9 days ago
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#AR / #VR Shopping Experiences
#AIVoice & Conversational Commerce
Cloud & #EdgeComputing
#Blockchain -Powered Payments
Predictive #DataAnalytics
#Automation & Workflow Integration
Our mission is simple to help brands sell smarter, scale faster, and deliver seamless digital shopping experiences. We combine modern technology stacks (#React, NodeJS, Next.js, Python) with deep ecommerce expertise to build robust, scalable, and future-ready solutions.
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3 months ago
Chinese Navy Vessel Collides With Coast Guard Warship While Chasing Philippine Boat In SCS: Manila.
A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its coast guard while pursuing a Philippines patrol boat in the South China Sea, Manila said on Monday, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation.
The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine coast guard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement.
Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash.
“The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel’s starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy warship,” Tarriela said.
“This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy,” he said.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The reported collision is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.
More than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway.
The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks — has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
It was unclear if anyone was hurt in Monday’s incident.
Tarriela told AFP the Chinese crew “never responded” to the Filipino ship’s offer of assistance.
Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was “targeted with a water cannon” by the Chinese but “successfully” evaded it, Tarriela’s statement said.
Philippine President Warns Of Involvement In Taiwan Conflict
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos cautioned that a war over Taiwan would inevitably involve the Philippines, despite its desire to avoid conflict. He described the nation as being pulled “kicking and screaming” into such a scenario due to its proximity to Taiwan, which China claims as its territory and has threatened to take by force.
Speaking at a news conference, Marcos emphasized the need to prepare for this possibility, noting the significant number of Filipinos working in Taiwan. He reiterated in an earlier interview with Indian news outlet Firstpost during a visit to New Delhi that the Philippines’ geographic location makes neutrality impossible in a potential China-U.S. conflict over Taiwan.
“If there is an all-out war, then we will be drawn into it,” he stated.
Marcos’s remarks prompted a strong reaction from Beijing, with China’s foreign ministry lodging a diplomatic protest, accusing him of “playing with fire.” Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated due to disputes in the South China Sea, where Beijing’s expansive claims were ruled legally baseless by an international tribunal.
Since taking office in 2022, Marcos has strengthened ties with the United States, a key ally with a mutual defense treaty, amid ongoing regional tensions.
A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its coast guard while pursuing a Philippines patrol boat in the South China Sea, Manila said on Monday, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation.
The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine coast guard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement.
Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash.
“The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel’s starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy warship,” Tarriela said.
“This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy,” he said.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The reported collision is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.
More than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway.
The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks — has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
It was unclear if anyone was hurt in Monday’s incident.
Tarriela told AFP the Chinese crew “never responded” to the Filipino ship’s offer of assistance.
Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was “targeted with a water cannon” by the Chinese but “successfully” evaded it, Tarriela’s statement said.
Philippine President Warns Of Involvement In Taiwan Conflict
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos cautioned that a war over Taiwan would inevitably involve the Philippines, despite its desire to avoid conflict. He described the nation as being pulled “kicking and screaming” into such a scenario due to its proximity to Taiwan, which China claims as its territory and has threatened to take by force.
Speaking at a news conference, Marcos emphasized the need to prepare for this possibility, noting the significant number of Filipinos working in Taiwan. He reiterated in an earlier interview with Indian news outlet Firstpost during a visit to New Delhi that the Philippines’ geographic location makes neutrality impossible in a potential China-U.S. conflict over Taiwan.
“If there is an all-out war, then we will be drawn into it,” he stated.
Marcos’s remarks prompted a strong reaction from Beijing, with China’s foreign ministry lodging a diplomatic protest, accusing him of “playing with fire.” Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated due to disputes in the South China Sea, where Beijing’s expansive claims were ruled legally baseless by an international tribunal.
Since taking office in 2022, Marcos has strengthened ties with the United States, a key ally with a mutual defense treaty, amid ongoing regional tensions.
3 months ago
Philippines' Marcos says China 'misinterpreted' his comments on Taiwan
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday that Beijing has "misinterpreted" his comments saying Manila will be inevitably drawn in to a conflict between China and Taiwan should one erupt.
China accused Marcos of "playing with fire" after the Philippine leader said during a visit to India that "there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it" due to its proximity to the democratically governed island.
"We are, I think for propaganda purposes, misinterpreted," Marcos told a press briefing.
"I'm a little bit perplexed why it would be characterised as such, as playing with fire," he added.
Marcos said Filipinos working and living in Taiwan will have to be evacuated if a conflict does arise but maintained that he wishes to avoid confrontation and war.
Over a hundred thousand Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, according to Philippine government data.
"War over Taiwan will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict. That is what I was trying to say," Marcos said.
Marcos' comments come at a time of heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway where the two countries have had a series of maritime run-ins over the past years.
On Monday, a Philippine vessel transporting provisions to Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal was sprayed at with a water cannon by a Chinese coast guard ship, the Philippine Coast Guard said. The vessel managed to evade being hit.
China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president's remarks.
Responding to the Monday incident, China's coast guard said it had taken necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from Scarborough Shoal, which China claims as its own territory.
It described the operation as "professional, standardized, legitimate and legal".
A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal voided Beijing's sweeping claims in the region, saying they had no basis under international law, a decision China rejects.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Chinese vessels collide while pursuing Philippine boat in South China Sea: Manila
A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its own coast guard while chasing a Philippines patrol boat in the South China Sea on Monday, Manila said, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation.
The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine coast guard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement.
Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash.
"The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel's starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Navy warship," Tarriela said.
"This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel's forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy," he said.
Gan Yu, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, confirmed that a Monday confrontation had taken place without mentioning the collision.
"The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away," he said in a statement.
The reported collision is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.
More than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway.
Speaking at a morning news conference, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said the country's patrol vessels would "continue to be present" in the area to defend, as well as exercise Manila's sovereign rights over, what it considers to be part of its territory.
The Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
It was unclear if anyone was hurt in Monday's incident.
Tarriela told AFP the Chinese crew "never responded" to the Filipino ship's offer of assistance.
Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was "targeted with a water cannon" by the Chinese but "successfully" evaded it, Tarriela's statement said.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday that Beijing has "misinterpreted" his comments saying Manila will be inevitably drawn in to a conflict between China and Taiwan should one erupt.
China accused Marcos of "playing with fire" after the Philippine leader said during a visit to India that "there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it" due to its proximity to the democratically governed island.
"We are, I think for propaganda purposes, misinterpreted," Marcos told a press briefing.
"I'm a little bit perplexed why it would be characterised as such, as playing with fire," he added.
Marcos said Filipinos working and living in Taiwan will have to be evacuated if a conflict does arise but maintained that he wishes to avoid confrontation and war.
Over a hundred thousand Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, according to Philippine government data.
"War over Taiwan will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict. That is what I was trying to say," Marcos said.
Marcos' comments come at a time of heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway where the two countries have had a series of maritime run-ins over the past years.
