White House "Alarmed" After Taylor Swift, Joe Biden Deepfakes Surface

Deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence have proliferated on social media this month, claiming a string of high-profile victims and elevating the risks of manipulated media into the public conversation ahead of a looming US election cycle.

Pornographic images of singer Taylor Swift, robocalls of US President Joe Biden's voice, and videos of dead children and teenagers detailing their own deaths all have gone viral - but not one of them was real.

Misleading audio and visuals created using artificial intelligence aren't new, but recent advancements in AI technology have made them easier to create and harder to detect. The torrent of highly publicized incidents just weeks into 2024 has escalated concern about the technology among lawmakers and regular citizens.

"We are alarmed by the reports of the circulation of false images," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday. "We are going to do what we can to deal with this issue."

At the same time, the spread of AI-generated fake content on social networks has offered a stress test for platforms' ability to police them. On Wednesday, explicit AI-generated deepfaked images of Swift amassed tens of millions of views on X, the website formerly known as Twitter that is owned by Elon Musk.

Although sites like X have rules against sharing synthetic, manipulated content, the posts portraying Swift took hours to remove. One remained up for about 17 hours and had more than 45 million views, according to the Verge, a sign that these images can go viral long before action is taken to stop them.

Cracking Down

Companies and regulators have a responsibility in stopping the "perverse customer journey" of obscene manipulated content, said Henry Ajder, an AI expert and researcher who has advised governments on legislation against deepfake pornography. We need to be "identifying how different stakeholders, whether they are search engines, tool providers or social media platforms, can do a better job creating friction in the process from someone forming the idea to actually creating and sharing the content."

The Swift episode prompted fury from her legions of fans and others on X, causing the phrase "protect Taylor Swift" to trend on the social platform. It's not the first time the singer has been subjected to her image being used in explicit AI manipulation, though it's the first with this level of public outrage.

The top 10 deepfake websites hosted about 1,000 videos referencing "Taylor Swift" at the end of 2023, according to a Bloomberg review. Internet users graft her face onto the body of porn performers or offer paying customers the ability to "nudify" victims using AI technology.

Many of these videos are available through a quick Google search, which has been the primary traffic driver to deepfake websites, according to a 2023 Bloomberg report. While Google offers a form letting victims request removal of deepfake content, many complain the process resembles a game of whack-a-mole. At the time of Bloomberg's report last year, a spokesperson for Google said the Alphabet Inc. company designs its search ranking systems to avoid shocking people with unexpected harmful or explicit content they don't want to see.

Almost 500 videos referencing Swift were hosted on the top deepfake site, Mrdeepfakes.com. In December, the site received 12.3 million visits, according to data from Similarweb.

Targeting Women

"This case is horrific and no doubt extremely distressing for Swift, but it's sadly not as groundbreaking as some may think," Ajder said. "The ease of creating this content now is disturbing and affecting women and girls, regardless of where they in the world or their social status."

As of Friday afternoon, explicit AI-generated images of Swift were still on X. A spokesperson for the platform directed Bloomberg to the company's existing statement, which said non-consensual nudity is against its policy and the platform is actively trying to remove such images.

Users of popular AI image-maker Midjourney are already taking advantage of at least one of the fake visuals of Swift to come up with written prompts that can be used to make more explicit pictures with AI, according to requests in a Midjourney Discord channel reviewed by Bloomberg. Midjourney has a feature in which people can upload an existing image to its Discord chat channel - where prompts are input to tell the technology what to create - and it will generate text that can be used to make another image like it via Midjourney or another similar service.

The output of that feature is on a public channel for any of the more than 18 million members of Midjourney's Discord server to see, giving them the equivalent of tips and tricks for fine-tuning AI-generated pornographic imagery. On Friday afternoon, there were nearly 2 million people active on the server.

Midjourney and Discord didn't respond to requests for comment.

Surging Numbers

Amid the AI boom, the number of new pornographic deepfake videos has already surged more than ninefold since 2020, according to research from independent analyst Genevieve Oh. At the end of last year, the top 10 sites offering this content hosted 114,000 videos, among which Swift had already been a common target.

"Whether it's AI or real, it still damages people," said Heather Mahalik Barnhart, a digital forensics expert who develops curriculum for the SANS Institute, a cyber education organization. With the images of Swift, "even though it's fake, imagine the minds of her parents who had to see that - you know, when you see something, you can't make it go away."

Just days before the images of Swift created a firestorm, a deepfake audio message of Biden had been spread in advance of the New Hampshire presidential primary election. Global disinformation experts said that robocall, which sounded like Biden telling voters to skip the primary, was the most alarming deepfaked audio they had heard yet.

There are already concerns that deepfaked audio or video could play a role in upcoming elections, fueled by how fast things spread on social media. The fake Biden message was dialed directly into people's telephones, which provided fewer means for expects to scrutinize the call.

"The New Hampshire primary gives us the first taste of the situation we have to deal with," said Siwei Lyu, a professor at the University at Buffalo who specializes in deepfakes and digital media forensics.

Difficult to Detect

Even on social media, there are currently no reliable detection capabilities, which leaves a frustratingly roundabout process that depends on someone spotting a piece of content and doubting it enough to go to the source to confirm it. That's a presumably more likely scenario for a prominent public figure like Swift or Biden than a local official or private citizen. Even if companies identify and remove these videos, they spread so quickly that often the damage has already been done.

A viral deepfaked video of a victim of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, Shani Louk, has amassed more than 7.5 million views on ByteDance Ltd.'s TikTok app since it was posted more than three months ago, even after Bloomberg singled it out for the company in a December story about the platform's struggle to police AI-generated videos of dead victims, including children.

The video-sharing app has banned AI-generated content of private citizens or children, and says "gruesome" or "disturbing" video is also not allowed. As recently as this week, deepfaked videos of dead children voicing the details of abuse and their death were still popping into users' feeds and amassing thousands of views. TikTok removed the videos sent by Bloomberg for comment. As of Friday, dozens of videos and accounts that exclusively post this kind of disturbing fake content are still live.

