Month: October 2024

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MEA’s blockbuster 100 days of Modi 3.0  

Brahmapur : Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally for the Lok Sabha polls in Brahmapur, Odisha on Monday, May 06, 2024. (Photo: IANS)

Earlier in July, PM Modi travelled to Russia at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit…reports Asian Lite News

After assuming office for the third consecutive term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited seven nations, including Russia and Ukraine, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

After being sworn in for the third time as PM, he first participated in the G7 Leaders’ Outreach meeting in Italy at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in June.

Earlier in July, PM Modi travelled to Russia at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit.

PM Modi visited Poland and Ukraine in August. A Prime Ministerial visit to Poland from India took place after 45 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited war-hit Ukraine after a 10-hour journey from Poland aboard the trail Rail Force One.

This is the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine. He visited Ukraine at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the first 100 days of his third term, PM Modi also visited Singapore and Brunei.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance secured a third consecutive term after winning 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

After assuming office, PM Modi hosted the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS), which was attended by 173 dignitaries. The dignitaries who attended the VOGSS included 21 Heads of State/Government, 34 Foreign Ministers & 118 Ministers/Vice Ministers – from 122 countries.

Earlier in August, President Droupadi Murmu was on a State visit to Fiji, New Zealand and Timor-Leste. During her visit to Timor-Leste, President Murmu announced that India will soon open an embassy in the country as part of the growing friendship between the two nations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited UAE, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Maldives, Kuwait, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Germany, according to MEA.

He travelled to Kazakhstan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. He participated in the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Japan.

During his visit to Laos, Jaishankar participated in the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. He hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers Retreat in New Delhi. The Prime Minister of Malaysia and Vietnam arrived in India for a State visit during the first 100 days of PM Modi 3.0.

Earlier in July, Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in India for his three-day state visit. In August, Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim visited India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi inaugurated the 46th World Heritage Committee (WHC) Session hosted by India. The inclusion of India’s nomination of the Charaideo Moidam, the burial ground of the Ahom Dynasty (1228-1826) in Assam, in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites showcased India’s cultural diplomacy under the Modi 3.0 government.

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) hosted the first International Yoga Conference in South Africa. In addition, renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the ICCR Chair on Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy in Mauritius.

During the first 100 days of the third term of PM Modi-led government, the Deka Pumping Station and River Water Intake System in Zimbabwe was upgraded. According to MEA, there was procurement of Haemo-Dialysis units to supply to 8 Pacific Island Countries – Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Nauru.

A 20MW hydroelectric project was completed in Burundi’s Kabu, according to MEA. India also supplied APIs to Cuba. India announced the opening of new Indian missions in Albania, Gabon, Georgia, Latvia and Timor-Leste and two Indian Consulates in Auckland and Barcelona. (ANI)

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Over 29,000 Indians missing in SE Asia, Thailand tops list

The task force has also urged the immigration department to enhance mechanisms to identify potential victims before they leave the country…reports Asian Lite News

In a startling revelation, official data shows that 29,466 Indians who travelled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam between January 2022 and May 2024 on visitor visas have not returned.

Notably, more than half (17,115) of these individuals are aged between 20 and 39, with males making up the majority (21,182). This information, compiled by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, highlights that over one-third of those unaccounted for hail from Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Thailand alone is responsible for over 69 percent of these cases, with 20,450 individuals reported missing.

The development comes against the backdrop of increasing reports of Indians being lured into Southeast Asia by the promise of high-paying jobs, only to be trapped in what has been described as ‘cyber slavery’. Victims are reportedly coerced into conducting cyber fraud and other illegal activities, often under the threat of violence.

In response, the Centre has established a high-level inter-ministerial task force to investigate and address the issue. This panel, formed in May, has directed all states and union territories (UTs) to conduct thorough ground-level verification and gather details on these missing individuals.

The task force has also urged the immigration department to enhance mechanisms to identify potential victims before they leave the country.

The data, which highlights the extent of the issue across India, shows that, besides Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, significant numbers of individuals are missing from Uttar Pradesh (2,946), Kerala (2,659), Delhi (2,140), Gujarat (2,068), and Haryana (1,928). Karnataka, Telangana, and Rajasthan have also reported hundreds of missing persons, with smaller numbers from states such as West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar.

Notably, the largest number of people who have not returned left via Delhi airport (12,493), followed by airports in Mumbai (4,699), Kolkata (2,395), and Kochi (2,296).

Concerns about the issue first gained attention earlier this year when it was reported that over 5,000 Indians were suspected to be trapped in Cambodia, forced to carry out cyber frauds under duress. These individuals are often sent abroad on false promises of data entry jobs, only to find themselves exploited in illegal activities.

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), a division of the MHA, has noted a significant rise in cybercrimes originating from Southeast Asia. In fact, 45 per cent of cybercrimes targeting Indians are believed to come from this region. Since January 2023, approximately 100,000 cyber complaints have been filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

Sources said that the victims are employed by scamming companies, where they are required to create fake social media profiles, often using images of women, to lure unsuspecting individuals into fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Once the target invests, they are either blocked or ‘ghosted’, leaving them defrauded.