On Monday, a Philippine vessel transporting provisions to Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal was sprayed at with a water cannon by a Chinese coast guard ship, the Philippine Coast Guard said. The vessel managed to evade being hit.
China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president's remarks.
Responding to the Monday incident, China's coast guard said it had taken necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from Scarborough Shoal, which China claims as its own territory.
It described the operation as "professional, standardized, legitimate and legal".
A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal voided Beijing's sweeping claims in the region, saying they had no basis under international law, a decision China rejects.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Chinese vessels collide while pursuing Philippine boat in South China Sea: Manila
A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its own coast guard while chasing a Philippines patrol boat in the South China Sea on Monday, Manila said, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation.
The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine coast guard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement.
Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash.
"The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel's starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Navy warship," Tarriela said.
"This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel's forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy," he said.
Gan Yu, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, confirmed that a Monday confrontation had taken place without mentioning the collision.
"The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away," he said in a statement.
The reported collision is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.
More than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway.
Speaking at a morning news conference, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said the country's patrol vessels would "continue to be present" in the area to defend, as well as exercise Manila's sovereign rights over, what it considers to be part of its territory.
The Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
It was unclear if anyone was hurt in Monday's incident.
Tarriela told AFP the Chinese crew "never responded" to the Filipino ship's offer of assistance.
Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was "targeted with a water cannon" by the Chinese but "successfully" evaded it, Tarriela's statement said.
5 months ago
Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic travelled to the Ukrainian city of Odesa for a regional summit on Wednesday, the first time the Moscow-friendly leader has visited the country during his 12 years in power.
Vucic travelled to Ukraine for one day to take part in the Ukraine-Southeastern Europe Summit in the Black Sea port of Odesa, which this week faced a major Russian drone and missile attack.
Senior politicians from 12 Southeastern European nations also took part in the summit, which was hosted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
At the summit, Vucic, who has previously met Zelenskiy at least three times, said Serbia could help Kyiv in the renewal of Ukraine's war-torn regions.
Vucic who balances relations between Russia and the West, said he abstained from signing the joint declaration at the summit, reflecting Serbia's bid to maintain good ties with both Kyiv and Moscow.
"By protecting our (Serbia's) interests I am partially protecting both Russian and Ukrainian interests alike ... as we are protecting interests of international ... law," he said in remarks to Serbian journalists.
The joint declaration supports Ukraine’s efforts to find a diplomatic path to a just and lasting peace, and includes a call to the international community to intensify its support for Kyiv and refrain from offering material or other assistance to Russia’s war effort.
Serbia wants to join the European Union, but Russia, a traditional Slavic and Orthodox Christian ally, remains its biggest gas supplier, and the country's sole oil refinery is majority-owned by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft.
Although Belgrade has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it has condemned Moscow's policies in the United Nations and expressed support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Belgrade recognises Ukraine in its entirety, including territories seized by Russia since 2014, while Kyiv refused to recognise the 2008 independence of Kosovo, Serbia's predominantly Albanian former southern province.
In late May, the SVR, the Russian foreign intelligence service, accused Belgrade of "a stab in the back", alleging Serbia's defence manufacturers were selling ammunition and weapons to Ukraine via intermediaries.
According to a classified Pentagon document leaked online, Serbia in 2023 agreed to supply arms to Kyiv, despite the country's professed military neutrality. Moscow has criticised Belgrade several times over the issue. Serbia has denied it ever supplied arms to Ukraine but has said it has sold to other buyers worldwide.
The only Serbian president to visit Ukraine since the Balkan country became independent in 2006 was Boris Tadic in 2011. Ukraine's previous president, Petro Poroshenko, visited Serbia in 2018.
Vucic travelled to Ukraine for one day to take part in the Ukraine-Southeastern Europe Summit in the Black Sea port of Odesa, which this week faced a major Russian drone and missile attack.
Senior politicians from 12 Southeastern European nations also took part in the summit, which was hosted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
At the summit, Vucic, who has previously met Zelenskiy at least three times, said Serbia could help Kyiv in the renewal of Ukraine's war-torn regions.
Vucic who balances relations between Russia and the West, said he abstained from signing the joint declaration at the summit, reflecting Serbia's bid to maintain good ties with both Kyiv and Moscow.
"By protecting our (Serbia's) interests I am partially protecting both Russian and Ukrainian interests alike ... as we are protecting interests of international ... law," he said in remarks to Serbian journalists.
The joint declaration supports Ukraine’s efforts to find a diplomatic path to a just and lasting peace, and includes a call to the international community to intensify its support for Kyiv and refrain from offering material or other assistance to Russia’s war effort.
Serbia wants to join the European Union, but Russia, a traditional Slavic and Orthodox Christian ally, remains its biggest gas supplier, and the country's sole oil refinery is majority-owned by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft.
Although Belgrade has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it has condemned Moscow's policies in the United Nations and expressed support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Belgrade recognises Ukraine in its entirety, including territories seized by Russia since 2014, while Kyiv refused to recognise the 2008 independence of Kosovo, Serbia's predominantly Albanian former southern province.
In late May, the SVR, the Russian foreign intelligence service, accused Belgrade of "a stab in the back", alleging Serbia's defence manufacturers were selling ammunition and weapons to Ukraine via intermediaries.
According to a classified Pentagon document leaked online, Serbia in 2023 agreed to supply arms to Kyiv, despite the country's professed military neutrality. Moscow has criticised Belgrade several times over the issue. Serbia has denied it ever supplied arms to Ukraine but has said it has sold to other buyers worldwide.
The only Serbian president to visit Ukraine since the Balkan country became independent in 2006 was Boris Tadic in 2011. Ukraine's previous president, Petro Poroshenko, visited Serbia in 2018.
6 months ago
India Goes For The KILL! Ex-IAF VCAS Explains Why 5th-Gen AMCA Program Could Revolutionize Indian Military. (Part 1)
India’s quest for self-reliance in defence technology has reached a pivotal milestone with the approval of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model on May 26, 2025.
This model, greenlit by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, introduces a collaborative and competitive framework to accelerate the development of India’s first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
Designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Ministry of Defence, the AMCA is a 25-tonne, twin-engine, multirole stealth aircraft intended to bolster the Indian airpower capabilities by 2035.
The new execution model emphasises private sector involvement, international collaboration, and a competitive bidding process, significantly departing from traditional defence procurement practices.
Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
AMCA is India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet program, developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Designed as a multi-role, twin-engine aircraft, the AMCA aims to replace aging fleets such as the SEPECAT Jaguar and Mirage 2000, while complementing the Rafale and the future Tejas Mk2 in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The 25-tonne, twin-engine AMCA features stealth shaping, internal weapons bays, and advanced sensor fusion. It is intended to excel in air superiority, deep strike, and electronic warfare missions.
It will have an advanced avionics suite, Indigenous AESA radar, and potentially AI-based mission systems.
The aircraft is envisioned in two phases: Mark 1, featuring current-generation technologies and imported engines, and Mark 2, incorporating indigenous sixth-generation features and an Indian powerplant.
