Tag: India

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya’s Resolution Is To Win World Cup For India

By LokMarg

India’s wait for an ICC title has been continuing and the last time India won an ICC tournament was Champions Trophy in 2013 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy.

Hardik Pandya, who is leading the Indian team in the three-match T20I series against Asia Cup Champions Sri Lanka starting on Tuesday at the Wankhede Stadium, has one resolution in 2023 and that is to win the World Cup.

“To win the World Cup for my country. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it in 2022 but we want to do it in a better way this year,” Pandya said responding to a query at a press conference.

India lost to England by 10 wickets in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final dashing hopes of millions of supporters.

India also performed poorly in Asia Cup held from August to September last year and failed to reach the final. The team lost ODI series to Bangladesh 2-1.

“I know the only language that is hard work. Injuries are not in my hand but I believe in the process. 2022 was individually my best year. We missed World Cup but that’s part and parcel of the game. My goal is to help the team win multi-nation tournaments, ” said Hardik Pandya.

Indian limited overs teams over the years have done well in bilaterals but have failed to replicate that performance in multi-nation tournaments.

India also does not have too many matches to play ahead of the IPL 2023 which means Hardik Pandya does not have too many games to give a chance to youngsters which makes things difficult for team management to get the right combination.

“Obviously the plans are set. We are looking forward to play the certain way which we did. Before IPL only six games are there. So, we don’t have much time to do a lot of things but going forward we will keep creating new plan and see which are the plans we will be sticking, which is working for us and going forward just make sure that we give ample opportunity, ” Pandya said.

Dasun Shanaka will lead Sri Lanka’s T20I and ODI squads against India, while Kusal Mendis will play the role of his deputy in ODIs.

The Sri Lanka’s tour comprises of three T20Is and as many ODIs. Sri Lanka will be touring India from January 3 to January 15 for three T20Is and three ODIs.

The first match of the series will be held on January 3, 2023, in Mumbai while the second and third will take place on January 5 and 7 in Pune and Rajkot respectively.

The ODIs will be held in Guwahati, Kolkata and Trivandrum on January 10, 12 and 15 respectively. Earlier on Tuesday BCCI announced India’s squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s squad for India tour: Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (v-c for ODIs), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (only for T20Is), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga (v-c for T20Is), Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay (only for ODIs), Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (only for ODIs), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara and Nuwan Thushara (only for T20I).

India’s squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar. (ANI)

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BBC Documentary Is Politics: Jaishankar

Jaishankar Takes A Dig At Pak: Terror Epicentre Close To India

By LokMarg

In a veiled attack on Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said the epicenter of terrorism is located close to India.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Jaishankar said he spoke with Austrian leaders about threats to international peace posed by terrorism.

Jaishankar said, “We spoke at length on the threats to international peace and security that are posed by terrorism, including its cross-border practices, violent extremism, radicalization, and fundamentalism.”

He added, “Their effects cannot be contained within a region especially so when they are deeply connected to narcotics and illegal weapons trade, and other forms of international crime. Since the epicenter is located so close to India, naturally our experiences and insights are useful to others.”

On the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Jaishankar said India is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Ukraine. Echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refrain that today’s era is not of war, the EAM called for resolving the differences on the negotiating table.

Jaishankar said that Prime Minister Modi has remained in contact with leaders of Russia and Ukraine and has been pressing India’s viewpoint.

“With regard to the Ukraine conflict, let me underline that India remains deeply concerned we sincerely believe that this is not the era of war. Differences must be settled on the negotiating table. It is imperative that there is a return to dialogue and diplomacy. Prolonged conflict will not serve the interests of any party,” Jaishankar said.

“My Prime Minister has been in contact with the leaders of both nations pressing our point of view in that regard. We are increasingly anxious about knock-on effects of the conflict in terms of accessibility and affordability of fuel, food, and fertilizers this is a growing concern for the global south,” he added.

Jaishankar embarked on a two-nation visit to Cyprus and Austria on December 29. His ongoing visit to Austria will conclude on January 3.

In the joint press briefing with Schallenberg, Jaishankar further said India considers Austria a “serious and consequential partner” when it comes to bilateral cooperation.

“We view Austria as a serious and consequential partner when it comes to bilateral cooperation. You have experiences and capabilities that are relevant to India’s modernization and progress. These are guided by government policies but ultimately implemented through business transactions,” Jaishankar said.

“Our commitment today is to take both aspects forward in tandem and I look forward to concrete initiatives in that regard,” the EAM added.

On the agreements between India and Austria, Jaishankar said, “We have concluded a number of agreements. I think a particularly noteworthy one is the initializing of the Comprehensive Migration & Mobility Partnership Agreement because it will enable demands for skills and talents to be synchronized with their availability.” (ANI)

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Supreme Court Demonetization Decision

Supreme Court Upholds Govt’s 2016 Demonetization Decision

By LokMarg

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the decision of the Central government taken in 2016 to demonetize the currency notes of ₹500 and ₹1,000 denominations.

