• Relation with Taiwan
• Taiwanese suppliers for Apple to invest US$900 million in India

Key points:

1. Three Apple suppliers in Taiwan are reportedly planning to invest a total of US$900 million in India in the next five years under the Indian government’s new incentive plan for large-scale electronics manufacturing.
2. The three Taiwanese contract manufacturers — Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron — all plan to participate in India’s US$6.65 billion production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, according to Reuters. The scheme is expected to help add 0.5 percent to India’s economic growth in five years by encouraging local electronics production and attracting large investments from major global manufacturers.
3. The report said that Foxconn has already applied to invest US$542 million, while Wistron and Pegatron have committed to invest US$176 million and US$163 million, respectively. Although it is unknown whether all the investment will go towards producing Apple products, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the majority of it will be used to expand iPhone manufacturing in India.
4. The investments highlight a potentially seismic shift as Apple diversifies its supply chain beyond China to evade the impact of the ongoing trade war. Meanwhile, the Indian government has capitalized on the fallout and pledged to transform the South Asian country into the world’s No. 1 in mobile manufacturing by 2025, reported Tech News.

(Taiwan News, 29 September 2020) News Link

• Relation with Bangladesh

1. India-Bangladesh bilateral summit between PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina likely in December

Key points:

1. There is a possibility of the summit being a virtual one if the Covid-19 situation does not ease by the end of this year, sources said. In the case that the bilateral summit is held physically, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to Dhaka to meet his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
2. The two foreign ministers will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh. Substantial progress has been made in this regard in multiple areas despite the pandemic. The JCC is, in fact, a mechanism to overview the progress and substantial progress has been achieved between the two countries.
3. The year 2021 seems promising for India-Bangladesh relations since both sides will commemorate 50 years of the Bangladesh Liberation War in which India played a crucial role. Next year will also mark 50 years since India and Bangladesh established diplomatic ties.

(India Today, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• BSF Seizes 30 Sophisticated Arms Near India-Bangladesh Border, 3 Arrested

Key points:

1. Connectivity and development projects and sharing of river waters are expected to be on the agenda of a meeting of the India- Bangladesh joint consultative commission (JCC) to be held on Tuesday, people familiar with developments said.
2. The creation of a new mechanism to review the progress of bilateral development projects is also expected to figure in the virtual meeting to be chaired by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen, the people said on condition of anonymity.
3. “It will be a virtual meeting… but if the pandemic situation improves, it could be in person (in December),” Momen said. He indicated some agreements could be signed during the meeting between the premiers.Referring to the JCC meeting, Momen said, “India is our neighbour and our best friend. We have many things to discuss.”
4. The foreign ministers are expected to discuss a draft framework for water-sharing agreements on six rivers – Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gomti, Dharla and Dudhkumar – the people cited above said.
5. The 5th JCC meeting was held in New Delhi in February last year wherein the two sides had signed four MoUs to strengthen multifaceted cooperation. However, Momen said no agreements were expected to be signed during Tuesday’s meeting.

(NDTV, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• European countries

1. France’s Groupe PSA announces entry into aftermarket biz in India

Key points:

1. The €75 billion French auto major Groupe PSA has announced a major expansion of its business in India with its entry into the Indian independent aftermarket segment through its global multi-brand label Eurorepar, a move aimed at attracting more customers and establishing the brand firmly in the country.
2. The company enters the Indian independent aftermarket with a sales and distribution tie-up with GoMechanic, a technology-enabled aggregator of local car workshops for multi-brand car servicing.
3. “This is a unique strategy that we are creating the aftermarket ecosystem before the launch of our first car, which will be rolled out early next year. We will come out with a full range of quality parts with the service support from GoMechanic,” Roland Bouchara, Senior Vice- President-Sales and Marketing India, Groupe PSA, told
4. As per the agreement, PSA India will provide the Eurorepar parts to GoMechanic, which will then distribute the parts through its warehouses and parts distribution logistics platform to all the workshops and retailers within its network. Groupe PSA will provide support in terms of marketing, training, brand building, besides providing a very strong product range.

