Newsletter 11 January

Sino-Indian Standoff: What will China do hereafter

There is no inevitability of war but the standoff is unlikely to end soon. China has faced setbacks and that is unacceptable for a superpower in the making

CDS Gen Rawat visits Ladakh sector to gauge situation at LAC (ANI)

Amid the ongoing conflict with China, Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat is on a visit to Ladakh sector on Mon where he would be briefed on the current situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by the top commanders of Leh-based ‘Fire & Fury Corps’.
The visit of the senior most military officer in the country to the Ladakh area is coming at this time.
Gen Rawat is in Leh and would be briefed on the operational readiness and other preparations of the fighting formations deployed there, reported ANI.
Gen Rawat is also expected to meet troops from other forces also during the visit.
Earlier on Jan 3^rd, Rawat had visited Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel deployed along the Subansiri valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
Apart from this, he had also visited forward air bases in Eastern Sector including Arunachal and Assam.

India returns Chinese soldier who strayed into Pangong Tso area

The Indian Army said on Mon at 10.10 am at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point, who was apprehended after he crossed the LAC in Ladakh, reported ANI.
On Jan 9, China had called for the immediate return of the soldier who had gone “astray” at the border areas. “Due to darkness and complicated geography, a soldier of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army frontier defense force went astray in the China-India border early Fri morning,” China military online, an official website of the PLA, China’s armed forces, said.
During early hours of 08 Jan 21, a Chinese soldier was apprehended on the Indian Side of the LAC, in Ladakh, in area South of Pangong Tso lake. The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC and was taken into custody by Indian troops deployed in this area.

16 Bihar’ heroes of Galwan skirmish to be honored at Republic Day parade

PM Modi, who travelled to Ladakh soon after the clash, had paid glowing tributes to the bravery of soldiers, telling them that India’s enemies had seen their “fire and fury”.
At least 5 Indian Army soldiers including Colonel B Santosh Babu of 16 Bihar battalion who blocked Chinese People Liberation Army (PLA) aggression to capture territory in East Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on June 15 last year will be posthumously honored with gallantry medals on Republic Day, people familiar with the matter said.

US curbs loom, but India works to induct Russia S-400 systems

Undeterred by the threat of US sanctions, India is going full steam ahead with its induction plan for the advanced S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems from Russia.
Ahead of the deliveries beginning in Sept-Oct, a large IAF team will be leaving for Russia later this month.
All five mobile squadrons of the S-400 air defense systems, under the $5.43 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) contract inked with Russia in Oct 2018, will be progressively delivered by April 2023.
The highly-automated S-400s, which can detect, track and destroy hostile strategic bombers, jets, spy planes, missiles and drones at a range of 380-km, will be “suitably positioned in the western, northern and eastern sectors” to cater for threats from both China and Pakistan, TOI reported.
An initial team of almost 100 officers and airmen will leave for Russia in the last week of the month for training in operations and maintenance of the “massive” S-400 systems.
The S-400, which will “revolutionize India’s air defense capabilities”, will have missiles with interception ranges of 120, 200, 250 and 380-km as well as battle-management systems of command posts and launchers, long-range acquisition and engagement radars, and all-terrain transporter-erector vehicles.
With 128 missiles in each battery, the S-400 system automatically picks up the “most suited” one to launch at an incoming aerial threat.
Its radars, with the primary acquisition one with a 600-km range, can track hundreds of targets concurrently.
Russia claims the S-400 can even intercept ballistic missiles with velocity of 4,800 m/s as well as “radar lock and shoot down” 5^th-generation stealth fighters like the American F-35 Lightning-II jets.
India has already paid “a substantial advance” in the $5.43 billion contract to Russia, with the rest of the instalments being linked to deliveries, after working out a payment mechanism to get around the US sanctions regime, as was earlier reported by TOI.
India remains “very hopeful” it will get a “national security waiver” by the incoming Biden administration from the US law CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act), which was enacted in 2017 to prevent countries from buying Russian weapons or Iranian oil, from the incoming Biden administration.
The US has imposed financial sanctions on China and Turkey for inducting the S-400 systems from Russia. India had earlier mounted a major diplomatic-military campaign to convince the Trump administration, stressing the S-400 acquisition was a “urgent national security requirement” for it.
One of the main reasons for the US to remove Turkey from its F-35 fighter program was the fact that the S-400 systems are capable of “mapping or recording” data of other platforms like aircraft or radars.

