1. PM Modi meets Nancy Pelosi day after her Xi Jinping remark
2. “Will not hesitate to teach lesson to Jammu and Kashmir’s enemies,” PM Modi on terror attacks
3. India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ moves keep ties with Sri Lanka in focus
4. Non-participation in policy of illegal sanctions seen as criterion of BRICS membership
5. NEET paper leak: ‘Strict action to be taken against NTA official if found guilty,’ says Education Minister

What Else

1. ‘Country where I had lived and worked…’: French journalist claims he was ‘forced’ to leave India
2. Central Army commander to become vice-chief, key changes in offing
3. Indian pharma firm says reports of Nepal banning its injection ‘misleading, erroneous’
4. Myanmar armed groups accuse junta of breaking China-brokered ceasefire
5. Xi visits Tibetans and temple in western China, calls for ethnic unity
6. Pakistan: Ahmadi community members face arrests, vandalism for animal sacrifice on Eid-ul Adha

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PM Modi meets Nancy Pelosi day after her Xi Jinping remark

• PM Modi on Thu met with a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by Michael McCaul in Delhi.
• Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was among those who were a part of the delegation.
• NSA Ajit Doval was also present when PM Modi met with the Congressional delegation.
• Earlier, the US lawmakers met Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, with China expressing “strong concern” over the same.
• In response, Pelosi targeted Chinese President Xi Jinping while praising the Dalai Lama’s enduring legacy.
• The US delegation is in India to strengthen bilateral ties and meet the 88-year-old Dalai Lama. (here)
• China says Dalai Lama must correct his political propositions for talks, asks US to respect stance on Tibet: China on Thu asked the Dalai Lama to thoroughly reflect and completely correct his political propositions for it to hold talks with him.
• Beijing asked the US to respect its sensitivity and importance to Tibet-related issues as Washington is set to pass a tough Tibet policy law.
• On the central govt’s contact and talks with the 14^th Dalai Lama China’s policy is consistent and clear, Chinese FM spox told a media briefing.
• China watched warily the high-powered US Congressional delegation’s visit, besides the strong remarks made by its leading members questioning China’s policy towards Tibet and their call to Beijing to hold talks with the Dalai Lama. (here)

“Will not hesitate to teach lesson to Jammu and Kashmir’s enemies,” PM Modi on terror attacks

• Amidst the recent attacks in J&K, PM Modi on Thu assured the people that the govt has taken the attacks seriously and will not hesitate to teach a lesson to the enemies.
• While addressing a conference in Srinagar
• He stressed that the Union Home Minister has reviewed all the arrangements in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
• The Prime Minister reiterated, “I assure you that we will not hesitate to teach a lesson to the enemies of Jammu and Kashmir“.
• The statement came while he was addressing the Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K Program amidst his 2-day visit to Srinagar to participate in Int’l Yoga Day.
• PM Modi in his address also said that people will live with peace. (here)
• Preparations have started for assembly polls in J-K, says PM Modi; indicates early restoration of statehood: PM Modi on Thu said “time is not far” when the people of J&K will elect a new govt in assembly polls and indicated that statehood will be resorted soon to the UT. (here)

India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ moves keep ties with Sri Lanka in focus

• Sri Lanka launched an upgraded naval monitoring center on Thu funded by India as New Delhi pushes to counter China’s expanding regional influence.
• The Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre — able to track shipping across vast areas — was backed by a $6 million Indian grant, a statement from President Wickremesinghe’s office said.
• Based in Sri Lanka’s naval HQ in Colombo, it also includes seven remote stations along the island’s eastern seaboard.
• One lies in the far south of Sri Lanka — close to the Chinese-run port of Hambantota — overseeing major international east-to-west shipping routes.
• Sri Lanka’s maritime rescue region covers an area of 1.77 million km² stretching from India to Indonesia, Australia, and the Maldives.
• EAM foreign minister S. Jaishankar opened the facility during his first foreign visit since the formation of PM Modi’s new govt this month.
• Jaishankar said on social media that Colombo was a key part of India’s “neighborhood first” and maritime security policies.
• India is suspicious of China’s growing presence in the IOR, including in Sri Lanka as well as the Maldives, which signed a military assistance pact with Beijing in Mar
• In 2021, Sri Lanka awarded a strategic port development in Colombo to India’s Adani group — a 1.4-km jetty next to a Chinese-operated terminal.
• Adani was last month awarded a deal to establish a $442-million wind energy plant in Sri Lanka’s north, although that has faced legal challenges from residents. (here)

