1. Shangri-La Dialogue: India no threat to China’s military, PLA delegation says
2. Rajnath-Austin meet sets stage for mega jet engine deal when Modi visits US
3. India’s dependence on Russian arms not in Germany’s interest: German minister
4. 2 killed in firing incident near Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border; probe ordered
5. First Cruise Vessel “MV Empress” Between Chennai, Sri Lanka Flagged Off

What Else

6. ‘PM Modi’s car crashing as he looks in rear-view mirror’: Rahul Gandhi in US
7. UP gang war & rain of bullets: The 1991 murder behind Don Mukhtar’s 5th conviction in 10 mths
8. Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion Soon, Says Devendra Fadnavis
9. BBC ‘accepts’ it paid lower taxes in India
10. Nepal; No proposal to exchange Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura for route to B’desh: PM
11. US and Chinese diplomats held ‘candid and productive discussions’ in Beijing: State Department
12. 2 personnel were killed in an attack in Balochistan, 5 Iranian border guards were hacked to death in the Saravan area if Iran.
13. Pakistan’s Imran Khan openly accuses military of trying to destroy his party

Shangri-La Dialogue: India no threat to China’s military, PLA delegation says

• India will not pose a security threat to China because it is still incapable of challenging Beijing in defense manufacturing and modernization of its military, said PLA delegates.
• Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which closed on Sun, the PLA delegates said India was still a long way from catching up.
• “India is unlikely to catch up to China in the coming decades because of its weak industrial infrastructure,” said Sr Col Zhao Xiaozhuo, PLA Academy of Military Sci.
• “When you look at the Indian military’s weapon systems, what types of tanks, aircraft, and warships were made and developed by Indians themselves?”

• India was the world’s biggest importer of major arms from 2018 to 2022, according to the SIPRI, with 31% of its total arms coming from Russia in that period.
• Zhao said Beijing believed that India would not be a “loyal partner” of the American Indo-Pacific Strategy because of its independent diplomatic policy. (here)
• India does not believe in partnering in military alliances: Dy NSA Vikram Misri: India does not believe in partnering in military alliances but sees itself as an equal participant in all the mechanisms that it is a part of, Deputy NSA Vikram Misri said on Sat.
• Addressing delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Misri said equality is at the heart of many of these mechanisms. (here)

Rajnath-Austin meet sets stage for mega jet engine deal when Modi visits US

• After settling a jet engine deal for PM Modi’s US visit later this month, the two are working on a “security supply and reciprocal agreement”, and focus on cooperation in emerging technologies like hypersonic, underwater domain, and advanced materials.
• US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
• Def Min Rajnath Singh has asked Austin to encourage US companies to source more from India, given that they have bagged major deals, including in commercial aviation.
• India has also told the US that the Biden administration has to clear “hurdles that stand in the way” when it comes to the purchase and ToT from US companies to Indian firms.
• Both sides have already initiated talks for an agreement for sharing technology, and it is promised to be a “seamless affair”.
• Underwater domain awareness is an aspect of maritime security that focuses on the underwater sector, while hypersonic weapons are those capable of traveling between 5-25 times the speed of sound.
• Pakistan, China: India also raised the issue of Pakistan at the meeting, and made it clear that the neighboring country cannot be trusted with weapons supplied by the US.
• The ongoing tensions with China also came up for discussion, and both sides stressed the need to work closely. (here)
• “I don’t want to get into speculation…a number of things can always happen. I want to make sure we do everything we can to ensure things don’t happen,” said Austin. (here)

India’s dependence on Russian arms not in Germany’s interest: German minister

• India’s continuing dependence on Russian weapons is not in Germany’s interest, German def min Boris Pistorius said on Mon, ahead of his arrival in New Delhi.
• Pistorius is on his 1^st tour of Asia since becoming defense minister in Jan.
• He participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sun and held talks with his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Mon.
• Pistorius is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Tue.
• On asking whether Germany will step up arms sales to India to change the country’s dependence on Russian weaponry, Pistorius replied: “It is not up to Germany”
• Reports have suggested that German is a contender for the Indian Navy’s plan to acquire six conventional submarines in a deal expected to be worth $5.2 billion.
• Germany’s chances have improved since France’s Naval Group pulled out of the project a year ago. (here)

2 killed in firing incident near Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border; probe ordered

• 2 persons were killed and 2 others injured when a group of unidentified men opened fire in the Dhemaji, Assam close to one of the unresolved portions with Arunachal.
• Reports said the victims were among those who had gone to a location along the inter-state boundary to make arrangements for a plantation drive to mark WE Day.
• Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu said Boga Chutia (the one who was killed) lived in his constituency and condemned the violence.
• Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he doesn’t want to draw any conclusion without accurate information as the police are still investigating the matter. (here)

First Cruise Vessel “MV Empress” Between Chennai, Sri Lanka Flagged Off

• The maiden international cruise vessel between Chennai and Sri Lanka “MV Empress” was formally flagged off by the Union Minister of Ports Sarbananda Sonowal on Mon.
• This marked the inauguration of an international cruise tourism terminal, set up at a cost of ₹ 17.21 crore at the Chennai Port, spread across 2,880 m² would be able to host 3000 passengers.
• The launch of the cruise service comes in the backdrop of the MoU signed between Chennai Port and Waterways Leisure Tourism.
• The newly-launched cruise service would sail to 3 ports – Hambantota, Trincomalee, and Kankesanturai in Sri Lanka. (here)

