Cavalier India Defence Training Academy

As part of a broader offensive against India and Western rivals, Pakistan and China have entered a secret three-year agreement to expand potential bio-warfare capabilities, including several research projects related to the deadly agent anthrax, the Klaxon reported citing multiple intelligence sources. China has been criticised for handling of coronavirus pandemic with speculations that disease could have emerged from Wuhan Institute of Virology, though most experts have discounted the theory. According to the report authored by Anthony Klan, the same lab has signed the covert deal with Pakistan military's Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), to collaborate research in "emerging infectious diseases" and advance studies on the biological control of transmitted diseases.  Representative Image As per the intelligence sources cited by The Klaxon, they have serious concerns about the covert project which involves China testing biological agents outside its bord...

(US orders closure of Chinese consulate in Houston | Image : CNN) The United States government has abruptly ordered China to "cease all operations and events" at its consulate in Houston, Texas, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in what it called an "unprecedented escalation" in recent actions taken by Washington. Late Tuesday evening, police in Houston said they responded to reports of smoke in the courtyard outside the consulate , located on Montrose Boulevard , in the city's Midtown area. Local media shared video of what appeared to be officials inside the compound burning documents . US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the consulate was directed to close "in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information" but did not immediately provide additional details of what prompted the closure. Chinese media reported that the consulate had been given 72 hours to close. Relations between Chi...

As India rises in the world order, it should not only visualise its interests with great clarity but also communicate them effectively, says external affairs minister S Jaishankar in his new book.  External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar India has had to struggle mightily to gain influence in a domain that could have come more easily earlier as its foreign policy carries “three major burdens” from its past -- Partition, delayed economic reforms and prolonged exercise of the nuclear option, says External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The former diplomat makes these remarks in his new book “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World”, which is scheduled for release on September 7. With the period from the 2008 global financial crisis to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic seeing a real transformation of the world order, Jaishankar analyses the challenges India faces and spells out possible policy responses. As India rises in the world order, it should not only visualise its interest...

The Indian Navy has also been asked to raise its alert-level in the  Indian Ocean Region where Chinese Navy has been making regular forays.   Army has rushed in more troops, weaponry to bases along Line of Actual Control (Representational) Frontline bases of the Indian army and the air force along the nearly 3,500 km border with China were put on high alert on Wednesday in view of the worst border clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley that left 20 Army personnel dead and several injured, government sources said. The Indian Navy has also been asked to raise its alert-level in the Indian Ocean Region where Chinese Navy has been making regular forays. The Indian Army has already rushed in additional troops and weaponry to all its key frontline bases and formations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, they said.   "The rules of engagement will be different from now onwards. The prime minist...

Representative Image For the first time, an Indian military contingent comprising members of all 3 services will march through Moscow’s Red Square on June 24. In 2015, the only time Indian forces joined the military parade, the participation was restricted to the Indian army. The Russian parade is held every year on Victory Day (May 9), which marks the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945, but has been delayed this year because of the novel coronavirus. PM Narendra Modi had been invited as a special guest for May 9 event this year. With Modi unlikely to attend the delayed event in these times, the government is hoping to make up for his absence by sending a tri-service contingent to take part in the parade which showcases Russia’s military might. A tri-service contingent comprising about 75-80 will depart for Moscow on June 19. President Vladimir Putin had invited Modi for the Victory Day celebrations during their meeting in Vladivostok last year. Russia, in fact, has invited several ...

Earlier, naval ships 'Jalashwa' and 'Magar' had evacuated 2,874 Indians from the Maldives and Sri Lanka to ports of Kochi and Tuticorin. INS Shardul (Photo | Twitter/@airnewsalerts) Under the Indian Navy's 'Samudra Setu' operation, naval ship 'INS Shardul' on Thursday brought back 233 Indians to Gujarat from Iran, where they were stranded due to travel restrictions in view of the coronavirus -induced lockdown. The ship set sail from Bandar Abbas port of Iran on June 8 with these 233 Indians, mostly fishermen from Valsad district of the state, and arrived at Porbandar port on Thursday, said defence PRO for Gujarat, Puneet Chadha. "The ship is docked at Porbandar port and passengers are being deboarded. The local administration has made arrangements to send them to their respective native places," said Chadha. INS Shardul arriving at Porbandar with 233 Indians from Iran under Operation #SamudraSetu . Most of them are fishermen belonging to Va...

Response team preparing for disembarkation, INS Jalashwa, Kochi, May 17 (Indian Navy) The Indian Navy's amphibs are continuing operations to repatriate stranded Indian nationals from abroad, including citizens remaining in the Maldives.  The amphib INS Jalashwa entered Kochi harbour on Sunday morning, concluding her second voyage to bring back Indian citizens from the central port of Male in the Maldives. The ship disembarked 588 Indian citizens, including 70 women (of whom six are pregnant) and 21 children at Cochin Port Trust's Samudrika Cruise Terminal. INS Jalashwa berthed alongside at 1130 hours and was received by personnel from Indian Navy, the port and the state and national governments. Port officials made prior arrangements for streamlining the process of COVID-19 screening and immigration procedures. The civil administration is also providing transportation for the evacuated Indian nationals to their respective districts and states for post-arrival quarantine. INS Ja...

