In a significant move amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) has issued an urgent advisory to all its member channels, prohibiting the participation of Pakistani panelists in Indian news debates and programs.

The directive, labeled “Urgent & Confidential” and signed by NBDA Secretary General Annie Joseph, cites concerns raised by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting over the use of Indian media platforms by Pakistani commentators to spread anti-India narratives. The advisory accuses some foreign participants of engaging in “false propaganda against India” and using televised platforms to undermine the nation’s sovereignty.

The move comes in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 23, 2025, where tourists were targeted. Indian authorities have linked the attack to Pakistan-based militant groups, identifying two suspects as Pakistani nationals. Islamabad has denied involvement, but the incident has deepened the diplomatic chasm between the two countries.

In response to the attack, India has initiated a range of diplomatic and military measures, including naval missile test strikes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking after the attack, vowed a relentless pursuit of the perpetrators, framing the incident as a direct assault on Indian security and unity.

The NBDA’s advisory aligns with a broader government directive issued on April 26, 2025, advising media houses to avoid live coverage of counter-terror operations. The ministry referenced past incidents like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where unrestricted broadcast was said to have compromised national interests.

While some in the media industry have welcomed the NBDA’s latest move as a measure to preserve national unity and prevent hostile narratives, others have raised concerns about the implications for free speech and open cross-border dialogue. Nonetheless, the advisory urges strict compliance, reinforcing a growing trend of strategic information control in times of heightened geopolitical strain.

As Indo-Pak relations continue to fray, the media’s role in shaping public perception and safeguarding national interests has come under sharp scrutiny, with regulatory bodies stepping up to limit external influence during periods of crisis.

In a significant move to enhance bilateral defense cooperation, India has commenced deliveries of its indigenous Akash Missile System to Armenia. The first battery of the advanced surface-to-air system—comprising four launchers and a Rajendra radar—was successfully shipped in November 2024 by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), with a second battery set for delivery by mid-2025. Armenia is expected to receive a total of 15 Akash systems over the next four to five years.

Developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Akash Missile System is engineered to counter a range of aerial threats including fighter aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles. The system has a range of 25 kilometers and boasts a success rate exceeding 90%. Equipped with Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM), it offers reliable performance even in contested airspace. Significantly, over 96% of the system’s components are produced domestically, reinforcing India’s “Make for the World” policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This export forms part of a ₹6,000 crore (approximately $750 million) deal inked in 2022 with Bharat Dynamics Limited, which also includes the supply of 15 Ashwin Air Defence Systems. These agreements are tied to a broader $2 billion arms deal signed in 2020, under which Armenia is also receiving the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system with a range of up to 70 kilometers. The Akash system version exported to Armenia is tailored to meet specific operational needs, showcasing India’s capacity for customized defense solutions.

The Akash has served as a cornerstone of India’s air defense since its induction into the Indian Air Force in 2014. It has progressively replaced older foreign systems, including Israel’s Spyder, at critical forward airbases such as Leh. The Indian Army currently operates two regiments of the Akash Mk1 variant and has placed orders for two regiments of the enhanced Akash Prime.

Analysts view India’s defense export to Armenia as a strategic win for both nations. The deployment of the Akash system will significantly bolster Armenia’s ability to defend against aerial threats, particularly in the volatile South Caucasus region. “The Akash missile stands out as one of the most effective systems produced by India, with a remarkable success rate that few air defense systems can match,” noted defense expert Augustine Vinod.

India’s growing profile as a defense exporter is further evidenced by the Akash system being offered to other nations, including the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates. Talks with the UAE hold strategic weight, particularly given the country’s security challenges from Houthi missile threats. The Philippines, meanwhile, is evaluating the Akash system for its Shore-Based Air Defense Missile System Acquisition Project, aligning with India’s push for greater Indo-Pacific defense engagement.

Deliveries to Armenia are supported by a full logistical suite, including Missile Transportation Vehicles, Transportation and Loading Vehicles, and Power Supply Vehicles, ensuring operational readiness and mobility.

India’s successful delivery of the Akash missile system to Armenia not only strengthens a critical strategic partnership but also signals the rising stature of India’s indigenous defense industry in the global arena.

In a major strategic shift, India has stopped the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River, effectively operationalising its suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack, which killed 26 people — most of them tourists — has prompted strong diplomatic and policy responses from New Delhi.

A senior official familiar with the developments confirmed that the move is part of a broader framework being prepared by the government to assert India’s water rights and apply pressure on Pakistan through controlled regulation of river flows. “We are now regulating water release timing through key hydroelectric dams such as Baglihar and are working on implementing similar measures at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum,” the source stated.

