• Relation with Burma
• To counter China, India offers Myanmar a $6bn oil refinery

Key points:

1. As China further intensifies its energy cooperation with Myanmar, India is working to ramp up its own presence in the same sector in the strategically located neighbour with a booming energy industry. The joint visit by foreign secretary Harsh Shringla and army chief MM Naravane saw the 2 countries discussing the possibility of building a petroleum refinery in Myanmar that will involve an investment of $ 6 billion.
2. India proposes to build the refinery in the Thanlyin region near Yangon, official sources said. “As of now IOCL has evinced interest in the project,” said a source, adding that this would be a win-win arrangement for both countries. China currently accounts for almost 70 percent of foreign investments in the energy sector in Myanmar. India’s eastern neighbour, which straddles India’s Act East and Neighbourhood First policies, has very few refineries though and imports mostly account for its domestic fuel consumption.
3. During their joint visit, Shringla and Naravane also called on State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander in Chief of Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The two sides also discussed, as the government said in a statement, maintenance of security and stability in their border areas and reiterated their mutual commitment not to allow their respective territories to be used for “activities inimical to each other”. The government appreciated Myanmar’s decision to hand over 22 Indian insurgents to India.
4. Interestingly, Shringla and Naravane presented 3000 vials of Remdesivir to the State Counsellor. India said it was symbolic of its commitment to assist Myanmar in the fight against the pandemic. The visit also saw India underscoring its commitment to work with both Myanmar and Bangladesh for early stabilisation of the situation in the strife-torn Rakhine state. India and Myanmar upgraded a Rakhine State Development Programme (RSDP) agreement meant to address the challenges faced in agricultural productivity by using farm machinery and equipment more effectively and efficiently. This, in turn, is expected to improve the socio-economic status of the people in Rakhine, said official sources.
5. During the visit, India also announced a grant of $ 2 million for the construction of the border haat bridge at Byanyu/Sarsichauk in Chin State that is expected to provide improved economic connectivity between Mizoram and Myanmar.

(The Times of India, 6 October 2020) News Link

• India, Myanmar Agree To Target Operationalisation of Strategic Sittwe Port in Q1 2021

Key points:

1. During the visit of the Indian army chief and foreign secretary to Myanmar, the two countries on Monday agreed to work towards operationalising the Sittwe port in the first quarter of 2021.
2. Indian army chief General M.M. Naravane and foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla travelled to Myanmar on a two-day visit. They called on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar’s Commander in Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
3. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday, the ongoing India-assisted infrastructure projects such as the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project and trilateral highway were part of the bilateral discussions. “They agreed to work towards operationalization of Sittwe Port in the Rakhine State in the first quarter of 2021,” said the official read-out.
4. In 2010, India began work on the mega infrastructure project in Myanmar, which had several components. This project would not only link India’s north east to the southeast region, but also allow for goods to be transported from Kolkata to Sittwe and then onwards by river and roads to Mizoram.
5. India had even signed an agreement with Myanmar government for operationalising the port in October 2018. However, conflict between the insurgent group Arakan Army and the Myanmar military had impacted the operationalisation. According to a local NGO, more than 226,000 people have been displaced inside the province due to the violence.
6. Meanwhile, the high-level Indian visitors announced a grant of $2 million for the construction of a border haat bridge at Byanyu/Sarsichauk in Chin State to “provide increased economic connectivity between Mizoram and Myanmar.India also announced that it would import 1.5 lakh tonnes of Urad from Myanmar by March 31, 2021.
7. During his visit to the capital, the foreign secretary also inaugurated an embassy liaison office at Nay Pyi Taw. While the planned city became Myanmar’s capital in 2006, nearly all diplomatic missions, including the Indian embassy, continue to operate from Yangon. China was the first foreign country to open an interim liaison office at Nay Pyi Taw in 2017.
8. As part of diplomatic efforts to help Myanmar contain COVID-19, India handed over 3,000 vials of the anti-viral drug Remdesivir to Aung San Suu Kyi. Shringla also conveyed “India’s willingness to prioritize Myanmar in sharing vaccines as and when these become available”. Myanmar has reported over 18,000 cases of the viral infection and 444 deaths due to the disease.

