NEW DELHI — A comet moving toward Mars will not derail India’s first orbiter mission to the red planet, the country’s top scientist says. Preparations are in full swing for the country’s first orbiter mission to Mars, “Maangalyaan,” which is scheduled to be launched Nov. 27. NASA earlier this year announced that a comet is due to pass by Mars in September 2014, roughly the same time India’s Mars orbiter reaches the planet about 400 km (249 mi.) away, raising fears the comet might disturb its mission plans.

NEW DELHI — A cut in India’s defense budget will not halt the acquisition programs of the Indian air force (IAF), Defense Minister A.K. Antony says. “The government is committed to the modernization of the IAF and funds are not a problem to ensure that it remains at the forefront of technology,” Antony says.

NEW DELHI — India plans to loft the heaviest variant of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), the Mk. 3, in 2014, even as the country’s space agency prepares for another mission with an earlier GSLV variant in July of this year, a senior space scientist says.