Newsletter 30 November

Sino-Indian Standoff: India-China standoff LIVE: Both side military talks deadlocked

MARCOS deployed near Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh

The idea behind the deployment of the MARCOS in Eastern Ladakh where Indian Air Force’s Guard operatives and Indian Army’s Para Special Forces is to enhance the integration of the three services and provide the naval commandos exposure to extreme cold weather conditions, Govt sources said.
The Navy commandos are also soon going to get new boats for operations in the lake along with the existing infrastructure for operations in the lake, they said.
The Indian Air Force’s Garud Special Forces moved to hilltops on the strategic heights on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along with their Igla shoulder-fired air defense systems in the early days of the conflict to take care of any fighter or other aircraft of the enemy which may have tried to violate Indian air space.
On August 29-30 also, the Indian side had used the Special Forces to occupy strategic heights along the LAC to preempt the Chinese from doing so.
The Chinese have also maintained special troops on their side of the LAC. The Indian Navy has deployed teams of its MARCOS in the Wular lake area of Jammu and Kashmir to tackle terrorism there.
The Indian Air Force started deploying Garuds in Kashmir valley after the 2016 Pathankot operations to give them the feel of real operations as part of plans of the then Army chief and now Chief of Defense Staff Gen Bipin Rawat.

Global Times, (Chines state media) tweeted on Sun, “China, India have similar development goals, their shared interests are greater than their differences. They should deepen cooperation in anti-epidemic, economic recovery, multilateralism and global governance, contributing to world peace.”

The same GT also post an OpEd on Ajit Doval visit to Sri Lanka, and tweeted “Sri Lanka lies in the Indo-Pacific region. It has become a target for not only India’s, but also the US’ machinations. India, ganging up with the US, is piling geopolitical pressure on small nations like Sri Lanka.”

China To Build Major Dam On Brahmaputra River: Report

Proposals for dams on the Brahmaputra have evoked concerns in India and Bangladesh, the riparian states, and China has downplayed such anxieties saying it would keep their interests in mind.
China will build a major hydropower project on Brahmaputra River in Tibet and a proposal for this has been clearly put forward in the 14^th Five-Year Plan to be implemented from next year, the official media on Sun quoted the head of a Chinese company tasked to build the dam as saying.
Details is expected to come by next year. The Five- Year plan (2021-2025) and National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives
through the Year 2035 were adopted by Plenum – a key policy body of the CPC – last month.
Yan Zhiyong, chairman of the Power Construction Corp of China, said China will “implement hydropower exploitation in the downstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River” (the Tibetan name for Brahmaputra) and the project could serve to maintain water resources and domestic security, the Global Times reported.
China has already operationalized the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet in 2015.
About the new dam, the Global Times report said that speculation about China planning to build a “super hydropower station” in Medog County, where the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is located, have circulated for years.

“India is facing China’s terrestrial aggression in the Himalayas, maritime encroachments on its backyard and, as the latest news is a reminder, even water wars. Note the ominous India-border-related references to “downstream” and the river’s “Grand Canyon.” Indian experts said.

J&K: India rejects Islamic body’s ‘factually incorrect’ references in resolutions

The foreign ministry on Sun said the organization of Muslim-majority nations, OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) was being used by Pakistan for ‘anti-India propaganda’.
The 47^th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the body in its meeting from Nov 27-29 at Niamey in Niger referred to India’s 2019 decision to abrogate the special status granted to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, The Hindu reported.
The report of the OIC secretary general said: “The decision (Abrogation of 370), towards changing the demographic and geographic composition of the territory, and the continuous blockade and restrictions together with human rights abuses, had awakened renewed efforts of the international community towards a resolution of the conflict”.
In response, the MEA “strongly” advised the OIC to refrain from making such references in future and call it “regrettable”. The OIC has not yet uploaded its resolution on its website.
Without naming Pakistan, the foreign ministry said the organization of Muslim-majority nations was being used by the country for a campaign against India.