(The Wire, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Steps on to complete India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highways

Key points:

1. Myanmar State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi (L) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 1,360 km long India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is an initiative pertaining to the three countries. India is undertaking the construction of two sections of the Trilateral Highway in Myanmar namely — the construction of 120.74 km Kalewa-Yagyi road section and construction of 69 bridges along with the approach road on the 149.70 km Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section.
2. This is what has been informed by external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar in a letter to Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MP Birendra Prasad Baishya in response to a special mention he had made on September 23 in the Rajya Sabha regarding early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project.
3. The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) highways project is aimed at opening the gate to ASEAN through the land. The project will boost trade and commerce in the ASEAN–India Free Trade Area, as well as with the rest of Southeast Asia. India has also proposed extending the highway to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
4. Jaishankar in his letter said that India has undertaken two projects in Myanmar under the 1,360-km Trilateral Highway project that starts from Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar. These are construction of the 120-km Kalewa-Yagyi road sections to highway standard and upgrading of 69 bridges and approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section of 150 km.

(Deccan Chronicle, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Relation with Japan

1. India, US, Japan and Australia’s Quad: A comprehensive regional construct

Key points:

1. In a rare departure from the existing precautionary protocols of virtual Summits due to the COVID pandemic, the physical meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four nations that comprise the QUAD(Australia, India, Japan and the United States of America) over the next two days in Tokyo assumes significance for many reasons.
2. One of the reasons for the lack of convergence and the ineffectiveness of the Quad in developing a coherent strategy for the region is the underlying perception that it is primarily a security construct with a distinct military connotation aimed at containing China
3. Most of the interaction amongst the Quad members have been driven by security considerations with the US making no secret of the fact that it is meant to counter the Chinese threat to both, its presence in the western Pacific and to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
4. The elevation of the Quad interaction from mid-level bureaucrats to the level of Foreign Ministers has led to a more mature and nuanced approach to this construct.

(Financial Express, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. Steps on to complete India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highways

Key points:

1. Myanmar State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi (L) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 1,360 km long India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is an initiative pertaining to the three countries. India is undertaking the construction of two sections of the Trilateral Highway in Myanmar namely — the construction of 120.74 km Kalewa-Yagyi road section and construction of 69 bridges along with the approach road on the 149.70 km Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section.
2. This is what has been informed by external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar in a letter to Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MP Birendra Prasad Baishya in response to a special mention he had made on September 23 in the Rajya Sabha regarding early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project.
3. The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) highways project is aimed at opening the gate to ASEAN through the land. The project will boost trade and commerce in the ASEAN–India Free Trade Area, as well as with the rest of Southeast Asia. India has also proposed extending the highway to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
4. Jaishankar in his letter said that India has undertaken two projects in Myanmar under the 1,360-km Trilateral Highway project that starts from Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar. These are construction of the 120-km Kalewa-Yagyi road sections to highway standard and upgrading of 69 bridges and approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section of 150 km.

(Deccan Chronicle, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Relation with Indonesia
• Indonesia keen to enhance trade, investment ties with India: Consul General

Key points:

1. Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Mumbai, Mr. Agus Prihatin Saptono, on Tuesday stated that Indonesia is keen to enhance the trade and investment ties with India in the areas IT, Health and Pharma, agro products, automotive components and tourism.
2. On his first maiden visit to the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) here, Mr Prihatin said that the objective of his visit was to meet, interact and understand the potential sector for enhancing the trade between the two countries.
3. He mentioned online meetings in the sectors of Furniture, Spices, Food Processing to be held and sought participation of industry, for exploring business opportunities.
4. He also invited participation in Virtual Trade Expo Indonesia scheduled on November 10 to 16, 2020.
5. He also mentioned that India and Indonesia set USD 50 billion trade targets by 2025. Indonesia is India’s largest trade partner in goods in the ASEAN region.
6. Our bilateral trade crossed USD 20 billion last year, he said and suggested providing information on the construction bidding process, so as to invite participation from Indonesian companies.
7. He mentioned that Telangana State has been growing consistently and there are great opportunities to expand trade and investment, particularly in the pharma, agro and food processing, information technology, tourism, logistics, energy and manufacturing sectors.
8. State of Telangana has set up a T-Hub, a unique platform for entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and academia to interact and collaborate, the President added.

(UNI India, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Relation with Afghanistan
• India is a strategic partner of Afghanistan: Top peace negotiator Dr Abdullah Abdullah

Key points:

1. The Chief Afghan government Negotiator for intra-Afghan Talks,  Dr Abdullah Abdullah has lauded New Delhi’s continuous support to the government and people of Afghanistan. “India is a strategic partner of Afghanistan,” said Dr Abdullah Abdullah.
2. His comments come as he begins his four day India visit during which he will call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and other top Indian officials.

(Wion News, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. India, US, Japan and Australia’s Quad: A comprehensive regional construct

Key points:

1. In a rare departure from the existing precautionary protocols of virtual Summits due to the COVID pandemic, the physical meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four nations that comprise the QUAD(Australia, India, Japan and the United States of America) over the next two days in Tokyo assumes significance for many reasons.
2. One of the reasons for the lack of convergence and the ineffectiveness of the Quad in developing a coherent strategy for the region is the underlying perception that it is primarily a security construct with a distinct military connotation aimed at containing China
3. Most of the interaction amongst the Quad members have been driven by security considerations with the US making no secret of the fact that it is meant to counter the Chinese threat to both, its presence in the western Pacific and to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
4. The elevation of the Quad interaction from mid-level bureaucrats to the level of Foreign Ministers has led to a more mature and nuanced approach to this construct.

(Financial Express, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Relation with Bhutan
• India, Bhutan air transport bubble operationalized

Key points:

1. India, Bhutan air transport bubble for easier movement of people between the 2 neighboring countries has been operationalised. Bhutan is the 3rd country in South Asia with which India has a transport air bubble.
2. India’s envoy to Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj in a tweet announced, “#TransportBubble is ready to go! Flights between Bhutan and India have commenced and are ready to facilitate effortless travel.”

(DNA India, 6 Ocotber 2020) News Link

• Relation with Bangladesh

1. India-Bangladesh Rail Link Work Likely To Be Completed By December: Official

Key points:

1. A defunct railway link with Bangladesh is being revived with work on the Indian side of the border from Haldibari in north Bengal likely to be completed by December, a railway official said on Monday.
2. The railway line from Haldibari to Chilahati in Bangladesh has been defunct after rail links between India and then East Pakistan had snapped in 1965.
3. “On our side, tracks are ready and other works such as construction of buildings and other ancillary things will be done by December,” the NFR spokesperson said.
4. The leadership of India and Bangladesh have stressed on the revival of pre-1965 rail links between the two countries and some of them are already functional.

(Outlook India, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Improving border infra to further fortify ties with Bangladesh: Indian envoy

Key points:

1. India is developing several projects and improving the border infrastructures to further strengthen its ties with Bangladesh, India’s new high commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami said in Agartala before leaving for Dhaka by road on October 5.
2. Doraiswami, who succeeds Riva Ganguly Das as the Indian envoy in Bangladesh, said the Northeast region is central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of stronger, resilient and modern India.
3. “We are building infrastructure to connect India and Bangladesh and to come closer. We have developed this relationship with Bangladesh as it is the most important neighbour of India,” he told the media.
4. “This close relationship has great value for India and Bangladesh. If our connectivity, travel, trade and people to people ties develop, it would be beneficial for both the neighbours,” he added.

(The News Mill, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. A Webinar with H.E. Mr. Ajay Bisaria on Advancing the India-Canada Commercial and Economic Partnership

Key points:

1. Speaking at a special web interaction organized by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) – ‘A Webinar with H.E. Mr. Ajay Bisaria on Advancing the India-Canada Commercial and Economic Partnership’, the Indian High Commissioner stated that both governments are even thinking of a less ambitious smaller byte size agreement which can be agreed on soon.
2. “The Big story has been the Canadian investments in India by firms like Fairfax and Brookfield. India has now over US $55 Billion commitments from Canadian investors in the Indian economy. This, itself is a huge factor which defines lot of opportunities that are available in India. This money is going into infrastructure, real estate, energy, logistics and now also in Startups,” the High Commissioner said referring to the increasing capital fund investments from Canada. Canadian investors prefer to invest in India as against the OECD countries, as India offers promising return rates, or IRRs in the range of 10-20% and favourable exit options, in comparison to the mere 2-4 % returns most OECD countries offer, he informed.
3. Mr. Bisaria also expressed confidence that greater opportunities await both countries in view of the India’s recent economic reforms, touted as the 2nd generation economic reforms in labor, agriculture, and FDI norms, aimed to boost manufacturing, infrastructure and logistics and offer India as an attractive investment destination and player in global supply chains as envisioned in Prime Minister’s clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

(India Education Diary, 6 October, 2020) News Link

• India likely to join Canada-led multilateral group tackling Covid-19 pandemic

Key points:

1. In a sign of an upswing in India-Canada ties, India is likely to join a group of foreign ministers from several countries that is being led by Canada and is aimed at forging a common strategy to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
2. A senior Indian official said that India is likely to join the conversation on multilateral cooperation when the next monthly meeting takes place later this month. “This is an opportunity to coordinate on issues with several countries, and another piece in the coordination with Canada,” the official said.

(Hindustan Times, 6 October, 2020) News Link

• Relation with African countries
  • Cheetahs to be Airlifted to India from South Africa, Namibia

Key Points:

1. Y.V. Jhala, Dean at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has also been nominated to head the Cheetah-team for inspecting habitats where the predator can be rehabilitated, said Harsh adding that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is appointed as the new Cheetah-Office in India via the Supreme Court Order.
2. A sum of Rs 2.5 crore has been sanctioned to WII by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to facilitate this wild cat’s entry into India.
3. The Asiatic Cheetah survives in Iran only and as this country is disinterested to part with it to any country, the only option left is the African Cheetah and South Africa and Namibia are apparently willing to export to India, he informed.
4. Lauri Marker, founder-head of Cheetah Conservation Foundation in Namibia, visited India last February and discussed diverse aspects of the project with some key players.
5. This animal basically needs open and scrub habitat promising a grass cover and abundant feed. However, India lacks such large tracts of habitats which exists in its African homes. Hence, the feed quotient raises yet another question which is “Will village population face the brunt in the suggested areas,” questions Harsh.
6. The Asiatic cheetah, which once roamed in different parts of India, are now found in Iran.

(Weather, 6 October 2020) News Link

• European countries

1. Lufthansa ‘Hopeful’ Germany-India to Agree on Flight Regime

Key points:

1. Alain Chisari, vice president of sales for Asia Pacific at Lufthansa Group Airlines, discusses the talks between Germany and India about the possible reinstating of flights between the two countries, and the carrier’s strategy for the region. Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s said last week it was pulling 23 weekly flights for the next three weeks following a clash with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation over coronavirus-related travel curbs. Chisari speaks on “Bloomberg Markets: Asia.”

(Bloomeberg, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. UK-India water MoU offers ‘great boost’ to trade

Key points:

1. A new memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreed between India and the UK’s leading water sector trade association will “bring a great boost” to trading relationships between the two countries, according to British Water chief executive Lila Thompson.
2. Thompson said that India’s Environmental Technology Verification programme is a particularly useful channel for UK technology companies seeking to enter the Indian market.
3. “A number of companies, including British Water members, have already been selected for work on the Clean Ganges Programme and are already in the process of rolling out their pilots and demonstration projects,” she said.
4. Dr Vinod Tare, founding head of cGanga, told the Forum that the Indian Government has to deliver and needs to bring the very best know-how, technology and best practice from around the world and to “develop a unique blend of experience from developed and developing world approaches.”
5. Finance and investment were also major themes of the Forum, which saw participation from the City of London Corporation (CLC) and the London Stock Exchange. In her inaugural address, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar, said, “The UK is at cutting edge of innovation in the water sector and is also the leading green finance hub of the world – there are today tremendous business and investment opportunities in the Indian water sector.”
6. Ben Cackett, CLC’s head of global exports and investments said the Indian market was a key priority for the City: “The UK and India are at the forefront of thinking how to unlock green growth and our nations recognise the transition to a sustainable future, particularly post Covid, is going to be the biggest challenge, but obviously the biggest investment opportunity too, for our generation.

