Newsletter 6 January

Sino-Indian Standoff: Next round Talk Occur soon (?)

Amid China conflict, US to supply own medium caliber guns for Indian Navy

Military ties between Indian and US defense forces are growing further in the middle of a conflict with China as the US Navy would be providing three 127 medium caliber guns from its own inventory to urgently equip warships of the Indian Navy as part of Rs 3,800 cr deal.
India has issued a Letter of Request to the US Govt for acquiring 11, 127 mm medium caliber guns which are to be equipped on the large-size warships of the Indian Navy including the Visakhapatnam-class destroyers.
As per the new plan, the LoR issued to the US administration and the first three guns to be provided to the Indian Navy would be from the American Navy inventory so that the Indian warships are fully equipped at the earliest, Govt sources told ANI.
Once the production of the new guns starts in US and they are ready to be delivered, the US Navy guns on Indian warships would be replaced by fresh ones.
The medium caliber guns would be a new entry into the Indian Navy and would be an upgrade on existing weapons of a similar class in the maritime force.
The Indian Navy has developed a very close working relationship with its American counterpart as a majority of the new acquisitions of the force are coming from the US.
The Russian equipment in the force including the surveillance planes have been replaced by the P-8I aircraft.
The multirole helicopters are also coming from the US as the SeaKing choppers would be replaced by the MH-60 Romeos.
The American Predator drones have also been leased by the Navy from the American firm General Atomics and more such unmanned systems are expected to come as part of a triaervice deal between two sides.
India and America are also discussing the possibility of a sale of F/A 18 fighter planes and they were offered by the American Govt during the recent two plus two meetings between the two countries.

India to ink 2 landmark military aircraft deals in next few months

India is gearing up for two major long-pending military aircraft deals, together worth over Rs 50K cr.
The contracts for 83 indigenous Tejas fighters and 56 medium-transport aircraft through a Tata-Airbus joint venture are set to be inked within next few months.
The over Rs 37K crore Tejas order will be the biggest-ever deal in the indigenous military aviation sector.
The over Rs 37K Cr order for 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets from defense PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd will be the biggest-ever deal in the indigenous military aviation sector.
These 83 fighters, the deliveries of which will begin 3 years after the contract is inked, will have 43 “improvements” over the 40 Tejas Mark-1 already ordered by the IAF.
The Tata-Airbus project to build 56 twin-turboprop C-295 aircraft, which will replace the old Avro-748 aircraft of IAF, in turn, will be the first time an Indian private sector company will enter the defense aerospace arena.
Both the projects have been sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for the final approval.
“The Tejas contract will be the first to be approved by the CCS. It is likely to be inked in early-Feb.
The C-295 project, with the participation of Tata as the Indian production agency will follow subsequently,” said an official on Tue.

ISRO scientist claims to be Poisoned 3 years ago, Seeks Punishment for culprit

In a Facebook post titled ‘‘Long Kept Secret’‘, Senior Advisor, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientist, Tapan Mishra on Tue claimed that in July 2017, Home Affairs security personnel met him and alerted him of arsenic poisoning and helped doctors to focus on the exact remedy.
Speaking to ANI on Wed, Mishra said, “Someone definitely wanted to do some harm to ISRO. The only solution is to catch the culprit and punish them. It’s not possible to provide security to 2,000 scientists.”
Interestingly, within a 15-year period, the Indian Space Research Organization also lost 684 personnel, or 45 deaths per year. A story published in Oct 2018, by TOI, revealed that 11 nuclear scientists died in mysterious circumstances in 4 years
Right-to-information (RTI) activist Chetan Kothari filed a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) in Bombay High Court has claimed in his PIL that hundreds of nuclear scientists posted to various nuclear establishments across the country have died mysteriously in the last 15 years – many of these fatalities being classified by investigating authorities either as suicides or as “unexplained deaths.” As per report of Asia Times in published in July last year.

