Newsletter 28 January

Sino-Indian Standoff: India, China ties at 'crossroads', choices made will have 'profound repercussions' for entire world: EAM

China yet to explain changed stance, massing of troops: Jaishankar on LAC row

His comments come in the backdrop of the standoff between the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) along the LAC for over eight months now.
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Thu said that the ties between India and China are under exceptional stress following the tension in the Eastern Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
While speaking at the 13^th All India Conference of China Studies, the FM said India yet to receive credible explanation for change in China’s stance and massing of troops in border areas.

Army eyes Tibetology to checkmate China

As India undertakes a rebalance of military forces and fire power to the northern borders with China amid the continuing troop confrontation in Eastern Ladakh, the Army has a new target on its radar screen: Tibetology.
The Tibetology proposal was first initiated in the Army commanders’ conference in Oct, and is now being “further analyzed” by the Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC) on the directions of General M M Naravane.
ARTRAC has identified 7 institutes that offer postgraduate courses in Tibetology where Army officers can go on “study leave” or officers can also be sent to these institutes for “small capsules” on Tibetology.
The Army is now fine-tuning a proposal for its officers to study Tibetan history, culture and language on “both sides” of the Line of Actual Control and the International Boundary as part of the measures being discussed to “counter the propaganda and spread of influence by China”, say sources.
Army officers are generally well-versed with Pakistan. But a similar expertise on China and the Chinese psyche is lacking. Officers who really understand China are very few in number. Tibetology fares even worse. These deficiencies need to be plugged.

Covering 7000 km, 3 more Rafale jets landed in India on Wed after flying non-stop from France

With the arrival of the new batch, the number of Rafale aircraft has increased to 11
The 3^rd batch of 3 Rafale fighter jets landed in India on Wed evening after flying non-stop from France.
The jets flew over 7000km with in-flight refueling through UAE Air Force.
The aircraft got airborne earlier in the day from Istres Air Base in France.

Creating 'global consensus' on terrorism must be priority: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wed said that for far too long, the challenge of terrorism has been treated as a problem of only those directly impacted, and asserted that creating a global consensus on the issue must be a priority.
Addressing the 14^th Annual Conference of the Institute for National Security Studies, Israel, Jaishankar said that as a new administration takes office in Washington DC, it is natural that the world would reflect on the changes that it portends.
“Like the rest of the world, the US too has been coming to terms with the rebalancing of the global power distribution. This has been accelerating over the last decade and would probably continue. No amount of wishful thinking can turn the clock back,” he said.

One lakh trained NCC cadets will serve in coastal, border areas: PM Modi -ANI

One lakh National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, which are being trained by the Army, Navy and Air Force, will serve in coastal and border areas, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the NCC Rally at Cariappa Ground in Delhi on Thu.
“On August 15, last year, it was announced that NCC will be given new responsibilities in around 175 districts in the coastal and border areas.
For this, around 1 lakh NCC cadets are being trained by Army, Navy and Air Force. Out of these, one third are girl cadets,” said PM Modi.

Delhi Police Commissioner chaired high-level meeting

Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava held a meeting with the Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) and other senior police officers at the police headquarters.
As per sources, the Delhi Police has formed 9 crack teams to locate all the culprits. Officers of the ACP-level is leading each team. Every ACP has been given half a company of paramilitary forces under its command to search these rioters.
SC slams Centre for ‘not doing anything’ to curb TV programs having ‘instigating effect’, says control over such news is as important as some preventive measure and to check law and order situation
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited two hospitals in the national capital where the police personnel who were injured in the violence are being treated. “We are proud of their courage and bravery,” he said.
A sum of 394 police personals has injured during R-Day clash, said CP Delhi in media briefing on Wed.
The police said “the rioters/protesters and their leaders had a pre-planned objective of not following the mutually agreed route” leading to the violence. At least 19 people have been arrested and 50 detained in connection with the violence so far.
The first high-level coordination meeting chaired by the Special Director Intelligence Bureau in the first week of Jan, intentions of banned organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) of hoisting Khalistani flag at Red Fort were briefed and counter arrangements were discussed with all stakeholders. The meeting was attended by 8 top Delhi police officers, 12 top officers of IB apart from senior officers from R&AW, SPG, Haryana Police-ANI
The three protest sites on the borders of Delhi- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur- were subdued and a lot emptier on Wed, a day after the violence.
Acts of sacrilege of Red Fort podium and National Flag, which are symbols of pride, honor and sovereignty of country are unpardonable. All those responsible for these acts including instigators from various political and other outfits should be identified & punished: Bar Council of India issued a statement, on Thu.
The parties have demanded an impartial investigation into incidents of violence in Delhi during tractor rally and the Central Govt’s role in the events.
The budget session of Parliament will begin on Jan 29 with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind. The Union Budget will be presented on Feb 1^st.
Slamming the farm leadership for accusing him of being a BJP and RSS man, he said, Will RSS or BJP’s man put up the ‘Nishan Sahib’ and a farmer flag at Red Fort? At least think over it”.
Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who has been accused by farm bodies of trying to defame their agitation and termed a “traitor”, has hit out at farm leaders for allegedly spreading false propaganda and hatred against him.
Around 70-100 locals from northwest Delhi villages- Bakhtawarpur and Hamidpur – are at Singhu border protesting against the farmers, who have been agitating against the central farm laws.
Farmer Unions protesting at Delhi border against farm laws decide to postpone their march to Indian Parliament (Sansad Marg) on Feb 1 during the Budget day. Latest move being seen as a result of violence on R-Day in New Delhi and many farmers leaving protest venue.

