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Heavily armed group equipped with M4 carbines

Arjun Sharma

A week ahead of start of the Amarnath pilgrimage, a highly trained terrorist, believed to be Pakistani, was shot dead during an encounter with the security forces in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district on Thursday.

Intelligence agencies received information about the presence of at least four terrorists in the dense forest of Bihali in Basantgarh. They were confronted by a joint search party of the J&K Police and the Special Forces of the Army on Thursday morning.

Basantgarh is located on the traditional route of Pakistani terrorists who infiltrate from the International Border in Kathua and travel to higher reaches of the Jammu region or to the Valley.

Sources said the group belongs to the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit and is heavily armed. They are also equipped with M4 carbines. The sources said from the tactics being used by the terrorists during the encounter, it appeared they were likely trained in jungle warfare.

“Based on a tip-off, a joint operation was launched by the Army and the police in the Bihali area of Basantgarh. A contact has been established with terrorists. The operation is currently in progress,” the Nagrota-based White Knight Corps posted on X.

Later, it said, “In the ongoing joint operation, one terrorist has been neutralised till now.”

Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, said a search operation was continuing in the area. “There is a thick fog cover in the area and weather conditions are not favourable. Things will be clear once the weather improves” said Tuti.

The terrorists are carrying arms, ammunition and food in their backpacks.

The sources said the group had infiltrated into India at least a year ago and was being tracked by the security forces. They were moving from one area to another and overground workers (OGWs) were likely providing them food and other logistics. The terrorists were using forest and natural caves for hiding.

A tight cordon by the Special Operations Group of the police and Army was being maintained as the remaining terrorists might try to take cover of fog and poor weather conditions and try to flee. Additional forces have already been rushed to the area.

The RSS on Thursday called for reviewing the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the preamble of the Constitution, saying these were included during Emergency and were never part of the Constitution drafted by BR Ambedkar.

Addressing an event on 50 years of Emergency here, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabole said, “Babasaheb Ambedkar never used these words in the preamble. The words were added during Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not function and the judiciary became lame.” He said discussions were held on this issue later but no effort was made to remove the two words from the preamble.

“So whether these words should remain must be considered. The preamble is eternal. Are the thoughts of socialism as an ideology eternal for India,” he asked.

The suggestion from the RSS’ second most senior functionary to consider removing the terms secular and socialist came as he hit out at the Congress for the excesses during Emergency, demanding an apology from the party.

Recalling the days of Emergency, which was announced on June 25, 1975, Hosabale said while thousands were put in jail and tortured during that period, the freedom of the judiciary and media was also curtailed. The days of Emergency also witnessed large-scale forced sterlisation, the RSS leader said.

“Those who did such things are today moving around with Constitution’s copy. Your ancestors did it…. You must apologise,” he said. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also attended the event.

Chenab diversion to Punjab, Haryana feasible, say officials

Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service

India is not afraid of Pakistan’s empty threats on the abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty and the pact will not be restored, the government said on Thursday.

Reacting to the former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s threats of war if India refused to renegotiate IWT abeyance, Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil said, “Water will not go anywhere. The treaty will not be renegotiated. What Bhutto says is up to him.”

He added India would benefit hugely from plans underway to utilise excess waters from the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — which was previously allocated to Pakistan under the treaty.

He acknowledged that the Indian government had received several requests from Pakistan (at least four) to re-consider the suspension of the treaty. “Writing letters is natural, but letters will not determine outcomes. Home Minister Amit Shah has already clarified that the treaty will never be restored,” said Paatil.

He said India was working to utilise the waters of the western tributaries of the Indus but it was not in the national interest to divulge specific details of the project right now.

The Tribune has learnt that the Centre was moving ahead with five projects on the western rivers, which were previously stalled due to the IWT.

These include the Tulbul Navigation Project, which was designed to navigate the Jhelum river during the lean winter months. J&K CM Omar Abdullah has called for the revival of this project.

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is working on a detailed project report for the Tulbul plan. Official sources said the DPR would take a year, after which the Centre will decide whether to go ahead with the revival of the project. The Kishanganga hydroelectric power project diverts water from the Kishanganga river to a power plant in the Jhelum river basin, is complete, said sources.

