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An officer of 2nd Battalion of Garhwal Rifles, this son of Dharamsala laid down his life fighting Pak infiltrators in 1965

Captain Chandra Narain Singh, a proud Himachali Dogra, born in Dharamsala on July 2, 1939, embodied courage from the very start. Inspired by his father’s military legacy, he was selected to the Indian Military Academy on his first attempt and was commissioned into the illustrious 2nd Battalion of Garhwal Rifles, which is famous for its World War I Victoria Cross heroes, on June 11, 1961.

Captain Chandra Narain, who was affectionately known as CN, quickly distinguished himself and was entrusted with a staff officer’s role in an Infantry Brigade guarding the sensitive Poonch-Mendhar sector. In a tense buildup to the 1965 conflict with Pakistan, Captain Chandra Narain displayed exemplary leadership and unflinching bravery, proving beyond doubt that Himachali valour yields to none.

His supreme sacrifice in 1965 remains an enduring testament to duty, honour and the spirit of India’s fearless soldiers. As Government College, Dharamsala, is planning for its centenary celebrations, the Old Student’s Association has strongly recommended the college to be named after its alumni — this great son of the soil.

As tensions along the ceasefire line surged to unprecedented heights, the summer of 1965 became one of the most volatile periods since the conflict with Pakistan of 1947-48. By early August, Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir were confronting an alarming escalation: infiltrating groups of 100 to 150 men slipping across the ceasefire line, armed and intent on destabilising the region and inciting unrest. These incursions, far bolder than earlier violations, marked the launch of Pakistan’s large-scale infiltration campaign — Operation Gibraltar.

Amid this unrest, a story of extraordinary courage unfolded in the rugged hills near Poonch. Captain Chandra Narain, serving as Staff Captain with 93 Infantry Brigade Headquarters, would on August 5, 1965, undertake an action that would forever etch his name in India’s military history.

That afternoon, a local informer arrived breathless at the Brigade Headquarters with a chilling news: Over a 100 Pakistani infiltrators in civilian attires had been sighted at Dabrot village between Galuthi and the ceasefire line. The Brigade Commander recognised the emergency and ordered Capt Chandra Narain to lead an immediate patrol, drawing personnel from the defence platoon of 22 Maratha Battalion. With him went his loyal sahayak, Rifleman Pushkar Singh Bisht, and an accompanying Maratha officer.

The patrol reached Dabrot swiftly. Capt Chandra Narain, with characteristic precision, organised a thorough search and soon, the infiltrators were sighted. Though Capt Chandra Narain and his team were heavily outnumbered, he launched a fearless assault, catching the enemy off guard. The infiltrators scattered in panic, abandoning three light machine guns and a sizable cache of ammunition.

But the danger was far from over. A concealed splinter group opened fire from behind boulders, turning the skirmish into a fierce close-quarter battle. In the melee, Rifleman Bisht was grievously wounded and he collapsed. As the infiltrators closed in to finish him, Capt Chandra Narain, shouting “Badri Vishal Lal ki Jai!”, charged alone at the enemy. Firing his carbine with deadly accuracy, he neutralised almost the entire group in a display of unmatched bravery.

In those final moments, the fate dealt its cruellest blow. A fleeing infiltrator fired wildly and one bullet hit Capt Chandra Narain in the head. He fell beside his sahayak, both having made the supreme sacrifice.

For his indomitable courage and leadership under extremely hostile conditions, Captain Chandra Narain was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). A proud “Military Maha Vir” of Himachal Pradesh, Captain Chandra Narain remains an enduring symbol of fearless devotion to duty.

