1. ‘Bharat’ G20 invitation fuels rumors India may change name
2. G20: ‘India Also Advancing Interests of Countries That Are Not in the G20’: PM Modi
3. ‘ASEAN centrality is a central point…’: India ahead of PM Modi’s ‘short visit’ to Indonesia
4. China’s ambassador slams India’s Nepal Policy, calls it ‘less than ideal’
5. India: J&K govt to provide unique identification for over 200,000 Srinagar households

What Else

6. Ahead of Special Session, Congress holds Parliamentary Strategy Group Meet
7. Khalistan event in Canada cancelled
8. India’s economy 16.5 yrs behind China, Inflation a key issue
9. ‘Misleading’: India dismisses UN outcry over ‘human rights abuses’ in Manipur
10. PM’s aide on human rights calls on FM
11. Pakistan: GB CM has invited Ulema from across Pakistan to resolve the controversial issue
12. IMF doesn’t proscribe targeted subsidies for poor, says PM Caretaker Kakar
13. Nepal: India Cabinet okays plan to buy Nepal’s 10,000 MW power

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Bharat G20 invitation fuels rumors India may change name

• India was energetic with speculation over the rumored scrap official use of the English name after a state-issued invitation to the G20 referred to it as Bharat.
• The govt has been working to remove lingering symbols of British rule from India’s landscape, political institutions, and books, but this could be the biggest move yet.
• India hosts the G20 summit this weekend, and world leaders have received an invitation to a state dinner hosted by the “president of Bharat”.
• PM Modi himself typically refers to India as Bharat, a word dating back to 420 BC in Sanskrit, and one of two official names for the country under its constitution.
• The govt has called a special session of parliament but remains tight-lipped about its legislative agenda
• However, News18 citing sources had told it that BJP lawmakers would put forward a special resolution to give precedence to the name Bharat. (here)
• The Hindu (source)- All talk of formal action in the upcoming session of Parliament to change the name of India was “rubbish”.
• “It is clearly stated in the Constitution that ‘India, that is Bharat, is a Union of states’ so where is there any need for any change?” said a senior minister. (here)
• However, “PM of Bharat” was part of the nomenclature during PM Modi’s South Africa and Greece, during Aug 22-25.

G20: ‘India Also Advancing Interests of Countries That Are Not in the G20’: PM Modi

• India has been advancing the interests of the developing world, including the countries not represented in the G20, PM Modi told in an interview on Tue ahead of the G20
• “Further, perhaps for the 1^st time in the history of G20, the troika is with the developing world — Indonesia, India, and Brazil,” he said.
• The G20 troika refers to the previous, current, and incoming G20 presidencies. (here)
• On Xi skipping G20 summit in Delhi, China Claims Relations with India are ‘Stable’: After China announced that its President Xi would not attend the G20, the Chinese FM on Tue said that it was ready to work with all the parties for the global event’s success.
• On Mon, China said that Premier Li Qiang would represent China at the G20 Summit instead of President Xi Jinping. (here)
• If China wants to come and play the role of spoiler, up to them…everyone would expect them to play a constructive role, Says US NSA on India-China tensions impacting G20 summit
• “President Biden will hold a bilateral with PM Modi on Fri in Delhi,” he said, adding that Consensus on Ukraine (at G20) is difficult.
• Delhi G20 Summit will ‘show world’s major economies can work even in challenging times’ and “warmly welcome” African union in the grouping, he said.

‘ASEAN centrality is a central point…’: India ahead of PM Modi’s ‘short visit’ to Indonesia

• 20^th ASEAN-India Summit and 18^th East Asia Summit, both of which are being hosted in Jakarta by Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN. 
• A ‘short visit’: In a bid to fortify India’s active involvement in the ASEAN and reinforce diplomatic bonds in the Indo-Pacific, the PM will travel to Indonesia on Sept 6-7
• The 20^th ASEAN-India Summit is special since it is the 1^st one after the elevation of the India-ASEAN relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership back in 2022.
• The PM will also review the progress in ASEAN-India relations during his upcoming visit and chart the future direction of cooperation. (here)

China’s ambassador slams India’s Nepal Policy, calls it ‘less than ideal’

• China’s ambassador to Nepal Chen Song launched an attack on India’s Nepal policy, describing it as “less than ideal” in the first instance of a Chinese envoy in Kathmandu making such comments, drawing sharp reactions from senior Nepalese diplomats.
• Experts said it was an example of “wolf warrior diplomacy”, a term being used to describe coercive diplomacy adopted by a section of Chinese diplomats during the Xi regime. (here)
• Rare for an ambassador of a country to criticize any country, let alone a neighboring country. But then that is CCP diplomacy.
• These comments come at a time when China came up with a new map, claiming territories of 7+ countries in the region.
• In an unusually critical and open display of Wolf warrior diplomacy, the Chinese diplomat says “India’s policies towards Nepal and other neighbors are not so friendly”.
• “When India opens door, it doesn’t bring economic growth..”, Chen to Nepal comparing it with the Chinese economic growth process; Lauds BRI as a “gift for developing countries..” claiming it brings growth to countries [as in Sri Lanka, Pakistan?]

