Newsletter 9 February

Sino-Indian Standoff: PLA shore up weaponry at India Border as Xi wants it ‘combat ready’

Biden calls India's Modi, seeks to strengthen regional security through "Quad" grouping

S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed in a telephone call on Mon night in his first call since taking office last month to strengthen Indo-Pacific security through the Quad.
Quad grouping of countries (India, United States, Japan and Australia) that is seen as a way to push back against China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
“The leaders agreed to continuing close cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, including support for freedom of navigation, territorial integrity, and a stronger regional architecture through the Quad,” the White House said in a statement.
China has denounced the Quad as an attempt to contain its development and urged the US to drop its “Cold War mentality”.
Last year, the 4 countries held joint naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal after New Delhi dropped its hesitation for fear of antagonizing Beijing.
Modi told Biden he would work to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries, the Indian foreign ministry said in its readout of the call.
India is locked in a military standoff with China over their disputed mountainous border since April and public opinion has hardened against Beijing after soldiers were killed in a clash there.
Japan’s Sankei newspaper reported over the weekend that the leaders of the US, Japan, India, and Australia plan to hold a summit, in a further tightening of ties between the four powerful democracies.
Biden and Modi also agreed to work closely to fight COVID-19, renew their partnership on climate change and defend democratic institution and norms around the world, including in Myanmar, where the military seized power last week.
Former NSC director Lisa Curtis on America’s Indo-Pacific strategy
In her first interview since leaving the National Security Council, where she served from 2017 to 2021 as senior director for South and Central Asia, Lisa Curtis tells Axios that the Biden administration should put democracy promotion high on its agenda in the Indo-Pacific.
Why it matters: The Biden administration has made the Indo-Pacific a top focus of its newly formed National Security Council. That’s a continuation from the Trump administration in terms of emphasis, if not necessarily in terms of strategy.
Driving the news: Curtis is now leading the Center for a New American Security’s new Indo-Pacific Security Program, which just launched on Feb. 8.
“The Indo-Pacific has emerged as the world’s economic and geopolitical center of gravity,” said CNAS CEO Richard Fontaine.

Two US carrier groups in South China Sea

Two US carrier groups have conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea (SCS), days after a US warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters that have emerged as another flashpoint in strained Sino-US relations.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group “conducted a multitude of exercises aimed at increasing interoperability between assets as well as command and control capabilities”, the US Navy said.
It marked the first dual carrier operations in the busy waterway since July 2020.
The exercise comes days after China condemned the sailing of the destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, near the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in what the US calls a freedom of navigation operation – the first such mission by the US navy since Joe Biden took office.
The United States has contested China’s extensive territorial claims in the region, accusing it of militarizing the SCS and trying to intimidate neighbors such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, who have claims that overlap with China’s in the resource-rich area.
China has been infuriated by repeated US sailings near the islands it occupies and controls in the SCS.
China says it has irrefutable sovereignty and has accused the US of deliberately stoking tension.

India, Afghanistan sign MoU to build Shahtoot Dam in Kabul ANI

India and Afghanistan on Tue signed an agreement to build the Shahtoot Dam in Kabul to provide drinking water facility in the Afghan capital.
In a virtual summit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Afghan counterpart Mohammed Haneef Atmar signed the MoU in the presence of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While signing the agreement, President Ghani thanked India and PM Modi for the gift of water through the signing of an agreement on Shahtoot dam.
Speaking at the virtual summit, Ghani said, “With Shahtoot reservoir, we will be able to implement our vision of restoring natural beauty that captivated the imagination of Babur. I thank India and Prime Minister Modi for offering this gift of water, in addition to the gift of vaccines.”
Shehtoot dam will provide clean drinking water to two million citizens of Kabul and will also be used for irrigation.
The Shehtoot dam is to be constructed on the Kabul river basin, one of the five river basins of Afghanistan.
Along with the Shehtoot dam, India has pledged to rebuild Afghanistan committing to USD 80 million worth of projects.
Around 150 projects have been announced by India in the conflict-ridden country.
Earlier in Nov 2020, Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar had announced at the Geneva Donors Conference that India will be constructing the Shahtoot Dam on the Kabul River in Afghanistan and that the Govts of the two nations have recently concluded an agreement for the same. (ANI)

