India Canada US

Both India And Canada Our Important Partners: US

Amid the rising tensions between India and Canada, US State Department’s Hindustani Spokesperson Margaret MacLeod on Thursday emphasized that the US has their own relations with India and Canada, noting that both are important for the United States.   

Macleod further said that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations are concerning. 

‘The allegations levied by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau are very concerning. We are keeping in touch with our Canadian allies. We urge the Indian govt to cooperate in this investigation,” she added. 

Notably, she said, “US and Canada have their own relation and US and India have their own relation, both are important partners for us. But most importantly, the guilty should be brought to justice.” 

Earlier today, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, Adrienne Watson rejected reports of the US rebuffing Canada after the latter accused the Indian government of being behind the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Watson said they are “coordinating and consulting” with Canada and also “engaging” with the Indian government.

Watson made the statement in response to reports in the American media that Washington has distanced itself from Canada’s allegation about New Delhi’s involvement in the killing of Nijjar, a wanted Khalistani leader in India. The report highlighted the diplomatic challenges faced by the Biden administration as it seeks to maintain strong relations with both India and Canada.

Earlier, US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said “serious allegations” were levelled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India in the killing of Nijjar, adding that the US wanted the matter handled in a “transparent” way.

In an interview with CBS News, an American television news channel, Kirby urged India to cooperate in the investigation. “These allegations are serious and we know that Canadians are investigating and we certainly don’t want to get ahead of that investigation. We urge India to cooperate in that investigation as well,” Kirby said in the interview.

Moreover, on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the allegations made by Canada regarding the “potential links” of India being behind the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are “politically driven”.

“Yes, I do think there is a degree of prejudice here. They have made allegations and taken action against them. To us, it seems that these allegations by the government of Canada are primarily politically driven,” Bagchi said. 

Bilateral relations between India and Canada have hit a sharp downward spiral after Prime Minister Trudeau on Monday alleged that “Indian agents” were behind the shooting of Hardeep Nijjar.

Nijjar, the chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) — a Sikh extremist organisation banned by India and a “designated terrorist” was killed in a targeted shooting at British Columbia in Canada’s Surrey in June 2018.

India, however, rejected the allegations by the Trudeau administration, terming them “absurd” and “motivated”.

“We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. (ANI)

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Malabar exercise Australia

Australia To Host Latest Edition Of 10-Day Malabar Exercise For First Time

The latest edition of the Malabar exercise is all set to commence in the Australian waters from August 11-21 that will see the participation of the United States, Japan, India and Australia. 

Australia is also the host for this mega event which is being hosted there ‘for the first time’. 

The ten-day exercise aims to deepen the interoperability between the key partners, Australia, India, Japan and the United States who are also members of the Quad or the Quadrilateral security dialogue. 

The exercise is also designed to deepen the partnership for the Indo-Pacific, for shared aspiration, for a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific and it will be followed immediately afterwards by AUSINDEX, the bi-annual naval exercise between India and Australia. 

The Malabar series of exercises began as an annual bilateral naval exercise between India and the US in 1992. Japan joined the Naval Exercises in 2015. Malabar 2020 saw the participation of the Australian Navy also. 

Malabar exercise is a navy-led exercise that will witness the participation of the navies from all four countries. Two major Australian ships HMAS Brisbane and HMAS Choules will perform an entry into the Sydney Harbour. The vessels and the aircraft will then proceed out to an exercise area off the coast of New South Wales. 

The Indian Navy will be represented by its multi-role stealth frigate, INS Sahyadri and indigenous destroyer INS Kolkata. 

A destroyer from the United States will be seen along with a major surface vessel from Japan. There’s a large designated and gazetted exercise area which is referred to as the East Australian exercise area which will witness this high-voltage exercise. Though Malabar has four countries as participants, there are no plans or discussions on its expansion at the moment. 

