[NEWS OF THE DAY]

Pakistan Moves all Terror Camps, Launch Pads Closer to LoC in A Bid to Intensify Infiltration

CNN-News18- Exclusive classified information accessed reveals that Pakistan has shifted all its terror camps and launched pads near the line of control (LoC). The locations have been chosen in such a way that every launch pad and terror camp is just a few km away from the border. (Sources) – Pakistan has done this to increase infiltration. The terror camps belong to jihadi groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). They have multiple entry routes to avoid any firing and keep Indian security forces busy. Infiltration by these terrorists will be a “bonus” for ISI, as Pakistan has directly dropped almost 300 small weapons via drones into around Srinagar, for “hybrid killing”. According to an estimate, almost 50 foreign terrorists from the LeT and Jaish are already in Srinagar’s main town. They are placed comfortably and, whenever they get an opportunity, they will act. A large number of trained cadre is sitting in Peshawar, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad, and the cadre has returned from Nangarhar and other border regions of Afghanistan after the Taliban forced them back. Infiltration by the cadre means the Pak Army will support them from the LoC. The forward areas are 2-3 km close to the LoC in the Gurez, Kel, Neelum Valley, Tangdhar, Uri Chakoti, Gulmarg, Poonch, Rajouri, Naushera, and Sundarbani sectors. (here)

Nepal Urges India to Suspend Gorkhas Recruitment under Agnipath Scheme ahead of Army Chief’s Visit

Nepal has urged India to suspend the recruitment of Gorkhas to the Indian Army under the newly introduced Agnipath scheme, [as reported yesterday]. Foreign Minister Narayan Khadke on Wed met with India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava and requested him to postpone the plan to recruit Nepali youths. The development comes ahead of Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande’s planned 5-day official visit to Nepal on Sept 4 during which he will hold extensive talks with the country’s top civil and military leadership. The main purpose of General Pande’s visit is to receive the title of honorary General of Nepal Army to be conferred by President Bidya Devi Bhandari, as per tradition. Although the Nepal govt is positive about facilitating the recruitment of Gorkhas in the Indian Army, the govt will formally decide the matter after holding talks with other major political parties, Khadke told the Indian envoy during the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This is our consistent position that the tripartite agreement is not in our favor and this new Agnipath scheme will only militarise the youths, this is also not going good to our society,” said Narayan Kaji Shrestha, senior vice-chair of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and a former foreign minister, who is a partner in Deuba Govt. (here) [Notably, Khadke met his Chinese counterpart, weeks back]

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama arrives in Delhi after 3 years

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama arrived in Delhi on Fri after a gap of over 3 years. Dalai Lama landed in the national capital after a month-long sojourn in Ladakh. It is not yet confirmed whether he will hold any meeting with the political leadership. Earlier on Tue, Dalai Lama said Tibetans are seeking genuine autonomy rather than complete independence. He also exuded confidence that the time will come soon when Ladakhis would be able to visit Lhasa again. “Times are changing, and that a time would come when Ladakhis would be able to visit Lhasa again,” the Dalai Lama said while addressing the audience as he inaugurated a new center of learning at Thupstanling Gonpa, Diskit Tsal in Leh. Amid the Dalai Lama’s visit, China will be keeping a close eye on the leader. Beijing views the globally revered Tibetan spiritual leader as a separatist, who they claim is working to split Tibet. The Dalai Lama relinquished his role as the spiritual leader of more than 7 million Tibetan Buddhists because of the Chinese aggression and has lived in exile for 60 years. Speaking on the 87^th birthday of the spiritual leader. (here) Chinese authorities arrest a Tibetan man for having a photo of the Dalai Lama: Karma Samdup, of Sernye township of Nagchu county (in Chinese, Nagqu), had a picture of the Dalai Lama around his neck and hanging in his car when authorities arrested him on Aug 12, RFA’s reported citing sources on condition of anonymity. “His arrest is part of the Chinese govt’s Strike Hard Campaign where they are cracking down on Tibetans. As of now, we don’t have much information on Samdup’s whereabouts,” the source said. (here)

[NATIONAL]

China firmly oppose the Indo-US military drill in Oct, says it violates bilateral agreements