Six decades on, the hero remembered with honour, pride

• On August 5, the 60th anniversary of Capt Chandra Narain Singh’s martyrdom, 16 Garhwal Rifles held a solemn ceremony at Dharamsala to honour the Maha Vir Chakra awardee’s legacy
• In a deeply symbolic moment, his medals were received with reverence by Lt Gen DS Rana, Colonel of Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts and CINCAN
• Senior officers, including Lt Gen Rajan Sharawat, Brigadier Vinod Singh Negi and Colonel Vishal Kumar Singh, also paid tributes
• The medals are now preserved at the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre Museum at Lansdowne in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, serving as a lasting reminder of Capt Chandra Narain Singh’s heroism and selfless service

Major Parameswaran of the 8 Mahar Regiment was returning from a search operation late at night on November 25, 1987, when his column was ambushed by a group of militants

Veterans of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), along with senior serving officers, will assemble at the National War Memorial in Delhi on Tuesday to pay tributes to Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, who was the only soldier to receive the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) for gallantry during India’s operations in Sri Lanka.

The IPKF was deployed in Sri Lanka from July 1987 to March 1990 under a bilateral accord aimed at disarming Tamil militant groups, particularly the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and ending the civil war.

It was India’s first major overseas military campaign post-Independence. While the deployment is regarded as tactically successful, albeit at a heavy human cost, the political, diplomatic and intelligence aspects continue to be debated. By the time the last Indian troops were withdrawn, the IPKF had lost 1,171 troops with another about 3,500 being wounded.

Initially envisioned as a quick and low-intensity operation with little armed engagements, it quickly escalated into intense combat. The force found itself in gruelling battles involving jungle warfare, urban assaults and counter-insurgency operations and throwing up some hard lessons.

For the past few years, veterans have been holding private remembrance ceremonies. What marks a notable departure this year, according to IPKF veterans, is that for the first time Army Headquarters is officially commemorating Operation Pawan, the most significant operation undertaken in Sri Lanka, coinciding with the day of Major Parameswaran’s heroic stand in the line of fire. For long, veterans have been campaigning for official recognition and commemoration of the Sri Lanka operations.

Operation Pawan was the code name for the IPKF campaign to secure the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE and enforce its disarmament as a part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord. After about three weeks of intense fighting, the IPKF succeeded in taking control of the region, something that the Sri Lankan Army had earlier failed to achieve.

As part of the operation, Major Parameswaran of the 8 Mahar Regiment was returning from a search operation late at night on November 25, 1987, when his column was ambushed by a group of militants.

“With cool presence of mind, he encircled the militants from the rear and charged into them, taking them completely surprise. During the hand-to-hand combat, a militant shot him in the chest. Undaunted, Major Parameswaran snatched the rifle from the militant and shot him dead. Gravely wounded, he continued to give orders and inspired his command till he breathed his last. Five militants were killed and three rifles and two rocket launchers were recovered and the ambush was cleared,” the citation for his award reads.

“Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran displayed the most conspicuous gallantry and thought nothing of dying at his post,” the citation adds.

He was the only PVC recipient of the Sri Lanka campaign. In addition, over 250 decorations, including three Maha Vir Chakras, the second-highest gallantry award, were conferred on IPKF personnel.

Operating under Southern Command, the IPKF deployment peaked at around 1,00,000 troops, involving the Army’s 4 Mountain Division, 36 Infantry Division, 54 Infantry Division and 57 Infantry Division, along with paramilitary forces, Special Forces, and elements of the Air Force and Navy.

Jaffna, Palaly, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara and Mannar were along areas in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka where the IPKF was deployed.

While Indian involvement in the Sri Lankan civil strife had been continuing at the political and diplomatic levels since the tenure of Indira Gandhi as prime minister, the induction of the IPKF had been preceded by the first overt military operation, Poomalai, when five IAN An-32 transport aircraft, escorted by Mirage 2000 fighters, flew over Jaffna to airdrop 25 tons of humanitarian supplies in June 1987.

Among other major IPKF operations were Operation Viraat, Operation Trishul, Operation Checkmate, Operation Main Road, Operation Tiger Hunt and Operation Thrividra. Sri Lanka was also the first combat exposure for the Navy’s newly formed Indian Marine Special Force, now known as the Marine Commando Force.

