[NEWS OF THE DAY]

1. Do not ignore any communication shared by NSCS, NSA: PM Modi to ministers
2. IAF inducts first made-in-India light combat helicopters
3. Tri-services Missile Command on anvil as stand-off weapons era dawns
4. PM launches 5G: ‘Knock on doors of new era… infinite opportunity’
5. From F-16 upgrades to AJK, have US-Pak relations rekindled again?
6. Economic crisis-hit Pakistan buys radars from China

What Else

7. Take steps to encourage India’s transition away from Russian weapons: U.S. Congressional amendment
8. US, Australia, and Japan vow to work together against China
9. India scuttles China’s attempt to pass anti-AUKUS resolution at IAEA meet
10. ‘Bomb threat’ onboard Iranian plane over Indian airspace triggers alert, landed safely
11. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to travel to Australia this month from Oct 5 to 11
12. 3 LeT men plotting to attack Dussehra rallies & saffron leaders held in Hyderabad
13. Pakistan to probe former PM Imran Khan for US conspiracy claim

Do not ignore any communication shared by NSCS, NSA: PM Modi to ministers

• PM Modi has told all ministers and secretaries not to ignore background notes or other communication shared by National Security Council and National Security Advisor, and to take them seriously, PTI reported citing sources on Sun.
• Stressing that there is a need to look at it from India’s strategic point of view, PM Modi said there were instances when notes from the NSC were not given due importance.
• During a 5-hour long meeting of the ministers and all secretaries in the Union govt held on Fri that the case of the dependence on imported Active Pharma Ingredients.
• Thereafter, on the instruction of PM Modi, Dy NSA gave a presentation on NSCS and shared the details about changes taking place across the world. (here)

IAF inducts first made-in-India light combat helicopters

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Mon inducted its 1^st batch of indigenously-developed (45%) Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), termed “Prachand”.
• The 5.8-tonne twin-engine LCH is equipped with a Shakti engine developed indigenously in collaboration with French engine-maker Safran.
• Armed with 20mm turret guns, 70mm rocket systems, and air-to-air missiles.
• Equipped with requisite agility, maneuverability, extended range, high altitude performance (up to 20k feet), and all-weather combat capability.
• Can perform a range of roles including combat search and rescue, destruction of enemy air defense, and counter-insurgency operations.
• Has several stealth features, armored-protection systems, night attack capability, and crash-worthy landing gear for better survivability.
• Also, be used against slow-moving aircraft or remotely piloted aircraft of the adversary.
• The IAF and Army require an estimated 160 LCHs in the coming years, while CCS cleared 1^st contract for 15 LCHs (10 IAF+5 Army), at an overall cost of Rs 3887 crore, along with infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 377 crore, in Mar. (here)

Tri-services Missile Command on anvil as stand-off weapons era dawns

• The govt is considering setting up a tri-services missile/rocket command on the lines of the space and the cyber command as the 1^st steps toward military theatre commands.
• The missile command will be responsible for the deployment of missile and rocket regiments as per need and will be handled by commanders of the tri-services.
• The PLA has deployed rocket regiments in the depth areas of occupied Aksai Chin with missiles in the hinter in Tibet and the Sinkiang region.
• The command will be on similar lines as the tri-services cyber and the space command as the future wars will hardly have any contact between troops.
• Given that India has a land frontier of over 15,000 km and a coastline of over 7,000 km, the army will be the priority on land as the Navy will be on the sea. (here)

PM launches 5G: ‘Knock on doors of new era… infinite opportunity’

• Launching 5G services that promise ultra high-speed internet on cellphones, PM Narendra Modi on Sat.
• Among the 3 major telecom operators, Bharti Airtel immediately rolled out 5G services in 8 cities and said the rest of the country would get it by Mar 2024.
• Reliance Jio is set to launch 5G in metro cities by Diwali this year, and in the rest of the country by 2023-end. Vodafone Idea has not announced a timeline yet. (here)
• A day after the launch, Telecom Minister on Sun announced that the Centre is planning to set up 100 labs for 5G technology across India.

Take steps to encourage India’s transition away from Russian weapons: U.S. Congressional amendment

• A strong U.S.-India defense partnership is critical to advancing US’ interests in Indo-Pacific, 3 senators have said in a legislative amendment that urges the US admin to encourage New Delhi to accelerate its transition away from Russia.
• Senators in the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, say that India faces immediate and serious regional border threats from China.
• It said that for its national defense, India relies on weapons manufactured by Russia.
• In Oct 2018, India signed a $5 bn deal with Russia to buy 5 units of the S-400 air defense missile systems, aside from a warning by the U.S.
• Russia started delivery of the 1^st regiment of the missile systems in Dec last year. (here)

