Important Picks of the Day :

[ NATIONAL ]

Sino-Indian Standoff: Chinese PLA in Uttarakhand’s Barahoti returns after damaging a bridge

Over 100 PLA soldiers crossed the border at Barahoti in Uttarakhand last month, damaged some infrastructure, including a bridge, before retreating, according to officials aware of the situation.

Need to pay closer attention to the illicit rise of nuclear weapons network — India at UN

Speaking at a UNSC briefing on Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla said India is committed to the goal of complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

External Affairs Minister meets Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón

Reviewed our political cooperation, trade and investment, space and scientific potential, cultural exchanges, and consular issues, said Jaishankar

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to visit India on Oct 6-7

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit India next month to hold a series of bilateral meetings, civil society events, and the India Ideas Summit.

In J&K: Army captures terrorist from Pakistan in J&K’s Uri sector: Sources

The Indian Army has captured a Pakistani infiltrator in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir and killed another, sources said. The Pakistani terrorist, who has been captured as part of a recent infiltration bid that was going on since Sept 18-19, the sources added.

Delhi riots 2020 pre-meditated conspiracy, did not take place in spur of the moment: HC

The systematic disconnection and destruction of the CCTV cameras also confirm the existence of a pre-planned and pre-meditated conspiracy to disturb law and order in the city, the court said.

Navjot Singh Sidhu resigns as president of Punjab Congress

Navjot Singh Sidhu has resigned as the president of the Punjab Congress. Not more than a week the then CM of Punjab, Amrinder Singh had to resign due to Sidhu,. Singh is now meeting with BJP leaders in New Delhi.

ED attaches assets worth Rs 300 crore in ICore chit fund scam

The ED has attached assets worth Rs 300 crore in connection with the ICore chit fund scam. The attached properties belong to 11 ICore group members, its directors, and their family members.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

UNGA: Nepal condemns terrorism in all its forms, calls for complete disarmament 

Nepal’s foreign minister also commented on the situation in Afghanistan. He called on all parties to ensure peace, security, and stability so that the Afghan people can live in dignity and enjoy their fundamental rights and freedom. Khadka highlighted the importance of the promotion and protection of human rights.

Afghan Businessmen face export problems with Pakistan

While over 120 Pakistani trucks enter Afghanistan every day, only 20 Afghan trucks are allowed to cross Pakistan.

Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a sharp decline

As per local news, the Pakistan Stock Exchange, 100 Index has declined by 1562 points during the last week. During Sept 20-24, 2021, 1.91 bn shares were traded in the stock market while a turnover of Rs. 61.95 billion was transacted.

Pakistan: Statue of Mohammad Ali Jinnah destroyed in the blast in Balochistan

On Sunday morning, a blast, reportedly carried out by Baloch Liberation Front in the port city of Gwadar, Balochistan province, completely demolished a statue of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, by placing an explosive device beneath it, according to a report in Pakistan’s English, Dawn.

In ‘rare transit’, the British warship HMS Richmond crosses Taiwan Strait

A British warship HMS Richmond traveled through the Taiwan Strait. It was a rare voyage by a non-US military vessel. The US has been performing “freedom of navigation” voyages in the area. This waterway separates Taiwan and China. Tensions have been continuously rising between China and Taiwan lately.

North Korea fired projectile; called it ‘right to self-defense’ at UNGA

North Korea had earlier this month tested long-range cruise missiles. South Korea later tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile as the 2 neighbors continued to display their military capabilities. China always supports N Korea & S Korea to improve relations through dialogue and consultation. We hope that the two sides can work together to create conditions for the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue: Chinese FM

China has upgraded its best stealth fighter jet with domestic-made engines-CNN: China has finally shown off its most advanced fighter aircraft with home-made engines-a significant milestone as Beijing pushes the capabilities of its J-20 stealth jets in a bid to rival US’ F-22.

