Newsletter 23 May

Top News of the Week

The numbers in COVID-19 cases continuously increasing, amid relaxation in lockdown increased. News also came from other sectors, mainly due to international geopolitical scenarios which is changing rapidly.

AMPHAN

PM Modi took aerial survey of affected area in West Bengal and Orrisa and announced am advanced package of 1000 Cr and 500 Cr respectively. Some 80 people lost their life along with huge loss of properties in WB and Orrisa in Super Cyclonic Storm AMPHAN over West-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 107 kmph during past 6 hours & laid centered at 1130 hrs IST of 19^th May 2020 as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm over West-central Bay of Bengal: India Meteorological Department.

Protests continue in several areas of Kolkata as parts of metropolis remain without water and power since cyclone Amphan ravaged the city, on Sat.

3 SECURITY PERSONAL AND 4 TERRORISTS KILLED, 4 TERRORISTS ARRESTED IN THIS WEEK IN JNK, ALONG WITH INTERMITTENT CEASEFIRE VIOLATION.

Terrorists attacked a joint team of police and CRPF in Pulwama of Jammu and Kashmir. Two jawans injured in the attack, area has been cordoned off and search is on. One of the two jawans, who sustained injuries in the firing by terrorists in Pulwama, succumbs to injuries: JnK Police.

Two dreaded Pakistan sponsored terrorists killed in Doda of JnK in a joint operation by J&K Police, Indian Army & CRPF on May 17^th. Identified as Tahir of Hizbul Mujahideen and Maqsood Ahmed. They were involved in killing of RSS leader Chandrakant Sharma in Kishtwar.

In an operation’s on May, 19^th, 2 terrorists were killed. They have been identified as Junaid Ashraf Khan from Srinagar and Tariq Ahmed Sheikh from Pulwama. Junaid Sehrai is the youngest son of Hurriyat’s Chairman Mohammed Ashraf Khan, divisional Commander: JnK DGP Dilbag Singh.

On May 20^th, Security Forces arrest 4 Terrorist from Budgam, South Kashmir while on May 21^st J&K Police & Indian Army 28 RR arrest 3 terrorists of Pakistani terror group Lashkar e Tayyiba during Cordon and Search Ops in forest area of Lolab, Kupwara of North Kashmir. All three were recently recruited into the terror group, as said by top J&K Police Sources confirm.

On May 20^th itself, 2 BSF Jawans killed in Action when Pakistan sponsored Terrorists fired on a BSF Naka in Pandach, Srinagar of Kashmir valley. Weapons of BSF Jawans also stolen. Area cordoned off by J&K Police and security forces in BSF official statement.

The contacts of the 3 men were analyzed & their movement was traced. It was found that they are hiding in the forest area of Sogam Lolab area on Thurs. The area was cordoned off & they were arrested today in Kupwara. Arms and ammunition recovered. Probe underway. Operation stated after a photo went viral on social media in which three men were seen holding weapons. They had called at their homes and informed their family that they have chosen the path of terrorism. On the basis of info gathered, Police and army launched a joint operation- AS Dinkar, SSP Kupwara, J&K

Pak Radio “International Forum for Justice and Human Rights strongly condemns Indian authorities for slapping fourth draconian Public Safety Act on rights defender Mohammad Ahsan Untoo”. Hundreds of people including women and children were forced to spend whole night in open during an 18-hour long cordon and search operation by Indian troops in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district.

PAK-ORIGIN UK HOME SECY REFUSES EXTRADITION OF DAWOOD'S AIDE TIGER HANIF (ANI): May 18

Questions have been raised after the British government refused a request from the Indian government to extradite a suspect in the devastating bomb blasts in Gujarat’s Surat communal riots in 1993 in which an 8-year-old girl was killed in the blasts and dozens were injured.
Mohammed Hanif Umerji Patel (also known as ‘Tiger Hanif’) is alleged to be an aide of the notorious underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and is accused by the Indian
It is believed that Hanif arrived in the UK illegally in 1996 after jumping bail in India following his arrest over the attacks and eventually obtained a British passport in 2005. He was arrested by British police in 2010 after India requested his extradition.
He had been picked up whilst working at a grocery store in northern England. Since 2013, the 57-year-old has lost a number of legal bids to remain in the UK by claiming that his human rights would be violated. He has repeatedly insisted that he would be tortured if returned to India.
Despite being cleared to be sent back to India by British courts, including the High Court, the second-highest court in the UK, he has been reprieved after Pakistani-origin Home Secretary Sajid Javid, ultimate authority in deciding extradition requests, refused the request for extradition in 2019.
Many people both in India and the UK have raised alarming questions about the difference in treatment for Hanif compared with the billionaire tycoon Vijay Mallya whose extradition to India to face charges of fraud was approved by Javid. Hanif’s initial extradition trial took place in 2012 with the judge at the Westminster Magistrate’s Court, describing him as a “classic fugitive” from justice.
- Eventually, after the appeals process, the High Court, in 2013, also ruled that Hanif should be returned to India.
- That ruling ultimate made it to the office of the then-Home Secretary Theresa May -as well as to her successor Amber Rudd — but a decision was not made until 2019 when Javid was made Home Secretary.
- Despite immediately signing off on Mallya’s extradition, Javid stopped Hanif’s return to India — despite both individuals contesting the extradition on similar grounds that they would not receive fair trials and jail conditions would breach their basic human rights.
- Curiously in both cases, the British government sent out independent experts to assess the jail conditions in India.
- As such many have questioned how an individual described by the Indian government as a dangerous terrorist can escape facing justice in India while an economic offender faces the opposite fate.
- It is believed that – as is his right – Hanif made direct representations to the then-Home Secretary.
- The Home Office has confirmed that the extradition request for Hanif was refused by Javid and that he was discharged by the court in August 2019. (ANI)

