Defence
- India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI Strengthens Defence Ties
- Annual India-UK Bilateral Defence Dialogue
- INS Sunayna (IOS SAGAR) Arrives in Mozambique
- India at UAE Air Combat Drill
- India-Maldives Naval Cooperation
- Keel Laying Ceremony for Yard 3040
- India-France Sign Rafale Deal
- DRDO achieves significant milestone in Scramjet Engine Development
- IOSSagar in Mauritius
- INS Kochi in Malé
International Terrorism
Africa
- Benin: al-Qa’ida affiliated terrorists killed 54 soldiers in an attack on military posts in Benin national park.
- Nigeria: Boko Haram terrorists killed 12 people in State of Borno.
- Somalia: Türkiye deployed troops in Somalia to fight against al-Shabaab.
- Somalia: Somalia and the U.S. conducted airstrikes against al-Shabaab in Adan Yabaal.
Domestic Terrorism
Jammu and Kashmir
- NIA searched multiple locations in six states in connection with Khalistani, cross-border arms and narcotic trafficking.
- PM Modi strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam.
- NIA took over Pahalgam terror attack case.
- An army soldier attained Veergati in a gunbattle in Udhampur.
Khalistan-inspired Extremism
Organised Crime
Defence
India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI Strengthens Defence Ties
The 6th edition of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI began on April 16, 2025, at the Foreign Training Node in Aundh, Pune, and continued until April 28, 2025. The Indian contingent included 60 personnel from a JAT Regiment battalion and the Indian Air Force, while the Uzbekistan Army represented the visiting side.
The theme of the exercise was Joint Multi-Domain Sub-Conventional Operations in a Semi-Urban Scenario, focusing on counterterrorism in a captured territory. Key elements included the establishment of a Joint Operations Centre, population control, raids, search-and-destroy missions, and the use of airpower. Special Forces secured a helipad for operations, and the exercise involved drones, counter-UAS measures, and logistical air support. Helicopters were employed for reconnaissance, special heliborne operations, and small team insertion and extraction. The exercise aimed to enhance interoperability between India and Uzbekistan through the sharing of best practices in sub-conventional operations. Click here to read…
Annual India-UK Bilateral Defence Dialogue
Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh led a high-level Indian delegation to London from April 16–17, 2025, for the annual India-UK bilateral defence dialogue. He co-chaired the 24th Defence Consultative Group meeting with UK Defence Under Secretary Mr. David Williams. Shri Singh also met UK National Security Adviser Mr. Jonathan Powell to discuss expanding tri-service military engagements and enhancing defence industry collaboration.
At the India-UK Defence Industry Roundtable, the Defence Secretary showcased the growing capabilities of Indian start-ups various areas and urged UK firms to partner with these innovators for cost-effective, advanced solutions. He also announced ongoing efforts with the UK Ministry of Defence to create an Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, and invited UK companies to invest in India’s Defence Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Click here to read…
INSSunayna (IOS SAGAR) Arrives in Mozambique
INSSunayna, deployed to Africa as part of the Indian Ocean Ship IOS SAGAR, arrived at Nacala Port, Mozambique, on April 17, 2025. The ship had onboard 44 naval personnel from nine foreign nations, including Comoros, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and the Maldives. Upon arrival at Nacala, the ship was welcomed by Commander Nelson H. Mabjaia, Chief of Commission, with the Mozambique Naval Band.
During its port stay, INSSunayna held several collaborative activities with the Mozambique Navy. The ship hosted a deck reception for local officials and dignitaries to celebrate maritime friendship. Crew members engaged with the community through various activities. After the port visit, INSSunayna embarked personnel from the Mozambique Navy as Sea Riders for a joint surveillance mission in the Mozambique EEZ. The visit marked a key milestone in enhancing interoperability between the two navies. Click here to read…
India at UAE Air Combat Drill
A contingent of the Indian Air Force (IAF) arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE to participate in Exercise Desert Flag-10, a multinational air combat exercise. The IAF is fielding MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft for the event, which runs from April 21 to May 8, 2025. The exercise, hosted by the UAE Air Force, includes participants from Australia, Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, the US, and India.
The exercise aims to conduct complex fighter engagements and exchange best practices with top global Air Forces. The IAF's participation highlights India's commitment to enhancing defense ties, interoperability, and military cooperation with regional and global allies. Click here to read…
India-Maldives Naval Cooperation
The Indian Navy completed a significant refit of the Maldivian Coast Guard Ship MNDFHuravee at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The ship arrived in Mumbai on November 13, 2024, and underwent major maintenance, along with a habitability enhancement. After completing rigorous harbour and sea trials, operational checks, safety audits, and operational sea training, the ship departed for the Maldives on April 21, 2025.
