LPG refill booking gap cut to 25 days The Centre has directed oil marketing companies to revise inter-refill booking interval for all domestic LPG consumers move follows dip in refill bengaluru l tuesday l september 08, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l late city EDITION Defence ministry clears purchases worth `1.1 lakh cr Forces to get advanced choppers, radars; Su-30MKI fighter jets to get major upgrade J A V A R IA R ANA @ New Delhi THE defence ministry on Monday cleared military hardware purchases worth `1.1 lakh crore for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Approximately 98% of the procurement by value will come from Indian industry . The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), or inprinciple administrative approvals, for the defence acquisitions. For the Air Force, the DAC cleared “various proposals to enhance the war-fighting capability of fighters, transports and helicopters”. Sources said these include the overhaul of 40 Su-30MKIs by Hindustan Aeronautics, twice the number the PSU had earlier proposed. IAF operates around 260 Su-30MKIs, its mainstay fighter fleet. The DAC had earlier cleared the overhaul of Su-30 aero-engine aggregates. The approval seeks to address a gap in the IAF’s long-range beyond-visual-range capability with Operation Sindoor underscoring the , requirement. The overhaul covers modifications to allow the Sukhois to fire the RVV-BD, the export version of Russia’s R-37M missile. Weighing 510 kg and carrying a 60-kg warhead, the missile has a range of 200 km and is designed to engage AWACS aircraft, aerial refuellers and other high-value airborne assets. For the Navy, the DAC cleared the design, development and subsequent procurement of a marine gas turbine in the 24-28 MW class, with the ministry saying the propulsion system “will reduce dependency on foreign vendors”. India currently imports turbines for several frontline destroyers and frigates. The Navy will also get Arudhra radars, which “will replace the existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations”. Developed by the DRDO, Arudhra is a four-dimensional active phased-array radar with an instrumented range of 400 km whichis able to detect a two-square-metre target at up to 300 km. The Army stands to get more HAL-built advanced light helicopters, or Dhruv, to “execute complex missions across all terrains and operational situations”. A `8,073 crore deal for 34 ALH Mk-III was signed with HAL in March 2024. E x p r e s s Re a d Seven die in two separate accidents Kolar/Chikkaballapur: Seven persons were killed in two separate accidents in Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts on Monday. While four persons died in KGF, another three died in Chikkaballapur district. | P3 National Film Awards moves out of Delhi New Delhi: For the first time in its 72-year history, the National Film Awards will be held outside New Delhi. Kevadia in Gujarat will host the event, where President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards on September 22 | P9 20 dead in Bihar floods, Ganga begins to recede Patna: At least 20 people have died and more than 22 lakh were affected by floods in 12 Bihar districts, even as the Ganga began receding on Monday. However, the flood situation stays critical | P10 DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity to various acquisition proposals at an estimated cost of `1,10,000 cr Defence ministry CBRN recce vehicles The Army is set to get Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear recce vehicles, high mobility vehicles, self-propelled mechanical mine layers, advanced light helicopters, and trawl tanks Acceptance of Necessity AoN is the first step in defence acquisition. The process involves tech evaluation, trials as well as negotiations. Big acquisitions will require more govt approvals file pic Feels like summer... B’luru sizzles at 32°C Bosky Khanna @Bengaluru It is supposed to be summer with cloudy skies, rain and cooler weather in Bengaluru. But this September, it has been more like summer than the expected pleasant weather, because of clear skies and soaring temperatures. To top it off, the weatherman has sounded alerts for high ultraviolet (UV) radiation along with hot weather for most parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, over the next few days. Bengaluru city has been recording a maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius over the last few days, while the average is around 28 degrees Celsius for September. As per India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, the city on Monday recorded a maximum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius, while on Sunday it was 32.2 degrees Celsius. The Kempegowda International Airport recorded 33.4 and 33.2 degrees Celsius, on Monday and Sunday respectively , . N Puviarasan, director in-charge, IMD Bengaluru, said, “September temperatures have made the month feel like April, when