Thursday, December 11, 2025

India Signs Massive Deal For Anti-Sub MH-60R, A Helicopter That U.S. Just Fished Out From China’s Backyard



Thursday, December 11, 2025


India Signs Massive Deal For Anti-Sub MH-60R, A Helicopte
r That U.S. Just Fished Out From China’s Backyard


By Sakshi Tiwari
-December 11, 2025


The United States recently fished out the MH-60 R (Romeo) and Super Hornet from the South China Sea, where the aircraft had crashed, in an attempt to prevent China from accessing the sensitive technology onboard these systems.

Interestingly, the same chopper is used by the Indian Navy for ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare).

India signed a contract for 24 helicopters from the US under the Foreign Military Sales program in February 2020, with deliveries starting in 2021. Of these, about 15 have been inducted as of December 2025. The first squadron of these choppers, called INAS 334, was commissioned on March 6, 2024, at INS Garuda in Kochi.

Earlier this month, the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) signed a $946 million sustainment deal for the 24 helicopters.

“Great news in our defense relationship with India. India’s Ministry of Defense signed a sustainment package for its 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, developed by Lockheed Martin. This 946 million dollar package will enhance the Indian Navy’s maritime capabilities, build interoperability with the US and regional partners, and make both our nations safer and more prosperous,” the US State Department wrote on X at the time.



These helicopters support anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions, among others.


The MH-60R ‘Romeo’ is the US Navy’s primary anti-submarine and surface warfare helicopter, specially designed for all aspects of land or maritime operations from any aviation ship or air-capable vessel.

The chopper has demonstrated unmatched multi-mission capabilities since achieving full operational capability in 2010, achieving the highest mission-capable rates of any maritime helicopter.

Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter of the Indian Navy – Wikimedia Commons


The US rushed to pull out the wreckage of this chopper to ensure that China does not get to it first and access the state-of-the-art technology, including the AN/AQS-22 ALFS low-frequency dipping sonar, which is the exact system China has repeatedly tried (and failed) to fully replicate for its Z-20F naval helicopter, as recently reported by the EurAsian Times.

One of the main drivers for India’s acquisition of these choppers was the obsolescence of British-origin Sea King Mk. 42B/C helicopters in the face of a sustained security threat from China and Pakistan in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Notably, the Chinese submarine presence in the eastern Indian Ocean and its approaches to the Malacca Straits worry India. China is also arming the Pakistani Navy with AIP-equipped, sophisticated Hangor-class submarines. Therefore, MH-60R helicopters are extremely critical to the Indian Navy.

Indian Naval Aviation Arm Is Barely Indian

India is aggressively pursuing indigenisation of its military equipment and capabilities under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative as part of the broader “Make in India” campaign.

This shift in strategy aims to strengthen national security amid geopolitical unrest, reduce reliance on imports, and position India as a major hub for defense production.

This strategy is particularly significant for reducing vulnerability to foreign sanctions, delays, or geopolitical leverage. Moreover, it is meant to ensure that the Indian Armed Forces can deploy equipment without any political restrictions and upgrade it with full autonomy—a key requirement for the Indian Armed Forces.


However, the Indian naval aviation arm is currently almost entirely composed of equipment imported from friendly countries like Russia, the UK, the US, France, and Israel.



The Indian Navy’s most decisive intelligence and anti-submarine warfare platforms are now overwhelmingly American. In addition to the MH-60R, the Indian Navy has acquired the P-8I Poseidon and the MQ-9B Sea Guardian.

India procured P-8I with a special focus on monitoring the rising military activity of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the region.

The P-8 is a versatile maritime patrol aircraft that excels in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as search-and-rescue missions.

The P-8I can also be used for coastal patrolling. It has a maximum range of about 7,500 kilometres and an endurance of 10 hours, enabling it to conduct long-range patrols over the IOR.

Indian Navy P-8I – Wikimedia Commons


Equipped with the APY-10 radar, ALFS-derived acoustics, Harpoon missiles, and Mk54 torpedoes, the P-8I Poseidon provides unmatched wide-area ASW capability across the Indian Ocean.

The aircraft have also flown high-altitude ISR (Intelligence, Reconnaissance, and Surveillance) sorties over eastern Ladakh during the 2020–2022 China standoff, and are capable of shadowing Chinese nuclear submarines near crucial chokepoints. In fact, India is currently finalising a deal for six more P-8Is.

Earlier, the Indian Navy operated the UH-3H Sea King utility helicopters, which were de-inducted on June 28, 2024, after 17 years of service. These choppers were procured to serve as a stopgap until indigenous alternatives like the HAL Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk.III materialized.

