1. India has finally come out of slave mentality, says PM in Mathura
2. J&K encounter: 1 more soldier, 2 terrorists die
3. India set to kick off 3 mega defence projects worth Rs 1.4 lakh crore
4. Working with US and India: Trudeau on Pannun report
5. Qatar court accepts Indian sailors’ appeal, next hearing expected soon

What Else

• Pakistan FO sounds alarm over New Delhi’s ‘covert global operations’
• Tamil Nadu govt issues order to form anti-terror squad
• Anti-Terror Agency Raids In Bihar To Foil CPI-Maoist Revival Conspiracy
• Governors can’t keep bills pending indefinitely, rules Supreme Court
• ‘Serious threat to democracy’: India to soon introduce regulations to curb deepfake menace
• Pakistan: Zardari envisions ‘national unity govt’ post elections
• China Reports No ‘Unusual or Novel Pathogens’ after WHO Probes Respiratory Outbreaks

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India has finally come out of slave mentality, says PM in Mathura

• India has come out of the mentality of slavery and is moving ahead with the feeling of pride for its heritage for the 1^st time in the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of its independence, the PM said on Thu.
• Addressing an event in Mathura to celebrate the 525^th birth anniversary of poet and saint, Mirabai, the PM also said that the Braj region was not given due importance
• Earlier, Modi also offered prayers at the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in temple town in Uttar Pradesh.
• This comes at a time when several lawsuits are being heard in local courts that argue that the Eidgah Masjid, which abuts the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, was constructed on a part of 13.37-acre land belonging to the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust.
• The Hindu petitioners in the case demand that the mosque be removed and the land returned to the trust. (here)

J&K encounter: 1 more soldier, 2 terrorists die

• A top LeT commander — might be the mastermind behind 2 major terrorist attacks this year — was gunned down with another one by security forces in Rajouri on Thu
• Also, 1 more soldier lost his life, culminating in a 31-hour-long joint operation, which had already led to the deaths of 2 army Captains and 2 soldiers a day earlier.
• The so-called LeT commander — identified as Quari, a Pakistani national — was an expert bomb-maker, a sniper, and was well-trained in guerrilla warfare
• Meanwhile, 1 more soldier — identified as Paratrooper Sachin Laur of Nagaliya Giurola in Aligarh, UP — lost his life on Thu, taking the army’s toll in the incident to 5
• The 2 injured army personnel — a major and a jawan — are admitted at the Army’s Command Hospital in Udhampur, the officials added. (here)
• The 2 border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu, south of the Pir Panjal, and especially the former, have become a hotspot for Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for the past 25 months, a period in which they have seen 9 major attacks, resulting in the deaths of 8 terrorists, 29 security personnel and 9 civilians. (here)

India set to kick off 3 mega defence projects worth Rs 1.4 lakh crore

• India is now set to give preliminary approval to 3 mega indigenous projects – another aircraft carrier, 97 more Tejas fighters, and 156 Prachand LCH, worth Rs 1.4 lakh cr.
• The Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council is likely to take up the “Acceptance of Necessity” — the first step in the procurement process — for the 3 crucial projects at a meeting slated on Nov 30, TOI reported citing sources on Thu.
• Once the AoNs are accorded, the further process will take place before the 3 deals are submitted to the cabinet committee on security for the final nod.
• All these projects, which will take several years to be executed, are critical for strengthening the country’s operational capability in the backdrop of China’s expanding multi-domain warfare capabilities. (here)

Working with US and India: Trudeau on Pannun report

• Canadian PM Justin Trudeau did not directly address the matter of Pannun’s death threat case
• However, his office said he raised the issue of upholding the “rule of law” when he attended the virtual G20 summit hosted by Indian PM Narendra Modi on Wed.
• A readout from the Canadian PM’s office said that Trudeau “highlighted the importance of coordinated G20 leadership and action to uphold the rule of law and international law,” among other matters.
• Interestingly, the readout did not mention that the virtual summit was hosted by Modi.
• Earlier, on Wed morning, when asked by media in Ottawa to comment on the article in the FT, Trudeau said, “We have been working closely with our allies, including the Americans, since the middle of the summer.”
• “Obviously, we continue to engage with India in hopefully constructive ways, and we hope that India will continue to take these real concerns seriously,” he added. (here)

Qatar court accepts Indian sailors’ appeal, next hearing expected soon

• After an appeal was filed by India against the death penalty awarded to 8 Indian sailors in Qatar, a court accepted the appeal on Thu.
• The original judgment was passed by the Court of First Instance of Qatar on Oct 26 to 8 men, who worked for the Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, almost a year after they were arrested in August 2022.
• Expressing shock over the verdict, India had vowed to explore all legal options in the case to secure the release of its citizens.
• Earlier on Nov 16, the Ministry of External Affairs Spox had confirmed that the families of the ones arrested had formally submitted an appeal. (here)

Pakistan FO sounds alarm over New Delhi’s ‘covert global operations’

