[ NATIONAL ]

Space Agency ISRO Launches Radar Imaging Satellite, 2 Others

This was the ISRO’s first launch mission of 2022, the 25-hour countdown for which started on Sun.

In its new Indo-Pacific strategy, the US commits to supporting India’s rise

The US’s new Indo-Pacific strategy has recognized both the increasing challenge posed by China’s aggression in the region and the centrality of India in the region.

EAM Jaishankar Holds Talks with Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Mon held wide-ranging talks with Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Teodoro L Locsin on his first visit to the key Southeast Asian country. The two officials will discuss health and security, as well as other regional and global matters of mutual interest, especially as countries continue to engage post-COVID, it said. The MEA had said that the 2 ministers will review developments in bilateral relations since the meeting of the joint commission on bilateral cooperation that they co-chaired in the virtual format in Nov 2020. The MEA said regional and international issues of mutual interest would also be discussed.

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar calls on Maldives Defence Minister Mariya, discusses expanding cooperation

Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar called on Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi here on Sun and thanked her for her support in strengthening defense relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Defence stated. During the meeting held at the Ministry of Defence in Male’, discussions focused on the immense and expanding India-Maldives defense cooperation in the past three years, said the Maldives Ministry of Defence in a statement. Kumar thanked India for the immense assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccine shipments, medical supplies, transportation of food supplies, humanitarian assistance, and technical support for MNDF, with more than 170 medical evacuations and 130 surveillance missions conducted in the past couple of years. Mariya was joined by Military Secretary BG Abdul Matheen Ahmed, MNDF Surgeon General COL Dr. Ali Shahid Mohamed, DIDC’s Principal Director LTC Ahmed Shareef, and Dir of Anti-Human Trafficking Ali Jaishan Amir.

India objects to UNSG ISIS report’s omission of close links between proscribed terror groups like LeT & JeM

India has expressed dismay at the failure of the UN Secretary General’s report on ISIS to take note of the close links between proscribed terrorist groups such as Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) despite Delhi repeatedly flagging these concerns. The ’14^th report of the Secy-Gen on the threat posed by ISIS to international peace and security and the range of UN efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat’ notes that the security landscape in Afghanistan changed dramatically following a Taliban military campaign. The report says the dreaded IS terrorist group aims to position itself as the “chief rejectionist force” in Afghanistan, expands into neighboring Central and South Asia, and is viewed by the Taliban as its primary armed threat. Speaking at the UNSC briefing on ‘Threat to International Peace & Security Caused by Terrorist Acts’ that took up UNSC report, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said on Wed that India has been reiterating the close links between proscribed terrorist entities such as LeT and other terror groups, including the JeM.

PM Modi, UAE counterpart to hold virtual meet; trade pact to be signed

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the UAE counterpart are expected to hold a virtual meeting in the coming week with the key outcome being the signing of the much-awaited free trade pact FTA. Both sides are exploring Fri (18^th) or Sat (19^th) as possible days for the meeting, even as a formal confirmation is still awaited. Last week in response to a question, India’s trade minister Piyush Goyal said, “with UAE we are at an advance stage and we hope to make some announcements very quickly on the UAE Free trade Agreement.” UAE has stood as India’s 3^rd largest trade partner for the last 8 years. Bilateral trade in 1985 was $180 million (non-oil), while in Financial Year 2020-21 the amount reached above $43 billion. Total foreign trade between the 2 countries is about $60 billion. The signing of a trade agreement usually takes months or a year but the India-UAE pact was concluded in around 3-4 months. A joint communique will be released on the benefits of the FTA after the signing of the pact.

India supplies medical assistance to Iran as part of ongoing humanitarian assistance

India supplied medical assistance consisting of anti-TB medicines, as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance to Iran on Feb 12. As per MEA, last year in the joint fight against the COVID pandemic, India had supplied humanitarian assistance to Iran consisting of 1 million doses of COVAXIN vaccine. Furthermore, to ensure food security, India also supplied 40,000 l of Malathion pesticide to Iran under the G-to-G initiative for Locust Control.

Indian community play a key role in shaping our country’s positive image in Australia: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sun met the Indian community here and appreciated their key role in shaping the country’s positive image in Australia and the new phase of bilateral ties.

