UK’s Labour Party on Thursday suspended Jeremy Corbyn from the party over his reaction to a highly critical report on anti-Semitism, the media reported.
According to BBC report, the human rights watchdog found Labour responsible for “unlawful” harassment and discrimination during Mr Corbyn’s years in charge of the party.
I will strongly contest the political intervention to suspend me.
I’ve made absolutely clear those who deny there has been an antisemitism problem in the Labour Party are wrong.
I will continue to support a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of racism.
But Mr Corbyn later said the scale of anti-Semitism within Labour had been “dramatically overstated” by opponents, the report said.
The Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer suspended Mr Corbyn “for a failure to retract” his words.
Mr Corbyn reacted by calling the move “political” and promised to “strongly contest” it, it was reported.
Sir Keir Starmer
“I will strongly contest the political intervention to suspend me. I’ve made absolutely clear that those who deny there has been an antisemitism problem in the Labour Party are wrong. It’s also undeniable that a false impression has been created of the number of members accused of antisemitism, as polling shows: that is what has been overstated, not the seriousness of the problem.I will continue to support a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of racism. And I urge all members to stay calm and focused – while this problem is resolved amicably, as I believe it will be – to defeat this awful government, which is further impoverishing the poorest in our society,” Mr Corbyn said in a statement.
With less than a week to go for the US election, Republican lawmakers got an earful from critics for the timing of the “sham” hearing…reports NIKHILA NATARAJAN
US Congress grills Twitter, Facebook, Google CEOs.
Baloney!”, “sham!” and “who the hell are you” scoldings dominated a Senate hearing on Wednesday where the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google took heat in a talking match with US lawmakers over the idea of free speech and alleged anti-conservative bias on the companies’ mighty platforms.
The Congressional grilling quickly shifted into the realm of political circus around the social media content moderation dumpster fire.
With less than a week to go for the US election, Republican lawmakers got an earful from critics for the timing of the “sham” hearing.
At the heart of the heated arguments were 26 words tucked away in a 1996 US law – Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.
Section 230 states that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider”.
Under American law, Internet firms are typically exempt from liability for content that users post on platforms. President Donald Trump has challenged this via executive order which threatens to strip those protections if online platforms wade into “editorial decisions”.
For 3 hours and 42 minutes, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google were at the receiving end of a firehose version of bipartisan alarm over their phenomenal power to influence behaviour at scale.
The Republicans’ drumbeat centered on Facebook’s and Twitter’s decision earlier this month to slam the brakes on an unverified political story from the conservative-leaning New York Post about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The story cited unverified emails from Biden’s son Hunter.
Trump acolytes jumped on the chance to prove their loyalty. One of them called Twitter’s action on the newspaper “a pattern of censorship and silencing Americans with whom Twitter disagrees”.
For their part, Twitter, Facebook and Google have struggled to frame exactly how they would intervene and in how many scenarios. And what about content that doesn’t fall into their precast rubric or categories of bad stuff? The answers have been less than clear.
Of the three companies, Facebook’s sway over behavioural targeting has raised a string of red flags in the context of the US 2020 election.
Multiple lawmakers pushed back against the idea of “unelected San Francisco elites” deciding if content makes the grade or not.
In opening statements, Dorsey, Zuckerberg and Pichai spoke to the proposals for changes to Section 230. Zuckerberg said Congress “should update the law to make sure it’s working as intended.”
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that if Google was “acting as a publisher”, he would be okay with the company being liable for content published on its platform.
Wednesday’s hearing comes barely a week after the US Justice Department’s landmark antitrust lawsuit against Google which argues that both advertisers and regular people are harmed by the tech giant’s position as “the unchallenged gateway to the Internet for billions of users worldwide.”
Warnings abound of the coming restrictions and for the “free pass” to end, maybe on the other side of the election results.
3rd Session on Infrastructure and sustainable finance during the 10th India-UK EFD
The UK and India made agreements on financial services, infrastructure and sustainable finance, helping to boost jobs and investments in both countries…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
3rd Session on Infrastructure and sustainable finance during the 10th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD)
The landmark tenth Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) between the UK and India saw the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamanmeeting to build further economic ties.
Both the nations have decided to establish the ‘India-UK Sustainable Finance Forum’.
