India and the World | India Writes

Rebuilding quake-hit Nepal: India unveils $1 billion assistance

June 25, 2015June 25, 2015 - by India Writes Network

Underscoring India’s unstinting contribution for creating a resilient Nepal in the aftermath of the quake, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has pledged an assistance package of $1 billion for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the nascent Himalayan democracy.

Speaking at the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction, Sushma Swaraj said: “Keeping with our very special relationship that I am happy to announce Government of India’s pledge for Nepal’s post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepali Rupees 10,000 crores, equivalent to one billion US dollars.”

She emphasised that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with 1.25 billion Indian citizens, are committed to shoulder their responsibilities towards India’s oldest and closest friend and neighbour in the wake of the April 25 earthquake that devastated Nepal.

“Let us take inspiration from ancient philosophy of Yoga and join hands to create a more resilient Nepal,” said the minister

From hometown diplomacy to home truths: China blocks India’s UN move against Pakistan

June 24, 2015June 24, 2015 - by Manish Chand

Call it home truths, if you will. After much-hyped hometown diplomacy by the leaders of India and China, the first time at Sabarmati Asharam in Gandhinagar and then at Xian, the city of famed Terracotta Warriors, home truths are staring New Delhi as it engages Beijing. Barely weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conjuring up a seductive narrative of major power relations and all that sweet talk of an Asian Century, Beijing is now drawing its own red lines. And this red line is definitely a red rag to New Delhi.
Belying Beijing’s talk of jointly countering terrorism, the Chinese representative has blocked India’s move in the UN demanding action against Pakistan for releasing the Mumbai mayhem mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi from jail on the ground that India has not provided “sufficient information”. The legal subterfuge deployed by China to shield Pakistan’s action (or lack of action against the architect of 26/11) reinforces the red line drawn by Beijing in its relations with New Delhi. Put simply, it means that China is ready to pump in $20 billion into India, build industrial parks and smart infrastructure, but if it means going against its all-weather acolyte Pakistan

Afghan President lauds parliament attack hero, UN envoy hails Afghan forces

June 23, 2015June 23, 2015 - by India Writes Network

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has lauded Esa Khan, the Afghan soldier who killed six of the seven insurgents who tried to storm parliament on June 22, as a hero and honoured him by presenting him with a new home.
Mr Ghani tweeted a picture of himself greeting the soldier, Esa Khan, who will be promoted and given a medal. The Afghan security forces also got rich praise from the UN envoy to Afghanistan.
After a Taliban suicide bomber and six gunmen carried out a brazen attack on Afghanistan’s parliament on June 22, which killed two and injured dozens, the United Nations Envoy to Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom said that Afghan security forces were undeniably stretched amid ongoing threats from Taliban insurgents and Islamic State militants for establishing their foothold in the country.

Japan’s SoftBank-led $20 billion boost to India’s solar projects

June 23, 2015June 23, 2015 - by India Writes Network

The sun is set to shine brighter on India’s renewable energy plans. In the single largest investment in India’s renewable sector, Japan’s telecom and internet giant SoftBank, along with India’s Bharti Enterprises and Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, will invest about $20 billion in the country’s solar projects over the next 10 years.

The newly founded joint venture – SBG Cleantech Ltd — will be headquartered in New Delhi. It will be led by Manoj Kohli, a Bharti Group veteran who has led the group’s emerging businesses, as an executive chairman. The company plans to generate about 20 gigawatts of energy. SoftBank will have major stakes in the joint venture, while Bharti and Foxconn will join in as minority stakeholders. The exact details of the stake haven’t been decided yet.

“India has two times the sunshine (of) Japan. The cost of construction of the solar park is half of Japan. Twice the sunshine, half the cost, that means four times the efficiency,” said Softbank’s Chief Executive Masayoshi Son.

Taliban targets Afghan parliament, India condemns despicable attack

June 22, 2015June 23, 2015 - by India Writes Network

A massive explosion rocked the Afghanistan parliament in Kabul on June 22, eliciting outrage across world capitals. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined in the global chorus of condemnation, terming the attack as a “despicable and cowardly act” underlined India’s solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

“The attack on the Afghanistan Parliament is a despicable & cowardly act. There is no place for such attacks in a democracy,” Mr Modi tweeted.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

There are no reports of any Indian being injured in Taliban’s attack on Afghanistan Parliament in Kabul, Indian ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha said.

