The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, has approved 10 capital acquisition proposals worth Rs 1.45 lakh crore to enhance defence preparedness. Of the total cost, 99 per cent is from indigenous sources under Buy (Indian) and Buy (lndian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) categories. According to an official statement, “For modernisation of the tank fleet of the Indian Army, the proposal for procurement of Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs) has been cleared.” The FRCV will be a futuristic main battle tank with superior mobility, all terrain ability, multilayered protections, precision and lethal fires over and real-time situational awareness.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Brunei Darussalam Tuesday afternoon, in the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister. Ahead of his departure, PM Modi had stated: “Today, I am embarking on a first-ever bilateral visit to Brunei Darussalam. As we celebrate the 40 years of our diplomatic relations, I look forward to my meetings with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other esteemed members of the Royal family to advance our historical relationship to new heights.”
The meeting comes days after former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren joined the BJP after resigning from the JMM citing dissatisfaction with the party’s current style of functioning and “bitter humiliation”. Soren met Kharge and Gandhi at the Congress president’s residence here. Congress general secretary organisation K C Venugopal and Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren were also present during the meeting.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival on an official visit to Singapore, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday said the time is ripe for the two countries to take their bilateral relationship to the next level. “Given the transformation underway in India and the changes in the world, they need to become more contemporary. In many ways, that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen to visit Singapore so early in his third term,” The Straits Times quoted Jaishankar as saying in an interview.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier stated that a session of State Assembly will be called on Tuesday and a bill would be passed to ensure capital punishment for those convicted of rape. Banerjee added that the bill would be sent to Governor CV Ananda Bose.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is expected to approve the purchase of 26 Rafale-Maritime fighter jets for the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on Tuesday. Following the adoption of the final amendment, a committee will be convened to negotiate the cost of this acquisition, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
A meeting was called in the national capital under the chairmanship of BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda to discuss the list of candidates in depth for the Haryana Assembly elections. During the meeting held at the BJP HQ Extension office on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with several veteran leaders of Haryana were present. However, Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini was not present at the meeting. The meeting on the Haryana Assembly elections lasted for about 3:30 hours, the party sources said. Discussions have been taking place in the BJP regarding the names of candidates for the Haryana Assembly elections. After the conclusion of the launch program of the party’s National Membership Campaign, several other important leaders including Haryana State Election In-charge and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Haryana State Election Co-In-Charge and former Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb, Haryana State President Mohan Lal Badauli, Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister and MP from Haryana Rao Indrajit Singh, Satish Punia and Surendra Nagar were present in the meeting. The first list of the candidates will be released soon by BJP.
Pope Francis is heading to Indonesia to start the longest trip of his pontificate, hoping to encourage its Catholic community and celebrate the tradition of interfaith harmony in a country with the world’s largest Muslim population. Francis plans to take a rest day upon arrival Tuesday in Jakarta, given the overnight flight from Rome and the rigors of an 11-day voyage zigzagging across time zones that will also take him to Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.
 "India reiterates opposition to China’s Belt and Road Initiative at SCO meet | External Affairs Defence Security News")
 "Trade deficit eases to $20.8 bn in Sept amid geopolitical challenges | Economy & Policy News")
