Newsletter 10 September

Sino-Indian Standoff: It is difficult to Predict the Trajectory of This ‘face-off’ It’s a battle of Heights now in Ladakh, after India Secure its position on F-4

Had ‘excellent talks’ with Russia Minister, said External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar

Dr Jaishankar on Wed said, he held “excellent talks” with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during which they discussed bilateral strategic ties and international situation.
He is on his a 3-day visit to Russia, for SCO Foreign Ministers meeting.
He also held separate meetings with his Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Tajik
A meeting between Dr Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Moscow is expected on Thu, on around 6 pm (IST)

Indian Armed Forces as of yesterday’s night, captured 14 dominating positions near Finger-4 and 5 in Pangong Tso, in Eastern Laddakh. No causality or damage reported in 3 hrs Operation.

India will retaliate in case China breaches red Lines

A top government official on Wed said India is ready for ‘requisite retaliation’ if China breaches any red lines again in eastern Ladakh.

Chinese indulged in provocative actions all throughout the day on Tue at LAC.

The warning comes after bullets were fired for the first time in 45 years near Mukhpari Top.
India has further reinforced its forward positions to counter fresh Chinese military build-ups and threatening moves in the high-altitude region.
“The dispute is being directed from the very top of the political-military hierarchy in China, not by the exuberance of local PLA commanders. It can take any trajectory.
But if China wants to start a war, it will also have to pay a heavy price,” the official said, pointing out that the events at the LAC were not just an action-reaction sequence.
The PLA might even try to grab heights elsewhere in a tit-for-tat move but the Indian commanders on the ground have been given “full freedom” to respond as they deem appropriate.
“Our soldiers on the heights are well-armed and fully-prepared.
We have even driven tanks up the ridgeline near Rechin La (Reqin mountain pass),” said the official.
“They constitute a red-line. In fact, nowhere are we under-prepared now,” he added.
The Indian security assessment is that while China may have positioned around 50,000 soldiers along the frontier in eastern Ladakh as well as around 150 fighters, bombers and other aircraft at airbases in Xinjiang and Tibet, the deployments have not yet reached the threshold of a full-blown conflict.
Bombers, paratroopers and Special Forces deployed in ‘plateau region amid border tensions’, says Global Times, State run media.
GT said H-6 bombers and Y-20 large transport aircraft have been deployed attached to the PLA Central Theater Command Air Force for “training missions”.
HJ-10 anti-tank missile systems attached to the PLA 71^st Group Army recently travelled from east China’s Jiangsu province to northwest China’s Gobi desert over thousands of km, while the PLA Tibet military command conducted round-the-clock combined brigade strike exercises.”
However, the official said “PLA troop deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh are not tactically geared for war as of now. But yes, the pinpricks will continue”.
India has sought another meeting of the rival corps commanders, who have met 5 times earlier, to defuse the tensions in the Pangong Tso-Chushul area.

Rafale formally inducted in Indian Air Force, in Presence of Min of the Armed Forces, France, Florence Parly, at Ambala, Haryana, besides Indian Officials.

IAF Chief, RKS Bhadouria, said: “I expect the No. 17 Golden Arrows (Rafale squadron) to intimidate and dominate wherever they are deployed“.
While Def Min. RN Singh said “Induction of Rafale is very important given the kind of situation that has been created on our borders in recent days”.
Parly said on this occasion, “We are fully committed to ‘Make in India’ initiative, as well as, to the further integration of the Indian manufacturers in our global supply chain”.
The two ministers held a bilateral meeting in Ambala, as per ministry sources.
A joint Press release was expected but no information came in media.

PM Modi speaks to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman,

The two leaders agreed that the initiatives taken at the level of the G20 had helped in promoting a coordinated response to the pandemic and present priorities.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the state of bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia, and committed to further strengthening cooperation in all areas, the PMO said.
The conversation become significant especially when Saudi is not very happy with Pakistan, Beijing blaming transgression by Indian troops on LAC.

PM Modi has a Telephonic Conversation with Japanese Counter Part his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. India and Japan sign agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between Forces of both countries

The agreement was signed here yesterday by Defense Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Ambassador of Japan Mr Suzuki Satoshi.
This agreement establishes the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services while engaged in bilateral training activities, UN Peace-keeping Operations, Humanitarian International Relief and other mutually agreed activities.
The agreement will also enhance the interoperability between the Armed Force of India and Japan thereby further increasing the bilateral defense engagements under the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries.

Cooperation among Quad members is gaining some strategic heft: With today’s Mutual Logistics Support agreement with Japan, India now have such accords with all the Quad members to boost defense activities and military interoperability.

J-K: IED recovered in Baramulla district (JnK) Sept 10

Security Forces detected an improvised explosive device (IED) near Watergam village of Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s this morning.
Bomb disposal squad has reached the spot and is likely to detonate it shortly.
A joint patrolling party of security forces detected the IED concealed in a sand bag near a bus stop at Chatloora in Dangiwacha area of the district, a police official said.
The object was recovered by the Road Opening Party (ROP) of 29 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) near a petrol pump in Tapper Pattan area on the National Highway. (ANI)

Arms and ammunition recovered in Uri area of Baramulla include M16 rifles and pistols.

