1. President’s Rule ‘last option’ in Manipur, government to wait and watch
2. Prime Minister’s leave Delhi for his visit to USA and Egypt
3. India gifts indigenously-built missile corvette ‘INS Kirpan’ to Vietnam
4. IndiGo Bets Big on Indian Travel Boom With Record Airbus Deal
5. Odisha train tragedy: Signal junior engineer goes missing with family after CBI interrogation

What Else

6. Hardeep Nijjar, designated terrorist and Khalistan supporter, shot dead in Canada
7. IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed new RAW chief
8. Xi, Blinken agree to stabilize US-China relations in Beijing talks
9. For first time, Taiwanese experts will join US-Japanese war games simulating cross-strait clash

President’s Rule ‘last option’ in Manipur, government to wait and watch

• As ethnic violence and protests continue in Manipur for the past 45 days, multiple people in the govt and the BJP said that President’s Rule was only a “last option”.
• Several organizations have demanded the imposition of the President’s Rule owing to perceived and known biases in the State administration and security forces.
• While the Kuki legislators have blamed the State police for planning attacks against them, the Meitei community has accused the Assam Rifles of helping the Kuki. (here)
• Stop or there will be consequences: Manipur CM after Armyman is shot at Hours after an Army soldier was injured in an exchange of gunfire late Sun night, CM said there would be consequences if such incidents do not stop.
• As per Army inputs, this incident took place when there was “unprovoked firing” by “armed miscreants” from Kanto Sabal in Imphal West towards Chingmang. (here)
• ‘Huge mobs wielding axes, catapults’: FIRs detail armoury thefts amid violence-Armed with axes, catapults, and swords, mobs comprising up to 10,000 men and women stormed the armories of police stations and military outposts on several occasions, and fled with deadly weapons, carbines, and sophisticated guns, FIRs filed by Manipur Police show.
• 22 such FIRs, which paint a damning picture of a breakdown in law and order that has been convulsed by violence since ethnic clashes.
• At least 115 people have died so far even as the indiscriminate loot of weapons from police stations and outposts remains the biggest security worry for authorities.
• In one FIR, the police alleged that a constable in the particular police station broke the lock of the armory.
• In another FIR, the mob allegedly overpowered the police by pelting the station with stones and attacking personnel with axes and swords.
• A third FIR said that a 5,000-strong mob of men and women picketed a police station, then attacked personnel with sticks and iron rods, before holding them captive for an hour-and-a-half and looting weapons. (here)

Prime Minister’s leave Delhi for his visit to USA and Egypt

• The visit will be an opportunity to enrich the depth, and diversity of our partnership, says PM Modi before leaving for the US.
• For normal bilateral ties with China, peace and tranquility in the border areas are essential. We have a core belief in respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity, observing the rule of law: says PM Modi in an interview with WSJ ahead of his US visit.
• All countries should respect international law and the sovereignty of countries. Disputes should be resolved with “diplomacy and dialogue,” not war says PM Modi
• With multi-billion dollar deals lined up, defense cooperation to be ‘key outcome’ of PM Modi’s US visit

• The ‘ever-tightening geopolitical hold’ between the two will be on full display over the coming days when PM Modi embarks on his first official state visit to the US on Jun 21.
• Both sides are preparing a “robust outcome document” which will set the tone for the future relationship between the two powerful democracies.
• The external affairs ministry on Mon said that a roadmap for defense-industrial support is expected to be one of the key outcomes of the visit.
• The foreign secretary said that all aspects of defense co-production and co-development will be part of the discussions between PM Modi and US President Joe Biden.
• “One of the key components which will be prominently showcased will be bilateral defense cooperation,” he said.
• Deals are expected to be announced: The defense ministry had last week approved the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator armed drones from the US under a G2G basis.
• According to the proposed deal, US-based GE and Indian defense PSU HAL will jointly produce GE-F414 turbofan engines in the 98 Kilonewton thrust class in India. (here)

India gifts indigenously-built missile corvette ‘INS Kirpan’ to Vietnam

• Def Min Rajnath Singh on Mon said that India will gift the indigenously-built in-service missile ‘Corvette INS Kirpan’ to Vietnam
• He added that both countries will also collaborate in defense industry cooperation, maritime security, and multinational cooperation.
• Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Gen Phan Van Gang in New Delhi.
• Def Ministry said that progress on various bilateral cooperation was reviewed during the meeting, with both sides expressing satisfaction with the ongoing engagements.
• Ministry said that two countries share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (here)

