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India, China standoff ‘unprecedented’, have to sit down to find a solution: Jaishankar

Jaishankar

New Delhi (NVI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said that the India-China border faceoff is an “unprecedented situation” and both sides need to sit down to find a solution.

While speaking at the informal meeting of SAARC council of ministers tiday, Jaishankar said that the months-long border standoff between India and China is “one facet of a larger phenomenon for which both have to sit down and find a solution”.

The meeting, chaired by Nepal, was held in virtual mode and saw the participation of all SAARC member states, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

These were the first comments by Jaishankar on the India-China border tensions since his meeting with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Moscow earlier this month.

The two foreign ministers had met in Moscow in early September on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting hosted by Russia.

Apart from that, the meeting held today received a report from the Secretary-General on the status of regional cooperation since the last informal meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers in New York on 26th September 2019.

The meeting reviewed regional efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, participants appreciated the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in convening a video conference of SAARC Leaders on 15th March 2020 to take collaborative measures towards combating the pandemic across the region. This included the creation of SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund, to which all countries have pledged voluntary contributions.

Jaishankar, in his statement, reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to SAARC in building a connected, integrated, secure and prosperous South Asia.

He highlighted a slew of measures taken by India in the follow-up to the SAARC Leaders video conference, including virtually convening health professionals and trade officials meetings, creating a ‘COVID-19 Information Exchange Platform (COINEX), foreign currency swap support and activation of SAARC Food Bank mechanism.

Jaishankar informed that under India’s contribution to SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund, supply of essential drugs, medical consumables, COVID protection and testing kits, and other equipment, amounting USD 2.3 million, were made available to countries in the SAARC region. He reiterated India’s continued commitment to assisting countries in the SAARC region in combating COVID-19 pandemic, MEA said in a statement.

The EAM also called upon SAARC member states to collectively resolve to defeat the scourge of terrorism, including the forces that nurture, support and encourage an environment of terror and conflict, which impede the objective of SAARC to realize its full potential for collective collaboration and prosperity across South Asia.

-ARK

Permit requirement of “Performance Security” for “Development Contracts” by DRDO, ATVP waived

New Delhi (NVI): In another measure to support industry, requirement of “Performance Security” for the “Development Contracts” by DRDO and ATVP (Advanced Technology Vessel Project) has been waived by the Ministry of Defence.

The approval has for the same has been given by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the MoD said.

“This will apply to development contracts only, as defined in para 12.5 of the DRDO Procurement Manual, PM 2016, as amended. However, Warranty Bond would continue to be obtained from successful development partner to cover the DRDO/ATVP interest during the warranty period,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

As per the approval, the provision will be applicable for all RFPs issued in respect of development contracts after the date of issue of this amendment that is 23 September 2020.

“All ongoing cases of development contracts in which Request for proposal (RFP)/ contract has already been issued may continue to be regulated as per the provisions contained in the issued RFP/ contract,” the MoD said.

Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy stated that it is another important milestone to support Industry.

-ARK

India slams Turkish President for remarks on Kashmir

New Delhi (NVI): India today slammed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for describing Kashmir as a “burning issue” and said Turkey should “learn to respect the sovereignty of other nations and reflect on its own policies more deeply.”

In response to a question on Erdogan’s remarks made at the UN General Assembly, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said, “You would have seen the right of reply exercised by our Permanent Mission in New York where we have stated inter alia that the remarks of the President of Republic of Turkey on the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir constitute a gross interference in India’s internal affairs and are completely unacceptable.”

Erdogan had made certain critical comments regarding the situation in Kashmir post-August 5, 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was abolished.

Soon after Erdogan’s comments, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti hit back by describing his remarks as “gross interference in India’s internal affairs” and said they were “completely unacceptable”.

Though Srivastava did not elaborate on his remarks that Turkey should “reflect on its own policies more deeply” but he was clearly referring to the brutal crackdown being carried out by Erdogan’s regime on minority Kurds and recent conversion of a museum into a mosque.

Pak has no right to alter status of Gilgit-Baltistan: India

New Delhi (NVI): Any action by Pakistan to alter the status of the “militarily-occupied so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ has no legal basis whatsoever and is totally void ab-initio”, India said today while commenting on the move by Islamabad to make the occupied region the fifth province of Pakistan.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said, “Our position has always been clear and consistent. The entire territories of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been and are an integral part of India and would remain so.

At a briefing here, he also slammed Pakistan for raising the issue of J&K today at the ministerial meetings of SAARC and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

“It is very typical of Pakistan to use such fora to raise bilateral and contentious issues which is inconsistent with the principles and charter of such organizations and their meetings.  What else can be expected of a country that indulges in cross-border terrorism as a part of its state policy,” the MEA spokesman said.

Advocate shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Unidentified gunmen today shot dead a young lawyer from Srinagar- Advocate Babar Qadri, outside his residence in Srinagar, police officials said.

