Latest news with #Prithvi
The Print
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
‘Strikes on nuclear infrastructure, disinformation nearly sparked nuclear crisis during Op Sindoor'
'This should act as a stark warning for states seeking to increase their reliance on nuclear weapons,' he added. 'The combination of strikes on nuclear-related military infrastructure and third-party disinformation risked turning a conventional conflict into a nuclear crisis,' said Matt Korda, Associate Senior Researcher with SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme and Associate Director for the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. New Delhi: Referring to the hostilities between India and Pakistan earlier last month during Operation Sindoor, the latest report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has cautioned that disinformation and strikes on nuclear-related military infrastructure nearly triggered a serious escalation. SIPRI released its 2025 annual report on the state of armaments, disarmament and international security on Monday, warning that a new and potentially more dangerous nuclear arms race is emerging, even as existing arms control frameworks continue to weaken. The report highlights AI as both a potential advantage and a major risk. Its ability to process vast datasets rapidly could compress crisis decision-making timelines, increasing the risk of miscommunication, miscalculation or even accidental conflict. According to SIPRI, India is estimated to have approximately 180 nuclear warheads as of January 2025, a slight increase over the previous year. These are distributed across a maturing nuclear triad comprising land-based missiles, aircraft and nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). It further believes that India's recent move toward deploying canisterised missiles and undertaking sea-based deterrent patrols may indicate the country's fresh shift towards mating some nuclear warheads with their launchers even during peacetime. The assessment believes that India's Prithvi short-range missile is 'dual-capable' and acknowledges that in March 2024, India conducted the first flight test of its multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) equipped Agni-V under Mission Divyastra. Meanwhile, as per the report, Pakistan's estimated nuclear arsenal remains stagnant at around 170 warheads, though 'there is a continued development of new delivery systems and accumulation of fissile material, suggesting a potential expansion over the coming decade,' it reads. 'It is developing two versions of the Ra'ad (Hatf-8) air-launched cruise missile, though neither has yet entered service. Its Mirage III and possibly Mirage V aircraft currently serve as delivery platforms, with growing indications that the JF-17 may take over the nuclear delivery role in the future,' it reads. 'All of Pakistan's missiles, including the Nasr (Hatf-9), are believed to be dual-capable.' However, it adds that there is no certainty on whether all missile bases in Pakistan have been assigned nuclear roles. As per the assessment, while Pakistan continues to be the central focus of India's nuclear posture, it points to a growing emphasis in India on longer-range capabilities, particularly those aimed at covering targets across China. SIPRI identifies China as 'undergoing the most significant nuclear expansion' among all the nuclear-armed states. 'Its stockpile is estimated to have increased from 500 to 600 warheads in 2024, with at least 132 warheads thought to be assigned to launchers still being loaded'. The annual assessment further believes that China's DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile is a key dual-capable system offering flexibility in switching between conventional and nuclear payloads and adds, 'the CH-AS-X-13 air-launched ballistic missile, reportedly carried by H-6N bombers, to be nuclear-capable.' As of January 2025, SIPRI estimates that the nine nuclear-armed countries–the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel–together possess approximately 12,241 nuclear warheads. 'Of these, about 9,614 are potentially operationally available, and roughly 3,912 are deployed with military forces, and approximately 2,100 warheads are believed to be maintained at high operational alert on ballistic missiles,' it says. Although the total number of nuclear weapons worldwide continues to decline due to the dismantling of retired warheads by the United States and Russia, the report warns that the number of warheads in active military stockpiles is beginning to rise. It adds that the annual pace of dismantling has slowed and may soon be overtaken by the rate at which new warheads are being added to global arsenals. 'The era of reductions in the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which had lasted till the end of the Cold War, is coming to an end,' said Hans M. Kristensen, Associate Senior Fellow with SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme. 'Instead, we see a clear trend of growing nuclear arsenals, sharpened nuclear rhetoric and the abandonment of arms control agreements.' On the future of security, stability and nuclear challenge The latest SIPRI's report further underlines that the arms race today is more likely to be 'qualitative rather than quantitative', driven by rapid developments in cyber warfare, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum sensing and space technologies. Quantum technologies, the report says, are likely to disrupt current cryptographic standards and enable novel forms of global surveillance. 