India to ban 54 more Chinese apps citing security threat

ANI (source)-The Government of India will ban 54 more Chinese apps that pose a threat to India’s security, informed sources on Mon. The 54 Chinese apps include Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD, Beauty Camera – Selfie Camera, Equalizer & Bass Booster, CamCard for SalesForce Ent, Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite, Viva Video Editor, Tencent Xriver, Onmyoji Chess, Onmyoji Arena, AppLock, Dual Space Lite. Earlier in June last year, India banned 59 Chinese mobile applications including the widely-used social media platforms given the threat to the nation’s sovereignty and security after agencies were red-flagged over concerns that they were collecting user data and possibly also sending them “outside”. This action comes from the backdrop of Glawan Clash. Later in Sept, India further blocked 118 Chinese mobile apps stating that they are “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of the state and public order”. However, China opposed India’s decision to continue the ban on Chinese mobile apps and said the action violates the WTO’s non-discriminatory principles.

Commander Royal Navy of Oman Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nassir Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi called on Army Chief General MM Naravane earlier today in Delhi

The visit comes days after the visit of the Secretary-General of the Omani Defence ministry, Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi to India. Rear Admiral Saif’s visit, who assumed charge last Jan is significant in terms of New Delhi’s outreach to the new military leadership which was appointed under the new Sultan of Oman. RAdm Rahbi during which he will meet all the two services Chiefs’, members of the National Security Council, and senior officers from the Armed forces at Delhi. He will also visit operational facilities, shipbuilding, and repair facilities at Mumbai and Western Naval Command which deals with the deployment of ships in the gulf. The key focus during the visit will be India-Oman Navy to Navy Staff Talks that will take place from Feb 15 1o 18. Information Fusion Centre Indian Ocean Region is Gurugram based Indian Navy’s eye in the region. The Centre has linkages with more than 50 nations and multinational/ maritime security centers. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Mon met visiting RAdm where both sides discussed enhancing bilateral defense cooperation and maritime security.

India, Sri Lanka conclude 9^th Army to Army Staff Talks in Pune

India and Sri Lanka held 9^th Army to Army Staff talks in Pune from Feb 10-12 to foster better coordination between the two militaries. A delegation of 06 Sri Lankan Armed Forces officers was on a 3-day visit to India as part of Army to Army Staff talks from Feb 10 to 12, according to the official statement. Both countries discussed agenda points focusing on key issues related to training, the conduct of bilateral and multilateral exercises, enhancing relations in fields of arts, sports, and cultural exchanges. The conference culminated with a discussion on the progress of already implemented matters and the planned intended course of action in the forthcoming years. The visiting delegation visited the Military Institute of Technology (MILIT) and National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla on Feb 11. Staff conference was led by Major General Anil Kumar Kashid, AVSM, VSM, Additional Director General International Cooperation, head of Indian Army delegation, and Major Gen HP Ranasinghe RWP RSP, head of the Sri Lankan Army delegation. (ANI)

BHEL bags order to supply compact heat exchanger sets for Tejas aircraft

State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on Mon said it has bagged an order from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to supply compact heat exchanger sets for Tejas aircraft. The BHEL’s Heavy Plates and Vessels Plant (HPVP), Visakhapatnam is the sole supplier of heat exchangers for LCA Tejas to HAL since 1996.

Polling On In Uttarakhand, Goa, 55 Seats In UP Today

The voting, which is being held following Covid guidelines issued by the Election Commission. began at 7 am and end at 5 pm. 49.24% polling was recorded till 3 pm on Mon in Uttarakhand where voting is underway in 70 assembly seats spread over 13 districts, Uttar Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 51.93% till 3 pm in the second phase of the ongoing Assembly elections; and Goa reported 44.63% voter turnout till 1 pm for all the 40 assembly constituencies as polling for single-phase State Assembly elections are underway, informed Election Commission of India.

Former chairman of Turkish Airlines Ilker Ayci is Air India’s new CEO

The Tata Group took over Air India in Jan and is finalizing a team of top-notch professionals to revive the airline. The new board of AI is likely to be led by Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran himself. Agencies Former chairman of Turkish Airlines Ilker Ayci has been appointed Air India’s new CEO and MD, the erstwhile national carriers’ new owners the Tata Group announced today (Mon).