Non-participation in policy of illegal sanctions seen as criterion of BRICS membership

• Only countries that don’t engage in a policy of illegal sanctions against other countries can be admitted to BRICS, Russian Dy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.
• “One of the key criteria for the BRICS membership or for being admitted as a partner state is the applicants’ non-participation in the policy of illegal sanctions, illegal restrictions against any of the BRICS members, first of all, Russia,” TASS.
• This position, according to Ryabkov, “is met with full understanding” and Russia hopes that “it [this position] will preserve its pivotal character in the future.”
• “But it is an incontestable fact that BRICS will go on expanding and will find new formats of cooperation,” he stressed.
• “So far, there are 10 of us. We are through the adjustment period and are working as a team.”
• “Work on the constructive agenda is what distinguishes BRICS from many other associations,” he added. (here)

NEET paper leak: ‘Strict action to be taken against NTA official if found guilty,’ says Education Minister

• In a major development in the NEET paper leak case, the Indian govt on Thu said that it will form a high-level committee to review the functioning of the NTA
• “We are committed to holding zero-error exams, and a high-level committee is being formed to improve NTA functioning,” said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• He then ensured that the govt would not compromise with transparency and would safeguard the students’ rights.
• ‘UGC-NET exam paper leaked on Darknet’: Minister Pradhan further said that the UGC-NET exam was canceled because it got leaked on the Darknet.
• He then said that the new dates of when the exam will be conducted will be out soon.
• “Very soon we will have to come out with dates. We will see how the students are less burdened, but quality and transparency will be there,” he added.
• Earlier today, reports emerged that an aspirant from Bihar had admitted to having received NEET question papers a day before the examination was conducted.
• Pradhan’s remarks come a day after UGC-NET NTA announced the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam. (here)

‘Country where I had lived and worked…’: French journalist claims he was ‘forced’ to leave India

• Sébastien Farcis, a French journalist, alleged on Thu that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had refused to renew his permit, forcing him to leave India and preventing him from covering the general elections in 2024.
• He is the 2^nd French journalist to make such a claim in four months.
• “On 17th June, I was forced to leave India, a country where I had lived and worked as a journalist for 13 years, Radio France Internationale, Radio France, Libération and the Swiss and Belgian public radios,” Farcis posted on X on Thu.
• According to Farcis, the MHA notified him on Mar 7^th that he would not be allowed to cover the elections and declined to renew his journalist permit. [but why telling now]
• After 23 years of working as a journalist in India, Dougnac was allegedly asked to leave on Feb 16.
• According to an Outlook report, she was also married to an Indian man and had a son.
• The MHA allegedly sent her a notice in Jan, charging her of penning “malicious” articles that undermined “the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India.”
• She said that the notification mandated her to answer why her OCI card should not be canceled. (here) [such dramas will keep on going, but yes, if West does it then it would be a law & order issue but if developing counties do, it violation of FoE]

Central Army commander to become vice-chief, key changes in offing

• The Indian Army will see key changes in its leadership in Jun-end with Vice Chief Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi taking over as the Army chief and him being replaced by central Commander Lt. Gen. N. S. Raja Subramani.
• With this move, several changes are likely to take place within the Army leadership.
• Former 14 Corps Commander and current Chief of Staff of the Northern Command Lt. Gen. Anindya Sengupta is likely to take over as the Central Army Commander in Lucknow.
• The central command, which till very recently was an administrative one, has been beefed into a combat command.
• It now has the Mathura-based 1 Corps, a Strike Corps focussed on China, while Headquarters Uttar Bharat, an administrative formation under the Central Command, is being converted into a full-fledged corps called the 18 Corps.
• Another key change will be made in Pune-based Southern Army Command with Lt. Gen. Ajai Kumar Singh retiring this month-end.
• The Leh-based 14 Corps will also see a new commander with the incumbent Lt. Gen. Rashim Bali moving to Army HQ as the new Military Secretary and will look after HR-related functions.
• He will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Hitesh Bhalla, who will take over the rank of Lt. Gen. on 1 July. (here)