Rajya Sabha bids farewell to Ghulam Nabi Azad, 3 other retiring members

Proud to be an Indian Muslim, says Ghulam Nabi Azad during farewell speech

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad during his farewell speech in Rajya Sabha said that he was among those fortunate people who never went to Pakistan. “When I read about circumstances in Pakistan, I feel proud to be a Hindustani Muslim,” he added.
With tears in his eyes, PM Modi remembered an unfortunate incident from the past when some people from Gujarat were stuck in Jammu and Kashmir due to a terror attack. He further spoke about how Ghulam Nabi Azad offered assistance during that time.
You should return to the House. If the Congress doesn’t bring you back, then, we are ready to do it. This House needs you: Union Minister and RPI leader Ramdas Athawale during farewell to retiring Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad

J-K needs development, appeal to PM to pay special attention towards it: PDP leader Nazir Ahmed Laway

Peoples Democratic Party leader Nazir Ahmed Laway said on Tue that Jammu and Kashmir needed development and further appealed to PM Modi to pay special attention towards it.

ED raids premises of news portal Newsclick on money laundering charges

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tue conducted searches on the premises of a news portal and its promoters here on charges of alleged money laundering, official sources said.
They said the premises of the website – Newsclick – and its promoters in South Delhi’s Saidullajab and some other areas are being searched.
The action is being undertaken to collect additional information to probe money laundering charges against the news company and its promoters, the sources said. They said the probe is linked to some suspect foreign funding.

Uttarakhand flash flood: Toll rises to 31 after 5 bodies recovered, says report

A joint team of ITBP, army, NDRF and SDRF entered the Tapovan tunnel to check the water level inside it ahead of the point where the debris has been cleared.
Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tue that all concerned agencies of the central and state Govts were monitoring the situation in Uttarakhand.
Operation underway to rescue 35 people trapped in tunnel. According to ANI, 197 people are missing.

Landslide, not glacier, triggered avalanche: IIRS

Contrary to the initial claims that a glacier burst caused flash floods in Tapovan area of Chamoli district on Sunday, a fresh satellite assessment done by the Dehradun-based Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), which is part of the Indian Space Research Organization has indicated that a landslide in all likelihood triggered an avalanche, resulting in the flash floods.

Farmers Protests Row

Congress’s Chowdhury Alleges ‘Govt Conspiracy’ Behind Red Fort Incident, Demands Probe

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged in Lok Sabha that the Govt had sent ‘vandals’ to the Red Fort to ‘desecrate’ the monument and defame the farmers’ agitation and demanded that a joint parliamentary committee probe be held to uncover the “big conspiracy”.
Actor Deep Sidhu was arrested last night by Delhi Police Special Cell from Zirakpur in Punjab. Delhi Police had announced a cash reward of 1 lakh for his arrest. He was wanted in 26^th Jan, Republic Day violence at Red Fort.

Supreme Court stayed arrest of Shashi Tharoor, 6 journalists

The SC on Tue stayed the arrest of Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor and six journalists, including Rajdeep Sardesai, in criminal cases pending against them over their tweets on the death of a Sikh man during the Jan 26 tractor rally in the Capital.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde issued a notice on the petitions filed by Tharoor, Sardesai and five other journalists to quash the multiple first information reports (FIRs) pending against them in several states.
The Delhi Police opposed the stay. “We will show the horrendous effect these tweets have had. These Twitter handles have lakhs of followers,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for Delhi Police, said.
Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Anant Nath and Vinod Jose are among the other journalists.
“Issue notice. Stay of arrest in the meantime. List after two weeks,” said the bench also comprising Justice AS Bopanna and Justice V Ramasubramanian.

