DEFENCE

• Raksha Mantri holds bilateral meetings with his counterparts at the DefExpo-2022.
• Defence Secretary conducts bilateral meetings ahead of DefExpo 2022.
• DEFEXPO 22.
• India-Africa Defence Dialogue held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022.
• ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in Defence: Announcement of fourth positive indigenisation list.
• Seminar on Certification and Qualification of Airborne Stores.
• Raksha Mantri hosts Indian Ocean Region plus Defence Ministers’ Conclave.
• Seminar on the theme ‘New Frontiers in US-India Defence Cooperation: Next Generation Technology, Innovation & Make in India’.
• Indian Air Force & HAL conclude contract for indigenous trainer aircraft.
• Telephonic conversation between Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh & Defence Minister of Russia Mr Sergei Shoigu.
• Indian Coast Guard Rescues Bangladeshi Fishermen.
• Procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft.
• 29th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).
• Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) bilateral exercise ‘Garuda VII’.
• First edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

West Asia

Israel

• A Palestinian terrorist killed an Israeli and wounded three others in Kiryat Arba area.

Iran

• At least 15 were killed in a terror attack in Iran; Islamic State claimed responsibility.

Africa

Somalia

• Twin car bombings killed at least 100 people in Mogadishu.
• Government urged the US to increase drone strikes against al-Shabaab.

Mali

• “Hundreds of people massacared by Islamic State-affiliated groups in Mali in 2022”: Human Rights Watch.

Morocco

• Morocco’s law-enforcement arrested five Islamic State sympathisers in separate operations.

Afghanistan

• Islamic State attacked a vehicle and killed five medical personnel in Herat province.
• Taliban killed six Islamic State terrorists in an operation in Kabul.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

• NIA filed chargesheet against 12 suspects in ‘Sunjwan Terrorist Attack’ case.
• China blocked the proposal by India and the US at UN to blacklist LeT chief’s son.

Left-Wing Extremism

• Maoists killed a youth in Odisha.

Since 2020, Chhattisgarh police blocked eight key supply networks of Maoists in Bastar region.

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

• NIA arrested 13th accused in the ‘PFI’ case.
• MHA involved the NIA to unearth AQIS’s module in different districts of Assam.
• NIA searched multiple locations in Bihar in connection with ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ case.
• NIA searched two locations in Uttar Pradesh & Delhi and arrested an IS terrorist from Uttar Pradesh.

Narco-Trafficking

• NIA searched two locations in Punjab in ‘Narcotics trade and terror funding’ case.

DEFENCE

Raksha Mantri (RM) holds bilateral meetings with his counterparts at the DefExpo-2022.

The RM on October 17, 2022, held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from AFRICA who are attending the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and the DefExpo in Gujarat. In the course of the meetings, the Raksha Mantri met with Major General Hanana Ould Sidi, Defence Minister of Mauritania; Mr Rameaux-Claude Bireau, Defence Minister of Central African Republic; Mr Sering Modou Njie Defence Minister of Gambia; Mr Dominic Aduna Bingab Nitiwul Defence Minister of Republic of Ghana; Dr. Abraham Belay Defence Minister of Republic of Ethiopia and Mrs Janine Tatiana Santos Lelis Defence Minister of Republic of Cabo Verde. The entire spectrum of defence cooperation was discussed during the meetings, with focus on identifying avenues to expand mutually beneficial collaboration.

The RM on October 18, 2022, held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Rwanda, Armenia and the Maldives at the 12th DefExpo. In the course of the meetings, the RM met with Minister of Defence, Rwanda Major General Albert Murasira; Minister of Defence of Armenia Mr Suren Papikyan and Minister of Defence of the Maldives Ms Mariya Ahmed Didi.

Along with the IOR+ Conclave, the RM, on October 19, 2022, held bilateral meetings with delegation leaders from Bangladesh, Angola, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Paraguay, who are attending the DefExpo. In the course of the meetings, Shri Rajnath Singh met with Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Security Advisor to Prime Minister of Bangladesh; Mr Joao Ernesto Dos Santos, Minister of National Defence and Homeland Veterans of Republic of Angola; Ms Thandi Modise, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Republic of South Africa; Ms Gladys Arsenia Ruiz Pecci, Vice Minister of Defence, Paraguay and Mr Gilbert Kabanda Kurhenga, Minister of National Defence and War Veterans, Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Defence Secretary conducts bilateral meetings ahead of DefExpo 2022.

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar conducted a series of bilateral meetings with visiting dignitaries from friendly foreign countries prior to DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He held a bilateral meeting with Mr Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, State Minister for Defence, Sri Lanka. They discussed a host of ongoing and future defence cooperation issues.
The Defence Secretary also met Mr Devendre Gopaul, Permanent Secretary, Mauritius. A number of key bilateral, defence and maritime security issues were deliberated during the meeting. Another bilateral meeting with the United Arab Emirates delegation led by Mr Matar Salem Ali Marran Aldhaheri, Defence Secretary, UAE was held. They reviewed the existing defence cooperation mechanisms and explored the possibilities of furthering defence industrial cooperation between India and UAE.

Dr Ajay Kumar later met a Brazilian delegation led by Rear Admiral Vagner Belarmino De Oliveira, Director, Department of Defence Products. They discussed areas of potential defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.

A bilateral meeting was conducted with Lt Gen Isman Mohamed Hassan Karar, Secretary General MoD, Sudan. Lt Gen Rashad Abdelhamid Ismail Abdalla, Sudan Army Chief was also present. The ongoing defence cooperation issues and potential areas for future cooperation were discussed.

A Zambia delegation led by Mr Norman Chipakupaku, Permanent Secretary, MoD Zambia met Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar. Issues relating to training and capacity building were discussed, in addition to the review of ongoing bilateral defence cooperation.

Dr Ajay Kumar also met the Niger delegation led by Brigadier General Diddilli Amadou, Secretary General of the Defence Minister, Niger. Potential areas for defence cooperation between the two nations were deliberated.

A Mali delegation led by Maj Gen Sidiki Samake, Secretary General of the Department met the Defence Secretary. They discussed potential defence cooperation including defence industrial cooperation issues.
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DEFEXPO 22.

DefExpo-2022, the flagship event of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, one of the largest of its kind was held in the twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 18 to 22 October 2022. The 12th edition of the DefExpo aims to bring new technologies and solutions in the field of defence exclusively for Indian companies in line with Aatmanirbharta. The theme of DefExpo 2022 was ‘Path to Pride’. At DefExpo-2022, the participants got an opportunity to showcase their equipment and platforms and were able to explore the strengths and capabilities of the expanse of Indian Defence industry for forging business partnerships.

Organised in the largest-ever total area with record registration of 1,340 companies, the event has been organised in a four-venue format. The first-ever edition exclusively for Indian companies. Indian companies, Indian subsidiaries of Foreign OEMs, Division of company registered in India, Exhibitor having Joint Venture with an Indian company were considered as Indian participants. 451 partnerships in terms of MoUs, Transfer of Technology agreements and product launches were expected during the Bandhan ceremony on 20th October 2022.

Seventy five (75) countries will be participating in DefExpo 2022. The Raksha Mantri will host the second India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) on October 18, while the Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+) conclave will take place on October 19. More than 53 African countries have been invited for IADD and 44 for IOR+ conclave. Several Defence Ministers from Africa and the IOR+ region have confirmed their participation.
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India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022.

The dialogue successfully brought out various aspects of the IADD’s theme ‘Adopting Strategy for Synergizing and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’. Delivering the keynote address, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh defined the theme of IADD as the underlying commitment of India and African countries to explore new areas of convergence for defence engagements, including capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter terrorism. He termed India & African countries as important stakeholders in ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Gandhinagar Declaration was adopted as an outcome document of IADD 2022. It proposes to enhance cooperation in the field of training in all areas of mutual interest by increasing training slots and deputation of training teams, empowerment and capability building of the defence forces of Africa, participation in exercises and humanitarian assistance during natural disasters. India offered fellowship for experts from African countries through Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis. Fifty African countries, including 20 Defence Ministers, seven CDS/Service Chiefs and eight Permanent Secretaries participated in the Dialogue attesting to the high priority accorded to India-Africa engagement in defence and security. On the sidelines of the IADD, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt met with the visiting African Ministers where issues related to defence and bilateral relations were discussed.

The IADD was institutionalised to be held biennially during successive DefExpos. It seeks to build on the existing defence partnerships between African countries & India and to explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagements including areas such as capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter-terrorism.
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‘Aatmanirbharta’ in Defence: Announcement of fourth positive indigenisation list.

The MoD had earlier promulgated ‘First, Second and Third Positive Indigenisation Lists’, comprising 310 items on August 21, 2020, May 31, 2021 and April 07, 2022 respectively. The ‘Fourth Positive Indigenisation List’ of 101 items was announced by the Prime Minister during DefExpo 2022. All the items included in the lists will be procured from indigenous sources as per provisions given in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. This list provides continuous impetus towards self-reliance in defence. The fourth list has been prepared by MoD after several rounds of consultations with three services and all stakeholders, including the industry. It lays special focus on equipment/systems, which are being developed and likely to translate into firm orders in the next five to ten years.
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Seminar on Certification and Qualification of Airborne Stores.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) organised a seminar in partnership with the Society of Indian Defence Manufactures (SIDM) on the topic of “Certification and Qualification of Airborne Stores: Supporting the Private Sector to promote Indigenous R&D and Manufacturing”. The topic of Certification and qualification of Airborne Stores, conforming to global standards, is therefore need of the hour. As part of the IAF’s focus on ‘Make in India’, the seminar was aimed to enable a better understanding of the process of certification and qualification requirements in respect of airborne stores. The discussions was focused on the role of the certification and qualification agencies in this process.
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Raksha Mantri hosts Indian Ocean Region plus Defence Ministers’ Conclave.

The conclave was attended by 40 countries, with 22 ministers addressing the conference, some of them in hybrid mode. The broad theme was ‘Challenges Opportunities and Collaborations in the Indian Ocean’. It facilitated dialogue towards fostering a stable and peaceful Indian Ocean, with strategic and commercial partnerships within the IOR. The RM listed out shared challenges in the IOR such as spread of terrorism through sea routes, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, piracy and regional and global food security. He asserted that terrorism, exported, supported or coordinated through maritime routes remains a major concern and India continues to guard against the spread of the menace. He appreciated the fact that piracy has been suppressed in the Western Indian Ocean with concerted international effort and sustained efforts must continue to deter the menace.
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Seminar on the theme ‘New Frontiers in US-India Defence Cooperation: Next Generation Technology, Innovation & Make in India’.

Raksha Mantri has invited US companies to set up manufacturing units in India and develop technology collaborations with Indian industries to create a global supply chain free from vulnerabilities and uncertainties. He was addressing a seminar jointly organised by US-India Business Council (UIBC) and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) as part of the 12th DefExpo on October 20, 2022. The seminar was organised on the theme ‘New Frontiers in US-India Defence Cooperation: Next Generation Technology, Innovation & Make in India’. The RM described the project agreement to co-develop Air-Launched UAVs, under the auspices of the India-US Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, as a welcome development. He stated that industries from both sides can explore additional DTTI projects, such as a counter unmanned aerial systems and an Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance platform.
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Indian Air Force & HAL conclude contract for indigenous trainer aircraft.

Prime Minister unveiled HTT-40, an indigenous trainer aircraft designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), at the India Pavilion during 12th DefExpo on October 19, 2022. The aircraft has state-of-the-art contemporary systems and has been designed with pilot-friendly features. With over 60 per cent in-house parts and collaboration of private industry. The HTT-40 would be used for basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying and close formation flights whereas its secondary roles would include navigation and night flying. It is designed to meet primary training requirements of the Indian defence services.
Built around a meticulously-tested turbo-prop engine, the aircraft is equipped with the latest avionics, an air-conditioned cabin and ejection seats. It boasts of unique features like running change-over of pilots, hot-refuelling and short-turnaround time. All the tests required for certification were completed in record six years from the first flight. Indian Air Force and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited concluded a contract for 70 HTT-40 indigenous trainer aircraft worth Rs 6,800 crore.
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Telephonic conversation between Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh & Defence Minister of Russia Mr Sergei Shoigu.

The RM held a telephonic conversation with the Defence Minister of Russian Federation Mr Sergei Shoigu on October 26, 2022 at the latter’s request. During the telecon, both Ministers discussed bilateral defence cooperation as well as the deteriorating situation in Ukraine. Defence Minister Shoigu briefed the RM on the evolving situation in Ukraine, including his concerns about possible provocations through use of ‘dirty bomb’. The RM reiterated India’s position on the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy for an early resolution of the conflict. He pointed out that the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side as the prospect of the usage of nuclear or radiological weapons goes against the basic tenets of humanity.
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Indian Coast Guard Rescues Bangladeshi Fishermen.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen from the sea off Sagar Island near Indo-Bangladesh International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) on 25 Oct 22. In a swift coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operation, ICG saved their lives after the Coast Guard Dornier aircraft on surveillance sortie of the post landfall of cyclone “SITRANG” sighted their capsized boats and alerted the SAR team. They were rescued quickly and handed over to Bangladesh Coast Guard.
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Procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of a transport aircraft manufacturing project for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Vadodara, Gujarat on October 30, 2022. The Cabinet Committee on Security had, on September 08, 2021, approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. On September 24, 2021, Ministry of Defence signed a contract with M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A. for acquisition of the aircraft with associated equipment. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on October 27, 2022, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar said, as part of the contract, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition and 40 will be manufactured in India by the Indian Aircraft Contractor, TATA Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) led by TASL. This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well.

The first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025. The first Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026. C-295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF. 96% of the total man hour work per aircraft that Airbus employs at its manufacturing facility at Spain will be undertaken in India by the TATA Consortium. Manufacturing of over 13,400 Detail Parts, 4,600 sub-assemblies and all the seven Major Component Assemblies will be undertaken in India, along with tools, jigs and testers. Various systems such as engines, landing gear, avionics, EW suite etc. will be provided by Airbus Defence & Space and integrated on the aircraft by the TATA Consortium.

The aircraft will be tested as an integrated system by the TATA Consortium. The aircraft will be flight tested and delivered through a Delivery Centre at the TATA Consortium facility.
All 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare suite of Indian DPSUs – Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited. After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, M/s Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India.
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29th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).

The Indian Navy is hosting the 29th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) from 26 to 30 October, 2022 at Visakhapatnam.
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Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) bilateral exercise ‘Garuda VII’.

Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) are participating in a bilateral exercise, named ‘Garuda VIl’, from 26 October to 12 November 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur. In this exercise, FASF will participate with four Rafale fighter aircraft, one A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and a contingent of 220 personnel. The IAF is participating with Su-30 MKI, Rafale, LCA Tejas and Jaguar fighter aircraft, as well as the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Mi-17 helicopters. The IAF contingent will also include Combat Enabling Assets like Flight Refuelling Aircraft, AWACS and AEW&C. This joint exercise will provide a platform for both the countries to enhance operational capability and interoperability, while also sharing best practices.
This is the seventh edition of the bilateral exercise. The first, third and fifth editions were conducted in India in 2003, 2006 and 2014 at Air Force Stations Gwalior, Kalaikunda and Jodhpur, respectively. The second, fourth and sixth editions were conducted in France in 2005, 2010 and 2019.
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First edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise.

