Page 2 - Military

Drone strike in Syria kills Saudi militant from an al-Qaida-linked group

A drone strike in northwestern Syria on Friday killed a Saudi militant from an al-Qaida-linked group as he was riding on a motorcycle, a war monitor and local residents said. The strike in the Jabal al-Zawiya area of the opposition-held Idlib province was believed to have been carried out by a US-led coalition that was established years ago to fight the militant Islamic State group. There was no immediate comment from the US military, which has carried out a series of attacks over the past several years targeting al-Qaida-linked militants in northwestern Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group, said the killed man was identified as Abu Abdul Rahman Makki, a Saudi citizen and former leader of the now-defunct extremist Jund al-Aqsa militant group. Local media activist Kenana Hindawi said the motorcycle Makki was riding was hit by two missiles. The US National Counterterrorism Centre currently lists Makki as a leader in the Horas al-Din, o

India, US military-to-military relationship strong, says Pentagon

The military-to-military relationship between India and the United States is strong, the Pentagon said Thursday on the eve of the meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd. Rajnath Singh arrived in Washington Thursday morning as part of a four-day visit to further boost the comprehensive global strategic partnership between the two countries. He is scheduled to meet Austin at the Pentagon on Friday. The mil-to-mil relationships between the United States and India are strong, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters at a news conference here. You've seen that cooperation deepen, and not just from a DOD perspective, but from an administration perspective. Our close coordination and working together remains strong. The (Defense) secretary when he visited India, you know, announced some of those deliverables, Sabrina Singh said in response to a question. I'm not going to go through all of what he announced then, but it remains

Ex-Army Chief Gen Sundararajan Padmanabhan dies in Chennai on Monday

Former Chief of Army Staff General Sundararajan Padmanabhan, affectionately known as Paddy in army circles, passed away in Chennai due to old age, a source close to him said on Monday. He was 83. He served as the Chief of Army Staff from September 30, 2000 to 31 December 31, 2002. He commanded an Independent Artillery Brigade and a Mountain Brigade before attending the prestigious NDC course at Delhi. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for his services as the 15 Corps Commander. Born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 5, 1940, General Padmanabhan was an alumnus of the prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehra Dun, and the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla in Pune. He was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery after graduating from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on December 13, 1959. His illustrious career included several prestigious command, staff and instructional postings, besides having participated in numerous operat

More arrests expected in retired ISI chief's court-martial case: Pak min

More arrests will be made in connection with the court martial of former ISI chief General (Retd) Faiz Hameed in a housing scam, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday, a day after three more retired military officers were arrested in the case. Hameed, who served as director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2021, was arrested following action in the complaint of a private property developer over alleged misuse of official authority. Investigations are underway in the Faiz case. More arrests are likely in the army and elsewhere, Dawn News quoted the minister as saying here. It seems the ambit will not just remain limited to the military but whoever is involved and whoever has compromised the country's security all those will come in its grasp, Tarar said. The minister's remarks came hours after the ISPR, the military's public affairs division, in a statement on Thursday said: In connection with the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) proceedi

2 fighter jets crash in northeastern France, search underway for 2 onboard

Two French fighter jets collided and crashed Wednesday in northeastern France, French military authorities said. One pilot was found unharmed and a search is ongoing for two other people. According to France's Army of Air and Space, a branch of the French Armed Forces, two Rafale fighter aircraft collided while returning from a refueling mission in Germany and crashed near Colombey-les-Belles, a town in northeastern France. The pilot of one plane was found unharmed, officials said. A search is underway for the two people onboard the second plane, reported by French broadcaster BFM to be an instructor and a trainee. One of the pilots has been found, he is safe and sound. The search is still ongoing," French Minister of the Armed Forces Sbastien Lecornu wrote on social media. We thank our armed forces as well as to the gendarmes mobilised in the search and in securing the area. The regional prefecture is appealing to members of the public to come forward with any information.

