News Updates

17 June - 30 June, 2019

Erdogan, Modi meet in Japan, discuss trade, defense. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of G20 summit in Japan. After the meeting, Modi tweeted: “India considers Turkey a valued friend, with whom our relations are time tested. We discussed various avenues of India-Turkey cooperation and how we can improve ties in commerce and connectivity.” (Anadolu Agency, 29 June, 2019)
Lok Sabha approves extension of President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir. The Lok Sabha approved the extension of President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir for another six months, beginning July 3. Home Minister Amit Shah assured the House that “democratic, free and fair Assembly elections will be held in the State by the year-end”. Article 370 of the Constitution, which extends special status to Jammu and Kashmir, is “temporary in nature’’ and “not permanent,” he told the House. (The Hindu, 28 June, 2019)
No data stolen from Rafale office in France: IAF. The Indian Air Force (IAF) ruled out any data theft from its Rafale office in France. The cyber forensic these of the Air Force consisting three members has found that no data was stolen from the Indian Rafale project management team during the break-in by unidentified personnel there," Defence sources said. (India Today, 28 June, 2019)
Putin: Russia, India, China make weighty contribution to Eurasian security architecture. "Russia, India and China have been collaborating for the purpose of strengthening global stability and countering terrorist threat, extremism, drug and cybercrime, thereby laying the groundwork for equal and indivisible security architecture in Eurasia," Putin stressed. (Russian News Agency, 28 June, 2019)
PM Modi, Donald Trump Discuss Trade, Defence, 5G in Japan: 10 Points. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed several bilateral and global issues including trade, Iran and 5G communications network on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Japan's Osaka. "We have become great friends and our countries have never been closer", President Trump told PM Modi. The US President also said that the two countries will "certainly work together on trade", a subject that has emerged as a major source of friction between the two nations. (NDTV, 28 June, 2019)
Protests in Indian cities after Muslim man beaten to death. Protests were held in various parts of India following the lynching of a Muslim man, with people demanding an end to what they termed as "lynch terror". Tabrez Ansari, 24, was beaten to death by a Hindu mob in Kharsawan district in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand on suspicion of theft, causing a public uproar. (Al-Jazeera, 27 June, 2019)
Modi, Abe discuss global economy, fugitive economic offenders, disaster management. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the global economy, issues of fugitive economic offenders and disaster management and announced that the Indian President will participate in the coronation ceremony of Emperor Naruhito in October. (Times of India, 27 June, 2019)
Pompeo touches upon religious freedom, says ‘let’s stand up together’. Close on the heels of the standoff last week over a state department report on religious freedom in India, US secretary of state Michael Pompeo again touched upon the issue here and said the world would be worse off if religious rights were compromised. (Times of India, 27 June, 2019)
Great friends are bound to have disagreements': Mike Pompeo soothes trade tensions on India trip. Recent trade tensions between the US and India won't impact ties between the two nations, and their partnership is "already beginning to reach new heights," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to New Delhi. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, following meetings with India's newly reelected Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Pompeo said: "Great friends are bound to have disagreements. The United States has been clear we seek greater market access and the removal of trade barriers in our economic relationship." (CNN, 26 June, 2019)
On maiden J&K visit, Amit Shah’s focus more on security than political outreach. Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on a two-day visit to J&K, with the thrust of the visit clearly focused on security rather than any effort at political outreach. Mr. Shah, chaired a meeting of top security officials in Srinagar to review “foolproof arrangements and multi-tier security in place to ward off any attack” during the upcoming Amarnath yatra. (The Hindu, 26 June, 2019)
India gets support from 55 Asia-Pacific countries, including Pakistan, for non-permanent UNSC seat. India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin said that the Asia-Pacific regional group at the global body had unanimously endorsed India for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for a two-year period from 2021/22. (Scroll.in, 26 June, 2019)
