1. Farmer Protests: Punjab farmer killed [Police denied] in Haryana police action, Protesters Say Won’t march to Delhi for 2 Days
2. PM Modi to attend Gujarat Milk Fed’s golden jubilee celebration, lay foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 22,850 crore
3. Welcome Greece’s active participation and positive role in Indo-Pacific: PM Modi
4. “Middle East peace, stability is necessary condition”: Greek PM on India-Middle East corridor
5. Security becoming more important in India-EU partnership, say EU’s top diplomat

What Else

•  Canadian police found NO ‘foreign interference’ behind attack on home of Nijjar’s associate
• No breakthrough at India-China military-level talks to resolve outstanding border issues
• Lok Sabha elections 2024: Samajwadi Party and Congress finalize seat-sharing plan
• China, France should enhance strategic coordination, cooperation: Chinese FM
• Pakistan: Govt formation Pakistan’s internal matter, says US
• Elections in “occupied Balochistan” holds “no legal status”: Baloch leader

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Farmer Protests: Punjab farmer killed [Police denied] in Haryana police action, Protesters Say Won’t march to Delhi for 2 Days

• As the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march resumed today, the Haryana Police ‘force-fired’ tear gas shells at Delhi-Haryana’s Shambhu border in the morning to stop the farmers.
• Also, the Haryana Police warned poclain, excavators, and JCB owners to not lend their machinery to the farmers, saying that if they do so, strict action will be taken.
• Farmer leaders on Monday rejected the central government’s five-year plan of buying crops at a minimum support prize.
• Late Tue, the Haryana Police chief asked the Punjab Police to also seize other earthmoving equipment from the interstate border, which the farmers will use to get through the barricades.
• These could pose a threat to the security forces deployed at the border, HR police said in an urgent communication to his Punjab counterpart. (here)
• The Haryana police have denied the claims of a farmer’s death at the Khannauri border on Tue.
• Kept order despite Haryana cops injuring 160 Farmers: Punjab to Centre: In a ‘strong’ response to an advisory issued by the Home Ministry in the wake of the farmer agitation, the Punjab govt has said it is “completely wrong” to say that the state is allowing protesters to gather at the borders.
• It has claimed that despite over 160 people being injured because of the use of tear gas shells, rubber bullets, drones and physical force by the Haryana Police, the Punjab govt has maintained the law and order situation “with responsibility”.
• Following reports of over 14,000 people gathering along the Punjab-Haryana border with 1,200 tractor-trolleys and other vehicles ahead of the resumption of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Wed, the MHA had raised concern and asked the state govt to act
• In the letter, from Punjab Chief Secy, the state govt has said it has not received the orders passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court the previous day
• The order had asked the farmers not to use tractor trolleys on the road.
• Secy pointed out that the farmers were going to Delhi to protest and were stopped on the border of Punjab and Haryana due to restrictions on movement.
• Calling for showing more sympathy towards the farmers [protesters], the secy said that law and order should be handled more sensitively. (here)

PM Modi to attend Gujarat Milk Fed’s golden jubilee celebration, lay foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 22,850 crore

• People lit ‘Diyas’ and performed ‘Maha Aarti’ at Gomti Ghat in Gujarat’s Dwarka ahead of PM Modi’s visit, who will unveil projects worth more than Rs 22,850 crore and take part in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the GCMMF.
• This marks the 2^nd occasion in Feb that the PM will be presenting the gift of developmental projects to the people of Gujarat.
• Just recently, on Feb 10, he virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for over one lakh houses.
• PM Modi will participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thu. (here)

Welcome Greece’s active participation and positive role in Indo-Pacific: PM Modi

• PM Modi on Wed said that India welcomes Greece’s active participation and positive role in the Indo-Pacific and called it a matter of happiness that Greece has decided to be part of the Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative.
• In his press statement alongside Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, PM Modi said, “In today’s meeting we also discussed many regional and international issues. .. We welcome Greece’s active participation and positive role in the Indo-Pacific.”
• He stated that the two nations will continue their efforts to contribute to global peace and stability.
•  PM Modi said, “We agreed to reform the UN and other global institutions so that they can be made contemporary. India and Greece will continue their efforts to contribute to global peace and stability.” (here)
• PM Modi, Greek counterpart Mitsotakis attend ninth Raisina Dialogue in Delhi: PM Modi and Mitsotakis, who is currently on a visit to New Delhi, attended the 9^th Raisina Dialogue in the national capital on Wed.
• The Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secy were among the top dignitaries at the annual event.
• The FM, along with other officials from across the world enlisted the representation of several countries in the ongoing Dialogue that got underway in the national capital.
• Earlier in the day, FM of Mauritius Maneesh Gobin, along with his counterparts from Tanzania January Makamba and Panama’s Janaina Tewaney Mencomo arrived in Delhi.
• Moreover, Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto, along with his counterparts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, and Liechtenstein also arrived in India.
• Earlier, Greek FM Giorgos Gerapetritis also arrived in New Delhi to attend the Dialogue (here)

“Middle East peace, stability is necessary condition”: Greek PM on India-Middle East corridor

• Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wed said peace and stability in the Middle East were necessary for the success of the IMEEC proclaimed during India’s G20 presidency.
• Highlighting the agreement by the countries on the project, the Greek PM said he sees Greece’s participation, adding that Greece is a gateway for India to enter Europe through IMEC.
• He went on to mention that the India-Greece shared values serve as a bridge to bring both countries closer and highlighted both countries’ commitment to the UN charter.
• At the G20 Summit which took place in India on Sept 9-10, India, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the EU signed a MoU to establish the IMEEC (here)

