India hopes to ink deal for manufacturing Russia’s Kamov Ka-226 helicopters

Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Varma on Monday said that India hopes to ink a deal for manufacturing Russia’s Kamov Ka-226 helicopters in the country next year

Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Varma on Monday said that India hopes to ink a deal for manufacturing Russia’s Kamov Ka-226 helicopters in the country next year. “There are still some technical discussions regarding indigenisation of production in India of the Kamov 226 helicopters. We hope that these discussions will be successful soon and therefore we will then go to the next stage of the signing of the contract for the production of Kamov 226,” Varma told Sputnik.

Earlier this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched Konkurs Missile Test Equipment and Konkurs Launcher Test Equipment, which have been indigenously designed and developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).These products were earlier being imported from Russia.

Meanwhile, Varma told Sputnik that the defence industry cooperation will be one of the key areas of collaboration between India and Russia and it will be addressed at the upcoming India-Russia bilateral summit. “[The Indian-Russian bilateral summit] will cover all issues — political, economic, trade, energy. And, of course, defence cooperation will be one of the main pillars of cooperation,” Varma told Sputnik. “We expect some very major announcements, including Russian support for the Make in India program of Prime Minister Modi. Russia has extended very positive support, we are very grateful for that,” he added…Read Full Story

Three shot inside Lexington mall, 1 killed, says Kentucky police

Three people were shot inside a Kentucky mall, and one of them was later pronounced dead, police said.

Three people were shot inside a Kentucky mall Sunday, and one of them was later pronounced dead, police said. The Lexington Police Department said in a post on social media that the shooting occurred around 4 p.m. outside of a store at the Fayette Mall. Police said later that the shooting did not appear to be random.

It appears from the information that we’ve gathered thus far that the persons involved knew each other, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told reporters. We know at least the intended target may have known the suspect. Officers evacuated the mall and checked each store. Three people were taken to a hospital, Weathers said.

Police spokeswoman Brenna Angel said in a statement Sunday night that a male victim died. His name was withheld pending notification of relatives. The conditions of the other two people who were shot were not immediately released. Neither Weathers nor Angel offered further details on the shooter. Police sought tips from the public to help in the investigation. Alicia Spurlock told the Lexington Herald-Leader that she and her daughter had just left a store inside the mall when they heard multiple gunshots. It took me a minute to register what that was, Spurlock said. Everybody just started running…Read More

Israeli research team gets a step closer to developing a Covid-19 vaccine

Flights have been planned to Gulf, New York, London, Chicago, Dhaka, San Francisco and Singapore

India plans to airlift almost 15,000 stranded citizens across the world from 24 different countries starting from May 7. The exercise is being touted as one of the largest ever undertaken by any country. According to an internal plan prepared by the Ministry of External Affairs and reviewed by Business Standard, while priority is the Gulf region, where 70 percent of non-resident Indians live, India will also bring back stranded citizens from London, Singapore, San Francisco, New York, Washington, Kuala Lumpur, Chicago in the first week itself.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: After Delhi, Andhra Pradesh now hikes liquor price by 50%

The MEA clarified yesterday that this is a reaptriation exercise and not an evacuation, which means that passengers returning will have to bear the cost of their air ticket. According to the plan, the passengers coming from Gulf will arrive at Kochi and Kozhikode, citizens from UK and USA will be brought back to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi.

The exercise will run into several weeks and will see state-owned carrier Air India, private airlines, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy joining hands to bring back the citizens. India’s evacuation of 1,70,000 civilians from Kuwait during the 1990 Gulf war has been the world’s largest evacuation exercise of civilians by air. India had then operated a little less than 500 flights, mostly by Air India, over two months. More than 25 years later, the feat also inspired the Akshay Kumar-starrer Bollywood flick ‘Airlift’…Read More

Follow coronavirus prevention rules or face action, DGCA tells airlines

Two Iranian carriers were earlier suspended; regulator’s ire directed at airlines that aren’t making self-declaration forms available

Directorate General of Civil Aviation has cautioned remote carriers of severe activity including conceivable suspension of calendar in the event that they neglect to hold fast to government guidelines on coronavirus counteraction. General screening of all showing up travelers was presented from last Thursday. Aircrafts have been approached to disperse self-presentation structures to travelers and make on board declarations right now.