BJP says India's economic recovery post Covid-19 is strong

Asserting that the economic recovery of India post-Covid is strong and widespread across all segments, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thu said that Union Budget 2021 will be a game-changer with a focus on areas that have not received full support.
This comes a day ahead of the Budget Session of the Parliament. The Union Budget will be presented on Feb 1.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thu said that 16 opposition political parties including Congress, NCP, DMK, TMC, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI, CPI (M), AAP and PDP, will be boycotting President Ram Nath Kovind’s address that will be delivered on Fri, the 1^st day of the budget session of Parliament. They can’t do anything as they don’t have numbers in either house.

'Skilling workforce in post-pandemic world must to ensure global growth'

WEF 2021: Dharmendra Pradhan says it’s been policy of Govt to focus on reskilling and upskilling; Infosys CEO Salil Parekh says Indian tech major is making sure it’s doing its bit by offering its new skilling platform to be used by all its workers and students across India.

The WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2020 states that 43 per cent of the businesses surveyed are set to reduce their workforce, and 34 percent plan to expand their workforce due to technology integration. During the panel discussion, experts examined how businesses and governments can work together to retrain workers and redeploy them towards jobs of the future.

Covaxin effective on UK virus strain of Covid-19: ICMR

An Indian Council of Medical Research study on Covaxin shows a comparable neutralization activity of the vaccinated individuals against UK-variant strain.
The ICMR’s National Institute of Virology scientist performed the plaque reduction neutralization test using sera collected from the 26 recipients of Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine (Covaxin) against UK-variant strain.
India’s cumulative COVID-19 positivity rate is 5.51 pc and is declining: Health Ministry
India fastest to reach 1 million vaccination in world, achieved in 6 days: Ministry
Vaccines from the Serum Institute of India Ltd. and Bharat Biotech International Ltd. are set to be routed by authorized vaccine suppliers to:
Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Seychelles, Mauritius
The report also suggests that sources told them some of these supplies may be free and treated as aid.
The first batch of the vials will be shipped over the next two weeks.
The government will then offer the vaccines to a number of countries in:
Latin America, Africa and the former Soviet republics
The SII (the Serum Institute of India) will supply 2 million vaccines to the South American nation. SII said that it is expected overseas supplies to only start around March after the Govt nod on having first met India’s initial requirements.
But PM Modi has reportedly given a green flag to Brazil’s requirement as the nation is battling a shocking surge in numbers of COVID-19 patients.
India gifted 10800 covid vaccines to Bahrain. This makes Bahrain the first west Asian country to which New Delhi has sent the vaccine gift.
A consignment containing over 50,400 doses of ‘Made in India’ coronavirus vaccine reached Colombo on Thu.

Govt sitting on judge picks for 1.5 years, says SC on HC vacancies

The Supreme Court on Wed slammed the Centre for chronic delay in processing names sent by high courts and forwarding them to the SC collegium for recommending suitable ones for appointment as judges of HCs, which are functioning with 40% vacancies even while groaning under huge pendency.

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

Top Pakistan court upholds acquittal in Daniel Pearl murder case, says lawyer

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thu dismissed a series of appeals against the acquittal of the British-born militant convicted of masterminding the kidnap and murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl, paving the way for his release. “The court has come out to say that there is no offense that he has committed in this case,” Mahmood Sheikh, who represented Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, told AFP.

China toughens language, warns Taiwan that Independence ‘means war’-Reuters

China believes that Taiwan’s democratically-elected Govt is moving the island towards a declaration of formal Independence.
The warning came after recent stepped up military activities near the island that “independence means war” and that their armed forces were taking action to respond to provocation and foreign interference.
Taiwan, claimed by China as its own territory, reported multiple Chinese fighter jets and bombers entering Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone over the weekend, prompting concern in Washington.
China believes that Taiwan’s democratically-elected government is moving the island towards a declaration of formal independence, though President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly said they are already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name.
“They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by ‘Taiwan independence’ forces,” he added.
The Chinese incursions coincided with a U.S. carrier battle group entering the disputed South China Sea to promote “freedom of the seas”.

APPLE’S CHINA EXIT:

The tech giant will begin iPad production in Vietnam and start producing the latest iPhone 12 series in India.

The iPad production move marks the first time for a significant number of the devices to be made outside of China.