[NEWS OF THE DAY]

1. A bag with explosives, 18 detonators found at Jammu Railway Station
2. China has hired a Nepalese think tank to conduct a study on why Nepalese Gurkhas join Indian Army
3. UN counterterror meet to focus on use of new tech by terrorists
4. Report reveals Turkey aided Pakistan to set up disguised cyber-army against India
5. Pak: Army, ISI in unprecedented presser question Arshad Sharif’s exit from Pakistan, point to PTI’s involvement

What Else

6. PM to lay foundation stone for C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, on Sun
7. Pakistan will have to face consequences for atrocities against people in PoK: Def Min
8. Three Swedish nationals detained in Assam for violating Foreigners’ Act
9. 8 retired officers of the Indian Navy detained in Qatar, one has received an award from the President
10. India’s 1^st transgenic food crop GM Mustard, step towards self-sufficiency
11. ISRO to boost NavIC, widen user base of location system
12. Canada: Three Punjabi men arrested in large drug bust in Toronto
13. Germany approves reduced investment of China in Hamburg port
14. Xi Jinping says willing to work with the US for mutual benefit
15. Cities across China double down on Covid-19 controls

A bag with explosives, 18 detonators found at Jammu Railway Station

• A suspicious bag was found near a taxi stand at Jammu Railway Station on Thu, containing explosives and at least 18 detonators, said SSP railway police.
• Explosive materials packed in 2 boxes were found in the bag.
• Around 500 gm of wax-type material was packed in the box.
• As per the police, the motive was to target the Jammu Railway station by planting explosives.
• At any given time, the footfall of people stands at hundreds at the railway station. (here)

PM to lay foundation stone for C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, on Sun

• C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force will be manufactured by Tata-Airbus at Vadodara, the foundation stone of which will be laid by pm Modi on Oct 30.
• Apart from making 40 aircraft, this facility at Vadodara would be manufacturing additional aircraft for Air Force requirements and exports.
• IAF officials said the first IAF squadron of C-295 transport aircraft would also be based in Vadodara.
• 96% of the work that Airbus does in its facility in Spain would be done in the Indian facility and the electronic warfare suite for the aircraft would be done by the public sector, Bharat Electronics.
• It would be having the highest indigenous content, the aircraft built in India would be supplied from 2026-31 and the first 16 aircraft will come between 2023-25. (here)

China has hired a Nepalese think tank to conduct a study on why Nepalese Gurkhas join Indian Army.

• China is keen to learn more about Nepalese soldiers serving in the Indian Army, especially the Army’s Gorkha regiments.
• As a consequence, it has hired a Nepalese think tank to conduct studies on young Nepalese men joining the Indian Army.
• The Chinese Study Centres are flooding Nepal, a country of about 30 million people.
• In this small country, there are already at least 32 study centres, and the plan appears to be to have at least 77, or one in each district, and potentially more. (here)

Report reveals Turkey aided Pakistan to set up disguised cyber-army against India

• Turkey has secretly helped Pakistan in setting up a cyber-army under the bilateral agreement which was used for domestic political goals as well as directed to attack the US and India.
• Nordic Monitor- The army was meant to shape public opinion, influence the views of Muslims in SE Asia, and attack the US and India.
• The plan was given a go-ahead by Imran Khan, the then-PM who also held the position of interior minister, during a meeting with his Turkish counterpart in 2018.
• The first public admission of this secret operation was made by Turkish during an interview on Oct 13, 2022, with a local TV.
• He did not name the country but made clear he was talking about Pakistan when he referred to a country that was a 5-6-hour direct flight from Turkey.
• The minister controlled a 6k-strong troll army, which instead of investigating crime, the teams are busy hacking opponents’ emails and SM, phones and computers. (here)

