1. Modi frames 2024 battle: Fight against corruption, nepotism, appeasement; parivarvaadi parties a ‘perversion’
2. India, China talks fail to make headway on Depsang but both sides agree to freeze build-up
3. India and UAE make landmark move to settle crude oil transactions in national currencies
4. India: Punjab Police bust second terror module in two days, five arrested
5. ISIS Linked terrorist, Expert in bomb-making is planning attack on I-Day, arrested

What Else

6. On India visit, US Congressmen seek private meeting with Rahul Gandhi
7. Experts raise concern over volatile performance of China-backed projects in Bangladesh
8. China’s hi-tech manufacturing reaches ‘tipping point’ amid US curbs as output growth slows to record low
9. China’s military claims to have found a way to build a laser weapon that can fire indefinitely
10. Taiwan: “Will never back down to China’s threat”: Vice President
11. Pakistan: Interim PM decides to form small cabinet, review profiles personally
12. Nawaz Sharif likely to land in Pakistan ‘mid-September’

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Modi frames 2024 battle: Fight against corruption, nepotism, appeasement; parivarvaadi parties a ‘perversion’

• Delivering his 10^th I-Day address, the last of his second term, PM Modi on Tue framed the 2024 Lok Sabha election battle in many ways:
• The PM stressed the need for strengthening “probity, transparency and impartiality” for making India a developed nation by 2047 and argued that corruption, nepotism (parivaarvad), and appeasement were “evils” pulling the country backward.
• With general elections just a year away, Modi delivered a heavily political speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
• He said the only hurdle that could come in the way of the country’s development was “corruption, dynastic politics, and appeasement”.
• He spoke about some “bad elements” that had become part of the social system over the last 75 years.
• Modi thanked the electorate for electing a stable government with a full majority.
• Over the past few months, 26 Opposition parties calling themselves the INDIA alliance have come together to take on the BJP. (here)
• Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge skipped the celebration event at the Red Fort from where PM Modi addressed the country for consecutively the 10^th time
• However, the Congress president hoisted the national flag at Congress hq where Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders also attended the celebrations. (here)
• The security forces on the Line of Control have been put on high alert across the border area of North Kashmir.
• Security forces have inputs that terrorists might try to sneak in from across the border to disrupt peace in J&K. (here)

India, China talks fail to make headway on Depsang but both sides agree to freeze build-up

• India has ‘strongly’ pitched for disengagement in the strategic Depsang Plains of eastern Ladakh and rights to patrol traditional PPs in the area during talks with China Mon,
• The talks took place less than 3 weeks ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the G-20 Summit.
• (Sources)- during the talks — which began at 9.30 am on the Indian side of the Chushul-Moldo, Ladakh — India also sought de-escalation in disengaged areas.
• The main issue remains – the one related to the Depsang Plains, a 972 km² area located at a height of over 16,400’, which predates the current stand-off. (here)
• The PLA has been actively blocking Indian patrols around 18km inside what India considers its territory in the Depsang Bulge area.
• The no-patrol buffer zones varying from 3-10km coming up largely on Indian territory after disengagement in areas like Pangong -Kailash range, Galwan Valley, and Gogra-Hot Springs
• Indian troops can no longer access 26 of their 65 patrolling points that begin from the Karakoram Pass to Chumar in eastern Ladakh. (here)
• India’s official words didn’t show any progress, as in previous meetings.
• It was for the 1^st time that the high-level military talks on the lingering border row spanned two days.
• Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has said that China needs to respect India’s borders and that he will work towards New Delhi getting critical US technologies.
• Khanna, co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus who is leading a bipartisan Congressional delegation, hoped that India can play a role in effecting peace between Russia and Ukraine. (here)

India and UAE make landmark move to settle crude oil transactions in national currencies

• India and the UAE have embarked on a groundbreaking move by opting to settle their crude oil transactions using their respective national currencies.
• This will be seen as a significant shift in international trade dynamics.
• This comes as a result of the MoU signed during PM Modi’s visit to the UAE on Jul 15.
• The MoU introduces the Local Currency Settlement System, facilitated by the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of the UAE.
• One of the key benefits of this pioneering LCS system is the reduction in transaction time and costs.
• Both countries can save on foreign exchange expenses, leading to enhanced economic cooperation, besides, saving time and cost.
• Additionally, reliance on national currencies is anticipated to bolster economic resilience and strengthen bilateral relations.
• Moreover, any surplus balances in the local currencies can be invested in various local assets, including corporate bonds, govt securities, and equity markets.
• Last year, the two-way trade between India and UAE was worth US$ 20 billion, which was about 42% of the total non-oil trade between the two countries. (here)

India: Punjab Police bust second terror module in two days, five arrested

• 5 Pakistan-based terrorists were planning to carry out targeted killings across the state -arrested from Punjab ahead of the I-Day celebrations, police said on Mon.
• With this, the Punjab Police claimed to have busted another terror module in the state that shares a border with Pakistan.
• On Sun, a terror module linked to Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh was busted with the arrest of 3 operatives.
• Among those arrested in the Mon operation were Pakistan-based Harvinder Rinda and US-based Goldy Brar, the state police chief said.
• The police seized 2 foreign-made pistols and booked them under UAPA Act (here)
• Surat Crime Branch Exposes Fake Citizenship Racket: An arrest by the Surat Crime Branch police has uncovered a web of fraudulent activities that led to a Bangladeshi youth illegally obtaining Indian citizenship using counterfeit documents.
• Two men from Uttar Pradesh have been arrested in connection with the case. (here)