'Until now, nuclear-powered submarines were considered virtually undetectable due to the vastness of the ocean,' the report notes. 'But quantum detection could challenge that assumption, potentially introducing new sources of instability.' Development of nuclear missile defence is also flagged as a concern by the assessment. 'If it works, it acts as an anti-nuclear shield, removing the fear of retaliation and thus undermining deterrence,' the report warns. The weakening of arms control agreements remains a key concern in the report. The report notes that the New START treaty, the last remaining strategic arms control accord between the United States and Russia, is set to expire in early 2026. It adds that there are currently no ongoing negotiations to renew or replace it. 'There are no signs that either side is interested in a successor treaty.' 'The signs are that a new arms race is gearing up that carries much more risk and uncertainty than the last one,' said Dan Smith, SIPRI Director. 'The rapid development and application of technologies in AI, cyber, missile defence, space and quantum are radically redefining deterrence and creating new sources of instability.' (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: China outspends India on defence in 2024, shows SIPRI report. Pakistan far behind
Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
From Pollution To Prayer: Healing The Earth Through Inner Awakening
When the Earth is hurting, it is not just her soil, water, or sky that suffers — it is our own spirit that bleeds quietly. The smog in our cities, the poison in our rivers, the plastic in our oceans — they are not merely ecological disturbances. They are symptoms of a deeper ailment: our separation from the sacredness of nature. In ancient India, we bowed to rivers, whispered gratitude to trees, and offered prayers before lighting fire or touching the soil. We recognised the five great elements—Pancha Mahabhutas—not as inert substances but as divine manifestations: Prithvi, Earth; Apah, Water; Tejas, Fire; Vayu, Air, and Akasha, Space. Today, in the name of progress, we have forgotten this sacred contract. But healing is possible. It begins not in policies or pipelines, but in people—in the stillness of our hearts. Spiritual ecology invites us to see pollution not just as an external crisis, but as an inner imbalance. Our greed, endless consumption, restlessness—all spill into the world around us. This is where our ancient wisdom can become our guide. When Krishn told Arjun in the Bhagwad Gita: "Yajnat bhavati parjanyo, parjanyad anna-sambhavah' — he was not just speaking of sacrificial rituals but of sacred reciprocity. Rain comes from selfless action. Food comes from rain. Life flourishes when we live in harmony, not dominion. The river Ganga, venerated for millennia as Mother, is a poignant symbol of this sacred bond. On Ganga Dussehra , we celebrate her descent from the heavens—not just into geography, but into our collective soul. And yet today, her waters bear the burden of our negligence: sewage, plastics, industrial waste, and ritual remnants. To pollute Ganga is to wound Bharat's spirit. To cleanse her is not just a civic act—it is a spiritual tapasya. Can we turn our rituals into responsibility? Can our pujas be plastic-free? Can our offerings be sustainable? Can our devotion be action? The answer lies in reawakening values such as Ahimsa , non-harming; Aparigraha, non-possessiveness; Santosha, contentment—values that lie at the heart of every spiritual tradition. It is not just temples that need cleaning, but our inner chambers. It is not just the air outside that needs purification, but also the restless wind within. Let us take one step today: * Speak gently to a tree. * Offer water to a plant. * Walk barefoot on the grass. * Say a silent prayer before using electricity or water. * Reduce plastic not just out of guilt, but out of reverence. The Upanishads whispered, 'Sarvam khalvidam brahmn'— all this is Brahmn. To hurt any part is to hurt the Whole. To heal one part is to heal the Whole. May we live humbly, tread lightly, and act reverently. May our breath be clean, our rivers clear, and our hearts pure. May our children inherit not just an Earth that works, but an Earth that prays. Authored by: Shambo Samrat Samajdar and Shashank R Joshi Why Arjun Was Chosen: The Untold Secret of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 3
News18
07-06-2025
- News18
'Trust Judiciary': Sharmistha's Father Thanks Calcutta Court After Daughter Gets Bail