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Pak NSA’s Afghanistan visit disappointed the Imran govt as its security concerns went unaddressed

The recent visit of Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Dr. Moeed Yusuf to Kabul did not turn out to be fruitful to Islamabad as expected as the security concerns of the Pak govt were not properly addressed by the new rulers in Afghanistan, according to a media report.

Don’t let foreign airlines use domestic routes: Pak International Airlines urges Imran Khan

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan not to let foreign airlines use domestic routes, fearing that foreign companies would capture the local market and circumvent the country’s aviation policy. PIA’s chief executive officer Arshad Malik drew attention to recent news reports that Pakistan had extended domestic rights to a foreign carrier as part of an initiative to attract foreign direct investment, the Dawn newspaper reported. In a letter to Imran Khan, Malik said that such a decision would be harmful to the ailing domestic aviation industry and have repercussions for the country in the long term.

Impeachment motion filed against Nepal CJ, justices to continue protesting

Lawmakers of the ruling coalition filed a 21- point impeachment motion against the chief justice

China detaining dissidents advocating for rights of fellow citizens, says US news magazine

Even as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has granted the opportunity to host the prestigious world event to China, the country does not seem to be interested in the rights or welfare of the Chinese people at all. Activists advancing civil rights for the citizens of China are being detained by the Chinese authorities for subverting state power, putting them in the crosshairs of the Chinese govt, Jianli Yang has stated in a column in National Review, a US-based news magazine. Chinese president, Xi Jinping, had consolidated and tightened his control over the Chinese society to a degree unseen for decades, Yang noted.

China’s education system was eroded by submissive obedience to Xi Jinping’s party

A study reveals that the curriculum of Chinese citizenship education, a part of China’s universal education system, has always taught that a good citizen is loyal and obedient to the Chinese Communist Party. According to the study, citizens were taught that they should subsume their individual goals to the collective, socialist good, “which means following the CPC’s leadership”, reported the Hong Kong Post. The curriculum has carried different names over the years, including ‘moral education’, ‘moral character education’, ‘patriotic education’, and ‘citizenship education. The study, titled ‘The Construction and Performance of Citizenship in Contemporary China’, authored by researchers Carolyn L. Hsu et al, appeared in the Journal of Contemporary China on Jan 30, this year.

Did China Steal Italian Military Drone Firm’s Technology? Intel Panel Seeks Tighter Acquisition Laws

Italian intelligence watchdog has called for tighter monitoring of corporate acquisitions. This comes after China allegedly purchased an Italian military drone maker that supplied Italy’s special forces. The Italian parliamentary committee urged the govt to beef up monitoring of acquisitions.

Chinese and Taiwanese trade pact bids on CPTPP agenda this week: report

SCMP-Taiwan’s application to join a massive multilateral trade deal is expected to be discussed by the bloc’s commission this week, 5 months after it was submitted. The commission overseeing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will reportedly discuss the island’s membership application along with submissions from mainland China and Ecuador. Taiwan applied to join the CPTPP on Sept 22, six days after Beijing did so, and amid concerns that the island could be blocked from the deal.

Taliban reacts to splitting funds, says reserve only belongs to the people of Afghanistan

The Taliban on Sun reacted to US president Joe Biden’s decision to split US$ 7 bn frozen assets of Afghanistan between 9/11 victims and humanitarian relief to Kabul. Nominee of the Taliban for the UN Suhail Shaheen said the reserve only belongs to the people of Afghanistan, reported The Khaama Press. He added that the money has never been used for any other purpose but the ones mentioned. Referring to the US$ 3.5 billion still frozen in the US banks, Shaheen criticized that freezing and disbursement of the money for any other purpose is injustice and not acceptable to the people of Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden on Fri decided to split US$ 7 billion of the frozen Afghan assets to fund humanitarian relief in Afghanistan and compensate victims of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. As Feb 13 marked the UN’s World Radio Day, Afghanistan is anguished as 86 radio stations have halted operations over the past 6 months since the Taliban took control of the nation. Media watchdog organizations reported that financial and political issues are the main reasons for the collapse of the Afghan media, reported Tolo News.