TikTok has said it's investing in detection technologies and is working to educate users on the dangers of AI-generated content. Other social networks have voiced similar sentiments.

"You can't respond to something, you can't react to something - let alone regulate something - if you can't first detect it," said Nick Clegg, president of public affairs at Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms Inc., at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this month.

Few Laws

There is currently no US federal law banning deepfakes, including those that are pornographic in nature. Some states have implemented laws regarding deepfake pornography, but their application is inconsistent across the country, making it difficult for victims to hold the creators to account. 

Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said Friday that the administration is working with AI companies on unilateral efforts that would watermark generated images to make them easier to identify as fakes. Biden has also appointed a task force to address online harassment and abuse, while the US Justice Department created a hotline for those victimized by image-based sexual abuse.

Congress has began discussing legislative steps to protect celebrities' and artists' voices from AI usage in some cases. Absent from those conversations are any protections for private citizens.

Swift has made no public comment on the issue, including whether she will take legal action. If she chooses to do so, she could be in a position to take on that sort of challenge, said Sam Gregory, executive director of Witness, a nonprofit organization that uses ethical technology to highlight human rights abuses.

"In absence of federal legislation, having a plaintiff like Swift who has the capability and willingness to go after this using all available means to make a point - even if the likelihood of success is low or long-term - is one next step," Gregory said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Trump Ordered To Pay $83 Million To Writer In Sex Assault Defamation Case

A jury in New York ordered former US president and 2024 candidate Donald Trump on Friday to pay $83.3 million to compensate the writer E. Jean Carroll whom he was found to have sexually assaulted and defamed.

The civil order, which prompted an audible gasp in the federal court, far exceeds the more than $10 million in damages for defamation that Carroll had sought.

Trump lashed out almost immediately calling the verdict "ridiculous" in a statement and promising to appeal.

The jury reached its decision after slightly less than three hours of deliberations.

Trump had been in court earlier, storming out at one point to subsequently return for closing arguments. He was not in court when the level of compensatory and punitive damages were read out by a court clerk.

Following the verdict, Trump's lawyer Alina Habba spoke only to thank court staff. A juror exchanged a smile with Carroll as the nine men and women left the courtroom after the judge encouraged them to protect their privacy.

"It's clear to me... you paid attention," Judge Lewis Kaplan told the jury following the verdict.

The order was comprised of $65 million punitive damages after the jury found Trump acted maliciously in his many public comments about Carroll, $7.3 million in compensatory damages, and $11 million for a reputational repair program.

Trump -- whom a jury found liable for sexual assault of Carroll in a separate federal civil case in New York -- used his Truth Social platform to fire off a spate of insulting messages attacking Carroll, the trial, and the judge, whom he called "an extremely abusive individual."

Trump, 77, briefly took the stand on Thursday to deny he instructed anyone to harm Carroll with his statements.

During Trump's testimony, Judge Lewis Kaplan limited him to three questions from his lawyers, to which he could only answer yes or no -- a precaution taken to prevent the Republican leader from returning to his custom of disparaging the court or Carroll in public.

"This is not America," Trump said as he left the courtroom following his short appearance.

He was not required to attend the trial or to testify. However, he has used the case, as well as others he faces, to generate heated media coverage and to fuel his claims of being victimized as he campaigns for a return to the White House in November's election.

Trump separately faces multiple criminal cases, including his alleged attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden, and a civil business fraud case.

- Courtroom tension -

Habba sought to have the case thrown out Thursday on the grounds that threatening messages targeting Carroll, which have been aired in the case, began on social media before Trump's 2019 comments. Her request was denied.

Jurors were shown Trump's October 2022 deposition during which he confused a picture of Carroll for his former wife Marla Maples, which threatened to cast doubt on his claim Carroll was not his "type."

Last year, another federal jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996 and subsequently defaming her in 2022, when he called her a "complete con job."

Trump had been in court while he campaigned ahead of the New Hampshire primary, which he won handily over his only remaining challenger Nikki Haley, as he closes in on becoming the Republican candidate in the November election against Biden.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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France's Macron Visits Delhi's Nizamuddin Dargah

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Dargah Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi on Friday evening, officials said.

Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations at Delhi's Kartavya Path.

He reached the almost 700-year-old shrine -- the nerve centre of Sufi culture in India -- at 9.45 pm and remained there for more than half an hour, they said.

The dargah is the mausoleum of the famous Sufi Nizamuddin Auliya and his disciple Amir Khusrau.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu received her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honour.

Welcoming President Emmanuel Macron, she said the leaders of the two countries being guests of honour in each other's successive National Day parade and celebrations, is a historic moment, and "a symbol of the depth of our friendship and the strength of our partnership".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Viral Video Shows 3,000 Engineers Queuing Up For Job Interview In Pune

In a viral video, over 3,000 engineers were seen queuing outside a Pune-based company for a recent walk-in drive targeting junior developer positions, typically sought by freshers. 

The event garnered immense interest, with more than 2,900 resumes submitted. Hinjawadi, known for attracting IT talent, witnessed long queues, each hopeful engineer holding their resume. 

The video, widely shared on social media, has sparked discussions about the evolving IT job market and challenges faced by young professionals.

Despite Pune's vibrant IT sector, the overwhelming response for around 100 positions raises concerns about skills training, automation impact, and the need for job market diversification in India. 

The incident highlights the intense competition affecting both recent graduates and experienced professionals.

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Following the viral spread of the video across various platforms, a lively discussion erupted in the comment section, attracting numerous social media users eager to share their perspectives.

"An IT company collecting CVs in an analog manner is the height of irony," commented a user.

A user pointed out, "If you think this queue is bad, try applying for a job at a Canadian grocery store; their lines are longer than this."

Adding a touch of humor to the conversation, a third user quipped, "Where's that uncle who said to complete your engineering, and after that, everything will be fine?"

