1. West Bengal factory blast: Death toll rises to 9, CID initiates probe
2. Jaishankar calls India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting “significant milestone”
3. No Quad meeting after Joe Biden cancels Australia visit as US debt crisis peaks
4. Top military leaders of QUAD take part in Quad meet for Indo-Pacific security
5. Journalist Shared “Sensitive” Defence Details With Foreign Countries: CBI

What Else

6. US report on religious freedom based on “misinformation, flawed understanding”: India
7. ‘Have legitimacy to serve the mission in India’: Afghan envoy on Taliban appointing CDA
8. Indian, Chinese army officers meet in Ladakh’s Daulet Beg Oldi sector, discuss LAC issues
9. Pakistan turmoil: NSC confirms military trial for May 9 arsonists
10. China and Japan’s defense ministers hold first talks over new military hotline

West Bengal factory blast: Death toll rises to 9, CID initiates probe

• At least 9 people have so far been killed, several others are injured in a massive blast that occurred at a firecracker factory in W Medinipur, on Tue morning, officials said.
• Meanwhile, the State Investigation Department (CID) has initiated a probe into the incident on directions of the state govt.
• A team of the CID from Kolkata reached the spot at 9.45 pm on Tue.
• Police, said, “It was an illegal betting factory and there have been 3 to 4 cases against this factory in the past as well.” (here)

Jaishankar calls India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting “significant milestone”

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Tuesday, called the India EU Trade and Technology Council meeting a “significant milestone”.
• Along with Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Union MoS for Skill Development, Electronics, and Tech Rajeev Chandrasekhar were also in the meeting.
• He further stated that the challenge for them is to address simultaneously the dual requirements of responsible growth and derisking the global economy.
• This means promoting resilient and reliable supply chains; adding drivers of global production; ensuring trust in the digital domain, including cross-border flows.
• Jaishankar on Monday arrived in Brussels for the last leg of his three-nation visit covering Bangladesh, Sweden and Belgium. (here)
• “Look at EU Council regulations…”: Jaishankar on import of Russian oil

• Responding to the EU Foreign policy chief’s remarks calling for action against Indian refined products from Russian crude, EAM S Jaishankar on Tue advised him to look at EU Council regulations.
• “Look at EU Council regulations, Russian crude is substantially transformed in the 3^rd country and not treated as Russian anymore. I would urge you to look at Council’s Regulation 833/2014,” said Jaishankar. (here)
• EU urged to crack down on imports of Indian fuels made with Russian oil

• The EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil as refined fuels including diesel into Europe, the bloc’s chief diplomat has said, as Western nations move to tighten sanctions on Moscow’s energy sector.
• He suggested he was uncomfortable that much of that oil was now flowing back to Europe in the form of refined fuels. (here)

No Quad meeting after Joe Biden cancels Australia visit as US debt crisis peaks

• President Biden has said that he will return to Washington DC after attending the G7 summit in Japan and not travel to Australia for the Quad.
• This is due to a looming domestic political and economic crisis at home and negotiations with the US Congress over the debt ceiling hitting a roadblock,
• Biden has also canceled the Papua New Guinea leg of his trip; his visit would have been the first by any American president to a Pacific Island country. (here)
• White House says, “We are taking a look at the rest of the trip” and at, G7 in Japan, President would “have the opportunity to meet PM Modi, PM Albanese anyways“
• No Quad meeting on May 24, Australia PM says: Australia PM Anthony Albanese said on Wed the Quad meeting would not go ahead in Sydney next week.
• He added an existing bilateral meeting with PM Modi may still go ahead. (here)

Top military leaders of QUAD take part in Quad meet for Indo-Pacific security

• The Washington-led QUAD including Japan, India, and Australia, appears poised to deepen security and defense cooperation.
• Top military commanders from the Quad member nations are meeting in Rancho Mirage, California, from Mon-Wed to discuss Indo-Pacific security.
• A vice-admiral rank representative from Britain is also attending.
• The 1^st session on Mon focused on deterrence through effective partnerships.
• Earlier, the Quad Navies agreed to schedule war games off the coast, Sydney, in Aug. (here)

Journalist Shared “Sensitive” Defence Details With Foreign Countries: CBI

• The CBI has registered an FIR against a freelance journalist for allegedly collecting sensitive info related to DRDO and Army, and sharing them with external agencies.
• CBI conducted searches on premises allied to Vivek Raghuvanshi, listed as India correspondent of a US-based portal, and people at 12 locations in Jaipur and NCR
• The agency has booked Vivek under Section 3 (spying) of the Official Secrets Act read with Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
• Several sensitive information and minute details about the progress of various DRDO projects and details of future procurement plans of the armed forces were recovered.
• He was allegedly collecting sensitive, the CBI alleged. (here)

