Newsletter 10 July

July 10, 2020
 Team

News in Box

 

Headlines of the Week

  1. PM Narendra Modi to dedicate to the nation the 750 MW Solar Project
  2. On Sino-Indian Border Issue Yet to Settle
  3. US aerospace major Boeing completes delivery of 37 military helicopters to India
  4. Air India Pilots Association Demands Ministry of Civil Aviation And AI Officials to Clear Long Pending Dues or Allow Pilots to Quit Airline
  5. Panel proposes new regulator for non-personal data: Draft report

PM Narendra Modi to dedicate to the nation the 750 MW Solar Project

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dedicate to the nation the 750 MW Solar Project set up at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, via video conferencing.
  • MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and several union ministers also taking part in the event.
  • India seen as most attractive market for clean energy: Modi
  • India among top 5 nations in solar energy: PM

Important facts to know

  1. The Project comprises of three solar generating units of 250 MW each located on a 500-hectare plot of land situated inside a solar park (total area 1500 hectare).
  2. The Solar Park was developed by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL), a joint venture company of Madhya Pradesh UrjaVikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN), and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Central Public Sector Undertaking.
  3. The Rewa Solar Project was the first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier.
  4. This project will reduce carbon emission equivalent to approx. 15 lakh ton of CO2 per year.

The project has also received World Bank Group President’s Award for innovation and excellence and was included in the Prime Minister’s “A Book of Innovation: New Beginnings”.

 

On Sino-Indian Border Issue Yet to Settle

Officials from India and China have met for the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination on border affairs through virtual conferencing. The next round of military commanders’ meeting to discuss disengagement will be held soon, said MEA, India in evening.

Rajnath Singh reviews situation in eastern Ladakh with top officials

  • Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Fri carried out a comprehensive review of the situation in eastern Ladakh with top officials. Army Chief, General M M Naravane gave a detailed account of the implementation of the disengagement of troops from friction points.
  • AIR correspondent quoting sources reports, Army chief apprised Defense minister about combat readiness in the region to deal with any eventualities.
  • Chief of Defense Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria besides several other senior military officials were also present.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh also holds telephonic conversation about 20 mins, with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark T Esper, this evening at the latter’s request. The two Ministers have been in regular touch with each other: Defense Sources

Recently they have spoken several times on bilateral defense cooperation and issues of mutual interest. Today’s conversation was in continuation of this exchange.

India plans to invite Australia to join the annual Malabar naval exercise that has so far included just Japan and the U.S., in a move that could risk China’s ire.

  • The first time all members of the regional grouping known as the Quad will be engaged at a military level.
  • The exercise will bring together the navies of India, Japan, Australia and the U.S. in the Bay of Bengal at the end of the year, according to senior Indian officials who asked not to be identified, citing rules.
  • “The timing of India potentially letting Australia into Malabar would be especially significant at this juncture.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong issued a statement over India-China border issue: The boundary question left over by history, is sensitive and complicated. We need to find a fair and reasonable solution mutually acceptable through equal consultation and peaceful negotiation.

He said the two countries pose no threat to each other, but India should not make “false assumptions about Chinese intentions, exaggerate conflict & provoke confrontation.”

Amid all these, Himachal Pradesh: Tibetan Youth Congress protest against China in Dharmashala; its president Gonpo Dhundup says, “Today, all of our chapters across the globe are organizing protests against China. We call upon people to boycott products made in China.”

However, situation though seems controllable but not calm anyway and troops are keeping close eyes on LAC.

