IAF’s South Western Command at Gandhinagar has asked for specific drones and is looking at the Indian industry to give solutions

As part of the post-Operation Sindoor revamp, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is exploring an advanced drone interception system to counter enemy drone threats at close range.

The IAF’s South Western Command at Gandhinagar has asked for specific drones and is looking at the Indian industry to give solutions.

A request for information (RFI) – the first step of the tendering process has been issued. It seeks “Indigenous solutions capable of detecting, tracking and neutralising targets”.

The system is envisaged to be designed as a small drone interceptor with launch and forget characteristics. The system needs to be designed to autonomously track and intercept hostile drones.

After being launched towards a detected target, the designed system is expected to use on-board sensors, optional datalink and automated guidance to pursue and neutralise the target without any manual control from ground-based controllers.

The RFI has been issued by the Regional Aerospace Innovation Division, Gandhinagar (RAID-GN), South Western Air Command, Gandhinagar.

The IAF is seeking three types of systems to form a layered system that allows targeting and neutralisation.

The first is a man-portable system that can detect and track drones at an altitude of 1,000 metres at a distance of 5 km. The second category of interceptor needs to have a ‘minimum neutralisation’ altitude of 5,000 meters at a distance of 10 Km. It can be a vehicle launched with the ability to fire a salvo of intercepting missiles.

The third category of drones needs to have an ability to neutralise targets at an altitude of 7,000 metres and at a distance of 25 Km, with launch capability and also to function as a command and control centre.

Besides this, separately, the government is set to bolster the IAF’s elite Special Forces with a new compact unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, capable of operating at altitudes up to 16,400 feet. Designed for high-altitude surveillance and operational support, the UAV will function in extreme climatic conditions.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued an RFI to procure the ‘micro UAV’ system, emphasising its advanced range, endurance, and day-night operational capabilities.

The system is a lightweight, man-portable platform, marking an upgrade to the current technology used by the IAF’s Garud Special Forces, and aligns with India’s initiative to promote indigenous defence production.

The UAV needs to have autonomous vertical take-off and landing capabilities, secure communication, and multi-operational modes.

Both nations will look to enhance military-to-military engagements and explore opportunities in emerging domains.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in Germany on a 3-day visit from April 21-23. The two countries are likely to ink a ‘defence industrial cooperation roadmap’. Besides, they will look to enhance military-to-military engagements and explore opportunities in emerging domains.

The defence industrial cooperation roadmap is to be signed at a time when the two countries are on the verge of announcing a deal to co-produce next generation conventional submarines in India.

The plan involves German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems tying up with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to build six such vessels for around $8 billion.

In June last year, TKMS and MDL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on making these stealth submarines that have a specific technology called air-independent propulsion (AIP) allowing the vessel to remain submerged under water for a longer period of time.

The Ministry of Defence said the visit would provide an opportunity to review the ongoing defence cooperation initiatives and identify new avenues for collaboration between the defence industries of both countries. Rajnath Singh is also expected to interact with key representatives of the German defence industry, with a view to promoting joint development and co-production under the Make-in-India initiative.

TKMS is a global market leader for non-nuclear submarines based on air independent propulsion (AIP) technology, which helps a submarine to stay under water for longer periods. India had sought operational AIP technology, which would allow a submarine to remain under water for up to six days.

The TKMS-MDL pact aims to utilise the latest technology from Germany and the manufacturing abilities of MDL for making submarines. MDL, headquartered in Mumbai, is a public sector company owned by the Ministry of Defence.

As per the pact, TKMS will contribute to the engineering and sign of the submarines as well as provide consultancy support to this joint project. MDL will take the responsibility for constructing and delivering the submarines. The construction of the submarines will take place in India and is expected to have significant local content.

The Ministry of Defence said Rajnath Singh’s visit would further strengthen strategic defence partnership between the two countries. During the visit, Singh is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius and other senior leaders of the government.

Discussions will focus on enhancing defence industrial collaboration, strengthening military-to-military engagements, and exploring opportunities in emerging domains such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, and drones.

Lt Vinay Narwal’s father Rajesh Narwal in Karnal. Tribune photo: Varun Gulati

Kin in Karnal pledge donations to honour martyr’s memory

A year after the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including that of Lt Vinay Narwal, his family in Karnal continues to grapple with an irreparable loss, drawing strength from each other while resolving to carry forward his legacy.

For the Narwal family, every day since April 22, 2025, has been a struggle to cope.

