Important Picks of the Day :

[ NATIONAL ]

PM inaugurates petrochemicals technology institute, lays foundation stone for 4 medical colleges in Rajasthan (↓)

PM Modi on Thu inaugurated the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Tech in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district through video conferencing. He also laid the foundation stone for 4 medical colleges in Banswara, Sirohi, Hanumangarh, and Dausa districts.

ISIS, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham gaining strength in Syria: India warns UN Security Council

Designated terrorist groups such as ISIS and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have continued to gain in strength in Syria, India said at a UN Security Council briefing on Syria.

Exported Rs 38,000 crore worth defense equipment in 7 years, says Rajnath Singh (↓)

Def Min Rajnath Singh urged private sector defense companies to invest in research and development, particularly in technologies relating to cyberspace.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari takes over as new IAF chief from RKS Bhadauria

Ace fighter pilot Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari who was in charge of the Ladakh sector during the peak of the crisis with China, took over as the Chief of Air Staff from Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Thu.

2 CRPF men injured in IED blast in Bijapur

Two jawans of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 170 Battalion were injured in a pressure IED blast planted by Naxals near Halabapada village under the Modakpal police station limit in Bijapur district. Details awaited: IG Bastar P Sundarraj

WHO confirms, it will decide on Covaxin EUL in Oct

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has updated the decision date for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin as October 2021 on its latest Emergency Use Listing (EUL) guidance document for Covid-19 vaccines dated Sept 29. Before this latest update, the status on the WHO website for the vaccine showed as “yet to be confirmed”.

Amarinder Singh meets NSA Ajit Doval day after talks with Amit Shah

The Congress is said to be reaching out to Amarinder Singh and top functionaries of the grand old party like Ambika Soni and Kamal Nath are said to be making all efforts to pacify him. Former Punjab chief minister Singh met national security advisor Ajit Doval on Thu. Media saying on security issues, narco terror & drone threat, besides the meeting holds significance coming a day after Singh held talks with Union home minister Amit Shah.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

China tried to stop Philippines-US defense treaty review — Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thu disclosed that China attempted to oppose the efforts of the Philippines and the US to revisit the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. Speaking at an online forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute, Lorenzana said the US welcomed the move but “an outside party does not.”

Restrictions on power usage in hubs threaten further disruption

Economists have grown concerned about power outages as coal prices rise and the govt ramps up efforts to curb energy consumption. China’s manufacturing activity contracted in Sept, ending an 18-month expansion that powered the country’s recovery from the pandemic, with power curbs in hubs threatening further disruption.

China reveals ship-borne vertical launch system with quad-pack cell

China revealed its first type of made-for-export ship-borne vertical launch system at the ongoing Airshow China 2021, held in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province.

Alarm over anti-Pakistan bill moved in US Senate

The bill moved in the US Senate seeking to assess Pakistan’s alleged role in Afghanistan before and after the fall of Kabul to Afghan Taliban set alarm bells ringing in the upper house of parliament on Wed.

Pakistani forces kill 10 militants in KP raid

Pakistani security forces on Tue killed 10 militants, including 4 insurgent commanders, in a planned raid in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan announces govt in exile led by Amrullah Saleh

Political leaders, part of the Ghani administration in Afghanistan have announced the formation of a govt in exile led by ‘caretaker president’ Amrullah Saleh.

Kabul drone strike: US military knew about civilian casualties but didn’t admit initially

Top US generals are currently appearing for a hearing before the US Congress committee on Afghan pullout. A lot of statements the generals have made have hit headlines worldwide

Top Rohingya community leader shot dead in Bangladesh

Mohib Ullah, a Rohingya Muslim community leader was shot dead in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazaar, when he was speaking with community leaders after Fri prayers, by unknown assailants. No arrest has been made as yet.

Centre working towards transforming, strengthening health sector: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thu said that the Central government is working towards transforming the health sector of the country and is increasing its strength, self-reliance in the sector.

• He informed that the Centre wants to ensure that every district in the country has at least one medical college or an institution that provides post-graduate medical education.
• Speaking at an event, after laying the foundation stone of 4 medical colleges in Banswara, Sirohi, Hanumangarh, and Dausa districts of Rajasthan.

PM Modi said, “This pandemic has taught a lot in the health sector across the world. Every country is engaged in dealing with this crisis in its way. India has resolved to increase its strength, self-reliance during this time. The beginning of work on four medical colleges in Rajasthan and CIPET-Jaipur is a key step in this regard.”