The UK and India have a strong investment relationship, with UK and Indian investments supporting over half a million jobs in each other’s economies. Since the first EFD with India in 2007, UK bilateral trade with India has more than doubled to nearly £24 billion in 2019, a press release issued by the British High Commission said.
The Chancellor and Finance Minister discussed the importance of continuing to work together to deal with the global economic impact of Coronavirus – which the UK and India are already leading as co-authors of the G20 Action Plan – and tackling climate change through sustainable finance.
“Issues related to international tax agenda including development of inclusive consensus based solution on the taxation of digital economy was discussed,” said a statement by Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: “The UK’s economic and financial relationship with India has never been more important with the global challenges we face. Today we set out our ambition for even stronger ties, with an agreement that will increase investment and create and secure jobs. We are also committed to working together to lead the global economic recovery as we build back better after the pandemic.”
Agreements reached by both the nations include:
A new strategic partnership to accelerate the development of Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) Cityas an international financial centre – including regulatory capacity building support for the new International Financial Services Centre Authority
A new UK-India Partnership on Infrastructure Policy and Financing to support the Indian National Infrastructure Pipeline with UK commercial expertise and financing
Strengthening cooperation on mobilising private capital into green investment, including through a new UK-India Sustainable Finance Forum, and greening the financial system
A fresh mandate for the industry-led India-UK Financial Partnership to explore closer financial ties in areas including FinTech
Creating a new Financial Markets Dialogue to remove regulatory and market access barriers for UK and Indian firms
Joint investment by UK Research and Innovation and India’s Department of Biotechnology in research collaborations worth up to £8 million to understand the impact of Covid in South Asian populations in the UK and India
During the talks, the Chancellor championed UK markets as a source for Indian companies to raise international capital, and welcomed the decision to allow Indian companies to list on the London Stock Exchange – the UK being one of only seven jurisdictions permitted.
Ministers also agreed to explore ways to boost investment in insurance through an increase in India’s foreign investment limit.
The UK and India have built a strong partnership on FinTech, and the Ministers agreed to collaborate on facilitating the flow of faster and cheaper UK-India remittances.
Ministers further committed to leading the world’s economic recovery by working closely together through the UK’s G7 and COP Presidencies and India’s G20 Presidency in 2022.
Alongside the EFD, the Chancellor addressed industry leaders at the UK-India Investing for Growth Forum hosted virtually by the City of London Corporation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The Chancellor highlighted the enormous potential for the UK and India to work together to drive green sustainable finance flows and generate even stronger bilateral investment.
India and the United Kingdom enjoy close bilateral relations in diverse areas.
India-UK economic ties are important as together they are two of the world’s top seven economies with a combined GDP of over $5 trillion. India-UK trade has more than doubled since the first EFD in 2007, with bilateral investment supporting over half a million jobs across both countries.
In a significant move, the Centre has notified the new Land Laws for Jammu & Kashmir. In a gazette notification, the union home ministry has notified this on Monday. It paved way for any Indian to buy land in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir.
The MHA notified what it calls UT of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020. The order comes into force with immediate effect.
“With immediate effect, the Acts mentioned in the Schedule to this Order shall, until repealed or amended by a competent Legislature or other competent authority, have effect, subject to the adaptations and modifications directed by the said Schedule, or if it is so directed, shall stand repealed,” read the order.
The General Clauses Act, 1897 applies for the interpretation of this current Order since it applies for interpretation of laws in force in India, said the order. Meanwhile 12 state laws have been repealed as a whole.
Meanwhile those legislations which are being repealed as whole include the Jammu and Kashmir Alienation Of Land Act (V of Samvat 1995), the Jammu and Kashmir Big Landed Estates Abolition Act (XVII Samvat 2007), The Jammu and Kashmir Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1956, the Jammu and Kashmir Consolidation Of Holdings Act, 1962, among others.
Meanwhile, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah hit out the new land laws, terming it a “deceit” and a “wanton breach of trust”.
Calling the J&K Development Act, which has come into force with immediate effect, as hostile to the interests of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, Abdullah, a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, contended that the amendments to the land ownership law has put J&K “up for sale”.
“With these new laws in place, tokenism of the domicile certificate has been done away with as purchasing non-agricultural land has been made easier. These new laws are unacceptable to people of J&K, Ladakh,” he said.
“The BJP remains unchallenged in the opportunistic politics and that the issuance of the amended land rules notification smacks of its cheap politics and deceit,” he said.
