sharing information about transport aircraft operations as he was posted in the Air Headquarters here.

A BrahMos employee was also caught where the Pakistani spy had used the same modus-operandi to trap the official.

Sources in the defence intelligence agencies say that there are several Facebook profiles which have been identified and have been deactivated by the operators but a large number of new profiles are created by the enemy intelligence operatives to extract information from Indian personnel.

The three services also keep issuing advisories to their personnel against posting any military-related pictures on their social media profiles to avoid attracting attention of such spies and those found violating the norms also get punished.

Recently, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had also warned his personnel against falling in the social media trap of the enemy.

"Soldiers have been told not to accept social media friend requests with names of film stars. These could be honey traps. We are taking this very seriously and cannot allow security to be compromised through social media. For those (soldiers) who are not reporting the matter, the punishment is heavy," he had stated.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Pakistani intelligence agencies are using fake Facebook profiles with names of Indian women in an attempt to honey trap Indian defence forces' personnel, prompting authorities here to send out an alert.

Pakistani intelligence agencies are using fake Facebook profiles with names of Indian women in an attempt to honey trap Indian defence forces' personnel, prompting authorities here to send out an alert. The alert was sent out after one such Facebook profile was detected, from which friend requests are being sent. "After inputs were received from our personnel about a Facebook profile (Facebook ID name deliberately withheld) using the name of an Indian woman and sending friend requests to military personnel, a thorough check was carried out and found that it was confirmed Pakistani Intelligence Operative and the profile was also created there only," defence intelligence sources told ANI. "After this, a warning has been issued to defence forces' personnel to be alert about this profile to avoid falling in their trap," they said. In the recent past, there have several cases where intelligence operatives using fake social media profiles honey-trapped Army personnel and passed on sensitive secret information to them. Recently, an Army jawan was arrested after he was found to be in touch with a suspected ISI spy using the profile name of 'Anika Chopra' on Facebook and were chatting regularly on the social media and exchanging details and information about the jawam's armoured unit and its movement. The Army is now tracking multiple accounts of officers and jawans to probe if the Pakistani spy account was in touch with other personnel also to get information from them, the sources said. A Group Captain of the Indian Air Force was apprehended by the counter-intelligence units of the Army, Air Force and the Intelligence Bureau for sharing information about transport aircraft operations as he was posted in the Air Headquarters here. A BrahMos employee was also caught where the Pakistani spy had used the same modus-operandi to trap the official. Sources in the defence intelligence agencies say that there are several Facebook profiles which have been identified and have been deactivated by the operators but a large number of new profiles are created by the enemy intelligence operatives to extract information from Indian personnel. The three services also keep issuing advisories to their personnel against posting any military-related pictures on their social media profiles to avoid attracting attention of such spies and those found violating the norms also get punished. Recently, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had also warned his personnel against falling in the social media trap of the enemy. "Soldiers have been told not to accept social media friend requests with names of film stars. These could be honey traps. We are taking this very seriously and cannot allow security to be compromised through social media. For those (soldiers) who are not reporting the matter, the punishment is heavy," he had stated.

Defence personnel alerted against Pak spy on Facebook

The time is indeed now to lean into game-changing defence partnerships with India, global aerospace giant Lockheed Martin's top American executive has said.

Vivek Lall, Lockheed Martin's vice president of strategy and business development, said that the US and India are natural partners with shared interests across numerous political, economic and security issues.

A world-renowned aerospace and defence leader, he has been instrumental in several crucial India-US defence deals in the past one decade.

He would be leading the executive delegation of the US-India Business Council (USIBC) to Aero-India show 2019 from February 20-24.

"The time is indeed now to lean into game-changing defence partnerships. India-US ties are growing ever closer and we are very encouraged by the positive trend we're seeing in US-India relations, particularly on the defence and security front," Lall told PTI.

"Dr Vivek Lall, Vice President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics service is our leader this year and we are also pleased to have USIBC's new Chairman of our Defence and Aerospace Committee Mr Rich Weir of Northrop Grumman in attendance," USIBC said in a statement.

Aero India is a wonderful opportunity for USIBC members and Lockheed Martin to meet with senior US and Indian government officials, participate in business-to-business networking activities and attend seminars that provide insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with doing business in India's aerospace and defence sector, Lall said.

"Aero India is also an ideal venue to highlight Lockheed Martin's suite of security solutions and partnerships that support India's defence needs, Make in India and India-US ties," Lall said in response to a question.

Officials from the US Department of Defence are also scheduled to attend the annual aero show in Bengaluru.&nbsp;

The time is indeed now to lean into game-changing defence partnerships with India, global aerospace giant Lockheed Martin's top American executive has said. Vivek Lall, Lockheed Martin's vice president of strategy and business development, said that the US and India are natural partners with shared interests across numerous political, economic and security issues.