The AMCA is strategically significant as it will enhance India’s air combat capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign platforms.
Strategic Significance Of AMCA
The AMCA is not just a defence project but a strategic lever and India’s entry ticket into the elite club of fifth-generation fighter operators. The AMCA program is crucial in countering regional threats, particularly those posed by China and Pakistan.
China’s deployment of J-20 and J-35 stealth fighters in the future, with plans to supply 40 J-35s to Pakistan, underscores the urgency of AMCA’s development.
The IAF’s modernisation drive, aiming for 42 squadrons by 2035, relies on the AMCA to maintain a technological edge. The collaborative model’s success could position India among the elite nations with fifth-generation fighters, alongside the US, China, and Russia.
Historical Progress: Bottlenecks
The AMCA program was conceived in the early 2010s as a follow-on to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. However, despite its strategic importance, progress was tepid due to multiple challenges.
Initial timelines projected a first flight by 2020 and production by 2025, but these slipped to 2028 and 2038-39 due to funding constraints and bureaucratic delays.
The program’s preliminary design phase began in 2015, with CCS approval only in 2024. The Tejas program’s prolonged development (from the 1980s to the late 2010s) is a cautionary tale, highlighting systemic issues in India’s defence ecosystem.
The program lacked an empowered governance structure, slow decision-making, and HAL’s overburdened capacity. The absence of an indigenous high-thrust engine has been a persistent hurdle for the program; the Kaveri engine program’s inability to meet requirements forced reliance on foreign engines, delaying self-reliance.
India lacked expertise in advanced technologies and high-thrust engines, necessitating foreign collaboration.
The withdrawal from the Indo-Russian FGFA project in 2018, due to disagreements over technology transfer, forced a fully indigenous approach, thereby increasing technical risks. The new execution model addresses many of these issues by decentralising authority, attracting capital, and professionalising development.
Boosting The AMCA Program
Collaborative Execution Model
Announced on May 26, 2025, the AMCA Programme Execution Model introduces a public-private partnership (PPP) framework, moving away from the traditional reliance on Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the sole manufacturer.
The new model proposes a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)-based framework, with a private sector partner working alongside the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Under this model, the ADA will issue an Expression of Interest (EoI) to public and private entities, allowing them to bid independently or as consortia. The model offers flexibility to include global OEMs as technology partners or equity stakeholders in the SPV.
This shift signifies a bold experiment breaking free from India’s traditionally state-dominated defence production ecosystem. It promises to enhance project accountability, bring commercial rigour to execution, and facilitate foreign direct investment and technology infusion.
The competitive approach aims to streamline development, reduce costs, and integrate cutting-edge technologies. One of the most progressive steps is to move from a nomination-based to a competitive merit-based selection model. The collaborative model is expected to provide several key benefits to the AMCA program.
Encouraging Efficiency & Speed
By involving private sector firms alongside HAL, the model diversifies the production base, reducing bottlenecks associated with a single manufacturer. Private companies would bring agility, innovation, and financial muscle, which can accelerate manufacturing and delivery timelines.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has emphasised reducing timelines. Firms will be incentivised to optimise costs and timelines to win bids, reducing the bureaucratic delays that plagued earlier phases of the AMCA program.
The Combined Quality Cum Cost Based System (CQCCBS) model will evaluate bids based on technical and financial merits, ensuring high-quality outcomes.
Technology Integration
Including private firms would enable access to advanced manufacturing techniques and expertise in composites, avionics, and AI. The collaboration is expected to enhance the AMCA’s technological edge, aligning it with global fifth-generation standards.
Economic & Industrial Growth
The model would foster a robust domestic aerospace ecosystem, generating employment and technological advancements. By distributing work packages among private firms, the program stimulates investment in infrastructure and skilled workforce development, aligning with India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision for self-reliance.
Risk Mitigation
The collaborative approach spreads financial and technical risks across multiple stakeholders, reducing the burden on HAL and the government. This is particularly crucial given the program’s history of delays and funding shortages.
Technological Challenges
However, challenges remain. Establishing fighter jet manufacturing facilities requires significant investment, and private firms may face hurdles in acquiring land, infrastructure, and skilled labour.
Scepticism persists about their ability to match HAL’s experience, which could lead to initial teething issues. The AMCA’s development involves overcoming significant technological hurdles, particularly in stealth and engine capabilities.
Stealth Technology
Achieving a low radar cross-section (RCS) is critical for the AMCA’s fifth-generation credentials. The AMCA incorporates a twin-tail layout, platform edge alignment, and diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) with serpentine ducts to conceal engine fan blades. However, refining radar deflection capabilities is essential.
India is developing RAM to reduce RCS, with IIT Kanpur’s Anālakṣhya Meta-material Surface Cloaking System (MSCS) enhancing stealth against Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Scaling this technology for industrial production remains a challenge.
Stealth design compromises aerodynamics, reducing manoeuvrability. Balancing these aspects requires advanced computational modeling and wind tunnel testing.
Engine Capabilities
The AMCA’s supercruise and thrust vectoring requirements demand a high-thrust engine, posing significant challenges. India’s lack of indigenous jet engine technology remains a bottleneck.
Achieving sustained supersonic flight without afterburners and enabling thrust vectoring for enhanced manoeuvrability requires advanced engine designs. Integrating these systems into the AMCA’s airframe is technically demanding.
The Kaveri engine project highlighted the gaps in materials science and manufacturing precision, necessitating the need for foreign expertise.
International Collaboration
The AMCA program’s success hinges on the participation of robust private sector and international partners. Opening the doors to foreign OEMs and global collaboration is a key differentiator of the new model.
Foreign OEMs from Russia, France, the UK, and the US are expected to play a crucial role, particularly in addressing technological gaps. Several roles are envisioned for global partners.
Collaborations ensure technology transfer, critical for building India’s aerospace capabilities. Technology transfer is expected, particularly for stealth shaping, radar-absorbing materials (RAM), advanced avionics, and sensors. Foreign partners can provide expertise in radar-absorbing materials, low-observable designs, and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems.
India’s quest for self-reliance in defence technology has reached a pivotal milestone with the approval of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model on May 26, 2025.
This model, greenlit by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, introduces a collaborative and competitive framework to accelerate the development of India’s first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
Designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Ministry of Defence, the AMCA is a 25-tonne, twin-engine, multirole stealth aircraft intended to bolster the Indian airpower capabilities by 2035.
The new execution model emphasises private sector involvement, international collaboration, and a competitive bidding process, significantly departing from traditional defence procurement practices.
Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
AMCA is India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet program, developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Designed as a multi-role, twin-engine aircraft, the AMCA aims to replace aging fleets such as the SEPECAT Jaguar and Mirage 2000, while complementing the Rafale and the future Tejas Mk2 in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The 25-tonne, twin-engine AMCA features stealth shaping, internal weapons bays, and advanced sensor fusion. It is intended to excel in air superiority, deep strike, and electronic warfare missions.
