1. Amritpal Singh finally ‘arrested’ by Punjab Police on ‘operation Moga’, Shifted to Dibrugarh
2. India performs maiden test of sea-based ballistic missile interceptor
3. India, China hold 18th round of military talks on LAC row
4. More than 300 border villages in Arunachal Pradesh to get 4G connectivity
5. Two C-130J aircraft, INS Sumedha positioned to evacuate citizens from Sudan: MEA

What Else

6. Safran Group chief meets PM Modi, discusses tech partnership
7. US President Joe Biden to visit India for G20 Summit in September: Report
8. India, Guyana sign Air Services Agreement to allow easier travel between the nations
9. “Investigating the matter seriously,” Bihar Police after 2 injured in Nalanda explosion
10. India’s forex reserves rise by USD 1.657 bn, reach 9-month high
11. Shimla: Scores of Buddhists gather in support of Dalai Lama
12. China’s Fujian aircraft carrier set for ‘new-type’ planes
13. EU warned to get its story straight on China, amid ‘divide and conquer’ fears
14. China urged to step up laser weapons development to keep pace with US
15. UN-designated terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed openly collects funds in Peshawar
16. Pakistan: As audio leaks continue to emerge, PTI renews calls for investigation
17. Pakistan: 3 children killed, 3 injured after being run over by vehicle in Gilgit-Baltistan
18. HRC expressed concern about Missing Persons in Balochistan
19. Afghanistan: Taliban forbids women from taking part in Eid celebrations in Baghlan, Takhar

Amritpal Singh finally ‘arrested’ by Punjab Police on ‘operation Moga’, Shifted to Dibrugarh

• The Punjab Police on Sun made it clear that fugitive pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh was arrested, and he did not surrender from Moga’s Rode village at 6:45 am.
• The IGP said Amritpal was arrested under a joint operation by the intelligence wing and the Amritsar Rural Police.
• Amritpal has been sent to Dibrugarh jail in Assam after detaining him under NSA, said the police officer said. (here)
• Former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode dismissed reports claiming Amritpal was forced to surrender and said police would have not allowed to address a gathering (here)
• 9 of Amritpal have been lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam and charged under the stringent National Security Act.
• Slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale hailed from Rode village and Amritpal was last year anointed the head of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit at an event.
• While the reason behind his transit to Assam is still unknown, some reports indicate that the Dibrugarh jail has been heavily fortified and used to hold militants of ULFA
• Also, Amritpal and his aides to Assam instead of being taken to Punjab or Delhi jails could be the presence of other gangsters familiar to the separatist group.
• (sources)- the Punjab govt initially thought of sending Amritpal aides to Tihar jail, but because it houses many Punjabi gangsters, even some. (here)

India performs maiden test of sea-based ballistic missile interceptor

• The first flight test of an endo-atmospheric interceptor ship-based ballistic missile defense (BMD) from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha was successful.
• By engaging and neutralizing a hostile ballistic missile threat, the BMD trial on Fri placed India into a select group of countries with such a capability- defense ministry
• AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and other hostile aircraft, as well as approaching long-range nuclear missiles, can be intercepted by BMDs.
• It claimed that the DRDO had already successfully shown the ability of a land-based BMD system to thwart ballistic missile threats posed by opponents.
• India joins the elite club: The endo-atmospheric missiles function within the earth’s atmosphere and have a range of fewer than 100 km.
• The range of the missile defense system tested on Fri is not immediately known. (here)

India, China hold 18^th round of military talks on LAC row

• The Indian and Chinese Army on Sun held the 18^th round of talks to ease tensions along the Line of Actual Control- after Dec 2022-they have been locked for almost 3 years.
• Despite 4 rounds of disengagement from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A), and, Hot Springs (PP-15), each army still have more than 60k troops.
• The Indian and Chinese armies have held 18 rounds of talks so far, but problems at Depsang and Charding Nullah Junction (CNJ) are still on the negotiating table.
• The talks come ahead of the Chinese defense minister’s upcoming visit to India for an SCO meeting to be held in New Delhi on Apr 27-28.
• There was no official statement on the LAC talks till the time this report was filed.
• Chinese def Min Li Shangfu and Russian Def Min Sergei Shoigu are expected to hold bilateral meetings with Indian DM Rajnath Singh on Apr 27, while FMs meet in May.
• These meetings will culminate in the SCO Summit to be held in Jul – the 1^st time India will host the event since joining the grouping in 2017. (here)

[nothing much can be expected from the talk, as it was the 18^th round talk but no significant progress was reported from the Indian perspective]

More than 300 border villages in Arunachal Pradesh to get 4G connectivity

• The govt has installed 254 network towers on Sat to provide 4G mobile connectivity in around 336 villages in border areas of the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The New Delhi aims at connecting remote areas of the Tawang district where there have been incursions of Chinese troops.
• The govt has given approval for the construction of 2,605 4G mobile towers for providing connectivity to 3,721 villages in the state with a total outlay of Rs 2,675 crore.
• Law Minister Rijiju said that “we are not building anything in their [China] territory, only in ours” and “other governments did not even take these steps“. (here)

