Newsletter 18 March

National

An American Senator urged US Defence Secretary to discuss the Russian S-400 missile defense system

Lloyd Austin, the first US defense secretary to include India on his maiden foreign trip, is scheduled to meet Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval from 19 to 21 March.

A top American, Democrat Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee has urged Austin to take up with the Indian leaders the issue of India’s plan to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system and concerns on human rights issues during his visit to New Delhi this week.

What Menendez Wrote?

In short, he has problems with everything going in India some he underlined are, Art 370 abrogation, CAA rising anti-Muslim sentiment, Farmer’s Protest and for this, he cited the report of Freedom House.
I strongly encourage you to make clear that in all areas, including security cooperation, the US-India partnership must rest on adherence to democratic values.
In his capacity as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez plays a key role in influencing the country’s foreign policy and national security.
If India chooses to go forward with its purchase, that act will constitute a sanctionable transaction with the Russian defense sector under provisions of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA.
I recognize that India is not a US treaty ally and has historical ties with the Soviet and Russian militaries.
It will also limit India’s ability to work with the US on the development and procurement of sensitive military technology.
We should seek to partner with India to address challenges from ‘China to climate change, (only?) but in doing so we cannot let our democratic values fall away.

S-400 Defense Missile Systems

In Oct 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy 5 units of Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defense system, S-400 air defense systems, despite a warning from the then Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
In 2019, India made the first tranche of payment of around USD 800 million.
The US had imposed sanctions on Russia under the stringent CAATSA.
The law also provides for punitive action against countries purchasing defense hardware from Russia.

The CAATSA is aimed at pushing back on Russian influence, which mainly deals with sanctions on Russian interests such as its oil and gas industry, defense and financial institutions, following Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine in 2014 and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

Meanwhile, US-Russian relations are at a fragile end after President Biden in a television interview aired on Wed was asked whether he thought Putin is a killer and said “I do.”

So, the US wants to shift the goalpost, from China to Russia, by establishing later, enemy number one?

How Indian Media Read it

The Print: US Defence Secretary urged to discuss rights issues, Russian S-400 sale during India visit

BS-US senator urges Defence Secy to discuss Russian S-400 sale on India visit

ANI: China, regional security issues on agenda during US Def Sec, NSA Doval first meet

Biden asked to back India, South Africa at WTO on Covid-19 vaccines

A group of lawmakers in the US has urged President Joe Biden to support the move by India and South Africa before the World Trade Organization for an emergency temporary waiver of some Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) rules to enable greater production and supply of Covid-19 vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tests.

TRIPS’ benefit: it would allow countries and manufacturers to directly access and share technologies to produce vaccines and therapeutics without causing trade sanctions or international disputes

In past: The move comes after India and S Africa, along with several other countries, have urgently sought the WTO for a time-limited waiver of the TRIPS agreement, which was opposed by the previous Trump administration.

The lawmakers said more than 60 US representatives would collectively write to Biden to announce support for the TRIPS waiver proposed by India and South Africa at the WTO.

“The Biden administration should reverse the damage done by the Trump administration and reestablish our nation’s global reputation as a public health leader,” said DeLauro, a lawmaker.

Kuwait Foreign Minister Al-Sabah meets Jaishankar

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State of Cabinet Affairs of Kuwait Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah on Thu met with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House.
Jaishankar said that he would co-chair Joint Commission with his Kuwait counterpart to elevate the ties between the two countries further.
He added that he also “Conveyed appreciation for taking care of the Indian community in Kuwait.”
On March 2, Jaishankar and Al-Sabah had discussed bilateral cooperation and the regional situation between the two countries.
India recently dispatched a consignment of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines to assist Kuwait in its fight against the coronavirus.

Assembly Polls: 725 central forces companies to be deployed in West Bengal polls, says CRPF DG

Polling in West Bengal for 294 Assembly Constituencies will be held in ‘8 phases’ beginning from Mar 27 and ending with the last phase on Apr 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.

The Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) director-general Kuldiep Singh said on Thu, 725 central forces companies will be deployed for pre-poll duties in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Out of the 725 companies, 415 have already reached the state, the newly-appointed director-general said.

As per the report that cited a senior official, the central forces were aimed to be deployed for area domination especially in the sensitive zones with the assistance of state police and senior officials of district administration.

The announcement comes ahead of the elections in a volatile state witnessing continuous clashes between the workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

President Kovind accepts the credentials of four envoys

President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the credentials of four foreign envoys in a virtual ceremony on Thu.

Those who presented their credentials were: Kamlesh Shashi Prakash, High Commissioner of the Republic of Fiji; David Emmanuel Puig Buchel, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic; Farid Mamundzay, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Charrandass Persaud, High Commissioner of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

No provision for detention centers under CAA, said the Home Ministry

Replying to a question by TMC MP Derek O Brien, MoS (home) Nityanand Rai said the Supreme Court had in an order dated Feb 28, 2012, directed that foreign nationals who had completed their sentence shall be released from jail immediately. The court said they can be kept in an appropriate place with restricted movement pending their deportation/ repatriation.

