India’s SMART Torpedo System Set To Become Game-Changer In Anti-Submarine Warfare

Successful test of Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system 1 by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has rattled India’s adversaries, particularly China & Pakistan

The new long-range next-generation torpedo system developed indigenously is set to be inducted into the Indian Navy’s fleet soon. This advanced naval weapon system poses a significant threat to enemy submarines during military conflicts. The successful test of the Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system on May 1 by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has rattled India’s adversaries, particularly China and Pakistan. These nations will now think twice before deploying their submarines in the vicinity of Indian waters.

The use of a missile to shoot a torpedo towards the targeted submarine of an adversary is indeed a unique technological achievement. Since missiles possess supersonic speed, the torpedo is able to hit the target within a very short time. Thus, with SMART, India has added a new dimension to its anti-submarine warfare, which other powers will try to emulate.

SMART is a canister-based missile system that consists of several advanced sub-systems: Two-stage solid propulsion system, electromechanical actuator system, precision inertial navigation system etc. The system carries an advanced lightweight torpedo as payload along with a parachute-based release system. This enables the torpedo to travel a long distance and strike the target.

The torpedo that will be placed on the warhead of the missile as payload has also been developed indigenously and is called Torpedo Advanced Light (TAL), which is digitally controlled with guidance systems. This advanced SMART torpedo puts India in the lead when it comes to acquiring a lethal antisubmarine weapon.

Traditionally, torpedoes travel at subsonic speeds and have a limited range of approximately 40 kilometres. The SMART torpedo, with a range of around 600 kilometres, enables the Indian Navy to engage rival submarines from a much greater distance. The torpedo will be carried by a ballistic missile that will throw it nearer to the target, where it will be released by a parachute for final offensive. The torpedo will be guided to target enemy submarines by a guidance system. Whether deployed from a warship or from the coast, the SMART torpedo will pose a substantial threat to enemy submarines.

Once an enemy submarine is located in a particular area, a torpedo-carrying warship or submarine-like platform is needed in the vicinity to destroy it, in the absence of which the enemy submarine is difficult to hit. However, the SMART torpedo changes the situation.

The naval surveillance aircraft P-8I, or an anti-submarine helicopter, can intimate the command of the SMART system, situated hundreds of kilometres away, to launch the missile-assisted torpedo.

Hide-And-Seek

The game-changer anti-submarine weapon system was sanctioned in 2018, and the first two successful tests were conducted in 2020 and 2021. Before its induction in the Indian Navy, the SMART torpedo will require a few more tests. India will be only the second country to deploy such an advanced torpedo after Russia. The US and Japan are also working on such programs.

If any of India’s adversaries goes on an offensive mission against India, they will not escape the wrath of this new Indian weapon, if deployed strategically. The Indian Navy can now strike adversaries not only in the Indian Ocean, but also in their own backyard, such as the South China Sea, with ease.

At a time when the Indian Navy is awaiting the induction of six more advanced submarines – made in India with foreign collaboration – under the Project 75I program, SMART greatly enhances India’s submarine warfare capability.

Currently, the Indian Navy has 16 submarines, and the numbers will go down with the phasing out of the kilo-class and German HDW submarines in the next few years. The induction programme of the six India-made submarines will take at least a decade to fructify.

Until then, the Indian Navy was in desperate need of a weapon system to restrain the movement of enemy submarines in Indian waters. SMART will help the Navy dominate at least the Indian Ocean Region. Especially when deployed in the Andaman islands, SMART will be capable of preventing enemy submarines from entering the Indian Ocean through the Malacca Strait.

At a time when the Indian Ocean is witnessing the increased presence of submarines and warships from friendly and rival navies, with an aim to dominate the maritime region, the latest addition in India’s naval armoury will enhance the confidence of Indian naval strategists to tackle any unfriendly acts.

Maritime warfare is often likened to a game of hide-and-seek.

Despite being right at our doorstep, these underwater vessels remain invisible to everyone. Detecting a concealed naval ship beneath the water’s surface is challenging.

However, once such a vessel is spotted, SMART will empower the Indian Navy to ensure their threat is neutralised.

This breakthrough has the potential to shift the balance of military power and revolutionise naval warfare.

(With Agency Inputs)

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'PoK Is Very Much A Part of India...We Were Made To Forget About It': EAM Jaishankar

Cuttack: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is part of India and added that there is a resolution of the Indian Parliament which states that PoK is part of the country.

