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Air Force Day: Wing Cdr Abhinandan leads Mig21 Bison formation with heroes of Balakot airstrike

On Air Force Day, Indian Air Force’s 87th birth anniversary, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman led a formation of the MiG-21 Bison, with heroes of Balakot airstrike.

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5 years ago

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Air Force Day show

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 87th birth anniversary of the Indian Air Force (IAF) today – Tuesday, Oct 8 – will see induction of its newest multirole fighter jet Rafale at a handover ceremony in Merignac in France, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is in France, taking delivery of the first Rafale made by French firm Dassault Aviation.

Back here in India, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria attended a grand flypast by the IAF’s transport planes, helicopters and fighter jets at Hindon Air Force Station in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, near Delhi. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat attended the event in Hindon.

The IAF posted a promo video on Twitter and Facebook, with a brief depiction of Balakot airstrike and the air combat the following day.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman led a formation of the MiG-21 Bison, with heroes of Balakot airstrike, flying in an ‘Avengers’ formation. Wing Commander Varthaman was awarded the Vir Chakra for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 in February. His aircraft also was downed by enemy fire.

Invoking the Balakot airstrike, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said it was the duty of the air warriors to remain combat-worthy and alert at all times amid the “present security environment in the neighbourhood.”

Addressing IAF personnel and their families on the 87th birth anniversary of the Air Force, he said, “All Air Warriors should serve with great integrity at all times.”

“The IAF achieved a whole lot in the last year and showed its capabilities to carry out special operations. We carried out the Balakot airstrike successfully this year. We aim to further raise our operational preparedness. Apart from combat skills, the IAF has been at the forefront of providing humanitarian aid and in search and rescue operations,” the Air Chief Marshal said.

Two squadrons of the IAF – 51 Squadron and 9 Squadron – which played a role in the air strike in Pakistan’s Balakot in February, were decorated with citations.

“Forty indigenous projects have already been incorporated by the IAF and another 122 projects are under development. The advanced fifth generation aircraft to be made indigenously in India has already been launched,” the Air Chief Marshal said.

Also Read: Finance Minister Sitharaman targets Manmohan, Rajan for the present economic mess

The IAF also posted a clip of the whole show on Air Force Day (air show starts after 1:34:30)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The air show by the IAF started with flag-bearing sky divers of the Akash Ganga team dropping out of an AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies.

Next came the Chinook heavy-lift twin-rotor transport helicopter and the Apache attack helicopters, being showcased for the first time. Both these helicopters were acquired from the US and inducted into the IAF in the last few months.

The flypast included a spectacular manoeuvre by the Russian-origin multirole fighter jet Sukhoi-30MKI. The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas also made several manoeuvres in the air as the crowd below cheered for it.

A flypast of vintage planes including the Dakota that had served the IAF for over 40 years was also carried out over Hindon. The Dakota DC-3 aircraft of the 1940s was used till 1988. It was one of the most versatile transport aircraft of its time.

The Indian Air Force was set up on October 8, 1932, with an initial strength of only six Royal Air Force-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys (air soldiers). The aircraft inventory comprised four Westland Wapiti IIA army co-operation biplanes, according to the information on IAF website.

Rajnath Singh will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today as he takes delivery of the first of the 36 Rafale aircraft that India bought from France. He will perform a ‘Shastra Puja’ on Dussehra today. While the formal handover ceremony takes place today, the first batch of four Rafale jets will fly to their home base in India by May 2020.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his wishes in a tweet this morning: “Today, on Air Force Day, a proud nation expresses gratitude to our air warriors and their families. The Indian Air Force continues to serve India with utmost dedication and excellence.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Rahul Gandhi says air pollution in North India a national emergency, tourism declining, global reputation crumbling

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

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44 mins ago

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November 22, 2024

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the air pollution in North India is a national emergency that needs a collective national response and not a political blame game. The Congress leader added that due to air pollution tourism is declining and “our global reputation is crumbling”.