There was no provision of ‘detention centers’ under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC).

Why this is an Issue:

When CAA was enacted in 2019, there was huge protest occurred nationwide, which ultimately terminated into Delhi Riots, last Feb, claimed some 57 lives.

MHA had on Mar 7, 2012, issued instructions to the state Govt and UT administrations to comply with the apex court’s directions. “Detention centers are set up by state Govt/UT administrations as per their need.

He added that the details of the number of such detention centers set up by the state/UTs or the persons detained in these centers were not maintained centrally.

Chinese Nationals Caught With Fake Aadhaar Card Had Visited Pakistan

Two Chinese nationals were caught with fake Aadhaar cards and other documents, while boarding a flight from Bagdogra airport, Siliguri to Hyderabad. The fake Aadhaar card bore Uttar Pradesh’s address.

As reported by the HT, the two men, identified as Zhang Jun (39) and Kaileng (42) were detained by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.

As per reports, they were boarding an IndiGo flight to Hyderabad and were scheduled to travel to Tirupati.

Initial investigation reveals that they entered India through the Nepal border at Panitanki in North Bengal.

As per their passports, they had visited Pakistan in 2018 and 2019. They exited Nepal on Jan 13^th, 2021, and since they were staying in India even after their visa expired.

The hotel they checked into in Siliguri was booked in the name of two Nepali nationals who were traveling with them. However, the Nepali nationals have left for their country.

ABOUT CHINA’S SPY AGENCY: The Ministry of State Security (MSS), or Guoanbu is the civilian intelligence, security, and secret police agency of China, responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence, and political security.

Its military counterpart is the Intelligence Bureau of the Joint Staff.

MSS has been described as one of the most secretive intelligence organizations in the world, which has headquartered in Beijing.

The Indian Coast Guard has accepted two ALH MK-III helicopters from Hindustan Aearonotic Limited, with State of the Art technology and advanced sensors under 16 ALH MK-III contracts to enhance ICG Operational preparedness for maritime missions. ALH MK-III indigenously manufactured under GoI “Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative”.

Vietnam Embassy Signs MoUs With 3 Indian Institutes For Scholarship Program

The Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam here has signed MoU with 3 Indian institutions (Integral University Lucknow, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Bhubaneshwar and, Rishihood University Sonepat) for the establishment of an Ambassadors scholarship program for students of Vietnam to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Each scholarship provides approved tuition fees as well as accommodation and meal costs on campus. While Integral University will provide 6 scholarships to Vietnamese students under the Ambassadors Scholarship program every year, KIIT will provide 55 scholarships and Rishiwood will provide 10 scholarships.

International

General Bajwa asks India, Pakistan to ‘bury the past and move forward

General Bajwa said stable Indo-Pak relations were the key to unlocking the potential of South and Central Asia by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia.

Advocating for peace in the sub-continent, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thu said it was time for New Delhi and Islamabad to “bury the past and move forward” while addressing in the Islamabad Security Dialogue

The Kashmir issue is obviously at the heart of disputes.

Bajwa’s comments came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan while inaugurating the summit, had said that Pakistan was trying to bring in peace, but India would have to take the first step to normalize ties (i.e. JnK)

“It is sad to know that even today it [South Asia] is amongst the least integrated regions of the world in terms of trade, infrastructure, water, and energy cooperation,” he added.

Except for a few, most of the experts don’t believe ‘what Islamabad says’.

Amid the US-China confrontation, Pakistan faces a strategic geopolitical dilemma

Pakistan faces a strategic dilemma as it has no role in Biden’s alliance-building against China and the US is looking to end its “endless war” in Afghanistan, reported Asia Times.
Salman Rafi Sheikh, writing in the Asia Times said that the US geopolitical shift to contain China is evident from the recent first-ever Quad, a summit-level meeting, which sought to put the US, Japan, India, and Australia on the same strategic page.
The virtual meeting is being followed up by an extensive foreign tour by America’s military and diplomatic chiefs this week to Japan, South Korea, and India, where they will look to affirm US military links and build deterrence vis-a-vis China.
Indeed, the US currently does not have a permanent ambassador in Pakistan as relations plumb their lowest ebb in two decades, or since the beginning of the Afghanistan war.
The prospect of an end to the war in Afghanistan and the beginning of a new era of US-China confrontation has created a geopolitical conundrum that Pakistan is struggling to crack.
With Pakistan now seen as a strong economic and military ally of China, the question confronting Pakistani policymakers is: can Pakistan afford to jump on the US anti-China bandwagon, and can it manufacture a non-terrorism-related geopolitical reason to revive its ties with the US?
Not only has China invested billions of dollars in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure and related projects in Pakistan, it has also in recent years become the country’s top supplier of weapons systems.