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The Second India-Central Asia Dialogue at the Foreign Ministers level was held earlier this week. India and five countries of Central Asia; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan share deep historical and civilisational ties. Since independence of the five Republics of the region in early 1990s, India has been forging close political, economic and cultural relations. The C5+1 format at the foreign ministers level, where the five Central Asian countries meet together with India, has emerged as a valuable platform for international engagement for all the five countries of the region. The inaugural India-Central Asia Dialogue was jointly hosted by India and Uzbekistan in January 2019 at Samarqand. The Second dialogue was to be held in April this year but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was held through video conference mode. It was hosted by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzb...

Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman said that the demand for consumer goods has increased considerably during the festival months. October to March is the festival season in India. Based on the “Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI)”, the Finance Minister said that the “economic activity had picked up in the country after the easing of pandemic restrictions and helped by various government measures.” A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion and below 50 denotes contraction. The analyses have shown that PMI increased from 52 in August to 56.8 in September, the highest since January 2012, said the Finance Minister. Strengthening the “animal spirits”, a sharp YoY (year-on-year) double digit increase has been noted for the festival sales of car. The two-wheelers sale has seen growth in YoY estimates in some parts of the country. The exports too picked up to positive quadrant with the recovery in components including farm exports, shipments, pharmaceuticals, engin...

In a significant humanitarian gesture and in keeping with India’s tradition of reaching out to people in Africa in times of need; India will deliver 270 tonnes of food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea, to alleviate the suffering of the people affected by natural calamities and the Covid-19 pandemic. This area of Africa, known as the Horn of Africa, has been facing unrest due to internecine war among various tribal militias since decades. However due to international mediation, the area is enjoying peace, but the region requires hand-holding of the local people, governments and institutions, to make them stand on their own feet. India, which provides thousands of peacekeeping soldiers to the area, has been playing a major role in the upliftment of the impoverished people, through various capacity building programmes. The food aid, comprising 155 tonnes of wheat flour, 65 tonnes of rice and 50 tonnes of sugar, is being transported on the Indian Naval Ship AIRAVAT, which le...

The visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark Esper to New Delhi to hold third round of security dialogue, widely known as 2+2 dialogue, with Minister for External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar and Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh is one of the most momentous developments in Indo-US Strategic Partnership. This dialogue which took place just days before the US Presidential elections and in the midst of the two countries battling with a deadly viral pandemic; speaks volumes of the significance of the issues that were discussed. The Major agreement signed was the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA). Both sides also discussed steps to be taken to address the deteriorating security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region. India and the United States are the two most pandemic afflicted countries in the world and have been taking all measures possible to deal with stressed out health security systems and severe downturn in their economic activities. China ...

The plenary session of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which took place last week, decide to retain Pakistan on the “grey list” till February 2021. This was due to Pakistan’s repeated failures to undertake comprehensive measures against UN-proscribed individuals and organisations and put an effective curb by investigating and prosecuting them. Pakistan has been hesitant in ending its long-standing association with terror outfits that operate freely and are actively supported and funded by the Pakistani state and under whose patronage, a thriving network of terror financing and money laundering has taken deep roots.  The decision was announced at a virtual press conference held at the end of plenary of the Paris-based organisation. The international body had earlier laid out a set of 27-point conditionalities out of which Pakistan was able to meet 21. This deficit in meeting the laid-out clauses has made Pakistan to remain in the grey list till it further improves its record....

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the people of India through his “Mann ki Baat” programme over the All India Radio network. On the 17th episode of Mann ki Baat 2.O, Prime Minister greeted the people on the festival of Vijayadashami that is Dussehra. He said, upcoming festivals like Eid, Sharad Poornima, Valmiki Jayanti, followed by Dhanteras, Diwali, Bhai dooj, the Pooja of Chatthi Maiyya and the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji too, should be celebrated with caution during this crisis-laden period of Corona. We all have to exercise patience, observe restraint. Prime Minister observed, when we talk about festivals and make preparations for them, the first thought that strikes us is when to go to the market, what all has to be purchased. The fervour of festivals and the glitter and sparkle of the marketplace are interconnected. Mr. Modi said, this time when we shopping, do remember our resolve of ‘Vocal for Local’. While purchasing items from the market, we have to accord p...

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government led by Imran Khan is in a tight spot. On one hand a virtual plenary session of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is to decide whether Pakistan should continue on its “grey” list based on the review of Islamabad’s performance to meet global commitments and standards on the fight against money laundering and terror financing (ML&TF). At the same time, political temperatures in the country are soaring with opposition parties joining hands under the banner of the newly formed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman. The PDM successfully organised two anti-government protests in Gujranwala and Karachi and is set to organise the third in Quetta on Sunday. The Imran Khan government introduced a series of bills and laws related to FATF compliance. However, it met with fierce opposition that managed to block the bills in the National Assembly. The three crucial bills related to FATF were Anti-Terrorism ...

