The Ministry of Defence today inked a Rs 975 crore contract for equipment used by Army tanks to breach enemy minefields. Called the ‘Trawl assembly’, this is used by Army’s T-72 and T-90 tanks.

The Ministry of Defence said two contracts – one with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and the other with Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Private Limited — for the procurement of ‘Trawl assembly’ at an approximate cost of Rs 975 crore.

The contracts were inked in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

The ‘trawl’ is a critical equipment developed by DRDO to enhance the minefield breaching capability of the Indian Army. It would generate additional capability of creating ‘vehicle safe lanes’ through minefields with anti-tank mines. “It would enhance the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army,” the MoD said.

One year on, trail from Baisaran valley led to Dachigam forests and Operation Mahadev

Soon after terrorists targeted tourists in the Baisaran valley in Pahalgam, killing 25 tourists and a local, on April 22 last year, sending shockwaves across the nation, the primary task before the security forces was to trace the attackers.

With limited information about their identity, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with other security agencies, took time to gather intelligence.

As the Pahalgam attack completes one year on Wednesday, The Tribune tracks how the security forces eventually zeroed in on the terrorists.

Sources said a few days after the attack, the first trail emerged. Technical inputs were received from South Kashmir, following which a massive search operation was launched in the upper reaches of Hapatnar. The operation continued for around two weeks. Although it yielded limited success, inputs indicated that the attackers were moving.

By mid-June, temporary operating bases were established in the upper reaches of Dachigam and adjoining dense forests, which are connected to South Kashmir forests.

The security forces faced a major challenge as the attackers were operating from deep forest areas, marking a shift in militancy patterns away from urban setups where intelligence inputs are more readily available.

The sources said the first major breakthrough came in the second week of July when technical inputs regarding the militants were tracked, confirming their presence in the Dachigam belt.

Subsequently, multiple high-level meetings were held and extensive mapping of the area was carried out by joint forces in coordination with central agencies. Given the dense and vast terrain, multiple teams were deployed simultaneously to comb the area.

The sources said the region was divided into sectors, with joint teams assigned to each. “Teams would remain deployed for days, carrying out sustained search and scanning operations before rotating back,” they said.

After days of sustained effort, contact was eventually established between the militants and an Army Special Forces unit operating in the area. “It was a swift operation, and the terrorists were neutralised, marking a significant success,” the sources said.

The identity of the slain militants responsible for the Pahalgam attack was later confirmed through multiple pieces of evidence. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Parliament that three Pakistani terrorists — Faisal Jatt, alias Suleman Shah, Habeeb Tahir, alias Jibran, and Hamza Afghani — identified as being involved in the attack, were killed by the security forces under Operation Mahadev in July.

Officials said ballistic analysis showed that the bullet shells recovered from Pahalgam matched the weapons recovered in Dachigam. Technical inputs also matched those recorded on the day of the attack.

Questioning of a Gujjar family that reportedly provided food and shelter to the attackers further confirmed that the Dachigam militants were the same who carried out the Pahalgam attack.

In August last year in Delhi, the Home Minister felicitated the joint personnel involved in the operation, recognising their coordinated efforts and success.

West Asia conflict: Both sides hint at resumption of hostilities as two-week ceasefire concludes today

US Vice-President JD Vance’s visit to Islamabad for peace talks with Iran to end the seven-week war has been put on hold after Tehran failed to respond to American negotiating positions, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Vance was scheduled to depart on Tuesday morning for Islamabad, where talks were set to resume on Wednesday, the day the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran is set to expire. Without an Iranian response, the diplomatic process was in effect paused, though the trip had not been cancelled, a US official was quoted in the New York Times report.

As Tehran failed to respond, US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if it did not agree to a deal before the end of the two-week ceasefire, even as Pakistan urged the two sides to extend the truce and give diplomacy a chance. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said “no final decision” had been taken on whether to attend the talks.

Even as diplomatic channels remained active, indications from Tehran pointed towards preparations for a possible resumption of hostilities. Reports suggested that Iran had undertaken military redeployments over the past two weeks and drawn up a fresh list of targets, anticipating that negotiations may collapse amid disputes over US demands and a reported naval blockade.

Trump said on Tuesday that Iran would send a delegation for talks in Islamabad, but made it clear that Washington was prepared to resume bombing if the deal was not reached before the end of the ceasefire deadline. “They have no choice but to send them…. I think we’re going to end up with a great deal,” Trump said in an interview, projecting confidence while simultaneously signalling readiness for military action.