The government is speeding up the construction of the Ratle hydroelectric power project on Chenab. This project is designed as a run-of-river scheme with an installed capacity of 850 MW.

When asked if the western rivers could be diverted to Punjab and Haryana, top sources said it was technically feasible with at least one river. Plans are afoot to look at the feasibility of a canal to link the Chenab with the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system, said sources, adding that the Power Ministry had bid for four of the projects on the western rivers.

A source said, “Abeyance of the IWT means the processes of the treaty have been held in abeyance. So we can manage our dams flushing better. Recently, waters to Pakistan stopped because we had stopped the water flow for flushing operations but overall we have limited water holding capacity for 24, 36 or 48 hours, beyond which the water has to flow to Pakistan, lest we want flooding in our own territory,” said a senior official.

“After the abeyance of the IWT, projects on the western rivers can be executed faster. We can now seek a greater share of the Indus waters from these and will try to find technical feasibility to do so,” said a top official source.

Beat Up an Army Officer — Get Promoted?

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Lucknow Police Slapped Colonel Video : यूपी पुलिस के दरोगा की शर्मनाक करतूत Video Viral | RIH NEWS

Suspicious movement seen, Army opens fire

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Manali or Pakistan? Tourist’s viral video sparks outrage & probe

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ADG STRAT COMN PRINT EDITION UPDATE: 25 JUN 2025

Army sets sights on 155-mm family of precision munitions

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Gen SM Shrinagesh’s ‘Commanded By Destiny’: The General who Indianised Army

Army Chief reviews security ahead of Amarnath Yatra

Navy set to commission stealth frigate ‘Tamal’ in Russia on July 1

Agniveer common entrance exam from June 30 to July 10

Bilawal Bhutto says Pakistan will go to war if India denies water under IWT

Assessing satellite images, experts suggest Fordow, Iran’s most important nuke site, may have been destroyed

Beat Up an Army Officer — Get Promoted?
The disturbing reality behind the Patiala incident

In March 2025, Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son were brutally assaulted by Punjab Police personnel in Patiala — over a parking dispute. The response?

➡ No arrests.
➡ Weak inquiry.
➡ And shockingly… SSP Nanak Singh, under whose watch the cover-up happened, was promoted to DIG.

This isn’t new. It’s exactly how the Central Govt used Delhi Police to suppress the AAP Govt in Delhi. Same pattern, different uniforms.

And it all follows a dangerous script — starting from the Gujarat riots in 2002, where police forces were misused under the RSS-BJP framework.

Now, the same tactics are playing out in Punjab under AAP.

🛡 When police become political thugs,
🇮🇳 Democracy suffers.

Army troops opened fire after noticing suspicious movement in a forward area near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, while security forces conducted searches at more than a dozen places in Poonch, Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.

The suspicious movement of three to four people under the cover of thick foliage was detected by alert soldiers in the Chingus area of Kiri sector in Rajouri in the morning, they said.

The troops fired over two dozen rounds and simultaneously launched a search operation, and also deployed drones. However, there was no trace of the suspected people, officials said.

The video has since drawn severe criticism from local stakeholders, particularly those associated with the tourism sector

Abhinav Vashisht Tribune News Service

A viral video posted by a tourist, who controversially compared Manali’s security situation to that of Pakistan, has sparked sharp backlash from local residents and tourism stakeholders. In the video, the tourist urges viewers to either avoid visiting the popular hill destination or to come armed. He alleged that his wife—holding their four-month-old daughter—and his brother were assaulted near Mission Road parking, while bystanders and the local police failed to intervene.

According to the police, a case was promptly registered under Sections 126(2), 115(2), 352, 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint filed by the tourist, identified as Pradeep, a 35-year-old resident of Mahendragarh, Haryana. Pradeep said unidentified individuals attacked them and issued threats to their lives. Manali DSP KD Sharma confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway.

