NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s 1.3 million-strong armed forces, hobbled by outdated equipment and slow decision-making, are undergoing an overhaul as defence priorities shift to China from traditional rival Pakistan.

And like a refit of the imposing but dilapidated defense ministry on Delhi’s grand South Block, it’s a plodding process.

GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) – Five people were killed in election related violence in India’s isolated, northeastern state of Manipur, police said on Saturday.

Among those who died were a woman, a security guard and three election duty staff, when suspected tribal rebels attacked a polling booth in the state’s Chandel district.

IMPHAL, India (Reuters) – Thrown face down in an open drain by a grenade blast, Maisnam Ratan’s bloodied corpse was the latest reminder of the lingering insurgency in India’s isolated, far-eastern state of Manipur, which elects a state legislature Saturday.

Manipur, which neighbors Myanmar, is called the Jewel of India for its paddy fields, lakes and green hills. But it has been plagued for decades by a low-intensity war, blamed by authorities on rebels sheltering in Myanmar as well as a stream of drugs and guns seeping through the porous border.

LUCKNOW, India (Reuters) – By her own standards, Kumari Mayawati’s birthday celebrations were low-key this year.

After driving through a red-carpeted tunnel of plaster elephant tusks in an Ambassador, India’s retro-looking national car, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state, swept past a coterie of her party’s workers, who bowed and touched her feet.

LUCKNOW, India (Reuters) – By her own standards, Kumari Mayawati’s birthday celebrations were low-key this year.

After driving through a red-carpeted tunnel of plaster elephant tusks in an Ambassador, India’s retro-looking national car, the chief minister of India’s largest state swept past a coterie of her party’s workers, who bowed and touched her feet.

RAE BAREILLY, India (Reuters) – Priyanka Gandhi joined the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, injecting sparkle into a tightly fought race and overshadowing her brother Rahul, heir-apparent of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Vivacious and bearing a striking resemblance to her grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi – who was known as “India’s iron lady” – 40-year-old Priyanka has until now stayed mostly in the wings of the political fray.

RAE BAREILLY, India (Reuters) – India’s Priyanka Gandhi joined the election campaign in the country’s most politically important state on Tuesday, injecting sparkle into a tightly fought race and overshadowing her brother Rahul, heir-apparent of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Vivacious and bearing a striking resemblance to her grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi – who was known as “India’s iron lady” – 40-year-old Priyanka has until now stayed mostly in the wings of the political fray.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The Indian government on Friday threw its weight behind a case against internet giants including Google and Facebook, who are embroiled in a battle over offensive content after a judge warned websites may be blocked “like in China.”

The case, which has stoked worries about freedom of speech in the world’s largest democracy, was brought by a private petitioner seeking to remove images considered offensive to Hindus, Muslims and Christians from websites.

NEW DELHI, Jan 13 (Reuters) – The Indian government
on Friday threw its weight behind a case against internet giants
including Google and Facebook, who are embroiled in a battle
over offensive content after a judge warned websites may be
blocked “like in China”.

The case, which has stoked worries about freedom of speech
in the world’s largest democracy, was brought by a private
petitioner seeking to remove images considered offensive to
Hindus, Muslims and Christians from websites.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Internet giants including Google and Facebook are embroiled in a growing battle in India over offensive content with a judge warning websites may be blocked “like in China”, stoking worries about freedom of speech in the world’s largest democracy.

The Delhi High Court resumes a hearing on Monday of an appeal by Google (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research), Facebook and others against a lower court case by a private petitioner seeking to remove images considered offensive to Hindus, Muslims and Christians from websites.