The time is indeed now to lean into game-changing defence partnerships with India, global aerospace giant Lockheed Martin's top American executive has said. Vivek Lall, Lockheed Martin's vice president of strategy and business development, said that the US and India are natural partners with shared interests across numerous political, economic and security issues. A world-renowned aerospace and defence leader, he has been instrumental in several crucial India-US defence deals in the past one decade. He would be leading the executive delegation of the US-India Business Council (USIBC) to Aero-India show 2019 from February 20-24. "The time is indeed now to lean into game-changing defence partnerships. India-US ties are growing ever closer and we are very encouraged by the positive trend we're seeing in US-India relations, particularly on the defence and security front," Lall told PTI. "Dr Vivek Lall, Vice President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics service is our leader this year and we are also pleased to have USIBC's new Chairman of our Defence and Aerospace Committee Mr Rich Weir of Northrop Grumman in attendance," USIBC said in a statement. Aero India is a wonderful opportunity for USIBC members and Lockheed Martin to meet with senior US and Indian government officials, participate in business-to-business networking activities and attend seminars that provide insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with doing business in India's aerospace and defence sector, Lall said. "Aero India is also an ideal venue to highlight Lockheed Martin's suite of security solutions and partnerships that support India's defence needs, Make in India and India-US ties," Lall said in response to a question. Officials from the US Department of Defence are also scheduled to attend the annual aero show in Bengaluru.

Time has come for game-changing defence pacts with India: Lockheed official 

US National Security Adviser John Bolton told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Friday that America supports India's right to self-defence.

Bolton telephoned Doval Friday morning to express his condolences for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pulwama-attack-india-slams-pakistan-yet-again-says-islamabad-cannot-claim-its-unaware-of-jem-presence-197702">terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir </a>and offered the US' full support to India in confronting terrorism.&nbsp;

"I told Ajit Doval today that we support India's right to self-defence. I have spoken to him twice, including this morning... And expressed the US' condolences over the terrorist attack,"&nbsp;he told.

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NSA Bolton offers all assistance to India to bring the perpetrators &amp; backer of the attack promptly to justice: MEA <a href="https://t.co/vnxqQkNaaZ">pic.twitter.com/vnxqQkNaaZ</a>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1096618893261656064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Bolton said the US has been very clear to Pakistan on ending support to terrorist safe havens.&nbsp;

"We have been very clear on that score... And, we are continuing to be in discussions we are going to have with the Pakistanis,"&nbsp;he said.&nbsp;

Earlier, the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked Pakistan to end its support to terrorist safe havens inside the country.

"We stand with #India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security,"&nbsp;Pompeo said on Twitter.

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The U.S. condemns yesterday’s horrific terror attack on Indian security forces. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1096474341649403905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In a stern message to Pakistan, the White House asked Islamabad to "immediately end" its "support" to all terror groups and not to provide "safe haven" to them, as the US condemned the brutal Pulwama terror attack claimed the lives of at least 40 CRPF soldiers.

Pakistan-based <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pulwama-terror-attack-nia-begins-investigation-7-detained-after-raids-197621">Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)</a> has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday that left at least 40 CRPF soldiers dead and five others critically wounded.

"The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a late night statement on Thursday.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Friday that America supports India's right to self-defence. Bolton telephoned Doval Friday morning to express his condolences for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and offered the US' full support to India in confronting terrorism.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Friday that America supports India's right to self-defence. Bolton telephoned Doval Friday morning to express his condolences for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and offered the US' full support to India in confronting terrorism. "I told Ajit Doval today that we support India's right to self-defence. I have spoken to him twice, including this morning... And expressed the US' condolences over the terrorist attack," he told. NSA Bolton offers all assistance to India to bring the perpetrators & backer of the attack promptly to justice: MEA pic.twitter.com/vnxqQkNaaZ — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) February 16, 2019 × Bolton said the US has been very clear to Pakistan on ending support to terrorist safe havens. "We have been very clear on that score... And, we are continuing to be in discussions we are going to have with the Pakistanis," he said. Earlier, the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked Pakistan to end its support to terrorist safe havens inside the country. "We stand with #India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security," Pompeo said on Twitter. The U.S. condemns yesterday’s horrific terror attack on Indian security forces. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand with #India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 15, 2019 × In a stern message to Pakistan, the White House asked Islamabad to "immediately end" its "support" to all terror groups and not to provide "safe haven" to them, as the US condemned the brutal Pulwama terror attack claimed the lives of at least 40 CRPF soldiers. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday that left at least 40 CRPF soldiers dead and five others critically wounded. "The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a late night statement on Thursday.