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"There Is Spin But...": Axar's Honest Verdict On Pitch During ENG 1st Test

The best part of Yashasvi Jaiswal's entertaining unbeaten 76 was the manner in which he completely unsettled England's troika of spinners, India's left-arm slow bowler Axar Patel reckoned after opening day's play in the first Test. Riding on Jaiswal's 70-ball blitz, India closed the opening day at 119 for 1 while replying to England's first innings total of 246 all out. "We enjoyed the way Yashasvi was batting and he took on the spinners from the very first over. It was very good to unsettle them early," said Axar in the post-day press conference. Jaiswal hammered debutant England left-arm spinner Tom Hartley for two sixes in the second over of India's first innings to impose himself on the match.

However, Axar himself played a not insignificant role in India's charge on the day, plucking the wickets of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.

The 30-year-old said he was just trying to complement senior partners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

"I have learned a lot from seniors Ash and Jaddu bhai. I was trying to control the game from my end as they were bowling in partnership. They were taking wickets, so, I was not thinking about taking wickets," he said.

"I know that if you are playing three spinners then one of them will get a lesser number of overs. They were also telling me what was happening on the wicket and what I should do. It is a privilege to bowl with them," said Axar.

The Gujarat bowler was particularly chuffed about the dismissal of Bairstow after castling him with a gem of a delivery that was bowled from wide of the crease, hitting the stumps with the angle.

"That delivery really came off well. We were talking if it turns from there then it would be great because the odd ball was turning. Bairstow took stance on the fourth wicket to avoid the lbw." "So, I thought of bowling at the stumps because he did cut a few shots close to the stumps. That was the plan and the one that turned from there was good and you would have seen my celebration," he added.

In their attempt to negate Indian spinners, the England batters employed reverse sweeps one too many times and Axar said the attacking mindset of rivals exponentiated his chances to take wickets.

"I was talking with the captain that they were playing sweeps and reverse sweeps and we were looking where the reverse sweeps were going. So, we placed the point (fielder) a bit behind.

"We had talked about this in the team meeting and we had a plan for this. It's good that they wanted to attack and it had a chance of getting them out," he noted.

Axar said the RGI Stadium pitch did not have any alarming turn and it was a good effort from the Indian bowler's part to bowl out England for 246.

He hoped that the batters would play longer on the second day and further cement the team's advantage.

"There is spin but the wicket is slow and we know that we did well to restrict them to 246. We can adjust to it as the ball is getting slow after pitching. Yeah, it is a bit challenging as well for the batters but if you bat well then you can make runs here," he concluded.

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Bhavatharini, Daughter Of Music Composer Ilaiyaraaja, Dies At 47

National award-winning singer and musician Bhavatharini, daughter of veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja, died on Thursday following illness, film industry sources said. Bhavatharini, who was in her late 40s, passed away in Sri Lanka where she was reportedly undergoing treatment.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, also Puducherry Lt Governor, and various others condoled her demise.

In a condolence message, Stalin recalled Bhavatharini had won a National Award for the film Bharathy, a biopic on national poet Subramanya Bharathy. The void left behind by her will remain, he said.

Bhavatharini earned a special place in the hearts of the audience with her mellifluous voice, Soundararajan said and extended her sympathies and condolences with the family of the deceased.

"Shocked and saddened by the passing away of Bhavatharini. Sending heartfelt condolences and prayers to Raja sir & Yuvan's family during this difficult time. Om Shanti," actor Simran wrote on her official 'X' handle 'Simranbaggaoffc.' Musicians Yuvan Shankar Raja and Karthik Raja are Bhavatharini's brothers.

Actor Prasanna condoled Bhavatharini's demise.

"It's absolutely sickening to know the passing away of #Bhavatharini .my heart goes out to #isaignani Ilayaraja sir and family. May she rest in peace," he wrote on 'X.' Bhavatharini has rendered a number of hits, including crooning for her father.

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Masala Tea At Shop, UPI Payment, Roadshow: When PM, Macron Met

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron took part Thursday in a roadshow in the Pink City, where the visitor was presented a replica of Ayodhya's Ram temple and offered masala chai from a teashop before the leaders sat down for bilateral talks.

Macron, who is the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi on January 26, also visited the hilltop Amber Palace, Jantar Mantar observatory and Hawa Mahal in a carefully curated tour that ended at an iconic palace-turned-hotel.

In the evening, the two leaders were driven in an open-top vehicle through a short stretch in the heart of the city, beginning from Jantar Mantar, the 18th century astronomical observatory which is now a Unesco heritage site.

They stood in the vehicle, chatting and waving at people who lined the route.

For the PM, it was the first visit to the city after the swearing-in of Bhajanlal Sharma who took over as the Rajasthan chief minister after the BJP victory in the recent assembly polls.

PM Modi and Macron got down in front of the breezy Hawa Mahal. They admired the lit-up five-storey building with nearly 1,000 windows and 'jharokhas'.

The two leaders visited a handicrafts shop in the area. PM Modi, who led the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya's new Ram Mandir this week, bought a small replica of the temple for the guest, according to the shopkeeper.

He paid Rs 500 for the artifact -- digitally, through UPI.

And "Sahu chaiwala", who had set up a temporary stall for the occasion, accepted Rs 2 as token payment for the masala tea offered to the leaders. Again, the payment was digital.

The two leaders boarded the open-top vehicle again to continue the roadshow up to Sanganeri Gate. From there, they were to be driven to Rambagh Palace for dinner and the bilateral talks.

Earlier, in the afternoon, the French delegation was received by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma at the Jaipur airport.

A couple of hours later, PM Modi, who was on a visit to Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, also reached Jaipur. He met up with Macron at Jantar Mantar, where the two shook hands, hugged and then took a brief tour of the observatory.

Before this meeting, Macron had already ticked off Amber Palace on his Jaipur itinerary. His delegation had headed straight from the airport to the fort, the seat of Kachhwa Rajputs before Jaipur was founded nearby.

A red carpet was laid out and caparisoned elephants lined up at the fort for the French president.

Macron interacted there with a group of children. The delegation also browsed through artifacts on display at the temporary stalls set up near the entrance.

