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.

NEW DELHI — India, one of the largest importers of defense equipment in the world, is letting supporters of the U.N.’s recently passed arms-transfer treaty know that it is not happy with their actions. The treaty, aimed at laying down common international standards and limiting the illicit sale of conventional arms, was passed by the U.N. General Assembly with an overwhelming majority of 154 votes on April 3. Iran, North Korea and Syria voted against the treaty, while China, India and Russia abstained.

NEW DELHI — India’s ambitious Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contract is facing hurdles at the negotiation table, as sources say Dassault it seeking to absolve itself of responsibility for the copies of its Rafale fighter to be assembled in India by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). Under an agreement, the Indian air force (IAF) is likely to get 18 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation in fly-away condition.