During his India visit in March this year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his country will host Exercise Malabar. Albanese was received onboard INS Vikrant by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar with a Guard of Honour. The Australian PM said his visit reflected his government’s commitment to place India at the heart of Australia’s approach to the Indo-Pacific and beyond. 

Malabar exercise which represents one of the most complex naval activities that the four nations do together is also the capstone exercise that builds on a number of the bilateral excercises that the countries do with each other around the world. 

China has been suspicious about the purpose of the Malabar exercise as it feels that the aim is to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, but this exercise is not directed at any country and hence isn’t a China exercise per se since it is not a military or the defence arm of the Quad. 

Notably, the Indo Pacific region has been subject to significantly enhanced strategic competition. And all partners of this exercise are determined to see greater strategic equilibrium and their purpose is to make sure that there is some concrete action beyond the words and talks. 

Even as Beijing alleges that the Quad is aimed at it, the grouping has maintained that it is not intended ‘against China’. 

Earlier in March this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Quad is not a military grouping adding it is now engaged in working together to help countries to deal with humanitarian situations in natural disasters. 

“We are working on things that are really critical,” Blinken said at a panel discussion of the Quad Foreign Ministers themed ‘The Quad Squad: Power and Purpose of the Polygon’ in the national capital in March this year. 

Australia and India have seen an exponential increase in defence cooperation. Exercising has been both more frequent, and complex and that is an aspiration that both countries are determined to see continue. Since, the United States and Japan will send only one warship each, its important to understand in which context Malabar has been scheduled this year, and the size of exercises and ships numbers shouldn’t equate with complexity the important thing here to understand is, what those ships and what those men and women inside those ships and aircraft are doing together. 

Australian PM during his March visit earlier also noted that Last year, India and Australia conducted more exercises, operations and dialogues than ever before. 

The strategic importance of the India-Australia partnership is increasing and there has never been a point in both countries’ histories where they have had such a strong strategic alignment, Albanese said. There has never been a busier or more productive time in the bilateral defence and security partnership and 2023 will be “busier than ever” in this area, he added. 

During PM Modi’s visit to Australia in November 2014, both sides decided to extend defence cooperation to cover research, development and industry engagement and agreed to hold regular meetings at the level of the Defence Minister, conduct regular maritime exercises and convene regular service-to-service talks. 

The fourth edition of AUSINDEX was held during between September 7 and 10, 2021 in Australia at Off Darwin. Navies of India, Australia, Japan and the USA also participated in Phase I of Exercise Malabar 2021, from August 26 to 29, 2021 off Guam and in Phase II in the Bay of Bengal from October 12 to 15, 2021. 

India also participated as an Observer in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 in July 2021. India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2022 was held in Rajasthan from November 28-December 11, 2022 between Indian Army and the Australian Army, the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with the participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies. 

Australia and India have also built links between their defence forces through regular personnel and training exchanges, such as short specialist courses and longer-term higher education positions. Every year, Australia sends officers to attend India’s premiere military educational institutions. 

India also sends four officers to study in Australia annually. Inaugurated in 2023, General Rawat India – Australia Young Defence Officer Exchange Program offers the opportunity each year for fifteen young officers from across Army, Navy, and Air Force, to learn more about each other’s training, operational environments and culture. 

In 2023, 15 young Australian Defence Officers travelled to India and in 2024 it is expected that 15 young Indian Armed Forces officers will travel to Australia, to study Australian Defence capability and culture. (ANI)

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Yellen on speed energy transition

Look Forward To Working With India To Speed Its Energy Transition: Yellen

In order to fast-track its energy transition, the United States (US) is working with India on an investment platform to deliver a lower cost of capital and increased private investment, US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Gujarat along with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today, Yellen said that the collaboration between the two nations spans a wide range of issues, including catalyzing the clean energy transition.
Yellen said, “Our collaboration spans a range of economic issues, including commercial and technological collaboration, strengthening supply chains, and catalyzing the clean energy transition.”

