Tag Archives: Balochistan

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – January 03, 2023

Afghanistan
Defense Ministry Rejects Pakistan Official’s Remarks on TTP in Afghanistan: Tolo News

The Ministry of Defense reacted to recent comments by Pakistan’s interior minister about the presence of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the possibility of a raid on them by Pakistan in Afghanistan, saying that the Islamic Emirate is prepared to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ministry of Defense in a statement called the remarks provocative and baseless and said that any issues or problems should be resolved through understanding. Click here to read…

Taliban (IEA) to Prosecute Afghan Media Outlets Operating from Abroad: The Khaama Press

The Taliban courts will soon announce its decision regarding the media outlets whose executives have fled the country and run the outlet from outside the country Afghanistan International reports. Abdu Haq Hemad, director of media assessment at the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s ministry of information and culture has accused the media organizations of spreading propaganda against the ruling regime. “A decision has been made regarding these media outlets. It is expected that the court’s decision will be announced in the near future,” Hemad said. He further stated that “no law allows the executive of media outlets to operate from outside and promote propaganda against the regime.” Click here to read…

Bangladesh
6 youths remanded on charge of being radicalised by al-Qaeda ideology – New Age

A Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Monday placed six youths, who have allegedly been radicalized by the ideology of al-Qaeda and were planning to stage armed jihad in the country, on five-day remand each in a case lodged under the Anti-Terrorism Act…According to the CTTC, the arrested in primary interrogation confessed that Abdur Rab was working as the organizer and gathered the group together with the help of social networking sites. They were planning to go to Teknaf to train in extremism. Click here to read…

Bangladesh envoys asked to respond anti-Bangladesh propaganda spontaneously – TBS

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has directed all Bangladesh envoys abroad to respond “spontaneously” against all sorts of anti-Bangladesh propaganda in their respective host countries without waiting for Dhaka’s permission. Click here to read…

Between the hammer and the anvil – Dhaka Tribune

The US and Russian embassies have engaged in a Twitter spat, commenting and counter-commenting on each other’s viewpoints towards Bangladesh, particularly with regard to the topic of non-interference in domestic matters like the upcoming national election and human rights issues. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Residents complain of inflation – Kuensel Online

Despite the recent measures, many residents complain that after the pandemic, goods and services prices have been soaring, forcing them to compromise on their consumption. The enactment of the Tax Act of Bhutan, 2022 last month, sales tax and customs duty of close to 142 goods have been reduced. Taxes were reduced with the aim of easing inflationary pressure in the market. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives assumes membership of UN Human Rights Council for 2023-2025

The Maldives has begun its membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2023-2025. Maldives won a seat on the Human Rights Council following the elections held on 11 October 2022, in New York. The election saw 17 countries competing for 14 vacant seats. The Maldives competed in the Group of Asia-Pacific States, for one of the 4 vacant seats. Click here to read…

Export container fees decreased by nearly 75 percent

Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has decreased fees taken from containers that are being exported from Maldives. MPL started implementing the change from 01 January, 2023 onwards. The company highlights that the change was brought to help Maldivian businesses who export their goods. MPL notes that with the changes, the fees have been decreased by nearly 75 percent. As such, the fee of MVR 4,419.03 taken from 20 feet containers has been decreased to MVR 1,132.08 and fee of MVR 8,767.51 taken from 40 feet containers has been decreased to MVR 2,264.14. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Acting President: 2023 Will Mark Turning Point for Myanmar’s Revolution – The Irrawaddy

Acting President Duwa Lashi La of Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government (NUG) said in his new year’s speech that 2023 will mark the turning point in the war against military rule and called for continuous revolution. “When we are fighting against the brutalities of the terrorist military regime, resilience is really important. The regime is waiting for the time when the people and the revolutionary forces are exhausted, so all of us must continue to work hard and speed up the revolution,” Duwa Lashi La said in his state of the union address. Click here to read…

Revolutionary Armies Demand Unified Attacks on Myanmar Junta – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s powerful ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have vowed to uproot the country’s military dictatorship, despite junta promises of peace talks and a general election. In his new year’s speech on Sunday, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing promised greater opportunities for ethnic minorities if the armed conflict is resolved. Click here to read…

Thailand temporarily closes a Thai-Myanmar border trade gate – Mizzima

Thailand is reported to have temporarily closed a border trade gate temporarily where Myanmar fishery and aquatic products are being exported and traded. This gate is the Mawtaung-Sinkhun Thai-Myanmar border in Myeik District, Tanintharyi Region. This border trade gate was opened on 1 August 2022. The border trade gate closed for three days in New Year holiday from 30 December to 1 January 2023. Click here to read…