It will have an advanced avionics suite, Indigenous AESA radar, and potentially AI-based mission systems.
The aircraft is envisioned in two phases: Mark 1, featuring current-generation technologies and imported engines, and Mark 2, incorporating indigenous sixth-generation features and an Indian powerplant.
The AMCA is strategically significant as it will enhance India’s air combat capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign platforms.
Strategic Significance Of AMCA
The AMCA is not just a defence project but a strategic lever and India’s entry ticket into the elite club of fifth-generation fighter operators. The AMCA program is crucial in countering regional threats, particularly those posed by China and Pakistan.
China’s deployment of J-20 and J-35 stealth fighters in the future, with plans to supply 40 J-35s to Pakistan, underscores the urgency of AMCA’s development.
The IAF’s modernisation drive, aiming for 42 squadrons by 2035, relies on the AMCA to maintain a technological edge. The collaborative model’s success could position India among the elite nations with fifth-generation fighters, alongside the US, China, and Russia.
Historical Progress: Bottlenecks
The AMCA program was conceived in the early 2010s as a follow-on to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. However, despite its strategic importance, progress was tepid due to multiple challenges.
Initial timelines projected a first flight by 2020 and production by 2025, but these slipped to 2028 and 2038-39 due to funding constraints and bureaucratic delays.
The program’s preliminary design phase began in 2015, with CCS approval only in 2024. The Tejas program’s prolonged development (from the 1980s to the late 2010s) is a cautionary tale, highlighting systemic issues in India’s defence ecosystem.
The program lacked an empowered governance structure, slow decision-making, and HAL’s overburdened capacity. The absence of an indigenous high-thrust engine has been a persistent hurdle for the program; the Kaveri engine program’s inability to meet requirements forced reliance on foreign engines, delaying self-reliance.
India lacked expertise in advanced technologies and high-thrust engines, necessitating foreign collaboration.
The withdrawal from the Indo-Russian FGFA project in 2018, due to disagreements over technology transfer, forced a fully indigenous approach, thereby increasing technical risks. The new execution model addresses many of these issues by decentralising authority, attracting capital, and professionalising development.
Boosting The AMCA Program
Collaborative Execution Model
Announced on May 26, 2025, the AMCA Programme Execution Model introduces a public-private partnership (PPP) framework, moving away from the traditional reliance on Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the sole manufacturer.
The new model proposes a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)-based framework, with a private sector partner working alongside the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Under this model, the ADA will issue an Expression of Interest (EoI) to public and private entities, allowing them to bid independently or as consortia. The model offers flexibility to include global OEMs as technology partners or equity stakeholders in the SPV.
This shift signifies a bold experiment breaking free from India’s traditionally state-dominated defence production ecosystem. It promises to enhance project accountability, bring commercial rigour to execution, and facilitate foreign direct investment and technology infusion.
The competitive approach aims to streamline development, reduce costs, and integrate cutting-edge technologies. One of the most progressive steps is to move from a nomination-based to a competitive merit-based selection model. The collaborative model is expected to provide several key benefits to the AMCA program.
Encouraging Efficiency & Speed
By involving private sector firms alongside HAL, the model diversifies the production base, reducing bottlenecks associated with a single manufacturer. Private companies would bring agility, innovation, and financial muscle, which can accelerate manufacturing and delivery timelines.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has emphasised reducing timelines. Firms will be incentivised to optimise costs and timelines to win bids, reducing the bureaucratic delays that plagued earlier phases of the AMCA program.
The Combined Quality Cum Cost Based System (CQCCBS) model will evaluate bids based on technical and financial merits, ensuring high-quality outcomes.
Technology Integration
Including private firms would enable access to advanced manufacturing techniques and expertise in composites, avionics, and AI. The collaboration is expected to enhance the AMCA’s technological edge, aligning it with global fifth-generation standards.
Economic & Industrial Growth
The model would foster a robust domestic aerospace ecosystem, generating employment and technological advancements. By distributing work packages among private firms, the program stimulates investment in infrastructure and skilled workforce development, aligning with India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision for self-reliance.
Risk Mitigation
The collaborative approach spreads financial and technical risks across multiple stakeholders, reducing the burden on HAL and the government. This is particularly crucial given the program’s history of delays and funding shortages.
Technological Challenges
However, challenges remain. Establishing fighter jet manufacturing facilities requires significant investment, and private firms may face hurdles in acquiring land, infrastructure, and skilled labour.
Scepticism persists about their ability to match HAL’s experience, which could lead to initial teething issues. The AMCA’s development involves overcoming significant technological hurdles, particularly in stealth and engine capabilities.
Stealth Technology
Achieving a low radar cross-section (RCS) is critical for the AMCA’s fifth-generation credentials. The AMCA incorporates a twin-tail layout, platform edge alignment, and diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) with serpentine ducts to conceal engine fan blades. However, refining radar deflection capabilities is essential.
India is developing RAM to reduce RCS, with IIT Kanpur’s Anālakṣhya Meta-material Surface Cloaking System (MSCS) enhancing stealth against Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Scaling this technology for industrial production remains a challenge.
Stealth design compromises aerodynamics, reducing manoeuvrability. Balancing these aspects requires advanced computational modeling and wind tunnel testing.
Engine Capabilities
The AMCA’s supercruise and thrust vectoring requirements demand a high-thrust engine, posing significant challenges. India’s lack of indigenous jet engine technology remains a bottleneck.
Achieving sustained supersonic flight without afterburners and enabling thrust vectoring for enhanced manoeuvrability requires advanced engine designs. Integrating these systems into the AMCA’s airframe is technically demanding.
The Kaveri engine project highlighted the gaps in materials science and manufacturing precision, necessitating the need for foreign expertise.
International Collaboration
The AMCA program’s success hinges on the participation of robust private sector and international partners. Opening the doors to foreign OEMs and global collaboration is a key differentiator of the new model.
Foreign OEMs from Russia, France, the UK, and the US are expected to play a crucial role, particularly in addressing technological gaps. Several roles are envisioned for global partners.
Collaborations ensure technology transfer, critical for building India’s aerospace capabilities. Technology transfer is expected, particularly for stealth shaping, radar-absorbing materials (RAM), advanced avionics, and sensors. Foreign partners can provide expertise in radar-absorbing materials, low-observable designs, and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems.
6 months ago
Russia on Thursday accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, saying it’s a stab in the back by its longtime Slavic Balkan ally.
“Serbian defense enterprises, contrary to the ‘neutrality’ declared by official Belgrade, continue to supply ammunition to Kyiv,” the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, SVR, said in a statement.
The statement alleged that the export of the Serbian arms to Ukraine are going through NATO intermediaries, “primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria. Recently, exotic options involving African states have also been used for this purpose.”
Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic told the state RTS television that he has recently discussed the issue of the arm exports to Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that it was agreed that the two countries form a “working group” to establish how Serbian-made weapons reach the Ukrainian frontlines.
“Serbian defense enterprises, contrary to the ‘neutrality’ declared by official Belgrade, continue to supply ammunition to Kyiv,” the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, SVR, said in a statement.
