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India ‘inaugurates new military airbase’ close to China border

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India ‘inaugurates new military airbase’ close to China border


This representational image shows a US Air Force (USAF) Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft takes part in a flying display during the 49th Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget airport near Paris June 24, 2011. — Reuters
This representational image shows a US Air Force (USAF) Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft takes part in a flying display during the 49th Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget airport near Paris June 24, 2011. — Reuters 
  • C-130J “lands” at 13,000 feet Mudh-Nyoma station in Ladakh.
  • New airbase capable of fighter operations: Air Marshal (retd) Kapoor.
  • airbase will add new challenge for both of “our adversaries”:  Kapoor.

NEW DELHI: India’s air force chief made the inaugural landing of a military transport aircraft at a new airbase capable of fighter jet operations close to the disputed Himalayan border with China, a defence official said on Thursday.

The move comes amid a thaw in ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours, following a milestone pact last October to ease military tension along their de facto border and a visit this year to China by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Air Chief Marshal A P Singh landed the C-130J aircraft on Wednesday at the Mudh-Nyoma air force station in Ladakh, perched at a height of about 13,000 feet (4,000m), added the official, who sought anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one.

The Indian Air Force and the defence ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The new airbase, the region’s third such key station, is just 30km (19 miles) from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

“This new airfield in Ladakh, capable of fighter operations, will add a new challenge for both of our adversaries,” retired Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor wrote on X, referring to neighbours China and Pakistan.

China has an airfield at a similar height, he added.

Mistrust persists between China and India despite the thaw, Indian analysts and officials say, with the Indian Army chief pointing this year to continued heightened troop presence and infrastructure build-up on the border by both sides.

India and China share a poorly demarcated border that stretches 3,800km (2,400 miles) and has been disputed since the 1950s. They fought a brief but brutal war over it in 1962.

Ties soured after a deadly border clash in 2020, before their 2024 pact brought a thaw and easing of some curbs, allowing resumption of direct flights and two-way visits.





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Those who dream of destroying Iran know nothing of its history: Pezeshkian

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Those who dream of destroying Iran know nothing of its history: Pezeshkian



President Masoud Pezeshkian says anyone who harbors the illusion of destroying Iran knows nothing about the country’s history and past.

Pezeshkian made the remarks in a post on his X account on Tuesday, saying Iran is the heir to a civilization with a history of at least 6,000 years.

“In the course of history, no power has been able to erase this renowned name.”

The Iranian president underscored the fact that the Iranian nation is fundamentally characterized by its enduring strength.

He said those who imagine they can destroy Iran are unaware of the country’s deep historical roots and legacy.

“Invaders have come and gone,” the president wrote, “but Iran has remained.”

The United Stated and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in the region.



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‘Significant portion’ of US-Israeli radar capabilities destroyed: Iran’s Army

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‘Significant portion’ of US-Israeli radar capabilities destroyed: Iran’s Army



Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have successfully neutralized a major part of the US-Israeli radar capabilities, making Israeli military sites more vulnerable to precision strikes, says a military spokesman.

Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia of the Iranian Army said on Tuesday that the destruction of these surveillance systems has allowed advanced Iranian drones to penetrate air defenses more easily than in the past.

“The Army’s indigenous and advanced drones, relying on modern technology and updated guidance systems, have performed effectively in destroying enemy positions,” General Akraminia said.

He said the Army and IRGC are now hitting enemy targets with “higher precision” due to the degradation of their early-warning systems.

According to intelligence assessments published by Iranian media outlets, approximately half of the radar systems used by US and Israeli forces in the region have been destroyed. The remaining half are reportedly suffering from severe interference and operational weaknesses.

The reports, quoting military sources, also suggest that the enemy is facing a critical shortage of munitions, having consumed 75% of their available stockpiles.

In response to the air defense vacuum, reports indicate the United States has begun transferring missile defense equipment from East Asia to the Middle East to compensate for the losses.

General Akraminia, in his remarks, also condemned the use of Iraqi airspace by American-Zionist forces.

He said despite objections from the Iraqi government, these forces continue to utilize the neighboring country’s skies to conduct aggression against Iran in violation of international law.

“The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to any aggression or threat proportionately, quickly, and decisively,” the spokesman said.



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Musk worth $839bn in new Forbes list

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Musk worth 9bn in new Forbes list


Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a visit at the companys electric car plant in Gruenheide near Berlin, eastern Germany, on March 13, 2024. — AFP
Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a visit at the company’s electric car plant in Gruenheide near Berlin, eastern Germany, on March 13, 2024. — AFP

Elon Musk is the wealthiest individual ever recorded, worth an estimated $839 billion, Forbes said on Tuesday, as a record 3,428 billionaires worldwide saw their combined fortunes surge to an all-time high of $20.1 trillion.

Musk topped the Forbes World’s Billionaires list for the second consecutive year after his fortune swelled by roughly $500 billion over the past twelve months, driven by rising valuations at Tesla and SpaceX, which is targeting a public offering in 2026.

He is the first person ever to surpass the $800 billion mark and is on course to become the world’s first trillionaire.

“It’s the year of the billionaire,” said Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes Senior Editor, Wealth. “The planet added more than one billionaire per day over the past twelve months as the AI-powered stock market boom boosted fortunes to previously unimaginable heights.”

The billionaire’s list showed that Larry Page, co-founder of Google, follows far behind Musk, standing at second place with an estimated net worth of $257 billion, followed by his co-founder Sergey Brin at number three with a net wealth of $237 billion.

Meanwhile, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos was spotted at number four with $224 billion, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, holding $222 billion, rounds out the top 5.

Forbes noted that US President Donald Trump’s fortune increased by 27%, to an estimated $6.5 billion, thanks largely to crypto dealings and his New York fraud penalty being thrown out. He ranks number 645 worldwide.





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