1. France counts on Indo-Russia links to resolve Ukraine conflict, EU seeks India’s support on UNGA
2. Will continue to be part of India’s digital transformation, says Singaporean envoy after UPI-PayNow
3. Centre releases 50 LMT wheat under Open Market Sale Scheme so far
4. Massive earthquakes can hit the Himalayan region any time, warns NGRI chief scientist
5. Australia launches Maitri Cultural Partnerships to help its creative sector work with India’s cultural industries

What Else

6. India-Italy defence cooperation on cards during PM Meloni’s New Delhi visit
7. India supporting Bhutan in efforts to establish digital infrastructure
8. Navy plans for another Vikrant-size carrier before Vikramaditya retires
9. INDIA RUPEE Rupee likely to open flat; U.S. yields, RBI support in focus
10. Danish royal family to visit Tamil Nadu, to discuss green energy: Denmark envoy
11. ‘No money to print ballot papers’: Bankrupt Sri Lanka to postpone local elections, Opposition cries foul
12. 30 European senators support Tibet’s autonomy from China
13. Hopes rekindle for $2b Chinese loans
14. Balochistan tense after recovery of three bodies

France counts on Indo-Russia links to resolve Ukraine conflict, EU seeks India’s support on UNGA

• France hopes that India will use its links with Russia to find a peaceful solution amid the Ukraine conflict.
• New Delhi has had a close relationship with Moscow, something that is well known.
• “We ask the Indian govt to use Russian links to help us for peace,” said French Diplomatic sources, pointing to frequent contacts between the two sides on the issue.
• As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine enters its 2^nd year, the focus is on finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.
• The UNGA is set to vote on a western-backed resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of Russian military from Ukrainian territory, with a cessation of hostilities.
• While the resolution has been discussed with all partners to address their concerns, French diplomatic sources have stressed the importance of India’s role.
• India has maintained close ties with both Russia and the West, making it a crucial player in the conflict. (here)
• US President Joe Biden received security guarantees before his trip to Ukraine, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman said, TAAS reported, adding that he, however, did not specify who gave guarantees to the American leader. (here)
• EU seeks India’s support on UNGA resolution against Russia: The EU has sought India’s support on a resolution that will be taken up at the UNGA on Wed.
• The demarche was presented by EU envoys to the Ministry of External Affairs on 15 Feb seeking New Delhi’s support on the resolution.
• The debate on the resolution starts on Wed and will be carried out on Thu as well. (here)

Will continue to be part of India’s digital transformation, says Singaporean envoy after UPI-PayNow

• As India and Singapore on Tue linked their respective online payment systems for seamless cross-border transactions between the two countries.
• Singapore HC to India Simon Wong Wie Kuen said this collaboration would take bilateral relations to greater heights.
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India and PayNow of Singapore have been linked earlier today at a virtual event, which was attended by PM Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong.
• “As India’s 1^st first cross-border real-time payment partner, this milestone initiative reflects the deep trust between both countries,” the envoy said in a tweet.
• The linkage of these two payment systems of both countries would enable residents to the faster and more cost-efficient transfer of cross-border remittances.
• People in both countries can send money via QR-code based or simply by entering mobile numbers linked to the bank account.
• Shaktikanta Das, the Governor of the RBI, and Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and others also presided over the launch event. (here)

Centre releases 50 LMT wheat under Open Market Sale Scheme so far

• The govt has decided that the Food Corporation of India may offload an additional quantity of 20 lakh metric tonnes of wheat under Open Market Sale Scheme for sale.
• This auction would be for flour mills, private traders, bulk buyers, or manufacturers of wheat products like in previous years.
• The govt on Feb 10 decided to offload 30 LMT of wheat under the OMSS and sales to state govts, Kendriya Bhandar, NCCF, NAFED etc.
• The reduction in reserve price along with an additional offloading of 20 LMT of wheat will collectively help in reducing the market price of wheat and its products. (here)

Massive earthquakes can hit the Himalayan region any time, warns NGRI chief scientist

• Massive earthquakes with the potential to cause damage in the Himalayan region soon were predicted by the National Geophysical Research Institute on Tue.
• The chief scientist at NGRI told that the Indian plate is shifting roughly 5 cm each year, which is causing tension to build up along the Himalayas.
• The Earth’s surface is made up of numerous plates that are continuously in motion.
• “The region referred to as the seismic gap between Himachal and the western part of Nepal including Uttarakhand is prone to earthquakes that might occur at any time,” the scientist added.
• The NGRI scientist emphasized that earthquakes can have a Richter Scale magnitude of up to 8.
• Speaking of the recent fatal earthquakes in Turkey, he claimed that the country suffered greater damage as a result of the subpar construction. (here)

Australia launches Maitri Cultural Partnerships to help its creative sector work with India’s cultural industries

• The Australian govt on Tue launched the inaugural Maitri Cultural Partnerships, which will encompass partnerships and grants to help the Australian creative sector collaborate with India’s thriving cultural industries.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed the launch of Maitri Cultural Partnerships.
• According to a statement posted by the Australian minister for Foreign Affairs, the Maitri Cultural Partnerships inaugural grant round was now open.
• It also said the grant round is divided into 3 programs: Maitri Cultural Partnerships Major Collaboration Grant — will support major Australian cultural organizations to engage Indian partners (funding up to $250,000); Maitri Cultural Partnerships Visual and Performing Arts Grants (funding up to $ 250,000); and Maitri Cultural Partnerships Collaboration Grants (funding of up to USD 70,000). (here)