“We have discovered that a few worldwide aircrafts are not holding fast to the standards. Inability to hold fast to rules will involve severe activity,” said Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar. He didn’t unveil name of carriers. Air terminals have been entrusted to print the structures and give them in adequate amount to the aircrafts, Kumar included. “It has come to information that a few aircrafts are not guaranteeing accessibility of self-statement structures prompting long lines at appearance focuses. This has been seen intensely by this office,” delegate chief general Sunil Kumar said in a roundabout to all aircrafts.

Earlier, DGCA temporarily suspended two Iranian carriers, Iran Air and Mahan Air, from operating to India in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Around 200 Iranians stranded in India following route suspension have returned to their country on a relief flight and Indian Air Force has flown 58 Indians from Iran.

Keep Reading: Coronavirus

Indian Air Force inducts 8 US-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters

The IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US government and Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters

Eight US-made Apache AH-64E(I) helicopters were inducted into the Indian Air Force’s fleet on Tuesday at the Pathankot airbase to add more teeth to the force as part of India’s modernisation plans.

Two Apache helicopters flown by Wing Commander Kshitij Avasthi and squadron leader Munish Dogra presented the tactical manoeuvres before a select gathering, including IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. They were assisted by co-pilots AK Shrivastava and Anoop Kumar Singh. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa congratulated the pilots and performed a pooja during the induction of the new flying machines. They were later given water cannon salutes.

“#NewInduction: Glimpses of Apache AH-64E Apache attack helicopter’s maiden flight at AFS Hindan. The helicopter is planned to be inducted into the IAF on 03 Sep 19 at AFS Pathankot,” IAF tweeted with a four-minute video of the chopper.

India had signed a $1.1-billion deal with US defence giant Boeing in September 2015 for 22 Apache choppers to sharpen its attack capabilities. The first Apache squadron is being raised with eight helicopters that have already been supplied by Boeing. Boeing is likely to deliver all the 22 helicopters, tailored for the IAF, through 2020. IAF currently flies Soviet-origin Mi-25 and Mi-35 helicopter gunships…

Pakistan planes didn’t cross LoC in Feb 27 dogfight, says IAF chief Dhanoa

Referring to the Kargil conflict, Dhanoa said that Mirage aircraft of the IAF carried out effective strikes on Pakistani infiltrators

Air Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa on Monday said Pakistan Air Force planes did not cross the Line of Control (LoC) during the February 27 dogfight in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike, a military objective which India achieved.

“Pakistan did not come into our airspace. Our objective was to strike terror camps. Their objective was to target army places. None of them crossed the border. We achieved our military objective. None of them crossed the Line of Control into our territory,” he said. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa was speaking at a press meet after the Indian Air Force at its Gwalior airbase recreated the Tiger Hill attack and displayed aircraft used during the ‘Operation Vijay’ to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil conflict.

Replying to questions, the Air Chief said, “They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace…that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part and you have noticed that the Air Force has never stopped our civilian air traffic.” He recalled, “Only on February 27 (this year) we had stopped Srinagar airspace for two-three hours…We did not allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs.”

Referring to the Kargil conflict, Dhanoa said that Mirage aircraft of the IAF carried out effective strikes on Pakistani infiltrators. “We standby the people who achieved this. Pakistan did not have beyond visual range missile. When you have an element of surprise by your side then you can make success,” he said, adding, “Purpose of our attack has always been to show our resolve and capability.”

Mirage 2000 jets, air support turned the tide of 1999 Kargil war: Dhanoa

B S Dhanoa said deploying Mirage 2000 jets and air support to ground forces turned the tide of the 1999 war

The integration of targeting pods and laser-guided bomb system for the Mirage 2000 aircraft for the Kargil war was done in a record time of 12 days, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said Monday. Dhanoa was speaking at an event at the Gwalior air base to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil war.

“Modification to the Mirage 2000 was in process and expedited, and system was brought in place for the Kargil War,” the IAF chief said. “The integration of Litening targeting pod and laser-guided bomb system was done in a record time of 12 days,” the IAF chief said.

