[NATIONAL]

India-Russia sign pact for AK-203 rifles, renew military cooperation for 10-years 

India and Russia signed a Rs 51 billion contract on Monday for the joint manufacturing of over 500,000 AK-203 assault rifles at a factory in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi region.

Nagaland firing incident case of mistaken identity, says Amit Shah in Lok Sabha

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday stated in Lok Sabha on the Nagaland firing incident and said that the case was of the mistaken identity as Army had received information on the movement of extremists in Oting, in Mon district and on suspicion of the vehicle carrying extremists, it was fired upon.

7,476 posts of officers lying vacant in Army, 1,265 in Navy, 621 in IAF: Govt

The Army has 7,476 vacant posts of officers while the Navy and Air Force have 1,265 and 621 such vacancies, Minister of State for Defense Ajay Bhatt said in House. On the question of which regiments of the Army have the maximum vacancies, he responded: “The deficiency is spread across all arms and services of the Indian Army.”

President Kovind to attend Bangladesh’s 50^th Victory Day celebrations during 3-day Dhaka visit

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Dhaka from December 15 to 17 at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdul Hamid to attend the 50^th Victory Day celebrations of the country, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release on Monday. India and Bangladesh share progressive, comprehensive, and substantial cooperation in diverse areas ranging from security, border management and defense, water resources, trade, transport and connectivity, health, culture, and people-to-people ties, energy, and power to develop partnership and sub-regional cooperation.

Omicron surges 5x to 21; 1 new case in Delhi, 9 in Rajasthan, 7 in Maharashtra

India’s tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases linked to the newly discovered Omicron variant shot up 5 times overnight as 9 people in Rajasthan, including a four-member NRI family from South Africa, seven in Maharashtra’s Pune and one in Delhi tested positive for that strain of the virus. The total count currently stands at 21. Over 50% of India’s eligible adult population is now fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sun as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 127.61 crores.

‘Pakistan man, 22, crossed border fence to meet Mumbai woman he loved; caught’

A 22-year-old young man from Pakistan’s border district Bahawalpur has been arrested after he crossed the border fence in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar late on Sat night. ‘He’ told to security personal that he was on his way to Mumbai to meet the woman he befriended on Fb and fell in love with.

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Two army pilots martyred as helicopter crashes in Siachen: ISPR

Two pilots embraced martyrdom after a Pakistan Army aviation helicopter crashed at Siachen in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Ghanche district, according to a statement issued by the military on Mon. The martyred pilots were Major Irfan Bercha and Major Raja Zeeshan Jahanzeb, the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said, adding that search and rescue helicopters and army troops had reached the site of the accident following the crash. The ISPR did not give a reason for the accident.

Gwadar protest enters day 22 as govt shares list of progress made on demands

Protesters in Gwadar continued their sit-in for the 22^nd day on Monday despite the Balochistan government sharing a list detailing progress made on their demands. The protestors, which also include women and children, have been demanding among other things, access to clean drinking water and an end to the “trawler mafia”.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign deals on workers’ recruitment, skills

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed two agreements related to workers’ recruitment and skills verification of Pakistani workforce being employed in the kingdom, said a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Sunday. It said the signing ceremony of the agreements took place during the visit of the Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood to Saudi Arabia.

Lynched Sri Lankan’s nearly all bones broken, 99% body burnt: Pakistan report

Nearly all bones of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana were broken and his body was 99% burnt in the horrific lynching incident in Pakistan’s Punjab province, a media report on Sunday said, citing his post-mortem report. The post-mortem report of Diyawadana cited skull and jaw fractures as the cause of death, Geo News reported.

Chinese President Xi Jinping calls for tightening controls over religious affairs to boost national security

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been calling for the “sinicization” of religions, re-orienting them to function under the guidance of the CPC which ideologically remains atheist.

China’s threat to Taiwan grows

In the past few years, the fate of Taiwan has become a hot topic as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) threatens it with ongoing aircraft flybys and naval circumnavigation. Voices are approaching a concerned crescendo, with Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, warning the US Congress that a Chinese attack could occur by 2027 or sooner.

