[ NATIONAL ]

Must find ways of helping people of Afghanistan: S Jaishankar

Underlining the “deep-rooted and civilizational ties” India and other Central Asian countries share with Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar on Sunday expressed concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in the country and called for establishing a truly inclusive govt, and preserving the rights of minorities.

Pradeep Kumar Rawat appointed as India’s next ambassador to China

Pradeep Kumar Rawat is appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the People’s Republic of China. Rawat (IFS, 1990), presently Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Rawat is the envoy to the Netherlands since Jan 2021 and he has spent the majority of his diplomatic career handling Beijing from Delhi and was the joint secretary (East Asia) from 2014 to 2017. He was posted in Indonesia as an ambassador from 2017 to 2020.

Army commanders called to Delhi for maiden conference post-CDS Gen Rawat’s demise

All seven commanders of the Indian Army have been called to Delhi to attend an important meeting on the border situation with China. This is also the first time all commanders are meeting after the death of CDS Bipin Rawat.

Air Force chiefs of India, Bangladesh discuss bilateral defense coop

Bangladesh Air Force chief Shaikh Abdul Hannan on Mon called on his Indian counterpart Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and discussed avenues to enhance bilateral defense cooperation.

French firm & HAL in talks to make new indigenous chopper engine, power ‘Make in India’ push

HAL is working on a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-mission chopper of about 13-tonne weightage, termed the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH), with more endurance than Mi-17s.

J&K admin seeks Army’s help to restore electricity in Jammu as strike leads to outages

The J&K administration has sought help from the Army to restore power in Jammu after employees went on strike over a proposal to privatize the electricity department.

India role model for religious harmony in the world, says Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has called India a role model of religious harmony in the world in his address during a two-day long virtual event on ‘Maha Satipatthana Sutta’ for Theravada Sangha. “India is a role model for religious harmony in the world. Since I came to exile in India as a refugee the practice of non-violence and religious harmony I found to be excellent in India,” he said.

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 43 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 43 Indian fishermen and seized six trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country’s territorial waters, an official statement said on Sunday. The Navy arrested the fishermen in seas Southeast of the Delft Island in Jaffna on Saturday. Arrangements are being made to hand them over to relevant authorities for legal action, Sri Lankan Navy said.

India tests N-capable Agni-Prime missile

India on Saturday successfully tested the new-generation nuclear-capable Agni-Prime ballistic missile, which has a strike range from 1,000km to 2,000km, from the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. This was the second test of the two-stage solid propellant Agni-P missile, which has a dual redundant navigation and guidance system, after the first one on June 28.

BSF thwarts drone infiltration attempt along Pakistan border in Punjab’s Gurdaspur

The Border Security Force thwarted an infiltration bid by a Chinese-made drone along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab’s Gurdaspur on Sunday night. Another drone was ‘detected and downed’ Fri night near Wan border post in the Ferozepur sector, BSF says. It weighed around 23 kg & could carry a payload of around 10 kg.

Security agencies on high alert after intel suggests IM creating new sleeper cells-IndiaToday

In an exclusive input from security agencies that terror organization Indian Mujahideen has started making new sleeper cell modules.

150 Workers of iPhone Maker Foxconn India, Hospitalised After Food Poisoning in Chennai

More than 150 employees at a Foxconn India factory that makes iPhones for Apple Inc were hospitalized for food poisoning this week but almost all have now been discharged, the Thiruvallur district administration said on Saturday. It said 256 workers were treated as out-patients and 159 were hospitalized, of whom 155 have already been discharged. It was not clear whether the incident would disrupt production. Most of the Taiwanese manufacturer’s workers in India are women.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

16 killed in a massive blast in Pakistan’s Karachi

At least 16 people were killed and 15 others injured in Pakistan’s financial capital of Karachi on Saturday when a powerful blast, apparently triggered by a gas explosion in a covered sewage drain, ripped through the building of a private bank situated on it, police said. Most of the casualties are reportedly customers and staff present inside the HBL bank which was built on top of covered sewage.

PM Imran meets OIC head, ministers of several member states

Sunday proved to be a busy day for Prime Minister Imran Khan as he made a speech at a conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and then met on its sidelines foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Malaysia besides secretary-general of the OIC, where he stressed the need for tackling problems confronting the member states both individually as well as collectively.

