In a Gist

Pick of the Week: though the world is also revolving around Afghanistan, however, other developments appeared

Diplomacy

BRICS leaders urge Afghanistan to refrain from violence, settle crisis by peaceful means
Australian FM Payne, Defence Minister Dutton arrived in New Delhi on Fri for 2+2 Dialogue
Pak continues to foment a culture of violence at home, across its borders: India at UN
Similar structural aspects among Quad members helped foster cooperation, says Jaishankar

Defense

CCS clears two IAF projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore; 6 AEWC planes, 56 C-295 transport aircraft approved
“Given A Message”: Rajnath Singh On Emergency Landing Strip Near Border
China: New airports, routes for PLA to transport personnel to Tibet, Xinjiang
In Key Reforms, IAF May Soon be Able to Hire Mid-air Refuelling Aircraft for Emergency Situations
“Delighted to Share” Women Can Now Join NDA: Centre To Supreme Court
IAF looks to ‘atmanirbhar’ start-ups to boost India’s swarm drone capability
CIA Chief Met Ajit Doval In New Delhi Amid Taliban Government Formation
Indian NSA Ajit Doval meets Russian counterpart over Afghanistan
IAF looking at procuring around 350 aircraft: Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria

Domestic

PM Modi says education should not only be inclusive, but equitable too
Centre gives nod to ₹10,683 crore-worth PLI scheme for textile sector
Haryana govt orders probe into Aug 28 lathicharge, agrees to give jobs to kin of deceased Karnal farmer
Home Minister chaired a high-level security meeting, after intel inputs

External

COAS, CIA chief discuss regional security, the situation in Afghanistan
EU expresses concerns over human rights, enforced disappearances in Pakistan before renewal of GSP Plus
Japan PM Suga to visit the US for ‘Quad’ summit
Myanmar urged to avoid violence after junta opponents declare a revolt
Nepal Parliament to begin new session today, MCC on agenda
After dropping all charges, the Myanmar army frees notorious anti-Muslim monk

Diplomacy

BRICS leaders urge Afghanistan to refrain from violence, settle crisis by peaceful means

Leaders of BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — Thu urged the Taliban caretaker government in Afghanistan to refrain from violence and settle the crisis in the country through peaceful means.

The New Delhi Declaration, adopted at the end of the 13^th BRICS Summit that was hosted by India, said: “We follow with concern the latest developments in Afghanistan. We call for refraining from violence and settling the situation by peaceful means. We stress the need to contribute to fostering an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue so as to ensure stability, civil peace, law and order in the country.”

The declaration also condemned the terrorist attacks that took place near the Hamid Karzai Kabul International Airport on 26 Aug, which led to the deaths of 95 Afghans and 13 US troops.

They added, “We emphasize the need to address the humanitarian situation and to uphold human rights, including those of women, children, and minorities.”

Bhattacharyya said, “There was a very strong condemnation of terrorism and that the Afghan territory should not be used either for terrorism or drug trafficking and that it should not become a problem in the neighborhood.”

While Afghanistan was mentioned in the declaration, it was only Russian President Vladimir Putin who talked about the situation in the country during the ‘opening remarks’ and slammed the US and its allies for how the withdrawal of troops was undertaken, which ended on Aug 30.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the summit, underscored the need for BRICS to become more “result-oriented”.

He added that the BRICS agenda now spans culture and communications, sports and space, disaster resilience and digital health, employment and environment, and more.

BRICS on terrorism, Covid

The BRICS Summit also saw the adoption of an agreement on the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan.

According to Sanjay Bhattacharya, secretary (CPV and OIA), Ministry of External Affairs and BRICS Sherpa, said, “There was strong condemnation of terrorism by the leaders during the BRICS Summit and that Afghanistan should not be used for terrorism and drug-trafficking and it should (not) spill over to the neighborhood… The role of UNSC was also referred to in this context.”

In a media briefing, Bhattacharya added that Putin’s reference to preventing terrorism from Afghanistan is in support of India’s stand on the matter.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro also urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to do more in managing the crisis evolving in Afghanistan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, meanwhile, talked about how the BRICS countries have made progress in terms of cooperation and strategic communication.

“Over the past 15 years, our five countries have enhanced strategic communication and ‘political trust’ in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and equality and explored a sound path to interact with each other. Our five countries have sought synergy between our development policies and drawn on our complementarities,” said Xi.

The issue of access to Covid vaccines and their equitable distribution was also discussed at the summit.

“The only way in which we can respond to the coronavirus pandemic is by ensuring equal access to Covid-19 vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics,” said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In a joint statement released after the summit, the leaders said, “We acknowledge that in an interconnected and globalized world, no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

“Recognizing that the production of COVID-19 vaccines has provided the greatest hope to conquer the pandemic and that COVID-19 extensive immunization is a global public good, we regret the glaring inequity in access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, especially for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations.”

India, Russia agree to coordinate approaches in multilateral formats on Afghan

Emphasizing the need to prevent escalation of violence in Afghanistan, India, and Russia on Tue agreed to coordinate their approaches in multilateral formats regarding the Afghan settlement, informed the Russian Embassy in New Delhi.
This was agreed upon during the high-level meeting between India and Russia on the situation in Afghanistan. During the meeting, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev discussed Moscow and New Delhi joint efforts aimed at creating conditions for launching a peaceful settlement process based on an intra-Afghan dialogue.

Indian NSA Ajit Doval meets Russian counterpart over Afghanistan: Amid the still-unfolding situation in Afghanistan India’s NSA met his Russian counterpart, supposed to be from the inner circle of Putin, on Wed (Sept 8) in New Delhi.

The meet had been scheduled just one day the Taliban announced its govt on Tue.

ANI quoted sources to say that Patrushev will also meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The high-level consultations will reflect on the situation in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal.
Both NSA`s will also review activities of terrorist groups including Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, threats from drugs, the role of regional countries, and details of Indo-Russia cooperation to meet current and future threats and measures to assist Afghanistan said the sources.
Earlier, Doval hosted the 11^th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security through video conferencing on Aug 31. His Russian counterpart was also present in the meeting.
Earlier on Mon Russian ambassador Nikolay Kudashev shared concern of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan spreading to Kashmir amid the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
He also said that India and Russia have shared concern over terrorism and added that Afghan soil should not be a source of spreading terrorism to other countries.
Last month, India’s deputy NSA Pankaj Saran had visited Moscow and met with Patrushev and discussed Afghanistan.
India raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed at the meeting of BRICS representatives responsible for national security and said these groups “enjoy state support” and threaten peace and security.
Pakistan interfering in Afghanistan’s affairs remains a big concern for India.
The meeting between Doval and Patrushev is a follow-up to the phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin on Aug 24, during which the two leaders had agreed to remain in close touch on the Afghanistan issue.
The consultations reflect the importance and potential for enhanced political and security cooperation on Afghanistan, the people said.
“Both countries also share concerns on terrorism, especially ensuring that the Taliban adhere to their commitments,” one of the people said.

India, Russia have ‘common position and approach’ on Afghanistan, says envoy Venkatesh Varma: The Indian envoy to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma has said that India and Russia have a “common position, common approach” when it comes to Afghanistan and both countries are “particularly affected” by the developments in the country concerning the issue of terrorism, drug trafficking, and other issues.

Envoy, however, said talks with the Taliban in Doha have not yielded the right results. “…India was not a direct participant in the Doha talks. India was also not part of the Troika Plus mechanism, but as I said, these mechanisms have not yielded the right results.
I think one lesson is that India and Russia should work together concerning Afghanistan. That is the most important lesson for us,” He said, referring to the Qatar-hosted talks with the Taliban that paved the way for the US pullout from Afghanistan after a 20-year war.
Moreover, Modi and Putin are also expected to meet during the BRICS virtual summit on Thu, hosted by New Delhi.
Apart from that, Putin is expected to visit India later this month for the much-awaited annual India-Russia bilateral summit and deliver the first units of the S-400 Air Defence system.

CIA Chief Met Ajit Doval In New Delhi Amid Taliban Government Formation

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met with US spymaster William Burns in Delhi on Tue. The meeting took place on a day when the Taliban announced the names of people who would run Afghanistan, including a man on the UN sanctions list being named as Prime Minister.

Richard Moore, the head of the UK Secret Intelligence Service or MI6, was the first of the visitors over the past week, and he was followed on Tue by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director William Burns.

Both spy chiefs and their teams met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and top members of the National Security Council Secretariat, Hindustan Times reported citing an anonymous source.

Just three days after a visit to Kabul by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, the Taliban on Tues announced a 33-member interim setup.
The people cited above-said developments in Afghanistan and the possible spillover of terrorism from Afghan soil was among the key topics discussed in the meetings with the MI6 and CIA chiefs and the Russian security official.
The Indian side raised Pakistan’s backing for the Taliban and its core military component, the Haqqani Network, and the presence of thousands of Pakistani fighters in Afghanistan, the people said.
India was among the countries that evacuated their mission staff from Kabul when the Taliban took the Afghan capital three weeks ago. Russia and Pakistan had stayed put.
India has said it expects the Taliban not to allow terror groups to operate from its soil to target India, especially foment trouble in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meetings also looked at the way forward in Afghanistan, especially at a time when Russia and China appear to be veering towards the possible recognition of the Taliban dispensation.
There are indications that Russia and China are keen to work with the Taliban to address their security concerns, especially the perceived threat from the Islamic State and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).
Russia and China are also among the very few countries that have kept their embassies in Kabul open and their envoys have been meeting with Taliban leaders.
Burns and his team interacted with Doval and key members of the National Security Council Secretariat, including deputy national security adviser Rajinder Khanna and Lt Gen (R) VG Khandare, the secretariat’s military adviser, the people said.