The video has since drawn severe criticism from local stakeholders, particularly those associated with the tourism sector. Manohar, a long-time resident, called the tourist’s remarks inflammatory and harmful, arguing that advocating the use of weapons in a peaceful tourist town could have dangerous consequences.

Hotelier Krishan echoed this sentiment, urging tourism associations to file formal complaints against the tourist for defaming Manali and potentially discouraging future visitors.

Sanjeev, another local, highlighted recurring tensions between tourists and residents. He recounted past instances where visitors from Punjab and Haryana had allegedly brought firearms and engaged in physical altercations. These frequent incidents, he said, had already compelled the state police to impose strict restrictions on individuals entering Himachal Pradesh with weapons.

Local resident Ashok demanded stern action against the tourist for inciting fear and harming Manali’s image. He emphasised that many confrontations stem from tourists attempting to take the law into their own hands, and urged for greater efforts to counter the spread of inflammatory and misleading videos on social media.

This controversy has reignited discussions about the influence of viral content and the challenges of balancing public perception with ground realities. With Manali’s economy heavily reliant on tourism, stakeholders have called for robust measures to combat misinformation and restore confidence among prospective visitors.

MoD/ Armed Forces

1. Defence minister Rajnath Singh will lead a high-level Indian delegation at the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting to be held at Qingdao on June 26-27. This will be his first visit to China after the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh. “During the meeting, the defence ministers are expected to discuss a number of issues, including regional and international peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts and cooperation among the ministries of defence of SCO member states,” the defence ministry said_HT, AA, Hindu, IE, Stmn.
2. Defence Ministry has inked 13 contracts worth Rs 1,982 crore for fast-track acquisition of air defence missiles, kamikaze drones, counter-drone systems and other equipment to bolster the Army’s operational readiness after Operation Sindoor against Pakistan last month. These contracts were inked specially to augment the Army’s counter-terrorism capabilities under the fifth phase of the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism, which drastically cuts down the normal long-winded acquisition process, to ensure deliveries within a year. A much larger EP-6 is also now underway to further boost as well as replenish arms stockpiles of the Army, IAF and Navy, with an overall outer limit of around Rs 40,000 crore from the existing defence budget_TOI, HT.
3. In a major move breaking away from the traditional system, the government has authorized the CDS and Secretary, DMA to issue Joint Instructions and Joint Orders for all three Services. Dubbed as a major step towards modernisation and transformation of the Armed Forces, the authorization orders were passed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. A statement from the Ministry of Defence stated that the move marks a shift from the earlier system wherein Instructions or Orders pertaining to two or more Services were issued by each Service separately_Stmn. HT, IE, AA.
4. Army troops opened fire after noticing suspicious movement in a forward area near the LC in Rajouri district, while security forces conducted searches at more than a dozen places in Poonch, Samba, and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The suspicious movement of three to four people under the cover of thick foliage was detected by alert soldiers in the Chingus area of Kiri sector in Rajouri in the morning. The troops fired over two dozen rounds and simultaneously launched a search operation, and also deployed drones. However, there was no trace of the suspected people_MP.
5. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down the plea of an Army commando who
   claimed to have participated in Operation Sindoor and sought exemption from surrendering after being convicted and sentenced to ten-year jail term in dowry death of his wife. The court said that it was a case of gruesome killing by strangulation and exemption from surrendering could not be allowed. Though the petitioner tried to convince the court to grant relief and pointed out that he had participated in Operation Sindoor, the bench remained firm. “That doesn’t give you any immunity to commit atrocities at home. This goes to show how physically fit you are and the manner in which you alone could have strangulated your wife,” the Court observed_TOI, Stmn.
6. An army jawan was killed during a training exercise at the Sukhi Sewania range in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh when a dummy bomb dropped from a drone struck his head, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday when the victim, identified as Hav Vijay Singh from Uttarakhand, was struck by the dummy bomb, which weighed four kilograms and was dropped from a drone at a height of 400 feet_HT.