Almost 52% vote in Phase 1 of Jammu and Kashmir’s first poll as UT

In biting cold, and with the chilling thought of past terrorist disruptions cloaked in a security blanket, the first phase of J&K’s inaugural electoral exercise as a Union Territory on Sat saw a 51.7% voter turnout in 43 newly delimited District Development Council (DDC) constituencies spread across 14 districts.
North Kashmir’s terrorist-infested Bandipora district was the surprise package with 43.5% of the electorate queuing up in the morning to vote.
Among the troubled south Kashmir districts that were part of the first phase of elections, Shopian reported the highest turnout of 42.5%.
The only blip was Jabdi village of Karnah tehsil in Kupwara not recording a single vote, which election officials attributed to a poll boycott over local issues.
Reasi recorded the highest turnout of 74.6% in Jammu division while Budgam district topped the Valley voting statistics with 56.9%, J&K election commissioner K.K Sharma said.
DDC Polls-Phase 2: All Polling Stations In Kashmir Sensitive, Sharma said on Mon.

A day after JnK witnessed its first elections since the abrogation of Article 370, former CM Mehbooba Mufti on Sun said “simply conducting polls would not solve the problem of Kashmir, which in turn would persist as long as the Centre’s 2019 decision was not revoked and a dialogue was not held with Pakistan.” said Mufti, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief.

Pakistan desperate to push in terrorists, says Army chief

Terrorists from across the border in Pakistan are making desperate attempts to infiltrate into JnK to disrupt normal democratic processes, said Army chief General M M Naravane on Sat. With the onset of winter and the mountain passes set to be soon snowed under, last-ditch attempts are being made to push terrorists across from “launch pads” along the Line of Control, (LoC) he said.

Pakistani fighter jet spotted close to LoC in Poonch

On Mon, Pak Fighter Plane seen near LoC in Poonch. Internet services suspended anywhere on LoC of Pakistan side and there are meetings.
“A Pakistani jet flew close to the LoC in Poonch sector in violation of international conventions which does not allow fighter jets to fly within a 10 km radius of the border” a defense spokesperson said.
However, as per an agreement signed in 1992 that both sides will not send combat aircraft within 10 km of border even in their own side of airspace.
The spokesperson said that a jet stream was clearly visible in the sky close to the LoC in Poonch. Recently, a few drones had been spotted near the LoC.
Pakistan violated ceasefire in Shahpur sector in Poonch district at 1510 hours.

Pak continues nefarious activities along LoC. Today (Mon) violated Ceasefire by unprovoked small arms firing & intense shelling with Mortars along LoC in Shahpur sector, Distt Poonch (J&K). Indian Army retaliating befittingly said PRO Jammu Region.

Jaishankar calls on Seychelles Prez Ramkalawan, reiterates India's resolve to enhance ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who concluded his visit to Seychelles on Sat, called on President Wavel Ramkalawan where he reiterated India’s resolve to further enhance the India-Seychelles strategic partnership in the post-Covid era.
EAM also held talks with his counterpart H.E. Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles.
He conveyed an invitation from the Indian leadership to President Ramkalawan to visit India in 2021, read a statement from the MEA.
He spoke of the centrality of Seychelles to India’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) that characterized India’s policy towards the Indian Ocean Region,” the ministry added.

Artillery import embargo put off, doors open for Rs 23,700 cr Israeli guns

With the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) priced at about Rs 15 cr/ gun, an order for 1580 ATAGS would generate business worth Rs 23700 cr for the Indian defense production eco-system
On Aug 9, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) cited the PM’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative to ban the import of artillery guns from Dec 2020.
12 days later, the MoD backtracked and allowed imports for an extra year, clearing the decks for importing up to 1580 guns from Israeli company, Elbit Systems, on which MoD refused to comment.
In late 2019, a MoD-constituted “Cost Negotiating Committee” (CNC) agreed a price with Elbit Systems for buying 400 towed artillery guns and building another 1180 in India.
Indian defense entities that are cooperatively building the ATAGS, an indigenous alternative to the Israeli gun, had welcomed the Aug 9 ban on importing 152-millimetre (mm), 52-calibre towed artillery guns from Dec 2020.
The ATAGS has been designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in a public-private partnership with the Kalyani Group and Tata Power (Strategic Engineering Division).
The latter is now a part of Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), the Tata Group’s principal defense company.

