Budget 2018-19

  Nearly 17 years after the deadly  2004 tsunami , the Quad summit will mark a high point in a steady year-long elevation against the backdrop of China’s growing economic and military strength and Covid Nearly 17 years after the deadly 2004 tsunami, when outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister  Scott Morrison  and US president Joe Biden meet September 24 for the first ever in-person leader level summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, it will mark a high point in a steady year-long elevation against the backdrop of China’s growing economic and military strength and Covid-19. Covid-19 vaccine production and distribution, supply chain resilience in critical and emerging technologies like semiconductors and 5G telecom networks are tipped to be top of the agenda. For India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Quad meeting will be bookended by a Covid-19 summit convened by Biden and Modi’s own s...

  The CNWG convened the second virtual meeting and exchanged views to reduce the threat of illicit drugs The US-India Counter narcotics Working Group (CNWG) on Wednesday convened the second virtual meeting and exchanged views to reduce the threat of illicit drugs. Both sides committed to a bilateral framework of policy engagements and expanded cooperation to help reduce the threat of illicit drugs in both countries, read the joint statement of CNWG. The Indian delegation was led by Director General Rakesh Asthana, Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, while the US delegates included White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Assistant Director Kemp Chester, Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Jorgan Andrews, and Department of Justice Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Hodge. The delegations engaged in wide-ranging conversations focused on increasing collabo...

  There are reports that China has constructed a new village in the ‘disputed’ region of Arunachal Pradesh Current Affairs:  In a cautious reaction to a report that China has built a village in Arunachal Pradesh, India on Monday said it keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on the country’s security, and takes necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ministry of External Affairs said India has stepped up the construction of border infrastructure, including roads and bridges for the improvement of livelihood of its citizens. The response from the ministry came when asked about a report by NDTV channel, saying China has constructed a new village in the disputed region of Arunachal Pradesh and it consisted of about 101 homes. The news channel said the report is based on satellite images accessed exclusively by it. “We have seen recent reports on China undertaking construction work along the border areas with India. China...

  Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir denied any role of his country in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir denied on Tuesday any role of his country in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. He responded through his Twitter account to the allegation by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif claiming that the murder of the scientist was a Saudi Arabia-U.S.-Israel plot. It is not the policy of Saudi Arabia to engage in assassinations, al-Jubeir said. Fakhrizadeh was assassinated on Friday near the Iranian capital Tehran by “armed terrorists,” Iranian Ministry of Defense said. In early 2016, Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic ties with Iran after the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran were attacked by the Iranians protesting against the Saudi execution of 47 individuals on terrorism charges, including Saudi Shiite cleric Nami...

  The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Moscow will seek firm guarantees that the remaining parties of the Treaty on Open Skies fulfil their obligations, amid the US’ withdrawal from the agreement The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Moscow will seek firm guarantees that the remaining parties of the Treaty on Open Skies fulfil their obligations, amid the US’ withdrawal from the agreement. “After withdrawing from the Treaty on Open Skies, the US side expects that its allies, on the one hand, will hinder Russian observation flights above US military facilities in Europe, and, on the other hand, share with Washington their photographic materials of Russian territory,” Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying in a statement on Sunday. “Of course, this is unacceptable for Russia,” it added. “We will seek firm guarantees that the states remaining in the Treaty on Open Skies will fulfil their obligations, firstly, on ensuring the possibility of observing their entire te...

  Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday discussed over phone the ongoing efforts to secure the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday discussed over phone the ongoing efforts to secure the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire. Putin told Macron that the ceasefire, agreed upon by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, is being honored and the situation in the region has generally stabilised, the Xinhua news agency reported. As co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, both parties agreed to coordinate their efforts on Nagorno-Karabakh. The two leaders also touched upon humanitarian matters such as the return of refugees to places of permanent residence and the necessity to restore infrastructure and preserve Christian churches and monasteries. Vladimir Putin  briefed Macron on the future establishment of a Russian...