IndiGo Bets Big on Indian Travel Boom With Record Airbus Deal

• IndiGo placed an order with Airbus SE for 500 narrowbody aircraft, making a bold bet well into the next decade on an undiminished travel boom in the world’s most populous country.
• India’s dominant carrier announced the deal at the Paris Air Show, giving Airbus an early win on the first day of the event while rival Boeing Co. stood on the sidelines.
• IndiGo will take delivery of the aircraft between 2030 and 2035, most likely mixing its fleet between the smaller A320neo and the larger A321neo type. (here)

Odisha train tragedy: Signal junior engineer goes missing with family after CBI interrogation

• Central Bureau of Investigation on Mon sealed the rented house of Soro Section signal junior engineer as it continues to probe the Odisha triple train tragedy.
• The JE, named Amir Khan, was initially grilled by the CBI at an undisclosed location.
• When the agency officials reached Khan’s rented house in Soro on Mon, they found it locked and the entire family missing.
• Later, the CBI sealed the rented house. As per the report, two officials from CBI are keeping a close watch on the house.
• What’s the role of a signal JE in the Indian Railways?
• The signal JE is liable for the installation, maintenance, and repair of signaling equipment, signals, track circuits, point machines, and interlocking systems. (here)
• Now, it becomes important to note that railway officials insist the Odisha train tragedy was a result of “deliberate interference with the electronic interlocking system.” (here)

Hardeep Nijjar, designated terrorist and Khalistan supporter, shot dead in Canada

• Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist and Khalistan supporter, was shot dead at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Sikh-dominated Surrey, British Columbia Canada.
• Nijjar was currently wanted in at least 4 NIA cases about Sikh radicalism, including a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest at Phillaur in Punjab.
• The NIA also declared Rs10 lakh cash reward on him in July.
• Nijjar, the chief of a pro-Khalistani outfit Khalistan Tiger Force, was liable for promoting the secessionist and terror agenda of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu-run SFJ’.
• It was after he established himself as a rogue element, Pannun appointed him SFJ’s representative in Canada tasking him with the ‘Referendum-2020 campaign’. (here)

IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed new RAW chief

• Ravi Sinha, an Indian Police Service (IPS:1988) officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, has been appointed as the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing on Mon.
• Ravi Sinha will succeed the incumbent Samant Kumar Goel on the completion of his tenure on June 30.
• Sinha is currently serving as Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat. (ANI)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Xi, Blinken agree to stabilize US-China relations in Beijing talks

• China and the US agreed on Mon to stabilize their intense rivalry so it doesn’t veer into conflict but no breakthrough during a rare visit to Beijing by U.S. Secy of State Blinken.
• Blinken and Xi both stressed the importance of having a more stable relationship, as any conflict between the two would create global disruption.
• However, China refused to entertain Washington’s bid to resume military-to-military communication channels and cited U.S. sanctions as the obstacle.
• The two sides appeared entrenched in their positions over everything from Taiwan to trade.
• “China has no room for compromise or concessions,” Wang as per the Chinese readout.
• The US has long stuck to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” over whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan, which Beijing has refused to rule out. (here)
• Blinken reiterated the U.S.’ position on its One China policy as he met with Xi, saying it does not support Taiwanese independence but is concerned about China’s “provocative actions” along the Taiwan Strait. and that containing China’s economy was not an American goal.
• Blinken said that China had renewed promises not to send arms to Russia to fight in Ukraine, although he voiced concern at the actions of private Chinese firms. (here)
• Without mentioning exact details, Xi also noted that during Blinken’s visit, both countries have “made progress and reached agreement on some specific issues,” (here)

For first time, Taiwanese experts will join US-Japanese war games simulating cross-strait clash

• For the first time, Taiwanese analysts will join experts from Japan and the US in conducting war game simulations for a possible cross-strait conflict.
• The event, to be held in Tokyo in mid-July, will analyze various scenarios in which US and Japanese forces could help Taiwan deter a hypothetical attack from the PLA, as per INDSR, a govt think tank in Taipei. (here)