  • A section of media still don’t believe on what official letters are saying. They believe “The basis of the current India-China military disengagement is that the rival forces will pull back the same distance from the standoff sites. At first blush, this may seem reasonable. However, applying this principle in the areas that China has recently occupied means India’s withdrawal further back into its own territory while PLA retreats in equal measure from the encroached areas. Such disengagement sanctifies the changed facts on the ground, showing China’s alteration of the status quo carries no military costs.
  • The rival July 6 statements agree on just one important thing — disengaging frontline troops. Missing from China’s statement is India’s claim that both sides agreed to “strictly respect” the LAC and avoid “any unilateral action.” It also omits India’s reference to “de-escalation”-HT
  • Government sources say local military commanders from the two sides have not agreed on the creation of a demilitarized, 2-kilometre-wide buffer zone. This would separate Indian and Chinese troops who are currently deployed eyeball-to-eyeball in the vicinity of Patrolling Point 15 (PP-15) and PP-17A, along the Chang Chenmo River.
  • Near PP-15, where an estimated 1,000 Chinese soldiers have intruded 4 km across the LAC, and extended a road 3 km into Indian-claimed territory, they are being blocked from further ingress by a similar number of Indian troops.
  • At the nearby Gogra Post, near India’s PP-17A, about 1,500 soldiers from either side are in confrontation after the PLA intruded about 2 km into the Indian side of the LAC.
  • The Chinese are flatly refusing to withdraw from their positions, arguing that they are on their own side of the LAC and it is up to the Indian side to withdraw.

Few good piece of articles are [1] & [2]

 

US aerospace major Boeing completes delivery of 37 military helicopters to India

  • In the midst of India’s tense border standoff with China, US aerospace major Boeing delivered the final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Air Force around two weeks ago, and the entire fleet is now part of the assets deployed in key air bases along the Line of Actual Control, officials said on Friday.
  • Boeing said it completed delivery of all 22 Apache and 15 Chinook military helicopters to the IAF and is fully committed to meet the operational needs of the Indian armed forces.
  • The AH-64E Apache is one of the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopters and is flown by the US Army.
  • The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, primarily used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel. India signed a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to procure 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinooks for the IAF in September 2015.
  • Another contract for the acquisition of six Apaches for the Indian Army was signed during President Donald Trump’s visit here in Feb.

Air India Pilots Association Demands Ministry of Civil Aviation And AI Officials to Clear Long Pending Dues or Allow Pilots to Quit Airline

  • The Air India Pilots Association on Wed demanded that company should clear the long-pending dues of pilots immediately during a meeting.
  • The association on Thurs wrote a letter to all Air India (AI) pilots regarding the meeting with AI management and officials of Ministry of Civil Aviation.
  • The meeting which took place on July 8, was attended by Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG).
  • Officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry were also present at the meeting.
  • The association also asked MoCA officials to allow pilots to quit.
  • The letter states, “We informed MoCA officials to clear our long-pending dues immediately and allow pilots to quit Air India with immediate effect.”

The association added, “We expressed our disapproval for trying to attack the frontline workers of Air India who worked during the peak of pandemic”.

JnK Sheikh Waseem Bari row

An Army man, Havildar Sambur Gurung, sustained critical injuries in ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army along the line of control in Nowshera Sector of Rajouri district in Jammu & Kashmir today. He later succumbed to his injuries: Lt Col Devender Anand, PRO Defense

  • JnK Police claimed that second Lashkar e Tayyiba terrorist involved in killing of BJP leader Sheikh Waseem Bari and his family members has been identified as Saqleen who is a Pakistani national the other one is a local terrorist, identified as “Abid.
  • DGP said this is the “handiwork of a hybrid group”. “Two terrorists involved including — one local and one a Pakistani,” he added. IG Vijay Kumar said one of the Lashkar operatives is “.
  • Terrorist caught on CCTV moments before killing BJP leader, family members
  • As of now, the police is scanning the footage to find more details about the case. A manhunt has also been started on the basis of the CCTV footage.
  • Singh believes the killings were planned and the attacked was carried out keeping in mind the proximity of the Bandipora police station, which is 50 feet away from where the incident occurred.
  • Sources in the intelligence agencies said Jaish-e-Mohammed was initially suspected but later LeT’s involvement was confirmed. However, it may be noted that those responsible for killed Bari and his relatives were from hybrid groups.
  • In the hybrid group module, the initial claim of attack has been made by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-based terror group and a new front for Lashkar.
  • On Wednesday at around 9 pm, Bari along with other family members had returned after meeting another family member. The personal security officials (PSOs) accompanying was told that they can retire to their room on first floor.
  • This is when a local acquaintance, who is a tehsildar, came to buy some items from a shop owned by Bari. Soon after, the terrorists fired bullets, leading to the death of the BJP leader and his relatives.
  • Considering that security camps were close by and PSOs were present indicates at a conspiracy.
  • All the PSO’s have been questioned on their presence and dereliction of duty. An officer confirmed that even after the terrorists fired and killed Bari, not a single bullet was fired by the PSOs. In an unprecedented measure, all 10 personal security officials have been arrested.

