1. India-Sri Lanka ties: PM Modi, President Dissanayake discuss defence, trade, and China’s growing influence
2. 12 Indians found dead at restaurant in Georgia’s mountain resort of Gudauri: Indian Mission
3. Operation Illegals: How Crime Networks profit from smuggling, infiltration along Bangladesh border
4. One Nation, One Election: Bill to Hold Simultaneous Polls to Be Introduced in Lok Sabha Today
5. NSA Doval likely to travel to China soon to attend SR dialogue in Beijing

What Else

1. Dhaka, Delhi reaffirm deep-rooted friendship between armed forces, people
2. BJP demands return of Jawaharlal Nehru letters from former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi
3. Bangladesh: President’s Victory Day reception: Student movement declines invite
4. Trouble for Bangladesh as Arakan Army seizes control of country’s territory amid worsening relationship with India
5. ARSA’s Reign of Terror: Atrocities Against Buddhists and Hindus in Myanmar-Bangladesh Border Region
6. Yunus indicates election by late 2025 or mid 2026
7. Pakistan government cites security concerns for internet disruptions.

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India-Sri Lanka ties: PM Modi, President Dissanayake discuss defence, trade, and China’s growing influence

• PM Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held extensive talks in Delhi, focusing on strengthening India-Sri Lanka cooperation in various areas, including defense, trade, and investment.
• This was Dissanayake’s first foreign trip after becoming president in Sept.
• The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including:
• Defence Cooperation: Enhancing maritime and security collaboration, with India supporting Sri Lanka’s defense capabilities.
• Trade and Investment: Expanding trade ties, promoting investments, and exploring opportunities for economic growth.
• Development Partnership: Implementing projects in areas like housing, energy, and agriculture, with India providing financial assistance.
• Energy Security: Strengthening cooperation in the energy sector, including renewable energy projects and power grid interconnections.
• People-Centric Digitization: Establishing digital infrastructure, including a unique digital identity project, to improve governance and service delivery in Sri Lanka.
• These talks aim to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Sri Lanka, with a focus on mutual benefit and cooperation.
• Significance: Securing the Indian Ocean: Enhancing maritime security cooperation.
• Promoting Regional Stability: Contributing to regional stability and cooperation.
• Boosting Economic Interdependence: Fostering economic ties and promoting peace.
• Shaping the Indo-Pacific Narrative: Emphasizing cooperation, stability, and security in the region. (more)
• I hope the New Sri Lankan Govt will take care of the aspirations of Tamil says PM Modi; Hopes for implementation of constitutional amendment

12 Indians found dead at restaurant in Georgia’s mountain resort of Gudauri: Indian Mission

• Tragedy has struck in Georgia’s mountain resort of Gudauri, where 12 Indian nationals were found dead due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.
• The victims were employees of an Indian restaurant and were discovered in the bedrooms on the second floor of the establishment.
• Preliminary investigations suggest that a power generator was placed in a closed indoor space near the bedrooms, which was likely activated after power supply interruptions on Fri night.
• This generator is suspected to be the source of the carbon monoxide poisoning.
• The Indian mission in Tbilisi has extended its condolences to the victims’ families and confirmed that local authorities are being supported to investigate the tragedy.
• The investigation has been launched under Article 116 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which relates to negligent manslaughter. (more)

Operation Illegals: How Crime Networks profit from smuggling, infiltration along Bangladesh border

• An investigation by India Today revealed widespread illegal activities along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar, West Bengal. The report exposed:
• Porous border stretches and lax security
• Touts and agents facilitating human trafficking and smuggling
• Fake documents and identification certificates being created
• Smuggling of cattle, drugs, gold, and other contraband
• A separate investigation in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district uncovered a massive forgery ring, with over 52,000 fake birth certificates issued.
• The certificates were found to be fraudulent, and 11 villages were implicated.
• The primary suspect, Mohammad Zeeshan, and several others, including a Block Development Officer, have been arrested.
• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) are investigating the case. (more, more)