It is a public health crisis that is stealing children’s future and suffocating the elderly, Gandhi said, adding an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives.

“As Parliament meets in a few days, MPs will all be reminded of the crisis by our irritated eyes and sore throats. It is our responsibility to come together and discuss how India can end this crisis once and for all,” the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

The former Congress chief said the poorest “among us suffer the most”, unable to escape the toxic air surrounding them. Families are gasping for clean air, children are falling sick, and millions of lives are being cut short, he added.

The Rae Bareli MP noted that the pollution cloud covers hundreds of kilometres. He said cleaning it up will require major changes and decisive action from governments, companies, experts, and citizens.

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

Gandhi also shared a video on a social media platform where he discussed the capital’s air pollution with environmentalist expert Vimalendu Jha. In the video, the Congress leader said he has been facing eye-burning and breathing issues and how the last week in Delhi has been terrible.

He said, “I tell my mother to leave town this month.” Jha explains to Gandhi that the sources of air pollution in Delhi are episodic and perennial. Episodic sources are firecrackers and stubble burning, which affect the month of November. “Vehicular contributes 50 per cent of Delhi’s pollution and construction-related roadside dust is another 30 per cent,” Jha said.

The Air Quality Index in Delhi has been severe since November 16, making it five consecutive days till Wednesday. On November 15, the average AQI was 396 (very poor).

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far.

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1 hour ago

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November 22, 2024

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

Indian Navy officials on Friday said that an Indian fishing vessel with a crew of 13 collided with an Indian Naval submarine near the Goa coast. 

Following the incident, a massive search and rescue operation has been launched by the Indian Navy, which has deployed six ships and aircraft. Reportedly, while 11 crew have been rescued, two are still missing.

The Ministry of Defence issued a statement and said that the vessel, Marthoma, collided with a Scorpene-class submarine about 70 nautical miles off the Goa coast. It added that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two are underway and are being coordinated with Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai (MRCC). It further mentioned that additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts.

The statement said that the cause of the incident is being investigated. Notably, Scorpene-class submarines are a major part of India’s naval power in the Indian Ocean as they can undertake multifarious types of missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.

Reports said that the state-of-the-art technology utilised for the construction of the Scorpene-class submarines has ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimized shape and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons. Furthermore, the attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on the surface.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy in its statement said that 13 crew members were aboard the fishing vessel at the time of the collision. It added that while 11 crew have been rescued so far, two fishermen are still reported missing.

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far. He stated that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two crew members of Marthoma are in progress and are being coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai. Additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts, he continued.

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10 Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area.

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1 hour ago

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November 22, 2024

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Ten Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Friday.

The confrontation started in the morning within a forest area under the jurisdiction of the Bhejji police station, where a joint operation was being conducted by security personnel as part of an anti-Naxalite initiative, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. 

This operation was initiated following intelligence regarding the presence of Maoists connected to the Konta and Kistaram area committees, situated in the forested regions around Korajguda, Dantespuram, Nagaram, and Bhandarpadar villages.

So far, the bodies of ten Naxalites have been recovered at the scene. Additionally, a significant cache of weapons was seized, including an INSAS rifle, an AK-47, and a Self Loading Rifle (SLR). 

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area. This incident contributes to the year-to-date total of 207 Naxalite fatalities recorded in various clashes across the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, comprising seven districts. 

On Wednesday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital, North Block. Their discussion focused on developmental progress in Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh and efforts aimed at enhancing peace and stability in these regions. 

The Chief Minister emphasised that both the state government and security forces are diligently working to eradicate Naxal influence in Chhattisgarh, aligning with the Union Home Minister’s commitment to eliminate Naxalism by 2026.

“I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and updated him about the Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh. Over the past 11 months, close to 200 Naxals have been neutralized, and approximately 600-700 have surrendered. We are making significant strides towards the goal set by the Prime Minister and Home Minister to achieve a Naxal-free India by March 2026,” CM Sai told reporters following the meeting.

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