[NEWS OF THE DAY]

India vows full support to UNGA; commitment to multilateralism: Jaishankar to President of 77^th UNGA session

India pledges full support to United Nations General Assembly and commitment to multilateralism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in his talks with Csaba Korosi, President of the 77^th session of UNGA, at UN headquarters in New York. One of the highlights of the discussions between the UNGA President and Jaishankar was the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda for global progress. Kicking off a jam-packed diplomatic week in New York, ahead of the UNGA meeting, Jaishankar held a set of 9 bilateral talks with his counterparts in the Balkans, Europe and the Caribbean, Middle East, and Asia. Earlier, to review the gamut of bilateral strategic partnership between the two nations, Jaishankar held discussions with the UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and appreciated his insights on the global situation. As part of his diplomatic meetings in the US, Jaishankar participated in a trilateral Ministerial meeting of India-UAE-France with his counterparts and exchanged ideas between the strategic partners. Over the week, Jaishankar is scheduled to have more than 50 official engagements including bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral meetings. (here) So far he participated in 9 bilateral meetings with his counterpart Amery Browne from Trinidad & Tobago, Olta Xhaçka from Albania, Ian Borg from Malta, Sameh Shoukry from Egypt, Retno Marsudi from Indonesia, Bruno Rguez P from Cuba, Demeke Hasen from Ethiopia, Nikola Selakovic from Serbia. He also attended the first trilateral Foreign Ministerial meeting of India-UAE-France. “A common ambition is to move forward in 4 areas: sécurité and défense, Climat, Technologies, and human exchanges,” said France’s Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna, in a tweet.

India-CELAC Meeting, on the sideline of UNGA

India-CELAC (Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States) Quartet Meeting was held on the sidelines of UNGA in New York on Sept 19, 2022 under the pro-tempore presidency of Argentina. The Indian side was led by Jaishankar. The CELAC Quartet was represented by FMs of Argentina, Guatemala, Trinidad, and Tobago, and the Vice Minister for Multilateral Affairs of Colombia. The leaders agreed to work closely in sectors including Trade and Commerce, Agriculture, Food and Energy Security, Health, Vaccine production, Traditional Medicines, and logistics. Both sides acknowledged their cooperation in the UN and other multilateral bodies and agreed to work together on global issues including UN reforms and Climate Change.

Rajnath Singh meets Egyptian counterpart, holds talks to expand bilateral defense ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a 3-day visit to Egypt met with its Defence Minister, General Mohamed Zaki on Tue in Cairo and had wide-ranging discussions on numerous initiatives to further expand bilateral defense engagements between the two countries. Singh also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation and said that the move will not only boost ties between India and Egypt but also add new impetus and synergy to the relations between the two countries. During the visit, Minister also acknowledged that Egypt is among the most important trading partners of India in Africa and that bilateral trade has expanded significantly. Earlier on Mon, Singh called on the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo and both leaders agreed to develop military cooperation further and focus on joint training, defense co-production, and maintenance of Egypt as one of the largest investment destinations for India in the region with an existing Indian investment of $3.15 billion. (here)

Fate of world’s biggest free food scheme rests in PM Modi’s hands

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon decide whether to extend a food dole-out that has cost India US$44 billion since the pandemic or ease the strain on government finances and food supply. Modi has been giving away 5kg of wheat or rice every month to 800 million Indians since April 2020 in a program worth about ₹1.5 trillion annually. The plan, which was started during the pandemic to supplement the nation’s longstanding sales of subsidized grain, is set to expire in end-Sept. The finance ministry is not in favor of extending the program as it adds pressure on a budget deficit that is just starting to narrow from a record during the pandemic, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Modi faces an unusual predicament; handing out free food to alleviate the plight of millions in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, highlighting the govt’s struggle in spreading the benefits of a booming India beset by high unemployment, income inequality, and populist politics. (here)

[NATIONAL]

India initiates talks with Saudi Arabia for rupee-riyal trade

India has initiated talks with Saudi Arabia for rupee-riyal trade even as the oil-rich West Asian nation is committed to investing $100 billion in India, and cooperating in joint projects such as a west coast refinery, liquefied natural gas infrastructure, and strategic petroleum storage facilities, an official said. After the Reserve Bank of India in July permitted international trade settlements in the rupee, many countries, including Russia and Iran, are exploring options to trade in local currencies, HT reported citing anonymous sources. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who held meetings with key officials of Saudi Arabia during his 2-day visit to the kingdom on Sept 18-19 discussed bilateral trade and investment-related issues, the official said. The two partners are also keen to cooperate in the fields of both conventional and green energy, he said. Saudi Arabia is a reliable energy supplier for India, which imports 85% of its crude oil and 54% of natural gas requirements and pays in US$. (here)