India hosts Pakistan delegation for SCO meet

While bilateral ties with Pakistan remain in a deep freeze, India and Pakistan continue to engage under the banner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a Eurasian political and security grouping that is seen as playing an increasingly important role in Afghanistan after the US departure.

China warns it will respond if the US announces diplomatic boycott of Olympics

Foreign ministry says dialogue and cooperation could suffer, with US officials reportedly set to stay away in protest at China’s human rights record.

China Evergrande shares hit 11-year low

Evergrande, once China’s top-selling developer, is grappling with more than $300 billion in liabilities. A collapse could send shock-waves through the country’s property sector and beyond.

West condemns reprisal killings in Afghanistan, Taliban rejects allegations

The United States and a group of Western countries including Germany, France and Britain have expressed concern over reported killings and disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August.

PM Narendra Modi receives Russian President Vladimir Putin at Hyderabad House

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on Monday for the 21^st India-Russia summit.

Apart from the meeting, the summit would also witness the first 2+2 dialogue meeting between the countries to discuss key bilateral, regional, and international issues, including the Indo-Pacific.

Putin has not left Russia in almost two years other than for meeting Biden in Geneva on June 16. So Putin’s coming to New Delhi is significant.

We perceive India as a great power, trusted friend said Russian President Putin in Delhi.

In the last few decades, the world witnessed many fundamental changes and different kinds of geopolitical equations emerged but the friendship of India and Russia remained constant: PM Modi at meeting with Putin

President Putin’s visit is short but highly productive and substantive. There were excellent discussions between the two leaders. 28 agreements/MoUs were concluded during this visit. These agreements include those between Govt to Govt and business to business:

On the trade and investment side, there are ‘some specific plans’, which include long-term corporations in the areas of inland waterways, fertilizers, coking coals, steel, skilled manpower. Coking coals emerged as an important area of the corporation: Foreign Secretary HV Shringla

India-Russia sign pact for AK-203 rifles, renew military cooperation for 10-years 

India and Russia signed a Rs 51 billion contract on Monday for the joint manufacturing of over 500,000 AK-203 assault rifles at a factory in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi region. A bilateral meeting between defense minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian colleague Sergey Shoigu sealed the agreement.

According to authorities, the two nations also extended their military-technical cooperation agreement for the years 2021-31.

“India deeply appreciates Russia’s strong support for India. … Glad that several agreements/ contracts/ protocols were signed about small arms and military cooperation,” Rajnath Singh tweeted on Mon.

The news came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin set to meet for their annual meeting this evening.

• The center has given its approval for a gun manufacturing factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, to produce over 5 lakh high-powered AK-203 rifles.
• The contemporary AK-203 will be manufactured in collaboration with Russia, which produced the original AK-47.
• This assault rifle uses significantly bigger 7.62 mm ammunition, which has superior penetrating force, whereas comparable guns use the smaller 5.56 mm rounds.
• The contemporary version of the Russian-origin rifle is lightweight and sturdy, with an effective range of 300 m.

The S-400 Triumf Air Defense System

ANI- during his one-day visit, President Putin will also present PM Modi with a mockup of the S-400 air defense system as a sign of the missile system’s delivery to India.

According to the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the S-400 Triumf, also known as the SA-21 Growler in NATO, is a mobile surface-to-air missile system that is “capable of engaging aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and has a terminal ballistic missile defense capability” (CSIS).

Rajnath Singh points to the ‘extraordinary militarisation’ of India’s neighborhood

India is grappling with challenges arising from the “extraordinary militarisation” of its neighborhood and “unprovoked aggression” on the northern border, and the country seeks partners who are responsive to its military requirements, defense minister Rajnath Singh said on Mon, without naming any country in his televised opening remarks at the inaugural India-Russia 2+2 dialogue of defense and foreign ministers.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a face-off in the Ladakh sector since May 2020 and numerous reports have emerged of Beijing bolstering military facilities all along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu said bilateral military-technical cooperation is especially important in India-Russia relations, and that bodies of the two countries will cooperate to increase trust and security.