Yulin dog eating carnival outrage: The politics of food

June 21, 2015June 22, 2015 - by India Writes Network

There has been a major outcry for banning the Yulin Festival, a dog-and-cat meat eating carnival held annually on the occasion of the summer solstice on June 21st in the city of Yulin in China. Many gruesome images of dogs and cats jam packed in cages, being cooked in stewing pots and hung in slaughter houses have been circulated on social media to rouse public opinion against the ‘ghastly’ tradition.
Whilst the ban may or may not actually take place (China had earlier banned a dog eating festival in 2011), and the uproar has raised legitimate concerns about animal torture and human health risks (such as rabies), it may be helpful to look at the issue as placed within some larger debates- animal rights vs. humans rights, perceptions of barbarism in oriental cultures through ethnocentric norms and relevance of (‘outdated’) culture in today’s modern times- which constitute the politics of food.
Different cultures have varying conceptions of what can and cannot be eaten. In India the pervasive caste system bans consumption of meat for the upper castes, but Dalit communities have long eaten meat, even beef, as a source of protein.

Blurring borders, millions in India and world celebrate yoga power

June 21, 2015June 21, 2015 - by India Writes Network

As night melted into the first glimmer of sunlight, all roads in New Delhi led to the majestic Rajpath area of the capital, as more than 37,000 people gathered around the venue to commemorate the first International Day of Yoga. It’s not just the capital Delhi which celebrated the power of yoga to transform one’s life, but across India and the world millions of celebrants of this ancient Indian practice of yoking body, mind and spirit joined in this collective rite, blurring borders and ideologies.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had only a few months ago called for observing a Day of Yoga at the UN General Assembly, led the celebrations, performing several yogic ‘asanas’ (postures). Wearing his trademark kurta-pyjama and matching them with a white tracksuit and a scarf with the colours of the Indian flag, the Indian leader took part in synchronised yogic exercise and pranayams.
Addressing the congregation, Mr Modi underlined the universal character of yoga, elevating it above politics and partisan rhetoric that had threated to spoil what is clearly not just India’s heritage, but that of the entire humankind. “This is a programme for ‘manav kalyan’ (welfare of manking), a tension-free world and a programme to spread the message of ‘sadbhavana’ (goodwill).”

Delhi-Dar bonding: Blending energy and business with tourism & strategy

June 19, 2015June 19, 2015 - by Manish Chand

It’s Africa time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Energy, business, developmental assistance, Indian Ocean strategy and tourism promotion melded anew in a new configuration as the Indian leader held wide-ranging talks with Tanzania’s President Jakaya Mrisho Kikewete, the first head of state from the resurgent continent Mr Modi hosted since taking charge in May last year.

The outcomes of the talks in New Delhi, which included the signing of eight MoUs to expand engagements swaddling diverse areas, reflected the Modi government’s emerging Africa policy in a miniature. Expanding its developmental partnership with the East African state, India extended a line of credit for $ 268.35 million for a host of projects, including the extension of a pipeline project.

Reflecting the growing importance of the African continent in India’s energy security calculus, India offered its expertise to Tanzania in development of its emerging natural gas sector.

India, Pakistan make placatory noises to improve strained ties

June 19, 2015June 19, 2015 - by India Writes Network

After protracted posturing and sharp rhetoric, India and Pakistan are now making placatory noises saying they want to improve and normalize their bilateral relations. New Delhi, however, put the onus on Islamabad, indicating that any marked improvement in the accident-prone bilateral ties can happen only after the latter delivers on its promise of curbing anti-India terror.

Speaking at a think tank in New York, India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley underscored that India wanted to improve or at least normalise its relations with its neighbour, but made it clear that the onus was on Islamabad.

“The message that we are interested in normalising our relationship with them or at least improving our relationship with them and the onus is on Pakistan for this purpose has been loud and clear,” he said at the New York-based think-tank Council on Foreign Relations.

Global refugee crisis: When will we wake up

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015 - by India Writes Network

The United Nations refugee agency has released statistics that show the number of displaced people around the world has reached more than 60 million people. That means one in every 122 people on the planet is either a refugee, internally displaced or seeking asylum. And while this is reportedly the highest level of displaced people ever recorded, there is profound apathy in global responses to the refugee crisis.

While UNHCR head Antonio Guterres told the BBC that the “world is a mess”, stricken with conflicts which are causing the crisis with no clear end in sight, he also mentioned how the lack of a humanitarian response is a major impediment in cleaning up the mess.

The statistics are grim. The report says that 59.5 million people were displaced by the end of 2014, which included 19.5 million refugees, 38.2 million internally displaced people and 1.8 million still awaiting the outcome of asylum claims. Of these numbers, a staggering 50% of the refugees were children. Almost 86 per cent of all refugees are in the developing countries, which lack the infrastructure and resources to tackle the challenge.