Adani Defense and Aerospace on Saturday handed over the first batch of 2,000 ‘Prahar’ light machine guns (LMG). Indian Army In Gwalior, a large-scale order for about 40,000 weapons under the ‘Make in India’ initiative marked an initial milestone. The objective of this handover is to boost the frontline lethality of the Army along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LOC).The consignment was sent from the company’s small arms manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Gwalior, about 11 months ahead of schedule.The formal green flag was conducted by A Anbarasu, Director General (Acquisition) in the Defense Ministry, who appreciated the timely completion of the project.Flagging off the first consignment, he said, “The journey that begins today took us six years from the time we submitted the bid and we have delivered the first consignment 11 months ahead of schedule.”Prahar LMG: Key SpecificationsThe Prahar LMG is a 7.62 mm-calibre weapon with an effective range of 1,000 metres.

increase production

Adani Defense is set to increase production to around 1,000 LMG per month from April 2026, with the aim of completing the entire order within three years – much ahead of the original seven-year deadline.CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said the project represents much more than just a contract:“The original timeline was more than seven years, but I can assure you that in the next three years, the entire order will be delivered.”Rajvanshi said the program underlines Adani’s transformation into a full-scale original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for small arms.“It took us six years to get to this point…With team persistence and policy support, we have transitioned from a component manufacturer to a full gun OEM.”The 100-acre Gwalior facility integrates:

Expanding capabilities and future plans

The company’s vision extends beyond the Prahaar project to developing a comprehensive ecosystem for indigenous small arms in India. Future production lines will include assault rifles, sniper systems, carbines, pistols, and close-quarter battle (CQB) weapons.Positioned as a key node in India’s emerging defense manufacturing landscape, the Gwalior plant is expected to serve both domestic and export markets, supporting the government’s broader goals of self-reliance under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

Defense Minister -Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the Center is “committed to the safety of the Indian people” as the government stepped up monitoring of energy supplies and essential commodities amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.In a post on X after chairing the high-level review, Singh wrote: “An IGOM (Informal Group of Ministers) meeting consisting of several senior ministers was held today to review the risks to energy supply, domestic availability of essential commodities, resilience of critical infrastructure and the robustness of India’s supply chains in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.”He further said, “There was an in-depth discussion on all the steps being taken by the Government of India. The NDA government under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to protecting the Indian people from any impact of the conflict.”The meeting marked the first formal review by an informal group of ministers as concerns grow globally over conflict-related supply disruptions. Officials assessed vulnerabilities in fuel supplies, logistics networks and key infrastructure, while the government continued to reassure citizens about availability.Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a virtual meeting with Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors, focusing on preparedness and coordination between the Center and states. He called for vigilance and an integrated approach, drawing parallels with the way India has dealt with previous global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic.The Prime Minister said the situation remains dynamic and requires constant monitoring, noting that an inter-ministerial mechanism is already reviewing developments on a daily basis. He stressed that maintaining energy security, stabilizing trade and protecting citizens remain top priorities.During the discussion, Singh also pointed to the measures being taken to ease pressure on households, including ensuring timely LPG availability and reducing excise duty on petrol and diesel. He urged states and union territories to work closely with the Center to ensure seamless implementation on the ground.The Center has said there is no immediate shortage of fuel or essential commodities, while the External Affairs Ministry continues to monitor the safety of Indian nationals in the area.

New Delhi: India on Friday reiterated its support to Bangladesh in its bid to bring justice to Bangladesh over atrocities committed by Pakistan during the 1971 military action, saying Islamabad continues to deny its crimes.The comments came as Bangladesh observed March 25 as Genocide Day, remembering one of the darkest chapters of its history. On that day in 1971, Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight to crush the Bangladeshi nationalist movement.At his weekly media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are all aware of the horrific atrocities committed by Pakistan during ‘Operation Searchlight’ in 1971. The genocide included the systematic and targeted killing of millions of innocent Bangladeshi people and large-scale sexual crimes against women.”He said, “It forced millions of people to flee the country and seek refuge in India as refugees. These atrocities shocked the conscience of the world. However, Pakistan still denies its crimes even today.”Jaiswal said India supports Bangladesh in its “desire for justice”.New Delhi’s comments come three days after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman described Operation Searchlight against unarmed Bangladeshi people as “one of the most heinous massacres in history”.In a social media post a day before the massacre day, Rehman recalled the military action taken by Pakistani forces.“In the history of freedom-loving Bangladesh, 25 March 1971 is one of the most humiliating and cruel days. “On that dark night, Pakistani occupation forces carried out one of the most heinous massacres in history against the unarmed people of Bangladesh in the name of ‘Operation Searchlight’,” he said.Calling it a planned attack, Rehman said the March 25 “massacre” was a pre-planned massacre.India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, marked by the surrender of over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers on 16 December, ended violence and led to the birth of Bangladesh as an independent country.

CR Kesavan, left, and Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan on Saturday attacked the Congress in Tamil Nadu and alleged that the party was facing “deep divisions” after MP Jothimani publicly raised concerns over the lack of transparency in constituency selection ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.In a post on Twitter, Kesavan said the developments reflect a larger pattern within the party and also took a dig at the DMK-Congress alliance in the state.“Rahul Gandhi’s Congress is a badly divided house and is in complete disarray in Tamil Nadu. His party MPs from TN are now publicly attacking the Congress leadership for not having transparency. There is a definite pattern to this. Rahul Gandhi’s key man in the Bihar elections was cornered by Congress workers for allegedly selling tickets. This is why the compromised Congress has lost its credibility among the people across the country. The opportunistic DMK-Congress alliance has disintegrated, and the misgovernance of the disaster model DMK government, which has been one of the worst governance in the history of Tamil Nadu, will be unequivocally rejected by the people in the coming elections,” the BJP leader wrote.Kesavan’s comments came after Jothimani publicly questioned the Congress party’s constituency selection process, alleging that the decisions were taken in a “highly secretive manner” and that the welfare of the party was compromised.“There is absolutely no transparency in the constituency selection of the Congress Party. Our view that constituency selection should be done only after transparency and extensive discussion has not been accepted by the responsible leaders. Everything happened in a highly confidential manner. The welfare of the Congress Party has been completely compromised. It is heartbreaking to see some people, who did not even bother to pluck a feather from the decades-old hard work of genuine Congress Party workers like us for the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, now Selling it,” Jothimani wrote on X.He also warned that if the same approach is adopted during candidate selection, the party may have to face serious consequences in Tamil Nadu.“In the face of this terrible situation, no one can remain silent without raising questions. There are not only responsible leaders, state presidents and legislative party leaders in the party. It is the emotions and hard work of lakhs of workers that makes the party. After the list is released, we can discuss it in detail.” If candidate selection is also going to be done with this sales approach, then no one can save the Congress party in Tamil Nadu.“This political development comes as the DMK alliance continues preparations for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has announced that its ‘rising sun’ symbol will contest elections in around 175 constituencies in the state.So far, the DMK alliance has allocated seats to nine parties, including Congress (28), MDMK (4), IUML (2), MMK (2), KMDK (2), CPI (5), CPM (5), VCK (8), and DMDK (10). A total of 66 seats have been allotted to the allies, of which seven will be contested under the DMK symbol.With the expected remaining allocation, the DMK will directly contest 168 seats, while ally candidates on seven seats will also contest under the Rising Sun symbol, making a total of 175 seats under the DMK symbol.Tamil Nadu will go to polls in a single phase on April 23 and counting of votes will take place on May 4.