He also said deploying  jets and air support to ground forces turned the tide of the 1999 war. On the Balakot air strike and subsequent events, the IAF chief said, “Pakistan did not enter our airspace, we hit the terror camps and it failed to target our army bases.”

To a question on the recent crash of an IAF AN-32 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh, Dhanoa said, “AN-32 aircraft will continue to fly in mountainous areas. We don’t have any replacement.”

“We are in process of getting more modern aircraft which will be put in critical role once received, and AN-32 will be out and used for transport and training purposes,” he said. All 13 air-warriors on board the transport aircraft died in the crash in a heavily forested mountainous area in Arunachal Pradesh this month.

India may buy Rs 6,000 cr-worth of air missiles from US to shield Delhi

Once the deal is inked, the deliveries will take place in two to four years

India has begun the way toward procuring the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System-II (NASAMS-II) from the US to completely verify its airspace against aeronautical dangers going from automatons to ballistic rockets. A safeguard service source told Times of India, “the US is probably going to send the last draft of the ‘letter of acknowledgment’ for the clearance of NASAMS-II to India under its remote military deals program, at an expense of over Rs 6,000 crore, by July-August.”

When the arrangement is inked, the conveyances will occur in two to four years, as indicated by a report distributed in TOI. The NASAMS-II will be utilized alongside indigenous, Russian and Israeli frameworks to build up a multi-layered rocket shield over the National Capital Territory of Delhi. According to the proposed generally speaking air resistance plan for Delhi, the deepest layer of security will be through the NASAMS. Resistance acquisitions board (DAC), led by India’s Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, had in 2018, endorsed the “acknowledgment of need (AoN) for the securing of NASAMS-II.

What is NASAMS-II?

NASAMS-II is an overhauled form of the Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace/Raytheon National Advanced Surfaceto-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and highlights new 3D versatile observation radars and 12 rocket launchers for speedier response. The new air-safeguard framework will in the end supplement the since quite a while ago deferred indigenous two-level ballistic rocket barrier (BMD) shield that is in a propelled phase of improvement by Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

A NASAMS battery comprises of up to 12 multimissile launchers, every one of which can convey six AIM-120-arrangement propelled medium-go aerial rockets (AMRAAMs) or other surface-to-air rockets (SAMs); up to eight A/MPQ-64 Sentinel X-band 3D radars; up to four Fire Distribution Centers (FDCs); and up to four MPS 500 electrooptical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor framework vehicles…

100 hours on, IAF intensifies search ops to trace missing AN-32 aircraft

The Russian-made aircraft took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm on Monday for the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground. Its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday said it has intensified the search operation to trace the AN-32 aircraft that has gone missing in Arunachal Pradesh after taking off from Assam’s Jorhat, and has deployed more assets and roped in the local civic and police agencies in its effort.

The Russian-made aircraft took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm on Monday for the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground. Its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm. A total of eight aircrew and five passengers were on board the aircraft. All the three armed forces have deployed their assets to trace the aircraft. However, the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation has met with little success so far due to the difficult terrain and rough weather.

According to sources, the rescuers have not received any signal from the emergency locator beacon in the missing plane and there is a possibility that the device may not have been functional. They said the IAF had deployed four Mi-17 helicopters, three advanced light helicopters, of which two belonged to the Army, two Sukhoi-30 aircraft, one C-130 transporter aircraft and one Unmanned Aerial Vehicle of the Army. Two Cheetah helicopters will also join the search operations on Friday, the sources said.

“The IAF has further intensified and expanded search for the missing AN-32. Fighter aircraft, C130, helicopters, aircraft carrying specialised sensors, satellites and all possible civil, police and local administrative agencies have further expanded search based on human and sensor inputs,” the Air Force said in a statement. “The search by parties on foot and night-capable aircraft will continue through the night and satellite data is being analysed regularly,” it added.

Read Full Story : AN 32 Aircraft 

13 killed in Air Force crash; overhaul of AN-32 aircraft languishes

Ukraine-Russia spat over Crimea derails AN-32 fleet modernisation

In a harsh reminder of the unforgiving terrain the Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft operate in, one of these IAF workhorses crashed in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. There were 13 military personnel on board. The aircraft was flying from Jorhat, over high, densely forested mountains, to the advanced landing ground (ALG) at Mechuka, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. AN-32s carry supplies that sustain army troops on the LAC.