Nepal
China pushes for stronger presence in Nepal, but India can breathe easy – Times Now

China wants a stronger presence in Nepal and one way is by strengthening its embassy in Kathmandu, the capital. Already a strong presence in Nepal, Beijing has asked the government of Nepal for approval to move two additional security officers in its embassy. Both will be Police Liaison Officers — one will be at a counsellor level and the other as secretary. The request is under active consideration by Nepal’s foreign and defence ministries. Click here to read…

Concerns in Nepal as Indian Supreme Court validates Modi’s demonetization move – My Republica

Nepal’s banking system holds demonetized Indian currency (IC) worth over Rs 50 million, which the Indian authorities have refused to take back. The government authorities of Nepal at various levels have requested the Indian authorities time and again to take back the banned Indian currency. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in his previous stint as the PM, had requested his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his state visit to India in 2017 to take back the banned banknotes. Nepal had also requested high-ranking officials of the Reserve Bank of India during their visit to Nepal in January 2017, to consider taking back the Indian currency held by the Nepali banks. But all these requests from the highest political level in Nepal have gone unheard. Click here to read…

PM Dahal to take vote of confidence in parliament on January 10 – My Republica

Prime Minister Dahal needs to secure at least 138 votes in the 275-member parliament to continue his term as the prime minister. Prime Minister Dahal has registered a letter to the Federal Parliament Secretariat to put the proposal of taking a vote of confidence on the agenda of parliament on January 10– a day after the first meeting of the newly-elected House of Representatives (HoR). Click here to read…

Jayanagar-Kurtha trains will keep rolling for now – The Kathmandu Post

The Nepal Railway Company (NRC) that runs the Jayanagar-Kurtha cross-border railway has agreed to a temporary arrangement with India’s Konkan Railways Corporation Limited (KRCL) to continue operating the country’s sole railway service. The railway had come into operation from April 2022 when it was jointly flagged off by then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was considered a milestone in strengthening cross-border connectivity between Nepal and India. Click here to read…

Pakistan
The curious case of JUI-F’s sudden rise in Balochistan: Dawn

Recently, several politicians and electables have joined the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), and most of them seemed confident that this is the party that would clinch a majority of seats in the upcoming elections. It is said that electables and senior politicians, who are close to the establishment, do not join a political party until prospects of its victory are assured. Despite having a decade-old presence on Balochistan’s political landscape, JUI-F has traditionally found success in the Pashtun belt of the province. However, this time around, Baloch politicians also seem to be migrating towards the JUI-F. Click here to read…

Inflation rate bounces back ahead of IMF talks: The Express Tribune

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), the inflation monitor, rose by 24.5% in December compared to the same period of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Monday. The prices of a majority of consumer goods remained out of the reach of people, and the major surge was in rural areas where income levels were already low. The surge might force the consumers to change their expenditure patterns to spare more money to buy essential foods. Click here to read…

Imran believes establishment still involved in political engineering: The News

PTI leader and Imran Khan’s chief of staff Shibli Faraz when contacted on Monday lamented that the anti-PTI policies of the previous establishment are still continuing. Faraz spelled out the reasons for Imran Khan’s complaint against the present establishment. However, he admitted that their conclusion regarding the establishment’s involvement in political engineering to hurt the PTI is mainly based on circumstantial evidence. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s new austerity measure: No government jobs – Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka began a fresh austerity drive under which there will be no government recruitment. In the island nations new taxes and higher electricity prices were started as the authorities aim to secure an IMF bailout, news agency AFP reported. As one of the preconditions to securing the $2.9 billion bailout from IMF is achieving debt sustainability, Sri Lanka has been bringing new changes after the country defaulted in April as its economy went into crisis. Click here to read…

Former British PM David Cameron meets President – Daily Mirror

Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is on a personal visit to Sri Lanka, met President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, according to a statement from the President’s Media Division (PMD).
“During a friendly discussion, Mr. Cameron extended his best wishes to President Wickremesinghe for the New Year.
President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Director of International Affairs for the President were also present at this discussion,” the statement said. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa applies for US citizenship restoration, says report – Indian Express

The former president and his immediate family are currently in Dubai on holiday. Rajapaksa, 73, had made the appeal for the restoration of his US Citizenship after he failed to seek asylum in any country upon fleeing Sri Lanka during the anti-government protests in 2022. An appeal to restore US citizenship previously held is a costly legal process and time-consuming, the report said. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – January 03, 2023

