Vibrant IAS

Following intelligence alerts warning of further terror strikes, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has shut down 48 of the 87 designated tourist destinations across the Kashmir Valley. The move comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

According to sources, intercepted communications confirm that sleeper cells have been activated in the Valley after the attack, with instructions to initiate fresh strikes. Intelligence reports accessed by India Today suggest that terror outfits are planning targeted attacks on security personnel and non-local civilians in the coming days.

The intelligence also points to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directing these operations, with specific plans to target Kashmiri Pandits, railway employees, and CID officials—particularly in Srinagar and Ganderbal.

Reports indicate that active terror groups across North, Central, and South Kashmir are preparing for selective killings and potentially larger, high-impact attacks. These are believed to be retaliatory in nature, responding to the recent demolition of houses linked to active terrorists after the Pahalgam attack.

Security agencies have flagged railway infrastructure as a possible target, especially given the presence of non-local railway staff in the region. Railway personnel have been instructed to remain within camp premises and avoid movement outside barracks.

To counter the threat, anti-fidayeen units—primarily drawn from the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group—have been deployed at key tourist hubs such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and the Dal Lake area. Security protocols have been significantly ramped up across the Valley.

The April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam, was carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists and has since triggered a mass exodus of tourists from the region. Authorities fear that ongoing attempts by tourists to return may face renewed threats.

In response, security forces have launched a state-wide anti-terror operation involving sweeping raids and the detention of hundreds of suspects and sympathisers.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the drafting and regulation of its laws — becoming the first nation in the world to do so.

The move follows the recent approval by UAE ministers to establish the Office of Regulatory Intelligence, a new cabinet body that will oversee the deployment of AI in creating new laws and reforming existing ones.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highlighted the groundbreaking nature of the initiative, stating that the AI-powered legislative system would "transform the way laws are made, making the process faster and more precise."

According to state media, the UAE government will build a comprehensive database of federal and local laws, combined with public sector data like court rulings and government services. Sheikh Mohammed noted that AI would "propose regular updates to legislation," allowing the government to respond more swiftly and dynamically to changing needs.

Officials estimate that the use of AI could speed up the lawmaking process by as much as 70%, while significantly cutting down the cost of legal reviews traditionally handled by law firms. The technology is also expected to anticipate necessary legislative updates in advance, increasing the system’s flexibility and efficiency.

However, the announcement has also raised concerns among experts and observers. Critics caution that relying on AI for lawmaking could bring serious risks, particularly regarding ethics, accuracy, and the potential for AI-generated interpretations of law to diverge from human legal reasoning.

India has signed a landmark ₹63,000 crore deal with France to acquire 26 Rafale M fighter jets — the marine variant of the Rafale — marking one of the largest government-to-government defence agreements to date.

The contract includes 22 single-seater jets and four twin-seater trainer aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by 2031. Alongside the jets, the agreement covers fleet maintenance, logistical support, and personnel training. In a major boost to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, it also involves indigenous manufacturing of certain components through offset obligations.

The Rafale M is regarded as one of the most sophisticated naval fighter jets globally, currently operated only by the French Navy. It features reinforced landing gears developed by Safran Group — considered among the best for carrier operations — along with folding wings and a robust undercarriage designed for the challenges of deck landings and carrier deployments.

The Indian Navy plans to deploy the Rafale Ms on its aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, significantly strengthening India’s maritime strike capabilities and enhancing security in the Indian Ocean region. The new jets will gradually replace the ageing MiG-29K fleet.

In December, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi stated that India's naval strategy is being "tweaked" to counter potential threats from neighbouring countries and to ensure readiness across all operational fronts.

The Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale 'C' variant jets, stationed across two northern bases. The addition of naval Rafales is expected to further enhance the IAF’s aerial capabilities, including the expansion of the 'buddy-buddy' refuelling system, where one fighter jet equipped with a fuel pod can refuel another mid-flight, extending mission endurance.

Meanwhile, the Navy is also progressing towards the induction of indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets, being developed by the DRDO. These twin-engine deck-based fighters are designed as the naval counterparts to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed for Air Force.

Indian warships recently carried out multiple anti-ship missile firings in the Arabian Sea, showcasing their capability for long-range precision strikes. The Navy emphasized its operational readiness to safeguard the nation’s maritime interests.

Several visuals released by the Navy showed BrahMos anti-ship and anti-surface cruise missiles being launched from vessels at sea. The exercises involved Kolkata-class destroyers, as well as Nilgiri and Krivak-class frigates.

“Indian Navy Ships undertook successful multiple anti-ship firings to revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems, and crew for long-range precision offensive strike. Indian Navy stands combat-ready, credible, and future-ready in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests Anytime Anywhere Anyhow,” the Navy stated in an official post.

Pakistan had earlier issued a navigational warning regarding the missile firings in the Arabian Sea.

These exercises come at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead. In response, India ordered Pakistani nationals to leave the country and suspended the Indus Water Treaty, a vital agreement between the two neighbors.

Pakistan, in turn, suspended all bilateral agreements with India and has initiated repeated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control. According to the Indian Army, Indian forces have retaliated effectively, with no casualties reported so far.

The Pahalgam attack is being described as the deadliest act of terrorism in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.

The BrahMos missile, a medium-range supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from land, sea, air, and submarines, was developed as a joint venture between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, under BrahMos Aerospace.

Named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, the BrahMos missile is based on Russia’s P-800 Oniks. The land- and ship-based versions are already operational, while an air-launched variant compatible with the Su-30MKI entered service in 2019.

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The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill early on Thursday after a marathon debate that stretched over 12 hours, concluding around 2 am. The bill, which amends the Waqf Act of 1995, passed with a vote of 288-232 due to the government's numerical majority and is slated for introduction in the Rajya Sabha later today.

The amendment introduces several significant changes, including the requirement for Waqf bodies to have two non-Muslim members and stipulating that only practicing Muslims who have been adherents for at least five years can dedicate property to Waqf. Another critical change is that government properties identified as Waqf will revert to government ownership, with the local Collector determining the ownership.

The bill has sparked substantial controversy, with the Opposition labeling it unconstitutional and accusing the government of attempting to disenfranchise minorities through what the Congress described as a “4D assault on the Constitution.” AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi dramatically expressed his protest by tearing up a copy of the legislation, likening his act to Mahatma Gandhi's protest against British laws in South Africa.

In defense, the government argued that the amendment aims to regulate property and is not about religious matters. Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the previous policies and the 2013 amendment to the Waqf Act, claiming they facilitated the wrongful declaration of various properties as Waqf, including lands originally belonging to temples and the government. He cited examples in Delhi and Tamil Nadu to illustrate misuse under the current law.

Shah also clarified that the bill does not propose including non-Muslims in boards managing religious Waqf properties, aiming to address fears that the government is overreaching into religious affairs.

The bill also stipulates new provisions for the protection of women's inheritance rights before any Waqf declaration, with special considerations for widows, divorced women, and orphans.