UN counterterror meet to focus on use of new tech by terrorists

• Molding a global response to the use of new technologies for terrorism, particularly new digital payment and drones, will be the focus of a special meeting of the UNSC’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), to be hosted by India this week
• The meeting will have an informal opening session on Oct 28 at the Hotel Taj in Mumbai, as it was one of the main targets of a 10-member team from the Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba that unleashed a 3-day wave of carnage in Nov 2008.
• The session will be attended by external affairs minister S Jaishankar, UK foreign secy, FMs of Gabon and Ghana, dy FM of UAE and Albania, U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform, and a delegation from the UN-CT Executives Directorate.
• Experts from the UN’s operational partners and specialized agencies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will participate in the discussions. (here)

Pakistan will have to face consequences for atrocities against people in PoK: Rajnath Singh

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thu said that Pakistan, which sheds crocodile tears in the name of human rights, is committing atrocities against people in POK and the country would have to bear its consequences while addressing the 76^th Infantry Day.
• He said that everyone knows how much Pakistan, which sheds crocodile tears in the name of human rights, cares for the people of PoK.
• “Pakistan is fully responsible for inhuman incidents. Pakistan, which is sowing the seeds of atrocities in PoK today, will have to face thorns in the coming time,” said Singh.
• Emphasizing that terrorism has no religion, Rajnath said countless lives were lost and countless houses were destroyed in the name of Kashmiriyat.
• He said that India is committed to implementing the resolution passed in the Parliament about retrieving the POK including Gilgit and Baltistan. (here)
• Pak PM on Thu urged the world to not “turn a blind eye” to human rights abuses in IIOJK, adding that the “urge for freedom cannot be suppressed for long”.
• He made the remarks to mark the anniversary of the valley’s occupation by Indian forces in 1947.

ISRO to boost NavIC, widen user base of location system

• Indian Space Research Org. is working on a series of improvements to the NavIC, or India’s equivalent of the GPS, so that more people are motivated to install it and use it.
• Plans are also afoot to make its reach global rather than circumscribe it to India, said, ISRO chief on the sidelines of the India Space Congress on Wed.
• NavIC, is a constellation of 7 satellites that is akin to the American GPS, the European Galileo and the Russian GLONASS, and can be used to track location.
• The first of these satellites (IRNSS-1A) were launched in 2013 and the latest in 2018.
• Though available for use in mainland India as well as a range of 1,500 km around it, it isn’t in wide regular use in India because mobile phones haven’t been made compatible.
• ISRO chief said a major forthcoming change, to add the L1 band into NavIC. This bandwidth is part of the GPS and is the most used for civilian navigational use. (here)

Canada: Three Punjabi men arrested in large drug bust in Toronto

• 3 Punjabi men were among 6 people who have been charged in Toronto, in connection with an international drug trafficking enterprise, which led to the seizure of $25 mn worth of illegal narcotics.
• In Nov 2021, Peel Regional Police Specialized Enforcement Bureau identified persons of interest related to the illegal distribution of illicit drugs in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Investigation revealed that members of this group used commercial trucking businesses to transport drugs from the US directly to the surrounding areas of Toronto. (here)
• As many as 400 to 500 people clashed in the Canadian city of Mississauga in the Malton area, Mon the evening during the Diwali celebration, police said.
• The video shows Police officers trying to separate crowds at a Diwali celebration.
• No arrests have been made, as not too long ago, India asked Canada to stop the so-called “Khalistan Referendums” by the anti-India elements on Nov 6 in Ontario. (here)
• “All faiths are welcome in Canada”, said Canadian High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay on Thu in response to how Canada was dealing with increasing anti-India elements in his country, while the envoy who was visiting the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in the national capital. (here)

India’s 1st transgenic food crop GM Mustard, step towards self-sufficiency

• India’s biotech regulator has approved the “environmental release” of genetically modified mustard but farmers will have to wait at least two years before they can plant it.
• The Union Genetic Engg Appraisal Committee has given the nod for mustard hybrid DMH-11 for its seed production and testing as per existing ICAR guidelines after a meeting held on Oct 18.
• GM mustard: It is difficult to create mustard hybrids because the plant has both male and female reproductive parts making it resistant to cross-pollination. (here)