He said he and Singh had finalized plans for future cooperation.

“The [Covid-19] pandemic, the extraordinary militarization and expansion of armament in our neighborhood, and the unprovoked aggression on our northern border since early summer of 2020 have thrown in several challenges,” Singh said.

“..India seeks partners who are sensitive and responsive to India’s expectations and requirements,” he added.

• Singh said India is confident of overcoming these challenges with “strong political will and inherent capability of its people”.
• He added that during a bilateral meeting with Shoigu, he discussed the “emerging challenges India is confronted”.
• In his opening remarks at the 2+2 meeting, Singh further said India hopes that “Russia will remain a major partner for India in these challenging circumstances”.
• The Indian side is seeking greater military-technical collaboration, advanced research, and co-development and co-production of defense equipment leading to self-reliance.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar, in his opening remarks, said the 2+2 meeting is being held at a critical juncture when the global geopolitical environment is in great flux, especially after the pandemic.

“Our ties have been close and time-tested. In a world that has changed so much, they have been exceptionally steady,” he said.

• These issues include the emergence of multipolarity, consequences of over-centralized globalization, challenges such as terrorism, violent extremism, Afghanistan crisis.

US trying to undermine S-400 deal, India showed it’s a sovereign country: Lavrov -Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said the new 2+2 mechanism will deepen traditional understanding and help reinforce the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership.

Lavrov briefs about his meetings and 2+2 meeting. Said, ‘focused on developments in the Asia Pacific.. expressed our concerns about activities in the region under the slogan of Indo Pacific strategy were we see non-inclusive blocks latest example is Aukus“

Russian arms purchases by US allies can trigger sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

While the US has “urged all of our allies, all of our partners, to forgo transactions with Russia” involving the S-400 that may trigger sanctions, it has not decided on a potential waiver for India, State Department said at a Nov 23 briefing.

India is part of the Quad group is shaping up as a bulwark against China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Even as US and Nato tensions with the Kremlin are running high over a Russian build-up of forces near Ukraine, India is betting President Joe Biden’s focus on China will allow it to press on with defense purchases from Moscow.

Nagaland firing incident case of mistaken identity, says Amit Shah in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned till tomorrow

ANI- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Mon stated in Lok Sabha on the Nagaland firing incident and said that the case was of the mistaken identity as Army had received information on the movement of extremists in Oting, in Mon district and on suspicion of the vehicle carrying extremists, it was fired upon.

Shah said, “Army had received information on the movement of extremists in Oting, in Mon district. On that basis, 21 commandos laid an ambush in the suspected area. A vehicle reached there, it was signaled to stop but it tried to flee. On suspicion of the vehicle carrying extremists, it was fired upon.”

Nagaland civilian killings: 21^st Para special forces came with ‘intention to murder’, says FIR

Tizit police registered a suo moto case against 21^st Para (SF), based in Jorhat with a detachment each at IGAR north, Zakhama and IGAR south, Mantripukhri, Imphal in connection with the gunning down of 13 villagers of Oting, Nagaland on Sat. The case was registered with charges of murder, an attempt to murder, and carrying out an act in a group with a common intention.

The FIR–

• The commandos opened fire at the Bolero pickup van carrying the villagers from work to their homes “without any provocation resulting in the killing of many Oting villagers and seriously injured many.”
• At the time of the incident, there was no police guide nor security force made any requisition to the police station to provide a police guide for their operation.
• Hence it is obvious that the security force intends to murder and injure civilians.

Reportedly, irked villagers torched vehicles of security forces and some people were reportedly shot when security forces opened fire to control the irate mob.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sun ordered a high-level probe into the reported killings of civilians by security forces and the govt has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the matter.

A day after the reported civilian killings by security forces, the state govt on Sun prohibited all mobile internet, data services, bulk SMS of all providers in the entire area of Mon district with immediate effect.

