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.
Pune: Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, AVSM, SM, has assumed command as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, on 01 April 2026. He succeeds Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, and AVSM, who has taken over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff today. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain was commissioned into the MAHAR Regiment in June 1988. Over a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades, he has held a wide range of command and staff appointments across diverse operational environments. The General Officer has commanded an Infantry Battalion in semi-developed terrain as well as in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, an Infantry Brigade in a Strike Corps, a Counter Insurgency Force and a Pivot Corps in Northern Command. His operational experience includes participation in Operation Pawan, service as a military observer with the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and multiple tenures in high-altitude areas and counter-insurgency operations along the Line of Control and in the Northeast. He is also the colonel of the MAHAR Regiment. Prior to assuming command of Southern Command, he served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters, Southern Command, where he contributed significantly to capability development, force restructuring and overall operational preparedness. The general officer has attended the Higher Command Course at the Army War College and the National Defence Course in Kenya. In recognition of his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Sena Medal. On assuming command, Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the Southern Command War Memorial and received a Guard of Honour at Headquarters Southern Command. He stated that the command will continue to focus on operational readiness across its diverse areas of responsibility, including deserts, the Rann and Creek sector, coastline, island territories and hinterland. He emphasised strengthening jointness, indigenous capability development and technology absorption under the JAI framework and directed all ranks to maintain high standards of preparedness, professionalism and combat readiness in line with evolving operational challenges.
GUWAHATI The Assam Rifles on Wednesday (June 25, 2025) felicitated nine officers from Manipur who have been recently commissioned into the paramilitary force, the Indian Army, and the Indian Air Force (IAF). Formed in 1835 as the Cachar Levy, the Assam Rifles is India's oldest paramilitary force under the dual control of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Defence. Six of the nine officers commissioned on June 14 are alumni of Sainik School Imphal, while another began his career i ...Read More >
Shimla, Jun 28 (PTI) India and Tibet are two ancient civilisations with interwoven roots that continue to shape a shared identity, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, said on Saturday. He was addressing a seminar on shared Indo-Tibetan heritage and linked understanding of national security organised by the Army's central command in Shimla. Also Read | 'Hearts of 140 Crore Indians Beat With You': PM Narendra Modi Talks to India's 'First Astronaut' Shubhanshu Shukla Onboard ISS (Watch Video). The event brought together scholars, strategists and senio ...Read More >
Guwahati: Assam will soon get three national highway stretches equipped for emergency aircraft landings, including the first such facility in the Northeast, which shares a long border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. "The first emergency landing facility on a national highway in North East is expected to be ready in eastern Assam by October, in a boost to national security and disaster preparedness," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. Once completed, these stretches will boost Assam's strategic and transport infrastructure, Sarma said. "Once completed, it will supp ...Read More >
Jammu: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited the headquarters of Strike One, also known as 1 Corps, in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura and was briefed on the operational preparedness of the formation, the Army said on Friday. He also visited a transit camp of the Northern Command in Jammu, Udhampur Air Force Station and Basantgarh in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army's Northern Command said on X. "Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited Strike One; The Army Commander was briefed on the operational preparedness of the ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a special national integration camp organised by the Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh NCC Directorate here, Abdullah also lauded the sanctioning of several projects for the UT. "Let there be discussions, it is a good thing. But we would want the discussions to conclude soon and that we get what we are demanding," he said. Welcoming the sanctioning of several projects for Jammu and Kashmir, including tunnels, costing ₹10,600 crore, the CM said these projects wi ...Read More >
JAMMU, June 27: White Knight Corps General Officer Commanding (GOC) Lieutenant General P K Mishra today visited Rajouri district to review the operational preparedness and prevailing security situation in the sector. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp He impressed upon the troops to maintain high readiness and dominate the operational environment in the twin border districts. "GoC White Knight Corps visited the Headquarters of Romeo Force to review the operational preparedness and prevailing security dynamics in the sector," White Knight Corps said in a post on X. The GOC comme ...Read More >