China on Thu strongly opposed the war games scheduled between India and the US near the disputed Sino-India border in Oct, saying it’s an interference in the bilateral boundary issue and a violation of agreements between New Delhi and Beijing that no military drill will be held near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border between the two countries. “We firmly oppose any third party to meddle in the China-India border issue in any form,” Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for the Chinese defense ministry said on Thu when asked to comment on the drill at the monthly press conference of the ministry. While the drill is yet to be officially confirmed, several reports from Indian and international media have reported that an 18^th edition of the joint military exercise at Auli in Uttarakhand at an altitude of over 10,000 feet in Oct, some 100km from the LAC. [As reported] The exercise will take place in the backdrop of the ongoing border friction between India and China in eastern Ladakh with both sides having deployed thousands of troops and heavy weaponry along the LAC. The response against the drill comes days after external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, blamed China for the border tension and marked deterioration in ties. Tan then cited two agreements signed by India and China in 1993 and 1996, saying the exercise violates both. “They (Chinese) have disregarded that. [reffreing the same agrreements] You know what happened in the Galwan Valley a few years ago. That problem has not been resolved and that is clearly casting a shadow,” Jaishankar said on Aug 21^st. (here)

Eye on China threat, Army launches Project Zorawar to deploy light tanks for mountain warfare

ThePrint -With the “increased threat” from China along India’s northern borders “likely to remain in the foreseeable future”, the Army is launching Project Zorawar — the induction of indigenous light tanks for quicker deployment and movement in high-altitude areas. These tanks will be used to counter the Chinese deployment of a large number of similar armored columns along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). (Sources)- the Army has finalized the general staff quality requirements and will approach the defense ministry in Sept for the Acceptance of Necessity (AON) — the first step that will set the project rolling. The Army is looking at a light tank with a maximum weight of 25 tons ±10% (max weight can be airlifted in high-altitude) with the same firepower as its regular tanks but also armed with Artificial Intelligence (AI), integration of tactical surveillance drones to provide a high degree of situational awareness and loitering munition, along with an active protection system. An active protection system is designed to protect vehicles from anti-tank guided missiles and projectiles away from combat vehicles. The Army also wants the light tank to be amphibious, so it can be deployed across riverine regions and even the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh. The proposed conversion of the Vajra-tracked self-propelled artillery into a light tank has been shelved because it won’t be able to meet the weight criteria that the Army is looking for. (here)

External affairs minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to travel to UAE

India’s external affairs minister Dr. Jaishankar will be traveling to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to take part in the 14^th India- UAE Joint commission meeting (JCM). The 13^th session of the JCM took place virtually in Aug 2020, co-chaired by EAM Jaishankar & his counterpart UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The last visit of EAM to UAE was in Dec 2021 when he visited the country to take part in the 5^th Indian Ocean Conference. The visit comes even as part of the I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, and the US) grouping as both have increased engagement on renewable energy and agriculture products. Earlier this year, India and UAE signed the free trade agreement hailed as the key to increased economic cooperation. The FTA is India’s first comprehensive trade agreement in a decade. Under the deal, duty is eliminated on 80% of tariff lines. It is not only expected to add $9 billion to UAE’s GDP by 2030 but it also will perform as a market for Indian products in the entire West Asian region. (here)

Army inducts swarm drones, says embracing disruptive technologies will help counter future security threats

The Indian Army on Sat said that swarm drones are being inducted into the mechanized forces, asserting that embracing “disruptive technologies” will give an edge to the armed forces in meeting future security challenges. The Defence Ministry had in July approved procurement proposals worth over Rs 28,732 crore for the armed forces including swarm drones. On the procurement of the armed swarm drones, the ministry said these are being acquired as drone technology has proved to be a force multiplier in military operations. The approval came amid India’s simmering border row between India and China in eastern Ladakh. Botlab, a startup from IIT-Delhi, put up a drone show with nearly 1,000 drones, in the annual Beating the Retreat ceremony in Jan this year, to commemorate 75 years of the country’s Independence. India became the 4^th country after China, Russia, and the UK to carry out such a large-scale show with 1,000 drones. (here)

Stung by poor foreign response to submarine project, Modi govt tries to allay industry concerns

ThePrint- Stung by the refusal of France, Russia, and Sweden to take part in Project 75 India (P75I) and Germany’s non-committal stand, the Defence Ministry has cleared key changes in the tender document issued to allay fears of foreign firms, especially in the context of liability. Indian Navy vice chief Vice Admiral S.N. Ghormade said Thu that the Defence Ministry has cleared the responses to some of the queries put forward by the Indian companies and these will be sent out soon. The P75I, under which 6 state of art conventional submarines are to be built with air-independent propulsion (AIP) system — which will allow longer submerged — is being pursued under a strategic partnership. In this, an Indian shipyard will bid for the project along with a foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM). However, the Naval Group of France, Rubin Design Bureau of Russia, and the SAAB of Sweden have officially informed the Indian Navy of their inability to take part in the program, mainly because is the Navy’s insistence on having a proven AIP, a technology which only the Germans and the South Koreans have. Asked if the concerns addressed include this clause, the vice admiral said in a press conference that this issue was not raised by the Indian companies. (sources)- the main issue was related to the liability clause and the majority stake, the liability in case of delay in implementation of the project, quality, and rest lies with the foreign OEM. This concern has been addressed by the Defence Ministry which has cleared a tripartite liability clause. (here)