“In particular, we look forward to working with India on an investment platform to deliver a lower cost of capital and increased private investment to speed up India’s energy transition.”

The US Treasury Secretary further added that she also values India’s emphasis on completing the landmark Two-Pillar global tax agreement in the inclusive framework.

“I also appreciate India’s focus on finalizing the historic Two-Pillar global tax deal in the Inclusive Framework, and I believe that we are close to reaching an agreement. We had a productive meeting in New Delhi last fall as part of the US-India Economic and Financial Partnership, or EFP, and I look forward to convening the 10th EFP meeting,” the US Treasury Secretary added.

Yellen and Sitharaman met in Gandhinagar on the sidelines of the third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBGs) meeting under the Indian G20 Presidency.

The leaders discussed issues such as strengthening the multilateral development banks and harnessing opportunities presented by crypto assets.

Sitharaman pointed out that the recent state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States last month and his meeting with the US President enhanced the strength and dynamism of the US-India partnership. (ANI)

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Chandrayaan-3 launch

Chandrayaan-3: Spacecraft Lifts Off Successfully From Sriharikota

The wait is over as Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time.

The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth.
Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the country’s abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO’s follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives.

Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory after the orbit raising maneuvers. Covering a distance of over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments onboard will study the Moon’s surface and enhance our knowledge.

Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a lander, a rover and a propulsion module. It weighs around 3,900 kilograms.

Moon serves as a repository of the Earth’s past and a successful lunar mission by India will help enhance life on Earth while also enabling it explore the rest of the solar system and beyond.

July 14, 2023 will always be etched in golden letters in the annals of India’s space sector history, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the launch of much-awaited Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission.

“This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation,” PM Modi had tweeted earlier.

“Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

“Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body. Now, it is seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice,” he added, asserting it might be potentially inhabited in the future.

Chandrayaan-2 was equally pathbreaking because data from the Orbiter associated with it detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing. This will also provide more insights into the moon’s magmatic evolution, PM Modi stated.

The key scientific outcomes from Chandrayaan-2 include the first ever global map for lunar sodium, enhancing knowledge on crater size distribution, unambiguous detection of lunar surface water ice with IIRS instrument and more. The mission has featured in almost 50 publications.

Extending best wishes for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, PM Modi urged people to know more about this lunar mission and the strides India has made in space, science and innovation. “It will make you all very proud,” he added.

Chandrayaan-3’s development phase commenced in January 2020 with the launch planned sometime in 2021. However, the Covid-19 pandemic brought an unforeseen delay to the mission’s progress.

K Sivan, former director of ISRO, told ANI that the success of mission Chandrayan-3 will give a morale boost to programmes like Gaganyan, India’s first manned space mission.

Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, who has been instrumental in the country’s space sector innovation, said on Thursday the Chandrayaan-3 mission is going to be successful and a game-changer event for India.

”Chandrayaan-3 will definitely be a game changer for India and I hope it will be successful. India will become an inspiration to the entire world. Let’s wait for the launch and pray for the best,” Nambi Narayanan told ANI.

“I’m assuming, and I hope that it will be a successful mission. Because whatever the problem in Chandrayaan-2, actually, we corrected the whole thing. From the failure, we have understood all mistakes (on our part),” Narayanan, the recipient of India’s third highest civilian honour, ‘Padma Bhushan’, told ANI.(ANI)

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Dalai Lama China

Pure Offence: China Fumes After US special Envoy Meets Dalai Lama

Amid soaring tensions between the United States and China, Beijing has firmly opposed the meeting of Joe Biden administration’s top official on human rights, Uzra Zeya, with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in the national capital.

Strongly objecting to the meeting, Beijing has asked Washington to stop meddling in the internal affairs of China under the pretext of Tibet-related issues.
Taking to Twitter, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, Wang Xiaojian, said, “The US should take concrete actions to honour its commitment of acknowledging Xizang as part of China, stop meddling in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of Xizang-related issues, and offer no support to the anti-China separatist activities of the Dalai clique.