DRDO develops products for Army to battle extreme cold

With over 50,000 Indian troops deployed in Eastern Ladakh to fight China, the Defense Research and Development Organization has developed multiple products such as the Him-Taapak heating devices and snow melters to help the soldiers fight the enemy in extremely low temperatures. Experts said the devices will prevent jawans from backblast and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Will retrieve Kalapani from India through talks: Nepal PM KP Oli

Even as he reached out to India saying he wanted to be a real friend, Nepal PM K P Oli on Sun said Nepal will “retrieve” Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh from India through diplomatic dialogue.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Oli also confirmed his foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali’s visit to India on Jan 14 and said the talks will also focus on the border issue that damaged bilateral ties
“Today, we are facing difficulties to get back our land because Nepali rulers never made efforts to reclaim Nepali territories after Indian military forces started to station there following the India-China war in 1962. After the India-China war, an Indian Army battalion is stationed in Kalapani that Nepal has been claiming as its territory,” he added.

J-K witnessed 63.93% decrease in terrorist incidents in 2020: MHA (ANI)

The number of terrorist incidents in 2020, up to Nov 15, decreased by 63.93% as compared to the corresponding period in 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
MHA informed that there was also a decrease in fatalities of Special Forces Personnel by 29.11% and a decrease in casualties of civilians by 14.28% in 2020 (till Nov 15, 2020) as compared to the corresponding period in 2019.
The MHA while giving a brief about annual achievements also said that Adaptation of Central Laws and State Laws in the UT of KnK and the UT of Ladakh is one of the key achievements of Central Govt.
“Orders were notified for adaptation of 48 Central Laws and 167 State Laws in respect of UT of J&K.
Orders relating to adaptation of 44 Central Laws and 148 State Laws in UT of Ladakh were also notified,” MHA said.
“The JnK Reorganization (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2020 was notified on 31.03.2020. It removes difficulties with regard to section 75 of the JnK Reorganization Act, 2019 for administering oath to new judges appointed to the common High Court for JnK and Ladakh.
A Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal was established at Jammu on 08.06.2020,” MHA has said.
The MHA also said that one-time financial assistance of Rs 5.5 lakh/family provided to 36,384 displaced families from Pakistan occupied JnK and Chhamb under the Prime Minister Dev. Package.
The Govt bifurcated JnK into two UTs- JnK and Ladakh.

LeT hideout busted in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, militant associate held

Security forces on Sun busted a hideout of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) located in a house in Chandhara Pampore village of the south Kashmir district’s Awantipora area and arrested a militant associate in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said
The militant associate of LeT, identified as Adil Ahmad Shah, a resident of Pampore, was also arrested, police added.

Two JeM terrorists arrested by security forces in J-K's Awantipora (ANI) Pulwama

JnK Police on Mon along with other security forces arrested two terrorist associates of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) from Awantipora in Pulwama district. The arrested terror associates have been identified as Shezaan Gulzar Beigh from Gadhikhal Chersoo and Waseem-ul-Rehman Sheikh from Midoora Awantipora.
Incriminating material including explosive material and ammunition has been recovered from both the arrested persons.
The J-K Police further stated that the arrested terror associates have been in touch with Pak-based terror commanders through various social media platforms.
1 of rrested terror associates had also gone to Pak and met some terrorist commanders there, Police added.
The J-K Police said that many false narratives have been uploaded on the Fb page being operated by 1 of the arrested terror associates to influence and misguide the gullible youth towards path of violence.
A case has been registered against the said arrested terror associates in Awantipora police station under relevant sections of law. Investigation is going on.

Ex-jawan shared sensitive information with woman officer of Pakistan's ISI: NIA team to probe his mobile data

A resident of Jaisalmer, Satyanarayan Paliwal, arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, told investigators that he was lured with photos of nude women.
He said it was his greed for more such photos that made him leak sensitive military information to ISI.
11^th day of 2021 and its second case of HONEY TRAP.
It is believed that the network may have other, even younger members at work and the agencies are hopeful that their details would be revealed during Sharma’s investigation.

Farmer Protest Row

SC slams Centre over farm protests, proposes to form panel

The Supreme Court on Mon expressed its extreme disappointment with the way Centre has handled farmers agitation and said that it will constitute a committee of experts to examine the new Agri laws. The court said it will pass orders on the issue concerning farmer’s protests and implementation of new farm laws in parts.