While the ministry of external affairs announced Patrushev’s visit, there was no official word from any side on the trips by the British and American spy chiefs. Burns is believed to have traveled to Pakistan after the India leg of his visit.

Pak continues to foment a culture of violence at home, across its borders: India at UN

India’s strong response came after Islamabad’s envoy to the UN Munir Akram raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and spoke about the late pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in his remarks in the General Assembly hall that focussed almost entirely on India and not on the forum’s theme.

“A Culture of Peace is not just an abstract value or principle to be discussed and celebrated in conferences, but needs to be actively built into global relationships between and among member states,” First Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Vidisha Maitra said in the UN General Assembly Tue during the high-level forum on the Culture of Peace ‘Transformative role of the Culture of Peace: Promoting Resilience and Inclusion in Post-COVID Recovery’.

“We have witnessed yet another attempt today by the delegation of Pakistan to exploit a UN platform for hate speech against India, even as it continues to foment a ‘culture of violence’ at home and across its borders. We dismiss and condemn all such efforts,” she said.

Underlining that India will continue to spread the message of humanity, democracy, and non-violence, she said India reiterates its call for the application of the principles of objectivity, non-selectivity, and impartiality to form the basis of discussions in the United Nations especially on the issue of religion.

Last year in June, India along with 12 countries had co-sponsored the Cross-Regional Statement on “Infodemic” in the Context of COVID-19, a first of its kind statement by the UN Member States.

‘UNSC not truly representative of contemporary world’: Indian envoy

India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti said that for preventive diplomacy to be effective the member states have to be convinced that the decision taken by the UNSC is impartial and carefully considered, not just a political tool.

Highlighting that the UN charter is prescribed a “trigger mechanism for collective action” by the UN Security Council, Tirumurti said, “Action by the UNSC is not the first step, but the last, after exhausting all options.”
He said the principle of non-intrusion into domestic affairs of member states is a key aspect of the UNSC. “The challenge is to balance these important articles of faith when initiating action by the (UN Security) Council,” the Indian envoy said.
Tirumurti spoke on the constraints of the UNSC and the “structural inequality” in the security grouping.

“We have seen and continue to witness the distressing consequences of intervention made without allowing for mediation efforts, especially regional mediation efforts. We, therefore, need to draw the right lessons from history, and calls for preventive diplomacy should be seen in these contexts,” Tirumurti said during this address.

The Indian diplomat highlighted that some of the member nations have, in recent years, made efforts to bring thematic issues to be taken up by the UNSC by projecting them as peace and security issues.
Tirumurti remarked that much of the problems relating to Security Council decisions stem from an “important factor” that the group is not truly representative of the contemporary world.
Speaking in favor of including regional blocs in the decision-making process of the UNSC, Tirumurti said, “With their deep knowledge of local factors and complexities, regional and sub-regional organizations and uniquely placed to contribute to finding better solutions to conflicts in their respective regions.”

Developments in Afghanistan will be subject of discussion at 2+2 ministerial dialogue, says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sat said that developments in Afghanistan will be an important subject of discussion at the 2+2 ministerial dialogue.

“Developments in Afghanistan will be an important subject of discussion today. This meeting is an opportunity to review and take forwards the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as we prepare for another meeting between our Prime Ministers later this month in the US,” said Jaishankar.

During virtual leader’s summit talks in June 2020 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, India-Australia reached the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
This partnership is based on the shared vision of a free, open, inclusive, and rule-based Indo-Pacific region. Both, Australia and India have tremendous stakes in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order, and economic growth in the region.
“Today’s inaugural India-Australia 2+2 Foreign and Defence ministerial dialogue is both important and timely. It gives us the opportunity to re-affirm and to build on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership planned by our Prime Ministers in June last year, said Payne.
Payne further said that Australia and India have elevated their bilateral ties to historic heights.
“A friendship is based on shared foundational values. Today, we stand together as two great democracies in the Indo-Pacific region,” added Payne.
She further stressed that India-Australia needs to work more closely to combat the challenges and use the opportunities in the region.
Speaking about Quadrilateral security dialogue (Quad), Payne said, “Together, we have both agencies and influence. In that context, we have revitalized Quad”.
Leadership from India and Australia are working in partnerships that will provide our region with a positive and practical agenda for the region. I very much look forward to today’s discussion as we plan to the 75^th anniversary of our relationship in 2022.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and Australia Defence Minister Peter Dutton participated in the meeting.

Similar structural aspects among Quad members helped foster cooperation, says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sat said that developments in Afghanistan will be an important subject of discussion at the 2+2 ministerial dialogue.

During virtual leader’s summit talks in June 2020 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, India-Australia reached the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
This partnership is based on the shared vision of a free, open, inclusive, and rule-based Indo-Pacific region. Both, Australia and India have tremendous stakes in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order, and economic growth in the region.
“Today’s inaugural India-Australia 2+2 Foreign and Defence ministerial dialogue is both important and timely. It gives us the opportunity to re-affirm and to build on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership planned by our Prime Ministers in June last year, said Payne.
Payne further said that Australia and India have elevated their bilateral ties to historic heights.
“A friendship is based on shared foundational values. Today, we stand together as two great democracies in the Indo-Pacific region,” added Payne.
She further stressed that India-Australia needs to work more closely to combat the challenges and use the opportunities in the region.
Speaking about Quadrilateral security dialogue (Quad), Payne said, “Together, we have both agencies and influence. In that context, we have revitalized Quad”.
Leadership from India and Australia are working in partnerships that will provide our region with a positive and practical agenda for the region. I very much look forward to today’s discussion as we plan to the 75^th anniversary of our relationship in 2022.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and Australia Defence Minister Peter Dutton participated in the meeting.

Similar structural aspects among Quad members helped foster cooperation, says Jaishankar

The expanding agenda of the Quad affirms a declared intention to promote greater prosperity and ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific and the similarity in the structural aspects of ties among its members has helped to foster the platform, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Mon.

Delivering the annual JG Crawford Oration at the Australian National University, Jaishankar talked about “quantum shifts” along with more organic changes globally and said the world is at the cusp of something big and that the Indo-Pacific would be very much at its core.

“Those who connect the dots would surely agree that we are really now at the cusp of something big. As we seek to discern the outlines of what emerges next, there is no question that the Indo-Pacific would be very much at its core,” he said in the virtual address.

Referring to Quad — comprising the US, India, Japan, and Australia — he said its working takes into account the consequences of globalization, requirements of the global commons, and the expression of converging interests.
“The Malabar naval exercise is cited most often as its example. But Quad’s expanding agenda affirms a declared intention to promote greater prosperity and ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific-so, it should not be seen narrowly,” he said.
In the last two years, Jaishankar said, the Quad has focused on challenges that vary from maritime security, cyber security, and disaster response to connectivity and infrastructure, climate action, and counter-terrorism.
Referring to geopolitical developments and challenges, Jaishankar also elaborated on the role of the US and delved extensively into the reality of the strategic recalibration by it, adding the country is “undeniably the premier power of our times and will remain so.”
“To begin with, there is the reality of the strategic recalibration of the United States. Some of it may arise from its commitments and deployments, but there is also the relative growth of competitors and the increasing complexity of challenges,” he said.

“Indeed, such is its centrality to the current order that be it ally, competitor, the agnostic or the undecided, none of us can be indifferent to its posture,” Jaishankar added.

At the same time, he said the American polity is going through serious introspection and that could well result in a different method of engaging the world.

The second big driver of the changes, according to Jaishankar, is the impressive growth of Chinese power.

“There are three autonomous aspects to this phenomenon that need to be considered analysis.

The first is the enormous expansion of Chinese capabilities in virtually every field,” he said.
“The second is a projection pattern that changed beginning with 2009, and then more vigorously, after 2012.
The third and this was particularly apparent during the pandemic is China’s deep relevance to the global economy,” he observed.

The minister also noted that the last 2 decades have seen a real transformation in India’s relations with its three Quad partners.

In an apparent reference to the need for reform of the UN ad other global bodies, Jaishanakr said a 75-year-old world order had run its course and was ripe for change.

Jaishankar appreciates Danish Queen Margrethe II’s ‘warm sentiments’ for India

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Denmark, appreciated Danish Queen Margrethe II for her “warm sentiments” for India. “Honoured to be received by Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II in Copenhagen today.

Deeply appreciate her warm sentiments for India,” tweeted Jaishankar. Jaishankar is on an official visit to Slovenia, Croatia, and Denmark from Sept 2-5, as part of a tour to boost bilateral ties and further strengthen India’s cooperation with the Central European countries.
During his visit to Denmark on 4-5 Sept, EAM Jaishankar also met his Danish counterpart, Jeppe Kofod, and thanked him for the initiative in bringing CEOs of Vestas, Grundfos, CIP, Haldor Topsoe, and Maersk and Chamber representatives together for Green Strategic Partnership.
Jaishankar co-chaired the 4th round of the Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) along with Foreign Minister Kofod.
The JCM undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership, which was established during the Virtual Summit in Sept 2020.