One Nation, One Election: Bill to Hold Simultaneous Polls to Be Introduced in Lok Sabha Today

• The Indian govt is set to introduce the “One Nation, One Election” bill in the Lok Sabha today, Dec 17.
• This bill proposes simultaneous elections for the LS, state assemblies, and local bodies.
• The idea of holding simultaneous elections isn’t new to India.
• In the early years after independence, elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were held together from 1951-52 to 1967.
• However, this practice was disrupted due to premature dissolutions of state assemblies and the Lok Sabha.
• PM Modi and the NDA govt have been strong advocates for this proposal, arguing that it will save time, resources, and effort, allowing govts to focus more on governance rather than being in constant election mode.
• The bill has received mixed reactions, with several opposition leaders opposing the idea, calling it “anti-democratic.”
• However, BJP MPs have welcomed the bill, saying it will save time and lay the groundwork for unified elections across the country. (more)

NSA Doval likely to travel to China soon to attend SR dialogue in Beijing

• National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is likely to visit Beijing soon to attend the Special Representative (SR) dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
• The dialogue, which will take place after nearly 5 years, aims to address the ongoing tensions along the Line of Actual Control and the broader India-China boundary issue.
• The decision to restart the dialogue mechanism was made during a meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 23 in Kazan.
• Doval’s visit comes 2 months after India and China agreed on patrolling arrangements along the LAC in the India-China border areas.
• The SR dialogue has not been held for the past five years due to the border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
• The military confrontation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020, with a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June of that year, severely straining relations between the two countries. (more)

Dhaka, Delhi reaffirm deep-rooted friendship between armed forces, people

• Bangladesh and India celebrated their strong bonds of friendship on Victory Day, marking the 54th anniversary of Bangladesh’s liberation.
• The Indian High Commission in Dhaka conveyed greetings to the people of Bangladesh, highlighting the shared sacrifices of Freedom Fighters and Indian soldiers.
• The two nations’ armed forces came together at the Agartala-Akhaura border in Tripura to commemorate the occasion.
• They exchanged greetings and sweets, recalling the historical partnership and glorious sacrifices made during the Liberation War of 1971.
• The event also honored the role of Tripura and Agartala in the war and reaffirmed the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations. (more)

BJP demands return of Jawaharlal Nehru letters from former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi

• BJP MP Sambit Patra has slammed the Congress party after the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library Society asked them to return documents related to Jawaharlal Nehru that were withdrawn from the museum in 2008, allegedly on Sonia Gandhi’s orders.
• The documents in question include 51 cartons of letters Nehru wrote to various personalities, including Edwina Mountbatten and JP Narayan.
• These letters are historically significant and provide valuable insights into India’s past.
• Rizwan Kadri, a member of the PMML Society, has written to Rahul Gandhi requesting that he help retrieve these important letters, which were public property.
• Patra has questioned the Congress party’s intention behind withholding these letters, asking what Nehru might have written to Edwina Mountbatten that warranted such censorship. (more)

[Neighborhood]

Bangladesh: President’s Victory Day reception: Student movement declines invite

• The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has refused to attend President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s Victory Day reception at Bangabhaban, citing his ties to “fascist rule”.
• This decision stems from the movement’s belief that celebrating under his leadership contradicts the spirit of the mass uprising.
• The movement has been vocal about demanding President Shahabuddin’s resignation, accusing him of being responsible for the deaths of their brothers.
• Their statement emphasizes the president’s “hands stained with the fresh blood” of the victims. (more)
• Victory Day (Dec 16) celebrations have begun in Dhaka, Bangladesh, marking the country’s victory over Pakistan in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
• The celebrations include a national holiday parade on Dhaka’s National Parade Ground, hosted by the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
• The parade features personnel from the Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jail, and Bangladesh Ansar.
• Overall, Victory Day is a significant national holiday in Bangladesh, marking the country’s hard-won independence and sovereignty. (more)
• Army Chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman in his official statement upholds the role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh’s Independence from PakistanArmy.