Relations between India and Morocco go back to the 14th century when the famous traveller and writer from Tangier, Ibn Batuta travelled to India. In modern history, India was active in the UN supporting the Moroccan freedom movement and recognized Morocco on June 20, 1956 when it became independent of the protectorate arrangements with France. Diplomatic Missions were established in 1957. Over the years, India and Morocco have enjoyed cordial and friendly relations and bilateral ties have witnessed significant growth. India’s Vice President Dr. Zakir Hussain visited Morocco in 1967. King Mohammed VI, when he was Crown Prince, visited India to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in 1983 and, later in 2001 and in 2003, as the King of Morocco. King Mohammed VI also visited India from 25 October to 4 November 2015 to participate in the “Third India-Africa Forum Summit 2015” held in New Delhi. Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Rabat in 1999. Visits at Ministerial...

These are times for change, times for opportunity; yet times made harsh by the covid-19 pandemic. Corona has wrought havoc on the economy all over the world. India too faced economic slowdown during the first quarter of this fiscal; but, as the global economy continues to be on a slippery slope, the Indian economy is already on the rebound. In such a situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hit the nail right on the head by insisting that skilling, reskilling and up-skilling are the biggest need of the hour for a growing economy like India. Addressing the Centenary Convocation 2020 of the University of Mysore through video conference, Prime Minister said the University of Mysore is the centre of the great education system of ancient India, the aspirations and capabilities of future India and has realized the vision of "Rajarshi" Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Dr. M. Visvesvaraya. He referred to stalwarts like Bharat Ratna Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who taught at the Univ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an address to the nation, appealed to the citizens to not let their guard down in the country’s fight against Corona. He said the lockdown might have gone but the virus has not. He cautioned this is not the time for callousness and complacency. Prime Minister once again hailed the efforts of the doctors, nurses and other Corona Warriors for their selfless service to the nation during the pandemic. He remarked that the Corona warriors are following the mantra of “Seva Paramo Dharma.” He said, work on the vaccine is in progress and Government is readying a strategy to deliver the vaccine to every single citizen Mr. Modi said the recovery rate in the country has improved and the fatality rate is low. The Prime Minister made a fervent appeal to all the citizens to not let their guard down and become complacent especially during the upcoming festivals. Mr. Modi said despite the lockdown being lifted it does not mean that the Corona Virus is wiped out. He app...

Pakistan seems to be confident of getting out of the “grey list” of the Paris based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global anti-terror financing watchdog, at its next virtual plenary scheduled this week. That, at least, is the impression Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been giving to the world for some time now. Mr Qureshi told a gathering at Multan recently that Pakistan will be out of the grey list “very soon” as it has complied with the FATF requirements on terror financing. He has been telephoning his counterparts in Turkey, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia ostensibly to convince them of the measures taken by Islamabad in this regard. The Pakistan Foreign Ministry also has claimed significant progress in this regard. However, these assertions belie the reality. What Pakistan really has done are empty claims. Are those enough to meet FATF requirements? Independent global reviews indicate that a lot more remains to be done. As far as action against banned individual ...

One of the platforms for realising constant growth in economic and commercial relations between India and Norway has been the Joint Commission Meetings. The Sixth Session of the India-Norway Joint Commission was recently held virtually. The Norwegian delegation was led by Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide, Foreign Minister of Norway and the Indian delegation was led by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. While recognizing the advancement in bilateral relations, the two sides noted down areas of potential cooperation in non-conventional areas, especially in the pandemic-affected world which provides opportunities to build more sustainable economies. The countries while acknowledging the significance of ensuring health security welcomed the establishment of the global facility COVAX and efforts to secure fair global access to vaccines. They also pledged their commitment to the bilateral cooperation on maternal and child health. In accordance with the Dialogue on Trade and Investment (DTI)...

Pakistan's re-election to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations is likely to leave a long term impact on the state of the global human rights as the rights domain faces serious challenges internationally. Out of the five candidates from the Asia-Pacific region who were competing for four seats in the HRC, Pakistan got the largest number of votes with 169 members out of 193 UN members at the UN General Assembly. Uzbekistan received 164 votes, Nepal 150 and China got 139 votes and were elected alongside Pakistan. Saudi Arabia lost out with the lowest votes of 90. According to the HRC's rules, the seats are designated to various regions of the world to ensure geographical representation. The latest round of election to 15 seats out of 47-member HRC was more or less determined in advance as other regional groups had uncontested slots. Pakistan's gambit has to be seen in the broader context of its domestic rights situation which has often brought international condemnat...