The Ashni platoons are in sync with other ongoing modernisation & restructuring moves like forming the Bhairav battalions and Rudra brigades, designed to enhance the Army’s offensive capabilities

Field formations under the Western Command reviewed and validated the operational preparedness of newly raised Ashni platoons, which are specialised drone units integrated with Infantry battalions, during the ongoing integrated all-arms Exercise Ram Prahaar.

“An invisible #ThirdEye, #ASHNI enables real-time tactical level reconnaissance, surveillance and lethal mini-UAS precision strike capability of each Infantry Battalion of formations of #KhargaCorps,” the Western Command posted on its X handle on Sunday.

With the proliferation of drones across the battle space down to the tactical level, the Army has raised about 380 new specialist drone platoons. Designated ‘Ashni’, which means fire, each such platoon comprises about 25 specially trained personnel equipped with different types of drones.

The drones on the inventory of battalions are those meant for surveillance and recce as well as armed ones, including Kamikaze drones and precision ammunition dropping unmanned aerial vehicles. These tactical drones are smaller, having a range of a few kilometers and fly at lower heights as compared to the larger unmanned aerial systems employed for medium and long range missions by the armed forces.

Forming Ashni platoons is a key part of the Army’s modernisation efforts to develop ‘drone-first’ tactics and adopt counter evolving threats aimed at providing enhanced situational awareness, precision targeting and real-time intelligence as well as counter drone defence capabilities to infantry units through drone technology.

The Ashni platoons are in sync with other ongoing modernisation and restructuring moves like forming the Bhairav battalions and Rudra brigades, designed to enhance the Army’s offensive capabilities.

The Bhairav battalions are structured, trained and equipped for special operations and likely to be a bridge between the regular infantry and the elite special forces. Five such battalions, with about 250 soldiers, have already been operationalised and another four are in the process of being formed. The Army’s plans call for a total of 25 such battalions, all of which are expected to be complete next year.

The Rudra Brigades are the Army’s new, integrated combat formations that combine various arms such as infantry, armour, artillery and support elements under a single command to enhance battlefield cohesion, mobility and offensive capability by having all the necessary fighting elements permanently integrated, rather than assembled only after mobilisation.

Two Rudra Brigades have already been raised. The traditional brigades that these would eventually replace are single arms formations, that is each brigade is composed of units of the same arm or service like the infantry, armour or artillery.

This is the third time in the past two months that the minister has spoken about the possibility of Pakistan’s borders with India being redrawn

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said although the Sindh region in Pakistan is not part of India at present, borders can change and the region may return to India in the future.

This is the third time in the past two months that the minister has spoken about the possibility of Pakistan’s borders with India being redrawn.

Sindh province — the region along the Indus river — went to Pakistan during the 1947 Partition.

Singh said, “Today, the land of Sindh may not be a part of India, but civilisationally, Sindh will always be a part of India. And as far as land is concerned, borders can change. Who knows, tomorrow Sindh may return to India again.”

“People of Sindh, who hold the Indus river sacred, will always be our own. No matter where they are, they will always be ours,” the Defence Minister said.

He said Sindhi Hindus — particularly from the generation of leaders like LK Advani — have never accepted the separation of the Sindh region from India.

Citing a book by Advani, the former Union Home Minister and BJP veteran, Rajnath said, “Advani wrote in one of his books that Sindhi Hindus, especially those of his generation, still haven’t accepted the separation of Sindh from India.”

“Not just in Sindh, but across India, Hindus consider the Indus river sacred. Many Muslims in Sindh also believed that the waters of the Indus were no less sacred than the Aab-e-Zamzam of Mecca,” Singh added, again referring to Advani’s writings.

This is the third time in two months that Singh has commented on Pakistan’s borders. In October, during a visit to the Rann of Kutch sector in Gujarat, he had said, “Any misadventure by Pakistan in the Sir Creek sector will invite a decisive response… If Pakistan dares to act in the Sir Creek sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography.”