Vinay’s father, Rajesh Narwal, a superintendent in the GST Department in Panipat, has emerged as the pillar of support for the family. Holding back his emotions, he continues to stand strong for his wife, children and aged parents. “Neither time can heal it nor can anybody forget it forever,” he says in a heavy voice.

His mother Asha Narwal has faced declining health since her son’s death. The family believes Vinay’s martyrdom is not just a personal loss but a tragedy for the nation.

Rajesh Narwal acknowledges the government’s response, including Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, but maintains that real justice lies in eliminating terrorism altogether. “A tribute and justice to us and humanity will only be after terrorism is finished from the world,” he says.

Recalling Vinay’s birth on May 1, 1998, when he was posted in Diu, Rajesh adds, “We cannot forget him. He is in our breath. He started walking while holding my finger. It is painful for a father that his son died before him. His death is not only painful for us but also a loss to the nation. This pain will remain with us till our lives.”

The tragedy has deeply altered the family’s life. Rajesh admits he lost confidence after losing his son. “I had made a list of over 30 works before Vinay’s marriage, but after his death I am yet to do them. I cannot cope with the incident. We try to keep ourselves busy. His daughter Shrishti has begun preparing for the UPSC and pursuing a PhD,” he says.

Vinay’s wife Himanshi now lives with her parents in Gurugram and has resumed work.

Even amid grief, the family is determined to honour Vinay’s memory in meaningful ways. Rajesh reiterates his commitment to donate the government compensation and Vinay’s share in family property if used for public welfare projects in his name. “I promised it earlier and I stand by my words.”

He fondly remembers Vinay’s cheerful nature, positivity and dreams of building a family, even recalling small details like the challenge of finding shoes for his unusually large feet. “He had made plans for his future, but destiny had something different,” he says.

Seeking purpose in remembrance, the family now plans to continue social initiatives in his name. “We want to keep ourselves busy to take his legacy ahead. We want to work for mankind,” Rajesh says, adding that they will organise blood donation camps on his birthday, as they did last year.

A five-day shutdown, which began on Sunday in Manipur, has paralysed normal life across the valley districts. It was called by civil society groups against the killing of two minors in a recent bomb attack in Tronglaobi on April 7, even as state Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam appealed to them to withdraw the agitation, warning that it may adversely affect daily life across the state.

The two children were killed in a reported rocket attack by suspected militants, while their mother sustained serious injuries. The shutdown, called by various sections of society including a Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed in connection with the Tronglaobi incident, began on Sunday amid escalating demands for justice.

Addressing the media at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Konthoujam said the state government had held three rounds of discussions with the JAC and the victim’s family. He said consensus had been reached on most of the charter of demands, with only a few issues remaining unresolved.

According to the minister, during a meeting held on April 17, the government vowed to take a series of measures, including a military crackdown within two months, replacement of central forces deployed in the Tronglaobi area of Bishnupur district with state forces within two months, and similar redeployment in P Gelmol within one week.

Additional security forces will be deployed in Manipur after the conclusion of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Konthoujam told mediapersons.tThe state government also urged protesters to withdraw agitations, lift road blockades and accept the bodies of the deceased, which are currently in the morgue, to perform last rites.

Konthoujam further said the government had offered a job to Oinam Mangalngamba, father of the two deceased children, commensurate with his current position in the BSF. A job offer has also been extended to his wife.

He said efforts were underway to apprehend all those involved in the attack, adding that five suspected individuals linked to the United Kuki National Army had been arrested so far and the investigation was ongoing.

Appealing for restraint, the minister said the shutdown would impact all sections of society and urged the JAC and allied groups to reconsider their decision.

The five-day shutdown is being enforced across Manipur from April 19, with women’s groups and civil society organisations intensifying their demand for swift action. Protesters have demanded that all perpetrators be arrested by April 25 and have warned of intensified agitation if their demands are not met.

Key demands include the arrest of all those involved in the attack, a crackdown on suspected Kuki militants, replacement of central forces with state forces in peripheral areas and a judicial inquiry into the role of specific security units. The JAC has alleged negligence by personnel of the 8 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force stationed at P Gelmol and the 2nd Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry deployed at Tronglaobi.

Meanwhile, a late-night torch rally in Sagolband, Imphal West, escalated into a confrontation on April 18, with security forces using tear gas to disperse protesters demanding accountability over the killings.

At the same time, tension escalated further after two civilians, including a former Army man, were killed in an ambush along the National Highway 202, allegedly by suspected Kuki militants. The incident also took place on April 18.

