1. ‘Beginning of A New Era’: PM Modi After Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha In Ayodhya
2. Indian Navy keeps watch as Chinese vessel heads towards Maldives
3. 3rd South Summit: India champions Global South’s role as “future growth engine,” stresses on South-South cooperation
4. India helps Afghanistan, sends 40k litres of Malathion to combat locust threat
5. ‘India does as many cashless payments in 1 month as US in…’: Minister Jaishankar boasts of digital infra

What Else

• ‘Putting up a united front’: Nitish, Tejashwi to attend Rahul’s Nyay Yatra on Jan 30
• Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to visit Pakistan on January
• Pak-Afghan border at Torkham set to reopen
• Red Sea crisis: China firms eye Plan B ahead of Lunar New Year as container prices soar further

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‘Beginning of A New Era’: PM Modi After Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha In Ayodhya

• PM Modi on Mon said that the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple in the holy city of Ayodhya is an ”extraordinary and emotional moment.”
• PM Modi also said that Lord Ram has arrived today after the “wait, patience and sacrifices of centuries“.
• Calling it a “beginning of a new era”, PM Narendra Modi said that “Ram Lalla won’t live in a tent anymore“.
• Speaking after the magnificent consecration ceremony, PM Modi said “Jan 22, 2024, is not just a date on a calendar, it is the dawn of a new era“.
• PM Modi thanks the judiciary for “upholding the honor of justice”
• PM Modi Leads the Rituals: The holy city of Ayodhya witnessed a moment of divine significance as the idol of Ram Lalla was unveiled at the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple PM Modi led the sacred Pran Pratishtha ceremony on Mon.
• Presence of Distinguished Dignitaries: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, and CM Yogi Adityanath were in attendance
• Over 8,000 guests attended the ceremony, representing various spiritual and religious sects, including tribal communities.
• PM Modi addressed the distinguished gathering and interacted with shramjeevis associated with the temple’s construction. (here)
• Ram Mandir consecration: Donations doubling every hour (here)
• “God-gifted opportunity for PM Modi to perform pooja today“: said former PM HD Deve Gowda
• Ram Mandir will boost Ayodhya’s economy: Ayodhya’s infrastructure, hotels & homes,Airlines and railways, Spiritual tourism, and Local business will be enhanced (here)
• Ram temple at Ayodhya: Facts & Figures
• Estimated cost of temple: 1800 crore; Total land: 70 acres; Main temple land: 2.77 acres; Floors: 3; Gates: 12; Doors: 44; Height 161 ft; Length 360 ft, Width: 235 ft.Construction and design: Larsen & Toubro and Tata Consulting; Technical assistance: Indian Institute of Technology; Management: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
• Major allocations Total budget for Ayodhya: Development Authority: 30,570 crore; UP Public Works Department (35 projects): 7,582 cr.; National Highways Authority of India (3 projects): 4,688 cr.; Irrigation and Water Resource Department (4 projects): 3,595 cr.
• Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has called upon people to reaffirm their commitment to the secular credentials of the nation and its Constitution by declining to be a part of the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya. (here)
• Pakistan reacts to consecration in Ayodhya: Pakistan has condemned the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
• The country’s FO said in a statement that the consecration ceremony is “indicative of India’s growing majoritarianism”.
• The ministry stated that a “mob of extremists” had demolished the Babri mosque.
• Pakistan also claimed the mosque is a blot on India’s democracy. (here)
• Israeli Consul General to Mumbai visits Shree Ram Mandir in Mumbai’s Wadala; looks forward to visiting Ayodhya (here)
• Nepal’s Union Minister thanks PM Modi for Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha, says “World entered Era of Ram”: ” The world has entered the era of Ram”, Nepal’s Union Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, Sarat Singh Bhandari said as he unveiled a 25-foot-tall mural of Ram and Sita in Mahottari on the occasion of Pran Pratishtha.
• The Minister also thanked PM Modi for bringing all the Sanatan Hindus to one place and giving them a reason to rejuvenate. (here)
• New Zealand trade minister congratulates Indian diaspora on the occasion (here)

Indian Navy keeps watch as Chinese vessel heads towards Maldives

• In a developing maritime situation, the Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of the Chinese ocean research vessel XIANG YANG HONG 03, which is reported to be heading towards Male, the capital of the Maldives.
• Defence sources have confirmed that the Indian Navy is well aware of the presence of the vessel and has been monitoring its movement.
• According to a social media post by @detresfa_ on X, the XIANG YANG HONG 03 is “heading to Male, Maldives” and has a history of conducting ocean surveys, with documented instances in 2019 and 2020.
• The vessel has been observed in key strategic locations such as the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea.
• Chinese vessels, often perceived as spy ships, have been making regular forays into the Indian Ocean, heightening concerns about China’s increasing maritime presence (here)
• The development follows Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to China earlier this month.
• China’s need may have been necessitated after Sri Lanka put a moratorium on the entry of Chinese research vessels for a year.
• Interestingly on Mon, Sun Haiyan, vice minister of the international department of the CCP, met Muizzu in Male.
• This call focused on exploring ways to promptly implement agreements signed during the president’s China visit, according to the Maldivian president’s office. (here)

