Security forces have launched a search operation after a Pakistani drone was sighted hovering over a forward village along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district, officials said on Saturday.
The drone-like object was seen coming from the Pakistani side and hovered over Nanga village in the Ramgarh sector late Friday, triggering alarm in the border belt, they said.
According to officials, security forces and police teams were immediately deployed to scour the area and ensure that there is no airdropping of any payload like narcotics and weapons from across the border.
The search operation was underway when last reports were received, officials said, adding that security has been heightened in adjoining villages as a precautionary measure.
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Gen Upendra Dwivedi says won’t exercise restraint like in Op Sindoor, tells troops to remain battle-ready
Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Friday warned Pakistan that if it wanted to retain its place on the world map, it must stop state-sponsored terrorism.
Speaking at an outpost along the India-Pakistan border in Anupgarh, Rajasthan, General Dwivedi said Indian forces would not show any restraint this time, hinting that a second version of Operation Sindoor would not be far if Islamabad refused to stop exporting terror.
“This time, we will not maintain the restraint that we had in Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time, we will do something that will make Pakistan think about whether it wants to retain its place on the world map or not. If Pakistan wants to retain its place, then it must stop state-sponsored terrorism,” he said.
Further, he asked Army and BSF personnel to stay prepared. “If the God wills, you’ll get an opportunity soon. All the best,” the General said. The Army Chief’s visit was to see the preparedness of the troops. His statement comes just a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned Pakistan of a “strong reply” if it dared to act in the disputed Sir Creek sector along the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat.
The minister said, “Pakistan’s recent expansion of military infrastructure in the sector reflects its ill intent… any misadventure in the sector will invite a decisive response.”
“If Pakistan dares to act in the sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography,” he had added.
Operation Sindoor was undertaken by India to give a fitting reply in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Nine terror camps were hit in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces using long-range precision weapons on May 7. The attack on terror camps had brought the two countries to a near-war situation. A ceasefire followed on May 10 after Pakistani commanders called up their Indian counterparts, seeking an end to the offensive.
The Army Chief also honoured three officers for their exceptional work during Operation Sindoor. These were BSF’s 140th Battalion Commandant Prabhakar Singh, Army’s Major Ritesh Kumar and Havildar Mohit Gaira.
Strife-torn Manipur witnessed a stupendous 3,000-times increase in incidents of crime and atrocities against people belonging to the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in a year. The state recorded only one such case in 2022, while the state reported 3,399 cases of crimes against the tribal community in 2023, the year when ethnic violence had broken out there.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2023, these incidents affected 3,408 victims. In the same year, Manipur also earned the dubious distinction of recording most incidents of crimes and atrocities against the STs.
In fact, in dacoity cases against STs, Manipur recorded 260 incidents with an equal number of victims, while Karnataka stood a distant second with just one case. All other states drew a blank in dacoity cases against STs, as per the NCRB data.
As many as 1,542 incidents of rioting against STs were recorded in Manipur, with 1,550 victims.
Even in cases of incidents violating the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the north-eastern state again ranked first with 2,916 incidents and 2,925 victims.
In arson incidents (against STs), the troubled-state was at the number one spot, with 1,051 cases and an equal number of victims, while it also ranked first in recording 203 incidents of causing intentional insult to STs.
Ethnic violence had broken out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, when the majority Meiteis clashed with the tribal Kukis, following a Manipur High Court order recommending ST status for the Meitei people, a decision opposed by tribal groups due to fears of land and economic displacement.
India, China to resume direct flights from October 26
The resumption of services was also discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin
After a five-year gap, India and China have agreed to resume direct air services between designated points from October 26, the Ministry of External Affairs and civil aviation officials said on Thursday, marking a major step toward normalising ties between the two neighbours.
Civil aviation authorities of both countries have been holding technical-level talks since early this year on restarting scheduled passenger services and revising the existing Air Services Agreement.
While IndiGo Airlines has announced it would resume services to mainland China, operating daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou (CAN) from October 26, subject to regulatory approvals, top aviation sources told The Tribune that Air India is also planning to start its flight operations by month-end.
The Indigo said it would deploy Airbus A320neo aircraft on the route and open bookings from October 3 on its website. The carrier also indicated plans to introduce direct services between Delhi and Guangzhou shortly, once approvals and operational arrangements are finalised.
The recent breakthrough paves the way for flights to operate in line with the upcoming winter schedule, officials said, though the move remains subject to commercial decisions by designated carriers and fulfilment of operational and regulatory criteria.
The resumption of services was also discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, where both leaders underscored the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation.
The leaders, meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit, reiterated that the two countries are “development partners” and that “differences should not be allowed to become disputes”, the MEA readout of August 31 said.
Officials emphasised that the restart would be gradual and carefully managed. Carriers on both sides must complete commercial planning and satisfy safety, security and slot requirements before services begin.
“Resuming direct connectivity will enhance air links, support people-to-people exchanges and contribute to deeper economic collaboration,” a civil aviation official said.
