[ NATIONAL ]

Vinay Kwatra will be the next Foreign Secretary of India

Vinay Mohan Kwatra, a career diplomat for over 32 years, (1988 batch IFS) will be India’s next Foreign Secretary, succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who retires on 30 April. Kwatra is not the most senior officer in service. But he speaks French fluently and has a sound knowledge of India’s bilateral relationship with the US as well as China, as he has served in both missions. Kwatra will take over at a time when India’s neighborhood is riddled with challenges. He is India’s envoy to Nepal and served in the PMO and Indian missions in US & China. India is also facing a tough border stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh for nearly 2 years now. Also, New Delhi has now come under tremendous pressure from the West to call out Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

UK PM Boris Johnson expected to visit India towards month-end

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning a visit to India towards the end of this month with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties against the backdrop of the ongoing India-UK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, according to official sources. The visit, which is expected around April 22, is long overdue after Johnson was forced to cancel planned visits to India twice last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “A trade deal with India’s booming economy offers huge benefits for British businesses, workers, and consumers,” Johnson said at the formal launch of Free Trade Agreement talks earlier this year.

PM Modi, Israel PM Discuss Global Events, India-Israel Cooperation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett, whose visit to India was postponed after he contracted Covid-19, to enquire about his health and also discussed recent global events. PM Modi tweeted that he looked forward to welcoming Israel PM Bennett to India for his first visit to the country.

Welcome ceremony for President Ram Nath Kovind held in the Netherlands

A welcome ceremony for President Ram Nath Kovind along with his wife and the First Lady Savita Kovind was held at Dam Square in Amsterdam on Tue along with a reception by King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. President Kovind is on a 3-day visit at the invitation of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. This is the first presidential visit to the Netherlands in 34 years since the visit of President R Venkataraman in 1988.

India issues 4 NOTAM for missile tests

India has issued 4 Notices to Airmen this month for a launch of an experimental flight vehicle in the Bay of Bengal for the period from 08-16 April 2022 as per information provided by Twitter user @detresfa_. All four missile tests have been labeled as Experimental which are usually reserved for missiles that are still under development. Designated areas that have been notified for all tests are different but the missile that is likely to be tested might be of the same type as developmental trials usually cover a full spectrum of different ranges and altitudes that are required before a new missile system is cleared for production.

Indian Provided Dornier aircraft to enhance Sri Lankan maritime reconnaissance

The Air Wing of the Indian Navy has successfully deployed the Dornier aircraft for maritime reconnaissance. The handing over of Dornier aircraft to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) marks a quantum leap for the SLAF in terms of enhanced maritime patrolling of Sri Lanka’s EEZ- Exclusive Economic Zone. The SLAF has systematically used the Beechcraft and Y-12, for this purpose and the new Indian Dornier aircraft will empower the guardians of our skies who have served the nation for 7 decades. The Dornier 228 is equipped with modern avionics and precision sensors that tremendously increase the area covered from one airborne platform.

Information and Broadcasting Ministry blocks 22 YouTube channels

I&B Ministry blocked 22 YouTube Channels, including 4 Pak-based YouTube news channels for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order. 3 Twitter accounts, 1 Facebook account, and 1 news website were also blocked. The YouTube channels had a viewership of over 260 crores, the ministry said. The modus operandi of these channels was “to use templates and logos of certain TV news channels, including images of their news anchors to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic”.

Punjab CM orders constitution of Anti-Gangster Task Force headed by ADGP-rank officer

Giving a special concern to organized crime in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tue ordered the constitution of an Anti-Gangster Task Force in the state, would be headed by an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP)-rank officer. In a statement, the Punjab government said that the eradication of organized crime is among its topmost priorities.

Terrorists open fire at a civilian in Shopian

A civilian was injured after he was shot at by terrorists in Shopian district of Jammu & Kashmir on Mon, police said. Bal Krishan, a shopkeeper in Chotigam village, was critically injured after terrorists opened fire at him. He was rushed to an army hospital in Srinagar where doctors said his condition is stable, police said. Earlier in the day, one CRPF head constable was killed and another injured after terrorists fired upon them at Maisuma in Srinagar city. Two non-local migrant workers were also shot at by terrorists in the Pulwama district. The J&K has also been witnessing an overall rise in terrorist attacks. On Mar 21, a resident was shot dead by terrorists in Budgam district. A special police officer and his brother were killed on Mar 27. A sarpanch from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district was gunned down by terrorists on Mar 11.