Three Swedish nationals detained in Assam for violating Foreigners’ Act

• 3 persons from Sweden were detained for violating some sections of the Foreigners Act by attending a religious program in Dibrugarh, Assam on Wed, police said.
• The district police have initiated a suo moto case against the trio for attending the prayer and peace meeting in an area.
• The police further said that the 3-day religious program was started on Oct 25 and the trio attended the program with a tourist Visa.
• As per the court’s direction, the accused will have to pay a fine and they will be sent to Guwahati on Thu and subsequently deported to Sweden. (here)

8 retired officers of the Indian Navy detained in Qatar, one has received an award from the President

• A retired navy Commander, the managing director of a firm, is also among the eight Indians taken into custody.
• He received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the then President in 2019.
• These Indian citizens work in the Qatari Emiri Navy, a company that provides training and other services.
• According to sources, the Indian Embassy in Doha is aware of the incident but yet Ministry has come from a side on this matter. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Army, ISI in unprecedented presser question Arshad Sharif’s exit from Pakistan, point to PTI’s involvement

In an explosive and unexpected press conference, the Intelligence chief joined the Army media wing to speak about journalist Arshad Sharif’s killing and former premier Khan’s provocative narrative against the military.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that the head of the country’s spy agency has directly addressed the media.

Key points from the joint presser

• Mar 27 narrative built through a piece of paper ‘far from reality’
• Arshad Sharif was fed propaganda on cypher by Imran Khan
• The facts behind the cypher and Sharif’s death have to be determined
• ARY News played the role of a spin doctor in targeting the army; CEO Salman Iqbal should be brought back to Pakistan
• KP govt in Aug issued a letter stating TTP splinter group was looking to target Sharif
• No one forced Arshad Sharif to leave Dubai
• Sharif did not face any threat in Pakistan
• COAS presented “a lucrative offer” for an extension in Mar
• Besides, it is necessary to determine the factors due to which a particular narrative is being built and people are being misled. (here)

Germany approves reduced investment of China in Hamburg port

• The ministries of both China and Germany have reached a deal on a compromise to allow Chinese shipping group COSCO to take a smaller stake in the Hamburg port deal than before decided.
• The deal has reportedly allowed a Chinese firm to take stakes in one of the terminals of the controversial Hamburg port.
• This comes straight after several media reports revealed that German leader Olaf Scholz’s chancellery tried to push the deal, despite concerns from multiple ministries.
• After the final approval of the deal, it will allow Cosco to buy only 24.9% instead of 35% of the shipping company that runs the terminal, Politico reported.
• Notably, Cosco already has stakes in Europe’s 2 largest ports at Rotterdam and Antwerp.
• It also controls the port of Piraeus in Athens and is ready to initiate its plans to expand an inland rail terminal at Duisburg. (here)

Xi Jinping says willing to work with the US for mutual benefit

• President Xi Jinping has said China is willing to work with the US to find the “right way to get along with each other in the new era”, Chinese state media reported on Thu
• This came ahead of a possible meeting between the two at an international summit in Nov.
• Beijing and Washington have been sparring over multiple issues including Taiwan and China’s stubborn support to Russia over its Ukraine invasion.
• Differences between Beijing and Washington have spilled over to the arena of global geopolitics where, broadly, China and Russia are being looked at as a bloc.
• Xi seemed to acknowledge that binary in his message to the NCUSCR.
• The message was Xi’s first proposal to the US and Biden after securing a precedent-breaking third term as leader of the ruling CCP earlier this week. (here)

Cities across China double down on Covid-19 controls

• Chinese cities from Wuhan in central China to Xining in the NW are doubling down on Covid-19 curbs and throwing millions into distress in a scramble to halt widening outbreaks.
• China on Thu reported a 3^rd straight day of more than 1000 new cases nationwide, a modest tally compared with the 10000/day.
• This sent Shanghai into a full-blown lockdown earlier this year but enough to trigger more curbs and restrictions across the country.
• Guangzhou seals up streets and neighborhoods while Wuhan orders more than 800,000 people to stay home (here)