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Infiltration bid foiled in J&K’s Kupwara, 1 terrorist killed; Ops on

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

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A terrorist was killed as the Indian Army foiled yet another infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.

A tweet by the Srinagar-based 15 Corps read: “Suspicious move of unidentified persons detected across the LoC at Keran Sector, #Kupwara this morning. Terrorists trying to infiltrate, were intercepted by own troops; contact was established. Infiltration bid foiled. 01 terrorist killed, 01 AK recovered. Op in progress.”

On July 10, the Army had killed two militants who were trying to sneak in from Nowgam sector in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Pertinently, Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Dilbagh Singh had recently said that a large number of militants were ready at the launch pads across LoC to infiltrate into this side.

On June 30, the army had said that an infiltration bid was foiled at Parkian Gali sector in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on the intervening night of June 29 and June 30 when a group of 6-8 militants, in two groups tried to sneak in. After the initial exchange of fire, the militants, according to the army, went back to the Pakistani side.

Earlier on June 1, another infiltration bid was foiled by the Indian Army at the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshehra sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, as three heavily armed militants were killed.

In early April this year, the Army foiled a major infiltration attempt at LoC in north Kashmir’s Keran sector, killing five militants while losing five of its soldiers from elite forces in an operation.

-ARK

Boeing sees India as potential client for its latest F-15 fighter jet

(Source: Boeing.com)

New Delhi (NVI): US aviation major Boeing sees India as a potential customer for its Advanced F-15 Eagle, the newest fighter plane which can carry more weapons than any other aircraft of its class and be equipped with latest technologies.

Prat Kumar, Boeing’s Vice President and Programme Manager for the F-15, said during a webinar that the company is working to have a deal potentially with India to meet its requirement of 114 fighter planes.

The Indian Air Force had in April last year issued a request for information (RFI) to procure 114 fighters at a cost of around USD 18 billion.

He said Boeing was in the process of requesting a marketing license from the U.S Government to start discussions with India.

“India is there for a large 114-jet acquisition programme. We are waiting for the ASQRs (Air Staff Qualitative Requirements), the requirements” definitions, because right now, until we have that, we do not know if this jet is in the sweet spot or not,” Kumar said.

“Right now, we are supporting the US Air Force in whatever shape, way or form we can to answer any questions they have coming from the Indian Air Force (about F-15EX),” he added.

Boeing, in a statement earlier had said, “The F-15EX carries more weapons than any other fighter in its class and can launch hypersonic weapons up to 22 feet long and weighing up to 7,000 pounds.”

Kumar said the multi-role fighter plane will be fitted with the same Raytheon AN/APG-82 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar that has been retrofitted to the USAF F-15E fleet.

Similarly, the new aircraft will feature the Advanced Display Core Processor II mission computer and Suite 9 Operational Flight Program, which also brings them into line with the latest Strike Eagle standard.

He talked about the possibility of adding artificial intelligence to assist F-15EX crews in the future.

Reports on Iran projects speculative: India

New Delhi (NVI): India today dismissed as speculative the reports which claimed that it had been ousted by Iran from the projects of Chabahar Port and the Chabahar-Zahidan railway line in the Persian country.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told a media briefing here that India and Iran have a longstanding commitment since 2003 regarding the Chabahar Port which was finally operationalised in 2016 during the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran.

“Since then, despite the difficulties posed by the sanctions situation, there has been significant progress on the Port project,” he said. Iran is under American sanctions over its nuclear programme and countries and their entities have been warned by the US against doing business with the Persian nation.

Srivastava said an Indian company has been operating the Port since 2018 and has steadily scaled up the traffic at the Port.

Since December 2018, 82 vessels have been handled there, including 52 in the last 12 months alone, he said, adding the port handled 12 lakh tonnes of bulk cargo and 8200 containers.

“Proactive measures are currently underway to increase the usage of Chabahar Port, both for Afghanistan and Central Asia,” the MEA spokesman said.

Talking about the proposed railway line, he said IRCON was appointed by the Government of India to assess the feasibility of the project and it was working with CDTIC, an Iranian company under their Ministry of Railways in that regard.

“IRCON has completed the site inspection and review of the feasibility report. Detailed discussions were thereafter held on other relevant aspects of the project, which had to take into account the financial challenges that Iran was facing,” Srivastava said.

