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India plans ‘twin-track’ approach to engage with Myanmar junta as China makes inroads

India has taken a ‘decisive step’ to officially engage with Myanmar’s junta, keeping in mind its close partnership with ASEAN and concerns over Beijing growing closer to the regime.

Shouldn’t turn ‘New Year’s sweets into bullets’, Chinese paper hits out at India’s Opposition

In an editorial, The Global Times praised the exchange of sweets between Chinese and Indian soldiers on New Year & blamed India’s Opposition for turning ‘sweets into bullets’.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar spoke with Nepal Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka and discussed progress on many fronts including development partnership and Covid collaboration. The two agreed to broaden the vistas of cooperation.

Jaish held 1st public event since Pulwama on 3 Jan in PoK, to own Srinagar attack & raise funds

Jaish-e-Mohammed’s PoK chief Muhammad Illyas tells gathering that slain terrorist Hafiz Arsalan carried out Dec 13 ambush in Srinagar that killed three police personnel.

Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta takes over as the next ‘Fire and Fury’ Corps Commander

Amid the ongoing military standoff with China, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta on Wed took over as the General Officer Commanding of Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps, informed the Indian Army. He succeeded Lt Gen PGK Menon, who completed his tenure of more than a year and represented India in the talks with China to resolve the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh on multiple occasions. Due to the sensitive nature of the corps which is looking after both the China and Pakistan borders, the new corps commander would get around 15 days with his predecessor to understand every facet of the area and issues related to it.

CCS takes up PM security breach in Punjab, PM met the President

President Ram Nath Kovind meets PM Modi; receives a first-hand account of the security breach. President Kovind has expressed concern about the ‘alleged’ security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on Wed. The PM will meet the President to give him a briefing. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) was also held where the issue was discussed. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari), 1 of the 32 farm organizations involved in the year-long protests against the now-repealed farm laws, took responsibility for the blockade. Punjab CM CS Channi expressed regret that PM could not make his scheduled visit. The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Fri a plea seeking a court-monitored probe into the breach of Modi’s security.

Indian citizens to soon get e-passports, says Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs

Indian citizens will soon get chip-enabled e-passports which will ensure a smooth passage through immigration posts around the world. The development was confirmed by MEA Secretary Sanjay Bhattacharya in a recent tweet. He said that these e-passports will secure biometric data, be compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards, and will be produced at Nashik’s India Security Press. This passport will be embedded with an electric microprocessor chip, thus, making it more difficult to forge passports and enable quick immigration for international passengers. All 36 passport offices in India will issue e-passports after it is inducted into the current passport system. These e-passports are interoperable between various countries.

Amit Shah writes to MPs; seeks suggestions for the amendment to IPC, CrPC, Indian Evidence Act

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has written to MPs, seeking their suggestions regarding amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act (IEA) at the earliest.

J-K govt inks pact with UAE-based LuLu Group to set up food processing, a logistics hub in Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir govt on Wed signed an MoU with UAE-based LuLu Group to set up a food processing and logistics hub in Srinagar. The MoU was signed in the presence of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, and LuLu Group Chairman, Yusuff Ali MA. J&K ranks first in the production of saffron, apple, walnut, and almond in India. The MoU will help the UT to reach out to shoppers at 190 LuLu Hypermarkets across the GCC and Egypt

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Tibetan monks, residents were forced to watch the destruction of the sacred statue

Prayer wheels were also destroyed in the ‘very disrespectful’ demolition.

Did CCP use Chinese actors to stage flag ceremony at Galwan?

Chinese flag hoisting ceremony at Galwan on Jan 01, 2022, gathered huge attention throughout the world. However, some users on the Chinese social media platform Weibo have indicated that CCP used Chinese actors to stage the entire ceremony. According to some Weibo users, CCP used Chinese actor ‘Wu Jing’ and his wife, a Chinese actress and TV host ‘Xie Nan’ to dramatically create the flag-raising ceremony. The location where the shooting happened was nearly 28 Kms behind the Galwan river much inside the Chinese-controlled area of Aksai Chin.