Rahul Gandhi rejects MPs appeal to reconsider resignation as Congress chief. At the Congress Parliamentary party meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi stuck to his decision to quit despite appeals by the MPs, sources said. Outside his residence, members of the Youth Congress and party workers also held a demonstration urging him to take back his resignation and continue as the party’s president. (Hindustan Times, 26 June, 2019)
Modi appoints Balakot strategist as new RAW chief, Kashmir-Maoist expert as IB head. Samant Goel, one of the key strategists of the Balakot air strikes, has been appointed the next chief of India’s external spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), while Arvind Kumar, a Maoists and Kashmir expert, has been made director of the Intelligence Bureau via Modi-led Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Known as RAW’s ‘operations man’, Goel is known to be one of the dependable voices within the agency when it comes to issues connected with Pakistan. Earlier, Arvind Kumar was handling the agency’s Kashmir desk. He is known within the IB ranks as an expert on Left-wing extremism. (The Print, 26 June, 2019)
Strip maps covering 98% of India-Nepal boundary jointly finalised by two countries: Authorities. Strip maps covering 98 per cent of the India-Nepal boundary have been jointly finalised by the two countries, Union minister of state for exterior affairs V Muraleedharan told Parliament. There are, nonetheless, differences of perception on the alignment of the boundary in some areas similar to Kalapani in Uttarakhand and Narsahi-Susta in Bihar, he talked about in a written response to a count on within the Lok Sabha. (National Times, 26 June, 2019)
BJP dampens Hurriyat talks hopes. Putting its foot down against a tenuous proposal for talks between the Indian government and leaders of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the move would be regressive and hurt recent anti-terror measures. (Dawn, 25 June, 2019)
France and India come closer after Rafale deal, to conduct largest-ever air exercises. The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be in France from July 1-14 to participate in its biggest joint air exercise with the country. The Air Force’s contingent for the exercise is named the Garuda Contingent. This is the sixth edition of the air exercises between IAF and the French Air Force (FAF). (Business Insider, 25 June, 2019)
733 terrorists killed in Jammu & Kashmir in last 3 years: MoS Home Reddy. As many as 733 terrorists have been neutralised in Jammu & Kashmir in the past three-and-a-half years, including 113 until June 16 this year. In written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy said while killings of terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir have steadily gone up from 150 in 2016 to 213 in 2017 and 257 in 2018, civilians killed in terror-related incidents rose from 15 in 2015 to 40 in 2017, and stayed constant at 39 in 2018. Until June 16 this year, 18 civilian killings were reported from the Valley. (Times of India, 25 June, 2019)
RBI's deputy governor Viral Acharya quits six months before his term ends. Viral Acharya who had made a fervent pitch for autonomy for the regulator, has reportedly quit six months before the scheduled end of his term. Dr. Acharya has been differing with the Governor in the last two monetary policy meetings on both growth and inflation. (The Economic Times, 24 June, 2019)
Asean links its Indo-Pacific strategy to India’s outreach. Rolling out its new Indo-Pacific strategy, Asean has reserved a special place for India’s Bimstec grouping as one to connect with. This will be the first sign that India’s renewed interest in Bimstec has found resonance in the region. (Times of India, 24 June, 2019)
India lining up defence deals worth $10 billion with US amid trade row. The latest deal being finalised by India under the foreign military sales programme of the US is for the acquisition of 10 more Poseidon-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft for over $3 billion, defence ministry sources said. (Times of India, 24 June, 2019)
BJP's "One Nation, One Poll" A Ploy To Win By "Manipulation": Mayawati. BSP chief Mayawati opposed the BJP's "one nation, one election" idea aimed at having simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assemblies polls, saying it is a BJP's ploy to win all elections through one-time "manipulation" of EVMs. (NDTV, 23 June, 2019)
Kartarpur corridor: Indian Sikhs ask Pakistan to allow daily entry of 5,000 pilgrims. President of Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee Sardar Majinder Singh wrote a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asking the Pakistani government to increase the number of daily visitors from 700 to 5,000. Media reports say Pakistan has been adamant on allowing 700 visitors on a daily basis. (India Today, 23 June, 2019)
Triple Talaq bill a violation of Constitution’s Article 14, 15: Asaduddin Owaisi. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the Triple Talaq bill as unconstitutional and said that, “It’s a violation of Constitution’s Article 14 and 15. We already have Domestic Violence Act 2005, CrPC Section 125, Muslim Women Marriage Act. If Triple Talaq Bill becomes a law it will be even greater injustice against women,” he told reporters outside Parliament today following a debate on the Bill. (The Stateman, 21 June, 2019)