Eight Indian fishermen held by Sri Lankan Navy

Eight Indian fishermen were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly engaging in “illegal fishing” in Sri Lankan waters, according to Q branch police. As per the police statement, the fishermen were apprehended about 22 nautical miles from Jagadapattinam at 10.00 pm on Mon. Last month, 10 Indian fishermen had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, the Sri Lankan fishermen association said. Before that, 9 fishermen traveling in a boat from the coastal district of Tamil Nadu have been arrested for allegedly trespassing and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. Rameswaram Police said the arrested fishermen from Nagapattinam are being taken to Trincomalee port. Earlier, Sri Lankan Navy rescued 6 Indian fishermen who were stranded after their boat drifted in Lankan waters due to a glitch. Around 532 boats from Rameswaram fishing harbor left for the sea. (here)

India promises Sri Lanka support through long-term investments

India said on Tue it would keep supporting Sri Lanka, mainly through long-term investments, after giving nearly $4 billion of financial help this year as its neighbor faced its worst economic crisis in more than 7 decades. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has also said Sri Lanka will turn a free trade agreement with India into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership. It said India had ongoing development projects worth about $3.5 billion in Sri Lanka, whose president earlier this month asked his officials to resolve obstacles to projects backed by India. He did not specify the obstacles or the projects. (here)

Naga peace talks between Centre, NSCN-IM to resume in Delhi today

Peace talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) will resume later on Tue based on the Framework Agreement signed on Aug 3^rd, 2015. The move comes 3 days after NSCN (I-M) “agreed” to resume peace talks with the Centre following a meeting between 11 representatives of the extremist group and the 22-member Core Committee on Naga political issue comprising MPs and MLAs of Nagaland at Chumoukedima near Nagaland’s commercial hub Dimapur on Sat. The negotiations between the Centre and the NSCN (I-M) have stalled since May. The delegation set to take part in the meeting has reached the national capital. Chairman of the United Democratic Alliance of Nagaland, had earlier announced that the NSCN-IM has agreed to resume peace talks with the Centre to try to resolve irritants to the Naga peace talks. The NSCN-IM has told the core committee that the outfit would resume peace talks if “it is based on the framework agreement”. The union govt has held two separate parleys with the NSCN-IM since 1997 and the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) comprising 7 organizations since 2017. (here)

GTA Council seeks fresh Centre-state talks for Gorkhaland

The newly-elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Council has passed a resolution demanding the renewal of dialogue between the Centre and the state on the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. The 50-member council under Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha unanimously adopted the resolution at the first meeting of the body on Mon in Darjeeling. The BGPM, which was formed last year, won the GTA election on Jun 26. Thapa and GTA chief executive proposed the resolution, said Anjul Chauhan, the council’s chairman. The demand for a separate state dates back to the 1980s. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha led the 2017 Gorkhaland movement. A 104-day strike was observed in Darjeeling and 13 people died during the movement. BGPM fought the GTA elections on the statehood plank. Chauhan said the tripartite GTA accord was signed in July 2011 without dropping the demand for Gorkhaland. “So, the dialogue should open again.” (here)

Senior CPI (Maoist) Member Arrested in West Bengal: NIA

CPI (Maoist) activist Samrat Chakraborty alias “Nilkamal Sikdar” was arrested in West Bengal in a case related to setting up units of the outlawed group in Assam, a National Investigation Agency spokesperson said on Tue. Chakraborty (37), a resident of Seth Bagan Road, North 24 Parganas district, was also known as “Amit, Argha, Nirmal, and Nirman”. He was arrested from Mahispata, near Narayana School on the Kalyani Expressway, NIA said. Bhattacharjee had been assigned the task to establish CPI (Maoist) organization in Assam and to further spread the roots of the group in the state in general and the northeast in particular, the spokesperson said. On Sept 2, the agency filed a charge sheet against 6 arrested accused, including Bhattacharjee, in the special NIA court in Guwahati. (here)

MoS, External Affairs V. Muraleedharan to the Republic of Djibouti from Sept 21-22

Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan will pay his 1^st official visit to the Republic of Djibouti on Sept 21-22. During the visit, MoS will call on the Prime Minister of Djibouti Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed and will hold talks with Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and other dignitaries on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. During the visit, an Agreement on an exemption from visa requirements and MoU between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies of Djibouti will also be signed. Djibouti extended extraordinary support in the evacuation of Indian nationals from war-torn Yemen in 2015. (here)