Rafale or Super Hornets are ‘interim arrangement’ only, says Navy on mega fighter deal

As US firm Boeing competes against France’s Dassault Aviation for the Indian Navy’s mega fighter deal, Vice Chief Vice Admiral S.N. Ghormade Thu said the new aircraft will only be an “interim arrangement” until the indigenous Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) gets ready. The Navy made it clear that the force was only going to purchase 26 new fighters and a decision will soon be taken on whether it will procure the F/A -18 Super Hornet of Boeing or the Rafale M of Dassault Aviation. The development comes as the Navy is set to commission its first indigenous aircraft carrier on Sept 2, with fighter trials to start on board only by Nov this year. While India will soon be operating two aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and soon-to-be commissioned INS Vikrant – the fighters for them are not enough. India currently operates 42 MiG 29K of Russian origin but these have been plagued by serviceability issues, with indications that the availability ratio of these aircraft is less than 45%. While the most promising timeline for indigenous TEDBF to start trials is 5-7 years from now, the Navy would need additional fighters to fully operate two aircraft carriers to their true potential. (here)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh holds bilateral talks with his Tanzanian counterpart

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the Tanzanian Defence Minister Stergomena Lawrence Tax on Fri and said that both sides accorded on strengthening the bilateral defense cooperation. The Minister also mentioned the first joint defense cooperation meeting that took place last year. The minister also said that India considers Tanzania as a major Western Indian ocean player and as a sign of Indo-pacific growth, “Tanzania can and should play an important role.” Tax is also expected to be visiting Hyderabad during her stay in India, where she would be interacting with Indian defense industries. She would also be visiting Ordinance Factory, Medak, Bharat Dynamics Ltd, and Zen Technologies Ltd in Hyderabad. Tanzania and India have enjoyed traditionally close, friendly, and cooperative relations. From the 1960s to the 1980s, the political relationship involved shared commitments to anti-colonialism, non-alignment as well as South-South Cooperation, and close cooperation in international fora. India and Tanzania share vibrant economic, commercial, and business ties. The second round of Foreign Office Consultations between India and Tanzania was held in Jun in New Delhi. (here)

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigns from all party positions

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Fri resigned from all positions of the Congress party including the primary membership of the party. “The Indian National Congress has lost both the will and the ability under the tutelage of the coterie that runs the AICC to fight for what is right for India,” wrote Azad in his resignation. “It is therefore with great regret and an extremely leaden heart that I have decided to sever my half-a century-old association with the INC,” wrote Azad in a 5-page resignation letter. This latest high-profile exit from the Congress party comes after the polls for the Congress President were deferred. Azad’s resignation follows a series of exits of senior leaders from the party. This development comes just weeks after Azad resigned from the post of Chairman of the J&K Congress campaign committee within hours of allocation (here) Among those who resigned from the party’s primary membership after Azad’s exit was senior Congress leader and former minister RS Chib. 5 J-K leaders also resign from Congress in support of Azad.

India overtakes China in sending the number of students, says British High Commission

Nearly 1,18,000 Indian students received a visa to study in the UK in the year ending June 2022 which is an 89% increase from the previous year, the British High Commission said on Thu. Referring to the latest ‘UK Immigration Statistics’ published, said India has now overtaken China as the largest nationality being issued sponsored study visas in the UK. It said the UK continues to be a popular destination for Indian holidaymakers too (highest visa allocated: 28%). The high commission said Indian nationals also received nearly 103k work visas in the year including skilled and seasonal workers, adding it was a 148% increase over the previous year. (here)

India’s digital lending rules spark disruption; firms plan pushback

Reuters – India’s stricter digital lending rules have disrupted card services of foreign-backed fin-tech firms and jeopardized loan offerings of Amazon, prompting companies to chart a lobbying pushback. Citing concerns over high rates and unfair practices, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) this month said a loan borrower must deal directly with a bank, dealing a blow to prepaid card providers and shopping websites, which act as intermediaries and instantly process deferred loan payments. India’s digital lending market has grown quickly and facilitated US$2.2 billion (S$3.06 bn) in digital loans in 2021-22, with startups attracting foreign backers and giving traditional banks a run for their money in the credit business. The RBI has said the new rules were to be implemented immediately but added that “detailed instructions will be issued separately”. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

A long-awaited UN report on Xinjiang may be further delayed, stalling what’s seen as a critical chance to call China to account