Indian Navy Spots Crashed MiG-29K Debris, Search Operations For Cdr Nishant Singh Continue

The Indian Navy said that it has located some of the debris of the aircraft, Mig-29K including landing gear, turbo charger, fuel tank engine and wing engine cowling, crushed on Thu. It was 3^rd Mig crushed in last 2 years.

Farmer Protest Row…

We will continue our agitation until our demands are met: Farmer leaders at press conference.
31 cases registered against us to suppress our agitation: Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni at a presser
“The Prime Minister is unaffected by the anguish and struggle of 62 crore farmers,” Congress comm chief Randeep Surjewala said
Amit Shah called BKU President Boota Singh, 36 farmer unions ‘agreed’ to talk. Meeting scheduled tomorrow.
Farmers Protests unabated.
BJP held top level meeting.
Agriculture Min., Narendra Singh Tomar reaches out.
Bhartiya Kisaan Union (BKU) rejected the offer for talks with Centre on Dec 3, said conditions (asking farmers sitting on the road to vacate the roads and move to Burari) imposed an insult of farmers.
‘Initiate unconditional talks’: CM Arvind Kejriwal told Modi govt, after farmer unions reject Amit Shah’s offer

Amid ongoing protests by some farm organizations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sun strongly defended the new farm laws and said the changes met the long-pending demands of the agriculture sector and a new set of rights for farmers had also started delivering results. In his monthly radio address ‘Mann ki Baat’, the PM said the reforms had opened doors to new possibilities for farmers.

For India, 2020 will be known as year of internal discovery: PM Modi

PM Modi dedicated 6-lane Varanasi- Prayagraj project to the nation, which is 73-km stretch build with a total outlay of Rs 2,447 crore.
Later, PM will participate in Deepotsav celebrations at the Ganga ghats. This is the first time the PM will be attending the Dev Deepawali, which is celebrated on the 15^th day after Deepawali. Arrangements have been made for more than 15 lakh diyas, up from 10 lakh last year, which will be lit across 80 ghats.
This promise was not only fulfilled on paper, but has reached the bank account of the farmers: Modi in Varanasi on Farmer law. He added farmers are being empowered by giving them options for a bigger market.
There’s new trend now, earlier decisions of govt were opposed, now rumors have become basis for opposition. Propaganda is spread that although decision is fine, it can lead to other consequences, about things that haven’t happened or will never happen. Same is with farm laws: PM

MHA advised NGOs on 3 basic requirements for switch to new FCRA regime

The home ministry, in a bid to ease the transition of NGOs and associations to the new FCRA regime flowing from recent amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and rules thereunder, has put out an advisory for compliance depending on whether these NGOs have already applied for FCRA registration, prior permission or renewal or are yet to submit these applications.

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

Pak, Prime Minister, Imran Khan visited Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Headquarters earlier hours on Sat.
The PM, along with Foreign Minister SM Qureshi, Minister for Planning, Dev & Special Initiatives Asad Umar, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and Director General ISI, Lt Gen Faiz.
A comprehensive briefing was given to National and Military leadership on the regional and national security situation, as per PMO tweets.

Pakistan is safest country for minorities: Religious Min

Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadri has said that Pakistan is the safest country for minorities to live their lives in tranquility, while addressing a ceremony held in connection with the 551^st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Nanka Sahib, on Mon.

Qadri said that opening of Kartarpur Corridor is a gift from the Govt of Pakistan to Sikh community.

Nepali leaders, Chinese defense minister agree to strengthen bilateral ties, military cooperation-GT

Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe here on Sun, and both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral ties and military cooperation.
Oli said that he believes that military cooperation between the two countries will be further strengthened after Wei’s visit.
During his visit on Sun, Wei also met with Nepalese Chief of Army Staff Purna Chandra Thapa.

INDIA: COVID-19

India reports 41,810 new COVID-19 cases, 42,298 recoveries in last 24 hours
PM Modi will chair the Dec 4 virtual meeting of floor leaders of all parties to discuss the situation: PTI
India’s Covid-19 tally rises to 94.31 lakh with 38772 fresh cases, while the recoveries surged to 8847600, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data updated on Mon. The death toll climbed to 137139 after 443 more fatalities were reported.