As reported, earlier, Jaishankar met Croatia’s Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman and exchanged views on bilateral cooperation, regional and global issues. He also met Slovenian PM Janez Jansa and discussed strengthening bilateral ties between the countries.

Defense

CCS clears two IAF projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore; 6 AEWC planes, 56 C-295 transport aircraft approved

In a major boost for the Indian Air Force, the central govt has cleared two mega projects including the six new made-in-India airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) and 56 C-295 aircraft, forty of which are to be built in India by Airbus with Tata.

The six AEW&C aircraft have been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security and they would be built on the Airbus 319 aircraft to be provided by the state-owned Air India, government sources told ANI.
The government had earlier in the day announced the clearance of the Avro replacement project to be built under the Make in India scheme.
Sources said that the six aircraft to be built by the DRDO will further improve Air Force’s surveillance capabilities along borders with China and Pakistan.
AEW&C Block 2 aircraft are to be developed by the DRDO under Rs 11,000 crore project.
The six aircraft would be modified to fly with a radar that will give 360-degree surveillance capability to the defense forces.
The project to build the AEW&C system on existing aircraft from the Air India fleet may also mean that India may not buy the six Airbus 330 transport aircraft planned to be acquired earlier from the European firm.
The C-295 aircraft deal was required to be signed as the IAF has 56 Avro transport aircraft which are in urgent need of replacement.
Sixteen aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain within 48 months of the signing of the contract.
The aircraft would be giving the capability of carrying 5-10 tonnes of load and would bridge the gap between An-32s and the C-130Js.

Army, Navy, IAF sign deals for the swarm, kamikaze drones amid govt push for new tech warfare

In less than two weeks, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force have signed multiple contracts worth over Rs 500 crore in the sphere of drone technology with the focus being on Indian companies amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for adapting new technology of warfare.

The contracts signed by the Services include those for buying kamikaze drones or loitering munitions to swarm drones with both kill and surveillance capability besides counter-drone systems.
ThePrint reported through sources in the defense and security establishment that the directive from the “top” is very clear — focus on Indian companies.
They said the Prime Minister’s Office has been pushing for adopting newer warfare technology, something which was seen during the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict.
Sources termed the procurement of swarm drones and loitering munitions by the Army and Navy as a part of the ‘Revolution in Military Affairs’, known as RMA, which changes the way the war is fought.
Incidentally, all contracts are being signed under the emergency procurement route, because the process is faster and the aim right now is to support the domestic companies while they work on the upgraded variants.

Army signs maximum number of contracts

Leading the three Services on the new contracts signed is the Army, which has signed 3 separate deals for various types of drones.
This includes two deals worth over Rs 200 crore for Swarm drones with Indian start-ups — Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research and Tech, run by former IAF officer Sameer Joshi, and Noida-based firm Raphe, as both firms are Indian and not joint ventures with a foreign player.
The Army has also ordered over 100 tactical Indo-Israel kamikaze drones, used in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, to beef up its operational capability along the borders with Pakistan and China.

Swarm drones and loitering munition, the way ahead

The order placed with New Space Research and Tech is for drones that can hit targets with five to 10 kg of explosives while also being used for surveillance and for carrying urgent medical and other supplies to the troops.
The capability of these drones was showcased earlier this year during the Army Day parade at Delhi Cantonment.
A swarm of 75 drones, had then showcased offensive capability by carrying out a simulated kamikaze attack on targets, including enemy tanks, fuel depots, terror hideout, and radar positions, among others.
The Army had then termed the system a “disruption technology”, which can hit targets 50 km inside enemy territory.
The company had come first in the Army’s swarm drone evaluation trials at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra earlier this year. Incidentally, the algorithm used by the 2018 start-up for its drones is of Indian origin.
The company which came second — Raphe — has also been given over Rs 100 crore swarm drones contract, mainly for surveillance and load-carrying capacity.
The Army had then announced that a total of 600 kg supplies can be delivered by these drones.
The plan right now is to bring out more complex and upgraded versions in the future, which could then be part of a larger procurement process.
Each of the three Services is also focusing on loitering munition which changes the warfare dynamics. These loitering munitions are of different types – both for long-range and tactical operations.

“Given A Message”: Rajnath Singh On Emergency Landing Strip Near Border

Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari inaugurated an emergency landing strip at Satta-Gandhav stretch on National Highway 925 here on Thu for Indian Air Force (IAF) planes. A Hercules C-130J plane of the IAF, carrying the two ministers, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, and IAF chief RK Bhadauria conducted a mock emergency landing. NH-925 is India’s first national highway to be used for emergency landing of IAF aircraft.

The two ministers also witnessed multiple aircraft operations on the emergency landing facility (ELF).
Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet conducted a mock emergency landing at the ELF.
An-32 military transport aircraft and Mi-17v5 helicopter of the IAF also landed at the ELF, showing its complete operational readiness to act as an auxiliary military airbase.
In his speech, the Defence Minister said that a total of 20 emergency landing strips, similar to the one in Barmer, are being developed across the country right now.
There was this thinking that if much is spent on defense, then development in the country would be affected, he said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has developed the 3-km section of Satta-Gandhav stretch of NH-925 as an ELF for the IAF, to strengthen the security network on the western international border of the country.
Singh said, “By creating a strip so, near the international border, we have given a message that we will stand up for unity, diversity, and sovereignty of our country at whatever the cost.”
Such creation of an emergency landing strip creates an immense sense of confidence in the Indian psyche, he said.
In Oct 2017, fighter jets and transport planes of the IAF had conducted mock landings on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway to show that such highways can be used by the IAF planes for landing in case of an emergency.
The Lucknow-Agra Expressway, which is not a national highway, comes under the Uttar Pradesh government.

The emergency landing strip, which was inaugurated on Thu, is part of the newly developed two-lane paved shoulder of Gagariya-Bakhasar and Satta-Gandhav section having a total length of 196.97 km and costing ₹ 765.52 cr under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.

This highway project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer and Jalore districts located on the international border.

Apart from the emergency landing strip, three helipads (size 100×30 m each) have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania, and Bakhasar villages under this project, according to the requirements of the IAF and the Indian Army.

IAF looking at procuring around 350 aircraft: Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria

The Indian Air Force is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft in the next two decades, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Wed.
In an address at a conference on the Indian aerospace sector, the Chief of Air Staff also talked about the need for developing asymmetric capabilities to bolster the IAF’s overall strength given challenges from China.
“Looking at the northern neighbor, we have to have niche technologies which must be built in-house by our industry for reasons of security,” the IAF chief said.
Emphasizing that India becoming self-reliant in the defense sector is crucial for dealing with the various challenge, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the IAF is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft from within the country in the next two decades.
At the same time, he noted that it is a rough projection.
The IAF chief also said the Tejas light combat aircraft project has instilled confidence in the aerospace industry in India and that it has huge potential to grow further.

Domestic

Amit Shah reviews security, developmental issues at a high-level meeting in J-K

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thu chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a time when a belligerent Taliban threatens to interfere in matters about India’s sovereignty.

Issues related to security and development in J&K as well as border preparedness also discussed. This was the first such high-level meeting held in North Block, which houses the Home Ministry after the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, senior officials from security agencies, along with CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh and BSF chief Pankaj Singh were among those who attended the meeting.

25 Indian IS sympathizers may sneak into India from Afghanistan: Intel reports ANI

A group of 25 Indians having allegiance with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) who are supposed to be a big threat to India, may enter into Indian territory from Afghanistan as they broke open various jails when the Taliban took over the country last month, the intelligence inputs are suggesting.

These 25 Indians are on the wanted list of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for having alleged links with the terror group ISIS.
However, the NIA officials, privy to the ongoing investigation in ISIS cases, said that they were not aware of the present status of these 25 Indians but investigations have established that all of them migrated (hijarat) to Afghanistan and joined ISIS in the Nangarhar province.
Considering inputs, an alert has already been issued at all Indian airports and seaports, manned by the Bureau of Immigration (BoI), to ensure that these ISIS suspects could not sneak into India from Afghanistan.
Most of these 25 are belong to the IS-inspired module in Kerala and they fled to Afghanistan on different periods sometime between 2016 and 2018 to join ISIS.
The NIA got inputs about these ISIS sympathizers during its probe into several IS-inspired modules active in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
A senior NIA official told ANI that some of these 25 ISIS sympathizers are believed to have died as per the testimony of their family members here in India but the agency has not yet received any confirmation from foreign agencies.
A red corner notice (RCN), issued on the request of NIA, already exists against all the 25 suspects that include Abdulla Abdul Rashid, Dr. Ijas Kallukettiya Purayil, who is said to have motivated around two dozen Indian men and women to join ISIS, Nimisha.
As per intelligence reports, an official said that some of the 25 ISIS supporters were killed in 2019 in a drone attack, and others surrendered to Afghan forces and were imprisoned in Kabul in the reign of the Ghani govt.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been provided with the intelligence input recently those women fighters who migrated to Afghanistan to join ISIS but surrendered later before the Ashraf Ghani govt, have been freed after the Taliban’s took over Kabul.
They were among the thousands of ISIS fighters freed after the jailbreak in Afghanistan, said another official.
A physician from Kasargod, Purayil was suspected to be involved in the Jalalabad prison attack in August 2020. Another suspect who traveled with Abdulla and Ijas and later identified as Muhammed Muhsin was said to be part of the Gurudwara attack in Kabul in March last year.
NIA officials have claimed to have identified some of the ISIS sympathizers who were found active on social media and are believed to be operating from Afghan-Pakistan borders.
Muhsin is learned to be active on social media and is believed to be involved in online recruitment. Officials said that Munsib is active at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. (ANI)

**Haryana govt orders probe into Aug 28 lathi-charge, agrees to give jobs to kin of deceased Karnal farmer**

Two family members of Satish Kajal, the farmer who was allegedly killed in the lathi-charge by Karnal police on Aug 28, will be compensated with jobs at the deputy commissioner (DC) rate on sanctioned posts, informed Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Devender Singh.
He further stated that the Haryana government has also ordered an investigation into the August 28 lathi-charge incident which will be conducted by a retired High Court judge. further informing that the probe will be completed within a month.
“Following a meeting between the government officials and farm leaders, Haryana government orders a probe into the August 28 Bastara toll incident, which will be done by a retired High Court judge. Probe to be completed in a month. Former Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha will be on leave,” stated the Haryana Additional Chief Secretary.
Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said, “We had demanded jobs for two members of the family (of the farmer who was allegedly killed in the lathi charge by Karnal police on August 28) as compensation for his death which was accepted by the government. And they will get jobs within one week.”

Haryana: Security beefed up, prohibitory orders in place in Karnal ahead of Kisan Mahapnachayat

Ahead of Kisan Mahapanachayat scheduled to be held in Haryana’s Karnal to protest against the Centre’s three agricultural laws on Tue, prohibitory orders have been placed in the district banning large gatherings as a “gherao” has also been planned by farmers at the mini-secretariat over the Aug 28 lathi-charge.

Security personnel in large numbers have also been deployed in the new Anaj Mandi area in Karnal from where the farmers have plans to proceed to the mini-secretariat.
As many as 40 companies of security personnel, including 10 companies of central armed police forces, have been roped in to maintain law and order in Karnal.
Five SP-rank officials and 25 DSP-rank officials have been deployed to monitor security.
Meanwhile, the State government has suspended mobile internet and SMS services in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, and Panipat to curb the “spread of inflammatory material and rumors” today.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since Nov 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Farmer’s talk with the Karnal Administration has come to an end with no definite conclusion.

UP: Kisan Mahapanchayat underway in Muzaffarnagar amid tight security

Kisan Mahapanchayat organized by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha is being held in Muzaffarnagar, on Sun against the three central farm laws.
Uttar Pradesh Police has beefed up security in Muzaffarnagar to ensure law and order during Kisan Mahapanchayat which is termed as the ‘biggest ever congregation of farmers’ in the last nine months as the SKM stated.
“Appropriate arrangements have been made because of the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar to ensure that no law and order problem arises. There is a possibility of farmers from neighboring states Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand also attending the gathering,” Director General of Police Mukul Goel told reporters.
Protesting farmers have been demanding repeal of the three farm laws.
A woman farmer said, “We have gathered here demanding repeal of the three farm laws. We request the PM to take back the three laws.” Sanyukt Kisan Morcha organized “Kishan Mahapanchayat” at the Government Inter College grounds in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
While speaking to ANI, a Farmer from Haryana, said, “Our Prime Minister has no respect for the farmers. What type of king is Modi Ji if he is making the farmers sit in the winter? “

NEIGHBORHOOD

COAS, CIA chief discuss regional security, the situation in Afghanistan

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation, and the current situation in Afghanistan were discussed, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s role in the Afghan crisis, including successful evacuation operations, and efforts for regional stability. He also pledged to play a role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels, it added.

This is not the first time the CIA chief has visited Pakistan.

According to the New York Times, Burns had earlier traveled to Pakistan for meetings with the COAS and ISI director to explore the possibility of counterterrorism cooperation between the two sides.
However, at the time government officials had suggested that he was firmly told that Pakistan would not host the spy agency’s drone bases on its territory.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has urged Pakistan to play a critical role in bringing an inclusive government in Kabul.
“We have been in regular touch with the Pakistani leadership and have discussed Afghanistan in detail,” a State Department spokesperson told Dawn on Tue when asked to comment on Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan has frequently and publicly advocated for an inclusive government with broad support in Afghanistan and we look to Pakistan to play a critical role in enabling that outcome,” the official added.

Nepal Parliament to begin new session today, MCC on agenda

On the recommendation of the council of ministers, President Bidya Devi Bhandari last week had called for the next session of the House of Representatives to be held at 4 pm on Sept 8 and one of the main agendas is to table the proposal to endorse $ 500 million American grant assistance, Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Nepal Compact.

It is a project of $630 million, where MCC will provide a grant of $500 million and Nepal will bear $130 million. $500 million goes to the energy sector and $130 million goes to the roads sector.
It is a challenging task for Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to reach a consensus on the MCC, taking into account US pressure on the one hand and coalition partners on the other.
Leaders of the then CPN (Maoist), including Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, had protested when the then Prime Minister KP Oli took the process forward for the parliamentary approval of the MCC. Maoist leaders, that oppose the MCC outright, argue that it is a part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and thus acceptance of MCC would drag Nepal into a military alliance with America.
Communist Parties in Nepal believe if Nepal subscribes to the IPS, its relation with China will be affected.
However, following controversy surrounding the program, the MCC is yet to be ratified by Nepal’s Parliament, a prerequisite for its implementation in the areas of electricity transmission and transport (road) sector.
As per the agreement with the US, the MCC should be endorsed by Parliament to ensure that all political parties take ownership so the project can be implemented smoothly. However, some politicians and civil society members argue that there is no tradition of endorsing aid projects from Parliament.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Nepal has stated that the western country was a supporter of free speech after a protest was staged in front of the Embassy against MCC.
Nepal Government had earlier written a letter to the US Government through the Embassy in Nepal to clarify on provisions of the project of which some leaders think is allegedly jeopardizing Nepal’s sovereignty.
Voices against the ratification of MCC have started to be heard on the streets and many groups, political parties will once again stage a protest today in front of the Parliament.
The last session of the Nepal parliament was prorogued to August 17, a day after which the Deuba government introduced an ordinance to amend the Political Parties Act.

At a time when the US is stepping up diplomatic activism over MCC ratification, China has also expressed interest in implementing the BRI. Kathmandu is now in the geopolitical gravity between the two powers.

Taiwan scrambles jets against renewed Chinese military activity:

Taiwan’s air force scrambled on Sun against renewed Chinese military activity, with its defense ministry reporting that 19 aircraft including nuclear-capable bombers had flown into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.
Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China’s air force near the self-ruled island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
The latest Chinese mission involved 10 J-16 and four Su-30 fighters, as well as four H-6 bombers, which can carry nuclear weapons, and an anti-submarine aircraft, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said.
Taiwanese combat aircraft were dispatched to warn away the Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them, the ministry said.
The Chinese aircraft flew in an area closer to the Chinese than the Taiwanese coast, roughly northeast of the Pratas, according to a map provided by Taiwan’s defense ministry.

There was no immediate comment from China. The last such large-scale activity, on June 15, involved 28 Chinese air force aircraft, the largest incursion reported by Taiwan to date.

China often mounts such missions to express displeasure at something Taiwan has done or at shows of international support for the democratically ruled island, especially by the US, Taiwan’s main arms provider.
It was not clear what might have prompted China to launch its aircraft this time, though a U.S. warship and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter sailed through the Taiwan Strait late last month.
China has described its activities as necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and deal with “collusion” between Taipei and Washington.
Taiwan’s defense ministry warned last week that the threat from China was growing, saying China’s armed forces can “paralyze” Taiwan’s defenses and can fully monitor its deployments.

US report lifts a lid on PLA fighting status

China possesses the world’s largest military, but in many ways, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) remains an opaque and enigmatic force.
However, some of the aurae of the PLA have recently been revealed in a new unclassified document published by the Headquarters, US Army Department. The world only knows about the PLA what the paranoid Chinese Communist Party (CCP) carefully reveals.
Part of that orchestrated narrative is that the PLA is a modern force for good and that its rise is inexorable and irresistible. Several of China’s neighbors, such as the Philippines, have already fallen for that portrayal.
Importantly, the US Army released its “Chinese Tactics” document, coded ATP 7-100.3, last month.

This comprehensive 252-page report assesses the structure, tactics, capability, and limitations of the PLA in minute detail. The document is designed for US Army training, professional education, and leader development, but anyone interested in the PLA’s capabilities, or charged with countering Chinese aggression, will find the nuts and bolts in the report extremely useful.

In its preamble, ATP 7-100.3 noted: Territorial disputes across the Western Pacific and East Asia, aggressive cyber activities, uncooperative diplomacy, questionable trade practices, and a horrendous human rights record all undermine the Chinese goal of being seen as a benevolent superpower.