World Bank commits USD 105 million to improve West Bengal waterways

The Govt of India, the Govt of West Bengal and the World Bank on Tue signed a $105 million project to improve the inland water transport infrastructure in Kolkata, West Bengal, according to the Min of Finance.
The West Bengal Inland Water Transport, Logistics and Spatial Development Project will facilitate passenger and freight movement across the Hooghly River; undertake spatial planning to improve accessibility in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area; enhance the quality of life of its residents, and contribute to the growth of the state’s logistics sector.
The project will cover the five most populous districts of southern West Bengal, including its urban agglomeration – the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) where around 30 million people (1/3) of West Bengal’s population live.
West Bengal’s ferries can provide an efficient, flexible mode of public transport for both passengers and freight, saving on operating costs and travel time when compared with road journeys.

India and France will hold their annual Strategic Dialogue on 7 Jan in New Delhi.

Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor will lead the Indian delegation while the French delegation will be led by Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President, as per MEA

The two sides will hold discussions on wide-ranging bilateral and global issues. Emmanuel Bonne will also call on other Indian dignitaries. The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was held in Feb 2020 in Paris.

Pompeo lauds EAM Jaishankar for stronger US-India ties

The outgoing US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Wed praised External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar for his role in making US-India ties stronger.

“The U.S.-India relationship was made all the stronger with a great diplomat and leader as my friend. Thank you @Jaishankar #HowdyModi#ModiHaitoMumkinHai,” tweeted Pompeo.

Pompeo’s tweet came in the backdrop of president-elect Joe Biden who will replace Trump in January 2021.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla to speak at UNSC open debate today on international peace, security

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Wed will address at the United Nations Security Council open debate on maintaining peace and security in fragile contexts.

Not Chinese, prefer Indian vaccine first, Nepal to India ahead of minister’s visit

India is expected to agree to foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali’s request to supply 12 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Nepal.
Foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali will land in New Delhi on 14 Jan to attend the 6^th Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting with external affairs minister S Jaishankar that will begin the next day, people familiar with the matter said.
Officials in Kathmandu and New Delhi are giving final touches to agreements including one on the health sector that can be firmed up during the trip that is high on symbolism because of its timing.
Gyawali’s visit is taking place against the backdrop of a flux in Nepal’s politics exacerbated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli when he dissolved parliament last month. Fresh national elections have been scheduled on 30 April and 10 May.
PM Oli later told people in a televised address that his rivals within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) had paralyzed decision-making, leaving him with no other option.
It was a reference to the continuing power tussle with Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, the former prime minister who was also the co-chair of the party and had played a lead role along with another prime minister, Madhav Nepal, to force PM Oli’s exit.
India’s decision to go ahead with Gyawali’s visit – it was initially scheduled to take place last month – is seen to demonstrate India’s explicit support for the Nepali people and the ruling Oli Govt, a Nepal watcher said about the visit that is seen to be high on the political quotient.

Coronavirus pandemic could not dent India's bilateral cooperation with Sri Lanka: Jaishankar

Jaishankar is on a 3-day visit here from Jan 5-7 following an invitation by his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena is his first foreign visit of the year. This is also the first by a foreign dignitary to Sri Lanka in the New Year.
The minister also noted Sri Lanka’s interest in accessing vaccines from India.
Assuring that India will be a “dependable and reliable partner” of Lanka, Jaishankar said the country is open to strengthening its relationship with the island nation on the basis of “mutual trust, mutual interest, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity”.
India- Sri Lanka joint working group on fisheries met recently where all outstanding issues were discussed. We look forward to the early return of our fishermen: he said.
Jaishankar informed by a tweet that he called on President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Delhi Riots: Prima Facie Umar Khalid, Tahir Hussain, Others Conspired Together, Said Court

There was reasonable ground to prima facie show that former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, suspended AAP Councilor Tahir Hussain and others conspired on north-east Delhi riots last year, a court here said on Tuesday while taking cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed in the case.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar said there was sufficient material on record to proceed against Khalid in the case related to the communal violence in Khajuri Khas area in Feb last year.
The court said a witness statement was sufficient to show that during the relevant time, Khalid was allegedly in contact with Hussain, accused as the main conspirator who had funded the communal riots and instigated the mob from his house to rob the people and burn down properties.
It noted that the prosecution has alleged in the charge sheet that Khalid was an active participant in the criminal conspiracy to instigate communal riots in NE part of Delhi.
Due to the instigation by the accused persons, a mob had gathered which had robbed persons and burnt down the properties including houses and shops.
They had also destroyed the public property, it said in its order.
It noted that the prosecution has relied upon the statement of a witness named Rahul Kasana and a perusal of his statement u/s 161 (examination by police) CrPC would show that he has stated that he was working as driver of Hussain at the relevant time.
Communal violence had broken out in northeast Delhi on Feb 24^th last year after clashes between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiraled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead & around 200 injured.