It’s been 4 years since a committee of UN experts called attention to “credible reports” that more than 1 million Uyghur and other Muslim minority peoples were interned in extrajudicial camps in Xinjiang in northwestern China for “re-education” and indoctrination. But since that moment in Aug 2018, the international community has done little based on those reports within the UN: Countries in the UN’s main human rights body have not agreed to any formal call for a probe, while appeals from UN experts for China to allow for rights monitoring have been met with fierce denials of wrongdoing from Beijing and no invite for free access to come to see for themselves. But the report itself appears to be bogged down in the review, following what’s already been months of delay, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Thu saying her office was “trying” to release it before the end of her term on Aug 31 as promised in June, but they were still reviewing “substantial input” from China, which she said was granted access to make “factual comments” as per the standard procedure. How impactful that report will also depend on its contents, Bachelet has already been accused by human rights groups and academic experts of being soft on Beijing. (here)

US senator makes unannounced Taiwan trip, the latest of several by congressional legislators

Another US lawmaker has arrived in Taiwan, the 4^th such trip by an American politician this month amid increased tensions with Beijing. Senator Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, and her aides landed aboard a US Army plane at Taipei’s Songshan Airport close to midnight on Thu. The Presidential Office in Taipei said in a late-night statement that Blackburn would meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Fri. During her visit, a previously unannounced 3-day stay, she is also to meet Wellington Koo, secretary general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, the foreign ministry said in a statement after her arrival. Calling her a friend of Taiwan who had sponsored several US bills beneficial to the island, the ministry said the visit by yet another US lawmaker at a time of rising tensions in the region indicated firm US support and commitment for Taiwan. Blackburn sits on the Senate’s armed services committee and his visit came on the heels of one by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, whose 4-day trip ended on Wed. (here)

Chinese scientists create a ‘plasma shower’ to improve stealth bomber performance

Chinese researchers say they have developed a plasma device that could significantly improve the aerodynamic performance of stealth bombers. The device is a strip of the thin membrane covering the front area of a flying wing aircraft. When the speed of air flowing on top of the wings slows to a point that could lead to a stall, the membrane senses danger in advance and ionizes air molecules with high-voltage electricity, generating a shower of plasma – or electrically charged particles – over the wings. The plasma shower can stimulate air flow and increase the lift coefficient of an aircraft by nearly a third. This could prevent a stall, even if the aircraft drops to an unusually slow speed (108km/h) with a pitched-up nose, according to the researchers. The new device could respond to the change of airflow quickly, using considerably less energy than those consumed by similar devices before, they said in a paper published in the Journal of Aerospace Power, a peer-reviewed publication run by the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics. A stealth bomber uses a flat airframe without a tail to reduce the chance of radar detection. But this wing-body design makes flight control more difficult, especially at lower speeds. (here)

The US suspends 26 Chinese flights in response to China flight cancellations

The US govt said on Thu it will suspend 26 China-bound flights from the United States by four Chinese carriers in response to the Chinese government’s decision to suspend some US carrier flights over Covid-19 cases. The decision will affect flights by Xiamen, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines from Sept 5 – 28. (here)

Pakistan: Rain emergency declared in Swat as residents brace for ‘high to very high’ floods

The govt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has declared a rain emergency in the Swat district with immediate effect till Aug 30 after the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned of “high to very high floods” in the Swat River. The decision was taken on the recommendation of the National Disaster Management Authority. In a notification issued on Fri, KP’s Provincial Emergency Operations Centre said that water flows in River Swat at Khawazakhela point and its tributaries/nullahs had reached high to very high flood levels — 227,899 cusecs — which “may result in a dangerous situation for communities living nearby”. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Sindh earlier today to overview the rescue and relief operations in the province and announced an Rs15 billion grant for flood affectees. “As per calculated and defined standards, Sindh normally gets 109.5 mm rains in the monsoon season, which is 522% higher than normal. Similarly, Balochistan receives 469% higher. The country has overall witnessed 207 times higher rainfall so far this monsoon and the season is going to last till Sept-end.” Gilgit-Baltistan has so far received 99% above normal and Punjab 90% higher than its normal downpour in monsoon. KP witnessed 31% above normal rain this monsoon. (here)

Nepal, Bangladesh agree on energy cooperation, beginning with 50MW power trade

Nepal and Bangladesh have decided to request India to allow the export of 40-50MW of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh in the initial phase utilizing the high voltage direct current power systems located in Bheramara of Bangladesh. In 2013, India and Bangladesh inaugurated the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link between the countries that would initially facilitate the exchange of 500MW electric power. As per the understanding reached on the secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) formed for energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh on Thu, Nepal Electricity Authority and Bangladesh Power Development Board decided to request India’s NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam for a trilateral energy sales and purchase agreement utilizing the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link. (here)