6 killed in mistaken fire; 9 more and 1 soldier dead in retaliatory violence.

Unconfirmed reports put the civilian death toll at 17.

Army expresses regret over the killing of civilians in Nagaland; orders Court of Inquiry:
In a statement, the Army said the cause of the “unfortunate” loss of lives is being investigated by the Court of Inquiry at the “highest level” and appropriate action will be taken as per the course of the law. Top leaderships have been briefed

• 7 more civilians and a soldier died when villagers, alarmed by the gunshots and the death of their brethren, clashed with the troops about an hour later.
• Several civilians and soldiers were injured in the confrontation. Two villagers have been missing since the incident.
• At least two vehicles of the Army Special unit were set on fire.

Centre reaches out to Naga insurgents: As protests erupt, NSCN-IM terms Mon killings most unfortunate incidents of the Indo-Naga ceasefire signed in 1997; TN Governor Ravi rushes to Delhi. The Centre has reached out to all Naga insurgent groups including the Isaak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) following the killing of 13 civilians in an armed forces’ operation in Nagaland’s Mon district on Sat.

• Following the incident, protests erupted across Nagaland on Sun with a mob of about 500 men attacking and vandalizing a camp of the Assam Rifles in district HQ Mon.
• At least two persons were killed during the attack, a police official said.
• Soon after the violence in Mon, Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in the district to prevent gatherings and restrict the movement of vehicles barring those carrying essential items
• A vehicle in the convoy after a militant ambush at Churachandpur district in Manipur on Nov 13, 2021.
• Assam Rifles Commanding Officer, family, four jawans killed in Manipur ambush

Organizations such as the Naga Hoho, the apex Naga tribal body, and the Naga Mothers’ Association condemned the incident.

• The Naga Students’ Federation unfurled its flag at half-mast to protest the killings.
• The extremist Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, the key player in the Naga peace talks, described it as a “black day” for the Nagas.

“.. The Nagas had in the past faced trigger-happy Indian security forces, acting with impunity under the Govt of India’s AFSPA which is mainly used against the Naga political movement,” the outfit said in a statement.

AFSFA should be repealed: Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Mon said that the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 should be repealed as he joined the growing chorus for withdrawal of the law amid the civilian killings in Nagaland. Civil society groups, rights activists, and political leaders of the Northeast region have been demanding the withdrawal of the “draconian” law for years, alleging excesses by security

Intelligence failure or a Trap?

• Nagaland’s Mon district borders Myanmar from where members of the NSCN (Khaplang-Yung Aung) are said to carry out hit-and-run operations.
• (Officer)-there was specific input of the movement of NSCN (K-YA) cadres in a vehicle of specific color and type following which the Tiru-Oting area was cordoned off.
• The coal miners approached in a similar vehicle and “did not cooperate” when asked to stop, he added.
• The shooting ensued, apparently impulsively.
• The Army’s 3 Corps based near Nagaland’s Dimapur town virtually admitted to an intelligence failure with a statement of regret.
• It said a specific operation was planned to be conducted in the area of Tiru based on credible intelligence of the likely movement of insurgents.
• It also said the security forces suffered severe injuries in the incident and confirmed the jawan’s death.

Local organizations have demanded action against the guilty personnel and threatened to approach national and international human rights organizations.

• Members of the victims’ families refused to receive their bodies if justice is not delivered fast.
• The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) announced the withdrawal of six tribes it represents from the annual Hornbill Festival ongoing at Kisama near Kohima.
• The ENPO had a few months ago adopted a resolution against bloodshed in its area.
• People in Dimapur, Kohima, and other towns carried out a candlelight march on Sun evening to mourn the death of the civilians.

India Today-The Army launched an internal probe into the incident on Mon. (sources)- it was a case of ‘mistaken identity’. An official said a hunting rifle’s barrel that the security troops had spotted during surveillance might have added to the suspicion of 8 coal mine workers on a vehicle being members of the banned outfit NSCN (K).