He noted that people were made to forget about PoK, however, it is now back in the consciousness of the people of India.

Asked about India's plans for PoK during an interactive session in Cuttack, Jaishankar responded, "PoK has never been out of this country. It is part of this country. There is a resolution of the Indian Parliament that PoK is very much a part of India. Now, how did PoK, how did other people get control? You know, when you have someone who is not a responsible custodian of a house, someone steals from outside. Now, here you have allowed another country."

"You know, it was because we did not pursue the vacation of Pakistan from these territories in the early years of their independence that this very sorry state of affairs is continuing. So, what will happen in the future? Very difficult to tell. But, I always tell people one thing today PoK is in the consciousness once again of the people of India. We had forgotten about it. We were made to forget about it. That it is today back definitely, the fact you are asking me a question is, I think, something which is very good," he added.

He also spoke about the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and stressed that it should have been abrogated a long time back. Jaishankar noted that a feeling of separatism and extremism existed in Jammu and Kashmir when Article 370 remained in effect.

Addressing the critiques of the abrogation of Article 370, Jaishankar said that it was a temporary provision in the constitution and it had to be removed. He stated that Article 370 continued in Jammu and Kashmir as people had a vested interest.

Jaishankar said, "The biggest problem we had was Article 370. It was a problem because so long as Article 370 continued, in Jammu and Kashmir, a feeling of separatism, of extremism, sometimes I would even say support for violence, was created. This was done because of political interests of some parties, some parties at the center and some parties in Jammu and Kashmir and this step which happened in 2019 should have happened a long time ago."

"Unfortunately, we did not have a Modi Sarkar till recently. And it was frankly an agenda that should have been done because it was a temporary provision of the constitution. You know, people debate saying, was it right? Was it wrong? In the constitution, it was written there, this is a temporary provision. What does temporary mean? That it comes to an end. This was to happen. Unfortunately, it was continued because people had vested interest," he added.

Earlier in April, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that considering the development taking place in India, the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will themselves demand to be with India.

"Don't worry. PoK was, is and will remain ours," Singh said, addressing a rally at West Bengal's Darjeeling on Sunday, where the BJP had nominated sitting MP Raju Bista.

"India's power is increasing...India's prestige is increasing around the world, and our economy is fast progressing. Now our brothers and sisters in PoK will themselves demand to come with India," Singh further said.

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China Launches Lunar Probe Mission To Collect Samples For First Time From Far Side of Moon

China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft launched on May 3, 2024 on a mission to collect samples from the far side of the Moon

The mission aims to grab samples containing material ejected from the lunar mantle and thus provide insight into the history of the Moon, Earth, and Solar System. The mission is a more ambitious follow-up to China's Chang'e-5 2020 sample return mission

Why Sample The Far Side of The Moon?

The lunar south pole is attracting a lot of attention these days, mainly because of the possibility of the presence of game-changing amounts of water ice trapped in shadowed craters. Water reserves could make lunar habitats much more viable and potentially be used for propellant for sending missions farther out into the Solar System. However, other areas hold clues to intriguing and important science questions.

One of these is the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, a massive ancient impact basin which covers a vast portion of the far side of the Moon. The roughly 2,500-kilometer (1,600-mile) diameter SPA basin was created over 4 billion years ago, contains compositional intrigues, and could offer glimpses into the interior of the Moon.

Accessing the far side is challenging, however. All but one lunar soft landing by any country has set down on the near side which always faces the Earth (this is due to tidal locking, whereby Earth's gravity over time has slowed the Moon's rotation to a speed that keeps it permanently facing us).

The only lunar far side landing came in 2019 with China's Chang'e-4, a backup to the 2013 nearside Chang'e-3 lander and rover mission (Chang'e is a Moon goddess in Chinese legend). Chang'e-4 required a relay satellite, named Queqiao (“Magpie Bridge”), to be launched ahead of the lander and rover into a halo orbit beyond the Moon to bounce signals between ground stations on Earth and the otherwise uncontactable lunar far side.

That mission, together with the 2020 Chang'e-5 nearside sample mission, which successfully collected 1,731 grams (3.81 pounds) of material from Oceanus Procellarum, has set the stage for an even more audacious follow up.

Chang'e-6, originally a backup to Chang'e-5 in case of failure, launched on May 3, 2024 to Apollo crater within the SPA basin.

