Military

Four years after seizing power from the elected administration, the head of the military government declared Myanmar will hold a general election within 10 months, state-run media reported Saturday. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said Friday the election will take place either in December or January 2026 at the latest, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper. He announced the dates in a press conference while on an official visit to Belarus, one of the few allies of Myanmar's military government, saying that 53 political parties have already submitted their lists to participate in the election. However, Min Aung did not mention exact election dates. The announcement comes as Myanmar is roiled by a civil war in which the army has been forced onto the defensive against pro-democracy militants as well as ethnic militias seeking autonomy in much of the country. The army takeover from Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in February 2021 has been met with widespread popula

A shooting at a US Air Force base in New Mexico early Saturday left one airman dead and another wounded, military officials said, adding that it was not an act of terrorism or an attack by an outsider. A statement from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque said security forces responded to a shooting near one of the entrances to the base at about 2 am. One airman died at the scene, and the other was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to a hand and later discharged, the statement said. An update in the afternoon said the shooting occurred following "an off-base pursuit". There was no threat to the public, it said. The Air Force released few other details and did not immediately say whether anyone was in custody. A spokesperson declined to say whether the shooter or shooters also were airmen. The names of the airmen who were shot were not immediately released. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations was leading the probe. FBI investigators were also at the scene being

Modi-Trump meeting: The initiative aims to drive next-generation defence and technological advancements, with a particular focus on underwater domain awareness

Wind energy usually means elaborate set up with wind turbines stretching along the horizon. But Usha-Urja, a humble device indigenously developed by Indian Air Force harvests wind energy almost out of nothing, an officer said. Jostling for space among the Aero India 2025's eye-catching innovations, this humble contraption may not be worth a second glance for many. But this equipment creates electricity at high altitudes and extreme cold weather conditions when plugged into a generator that sits compactly in a military-edition suitcase. Usha-Urja's 'wind turbine' makes use of what looks like two split open PVC pipes twisted into an awkward shape onto a base that can be expanded. This is part of the indigenous innovations of IAF being displayed at Aero India 2025 show on till February 14 at Yelahanka Airforce Base, Bengaluru. Usha-Urja is a life-saving device for the military in areas where environmental conditions degrade performance of battery-operated generators or the conventiona

Peace prospects look bleak in Myanmar as a civil war rages despite international pressure on the military four years after it seized power from an elected civilian government. The political situation remains tense with no negotiation space in sight between the military government and the major opposition groups fighting against it. The four years after the army's takeover on Feb. 1, 2021, have created a profound situation of multiple, overlapping crises with nearly half the population in poverty and the economy in disarray, the UN Development Programme said. The UN Human Rights Office said the military ramped up violence against civilians last year to unprecedented levels, inflicting the heaviest civilian death toll since the army takeover as its grip on power eroded. The army launched wave after wave of retaliatory airstrikes and artillery shelling on civilians and civilian populated areas, forced thousands of young people into military service, conducted arbitrary arrests and ...

India celebrated its 76th Republic Day on Sunday with a grand display of its military might that included elite marching contingents, missiles and various indigenous weapon systems, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto gracing the occasion as the chief guest. In a first, a tri-services tableau, depicting the broader spirit of "jointness" among the armed forces, rolled down Kartavya Path, the centrepiece boulevard of the national capital. It displayed a battlefield scenario, demonstrating a synchronised operation in land, water and air with the indigenous Arjun battle tank, Tejas fighter aircraft and advanced light helicopter. The theme of the tri-services tableau was "Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat" (strong and secure India). The parade commenced with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute shortly after she and Subianto, flanked by the Indian president's bodyguards, arrived at Kartavya Path in a "traditional buggy". Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath .

Leaked documents reveal Russia's military strategy to address its concerns over eastern borders in a potential NATO conflict. This is due to the potential involvement of US assets and regional allies

China is reportedly constructing the world's largest unmanned military force, featuring affordable yet powerful drones, robotic dogs, and other automated combat systems

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS for Defence Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff, three Service Chiefs and Defence Secretary undertook visits to various nations with the aim to boost defence ties

In February 2021, Myanmar's military seized power in a coup, and the country's economy, already hammered by the pandemic, started to buckle

The future environment for military leaders will be full of challenges due to the emergence of disruptive new technologies, said Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel as he reviewed the IMA's passing-out parade for the autumn course on Saturday. He called upon the gentlemen cadets passing out of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) to be ready for such challenges and said they can embark on their exciting new journey with confidence, as they have received the best training available in the field. "The job ahead is not easy. You will face a future environment that is invariably multi-domain, multi-theatre, and multi-sectoral. The challenges will be multi-pronged due to the emergence of disruptive technologies, but you can go forth with confidence because you have received the best training," General Sigdel said, addressing the cadets. A total of 491 cadets passed out of the IMA on Saturday, including 456 from India and 35 from friendly countries. "Valour will carry you through ...

