India may ask Google & Skype for solution

India's showdown with BlackBerry  could reportedly widen to encompass Google  and Skype  after the government threatened to cut off core features of the popular smartphone on security grounds.

Research In Motion, the BlackBerry's Canadian maker, gave no immediate indication that it would accede to the latest pressure from an emerging economy to open up its services to security agencies.

"If a technical solution is not provided by August 31, 2010, the government will review the position and take steps to block" BlackBerry email and messenger services, India's home ministry said on Thursday.

New Delhi, battling insurgencies ranging from Kashmir in the northwest to the far-flung northeast, fears that heavily encrypted BlackBerry communications could be used by militants.

We`ll provide access to Indian security agency - RIM

Research In Motion, the maker of BlackBerry smartphones, will provide technical solutions next week, that will help Indian security agencies access its encrypted data, a government source said on Friday.

"They have assured that they will come with some technical solution for messenger and enterprise mail next week. Our technical team will evaluate if it works," the source said.

India has given RIM until August 31 to comply with a request to gain access to encrypted corporate email and messaging services or those services will be shut.

IAF to engage if needed

The IAF has got the government's permission to fire back at Naxals in extremist-hit areas in self-defence, highly-placed Air Force sources said on Thursday.

The government's nod to the IAF's request made in September last year comes at a time when a debate is raging on whether India should use its armed forces against left-wing extremists, whom Prime MinisterManmohan Singh has described as the gravest internal security threat.

The IAF currently deploys two of its Mi-17s and two Dhruv helicopters in anti-Naxal operations. It had lost one of its personnel when a helicopter ferrying election officials and material during the Chattisgarh assembly polls was fired at by suspected Naxals a couple of years ago.

Govt sets Aug 31 as deadline for RIM's solution

The government has set August 31 as the deadline for Research In Motion to come up with a solution after high-level talks in India today to decide on possible suspension of encrypted BlackBerry services over national security worries ended "inconclusively". If the Canadian company does not come up with a solution its services are likely to be banned in the country.

The meeting between the home ministry and the intelligence agency did not come to a decision on whether to halt BlackBerry's services if the device's makers failed to address security concerns, a home ministry official .

"The meeting was inconclusive. No decision has been taken and we will hold further talks soon," the official, who declined to be named, said.

PM asks DRDO to speed up research processes

 India has not matched pace with competitors in defence technology, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday asking scientists to speed up their research and deliver critical technologies on time for the nation to achieve self-reliance.

“In many areas, we have moved fast, but our competitors have often moved faster. It is a fact our current level of self-reliance in defence R and D (research and development) is less than our capabilities and it needs to be stepped up significantly,” Dr. Singh said, addressing defence scientists here on the occasion of National Technology Day.

India joins Elite group of Countries with indegenously developed LCH

LCH model on display

The maiden flight of the indigenously manufactured Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on Sunday heralded India's entry into the select group of countries capable of developing their own combat helicopters.

The LCH, manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, took to the skies on Sunday in the presence of the defence secretary R K Singh, vice-chief of air staff, air marshal P K Barbora, chairman HAL, Ashok Nayak and senior officials of defence ministry and the forces. Chief test pilots Unni Pillai and Hari Nair put up a spectacular flying display of the LCH at the HAL airport in the city.

Ravi Shankaran may have sold Indian War Room secrets for past 20 Yrs

Ravi Shankaran, 46, a key accused in the sensational war room leak case, may have sold Indian Navy’s secret equipment purchase plans for the next 20 years, a probe has revealed.

The ex-navy commander and nephew of former naval chief Arun Prakash’s wife was arrested by UK Police on April 21 and could
be extradited to India soon.

Shankaran was granted conditional bail, but was soon taken back into custody as he failed to fulfill the conditions, it is learnt.

A K Antony prioritise Coastal security

Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday asked the top brass of Navy and the Ministry to take immediate steps to ensure that proposals and assets approved by the government for Coastal Security are put in place at the earliest.

Addressing the Naval Commanders' Conference here today, Antony disclosed that the Government was equipping both Navy and Coast Guard for coastal surveillance and patrol both in terms of assets and manpower," said Antony addressing the Naval Commanders' Conference here today.

Goa to rope in Ex-Naval officers to guide Coastal security

The Goa government has decided to rope in former defence officers to guide its marine police force, armed with sophisticated boats to man the coast.

“We do not have trained manpower to handle such boats. We will have to be dependent on ex-officers of Indian Navy or Indian coast guard for the guidance,” chief secretary Sanjay Srivastava said.

“Officers can be employed with the special police unit for two to three years. The marine police will work in tandem with the Navy and coast guard to safeguard the state coastline, where vigil has been stepped up after 26/11 and recent terror alerts,” he said.

An officer and Soldier Martyed in a gun Battle in Kashmir

An army officer and a soldier succumbed to injuries sustained in a gun battle between separatist guerrillas and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, police said Wednesday.

A raiding party of the army and local police was moved out Tuesday night to lay a cordon in Chatibandi village in the district following specific information that a group of militants was hiding there, police added.