Now, Taiwan sets up an investment fund for Lithuania amid China row

Lithuania had allowed Taipei to open an office under its name as China moved to recall its ambassador and downgraded diplomatic ties with the country. Taiwan is set to create a $200 million investment fund for Lithuanian industries, President Tsai’s government declared amid tensions with China. In Nov last year, Taiwan had opened a representative office in Vilnius attracting China’s ire as it considers Taiwan as a breakaway province. China has repeatedly claimed it will unify Taiwan with the mainland by force if necessary. Amid frayed diplomatic relations with China, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda had said it was a “mistake” to allow Taiwan to open the office using its name as reports claimed Lithuania plans to open a trade office in Taiwan this year.

China shuts supermarkets after virus traces found in dragon fruit from Vietnam

The ban on dragon fruit was imposed on Huu Nghi Border Gate in Lang Son province which sends dragon fruit to China.

A report says that the energy sector is a guarantee of Pakistan’s economic security.

Aeen-Like India, which has connected Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh to its National Grid, Pakistan has an opportunity to cater to Afghanistan that has a 2000MW shortfall with a capacity to produce only 700MW electricity. A big population in Afghanistan is living without electricity and as per a study made in 2017 if Pakistan is ready to export electricity to Afghanistan, it could become an extremely profitable market for Pakistan. Today Pakistan has a capacity of producing 40,000MW electricity and surplus electricity, but the maximum supply capacity is only 26KMW which means that even in summer when the demand is extremely high Pakistan has an average of 10 KMW surplus electricity.

India plans ‘twin-track’ approach to engage with Myanmar junta as China makes inroads

New Delhi has drawn up a comprehensive plan to engage with the military junta in an effort not only to counter China’s growing influence but also to assert its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, while the security situation along the 1,700 km India-Myanmar border remains a concern.

• ThePrint (source)- Nearly a year after Myanmar’s military coup, India is now following a “twin-track approach” while continuing to push for a return to democracy.
• In last month, India took a decisive step to reach out to the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military) something that India has done historically despite the turbulent years there.
• Atrocities committed by the military regime continue to mount even now.

During his visit to Myanmar on Dec 22-23, Foreign Secy HV Shringla met the military’s commander-in-chief, Gen Min Aung Hlaing who led the coup, as well as representatives of ousted pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).

• However, the junta did not allow Shringla to meet Suu Kyi, who remains imprisoned.
• The foreign secretary had met her during his previous visit to Myanmar in Oct 2020.  
• Last Nov, 7 people, including the commandant of the 46 Assam Rifles, his wife, son, and 4 jawans, were killed in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.
• Two proscribed militant groups operating in the state, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Manipur Naga People’s Front, have jointly claimed responsibility.
• Several such insurgent groups are believed to have havens in Myanmar.
• Shringla raised the matter during his meeting with the military leadership and the two sides agreed that they would not allow “any activities inimical to the other”.
• (source)- Security was the main agenda for India, and it also raised the issue of Indian Insurgent Groups (IIG) in Myanmar’s Chin State, considered to be their safe sanctuary.  

Manipur ambush case: NIA declares reward on the capture of 10 wanted cadres of PLA, MNPF terror outfits

ANI- The NationaI Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared a cash reward on the capture of 10 cadres of PLA and MNPF terror outfits in its ongoing probe. The NIA declared the bounty of Rs 8 lakh each on the head of Lt. Col. Chaoyai alias Pukhrambam Mani Meetei and Lt. Col. Sagolsem Inaocha alias Ranjit Naorem; Rs 6 lakh for Sanatomba as well as Rs 4 lakh each for Khaba, Khwairakpa, Nongyai alias Nongphai, Joseph, Rocky, Balin, and Kanta alias Santa. All the cadres are residents of Manipur.

The source also named several insurgent groups that have their hideouts in the Myanmar Naga Hills (MNH)-

Manipur based-Meitei insurgent groups such as PLA, United National Liberation Front (UNLF), and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), as well as Naga groups such as the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), the anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).

• New Delhi believes that all these outfits are “regrouping” themselves, and thus it needs to heighten its engagement with the junta.

• It’s expected that these issues will also be taken up during the proposed visit of Wunna Maung Lwin, the junta’s FM, to India, which is scheduled to take place soon.
• On the military cooperation front, the submarine that India gifted Myanmar in 2020 was commissioned by the Navy as UMS Minye Theinkhathu in Dec last year. 
• (sources)-However, following its “twin-track” approach, India will continue to push for democracy in Myanmar.

Ministry of External Affairs after the visit-“…India proposes to renew these efforts for Myanmar to emerge as a stable, democratic, federal union following the wishes of the people of Myanmar”. 

Developmental projects and aid by India to Myanmar

(sources)- New Delhi will also continue to provide food aid and other humanitarian assistance including 10 lakh Covid vaccine doses as the economy there remains in a ramshackle state.

• New Delhi believes the influx of refugees in the border areas is one of the main reasons behind the spike of Covid cases in the northeastern states.
• India has also announced a grant of 10,000 tonnes of rice and wheat to Myanmar.

India has also decided that it will continue to carry out its ongoing developmental projects, including the crucial deep-sea project at Sittwe in Rakhine province, under the $484-million Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project.

Meanwhile, China, which initially ‘distanced’ itself from the junta, has now warmed up to it.

Beijing gifted a submarine to Myanmar in Dec 2021, and it is making rapid progress in developing the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC).

(sources)- India will also work closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in carrying out projects in Myanmar also to maintain diplomatic ties under the larger multilateral forum.

• Apart from Myanmar, the other ASEAN member states are Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, and the Philippines. 
• India will also be pushing to complete the long-pending India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway.  

‘India to engage with the junta at any cost’

Shantanu Mukharji, a security analyst and former IPS officer, said, “Whether it is the junta or anybody else, we have to engage with them at any cost to counter the Chinese influence.” 

“NSCN-K is getting some kind of support — they used the most sophisticated weapons that came from the armory of the Myanmar army. If India joins the international lobby to release Suu Kyi, then the military might be incensed,” he added.

Mukharji believes that not letting the foreign secretary meet Suu Kyi is “significant” as it means the junta will continue to maintain a tough stand.

He added, “As far as China is concerned, it has always been supporting the Naga insurgents. So the security angle is such in the northeast that we can’t ignore it.”

Jaish held 1^st public event since Pulwama on 3 Jan in PoK, to own the Srinagar attack and raise funds

ThePrint-Leaders of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) held a large public rally on Jan 3^rd in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) earlier this month to claim responsibility for the Dec 2021 terrorist attack on the police in Srinagar, and to raise funds for future terrorist operations, videos, and eyewitness testimony have been revealed.

• This is the first public event established to have been held by the Jaish since Pakistan clamped down on the terrorist group in the wake of the tensions.
• PoK’s regional Jaish chief Muhammad Illyas addressed the meeting, which was held at Jaloth, near Rawlakote, near the family home of slain Jaish terrorist Hafiz Arsalan.
• Fighters of the JeM fired shots in the air and shouted pro-jihad slogans to commemorate Arsalan’s death.
• A local told that Illyas told the gathering that Arsalan had carried out the Dec 13, 2021 ambush on a police bus near Srinagar, in which 3 police were killed and 11 injured.
• Arsalan, who is thought to have crossed the Line of Control six months ago, was killed in a shoot-out with Indian forces earlier this week.

Criticizing Pakistan military-Illyas criticized Pakistan’s leadership and military for seeking to rein in the ‘Kashmir jihad’. “Flowers are being offered to the mujahideen who are sacrificing their lives, and a minute’s silence is being observed in their memory,” he said. “Yet, at the same time, our leaders are doing nothing to confront the Indian Army.”

The Illyas said that “if an attempt is made to stab us in the back like (by former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf), then the mujahideen are prepared to take these knives in their chest”.

