LIVE: Rajasthan Governor issues order to convene session from August 14

The five French Rafale fighter jets touched down at Haryana's Ambala today. Stay tuned for latest news live updates

9:55 PM

6 dead, over 5.5 million affected in Assam, Bihar floods; IMD sounds red alert for Kerala's Idukki

9:48 PM

3,847,531 people affected due to floods in Bihar and 25,116 moved to shelter homes

9:26 PM

Any revision in GST compensation framework would be betrayal of federal trust: Isaac

9:24 PM

Rajasthan cabinet drafts another proposal, seeks assembly session on August 14

8:57 PM

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker moves SC against HC's order for status quo on disqualification notice to 19 dissident Congress MLAs

8:56 PM

Internet access across Jammu and Kashmir shall be made available at 2G speed: Govt

8:35 PM

Call assembly session from Aug 14: Rajasthan Cabinet

The Ashok Gehlot Cabinet on Wednesday cleared another proposal to be sent to the Governor for summoning the assembly, saying the session should begin on August 14. Government sources argued that this meets the 21-day notice requirement on which Governor Kalraj Mishra was insisting.

 

The Cabinet is counting the days from July 23, when it made its first proposal. Earlier, the government wanted the session from July 31.

8:24 PM

Induction of Rafale fighter have given a timely boost to IAF's capabilities: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

8:20 PM

Assam flood: Death toll rises to 133 as 3 persons drown; 16.55 lakh remain affected

Three persons drowned in flood waters in Assam and close to 17 lakh people across 21 districts remained affected despite an improvement in the deluge situation across the state, according to an official bulletin on Wednesday. A daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) stated that one person each drowned in Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Kamrup districts.

 

With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood and landslide across the state has gone up to 133, of whom 107 were killed in flood-related incidents and 26 died due to landslides.

 

The ASDMA said over 16.55 lakh people are hit by floods in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts.

 

Goalpara is the worst-hit with over 4.19 lakh people affected, followed by Morigaon with more than 2.63 lakh people and South Salmara with around 2.50 lakh people hit by the deluge.

8:01 PM

Rafale aircraft will be a part of IAF's 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows': Indian Air Force

8:01 PM

Indian Air Force chief welcomes pilots who flew Rafale fighter jets to India

7:49 PM

Second stage of flight of Rafale aircraft covering over 2,700 km was carried out with Air-to-Air Refuelling

7:39 PM

Sachin Pilot congratulates Rajasthan Congress chief Dotasara

7:18 PM

People in Ambala rejoice arrival of Rafale jets

People danced and distributed sweets, released tricolour balloons and raised 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogans while some enthusiastically counted the jets as five Rafale aircraft arrived at the air base here this afternoon.

 

Despite many restrictions put in place by the authorities, some people took to streets to catch a glimpse of the fighter jets.

 

Authorities had imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography while Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, was imposed in the villages adjoining the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

 

The Haryana Police set up several check barricades, especially within the 3 km radius of the air base, and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the air base, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos. Violators would face punishment as per the law, they warned.

6:56 PM

36 Rafale fleet will be a game changer for India: Experts

The Rafale jets, known globally as one the most potent strategic platforms with unmatched capability in carrying out a variety of roles, will significantly bolster India's air combat capabilities when it is facing hostile neighbours like Pakistan and China, defence experts said on Wednesday.

 

The timing of induction of the 4.5 generation combat jets assumed significance as it came in the midst of India's tense border row with China, according to a PTI report.

 

They said the Rafales could be a game-changer for India after all the 36 jets join the Indian Air Force as no aircraft in possession of any country in the neighbourhood will be able to match their superior kinematic performance and powerful electronic warfare systems.

 

The Rafale jet, which is often compared with the US' stealth F-35 aircraft and F-22, is able to carry out all combat aviation missions like air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence at varied speed limits of up to 1.8 Mach.