Sino-Indian Standoff: Chinese PLA in Uttarakhand’s Barahoti returns after damaging a bridge

Over 100 PLA soldiers and 55 horses transgressed over 5 km of Indian territory by crossing the Tun Jun La Pass border at Barahoti in Uttarakhand on Aug 30^th, damaged some infrastructure, including a bridge, before retreating, ET reported citing sources in the establishment. The incident on August 30th did not result in a face-off as PLA soldiers returned before they could be confronted.

The transgression, even as disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh has been progressing, has sounded the alarm bells in the central sector.

While Barahoti has not been a major border flashpoint in recent years – minor transgressions are often reported – the place was the first area, which saw transborder intrusions by the Chinese, in 1954, which later expanded to other areas and culminated in the 1962 war.

While there have been minor PLA transgressions in the sector over the past few years – the last one in July – the scale was much larger, leading to concern in New Delhi given continuing border tensions in eastern Ladakh.

• It is believed that the group stayed in the vicinity for around three hours in a demilitarized zone, the presence of a large number of PLA soldiers led to concern within the security establishment.
• Sources said the transgression was reported by locals following which teams from ITBP and Army sent across a patrol to verify, which has been already vacated, as per ET report.
• The Barahoti ridge lies north of the Nanda Devi National Park and troops trek to it from the last motorable point. The ridge is connected to Joshimath, where the Indian Army and ITBP have camps to counter any major PLA operations.
• The ITBP monitors the nearly 350 km border in Uttarakhand which is part of the Line of Actual Control that divides India and China.
• While ET reported citing a home ministry official that Indian and Chinese perceptions about LAC differ, which leads to frequent incursions in the area, but there was no comment from an ITBP spokesperson.
• Officials acknowledged that the activities of PLA troops have gone up in the region in the past few months. Intelligence agencies have also flagged Chinese activity at the airbase near Barahoti.
• The PLA has also substantially increased its defense across the LAC in the region since the border confrontation in Ladakh last year. (see yesterday’s newsletter)

With big guns, Army keeps combat posture along LAC: The Army continues with its strong combat posture along the entire frontier with China, which includes high-volume artillery firepower ranging from the older 105mm field guns, Bofors, and rocket systems to the spanking new M-777 ultra-light howitzers. The M-777 howitzers can be airlifted from one sector to another in forwarding areas by Chinook helicopters, while the swifter mobilization of heavier artillery guns has been made possible by the roads constructed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) over the last couple of years.

• The first is the 155mm/45-calibre Dhanush howitzers, the electronically upgraded version of the original Bofors guns.
• The Army had earlier placed an order for 114 of these guns for Rs 1,260 crore from the Ordnance Factory Board.
• The second is the 155mm/52 caliber advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS), which the DRDO contends is the best in its class in the world with a 48-km strike range. The Army needs as many as 1,580 such guns.
• After “constructive discussions” with both OFB and DRDO, the senior officer said he was “optimistic” that “certain parameters not achieved” during trials of ATAGS and the “few teething issues” with Dhanush will both be resolved soon.

Need a robust and reliable gun, says Army as artillery modernization plan faces hiccups

Twenty-two years after the Army finalized the Field Artillery Rationalisation Programme (FARP), under which a mix of around 3,000-3,600 howitzers were to be procured by 2025-27, the modernization plan is facing hiccups as two major indigenous programs have failed to fire off fully.

The more important of the two projects is ATAGS, being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with private firms Bharat Forge and TATA Power SED.

‘ATAGS failed to meet all parameters’: Explaining the issues dogging the programs, Lt Gen. Chawla said the summer fire trial this year of the ATAGS had failed to achieve certain parameters and would undergo further modification.

• He added that it is “difficult” to give a timeline for possible induction of the ATAGS into the Army.
• The Army is believed to have voiced concerns over the weight of ATAGS, a project which began in 2012, and its inability to meet critical performance parameters.

Dhanush facing production quality issues: While ATAGS is facing trouble in the design and development stage, the Army has flagged the production quality of Dhanush — of which the Army had ordered 114 in 2019.

