1. Election 2024: There has been UCC in Goa since independence: PM Modi
2. India lodges protest with China over its infra development in Shaksgam valley
3. President Biden calls Japan and India ‘xenophobic’ nations that do not welcome immigrants
4. ‘We see them as Speculative…’: MEA Dismisses Australian media reports on expelled Indian spies:
5. India ‘watchful’ of Chinese vessel docked in Maldives: MEA

What Else

• “Trudeau’s remarks illustrate political space given in Canada to extremism, violence…”: MEA
• India slams USCIRF report on religious freedom as biased
• Rajiv Gandhi intel shared by Israel went missing after his killing: Expert
• West Bengal Police neutralize 22 crude bombs in Cooch Behar district
• MoU with Nepal on public sector audit “adds yet another dimension to our multi-faceted relationship”: India
• Pak Harbours “Most Dubious Track Record” on all aspects: India at UN General Assembly
• Huawei secretly backs US research, awarding millions in prizes
• Chinese Nationals accused of conspiracy to smuggle American technology into China
• Pakistan: PM hails govt efforts as inflation plummets to two-year low of 17.3%
• Pakistan rubbishes claim of providing bases to US

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Election 2024: There has been UCC in Goa since independence: PM Modi

• Amid the debate over the Uniform Civil Code, PM Modi said that UCC is already in place in the state of Goa and everyone is living happily there.
• He asserted that even the Constitution has mentioned the implementation of UCC.
• Giving the example of Goa, the PM highlighted that there is a huge number of minorities (Christians) in the state. (here)
• 45 erstwhile royal families extend their support to PM in Gujarat ahead of elections: In a big boost to the BJP ahead of the elections, as many as 45 erstwhile royal families have extended their support to PM Modi. [what else they can do]
• The members of the families gathered in Rajkot.
• 15-16 erstwhile royal family members were present, while the others extended their letter of support for PM Modi. (here)
• Congress fields Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli, KL Sharma from Amethi: After days of suspense, Congress on Fri named Rahul Gandhi’s candidature from its traditional bastion of Raebareli constituency in UP, against the BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh.
• Rahul currently represents Wayanad.
• Raebareli was held by Sonia Gandhi who became a member of Rajya Sabha.
• The Congress party has also named Kishori Lal Sharma, a party loyalist from Amethi, the seat Rahul Gandhi lost in the 2019 general elections to BJP leader Smriti Irani (here)

India lodges protest with China over its infra development in Shaksgam valley

• India has lodged a strong protest with China for carrying out construction activities in the Shaksgam valley, in an “illegal” attempt to alter the situation on the ground.
• MEA spox said on Thu that the Shaksgam valley is a part of India and New Delhi never accepted the so-called China-Pakistan boundary pact of 1963 through which Islamabad “unlawfully” attempted to cede the area to Beijing.
• “We further reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests,” Spox said.
• The Shaksgam Valley is a strategically key region that is part of PoK. (here)
• China-India Conflict In POK: Like Galwan, China hatched a conspiracy in Shaksgam Valley, and India said it would not be tolerated.
• After Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, China is conspiring in the Shaksgam Valley.
• China has illegally built a road in Valley near Siachen Glacier.
• Chinese activities came to light through satellite.
• India came to know about the Chinese illegally constructing the road in the valley near the Siachen Glacier activities from the reports of Indian satellites. (here)

President Biden calls Japan and India ‘xenophobic’ nations that do not welcome immigrants

• President Joe Biden has called Japan and India “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants, lumping the two with adversaries China and Russia as he tried to explain their economic circumstances and contrasted the four with the U.S. on immigration.
• The remarks, at a campaign fundraising event Wed evening, came just 3 weeks after the WH hosted Japanese PM Fumio Kishida for a lavish official visit
• During the visit, the two leaders celebrated what Biden called an “unbreakable alliance,” particularly on global security matters.
• The White House welcomed PM Modi for a state visit last summer.
• Japan is a critical U.S. ally and India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, is a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific despite differences in human rights.
• At a hotel where the donor audience was largely Asian-American, Biden said the upcoming U.S. election was about “freedom, America, and democracy”.
• “Why? Because we welcome immigrants,” Biden said.
• “Look, think about it. Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they’re xenophobic.
• WH national security spox said Biden was making a broader point about the U.S. posture on immigration. [No, it was an election campaign]
• Spox, “They understand how much he [Biden] completely and utterly values the idea of alliances and partnerships.” (here)

‘We see them as Speculative…’: MEA Dismisses Australian media reports on expelled Indian spies:

• India on Thu dismissed media reports about the expulsion of two Indian spies from Australia as “speculative” and reaffirmed strong ties with the fellow democracy with which it shares an expansive relationship.
• “We really have no comments to make on those reports. We see them as speculative reports and we have no comments to make on them,” MEA said, in response to a question, during a press conference.
• “With Australia, we have a strategic partnership. ..We are partners in the Quad and we have a large diaspora there. …It’s a very expansive relationship with Australia and we want to build on it,” he said when asked about the current state of ties (here)
• How Five Eyes Bloc is trying to defang India’s counter-terror & intel apparatus: At an election rally in Gujarat last night, PM Modi said that today, India doesn’t send dossiers to masters of terrorism but gives them doses and kills them on their home turf.
• The recent media reports in Canada, UK, US, and Australian media, all countries part of the 5 Eye intelligence alliance, have accused the Modi govt of involvement in the killing of proscribed terrorists
• The latest is an Australian state broadcaster accused Indian spies of trying to steal secrets about sensitive defense projects and airport security and classified trade information in 2020.
• A news report in the West has even named NSA Ajit Doval and former Secy R&AW for being directly involved in the plot to kill Pannun albeit without a shred of evidence.
• Using the US Justice Department indictment of Nikhil Gupta in the Pannun case as the foundation, the effort has been made to tar PM, the Indian national security apparatus, and accuse the Indian intel of running black operations in the Five Eye nations.
• These UK and US media reports have been summarily dismissed by the MEA
• It is quite evident from these reports that 5 Eyes has decided to take on Indian intel for getting too big to its boots and is leaking source intel to leftist and their own funded media to rein in the Modi govt.
• The leaks to the media are also designed to force their political leadership to take action against India and Modi, the senior political leader in the democratic world.
• While the Five Eye Alliance is trying to engineer the electoral fall of PM Modi through media reports on Indian intelligence gone rogue, the same media has maintained pin-drop silence over CIA’s moles in R&AW over the past two decades. (here)

India ‘watchful’ of Chinese vessel docked in Maldives: MEA

• India is “watchful” of the presence of a Chinese vessel in the Maldives and taking “appropriate measures” for national and economic security, the MEA said on Thu.
• Earlier, Chinese marine research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 returned to Maldivian waters, marking its 2^nd visit within 2 months.
• The vessel was observed docked at the Thilafushi industrial island’s harbor, although the specific reason for its return remains undisclosed by the government.
• The govt had previously confirmed permission for the ship to dock in its initial visit.
• After the 1^st visit of a Chinese vessel to Maldives in Feb, Def Min Maumoon told the Maldivian Parliament that the Chinese vessel would not conduct any research.
• The vessel docked in Maldives after Pro-China Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s ruling People’s National Congress won a supermajority in the Parliament. (here)

“Trudeau’s remarks illustrate political space given in Canada to extremism, violence…”: MEA

• MEA on Thu condemned the pro-Khalistan slogans at a public event attended by Canadian PM Trudeau and stressed that this shows the kind of political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism, and violence.
• MEA emphasized that this encourages a climate of violence and criminality in Canada.
• During the Khalsa Day Celebrations that took place in Toronto, loud chants of pro-Khalistan slogans were seen being raised in the presence of Canadian PM Trudeau, as well as opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. (here)

India slams USCIRF report on religious freedom as biased

• India has strongly criticized a recent report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), labeling it as biased and driven by a political agenda.
• Responding to questions, MEA Spox stated, “The USCIRF is known as a biased organization with a political agenda. They continue to publish their propaganda on India …. We really have no expectation that USCIRF will even seek to understand India’s diverse, pluralistic, and democratic ethos.”
• The report recommended 17 countries, including India, as Countries of Particular Concern for alleged severe violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief for the fifth year in a row. (here)
• The US State Dept has not accepted the recommendation to designate India as a CPC in the previous 4 years under both the Trump and the Biden administrations. (here)
• On major social media platforms removing critical content and blocking channels at the request of the Indian Authority and raising concerns about censorship, the US State Dept says, “So let me take that one back if it regards any specific actions, which is not to say there are any, but of course, we support freedom of expression all around the world.”

Rajiv Gandhi intel shared by Israel went missing after his killing: Expert

• Pointing out a “glaring instance” of politics destroying an extremely significant piece of intel shared between two nations, a security expert on Thu said that Israel had shared with India certain transcripts about the possible threat to the life of late PM Rajiv Gandhi that went missing after the assassination of the top Congress leader in 1991.
• “Nations had to work with each other on a day-to-day basis. The situation arose where that particular piece of intelligence got misplaced, removed, or whatever,” said Namit Verma during a discussion.
• Verma, according to the program’s host and Usanas founder, has been an “expert on global geopolitics with specialization in security matters” for decades, having also “worked closely with the govt on various critical matters of security and foreign policy”.
• “At that point, India was critical, the Soviet Union wasn’t disintegrated and India was a backchannel between the US and the Soviets. Rajiv Gandhi was part of that communication,” he mentioned during the discussion which was also attended by two Israeli security experts, Joseph Rozen and Kobe Michael, the latter having served as Deputy Director General and head of the Palestinian division in the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs.
• Verma said that such incidents have happened whenever global equations are changing or the existing order is challenged. (here)