• PM recalled that improving the health sector in Gujarat came as a challenge to him when he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001.
• Listing the changes brought by his government in medical education, PM Modi stated that when the NDA-led government came to power in Centre in 2014, there were 82K UG and PG seats in the medical college but the number stands at over 1.4 lakh now.

PM Modi on Thu also inaugurated the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district through video conferencing. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla were also present on the occasion.

Exported Rs 38,000 crore worth defense equipment in 7 years, says Rajnath Singh

India has exported defense equipment worth over ₹38,000 crores to friendly nations in the past 7 years, with the defense manufacturing ecosystem expanding to include at least 10,000 small and medium enterprises, defense minister Rajnath Singh has said while addressing the annual conference of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers

• Lauding the private sector for playing a stellar role, the minister said Indian companies are capable of manufacturing cutting-edge hardware in a cost-effective manner.
• There has been an increase in startups as well as research and development activities in the recent past, he said. Speaking to a gathering of top manufacturers, the minister said that globally there is a trend for modernization of defense equipment, given increasing security concerns and border disputes.

“India is capable of meeting these needs through a cost-effective and quality approach,” the minister said, (SIDM).

• There has been an uptake in defense exports in the past few years, with Indian private sector manufacturers winning competitive procurement orders around the world.

• Significant exports include simulators, bulletproof material, aerospace structures, small arms components as well as software.
• Assuring the private sector of continued government support, the minister said that a part of the defense budget has been reserved for the Indian private industry and the proportion could also be increased in the coming years.

“We have opened up opportunities to build a Mega Defence Programme, including fighter aircraft, helicopters, tanks, and submarines through a strategic partnership model that will help our private companies become global giants in the years to come,” he said.

Rajnath Singh approves procurement of military hardware & platforms worth Rs 13,165 crore

The defense ministry on Wed approved the procurement of military platforms and hardware worth Rs 13,165 crore that included 25 indigenously-developed ALH Mark-III helicopters for the Indian Army to boost its combat capabilities. The cost of acquiring the advanced light helicopters from the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has been estimated at Rs 3,850 crore while a batch of rocket ammunition will cost Rs 4,962 crore, the ministry said.

• The approval for procurement of the helicopters for the Army came six days after the ministry firmed up another big-ticket deal under which 118 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) Arjun are being acquired for the force for Rs 7,523 cr.
• The indigenously designed and developed ALH Mark-III is a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight category.
• The procurement proposals were approved at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) that was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• Out of the total procurements, equipment and platforms worth Rs 11,486 (87%) crore will be sourced from domestic entities, the ministry said.
• The proposals approved by the DAC also included procurement of guided munition. The DAC is the highest decision-making body of the defense ministry on procurement.
• The Indian Army has been pressing for procurement of the ALH to strengthen its lift capabilities.

Other proposals worth Rs 4,353 crore were also approved by the DAC.

• In addition, the DAC also approved a few amendments to the DAP (Defence Acquisition Procedure) 2020 as part of “business process re-engineering to ensure further ease of doing business for the industry as well as measures to enhance procurement efficiency and reducing timelines”, the ministry said.
• The approval of the procurement proposals came 5 days after the min. sealed a nearly Rs 21,000 crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space to procure 56 C-295 transport aircraft to replace the aging Avro-748 planes
• Under the agreement, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain, within four years.
• The subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India under a partnership between the two companies and all the deliveries will be made by 2031.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari takes over as new IAF chief from RKS Bhadauria

Ace fighter pilot Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari who was in charge of the Ladakh sector during the peak of the crisis with China, took over as the Chief of Air Staff from Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Thu. Bhadauria superannuated after 42 years of service and was the architect of two mega fighter aircraft deals including 36 Rafales and 83 Mark1A indigenous Tejas jets.

• Chaudhari, who has served in various important capacities at both field formations and air headquarters, would be taking over the force at a time when the country is still in a standoff position at the borders with China and tensions in the region are high due to the situation in Afghanistan.
• Chaudhari would also be responsible for the operationalization of modern air defense systems like the S-400 from Russia, to be inducted soon and the modernization of the fighter aircraft fleet as more indigenous and foreign-origin fighter aircraft are planned to be inducted shortly.
• Chaudhari, whose son is a Rafale fighter aircraft pilot, also ensured the smooth induction of the Rafales into the Indian Air Force as the Ambala airbase was under him as Western Air Commander.
• After joining the fighter stream of the IAF in Dec 1982, he has a flying experience of more than 3,800 hours on a wide variety of fighter and trainer aircraft, including missions flown during Operation Meghdoot, the Air Force’s support to capture the Siachen glacier in the 1980s, and Operation Safed Sagar, the support provided by the IAF during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
• An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Chaudhari has commanded a frontline fighter squadron and a fighter base during his career.
• He has also held various other positions including the Deputy Commandant, Air Force Academy; Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defence), and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers). (ANI)