“No wreckage has been sighted so far. IAF is coordinating with Indian Army as well as various government and civil agencies to locate the missing aircraft,” stated the IAF. The crash was an eerie echo of another one almost exactly a decade ago, when 13 personnel were killed in June 2009, when an AN-32 crashed soon after taking off from Mechuka.

In another incident that remains a mystery, an AN-32 aircraft with 29 personnel on board disappeared from radar screens on July 22, 2016, when flying from Chennai to Port Blair in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. No wreckage or bodies have ever been located.

Soon after the 2009 crash, the IAF signed a $400 million contract with Antonov, the Ukrainian firm that built the AN-32, for modernizing the 103 aircraft-strong fleet with improved avionics for flying in difficult conditions. The modernization was also intended to add ten years to the AN-32’s service life.

By 2014, 45 AN-32s were modernized in Ukraine, and then 10 more in the IAF base repair depot in Kanpur. But the programme then stalled when Russia annexed Ukrai­ne’s Crimean Peninsula. Kiev cut ties with Moscow and essential Russian components for the AN-32 upgrade became unavailable…

Pak military takes foreign media, diplomats on tour of Balakot seminary

According to reports, the group was flown from Islamabad in a helicopter to Jabba in Balakot

International News: Pakistan military on Wednesday took a group of international media personnel and foreign diplomats on a tour of the seminary and its surrounding areas in Balakot, where India carried out a counter-terror operation on JeM’s biggest training camp 43 days ago. Tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1. According to BBC Urdu, the group was flown from Islamabad in a helicopter to Jabba in Balakot. They visitors trekked for about one-and-a-half hour to reach the madrassa on the top of a mountain surrounded by lush green trees.

The group, while going up, also saw a ditch on a hillside where India jets dropped its payload, according to Pakistan military. About 150 students, aged 12-13, were present inside the seminary building and were being taught Quran when the group reached inside the madrassa, they said. The visit by the group lasted for about 20 minutes and the participants were allowed to take pictures and even some of them spoke to the teachers present there. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor held formal and informal chat with the reporters.

“This is an old madrassah and has always been like this,” he said, indicating that Indian claim of hitting it was not true. This was the first formal visit of foreign media and diplomats to the place about which India claimed that its strike killed scores of militants..

IAF inducts Chinook helicopters as US muscles into Russia’s copter monopoly

Chinook, already 50 years old, will be over 100 when it retires in 2060s

Latest News: The Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) first four Chinook CH-47F helicopters that Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa inducted into the fleet on Monday will swell within a year to a fleet size of 15 choppers.

Senior IAF officers say that this $1.5-billion purchase from US firm Boeing, which was signed in September 2015, will almost certainly be followed by an additional order. Given the Chinook’s utility, both in war and in disaster relief missions in peacetime, more of these helicopters are needed for a country India’s size.

The Chinook Helicopter replaces the Russian Mi-26 in the heavy lift class – the first helicopter category in which America has supplanted Russia’s dominance in India. Later this year, with the induction of Boeing’s Apache AH-64E attack helicopters, Russian Mi-35s will start being retired. Then, if the Sikorsky MH-60 Romeo is chosen as expected as the Navy’s new multi-role helicopter (NMRH), Russia’s Kamov-28s and Kamov-31s will be shut out from a third category.

The Chinook, with its distinctive double rotor, one at each end of the helicopter, is arguably the world’s most recognisable helicopter. It is one of Boeing’s biggest winners, with almost 19 countries flying 900 Chinooks, more than half of those by the US military…

IAF’s MiG-21 fighter plane crashes in Rajasthan, pilot ejects safely

The aircraft was on a routine mission and crashed after getting airborne from the Nal airbase near Bikaner. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely

A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district on Friday with the pilot ejecting safely, a defence ministry spokesperson said.

The aircraft was on a routine mission and crashed after getting airborne from the Nal airbase near Bikaner. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely, the spokesperson said. He said that a court of inquiry would investigate the cause of the accident.

