INDIA INTELLIGENCE REPORT

 

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India test fires supersonic
missile for naval use

What is India News Service, Wednesday, 3 November 2004, 2000 hrs IST

Brahmos, the supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia, was flight tested from the Bay of Bengal off the Orissa coast on Wednesday, defence sources said. 

The naval version of the missile was test fired from the Indian navy's destroyer 'INS Rajput' at around 1118 hrs, IST. 

Essentially an anti-ship missile, Brahmos can also hit targets on land, the sources said. 

Besides, the missile, which has multi-target capability and enjoys a manoeuverable trajectory, can be fired from a mobile platform on land.

Left asks NDA partners to part ways with \91communal\92 BJP: Karat and Singh maintained that any alliance with the BJP would destroy the credibility of secular formations.

Constable\92s death raises doubts about peace talks: Varavara Rao, Gaddar and Kalyan Rao said the second round of peace talks should focus on land, self-sufficiency of tribals and welfare of women, minorities and Dalits.

Cong floats VRS to trim HQ flab: The Congress is doing what no political party has dared to do so far. To reduce the overload at its Akbar Road headquarters and enhance efficiency, the Congress is offering the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to 273 employees. There is no word on how many takers the party's got so far.

Vajpayee advocates small states: The former prime minister says small states can achieve fast development and good governance.

SC orders inspection of slaughter houses: The apex court\92s attention was drawn to the insensitive manner in which animals were being transported to slaughter house

Buta Singh is Bihar Governor: After years of hibernation and a brief stint in the erstwhile BJP-led NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Union Minister Buta Singh has been appointed the Governor of Bihar.
 
States

Free-for-all in Orissa Assembly, CM injured: The Orissa Assembly today witnessed bedlam and a scuffle between the treasury bench and opposition members in which Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik suffered a minor injury and a Congress MLA was suspended for the rest of the session for hurling his chappals into the visitors\92 gallery.

HC instructs cops on ABC of investigation: Washing its hands of investigating cases and conveniently filing closure reports would soon be a thing of the past for the Delhi police. 

Officials\92 laxity makes thousands go without salary: Thousands of Punjab Government employees belonging to 27 departments all over the state have been penalised with their salary for October being withheld because their drawing and disbursement officers have not reconciled the records of the Group Insurance Scheme (GIS) of the employees with the district treasury offices concerned. 

Neighbours

Kashmir on mind, Pak's Iftar has unity on menu: Pakistan on Tuesday renewed its efforts to bring Hurriyat factions on one platform even as the separatist leaders gave little indication to take up the Centre's latest offer to resume the dialogue process during the upcoming visits of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil to the Valley.

Aziz offers help to quell Maoist revolt in Nepal: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday offered help to Nepal in crushing a deadly Maoist revolt in the Himalayan kingdom.

Pakistan expects stability in post-election Afghanistan: Pakistan believes that the completion of the electoral process in Afghanistan will augur well for the country's stability as well as for peace and security in the region.


View from abroad

Bobby Jindal elected to US Congress: Republican candidate Bobby Jindal, who had last year lost the gubernatorial race in Louisiana state, today won the US Congress elections beating five other opponents, becoming the first Indian American do so in nearly five decades.

UK to double flights from India: The British High Commissioner said the number of multiple entry visas offered to Indians during 2004 was up by 30 per cent.

Van Gogh kin dies in hate crime: A controversial Dutch filmmaker accused by Muslims of ridiculing their religion was stabbed and shot dead in Amsterdam.

Overall:

India test fired Brahmos: 
The supersonic cruise missiles is meant for naval use, but it can hit targets on the ground too.

Unruliness rocked Orissa assembly: The ruling and treasury benches clashed violently.

US election results started pouring in: Bobby Jindal became the first Indian American to win a governor's post.