(WWT Online,6 October 2020) News Link

• Relation with US

1. क्‍वॉड की बैठक में चीन पर बरसे अमेरिकी विदेश मंत्री पोम्पियो, बताया दुनिया के लिए खतरा

Key points:

1. जापान की राजधानी टोक्यों में आज हुई द क्वॉड्रिलैटरल सिक्‍यॉरिटी डायलॉग (क्‍वॉड) की दूसरी बैठक में अमेरिकी विदेश मंत्री माइक पोम्पियों चीन पर जमकर बरसे। उन्होंने चीनी कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी और चीन को एशिया के लिए खतरा करार दिया। उन्होंने कहा कि पूरी दुनिया इस समय चीन के खतरे से जूझ रही है और यही समय है कि जब हम उसके खिलाफ गंभीर होकर कोई हल निकालेंगे।
2. पोम्पियों ने भारतीय विदेश मंत्री एस जयशंकर के बयान से सहमति जताते हुए कहा कि हम हिंद-प्रशांत क्षेत्र को मुक्‍त, खुले और समावेशी बनाए जाने को लेकर प्रतिबद्ध हैं।

(Navbharat Times, 6 October 2020) News Link

• India, US, Japan and Australia’s Quad: A comprehensive regional construct

Key points:

• In a rare departure from the existing precautionary protocols of virtual Summits due to the COVID pandemic, the physical meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four nations that comprise the QUAD(Australia, India, Japan and the United States of America) over the next two days in Tokyo assumes significance for many reasons.
• One of the reasons for the lack of convergence and the ineffectiveness of the Quad in developing a coherent strategy for the region is the underlying perception that it is primarily a security construct with a distinct military connotation aimed at containing China
• Most of the interaction amongst the Quad members have been driven by security considerations with the US making no secret of the fact that it is meant to counter the Chinese threat to both, its presence in the western Pacific and to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
• The elevation of the Quad interaction from mid-level bureaucrats to the level of Foreign Ministers has led to a more mature and nuanced approach to this construct.

(Financial Express, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. After India’s proposal, Nepal starts discussion on Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway

Key points:

1. Nepal government has started a discussion with various stakeholders on the proposal sent by India to conduct the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway.
2. The agreement was formalised after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect on the sideline of the 4th Summit of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) held in Kathmandu on August 30-31, 2018.
3. The length of the Kathmandu-Raxaul electric railway will be 219 km with a double track and 135.87 km with a single track, according to the preliminary report. The report shows that 892 hectares of land including 13 stations and 39 tunnels will be required for the railway construction.
4. The Indian government in its budget for 2020-21 has allocated necessary funds for the construction of the project. The electric railway link is estimated to cost around Rs 300 billion. It will run from the site of the proposed second international airport in Nijgadh after passing through Jipur of Bara district
5. “It has been forwarded to Ministry of Health, COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre for further discussions seeking their suggestions to conduct the study amid the pandemic,” one of the high officials at MoFA said.

(New Indian Express, 6 October 2020) News Link

• IMS Noida Organized a National Webinar on “India Nepal Relations and Future Path

Key points:

1. Institute of Management Studies Noida (IMS Noida) along with Antar Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad Bharat organized a national webinar on “India Nepal Relations and Future Path”.
2. IMS Noida President Rajeev Kumar Gupta said the webinar provides a clear vision about India Nepal relation and helps to aware the society about what effective measurable step we need to take for future path to maintain a friendly relation.
3. Addressing the audience Ex Former Foreign Secretary Shashank said that India’s relation with Nepal was too good. At last he said that in the longtime Nepal will definitely get to know that relation with India was beneficial for them.
4. Former Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri mentioned the ground reality of Nepal along with the truth that India think Nepal as their brother but Nepal doesn’t.