Srinagar- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday lauded the role of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets during Operation Sindoor, calling their contributions a shining example of selfless service and commitment to the nation. Speaking at the Special National Integration Camp at Chinar Auditorium, Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, the LG said the cadets "rose to the occasion during difficult times," referring to their active participation in relief efforts during Operation Sindoor. "Beyond their selfless service in relief camps across border districts, they also proactively organized blo ...Read More >
VISAKHAPATNAM: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar inaugurated Andhra Pradesh's first Super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) compliant building at Sagar Nagar in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Terming it a landmark in sustainable infrastructure, he emphasised the government's commitment to energy efficiency and green design in public facilities. The facility will serve as a national-level training hub for power sector staff. He urged power utilities to expedite 20 lakh rooftop solar connections, targeting 10,000 in each Assembly segment. He reaffirmed nine-hour uninterrupted power for agri ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday extended the term of the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal by one year, an official notification said.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the re-appointment of Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1988 batch, as CBDT chairman for one year from July 1 this year to June 30, 2026, on contract basis.Agrawal took over as the CBDT chairman from Nitin Gupta in June 2024 after Gupta's extended tenure ended. Agrawal has been a member of CBDT. He was member administration and had served as DG investigation in Delhi. The gover ...Read More >
Kolkata: A two-member National Commission for Women team on Sunday visited the south Kolkata law college where a student was allegedly gang-raped last week.The team, accompanied by a videographer, was initially denied entry and asked to produce a formal order. After an hour-long discussion at the college entrance, the team, led by Archana Majumdar, was allowed in under two conditions -- no access to the crime scene and no videography permitted.The visit lasted 10 minutes. "We were denied access to the crime scene and other floors. I will include this in my report," said Majumdar, who was the f ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing from all angles, including sabotage, in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 274 people on board and on the ground last month, Minister of State (MoS) For Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. Mohol said the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that has been recovered is in AAIB's custody and will not be outside the country for a thorough assessment. The MoS was speaking at the Pune chapter of the Emerging Business Conclave. "It (plane crash) was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investig ...Read More >
A top Army officer has raised significant concerns in his review of women Commanding Officers (COs), flagging "ego issues", "frequent complaints", and "lack of empathy". The feedback letter was written by Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, the outgoing Corps Commander of the 17 Corps, to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command. The letter, dated October 1, 2024, provides an analysis of challenges observed in units led by women COs within the 17 Corps over the past year. The letter has sparked discussions within the military and among defence analysts about the Army's effor ...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 >
NEW DELHI, June 28: Parag Jain, one of the brains behind the meticulous planning of 'Operation Sindoor', has been appointed as the new Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), officials said here on Saturday. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The two-year tenure of Jain, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the 1989 batch of the Punjab cadre, officially begins on July 1. He takes over from Ravi Sinha, who retires on June 30. The decision to appoint Jain as chief of the external intelligence agency was made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet earlier this w ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
Shimla: Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, triggering landslides and flash floods and blocking more than 100 roads, even as the weather department issued a red alert.A landslide at Chakki Mod near Parwanoo blocked the Chandigarh-Shimla highway for hours, resulting in a massive traffic jam Sunday morning. The local administration had to divert traffic through the Jangeshu link road until the landslide debris was cleared at Chakki Mod.The traffic was first restored one-way and later two-way, but the traffic jam continued on both sides of the highway throughout the day due to slow veh ...Read More >
The 4th India-Malaysia Joint Military Exercise, HARIMAU SHAKTI, has begun today at the Bentong camp in the Pahang district of Malaysia. This exercise will be held from 2nd December to 15th December 2024. The Indian contingent has 78 personnel, while the Malaysian contingent has 123 personnel from The Royal Malaysian Regiment. HARIMAU SHAKTI is an annual exercise conducted by both India and Malaysia on each other's soil, lastly held in November 2023 at Umroi Cantonment in Meghalaya, India. Aim of the Joint Exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter insu ...Read More >