The mission is designed to provide new material from a new area of the Moon to further our understanding of our celestial neighbor, potentially including basalts of diverse ages. Even more exciting to lunar and planetary scientists will be the possibility of collecting exotic lunar material which would have been excavated from depths of the Moon by the SPA basin impact, providing unprecedented insights into the early history and evolution of the Moon and, by extension, the Earth and wider Solar System.

Where Exactly Will Chang'e-6 Land?

Chang'e-6 will target a southern portion of Apollo crater, according to a paper published in Nature Astronomy in July 2023. The site was rumored to be a candidate for the Chang'e-4 mission, which landed in Von Kármán crater. Located at 150–158 degrees west, 41–45 degrees south, Apollo is similar in latitude to Von Kármán and the nearside Chang'e mission landings, meeting engineering criteria. The area could offer a diverse set of samples, provide insight into if and why volcanic activity appears to have ceased on the far side of the Moon much sooner than the nearside, and other asymmetries between the two hemispheres.

“My guess is that the landing will be on the flat basaltic plains in the southern part of the [SPA] basin, so they will collect the first farside basalts,” says Bradley Jolliff, Scott Rudolph Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

“As samples of the lunar interior — the mantle where partial melting generated the basalts — these samples will address the question of how different the lunar mantle is on the far side versus the nearside and, potentially, reveal the cause of the great nearside-far side dichotomy.”

How Will Chang'e-6 Work?

The mission launched from the coastal Wenchang spaceport on a Long March 5 rocket on May 3, 2024. Before this, a dedicated relay satellite named Queqiao-2 was sent into a lunar orbit designed to support the mission.

The four-part Chang'e-6 spacecraft will enter lunar orbit before landing and both scooping and drilling to collect samples. An ascent vehicle will then blast off from atop of the lander, carrying samples into lunar orbit to rendezvous and dock with the waiting service module, while both are traveling at around 1 kilometer per second. That module will then return to Earth and jettison a reentry module to safely deliver the samples through the atmosphere and to the ground.

This was a 22-day mission for Chang'e-5, but indications from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which built and will launch the mission, are that the more challenging farside Chang'e-6 profile will be a longer, 53-day odyssey. The mission will, like Chang'e-5, aim to grab 2,000 grams (4.4 pounds) of material.

Chang'e-6 features a few bonus payloads not carried by Chang'e-5. These will be a payload from France attuned to detect radon outgassing from the Moon's crust. The Detection of Outgassing RadoN (DORN) instrument will estimate outgassing from the lunar crust and its contribution to the Moon's exosphere. The Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface (NILS), a payload developed in Sweden with European Space Agency support, will seek to detect negative ions emitted from the lunar surface as a result of interaction with solar wind.

The laner will also carry the INstrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflector Investigations (INRRI), a passive laser retro-reflector. A similar instrument flew on ESA's Schiaparelli ExoMars lander, which was lost on the surface of Mars. Finally, the Chang'e-6 mission will include the ICUBE-Q cubesat for Pakistan, with involvement from Shanghai Jiaotong University.

Samples will initially be made available to Chinese institutions for science research, as well as through international cooperation. The invaluable material will then be made available to international applications for sample research. The Chang'e-5 samples were opened to international proposals in August 2023, some 2.5 years after landing on Earth.

A final piece of intrigue will be if there will be an extended mission in store for the Chang'e-6 service module. The Chang'e-5 mission orbiter was sent on two groundbreaking side quests after separation of the reentry capsule that delivered samples to Earth.

The service module made China's first foray to an area closer to the Sun than the orbit of the Earth, heading to Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1, also used by NASA's DSCOVR , to test requirements for solar observations.

By early 2022 the spacecraft had returned to the Earth-Moon system and, for the first time, entered a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon. That may have been a test of the orbit to be used for the Queqiao-2 mission to support Chang'e-6. Similarly, a 2014 Chang'e-5 test spacecraft was used in an extended mission to test out a halo orbit at Earth-Moon Lagrange point 2, providing a first hint of China's lunar far side ambitions.

(With Agency Inputs)

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India And China Added 60 Percent of Global Central Bank Gold Purchase In March

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India added 5 tons of Gold to its reserves during March. The gold reserves of the central banks worldwide reported a net increase in their gold reserves.

According to data from the World Gold Council, the total net buying of gold amounted to 16 tons during the month. The demand for gold remained robust, with monthly gross purchases staying steady at 40 tons. However, this was partly offset by gross sales of 25 tons.