Supreme Court stays dismissal of officer who probed Ishrat Jahan case

The Supreme Court has extended by a week the stay on the dismissal of Indian Police Service officer Satish Chandra Verma, who filed an affidavit in 2011 saying Ishrat Jehan (19), and 3 others accused of being part of a terror module were killed in a fake “encounter” in 2004 near Ahmedabad. The Centre on Aug 30 dismissed Verma a month before his retirement. Verma challenged the dismissal after the Delhi high court upheld the Centre’s action on Sept 7 but deferred its implementation till Mon. A bench of justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy extended the stay on the dismissal on Mon to allow Verma to approach the high court. Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Verma, submitted the challenge to the dismissal should either be heard in the top court or the pending petition in the high court against the framing of charges in the departmental proceedings pending since last year be brought forward. He said the high court posted Verma’s matter for hearing in January after approving the dismissal on Sept 7 while his client is due to retire on Sept 30. (here)

Donations of over ₹2,000 to parties can’t be anonymous: Election Commission

Cash donations to political parties above ₹2,000 cannot remain anonymous, the Election Commission of India has suggested in a draft amendment, down from the present ceiling of ₹20,000. It has also sought to limit cash donations to ₹20 crores or 20% (whichever is lower) of the total donations received by a party, people familiar with the matter said. In a letter written to law minister Kiren Rijiju, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar proposed an amendment to the Representation of the People (RP) Act to “cleanse the political funding landscape”. “The first step was to take action against unrecognized parties. Now the Commission is moving to try reform the way recognized parties work and a crackdown on black money and tax evasion,” a person familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. The poll body has also recommended that each candidate open a separate bank account for election purposes. (here)

Waqf act challenged: Religion should not be brought in while questioning a law

The Supreme Court on Mon expressed “shock” and “pain” over arguments made in a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf Act for allegedly being discriminatory and noted that religion should not be brought in while questioning a law. Stating that the law is regulatory, the apex court observed that if the Waqf Act is struck down, it will only benefit the encroachers. The petition objected to certain provisions of the Waqf Act that allow only Muslims to be members of Waqf Boards. The Waqf Act regulates Islamic religious and charity properties; the Waqf Board administers them. The Waqf Act, introduced in 1954, was enacted to regulate and declare Waqf properties. In 1995, the law was modified to allow the formation of Waqf Boards in each state and Union territory comprising members who are Muslims. Besides, the Act also provided for tribunals headed by a judicial officer drawn from the state service and two other members (not necessarily Muslims) who are to decide disputes related to Waqf properties. (here)

World Bank approves $150 million loan for Punjab to improve state’s finances, service delivery

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Tue approved a loan of US$ 150 million to the Indian state of Punjab to help the state better manage its financial resources and improve access to public services. WB stated it would support the state’s efforts to strengthen the institutional capabilities of various govt departments, manage fiscal risks and make informed policy choices to support sustainable growth. The new projects will support the state’s development goals by strengthening the planning, budgeting, and monitoring functions, and leveraging digital technology, besides increasing accountability in the public procurement systems by supporting the state-wide implementation of new legal and policy reforms. The $150 million loans have a maturity of 15 years including a grace period of 6 months, the statement added. (here)

India’s WinZO sues Google to stop new gaming policy, calls it discriminatory

Reuters – Indian online gaming platform WinZO has sued Google (GOOGL.O) to stop the tech giant from allowing real-money games for fantasy sports and rummy on its platform, saying that Google’s doing so is discriminatory, a legal filing seen by Reuters showed. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Pak Army chief meets Chinese Def Min on CPEC – Will the road ahead be smooth for the all-weather allies

Pakistan Army chief Qamar Jawed Bajwa met the Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe on Mon months ahead of his retirement. While speculations swirl over a possible extension of tenure, after he already received one in 2019, Gen Bajwa told the Chinese minister that military cooperation was an “important pillar” of bilateral ties between Pakistan and China. Bajwa is known for his close relations with the Chinese authorities. His earlier tenure was extended given the security situation in the Indian subcontinent amid the then Afghan peace talks and tensions between India and Pakistan. Security for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project for China’s ambitious Belts and Roads Initiative (BRI), topped the agenda. China’s General Fenghe thanked General Bajwa for the special measures taken for the protection of CPEC, a project that has come under recurring attacks by militant groups like the Baloch Liberation Army. (here)

European Parliament members urge ICC to open probe into China’s Uyghurs genocide

As many as 38 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have co-signed a letter to International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan KC, urging him to open an investigation into crimes committed by Chinese officials against Uyghur and Turkic people, said the East Turkistan Govt in Exile. Uyghurs are being targeted and rounded up from countries such as Tajikistan and brought back to China where they face atrocities such as forced labor, torture, and forced sterilization. The ICC has jurisdiction to investigate because these crimes started in its territory, like Tajikistan, and continue into China, the East Turkistan Govt in Exile said. The letter following the recent report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that these acts “may constitute crimes against humanity.” The letter claims that at least 90% of Uyghurs living in Tajikistan have been either physically or emotionally coerced back to China by Chinese officials. Once in China, they are never heard from again and, as numerous reports have shown, they are subjected to appalling cruelties and ill-treatment. This includes brutal interrogations and torture; forced labor; and forced medical procedures. (here)

