Important Picks of the Day :

[ NATIONAL ]

13^th round Core Commander level talk failed to make headway, the two sides blaming each other (↓)

China: India made ‘unreasonable and unrealistic demands’

India: China takes a rigid stand on Ladakh de-escalation

5 Army personnel killed in encounter in J-K’s Poonch (↓)

Five Indian Army soldiers were killed in an encounter that broke out in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Wed.

PM Modi meets Danish counterpart on her first state visit to India (↓)

Danish Prime Minister said she sees her New Delhi’s visit as a milestone for the relations between the two nations.

PM Modi to participate in G20 leaders’ summit on Afghanistan on Tuesday

The agenda of the meeting will include a discussion on response to humanitarian needs and access to basic services and livelihood.

Coal shortage: Amit Shah meets ministers amid blackout concern

Amid concerns over coal shortages in power plants across India, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired a meeting with power minister R K Singh, coal minister Pralhad Joshi and other cabinet leaders in charge of the coal and power ministries. (for details see Oct 7^th newsletter)

2 Uzbeks were arrested at Delhi airport for smuggling foreign currency worth Rs 84 lakh

Customs officials arrested two Uzbek nationals at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport for allegedly smuggling foreign currency worth Rs 84 lakh.

Hindus converting for marriage are committing wrong, says RSS chief

Right-wing, social organization, RSS’s chief, Mohan Bhagwat said this was happening for small selfish interests and because Hindu families were not giving their children the values of pride for one’s religion and traditions.

Adani’s Mundra Port To Not Accept Cargo from Pakistan, Iran & Afghanistan Post Drug Haul

“With effect from 15^th Nov 2021, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) will not handle EXIM containerized cargo originating from Iran, Pakistan, & Afghanistan,” the Group said. A week after over 3K kg of Heroin was seized from Gujarat’s Mundra Port, the Adani Group on Monday issued a trade advisory stating that the APSEZ Limited will no longer accept containerized cargo from Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The trade advisory will apply to all terminals of APSEZ with effect from Nov 15, 2021. 

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words: the US after Doha talks (↓)

US interagency delegation traveled to Qatar to meet senior Taliban representatives from Kabul and discussed issues of vital national interest, said State Department’s spokesperson Ned Price on Sun (local time).

China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen’s remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson

China has condemned Taiwan’s national day statement, in which President Tsai Ing-wen stated that her government would not yield to Beijing’s coercion and will continue to strengthen the island’s defenses to defend its democratic way of life.

AQ Khan, ‘father of Pakistan’s N-bomb’, dies of COVID

Khan, 85, has been revered as a national hero for making Pakistan a nuclear power. Islamabad had detonated its first nuclear weapon in 1998 when he was leading the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) – a uranium enrichment facility that has been expanded to many other fields of science over some time.

Failure to engage with the Taliban could push the group back 20 years: PM Imran- Prime Minister Imran Khan on Mon once again stressed the need for the international community to engage with the Taliban, in an interview with the Middle East Eye. (Dawn)

He discussed a wide range of topics including the current situation in Afghanistan, relations with the US, Indian actions in occupied Kashmir, and ‘allegations’ against China regarding the treatment of Uighurs.

Pakistan facing the impact of two Afghan wars: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin-Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has said while addressing the annual dinner of Punjab University Institute of Business Administration’s alumni association on Sat night that participation in the Afghan war during the 1980s and the ‘war on terror’ after 9/11 resulted in destabilizing the country’s economy, which is still facing repercussions of those decisions.

However, he added, the present govt had devised short-, mid-, and long-term plans for national development. (Dawn)

13^th round Core Commander level talk failed to make headway, the two sides blaming each other

China: India made ‘unreasonable and unrealistic demands’

India: China takes a rigid stand on Ladakh de-escalation

News18 (Sources): it was probably last month’s Tawang incident (see weekend newsletter) in Arunachal in which 200 PLA soldiers were confronted by the Indian troops.

… the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) contingent had come with a “pre-determined mindset” as they were “aggressive and the outcome of the talks was already known to them”.