In India RBI’s gold holdings rose to a record high of 822.1 tons by the start of April representing an 18.5 tons net acquisition since the beginning of the year. The central bank’s net gold buying in 2024 has already surpassed its net purchases in 2023 (16.2t). As of early April, gold’s share of total reserves has risen to 8.4% from 7.7% at the end of 2023.

Central banks worldwide took the lead in transactions involving gold during March, with several emerging markets actively participating in buying.

The Central Bank of Turkey emerged as the largest buyer, adding a substantial 14 tons of gold to its reserves. Following closely behind was the Reserve Bank of India, which increased its gold holdings by 5 tons. Similarly, the People’s Bank of China also added 5 tons of gold to its reserves.

Other notable buyers included Kazakhstan and Singapore, each adding 4 tons of gold to their holdings. Russia also contributed to the buying spree by increasing its gold reserves by 3 tons.

The significant increase in gold purchases by central banks reflects continued confidence in the precious metal as a store of value and a hedge against economic uncertainties. Gold has long been considered a safe haven asset, particularly during times of market volatility and inflationary pressures.

Global gold demand was up 3 per cent year-on-year at 1,238 tonnes in the first quarter of 2024, marking the strongest first quarter since 2016, according to the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends report.

(With Agency Inputs)

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'Investigation Ongoing, Not Limited To 3 People': Canada PM Trudeau On Arrests Linked To Khalistani Terrorist Nijjar Killing

Toronto: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday that the investigation into the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar is "not limited" to the arrest of three Indian nationals and is ongoing.

Trudeau said that it is important because "Canada is a rule-of-law country".

The Canada PM's remarks came days after three Indian nationals were arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing of Nijjar.

The Canadian police on Saturday released photographs of all three persons arrested in the last year's killing of Nijjar amid an ongoing probe into the alleged connections of the Indian government.

The police have not given any evidence of any link to India, as was being speculated in Canadian media. India has repeatedly denied the allegations, terming them "absurd and motivated."

Giving an address at the Sikh Foundation of Canada's Centennial Gala event held at the Royal Ontario Museum on Sunday, Trudeau began by acknowledging the arrests made in connection to the case, emphasising that the investigation remains ongoing.

"I need to begin, somewhat awkwardly perhaps, but importantly, to acknowledge the arrests that were made in relation to the murder of Nijjar. As the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) stated, the investigation remains ongoing, as does a separate and distinct investigation, not limited to the involvement of the three people arrested yesterday," he said.

He highlighted Canada's status as a rule-of-law country with a robust and independent justice system. "This is important because Canada is a rule-of-law country with a strong and independent justice system, as well as a fundamental commitment to protecting all its citizens. I know that many Canadians, particularly members of the Sikh community, are feeling uneasy and perhaps even frightened right now," Trudeau added.

Trudeau also reassured that every Canadian has the fundamental right to live safely and free from discrimination and violence. He urged them to "remain calm... remain steadfast in our commitment to our democratic principles and our system of justice. This is who we are and what we do as Canadians".

A day ago, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Canada has been issuing visas to people with links to organised crime despite warnings from New Delhi. Jaishankar said some people in Canada, with 'pro-Pakistan leanings', have organised themselves politically and taken the shape of an influential political lobby. He said he saw reports that three people have been arrested, and, the Canadian police have conducted 'some investigation'.

Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.

On June 18, 2023, the Surrey RCMP received a report of a shooting at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey. First responding members located a man, later identified as Hardeep Singh Nijjar, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds inside a vehicle.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has been carrying out the investigation. It has continued to work closely with a number of partner agencies and support services across Canada, as far east as Ontario, including the Surrey RCMP, the Alberta RCMP and other Lower Mainland Integrated Teams.

Nijjar's killing triggered diplomatic tensions between Canada and India after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the killing -- a claim that India has rejected as "absurd."

The video of his killing that reportedly surfaced in March this year showed Nijjar being shot by armed men in what has been described as a "contract killing".

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'If India Had Not Been Clear On Russia-Ukraine War, Petrol Price Would Have Gone Up': EAM Jaishankar On Foreign Policy

Cuttack: Emphasising that foreign policy today affects every citizen, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that if India had not been clear on the Russia-Ukraine war, petrol price would have gone up.