S Jaishankar and Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari were at the fort.

Cutouts and hoardings were earlier put up at several locations in Jaipur around the sites PM Modi and Macron were set to visit.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Inside Ananya Panday's Paris Album With Her "Twin Inspiration" Gauri Khan

Ananya Panday's stay at Paris was indeed a good one and her Instagram feed over the last couple of days stands as proof. The actress, who made her international runway debut at the Paris Haute-Couture Spring/Summer 2024 Fashion Week, has been regular at treating her fans to pictures from her Paris trip. On Wednesday as well, the actress did nothing different. The Dream Girl 2 star shared a picture of herself posing in front of the gorgeous Eiffel tower. However, she was not alone. Accompanying her was none other than her "twin inspiration" Gauri Khan. The two were seen posing adorably with shawls over their heads. Ananya captioned the image, "Missing Gauri Khan already - my twin inspiration."

Take a look at her post below:

Ananya Panday shared a carousel post on her Instagram profile, on Tuesday. "Paris for a quick minute," she captioned the post.

Check out Ananya Panday's Paris post here:

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A post shared by Ananya 💛💫 (@ananyapanday)

Before this, Ananya Panday walked the ramp for ace designer Rahul Mishra at the Paris Haute-Couture Spring/Summer 2024 Fashion Week. A large sieve accentuated Ananya's outfit. ICYMI, here is a glimpse of Ananya's runway moment.

Coming back to Ananya and Gauri Khan, last year, the actress dedicated a special note to celebrity interior designer Gauri Khan for transforming her “first home” into a “dream home”. The actress, who bought a new apartment on the occasion of Dhanteras this year in Mumbai, has shared a couple of pictures of herself with Gauri, Shah Rukh Khan's wife. In the opening frame, Gauri Khan and Ananya can be seen posing in the living room. The next slide shows the two sitting on a couch. With a melange-hued couch, grey carpet, white coffee table and lamps, Ananya's living room exudes minimalist vibes. In her note, Ananya thanked Gauri Khan for understanding her preferences exactly and designing her first home accordingly. Sharing the pictures, the Dream Girl 2 actress wrote, “My first home… my dream home…thank you Gauri Khan no one could have understood exactly what I wanted better than you and made it so special for me… you're the best, love you!!!” FYI: Ananya and Gauri Khan's daughter Suhana are BFFs.

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In terms of work, Ananya Panday was last seen in the Netflix release Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, directed by Arjun Varain Singh. The film also starred Siddhant Chaturvedi, Adarsh Gourav and Kalki Koechlin. Her upcoming projects include Control and The Untold Story of C Sankaran Nair. She will next be seen in the show Call Me Bae.

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NASA Finally Opens Asteroid Canister, 4.6 Billion-Year-Old Secrets Revealed

In a major scientific breakthrough, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has finally unlocked a canister containing precious dust samples from the asteroid Bennu. This accomplishment marks the culmination of four months of dedicated effort by scientists and engineers at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The canister, which landed in the Utah desert in September 2023, held samples collected from Bennu's surface by NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft in 2020. While most of the samples were readily retrieved, additional material remained trapped within the canister's sampler head, posing a significant challenge.

After months of meticulous work, Nasa's team successfully removed the two final stubborn fasteners, allowing them to access the remaining dust. The announcement of this achievement was met with excitement within the scientific community, with Nasa's planetary science division enthusiastically declaring on Twitter, "It's open! It's open!"

"It's open! It's open! And ready for its closeup. After successfully removing two final fasteners on Jan. 10, members of the Astromaterials team photographed the OSIRISREx asteroid sample with a special technique to achieve super high-res images," tweeted the space agency.

It's open! It's open! And ready for its closeup. After successfully removing two final fasteners on Jan. 10, members of the @astromaterials team photographed the #OSIRISREx asteroid sample with a special technique to achieve super high-res images. https://t.co/bBrfFT3FoR pic.twitter.com/NTGMVFZCP3

— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) January 19, 2024

According to NASA, these trays will be photographed before the sample is weighed, packaged, and stored at Johnson, home to the most extensive collection of astromaterials in the world. The remaining sample material includes dust and rocks up to about 0.4 inch (one cm) in size. The final mass of the sample will be determined in the coming weeks. The curation team members had already collected 2.48 ounces (70.3 grams) of asteroid material from the sample hardware before the lid was removed, surpassing the agency's goal of bringing at least 2.12 ounces (60 grams) to Earth.

The curation team will release a catalog of all the Bennu samples later this year, which will allow scientists and institutions around the world to submit requests for research or display.

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"Raha's Parents...": Neetu's Shout Out To Alia-Ranbir After Love & War Announcement

The news of Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor's collaboration with director Sanjay Leela Bansali for his new film Love & War has made Ranbir Kapoor's mom Neetu Kapoor immensely happy and her latest Instagram post stands as proof. Moments after Alia Bhatt shared the news of her featuring in Sanjay Leela Bansali's epic sage Love & War along with her husband Ranbir Kapoor and actor Vicky Kaushal, Neetu Kapoor reshared the post on her Instagram wall. In her loud shout out to her kids, Neetu Kapoor wrote, "Love & War! Raha's parents, you both make me so proud with my all time favourite film maker #SANJAYLEELABHANSALI. Can't wait to see your magic #VickyKaushal."

See what Neetu Kapoor posted:

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A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54)

Earlier in the day, the happy news was shared by the actors Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt on their respective Instagram pages. Sharing the post, Vicky wrote, “An eternal cinema dream has come true. #SanjayLeelaBhansali #RanbirKapoor @aliaabhatt @prerna_singh6 @bhansaliproductions # Love & War.” Vicky's post got big love from his brother Sunny and dad Sham Kaushal. Sunny commented, "Je baat," while dad Sham Kaushal wrote, "Congratulations & blessings Puttar. Dreams do come true. Feeling so happy & blessed. Jor di jhappi. Shukar Rab da te sab da(a tight hug. Big thanks to the god and everyone else)."