The statement alleged that the export of the Serbian arms to Ukraine are going through NATO intermediaries, “primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria. Recently, exotic options involving African states have also been used for this purpose.”
Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic told the state RTS television that he has recently discussed the issue of the arm exports to Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that it was agreed that the two countries form a “working group” to establish how Serbian-made weapons reach the Ukrainian frontlines.
6 months ago
Russia said that remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about long-range Ukrainian strikes into Russia with European weapons suggested that a decision allowing such attacks had been made long ago but kept secret.
Merz said there were no longer any range restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Britain, France, Germany and the United States, and that Ukraine could now do "long range fire".
But Merz's remarks were unclear as he also said that Ukraine had been unable to do that until some time ago.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the remarks indicated the calibre of people who had risen to power in leading European countries.
"He (Merz) said yesterday with such pretentiousness that from now on and forever there are no restrictions on the range of strikes,"
Merz said there were no longer any range restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Britain, France, Germany and the United States, and that Ukraine could now do "long range fire".
But Merz's remarks were unclear as he also said that Ukraine had been unable to do that until some time ago.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the remarks indicated the calibre of people who had risen to power in leading European countries.
"He (Merz) said yesterday with such pretentiousness that from now on and forever there are no restrictions on the range of strikes,"
6 months ago
Finland has said it expects Russia to further build up troops along their shared border when the war in Ukraine ends, after reports that Moscow had strengthened its military bases near the Nato frontier.
Maj Gen Sami Nurmi, the head of strategy of the Finnish defence forces, said the military is following Moscow’s manoeuvring “very closely” and that it was their job, as part of the Nato alliance, to “prepare for the worst”.
The Finnish border guard announced it had completed the first 35km of a planned 200km fence on its eastern border with Russia, which has been closed for more than a year after Helsinki accused Moscow of directing asylum seekers to Finland in a “hybrid operation”. The fence also uses cameras and sensors to distinguish.
Satellite images, appear to show an expansion of military infrastructure near the Finnish border, including rows of tents, military vehicles, renovations to fighter jet shelters and construction on a previously unused helicopter base.
Maj Gen Sami Nurmi, the head of strategy of the Finnish defence forces, said the military is following Moscow’s manoeuvring “very closely” and that it was their job, as part of the Nato alliance, to “prepare for the worst”.
The Finnish border guard announced it had completed the first 35km of a planned 200km fence on its eastern border with Russia, which has been closed for more than a year after Helsinki accused Moscow of directing asylum seekers to Finland in a “hybrid operation”. The fence also uses cameras and sensors to distinguish.
Satellite images, appear to show an expansion of military infrastructure near the Finnish border, including rows of tents, military vehicles, renovations to fighter jet shelters and construction on a previously unused helicopter base.
6 months ago
President Trump will get a nasty surprise next time he tries to bully Volodymyr Zelensky. He will threaten to cut off the intelligence – but he can’t. We live in a different world now where the proliferation of precision and accessibility of data means the state and the traditional large defence primes are being outmanoeuvred at every turn. The Ukrainian armed forces have shown that the West’s choice to invest in exquisite platforms that cost billions was wrong.
We were so convinced our enemies cared about casualty figures the way we did that we presumed that attrition was not going to be a major barrier and everything would be over in a few weeks. Our ammo stocks were the real giveaway. Nato countries were buying Formula One cars that they couldn’t afford to maintain, let alone lose. Only the US with its trillion-dollar budget could afford such purchases and even the Americans are now having a strategic rethink.
We were so convinced our enemies cared about casualty figures the way we did that we presumed that attrition was not going to be a major barrier and everything would be over in a few weeks. Our ammo stocks were the real giveaway. Nato countries were buying Formula One cars that they couldn’t afford to maintain, let alone lose. Only the US with its trillion-dollar budget could afford such purchases and even the Americans are now having a strategic rethink.
6 months ago
Russia's position on a possible peace deal with Ukraine has changed to reflect changes on the frontlines where Russia has been advancing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
Asked by Reuters if Russia's position had changed since June 2024 when President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine must officially drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia, Zakharova said: "Yes, there are these changes in the Russian position."
"These changes are reflected by changes on the ground," she said.
Zakharova quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who in 2024 said that Ukraine shrank in territory every time it walked away from talks with Russia.
Asked by Reuters if Russia's position had changed since June 2024 when President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine must officially drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia, Zakharova said: "Yes, there are these changes in the Russian position."
"These changes are reflected by changes on the ground," she said.
Zakharova quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who in 2024 said that Ukraine shrank in territory every time it walked away from talks with Russia.
7 months ago
China, Brazil and other members of the BRICS grouping on Tuesday slammed the "resurgence of trade protectionism" at a meeting in Rio de Janeiro dominated by US President Donald Trump's tariffs blitz.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov were among the top diplomats of the 11-country grouping attending two days of talks on issues ranging from Trump's trade war to the push for peace in Ukraine.
Mauro Vieira, the foreign minister of Brazil which holds the rotating BRICS presidency, said the bloc underscored its "firm rejection" of protectionism, without explicitly referring to Trump.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has hit dozens of countries with a blanket 10 percent tariff, but China faces levies of up to 145 percent on many products.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov were among the top diplomats of the 11-country grouping attending two days of talks on issues ranging from Trump's trade war to the push for peace in Ukraine.
Mauro Vieira, the foreign minister of Brazil which holds the rotating BRICS presidency, said the bloc underscored its "firm rejection" of protectionism, without explicitly referring to Trump.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has hit dozens of countries with a blanket 10 percent tariff, but China faces levies of up to 145 percent on many products.
7 months ago
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Thursday that Russia is “ready to reach a deal” with President Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine, noting, however, that there are still details to be “fine-tuned.”
Earlier this week, Trump told reporters, “Russia is ready” for peace as he is pushing both sides to agree to end the three-year conflict.
“I think we have a deal with Russia,” he said.
He added, “The statement by the president mentions a deal, and we are ready to reach a deal, but there are still some specific points, elements of this deal which need to be fine-tuned, and we are busy with this exact process.”
Earlier this week, Trump told reporters, “Russia is ready” for peace as he is pushing both sides to agree to end the three-year conflict.
“I think we have a deal with Russia,” he said.
He added, “The statement by the president mentions a deal, and we are ready to reach a deal, but there are still some specific points, elements of this deal which need to be fine-tuned, and we are busy with this exact process.”
7 months ago
On Army Day in Iran, the Islamic Republic displayed its military might, parading thousands of troops through the streets of the capital, Tehran, along with its S-300 missile defense system, drones and other military hardware.
Watched and praised by President Masoud Pezeshkian, it was a very public show of force.
But behind the scenes, Iran is pushing for diplomacy, with Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi traveling to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin, before sitting down for talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
“Our Russian friends gave us the necessary information,” Araghchi said after his meeting with Putin.