Highlighting the pressure and the problems India faced, Jaishankar said, "Look at one example. We had this pressure on Russia and Ukraine. We were clear. Suppose we had not been clear. Suppose we had said. Sorry. Sorry. You are saying it very strongly. We will not do what we did. Your petrol price would have gone up by ₹20 because of that."

"We take a stand on foreign policy for average citizens," he said during an interactive session in Odisha's Cuttack.

Jaishankar further noted that if we had imported COVID vaccine, none of the people could have afforded it.

"So foreign policy today affects every citizen, it affects our lives," he added.

He underscored the ongoing problems in the world, noting a war in Ukraine, in the Middle East, a problem in the Arabian Sea, tensions on the China border, as well as, problems in the South China Sea.

He said, "There is terrorism in the world."

Jaishankar stressed that it is important to see who will take India through these challenges in the country.

"We have to decide how you go through this very difficult period. And more importantly, who do you trust? Who do you want to see in charge of this country? Who do you think will take this country through this challenge?" he added.

Highlighting on becoming a permanent member of United Nations Security Council, Jaishankar expressed confidence that India will become a member.

"But we will become a member faster if we have a strong prime minister to whom the world cannot say no. And that is what we are trying to do," he stressed.

Last month also, Jaishankar while speaking at the press conference in Bikaner, reaffirmed India's stance on buying oil from Russia, noting that petrol prices were lower because New Delhi had courage to purchase oil from Moscow.

Jaishankar continued, "When we talk about Ukraine if today the price of petrol is lower, it's because we had the courage to buy oil from Russia. If there are other matters related to security or the respect earned by Modi ji during the COVID times, it's because of his diplomacy that Indians stranded in the Gulf region returned home safely."

Earlier this month, during an interaction in Gujarat, the EAM had said that PM Modi gave clear instructions to keep the interest of Indian consumers on priority despite external pressure against purchasing Russian oil.

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India Will Get Permanent Member Seat At UNSC Faster If Country Has Prime Minister To Whom No One Can Say 'No': Jaishankar

Cuttack: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday reiterated that India will get a permanent member seat at the United Nations Security Council and this would happen faster if the country has a Prime Minister to whom no one can say 'no'.

"This is a very difficult period. And more important, who do you trust? Who do you want to see in charge of this country? Who do you think will take this country through this challenge? And you asked about Security Council. I have confidence we will become a member. But we will become a member faster if we have a strong prime minister to whom the world cannot say no. And that is what we are trying to do," EAM said during an interactive session in Odisha's Cuttack.

India has long sought a permanent seat in the Security Council to better represent the interests of the developing world. The nation's quest has gained momentum with support from the international community.

US has also offered support for reforms to United Nations institutions, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is composed of 15 member states, including five permanent members with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

The five permanent members of the UNSC include China, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the United States. The non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are elected for 2-year terms by the UNGA.

Ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in its election manifesto titled 'Sankalp Patra', vowed to pursue permanent membership for the country in the United Nations Security Council.

In its manifesto released on April 14, the BJP stated, "We are committed to seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council to elevate Bharat's position in global decision-making."

Earlier in January, EAM Jaishankar stressed growing global support for India's permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council and said that sometimes things are not given generously, and one has to seize them.

"With each passing year, the feeling in the world is that India should be there, and I can feel that support...The world does not give things easily and generously; sometimes you have to take them," the EAM said while responding to a question about a permanent seat for India at the UNSC. He made the remarks at 'Manthan': Townhall meeting in Maharashtra's Nagpur.

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Adani Firm APSEZ Plans Port Development In Philippines

APSEZ plans to develop a 25-meter deep port that can accommodate Panamax vessels

New Delhi: Adani Group firm APSEZ is eyeing the Philippines' Bataan province to develop a port, a statement issued by the office of the president of the Philippines said.

APSEZ Managing Director Karan Adani met the Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr at Malacanang on May 2 in a courtesy call to discuss Adani Group's plans for the port.

APSEZ is planning to open a port in the Philippines due to the nation's stable leadership and environment, the statement quoted Mr Adani as saying.

He said APSEZ plans to develop a 25-meter deep port that can accommodate Panamax vessels. The Adani Group, on the other hand, is planning to invest in ports, airports, power, and defence.

According to the statement, Marcos welcomed APSEZ expansion plans in the Philippines, suggesting it may focus on ports handling agricultural products to enable the Philippines eventually compete globally.

He suggested that the company should start regionally and the ports could also cater to local or domestic shipping before shifting to international market.