(The Hindu Business Line, 29 September, 2020) News Link

1. Bizman being quizzed in AgustaWestland says can’t return to India from UK

Key points:

1. A month after a Delhi court issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against former managing director of realty major Emaar MGF Shravan Gupta in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, the businessman who is in the UK has challenged the warrant in court while submitting that he was unable to return to India to join the enforcement directorate (ED) probe into the case since morbidities such as diabetes and high cholesterol put him at a higher risk of Covid-19.
2. The NBW against the tycoon was issued last month at the behest of the ED which claimed that he had failed to join investigations despite several summons. Gupta is being investigated for alleged involvement in the AgustaWestland deal in which bribes were paid to “middlemen” when India agreed to buy 12 AgustaWestland helicopters at an estimated cost of Rs 3,600 crore.
3. In a plea submitted to the court on September 24, Gupta said he was at a higher risk of Covid-19 due to morbidities, including type-2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, high cholesterol and impaired breathing. “…In view of the aforesaid serious medical condition, the applicant is extremely susceptible to the ongoing pandemic Covid-19 and he has been specifically declared unfit and advised not to travel by the doctors,” it read.

(Times of India, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• British oil major Cairn seeks $1.4 bn from India in losses due to retro tax demand

Key points:

1. Income Tax dept attached its shareholding in Cairn India after slapping tax demand of Rs 10,247 crore
2. Cairn Energy in 2015 initiated an international arbitration to challenge retrospective taxation
3. “The main evidentiary hearing of Cairn’s claim under the (UK-India Bilateral Investment) Treaty took place in August 2018 in The Hague with a final hearing in December 2018. All formal hearings and submissions have now been made and the tribunal is in the process of drafting its award,” the company said in its half-yearly earnings statement according to PTI.

(Times Now News, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• Relation with US

1. India may soon store crude oil in US, other foreign nations; invites cos to enhance domestic capacity

Key points:

1. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan today said that the government is exploring overseas crude storage facilities in the US and other commercially viable locations. Speaking at the ‘GCTC Energy Security Conference 2020’, Dharmendra Pradhan added that taking the advantage of low crude oil prices in April and May 2020, India filled the existing strategic petroleum reserves with 16 million barrels of crude oil, resulting in saving Rs 5,000 crore for the government.
2. The minister further invited the participation of companies in the development of 6.5 MMT of crude storage capacities at Chandikol and Padur in the next commercial-cum-strategic reserve programme, according to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
3. In recent years, India has substantially increased its oil imports from the US. US oil supplies to India have jumped ten-fold to 2,50,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the last few years, visiting US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said earlier this year. US President Donald Trump had also mentioned that Indian imports of US oil were 25,000 bpd a couple of years ago, and have now risen to 2,50,000 bpd. At present, the US is the sixth-largest oil supplier for India.

(Financial Express, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• India to hold naval exercise with US, Japan in November; Australia to join

Key points:

1. The naval exercise will likely put China in check to ensure there is no change in the status quo in Eastern Ladakh.
2. India is expanding deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of its tense border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
3. On Monday, Rajnath Singh-headed Defence Acquisition Council also cleared some major defence procurements.
4. India will likely hold a major naval exercise in November with the US and Japan. Australia is also expected to be a part of the naval exercise. The development is big in the face of the on-going faceoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where there has been mobilisation from the Chinese side from the last several months in Eastern Ladakh. India is already expanding deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of its tense border standoff.

(Times Now News, 29 September, 2020) News Link

Key points:

(Economic Nws, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• India To Buy Highly-Weaponised MQ-9B Sky Guardian Drone From US Amid Border Tensions With China

Key points:

1. India is planning to procure the weaponised MQ-9B Sky Guardian drone from the United States (US) as it looks to upgrade its existing Israeli Heron fleet and enhance its satellite communication capability and range.
2. The officials from the tri-services, as per credible government officials cited in the report, decided that the forces should choose an armed drone system over the Sea Guardian drones that only provide surveillance capabilities. The deal to procure 22 surveillance drones was approved by the US administration in 2017.

(Swarajya, 29 September, 2020) News Link

1. India to hold naval exercise with US, Japan in November; Australia to join

Key points:

1. The naval exercise will likely put China in check to ensure there is no change in the status quo in Eastern Ladakh.
2. India is expanding deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of its tense border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
3. On Monday, Rajnath Singh-headed Defence Acquisition Council also cleared some major defence procurements.
4. India will likely hold a major naval exercise in November with the US and Japan. Australia is also expected to be a part of the naval exercise. The development is big in the face of the on-going faceoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where there has been mobilisation from the Chinese side from the last several months in Eastern Ladakh. India is already expanding deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of its tense border standoff.

(Times Now News, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• US, Australia, India ministers to meet in Japan for “quad” talks to discuss regional concerns

Key points:

1. The Japanese Foreign Minister said the four ministers are expected to discuss ways to promote “a free and open Indo-Pacific,” a concept of security and economic cooperation that Japan and the U.S. have been pushing in the face of China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
2. “It is very timely for the four foreign ministers sharing the same concerns over the regional situation” to share their views in person, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Moteg said they are expected to discuss the coronavirus and the economy hurt by the pandemic and other regional concerns.
3. “It is very timely for the four foreign ministers sharing the same concerns over the regional situation” to share their views in person, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said said. He said they are expected to discuss the coronavirus and the economy hurt by the pandemic and other regional concerns.