“Interestingly the Centre waited till the elections to LAHDC had concluded and the BJP had won a majority before putting Ladakh also up for sale. This is what Ladakhis got for trusting the assurances of the BJP,” he said.
“The new laws are a consequence of the measures undertaken by the GOI on 5th of August without democratic bearings and much to the resentment and anger of the region’s populace.
“The measure reflects the wanton breach of trust of the people of J&K by a dispensation which is brewing with abhorrence for the diversity of the country and the democracy. The measures are also part of a larger design aimed to destroy the local, distinctive cultural identity of Kashmir, thereby giving a ditch to the successive promises made by the successive Central governments from time to time,” he said.
“Such measures reveal that it is not the people’s aspirations which matters to the ruling dispensation at New Delhi, it is rather the land which they want to hold on and are interested in,” Abdullah added.
Meanwhile, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah hit out the new land laws, terming it a “deceit” and a “wanton breach of trust”.
Calling the J&K Development Act, which has come into force with immediate effect, as hostile to the interests of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, Abdullah, a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, contended that the amendments to the land ownership law has put J&K “up for sale”.
“With these new laws in place, tokenism of the domicile certificate has been done away with as purchasing non-agricultural land has been made easier. These new laws are unacceptable to people of J&K, Ladakh,” he said.
“The BJP remains unchallenged in the opportunistic politics and that the issuance of the amended land rules notification smacks of its cheap politics and deceit,” he said.
“Interestingly the Centre waited till the elections to LAHDC had concluded and the BJP had won a majority before putting Ladakh also up for sale. This is what Ladakhis got for trusting the assurances of the BJP,” he said.
“The new laws are a consequence of the measures undertaken by the GOI on 5th of August without democratic bearings and much to the resentment and anger of the region’s populace.
“The measure reflects the wanton breach of trust of the people of J&K by a dispensation which is brewing with abhorrence for the diversity of the country and the democracy. The measures are also part of a larger design aimed to destroy the local, distinctive cultural identity of Kashmir, thereby giving a ditch to the successive promises made by the successive Central governments from time to time,” he said.
“Such measures reveal that it is not the people’s aspirations which matters to the ruling dispensation at New Delhi, it is rather the land which they want to hold on and are interested in,” Abdullah added.
Acccoridng to Ministry of Home Affairs, Syed Mohammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahudeen, Pakistan based, Supreme Commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Chairman, United Jihad Council (UJC) Involved in fund raising and routing finances to India for furtherance of terrorist activities by HM cadres…reports Asian Lite News
Syed Salahuddin.
Government has declared 18 more individuals as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 including Hizbul Mujhadeen chief Syed Salahuddin involved in the Mumbai terror attack as well as the IC 814 hijacking.
The MHA in a statement said that under the strong and iron-willed leadership of the Prime Minister, the central government had amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in August 2019, to include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist.
“Prior to this amendment, only organizations could be designated as terrorist organizations,” the statement said
The Minister said Home Minister Amit Shah has unequivocally reaffirmed the nation’s resolve to fight terrorism. “By invoking the said amended provision, the Central Government designated four individuals in September, 2019 and nine individuals in July, 2020 as terrorists.”
The government said that it is committed for strengthening national security and its policy of zero tolerance to terrorism.
Those who have been named include Syed Mohammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahudeen,Pakistan based, Supreme Commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Chairman, United Jihad Council (UJC) Involved in fund raising and routing finances to India for furtherance of terrorist activities by HM cadres.
Sajid Mir and Yusuf Muzammil, both Pakistan based Commander of LeT operations in Jammu & Kashmir and accused in the 26/11 Mumbai Terror attack. Abdur Rehman Makki, Brother-in-law of Hafiz Saeed, chief LeT and Head of LeT political affairs and served as Head of LeT’s foreign relations department.
Shahid Mehmood, Pakistan-based Deputy Chief of proscribed organization Falah-i-lnsaniyat Foundation (FIF), a frontal organisation of terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Farhatullah Ghori Pakistan based terrorist and was involved in attack on Akshardham Temple (2002) and Suicide attack on Task Force office in Hyderabad (2005).