The Baglihar Dam, located in Jammu’s Ramban district, has long been a point of contention between India and Pakistan. Built on the Chenab — one of the western rivers allocated to Pakistan under the 1960 treaty — the dam has faced scrutiny and arbitration demands from Islamabad in the past. Similarly, the Kishanganga Dam in north Kashmir, which diverts water from the Neelum (a tributary of the Jhelum), has sparked legal challenges over its downstream impact on Pakistan-administered territory.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has so far survived several Indo-Pakistani conflicts. However, India’s latest move marks a decisive step away from the treaty’s provisions in response to what officials call Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.

Sources indicated that India is not withdrawing from the treaty unilaterally but rather suspending key provisions until Pakistan takes concrete actions to curb terrorism. The Centre is reportedly developing a long-term framework to institutionalize this strategic shift, balancing national security imperatives with international obligations.

As water diplomacy takes center stage in Indo-Pak relations, the coming weeks are expected to see heightened regional and global attention on how this evolving situation unfolds.

Following the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 civilians—mostly Hindu tourists—India’s defense manufacturing machinery has been placed on high alert. Munitions India Limited (MIL), the state-run enterprise overseeing 12 key ordnance factories, has canceled all extended leaves for employees at several of its plants. The decision comes amid mounting tensions with Pakistan, with intelligence agencies tracing digital links of the attackers to locations in Muzaffarabad and Karachi.

While MIL’s official explanation attributes the move to recovering April’s production shortfalls and fulfilling international defense contracts, insiders confirm that the real driver is national security. “The order was issued in view of national security,” an official from Ordnance Factory-Khamaria in Jabalpur revealed. At Ordnance Factory-Itarsi, employees were told that only minimal leave—up to two days—would be allowed for the next two months.

Formed in 2021 from the restructuring of the Ordnance Factory Board, Pune-based MIL plays a pivotal role in India’s defense infrastructure. Its factories manufacture a wide array of ammunition and equipment for the Indian armed forces, including Pinaka rocket systems, artillery shells, tank and mortar rounds, and small arms ammunition. The company is also an emerging exporter, securing contracts worth ₹6,000 crore by March 2024, supplying countries like the UAE, Vietnam, and likely Poland or Slovenia. Videos of Indian-made 155mm artillery shells being used in the Russo-Ukrainian War have further spotlighted MIL’s global footprint.

The Pahalgam attack, executed by Islamist militants, triggered warnings of further strikes and raised concerns over border infiltration. In response, MIL facilities like Chandrapur and Khamaria have moved to ramp up operations, with personnel placed on “alert mode.” However, the situation remains uneven—factories such as Ordnance Factory-Bhandara and non-MIL units like the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur have not implemented similar restrictions.

Although the Department of Defence Production has not issued an official directive, public sector undertakings have reportedly been informally advised to limit extended employee absences. Mukesh Singh, head of the Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS), confirmed receiving leave cancellation reports, though no formal notice has been circulated.

MIL’s role in India’s security apparatus is not new. During the 1999 Kargil War, it supplied critical fuzes for Bofors artillery, and in 2019, it produced 1,000-pound bombs used in the Balakot airstrikes. With a record FY2025 budget of ₹745.45 crore and collaborative projects like the NavIC-guided 155mm Smart Ammunition with IIT Madras, MIL is rapidly expanding its strategic capabilities.

As India grapples with the aftermath of the Pahalgam tragedy and prepares for potential future escalations, the surge in defense production—both for national defense and international obligations—reflects a broader push to secure the nation and assert its defense self-reliance on the global stage.

In a landmark achievement for India’s defence and aerospace sectors, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the first flight trial of an indigenous Stratospheric Airship Platform. The historic test took place in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, with the airship reaching an impressive altitude of 17 kilometers during a 62-minute mission.

This high-altitude, lighter-than-air platform is designed for long-duration operations in the stratosphere and is expected to transform India’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Equipped with onboard sensors, pressure control mechanisms, and emergency deflation systems, the airship performed flawlessly in its maiden test. The data collected will feed into the development of advanced simulation models to support future missions.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the achievement as a “proud moment for India,” highlighting the airship’s strategic value in enhancing national security. He noted that India now joins an exclusive group of countries that possess indigenous stratospheric airship technology — a feat many global programmes, such as the U.S. HALE-D project, have struggled to accomplish.

Beyond defence, the platform holds vast potential for civilian applications, including disaster response, environmental monitoring, urban mapping, and scientific research. Operating at altitudes between 20 and 30 kilometers, stratospheric airships offer a cost-effective and longer-endurance alternative to satellites and drones.

This technological advancement comes amid heightened regional tensions, such as the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, underlining the need for enhanced surveillance infrastructure. The DRDO’s success not only reinforces India’s commitment to defence self-reliance but also marks a significant stride in global aerospace innovation.

As further refinements continue, the stratospheric airship is poised to become a cornerstone in India’s quest for superior situational awareness and rapid threat response — strengthening both national security and India’s stature in cutting-edge research.