THE SPOKESPERSON

Part of Indian Navy’s Project 17A, Taragiri, the stealth frigate, is expected to be delivered by August 2025. The 149-metre-long and 17.8-metre-wide ship will have state-of-the-art weapons and a host of other advanced featuresTaragiri to be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) is part of Indian Navy’s Project 17A. For the unaware, Project 17A is a programme under which seven such guided-missile frigates — four at MDL and three at Kolkata’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) — are being constructed for the Navy at a total cost of Rs 27,500 crore. According to an Indian Express report, the first ship of Project 17A, Nilgiri, was launched on 28 September 2019 and is expected to undergo sea trials in the first half of 2024. The second ship of P17A class, Udaygiri, was launched on 17 May this year and is expected to start sea trials in the second half of 2024. The keel of the fourth and final ship was laid on 28 June this year. All the ships in the project are na...

 The government has decided to rename the historic Rajpath and Central Vista lawns in the national capital as ‘Kartavya Path’, an official of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said on Sunday. The official said that the NDMC has convened a special meeting on September 7 with the objective of renaming the stretch. In this year's Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra had stressed the abolition of symbols relating to the colonial mindset. Rajpath was known as Kingsway during British Rule. In the run-up to 2047, the PM has also stressed upon the importance of duties. Both these factors can be seen behind the naming of ‘Kartavya Path’. With the latest move, the entire road and area from the Netaji statue to the Rashtrapati Bhavan will be known as Kartavya Path, the official said. Earlier, as per the ethos of the Modi government to make nomenclature more people-centric, the name of the road on which the PM’s residence is located was also changed from Race Course ...

  Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020, according to the World Health Organization.  About 90% of the new cases and deaths worldwide occurred in low- and middle-income countries that year. Two human papillomavirus (HPV) types, 16 and 18, are responsible for at least 70% of cervical cancers, and India's Department of Biotechnology said the Indian vaccine would work on HPV types 16 and 18, as well as 6 and 11. The indigenously developed vaccine will make our country self-sufficient in curbing female mortality caused by cervical cancer," SII Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said in a statement.  He told reporters the vaccine would be out for sale in a few months, first for the Indian market and then the world. It may be priced between 200 rupees and 400 rupees ($2.51-$5.03) and the company will aim to produce about 200 million doses in two years, Reuters partner ANI cit...

  India has produced a number of people who hold positions of power across the world. Here is a list of 12 such Indian-origin CEOs who run a few of the most powerful companies in the world. Time and again, India has proved itself to be the progenitor of some of the most brilliant minds across the globe. From tech geeks making their name heard across the silicon valley to tycoons who head some of the most successful conglomerates, India and Indian blood has gone on to lead some of the most successful businesses and companies across the world. Here is a list of 12 Indian-origin CEOs who are leading the world's biggest companies. 1. Sundar Pichai, Alphabet Here is a list of 12 such Indian-origin CEOs who run a few of the most powerful companies in the world. (Photo Courtesy: PTI) Sundar Pichai's name shines in a class of its own every time there is mention of Indian-origin CEOs leading global companies. An IIT Kharagpur graduate, he rose to the position of the CEO of Goo...

  The keel laying of the first anti-submarine warfare shallow craft (ASW SWC) was undertaken at the government-run Cochin shipyard Limited in southern India.  In simple terms, the keel laying of a ship marks the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. Once built and formally commissioned into the Indian navy, this vessel (temporarily designated as BY523) will undertake sub-surface surveillance in coastal areas with the purpose of detecting and neutralising underwater threats.  Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, CWP&A, appreciated the shipbuilder Cochin shipyard's efforts in achieving the milestone, despite Covid constraints and resultant lockdowns. Further, he highlighted that the construction of these vessels is a major boost for the ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) and the 'Make in India’ commitment.  The Chief Guest indicated that keel laying is a major milestone activity in the shipbuilding process a...

 New Delhi: India will formally commission its first home-built aircraft carrier on Friday, the culmination of 17 years of construction and tests as the country seeks to catch up with China and its far larger naval fleet. The INS Vikrant however will not have its own fleet of fighter jets on deck and instead will rely on a few Russian-designed aircraft borrowed from India's only other carrier, the INS Vikramaditya. France's Dassault and Boeing are locked in a race to provide the government with over two dozen jets earmarked for the Vikrant, a 262 metre-long vessel built at the state-run Cochin Shipyard.Indigenous aircraft carrier ‘Vikrant’ is set to commission on September 2, 2022 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The aircraft landing trials on INS Vikrant will begin in November and will be completed by mid-2023. The carrier should be fully operational by the end of 2023. Key Facts  about INS Vikrant It is also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier On...

  New Delhi:  The government is reportedly holding discussions on providing aid to Pakistan, where devastating floods have killed over 1,000 people and affected a population of nearly 3 crore. According to a report by The Indian Express, talks are being held at the government's highest levels, but no decision has been taken yet. NDTV has learnt that Pakistan is yet to officially reach out to India for help, even though one of its ministers has reportedly said that Islamabad may consider importing food material from India.The discussions on providing aid to Pakistan come against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his condolences to the families of those killed in the calamity. "Saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the injured and all those affected by this natural calamity and hope for an early restoration of normalcy," the Prime Minister tweeted...