10 June - 16 June, 2019

Need to have dialogue with 'disgruntled' youth of J&K: NC. The National Conference (NC) said on Sunday that there was a need for having a dialogue with the "disgruntled" youth of Jammu and Kashmir for achieving long-lasting peace in the state. Demanding the restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said the party is not seeking anything novel or outside the ambit of Constitution of India. (The Times of India, 16 June, 2019)
Making India $5 trillion economy by 2024 challenging, but achievable, says PM Modi; here’s what’s needed. Addressing the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the goal of making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging but surely achievable, as he asked states to focus on their core competencies and work towards increasing the GDP right from the district level. (Financial Express, 15 June, 2019)
BGB, BSF agree to bring down border killing to zero. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) have agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents in the frontier areas to ‘zero level’ by increasing coordinated patrols in areas vulnerable to cattle and drug or narcotics smuggling. (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, 15 June, 2019)
SCO Highlights: Need Better Economic Ties with SCO Nations, Says PM Modi. Prime Minister Modi is in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the first multilateral engagement post his re-election. On the sidelines of the SCO summit, PM Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Afghanistan President. With the Chinese President Xi Jinping, PM Modi discussed ways to further strengthen the bilateral relations. PM Modi also met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, he discussed the role played by India towards an inclusive peace process in the conflict-hit nation. (NDTV, 14 June, 2019)
India, China ‘do not pose threats’ to each other, Xi Jinping tells PM Modi at Bishkek. Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India and China “do not pose threats” to each other as he expressed Beijing’s willingness to join New Delhi in pushing forward a closer development partnership between the two sides. Xi Jinping told Modi that India and China should deepen cooperation by properly handling differences and called for strengthening Confidence Building Measures to maintain stability at the border. (The Stateman, 14 June, 2019)
US cautions India over buying S-400 missile defence system from Russia. The US is ready to help India's defence needs with the latest technologies and equipment, but New Delhi purchasing long-range S-400 missile defence system from Russia would limit cooperation, the Trump administration has cautioned. A senior State Department official also warned that New Delhi's deal to procure the lethal missile system from Moscow will have "serious implications" on India-US defence ties. (Business Standard, 14 June, 2019)
PM Modi Announces $200 Million Line of Credit for Kyrgyzstan as Two Sides Sign 15 Pacts. Prime Minister Modi and President Jeenbekov held one-on-one restricted meeting followed by a delegation-level talk during which the two sides discussed on stepping up their bilateral engagement to the next level and exploring new areas of cooperation. Modi announced the USD 200 million lines of credit for Kyrgyzstan and said the two sides have decided to upgrade their ties to the Strategic Partnership level, and signed 15 agreements, including one to eliminate double taxation. (News 18, 14 June, 2019)
SCO Summit: Indo-Pak acrimony takes centre stage at Modi 2.0's first multilateral meet. Prime Minister Modi is one of the two leaders of the SCO member-states (the other being Russia) who is not staying at the state guest house Ala Archa where all others are being hosted by the president of the Kyrgyz Republic. When asked, it was told because of logistic reasons since the Indian delegation is huge. But, it hasn't escaped anyone that it would be easier for the Indian side to avoid the Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan by not staying in the same premises. India-Pakistan ties have, to a certain degree, overshadowed the first multilateral visit of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (India Today, 13 June, 2019)
India Planning To Launch Own Space Station By 2030, Says ISRO Chief K Sivan. In one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by India, the country is planning to launch its own space station, Indian space agency ISRO chief K Sivan said. India is targeting 2030 as the date to launch a 20 tonne space station, which will most likely be used to conduct microgravity experiments. The preliminary plan for the space station is to accommodate astronauts for upto 15-20 days in space, but specific details will emerge after the maiden manned mission, Gaganyaan, is complete. (NDTV, 13 June, 2019)
'India, Aus can do more to strengthen economic order in Indo-Pacific'. India and Australia can do more together to strengthen the economic order in the Indo-Pacific and successfully concluding Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will help shape the regional rules and norms governing trade, investment and the broader economy, said Australian High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu. (Business Standard, 12 June, 2019)