Afghanistan
Defense Ministry Rejects Pakistan Official’s Remarks on TTP in Afghanistan: Tolo News

The Ministry of Defense reacted to recent comments by Pakistan’s interior minister about the presence of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the possibility of a raid on them by Pakistan in Afghanistan, saying that the Islamic Emirate is prepared to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ministry of Defense in a statement called the remarks provocative and baseless and said that any issues or problems should be resolved through understanding. Click here to read…

Taliban (IEA) to Prosecute Afghan Media Outlets Operating from Abroad: The Khaama Press

The Taliban courts will soon announce its decision regarding the media outlets whose executives have fled the country and run the outlet from outside the country Afghanistan International reports. Abdu Haq Hemad, director of media assessment at the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s ministry of information and culture has accused the media organizations of spreading propaganda against the ruling regime. “A decision has been made regarding these media outlets. It is expected that the court’s decision will be announced in the near future,” Hemad said. He further stated that “no law allows the executive of media outlets to operate from outside and promote propaganda against the regime.” Click here to read…

Bangladesh
6 youths remanded on charge of being radicalised by al-Qaeda ideology – New Age

A Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Monday placed six youths, who have allegedly been radicalized by the ideology of al-Qaeda and were planning to stage armed jihad in the country, on five-day remand each in a case lodged under the Anti-Terrorism Act…According to the CTTC, the arrested in primary interrogation confessed that Abdur Rab was working as the organizer and gathered the group together with the help of social networking sites. They were planning to go to Teknaf to train in extremism. Click here to read…

Bangladesh envoys asked to respond anti-Bangladesh propaganda spontaneously – TBS

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has directed all Bangladesh envoys abroad to respond “spontaneously” against all sorts of anti-Bangladesh propaganda in their respective host countries without waiting for Dhaka’s permission. Click here to read…

Between the hammer and the anvil – Dhaka Tribune

The US and Russian embassies have engaged in a Twitter spat, commenting and counter-commenting on each other’s viewpoints towards Bangladesh, particularly with regard to the topic of non-interference in domestic matters like the upcoming national election and human rights issues. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Residents complain of inflation – Kuensel Online

Despite the recent measures, many residents complain that after the pandemic, goods and services prices have been soaring, forcing them to compromise on their consumption. The enactment of the Tax Act of Bhutan, 2022 last month, sales tax and customs duty of close to 142 goods have been reduced. Taxes were reduced with the aim of easing inflationary pressure in the market. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives assumes membership of UN Human Rights Council for 2023-2025

The Maldives has begun its membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2023-2025. Maldives won a seat on the Human Rights Council following the elections held on 11 October 2022, in New York. The election saw 17 countries competing for 14 vacant seats. The Maldives competed in the Group of Asia-Pacific States, for one of the 4 vacant seats. Click here to read…

Export container fees decreased by nearly 75 percent

Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has decreased fees taken from containers that are being exported from Maldives. MPL started implementing the change from 01 January, 2023 onwards. The company highlights that the change was brought to help Maldivian businesses who export their goods. MPL notes that with the changes, the fees have been decreased by nearly 75 percent. As such, the fee of MVR 4,419.03 taken from 20 feet containers has been decreased to MVR 1,132.08 and fee of MVR 8,767.51 taken from 40 feet containers has been decreased to MVR 2,264.14. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Acting President: 2023 Will Mark Turning Point for Myanmar’s Revolution – The Irrawaddy

Acting President Duwa Lashi La of Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government (NUG) said in his new year’s speech that 2023 will mark the turning point in the war against military rule and called for continuous revolution. “When we are fighting against the brutalities of the terrorist military regime, resilience is really important. The regime is waiting for the time when the people and the revolutionary forces are exhausted, so all of us must continue to work hard and speed up the revolution,” Duwa Lashi La said in his state of the union address. Click here to read…

Revolutionary Armies Demand Unified Attacks on Myanmar Junta – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s powerful ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have vowed to uproot the country’s military dictatorship, despite junta promises of peace talks and a general election. In his new year’s speech on Sunday, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing promised greater opportunities for ethnic minorities if the armed conflict is resolved. Click here to read…

Thailand temporarily closes a Thai-Myanmar border trade gate – Mizzima

Thailand is reported to have temporarily closed a border trade gate temporarily where Myanmar fishery and aquatic products are being exported and traded. This gate is the Mawtaung-Sinkhun Thai-Myanmar border in Myeik District, Tanintharyi Region. This border trade gate was opened on 1 August 2022. The border trade gate closed for three days in New Year holiday from 30 December to 1 January 2023. Click here to read…