'We support India's right to self-defence': US NSA Bolton tells his Indian counterpart Doval

In a major decision, the Defence Acquisition Council &nbsp;(DAC) on Thursday approved indigenous construction of six submarines for the Indian navy, accounting for a total cost of Rs 40,000 crore.&nbsp;

The project comes under Defence Ministry's "strategic partnership" (SP) model that aims at providing significant filip to the government "Make in India" program. This is the second such project under the SP model.

SP model calls for indigenous manufacturing of major defence platforms by an Indian strategic partner who will collaborate with foriegn OEM to set up production faculty in the country.&nbsp;

Accrding to Defence ministry's release "model has a long term vision of promoting India as a manufacturing hub for defence equipment through tranfer if niche techologies and higher indigenous content thereby enhancing self sufficiency for meeting the future requirements of the armed forces."

The first project under the SP model was indigenous production of 111 naval utility helicopters in August 2018.&nbsp;

Construction of six submarines the defence ministry has said "is expected to provide a major boost to the existing submarine design and manufacturing eco system in India through tranfer of design and equipment technology as well as necessary skill set."

In a major decision, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday approved indigenous construction of six submarines for the Indian navy, accounting for a total cost of Rs 40,000 crore.

In a major decision, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday approved indigenous construction of six submarines for the Indian navy, accounting for a total cost of Rs 40,000 crore. The project comes under Defence Ministry's "strategic partnership" (SP) model that aims at providing significant filip to the government "Make in India" program. This is the second such project under the SP model. SP model calls for indigenous manufacturing of major defence platforms by an Indian strategic partner who will collaborate with foriegn OEM to set up production faculty in the country. Accrding to Defence ministry's release "model has a long term vision of promoting India as a manufacturing hub for defence equipment through tranfer if niche techologies and higher indigenous content thereby enhancing self sufficiency for meeting the future requirements of the armed forces." The first project under the SP model was indigenous production of 111 naval utility helicopters in August 2018. Construction of six submarines the defence ministry has said "is expected to provide a major boost to the existing submarine design and manufacturing eco system in India through tranfer of design and equipment technology as well as necessary skill set."

India approves indigenous construction of six submarines for Rs 40,000 crore

Ahead of the Interim Budget to be presented on February 1, defence experts are of the view that the government must increase its expenditure on the defence sector.

Defence analyst Swaran Singh said the defence budget is usually seen in comparison to India's neighbours.

“Last year, when Pakistan's defence budget went up by about 18 per cent, India`s defence budget went up only by about 5.5 per cent. This was seen as a matter of concern. Likewise, the Chinese defence budget is three times compared to our budget,” Singh told ANI.

“I want to underline that these are the only two countries of concern but defence budget has to keep other issues in mind and in that sense, it is important to see that what part of our total revenues are being allocated to National Defence,” he added.

Singh also said that currently, about 27 per cent of India's revenue is allocated for defence. "This is fairly impressive,” he said.

Meanwhile, defence expert SK Chatterjee opined that the defence budget must be made keeping in mind the “severe threat scenario.”

“The budget has to be made according to the threat scenario which is quite severe. However, as it is an election year, we cannot expect a huge jump in the allotment for defence in the next one year or so,” said Chatterjee.

“As I see we will not be getting enough funds for modernization of our defence while the Chinese are undergoing a huge modernisation exercise. They are cutting down on their manpower and investing in technology for the armed forces,” he added.&nbsp;

This will be the last Budget of the current BJP-led NDA government before the General Elections.

Ahead of the Interim Budget to be presented on February 1, defence experts are of the view that the government must increase its expenditure on the defence sector.

Ahead of the Interim Budget to be presented on February 1, defence experts are of the view that the government must increase its expenditure on the defence sector. Defence analyst Swaran Singh said the defence budget is usually seen in comparison to India's neighbours. “Last year, when Pakistan's defence budget went up by about 18 per cent, India`s defence budget went up only by about 5.5 per cent. This was seen as a matter of concern. Likewise, the Chinese defence budget is three times compared to our budget,” Singh told ANI. “I want to underline that these are the only two countries of concern but defence budget has to keep other issues in mind and in that sense, it is important to see that what part of our total revenues are being allocated to National Defence,” he added. Singh also said that currently, about 27 per cent of India's revenue is allocated for defence. "This is fairly impressive,” he said. Meanwhile, defence expert SK Chatterjee opined that the defence budget must be made keeping in mind the “severe threat scenario.” “The budget has to be made according to the threat scenario which is quite severe. However, as it is an election year, we cannot expect a huge jump in the allotment for defence in the next one year or so,” said Chatterjee. “As I see we will not be getting enough funds for modernization of our defence while the Chinese are undergoing a huge modernisation exercise. They are cutting down on their manpower and investing in technology for the armed forces,” he added. This will be the last Budget of the current BJP-led NDA government before the General Elections.

Union budget 2019: Defence experts pitch for an increase in funds

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