[NEWS OF THE DAY]

Modi attends state funeral of former Japanese PM Abe, meets with Japanese

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tue attended the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo. Modi was seen along with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the funeral. Leaders from around the world have also arrived in Tokyo for the event. More than 700 foreign guests have flown in for the event, including about 50 current or former state leaders. Notably, Shinzo Abe has been considered one of the most important forces behind the “Quad” strategic partnership – an alliance between India, Japan, the US, and Australia. The 67-year-old politician, Japan’s longest-serving PM, was gunned down at an election rally on July 8^th during a speech in Japan’s Nara city. PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with the PM of Japan Fumio Kishida. The Ministry of external affairs’ statement read “They discussed several regional and global issues. The leaders renewed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, and to working together in the region and various international groupings and institutions.”

At least 250 PFI workers detained across 7 states; Section 144 imposed in Delhi’s New Friends Colony

More than 250 persons associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have been detained by police in a massive crackdown across the country, said reports on Tue. The maximum number of detentions were reported in Karnataka’s Bengaluru city, followed by Delhi and Assam. Raids are also currently underway in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. Earlier in the week, more than 106 members of PFI were arrested by the NIA and the ED. Lookout Circulars were also issued against two of the PFI members on Mon. Shaheen Kausar, belonging to the Women India Movement group, was arrested, News 18 quoted sources as saying. She was arrested in the Shaheen Bagh area in connection with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), considered the political wing of PFI, and was also a key figure in the anti-CAA-NRC protest in Delhi in 2020.

Ties with India, Pakistan stand on their own: US

A day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised questions over the “merits” of the US-Pakistan relationship, the US State Department said on Mon it does not view ties with Islamabad and New Delhi concerning one another. When asked a question about Jaishankar’s comments, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, “These are both partners of ours with different points of emphasis in each, and we look to both as partners because we do have in many cases shared values, We do have in many cases shared interests,” in response to a question on the Indian foreign minister’s criticism of USD 450 million sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. “We also want to do everything we can to see to it that these neighbors have relations with one another that are as constructive as can be possible,” he added. Earlier, the external affairs minister said that Washington’s ties with Islamabad had not served the “American interest”. (here) [However, experts have different opinions: one, the US is in some kind of deal with Pakistan regarding Afghanistan, while another one believes it is to counter the China and US will give only what China can.] “In our discussions today, we talked about the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during an event with Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

[NATIONAL]

US vows deeper India defense ties on same day latter vents anger over F-16 deal with Pakistan

A US pledge on Mon to deepen defense ties with India – a key partner in its security strategy for the Indo-Pacific region to counter China’s growing muscle – was partially eclipsed by New Delhi lashing out at Washington over its support for Pakistan. On the same day that US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin pledged to boost US-Indian cooperation. Later on Mon, Austin met with Jaishankar at the Pentagon, and the two “discussed new opportunities for bilateral defense industrial cooperation in support of India’s contributions as a regional security provider”, according to a press release. The US “looks forward to working with India and like-minded partners to promote security, prosperity, and transparency” in the Indo-Pacific, it added. As a member of the QUAD, India is considered a key US ally in the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s expanding influence in the region. A Pentagon official last week stressed that India was “central” to the US vision of a “free and open” Indo-Pacific. (here)

U.S., India Ties Continue to Strengthen, Austin Says

Ties between India and the United States — the world’s two largest democracies — including military ties, are growing stronger, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said today. Austin met with Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar in the Pentagon. Earlier, Austin spoke via telephone to Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. Military cooperation between the two nations is at an all-time high. Indian and U.S. service members regularly exercise together, and the two governments regularly share information and intelligence, especially in the wake of the geospatial agreement signed between the two governments in 2020. India participates in the American international military education and training program. “We are positioning the U.S. and Indian militaries to operate and coordinate more closely together than ever”, US Def Secretary Austin tells EAM Jaishankar. (here)

US, Indian hardliners preventing Sino-Indian ties from normalizing: China

China has blamed the United States and Indian hardliners for preventing Sino-Indian relations from becoming normal. “The US factor has been a major thorn in the China-India relationship,” in an editorial in the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece. The Chinese reaction was a response to recent developments on the border and remarks made by the Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New York last week. During interactions there, Jaishankar had said that Asia’s rise was contingent on its two biggest economies — China and India — getting on with each other. He also said it was important for India’s relationship with China to come back to normal. “So I think that’s where our focus is.” The GT observed, “Just when China-India ties achieved some détente, India’s domestic hardline voices against China have been on the rise again.” (here)

