Defence News

Jantar Mantar, Delhi's designated protest venue, has effectively been turned into a heavily secured enclosure, with 11 layers of barricading surrounding the protest ground - six on the rear side and five on the front. A visit by The Tribune found that the main entrance as well as the rear approaches had been blocked by successive barricades.

Official data shows a decline in Rewari’s crime rate during the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Cases of heinous crimes, crimes against women, property-related offences and vehicle theft all recorded a considerable decrease between January 1 and September 30, the data showed.

deaForge has launched ZOLT Hybrid and ZOLT UCAV, expanding into long-range ISR and UCAV missions. ZOLT UCAV offers 2-3 hours of endurance, while the Hybrid variant provides over six hours and up to 100 km of line-of-sight transmission. Both feature anti-jam communications and GNSS-denied navigation for electronic warfare environments.

The Indian Air Force's (IAF) multilateral exercise Tarang Shakti in Jodhpur has recorded the largest participation of women personnel in an international exercise. Over 25 women officers flew fighter jets and other aircraft alongside around 125 male pilots. IAF also shared visuals of the participating nations flying in formation on the occasion of 94th Indian Air Force Day on Thursday.

Starlink's portable satellite internet is increasingly being exploited by criminals, insurgents and armed groups. Terminals have been recovered from cyber-scam compounds, illegal mining sites, conflict zones and even a drug-smuggling vessel in India. Its ability to bypass damaged or unavailable terrestrial networks makes Starlink a growing national-security challenge.

Amid heightened political protests in the Capital and mounting pressure on the Delhi Police to maintain law and order, the department has turned to social media to highlight the challenges faced by its personnel, particularly women cops deployed to control agitated crowds. The Delhi Police posted a series of Instagram Reels under the message "Respect her dignity".

A 10-day Combined Annual Training Camp (CATC) of the 14 Haryana Battalion NCC, Yamunanagar, is being conducted at Kapal Mochan in Yamunanagar district. The camp is being held under the guidance of Brigadier Rohit Sehgal, VSM, Group Commander, Ambala Group NCC, and under the command of Col Pankaj Pareek, Commanding Officer, with the administration of Lt Col Kumud Maini.

The Chandigarh Police ranks second in the country in responding to emergency calls, with its Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles reaching distress callers' locations in average 4 minutes 28 seconds in September. Only Himachal Pradesh, with a response time of 4 minutes 4 seconds, fared better. Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur shared the data with The Tribune.

In a landmark moment for Kullu district, an NCC microlight aircraft designated for local unit landed at Bhuntar airport, paving way for aviation training for the youth. Group Captain Baljinder Singh Gill and Wing Commander Kunal Sharma flew the aircraft. The arrival of the plane marked the culmination of nearly 3 decades of sustained efforts to establish a flying training facility.

Defence Ministry signed a ₹2,563-crore contract with NewSpace India Limited for the indigenous GSAT-7C satellite, designed to enhance "secure, resilient & seamless communication capabilities" for Indian Air Force assets. GSAT-7C is expected to improve communication between aircraft and ground units. This is part of ₹4,106-crore defence contracts, which also include Varunastra torpedoes for Navy.

The Nalagarh plant of SMPP Ammunition Private Limited, a defence manufacturing company, was allotted 800 acres in Nalagarh for a proposed ₹3,000 crore investment four years ago but it is yet to commence production of 155 mm artillery shells to meet critical Army requirements. The company had claimed that it would commence production in March.

His finesse is what makes him stand out. An Assistant Sub Inspector with the Punjab Police, Baljinder Singh, not only trains budding boxers, but also ensures they achieve their gold goal. The man behind the best boxing talent juggles two jobs, with three of his players ending up in the squared circle of Cambodia. Baljinder has produced 11 international players.

Iran's state TV said seven oil tankers caught fire or were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, which AP couldn't independently confirm. The US ordered non-emergency staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks. The New York Times reported the US and Israel have drawn up plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the midterms.

Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam has signed a five-year MoU with the defence ministry to deploy and develop AI applications for the armed forces. The proposed applications will include decision support, target acquisition and data fusion across sensor-to-shooter loop. The deal will give all three services access to shared AI tools, including AI models, autonomous systems, and geospatial technology.

A Rafale Marine fighter jet successfully landed on India's indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for the first time, completing the landing on its maiden attempt. The Indian Navy said, "The ongoing trials mark the first steps towards operationalisation of the aircraft in the Indian Navy." India and France signed ₹63,000 crore deal to procure 26 Rafale Marine jets last year.

A 34-year-old assistant sub-inspector (ASI) with the Ludhiana police commissionerate, Dr Ramandeep Singh, has completed a PhD in public administration. Posted as a reader with the DCP (headquarters), Singh completed his doctorate in three years. His research focused on the evolution of policing and the growing role of technology in crime prevention and investigation.

The paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has not suffered a single operational fatality anywhere in the country over a year for the first time in 47 years. PM Narendra Modi said, "A ZERO that speaks volumes." Officials said nine CRPF personnel made a supreme sacrifice while performing operational duties in 2025, up to October 30.

For the people of Katrain village in Kullu district, Lt Gen Sushil Chander Mahant's latest appointment is a moment of immense pride. The boy who once studied at Government High School, Katrain, and Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira, has risen to a key leadership position in the Indian Army, becoming the Director-General of Integrated Training at the Integrated Headquarters in Delhi.