• At the weekly media briefing, while recalling that Pakistan remained a victim of India-sponsored terrorism and subversion, Pak FO spox said, “India’s network of espionage and extraterritorial killings has gone global.”
• “We have condemned and we are concerned about India’s reckless and irresponsible conduct, which we believe is a clear violation of international law and the UN principle of state sovereignty,” she added, commenting on a report in the FT
• Replying to a question, Ms Baloch said India has been involved in espionage and terror activities inside Pakistan.
• She reminded that Pakistan had voiced this concern in the past as well.
• BRICS membership: Pakistan has formally requested to join the BRICS group, a significant alliance of developing countries. (here)
• Islamabad ups security of terrorists who sought refuge in Pakistan: In fear of what is being termed as India’s “death squads”, Pakistan has increased the security of individuals designated as terrorists by India, whose existence has been denied by Islamabad till now.
• The revelation was brought about by a report by The Intercept which cited “secret documents” produced by Pakistan’s Intelligence claiming that India hired individuals to assassinate several “Sikh and Kashmiri activists” living in Pakistan.
• While Pakistan has in the past accused India of being in bed with Afghan intelligence, the report says India is also using the UAE as a base for its intelligence operations.
• (Sources) rubbished reports suggesting the existence of any “death squads”, adding that they too came across reports of some who do and some who don’t figure on India’s list of wanted terrorists being gunned down by “unknown gunmen” in Pakistan. (here)

Tamil Nadu govt issues order to form anti-terror squad

• 3 decades after the country’s first Anti-Terrorism Squad was formed in Maharashtra, the state of Tamil Nadu is set to form an ATS following a sanction by the state govt.
• The ATS will function under the chief of Intelligence of the state police and will have state-wide jurisdiction with powers to take independent legal action in any part
• A govt order sanctioning a sum of 60.1 crore for the wing was issued on Nov 18.
• Additional funds of ₹28 crore will be provided for ATS in revised estimates during the next financial year, the government order added.
• Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin had announced the formation of an ATS in the state assembly in April 2023. (here)

Anti-Terror Agency Raids In Bihar To Foil CPI-Maoist Revival Conspiracy

• The NIA on Thu raided 31 locations in Bihar to expose and foil a conspiracy by proscribed CPI-Maoist to revive its organization in the Magadh zone, an official said.
• The raids were conducted at the premises of accused and suspected persons in Aurangabad, Rohtash, Kaimur, Gaya, and Saran (Chhapra), a spokesperson said.
• During the raids, the involvement of top CPI (M) commanders and their cadres in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh was found.
• 2 country-made pistols, over ₹ 3.53 lakh cash, a host of digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, SD cards, and hard discs, and incriminating documents were seized.
• The raids were conducted as part of an ongoing investigation in two separate cases registered this year, the official said.
• Places of 27 suspected over-ground workers, supporters, and sympathizers of the outfit were also searched, the official said. (here)

Governors can’t keep bills pending indefinitely, rules Supreme Court

• Governors “cannot be at liberty to keep bills pending indefinitely”, the SC has ruled in a judgment, emphasizing that the exercise of unbridled discretion in areas not entrusted
• A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, governors must show deference to the use of the expression “as soon as possible” under Article 200 of the Constitution, making it obligatory to quickly return a bill with a message on the reconsideration of the proposed law if they chose to withhold their assent. (here)

‘Serious threat to democracy’: India to soon introduce regulations to curb deepfake menace

• A day after PM Modi spoke on AI risks at the G20 Virtual Summit, the Indian govt announced that it is set to soon come up with regulations to tackle the deep fake concerns, including holding platforms and content creators responsible
• The decision to get the draft regulations ready as soon as possible came after Indian IT Min Ashwini Vaishnaw chaired a meeting with stakeholders
• As per the official release, an agreement was made that govt, academia, SM companies, and [industry body] NASSCOM will jointly work towards responding to deepfake.”
• A consensus was also reached to work on 4 pointers within the next 10 days.
• It included the detection of deepfake content, prevention of its propagation, grievance redressal mechanism, and awareness creation on the issue. (here)

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Pakistan: Zardari envisions ‘national unity govt’ post elections

• PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has predicted the formation of a “national unity govt” in the wake of the upcoming general elections scheduled for Feb 8, 2024.
• The former president has claimed that no single party is likely to secure a simple majority of 172 seats in the National Assembly.
• In an interview with a private news channel, Zardari explained that moving a no-confidence motion against former PM Imran Khan was necessary to prevent an economic downturn and hyperinflation.
• He criticized the previous PTI govt, claiming that it led to the country’s isolation on the international stage. (here)

China Reports No ‘Unusual or Novel Pathogens’ after WHO Probes Respiratory Outbreaks

• Chinese authorities have reported no “unusual or novel pathogens” in respiratory illnesses spreading in the northern part of the country, the WHO said on Thu, a day after they had requested data on respiratory illnesses among children.
• There has been an increase in “influenza-like illness” since mid-Oct when compared to the same period in the previous three years.
• China’s NHC last week said that the respiratory illness spike was due to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens, namely influenza and common bacterial infections that affect children. (here)