CJI also requested the agitating farmers to return home.

Let me take a risk and say Chief Justice of India wants them (protesting farmers) to go back to their homes, says Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde
Negotiations will be better if laws put on hold, says SC
CJI: We are sorry to say that you, as the Union of India, are not able to solve the problem. You have made a law without enough consultation resulting in a strike. So you have to resolve the strike.
CJI: We do not think Centre is handling the issue correctly. We have to take some action today. We don’t think you are being effective.
We will make the atmosphere comfortable and conducive for talks. Till then the farm laws can be put on hold. Who is going to be responsible for bloodshed? We need to uphold Article 21 as a constitutional court. What if some conflagration takes place?

Congress, Communist parties playing a major role behind farmers' protest: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said it is not right to obstruct anyone who wants to speak.
‘Congress had attempted to finish democracy in 1975. At that time people identified their disgusting work & threw them out of power’
‘These people have defamed the farmers because a farmer doesn’t have such nature’

‘Yes, we didn’t allow Haryana CM to hold rally’: Farmers union chief. As farmers’ suicides are rising during the ongoing protest at the agitation site, the farmer leaders on Sun asked the protesters to be mentally tough during the period and not contemplate any extreme action.

Indians overseas can renew international driving permits

Indians whose international driving permits (IDPs) expired while they were abroad can now renew them from overseas. The new system will come into effect from Feb 15. State transport commissioner Avinash Dhakne, told TOI: “It is a good step and will benefit scores of Indians abroad during the pandemic. Indian students based abroad are facing problems with renewal of IDP, and this will help them.”

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

China threatens ‘counterstrike’ over US contact with Taiwan

Beijing says Taiwan is an inviolable part of China to be reclaimed, by force if necessary, and opposes any diplomatic recognition of the democratic island.
China on Mon threatened a “counterstrike” against a move by the United States to lift restrictions on official contacts with Taiwan as military tensions grow between Beijing and the self-ruled island.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sat Washington would lift “complex internal restrictions” on contacts with Taipei by diplomats, after a year of mounting US-Chinese friction on topics including human rights, trade and the origins of the Covid-19.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Beijing “strongly condemns” the move and accused the US of violating the terms of Washington’s diplomatic relations with Beijing.
It was not clear what the change means in practice, with Pompeo saying executive branch communications with Taiwan will be handled by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which is owned by the US Govt and serves as the de facto embassy.

No organized terrorist infrastructure exists in Pakistan today: DG ISPR: Pak

Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations, Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar has said that no organized terrorist infrastructure exists in Pakistan on Mon as the country fought successfully against the internal and external security challenges, ARY News reported on Mon. India is involved in promoting anti-Pakistan agenda in 6 domains, which include abetting terrorism, targeting economy, using diplomacy, fomenting chaos, Kashmir and social issues

Indian-American Vijaya Gadde Spearheaded Ban On Trump’s Twitter Account

Twitter blocked Donald Trump’s handles for the first time, finally escalating its crackdown on the US President’s social media posts that they believe encouraged and supported rioters at the US Capitol.
Except her birth in India, she has nothing to do with India. She has described her childhood as having been affected by the Ku Klux Klan (which hate White Supremacy) presence in Beaumont.
On Mar 5, 2019, Gadde appeared on episode 1258 of The Joe Rogan Experience, alongside Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and journalist Tim Pool, to discuss allegations that Twitter was engaging in censorship of free speech and had a social and political bias.
In 2018, Gadde joined Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey for meetings in India where they talked with several Dalit activists about their experiences on Twitter; after the meeting, the activists gave Dorsey a sign reading “Smash Brahminical Patriarchy,” which he was later photographed holding

COVID-19

As India prepares for the world’s largest coronavirus vaccination program, PM Narendra Modi will held a meeting today with CMs on the rollout, which begins across the country on Sat.
The vaccine would be available at the price of Rs 200 per vial: Serum Institute of India (SII) officials. SII has received purchase order from Government of India: SII
Two approved COVID-19 vaccines in India more cost-effective than foreign vaccines and have been developed as per our needs: PM
Public representatives not part of 3-crore corona-warriors, frontline workers to be vaccinated first: PM