While Yoon survived an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, his party's decision to delegate presidential authority to the prime minister has plunged the nation into a constitutional crisis

South Korea's president apologised on Saturday for public anxiety caused by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this week, and said he would leave it to his conservative political party to chart a course through the turmoil left in its aftermath including matters related to my term in office", hours ahead of a parliamentary vote on impeaching him. Yoon said in a brief televised address on Saturday morning he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promised not to make another attempt to impose it, adding that he's truly sorry for causing public anxiety and inconvenience with his declaration of martial law earlier this week. South Korean lawmakers are set to vote later Saturday on impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, as protests grew nationwide calling for his removal. It wasn't immediately clear whether the motion submitted by opposition lawmakers would get the two-thirds majority ...

Burkina Faso's ruling military junta issued a decree on Friday dismissing Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and announcing the dissolution of the national government. The military's leader, Ibrahim Traore, said officials in the dissolved government will continue to perform their duties until a new government is formed. No reason was given for the move. The junta in Burkina Faso seized power in September 2022 by ousting the military rule of Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba about eight months after it staged a coup to remove democratically elected President Roch Marc Kabor. The country is one of several West African nations where the military has recently taken over, capitalising on popular discontent with previous democratically elected governments over security issues. However, since its inception, the junta has struggled to end Burkina Faso's security challenges the very reason that it claimed had prompted it to take power. Growing attacks by extremists lin

Dong Jun, former PLA Navy chief, has joined a growing list of decorated military officials in China under investigation for corruption

Japan launched a defence satellite aimed at speedier communication and military operations on a new flagship H3 rocket on Monday and successfully placed it into orbit, as the country seeks to build up its military capability amid growing tension in the region. The H3 No. 4 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Centre on a southwestern Japanese island. Everything went as planned and the satellite was successfully put into a targeted orbit, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, announced. The rocket was carrying a Defense Ministry satellite, Kirameki No. 3, which uses X-band communication for information and data sharing, as well as military operations and command. X-band satellite is less affected by weather conditions and is capable of supporting stable communication. Kirameki No. 3 follows two earlier X-band satellites already in operation to meet Japan's growing communication demands and enhance its satellite operations. Maj. Gen. Yasuhiro Kato, the Joint Staff .

Head of the US Space Force underscored the escalating dangers from both China and Russia in the space domain

Sudan's warring military and paramilitary forces are escalating attacks with outside powers fuelling the fire, which is intensifying the nightmare of hunger and disease for millions, the United Nations chief said on Monday. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the UN Security Council that the 18-month war faces the serious possibility of igniting regional instability from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa to the Red Sea. In a grim report, Guterres said the Sudanese people are living through numerous nightmares from killings and unspeakable atrocities including widespread rapes to fast-spreading diseases, mass ethnic violence, and 750,000 people facing catastrophic food insecurity and famine conditions in North Darfur displacement sites. He singled out shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence in villages in east-central Gezira province in recent days. The UN and a doctors' group said paramilitary fighters ran riot in the region in a multi-day attack that killed more

Three well-armed militias launched a surprise joint offensive in northeastern Myanmar a year ago, breaking a strategic stalemate with the regime's military with rapid gains of huge swaths of territory and inspiring others to attack around the country. Before the offensive, the military's control had seemed firmly ensconced with its vast superiority in troops and firepower, and aided with material support from Russia and China. But today it is increasingly on the back foot, with the loss of dozens of outposts, bases and strategic cities that even its leaders concede will be challenging to regain. How did the offensive unfold? The military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, giving rise to intensified fighting with long-established armed groups associated with Myanmar's ethnic minority groups, and sparking the formation of new pro-democracy militias. But until the launch of Operation 1027, eponymously named for its October 27 start, the ...

The defence ministry on Thursday signed a contract with a private firm to procure six Air Cushion Vehicles for the Indian Coast Guard at a total cost of Rs 387.44 crore. These amphibious vessels, also called 'Hovercrafts', will be procured under the Buy (Indian) category, the ministry said in a statement. The Ministry of Defence "signed a contract with Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa for procurement of six Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) for the Indian Coast Guard at a total cost of Rs 387.44 crore," it said. These ACVs will be manufactured in India for the "first time in line with the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision of the government, representing a pivotal step in the nation's shipping landscape," it said. The project will also significantly enhance the technical expertise and growth of indigenous ancillary, especially the MSME sector. "The procurement is aimed at boosting the Indian Coast Guard's capability and reinforces the increased focus towards maritime security," the statement