Japanese intelligence agency warns of Chinese security threats

A Japanese intelligence agency has warned of economic security threats emanating from China, which it says is heading to acquire technology that can be used for several purposes like acquiring Japanese firms and recruiting talented human resources, an annual report released last week. The Japan Times reported that there have been examples of Chinese companies investing in or attempting to acquire Japanese companies in the semiconductor field and other areas.

India, 5 Central Asian countries call for immediate humanitarian assistance to Afghans

India and five Central Asian countries on Sunday called for providing immediate humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and asserted that Afghan territory must not be used for sheltering, training, planning, or financing terrorist activities.

The 3^rd India-Central Asia Dialogue, attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, was hosted by India in Delhi, in which the countries also reiterated their strong support for a peaceful, secure, and stable Afghanistan while underlining the need for respecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the war-torn country.

“The ministers reiterated strong support for a peaceful, secure, and stable Afghanistan while emphasizing the respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and non-interference in its internal affairs,” a joint statement read.

• It said the ministers also discussed the current humanitarian situation and decided to continue to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
• It said the ministers also agreed to continue close consultations on the situation in Afghanistan.
• New Delhi welcomed the interest of Central Asian countries to utilize the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar Port for facilitating their trade with India and beyond.

It also talked about the UN’s role in Afghanistan as well as the need for providing immediate humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people besides preserving the rights of women, children, and other national ethnic groups.

• In his opening remarks, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pitched for finding ways to help the Afghan people.
• Jaishankar met Foreign Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan separately on the sidelines of the Third India-Central Asia Dialogue held here on Sun.
• On Sat, he met Tajiki’s FM and appreciate the role in the evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan
• He also noted the progress in bilateral cooperation in nearly 3 decades of diplomatic ties

He listed a truly inclusive and representative government, the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking, ensuring unhindered humanitarian assistance, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities as key priorities in Afghanistan.

• Jaishankar said India is committed to taking its ties with Central Asia to the next level.
• He floated a ‘four C’ approach focusing on commerce, capacity enhancement, connectivity, and contacts to further expand the cooperation between the two sides.

In a related development, representatives of Muslim nations at a special meeting here on Sun acknowledged the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan

The 17^th Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) called at the proposal of Saudi Arabia, being hosted by Islamabad to bring to the notice of the world the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Official sources said that about 70 delegates included about 20 FMs and 10 deputy ministers of countries and international organizations, including the UN, are participating in the day-long conference. Only 24 countries out of 57 members, accepted the invitation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his keynote address, asked the US to de-link its policy towards the Taliban from the 40 million people of Afghanistan, while asking for action to help the Afghan people.

If the world doesn’t act, this will be the biggest man-made crisis, which is unfolding in front of us, he said and warned that Afghanistan would end up in chaos (in the world by terrorist organizations) if immediate action was not taken.

Khan didn’t forget to highlight the threat of Islamophobia.

PM Khan once again brought up the Kashmir agenda during a meeting of the OIC as he called on member states to make a “unified plan” for the region, a report said on Mon. Khan said the people of Palestine and Kashmir want to see a unified response from the Muslim world about their democratic and human rights.

Pakistan has taken extensive security arrangements- Capital Islamabad was locked down, fenced with barbed wire barriers, and shipping-container roadblocks were installed where police and soldiers stood guard including a two-day local holiday has been declared and network suspension for 3 days.

• Afghanistan’s economy is facing a major crisis after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in mid-Aug, amid a chaotic US and NATO troops withdrawal.
• Following hardline Islamists assuming power in Afghanistan, the international community froze billions of dollars worth of assets abroad and stopped all fundings.
• The Afghan economy is in free fall, needing urgent steps.
• About 23 million people are facing hunger, he said, adding that the world should come forward to help the people of Afghanistan.

UN (representative in the meet) also called for international engagements with the de-facto authorities in Kabul.

• Over half their population 22.8 million people face food shortages.
• Millions of Afghan children are at risk of dying from malnutrition.
• This situation has been brought about by a multiplicity of factors such as years of conflict, poor governance, and excessive dependence on foreign aid.
• He quoted World Food Programme figures to highlight the food shortages in Afghanistan.
• Pak FM, SM Qureshi said Pakistan has decided to provide USD 30 million to Afghanistan in help in addition to essential goods.
• He said notwithstanding ties with India, Pakistan has allowed India to send wheat and life-saving drugs through Pakistan.
• He also said the result of an economic meltdown would be mass exodus and radicalization which would have grave consequences for the world.
• The first OIC summit was held in Rabat from Sept 22 to 25, 1969.
• The 1^st Extraordinary Session of the OIC was held in Islamabad on Mar 23, 1997.