• The induction of Dhanush started in April 2019. Between then and the beginning of June this year, only 12 of the long-range artillery guns had been delivered. This is far below the 18 guns required to make a full regiment.
• “We as a user are looking forward to it,” Lt Gen. Chawla added, saying the Army and the manufacturer — Gun Carriage Factory (GCF), Jabalpur, a unit of the state-run OFB — will undertake some “confidence firing” soon.
• Under FARP, the Army aims to acquire a mix of around 3,000-3,600 155mm howitzers — with different caliber types, for example, towed, mounted, self-propelled (tracked and wheeled) — by 2025-27.
• This was to be achieved through a mix of direct imports, licensed manufacturing, and indigenous production.
• After years of being in the rut, the artillery program got a push in 2015, with the successful completion of trials (begun around 2012), signing of contracts, and various systems entering the final stages of decision-making.
• The artillery modernization program was then seen as a success story by everyone in the defense establishment. However, it has seemed to be floundering of late.

Only K9 Vajra, M-777 lightweight howitzers plans have fructified: Lt Gen. Chawla said that, of all the plans, the one for K9 Vajra howitzers, manufactured by L&T in collaboration with a South Korean firm, has been completed, and confirmed ThePrint’s report that the Army is looking at possibly ordering for additional tracked guns.

The Army, Lt Gen. Chawla said, is also looking at mounted gun systems. The Army has already issued an RFI (request for information) for the mounted gun, which will give the force better maneuverability than a towed system.

In J&K: Army captures terrorist from Pakistan in J&K’s Uri sector

One terrorist neutralized, and one LeT terrorist Ali Babar Patra (19-year-old, while as per IT, he is 18 yr old) from Okhara, received training of 3 weeks from Bahawalpur Army camp, Punjab in Pakistan surrendered before security forces during an operation in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, who has also given the number of his mother (from Pak Punjab) to security forces: Major General Virendra Vats, GOC, 19 Infantry Division.

• Another Pakistani guide, Qari Anaz (33) was killed by the forces on Sept 26 when he opened fire at the Army search team. The forces have recovered one AK-47 rifle, two grenades, and one communication set from the captured terror operative.
• Last week, the Army foiled an infiltration bid near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, killing three terrorists and recovering a large cache of arms and ammunition.
• the Army was able to establish contact with infiltrators at 3 different locations in the last 2 days. One Pakistan infiltrator is believed to be dead in the encounter so far while the Army is looking for the others.
• Four soldiers have sustained bullet injuries during an exchange of fire between the Army and militants in the Uri sector along the Line of Control (LoC).
• This infiltration attempt was made in the area of Salamabad Nallah. It’s the same area through which we’ve had a history of infiltration in 2016, that’s when a suicide attack at Uri Garrison took place: Maj Gen Vats, on Uri infiltration attempt
• It’s also revealed that this infiltration group was supported from the Pakistan side by 3 porters, who had come till the LoC along with supplies. The movement of such a large group of people can’t take place without the active complicity of the Pakistani Army deployed on the other side: Maj Gen Vats
• An operation was carried out over 9-days along LoC in the Uri sector, started on Sept 18, when our patrol along LoC detected infiltration movement. When the encounter took place, 2 infiltrators came across the border, while 4 were on the other side: GOC, 19 Infantry Division, in Uri.

Pakistan Violates Ceasefire In Kupwara; First Since Armistice Agreement In Feb 2021: Seven months after the armies of India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire agreement in all sectors on 25 February 2021, the Pakistan Army once again resorted to an unprovoked ceasefire in the Teetwal sector of Kupwara along the Line of Control. This is seen as an attempt by Pakistan to push terrorists into Indian territory as infiltration attempts are on the rise.

Kashmiri Pandits hold candle march for a high-level probe into the death of cop in Kupwara

• Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits held a candle march at the Jagti camp in Jammu, demanding a high-level probe into the death of a young policeman in Kupwara.
• Ajay Dhar, a follower in the police department posted in Handwara, died in the early hours of Sept 22 after being shot by a sentry guarding a temple who mistook him for a militant, officials have said.
• Holding a demonstration at the migrant camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, the protesters called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and facilitate a probe by the CBI or the NIA.