Karzai slams US decision of splitting funds, says USD 7 Billion assets belong to Afghan people

Afghanistan’s former president Hamid Karzai said the USD 7 billion frozen assets belong to no govt, but the people of Afghanistan. This comes after US President Biden on Fri signed an executive order to free US$ 7 bn out of more than 9 bn frozen Afghan assets, splitting the money between humanitarian aid for Afghanistan and a fund for 9/11 victims. While addressing a press conference in Kabul Karzai called on the US govt to return all of the funds to Afghanistan’s central bank. “Osama bin Laden was not brought to Afghanistan by Afghans, Karzai said. He was brought in by foreigners from Pakistan and then he returned to Pakistan. Osama bin Laden was killed on Pakistan soil, but now the Afghan people are paying the price for his actions”, Karzai said. Since the start of 2022, nearly a dozen children have died of malnutrition in Afghanistan’s northern Kunduz province, local media reported citing Public Health Department on Mon.

Quad pushes back on Chinese coercion, no compromise on Indo-Pacific security

External affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s candid admission that China was discussed at the Melbourne Quad meeting in the neighborhood context indicates that the democratic group has started to mature into a launchpad for long-term strategic and economic partnerships.

• The Quad summit in Japan is expected to take place after the Australian general elections in May 2022.
• The push back of the group to deliberate barbs of China on the group shows that none of the participating nations are going to take Beijing lying down.

This is in sharp contrast to 2007 Malabar naval exercises when China sent demarches to participating Quad nations plus Singapore virtually asking whether the target of the Bay of Bengal war was Beijing.

• Facing protests from then UPA govt ally, the CPM, and the China sympathizers in India, the 2008 exercises was scaled down to a bilateral level in the Arabian Sea.
• In 2020 & 2021 Malabar exercises were between Quad navies and that too in the Bay of Bengal and the Philippine Sea with carrier battle groups participating in advanced maneuvers.
• The 2022 Malabar will be no different with the complexity of the naval war game increasing by the year.
• Jaishankar attended the 4^th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting along with the foreign ministers of Australia, Japan, and the United States on Fri.
• The Quad acknowledged the centrality of ASEAN countries to the larger Indo-Pacific strategy and presented an alternative to authoritarian China for close economic and security partnerships.

With Jaishankar in the Philippines today, it is quite evident that the Quad is engaging the Asean countries with Djakarta and Manila, the keys to Indo-Pacific security.

• Just as the Biden administration has approved the sale of F-15 EX fighters to Indonesia, India is ready to equip Djakarta with supersonic BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles.
• Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan virtually control all the ingress routes to the South China Sea and present a deterrent to the increasingly aggressive and rapidly growing Chinese PLA Navy.
• Indonesia is also buying 42 Rafale F-4 fighters from France and is on its way to becoming the most powerful Air Force in south-east Asia.
• Post Quad summit, EAM Jaishankar put the onus of present LAC tension on China as the latter had broken all the written agreements.
• That he chose to deliver the message from Melbourne was also a riposte to Beijing that deliberately put Kashmir and minority rights in a Sino-Pak joint statement.
• EAM Jaishankar also rebutted the Chinese on the credibility of Quad in his characteristic style.
• With the deepening of ties with Australia post-2014 and continuous close engagement with the US and Japan, New Delhi is sending a message of no compromise on national security to China.
• That it is a legitimate partner in Indo-Pacific will be further reinforced when EAM Jaishankar addresses the EU FMs Indo-Pacific alliance meeting in Paris on Feb 22.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Sat announced ‘Maitri’ Scholars Program under which it will provide over US$ 11 million for four years to support Indian students to study in Australia’s world-leading universities. During the joint presser, Payne also announced a series of new initiatives to boost the education and cultural ties between Australia and India.

In its new Indo-Pacific strategy, the US commits to supporting India’s rise

Committing itself to a more effective, more enduring, and stronger role in the Indo-Pacific, and declaring that no other region will have as much of an impact on the world as well as the everyday lives of Americans, the US’s new Indo-Pacific strategy, released on Fri, has recognized both the increasing challenge posed by China’s aggression in the region and the centrality of India in the region.

The strategy was piloted by the National Security Council, which is seen as the key driver of the most important policy initiatives of the US when it comes to China and the Indo-Pacific.

