Natun Somoy

India is trying to hasten a deal with the United States to buy Predator drone aircraft for military surveillance, one of several defence and nuclear projects the two sides are pursuing in the final months of the Obama administration. India’s request for 22 Predator Guardian drones made in June is in an advanced stage of negotiations. The two sides hope to make enough progress so only administrative tasks remain by the time President Barack Obama leaves office, government officials in New Delhi said. “It is progressing well. The aim is to complete the main process in the next few months,” said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has built personal ties with president Barack Obama, whose signature foreign policy move has been a strategic pivot to Asia from the Middle East. The United States has dislodged Russia as the top arms supplier to India. New Delhi is also on the cusp of sealing a US nuclear reactor deal w...

Indian police have arrested six members of an Islamic State-inspired group suspected of plotting attacks on key figures and public places during the Hindu festival of Diwali, the national counter-terrorism agency said on Monday. Islamic State has struggled to win over many recruits in India, which is home to the world's third-largest Muslim population. But over the past year or so, the National Investigation Agency has found small groups of people in the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu who have either travelled to Syria to join the militant Sunni group or planned attacks inside India. On Sunday, the NIA picked up six men while they were in a meeting in a hilltop shrine in Kerala and said they were gathering explosives and other material to mount attacks in southern India during Diwali later this month. ‘During the searches, incriminating material including electronic devices have been seized from their possession and search of their premises,’ the agency said in a...

The Pakistan army on Monday resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and firing at Indian positions in two places in Poonch district, authorities said. After opening fire in Shahpur area, the Pakistan army started shelling and gunfire in Sabjiyan area of Poonch district. Police said 82 mm mortar shelling was started in Shahpur area on the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistan army to target Indian positions on Monday morning. ‘The Indian army effectively retaliated Pakistan shelling using same calibre weapons,’ a senior police officer said. ‘While intermittent shelling and firing exchanges are still going on in Shahpur area, Pakistan army started shelling in Sabjiyan area of the LoC today (Monday) afternoon,’ he added. ‘The Indian army is retaliating the Pakistan shelling and firing at Sabjiyan this time,’ he said.