‘PM Modi’s car crashing as he looks in rear-view mirror’: Rahul Gandhi in US

• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at PM Modi on Sun night and alleged that the BJP and RSS are “incapable of looking at the future” and can only talk about the past.
• Gandhi asserted that the BJP and RSS speak only about the past and always “blame somebody else for the past”.
• In India, there is a fight going on back between two ideologies — one represented by the Congress and the other by the BJP and the RSS, the former MP said.
• Gandhi is on a 6-day, 3-city tour to the US.
• He has visited California, the Bay area, Washington and New York to interact with the Indian communities, think tanks and the press. (here)
• On Asking “is this administration at all concerned about the health of democracy in India?
• WH press Secy Kirby said, “India is a vibrant democracy. Any — anybody that, you know, happens to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves.”

UP gang war & rain of bullets: The 1991 murder behind Don Mukhtar’s 5^th conviction in 10 mths

• Nearly 32 years after Congress leader Awadhesh Rai was gunned down outside his house, a Varanasi MP/MLA court Mon handed life imprisonment to jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari and imposed a fine of Rs 1.20 lakh.
• This is the 5^th case in which Mukhtar has been convicted since Sept 2022.
• On Aug 3, 1991, 5 assailants reached in a Maruti van and sprayed bullets at Awadhesh who was standing outside his house with his brother Ajay, an ex-MLA.
• Ajay took his injured brother to a hospital in the same van that the assailants had left behind, but Awadhesh was declared dead on arrival.
• The murder was said to be the result of the prolonged rivalry between the gangs of Mukhtar and mafia Brijesh Singh as the latter was considered close to the Rai. (here)

Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion Soon, Says Devendra Fadnavis

• Maharashtra Dy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Mon said the state cabinet will be expanded soon and the timeline will be decided by CM Eknath Shinde.
• He also said Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, and BJP will fight all elections together, which was discussed during their meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
• “Maharashtra cabinet will be expanded soon. CM Shinde will decide when it will happen,” he told reporters. (here)

BBC ‘accepts’ it paid lower taxes in India

• BBC has “acknowledged” that it may have paid lower taxes in India than its liability, govt sources said on Mon.
• The BBC, which has been under the lens of tax authorities with its offices in Delhi and Mumbai ‘surveyed’ a few months ago, is yet to file revised returns or make a written submission to the I-T department.
• “It is only a statement of intent so far, there is no payment,” a source said.
• A survey is an exercise to check books and other documents.
• The survey had come soon after the broadcaster aired a controversial documentary on PM Modi. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Nepal; No proposal to exchange Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura for route to B’desh: PM

• PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he has not proposed to give Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura to India in exchange for a route to Bangladesh during his visit.
• PM Dahal while informing the Parliament on Mon about his recent state visit said that he has a clear view on the border issue with India and he upheld the same.
• Dahal said Indian PM Modi for the 1^st time publicly stated that the border dispute should be resolved and should be taken as a positive development.
• Prime Minister Dahal said that the visit to India was not only relatively successful but also result-oriented.
• Likewise, Dahal said that during his visit to India, there was a discussion regarding the controversial map placed at the Parliament of India.
• He, however, did not give detailed information about what was discussed. (here)

US and Chinese diplomats held ‘candid and productive discussions’ in Beijing: State Department

• Senior US and Chinese diplomats held “candid and productive discussions” on Mon in Beijing amid ongoing efforts to keep lines of communication open, the State Deptt said.
• Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant US Secy of state for the region confirmed to have visited China since an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down in US airspace in early Feb – met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Executive Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. Kritenbrink’s week-long trip will also include a stop in New Zealand.
• In a follow-up, a State Deptt dy spokesman added that the two sides also discussed climate, fentanyl precursors, human rights, and wrongfully detained US citizens. (here)

2 personnel were killed in an attack in Balochistan, 5 Iranian border guards were hacked to death in the Saravan area if Iran.

• Two personnel were killed in an attack on a security check post in the Zamuran area of the Kech district of Balochistan,
• 5 Iranian border guards were hacked to death in the Saravan area of Iran’s Sistan Balochistan, last month.
• An attack was initially blamed on the Pak-based militant organization JuA, but later a claim made by an unknown organization, “HPNeB (the Pro-Freedom Youths of Balochistan) that it was just a caution while an answer of a bullet will be given by bullet.
• Once again, there has been an increase in militancy on the Pakistan-Iran border adjacent to Balochistan.
• Iran and Pakistan have assured cooperation in preventing these violent incidents, but border issues between the two countries have always been complicated. (Urdu, VOA)

Pakistan’s Imran Khan openly accuses military of trying to destroy his party

• Reuters – Former PM Imran Khan has accused the military and its spy agency of openly trying to destroy his political party, saying he had “no doubt” he would be tried in a military court and thrown in jail.
• Khan has hinted previously at the military’s hand in a crackdown on his PTI but his comments in an interview at his Lahore home on Sat night were the most blunt yet.
• A spokesman for the military, which has run the country directly or indirectly for its 75-year history, and has seldom faced the sort of public challenge to its power as it has from Khan, did not respond to a request for comment. (here)