Indian newspapers yesterday trumpeted the launch of a new long-range, nuclear--capable missile as a sign of New Delhi’s emerging power, while others warned about misplaced triumphalism.
“India goes ballistic,” read the headline in the English-language tabloid Mail Today over a full-page photo of the Agni V missile lifting off on Thursday from its launch site in eastern India.
“The entire nation joined the defence scientists ... in cheering the path-breaking feat,” it said. “And India proudly declared that it had taken a giant stride in security preparedness by developing a strategic deterrent against potential threats.”
“Missile Muscle” said the front-page headline on the Indian Express broadsheet, while the Times of India declared that the “Agni V roars into elite ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] club.”
India had “yanked open the door to the super exclusive ICBM club that counts only the US, Russia, China, France and the UK as its members.”
ICBMs are the most advanced and long-range missile systems, but the Agni V will need to increase its range to 5,500km from its current 5,000km and be further tested to be classified in this category.
In the Hindi-language media, the daily Hindustan’s headline read “Jai Hind” (Hail India), while the Dainik Jagran said “Half the world in our range.”
“Agni V is the latest product of Brand India. The successful test is now a cause of worry for our enemies because they will have to think a hundred times before attacking us,” the Dainik Jagran said.
The Agni V was test-fired on Thursday morning in a 20-minute flight that took it southeast over the Bay of Bengal and then to its pre-determined landing position in the southern Indian Ocean, officials said.
It was tracked by ships along its route and was declared a success by India’s state defense hardware developer and the government.
If confirmed in further tests, the three-section, 50-tonne missile will be capable of delivering a one-tonne nuclear warhead anywhere in China, giving India a crucial deterrent against its more advanced neighbor.
However, commentator Manoj Joshi, writing in the Mail Today, said India should not take the claims of success by the defense establishment at face value.
“These are all meaningless and needlessly boastful claims,” he wrote, referring to comments from officials on Thursday about the Agni V being a “game changer and a technological marvel.”
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS