1. Goods train rams into Kanchanjungha Express from behind in Bengal, 9 killed train accident
2. Stryker, predator drones, space, Pannun, and Indo-Pacific lead NSAs Doval & Sullivan’s talks
3. Gupta accused in plot to murder pro-Khalistani terrorist pleads not guilty in US court:
4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on Manipur security crisis
5. India possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, China has… claims SIPRI

What Else

1. India masking aggression on Kashmiris with provocations against Pakistan: COAS 
2. PM Modi to visit Uttar Pradesh, Bihar on June 18-19
3. Rahul Gandhi to retain Rae Bareli seat, Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Wayanad in bypoll
4. Bengal Governor orders Kolkata Police to ‘immediately’ vacate Raj Bhavan premises
5. India to hold trials in Spain for P-75 India submarine project by June-end; Madrid ready to fully back Airbus C-295 like deal, says Spanish firm
6. National Investigation Agency to probe Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi bus attack
7. China’s support for Russia in Ukraine compels Nato to seek Asian partnerships: top official
8. Ties warm during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s landmark trip to Australia but dark clouds loom
9. Pakistan: PM Shehbaz likely to meet Bilawal Bhutto soon amid budget rift

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Goods train rams into Kanchanjungha Express from behind in Bengal, 9 killed train accident

• 9 people, including 7 passengers and 2 railway staffers, died and 41 others were injured after 3 rear coaches of the stationary Kanchanjunga Express derailed on June 17 morning as a goods train collided with it in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district.
• In a statement, the Ministry said nine people suffered grievous injuries and 32 simple or minor injuries.
• The injured have been shifted to Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
• PM Modi expressed condolences, calling the incident in West Bengal tragic and stating his prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.
• The 3 rear compartments derailed under the impact of the collision from behind by the locomotive of the goods train near Rangapani station, about 30 km from New Jalpaiguri.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the site and said the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) had started a probe into the cause of the accident.
• While ₹10 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased, ₹2.5 lakh would be provided to the grievously injured, and ₹50,000 to those with minor injuries
• He confirmed that rescue operations have been completed. (here)

Stryker, predator drones, space, Pannun, and Indo-Pacific lead NSAs Doval & Sullivan’s talks

• US NSA Jake Sullivan arrived in Delhi Mon on a 2-day trip with a multi-faceted agenda ranging from military to critical material support, Indo-Pacific, and the Pannun plot
• This is the first high-profile US visit to India within days of the Modi 3.0 govt
• Incidentally [?], he landed on the day news arrived from the US that Indian national Nikhil Gupta — accused of attempting to kill Sikh separatist Pannun — had been extradited from the Czech Republic.
• (sources)- the Pannun issue was not officially on the agenda of talks, but said it was quite natural it could come up.
• They said the Indian side could brief Sullivan on what the high-level probe committee set up by the Modi govt has found and action taken thereafter.
• However, would not elaborate on what the committee had unearthed so far.
• Analysts saw the visit as important for the Biden admin as it goes into election mode.
• Sources also said a stronger India-US partnership was in the best interest of the two and others amid the rise in conflicts across the world and tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
• Sullivan, who held talks with his Indian counterpart NSA Ajit Doval, also met with EAM S. Jaishankar and will call on PM Modi.
• The current visit continues Doval and Sullivan’s high-level engagement on the robust and multi-faceted agenda of the India-US global strategic partnership.
• Since May 2022, following the launch of the India-US Initiative on iCET by Modi and Biden on the sidelines of the Quad in Tokyo on 24 May 2022
• This pertained to diverse domains of ICET, including semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, defense innovation, space, and advanced telecommunications.
• The two NSAs also discussed bilateral issues and reviewed the India-US partnership on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• They also chaired the first annual review of iCET with an inter-departmental delegation from both countries. (here)
• $90 million for Global Challenges Institute focusing on technology.
• Joint NASA-ISRO astronaut mission to the International Space Station initiated.
• ISRO astronauts to receive advanced training at NASA facilities.
• Open RAN Roadmap finalized for large-scale deployment in both countries.
• Track 1.5 Biopharmaceutical Supply Chain Consortium launched for resilience.
• Strategic partnership for semiconductor design and manufacturing established.
• India’s role in the Mineral Security Partnership was promoted and expanded. (here)

Gupta accused in plot to murder pro-Khalistani terrorist pleads not guilty in US court:

• Indian national Nikhil Gupta, suspected by the US of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to kill the India-designated pro-Khalistani terrorist Pannun on American soil pleaded not guilty on Mon at a federal court in the US.
• Gupta arrived at the Manhattan Federal Courthouse in New York City at 12:30 PM (local time) and has pleaded not guilty in court.
• Gupta was extradited to the US from the Czech Republic on Friday.
• While speaking to reporters, Gupta’s US-based lawyer, attorney Jeffrey Chabrowe said that they would file a bail application at a later date, meaning Gupta will continue to be detained for now.
• During the 20-minute hearing, Chabrowe stressed the conditions of Gupta’s detention that he had not been provided with a vegetarian meal since he arrived at a Brooklyn detention facility on Friday.
• The New York-based attorney will be allowed to speak with Gupta again. The next hearing is on June 28. (here)
• In Nikhil Gupta’s case, a group of Democratic senators, led by Senator Jeff Merkley, wrote to the US Secretary of State Blinken. Urge “strong diplomatic response” & press Indian Govt “to hold those involved criminally accountable“.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on Manipur security crisis