Earlier, on September 22, in an interaction with the Indian community in Morocco, Singh had expressed confidence that India would regain Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) without taking any aggressive steps, saying people there were demanding freedom from Pakistani control.

“PoK will be ours on its own. Demands have already started being raised in PoK — you must have heard the sloganeering,” he had said.

MoD/ Armed Forces

1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that Indonesia has formally requested to purchase BrahMos missiles manufactured at the new BrahMos Aerospace facility in Lucknow. The state-of-the-art unit, inaugurated in May and now fully operational, recently produced its first batch of missiles as part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor. Singh, speaking at a BJP event, highlighted India’s growing global stature under PM Narendra Modi. He also praised the NDA’s performance in the Bihar elections and urged BJP workers to uphold discipline and dedication_HT.
2. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan criticised certain defence companies for falsely claiming high indigenous content and failing to deliver orders placed under emergency procurement. He stressed the need for honesty about capabilities, noting that delays directly affect national security. Gen Chauhan said the armed forces expect “nationalism and patriotism” alongside profit. The CDS highlighted repeated cases of over-promising and missed deadlines, echoing Air Chief Marshal AP Singh’s concerns over chronic delays, including HAL’s slow delivery of Tejas jets. He warned that such lapses are unacceptable_AA, ToI.
3. In a landmark move, the Indian Army will induct women soldiers into Territorial Army (TA) Infantry Home & Hearth battalions for the first time. The Directorate General of TA has released vacancies for 2025-26, earmarking a section of about 10 posts for women in select battalions, with plans to expand across all units. These TA battalions, raised mainly in Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast, support counter-insurgency, intelligence, and civil assistance roles. The decision marks another major step toward gender inclusion, as women are still barred from core combat arms_IE.
4. Exercise Poorvi Prachand Prahar demonstrated seamless coordination among the Indian Army, Air Force, Navy and ITBP for high-altitude, all-terrain missions in the Eastern theatre. The drill validated joint preparedness, coordinated manoeuvres and unified combat capability in challenging operational environments. Special Forces, MARCOS, Garud, Bhairav Battalion and Arunachal Scouts acted as crucial force multipliers. Advanced technologies such as night-enabled FPVs, SWARM drones, unmanned systems and precision-targeting tools, along with the Divyastra battery, enhanced effectiveness. The exercise highlighted rapid mobilisation, multi-domain synergy and readiness along the Northern borders_Pnr.
5. India and the United Kingdom will conduct the eighth edition of their joint biennial military exercise “Ajeya Warrior” from November 17 to 30 at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The exercise aims to strengthen coordinated counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban environments. The drill highlights the shared commitment of both nations to global peace and security, while enhancing interoperability, tactical cooperation, and mutual understanding between the two armies through combined training and field operations_Hdtn.
6. The Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps has introduced a unique high-altitude monorail system to supply essential items to remote posts in Arunachal Pradesh at 16,000 feet. Heavy snowfall often disrupts regular delivery of ammunition, rations, fuel and equipment, but this fully indigenous system can transport over 300 kg of material in a single trip. The monorail operates day and night in difficult weather and can also support rapid casualty evacuation from areas where helicopters cannot land. This innovation strengthens the Army’s operational readiness in the region_HB.
7. The Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighter jets will participate in ‘Garuda 25,’ a bilateral air exercise with the French Air and Space Force from November 16 to 27 at Mont-de-Marsan, France. Officials said the exercise will feature complex, simulated air combat missions involving IAF’s Su-30MKIs and French multi-role fighters. This marks the eighth edition of the Indo-French air exercise aimed at strengthening operational coordination and interoperability. The IAF contingent arrived in France on November 10 to begin preparations_MP, AA, Pnr, Stsmn, ToI.
8. Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi held extensive discussions with top US naval commanders during his six-day visit to the United States, focusing on expanding operational cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. He met Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Admiral Stephen T Koehler and Lt Gen James F Glynn to enhance interoperability, maritime security and joint engagements. Both sides reaffirmed their strong partnership and commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Talks also covered deeper information sharing, maritime domain awareness, and protection of sea lines and critical undersea infrastructure_HT, Jansatta.