The first edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT), a joint maritime exercise among the Indian, Mozambique and Tanzanian navies commenced at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on 27 Oct 22. Indian Navy is represented by the guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and MARCOS (Special Forces).
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INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

West Asia

Israel

A Palestinian terrorist killed an Israeli and wounded three others in Kiryat Arba area.

On 29 October 2022, a Palestinian terrorist attacked and killed an Israeli— Ronen Hanania, outside a convenience store in Kiryat Arba area on the outskirts of Hebron in the southern West Bank. The Israel Defence Force (IDF)’s Chief of Staff Lt Gen Aviv Kohavi visited the site after Israeli troops mapped terrorist’s hideout ahead of its possible demolition.
Muhammed Kamel al-Jaabari, a Hebron resident, was identified as the perpetrator and was killed by an off-duty IDF officer near the Ashmoret checkpoint. Several members of Jaabari’s family are said to be close to Hamas, including his brother, who was released as part of the Gilad Shalid prisoner exchange deal and exiled to Gaza. For more information: Click here to read…_

Iran

At least 15 were killed in a terror attack in Iran; Islamic State claimed responsibility.

On 26 October 2022, Islamic State (IS) carried out a terrorist attack in which at least 15 people, including two children, were killed and 40 others were injured at the Shahcheragh Shrine in the city of Shiraz in Southern Iran. The IS released a statement through its media group— Amaq news agency, which reads that one of its terrorists had targted group of “sunni refusal infidels inside the shrine with his machine gun, causing the death of tens of them.” “The terrorist first targeted the servant and guard of the shrine, and intended to attack the congregational evening prayers, but one of the servants shut the door on him,” said the governor of Fars province. “After the initial burst of fire, the attacker went near the shrine and fired many rounds at those present at the scene,” recalled an eyewitness.

Africa

Somalia

Twin car bombings killed at least 100 people in Mogadishu.

According to the statement by Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on 31 October 2022, at least 100 people were killed and nearly 300 were wounded in two car bombings at a busy junction in Mogadishu. “We ask our international partners and Muslims around the world to send their medical assistance here since we cannot send all the victims outside the country for treatment,” said Somalian President.
Al-Qa’ida affiliated group— al-Shabaab claimed the responsibility of the attack. The terror group stated that the “education ministry was an enemy base that receives support from non-Muslim countries and is committed to removing Somali children from the Islamic faith.” The group urged civilians to avoid government buildings and declared that it is committed to fighting until Islamic law is implemented nationwide.
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Government urged the US to increase drone strikes against al-Shabaab.

Several US officials claimed that Somalian government requested the Biden administration to step up the drone strikes against al-Shabaab terrorist group in the troubled horn of Africa. Amid the redeployment of 450 US troops to Somalia, the new Somalian administration has launched a counter-terrorism operation against al-Shabaab.
The US was trying to promote stability in Somalia and counter al-Shabaab not just through military force but by bulding the Somali government’s capacity and addressing humanitarian needs. “As part of holistic approach, the US military works to train and support Somali partners who are catalysing offensive action against al-Shabaab, while judiciously applying high-end capacity only to disrupt the most serious threats,” said a spokeswoman for the US National Security Council— Adrienne Watson.
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Mali

“Hundreds of people massacared by Islamic State-affiliated groups in Mali in 2022”: Human Rights Watch.

On 27 October 2022, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that Islamic State (IS) and its affiliated groups have massacared hundreds of people in north-east Mali in 2022. In a report, the HRW stated that tens of thousands of people displaced from Menaka and Gao regions after losing their livestock and belongings in several attacks since March 2022. “Islamist armed groups in north-east Mali have carried out terrifying and seemingly coordinated attacks on villages, killing civilians, looting homes, and destroying properties,” said Jehanne Henry, HRW’s senior Africa adviser. The report suggests that the United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) should continue to ramp up its patrolling, deterrence flights, and interactions with the affected communities.
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Morocco

Morocco’s law-enforcement arrested five Islamic State sympathisers in separate operations.

On 25-26 October 2022, Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) carried out counter-terrorism operation and arrested five Islamic State (IS) sympathisers for their alleged involvement in planning attacks to undermine the public order. The operation was carried out in Douar Habata Benmansour in the province of Kenitra, Sidi Yahya Zaer, Dchira in Inzegane Ait Melloul, Bouaboud in Chichaoua and Casablanca. The BCIJ officials recovered a shotgun and ammunition from the one of the arrested sympathiser’s house in Kenitra.
For more information: Click here to read…_

Afghanistan

Islamic State attacked a vehicle and killed five medical personnel in Herat province.

On 27 October 2022, Islamic State (IS) attacked a vehicle and killed five medical personnel employed by the Taliban, in Herat province in Afghanistan. According to Taliban Ministry of Defence spokesperson— Enayatullah Khowrazmi, several medical employees were injured in the attack. “This morning unknown armed men attacked a vehicle carrying medical personnel of the 207th Al-Farooq Army Corps,” said Khowrazmi. The IS claimed responsibility for the attack via group’s Telegram channel.
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Taliban killed six Islamic State terrorists in an operation in Kabul.

On 22 October 2022, Taliban terrorists killed six Islamic State (IS) terrorists in an operation in Kabul. The IS terrorists were killed in a raid on their hideout and duo were involved in major attacks— Wazir Akbar Khan mosque and on Kaaj institute, in recent weeks.
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DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

NIA filed chargesheet against 12 terrorists in ‘Sunjwan Terrorist Attack’ case.

On 19 October 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet before NIA Special Court (Jammu) against 12 terrorists in ‘Sunjawan Terrorist Attack’ case. The case— RC/03/2022/NIA/JMU relates to the terror conspiracy hatched by Kashmir-based terrorists, Pakistan-based handlers, and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), in furtherance to which, two JeM terrorists infiltrated into India via an illicit tunnel. However, the infiltration was inturrepted by security forces and both terrorists were killed in a counter-terrorism (CT) operation in the area of Sunjwan in Jammu of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
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China blocked the proposal by India and the US at UN to blacklist LeT chief’s son.

For the second time in less than 48 hours, China puts hold on the proposal submitted by India and the United States (US) to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief— Hafiz Saeed’s son— Hafiz Talah Saeed, as a global terrorist. In April 2022, Talah was declared as a terrorist by the Government of India. Earlier, on 18 October 2022, China blocked the proposal by India and the US to blacklist LeT leader Shahid Mahmood as a global terrorists.
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Left-Wing Extremism

Maoists killed a youth in Odisha.

On 24 October 2022, Maoists of KKBN (Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh) division killed a youth in Kandhamal district in Odisha, suspecting him to be a police informer. The KKBN, CPI (Maoist)’s division, claimed to have killed a youth—Nilakantha, resident of Tikarpaju village. “The Maoists have left posters at the killing spot claiming the responsibility,” said Kandhamal Superintendent of Police (SP)— Vineet Agarwal.
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Since 2020, Chhattisgarh police blocked eight key supply networks of Maoists in Bastar region.

As per the statement by a senior police official (on the basis of anonymity), since 2020, Chhattisgarh police have cracked eight key supply networks, such as aid of medicines, explosives, and logistics to a great extent, and arrested at least 38 Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) in Bastar region. The seven districts that make up the Bastar region are: Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Sukma.

According to Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj, “the police have significantly damaged the supply network of various formations of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of the CPI (Maoists) over the past couple of years. At least 38 people, including businessmen, law-enforcement officers, and local politicians, are allegedly involved in delivering drugs, explosives, weapons, and basics to Maoists.”
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Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

NIA arrested 13th accused in the ‘PFI’ case.

On 28 October 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an absconding suspect— C A Rauf, from Palakkad, Kerala, in connection with the Popular Front of India (PFI) case.
The case related to the conspiracy hatched by the PFI, it’s office bearers, members, and other affiliated organisations in Kerala, indulge in unlawful activities. The group (PFI) was also involved in luring youth to join terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State (IS), and al-Qa’ida, to establish Islamic rule in India by committing violent acts of jihad. As per the statement released by the NIA, C A Rauf was PFI’s state secretary and was handling organisation’s Media and Public Relations wings in Kerala.
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MHA involved the NIA to unearth AQIS’s module in different districts of Assam.

Based on various inputs about al-Qa’ida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) modules active in Assam, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) roped in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to unearth the terror module.
The NIA’s First Information Report (FIR) states unequivocally that the AQIS module was active in different districts of Assam and had ties to the terrorist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), which is based in Bangladesh. According to reports, AQIS, is active in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Myanmar (Burma), and Bangladesh. The goal of AQIS is to promote terror on Indian soil, radicalise youth, and conduct recruitment to wage war against the Union of India, with a view to overthrow the democratically elected government by establishing the so-called “Rule of Khilafat”/Sharia Law and to implement Ghazwa-e-Hind, with the aid of recruits from India.
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NIA searched multiple locations in Bihar in connection with ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ case.

On 18 October 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out search operations at three locations in Patna district in Bihar, in connection with ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ case in which a terror operative— Margub Ahmad Danish aka Tahir was arrested. According to a report, Danish was involved in anti-national activities and radicalisation of youth over social media.
As per the report, Danish was a self-radicalised and was in contact with several foreign entities on WhatsApp group “Ghazwa-e-Hind” created by him. The WhatsApp group meant for glorifying terrorist acts in Kashmir, in view to radicalise youth. Another WhatsApp group— “Ghazwat-e-Hind BD” was also administered by Danish.
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NIA searched two locations in Uttar Pradesh & Delhi and arrested an IS terrorist from Uttar Pradesh.

On 19 October 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at two locations in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Delhi, and arrested an Islamic State (IS) terrorist— Basit Kalam Siddiqui (age 24 years), from Varanasi, UP. The case— RC-14/2021/NIA/DLI pertains to the conspiracy by IS’s Voice of Hind module to radicalise and recruit youth to wage jihad against India. Earlier, the NIA cracked the ‘Voice of Hind’ module and arrested six IS terrorists, including so-called Emir of Islamic State-Jammu and Kashmir (IS-JK)— Umar Nisar aka Qasim Khurasani.
Basit Kalam was in contact with IS’s operational handlers and was actively involved in the content creation, publication and dissemination of IS propaganda through the magazine ‘Voice of Khurasan’. On the behest of IS handlers based in Afghanistan, Basit was trying to fabricate an explosive ‘Black Powder’ and gaining knowledge on use of other lethal chemical substances to be used for the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Through various Telegram Channels that he operated, Basit was taking training on making of explosives, for further carrying out terrorist attacks at critical Installations and population. In his later agenda, Basit was preparing to travel to Khurasan province and join the Islamic State-Khurasan Province (IS-KP) terror group in Afghanistan.
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Narco-Trafficking

NIA searched two locations in Punjab in ‘Narcotics trade and terror funding’ case.

On 20 October 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches at the office and residence of a suspect— Amritpal Singh, in Punjab, in connection with the narcotics trade and terror funding case.
The case pertains to the seizure of over 102 kilogram heroin that had arrived in India via Intergrated Check-Posts (ICPs), Attari on 24 April and 26 April 2022. The heroin was concealed in a consignment of licorice roots aka Mulethi by suppliers based in Afghanistan. During the search operation, the NIA officials seized unaccounted cash worth ₹ 1,27,91,900 (One Crore Twenty Seven Lakhs Ninety One Thousand and Nine Hundred Indian rupees), and incriminating digital devices and documents.
For more information: Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Iran and Pakistan Officials Pledge to Act for Peace in Afghanistan: Tolo News

Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan on a trip to Iran talked about the current situation in Afghanistan with Iranian officials. Iran’s Foreign Ministry tweeted that Islamabad and Tehran will use all their capacity to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Minister: Bangladesh-India relations will further deepen: Dhaka Tribune/

India and Bangladesh share brotherly relations and it will only grow further, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said. He was addressing the opening ceremony of the BGB-BSF joint retreat parade at Banglabandha Zero Point in Tetulia upazila of Panchagarh on Thursday. Click here to read…

Bhutan

RCSC to conduct leadership assessment for P1 officers now: The Bhutanese

Starting November 12, 2022, the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) will be conducting leadership assessment exercises for Officers in P1 Management (P1 M) position level as part of the process to identify potential candidates for Executive-level positions, according to a release, Click here to read…

Maldives

Decision to support OPEC Plus was not influenced in any way, says gov’t: Avas

The Maldives’ decision to support OPEC Plus’s decision to cut oil production was not influenced by any party, Presidential Spokesperson Miuwan Mohamed has said. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Mandalay ultranationalist and militia leader survives assassination attempt : Myanmar Now

A notorious ultranationalist and leader of the Myanmar army-backed Pyu Saw Htee militia survived an assassination attempt in Mandalay on Wednesday morning, Myanmar Now has learned. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal to talk up climate losses and seek more funding at COP27: The Kathmandu Post

Experts say the government’s apathy towards climate change is glaring, especially given the increasing incidents each year of melting glaciers, flash floods and landslides. The incidents have claimed lives and destroyed property. The numbers continue to see an alarming rise every passing year. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Axe falls on uplift spending as creditors stay aloof: The Express Tribune

The government has capped the development spending for the first half of the fiscal year at mere 20% of the annual budget because of severe economic crisis, as multilateral creditors remained reluctant to provide any major solace to Pakistan in the aftermath of the recent floods. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan security forces couldn’t pay training fees to India: Daily Mirror

Emphasising on the need to attain self-reliance, Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt Thursday said Sri Lanka was in such a bad economic crisis that its security forces were unable to pay the nominal fees for training exercises in India. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Iran and Pakistan Officials Pledge to Act for Peace in Afghanistan: Tolo News

Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan on a trip to Iran talked about the current situation in Afghanistan with Iranian officials. Iran’s Foreign Ministry tweeted that Islamabad and Tehran will use all their capacity to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will work with all its capacities to establish peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and for the people of Afghanistan,” said Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister. Click here to read…

Afghan GDP Estimated to Further Contract This Year: World Bank: Tolo News

The World Bank released a development update on Afghanistan, in which it estimated that the real GDP is projected to contract further in 2022, with an accumulated contraction of close to 30-35 percent between 2021 and 2022. The report highlighted the economic and humanitarian challenges of Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

BNP: People want end to oppressive regime: Dhaka Tribune

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan has said that the people of the country have run out of patience and want an end to the current oppressive regime. Click here to read…

Bhutan

New department to enhance economic and tech cooperation: Kuensel Online

As part of the civil service restructuring, a department for economic and technology diplomacy is created under the foreign affairs ministry to enhance, coordinate and lead all engagements related to economic diplomacy. The Department of Regional Cooperation is merged with the Department of Multilateral Affairs. Click here to read…

Maldives

Foreign Minister meets with Omani counterpart: Avas

Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has met with the Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, Sayyid Badr Albusaidi as a Special Envoy of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Bomb blasts, gunfire at Myanmar’s biggest prison kills eight, including guards : Myanmar Now