Based on a credible input, we launched a joint search operation with the 8 RR.
Two M16 rifles and pistols have been recovered.
According to our input, there is a possibility of recovering more arms and ammunition: A Qayoom, SSP Baramulla.

Pakistani soldier killed as India retaliates against LoC ceasefire violation in J-K

The Indian army said that Pakistani troops have been violating the LoC ceasefire at various places in JnK.
The defense spokesman Lt Col D Anand said in Jammu “Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in many locations.”
At about 0530 hours it was in Mankote sector, at about 1145 hours in Degwar sector and at about 1215 hours in Mendhar Sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian army has retaliated befittingly.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistani army admitted that one of its soldiers was killed in an exchange of fire with Indian troops across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir late Wed.
It alleged that the Indian army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation in Bedori sector along the LoC, targeting Pakistan army posts and the civil population. It claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on Indian troops.

India’s Defense Exports Increase by 700% in two years, ranks 19th among world’s Defense Exporters

The Defense Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 aims to achieve exports of Rs 35,000 crores in aerospace and defense goods and services by 2025.
Defense Minister had in Aug announced the imposition of a phase-wise ban on the import of 101 military weapons systems and platforms in order to promote the domestic defense industry.
CDS said, India witnessed a staggering 700% growth in defense exports from Rs 1521 crores in 2016-17 to Rs 10,745 crores in 2018-19.

“The policy aims to achieve a turnover of Rs 175000 crores, including export of Rs 35000 crores, in aerospace and defense goods and services by 2025,” the Ministry said in a statement on Aug 3.

Decision on FCRA path-breaking; will showcase spirit of service of S

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the decision on Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 is a path-breaking one which will once again showcase the outstanding spirit of service of the Sikh community.

The MHA has granted registration under the FRCA 2010 to Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib-Darbar Sahib, Punjab which will be valid for 5 years, sources said.

This will enable them to receive foreign funds for performing services.

RIL first Indian company to cross $200 billion in market valuation

The market valuation of Reliance Industries (RIL) hit yet another milestone on Thu becoming the first listed Indian firm to cross $200 billion in market capitalization or m-cap.

Shares of the company were up 6.2% in midday trading in Mumbai after hitting a record intraday high.

Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani is turning his focus towards retail after telecom.

WORLD/ NEIGHBORHOOD

Global Coalition urges UN to Address China’s Human Rights Abuses

The United Nations should urgently create an independent international mechanism to address the Chinese government’s human rights violations, a global coalition of 321 civil society groups said Wed in an open letter.
The groups hailed from more than 60 countries around the world – from Azerbaijan to Zambia, from Morocco to Malaysia, from Vietnam to Venezuela.
The signatories stressed the need to address rampant human rights violations across China, including in Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang.
They also highlighted the impact of China’s rights violations worldwide, including the targeting of human rights defenders; global censorship and surveillance; and rights-free development that has caused environmental degradation.

Pakistan Seeking Reversal of $5.8 bn Penalty Imposed by International Tribunal

Pakistan, which is badly fighting with Economy and Pandemic, approached World Bank (ICSID) to defer $5.8 billion penalty due now.
This was imposed on Pak in an old coal mine cheating case with an Australian company few years back.
Pak is seeking the reversal of the penalty saying that the huge amount of penalty imposed upon the country will deal a severe blow to the country already reeling under the impact of the pandemic.
Tethyan Copper Corp., a 50-50 joint venture of Barrick Gold Corp. of Australia and Antofagasto PLC of Chile.
Tethyan Copper discovered vast mineral wealth in the Reko Diq in Baluchistan province is famed for its mineral wealth.

India: During Covid 19

India Putting Up “Well-Planned Fight” Against COVID-19: Amit Shah, Union Home Min

“Coronavirus is an unprecedented challenge for us. But we are fighting against it in a well-planned manner under the leadership of PM Modi and the entire world has recognized our efforts,” he said, during the ground-breaking ceremony for various projects at worth ₹ 134 crore in the constituency, Gandhinagar via video-conferencing.

With the highest single-day spike of 95,735 new cases and 1172 deaths reported in the last 24 hours,
India’s Covid-19 tally crossed the 44-lakh mark on Thu, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare.
Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected stats with 3,816 new cases on Wednesday, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases to 967349.

Serum gets notice for continuing vaccine trials

India’s central drug regulator Wed issued a notice to Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), asking why the firm hadn’t informed it about the “reported serious adverse events” that led its UK partner AstraZeneca to “temporarily pause” global clinical trials of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine candidate even as testing continues at 17 sites within the country.

PS: Yesterday’s a News “vacation of some villages in the Arunachal Pradesh” came on some news sites was untrue, said Govt Officials.