[ NATIONAL ]

The first squadron of S-400 deployed in Punjab sector: Report

The S-400 missile defense system is equipped with four different missiles which can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, the medium-range 120 km, and the short-range 40 km.

Ankara Ready To Export Drones, UAVs To New Delhi In A ‘New Beginning’ For India, Turkey Relations

Turkish company Zyrone Dynamics, which offers unique UAV solutions using advanced technologies, is preparing to ship its ZCQM multirotor mini-drone to India. 

Delimitation Commission proposes six additional seats for Jammu, one for Kashmir valley

NC, PDP, JKAP express disappointment, term the proposal “unacceptable”.

Army chief calls for global cooperation to handle any pandemic-like situation

Army chief General MM Naravane on Monday said the outbreak of Covid-19 has taught everyone many lessons and highlighted the importance of global and regional cooperation while tackling any pandemic-like situation. “The Covid-19 pandemic has, indeed, congressed the world community together to tackle the challenges and to mitigate at the earliest,” he said.

Putin dials PM Modi, discusses multifaceted development of India-Russia relations

ANI – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Mon held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed mutual intent for the further multifaceted development of relations of the special and privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India. They discussed practical aspects of implementing the agreements reached during the talks, according to the Kremlin press office statement. Further, they continued the exchange of views on issues of international stability and security, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region. Further, India and Russia expanded the range of their strategic relationship by starting their first 2+2 dialogue. It was agreed to intensify bilateral contacts in various spheres.

PM Modi meets foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries, emphasizes the potential of enhanced economic cooperation

Foreign Ministers of five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Mon and emphasized the readiness of their leaderships to further strengthen relations with India. The PM stressed the importance that India attaches to its long-standing relations with Central Asian countries, which are part of its ‘Extended Neighbourhood’. He also underscored the potential of enhanced economic cooperation between India and Central Asia and the role of connectivity in that regard. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were also present during PM Modi’s meeting with Foreign Ministers of Central Asian countries.

Foreign Secretary Shringla to visit Myanmar on Dec 22-23

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will pay a two-day working visit to Myanmar on Dec 22 and 23. During the visit, Shringla will hold discussions with the State Administration Council, political parties, and members of civil society, said Ministry of External Affairs release. Issues relating to humanitarian support to Myanmar, security and India-Myanmar border concerns, and the political situation in Myanmar will be discussed, added in the release.

India has banned 20 YouTube channels and two websites for allegedly running anti-India propaganda from Pakistan, a report said. Among the channels banned, 15 are owned by the Naya Pakistan group, while the others include ‘The Naked Truth’, ’48 News’ and ‘Junaid Halim official’. Economic Times (ET) (sources)- Information and Broadcasting (I&B) secretary wrote to YouTube and the Department of Telecom, directing them to immediately block the content which impinges the sovereignty and integrity of India. As per the report, the contents were “blasphemous” in nature and were being funded by Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), e.g. ‘PM Modi concedes defeat in Kashmir; Article 370 restored’, ‘Taliban Army leaves Kabul for India’, ‘Taiyyap Erdogan sends 35,000 mercenaries for Kashmir’, and the ‘Turk Army enters Ayodhya Ram Mandir to Take revenge’— all of which were seen by the ministry as a “concerted effort to sow unrest in India”. 

Bill to increase marriage age for women introduced in LS; Cong wants it to be referred to Standing Committee

Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Tue introduced The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in Lok Sabha, which seeks to increase the age of marriage of women from 18 years to 21 years. Meanwhile, Opposition leaders launched slammed the Centre for introducing the bill without discussions.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Chinese espionage circles the globe

ANI -China collects vast swathes of information from around the world, by fair or foul means, as part of its national intelligence apparatus. Some of this spying is done by individuals and businesses, but a great deal of it is sanctioned by the Chinese government.

Pro-Beijing candidates sweep Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election amid low voter turnout

Amid low voting turnout (30.2%, half of the previous legislative poll in 2016) under amended electoral laws, pro- Beijing candidates have swept to victory in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election. The election was the first in Hong Kong since Beijing amended electoral laws to reduce the number of directly elected legislators and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China could run, reported Al Jazeera. G-7 condemns erosion of democracy in Hong Kong polls. Group calls on China to restore confidence in Hong Kong’s political institutions.

China sanctions four US officials after Washington’s measures over Xinjiang

Beijing has announced sanctions against 4 members of a US govt commission monitoring religious freedom, in response to Washington’s latest sanctions targeting China’s Xinjiang policies two weeks ago. Speaking at Tue’s regular press conference, the foreign ministry said the quartet from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom was its chairwoman Nadine Maenza, vice-chairman Nury Turkel and commissioners Anurima Bhargava and James Carr. The bipartisan commission monitors freedom of religion outside the United States and makes policy recommendations for the president, the secretary of state, and Congress.

