Newsletter 12 October

Sino-Indian Standoff: No expectations of a concrete Breakthrough

In a first, China ministry official to attend 7th military talks still going today from noon 12

There are no expectations of a concrete breakthrough in actual troop de-escalation in eastern Ladakh during the seventh round of top-level military talks with China on Mon, which is also likely to see diplomatic representation from Beijing for the first time.
The possible presence of a senior foreign ministry official in the Chinese delegation, in addition to the usual political commissar, will come after India included a senior diplomat, joint secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava, during the 6^th round of talks on Sept 21^st.

Time has come to accept that talks won’t help: US’ NSA on India-China standoff

India and China have been locked in a bitter standoff along the LAC since April-May
The tension between the two countries escalated following the June 15-16 Galwan Valley clash
The two sides have held several rounds of talks at military and diplomatic levels to end the deadlock
US’ National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien lambasted at China saying it has attempted to “seize” control of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India by force as part of its territorial aggression.
He further said that the Chinese territorial aggression is also true in the Taiwan Strait where the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy and Air Force continue to conduct threatening military drills.
“Beijing’s signature international development program, One Belt One Road (OBOR), involves impoverished companies taking on opaque and unsustainable Chinese loans to pay Chinese firms employing Chinese laborers to build their infrastructure,” he said, adding many of these projects are shoddily built and are “white elephants.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had also pointed out China’s aggressive military behaviour along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh during the second Quad ministerial meet earlier this week.
China has deployed 60,000 troops on India’s northern border, Pompeo said, slamming Beijing for its “bad behavior” and the threats it poses to the Quad countries – the US, India, Japan, and Australia.

Rajnath inaugurates 44 bridges built by BRO in border areas

As many as 44 bridges built in border areas of Ladakh (8), Arunachal Pradesh (8), Sikkim (4), Himachal Pradesh (2), Uttarakhand (8), Punjab (4) and Jammu and Kashmir (10) were dedicated to the nation by Def Min Rajnath Singh on Mon.

After Pakistan, China is also creating a dispute at the border with India as if it was part of a “mission“, Singh said, as Indian and Chinese troops remain locked in a standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 5 months.

Inaugurating the bridges at an online event, the minister, in his brief address, referred to the situation along India’s borders with Pakistan and China.

“You are well aware of the situation created along our northern and eastern borders. First Pakistan, and now also by China, as if a border dispute is being created under a mission. We have a border of about 7,000 km with these countries, where the tension remains,” he said.

The minister also symbolically laid the foundation stone of the Nechiphu tunnel on road to Tawang, in Arunachal Pradesh at the virtual event.
Over 2,200 km of roads have been cut by the BRO during the last 2 years, using the latest technologies, and state-of-the-art equipment. Also, surfacing was carried out on about 4200 km of roads.
The inauguration of the bridges built by the Border Roads Organization comes at a time when India is engaged in a standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
“These roads are not only for strategic needs, but they also reflect equal participation of all stakeholders in the development of the nation,” Singh said.
Amid the border tension, India is expediting work on several key projects including on a strategic road linking Darcha in Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh that will criss-cross a number of high-altitude snow-bound passes.
The nearly 290-km-long road will be crucial for the movement of troops and heavy weaponry into the frontier bases of the Ladakh region and will provide a crucial link to the Kargil region.

IAF airbase in Leh fully equipped for taking every challenge in night -ANI

Indian Air Force (IAF) airbase is fully equipped to handle any kind of challenges if arise in the night.
Sorties of IAF aircraft can be seen in the night where the roar of many IAF aircraft can be heard with a fighter jet.
MIG-29, Apache, Chinook, MI-17, and light-weighted aircraft Dhruv has carried out night sorties at Leh airbase.
Night operation in Leh is not an easy task compared to another terrain because operation from Leh airbase as it has multiple challenges like high altitude, lack of oxygen, the temperature is reported very low here and the most challenging part is to operate at night is fighting with the deadliest mountain.
However, IAF pilots can fight with both challenges at the same time one is enemies and another is a tough situation.

The winter months will pose new challenges in terms of snowfall and low visibility and the IAF is geared up for the challenges.

