Newsletter 10 March

Sino-Indian Standoff: Wang’s comments indicated that China was keen to minimize direct confrontation with India-Expert

India to buy 30 US armed drones to counter China, Pakistan

India plans to buy 30 armed drones from the US to boost its sea and land defenses as tensions persist with neighbor’s China and Pakistan, according to officials with knowledge of the matter.
The deal would add to India’s military capabilities as the drones it has now can only be used for surveillance and reconnaissance.
India will approve next month the $3 billion purchase of 30 MQ-9B Predator drones manufactured by San Diego-based General Atomics, the officials said, asking not to be identified speaking with the media.
The deal would add to India’s military capabilities as the drones it has now can only be used for surveillance and reconnaissance.
India is emerging as a strategic defense partner for the US, particularly in countering Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean and some areas of Southeast Asia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Govt is in the midst of a 10-year, $250 billion military modernization.
Spokespeople from India’s defense ministry and General Atomics didn’t respond to requests for comment. Pentagon officials didn’t respond to a request for comment either.

Third Air Independent Propulsion scorpene-class submarine INS Karanj commissioned into Indian Navy

The scorpene-class submarine INS Karanj commissioned into the Indian Navy in Mumbai on Wednesday, in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh and Admiral (R) VS Shekhawat.
This is the 3^rd in the series of 6 submarines built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.
Two submarines of the project namely INS Kalvari and Khanderi have been commissioned in Dec 2017 and Sept 2019 respectively.
Scorpene is the conventional submarine designed by the Naval Group for the export market.

Ahead of QUAD Meeting on Mar 12th, India, Japan discuss South China Sea, freedom of navigation

Phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and SUGA Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan
The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the positive momentum in India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership in the last few years, guided by mutual trust and shared values.
They appreciated that bilateral exchanges were maintained over the last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
They also welcomed the recent signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Specified Skilled Workers and looked forward to its early implementation.
Prime Minister Modi noted the Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project as a shining example of India-Japan bilateral strategic partnership and expressed his commitment to its successful implementation.
PM Modi will be participating, along with Australian PM, Japanese PM and the US President in the first Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework, being held virtually on Mar 12^th, said Ministry of External Affairs, on Tue.
MEA added that the QUAD leaders will discuss regional and global issues of shared interest, and exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Japan’s Ambassador to India, also said that Japanese Prime Minister, Suga Yoshihide and Indian PM Narendra Modi had fruitful telephone conversation.
“They discussed our imp roles for free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and agreed to further enhance Japan-India strategic partnership as well as Quad cooperation. Also exchanged views on regional and global issues”.
PM Suga & PM Modi exchanged views on Japan-India relations and concurred that they would continue their effort to materialize the “Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership” through cooperation in areas including security and defense: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
PM Suga expressed serious concerns regarding unilateral attempts to change status quo in the East & South China Sea, China’s Coast Guard Law & situation in Hong Kong & the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR): Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Quad nations meeting to announce financing to boost India vaccine output, says US official

A first ever leaders’ meeting of the Quad group of countries on Fri plans to announce financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India, a senior U.S administration official told Reuters.
The financing agreements will be between the United States, Japan and others and focus particularly on companies and institutions in India manufacturing vaccines for American drug makers Novavax Inc and Johnson & Johnson, the official, who did not want to be identified by name, said.
The aim of the initiative by the Quad, which groups the US, India, Japan and Australia, would be to reduce manufacturing backlogs, speed vaccination, and defeat some coronavirus mutations, the official said.
Some of the additional vaccine capacity created in India would be used in vaccination efforts in Southeast Asian countries, the official added.
The White House announced earlier on Tue that President Joe Biden will participate in an online Quad meeting on Fri, the first leader-level meeting of a group seen as part of efforts to balance China’s growing military and economic power.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said she expected a range of issues facing the global community to be discussed “from the threat of Covid, to economic cooperation and … the climate crisis.”
India has urged the other Quad members to invest in its vaccine production capacity in an attempt to counter China’s widening vaccine diplomacy.

From Covid-19 threat to climate crisis, range of global issues to be discussed at Quad summit: White House

Ahead of the Quad summit, Psaki said a range of global issues — from the threat of Covid to economic cooperation to the climate crisis — is expected to be discussed in the meet.
“That President Biden has made this one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific,” Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.
At a separate news conference, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the summit will showcase the Quad’s ability to pool capabilities and build habits of cooperation to address some of those urgent challenges they face.
Now, at the same time, I would just note that the Quad is not about any single challenge. It’s not about any single competitor.
This is an entity forged and formed because we share common interests… maritime security is, of course, an important one, but our shared interests go well beyond that.
And I think you will see reflected in the agenda the breadth of those shared interests in the aftermath of the Quad meeting,” he said in response to a question.