Kerala Gold Smuggling Case Row

  • MHA has permitted NIA (National Investigating Agency), India to investigate the Thiruvananthapuram Airport Gold smuggling case, as the organized smuggling operation may have serious implications for national security.
  • Kerala CM had earlier written to the Prime Minister for a probe by central agencies.
  • NIA has informed the Kerala high court that the offences of committing terrorist act and raising funds for terrorist act has been invoked in the FIR in the case over alleged gold smuggling through diplomatic channel.
  • A counsel representing NIA made the submission before justice Ashok Menon during the hearing of anticipatory bail plea filed by Swapna Suresh, who is allegedly involved in the case.

Panel proposes new regulator for non-personal data: Draft report

“There is a need to create a regulator or authority for data business, which provides centralized regulation for all non-personal data exchanges,” the government-appointed panel headed by Kris Gopalakrishnan said in the report.

  • Such a regulator would be armed with legal powers to request data, supervise data sharing requests and settle disputes, it added.
  • India should set up a data regulator and require companies to disclose how they collect and store data devoid of personal details or which has been anonymized, a panel tasked to draw up such regulations has said in a draft report seen by Reuters.
  • As India moves to tighten policies on its citizens’ data held and processed by companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, it set up the panel last year to make recommendations on the regulation of “non-personal data”.
  • India has drafted an e-commerce policy that also calls for a new regulator, while a separate privacy bill under review has upset tech companies.

    “There is a need to create a regulator or authority for data business, which provides centralized regulation for all non-personal data exchanges,” the government-appointed panel headed by Kris Gopalakrishnan said in the report.

    • Such a regulator would be armed with legal powers to request data, supervise data sharing requests and settle disputes, it added.
    • India should set up a data regulator and require companies to disclose how they collect and store data devoid of personal details or which has been anonymized, a panel tasked to draw up such regulations has said in a draft report seen by Reuters.
    • As India moves to tighten policies on its citizens’ data held and processed by companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, it set up the panel last year to make recommendations on the regulation of “non-personal data”.
    • India has drafted an e-commerce policy that also calls for a new regulator, while a separate privacy bill under review has upset tech companies.
  • This is a term for data viewed as a critical resource by companies that analyses it to build their businesses and describes information that is independent of personal details such as names, or anonymized to protect people’s identity.
  • “There is a need to create a regulator or authority for data business, which provides centralized regulation for all non-personal data exchanges,” the government-appointed panel said in the report.
  • Such a regulator would be armed with legal powers to request data, supervise data sharing requests and settle disputes, it added.
  • Panel chief Kris Gopalakrishnan, a founder of Indian technology giant Infosys, declined to comment on the 30-page undated draft, which has not previously been reported.
  • The panel is in the final stages of deliberation on the report before it is submitted to India’s information technology ministry, a person familiar with the discussions said.
  • A company collecting data beyond a yet unspecified threshold should register as a “data business” in India, the report said, with government bodies also subject to the need to disclose what information they collect and store, and how they use it.
  • The panel consulted companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Uber, as well as some international experts, in drawing up the report, it said.
  • Regulation of non-personal data is just one of several areas for which India looks to hammer out policy, which will affect tech giants in a regulatory trend gathering momentum worldwide as nations step up efforts to control data.
  • Some data held by the private sector could be drawn on if needed to make policy and back wider social objectives such as healthcare, the panel said.
  • “The regulation of non-personal data would be driven by the need to unlock the value inherent in this form of data,” it added.