Experts suggest that the clear focus in the strategy on the China challenge, and the recognition of Indian centrality across spheres, both as a bilateral partner and through Quad, will further deepen ties between Washington DC and Delhi.

On China, it says that Beijing is combining its “economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might” to pursue a “sphere of influence” in the Indo-Pacific and seek to become the “world’s most influential power”.

It added, “The PRC’s coercion and aggression span the globe, but it is most acute in the Indo-Pacific. From the economic coercion of Australia to the conflict along the Line of Actual Control with India to the growing pressure on Taiwan and bullying of neighbors in the East and South China Seas, our allies and partners in the region bear much of the cost of the PRC’s harmful behavior.”

A free and open Indo-Pacific region-The strategy – the first such region-specific strategy to be released under the Joe Biden administration – says that the US is committed to a “free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient” Indo-Pacific region.

It defines the region as stretching from the US’s Pacific coastline to the Indian Ocean and outlines its political, military, strategic, and economic importance for the US.

Engaging with India on China threat- A senior administration official emphasized the history of cooperation and engagement with India across recent administrations and said, “We see tremendous opportunities in working with another democracy, with a country that has a maritime tradition, and that understands the importance of the global commons to advance critical issues in the region.”

The role of allies- It also recognizes that the US cannot do so on its own, and underlines the role of allies and partners, such as India.

Besides supporting India, the strategy outlines 9 other steps to achieve US objectives – more investment of resources, leading an Indo-Pacific economic framework, reinforcing deterrence, strengthening ASEAN, delivering on Quad, expanding US-Japan-South Korea cooperation, building resilience in the Pacific Islands, supporting good governance and accountability, and supporting “open, resilient, secure and trustworthy technologies”.

The Taiwan factor-Commenting on the overall document, a research analyst, said that 5 key topics dominated the strategy – climate, technology supply chains, economic integration, stability on the Korean peninsula, and most of all, China’s “malign influence and coercive economic practices.….. By comparison, the Trump administration’s 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy did not mention these issues at all.” (1)

Space Agency ISRO Launches Radar Imaging Satellite, 2 Others

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched a first launch mission Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle with two smaller co-passenger satellites at 05.59 am today (Mon) from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

• This was the ISRO’s of 2022, the 25-hour countdown for which started yesterday.
• The launch vehicle is designed to orbit an earth observation satellite EOS-04, weighing 1710 kg into a sun-synchronous polar orbit of 529 km.

EOS-04 – A Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high-quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as Agriculture, Forestry and Plantations, Soil Moisture and Hydrology, and Flood mapping.

The 2 smaller co-passenger satellites include a student satellite (INSPIREsat-1) from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in association with the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder with NTU, Singapore, and NCU, Taiwan.

• Two scientific payloads in this satellite are to improve the understanding of ionosphere dynamics and the sun’s coronal heating processes.
• The other is a technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to the India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B).

Having a thermal imaging camera as its payload, the satellite benefits the assessment of land surface temperature, water surface temperature of wetland or lakes, delineation of vegetation (crops and forest), and thermal inertia (day and night).

Is Singapore’s USD 110 million space-tech investment an opportunity for Indian firms?

Last week at the 14^th Global Space and Technology Convention 2022 held in Singapore, the Singapore govt announced that it is committing US$ 110 mn) to the space technology industry through research and development (R&D) funding through Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn).

• OSTIn is the govt office, which oversees the country’s space industry, and the National Research Foundation.
• OSTIn was created in 2013 to support Singaporean companies in developing internationally competitive capabilities in the space-tech industry.
• In the area of space-tech, India is without a doubt more advanced than Singapore.
• To date, India has launched a sum of 109 spacecraft missions, 77 launch missions, 10 student sats, 2 re-entry missions, and 319 foreign sats.
• The Indian space industry was valued at US$ 7 billion in 2019 and targets to reach USD50 billion by 2024.
• One of its most notable accomplishments is the interplanetary mission, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which in Sept 2019 completed 5 years in the orbit of Mars.
• Therefore chances of Indian participation in one way or another in Singapore’s space-tech development program would be highly likely, given the close ties.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

Pak NSA’s Afghanistan visit disappointed the Imran govt as its security concerns went unaddressed

ANI-The recent visit of Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Dr. Moeed Yusuf to Kabul did not turn out to be fruitful to Islamabad as expected as the security concerns of the Pak govt were not properly addressed by the new rulers in Afghanistan, according to a media report.

