Current Events :
The Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, on Saturday said the IAF was “not against” carving out geographically defined operational joint commands for the armed forces. He, however, cautioned against implementing a “pre-baked” model “picked up” from another country.
The IAF Chief’s remarks are the first official statement since former Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, before demitting office in May this year, submitted a collective proposal on behalf of the three services to carve out such “joint commands”, referred to by the military as “theatre commands”.
“The idea should be to have a graded, step-wise approach to avoid disruption of operations,” the IAF Chief said while speaking at the Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh (retd) Memorial Lecture, hosted by the Air Force Association in Kanpur. The association is a body of retired IAF officers.
The IAF Chief said a step-wise transition would ensure minimal disruption, adding that the military could not afford to shake up the system at a time when the operational tempo remained high.
Though the IAF Chief did not mention it, a key issue will be the division of IAF assets. Some strategic assets could be controlled from Delhi to ensure seamless operations across theatres.
He stressed the importance of identifying actual shortcomings before building a structure tailored to India’s specific security needs.
Cautioning against adopting imported military models, he said: “The Air Force has been insisting to let us look at it objectively. Look at what is ailing us; we need to fix what is not right with us, and not have something that is pre-baked, picked up from somewhere and used.”
On the way forward, the IAF Chief said there was a need to create a structure suited to India’s requirements. “We need to form an organisation chart in a manner that we need. Some other country may have some different requirements,” he said.
At the IAF headquarters, a “composite team” is examining the issue. The setting up of theatre commands is under discussion at the highest level.
“I am sure the government, whenever a decision is taken, will take the right decision based on all inputs that are given to the government,” he added.
Theatre commands are military formations with geographically defined areas of operation, headed by a military commander who exercises control over war-fighting assets, including aircraft, helicopters, guns, tanks, equipment and manpower.
The proposed theatre commands comprise three distinct entities: the western theatre, focused on Pakistan, which is expected to be headed by an IAF officer; the northern theatre, focused on China, which is expected to be headed by an Army officer; and the maritime theatre command, which is expected to be headed by a Navy officer
The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has upheld the ‘severe displeasure’ awarded to a Brigadier commanding a Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Sector in the Poonch region of Jammu and Kashmir over a 2023 incident in which three civilians died during interrogation following the ambush of an Army column. Four soldiers were killed in the attack, two of whom were beheaded.
In an order pronounced on August 20, the AFT’s Chandigarh Bench, comprising Justice Sudhir Mittal and Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, observed that the officiating commanding officer (CO) of the RR battalion had directed a company commander to use “slightly harsh” methods on suspects to extract information.
The Bench further observed that the RR Sector Commander, Brigadier P Acharya, had himself displayed anger, assaulted a suspect and failed to influence officers directly under his command to exercise restraint.
A Court of Inquiry (COI) was convened by Headquarters 16 Corps in December 2023 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the three civilians in the area of responsibility of 48 RR, which functioned under 13 Sector RR commanded by Brig Acharya.
Upon completion of the inquiry, a show-cause notice was issued to Brig Acharya in April 2024 asking why administrative action should not be taken against him for: (a) failing to exercise proper command and control during the interrogation of civilians in December 2023, (b) using physical force against civilians, (c) failing to stop the use of excessive and unlawful force that resulted in the deaths of three civilians and (d) failing to issue clear directions to officers under his command regarding the handling of civilians.
After considering his reply, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 16 Corps, Nagrota, awarded the officer a ‘severe displeasure’ in July 2024, effective for two years. Brig Acharya subsequently challenged the order before the AFT.
Among the Company Operating Bases (COBs) of 48 RR were Dera Ki Gali (DKG), Mastan Dhara and Bafliaz. According to court records, one of the company commanders, Maj Pankaj Singh, sought permission from the officiating CO, Maj Raj Kumar, to conduct night firing on December 21, 2023. The request was approved.