DRDO fires Nirbhay cruise missile into sea, hits abort after 8 minutes

Nirbhay missiles will be formally inducted by the military after the next round of trials expected in a few months.
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) on Mon launched the 800-km range cruise missile from Odisha’s test facility into the Bay of Bengal but decided to abort the trial a few minutes later.
“The missile was fired at 10.30 am from the testing facility,” a Govt official told HT, “But the missile developed a snag and the trial was aborted 8 mins later,”
Nirbhay was the 10^th missile to be fired by the DRDO during the last 35 days, an average of a missile every 4 days.
India’s emphasis on fast-tracking development and deployment of the new-age stand-off weapons is a response to China’s mobilization of troops and support elements in the East Ladakh sector.
Officials said scientists needed to analyze the data generated during the tests to figure the tweaks that may be needed to be carried out.

To make ‘Gripen’ jets, Swedish firm looks for partners in India

Swedish company Saab, which is in the race to make fighter jets in India, on Friday said it was offering a totally “Make in India” solution, including technology transfer and setting up of local capabilities.
Saab makes the fighter jet “Gripen”, which is one of the seven companies in the race for the multi-billion dollar multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) project.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has floated a tender to seek 114 such jets and is looking for a make in India in partnership with a foreign supplier.
On being asked, “what is the difference between the offers Saab has made over and above the previous such fighter jet program by India”, Palmberg said technologies had matured since 2008.
“The big difference is the depth of technology and capability that we are prepared to transfer and set up in India,” he said.

National Education Policy 2020 | No need to spend dollars on foreign degrees any more: Pokhriyal

- The country has a robust education system and quality research facilities, as the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is in line with the global standards, said the Education Min, Ramesh Pokhriyal, while addressing a webinar organized by IIT-Kharagpur on Sat.
- “There is no need for some of our students to enroll in foreign universities, spending dollars on admission. We have all the infrastructure and facilities.
- The NEP has further taken care of the issue. Our students will stay and study in the country now,” he said.
- “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited foreign universities to set up campuses in India and encouraged Indian universities to build overseas campuses so that students are motivated to stay in India and study India,” he added.
- The Minister said the credit bank system in the National Education Policy is in accordance with global education programs.

NIT-T chosen to host Super Computing Facility

National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli signs a MoU with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune for installing a state of the art super computer in the process of becoming part of the National Super Computing Mission of the Government of India.

Festive advance, cash vouchers: How govt plans to boost consumer demand

Union Fin Min, Nirmala Sitharaman on Mon announced a slew of measures for central govt employees as part of its plan to increase consumer spending to spur demand.
As a one-time measure, an interest-free advance of Rs 10K will be given to all central govt employees which can be repaid in 10 instalments. Staff to receive cash vouchers in lieu of LTC this year.
She said a special interest-free 50-year loan will be issued to states by the Centre for Rs 12,000 crore capital expenditure.
Addressing a press conference ahead of crucial 43^rd Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting, she said, “Capital expenditure- money spent on infrastructure and asset creation- has a multiplier effect on the economy, it not only improves current GDP but also future GDP, we want to give a new thrust to capital expenditure of both states and Centre.”
In Part 1, Rs 200 crore each for 8^th North-East states and Rs 450 cr each for Uttarakhand, Himachal.
In Part 2, Rs 7,500 cr for remaining states, as per 15^th finance commission devolution.
In Part 3, Rs 2,000 cr for the state which meets at least 3 out of 4 reforms given in Aatma Nirbhar fiscal deficit package.

Hope Article 370 will be restored in J&K with China's support: Farooq Abdullah

In an exclusive interview to India Today TV, former JnK CM Farooq Abdullah said that the abrogation of Article 370 has led to the Chinese aggression at the LAC in Ladakh. He also hoped that Article 370 will be restored with China’s support.
“I never invited the Chinese President, it was [PM] Modi who not only invited him but did jhoola sawari with him He [PM Modi] even took him to Chennai and had food with him,” Farooq Abdullah said.

Congress leader says widespread anger against Centre in J-K for downgrading it to UT

Senior Congress leader and in-charge JnK affairs Rajni Patil said the Centre’s decision to disband and downgrade the state of JnK into a union territory was arbitrary and unjust.
Slamming Abdullah, BJP to media on Mon, said it is an ‘antinational statement’ and they went on to say that it’s not only he but its entire Congress nexus, keep on setting such Antinational narrative.

Nowgam Terror Attack Mastermind, LeT terrorist Saifullah killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir

Pakistani Top terrorist Commander of Lashkar e Tayyiba Saifullah killed by security forces along with another local militant in Rambagh encounter of Srinagar, Kashmir.
Heavy firing between terrorists and security forces as encounter breaks out in Rambagh area of Srinagar.
JnK Police SOG and CRPF Valley QAT on the job. 2-3 militant trapped since early morning. One reportedly killed in initial firing.
In Nowgam attack recently in which 2 CRPF personnel were killed. He was also involved in Sept 24 attack in Chadoora in which an ASI of CRPF lost his life.
JnK Police said, it has booked three teachers of a religious school in Shopian district under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) after it came to the fore that some of its students and alumni were found involved in militant activities.