Depleting fighter strength a concern: One of the big challenges that the new IAF chief will have to deal with is the depleting fighter aircraft squadron strength-ThePrint

• At present, the IAF is down to 30 squadrons, against a sanctioned strength of 42.
• While the IAF has ordered 83 LCA (light combat aircraft) Mk-1A, it faces more shortage in the future as four squadrons of the MiG-21 Bison are set to be de-commissioned by 2025, followed by those of the Jaguar aircraft.
• The Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 squadrons will also be phased out over the next two decades.
• According to the IAF’s (2019), even if all existing orders for 36 Rafales, 6 squadrons of Tejas (including Tejas Mark-1A), and 2 more squadrons of Sukhoi Su-30MKI are taken into account, the squadron strength will reduce to 27 by 2032 and a mere 19 by 2042.
• Even if one takes into account the induction of Tejas Mk-2 (still in design phase), 114 new fighters (a decision on this project is yet to be taken), and the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (still in design phase), the IAF is unlikely to reach its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons by 2042.

General Bipin Rawat, top US Official discuss defense cooperation

India’s Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday met US Army Major General Xavier T Brunson, Commanding General, I Corps, and discussed issues of bilateral defense cooperation. General Bipin Rawat visited Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a military installation in Washington.

“General Bipin Rawat CDS is on a visit to the US. CDS visited Joint Base Lewis-McChord JBLM, Washington and also discussed issues of bilateral defense cooperation with Major General Xavier T. Brunson, Commanding General, I Corps, USArmy,” the Indian Army said in a tweet.

General Rawat had last week met Russian General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov, when he was on a 2-day visit to Russia and discussed issues of bilateral defense cooperation. He attended the conference of the Chiefs of General Staff of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO member states in Russia.

‘Australia, India don’t want to constrain China’: PM Morrison says Beijing can be Quad ‘partner’

In an interview on Thu morning, which is posted on the PMO website, Australian PM Scott Morrison said that Australia has long been an energy exporter to India and that’ll continue, both with our traditional resource relationships, that will continue. He added my Special Envoy in pursuing many of the issues with New Delhi

• But, in addition to that, a whole new line will open up now, we believe, in these new energy technologies & new fuel sources.
• Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is further, is becoming more ambitious, & our trade ministers will be meeting, I understand next week, is the current schedule.
• And that’ll see us, we have both tasked our ministers to be ambitious about where we can get to.
• And I think we’ll be able to get a lot further in a bilateral sense with India and Australia together and the Prime Minister (PM Narendra Modi) and I share that objective.
• And, but, this has always been a challenge. And we understand the challenges in India and the challenges in Australia in ensuring that we can get the right deal.
• We want the right deal for both countries.

So we’ll continue to be patient about it & take the gains where we can take them and see this as a road that we’re on and we will just keep adding and adding and adding I think to the strength of that Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement that we’re seeking.

And this all builds of the India Economic, India Economic Strategy update that will also identify new opportunities.

U.S.-India relations | Senate leader Chuck Schumer calls for increased cooperation on the economic and technological front-The Hindu

U.S. Senate Majority (Democrat) Leader, Chuck Schumer called for deeper cooperation between the U.S. and India on the economic and defense fronts while speaking at a virtual forum organized by the U.S. India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), an advocacy organization, also noted the record number of Indian Americans running for office in New York City, his home State.

