In a major success under Operation Chowkibal, security forces recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, disrupting a possible terror conspiracy near the Line of Control (LoC).

The operation was launched jointly by the 160 Battalion of the Territorial Army, 5 PARA, and Jammu and Kashmir Police from Police Station Kralpora, based on intelligence inputs provided by Military Intelligence. The raid was conducted between July 27 and 28 in the Chowkibal area.

The target of the operation was the residence of Wali Mohammad Mir, a resident of Marsary village in Chowkibal. During the search, the following war-like stores were recovered:

• One AK-56 rifle
• Three AK-56 magazines
• Seventeen Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) grenades
• More than 1,000 rounds of AK-series ammunition

Security officials described the seizure as a crucial blow to militant logistics and cross-border arms smuggling, especially in a region that has historically seen infiltration attempts and terror activity.

An FIR (No. 53/2025) has been registered at Police Station Kralpora under relevant sections of the Arms Act (7/25), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (13, 23, 39), and the Explosive Substances Act (Section 5).

A senior official stated that timely and coordinated action helped avert a serious security threat. “Operation Chowkibal demonstrates the high level of synergy between the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police. Investigations are now focused on identifying the source of the weapons and any militant links,” the official said.

Follow-up searches and intelligence-based operations are expected to continue in the area to dismantle any remaining parts of the network involved in storing and transporting illegal arms.

Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Northern Command, briefed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today on the successful culmination of Operation Mahadev. He was accompanied by Lt. Gen. Prashant Srivastava, General Officer Commanding 15 Corps.

During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor praised the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu & Kashmir Police for their coordinated efforts in eliminating three Pakistani terrorists involved in the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which had claimed 26 civilian lives.

Lt. Gen. Sharma informed that the operation was the result of extensive search efforts carried out over the past few months across South Kashmir, specifically in the dense Dachigam forest. Intelligence agencies had received consistent inputs about terrorist presence in the area, prompting the formation of special joint teams.

Acting on specific intelligence, the Army, J&K Police, and CRPF launched a high-risk mission deep into the forested region. The operation concluded with the elimination of all three terrorists, including the suspected mastermind of the Pahalgam attack.

The LG commended the synergy among the security forces and intelligence agencies, noting that Operation Mahadev stands as a strong message against cross-border terrorism and a crucial step toward restoring peace in the Kashmir Valley.

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ATAL, a Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV), during a formal ceremony held at Vasco-da-Gama, Goa, on July 29, 2025. This is the sixth vessel in a series of eight indigenously designed FPVs being constructed by GSL, a premier Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.

Designed in-house by GSL, the vessel is 52 meters long, 8 meters wide, and has a displacement of 320 tonnes. These high-speed vessels are built for coastal patrol, island protection, offshore asset security, and other crucial missions such as anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and search and rescue operations, thereby strengthening India’s maritime domain awareness.

Speaking on the occasion, GSL Chairman and Managing Director Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay said that the launch of ICGS ATAL reflects the spirit of indigenisation and innovation by Team GSL, even amid global supply chain disruptions. Shri Rozy Agarwal, Principal Internal Financial Advisor at Coast Guard Headquarters and the chief guest of the event, praised GSL’s execution capabilities and its important contribution to national maritime security.

Senior dignitaries from the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence, and strategic industry partners attended the launch event. The ceremony marks another milestone in India’s ongoing push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Indian Army Para Commando died in a tragic road accident just 20 km from his home while on his way back to duty. The deceased, 25-year-old Panna Singh of 6 PARA (Special Forces), was returning from his village Ozhiyana (Byawar) to board a train to Jammu when an unknown vehicle hit his bike near Gohana village around 11 PM on Sunday. The driver fled the scene, and Singh died on the spot.

Station Officer Jitendra Faujdar confirmed that Singh was en route to Ajmer to catch a train to Jammu when the accident occurred. Police identified him through documents found in his pocket. He had come home earlier to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and had tied rakhi with his three sisters.