Vehicles for the movement were provided by COB Bafliaz, and the firing team reached DKG at around 1.30 pm. At 3.37 pm, a call was received from COB Bafliaz reporting that the vehicles returning to Bafliaz had been ambushed. The CO informed the Sector Commander, following which troops and an ambulance were dispatched. Among the casualties recovered from the site were the bodies of two beheaded soldiers.
A search-and-cordon operation was subsequently launched. At about 10.30 pm, the Sector Commander sent a list of suspects to the CO. The CO was directed to de-induct from the cordon on the morning of December 22, after which several suspects were rounded up and taken to COB Mastan Dhara. Interrogation of the suspects commenced, and three of them subsequently died, according to court documents.
Death& Tragedy
In his petition before the AFT, Brig Acharya stated that he was informed on the night of December 21 that he had been removed from command. A signal dated December 22 from Army Headquarters attached him to Headquarters 25 Infantry Division, and the COI was convened the following day.
“In a situation as exists in the instant case, troops involved in follow-up operations faced a dilemma. Having lost their brothers-in-arms, and that too in a brutal manner, made their blood boil and development of emotions of revenge is quite natural. On the other hand is discipline, instilled by rigorous training, commanding them to exercise restraint and scrupulously follow plans to trace the culprits. Even in war, the Indian soldier is known for his discipline and adherence to the Geneva Conventions,” the Bench observed.
“In the conflict between human emotions and requirements of discipline, which is in large measure based on the law declared by the Supreme Court, human emotions must yield,” it added.
The Bench held that there was no illegality in the action taken by the Army authorities and no violation of due process, as alleged by the petitioner. It, therefore, ruled that no judicial interference was warranted.
With a trainee onboard, a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft suffered a catastrophic systems failure resulting in the aircraft and its crew experiencing aerodynamic forces and physical stress well beyond normal limits, but the pilot-in-command demonstrated exceptional situational awareness and airmanship in a critical situation and managed to bring the aircraft back to base.
ProcuringTactical Defense Systems
For his actions, the pilot, Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar, was decorated with the Shaurya Chakra on Independence Day.
On September 9, 2025, Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar, posted as a supervisor with a frontline fighter squadron, was authorised to fly as captain of a Su-30 for a low-flying and low-level navigation sortie by night from the rear cockpit of the aircraft, accompanied by an under-training pilot in the front cockpit.
The Su-30 is a heavy twin-engine two-seater multi-role fighter that forms the backbone of the IAF’s fighter element. The IAF has about 260 SU-30s in its inventory, equipping 12 squadrons based across the country.
During landing, at an altitude of 2.2 km and a speed of 740 kmph, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic failure that manifested as violent oscillations in the longitudinal plane accompanied by multiple indicators of the fly-by-wire (FBW) system failure. The FBW is a computer-based electronic interface between the pilot and the aircraft, transmitting command inputs to the aircraft’s control systems.
This critical situation resulted in drastic pitch variations, that is the upward and downward movement of the aircraft’s nose, ranging from 45 degrees to minus 15 degrees, extreme g-loads spanning from minus 1.5-g to 12-g along with ‘angle of attack’ (AOA) indications exceeding 24 units, according to information shared by the IAF.
Fighter pilots say that 5-g is experienced in standard maneuvers and 9-g is regarded as the outer envelope for aerial dogfights, a level where a pilot’s body feels nine times its normal weight. Extreme g-levels can lead to the pilot losing consciousness.
“As the supervisor in the cockpit, he demonstrated exceptional situational awareness and airmanship despite experiencing physical forces that exceeded normative limits for human tolerance,” the citation for his award states.
Under extreme conditions of rapidly varying g-loads and pitch, he maintained a composed and calm demeanour, swiftly taking control of the situation and instructing the front pilot to reset the failed FBW channels.
He exercised exemplary judgment by first corroborating that the critical FBW red light was not illuminated before guiding the front pilot to operate the correct switches. The ensuing task was extremely demanding given the violent onset of intense g-forces and the rapidity of the manoeuvre that manifested under conditions of total darkness by night.