The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill by a voice vote

The Lok Sabha on Mon passed Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill by a voice vote. The bill – which seeks to replace the Identification of Prisoners Act, of 1920 – was passed after union home minister Amit Shah addressed all concerns raised by the MPs about the legislation. “Next-generation crimes cannot be tackled with old techniques. We have to try to take the criminal justice system to the next era,” he asserted. The opposition has raised multiple concerns against the bill. The opposition has called it ‘draconian’ legislation.

‘India’s Russia energy imports only 1-2% but…’: US’s latest amid Ukraine war

India’s import of Russian energy represents only 1 to 2% of the country’s total energy imports, the White House said in its latest remarks as the purchase of Russian oil remains a hotly debated issue amid the Ukraine war. The matter has come up in discussions between the top officials of India and the US in the recent past yet Washington has maintained that it’s “a country’s individual decision to ban imports” to put pressure on Moscow. “Daleep Singh, our deputy national security adviser was just there (India). Energy payments are not sanctioned, that’s a decision made by each country. We’ve been very clear that each country is going to make its own decision even as we’ve made the decision and other countries have decided to ban energy imports,” the White House, said after being questioned about India’s oil purchase. Amid questions over the oil purchase, foreign minister last week slammed a “campaign over the issue”. US’s petroleum exports to India now make up 15% of bilateral merchandise trade. While threatening India with “consequences” for buying Russian oil, the US has quietly ramped up its imports of Russian crude and refined products before the US ban takes effect.

Highest corporate donations in 2019-20 went to BJP: ADR report

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remained the biggest recipient of corporate donations in FY2019-20 when there was a Lok Sabha election, that also saw the highest corporate funding to national parties, a total sum of ₹921.95 cr. In 2014-15, the previous LS poll year, the corresponding number was ₹573.18 crore. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) in its report published on Mon, added that corporate funds accounted for 91% of the total contribution of political parties in 2019-20. The study covered BJP, Congress, CPIM, NCP, and the TMC. “The BJP received the maximum donations of ₹720.407 cr from 2025 corporate donors followed by INC (Congress) which received a total contribution of ₹133.04 cr from 154 corporate donors, and NCP with ₹57.086 cr from 36 corporate donors,” said the ADR.

Six-fold hike in the budget for the security of the Indo-China border over the previous financial year, says MHA

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tue informed Lok Sabha that the budget for the Indo-China border in the year 2021-22 under the Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) has been increased six times as compared to the previous financial year. The govt has increased BIM funds for the Indo-China border areas from Rs 42.87 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 249.12 crore in 2021-22. The amount was Rs 72.20 crore in 2019-20. Similarly, Rs 20 crore was allotted for the Indo-Myanmar border in the year 2019-2020, it was decreased to Rs 17 crore in 2020-21 but it was increased around 3 times to Rs 50 crore in the year 2021-22. He further replied that in the Indo-Bangladesh border, the budget for the year 2019-2020 was Rs 407 crore, which was decreased to Rs 294 crore in the year 2020-21 but in the year 2021-22 it was marginally increased to Rs 303 crore.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Sri Lankan Crisis: Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition loses parliamentary majority amid growing protests

Reuters – Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition lost its majority in parliament on Tue after at least 41 lawmakers walked out of the alliance amid growing unrest over an economic crisis, according to parliamentary proceedings.

Pakistan Political Crisis: SC adjourned the hearing of the “unconstitutional act” of the NA

Supreme Court of Pakistan adjourned the hearing of the case — filed against the “unconstitutional act” of the National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri — till tomorrow (Wed): Pakistan’s Geo English

Pak Speaker refused to reject no-confidence motion against Imran Khan: Report

Pakistan’s national assembly speaker Asad Qaiser was not in favor of the decision to reject the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan govt on basis of Article 5 of the constitution.

Indonesians are growing wary of China and want to contain its rise, survey finds

Indonesians are becoming increasingly wary of China and Chinese investments, with six in 10 surveyed by an Australian think tank agreeing that Jakarta should join with other nations to limit Beijing’s rise. Only 43% of Indonesians polled by the Lowy Institute in Dec said they felt China’s growth was good for Indonesia – down from 54% in 2011. Almost half the 3,000 respondents aged 17-65 said they believed China aimed to dominate the region. More favorable views towards investments from the United States and its importance to Indonesia’s economy were expressed in the survey, but Washington’s influence did not hold too much sway – 84% of respondents still said Indonesia should stay neutral in any US-China conflict.

Australia accelerates missile upgrade due to growing threats from China, Russia

Australia has accelerated plans to buy long-range strike missiles years ahead of schedule because of growing threats posed by Russia and China. Defence Minister Peter Dutton said Tue that the accelerated rearming of fighter jets and warships would cost 3.5 billion Australian dollars (US$2.6 billion) and increase Australia’s deterrence to potential adversaries. “There was a working assumption that an act of aggression by China toward Taiwan might take place in the 2040s. I think that timeline now has been dramatically compressed,” Dutton told Seven Network television.

