Operation Bluestar was a military operation held between June 1 and 10, 1984

Congress leader P Chidambaram said Operation Bluestar was not the right way to capture militants holed up in the Golden Temple in 1984, due to which the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, “paid with her life”.

“There was a way to retrieve and capture all militants, but Operation Bluestar was the wrong way and I agree that Mrs Gandhi paid with her life for the mistake, but the mistake was cumulative decision of the Army, intelligence, police and civil defence and you cannot completely blame Mrs Gandhi,” the former home minister said during a book launch in Himachal Pradesh’s Kasauli on Saturday.

Chidambaram made the remarks during a conversation with journalist and author Harinder Baweja on her book ‘They Will Shoot You Madam: My Life Through Conflict’ at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival.

Operation Bluestar was a military operation held between June 1 and 10, 1984, to remove Damdami Taksal leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the holiest site among Sikhs.

Later that year, Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister at the time, was assassinated.

Inspector Bhawna Chaudhary along with four male subordinate officers were recently awarded their flying badges by BSF director general Daljit Singh Chawdhary

The Border Security Force (BSF) air wing has got its first woman flight engineer in its over 50 years history following completion of a first in-house training capsule.

Inspector Bhawna Chaudhary along with four male subordinate officers were recently awarded their flying badges by BSF director general Daljit Singh Chawdhary.

The border force is tasked to operate the aviation unit of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) since 1969 and it caters to the operational requirements of all the paramilitary forces and special forces like the NSG and the NDRF.

Officials said that five subordinate officers were “trained ab-initio by the instructors of the BSF air wing and they recently completed their two-month long training.”

The five personnel were skilled for 130 hours during the two months in-house training starting August and they also had real exposure to the work as various assets of the BSF air wing flew operational sorties including during the recent floods in Punjab and other states.

“The BSF air wing has been facing a critical shortage of flight engineers in its Mi-17 helicopters fleet. The Indian Air Force (IAF) trained the first batch of 3 subordinate officers but the second batch of five personnel could not get a training slot there due to various constraints,” an official said.

The BSF then approached the MHA to allow it to conduct an in-house training for preparing flight engineers for its air wing and the five personnel including Inspector Chaudhary recently completed their training, the official said.

Inspector Chaudhary is the first women flight engineer of the BSF air wing, he said.

The unit operates a fixed wing Embraer jet for VIP duties apart from helicopters such as Mi 17 1V, Mi 17 V5, Cheetah and ALH Dhruv.

The about 3 lakh personnel strong BSF was raised in December, 1965, and it is primarily tasked to guard Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.

Stunned sunbathers watch helicopter crash at Huntington Beach

A helicopter that was coasting above a popular Southern California beach Saturday suddenly lost control and began spiralling in midair, eventually losing altitude and slamming into a row of palms as stunned sunbathers and beachgoers looked on.

Multiple videos posted online show the aircraft twirling clockwise above Huntington Beach, then plunging toward the edge of the beach, where it becomes wedged between palms and a staircase near Pacific coast Highway.

The India-Pakistan boundary dispute over Sir Creek in the Rann of Kutch has flared up again, how do we tackle this and what are the lessons we can learn from China’s infrastructure boom

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is on a six-day visit to India, refused to invite any Indian women journalists to his press conference. Perhaps Taliban minister Muttaqi was worried about what people would say back home if he was seen mingling with Indian women, writes Editor-in-Chief Jyoti Malhotra in her weekly column The Great Game article What Afghan women want. Besides, another important point she makes is that India has seceded from its own neighbourhood and allowed other players to take precedence. The sad part is that it took the Indian government about a decade to realise its own mistakes in the Afghan theatre, she avers.

Talking of another of our western neighbours, the India-Pakistan boundary dispute over Sir Creek in the Rann of Kutch has flared up again. Pakistani fortifications in the Sir Creek area have elicited a sharp response from India. A change of only a few kilometres at the mouth of the creek would shift the maritime boundary line, potentially affecting thousands of square kilometres of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Continental Shelf under the jurisdiction of each country, writes former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran in the Edit piece, The Sir Creek story of a chance missed. Both the nationscame very close to resolving the dispute nearly two decades ago when a joint survey was conducted in 2006-2007. But unfortunately, then the Siachen deal fell through as part of the composite dialogue, Pakistani interest in the Sir Creek agreement also evaporated.

PM Modi’s remark equating Op Sindoor with India’s win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup cricket final is a sign of attempts to politicise our defence services as well as sports. This is a regrettable trend, says Julio Ribeiro in his Edit piece Don’t infect sports with politics. When military leaders are called upon to drive home a point repeatedly, the law of diminishing returns threatens to play spoilsport. With acts like the ‘no handshake’ spectacle, sporting culture will be compromised. Beyond that, basic human values will go for a toss with the refusal to shake hands, he underlines.