MEA summoned British envoy for 'unwarranted discussion' at Westminster on Indian agricultural reforms

India has summoned British High Commissioner on “unwarranted discussion” in the British Parliament on agricultural reforms in India.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Tue that Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla summoned the British High Commissioner and “conveyed strong opposition to the unwarranted and tendentious discussion on agricultural reforms in India in the British Parliament“.
Foreign Secretary made clear that this represented a gross interference in the politics of another democratic country.
He advised that British MPs should refrain from practicing vote bank politics by misrepresenting events, especially in relation to another fellow democracy,” the statement said.
Earlier, the Indian mission in the United Kingdom issued a strong statement calling the UK Westminster discussion on press freedom and farmers’ stir as “one-sided and based on false assertions”.

Pakistan to receive 45 million ‘Made In India’ vaccine under GAVI alliance

Islamabad will be getting 45 million doses of ‘Indian-made’ vaccine under the United GAVI alliance, Federal Secretary National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Aamir Ashraf Khawaja on Thu informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Pakistan.
GAVI, the vaccine alliance, helps vaccinate almost half the world’s children against deadly and debilitating infectious diseases.
It has been providing assistance to Pakistan all through the pandemic as well. It had signed an agreement with Pakistan to provide COVID-19 vaccine in Sept 2020.
Secretary Khawaja said that a total of 45 million doses of vaccine would be received under an agreement with GAVI and out of those, total 16 million would be received till June this year.
According to Pakistani media reports, while briefing the committee when Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed was questioned about where the vaccine was coming from, the health secretary informed that Pakistan would receive vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

Russian Embassy issued a statement Over a report of a Newspaper

Reacting on news, embassy rejected the claim made by newspaper, ‘The Indian Express’ that Russia allegedly “kept India out” of the international efforts for the Afghan peace process, which seems to be based on ill-informed sources.
Dialogue between Russia and India has always been very close and forward-looking on all global and regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan.
It has been intensively maintained in bilateral and multilateral formats, including the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, Moscow consultations, etc.
Due to the complexity of the Afghan settlement, moving towards a relevant regional consensus and coordination with other partners, including the US, is critical, statement read.

Sri Lanka: Made In India Railway Passenger Coaches Arrive At Colombo Port

The vibrant ‘Made in India’ coaches arrived at the Colombo Port in a display of India-Sri Lanka’s transport cooperation and fulfillment of procurement deal signed by the Government of Sri Lanka’s SL Railways and India’s RITES Ltd. .
At least 10 ‘world class’ custom-made train coaches were dispatched by India to Sri Lanka on Tue as a part of the $82.64 million contracts signed between the two countries in 2017 that committed India to deliver a total of 160 coaches to its Southeast Asian neighbor.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till March 15

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till Mar 15 on Wed after repeated uproars by the Opposition in the House against the recently enacted Central farm laws, rising fuel prices among other issues.
Earlier today, Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Wed following an uproar by the Opposition in the House against the recently enacted Central farm laws.
The second part of the Budget Session of Parliament commenced on Mon with all COVID-19 precautionary measures in place.

Tirath Singh Rawat sworn-in as Uttarakhand CM, to be in office for nearly a year

Tirath Singh Rawat, Lok Sabha MP from Garhwal, was elected as leader of BJP legislature party paving the way for him to take over as chief minister of Uttarakhand, a day after Trivendra Singh Rawat stepped down from the top post.
Tirath Singh Rawat will be the new chief minister of Uttarakhand, Trivendra Singh Rawat announced after the meeting of the BJP legislature party.
Trivendra Singh Rawat’s resignation came after BJP general secretary in-charge of Uttarakhand Dushyant Kumar Gautam and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, submitted a report to the BJP’s central leadership detailing the rebellion in the state unit of the party, and said sources.
Rawat tendered his resignation after meeting governor Baby Rani Maurya on Tue, a year before Uttarakhand is scheduled to go to the polls.
In the early days of his political career, Rawat was part of the Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the BJP’s youth wing, where he served as the state vice-president for some time before being elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in 1997.
When the state of Uttarakhand was formed in 2000, Rawat became its first education minister.
The following part of Rawat’s political career saw him working extensively for the BJP, first as its Uttarakhand general secretary in 2007 and later as the party’s state unit chief in 2013.

'No Democracy Left': Kerala Congress Leader PC Chacko Sends Resignation to Sonia Gandhi

Kerala Congress leader PC Chacko has lashed out at the party leaders on Wed, sending his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi, and saying that it had become difficult to be a Congress leader in Kerala.
This comes even as the party has been finalizing its list in Kerala that goes to polls on April 6.
Minutes after Chacko’s resignation, Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera took to twitter to slam Chacko. Khera said in his tweet, “Says a man who actively encouraged and promoted groupism in Delhi. Huzoor jaate jaate der kar di (took too long to leave).”