Without any external frame of reference and unable to discern the aircraft instruments due to blurring of vision, he demonstrated extraordinary airmanship and intuition by promptly re-opening power on the aircraft. This prevented a potentially cataclysmic accident that could have occurred due to rapid loss of airspeed.
“Throughout the emergency he displayed absolute professionalism and composure, and maintained apt responsiveness despite being in extreme physical agony while struggling to stay conscious and remain oriented,” the citation states.
Furthermore, he demonstrated outstanding leadership and supervisory acumen by guiding and reassuring the trainee pilot in the front cockpit.
Lieutenant General Vijay B Nair, presently posted as Commandant of the Infantry School, Mhow, has taken over as Colonel of the Punjab Regiment from Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, Lucknow.
The baton of the Colonel of the Regiment (COR) was ceremonially handed during a solemn ceremony held at the Punjab Regimental Centre located in Ramgarh Cantonment in Jharkhand.
“The Baton, embodying honour, responsibility and regimental pride, signifies the seamless continuity of leadership and tradition, carrying forward the Punjab Regiment’s illustrious heritage, proud military ethos and enduring legacy,” the Central Command said.
The COR is a title held generally by the senior-most officer belonging to a particular regiment, though technically the appointee is elected by regimental officers and can be of any rank from Brigadier to General.
As the regiment’s mentor and guardian, he oversees the welfare and morale of troops, recruitment, regimental traditions and customs, representation within the Army and renders provides advice to Army Headquarters on postings of regimental officers and other institutional matters.
Lt Gen Sengupta had taken over as the COR in May 2025 and had steered the raising of the regiment’s Bhairav Battalion and spearheaded enhancement of key training infrastructure at the Regimental Centre.
His successor, Lt Gen Nair, is an alumnus of the Sainik School Kazhakootam and the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla and was commissioned into the 21st Battalion of the Punjab Regiment in June 1988, which he later commanded. He was also deployed with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and has been a part of the Indian Military Training Team Bhutan and a multinational brigade in a United Nations mission.
Prior to taking over as the Commandant of the Infantry School in April 2026, he commanded the Leh Sub Area, Tiger Division in Jammu and Kashmir and the Vajra Corps in Punjab. He has also served as Chief of Staff of the Western Command, Chandimandir, and the Northern Command, Udhampur.
Among the oldest and most highly decorated Infantry regiments of the Indian Army, the history of the Punjab Regiment dates back to 1705, when the first battalion was raised by the then Maharaja of Patiala. Since then it has taken part in numerous campaigns round the world and has fought in all post-Independence wars and major operations.
At present, the regiment comprises 21 regular battalions, four Rashtriya Rifles Battalions and three Territorial Army battalions. It recruits Dogra and Sikh troops primarily drawn Punjab and adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu.
Iran’s president says the world has accepted that it’s won the war with the United States, while France and Saudi Arabia are expected to discuss plans to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since the US and Israel launched a war with Iran nearly six months ago. Meanwhile remarks by the US Ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy for Syria appear to contradict official US position over the Golan Heights. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Saturday. Full coverage can be found here. Iranian state media reported Friday that President Masoud Pezeshkian said the war with the US should end since the world has already accepted that Iran has won. Iran sees its control over the Strait and not giving into US demands as a win. “The entire world approved our victory and the US is hated,” he said according to IRNA news agency. Iran sees its control over the Strait and not giving into US demands as a win. The remarks came as the Trump administration is touting a crushing financial campaign against Iran, promising an “economic D-Day” against the country. President Donald Trump announced that the US would be imposing an “unprecedented” level of economic warfare and isolation on Iran, aiming to force its leadership to cave to demands to end its nuclear programme and fully reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers. In an interview Friday, Tom Barrack said that Israel “still” occupies the territory in violation of UN resolutions. In his comments made to Mario Nawfal, a LebaneseAustralian entrepreneur, Barrack said that “in the Golan, with Syria, they (Israel) still occupy the Golan, against the UN resolutions.” Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. The UN considers the territory occupied Syrian land and the annexation null and void, with UN resolutions calling for Israel’s withdrawal to the June 4, 1967, line. In March 2019, Trump signed a proclamation recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing decades of US policy. The move did not change the territory’s status under international law or win broader international recognition. Colombia became the second country to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan this month, joining the United States. Barrack’s remarks sparked a backlash Saturday from conservative activist and US presidential ally Laura Loomer, who posted on X that he “should resign for his lack of understanding of US foreign policy.”
