1. Terror threat: NIA office, J-K cops’ home on radar of LeT, JeM terrorists; intel agencies issue warning
2. 2nd minor blast within 30 hours near Golden Temple; Punjab DGP says probing all angles
3. Lithium reserves found in Rajasthan — How big is it and why it’s important
4. India: IAF MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan, killing at least 3 civilians; rescue operation underway
5. India, US, Saudi Arabia, UAE advance shared vision of a more secure, prosperous Middle East

What Else

6. JeM-linked terror outfit releases footage of Poonch attack, injured soldier seen firing back till last breath
8. CPEC will be extended to Afghanistan as trilateral cooperation set to deepen
9. Pakistan unlikely to get IMF loan anytime soon
10. ‘Meet China halfway’: Foreign Minister Qin Gang and US envoy Nicholas Burns break ‘spy balloon’ diplomatic ice

Terror threat: NIA office, J-K cops’ home on radar of LeT, JeM terrorists; intel agencies issue warning

• The NIA and police officers in J&K are reportedly on the radar of terror groups such as LeT and JeM and have been issued a major warning by central intelligence agencies.
• According to the information gathered by agency, terror groups are planning to target the homes and offices of J&K top cops, as well as the senior officers in the NIA.
• They have been asked to improve their security and stay vigilant.
• This comes just a few weeks after a major terror attack in the Poonch, J&K, militants ambushed a truck near Bhatta Durian and claimed the lives of 5 Indian Army jawans.
• Days after the attack, the PAAF, (Extention of JeM), claimed responsibility.
• Since then, the J-K police and agencies have remained on high alert in the valley. (here)

2^nd minor blast within 30 hours near Golden Temple; Punjab DGP says probing all angles

• Another minor blast was reported on a heritage street near Golden Temple in Amritsar around 6 am Mon.
• No casualties were reported but a person was injured and a car windshield was broken.
• The first blast took place opposite side of 2^nd one.
• The police have cordoned off the area and began an investigation.
• They started scanning the area for any hidden explosives.
• The state police chief reached the blast spot and said that police were probing all angles, including the timing of the blast.
• Sources connected his statement on the significance of the timing of the blast with the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat by-poll, slated for May 10. (here)
• The Border Security Force recovered 1.5 kg of heroin dropped by a Pakistani drone on the outskirts of Daoke village of Amritsar at around 10 pm on Sun. (here)

Lithium reserves found in Rajasthan — How big is it and why it’s important

• Lithium reserves have been traced in Degana, Rajasthan, state govt officials said.
• Mining as well as the Geological Survey of India officials said the reserves are said to be higher than the ones recently found in J&K.
• Officials claimed that the quantity of Li can meet 80% of the country’s demand.
• Lithium is the lightest and softest metal in the world.
• The mineral converts the chemical energy it stores into electrical energy.
• Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries. Currently, India is import-dependent for many minerals like Li, Ni, and Co and has lately been looking to strengthen its supply of key minerals.
• Presently, 47% of world’s Li is produced in Australia, 30% in Chile, and 15% in China.
• However, China processes 58%, Chile 29%, and Argentina 10%. (here)

India: IAF MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan, killing at least 3 civilians; rescue operation underway

• A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the IAF crashed near Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, killing 3 people and injuring as many, while the pilot ejected safely.
• The jet crashed during a routine training sortie after suffering a technical snag.
• Reports mentioned that an IAF helicopter was sent to rescue the injured.
• IAF also noted that the “pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures,”.
• The number of crashes in the past decades has raised concerns over their safety. (here)

India, US, Saudi Arabia, UAE advance shared vision of a more secure, prosperous Middle East

• India, US, Saudi Arabia, and UAE on Sun worked towards advancing shared vision of a more secure, prosperous Middle East region interconnected with India and the world.
• US NS Jake Sullivan on Sun met with his Indian and UAE counterpart, and Saudi PM Prince Salman.
• Sullivan also held bilateral meetings with the Crown Prince, Sheikh Tahnoon, and Doval to discuss bilateral and regional matters.
• Sullivan said he looks forward to further consulting with Doval on the margins of the Quad Summit later this month in Australia.
• Meanwhile, Doval recently held talks with his Iranian counterpart, reported Iran’s IRNA news agency.
• The two discussed economic, political, and security issues concerning the two countries as well as the most important regional and international developments. (here)

