India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi: Now that the Mig-21s are history, how soon before the Indian Air Force starts receiving the Tejas Mk1A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) it ordered from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)? Officials have told India Today that the first two aircraft will be delivered in October. The fourth General Electric (GE) F-404 engine for the Tejas Mk1A is also expected to arrive soon, they said. HAL received the third engine earlier in September. "HAL has received the third GE-404 engine for LCA Mk1A. One more engine is scheduled to be delivered by the end of September 2025. Engine supply chain improvement will pave the way for LCA Mk1A aircraft deliveries," the company said. While one Tejas Mk1A is ready for delivery at HAL's Nashik facility, the second one is preparing for its maiden flight. As the engines start arriving, more aircraft will rollout from the factory. Delays in engine shipments from the US have impacted the Mk1A delivery schedule. HAL is now looking at a steady inflow of at least two engines per month from October onward to bring production back on track. At the same time, the deal for 113 more GE F-404 engines, required for 97 additional Tejas Mk1As, has been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Cost negotiations have been wrapped up, and only the formal signing of the contract remains. This is expected to take place soon. According to India Today, while the F-404s remain critical for the Mk1A program, HAL has already received ten F-414 engines, which will power the more advanced LCA Mk2. On the operational side, the Tejas Mk1A has completed weapons integration trials, including successful firings of Astra and ASRAAM air-to-air missiles. HAL has committed to deliver 83 Tejas Mk1A fighters to the IAF by 2029, though the program has seen a reported delay of four quarters. The additional order for 97 Tejas Mk1As was signed on September 25, with deliveries scheduled between 2027-28 and 2033-34. The LCA Mk2 is scheduled for rollout in 2027. HAL has said that its production line is on a "firm footing" despite the temporary engine supply bottleneck. Once regular engine deliveries resume, the Mk1A rollout will be accelerated to meet the IAF's urgent operational needs.
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): At a time when Operation Sindoor against Pakistan is still ongoing, India is looking to fast-track the project for acquiring 87 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to further enhance its surveillance capabilities both over sea and land borders. Defence sources told ANI that the project under the Make in India initiative for Indian manufacturers aims to boost the capabilities of the armed forces to keep an eye on enemy activities in areas of Indian interest, from the Pakistan border to the China border, and along the maritime zone. A tri-service propo ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): Senior officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) told a parliamentary panel on Wednesday that the preliminary report on the plane crash in Ahmedabad is likely to be placed in the public domain in the next few days, sources said. Parliament's Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture met here on Wednesday with members making queries and seeking clarifications on the issue of safety and aircraft maintenance. The members, sources said, talked about the vast expansion of air sector in India, the projected growth and the need to exp ...Read More >
Moradabad (UP), Aug 1 (PTI) The Moradabad district administration has cancelled the allotment of a government bungalow granted to former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has been asked to vacate the premises within 30 days. The bungalow, located in the posh Civil Lines area near the Police Training College (PTC II), was allotted to the SP patriarch 31 years ago. Spread across nearly 1,000 square meters on Nazul land, the property serves as the local SP office. District Magistrate Anuj Singh said the property is needed for housing officers and other ...Read More >
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) informed a parliamentary panel that the initial investigation report on the Air India Flight AI-171 incident in Ahmedabad is still pending, contrary to media reports. The AAIB clarified that the preliminary report will be released within 30 days of the June 12 crash, setting a timeline for the public disclosure of findings. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has clarified to a parliamentary panel that it has not yet submitted the i ...Read More >
India clears the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force In a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative in defence, the central government has cleared a Rs 62,000 crore deal to buy 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The final approval was given during a high-level meeting on Tuesday, paving the way for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to begin production. This is the second major order for the indigenous fighter jet. Earlier, th ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 10 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday met Minister Delegate to the Minister of Defence and Chief of Staff of the National Army of Algeria General Said Changeriha in Bengaluru at Aero India 2025. Singh called their meeting a "great interaction." Also Read | US: Judge Finds Trump Administration Hasn't Fully Followed Order To Unfreeze Federal Spending, Orders White House To Release All Money. In a post on X, he said, "Great interaction with the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Defence and Chief of Staff of the National Army of Algeria Ge ...Read More >
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has submitted its initial findings to the Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding the catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad. The tragic accident, which occurred on June 12, involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London and resulted in the loss of 241 lives, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The AAIB's preliminary report -- compiled with assistance from global and domestic aviation experts -- marks the first formal insight into one of India's worst aviation disasters. The aircraft crashed shortly a ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday raised serious concerns over aviation safety following the Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad and the sudden surge in flight fares from Srinagar to other cities after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, according to sources. The Parliamentary panel today met with top officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry and representatives from major airlines. As per sources, several committe members have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the way various airlines drastically increased their ...Read More >