National Security

9. Nine people, including six police personnel, a revenue officer, a chowkidar and a civilian, were killed and 32 injured in an accidental explosion at Nowgam police station in Srinagar. The blast occurred during the handling of unstable explosives seized in a ‘white-collar’ terror module probe. Officials confirmed it was not a terror attack. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and senior security officials paid tributes, while the J&K government announced ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for the injured_FE, HBL, MP, IE, Pnr, Stsmn, HT, AA.
10. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired a conference of India’s Consuls General in the United States, reviewing bilateral ties, diplomatic initiatives, and support for diaspora-related activities. He appreciated the efforts of the Embassy and Consulates in strengthening the India-US partnership. The meeting in New York included Ambassador Vinay Kwatra and heads of all Indian consulates across major US cities. Jaishankar also met UN Secretary-General António Guterres, discussing global issues, multilateralism, and regional hotspots, while thanking him for his consistent support for India’s development_MP.
11. Indian security agencies are increasingly linking the November 10 Red Fort blast in Delhi to operatives in Bangladesh despite denials from Bangladesh’s interim government. Delhi Police have detained three individuals, including two doctors from Haryana’s Al Falah University, while also filing FIRs over university irregularities. Investigators say the terror plot connects Pakistan and Bangladesh, highlighting a virtual meeting where LeT commander Saifullah Saif issued attack directions with Bangladesh officials present. Agencies suspect operatives later entered India via Murshidabad, where explosives and support were allegedly arranged_AA.
12. Two British passport holders, a Pakistani-origin doctor, Hasan Aman Saleem, and an India-origin doctor, Sumitra Shakeel Olivia were arrested at the Rupaidia border in Bahraich while illegally entering India from Nepal without valid visas. SSB and police personnel stopped them during heightened border vigilance following the Delhi blast. Both failed to provide a satisfactory reason for entering India. They claimed they were working as doctors and had visited Nepalganj on a hospital’s request. The duo has been handed over to Rupaidia police for further action_Jansatta.

Imdt Neighbourhood

13. China has warned its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan after a diplomatic dispute escalated over remarks by Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said Tokyo could respond militarily if China used force against Taiwan. Both countries summoned each other’s ambassadors following the comments and an “inappropriate” online post later removed by China. Beijing said the situation poses safety risks for Chinese citizens in Japan. Tokyo called the advisory inconsistent with efforts to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship. Major Chinese airlines are offering full refunds for Japan-bound flights_Hin.
14. Pakistan’s judicial crisis escalated as Lahore High Court Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza resigned in protest against the 27th Constitutional Amendment. His resignation follows those of two Supreme Court judges, all condemning what they call an “assault on the Constitution and judiciary.” The amendment establishes a Federal Constitutional Court to handle constitutional matters, limiting the Supreme Court to civil and criminal cases. It also extends Army Chief General Asim Munir’s tenure until 2030. Justice Mirza, set to retire in 2028, is the first high court judge to step down_HT, MP, IE.
15. At least five militants were killed in a gunfight with police in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday. The clash erupted after 25 to 30 militants stormed a seminary in the Sheikh Landak and Takhti Khel areas of Lakki Marwat district. As the attackers entered the seminary, local residents, along with police, quickly cordoned off the area to prevent further escalation. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of five militants, while security forces continued efforts to secure the region amid rising militant activity_IE.
16. Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Dhaka on Saturday demanding that Bangladesh’s Ahmadiya Muslim minority be declared infidels. The sect, rooted in 19th-century India, has long faced persecution, which escalated after Sheikh Hasina’s government fell during a student-led revolution last year. Hardline Islamist groups, previously suppressed, have gained prominence ahead of February’s elections. The rally featured leaders and clerics from several countries, with participants calling for legislation against the sect. Many protesters argued Ahmadiyas could live in Bangladesh, but not as Muslims_AA.