3^rd South Summit: India champions Global South’s role as “future growth engine,” stresses on South-South cooperation

• India underscored the pivotal role of the Global South as the world’s “future growth engine,” and emphasized the need for South-South Cooperation to address contemporary challenges and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• In the statement delivered by the MoS for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan highlighted the diversity and unity of the Group of 77 (G77), bringing together nations from diverse geographies, economies, and political systems.
• The Minister stressed that the Global South, with its youthful demography and rapidly growing economies, holds the key to the world’s future prosperity.
• Across diverse geographies, economies, regions, and political systems, the Group largely brings together the Global South to address the challenges of our times.
• Muraleedharan also said that the “third South Summit is being looked upon with a lot of expectations.” (here)

India helps Afghanistan, sends 40k litres of Malathion to combat locust threat

• In a generous move to support Afghan people in dealing with the locust menace, the Indian govt has supplied 40,000 l of Malathion, through Iran’s Chabahar port.
• The Taliban-controlled Ministry of Agriculture has expressed gratitude for this assistance.
• Malathion, known for its efficacy in arid regions and minimal water usage, is considered a crucial tool in locust control.
• The aid not only addresses the immediate threat in Afghanistan but also serves to prevent the spread of locusts to neighboring Central Asian countries.
• Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, the Taliban’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock conveyed his appreciation, stating, “We are grateful to the Government of the Republic of India.” (here)

‘India does as many cashless payments in 1 month as US in…’: Minister Jaishankar boasts of digital infra

• Boasting about the country’s extensive and fast digital payment ecosystem, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sun claimed that the number of cashless transactions the US does in 3 years, India does in a month.
• The EAM commented while interacting with people of the Indian community during his official Nigeria trip.
• Most Western nations have struggled to move to a cashless economy but in India, even the poorest have seamlessly adopted the novel payment system.
• UPI’s introduction in India: It was in 2016 that the National Payments Corporation of India introduced the Unified Payments Interface technology to the country.
• PhonePe was one of the first platforms to integrate UPI into its system. (here)

‘Putting up a united front’: Nitish, Tejashwi to attend Rahul’s Nyay Yatra on Jan 30

• In a sign of thaw in ties between the Congress and the JD(U), Bihar CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar has agreed to take part in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra in Purnea on Jan 30.
• Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will also attend the Purnea rally.
• This was confirmed by Congress MLC and senior party leader on Mon.
• Rahul Gandhi will enter Bihar (from West Bengal) on Jan 29 through Kishanganj and will attend a rally in Purnea on Jan 30.
• Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has confirmed his participation in the Purnea rally,”
• Rahul would further travel to Araria and Katihar before re-entering WB on Feb 1 (here)

[Neighborhood]

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to visit Pakistan on January

• Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will visit Pakistan on Jan 29.
• The announcement of the Minister’s visit to Pakistan comes after tensions escalated between the two nations following Islamabad’s retaliatory strikes inside Iran.
• He will be traveling to Pakistan at the invitation of Pakistan Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, according to Iran and Pakistan joint statement by Pakistan’s FM.
• The two nations have also agreed that the ambassadors of both nations will return to their respective posts by Jan 26. (here)

Pak-Afghan border at Torkham set to reopen

• The Pak-Afghan border at Torkham is set to reopen with relaxed travel document requirements starting Tue until Mar 31, 2024.
• This decision comes after a delegation of Afghan transporters and Chamber of Commerce representatives met with Pakistani trade officials at the embassy in Kabul and requested the reopening of the Torkham border for the 2^nd time in as many days.
• Initially, Pakistan had introduced new visa and passport requirements for drivers and their assistants, which Afghanistan rejected, leading to a disagreement and the subsequent closure of trade.
• The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Chamber of Commerce delegation engaged in discussions with the Pakistani embassy to seek relaxation in visa requirements
• Pakistan has now accepted the request from Afghanistan and granted a relaxation until the end of March for drivers.
• Officials stated that currently, various border crossings, including Chaman, Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Angur Ada, and Kharlachi, are closed, causing a significant daily loss estimated at Rs680 million for both sides. (here)

Red Sea crisis: China firms eye Plan B ahead of Lunar New Year as container prices soar further

• Shipping prices between Europe and China have continued to soar amid the Red Sea crisis, weighing on China’s fragile export growth and pushing its companies to seek contingency plans to fortify their supply chains ahead of the Lunar New Year.
• The average rate for the second week of January was about $5,400 for a 40-foot container, up from $1,500 a week earlier.
• In the 10 days leading up to Jan 7, the number of cargo ships passing through the Suez Canal decreased by 30% for cargo and 19% for tankers.
• As one of the busiest global shipping routes, the waterway accounts for one-third of worldwide container traffic and 40% of trade between Asia and Europe, while also connecting China’s major investment projects in Egypt and the Middle East.
• US-led coalition strikes Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen: Houthi militants have launched attacks in the vital shipping lane around Yemen since the Israel-Gaza war erupted in Oct, forcing some shipping firms to suspend transits. (here)