WORLD

The indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was inducted into the Indian Army on September 29. In such a situation, the question arises that why did the Indian Army feel the need for this indigenous helicopter despite fact that the US had offered the highly rated Apache helicopter.

What will be the impact on the combat capability of the Indian Army after the induction of this helicopter? Why is there panic among the armed forces of Pakistan and China after this helicopter was inducted into the Indian Army?

The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is very light. This helicopter weighs about six tons. In contrast, the Apache helicopter weighs about ten tons. Due to its low weight, the LCH can takeoff and land despite being loaded with its full quota of missiles and other weapons even in high altitude areas. The LCH attack helicopter can carry ‘Mistral’ air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface missiles specially sourced from France.

In the aftermath of the Russian annexation of four regions in eastern Europe on Friday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Putin announced he had initiated fast-track membership of the NATO military alliance. Via a video message on the social media platform Telegram, Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was inclined towards holding talks with the Kremlin but not leader Vladimir Putin.

The message surfaced after Putin conducted an event to proclaim Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as annexed Russian territory on Friday.

In the video, an aggrieved Zelenskyy said, "We are taking our decisive step by signing Ukraine's application for accelerated accession to NATO."

Moscow will formally annex four Russia-occupied regions of Ukraine at a Kremlin ceremony on Friday, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said today.

"Tomorrow in the Georgian Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace at 15:00 (1200 GMT) a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He added that the Russian leader will make a major speech at the event.

The Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace marked the transition to a new monarch by stamping mail with the new insignia of King Charles III for the first time on Tuesday.

The new insignia, featuring the letters C and R, along with the Roman numeral three, beneath a crown, will eventually appear on British mailboxes, government buildings and on official documents.

The cypher's initials refer to his name and title -- Charles and Rex, which is Latin for king.

Charles ascended the throne after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8. She was 96 and reigned for 70 years, the longest of any British monarch.

During his bilateral talks with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in the Pentagon on Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the stability, security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific should be secured as the global situation has become very challenging.

"So for me, our meeting today and my presence here today I do share with you that the global situation has become a far more challenging variety of reasons. Indo-Pacific in particular, it's important that the stability, security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific should be secured which is best done amongst others," Jaishankar said during the opening remarks at Pentagon.