• To strengthen economic ties, the U.S. Congress “must find opportunities to invest” in industries critical to both countries (semiconductors, biotech, etc.) but also emerging fields like 5G, cybersecurity, and AI, Schumer said.
• Without naming China or any other country, he said: “rivals around the world” who did not always value democracy, were investing in such technology.
• “We need to beat them to the punch,” he said, adding that the U.S. and India also had to work on their common defense.
• “At a time when the forces of authoritarianism are making inroads across the world, it’s vital that India and the US…two large, prosperous, growing democracies, keep working together to stand up and proudly defend the right of all people to freedom and equality.”
• Schumer said he was going to work with Congress to promote the countries’ mutual defense including by working with ASEAN and Quad members.
• He also said he was going to support immigration from India and policies that support a “rational and steady stream of legal immigration,” as well as student visas.
• During remarks on the diaspora in New York, Schumer talked about their political engagement, their contribution, and the challenges they face. Discrimination against Indian Americans and Asian Americans still exists, he said.
• Nonetheless, a record number of Indian Americans were running for local office in New York, he said, adding that it was a hopeful sign of a more inclusive future in New York City.
• “But today, New York still has not elected an Indian American to federal office, so this year’s record number of candidates is a reminder of how much work we have to do,” he said.
• Schumer also said he would like to organize a Congressional delegation to India as soon as possible.

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan announces govt in exile led by Amrullah Saleh

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has announced the formation of a new govt led by Amrullah Saleh, who is in Dushanbe under the protection of the Tajikistan government. First vice president in the Ashraf Ghani administration, Saleh had declared himself the caretaker president of Afghanistan in Ghani’s absence, also said that ‘All embassies of The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will continue operations’.

• According to the FT, Massoud and Saleh were joined by another anti-Taliban leader Abdul Latif Pedram, the head of the National Congress Party of Afghanistan and his wife, journalist turned politician, Fereshta Hazrati. Hazrati is the cousin of the late Ahmad Shah Massoud. She had formed a resistance council to plan their next steps in Dushanbe.
• It also declare its support to the anti-Taliban resistance mounted by Ahmad Massoud in Afghan’s Panjshir province.
• The govt in exile led by Amrullah Saleh is the only “legitimate govt” in Afghanistan, read a statement issued by the Afghan embassy in Switzerland, reported by The Khaama Press News Agency.
• Referring to the Taliban, the statement goes further to add that no other govt can replace the legitimate one. It goes further to add that the decision to announce a government in exile was made after due consultation with elders since Afghanistan is under the occupation of “external forces”.
• with Afghan politics, his first vice-president [Amrullah Saleh] will be leading the country,” the statement read. It added that the government in exile will activate executive, judicial and legislative powers,
• However, the statement does not identify any other members of the govt in exile apart from Amrullah Saleh.

External debt surpasses historic high of $122b, Pak Tribune

$22.37b for 124 projects borrowed from international financial institutions, NA body told

• Pakistan’s external debt and liabilities have surpassed the historic high of $122 billion recorded by the end of last fiscal year (FY21), the National Standing Committee on Economic Affairs was told on Tue.
• The panel met under the chairmanship of Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali.
• Briefing the panel on the country’s foreign debt and repercussions of currency devaluation, Additional Secretary for Economic Affairs Zulfiqar Haider said that external debt and liabilities (EDL) stood at $96 billion as of June 30, 2018, and jumped to $26 billion under the three years of the incumbent government.
• He said Pakistan was bound by a deadline to repay $3.785 billion to Paris Club.
• However, the Paris Club had recently relaxed the deadline and announced to extend it keeping in view the ongoing pandemic’s impact on economies.
• The committee was told that more than $22.37 billion was borrowed from international financial institutions for 124 projects.
• It was said that during the Covid-19 crisis, the Economic Affairs Division had arranged a $4.1 billion loan and purchased vaccines worth $653 million.
• However, the secretary contended that the statistics regarding the loans were “sensitive” and therefore merited an in-camera session for an extensive rundown. Jamali called for an in-camera session on the matter.

Alarm over anti-Pakistan bill moved in US Senate

Raising the issue of the anti-Pakistan bill that aims to penalize and sanction different countries, Pakistan Peoples Party parliamentary leader in Senate and chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator, Sherry Rehman said Pakistan was faced with a moment of serious peril after the hasty pullout of US forces from Afghanistan.

Referring to the Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability bill moved by 22 Republican senators, Senator Rehman regretted the US left Afghanistan under a deal that it had directly made with the Taliban yet it was pressing Pakistan to take responsibility for whatever was happening in Afghanistan.

• “What is happening to Pakistan is worse than what has happened before,” she remarked.
• Mentioning that the bill directly targeted Pakistan, she said it was not the US administration’s policy bill but it was important as it could gather critical mass.
• “It also points to a rise in toxic sentiments about Pakistan on the Hill, which many of us have worked very hard to reverse,” she observed.
• Noting that a smart policy was about anticipating challenges and tackling them with unity and rational response, she said that at least a beginning should be made to address the threats.
• Section 202 of the bill directly mentions Pakistan and calls for an “assessment of support by state and non-state actors, including the government of Pakistan, for the Taliban between 2001 and 2020.”