At least eight people were killed and 15 injured after Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison was hit with two explosions and a shooting on Wednesday morning, according to sources at the site. At around 9:40am, two parcel bombs went off near the main entrance of the prison: one detonated in a building where staff receive care packages for prisoners and another one went off outside. Click here to read…

Nepal

Ex-Gurkha soldiers’ fight for justice to continue with tripartite talks: The Kathmandu Post

The long-awaited tripartite talks for equal pension and benefits for retired Gurkha soldiers is scheduled to take place in London on November 3, according to leaders of the agitating Gurkha veterans. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Supreme Court puzzled by forces’ exclusion from NAB ambit: Dawn

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the Supreme Court on Wednesday wondered why Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan never objected to the exclusion of the armed forces from the ambit of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), when some of the country’s largest business entities were run by them. Click here to read…

Editorial: The chosen one: Dawn

The United States has again selected Pakistan and, after some years of abstinence, placed a white handkerchief on its shoulder. After assiduously ignoring prime minister Imran Khan for three years, the Biden administration has suddenly warmed to his successor Shehbaz Sharif. During the recent United Nations General Assembly, Biden and his wife granted a photo-op to our prime minister, flanking him in a composition not lost on avid diplomatic watchers. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Govt. ready for prudent economic management following successful debt restructuring: Prez: Daily Mirror

The Government is ready to implement prudent economic management after successful debt restructuring, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said today. He said this delivering a special statement on tax policy today. President Wickremesinghe further noted that it was not possible to strengthen the economy without increasing the revenue of the country, which will compel him to reluctantly make tough decisions in order to rebuild the nation. Click here to read…

Former vice governor of China’s Hubei expelled from CPC, public office: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

Cao Guangjing, former vice governor of central China’s Hubei Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body said Thursday. Click here to read…

Former provincial legislator expelled from CPC, public office: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

Song Xibin, a former senior legislator in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft agency announced Thursday. Click here to read…

Former chief procurator of Shanghai expelled from CPC, office: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

Zhang Bencai, former chief procurator of the Shanghai People’s Procuratorate in east China, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body announced Thursday. Click here to read…

China’s State Council appoints, removes officials: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

The State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of officials on Thursday. Zhou Jinqiang was appointed deputy head of the General Administration of Sport of China. Zhao Chongjiu was appointed head of the State Post Bureau, replacing Ma Junsheng, and Zhao no longer serves as vice minister of transport. Click here to read…

NPC Standing Committee’s inspection team meets on Foreign Investment Law: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

The National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee’s inspection team on the enforcement of the Foreign Investment Law Thursday held the second plenary session to review and discuss a report on the inspection work. Click here to read…

Chinese ambassador puts forward 4 proposals on China-India relations: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong put forward four proposals on the development of China-India relations at a virtual event celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Delivering a speech on Tuesday, Sun said China and India are both major developing countries, and China-India relations are not only important for the two countries but also have a significant impact on the region and the world at large. Click here to read…

China’s tax and fee cuts, deferrals help stabilize macroeconomy: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

China’s combined tax and fee support policies have helped ease the burden on market entities and stabilize the macroeconomy, official data showed on Thursday. The country’s tax refunds, as well as tax and fee cuts and deferrals exceeded 3.4 trillion yuan (about 478 billion U.S. dollars) by Sept. 20, Cai Zili, an official with the State Taxation Administration told a press conference. Click here to read…

Former vice governor of northeast China’s Liaoning Province expelled from CPC, office: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

Wang Dawei, former vice governor of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office due to serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body announced on Thursday. Click here to read…

Former vice chairman of China’s Tibet regional gov’t indicted for bribery: Xinhuanet
September 29, 2022

Zhang Yongze, former vice chairman of the government of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, has been indicted on charges of taking bribes. Zhang took advantage of his former positions and power to seek benefits for others in areas including project contracting and personnel promotion, and illegally accepted a large amount of money and valuables in return, according to the indictment. Click here to read…

Disengagement of Chinese, Indian troops in Jianan Daban conducive to peace in border areas: China Military
September 29, 2022

The disengagement of Chinese and Indian troops in the area of Jianan Daban is conducive to promoting peace and tranquility in the border areas, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday. Click here to read…

Corruption continues after retirement for some officials: China Daily
September 29, 2022

The supervision of officials needs to be increased both before and after they leave office to prevent them from committing corruption after retirement, experts said. Several officials have been placed under investigation following retirement in the first seven months of this year alone. Click here to read…

China’s NDRC vows more measures to attract foreign investment: Global Times
September 29, 2022

China’s top economic planner said on Thursday that it will soon roll out more policies and measures for the manufacturing sector, aiming to increase foreign investment, further adding to a slew of measures China has already taken to stabilize its economy, trade and foreign investment. Click here to read…

China tightens e-cigarette regulations, requires firms to obtain licenses: Global Times
September 29, 2022

China Tobacco, the cigarette market supervisor, issued a document on its official website on Thursday requiring domestic e-cigarette manufacturers and traders to obtain a license before operating their business, further tightening the regulations for e-cigarettes. The new rules will be implemented from October 1, 2022. Click here to read…

Overseas warehouses help Chinese enterprises go global: People’s Daily
September 29, 2022

With cross-border e-commerce booming in recent years, many Chinese enterprises have built overseas warehouses in order to better meet the needs of overseas customers. Nowadays, many overseas customers are buying a wide range of Chinese products, such as cosmetics, clothes, furniture and vehicles on Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms. Jalila from Bahrain recently bought a Chinese coffee maker called HiBREW online. Click here to read…

Self-exiled Hong Kong democrat sentenced to 3 1/2 years in jail in absentia: Reuters
September 29, 2022

A court in Hong Kong on Thursday sentenced a pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker, Ted Hui, to 3 1/2 years in jail for “criminal contempt” after he failed to show up for trial in several criminal cases. Hui, 40, fled Hong Kong in December 2020, several months after China imposed a sweeping national security law punishing offences like subversion and foreign collusion with possible life imprisonment. Click here to read…

China forex regulator warns against illegal money outflows: Reuters
September 30, 2022

China’s foreign exchange regulator named and shamed 10 banks that had assisted illegal capital outflows, vowing to crack down on fake forex transactions in authorities’ latest effort to stabilise the sliding yuan. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) listed 10 “typical” cases of misdeeds in a statement on its website on Thursday, involving money flowing overseas illegally through bank businesses such as offshore loans, trade finance, and outbound investment. Click here to read…

China to relax floor on mortgage rates to revive housing sector: Reuters
September 30, 2022

Chinese local governments may relax the floor on mortgage rates for first-time home buyers in some cities in phases, the central bank said on Thursday, in a bid to prop up property prices and revive a flagging engine of the world’s second-largest economy. Click here to read…

China certifies C919 jet to compete with Airbus and Boeing: Reuters
September 30, 2022

China held a ceremony on Thursday to certify its C919 narrowbody passenger jet, photos on social media showed, representing a major milestone in the country’s ambitions to challenge Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N) in commercial aerospace. Click here to read…

U.S. slaps sanctions on China-based companies over Iran oil sales: Kyodo
September 30, 2022

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on companies based in China and elsewhere over their alleged involvement in sales of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products. The move came as Tehran continues to accelerate its nuclear activities in violation of a 2015 multilateral deal, under which Iran agreed with the United States and five other major powers to limit its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. Click here to read…

US urges China to resume climate, other talks: Taipei Times
September 30, 2022

The US’ top envoy to China yesterday called on the nation to reopen dialogue it halted after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan almost two months ago. “Our message to the Chinese is: Let’s talk, open these dialogues and let’s move forward,” US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns told the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore via videoconference. Click here to read…

Chinese film Return to Dust disappears from cinemas and the internet, despite US$14 million ticket sales, and no one knows why: South China Morning Post
September 30, 2022

A film depicting the lives of impoverished peasants in China has disappeared from the country’s cinemas and internet, despite earning more than 100 million yuan (US$14 million) at the box office. Return to Dust, directed by Chinese filmmaker Li Ruijun, was withdrawn from cinemas on September 26 and dropped from all streaming platforms in the country with little fanfare. Discussion about the film has not been prohibited on social media, however. Click here to read…

China’s ‘erratic policy shifts’ have some companies wondering how much more they can take: South China Morning Post
September 30, 2022

Months after Shanghai lifted its crippling, 60-day Covid lockdown, the event continues to haunt foreign businesses in China. Multinationals like holiday rental giant Airbnb have shut operations in the country, while a growing number of surveys by foreign business groups show European and American firms are planning to move out of the country. Overseas investment projects are tumbling. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 97 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
September 30, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 97 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Friday. Altogether 625 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified. Click here to read…

China on its way to “dual carbon” goals: Qiushi
September 30, 2022

The Hangzhou West Railway Station, in the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, was recently put into operation. Photovoltaic panels covering 15,000 square meters have been on the station roof, which are expected to generate 2.31 million kilowatt-hours of green power and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,300 tons every year. Click here to read…

Chinese welcome National Day with full confidence in nation’s future: Global Times
September 30, 2022

With Chinese people preparing to embrace the National Day and enjoy the Golden Week holiday that runs from October 1 to 7, local governments are taking more measures to boost the holiday economy while at the same time fighting against COVID-19. Analysts said that even though some Western media have badmouthed China’s economy by smearing the country’s COVID-19 prevention measures, the resilience of the Chinese economy and remarkable recovery expectations ahead remain unchanged, with Chinese people having full confidence in the country’s prospects. Click here to read…

Nationalistic blogger Sima Nan banned from Chinese social media: South China Morning Post

August 23, 2022

Sima Nan, a Chinese blogger who shot to fame on the back of rising nationalism by writing inflammatory articles about the United States, was suddenly banned from his social media accounts for unknown reasons. He has been blocked from posting on Weibo, WeChat, Bilibili and Douyin “for violation of relevant laws and regulations”, according to notices posted on the platforms, but his previous posts remained untouched. He last updated his accounts on Saturday. No further details were released, and the immediate cause of what appears to be a collective effort by Chinese social media to censor his accounts is not clear. It is not known when or if he will be able to resume posting on the platforms. Click here to read…

China’s offshore undersea detection system passes sea trial: Xinhuanet

August 24, 2022

China’s independently developed offshore undersea mobile detection system Haizhe, also called Jellyfish, has completed its 3,000-meter deep sea trial in a methane seep zone of the South China Sea and passed the acceptance, the China Science Daily reported on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China launches human resources website for older people: Xinhuanet

August 24, 2022

China on Wednesday launched a human resources website for older people, marking the first step of building a human resources information service platform for the country’s older citizens. The website, launched by the China National Committee on Ageing, offers content including human resources policies, human resources knowledge and employment information. Click here to read…

Chinese police solve over 1,500 cases in crackdown on production, sale of fake medicine: Xinhuanet

August 24, 2022

Chinese police have solved over 1,500 cases involving the production and sale of fake or substandard medicine in the first half of this year, with the value of money involved amounting to 4.78 billion yuan (about 696 million U.S. dollars), said the Ministry of Public Security on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Circular urges study of book on Xi Jinping’s thinking on armed forces: China Military

August 24, 2022

A circular has called on Party organizations at all levels and the armed forces to conduct thorough and in-depth study of a new book on Xi Jinping’s thinking on strengthening the armed forces. The circular was jointly released by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission. Click here to read…

Chinese defense chief delivers video speech at SCO defense ministers meeting: China Military

August 24, 2022

The 19th meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on August 24, 2022. Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe attended and addressed the meeting via video link. Click here to read…

China expresses condolences to victims of floods in Pakistan, provides relief supplies, aid: Global Times

August 24, 2022

China is offering emergency aid, including needed supplies and $300,000 in cash to Pakistan, to support its disaster-hit areas where flood has caused casualties and property loss, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

YU-20 aerial tanker to star in PLA Air Force’s open day event: Global Times

August 24, 2022

The YU-20 aerial tanker, the force amplifier that recently entered service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and made frequent appearances in exercises around the island of Taiwan earlier this month, will be a star of the show at the upcoming PLA Air Force open day event with its first static display to the general public. Click here to read…

China, Iran Friendship Associations vow to strengthen bilateral Belt and Road cooperation: People’s Daily

August 24, 2022

The 13th annual conference of China Iran Friendship Associations and Dialogues between the sister provinces/cities of China and Iran was held online on Tuesday to bolster cooperation between the two countries. Under the theme of “Future-oriented China-Iran Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Win-win Cooperation for Common Development,” the conference was jointly organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, China-Iran Friendship Association, and Iran-China Friendship Association. Click here to read…

China halts more than 20 IPOs sponsored by China Merchants Securities amid probe: Reuters

August 24, 2022

Chinese bourses have halted processing more than 20 initial public offering (IPO) plans sponsored by China Merchants Securities (600999.SS), following an investigation into the broker, according to exchange disclosures. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange has suspended 15 IPO plans set for its ChiNext board, while the Shanghai exchange has paused five IPOs targeting its tech-focused STAR Market since last Friday, exchange filings showed. Click here to read…

China exerting growing pressure on foreign companies, study finds: Reuters

August 24, 2022

China is exerting increasing pressure on foreign companies doing business in its markets to bring them into line with its political agenda, broadening the “red lines” for issues to which it is allergic, a German study seen by Reuters shows. A survey of more than 100 companies by the Berlin-based Merics think tank for China studies and the BDI industry association showed that the threshhold for exerting pressure on companies is falling. The number of known cases rose significantly from 2018, it found. Click here to read…

China regulator warns banks against yuan selling: Reuters

August 24, 2022

China’s foreign exchange regulator phoned several banks on Wednesday to warn them against aggressively selling the Chinese currency, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, in a new sign of official discomfort with recent yuan weakness. Click here to read…

Japan to pledge human resources investment in Africa to counter China: Kyodo

August 24, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will announce investment in human resources in Africa at a gathering held in Tunisia later this week, in an effort to counter China’s influence on the continent, government sources said Wednesday. At the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Kishida will pledge to invest in fostering the talents of 300,000 people for the next three years, primarily in the agriculture and health sectors, according to the sources. Click here to read…

Ideas shared to improve job market: China Daily

August 25, 2022

National political advisers have presented their ideas on helping the nation tackle its employment problems, which have been compounded by COVID-19 and an economic slowdown. Held from Monday to Wednesday, a session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference focused on stabilizing the job market by implementing an employment-first policy. Click here to read…

Minister calls for more SCO security cooperation: China Daily

August 25, 2022

China’s defense minister on Wednesday called for global solidarity amid multiple crises and challenges rarely seen in history, encouraging member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to deepen security cooperation. Click here to read…

China to build on policy package for stabilizing economy to firm up foundation for recovery, growth: People’s Daily

August 25, 2022

China will adopt follow-up policies on top of the policy package for stabilizing the economy as part of intensified efforts to consolidate the foundation of economic recovery and growth, and send taskforces to localities to supervise and assist work on this front to promote policy implementation at a faster pace, according to the decision made at the State Council’s Executive Meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China reopens to foreign students after two years: Taipei Times

August 25, 2022

China yesterday opened its borders for foreign students for the first time in more than two years, easing restrictions on their entry imposed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign nationals holding a Chinese residence permit for study or an APEC business travel card would be allowed to enter the country, the Chinese embassy in the US said in a statement on WeChat on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Xi Jinping looks to take China beyond Deng Xiaoping’s ‘get rich’ era with historic third term: South China Morning Post

August 25, 2022

On a cold morning in mid-January, two dozen senior Communist Party officials, wrapped in black coats to protect them against the winter chill, stood solemnly in rows at the courtyard of Guohong Mansion, home to China’s top economic planning agency. The group had gathered for the launch of the Xi Jinping Economic Thought Research Centre, the 18th research institution set up since the Chinese president’s philosophy was enshrined in the constitution in 2018. Click here to read…

Chinese prosecutors charge former senior official of Guangxi with bribery: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

A public prosecution has been instituted against Liu Hongwu, former vice chairman of the people’s government of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He is suspected of bribery, an official statement said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 345 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 345 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 217 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Thursday. Altogether 1,289 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified on Wednesday, including 521 in Tibet and 309 in Hainan, said the commission in its report. Click here to read…

China to implement negative list for cross-border trade in services: Qiushi

August 25, 2022

China will implement a negative list for cross-border trade in services, expand opening-up in the services sector and bolster digital trade to shore up economic growth, said government officials on Tuesday. A negative list refers to special administrative measures for access of foreign investors to specific fields. China introduced a negative list for cross-border trade in services at the Hainan Free Trade Port last year. Click here to read…

China achieves progress in building international consumption centers: Qiushi

August 25, 2022

Progress has been made by Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing, one year after the five leading cities were approved to develop international consumption centers cities. On Aug. 8, Aveda, a high-level manufacturer of hair care products owned by Estée Lauder Companies, opened its first store on the Chinese mainland at the Taikoo Li Qiantan, a mega shopping mall in Shanghai. Click here to read…

Abstract:

After 19 months into his Presidency the US Administration decided that President Joe Biden embark on a ‘mending fences’ visit to West Asia including Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia to interact bilaterally and regionally with GCC++ leaders in Jeddah at the Security and Development Summit . While Khashoggi’s assassination and Biden’s berating of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his election campaign were the bitter pills both sides decided to swallow. Saudi Arabia and the US will cooperate on a range of future industries including 5G networks, enhanced cyber security, and space exploration, in addition to public health for which several agreements were signed.

