Newsletter 24 February

President Ram Nath Kovind & Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurate world's largest cricket stadium at Motera

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the world’s largest cricket stadium at Motera, Ahmedabad on Wed after performing ‘bhumi pujan’ ahead of the pink ball Test between India and England.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju were also present at the ceremony.
The Motera stadium has shattered the record books to register itself as the world’s largest cricket stadium with a seating capacity of a whopping 110000 – 10000 more than the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.
The world’s largest cricket stadium boasts 11 center strips, which itself is unique along with four dressing rooms that are connected to the in-built gymnasium.
Motera stadium renamed Narendra Modi Stadium while Congress leaders’ objected the renaming of Motera Stadium to Narendra Modi Stadium
Has Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi ever praised world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Kevadia? Have they visited it? What more can be said? – Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in media briefing.

Defense Ministry approves capital acquisition proposal worth Rs 13,700 cr for Armed Forces- ANI

The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved capital acquisition proposals for weapons, platforms, equipment and systems required by the armed forces worth Rs 13,700 crores.
As per a statement from the Ministry of Defense, these acquisition proposals will be indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
“Three Acceptance of Necessities (AoNs) for an overall cost of Rs 13,700 crores were accorded.
All these AoNs are in the highest priority category of Defense Acquisition viz ‘Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured),” it added.
The proposals will include inter-alia platforms and systems designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
The statement further informed that the DAC has also approved that all capital acquisition contracts (delegated and non-delegated) other than D&D cases will be concluded in two years in order to meet the Govt’s Atmanirbhar Bharat goals on the time-bound defense procurement process.

Encounter underway between security forces and terrorists in J-K's Anantnag ANI

An encounter has started at the Shalgul forest area of Srigufwara in Anantnag district, said Kashmir Zone Police on Wed.
Two terrorists of Pakistani terror group Jaish e Muhammad killed by security forces in Shalgul forests of Anantnag said IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar.
Ops continue. Search Ops going on. More detail awaited

On PM-Kisan's 2nd anniversary, PM Modi says govt doing everything possible to double farmers' income ANI

On the 2^nd anniversary of the PM-Kisan scheme on Wed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the BJP Govt in the Centre is doing everything possible to double the income of farmers.
In a series of tweets, the PM said his Govt has the “honor of ushering a historic increase in minimum support price” for procurement of crops.
“Over the last 7 years, the GoI has taken many initiatives for transforming agriculture.
The tenacity and passion of our farmers is inspiring,” he added. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, provides income support to all small and marginal landholder farmers’ families with cultivable land holding up to two hectares across the country.

‘Ready to discuss’: Tomar reacts to Tikait's remark about 40 lakh tractor march

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wed responded to Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait’s call for a second tractor march to Delhi. Tomar said that the Govt is ready to discuss the demands of the farmers and is committed to the welfare of the farmers.

Farmers will gherao Parliament if govt doesn't repeal laws: Tikait

He appealed to farmers to be ready as the call for ‘Delhi march’ can be given at any time. Tikait was addressing the Kisan Mahapanchayat of United Kisan Morcha in Sikar, Rajasthan Tue. “This time the call will be for Parliament gherao. We will announce it and then march towards Delhi. This time 40 lakh tractors will be there instead of four lakh tractors,” he said.

Red Fort violence: Delhi court sends Deep Sidhu to 14-day judicial custody

A Delhi court Tue sent actor-activist Deep Sidhu to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the Red Fort violence on Republic Day during farmers’ tractor parade against the Centre’s three new agri laws. He was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Samarjeet Kaur on the expiry of his 7-day police custody in the case.

Senior Officials’ India-France-Australia Trilateral Dialogue

India-France-Australia Trilateral Senior Officials’ Meeting was held today. The three sides took stock of the progress made on the outcomes of the Foreign Secretary level Trilateral Dialogue held in Sept 2020.
Meeting included Maritime Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Blue Economy, Protection of Marine Global Commons, Combatting Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing & Cooperation in Multilateral Fora.
They also discussed the next steps to be taken for furthering trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region: Ministry of External Affairs

Brazil plans to procure additional vaccines from India & partner with Indian scientists: Minister

Pontes, who is among the first few Ministers to visit India so far this year, will meet his counterpart besides the Health Minister and scientists in Bengaluru. He will also witness the launch of Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 from Sriharikota.
Brazil’s Science and Technology Minister Marcos Pontes said his country would like to procure additional Covid-19 vaccines from strategic partner India and is keen to form a joint working group of scientists with it to address health challenges, including future pandemics.

Union Cabinet Approved:

From March 1, people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities will be vaccinated at 10,000 Govt and over 20,000 private vaccination centers. The vaccine will be given free of cost at Govt centers: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar.
In Puducherry, the CM has resigned and nobody has claimed to form the Govt and therefore the Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has recommended suspending the 14^th Now, our approval will be sent to the President. After his approval, the Assembly will stand dissolved: he said.
Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive Scheme for IT Hardware; scheme proposes incentive to boost domestic manufacturing & attract large investments in value chain of IT Hardware. Target segments include laptops, tablets, all-in-one PCs & servers.
The Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for mobile phone and components which was announced in April during the height of COVID-19 delivered production worth Rs 35,000 crores, created 22,500 jobs & brought around Rs 1,300 investment: Union Minister RS Prasad

Rahul Gandhi's repeated gaffe on Fisheries Ministry thought-out strategy to mislead fishermen: Giriraj Singh

Slamming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his repeated gaffe of having no dedicated ministry to deal with the issues of fishermen, Union Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Giriraj Singh on Wed said it is Wayanad MP’s well-thought strategy to mislead the people of the country.
“He (Rahul Gandhi) should know that there is a fisheries department for which an investment of Rs 20,050 cr has been made by the Centre.
In 70 years, work that couldn’t be done by your ‘Nanaji’ and others, has been done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the Minister told ANI.
“I believe that it’s a planned strategy. On one hand, the brother is putting a rift between north and south and the sister is misleading the farmers. Gandhi’s strategy is to mislead the fishermen. He is either conspiring to mislead the country or he does not have the sufficient knowledge,” Singh added.