In December 2019, these issues were reviewed in detail at the 19th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in Tehran and the Iranian side was to nominate an authorized entity to finalize outstanding technical and financial issues, the spokesman said, adding “This is still awaited.”

He said there have also been some reports regarding the Farzad-B Gas field negotiations in which ONGC was involved in the discovery stage.

“Follow-up bilateral cooperation was, however, impacted by policy changes on the Iranian side. In January 2020, we were informed that in the immediate future, Iran would develop the field on its own and would like to involve India appropriately at a later stage. This matter remains under discussion,” he said.

Earlier, a deputy of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation Farhad Montaser was quoted by an Iranian news agency as saying that Iran had “not inked any deal with India regarding the Chabahar-Zahedan railway.”

“Iran has only signed two agreements with Indians for investment in Chabahar — one is related to the port’s machinery and equipment, and the second is related to India’s investment to the tune of $150 million,” Montaser was quoted as saying.

He made it clear that the US “sanctions have nothing to do to Iran-India cooperation in Chabahar”.

The US had in 2018 agreed to a waiver on Chabahar port projects under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) of 2012.

Over 48 lakh people affected in Assam floods across 30 districts

(Source: @twitter)

New Delhi (NVI): More than 48 lakh people have been affected by the Assam flood which has worsened following the rains in the past few days, taking the death toll to 68 this morning, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

According to ASDMA, the floods have affected over 48 lakh people in 30 districts, taking the cumulative impact of floods from May 22 to July 15.

Among the districts that have been most affected include, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Chirang, Udalguri, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, and many others.

Moreover, the district administrations have set up 487 relief camps and distribution centres in 30 districts, where over 1.25 lakh men, women and children have taken shelter.

In addition to this, as many as 66 animals have died as the flood-water submerged in Assam’s Kaziranga national park, the national park official said.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also visited the affected areas of the national park to inspect the current situation. The staffs of the national park are committed towards the safety of the animals, he said.

Meanwhile, the rescue operations are on in affected areas and various teams of SDRF, NDRF, state police and locals are helping those affected by the flood.

This year’s flood was among the highest floods in the states. So far, 170 animals have been rescued from the national park.

Apart from this, erosion of river banks has occurred at a large number of places while roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure has been damaged, the ASDMA further said.

-RJV

Kulbhushan Jadhav was ‘visibly under stress’, Pak didn’t give unimpeded consular access: MEA

Kulbhushan Jadhav
Kulbhushan Jadhav. (File photo)

New Delhi (NVI): India tonight said the consular access given by Pakistan to Kulbhushan Jadhav early in the day was not “unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional”, thus violating the commitment Islamabad had given to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In a statement issued after the second consular access given to Jadhav who is on death row in Pakistan on charges of espionage, External Affairs Ministry said Jadhav was “visibly under stress” when two Consular Officers of Indian High Commission went to meet him in Islamabad.

On the contrary, Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour were present in close proximity of Jadhav and Consular Officers despite the protests of the Indian side, MEA said.

“It was also evident from a camera that was visible that the conversation with Shri Jadhav was being recorded,” it added.

“Jadhav himself was visibly under stress and indicated that clearly to the Consular Officers. The arrangements did not permit a free conversation between them. The Consular Officers could not engage Jadhav on his legal rights and were prevented from obtaining his written consent for arranging his legal representation,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement.

“In the light of these circumstances, the Indian Consular Officers came to the conclusion that the consular access being offered by Pakistan was neither meaningful nor credible. After lodging a protest, they left the venue,” MEA said.

It said that it is clear that Pakistan’s approach to this matter continues to be “obstructive and insincere”.

“It has not only violated its assurance to the ICJ to fully implement the 2019 judgment, but also failed to act in accordance with its own Ordinance,” it said.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has apprised Jadhav’s family of these developments. “We reiterate our commitment to ensure the safe return of Shri Jadhav to India and will decide on a future course of action in the light of the events today,” MEA added.

Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it has provided second consular access to Jadhav.

“Pakistan provided second consular access to Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav at the Indian request today. Two consular officers of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad were provided unimpeded and uninterrupted consular access to Commander Jadhav at 1500 hours,” Pakistan MOFA said in a statement.