BSF Jammu on Tue, recovered a huge cache of arms, ammunition, narcotics, and fake Indian currency notes with the face value of Rs 2,75,000 from the International Border in the Akhnoor Area yesterday during a search operation.

Terrorists entering India with help from Pakistan Army, said GOC Chinar Corps (India Today)

• Terrorists are infiltrating India in connivance with Pakistan military commanders, according to Lt General DP Pandey, General Officer Commanding of the Chinar Corps.
• Since Sept 23, the Indian Army has neutralized four terrorists in two separate operations. The army has foiled multiple infiltration attempts at the Line of Control in the Uri sector of J&K.

Reason for Increase in Infiltration Attempts: According to Lt Gen DP Pandey, the reason is that peace is prevailing in the mainland at present. This is making Pakistan ‘desperate’ and, hence, attempts to sneak in terrorists and weapons have gone up. There is peace in Kashmir as a result of various initiatives that are making an impact on the ground. “Every citizen wants a life of peace. People of Kashmir have nothing to worry about. Anybody who tries to cross over will be dealt with,” he added.

Meanwhile, state-run Pak Radio, which still putting more than 60% of the news from ‘IOJK’, on its website,claimed that in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred four more Kashmiri youth in Baramulla district on Tue. The youth were killed during a violent cordon and search operation in the Uri area of the district.

FM briefs Chairmen of British House of Commons about HR situation in IIOJ&K-Pak Radio: The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed the Chairs of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees of the House of Commons of the UK about the dire humanitarian and human rights situations in IIOJK. He shared with them a dossier documenting more than 3000 war crimes perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces in IIOJK.

Pakistan home to 12 foreign terrorist organizations: CRS report-US officials have identified Pakistan as a base of operations or target for numerous armed and non-state terrorist groups, some of which have existed since the 1980s, Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a report. The report said that these groups can be categorized into 5 types – globally-oriented, Afghanistan oriented, India & Kashmir-oriented, domestically oriented, and Sectarian.

Al Qaeda operated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi: Report- Al Qaeda has operated primarily from Pakistan’s former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), now incorporated into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province; and in the megacity of Karachi, as well as in Afghanistan, according to a report by the US, CRS.

US officials have identified Pakistan as a base of operations and/or target for numerous armed, non-state militant groups, some of which have existed since the 1980s, said the report.

Many observers predict a resurgence of regional terrorism and militancy in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan last month, it added. 12/15 groups listed as based in Pakistan are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) under US law and most, but not all, are animated by Islamist extremist ideology.

The three-day visit of the parliamentary delegation to Kashmir soon: A parliamentary delegation would be on a 3-day visit to Kashmir soon and meet “anyone and interact with the common people at the place they like and choose”. The Greater Kashmir citing sources, reported that the Members of Parliament would honor the people during an award function at SKICC in Srinagar. They said that during their visit they would “honor the excellent people during a mega award event and interact with common people in different districts”.

External Affairs Minister meets Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, who is on a 3-day visit to Mexico, at the invitation of his Mexican counterpart, and flew from the USA, held a “comprehensive discussion” with his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón and reviewed cooperation in various fields, including trade, investment, and space, stressing that the two countries must collaborate more closely in international forums.

• Jaishankar, the first EAM to visit Mexico in 41 years, said, “India and Mexico must collaborate more closely in international forums. Glad to note our Mexican partners reciprocating this sentiment.”
• Earlier, Jaishankar was received by Minister of Finance and Public Credit Rogelio Ramírez de la O with whom he discussed Mexico’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Jaishankar reached Mexico at the invitation of his Mexican counterpart Casaubón after concluding his visit to the US for the 76^th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Jaishankar will interact with the leading CEOs and the business community in Mexico, which is currently India’s second-largest trade partner in Latin America and is a member of the UNSC alongside India for the 2021-22 period, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

EAM also met President Andrés Manuel, and tweeted on Mon “Two continents. Two civilizations. Shared concerns. Participated at an event on Returned Heritage in Mexico city. A pleasure to meet President @lopezobrador_ there.”.

