Author: Bhakti Narayanan

The investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 has entered a vital phase as officials successfully recovered the second black box—officially known as the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)—on Monday. This development follows the earlier discovery of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), found atop a nearby building shortly after the crash in Ahmedabad. The CVR plays a critical role in aviation investigations. It records all sounds inside the cockpit, including pilot conversations, radio transmissions, warning signals, and background mechanical noise. This data enables crash investigators to reconstruct the final moments of a flight in extraordinary detail, down to…

The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of Air India flight AI-171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad last Thursday, has been located, according to officials leading the investigation. The recovery marks a major development in efforts to determine what caused the devastating crash that claimed 270 lives. The aircraft, a London-bound Boeing carrying 242 passengers and crew, went down over BJ Medical College minutes after departure. Until Sunday, only the flight data recorder (FDR) had been recovered. The CVR was later found on the rooftop of a building struck by the plane. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, PK Mishra,…

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who informed him of the escalating tensions in the Middle East following Israel’s recent military offensive against Iranian facilities. Modi posted on X that he conveyed India’s deep concern over the situation and stressed the need to swiftly restore peace and stability in the region. The conversation follows a wave of global concern triggered by Israel’s coordinated attacks on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian scientists and defense officials. Israel justified the operation as a…

India-UK FTA Likely to Unlock Extra Trade Worth £25.5 Billion The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which eliminates tariffs on 99% of Indian exports to the UK and 90% of UK exports to India, is expected to unlock an additional £25.5 billion in trade value, said UK Trade Commissioner for South Asia, Harjinder Kang. Speaking during a panel discussion in Mumbai, Kang called the FTA “a blueprint for the next chapter of UK-India economic cooperation.” With £43 billion in existing bilateral trade and a projected £25.5 billion increase, the agreement promises significant gains for both manufacturing and services sectors. Key…

 India successfully thwarted nearly 2 million cyberattacks aimed at its national power grid over the course of just over a week, during the high-tension period of Operation Sindoor, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference commemorating 11 years of BJP-led governance, Khattar emphasized that with the rapid advancement of technology, the threat landscape has also expanded — especially with cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated. However, he assured that the government has made significant strides in fortifying India’s digital defenses. “Our cybersecurity systems have effectively neutralized the threats. Around 2 million cyberattacks were attempted…

The much-anticipated Axiom-4 mission, featuring Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, has encountered yet another delay. SpaceX, the aerospace company managing the mission, identified a leak involving liquid oxygen (LOX) during post-static fire inspections of the Falcon 9 rocket. As a precautionary measure, the launch has been postponed to allow time for repairs and revalidation testing. Originally scheduled to lift off on June 11, 2025, the mission aims to transport Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Dragon spacecraft. However, the plan has faced multiple delays, with this latest setback stemming from technical concerns…

As a crucial tariff window approaches, India and the United States are making urgent diplomatic efforts to finalize an interim trade agreement. This limited-scope deal could lay the groundwork for a broader economic relationship targeting $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. Following four days of intensive, behind-closed-doors negotiations in New Delhi, officials from both nations have expressed optimism over the progress made. The negotiation teams, led by India’s Rajesh Agrawal and representatives from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), made headway in several critical areas. Their talks revolved around reducing tariff barriers, improving market access for key…

In a swift response to heightened military tensions with India, Pakistan has significantly increased its defense spending for the fiscal year 2025–26. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, while unveiling the national budget, announced an allocation of $9 billion toward defense, marking a 20% rise from the previous year. The budget presentation, delivered in the National Assembly on Tuesday, outlined a total federal outlay of $63.2 billion, with the military allocation being the second-largest expenditure item after debt repayments. The move follows India’s stealth Operation Sindoor, which targeted and disrupted Pakistan’s air defense and surveillance systems during a four-day military escalation in…

On June 10, 2025, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared that India no longer responds to provocation with silence but with decisive action, as exemplified by Operation Sindoor. He underscored that if a war or terror act is imposed on India, the country now retaliates with strength through means such as surgical strikes, air raids, and specialized operations like Sindoor. Adityanath’s remarks came during a speech marking 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He called this era a “golden chapter” in India’s progress toward becoming a fully developed and economically self-sufficient nation. He noted that these years…

As India marked a month since Operation Sindoor, the Defense Ministry has authorized its armed forces to replenish and enhance their strategic stockpile. This includes acquiring extended-range loitering munitions, kamikaze drones, artillery rounds, and air-to-air missiles designed to surpass the Chinese-origin missiles employed by Pakistan in the recent high-intensity standoff. Indian Air Force Rafale fighters fired 5 to 6 Crystal Maze missiles targeting the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) headquarters in Muridke, while also launching 6 to 7 French SCALP missiles to precisely destroy the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) base in Bahawalpur. Military assessments and digital evidence confirm that Indian missile systems, including the S-400…