summer is peaking. Poor monsoon has contributed to the rise in temperature.” While a heat wave alert has been sounded for neighbouring states, including Andhra Pradesh, high temperatures have been forecast for Karnataka. On the UV alert, Puviarasan said hot weather has nothing to do with the radiation. As Bengaluru is at an elevation of 3,000ft and there is no cloud and water vapour, the radiation and moisture evaporation is high, making it hot in the state capital. As per IMD data, most regions in the state, including Karwar, Honnavar, Dharwad, Gadag, Shivamogga, Chitradurga and Mandya, recorded the maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius on Monday Mysuru recorded 34.2 degrees . Celsius and Bagalkot 34.5 degrees Celsius. pg-owner arrested in rajasthan day after tragedy Hariram Gupta, the 81-year-old retired Indian Air Force Sergeant, was apprehended by Delhi Police from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan on Monday | P10 US market open for Indian space startups, says Sergio Gor PA D M INI D H R U V A R A J & B OSKY KHANNA @ Bengaluru US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Monday said that the American market is open for Indian space startups as the two countries move towards ‘co-creation’ from ‘cooperation’ and data-sharing. Stressing that NASA and ISRO will work together on the Moon Base Programme, he said: “Make no mistake: we are going back to the Moon, and we want India by our side.” Gor said the US-India space relationship is moving towards joint technolog y development, investment in startups and future space missions. “We are no longer just sharing data; we are co-designing instruments, co-funding startups, and co-authoring the future of human discovery,” he said, referring to discussions between the two countries on expanding their civil space partnership. He said India’s space sector reforms have ignited a commercial awakening. Innovators like Pixxel and GalaxEye are redefining Earth observation. Digantara is leading the way in space situational awareness. Bellatrix is propelling space forward. He said the US wants to build a direct commercial corridor between American industry and Indian innovators. “The US and India are working to gether on multiple sectors and at unthinkable working levels.” American market is open to you. Our investors are watching. Our ecosystems welcome you. We are here to help US envoy Sergio Gor Pixxel raises $100 mn Bengalurubased planetaryinfra firm Pixxel raised $100-million Series C funding round, marking the singlelargest funding round organised by a space-tech company in India SC judge shoots off fourth letter to CJI S U CHI T R A KALYAN M OHAN T Y @ New Delhi THE internal war in higher judiciary has intensified with Supreme Court’s Justice Sandeep Mehta writing his fourth consecutive letter to Chief Justice Surya Kant against Rajasthan High Court’s acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, levelling fresh charges of interfering in an internal judicial enquiry and misconducts. Quoting CJI Surya Kant’s earlier remark that judges should not try to “hit sixes” before retirement, Justice Mehta in his fourth letter on August 30 wrote in a reference, “Jus- Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma Justice Sandeep Mehta tice Sharma seems to be possessed of a licence to hit sixes ever since he took over as Acting Chief Justice.” According to sources in the Supreme Court registry, the said internal judicial enquiry relates to allegations that a High Court judicial officer displayed indecent photographs of a lady judicial officer on his phone. A committee was formed, but Justice Sharma allegedly interfered and leaked confidential proceedings. “Justice Sharma has made direct intervention in the enquiry proceedings, hampering the independence of the committee...” Justice Mehta wrote. He alleged that the committee, comprising three female judges of the Rajasthan High Court, recorded the minutes and refused to proceed with the enquiry Justice Mehta had earli. er also written similar letters on August 2, 10 and 17 accusing Justice Sharma of misconduct and “maladministration.” Judicial corruption In his fourth letter dated August 30, Justice Mehta said he has “material” against Justice Sharma regarding arbitrary rule changes, judicial interference and corruption and administrative breakdown at Rajasthan High Court The earlier interval for refill booking for rural consumers was 45 days. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said on Monday that the decision follows an improvement in LPG supply situation and a reduction in refill backlog | P13 Recently, India significantly diversified its LPG imports, with the United States emerging as the country’s largest supplier Gulf war effect on LPG supply Owing to the West Asia crisis, LPG was the worst-hit fuel as India imports 60% of its domestic requirement, with 90% of those from the Gulf CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■