Amidst the food crisis due to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, India faced pressure to open its foodgrain restrictions to global markets, but it prioritized aid to the Global South…reports Arul Louis
India has decried the primacy of the concept of open markets in foodgrains amid warnings from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of a looming “hellscape of hunger” for the world’s poorest.
“Open Markets must not become an argument to perpetuate inequity and promote discrimination” in the availability of foodgrain, India’s Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj told the Security Council on Tuesday.
It is “necessary for all of us to adequately appreciate the importance of equity, affordability and accessibility when it comes to foodgrains”, she said at the meeting on the impact of climate change and food insecurity on international peace.
“Addressing global food insecurity should begin by choosing peace, cooperation and multilateralism, and working together to find common solutions through dialogue and diplomacy”, she said.
At the height of the foodgrain crisis resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the blockade of the Black Sea by Moscow, for example, India faced pressures to lift its restrictions on foodgrains and let them flow into the open markets where developed nations can corral supplies, while New Delhi was following a policy of selectively sending them to countries of the Global South in need.
“India had provided food aid to several countries, including in our neighbourhood and Africa to strengthen food security”, Kamboj noted. “We’ve also extended assistance to the people of Afghanistan, Myanmar and Palestine”.
This was in keeping with India’s ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumabakam” which sees the world as one family.
Guterres, who spoke earlier, said, “A global food crisis is creating a hellscape of hunger and heartache for many of the world’s poorest people and the climate crisis is accelerating with a deadly force – last year was the hottest ever”.
“Climate chaos and food crises are serious and mounting threats to global peace and security,” he said.
“We need massive investment in a just transformation to healthy, equitable and sustainable food systems” to overcome these challenges, he said, “and we need governments, business and society working together to make such systems a reality.
The meeting was billed as the signature event of its presidency by Guyana and was presided over by its President Mohamad Ifraan Ali.
Ali said that the triad of conflicts, food insecurity and climate change were impacting global security.
He said that nearly 149 million Africans are threatened with acute food insecurity and of them, 122 million live in areas of conflict.
He faulted the international community for not dealing with the crisis adequately.
“We do not see the interplay and we do not place priority on these issues”, he said.
Taking a stand against the Council’s mission creep of abrogating to itself matters beyond the ambit of what the UN Charter has set for it, Kamboj said that the issues of development linked to climate change should be taken up in forums with universal participation.
“Choosing to place the issue of climate change in forums other than the UNFCCC [United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change], especially those where all members do not sit on an equal footing may undermine the larger cause of securing equity and climate justice”, she said.
UNFCCC is the forum where all nations come together as equals to set and evaluate goals for fighting climate change, while the Council is an unrepresentative body dominated by the five permanent powers with veto powers.
Kamboj said that the world should also look for more resilient and viable alternatives to meet global food security needs.
“Anticipating precisely such challenges, India has been championing the cultivation, production and marketing of millets, which are climate resilient and climate-friendly crops for fostering food security”, she said.
At India’s initiative, the UN had declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets to raise awareness of their value in providing healthy nutritional alternatives to the cereals widely used now.
Millets need less water and grow faster and can, therefore, help in fighting hunger.
During its presidency of the G20, the group of large industrialised and emerging economies, last year Kamboj said India had committed to a set of high-level principles on food security and nutrition.
These “include a range of responses to food security, from strengthening research cooperation on climate resilient and nutritious grains to accelerating innovations and investment focused on increasing agricultural productivity and most critically to supporting developing countries efforts and capacities to address their food security challenges”, she said.
Indian PM Modi’s seventh visit to Abu Dhabi signifies a transformative shift in the India-UAE relationship, evolving from voluntary cooperation to mutual indispensability. This unique bond blends cultural celebration and pragmatic collaboration, with the inauguration of the first Hindu temple in the UAE symbolizing a commitment to pluralism. The vibrant Indian diaspora plays a crucial role, contributing to the UAE’s global hub status and India’s economic prowess. Looking forward, the UAE emerges as the new Gateway to India, fostering talent, trade, and finance connections on a global scale. … writes Dr Maheep
Excitement fills the air as the opening of the Abu Dhabi BAPS Hindu Mandir draws near. Hundreds of community members and devotees have gathered at the temple to warmly welcome their spiritual leader, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. Arriving as a state guest on a special flight, Mahant Swami Maharaj will perform the sacred Vedic ceremony to inaugurate the first traditional stone temple in the Middle East. The temple was described as a “spiritual oasis for global harmony” and a “timeless testament” to the vision of the late leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj, made possible by the collaboration and generosity of the UAE government, India, and BAPS itself.
Meanwhile, a huge crowd of over 60,000 expatriate Indians living in the UAE are eagerly waiting for the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, packing into the Zayed Sports City Stadium to hear his address. The event, called “Ahlan Modi,” became so popular that registration had to be closed early due to overwhelming demand.
This two-day visit by Prime Minister Modi highlights the strong ties between India and the UAE. He is also scheduled to attend the World Government Summit in Dubai and make history by inaugurating the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha temple in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, on February 14.
The day marks the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, a Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring and the worship of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and arts. This makes it a particularly fortunate day for new beginnings, especially for starting children’s education. Further adding to the specialness of the day, February 14th also coincides with the birth anniversary of Shastriji Maharaj, the founder of BAPS Sanstha, according to the lunar calendar. Therefore, it presents a unique and auspicious opportunity for the opening of the BAPS Hindu Mandir, combining celebration with a commitment to knowledge and cultural heritage.
The temple, a monument to the growing religious tolerance in the region, marks a significant moment for the Hindu community in the UAE. Inspired by the graceful lotus flower, the BAPS Sanstha temple will serve as a beacon of faith and heritage for the Indian diaspora. Hand-carved stonework from India will adorn its intricate design, creating a visually stunning haven for prayer, meditation, and spiritual connection.