National Security

7. India’s military forced the enemy to surrender in 22 minutes using weapons made in India during Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, emphasising that the operation against Pakistan projected India’s stringent policy against terrorism to the world. Speaking at an event marking the centenary celebration of the historic meeting between social reformer Sree Narayana Guru and Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said the recent military operation showcased the strength of Indian-made weapons and the decisiveness of the country’s armed forces_HT, MP, AA, Hindu, Pnr, Stmn.
8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Mauritius counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam and reiterated India’s commitment to the development priorities of Mauritius. During a phone call on Tuesday, Mr Modi invited Mr Ramgoolam to visit India and reiterated the principle of MAHASAGAR that he had presented during his visit to Mauritius_Hindu.
9. A Central Zonal Council (CZC), chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed regional law and order, border security, disaster response and environmental protection with chief ministers and senior officials of four States on Tuesday. At the beginning of the meeting, the Union Home Minister moved a resolution to commend the strong willpower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the valour of the Indian Armed Forces, which was unanimously approved by the CZC_Pnr.
10. Without naming Pakistan, India on Tuesday called on SCO member states to hold accountable the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of acts of cross border terrorism, and to help bring them to justice. During his intervention at the SCO meeting of top security officials in Beijing, the NSA, Ajit Doval strongly pitched for a unified approach by members against terrorist affiliates and sponsors. He requested heads of delegations for support to several important Indian proposals, including an “algorithm of joint actions” to counter challenges posed by international terrorist organisations, including the Al Qaeda and its partners_TOI.
11. India and Nepal concluded the 16th Meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues (INBCGSI) in Pune on Tuesday. The two-day meeting featured productive discussions on defence and security cooperation, including equipment supplies, training, joint military exercises, disaster relief operations, and military exchanges. Both delegations also visited public and private defence manufacturing facilities to explore collaborative opportunities_AA.
12. Two flights landed in Delhi on Tuesday from the Iranian city of Mashhad, taking the number of evacuated Indians who have reached India so far to 2,576. Another flight is expected to land just past midnight on Wednesday. Also, 594 Indians who were in Israel have been evacuated by air from both Jordan and Egypt so far_AA, Hindu, IE, Pnr, Stmn.
13. In his second visit to Assam’s Dhubri since communal tensions broke out there earlier this month, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government is “exploring the possibility” of setting up a permanent Army base in the India-Bangladesh border district. Communal tensions gripped Dhubri town on June 8 and 9 following the discovery of suspected cattle remains from a temple. On Tuesday, Sarma alleged the involvement of “external forces” and a communal group working to cause unrest in the town_IE, Pnr.
14. The NIA has taken custody of ULFA(I) Brig Rupam Asom alias Kant Borah, thus intensifying its probe, officials said on Tuesday. The senior ULFA(I) commander, apprehended by Tinsukia police earlier this week, was handed over to the NIA after preliminary questioning_Stmn.

Imdt Neighbourhood

15. China can continue to buy Iranian oil, US President Donald Trump said in what appeared to be relief for Tehran from sanctions Washington has previously imposed to punish the trade. China’s position as the main buyer of Iranian oil has served as a crucial lifeline for Tehran as its economy is battered by curbs_Hindu.
16. Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to join the fight against “hegemony” and protectionism in trade as they met in Beijing. Mr Wong, in turn, told Mr Xi he believed the Singapore-China ties were “more important than before” in a time of “global turbulence and uncertainty”_Hindu.
17. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday committed to support Iran at all forums and discussed the rapidly evolving situation in West Asia with envoys from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Pakistan foreign office expressed deep concern and alarm at the serious escalation in the security situation in the region, a government statement said_MP.
18. A Pakistani court on Tuesday rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s petitions seeking post-arrest bail in eight terrorism cases related to the May 9 riots. “The Lahore High Court has rejected all bail petitions filed by the founder of PTI in connection with eight cases related to the May 9, 2023 cases, including Jinnah House/ Lahore Corps Commander House attack and arson incidents,” the court said_Hindu.
19. Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Tuesday scheduled July 1 for the indictment hearing against ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and two others in cases of “crimes against humanity”. Hasina, Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun are accused of using security forces to abduct, murder and torture activists during the mass uprising last year that led to the fall of her Awami League govt_TOI.

