NEWS

Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief, Marshal VR Chaudhari today warned the global community against providing weapon systems to Pakistan as it shares their military technology with China, which is its closest ally in terms of military hardware and all other aspects.

Addressing his maiden Air Force Day press conference, the IAF chief also suggested that the IAF had an edge over the Chinese Air Force as even though the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) was building three bases very close to the Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh, they would continue to remain weak in terms of capability to launch multiple high altitude operations.

Keeping the politicians away, allowing entry to top farmer leaders, rushing a senior-level team on Sunday night to speak to the protesting farmers and accepting their demands promptly – this is how the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh managed to quickly defuse the tension in Lakhimpur Kheri within 24 hours of the horrific incident that had left eight persons dead.

“The farmers never had any issue with the state government. In fact, they had trust in the state government to resolve the matter. We allowed the farmer leaders to come to Lakhimpur and accepted their demands. The entry of political leaders was not allowed as the situation was sensitive,” the state’s additional director general (law and order), Prashant Kumar, told media.

The historic affiliation of 17 Squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment (SLIR) of Indian Army was formally signed at a ceremony at Ambala Cantonment on Monday. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Mukund Naravane, who is also the Colonel of the SLIR, signed the charter of affiliation with Air Cmde Tarun Chaudhry, Commodore Commandant, 17 Squadron.

The affiliation of SLIR with Rafale’s 17 Squadron of the Western Air Command will assist them in development of mutual understanding of joint ethos, capability, limitations and core competencies of the other service through common understanding of military tactical doctrines and concepts in the contemporary conflict environment.

West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has withdrawn assembly speaker Biman Banerjee’s power to administer the oath of office to the members of the state legislature, officials aware of the matter said on Monday. They added this is the first time a Bengal governor has taken such a step, which is likely to escalate tensions between Dhankhar and the speaker.

“A note from Raj Bhawan reached the office of the speaker a few days before the assembly by-poll to Kolkata’s Bhabanipur and two seats in Murshidabad district on Sunday. The letter cited Section 188 of the Constitution, which empowers the governor to administer the oath,” said a state assembly official, requesting anonymity