A five-judge Constitution bench dismissed a batch of petitions challenging the Centre’s 2016 decision to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes and said the decision, being the Executive’s economic policy, cannot be reversed.

Supreme Court bench said: “There was consultation between the Centre and the RBI before demonetization. There was a reasonable nexus to bring such a measure, and we hold that the doctrine of proportionality did not hit demonetization.”

The apex court had reserved its judgments on the batch of 58 petitions on December 7.

Earlier, it had asked the Centre and Reserve Bank of India to place before it the records pertaining to the 2016 demonetization decision in a sealed envelope.

It had said that it has the power to examine the manner in which the decision for demonetization was taken adding that “the judiciary cannot fold its hands and sit just because it is an economic policy decision”.

The top court’s remarks came when the Reserve Bank of India counsel made the submission that judicial review cannot apply to economic policy decisions.

The RBI had told the apex court about the objective of the demonetization policy to curb black money and fake currencies.

Attorney General R Venkatramani had said that the economic policy of demonetization was connected to a social policy where three evils are attempted to be addressed. (ANI)

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New Chinese Foreign Min Qin

New Chinese Foreign Min Qin Seeks Improved Ties With India

By LokMarg

China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in an op-ed piece for US-based magazine, The National Interest, has indicated that Beijing seeks to improve ties with New Delhi.

Days before replacing Wang Yi, Qin in an article titled “How China Sees the World”, referred to India-China border issues and said, “both sides are willing to ease the situation and jointly protect peace along their borders.”

The Galwan Valley and Pangong Lake in the west of the LAC, have hosted flashpoints in recent years. In the east in Tawang, the site of the latest scuffle, there are discussions about Buddhist holy sites whose control can have implications for China’s authority over Tibet and its next spiritual leader according to a report in Newsweek.

Recently, India and China held the 17th Round of Corps Commander Level Meeting at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side on December 20 and agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector.

“In the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

The MEA statement said the two sides agreed to stay in close contact, maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest.

Qin, meanwhile also blamed the US for challenging the status quo on Taiwan, and Japan for altering the status quo in the South China Sea.

“China’s development means a stronger force for peace, not a growing power poised to ‘break the status quo’, as some call it. The tension across the Taiwan Strait was not created by the Chinese mainland breaking the status quo, but by ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and external forces continually challenging the status quo of ‘one China’,” Qin wrote.

“In the case of the East China Sea, it was Japan who attempted to ‘nationalize’ Diaoyu Dao ten years ago, altering the “status quo” between China and Japan by agreeing to put aside differences. In the South China Sea, the status quo is that regional countries are consulting on a code of conduct that will lead to meaningful and effective rules for the region,” he wrote.

Earlier, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a phone call with Qin, discussed the Washington-Beijing ties and keeping the lines of communication open.

Taking to Twitter, Blinken said, “Spoke by phone this morning with incoming People’s Republic of China Foreign Minister Qin Gang as he departs Washington for his new role. We discussed the US-PRC relationship and maintaining open lines of communication.”

Qin, who was China’s ambassador to the United States, was appointed as the country’s new foreign minister on Friday.

This decision was made by the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Global Times reported.

Qin, 56, replaced Wang, who is now a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and State Councillor, the report added.

On Thursday, the Chinese ambassador had warned Washington that it could face “military conflict” with Beijing over the future status of Taiwan.

“If the Taiwanese authorities, emboldened by the United States, keep going down the road for independence, it most likely will involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict,” Qin told US-based publication NPR in his first one-on-one interview since assuming his post in Washington, last July.

Qin, who arrived in Washington last year at a time of bipartisan discontent with China, told NPR that any idea of “changing China” was always “an illusion”. (ANI)

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Human Space Flight Gaganyaan

India To Launch Its First Atmanirbhar Human Space Flight Gaganyaan By 2024

By LokMarg

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday announced that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is ready to launch India’s first Atmanirbhar human flight “Gaganyaan” by the year 2024.

The minister said that India is constantly making new achievements in the field of science and technology. Science is touching new heights under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is why India’s first self-sufficient Gaganyaan will enter space in 2024.
Giving information about the achievements being made by the government in the field of science and technology, Jitendra Singh said “The idea of taking forward the ‘Gaganyaan’ program was in 2022 itself but due to Covid-19 it was delayed. In the next year (2024), there will be two preliminary launchings, the first launch will be unmanned, this experiment will be done to mark the routes because if the ‘Gaganyaan’ rocket goes into space then it should also return safely to the same way.”

“In the other experiment also there will be no human, instead a robot will be there as a human replica. When both the experiments assure that we are completely ready, then in the third one we will send humans into space,” the minister added.

