India and the World

India concerned over Maldives crisis, MDP pitches for Delhi’s mediation

- by India Writes Network

With the political crisis in the Maldives deepening, India has expressed concerns over the “arrest and mishandling” of former President Mohamed Nasheed as the leading opposition party pitched for India’s intervention.
The Maldives government on February 24 vigorously defended the arrest of Mr Nasheed on terrorism charges and accused him of performing “stunts” to grab global attention.
The latest crisis in the troubled Indian Ocean island nation poses a tricky diplomatic situation for India, coming as it does barely weeks before India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Male around mid-March. India has vital stakes in peace and stability in the Maldives, which is being ardently courted by China. China’s President Xi Jinping visited Maldives and managed to sell the idea of Maritime Silk Road to the Indian Ocean atoll nation, better known for its coral blue pristine islands frequented by tourists and honeymooning couples.

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India on diplomatic offensive, showcases pluralism, minorities’ welfare

- by India Writes Network

Stung by accusations of the growing religious intolerance in India, the Modi government has gone on a diplomatic offensive and told a global terror meet in the US that the traditional notion of minorities is not valid in the Indian context. The government underlined that it has been proactively addressing issues relating to their social, cultural and political integration.
Stressing on vibrant pluralism of Indian society and polity, R.N. Ravi, chairman of a joint intelligence committee and head of the Indian delegation to an international conference hosted by the White House on terrorism, highlighted that India is home to over 180 million Muslims in India, the world’s second largest Muslim population after Indonesia. He also drew attention to the recent peaceful Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir with 65% voter turnout, and stressed that no Indian has been found participating in “violent Pan Islamist groups” to prove that Indian Muslims have faith in the country.

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India bats for UNSC seat, warns against selective approach to terror

- by India Writes Network

In a biting critique of the undemocratic functioning of the UN Security Council, India has accused permanent members of the UNSC of picking and choosing the UN principles to suit their own national interests and of being selective in dealing with terrorism. “It is ironical that calls for democracy and the rule of law are being made in a Council that itself embodies the undemocratic stranglehold of the privileges of a few, forged by a wartime alliance that no longer exists,” India’s Ambassador to the UN Ashoke Kumar Mukerji said in New York on February 23.

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Indian government projects pro-poor agenda, inclusive growth

- by India Writes Network

In a defining policy statement — ahead of its maiden full-spectrum budget — the Indian government sought to buttress its pro-poor credentials by stressing a host of policy initiatives aimed at uplifting the have-nots. The government also conjured up a vibrant picture of the Indian economy, which, it said, is the world’s fastest growing economy at 7.4 per cent growth rate.

President Pranab Mukherjee addressed joint session of both houses of Parliament to begin the budget session of the parliament on February 23. In his address, Mr Mukherjee said that the government was determined to work for the welfare of the poorest of poor, the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sections of society.

Alluding to a host of pioneering initiatives taken by the BJP-led NDA government to stimulate national resurgence and economic rejuvenation, the president said: “A strong beginning has been made. A promising future awaits us.”

“The fundamental tenet of my Government is Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas– All Together, Development of All. Within a span of nine months, my government has articulated and embarked on a comprehensive strategy for unleashing the full potential of our country and its precious resource of 125 crore people,” Mr Mukherjee said.

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Budget session begins in India, focus on inclusive growth

- by India Writes Network

The crucial budget session of the Indian parliament began on February 23 with President Pranab Mukherjee stressing on the government’s unflinching commitment to inclusive growth, protecting the interest of the poor and tackling pressing national challenges like terrorism, black money and corruption.

“The fundamental tenet of my Government is Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas– All Together, Development of All. Within a span of nine months, my government has articulated and embarked on a comprehensive strategy for unleashing the full potential of our country and its precious resource of 125 crore people,” Mr Mukherjee said in his address to the joint session of Indian parliament.

Alluding to a host of pioneering initiatives taken by the BJP-led NDA government to stimulate national resurgence and economic rejuvenation, the president said: “A strong beginning has been made. A promising future awaits us.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his part, reached out to the opposition and hoped that the budget session will be an opportunity to work together and produce constructive outcomes for the nation.

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Triumph of diplomacy: Indian priest abducted in Afghanistan freed

- by India Writes Network

In a triumph of persistence and diplomacy, India has managed to rescue an Indian aid worker who was abducted by the brutal Taliban militia from Afghanistan’s Herat province. Father Alexis Prem Kumar, a Jesuit priest from Tamil Nadu, returned home on February 22, after months in captivity.
“Delighted at securing the release of Indian Jesuit priest Father Alexis Prem Kumar from captivity in Afghanistan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
The Jesuit priest’s release was the culmination of intense negotiations by India through National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The priest’s kidnapping is not the first time an Indian has been targeted in Afghanistan. In the past few years, the Indian embassy and consulates have been attacked many a time in the past. India has pledged over $2 billion for a host of reconstruction activities in Afghanistan ranging from building roads, bridges and roads to dozens of grassroot projects which have spawned enormous goodwill for India in that country.

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Gandhi statue to shine outside British parliament

- by India Writes Network

In an ironic twist and a symbol of changed times, Mahatma Gandhi, the man who liberated India from the imperial rule, will have his statue installed at Parliament Square in London.
Moving beyond historical wrongs and in a gesture that underscores robust India-Britain ties, India’s Finance minister Arun Jaitley will be inaugurating the statue in Parliament Square in London on March 12, the 85th anniversary of the day Gandhi launched the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in 1930.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has justified the decision to install a Gandhi statue alongside Britain’s war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill and South Africa apartheid leader Nelson Mandela saying, “the initiative would lead to Britain cementing its historical connection with India.”
The installation of the statue was announced during British Foreign Secretary William Hague’s visit to India in 2014.

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