This is what a serving officer told me today. Words that ring true -
'Don't be disheartened (pilot capture). These are things that happen and the risks are factored in. This is what we are trained for'
The one person who got the S 400 purchase through for India is
@manoharparrikar
In this March 2016 story, we detailed his unprecedented, personally led rejig of India's air defence plans that saved India Rs 49300 crore. Yes, you read that number right.
Terrible news coming in from Galwan: Commanding Officer and two soldiers killed in a faceoff at Galwan valley last night with Chinese troops.
Huge blow to all talks and spins of de escalation.
This can now be said without doubt -
The Pakistani military now has Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman under custody. He is a MiG 21 pilot.
Hoping he remains safe.
PM
@narendramodi
's point on breaking the back of traditional Delhi's power brokers who bragged about tailoring policy for a price is perhaps the most difficult task the Govt managed to achieve.
One by one, most have disappeared.
India's first home built aircraft carrier completes its 4th phase of trials.
Beautiful photos of MiG 29K on deck, ALH ops and CIWS in action.
Vikrant is to be commissioned in August.
My take:
* Bold move, required political will
* Technology to develop ASAT missile was available since 2012 but no sanction was given
* Last test was by China, invited worldwide condemnation
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has handed over first lot of Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicles (IPMVs) to the Army Chief today.
First private sector company to produce and deliver wheeled armoured combat vehicles.
Co developed with DRDO.
In a nutshell
1. French Govt: No role in selecting Reliance
2. Indian Govt: No role in selecting Reliance
3. Dassault: We selected Reliance
4. French Prez who negotiated deal: We were told to partner with Reliance
Question Hollande has to answer - who told him and when ?
The Indian statement today makes one thing clear - today's action by the Pakistani air force is being treated as a military act of aggression.
Retaliation is certain.
Defence Minister
@nsitharaman
meeting Wing Commander Abhinandan at the Army RR Hospital today.
He seems fit, no worrying back injuries after the ejection.
Breaking:
Def Min
@rajnathsingh
gives go ahead to Project 75I for six conventional submarines to be built in India.
Pending for 22 years, the Rs 43,000 crore project will now go ahead.
Direct competition between MDL and L&T.
BREAKING: In the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation.
BREAKING:
Pakistan placed in the Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List (Black List) for failure to meet standards by the Asia Pacific Group of the FATF.
Pak wasย non-compliant on 32 of the 40 parameters.
Next test in October when the FATF meets.
The strong, no nonsense stand taken by India has paid dividends - quick release of Wing Commander Abhinandan announced by Pakistan. To be home tomorrow.
The Pakistani side has confirmed that a 'paylaod' (weapon) has been dropped near Balakot.
Now, that is a very deep strike indeed by the Indian Air Force. And if Indian jets have come back unharmed from this, a superb mission indeed.
No official word yet.
Ladakh standoff: India's allies pitching in with weapons, ammunition.
Additional Rafales from France next month
$ 1 billion worth emergency ammo, ATGMs, MANPADs from Russia
In service SAM system from Israel
Excalibur, intelligence from the US
Huge:
Defence Ministry clears first ever acquisition of 100 plus home developed Astra long range air to air missiles.
Huge fillip for DRDO.
To be ordered by both Air Force and Navy.
Big day for India:
The first ever indigenous aircraft carrier - the largest ever warship made in India - commences its sea trials today.
Vikrant (IAC) sails again, named after the original carrier that was operational during the 1971 war.
Delimitation exercise by the Election Commission to also take place for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Seats in the legislative assembly to increase from 107 to 114. Reservations for SC/ST to be included.
UT will follow the Puducherry model.
Alarm bells after 100 PLA soldiers cross border at Barahoti, Uttarakhand, cause infra damage before retreating.
First ever Chinese transborder intrusions took place here in 1954, which expanding to other areas, ending in the 1962 war
With
@rahultripathi
Difficult to beat that - Wing Commander Gajanand Yadava in a skydive jump with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan flag from a C-130J at 15,000 feet.
At Air Force Station Arjan Singh (Panagarh).
Other things aside, shooting down of a Pakistani F 16 by the Indian MiG 21 Bison will have a disastrous impact on Lockheed Martin's ongoing campaign to sell the fighter to IAF.
Even though re-branded as the F 21, my guess is that its chances have been shot beyond visual range.
Clear words by Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria - no one will fight our wars for us. We have to do it ourselves. Cannot count on anyone else.
(Responding to questions on US military deployments)
Terrible news coming in from Galwan: Commanding Officer and two soldiers killed in a faceoff at Galwan valley last night with Chinese troops.
Huge blow to all talks and spins of de escalation.
BREAKING: In the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation.
Witnessed my first training drill on the LAC - ATGM firing drill on a 'target' of three approaching tanks from across the border near Bum La.
