The United States is concerned that China is seeking to reach agreements with Pacific island nations in what may be a rushed, non-transparent process, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that China will seek a region-wide deal with almost a dozen Pacific island countries covering policing, security and data communication cooperation when Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosts a meeting in Fiji next week, according to documents.

• Beijing city punishes postal officials for local cluster
• State railway employees probed for masking travel history
• Cities of Tianjin, Xian launch new rounds of mass testing
• Apple's iPhone schedule delayed by China lockdowns - media

India has no immediate plans to lift a ban on wheat exports, but will continue with deals which are done directly with other governments, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told.

Morning defence facts by @defence_cafe

continued from yesterday...



★ National Security Guard (NSG)

★Mentionable Arms of NSG

✓ Special Action Group (SAG)

» SAG members are drawn from the Indian Army.

» There are 2 SAG unit :-

• 51 SAG : Deals with Counter Terrorism Operations

• 52 SAG : Deals with Anti Hijacking Operations


✓ Special Ranger Group (SRG)

» SRG members are drawn from border guarding forces like BSF, ITBP, SSB . And Internal Security forces such as CRPF, CISF, Assam Rifles.

» There are 3 SRG unit :-

• 11 SRG : Deals with CT Operations along with 51 SAG

• 12 SRG : Used in Protection Duties

• 13 SRG : Used in Protection Duties

~ (Recently GOI decided to Remove SRGs from Protection Duties and re-orient them for CT Operations like 11 SRG)


✓ Special Composite Group (SCG)

» SCG consists of personnel both from Army and CAPFs.

» NSG has set 5 Regional Hubs under Regional deployment for Counter - terror ops within their area of responsibility.

» Each SCG is Headed by Colonel Rank Officer from Indian Army.

» The 5 Regional Hubs are :-

• 26 SCG (Mumbai)
• 27 SCG (Chennai)
• 28 SCG (Hyderabad)
• 29 SCG (Kolkata)
• 39 SCG (Gandhinagar)


✓ Electronic Support Group (ESG)

» This is Communication & Technological Support arm of NSG.


✓ National Bomb Data Centre (NBDC)

» NBDC was assigned the Role of Monitoring, Recording and Analysing all Bombing Incidents in the Country.
It also Records & Analyse various bombing incidents across the world to gain Experience.


~ @defence_cafe

The Defense Minister of Israel, Benny Gantz is slated to visit India next week to ink a “special security declaration”, commemorating the two nations' three decades of diplomatic relations, citing his office, The Times of Israel reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a 10% hike in retirement pensions and minimum wage by 10% in a move that aimed at cushioning Russians from inflation inflicted by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Jammu & Kashmir Police thwarted yet another infiltration attempt by neutralising three terrorists in the Jumagund village of Kupwara on Thursday. The terrorists, belonging to the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in the region.

In a key development, security forces have recovered steel bullets from Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists who were neutralised in an encounter at the Najibhat crossing in the Kreeri area of Baramulla. According to reports, multiple steel bullets have been recovered from the shootout site from the terrorists. Notably, earlier on Wednesday, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar reported seizing incriminating materials including arms and ammunition from the terrorists.
According to reports, the terrorists were using these steel bullets against the security forces in the encounter which broke out on Wednesday morning.

Senegal's President Macky Sall said on Wednesday that 11 newborn babies died in a fire at the neonatal section of a regional hospital in the town of Tivaouane, around 120 km (74.56 miles) east of the capital Dakar.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday the United States should return to a regional trade pact it quit in 2017 if it wanted to engage economically with the Indo-Pacific region.

Myanmar's central bank has ordered ministries and local governments not to use foreign currencies for domestic transactions, to help relieve pressure on the kyat currency.

Chinese retail car sales data for May has added to a picture of a grinding economic recovery from severe anti-pandemic measures, with manufacturers selling more vehicles than last month but still fewer than a year before.

Releasing the data late on Wednesday, the China Passenger Car Association called for more government support.

Retail sales in the first three weeks of May, 780,000 vehicles, were up 34% on the same period in April. But, with measures to control COVID-19 outbreaks depressing incomes, the sales volume was 16% lower than 12 months earlier, the industry association said.

China's finance ministry said on Thursday that it would offer subsidies to Chinese airlines from May 21 to July 20 to help carriers weather the coronavirus-induced downturn and higher oil prices.

Cash support will only be provided when average daily numbers of domestic flights per week are lower or equal to 4,500 flights and when the average load factors are lower than 75%, the ministry said on its website.

German home prices will rise faster this year than thought only three months ago, as a supply shortage outweighs a deepening cost of living crisis and the prospect of higher interest rates, a Reuters poll found.

Indian shares gave up early gains to trade lower on Thursday, as losses in metal and energy stocks outweighed gains in financial counters, while persistent concerns over global inflation also weighed on investor sentiment.

The NSE Nifty 50 index (.NSEI) was down 0.36% at 15,967.80, as of 0502 GMT, while the S&P BSE Sensex (.BSESN) fell 0.18% to 53,652.27.

India's power ministry has sought a two-year extension for utilities to install emission-cutting equipment, which if approved by the environment ministry would mark the third pushback on a commitment to clean up dirty air.

Britain's car production fell 11% in April due to persistent chip shortages and supply chain issues, made worse by the Ukraine crisis, the UK auto trade association said on Thursday.

Karnataka SSLC paper leak: The Karnataka Board announced class 10 result on May 19, 2022. Days after the release of SSLC exam results, a police complaint has been filed at the Magadi police station, Ramanagara district. The complaint alleges that the SSLC science question paper was leaked before exams. The paper was leaked on the exam date April 11 by the teachers of Kempegowda School, Ramanagar.
The clerk along with few others have been accused of sharing the photos of the question paper on Whatsapp groups. The groups had teachers from the Kempegowda school added in it. A total of 10 people have been arrested including clerk, teachers, and a local journalist.