India and the World | India Writes

Modi in Muscat: Bolstering India-Oman defence & economic connect

February 12, 2018 - by Manish Chand

Elevating their bilateral partnership to a new level, India and Oman have inked eight agreements in the fields of health, outer space, tourism and military cooperation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to the energy-rich Gulf sultanate.
High on optics as well as substance, Mr Modi visited an iconic mosque and Shiva temple in a visit that saw the two countries place their multi-faceted relationship onto a new trajectory. The delegation-level talks between Mr Modi and Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said, in Muscat has pushed the envelope for India’s partnership with the Gulf country.
Defence cooperation has emerged as an important pillar of India-Oman relations, with reports of a possible Indian military base in Oman amid shifting geopolitical equations in the Indian Ocean region.

Modi, Trump talk stability in Maldives

February 9, 2018 - by India Writes Network

With the fraught situation in the Maldives spiralling out of control, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed over a phone call the imperative need for restoring democratic institutions and the rule of law in the island nation.
The Supreme Court of Maldives’ decision to revoke its earlier ruling to free the nine political prisoners has reaffirmed President Abdulla Yameen’s use of threats and coercion to prevent any action by the judiciary that might jeopardize his rule.
The 15-day emergency declared by Mr Yameen and the arrests of former president Gayoom and two judges of the Supreme Court attracted international censure, with most countries including close ally China expressing concerns over the rapidly eroding democratic rights in the state.

Emergency in Maldives: India explores all options

February 7, 2018February 7, 2018 - by India Writes Network

With the Maldives government imposing political emergency, all eyes are on India and options it will exercise to resolve the worsening crisis in the Indian Ocean atoll nation.India has voices its concern and underlined that it is disturbed over the suspension of constitutional rights of people of the Maldives.
The Maldives crisis poses a diplomatic test for the Modi government amid calls for India to intervene and stabilise the situation in the island nation.In a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, India has expressed its concern over the suspension of constitutional rights of the people of Maldives and said that it will be closely monitoring the situation. While it is looking at implementing sanctions to force the Yameen government to restore normalcy, it is not keen on sending troops on the ground or even a special envoy. This is despite former president Mohamed Nasheed’s request through a tweet “to send an envoy, backed by its military to release judges and political detainees”. India, along with China, has issued travel advisory on travelling to this popular tourist destination and is considering placing restrictions on members of the Yameen government travelling abroad.

Fear of an emergency in troubled Maldives, India watches closely

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018 - by India Writes Network

With President Yameen Abdul Gayoom yet to implement the court verdict ordering the release of nine political prisoners, including the democratically elected former president Mohammed Nasheed, the island nation faces the possibility of an emergency that will plunge it deeper into a crisis.
Jailed in 2016 on charges of terrorism, Mr Nasheed has since then lived in Britain after travelling there on medical leave from prison. Shortly after his release, the former president announced his decision to contest elections, unsettling Mr Yameen’s plan of running for re-election virtually unopposed with most of his opponents behind bars or in exile. The court also reinstated 12 opposition Members of Parliament, who had been disqualified during a combined opposition attempt to impeach Yameen in 2016.

Swaraj to showcase India’s soft power, economic growth at Saudi festival

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018 - by India Writes Network

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi showcased the India growth story at the gathering of the global elite in Davos, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj heads to Saudi Arabia to inaugurate the popular festival of Janadriyah, which will put the spotlight on the country’s soft power and economic prowess. The February 6-8 visit by Swaraj will mark the first high-level visit after Mr Modi’s visit to the Gulf kingdom in 2016 and comes ahead of his three-nation tour of Palestine, the UAE and Oman. Organized annually since 1985 by the National Guard, Janadriyah is a cultural and heritage festival that draws more than one million visitors every year. This year India is the “Guest of Honour country” at the 18-day festival.

Operation Green to overhaul agriculture: Jaitley focuses on strengthening the rural sector

February 1, 2018February 1, 2018 - by India Writes Network

Announcing a ₹500 crore Operation Green for the development of the agricultural sector Finance Minister ArunJaitley has reinforced the focus of the government in increasing the income of farmers and raising the minimum support price.
Presenting the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2018-19, the minister proposed an Agri-Market Development Fund with a corpus of Rs 2000 crore and the upgradation of rural haats to Grameen agricultural markets. In increasing the Minimum Support Price of all cropsto at least 1.5 times that of the production cost, he promised the full support of the government in ensuring the payment of full MSP even if farmers sell below MSP. He proposed the introduction of Kishan credit cards.