If ‘Ajmal's army’ touches our women, punishment for them will be death sentence: Assam Health minister on love jihad India

“Love Jihad has created a mountain-like problem for Assamese daughters,” said one of, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Key leader in state, Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He added “if his party returns to power in the next year Assembly elections, the next government will start a “strict fight” against ‘Love Jihad’.
The 126-member Assam Assembly will witness elections in Mar-Apr 2021”.

Why is your CM mortgaging your future for Modi: Rahul

Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a jibe at state governments that have agreed to Centre’s borrowing proposal on the GST compensation issue. Gandhi said, “1. Centre promises GST revenue for States. 2. Economy shattered by PM & Covid. 3. PM gives 1.4 lakh Crs tax cuts to Corporates, buys 2 planes for himself for 8400 Crs. 4. Centre has no money to pay States 5. FM tells States- Borrow.”

Actor-turned-politician Khusbhu quits Congress; likely to join BJP

Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu had attacked her after she took a divergent stand on the BJP-led NDA’s National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. While the Congress had opposed the policy, she welcomed it.
Congress dropped Sundar as party spokesperson, she was likely to join BJP.

7 Indians who were kidnapped in Libya have been released after several efforts of the Indian Govt. Rescued Indians who were kidnapped on Sept 14 belong to Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
Our Ambassador to Tunisia, Puneet Roy Kundal spoke to them over phone after they were handed over by the abductors to the company Al Shola Al Mudia: MEA
All of them are in good health and are currently staying in the company’s premises in Brega. We are trying to complete requisite formalities to enable their return to India: Ministry of External Affairs

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

Eye on China, Taiwan thanks ‘friends in India’

In another red rag to China, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen on Sun thanked “dear friends in India’’ for their good wishes on Taiwan National Day. While no Indian Govt body officially wished Taiwan, social media was flooded in the past few days with messages expressing solidarity with Taiwan, which China deems as its breakaway province, in the backdrop of India-China standoff.

Taiwan says ‘get lost’ over China’s note to Indian media

Coming just months after deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops on the disputed Himalayan border between the two Asian giants, the controversy has flared at a time when Indian sentiments toward China are filled with antipathy and suspicion.

Hindustan Times, in its editorial Colum: A reminder for China: India is free

However, Taiwan also got huge support on social media as compared to main stream media.

China should not think it can do in India what it does in its own country, and suppress the media. If it wants goodwill among Indians, it should instead reform its behavior.

This came in backdrop of a letter issued by Chinese embassy as an advisory to the Indian media — asking it to follow the Government of India’s position on the Taiwan question and not violate the one-China policy.

Chinese-born Australian Yang Jun – or Yang Hengjun – has been officially charged with espionage and his case transferred to Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court for prosecution. The case is under trial and Chinese authorities will protect his legal rights: Chinese Foreign Ministry tweeted.

Asia-Pacific Group keeps Pakistan on enhanced follow-up list

The Asia-Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering has retained Pakistan on its “Enhanced Follow-Up” list for a meagre progress on technical recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to fight money laundering and terror financing.
The first Follow-Up Report (FUR) on Mutual Evaluation of Pakistan released by APG — a regional affiliate of the Paris-based FATF — showed Pakistan improving its full compliance on two of the 40 FATF recommendations on the effectiveness of anti-money laundering and combating financing terror (AML/CFT) system.
It was compliant on one item exactly a year ago. Pakistan’s progress largely remained unchanged – non-compliant on four counts, partially compliant on 25 counts and largely compliant on nine recommendations.
“Pakistan will remain in enhanced (expedited) follow up, and will continue to report back to the APG on progress to strengthen its implementation of AML/CFT measures,” concluded the APG in its 12-page report.

Evidence shows China has encroached Nepal’s territory in Humla: Lawmaker Shahi

Central member of the Nepali Congress (NC), the main opposition party, Jivan Bahadur Shahi represents the Province Assembly of Karnali Province. A former Minister for Tourism in the Federal Government, Shahi is also a skilled pilot.
A native of Humla, the district now is the talk of the town amid reports that China has constructed nine buildings intruding the Nepali territory. He had recently been to Lapcha of Humla district.
Despite the government’s clarification that China has not encroached or intruded into Nepal’s land, Shahi claims to have got substantive evidence of the encroachment.