Baalu urges PM Modi to reactivate stalled Sethusamudram canal project

  • DMK (Tamil Nadu’s state based party) parliamentary party leader T R Baalu on Fri, urged PM Narendra Modi to reactivate the stalled Sethusamudram canal project.
  • The project is important in the interests of the nation’s security on southern coast, especially considering an aggressive China’s interests in Sri Lanka, according to Baalu.
  • “In the recent all-party meeting convened by you to discuss China’s attempts on the Ladakh border, our party president M K Stalin fully endorsed his support to the Centre over the government’s stand on China.
  • Given the developments in the South China sea, the Centre has done well in strengthening security measures in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
  • We need to undertake measures along Tamil Nadu’s long coast too, especially considering China’s huge investments in Sri Lanka, where it has taken over Hambantota port after the island nation defaulted on the former’s loan,” Baalu said in his letter to PM Modi.

International

India and US are ‘nearer to a smaller’ trade deal than ever before, says envoy Sandhu

  • Taranjit Sandhu, Indian ambassador to the US, says it’s a win-win proposition and ‘our leadership has given direction’ to wrap up a smaller deal and then go in for a bigger FTA.
  • India Thurs said both New Delhi and Washington are now “nearer” to a smaller trade deal than ever before as the US believes a free trade agreement (FTA) is possible even as India has walked out the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
  • India and the US have been discussing a limited trade deal since last year when PM Narendra Modi visited the US in Sept. But both sides could not agree to a deal, owing to several differences over tariffs on a range of goods that are being traded by both sides.
  • “This is a certainly win-win proposition for both of us and our leadership had given direction to both sides to quickly wrap up a smaller deal and then go in for a bigger FTA.

Sandhu was addressing a virtual session on ‘Partners in Revival: Time for Action’ moderated by Mukesh Aghi, president and CEO, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

‘Proud of India’: US Senator lauds PM Modi for standing up to China, calls for joining forces

United States Senator John Kennedy on Thursday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for standing up to the Chinese aggression and urged similar countries to join forces against China. Kennedy’s comments have come weeks after 20 Indian soldiers died in a clash with Chinese Army personnel in Galwan Valley at Ladakh border.

  • “There are lots of areas, it is not just that only India has to send out a message of symbolism, I think this is a case of US too. This is a time to send out that message of balancing, of a win-win situation. Therefore, I hope both trade sides are able to finalize the smaller deal soon,” he added.
  • He also said it is “important to accommodate each other’s interest and to address issues of mutual concern” even as both sides explore new areas of cooperation.
  • India has been pushing the US to restore the trade benefits under its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which was suspended in June last year.
  • “Trade and investment cooperation without doubt is an important dimension in our comprehensive global strategic partnership. Our bilateral trade has been growing at more than 10% on a year-to-year basis
  • While growth is impressive, there’s no doubt that real potential is yet to be reached.
  • There is opportunity in every crisis, including this one. This is time to reflect together on the global supply chains and how they can be refashioned and made more robust to withstand such crisis in the future,” Sindhu added.
  • Energy and defense trade will continue to be an important aspects in the two-way trade, Sandhu said, adding that the US and India will soon have the next round of energy talks.
  • It’s important that India ‘open’ for trade
  • Kenneth Juster, US ambassador to India, who was also addressing the session, said that while discussions between both the governments are on towards restoring the GSP, it is important that India also “open” for trade and manufacturing.
  • “India has made a clear decision not to participate in the regional agreement (RCEP) with the Chinese and other countries in Asia,
  • In my view, the way to lock in some of the economic potential going forward is to a free trade agreement,” said Juster.
  • The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a mega free trade agreement that is now being negotiated among 15 countries, that includes the 10 ASEAN members — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — and their five trade partners — Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. India had walked out of the RCEP talks in November 2019.
  • Trade has a huge potential opportunity for both countries across services, especially in a post-Covid era, Juster said.
  • “I do worry at times that we don’t have big enough vision for a trade relationship… We would love to do a bilateral free trade agreement. We still get hung up even on this small interim agreement. We need to have reciprocity, but I think coming out of Covid-19, where economic growth is needed, having a trade agreement will really add impetus to the possibility of growth,” he stressed.