There was an alternative to the non-acceptance of the Asia Cup trophy by the Indian team – perhaps, the team could have kept a box of ‘laddoos’ and offered one to Pakistani minister Mohsin Naqvi while accepting the trophy, writes former MEA Secretary Vivek Katju in his Oped From handshakes to hard lines — and no laddoos.

Three months after Modi went to London to sign a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was in India last week to take the India-UK trade deal forward. The deal’s long-term gains remain modest, writes The Tribune’s London Correspondent Shyam Bhatia in his Op-ed article UK seeks India’s markets, not its workers. The mobility clause is where that political tension is sharpest. In practice, Starmer’s new immigration white paper tightens several other visa routes, creating an uneasy contradiction, he writes. The test of the UK–India pact lies in whether Indians can work in Britain with fewer barriers, he avers. The India-UK pact worth £4.8 bn may stumble if talent mobility remains a political taboo. The India-UK pact’s success will hinge on people moving between the 2 countries

In an eye-opener, senior journalist TN Ninan, in his Edit piece, China owes a lot to its engineers, he brings to light how China has built infrastructure on an unprecedented scale with the help of engineers as technocrats at the helm. Within China, STEM students find a place in Chinese decision-making echelons, which does not happen in the US or India, although India has the second largest number of STEM graduates, he argues. In this matter, India’s experience, too, has been that its scientists and engineers can ‘build’ if given the responsibility, with examples like Homi Bhabha, MS Swaminathan, Vikram Sarabhai, and Verghese Kurien. Putting capable engineers in charge may well put an end to our usual tolerance of shoddy work and celebration of jugaad, he writes.

Now, to the problems ensuing within our country. The flare-up and resultant deaths during a protest in Leh regarding statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Ladakhis wish to shape their future with their own leaders and resources, writes Ajay K Mehra, Visiting Senior Fellow, Centre for Multilevel Federalism, in his Edit piece Empower Ladakh to turn the tide. As a solution, he writes that the Centre needs to address the demand of residents for special constitutional rights.

In another instance of violence in the country, communal tension flared up in Kanpur after a lightboard reading ‘I Love Muhammad’ was put up for a celebration. The heavy-handed police response ignited protests. By reacting with hostility to a harmless declaration of love, we are signalling that the ethos of coexistence no longer defines us, writes Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha in his Op-ed article When ‘I Love Muhammad’ becomes a crime. Irrespective of political affiliations, we must collectively reclaim the Idea of India and resist the binary logic that pits faiths against one another. We need to safeguard the constitutional principles of fraternity and secularism, not as cold legal provisions, but as living values that even our institutions have forgotten to uphold, he writes.

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Trump threatens to jack up the tax on Chinese imports after Beijing restricts export of rare earths

China signalled on Sunday that it would not back down in the face of a 100 per cent tariff threat from President Donald Trump, urging the US to resolve differences through negotiations instead of threats.

“China’s stance is consistent,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement posted online. “We do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one.”

The response came two days after Trump threatened to jack up the tax on imports from China by November 1 in response to new Chinese restrictions on the export of rare earths, a key ingredient for many consumer and military products.

The back and forth threatens to derail a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and end a truce in a tariff war in which new tariffs from both sides briefly topped 100 per cent in April.

Trump has raised taxes on imports from many US trading partners this year, seeking to win concessions in return for tariff reductions. China has been one of the few countries that hasn’t backed down, relying on its economic clout.

“Frequently resorting to the threat of high tariffs is not the correct way to get along with China,” the Commerce Ministry said in its online post, which was presented as a series of answers from an unnamed spokesperson to questions from unspecified media outlets.

The statement called for addressing any concerns through dialogue.

“If the US side obstinately insists on its practice, China will be sure to resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” the post said.

Both sides accuse the other of violating the spirit of the truce by imposing new restrictions on trade.

Trump said China is “becoming very hostile” and that it’s holding the world captive by restricting access to rare earth metals and magnets.

China’s new regulations require foreign companies to get special approval to export items that contain even small traces of rare earths elements sourced from China.

These critical minerals are needed in a broad range of products, from jet engines, radar systems and electric vehicles to consumer electronics including laptops and phones.

China accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the world’s rare earths mining and controls roughly 90 per cent of global rare earths processing. Access to the material is a key point of contention in trade talks between Washington and Beijing.