SC issues notice to Centre on transfer plea on grant of minority status to 5 communities

The Supreme Court Tue sought Govt’s reply on a plea, seeking transfer of cases from several high courts to it against the Centre’s notification to declare 5 communities Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsees as minorities even in those states and UTs where they are in majority.
A bench comprising CJI issued notices to Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The high courts at Delhi, Meghalaya and Guwahati are seized of the petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, under which the notification was issued on Oct 23, 1993.
The notification had declared the five communities as minorities across the country, leading to a situation where majority population of Sikhs in Punjab and Muslims in JnK are availing of the benefits meant for minorities, the transfer petition alleged.
The plea has sought to declare section 2(c) of the NCM Act 1992 void and inoperative for being arbitrary, unreasonable and offending.
The definition of minority, according to Article 29-30 of the Constitution, has left leakages in the hands of the State, which shall be misused and are being misused for political benefits, the petition said, adding that the minority status be granted to Hindus in states where the number of the community members has decreased.

In Bihar Cabinet Expansion, Nitish Kumar's Message To Ally BJP

Bihar Cabinet Expansion: Others who took oath today included JD(U) leaders Sanjay Kumar Jha, Shravan Kumar, Lesi Singh and Madan Sahni and Pramod Kumar of the BJP.
Of the 17 ministers inducted today, the BJP got 9 berths, the Chief Minister’s Janata Dal U, 8.
But the BJP’s numerical advantage — in the assembly and the Govt — was lost as all the important departments, like Home, Personnel, Education, Rural Development, Rural Works, Water Resources, remained with the JD(U).
The BJP now has 16 ministers with 22 portfolios among them. The JDU has 13 ministers with 21 portfolios.
A berth each has gone to Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha & Vikassheel Insaan Party.
Former Union Minster Shahnawaz Hussain — the biggest name in the new batch of 17 ministers — was given the industry portfolio in a state that hardly has any industry.
The Bihar cabinet, which can have up to 36 members, had only 13, apart from the CM.

Top Election Commission Officials To Visit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala

The terms of the legislative assemblies of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala end on different dates in May and June and elections are likely to take place in April.
The commission has already visited Assam and West Bengal.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry end on different dates in May and June and the elections are likely to take place in April.
The commission, comprising Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar, will be in Tamil Nadu on Feb 10 and 11.

Cabinet secretary to chair crucial meeting on IDBI Bank, Air India, BPCL sale

Cabinet secretary will be chairing a crucial meeting on asset monetization on Feb 10, including the sale of IDBI Bank, Air India & BPCL.
Note that this will be the 2^nd such meeting in 3 days.
The Cabinet Secretary is reported to meet core group secretaries on BPCL, Air India, Shipping Corporation, BEML, Pawan Hans, CCI disinvestments.
According to sources, the core group of secretaries discussed monetization of pipeline of GAIL, IOC, HPCL in yesterday’s.
The central Govt is looking to sell 12 more airports in the coming year through a new privatization clubbing scheme where loss-making airports will be clubbed with profitable ones in order to derive demand and to relieve Airports Authority of India off debt to operate the less profitable ones.

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

Pakistan-Turkey joint military exercises begin, ISPR

Pakistan-Turkey joint military exercise “Ataturk-XI” has started, the training exercises will continue for 3 weeks.
According to a statement issued by the ISPR, the inaugural ceremony Ataturk XI 2021, was held at the Special Services Group Headquarters, Tarbela.
According to ISPR, Turkish Special Forces and SSG Troops will take part exercise, which includes counter-terrorism, close quarter battle, cordon and search, rappelling, fire and move, helicopter rappelling, compounding. There will be clearance, free fall and hostage release

WHO international Team decline the fact that COVID 19 leaked from Whuhan Lab

According to Chinese state Media, Global Times, reports through tweets, citing Liang Wannian that “Huanan seafood market may not have been first place for COVID19 outbreak, as first case was Dec 8, 2019, and was not linked to the market”.
WHO International team head, Peter Ben Embarek doesn’t see the role Market, “We don’t know the exact role of Huanan market or how the coronavirus entered the market, it could be visitors or frozen wild animals”.
These could provide clues and direction for next round of investigation”.
We discussed with managers and staff of many labs, and looked for labs of Wuhan Institute of Virology and found the virus unlikely leaked from these places.
However, for some concrete information, statement from WHO should be waited.