[NEWS OF THE DAY]

NSA Doval to Meet Sheikh Hasina Today, Intel Sharing & Security on Agenda With Eye on China

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. News18 reported citing top sources, that Doval is scheduled to meet Hasina on Mon evening and the meeting will be crucial in the aspects of security, cooperation, and intelligence sharing, given that Bangladesh has always been India’s strategic partner in security. NSA Doval thanked Hasina for joining the NSCS Colombo Security Conclave and is likely to discuss strategic issues, including China, in the region. (here)

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina arrives in India on a 4-day visit

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New Delhi on a 4-day visit to India on Mon. Issues on top of the agenda are upgrading defense cooperation, expanding regional connectivity initiatives, and establishing stability in South Asia. During her visit, PM Hasina will meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. She will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on PM Hasina during her visit to New Delhi. This visit is her first visit after both nations’ bilateral relations touched their 50^th year in 2021. Last year also marked the 50^th anniversary of B’desh’s independence and the 100^th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of the nation, which was attended by PM Modi. PMs of both countries have met 12 times since 2015. The Akhaura-Agartala rail link will reopen soon, and it is anticipated that Agartala and Chittagong will be connected by air in a few weeks. The two sides are expected to ink an agreement on interim sharing of water of the Kushiyara River during the visit. The text of the MoU was finalized at the 38^th ministerial-level meeting of the India-B’desh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) held in Delhi on Aug 25. The JRC was constituted in 1972 as a bilateral mechanism to address issues of mutual interest on common rivers. Bilateral trade has grown from $9 billion to $18 bn in the last 5 years. B’desh has become the 4^th largest export destination for India with a growth of over 66% from $9.69 bn in FY 2020-21 to $16.15 bn in FY 2021-22. B’desh is India’s largest development partner with nearly 1/4^th of the GoI commitment under the Line of Credit having been made to B’desh. Total contracts have crossed the milestone figure of $2 bn and total disbursements have crossed $1b. (here)

Be generous with water sharing: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to India

Ahead of her 4-day visit, Bangladesh PM Hasina called upon India to show more generosity in sharing river waters, saying the people of her country had to suffer because of unresolved issues, including the Teesta stalemate. (here)

IT Ministry Summons Wikipedia India Execs After Cricketer Arshdeep Singh’s Page Reflected ‘Khalistan Link’: Report

The IT Ministry on Mon summoned Wikipedia executives in the country to meet the ministry today. The IT Ministry is seeking an explanation on how Indian cricket team bowler Arshdeep Singh’s Wikipedia page entry was changed to “reflect his association with Khalistan“. Likely to be headed by the IT Ministry secretary, the high-level panel would question Wikipedia executives in India on checks and balances in place to avoid such edits. It is also likely that the ministry also issues Wikipedia a show-cause notice, the ET has reported. “It is a serious issue. The edits have been traced back to servers in neighboring countries and can cause serious damage to the internal peace and national safety of India. We will ask them (Wikipedia executives) how such an edit could be allowed to stay on for quite some time,” ET reported citing an official. The version history for Singh’s page shows that the user who made those changes was unregistered and was using the internet protocol (IP) address 39.41.171.125, somewhere in Pakistan, Meanwhile, it is being said that an IP address from Pakistan is behind changing the Wikipedia page entry of Indian cricketer Arshdeep Singh. Singh came under heavy criticism after he dropped a catch at a crucial stage during a match between Pakistan and India on Sun. Following that his Wikipedia page entry was also changed. (here)

Pakistani Twitter accounts fuelling hate against Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh

Zaid Hamid is among the first ones who started this. He is a Pakistani political conspiracy theorist whose account is already withheld in India. Then a Pakistan news channel Dunya News with 3.3 mn followers reported “Indian extremists called Arshdeep a KhaIistani!” This is well-coordinated information warfare to fuel communal disharmony in India. These Indian journalists from Alt News, and The Ken are local enablers of the same propaganda. The Google Trend map of the keyword “Khalistani” that shows almost half of the trend is being led by Pakistan, UAE, and Qatar. In India, it’s trending because now it is in the mainstream due to the condemnation of this agenda.