An Indian Air Force (IAF) Cheetah helicopter undertook a casualty evacuation mission to rescue a 56-year-old overseas citizen of India, settled in the USA, from Sumzon Glacier in Pheyang Valley of Ladakh, at an altitude of 15,000 feet.
“Despite the challenging terrain and restricted landing area, the crew executed a safe landing and evacuated the survivor to Leh for further medical care,” the IAF said late on Wednesday evening.
The IAF frequently undertakes rescue missions for civilians travelling in the remote areas of Ladakh. Many civilians get stranded due to natural calamities such as landslides and avalanches, or require evacuation because of medical emergencies arising from low oxygen levels and inclement weather conditions characteristic of the region.
Several such missions are undertaken by the Siachen Pioneers helicopter unit based in Leh. Its Cheetah helicopters operate at the outer limits of their flight parameters while dealing with extreme altitude, rugged terrain, adverse weather and rarefied air.
Army Aviation units are also called upon to undertake casualty evacuation missions in the region.
In serious cases, patients are airlifted from Leh by fixed-wing aircraft to larger cities like Chandigarh, Srinagar or Jammu, where advanced medical facilities are available.
As part of its post-Operation Sindoor transformation, the Indian Army on Friday announced the raising of a dedicated battalion for drone operations along the western front with Pakistan.
DownloadingInteractive Geographic Maps
The newly raised unit will operate under the command of the Army’s 11 Corps, headquartered in Jalandhar, Punjab.
The Army has named these dedicated drone-operating units ‘Baaz battalions’ — Baaz means hawk, a bird of prey.
The initiative to raise such dedicated drone-operating battalions was announced earlier this year and is part of the transformation being carried out post-Operation Sindoor.
Sources said the raising had begun over the past couple of months, and the unit at Jalandhar is the first such unit in the state facing Pakistan.
These units will provide frontline Army units with advanced aerial surveillance and situational-awareness tools.
A Baaz battalion could be equipped to operate a range of drones and armed drones.
These include long-range UAVs such as the MQ-9B, being sourced from US company General Atomics; the Heron and Hermes from Israel; the locally produced Ghatak UAV developed by the DRDO; as well as UAVs manufactured by companies such as ideaForge, SMPP and NewSpace Research.
These drones have capabilities for deep-penetration surveillance, targeting and prolonged border monitoring.
The ‘Baaz’ battalions would act as a centralised ‘brain’ to standardise training, manage the high-density technical data streaming from these mixed fleets, and rapidly handle software updates and replenishment cycles required in high-intensity drone warfare.
The Jalandhar-headquartered 11 Corps said on Friday that ‘Baaz’ adds a potent new dimension, enhancing aerial agility, responsiveness and battlefield reach.
Baaz battalions centralise growing drone capabilities and are designed to handle the entire lifecycle of operations, including deployment, maintenance, data exploitation and seamless integration with ground forces.
These battalions house a specialist pool of personnel specifically trained to manage the drone ecosystem.
The move aims to ensure a sustained operational tempo and a more persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability across the battlefield.
Sources said no numbers could be given on how many ‘Baaz’ battalions would be set up. They added that specialised Aviation Brigades have been established over the past few years, while the Army Aviation Corps operates helicopters — including attack variants — along the frontline.
Sources said the decision has been spurred by lessons from recent border standoffs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the tactical outcomes validated during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May last year.