US report on religious freedom based on “misinformation, flawed understanding”: India

• India rejected the US State Department report on international religious freedom and said it was based on “misinformation and flawed understanding.”
• According to a statement released by MEA, “Regrettably, such reports continue to be based on misinformation and flawed understanding.”
• MEA further stated that the report is motivated and biased commentary by some US officials which only serves to undermine further the credibility of these reports.
• “We value our partnership with the US and will continue to have frank exchanges on issues of concern to us,” the spokesperson said.
• This statement came in response to the US State Department 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom [see last issue]. (here)

‘Have legitimacy to serve the mission in India’: Afghan envoy on Taliban appointing CDA

• Afghan ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay on Tue strongly rejected the claims of the Taliban appointing the Charge d’Affaires to replace him as the envoy in India
• He said that he was being appointed by a legitimately elected govt and has the legitimacy to serve in India.
• He said, “I represent a republic or a govt which no longer exists, but I was appointed by a legitimately elected government. I do have that legitimacy serving in this mission“.
• Claiming of being Afghanistan’s legitimate representative and an accredited diplomat in India, he said that he has shared his concerns with the Indian govt and looks forward to their response over the matter. (here)

Indian, Chinese army officers meet in Ladakh’s Daulet Beg Oldi sector, discuss LAC issues

• Indian and Chinese Maj Gan on Tuesday met in Ladakh’s DBO sector and held talks on border issues that have been locked in a row along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
• The talks between the division commander-level officers came weeks after the top-level military dialogue between corps commanders of the two armies.
• The 18^th round of corps commander-level talks on April 23 yielded no outcome, though the two agreed to maintain security and stability along LAC.
• The dialogue below the corps commander level to discuss border issues is a routine affair. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Pakistan turmoil: NSC confirms military trial for May 9 arsonists

• The National Security Committee on Tue endorsed the decision of the Army Chief to try those involved in ransacking the military installations under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act. [on civilians?]
• PM Shehbaz Sharif chaired the meeting, which was attended by senior cabinet ministers, 3 services chiefs, DG ISI, and other relevant officials.
• While the civil and military leadership promised to bring to justice those behind the violent protests, they stressed dialogue over hostility to resolve the political differences
• The meeting was convened to discuss violent protests triggered after the arrest of former PM Imran Khan.
• Protesters ransacked and vandalized military installations including the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore.
• Army Chief Gen Munir on Mon chaired a special corps commanders conference, which decided to try committers, planners, and executors under Army and official secret act.
• The meeting announced May 9 as Black Day at the national level.
• The meeting reiterated that the policy of ‘zero tolerance’ would be adopted by not tolerating violence and mischief in the country. (here)

[In short, the decision taken in Army HQ, pronounced in the cabinet meeting]

• ‘Agency men’ behind May 9 violence: PTI- Embattled PTI on Tue alleged that last week’s arson attacks and shootings after former PM Khan’s arrest were carried out by the “agencies men” so that a crackdown on the party could be justified.
• In video messages, Khan said he would announce his “next plan of action” during a party protest at Muridke on Thu and urged the nation to attend the rally. (here)
• Cracks within the army in spotlight: For the 1^st time in Pakistan’s history, action against a political leader inspired a ‘mini-intifada’ against the military itself.
• But despite an unprecedented action from Khan’s supporters, there is no unprecedented counter-reaction from the army (which history suggests, is usually a coup or imposition of Emergency in Pakistan).
• Instead, the army was quick enough to ward off the speculations of Martial Law imposition. (here)

China and Japan’s defense ministers hold first talks over new military hotline

• The defense ministers of China and Japan held talks over a newly set up military hotline for the first time on Tue.
• The phone call between China’s Li Shangfu and his Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada comes as bilateral tensions continue to rise over issues including territorial disputes in the East China Sea.
• The pair “exchanged views on the two countries and their defense relations”, a statement from the Chinese defense ministry said.
• The hotline, set up in Mar under a defense liaison mechanism, will “effectively enrich” bilateral communication, “strengthen the capabilities of both sides to manage and control maritime and air crises, and help to further maintain regional peace and stability”, according to the statement. (here)