Out of Box-However, what is undigestable is, why the security forces will fire on a vehicle indiscriminately, despite it is having intelligence input, that too when the area is cordoned off? Moreover, the way things happen and messages flooded on social media seem nothing more than a staged drama. Though the truth will come out after investigation, what looks at first place is intelligence input was a trap, but this too doesn’t explain the incidence.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Chinese President Xi Jinping calls for tightening controls over religious affairs to boost national security

The Indian Express-Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for further measures to tighten the state’s control over religious affairs in the country, including the “sinicization” of faiths which broadly means bringing them in line with the policies of the ruling Communist Party.

An official white paper released in 2019 said China has about 200 million believers – the majority were Buddhists in Tibet. Others included 20 million Muslims, 38 million Protestant Christians, and 6 million Catholic Christians; besides 140,000 places of worship.

“It is necessary to improve the democratic supervision of religious leaders, and push for the rule of law in religious work, and carry out in-depth publicity and education about the rule of law,” Xi told a national conference on work related to religious affairs held during the weekend here.

The conference, attended by the country’s top leadership, was the first since 2016 and sets the parameters on China’s religious affairs and their regulation, as per experts.

In his address, Xi said China will further promote “sinicization of religion”, with a focus on strengthening control of online religious affairs, pointing out that it is imperative to uphold the principle of developing religions in the Chinese context, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The party’s policy on religious freedom should be fully and faithfully implemented and religious groups should stand as a bridge and a bond connecting the party and the govt with people from religious circles and the vast religious believers, he said.

• The meeting took place in the backdrop of widespread accusations of repressive control on Muslims and Christians in China.
• The country’s increasing tight supervision over religions, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
• Last month, China was among several nations designated by the US as “countries of particular concern” for violations of religious freedom.
• Also, China is accused of following repressive religious policies amounting to genocide against Uyghur Muslims in the restive Xinjiang province.
• The CPC apprehends foreign religions, especially Christianity, fearing subversion of its rule.
• Xi also underlined that efforts should be made to keep enhancing the recognition of the motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the CPC.
• Religious personages and believers should be guided to cultivate core socialist values and put them into practice and promote Chinese culture, he said.
• Religious activities should be carried out within the scope stipulated by the laws.

China’s threat to Taiwan grows

In the past few years, the fate of Taiwan has become a hot topic as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) threatens it with ongoing aircraft flybys and naval circumnavigation. Voices are approaching a concerned crescendo, with Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, warning the US Congress that a Chinese attack could occur by 2027 or sooner.

He testified, “I worry that they’re accelerating their ambitions to supplant the US and our leadership role in the rules-based international order…by 2050.”

Admiral Davidson added, “We are accumulating risk that may embolden China to unilaterally change the status quo before our forces may be able to deliver an effective response.”

Further, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on 4 Dec of Chinese military flights near Taiwan: “I don’t want to speculate, but certainly…it looks a lot like rehearsals.”

Fuller detail was found in the recent 2021 copy of the China Military Power Report issued by the Pentagon, which stated, “The PLA continues to prepare for contingencies in the Taiwan Strait to deter and, if necessary, compel Taiwan to abandon moves toward independence”.

• NATO is currently concerned about Russian troops concentrating on the border with Ukraine.
• However, those concentrations fade away when compared to the military buildup that the PLA has achieved close to Taiwan, particularly its Eastern Theater Command.
• Dennis Blasko, a prominent ex-US Army expert on the PLA, explained to ANI why Xi is prioritizing the PLA.

“to defend China from attack, to deter Taiwan from further steps toward independence, and to deter the US from supporting Taiwan in further steps toward independence.”

Deterrence is thus the linchpin of China’s strategy.

“To deter, you have to have a credible force. And they are building that credible force. Again, by the theory of deterrence, you have to display the determination to use that force. And you do that through statements, you do that through exercises.”

Often, commentators envisage a D-Day-style amphibious landing of Taiwan presaged by missile barrages and aerial attacks. However, such an attempt to reunify democratic Taiwan with the communist Mainland would be militarily and politically the riskiest move for Chairman Xi Jinping.