(Nyooz, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. India Nepal border Dispute : भारतीय सीमा पर विशेषज्ञ समिति ने नेपाल सरकार को सौंपी रिपोर्ट

Key points:

1. भारत से लगने वाली सीमा के बारे में ऐतिहासिक तथ्य जुटाने के लिए गठित विशेषज्ञों की समिति ने नेपाल सरकार को अपनी रिपोर्ट सौंप दी है। नेपाल सरकार ने इस समिति का गठन भारतीय इलाके कालापानी, लिपुलेख और लिंपियाधुरा पर अपने दावे को पुख्ता करने के मकसद से किया था। समिति ने अपनी रिपोर्ट विदेश मंत्री प्रदीप कुमार ज्ञावली को सौंपी है।
   (Dainik Jagran, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Road Connecting Changru, Tinkar In Nepal To District Headquarters Inaugurated

Key points:

1. The pedestrian road built by Nepal Army connecting Changru and Tinkar, the last villages along its border with China, to the district headquarters was inaugurated on October 5.
2. The inauguration was done by Far-West Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatt. He was accompanied by several senior officials from the administration and the Army during the event.
3. The Council of Ministers in Nepal had asked the Army to complete the 87 kilometers pedestrian road network in the region.
4. The roads are in the vicinity of the bridge between India’s Dharchula, which lies in the Pithoragarh district, and Nepal.
5. Nepal has been trying to strengthen its road network in the border areas after tensions with India.
   (Business World, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Statement by Nepal about Bharat
• Nepal requesting India to end onion export suspension before Dashain

Key points:

1. बातचीत का एजेंडा नेपाल में भारत की सहायता से चल रहे प्रोजेक्ट्स बताए गए हैं| दोनों देश क्रॉस बॉर्डर ट्रेन सर्विस, एग्रीकल्चर, भूकंप के बाद री-कन्स्ट्रक्शन जैसे प्रोजेक्ट साथ कर रहे हैं।
2. 2016 में नेपाल के तब के प्रधानमंत्री पुष्प कमल दहल उर्फ प्रचंड भारत आए थे। दोनों देशों ने आपसी विवाद सुलझाने और सहयोग बढ़ाने के लिए मैकेनिज्म तैयार किया था। 17 अगस्त को इसी मैकेनिज्म के तहत 8वीं बातचीत होगी।
3. नेपाल की तरफ से विदेश मंत्रालय में सचिव शंकर दास बैरागी शामिल होंगे।

(Online Khabar, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. Joint meeting of Nepal-India security officials heldKey points:
2. The meeting dwelt on various issues and decided to control cross-border crime, maintain peace and security and check smuggling, among others.
3. Similarly, Bihar Assembly elections are slated for October 28, September 3 and 7.The meeting decided to seal the Indo-Nepal border for three days and halt people’s movement along the border.
4. The joint district-level meeting of Nepal and India’s districts along the Nepal-India border takes place twice a year. This meeting was conducted as per the same provision.

(The Himalayan Times, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. कुलभूषण जाधव का केस लड़ने से पाकिस्तानी वकीलों का इनकार, क्या बिना सुनवाई होगा फैसला?

Key points:

1. पाकिस्तानी अदालत में कैद भारतीय नागरिक कुलभूषण जाधव का केस लड़ने से पाकिस्तानी वकीलों ने साफ इनकार कर दिया है। इन वकीलों को इस्लामाबाद हाईकोर्ट ने जाधव की तरफ से केस लड़ने के लिए चुना था। पाकिस्तानी सरकार पहले ही उनकी तरफ से पैरवी करने के लिए भारतीय वकीलों को शामिल करने से मना कर चुकी है।
2. इस्लामाबाद हाईकोर्ट ने पाकिस्तान के दो सबसे वरिष्ठ वकीलों आबिद हसन मिंटो और मखदूम अली खान से सहायता मांगी थी। दोनों ने खेद व्यक्त करते हुए कुलभूषण जाधव की ओर से कोर्ट में पेश होने से इनकार कर दिया है। उन्होंने हाईकोर्ट के रजिस्ट्रार कार्यालय को अपने फैसले के बारे में सूचित किया है। आबिद हसन मिंटो ने कहा कि वह सेवानिवृत्त हो गए हैं और अब वकालत नहीं करेंगे। वहीं, मखदूम अली खान ने अपनी व्यस्तताओं का हवाला दिया है।
3. पाकिस्तान ने कुलभूषण जाधव के मामले में कोई भारतीय वकील या क्वींस कांउसल नियुक्त किए जाने की भारत की मांग को पहले ही खारिज कर चुका है। पाकिस्तान ने कहा था कि हमने भारत को सूचित किया है कि केवल उन वकीलों को पाकिस्तानी अदालतों में उपस्थित होने की अनुमति है जिनके पास पाकिस्तान में वकालत करने का लाइसेंस है। इस परिस्थिति में कोई बदलाव नहीं किया जा सकता। क्वींस काउंसल एक ऐसा बैरिस्टर या अधिवक्ता होता है, जिसे लॉर्ड चांसलर की सिफारिश पर ब्रिटिश महारानी के लिये नियुक्त किया जाता है।
4. इससे पहले पाकिस्तान की संसद ने उस अध्यादेश को चार महीने के लिए विस्तार दे दिया जिसके तहत जाधव को हाई कोर्ट में अपील करने का मौका मिला है। इंटरनैशनल कोर्ट ऑफ जस्टिस ने आदेश पर पाकिस्तान यह अध्यादेश लाया था। जाधव तक राजनयिक पहुंच देने से मना किए जाने पर भारत ने 2017 में पाकिस्तान के खिलाफ आईसीजे का रुख किया था और एक सैन्य अदालत द्वारा उन्हें जासूसी और आतंकवाद के आरोप में अप्रैल 2017 में सुनाई गई मौत की सजा को चुनौती दी थी।

(Navbharat Times, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Imran Khan claims Pakistan handled Covid better than India, but data says it’s complicated

Key points:

1. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed that the country has handled the coronavirus pandemic much better than India through the government’s ‘smart lockdown’.
2. In episode 585 of ‘Cut the Clutter’, ThePrint’s Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta analysed whether Pakistan has actually been more successful than India in controlling the pandemic.When “dumb data’ on the number of cases and deaths per million from Pakistan is multiplied by 6.5, to equalise it with India’s population, we find that India has 22 times more cases than Pakistan, said Gupta
3. Similarly, deaths due to Covid in India are 2.5 times more than Pakistan, he added. “Looking at this data, it seems that Pakistan is handling it enormously better than India”, he said.

(The Print, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Scroll gives space to Pakistani author to blame India for tensions between the two countries

Key points:

1. Scroll has republished an article initially published on Pakistani media outlet Dawn where Hindutva and India were blamed for a lack of peace between India and Pakistan. The article, authored by one Jawed Naqvi, was supposed to be a eulogy to the late Jaswant Singh but instead it becomes obvious through the course of it that it’s actual purpose is absolving Pakistan of all its sins.
2. The article used fancy words to cloak the real source of tensions between the two countries. India and Pakistan are destined to be each other’s enemies due to the circumstances which led to the creation of the Republics in 1947. It would be extremely difficult for either of the two countries to look past the events of that period.

(Op India, 6 October 2020) News Link

• Army JCO killed in Pakistan shelling along LoC in Jammu-Kashmir

Key points:

1. A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the army was killed in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.
2. This was the fourth fatal casualty in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the past five days. “A JCO was killed in unprovoked Pakistani firing and shelling in Nowshera sector of Rajouri,” the officials said
3. Three army personnel were killed and five others injured in Pakistani firing and shelling on forward posts in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch and Naugam sector of Kupwara district on October 1.

(Hindustan Times, 6 October 2020) News Link

1. India-China faceoff: 72,500 Sig assault rifles ordered for soldiers deployed at LAC in Ladakh

Key points:

1. A new batch of 72,500 Sig-16 assault rifles from the US will be given to the Indian Army soldiers deployed on the China front in eastern Ladakh.
2. The Indian government has approved the acquisition of the second batch of around 72,500 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the US under fast-track procedures for the Army.
3. Amid the ongoing India-China border dispute, the Indian Army is going to place another order of 72,000 Sig 716 assault rifles from the US
4. The Indian Army had been trying to replace their standard INSAS assault rifles for many years but attempts failed due to one reason or the other.

(India Today, 6 October 2020) News Link