In addition, the Indian Navy operates two leased MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a maritime variant of the popular MQ-9 Reaper. These high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) drones bridge vital gaps in maritime domain awareness by continuously providing ISR over the IOR.



The drones were leased in November 2020 through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The lease was valid for two years but has been extended multiple times.

Additionally, in October 2024, India approved the purchase of 31 MQ-9Bs, including 16 SkyGuardians for the Army and the IAF, and 15 SeaGuardians for the Navy.

Notably, the Indian Navy’s main and only carrier-capable aircraft at this point is the MiG-29K or MiG-29KUB acquired from Russia.

Indian Navy MiG-29K-Wikimedia Commons


The United States had aggressively pitched the F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornet to India’s carrier air wing, but in 2024, New Delhi selected the French Rafale-M instead, signing a contract for 26 aircraft to replace the troubled, aging MiG-29Ks.

Despite the widespread adoption of American ISR platforms and helicopters across India’s armed forces, New Delhi remains deeply reluctant to acquire a US-origin fighter jet, mainly due to historical mistrust.

Moreover, US fighters come with stringent end-use restrictions and oversight mechanisms that many in New Delhi see as an unacceptable infringement on operational sovereignty.

In addition to the MiG-29K, the Indian Navy operates Russian-origin Ka-28 and Ka-31 helicopters, which were acquired many years ago.

The Ka-28 is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. These coaxial-rotor, shipborne platforms form a critical component of the Navy’s organic airborne ASW capability, primarily with squadron INAS 333 “Trishul” at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam. Meanwhile, the Ka-31 choppers are airborne early warning (AEW) and control helicopters, primarily assigned to INAS 339 “Raptors” at INS Shikra, Mumbai.

The United Kingdom has also been a major source of imports for the Indian Navy. The service operates the BAE Systems Hawk Mk.132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs).



Additionally, the Navy operates the popular Chetak helicopter, which is a French-origin Light Utility helicopter, using it as a versatile workhorse for Search & Rescue (SAR), communications, utility, and light transport roles from both ships and shore bases.


File: Heron drone


The Indian Navy also operates a limited but growing fleet of Israeli-origin unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for ISR missions in the Indian Ocean.

Key systems include the Heron-2 with a 45-hour endurance, a 35,000 ft service ceiling, and a 1,000+ kilometre range without refuelling, which is critical for sustained monitoring over extended periods and distances. It is believed to have performed “very well” during India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.

The service has also started operating the Hermes 900 drone, locally designated as the Drishti 10 Starliner, manufactured by Adani Defence & Aerospace under license from Israel’s Elbit Systems.

It serves as a key Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) UAV for maritime surveillance, with units based in Porbandar to support extensive naval operations. It is an advanced ISR platform with 36 hours of endurance and a payload capacity of 450 kilograms.



The Indian Navy also operates the ALH Dhruv utility helicopters, a troubled platform that has been in many tragic crashes through the years.

Furthermore, there are plans to develop the TEDBF (Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter) for future carrier ops, but analysts have already flagged this as wasteful spending, given that it would be a 4.5th-generation platform similar to the Rafale-Marine.

The Indian Navy’s naval arm is, therefore, far from being truly Indian.Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com

Baby dies in flooded Gaza tent; Israeli attack kills woman in Jabalia


al Jazeera:


Baby dies in flooded Gaza tent; Israeli attack kills woman in Jabalia



Deaths mount on fourth day of border fighting between Thailand, Cambodia


al Jazeera:

Deaths mount on fourth day of border fighting between Thailand, Cambodia


Both sides have accused each other of violating international law as they await a promised phone call from Donald Trump


A woman and a child at a refugee camp after evacuation, in Srei Snam, Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on December 10, 2025 [Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters]


By Alastair McCready and News Agencies
Published On 11 Dec 2025



Renewed fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its fourth day, as deaths rise on both sides, with both countries accusing one another of violating international law as they await a promised phone call from United States President Donald Trump.

Three Thai civilians were killed as heavy combat continued along the country’s border, the Thai military said on Thursday, marking the country’s first civilian fatalities since the fighting resumed. Eight Thai soldiers have also been killed in the fighting so far this week, with 80 more wounded, it said.


Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior has said the death toll on the Cambodian side of the border stands at 11 civilians, including one infant, while some 75 people have been injured.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence accused the Thai military of carrying out numerous attacks within the country in the early hours of Thursday morning, including deploying tanks and artillery to strike targets in Pursat, Banteay Meanchey, and Oddar Meanchey provinces.