The development comes two days ahead of a deadline to file a review petition in Jadhav’s cases at the Islamabad High Court is set to expire.

To recall, an ordinance was promulgated by the Pakistan Government on May 20 this year, which allowed the Indian Government, Jadhav and his legal representatives to file a review petition in IHC within 60 days.

On July 8, India had slammed Pakistan over its claims that Jadhav has refused to review petition in his case. The Ministry of external affairs said that Jadhav has been sentenced to execution through a “farcical trial”. The MEA’s reaction came hours after Pakistan had said that Jadhav has refused to file a review petition and wants to proceed with his pending mercy petition.

The next day, on July 9, India said that it is assessing options to protect the former Navy officer. “At this stage, we are assessing our legal options. We will do our utmost to protect the life of the Indian national,” MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava had said.

Earlier, Pakistan had also claimed that it has offered a second round of consular access to the 49-year-old Indian Navy officer, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” in April 2017.

Just weeks after the sentence, India had approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

India in talks with 3 countries to establish ‘air bubble’ for resumption of int’l flights

Vande Bharat

New Delhi (NVI): Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today said India is in negotiations with three countries to establish ‘Air Bubble’ arrangements for allowing international flight operations under pre-conditions.

While addressing a media briefing, Puri said, “Negotiations are at an advanced stage with 3 countries. Air France will operate 28 flights from July 18 to Aug 1 between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Paris.”

He further added, “US will be flying 18 flights between July 17-31 but this is an interim one. We have requests from Germany too to carry out flight operations.”

The Aviation Minister also underlined that bilateral air bubbles will be the way to resume international travel amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-Covid numbers, I think the answer will lie through bilateral air bubbles which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions including India,” Puri said.

Earlier this month, Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman, Arvind Singh had said that India is in talks with the US and Canada and the countries in European and Gulf regions on establishing individual bilateral bubbles which will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights.

Scheduled international passenger flights have remained suspended in India since March 23 due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

-CHK/ARK

Former Maha CM tests Covid positive

Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar

New Delhi (NVI): Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar tested positive for coronavirus today.

The 88-year-old leader has been shifted to a hospital in Pune, according to media reports.

Patil Nilangekar is the second senior politician from Latur to test positive for the virus.

Earlier BJP MLA from Ausa Abhimanyu Pawar had tested positive and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Latur.

Shivajirao was the chief minister of the state for a brief stint in 1985-86.

-CHK

J&K: Around 100 inmates test Covid positive at Anantnag Jail

India, Pakistan exchange list of prisoners

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): At least 100 prisoners have tested positive for novel coronavirus in district jail Anantnag in the past three days, setting alarm bells ringing for the jail authorities in Jammu and Kashmir.

A senior jail official said that earlier 47 prisoners, one jail staffer and one contractor supplying material to the jail tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday (July 14). “53 prisoners tested positive for the deadly virus on Thursday, taking the total number of prisoners who tested positive for the virus to 100,” the official said.

Earlier, Director General of Prisons, J&K, VK Singh had stated that elaborate measures that include testing and isolation facilities for the prisoners were put in place in all the prisons. He had stated that every new prisoner is lodged in a particular prison after going through proper Covid mapping at the concerned police station.

However, these cases have raised questions on measures initiated to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons of the Union Territory.

According to details accessed by NVI, the occupancy in jails of J&K presently is 12 per cent more than their normal capacity. As many as 3,628 prisoners are housed in 14 jails of J&K against their overall capacity of 3,234. Besides, nearly 90 PSA detainees are also lodged in jails of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Sources said that Anantnag jail authorities have written to the Deputy Commissioner Anantnag citing emergency in the jail. “The jail authorities have urged the DC Anantnag to keep the district administration available for meeting the emergency situation as if cases increase further, the number of beds available in the jail and other facilities would be inadequate to deal with the situation,” they said.

Sources in Anantnag jail said that shifting Covid-19 positive prisoners out of jail and admitting them in the hospitals is full of risk as they may find it easy to escape from the hospital.