The ministry post said that export licenses would be granted for legitimate civilian uses, noting that the minerals also have military applications.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry post said that the US has introduced several new restrictions in recent weeks, including expanding the number of Chinese companies subject to US export controls.

It also said that the US is ignoring Chinese concerns by going forward with new port fees on Chinese ships that take effect on Tuesday. China announced Friday that it would impose port fees on American ships in response.

The Taliban-led government’s Defence Ministry says its forces have conducted ‘retaliatory and successful operations’

Pakistan seized 19 Afghan military posts and “terrorist hideouts” in response to what it termed “unprovoked” attacks by Afghan forces in the border areas, security sources said on Sunday, while Kabul claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others injured during the retaliatory operations.

The Taliban-led government’s Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks early on Sunday, saying that its forces had conducted “retaliatory and successful operations”.

“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation’s borders and will deliver a strong response,” the ministry said.

Afghan forces targeted Pakistani posts at Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government’s chief spokesman, said that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and around 30 wounded during the operations on Saturday night, Tolo News reported.

Mujahid added that during the retaliatory operations across the Durand Line, 20 Pakistani security outposts were destroyed, and numerous weapons and military equipment seized.

He said that nine Afghan soldiers were killed and 16 others were wounded in the operations, according to the report.

The spokesperson said that the operation was halted at midnight following requests from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, it added.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called the Taliban attacks on border posts “unprovoked”, accusing them of firing at civilians.

“Firing by Afghan forces on the civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistan’s brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s forces are alert, and Afghanistan is being answered with “stones for bricks”.

The situation deteriorated between the neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district last week, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major.

On Thursday night, explosions were reported from the Afghan capital. Kabul blamed Islamabad for the attacks, but the Pakistani army refused to confirm or deny its involvement.

Apparently prompted by the Kabul strikes, the Afghan security forces targeted attacks against Pakistan on Saturday night.

Pakistan launched its retaliatory response early on Sunday, hitting several border areas and destroying border posts, the state media reported.

There was no official statement or comments from the Pakistan Army on the development.

However, security sources confirmed that Pakistani forces deployed at the international border “targeted several Afghan border posts”, adding that there were reports of significant damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations.

“So far, Pakistan has captured 19 Afghan posts on the Afghan border from where attacks were being launched on Pakistan,” state broadcaster PTV News said on X, citing security sources.

They claimed “several Afghan soldiers were killed” and militant formations were forced to retreat due to the “effective and intense retaliation by Pakistani forces”

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the third production line of jet

Ajay Banerjee

The plane’s maiden flight is expected to pave the way for induction of these jets into the Indian Air Force. File photo

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), public sector plane maker, on Friday said the Tejas Mark-1A fighter jet will make its maiden flight from a facility in Nasik on October 17.

Also, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the third production line of jet – the first two lines are in Bengaluru.

The plane’s maiden flight is expected to pave the way for induction of these jets into the Indian Air Force. Deliveries are presently 18-months behind schedule.

Though HAL is a listed company, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) holds a majority stake.

The MoD had signed two separate contracts with HAL for producing 180 of the Tejas Mark- 1A jets. The first contract for Rs 48,000 crore was inked in January 2021 for the supply of 83 jets. Last month, the MoD signed another contract for procurement of 97 Tejas Mark-1A for Rs 62,370 crore.

The contract for 97 jets is in addition to the 83 aircraft already ordered, making it a collective order of 180 Tejas Mark 1A jets. 

In the latest contract, the government has made a firm push towards self-reliance, the aircraft will have an indigenous content of almost 64 per cent, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous contract of the 83 jets of the same plane signed in January 2021. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the ‘Uttam’ Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, electronic protection suite will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives.

HAL is facing a delay in supply of F-404 engines for the Tejas Mark-1A from US company General Electric. Almost a dozen jets are ready at the HAL facility, but only four engines have been supplied by the GE, so far. In turn, this has meant not a single jet has been delivered to IAF, which is battling a dwindling combat strength. Deliveries should have commenced in March 2024 and the engines should have started coming a year prior to that date.

Tejas programme is to help the IAF to replace its fleet of MiG- 21s, which were finally being phased at ceremony at Chandigarh, last month.

Separately, the IAF already has 40 Tejas Mark1 jets.

The IAF presently has 29 squadrons (16-18 planes each) of fighter jets against the mandate of 42 to tackle a collusive two-front threat against Pakistan and China.

The IAF’s fleets of Jaguar, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000, all inducted in phases during the 1980s, are slated to retire in batches beyond 2029-30. These four types of jets are about 230-250 in number and are presently operating on an extended life cycle.

According to the plan, India needs to produce some 500 fighter jets for the IAF in the next two decades.