More CRPF personnel to be deployed in Naxal hit areas

Government will send around 6,000 CRPF personnel to naxal-affected States of the country including Chhattisgarh where 76 securitymen were recently killed in a Maoist attack.

The six battalions of the CRPF to be sent for anti-Maoist operations will be drawn from units which have recently finished training and are scheduled to go for deployment, sources said.

Pak does not take serious steps to destroy terror outfits in Pak

Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday said Pakistan “was not taking serious steps” to destroy 42 terror camps on its soil. Stating that India was “exploring all possibilities”, Mr. Antony also said he did not expect any “miracles” from the dialogue with Pakistan.

“All the terror camps in Pakistan are active. Pakistan has not taken any serious steps to destroy these camps,” Antony told a press conference on the sidelines of the launch of Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Vishwast at the port town of Vasco, 30 km from here.

Retired Women army officer sentenced for a year

For the first time in the Army, a woman officer, who retired in 2007, was sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment and cashiered on Thursday by a general court martial (GCM).

Major Dimple Singla, 37, who had served in Judge Advocate General branch for 10 years under short service commission, was found guilty by GCM under sections 63 and 69 of Army Act (read with Prevention of Corruption Act).

BSF officer accused of Killing a teenager in Kashmir surrender before Police

The suspended BSF officer in the case of killing of a Kashmiri teenager surrendered before the police on Thursday (March 04).

R K Birdi, who was posted as a commandant of 68th battalion of Border Security Force(BSF), has been accused of killing Zahid Farooq, a teenager, in Nishat near Srinagar on February 5.

Birdi himself handed over the accused BSF constable, Lakhvinder to police.

Birdi's Counsel Moulvi Ejaz while addressing the media said that his client was never absconding but was cooperating with the investigation team.

India asks US to ensure the weapons they supply to Pak won't be misused

 Raising concern over the reported decision of the United States to supply sophisticated arms to Pakistan, New Delhi on Thursday said Washington should ensure that the military aid was not used against India.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony expressed concern over the move to supply a whole array of sophisticated laser guided bomb kits, surveillance drones and latest-model F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

In a statement here, Mr. Antony said: “Given our bitter past experience of how Islamabad used such aid against India, Washington should ensure that the latest tranche of military aid is used only for the purpose of countering al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists and not against India.”

2 Pilots killed in flight crash in Begumpet crash are experienced - Navy

Two experienced pilots of the Indian Navy, each with over 1,000 flying hours to their credit, were killed when the trainer aircraft belonging to INAS 551 at INS Hans, Goa, Sagar Pawan, crashed into a two-storeyed building during an air show on Wednesday at Hyderabad. The Navy has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

The two naval pilots, Cdr Suresh K Maurya (39) and his co-pilot Lt Cdr Rahul Nair (33), were performing in the aerobatics display when the aircraft crashed into a building. They were performing at the inaugural function of the India Aviation 2010 Air-show at Hyderabad. Posted at INS Hansa, Goa, the two fly fighter jets and are specialised pilots.

IAF to unleash its full strength in exercise VayuShakti -2010 at Pokhran on Feb 28

Even as IAF gears up to unleash a massive high-voltage firepower exercise Vayu Shakti-2010 at Pokhran on February 28 to showcase its `shock and awe' capabilities, plans have also been set in motion to hold the first-ever air combat exercise with China.

"We hope to hold an exercise with China around 2012. The Army has already taken a lead in this. The planning has already commenced, but political clearances, suitable dates etc take some time to come,'' said IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik on Monday.

2 militants killed in a gun battle in Kashmir.

Two separatist guerrillas of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit were killed after a daylong gunfight in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday, police said.

Security forces surrounded a house in Shangarpora village, 37 km from Srinagar, in Pulwama district this (Thursday) morning following specific information about presence of guerrillas inside, a senior police officer said here.

The militants were asked to surrender but instead opened fire at the security personnel, leading to the gunfight.

Two new mountain Divisions of security forces to guard the border along NE...

Defence Minister A.K. Antony said the Army was raising two new mountain divisions in the North-East, along the borders with China, but dismissed suggestions that the move was against the neighbour.

“We are raising two mountain divisions in the North-East. I must tell you it is not against China. But these are being raised under the overall policies to strengthen the presence of the armed forces in the North-East,” Antony told a press conference on the occasion of the Sixth Def Expo here.

Govt. to deploy new defence policy in a month - to boost indigenous weaopon development.

After a few piecemeal measures over the last decade to promote private sector participation in the arms manufacturing arena, the government is now finally formulating a defence production policy (DPP) to bolster the country's indigenous military-industrial base.

This comes in the backdrop of the acutely embarrassing situation wherein India, which fancies itself as a emerging superpower, still continues to import almost 70% of the requirements of its armed forces.

"We will bring in the DPP within a month or two... We have already held meetings with different stakeholders and industry chambers,'' said defence production secretary R K Singh on Friday, in the run-up to next week's DefExpo-2010.