GOVT MANDATES PURCHASE OF 26 MILITARY EQUIPMENT ONLY FROM DOMESTIC FIRMS

The Defense Ministry on Wed issued directives providing for procurement of 26 spares and equipment (40-60%) for military use only from domestic suppliers.
The move came days after Fin Min N Sitharaman unveiled a series of reform measures to promote the domestic defense industry and cut India’s reliance on imported weapons and military platforms.
All the items identified for procurement from domestic defense manufacturers are used in shipbuilding.
So far, the Def Min has notified 127 items where purchase preference is given to local suppliers.
“In order to further encourage procurement from local suppliers, 26 items out of 127 already notified, have now been notified under clause 3(a) of the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017,” the Ministry stated.
“Henceforth, procuring entities will procure these items only from local suppliers, irrespective of purchase value, provided that the local suppliers meet the minimum local content (MLC) as prescribed for each item,” it said.
- The reform measures announced by Sitharaman included making separate budgetary outlay to procure Indian-made military hardware, increasing FDI limit from 49 to 74% cent under automatic route and generating a year-wise negative list of weapons whose import will not be allowed.
- India is one of the most lucrative markets for global defense giants as it figured among top three importers of military hardware in the world for the last eight years.
- According to estimates, the Indian armed forces are projected to spend around USD 130 billion in capital procurement in the next five years.
- Experts said increasing the existing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap to 74 per cent will encourage global players like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus and Dassault Aviation to set up manufacturing hubs in India and bring niche technology without hesitation as the firms will have majority stakes in their Indian subsidiaries. PTI

ENVOYS OF SEVEN NATIONS PRESENT CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT RAM NATH KOVIND

Envoys of 7 nations Korea, Senegal, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Australia, Cote d’Ivoire and Rwanda present credentials to President of India Ram Nath Kovind through video conferencing. This has added a new dimension to India’s digital diplomacy initiatives.

The Ambassadors/High Commissioners who presented their credentials were: –

Mr Choe Hui Chol, Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Mr Abdoul Wahab Haidara, Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal
Dr Roger Gopaul, High Commissioner of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Mrs Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mauritius
Mr Barry Robert O’Farrell, High Commissioner of Australia
N’DRY Eric Camille, Ambassador of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire
Ms Jacqueline Mukangira, High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda
This event has added a new dimension to India’s digital diplomacy initiatives.

HEALTH MINISTER HARSH VARDHAN TOOK CHARGE AS WHO EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIRMAN

‘I am aware I am entering this office at a time of global crisis on account of this pandemic,’ Vardhan said addressing the 147^th WHO Executive Board session as its Chair of 34 members of WHO Executive Board for 3 yrs, amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus across the world.
The main functions of the Board are to implement the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly and advice and facilitate its work.
- The Chair of the Executive Board is elected by its members on being nominated by the Regional Committees of the six WHO Regions, by rotation.

The annual Board meeting is held in January when the members agree upon the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly. A second shorter meeting takes place in May, as a follow-up to the Health Assembly.

Al Qaeda terrorist Mohammed Ibrahim Zubair landed in India from the United States. The key finance guy for Al Qaeda was brought on a special flight on 19^th May and is at a quarantine center in Amritsar, Punjab. Zubair had pleaded guilty in a US court for his terror crimes.