The attack drew sharp condemnation from the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), which warned of a strong response.

Addressing the media at a district hospital in Ukhrul on Saturday, TNL president Sword Vashum said the deaths of the two civilians would not be in vain and indicated that the organisation would respond. He described the incident as a “brutal and cold-blooded” attack on unarmed civilians.

Vashum announced that an emergency assembly of the Tangkhul Long would be convened shortly to determine the next course of action, adding that the community would collectively decide how to respond to what he termed a targeted attack on Tangkhul people.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif holds a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the evolving West Asia tensions on Sunday

Iran has rejected claims that it has agreed to participate in a second round of peace talks, which the United States said were scheduled for tomorrow, Al Jazeera reported.

Al Jazeera reported, citing the IRNA news agency, which criticised what it described as “Washington’s excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire”.

“The published news about the second round of negotiations in Islamabad is not true”, it said, adding that “The news published by the United States is their media game and part of the ‘blame game’ to pressure Iran.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the evolving West Asia tensions on Sunday, according to an X post of Sharif.

He further stated that he shared insights from his recent engagements with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright expressed optimism about the ongoing diplomatic efforts, saying the US “is not too far away from a deal”, Al Jazeera reported.

“There are negotiations with the Iranians going on despite what you hear in the chatter in public. I think those are actually going well,” Wright told Fox News Sunday.

He described US President Donald Trump as “a creative negotiator” who uses “pressure in different ways, uses uncertainty in different ways”.

“I think we’ll have a nice end of this conflict,” Wright said, adding that restarting shipping “will take time but probably not too much time” once the Strait is reopened.

. Uncertainty in West Asia Despite a truce between Iran and the US-Israel, uncertainty contin ues to hang over West Asia with both the sides giving mutually conflicting versions of progress being made in resolving the conflict through diplomatic channels. While the US President has repeatedly declared the war is all but over following understanding reached with Iran, the Iranian leadership has indicated that no deal has been struck because of the maximalist demands put forth by the US side. Hence, there will be no further talks on the issue. Not only this. Iran has now announced that it is reversing its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and has warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.

The escalating standoff over the critical choke point threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence that a new deal was within reach. The strait is closed until the US blockade is lifted, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy declared. Hours earlier, two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The the tanker and crew are safe though the identity of the vessel or its destination has been disclosed. The only positive sign in the situation is that a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iran backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appears to be holding. The fighting in the Middle East conflict, which is approaching the two-month mark, has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 civilians and 15 soldiers in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. T

hirteen US service members have also been killed. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said in a Truth Social post that repre sentatives are going to Islamabad for Iran negotiations. Iran has committed a “serious violation” of the ceasefire but he still thinks he can get a peace deal. Iran’s chief negotiator says his country wants “a lasting peace so that war is not repeated again.” Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comments in a televised interview late Saturday, a few days before a ceasefire deadline is set to expire, according to Iranian state media. “What is fundamental for us is distrust of the United States,” he said. “At the same time, we have good intentions and seek a lasting peace – one that prevents the recurrence of war.” He said that the Islamabad negotiations didn’t address the mistrust, but that the US and Iranian negotiators “reached a more realistic understanding of one another.

US President Donald Trump said that Ameri can negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for talks with Iran. Trump, in a post on so cial media Sunday, didn’t detail which officials the US would send to a second round of in-person talks with Iran in Islamabad. The White House and the office of US Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of talks, didn’t im mediately respond to mes sages Sunday morning. In his post, Trump ac cused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement by fir ing bullets on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to destroy civil ian infrastructure in Iran if it doesn’t take the deal that the US is offering. “If they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” Trump wrote. AP

Standoff escalates after Iran closes Strait of Hormuz over US blockade Iran reversed its deci sion to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The escalating stand off over the critical choke point threatened to deep en the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators ex pressed confidence that a new deal was within reach. The strait is closed until the US blockade is lift ed, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said Saturday night. Hours earlier, two gunboats from Iran’s Rev olutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. It reported that the tanker and crew were safe, with out identifying the vessel or its destination. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait, and further limits would squeeze the already constrained sup ply, driving prices higher once again. Meanwhile, a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to be holding

Who is bothered?

BJP ruled Sates have defeatd other states hands down : Paying respect to Army personnels

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Colonel Mukul

Colonel Mukul@Warrior_Mukul

A Soldier with more than three decades of Active Combat and Judicial Service to the Nation who CANNOT tolerate Injustice. Re-Attired now.