The successful refit was made possible by the efforts of various Indian Navy agencies and dockyard teams across multiple departments, completing the extensive work within the set timeframe. This achievement highlights the strong diplomatic and military cooperation between India and the Maldives. Click here to read…
Keel Laying Ceremony for Yard 3040
The keel-laying ceremony for Yard 3040, the fourth Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd in Kolkata, took place on April 24, 2025. Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, was the Chief Guest. The ceremony was also attended by the Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, along with senior officials from the Indian Navy and the shipyard.
On March 30, 2023, contracts were signed for the indigenous design and construction of eleven NGOPV with Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). GSL will build seven ships, while GRSE will construct four. These 3000-ton vessels are designed for coastal defense, surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, and anti-piracy missions. The keel-laying of the NGOPV marks a significant milestone in the project. Click here to read…
India-France Sign Rafale Deal
On April 28, 2025, India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the procurement of 26 Rafale aircraft for the Indian Navy. The agreement includes training, simulators, associated equipment, weapons, performance-based logistics, and additional equipment for the existing Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force. The IGA was signed by India’s Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and France's Minister of Armed Forces, Mr. Sebastien Lecornu.
The deal also includes Transfer of Technology for integrating indigenous weapons in India and the establishment of production facilities for Rafale fuselages, as well as Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facilities for aircraft engines, sensors, and weapons in India. Delivery of the aircraft will be completed by 2030, with crew training conducted in both France and India. Click here to read…
DRDO achieves significant milestone in Scramjet Engine Development
On April 25, 2025, the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad, under DRDO, has reached a key milestone in hypersonic weapon technology. It successfully conducted a long-duration ground test of an actively cooled scramjet subscale combustor for over 1,000 seconds at its new Scramjet Connect Test Facility. This follows a previous 120-second test in January 2025 and marks progress toward flight-ready combustor trials.
Hypersonic cruise missiles, powered by air-breathing engines capable of supersonic combustion, travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (> 6,100 km/h). The successful test validates both the combustor design and the test infrastructure, laying a strong foundation for India’s hypersonic missile development.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the achievement, calling it a testament to the government’s commitment to advancing hypersonic technologies. DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V Kamat also congratulated the DRDL team and leadership for their role in this technological breakthrough. Click here to read…
IOSSagar in Mauritius
As part of its operational deployment in the Indian Ocean, IOSSagar made a port call at Port Louis, Mauritius from 26 to 28 April 2025. During the visit, the ship’s Commanding Officer met with the Commandant of the Mauritius Coast Guard to reaffirm maritime cooperation. Select crew members visited key Mauritius Police Force training facilities.
The ship also hosted a range of social and outreach activities to strengthen camaraderie and regional ties. Additionally, crew members took part in a trek to Signal Mountain. Upon departure, IOSSagar is set to conduct joint EEZ surveillance with the Mauritius Coast Guard before heading to its next stop, furthering maritime security and regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. Click here to read…
INS Kochi in Malé
On 28 April 2025, Indian Navy's Guided Missile Destroyer INS Kochi arrived in Malé, Maldives, accompanied by MNDF ship CGSHuravee, which had completed a normal refit. In a formal ceremony at the MNDF Coast Guard Jetty, India's High Commissioner to the Maldives, Shri G. Balasubramanian, handed over CGSHuravee to Maj Gen Ibrahim Hilmy, Chief of Defence Force, MNDF.
INS Kochi's visit to Malé underscores strong India-Maldives maritime ties and the Indian Navy's commitment to regional security and freedom of navigation. The ship received a warm welcome from Maldivian authorities. During the visit, INS Kochi's Commanding Officer met with senior MNDF officials, and several bilateral engagements were planned to strengthen defence cooperation. Click here to read…
International Terrorism
Africa
Benin: al-Qa’ida affiliated terrorists killed 54 soldiers in an attack on military posts in Benin national park.
On 17 April, al-Qa’ida affiliated terror group— the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM or JNIM in Arabic) carried out a terror attack and killed 54 soldiers in Benin national park. Earlier in January 2025, 28 Benin soldiers were killed near the border between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso in an attack claimed by GSIM/JNIM. Click here to read…
Nigeria: Boko Haram terrorists killed 12 people in State of Borno.
