NEW DELHI — On Oct. 7, an Indian air force (IAF) MiG-21 combat aircraft went down, marking the sixth crash of the fighter for the IAF this year. The aircraft crashed in India’s western state of Rajasthan during a routine sortie around 11.30 a.m. local time while the pilot was preparing to land, a defense ministry spokesman says. The pilot ejected to safety. The IAF first purchased MiG-21s in 1961 and has operated more than 400 of the aircraft. More than 100 of the fighters were lost in crashes from 1993-2002.

NEW DELHI — India is set to ramp up its fighter and transport bases near the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir to augment its military strength along its borders with neighboring countries such as Pakistan and China. The Indian air force (IAF) plans to transform Nyoma — located in eastern Ladakh within 25 km.(16 mi.) of the Sino-Indian border — into a fighter base and augment Kargil base in Indian-administered Kashmir to enable operations by fighter jets and heavy transports, according to Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne.

NEW DELHI — India has agreed to train and equip Afghanistan’s security forces to help the strife-torn country fight terrorism and give New Delhi a major strategic edge in the region. In a move sure to annoy rival and immediate neighbor Pakistan, India formally expressed its intention to “assist, as mutually determined, in the training, equipping and capacity-building programs for Afghan National Security Forces.” However, neither country has provided details about the military training.