AIR World Service English

The third Senior Officials Meeting of the Arab-India Cooperation Forum took place through video conference. The Meeting was co-chaired by Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary (Consular, Passport & Visa &Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs and Ambassador Mohamed Abu Al-Kheir, Assistant Foreign Minister and Permanent Representative of Egypt to the League of Arab States with the participation of Senior Officials from the Arab States and India, as well as the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States. The Senior Officials recalled the historic and civilizational ties that exist between the Arab World and India and underlined the contribution of the commercial and cultural ties to binding the two sides together. They hailed the strong foundation, great potential and wide-ranging prospect for Arab-India cooperation, and the role that the Forum can play to advance Arab-India relations towards capacious horizons. The Senior Officials discussed issues of mutua...

The UN Security Council celebrated the 20th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1373 by holding a virtual meeting. It is a landmark resolution in the global fight against terrorism. Tunisia steered the UNSC discourse on this critical issue. Addressing the meeting on Resolution 1373, adopted in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks; India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar said the Resolution reminds us that terrorism continues to be the gravest threat to mankind. It not only grievously impacts human life but attacks the very foundation of humanity. By adopting this Resolution, the Security Council conveyed its unequivocal determination to address the menace of terrorism. Dr. Jaishankar said, India has always been at the forefront of global counter terrorism efforts. In 1996, long before the adoption of Resolution 1373, India took the initiative to pilot the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) with the objective of providing a comprehensive l...

India will begin inoculating its 1.3 billion population against coronavirus starting January 16, in one of the world’s massive rollouts. The first phase of this daunting and complex task will cover 30 million frontline and health workers. This will be followed by the vaccination of 270 million people above 50 years of age and the under-50 population groups with co-morbidities or with high risk of infection. The aim is to vaccinate 300 million, equal almost to the entire US population, by July. This will be an unprecedented scale of immunisation. From developing, manufacturing to becoming a key supplier, India will play a crucial role in the global immunisation programme with two “Made in India” vaccines—Covaxin and Covishield. Covaxin, India’s first indigenous vaccine against Covid 19, is manufactured by the Hyderabad-based pharma company Bharat Biotech. The second, Covishield, was developed jointly by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and is manufactured by the Serum Institute of Ind...

The end of 2004 and beginning of 2005 will forever remain etched in the memory for many across the world, and particularly Asia. One day after Christmas, in 2004, an earthquake of 9.1 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Indonesia near Banda Aceh at 07:59 am. In under 20 minutes, more than 100,000 perished in Indonesia. An hour and a half later, parts of Thailand were inundated with many casualties. The waves hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Indian Sub-continent, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were hit with devastating effect. Parts of Sri Lanka got swept away. The Tsunami left more than 230,000 dead and a trail of destruction that was unimaginable in its wake across South-East and South Asia, including India, and as far as South Indian Ocean and South Africa. The Indian Armed Forces were mobilised immediately. The Indian Navy launched one of the largest Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations (HADR) in its history; Operation ‘Madad’ on...

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar virtually addressed a session on ‘Role of the Diaspora in Atmanirbhar Bharat’ during the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event. Dr. Jaishankar said, the theme highlights the global implications of the Atmanirbhar approach. It also helps create new avenues for stronger connections with the Pravasis. The External Affairs Minister said the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat is to build greater national capacities so that we can make a stronger contribution globally. Even otherwise, this was a laudable goal. But the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has driven home the need for more trusted, resilient, reliable and redundant supply chains. Involving the diaspora in that endeavour is natural. The Indian diaspora has always been enthusiastic contributors to nation-building. Secondly, as high achievers in their own societies, they can bring to bear resources, technology, best practices and Innovations to the task. Third, they help in giving this ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address at the 16th Pravasi Bharitya Divas 2021 virtually. Prime Minister extended his best wishes to all for 2021! Mr. Modi said, today, the Internet might have connected the Indian Diaspora from every nook and corner of the world, but we all are attached to Mother Bharati and towards each other with affection. He said, there is a tradition to honour all the colleagues who have enhanced the pride of Mother Bharati all over the world with the “Pravasi Bharatiya Samman” every year. About 240 dignitaries spread over 60 different countries have been honoured since the journey, which began under the guidance of Bharat Ratna late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Similarly, thousands of colleagues from all over the world have participated in the Bharat Ko Janiye (Know India) Quiz competition. These numbers show that they may be away from the roots, but the new generation’s attachment is growing as much. The 15 winners of this quiz competition we...

Atrocities and discrimination against minorities in Pakistan continue unabated. These had started soon after Pakistan came into existence in 1947 but got intensified during the eighties of last century. Initially atrocities were mostly confined to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians. But later these got extended to Shias, Ahmediyas, Muhajirs, Hazaras, Seraikis and other similar sects and groups living in different parts of Pakistan. These atrocities and discrimination assume the form of abductions, murders, mass-killings, religious conversions, threats of violence, extrajudicial killings and killings on allegations of blasphemy. The motivating force behind atrocities against these minorities is generally ideologically faith oriented. Whereas Ahmediyas have been already declared heretics, there is a deep religious cleaveage between the majority Sunni population of Pakistan and the Shia minority. In the latest incident of persisting atrocity, eleven Hazara coal miners in Baloc...