On 26 April, at least 12 individuals from the Bokko Ghide community were killed by Boko Haram terrorists in the Gwoza Local Government Area of northeastern Borno State. These attacks occurred shortly after President Bola Tinubu dispatched Defence Minister Badaru Abubakar, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, and other senior military commanders to evaluate the security situation in Borno State following concerns raised by Governor Babagana Zulum about the regrouping and increasing threat of terrorists in the Lake Chad region. Click here to read…
Somalia: Türkiye deployed troops in Somalia to fight against al-Shabaab.
Marking the first large military deployment to fight against al-Shabaab, two Türkish military planes carrying around 500 troops landed at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International airport. The military base—Turk-Som, located in the Jazeera area of the Mogadishu is Türkiye’s largest base in Africa and serves as training ground for Somalia’s elite Gorgor forces. Over 300 Türkish military personnel are currently stationed at the Camp Turk-SOM, which was opened in 2017. The camp can accommodate approximately 1500 trainees at a time. As of 2023, nearly 5,000 Somali trainees have graduated from the military camp. Click here to read…
Somalia: Somalia and the U.S. conducted airstrikes against al-Shabaab in Adan Yabaal.
On 19 April, Somalia and the U.S. carried airstrikes against al-Shabaab terrorists in town of Adan Yabaal, located north of Mogadishu. Adan Yabaal has been a key hub used by al-Shabaab for launching terrorist operations. According to the Somali information ministry, “the airstrike resulted in the deaths of 12 militants, including several senior figures from the al-Qaeda-linked group.” The airstrike targeted a site used by terrorists as a gathering place and hideout, with no reported civilian casualties. Following the raid by al-Shabaab terrorists using heavy explosives, the group claimed to have captured Adan Yabaal. The situation remains fluid, and the current control of the town has not been clarified by the Somali government. Click here to read…
Domestic Terrorism
Jammu and Kashmir
NIA searched multiple locations in six states in connection with Khalistani, cross-border arms and narcotic trafficking.
On 25 April, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out extensive search at 18 locations in six states— Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Karnataka, in connection with Pakistan-supported cross-border arms and narcotic trafficking by Khalistani operatives. NIA investigations have further revealed that these entities have been conspiring via social media platforms, and are in regular contact with foreign-based handlers suspected to be pro-Khalistani elements (PKEs), as part of the conspiracy aimed at destabilising Bharat. Click here to read…
PM Modi strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam.
On 22 April, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). On his X handle, PM Modi posted: “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger.” Click here to read…
NIA took over Pahalgam terror attack case.
On 27 April, the NIA took over the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 civilians were killed on 22 April, following the orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The teams, overseen by an Inspector-General (IG), a Deputy IG and a Superintendent of Police (SP) from the anti-terror agency, are examining the eyewitnesses who had seen the horrifying attack unfold before their eyes at the peaceful Baisaran valley in Pahalgam. The eyewitnesses are being questioned in minute detail to piece together the sequence of events that led to one of the worst terror attacks in Kashmir. Click here to read…
An army soldier attained Veergati in a gunbattle in Udhampur.
On 24 April, Havaldar Jhantu Ali Sheikh, a soldier of 6 Para of the Special Forces of the army attained Veergati during an exchange of fire with terrorists following a search operation in Dudu-Basantgarh area in Udhampur district, J&K. “Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation with J&K Police was launched today in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur. One of our Bravehearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite best medical efforts,” said the White Knight Corps on X handle. Click here to read…
Khalistan-inspired Extremism
FBI arrested BKI terrorist Harpreet Singh from Sacramento, California, U.S.A.
On 18 April, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Enforcement & Removal Operations of the United States (U.S.) Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist— Harpreet Singhaka Happy Passia, from Sacramento in California, U.S. Click here to read…
Organised Crime
Over 1,000 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants detained in Gujarat.
Following combing operations in Ahmedabad and Gujarat, more than 1,000 illegal bangladeshi immigrants, including women and children, were detained and efforts were underway for their deportation. After chairing a meeting with senior police officers via video conferencing, Minister of State of Home Affairs (MoS-HA)— Harsh Sanghavi said that “as many as 890 illegal immigrants were caught by the Ahmedabad police and 134 by the Surat police. This is the biggest operation of the Gujarat Police against people living illegally in the state. Many of these people are involved with drug cartels, human trafficking, and as we saw how two out of the four Bangladeshis arrested recently worked in sleeper cells of al-Qa’ida. A probe will be conducted into the background of these Bangladeshis and their activities in Gujarat.” Click here to read…