The event was attended by multiple local prominent people, including Maulana Aftab Kashar, of the proscribed anti-Shia terrorist group Sipah-e-Sahaba, Atiq Ahmed of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, former bureaucrat Jamil Safdar and members of major political parties, an eyewitness said. Participants were requested not to make video recordings of the event.

Fighting alongside the Taliban-India’s intelligence services has long warned of a JeM resurgence, driven by its intimate relationship with the triumphant Taliban in Afghanistan. Afghan officials have long reported the country’s army facing Jaish and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists alongside Taliban forces, with hundreds participating in battles.

The UNSC group monitoring terrorism was told last summer that up to 1,000 JeM and LeT terrorists were fighting alongside the Taliban, “acting as advisers, trainers, and specialists in improvised explosive devices”.

Following the Indian Air Force strike on a Jaish seminary in Balakot in 2019 — a reprisal for the terrorist attack in Pulwama — the group’s overall chief, Masood Azhar Alvi, was moved into protective custody. The Jaish’s Bahawalpur headquarters at the Markaz Osman-o-Ali was placed under government administration, and its military training camps evacuated.

Jaish’s complex ties with ISI, al-Qaeda-Long-standing, complex relationships between Azhar, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and al-Qaeda underpin Jaish-Taliban ties, which center around Muhammad Yakub — son of the Taliban’s founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar, and now Afghanistan’s de-facto defense minister.

Later, Rasheed wrote, he participated in a Jaish meeting where volunteers were sought for suicide attacks in Kabul. Fifteen of 200 participants volunteered. (1)

PM security breach: PM met the President, CCS takes up the Issue

President Kovind meets PM Modi; receives a first-hand account of the security breach

ANI – President Ram Nath Kovind met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thu and received a first-hand account of a security breach in his convoy in Punjab yesterday. Earlier today President Kovind had expressed concern about the security breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit.

SC to hear PIL seeking probe into security lapses during PM Modi’s Punjab visit

ANI – The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Fri a plea seeking a court-monitored probe into the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security while on a visit to Punjab on Wed. Senior advocate Maninder Singh mentioned the matter before the top court while terming it a serious lapse and sought a probe.

“Make Traffic Diversion Plan in Advance, Dharna May Result in Road Block”, State Govt was thrice Told In Internal Memos On Jan 1, 2, 4 on PM

The New Indian– Three explosive internal missives by Punjab Police on Jan 1, 2, and 4 on his rally had directed state cops to “make necessary diversion plan”.

The Jan 1 note cites “farmer agitation” in the subject line with a terse warning to state administration and cops on duty for such preparedness and contingency action.

It was sent barely 24 hours before Modi’s visit to Bathinda and Ferozepur. The note raises questions if charges leveled by the BJP against the Channi govt on endangering PM’s life by not keeping the route sanitized, from the cluster of protesters, are serious.

“Security and route arrangements in districts of 5^th Jan – PMs Rally day was given farmers agitation,” the note by Punjab ADGP (law and order) Naresh Arora reads. 

“Any dharna may result in roadblocks, therefore please make necessary traffic diversion plan in advance. Please brief your SSPs personally to assess the plan of farmers and make necessary arrangements accordingly at the personal level,” the memo adds.

All Fingers Point at Punjab Police for PM Modi’s Massive Security Lapse During Ferozpur Visit

News18-Several security lapses surrounding PM’s visit, point towards Punjab Police’s complicity.

On the question that the Punjab Police and govt were not “informed” about the PM’s road visit, govt sources say the Advanced Security Liaison (ASL) for his visit was conducted by the Special Protection Group (SPG) along with the Punjab administration on Jan 1 and 2.

During the ASL of the routes, a contingency plan for the road trip from Bathinda to Ferozepur was discussed in detail.

Route survey and vulnerable points were identified, and strong deployment of the police force was emphasized in the ASL report with intelligence inputs considering possibilities of sabotage.

The contingency rehearsal for the road journey from Bathinda to Ferozepur was carried out on Jan 4.