Extended Neighbourhood

20. US President Trump abruptly announced a ceasefire late Monday between Israel and Iran that no one had a clue about – least of all the two adversaries – and had everyone wondering if it would be meaningful and lasting. The two countries were still firing missiles when Trump announced an elaborate ceasefire on his social media platform, claiming “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, “PEACE!” I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS”_TOI.
21. A wave of drones targeted several Iraqi military sites overnight on Tuesday,damaging two bases in what the Iraq described as a “cowardly and treacherous” assault. The attacks, which occurred between 2.15 am and 3.45 am local time, struck the Taji military base, around 12 miles north of Baghdad, and the Imam Ali base in the southeast of Iraq. No casualties were reported, but “significant damage” was caused to the radar systems at both bases, Sabah al-Numan. Security forces intercepted drones aimed at four other military sites operated by the Iraqi govt. There were no immediate claims of responsibility_TOI.
22. Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte praised President Trump for making Europe “pay in a big way,” as allied leaders gathered in the Netherlands Tuesday for a historic summit that could unite them around a new defence spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 member countries. The US president, while flying aboard Air Force One enroute to The Hague, published a screenshot of a private message from Rutte saying: “Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe and the world. You will achieve something no American president in decades could get done”_TOI.
23. Israeli forces and drones opened fire toward hundreds of Palestinians waiting for aid in separate incidents in southern and central Gaza early Tuesday, killing at least 44, witnesses and hospitals said, as health authorities announced the number of Palestinians killed in the w

This is part of the Army’s ongoing artillery modernisation efforts to enhance its operational capabilities, boost firepower and improve responsiveness in diverse terrains along the borders with China and Pakistan

Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service

Just a few weeks after carrying out precision strikes on terrorist camps and military sites in Pakistan as part of its retribution against the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Army has set sights on acquiring a family of precision munitions that can be fired from its 155 mm artillery guns.

“Medium regiments are to be equipped with 155 mm family of precision munitions to provide first round hit probability during swift and intense operations, thereby enhancing the efficacy of field artillery gun systems,” a request for information (RFI) issued by Army headquarters on June 23 to identify suitable vendors states.

“The proposed 155 mm family of precision munitions will be employed in plains, mountains, high-altitude, semi-desert and desert terrains for execution of artillery tasks and are required to be compatible with all in service 155 mm caliber guns, the RFI adds.

The family of munitions being sought by the Army includes terminally guided munitions, sensor fused munitions and course correction systems that can be fired with any angle of elevation and can seek and destroy enemy armoured fighting vehicles or moving convoys of soft skinned vehicles.

This is part of the Army’s ongoing artillery modernisation efforts to enhance its operational capabilities, boost firepower and improve responsiveness in diverse terrains along the borders with China and Pakistan. Besides new guns, drones, surveillance and target acquisition radar, sensors and automated fire and control systems are part of the process.

The technical requirements listed out by the Army include compatibility with all caliber lengths and bi-modular charge systems of the in-service systems and be able to match the maximum range of the gun.

The Army has four types of 155 mm artillery guns in service. The oldest is the Bofors FH-77, 410 of which were inducted in the late 1980s and were effectively used to target element positions along the Line of Control in the 1999 Kargil conflict.

The next induction of 155 mm guns came about three decades later when the British M-777 ultra-lightweight howitzers were procured. A total of 145 guns were inducted in 2017 after a protracted procurement process.

Three other systems have also recently entered service with the Indian Army. These are the K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer, Dhanush towed artillery gun and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).

The K-9 is a Korean origin gun that is being licensed produced in India by Larsen and Toubro with 50 per cent Indian components. Dhanush is manufactured by the Advanced Weapons and Equipment India at the Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur — previously a part of the Ordnance Factory Board. ATAGS is a towed 155 mm howitzer being developed by DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment, Tata Advanced Systems and Kalyani Strategic Systems.

Medium artillery guns like 155 mm series have a range of about 40 km. Some of the systems in the Indian Army’s inventory were used during Operation Sindoor in May to destroy Pakistani positions across the border.