Google’s India policy head Gulati resigns: Report

Google’s head of public policy for India has resigned just 5 months after taking the job, two sources told Reuters, at a potentially critical time for the U.S. tech giant as it awaits the outcome of at least two antitrust cases in the country. The reasons for her resignation were not immediately clear. Gulati, who previously worked at PM Modi’s federal think-tank, declined to comment nor Alphabet Inc’s Google. Google is facing a series of antitrust cases in India and stricter tech-sector regulations. India’s competition watchdog is looking into Google’s business conduct in the smart TVs market, its Android operating system, as well as its in-app payments system. The watchdog is close to announcing its decision in at least two antitrust cases against Google, people familiar with the process said. Several govt officials have been hired by Big Techs as they face tighter data and privacy regulation, as well as competition law scrutiny, under Modi’s govt. (here)

Bihar: Forces recover huge cache of arms and ammunition from Maoist hideout

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from a forest area under the Madanpur police station area of Maoist-hit Aurangabad district of Bihar on Monday after a joint team of Aurangabad police and para-military forces got information about hidden weapons to be used against security forces. The police recovered 1,068 live cartridges of self-loading rifles (SLR), five SLR magazines, 11 Insas’s magazines, 23 magazines of .315 bore rifle, along with 1,500 kg urea, 1,000-piece electronic detonators, 35 kg aluminum powder, steel container, and other explosive making materials. However, no arrest has been made in this connection so far. The police have intensified combing operations and area domination exercises in the region to unearth more such Maoist hideouts, police claimed. An FIR has been lodged against 14 Maoists and 20 unknown people under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Pakistan PM calls a meeting of National Security Committee over audio

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wed to discuss the actions against the audio leaks that surfaced on social media a day earlier. According to ARY News, sources said that the NSC session will be held at 3:00 pm on Wed and the NSC huddle would be briefed regarding the PM’s Office audio leaks. The meeting will be attended by the services chiefs, intelligence officials, and civilian leadership, it added. The federal govt has decided to constitute a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to inquire into the audio leaks from the PM’s House. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sun said that PM has taken notice of audio leaks (here)

US provided USD 56.5 million in aid to Pakistan for flood relief, humanitarian assistance

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the State Department on Mon and said that America had provided $56.5 million in aid to Pakistan for flood relief and humanitarian assistance this year. Blinken expressed his sorrow over the devastation and loss of life throughout Pakistan caused by catastrophic flooding. Blinken and the Pak FM also discussed partnering on food security, economic prosperity, regional stability, and Afghanistan. The talk focused on various issues including the marking of 75 years of the countries’ relations, security, and the devastating floods. Since mid-June, unprecedented heavy rains and flooding gripped Pakistan, the military has been engaged in relief and rescue efforts across the country struggling with the deluge that has killed more than 1,600 people. “We stand in strong solidarity with our friends in Pakistan, not only in solidarity,” said Blinken. Responding to Blinken, Bhutto stressed climate change that has brought one of the most devastating floods in the history of Pakistan. (here) “I also urged our colleagues to engage China on some of the important issues of debt relief and restructuring so that Pakistan can more quickly recover from the floods,” Blinken said.

Nepal, India mull downsizing planned Saptakoshi high dam

Nepal and India have agreed on a potential reduction in the height of the proposed Saptakoshi High Dam amid concerns that if built, the gigantic structure could inundate large swathes of the area on Nepal’s side. During a meeting of the Joint Commission on Water Resources (JCWR), a secretary-level joint mechanism held on Sept 21-23, the two sides agreed to review the project considering the inundation area, various hydropower and irrigation projects upstream of the proposed Saptakoshi dam and social and technical aspects. The proposed project has been facing a public backlash with charges that the project will potentially inundate large areas of Nepali lands. According to the Feasibility Study of Saptakoshi High Dam Project undertaken by the India in 1981, a 269 m tall dam—to be built above the level of foundation rock across the river about 1.6 km upstream of Barahkshetra—will inundate 194.2 km² of lands (here)