IMPACT OF RBI’S DECISIONS TO SLASH REPO RATE, EXTEND LOAN MORATORIUM

RBI Repo Rate: The MPC is of the view that the macroeconomic impact of the pandemic is turning out to be more severe than initially anticipated, and various sectors of the economy are experiencing acute stress.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Fri slashed its key policy rates to stabilize the financial system and tackle the economic fallout from the ongoing nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The RBI panel unexpectedly cut the repo rate by 40 basis points to 4 per cent and the reverse repo rate by 40 basis points to 3.35 per cent.
In another significant move, the RBI also announced extension of moratorium on loan repayments by another three months to Aug 31.
The RBI has now extended the moratorium on term loan repayment by another three months to Aug 31, 2020.
On Mar 27, the RBI had announced a 3 month moratorium till May 31 (March 1-May 31).
This will help borrowers, especially corporates which have halted production and are facing cash flow problems, to get more time to stabilize their operations and restart their units.
All borrowers, including home loan, term loans and credit card outstanding, will get the benefit of the moratorium.
In another significant measure, the RBI has allowed borrowers and banks to convert the interest charges during the moratorium period (from Mar 1 to Aug 31) into a term loan which can be repaid by Mar 2021. This is expected to reduce the burden on borrowers who have gone for moratorium.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram asks RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das to ‘bluntly’ tell govt to do its duty and take fiscal measures if he feels that demand has collapsed and GDP growth is heading towards negative territory.

NEW DOMICILE RULE IN JNK, REGARDING REGISTRATION OF BONAFIDE MIGRANTS

On May 16th, J&K notifies amended domicile certificate rules as Eligible non-locals can also now apply

The J&K administration notified the J&K grant of domicile certificate procedure rules 2020 and set a fast track process in motion to issue the certificates within a stipulated time of 15 days.
“These rules provide a simple time-bound and transparent procedure for issuance of domicile certificates in such a manner that no category of person is put to any inconvenience as per government spokesman and J&K’s Principal Secretary (Power) Rohit Kansal said.
“Domicile certificates have now been made a basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of J&K following the amendments in the previous Act,”
To make the process transparent and time-bound, any officer not able to issue the certificate would be penalized ₹50,000. The amount would be recovered from his salary, Mr. Kansal said.
“All Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside J&K can apply for the certificates,” he said.
- Kashmiri migrants living in or outside J&K can get domicile certificates by simply producing their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), ration card copy, voter card or any other valid document.
- “A special window is also provided to migrants who have not registered with the Relief and Rehabilitation department. Bonafide migrants can apply with the Relief and Rehabilitation department by providing documents like electoral rolls of 1988, proof of registration as a migrant in any State in the country or any other valid document,” Mr. Kansal said.
- He said applicants can apply electronically and get a certificate online too.
- “The new process will allow West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women who married non-locals to apply for jobs here,” said Mr. Kansal.
- According to the new domicile laws, Central government officials, All India Service Officers, officials of Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous bodies of the Central Government, Public Sector Banks, Statutory bodies, Central Universities and recognised research institutes of the Central Government, who have served in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for a total period of ten years, are eligible for the certificate.
- “Children who can produce Class 10 or Class 12 certificate from any J&K school will also be eligible for these certificates,” Mr. Kansal said.
- Those also eligible for the certificates would include children of a person who has been a resident for a period of fifteen years. They will be asked to produce ration card, immovable property records, educational records, electricity utility bills or employer certificate verified by the Deputy Labor Commissioner or the Director Industries and Commerce of the concerned division, officials said.
- “A person who has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in class 10/12^th examination in an educational institution located in J&K will also be eligible,” the notification said.

GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS SHEKATKAR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO CREATING BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE

Government has accepted and implemented three important recommendations of Committee of Experts (CoE) under the Chairmanship of Lt General D B Shekatkar (Retd) relating to border Infrastructure on May 18^th. These were related to speeding up road construction, leading to socio economic development in the border areas.

On the matter related to creating border infrastructure, the Government has implemented recommendation of CoE to outsource road construction work beyond optimal capacity of Border Roads Organization (BRO). It has been made mandatory to adopt Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) mode for execution of all works costing more than Rs 100 crore.

The other recommendation relating to introduction of modern construction plants, equipment and machinery has been implemented by delegating enhanced procurement powers from Rs 7.5 crore to Rs 100 crore to BRO, for domestic and foreign procurements. Border Roads has recently inducted Hot-Mix Plant 20/30 TPH for speedier laying of roads, remote operated hydraulic Rock Drills DC-400 R for hard rock cutting, a range of F-90 series of self-propelled snow-cutters/blowers for speedier snow clearance.

New Technology like blasting technology for precision blasting, use of Geo-Textiles for soil stabilization, cementitious base for pavements, plastic coated aggregates for surfacing, is also being used to enhance the pace of construction. With the empowerment of field officers through enhanced delegation of financial and administrative powers, there has been significant improvement in faster financial closure of works.

The land acquisition and all statutory clearances like forest and environmental clearance are also made part of approval of Detailed Project Report (DPR). Further, with the adoption of EPC mode of execution, it is mandatory to award work only when 90 per cent of the statutory clearances have been obtained, implementing the recommendation of CoE regarding obtaining prior clearances before the commencement of the project.