News: On, Sun, a 13^th core commander level talks have started at 10.30 am on Sun, at Moldo on the Chinese side and lasted for 8½ hours, was the shortest one. The Indian side was led by the Army’s Leh-based 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen P.G.K. Menon. 

State of Play: India has been insisting that a fragmentary disengagement — as in Pangong Tso, Galwan, and Gogra, where buffer zones have been created — would not lead to a final resolution.

• China insists on a similar buffer zone (3-10 km, India cannot patrol areas that it traditionally did) for the Hot Springs area.
• Moreover, pending issues like Depsang and Demchok, which are not being considered as part of the stand-off.

Point to Consider: disengagement up 3-10 km will hardly affect the ground situation, where heavy guns from 50-5K are placed.

• The Indian side: this would also be in accord with the guidance provided by the two foreign ministers in their recent meeting in Dushanbe.
• The two sides have agreed to maintain communications and also to maintain stability while the Chinese military calls on India to prove its sincerity after the meeting.
• Chinese Mouthpice GT- India fantasizes that China-US competition could bring about opportunities for it to reap easy profits at the China-India border. It is naïve for India to deal with China, whose GDP is five times India’s, with this opportunistic mindset.

Chinese Claim: Long Shaohua, the spokesman for China’s Western Theatre Command, claimed- “….But the Indian side still insists on unreasonable and unrealistic demands, making the negotiations more difficult.”

• “…Instead of misjudging the situation, the Indian side should cherish the hard-won situation in China-India border areas.”
• The Hindu (citing Officials)- while an agreement for resolving Hot Springs is within reach, Demchok and Depsang are legacy issues and are tough to resolve.
• China has carried out several high-profile military drills in Tibet and Xinjiang, which observers viewed as warnings to India.

The Indian side reiterated that the situation along the LAC had been caused by unilateral attempts by China to alter the status quo and in violation of the bilateral agreements.

India & China carry out massive troop and infrastructure build-up-Since the stand-off began last year, the Chinese have built and continue to build dozens of large weather-proof structures along the LAC for their troops to stay during the winter.

• While disengagement happened at several locations, the PLA troops have not gone back to their traditional holding positions and continue to remain close to the LAC.
• China has also carried out building new bridges and roads besides housing, to boost its military capability in eastern Ladakh.
• India, too, has carried out extensive infrastructure and troop build-up all along the LAC and even carried out changes in its Order of Battle with its “rebalance”.

Stating that if they continue to stay there through the 2^nd winter, it “.. in a kind of Line of Control (LoC) situation though not an active LoC as is there on the western front,” COAS, Gen MM Naravane added, “So, .. but if they are there to stay, we are there to stay too.”

What experts say: The Himalayas have become the most dangerous flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific. More than 17 months following China’s border aggression, India’s patience is wearing thin, with China using talks to consolidate its land grabs. For the first time, India calls out China’s intransigence.- Brahma Chellaney

5 Army personnel killed in encounter in J-K’s Poonch: Pakistan changes LoC strategy as winter approaches, terror launch pads full but ceasefire holds

The primary focus of the Pakistan Army is to push in arms and ammunition more than terrorists, which is why those who’ve been caught have been carrying a huge cache of them.

ThePrint -Even as the fragile ceasefire agreement holds ground at the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K, “infiltration season” has begun and Pakistan is attempting to push in more hardened and trained terrorists into the Indian side under a new strategy.

Five Indian Army soldiers were killed in an encounter that broke out close to the Rajouri-Poonch border, near Dehra Ki Gali, Poonch sector of J&K on Wed, including 1 JCO.

• An encounter started between security forces and militants in a thick forest area, North & South Pir Panjal in the Poonch sector of Jammu, officials said on Wed.
• 3-4 militants were believed to be trapped in the area.
• India Today TV (Officials)- security forces suspected infiltrated bid in forests, located near Mughal Road in Surankote subdivision.

“Teams of police and Army rushed to the spot after receiving this information and the entire area has been cordoned,” the official said, adding that the firing is going on between two sides.