His mortal remains were brought back to Ozhiyana village, where his final rites were conducted with full military honors on Monday evening. A moving tricolor procession spanning 28 kilometers was held from Amrit Kaur Hospital in Byawar to his village, joined by hundreds of locals riding bikes and chanting slogans. Singh’s 1.5-year-old son Mayank lit the funeral pyre in a heart-wrenching farewell, while his mother, wife Pooja, and siblings broke down during the last rites. An Army unit from Nasirabad presented the tricolor to his father Prabhu Singh and offered a Guard of Honor.

Panna Singh joined the Army in 2018 and was deployed with D Team, 6 PARA in Jammu-Kashmir since 2019. He is survived by his wife Pooja, four-year-old daughter Sapna, and son Mayank. His younger brother Pintu is preparing to join the Army, and his youngest brother Sunil is in Class 9. The entire village united in grief as the braveheart was laid to rest.

Eight years after the high-altitude military standoff between India and China, the Doklam plateau in Sikkim is set to welcome tourists from September 2025 as part of India’s battlefield tourism initiative.

Located at an altitude of 13,780 feet near the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China, Doklam gained national attention in June 2017 when Chinese troops attempted to build a road in territory claimed by Bhutan. The Indian Army had intervened to support its Himalayan neighbour, leading to a 73-day face-off before China backed off.

The site is now one of three strategic locations in Sikkim selected by the Defence Ministry under the Bharat Rannbhoomi Darshan programme to promote battlefield tourism. “We are preparing to open Doklam for visitors in September, when the tourist season starts in Sikkim,” said C. Subhakar Rao, the State’s Additional Chief Secretary for Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The two other locations are Nathu La and Cho La—both known for clashes between Indian and Chinese forces in 1967, well before Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975. Nathu La, at 14,140 feet, is already a popular tourist destination around 58 km from Gangtok, while Cho La, sitting at 17,780 feet, is being developed with rest areas, parking spaces, and tourist amenities in coordination with the Army.

Access to Cho La is via Tamzey, a high-altitude military outpost that also offers medical support for tourists facing altitude sickness.

Army engineers are working against harsh terrain and high-altitude conditions to complete the required infrastructure. “The idea is to preserve and showcase India’s valour in protecting its borders while promoting tourism,” a senior Army officer said.

Another major inclusion in the circuit is Gurudongmar Lake, considered sacred by both Buddhists and Sikhs. Located at 17,800 feet in Sikkim’s Mangan district, the lake has been designated a Shaurya Gantavya (destination of valour).

Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh are currently the only two northeastern States with such military-heritage tourism circuits. Arunachal’s Tawang and Walong—battlefields from the 1962 India-China war—are already part of the Shaurya Gantavya programme.

With Doklam opening to the public, Sikkim is set to become a hub for high-altitude patriotism-driven travel, giving tourists a glimpse of India’s strategic frontiers and the stories of courage they hold.

More than three months after the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the families of the 26 victims have expressed a mix of sorrow and relief following the Indian Army’s killing of the prime accused in a fierce gunfight near Srinagar.

Under Operation Mahadev, Indian Army para commandos gunned down three Pakistani terrorists, including Suleman alias Asif, who officials say masterminded the brutal attack that targeted tourists and killed civilians, women, and children.

Vikas Kumrawat, whose elder brother Sushil Nathaniel was among the victims, said the family had been waiting for justice. “We were thinking for a long time why the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack had not been caught yet. We are very happy and relieved with the news of the army killing the mastermind,” he said.

In Karnal, Rajesh Narwal, father of Indian Navy officer Lt Vinay Narwal, who was killed while on his honeymoon, said, “I salute the Army, paramilitary, and J&K Police jawans for their bravery. They risked their lives and hunted down the terrorists. They must be honoured.”

Lt Narwal had recently married and was visiting Kashmir with his wife when the attack happened.

