1. Ram Mandir Inauguration: Ayodhya in grip of religious fervour, ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony to start at 12.20 p.m.
2. Barbed fencing on Indo-Myanmar border soon to curb influx of illegal migrants, says Shah
3. Pulwama: Charge sheet filed against 12 in Kashmiri Pandit’s murder case
4. Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis to travel to India in February
5. Switzerland and India Reach Deal on Free Trade Agreement

What Else

• Uganda President Museveni commends Indian diaspora for establishing 900 factories
• “Himanta Biswa Sarma is ‘chela’ of PM Modi…”: Mallikarjun Kharge
• President of UN General Assembly to pay 5-day visit to India
• Indian Mission in UAE extended Republic Day invite to CdA of Afghan Republic
• ‘Not Indian’, says govt after plane with 6 onboard crashes in Afghanistan
• ‘Pakistan-Iran tensions have raised concerns in US’
• Chinese yuan gives US dollar a run for its money as African trade embraces other currencies

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Ram Mandir Inauguration: Ayodhya in grip of religious fervour, ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony to start at 12.20 p.m.

• The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be held today [Mon], with PM Modi attending the rituals, following which the shrine will be opened for the public a day later.
• The “ Pran Pratishtha” ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm and is expected to end by 1 pm
• Mr. Modi will then address a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, at the venue.
• While about 8,000 people are on the long list of invitees, the select list features 506 A-listers, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges, and high priests.
• To commemorate the occasion, the Centre has given half a day off to all Govt employees which includes Public Sector Banks.
• Several States have also followed suit and declared a public holiday. (here)
• PM Modi visits Ram Setu’s origin point, offers prayers at Rameshwaram temple ahead of Temple inauguration: PM Modi visited southern India’s Arichalmunai in Tamil Nadu state as part of his visits to the Ramayana-era places with devotional significance ahead of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Jan 22.
• After paying floral tribute at the seashore believed to be the starting point of ancient Ram Setu, Modi also offered prayers at Kothandaramaswamy Temple.
• The word Kothandarama means lord Ram with the bow.
• The temple is located in Dhanushkodi, the place where the demon king Ravana’s brother Vibhishana first met Lord Ram and sought refuge.
• Earlier, on Sat, the PM visited Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli and Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram.
• Modi is now set to wind up his 3-day tour of Tamil Nadu.
• Modi’s Ramayana tour in temples across India: PM Modi announced an 11-day ‘Anushtaan’ (special ritual) ahead of the ceremony on Jan 22.
• Modi set out on a pilgrimage to shrines associated with Lord Ram across the country.
• It took him to Ramkund and Shree Kalaram Temple in Nasik, Veerbhadra Temple in Lepakshi, Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, and Guruvayur Temple and Triprayar Shree Ramaswami Temple in Kerala over the past few days. (here)
• The inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple is scheduled for Jan 22, with PM Modi and various dignitaries in attendance.
• On Thu, the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya saw the placement of the idol of Lord Ram inside the temple’s sanctum sanctorum.
• Covered with a veil, the first image of the idol was unveiled during the ceremony.
• The depiction showcases Lord Ram as a 5-year-old child standing on a lotus made from the same stone.
• The event has also extended invitations to several celebrities and notable personalities.
• Foreign devotees arrive in Ayodhya ahead of Pran Pratishtha: A devotee from New York, Europe, etc. at least devotees from more than 100 places arrived in Ayodhya
• “Lord Ram to return home after centuries of trials, struggles”: JP Nadda: BJP national president JP Nadda on Sat requested the people to be a part of the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony in Ayodhya and said that on Jan 22, Lord Ram will be returning to his home after “centuries of trials and struggles”. (here)
• Nepal: Janakpur echoes in ‘Ram Naam’ ahead of ceremony: As the countdown for the ceremony has begun, along with Ayodhya, the Janakpur Dham in Nepal, the maternal home of Goddess Sita is now brimming with happiness and enthusiasm, waiting for the occasion with high fanfare and gaiety, organizing a slew of events. (here)
• Devotees from Nepal reach Ayodhya ahead of ceremony: As the ceremony draws near, devotees from Nepal reach from Nepal to witness the historic occasion. (here)
• Uddhav Thackeray receives invitation for ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony
• ‘Ram Lalla idol doesn’t look like a child’: Digvijaya Singh courts new row: Senior congress leader, Digvijaya Singh said that the idol should be in the form of a child and the lap of Mother Kaushalya, but the one being seated is not in the child form. (here)
• Sitharaman alleges ‘DMK govt has banned Lord Ram puja’ on Jan 22; TN minister refutes claims: Union Fin Min N Sitharaman on Sun alleged that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu govt has banned the public in the state from organizing programs in the name of Lord Ram on Jan 22. (here)
• Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, PM of Mauritius, posted on X, “Let us rejoice as Shri Ram returns to Ayodhya. May his blessings and teachings continue to light our way towards peace and prosperity. Jai Hind! Jai Mauritius!”