Hamid Karzai hits back at Imran Khan, says Pakistan must not interfere in Afghanistan’s affairs

Hitting back at Pakistan PM over his recent remarks on Afghanistan and IS threats originating from the country, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that Islamabad must not interfere in Kabul’s affairs, reported local media.

This will be India’s century, says Australian envoy O’Farrell, talks of more military exercises

India and Australia will see an increase in joint military exercises and interoperability between their armed forces in the coming years, and continue to jointly participate in several key multilateral exercises, according to Barry O’Farrell, High Commissioner of Australia to India.

In an interview with ThePrint, the Australian envoy said –

• the Quad, (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), is not against any particular country, and that the grouping is focused on addressing some “existential and critical issues”.
• He also highlighted that India and Australia will soon sign an interim trade deal, followed by a larger Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement by 2022.

In June 2020, India and Australia upgraded their bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and signed a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) for enhanced defense cooperation.

• Canberra is “looking forward” to Indian forces participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre next year.
• The biennial exercise is Australia’s largest, led by the Australian Defence Force and the US military, involving large numbers of troops on the land, sea, and the air.
• The participation of Indian forces in this exercise was announced at the inaugural India-Australia 2+2 dialogue in Sept 2021.
• Explaining the need for more joint military exercises, O’Farrell said these were needed so that “countries can operate more effectively together”.
• This year, the Malabar maritime exercise took place in two phases — Aug and Oct — with participation from the navies of India, Australia, the US, and Japan.

‘Australia hopeful of an interim trade pact with India by end of 2021’ –O’Farrell said Australia is “still expecting” that an interim trade agreement will be signed between India and Australia, which will later be upgraded to a much larger CECA that will also include investments.

• Australia understands that agriculture is a “politically sensitive” subject, he said, and hence it becomes difficult to negotiate that segment in any kind of trade deal.
• Earlier this month, former PM Tony Abbott, (at present special envoy for trade), visited India and reiterated that Canberra recognizes the sensitivities around agriculture.

According to O’Farrell, the fact that both sides are working towards a trade and investment pact “augurs well for the future”, emphasizing that Australia is the only country in the region that can effectively support the ‘Make in India’ program.

‘Quad has a positive agenda, not against any country’-Australia, which is also part of the Quad, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, along with India, the US and Japan, believes that the grouping is about extending practical assistance among partners and with other countries in the Indo-Pacific.

‘AUKUS is good for the Indo-Pacific’-O’Farrell also discussed AUKUS, the trilateral partnership among Australia, the UK, and the US, under which Canberra will have a robust fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

He also said that despite the differences that have emerged between Australia and France over this deal, Paris will continue to play its role in “securing” the Indo-Pacific region.

Army commanders called to Delhi for maiden conference post-CDS Gen Bipin Rawat’s demise

All 7 Army commanders have been called to Delhi this week for an important meeting over the security situation along the China border. This is also the first meeting of all the commanders after the death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat on Dec 8.

(sources)-During the commanders’ conference, the security situation along the borders with China would be discussed.

• This would be the first meeting of the commanders after the death of CDS.
• The Army commanders would be briefed on the situation along the China border, including the activities of the People’s Liberation Army, in the eastern sector.
• India and China have been in a military stand-off since Apr last year after the Chinese showed unilateral aggression.
• India has been working towards establishing peace in the area but has also maintained a high level of preparedness to thwart any misadventure by enemy troops.

The name of the new CDS is yet to be finalized, all most 2 weeks have been passed.

French firm & HAL in talks to make new indigenous chopper engine, power ‘Make in India’ push

ThePrint– French defense major Safran and the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are in talks to jointly and indigenously manufacture a new engine that will power India’s plans to have its medium-weight military helicopters, which will replace the Russian Mi-17 transport helicopters in the coming years. There is also a possibility of a new combat chopper in the same class as the American Apache.

(Sources) -the engines will be manufactured to power different types of medium-weight helicopters that the HAL is working on to meet the demand of the tri-services.

At an event organized on Sat by industry chamber FICCI, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that during his talks with his French counterpart Florence Parly last week, discussions on the engines took place.