Indian pharma firm says reports of Nepal banning its injection ‘misleading, erroneous’

• Indian pharma company Zydus Healthcare Ltd on Wed responded to reports that Nepal has suspended the sale and distribution of one of its injections ‘over serious health risks’.
• The Kathmandu Post reported on Tue that Department of Drug Administration (DDA), Nepal’s national medicines regulatory authority, suspended the sales and distribution of Biotax 1gm.
• Biotax 1gm is an antibiotic injection manufactured by Zydus Healthcare Ltd. The news report claimed that the laboratory testing of the Biotax 1gm batch F300460 revealed that the drug was not in compliance with the production specifications.
• It also claimed that it is not safe for use and could risk patients’ lives.

• The Biotax 1gm injection is an antibiotic, used in infection in the brain, lungs, ear, urinary tract, skin, soft tissues, bones and joints, blood, and heart. (here)

 [Neighborhood]

Myanmar armed groups accuse junta of breaking China-brokered ceasefire

• An alliance of Myanmar ethnic armed groups has accused the junta of repeatedly violating a China-brokered ceasefire in the north of the country in Jun and causing civilian casualties.
• Beijing brokered a truce between the junta and the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” in Jan after months of fighting that displaced more than half a million people near China’s southern border.
• The ceasefire allowed the alliance – made up of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army (AA) – to hold swathes of territory it had seized in northern Shan state.
• Junta troops launched an air strike on Jun 19 on territory the TNLA holds near the ruby and gem-mining hub of Mogok, the group said.
• “In this incident, one civilian was killed and 3 wounded including a 10-year-old child,” the TNLA stated in a post to the alliance’s Telegram channel on Jun 19.
• TNLA fighters had fought alongside local “People’s Defence Forces” in recent fighting near the town of Pyin Oo Lwin, he said. (here)

Xi visits Tibetans and temple in western China, calls for ethnic unity

• Chinese President Xi has issued a call for national unity at a Tibetan Buddhist heritage site as Tibet again becomes a point of contention in relations with the US.
• The Chinese leader visited a middle school for Golok Tibetans and the Tibetan Buddhist Hongjue Temple in the northwestern province of Qinghai on Tue, Xinhua said on Wed
• Both sites are in the provincial capital Xining.
• The historic temple has been key to Beijing’s communication with Tibetan Buddhist leaders since 1951.
• Xi’s inspection was reportedly focused on local efforts to deepen education to forge “a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” and strengthen “love for both the country and the religion” of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as education support from more developed eastern provinces. (here)

Pakistan: Ahmadi community members face arrests, vandalism for animal sacrifice on Eid-ul Adha

• Dozens of members of the minority Ahmadi community were arrested in Pakistan for allegedly sacrificing animals on Eid-ul Adha.
• The 4 million-strong community is deemed non-Muslim under the country’s constitution
• The Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan, which represents the minority community in the country, strongly protested against the authorities for allegedly preventing Ahmadis from offering their religious rites within the confinement of their homes during Eid.
• Notably, contrary to other reports in the media, WION can confirm that no members of the Ahmadi community have been killed in the acts of violence and vandalism that erupted in the country over Eid-ul Adha earlier this week.
• “At least 36 members of the minority Ahmadi community have been arrested for offering sacrificial animals for slaughter on Eid-ul Adha in the country mostly in Punjab province,” Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan official Amir Mahmood told PTI.
• Mahmood accused radical TLP of fanning hatred and leading acts of vandalism against the Ahmadi community in the country. (here)