“They are clearly saying that the government of Pakistan has supported the Taliban but it’s disappointing to see that no one has put it to the parliament for shaping collective responses nor dispelled disinformation that is damaging and painful,” she added.

She regretted that national unity, which should be the first step in foreign policy was missing and said the PTI government was ignoring the constitution and the parliament and was busy in their war narrative.

She said, “We are friends of Afghanistan, not spokesmen for any particular group. We should not make decisions that hurt the country. The PM mentions sacrifice. Yes, that is correct, but why make fun of that sacrifice by saying we will give amnesty to outfits like TTP that have martyred not just our twice elected PM Benazir Bhutto but also the children of Army Public School and many of our brave soldiers.”

She said a serious, deliberative, and informed approach was required from the government and there was a need to discuss the state of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Afghan state collapse rooted in Doha deal: US Officials

Senior Pentagon officials said Wed the collapse of the Afghan government and its security forces in August could be traced to a 2020 U.S. agreement with the Taliban that promised a complete U.S. troop withdrawal.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of Central Command, told the House Armed Services Committee that once the U.S. troop presence was pushed below 2,500 as part of President Joe Biden’s decision in April to complete a total withdrawal by Sept, the unraveling of the U.S.-backed Afghan govt accelerated.

“The signing of the Doha agreement had a pernicious effect on the government of Afghanistan and on its military – psychologically more than anything else, but we set a date-certain for when we were going to leave and when they could expect all assistance to end,” McKenzie said.

• McKenzie said he also had believed “for quite a while” that if the US reduced the number of its military advisers in Afghanistan below 2,500, the Kabul government inevitably would collapse “and that the military would follow.”
• He said in addition to the morale-depleting effects of the Doha agreement, the troop reduction ordered by Biden in April was” the other nail in the coffin” for the 20-year war effort because it blinded the U.S. military to conditions inside the Afghan army, “because our advisers were no longer down there with those units.”
• Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, testifying alongside McKenzie, said he agreed with McKenzie’s analysis. He added that the Doha agreement also committed the US to end airstrikes against the Taliban, “so the Taliban got stronger, they increased their offensive operations against the Afghan security forces, and the Afghans were losing a lot of people every week.”
• Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said a day earlier in a similar hearing in the Senate that the war in Afghanistan was a “strategic failure,” and he repeated that on Wed.

This week’s House and Senate hearings marked the start of what is likely to be an extended congressional review of the U.S. failures in Afghanistan, after years of limited congressional oversight of the war and the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars it consumed.

Restrictions on power usage in hubs threaten further disruption

• Economists have grown concerned about power outages as coal prices rise and the government ramps up efforts to curb energy consumption.
• China’s manufacturing activity contracted in Sept, ending an 18-month expansion that powered the country’s recovery from the pandemic, with power curbs in hubs threatening further disruption. China’s manufacturing purchasing managers index fell to 49.6 in Sept, the National Bureau of Statistics in Beijing said Thu.
• That marks the gauge’s first drop below the 50 mark that separates an expansion of activity from contraction since Feb 2020, when the metropolis of Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province were shut down to contain the fast-spreading virus.

China reveals ship-borne vertical launch system with quad-pack cell

China revealed its first type of made-for-export ship-borne vertical launch system at the ongoing Airshow China 2021, held in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province. One of the most attractive features is its capability to hold quad-pack launch cells that can load up to four missiles instead of just one, observers said.

• Suitable for all types of seagoing vessels, the HT-1E universal vertical launch system is the first of its kind cleared for export in China, the maker of the system, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), told the Global Times on Wed.
• Unlike previous launch systems dedicated to specific types of missiles, which are complicated and take up extra space, the HT-1E is universal, allowing it to carry more missiles of many different types, CASIC said.
• It can significantly boost a warship’s multirole capabilities in carrying out multidirectional, large area and saturation attack and defense missions, CASIC said.
• In the CASIC exhibition hall at the air show, the HT-1E on display was loaded with missiles including the CM-103 long-range supersonic cruise missile, HHQ-9E long-range air defense missile, CM-802B subsonic missile, and FM-3000N air defense missile.
• While larger missiles like the CM-103 and HHQ-9E each take up a vertical launch cell, the same cell can be loaded with up to four smaller missiles like the FM-3000N.
• The HT-1E is also adaptive to both cold-launched and hot-launched missiles, according to CASIC.