ISIS Linked terrorist, Expert in bomb-making is planning attack on I-Day, arrested

• Security forces in Mumbai and nearby areas have been placed on high alert following multiple intelligence inputs indicating plans for a terror attack during I-Day.
• All the police stations across Maharashtra and security agencies have been asked to stay on high alert after the
• intelligence input said that ISIS-led groups along with some local terror outfits were planning to strike the sensitive and prominent establishments in the state, sources said.
• The NIA, probing the ISIS module working out of India, had arrested 10 people in this connection but Shahnawaz Alam, (trained in bomb-making) is absconding.
• Terror groups, including the ISIS module in India and a local terror outfit named al-Sufa, were planning attacks in crowded areas, possibly using “unclaimed vehicles”. (here)

On India visit, US Congressmen seek private meeting with Rahul Gandhi

• Indian-American lawmakers from the US, who are a part of the delegation visiting Delhi for the I-Day celebrations, have expressed interest in meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, privately.
• The development was confirmed by a senior Congress party office bearer who also said the party had sought a “formal” and “official” request for the same.
• Upon being asked whether they expect the MEA to grant permission for such a meeting to take place, the leader pointed out, “That’s between the MEA and the US delegation.”
• Earlier, when asked if he would be meeting Opposition leaders, including Gandhi, US Khanna had said that some individuals had wished to meet with the US delegation.
• However, the Indian foreign ministry would need to endorse these requests. Rahul Gandhi’s office has clarified that they did not make this request. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Experts raise concern over volatile performance of China-backed projects in Bangladesh

• Several Chinese-backed projects in Bangladesh have been performing below par, and have raised concerns among experts, in the wake of the in Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
• The China-B’desh bilateral ties have been in heated discussions for the last several years for reasons of China’s augmenting interest in engaging B’desh profoundly in the BRI.
• China is also working with Bangladesh on several development projects.
• Notably, the reactions to China’s involvement in development programs have remained mixed.
• It has been observed that Chinese financial deals have jeopardized the economy of many countries including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Angola, Nigeria, etc. (here)

China’s hi-tech manufacturing reaches ‘tipping point’ amid US curbs as output growth slows to record low

• Output from China’s hi-tech sector dropped in Jul, as analysts warned a weak position in the tech war with the US could drag on the overall economic recovery.
• Beijing is eager to self-reliant amid Western containment efforts, but 0.7% growth in Jul, year on year, marked the lowest pace since the monthly data started in Sept 2018.
• Hi-tech industrial output rose by 1.6% in the first 7 months of 2023, year on year, having risen by 1.7% in the first half of the year, the NBS also confirmed on Tue
• Despite slowly increasing, the year-to-date growth was still lower than the rise of 7.4% at the end of 2022 and 18.2% in 2021. (here)

China’s military claims to have found a way to build a laser weapon that can fire indefinitely

• Chinese scientists claim they have found a way to build a laser weapon that can be fired indefinitely, which would dramatically increase its efficacy over other laser weapons.
• If their claims are true, it means that China has leapfrogged over the US in developing high-energy laser weapons that could be used on the battlefield.
• The capability China’s military scientists claim to have developed, however, has not yet been seen in action.
• Scholars at the NUDT, a military-research institution, said they developed a cooling system that allowed high-energy lasers to remain powered up without getting too hot.
• China and the US, among other nations, are looking to develop combat-ready high-energy laser weapons that can generate beams strong enough to melt steel. (here)

Taiwan: “Will never back down to China’s threat”: Vice President

• Despite Beijing’s warning of his visit, Taiwan’s vice president and a front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential race William Lai on Sun said that the island will never yield in the face of escalating Chinese threats.
• He made a stopover in New York en route to Paraguay, where he will attend the inauguration of its new president Tue.
• In a speech to supporters at a lunch banquet in New York, Lai portrayed Taiwan’s long-term survival as something the international community should take an interest in. (here)

Pakistan: Interim PM decides to form small cabinet, review profiles personally

• Since taking charge as 8^th caretaker PM, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has sped up talks for the formation of the interim cabinet, Geo News reported Tue, citing sources.
• Kakar has decided to form a small cabinet and personally review the profiles of all possible candidates, adding that he expressly wished that his protocol be kept to a min.
• According to the sources, his decision was based on his desire to avoid incurring unnecessary expenses or making people suffer.
• Furthermore, the names of caretaker ministers under consideration include former foreign secy, former civil servant, former SC Bar Association president, former senator, and former police IG and acclaimed columnist. (here)

Nawaz Sharif likely to land in Pakistan ‘mid-September’

• Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is likely to return to Pakistan by mid of next month.
• A Sharif family source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that Nawaz will leave for Pakistan from London “after a month”.
• This would mean that the former prime minister will return in the middle of Sept.
• The Sharif family’s lawyers had advised to come to Pakistan immediately after ending his Europe and Middle East visit which started 2 months ago and ended last week.
• However, some within the PML-N have advised Nawaz that it’s better to arrive in mid-Sept. (here)