-ARK

2.08 lakh Indians repatriated in 1,103 flights under Vande Bharat Mission

File photo

New Delhi (NVI): The national carriers of the country, Air India and Air India Express have operated 1,103 flights to bring back 2,08,000 stranded Indians from abroad under Vande Bharat Mission, Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal said today.

Addressing a media briefing, Bansal said that these two national carriers have also ferried back 85,289 passengers to various countries around the world.

“As part of the Vande Bharat Mission for repatriation flights for stranded Indians, as on July 13, Air India & Air India Express has operated 1,103 flights and brought back 2,08,724 Indians & helped repatriate 85,289 individuals to abroad as well,” Bansal said.

This development comes after Air India on last Sunday said that it will operate 14 more flights between India and the United Kingdom under Vande Bharat Mission for repatriation of stranded Indians.

These flights of Air India will be in operation from July 15 to 24. Moreover, the bookings for these flights have already been in process from July 13.

Furthermore, Air India will also operate additional flights under Vande Bharat Mission from July 21 to 24 connecting Frankfurt, Germany with Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi.

The government started Vande Bharat Mission – one of the largest initiatives to repatriate nationals back to India – on May 7, 2020.

Under this mission, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with Ministry of External Affairs and the state governments to carry out the evacuation.

-RJV/CHK

WHO, UNICEF warn decline in children’s vaccination due to COVID-19

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services due to the Covid-19 pandemic could lead to an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world, WHO and UNICEF have warned.

The new data by WHO and UNICEF indicate that these disruptions threaten to reverse hard-won progress to reach more children and adolescents with a wider range of vaccines, which has already been hampered by a decade of stalling coverage.

The latest data on vaccine coverage estimates from WHO and UNICEF for 2019 shows that improvements such as the expansion of the HPV vaccine to 106 countries and greater protection for children against more diseases are in danger of lapsing.

For example, preliminary data for the first four months of 2020 points to a substantial drop in the number of children completing three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3).

This is the first time in 28 years that the world could see a reduction in DTP3 coverage – the marker for immunization coverage within and across countries, according to the report.

“Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in the history of public health, and more children are now being immunized than ever before,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“But the pandemic has put those gains at risk. The avoidable suffering and death caused by children missing out on routine immunizations could be far greater than COVID-19 itself. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Vaccines can be delivered safely even during the pandemic, and we are calling on countries to ensure these essential life-saving programmes continue,” he added.

Regarding Covid-19 disruptions due to the pandemic, at least 30 measles vaccination campaigns were or are at risk of being cancelled, which could result in further outbreaks in 2020 and beyond, the report said.

According to a new UNICEF, WHO and Gavi pulse survey, conducted in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, three quarters of the 82 countries that responded reported COVID-19 related disruptions in their immunization programmes as of May 2020.

The report also said that most people were unable to access the services because of reluctance to leave home, transport interruptions, economic hardships, restrictions on movement, or fear of being exposed to people with COVID-19.

Several health workers are also unavailable because of restrictions on travel or redeployment to COVID-19 response duties as well as a lack of protective equipment.

“COVID-19 has made previously routine vaccination a daunting challenge,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “We must prevent a further deterioration in vaccine coverage and urgently resume vaccination programs before children’s lives are threatened by other diseases. We cannot trade one health crisis for another,” she added.

There has been some progress though. Regional coverage for the third dose of DTP in South Asia has increased by 12 percentage points over the last 10 years, notably across India, Nepal and Pakistan, as per the report.

However, that hard-won progress could be undone by COVID-19 related disruptions. Countries that had recorded significant progress, such as Ethiopia and Pakistan, are now also at risk of backsliding if immunization services are not restored as soon as feasible, says the report.

In 2019, nearly 14 million children missed out on life-saving vaccines such as measles and DTP3. Most of these children live in Africa and are likely to lack access to other health services.

Two-thirds of them are concentrated in 10 middle- and low-income countries: Angola, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Philippines.

Meanwhile, UNICEF and WHO have suggested the following measures:

• Restoring services so countries can safely deliver routine immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic, by adhering to hygiene and physical distancing recommendations and providing protective equipment to health workers.

• Helping health workers communicate actively with caregivers to explain how services have been reconfigured to ensure safety.

• Rectifying coverage and immunity gaps

• Expanding routine services to reach missed communities, where some of the most vulnerable children live.

-RJV/ARK

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