Author: Defenceline Webdesk

On April 8, Bangladesh’s parliament passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by voice vote, thereby making the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 legally binding. The act amends the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 (ATA) and designates the Awami League and its affiliates as “terrorist organizations.” Originally a stopgap measure to hold political leaders accountable for the crimes committed in July-August 2024, the law provides for a proscription mechanism that can apply not only to the Awami League but also to other political organizations. This framework emerged following the July 2024 uprising and consequent toppling of the Awami League government. On October 23, 2024,…

Rolls‑Royce, the British engineering giant, has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its footprint in India across defence, civil aviation, and energy sectors. The company has aligned its India strategy with military engine development, local manufacturing, and nuclear energy opportunities, signalling a long‑term commitment to the country’s industrial and strategic landscape.A central element of this expansion is the scaling up of its military engine program in India. Rolls‑Royce is exploring co‑development of a next‑generation combat jet engine, with the proposed engine core in the 120 kN thrust class, a category used for fighter aircraft propulsion.Significantly, the company has proposed full technology…

Indian elections are no longer just battles between political parties. They are becoming contests between larger-than-life personalities — and no leader has reshaped this political culture more profoundly than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over the past decade, Modi has fundamentally altered the grammar of Indian electioneering. Parliamentary elections, assembly elections, and even municipal contests are increasingly framed around his personality, credibility, and leadership rather than around party organization or ideological debate. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) campaigns today are rarely fought in the name of local candidates alone; they are fought as referendums on Modi himself. The recent assembly elections, especially…

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has issued a categorical denial of reports suggesting that New Delhi and Abu Dhabi were working on an evacuation plan for Indian nationals through the UAE’s Fujairah port.The rebuttal came after a widely circulated article in The Times of India claimed that lakhs of Indian workers could be evacuated via the strategic maritime hub. The MEA’s official fact‑checking handle described the report as fabricated and misleading, stressing that no such discussions or agreements exist between the two countries. In its “Fake News Alert”, the ministry clarified that there was no basis in fact for the…

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra walked free from prison today on parole, after serving a total of 243 days in prison connected to an old corruption and abuse of power case. According to a report by Reuters, the 76-year-old walked out ​of Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok at around 7:40 a.m., wearing a white shirt, blue pants, and Nike sneakers, and with his hair cut short. Thaksin was immediately embraced ⁠by close family members, including his daughter and recent prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Hundreds of “red shirt” supporters also turned out to greet the former leader, and mobbed…

India and Peru are set to resume negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in June 2026, with both sides aiming to conclude the deal by the end of the year. Copper and critical minerals are central to the talks, reflecting India’s urgent need to secure long-term supply chains for its fast-growing economy.India and Peru are preparing for the next round of discussions on a proposed Free Trade Agreement, scheduled for June. Peru’s ambassador to India, Javier Paulinich, confirmed that negotiations will resume next month, with the possibility of a deal being signed before the year’s end.The talks are expected to…

Kier Elmonairy, RealClearDefense Few figures in military history are more celebrated than Napoleon Bonaparte Source link

PAOAY, Philippines—Right on cue, the missiles blazed from their launcher, kicking up sand behind them. A few minutes later, cheers from the VIP pavilion confirmed that the Japanese Type 88s had hit their target, sinking a decommissioned Philippine ship about 46 miles away.Last week’s mock attack marked the first time Japan has fired the missile outside its own borders. Part of the annual Balikatan exercise, it came just two days after Japanese infantry troops participated in a live-fire counter-landing wargame on a nearby beach, practicing to defend a shore against invasion from the sea. And it was just one day…

Soon after the United States and Israel launched air and missile strikes on Iran on February 28, Iran hit back by not only targeting Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf with missiles and drones but also by blockading the Strait of Hormuz through unconventional means. In recent weeks, the U.S. has blocked ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports through a conventional blockade. As a result, the center of gravity of Gulf War 3.0 appears to have shifted from Iran to the Strait of Hormuz. The Hormuz crisis has hit Asian economies the hardest. While some tankers have been…

US President Donald Trump’s upcoming state visit to China from 13 to 15 May 2026 is being framed by Chinese media as a pivotal opportunity to stabilise and refine bilateral ties, with the China Daily editorial emphasising head‑of‑state diplomacy as the key to navigating global uncertainty.The visit will focus on trade, Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and broader economic coordination, while also underscoring the Taiwan issue as Beijing’s most sensitive red line.The China Daily editorial described Trump’s visit as a “cherished opportunity” to stabilise relations between the world’s two largest economies at a time of sluggish global growth, geopolitical tensions, and…