In one such attack, the Cambodian ministry said, Thai soldiers violated international humanitarian law by firing on civilians in Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey.

In another, it accused Thai forces of shelling “into Khnar Temple area”, and said Thai forces “fired artillery and support fire into the O’Smach area”.

“Cambodia urges that Thailand immediately stop all hostile activities and withdraw its forces from Cambodia’s territorial integrity, and avoid acts of aggression that threaten peace and stability in the region,” the Defence Ministry said.


Clashes took place on Wednesday at more than a dozen locations along the contested colonial-era demarcated 817km (508-mile) Thai-Cambodian border, with some of the most intense fighting being reported since a five-day battle in July, which saw dozens killed on both sides.

Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior said homes, schools, roads, Buddhist pagodas and ancient temples had been damaged by “Thailand’s intensified shelling and F-16 air strikes targeting villages and civilian population centres up to 30km [18.6 miles] inside Cambodian territory”.

“It should be noted that … these brutal acts of aggression of the Thai military indiscriminately opened fire targeting civilian areas, especially schools, and further destroyed Ta Krabey and Preah Vihear temples, the highly sacred cultural sites of Cambodia and the world cultural heritage,” it said.



Thai-Cambodian border clashes force thousands of Cambodians to flee unsafe evacuation camps again


Responding to the accusations, the Thai army said Cambodia had “intentionally” used a historical site as a “military base of operations” and therefore was guilty of violating international law.

“Cambodia intentionally used the ancient site for military operations, as a base to attack Thailand, and deliberately undermined the protection of the ancient site. Thailand retaliated as necessary,” the Thai army said.


Cambodians flee border

Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Lo, reporting from an evacuation camp in Preah Vihear along the Cambodian side of the border, said that more than 5,600 people fled to the camp from the fighting.

“This is an indication that the fighting has not eased between Thai and Cambodian forces,” he added.

Lo said that aid has been distributed in the camp and the facilities are slightly better than other camps in the country.

The evacuees, who talked to Al Jazeera, said that they wanted to return home as soon as possible.

Evacuee Vann Saroeut said the situation was affecting people’s “mental health as they cannot make a living and are not eating enough”.

Horn Hang, another evacuee, said: “My children cannot study properly because the environment here is not conducive; it is also affecting their health.”

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Surin province in Thailand near the border with Cambodia, said that the frequent sound of artillery fire could be heard in the area because of the exchanges.

He noted that Al Jazeera’s crew had to run from nearby artillery fire as it was moving around in the region.

“We also had to get out of the vehicle and hide under trees from drones,” he said, adding that the use of attack and surveillance drones is a concern for both sides.


Both sides have blamed one another for reigniting the conflict, which began on Monday and has expanded to five provinces across Thailand and Cambodia, according to a tally by the AFP news agency.

More than 500,000 Thai and Cambodian civilians have been forced to flee border areas due to fighting.

It was only on October 26 that Trump presided over the signing of a ceasefire between the Southeast Asian neighbours in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hailing the deal, which was also brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Trump said mediators had done “something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done”.

Optimistic of securing another peace deal, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that “I think I can get them to stop fighting”.

“I think I’m scheduled to speak to them tomorrow,” he added.


‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared


Guardian:

‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared


Visitors will have to reveal at the border all social media activity over the past five years

Daisy Dumas and Ben Doherty
Thu 11 Dec 2025 15.56 AEDT


Australians are abandoning travel to the US, and boycotting World Cup matches there next year, as the Trump administration flags new rules that will soon require visitors to hand over their social media history when applying to enter the country.

In a notice published on Tuesday, the US Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) said tourists to the US from 42 countries including Australia would have to reveal all of their social media activity over the past five years under the new rules, which are up for a 60-day review before coming into effect. It would be a part of the application for a visa waiver under the ESTA application process.


The rules were drawn up in response to an executive order made by Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration in January which purported to “protect” the US from visitors, instructing that visas should be denied to anyone with “hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles”.


Australian tourists have described the US mandate to sweep social media posts, as well as collect comprehensive “high-value data” on family members such as phone numbers, dates of birth and residencies, as “horrifying” and “draconian”.

But travel data reveals Australians were already avoiding the US before the detailed rules were announced. They have changed travel plans to avoid entering the US and even moved reunions with family members to other countries.

In 2019, the last free year of travel before the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered borders across the world, more than 100,000 Australians would regularly arrive in the US each month. That figure is now consistently in the low 50,000s, and below 50,000 for the first time last month, figures from the US department of commerce show.

