Newsletter 17 August

Indian celebrated its 74^th Independence Day in 2020

PM Speech from Red Fort:

In Indian Media, as well as opposition wait, as it is expected as some ‘big’ announcements. Main points of Speech:

No Mention of Chinese intrusions along LAC.
India will spend more than ₹110 trillion on infrastructure in the next five years, under the National Infrastructure Pipeline and the finance ministry has already identified 7,000 projects across various sectors for this.
“Need to break infrastructure silos; multi-modal connectivity in works”.
“Atmanirbhar Bharat” has become a mantra for 130 crore Indians
Farmers now have freedom to sell at best price
- On June 4, the Union Cabinet had approved amendments to the 6-decade-old Essential Commodities Act and cleared two other ordinances, one aimed at freeing up farm trade from all restrictions and the other guaranteeing a legal framework for pre-agreed prices to farmers.
- Modi underlined that his government has managed to provide sanitary napkins to poor women through Jan Aushadhi centers for just one rupee each. This was ‘big’ in India as people don’t feel easy to deal with it even at home or shop.

Sino-Indian Standoff: India not to give in to any PLA demand over disengagement. Restore status quo ante is the mantra

Despite a number of meetings at both military and diplomatic level, the Xi Jinping regime is adamant on its positions and posture on Line of Actual Control (LAC) with all dialogues showing hardly any progress.
With the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) drawing up optical fiber cables (OFC) to the transgressions spots at Pangong Tso and Gogra-Hot Springs, the Indian Army has decided to remain at dominant positions on the ridge-lines of the Kugrang River till the time China does not restore status quo ante on the LAC.
Top political leadership along with the military leaders are scheduled to discuss the strategy to deal with the ongoing situation in Eastern Ladakh sector where the Chinese had transgressed into multiple locations-ANI.
Border Roads Organization constructed 180-feet Bailey bridge in Jauljibi sector of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand within less than three weeks despite frequent landslides and heavy rains.

‘Will give students what they get abroad’ — India plans tie-ups with top 100 universities

Education Minister (EM) Ramesh Pokhriyal said 7-8 lakh Indian students go abroad for higher studies every.

The Central Govt plans greater collaboration between higher education institutions in India and the world’s top 100 universities in a bid to retain students who want to go abroad for higher studies, Dr Pokhriyal said Mon.

Rajnath Singh approves NCC expansion in 173 border, Coastal Districts

Def Min Rajnath Singh on Sun approved a major expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 173 border and coastal districts of the country to 1.5 million with 100,000 more cadets, one-third of them women by 2023.
In its most substantial expansion in recent years, the size of the NCC will be boosted from the current 1.4 million cadets to about 1.5 million cadets.
“More than 1,000 schools and colleges have been identified in border and coastal districts where NCC will be introduced,” announced the MoD on Sun.
Over 50,000 NCC cadets have been pressed into service to help the government implement the lockdown during the ongoing novel coronavirus crisis.

Over two dozen companies pledge $1.5 billion to set up mobile-phone factories in India

The Govt expecting its incentive program for electronics alone could lead to $153 billion worth of manufactured goods over the next 5 years and create about one million jobs directly and indirectly.

Besides Samsung, those that have shown interest are Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., known as Foxconn, Wistron Corp. and Pegatron Corp. India has also extended similar incentives to pharmaceutical businesses, and plans to cover more sectors, which may include automobiles, textiles, and food processing under the program.

No peace in valley: Militants killed 3 Cops on Mon

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, that both CRPF personnel and the J&K Special Police Officer, who were critically injured in the Baramulla terrorist attack have been killed in action.
Search Operations launched in the area, further details awaited.
Militants from LeT attacked a Joint Security Naka Party of JnK Police and CRPF at Baramulla’s Kreeri area in North Kashmir and managed to escape.
Top LeT commander Sajjad alias Haider killed in Baramulla encounter. It is a big achievement for police and security forces: IGP Kumar said. One more militant is killed in a swift and planed search operation which is underway.
High-speed internet connectivity is back in 2 districts of JnK on a trial basis. The GoI has selected Ganderbal and Udhampur for the trial run.