“Xizang (Tibet) affairs are purely internal affairs of China and no external forces have the right to interfere. China firmly opposes any form of contact between foreign officials and the ‘Tibetan independence’ forces,” the Chinese spokesperson added.

This follows after Zeya met with the Dalai Lama during her India visit, according to Central Tibetan administration, a non-profit political organisation, which works for the Tibetan government in exile.

The Chinese Embassy spokesperson stated that the designation of Uzra Zeya as Special Coordinator for Tibet issues is “pure offence” and a political manipulation to “interfere in China’s internal affairs” and “undermine Tibet’s development and stability.”

China has always been firmly opposed to this and has never recognized it, the spokesperson said.

“The 14th Dalai Lama is by no means just a religious figure, but rather a political exile who has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and attempting to split Xizang from China,” Wang Xiaojian said.

“The so-called ‘Tibetan government-in-exile’ is an out-and-out separatist political group and an illegal organization completely in violation of China’s Constitution and laws. It is not recognized by any country in the world,” the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India said.

On July 9, US official Zeya tweeted, “Namaste, New Delhi! Look forward to productive meetings with Government of India & civil society leaders building on momentum of @narendramodi ‘s historic State Visit. Together, we are working toward a world that is more open, prosperous, secure, inclusive & resilient!”

The US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues is on a 7-day visit to two nations — India and Bangladesh– from July 8-14.

US State Department in a statement had said that during her India visit, she is expected to meet with senior government officials to discuss the deepening and enduring US-India partnership, including advancing shared solutions to global challenges, democracy, regional stability, and cooperation on humanitarian relief.

Zeya is being accompanied by US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu.

Zeya was appointed as the special coordinator for Tibetan Issues in December 2021. (ANI)

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India On russia

India Taking Principled Stand On Russia: White House Official

The US National Security Council’s coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, Kurt Campbell has said that India’s stance on Russia is “more nuanced” and that there are lot of signs that New Delhi is taking a principled stand on Moscow in the light of the Ukraine conflict.

The US pointperson on Asia in an interview with ANI on Thursday said also said that the China dimension is important to both India and the United States but it is not enough to take the two countries to where they want to go in their relationship.
“I think India’s position on Russia is more nuanced…we see a lot of signs of India taking principled stands. PM Modi has clearly spoken about the devastation and the tragedy of what’s happening to the Ukrainian people…I think Indian friends and colleagues are quite concerned about the war in Ukraine and believe that Russia has conducted this war terribly on many levels…” Campbell said.

The White House official said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clearly spoken about the tragedy inflicted upon Ukrainians and that PM Modi engaged in a “positive way” with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Hiroshima. He noted that PM Modi expressed concerns regarding the war during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“He (PM Modi) engaged in a very positive way with President Zelenskyy in Hiroshima. He has conveyed directly to President Putin in his face concerns about the war and about the potential use of nuclear weapons and expressed very clear concerns on the part of India directly about such contemplations, ” Campbell said.

He added that the US has been working actively with India to diversify its supply of nuclear equipment.

Campbell said it was important for India to continue its process of diversification and working with countries like the UK, France, Israel and the US. He said that Indian colleagues privately are very concerned regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Since the start of the Ukraine conflict, India has sought to carve a middle path between Moscow and its Western critics and so far largely resisted Western pressure to cut its economic ties with the Kremlin.

“It is also the case that we have been working actively with India to diversify its supply of military equipment, and we took some further steps with the visit of Prime Minister Modi last week. We believe that it will be important for India to continue this process of diversification, working closely with countries like Great Britain, like France, like Israel, like the United States, to make sure that as India develops its arsenal for the 21st century, it does so in a responsible way and indeed, recognizing that much of this work will be done indigenously,” he said.

Campbell pointed out that there is also acknowledgment that one of the things that animates India’s thinking about Russia is a kind of loyalty.

