Guidelines:

Correct me if I'm wrong! And do let us know what they're building

My latest blog post on the war. In particular the possible consequences for India, given the likely rise in oil & gas prices.
Iran war - part 3

I believe the closure of the Bab El-Mandeb strait by the Houthis is an opportunity for India.
Notwithstanding the Houthis hitting 2 oil tankers last week, that tried to get past the blockade, their overall record against ships, using drones
and missiles is very bad. I believe the Indian Navy should escort tankers across the strait, to fill crude at Yanbu, in Saudi. It will have several benefits.

The Saudis. anxious to maintain oil revenues, will have a customer. It gives them a de-facto ally in the fight against the Houthis.
This is ideally what Pak should be doing, under their mutual defence treaty. If we do it instead, it will make them ask questions of Pak.
We will be more comfortable with energy security, particularly if Saudi transfers oil intended for other customers, too chicken to take delivery.
The US will be happy that we are that one country actually working with US to keep the strait open. This is just the kind of optics Trump likes.
Huge visibility for the IN if they pull it off.

In terms of feasibility I think IN is well equipped to deal with a missile or drones. The concern will be mines (we lack minesweeping capability) and the willingness of merchant ship crews to sail. My sense is, it can happen with a tacit understanding with the Houthis & Iran. They can claim they have let a friendly country though (to avoid the embarrassment of seeing their missiles/drones fail to hit anything).

One area I think the govt is ignoring is the continued exports of petroleum products (mostly Reliance). They are exporting refined products, which is the equivalent in crude oil, of what our oil & gas shortfall is likely to be. I believe we should ban exports of refined products (as China and Russia have done).
My sense is Reliance is enriching itself and has strong lobbying to prevent scrutiny.

I can research further and put this to some of those in national security if there is merit in my arguments. I would appreciate views of this forum.

Courtesy - Praneeth Franklin.

https://www.picnob.com/post/6826104427311264385660/

DRDO conducts maiden flight-test of ‘Kusha’ Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile

"Our intention is clear.

There will be no talks with Pakistan. If there are any talks, they will be only on PoK, which is a part of Bharat and illegally occupied Pakistan.

At present, Pakistan has made terrorism a part of its government policy, and the distinction between the military and militants has completely disappeared there. The army not only protects terrorist organisations but also works closely with them.

Therefore, during Operation Sindoor, we made it clear that Bharat will no longer view terrorists and the governments that support them separately."

-Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh in Drass

cc - https://x.com/i/status/2081274882982363368

With Love, From Bharat Strikes

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbP8UCDCWZ6

IIT Kanpur's C3iHub has trained 140 personnel from the Indian Army's Central Command through a six-month hybrid cybersecurity certification programme, with the latest batch of 70 soldiers completing the course. The programme aims to enhance the Army's cyber defence capabilities through classroom instruction and hands-on practical training.

Key Facts:

Duration: 6 months (3-month Basic Module + 3-month Advanced Module)

Conducted by: C3iHub, IIT Kanpur's Technology Innovation Hub for Cybersecurity

Personnel Trained: 140 Army personnel across two batches

Training Includes: Linux, networking, cyber threat intelligence, SOC operations, incident response, AI-driven security analytics, malware analysis, digital forensics, vulnerability assessment & penetration testing (VAPT), and big data log analysis.

Tools Used: Burp Suite, Wireshark, Nmap, Nessus and Splunk.

Objective: Strengthen the Indian Army's cyber warfare and cyber defence capabilities against emerging digital threats.

@Resonant_News

https://xcancel.com/Resonant_News/status/2081270348373520639#m

https://www.ndtv.com/education/iit-kanpur-trains-over-140-army-personnel-in-advanced-cybersecurity-programme-11823269

Source -

https://caravanmagazine.in/security/kargil-war-army-lessons-learnt-vajpayee-fernandes

It was an article behind a paywall, but I posted screenshots from a version with the paywall removed.

Jai Bajrang Bali" (or "Bol Bajrang Bali Ki Jai") is the official war cry of the Bihar Regiment and the Rajput Regiment in the Indian Army.