India: J&K govt to provide unique identification for over 200,000 Srinagar households

• J&K govt has decided to provide UID to over 200,000 Srinagar households.
• This will help them store the data of every household including their address, number of family members, their electricity and water bills, etc.
• According to the govt, it’s being done under the Digital India program where all the details of the residents including the details of the property, like the nature of the property, dimensions of the property, and location will be saved.
• However, the locals of Srinagar city are apprehensive that it is the first step towards implementation of the property tax in the valley. (here)

Ahead of Special Session, Congress holds Parliamentary Strategy Group Meet

• The Congress on Tue held a Parliamentary strategy group meeting ahead of the Parliament special session, which will begin on Sept 18.
• The meeting began at the residence of Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
• Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan, and other key leaders arrived at 10, Janpath to attend the meeting.
• Sonia Gandhi, who was admitted to Delhi’s Sir Gangaram Hospital with symptoms of mild fever on Sun, was discharged the next day.
• (sources)- The meeting was called to discuss the party’s plan to tackle questions and issues likely to be raised in the Parliament Session. (here)

Khalistan event in Canada cancelled

• The US-based Sikhs for Justice was planning a separatist event at a Canadian school, and was promoting it by juxtaposing photos of the school and AK-47, Management on Mon announced that it was withdrawing permission.
• The Khalistan Referendum event was planned for Sept 10 at a Secondary School in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
• Stating that Surrey School had canceled the “community rental” due to a violation of the rental agreement.
• Reacting to the decision, Punjab Foundation chairman and US-based human rights activist Sukhi Chahal said citizen groups stood united to halt the event. (here)

India’s economy 16.5 yrs behind China, Inflation a key issue

• India is a median of 16.5 years behind China on business and economic parameters, according to the latest research which suggested that the country has much to do.
• The brokerage firm looked at various yardsticks that included patents, FDI, FX, GDP, and export
• India is behind China by 21 years in patents, 20 years in FDI, 19 years in FX, and 17 years in exports.
• On nominal GDP and per capita income, India is 15 years behind.
• In consumption expenditure, it is 13 years behind.
• On gross fixed capital formation, it is 16 years behind. (here)

‘Misleading’: India dismisses UN outcry over ‘human rights abuses’ in Manipur

• India has rejected comments by UN experts on Manipur, terming them “unwarranted, presumptive and misleading” and asserting that the situation in the state is peaceful.
• In the note verbale issued on Mon to the SPMH of the Office of the HC for Human Rights, the mission underscored that the situation was peaceful and stable and the Indian govt was committed to taking requisite steps to maintain peace and stability.
• This came after a group of UN experts raised alarm about reports of “serious human rights violations and abuses”.
• In the news titled ‘India: UN experts alarmed by continuing abuses in Manipur’, the Indian Mission expressed disappointment and surprise that the SPMHs were released without waiting for 60 days for the govt to respond. (here)

PM’s aide on human rights calls on FM

• Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Human Rights, Mushaal Hussein Mullick, along with her daughter Raziyah Sultan, called on FM Jalil Abbas Jilani on Tue.
• The two agreed to increase global awareness about the rights violations in IIOJK.
• “We discussed ways to …..increase global awareness about the ongoing human rights violations in IIOJK,” the foreign minister posted on X.
• The discussion focused on projecting Pakistan’s point of view at international fora, including the upcoming session of the UNGA, said the Foreign Office. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Pakistan: GB CM has invited Ulema from across Pakistan to resolve the controversial issue

• GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has said that the govt has invited Ulema from across Pakistan to resolve the controversial issue that has caused communal tension the past week.
• CM Haji Gulbar Khan, in a press conference with the Law Minister and Home Minister at the Secretariat, claimed that the current crisis in the region will be resolved in 2 days.
• He said that this problem started after a controversial speech by Agha Baqir Al Hussaini.
• Enraged by his speech, people in Diamer blocked the Karakoram highway and demanded the arrest of the cleric.
• After that, the Gilgit-Baltistan Parliamentary Committee held a meeting with the religious leaders in Diamer to resolve the issue.
• According to the Chief Minister, when the matter was almost resolved, a speech by religious scholar Qazi Nisar Ahmed in Gilgit rekindled the tension.
• He said that our neighbor and arch-enemy India is trying to take advantage of this situation. Its propaganda is based on lies and deceit. (Himalya Today Daily)

Pakistan: IMF doesn’t proscribe targeted subsidies for poor, says PM Caretaker Kakar

• Targeted power subsidies for disadvantaged socioeconomic classes using around 200 units of electricity were not discouraged or curtailed by the govt or IMF, PM Kakar said
• Regarding the privatization of Discos, he stated that the govt is actively progressing in that direction.
• He emphasized that while privatization is essential for the country’s circumstances, it’s a process that requires time.
• “The previous govts have done about 40-50pc work already, and ever since we’ve taken over, we’ve moved 10-20pc in that direction,’ he said.
• Kakar seeks PIA restructuring plan, orders steps to curb irregular border crossings (here)
• PM Kakar says Saudi Arabia to invest $25bn in Pakistan over next 5 years: Saudi Arabia will invest up to $25 billion in Pakistan over the next 2 to 5 years in various sectors, caretaker PM Haq Kakar said on Mon, adding his govt would also revive a stalled process. (here)

Nepal: India Cabinet okays plan to buy Nepal’s 10,000 MW power

• India has formalized its announcement that it would buy 10,000 MW of electricity from Nepal over 10 years with the endorsement of a long-term G2G power trade agreement.
• The 25-year long-term agreement was initiated when PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal visited India from May 31 to June 3.
• “Under this agreement, we have set a target of importing 10,000 MW electricity from Nepal in the coming 10 years,” Modi said at that time.
• The agreement could not officially be signed during Dahal’s Delhi visit.
• Energy Secretary Dinesh Ghimire confirmed the Indian Cabinet’s decision. (here)