AIR World Service English

To strengthen strategic ties and bilateral cooperation with Mozambique, where India has sizeable economic investments, the two countries took a significant step by signing two important memoranda of understanding- agreement on sharing ‘white shipping’ information and cooperation in the field of hydrography- during the Defence Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh’s, just concluded 3-day visit to the African Nation. Holding a bilateral meeting with his Mozambican counterpart, Mr.AtanasioMtumuke, Mr. Singh said India considers Mozambique among its most important friends and partners in Africa. As figures suggest, Indian investments in that country amount to $ 7 billion, mostly in energy and coal, accounting for about 25 per cent of Indian investments in Africa. In 2017, India was the largest destination for Mozambican exports, accounting for about 35 per cent of its total export revenue. Little wonder that during the course of his first overseas visit as Defence Minister and which also happens to ...

Giving another jolt to the prospects of a lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles last week. The tests were conducted within a month since the North Korean leader Chairman Kim Jong-un and the US President Donald Trump met in the demilitarised zone (DMZ), between the two Koreas. In their meeting the two leaders had pledged to work towards a compressive solution to the outstanding issues. Two missile were launched from Wonsan in the east coast of North Korea. Both North Korean and the South Korean agencies have confirmed that the missiles were of a different tactical nature, indicating that they are more mobile, easy to carry and hide, and importantly more difficult to track. Clearly, the security implications are directly on the Korean Peninsula rather than the US. In a statement issued after the missile launch, Kim Jong-un stated that the missile launch was aimed at quelling any direct and potential security threat to the North Ko...

The tectonic plates of world history are moving in a dynamic fashion. Power is shifting from the West to East and from the North to the South. The shifting pattern is more than any other formation. It is a historic change. It is for the first time in modern era that the wealth and world’s population are concentrated in the same place. It is this change which has given rise to BRICS. The world is changing fast, so are the players. The gaze of the world is falling on BRICS. This grouping is unlike other groupings—it consists of a former superpower, the superpower in the making and potential great powers in Asia, Africa and Latin America. BRICS has provided an alternative yet competitive narrative. More importantly, it has cast light on the role of great emerging powers, crucial for the stability and prosperity of the global economy. BRICS is a new constellation in international relations. It is more representative than the G7. BRICS has begun its second decadal journey. The BRICS Forei...

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-2. Mr Kovind said, the historic launch is a proud moment for all Indians and the mission is expected to lead to new discoveries and enrich the knowledge systems. Vice President Naidu said, the successful landing of Chandrayaan-2, will make India the fourth country to do so. In his message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded their hard work and commitment saying it is a brilliant example of the confidence and the capabilities of the Indian Scientists. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said, it is India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Making a brief statement in the Rajya Sabha on US President Donald Trump’s claim with regard to Jammu and Kashmir, he assured the House that no request of mediation was made ...

In an interesting revelation, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has admitted that there were 40 terrorist camps in Pakistan! And about 40,000 terrorists of all hues are right now present in Pakistani soil. This admission came during Imran Khan’s first official visit to Washington. He further said that successive governments in Islamabad did not share the ‘truth’ with the US.  Mr. Khan said Pakistan was fighting the US war on terror. He observed, “Pakistan has nothing to do with 9/11. Al-Qaeda was in Afghanistan. There were no militant Taliban in Pakistan. But we joined the US war. Unfortunately, when things went wrong, I blame my government, we did not tell the US exactly the truth on the ground,” Imran Khan said this while addressing a Capitol Hill reception hosted by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Chairperson of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus. At another event at the United States Institute of Peace during his three-day visit to Washington DC, Mr. Khan said that his ...

T he International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest update to the World Economic Outlook, has pegged India’s GDP growth at 7% this financial year and at 7.2% next fiscal. The IMF forecast vindicates the projections in the Economic Survey report released by the Government just before the Union Budget 2019 and sends clear signals that in spite of strong global headwinds, India’s economic growth would remain robust. Although the IMF has cut the growth forecast this fiscal from 7.3% to 7%, contextualised in the backdrop of the protracted trade wars and protectionism; slowdown of major economies, including that of China and the downside risks being faced by global investments, this growth projection is truly a feather in the cap of India’s growing economy. A sustained growth coming in the light of weak global signals points to the fact that growth has largely been contingent on strong domestic economic fundamentals, major economic policy reforms and fiscal discipline. India’s...