“So, I think privately Indian friends and colleagues are quite concerned about the war in Ukraine and believe that Russia has conducted this war terribly on many levels. At the same time, there is also acknowledgment that one of the things that animates India’s thinking about Russia is a kind of loyalty and that on its face, I think we can recognize and even understand. At the same time, we’ve seen India increasingly taking steps that sends a clear message that its sense of how this situation should be resolved is quite different from the leaders in Moscow group,” the US official said.

Responding to a question on bipartisan consensus favouring closer ties between New Delhi and Washington as a strategic counterpoint to Beijing, the Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden who helps in designing the US response to China-related challenges told ANI that that the connections between the two nations are deeper and more fundamental.

Stating that China dimension is important to India and US, Campbell noted that it is not enough to take the two nations where they want to go in terms of their relationship.

“I would say the opening to India began decades ago under President Clinton and then was fortified by President Bush. So, the animating instincts of being closer partners pre-dates this period of greater competition between the United States and China. It is also the case that for a variety of reasons, the diaspora communities in the United States, increasing educational connectivity, issues related with technology, the connections between the United States and India are deeper, more fundamental than they ever have been,” he said.

“And so, while, yes, the China dimension is important to both our countries, it is not enough to take us to where we want to go in this relationship. And there are many other elements that have driven us forward. I think most of those were on full display when Prime Minister Modi visited,” Campbell, the White House pointperson for Asia told ANI.

PM Modi was on a State visit to the US from June 21-25 on the invivation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden during which he gave an address to members of the US Congress, and held interactions with some of Silicon Valley’s top CEOs as well as the Indian diaspora.

Last month, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that the world witnesses “bullying and coercion” from Beijing. After his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi, Austin said, “We face a rapidly changing world. We see bullying and coercion from China, Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders by force and threatens national sovereignty as well as transnational challenges such as terrorism and climate change,” the top US official said. (ANI)

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SRK accident rumours

SRK Spotted At Mumbai Airport Amid Rumours Of Accident In US

Actor Shah Rukh Khan was snapped on his return to India from the US at the Mumbai airport in the early hours of Wednesday. Earlier there were reports that the superstar suffered an injury in the US.

King Khan looked handsome as always and was seen in a blue hoody sweatshirt that he teamed up with pair of comfy pants and a white T-shirt. He accessorized his look with a black cap and a pair of sunglasses.

Reportedly, during the shooting of an undisclosed project in Los Angeles, Shah Rukh had got injured and hurt his nose. As per reports, he was immediately given medical attention.

Meawhile Shah Rukh Khan’s wife Gauri and son AbRam were also seen at the Mumbai airport. The mother-son duo was seen walking hand-in-hand and seen to indulge in fun banter.

Gauri wore a printed blue floral dress that she topped up with a black blazer. She completed her look with a black handbag and pair of sunglasses while her son looked cute in his casual outfit.

Shah Rukh Khan, often referred to as the ‘King of Romance,’ has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions worldwide through his numerous romantic films. While SRK has portrayed a wide range of characters in various genres, his romantic films hold a special place in the hearts of his fans. He has given us numerous romantic comedies and intense love stories that have become timeless classics. The handsome young hunk with a dimpled smile completed 31 years in bollywood on June 25.

Shah Rukh made his much-awaited comeback after a hiatus of 4 years with Siddharth Anand’s blockbuster action-thriller ‘Pathaan’, which was released in January this year.

He will soon be seen in ‘Jawan’ and ‘Dunki’.

Helmed by Atlee, ‘Jawan’ is scheduled to hit the theatres on September 7. The film also stars Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara.

The actor will also make a cameo appearance in Salman Khan’s Tiger 3, following which he will play in the lead role in Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Dunki’.

‘Dunki’ will mark his first on-screen collaboration with Taapsee Pannu. The film is scheduled to release in December 2023.