• They added there are reports about the presence of a group of heavily-armed terrorists in Chamrer forest after they managed to sneak from across the Line of Control (LoC).
• Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to plug all escape routes to ensure the terrorists are neutralized.
• Earlier, one militant was killed in Anantnag and another in the Bandipora districts of Kashmir.
• In recent times there have been four encounters in the Rajouri sector – Daddal in Nowshera, Sunderbani, and Pangai in Thannamandi and Karyote.

Focus on smuggling arms and ammunition (ThePrint): The primary focus of Pakistan is to push in arms and ammunition more than terrorists themselves, that is why the terrorists attempting infiltration have been found with more weapons and ammunition.

• In late Sept, the Army had foiled an infiltration attempt by killing 3 heavily-armed terrorists (5 AK rifles, 8 pistols, 2 IEDs, and 69 grenades) at Hatmulla in north Kashmir’s Baramulla.
• In another infiltration attempt, 1 of the terrorists was killed (looked 30+), while another was caught alive.
• Sources said attempts are being to ensure that “senior” terrorists, who have had previous stints in Kashmir, are sent in rather than recruits because the local terror groups in Kashmir have lost their main leadership.
• ThePrint has reported, a Pakistani terrorist, currently identified as ‘Chhota Walid’, who infiltrated from the LoC around 20 days back, is said to be the mastermind behind the spate of minority killings in Srinagar.

2 terrorists killed in encounters in J&K’s Anantnag, Bandipora districts

In a major development, a terrorist affiliated an offshoot of Pakistan-based terrorist organization, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was killed in an encounter in Bandipora on Mon morning. The terrorist was identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad and he was involved in recent targeted civilian killings in Kashmir.

NIA conducts searches at 7 locations in J-K, arrests 2 in LET-TRF conspiracy case:

ANI–The National Investigation Agency, on Sun (Oct 10), said it has conducted searches, along with Central Reserve Police Force and Local Police, at 7 locations in Kulgam, Srinagar, and Baramulla districts of J&K and arrested 2 persons in its probe into the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)-The Resistance Front (TRF) conspiracy case.

• The arrested operatives include Tawseef Ahmed Wani, a resident of Bangdara (Baramulla), and Faiz Ahmed Khan, from Panzat (Anantnag).
• The case was initially registered at PS after the recovery of an IED from a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist in Bathindi, Jammu on June 27 this year for indulging in terrorist acts in the UT.
• NIA re-registered the case on July 19 this year. Earlier, 3 LeT terrorists were arrested in this case.
• NIA-the Pakistan-based handlers of LeT and their associates based in J&K had conspired to cause extensive terror activities to harm the general public and to assure the deniability, they have ‘planned to transfer responsibility’ would be taken by the pseudo-acronym TRF.
• During the searches conducted on Sun, many digital devices including mobiles, pen drives, data storage devices, and other incriminating materials have been recovered.

Cops detain 430 overground workers after Jammu and Kashmir killings

In the case of the targeted killing, the suspected OGWs were picked up from across the Valley, prominently Srinagar, Anantnag, Kulgam, and Shopian. One of those detained is a prominent drugs supplier based in Srinagar.

J-K police unearthed conspiracy behind Shahgund killing, 4 terror associates arrested

J&K Police in Bandipora have busted a LeT module and arrested four terror associates involved in the conspiracy behind the killing of a civilian namely Mohd Shafi Lone alias Sonu a resident of Naidkhai, on Sun.

• The arrested terrorists have been identified as Tariq Ahmad Dar, Mohammad Shafi Dar, Mudasir Hassan Lone, and Bilal Ah Dar said police, while one terrorist, Imtiyaz Ah Dar is absconding.
• It is claimed by the agency that the killing was carried out at the behest and instruction of LeT (TRF) handler Lala Umar, a resident of Pakistan.

PM Modi met Danish counterpart on her first state visit to India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in New Delhi on Sat who is on her first state visit to India. she also met her counterpart S Jaishankar, who also visited Denmark earlier this year.

