COUNTRY REVIEW

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Panetta: Insurgency rising because of weak political institutions and failing economy; Gates rules out any reconciliation with the Taliban till US-led forces gain decisive edge; 12 militants killed in US air strike in Ghazni

Pakistan

• US pledges aid worth $110 million for IDPs in Pakistan; UN urges international aid worth $543 million; Zardari: Victory is the only option while dealing with Taliban; Gilani: US should review policy of Drone attacks

Bhutan

• Bangladesh and West Bengal express interest in tapping Bhutan’s hydro power potential; UNHCR team visits Bhutanese refugee camps in eastern Nepal; 16th SAARC Summit to be held from April 28-29, 2010

Sri Lanka

• Prabakaran reported killed in military operations; Defence Secretary Rajapaksa: Army operations were conducted against terrorists; Russia, China, Japan and Vietnam express interest in assisting in rehabilitation and resettlement efforts

Maldives

• Maldives and Pakistan discuss defence cooperation; Maldivian Special Envoy on a tour of European countries to gather support ahead of Copenhagen Summit; Nasheed congratulates Rajapakse on successfully fighting terrorism

East and SouthEast Asia

Japan

• Putin and Aso sign energy and nuclear cooperation deals; Singapore urges Japan to play a more active role in Southeast Asia; Japanese Coast Guard: North Korea has ordered a ban on ships off its northeast coast

West Asia

Iran

• Iran test-fires Sejil-2 surface-to-surface missile; Obama: US “not going to have talks forever”; Guardian Council approves four candidates for June 12 presidential elections; Reformists hope for high turnout

Iraq

• Suicide bombs kill 21 and wound 34 in Shiite neighbourhood of Baghdad

UAE

• Obama approves civilian nuclear energy deal with UAE

MISSILES, SPACE, DEFENCE AND NUCLEAR REVIEW

Missiles and Space

• Agni-II successfully tested

Defence Issue
National

• Rafale back under contention for the MRCA Bid

• Tejas (LAC) to be inducted in IAF by 2010-11

• 16 MBT Arjun’s inducted in the Indian Army

International

• Boeing bags $38 million contract to develop counter-electronics HPM aerial demonstrator

• $601 million contract to BAE Systems for refurbishing Bradley fighting vehicles

• Boeing awarded Distributed Targeting (DT) system contract for US Navy's Hornets

• UUV-based sonar developed for safe and sound operation

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir

• Infiltration bid foiled along LoC in Kupwara district; PoK truck drivers smuggling SIM cards into Kashmir

Maoist Insurgency

• Maoists kill sixteen police personnel in Maharashtra

NorthEast Development

• Six NDFB militants killed in Assam; NSCN(IM) expanding its territorial influence in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh; Joint Monitoring Group set up for peace talks with KCP(MC) Lallumba group in Manipur