For the unversed,  Love & War marks the filmmaker's first film with Vicky Kaushal. He has however worked with Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Ranbir Kapoor in his debut film Saawariya.  Love & War will hit the theatres  on Christmas of 2025.

Check out the poster below:

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A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09)

Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt have previously worked together in Meghna Gulzar's Raazi, while he worked alongside the actress' husband Ranbir Kapoor in Sanju.  Love & War will also mark celeb couple Ranbir and Alia's second film after Brahmastra.

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"Not Every Ram Bhakt...": Shashi Tharoor On Sharing Ayodhya Idol's Photo

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said that every 'Ram bhakt' was not a BJP supporter and he saw no reason why he or the grand old party should relinquish Lord Ram to the saffron party.

Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said that there were many, including him, who are devotees of Lord Ram and if in future they go to the temple in Ayodhya it would be to express their devotion and not hurt anyone.

He said that secularism does not mean absence of religion, it means "pluralism" -- everyone can profess the religion of their choice.

Tharoor was speaking to reporters at the Government Law College here following a protest by the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists and fraternity members against him over his Lord Ram-related post on social media platform X.

The protestors called him "shameless", shouted slogans against him and also carried banners and placards one of which said -- 'Shashi Tharoor you are a disgrace to a democratic secular state.' The Congress MP had posted a picture of the Lord Ram idol in Ayodhya along with a message in Hindi -- 'Siyavar Ram ki jai'.

Tharoor said the message he intended to send out through his post was his devotion to Ram and also the avoidance of Sita when hailing Ram.

"Therefore, there is no need to make it into such a big issue," he said.

Tharoor, who was invited to the college for an event by the Kerala Students Union (KSU), further said, "I do not see why I have to give up to the BJP a God I believe in and pray to every day? "The BJP may want all Ram bhakts to vote for them. But is every Ram bhakt a BJP supporter? That is the question. In my opinion, they are not. I also ask why should the Congress relinquish Ram to the BJP? We can also accept and pray to God, we too have religion." Tharoor further said that no one in the party was opposing the Ram Temple, "we were only opposed to the event." "If I go to a temple, it is to pray and not for political reasons. Someday I will go to Ayodhya, but it will be on my terms," he said.

He also said that he had in the past too stated that while every Hindu may desire a Ram Temple at Ayodhya, "I have always maintained that there was no need to demolish a mosque to build it." 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Tamil Nadu To Start IPL-Like Matches To Revolutionise Jallikattu Festival

Tamil Nadu is set to revolutionise the Jallikattu festival, the traditional bull-taming sport, by introducing cricket's famous Indian Premier League (IPL) like matches at a new state-of-the-art stadium in Madurai's Alanganallur, which is renowned for this traditional sporting event.

The stadium will be inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin tomorrow. The initiative to have IPL-like league matches aims to give a "boost" to the traditional festival and put it on India's tourism map.

The new Jallikattu stadium, is spread across 66.8 acres, and has seating capacity of 5,000 and a dedicated museum showcasing the Jallikattu bulls and the significance of the sport.

The new stadium will have emergency response measures such as a hospital for bull tamers and veterinary center for bulls.

The ancient sport of valour has an infamous history of injuring, maiming and even killing hundreds of people including spectators besides acts of cruelty against the animal like intoxication, pulling them by their tail and squeezing lime juice into their eyes.  

Meanwhile, the existing Jallikattu venues will continue to host events and the new breed of league matches will be conducted here by the Madurai District Administration and the State Sports department, which is presently under Udhayanidhi Stalin.

The festival has been commercialized with corporate funding for prizes including gold coins, motor bikes and cars. With new plans, this ancient sport could become a contemporary money spinner.

Last week, the Tamil Nadu police filed a case against a YouTuber after he posted a video showing his Jallikattu bull being force fed a rooster. The disturbing video, from Chinnappampatti in Salem district, shows the bull being forced to chew the rooster.

Three men are seen holding the bull to keep it in check while another man first feeds raw meat and then shoves the chicken in the bull's mouth, shows the 2.48 minute video posted on YouTuber Ragu's social media accounts.

Animal rights activists have expressed concerns that the new grand form of this sport will only increase cruelty against bulls, amplifying their trauma.

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"Will You Marry Me?" Nikki Haley Turns Down Proposal From Trump Supporter

During a New Hampshire rally on Monday, Nikki Haley, a 52-year-old GOP presidential contender, encountered an unexpected interruption to her speech. A pro-Trump heckler in the crowd interrupted her discourse at the Artisan Hotel in Salem to pose an impromptu question: "Will you marry me?" Amid laughter from the audience, Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and currently married to Maj. Michael Haley, handled the situation with grace, according to the New York Post.

Addressing the tongue-in-cheek proposal, Haley responded promptly by humorously inquiring if the suitor would consider casting his vote in her favor. The interruption occurred while Haley was addressing her supporters and discussing the significant issues at stake in the upcoming election on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.

"I'm voting for Trump," the man replied after a brief pause, drawing jeers from his fellow rally attendees.

"Oh, get out of here!" an unimpressed Haley shot back.

Ms Haley is the last standing rival to front-runner Donald Trump in the race to secure the party's nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in November's election.

Ms Haley has repeatedly said she is not running for second place in the Republican primary but had previously declined to specifically comment on whether she would be the former president's running mate.

According to the Washington Post polls, Donald Trump commands a significant lead with 52% support, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley trails at 34% in the presidential race.

The latest CNN/UNH poll shows a notable increase in support for both Mr Trump and Ms Haley compared to early January figures. In the earlier poll, Mr Trump held 39% support, and Ms Haley stood at 32%. The consolidation of the field, with major contenders quitting the race, has fueled the rise in support for both candidates. Despite Nikki Haley's considerable gains since late summer, Mr Trump maintains a formidable lead, widening the gap to a double-digit margin.