Red Fort violence: Police nab Dutch national trying to flee India, another who assaulted cops

Delhi Police has made two more arrests in the Red Fort violence case. While one of the two had allegedly assaulted a policeman on duty at the Red Fort during the Republic Day violence, the other is a habitual offender and was trying to flee the country.
Accused Maninderjit Singh, who is a Dutch national and is settled in Birmingham, UK, has been arrested from the Delhi airport while he was trying to flee India with forged travel documents. A lookout circular notice had been issued against him.

Election Commission replaced West Bengal DGP Virendra with immediate effect on Tue’s night. Posts P Nirajnayan (IPS: 1987) as DG and IGP of West Bengal in his place. EC directed that Virendra not be given any post directly or indirectly related to conduct of election. EC seeks compliance report from WB chief secretory by 10am on Wed

Strengthening associations, promotion of Indian ways of living to be RSS's agenda during Bengaluru meet

To expand the organization over the next three years and to promote interest in the traditional Indian ways of living will be the top agenda for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) when its top decision-making body meets in Bengaluru this month.
According to sources in RSS, when its top functionaries meet on Mar 19 and 20, there would be detailed discussions on how to promote Indian culture and the traditional ways of living among Indian families.
Also, RSS affiliates like BJP will not be participating in person.
“However, two sessions will be with affiliates and other members virtually. The numbers of members participating in Bengaluru will be around 500 as we need to take in stock Covid guidelines,” said a senior functionary.

Editors Guild Expresses Shock at Centre's 'Draconian Attitude' in GoM Report on Media

The suggestions from the GoM report hint at increased surveillance and targeting of writers and journalists who depart from the government’s narrative, the editors’ body said.
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Tue expressed “shock and disbelief” at the recent report of a group of ministers (GoM) suggesting steps to “neutralize” persons writing against the government.
It said the GoM report illustrates the Govt’s “increasingly draconian attitude” against any critique and inquiry by the press.
“This GoM, comprising five cabinet and four ministers of state, had been constituted by the Govt in mid-2020, without any provocation and at a time when various press freedom and democracy indices show a rapid slide,” the EGI said in a statement.
The report which was titled ‘The Group of Ministers on Govt Communication’ suggests a list of steps to be taken by several ministries to tackle the influence of “international media” and Indian digital news platforms like The Wire and Scroll.in, which, as per the report, have created “false narratives” about the central govt.
The report also proposed identifying, tracking and controlling critics of the govt whilst promoting journalists, websites and commentators who supported the official narrative.

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

China gives green light for first downstream dams on Brahmaputra

Nod in new five-year-plan for hydro-projects near border with India
A draft of China’s new 5-Year Plan (2021-2025), which is set to be formally approved on Mar 11, has given the green light for the first dams to be built on the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo river (known in Tibet), as the Brahmaputra (known in India) as among the priority energy projects to be undertaken in the next 5 years.
India has expressed concerns to China over the four planned dams on the upper and middle reaches.
Meanwhile, in India, apprehensions are high that the Chinese projects may disrupt flow of the River Brahmaputra downstream and even result in flash floods.
The dam projects in the draft plan suggests that Chinese authorities have given the green light to begin tapping the lower reaches of Brahmaputra River for the first time.
China should aim to begin construction within the year on the giant hydropower project, a senior Tibetan Communist Party official was quoted as saying on Mon.
However, China has already constructed 6 dams: Lalho Hydroelectric Project, Jiacha Hydropower Station, Zangmu Dam, Zhikong Hydro Power Station, Pangduo Hydro Power Station and Yamdrok Hydropower Station
In what was widely seen as a response to Beijing’s plans, T.S. Mehra, a senior official with India’s water ministry, was quoted by Reuters as saying in December that the government in New Delhi was considering building a 10GW hydropower project on the Brahmaputra to “mitigate the adverse impact of the Chinese dam projects”.
Brahma Chellaney, a strategic studies professor at the Centre for Policy Research, a Delhi-based think tank, said Beijing’s hydropower plans had major significance. “China’s decision to build dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo just before the river enters Indian Territory will arm Beijing with considerable leverage over India,” he said.

US Commander Warns China Could Invade Taiwan ‘within The Next Six Years’

China could invade Taiwan within the next 6 years as Beijing accelerates its regional advancements and moves to overpower the military power of the United States in Asia, warned a top US commander.
China has always considered Taiwan as its own ‘breakaway province’ and has repeatedly warned of using force against the ‘elements’ that demand Tapei’s independence.
However, Taiwan officially recognizes itself as the Republic of China (ROC) even though Beijing has said Taiwan’s independence means war’.
The Democratic and self-ruled island lived under the constant threat of invasion by China.
The US’ top military officer in Asia-Pacific, Admiral Philip Davidson told the US Senate Committee on Tue that he ‘worries’ China is currently accelerating its ambitions to overpower the US American military by 2050.
He said that the threat of China’s invasion of Taiwan will ‘manifest’ during the coming decade or ‘six years’.