• A high-level meeting to assess the security situation in the conflict-ridden Manipur was presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Mon in the nation’s capital.
• This is the 2^nd meeting conducted by the HM since taking office, after an assessment of the J&K security situation in the aftermath of the recent terror incident.
• The meeting was attended by Union Home Secy Ajay Bhalla, IB Chief Tapan Deka, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, Army Chief (Designate) Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, GoC 3 Core, Security Advisor to Manipur, state Chief Secretary, DGP, and Assam Rifles DG at the Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block in Delhi.
• Following her visit to Shah on Sun, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey updated him on the state’s current situation of violence.
• The meeting took place at the Ministry of Home Affairs as new violence was reported in the northern state. (here)

India possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, China has… claims SIPRI

• India possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, while China has expanded its nuclear arsenal from 410 warheads in Jan 2023 to 500 by Jan 2024, according to SIPRI, a Swedish think tank, on Mon.
• 9 nuclear-armed nations, including the US, Russia, the UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, continued to modernize their nuclear arsenals, and several of them deployed new nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023.
• India’s “stored” nuclear warheads were 172 in Jan this year, while Pakistan has 170.
• India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2023, Both India and Pakistan continued to develop new types of nuclear delivery systems in 2023.
• The SIPRI report said while Pakistan remains the main focus of India’s nuclear deterrent, India appears to be placing growing emphasis on longer-range weapons, including those capable of reaching targets throughout China.
• Some 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles, and nearly all of them belonged to Russia or the US.
• However, for the 1^st time, China is believed to have some warheads on high operational alert. (here)

India masking aggression on Kashmiris with provocations against Pakistan: COAS 

• Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir on Mon visited the Line of Control in the Haji Pir sector to celebrate Eid ul Adha with the troops, the military said in a statement.
• He also paid respects to the sacrifices of the martyrs of Pakistan, acknowledging their contributions to the nation’s security.
• During his speech, Gen Munir discussed the ongoing indigenous freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• He reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance, which aligns with relevant UN resolutions.
• The army chief condemned India’s continued oppression and brutalities against Kashmiris, noting that post-election, India has been attempting to mask its aggression with false propaganda and provocations against Pakistan. (here)

PM Modi to visit Uttar Pradesh, Bihar on June 18-19

• PM Modi is set to visit Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on June 18 and 19, Tue and Wed.
• The PM will participate in PM Kisan Samman Sammelan in Varanasi, UP at around 5 pm
• During the event, the PM will grant certificates to more than 30,000 women from self-help groups (SHGs) Krishi Sakhis.
• PM Modi, after being sworn in as PM, signed his first file authorizing the release of the 17^th installment of PM Kisan Nidhi.
• So far, more than 11 crore eligible farmer families have received benefits of more than Rs. 3.04 lakh crore under PM-KISAN.
• Krishi Sakhi Convergence Program (KSCP) aims to transform rural India through the empowerment of rural women as Krishi Sakhi, by imparting training and certification of Krishi Sakhis as Para-extension Workers.
• In Bihar, the PM will visit the Ruins of Nalanda at around 9.45 am.
• The ruins of Nalanda were declared a UN Heritage Site in 2016.
• At 10.30 am, he will inaugurate the new campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir.
• The inauguration ceremony will be attended by several eminent people, including the heads of missions from 17 countries.
• The campus has two academic blocks with 40 classrooms, with a total seating capacity of around 1900, with 2 auditoriums with a capacity of 300 seats each. (here)

Rahul Gandhi to retain Rae Bareli seat, Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Wayanad in bypoll

• Ending weeks of suspense, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Mon finally decided to retain the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in UP, while he will leave the Wayanad seat from Kerala.
• In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul won both seats
• After a high-level party meeting on Mon, Congress president Kharge announced that Rahul would be representing Rae Bareli while Priyanka Gandhi would fight in the by-polls for the Wayanad seat.
• As per rules, he will have to vacate one seat and continue on one seat. (here)

Bengal Governor orders Kolkata Police to ‘immediately’ vacate Raj Bhavan premises

• West Bengal Guv C V Ananda Bose on Mon ordered Kolkata Police personnel deployed at the Raj Bhavan to immediately vacate the premises, an official said.
• Bose is planning to convert the police outpost near the North Gate of the Raj Bhavan into a ‘Jan Manch’ (public platform), he said.
• The move comes days after the police prevented BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari and alleged victims of post-poll violence in the state from entering the Raj Bhavan to meet Bose, despite the governor’s permitting them.
• The police had stopped Adhikari from entering the Raj Bhavan citing Section 144 of CrPC, which is in force outside the Governor House, prohibiting large gatherings.
• The Calcutta High Court subsequently questioned whether Bose was effectively under “house arrest”, and allowed Adhikari to visit Raj Bhavan with the “victims of post-poll violence” upon receiving permission from the governor’s office. (here)