ANI has claimed to read the report: (The appendices are given in the following order)

The PLA’s maneuver capabilities rest primarily in the ground force’s 73 combined-arms brigades, supported by PLAAF airborne units and the PLAN’s Marine Corps.
While the PLA is undergoing unprecedented investment and modernization, “significant but decreasing numbers of older systems are expected to be fielded throughout frontline formations through 2035”. In recent months, for example, the Xinjiang Military District has benefited from a lot of new equipment as the CCP prioritizes that theater in response to Indian resistance in Eastern Ladakh.
Chinese combined-arms brigades are of three types: light (motorized), medium (mechanized), and heavy (armored). As well as these brigades, the PLA has approximately 18 reserve and militia divisions, though their readiness levels are considerably lower.
The US Army assessed (only meant to assess China’s Army evaluation), “In just over 20 years, the PLA’s maneuver capabilities evolved from a forced mixture of light infantry conscripts and obsolete tanks to a nearly fully motorized and mechanized force that employs a variety of cutting-edge armored vehicles and advanced guided munitions.”
Indeed, that is the picture the CCP paints for the world, but it is incomplete.

AFGHANISTAN CRISIS

UN Envoy Says Afghan Situation ‘Grim,’ Calls for UN Engagement
UN chief calls upon the international community to use all tools to counter the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s new Taliban govt has a clear Pakistan stamp and that’s bad news for India
Taliban government lists agenda on Sharia law, media quality & foreign policy
Prevention of humanitarian crisis, economic meltdown in Afghanistan key priorities, FM tells virtual moot
Taliban fires shots to disperse anti-Pakistan rally in Kabul, says media

Taliban government lists agenda on Sharia law, media quality & foreign policy

Taliban government promised to work towards improving media quality in the country, however, there was no mention of any policies towards women’s rights in Akhundzada’s statement.

“In the future, all matters of governance and life in Afghanistan will be regulated by the laws of the Holy Sharia,” Akhundzada said in a statement.

“I assure all the countrymen that the figures will work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and Sharia law in the country. The Islamic Emirate has no problem with anyone. Everyone will take part in strengthening the system and Afghanistan and in this way, we will rebuild our war-torn country,” Akhundzada said.

On the foreign policy, the statement said Afghanistan wants a healthy relationship with the world based on mutual respect while adding that it was committed to upholding all international laws and treaties, not in conflict with Islamic law.

It also assured that the country will not be used to harm any other country and promised safety for foreign diplomats, NGOs, and businesses in the country.

Not surprising but worth noting that the Taliban omitted the Ministry of Women Affairs and replaced it with the Ministry of Amr bil Ma’ruf wa Nahy aan al Munkar (Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice).

Taliban announces ‘acting’ govt, Mohammad Hasan appointed acting PM

Key figures in the interim govt:

Prime Minister – Mohammad Hasan Akhund
Deputy Prime Minister – Abdul Ghani Baradar
Interior Minister – Sirjauddin Haqqani
Foreign Minister – Amir Khan Muttaqi
Deputy Foreign Minister – Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai
Defence Minister – Mullah Yaqoob
Army Chief – Fasihuddin Badakhshani
Finance Minister – Mullah Hidayatullah
Information Minister – Zabihullah Mujahid

At least six of the new Taliban ministers are products of Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Pakistan, which is also known as the “University of Jihad” producing a record number of Islamist terrorists.

Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. will be the new interior minister, a Taliban spokesperson said, more than 3 weeks after taking over the country.

Notably, all of them are on the UN terror list, while Sirajuddin Haqqani carries a bounty of $5 million announced by the FBI.

Baradar was earlier arrested and imprisoned in Pakistan in 2010 and had become the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha after his release in 2018 as he spearheaded the talks with the US government with the former Trump administration.

Haibatullah Akhundzada who is still the supreme leader of the Taliban is a hardline cleric and his son was a suicide bomber. Akhundzada was an early member. He had served as the chief of the Taliban’s justice system. In 2001, in the wake of the US invasion of Afghanistan and the ouster of the Taliban after the Sept 11 attacks, Akhundzada had reportedly fled to Pakistan where he taught and preached at a mosque for 15 years.

Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, a lesser-known leader of the group, has been chosen as a compromise candidate between opposing factions within the Taliban, reports claim citing sources.

Akhund is from the Kandahar region of Afghanistan, where the Taliban had emerged in the 1990s. He was among the founding members of the insurgency group, according to reports.
He is believed to be more of a religious than a military leader and is considered close to the Taliban’s spiritual and supreme leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Akhund serves as the head of the Taliban’s top decision-making body, “Rehbari Shura” or the leadership council, a position he has held for 20 years.
“He worked for 20 years as head of Rehbari Shura and earned himself a very good reputation. He is a religious leader rather than a military background and is known for his character and devotion,” a Taliban leader said.
Akhund had held several important positions during the group’s previous Govt (1996 – 2001).
He was earlier the Foreign Minister and later made the Deputy Prime Minister under Mullah Mohammad Rabbani Akhund as the PM.
He was the Vice President of the Council of Ministers in 2001. He also features on a terror list of the United Nations (UN).

The 33 member Taliban cabinet has one Uzbek – Abdul Salam Hanafi who is the deputy head of state and two Tajiks – Qari Fasih, the Army chief, and Qari Din Muhammad Hanif, the economic affairs minister.

There were no reports of any casualties, however, the Taliban warned the public against taking to the streets saying that until the laws for protests have been explained no one should protest.

Tue was marked by protests across Kabul and many other provinces of Afghanistan with men and women coming out on the streets against the Taliban, chanting “Death to Pakistan” and “Support Panjshir“.

Similar protests were also witnessed in Washington DC, London, and Tehran.
Taliban terrorists opened fire on several such protesters in Kabul and Herat.
At least four civilians were killed and eight injured in the Taliban firing on the protesters in Herat.
Several women, activists, and journalists were also manhandled and detained in Kabul.

Reconstruction and rehabilitation

Terming education “one of the most important requirements”, the Taliban leader said it will be the government’s duty to provide a healthy and safe environment to all citizens to study religion and modern sciences.

He pointed out that the country had been suffering from war and economic crises for the last four decades.

Talking further about his government’s plans, Akhund said: “It will manage domestic revenue properly and transparently, provide special opportunities for international investment and various sectors of trade [and] will work to fight unemployment effectively. Our ultimate goal will be to get our country back on its feet as quickly as possible, and efficiently perform reconstruction and rehabilitation work in our war-torn country.”

He added that the interim government would reach out to Afghan businessmen, investors, and sensible citizens to ask for their support and help in ending poverty and strengthening the country’s economy.

Talking about the media, he said the govt would work towards its freedom, functioning, and quality improvement.

Afghan Politicians React to War in Panjshir

The politicians’ comments on the issue come a day after the Taliban claimed to have captured all of Panjshir province.

Abdullah, referring to the war in Panjshir, wrote on his Facebook page that imposing demands on people by force will not have positive results and will lead to the continuation of conflict and suffering.
Abdullah said he regrets the death of the Resistance Front spokesman Fahim Dashti, and also Abdul Wadood Zara, a nephew of the late Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Panjshir resistance: Wion reported citing sources, that the Taliban have retreated from Bazarak to Rokha. Casualties continued to be inflicted due to the presence of Pak/Taliban fighters. Former VP Saleh constantly changing his location. Mobile networks aren’t working. Fox News also confirmed that 27 Pakistani fighter planes are also supporting Talibani forces, while later already declared the capture of Pajshir.

China is ready to maintain communication with the leaders of the new government: FM

China on Wed said the formation of a provisional Taliban govt in Afghanistan was a “necessary step” in pursuing a post-war reconstruction, adding that it is ready to maintain communication with the new leaders.

It is a “necessary step for Afghanistan to restore domestic order and pursue post-war reconstruction”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin told state English broadcaster, CGTN, in an interview.
Wang Wenbin made the same comment when asked to respond to a query on whether Beijing will recognize the new government in Kabul at the regular ministry briefing on Wed.

Chinese state media, Global Times, China to hold Taliban to honor the pledge to cut ties with terrorism after interim govt announcement

An expert on counterterrorism and Afghan affairs in Beijing, who asked to remain anonymous, said that “…but the Taliban is unlikely to deal with all terrorists in Afghanistan with the same standard.”

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a major concern for China and the Taliban are aware if it wants to maintain a sustainable ruling of the country, China is the only major power that could provide meaningful support. Therefore, it would take some actions on the matter to meet China’s request, the expert said.

Taliban Declares End To War With Panjshir ‘win’; Calls China, Pak, Iran To New Govt Event

Declaring an end to the war in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Mon, claimed that the Panjshir is now under its control. Addressing a press conference in Kabul, Zabihullah invited Turkey, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar to attend the ceremony for a govt announcement which will be revealed soon.

Afghanistan’s Constitution To Be Rewritten Or Amended Post Govt Formation: Taliban

Assuring an ‘Islamic and inclusive government’, the Taliban warned Afghans from taking up arms terming them as ‘enemy of the state’.
The National Resistance Front (NRF), the anti-Taliban forces in Panjshir Valley, pledged to carry on fighting. The NRF said it was present in “strategic positions” across the valley, adding “the struggle against the Taliban and their partners will continue”.
Talking about Govt formation, he said, “The new Afghan govt which will be announced could be an interim one. Some technical issues are left, we want to do a proper job“.
Stating that Pakistan repeatedly asked to visit Kabul, the Taliban said that it has assured that no one will be allowed to threaten any country from Afghanistan.
He also urged women protestors to stop citing ‘sensitive security issues’ amid the new govt formation.