Marcos said the government is developing its gateways for tourists and business travellers and for the country's agriculture products to be moved around affordably and reliably.

APSEZ, a part of the globally diversified Adani Group, is the largest port developer and operator in India.

It has seven strategically located ports and terminals on the west coast and eight on the east coast of India.

(With Agency Inputs)

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35 Naxalites Surrender In Chhattisgarh's Dantewada District

A total of 35 Naxalites, three of them carrying a cumulative reward of ₹3 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday, a senior police official said. A 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy are among those who turned themselves in before the police, he said.

These cadres were tasked with digging roads, felling trees to block roads and putting up posters and banners during shutdowns called by Naxalites, the official said.

Of the surrendered Naxalites, Baman Kartam (39) was the Jiyakodta Panchayat Militia Platoon Commander of the outlawed Maoists organisation, while Bhima Kunjam (28) was the Aranpur Panchayat CNM president, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said.

Chetna Natya Mandli (CNM) is a cultural wing of Maoists.

Woman Naxalite Kumme Lekam (35), who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, was the Hurrepal Panchayat Krantikari Mahila Adivasi Sangthan (KAMS) president, he said.

"They were part of Bhairamgarh, Malanger and Katekalyan area committees of the Maoists in south Bastar. They said they were impressed by the police's rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' (return to your home) and disappointed with the hollow Maoist ideology," Rai said.

These Naxalites will be provided facilities as per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, the official added.

With this, 796 Naxalites, including 180 carrying rewards, have so far joined the mainstream in the district under the police's Lon Varratu campaign launched in June 2020, officials said.

(With Agency Inputs)

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'It's About Balancing Our Interests With Theirs': EAM Jaishankar On Nepal Currency Row

Cuttack: Addressing the controversy surrounding Nepal's depiction of certain Indian territories on its currency notes, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar highlighted the complexities of managing relationships with neighbouring countries.

Jaishankar acknowledged that dealing with neighbouring nations often involves navigating political intricacies.

"Sometimes, dealing with our neighbours involves navigating a bit of politics. It's about balancing our interests with theirs," said EAM Jaishankar during a press interaction here on Sunday.

He also cautioned that there might not be positivity towards India among all its neighbours, citing instances where unfavourable opinions have been voiced. "If you visit places like Sri Lanka, you might hear some unfavourable opinions from government officials or individuals," he said.

Despite occasional challenges, Jaishankar underscored India's broader image of assisting neighbours during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and international conflicts like the situation in Ukraine.

"However, if you look at our overall image, especially during times like the COVID crisis when we extended help to those in need, or during conflicts like in Ukraine where we ensured essential supplies reached affected people, our actions speak volumes," he added.

He emphasised India's proactive role in ensuring essential supplies reach affected populations, demonstrating its commitment to regional stability and support.

Moreover, Jaishankar noted instances where neighbouring countries have requested additional resources, like onions, during perceived shortages, illustrating the importance of maintaining a positive and mutually beneficial relationship. "Even now, occasionally, our neighbours request extra resources, like onions, when they feel there's a shortage," the External Affairs Minister also said.

"In diplomacy, as in business, setbacks are part of the game," Jaishankar remarked. "But we manage them and move forward, ultimately achieving success."

The remarks come amid escalating tensions over Nepal's decision to include certain Indian territories on its currency notes, sparking diplomatic discussions between the two nations.

Nepal's cabinet meeting on Friday decided to incorporate a new political map of Nepal on 100 rupee banknotes, covering the controversial territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani as part of its territory.

Earlier in May 2020, Nepal's updated map prepared incorporating the missing territories was submitted to the Ministry of Land Management by the Department of Survey which claims to have taken accurate scale, projection and coordinate system.

Tension had mounted between New Delhi and Kathmandu after the issuance of a political map by Nepal in mid-May 2020, including the Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, which India earlier had included in its November 2019 map.

The earlier map issued in 2032 BS left Gunji, Nabhi and Kuri villages, which have now been included in the recently revised map, adding 335 square kilometres of land.

Diplomatic ties between the nations worsened after the inauguration of a road linking Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh on May 8, 2020, after which Nepal handed over a diplomatic note to India objecting to the move.

Prior to the handover of the diplomatic note, Nepal also had strongly objected to India's unilateral move to construct the road. Following a strong objection from Nepal, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said the road going through Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district "lies completely within the territory of India."

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Two Individuals Arrested With Weapons In J-K's Shopian

In a joint operation involving the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police, two individuals were apprehended with weapons at Aloora in Shopian on Sunday.