Abdul Rauf Asghar, Pakistan based terrorist, involved in Setting up of training camps in Pakistan for recruitment and militant training and Key conspirator in the terrorist attack (13.12.2001) on the Indian Parliament House,Pakistan based terrorist, involved in the hijacking of the Indian Airlines Flight No. lC-814 on December 24, 1999, (Kandhar hijacking case) and also the key conspirator in the Indian Parliament terrorist attack (13.12.2001).
The others are Yusuf Azhar, Shahid Latif, Ghulam nabi Khan, Zaffar Hussain Bhatt — all Pakistan based terrorist
Terrorism.
Pakistan-based, Founder member of terrorist organization “Indian Mujahideena, Riyaz Ismail Shahbandri, and Iqbal Bhatkal Involved in various terrorist acts in India including German Bakery (2010), Chinnaswami Stadium, Bengaluru (2010), Jama Masjid (2010), Sheetlaghat (2010) and Mumbai (2011) are also declared terrorist under UAPA.
The agency has also names Chhota Shakeel, Pakistan-based Associates of Dawood Ibrahim, looks after all criminal and underworld operations of D-Company. Finances D-Company operatives of India. Involved in the smuggling of firearms to Gujarat, India, during 1993.
Mohammad Anis Shaikh, Ibrahim Memon alias Tiger Memon Pakistan-based terrorist, involved in Bombay Serial Blast Case, 1993 and responsible for the supply of arms, ammunition and hand grenades.
The MHA has also named Javed Chikna @ Javed Dawood Tailor,Pakistan based Associate of Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, involved in Bombay serial blast case, 1993.
“These individuals are involved in various acts of terrorism from across the border and have been relentless in their nefarious efforts of destabilizing the country,” said the MHA statement.
High time we came forward to heal these wounds before its too late, wrote Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz after meeting relatives of the missing Baloch people during the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) third march against the Imran Khan government in Quetta on Sunday (Photo courtesy: Twitter/@MaryamNSharif)
Maryam Nawaz, in her address, said that the time has come to change the fate of Pakistan and Balochistan. “No longer will husbands and brothers go missing, people of Balochistan,” daughter of former PM Nawaz Sharif, who wore a traditional Balochi dress, told the huge gathering…reports ATEET SHARMA
High time we came forward to heal these wounds before its too late, wrote Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz after meeting relatives of the missing Baloch people during the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) third march against the Imran Khan government in Quetta on Sunday (Photo courtesy: Twitter/@MaryamNSharif)
Facing death and discrimination at the hands of Pakistani authorities for decades, the Baloch freedom fighters have their chests all pumped up after a top leader demanded yesterday the creation of an “independent Balochistan state” during a massive rally which was also addressed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif via video link from London.
Addressing the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM’s) third march against the Imran Khan government in Quetta, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) leader Maulana Shah Owais Noorani has put his stamp of approval on Balochistan’s separation from Pakistan.
“We want Balochistan as an independent state. Today, Balochistan looks like an underdeveloped area of the country,” Maulana Owais Noorani said in his speech, the video of which has gone viral on the social media and has caught more attention in the country than the comments made by other Opposition leaders in the same rally.
It included Maryam Nawaz’s address in which she said that the time has come to change the fate of Pakistan and Balochistan. “No longer will husbands and brothers go missing, people of Balochistan,” daughter of former PM Nawaz Sharif, who wore a traditional Balochi dress, told the huge gathering.
Noorani invited wrath of the ruling government immediately with the federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz calling him a “political pygmy” who is promoting the “enemies’ narrative” from the PDM platform.
“No Pakistani can accept the narrative which the opposition PDM has started to present all of a sudden. They are talking about breaking up of Balochistan and liberating it,” the minister told Dawn in an interview.
Shibli’s colleague Murad Saeed, the federal Minister for Communications, accused Noorani of “creating divisions within the country without knowing the grand game” and Shireen Mazari, the Minister for Human Rights in Imran Khan’s cabinet, took on Maryam Nawaz saying that she “has suddenly discovered issue of Enforced Disappearances…”
Well aware of the fact that the Pakistani politicians have been fooling them for years, as well as the world community, the Balochs are happy with the ongoing political storm generated by the rally. The activists are relieved to see the top leaders from national political parties raise their concern from the dais about the main issue of missing persons and the atrocities committed by the state authorities.