Post-Operation Sindoor, the Army has expanded its drone arsenal. Each infantry battalion has an ‘Ashini drone platoon’ for tactical, ‘immediate-vicinity’ surveillance. Artillery regiments also operate drones that carry and deploy loitering ammunition, also known as ‘one-way’ drones.
Bangladesh is open to joining the recently formed defence alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior ministers have said, while stressing that any decision would be guided by the country’s national interests.
Signed in Makkah on August 7, the pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three.
“Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade,” newly appointed state minister for foreign affairs Humayun Kobir said.
In an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS on Friday, Kobir said the government was pursuing a “Bangladesh First” policy and a balanced foreign policy with national interests at its core, which might lead Dhaka to join the defence pact.
He said Bangladesh would also strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan through normal diplomatic engagement, focusing on trade and people-to-people connectivity.
Kobir, appointed as the second state minister for foreign affairs on Friday, said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to visit Riyadh at Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s invitation and the tour schedule is likely to be finalised after the summer.
Another state minister for foreign affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, in a separate media interaction on Friday, supplemented Kobir’s comments, saying Bangladesh’s national interest and the interests of its people would determine Dhaka’s stance on joining the pact.
“Whether we join any pact or any multilateral body will be decided primarily on whether Bangladesh’s interests and the interests of the Bangladeshi people are protected,” she said when asked whether Bangladesh would be part of the trilateral framework.
The two junior ministers’ comments came two days after Rahman’s finance and planning adviser Professor Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said a “Bangladesh First” policy marked a “paradigm shift” in the country’s foreign policy.
He said the policy placed national interest, sovereignty, mutual respect and regional harmony at the centre of Bangladesh’s engagement with the international community by maintaining constructive and mutually beneficial relations with all countries.
“The Bangladesh First policy means putting Bangladesh’s interests first, but Bangladesh for all,” Titumir said
The final bridge segment connecting the Maldivian capital Male with Villingili island has been officially set in place, marking a major milestone in the India-funded connectivity project.
Under the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), a 6.74-km-long bridge and causeway link will be built to connect capital city Male with adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.
In 2021, a contract was sealed between the Maldives and India for the implementation of an India-funded connectivity project.
“A big milestone for the Greater Male Connectivity Project! The final bridge segment connecting Male with Villingili is officially set in place – bringing seamless connectivity between the islands one step closer,” India in Maldives posted on X on Saturday.
Former Maldives foreign minister Abdullah Shahid has also hailed the milestone in the India-funded connectivity project.
“A major milestone for the Greater Male Connectivity Project today! Honoured to have launched this project during my tenure as Foreign Minister. The Maldives “India friendship is built on trust and shared progress. This link is a symbol of that commitment and of India’s support for Maldives’ development,” Shahid posted on X.
Shahid also expressed “deep appreciation” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for their role in the project.
“Deep appreciation to PM @narendramodi, and EAM @DrSJaishankar, for their leadership in realising this vision for the Maldivian people,” the post read.
The GMCP, also known as the Thilamale Bridge, funded under a grant of USD 100 million and a Line of Credit of USD 400 million from India, is the largest infrastructure project in the Maldives.
The contract for the Thilamale Bridge project was awarded to India’s Afcons Infrastructure on August 26, 2021. More than 75 per cent of the project’s work has now been completed.
The project comprises three primary bridge links: the connection between Male’ and Villingili, the link between Villingili and Gulhifalhu, and the bridge connecting Gulhifalhu to Thilafushi.
The Indian High Commission in the Maldives earlier stated that this bridge, initiated during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration, features the tallest precast segments of any bridge in the world.
According to the Commission, the precast segments of the Thilamale Bridge superstructure will reach a height of 8.177 meters.
Enhancing regional connectivity has been a key priority for India and the Maldives.
IndiaNews Focus
A direct cargo ferry service connecting Tuticorin in Kochi with Male and Kulhuffushi was started in September 2020.
India has maintained that the Maldives is its key maritime neighbour and an important partner in the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR’ i.e. Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