He is scheduled to travel to Rome for talks with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday, where they are expected to resume discussions about Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
The pair met in Oman last Saturday and held the first round of talks between the two countries since President Donald Trump returned to the White
Watched and praised by President Masoud Pezeshkian, it was a very public show of force.
But behind the scenes, Iran is pushing for diplomacy, with Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi traveling to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin, before sitting down for talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
“Our Russian friends gave us the necessary information,” Araghchi said after his meeting with Putin.
He is scheduled to travel to Rome for talks with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday, where they are expected to resume discussions about Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
The pair met in Oman last Saturday and held the first round of talks between the two countries since President Donald Trump returned to the White
7 months ago
France on Thursday hailed talks on the Ukraine war between top US and European officials during which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed a US peace plan.
President Emmanuel Macron's office said the talks launched a "positive process" as Europe seeks to be included in efforts to end the three-year-old war.
The meetings in the French capital included Macron, Rubio, US envoy Steve Witkoff, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German officials and Ukrainian ministers.
They took place as President Donald Trump's push to end the war stumbles, with Russia's President Vladimir Putin rebuffing a complete truce.
"Today in Paris, we launched a positive process in which the Europeans are involved," the French presidency said.
A new meeting of envoys from the United States, France, Britain, Germany and Ukraine will take place next week in London, it added.
Rubio called Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the Paris meeting, Moscow and Washington said.
President Emmanuel Macron's office said the talks launched a "positive process" as Europe seeks to be included in efforts to end the three-year-old war.
The meetings in the French capital included Macron, Rubio, US envoy Steve Witkoff, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German officials and Ukrainian ministers.
They took place as President Donald Trump's push to end the war stumbles, with Russia's President Vladimir Putin rebuffing a complete truce.
"Today in Paris, we launched a positive process in which the Europeans are involved," the French presidency said.
A new meeting of envoys from the United States, France, Britain, Germany and Ukraine will take place next week in London, it added.
Rubio called Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the Paris meeting, Moscow and Washington said.
7 months ago
China and the Philippines accused each other on Tuesday of dangerous manoeuvres in a hotly disputed shoal in the South China Sea, in the latest confrontation over the waterway.
A Chinese coast guard vessel sped up and manoeuvred on Monday to block the navigation route of a Philippine vessel around 36 nautical miles off the Scarborough shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
"This incident highlights the CCG's non-compliance with the international regulations ... and reflects a blatant disregard for safety at sea," it said.
China's coast guard said the Philippine vessel "dangerously approached" its ship and crossed its route, alleging it attempted to stage a false collision, Xinhua
"They illegally approached China’s normal sailing coast guard ship in a dangerous manner, threatening the safety of China’s personnel and ships,"
A Chinese coast guard vessel sped up and manoeuvred on Monday to block the navigation route of a Philippine vessel around 36 nautical miles off the Scarborough shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
"This incident highlights the CCG's non-compliance with the international regulations ... and reflects a blatant disregard for safety at sea," it said.
China's coast guard said the Philippine vessel "dangerously approached" its ship and crossed its route, alleging it attempted to stage a false collision, Xinhua
"They illegally approached China’s normal sailing coast guard ship in a dangerous manner, threatening the safety of China’s personnel and ships,"
7 months ago
The Philippines voiced concerns on the South China Sea, including incidents that endangered its vessels and personnel, during negotiations between ASEAN and China for a code of conduct in those waters, its foreign ministry said on Monday.
The Philippines, which hosted the latest round of talks last week, also reiterated its commitment to resolving disputes peacefully and pursuing constructive diplomatic approaches in managing differences at sea, the ministry said in a statement.
The South China Sea remains a source of tension between China and its Southeast Asian neighbours, with ties between Beijing and U.S. ally Manila at their worst in years amid frequent confrontations that have sparked concerns they could spiral into conflict.
In February, the Philippines coast guard accused the Chinese navy of performing dangerous flight manoeuvres near a government aircraft patrolling a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, an account Beijing disputed.
The Philippines, which hosted the latest round of talks last week, also reiterated its commitment to resolving disputes peacefully and pursuing constructive diplomatic approaches in managing differences at sea, the ministry said in a statement.
The South China Sea remains a source of tension between China and its Southeast Asian neighbours, with ties between Beijing and U.S. ally Manila at their worst in years amid frequent confrontations that have sparked concerns they could spiral into conflict.
In February, the Philippines coast guard accused the Chinese navy of performing dangerous flight manoeuvres near a government aircraft patrolling a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, an account Beijing disputed.
7 months ago
Russia and Ukraine’s top diplomats on Saturday used a high-level conference in Turkey to once again trade accusations of violating a tentative U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infrastructure, underscoring the challenges of negotiating an end to the 3-year-old war.
The two foreign ministers spoke at separate events at the annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a day after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss peace prospects. Ukraine's European allies on Friday promised billions of dollars to help Kyiv keep fighting Russia’s invasion.
While Moscow and Kyiv both agreed in principle last month to implement a limited, 30-day ceasefire.
“The Ukrainians have been attacking us from the very beginning, every passing day, maybe with two or three exceptions,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding that Moscow would provide the U.S., Turkey and international bodies with a list of Kyiv's attacks during the past three weeks.
The two foreign ministers spoke at separate events at the annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a day after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss peace prospects. Ukraine's European allies on Friday promised billions of dollars to help Kyiv keep fighting Russia’s invasion.
While Moscow and Kyiv both agreed in principle last month to implement a limited, 30-day ceasefire.
“The Ukrainians have been attacking us from the very beginning, every passing day, maybe with two or three exceptions,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding that Moscow would provide the U.S., Turkey and international bodies with a list of Kyiv's attacks during the past three weeks.
8 months ago
China-CCP ways of scaring Taiwanese-
China's military on Wednesday said it had completed two days of live-fire exercises that included simulated strikes on key ports and energy sites aimed at Taiwan, the self-ruled island it claims as its own.
The surprise manoeuvres were condemned by Taiwan, while the United States called them "intimidation tactics". They came less than a month after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called China a "foreign hostile force"
Named "Strait Thunder-2025A", the drills were in the middle and southern parts of the Taiwan Strait as well as the East China Sea, the military said.
People's Liberation Army spokesman Shi Yi said "the Eastern Theater Command has completed all designated tasks of the joint exercises carried out from April 1 to 2"
Exercises were meant to "test the troops' capabilities" in areas such as "blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets"
The military also practised hitting "simulated targets of key ports and energy faci
China's military on Wednesday said it had completed two days of live-fire exercises that included simulated strikes on key ports and energy sites aimed at Taiwan, the self-ruled island it claims as its own.
The surprise manoeuvres were condemned by Taiwan, while the United States called them "intimidation tactics". They came less than a month after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called China a "foreign hostile force"
Named "Strait Thunder-2025A", the drills were in the middle and southern parts of the Taiwan Strait as well as the East China Sea, the military said.