“Gulistan ko lahoo ki zaroorat pari, sab se pehlay hi gardan hamari kati, Phir bhi kehtay hain mujh say yeh ahle-chaman, yeh chaman hai hamara, tumhara nahi” (Whenever the country needed sacrifice, we were the first to offer our lives. Yet, our fellow countrymen tell us, this is their country and not ours),” said Balochistan National Party president Sardar Akhtar Mengal alleging that the Balochs have never been treated as equal citizens in Pakistan.
The bloodbath and the genocide taking place in Balochistan is highlighted almost every week by a major international agency. As you read this, people continue to disappear in Pakistan’s southwestern province at the hands of the country’s security services.
On Sunday, the Human Rights Council of Balochistan thanked the South Asian arm of the United Nations Human Rights organization for noticing and raising the issue of Baloch missing persons. “We hope, Pakistan will be asked why it does not reply to the request of Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to investigate the enforced disappearances in Balochistan,” the council said.
An inter-governmental body responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the south Asian countries, the UN Human Rights agency had expressed its concern over the Pakistani government’s failure to disclose information regarding unacknowledged detention, and enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
“Pakistani security forces and law enforcement agencies continuously commit enforced disappearances with impunity, targeting journalists, activists, Army and government critics especially in Balochistan. We have highly concerns on this issue. The UN Human Rights has expressed concern over the Pakistani government’s failure to disclose information regarding unacknowledged detention, and enforced disappearances. Pakistani authorities have failed to respond to the repeated calls from families of the disappeared for investigations into the enforced disappearance of their loved ones,” the agency said in a statement.
With the Imran Khan government getting into a tight spot with every passing day and the Opposition realizing — at least for the time being — the pain of the Balochs, is the wind of change finally blowing in Balochistan?
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the 2+2 Dialogue in New Delhi
India and the US on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region, in a direct challenge to China’s expansionist moves in the South China Sea.…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the 2+2 Dialogue in New Delhi
In a provocative message to Beijing, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that Washington will provide any support to India as “deterrence” against China.
The statement came in his only television interview to Times Now after the 2+2 US-India Ministerial Dialogue held in New Delhi.
Pompeo’s statement is likely to ruffle the feathers in Beijing whose troops have been locked in a stand-off with the Indian Army along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
In response to a question whether the US has decided to offer India more than just diplomatic assistance in the event of a conflict with China or Pakistan, Pompeo said, “We did sign a series of important agreements but the agreements themselves were less important than the central understanding that came alongside them.
“What’s become very clear now is that there is a battle and the battle in the world is between freedom and authoritarianism, and India, like the Unites States, has chosen democracy and freedom and sovereignty and all the things that people of India care so deeply about. So when confronted by tyranny by the Chinese Communist Party, you can be sure that the US will stand by as partners. We will.”
“There are things that India can do that we can’t and there are things that we can’t achieve alone together. We can be force multipliers and deliver really good outcomes, not only for the people of India or the Indo-Pacific region, but for the entire world. So, as India has now confronted this challenge up in the north, the US is ready to do the things it can do to help deliver safety and security to the Indian people and I’m confident that India will do the same for us all around the world.”
India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue
When it comes to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), he said the entire world is the frontline.
“The ambition, national rejuvenation, and the goal of CCP general secretary Xi Jinping is not local, it is not regional, that desire is global. You see it in the Belt and Road initiative that extends throughout Africa and through the Middle East. This is a global challenge and the freedom loving world must take it on together,” he told the news channel.
The US, he said, understands the challenge.
“You can watch the things that we are doing. We’ve made it more difficult for China to invest in the US. We just want fair and reciprocal trading. We built up our military like at no time in history. Our diplomacy has shifted. We now understand the challenge that is presided by this seemingly great power and we stand ready to assist all freedom loving nations all across the world,” he said.
Pompeo said the US will provide any support to India to deliver the deterrence.
“In any way the US is capable of providing support…we are confident that together we can deliver the deterrence. Like this is the mission, that’s the reason we had meetings like we had today here. What we spoke about today was doing the things that can deter the Chinese Communist Party aggression, not only against India but I’ll leave here…”
“And I’ll go to Sri Lanka and Maldives and to Indonesia. There are places that have a common set of understanding of the challenge and I’m hopeful that these nations will unite to deter and prevent what precisely you are raising as a concern,” he said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark Esper laying wreaths at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
Pompeo added that India and China are locked in a bit of a standoff. “Many troops on both sides, too close and we attempt, we think the Indian Government hopes for there to be a disengagement,” he said.