India received the second GE-404 engine from the US for the LCA Mark 1A fighter jet aircraft programme. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is expected to receive 12 GE-404 engines by the end of this financial year. The engines will be fitted on the LCA Mark 1A fighter jets. Indian Air Force has placed orders for 83 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets and a proposal to buy 97 more of these planes is at an advance stage. On Monday, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar had said that General Electric will increase ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture is holding a meeting at Parliament House Annexe. The meeting will focus on the Overall review of safety in the civil aviation sector Committee Chairman Sanjay Kumar Jha, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, and Officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the Airports Authority of India. are attending the Tuesday meeting being held at Parliament House Annexe On Tuesday, Members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) raised serious concerns ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik have congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the successful flight tests of the indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) 'Astra', equipped with an indigenous radio frequency (RF) seeker. The missile was test-fired from a Sukhoi-30 Mk-I fighter jet off the coast of Odisha, marking a significant achievement in India's pursuit of self-reliance in critical defenc ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a significant development, India on Monday received the second GE-404 engine from the US for the LCA Mark 1A fighter jet aircraft programme, Defence officials said. The engine has been received by the Public sector firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and it is expected to receive 12 more GE-404 engines by the end of this financial year. The engines will be fitted on the LCA Mark 1A fighter jets. The delivery of the engines had been delayed by more than a year due to supply chain issues faced by the American engine manufacturing firm. Indian Air Force has placed orders fo ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Parents of Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla were elated after their son was selected as the pilot for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Axiom-4 mission, scheduled this year. The parents credited Shubhanshu's hard work and dedication for his success and also acknowledged the contribution his wife behind his success. Expressing her immense happiness in an interaction with ANI, Shukla's mother Asha Shukla said she can't express her emotions in words. "We cannot express our feelings in words," she said. "Our joy is unlimited; we cannot p ...Read More >
'As humans, we haven't changed much' IMAGE: India's first man in space, Rakesh Sharma, reflects on his journey and India's future in space travel. Photograph: Courtesy Ministry of Defence Astronaut Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to journey into space in 1984, says space travel alters the mindset of humans and makes them see the world from a perspective that "this planet belongs to everyone" and not a sole preserve of anyone. He shared his thoughts in a recorded podcast shared by the Ministry ...Read More >
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Pete Hegseth have agreed to firm up a 10-year framework to further expand defence and strategic ties between India and the US. The decision on the defence framework was mentioned in a Pentagon statement that was released on Wednesday, a day after Singh and US defence secretary Hegseth held a phone conversation. "Secretary Hegseth and minister Singh agreed to sign the next 10-year US-India defence framework when they next meet this year," it said. It said the two sides discussed pending major US defence sales to India and ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): At a time when Operation Sindoor against Pakistan is still ongoing, India is looking to fast-track the project for acquiring 87 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to further enhance its surveillance capabilities both over sea and land borders. Defence sources told ANI that the project under the Make in India initiative for Indian manufacturers aims to boost the capabilities of the armed forces to keep an eye on enemy activities in areas of Indian interest, from the Pakistan border to the China border, and along the maritime zone. A tri-service propo ...Read More >
Bengaluru: A delegation led by chief minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar and some cabinet colleagues met Union defence minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday and sought central support for a wide range of proposals -- from setting up two defence industrial corridors and securing defence land for major infrastructure work in Bengaluru, to hosting an Indian Air Force (IAF) air show during this year's Mysuru Dasara celebrations.In a letter to Singh, Siddaramaiah urged the Centre to establish a defence industrial corridor each in North and South Karnataka, like those announced in Uttar Prade ...Read More >
