Saturday, October 4, 2025 | Vol. 68 No. 310 | 40 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation MULTI-LAYERED | IAF chief says the Indian version of the Iron Dome is being developed in collaboration with the DRDO and private defence manufacturers WORK HAS BEGUN ON ‘SUDARSHAN CHAKRA’ Agencies NEW DELHI India has officially begun work on its indigenous version of the Iron Dome, named Sudarshan Chakra, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh announced on Friday. The system, being developed with DRDO and private defence manufacturers, will be integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and aims to provide a multilayered shield against missiles, drones, and enemy aircraft. Emphasising the urgency of self-reliance in defence technology, the IAF chief said, “We have already put our heads together in this along with DRDO, we have started working towards developing a system which will of course have our own integrated air command and control system at the heart of this.” The announcement came during a press conference ahead of Air Force Day, where the chief also detailed India’s recent Operation Sin- door. Singh revealed that in the strikes carried out between May 7 and 10, at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft were destroyed or damaged. These included 4 to 5 fighters, most likely F-16s hit on the ground, one C-130 class transport, one AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) class aircraft, and other high-tech fighters between F-16 and JF-17 class. Intelligence also confirmed one long-range strike of over 300 km, hitting an AEW&C or SI- GINT reconnaissance plane. “In hangars as well as on tarmac, we have signs of one C-130 class of aircraft, one AEW&C class of aircraft and at least four to five fighter aircraft, most likely F-16, were hit on the ground,” he said. Reports of damage to Pakistan’s F-16 jets in hangars were known, but this was the first time the IAF confirmed hitting the US-manufactured jet in the air. The JF-17 is a Chinese-origin jet. This time, we will take a step forward and act in a manner that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to remain on the world map or not. General Upendra Dwivedi, Army chief ANUPGARH/JAIPUR In a strong warning to Pakistan, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday declared that India will not show the restraint it exercised during Operation Sindoor if there is another military conflict, and said Pakistan must stop sponsor- ing terrorism if it wants to retain its place on the world map. Addressing soldiers in Anupgarh in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district, General Dwivedi urged troops to remain fully prepared, stressing that India is ready to take stronger action in the future. “India, as a country, is fully prepared this time. And this time, it will not show the restraint that it showed during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time, we will take a step forward and act in a manner that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to remain on the world map or not,” he said in a sternly worded address. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Wangchuk’s wife files habeas corpus plea FPJ News Service NEW DELHI Climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, has approached the Supreme Court challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and seeking his immediate re- lease. The writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution was filed on October 2 through senior lawyer Vivek Tankha and advocate Sarvam Ritam Khare. Angmo has sought urgent listing of the habeas corpus plea, which is a legal request asking a court to check whether a person’s detention is lawful. If the court finds it illegal or without valid cause, it can order the person’s immediate release, a direction to the Ladakh administration to produce her husband before the apex court, and immediate access to him both telephonically and in person. 4Contd on | nation KARUR DEATHS HC sacks Navi Mumbai airport MADRAS HC two judges named after DB Patil SETS UP SIT Ravikiran Deshmukh FOR PROBE MUMBAI N Chithra In an unprecedented crackdown on misconduct within the judiciary, the Bombay High Court has dismissed two senior district-level judges for serious lapses in conduct. Both were relieved from service with immediate effect on October 1. The judges in question are Dhananjay L. Nikam, District Judge-3 and Additional Sessions Judge at Satara, and Irfan R. Shaikh, formerly Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Ballard Pier, later posted as Civil Judge (Senior Division) at Palghar. Their dismissals, approved at the highest levels, mark one of the rare instances of such decisive action against sitting judicial officers. 4Contd on | nation CHENNAI FPJ News Service MUMBAI Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced that the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after late leader and social activist DB Patil, who is remembered for his role in ensuring fair compensation to families displaced by the project. “While granting permission for the airport construction earlier, the Centre had approved the name ‘Navi Mumbai International Airport’. With the renaming, it will now officially be known as ‘Loknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport’. PM Narendra Modi has approved the proposal,” Fadnavis said. He added that similar approvals are expected soon for renaming two other airports in the state. Pune airport will be named after Jagadguru Sant Tukaram, while the Aurangabad airport—located in a district already renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar— will be named after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Days after the stampede at actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur left 41 people dead and scores injured, the Madras High Court on Friday came down heavily on the party leadership while ordering a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the tragedy. A bench led by Justice N Senthilkumar constituted the SIT under Inspector-General of Police (North) Asra Garg and directed the Karur police to hand over all case papers, evidence and materials without delay. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation TCS hiring process under US lens FPJ News Service MUMBAI These are the days of geoeconomics, and multinational companies, including India’s Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) can no longer confine themselves to traditional economics and unjustifiable hire and fire practices. India’s multinational IT firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), with a highly skilled workforce of over 600,000 employees in 55 countries, is under the microscope of the US senators. This unexpected, but challenging clash, is taking place at a crucial time when India and the US are continuing the much-publicised marathon trade negotiations to success- fully conclude an interim bilateral trade deal. In a recent letter to TCS CEO K Krithivasan, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley and ranking member FPJ News Service MUMBAI Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday underlined that India has proved, time and again, its ability to cross borders whenever required to protect its citizens and uphold national integrity. Speaking at the JITO Connect event organised by the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) in Hyderabad, Singh cited the 2016 surgical strike, the 2019 Balakot airstrike and the recent Op Sindoor as clear demonstrations of this resolve. He recalled how innocent pilgrims were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack for their religious identity, but stressed that India did not see religion when it acted against Pakistan. Next time, no restraint: Army chief FPJ News Service ‘Will cross borders if unity threatened’ Richard Durbin noted that the company has announced plans to layoff over 12,000 employees worldwide, including American staff. According to the letter, TCS laid off nearly five dozen employees in its Jacksonville office alone. Reportedly TCS was already under investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly firing older American workers in favour of newly hired South-Asian H-1B employees. 4Contd on | nation Putin stresses durability of ties with Modi, India Agencies MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “balanced, wise” and “nationally oriented” leader while asserting that India will never bow to external pressure, despite punitive US tariffs on its exports. Speaking at the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, the Russian leader hit out at Washington over its attempts to dissuade New Delhi from buying Russian crude oil. He referred to Prime Min- There is no political aspect here... If India refuses our energy supplies, it will suffer certain losses. Estimates vary; some say it could be around $9-10 billion. But if it doesn't refuse, sanctions will be imposed, and the loss will be the same. So why refuse if it also carries domestic political costs? Vladimir Putin, Russian President ister Narendra Modi as his friend, noting that he feels comfortable in their trustworthy interactions. “I am looking forward to my trip in early December. And I highly await my meeting with my dear friend, with our trustworthy partner with Prime Minister Modi," Putin said. He emphasised that India’s import of Russian oil was a matter of “purely an economic calculation.” 4Contd on | nation 4See also | world HC bins Anil Ambani’s plea Urvi Mahajani MUMBAI In a major setback to industrialist Anil Ambani, the Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed his plea challenging the State Bank of India’s (SBI) decision to classify his loan account as “fraudulent.” The account pertained to his firm, Reliance Communications (RCom), which is already under insolvency proceedings. A bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela K Gok- hale rejected Ambani’s petition, stating: “There is no merit in the petition. Petition is dismissed.” SBI issued the order in June this year, following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) master circular that allowed banks to classify any account as fraudulent and provided guidelines for the process. 4Contd on | nation