US-Japan talks focus on bolstering cooperation amid rising China threat

Japanese and US defence chiefs and top diplomats will meet in Tokyo on Sunday for talks aimed at further bolstering their military cooperation, including by upgrading the command and control of US forces and strengthening American-licensed missile production in Japan, amid a rising threat from China. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will join their Japanese counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara, at the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee, known as 2+2 security talks, to reaffirm their alliance following President Joe Biden 's withdrawal from the November presidential race. For the first time, the ministers will hold separate talks to reaffirm the US commitment to extended deterrence, which includes atomic weapons a shift from Japan's earlier reluctance to openly discuss the sensitive issue in the world's only country to have suffered nuclear attacks amid growing nuclear threats from Russia and China. The ministers are expected to ..

Struck several Houthi targets in Yemen in response to attacks: Israel Army

The Israeli army says it has struck several Houthi targets in western Yemen on Saturday following a fatal drone attack by the rebel group in Tel Aviv the previous day. A number of military targets were hit in the western port city of Hodeidah, a Houthi stronghold, the Israeli army said, adding that its attack was in response to the hundreds of attacks carried out against the state of Israel in recent months. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam wrote on social media platform X that Yemen was subjected to a blatant Israeli aggression that targeted fuel storage facilities and the province's power station. He said the attacks aim to increase the suffering of the people and to pressure Yemen to stop supporting Gaza. Abdulsalam said the attacks will only make the people of Yemen and its armed forces more determined to support Gaza.

US officials express concern over Russia-China space weaponisation efforts

Kruse's remarks underscored a critical shift in the perception of space as a strategic domain, with increasing military implications.

Israel to start drafting ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday; could rattle govt

The Israeli military on Tuesday said it would begin sending draft notices to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday a step that could destabilise Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The announcement followed a landmark Supreme Court order for young religious men to begin enlisting for military service. Under long-standing political arrangements, ultra-Orthodox men had been exempt from the draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish men. The exemptions created resentment among the general public in Israel, especially after more than nine months of war against Hamas militants in Gaza. The army summons is the beginning of a monthslong enlistment process that could be difficult to enforce if there is large-scale refusal to comply. The army did not say when it expects ultra-Orthodox men to begin serving or how many it expects to enlist. The court ruled that the system of exemptions, which allow religious men to study in Jewish seminaries while others are forced to serve in the .

Indian Army ready to face all security challenges: Army Chief Gen Dwivedi

The Indian Army is ready and capable to face all current and future security challenges facing India, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi said on Monday a day after he assumed charge of the 1.3 million-strong force. Gen Dwivedi said ensuring synergy among the Army, Air Force and the Navy would be one of his priorities. In remarks to the media after inspecting a guard of honour at the South Block in Raisina hills, the newly-appointed Army Chief also said that he will encourage induction of indigenously-built military hardware into the force to boost self-reliance in defence. "I will try to achieve better synergy between the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. It will protect the national interest," he said. It will be my effort that with the synergy between the Army, Navy and the Air Force and other stakeholders, we will always be prepared for operations under the full spectrum of conflict, he said. "I assure the country and all the citizens that the Indian Army is re

Army inducts 1st-ever indigenous chip-based 4G station from Signaltron

Indian army has inducted the first-ever indigenous chip-based 4G mobile base station, which it procured from Bangalore-based firm Signaltron through the government e-marketplace portal, a top company official said. Signaltron founder Himamshu Khasnis told PTI that the chip used in the Sahyadri LTE base stations has been developed by Signalchip. Earlier in 2010, Khasnis and his team founded a fabless semiconductor company Signalchip to make chips for 4G and 5G networks. "Signaltron has built the entire system indigenously using India's first chips for 4G and 5G networks developed by Signalchip. This is the first time an Indian system running on an Indian chip for complex communication technology has been inducted into the army. Using indigenous chips gives a high degree of control on the security of the system in its operation," Khasnis said. He said the Indian Army had posted a bid on GeM (Government e-Marketplace) for the supply of 4G LTE NIB (Network In a Box) solution last ...

Army commander audits operational readiness of Udhampur military formations

The Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar visited various formations in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district to review the operational preparedness of troops in the region, officials said on Thursday. His visit to the local formations on Wednesday evening was aimed to evaluate their preparedness in wake of the forthcoming Amarnath yatra and the security situation of the Jammu region. "The Army commander visited local military formations in Udhampur to review their operational preparedness," the Northern Command posted on X on Thursday. The Army Commander was also briefed on the formation's efforts in imbibing technology to improve operational efficiency, it said. Lt Gen Kumar is currently visiting various corps, divisions and military formations across the union territory to review security situation and operational preparedness of troops in hinterland and borders.