Barbed fencing on Indo-Myanmar border soon to curb influx of illegal migrants, says Shah

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sat announced that the govt will fence India’s border with Myanmar, just like the Indo-B’desh border to bar the infiltration by illegal migrants and insurgents.
• He also applauded the Assam police for battling issues like infiltration and drug smuggling
• The announcement comes within days of a high number of Myanmar soldiers fleeing across India to escape ethnic clashes.
• As per reports, about 600 Myanmar Army soldiers crossed into India in the last 3 months and took refuge in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai after militants of the ethnic armed group Arakan Army captured their camps in the western state of Rakhine.
• Free-movement regime: The free-movement facility enables people on both sides of the border to travel 16 km into each other’s territory without a visa.
• 4 Indian states, Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram, share a 1,643-km-long border with Myanmar. (here)

Pulwama: Charge sheet filed against 12 in Kashmiri Pandit’s murder case

• The State Investigation Agency of J&K on Sat filed a charge sheet against 12 accused in connection with the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit, Sanjay Sharma, in Pulwama last year.
• Sharma (45), who worked as a bank security guard, was killed outside his house in Pulwama on Feb 26, 2023.
• The subsequent investigation revealed a broader conspiracy originating from across the border, the agency said in a statement.
• The case registered at the Litter PS, Pulwama was later transferred to SIA, which was created in Nov 2021 on the lines of the NIA for a probe into terror cases in the UT (here)

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis to travel to India in February

• In a pivotal move, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to embark on a visit to India in the 3^rd week of Feb.
• This comes as both nations seek to bolster their ties further, building on the impetus created by PM Modi’s key visit to Greece last year – the 1^st by an Indian PM in 4 decades.
• During PM Modi’s visit, India and Greece elevated their relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership”.
• Ties encompass various areas from connectivity to maritime collaboration.
• The strategic significance of Greece’s Piraeus port has come to the forefront, with the potential to serve as a key hub in the India-Middle East-Europe corridor.
• The military cooperation between the two nations has witnessed a notable upswing.
• India and Greece have consistently been aligned in their mutual support on issues such as Kashmir and Cyprus. (here)

Switzerland and India Reach Deal on Free Trade Agreement

• Switzerland and India have reached a consensus on a free-trade agreement after 16 years of negotiations, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin said.
• Parmelin traveled to India directly after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to meet with counterpart Piyush Goyal, according to a post by the Swiss minister on the platform X, late Sat.
• The outline of a deal was agreed, and officials are working to finalize the details, he said. (here)

Uganda President Museveni commends Indian diaspora for establishing 900 factories

• During the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Kampala, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni lauded the contributions of Indian returnees to the country’s economic landscape
• Highlighting their achievements, the President stated, “I was asking people how many factories have been built by our Indian returnees. They told me about the 900 factories that they had built since they came back.”
• Reflecting on Uganda’s history, particularly the expulsion of Asians, a majority being Indian Ugandans, during Idi Amin’s rule, the President admitted the regrettable mistakes made by the govt.
• He stated, “NAM countries also sometimes make mistakes like here in Uganda.”
• The president lamented the missed opportunities for growth and development during that tumultuous period. (here)

“Himanta Biswa Sarma is ‘chela’ of PM Modi…”: Mallikarjun Kharge

• Calling Himanta Biswa Sarma the disciple of PM Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sun said that the Assam CM is attacking the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which is being carried out in the state on the instructions of the BJP high command.
• The Congress chief said that the Assam CM has a habit of scaring Dalits, minorities, and backward classes in the country.
• The remarks came after Congress alleged that its vehicles were being attacked by BJP workers in parts of Assam during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
• Addressing the public in Nagaon, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will cross 15 States. (here)