Afghanistan National Resistance Front leader Ahmad Massoud calls on people across the country to rise in a national uprising against the Taliban. Massoud through a voice message said that they would stand and fight. The resistance forces are still present in Panjshir and continue to fight Taliban forces, as per TOLOnews.

While expressing condolences to martyrs in Panjshir, he claims ‘Pakistan directly attacked Afghans in the Valley and international community watched silently’. Massoud says ‘he won’t give up until his last drop of blood’.
Pakistan Armed Forces are helping the Taliban, as the Panjshir was attacked by a coalition of terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda, ISIS, ISKP, and led by Pakistan-backed Taliban.

Russia’s position on Afghanistan ‘very close’ to India: Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev: Russian Ambassador to India, Nikolay Kudashev on Mon said that Moscow’s position on Afghanistan is “very close” to that of New Delhi and both countries want Afghan-owned and Afghan build govt. “What is it the two of us need in Afghanistan is security, predictability, and inclusive govt, which will satisfy the needs of the Afghan people. Afghan-owned and Afghan build govt That’s the basics of the Indian position, (which is) very close to us,” Kudashev told ANI.

China should cooperate with us, many projects awaited, says Taliban’s Zabihullah Mujahid

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that there was a “food shortage” in Panjshir Valley during the fighting while adding that it will now be fixed. As the Taliban claimed it had captured Panjshir Valley, the militant group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said there were no civilian casualties while “taking over Panjhsir”.
“There was a shortage of food during the fighting,” the Taliban spokesman said, adding, “but we will fix that now.” The Taliban spokesman asserted that “China should cooperate with us, there are so many projects awaited due to security concerns like roads and other infrastructure, they all will be implemented soon.”

US Secy Of State Blinken Heads To Qatar, Germany On Diplomatic Trip: “Departing for Qatar and Germany where I’ll have the opportunity to thank our Qatari and German friends in-person for the outstanding support,” Blinken wrote.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sun headed to Doha, Qatar, and Ramstein, Germany on his first-ever diplomatic trip since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.
Blinken is expected to hold a meeting with Qatari and German counterparts to thank them for their assistance with the massive airlift efforts during the Afghanistan evacuations by the Aug 31 deadline.
US military base in Qatar was the first stop for the US military planes as they safely flew out Afghan refugees after the traumatizing Taliban’s siege of the country that prompted the former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in exile.
Doha is currently a state leading the Afghanistan diplomatic operations as several Afghans that worked with NATO and US forces await a transfer to the US and other nations.

The United States expects ‘inclusivity’ from the Taliban government: Qatar has hosted the Taliban’s political office for over 8 years.

Blinken had told reporters that the Taliban has promised to “cooperate” in the US pledge of continuing the evacuation efforts well past the Aug 31 deadline.
Speaking of the Taliban, he also said, the US expects “inclusivity” and a Govt that “makes good on commitments that the Taliban have made,” especially regarding freedom of travel.

Taliban Stops Evacuees From Leaving Afghanistan; 4 Planes With Refugees, Americans Blocked: Several chartered planes with evacuees have been unable to take off from the Kabul Airport in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, officials revealed on Sun. As per sources, 4 planes chartered to evacuate several hundred people from Afghanistan have not been allowed to leave the country. This comes even as the Taliban promises to uphold ‘safe passage’ for foreigners and Afghans willing to leave the war-torn nation.

Taliban pledge safety, security of humanitarian staff, says United Nations: United Nations humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths met Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and head of its political office and other leaders of the outfit in Kabul on Sun, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

In the meeting, Griffiths reiterated the humanitarian community’s commitment to delivering “impartial and independent humanitarian assistance and protection to millions of people in need.”
He emphasized the critical role of women in the delivery of aid and called on all parties to ensure their rights, safety, and well-being and called for all civilians – especially women and girls and minorities – to be protected at all times, and expressed his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.
Noting that further meetings are expected in the coming days, Dujarric said Griffiths will also meet – and convey his thanks on behalf of the UN to – representatives of humanitarian organizations, both the UN agencies and NGOs, who remain operational in the country and have assisted eight million people this year.
The UN official promised the continuation of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, saying he would call for further assistance to Afghanistan during the coming meeting of donor countries.
The delegation thanked the UN contingent, assuring them of cooperation and provision of needed facilities. The UN statement said that as Afghanistan faces a looming humanitarian catastrophe, the Secretary-General has convened a high-level ministerial meeting to address the growing humanitarian needs in the country.

Is Pakistan’s Poking Around Costing Taliban Its ‘Approval Ratings’ in Afghanistan?

As Pakistani officials led by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director-General Lieutenant-General Faiz Hameed arrived in Kabul on Sat to meet the Taliban, many Afghans have lashed out at Islamabad for its interference and held it responsible for ruining their lives and igniting a war-like situation in Afghanistan.

The visit of the Pakistani delegation came at a time when the Taliban are struggling to finalize and install an “inclusive” government in Afghanistan that would be acceptable to the international community.
Hameed’s trip is the first high-level visit by a Pakistani official since the Taliban took over Kabul on Aug 15 in a move that surprised both their foes and friends. Since then, the insurgent group has been trying to form its Govt but has been postponing the announcement.
The Taliban have postponed the formation of a new Govt in Afghanistan for next week, their spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said on Sat.
This is the second time that the Taliban have delayed the formation of the new government in Kabul since they toppled the US-backed Afghanistan Govt.
Hameed’s visit to Kabul came as Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa met with British Foreign Secy Dominic Raab earlier in the day and said that Pakistan will assist in the formation of an inclusive administration in Afghanistan.
Several people from Afghanistan have expressed their anger for Pakistan on social media platforms. Many people also demanded sanctions against Imran Khan-led Pakistan for its role in supporting and enabling the Taliban.
While speaking on Hum News program ‘Breaking Point with Malick’ recently, Pakistan interior minister Sheikh Rashid had openly accepted that the Pakistan government has done everything for Taliban leaders, who are back in power in Afghanistan after 20 years.

“We are the custodian of Taliban leaders. We have taken care of them for a long. They got shelter and education, in Pakistan. We have done everything for them,” he said.

It’s absolutely clear now that Pakistani forces are helping Taliban terrorists and Al-Qaeda to attack Panjshir. Pakistan using attack helicopters & drones. Pakistan ISI Chief monitoring/coordinating from Kabul.
This is because the Indian strategic establishment’s military assessment of the war in Afghanistan – which relied on ‘wisdom’ borrowed from the United States – was wrong from the very beginning.

UN Envoy Says Afghan Situation ‘Grim,’ Calls for UN Engagement;

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pleaded for countries to continue dialogue with the Taliban. He said this during an interview with AFP on Thu. He expressed fears that hardline Islamists’ return to power in Afghanistan may embolden jihadists in the Sahel region of Africa. However, Guterres said there were “no guarantees” about what might come out of talks but that discussions are a must

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons (a Canadian diplomat, formerly Canada’s ambassador to Israel), briefed the United Nations Security Council on Thu, and described the situation in Afghanistan as “grim” and called for UN engagement to “shape the new reality.”

What did Lyons say?

the people of Afghanistan have faced a new and worrying reality since Aug 15^th when the Taliban took control of Kabul.
the Taliban have taken power, but they have not gained the confidence of the people of Afghanistan, evidenced by thousands trying to flee the country and protests around the country.
the new cabinet announced by the Taliban is exclusive, contrary to the Taliban’s promises to form an inclusive.
the Taliban should create an Afghanistan where no one will be living in fear and the talented should be allowed to participate in government and women and girls should enjoy their full freedom and inclusion.
She also referred to some of the members of the cabinet that are on the UN sanction list and urged the UNSC to consider how to deal with the sanction list. All of you will need to decide which steps to take regarding the sanctions list and the impact on future engagement.

UN chief calls upon the international community to use all tools to counter the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan

Emphasizing that Afghanistan must never again be used as a platform or haven for terrorist organizations, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called upon the international community to act together and use all tools at its disposal to counter the global terrorist threat in the war-ravaged country as the current situation is highly “fluid”.

Condemning the suicide blast near Kabul airport on Aug 26, Guterres said: “Afghanistan must never again be used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organizations to threaten or attack any country.
I appeal to the Security Council and the international community as a whole to speak with one voice, act together, and use all tools at its disposal to counter the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan, ensure that fundamental human rights are respected, and support the establishment of an inclusive government.”
Guterres asserted that the world is following events in Afghanistan “with a heavy heart and deep disquiet about what lies ahead”.
He said reports have emerged from Taliban-held areas of the imposition of restrictions on personal and social freedoms and the erosion of women’s rights and access to services, including education.
The report has been submitted according to General Assembly resolution 68/11 and Security Council resolution 2543 (2020), in which the Secretary-General was requested to report every three months on developments in Afghanistan.

Along with heightened levels of violence and displacement, the combination of natural disasters, severe drought, flooding, and the third wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic put nearly half of the population of Afghanistan in dire need of humanitarian assistance, he noted.

India on Crisis

Afghan territory should not be used to attack any country: Tirumurti at UNSC meeting

India’s Permanent Representative to United Nations Security Council, TS Tirumurti on Thu said that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts by the Taliban.