A police official said that Babar was fired at from a close range outside his Srinagar residence at around 6 pm. “He was rushed to SKIMS hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead,” he said.

A doctor at SKIMS said that Babar had received multiple bullet injuries. Babar used to participate in television debates and speak over Kashmir issue.

Meanwhile, Police have registered a case and investigations have been taken up. This is the second incident in Kashmir since last evening when unknown gunmen killed a Block Development Council (BDC) chairman for Khag area of Budgam- Bhupinder Singh outside his residence.

-ARK

Encounter rages in South Kashmir’s Anantnag

July 18 Shopian encounter: Army completes summary of evidence
An encounter site in Kashmir (File Pic)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): An encounter is underway between militants and security forces in Sirhama area of Bijbehara belt in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, security officials said.

They said that a joint team of Police, Army’s 3 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

The officials said that as the joint teams zeroed in towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.

A senior police officer said that the exchange of fire between forces and militants is underway.

As per the sources, two to three militants are believed to be trapped in the area. Pertinently, this is the second encounter in South Kashmir since morning. Earlier this morning, an unidentified militant was killed in a gunfight at Tral area of southern Pulwama district.

-ARK

Shivangi Singh to become first woman pilot to fly Rafale jet

Republic Day parade

New Delhi (NVI): Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh has created history by becoming the first woman pilot to join Rafale’s ‘Golden Arrows’ Squadron in Haryana’s Ambala.

Singh, who hails from Varanasi, is currently being trained to fly IAF’s newest fighter based in Ambala. She is undergoing conversion training to fly the Rafale jet and will soon join the Ambala-based No. 17 squadron.

Flt Lt Shivangi was commissioned into the IAF in 2017 as part of the second batch of women fighter pilots and is currently deployed at Rajasthan Air Base.

After completing her schooling in Varanasi, Flt Lt Shivangi joined the prestigious Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where she was part of the 7 UP Air Squadron in the National Cadet Corps. In 2016, she joined the Air Force Academy for training.

IAF is operating its Rafale fighter jets in the Ladakh theatre where the military is on its highest state of alert, amid heightened border tensions with China. IAF’s current fleet of five Rafale fighters is fully operational.

The head count of women in the military adds up to more than 4,000, but combat roles were off limits to them until IAF took the lead in crushing internal resistance to induct them into the fighter stream.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar took to twitter and wrote, “Meet a real life hero, a young daughter of #NewIndia from Varanasi , Flight Lieutenant #ShivangiSingh . She will be the first woman fighter pilot to fly Rafale aircraft as part of Golden Arrows squadron. @IAF_MCC #NaariShakti #WomenOfCourage”

-CHK

IFFI postponed to Jan 2021, to be held in hybrid format: Javadekar

New Delhi (NVI): The 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has been postponed to January 16-24 next year. The festival was earlier scheduled to be held in Goa from November 20-28.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said in an statement that the festival will be conducted in a hybrid format, which will be both virtual and physical.

Javadekar added that the decision to postpone IFFI was arrived at after he discussed the matter with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. The ministry officials said the decision was taken keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation.

Prakash Javadekar in the statement said, “It has also been jointly decided to hold the festival from January 16 to 24, 2021 at Goa as per the International Film Festival guidelines and protocols. The festival will be conducted in a Hybrid format i.e. Virtual and Physical format.”

The International Film Festival of India is held in Goa every year.

-CHK

Fact check: No tax imposed on school textbooks by Centre

New Delhi (NVI): A viral report is doing rounds on social media that the central government has decided to impose a tax on school textbooks in the country.

Taking note of the viral report, the Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has clarified that the news is fake and no such decision has been taken by the government.

“Claim: It is being claimed on social media that the central government has taxed school books.

#PIBFactCheck: This claim is fake. There is no tax on school text books,” PIB Fact Check tweeted in Hindi.

At the time when social media platforms are flooded with fake news and misinformation. The government has urged people not to fall a prey to such fake rumours.

-RJV

MLA Narayan Rao dies of COVID-19

Basanthpur Narayan Rao

New Delhi(NVI): Basanthpur Narayan Rao, Congress MLA from Karnataka’s Bidar district, succumbed to COVID-19 at a private hospital in Bengaluru today.

The 65-year-old Basavakalyan MLA’s death comes a day after Minister of State (MoS) Railways Suresh Angadi lost his life to the virus at AIIMS in New Delhi.

“Narayan Rao was admitted to Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road on September 1. He was diagnosed with severe COVID-19 infection with multi system organ failure,” a statement from Manipal Hospital said.

Rao passed away at 3.55 pm today, it added.

Earlier yesterday, the hospital had announced that he was critical and on multiple supports including ventilator, blood pressure supports and dialysis.

Recently, Ashok Gasti, a first-time Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka, died of complications related to coronavirus at a private hospital in Bengaluru.

-RJV

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