In response to whether he thought there was a possibility of a de-escalation, Pompeo said, “I think anytime a nation shows weakness, you invite Chinese Communist Party’s aggression…We have encouraged the Chinese to de-escalate for sure. We think that’s in China’s best interest, we think it’s in India’s best interest and world’s best interest. That’s our mission. We don’t want a conflict there. We want peace everywhere.”
“We just signed this historic Abraham accord, you think it is disconnected from this region but it’s not. It is the same thing. It is a set of countries coming together under a shared of understandings and principles. It says, you know, hatred of another nation isn’t foreign policy… Build technological relationships, build economic relationships. Don’t hate, just build.
“If we do that, the US is confident that the world can be a more safe and secure place and it has worked so wonderful today, with my counterpart S Jaishankar, with Defence Minister (Rajnath) Singh. We talked about how we can, on behalf of our country, deliver those kinds of outcomes for each of our people,” Pompeo said.
One should never mistake working alongside another nation as giving up any sovereignty, Pompeo asserted.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar
“There is often this perceived notion, oh you are receding your sovereignty to another nation, but I actually think it is the opposite. I think that cumulative sovereignty of any nation is enhanced by having these partnerships, and countries that can work together. I think India has seen that and working alongside US, you know that they are more capable, more sovereign, and they can make better decisions for their people and the US can do the same for theirs,” he said.
Defence Pact
According to the US Department of State statement, Secretary of Defence Mark T. Esper, at the meeting with his counterpart Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pointed out that Tuesday marked the 15th anniversary of the first US-India Defence framework.
India and the US has signed the much-awaited Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) during 2+2 ministerial dialogue between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper, in New Delhi.
The BECA is last of the four military communication foundational agreements between India and the US. The agreement pertains to exchange of Geospatial Intelligence information for use by the governments for defence and other purposes.
As per an official statement of the US government, the Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar at the meeting raised the issue of security threat India is facing from China. “In the area of defence we are challenged by reckless aggression on our northern borders,” he said at the bilateral dialogue.
The meeting assumes significance because the US secretaries of the Trump administration travelled to New Delhi amidst Coronavirus pandemic even as an intense ongoing campaigning for the Presidential elections due on November 3 was underway in the US.
“Our friendship and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific was clearly, clearly highly on display when we were in Tokyo this past week and a half for the Quad meeting that Minister Jaishankar and I had with our Australian and Japanese friends earlier this month,” Pompeo told his counterpart.
Under BECA, the US would exchange technical and procedural information about standardisation of methods, specifications and formats for the collection, processing and production of Geo intelligence information with India.
It shall also include the tools and models to process GPS data and transform Latitude, Longitude and Height coordinates across various reference frames and others. It will also allow India to use global geospatial maps of the US for accuracy of stand-off weapons like cruise and ballistic missiles.
Before BECA, India has signed three foundational agreements: In 2016: The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA); In 2018: The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA); In 2019: The Industrial Security Annex (ISA) — the extension of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) which was signed in 2002.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey were set to be grilled by a US panel on Tuesday over the Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
The hearing was scheduled to also cover the topics of privacy and media domination.
The CEOs were to testify on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects tech companies from liability over the content posted by users on their online services.
Earlier this month, the US Senate Commerce Committee voted to subpoena the CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter to testify before the panel.
The hearing will be Zuckerberg and Pichai’s first appearance before Congress since the two testified along with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos before the House Antitrust Subcommittee in July.
US President Donald Trump’s May 28 executive order sought to blunt Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act which generally protects internet companies from legal liability for user comments.
Republicans have repeatedly turned to Section 230 as a key area for reform in response to their concerns that social media companies censor conservative voices, a charge denied by Facebook, Google and Twitter.
Meanwhile, the US Senate Judiciary Committee has also asked Zuckerberg and Dorsey to testify before it on November 17 over suppressing a media article on Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
Both Facebook and Twitter faced backlash from the Republicans and US President Donald Trump for their move to block and censor the article that appeared in The New York Post and was critical of Joe Biden.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) announced that Twitter and Facebook CEOs will appear voluntarily before the committee on November 17.