China’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine is unlikely to have a major effect on Asia trade ties, analysts say

While China’s stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains a lightning rod for debate around the world, analysts in Asia say the region’s economic dependence on the world’s No 2 economy is too huge to crumble amid the geopolitical rifts caused by the war. The United States and European Union have called on China to condemn Moscow’s actions and Washington has warned of consequences – including sanctions – for providing material support for Russia. At a China-EU summit last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the two economies held “clearly opposing views” on the conflict. But closer to home, the response of many Asian countries – particularly members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – towards the conflict has been far more restrained, meaning China’s efforts to cast itself as neutral are unlikely to significantly harm trade or diplomatic ties, analysts said.

The US does not want ‘trade divorce’ from China, Washington seeks reform

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai says the Biden administration’s policy is focused on ‘realignment in the global economy’ after telling a congressional hearing last week that discussions with China have become ‘unduly difficult’.

The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill

1. The bill allows police and prison authorities to legally collect, store and analyse physical and biological samples including retina and iris scans of those convicted.
2. The record of measurements will be retained for a period of 75 years from the date of collection.
3. The bill proposes a legal collection of behavioural attributes including signatures, handwriting, or any other examination referred under Section 53 or Section 53A of CrPC of the convicts.
4. As per the legislation, if there is any resistance from the convicts to taking the measurements, it will be termed as an offence under Section 186 of the IPC (obstructing public servant) – leading to a jail term of 3 months, or a fine of ₹500 or both.
5. The govt has also clarified that people who are not convicted or arrested for crimes against women or children, or those people who are in custody for an offence that is punishable for less than seven years, can refuse to give their biological samples.
6. Union home minister Amit Shah on Mon said that these provisions will only be used in the cases of “heinous crimes”.
7. He added that corresponding clarification will follow in the rules of the bill.
8. The legislation is aimed at “strengthening law and order and national security of the country”.

Meanwhile, the opposition has called the Bill a ‘draconian’ legislation.

The opposition leaders raised several arguments in Lok Sabha on Mon.

While Congress MP Manish Tewari termed the bill as ‘draconian and against civil liberties’, BSP’s Danish Ali said that the bill could “convert India into a police state and could be used to settle political scores.”

The opposition members have demanded the bill be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee.

However, the Centre last year sought suggestions from lawmakers across party lines in Dec on the provisions of the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill which authorizes law enforcement authorities to collect, store and analyze details, including biometrics, of all convicts and detained persons, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said on Mon.

Lok Sabha: Bill to prohibit funding of weapons of mass destruction to be tabled

Union minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to introduce a bill to amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, in Lok Sabha on Monday to prohibit the financing of such weapons. The 2005 law prohibited only the manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. A 2005 law prohibited only the manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition loses parliamentary majority amid growing protests

Reuters – Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition lost its majority in parliament on Tue after at least 41 lawmakers walked out of the alliance amid growing unrest over an economic crisis, according to parliamentary proceedings.

• “Our party is on the side of the people,” said Maithripala Sirisena, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party which withdrew its support for Rajapaksa’s coalition.
• The shift left Rajapaksa with a minority govt, which could make decision making more challenging, although independent lawmakers can still continue to support govt proposals.

Sri Lanka’s finance minister quits after one day as the crisis deepens

Ali Sabry resigned on Tue, the day after being sworn in, amid unrest over handling of a debt-heavy economy that’s led to food and fuel shortages.

Sri Lankan Police warns protesters not to break the law, review video footage for making arrests

Sri Lankan police have warned protesters not to take the law into their own hands and said strict action will be taken against those involved in violence during the agitations.

The police arrested several protesters on Mon night and said they are relying on scientific and video footage to nab violators in the coming days.

“Arrests have been made of the perpetrators, some of whom have been identified on video evidence and will be arrested shortly,” Sri Lanka Police said in a statement.

IMF says monitoring political and economic developments in Sri Lanka ‘very closely’,

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tue that it is monitoring political and economic developments in Sri Lanka “very closely” as public unrest in the island nation grows amid its worst economic crisis in decades.

Sri Lankan President says won’t resign, ready to hand over the government to whoever proves 113 seat majority

Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tue informed senior party members that he will not step down as Sri Lankan President but is ready to hand over the government to whichever party proves that it has a majority of 113 seats in Parliament. According to Daily Mirror, Rajapaksa held political meetings on Monday even as public protests continued against shortages of essential goods and electricity power cuts. Parliament is scheduled to convene for the first time today, since the public protests and with Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena presiding to conduct a vote to determine which party holds the absolute majority of 113 seats in the 225-member assembly.

