A serving Army jawan was arrested late Tuesday night in Meerut for carrying 70 AK-47 cartridges, raising serious concerns about ammunition handling and possible illegal transfer. Identified as Rahul Kumar, a resident of Nagli Azad village, the soldier is currently posted with the counter-terrorism battalion at the Mechanised Infantry Centre and School in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.

The arrest was made by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in collaboration with the Meerut police following a tip-off about illicit ammunition transport. Rahul was intercepted near the Rapid Rail station at Modiouram outpost while travelling in a car. A search revealed 70 live AK-47 rounds in his possession.

According to the FIR lodged at Pallavpuram police station, Rahul was wearing his Army ID at the time. He was booked under Sections 7 and 25(1-AA) of the Arms Act, 1959.

Initial questioning revealed that the cartridges were allegedly retained from Rahul’s prior deployment in Jammu and Kashmir, where he participated in anti-terror operations. He admitted to failing to return the unused ammunition to Army stores and instead brought them home while on leave.

Rahul claimed he was contacted by a friend in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar, who introduced himself as a member of the Special Task Force (STF) and requested ammunition, stating he had lost his own. Rahul agreed to hand over the rounds during his leave.

However, the handover reportedly went awry. When Rahul arrived at a pre-decided meeting point near a college, his friend failed to show up. Instead, another unidentified youth approached him. Rahul allegedly threw the ammunition toward the youth and tried to flee, but was immediately apprehended by law enforcement.

Senior Army officers arrived shortly after the arrest and initiated a parallel military inquiry. Authorities are now investigating how the ammunition was smuggled out and whether others are involved in a broader illegal arms transfer network.

The case has triggered heightened scrutiny within defence and security circles, highlighting the risks of ammunition diversion and underscoring the need for stricter inventory control protocols in sensitive postings.

In a rare gesture amid intensifying conflict with Israel, Iran has opened its airspace exclusively for India to facilitate the evacuation of around 1,000 Indian students stranded in the country. The decision comes at a time when most international flights are barred from entering Iranian airspace due to ongoing missile and drone exchanges between Iran and Israel.

Under Operation Sindhu, India has already begun evacuating its citizens. On June 17, 110 students were transported by road from northern Iran to neighboring Armenia, coordinated by the Indian Embassy. A special flight then carried them from Yerevan to New Delhi on June 18, with their arrival in India expected early Saturday morning.

“The government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The broader context of the evacuation involves a severe military escalation between Israel and Iran, which began on June 13. Israeli strikes have targeted key nuclear facilities, military bases, and high-ranking Iranian officials. Reports indicate that at least 657 people have been killed in Iran, including 263 civilians, with over 2,000 wounded.

In response, Iran has launched a barrage of 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli military sources. While the majority of these have been intercepted by Israel’s advanced air defence systems, at least 24 people in Israel have died and several hundred have been injured.

As international pressure mounts and fears of a wider regional war grow, Iran’s temporary opening of its airspace for Indian evacuations is seen as a humanitarian exception. It underscores the seriousness of the situation on the ground, where regular civilian air traffic remains virtually impossible.

Meanwhile, reports suggest former US President Donald Trump is considering military options against Iran’s fortified Fordo nuclear site, raising concerns of a broader escalation.

While Iran continues to claim its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, its enrichment of uranium to 60 per cent—just shy of weapons-grade—remains a global flashpoint. Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons though it has never formally acknowledged them, views Iran’s capabilities as a direct threat.

The conflict, unfolding rapidly across diplomatic, military, and humanitarian lines, has put thousands of civilians, including foreign nationals, at risk. India’s swift action through Operation Sindhu reflects the urgency of the situation and its commitment to protecting its citizens abroad.

DRDO chief Dr Samir V Kamat has confirmed that India’s hypersonic glide missile is in an advanced stage of development, with all trials expected to conclude within the next two to three years. In an interview with NDTV, he detailed the progress of India’s next-generation missile systems and shared insights gained during Operation Sindoor.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation had earlier test-fired a long-range hypersonic missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. India is currently working on two categories of hypersonic weapons—hypersonic cruise missiles powered by scramjets and hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs).