Russia-Ukraine war was the backdrop as higher energy production to ease supply constraints especially to Europe remained a priority. So did update on the status of negotiations on the Iranian Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) while assuring its Gulf and Middle East partners of USA’s continued support and interest in their security. He said ‘USA was not going anywhere’. Biden also made greater efforts to persuade the Saudi’s to near- normalize ties with Tel Aviv even as Riyadh opened up its airspace for all airlines including El AL. Saudi FM, however, clarified that no normalization possible until the two state solution with Palestine is reached and opening of the air space was not a precursor either.

Biden also attended the I2U2 Summit leaders from India, Israel and UAE; it is considered to be a techno-economic extension of the Abraham Accords. It was agreed by all four sides to expedite the mutually beneficial projects in the six designated areas to begin with. This QUAD in once year with the appointed Sherpas and experts at beck and call as well as PPP enterprise seems to have achieved much more in less than a year including a Virtual Summit of leaders.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz claimed that Israel could use Abraham Accords and normalization of relations with Arab countries to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and develop confidence building measures. Even Biden asked Palestinian President Abbas to cooperate but the Palestinians feel that the Abraham Accords are a mechanism to bypass their cause. Meanwhile, interim Israeli PM Yair Lapid met with Jordanian King Abdullah II to discuss the regional situation as Israeli leadership was getting ready for an eventual confrontation with Iran if the various reports are to be believed.

One of the outcomes of the Biden visit was that U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of C-17 aircraft sustainment and related equipment to the United Arab Emirates for an estimated cost of $980.4 million, according to Pentagon.

Saudi Crown Prince visited France and held discussions in a more charming manner with Macron. Saudi Arabia and France agreed to boost cooperation on renewable energy including solar, wind and clean hydrogen following the guidelines of the Paris Climate Accords. France -UAE also signed an Energy Cooperation Deal.

As the Russia -US contest via Kiev continues, Tehran hosted Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan under the Astana Format on Syria. President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated “We stress the importance of implementing the previous agreements among the guarantor states – Russia, Iran and Turkey- on Syria and announce our support for the political resolution in the country along with combating terrorism till eliminating it completely”. He however beseeched his Turkish counterpart not to attack on Northern Syrians as this will embolden the terrorist groups. Erdogan and Raisi also co-chaired the 7th Meeting of the Türkiye-Iran High Level Cooperation Council.

Prime Minister Modi virtually participated in the I2 U2 Summit

A trilateral meeting of focal points of France, India and UAE was held in which the three sides exchanged perspectives on the Indo-Pacific region and explored the potential areas of trilateral cooperation including Maritime Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Blue Economy, Regional Connectivity, Cooperation in Multilateral Fora, Energy and Food Security, Innovation and Startups, Supply Chain Resilience and Cultural and People-to-People Cooperation. They also discussed the next steps to be taken for furthering trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
India strongly condemned the recent killings in the Zakho district of Dohuk Governatorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which is a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty and a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra spoke with Dr. Ali Bagheri Kani, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran and discussed various elements of bilateral relations including progress on the Chabahar Port. Foreign Secretary underscored India’s commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Iran in addressing shared opportunities and challenges. Both sides also discussed international and regional issues including Afghanistan as per MEA.

More Details ….

US President’s visit to Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia

US President Joe Biden made his first trip to the West Asian region after coming to power. In Israel, he called himself as a fellow Zionist and claimed that the connection between US and Israel is bone deep. Biden during his two days stay in Jerusalem met with Prime Minister Yair Lapid and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden’s interactions and speeches were largely concentrated to his personal ties and bilateral relations with minimal reference to solving Israel-Palestine conflict. He however expressed support for two-state solution without referring to Palestinians by name. Moreover, any discussion on new US initiated peace plan was muted. Biden briefly met with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem and discussed about economic incentives. Joe Biden administration is keen to re-open its consulate in East Jerusalem.

In Saudi Arabia, Biden met with Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman indicating re-acceptance of the controversial leader after his involvement in killing of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The US through the visit is seeking to solidify the alliance against Iran. Biden during his interaction with nine Arab leaders assured that the US will not de-prioritise the region that could expand the influence of Russia, China and Iran.

Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to France

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the last week of July met with French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit is seen as a diplomatic rehabilitation of the Saudi Crown Prince who became infamous for his role in killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The efforts by France and other western states to court Saudi Arabia should be seen in the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict; slow progress to revive the nuclear deal with Iran and the recent visit by the US President Joe Biden to Jeddah. The western states are seeking to reset engagement with Saudi Arabia to counter the rising regional influence of Iran, Russia and China. Emmanuel Macron’s office dismissing criticism to meet the controversial Saudi leader argued that meeting is important at a time of global energy and food crisis. Macron’s office assured that the subject of human rights would be raised. Macron during his meeting requested Saudi Arabia to increase its oil production to help in bringing down crude oil prices. Saudi Arabia is seen as integral for the diversification of energy supplies for European states. Both leaders expressed the need for ending Russia-Ukraine conflict as well as intensify cooperation to ease the effects in Europe. In case of Yemen, the French President appreciated the efforts by Saudi Arabia to find a political, global and inclusive solution under UN and hoped that the truce continues.

The Saudi Crown Prince prior to reaching France made a stop in Greece and met with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on 26 July. Saudi Arabia and Greece signed agreement on renewable energy. Both leaders also talked about expanding engagement in security and promote investments. Earlier in May 2022, both states agreed to set up a joint venture to build a data cable i.e. East to Med Data Corridor which will be built by MENA HUB owned by Saudi Arabia’s STC and Greek firm, TTSA.

Protest in Iraq

The supporters of influential Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr entered the highly secure Green Zone on multiple occasions in July 2022. The protestors stormed the parliament building to prevent MPs from electing Mohammad al-Sudani who was nominated by Al-Sadr’s opponents as Prime Minister. The supporters of the Sadrist Movement also set up tents to prepare for a long sit-in at the parliament. The Sadrists are demanding fresh election to resolve the political stalemate.
Notably, during the October 2021 election, none of the political groups managed to win majority. Muqtada al-Sadr’s Sadrist Movement secured the highest number of seats winning 73 out of 329 seats. The Sadrist Movement’s political platform is based on Iraqi nationalism and opposition to foreign interference from the US as well as Iran. Al-Fatah alliance that includes Iran supported Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) managed to secure only 17 seats. The Sadrist Movement led coalition Saving the Homeland coalition that includes Al-Siyada or Sovereign Alliance and Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) failed to form the government. Eventually on 13 June, MPs from the Sadrist movement resigned deepening the political chaos. It led to coordination Framework becoming the largest bloc in parliament. However, there was no agreement on appointing a new Prime Minister, President and cabinet.

Iran-Taliban Clashes

Iranian forces during clashes with Taliban killed one fighter in Kong district of Nimroz province on 31 July. According to Taliban sources, Iranian forces initiated the attack which has been denied by the Iranian government. Tasnim news agency and Iran’s state run IRNA claimed that Taliban forces entered Iranian territory in Hirmand in Sistan and Balochistan province and tried to raise their own flag. Iranian government defended the military action by suggesting that Taliban fighters had mistaken a wall constructed within Iranian territory to prevent smugglers. Taliban fighters despite repeated explanations by Iranian government have considered the wall as the borderline. Earlier in 2021, similar border incident had occurred due to the confusion over the border.

Iran’s relation with Taliban has been difficult due to harassment and persecution of Shiite Hazara community. Tehran has refused to officially recognise the Taliban that took control over Kabul in August 2021 until it is willing to accommodate other political factions and form an “inclusive” government.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s meeting with Jordanian King in Amman

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid visited Jordan on 27 July and met with Jordanian King Abdullah II. King Abdullah II mentioned that Palestinians should be part of US sponsored regional economic projects necessary for stability in the region. Jordan has urged Israel to include Palestinians in water for energy deals between both states which could be financed by Gulf States. Historically, Jordan-Israel ties were marked by hostility and both states fought wars in 1947 and 1967. During the 1967 war, Israeli forces captured West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordanian control. Jordan eventually signed peace treaty with Israel in 1994 in the aftermath of the 1993 Oslo Peace Accord. Despite the peace treaty, the subject of Palestine continues to weigh on their bilateral relations. King Abdullah II during the current meeting stressed that Palestinian statehood and comprehensive and lasting peace is essential for reaching lasting peace. Moreover, he asked Israelis to honour the religious sanctity of the Al Aqsa Mosque and maintain calm in occupied East Jerusalem. On bilateral level, both states discussed about increasing economic projects in water, energy, food security and transport sectors. Amman also asked Tel Aviv to relax its grip on the flow of Jordanian exports to the occupied West Bank. Both sides also discussed about US President Joe Biden’s initiative to further normalise Israel-Arab relations to build a front against Iran.

Iran arrests Mossad Spies

Iranian police on 28 July arrested five spies allegedly linked to Israel’s external intelligence agency, Mossad. Iranian authorities did not reveal the nationality of those arrested and hinted that arrested individuals had received training for armed operations and sabotage. The individuals were reportedly given pledges from Mossad including financial promises to gather information about strategic sites from Iranian territory. Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office that oversees Mossad has refused to comment on the reported arrests. Israel in the recent months has carried out number of killings of Iranian military officials and scientists. Israel on official level did not confirm or deny their actions. Earlier on 24 July, Iranian intelligence forces arrested members of an Israeli cell who were planning to cause explosion in Isfahan. These individuals reportedly entered the state through Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Isfahan hosts some of the prominent nuclear facilities including Natanz that was targeted in 2020 and 2021.

Clash in Syria

On 26 and 27 July, clashes between local armed fighters and gangs aligned with the government security forces led to 17 deaths in the Druze majority province of Sweida in Syria. Reportedly, ten government loyalists from the Falhout faction and seven local fighters were killed. Moreover, at least 40 people were injured during the clashes. The latest violence was triggered after the abduction of two people close to local armed groups. Bashar Al Assad since 2011 has been facing domestic discontent backed by external powers to overthrow his rule. Assad however managed to retain his power due to military assistance from Russia and Iran. Assad backed fighters have gained significant ground in recent years and ordinary Syrians have complained about arbitrary detentions, roadblocks and kidnappings for ransom by these fighters. The two day long clashes finally subsided after local fighters surrounded the village headquarters of the pro-Damascus faction. The abducted locals were finally released after the violence.

Grain Silos in Beirut Port Damaged Again

Part of grain silos at Beirut port collapsed after week long fire caused by summer heat burning the grains. The northern block of the silos feel out on 31 July. The General Director of the Beirut Port Silos, Assad Haddad assured that the situation was under control. The Civil Defence Department however warned that other parts of the silos’ northern block were at high risk. The explosion at the port on 4 August 2020 had rocked the state killing 200 and injuring more than 6000 people.

The recent fire has raised criticism about the government’s ineffectiveness to manage the grain silos and overall incompetence in governance. In the aftermath of the August 20202 blast, the investigation by Lebanese authorities revealed that senior government and security officials were aware of the presence of dangerous material including ammonium nitrate stored at the port. However, none of officials have been convicted and the investigation was suspended after the implicated officials brought legal challenges against the judge who was leading the investigation.

DEFENCE

• Chief of Army Staff Proceeds on a Three Day Visit to Bangladesh.
• Prime Minister unveils ‘SPRINT’.
• Joint Press Release of the 16th Round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting.
• Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) conducted between Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Indian Navy.
• Self-Reliance in Defence Manufacturing.
• Development Work by Defence Industries.
• MoD accords high priority to indigenisation of Software Defined Radios for the Armed Forces.
• iDEX-DIO signs 100th contract for defence innovation.
• Defence Acquisition Council, approves arms procurement proposals worth Rs 28,732 crore.
• Second conference on Military Ammunition (Ammo India) inaugurated by RM.
• Delivery of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant’.
• Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on a visit to the Kingdom of Bhutan.
• Royal Army of Oman contingent for joint exercise Al NAJAH-IV arrive in India.
• Vietnam India bilateral army exercise “Ex VINBAX 2022”.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

West Asia

• “Hizbu’llah has all of Israel in its missile range,” Hizbu’llah leader Nasrallah.

Africa

Ethiopia

• Al-Shabaab terrorists carried out cross-border attack into Ethiopia’s Somali region.

Somalia

• US airstrike killed two al-Shabaab terrorists in Lower Juba region.

Nigeria

• Five Boko Haram terrorists surrendered in Borno State.

Mali

• Islamist terrorists attacked Mali’s main military base outside Bamako.

Afghanistan

• “Al-Qa’ida and Islamic State are gaining strength in Afghanistan”, claimed the UNSC report.
• US killed al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a counter-terrorism operation in Kabul.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

• NIA searched multiple locations in Srinagar in “Chanapora Arms Recovery in Srinagar” case.
• SIA unearthed the nexus between JeM and Punjab-based gangsters.