Not only a cameo in Salman Khan’s Tiger 3, but he might be seen making a special appearance in Karan Johar’s ‘Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’.

On Tuesday, the ace filmmaker revealed whether SRK will be having a special cameo in Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh- starrer film or not.

Karan went live on Instagram on Tuesday evening, to interact with fans about his upcoming film. One of the fans asked if he was in the film, to which he replied, “Fortunately for all of you, I’m not in the film.”

A user asked the filmmaker if Shah Rukh Khan is in the film, to which he replied, “No, Shah Rukh is not there in the film.” However, he added that SRK’s blessings are with them.

King Khan was seen in a special cameo role in Karan’s last directorial ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’.

Talking about special cameos in the film KJo dropped some hints, and said, “There are three surprise cameos in the movie. I’m not revealing any of the names.” (ANI)

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Pakistan defence minister on Blocking Social Media

Pak Def Min Hints Towards Blocking Social Media If Need Arises

Stating that the seeds of the violence perpetrated on May 9 were planted on social media, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has hinted at the possibility of blocking social media networks if the need arises, Dawn reported.

Dawn is a Pakistani English-language newspaper.
Asif said that countries such as the US, the UK and China all regulated social networks.

“There are rules and a regulatory framework, it is monitored. In our country, the medium is used to incite people to mutiny against the state,” he told Geo News on Tuesday, the Dawn reported.

“The script of the May 9 violence was prepared via social media,” Asif said, as per the Dawn.

Notably, to stem the riots that broke out in the aftermath of PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest, the government had cut off internet access and blocked social media networks across the country for several days, the Dawn said.

The minister while referring to the action being taken against the perpetrators of the violence that unfolded on May 9, said that after the military has taken actions against their own personnel and their family members, it was the duty of the government to ensure the accountability of the perpetrators behind the riots.

Khawaja Asif appreciated the ‘swift accountability’ carried out by the military but noted that civilian authorities faced many challenges and roadblocks.

“The law [to try civilians under the army act] has been challenged in various courts, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments as well… these hurdles are holding us back,” he said, adding that these obstacles could be overcome.

When asked about the possibility of placing a ban on the PTI — something the government has hinted at in the past as well — the defence minister was of the opinion that unless the perpetrators of the May 9 violence were not punished, imposing any restrictions on the party could prove ‘counterproductive’, as per Dawn. (ANI)

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rajnath on Obama's Remark On Indian Muslims

Rajnath Criticises Obama’s Remark On Indian Muslims

Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday criticised former US President Barack Obama for his comments on Indian Muslims and suggested that Obama look at how many Muslim nations were attacked during his administration.

“Obama ji should not forget that India is the only country which considers all the people living in the world as family members. He should also think about himself as to how many Muslim countries he has attacked,” Defense Minister said.
This comment came after US former President Barack Obama, during a media interview, said if ethnic minorities are not protected, there is a strong possibility of the country “at some point starts pulling apart”.

Obama’s made the remarks during an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour and said if President Joe Biden meets with PM Modi, “the protection of the Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India is something worth mentioning”.

On Sunday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also hit out at Obama and said that under his reign, the United States had bombed six Muslim-dominated countries.

While addressing a press conference in Delhi, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “It was surprising that when the PM was visiting the US and telling people about India, a former US President (Barack Obama) was making a statement on Indian Muslims…I am speaking with caution, we want a good friendship with the US, but they comment on India’s religious tolerance. Perhaps 6 Muslim-dominated countries were bombed due to him (Obama)… More than 26,000 bombs were dropped.”

Meanwhile, at the conference, the union minister defended PM Modi from questions surrounding the treatment being meted out to the Muslims in India and pointed out that out of 13 honours, that the Prime Minister received from different countries, six awards were from such nations where Muslims are in the majority.