Two C-130J aircraft, INS Sumedha positioned to evacuate citizens from Sudan: MEA

• Two Indian Air Force C-130J have been positioned in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah and INS Sumedha has reached Port Sudan, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sun.
• The MEA said that contingency plans are in place, but movement on the ground depends on the security situation.
• It further said contingency plans are in place but Sudanese airspace currently remains closed for all foreign aircraft.
• It advised people on the viability of safe movement and the need to avoid needless risk.
• In addition to Sudanese authorities, the MEA and the Embassy in Sudan are in regular touch with the UN, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and the US among others.
• The MEA stated that Indian Embassy in Sudan is coordinating all possible assistance.
• Indian nationals are among 66 people from “friendly and brotherly countries” evacuated by Saudia, days after EAM S Jaishankar spoke to his counterpart. (here)

Safran Group chief meets PM Modi, discusses tech partnership

• The group chairman of Safran, Ross McInnes, called on PM Modi to discuss a technological partnership with Safran in defense and space on Wed.
• The French firm is a manufacturer of aircraft and rocket engines, among others.
• In Feb this year, Safran Helicopter Engines and HAL signed a workshare agreement for the joint development of the engine for the future 13-tonne Indian MultiRole copter.
• This agreement was done after the MoU was signed on Jul 9, 2022, and the sharing of activities within the JV where parties have agreed on an equivalent repartition. (here)

US President Joe Biden to visit India for G20 Summit in September: Report

• The US Asstt Secy of State, Donald Lu, said that President Joe Biden is expected to travel to India for the G20 Summit in Sept.
• The official said that 2023 is going to be a “big year” for the India-US relationship in the G-20 has expanded New Delhi’s capacity to stand as a force for good in the world.
• “We have lots of QUAD members who are taking on leadership roles and it provides us with opportunities to bring our countries closer,” Lu added. (here)

India, Guyana sign Air Services Agreement to allow easier travel between the nations

• India and Guyana signed an Air Services Agreement on Sat to facilitate easier travel between the two nations.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a 3-day visit to Guyana.
• The agreement’s signing is consistent with the govt’s objective to establish ties between Guyana and the rest of the world.
• It will also complement the more than 50 Air Services Agreements Guyana has negotiated with other ICAO govts for the progress of interstate air travel. (here)
• Jaishankar who co-chaired the 4^th India-CARICOM ministerial meeting on Sat stressed the need for “collective interest” in the field of renewable energy amid climate change.
• Jaishankar on Fri reached his 1^st visit to Guyana on a four-nation Central and Latin America, where he was accorded a welcome by FM (here)
• Jaishankar called on Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips and discussed energy, disaster resilience, and defense cooperation. (here)

“Investigating the matter seriously,” Bihar Police after 2 injured in Nalanda explosion

• Bihar Police on Sat said that a team of experts has been called from Patna to inspect the spot in the suspected explosion in Paharpura village in Nalanda.
• A police officer said, “We are investigating the matter seriously”.
• Earlier today two people were injured after an explosion was suspected in Nalanda.
• In this regard, the district administration said a probe will be conducted by the Forensic Science Laboratory team then the cause of the incident can be ascertained.
• The police official also said that two people were injured. ” (here)
• Traces of blood have also been found at the spot, police initially refused the blast allegation but accepted it later.

India’s forex reserves rise by USD 1.657 bn, reach 9-month high

• India’s foreign exchange reserves went up by $1.657 to $586.412 billion: the RBI.
• The country’s FX gained for a 2^nd consecutive week and the maximum in 9 months.
• So overall reserve reached $584.755 billion
• In dollar terms, the foreign currency assets included the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound, and yen held in the FX reserves.
• According to the Reserve Bank, gold reserves declined by $521 mn to $46.125 bn
• The Special Drawing Rights were down by $38 million to $18.412 billion.
• According to RBI, the nation’s reserve position with the IMF grew by $12 million to $5.19 billion during the reporting week.
• The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 82.0950, compared with its close of 82.1750 during the previous trading session. (here)

Shimla: Scores of Buddhists gather in support of Dalai Lama

• Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhist Associations on Sat evening organized a peace rally to express solidarity with Dalai Lama following the controversy over his viral video.
• They blamed China for trying to tarnish the image of the 14^th Dalai Lama.
• The associations which took part in the peace rally included HBA, BSS, KSWAS, LSSWA, ITFSS, BTSS, RTWA, and Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Shimla.
• Holding placards, banners, posters, and Tibetan National flags, several Buddhist monks, youths, and children raised slogans and chanted Buddhist mantras, and offered long-life wishes for Dalai Lama.
• After the Dalai Lama’s video of purportedly kissing a boy went viral, Tibetan leaders and activists from across the globe have expressed their solidarity and support for him.
• The Tibetan Buddhist monks take this as a threat to the religion as they believe that this all is being done to tarnish the image of the Dalai Lama, he added. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