Left-Wing Extremism

• NIA arrested a Maoist associate in connection with “Terror Financing by CPI (Maoist) in Bihar” case.
• Police killed a Maoist in an anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh.
• NIA searched multiple locations in Jharkhand in connection with “killing of police personnel and looting of arms and ammunition by CPI (Maoists)” case.
• “Maoist-affected Districts reduced to 46 in 2021”, informed MoS for Home Affairs.
• NIA arrested a Maoist associate in revival of Magadh zone of CPI (Maoist) case.

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

NIA searched multiple locations in six States in connection with “ISIS module” case.

NIA arrested 08th accused in “Udaipur killing” case.

NIA searched multiple locations in connection with “PFI Phulwari Sharif” case in Bihar.

Khalistan-inspired Extremism

• India raised concerns at the growth of pro-Khalistan movement in Canada.

Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) Cases

• NIA Special Court (Bihar) convicted and sentenced a FICN trafficker in “FICN case of East Champaran, Bihar”.

Narcotics-Trafficking

• NIA searched multiple locations in Tamil Nadu in the case of “Narcotics and Arms trafficking to India and Sri Lanka”.

DEFENCE

DRDO conducts successful maiden flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator.

Maiden flight of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator was carried out successfully by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Operating in a fully autonomous mode, the aircraft exhibited a perfect flight, including take-off, way point navigation and a smooth touchdown. It is powered by a small turbofan engine, the airframe, undercarriage and entire flight control and avionics systems used for the aircraft were developed indigenously. This flight marks a major milestone in terms of proving critical technologies towards the development of future unmanned aircraft.
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Chief of Army Staff Proceeds on a Three Day Visit to Bangladesh.

Continuing with the excellent bilateral defence ties between India and Bangladesh, General Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) proceeded on a visit to the Bangladesh from 18 to 20 July 2022. This is the first foreign visit by General Manoj Pande since assumption as Army Chief.
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Prime Minister unveils ‘SPRINT.

Prime Minister (PM) Shri Narendra Modi unveiled ‘SPRINT Challenges’, aimed at giving a boost to the usage of indigenous technology in Indian Navy, during Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) seminar ‘Swavlamban’ in New Delhi on July 18, 2022. NIIO, in conjunction with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy. This collaborative project is named SPRINT {Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), NIIO and Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC)}. In the last 4-5 years, PM said the defence imports have come down by about 21 per cent. Today we are moving fast from the biggest defence importer to a big exporter. Last year, Rs 13,000 crore worth of defence export was done with more than 70 percent of which being from the private sector, he pointed out.

In the conference Shri Rajnath Singh informed the Prime Minister that in line with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign, the Indian Navy spent over 64% of its capital budget in domestic procurement in the last financial year and it is expected to increase to 70% in the current financial year.
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Joint Press Release of the 16th Round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting.

The 16th round India- China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side on 17th July 2022.

Building on the progress made at the last meeting on 11th March 2022, the two sides continued discussions for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in a constructive and forward looking manner. They had a frank and in-depth exchange of views in this regard, in keeping with the guidance provided by the State Leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest. The two sides reaffirmed that the resolution of remaining issues would help in restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations. In the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector. The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest.
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Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) conducted between Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Indian Navy.

A Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) was conducted between Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Indian Navy on 23 Jul 22 in Andaman Sea. This exercise is part of the ongoing efforts between the two navies towards ensuring safe and secure international shipping and trade in Indian Ocean Region.
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Self-Reliance in Defence Manufacturing.

The Government has taken several policy initiatives in the past few years and brought in reforms to encourage indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence equipment in the country, thereby expanding the production of indigenous defence equipment. With these actions of the Government, the expenditure on defence procurement from foreign sources which used to be 46% of the overall expenditure has reduced to 36% in the last four years i.e. 2018-19 to 2021-22.
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Development Work by Defence Industries.

In continuous pursuit of achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing under ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ and in sync with the announcement made in the Union Budget 2022-23 that allocated 25% of Defence R&D Budget for industry led R&D, 18 (eighteen) major platforms have been identified and announced by the Ministry of Defence for industry led Design & Development under various routes prescribed in Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020, namely, Make-I, Make-II, Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX).
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MoD accords high priority to indigenisation of Software Defined Radios for the Armed Forces.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) has fast-tracked the indigenisation of Software Defined Radios (SDRs) with country’s premier R&D institutions viz. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to fulfill the increasing demand by the Armed Forces across a broad spectrum of operations. Two key elements of indigenous SDR technology are the standardised operating software environment (OE) and applications (also known as waveforms) with associated waveforms repository and test/certification facility. Standard OE enables waveform portability and interoperability among SDRs of multiple vendors. Towards this, the Ministry of Defence has taken a decision to define and develop reference implementation of India specific operating environment called India Software Communication Architecture (SCA) profile or Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA).
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iDEX-DIO signs 100th contract for defence innovation.

iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence), signed its 100th contract on 26 July 2022. Till date, iDEX has launched iDEX Prime, seven rounds of DISC (including DISC SPRINT) and five rounds of OC, receiving more than 4,000 applications from individual innovators, MSMEs and start-ups. More than Rs 250 crore worth of projects have been allocated and procurement of 14 items worth over Rs 400 crore have been cleared. In the last four years, 17 start-ups in 14 projects have already been accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) for trial and procurement in March 2022. Projects from balance of DISC 1 & 2 and some from DISC 3 are nearing completion and may be accorded AoN by DAC by end of current Financial Year.
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Defence Acquisition Council, approves arms procurement proposals worth Rs 28,732 crore.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, was held on July 26, 2022. Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for Capital Acquisition Proposals of the Armed Forces amounting to Rs 28,732 crore were accorded by the DAC in this meeting under Buy (Indian IDDM) and Buy (Indian) categories giving a further boost to ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in Defence.

Among the proposals approved by DAC in the meeting are three proposals of the Indian Army, viz. Guided Extended Range Rocket Ammunition, Area Denial Munition Type I and Infantry Combat Vehicle – Command have been designed and developed by DRDO. The total value of these three proposals is Rs 8,599 crore. DAC aslo accorded AoN for Bullet Proof Jackets with Indian Standard BIS VI level of protection. To combat the current complex paradigm of conventional and hybrid warfare and counter terrorism at the borders, AoN for induction of approx. four lakh of Close Quarter Battle Carbines for the Services has also been accorded by the DAC.

AoN were also accorded for procurement of Autonomous Surveillance and Armed Drone Swarms has been accorded by the DAC under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category. The DAC also approved Navy’s proposal to procure upgraded 1250KW capacity Marine Gas Turbine Generator for power generation application onboard Kolkata class of ships through Indian Industry. This will give a major boost to indigenous manufacturing of gas turbine generators. In order to enhance the security in the coastal region of the country, the DAC also approved the proposal of procurement of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for Indian Coast Guard under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) with 60% IC.
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Second conference on Military Ammunition (Ammo India) inaugurated by RM.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called for innovations in the field of ammunition for the creation of a strong and self-reliant base that keeps the Armed Forces fully prepared to deal with future challenges. He was addressing the inaugural session of the second conference on Military Ammunition (Ammo India) on the theme ‘Make in India Opportunities and Challenges’ in New Delhi on July 27, 2022. The Raksha Mantri described advanced ammunition as the reality of the new age warfare, which is a must for India, given its regional & global imperatives and security challenges.
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Delivery of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant.

Indian Navy took delivery of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant on 28 July 2022, from her builder Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi. Designed by Indian Navy’s inhouse Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by CSL, a Public Sector Shipyard under Ministry of Shipping (MoS), the carrier is christened after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier. The 262 mtr long carrier has a full displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes which is much larger and advanced than her predecessor. The ship is powered by four Gas Turbines totaling 88 MW power and has a maximum speed of 28 Knots. Built at an overall cost of close to Rs. 20,000 Crs. The ship’s keel was laid in Feb 2009, followed by launching in Aug 2013, with an overall indigenous content of 76%.

The ship would be capable of operating air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising of MIG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy). Using a novel aircraft-operation mode known as STOBAR (Short Take- Off but Arrested Landing).
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Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on a visit to the Kingdom of Bhutan.

General Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has proceeded on a visit to the Kingdom of Bhutan from 29 July. This visit will further enhance the unique and time-tested bilateral relationship, characterised by utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding.
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Royal Army of Oman contingent for joint exercise Al NAJAH-IV arrive in India.

The 4th Edition of India Oman Joint Military Exercise ‘AL NAJAH-IV’ between contingents of Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman is scheduled to take place at the Foreign Training Node of Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan) from 01 to 13 August 2022. The Royal Army of Oman contingent comprising 60 personnel from the Sultan of Oman Parachute Regiment have arrived at the exercise location. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the 18 MECHANISED INFANTRY Battalion. The previous edition of Ex AL NAJAH IV was organised at Muscat from 12 to 25 March 2019.
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Vietnam India bilateral army exercise “Ex VINBAX 2022”.

The 3rd Edition of Vietnam India Bilateral Army Exercise “Ex VINBAX 2022” is scheduled to be conducted at Chandimandir from 01 to 20 Aug 2022. The exercise is a sequel to previously conducted bilateral exercise in Vietnam in 2019 and a major milestone in strengthening the bilateral relations between India and Vietnam. India and Vietnam share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. The theme of Ex VINBAX – 2022 is employment and deployment of an Engineer Company and a Medical Team as part of United Nations Contingent for Peace Keeping Operations.
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INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

West Asia

“Hizbu’llah has all of Israel in its missile range,” Hizbu’llah leader Nasrallah.

In an interview on 25 July 2022, Lebanese Hizbu’llah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that “all of Israel is within the range of Hizbu’llah’s missiles. Boasting about drones, Nasrallah said that the recent drone operation, targeting Israel’s Karish gas field, was carried out by the group. Though Israel shot down the drone, but Nasrallah informed Al-Mayadeen media that over the period in the past, Hizbu’llah used drones over Israel many times.

Nasrallah suggested that Hizbu’llah could gain from the trip of the US President Biden to the region by bringing Iranian oil and gas to Lebanon, and that Hizbu’llah can exploit Lebanon’s crisis and the US’ desire for stability in the region.
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Africa

Ethiopia

Al-Shabaab terrorists carried out cross-border attack into Ethiopia’s Somali region.

On 21 July 2022, al-Shabaab terrorists from Somalia launched a cross-border attack into Ethiopia’s Somali region. This is the first time that al-Shabaab carried out a terrorist attack in Ethiopia. According to Somali military and Ethiopia’s paramilitary Liyu police, several al-Shabaab terrorists crossed into the Afdher zone and took control of several of their positions. However, with heavy police casualties, all positions were recaptured. According to Somali military officials posted in Bakool— the region that borders Ethiopia, around 87 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in the gun-battle.
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Somalia

US airstrike killed two al-Shabaab terrorists in Lower Juba region.

On 17 July 2022, the United States (US) Africa Command, in coordination with the government of Somalia, carried out airstrike and killed two al-Shabaab terrorists in a remote location near Libikus in Lower Juba region, Somalia. The strike was carried out after al-Shabaab attacked partner forces in the region. According to the statement released, “violent extremist organisations like al-Shabaab present long-term threats to Somali, regional and US interests.”
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Nigeria

Five Boko Haram terrorists surrendered in Borno State.

On 22 July 2022, five Boko Haram terrorists, including Mallam Isa, a commander, surrendered before the 73 Battalion of the Nigerian Army during “Operation Hadin Kai” in Borno State. “Preliminary investigation discovered that terrorists were said to have come out from Gazuwa, a new HQ of Boko Haram, located about 08 kilometres to Bama Local Government area,” said Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert. According to the Theatre Commander of North-East Joint Task Force of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’— Christopher Musa, “more than 67,000 terrorists have surrendered to troops so far.”
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Mali

Islamist terrorists attacked Mali’s main military base outside Bamako.

On 22 July 2022, Islamist terrorists of al-Qa’ida and Islamic State affiliated groups attacked Mali’s main military base in Kati, outside the Capital Bamako, however, the armed forces had repelled the attack and brought situation under control. In a statement released by military, “the attack involved two car bombs and was carried out by a local al-Qa’ida affiliated group— Katiba Macina.” Katiba Macina is more active terror group in Central Mali.

In attack, a soldier was martyred and six people were wounded, while seven terrorists were killed and eight got arrested, read the statement. The military blamed Katiba Macina for several attacks on 21 July 2022 against military bases in Central Mali in which a soldier was martyred and 15 others were wounded.
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Afghanistan

“Al-Qa’ida and Islamic State are gaining strength in Afghanistan”, claimed the UNSC report.

The 30th report of the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team revealed the activities of al-Qa’ida (AQ), Islamic State (IS), and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and concluded that al-Qa’ida and IS related threats are high in the conflict zones and the neighbouring countries though both terror groups are likely to attempt an attack in non-conflicted areas.

An Afghan national— Sanaullah Ghafari aka Shahab al-Muhajir, has been leading the Islamic State-Khurasan Province (IS-KP/IS-K) since June 2000. However, the IS core has established a separate structure called Al-Siddiq office under Sheikh Tamim al-Kurdi aka Abu Ahmed al-Madani for group’s regional agenda. The report also pointed about the IS-KP’s increased presence in northern and eastern Afghanistan. The group has terrorists from the Central Asia, who have increased activities in the north, bordering Central Asian states of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
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US killed al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a counter-terrorism operation in Kabul.

On 01 August 2022, United States (US) President— Joe Biden, announced that in a counter-terrorism operation carried out on 30 July 2022 in Kabul, Afghanistan, the US government killed the al-Qa’ida leader— Ayman al-Zawahiri. “Al-Zawahiri coordinated al-Qa’ida’s branches all around the world since Bin Laden’s death in 2011, including setting priorities for providing operational guidance that call for and inspire attacks against US targets,” explained the US President during the announcement.

“The United States continues to demonstrate our resolve and our capacity to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm,” Biden continued. “We make it clear again tonight that, no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out,” added the US President.
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DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

NIA searched multiple locations in Srinagar in “Chanapora Arms Recovery in Srinagar” case.

On 20 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials searched nine locations in Kashmir, including four in Srinagar district and five in Pulwama district, in the case— RC-04/2022/NIA/JMU related to the conspiracy of conducting terror attacks in and around Srinagar, in which four operatives were arrested and 15 pistols, 30 magazines, 300 rounds, and one Mahindra-built Scorpio vehicle were seized.

The case was re-registered by the NIA on 18 June 2022. The NIA officials seized digital devices and other incriminating materials.
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SIA unearthed the nexus between JeM and Punjab-based gangsters.

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) unearthed the nexus between Pakistan-based terrorist group— Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Punjab-based gangsters, as the SIA filed a chargesheet against five operatives in a terror-funding related case registered in 2021.

The case was related to the recovery of ₹ 43 lakh by Jammu police at the Sidhra bridge, from Kashmir-bound vehicle, on 16 November 2021. The SIA filed a chargesheet before the Special NIA court in Jammu on 26 July 2022, against five operatives, including JeM commander— Ashiq Nengroo (presently operating from Pakistan), Muzammil Ahmad Malik (JeM operative) from Pulwama, and other three Punjab-based gangsters— i) Ravi Kumar, ii) Jaideep Dhawan, and iii) Amarbir Singh (all residents of Punjab), under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A], the Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
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Left-Wing Extremism

NIA arrested a Maoist associate in connection with “Terror Financing by CPI (Maoist) in Bihar” case.

