India and the World

Sri Lanka: ‘Re-vitalising’ India relations even more after the polls

- by N Sathiya Moorthy

he results of the 17 August parliamentary polls have indicated the continuance of a ‘national government’ of the type that newly-elected President Maithripala Sirisena and his chosen Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had put together in January.

Considering that there is also a greater scope and urgent need for re-vitalising Sri Lanka-India relations than ever before, the two nations can now work on restoring the earlier confidence, brick by brick – but with all-round reversals from time to time. How they work on it all could also determine the nature and course of India’s Indian Ocean neighbourhood relations, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ‘re-vitalised’ with his three-nation tour in March this year.

India-Sri Lanka relations are like none other in bilateral relations for both. Going beyond the ‘China angle’ – it used to be the US during the ‘Cold War’ era – the two South Asian neighbours are bound by the ‘ethnic issue’, with constant reverberations in southern Tamil Nadu – often, independent of the party or leader in power at the Centre.

It is one such time again for India and India-Sri Lanka relations. Independent of whoever is in power in Sri Lanka, the nation can breathe easy that the Indian position over war-time ‘accountability issues’ at the UNHRC would not (have to) change at the September session in Geneva. India too would not have to review its position, despite pressure from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in Sri Lanka, over larger issues of ‘war-time accountability’ and blame-fixing.

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Taliban succession games: What it means for India

- by India Writes Network

The world was taken by surprise recently when it was announced that Mullah Omar, the undisputed and feared leader of Taliban, had died two years ago in a Karachi hospital. Taliban Spokesman Zabhiullah Mujahid confirmed the report, but disputed that Mullah Omar died in a Karachi hospital, saying that he never left Afghanistan after the US attack in 2001. Mystery over circumstances and location where Mullah Omar died will continue to persist, though everyone is in agreement that the Taliban supremo is no longer alive.

Even before the formal announcement of Omar’s death, sources in Taliban had begun telling journalists that Mullah Akhtar Mansoor had been chosen as the successor. He was reportedly elected as emir at a consultative meeting of the group after news of Omar’s death became public.

Mansoor was earlier Omar’s deputy and headed the Taliban’s seven member consultative council. Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, the son of chief of Haqqani network, Jalaluddin Haqqani, and former deputy chief justice during Taliban era, Maulvi Haibatullah, were named as Mansoor’s deputies.

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Battle for Bihar hots up: PM Modi promises Rs 1.25 lakh special package

- by India Writes Network

Moving on expected lines, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a special package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for the state of Bihar, which goes to polls later this year. While the schedule hasn’t been announced yet, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaid, said the elections would be held before November 29, when the tenure of the present assembly expires.

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India, UAE upgrade ties to strategic partnership, focus on terror

- by India Writes Network

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates has been a game-changer of sorts, transforming New Delhi’s relationship with its key economic partner in the energy-rich Gulf region. In a major leap forward, the two countries elevated their relationship to comprehensive strategic partnership that entails closer counter-terror cooperation and deepening of security and economic ties across the spectrum. “The visit of an Indian Prime Minister to UAE after 34 years marks the beginning of a new and comprehensive strategic partnership between India and UAE in a world of multiple transitions and changing opportunities and challenges,” said the joint statement after wide-ranging talks between Mr Modi and the top leadership of the UAE. Here are key outcomes and highlights of the joint statement that maps out the future trajectory of the India-UAE relationship.

Elevate the India-UAE relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
The rapidly expanding economic partnership makes India UAE’s second largest trading partner and UAE India’s third largest trading partner, thus making it a gateway for India to the region.
The two countries have the potential to build a transformative economic partnership, not only for sustained prosperity of their two countries, but to also advance progress in the region and help realise the vision of an Asian Century.

A common vision of progress and prosperity faces challenges from many shared threats to peace, stability and security in the region. A shared endeavour to address these challenges, based on common ideals and convergent interests, is vital for the future of the two countries and their region.

The two nations also rejected extremism and any link between religion and terrorism condemning efforts, including by states, to use religion to justify, support and sponsor terrorism against other countries. They also deplored efforts by countries to give religious and sectarian colour to political issues and disputes, including in West and South Asia, and use terrorism to pursue their aims.

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Terror strikes Bangkok, top tourist hub for Indians

- by India Writes Network

The terror attack near a Hindu shrine in the heart of Bangkok’s business district has sent shockwaves in the region. The blasts, which killed over 21 people and injured over 100, have received widespread coverage in India as Thailand remains a top low-cost tourist destination for thousands of Indians. Nearly a million Indian tourists visit Thailand every year.

The bomb is suspected to have been planted on a motorbike outside the Lord Brahma temple.

No one has claimed responsibility for the August 17 blasts, triggering speculation about the identity and motivations of attackers. “The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism, because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district,” said Thailand Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.

Most of the tourists injured outside the Erawan shrine in the crowded business district of Chidlom were from China and Taiwan, according to some of the rescue agencies quoted in the local media.

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PM Modi flags off $1 trillion dream for UAE investors

- by India Writes Network

Drumming up the India growth story in the Gulf dynamo, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted investors in the United Arab Emirates to cash in on an “immediate investment opportunity of USD 1 trillion in India.”

During his visit to Masdar city, a zero-carbon city, near Abu Dhabi, UAE, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an investor meet where he underlined huge opportunities spawned by India’s growing economy and called for dovetailing UAE’s power and India’s potential to make it an Asian century.

Citing reports by major global institutions such as World Bank, IMF, Moodys, Mr Modi said India is the world’s fastest growing economy and has a huge potential to develop. “On one hand India is growing fast and on the other hand, the world is looking at Asia. But is Asia complete without UAE? I can clearly see that the UAE should be at the centre of mainstream of things in Asia. UAE’s power and India’s potential can make it Asia’s century,” he told top business leaders from the UAE.

Alluding to lethargy and indecisiveness that was seen in policy-making during previous governments in New Delhi, the prime minister said his government has got some legacy problems and his immediate priority would be to kick-start the economic reforms process.

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A date with Masdar: Smart zero-carbon city in UAE inspires Modi

- by India Writes Network

Clean and Green – this new focus on smart living and sustainable urban space, found affirmation in India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to the world’s zero carbon smart city in the UAE. Mr Modi, who has unfurled the dream of 100 smart cities in India, looked visibly impressed as he took a ride in a self-driven car that runs on solar powered batteries in Masdar, a 5.95 sq km strip located 17 km southeast of Abu Dhabi international airport.

Mr Modi discussed urban development and next generation urban spaces with United Arab Emirates officials on August 17. He was also briefed on Masdar city’s Private Rapid Transport System. Impressed with the city, Mr Modi wrote ‘Science is Life’ in the visitor’s book at Masdar city.

Masdar city project aims to turn Abu Dhabi into an international hub for renewable energy and to support the development and commercialisation of sustainable technology. The smart city concept is a key agenda of Mr Modi’s development plans. Masdar was meant to be an incubator for a new generation of Emirati green start-ups with an aim to garner investments in green energy and technology. This, in the long run, would earn Abu Dhabi significant revenue if its oil runs out. But due to the global financial crisis in 2008, Dubai’s state-owned investment company ran up a debt of USD 59 billion that left Abu Dhabi with little to invest in Masdar city.

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