The much-anticipated multi-district riverine sailing expedition, “Hooghly Sankalp – MENU 2026,” from Farakka to Kolkata was ceremoniously flagged off today at the Lockgate Jetty, Farakka, marking the beginning of an inspiring 20-day journey of adventure, leadership, environmental stewardship and community engagement. Major General APS Chahal, SM, Additional Director General, West Bengal & Sikkim NCC Directorate, flagged off the expedition, comprising Naval NCC cadets from West Bengal and Sikkim. The event was attended by distinguished guests, civil and military dignitaries, senior representatives of the district administration, and partner agencies. Addressing the gathering, Major General APS Chahal highlighted that the expedition is…
Author: Digital Desk
Ryan Williams struck before half-time as India held 2026 FIFA World Cup side Panama to a hard-fought 1-1 draw at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday. Williams put the Blue Tigers ahead in the 41st minute before Panama substitute Omar Valencia produced a stunning long-range finish in the 68th minute to level the contest. India, ranked significantly below their Central American opponents, showed little sign of being overawed and matched Panama for long periods. The result also marked the first senior international meeting between the two sides. Panama dominated possession in the opening stages, but India gradually grew into the…
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that national security extends well beyond the protection of geographical borders, with modern threats increasingly encompassing drones and unmanned systems, cyber-attacks, lone-wolf attacks, disinformation campaigns and attempts to disrupt economic and energy security. Addressing a defence conclave in New Delhi on September 24, the Raksha Mantri said the Government has adopted a holistic approach to strengthen defence preparedness and equip the armed forces to address emerging and future security challenges. He stated that India possesses both the “power of argument” and “argument of power”, and would use diplomacy while simultaneously strengthening its defence and…
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), under its Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme, has signed its first high-value deep-tech project agreement with start-up Zero mK India Private Limited, Alwar, Rajasthan, for the indigenous development of a 20 mK Dilution Refrigerator for Quantum Applications. The agreement was signed in New Delhi between the Director, TDF, and representatives of Zero mK India Private Limited. It is the first high-value project agreement under the ₹500 crore corpus approved for deep-tech and cutting-edge technology projects. Dilution refrigerators are specialised cryogenic systems capable of achieving temperatures in the millikelvin range. Such ultra-low-temperature environments are…
Three-masted barque makes second visit to Alexandria during 10-month transoceanic expedition Indian Navy’s sail training ship INS Sudarshini arrived at the historic port city of Alexandria, Egypt, on 23 September 2026, as part of its ongoing Lokayan 26 transoceanic expedition. The port call marks the ship’s second visit to Alexandria during the deployment. The 10-month expedition began from Kochi on 20 January 2026, with INS Sudarshini scheduled to cover approximately 22,000 nautical miles across 18 ports in 13 countries. Since setting sail, the three-masted barque has traversed the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Mediterranean, including a transit through the Suez…
Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, PVSM, AVSM, visited the strategically vital Northern Command theatre to review the prevailing operational environment and assess operational preparedness. During the visit, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, briefed the CAS at Headquarters Northern Command on key operational dynamics and ongoing initiatives to strengthen inter-service synergy for the effective conduct of multi-domain operations. Expressing full confidence in the operational capabilities of the forces, the Chief of Air Staff highlighted the exemplary synergy and jointness demonstrated between Western Air Command and Northern Command at every echelon, from the…
Senior officers of the Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF) held a brainstorming session in Bhuj to review operational coordination and preparedness along the Rann and Creek sectors of Kutch under the aegis of Konark Corps. The Bald Eagle Brigade and BSF Gujarat Frontier deliberated on joint response mechanisms, logistics coordination and emerging challenges to border security in the strategically significant sector. The interaction focused on strengthening inter-agency synergy and enhancing coordinated responses to evolving operational requirements along the western frontier. The engagement underscored the commitment of both forces to maintaining close coordination and ensuring robust border security.
– by Pratyusha Mukherjee, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan M.R. Poovamma, Vithya Ramraj, Manu T.S. and Vishal T.K. combined to deliver a silver medal for India in the 4x400m mixed relay at the Asian Games 2026. India produced a strong performance in the 4x400m mixed relay, with M.R. Poovamma, Vithya Ramraj, Manu T.S. and Vishal T.K. joining forces to secure the silver medal at the Asian Games 2026. The Indian quartet maintained a strong position throughout the race, displaying composure and consistency against a competitive field. Their effort ensured India finished among the top teams and added another medal to the country’s athletics…
– by Pratyusha Mukherjee, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan Indian rowers Satnam Singh and Salman Khan secured a bronze medal in the men’s double sculls, while Balraj Panwar finished fourth in the men’s single sculls final at the Asian Games. India added another rowing medal to its Asian Games campaign as Satnam Singh and Salman Khan clinched bronze in the men’s double sculls at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course on Thursday. The Indian duo clocked 6:13.25 to finish third in the final. China’s Xudi Yi and Yide Nie won gold with a time of 6:09.77, while Uzbekistan’s Pavel Sorin and Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov took…
The 13th edition of the India–Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise, SLINEX-26, concluded at Visakhapatnam on 21 September 2026, following five days of training and professional engagement from 17–21 September 2026. The exercise provided both navies with valuable opportunities for professional interaction, exchange of best practices, and enhancement of operational interoperability. The Harbour Phase included professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, and sporting activities involving personnel from the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy. During the Sea Phase, the participating forces conducted coordinated maritime manoeuvres, air operations, night replenishment-at-sea, and Special Forces drills, including Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) and slithering operations.…