• Danish Prime Minister said she sees her New Delhi’s visit as a milestone for the relations between the two nations.
• Speaking after the ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Frederiksen added that she sees an ambitious Indian govt taking responsibility for the issue of green transition in India and the rest of the world.
• Danish PM arrived in New Delhi in the early morning hours of Saturday. She was received by the Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, at Delhi airport.
• External Affairs Ministry – the Danish PM’s visit is an opportunity to review and further the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership.

List of MoUs/Agreements exchanged during the visit of PM of Denmark

• MoU between Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)- National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, Aarhus University, Denmark and Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland on mapping of groundwater resources and aquifers.
• Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Access Agreement between CSIR and Danish Patent and Trademark Office.
• MoU between Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Danfoss Industries Private Limited to establish a Centre of Excellence towards natural refrigerants for tropical climates with potential applications.
• Joint Letter of Intent between Min of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, India, and The Govt of Denmark

Commercial agreements: –

• MoU between Reliance Industries Limited and Stiesdal Fuel Technologies on the development of the Hydrogen Electrolyzer and the subsequent manufacturing and deployment of the Hydrogen Electrolyzer in India.
• MoU between Infosys Technologies and Aarhus University to establish a ‘Center of Excellence for Sustainability Solutions’ based in Denmark.
• MoU between the ‘Observer Research Foundation’ and ‘The State of Green’ on strategic cooperation to promote knowledge-sharing on solutions and facilitate research on the green transition of the economy.

India, Kyrgyz Republic agree on 200 million US Dollar Line of Credit to support development projects

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is on a visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Armenia (Oct 10-13, 2021).

Dr. Jaishankar had talked with Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev of Kyrgyz. In a tweet, he said, they agreed on a 200 million US Dollar Line of Credit to support development projects.

• He also said that they are agreed on executing high-impact community projects, early travel of Indian students, and a more liberal visa regime.
• The two leaders reviewed defense and security cooperation positively, while they have a shared approach to developments in Afghanistan.
• External Affairs Minister reached Kyrgyzstan as part of his four-day visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Armenia on Sun.
• In a tweet, Dr Jaishankar said, he is delighted to arrive in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of Foreign Affairs Minister of Kyrgyzstan Ruslan Kazakbaev. Dr Jaishankar will also be calling on the President of Kyrgyz Republic.
• Some agreements or MoUs are also expected to be signed during the visit.
• He will attend the 6^th Ministerial Meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, (CICA) in Nur-Sultan, chaired by Kazakhstan.
• Dr. Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan and call on the Kazakh leadership.
• External Affairs Minister will be visiting Armenia on Tue & Wed, which will be the first-ever visit of an EAM of India to independent Armenia.
• He will have meetings with his Armenian counterpart as well as call on the Prime Minister and President of the National Assembly of Armenia.

UK PM Johnson discusses Afghanistan, travel restrictions, COP26 with PM Modi

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Mon spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed Afghanistan, travel restrictions, and Roadmap 2030.

Khaleej Times– They agreed on the need for a coordinated international approach to engagement with the Taliban, emphasizing the importance of upholding human rights in the country.

• The two discussed the shared fight against coronavirus and the importance of cautiously opening up international travel.
• They agreed the UK’s recognition of Indian vaccine certification is a welcome development to that end.

Johnson underlined the importance of making concrete progress on climate change ahead of and at the upcoming COP26 Summit, noting that India already leads the world in renewable technology and expressed his hope that they will commit to a more ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution and to achieving Net Zero emissions.

• PM Modi is slated to attend the summit that will be held in Glasgow from Oct 31 to Nov 12.
• Johnson also talked about the UK-India relationship and welcomed the progress made on the 2030 Roadmap since the two leaders met in May, which includes areas such as trade and defense.
• The leaders looked forward to the upcoming visit of the UK Carrier Strike Group to India and the deepening of the UK-India strategic partnership.” (ANI)

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words: the US after Doha talks

US inter-agency delegation traveled to Qatar to meet senior Taliban representatives from Kabul and discussed issues of vital national interest, said State Department’s spokesperson Ned Price on Sun (local time).