India-Italy defence cooperation on cards during PM Meloni’s New Delhi visit

• India and Italy are likely to discuss in detail the bilateral defense cooperation as part of the formal agenda of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s visit to India this month, reports said.
• Meloni is the chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue conference on Mar 2 in New Delhi.
• Meloni’s India visit will entail a series of high-profile meetings, including with India’s PM Modi.
• The reports delving into defense cooperation emerge within a week after India’s def min Rajnath Singh held talks with Italian State Secy, Defence MP Di Cremnago in Bengaluru on the sidelines of the Aero India show, the first such visit in several years.
• If the talks do not conclude during Meloni’s visit in Mar, then it will be ready for signing during her next visit in Sept for the G-20 summit.
• Giorgia Meloni will be the third Italian Prime Minister to visit India in the last ten years after Paolo Gentiloni in 2017, and Giuseppe Conte in 2018. (here)

India supporting Bhutan in efforts to establish digital infrastructure

• India has been consistently supporting Bhutan in its efforts to establish a digital infrastructure, The Bhutan Live reported.
• The Indian govt recently announced that it is going to help Bhutan in building its third international internet gateway.
• According to the Indian Embassy in Bhutan, the govt will facilitate a concessional rate to reduce the cost of the gateway’s operation.
• This new initiative is a part of the expanding India-Bhutan digital collaboration.
• India is collaborating with Bhutan on various technology initiatives.
• An optical fiber backbone has been provided at the village level across all 20 districts of Bhutan under Bhutan’s flagship program ‘Digital Drukul’. (here)

Navy plans for another Vikrant-size carrier before Vikramaditya retires

• An aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya gets ready to sail out after a long refit
• The Navy is finalizing plans to repeat the order for an INS Vikrant-size Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-2, with some modifications, which, given the long timelines. 
• While placing a repeat order for the INS Vikrant-sized carrier, the Navy will continue to study the need for a larger and more capable carrier, according to the Navy chief.
• Operationally, new technologies and drones are coming in that can be launched and recovered from the carrier, which can enhance operational capabilities, Chief noted.
• INS Vikrant’s size is around 44,000 tonnes and the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier-2 planned was around 65,000 tonnes. (here)

INDIA RUPEE Rupee likely to open flat; U.S. yields, RBI support in focus

• The Indian rupee is likely to open little changed to the U.S. dollar on Tue amid a further rise in U.S. yields and on bets that the RBI will continue to support the local currency.
• The non-deliverable forward markets indicate that the rupee will open around 82.70-82.75, compared with 82.7225 in the previous session.
• With Mon being a U.S. holiday and the dollar index holding around 104, Asian currencies are struggling for direction, which would hold for the rupee as well, a trader at a Mumbai-based bank said. (here)

Danish royal family to visit Tamil Nadu, to discuss green energy: Denmark envoy

• The Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik Andre Henrik Christian and Crown Princess, Mary Elizabeth will visit Tamil Nadu, along with the Danish companies next week to discuss the green energy sector, Envoy Freddy Svane said on Tue. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

‘No money to print ballot papers’: Bankrupt Sri Lanka to postpone local elections, Opposition cries foul

• Bankrupt Sri Lanka is set to postpone local elections due next month, prompting opposition protests on Tue that forced parliament to be adjourned.
• The Mar 9 vote was meant to be a key test of support for President Wickremesinghe, who took office in Jul after months of protests over a dire economic crisis.
• According to a court submission by the Election Commission, the treasury has refused to fund the printing of ballot papers, fuel or police protection for polling booths.
• “But, I am now informing the court that we won’t be able to do it because the govt is not releasing the necessary funds.” Elcetion commission.
• The president previously said elections were impossible as state revenue was insufficient to pay salaries, and pensions and maintain essential services. (here)

30 European senators support Tibet’s autonomy from China

• Under the Presidency of the European Research Council, some 30 senators from different political sets have created an interparliamentary group to support Tibet’s autonomy from China, reported Europe Press.
• The alliance will be formally established this Wed.
• This will work to garner real support for the resumption of substantive dialogue between the Chinese leadership and the Dalai Lama’s representatives.
• In their opinion, Tibet is an independent country with a thousand-year history that was invaded by China, which continues to be “threatened” by Beijing and needs international support.
• Robert Masih Nahar, ERC senator, will be the president of the new intergroup. (here)

Hopes rekindle for $2b Chinese loans

• Pakistan and China have reached a deal for a $700 million commercial loan, reviving prospects for a total of $2 billion injection from the friendly country.
• A move that might temporarily stabilize the extremely thin foreign currency reserves until the IMF money started pouring in.
• The development came days before Pakistan was scheduled to return another $300 million Chinese commercial loan.
• The agreement for the $700 million loan between Pakistan and the China Development Bank was reached at the weekend.
• According to officials, the money is expected to be transferred this week.
• Pakistan has received “positive signals” from Saudia for financial support as it is desperately looking towards its old allies in the wake of the current economic crunch.
• As the govt seeks to revive the IMF program, FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari last weekend met his Saudi counterpart and Chinese foreign policy chief on the sidelines of MSC.
• Though no details were provided except that Bilawal discussed issues of mutual interests with the Saudi FM and a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC.
• Diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune on Mon that both meetings went beyond the expectations of Pakistan. (here)

Balochistan tense after recovery of three bodies

• Tension gripped Balochistan on Tue after the Levies force discovered 3 bodies – a mother and her 2 sons, from a well in Barkhan, triggering a strong protest by the locals.
• The police said that the bodies were recovered from a well in the Haji Kot area of the district on Mon night.
• On Tue, hundreds of Marri tribesmen, carrying the 3 bodies started a march from Barkhan to Quetta to stage a protest demonstration outside the Balochistan Assembly.
• Khan Muhammad Marri accused a provincial Minister of murdering his family members. He also said that the victims were tortured before they were killed. (here)