In Bhubaneswar, the wife of victim Prashant Satpathy said, “Those who are gone won’t return, but terror must end. We are proud of the Indian Army.”

According to officials, Operation Mahadev was launched after intelligence agencies traced a satellite phone signal linked to the Pahalgam attackers. The operation took place in the Lidwas area, near Srinagar.

Earlier, in May, India had launched Operation Sindoor to target terror camps across the Line of Control in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre. The army struck at least nine terror facilities during the precision strikes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Lok Sabha that no international leader urged India to stop its military retaliation during Operation Sindoor, asserting that Pakistan had to plead for a ceasefire after suffering heavy damage in the May 9–10 missile exchange.

Responding to a debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Indian military response, PM Modi said, “We had said from day one that our action was non-escalatory. No world leader asked us to stop. On May 9, even when US Vice President JD Vance tried calling me repeatedly, I was in a meeting with the armed forces. Later, I told him that if Pakistan attacked, it would pay a heavy price.”

Modi also targeted Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi for questioning why the government hadn’t denied former US President Donald Trump’s claims about brokering a ceasefire. “Pakistan understood this time that our response will always be bigger than their actions. Operation Sindoor is still on. If Pakistan tries again, India can go to any extent,” he said.

According to the PM, India achieved its objective of destroying terror camps on May 7, but it was Pakistan’s defence of those camps that escalated the situation. He said that Indian missiles struck every corner of Pakistan on May 9 and 10, leaving their military “on its knees.”

Recounting Pakistan’s call for ceasefire, Modi said, “Their DGMO called ours and pleaded—‘Bas karo, bahut maara, ab zyada maar jhelne ki taakat nahin hai. Please hamla rok do’.” He emphasized that the final decision to halt was India’s, taken only after military objectives were met.

Modi concluded by stating that this episode had changed how Pakistan views India’s strategic posture, and that the world, not just India, has taken note.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that Indian armed forces successfully intercepted and destroyed 1,000 missiles and drones launched by Pakistan on May 9 during Operation Sindoor. The large-scale aerial attack, he said, was completely neutralised in the air by India’s advanced air defence systems.

“On May 9, Pakistan launched 1,000 missiles and drones on India. But all of them were destroyed in the air,” said the Prime Minister during a debate on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s response through Operation Sindoor.

He praised the Indian Armed Forces for their swift and precise retaliation. “We destroyed terror sites deep inside Pakistan within 22 minutes to avenge the Pahalgam attack. Pakistani airbases hit by India are still in ICU and the masterminds are having sleepless nights,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s global diplomatic backing during the crisis. “Only three countries spoke in favour of Pakistan at the UN. India got support from the entire world,” he noted, underlining the international isolation of Pakistan on the issue of cross-border terrorism.

However, PM Modi also voiced strong criticism of the opposition. He accused the Congress party of not supporting the armed forces and instead targeting him for political gain. “Their frivolous statements risked damaging the morale of our soldiers,” he said.

The revelations come amid heightened tensions in the region and mark the first official confirmation of the scale of Pakistan’s missile and drone attack during the conflict.

Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), has embarked on a four-day official visit to Japan from July 30 to August 2, 2025. The visit underscores the growing maritime collaboration between India and Japan under their deepening ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’.

During his stay, Admiral Tripathi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with senior Japanese government and defence officials, including Minister of Defense Mr. Nakatani Gen, Vice-Minister of Defense Masuda Kazuo, and Admiral Saito Akira, Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Key topics of discussion will include enhancing maritime security, advancing technological collaboration, and exploring new avenues for strengthening naval synergy and interoperability between the two navies. Admiral Tripathi is also expected to visit JMSDF units and interact with the Commander-in-Chief, Self Defense Fleet, at Funakoshi JMSDF Base.

The visit is poised to reinforce the strong foundation of India–Japan defence ties and promote mutual trust in securing the Indo-Pacific region. It reaffirms both nations’ shared commitment to peace, stability, and a rules-based maritime order.