Underscoring the narrowing diplomatic window, Trump indicated that he was reluctant to extend the ceasefire even if talks showed progress. “We don’t have that much time.… They have to negotiate,” he said, adding that the US was in a “very strong negotiating position” after weeks of military operations that he claimed had significantly degraded Iran’s capabilities. In a stark warning, Trump suggested potential strikes on critical infrastructure, including logistical networks used for missile movement, and asserted that the US military was “ready to go”.

Adding to the diplomatic flux, Pakistan said it was still awaiting confirmation from Iran on participation in the proposed peace talks, effectively placing the onus on Tehran as the ceasefire deadline loomed. Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, said Islamabad was in “constant touch” with Iranian authorities and was making “sincere efforts” to bring them to the negotiating table.

Talks focus on defence industry partnerships, intelligence sharing and cyber cooperation during CDS Chauhan’s UK visit.

ndia and the UK have discussed means to deepen defence cooperation to advance defence industrial and intelligence collaboration and cyber cooperation.

India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and his UK counterpart Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton have discussed these issues at a meeting in UK. The Air Chief Marshal posted on X: “Great to discuss defence and security cooperation with India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Chauhan today”.

The Office of the Indian CDS posted on X that “the visit will further deepen defence cooperation”.

General Anil Chauhan is on a three‑day visit (April 19-21) to the UK. The two military commanders have discussed deepening cooperation across training, operations and defence industry partnerships.

Senior UK civil and military leaders will also interact with General Chauhan during his visit. Representatives of the British defence industry will meet him to progress talks on greater defence co-production between the two countries. General Chauhan will also be given a tour of the Royal College of Defence Studies, where he will meet a multinational cohort of students.

This is the first official visit by an Indian CDS to the UK and marks the fifth senior UK-India military engagement this year, following the UK Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth’s visit to India in March.

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said: “We are stepping up cooperation to strengthen interoperability, spur innovation and support a free, open and secure Indo‑Pacific.

“India is a key defence partner for the UK. We will continue to build on this momentum in the months ahead,” Cameron said.

The UK and India had launched a 10‑year Defence Industrial Roadmap under the Vision 2035 agreement to support growth, strengthen security and contribute to international stability. The UK Ministry of Defence has set up a dedicated programme office, Defence Partnership‑India, to drive bilateral defence collaboration.

Well Done Bengal Sappers!winning 7 GOLD 🥇 and 1 BRONZE 🥉medals

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BJP ruled Sates have defeatd other states hands down : Paying respect to Army personnels

Nashik police set fire to truck burnt Indian Army CSD canteen goods,

Army’s women boxers shine at international meet in Mongolia  

When courage climbed the cliffs: Heroic triumph at Point 5140 that turned the tide in Kargil

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The Kayaking & Canoeing Node of BEG & Centre, Roorkee shines at the 36th Senior National Kayaking & Canoeing Championship in Bhopal.With an incredible haul of 7 GOLD 🥇 and 1 BRONZE 🥉medals, these water warriors have proven their mettle once again. The “Sarvatra” spirit shines bright on the water. 🇮🇳

The Kayaking & Canoeing Node of BEG & Centre, Roorkee shines at the 36th Senior National Kayaking & Canoeing Championship in Bhopal.With an incredible haul of 7 GOLD 🥇 and 1 BRONZE 🥉medals, these water warriors have proven their mettle once again.The “Sarvatra” spirit shines bright on the water. 🇮🇳

Who is bothered?

BJP ruled Sates have defeatd other states hands down : Paying respect to Army personnels

Received from

Colonel Mukul

Colonel Mukul@Warrior_Mukul

A Soldier with more than three decades of Active Combat and Judicial Service to the Nation who CANNOT tolerate Injustice. Re-Attired now.

Nashik police set fire to truck burnt of Indian Army CSD canteen goods, incident occurred for not giving bribe of 5000/-, driver alleges all driver organizations and army chairman need to take this incident seriously Jitu

Naib Subedar Preeti Pawar and Havildar Arundhati Chaudhary won gold in the 54-Kg and 70-Kg weight categories, respectively, while Naib Subedar Jaismine Lamboria won the silver in the 57-Kg weight category

They are relatively new to don the olive green, but have made their mark.

Recently inducted women boxers from the Indian Army have punched their way to top positions in the Asian Elite Boxing Championship – 2026, clinching two gold medals and a silver medal.

They were among the four Indian women gold medallists at the meet. The lone Indian male gold medallist was also from the Army.

The meet was held at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia from March 28 to April 10, in which 230 boxers from 25 nations participated.

Overall, the 20-member Indian squad, which fielded both male and female boxers, including civilians, secured second place.

