NEW DELHI – India’s space agency on Sept. 1 announced plans to build a new class of powerful communication satellites. K. Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), says the new spacecraft will feature an upgraded power system to accommodate more transponders. “ISRO has plans to integrate new technologies in them and get into higher bands,” Radhakrishnan says. ISRO is aiming to introduce these technologies during the next five-year plan (2012-17) that starts next April.

A Gulf Air passenger airplane skidded off the runway after landing in heavy rain Monday in the southern Indian city of Kochi, injuring several people. Officials at the Bahrain-based carrier say the accident happened before dawn as the Airbus A320 was attempting to land at Cochin International Airport, which is located about 25 km (16 mi.) north of the major port city of Kochi. Gulf Air Flight 270 was carrying six crew and 137 passengers. Several people sustained injuries during the evacuation of the aircraft, but no one was critically injured.

NEW DELHI — India is considering a proposal to permit civil air operations at a naval airport in the southern state of Karnataka. The Karnataka state government has approached the Indian defense ministry to give permission for civil operations at the naval airport at Karwar, Defense Minister A.K. Antony says.