• Axios said this is among the key initiatives the WH wants to push in the Middle East as China’s influence in the region grows.
• The Middle East is a key part of China’s Belt and Road vision.
• New Delhi is keen to participate in the project to counterbalance China in the region, brand India as infrastructure builder, and use shipping routes to reach West Asian ports
• Axios – the idea for the new initiative came up during talks held last 18 months in I2U2. (here)

JeM-linked terror outfit releases footage of Poonch attack, injured soldier seen firing back till last breath

• Pakistan-based terror group JeM has released footage of the audacious attack on an Army truck in Poonch last month which claimed the lives of 5 soldiers.
• The video, doing the rounds on social media, is part of the propaganda of the PAFF, which has been identified by the Home Ministry as a proxy outfit of the JeM.
• This is the first time a terror outfit has released footage of it carrying out an attack on the Army and shooting down soldiers.
• The PAFF also said in the video that it will release the full footage of the attack. (here)

West Bengal becomes first state to ban ‘The Kerala Story’, makers to seek legal options

• The Trinamool Congress govt in WB banned the film ‘The Kerala Story’ citing “maintenance of peace” and to avoid incidents of “hatred and violence” in the state.
• West Bengal became the first state to ban the film, which narrates the ordeal of 3 women who are trafficked to ISIS after being converted to Islam through marriage.
• There’s a continuing political outcry around the movie even as it has been made tax-free in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh.
• On the decision to ban the film, CM Mamata Banerjee said, “It is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and maintain peace in the state.” (here)
• The Film is tax-free in UP and MP ruled by the BJP govt.

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

CPEC will be extended to Afghanistan as trilateral cooperation set to deepen

• The FM of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen trilateral cooperation under the BRI and extend CPEC to Afghanistan
• Following the trilateral, the 3 sides issued a joint statement, expressing their determination to leverage Afghanistan’s potential as a hub for regional connectivity.
• The ministers stressed the worth of ongoing projects such as CASA-1000, TAPI, and Trans-Afghan Railways, stressing the potential to boost regional connectivity.
• They agreed to explore measures to facilitate the movement of people and trade activities. They also decided to boost transit trade through the Gwadar Port.
• Three states vow to prevent TTP, and ETIM from using their territories to harm security; the need to avoid interference in Afghan affairs is stressed (here)

Pakistan unlikely to get IMF loan anytime soon

• It seems that Pakistan may not get the crucial tranche from the IMF anytime soon, as the loan program is not on the agenda of the IMF Executive Board till May 17.
• Both have been discussing fiscal policy measures since Feb, aiming to resume stalled funding of $1.1 billion due in Nov from a $6.5-billion program agreed upon in 2019.
• Pakistan is trying to unlock the crucial ninth review as other multilateral lenders have set the revival of the IMF program as a precondition to unlock funding.
• The IMF funding is vital for Pakistan to avert a default on its external payment obligations during a balance of payment crisis, in which FX has shrunk to just 4 weeks.
• According to sources, the global lender is not satisfied with the assurances given to it by Pakistan’s friendly countries. (here)

‘Meet China halfway’: Foreign Minister Qin Gang and US envoy Nicholas Burns break ‘spy balloon’ diplomatic ice

• In his first public meeting with a US official since the “spy balloon” saga, Chinese FM Qin Gang said the top priority for the two countries is to prevent a “downward spiral” in US-China relations.
• Qin told US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns in Beijing on Mon that China and the US should maintain this bottom line and avoid further incidents.
• “The top priority is to stabilize China-US relations, avoid a downward spiral, and prevent accidents between China and the US. This should be the most basic consensus and a bottom line for countries to keep, especially two major countries,” he said.
• “[We] hope the US will reflect deeply, meet China halfway, and push China-US relations out of the predicament and back on track.”
• Qin added that “a series of wrongful rhetoric and actions” by the US had undermined the “important consensus” reached between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in Bali last year, disrupting dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
• After the meeting, Burns said in a tweet: “We discussed challenges in the US-China relationship and the necessity of stabilizing ties and expanding high-level communication.” (here)