India@69: President Kovind bats for a cohesive India where you can disagree

January 26, 2018January 26, 2018 - by India Writes Network

Unveiling his vision of a tolerant and modern India, India’s President Ram Nath Kovind batted for right “to disagree with another viewpoint” in his Republic Day eve address and called for a robust nation-building process that would contribute of a “composite and cohesive world”.
Speaking on the eve of India’s 69th Republic Day, the president spoke about many facets of a nation – one of happy and equal-opportunity, innovation, civic-mindedness, selflessness, cultural vibrancy, discipline and moral uprightness – that together make up a “modern India that is both a land of talent – and a land of unlimited opportunities for that talent”.
In a veiled allusion to a raging controversy around the screening of the film Padmaavat which has triggered violence in parts of India, President Kovind underscored the need to maintain harmony through respect of one another’s viewpoint, as against the divisiveness that marks the society at present. “Where one can disagree with another viewpoint – or even with a historical context – without mocking a fellow citizen’s dignity and personal space. This is fraternity in action”, he said.

With an eye on China, ASEAN calls for bigger India role in Indo-Pacific

January 25, 2018 - by Manish Chand

Amid China’s increasing economic and military stranglehold in East Asia, ASEAN countries have pitched for a bigger role for India in the Asia-Pacific region, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi putting maritime security on the forefront of the India-ASEAN agenda.
In his opening speech at the plenary of the special commemorative summit to mark the silver jubilee of India-ASEAN partnership, Mr Modi termed maritime cooperation as a key focus area for India and ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific region and underlined that maintaining freedom of navigation will remain critical in days to come.
The overarching thrust of the special summit in Delhi, which is being attended by all the 10 leaders of ASEAN countries, is to raise India’s profile in the region with a larger strategic vision to pitch India as a credible balancing force in the region. The 10 leaders of ASEAN countries are also be guests of honour at the Republic Day celebrations, a unique and unprecedented gesture by India that underscores the centrality of ASEAN region in its geopolitical calculus in the region.

Vietnam envoy pitches for real code of conduct in South China Sea (Interview)

January 25, 2018January 26, 2018 - by India Writes Network

The Special Commemorative Summit is poised to open a new chapter in the history of India-ASEAN relations. With India and ASEAN emerging as the fastest growing region in the world, there are enormous possibilities for expanding and diversifying this mutually energising relationship across the spectrum.
In this interview with Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India and World, Vietnam’s Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh argues that given India’s close historical and cultural connections and its growing economy, India should play a bigger role in the extended Indo-Pacific region. To fructify this huge potential, enhancing connectivity will be a potential game-changer in taking India-ASEAN strategic partnership to new heights.
Amid the churn in the South China Sea, the Vietnamese envoy also pitches for a real and abiding enforceable code of conduct and argues that the sea of Southeast Asia is an open sea of all countries, including India.

The Power of 11: An Asian Century

January 24, 2018 - by Manish Chand

Call it the Power of 11, if you will.
The soaring dream of an Asian Century is poised to acquire new wings as the leaders of India and 10 ASEAN countries participate in a special commemorative summit in New Delhi, marking the silver jubilee anniversary of their multi-faceted partnership. In a captivating spectacle, the 10 ASEAN leaders will also be Guests of Honour at India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2018, the first time the leaders of a region have been bestowed such a singular honour by New Delhi, underscoring the increasing salience of the region in India’s foreign policy calculus.
In many ways, it’s time for multiple celebrations for India and ASEAN, which are conjoined by “Shared Values, Common Destiny” – the master-theme of the summit, as they toast the 25th anniversary of their dialogue partnership, 15 years of summit-level interaction and 5 years of Strategic Partnership. The intersection of the golden jubilee of the establishment of ASEAN and the silver jubilee of India-ASEAN partnership has only heightened a sense of festivity and pride in what has been achieved so far and what’s yet to come.