Morning Wrap: IAF Celebrates 87th Anniversary, Rajnath Singh In Paris & Other Top Stories

Major Shift In Govt’s Way Of Handling Terror, Says IAF chief RKS Bhadauria

Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on Tuesday said there was a major shift in the way terror attacks were being handled by the government. “Present security environment in the neighbourhood is a serious cause of concern. The Pulwama attack is a stark reminder of the persistent threat to defence installations,” news agency ANI quoted Air Chief Marshal as saying.  The Indian Air Force is celebrating its 87th anniversary today. Read more…

Wing Commander Abhinandan Leads IAF's MiG-21 Bison Formation On Air Force Day

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Tuesday led formation of the IAF's MiG-21 Bison on Air Force Day celebrations over Hindon Air Base near Delhi. Wing Commander Abhinandan had shot down a Pakistani F-16 in February before his MiG-21 was downed by enemy Air Force. Today, Abhinandan’s No. 51 Squadron will be awarded the unit citation by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The unit will be awarded for thwarting the Pakistani aerial attack and shooting down a Pakistani F-16 during the dogfight on February 27. Read more…

'Bonjour Paris': Rajnath Singh Lands In Paris, To Receive First Rafale Today

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh landed in Paris on Tuesday for a three-day visit to France. During his visit, Rajnath Singh will receive first of the 36-Rafale jets on behalf of the Indian Air Force. Taking to Twitter, he said, “Bonjour Paris! Delighted to be in France. This great nation is India’s important strategic partner and our special relationship goes far beyond the realm of formal ties. My visit to France is aimed at expanding the existing strategic partnership between both the countries.” Read more…

‘Kashmir Situation Bigger Than Any Party’: Mehbooba Mufti Declines Meet With Party Leaders

Owing to the situation in Kashmir, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has refused to meet a delegation of her party members despite J-K Governor Satya Pal Malik granting the permission. Earlier, the PDP had said the visit has been deferred because of the lack of unanimity on the composition of the delegation. However, according to the Indian Express report, Mehbooba “is in distress” and has refused to meet the delegation stating that “the situation in Kashmir is bigger than any party matter at the moment and that she does not wish to become an international prop”. Read more…

No Talks With India Until Situation In Kashmir Changes, Imran Khan Tells US Senators

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told a visiting US Congressional delegation on Monday that talks with India were out of question in view of the situation in Kashmir after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Tensions are high between the two neighbours ever since Narendra Modi-government decided to scrap provisions of Article 370, which gave special status to the state. The Parliament of India has also approved the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. Read more…