According to Price, the US delegation reiterated that the Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words.

“On Oct 9 and 10, an interagency delegation traveled to Doha, Qatar to meet with senior Taliban representatives. The U.S. delegation focused on security and terrorism and safe passage for U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals and our Afghan partners, as well as on human rights, including the participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society,” the statement said.

• The two sides also discussed the United States’ provision of robust humanitarian assistance, directly to the Afghan people.
• The delegations of the Taliban and the US have held their first meeting in Qatar’s capital Doha, in a bid to turn the “new page on their relationship.
• This is the first in-person meeting between the two sides since the US drawdown from Afghanistan in mid-August.

“The delegations of the Afghan govt and the US discussed turning the page on their relationship in Qatar as well as humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and the implementation of the Doha peace agreement,” Sputnik quoted Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as saying.

• Since the Taliban’s take over of Afghanistan, there are a handful of nations like China and Pakistan who have shown interest in establishing ties with the outfit.
• Other members of the international community are adopting a wait and watch policy.

The US will provide aid but not recognition, say Taliban after Doha talks

The United States would not be formally recognizing the Taliban but would be providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, announced Taliban following talks in Qatar, reported international media.

Citing statement, the Taliban said that their discussions “went well.”

• The statement said the US agreed to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban also said that they would “facilitate principled movement of foreign nationals”, The Hill reported.
• Despite promises from the Taliban that it would not allow for terrorism to fester in the country, the spokesperson remarks followed a deadly suicide bombing at a mosque in Afghanistan’s Kunduz that killed over 40 people and injured many others on Fri — an attack that ISIS-K later took responsibility for. (ANI)

Security chief endorses a $169m theft charge against Ghani-As a US government agency probes claims that former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani took with him $169 million while fleeing Kabul, a senior member of his security staff said on Sunday that he has video proof of the alleged theft.

Brigadier General Piraz Ata Sharifi, who headed Mr. Ghani’s bodyguard, said in an interview that he not only saw huge bags of cash being transferred but also acquired a video clip from a CCTV camera.

US, UK warn citizens of threat to Kabul hotels: The United States and Britain warned their citizens on Monday to avoid hotels in Afghanistan, days after dozens were killed at a mosque in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen’s remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson

China stated on Sunday that Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s statements provoke hostility, distort facts, and mislead the people in the name of so-called unity and consensus, according to local media.

According to CGTN, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, Tsai’s statements “incite hostility, distort facts, and mislead the public in the name of so-called unity and consensus while cooperating with external forces to pursue independence.”

• Tsai, who spoke on Taiwan’s National Day (on Sun), pledged to preserve Taiwan’s sovereignty in the face of “new difficulties” posed by China’s military aggression.
• Ma- Tsai’s statements were a provocation, and that “they are the core cause of stress in cross-Strait ties and the greatest danger to regional peace and stability.” He reiterated that Taiwan is a part of Chinese territory.
• China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been and will never be divided.
• Earlier Tsai stated that the country will not “bow to pressure” and will “fight annexation,” speaking amid growing tensions with China and a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to achieve “complete reunification.”
• During her National Day speech in Taipei, Ms. Tsai stated that Taiwan’s “stance on cross-strait ties is unchanged: neither our goodwill nor our pledges will alter.”

Facts about Taiwan-China: Taiwan was self-governing before the 1600s, During the 17^th century, China gained control of Taiwan and ruled the island for two centuries.

• Japan gained control of Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War, making Taiwan a colony.
• China and Taiwan were split during the 1940s civil war, but Beijing believes that the island will be recovered at some time, by force if necessary.

• Taiwan has its constitution, democratically elected authorities, and a military force of around 300,000 active personnel.
• Taiwan is only recognized by a few very small nations, while most people recognize the Chinese government in Beijing.
• The United States has no formal relations with Taiwan, but a law mandates it to equip the island with the tools to defend itself.
• The United Nations has recognized Taiwan as “China” since 1971.