China’s Xi’an tests millions as Covid-19 cases rise

The Chinese city of Xi’an began testing millions of residents for the coronavirus on Tue (Dec 21) after the detection of more than 40 new cases raised concerns of wider transmission ahead of a busy travel season. China, where the virus was first detected, has slowed new cases to a trickle since the middle of last year through border restrictions, targeted lockdowns, and lengthy quarantines as it pursues a zero-Covid strategy. But the world’s second-largest economy is now fighting local outbreaks in several cities, including key industrial hubs in the east and south.

Gwadar protest compels Pak authorities to deploy thousands of additional police forces in the region

Months of long sit-ins and the protests in Balochistan have rattled the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government and forced the authorities to deploy thousands of additional police in the region, a news article in Policy Research Group read. Gwadar has been pitched as a key node of the Belt and Road-linked China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The residents of the port city in Balochistan province on Dec 16 called off their sit-in after negotiations with the govt. For the past several weeks, thousands of people were protesting demanding basic rights in support of the “Gwadar ko haq do” movement in the port city. Pakistani officials had claimed that Gwadar and CPEC will transform the region’s economic geography by providing China’s landlocked Xinjiang region. Among other things, thousands of residents were demanding access to clean drinking water and an end to the “trawler mafia”. The demands also included the removal of additional check-posts at Pushkan, Sarbandan and Gwadar City, and the opening of the Pakistan-Iran border. Pakistan’s Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had described the protests in the port city of Gwadar as a “watershed event” in the struggle for basic rights in the country.

Hindu temple vandalized in Pakistan’s Karachi

A man was arrested on Mon for entering and vandalizing a Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Karachi. The man entered a Hindu temple in Ranchore Line area of Karachi in the evening and damaged the statue of Hindu deity Jog Maya using a hammer, Pakistani Urdu language news television network Samaa TV reported. The accused was later apprehended by the public and handed over to local police. According to media reports, the accused has been booked under sections that deal with blasphemy. In recent years, there has been a surge in attacks on places of worship of religious minorities in Pakistan. The country has been repeatedly slammed by the international community for not safeguarding the interest of its minorities.

Taliban allow protests calling for Afghan assets to be released

Around 200 Afghans marched in Kabul Tue to demand the release of billions of dollars of assets frozen by the international community — a rare protest allowed by the Taliban as the country battles a major economic crisis. There were no women in the march, organized by a little-known group called the Afghan People’s Movement which in the past has held peace rallies in the capital.

India deploys first S-400 air defense system in Punjab sector, to take care of aerial threats from both China, Pak

ANI – In a major boost to the country’s air defense capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is deploying the first squadron of the S-400 defense-missile-system” air defense missile system in the Punjab sector.

(Sources)-Parts of the Russian missile system had started reaching India earlier this month and the unit is expected to be operationalized in the next few weeks, through both sea and air routes.

• The system was contracted for by India in a deal worth around Rs 35,000 crore and 5 squadrons would be provided to India for tacking air threats from up to 400 km.
• The 1^st squadron’s deployment would be followed by focusing on the Eastern borders along with providing resources for training of personnel within the country.
• IAF personnel have trained in Russia on the system.
• The air defense system would give India an edge in South Asian skies as they would be able to take out enemy aircraft and cruise missiles from a 400 km distance.

The system is equipped with 4 different missiles which can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, medium-range 120 km, and the short-range 40 km.

• Due to tough bargaining and negotiations, India managed to bring down the S-400 price by almost a billion dollars.
• The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed in the 1990s by Russia’s Almaz Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering as an upgrade to the S-300.
• China was the first foreign buyer to broker a govt deal with Russia in 2014; while Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Belarus, and Serbia have all acquired.
• The Economist (2017)- described it as “one of the best air-defense systems currently made”,
• Siemon Wezeman of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) remarked that it “is among the most advanced air defense systems available.”
• One system comprising up to 8 divisions (battalions) can control up to 72 launchers, with a maximum of 384 missiles, (including missiles with a range of less than 250 km.
• A gas system launches missiles from the launch tubes up to 30 m into the air before rocket motor ignition.

During Putin’s day-long visit, Russia’s FM Sergei Lavrov praised the S-400 air defense missile systems deal, saying the US tried to strong-arm India into opting out of the pact but New Delhi went through anyway.

• The US (also India’s main defense partner), had expressed its disapproval to the deal but India contended that the negotiations began years before CAATSA.
• The US had said in Nov that it is yet to determine whether it will waive those sanctions for the deal between India and Russia.

Ankara Ready To Export Drones, UAVs To New Delhi In A ‘New Beginning’ For India, Turkey Relations

Before the end of the year, Zyrone will ship the first mini multi-rotor drone and subsequent deliveries will continue in batches until 2022. Nearly 100 drones are planned to be delivered next year by the company, reported Anadolu Agency (AA). 

The company will conduct demo flights for defense tenders in India in Mar 2022 and is also planning to expand to Far East countries.

Zyrone Dynamics has fulfilled the international military certification processes for the ZCQM platform, which was evaluated in a variety of weather conditions and met all of the requirements for international military certification (MIL-STD-810G).

• The mini multi-rotor UAV ZCQM broke its record by reaching an altitude of 1.2 km above the ground, increasing the time spent in the air by 10 minutes to 80 minutes.
• UAVs in this category can typically fly to a height of 400 m.

