AIR World Service English

Pakistan is caught in a bind over its stand on the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. Ever since India revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that granted Special status to the state, Pakistan has been trying to internationalize the issue. Islamabad has even stooped to war mongering. However, it has not been successful in eliciting response from the international community especially its powerful allies in the Middle East and West Asia. It is for the first time that the Islamic “Umma” has been eloquently silent on Kashmir and some influential countries have termed the Indian move as New Delhi’s internal affair. Only Turkey and Malaysia had given an ear to Pakistan’s lamentations. Kuala Lampur, which faced a massive backlash over an Indian fugitive Zakir Naik’s comments on the Malaysian society, not only banned the fugitive, but Dr. Mahathir Mohammad’s government offered no comments on Jammu & Kashmir. Faced with yet another setback at the UN Security Council, w...

India and Russia are set to take their bilateral relations to newer heights during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term. He will be participating in the 5th Annual Eastern Economic Forum as the Chief Guest and the 20th Annual Bilateral Summit between the two countries in Vladivostok from 4-6 September 2019. Fresh opportunities are being explored to include new areas of cooperation and re-energize existing Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. Russia was one of the first countries to welcome the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Moscow had termed it as India’s internal matter and supported Indi’s position at various international fora. Earlier this month, Indian Commerce Minister, Piyush Goyal accompanied by four Chief Ministers visited to Vladivostok to discuss proposal of partnership between Indian states and Russian Far East provinces with Yuri Tutnev, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential envoy to the Far...

Prime Minister Modi was invited by French President Emmanuel Macron as a ‘Special Guest’ to the G7 summit in Biarritz, France; as India finds common cause with France on a number of issues such as sustaining the Iran nuclear deal and the fight against climate change. It was on the side-lines of the Summit that the Indian Prime Minister and US President Trump met each other. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed trade and economic issues. This is especially important as the US President has stated that New Delhi is taking advantage of the ‘developing nation’ tag given by WTO and India has imposed high tariffs on products from the US. To counter this perceived bias, the US has imposed tariffs on steel imports from India and ended preferential access for Indian products. India too imposed retaliatory tariffs on 28 products exported from the US in June 2019. The two leaders also spoke on the ways to broaden strategic ties. Though trade is an important part of the booming bilateral...

The two major East Asian economies—Japan and South Korea have got embroiled in trade tensions. Japan has imposed restrictive trade measures on South Korea by tightening export control of three chemicals, including hydrogen fluoride gas, fluorinated polyimide, and photo-resists used in high-tech industry, citing national security concerns. Japan has articulated its concern over the end use of those chemicals, which may also have military applications. Tokyo has reportedly expressed anxiety concerning South Korea’s implementation of UNSC sanctions and compliance with international export control regime pertaining to sensitive material. Furthermore, Japan has removed South Korea from Japan’s preferential ‘white list’ of trusted trading partners, implying stricter export screening for over 1,100 critical items. In case the restrictive trade measures continue to escalate, it may adversely affect the global supply chain. Leading South Korean companies depend on Japan as a key suppl...

The G-7 Summits were initiated by France in 1975 to provide a flexible platform for the leaders of the seven largest advanced economies of the world to deliberate on pressing global issues. By expanding these discussions to include key countries outside the G-7 in critical areas, the impact of G-7 discussions can have a global impact. In 1989, the G-7 Summit hosted by France had created the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to counter money-laundering and the financing of terror. In recent years, India as a member of the FATF has actively sought to enforce international cooperation through this platform in countering the financing of terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. The invitation to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the G-7 Summit held in Biarritz France as a ‘Special Biarritz Partner’ was motivated by France’s desire to enlist India as a “major democracy” to combat all forms of inequality more effectively, legitimately and tangibly. As “democratic societies com...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a visit to the UAE and Bahrain over the weekend. This was his third visit to the UAE in four years and the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Bahrain. The visits underline India’s growing proximity with the Arabian Gulf countries. In the UAE, the Prime Minister met with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and discussed important bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. He also received the “Order of Zayed”, the highest civilian award of the UAE which had been conferred on him in April 2019 in recognition Mr. Modi’s contribution in strengthening the bilateral ties between India and the UAE and for his distinguished leadership. The Indian Prime Minister also launched the RuPay card in the UAE, which became the first country in West Asia and the third, after Singapore and Bhutan, to accept payments from the indigenous Indian card. A MoU on acceptance of the RuPay card was signed between the Nati...

Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of Zambia visited India, at the invitation of the President Mr. Ram Nath Kovind. This was the first visit at the level of Head of State from Zambia after formation of the new Government and the first-ever State visit of President Lungu to India. The last time a Zambian President paid a State visit to India was 16 years ago when Levy Mwanawasa visited in April 2003. This visit was significant in the context of India’s Africa outreach policy, which has seen 32 visits by Indian political leaders to African countries and 35 visits by African leaders to India, following the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit process. Besides, as a reciprocal visit, it took place about 16 months after President Ram Nath Kovind’s State Visit to Zambia, in April, 2018. The visit was an important opportunity to review the progress of the entire spectrum of bilateral relations. The highlights of the Zambian President’s visit were a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France this week has strengthened the bilateral relations and the 20 year old ‘Strategic Partnership’ signed between both countries in 1998. In the light of the political developments in Jammu &Kashmir, New Delhi received a major boost given that France termed the issue as an internal matter of India and had backed India in the closed door UNSC consultations. The Prime Minister emphasised that Indo-French relations are based on the firm foundations of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity” and many decades of strong cooperation. Both sides endorsed the road map for further enhancing the strategic partnership and some of the key areas identified were skill development, civil aviation, IT and space. Mr. Modi emphasised that Defence cooperation is a ‘strong pillar’ of the relationship and welcomed the delivery of the first ‘Rafael’ aircrafts to India in September. Emphasising the bilateral partnership, both leaders called for addressing global...

The recent 5th meeting of India Nepal Joint Commission in Kathmandu has extensively reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations with specific focus on areas of connectivity, economic partnership, trade, transit, power, water resources and culture and education. The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Ministers of the two countries. India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar flew to Kathmandu from Dhaka after having productive discussions with Bangladesh leaders on matters of mutual interest and regional issues. Ahead of the Joint Commission meeting Dr. Jaishankar called on Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. This was the first high level visit to Nepal by an Indian minister after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was re-elected to office in May this year. A statement of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Nepal said the Joint Commission expressed happiness over the momentum generated in the overall aspects of Nepal-India relations following the exchange of high...

In a key milestone in India’s ties with the Baltic countries, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid a visit to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This was the highest level of Indian diplomatic engagement with the Baltics till date. Apart from meeting their top leadership, Mr. Naidu chaired business forum meetings, engaged with Indian diaspora and inked several MoUs for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, cyber security, e-governance and education. Indian Vice President also addressed the Estonian Heads of Mission Conference. A key theme of these interactions was the reiteration of India’s regional civilizational linkages with Sanskrit, Yoga and Ayurveda deeply embedded in the Baltics national consciousness. These linkages have historically assisted in building closer bilateral ties and reflect the true spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, meaning “the world is one family”, in Sanskrit. Notably, there exists Hindi Chairs in all the three Baltic countries. The Vice President highligh...

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar’s maiden visit to Bangladesh was more of a courtesy call to extend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina for a State visit to India in the first week of October. It came at an important juncture of the ever improving bilateral ties between the two neighbours.  The Indian External Affairs Minister’s meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister was productive. It was meant to prepare the ground for the October meeting between Shiekh Hasina and the Indian Prime Minister.  Dr. Jaishankar handed over the letter of invitation from Prime Minister Modi to Sheikh Hasina during the meeting at ‘Ganobhaban’, her official residence. Ms. Hasina extended her gratitude to Mr. Modi for the invitation.  The Indian Minister said New Delhi was looking forward to her New Delhi visit in October. Both Dr. Jaishankar and Shiekh Hasina held productive discussions wherein matters of mutual i...

Pakistan’s efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue once again has utterly failed to evoke even a mild nature by the United Nations Security Council. China had requested an urgent meeting of all the 15 members at the behest of its so-called “all weather friend” Pakistan. The meeting saw only China raising India’s move on Jammu and Kashmir with concern, whereas all other major powers advised Pakistan to discuss the situation bilaterally with India. After India had revoked the relevant provisions of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution pertaining to the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has been losing sleep over the issue. This Indian move has defanged the Pakistani narrative on Jammu and Kashmir. India’s description of the steps undertaken regarding Jammu and Kashmir as its’ internal affair, has been noted of by the US administration. Russia went to the extent of describing the step within the ambit of Indian Constitution and asked both India and Pakistan to resolve ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a two-day state visit to Thimphu, at the invitation of Bhutan’s Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering. He was accompanied by a high level delegation. This was Mr. Modi’s first official visit to Bhutan after assuming office second time and the second visit to Bhutan in the last five years. After assuming office for the second consecutive term, the Indian Prime Minister had visited to Maldives and Sri Lanka. These three visits to neighbouring countries indicate that India is giving renewed thrust to its ‘neighbourhood first’ policy.  The Bhutan visit happened while India is intensely engaged at the international level to neutralize Pakistan’s attempt to internationalize the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) issue. Earlier, Bhutan had hailed India's decision to scrap the special status of J&K, by calling it bold, courageous and forward-looking. It had recognized that J&K was purely an internal matter of India. Given the special relationship wit...