According to the army, the recovered weapons include one pistol, two hand grenades, and other warlike stores.

“Based on specific intelligence input, a Joint Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) was established today by #IndianArmy, @crpf_srinagar & @JmuKmrPolice at Aloora, Shopian. Two suspected individuals have been apprehended along with the recovery of 01xPistol, 02xHand Grenade & other war-like stores. Further Investigation is in progress,” the army announced on X.

(With Agency Inputs)

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AI-Operated F-16 Jet Carries U.S. Air Force Secretary Into 900Kph Aerial Combat Test

An AI-controlled warplane has taken a senior air force leader for a ride in a ground breaking test flight over California.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall sat in the cockpit as the experimental F-16 jet, called Vista, flew lightning-fast manoeuvres at more than 550mph over Edwards Air Force Base.

It went nearly nose to nose with a second human-piloted F-16 as both raced within 1,000 feet of each other, twisting and looping to try to force their opponent into vulnerable positions.

Mr Kendall's flight was a further statement of confidence in artificial intelligence after the first known combat between a human pilot and a fighter jet controlled by AI last month.

Thursday's flight lasted an hour and the US Air Force hopes to have more than 1,000 of the AI-controlled jets in the coming years.

"It's a security risk not to have it. At this point, we have to have it," Mr Kendall said after he climbed grinning from the cockpit.

The pilots working on Vista want the first fleet to be ready by 2028 and say the programmes are learning so quickly that some are already beating human pilots in combat.

The idea is that unmanned aircraft could provide an advance attack on enemy defences and penetrate airspace without high risk to human pilots.

But the shift is also driven by cost, as the AI planes are smaller and cheaper to produce.

The US Air Force is still hampered by delays and cost overruns for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme, which will cost an estimated $1.7 trillion (£1.35 trillion).

Meanwhile, China's air force is on pace to outnumber the US and is also developing unmanned weapons - though there is no indication yet that it's found a way to run AI tests outside a simulator.

'Concerns Over Life-And-Death Decisions'

Vista's operators, who have flown it around two dozen times since September, say no other country has a similar AI jet - where the software learns on millions of data points in a simulator then tests its conclusions on real flights.

The real-world performance data is put back into the simulator where the AI processes it to learn more.

Air force boss Frank Kendall was so impressed he said he'd trust it with deciding whether to launch weapons in war.

It's a controversial take. Arms control experts and humanitarian groups are concerned that AI might one day be able to autonomously drop bombs without further human consultation and are seeking restrictions on its use.

"There are widespread and serious concerns about ceding life-and-death decisions to sensors and software," the International Committee of the Red Cross has warned.

Mr Kendall said there would always be human oversight when weapons are used.

The pilots programming Vista are aware they are potentially training their own replacements, but would also dread going up against an enemy's AI fleet themselves.

"We have to keep running. And we have to run fast," Mr Kendall said.

(With Inputs From International News Agencies)

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Police Seize Al Jazeera's Broadcasting Equipment As News Network Close Its Operation In Israel

Tel Aviv: As Al Jazeera was pulled off air in Israel on Sunday, the police, too, seized the news network's broadcasting equipment from its Jerusalem offices on Sunday afternoon, according to The Times of Israel.

The move comes after the Israeli government approved a decision earlier to temporarily shut the outlet on the grounds that it has harmed national security in numerous ways.

The channel was unavailable on Israel's two largest TV providers, Yes and Hot, for several hours after the government accepted the decision to halt its operations.

As of Sunday evening, some but not all internet providers still had Al Jazeera's English-language and Arabic websites up and running.

In parallel, police officers and Communications Ministry inspectors came to Al Jazeera's Jerusalem offices to seize the channel's broadcast equipment and seal the doors.

The video released by the office of hardline Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who led the charge to shut the channel, showed Israeli officials entering the facility and documenting the equipment within, according to The Times of Israel.

The government, on Sunday (May 5) had voted unanimously to close the Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera's operations in Israel, nearly six months after first announcing its intentions to do so due to security concerns related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi signed an executive order immediately after the vote passed, and it thus came into effect right away.

In a video statement, Karhi called Al Jazeera a "Hamas incitement organ."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also posted on X, "The government under my leadership decided unanimously: The incitement channel Al Jazeera will be shut down in Israel."