SDPI is likely to be banned, on ground of Bengaluru’s Violence

On Aug 11^th a violence erupted, claimed 3 lives, injuries to 30–80 policemen and several journalists. The mob was allegedly led by a SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) leader, Kaleem Pasha. SDPI however, refused it role in riot.

State Govt reached to High Court to appoint recovery commissioner, to reclaim lost properties during riot of worth 3 cr.

As far as social media is concerned, we are looking into the present law. We’re going to have a discussion with technical chiefs of all social media companies shortly. We wish to have some regulation which will be applicable to social media: Karnataka Minister Basavaraj Bommai

Facebook’s Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Politics

Company executive in vital market opposed move to ban controversial politician; some employees allege favoritism to ruling party-News published in WSJ-immediately picked up by opposition party, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Aamir Khan meets Turkey’s First Lady in Istanbul, to film Laal Singh Chaddha there from Oct

Aamir Khan’s meeting with Emine Erdoğan comes at a time when India’s relationship with Turkey has deteriorated, particularly after Article 370 was scrapped in JnK last year.

The two reportedly discussed various social responsibility projects, one among which was Khan’s Water Foundation that he co-founded with his wife Kiran Rao to deliver water to drought-stricken areas in India.

Neighborhood

After Russia, Chinese state media reported that the patent was issued on Aug 11th

China’s first COVID-19 vaccine, specialist CanSino Biologics Inc has won a patent approval from Beijing for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Ad5-nCOV, state media, People’s Daily reported on Sun, citing documents from the country’s intellectual property regulator.

Saudi Arabia said this month it plans to begin Phase III clinical trials for the CanSino vaccine. CanSino’s Hong Kong shares rose around 14% in Mon’s morning session. Its Shanghai shares rose by 6.6% as of midday.

The review mechanism dialogue between India and Nepal concluded.

It was held via video conferencing to take stock of the progress of the ongoing projects in Nepal; Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra held talks with Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi.

Discussions were held on on-going projects under Nepal-India bilateral cooperation covering terai roads, cross-border railways, Arun-III hydropower project, petroleum products pipelines, Pancheshwar project, and post-earthquake reconstruction: MEA, Nepal.

Discussions also included irrigation, power and transmission lines, construction of Nepal Police Academy, integrated check posts, Ramayana circuit, HICDPs, motorable bridges over Mahakali River, agriculture and cultural heritage, among others.

Pakistan to Purchase Balloon Radars to Spy on India

As per media report, Pakistan is going to deploy Balloon Radar all over LoC. Such Radars is already been used by China posted in Tibet to spy on India, as per reports said in Jan last yr.

China has at least six identified aerostat deployment locations. Two of them are locations used for trials before deployment (Jingmen and Alxa), while another two are located in Tibet opposite India.

China also providing steel bullets, and high altitude dress for terrorist’s infiltration during coming winter and Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV).

Main Line-One project to create thousands of jobs & boost industrialization: Pak PM

Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan says the Main Line-One project will not only modernize and strengthen Pakistan Railways, but also create thousands of jobs for skilled people and boost industrialization in the country.

He said that ML-1 project will be the key project of China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Khan said the ML-1 project will provide better travel and freight facilities to the people of the country and will open up a new chapter of socio-economic development.

He said ML-1 will significantly reduce cost of doing business, which will facilitate the business community. He said welfare of the people and development of the country is his government’s top priority, while setting up priorities for development projects.

Nation Amid COVID-19

COVID-19 tests in India crossed the 3 cr mark
On Sun, says ICMR; total labs in the country testing for coronavirus infection now stand at 1,470.
Delhi has recorded 1,52,580 coronavirus cases so far
India’s COVID019 fatality rate is below 2%
A new strain of the novel coronavirus has been found in Malaysia that is said to be 10 times more infectious than COVD19
Lockdown in Bihar extended till September 6 with all previous regulations.