In an interesting turn of events, Yemen has seen a flicker of hope this week as the head of Yemen’s separatist movement, announced his willingness to take part in Saudi-brokered peace talks after the Aden coup. UAE backed southern separatist forces of Yemen had seized the presidential palace in Aden in severe fighting which led to 40 casualties sand more than 260 injured. The separatist leader Aidarus al Zubaidi said that the violence was provoked due to Abd’rabu Mansour Hadi’s forces’ attempted to assassinate the leaders of the Houthi movement and liquidate it. The announcement came in wake of Saudi Air strikes at Southern Transitional Council (STC) position in city of Aden. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have called on the pro-government Yemeni parties to hold talks next week to resolve recent tension in Aden. The roots of the conflict goes back to the failed political transition following the Arab Spring uprising which compelled Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over power to his Deputy Hadi ...

Pakistan has not received the kind of support it expected from the Gulf Arab countries. They have remained mostly unmoved as India revoked the Article 370 of its Constitution and gave Union Territory status to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. This muted response is because of India’s rising stature as a stable and mature country. Further, India has close strategic ties with almost all the Gulf countries. India conducts trade worth more than US $100 billion in annual trade, which that makes it one of the Arabian Peninsula’s most valuable economic partners. Saudi Arabia, the world’s most powerful Islamic country has only urged restraint over the Indian move. Other important countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have not issued any statements on the matter. The United Arab Emirates has termed the decision “an internal matter of India”. This is extremely significant. This signals that Abu Dhabi has downgraded the issue. Though, UAE has in the recent past provided a “soft loa...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first Independence Day speech in his second term in office was immeasurably powerful in conveying a strong political and social message to the country’s more than 1.3 billion people. In fact, for the first time in India’s political history, a Prime Minister chose the Independence Day to express his concern on population explosion and its negative impact on the country’s developmental path. According to a United Nations report, India will overtake China in 2027 to become the most populous country in the world. This population explosion, if left unaddressed, could go against efforts to bring millions of people out of poverty and undo the benefits of higher welfare spending for the poor. The government aims to provide every household clean cooking fuel, toilets, electricity, houses, clean drinking water and healthcare. Delivery of such public goods and services to the poor will suffer if the current population trend continues. While controlling rising popul...

The Honourable President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind in his address to nation on the eve of India’s 73rd Independence Day said, India completes 72 years as a free nation at a very special juncture. In a few weeks from now, on October 2nd, India will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, the guiding light of our successful effort to liberate our nation and of our continuing effort to reform our society of all inequities. The President said contemporary India is very different from the India in which Mahatma Gandhi lived and worked. Even so, Gandhiji remains extremely relevant. When we design and deliver welfare programmes for our disadvantaged fellow citizens and families, when we seek to harness the power of the sun as renewable energy, we put Gandhian philosophy into action. Shri Kovind observed this year also marks the 550th birth anniversary of one of the greatest, wisest and most influential Indians of all time – Guru Nanak D...

In a significant diplomatic outreach to China, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar paid an official visit to Beijing to participate in the meeting of the High Level Mechanism on Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges. The visit was primarily aimed at preparing the ground for the forthcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India later this year for the second round of ‘Wuhan’ type informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two sides are also commemorating the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship. The legislative enactment in Indian Parliament relating to Jammu and Kashmir also figured in the discussions between the two foreign ministers. Mr. Jaishankar held talks with the Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan. Both sides discussed the evolving global situation and the larger rebalancing that reflected the rise of India and China as major regional and global powers in the emerging equilibrium. Although it was the first ever visit to C...

Pakistan’s efforts at internationalizing the Kashmir issue has run into rough weather. Even its’ steadfast friends China and Saudi Arabia have been lukewarm over Islamabad’s sudden move to get other countries on board over Kashmir. Both Riyadh and Beijing have told Islamabad that there is not much they can do. They have in fact called for peace and both countries have asked Pakistan to exercise restraint. Pakistan’s civil and military authorities went on an overdrive as soon as India announced the revocation of Article 370 of her Constitution. India has reconstituted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories viz., UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh. This was done by an overwhelming vote in both the Houses of Indian Parliament. This has been done for accelerating development in the two union territories. The move would also check Pakistan sponsored cross border terrorism that the state of Jammu and Kashmir was subjected to for the last three decades. M...