Since 2016, when the Brexit referendum took place, Britain has witnessed quite a few bouts of turbulence in the political scenario. After Theresa May failed to deliver Brexit and lost the support of her own MP’s, she had announced her resignation on July 4 this year. This led to a Tory (Conservative party) leadership contest, in which Boris Johnson defeated outgoing Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt by more than 40,000 votes. Soon after his victory, Mr. Johnson had said that his priorities were to deliver Brexit by 31st October, unite the country and defeat Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. He remarked that he will put together a “Cabinet for modern Britain,” with women and ethnic-minority lawmakers forming a major chunk in it. As the new British Prime Minister, one of the foremost challenges that Mr. Johnson faces is negotiating a conclusion to the Brexit impasse with the 27 European Union leaders. On one hand, he has promised to lead the U.K. out of the EU — with or without a divorce ...

US President Donald Trump has claimed in a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged him to intervene in the Kashmir issue and act as a mediator. That however is half the story; as the strategic discussion between the US and Pakistan is something that should be watched keenly by India. The US State Department clarified that US was not looking for a role and Kashmir is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan. In response to the US President’s comment, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar responded by categorically stating that no such request was made by Prime Minister Modi to the American President. The US President and Prime Minister Modi held discussions on the side-lines of the Osaka G20 summit in Japan last month after the Indian Prime Minister was re-elected to office by a massive victory. The two leaders are also expected to meet in Washington DC on the side-lines of UN General Assembly. President ...

One of the most complex and ambitious missions of India’s space programme took off on Monday afternoon. The country’s most powerful rocket GSLV Mk-III, carrying Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to Moon, lifted off from India’s spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 2.43 PM on Monday. 17 minutes later, Chadrayaan-2 was injected into the predetermined transfer orbit around Earth. The flight was originally to take off on 15th July but had to be scrapped following a technical glitch. It goes to the credit of India’s space scientists that they could identify and correct the flaw in such a short time. It must be mentioned here that a perfect launch is only the first step in this mission, which is one of the most complex ever undertaken by Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO. It will take 48 days for Chandrayaan-2 to reach the Moon and make a soft landing, which is scheduled for the 7th of September. Compared to India’s first mission to Moon, Chandr...

India and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement worth US$ 91.26 million for upgradation of the railway track from Maho to Omanthai that covers 130 kms. The agreement assumes significance as the line would be upgraded for the first time in 100 years. India’s contribution towards improving Sri Lankan Railways is well known and so far New Delhi has committed US$ 1.3 billion alone for the development of railways in the island country. This indicates that India is keen to improve its investments and is open to joint investments with third countries. The projects undertaken by India are people-centric projects focusing on health, education and connectivity. This month itself, 100 model villages built with Indian assistance were inaugurated in Gampaha District. These villages are part of 2400 villages India promised to build across Sri Lanka in addition to the 60,000 houses that are being built in the war affected North and East as well as central part of Sri Lanka. In another instance, an Isla...

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has asked Pakistan to release and repatriate Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav following the judgment by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Making a statement in both the Houses of Parliament, he said the judgment is not only a vindication for India and Jadhav but also for all those who believe in the rule of law and the sanctity of international treaties. He asserted that Jadhav is innocent of the charges made against him and his forced confession without legal representation and due process, will not change the reality. The External Affairs Minister said the court pronounced that Pakistan had breached relevant obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. He said the Court also declared that Islamabad is under an obligation to inform Jadhav without any further delay of his rights and to provide India consular access to him. Dr. Jaishankar said the ICJ pronounced that Pakistan had breached relevant obligations under ...

The 8th meeting of India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held in New Delhi. Senior officials from both countries participated in the meeting. The participants from the two sides examined threats posed by cross border terrorism and terrorist groups active in the respective regions and other parts of the world. They also exchanged views on challenges in countering terrorism, addressing radicalization, combating terror financing, preventing use of internet for terrorist purposes and the ways to deal with returnee foreign terrorist fighters. The officials also discussed the measures for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of counter terrorism through information sharing, capacity building and sharing best practices. In the meeting, cooperation in multilateral platforms, including UN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) and the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism...

In the Budget 2019, India’s Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitaraman focused on the roadmap to attain $ 5 trillion economy by 2024. She has announced a “Vision for the decade”, a series of policy measures, which has a clear focus on investment and economic growth. The policy measures include strengthening of physical and social infrastructure, enhancing financial inclusion through digital infrastructure, nutrition and good health for women and children, water management and the focus on blue economy, strengthening the space programme, self-sufficiency in food grains and pulses, enhancing “Make in India”, strengthening “Ayushman Bharat” with emphasis on “minimum government, maximum governance”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said every Indian would be a stake-holder in this process. However, the structural reforms to reach $ 5 trillion economy by 2024 are clearly mapped out. There could a potential danger of India missing the higher trajectory growth path to a “middle income tr...