“The hearing will focus on the platforms’ censorship and suppression of New York Post articles and provide a valuable opportunity to review the companies’ handling of the 2020 election,” the Senate Judiciary Committee said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper at the National War Memorial in New Delhi
Ahead of the 2+2 dialogue of the Defence and Foreign Ministers, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made it plain that talks in New Delhi will look at ways of thwarting the CPC…reports ATUL ANEJA
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper at the National War Memorial in New Delhi
Amid a military standoff with China in Ladakh, India and the United States began a landmark dialogue which will cement foundations of a novel strategic partnership covering the broad sweep of the entire Indo-Pacific region, with the Communist Party of China (CPC) as the focal point.
Ahead of the 2+2 dialogue of the Defence and Foreign Ministers, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made it plain that talks in New Delhi will look at ways of thwarting the CPC.
“I’m sure that my meetings will also include discussions on how free nations can work together to thwart threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party,” America’s top diplomat said before embarking on his visit.
The two US top officials have arrived in the Indian capital following the meeting in Tokyo of the Indo-Pacific Quad comprising India, US, Australia and Japan on October 6. The quartet will hold Malabar naval exercises next month in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar
With its economic and geopolitical heft declining, the US is seeking active partnership of the Quad that would collectively disallow Chinese domination of the Indo-Pacific.
Within the Quad, the US views India as the linchpin of the budding but historic security partnership of the 21st century, which will prevent the regional balance of power from shifting in China’s favour. Speaking at a recent event at the Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council, Mark Esper, the US Defence Secretary, stressed that India “will be the most consequential partner for us, I think, in the Indo-Pacific for sure, in this century.”
Since the last two decades, the US and India have grown closer, following a landmark political deal that legitimized India’s nuclear arsenal and permitted sales of US civilian nuclear technology to India.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar
In tune with their broader strategic vision, the two countries on tomorrow will sign the Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement (Beca), the last of the four foundational military agreements, which would allow both countries to share geospatial data. Beca is a precursor to India acquiring armed drones such as the MQ-9B from the US that use spatial data for pinpointed strikes, Hindustan Times earlier reported.
The Beca agreement will allow precision flying by India’s US-built aircraft, including Apache attack helicopters and Chinook heavy lift helicopters, as well as pin-pointed destruction of acquired targets, as these platforms would be loaded with neighborhood terrain maps. Data provided under Beca would be critical for deploying MQ-9 B armed drones for super-accurate strikes.
The daily also cited a strong possibility that the two sides could work out a pact that ties up the Defence Intelligence Agencies of the two countries. India and the US already share real-time intelligence through the communication agreement called COMCASA.
But the new agreement would be broader in scope as it would allow sharing of vital tri-services intelligence on military developments ranging from the South China Sea to Ladakh.
From near scratch in in 2008, India-US bilateral military hardware trade has scaled $20billion this year, according to the State Department.
The two sides are slated to discuss muscle flexing by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Ladakh and the South China Sea and possible countermeasures to Chinese expansionism by the Indo-Pacific Quad. “In the current scenario of the border standoff with China, geospatial intelligence and real-time images will be crucial for us,” The Wall Street Journal quoted an Indian official as saying.
The fluid situation in Afghanistan, and Pakistan’s support to terror groups, will also blip on the radar during the talks.
The visit of the two US officials is part of the formation of an anti-CPC coalition in the Indo-Pacific, with Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia, besides India, being additional points of anchorage. From New Delhi, Pompeo will fly to Sri Lanka and Maldives-two pivotal countries, which, China has tried to entice as its satellites in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Chinese moves, which include control of the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, have been deeply resented first by New Delhi, but now also by Washington. The US wants India to play a leading role in the IOR space, said analysts who have monitored recent visits by senior US officials to India, but who did not wish to named.
“We encourage Sri Lanka to review the options we offer for transparent and sustainable economic development in contrast to discriminatory and opaque practices,” said Dean Thompson, a State Department official overseeing South and Central Asian affairs. He added: “We urge Sri Lanka to make difficult but necessary decisions to secure its economic independence for long-term prosperity, and we stand ready to partner with Sri Lanka for its economic development and growth.”
Pompeo’s visit to Male will build on the recent defence accord that was signed between the US and Maldives, revealing yet again Washington’s greater activism in the Indian Ocean, in coordination with India. “India and the US have discussed in advance their coordination in detail, whether it is Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Maldives,” an official who did not wish to be named said.