Jammu- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the ongoing restoration work of the historic Mubarak Mandi complex, which was the power centre of the Dogra kings in Jammu, and stressed on enhancing its heritage appeal. The Mubarak Mandi Complex is one of Jammu's most significant architectural heritage sites and is envisioned as a comprehensive cultural centre, housing museums, conference venues and heritage hospitality services. Accompanied by Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Yudhvir Sethi during the visit, the chief minister was briefed in detail on the multi-phas ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid heartfelt tributes to freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on his birth anniversary, remembering him as a "pioneering warrior" who challenged British authority and remains a lasting symbol of courage and patriotism. Recognised as one of the earliest voices of resistance, Mangal Pandey played a key role in the events that sparked the Revolt of 1857, which eventually led to the dissolution of the East India Company and the establishment of direct British rule under the Government of India Act of 1858. Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi wr ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he will be in Chandigarh on Friday to attend the Indian Air Force's MiG-21 decommissioning ceremony. In a post on X, Rajnath Singh wrote, "Today, 26th September, I shall be in Chandigarh. Shall attend the Decommissioning ceremony of IAF's MiG-21. Looking forward to it." After serving for six decades, the iconic MiG-21 is going to retire today. The aircraft leaves behind a record of unmatched service and a legacy that will be remembered as India transitions to a new generation of fighter jets. Inducted in 1963, the M ...Read More >
CHANDIGARH: In the MiG-21 cockpit, man and machine became one. Metal and sinew fused to create a warbird that punched above its weight -- like an ageing prize-fighter.Hear this from the pilot who has 4,306 hours on the MiG-21 -- more than anyone else in the world.On Friday, as the Indian Air Force formally retires the legendary warhorse, Air Commodore SS Tyagi (Retd) will be there to witness the final flight in Chandigarh.Air Commodore Tyagi (Retd) flew 6,316 sorties on the MiG-21 during his service with the Air Force from 1965 to 1996. Of course, it makes him the man with the deepest, most in ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: At a time when Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is in space as part of the Axiom-4 mission, India's first spaceman Rakesh Sharma, who went there as part of the Indo-Soviet space programme in 1984, has said that space travel alters the mindset of humans and makes them see the world from a perspective that "this planet belongs to everyone" and is "not the sole preserve" of anyone."We really need to preserve what we have, which means we need to end conflicts, we need to forget about our weapons, we need to forget about confrontation and we need to start collaborating instead," he sai ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Upgrading India's Sukhoi-30MKI fighter fleet, production of air-to-air missiles and expeditious supply of two batches of S-400 missile systems figured prominently in Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's talks with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov in the Chinese city of Qingdao. The two defence ministers held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Thursday. The Indian Air Force is operating around 260 Sukhoi 30-MKI jets and it is looking at upgrading the fleet under an ambitious plan. The Russian-origin ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, Sept 25: India on Thursday signed a $7 billion order for 97 domestically designed and built Tejas fighter jets as its air force retires its outgoing Russian MiG-21 jets after decades of use. The first Tejas jets -- meaning "brilliance" in Hindi -- were commissioned into the airforce in 2016, with the latest commission for the fourth-generation version of the fighter, Mk-1A. India, one of the world's largest arms importers, has made the modernisation of its forces a top priority, and made repeated pushes to boost local arms production. India's Ministry of Defence said it had "sign ...Read More >
Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday, September 25, surged as much as 2.2% to an intraday high of Rs 4,827.95 on the BSE after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a significant contract, worth Rs 62,370 crore, with the state-run aerospace company. According to a previous ET report, the MoD has signed a Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL for the procurement of 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets under the Buy (India-IDDM) category. The contract includes 68 fighter variants and 29 twin ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 25: The defence ministry on Thursday sealed a Rs 62,370 crore deal with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The signing of the contract came over a month after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi green-lighted the mega procurement. The delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) would commence in 2027-28 and the supplies will have to be completed over a period of six years, officials said. "The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Li ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Lab in New Delhi, is currently working intensively to examine data retrieved from the black boxes of Air India Flight AI-171, which crashed in Ahmedabad earlier this month. Also Read | Ahmedabad Plane Crash Probe: Parliamentary Committee To Grill Boeing and Air India Executives, DGCA Officials; Sources Say 'Multiple Shortcomings' Matter of Concern. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on June 25, 2025, the memory modu ...Read More >
BENGALURU: BBMP marshals deployed at lake security and supervision wing, ward monitoring and Indira Canteens are working without salaries since March. The situation has arisen after Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited was carved out of BBMP for garbage management. Their salaries are usually given through the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society and each marshal is paid Rs 17,500 monthly. "Supervisors say the delay is due to a set of procedures. Earlier, the amount was given to the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society towards payments from BBMP. Now the files have to be cleared from BWSML to ward mars ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a significant boost to India's self-reliance in defence technology, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), on Friday, successfully conducted a flight test of ASTRA, Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), equipped with an indigenous radio frequency seeker, from a Sukhoi-30 Mk-I fighter aircraft off the coast of Odisha, Ministry of Defence officials said. According to the Ministry of Defence during the mission, two missile launches were carried out against high-speed unmanned aerial targets, under ...Read More >