US, Australia, and Japan vow to work together against China

• The defense ministers of the US, Australia, and Japan [QUAD minus India] agreed Sat to boost military cooperation in the face of China’s growing ambitions “to shape the world around it“.
• Washington is pressing a diplomatic offensive to counter Chinese influence across the Asia-Pacific.
• On Thu, Washington announced an $810 million aid package for Pacific Island nations where the US plans to intensify its diplomatic presence.
• VP Kamala Harris traveled last week to Japan and South Korea and said the US would act without fear or hesitation throughout Asia, including Taiwan.
• Harris’s trip was designed to show Washington’s commitment to defending S Korea against N Korea.
• Austin also held a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart, focusing on a 2021 agreement between the AUKUS that would provide nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra. (here)

India scuttles China’s attempt to pass anti-AUKUS resolution at IAEA meet

• India has scuttled China’s bid to pass an anti-AUKUS resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency meet in Vienna.
• China has been miffed with the development and has been terming it a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and went on to criticize the role of the IAEA.
• The issue was taken up at the IAEA that took place from Sept 26-30 in which Beijing failed to majority support and finally withdrew the resolution on Fri. 
• India is one of the board members of the IAEA, out of 36 member countries. (here)

‘Bomb threat’ onboard Iranian plane over Indian airspace triggers alert, finally landed safely

• Indian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to intercept an Iranian aircraft of Mahan Air that was moving towards the New Delhi airspace.
• A Mahan Air aircraft had taken off from Tehran and was headed to Guangzhou in China when it received a bomb threat.
• Delhi ATS suggested the aircraft head to Jaipur, which the pilot refused to do, it lower down altitude at Jaipur and New Delhi.
• IAF’s Su-30MKIs had to be called in to scramble the Air aircraft till it crossed Indian air space at 1128 hrs (IST), while finally landing at its destination.

[there was confusion from various media, as some media said it Lahore ATC reported to Delhi ATC, a few says intel input while others saying it was piolet who sought help at Delhi ATC]

Jaishankar to embark on his 1st visit to New Zealand from Oct 5

• External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar is to visit New Zealand and Australia from Oct 05-11.
• This will be EAM’s first visit to New Zealand where he will participate in an event on Oct 6 along with PM of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern.
• Jaishankar will also interact with several Ministers, besides, his counterpart, including those of Indian origin to become a Minister in New Zealand. (here)

3 LeT men plotting to attack Dussehra rallies & saffron leaders held in Hyderabad

• State police arrested 3 Hyderabad natives and suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives on Sun who officers said had allegedly planned to bomb Dasara in the city, and launch ISIS-inspired lone-wolf attacks this festive season.
• The trio was caught in a pre-dawn swoop in Old Hyderabad neighborhoods.
• 4 grenades, Rs 4 lakh in cash, and incriminating documents were seized.
• They were charged with plotting the assassination of Sangh and BJP functionaries, though this was not part of their confessional statement to security agencies. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Economic crisis-hit Pakistan buys radars from China

• Pakistan, hit by floods has no resources, but apparently no shortage for the armed forces, particularly if the weaponry and other equipment are coming from China.
• The China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation has sold 6 YLC-18A radars to the Pakistan Air Force.
• The YLC-18A radars are particularly necessary for the PAF as they are very mobile medium-range radars for detecting low-altitude planes or drones or even, cruise missiles with 3D capabilities.
• The radars will be coproduced at the Aviation Production Factory at Kamra, where about 30 radars are likely to be made.
• The two countries are working closely in defense cooperation and there is a proposal to upgrade 10 YLC-6 radars to the newer YLC-18 version. (here)

From F-16 upgrades to AJK, have US-Pak relations rekindled again?

• US ambassador to Pakistan tweeted on Mon about this visit to “Azad Jammu and Kashmir” in deference to his host country, which India called an occupied Indian territory by Pakistan.
• The ouster of Imran Khan on Apr 10, the planned assassination of the al Qaeda terrorist chief in heart of Kabul on Jul 31, and the $450mn upgrade package for Pak F-16 fighters.
• It is quite evident from the chain of events that the US wants to shore up the current regime and Pakistan economically so that Imran Khan never comes back to power.
• The so-called diplomatic cipher has gone missing from the PM’s office in Islamabad and perhaps is in the custody of the Pakistan Army Chief Gen Bajwa in Rawalpindi.
• New Delhi has taken note of all these events and officials believe that the transactional relationship between the US and Pak has been kick-started again. (here)

Pakistan to probe former PM Imran Khan for US conspiracy claim

• Pakistan’s govt ordered an inquiry against former PM Imran Khan for allegedly politicizing an exchange between a US official and Islamabad’s envoy to the US for political gain, damaging relations between the two countries.
• Khan “breached the national security,” the planning minister said on Geo TV on Mon.
• Action will be taken against him based on the outcome of the inquiry by the Federal Investigation Agency, he said without elaborating.
• The agency will also probe some of Khan’s ex-ministers. (here)