Colonel Ashutosh Sharma Unlucky thirteen became lucky for Colonel Ashutosh Sharma to join the Indian Army after attempting it for six-and-a-half years as he had no other dream than donning the olive green uniform. Col Ashutosh Sharma, who was among five security forces personnel killed during an encounter with terrorists in north Kashmir, is the second Commanding Officer of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles who lost his life while combating terrorism. Remembering Col Sharma, his elder brother Piush says that he always used to have his way, come what may. "It was like my way or the highway for him. His only dream was Army and nothing else," says Piush, who works for a pharmaceutical company in Jaipur. "He had waged a war to join the Army some way or the other till he finally achieved success in his 13th attempt (in . From that day, there was no looking back for Ashu (Col Sharma)," Piush told PTI over phone. Col Sharma joined the Army in the early 2000s. Putting up a brave face...

Army personnel distribute packaged food to the homeless in Chennai on 31 March 2020 | Image Source : PTI A medical team from the Army was deployed at the Narela quarantine camp in Delhi Friday where some of the coronavirus-infected patients from the Tablighi Jamaat event are being kept. This is the first time the armed service has been deployed at a civil centre set up to handle the coronavirus cases. So far, the Army’s doctors and specialists have only been operating out of the quarantine centres set up by the force. Defence sources said none of the quarantined people misbehaved with the Army medical team after reports emerged that some Tablighi Jamaat members refused to cooperate and even harassed civil medical teams . “This deployment consists of two doctors and two nurses. They are accompanied by a protective unit as per standard operating procedure,” said an Army source. Health ministry requests for Army team Another source said that the deployment was made at the request of th...

The 85-year-old woman was critically ill and alone at her home in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. Photo Source: The Indian Express and India TV News The Indian Army came to the rescue of an 85-year-old woman, who was critically ill and alone at her home in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, after her grandson tweeted to the Prime Minister's Office. "Help for my grandmother who is dying in a remote village of distt. Rajouri. No medical facilities amid this lockdown. she lives alone.. please Save her," Manik Sharma tweeted on Wednesday, March 31.  Help for my grandmother who is dying in a remote village of distt.Rajouri. No medical facilities amid this lockdown.she lives alone..please Save her @PMOIndia @ManhasYougal @AsadmAijaz @aajtak @narendramodi — Manik Sharma (@ManikSh10629381) March 31, 2020 "On receipt of the message, Indian Army swung into action and Army doctor was immediately sent to the village ...

Pawan Hans helicopter (File Photo) 'Lifeline Udan Flights' initiative:    The government on Tuesday announced setting up of a "cargo air-bridge" between India and China, and said that regular cargo flights for transporting critical medical supplies between the two countries are likely to be operated by Air India from April 3. In an official release, the civil aviation ministry also said it has operated as many as 62 cargo services in the past five days, starting March 26, under its recently launched 'Lifeline Udan flights' initiative , transporting over 15.4 tonnes of essential medical supplies. The initiative is aimed at ferrying medical and essential supplies from one place to another across the country. "On the international front, Air India has established a cargo air-bridge between India and China. Regular cargo flights for transporting critical medical equipment and supplies between the two countries are likely to be operated by Air India from Apr...

The Indian Army is training to assist in COVID–19 containment efforts, if needed. Photo Credits:  Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod via Wikimedia Commons Capacity building measures and cooperation with the state government officials :  Amid a nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID–19) pandemic, the Indian Army has started training personnel to participate in assisting state authorities in enforcement efforts. India’s lockdown, affecting some 1.3 billion people, is the largest national policy response of its type to the ongoing pandemic in the world. According to the Economic Times, the Indian Army has started training troops on how they might collaborate with law enforcement authorities to make sure that lockdown rules are followed. “A major part of the training involves the type of equipment they need to carry, clothing to be worn and precautions to be taken for themselves and in treating and helping” citizens, the Economic Times reports. As the training cont...

HIGHLIGHTS IAF aircraft brings back 58 Indians from Iran The Indians were stranded there due to the coronavirus outbreak The IAF plane left for Iran on Monday night The Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster with its crew before it left India for Iran on Monday night (Photo: Twitter/IAF) A military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) brought back 58 Indians from coronavirus-hit Iran on Tuesday, official said.  The aircraft, a C-17 Globemaster, was sent to Tehran on Monday evening.  About 2,000 Indians are living in Iran, a country that has witnessed increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in the last few days. " The IAF aircraft has landed. Mission completed. On to the next," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.  In an earlier tweet, he said, "First batch of 58 Indian pilgrims being brought back from Iran. IAF C-17 taken off from Tehran and expected to land soon in Hindon."  "Thanks to the efforts of our Embassy @India_in_Iran and Indian medi...

India will send a C-17 military aircraft to Wuhan on February 20 to evacuate more Indians from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city and also provide medical supplies to China, military sources said on Tuesday. The C-17 Globemaster, the biggest military aircraft in the Air Force, will carry a large consignment of medical supplies to China and bring back more Indians from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic, the sources told PTI.  According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the government till now has evacuated 640 Indians from China by sending to Air India planes. Last week, India had announced that it will send medicines as well as other medical supplies to China.  Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong has appreciated India for extending solidarity and expressing readiness to assist China to deal with the epidemic.  He also said there is no case of infection as of today among the remaining Indians in Hubei province, the epicentre of the epidemic, and autho...