Nepal
China pushes for stronger presence in Nepal, but India can breathe easy – Times Now

China wants a stronger presence in Nepal and one way is by strengthening its embassy in Kathmandu, the capital. Already a strong presence in Nepal, Beijing has asked the government of Nepal for approval to move two additional security officers in its embassy. Both will be Police Liaison Officers — one will be at a counsellor level and the other as secretary. The request is under active consideration by Nepal’s foreign and defence ministries. Click here to read…

Concerns in Nepal as Indian Supreme Court validates Modi’s demonetization move – My Republica

Nepal’s banking system holds demonetized Indian currency (IC) worth over Rs 50 million, which the Indian authorities have refused to take back. The government authorities of Nepal at various levels have requested the Indian authorities time and again to take back the banned Indian currency. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in his previous stint as the PM, had requested his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his state visit to India in 2017 to take back the banned banknotes. Nepal had also requested high-ranking officials of the Reserve Bank of India during their visit to Nepal in January 2017, to consider taking back the Indian currency held by the Nepali banks. But all these requests from the highest political level in Nepal have gone unheard. Click here to read…

PM Dahal to take vote of confidence in parliament on January 10 – My Republica

Prime Minister Dahal needs to secure at least 138 votes in the 275-member parliament to continue his term as the prime minister. Prime Minister Dahal has registered a letter to the Federal Parliament Secretariat to put the proposal of taking a vote of confidence on the agenda of parliament on January 10– a day after the first meeting of the newly-elected House of Representatives (HoR). Click here to read…

Jayanagar-Kurtha trains will keep rolling for now – The Kathmandu Post

The Nepal Railway Company (NRC) that runs the Jayanagar-Kurtha cross-border railway has agreed to a temporary arrangement with India’s Konkan Railways Corporation Limited (KRCL) to continue operating the country’s sole railway service. The railway had come into operation from April 2022 when it was jointly flagged off by then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was considered a milestone in strengthening cross-border connectivity between Nepal and India. Click here to read…

Pakistan
The curious case of JUI-F’s sudden rise in Balochistan: Dawn

Recently, several politicians and electables have joined the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), and most of them seemed confident that this is the party that would clinch a majority of seats in the upcoming elections. It is said that electables and senior politicians, who are close to the establishment, do not join a political party until prospects of its victory are assured. Despite having a decade-old presence on Balochistan’s political landscape, JUI-F has traditionally found success in the Pashtun belt of the province. However, this time around, Baloch politicians also seem to be migrating towards the JUI-F. Click here to read…

Inflation rate bounces back ahead of IMF talks: The Express Tribune

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), the inflation monitor, rose by 24.5% in December compared to the same period of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Monday. The prices of a majority of consumer goods remained out of the reach of people, and the major surge was in rural areas where income levels were already low. The surge might force the consumers to change their expenditure patterns to spare more money to buy essential foods. Click here to read…

Imran believes establishment still involved in political engineering: The News

PTI leader and Imran Khan’s chief of staff Shibli Faraz when contacted on Monday lamented that the anti-PTI policies of the previous establishment are still continuing. Faraz spelled out the reasons for Imran Khan’s complaint against the present establishment. However, he admitted that their conclusion regarding the establishment’s involvement in political engineering to hurt the PTI is mainly based on circumstantial evidence. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s new austerity measure: No government jobs – Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka began a fresh austerity drive under which there will be no government recruitment. In the island nations new taxes and higher electricity prices were started as the authorities aim to secure an IMF bailout, news agency AFP reported. As one of the preconditions to securing the $2.9 billion bailout from IMF is achieving debt sustainability, Sri Lanka has been bringing new changes after the country defaulted in April as its economy went into crisis. Click here to read…

Former British PM David Cameron meets President – Daily Mirror

Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is on a personal visit to Sri Lanka, met President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, according to a statement from the President’s Media Division (PMD).
“During a friendly discussion, Mr. Cameron extended his best wishes to President Wickremesinghe for the New Year.
President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Director of International Affairs for the President were also present at this discussion,” the statement said. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa applies for US citizenship restoration, says report – Indian Express

The former president and his immediate family are currently in Dubai on holiday. Rajapaksa, 73, had made the appeal for the restoration of his US Citizenship after he failed to seek asylum in any country upon fleeing Sri Lanka during the anti-government protests in 2022. An appeal to restore US citizenship previously held is a costly legal process and time-consuming, the report said. Click here to read…