Nation Amid COVID-19

Starting Monday May 25^th, restart the domestic civil aviation operations in calibrated manner.
Around 4 crore migrant laborers in India and so far 75 lakh of them have returned home in trains, buses since lockdown was imposed: Centre
2,600 Shramik Special trains completed journey since May 1, taking over 35 lakh passengers to their destination. In next 10 days, 36 lakh migrants will travel on Shramik Special trains; we request states to put forth their needs: Rly Board chairman
AIIMS, Rishikesh preparing database of patients suffering from critical illnesses in view of their higher vulnerability to COVID19: Officials
Only 30% tickets of special trains to be operated from June 1 booked; 190 trains still have availability: Rly board chairman

STARTING MONDAY - 25TH MAY, RESTART THE DOMESTIC CIVIL AVIATION OPERATIONS IN CALIBRATED MANNER:

Starting Mon, we will restart the domestic civil aviation operations in calibrated manner: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
A self-declaration or Aarogya Setu App status on a compatible device would be obtained to ensure that a passenger is free of #COVID19 symptoms. Passenger with red status on Aarogya Setu App will not be allowed to travel: Minister said.
A passenger will require to wear protective gear, face mask & carry sanitizer bottle. Airlines shall not provide meal on board. Water bottles will be made available in gallery area or on seats.
For operation from Metro to Metro cities 1/3rd capacity of approved summer schedule 2020, which is more than 33.33%. For operation from Metro to Non-metro cities& vice-versa, where weekly departures are greater than 100, 1/3rd capacity of approved summer schedule 2020.
Based on our experience on opening up of domestic flights, we might have to tweak some procedures, only then we will think about international flights.

He also added, “We have brought back more than 20,000 of our citizens from various destinations. We have at same time utilized outgoing aircrafts to carry our citizens who are normally resident abroad & needed to travel because of jobs and other professional commitments”

NEIGHBORHOOD

PAKISTAN CONTINUES TO HARBOR TALIBAN, HAQQANI NETWORK, SAYS NEW PENTAGON REPORT

US Department of Defense quarterly report to US Congress says that Pakistan continues to harbor the Taliban and associated militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Haqqani Network, which maintains the ability to conduct attacks against Afghan interests.

The report is the first one to be issued since the US and the Taliban signed an agreement on Feb 29 to facilitate the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.

It comes at a time when the US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad (an Afghan-American diplomat, who has served as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation at the State Department since Sept 2018) has called on India to hold direct talks with the Taliban Pakistan continues to focus on countering Indian influence in Afghanistan and harbors the Taliban and groups such as the Haqqani Network, which have the ability to engage in violence on Afghan soil, according to a new Pentagon report.

Pakistan continues to focus on countering Indian influence in Afghanistan and harbors the Taliban and groups such as the Haqqani Network, which have the ability to engage in violence on Afghan soil, according to a new Pentagon report.

The report by the inspector general of the US Department of Defense for the January-March quarter, issued on Monday, pointed to a continuation of Pakistan’s efforts to achieve its strategic objectives in Afghanistan, including shutting out India from the war-torn country.
The deal has stalled due to differences between the Taliban and the Afghan government on prisoner releases and intra-Afghan dialogue.
There was no immediate response to the report from Indian officials.
“According to the DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency], Pakistan’s strategic objectives in Afghanistan continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover of instability into its territory”.
DIA also reported to the inspector general that “Pakistan has encouraged the Afghan Taliban to participate in peace talks, but refrained from applying coercive pressure that would seriously threaten its relationship with the Afghan Taliban to dissuade the group from conducting further violence”.
The DIA also told that “Pakistan continues to harbor the Taliban and associated militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Haqqani Network, which maintains the ability to conduct attacks against Afghan interests”.
Indian and Afghan officials have for long accused the Taliban, particularly its sword arm, the Haqqani Network, of having close links to the Pakistani military leadership.
Most of the Taliban leadership and their families continue to be based in Pakistani cities such as Quetta.
The report comes at a time when the US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has called on India to hold direct talks with the Taliban.
However, the Trump administration’s outgoing point-person for South Asia, Alice Wells, said on Wed that it was up to India to take a call on engaging with the Taliban.
In his message in the report, Sean O’Donnell, the acting inspector general of the US department of defense, said: “The US and Taliban agreed to a [one]-week reduction in violence prior to the signing of the agreement, but Taliban violence during the quarter overall was high.
“In Jan and Feb, both the US and the Taliban increased operations in order to influence negotiations.
In addition, while the Taliban reduced attacks against US and coalition forces, it continued to attack the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, particularly after the signing of the agreement.”
The department of defense didn’t provide information on Taliban-initiated attack for the Jan-Mar quarter, saying this was “sensitive” as it was part of ongoing deliberations on whether the Taliban is complying with the terms of the agreement with the US.

"MALICIOUS PROPAGANDA": INDIA ON PAKISTAN PM IMRAN KHAN'S ALLEGATIONS

“Malicious Propaganda”: India on Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s Allegations

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava gave a curt reply on Pakistan’s allegation.

On Wed, J&K, Director General of Police has said that over 300 terrorists are present in terror launch pads across the LoC. “Over 300 terrorists are present in launch pads across the LoC in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok), waiting to infiltrate into the Indian side,” he said.