Trouble for Bangladesh as Arakan Army seizes control of country’s territory amid worsening relationship with India,

• The situation escalated after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s forced resignation and the Arakan Army’s (AA) seizure of parts of Bangladesh’s Teknaf region.
• The AA, an insurgent group from Myanmar, has taken control of large parts of Rakhine province and is now targeting Bangladesh’s border areas.
• Multiple firefights have occurred between the Arakan Army and Bangladeshi forces, with reports suggesting the AA has taken control of some Bangladeshi territory.
• The Bangladesh government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
• The Arakan Army’s growing power and aggressive strategy pose a significant concern, as they aim to exploit Bangladesh’s weak borders and expand their influence over strategic areas like Saint Martin Island. (more)

ARSA’s Reign of Terror: Atrocities Against Buddhists and Hindus in Myanmar-Bangladesh Border Region

• The situation in the Myanmar-Bangladesh border region is indeed dire, with jihadi groups like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) committing atrocities against Buddhists and Hindus.
• “Nearly 11 militant groups are operating out of Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh which include the RSO, ARSA, ARA. Hundreds of people have died due to their atrocities: killings, rapes, kidnappings, and other kinds of torture,” said a source from Arakan.
• ARSA, formed in 2013, claims to fight for Rohingya rights, but its actions tell a different story.
• Reports indicate that ARSA has targeted Hindu and Buddhist communities, perpetrating massacres, arson attacks, and other violent acts.
• The 2017 massacre of 28 Hindus in Ye Baw Kya village is a stark example, with survivors recounting the gruesome details of the attack.
• The Myanmar govt has rightfully declared ARSA a terrorist organization, and several countries, including Malaysia, have banned the group.
• Yet, ARSA continues to operate, fueling clashes with Myanmar security forces and perpetuating the cycle of violence.
• The international community must demand accountability for these heinous crimes and work towards a peaceful resolution.
• The people of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border region deserve justice, safety, and an end to the violence that has plagued their lives for far too long.
• The RSO is alleged to have partnerships with the Al-Qaeda and Jamaat-e-Islami.
• According to a report by the Global Arakan Network, Islamists have used the Muslim population in Maungdaw as human shields and urged them to fight the non-Muslim population (Buddhists and Hindus). (more)

Yunus indicates election by late 2025 or mid 2026

• Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus announced that Bangladesh’s next national elections may take place at the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026.
• This timeline depends on the recommendations of the Electoral Reform Commission and the Constitution Reform Commission.
• Yunus emphasized the importance of updating the voter list, which has not been verified for over 15 years.
• He also highlighted the significance of first-time voters and urged the Election Commission, political parties, and social organizations to ensure close to 100% voter turnout among them.
• Additionally, Yunus reiterated the govt’s commitment to enabling Bangladeshi “expatriates to vote”, a promise that has been made repeatedly in the past but never implemented. (more)
• [“After an orchestrated coup, who has empowered the installed authority to unilaterally decide on the necessity of reforms?”]

Pakistan government cites security concerns for internet disruptions.

• Pakistan’s government has acknowledged responsibility for the ongoing internet disruptions and social media monitoring, citing security concerns.
• Parliamentary Secretary Sajid Mehdi stated that Pakistan faces significant security threats, necessitating regulation of social media and VPNs.
• The govt has already regularized 37,000 VPN users and plans to resolve internet speed issues after the 5G spectrum auction in April 2025.
• However, opposition leaders have criticized the government’s actions, alleging that they aim to control the internet and stifle dissent.

The situation has sparked concerns about the impact on Pakistan’s IT industry, with the Pakistan Software Houses Association warning that the firewall could cost the economy USD300 million. (more)