People's Liberation Army spokesman Shi Yi said "the Eastern Theater Command has completed all designated tasks of the joint exercises carried out from April 1 to 2"
Exercises were meant to "test the troops' capabilities" in areas such as "blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets"
The military also practised hitting "simulated targets of key ports and energy faci
8 months ago
The Black Sea maritime security deal aims to bring Moscow back to predictable grain and fertiliser markets that would allow for profit and ensure global food security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks published late on Tuesday.
The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to cease fighting in the Black Sea and pause attacks against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow.
"We want the grain and fertilizer market to be predictable, so that no one tries to 'ward us off' from it," Lavrov told the Russian state Channel One television.
"Not only because we want ... to make a legitimate profit in fair competition, but also because we are concerned about the food security situation in Africa and other countries of the Global South."
The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to cease fighting in the Black Sea and pause attacks against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow.
"We want the grain and fertilizer market to be predictable, so that no one tries to 'ward us off' from it," Lavrov told the Russian state Channel One television.
"Not only because we want ... to make a legitimate profit in fair competition, but also because we are concerned about the food security situation in Africa and other countries of the Global South."
9 months ago
World’s only privately owned F-16 gets invisible AI wingman that exists only in code.
Top Aces, the sole commercial operator of F-16 aircraft specialized in advanced air combat training, has made a significant announcement that could reshape the adversary air (ADAIR) sector.
In partnership with EpiSci, Coherent Technical Services Inc. (CTSi), and Seger Aviation LLC, the company has introduced a novel AI-driven autonomous constructive wingman customized for the Red Air industry.
This innovation is intended to simulate sophisticated adversary aircraft's flight characteristics and maneuvers within a live-virtual-constructive (LVC) training framework.
World’s only privately-owned F-16
Russ Quinn, the President of Top Aces Corp., who brings experience as a U.S. Air Force veteran and former Aggressor pilot, commented on the development.
“The launch of a constructive wingman is a significant step forward and represents a new standard in the ADAIR field. By incorporating AI-driven wingmen, we aim to enhance training effectiveness, creating more complex and challenging scenarios for Beyond Visual Range (BVR) targeting. At the same time, this feature allows pilots to train against live, agile 4th Generation fighters,” he stated.
Top Aces, the sole commercial operator of F-16 aircraft specialized in advanced air combat training, has made a significant announcement that could reshape the adversary air (ADAIR) sector.
In partnership with EpiSci, Coherent Technical Services Inc. (CTSi), and Seger Aviation LLC, the company has introduced a novel AI-driven autonomous constructive wingman customized for the Red Air industry.
This innovation is intended to simulate sophisticated adversary aircraft's flight characteristics and maneuvers within a live-virtual-constructive (LVC) training framework.
World’s only privately-owned F-16
Russ Quinn, the President of Top Aces Corp., who brings experience as a U.S. Air Force veteran and former Aggressor pilot, commented on the development.
“The launch of a constructive wingman is a significant step forward and represents a new standard in the ADAIR field. By incorporating AI-driven wingmen, we aim to enhance training effectiveness, creating more complex and challenging scenarios for Beyond Visual Range (BVR) targeting. At the same time, this feature allows pilots to train against live, agile 4th Generation fighters,” he stated.
9 months ago
A permit issued by the United States government allowing energy giant Chevron Corp. to pump and export Venezuelan oil will be terminated this week, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, ending what became a financial lifeline for the South American country.
Trump’s announcement accused the government of President Nicolás Maduro of not meeting democratic conditions for last year’s July presidential election as well as of not moving fast enough to transport back to Venezuela immigrants set for deportation.
“We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement,” Trump wrote.
Trump's post did not specifically mention California-based Chevron nor the permit, formally known as a general license, that exempts the company from economic sanctions and allows it to export and sale Venezuelan oil in the U.S.
Trump’s announcement accused the government of President Nicolás Maduro of not meeting democratic conditions for last year’s July presidential election as well as of not moving fast enough to transport back to Venezuela immigrants set for deportation.
“We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement,” Trump wrote.
Trump's post did not specifically mention California-based Chevron nor the permit, formally known as a general license, that exempts the company from economic sanctions and allows it to export and sale Venezuelan oil in the U.S.
9 months ago
Russia rejected on Wednesday both freezing the front line in Ukraine in its current position and stationing European peacekeeping troops in the region, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Earlier this week US President Donald Trump told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept European troops in Ukraine to keep the peace.
Lavrov said Russia opposed the idea put forth that there is a line dividing both sides, with one part Russian and the other Ukrainian.
"That will not happen," he said, during a trip to Doha, the capital of the Gulf state of Qatar.
Lavrov said the Russian constitution defines the country's territory, Lavrov said and according to that, the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson belong to Russia, even if Russian troops do not fully control them.
Earlier this week US President Donald Trump told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept European troops in Ukraine to keep the peace.
Lavrov said Russia opposed the idea put forth that there is a line dividing both sides, with one part Russian and the other Ukrainian.
"That will not happen," he said, during a trip to Doha, the capital of the Gulf state of Qatar.
Lavrov said the Russian constitution defines the country's territory, Lavrov said and according to that, the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson belong to Russia, even if Russian troops do not fully control them.
9 months ago
The Kremlin appeared to contradict President Trump’s claim that Russia would accept peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.
“There is a position on this matter that was expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Politico. “I have nothing to add to this and nothing to comment on.”
Peskov was hosting a media call about the developing situation to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The call came a day after Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Trump said he’d asked Russian President Vladimir Putin about peacekeepers and Putin had “no problem with it,” despite the Kremlin later dismissing the remarks.
Peskov said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week after Russian officials met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss ending the war.
Lavrov said it was “unacceptable” to Russia for NATO or other countries’ troops to be deployed “under a foreign flag, under the flag of the European Union or under national fl
“There is a position on this matter that was expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Politico. “I have nothing to add to this and nothing to comment on.”
Peskov was hosting a media call about the developing situation to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The call came a day after Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Trump said he’d asked Russian President Vladimir Putin about peacekeepers and Putin had “no problem with it,” despite the Kremlin later dismissing the remarks.
Peskov said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week after Russian officials met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss ending the war.
Lavrov said it was “unacceptable” to Russia for NATO or other countries’ troops to be deployed “under a foreign flag, under the flag of the European Union or under national fl
9 months ago
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Turkey on Monday to discuss his country's recent talks with U.S. officials on ending the war in Ukraine, and how Ankara can contribute to the process, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Sunday.
NATO-member Turkey, which hosted initial negotiations between Russia and Ukraine months after the war began in 2022, "is ready to assume this role in the upcoming period", the source said, requesting anonymity.
Lavrov's visit coincides with the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The source added that Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan would also discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and the situation in Syria, where Turkey will emphasize the need for Syrian territorial unity and the expulsion of terrorists.
NATO-member Turkey, which hosted initial negotiations between Russia and Ukraine months after the war began in 2022, "is ready to assume this role in the upcoming period", the source said, requesting anonymity.