Liz Truss elected new UK Prime Minister, beats Rishi Sunak in leadership race

Mary Elizabeth Truss or Liz Truss (47) as she is popularly called is all set to become the next Prime Minister of the UK. She has trumped Rishi Sunak in the race that saw Britain’s Conservative Party members elect a new leader from among themselves. Earlier this year, Liz Truss’s visit to India in light of the Ukrainian situation conveyed a strong message that strengthening connections with India was more crucial than ever. Her remarks came immediately after she had lengthy discussions with S Jaishankar, minister of external affairs. According to Truss, the Ukraine issue demonstrated the importance of cooperating with like-minded states and that events there will have far-reaching effects on the world. She stated that the importance of deepening ties with India was more than it had ever been due to the world’s increased unpredictability and Vladimir Putin’s dreadful invasion of Ukraine. Speaking at the India-UK Strategic Futures Forum alongside Jaishankar, she remarked, “I think it is very significant that sanctions are enforced on Russia.” (here)

[NATIONAL]

Jaishankar receives a call from the Iranian Foreign Minister

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sun spoke to his Iranian counterpart H Amirabdollahian and discussed bilateral cooperation and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is also known as the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. Since the diplomatic relationship has been established in 1950 with the friendship treaty, the visits of the ministerial level have increased. Iran’s then FM Javad Zarif participated in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi from Jan 14-17, 2020, and had meetings with EAM, and National Security Advisor on the sidelines. He also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit. The two countries have in place several Bilateral Consultative Mechanisms at various levels which meet regularly. India-Iran commercial ties were traditionally dominated by the Indian import of Iranian crude oil. In 2018-19 India imported US$ 12.11 bn worth of crude oil from Iran. The bilateral trade during 2019-20 was $4.77 billion, a decrease of 71.99% as compared to the trade of $17.03 bn from 2018-19. What is significant is that Indian exports to Iran between 2011-12 and 2019-20 have grown by 45.60%. Both countries are negotiating a Preferential Trade Agreement, on which 5 rounds of talks on have been held so far. India is developing the 1^st Phase of Shahid Beheshti Port at Chabahar with a capacity of 8.5 MT at the end of the 1^st phase. During the visit of PM Modi to Tehran in May 2016, the contract on the port was signed which, inter-alia, comprises an investment of $85 mn for equipment for the port. (here)

India “restricted” from enhancing ties with Israel earlier due to political reasons: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the days when vote bank politics would dominate foreign policy are gone and New Delhi’s present ties with Tel Aviv is evidence of that while speaking about the India-Israel relationship at an event in Gujarat on Sun while launching the Gujarati translation of his book ‘The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World. India is the only country where Israel has the position of Water Attache to help share Israeli best practices and technologies for advancements in India’s water management sector. He said that India’s population is declining due to education, social awareness, and prosperity. “The rate of growth of the Indian population is falling. The reason is education, social awareness, and prosperity. The UN World Population Prospects (WPP), 2022, forecasts India becoming the most populous country by 2023, surpassing China, with a 140 crore population. India currently has 17.5% of the world’s population. India is projected to reach 150 crores by 2030 and 166 crores by 2050. “…Forced population control can have very dangerous consequences, it can create a gender imbalance,” said Jaishankar. (here) “We stood our ground…without making concessions“, says EAM on Chinese aggressive actions at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

Indian Army chief meets Nepali counterpart in Kathmandu

Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande called on Nepal’s Chief of the Army Staff General Prabhu Ram Sharma at Army Headquarters in Kathmandu on Mon. The Indian Army is in Nepal to enhance existing bilateral defense ties and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Gen Pande proceeded on a 4-day visit to Nepal. This is Pande’s first visit to Nepal as COAS, during which he will call on the President of Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari, and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba apart from meeting with the country’s senior military and civilian leadership where he will discuss avenues for enhancing India-Nepal defense relations. Continuing a tradition of friendship between both armies, the Indian Army Chief will be conferred with the honorary rank of Gen of Nepal Army on Sept 5, 2022, in a ceremony at Sital Nivas, the official residence of the President. The COAS is scheduled to visit Nepal Army HQ where he will pay homage to the fallen soldiers and have interactions with the senior leadership of the Nepalese Army. India-Nepal relations are historic, multifaceted, and marked by common cultural and civilizational ties, apart from mutual respect and trust. (here) According to the Nepal Army, Pande will hand over assistance from the Indian Army to Nepal Army. Pande arrived with non-lethal equipment and vehicles needed for bomb disposal and trained horses. “The total assistance is worth around Rs220 million of which 60% will be in grants while the Nepal govt will pay 40% of the cost,” the Post reported. (here)

India ready to send humanitarian aid for floods, Pak yet to accept: Sources

BS-India is fully prepared to send bilateral relief and aid material to flood-ravaged Pakistan as soon as it receives the green signal from Islamabad, BS reported citing multiple officials and sources on Sun. However, they added that talks on the subject between both nations have petered out after India signaled its willingness to help earlier last week. (here)

India to stick to 2022/23 borrowing plan in Sept review: Report

India will stick to its annual market borrowing plan when the govt announces its Oct-Mar fiscal calendar by the end of this month, three officials told Reuters, despite taking a series of budget measures to control inflation. By the end of September, the government will borrow $105.82 billion, out of the record planned borrowing of $179.20 billion for the 2022/23 year starting on April 1. (here)

West Bengal STF arrests 2 persons over contact with jihadi terrorist outfits and radical covert activities

