Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah, the Pakistan Army officer who gained notoriety in 2019 for claiming credit for the capture of Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, was killed on Tuesday in a major assault by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in South Waziristan.

According to sources, the TTP launched coordinated attacks in the Sargodha and Kurram areas, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 Pakistani personnel. Conflicting reports on social media, however, suggest that six soldiers, including Major Shah, were killed in the Sargodha clash alone.

A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that Pakistani forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Sararogha on June 24 following credible reports of militant presence. During the operation, 11 terrorists were killed and seven others injured. Major Shah, 37, from Chakwal, and Lance Naik Jibran Ullah, 27, from Bannu, were killed in the fierce exchange of fire.

Major Shah was praised by the ISPR for leading several key operations against insurgent elements. His leadership in this latest mission was hailed as an example of bravery and commitment to national security. Clearance operations continue in the area to eliminate remaining threats.

Shah came to prominence in February 2019 when he publicly claimed to have captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman during an aerial dogfight that followed the Balakot airstrikes. The incident occurred after India launched a precision strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility in Pakistan in retaliation for the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel.

On February 27, 2019, a Pakistani counteroffensive led to a dramatic aerial engagement, during which Varthaman’s MiG-21 Bison was downed after reportedly shooting down a Pakistani F-16. Varthaman was captured and held briefly in Pakistan before being released and repatriated on March 1, an event that de-escalated rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Major Shah’s death comes amid a resurgence in terror attacks across Pakistan and increasing scrutiny of Islamabad’s internal security strategy. The Pakistani government, which officially designated the TTP as Fitna-al-Khawarij in July 2024, continues to face growing insurgent threats within its borders.

Indian Army troops opened fire after detecting suspicious movement near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, triggering large-scale search operations across multiple regions. The incident occurred in the Chingus area of the Keri sector, where three to four individuals were spotted using forest cover to move stealthily.

More than two dozen rounds were fired, and drones were deployed to locate the suspected infiltrators. However, no trace of the individuals was found during the initial sweep. In response, coordinated search operations were launched across more than a dozen areas in Poonch district, including Surankote, Mendhar, Sari, Pathankhor, Chandimarh, and Kallar-Gursai.

Security teams comprising the Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Rashtriya Rifles carried out the operations. Meanwhile, in the Kathua and Samba districts, police and paramilitary personnel searched several border villages, such as Bein Nullah, Chak Dhulma, and Chakra, though no arrests were reported.

The heightened security comes as preparations intensify for the annual Amarnath Yatra, set to begin on July 3. In Udhampur, SSP Amod Nagpure chaired a high-level briefing to assess security arrangements along the pilgrimage route. Emphasis was placed on surveillance, traffic regulation, and coordination with disaster management teams. Officers were instructed to extend full support to pilgrims and maintain strict vigilance, ensuring a safe and smooth conduct of the Yatra amid the prevailing security concerns.

In a transformative move for India’s military structure, the government has authorized the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to issue joint instructions to the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. This long-anticipated reform ends the decades-old system where each service operated independently with separate directives, and signals a new era of integration and coordination in national defense.

Approved by the Honourable Raksha Mantri, the reform aligns with the broader objectives of the 2025 “Year of Defence Reforms” and aims to enhance unity, responsiveness, and strategic clarity across all armed forces. The first joint order issued under this unified command stresses procedural simplification, elimination of duplication, and improved synergy in operations.

The reform fulfills recommendations first made in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil War, which exposed significant gaps in inter-service coordination. It builds on key institutional developments like the creation of the Integrated Defence Staff in 2001 and the appointment of General Bipin Rawat as India’s first CDS in 2019.

India’s 2025 defence budget—pegged at a record $500 billion, or 2.5% of the national GDP—underscores the scale and ambition of the current modernization drive. Analysts believe the new joint command structure could improve the effectiveness of joint operations by up to 30%, a projection supported by a 2020 Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) report.

The reform also reflects lessons learned from major operations such as Operation Ganga in 2022, during which over 18,000 Indian nationals were evacuated from Ukraine with swift military-diplomatic coordination. Officials hope that the new system will better prepare India for both conventional conflicts and multi-domain challenges, strengthening its strategic posture at home and abroad.

The Maharashtra government has issued a strict warning to government-aided Sainik Schools across the state, instructing them to improve their students’ success rates in the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance exams or face losing state support. Concerned by the declining number of NDA admissions from these military-preparatory institutions, the government has formed a seven-member expert committee to review existing policies and recommend corrective measures.

The committee is headed by Anil Sable, Deputy Director of the State Secondary and Higher Secondary Board, and includes members from reputed institutions such as Sainik School Satara and Bhonsla Military School, Nagpur.

Maharashtra currently has two state-run Sainik Schools—Satara (established in 1961) and Chandrapur (launched in 2019)—and 38 government-aided, privately managed Sainik schools, collectively enrolling around 12,400 students. These schools are meant to prepare young students for careers in the Indian Armed Forces, with admission to the NDA in Pune seen as a key metric of their success. However, only a handful of schools consistently send students to the NDA, with even Satara’s flagship school witnessing a recent drop in performance despite having produced around 750 officers historically.

The private-aided model was introduced in 1995 to expand the Sainik school ecosystem, but many institutions under this arrangement have failed to deliver on their core objective. A revised policy implemented in October 2024 now requires that all eligible students appear for the NDA exam and mandates that schools provide infrastructure and coaching support. Land grants—some up to 30 acres—have been given to 12 such schools on the condition of consistently producing NDA qualifiers.

Under the new policy, schools that fail to meet expectations may lose their Sainik school status and funding, be converted into unaided private schools, or face land repossession by the government. While emphasizing accountability, the government has also assured school operators that their difficulties will be heard. The expert panel will engage with stakeholders to determine what additional support is needed to boost results.

The findings of the committee are expected to shape a revamped strategy aimed at increasing Maharashtra’s contribution to the NDA and, by extension, to national defense preparedness.