The decision is expected to ease travel for businesspersons, students and families, while boosting trade and tourism. Direct passenger flights between India and China were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and did not resume after bilateral ties deteriorated following the 2020 border clashes.
The thaw in relations gained momentum after PM Modi’s recent visit to China for the SCO summit. Officials say the flight resumption is part of a measured diplomatic outreach that includes restoration of cross-border contacts such as the Kailash-Manasarovar yatra and revival of tourist visa channels.
Industry analysts said the return of direct flights — even if phased and limited at first — will have meaningful economic and social impact, restoring a channel of engagement that supports commerce, education and family ties between the two countries.
Centre lifts curbs, allows Sikh jathas to visit Pakistan
The authorised groups are expected to cross via the Attari-Wagah border and visit historic gurdwaras in Pakistan, including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev.
The Centre on Thursday lifted its restrictions and allowed select Sikh jathas to travel to Pakistan to participate in the upcoming Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev, officials said.
The move follows criticism of a September 12 directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that had barred cross-border travel by Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan on security grounds. Religious bodies and political leaders had protested the ban, arguing that pilgrimage should not be singled out while other cross-border activities continued.
Under the new decision, permission is limited to jathas specifically recommended by state governments and cleared by central ministries after security vetting. The state authorities will screen and forward the applications in coordination with intelligence and security agencies, while the final clearance will be granted by the MHA in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Officials emphasised that even travellers holding valid Pakistani visas will not be permitted to make independent trips — approvals must come through the official jatha mechanism.
Home Ministry to give final approval
The move follows criticism of a September 12 directive from the MHA that had barred cross-border travel by Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan on security grounds
States will screen and forward applications in coordination with intelligence and security agencies, while the final clearance will be granted by the MHA
The authorised groups are expected to cross via the Attari-Wagah border and visit historic gurdwaras in Pakistan, including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev. The arrangement, the officials said, would follow the 1974 India-Pakistan protocol on visits to religious shrines that had previously governed limited cross-border pilgrimage despite strained bilateral ties.
Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who welcomed the decision, said the MHA had issued a notification directing states to submit jatha applications by October 22. “I request prominent Sikh bodies, including the SGPC, to complete the procedure at the earliest so that applications reach the MHA after due scrutiny and verification,” Sirsa said, and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the move.
Analysts said the decision carried both humanitarian and symbolic value — accommodating religious sentiment while preserving central control over security. Details on the size of the contingents, precise itineraries and security arrangements were being finalised.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of heightened India-Pakistan tensions. The Kartarpur Corridor — a visa-free route that previously allowed Indian pilgrims direct access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur — has remained suspended since May 2025 following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent security concerns, underscoring the sensitive environment in which the pilgrimage will take place.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performs ‘shastra puja’ at the Bhuj military station in Gujarat. PTI
Our response will change history, geography: Rajnat
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday warned Pakistan of a strong reply if it resorted to any “misadventure” in the disputed Sir Creek sector along the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat. The minister was addressing troops on Dasehra at the Bhuj military station in Gujarat.
Rajnath also performed the ceremonial ‘shastra puja’ (worship of weapons) at the military station. The air defence gun — L-70 — that did a commendable job during the recent Operation Sindoor with Pakistan was among the weapons at the ceremony.
On the issue of the Sir Creek sector, the minister said, “Pakistan’s recent expansion of military infrastructure in the sector reflects its ill intent.”
“Any misadventure by Pakistan in the Sir Creek sector will invite a decisive response… If Pakistan dares to act in the sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography,” he said.
In 1965, the Army showed courage by reaching Lahore, and in 2025, Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi also passes through the creek, the minister added.
India and Pakistan have an undemarcated boundary, with Sir Creek, a 96-km tidal estuary, dividing Gujarat and the Pakistani state of Sindh. Its demarcation will decide potential oil and gas reserves by defining the maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones in the Arabian Sea.
Rajnath also virtually inaugurated the Tidal Independent Berthing Facility and the Joint Control Centre in the sector. The facilities will act as major enablers for integrated coastal operations while significantly enhancing joint operational capability, coastal security coordination and rapid response to any threats, the minister said.
On Operation Sindoor, Rajnath said it exposed Pakistan’s air defence system. Pakistan had tried to penetrate India’s defences from Leh to the Sir Creek sector, but the swift and effective counteraction by the Indian forces not only exposed the weaknesses of Pakistan’s air defence system but also sent out a clear message to the world that India could inflict heavy damage at a time, place and manner of its choosing, he said.
Operation Sindoor was aimed at countering terrorism, not provoking a wider conflict, he said while expressing satisfaction that all military objectives of Operation Sindoor were successfully achieved. Rajnath reaffirmed that India’s fight against terrorism would continue with full resolve.
On the ‘shastra puja’, the minister said it was not merely a ritual but a reflection of India’s civilisational philosophy, where weapons are regarded as instruments of dharma, not just tools of violence.