Bikaner SP Pradeep Mohan Sharma said the MIG aircraft crashed in Shobhasar ki Dhani, 12 km from Bikaner city. He said police teams have rushed the spot to cordon off the area. No loss of life has been reported.

IAF’s Sukhoi jet shoots down Pak military drone near Indo-Pak border

It was the second unsuccessful attempt by Pakistan to send a spy drone inside India in the last six days

Current Affairs: A fighter jet of the Indian Air Force on Monday shot down a Pakistani military drone in Bikaner sector of the Indo-Pak border using an air-to-air missile, government sources said.

The Pakistani drone was shot down by a Sukhoi-30 aircraft at around 11:30 AM, minutes after a ground-based radar station detected the flying machine, they said. It was the second unsuccessful attempt by Pakistan to send a spy drone inside India in the last six days.

The radar station in the area detected the enemy drone following which one of the fighter jets deployed in the area shot it down, they said. The downing of the jet came in the midst of heightened tension between India and Pakistan after IAF struck a terrorist training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot and subsequent retaliation by Islamabad. A Pakistani drone was shot down by India on February 27 along Indo-Pak border in Kutch in Gujarat.

IAF hit the target in Balakot; we don’t count kills: Air Chief BS Dhanoa

Air Chief said it was up to the goverment to calculate the number of casualties in the strike

India Pakistan Conflict: Speaking on air strikes carried out by Indian Air Force (IAF) across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa on Monday said that the IAF had hit the target in Balakot, otherwise why would Pakistan Prime Minister have responded.

“If we dropped bombs in the jungles, then why would he respond?”, said Dhanoa.

He further added saying, “Death toll depends on the number of people present in the target, IAF doesn’t count the number of dead”, said the IAF chief. “IAF is not in a position to clarify the number of casualties. The government will clarify that. We don’t count human casualties, we count what targets we have hit or not”, clarified Dhanoa.

Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said that MiG21 used in shooting down Pakistan F-16 is an upgraded aircraft with advanced weapons system and the casualty figure in air strike on Balakot camp will be given by the government.

When asked when IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be back his fighter jet cockpit, IAF chief Dhanoa said, “Whether he (Wing Commander Abhinandan) flies or not depends on his medical fitness.

That’s why post-ejection, he has undergone a medical check. Whatever treatment required, will be given. Once we get his medical fitness, he will get into fighter cockpit,” he said. All required treatment will be given to Wing Commander Abhinandan, Dhanoa said.

The Air Force, Dhanoa said, has to get its act together and find out what caused the mid-air clash ahead of the opening of the Bengaluru air show on February 19 and helicopter crash in Kashmir last week.

Over 250 terrorists killed in IAF air strikes, claims BJP chief Amit Shah

PM Modi-led government did an airstrike on the 13th day and killed more than 250 terrorists without any harm on our side, says Shah

Current Affairs: BJP President Amit Shah on Sunday said over 250 terrorists were killed in the airstrike carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the “13th day of dastardly Pulwama Terror attack.”

Addressing the ‘Lakshya JITO’ program, Shah spoke about the two major terror strikes of the last five years and outlined the central government’s response against them. “In 5 years two major incidents happened…In URI and Pulwana…..after Uri attack our army entered Pakistan and did a surgical strike and took revenge of our soldiers’ death.”

“After Pulwama attack, everyone thought surgical strike can’t be done this time..now what will happen?… At that time Prime Minister Narendra Modi led central government did an airstrike on the 13th day and killed more than 250 terrorists without any harm on our side,” Shah said.

ALSO READ: Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is ‘alive’, says Pakistani media

On February 28, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the government to spell out “details” of the exact place where the air raid was carried out and the casualties inflicted, stating that international media claimed that there was no damage in the strike.

In the wee hours of February 26, the anti-terror operations carried out by the IAF targeted camps of dreaded terror outfit-Jaish-e-Mohammad-in Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A day later, on February 27, India foiled an attempt by Pakistan Air Force to carry out strikes in Jammu and Kashmir by shooting down an F-16 fighter jet.

Click Here For India Pakistan Conflict

IAF's chopper crashes near Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang, 7 personnel killed

The crash of the Mi-17 V5 took place at around 6 am when it was on a maintenance mission

Seven defence personnel were killed after an Mi-17 V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force crashed in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.