He also said that Security Council Resolution 2593 has taken note of the Taliban statement that Afghans will be able to travel abroad in an unhindered manner, a statement from United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan informed.
He also expressed that India has contributed significantly over the last decade to the development of Afghanistan, in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture, and capacity building, with emphasis on the welfare and well-being of the people.
India has undertaken more than 500 development projects in each of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, Tirumurti informed during his address to the United Nations Security Council.
We also extended humanitarian assistance through the delivery of 75,000 MT of wheat last year to Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Taliban is facing cascading challenges as the outfit announced a caretaker govt in Afghanistan weeks after the takeover of the war-torn country.

Only a few days after the Taliban named an acting cabinet to lead the nation, tensions flared with neighboring Pakistan while Afghanistan’s longstanding humanitarian crisis has also deepened, The New York Times informed.

The Taliban is facing intense outrage from the people. Journalists, women, and activists including university students, all are holding demonstrations against the outfit while the ‘new government’ is imposing restrictions to curb the voices rising against it.

Afghanistan’s new Taliban govt has a clear Pakistan stamp and that’s bad news for India

The new caretaker government of Afghanistan under the Taliban dispensation is expected to be less friendly to India than its predecessors, and take the country away from New Delhi.
The situation, thus, is more challenging for the New Delhi govt, which has decided not to recognize the Taliban government, ThePrint reported citing multiple sources.
The Taliban government is a big jolt to PM Modi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, as it has now become clear that Pakistan will play a much larger role there, while India’s role is expected to diminish.
ThePrint reported while New Delhi was prudent enough to shut down its embassy in Kabul and the 4 consulates in Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, and Jalalabad, maintaining people-to-people linkages will also become “extremely challenging”.
The Taliban announced the caretaker govt, constituted by ministers have been actively involved in terror activities and were thus sanctioned by the UN, while the rest were on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ list. [see the last letter]
Furthermore, the Taliban have brought in 3 main figures from the dreaded Haqqani Network into their new team, which has caused much concern to the Indian Govt, which believes that such a move might even jeopardize India’s evacuation exercise, sources said.

India concerned over its ‘next steps’ in Afghanistan

According to sources, India is now concerned over its “next steps” in Afghanistan, after it heavily invested in the govt of Ashraf Ghani, the former president of Afghanistan who fled the country on Aug 15^th.
These issues, and how the Indian govt will deal with Afghanistan going forward, were discussed during a meeting Wed between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev.
Sources said during the meeting, Doval raised concerns regarding Pakistan’s increasing role in Afghanistan, and how that country can once again become a major hub for international terrorist networks.
Russia said the talks took place in the light of what was discussed between PM Modi and President Vladimir Putin, when they held a telephonic conversation on Aug 24^th, which centered around Afghanistan.

‘New cabinet a slap to international community’: According to experts, the composition of the new Taliban cabinet clearly shows how heavily it is influenced by Pakistan, which is why ISI head Faiz Hameed was seen in Kabul last week.

“DG ISI came to bless it and ensure that ‘their boys’ got all that they wanted. It must be a serious compromise for ISI to not see Sirajuddin Haqqani as the head of government or head of state,” Amar Sinha, former India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, told ThePrint said, adding that India should be deeply concerned at this normalization of terror and terrorists in its neighborhood.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wed that the United States could work with a Taliban government that fulfills its commitments and obligations, otherwise it will not.

“My hope and, beyond hope, expectation is that the future government of Afghanistan will uphold those basic (human) rights. And if it does, then that’s a government that we can work with. If it doesn’t, we won’t,” Blinken told Afghanistan’s Tolo news agency.

Sinha also pointed out that the reason why the Taliban have appointed an interim government is because, according to the Afghan constitution, ministers are appointed in an ‘acting’ capacity, who then have to be approved by the parliament. But in the Taliban’s case, there is no parliament, and thus they will need international legitimacy for the appointments.

Meanwhile, the US State Department Wed expressed its ‘concern’ at the new Taliban caretaker government due to the “affiliations and track records” of those who have been named as key ministers.

While Beijing propaganda machinery at their job to maligning the US image after their exit from Kabul announced “China to provide emergency aid of 200m yuan, including food, 3 million vaccines to Afghanistan” reported Chinese state media Global Times.

China and all other five Afghanistan’s neighboring countries will work together in handling new challenges caused by the US’ hasty pullout from Afghanistan and the latest situation in the country, with China announcing an emergency humanitarian aids including foods, medicines, and COVID-19 vaccines on Wed after the Afghan Taliban on Tue announced key members of its new interim govt.

Neighboring nations to cooperate to arrest, eliminate fleeing terrorists: According to India’s former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal, the new govt in Afghanistan will ensure that the “door to that country remains tightly shut for India”.

Turkey says working with Qatar, US on the operation of Kabul airport: Turkey is in talks with the Taliban, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tue, adding security at the airport was the main issue.

Cavusoglu told broadcaster NTV that 19 Turkish technicians were in Kabul, holding talks with Qataris about the airport. Turkey has told the Taliban that it would not take part in the airport mission unless its units are involved in security.
Cavusoglu said the Taliban could ensure security outside the airport, but they would need a more reliable mechanism inside. A private security company could be used for the mission if the Taliban insisted on having no foreign powers in Afghanistan, Cavusoglu said. (Reuters)

The Taliban has not yet announced a government, but the name of a lesser-known Taliban leader who is on the United Nations terror watch list, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, is doing the rounds as a compromise candidate for the next Prime Minister of Afghanistan.

Disagreements between the terrorist group’s multiple factions have so far stymied government formation in the war-torn nation. The main contenders for power include the Doha unit of the Taliban headed by Mullah Baradar, the Haqqani Network, a semi-independent terror outfit that operates in eastern Afghanistan, and the Kandahar faction of the Taliban.

Taliban fire shots to disperse anti-Pakistan rally in Kabul, says report: The questions of interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs were raised after the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Hameed dashed to Kabul on an unannounced visit last week.

Hours before Pakistan is to host a virtual conference of Regional Foreign Ministers (Neighbours of Afghanistan) which would have China, Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan in participation, Anti-Pakistan protests also take place outside Pak Embassy in Iran.
Anti-Pakistan rally in Kabul that turned violent with Taliban resorting to heavy aerial firing to disperse protesters. The protesters were out against the alleged role of Pakistan to bring the Taliban into power and the alleged role in Panjshir.
Taliban has detained Afghan women who were protesting against Pakistani terrorism in Kabul on Tue. Reports that journalists who were covering the protest have been arrested as well and cameras confiscated.
Local Afghan sources shared the video on Social Media that shows the Taliban has deployed photographers at Afghan women’s protests in Kabul.
People of Parwan rising against the Pak invasion of Afghanistan. This is the Afghan National Resistance

The U.S. Sees ‘Critical’ Afghanistan Role for Pakistan Despite Taliban Ties: As anger mounts in Afghanistan over allegations that Pakistan is helping the Taliban defeat the final resistance units and set up its new govt in Kabul, the U.S. State Department said Islamabad can play a “critical role” in the country’s future.

Meanwhile, a State Department spokesperson told Newsweek the U.S. administration has “been in regular touch with Pakistani leadership and have discussed Afghanistan in detail.”
“It’s critical that the members of the international community with the most influence in Afghanistan use all the means at their disposal to ensure that Afghanistan lives up to its obligations under the UN Charter.”
There have also been reports that the ISI is fuelling Taliban infighting between those loyal to political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and members of the powerful Haqqani network.
Newsweek has contacted the Pakistani embassy in Washington, D.C. to request comment on the allegations of Islamabad’s support for the Taliban offensive in Panjshir.

Pak ISI and Chinese proximity to Taliban, queer Quad pitch for Kabul recognition-HT

Replying to a question on whether the US would recognize the Taliban Govt in Kabul, President Joe Biden said that it was a long way off.

The puzzle faced by the democratic world, particularly the Quad, over recognizing the Emirates of Afghanistan is who will be established in Kabul:

the Taliban is a nationalistic Sunni Pashtun force or
fundamentalist Islamic force out on a mission of global jihad
or merely a stooge of the Pakistani ISI for extending the CPEC into Afghanistan.

With the Haqqani Network faction of the Taliban pushing back those in charge of the Doha political process, it is quite evident that the Taliban Govt will represent the aspirations of fundamentalists Pashtuns, whose total population is around 30% in the country. This means that the Kabul government will have no truck with the minority Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks, what to talk of women and other groups.

The statement that the Taliban will the voice of (Sunni) Muslims throughout the world, as indicated by their spokesman, indicates that they will weaponize Islam to achieve their ends through violence and politicizing the region.
That Taliban refuses to end its filial ties with Salafi groups like Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba is a sure indicator that they want to be the real shoulder or true representative of Sunni Islam with Shia Iran being the other one.
With their ideological Deobandi brothers, Tehreek-e-Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammad, part of their operations on either side of the Durand Line, the spurt in Islamic fundamentalism as during their earlier avatar is a given.
The Taliban issue gets murkier considering the presence of Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, DG, Inter-Service Intelligence, in Kabul over the weekend, helping out the Sunni Pashtuns take out the resistance in Panjshir Valley with Pakistan Army commandoes in mufti.
While Pakistan with the covert support of British intelligence is via media between the Taliban and the western world, the presence of ISI super spy in Kabul shows that the Islamists are a mere proxy of Rawalpindi.
The British role particularly that of Chief of Defence Staff Nick Carter and its external intelligence is also under the scanner as Kabul watchers believe that the White House was led up the garden path by Whitehall in stitching out a one-way peace deal in favor of the Sunni force.
With confusion prevailing in Kabul over Govt formation, the Quad powers will take a considered call on the Taliban govt at the summit meeting in Washington on Sept 24.
While usual suspects China, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar may join the swearing-in ceremony of the Taliban regime, Quad is in no hurry as they are in first verify and then trust mode. The Taliban leaning towards China via Pakistan for support will be a deciding input for Quad.

