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The Day When Indian Political Leadership Failed To Act Against Pakistan After 26/11 Mumbai Attacks

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The Day When Indian Political Leadership Failed To Act Against Pakistan After 26/11 Mumbai Attacks


The Manmohan Singh government’s response was confined to what was then branded as “coercive diplomacy” rather than military action against LeT.

The pusillanimous response of the UPA government to the 26/11 Mumbai massacre engineered by Pakistan was more a reflection on weak political leadership at that time rather than the then ineffectual military-civilian bureaucracy on November 26, 2008.

Cowering under the so-called nuclear flashpoint theory pandered by the Left-Liberal media at that time, the counter-terror response of the Manmohan Singh government was confined to what was then branded as “coercive diplomacy” rather than military action against Muridke-based perpetrator Lashkar-e-Taiba group, fearing the drummed up nuclear retaliation bogey from Islamabad.

What was more damning about the UPA’s counter-terror response was the fact that the US had shared the exact coordinates of the LeT’s intruding ship Al Husseini from K T Bandar near Karachi days before the attack with Indian RA&W led by Ashok Chaturvedi, who in turn shared the classified intelligence with Intelligence Bureau under P C Haldar for dissemination to the Mumbai Police under Hassan Ghafoor and Maharashtra Police under Anami Roy.

Under the supervision of the then National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, the actionable intel was shared with the Indian Navy under Admiral Sureesh Mehta and the Indian Coast Guard, who were at that time conducting the “Defence of Gujarat” exercise off the western seaboard. Yet, none of them could either intercept Al Husseini on the high seas or the hijacked M V Kuber off Porbandar or the commando boats that landed with Pakistani killers off Colaba in a crowded Mumbai. Despite clear-cut warnings and alerts, the Mumbai police was convinced that it was gang warfare when the first fire from Ak-47s cut down innocents at the Leopold Café in Nariman Point. The LeT killers tried to communally segregate victims at Leopold Café but then lost patience but this segregation was carried out in Oberoi Trident Hotel. Rest as they say is the history of indecisive and weak political responses, which emboldened the Pakistan-based groups to continue attacking India through jihadists with impunity at least till October 27, 2013, in Patna.

Pakistan first time felt the cost of its proxy war against India when the Indian Army’s special forces conducted cross-LoC strikes on September 26, 2016 in response to the Jaish-e-Mohammed strike against an Army camp in Uri on September 18, 2016. India under PM Narendra Modi stepped up the counter-terror campaign after IAF’s Mirage-2000 jets hit the JeM terror training camp at Balakot in the hinterland of Pakistan on February 26, 2019, in response to the February 14, 2019 Pulwama attack. India in fact turned the nuclear flashpoint theory on its head when Prithvi Missile batteries were deployed in the Rajasthan sector to deter Pakistan from harming captured IAF pilot Abhinandan. For the first time, it was Pakistan under macho PM Imran Khan that was seared by the Indian CT response. Back to 26/11.

After receiving mandatory certificates of condemnation of 26/11 from the global community with few calling out Pakistan by name, the UPA government took some diplomatic steps to convey its annoyance and hurt to incorrigible Pakistan leadership. Despite 166 innocents butchered by Pakistani jihadists under guidance and training from Rawalpindi GHQ, PM Manmohan Singh went back to the table with Pakistan at Sharm-El-Sheikh in Egypt seven months later and normalized relations with then PM Syed Y R Gilani, whose distant cousin Daood Gilani aka David Coleman Headley had conducted the recce of terror targets in Mumbai in 2008. Rather than hauling the Pakistani PM over burning coal, the Indian PM virtually conceded at the Egyptian resort that it was India that was responsible for unrest in Baluchistan. The joint statement was drafted by then Foreign Secretary and later NSA Shiv Shankar Menon as the then Joint Secretary (Pakistan) T C A Raghavan was inexplicably not part of the Indian delegation to Sharm-El-Sheikh. The sordid chapter of 26/11 must never be forgotten and Pakistan must never be forgiven for spilling the blood of innocents in Mumbai on that fateful day.





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INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’

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INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’


NEW DELHI: India tested its nuclear capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), designed to have a strike range of 3,500 km, for the second time in six days on Friday. The missile test, as the one conducted on January 19, was undertaken from an undersea platform in the shape of a submersible pontoon off the coast of Andhra Pradesh according to a report by Rajat Pandit of TOI.

The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.

“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.

India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.

Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.

The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.





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After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%

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After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%


India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade

In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.

The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the upgrade. The upgrade is part of India’s efforts to improve the capabilities of its primary fighter aircraft, it refers to as the “Super Sukhoi”.

This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.

In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.





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Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace

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Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace


According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

While there is no official confirmation because of the sensitivities involved, documents suggest that the order for the same has already been placed the report further added.
There are nine countries, in turn, which have shown interest in the indigenously-developed Akash missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km. They are Kenya, Philippines, Indonesia, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam and Algeria reported TOI.

The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.

Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System

BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.

Akash Weapon System

The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.

The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.

The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.





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