• The thrust of his talks was to ask French defense firms to either collaborate with Indian companies or simply produce in India.
• (sources)- this was related to helicopter engines and the Indian company that will enter into a strategic partnership with Safran is HAL.
• The sources refused to elaborate whether this investment will be part of the offsets that Safran has to complete as part of the Rafale deal.
• The HAL currently manufactures the LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) and the multi-role ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter), besides the Chetak choppers.
• Incidentally, both the ALH and the LCH are powered by Ardiden 1H1 Shakti, co-developed by HAL and Safran.
• (sources)- while this is a license manufactured by HAL, the new engine will be made under the strategic partnership, which will involve the transfer of technology.

IMRH reason for India-France collaboration-(sources) – the HAL is working on a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-mission chopper of about 13-tonne weightage, known as the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) to replace the various variants of Russian Mi-17 helicopters which are the workhorse of the Indian Air Force, which operates a total of about 250 of them.

The phasing out of the earlier versions of these helicopters is to begin around 2028, with the latest versions, Mi-17 V5 (inducted since 2011), to be the last to be phased out.

The HAL is looking at a helicopter, which will have more endurance than the Mi-17s and will be used for a wide variety of operations, including transport, VVIP travel, searches and rescue besides others, the sources said.

Security agencies on high alert after intel suggests IM creating new sleeper cells

Intelligence agencies have been put on high alert after they received inputs about the terrorist organization Indian Mujahideen (IM) making new modules of sleeper cells in India, through the top terrorists of IM who had been hiding in different countries, including Pakistan.

The IM carried out dozens of terrorist attacks in Delhi (serial blasts in Delhi in 2008), Mumbai, Gujarat, Bangalore Hyderabad, Pune, and Bihar from 2006 to 2013-14, in which hundreds of people lost their lives.

In 2018, agencies had arrested Subhan Taukri, (founder of IM), from Nepal, and Ariz alias Junaid (absconding after the Batla House encounter), and thereafter the agencies believed that IM had been almost wiped out with the arrest of the two.

However (India Today), the last few terrorist attacks in India bore marks of the IM, which has prompted agencies to spring into action.

(sources)- Nasir, one of the terrorists who recently carried out an attack with a parcel bomb at Darbhanga railway station, went to Pakistan for training in 2012, when he met IM’s, Riyaz Bhatkal, in Karachi.

• Recently, the agencies had busted a big terror module of ISI and the underworld.
• Anish Ibrahim, the brother of Dawood Ibrahim, was leading this module.
• ISI allegedly mounted pressure on its personals and Khalistani terrorists to carry out attacks in India to destabilize the country (quite apparent if look at the overall picture).
• The Darbhanga attack was the result of this pressure by the ISI. The attack was executed by terrorists sitting in Pakistan, after fleeing from India, through a sleeper cell.

Former Director ED, Karnail Singh said- “Terrorists in Pakistan try to activate these sleeper cells (remain inactive till the time of executing an attack and become reactive when IM or any terrorist organization feels that an attack to be carried out, they activate these ‘cells’”.

Pakistan is hell-bent to disturb peace in Valley, especially in Srinagar: IGP Kashmir

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Sunday said that 3 Pakistani terrorists were killed in Srinagar within 33 days, which showed that Pakistan is hell-bent to disturb peace in the Valley, especially in Srinagar. They were involved in several terror crimes including attacks on Police/Security forces and civilian killings.

• Earlier on Sunday, a terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Harwan area of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The terrorist had been identified as Saifulla @ Abu Khalid @ Shawaz, a resident of Karachi in Pakistan, and was affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
• He infiltrated in 2016 and was active in the general area of Harwan and was involved in several terror crimes,” he added.

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At least 12 killed, many injured in blast in Pakistan’s Karachi: Report

At least 12 people were reportedly killed and scores injured in a blast in Karachi city of Pakistan on Saturday, according to local media. The reports suggest that the explosion occurred in a drain beneath a private bank near Paracha Chowk in Karachi’s Shershah area.

Station house officer Zafar Ali Shah said the bank had been served a notice to vacate the building so the drain could be cleaned up, adding that the accumulation of gases in the drain is suspected as the cause of the blast, reported Dawn. According to Geo TV, the police said the explosion occurred in a gas pipeline running through the drain.

The footage of the blast shared on social media platforms shows a damaged building and debris lying at the site of the explosion.

Police spokesperson Sohail Jokhio said it was not immediately clear what ignited the gas and a team of explosives experts was summoned to investigate, reported Associated Press.

The spokesperson added that the powerful explosion shattered the windows of nearby buildings and badly damaged a parked vehicle.

A second blast also took place during the rescue operation when a few electric wires collided with the gas line, according to Geo News, but no loss of life was reported in the second incident.