Blinken, Austin Meet in Qatar on Afghan Evacuations

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin opened talks Tue in key diplomatic hub Qatar as they try to speed up evacuations from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
The top officials from President Joe Biden’s security team began a meeting at the foreign ministry with their counterparts after dinner on arrival Mon with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Afghanistan in Focus, Putin Confidant Nikolai Patrushev to Meet Ajit Doval: Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev will arrive in Delhi on Tue evening, and is scheduled to meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Wed.

News18 reported citing sources that regional issues of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan will be in focus during their meeting.
“Russia is our old ally and we want a good relationship with them,” top sources in govt of India said, adding that Doval is likely to brief Patrushev on regional security challenges and situations.
The Russian NSA is a very close confidant of President Vladimir Putin.

The US Announces First American Departures Since Afghan Pullout: Four Americans left Afghanistan by land on Mon with Taliban knowledge in the first departures arranged by the US Govt since its military pullout, a US official said.

The four US citizens left by land and were greeted by American diplomats, said a senior official, without specifying to which country they crossed. “The Taliban did not impede them” and were aware of the effort, the official told reporters accompanying Secretary of State Antony Blinken flying to Qatar.

The US starts land evacuation

As Pakistan takes center stage in the effort to evacuate stranded people from Afghanistan, the United States confirmed on Mon that it has facilitated the evacuation of four US citizens via the land route.
“Our embassy greeted the Americans as they crossed the border into the third country,” a senior US State Department official told CNN.

China mum on reports of Taliban’s invite to attend govt formation ceremony

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday did not respond to a media report claiming that the Taliban has invited China, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Qatar to attend the new govt formation ceremony in Afghanistan.
China is already coordinating its evolving policy on Afghanistan with its all-weather ally Pakistan and Russia which also share borders with Afghanistan.
Beijing, which has kept its Embassy opens in Kabul along with Pakistan and Russia, is awaiting the formation of a Govt by the Taliban to decide on recognizing it amidst firm indications by the US, the UK, and other western countries that they will not be in a hurry to endorse the new govt in Kabul.
China is also keeping a close watch on the Panjshir Valley fighting between the Taliban and the militias of Ahmad Massoud-led National Resistance Front (NRF) which has reportedly delayed the formation of the new Govt in Afghanistan.

On Sat, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during which he said that the new govt in Afghanistan should be open and inclusive, make a clean break with terrorist organizations, and establish and develop good relations with other countries, especially neighboring countries.

In This Week

‘Crushed my face against concrete’: Journalists recount Taliban torture: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an American non-profit promoting press freedom and defending the rights of journalists worldwide, said in a statement at least 14 journalists, including Naqdi and Daryabi, were detained and later released by the Taliban this week.

Is it necessary for Afghan women to be part of the cabinet? Taliban leader replies: The Taliban have said that women cannot be ministers days after the hardline Islamist group announced an all-male cabinet for its interim government and named hardliners and globally wanted terrorists as key ministers. Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi told Tolo News in an interview that women can’t be ministers and they should give birth.

Panjshir Residents Say Blocked Roads May Cause Starvation-TOLONews: It is reported that roads are closed and both electricity and telecom services were cut off after fighting began in the province. Some families who recently came to Kabul warned that Panjshir residents are facing serious problems and that people will die of hunger if the current conditions continue in the province.

India is unlikely to reopen the Kabul embassy in near future, only people-to-people links to continue: After invalidating all visas in August after the Taliban takeover of Kabul, India could start distributing e-visas as soon as international flight operations resume in Afghanistan.

China mum on reports of Taliban’s invite to attend govt formation ceremony: The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday did not respond to a media report claiming that the Taliban has invited China, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Qatar to attend the new govt formation ceremony

Pak ISI and Chinese proximity to Taliban, queer Quad pitch for Kabul recognition: The role played by Pak and UK in cutting out a deal with the Taliban has been noted by India, which is concerned about the group’s projection as a beacon for Sunni Islamic jihadis.

Iran slams Pakistan’s role in Panjshir valley, wants probe: Iran fired the first salvo against Pakistan’s overt involvement in Afghanistan’s internal matters when it questioned reports of Pakistani military presence in the Panjshir valley, where the Taliban said it has overcome resistance to its rule, on Monday.

The U.S. Sees ‘Critical’ Afghanistan Role for Pakistan Despite Taliban Ties: As anger mounts in Afghanistan over allegations that Pakistan is helping the Taliban defeat the final resistance units and set up its new govt in Kabul, the U.S. State Department said Islamabad can play a “critical role” in the country’s future.

CIA Destroyed Equipment Worth ‘100s of Mn’ in Kabul: The Taliban on Monday opened to reporters the doors to the former largest operational center of the Central Intelligence Agency in Kabul and said the US personnel destroyed and burned all the military equipment, vehicles, and documents.

New Afghan govt eyes exchanging visits with China; ETIM has no place in Afghanistan: Taliban: While the Taliban announced an interim govt consisting of important Taliban figures in Afghanistan on Tue, which to many is not as inclusive as they once promised, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told the Global Times in an exclusive interview that they are in talks with other Afghan politicians and, if an agreement is reached, other people outside the current cabinet will have the chance to take high-ranking jobs in the new government.

Pick of the Week: though the world is also revolving around Afghanistan, however, other developments appeared

Diplomacy

Defense

Domestic

External

Diplomacy

BRICS leaders urge Afghanistan to refrain from violence, settle crisis by peaceful means

BRICS on terrorism, Covid

India, Russia agree to coordinate approaches in multilateral formats on Afghan

CIA Chief Met Ajit Doval In New Delhi Amid Taliban Government Formation

Pak continues to foment a culture of violence at home, across its borders: India at UN

‘UNSC not truly representative of contemporary world’: Indian envoy

Developments in Afghanistan will be subject of discussion at 2+2 ministerial dialogue, says Jaishankar

Similar structural aspects among Quad members helped foster cooperation, says Jaishankar

Jaishankar appreciates Danish Queen Margrethe II’s ‘warm sentiments’ for India

Defense

CCS clears two IAF projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore; 6 AEWC planes, 56 C-295 transport aircraft approved

Army, Navy, IAF sign deals for the swarm, kamikaze drones amid govt push for new tech warfare

Army signs maximum number of contracts

Swarm drones and loitering munition, the way ahead

“Given A Message”: Rajnath Singh On Emergency Landing Strip Near Border

IAF looking at procuring around 350 aircraft: Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria

Domestic

Amit Shah reviews security, developmental issues at a high-level meeting in J-K

25 Indian IS sympathizers may sneak into India from Afghanistan: Intel reports ANI

Haryana govt orders probe into Aug 28 lathi-charge, agrees to give jobs to kin of deceased Karnal farmer

Haryana: Security beefed up, prohibitory orders in place in Karnal ahead of Kisan Mahapnachayat

UP: Kisan Mahapanchayat underway in Muzaffarnagar amid tight security

NEIGHBORHOOD

COAS, CIA chief discuss regional security, the situation in Afghanistan

This is not the first time the CIA chief has visited Pakistan.

Nepal Parliament to begin new session today, MCC on agenda

Taiwan scrambles jets against renewed Chinese military activity:

US report lifts a lid on PLA fighting status

AFGHANISTAN CRISIS

Taliban government lists agenda on Sharia law, media quality & foreign policy

Taliban announces ‘acting’ govt, Mohammad Hasan appointed acting PM

Reconstruction and rehabilitation

Afghan Politicians React to War in Panjshir

The politicians’ comments on the issue come a day after the Taliban claimed to have captured all of Panjshir province.

Taliban Declares End To War With Panjshir ‘win’; Calls China, Pak, Iran To New Govt Event

China should cooperate with us, many projects awaited, says Taliban’s Zabihullah Mujahid

Is Pakistan’s Poking Around Costing Taliban Its ‘Approval Ratings’ in Afghanistan?

UN Envoy Says Afghan Situation ‘Grim,’ Calls for UN Engagement;

What did Lyons say?

UN chief calls upon the international community to use all tools to counter the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan

India on Crisis

Afghan territory should not be used to attack any country: Tirumurti at UNSC meeting

Afghanistan’s new Taliban govt has a clear Pakistan stamp and that’s bad news for India

India concerned over its ‘next steps’ in Afghanistan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wed that the United States could work with a Taliban government that fulfills its commitments and obligations, otherwise it will not.

Pak ISI and Chinese proximity to Taliban, queer Quad pitch for Kabul recognition-HT

Blinken, Austin Meet in Qatar on Afghan Evacuations

The US starts land evacuation

China mum on reports of Taliban’s invite to attend govt formation ceremony

In This Week

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**Haryana govt orders probe into Aug 28 lathi-charge, agrees to give jobs to kin of deceased Karnal farmer**