“The honourable prime minister himself during the press conference in the US has said how his government works on the ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ principle and doesn’t discriminate against any community whatsoever but the fact remains that repeatedly when people join in in this debate and highlight issues which are non-issues in a way because if there are issues in states which are to be raised they are being raised at the state level,” Sitharaman said at the press conference. (ANI)

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Behind the Bravado, India May be Worrying About the State of its Democracy

India worrying about the its democracy

Last week after watching the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the US Congress for a rare second time, an Indian friend based in the US could not stop gushing about how clever and good the speech was. And how impressed the US senators and representatives were by what he said. I caught a video recording of Modi’s speech and was suitably impressed too. His speech, in English, was holistic—it described India’s achievements; it highlighted his government’s achievements by underscoring the massive numbers of people that have benefited from various policies and schemes—numbers, which, in a country with a population of 1.4 billion, can in some instances rival the entire population of South America, North America, or Europe. 

Modi received standing ovations on multiple occasions, particularly when he spoke about the strong ties between India and the US, the world’s largest and oldest democracies, respectively. But away from the arc lights in the House; or in Modi’s meetings with President Joe Biden; or the interactions he has had with the euphoric diaspora of Indians, including top executives such as the CEOs of Google and Microsoft, India’s democracy has come under scrutiny. 

On this state visit of his, there have been protests about what is seen as India’s backsliding on democratic values, on the treatment of minority communities, and on freedom of speech and the media. Many Congressmen, particularly those subscribing to liberal mores, stayed away from Modi’s address to the House. Both Modi and Biden, however, skirted questions at a press interaction (according to media reports, it was limited to two questions!) where Modi declared that there was not discrimination in India.  

Both India and the US need each other and in the context of the new world order that is emerging with the role of China and its alignment with Russia those needs are fast approaching a degree of urgency. It is not hard to see why the US administration would prefer to gloss over the democracy and discrimination issues in its dialogue with India. Yet India cannot ignore the simmering concern about how the current regime is perceived by the world—a not-so-pretty picture that is portrayed persistently in the Western media. 

Stories and reports, usually in the foreign media, have consistently described growing insecurity among India’s minority communities, including Muslims; and an increasing atmosphere of religious and communal intolerance. India has slipped in successive surveys such as the Global Democracy Index, prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit, on which it is classified as a flawed democracy, and its ranking on the indices of press freedom have slid to abysmally low levels.  

The fact is that even as there is limited public outcry on these issues within India (remember, the Indian media have limited freedom), the Indian government is concerned by these. According to UK’s Guardian newspaper, the Indian government has been holding confidential meetings of its key ministries to address these worrying issues. According to the Guardian report, the newspaper has seen minutes of at least four meetings of Indian officials that have focused on how to raise India’s rankings on various indices that measure democratic values and rankings as well as other parameters of freedom. 

In public, India may brush off observations about the nature of its democracy (India’s foreign minister has remarked that the country is in no need of “sermons”); and its quite subservient media may choose to all but ignore it, but the Modi regime is worried about the consistent reports and views about the state of its democracy. And that could be a good thing for India. 

Manipur hurtles towards a civil war 

For two months, Manipur, the northeastern Indian state, has been burning. After violence erupted between two of its prominent tribes—the majority Hindu-dominated Meitei and the Christian hill tribe of Kukis, the situation is fast moving towards a civil war-like situation.  

Ethnic violence has already led to more than 100 deaths and several hundred injured. As many as 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes and have had to take refuge in 350 camps. Mobs have looted weapons from police armouries and although the government has deployed 40,000 troops—army soldiers, police, and security forces—the violence continues. The Union home minister Amit Shah visited Manipur some time ago and promised that things would be resolved but that has not helped. 

The level of mistrust between the warring communities has sharpened, with both accusing security forces of being partisan. More than 200 churches and 17 temples have been destroyed or damaged by mobs. Homes of local ministers and legislators have been attacked and set on fire. 

