THE HEADLINES :
India and Australia reaffirm commitment towards further strengthening bilateral defence relations; Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh holds talks with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles.
Second two plus two Ministerial Dialogue between India and Australia underway in New Delhi.
Top leaders of political parties engage in extensive campaign with assembly elections in Rajasthan and Telangana a few days away.
Election Commission makes seizures worth over one thousand 760 crore rupees since announcement of assembly elections in five states.
NIA registers case against listed terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for threatening Air India passengers in viral video.
And, 54th International Film Festival of India begins in Goa with glittering opening ceremony.
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India and Australia today reaffirmed their commitment towards further strengthening bilateral defence relations. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles in New Delhi this evening. The Raksha Mantri emphasised that the forces of the two countries should also look towards cooperating in niche training areas like Artificial Intelligence, anti-submarine and anti-drone warfare and cyber domain.
The Defence Ministry said in a statement that both Ministers underscored the importance of further enhancing cooperation in information exchange and maritime domain awareness between the two countries. The two sides are also in an advanced stage of discussion to conclude implementing arrangements on Hydrography Cooperation and cooperation for air-to-air refueling.
The Raksha Mantri suggested that shipbuilding, ship repair and maintenance and aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul could be the potential areas of collaboration. The two ministers concurred that a strong India-Australia defence partnership will augur well not just for the mutual benefit of the two countries but also for the overall security of the Indo-Pacific.
Dr Jaishankar also held a meeting with the Australian Defence Minister. In a social media post, the External Affairs Minister said they spoke about recent developments that influence the Indo-Pacific strategic scenario and also exchanged views on West Asia.
Meanwhile, the second two plus two Ministerial dialogue between India and Australia is underway in New Delhi. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar are co chairing the meeting with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.
The External Affairs Ministry said the Ministers will exchange views on deepening multifaceted India-Australia ties in several areas.
Political parties are leaving no stone unturned to influence the electorate with assembly elections in Rajasthan and Telangana just a few days away. Star campaigners of parties are tirelessly engaged in extensive campaigns, addressing public meetings and conducting roadshows to connect with voters and garner support.
In Rajasthan, BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed public meetings in Pali and Pilibanga today. He said that Rajesthan needs a government which gives top priority to the people.
BJP National President JP Nadda addressed public meetings at various places in the state. BJP leader Yogi Adityanath addressed a public meeting in Amer near Jaipur.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held election rallies in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh. He enumerated the achievements of the Congress government in the state. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot held public meetings for party candidates at various places in Tonk, Pali and Jodhpur. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also campaigned for party candidates in Kekri and Jahazpur. Polling for 199 assembly seats in Rajasthan will be held on the 25th of this month. More from Our correspondent:
"Public meetings and road shows of senior leaders are taking place daily, on the other hand, candidates are also busy in campaigning at their own level. Candidates are also taking the help of social media and voice calls for campaigning. Meanwhile, political equations are the main topic of discussion at streets and other places. Jitendra Dwivedi, Akashwani News, Jaipur."
Meanwhile, the second phase of the home voting facility for the elderly and Divyagjans started in Rajasthan, today. In the first phase, 60 thousand 424 voters across the state cast their votes from home.
In Telangana, top leaders of national and regional parties are crisscrossing the state to woo the voters. The 119-member state legislative assembly will go to polls on the 30th of this month. Senior BJP leader Amit Shah addressed the Sakala Janula Vijaya Sankalpa Sabhas in Janagaon and Korutla. He promised to provide remunerative price to turmeric farmers, if BJP is voted to power. Our Correspondent gives more details:
BJP senior leaders Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari held electioneering in support of the party candidates. BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao urged people not to be fooled once again by trusting the Congress. He addressed public meetings at Manakondur, Station Ghanpur, Nakrekal and Nalgonda. Pradesh Congress President Revanth Reddy, who addressed rallies at Narsapur and Parakal alleged that KCR made the State No. 1 only in unemployment and farmers suicides. BSP Telangana president RS Praveen Kumar assured youth that his party will create 10 lakh jobs, if voted to power in the state. Lakshmi, Akashvani News, Hyderabad."