NEPAL ISSUED ITS REVISED MAP

In the next step of unusual developments, Govt of Nepal has released a revised official map of Nepal on Wed that includes parts of Indian territory.

Two days after the Nepali cabinet gave its approval, Nepal’s minister for land management, cooperatives and poverty alleviation, Padma Kumari Aryal released the new political map that shows the areas of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh within its borders.
India regards these areas as part of its territory.
According to Nepali media reports, the map increases Nepal’s total area by 335 square kilometres. “The areas including Gunji, Navi and Kuti near Kalapani, which had been left out in earlier maps, are also included in the new map,” said Aryal.
While the cabinet had approved the map on Mon, India waited till it was officially released to give its formal response.
It is contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue. Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims by Nepal will not be accepted by India. This unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence: said spokesperson of MEA India, Anurag Srivastava.
He noted that Nepal is well aware of India’s consistent position and urged Nepal to “refrain from such unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
“We hope that the Nepalese leadership will create a positive atmosphere for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues,” added.
The current friction over border with Nepal began six months ago after India issued a fresh political map to show the newly-bifurcated union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in November 2019. Kathmandu had protested that Kalapani and Lipulekh were being depicted as part of Indian Territory was part of Nepal, as per the 1816 treaty of Sugauli.
The Nepal government sought dates for a meeting at foreign secretary level, but they were not confirmed in New Delhi where the post was seeing a transition.
The border issue flared up again recently when Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a link road till Lipulekh, which would shorten the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.
This led to a furious response from Kathmandu, with foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali personally summoning the Indian ambassador and calling for an immediate high-level meeting on the disputed boundary. A team of Nepal Armed Force Police was deployed at a new border outpost at the Lipulekh border point. The Indian response had been that the matter can be resolved through dialogue, which could be held once the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic blows over.
After Indian army chief Mukund Naravane implied that Nepal may have raised the pitch on China’s behest, the tone in Kathmandu became even more aggressive.
A day after Nepal cabinet approved the new political map, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Oli said in his address to parliament on Tue, “India’s Ashokan pillar has the lions with “Truth shall prevail” inscribed in the bottom. They actually mean “Lion [might] shall prevail. But Nepal is certain that truth shall prevail”.
He had also implied that Nepal was facing a more imminent threat of coronavirus from the porous border with India.
The Nepal government had earlier pointed out that Kathmandu had protested even when Lipulekh pass had been listed as a bilateral trade point by India and China in their joint statement in May 2015.

China has remained largely silent on this controversy, but on Tue, its foreign ministry issued a terse response. “The issue of Kalapani is between Nepal and India. We hope the two countries will resolve their differences properly through friendly consultations and refrain from taking any unilateral action that may complicate the situation,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. The use of the phrase – “unilateral action” – implied criticism of India’s acts.

Meanwhile, outgoing US acting assistant secretary of state Alice Wells told reporters on video conference from Washington that she was sure that Nepal could speak for itself. “I am sure Nepal is a sovereign country and won’t take dictation from China. Hope that leaders of Nepal stand up for the people of Nepal,” said Wells on Wed.

While in Bihar and Uttarakhand: Nepali workers protested against Nepal Government alleging that Nepal is not allowing them to return. Sources said “Around 500 people have gathered in Uttarakhand. Authorities have informed Nepal’s Govt and said to work as per the instructions of Govt”.

Background

Six months after India released its new political map placing Kalapani — an area that falls in the tri-junction between India, China and Nepal — within its borders, Kathmandu unveiled a new map this week showing the region along with Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh areas in Uttarakhand as part of its territory. The dispute about the areas is not new; it has cropped up every now and then since the 1960s. What is the history of the dispute and reasons for current flare-up? TOI takes a look.

from TOI

A river lies at the heart of the border issue

At present, Kalapani, a 372-sq km area, is controlled by Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which has a post there since 1962. The entire India-Nepal border is 1,758 km long. It is a porous open border. India claims Kalapani as part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district while Nepal says it’s part of its Dharchula district. The Kalapani valley falls along the Indian route to Kailash–Mansarovar, an ancient pilgrimage site in Tibet.

In 1816, the Sugauli Treaty signed between Nepal and British India said ‘west of the Kali river’ belonged to India. The treaty, however, did not mention the source of Kali which runs through Kalapani. British surveyors subsequently showed the origin of the river, with many tributaries, at different places. This digression has led to territorial disputes between the two countries. Nepal claims the river to Kalapani’s west is the main Kali, and thus the country has territorial rights to the region. India holds that a ridgeline to Kalapani’s east is the border, thus Kalapani falls in India.

Another disputed area, the Lipulekh Pass atop Kalapani, is a mountain pass at the Uttarakhand-Nepal border. It was used as an ancient route for trade and pilgrimage but was temporarily closed following Indo-China war of 1962. The third area that Nepal stakes claim to is Limpiyadhura, north west of Lipulekh, which according to the neighbouring country is the origin of Kali, and hence Kalapani and Lipulekh in the east of Kali river belong to Nepal.