In its decision on Sunday, the cabinet explained that it had classified opinions from the Shin Bet on April 9 deeming Al Jazeera a national security threat. The IDF and Mossad also provided classified opinions supporting limiting Al Jazeera's broadcasts in Israel.

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed

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Australian Police Gun Down Radicalised Teenager Who Stabbed Man In Perth

Perth: Australian Police on Sunday gunned down a teenage boy after he attacked a man with a knife in a suburb of Perth, CNN reported.

CNN reported citing Western Australia (WA) Premier Roger Cook that a 16-year-old Caucasian male was armed with a knife when he carried out the attack in a suburb of Perth.

WA police commissioner Col Blanch said that the attack "has the hallmarks" of a terrorist act, adding that it "meets the criteria or at least the definition" of this type of crime.

Blanch said that on Saturday night, local police received a call from a male indicating that "he was going to commit acts of violence."

Police received another call from a person minutes later stating that a man with a knife was running around, Blanch continued. Police immediately responded to that call, he said, and three officers were dispatched.

When the officers arrived at the scene, they were confronted by the teen, who was alone and holding a "large kitchen knife," Blanch said.

The officers ordered him to put down the knife, but the suspect refused, instead rushing the police. Two tasers were deployed and when they failed to subdue him, the third officer "fired a single shot and fatally wounded the male," Blanch continued, CNN reported.

Police discovered after the shooting that the teen had stabbed and injured a middle-aged man prior to his confrontation with the police.

The victim is currently in hospital in a serious but stable condition with a wound in his back, Blanch said.

CNN reported that the teen was known to the police prior to the incident, Blanch said, as "he was part of a program about online radicalization for the last couple of years."

"We are dealing with complex issues with this 16-year-old male, both mental health issues but also online radicalization issues," Blanch said.

The program focused on covering violent extremism for those that are exhibiting concerning behaviour, Blanch said.

Blanch said police received multiple calls both before and after the incident from members of Western Australia's Muslim community who had concerns about the individual.

"I do want to thank members of the Muslim community who did that because that enabled us to identify rapidly who this individual was and respond as [quickly] as we did," Blanch said.

CNN reported that in a statement released Sunday regarding the incident, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "We are a peace-loving nation and there is no place for violent extremism in Australia."

The incident comes after last month's stabbing of a priest and bishop at a church in Sydney. Police have arrested a 16-year-old over the attack, which they described as a terrorist act.

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Australia Boosts Ties With Philippine Military As South China Sea Tensions Rise

Canberra: Australia has agreed to boost its security cooperation with the United States, Japan and the Philippines, in response to China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, reported Voice of America (VOA).

China's ambitions in the South China Sea have continued to alarm Australia, its Indo-Pacific allies and the United States.

Australia, the United States, and Japan, in their response, have agreed to step up military drills with the Philippines.

On Friday, Defence officials from the four countries met in Hawaii and declared their commitment to protecting freedom of navigation in the region.

Earlier this week, the Philippines accused China of "dangerous manoeuvres" and "harassment" after its use of water cannons against two Philippine vessels during a patrol in the South China Sea, VOA reported.

Last month, Australia, the US and Japan held their first joint naval exercises in the region.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles emphasised that closer ties would enhance security.

"There is a power and a significance in our four countries acting together. The meetings that we have held represent a very significant message to the region and to the world about four democracies that are committed to the global rules-based order," he said.

According to the experts, increased military cooperation with the Philippines is an attempt to counter China's increased aggression.

Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Beijing's regional ambitions are causing growing concern.

"What you are seeing is concern that China will continue to escalate its aggression against the Philippines to try and coerce them into backing down and accepting Chinese domination of the entirety of the South China Sea, which China wants as its territorial waters. This is China undertaking hostile actions against a sovereign state in international waters," he said.

In response, Beijing urged the Philippine government not to "challenge China's resolve" to defend China's sovereignty in the region.

China has sweeping claims in the South China Sea, which has rich fishing grounds and is a major international shipping route.

Davis said that China's territorial ambitions could have implications for Australia and the United States.

"It would affect Australia because then China could deny our commercial shipping the right to passage through those waters and it would affect US security," he said.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have claims overlapping with each other's or China's in the South China Sea.

Moreover, Beijing has refused to recognize a 2016 international arbitration ruling that rejected its expansive claims in the region.

Beijing has insisted that efforts by the US to boost its security alliances in the Indo-Pacific region are aimed at containing China and threatening stability.

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed

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