The number of Australians arriving in the US in November fell to just 45,408, 11% lower than the same month last year.

Jonathan, who asked for his surname to be withheld, works in project delivery and is from Sydney. The 42-year-old had planned to return to the US, his country of birth, for next year’s Fifa World Cup but changed his plans several months ago. He said news of the policy changes overnight made him feel he had made the right call.


“I have a lot of family and friends there, but I will actively avoid it now,” he said.

“The whole thing disgusts me and is horrifying, frankly. While I think I would be protected as a citizen, my son and my wife are not US citizens. My son was really excited to go and he was really sad when I told him we wouldn’t go – but now I feel validated.”

He said his wife’s Chinese citizenship was potentially a cause for trouble at the border, though his son was an Australian citizen.

Jonathan said he had openly criticised Trump online.

“It’s not worth the risk. Why would you put your family in danger for a holiday? If [US immigration authorities] did a search history of me, my position would be very clear.”

Another dual US-Australian citizen, who asked to remain anonymous, said the proposals were “terrifying”, given her family is in the US.

“I was already planning not to visit until the next election, and now definitely will not. Everyone on US soil is theoretically protected by the constitution. If you are applying for a visa overseas, however, those protections do not apply,” she said.

Gunboat Diplomacy Returns: US Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuela






Gunboat Diplomacy Returns: US Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuela



by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Dec 11, 2025 - 06:10 AM


Update (1518ET): President Trump confirmed to Bloomberg that U.S. forces intercepted and seized a tanker near Venezuela's coast, saying further information will be provided soon.



🚨 Q: What happens to the oil on the tanker you seized near Venezuela? PRESIDENT TRUMP: We keep the oil, I guess! 🤣 Q: Where does it go? TRUMP: You're a good news man. Just get a helicopter and go follow the tanker! He is the best 😭😭
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* *. *

Gunboat diplomacy was on full display Wednesday afternoon after Bloomberg reported that U.S. forces intercepted and seized a sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. This move underscores the Trump administration's Monroe-2.0 posturing as Washington seeks to reassert control over the Western Hemisphere after years of neglect.

Bloomberg cited sources who did not disclose the tanker's name or the general area where U.S. military forces seized the vessel.

The move here is a foreign policy tactic known as gunboat diplomacy. It's where the U.S. military has stationed warships, jets, bombers, and troops that are to push the Maduro regime into complying with U.S. demands.



On Tuesday, Trump told Politico that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's "days are numbered" ...

Trump was asked whether the U.S. could send in troops on the ground. The president said, "I don't comment on that."

"I wouldn't say that one way or the other," he said, going on to criticize Maduro.

Polymarket odds for "US x Venezuela military engagement by March 31, 2026" surged on the news...



Simultaneously, the Pentagon has ramped up strikes on drug-trafficking vessels in waters near Venezuela and Colombia, killing at least 80 in the process. The Trump administration is hell-bent on dismantling the command-and-control structures of narco-trafficking routes that funnel illicit drugs into the U.S. and have contributed to the drug-death catastrophe that kills 100,000 Americans per year.

*Developing...


THURSDAY ROUND UP: PANDEMIK AMANG SEKSUAL GENG LEBAI

 

Thursday, December 11, 2025



THURSDAY ROUND UP: PANDEMIK AMANG SEKSUAL GENG LEBAI



I am starting a new THURSDAY column -  THURSDAY ROUND UP: PANDEMIK AMANG SEKSUAL GENG LEBAI. There are so many cases. It is a pandemic. Here are three recent ones:

 

KES NO. 1  GURU AGAMA DI TAWAU 

 



 

KES NO. 2  Mudir madrasah terlibat 21 kes amang seksual di Melaka




  • berdepan pertuduhan ke-21 kes amang seksual di Melaka
  • AYER KEROH – mudir madrasah Tumpat, Kelantan 
  • pertuduhan ke-21 amang seksual dan persetubuhan luar tabii 
  • terhadap pelajar lelaki berusia 16 tahun di Mahkamah Sesyen di sini 

 

KES NO. 3 Rogol kanak-kanak, penceramah bebas dipenjara 15 tahun dan disebat

Bernama 18/09/2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Seorang penceramah bebas dijatuhi hukuman penjara 15 tahun dan tiga sebatan oleh Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini selepas didapati bersalah merogol dan melakukan amang seksual fizikal terhadap seorang kanak-kanak perempuan berusia 13 tahun, empat tahun lepas.