The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the indigenous ‘Kusha’ Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.

The missile was tested against an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude aerial threat and successfully intercepted it, the Defence Ministry said.

According to the ministry, the ‘Kusha’ missile system is designed to neutralise a wide range of aerial threats, including fighter aircraft, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and large enemy aircraft across a broad range and altitude envelope. The entire weapon system, including the missile, radars and command-and-control centre, has been developed by various DRDO laboratories in collaboration with industry partners.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the successful maiden flight as a major milestone for India’s defence research and development programme, saying it demonstrated the country’s capability to develop an advanced long-range surface-to-air missile system—a capability possessed by only a handful of nations.

He said the indigenous system would significantly reduce India’s dependence on imports for such air defence platforms and mark a major boost to the country’s air defence capability. Defence Secretary and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh monitored the launch and congratulated the scientists, engineers and industry partners involved in the successful flight test.

New Delhi, Jul 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Thursday that a bill containing provisions for strong action against paper leaks will be introduced in Parliament next week.

In a video message, Modi also said the contours of the bill will be discussed at a meeting of the Union Cabinet to be held on Friday, where the proposed legislation will be finalised.

“The cabinet will discuss the issue of paper leaks on Friday and taking suggestions of the cabinet colleagues, further action would be finalised.

“On Monday, when the second week of the Monsoon session of Parliament will begin, a bill will be brought with provisions for strong action against paper leaks and we will try to pass it as early as possible,” he said.

The prime minister said he knows that paper leaks are not a small issue and for lakhs of students and their guardians, such incidents are extremely painful.

Therefore, since allegations of NEET paper leak surfaced about two-and-a-half months ago, several strong steps have been taken, he added.

“The guilty have been caught. They are now in jail. Our most significant responsibility was to ensure that the students do not lose a year. It was necessary to hold the examination immediately. By using all resources, the government has ensured that 22 lakhs students could attend the retest,” he said.

Modi said the results of the medical-entrance re-test were declared on July 19 and from across India, there have been reports of happiness from those who were successful.

The prime minister said he is not among those who would be satisfied with this.

“That is why I have given directions to the authorities concerned to set up fast-track courts. The fast-track courts have already been established,” he said.

New Delhi, Jul 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday emphasised that nothing was more important than the welfare and future of the youth.

PM Modi said that the government had decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks.

The PM said that he had directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard, adding that this continues a series of measures aimed at safeguarding the interests of students.

He firmly asserted that those who try to harm the future of the youth would not be spared.

In a post on X, PM Modi said: “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students. Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared.”

New Delhi, Jul 23: A delegation of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will meet with government ministers on Friday, sources said.

The meeting will take place at 12.30 pm, but its venue has not been disclosed.

This comes after intense backroom negotiations to end the deadlock over the NEET paper leak, the sources said.

The CJP has been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar here over the NEET paper leak, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and an overhaul of education system.

New Delhi, Jul 23: Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday urged supporters of the ongoing students’ movement to remain peaceful, saying he was pained by reports that “anti-social elements” were trying to provoke violence elsewhere while the protest at Jantar Mantar remained “peaceful”.

Marking the 26th day of his indefinite hunger strike, Wangchuk said in a post on X, “Peace and only peace is my way.”

“While at Jantar Mantar the protests remain peaceful, I’m pained to learn that elsewhere some antisocial elements are taking advantage of the peaceful protests to provoke violence,” he said.

“No matter what the other side does our response must only be flowers. Please keep this tradition at all costs,” Wangchuk added.

His appeal came days after the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march, during which the Delhi Police stopped thousands of protesters from marching towards Parliament by using tear gas and baton charges. Protesters have also alleged the use of pellet guns and tasers.

In the aftermath of the crackdown, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) alleged that attempts were being made to portray the student movement as violent and to link it with incidents elsewhere in the national capital. The allegations were rejected by the police.

Earlier in the day, Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo also defended the protesters, saying it was “deeply painful” to see students being portrayed negatively.

In another post on X later in the day, Angmo praised the conduct of the young protesters.

“Watching India’s Gen Z over the past few days has filled me with hope,” she said, adding that they had “looked after strangers like family, shared food and water, cleaned and swept their own protest sites, cared for the elderly, sung Jana Gana Mana and songs of hope together, stayed disciplined under immense provocation” and kept the movement alive through “countless acts of selfless service”.

“If this is the generation we have raised, India’s future is in safe hands. Indian Gen Z… you are not just the future of this country. You are role models to the world,” she said, while thanking parents for raising “compassionate, responsible and courageous citizens”.

The CJP-led agitation began on June 20, demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Wangchuk, who joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite hunger strike since then, is currently admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He has offered to end his fast if the Centre assures that no punitive action will be taken against peaceful protesters who participated in the movement.