China’s Fujian aircraft carrier set for ‘new-type’ planes

• China’s most modern carrier, the Fujian, will be able to launch “new-type aircraft”, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sat
• The carrier, the country’s most advanced so far, has yet to be commissioned but is expected to form a core part of China’s plans to become a blue-water navy whose forces can operate in the open ocean and far from its shores.
• The Chinese Navy currently operates two aircraft carriers. The Liaoning, modified from a Soviet Kuznetsov-class carrier, was commissioned in China in 2012. (here)

EU warned to get its story straight on China, amid ‘divide and conquer’ fears

• After 3 weeks of “cacophonous” debate on China, the EU has been warned to get its story straight – or Beijing will “have us for lunch”.
• Diplomats and officials are fussing that an extended bout of public bickering on how to deal with the world’s No 2 economy has exposed deep divisions among the members.
• That the bloc does not fully agree on a common approach to China is no surprise – these are 27 separate countries, often with competing interests.
• But it is rare for the fight to be so sustained, and so public.
• Political leaders have clashed over how to trade with China and how much to collaborate with the US on issues related to Beijing.
• A major storm erupted over the EU’s policy towards Taiwan after French President Macron intimated in the media that Europe should not follow US strategy on the island.
• Parliament last week, top diplomat Josep Borrell acknowledged the “cacophony” of voices on China, with “not everyone saying the same thing or in the same way”. (here)

China urged to step up laser weapons development to keep pace with US

• China should speed up the development of laser weapons to keep pace with the swift progress made by the US, Chinese military analysts have said.
• The US Govt Accountability Office said last week that the Pentagon is spending $1 billion a year on directed energy weapons to counter threats such as drones.
• It said much recent research has focused on making laser weapons small and light enough to be used by one person.
• Laser weapons are seen as a good solution to the use of drone swarms, which have been widely used in modern conflicts such as the Ukraine war.
• A laser beam can confuse a drone’s optical sensor, or burn a hole when its power is increased.
• The US has been researching the technology since the 1960s and the country is a frontrunner in developing and using directed energy weapons. (here)

UN-designated terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed openly collects funds in Peshawar

• In a concerning development, the UN-designated terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been seen openly collecting funds in Peshawar, Pakistan.
• This has raised alarm bells about the resurgence of extremist groups in the country, particularly after its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list.
• A Twitter user recounted their experience during the Eid prayer where they witnessed members of the JeM collecting funds in Peshawar, in presence of security personnel.
• The JeM is responsible for several terrorist attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament and the 2019 Pulwama, and the recent Poonchh.
• Another Twitter user expressed his disappointment and shared that such fundraising is a common sight in Pakistan.
• This is not an isolated incident as several users pointed out that fundraising for extremist groups is happening in other areas as well.
• FATF President T Raja Kumar said, “.. I think what is important is to emphasize that there continues to be monitoring of Pakistan’s progress by the Asia Pacific group.” (here)

Pakistan: As audio leaks continue to emerge, PTI renews calls for investigation

• As audio tapes purportedly featuring private telephonic conversations of notable personalities continue to emerge, the PTI on Sun renewed calls for an investigation.
• A slew of audio leaks featuring key govt and opposition has surfaced on social media.
• The clips, seemingly featuring informal conversations, had raised serious concerns regarding the security of govt offices — particularly the PMO.
• PM Shehbaz had termed the surfacing of audio leaks a “very serious lapse” and announced that a high-level committee would be constituted to probe the matter.
• On the other hand, the PTI had filed a petition in the SC seeking a probe into the audios.
• The clip has not been independently verified by Dawn.com. The timing of the alleged audio is also not clear from the recording.
• Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has demanded that a suo motu notice should be taken of the latest audio leak and a forensic audit of the clip should be conducted. (here)

Pakistan: 3 children killed, 3 injured after being run over by vehicle in Gilgit-Baltistan

• Three children were killed and as many injured on Sat when an SUV ran over them during Eid celebrations in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghanche district, a rescue official said.
• Locals said the children had gone to a nearby shop during which they were run over by the out-of-control vehicle.
• He said the situation of one injured child was critical.
• Last month, 3 people died and 18 were injured when a Skardu-bound passenger coaster coming from Rawalpindi plunged into a ravine on Karakorum. (here)

HRC expressed concern about Missing Persons in Balochistan

• Human Rights Commission, Pakistan has expressed concern about missing cases in Balochistan.
• The HRC said State is using forcible missing and abduction as a weapon to silence people speaking against State.
• The report says: Anger and pain are on the rise in people here (Baloch) because of forcible missing cases/abductions, economic stress, gagging of media, and inept admin.
• Several people say Balochistan has now become Pakistan’s colony.
• Advocate Habib Tahir, who released the above report said on the occasion: Abductions and people going missing …all this has been going on for two decades. (Sindh Exp.)

Afghanistan: Taliban forbids women from taking part in Eid celebrations in Baghlan, Takhar

• In another restriction, the Taliban has prohibited women from attending Eid celebrations in 2 provinces of Afghanistan.
• The instructions came from the de-facto authorities for the women of 2 provinces of the country on Fri to not go out in groups during the days of Eid ul-Fitr.
• Only these two provinces in Afghanistan have up to now been under command to follow the instructions.
• In the Herat region, the Taliban authorities earlier this month forbade families and women from dining in establishments with gardens and outdoor space. (here)