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Man Gets Double Lung Transplant After Years Of Vaping: "Had 1% Chance"

A 22-year-old man in the United States underwent a double lung transplant after he had only "one per cent chance of survival" following years of heavy vaping, as per a report in the New York Post. Jackson Allard from North Dakota was hospitalised and put on life support as his oxygen levels dropped.

In October, he was admitted to a clinic after complaining about stomach aches and low oxygen levels. He was diagnosed with Influenza 4 and double pneumonia. However, his condition worsened and he was then transferred to the University of Minnesota. Mr Allard's health continued to decline and doctors decided to put him on life support. 

Mr Allard's grandmother Doreen Hurlbur stated that her grandson developed these problems from vaping and it got so bad at a point that his heart stopped beating. She spoke to Valley News Live and said, "A doctor said he had a  one per cent chance of living and we said, 'He's fighting'. He's fought for how many weeks we're going to give him a chance to fight, we're not going to stop any procedures or anything."

She had also requested him to quit vaping as it can prove more dangerous than traditional smoking methods. "You have to stop vaping, and we kept telling him that over and over and over again, and he was a heavy vaper. He vaped all the time," Ms Hurlburt said. However, her grandson kept on asserting that vaping is "better than cigarettes."

At one point, the grandmother thought she would lose her "friendly, outgoing, energetic and fun" grandson. "I thought for sure we were going to lose him. I thought for sure he's not going to survive this, but in my mind, I kept picturing him coming home," she said.

The 22-year-old received a double lung transplant on January 1. He will have to undergo regular checkups for the next six months. Mr Allard will never be able to smoke or drink again. He will also need another transplant later.
 

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Hemant Soren Summoned By Enforcement Directorate For Round 2 Of Questioning

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate again for questioning in an alleged money laundering case. He was questioned last on Saturday at his home in Ranchi. It was the first round of questioning -- he had skipped seven earlier summons.

This time, he has been asked to come to the zonal office of the agency between January 27 and 31.

Mr Soren has claimed that he is the target of a huge conspiracy.

"A conspiracy was hatched against me, but the final nail in the coffin of the conspirators will be put by us... We will not be scared, your leader will face the bullets first and keep your morale high," Mr Soren told the workers of his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha after his questioning by the ED on Saturday.

The case involves "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia" in Jharkhand, according to the Central agency.

The agency has so far arrested 14 people in the case, including 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan who served as the director of the state Social Welfare Department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi.

In November 2022, Mr Soren was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in another money-laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state.

The nine-hour questioning had followed several no-shows and an appeal in court by the Jharkhand Chief Minister.

Mr Soren has denied any wrongdoing in that case too and alleged a larger conspiracy to "harass a tribal leader". The Central agencies are targeting him because he was not towing the line of the Central government, he had claimed.

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Nightmarish Resurgence Of Rats In Ukraine Echoes WWI Horrors: Report

The war-ridden frontlines of Russia's war in Ukraine are grappling with a nightmarish resurgence of rats and mice, echoing the haunting conditions of World War I trench warfare, CNN reported.

The infestation, fuelled by a static war situation and harsh winter conditions, is not only spreading disease among soldiers but also causing severe disruptions in military operations.

Ukrainian servicewoman "Kira" vividly recounted a "mouse epidemic" that plagued her battalion in the southern Zaporizhzhia region last fall. She described the unsettling scenario of soldiers trying to rest, only to be disturbed by mice crawling into their clothing, biting fingers, and causing sleepless nights. In Kira's dugout, housing four soldiers, the estimated 1,000 mice turned the tables, making the soldiers feel like guests in their own quarters, as reported by CNN.

The infestation is attributed to seasonal changes, the mating cycle of mice, and the stagnant nature of the war. Ukraine's counteroffensive faced strong resistance from heavily fortified Russian defences, resulting in a protracted conflict. The nearly 1,000-kilometer frontline has become a breeding ground for mice, spreading disease and discontent among troops searching for food and warmth in the bitter winter.

Kira and her fellow soldiers employed various methods, from poison to prayer, to rid their bunkers of mice. However, the relentless influx forced them to explore unconventional strategies. Even the introduction of a cat named Busia, initially effective in catching mice, proved futile in the face of overwhelming numbers.

Videos circulated on social media by Ukrainian and Russian soldiers provided a visual testament to the extent of the infestation. Mice and rats were captured scurrying under beds, in backpacks, power generators, coat pockets, and pillowcases. The severity of the problem reached a point where mice poured forth from a Russian mortar turret, resembling bullets from a Browning machine gun.

In December, Ukraine's military intelligence reported an outbreak of "mouse fever" among Russian units near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. While CNN could not independently verify the report, the disease was described as being transmitted from mice to humans through inhalation of mouse feces dust or ingestion of mouse feces in food. Symptoms included fevers, rashes, low blood pressure, eye hemorrhages, vomiting, severe back pain, and urinary problems.

Ukraine's Defence Intelligence claimed that "mouse fever" significantly reduced the combat capability of Russian soldiers, highlighting the debilitating impact of the infestation. The specific condition affecting Russian troops was not named, but various diseases associated with living near rodents could present similar symptoms, including tularemia, leptospirosis, and hantavirus, according to CNN.

The situation draws parallels with World War I, where "trench rats" thrived in unsanitary conditions, causing immense stress for soldiers. The rat population surged during periods of conflict stagnation, and concerns arose that a similar pattern is emerging in Russia's war in Ukraine. General Valery Zaluzhny, head of Ukraine's armed forces, drew parallels with the technological stalemate of the first world war, emphasising the challenges posed by the conflict.

Ihor Zahorodniuk, a researcher at Ukraine's National Museum of National History, attributed the mouse infestation to rodent reproduction peaks in the fall and the disruptive effects of the war itself. Winter crops sown in the fall of 2021 were left unharvested in many places in 2022, providing an ideal environment for mice to breed. The dispersal of natural predators further facilitated their propagation.

Beyond causing anxiety and disease among soldiers, mice have devastated military and electrical equipment. Kira, while working as a signalman in Zaporizhzhia, recounted how mice infiltrated metal boxes, chewing through wires and disrupting communications. The financial losses incurred from the damage were significant, amounting to one million hryvnia (USD 26,500) in her dugout alone.