On 28 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials arrested— Rajesh Gupta, a Maoist associate, in connection to a conspiracy by CPI (Maoist) cadres and others for attempting to revive the banned organisation’s module in the Son-Ganga Bindh region of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The case— RC-19/2022/NIA/DLI was re-registered on 26 April 2022 and NIA taken over the investigation. Earlier, NIA had arrested 03 associates in this case on 12 April 2022 and 25 May 2022. Rajesh Gupta is a close associate of earlier arrested Vijay Kumar Arya— a Central Committee Member (CCM) and was actively involved in reviving the module in Son-Ganga Bindh region.
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Police killed a Maoist in an anti-naxal operation in Chhattisgarh.

On 26 July 2022, Chhattisgarh police eliminated a Maoist— Budh Ram Madkam aka Mahangu Deva, a member of Katekalyan Area Committee of CPI (Maoist), in forest near Jabrameta village of Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh.
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NIA searched multiple locations in Jharkhand in connection with “killing of police personnel and looting of arms and ammunition by CPI (Maoists)” case.

On 27 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials searched 03 locations of suspects in connection with suspects’ involvement in an attack on police party on 14 June 2019 at Kukru Haat in Saraikela-Kherswan district in Jharkhand. In the attack, five police personnel attained Veergati, and their arms and ammunitions were looted by perpetrators.

The case— RC-39/2020/NIA/DLI was re-registered by the NIA on 09 December 2020. The NIA officials recovered digital devices, illicit weapons and ammunitions, and various incriminating materials.
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“Maoist-affected Districts reduced to 46 in 2021”, informed MoS for Home Affairs.

The Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs— Nityanand Rai, on 26 July 2022, informed the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Indian Parliament) that number of Maoist-affected districts has reduced from 70 in the year 2014 to 46 in 2021. Along with, the incidents inspired from Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) have recorded significant reduction from 1,091 in 2014 to 509 incidents in 2021.

The Minister also informed the Lok Sabha about Central government-led schemes for Maoist-affected areas, including Security Related Expenditure Scheme (SRES), Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), Road Requirement Plan-1, mobile connectivity projects in Maoist affected districts.
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NIA arrested a Maoist associate in revival of Magadh zone of CPI (Maoist) case.

On 25 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested— Tarun Kumar, in connection with a case— RC-05/2021/NIA/RNC, where CPI (Maoist) cadre prominent— Pradyuman Sharma and others, were conspiring to revive a module of banned organisation in Magadh zone. Tarun Kumar, along with other accused conspired to raise funds for procurement of arms and ammunition and training the fellow cadres in fabrication of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).

The group was also planning to create nexus with incarcerated naxals and Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) in various jails for commission of violent crimes.
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Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

NIA searched multiple locations in six States in connection with “ISIS module” case.

On 31 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched 13 premises of Islamic State (IS) suspects in six Indian States— i) Gujarat, ii) Bihar, iii) Karnataka, iv) Maharashtra, v) Uttar Pradesh, and vi) Madhya Pradesh, in a case related to Islamic State (ISIS) module and its activities.

On 25 June 2022, the case— RC-26/2022/NIA/DLI was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A].
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NIA arrested 08th accused in “Udaipur killing” case.

On 21 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials arrested the 08th accused— Mohammed Javed (age 19 years), in the case— RC-27/2022/NIA/DLI pertaining to the killing of Shri Kanhaiya Lal Teli in Udaipur, Rajasthan, by two Islamic extremists armed with sharp weapons at his tailor shop on 28 June 2022.

The NIA re-registered the case on 29 June 2022 and taken over the investigation. Earlier, 07 accused were arrested in the case on 29 June, 01 July, 04 July, and 09 July 2022. Mohammed Javed had played an important role in the killing by conducting recce and conveying the information about the victim to one of the main perpetrators— Riyaz, prior to the brutal murder.
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NIA searched multiple locations in connection with “PFI Phulwari Sharif” case in Bihar.

On 28 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials carried out searches at 10 locations of the PFI operatives in Bihar, for their alleged involvement with the Popular Front of India (PFI) in anti-national activities.

The case— RC-31/2022/NIA/DLI was re-registered by the NIA on 22 July 2022 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The NIA officials seized digital devices and several incriminating materials from the sites.
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Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) Cases

NIA Special Court (Bihar) convicted and sentenced a FICN trafficker in “FICN case of East Champaran, Bihar”.

On 22 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Bihar, convicted and sentenced— Mohammad Ali Akhtar Ansari for his involvement in the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) proliferation in India. The case— RC-08/2016/NIA/DLI pertains to the seizure of a parcel containing high quality FICNs worth around ₹ 25 lakhs. Mohammad Akhtar came to Raxaul, to take delivery of the FICNs consignment on 30 September 2015, and was subsequently arrested.

According to the investigation, the seized FICNs had been smuggled from a foreign country into India and supposed to be delivered to another accused— Abi Mohammad of Nepal. Investigation also revealed that a Pakistani national— Syed Muhammad Shaffi, now residing in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), had couriered the parcel from the UAE via ICS (International Courier Service). Mohammad Akhtar Ansari rewarded 20 years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) with ₹ 50,000 as fine under Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A], 10 years of RI with ₹ 25,000 as fine under Section 489B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 07 years of RI under Section 489C of the IPC by the NIA Special Court (Patna), Bihar.
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Narcotics-Trafficking

NIA searched multiple locations in Tamil Nadu in the case of “Narcotics and Arms trafficking to India and Sri Lanka”.

On 20 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency officials searched 22 premises of suspects at various locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with the case— RC-29/2022/NIA/DLI, pertaining to illicit activities of Sri Lankan drug mafia being operated by C Gunashekharan in association with Haji Salim— drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan.

The drugs and arms traffickers have been operating in India and Sri Lanka, and have been conspiring for the revival of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) terror group and to further its violent activities. The case was registered suo moto by the NIA on 08 July 2022 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A], read with sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
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DEFENCE

• DRDO conducts successful maiden flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator.
• Indian Army organised the “Suraksha Manthan 2022”.
• New manufacturing facilities at Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• Indian Navy ships visit Singapore, Republic of Seychellesand a long range overseas deployment.
• CEO of French aircraft engine maker SAFRAN Group calls on Raksha Mantri (RM).
• 6th Deputy National Security Adviser Level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave.
• Indian Navy’s INS Satpura and P8i participate in the RIMPAC Harbour Phase.
• Indian Air Force contingent participating in a exercise with the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) in Egypt.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence (Coe) launched by IAF.
• First-ever ‘AI in Defence’ symposium & exhibition in New Delhi.
• Brazilian Navy delegation on visit to India.
• Ministry of Defence sets up an Apex Committee for Performance and Efficiency Audit.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

West Asia

• “Hizbu’llah used Iranian drones against the Karish gas field”, claimed Israel’s Defence Minister.

Africa

Nigeria

• Islamist attack freed hundreds of prisoners in Nigeria.

Pakistan

• Ahead of FATF’s visit, Pakistan doubled the efforts to ‘locate’ JeM chief Masood Azhar.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

• NIA searched multiple locations in Kashmir in “Sunjwan terrorist attack” case.
• Security forces eliminated two terrorists, including a JeM commander, in Pulwama.
• “In last four years, 700 local youths were recruited by terror groups in UT of J&K”: MHA.

Left-Wing Extremism

• Police arrested a Maoist wanted in SP’s killing case.
• Over 600 explosives and 495 detonators recovered in anti-Maoist operation in Bihar.
• 50 IEDs seized from Aurangabad in Bihar.

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

• NIA Special Court (Ernakulam) convicted three Islamic State members in “ISIS Valapattanam case”.
• NIA searched multiple locations in Rajasthan in “Udaipur killing” case.
• NIA conducted search at multiple locations in Maharashtra in “Umesh Kolhe’s killing” case.

Khalistan-inspired Extremism

• NIA filed chargesheet against four KTF associates accused of conspiring the killing of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar.
• MEA raised concerns over the participation of Australian Sikh soldiers at pro-Khalistan event in New South Wales, Australia.
• Pro-Khalistan elements vandalized Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Canada.
• Police arrested a pro-Khalistan supporter from Jalandhar.

DEFENCE

DRDO conducts successful maiden flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator.

Maiden flight of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator was carried out successfully by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Operating in a fully autonomous mode, the aircraft exhibited a perfect flight, including take-off, way point navigation and a smooth touchdown. It is powered by a small turbofan engine, the airframe, undercarriage and entire flight control and avionics systems used for the aircraft were developed indigenously.This flight marks a major milestone in terms of proving critical technologies towards the development of future unmanned aircraft.
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Indian Army organised the “Suraksha Manthan 2022”.

The Desert Corps of the Indian Army organised the “Suraksha Manthan 2022”, on aspects of Border & Coastal Security at Jodhpur (Rajasthan). During the course of the discussions, aspects of interoperability, operational cohesion and logistics were ironed out in order to enhance overall security along the International Boundary (IB) and coastal sectors. A joint training calendar was also formulated to achieve a higher degree of interoperability and jointness amongst the security forces. Current security threats and challenges, along with joint mitigation response, were deliberated upon and such scenarios would now form part of the forthcoming exercises. It was further decided to create an enabling security environment and develop a tangible capability development road map to achieve the same.
Reference: Click here to read…

New manufacturing facilities at Bharat Dynamics Limited

Raksha Mantri dedicated to the Nation a number of new manufacturing facilities set up by the Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU). These include a Warhead facility at the Bhanur Unit and a Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker facility at Kanchanbagh Unit. The RF Seeker Facility, which was virtually inaugurated by the Raksha Mantri, is an integrated Centre for production & testing of RF seekers. This facility has been established by BDL with an investment of Rs 50 crore.
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Indian Navy ships visit Singapore, Republic of Seychelles and long range overseas deployment

As part of their deployment to South East Asia, Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Kadmatt under the Command of Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, NM, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, visited Singapore from 01 – 03 July 2022. INS Sahyadri is an indigenously built multi-role stealth Frigate and INS Kadmatt is an indigenously built ASW Corvette.
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INS Kolkata, an indigenously built Stealth Guided Missile Destroyer of the Indian Navy, was deployed to Port Victoria, Seychelles to coincide with the Independence Day of Seychelles on 29 June 22. During the port call, INS Kolkata delivered two engines of Dornier Aircraft of the SDF, which were overhauled at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Hyderabad. A set of engineering spares were also delivered to Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) for sustenance of SCG ships.
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As a part of the Long range overseas deployment, Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Tarkash, visited Djibouti as part of her long range overseas deployment followed by Maritime Partnership Exercise with Sudan Navy. The ship is on a deployment to Rio de Janerio, Brazil, which is intended to coincide with the Independence Day enabling her to hoist the tricolour in South America on the occasion as part of AzadikaAmritMahotsav.
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CEO of French aircraft engine maker SAFRAN Group calls on Raksha Mantri (RM)

A high-level delegation of French company Safran Group led by its CEO Mr Olivier Andries called on Raksha Mantri in New Delhi on July 05, 2022. During the meeting, the CEO of Safran briefed the Raksha Mantri of their company’s plans to set up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India for overhaul of LEAP-1A & LEAP-1B engines in use by Indian and foreign commercial airlines. The MRO facility through direct foreign investment of $US 150 million in Hyderabad is expected to create 500-600 highly skilled jobs. The facility will be able to overhaul over 250 engines per year in the beginning.

The CEO also briefed Shri Rajnath Singh of their plan to inaugurate this week Safran Aircraft Engines and Safran Electrical & Power India Pvt Ltd. – both to come up in Hyderabad and Safran-HAL Aircraft Engines as a joint venture in Bengaluru. Safran aircraft engine, Hyderabad, with an investment of Euro 36 million and located on 10 acres land in the Hyderabad SEZ, will produce parts and components for advanced aircraft engines including rotating seals. Safran Electrical & Power India Pt Ltd will produce harness for civil and fighter jets. The joint venture between Safran and HAL is for production of rigid piping for aircraft engines including helicopter engines. The joint venture is expected to hire 160 new highly skilled personnel.

The CEO of Safran outlined his company’s long-term plan in co-development and co-production of advanced jet engines and transfer of technology as per existing policy of Government of India. He briefed Shri Rajnath Singh on capabilities of Safran in areas of technology beyond aircraft engine.
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6th Deputy National Security Adviser Level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave

The Member States of the Colombo Security Conclave comprising India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, successfully concluded the 6th Deputy National Security Adviser level meeting held on 7 July 2022 hosted by the National Security Council Secretariat of India in Kochi. Delegations from Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as Observers.
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Indian Navy’s INS Satpura and P8i participate in the RIMPAC Harbour Phase

Indian Navy’s indigenous Frigate INS Satpura and P8I LRMRASW aircraft are at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii taking part in one of the largest multilateral Naval Exercises, the Rim of the Pacific exercise, also known as RIMPAC. INS Satpura and one P8I maritime patrol aircraft are participating in the exercise which spans over six weeks of intense operations and training aimed at enhancing interoperability and building trust among Navies of friendly foreign countries. 28 countries, 38 warships, 09 land forces, 31 unmanned systems, 170 aircraft and over 25,000 personnel are participating in the multi-dimensional exercise. The sea phase commences on 12 Jul 22 and will culminate with the closing ceremony on 04 Aug 22.
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Indian Air Force contingent participating in an exercise with the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) in Egypt

Indian Air Force contingent is reaching the midway point of the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) at Egyptian Air Force (EAF) Weapon School in Egypt (Cairo West Airbase). The programme commenced on 24 Jun and will culminate on 23 Jul 22. IAF is participating with three Su-30 MKI aircraft. Two C-17 aircraft were used for induction of the contingent. IAF Su-30 MKI aircraft undertook a non-stop ferry of six hours from Jamnagar airbase (India) to Cairo West airbase (Egypt), overflying four countries enroute. Tactical Leadership Program is a unique exercise, wherein IAF is participating with its aircrew as instructors. This exercise provides a good opportunity to showcase the reach and capability of the IAF. It will also assist in enhancing defence cooperation between the two countries and exchange of best practices.

During the first two weeks of the exercise IAF aircraft participated in missions by day and night, involving air to ground & air to air combat scenarios and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) activity alongside Egyptian F-16, Rafale and Mig 29 aircraft.
Reference: Click here to read…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence (Coe) launched by IAF

The IAF Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence under the aegis of UDAAN (Unit for Digitisation, Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Application Networking) was inaugurated by Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS).