West Bengal Police neutralize 22 crude bombs in Cooch Behar district

• West Bengal Police on Thu neutralized 22 crude bombs in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi.
• Last month, the Central Bureau of Investigation recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including foreign pistols and revolvers, during searches in Sandeshkhali.
• The recovery was made during searches carried out by the CBI teams in connection with a case related to violence against the Enforcement Directorate officials.
• The team recovered: 3 exotic, 1 Indian revolver, 1 Colt official police revolver, 1 exotic, 1 country-made pistol, 120 09 mm bullets, 50 0.45 caliber cartridges, 120 09 mm caliber cartridges, 50 .380 cartridges, and 8 .32 cartridges.
• Besides, many incriminating documents related to Shahjahan were also recovered.
• Some items suspected to be country-made bombs have also been recovered which are being handled and disposed of by the teams from NSG. (here)

MoU with Nepal on public sector audit “adds yet another dimension to our multi-faceted relationship”: India

• India has hailed the MoU signed between New Delhi and Kathmandu in the field of public sector audit and said that it adds another dimension to the relationship
• During his visit on Thu, CAG of India Girish C Murmu met with PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepal’s Fin Min Barshaman Pun, and Auditor General of Nepal Toyama Raya.
• CAG Murmu on Thu also called on Finance Minister Pun at the ministry.
• Murmu met AG Raya and also signed MoUs, which will promote capacity-building efforts and focus on methodologies in the field of Public Sector Audit  (here)

Pak Harbours “Most Dubious Track Record” on all aspects: India at UN General Assembly

• In a sharp retort, India has said Pakistan harbors a “most dubious track record” in all aspects, as it slammed “destructive and pernicious” remarks made by Islamabad’s envoy in the UNGA.
• India’s Permanent Rep to the UN Ruchira Kamboj’s stern response came after Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram made lengthy remarks against India, including references to Kashmir, the CAA, and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, during his address to the UN General Assembly meeting on ‘Culture of Peace.’
• “…Or is that too much to ask of a country that harbors a most dubious track record on all aspects in itself?” she said. (here)

 [Neighborhood]

Huawei secretly backs US research, awarding millions in prizes

• Huawei Technologies Co., the Chinese telecommunications giant blacklisted by the US, is secretly funding cutting-edge research at American universities including Harvard through an independent Washington-based foundation.
• Huawei is the sole funder of research that has awarded $Mns since its inception in 2022 and attracted 100s of proposals from scientists around the world, including those at top US universities that have banned their researchers from working with the company
• The competition is administered by the OF, an arm of Optica, whose members’ research on light underpins technologies such as comm, biomedical diagnostics, and lasers.
• The US targets China’s top chipmaking plant after Huawei Mate 60 Pro, sources say US targets China’s top chipmaking plant after Huawei Mate 60 Pro, sources say (here)

Chinese Nationals accused of conspiracy to smuggle American technology into China

• Two Chinese nationals have been accused by the Justice Department of attempting to illegally export American technology to China.
• The two, 44-year-old Han Li and 64-year-old Lin Chen, are charged with crimes related to an alleged conspiracy to smuggle US-made technology related to semiconductor production to restricted Chinese companies.
• If convicted, the two could face decades in prison and millions of dollars in fines.
• Chen was arrested in Chicago on Thu while Li is believed to be in China.
• According to the DOJ, the 2 used a series of intermediary companies to evade Commerce Department restrictions from May 2015 to Aug 2018.
• The indictment says that they were attempting to illegally export a machine used to cut thin semiconductors, known as silicon wafers, used in a variety of devices. (here)

Pakistan: PM hails govt efforts as inflation plummets to two-year low of 17.3%

• PM Shehbaz Sharif hailed the recent downturn in inflation as a boon for the populace, deeming it a tangible sign of economic progress, as per a release by the PMO on Thu.
• According to PBS, the pace of price increases decelerated to 17.3% in Apr compared to the same period the previous year, marking the lowest rate in two years and nearing the point from which prices initially surged.
• Moreover, the decline in inflation surpassed projections from the Ministry of Finance, which had estimated a range of 18.5 to 19.5%.
• This marked the fourth consecutive month of downward trajectory in inflation rates.
• PM Shehbaz attributed these developments to the collective efforts spanning his previous 16-month-long tenure and continuing under the caretaker govt. (here)

Pakistan rubbishes claim of providing bases to US

• The FO on Thu dismissed speculations that Pakistan was providing military bases to the United States or any other country.
• “This speculation is completely unfounded, and we reject it. There is absolutely no basis for these social media speculations,” FO spox, told reporters at the weekly briefing.
• The Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub, claimed that they had some information about Pakistan providing bases to the US
• Speculations about the bases were first triggered by PTI lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat, who claimed that Pakistan provided bases to the US.
• Some govt officials had already rebutted his claims, insisting that the bases Marwat was referring to were vacated a long time ago by the US.
• The visit of the US officials came just days after Iranian President Raisi visited Pakistan.
• Despite reservations by Washington, Pakistan agreed on several steps with Iran to deepen cooperation.
• Meanwhile, the FO strongly rejected allegations leveled by Shahzad Akbar, a former cabinet member of the PTI govt, against the Pakistani intelligence agencies. (here)