As Ukraine faces another harsh winter, the mouse problem is expected to intensify. Zahorodniuk warned that colder temperatures would drive mice into trenches, exacerbating the situation. He stressed the need for organised efforts to combat the infestation, emphasising the impact on the combat capability of the army, CNN reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ayodhya Trust On BBPS, Devotees Can Now Make Online Donations To Ram Temple

The donations for Ram Temple went live on the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), with Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra as a featured biller, making donations as effortless as mobile recharges.

Anyone can pay using UPI apps such as Google Pay and BharatPe.

To donate, one can go to the official website of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, and click on the donation section.

Invitees to the "Pran Pratishtha" ceremony at the Ram temple started arriving today in Ayodhya. The town is now resplendent with new infrastructure amid religious fervour on the eve of a seminal event in India's political and religious history.

Ayodhya has been bedecked with multi-coloured flowers; recordings of 'Ram dhun' played from loudspeakers and people dressed as Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman paraded down the streets.

Ceremonial gates depicting 'Jai Shri Ram' in floral patterns and illumination visible at night add to the aura of the ancient city, which has undergone a massive infrastructural growth in the past couple of years after the 2019 Supreme Court verdict on the Ram temple issue.

"The entire country is chanting the name of Lord Ram," said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

With inputs from PTI

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Nora Fatehi 'Deepfake' Video: What The Controversy Is All About

Social media was abuzz as actress Nora Fatehi revealed a fake video of herself in her Instagram story, leaving fans shocked and sparking widespread discussion within the online community. The video was an advertisement for a retail clothing company's end-of-season sale.

The ad seemed real on the retailer's social media, but the clothing company's website contradicted it. This "scam or not scam" initiative is part of a deliberate awareness campaign by the company to address online financial fraud.

The video commences with Nora Fatehi providing information about an ongoing sale and encouraging viewers to tune in. As the video unfolds, there is a transformation where Nora Fatehi transitions into the character of Vigil Aunty, portrayed by actress and theater artist Anuradha Menon. This character bears a resemblance to Lola Kutty, another persona played by Lola for the channel [V].

The campaign aims to educate the public about deceptive practices and discrepancies between apparent authenticity in advertisements and the actual nature of websites, highlighting the need for caution when engaging in online transactions.

In the video, Vigil Aunty emphasizes the importance of viewers safeguarding themselves from financial fraud by being vigilant for early warning signs. The focus is on protecting one's hard-earned money, with a specific emphasis on identifying fraudulent shopping websites. This entire exercise is part of a well-thought-out awareness campaign by the company to address and educate the audience about the prevalence of online financial scams.

Coincidentally, this post by Nora Fatehi came on the same day when the man responsible for actor Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake video was arrested in Delhi. The video went viral on social media in November of last year, prompting widespread calls for regulations on social media platforms. 

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Prem Chopra Reveals His Two-Three "Very Good" Scenes Were Cut From Animal

Prem Chopra, who plays the character of Dalbir Dodamal Singh AKA "Bade Daji" in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, recently revealed that his two-three scenes were cut from the film. The film veteran also said that he considered those scenes were "Very good." Speaking to India Today, Prem Chopra said, "Animal was wonderfully made. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga wrote the script himself with some help from two assistants. So he was meticulous and very definite about what he wanted. Also, the film got very lengthy. It turned out to be a four-hour fifteen-minute film, so he had to cut it out. Hence, in this way, my two or three scenes were cut, which I thought were very good."

He continued, "But anyway, this is one of the games in the industry. But, I'm surprised that whatever my screen time is, people seem to have accepted me in a big way, and I still get views and information about it. I never expected that. I thought this was a special appearance, but the love is still pouring."

At Animal screening, Ranbir Kapoor greeted the actor while he was leaving the venue. Pictures went viral in which Ranbir Kapoor can be seen holding his hands and talking to him gently. Previously, Ranbir Kapoor and Prem Chopra worked in Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year.

Prem Chopra also praised Ranbir Kapoor's performance in the film. Speaking to news agency PTI, Prem Chopra said, "Ranbir is a very hardworking actor and performed so well in Rocket Singh. In this film (Animal), he is tremendous. He has done a great job. It is a very difficult and complicated role." He added, "It is action-oriented but even then, his character has a great background (story). People seem to love him very much. Not just him, even Bobby Deol is very good in a special appearance. All of them are very impactful."

Animal is directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Apart from Ranbir and Anil Kapoor, the film stars Bobby Deol, Triptii Dimri in pivotal roles. The film emerged as one of the biggest hits of recent time.

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Probe Agency Examining Arvind Kejriwal's Fourth No To Summons: Sources

The Enforcement Directorate is examining Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's response to the fourth summons for questioning, officials have told NDTV. A Chief Minister can be issued a non-bailable warrant and arrested after evading summons thrice.

Mr Kejriwal has evaded summons four times, refusing to present himself before probing agency in the alleged Delhi liquor scam. He has termed summons "illegal".

"There is no immunity provided to a sitting chief minister under law. Immunity is only provided to the President or the Governor of a state, so a Chief Minister can be arrested," a senior official said.

The agency, he added, is still examining Mr Kejriwal's reply. It is also considering whether a questionnaire can be sent to him or his statement can be recorded in his office like that of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in connection with an alleged illegal mining case.

"The summons issued to Mr Kejriwal is under Section 50 of PMLA and under this section distinction between accused and the witness is not there. His legal team knows that but they still have asked us to specify," he added.

In his reply to the probe agency, Mr Kejriwal has asked them to specify whether he has been called as a witness or an accused.
The Delhi Chief Minister deposed before Central Bureau of Investigation in same case last year, when the agency recorded his statement under Section 161 of the CrPc.

"Under this Section, a statement is recorded as a witness, so Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went. But under PMLA, this distinction is not defined. That is why he is not appearing before the ED. Also, his legal team knows that any statement he makes will be admissible in a court of law," said a senior Supreme Court lawyer.