A task to even lug the equipment around at almost 15,000 feet. But these soldiers do all this, plus an intensive physical drill each day
PM Modi announces that India has shot down a low orbit satellite, demonstrating its space warfare capability. Elite grouping of US, Russia and China have this capability.
Boeing confirms that the final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters have been handed over to the IAF at Air Force Station, Hindan.
With this, company has completed delivery of all new
AH-64E Apache and CH-47F(I) Chinook choppers.
Close quarter standoff near the Mukhpari peak in Chushul continues.
40 PLA soldiers take up positions very close to an India forward post.
Situation very tense.
I told the truth that 39 Indians were killed. The government has misled the 39 families who lost their relatives: Harjit Masih, man who returned from Mosul earlier, claimed that 39 Indians were killed by ISIS there.
Having covered and observed
@manoharparrikar
closely when he was Def Min, can say that he is strong willed.
This would be his idea and no one would have been able to deter him.
Indian, Chinese troops clashed at Naku La in Sikkim last week.
Physical clashes after PLA attempted to intrude.
Injuries on both sides. Situation now under control.
SC says it did not find any wrong in selection of Indian offset partners by Dassault. Dismisses all PILs and gives a huge boost to Narendra Modi government.
#WATCH
Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa says, "The Mig-21 Bison is a capable aircraft, it has been upgraded, it has better radar, air-to air missiles and better weapons system."
#IndianNavy
ship INS Khanjar provides assistance to an Iranian fishing vessel in the North Arabian Sea. The Master had requested medical aid for a fellow crew member suffering from acute inflammation and cellulitis 1/2
@SpokespersonMoD
@DefenceMinIndia
@nsitharaman
Huge:
Government of India has taken the decision to reduce the staff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50%. It would reciprocally reduce its own presence in Islamabad to the same proportion.
A full blown psyops battle is now on.
China releases report/videos of 'several thousand' paratroopers moving to Tibet.
Indian Army has issued a statement asking media to 'refrain from reporting' on border developments.
Several thousand soldiers with a Chinese PLA Air Force airborne brigade took just a few hours to maneuver from Central Chinaโs Hubei Province to northwestern, high-altitude region amid China-India border tensions.
Ladakh standoff:
China deploys excessive troops along Pangong Tso.
PLA takes up positions at finger area.
Galwan flashpoint position widened by Chinese.
Dirbuk-Shyok-DBO road being threatened.
NSA monitoring situation
50,000 PLA soldiers, surface-to-air missiles, 150 fighters near LAC but assessment that threshold for full blown conflict not reached yet.
Any attempt to breach perimeter of forward posts will be treated as hostile action, to get professional response.
Sources tell me Agusta middle Christian Michel for the first time is genuinely scared that he will be brought to India for investigations in the VVIP chopper scam.
His charges of being pressurized to take names of Indian politicians is a last ditch attempt to evade eviction.
Pak-China nexus emerging:
Additional soldiers moved to Gilgit-Baltistan, LoC by Pakistan as China remains dug in.
Intel inputs on Chinese officials trying to revive the Al Badr terror organisation for Kashmir ops.
Two and a half fronts scenario.
Satellite imagery from the Galwan Valley on June 22nd shows that 'disengagement' really isn't the word that the government should be using. This gif shows the small outpost that sparked the June 15th clashes. It has grown hugely in size. Indian troops aren't dismantling this one.
So, this is on right now -
* Army exercise on the Eastern Front
* Army exercise on the Western Front
* Naval exercise by the Western Fleet
* IAF conducting multiple Brahmos tests
* Missile Test in the Bay of Bengal (NOTAM issued)
On 7 Sep, PLA troops attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC were dissuaded by own troops. PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops. Despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint: Army
Terrible news coming in from Galwan: Commanding Officer and two soldiers killed in a faceoff at Galwan valley last night with Chinese troops.
Huge blow to all talks and spins of de escalation.
Really terrible social media battle unleashed on the India China standoff in Ladakh with video/photo.
Unnecessary, counterproductive to normalising the situation.
First ever rockets produced entirely by the private sector in India successfully test fired.
Six Pinaka rockets fired at Pokharan, meet parameters.
Technology transferred by DRDO.
#MakeInIndia
Role reversal: India offers US fighter jet trainer in 1st major defence sales pitch.
LIFT version of the LCA offered in response to a global US Navy RFI.
LCA uniquely placed as it has demonstrated carrier borne operations.
Handing over of the first Rafale aircraft to India likely on a very interesting day - October 8.
Air Force Day + Dusshera
Defence Minister
@rajnathsingh
to travel to France for the ceremony.
Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) was tested on its desired flight path at a velocity of six times the speed of sound (Mach 6) for more than 20 seconds.
"The scramjet engine performed in a text book manner" - DRDO