On a sudden change of plan of PM Modi, which the state police claim to be not aware of, the sources said when the helicopter ride from Bathinda was not possible, the SPG director discussed with the state director general of police (DGP) about the possibility of undertaking a safe and secure road trip to Ferozepur, which is about 100 km away.

The SPG follows the instructions stated in the ‘Blue Book’, which says the state govt has the overall responsibility to chalk out every minute detail of PM’s security plan ahead of his visit.

• Chapter 1 Rule 2 states that the state police shall make all protective arrangements for the security and safety of the PM.
• Chapter 1 Rule 5 states that implementation of these rules will be the responsibility of the DGP of the state.
• Therefore, the Punjab Police control room failed to inform the pilot vehicle of the motorcade about the so-called protestors on the PM’s route.
• Any timely information about the roadblock could have prevented PM Modi from getting stuck on the Ferozpur flyover for about 20 minutes.
• As a result, PM’s car reached close to the spot where the farmers were protesting.
• There was no report from the PP on clearing the route.
• Senior police officers present on the site were found to be ineffective as the number of protestors gradually increased.

Amit Shah writes to MPs; seeks suggestions for the amendment to IPC, CrPC, Indian Evidence Act

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has written to MPs, seeking their suggestions regarding amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act (IEA) at the earliest.

• the Government of India is committed to ensuring speedy justice to all the citizens of India, in conformity with these constitutional and democratic aspirations.
• The GoI has resolved to make comprehensive changes in the framework of criminal laws.

“The experience of 7 decades of Indian democracy calls for a comprehensive review of our criminal laws, especially the IPC (1860), CrPC (1973) and the IEA (1872) and adapt them per the contemporary needs and aspirations of our people,” Shah’s letter to the MPs read.

• The Centre intends to create a “people-centric legal structure.
• Requesting suggestions from Chief Justice of India, CJ of High Courts, CM of States, Lt Gens of Union Territories, Bar Councils and Law Universities to send their suggestions,
• The endeavor of bringing about a paradigm shift in the criminal justice system will be an enormous exercise, which can only be successful with the input of all stakeholders.
• Pressing the importance of Parliament, Shah said that a Member of Parliament has a significant role in the law-making process.

It becomes significant, based on past experiences of this Govt, especially as manifested in passing and repealing 3 farms laws. Also, the opposition has blamed this govt not taking them in cofidence.

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Tibetan monks, residents were forced to watch the destruction of the sacred statue

Radio Free Asia-Authorities in China’s Sichuan province last month forced Tibetan monks and other residents to watch the demolition of a large and venerated Buddha statue following official complaints that the statue had been built too high, Tibetan sources said.

Destroyed along with the 99-foot tall statue in Drago (in Chinese, Luhuo) county in the Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture were 45 traditional prayer wheels set up for use by Tibetan pilgrims and other worshipers, sources said.

RFA verified the destruction of the statue by analysis of commercial satellite imagery.

“Local Tibetans from other villages were also forced to come to watch the demolition,” one Tibetan living in India said, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect family members still living in Drago.

“A lot of police had also been deployed to make sure that spectators didn’t take pictures or videos or create disturbances.”

“It was just like the [1966-76] Cultural Revolution when the Chinese government destroyed everything old in Tibet,” he said.

Drago county chief Wang Dongsheng, director of the demolition, had earlier overseen a campaign of destruction at Sichuan’s sprawling Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in a move that saw thousands of monks and nuns expelled and homes destroyed, the source said.

“Now we are seeing the same kind of destruction here in Drago and restrictions placed on Tibetans in the region,” he said.

With construction completed on Oct. 5, 2015, the Buddha statue in Drago had been built with contributions of around 40 million yuan (U.S. $6.3 million) by local Tibetans and was designed to withstand earthquakes, said a former Drago resident named Palden, now living in India.

1. https://theprint.in/defence/jaish-held-1st-public-event-since-pulwama-on-3-jan-in-pok-to-own-srinagar-attack-raise-funds/796362/