Mr Kejriwal skipped the three previous summons on November 2, December 22, and on January 3.

On November 2, the date of the first summons, Mr Kejriwal had travelled to Madhya Pradesh ahead of the state elections to address a rally. He alleged that the ED was acting at the behest of the BJP to malign his image.

On December 22, he was in Punjab on a meditation retreat. On January 3, Mr Kejriwal cited preparations for the Republic Day celebrations and Rajya Sabha polls for three seats in the Capital.

Officials of the Enforcement Directorate said Mr Kejriwal's name has figured in investigations. The probe, they claimed, substantiate that money received from kickbacks was used by AAP in Goa elections. AAP has called the entire case politically motivated.

The ED will record the statement of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on January 20 at his officer in Ranchi. Mr Soren has evaded seven summons and two notices sent to him by agency.

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India vs China: Explaining Military Strength Beyond Numbers

India has been ranked as the fourth strongest military in the world, just after China, according to the Global Firepower Index, a platform that analyses data based on factors that determine a nation's war-fighting capability. 

China is the biggest spender on defence in Asia. In the financial year 2023-2024, India allocated $73.9 billion, while China reserved $229 Billion of its budget for the military. The Centre for Strategic and Investment Studies (CSIS), a US-based think tank, has said China's defence budget is higher than the published figures. 

According to the Global Firepower Index, China's defence budget is the second highest globally and India stands at number four. The huge gap between India and China should be attributed to the difference in the size of GDPs. India is the fifth-largest economy and spends 13 per cent of its annual budget on defence. Meanwhile, China is the second largest economy in the world. 

India has 1.45 million active personnel and China has 2.03 million soldiers in the PLA Army, Navy and Air Force. Viewing the imbalance in power between the Indian and Chinese military through statistics is myopic, considering factors like operational deployment, experience and nuclear capabilities of both nations are crucial.

Army 

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) was the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) during the civil war. When Mao Zedong came to power, the PLA became the national army and the Air Force and the Navy were its two other components. With more active personnel and a strong domestic industrial complex, the PLA has an advantage over the Indian Army in terms of statistics, but the world's two strong armies, with nuclear weapons, fighting a long war is highly unlikely. Any future armed conflict is expected to be limited to the border like the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. 

China reorganised its military into seven commands based on geography and operational needs. Christopher K Colley and Prashant Hosur Sahas, in their research paper, 'India-China and Their War-Making Capabilities', explain the advantage Indian troops have at high altitudes. The Western Theatre Command of China is the largest of the seven commands and is responsible for operations along the LAC. 

Around 2.5 lakh PLA troops are under the command but only 40,000 are in Tibet, the rest are deployed in the Xinjiang, Sichuan and Chongqing regions. Quick mobilization is vital and at high altitudes, speedy deployment with little to no time for acclimatization can result in high-altitude sickness. Brad Lendon, a military affairs expert, writes, "India maintains an edge in high-altitude mountainous environments, such as the one where the 2020 face-off is taking place."

Large portions of Chinese troops are not stationed at high altitudes, while the Indian forces have more experience in high-altitude operations and are deployed close to the border. The Himalayan plateau is uneven with variations in elevation and puts the PLA at a disadvantage due to its positioning.  

During the Doklam standoff in 2017, the PLA's single approach to the region through the Chumbi Valley was within Indian artillery range and before the standoff even began, more Indian troops were already present in the region as part of forward deployments. 

The Chinese military has had no combat experience since it invaded Vietnam in 1979. Meanwhile, the Indian Army, with the help of the Air Force, managed to mobilize at least 200,000 troops during the 1999 Kargil conflict to fight Pakistan at high altitude. Indian troops are stationed at the Siachen Glacier and force commanders have rich combat experience because of the counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Air Force

China has 3,304 aircraft, while India has 2,296 in all the forces. China's J-20 Chengdu is its fifth-generation stealth fighter. India only has 4.5 generation fighters like Rafale and Tejas MK1A won't be a fifth generation. Most of the IAF fighter jets in the current fleet were acquired in the late 1980s and '90s and are still in service and induction has been slow. The Tejas programme was envisioned in 1985 and the induction took several years. 

The PLAAF has fewer fighter jets positioned in Tibet compared to the IAF. According to Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Centre, around 180 Chinese aircraft are present under the Western Command and their responsibility is not limited to the defence of LAC along India but other nations like Mongolia, Russia, and Myanmar. 

India has 270 fighter jets positioned in different commands to counter China. If we ignore the difference in posturing, the PLAAF jets are not located close to the border and for any attack operation, the jets have to choose between fuel or payloads for long sorties due to long combat radius compared to the IAF. An Indian MiG-21 shooting down Pakistan's F-16 in 2019 is the latest incident to demonstrate an IAF pilot's combat capability.

Navy 

The argument of combat experience enters the discussion when India and China's military capabilities are compared. The argument holds some relevance as experience helps in survivability and performance. In an article on RAND, Timothy Heath, a defence researcher, writes that though China has a high-tech arsenal, its ability to use these weapons is unclear. 

China has a fleet strength of 730, which includes 61 submarines and 3 Helicopter Carriers. India has a fleet strength of 294 with 18 subs and 0 Helo carriers. The development of the Chinese Navy has been significant and worth appreciating. 

The growth was aimed at countering the US Navy against Taiwan, but China's interest in the Indian Ocean started a decade ago with its economic growth.

India and China are blue water navies, meaning they can operate globally with their aircraft carriers. Its objectives would be to defend the 'Sea Links of Communication' in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and any conflict would not occur in the Pacific but in the IOR. 

The QUAD alliance between India, Australia, the US and Japan aims for the safety and security of the Indo-Pacific region. China has deep interests in the South China Sea and a conflict with Indian Navy would happen in the IOR, implying that the Chinese Navy has to move its fleet from the South China Sea toward the Indian Ocean Region, giving Indian Navy time to choke transit point like Strait of Malacca and get support from QUAD partners. 

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