India-Mexico Relationship: Both nations are members of the G-20 major economies

The two-way trade in 2018 was $10.155 billion, comprising exports worth $5.231 billion and imports valued at $4.923 billion, according to official data, which declined later. India’s exports comprise mainly vehicles and auto parts, chemicals, aluminum products, electrical machinery and electronic equipment, steel, gems, and ceramic products. India imports crude oil, electrical goods, and machinery from Mexico.

Trade balance (in $K) (as per Mexican official data)

• Several Mexican multinational companies operate in India such as Cinépolis, Gruma, Grupo Bimbo, KidZania, and Nemak. Approximately 174 Indian companies invest and operate in Mexico.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to visit India on Oct 6-7

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit India next month to hold a series of bilateral meetings, civil society events, and the India Ideas Summit said a spokesperson of the US Department of State on Mon. Her visit comes days after Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the U.S. The US Deputy Secretary will travel to Mumbai, India for engagements with business and civil society on Oct 7.

Apart from India, the US official along with Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins will travel to Geneva, Switzerland on Sept 29 to lead a US interagency delegation to a Sept 30 US-Russia bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue, who have last met on July 28 in Geneva.

The Strategic Stability Dialogue follows from a commitment made by President Joe Biden and Russian President V Putin in their June 2021 Geneva meeting to have a deliberate and robust dialogue that will seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures.

• Sherman will also travel to Bern to inaugurate the first US-Swiss Strategic Partnership Dialogue with Swiss State Secretary Livia Leu and will also travel to Tashkent, Uzbekistan where she will meet with senior officials and civil society on Oct 4.
• She will complete her trip by traveling to Islamabad, Pakistan on Oct 7-8 to meet with senior officials. This is the first visit of any high-level diplomate (second top) of the USA to Pakistan, in the Biden presidency.
• Secretary of State, Antony Blinken told U.S. lawmakers weeks ago that Washington would need to re-assess its relationship with Islamabad.
• Last week, Blinken met his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi to discuss Afghanistan — specifically, coordinating the diplomatic engagement and facilitating the departure of those who wanted to leave Afghanistan, the State Department said.
• “The Secretary noted that the U.S. appreciates Pakistan’s support and assistance with both these efforts,” it had said. Earlier this month, CIA head William Burns had also visited Islamabad, from New Delhi during this trip.
• Biden has however not yet spoken with Pakistan PM Imran Khan since the beginning of his presidency.

Delhi Riots 2020 pre-meditated conspiracy, did not take place in spur of the moment: HC

The Delhi high court on Mon refused to grant bail to an accused in a case concerning the northeast Delhi riots of 2020. The high court said that there was a pre-planned and pre-meditated conspiracy to disturb law and order in the city and the events did not take place in the spur of the moment.

Justice Subramonium Prasad, while dealing with a bail application moved by one Mohd Ibrahim in the case concerning the alleged murder of Delhi Police head constable Ratan Lal, observed that there was a systematic disconnection and destruction of the CCTV cameras in areas near the place of the incident and innumerable rioters ruthlessly descended with sticks, dandas, bats, etc. upon a hopelessly outnumbered cohort of police officials.

• This riot which had claimed 57 lives from both communities, has been painted as a Hindu Mob-created massacre of a minority community, by various International and left inclined national media, without any substantial investigation. Even, ever open Wikipedia has posted the same kind of single-sided posts and closed it for any further edition.
• Dismissing the bail application of Ibrahim, the court stated that the available video footage showing the petitioner with the sword was quite egregious and sufficient to keep him in custody.
• A perusal of the material on record has revealed to the court that the petitioner has been identified on multiple CCTV footages, carrying a sword and instigating the crowd.
• The judge while acknowledging the importance of personal liberty in a democratic polity, clarified that individual liberty cannot be misused in a manner that threatens the very fabric of civilized society by attempting to destabilize it and cause hurt to other people.
• Even though the petitioner cannot be seen at the scene of the crime, he was a part of the mob for the sole reason that the petitioner had consciously traveled 1.6 km away from his neighborhood with a sword which could only be used to incite violence and inflict damage, the court said.
• The petitioner, Ibrahim, was arrested in Dec 2020 and has been in judicial custody since then. He sought bail on the ground that he never participated in any protest or the riots at any point in time and the place on a record by the prosecution did not place him anywhere close to the scene of the crime.
• The court, in a separate order, granted bail to one Saleem Khan, saying that in the absence of any material to show that he was a part of the unlawful assembly at the crime scene.