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Modi dials Netanyahu, urges peace

Indian PM expressed India’s commitment to supporting efforts for early restoration of peace and stability…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and discussed recent developments in West Asia. Modi expressed India’s commitment to supporting efforts for early restoration of peace and stability.

Modi called it crucial to prevent recent escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages.

In a post on X, Modi stated, “Spoke to Prime Minister @netanyahu about recent developments in West Asia. Terrorism has no place in our world. It is crucial to prevent regional escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages. India is committed to supporting efforts for an early restoration of peace and stability.”

In October last year, Israel launched a counter-offensive against Hamas after hundreds of Hamas terrorists burst into Israeli borders, killing over 1200 people and taking over 250 hostages, out of which 100 continue to be in captivity.

The war has spiralled into the region lately, with Houthi rebels in Yemen also targeting Israel and other countries in the Red Sea. Israel has also continued striking Hezbollah in Lebanon. As the conflict heads towards escalation, all major countries have called for a ceasefire and hostage deal, while also stressing for a two-state solution as a means to achieve durable and sustainable peace in the region.

On September 27, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the war with Hamas can end if the latter lays arms and releases the hostages, while asserting that Israel will continue its fight until it achieves “total victory.”

Issuing a stern warning to Iran, Netanyahu said there is “no place” in Iran, where the “long arms” of Israel cannot reach, while adding that it is true for the “entire Middle East.”

In his address at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Netanyahu accused Hamas of stealing humanitarian aid and selling it to people at higher rates.

He said, “This too has to end, and we are working to bring it to an end.”The Israeli PM said that if Hamas stays in power, it will regroup, rearm and “attack Israel again and again and again”. “Hamas has got to go.”

Stressing that the war will end if Hamas lays down its arms, he said, “As far as hostages, I have a message for Hamas captors. Let them go, all of them. Those alive today, must be returned alive and the remains of those whom you brutally killed must be returned to their families. Those families here today and those in Israel.”

He also asserted the need to defeat Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. “This war can come to an end now, all that has to happen is for Hamas to surrender, lay down its arms and release all the hostages. But if they don’t, we will fight until we achieve total victory. There is no substitute for it. Israel must also defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon,” he added.

Netanyahu said Israel has brought home 154 of these hostages, including 117 alive, and pledged to not rest until all the hostages are brought home. He pointed out the hostage families in attendance and asked them to stand up. He narrated the stories of each of the hostages represented by their families, including those whose bodies were taken to Gaza.

“I can promise you, we will return your loved ones home. We will not spare that effort until that holy mission is accomplished,” he said. At the start of his address, Netanyahu said that he did not intend to participate in the UNGA. However, he decided to come here as he heard the “lies and slanders levelled by many speakers at this podium.”

He said, “I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is in war fighting for its life. But, after I heard the lies and slanders levelled at my country by many of the speakers at this podium. I decided to come here and set the record straight. I decided to come here to speak for my people, for my country, to speak for truth and here is the truth – Israel seeks peace, Israel yearns for peace, Israel has made peace and will make peace again.”

“Yet, we face savage enemies who seek our annihilation and we must defend ourselves against these savage murderers. Our enemies seek not only to destroy us. They seek to destroy our common civilisation and return all of us to a dark age of tyranny and terror,” he added. (ANI)

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Israel Launches ‘localised’ ground raids on Hezbollah targets

The IDF elaborated that the operations focused on targets located in villages near the border, which pose an “immediate threat” to northern Israeli communities….reports Asian Lite News

In the early hours of Tuesday, massive Israeli strikes targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut following the initiation of “limited” and “localised” ground operations in the Lebanese capital, according to local media reports.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the commencement of the ground operation in a post on X, stating, “In accordance with the decision of the political echelon, a few hours ago, the IDF began limited, localised, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.”

The IDF elaborated that the operations focused on targets located in villages near the border, which pose an “immediate threat” to northern Israeli communities.

Prior to the raids, Israeli forces issued evacuation warnings to Lebanese residents in Haret Hreik, Mreijeh, and Laylaki, urging them to leave the areas immediately.

Israeli stated that the operations are part of a well-coordinated strategy planned by the General Staff and Northern Command, which IDF soldiers have been training and preparing for over the past few months. “The Israeli Air Force and IDF Artillery are supporting the ground forces with precise strikes on military targets in the area,” the post added.

The Israeli security forces emphasised that these operations were approved in accordance with political directives and that Operation ‘Northern Arrows’ would continue based on situational assessments in parallel with ongoing combat in Gaza and other theatres of conflict.

“The IDF is continuing to operate to achieve the goals of the war and is doing everything necessary to defend the citizens of Israel and return the citizens of northern Israel to their homes,” the post concluded.

Since September 23, Israel has intensified airstrikes across Lebanon, culminating in a significant strike on Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut that reportedly killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and many of his associates.

This escalation has intensified ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, prompting retaliatory Israeli artillery fire and airstrikes in southeastern Lebanon.

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