A Big Data Analytics and Al Platform has been commissioned in the IAF’s Al Centre, for handling all aspects of Analytics, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Neural Networks and Deep Learning algorithms. The high-end compute requirements would be undertaken by the latest Graphical Processing Unit powered servers.Addressing the gathering, VCAS said that IAF has taken proactive steps to embed Industry 4.0 and Al based technologies in its war fighting processes. He reiterated that the AI COE with high end compute and big data storage capabilities, coupled with full spectrum Al software suites, would substantially enhance operational capability of IAF.
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First-ever ‘AI in Defence’ symposium & exhibition in New Delhi

RakshaMantri launched 75 newly-developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) products/technologies during the first-ever ‘AI in Defence’ (AIDef) symposium and exhibition, organised by Ministry of Defence in New Delhi. The products, launched as part of ‘AzadiKaAmritMahotsav’ celebrations, fall under various domains. These includeAI Platform Automation; Autonomous/Unmanned/Robotics systems; Block Chain-based Automation; Command, Control, Communication, Computer & Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance; Cyber Security; Human Behavioural Analysis; Intelligent Monitoring Systems; Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems; Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Operational Data Analytics; Manufacturing and Maintenance; Simulators/Test Equipment and speech/voice analysis using Natural Language Processing.

The RakshaMantri added that several MoUs have been signed with the industry for faster promotion of AI applications in the Services. Many AI-related challenges under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiatives have also been given. The challenges are under various domains, including Radio Frequency Spectrum Management, Underwater Domain Awareness, Satellite Image Analysis and Friend or Foe Identification System. He urged the industry and start-ups to explore newer avenues and work hand-in-hand with the Government to ensure complete self-reliance in the field of AI technology.

Delivering the welcome address, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar lauded the proactive efforts of the three Services, DRDO, DPSUs & the Industry in developing these 75 products and contributing to strengthen national security. He added that over 100 more projects are in various levels of development.
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Brazilian Navy delegation on visit to India

A Brazilian Navy delegation led by Vice Admiral Liberal Enio Zanelatto, Director of Industrial Production & Engineering, visited New Delhi on 15 Jul 22 and held discussion with senior officers of the Indian Navy. The head of the Brazilian delegation also called on Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani, Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy. Earlier, Brazilian delegation also visited Headquarters Western Naval Command and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd at Mumbai on 11 and 12 Jul 22 respectively.

Extensive discussions between Brazilian and Indian Navy leadership, on areas of mutual cooperation, with special focus on submarine maintenance, in addition as general maintenance philosophy, upgradation of weapons and sensors, and Indian Navy’s indigenisation efforts for achieving self-reliance.
Reference: Click here to read…

Ministry of Defence sets up an Apex Committee for Performance and Efficiency Audit

The Ministry of Defence has set up an institutional mechanism comprising of an Apex committee with Defence Secretary as Chairman to conduct a Performance and Efficiency Audit into various aspects of its activities. This kind of audit is expected to provide valuable inputs to the top management of the Ministry of specific shortcomings, if any, in planning and execution of projects, and suggest systemic improvements in internal controls, soundness of financial procedures, identification of risk factors, etc. It is a major shift from the existing transaction-based compliance audit to carry out an outcome-based Performance/ Efficiency Audit aimed at enhancing overall efficiency.The members of the committee include Vice Chiefs of the three Services, Secretary Defence (Finance), Chief of Integrated Staff Committee (CISC), Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Director General (Acquisition) and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The broad areas that have been identified for the conduct of Performance and Efficiency Audit include Defence Capital Procurements, provisioning, logistics, inventory levels, Maintenance of platforms/ assets, role and performance of Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) etc. the Apex committee can also recommend any other specific area for Performance and Efficiency Audit.

The committee chaired by Defence Secretary will identify specific areas for the conduct of performance and audit by CGDA and monitor performance audit reports and action taken thereon. It also shall advise Raksha Mantri on remedial measures to be adopted as well as measures for overall improvement in strengthening of internal oversight and Risk Management Framework.
Reference: Click here to read…

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

West Asia

“Hizbu’llah used Iranian drones against the Karish gas field”, claimed Israel’s Defence Minister.

In a briefing to military reporters, on 07 July 2022, Israel’s Defence Minister Benny Gantz confirmed the use of Iranian drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) against the Karish gas field. “It should be said that the attack was carried out by Hizbu’llah on behest of Iran, and its weapons are made in Iran, whether it is manufactured there or knowledge acquired by them.
On 02 July 2022, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) shot three UAVs by Hezbollah toward Karish rig, which is located within Israel’s economic waters but disputed by Lebanon.
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Africa

Nigeria

Islamist attack freed hundreds of prisoners in Nigeria

Suspected Islamists gunmen, armed with explosives, attacked on Kuje medium security prison, on the outskirts of Abuja and freed nearly 900 of prison’s 994 inmates, including number of terrorists. “They [gunmen] came in numbers, gained entrance into the prison, and released ‘some’ of the inmates,” said Nigeria’s Defence Minister— Bashir Magashi during a press briefing on 06 July 2022.

Prison breaks have become more common in Nigeria, where in 2021, more than 1,800 prisoners escaped from Owerri prison in South-Eastern Imo state, after heavily armed men attacked with explosives.
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Pakistan

Ahead of FATF’s visit, Pakistan doubled the efforts to ‘locate’ JeM chief Masood Azhar

Ahead of the visit of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) officials to assess Pakistan’s commitment to carried out task list actions, Pakistan has doubled its efforts against Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief and founder— Masood Azhar, and his brother Rauf Asghar. While Rauf Asghar was taken into custody along with 44 JeM terrorists in 2019, the establishment is assessing Masood Azhar’s whereabouts, including his doubtful presence in Pakistan.

From 28 August-02 September, a team of senior FATF officials expected to visit Islamabad and other cities for an ‘on-site visit’, to verify if Pakistan has carried out all the actions mentioned on its 34-point task list. Pakistan is expected to be taken-off of ‘grey list’, during the FATF’s next plenary session in October 2022.
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DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

NIA searched multiple locations in Kashmir in “Sunjwan terrorist attack” case

On 13 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials carried out a search operation at three locations in Kashmir— 01 location in Pulwama district, and 02 locations in Anantnag district, in the case (RC-03/2022/NIA/JMU) related to indiscriminate firing upon security personnel on 22 April 2022, during a joint search operation in the area of Sunjwan, Jammu, in which an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) attained Veergati(fell in the battle), and several others were injured.
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Security forces eliminated two terrorists, including a JeM commander, in Pulwama

On 11 July 2022, security forces killed two terrorists, including a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander, in an operation in Wandakhpora village in Awantipora in Pulwama district. The JeM commander was identified as Kaiser Koka and was active in South Kashmir for the last four years.
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“In last four years, 700 local youths were recruited by terror groups in UT of J&K”: MHA

According to the data available with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), as on 05 July 2022, a total of 82 foreign terrorists were operating in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), while there were 59 local terrorists. In last four years, terrorist groups managed to recruit 700 local youths into their fold, while 141 terrorists, are currently active in the Valley. Such large number highlighted the unabated infiltration from terror launch pads across the border. Mostly, terrorists belong to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its offshoot— The Resistance Front (TRF), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM).
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Left-Wing Extremism

Police arrested a Maoist wanted in SP’s killing case, from Jharkhand

In a joint operation, Jharkhand Police and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) arrested a Maoist— Nandlal Soren aka Hitesh, a member of the Special Area Committee of the CPI (Maoist), from Giridih district in Jharkhand. Nandlal Soren was carrying a bounty reward of ₹ 25 lakh.

Soren was wanted in the killing of then-Superintendent of Police (SP) Amarjeet Balihar, and other police personnel in an ambush in 2013.
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Over 600 explosives and 495 detonators recovered in anti-Maoist operation in Bihar

In an anti-Maoist operation carried out during 04-11 July 2022 in Bihar, more than 600 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and around 500 detonators have been recovered by CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), a special jungle-warfare commando unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The recoveries were made from the jungles of Gaya district in Bihar.
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50 IEDs seized from Aurangabad in Bihar

On 11 July 2022, the CRPF’s CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), the Special Task Force (STF), and the district police carried out a joint operation on Ajnawa mountain range in Aurangabad district and recovered 50 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and other equipment. Other equipment included over two dozen gelatin rods, electric wires, batteries, pipes used in manufacturing of bombs were recovered.
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Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

NIA Special Court (Ernakulam) convicted three Islamic State members in “ISIS Valapattanam case”

On 12 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Ernakulam convicted three Islamic State (IS) members— i) Midlaj, ii) Abdul Razak, and iii) Hamsa, for providing support and conspiring a plan to travel out of India to join the terrorist organisation in Syria.

After thorough investigation, the case— RC-02/2017/NIA/KOC was taken over by the NIA for further investigation by the NIA on 16 December 2017. A chargesheet was filed by the NIA on 21 April 2018 against the IS members.
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NIA searched multiple locations in Rajasthan in “Udaipur killing” case

On 12 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials searched nine locations in Udaipur district in Rajasthan in “Udaipur killing case”. The case— RC-27/2022/NIA/DLI pertains to the killing of Shri Kanahiya Lal Teli in Udaipur, Rajasthan, by two Islamic extremists armed with sharp weapons at his shop located in Maaldas street, Udaipur, Rajasthan. On 29 June 2022, the NIA re-registered the case and taken over the investigation. During the search at the premises of both Islamic extremists, digital devices, including mobile phones, laptop and SIM cards, and other indiscriminating material was seized.
Earlier, on 09 July 2022, the NIA arrested Farhad Mohammad Sheikh aka Babla, in relation to Shri Kanahiya Lal Teli’s murder conspiracy. Farhad Mohammad was a close associate of one of the main perpetrator— RiyazAttari.
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NIA conducted search at multiple locations in Maharashtra in “Umesh Kolhe’s killing” case

On 06 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials searched 13 locations in Amravati district in Maharashtra in the case of killing of Shri Umesh Kolhe in Amravati on 21 June 2022.

The case— RC-02/2022/NIA/MUM relates to the killing of a pharmacist— Shri Umesh Kolhe allegedly on account of certain social media posts. The NIA re-registered the case on 02 July 2022 and taken over the investigation. During the search, the officials recovered digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, and DVRs), pamphlets spreading hate messages, knives, and other incriminating documents and materials.
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Khalistan-inspired Extremism

NIA filed chargesheet against four KTF associates accused of conspiring the killing of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar

On 04 July 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet at the NIA Special Court (Mohali) against four Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) associates— i) Kamaljeet Sharma, ii) Arshdeep Singh, iii) Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and iv) Ram Singh, for conspiring the killing of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab.
The case— RC-27/2021/NIA/DLI pertains to an attack on a Hindu priest— Kamaldeep Sharma, native of Bhar Singh Pura village in Phillaur, Jalandhar district. According to the investigation, the conspiracy was hatched by Arshdeep Singh and Harshdeep Singh Nijjar, both based in Canada, to disturb peace and communal harmony in Punjab by killing a Hindu priest. The arrested duo, Kamaljeet Sharma and Ram Singh, had shot the victim (Kamaldeep Sharma), on behest of Arshdeep Singh.
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MEA raised concerns over the participation of Australian Sikh soldiers at pro-Khalistan event in New South Wales, Australia

As the reports about Australian Army Sikh delegation’s participation in pro-Khalistan event in New South Wales, Australia, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on 07 July 2022, has taken up the concern over the matter with the Australian government.

“We came to know that there had been an instance in Australia. We have taken up the matter with the Australian government,” said MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
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Pro-Khalistan elements vandalized Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Canada

On 13 July 2022, allegedly pro-Khalistan supporters vandalised the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Vishnu temple in Toronto, Canada. The statue had existed at the Vishnu temple in the area of Yonge Street and Garden Avenue for over three decades.
“We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorise the Indian community. It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly,” observations made by the High Commission of India in Ottawa.
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Police arrested a pro-Khalistan supporter from Jalandhar

On the intervening night of 14-15 June 2022, police arrested Manjeet Singh, resident of Patiala, for reportedly writing pro-Khalistan slogans on the walls in Jalandhar. According to police, similar cases had been registered against Manjeet in Karnal, and other districts in Punjab. During the probe, Manjeet revealed that an unknown person approached him through social media and offered money for writing pro-Khalistan comments on Facebook (now Meta), YouTube and other channels.
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Abstract:

One of the most important aspects during the month was engaging and hectic diplomatic activity and high level visits.

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman visited Jordan, Egypt and Turkey (June 20-22) essentially aiming at rapprochement and reconciliation as well as to garner participation at the July GCC +++ Summit with President Biden. Turkish President Erdogan had taken the initiative to intensify and reinforce partnership with Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Cairo pursuant to domestic economic challenges and external developments.

Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi received his Venezuelan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan counterparts and discussed ways of enhanced cooperation. With President Maduro of Venezuela (a sore for the Americans and as sanctioned as the Iranians) Tehran signed a 20 years cooperation plan. Maduro also visited Qatar, Turkey, Kuwait and Algeria. Also in a bid to restart to JCPOA talks and in view of the pressing energy security and crisis, the EU’s foreign policy Chief Josep Borrel visited Tehran. It was agreed to hold talks in Doha though not much hope was evidenced.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian visited India and discussed among others the operations of transit routes relating to INSTC (North South Transport Corridor), Chabahar and Caspian Sea for the Russian cargo among other issues. He met Dr Jaishankar EAM and NSA Ajit Doval. He also called on PM Modi. India abstained on an IAEA Resolution that was critical of Iran.

Iraqi PM Kadhimi visited Riyadh and Tehran in a bid to restart talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Algeria suspended its two decades old Friendship Treaty with Spain on account of Madrid’s pro Morocco stance over Western Sahara. Also it stopped all imports that might even impact the oil and gas exports.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim in his first visit to Cairo conferred with President Sisi. Ties were tensed during the blockade for nearly four years between the two countries. He also received second time the National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun of UAE.

PM Naftali Bennet paid a surprise visit to UAE to meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Also President Herzog paid a visit to Jordan to meet King Abdullah II in Amman. Probably the visits were aimed at framing up some elements of the proposed security architecture during the visit of Biden. Of course the bilateral and regional dimensions of the relationships are equally frayed and important. Israeli ruling coalition lost majority and the Knesset was dissolved paving way for 5th elections in a short period. Yair Lapid took over as the interim PM.

Turkey changed its official name to “Turkiye” which was accepted by the UN. Turkey also lifted its objections after consultations with Sweden and Finland on their application to join NATO. At the same time it also provided a list of wanted Turks to be extradited. Israeli Foreign Minister also visited Turkey.

Hamas restored ties with Syria. EU President Ursula Von der Leyen visited Ramallah and promised to provide all assistance and restore full funding to the Palestinian Authority.

Returning from G7 Summit in Germany, PM Modi visited UAE to express his personal condolences on the demise of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed and to meet and congratulate his friend the new President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed. This was his 4th visit to the Emirate and as a special gesture PM Modi was received by the Emirati leader and the meetings were held at the airport itself when a Joint Vision statement was also issued.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited Qatar (June 4-5) and held meetings with the Qatari leadership and business community. Unfortunately, the visit was clouded by the controversy generated as a result of some remarks against Prophet Mohamed by a Spokesperson of the ruling party. This had witnessed protests by several countries however; Indian government’s stance and action taken by the BJP were broadly accepted by the countries in the region. OIC also issued a statement condemning the incident and statement which was rejected by India. Kuwait even apprehended and deported those protesting on the streets against India.

India -Saudi Arabia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation met. India and Egypt held joint air defence exercises. INS Kochi also made port of call on a goodwill mission to Red Sea port of Safaga.