India’s Participation –The Indian embassy in Turkey tweeted on August 18 hinting at a “new beginning”. The embassy was responding to reports that an Indian firm had invested in a Turkish drone manufacturer.

• On the sidelines of the International Defense Industries Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul, DCM Shriram signed a partnership agreement with Zyrone Dynamics of Turkey.
• DCM Shriram invested around $1 million in Zyrone Dynamics, acquiring a 30% share in the firm.
• Murat Kanber, the co-founder of Zyrone Dynamics, was quoted by Turkey’s Anadolu Agency as saying,

Delimitation Commission proposes 6 additional seats for Jammu, one for Kashmir valley

The draft of the Delimitation Commission has proposed 7 additional Assembly seats for Jammu and Kashmir — 6 in Jammu + 1 in the valley.

• The commission proposed reserving 9 seats for Scheduled Tribes (STs) based on population. 7 seats are proposed for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community.
• Therefore, the total Assembly constituencies in J&K have risen to 90 — in Jammu, from 37 to 43, and in Kashmir, 46 to 47.
• 7 added sheats are one each has been proposed in the districts of Kathua, Samba, Rajouri, Reasi, Doda, and Kishtwar in the Jammu division, and Kupwara in the Kashmir valley.
• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh after attending the second meeting of the Delimitation Commission in New Delhi in New Delhi on Mon.

The meeting saw the participation by all 3 MPs of the National Conference and 2 MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who are Associate Members in the panel. The parliamentarians from NC had stayed away from the first meeting of the Commission on Feb 18 this year.

• Masoodi said the NC members told the Commission that the J&K Reorganisation Act, under which the exercise was being done, was sub judice.
• The proposed increase of six seats in the Jammu division was on expected lines, political observers in Jammu said.

While no new constituency has been proposed in the Jammu district which has 11 seats, the BJP may get a boost in Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley regions since seats are proposed to be reserved for the first time for STs comprising the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities.

Forming the third largest ethnic group after Kashmiris and Dogras, the two groups reside largely in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, besides the Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Bandipora areas of Kashmir.

Even without any political reservation, 7 Gujjar leaders were elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Jammu division, especially Rajouri and Poonch districts, besides one from Kangan in Kashmir, during the 2014 elections.

• In the last delimitation, the number of districts had increased from 12 to 20, and the number of tehsils from 52 to 207.
• The Commission has categorized the 20 districts into 3 broad categories: A, B, and C, giving a margin of 10% of the average population per constituency.
• Although the Commission was tasked to finish the delimitation exercise in a year, it was granted a year’s extension on March 4 this year.
• This followed a request by the panel members since not much progress could be made due to the Covid-19-induced shutdown.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Chinese espionage circles the globe

ANI -China collects vast swathes of information from around the world, by fair or foul means, as part of its national intelligence apparatus. Some of this spying is done by individuals and businesses, but a great deal of it is sanctioned by the Chinese govt.

Indeed, on 3 Nov 2021, the Pentagon’s 21^st edition of its China Military Power Report contained a whole section on Chinese espionage.

In 2020 the FBI opened a China-related counter-intelligence case every ten hours on average. Furthermore, FBI Director C Wray said that, in 2020, the FBI had nearly 5,000 active counter-intelligence cases on its books, of which nearly half related to China.

Economic espionage cases linked to China have increased by 1,300% in the past decade. The Pentagon also disclosed, “China’s efforts to acquire sensitive, dual-use or military-grade equipment included radiation-hardened integrated circuits, monolithic microwave integrated circuits, accelerometers, gyroscopes, naval and marine technologies, syntactic foam trade secrets, space communications, military communication jamming equipment, dynamic random access memory, aviation technologies, and anti-submarine warfare.”

• China commonly targets overseas Chinese nationals or ethnic Chinese to do its bidding, through coercion, blackmail, or manipulation.
• It seeks to gain technological advantage from overseas through such measures as its “Thousand Talents Program” that targets ethnic Chinese or recent emigrants.

Defense technology is particularly prized by China.

Beijing also utilizes academia, educational institutions, think tanks, and state-run media to advance its soft power.

Specific examples are the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations and Confucius Institutes. Western countries are slowly cottoning on to nefarious methods, but Beijing is still taking advantage of lax regulations.

• Even signing up for a Confucius Institute course to learn Mandarin will get you into the database with biometric and personal details.
• The CIA’s operations in China were severely damaged by Jerry Chun Shing Lee, who was arrested by the FBI and sentenced in 2019.
• Until 2007, Lee was a CIA officer based in Hong Kong that handled Chinese agents.

A huge number of cases were reported by ANI (1).

Consequently, it is always hesitant about sharing its latest military technologies in case they find their way into Chinese hands. But as can be seen, although Taiwan is one epicenter of Chinese spying, Beijing’s espionage and influence efforts span the world. The nation is always on the lookout for new technologies, new data, and recruits. Extreme caution is advised.

1. https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/chinese-espionage-circles-the-globe20211221114120/