India to hold trials in Spain for P-75 India submarine project by June-end; Madrid ready to fully back Airbus C-295 like deal, says Spanish firm

• The Indian Navy is going to hold trials in Spain to test the critical equipment for its Project 75 India to get 6 advanced submarines by Jun end, Spanish firm Navantia said
• Spanish shipyard Navantia’s Chairman Ricardo Dominguez Garcia-Baquero said both the Spanish govt and the Spanish Navy are very keen for the P75(I) project to progress and are willing to support it in all possible ways.
• On the present status of the field trial being conducted by the Indian Navy, the Navantia said the field evaluation trials of AIP by the Indian Navy are planned in the last week of June at our Shipyard in Cartagena.
• India is looking to acquire 6 advanced conventional submarines with AIP system which would allow them to stay underwater for longer periods than the boats of previous generations without this system. (here)

National Investigation Agency to probe Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi bus attack

• The Union Home Ministry on Mon handed over the probe into the recent terror attack on a bus in J&K to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officials said.
• 9 people, including three women were killed, and 41 injured as a bus carrying pilgrims from UP, Rajasthan, and Delhi plunged into a deep gorge after an ambush by terrorists in J&K’s Reasi on June 9.
• The terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus when it was en route from Shiv Khori temple to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra. (here)

 [neighborhood]

China’s support for Russia in Ukraine compels Nato to seek Asian partnerships: top official

• China’s support for Russia’s efforts in Ukraine has made it necessary for NATO to forge global partnerships, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, and significantly ramp up defense spending, the transatlantic security alliance’s top official said on Mon.
• The position adopted by Beijing has intensified the largest armed conflict in Europe since the end of the second world war, according to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, requiring the allies to act and “impose a cost”.
• “The growing alignment between Russia and its authoritarian friends in Asia makes it even more important that we work closely with our friends in the Indo-Pacific”.
• Stoltenberg offered his remarks during a visit to Washington and previewed a stance Nato leaders are expected to take at their summit in Washington from July 9 to 11.
• “Publicly, President Xi [Jinping] has tried to create the impression that he’s taking a back seat in this conflict to avoid sanctions and keep trade flowing,” said Stoltenberg
• “But the reality is that China’s fuelling the largest armed conflict in Europe since WWII
•  And at the same time, it wants to maintain good relations with the West.” (here)

Ties warm during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s landmark trip to Australia but dark clouds loom

• Chinese Premier Li Qiang was greeted on June 17 with a 19-gun salute in Canberra and smiles from Australian PM Anthony Albanese, but the warm handshakes were accompanied by hints of looming troubles in the relationship.
• Following their meeting on a frosty morning in the Australian capital, Albanese and Li – making the 1^st visit to Australia by a Chinese premier in 7 years – announced several measures to advance the bilateral relationship, including allowing Australians to access visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days. (here)
• Li focuses on critical minerals and clean energy during visit: Li ends his Australian tour on Tue in the west coast city of Perth where he will focus on China’s investment in critical minerals and clean energy.
• Later Tue, he is to become the first premier to visit Malaysia since 2015.
• Li, China’s 2^nd-most powerful leader after President Xi Jinping, will inspect iron ore miner Fortescue’s clean energy research facility in Perth.
• Fortescue’s chairman Andrew Forrest said Li was interested in the company’s plans to produce iron ore without carbon emissions and potentially “green iron.”
• The Perth facility is testing the technology on hydrogen, ammonia, and battery power for trains, ships, trucks, and heavy mining equipment.
• Li will also visit Chinese-controlled Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia’s processing plant south of Perth to underscore China’s interest in investing in critical minerals.
• The plant produces battery-grade lithium hydroxide for electric vehicles.
• Citing Australia’s national interests, Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently ordered 5 Chinese-linked companies to divest their shares in the rare earth mining, Northern Minerals. (here)

Pakistan: PM Shehbaz likely to meet Bilawal Bhutto soon amid budget rift

• PM Shehbaz Sharif is likely to meet PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari following the latter’s criticism for not taking its input at all while preparing the annual budget Sun.
• (Sources)- the PM held a telephone conversation with the former FM on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul Adha.
• PM Shehbaz also invited Bilawal to a meeting at the PM’s House after Eid, which the latter accepted.
• The meeting between PM Shehbaz and Bilawal is expected to focus on resolving outstanding issues between the two parties, sources revealed.
• Earlier, it was reported that the PML-N-led federal govt has intensified efforts to placate the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) amid a budget rift.
• The Bilawal Bhutto-led party earlier decided not to attend the Pakistan Budget 2024 session in the National Assembly, but the PML-N managed to placate them.
• “It was decided that the PSDP for the four provinces would be decided together,” he said while speaking to the media. (here)