President of UN General Assembly to pay 5-day visit to India

• UNGA President, Dennis Francis will kick-start a 5-day visit to India beginning Mon during which Delhi is expected to press him to forward the long-pending reform of the SC
• Besides holding talks with his Indian interlocutors in New Delhi, the top UN official will also travel to Jaipur and Mumbai.
• In Mumbai, Francis will pay floral tributes at the 26/11 memorial, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Sat, announcing his visit from Jan 22-26.
• It said the visit by the President of the 78^th Session of the UNGA (PGA) to India will also be an opportunity to enhance the country’s collaboration with the global body.
• The UN official is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on key multilateral issues of mutual interest.
• The MEA said the visit will also be an opportunity to enhance India’s alliance with the UN on Indian priorities as well as the challenges being faced by the Global South. (here)

Indian Mission in UAE extended Republic Day invite to CdA of Afghan Republic

• It has been revealed that the Indian Mission in Abu Dhabi invited a Taliban representative to India’s Republic Day celebration in the UAE
• It has come to light that the invitation was specifically addressed to the Chargé d’Affaires (CdA) of the Embassy of the ‘Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.’
• This nomenclature refers to the previous Afghan administration led by President Ashraf Ghani, which collapsed on Aug 15, 2021, as the Taliban seized control of Kabul.
• The then-Afghan President Ghani fled his country on that day, paving the way for the Taliban to come back to power after a gap of 2 decades.
• India, like many others, does not officially recognize the Taliban as the legitimate govt but maintains a “technical office” for humanitarian support in the country (here)

[Neighborhood]

‘Not Indian’, says govt after plane with 6 onboard crashes in Afghanistan

• A small aircraft that crashed in Afghanistan carrying 6 people was not an Indian carrier and was refueled at Gaya in Bihar en route to Moscow from Thailand, govt said on Sun.
• After reports surfaced that an Indian plane was involved in the crash, the civil aviation ministry said the aircraft was registered in Morocco.
• It also said the aircraft, an air ambulance, did not belong to any Indian carrier.
• A Russian private jet carrying 6 people crashes in Afghanistan. The Taliban say some survived: A Russian private jet carrying 6 people crashed in a remote area of rural Afghanistan but the pilot and some of the others on board survived, the Taliban said.
• The crash happened Sat in a mountainous area in Badakhshan province, regional spox said, adding that a rescue team was dispatched to the area.
• The province is some 250 km northeast of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.
• It is a rural, mountainous area, home to only several thousand people.
• The Taliban’s Transportation and Civil Aviation Ministry stated online saying the plane was found in the province’s Kuf Ab district, near the Aruz Koh mountain.
• “The pilot was found by the search team of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” the statement said.
•  “According to the pilot, 4 people including the pilot are alive. … The search and assistance of the Islamic Emirate team for the remaining survivors is ongoing.”
• There was no independent confirmation of the information.
• The Taliban also published a video of snow-capped mountains in the area.
• In Moscow, Russian civil aviation authorities said a Dassault Falcon 10 went missing with four crew members and two passengers. (here)

‘Pakistan-Iran tensions have raised concerns in US’

• Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program Lisa Curtis at CNAS has warned that heightened tensions between Pakistan and Iran have raised concerns in the US with fears of the situation spiraling out of control.
• Curtis, a seasoned foreign policy and national security expert, highlighted the motive behind Iran’s recent incursion into Pakistan, linking the move to a retaliatory response following the double suicide bombing on Jan 3, an attack claimed by Dai’sh.
• Curtis stressed the importance of US concern for regional stability, cautioning against potential escalation.
• Amid existing tensions in the region, including between Pakistan and India, as well as with the Taliban, she warned of the possibility of chaos if not handled carefully.
• She asserted that Pakistan and Iran would have to diffuse the tensions, noting their apparent movement in that direction with Pakistan talking about brotherly relations and Iran also separating Pakistani people and officials from terrorists.
• She believes this indicates their joint efforts to de-escalate the current tense situation.
• According to her, Iran aimed to demonstrate strength and resilience, reassuring the world that it remains formidable and ready to confront any aggression. (here)

Chinese yuan gives US dollar a run for its money as African trade embraces other currencies

• International Airport in Lusaka, one of the billboards welcoming you to the Zambian capital advertises the services of the Bank of China (BOC).
• There are not many countries in Africa where the Chinese government-owned financial institution offers fully-fledged banking services in yuan
• In addition to Zambia, BOC has a branch in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as a representative office in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
• But it was in the southern nation of Zambia where BOC established its first African subsidiary, allowing customers to make deposits in and even withdraw Chinese yuan.
• Branches in both Lusaka and Kitwe, a mining town in the country’s northern Copperbelt region, serve the growing number of Chinese mining firms and immigrants.
• Recently, the lender also announced that its Zambian division would help to boost the use of the yuan for trade as part of China’s efforts to promote the yuan in Africa (here)