Why is Kalapani territory significant?

A high mountain pass, Lipulekh is of strategic interest to New Delhi. The pass is situated along the 80km-long Uttarakhand-Nepal border. The lowest point is 11,980 ft, the highest is 20,280 ft. It helps India track Chinese movements in the region. Kalapani’s significance is centuries-old for its location on the trade and pilgrim route to Tibet.

In 2000, during Nepalese PM Girija Prasad Koirala’s visit to New Delhi, the then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had agreed to a study of Kalapani to resolve the border dispute. But it was never initiated. In 2014, the two countries again decided to settle the issue but no further progress was made. A year later, Nepal again raised objections when India and China came to an agreement to boost trade at Lipulekh Pass, which Nepal said lay in its sovereign territory.

CHINA DEPLOYS EXCESSIVE TROOPS ALONG PANGONG TSO

Ladakh standoff:
- New Delhi on May 21^st rejected Beijing’s claim that Indian troops trespassed into Chinese territory, and accused the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of “hindering” patrols by Indian soldiers.
  - In the first such statement after weeks of a stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers at four points along the boundary in Sikkim and Ladakh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also told China that “peace and tranquility in border areas” is an “essential prerequisite” to developing bilateral relations.
- China deploys excessive troops along Pangong Tso.
- PLA takes up positions at finger area.
- Galwan flashpoint position widened by Chinese.
- Dirbuk-Shyok-DBO road being threatened.
- NSA monitoring situation

The standoff at Ladakh, triggered by an excessive deployment of forces by the Chinese side, is being monitored closely by the top leadership including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who has been getting regular updates on the evolving situation a report said on Wed.

What started off as one of the many face-offs that occur between troops patrolling the disputed border has taken a more serious turn after the Chinese side brought in troops and heavy equipment from a military exercise that was being conducted in the region this week?
It is believed that Chinese troops have also taken up positions along the Pangong Tso Lake in the finger area and are conducting aggressive patrols with motorboats to deter Indian forces in the region.
Some temporary structures put up in the finger area are also said to have been damaged. At the Galwan flashpoint, Chinese troops have maintained their presence and are being countered by Indian reinforcements that have also moved in large numbers.
Reports coming in suggest that the face-off position at Galwan is being broadened by the Chinese to almost officil four kilometres as it rushed in additional troops this week.
Sources said that a possible target could be the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) Road that was constructed last year and is a lifeline for Sub Sector North (SSN).
However, Indian deployments have been made in sufficient numbers to deter the approach, with sources saying that the ground situation is very different from 1962 when Chinese forces managed to sweep in with superior numbers.
The Chinese side has been unhappy over the construction of a road and bridge in the Galwan area that has recently been undertaken by India for patrolling and to help the local population.
Efforts have been on to resolve the situation through talks and higher level involvements.
However, recent commentary by the Chinese media has suggested an aggressive stand by the PLA with reports saying that the Chinese side is ‘tightening its grip’ over the region.
The Indian side has not commented in detail on the situation but has said that such face-offs do occur on the disputed border and are resolved at the ground level after talks.
As first reported by ET, several hundred soldiers from each side have been deployed as the Galwan standoff enters its second week.
The Chinese side has over 80 tents at the standoff spot and has made temporary defensive positions, and is believed to have moved fast response reinforcements close to the Galwan River.

On May 18^th, ANI, posted based on Global Times report on May 17^th: China tightens control over Galwan valley, accuses India of trespassing

Chinese border troops have “enhanced control measures” after India’s “illegal construction” of defense facilities in Galwan Valley region of the disputed Aksai Chin area, Chinese state media reported. A report published in Global Times has accused India of crossing the “boundary line in the Galwan Valley region and entering Chinese territory.”

“The actions by the Indian side have seriously violated China and India’s agreements on border issues, violated China’s territorial sovereignty and harmed military relations between the two countries, according to the source,” the report stated.
The report comes days after two incidents of skirmishes between Indian and Chinese soldiers.
Troops of India and China were engaged in two face-offs in Eastern Ladakh and North Sikkim along the disputed Line of Actual Control where troops from both sides suffered injuries.
Aksai Chin is an Indian territory that is controlled by China. It has been a flashpoint of aggression since 1962.
The report said the region belongs to China. “The Galwan Valley region is Chinese territory, and the local border control situation was very clear,” it said
“In view of the current situation, China’s border defence troops have taken necessary measures to strengthen an on-the-spot response and control of border areas, resolutely safeguarding China’s sovereignty and security and maintaining peace and stability in border areas,” the report added. (ANI)

A chance to resolve India-China border dispute, as said by Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (retd), Director, Centre for Joint Warfare Studies

India has done well in not only combating the coronavirus internally but also assisting nations in the region and beyond, including the US, in a much-needed outreach, enhancing its goodwill and linkages. The world order after Covid-19 is an opportunity for India to position itself as a global leader, asserting its just and rightful place. India will be the ‘balancing power’ and, hence, should leverage its position with China and the US. [1]

Meanwhile, Global Times from China, published an article claimed India intended to invite companies from China.