VIF News Digest: National Security – Defence Studies & Terrorism, 16-30 November 2022

DEFENCE

  • MALABAR 22 culminates.
  • Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US on a five day official visit to India.
  • Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh attends ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting & India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting.
  • Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD).
  • Raksha Mantri & his Cambodian counterpart co-chair maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.
  • RM holds bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Cambodia.
  • Bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces.
  • DRDO’s Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict Products Released.
  • Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’.
  • 13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze).
  • 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue.
  • “AUSTRA HIND 22”.
  • India – Malaysia joint military exercise.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa
Chad
  • In a surprise attack, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers.
Somalia
  • At least 08 people were killed in a terror attack on a hotel by al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.
Pakistan
  • Suicide bombing killed a police officer and two civilians in Balochistan province.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir
  • NIA Special Court sentenced six terrorists in ‘JeM conspiracy’ case.
  • Security forces arrested a LeT terrorist from Jammu.
  • “Three districts of the UT of J&K are ‘terrorist-free’,” claimed ADGP (Kashmir).
  • Police filed chargesheet against HM chief Syed Salahuddin in 10-years old threat case.
Left-Wing Extremism
  • Security forces eliminated two Maoists in Odisha.
Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)
  • NIA Special Court pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru’ case.
  • NIA filed supplementary chargesheet against a HM OGW in a criminal conspiracy case.
Khalistan-inspired Extremism
  • NIA arrested an absconding terrorist from Delhi IGI Airport.
Organised Crime
  • NIA conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with Organised Crime network.
  • NIA arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in a case related to connection between Organised Crime network and various terrorist outfits.

DEFENCE

MALABAR 22 culminates.

The 26th edition of the multinational maritime exercise MALABAR 22 culminated in the seas off Japan on 15 November 2022. This edition also marked the 30th anniversary of the exercise and was hosted by the JMSDF. The Indian Navy was represented by ships Shivalik and Kamorta. Malabar series of exercises began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and US and gained further prominence with joining of the navies of Australia and Japan.

The sea phase of MALABAR 22 was conducted over a period of five days near Yokosuka and witnessed live weapon firings, surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills and tactical procedures. Another highlight of the sea phase was the conduct of War at Sea exercise which enabled all four navies to consolidate interoperability and hone their tactical skills. The high-tempo exercise saw the participation of eleven surface ships including a nuclear powered aircraft carrier with its integral air elements, alongwith four long-range maritime patrol aircraft, integral helicopters and two submarines.
For more information: Click here to read…

Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US on a five day official visit to India.

Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US was on a five day official visit to India from 17-21 Nov 22. Interactions during the visit included those with Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff and high ranking GoI officials in New Delhi. Mr Carlos Del Toro made a visit to Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command at Kochi, wherein interacted with the Commander-in-Chief SNC and visited India’s first indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard.
India and USA have traditionally maintained close and friendly relations. The Defence relationship between the two countries has been one of mutual trust and confidence, which has transformed after the accord of major ‘Defence Partner Status’ to India in Jun 16. In addition, both countries have concluded certain foundational agreements, including the Defence Framework Agreement, signed in 2015, which lays a blue print for collaboration between the defence establishments of both countries, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed in 2016, which is a foundational agreement facilitating reciprocal logistics support between the Armed Forces of both countries, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) signed on 06 Sep 18, which facilitates information-sharing between the Armed Forces of both nations and more recently, the Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which enables sharing of geo – spatial information between Ministry of Defence and National Geospatial Agency (NGA), USA.
For more information: Click here to read…

Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh attends ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting & India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting.

At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Cambodia Samdech Pichey Sena TEA Banh, Raksha Mantri will pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 22-23, 2022. Cambodia, as the chair of ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus (ADMM Plus) meeting is hosting the 9th annual meeting at Siem Reap, Cambodia and the Raksha Mantri will address the forum on November 23, 2022. He will also call on the Prime Minister of Cambodia.

To commemorate 30 years of India-ASEAN relations, India and Cambodia will co-chair the maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting on November 22, 2022, presided over by Shri Rajnath Singh. Various initiatives to boost India-ASEAN partnership are planned to be announced during the meeting.

India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to further the dialogue and cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. India and ASEAN have elevated their relationship to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in November 2022. Apart from the ADMM-Plus meeting and India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, the Raksha Mantri will hold bilateral discussions with Defence Ministers of the participating countries. During the talks, Shri Rajnath Singh will discuss defence cooperation matters and ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial engagements.
Reference: Click here to read…

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD).