Jitendra said that ‘Gaganyaan’ would be India’s first human flight and it will also be an excellent symbol of self-reliance as it will increase the confidence of the nation.

He also said that Indian origin Rakesh Sharma went to space, but he went under a Soviet mission of space, so this mission will mark Indian origin in space.

“This will be a historic initiative in itself because our space journey started very late compared to America and Russia but today the same country is doing our research with our knowledge and taking lessons and moving forward,” the minister said.

Jitendra Singh said, “The way PM Modi has given respect to science in the last 8 years, this has motivated the Indian scientists and has given a respectable place to them. Rules have been simplified, for example, space has been opened for private public participation, today the result is that private rockets are being launched from there and as soon as this year ends, you will get a wonderful kind of enthusiasm across the country.”

“While we will be fully prepared to launch “Gaganyaan” which will be the first human flight that will work to take an Astronaut of Indian origin to space of Indian origin, it will be the first mission of this type and hence also a pride for us. It will be a matter of confidence that this work of increasing our self-esteem will work because even though our space journey started late in comparison to America or Russia, today we are in a position where our research findings are similar to those of America and Russia. Countries work to advance their research by making it available,” he added. (ANI)

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India Pak Exchange Lists Of Prisoners

India, Pak Exchange Lists Of Prisoners, Fishermen In Their Custody

By LokMarg

India and Pakistan on Sunday exchanged the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody, in line with the longstanding agreement between the two countries.

“India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody. Under the provisions of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access, such lists are exchanged every year on 01 January and 01 July,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
It said India shared lists of 339 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 95 Pakistani fishermen currently in Indian custody. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 654 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians.

In the statement, the Indian government called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel, and fishermen along with their boats, from Pakistan’s custody.

“In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 631 Indian fishermen and 02 Indian civilian prisoners, who have completed their sentence and whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the remaining 30 fishermen and 22 civilian prisoners in Pakistan’s custody, who are believed to be Indian,” the MEA said.

The ministry said India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other’s country.

In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 71 Pakistani prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation from Pakistan.

The external affairs ministry also said Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen, pending their release and repatriation to India.

Similarly, the sides also exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities, simultaneously through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad. The list was exchanged under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between India and Pakistan.

” India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between India and Pakistan,” the MEA said in a statement.

The agreement, which entered into force on January 27, 1991, provides, inter alia, that India and Pakistan inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the Agreement on the first of January of every calendar year. (ANI)

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ITBP Guards Indo-China Border

ITBP Guards Indo-China Border, None Can Take An Inch: Shah

By LokMarg

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that he is never worried about the India-China border as he knows that the ITBP personnel is guarding the borders there and “because of this, no one can occupy even an inch of India’s land”.

Shah was speaking at the inauguration of newly constructed buildings of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) here in Karnataka’s Devanhalli region and laying the foundation stone for a Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI) of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).
In his address, the Home Minister lauded the Himveers of ITBP for their dedicated service to the nation and said the government has been undertaking all possible steps to make the service conditions of the jawans better.

He said that ITBP serves in very difficult conditions and the nation knows the jawans as ‘Himveers’.

“The ITBP has been doing yeomen service to the Nation by keeping the toughest borders on the Himalayas safe in inhospitable conditions,” said the Home Minister.

“People have bestowed ITBP jawans the title of ‘Himveer’ which is bigger than Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan.”

Shah said: “No one can occupy even an inch of India’s land as he knows that the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel are guarding the frontiers.”

His remarks came days after the December 9 clashes along the Line of Actual Control between the Indian and Chinese forces at the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Prahlad Joshi; Chief Minister of Karnataka, Vasavraj Bommai; Home Minister of Karnataka, Araga Jnanendra; Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister, Karnataka, K Sudhakar; DG ITBP Anish Dayal Singh; and DG BPR&D, Balaji Srivastava, were also present on the occasion.

Shah’s remarks came days after the recent clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place after the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

“On December 9, PLA troops contacted the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tawang Sector which was contested by own (Indian) troops in a firm and resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to few personnel from both sides,” the Indian Army had said in a statement earlier this month.

“Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. As a follow up of the incident, own (Indian) commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity,” it had said.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told in parliament that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops tried to transgress the LAC in the Yangtse area of Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh and unilaterally change the status quo but they went back to their locations due to timely intervention of Indian military commanders.

Giving a statement in the House, the Defence Minister had also assured the Upper House that “our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it”. (ANI)

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UK Covid Test Mandatory For Travellers From China

UK To Make Covid Test Mandatory For Travellers From China

By LokMarg

After India and Japan, the UK is also likely to make Covid-19 tests mandatory for travellers from China after the infection surged in the mainland, Reuters reported citing British media outlets.