More details …..

Indian Prime Minister’s visit to UAE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 June visited the UAE with aims to deepen engagement with the Gulf state. This was Prime Minister’s fourth visit to the Gulf state which is a crucial energy provider for India. Prime Minister during the meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conveyed his condolences on death of the preceding President and Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Earlier in February 2022 Prime Minister Modi and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held summit and both leaders signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The two leaders issued Joint Vision Statement titled “Advancing India and UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: New Frontiers, New Milestones.” Narendra Modi during his latest visit reviewed the progress of the comprehensive partnership.

Iranian Foreign Minister’s Visit to India

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on 8 June visited India at the invitation of External affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar. The Foreign Minister met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. During the meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister, both leaders discussed whole range of issues such as measures to improve political, cultural and people-to-people ties. India praised Iran’s role in facilitating India’s medical assistance to Afghanistan including supply of COVID-19 vaccines for Afghans living in Iran. They also talked about increasing regional connectivity and reviewed the progress made in Shahid Beheshti terminal, Chahbahar port. India is hopeful that Chahbahar port could provide sea access to Afghanistan. It can also be transformed into a commercial transit hub for Central Asian states. Indian Ministry of External Affairs has reported that teams from both states will meet in near future to evaluate the operational aspects. The Iranian Minister informed his counterpart about the progress in JCPOA talks and exchanged views on Russia-Ukraine conflict.

New IRGC Chief Appointed

Iranian government appointed Mohammad Kazemi, the former head of Intelligence Protection Organisation as the new chief of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp. (IRGC). Kazemi has replaced Hossein Taeb who according to Israeli media was behind the Iranian plot to kill or abduct Israeli tourists in Turkey. Israel in June has issued travel advisory to its citizens to avoid travelling to Turkey who could get killed or abducted as part of its retaliation policy.

Notably, in June, two Iranians working in the aerospace industry were killed in separate incidents during their active duty. One of the victims, Ali Kamani was part of IRGC’s aerospace division in Khomein who died in a “driving accident” during an unspecified mission. Earlier in the month, Mohammad Abdous was also killed during a mission. Both victims have been labeled as martyrs indicating that their deaths were linked to foreign powers. In early June, one IRGC Quds Force colonel, Ali Esmaelzadeh was also killed in an accident.

In related news, Iran tested Zuljanah satellite launcher for research purposes. The satellite vehicle was launched with a suborbital target which would be used to collect data from the launch.

Iran Nuclear Talks

Iran hosted the European Union (EU)’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on 25 June. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian during the meeting with EU foreign policy chief agreed to resume nuclear talks with the US. Iran expressed its desire to restore the 2015 nuclear accord and mentioned that it hoped the US will responsibly and fairly engage to reach final point of the agreement. Borrell also hoped to resume the talks to restore the nuclear deal that would benefit the region and the world. Meanwhile, Qatar played host to indirect talks between the US and Iran to salvage the JCPOA. The talks after number of rounds ended without any progress in June last week.

Qatari Emir’s Visit to Cairo

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Egypt on 24 June after years of cold relations including Cairo’s support for 2017 boycott of Doha due to alleged claims of backing terrorism. Qatar also opposed the 2013 military coup by Abdel Fatah Al Sisi to topple the democratically elected government under Mohammad Morsi. After the failure of the 2017 boycott and thaw in relations with Saudi Arabia, Qatar has sought to re-engage with the largest Arab state. In the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and resulting food insecurity and economic downturn in Egypt, Qatar provided US$ 5 billion as investment to improve the economy. Both sides discussed about the key regional issues; measures to improve bilateral and economic relations. The visit by the Qatari Emir was the first since the 2021 declaration to normalize ties with Doha. Notably, the Qatari Emir and the Egyptian President met on the sidelines of Glasgow Climate change summit and Beijing Winter Olympics.

Saudi Crown Prince’s Visit to Egypt, Jordan and Turkey

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the first leg of the regional tour visited Cairo and met with President Abdel Fatah Al Sisi. Egypt has been a close ally of Saudi Arabia and supported its war in Yemen and 2017 Qatar blockade. Both leaders shared their views about regional and global politics and talked about measures to combat terrorism.

In Jordan, Saudi Crown Prince met with King Abdullah II. Jordan is facing the economic consequences of Russia-Ukraine conflict and the COVID-19 crisis. Jordan is seeking to jointly carry out economic projects and new investments. Saudi Arabia had committed investment worth US$ 3 billion, however it remained stalled. Therefore, the recent visit could unlock the investment projects aiding the Jordanian economy. Jordan and Saudi Arabia has closely coordinated on security issues. Jordan has refused to wholeheartedly back Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Ankara and met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aiming to fully normalize ties after the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Saudi Arabia is seeking to utilize its economic reserves and oil production capacity to ease tensions with Turkey and in fact offered financial aid that could help Turkey’s economy ahead of presidential election in 2023. Saudi Arabia is hoping that trip could lead to full normalization and restoration of ties. Both states have lifted restrictions on trade, flight connectivity and TV screenings.

Israeli Foreign Minister’s Visit to Turkey

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid visited Turkey on 23 June in an attempt to boost their bilateral relations. Israel is worried about the attacks on its citizens in Turkey by Iranian spies. Turkey has assured about the safety of all visitors and stressed on its commitment to fight against terrorism. Israel has appreciated Turkish cooperation in foiling Iranian operations. Turkey on official level has avoided taking sides between Iran and Israel but only mentioned that it will not allow any kinds of operations on its soil.

On bilateral level, Turkey enjoyed close diplomatic and strategic ties with Israel which was disrupted in 2010 after Israeli forces attacked Turkish flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Turkey in the recent years has been highly critical of Israeli policies in occupied Palestinian territories. Israel has also criticized Turkey for supporting Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood.

Israel Government Collapse

Israel’s coalition government made up of eight ideologically distinct political parties has collapsed in June 2022. The coalition government was formed in 2021 to deter Benjamin Netanyahu to return to power. The coalition government had weak majority since its formation. In recent months, few Members of Knesset withdrew their support due to political reasons leading to dissolution of the Knesset. The Jewish state will witness fifth election in three years in November 2022.

Iraqi Parliamentarians Resign

On 12 June, 73 members of parliament belonging to nationalist Shiite bloc under influential cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr resigned, complicating the political impasse in Iraq. During the October 2021 parliamentary election, the Sadrist Movement secured the highest number of seats at 73 in the 329 seat parliament. The Sadrist movement political agenda is based on Iraqi nationalism and opposition to external involvement including the US and Iran.

After the October 2021 election, the political factions failed to agree on the appointment of a new Prime Minister, reserved for member of Sunni community. According to Iraqi laws, if any seat in parliament becomes vacant, the candidate that secures the second highest number of votes in their electoral district would replace them. The resignation of Sadrist MPs however empowered the pro-Iran Shiite factions and their allies such as the Coordination Framework with current majority at 122 seats.

Iraqi Prime Minister’s Visit to Iran

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on 26 June visited Tehran and met with President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Both sides discussed about removing barriers on financial transactions, facilitating religious pilgrimages and railroad connectivity between Shalamcheh in Iran and Basra in Iraq. Al-Kadhimi prior to his visit to Iran met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Notably Iraq since 2021 has served as the mediating ground for Iran and Saudi Arabia. It has hosted series of meetings to resolve all outstanding issues between the two regional powers. In Saudi Arabia, both sides discussed about measures to support and strengthen regional security and stability. Raisi and al-Kadhimi during the press conference in Tehran did not specifically mention Saudi Arabia. They however talked about improving ties across the region. The Iranian President warned about normalizing ties with Israel as well as presence of foreign powers that would aggravate the problems in the region. Iran agreed with Iraq’s views on ending the Yemen conflict and both sides have supported UN negotiated truce in Yemen.

Iraqi Court Sentences British man to 15 year in Prison

An Iraqi court in Baghdad on 6 June sentenced a British tourist, Jim Fitton to 15 year in prison on charges of smuggling artefacts out of the state. Fitton is a retired geologist and was arrested at Baghdad airport on 20 March 2022 after security officials discovered 12 fragments of pottery and other shards in his possession. The artefacts were picked during a group tourism expedition in Eridu, a Mesopotamian site, in Dhi Qar province. The court dismissed Fitton’s claim that the items were collected as souvenirs and he was unaware of Iraqi laws and the value of the said artefacts. Besides, the British citizen, one German national, Volker Waldmann was also arrested. Waldmann while carrying the artefacts did not collect them from the site. The court found that he did not have criminal intent and announced his release. The verdict reflects the sensitivity attached to ancient artefacts which were willfully plundered and transported during colonial period by western powers.

Yuan Jiajun elected Party chief of China’s Zhejiang: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

Yuan Jiajun has been elected secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Yuan was elected to the post at the first plenary session of the 15th CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee on ThursdayClick here to read…

Remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 14th BRICS Summit: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

On the evening of June 23, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the 14th BRICS Summit in Beijing via video link. Following is the full text of the remarks by President Xi at the Summit: Click here to read…

Chinese, Iranian FMs holds phone conversation on ties: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian at the latter’s request. Click here to read…

China commends Nepal’s decision not to move ahead on SPP with U.S.: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

China commends the Nepali government’s decision not to move ahead on the State Partnership Program (SPP) with the United States, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. Click here to read…

China to establish national demonstration zones for IPR protection: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

China will establish a batch of demonstration zones for intellectual property rights (IPR) protection by 2025, according to a notice recently published by the National Intellectual Property Administration. Click here to read…

China aims to boost digital government construction: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

China has detailed measures to enhance the building of a digital government in tandem with the country’s efforts to promote digital transformation. By 2025, the country will strive to improve the top-level design and coordination mechanism of a digital government that matches the modernization of the national governance system, according to a guideline released by the State Council, China’s cabinet. Click here to read…

Senior official of south China’s Guangxi expelled from CPC, office: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

Liu Hongwu, former vice chairman of the people’s government of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body announced Thursday. Click here to read…

Former manager of China’s state grain group expelled from Party: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

Xu Baoyi, former deputy general manager of China Grain Reserves Group (Sinograin), has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office for grave violations of Party discipline and laws, said the country’s top anti-graft body Thursday. Click here to read…

China launches crackdown against crimes involving illegal occupation of farmland: Xinhuanet

June 23, 2022

China’s Ministry of Public Security has urged police nationwide to strike hard on crimes involving the illegal occupation of farmland and the production and sale of fake or substandard agricultural materials amid efforts to safeguard national food security. Click here to read…

Patent applications being reviewed more quickly: China Daily

June 23, 2022

The time for reviewing high-value patent applications in China was shortened to 13.3 months by the end of last year, achieving the goal set by the central government ahead of schedule, an official for the country’s intellectual property regulator said. Click here to read…

Chinese FM reveals meeting with Taliban-affiliated Afghan Chargé d’affaires for first time: Global Times

June 23, 2022

Chen Song, deputy director-general of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, met with Afghan Embassy Chargé d’affaires in Beijing Sayed Mohiuddin Sadat on Wednesday, with Sadat thanking China for the sincere sympathy over the deadly earthquake. Click here to read…

China delivers 2nd Type 054A/P frigate to Pakistan: Global Times

June 23, 2022

China delivered the second of four powerful Type 054A/P frigates to the Pakistan Navy on Thursday, highlighting the friendship between the two neighboring countries, which serves as a pillar of peace and stability in the region. The PNS Taimur was commissioned at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, the Global Times learned from the Pakistan Navy on Thursday. Click here to read…

PLA vessels join aircraft in large-scale drills around Taiwan: Global Times

June 23, 2022

A large number of warships of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy reportedly sailed to waters east of the island of Taiwan and south of Japan as dozens of PLA warplanes carried out drills on Tuesday and Wednesday, with analysts saying on Thursday that the joint maritime and aerial exercise could greatly enhance combat readiness against “Taiwan independence” and foreign interference forces. Click here to read…

China’s coastal provinces pushing sustainable fisheries development: Global Times

June 23, 2022

Negotiations on fisheries subsidies were launched at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference held in Doha from June 12 to 17, and an agreement was made to limit over-fishing in order to secure the sustainable development of global marine resource. China’s agricultural and financial ministries launched a similar campaign in 2021. Click here to read…

Chinese companies strive to help alleviate Pakistan’s power shortages: Global Times

June 23, 2022

China’s energy infrastructure developers and operators are striving to help ensure the timely delivery and smooth operation of power facilities in Pakistan, which is coping with severe power shortages amid extreme weather and high coal prices. Click here to read…

China’s CATL to produce next-generation EV battery in 2023: Reuters

June 23, 2022

Chinese battery giant CATL will start mass production next year of its latest generation product, with greater efficiency that lets electric cars drive longer distances on each charge, the company said on Thursday. Click here to read…

China’s coastal ecosystems still unhealthy despite recent progress, official says: Reuters

June 23, 2022

Most of China’s marine ecosystems are still in poor health despite recent improvements, and more efforts are needed to restore, protect and monitor coastal waters, an environment ministry official said on Thursday. Click here to read…

More trust urged for Sino-Indian relations: People’s Daily

June 24, 2022

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China’s and India’s common interests far outweigh their differences and the two countries should support rather than undermine each other, as he met with Pradeep Kumar Rawat, India’s new ambassador to Beijing. Click here to read…

China adopts amendment to anti-monopoly law: Xinhuanet

June 24, 2022

Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to pass an amendment to the Anti-monopoly Law, which will take effect on Aug. 1, 2022, at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Click here to read…

President Xi calls for peace, development, openness, innovation to build high-quality BRICS partnership: Xinhuanet

June 24, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the 14th BRICS Summit via video link on Thursday evening in Beijing, calling on BRICS countries to safeguard world peace and tranquility, boost development, and unleash the potential and vitality of cooperation. Click here to read…

Full text of 14th BRICS Summit Beijing Declaration: Xinhuanet

June 24, 2022

The 14th BRICS Summit on Thursday issued the Beijing Declaration. Following is the full text of the declaration. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 18 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet

June 24, 2022

The Chinese mainland Thursday reported 18 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 14 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and two in Shanghai, the National Health Commission said Friday. Click here to read…

Nation makes big advances in battle against illicit drugs: China Daily

June 24, 2022

China made 58 additions to the list of controlled drugs last year, resulting in all fentanyl and synthetic cannabinoid substances being put under control. The nation now has 449 kinds of narcotics and psychotropic substances on the list, Liang Yun, head of the narcotics control bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, announced on Thursday, three days ahead of the 35th International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Click here to read…

Probe into overseas cyberattack underway: China Daily

June 24, 2022

Police are investigating a cyberattack launched from overseas on the email system of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an, Shaanxi province. Key evidence of the attack has been secured, local police said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Entertainment venues closed, dine-in services banned in Macao after Omicron cases surge to 110: Global Times

June 24, 2022

Entertainment venues were ordered to close and dine-in services at restaurants were banned from Thursday afternoon in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) after the city’s COVID-19 infections increased to 110 in the latest flare-up. The chief executive of the Macao SAR assured the public that the outbreak would be curbed soon. Click here to read…