“India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh is forming an economic task force to attract companies eyeing a manufacturing shift from China, according to media reports. However, despite such efforts, it is still delusional to expect economic pressure facing China amid the COVID-19 pandemic will allow India to become the world’s next factory. Radical voices saying that India is on track to replace China reflect nothing but nationalistic hubris.

And such conceit has gone beyond economic issues to reach the military level, which has led some to mistakenly believe they can now confront China with border issues. Such thinking is undoubtedly dangerous and misguided. Thus far, Chinese border defense troops have bolstered border control measures and made necessary moves in response to New Delhi’s recent attempt to unilaterally change the border control situation in the Galwan Valley region.”

“Frustration exhibited by CCP’s propaganda tool, understandable! So far as replacing China is concerned, stop being paranoid, we don’t need or intend to. India has its own place in global history, only reclaiming it. We don’t like bullying unlike past, deal with non-corrupt politicians” commented by a BJP leader.

AIRBUS A320, WITH ON BOARD 107, CRASHES NEAR KARACHI AIRPORT BEFORE LANDING

Army Quick Reaction Force & Pakistan Rangers Sindh troops reached incident site for relief and rescue efforts alongside civil administration. Details to follow.
Several houses and vehicles were damaged as the plane hit them while crashing.
Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Asim Saleem Bajwa said: “On PM’s directions, all emergency services & resources mobilized, evacuation in progress.” Our heart goes out to all families of on board passengers of the ill fated PIA plane that just crashed close to Karachi Airport.”

BEIJING, ON HK, SAYS NO COUNTRY WOULD LET SEPARATISTS ENDANGER SECURITY

China said on Fri it opposed foreign interference in Hong Kong and that no country would allow separatists to endanger national security, responding to the latest U.S. criticisms about Beijing’s handling of the city.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks during a daily briefing. Beijing plans to impose new national security legislation for Hong Kong, which has prompted alarm among activists who believe the new regulation could further erode freedoms in the city.
Zhao said Beijing seeks cooperation and dialogue with Washington but will fight back if the United States tries to oppress China.

TWITTER HAS STOPPED WORKING IN PAKISTAN

For unspecified reasons, micro-blogging site Twitter has stopped working in Pakistan.
However, the users are able to access their social media account using the Virtual Private Network (VPN).
“Disruption to Twitter and Periscope registered across Pakistan with impact to multiple networks; incident ongoing,” said NetBlocks.org, an internet’s observatory which tracks disruptions and shutdowns across the world.
“So lots in Pakistan saying Twitter has stopped working for them and they are having to use it via VPN.
I’m using it without VPN right now but it’s extremely slow & barely anything is loading. Very strange,” said a Twitter user named Ammar Rashid. Another internet’s observatory named the Downdetector showed a live outage in Pak.
The Twitter support team is yet to issue a statement.

DU WEI: CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL FOUND DEAD AT HOME, NORTH OF TEL AVIV

An Israeli police spokesman told Reuters news agency: “As part of the regular procedure, police units are at the scene.”

Israel’s Channel 12 TV, quoting unnamed medical sources, said initial indications were that Mr Du had died in his sleep of natural causes.

There was no immediate comment on Mr Du’s death from Chinese officials.

In a message published on the embassy’s website just after his appointment as ambassador, Mr Du praised the relations between “the second largest economy in the world and Israel the start-up nation”.

In an interview with Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon last month, Mr Du said China was being made the world’s scapegoat.

Two BJP MPs, Meenakshi Lekhi and Rahul Kaswan, virtually attended the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and even sent her congratulatory messages, in a departure from the Modi government’s position on the country that China claims is its territory.

INTERNATIONAL

EYE ON CHINA, INDIA BACKS 62-NATION COALITION’S PUSH FOR PROBE INTO COVID-19 ORIGIN

India has supported a 62-nation coalition led by the European Union and Australia to seek an independent investigation into the coronavirus outbreak at the WHO’s annual World Health Assembly (WHA) meet.

In other Australian report quoted it as “Coalition of 116 countries back Australia’s push for independent coronavirus inquiry”. A group of 54 African nations has joined Australia’s push for an inquiry into coronavirus, taking the total number of countries on board to 116. [2]

India has backed calls to identify how the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 was transmitted from animals to humans and conduct an ‘impartial’ evaluation of the World Health Organization’s response to the pandemic, according to a draft resolution proposed for the WHO’s annual meet beginning tomorrow.