India’s eight north-east states have a population of 45 million spread among more than 400 communities and ethnic groups. Violence and lashes have been a common feature of the regions and despite many peace talks, the schisms between different tribes and communities continue. Manipur borders Myanmar. The state has 33 tribes that are hugely diversified. There are an estimated number of 40 insurgent groups in the state and the Meitei, Naga, and Kukis have been at war with each other for a long time.  

Sometimes the conflict is between the ethnic groups. For instance, the trigger for the current conflict is about whether the Meitei should have the status of a scheduled tribe as the Kukis do. At other times the conflicts have been between insurgents and Indian security forces. For the Indian government, resolving the northeastern issues, particularly the ongoing violence in Manipur, should be of high priority before things get even worse. 

Can India’s Opposition take on Modi? 

Last week, at a conclave initiated by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, 15 Indian opposition parties met to forge out an alliance for next year’s parliamentary elections. The idea, mooted by Kumar, involves burying ideological and political differences and fielding one candidate backed by all the opposition parties to take on the candidate from Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in each of India’s parliamentary constituencies. Last week’s meeting was preliminary and mostly symbolic. The parties will meet again in July.  

But will such a united front work? India’s experience with coialitions and fronts such as the one proposed by Kumar has usually been mixed. In most cases they end in messy breakups, sometimes quite acrimoniously too because of conflicting ambitions of leaders of different parties and squabbles over things such as who gets what ministry and official position.  

Also, it will be interesting to see whether the Congress, once India’s most powerful national party but one that is now reduced to a shadow of its former self, will agree to play second or even third fiddle in a united front. The BJP, on its part, is watching the attempts at a united opposition to its regime with interest…. and amusement. The party’s minister and leader, Smriti Irani, thanked the opposition, particularly the Congress, for conceding that it could not take on Modi by itself.  

The tragedy of the Titan 

The Titan submersible,  a crewed submersible operated by OceanGate, an American tourism company, is believed to have imploded while on a dive several hundred meters below the sea level, killing all five crew members. The Titan was the only crewed submersible in the world that could take five people as deep as 4,000 meters (more than 13,100 feet) below the surface of the ocean. The submersible was part of a tourist expedition to observe the wreck of Titanic. 

On June 18th, the Titan submersible imploded during its descent in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 400 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The submersible was carrying five people and was part of a tourist expedition to observe the wreck of Titanic. Experts say that the Titan submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion that killed its pilot and four passengers instantly amid the intense water pressure in the deep North Atlantic. 

 The Titan submersible is about 9 feet high, 8 feet wide, 22 feet long and weighs 25,000 pounds. It left from St. John’s, Newfoundland on June 16th and lost contact with the ship that was monitoring it about an hour and 45 minutes later. The five people killed were Five people were killed in the **Titanic submersible** when it imploded. They were: British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, 58; Pakistani-born industrialist Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son, Suleman, 19; French oceanographer and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nageolet, 77; and the chief executive of OceanGate, Stockton Rush, 61. 

Fracas over Adipurush 

In India, controversies over films, particularly anything to do with history, Hinduism or mythology, are common. Adipurush, a Ramayana-inspired film starring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan, has led to another. The teaser of the film, released on October 2, 2022, faced backlash from various groups for the portrayal of Lord Ram, Lakshman and Ravana. The Vishva Hindu Parishad, some BJP members, the chief priest of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple and Madhya Pradesh’s Home Minister raised objections and demanded a ban on the film. They claimed that the film ridiculed Hindu society and mocked Hinduism.  

Last Friday, a huge protest was held against Om Raut’s Adipurush by advocates at a Police Station in New Agra. They filed a complaint opposing the movie which has “hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu society”. 

The movie has also stirred controversy over Sita’s birthplace. Kathmandu has banned the screening of all Indian movies after objecting to dialogue in ‘Adipurush, which claims ‘Sita is the daughter of India. According to the mayor of Kathmandu, the goddess was born in Janakpur, located in modern-day Nepal. Another film; another controversy. 

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