The US Secretary of State’s visit to Indonesia comes at a time when cooperation between Jakarta and Beijing is being shrouded by the dispute between the two countries over the Natuna islands in the South China Sea.
Indonesia’s role would be crucial in keeping the international trade routes free from Chinese interference. Indonesia hosts four important straits-Malacca, Sunda, Ombai Wetar and Lombok-through which container ships, oil tankers, warships and submarines between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific pass.
In the long-run, the US is emitting signals of its intent to expand the Indo-Pacific Quad. Countries that have been earmarked for expansion include Vietnam, Malaysia, Maldives and Indonesia, official sources said.
Marc Knapper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Korea and Japan, said at the Mount Fuji dialogue in Tokyo on Saturday that once the foursome determines its policy direction, it will not exclude other countries from participating as members.
China saw a strategic opportunity in establishing its footprint in Sri Lanka and extended finance for the Hambantota port project, knowing quite well that the loans would not be repaid as the project was a commercial dud…writes S.P.S PANNU
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos scheduled stopover at Colombo on October 28, after his meeting with the Indian foreign minister and defence minister in New Delhi, is expected to provide Sri Lanka an opportunity to work towards breaking free of Chinas domination over its economy.
The dragon has landed Sri Lanka in a vicious debt trap through loans with strings attached, that have even forced the island nation to hand over a newly built seaport to China as it could not repay the loans and interest for the project. As part of the harsh deal to recover its debt, China also took over a sprawling 15,000 acres of land adjoining the Hambantota port.
Even more embarrassing about Sri Lanka losing its sovereignty over this area is the fact that it is situated in the home district of the Rajapaksa brothers who head the government in the Indian Ocean nation. Mahinda Rajapaksa had during his tenure as president started the port project as a grand scheme to bring prosperity to his constituency but the move has ended up converting it into a China-ruled conclave.
China was always looking for an opportunity to establish a hold in India’s backyard and Mahinda Rajapaksa provided the perfect opportunity by taking a huge loan for the economically unviable port. The terms and interest charged on the loans were subsequently made stiffer as Sri Lanka took more funds to meet its increasing expenditure needs.
India had been extending liberal loans to Sri Lanka as part of the economic co-operation with the friendly neighbor, but had refused to finance the Hambantota port project as it was not economically viable. China saw a strategic opportunity in establishing its footprint in Sri Lanka and extended finance for the project, knowing quite well that the loans would not be repaid as the project was a commercial dud.
The port was foreseen to be a failure as Colombo, which is a preferred port of call by international ships because of its deep waters, has more than enough capacity to cater to the maritime demand in the region.
Pompeo’s visit to Sri Lanka will come close on the heels of an earlier visit this month to Colombo of Chinese politburo member and former foreign minister Yang Jiechi. The US Secretary of State will aim to counter the dragon’s influence.
Interestingly, Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa during his talks with Yang, asked China to help him in countering the widespread perception that China-funded megaprojects are “debt traps” aimed at gaining influence in local affairs of the country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping
China has come under pressure following the Tokyo meeting of the Indo-Pacific quadrilateral grouping comprising the USA, India, Japan and Australia. The four countries have decided to step up their involvement in the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” initiative in response to China’s increasingly aggressive posturing in the region which represents a threat to the free movement of ships in international waterways.
Wang’s visit to Colombo came as a sequel to this meeting and China promptly announced a grant of $900 million to Sri Lanka after his trip as an image building exercise.
In recent years, Beijing has increasingly provided financing and construction for critical infrastructure in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, merely to contain India’s influence in the region. Offers of huge loans are being grabbed by cash-strapped governments which ultimately end up in the Chinese debt trap. This means that most of the government revenues are going to repay loans and interest to China which leaves very little or nothing to carry out development work that will benefit the local people.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Washington wants a “free and open” Asia not dominated by any one country. He has accused Beijing of bullying its neighbors by sending ships close to their offshore energy operations, and of opportunism in holding military exercises and testing new defence hardware in disputed locations, while rival claimants battle coronavirus outbreaks.
Beijing, on its part, considers Sri Lanka as a crucial link in its massive Belt and Road Initiative aimed at providing a string of ports, stretched across the Indian Ocean till the Persian Gulf and beyond, to meet the logistical needs of its rapidly expanding naval fleet.
It now remains to be seen whether Sri Lanka can extricate itself from the dragon’s clutches.