In March 2016, Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, an Indian national, was detained by Pakistan on the accusation of performing acts of espionage and terrorism. In April 2017, he was sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan. In May 2017, India filed a case against Pakistan at the International Court of Justice or ICJ in The Hague, alleging violations by Pakistan of its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963. Article 36 of the Convention specifically required Pakistan to inform India, “without delay”, of the detention of Kulbhushan Jadhav, inform Kulbhushan Jadhav of his rights, and allow Indian consular officials access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. Pakistan rejected India’s claims by using a variety of legal arguments during the hearing of the case at the ICJ. On 17 July 2019, the ICJ delivered its judgement, stating that the “Court finds that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in the matter of the detention and trial of an Indian national, Mr. Kulbhushan Sudh...

The news of a Pakistan anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore granting pre-arrest bail to banned Jamaat-ud-Da’awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and three others has come to the fore. This is not surprising! The case pertains to JuD’s illegal use of land for its seminary and terror financing. However, it has been reported that Saeed was arrested and sent to judicial custody by Pakistani authorities. Earlier, the interim bail was granted to Saeed, his brother Hafiz Masood and two of the co-founders of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Ameer Hamza, and Malik Zafar, until Aug 31, against surety bonds of PKR 50,000 each. Both Hamza and Zafar have been responsible for fundraising for JuD. Unconfirmed reports suggested a year ago (in March 2018) that Hamza had earlier split away from LeT and founded his own terror outfit called Jaish-e-Manqafa. Notably, in the first week of July, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Pakistan, acting in accordance with the directive of the National Security Commit...

The second round of talks held between Indian and Pakistani officials at the Wagha-Attari border on the Pakistani side has made significant progress in finalizing modalities for the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit the historic Darbar Sahib Gurudwara in Narowal district of Pakistan across the border. The 16 th  century Gurudwara is of immense historic and religious value as the founder of Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Dev ji settled down in his later years and breathed his last at this place in 1539. After protracted negotiations, amidst tensions between India and Pakistan, hope for fulfillment of the long cherished desire for pilgrimage of Darbar Sahib Gurdwara emerged when Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone for the Kartarpur Corridor on 26 th November 2018 near Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and on 28 th  November, 2018 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan held the ground breaking ceremony near the Kartarpur Sahib Gu...

Hosts and favourites England capped a 44-year wait to bring home the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup with a Super-Over victory over New Zealand in a nerve-wracking finale at Lord’s on Sunday night, led by their best player in the tournament, Ben Stokes. With scores tied at 241 runs apiece after both teams had batted the regulation 50 overs each; England posted a 16-run target for New Zealand with Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler putting on 15 runs in the Eliminator over. In reply, New Zealand once again ensured scores were at levels thanks to Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill, but the hosts were declared winners on the basis of more boundaries in their innings. Overall, England had 22 boundaries in their 50 overs against 14 achieved by New Zealand. For the winning team, World Cup debutant Jofra Archer bowled a controlled six deliveries that did not allow the rival batsmen to take too many risks against him. It was a dramatic and emotional end to a tournament that spanned seven weeks and n...

The Lok Sabha has passed the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2019, which provides for the setting up of a New Delhi International Arbitration Centre and declaring it as an institution of national importance for its overall development as a major arbitration hub. Replying to the debate on the bill on Wednesday, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, the government is keen to make the country a hub of international and domestic arbitration. Both the Houses of Parliament have adopted statutory resolutions for levying 200 per cent duty on all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan. The Houses approved the amendment in the first Schedule of Custom Tariff Act. New Delhi had notified the basic custom duty to 200 per cent on all goods exported from Islamabad with effect from 16th of February this year. The Resolutions were moved by Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the government is committed to boost agriculture...

The love and hate relationship between Pakistan’s establishment and the press is symptomatic of its chequered democratic history. Behind the façade of a vibrant and free media, press in particular has always been on the receiving end with periodic clamp downs. Ironically, these clamp downs or attempt to throttle the voice of the press have not been restricted to the periods of military rule. Successive civilian administrations have also been guilty of such iron fisted action on media. The latest diktat of the Imran Khan government to block media coverage and interview of politicians who are either convicts or under-trial prisoner and direction to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to fulfill its “responsibility” have to be view in this overall backdrop of establishment controlling media in Pakistan. Earlier, news television channels Channel 24, Abtak News, and Capital TV were taken off air across the country after airing an explosive interview of Maryam Nawaz-...

With the passage of each day, the conflict between Iran and the United States has been increasingly getting more and more intense, requiring attention of the international community. Although the genesis of the Iran-US conflict could be traced back to the 1979-Revolution of Iran, the most recent phase of this conflict was triggered last year when the US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the JCPOA. Since then, the US has reinstated those sanctions on Iran which were earlier lifted and has also imposed some new ones including those targeting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian Supreme Leader. The withdrawal from the JCPOA by Donald Trump was in tandem with his expressed dislike for this Agreement since the days of his Presidential campaign. After his election, President Trump has followed a more aggressive policy against Iran with an objective to curtail its regional activities. The essence of this policy is to ...