China holds the balance of power in its relationship with Russia

As Russia becomes more desperate thanks to military shortcomings in its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, China is increasingly taking on the mantle of senior partner. At the same time, Beijing remains concerned about the signals it is getting from the USA, the latest of which was President Joe Biden’s promise to defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand brought together Chairman Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin for a sideline meeting on Sept 15. China has been far from impressed by Russia’s military performance as the war drags on. Nonetheless, China is a steadfast defender of Russia, avoiding any criticism of Putin, and even refusing to call it a “war” or “invasion”. Because of this, Beijing’s image has been rightly tarnished by its association with a warmonger. After the Putin-Xi meeting, scrutiny of a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry indicates Chinese disquiet. (here)

UK could replace Chinese language schools with teachers from Taiwan: Report

A group of cross-party British lawmakers is in talks with Taiwan to provide Chinese-language teachers to the UK as the govt seeks to phase out Confucius Institutes, according to media reports. Chinese state-linked Confucius language learning and teaching project have been under heavy scrutiny as the bilateral relations between China and the UK continue to deteriorate. Taipei Times reported that there are 30 branches of the institute operating across the UK. Notably, the schools are effectively joint ventures between a host university in Britain, a partner university in China, and the Chinese International Education Foundation, a Beijing-based organization. Earlier in 2014, current British Prime Minister Liz Truss had praised the network of Confucius classrooms. Serving as education minister at the time, she said the institutes “will put in place a strong infrastructure for Mandarin” in the UK. (here)

13 including 7 children killed as Myanmar army helicopters target school:

At least 13 people including seven children were killed, while 17 others were injured after army helicopters fired at a school in Myanmar, media reports citing residents. According to TRT World, which cited the military, the building was being used by rebels. The incident took place on Fri in the village of Let Yet Kone in the central Sagaing region. Reports say army helicopters had opened fire on the school housed in a Buddhist monastery in the village. Some children were killed on the spot by the shooting, while others died after troops entered the village. Quoting 2 residents, TRT World reported that the bodies were later transported by the military to a township 11 km away and buried. Since the coup in Feb, security forces have killed at least 1,600 people and detained more than 12,000, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. (here)

ADB to provide ‘significant’ relief, rehabilitation package for flood-hit Pakistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Tue that it was working “quickly” to provide a “significant” relief and rehabilitation package following catastrophic floods in the country. In a statement, the ADB said that the package is designed to “support people, livelihoods, and infrastructure immediately and in the long-term”. For the short and medium term, the bank would use ongoing projects to repair damaged infrastructure, including roads and irrigation infrastructure, and to support the development and financial stability of the agriculture sector to boost food security. Long-term, ADB will prioritize projects that support post-flood reconstruction and strengthen climate and disaster resilience. “We will provide more details of our new assistance package when it is finalized,” the ADB concluded. The announcement came as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in New York to participate in the UNGA where he is expected to highlight Pakistan’s climate catastrophe. (here)

Groundwork laid for forceful plea at UNGA

The high-level debate at the 77^th session of the UN Gen­eral Assembly (UNGA) began in New York on Mon with Pakistan telling the world how climate change, pandemics, and conflicts were reversing progress and widening inequalities around the globe. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar represented Pakistan at the inaugural session of the high-level debate ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s arrival in New York on Monday evening. The PM will address the UNGA on Sept 23. Hina Rabbani Khar was the first to speak — at the Transforming Education Summit 2022 — where she read a statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, as Pakistan currently heads this key UN lobby. The FM, however, represented Pakistan at the OIC Contact Group at the UN, which met on Mon to consider “an alarming rise” in Islamophobia in the West. “This is leading to the institutionalization of Islamophobia through new legislations and policies.” “Today, one of the worst manifestations of such Islamophobia is in Hindutva-inspired India,” he said. “Driven by the ideology of hate against Muslims, the ruling BJP-RSS regime is executing its century-old plan to obliterate India’s Islamic legacy.” (here)

UN official calls for genuine investigation into Panjshir crimes by Taliban

UN special rapporteur for Afghan Human Rights, Richard Bennett, called out the Taliban to conduct the investigations amid reports of extra-judicial killings in Panjshir in a genuine manner and as per international standards. However, the local officials in Panshir said that a serious investigation is underway. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense said it would investigate footage on social media about the killing of detainees, and stated that the perpetrators would be brought to justice if it is proven that the footage is original and the incident took place in Panjshir. Earlier also, UN experts cautioned that Afghanistan’s future is “bleak” if more is not done to improve the deteriorating human rights situation, mainly for women and girls. (here)