In a major crackdown earlier today, West Bengal STF arrested two individuals, Samir Hossain Shaikh from Diamond Harbour PS area in WB and Saddam Hossain Khan from Nirmalnagar Mumbai with the help of ATS Mumbai on charges of ‘regular contacts with banned jihadi terrorist organizations and highly radicalized covert activities,’ an official statement noted. The two individuals reportedly belong to West Bengal. More details are awaited. As per reports, the West Bengal STF was acting on tip-offs which ultimately led to the arrest of the two individuals. The arrested accused were reportedly involved in recruitment for jihadi terrorist organizations. Notably, the arrests come the same day as the Jammu Kashmir police booked a person named Abdul Wahid for working as an agent for a Pakistan-based intelligence agency. As per J&K police, the arrested accused provided input about various Police establishments and security forces to Pakistan-based handlers through various social media. (here)

India doesn’t want to join sanctions on Russia: Russian FM amid Ukraine conflict

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Fri reiterated India’s stand on the Russian energy purchases saying ‘India doesn’t want to join the sanctions (on Russia).’ “India doesn’t want to join the sanctions. Indian leaders, including my colleague, EAM Dr. S.Jaishankar, have publicly rejected any attempts to involve them in restrictions on the Russian energy purchases,” Lavrov said. Lavrov, talking about the prospects of the Russian-Indian partnership, stressed that ‘India has made it clear that they will follow their own interests.’ Notably, last week, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov slammed the West for criticizing India on energy imports from Russia while ‘slyly keeping silence on their own purchases’ calling it ‘double standards.’ “West criticizing others for energy procurement from Russia while exempting themselves from their own ‘illegitimate sanctions,” Alipov said. Meanwhile, earlier today, Polish Ambassador to India Adam Burakowski said that New Delhi can play a pivotal role in stabilizing the world order while talking in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Xi Jinping to visit Kazakhstan in first trip out of China since the pandemic began

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Kazakhstan next week, in what will be his first overseas trip since the start of the pandemic, a Kazakh govt spokesperson said. The visit will take place on Sept 14, according to Mon’s announcement at a briefing by the Kazakh foreign ministry, reported in local media. It follows months of speculation about the location of Xi’s first trip abroad, since 2020. Beijing’s strict zero-Covid policy has curtailed travel inside and out of the country. Xi and other senior figures have not left China since the start of the pandemic. Xi will meet Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for talks the host government said were “aimed at further deepening the eternal comprehensive strategic partnership and developing political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation”. In Uzbekistan, Xi would be expected to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the first time since the pair announced a “no limits” partnership on the eve of the Beijing Winter Olympics. (here)

China cuts banks’ forex reserve requirement as yuan hits 2-year low against US dollar

China has announced a cut to the foreign exchange reserves that banks must set aside, sending “a strong signal” to stem the recent depreciation of the yuan as the central bank warns the market not to bet against the currency. The People’s Bank of China said it would cut the foreign exchange reserve requirement ratio to 6% from 8%, effective Sept 15. The move is aimed at boosting dollar liquidity and improving the ability of financial institutions to use foreign exchange funds. Still, as the yuan reached its weakest point against the US dollar in more than two years on Mon, China’s central bank downplayed concerns. In the onshore market, the yuan closed at 6.9366 against the US $ on Mon, weaker than Fri close of 6.9003. (here)

The US approves potential $1.1bn weapons sale to Taiwan

The US approved the potential sale of $1.1bn in weapons to Taiwan in a move likely to worsen already heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing. The announcement came as two Chinese fighter jets on Sat crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial barrier between the two sides, Taiwan’s defense ministry said. A total of 4 Chinese aircraft and 5 Chinese ships were operating around Taiwan, it said. The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Fri the arms package would include 60 anti-ship missiles, 100 air-to-air missiles, and contractor logistics support for a surveillance radar program. US news outlet Politico first reported earlier this week on the potential US weapons deal. While Congress can still disapprove of the sale, it is unlikely to do so as US lawmakers from both major parties strongly support Taiwan. The US Department of State, which approved the sale, said the package was “essential for Taiwan’s security”. China called on Fri for the US to “immediately revoke” the arms sales. (here) Taiwan’s defense ministry is seeking US$541 million over the next 5 years to maintain and support its long-range early warning radar system, which the ministry said effectively tracked PLA missiles fired over the island last month. The ministry sent the budget proposal – to be spread over five years from 2023 – to the island’s legislature for review on Fri, saying the funds were to maintain the operational performance of the air force’s Leshan radar station in Hsinchu county, N Taiwan.