The travellers from China have to produce a negative COVID test report.
According to Reuters citing UK media reports, the UK government is all set to announce the new China arrival policy without providing specific details about the time.

This comes at a time when the United States is considering imposing new Covid-19 measures on travellers coming from China amid the surge of new Covid cases, Reuters reported citing a US official.

“There are mounting concerns in the international community on the ongoing COVID-19 surges in China and the lack of transparent data, including viral genomic sequence data, being reported from the PRC,” the officials said, using the initials of the People’s Republic of China, according to Reuters.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday announced that the RT-PCR test had been made mandatory for passengers coming from five countries including China.

“The RT-PCR test to be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for Covid-19 infection, then he/she will be put under quarantine,” Health Minister Mandaviya said in a conversation with ANI.

Taking note of the rising cases of COVID globally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that the Centre and States need to work in “tandem” and in a “collaborative spirit” as was done during the previous surges.

Meanwhile, Japan also imposed Mandatory testing for COVID-19 from December 30 upon arrival for travellers from China due to an increase in the number of confirmed cases there, the Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday.

The measure applies to travellers from mainland China and those who visited it within the past seven days. They are required to take a COVID-19 test upon their arrival in Japan. Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days. The Kyodo news agency said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the decision on Tuesday.

In November, China saw a record increase in local COVID-19 outbreaks. Due to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation, the authorities introduced partial lockdowns in some areas while also forcing their residents to undergo PCR testing on a daily basis.

In particular, starting from November 24, restrictive measures were tightened in a number of China’s major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Against this background, some Chinese cities — Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and others — were hit by mass protests. The rioters demanded the immediate lifting of lockdowns, the abolition of regular PCR testing, and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

On Friday, media reported that about 37 million people in China could have contracted COVID-19 on a single day last week, making the country’s outbreak the largest in the world.

It was noted that up to 248 million people, or nearly 18 per cent of the population, were likely to have contracted the coronavirus in the first 20 days of December.

The Embassy of Japan in Beijing has said that many employees of Japanese firms operating in China are getting infected with COVID-19 and are being asked to work from home, NHK World reported.

Plants are also functioning with lower capacities in China. Speaking to NHK, Yoshikawa Akinobu, head of the Japan External Trade Organization’s office in Qingdao, said that COVID-19 began spreading quickly around December 16. (ANI)

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Overseas Assets Of Indian Residents Declined

Overseas Assets Of Indian Residents Declined By $ 43.9BN During Jul-Sep 2022: RBI

By LokMarg

Overseas financial assets of Indian residents declined by USD 43.9 billion during July-September 2022 due to a reduction in reserves assets, even as trade credit, currency and deposits, and overseas direct investment recorded an increase, said Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its India’s International Investment Position (IIP), September 2022 report released on Friday. The reduction in non-residents’ financial assets in India was relatively lower at USD 9.6 billion.

According to the report, net claims of non-residents in India increased by USD 34.3 billion during the second quarter (Q2) of 2022-23 and stood at USD 389.6 billion in September 2022.
The reserve assets remained the dominant component at 62.9 percent share in India’s international financial assets. It had declined by USD 56.5 billion during July-September 2022, where valuation losses accounted for a major part.

The fall in India’s foreign liabilities during Q2 of 2022-23 was attributed primarily to direct investment (net) outflows, portfolio, and other investments also recorded a marginal decline on a net basis, barring trade credit which increased by USD 5.1 billion. Variations in the exchange rate of the rupee vis-a-vis other currencies also impacted the change in liabilities, when valued in US dollar terms, it said further.

Debt and non-debt liabilities continued to have an equal share in total external liabilities. The ratio of international assets to international liabilities moderated to 68.5 percent in September 2022 from 71.5 percent a quarter ago. (ANI)

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Regular Contact With Uzbekistan Drug Regulator: Health Ministry | Lokmarg

Regular Contact With Uzbekistan Drug Regulator: Health Ministry

By LokMarg

India is in regular contact with the national drug regulator of Uzbekistan regarding reports of Noida-based cough syrups allegedly linked to the deaths of 18 children in Uzbekistan, said the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

There have been reports from Uzbekistan concerning contaminated cough syrup Dok1 Max made by Indian company Marion Biotech, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, added the statement.
“Under directions of the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has been in regular contact with the national drug regulator of Uzbekistan regarding the matter since December 27, 2022,” stated the statement.

Immediately upon receipt of the information, a joint inspection of the NOIDA facility of the manufacturer, Marion Biotech, was carried out by UP Drug Control and the CDSCO team. Further action as appropriate would be initiated based on the inspection report.

Marion Biotech is a licensed manufacturer and holds a license for manufacturing Dok1 Max syrup and Tablets for export purposes granted by Drugs Controller, Uttar Pradesh.

The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and sent to the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL), Chandigarh for testing. (ANI)

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