The IPRD is an apex level international annual conference of Indian Navy, and is principal manifestation of Navy’s engagement at the strategic-level. The fourth edition of IPRD was held from 23 to 25 Nov 22. The theme of IPRD-2022 was ‘Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)’. The six thematically-arranged sessions of the IPRD-2022 are: (1) Weaving the Fabric of Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific: Multilateral Options: (2) Constructing Holistic-Security Bridges across the Western and Eastern Maritime Expanse of the Indo-Pacific; (3) Building maritime Connectivity: Ports, Trade, and Transport; (4) Capacity-building and Capability Enhancement Leveraging the Physical and Social Sciences; (5) Practical approaches to a Regional Blue Economy; (6) Disaster Risk-reduction and Management; Solutions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Vulnerable Littoral States.
For more information: Click here to read…

Raksha Mantri & his Cambodian counterpart co-chair maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.

The maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting was held on 22 November 2022 at Siem Reap, Cambodia to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of India-ASEAN relations in 2022, which has also been designated as ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’. During this maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting, Shri Singh proposed two major initiatives for further expanding the scope and the depth of the India-ASEAN defence relations. One of the initiatives proposed by Raksha Mantri was the ‘India-ASEAN Initiative for Women in UN Peace Keeping Operations’ which includes conduct of tailor-made courses for women peacekeepers of ASEAN Member States at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India and conduct of a ‘Table Top Exercise’ in India for women officers from ASEAN incorporating facets of UN peacekeeping challenges. The Raksha Mantri underlined the importance of women officers in peacekeeping missions for ensuring lasting peace.
For more information: Click here to read…

RM holds bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Cambodia.

RM held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Siem Reap, Cambodia on22 Nov 2022. Shri Rajnath Singh and Mr Lloyd Austin are in Cambodia to attend the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus meeting. The Raksha Mantri was accompanied by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence. The two Defence Ministers discussed wide range of issues of mutual interest while expressing their commitment to a strong India-US defence cooperation. RM emphasised the need for both countries to work together for capability building in critical domains such as military aviation, artificial intelligence and cyber technology. The RMlooked forward to building a roadmap towards greater defence industrial collaboration between India and US. He highlighted India’s growing expertise in aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and ship-building, repairs and refits and suggested specific areas where US defence companies can look for technology cooperation and manufacturing opportunities with Indian partners in India. Secretary Austin welcomed the suggestions and assured Raksha Mantri of cooperation in this regard.

The two leaders expressed their commitment towards an inclusive and rules-based Indo Pacific with freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded trade. They further discussed initiatives that can be taken to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two countries including in maritime domain awareness.
For more information: Click here to read…

Bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces.

As part of military-to-military exchange programs, a contingent of Indian Special Forces troops are currently engaged in a bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI is the eighth edition of the series of bilateral exercises under this banner. The exercise which commenced on 21 November 2022 aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures for which a comprehensive 13-day training programme has been worked out.
For more information: Click here to read…

Defence Research and Development Organistion’s (DRDO) Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict Products Released.

DRDO’s Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) Products was released on 23 Nov 2022. In line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” campaign of the Government of India, the compendium consists of more than 100 technologies, systems and products developed by DRDO for LIC operations. It is a valuable repository of information for the central security forces.
For more information: Click here to read…

Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’.

Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra. With an aim to assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a ‘Multi Agency Exercise’ involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets and a ‘Table Top Exercise’. This multi-agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation and their application for successful conduct of HADR. Along with involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well.
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13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze).

The Indian Navy’s guided missile stealth frigate, INS Trikand, offshore patrol vessel, INS Sumitra, and Maritime Patrol Aircraft, (MPA) Dornier, participated in the 13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze). The exercise was conducted from 19 to 24 Nov 22 off the coast of Oman.
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4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh co-chaired the 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with the Minister of Armed Forces of the French Republic Mr. Sebastien Lecornu on his visit to India from 26-28 November, 2022. The visiting French Minister shall also meet External Affair Minister and the National Security Advisor. This is the first visit of Mr Sebastien Lecornu as French Minister of Armed Forces to India. The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. A wide range of bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the dialogue.

The Ministers reviewed the ongoing military-to-military cooperation which has increased substantially in the recent years. They discussed means to strengthen maritime cooperation and increase the scope and complexity of bilateral exercises. They noted with satisfaction that India and France recently held their bilateral Air Exercise ‘Garuda’ at Air Force Station, Jodhpur successfully.