10 killed, 8 injured in blast near Russian Embassy in Kabul

At least ten people were killed and eight were injured in a blast outside the country’s embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, according to Sputnik News Agency. According to sources in the Estiqlal hospital near the embassy, 10 dead and several injured were taken to the medical facility. A blast took place near the Russian Embassy in Kabul around 11 am today, as per Khaama Press. “A Russian diplomat was also injured in the explosion in front of the Russian embassy,” Sputnik News Agency reported. Earlier, Russian media reported that 15-20 people were killed or injured due to an explosion near the embassy. Last month, several blasts were reported in the capital city of Kabul, claiming dozens of innocent lives. Rights groups said the Taliban had broken multiple pledges to respect human and women’s rights. (here)

75^th session of the Regional Committee for WHO South-East Asia begins in Bhutan

The 75^th session of the Regional Committee for WHO South-East Asia commenced in Bhutan on Mon with health leaders emphasizing continued efforts and sustainable recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at the inaugural session, the Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan, Lotay Tshering said, “There are enough lessons for us to know that we cannot do without investing more in health hereafter.” Bhutan Health Minister Dechen Wangmo said, “The pandemic has made it clear that health is central to development. The Regional Committee presents us with a unique opportunity to rethink, redesign and rewrite strategies and interventions to accelerate and enhance equitable quality health services and systems for the Region.” In a virtual address, WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the pandemic has taught us that health is the most precious commodity on earth which should be cherished and fought for every day. “The pandemic is not yet over.” The Regional Committee will also review renewed efforts around the eight regional flagship priorities – to eliminate measles and rubella by 2023; address NCDs through multisectoral policies and plans; accelerate the reduction of maternal, neonatal, and under-five mortality; advance universal health coverage; reverse antimicrobial resistance; scale-up emergency risk management capacities; and eliminate neglected tropical diseases and TB. (here)

Authorities prepare for more evacuations as water level in Manchhar Lake continues to rise

Water levels in Sindh’s Manchhar Lake and parts of the Dadu district were on the rise on Saturday as the country struggled in the face of devastating floods, which have claimed over 1,300 lives since mid-June, and authorities prepared for more evacuations from areas at risk of flooding. According to the official in charge of the irrigation cell for Manchhar Lake, Sher Mohammad Mallah, the water level in the freshwater body had risen to 125 reduced levels (RL) by Mon afternoon, up from 123.2 RL recorded on Sun night. The lake’s protective dykes at RD 80, 75, 20, and 10 were “washed over” by waves and strong winds. (here)

Pakistan floods: Death toll nears 1,300: 500% jump in onion costs worsens inflation

Skyrocketing prices of tomatoes, potatoes, and onions are putting food out of reach in flood-ravaged Pakistan, raising the specter of inflation hitting 30%, which may spur more monetary tightening. The South Asian nation already reeling from dwindling currency reserves and the fastest inflation in almost five decades faces a food shortage after torrential rains submerged a third of the country and destroyed crops. Eight more districts were added at the weekend to the country’s calamity list of 80 areas hit by floods. (here)

‘No place to hide: Ousted Sri Lanka prez Rajapaksa faces arrest calls on return

Deposed Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa faced calls for his arrest Saturday after returning home from self-imposed exile under the protection of the government that took charge when he fled. Rajapaksa fled the island nation under military escort in July after a huge crowd stormed his official residence following months of angry demonstrations against his govt. The 73-year-old announced his resignation from Singapore and spent weeks under virtual house arrest at a Bangkok hotel lobbying his successor to allow his return. Leaders of the protest campaign that toppled his govt said Rajapaksa, who lost his presidential immunity after leaving office, should now be brought to justice. “He should be arrested immediately for causing such misery for the 22 million people of Sri Lanka. He should be prosecuted for his crimes.” Joseph Stalin, the leader of a teachers’ trade union that helped mobilize demonstrators, told AFP (here)

Sri Lanka’s audit report calls for action against officials, Chinese firm over fertilizer scandal

After the fertilizer deal between Sri Lanka and China caused the island nation’s exchequer a loss of $6.9 million as the stock of fertilizer was rejected in Dec 2021 over reports that it contained harmful bacteria, Sri Lanka’s audit report called for action against officials and a Chinese firm. The report on the procurement of 96,000MT of organic fertilizer, from the Chinese company Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co Ltd, has recommended prosecuting officials, as well as a Chinese firm, which was responsible for an unsupplied fertilizer stock, reported the Sunday Times. The audit report compiled by National Audit Office has also claimed compensation from the Chinese company for attempting to unload a stock of unsterilized fertilizer that contained destructive bacteria. The audit report also recommended blacklisting the company. “… proceed with the legal action against the supplier and obtain compensation for attempting to enter a stock of unsterilized fertilizer… containing the destructive bacteria — Erwinia and Bacillus which cause diseases called mild rot and blight for economically valuable crops in Sri Lanka that cannot be imported into Sri Lanka under the terms of the agreement and the Plant Protection Act No 35 of 1999, and there is no recommended agrochemical for control,” the report said. (here)