New Delhi’s decision to sign off on the push for an inquiry led by the European Union and Australia is the first time that India has formally articulated its stand on the Covid-19 outbreak that was detected in central China’s Wuhan city late last year. The disease has, at last count, killed over 300,000 people worldwide and devastated the global economy.
But Prime Minister Modi did indicate New Delhi’s stand at the G20 summit in March where he backed WHO reform and referred to the need for transparency and accountability.
China, which has been accused of concealing information about the virus in the early days of the outbreak, had later contested that the deadly Sars-CoV-2 pathogen detected in its territory could have originated just about anywhere. Chinese foreign ministry officials even shared conspiracy theories that accused the US military of starting the coronavirus outbreak.
WHO and its director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on the other hand, have been blamed for playing along with China till the virus reached enough countries and spread rapidly. Ghebreyesus, a former Ethopian minister, was elected with support from China in 2017. The accusations – he has denied them – also led United States President Donald Trump to suspend funding to the UN global health body.
Diplomats in Geneva, where the WHO headquarters is located, told Hindustan Times that the draft resolution – supported by 62 countries including Bangladesh, Canada, Russia, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Japan – was an effort to bring about transparency and accountability for the spread of the disease that has been widely-acknowledged to be the worst crisis since the second world war.
To be sure, the draft resolution does not mention China or its Wuhan city.
It asks the WHO director general to work with the World Organization for Animal Health to conduct “scientific and collaborative field missions” and “identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including the possible role of intermediate hosts”.
- The seven-page draft resolution seen by Hindustan Times also proposes to ask the WHO chief to start, “at the earliest appropriate moment”, a stepwise “impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” to review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to Covid-19.
- This, the document says, should include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the mechanisms at WHO’s disposal and “the actions of WHO and their timelines pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
- The draft also asks countries to provide WHO “timely, accurate and sufficiently detailed public health information related to the COVID-19 pandemic as required by the international health regulations.
- It is not clear if, and how the draft resolution would be discussed at the virtual meeting since the WHO leadership opted for a truncated agenda, a move that has been seen as an effort to silence its critics.
- The showdown on Mon, where countries will push for the draft resolution to be taken up, is largely seen to target China which has come under scrutiny over the pandemic that has devastated the global economy.

On Thurs, US President Donald Trump, tweeted “Spokesman speaks stupidly on behalf of China, trying desperately to deflect the pain and carnage that their country spread throughout the world. Its disinformation and propaganda attack on the United States and Europe is a disgrace. It all comes from the top. They could have easily stopped the plague, but they didn’t!”

Time and again, the US president has accused the global health body for supporting China during the coronavirus pandemic

Trump on Tue took to Twitter and shared the four-page long letter that he has written to World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In his tweet, Trump said that the letter is “self-explanatory”.

“The WHO failed to independently investigate credible reports that conflicted directly with the Chinese government’s official accounts, even those that came from sources within Wuhan itself,” Trump’s letter read.

Trump said that the WHO “consistently ignored credible reports of the virus spreading in Wuhan in early Dec” and concluded his letter by saying that “the only way forward for the WHO is if it can actually demonstrate independence from China.”

TAIWAN PRESIDENT REJECTS BEIJING RULE; CHINA SAYS 'REUNIFICATION' INEVITABLE

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan cannot accept becoming part of China under its “one country, two systems” offer of autonomy , President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday, strongly rejecting China’s sovereignty claims and likely setting the stage for an ever worsening of ties.

China responded that “reunification” was inevitable and that it would never tolerate Taiwan’s independence.
In a speech after being sworn in for her second and final term in office, Tsai said relations between Taiwan and China had reached an historical turning point.
“Both sides have a duty to find a way to coexist over the long term and prevent the intensification of antagonism and differences,” she said.
Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won January’s presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide, vowing to stand up to China, which claims Taiwan as its own and says it would be brought under Beijing’s control by force if needed.
“Here, I want to reiterate the words ‘peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue’. We will not accept the Beijing authorities’ use of ‘one country, two systems’ to downgrade Taiwan and undermine the cross-strait status quo. We stand fast by this principle,” Tsai said.
- China uses the “one country, two systems” policy, which is supposed to guarantee a high degree of autonomy, to run the former British colony of Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997. It has offered it to Taiwan, though all major Taiwanese parties have rejected it.
- China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, responding to Tsai, said Beijing would stick to “one country, two systems” – a central tenet of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Taiwan policy – and “not leave any space for Taiwan independence separatist activities”.
- “Reunification is a historical inevitability of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” it said. “We have the firm will, full confidence, and sufficient ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
- China views Tsai as a separatist bent on formal independence for Taiwan. Tsai says Taiwan is an independent state called the Republic of China, its official name, and does not want to be part of the People’s Republic of China governed by Beijing.
- If Taiwan refuses to blink, there is pretty much nothing that China can do about it. Taiwan senses this. COVID-19 and the following deceit & cover up has been China’s shame. The world is closing ranks. Any misadventure will have serious repercussions. However, still stand of India is still not very clear.