02 June - 09 June, 2019

India to buy US missile system to shield Delhi. India is swiftly moving ahead to acquire the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System-II (NASAMS-II) from the US, which will be used along with indigenous, Russian and Israeli systems to erect an ambitious multi-layered missile shield over the National Capital Territory of Delhi against aerial threats ranging from drones to ballistic missiles. (The Times of India, 10 June, 2019)
Terror is a joint threat: PM Narendra Modi in Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his tour to Sri Lanka sounded out the South Asian region that terrorism is a 'joint threat' and India will take the lead in fighting it. (India Today, 10 June, 2019)
India, Maldives sign six key agreements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Maldives on his first state visit abroad since being re-elected to office, was marked by the signing of six key agreements and substantive bilateral level talks, reaffirming cooperation between the two countries. (The Hindu, 09 June, 2019)
India asks Pak. to exempt PM’s flight. India has requested Pakistan that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be allowed to fly through its airspace to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Bishkek, scheduled for June 13 and 14, despite the restrictions it had imposed on flights from and through the country. (The Hindu, 09 June, 2019)
India to train 1,000 Maldives civil servants for next 5 years. India's leading civil services training institution NCGG will train 1,000 Maldives civil servants over the next five years, a Ministry of Personnel statement said. The Ministry of External Affairs will bear all expenses of the training programme. (The Quint, 09 June, 2019)
S Jaishankar discusses key elements of ties with Bhutan's top leadership. External affairs minister S Jaishankar met Bhutan's top leadership, including Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, and discussed important elements of the bilateral ties with emphasis on development partnership and cooperation in the hydropower sector. Jaishankar is in the Buddhist kingdom on a two-day visit, his first overseas trip after assuming charge of the ministry of external affairs. (The Times of India, 07 June, 2019)
Kashmir's al-Qaida cell names Musa's successor. Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH), an affiliate of al-Qaida, announced that Zakir Musa’s successor and its new chief, is 30-year-old Hameed Lelhari, a native of Pulwama and a member of Islamist organization Jamait-Ahl-e-Hadith. The announcement on eid coincided with flags of Pakistan, banners of Pakistani terror groups and ISIS being exhibited on the streets of Srinagar during eid celebrations. (The Times of India, 07 June, 2019)
India to hold first ever simulated space warfare exercise in July to counter China's influence: report. To counter growing threats arising from China's growing space capabilities, India will organise its first ever simulated space warfare exercise in the last week of July. The development is significant as it comes after India constituted an all-new tri-service Defence Space Agency in March following a successful launch of an anti-satellite missile under 'Mission Shakti'. (Business Today, 08 June, 2019)
SAARC has problems, BIMSTEC energy: Jaishankar. “SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] has certain problems and we all know what they are. Even if you were to put terrorism aside… there are connectivity and trade issues. BIMSTEC leaders were invited for the Prime Minister’s swearing-in because we see energy, mindset and possibility in that grouping,” Jaishankar said at The Growth Net summit, his first public engagement after taking over as the external affairs minister. He was speaking during a session titled Changing World, Changing India. (Hindustan Times, 06 June, 2019)
Narendra Modi and Imran Khan are not planning to meet in Bishkek during SCO summit, says MEA. “To the best of my knowledge, there is no bilateral meeting being planned between the prime minister and PM of Pakistan on the sidelines of the SCO summit,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters. (Scroll.in, 06 June, 2019)
Japan, India to hold 2+2 dialogue. Japan and India will hold a 2+2 meeting which was agreed during the last Modi-Abe summit. Taro Kono, Japan’s foreign minister spoke to his counterpart S Jaishankar on Tuesday to invite him to Japan for the G-20 foreign ministers meeting in November. (The Times of India, 05 June, 2019)

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