Newsletter 06 April

April 6, 2021
 Team

National

Turkey, India look to revitalize ties after Kashmir low as the US changes Afghan strategy

What Happened

The Turkish foreign ministry issued a statement on Sun, condemning the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh in which 22 Indian security personnel were killed. “We are saddened to learn that many Indian security personnel was killed and many left injured after a terrorist act targeting security forces in the state of Chhattisgarh in India,” the statement said.

Behind the News

  • India and Turkey are beginning to look at revitalizing bilateral ties even as Ankara is all set to play a key role in the Afghan peace talks under the Joe Biden administration.
  • The downswing in bilateral ties between India and Turkey first began when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the Modi government’s Article 370 move and urged New Delhi to resolve tensions with Pakistan through dialogue and not through “collision”.
  • While this is not the first time that Turkey has issued statements expressing concerns for mishaps in India, Sunday’s condemnation assumes critical because this time Ankara has commented on an issue that concerns India’s domestic security concerns.
  • Turkey had earlier extended its sympathies during the Uttarakhand glacier burst incident in Feb, the Kozhikode plane crash in August 2020.
  • on March 29th External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ‘Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process’ ministerial conference at Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in which both sides vowed to “improve” their relations with a focus on economy and trade.

Dig Deeper

When ties hit nadir between New Delhi, Ankara

  • After criticism of Erdogan, Prime Minister Modi canceled his trip to Turkey in 2019 as tensions between both countries started to soar.
  • Also, in Feb 2020, during his visit to Pakistan, Erdogan had stated that Ankara will support Islamabad on the Kashmir issue and likened the situation of Kashmiris with that of his country during World War I.
  • After the Pulwama attacks in Feb 2019 and the subsequent airstrikes by India in terror camps in Pakistan, Ankara has tried many times to play the mediator between both sides.
  • M. Bhadrakumar, a veteran diplomat and India’s former Ambassador to Turkey explained that India needs to revive its ties with Turkey keeping in mind “China’s role there”.
  • It is business as usual between Ankara and Beijing despite tensions concerning the Uyghurs’ issue between the two.
  • Turkey has signed a massive loan deal with China when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was on a visit there last month.

Turkey’s role in Afghan peace talks

  • Turkey is now expected to play a significant role in the Afghan peace talks as the US is once again looking to leverage Ankara’s role due to its deep networks with Taliban leaders.
  • Besides, Biden is also looking to enhance Turkey’s role as it continues to be a key NATO ally.
  • In his proposal to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the peace talks and US’ withdrawal of troops from that war-torn country, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken had suggested that Turkey host a senior-level meeting to finalize the peace agreement with the Taliban as well as their negotiations with the Afghan Govt.
  • Subsequently, Turkey had announced that it will host the meeting in April even as it will appoint an envoy for this purpose.

Lavrov said India, Russia bilateral dialogue at its 'sustainable highest' even amid COVID-19 ANI

Underlining that India and Russia are tied through strategic partnership and have a long-lived friendship, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tue during delegation-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that bilateral and political dialogue between the two countries is at its “sustainable highest” even amid COVID-19 restrictions. Adding that our countries are tied through a strategic partnership.

Lavrov, who arrived here on Mon night, is on a two-day visit and will visit Pakistan from Apr 6-7.

Lavrov: “Russia China relations are at the highest level in history, but we are not discussing military alliance. We also heard of military alliances being promoted such as Middle East NATO/Asian NATO. Indian friends have the same position. We believe it is counterproductive“. He added, “No discussion on S-400 with India, US pressure will have a reciprocal reaction”.

  • According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the visit provides a unique opportunity to discuss important aspects of bilateral ties, review preparations for the next India Russia annual summit and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
  • The agenda of the meeting was included the key topics on the regional, global agenda, assess approaches to the interaction between Russia and India in the international arena, including at the UN, BRICS, said Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of Russian Foreign Ministry on Thu.
  • This year marks the 22nd year of our strategic partnership and the 12th year of our special and privileged strategic partnership.
  • Meanwhile, Jaishankar said, “I am sure that many of our conversations would be conducted in that spirit as very close partners.“
  • The foreign minister’s visit to India comes as Foreign Secretary HV Shringla visited the country in Feb this year where he met Lavrov and discussed wide-ranging Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries and ways to further strengthen it.

John Kerry meets Javadekar, talks ‘climate finance’ as US targets global net-zero goal

“Climate ambition” will be the focus as US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry visits India from  Apr, 5th to 8th as part of his ongoing 3-nation tour to discuss climate change, ahead of President Joe Biden’s virtual ‘Leaders Summit on Climate‘ to be held with 40 world leaders, including PM Modi on 22 and 23 April.

  • Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar posted a tweet following the meeting Tue. “We discussed a range of issues including ClimateFinance, joint research, collaboration, etc,” he said. Kerry is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
  • He will also discuss US President Joe Biden’s upcoming Leaders Summit, a 40-nation meeting on climate scheduled to be held between 22 and 23 April, and the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN  Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), slated for 1-12 Nov in Glasgow.
  • Kerry’s visit will be the second official engagement between the US and India since Biden assumed office in January, after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit last month.
  • It comes as the US rejoins the fight against climate change, under the framework of the 2015 Paris Agreement, 4 years after former President Donald Trump — a vocal global warming skeptic — decided to withdraw the nation from the battle.

Dig Deeper

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding framework signed by 196 parties that seek to “limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5oC, compared to pre-industrial levels”. The aim is to “reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate-neutral world by mid-century”.

The US is the world’s second-largest carbon emitter after China. India is third. Rejoining the Paris Agreement was among the first policy decisions of the Biden administration.