• The NSA’s Kabul visit came in the security-related issues as NSA could not meet with the Taliban PM, Mullah Hassan Akhund, and Dy PM, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
• The official statements from the two sides did not make any reference to the Durand Line and cross-border terrorism.

Portal Plus– Yusuf’s efforts to secure the release of Tariq Haqqani, son of Min for Refugees Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani, along with 3 Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence officials with Mullah Baradar-led group in Kabul, also failed.

• The visit took place after the Taliban had stopped the Pakistan military from erecting the barbed fences along its border with Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
• The two countries have also years-long issues over the Durand Line which decides the border between the two countries.
• Moeed Yusuf, led a delegation to Kabul last month to discuss with the Afghan authorities border fencing, security issues, and stalled joint infra projects.

Dr. Yusuf, who also heads the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell, a policy formulation, and implementation forum, called on Afghan Dy PM, Abdul Salam Hanafi, and FM, Amir Khan Muttaqi, besides participating in delegation-level talks with the other govt ministers and officials.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sun said that there is “no other alternative to Taliban in Afghanistan,” so the “only option the world has right now is to engage with the Taliban for things to move forward” in an exclusive interview with Fareed Fareed Zakaria for CNN.

However, unverified sources said that the Pakistan establishment is arranging multiple interviews of Pak PM Imran Khan and senior officials with US media in coming weeks, to boost Pak’s agenda in US political circles.

Point to Note-Pakistan has indeed no card to bargain with Kabul, which is passing through the great threats of hunger, economy, and lack of appropriate administrative infrastructure. And the eyes of many power centers are on Kabul, which has a lot to offer. (2)

Impeachment motion filed against Nepal CJ, justices to continue protesting

WION -After 3 months of continuous protest by the judicial bodies against the Chief Justice of Supreme Court Cholendra Shamsher Rana, ruling parties of the Nepal Govt on Sun filed a 21- point impeachment motion against the Chief Justice.

• A total of 98 lawmakers have signed the proposal to impeach the CJ registered at the Parliament secretariat today, alleging the CJ is incapable of upholding democracy and the rule of law.
• Following the registration of the motion, CJ Rana has been automatically suspended from practicing his duties.
• In the letter sublimed to the Parliament, lawmakers have accused the current CJ of being “incapable of safeguarding democracy, human rights, justice, the rule of law, constitutional supremacy and an independent, competent, impartial and responsible judiciary.
• The Nepal Bar Association President Chandeshwor Shrestha told WION that the bar will continue with their protest until the motion is passed.
• Shumsher Rana has automatically been debarred from carrying out his duties immediately following the registration of the impeachment motion against him.”

Article 101 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal states that 1/4^th of the MPs can register an impeachment motion against any official holding a constitutional position on the ground of failing to perform duty effectively or of working against the constitution or seriously violating their code of conduct.

Condemning the decision of the govt of filing the impeachment motion, CPN-UML opposition leader, Bishnu Rijal said that the party will not support the motion and will file a counter-motion soon.

• While one-fourth of the lawmakers can register the impeachment motion, it needs a two-thirds majority of Parliament to endorse it.
• The support of the main opposition CPN-UML is a must to endorse the motion, as the parties that have filed the motion have just 134 votes in total.
• It needs 181 votes to pass the impeachment motion in the 271-strong Parliament.
• Nepal Bar has been in agitation demanding the resignation of the CJ, accusing him of seeking a political share in the cabinet, and encouraging corruption in the judiciary.

Recently, the Chief Justice landed in controversy after his brother-in-law Gajendra Bahadur Hamal was appointed as a non-parliamentary minister to confirm the allegation that he was seeking a share.

Chief Justice Rana had always maintained that he will not resign.

1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/in-its-new-indo-pacific-strategy-us-commits-to-supporting-india-s-rise-101644685547647.html
2. https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/pak-nsas-afghanistan-visit-disappointed-imran-govt-as-its-security-concerns-went-unaddressed20220213231049/