US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun began a three day visit to India on 12 October. According to the official statement the visit will focus on advancing the US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and how the United States and India can work together to advance peace, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the globe. Mr. Biegun will meet with senior government officials and deliver the keynote address at the India-U.S. Forum. The visit is an important precursor to the 2+2 ministerial level dialogue between the foreign and defence ministers of the two countries later in the month in New Delhi, before the US presidential elections on 03 Nov. This is the third dialogue in the “2+2" format that was established after President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.On the agenda of the “2+2" talks is also the signing of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) that will allow the US to share satellite and other sensor data with In...

In June 24 this year, India’s Cabinet declared the airport at Kushinagar in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in the proximity of prominent Buddhist sites in India and neighbouring Nepal as an International Airport to provide direct access to Buddhist tourists from South and South-East Asian nations for visiting their cherished destinations connected with Lord Gautama Buddha. Kushinagar itself is one of the most important Buddhist sites where Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana in 483 BC. The 3,200 metre long runway is ready for take-off and landing of small and wide body aircraft. Other renovations and up-gradation of facilities are nearing completion. The airport is expected to be open for international commercial operations as soon as these are resumed in India and other countries relaxing restrictions imposed due to spread of Covid 19 pandemic. Kushinagar, is expected to become a major tourist hub for visitors from countries having large Buddhist population, besides inclusive develop...

It is well known that education is a vital instrument for social change. The objective of science education is to develop creativity along with competence. Right from the beginning, teaching of science is, therefore, expected to foster natural curiosity and encourage learning through the scientific method. This comprises of observation, analysis and then arriving at a conclusion which is verifiable. This, in brief, is called a scientific approach which can be inculcated and nurtured in children with sustained efforts through proper training at the school level. In today’s world, knowledge is growing at an extremely fast pace and its accumulation is extremely significant for the human resource development of a developing country. With the growing importance of science and technology, education for socio-economic development, it is imperative that the present system of teaching and learning science in India becomes of international standards. Last month, while delivering the convocation ...

India took a decisive step in its defence preparedness with the successful test of the new generation anti-radiation missile “Rudram-1” last week. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO, India’s premier defence research and development agency, the new missile is aimed at providing tactical air superiority in warfare. The test was carried out from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district of Odisha on the east coast. The missile successfully hit a radiation target located on Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha, with pin-point accuracy. With this success, India joins a select group of nations to indigenously develop, and test, an air-launched radar-busting anti-radiation missile that should provide a significant boost to its air force’s air defence-suppression capabilities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO on successful test firing of the m...

Amidst peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, which started in the Qatari capital, Doha, on September 12, 2020, Dr Abdulla Abdullah, Afghanistan’s former Chief Executive and presently Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation paid a five-day visit to India. The visit is seen as a consensus building exercise in the region for the ongoing peace process. Dr Abdullah’s visit on India’s invitation adds to the series of high-level engagement between India and Afghanistan lately. Before him, United States Special Representative on Afghan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, and prominent Afghan leader, Abdul Rashid Dostum, visited India during September. Dr Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, seeking assurance and support for the ongoing Afghan peace talks. The Indian leadership categorically expressed “full support” to the Afghan-Taliban talks. Last month, Dr. S. Jai...

“Strategic thinkers” in Pakistan are flaunting the development of Pakistan Navy and the Gwadar port as essentials to maintain the ‘balance of power’ in the Indian Ocean Region. Numerous confusing arguments justifying the encroachment of Chinese naval power in the region and the role of Pakistan Navy in providing protection to China’s economic and political ambitions in the waters of the Indian Ocean have been forwarded. These assertions are flawed and need to be placed in the appropriate historical, geo-political and contemporary context to expose their hollowness. The premise that the raison d’être of Pakistan Navy’s future role is the ‘equalisation of Sino-Indian rivalry’ in the Indian Ocean. Concerns over China’s revisionism and revanchist policies are now nearly universal. Therefore, the power contestation in the Indian Ocean between maritime powers like India and expansionist ones like China is neither new nor unexpected. The bias against India and United States, in favour of Chin...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at “Invest India Conference” in Canada through video conference. Prime Minister said India is undisputedly the only country shining in all the investment parameters viz., having political stability, investment and business friendly policies, transparency in governance, skilled talent pool and a large market. Mr. Modi said in the post-Covid world, India showed resilience and emerged as a land of solutions to overcome various kinds of problems related to manufacturing, supply chains, etc. He added, despite disrupted logistics, money was directly delivered into bank accounts of over 400 million farmers, women, poor and needy people within a matter of days. He listed various initiatives taken by the Government to overcome the disruption owing to the pandemic and stressed that this shows the strength of governance structures and systems that have been built over the last few years. Prime Minister said while the entire country was in...