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar was on a two-day official visit to Colombo on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart. This was the External Affairs Minister’s first foreign visit in 2021, and also the first by a foreign dignitary to Sri Lanka in the New Year. Dr. Jaishankar called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, State Minister of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure Jeevan Thondaman and the State Minister for Backward Rural Areas Development Sathasivan Viyalendiran, Tamil leaders and the Sri Lankan Business Community. The main purpose of the visit was to discuss the entire gamut of issues and facilitate the processes to address specific challenges impinging the bilateral relations. One of the main issues is the delay in the implementation of the Memoranda of Understa...

Police in Hong Kong have arrested around 50 pro-democracy figures for allegedly violating China’s new National Security Law. The pro-democracy activists had participated in an unofficial primary election last year. It was to be held for increase the chances of pro-democracy lawmakers to control the Hong Kong legislature. The mass arrests are the biggest move against Hong Kong’s democracy movement since China’s National Security Law was passed by Beijing for the self-autonomous region in June last year. Hong Kong Police have not confirmed the arrests. At least seven members of Hong Kong Democratic Party — the largest opposition party of the island — were arrested, including a former party Chairman. Former lawmakers were also arrested. Benny Tai, a key figure in Hong Kong’s 2014 protests and a former law professor, was also apprehended by the police, according to reports. He was one of the main organizers of the primaries last year. The home of a prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua ...

India has historical links with Fiji. The ties commenced in 1879 when Indian labourers were brought to Fiji under the “indenture system” to work on sugarcane plantations. Between 1879 and 1916 around 60,000 Indians were brought to Fiji. Beginning with early 20th century, Indian traders and others also started arriving in Fiji. Agitation by the workers and the reports of C.F. Andrews, who visited Fiji in 1915 and 1917, led to the abolition of the indenture system in 1920. Currently, of the 900,000 population, 37% are people of Indian origin. Prior to Fiji’s independence in 1970, India had a Commissioner since 1948 to look after the interests of people of Indian origin. The Commissioner’s post was upgraded to that of High Commissioner after independence. Both sides share a robust and dynamic relationship. High level visits have taken place from both India and Fiji. India sent two consignments of relief for the cyclone-affected people that has already reached Fiji. The island-nation was h...

The anti-government coalition of the opposition parties in Pakistan, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) ended its first phase of protests in 2020 at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore and termed it as the ‘final blow’ to bring down the Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaaf Government led by Imran Khan. However the Lahore ‘Jalsa’ failed to yield the desired results and the PML-N failed to deliver in Punjab that is considered to be the stronghold of the party. The second phase of PDM protests have been announced the highlight being, the Long march to Islamabad. However, the morale of the PDM is low. Many members of the PDM have oppose the idea of resignations from the National and Provincial assemblies which was the supposedly next step of the PDM after the Lahore Jalsa. Cracks started appearing in the Jamat-e-Ulema-e-Islami (F) and anti Maulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman voices have grown stronger. At the same time, the Pakistan government has sharpened its counter strategy as Prime Minister Imran Khan underlined tha...

In a huge fillip to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ campaigns, India’s scientific and medical community has gone beyond their line of duty and come up with the first indigenously developed vaccine for Covid-19. Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech’s vaccine, Covaxin has been given “restricted emergency use” approval by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Serum Institute of India, Pune’s Oxford-AstraZeneca developed Covishield has also been granted ‘emergency use’ approval by the DCGI. Both the vaccines are safe, efficient, pocket friendly and suitable for India’s weather conditions. The Serum and Bharat Biotech vaccines have to be administered in two doses. All the three vaccines have to be stored between 2-8° C. The vaccination schedule is expected to be announced soon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the DCGI approval of Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech vaccines, a decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight against Corona. In a series of ...

India aims to be a net exporter of defence equipment. India has set a target of US$ 5 billion worth of exports. India managed to double the value of exports between FY2018 and FY2019, from Rs. 4,682 crore to Rs. 10,745 crore. Under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat, India is growing in its capabilities of manufacturing wide variety of Defence platforms and missiles. ‘Akash’ is one of the country’s important missile systems with over 96 percent indigenisation. Akash is a Surface to Air Missile with a range of 25 Kms. The missile was inducted in 2014 by the Indian Air Force and in 2015 by Indian Army. After its induction in the Services, interest was shown in Akash missile system by many friendly countries during the International Exhibitions/Def Expo/Aero India. The Cabinet approval will facilitate Indian manufactures to participate in RFI/RFP issued by various countries. So far, Indian defence exports included parts/components etc. The export of big platforms was minimal. This initiative of the ...

On the 1st of January, 2021, India has begun her eighth two-year elected term in the UN Security Council. Since her first term in 1950, each election has been due to the votes of more than two-thirds of the membership of the UN General Assembly. In contrast, such an overwhelming democratic electoral endorsement has never been obtained till now by any of the five permanent members or P5 for their seats in the Security Council. India’s impact in the Security Council will depend on two issues. One is how the Security Council takes its decisions. This process is dominated by the veto privilege of the P5, used 293 times since 1946. Deadlock in decision-making due to the use of the veto has often resulted in tragic human costs. The most recent example is the deadlock between the United States and China in early 2020, which prevented the timely adoption of a Council resolution to politically support an all-of-UN response to the Covid-19 pandemic. How India deals with her interests that are op...