Security becoming more important in India-EU partnership, say EU’s top diplomat

• Security has emerged as a more important element in the EU-India partnership in light of developments in the Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea and both sides are looking to work more closely on hybrid and maritime security, the EU’s top diplomat said on Wed.
• Stefano Sannino, secy gen of the EU EAS, said that the EU side is interested in doing more with India to build on substantial cooperation in the maritime sector
• He said the EU is looking “to replicate and to broaden” its coordinated maritime presence in regions such as the Gulf of Guinea and the NW IOR by working with India.
• Recent developments in the Pacific, the IOR, and the Red Sea – where there has been a string of attacks on merchant vessels by Yemen’s Houthi rebels – have shown the weaknesses created by globalization, especially when “some countries or some powers” attempt to use pressure to pursue their objectives, Sannino said.
• While there has been considerable progress in various strands of the EU-India partnership, such as economic matters, an FTA, and tech cooperation, Sannino said
• He added both sides are starting to realize the need for “more solid relations when it comes to security” at a time of complex crises.
• This has led to the idea of doing “much more in areas like hybrid or cyber or maritime security”, he said. (here)

Canadian police found NO ‘foreign interference’ behind attack on home of Nijjar’s associate

• The Canadian police, on Tue, said 2 teenagers have been detained and charged in connection with a shooting at the home of a close associate of slain Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar and ruled out the allegations of “foreign interference”.
• Two 16-year-olds have been charged in connection with the shooting, said the Surrey detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in a statement.
• Multiple shots had been fired at the residence of an associate of the pro-Khalistan figure Nijjar who was killed in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia, last year.
• The RCMP in Canada’s Surrey also said that they have arrested and charged two 16-year-olds in connection with the shooting.
• Allegations against Indian govt: The shots were fired at Simranjeet Singh’s home, earlier this month, who is reportedly a close associate of Nijjar and helped organize a pro-Khalistani protest outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver on Jan 26. (here)

No breakthrough at India-China military level talks to resolve outstanding border issues

• India and China failed to make much [any] headway in high-level military talks to resolve border issues in eastern Ladakh since the Galwan face-off in 2020
• The discussions stuck at seeking complete disengagement in the remaining friction areas along the LAC) for maintaining “peace and tranquility” on the ground.
• The MEA said on Wed that the 21^st round of India-China corps commander level meeting was held at the Chushul-Moldo border on Feb 19, with the Indian side reiterating its stand of resolution of remaining friction points at Depsang and Demchok before normalcy is restored in the bilateral relations between the two sides.
• “Reach the mutually acceptable solution at an early date, to turn over a new leaf for the border situation”, China’s statement on India, China military talks. (here)

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Samajwadi Party and Congress finalise seat-sharing plan

• Congress leader in UP on Wed, Avinash Pande declared that the party would contest only 17 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections.
• He stated that candidates from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and other parties in the INDI alliance will contest the remaining 63 seats.
• Ajay Rai, the president of the UP Congress, said, “The NDA would be defeated by the INDI alliance in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Congress-Samajwadi Party’s approach is to steadfastly support one another.”
• Earlier in the day SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was quoted saying, ‘All’s well that ends well’, suggesting that the seat-sharing discussions with Congress have concluded. (here)

 [Neighborhood]

China, France should enhance strategic coordination, cooperation: Chinese FM

• Chinese FM Wang Yi said Tue that China and France should strengthen strategic coordination and deepen cooperation to contribute to global peace and stability.
• Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
• Wang conveyed President Xi’s message to Macron, saying that the two have established a ‘strong mutual trust’ and a sincere friendship, and guided the development of bilateral strategic cooperation.
• This year marks the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two, serving as an important point from which to build on past feats and forge ahead, Wang said. (here)

Pakistan: Govt formation Pakistan’s internal matter, says US

• The Biden administration remains steadfast in its stance of non-interference in the formation of the government in Pakistan, dismissing calls from
• US lawmakers and others to withhold recognition of the Feb 8 election results.
• At Wed’s presser in Washington, US State Dept reiterated this point when asked whether the prospective coalition set-up in Pakistan would be deemed representative.
• [This means in diplomacy that all is well for the nation who is saying “internal matter”]
• “I don’t want to comment on the govt before it is formed,” he said.
• “Ultimately, as is the case wherever you see coalition politics taking place in any given country, it’s a decision for that country itself. It’s not something we would weigh in on.”
• During a similar news briefing on Tuesday, he characterized the efforts to form a coalition government as Pakistan’s internal matter.
• Seeks probe into ‘irregularities’; calls on Pakistan to lift social media restrictions (here)
• Restriction on access to social media platform X significantly hinders exercise of democracy, media freedom: NetBlocks
• Metrics show that X/Twitter remains largely restricted in Pakistan past the 4-day mark; imposed on Sat as disclosures relating to election fraud circulated on the platform, the measure significantly hinders the exercise of democracy and media freedom (here)

Elections in “occupied Balochistan” holds “no legal status”: Baloch leader

• Pro-independence Baloch leader and president of the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM), Hyrbyair Marri, said that the elections that took place in “occupied Balochistan” under the Pakistani Army’s supervision have no legal status because the Baloch people did not participate in the “so-called electoral process of Pakistan.”
• He said that there was political resistance throughout the day, and people in most areas of “occupied Balochistan” deterred the voting process by taking to the streets and blocking the routes to polling stations.
• Marri further said that “by not voting, the Baloch people proved to the world that they had decided against Pakistani occupation and in favor of freedom. (here)