Dr Kamat said the glide missile has already undergone a successful development trial, while the scramjet-powered cruise missile system is in the early stages. “We have proven scramjet propulsion for over 1,000 seconds, which is a significant breakthrough. If the government sanctions the project, we expect a hypersonic cruise missile could be inducted within five to seven years,” he said.

On the widely used BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, Dr Kamat noted that DRDO is now focused on extending its range and developing a smaller version called BrahMos-NG. This variant will allow deployment on more aircraft beyond the Su-30MKI.

He also gave updates on other missile systems in the pipeline, including the Astra Mk-2 and Mk-3 air-to-air missiles with extended ranges, as well as Rudram-2, Rudram-3, and Rudram-4 air-to-ground missiles. India is also advancing its Kusha surface-to-air missile program and developing directed energy weapons like lasers and high-power microwave systems for anti-drone warfare.

Commenting on the success of DRDO systems during Operation Sindoor, Dr Kamat said that BrahMos, Akash, and D4 anti-drone systems performed effectively during the 100-hour conflict with Pakistan.

He also spoke about the indigenous light tank Zorawar, built for high-altitude operations in areas like Ladakh and Sikkim. Development trials are complete and user trials are set to begin soon.

On the indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), Dr Kamat said that unlike previous DRDO-HAL partnerships, this time an expression of interest has been floated to identify an industry partner, which could include private players or a joint venture.

Discussing lessons from Operation Sindoor, Dr Kamat stressed the need to develop fully autonomous systems that can function without GPS or communication links. “It is very clear now that all our weapon systems must be capable of operating in electronically denied environments,” he said.

He concluded by expressing confidence that several of DRDO’s advanced weapon systems and sensors will be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces within the next two to three years.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has secured the winning bid to manufacture India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) announced on Friday. HAL’s stock responded positively to the news, rising 1.54% to ₹4,977.60.

With a winning bid of ₹511 crore, HAL acquired the rights to not only build but also own and commercialise SSLV launches. This marks the first strategic transfer of rocket technology under the Indian government’s new space policy aimed at liberalising the sector.

In a competitive bidding process that initially drew interest from nearly 20 companies, HAL outpaced consortiums led by Adani Group’s Alpha Design and Bharat Dynamics Ltd. Notably, HAL applied as a solo bidder, distinguishing itself from others.

The SSLV is designed to carry payloads of up to 500 kg to low-Earth orbit and is positioned to meet the growing global demand for small satellite deployment. Pawan Goenka, Chairperson of IN-SPACe, noted that this move represents a key milestone in building a vibrant commercial space ecosystem in India.

Globally, the low-Earth orbit launch vehicle market was valued at $13.9 billion in 2023 and is expected to triple to $44 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights. India, which currently holds just 2% of the global space economy, is targeting a significant leap—from $8 billion to $44 billion—by 2030.

HAL’s win is being seen as a major development in India’s ambitions to expand its space sector and become a competitive player in the international satellite launch market.

Central and international agencies have begun a detailed investigation into the suspected use of electromagnetic weapons in a series of recent ship mishaps in the Arabian Sea. The probe follows a notable rise in incidents where electronic navigation systems on vessels failed under unexplained conditions.

Concerns are growing over the potential use of high-power microwave (HPM) or electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-based devices, which are capable of disabling electronic systems from a distance. A key focus is Turkey’s Alka–DEW, developed by its defence research agency Roketsan. This portable system, roughly the size of a sports car, emits electromagnetic waves at 2.5 to 5 kilowatts and can disrupt electronics over a range of 1,500 to 5,000 metres.

Authorities are now monitoring abnormal power usage at suspected locations in the Arabian Sea to identify whether such devices have been deployed. These electromagnetic waves can not only jam GPS and navigational instruments but also potentially ignite chemical substances, raising fears of deliberate sabotage or accidental explosions on cargo vessels.

Maritime insurers have sounded the alarm over the growing number of incidents. The Joint Marine Insurance Committee, based in the US, has reportedly found signs of EMP-level activity in connection with several ship accidents in the region.

Highlighting the global implications of these developments, a team from a European consortium of marine insurers recently visited Kerala to assess the ground situation. Their involvement underscores the seriousness with which the international community is viewing the suspected use of electromagnetic interference in maritime zones.

As the probe continues, investigators are analysing technical data and disruption patterns to confirm whether advanced electromagnetic technologies are indeed at play in this spate of maritime mishaps.