SC refuses to stay laws against interfaith marriage, issues notices to UP, Uttarakhand

The Supreme Court on Wed issued notices to the Centre, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on a petition questioning respective state legislations that outlaw and punish religious conversion by marriage, deceit, coercion or enticement.
The 3-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde issued the notices, but refused to stay the 2 laws despite arguments by petitioners that the law was being misused to harass individuals who married outside their faith.
The court was hearing two petitions, one by a group of lawyers, and another by social activist Teesta Setalvad’s NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace.
The Uttar Pradesh ordinance titled “Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020” outlaws religious conversions by marriage, coercion, deceit or enticement.

50-year-old woman gang-raped, murdered in UP's Budaun; priest among three booked

A 50-year-old anganwadi worker was gang-raped and brutally murdered allegedly by a priest and his two aides in Budaun of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wed.
2 of the accused were arrested on Tue, while the priest is on the run, police said, adding that the woman’s leg was fractured and there were injuries in her private parts.
Opposition parties attacked the BJP Govt in the state and termed the incident “horrific” and “shameful”, with the Congress comparing it to the Nirbhaya incident of 2012.
“The post-mortem report confirms rape, and there are injuries in her private parts and a fracture in the leg,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sankalp Sharma said. He added that the station house officer of Ughaiti police station has been suspended for laxity in case.
“On Sun, the 50-year-old woman, who had gone to a temple, was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Family members of the woman have accused the temple mahant (priest) and his aides of raping and murdering her.

Migratory birds reason behind spread of bird flu in India: Union Minister of animal Husbandry, Giriraj Singh

The Centre has issued an advisory to the state on the spread of bird flu in the country, said Singh on Wed adding that the virus has returned due to India with migratory birds. He informed that most cases of disease are found in Kerala where “25,000 ducks have died”. However, Govt Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have reported cases on bird flu till now.

Former Protest Row

500 tractors to be at UP Gate-Palwal rally

SC said no progress so far in Farmer-center Govt talks
Farmers protesting at UP Gate have said they will organize a tractor rally to Palwal on Thu, a day before the next round of talks are scheduled.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said the agitation will intensify in the next few days.
On Jan 7, more than 500 tractors will take out a rally from UP Gate to Palwal.
All India Farmers Association takes decision to Support Modi Govt on Farmers Bill
Protests have also been planned for Republic Day.
Farmers’ unions opposed to the new agri laws will intensify their agitation with tractor rallies at 4 border points of Delhi, including both eastern and western peripheral expressways.
We’re committed to the welfare of farmers. We meet those who’re supporting the laws & those opposing it. I am sure that farmers unions who are agitating will think about the welfare of farmers and actively arrive at a solution: Narendra Tomar, Union Agriculture Min

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

WHO chief ‘very disappointed’ over China not granting access

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tue said that he was “very disappointed” that China has still not authorized the entry of a team of international experts to examine the origins of the coronavirus.
The 10-strong team had been due to set off in early Jan as part of a long-awaited mission to probe early cases of the coronavirus reported a year ago.
The team was due to arrive in China this week after months of painstaking negotiations. The delays caused to a long-planned mission by WHO experts to China to investigate the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic are “not just a visa issue“, Beijing has said.
But the expert mission to China to find the origins of the coronavirus pandemic stumbled before it even began, with the head of the complaining that Beijing was blocking the team from entering the country.

Taiwan: Chinese jets made record 380 incursions in 2020

Democratic and self-ruled Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by authoritarian China, which views the island as its own territory and has vowed to seize it one day, by force if necessary.

COVID-19

Indian Embassy suspends all consular services in UK till Feb 20, total cases of New strain reached 78