Last Updated: Sharmistha Panoli, a social media influencer and law student, was granted bail by the Calcutta High Court. She was arrested for a video allegedly hurting religious sentiments. After social media influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli walked out of jail on Friday, her family erupted with joy with her father Prithvi expressing gratitude to judiciary. In a post on X, Prithvi shared the key lessons he learnt during controversy surrounding his daughter. Through his social media post, he conveyed that his trust in judiciary has even strengthened. 22-year-old influencer's father mentioned the faith he kept on himself, indicating hard times make people even more stronger. At the end, he also thanked god for protecting his daughter. Key lessons for me…1. Believe in yourself – You can move a mountain to protect your family.2. Trust Judiciary – Ultimately you WILL get Justice.3. Trust your advisers – @TajinderBagga @KabirSBose @SunainaHoley 4. Trust your team – From Sr. Adv. DP Singh Saab till… — Prithvi (@PrithviPanoli) June 6, 2025 'Key lessons for me…1. Believe in yourself – You can move a mountain to protect your family. 2. Trust Judiciary – Ultimately you WILL get Justice. 3. Trust your advisers – @TajinderBagga @KabirSBose @SunainaHoley 4. Trust your team – From Sr. Adv. DP Singh Saab till @kanchan_jajoo at the Legal firm.5. Above All Jai Siya Ram..!(sic)," Sharmistha's father tweeted. Sharmishta Panoli Gets Bail The law student walked out of a Kolkata jail, a day after Calcutta High Court granted her bail. After Sharmishta Panoli walked out of the Alipore Women's Correctional Home, her father had said she 'has learnt her lesson and will come out wiser". She was arrested on May 31 from Gurugram by Kolkata Police, based on a 15 May FIR against her at the Garden Reach Police Station over a social media video. Sharmishta was accused of hurting religious sentiments, promoting enmity on religious grounds, and intentional insults while talking about Operation Sindoor in a video she had posted on her Instagram page. Following massive uproar over her post, she had issued an unconditional apology on social media on 15 May. First Published:
India.com
05-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Not Brahmos, Akash or Trisul, India's first indigenously developed ballistic missile is named..., its range is...
Prithvi missile launch- File image India's first indigenously developed ballistic missile: During the recent India-Pakistan tensions, India used its much talked about BrahMos supersonic missile killing more than a hundred terrorists across nine terror camps of Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. While the Indo-Russian collaborated supersonic BrahMos missile grabbed all the attention, there are some historic ballistic missile systems of India that need a mention. This article is about the first indigenously developed ballistic missile of India, which started its service in 1994. Here are all the details you need to know about the historic missile. About Prithvi missile system The Prithvi missile is a tactical short range surface to surface ballistic missile which is in service from 1994. Deployed by the Strategic Forces Command, the missile has been developed by DRDO. It has three variants which give a range from 150–750 km with an accuracy ranging from <10 m CEP to 50 m CEP. Readers should note that Prithvi I was the first ballistic missile to be developed and tested with its first successful flight test PE-01 conducted on February 8, 1988. India's first indigenously developed ballistic missile The Prithvi missile, known as India's first indigenously developed ballistic missile was produced under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program(IGMDP). More notably, the famous missile project of India encompassed developing three variants for use by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. Prithvi missile system: Variant details Prithvi I (SS-150) – It is the Army version of the missile with a range of 150 km and a payload of 1,000 kgs. Prithvi II (SS-250) – It is the Air Force version of the missile with a range of 350 km and a payload of 500 kgs. Prithvi III (SS-350) – It is the Naval version of the missile with a range of 350 km and a payload of 1,000 kgs. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Prithvi missile In another significant mention, Former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam played a key role in the overall development and operationalization of both the Agni and Prithvi missiles.
New Indian Express
02-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Film producer Babu booked for allegations of fraud
BENGALURU: An FIR has been filed against Kannada film producer Soorappa Babu for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 67.5 lakh under the pretext of producing a film. According to the complaint, the woman claimed that Babu took Rs 92.5 lakh from her in phases in 2023, saying he was producing a film directed by K S Ravikumar and starring Shivarajkumar and Ganesh. However, after receiving the money, Babu became unreachable within a month. When she made enquiries, she discovered that no such project involving the said actors was underway. Upon confronting Babu, he returned Rs 25 lakh but refused to repay the remaining Rs 67.5 lakh. The FIR states that he told her, 'I don't have the money to return. Do whatever you want,' and allegedly issued threats. The woman alleged that Babu misused her trust and made false promises of film collaborations. Based on her complaint, a case of cheating and criminal intimidation has been registered at the Amruthahalli police station. Police said they are verifying the financial transactions and will issue a notice to Babu for questioning. Babu is known for producing films such as Kotigobba, Prithvi, and Kotigobba 2.