Pak Speaker refused to reject no-confidence motion against Imran Khan: Report

Pakistan’s national assembly speaker Asad Qaiser was not in favor of the decision to reject the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan govt on basis of Article 5 of the constitution.

• According to a report by the Pakistan news, the speaker tried his best to convince Imran Khan’s legal team.
• But when the consensus could not be reached, Qaiser did not go to the national assembly on Sun.
• The developments have come after Attorney General told a news channel Geo News that voting was mandatory on the no-confidence motion against the PM as per the constitution.
• It has been learned that Imran Khan’s legal team drafted the order which was read by deputy speaker Qasim Suri.
• “This no-confidence motion is against the constitution. I rule out this no-confidence motion as per the constitution,” deputy speaker Suri had read in NA.
• Soon after this, Imran Khan during a televised address announced that he had advised the president to dissolve the NA and that elections will be held within 3 months.
• The President dissolved the assembly, evoking strong protest from the opposition which challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.
• PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif had accused Imran Khan of violating the constitution and imposing a civil-martial law in the country.
• Interestingly, the Electoral body ruled out the possibility of election within 3 months.
• Chief Justice Ata Bandial had said that all orders and actions initiated by the PM and the president regarding the dissolution of the NA will be subject to the court’s order.
• In the history of Pakistan’s politics, only two PMs Benazir Bhutto and Shaukat Aziz have faced the no-confidence motion in Parliament.
• No PM has completed a full tenure since Pakistan came into existence.

US State Dept Spokesperson, on Imran Khan’s allegations of interference:

• There is absolutely no truth to the allegations
• We support the peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles
• We do not support one political party over another.

Chinese loans for white elephant projects pushed SL and Pak into the present crisis

All the blame for the crisis in these two countries cannot be put on the shoulders of Beijing as the majority of it rests on the myopic leadership of these nations.

Some 18 km from Chinese-owned Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka lies an International airport, which has unfortunately earned the sobriquet of being the least used airport in the world.

Built during the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa, high-interest loans from China are monuments to fiscal wastefulness practiced by rulers currently reeling under deep economic and political crisis.

• Like Sri Lanka, Pakistan is also the biggest beneficiary of economic assistance from China and that too has descended into political and economic chaos.
• Instead of Chinese loans making the 2 economies more resilient, the client states have folded up in wake of the global economic crisis brought on by a pandemic.

Sri Lanka is presently reeling under protests due to rampaging inflation; Pakistan is in a free drop with Imran Khan now a PM just in the name after having exposed the fragility of democracy in the Islamic Republic for his survival.

• The state-owned media dismisses the predatory policies as “western propaganda” and insists that loans given to countries like Pak and SL are only a small portion of their overall debt portfolios.
• These Chinese claims are substantiated by the openly available information on govt-to-govt loans from China.

But this is only half of the story as information on the actual liabilities or outflows of the borrowing countries on account of guaranteed returns on investments, commercial loans, etc. is not readily available.

• Like in the case of Pakistan, Beijing has maintained that its loans comprise 10% of Sri Lanka’s overall external debt.
• This works out to be US$ 5 billion out of a total debt of nearly USD 51 billion.
• But this figure does not include currency swaps, foreign currency term facility agreements, and loans given by Chinese state-owned enterprises.
• Project wise loans given by the Chinese are estimated to be US$ 4.8 billion, out of which only US$ 1 billion carries a concessional interest rate of 2% while the remainder carries at 6%.

In Pakistan, China has loaned US$ 11 billion at an interest rate of 1.6% for infrastructure projects and another USD 15.5 billion (commercial) carrying an interest rate of 5-6% for power projects, part of the BRI and designed to give Beijing access to the Arabian Sea and beyond.

• All debts are denominated in USD dollars, which hedges the Chinese exposure to exchange rate fluctuations but increases the cost of hard currency for the borrowers.
• In Pakistan, the debt burden has consistently increased due to the regular depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee at an average of 6% per year.
• In Sri Lanka, the Lankan Rupee collapsed in a matter of days, increasing the cost of hard currency dramatically.
• With Beijing neutral to whether the borrowing regime was corrupt or inefficient or both, these politically expedient loans have now come to haunt these two countries.

The Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka and Gwadar Port in restive Baluchistan in Pakistan are classical cases of white elephant projects.

The extent of profiteering by the Chinese companies that execute projects is also not often known. In Pakistan, it was accidentally illustrated by the leaked Power Producers Report in April 2020, which examined among others, two thermal power projects in Sahiwal and Port Qasim. Both were executed by Chinese companies. For these two projects worth USD 3.8 billion, the report found an overpayment of approximately USD 3 billion.