The Election Commission of India (ECI) informed that seizures worth over one thousand 760 crore rupees have been made in the five poll going states since the announcement of elections. This is more than seven times the seizures of around 215 crore rupees made in previous assembly elections in the States of Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana in 2018. So far the highest of nearly 659 crore rupees of seizures was made in Telangana, followed by 650 crore rupees in Rajasthan and 323 crore rupees in Madhya Pradesh.
The Election Commission has appealed to all eligible citizens to enrol and correct their details in the electoral rolls as the Special Summary Revision (SSR) 2024 will continue till the 9th of next month. In a post on the social media platform, ECI said under SSR 2024 citizens can enrol or correct their Voter ID details, including updates of addresses in the Voters List. This revision of the electoral rolls, SSR 2024, is important considering the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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The National Investigation Agency has registered a case against ‘listed individual terrorist’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The case has been registered for his latest viral video threatening the passengers flying with Air India Airlines and closure of the operations of the airline.
According to the NIA, Pannun also threatened that Air India would not be allowed to operate in the world. The NIA said, that as part of his concerted plan to promote terror acts in India, Pannun has been creating a false narrative around the issues prevailing in the state of Punjab. The latest threat is in line with the same narrative.
The National Investigation Agency today arrested one more accused in the Visakhapatnam espionage case involving leakage of classified defence information through a Pakistani ISI spying network. With his arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the case stands at three.
In Uttarakhand, Relief and rescue operations continue on a war footing to safely evacuate 41 workers trapped in the debris after the collapse of the under-construction Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi district. Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, Manish Khalkho said a six-inch wide pipe has been ed 53 meters deep inside the tunnel, so that food, medicines and other essential items can be easily delivered to the workers trapped inside.
The Administration is in contact with the workers trapped in the tunnel and all the people are reported to be safe. These workers have been trapped in the sunken part of the tunnel since the 12th of this month.
The 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) began today in Goa. The opening ceremony was held at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Bambolim this evening. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the 9-day event. The opening movie of this year’s IFFI was British film ‘Catching Dust’. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Thakur said that Indian media and entertainment industry, with an annual growth rate of 20 percent, is hailed as the fifth-largest and most globalized industry in the world.
Mr Thakur said, this year’s IFFI has received 2926 entries from 105 countries, which is three times more international submissions than last year. He said, IFFI has started OTT Awards from this year, to recognise excellence in OTT series and films. In a significant move, Mr Thakur announced that the incentive for foreign film production has been enhanced from 30 to 40 percent.
Minister of State for Information of Broadcasting L Murugan and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant were among a host of dignitaries who attended the opening ceremony. Mr Thakur also inaugurated the Film Bazaar organised alongside IFFI every year. Veteran actor Madhuri Dixit was honoured with 'Special Recognition for Contribution to Bhartiya Cinema' award. Film stars Shahid Kapoor, Shriya Sharan, Nushratt Bharucha, Pankaj Tripathi, Shantanu Moitra, Shreya Ghosal and Sukhwinder Singh mesmerised the audience with their scintillating performances at the star-studded opening ceremony.
Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is going on in different parts of the country. Under the Yatra, the Information, Education and Communication Vans with the aim to generate awareness regarding the Central government’s flagship welfare programmes and policies, are reaching every corner of the country.
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Dr.Tamilisai Soundararajan delivered a special address during the inauguration of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra -Rural today at TN Palayam village in the Ariyankuppam Commune of Puducherry district. Speaking at the event, Dr Soundararajan said, holistic development is possible if the Central and State Governments work jointly for the people.
In West Bengal, the Yatra is going on in four districts.
Speaking at a grand camp arranged in Palghar district of Maharashtra, as part of the Yatra, Union Minister Kapil Patil said Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the campaign as he believes that India can develop only when its villages are developed.
Minister of State for Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi today said that the strength of the country lies in the younger generation. She was speaking at the 'Innovations For Equality Conference cum Exhibition' marking World Children's day in New Delhi. Talking to Akashvani News, Ms. Lekhi said that science and technology is the way forward to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a developed nation by 2047.
An Indian Media Delegation met with Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General of ASEAN, as part of the ASEAN-India Media Exchange Programme in Indonesia's capital Jakarta. Addressing the Indian media delegates, the Secretary General underscored the significance ASEAN places on its relationship with India.
AND NOW BEFORE WE END THE BULLETIN, THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
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THAT IS ALL IN THE NEWS AT NINE GOOD NIGHT.