On Modi’s ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’

  • On PM Modi’s clarion call for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, US envoy Juster said: “I hope this means building a more resilient and stronger local economies that can participate more ably in the global economy.”
  • He said as companies begin to have “second thoughts” about investing in China and even “pulling out” of China, India should gear up to become an attractive alternative investment destination.
  • “India should become a trading region and a hub to invest not just in India, but also globally,” he added.

US-India cooperation in health during Covid

  • Sandhu said during the Covid crisis, India and the US got closer with greater cooperation in the health sector.
  • During the peak of the crisis, India relaxed export norms in order to send huge shipments of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and paracetamol to the US, a gesture that President Donald Trump said “will not be forgotten”.
  • “US and India have a history of collaborating in the production of medicines… We are collaborating on three vaccines for Covid-19,” he said.
  • Sindhu also added seven Indian private firms are collaborating with Gilead for the bulk production of Remdesivir, touted as the best therapeutic hope against Covid, which will be distributed to more than 126 countries.

US approves $620 million missile upgrade package for Taiwan: Reuters

China, which claims the democratically-ruled island as its own territory, routinely denounces US arms sales to Taiwan

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it expected the sale to take effect within the next month

  • The United States has approved a possible $620 million upgrade package for Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Taiwan, the State Department said, the latest purchase from the United States to deal with a rising threat from China.
  • The United States, like most countries, has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by law to provide the democratic island with the means to defend itself.
  • China, which claims the democratically-ruled island as its own territory, routinely denounces U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
  • Taiwan has requested to buy components to upgrade its Patriot missiles “in order to support an operational life of 30 years”, the State Department said on Thurs.
  • Lockheed Martin will be the main contractor and the total estimated cost will be $620 million, it added.
  • “This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” it said.
  • “The recipient will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defense.
  • The recipient will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”
  • Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said it expected the sale to take effect within the next month.
  • “This arms sale is the 7th by the Trump administration to Taiwan so far, fully demonstrating the importance attached to our national defense security, consolidating our security partnership with the United States, and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region,” the ministry said.
  • Taiwan has been bolstering its defenses in the face of what it sees as increasingly threatening moves by Beijing, such as regular Chinese air force and naval exercises near Taiwan.

While Taiwan’s military is well-trained and well-equipped with mostly U.S.-made hardware, China has huge numerical superiority and is adding advanced equipment of its own such as stealth fighters.

Nation Amid COVID-19

  • Recovery Rate further climbs up to 62.42%
  • 18 States/UTs have Recovery Rate more than National average
  • Fatality Rate declines further to 2.72%
  • 30 States/UTs have Fatality Rate lower than the National average
  • The trend of progressive increase in the number of recovered COVID-19 patients continues.
  • The last 24 hours saw a total of 19,138 COVID-19 patients get cured, taking the cumulative figure of recovered cases among COVID-19 patients to 4,95,515 today.
  • Consequently, the national recovery rate is 62.42% today. There are 2,76,882 active cases and all are under medical supervision.
  • At the national level, the Case Fatality Rate has declined to 2.72%. This is lower than the Fatality Rates observed in many other countries in the world. The focus of COVID-19 management in the country has been to keep the fatalities low. With the support and guidance of the Centre, the States/UTs have taken many steps in this regard like mapping of the communities to focus on the high risk group like the elderly/aged and population with co-morbidities, and providing special care to them.
  • Acute focus on ensuring the nationwide implementation of Test Track and Treat strategy has led to 1,10,24,491 samples tested for COVID-19 identification. The tests/day also continue to depict an upward trend- during the last 24 hours 2,83,659 samples have been tested.
  • The testing lab network in the country is further strengthened with 835 labs in the government sector and 334 private labs, there are as many as 1169 labs in the country. These include:
  • Real-Time RT PCR based testing labs: 614 (Govt: 382 + Private: 232)
  • TrueNat based testing labs: 458 (Govt: 418 + Private: 40)
  • CBNAAT based testing labs: 97 (Govt: 35 + Private: 62)
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