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

In blow to Oli, Nepal SC orders Parliament to be reinstated

In a big setback for K P Oli, Nepal’s Supreme Court on Tue ordered the reinstatement of parliament, two months after the Prime Minister dissolved the House and called for an early election.
After months of infighting in the ruling Nepal Communist Party fanned by his rivalry with former PM P K Dahal Prachanda, Oli had dissolved the parliament on Dec 20 in a move described by many as unconstitutional.
The ruling means Oli, who was elected in 2018 following his party’s landslide win in an election in 2017, faces a no-confidence vote once parliament re-sits.
Oli’s decision to dissolve the House had come in the middle of an outreach to India that also saw his Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali visiting New Delhi in the middle of the political uncertainty in Kathmandu.
A 5-member constitutional bench led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher annulled the Govt’s decision to dissolve the 275-member lower house of parliament, termed the dissolution of the House “unconstitutional”, according to a notice issued by the apex court.
The court ordered the government to summon the House session within the next 13 days.
According to Nepalese media reports, the SC also scrapped all appointments made by Oli to various constitutional bodies after the dissolution of parliament.
Nepal plunged into a political crisis on Dec 20 after President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House of Representatives and announced fresh elections on Apr 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Oli.
Ahead of Gyawali’s visit, Dahal had alleged that Oli had acted at India’s behest in dissolving the House.
However, even as India hosted Gyawali for the Joint Commission Meeting, PM Narendra Modi didn’t meet the visiting minister, probably because of the sensitivities involved. Oli’s move to dissolve the House sparked protests from a large section of the Nepal
Communist Party led by his rival Dahal. As many as 13 writ petitions including the one by the ruling party’s chief whip Dev Prasad Gurung were filed in the SC seeking restoration of the lower House.
Oli repeatedly defended his move, saying some leaders of his party were attempting to form a “parallel Govt”.
In a letter to the Supreme Court last month, Oli said he was forced to take the step after his opponents in the ruling party made it difficult for him to work and accomplish various tasks.
The verdict was welcomed by opposition parties and opponents from his own party who have launched street protests across the country since the dissolution.
Oli and his aides were not immediately available for comment but his lawyers said they would honor the ruling.

Pakistan PM advises Sri Lanka to benefit from CPEC

Holds one-on-one meeting with counterpart Rajapaksa
Five MoUs signed to boost ties in diverse fields
Leadership, top officials, businessmen from both countries to attend trade, investment conference today

“My visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral relationship [with Sri Lanka], especially trade and economic ties through enhanced connectivity,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said while addressing a joint press conference with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa here after holding a one-on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met visiting Pakistan PM Khan at the President House in Colombo today.
Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka Sajith Premadasa called on PM Khan in Colombo on Wed.
Since Pakistan is part of the Chinese president’s Belt and Road Initiative through its flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, Sri Lanka could benefit from it through enhanced connectivity up to the Central Asian states, said PM Khan who along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, along with other delegation of 40 leading businessmen is on a 2-day visit to Sri Lanka on the invitation of PM Rajapaksa.
On the sidelines an opportunity will be provided to the 2 business communities representing the key sectors of textile, pharmaceutical, construction, IT, agro and food, tourism, footwear, hospitality and tourism to engage in effective B2B meetings for enhanced cooperation.
While addressing a joint presser with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, PM Khan told the media that he had asked his delegation to find ways and means to enhance trade and economic relations between the two countries through increased connectivity.
While highlighting the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue and promoting the vision of peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia and beyond, he underlined the imperative of constructive engagement by all sides to promote a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s shifting focus from geostrategic to geo-economics was discussed at the meeting during which the three pillars of Pakistan’s vision — peace, development partnerships, and connectivity — were underscored.
The two sides reiterated their commitment to the principles and objectives of Saarc charter and agreed to take forward the Saarc process for regional cooperation.
Mr Khan said with Pakistan having faced the worst kind of terrorism that claimed over 70,000 lives in a decade and Sri Lanka also facing the menace for 30 years, the two countries shared the common problem.
He also mentioned the role played by Pak in addressing the problem that was hindering Sri Lanka’s progress and development.
The premier said there hardly came any investment during the 10 years amid the wave of terrorism in Pak.
Sri Lankan PM Rajapaksa told the media persons that they discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest, besides ways and means to strengthen bilateral ties.
According to Pakistan’s FO, the reconstitution of the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association will also be announced during the visit to further promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.
A Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry statement said the visit would feature a business and investment forum, as well as a sports diplomacy initiative.
This is the 4^th high-level engagement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka witnessed in last few months since the 6^th Foreign Secretary Level Bilateral Political Consultations in Dec 2020, followed by the 12^th Session of Joint Economic Commission.
Meanwhile, Associated Press reported that Sri Lankan Muslims protested near the president’s office demanding that the Govt allow people who die of Covid-19 to be buried instead of cremated. They believe Mr Khan would take up the burial issue as well with the Sri Lankan leadership.

China: The explosion of naval targets with a 500-kg LT-2 laser-guided missile was carried out by PLA Air Force J-16 fighter crew on Wed.