Extended Neighbourhood

17. The United States is reportedly planning to divide Gaza into two zones as part of a new proposal. A “green zone,” located in the Eastern area already controlled by Israel, would come under Israeli and international military supervision and begin reconstruction. Meanwhile, the “red zone,” home to nearly two million displaced Palestinians, would remain devastated with no rebuilding planned. The plan forms part of President Trump’s 20-point peace proposal, which includes an international stabilisation force. The UN Security Council is expected to vote on the resolution soon_HT, IE, Pnr.
18. Russia’s defence ministry announced that its forces have captured the village of Yablukove in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, though the claim has not been independently verified. In response, Ukraine reported striking a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region near Moscow, describing it as an effort to weaken Russia’s ability to conduct missile and bomb attacks. The strike followed deadly Russian assaults on Kyiv. Ryazan governor Pavel Malkov said Russian air defences shot down 25 Ukrainian drones during the night_AA.
19. According to Russian media reports, the United States secretly conducted a test of the B61-12 nuclear bomb at its main Nevada test site. The report claims the test was completed quietly in August, without public disclosure. Surprisingly, this allegedly occurred before President Trump publicly stated that the U.S. was considering new nuclear tests. The timing suggests, according to these reports, that Trump made such statements after the test had already taken place, possibly to keep the operation hidden. The revelation has now come to light_HB.

Boeing KC-135 is on wet-lease under which the aircraft will be flown, manned and maintained by the pilots and crew belonging to an American firm. The US Air Force also uses a KC-135.

In a sign of the normalisation of India-US ties and increasing defence cooperation between the two nations, the Indian Air Force has leased a Boeing KC-135 plane, which is a mid-air refueller.

The US-made plane, which has a system to re-fuel fighter jets, transport planes and helicopters in mid-flight, landed at the IAF’s Agra base today.

This is the second strategic lease of military equipment from the US. Two high-altitude ‘predator’ drones have been leased from US company General Atomics. These drones provide excellent imagery during the military stand off with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

The plane would also be used for operations of the Navy. At present, the IAF and the Navy use the fleet of six Russian IL -78 tankers, which are ageing and face maintenance issues. The IAF has been trying to get new mid-air refuellers since 2007.

The plane is on wet-lease under which the aircraft will be flown, manned and maintained by the pilots and crew belonging to an American firm. The US Air Force also uses a KC-135.

In the last 20 months, this is the second time that the aircraft manufactured by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd was involved in a crash

India’s Braveheart Pilot of Tejas Fighter Jet Wg Commander Namansh Syal seen here in a video during Dubai Air Show with India’s MoS Defence Sanjay Seth & India’s Envoy to UAE Deepak Mittal

💔 pic.twitter.com/04BH6bBI9g

— Frontalforce 🇮🇳 (@FrontalForce) November 21, 2025

The Indian Army’s Ram Division, part of the Kharga Corps under Western Command, conducted Exercise Ram Prahar, a major integrated all-arms and services manoeuvre, reaffirming Army’s evolution into a modern, adaptive, agile and technology-enabled fighting force.

The exercise underscored the Army’s focus on operational agility, multi-domain capability and real-time decision-making across land, air and cyber domains – reflecting a posture of preparedness, deterrence and strategic assurance in the current fragile regional security environment.

In a run-up to the exercise, the Division undertook a series of battle drills and validations of tactics, techniques and procedures. The exercise witnessed coordinated operations by armoured, infantry, engineer and aviation elements in a dynamic battlefield environment.

Employment of next-generation equipment, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) integration, AI-enabled decision support tools and network-based command and control systems demonstrated the Army’s ability to adapt, respond and prevail in complex, technology-driven battlefields.