During the dialogue, one of the key areas of discussion was defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’. Future collaborations and potential co-production opportunities were discussed. The Ministers agreed that the technical groups from both the countries should meet early next year and take the key cooperation issues forward.
The Ministers recognised their convergences on number of strategic & defence issues and shared the commitment to work together on enhancing cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral fora, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. France is the current chair of Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and both countries cooperate closely in these fora.
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“AUSTRA HIND 22”.

The bilateral training exercise “AUSTRA HIND 22” between contingents of the Indian Army and the Australian Army is scheduled to take place at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan) from 28 November to 11 December 2022. This is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies. The Australian Army contingent comprising soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division has arrived at the exercise location. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment. Exercise “AUSTRA HIND” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternatively in India and Australia. Aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in Semi deserts terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate.
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India – Malaysia joint military exercise.

India – Malaysia joint military Exercise “Harimau Shakti -2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia on 28th November and will culminate on 12th December 22. Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which is being conducted since 2012. Combat-experienced troops of the GARHWAL RIFLES Regiment of Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise this year to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning & execution of various operations in jungle terrain. The scope of this exercise involves a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain.
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INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa
Chad
In a surprise attack, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers.

On 22 November 2022, Boko Haram terrorists attacked on a military unit in the Lake Chad province, near the Nigerian border, and killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers. According to the Chadian government, the unit had been dispatched to establish an army outpost on the island of Boukatoullorom, where Boko Haram has been active in recent years. Various reports confirmed that terrorists attacked the unit in successive waves, managing to enter and destroyed the outpost before stealing weapons and ammunition.
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Somalia
At least 08 people were killed in a terror attack on a hotel by al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.

On 27 November 2022, al-Qa’ida affiliated al-Shabaab terrorists attacked Villa Rose Hotel, a popular hotel in Mogadishu and killed at least 08 people. Next day, on 28 November 2022, the Somali security forces concluded the siege. Somali government officials frequently use the Villa Rose Hotel for meetings. “At the time of attack some government officials escaped from windows,” said a police officer on the basis of anonymity.
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Pakistan
Suicide bombing killed a police officer and two civilians in Balochistan province.

On 30 November 2022, a suicide bomb explosion targeted a police vehicle, in which a police official and two civilians were killed, in Buleli district of Quetta in Balochistan. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)/Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility of the attack. “The police vehicle was carrying security personnel deployed to protect polio vaccination campaign workers in Quetta.
In the same attack, at least 24 people, including 20 policemen wounded,” said Quetta Police’s Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Ghulam Afzar Mahesar. Later, TTP issued a statement stating that “the attack was carried out after the announcement to end ceasefire, and was planned to take revenge for the death of Omar Khalid Khorasani. Our attacks will continue.” Omar Khorasani was a senior TTP leader who was killed in a car bomb blast in Afghanistan in August 2022.
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DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir
NIA Special Court sentenced six terrorists in ‘JeM conspiracy’ case.

On 28 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, New Delhi, pronounced sentence convicting six terrorists— i) Sajad Ahmad Khan, ii) Tanveer Ahmed Ganie, iii) Bilal Ahmad Mir, iv) Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, v) Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, and vi) Mehraj ud-din Chopan, in Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) conspiracy case. The case— RC-08/2019/NIA/DLI pertains to criminal conspiracy of JeM leaders, mainly Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar (brother of Masood Azhar) to recruit people to carry out terrorist attacks in various parts of India. All terrorists, especially Bilal Mir and Muzaffar Bhat, had carried out recee of targets, arranged shelters, and had provided logistic support to carry out attacks in India. Sajad Khan carried our recee of prime locations as potential targets in Delhi.
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J&K Police arrested a LeT terrorist from Jammu.

On 27 November 2022, police arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist— Faisal Munir, from Talab Khatikan area of Jammu city in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Allegedly, Faisal was in contact with officials at Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, to monitor terror activities in the UT of J&K.

Faisal was the main facilitator for collecting arms dropped through Pakistani drones in various border areas of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts. The police also found a hideout of the terrorists inside the Talab Khatikan house of a LeT terrorist which had been erected inside an almirah from where one AK47 rifle, ammunition, and explosives were seized.
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“Three districts of the UT of J&K are ‘terrorist-free’,” claimed ADGP (Kashmir).