The Army’s women medallists were all from the Corps of Military Police (CMP) Center and School, Bengaluru. The CMP is the only arm in the Army to have inducted women personnel in the ranks and file, when recruitment began in 2022 under the Agnipath scheme.

Naib Subedar Preeti Pawar and Havildar Arundhati Chaudhary won gold in the 54-Kg and 70-Kg weight categories, respectively, while Naib Subedar Jaismine Lamboria won the silver in the 57-Kg weight category.

In fact, Naib Subedar Jaismine had made history at the World Boxing Championship -2025 by becoming the first female boxer in the Army to win a gold medal. She was awarded the Sena Medal in January 2026 for her performance. She hails from a family of boxers and joined the Army in 2022.

Naib Subedar Preeti, who hails from Bhiwani in Haryana and joined the Army last year, was the first woman athlete to be directly inducted as a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army and is a World Boxing Cup gold medallist.

Hailing from Kota in Rajasthan, Havildar Arundhati had joined the Army in 2022 and is an international-level boxer, having become the Junior World Champion in 2021 and winning a gold medal in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.

In addition, the Army also has among its ranks other international women boxers such as Nupur Sheoran, a two-time gold medallist at the 2025 World Boxing Cup, and Sakshi Dhanda, who clinched a gold medal at the 8th Elite Women’s National Boxing Championship in 2025.

With the Army opening its ranks to women personnel and their strength expected to increase significantly in the coming years, greater attention is being given to women in sports, recruiting meritorious female athletes and establishing the Army Sports Girls Company in Pune for this purpose.

Several disciplines such as shooting, archery, wrestling, rowing, fencing, and weightlifting have been identified for them. They are trained at the Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune, a premier training establishment under the Army’s Mission Olympics programme, which is run in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India.

The ASI was established in July 2001 as a multi-disciplinary institute to identify and nurture the vast talent of sportspersons within the Armed Forces Army and recruit potential sportspersons from across the country.

The valour lives on through Jimmy in ‘Shershaah’— a cinematic salute to real courage.

The calm of Kargil and Dras was shattered in April 1999 when Pakistan violated the 1972 Shimla Agreement, infiltrating troops across the Line of Control and occupying strategic heights from Mushkoh Valley to Chorbat La. The intrusion, threatened the vital National Highway 1A (NH- A), India’s lifeline to Leh and Ladakh, with Point 5140 emerging as the most critical objective.

Troops under 121 (Independent) Infantry Brigade launched swift operations, and by June, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles was fully prepared. On the night of June 20, 1999, a daring assault was launched, and by dawn, the enemy was driven off in intense combat.

Among the heroes was Captain Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, whose fearless leadership and valour in close combat earned him the Vir Chakra, symbolising unmatched courage and resolve.

The battle account on his bravery reads: “During “Operation Vijay”, Captain Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, was attached to 13 JAK RIF battalion. On 20 June, 1999, the battalion was tasked to re-capture Pt 5140 in Dras sub-sector. The feature had seven heavily fortified sangars (improvised bunkers) and each had to be tackled one by one to evict all intruders. Captain Sanjeev approached the objective from the west along with his column and reached within assaulting distance of the enemy defences maintaining total surprise. And then, he with his buddy in the lead, on the cry “Durge Mata Ji Jai” led the assault on the first sangar. This took the enemy by total surprise, forced a hand-to-hand fight and resulted in panic amongst the enemy. After successfully clearing the first sangar, Captain Sanjeev led the assault on second sangar and caused further attrition on the enemy. He personally killed three intruders and was instrumental in the successful capture of Pt 5140 Top. The valour lives on through Jimmy in “Shershaah” — a cinematic salute to real courage.

Col Sanjeev Singh Jamwal: A living legend from Himachal’s soil

Colonel Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, Vir Chakra, a decorated officer of the Indian Army, was born in Shimla, on August 2, 1974, to late Kehar Singh Jamwal and Malka Devi. The youngest among three siblings, Sanjeev traces his roots to Pathiar village in Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra district. His character “Jimmy”, portrayed in the movie “Shershaah”, brought to light his role as the senior subaltern of the late Captain Vikram Batra, a Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous) recipient in the same battle.

An alumnus of Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira, Sanjeev was commissioned into the Army Service Corps on June 7, 1997. As a young Captain with the Indian Military Training team in Bhutan, he earned the chance of a lifetime by being attached to 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles during the Kargil War, where he proved his exceptional grit.

Married to Vandna Jamwal since 2000, he is a proud father of two sons, Vansaj — a data analyst, and Sanyam, pursuing his BTech in computers.

Now serving as Colonel (Supplies) at the Northern Command, Sanjeev continues to embody courage, commitment and the indomitable Himachali spirit.