India will soon enter into the unmanned moon mission. The country would launch Chandrayaan-I by the end of this year.

It was disclosed by space scientist and former ISRO chairman Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan in a book release function.

Seven countries such as Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, France and Britain have already launched their Moon mission.

Srinagar, Kashmir  - Indian troops posted along the Line of Control, which divides the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, were shelled from across the border Thursday, officials said.

Six mortar shells were fired on Indian forward positions in the Jahangarh area of the Nowshera sector, 80 kilometres north-west of the state's winter capital, Jammu. There were no injuries.

"The firing went on intermittently for 45 minutes from 6:40 am local time [0110 GMT]," Lieutenant Colonel SD Goswami told reporters. "The Indian Army exercised restraint and did not retaliate."

Vienna, Aug 21 : The crucial two-day meeting of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) begins here today to decide on whether to grant India access to nuclear fuel and technology.

The NSG’s plenary session is expected to discuss the possibility of granting India an exemption from its restrictive export rules. India is standing by its “excellent non-proliferation record” and will seek to allay fears or doubts that the NSG might have about having nuclear commerce with it.

Vienna  - India's quest for foreign supplies for its nuclear power programme entered a new stage on Thursday, as nuclear-exporting countries gathered in Vienna to discuss an exemption from their rules to allow trade with India.

Several of the 45 members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which sets international export control standards, are expected to propose in their meeting that the group clearly define which conditions India has to meet if it wants to access to international nuclear materials and technology.

Under its 2005 nuclear agreement with India, the United States pledged to lobby NSG members for a trade exemption, while India made several non-proliferation commitments.

Washington, Aug 21 : The Bush Administration officials believe that an agreement on providing waiver to India will not be reached in the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting today, as the American proposal to exempt India from restriction on nuclear trade has aroused scepticism from several members of the 45-nation NSG.

American diplomats said on Wednesday that it is unlikely that a deal will be reached in two-day meetings that begin today in Vienna. Instead, they said, a second NSG meeting probably will need to be held next month, leaving little time for final approval by the US Congress in September session.

The oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday were firmly instructed by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to clear the waiting list of new domestic LPG connections within 2 months (60 days) and restore the normal supply of all kinds of fuels across country.

Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, while chairing the review meeting of the OMCs said, “The supply and distribution of essential petroleum products should be restored to the normal position. Adequate supplies must be ensured in the coming festive season.”