(Economic Nws, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• Chapter 7:   Statement by Bharat about China

1. पूर्वी लद्दाख में न युद्ध और न शांति की स्थिति, चीन के हर दुस्साहस का जवाब देने को तैयार : वायुसेना प्रमुख

Key points:

1. एयरचीफ मार्शल आरकेएस भदौरिया ने पूर्वी लद्दाख में एलएसी के पास की स्थिति का उल्लेख करते हुए कहा कि वहां न तो युद्ध का माहौल है ना शांति का वातावरण। उन्होंने कहा कि भारतीय सेना चीन के किसी भी तरह के दुस्साहस का हर वक्त जवाब देने को पूरी तरह तैयार है।

(Navbharat Times, 29 September, 2020) News Link.

• India Rejects China’s Interpretation Of Line Of Actual Control In Ladakh

Key points:

1. Both nations “committed to clarification and confirmation of the LAC to reach a common understanding” and the Chinese side’s assertion that there is only one LAC, is contrary to the “solemn commitments” it made, the foreign ministry said today
2. Till 2003, the two sides had also engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC, “but this process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it”, the ministry said.
3. “Under these agreements, the two sides have agreed to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC without prejudice to their respective positions on the alignment of the LAC as well as on the boundary question. It is on this basis, that our overall relations also saw considerable progress since 1988,” the minister had said.

(NDTV, 29 September, 2020) News Link.

• Never accepted the unilaterally defined 1959 LAC: India reacts to China’s stand

Key points:

• India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control (LAC). This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
• The external affairs ministry was reacting to a report in Hindustan Times, which cited China’s foreign ministry as saying that Beijing abides by the LAC proposed by premier Zhou Enlai to prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959 – the first time in decades the Chinese clearly outlined its position on the notional boundary by reiterating a position that India has consistently rejected since it was first made 61 years ago.
• Srivastava pointed out that under several bilateral agreements – including the 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the LAC, the 1996 Agreement on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in the military field, the 2005 Protocol on Implementation of CBMs, and the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question – India and China have “committed to clarification and confirmation of the LAC to reach a common understanding of the alignment of the LAC”.

(Hindustan Times, 29 September, 2020) News Link.

• Relation with Japan
  • India to hold naval exercise with US, Japan in November; Australia to join

Key points:

1. The naval exercise will likely put China in check to ensure there is no change in the status quo in Eastern Ladakh.
2. India is expanding deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of its tense border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
3. On Monday, Rajnath Singh-headed Defence Acquisition Council also cleared some major defence procurements.
4. India will likely hold a major naval exercise in November with the US and Japan. Australia is also expected to be a part of the naval exercise. The development is big in the face of the on-going faceoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where there has been mobilisation from the Chinese side from the last several months in Eastern Ladakh. India is already expanding deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of its tense border standoff.

(Times Now News, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• US, Australia, India ministers to meet in Japan for “quad” talks to discuss regional concerns

Key points:

1. The Japanese Foreign Minister said the four ministers are expected to discuss ways to promote “a free and open Indo-Pacific,” a concept of security and economic cooperation that Japan and the U.S. have been pushing in the face of China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
2. “It is very timely for the four foreign ministers sharing the same concerns over the regional situation” to share their views in person, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Moteg said they are expected to discuss the coronavirus and the economy hurt by the pandemic and other regional concerns.
3. “It is very timely for the four foreign ministers sharing the same concerns over the regional situation” to share their views in person, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said said. He said they are expected to discuss the coronavirus and the economy hurt by the pandemic and other regional concerns.

(Economic Nws, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• Anti Bharat activity by Nepal

1. जिस विवादित क्षेत्र को लेकर भारत से हुआ था मनमुटाव, अब वहां जनगणना की तैयारी कर रही नेपाल सरकार

Key points:

1. नेपाल की केपी ओली सरकार विवादित लिंपियाधुरा, लिपुलेख और कालापानी क्षेत्रों में जनगणना कराने की तैयारी कर रही है। नेपाल की राष्ट्रीय योजना आयोग और केंद्रीय सांख्यिकी ब्यूरो ने अगले साल 28 मई से होने वाली 12वीं राष्ट्रीय जनसंख्या और आवास जनगणना में इन विवादित क्षेत्र को शामिल करने की योजना तैयार की है।
2. सर्वेक्षण विभाग के पूर्व महानिदेशक बुद्ध नारायण श्रेष्ठ के अनुसार नेपाली पक्ष ने विवादित क्षेत्र कालापानी के व्यास नगर गांव विकास समिति (गाविस) के तीन गांव- कुंजी, नवी और कुटी में एक अनौपचारिक सर्वेक्षण कराया था और घरों और आबादी की संख्या दर्ज की थी। तब 150 घरों में 723 लोगों की आबादी दर्ज की गई थी। 1991 में भारतीय सुरक्षा बलों ने नेपाली प्रगणकों को कालापानी क्षेत्र में प्रवेश करने के लिए रोक दी थी।
   (Amar Ujala, 29 September 2020) News Link

1. गिलगित–बाल्टिस्तान चुनाव का भारत ने किया विरोध, कहा– पाक खाली करे कब्जे वाला क्षेत्र

Key points:

1. भारत ने पाकिस्तान के कब्जे वाले कश्मीर में स्थित गिलगित-बाल्टिस्तान में होने वाले चुनावों को लेकर कड़ा विरोध दर्ज करवाया है। पाकिस्तान ने यहां विधानसभा चुनाव का एलान किया है, जो 15 नवंबर को होने जा रहा है। भारत का कहना है कि रणनीतिक रूप से गिलगित-बाल्टिस्तान क्षेत्र भारत के केंद्र शासित प्रदेश जम्मू-कश्मीर का हिस्सा है, जिसपर पाकिस्तान ने अवैध रूप से कब्जा किया हुआ है। 
2. विदेश मंत्रालय ने एक बयान जारी कर कहा, हमने 15 नवंबर, 2020 को होने वाले तथाकथित गिलगित-बाल्टिस्तान विधानसभा के लिए चुनावों की घोषणा के बारे में रिपोर्ट देखी है। हम पाकिस्तान के इस कदम का कड़ा विरोध जताते हैं। 
3. बयान में कहा गया कि भारत इस बात को फिर से दोहराता है कि केंद्रशासित प्रदेश जम्मू-कश्मीर और लद्दाख के साथ-साथ गिलगित-बाल्टिस्तान का क्षेत्र 1947 से ही भारत का अभिन्न अंग हैं। पाकिस्तान सरकार के पास अवैध रूप से और जबरन उसके कब्जे वाले क्षेत्रों पर कोई अधिकार नहीं है।
4. बयान में कहा गया, भारत सरकार ने तथाकथित ‘गिलगित-बाल्टिस्तान (चुनाव और कार्यवाहक सरकार) संशोधन आदेश 2020’ जैसे हालिया कार्यों को भी पूरी तरह से खारिज कर दिया है। नई दिल्ली इस्लामाबाद द्वारा अपने अवैध और जबरन कब्जे के तहत क्षेत्रों की स्थिति में परिवर्तन लाने के प्रयास का विरोध करता है। 
5. इसमें कहा गया, इस तरह की कार्रवाई न तो पाकिस्तान द्वारा जम्मू-कश्मीर और लद्दाख केंद्रशासित प्रदेशों के कुछ हिस्सों पर अवैध कब्जे को छिपा सकती है और न ही पिछले सात दशकों से पाकिस्तान के कब्जे वाले इलाकों में रहने वाले लोगों के स्वतंत्रता के उल्लंघन और शोषण को।
6. बयान में कहा गया, ये दिखावटी चुनाव पाकिस्तान द्वारा इसके अवैध कब्जे वाले क्षेत्र में अपनी सेना को तैनात करने के लिए है। हम पाकिस्तान से अपने अवैध कब्जे के तहत सभी क्षेत्रों को तुरंत खाली करने का आह्वान करते हैं।

(Amar Ujala, 29 September, 2020) News Link

• Statement by China about Bharat

1. भारत ने लद्दाख केंद्रशासित प्रदेश का अवैध तरीके से किया गठन, हम नहीं देते मान्‍यता: चीन

Key points:

1. चीन ने कहा है कि वह भारत के लद्दाख को केंद्र शासित प्रदेश बनाए जाने को मान्‍यता नहीं देता है
2. चीन के विदेश मंत्रालय के वांग वेनबिन ने कहा कि भारत ने लद्दाख की स्‍थापना अवैध तरीके से की
3. चीनी प्रवक्‍ता ने यह भी कहा कि हम विवादित इलाके में आधारभूत ढांचे के निर्माण का विरोध करते हैं

(Navbharat Times, 29 September 2020) News Link.