UNGA: Nepal condemns terrorism in all its forms, calls for complete disarmament 

Nepal Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka on Mon condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and called for general and complete disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction in a time-bound and verifiable manner. He was speaking at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

• In his first speech at the UNGA, Khadka highlighted the importance of promotion and protection of human rights and urged all parties involved to ensure peace, security, and stability so that the Afghan people can live in dignity and enjoy their fundamental rights and freedom. “Nepal’s worldview is shaped by our adherence to the principle of ‘amity with all and enmity with none’,” Khadka stated.
• Speaking on the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Foreign Minister, said, “The crisis has brought the world to a grinding halt, devastated the global economy, pushed an additional 150 million people into extreme poverty, and threatened to reverse hard-earned development gains.”
• Khadka joined world leaders in expressing condolences to the people across the world, who have lost their loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Calling for vaccines to be declared as public goods for the benefit of people’s lives, he, said,
• He appreciated the efforts made by the international community including the UN system to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 and underscores to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for everyone.
• He also said that as both an LDC (Least Developed Country) and LLDC (Landlocked Developing Country), Nepal’s structural challenges are unique.
• Khadka in his speech on the final day of UNGA, underlined Nepal’s 63 years of constant contribution to the UN peace operations “to promote peace, security, and stability.”
• “As one of the largest troop-contributing countries, Nepal believes that such countries deserve more senior-level positions both at the UNHQ and in the field,” FM added. The Minister called for joint action to turn the crisis into opportunity, despair into hope, and risk into resilience, he said.

In ‘rare transit’, the British warship HMS Richmond crosses Taiwan Strait

Taiwan Strait is in news again. After a US warship conducted a ‘routine’ transit through the strait recently, a British warship HMS Richmond traveled through the same area on Mon. The development is a rare voyage by a non-US military vessel as the US has been regularly performing “freedom of navigation” voyages in the strait. This waterway separates Taiwan and mainland China.

• In the last some months, tensions have been continuously rising between China and Taiwan, and the regular transits by the warships of other countries have been only enraging Beijing further.
• In a tweet, HMS Richmond, a frigate deployed with Britain’s aircraft carrier strike group, said, “After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam People’s Navy.”
• Confirming reports, Taiwan’s defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that a foreign vessel sailed through the waterway but did not state which country it was from.
• China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, which it has said will be unified with the mainland by force if necessary.
• Chinese jets have been repeatedly entering Taiwan’s airspace in recent months with over 380 incursions reported into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) earlier.

China has upgraded its best stealth fighter jet with domestic-made engines

China has finally shown off its most advanced fighter aircraft with domestic-made engines – a significant milestone as Beijing pushes the capabilities of its J-20 stealth jets in a bid to rival the United States’ F-22. China has finally shown off its most advanced fighter aircraft with domestic-made engines – a significant milestone as Beijing pushes the capabilities of its J-20 stealth jets in a bid to rival the United States’ F-22.

• The pair of twin-engine J-20s that put on a show for crowds at Airshow China in the southern city of Zhuhai on Tue were equipped with the WS-10 engine.
• The WS-10 was developed by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force to replace Russian engines that were in early versions of the J-20.

In June, the state-run Global Times tabloid said a unit of the J-20s equipped with the domestically developed engines had been activated in the country’s northeast region, with China Central Television showing images of the planes flying in an event commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the Communist Party. But Tue marked the first time the homemade jets were revealed to the Chinese public and foreign onlookers. China first flew the twin-engine J-20 in 2011, and it was introduced to the public during a flyby at the Zhuhai airshow in Nov 2016. It was declared combat-ready in 2018.