Chinese military books sold for less than $1; spy agency issues warning

Chinese national Zhang came across military-themed books at the recycling station, and purchased four of them for six yuan ($0.83)

Will focus on strengthening security, military modernisation: Rajnath Singh

The new Narendra Modi government will focus on further strengthening national security by modernising the armed forces and boosting domestic defence manufacturing, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday after taking charge of the office. Outlining his vision for the next five years, Singh said the government will work assiduously to increase defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29 from the current Rs 21,083 crore. The armed forces are being equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and platforms and they are ready to face every challenge, he told reporters after taking charge as defence minister for the second consecutive term. Singh also commended the military personnel for protecting the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation with valour and commitment, in comments that came amid the lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we aim to further strengthen the security apparatus of the country, with

Pressing Russia to release Indians in Russian military: Foreign secy Kwatra

India on Wednesday said it has been pressing Russia to ensure the safety and repatriation of its nationals employed by the Russian Army. The comments by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra came a day after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said two more Indians serving with the Russian military were killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The killing of two Indians has taken the number of such deaths to four. "Since the first day, we have constantly been discussing this matter with the Russian authorities, the system and the leadership," Kwatra said. "All of our efforts are aimed at keeping the Indians safe," he said at a media briefing while responding to a question on the matter. "We have clearly told the Russian officials that all Indians in the war zone, howsoever they got there is another matter, should be returned (to India)," he said. Confirming the deaths of the two Indians, the MEA on Tuesday said India has strongly taken up the matter with Russia and sought early release

South Korea suspends military deal with North Korea over trash balloons

South Korea on Tuesday took steps to suspend a contentious military agreement with North Korea and resume frontline military activities, as tensions between the rivals are rising over the North's recent launch of trash-carrying balloons. North Korea didn't immediately respond, but South Korea's resumption of firing exercises or propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts will likely prompt North Korea to take similar or stronger steps along the rivals' tense border. In the past week, North Korea has used balloons to drop manure, cigarette butts, scraps of cloth and waste paper on South Korea, prompting Seoul to vow unbearable retaliation. On Sunday, North Korea said it would halt its balloon campaign. On Tuesday, South Korea's Cabinet Council and President Yoon Suk Yeol approved a proposal to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean agreement on lowering frontline military tensions. It will take effect once Seoul formally notifies the North. Cho Chang-rae, South Korea's deputy defense minister for poli

S Korea agrees to suspend military deal with N Korea over trash balloons

South Korea's government has approved the suspension of a contentious military agreement with North Korea, a step that would allow it to take tougher responses to North Korean provocations. The development came as animosities between the rival Koreas rose sharply recently after North Korea launched trash-carrying balloons across the border in reaction to previous South Korean civilian leafletting campaigns. On Tuesday, South Korea's Cabinet Council passed a proposal aimed at suspending the 2018 inter-Korean agreement on lowering down frontline military tensions. The proposal will formally take effect when it's signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol, likely later Tuesday, according to government officials.

China holds most expansive military drills in a year around Taiwan

The drills were intended to serve as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of 'Taiwan independence' forces and a stern warning against the interference and provocation by external forces

Defence ministry notifies Act for uniform tri-service military discipline

The Act will empower commanders-in-chief and officers-in-command of ISOs with disciplinary and administrative powers that will govern the personnel serving in or attached to such organisations

Casualties rise in Myanmar's war as forces tighten noose around military

Six months into an offensive against Myanmar 's military government, opposition forces have made massive gains, but civilian casualties are rising sharply as regime troops increasingly turn toward scorched-earth tactics in the Southeast Asian country's bitter civil war. There is pressure on all fronts from powerful militias drawn from Myanmar's ethnic minority groups and newer resistance forces. Troops are retaliating with air, naval and artillery strikes on hospitals and other facilities where the opposition could be sheltered or aided. When the mass of people rise up against them, I think it terrifies them, said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s. They know that hospitals, churches, schools and monasteries are important places for human care, and gathering, and symbols and they hammer them," said Eubank. "That'