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N-capable Agni-3 missile test-fired successfullyAdvertisement
India on Friday successfully test-fired the 3,500-km-range ballistic missile, the Agni-3, which is capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: “Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile ‘Agni-3’ was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha.” The launch validated all operational and technical parametres. It was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, the MoD said. Internationally, the intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) are classified as 5,000-km range. India has already completed its nuclear triad and operationalised its second-strike capability, with nuclear ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant undertaking deterrence patrols. A nuclear triad is a three-pronged military structure that consists of land-launched nuclear missiles, nuclear submarines and aircraft with nuclear missiles. A second-strike capability assures an ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful nuclear retaliation.
RBI keeps interest rates unchanged after US trade deal boosts outlook
The Reserve Bank of India kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Friday, as expected, as inflation remained at manageable levels, and growth concerns eased following trade agreements with the US and the European Union. The central bank's six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to keep the repurchase, or repo rate, at 5.25 per cent. The RBI retained its neutral policy stance, signalling rates will stay low for some time. US President Donald Trump earlier this week announced a cut in tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, easing a key pressure point on India's economy and markets. The RBI has cut rates by a total of 125 basis points since February 2025, marking its most aggressive easing cycle since 2019. It reduced rates by 25 basis points at its previous meeting in December. While the inflation remains benign, economic activity remains resilient.
MoD to procure 30 radars to detect low-flying targets
The Ministry of Defence is looking to procure 30 radars to detect low-flying aerial targets—including UAVs and helicopters. Called the ‘low level light weight radar (LLLWR), the Ministry of Defence has asked Indian vendors to submit their proposals – which is the second step in the acquisition process. The radars would be filling in the gaps in air defence networks and provide an early warning and tracking for targets at low to medium altitudes. The MoD envisages the LLLWR to be a surveillance system for scanning the air space, detect, track and prioritise targets based on threats and provide 3D imagery. A LLLWR typically operates in hilly, mountainous terrain, or even on buildings, often filling gaps left by larger, long-range radars. Being lightweight and compact enough it can be transported by men, vehicles, or helicopters to remote locations. The MoD says “the radars should provide continuous 3D surveillance of friendly and hostile aerial targets in the area of responsibility. The radar should comprise of a three-dimensional (3D) Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology search antenna based on Gallium Nitrate (GaN) modules and be able to detect aerial targets up to 50 Km.
Indians faced max cyber frauds in Cambodia, Myanmar, US Advertisement
Cambodia, Myanmar and the United States emerged as the top three countries where Indian nationals faced cyber threatening and blackmailing in 2025, according to data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Parliament. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the government had received a sharp spike in complaints from distressed Indian families living abroad, particularly from Southeast Asia, over the past two years. Official figures show that Cambodia accounted for the highest number of complaints in 2025, with 1,300 cases reported, followed by Myanmar with 1,863 cases and the United States with 613 cases. The data highlights a dramatic rise from previous years, indicating the growing scale of cyber fraud rackets and coercive operations targeting Indian nationals overseas. The trend has been especially pronounced in Cambodia and Myanmar. While Cambodia recorded no complaints in 2021, the numbers rose steadily from 44 in 2022 to 207 in 2023, before surging to 982 in 2024 and 1,300 in 2025. Myanmar, too, witnessed a volatile pattern, with 399 cases in 2022, 83 in 2023, 203 in 2024 and a steep jump to 1,863 cases last year. Other countries reporting complaints in 2025 include Germany (15), Japan (7), Australia (5), Canada (5), Sri Lanka (50) and the United Kingdom (nil). The figures underline that while the problem is global, it is concentrated in a few high-risk locations. Responding to concerns over the safety and welfare of Indians abroad, the MEA said it has put in place multiple mechanisms to assist distressed nationals. These include the e-Migrate and MADAD portals, Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana, Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras, 24x7 helplines and regular open houses at Indian missions.