Tawang district Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Meena said the chopper crashed around 6.30 a.m. killing all the seven people on board.

The chopper was on a routine Air Maintenance Mission, Meena quoted a Defence officer as saying.

The crash site is located at some four-to-five hours drive from Tawang. "It is a forested area," Meena said adding that the bodies are being brought to the helipad near Tawang.

"We are told that there were no civilians and all were defence personnel," he said.

Earlier in July an Indian Air Force chopper engaged in a flood rescue mission crashed near Papum Pare district in the hill state killing four persons including three IAF crew and one India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel.

The frequently changing weather condition in Arunachal Pradesh makes flying of choppers difficult in the area and there have been several incidents of crashes in the hill state in the past.

The then Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dorjee Khandu, and four others also died in a chopper crash in the hill state in 2011.

Doklam row: Ready for two-front war with China, Pak, says IAF chief Dhanoa

Chinese troops are currently present in the Chumbi Valley in the Doklam Plateau

 

The Indian Air Force is capable of effectively countering any threat from China and Pakistan simultaneously in a two-front war, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said on Thursday and indicated existing tension between Chinese and Indian troops in Dokalam row.

Noting that the Chinese troops were currently present in the Chumbi Valley in the Doklam Plateau, the IAF chief said a peaceful resolution of the issue would be in the interest of both the countries.

"The two sides are not in a physical face-off as we speak. However, their forces in Chumbi Valley are still deployed and I expect them to withdraw as their exercise in the area gets over," Dhanoa told reporters ahead of IAF Day, which is marked on October 8.

Indian and Chinese troops were locked in an over two-month-long standoff after India stopped the construction of a road by China in Doklam in the Sikkim sector on June 16.

Asked about concerns over Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons and whether the IAF would be able to disarm Islamabad of its nuclear arsenals if necessary, Dhanoa said his force had the capability of locating, fixing and striking across the border.(economy news:)

Asserting that the IAF was capable of a two-front war to counter China and Pakistan, he, however, said the possibility of such a scenario was "low". At the same time he added that India's response had to be based on the enemy's capability as intentions could change overnight.

"We need a strength of 42 squadrons to carry out full spectrum operations in a two-front (war) scenario. It does not mean that we are not capable of fighting a two-front (war) as we speak. We have a plan B," Dhanoa said....READ MORE

Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh's state funeral today; nation mourns air warrior

The national flag will fly at half-mast on Monday as the funeral is held in Delhi

 

 

 

The funeral procession of the sole Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Arjan Singh, began on Sunday in the national capital.

The procession was followed by the last rites, which were performed at the Brar Square. The wreath laying ceremony was to take place at 9:00 am.

Though no state mourning was announced, the Home Ministry said the national flag would fly at half-mast on the day of the funeral in Delhi on all buildings where it is flown regularly.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday stated that along with a state funeral and an appropriate gun salute, a flypast might take place, depending on the weather conditions, to honour the contribution of the Air Force Marshal.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led the nation in mourning the death of Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh.

Remembered for his role in leading the fledgling IAF in the 1965 war with Pakistan, Arjan Singh died in a hospital in New Delhi on Sunday after a massive heart attack. He was 98. (economy today)

His mortal remains were kept at his residence 7A, Kautilya Marg for people to pay respects to the war hero -- the first five-star officer of the IAF.

President Kovind, also the Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces, said he was "extremely saddened to learn about the passing of our great and cherished air warrior -- a hero of World War II who won our nation's gratitude for his military leadership in the 1965 War".

Modi, who was in Gujarat to dedicate the Sardar Sarovar Dam to the nation on his birthday, paid tribute to the "brave soldier".

"Even at the age of 98, he would be dressed in uniform. He would come on a wheelchair but whenever he would see me, he would stand. He was a soldier, he never forgot his discipline."

In Delhi, Defence Minister Sitharaman laid a wreath on the air warrior's body on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Three service chiefs -- Admiral Sunil Lanba, General Bipin Rawat and Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa -- also paid their respects.

Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said Arjan Singh was a philanthropist to the core and always led from the front and brought many innovative reforms to the IAF....READ MORE