Lavrov's visit coincides with the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The source added that Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan would also discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and the situation in Syria, where Turkey will emphasize the need for Syrian territorial unity and the expulsion of terrorists.
9 months ago
Donald Trump is demanding Volodymyr Zelensky hold elections that could oust him from office as the price of peace.
His comments came after Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, met in Saudi Arabia for the first time to discuss terms to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
The proposal raises concerns that Russia will use the ballot to oust Ukraine’s wartime leader from office and install a pro-Putin candidate who would agree to peace terms favourable to Moscow.
Mr Trump said the demand for a Ukrainian presidential election “came from me”.
“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, essentially martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine, I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4 per cent approval rating, and where a country has been blown to smithereens...
“If Ukraine wants a seat at the table, wouldn’t the people have to say it has been a long time since they had an elec
His comments came after Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, met in Saudi Arabia for the first time to discuss terms to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
The proposal raises concerns that Russia will use the ballot to oust Ukraine’s wartime leader from office and install a pro-Putin candidate who would agree to peace terms favourable to Moscow.
Mr Trump said the demand for a Ukrainian presidential election “came from me”.
“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, essentially martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine, I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4 per cent approval rating, and where a country has been blown to smithereens...
“If Ukraine wants a seat at the table, wouldn’t the people have to say it has been a long time since they had an elec
9 months ago
Ukraine will not recognise a peace deal negotiated by the US and Russia if it is not involved in the talks, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president insisted he would rebut any deal struck in Saudi Arabia to end the long-running conflict after he was excluded from the negotiating table.
Senior American and Russian officials, including the countries’ top diplomats, will begin negotiating an end to the war.
Before negotiations had even begun, Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, ruled out any territorial concessions to Ukraine.
“We cannot recognise any things or agreements about us without us. And we will not recognise such agreements,” Mr Zelensky said.
“Surely, there is a bilateral track there. And the US has the right to do so if they have bilateral issues. To be honest, they talked about it before. Only now have they started talking publicly. Back then, it was like bad manners — to talk to an aggressor during wartime.”
The Ukrainian president insisted he would rebut any deal struck in Saudi Arabia to end the long-running conflict after he was excluded from the negotiating table.
Senior American and Russian officials, including the countries’ top diplomats, will begin negotiating an end to the war.
Before negotiations had even begun, Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, ruled out any territorial concessions to Ukraine.
“We cannot recognise any things or agreements about us without us. And we will not recognise such agreements,” Mr Zelensky said.
“Surely, there is a bilateral track there. And the US has the right to do so if they have bilateral issues. To be honest, they talked about it before. Only now have they started talking publicly. Back then, it was like bad manners — to talk to an aggressor during wartime.”
9 months ago
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday ruled out territorial concessions to Ukraine, setting out a tough opening stance on the eve of talks on Tuesday with U.S. President Donald Trump's team in Saudi Arabia.
Trump said after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that the two sides would begin talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy adviser who has also been ambassador to Washington, would meet U.S. officials.
Lavrov said there would be no talk of territorial concessions to Ukraine, around 20% of which is controlled by Russian forces.
"Territorial concessions to what is now called Ukraine were made by the Soviet leadership during the formation of the USSR," Lavrov said before heaping scorn on a Ukrainian bid to do a deal giving the United States access to minerals.
"How should we give in - with Russian people or with rare earth metals?" Lavrov said.
Trump said after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that the two sides would begin talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy adviser who has also been ambassador to Washington, would meet U.S. officials.
Lavrov said there would be no talk of territorial concessions to Ukraine, around 20% of which is controlled by Russian forces.
"Territorial concessions to what is now called Ukraine were made by the Soviet leadership during the formation of the USSR," Lavrov said before heaping scorn on a Ukrainian bid to do a deal giving the United States access to minerals.
"How should we give in - with Russian people or with rare earth metals?" Lavrov said.
9 months ago
Russia said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would hold talks with top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on Tuesday that will focus on ending the war in Ukraine and restoring broader Russia-U.S. ties.
Rubio arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Monday on a previously planned trip. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, will join him at the talks with Lavrov.
The talks will be among the first high-level, in-person discussions in years between Russian and U.S. officials and are meant to precede a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to Putin, would fly to Riyadh on Monday.
"They are expected to hold a meeting with their American counterparts on Tuesday, which will focus primarily on restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations," Peskov said.
Rubio arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Monday on a previously planned trip. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, will join him at the talks with Lavrov.
The talks will be among the first high-level, in-person discussions in years between Russian and U.S. officials and are meant to precede a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to Putin, would fly to Riyadh on Monday.
"They are expected to hold a meeting with their American counterparts on Tuesday, which will focus primarily on restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations," Peskov said.
10 months ago
Russia welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump's view that drawing Ukraine towards the NATO military alliance was an issue of concern to Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Trump said in January that he sympathized with the Russian position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO and blamed outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden for allegedly changing the U.S. position on NATO membership for Ukraine.
"Suddenly, for the first time, President Trump, in one of his first speeches, criticising the position of the administration of Biden on the Ukrainian crisis, bluntly said that one of the main mistakes was drawing Ukraine into NATO," Lavrov said.
"For the first time the problem of NATO was identified as something that the United States is ready to discuss seriously," Lavrov said.
Trump said in January that he sympathized with the Russian position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO and blamed outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden for allegedly changing the U.S. position on NATO membership for Ukraine.
"Suddenly, for the first time, President Trump, in one of his first speeches, criticising the position of the administration of Biden on the Ukrainian crisis, bluntly said that one of the main mistakes was drawing Ukraine into NATO," Lavrov said.
"For the first time the problem of NATO was identified as something that the United States is ready to discuss seriously," Lavrov said.
10 months ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin made his duplicitous position crystal clear on this week when he said he was “willing to negotiate with the United States about the war in Ukraine” but kept up his insistence about Ukraine’s full capitulation.
That same day, during a Russian Security Council meeting alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “reiterated Russia’s willingness to engage in peace negotiations with the U.S.;” however, but added that any peace settlement should “eliminate the root causes” of the war in Ukraine.
What are these “root causes”? Lavrov had described them last month as NATO’s “aggressive absorption” of Eastern Europe — — and alleged Ukrainian government hostility toward ethnic Russians, their culture, their media and their language.
But let’s be real here — NATO had nothing to do with this. Mikhail Gorbachev, the late former leader of the Soviet Union, acknowledged there had been no promises not to enlarge NATO at the end of the Cold War.
That same day, during a Russian Security Council meeting alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “reiterated Russia’s willingness to engage in peace negotiations with the U.S.;” however, but added that any peace settlement should “eliminate the root causes” of the war in Ukraine.
What are these “root causes”? Lavrov had described them last month as NATO’s “aggressive absorption” of Eastern Europe — — and alleged Ukrainian government hostility toward ethnic Russians, their culture, their media and their language.
But let’s be real here — NATO had nothing to do with this. Mikhail Gorbachev, the late former leader of the Soviet Union, acknowledged there had been no promises not to enlarge NATO at the end of the Cold War.