Why Kerry is in India

  • India is the second stop for Kerry, who visited the UAE from 1-5 April, and will go to Bangladesh for similar talks on climate change.
  • His visit precedes the Leaders Summit organized by President Biden, which seeks to “galvanize efforts by the major economies to tackle the climate crisis”.
  • It will also “underscore the urgency — and the economic benefits — of stronger climate action”, according to a statement by White House

Why the talks are important

  • The US is expected to announce new, ambitious 2030 emissions targets under the Paris Agreement, and will encourage “leaders to use the summit as an opportunity to outline how their countries also will contribute to stronger climate ambition”.
  • Kerry has been calling for 20 countries that account for 81% of global emissions — including India — to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • India is reportedly considering joining over a hundred other countries in pledging to net-zero emissions by 2050.
  • However, the pressure on India to make the same level of pledges as developed countries remains a matter of debate.
  • India accounts for 6.8% of the total global CO2 emissions burden, but its per capita emissions stand at 1.8 metric tons compared to the US’ and Australia’s 15.5 metric tons.
  • The developed economies have historically made a higher contribution to warming, and even the Paris Agreement talks about “common but differentiated responsibilities”.
  • The Modi Govt weighed in on these concerns in the Rajya Sabha last month. “India has repeatedly noted in climate negotiations that the developed countries have historically consumed far more than their fair share of the global carbon budget,” Javadekar said.

India’s Paris Agreement targets and COP26

  • Under the Paris Agreement, all signatory countries have Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets that outline the steps they plan to take by 2030 to tackle climate change.
  • India has pledged to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 -35% below 2005 levels.
  • It also aims to generate 40% of India’s power through renewable energy and create a carbon sink capable of sucking in 2.5-3 bn tons of CO2 through additional forest and tree cover.
  • The COP26, which will be co-hosted by the UK and Italy, is significant because countries will report on the progress to their targets, and are expected to commit to further reductions in emissions.

DRDO opens up missile production partnership for Indian private sector ANI

In a bid to promote the domestic defense industry, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has allowed private sector firms to both develop and produce missile systems such as vertical launched surface to air missile systems programs. “Private sector firms have responded very enthusiastically for participation and bids have been received for the Vertically-launched Short-range Surface to Air Missile system project,” DRDO said.

Now, Chinese traders smuggle human hair out of India

  • Human hair exporters and processors from India have unearthed a scam where Chinese nationals are smuggling out human hair from Hyderabad to China, via Myanmar.
  • The Indian exporters have alleged that a bunch of Chinese importers has made Hyderabad the hub of the illegal trade by under-invoicing hair to evade import duty in Myanmar and China. Exporters have written to authorities.
  • Hair export was worth Rs 132 Cr in 2016-17, which dropped to only 42 Cr in 2017-18, at the rate of $2-6/kg (2019). A sudden boom in exports from Apr 2020 to Nov 2020 was recorded and was Rs 33 Cr worth.
  • Raw human hair is exported at $2 to $60/kg with an average of $15/kg, whereas the current market price would be $75-80.

International

Naval exercise between Quad & France should be conducive for regional peace, says China

  • Indian naval ships Satpura & Kiltan along with P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft are participating in multilateral exercises in the eastern Indian Ocean.
  • China said on Tue that military cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace, a day after Quad members, including India, joined France in a mega naval wargame in the Indian Ocean amid Beijing’s aggressive actions in the region.
  • India and 3 other Quad member nations – the US, Australia, and Japan – on Mon joined France in kick-starting the 3-day naval exercises in the eastern Indian Ocean in reflection of their growing maritime cooperation amid China’s growing efforts to expand influence in the region.
  • The Indian Ocean, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy, is critical for India’s strategic interests.
  • China has been making concerted efforts to increase its presence in the region.

China warns ASEAN countries to be alert to 'external forces' interference in Myanmar ANI

“We are aware that we have to be alert to some external forces infiltrating Myanmar with ulterior motives, provoking trouble and intensifying divisions, which makes the situation more complicated,” Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister, told Chinese state media while wrapping up his week-long series of meetings with his counterparts from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines in Fujian, South China Morning Post reported.

  • China has called on Southeast Asian nations to be on alert against external interference in Myanmar as the military junta in the country faces international criticism and pressure to restore the civilian Govt.
  • China has been accused of aiding the Mynamar military in the Feb 1st
  • While Wang accused external forces of provoking “trouble and intensifying divisions” in Myanmar.
  • The remarks have come amid rising tensions between China and western countries over a slew of issues.
  • China has refrained from condemning the coup, which has seen over 500 protesters killed, leading to rising anti-China sentiment and complaints in Myanmar that it is siding with the military junta.
  • Beijing has denied involvement in the coup and Wang said China would continue to maintain contact and communication with all parties in Myanmar.
  • Western countries have condemned the coup by the Myanmar military, which has thrown the southeastern country into political chaos.
  • The west has been pressuring the military to release detained leaders including Aung San Sui Kyi.
  • The US and UK have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s two military conglomerates in a move that significantly ratchets up pressure on the country’s leadership.
  • Wang said China is willing to coordinate positions with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on time and provide necessary assistance to the bloc.

India extends NRs 42.95 million grant assistance to Nepal for new school building

India has extended Nepali rupees 42.95 million (26.98 million INR) grant assistance to Nepal for a new building of a secondary school in Udayapur district, the Indian embassy said on Mon. The embassy said India is also reconstructing 71 educational institutions (8 already completed) damaged during the 2015 earthquake in 8 districts of Nepal under a reconstruction grant of NRs 5.8K million.

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