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, reviewed the exercise in the general area of Haridwar on Saturday and validated the operational doctrines and procedures.

Exercise Ram Prahar reflects the Indian Army’s resolve to remain agile, resilient and future-ready, drawing strength from synergy, innovation and its enduring bond with the people, a spokesperson for Western Command said.

Himachal pilot’s body flown back for last last rites at hometown Kangra

A day after a Tejas jet crashed at an airshow in Dubai, killing a pilot, top sources in the Indian Air Force dismissed speculation that the indigenous fighter jets would be grounded.

“No such grounding has taken place. All (Tejas) planes are cleared for flying,” said the sources. The IAF has 36 such jets in its fleet.

Meanwhile, the mortal remains of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who died in the crash, have been flown back to India. An IAF plane flew in from Dubai with the remains of the pilot to Sulur, Tamil Nadu, the home base of one of the Tejas fighter jet squadron. Sources in the IAF said the cremation was planned at the family hometown in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh.

Wing Commander Syal was posted to the squadron at Sulur. The military leadership at the base and his colleagues will pay their last respects at an associated solemn ceremony. The mortal remains would then be moved to Kangra by the IAF for the last rites.

Wing Commander Syal was piloting a Tejas Mark-1 fighter aircraft at the Dubai air show and he died when the plane plunged to the ground while he was executing a low-flying manoeuvre called the ‘barrel roll’. The pilot tried to stabilise the jet, but could not eject in time. The ill-fated plane nosedived and erupted into a fireball on impact.

The Tejas Mark-1 plane manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is powered by the F-404 engine made by US company General Electric. The HAL delivered 38 jets in the first tranche, of which two have been lost. Another 180 jets of the upgraded variant of the jet, called Tejas Mark-1A, are on order with the HAL. Deliveries are yet to start.

A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident. Sources said there could be multiple reasons for malfunction, including trouble in the fly-by-wire system, engine failure, or any control system malfunctioning. The IAF would be retrieving the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder.

Admiral Tripathi’s US visit pushes tie-up in unmanned systems, cyber & space

India and the US are looking to collaborate on emerging military domains and refine the scope of their maritime exercises to make these more complex and challenging. These issues were discussed between the military leadership of both countries during Navy Chief Admiral DK Tripathi’s recent six-day visit to the US.

Collaboration on expanding military domains would include unmanned systems, surveillance, cyber and space-enabled maritime capabilities. The two sides operate several common-origin platforms such as MQ-9B drones and Boeing P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, allowing them to share a common operational picture.

In the space domain, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February, the Transforming Relations Utilising Strategic Technologies (TRUST) initiative was announced to advance cooperation in space alongside defence, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and biotechnology.

The India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) is aimed at fostering startup partnerships in satellite technology and space situational awareness. Defence space cooperation has also deepened with India’s participation in the US Space Command’s Global Sentinel exercise.

On military exercises, the two sides are exploring expansion. “The two sides deliberated on refining bilateral and multilateral exercises,” the Navy said after the visit concluded.

The navies are looking to add greater complexity to the drills, including “submarine hunts” and tracking “enemy vessels”, which would strengthen the India-US maritime partnership and advance shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, sources said.

Both navies are part of strategic multi-nation constructs such as the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which operates in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. India hosts the Milan exercise, in which the US is an important participant. Along with Japan and Australia, both countries are also part of the Malabar Exercise.

The latest edition of Malabar was conducted last week at Guam, a US base in the Pacific Ocean.

Admiral Tripathi and US officials reviewed key pillars of India-US defence cooperation, including strengthening maritime security and domain awareness, expanding operational interoperability, enhancing information sharing, safeguarding sea lines of communication and critical undersea infrastructure, and coordinated responses to counter-piracy and other non-traditional security challenges.

Admiral Tripathi also met Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Stephen T Koehler, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, and other senior naval leaders.