New Delhi: Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Sunday (Dec 15) left on a four-day official visit to Indonesia to further consolidate the bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries. His visit, which will conclude on December 18, is in line with the deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a focus on enhancing Naval Cooperation. During the visit, Admiral Tripathi will engage in bilateral discussions with top Indonesian Government and defence officials, including Lt Gen Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin (retd), Defence Minister of Indonesia, General Agus Subiyanto, Commander ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): The 17th edition of the joint military exercise 'Nomadic Elephant 2025' between India and Mongolia is currently underway at the Special Forces Training Centre in Ulaanbaatar, the Indian Army said. According to the Indian Army, the training focuses on conducting non-conventional operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. The objective is to enhance the operational capabilities of both forces. Participating contingents are actively exchanging best practices in counter-terrorism operations and precision sniping, thereby impro ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 26: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday expressed hope that ongoing discussions on the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would yield a positive outcome, saying the people of the Union Territory are looking forward to the return of their identity and dignity. "We want the discussions to conclude soon and bring the outcome the people of Jammu and Kashmir desire," Omar said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a National Cadet Corps (NCC) event at BadamiBagh Cantonment, Srinagar. He stressed that the demand for statehood is not merely political but a q ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has briefed his Belarusian, Tajik, Kazakh and Chinese counterparts on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. He met them on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China, on Thursday. The Ministers agreed to continue cooperation to enhance capacity building, training, military technical cooperation, and military education, amongst other areas of common interest. According to a Ministry of Defence (MoD) press release issued on Friday, Rajnath Singh briefed ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday visited the special national integration camp (SNIC) 2025 at the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar and said that the strength of India lies in its unity in diversity and this unity in diversity is truly seen at camps like the SNIC 2025. A Defence Ministry statement said: "The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, visited the Special National Integration Camp (SNIC) 2025 at Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar. "The camp, organised by JK&L Directorate under the leadership of ADG, Maj Gen Anupi ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: General Upendra Dwivedi is now on a four-day trip to Bhutan to further enhance the already close bilateral military ties, which come at a time when China continues to strengthen its military infrastructure in the Doklam plateau that saw a 73-day face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies in 2017.The Army chief will call on Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and hold wide-ranging talks with Lt General Batoo Tshering, the chief operations officer of the Royal Bhutan Army, during the visit.Gen. Dwivedi will also interact with senior officials of the Indian embassy, the I ...Read More >
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi stated that the army has shifted Jammu and Kashmir's focus from "terrorism to tourism" while working towards 'Viksit Bharat 2047.' He emphasized the army's contribution to national security, development, and disaster relief, highlighting its role in achieving a "Progressive" and "Peaceful" India.Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi said that while moving towards the goal of 'Viksit Bharat 2047,' the army has been able to transform the idea of Jammu and Kashmir from "terrorism to tourism." While addressing an event at Savitribai Phule Pu ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) The flood situation in Assam marginally improved on Thursday, while the situation further improved in other northeastern states, an official said. With two more fresh deaths in Assam, the death toll in seven states, excluding Sikkim, of the region increased to 48. According to the disaster management officials of different northeastern states, out of 48 deaths during the current spell of rain and floods since May 29, at least 21 people died in Assam, followed by 12 in Arunachal Pradesh, six in Meghalaya, five in Mizoram, two in Tripura and one each in Nagalan ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday ruled out any talks with Maoists and said the cadre of the proscribed outfit should give up arms, surrender before police, and join the mainstream. Addressing a rally after inaugurating the National Headquarters of the Turmeric Board in Nizamabad in Telangana, Shah also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is still raising questions on Operation Sindoor, should see the weak appearance of Pakistan to understand the effectiveness of the Operation. "Congress asks (the Centre) to hold discussions with these people (Maoists). Our government's p ...Read More >
Imphal, Dec 3 (VOICE) Amidst the hectic search operation by the Army and other security forces and continued agitation by various organisations, the 56-year-old man of the Meitei community remained untraced for the ninth day on Tuesday.A police official said that the Army has deployed over 2,000 soldiers including Assam Rifles personnel and is conducting hectic searches in Kangpokpi and adjoining districts to locate Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, who has been missing since November 25. The Army as part of their search operation deployed tracker dogs, drones and other devices. Several Civil Societ ...Read More >
Pakistan's former Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, recently faced public embarrassment at a United Nations press briefing after he was fact-checked by a reporter for making unsubstantial claims that Muslims were being 'demonised' in India. Bilawal Bhutto, part of Islamabad's diplomatic team at the UN, made the remarks during a press conference to clarify Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. Pahalgam attack was politicised to demonise Indian Mus ...Read More >