On 26 November 2022, the Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) of Kashmir Zone— Vijay Kumar said that “the Kashmir region, which comprises 13 police districts, has 81 terrorists with 29 being local and 52 are of foreign origin (Pakistan). Three districts— Bandipora, Kupwara, and Ganderbal, are terrorist-free with ‘zero’ local terrorists while Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have gone headless after security forces eliminated their key operatives and commanders in multiple counter-terrorism (CT) operations.”
“We are very hopeful of eradicating terrorism from Kashmir in next two years,” said ADGP Kumar.
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Police filed chargesheet against HM chief Syed Salahuddin in 10-years old threat case.

On 23 November 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police filed chargesheet against Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM) chief Mohammad Yusuf Shah aka Syed Salahuddin before National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court, Baramulla, in connection with a case pertaining to threatening Panchs and Sarpanchs for participating in Panchayat elections 10 years ago.
The chargesheet against Salahuddin has been filed under Section 512 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
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Left-Wing Extremism
Security forces eliminated two Maoists in Odisha.

In a gun-battle with security forces, on 24 November 2022, two Maoists were killed in Gandhamardan Hills area in Bolangir district, Odisha. Some arms and ammunition have also been seized from the alleged Maoist camp.
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Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)
NIA Special Court pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru’ case.

On 28 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Bengaluru, pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru case’ in which three Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operatives— i) Najir Sheikh aka Patla Anas, ii) Habibur Rahman SK, and iii) Mosaraf Hossain, are convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A]. The cases— RC-19/2019/NIA/DLI and RC-15,16,17,18/2020/NIA/DLI pertains to recovery of huge quantities of electronic/electric items, chemical apparatus, containers, etecetra, used for fabrication of bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from the hideout of JMB group in Bengaluru.
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NIA filed supplementary chargesheet against a HM OGW in a criminal conspiracy case.

On 25 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary chargesheet against a Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM) Over-Ground Worker (OGW)— Danish Naseer, in case related to a criminal conspiracy of carrying out terror attacks in India.
Danish Naseer was an HM OGW, allegedly involved in conspiracy. He transferred an amount of ₹ 30,000 to arrested terrorist Kamruj Zaman to further terror activities of HM.
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Khalistan-inspired Extremism
NIA arrested an absconding terrorist from Delhi IGI Airport.

On 18 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Kulwinderjit Khanpuria, associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF), from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport upon his arrival from Bangkok. Kulwinderjit had been absconding since 2019. According to investigation report, Kulwinderjit is the chief conspirator behind terror attacks by targeting establishments related to Dera Saccha Sauda and well of Police and Security in Punjab.

Kulwinderjit Khanpuria, along with his handlers and associates in India and other South-East Asian countries, planned and conspired to carry out terrorist attacks in India. Khanpuria was eventually able to flee India. He first collaborated with Harmeet aka PhD, and now with wanted Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode, to use his India-based terrorist associates to target identified individuals and establishments. Khanpuria was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) by the NIA Special Court in Punjab, and Interpol issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) and a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him. The NIA had also announced a ₹ 5 lakh cash reward for information leading to his arrest. On 21 November 2019, he was chargesheeted as absconder.
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Organised Crime
NIA conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with Organised Crime network.

On 29 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out search operations at over 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Union Territory of Chandigarh, and Delhi/NCR region. The search operations were to dismantle and distrupt the emerging Organised Crime nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug traffickers based in India and abroad in two connected cases registered in August 2022.

The searches were conducted at the premises of Kaushal Chaudhary, resident of Gurugram, Haryana, Vishal Mann from Prahalpur, Delhi, Binny Gurjar from Sangroor, Punjab, Ravi Rajgarh from Ludhiana, Punjab, and their associates. During the searches, NIA officials recovered incriminating material, including contraband and ammunition. According to preliminary investigation, these gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were raising funds to carry out criminal activities. The Organised Crime members were using cyberspace to propagate their deeds to create terror among public.
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NIA arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in a case related to connection between Organised Crime network and various terrorist outfits.

On 24 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Lawrence Bishnoi, from Bathinda Jail in a case related to the conspiracy hatched by various terrorist outfits based in India and abroad, working in nexus with organised crime groups to carryout terror acts and targeted crimes.

Investigations have revealed that the terrorists have an active nexus with drug smugglers and cadres/members of the Organised Crime group led by Lawrence Bishnoi, who has been found involved in commissioning various types of terror/criminal acts, including extortions from businessmen, professionals, doctors, and others, which has caused public fear. Lawrence, along with his brothers— Sachin and Anmol Bishnoi and associates, including Goldy Brar, Kala Jathedi, Kala Rana, Bikram Brar and Sampat Nehra were raising funds to carry out terror/criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons and widespread extortions.
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