Abu Dhabi: A file image of Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS, at the BAPS Hindu Mandir, in Abu Dhabi. Prime Minister Modi will pay a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) beginning Tuesday, where he will inaugurate a grand BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14.(IANS/X/FILEPHOTO)
Beyond its religious significance, the temple embodies the strong friendship between India and the UAE. Prime Minister Modi’s acceptance of the invitation to its opening highlights this deep bond, further strengthening the ties between the two nations. Indeed, the relationship between India and the UAE goes back centuries, woven around threads of culture, religion, and trade. This kinship found new life with the rise of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the formation of the UAE, and has only grown stronger over time. Today, a vibrant partnership flourishes between the two nations, a testament to their enduring friendship.
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have seen increasing dynamism in their relationship over the past few years. The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export market, with trade volume expected to double to $100 billion within the next decade. This growth is aided by several interconnected developments. Since 2016, the quality of relations between the two countries has significantly improved, rising to an unprecedented warmth with the signing of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022. Over 3.5 million Indian citizens currently live in the UAE, more than in any other country abroad. This strong human connection fosters economic and cultural exchange. Finally, Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to the UAE in 2015, the first by an Indian premier in over four decades, marked a turning point, leading to closer cooperation and mutual investment.
February 14th, the day of the inauguration of the BAPS temple by Prime Minister Modi, the day will begin with a sacred morning ceremony where the temple will be officially consecrated and blessed. Later in the evening, at 5 pm, Modi himself is expected to arrive at the temple. He will then embark on a tour of the impressive site, immersing himself in its cultural significance. Following this, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address the gathered crowd in an amphitheatre located within the temple complex.
Authorities emphasized that tolerance and harmony are the key values upon which this historic landmark stand. This intricately crafted temple, constructed from pink sandstone and white marble for $95.3 million, symbolizes the inclusivity and openness of the UAE. Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of international relations for the Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organization behind the temple’s construction, eloquently told the correspondent of the Nation, that “harmony and tolerance are the very soul of this nation.”
Swami Brahmaviharidas expressed his belief that the new temple would serve as a symbol of peace and strengthen the relationship between the UAE and India. He commended the UAE’s welcoming attitude and highlighted the positive example set by its leaders, from the nation’s founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to the current president, Sheikh Mohamed. He recalled Sheikh Mohamed’s act of generosity in granting land for the temple when he was still the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and described him as a kind and understanding leader. Swami Brahmaviharidas also shared an anecdote about Sheikh Mohamed’s reaction when presented with two design options for the temple, one modern and one traditional.
In 2018, Swami Brahmaviharidas presented president, Sheikh Mohamed, in a meeting where Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated, with two design options for a new Hindu temple. One was a contemporary, conventional building, while the other was a grand, traditional structure carved from stone, echoing 10,000 years of art and culture but requiring a longer construction time. The UAE President, who was the Crown Prince then, smiled and simply said, “Your Holiness, if you are building a temple, it should look like a temple.” This wise response, shared by Swami Brahmaviharidas, emphasized the importance of honouring tradition and cultural heritage in the design of the sacred space.
Nestled in Abu Mureikha, a district within the emirate, the magnificent new temple was originally planned on 5.4 hectares of land. Its footprint eventually doubled to 11 hectares to accommodate community halls and ample parking. Artisans from Rajasthan, India, meticulously hand-carved intricate designs onto sandstone and marble, which were then shipped across the Arabian Sea and assembled on site like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Remarkably, this architectural marvel adheres to ancient Indian traditions, avoiding iron and steel altogether, relying instead on the precise fitting of stones for its structural integrity.
Skilled Indian sculptors are currently putting the final touches on intricate sandstone carvings depicting revered deities and elaborate stories from ancient epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Inside the temple, artisans meticulously polished white marble pillars adorned with rows of musicians, dancers, and carvings of seashells, the sun, and the moon. Each of the seven towering spires, capped with gleaming brass, symbolizes an emirate of the UAE. These grand structures will soon house beloved Hindu deities, with the main spires showcasing scenes from the lives of revered gods like Rama, Krishna, and Shiva, in a breathtaking fusion of cultural and artistic expression.
While the temple will officially open its doors on February 14th following the grand inauguration, authorities are requesting UAE residents to wait until March 1st for their visit. In anticipation of this high demand, online registrations were launched last year to allow visitors to secure their spot. Temple project head, Pujya Swami Brahmaviharidas, highlighted the significant registration numbers from overseas visitors and kindly requested UAE residents who haven’t yet registered to consider visiting after March 1st to allow international guests initial access. To accommodate everyone, a week-long celebration filled with prayers and talks promoting harmony and peace will take place at the temple from February 15th to 21st, allowing residents to participate in the festivities later.
Modi’s seventh visit to Abu Dhabi signifies a transformative shift in the India-UAE relationship, evolving from voluntary cooperation to mutual indispensability. This unique bond blends cultural celebration and pragmatic collaboration, with the inauguration of the first Hindu temple in the UAE symbolizing a commitment to pluralism. The vibrant Indian diaspora plays a crucial role, contributing to the UAE’s global hub status and India’s economic prowess. Looking forward, the UAE emerges as the new Gateway to India, fostering talent, trade, and finance connections on a global scale. Modi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed architect a prosperous Arabian Sea community, reviving its historical role as a fountainhead of inclusive globalisation.
(Dr Maheep is a leading analyst in India’s Foreign Affairs and Global Politics with a specialization in the Arab World and Islamic studies)
Would restoration of wheat subsidy in Gilgit-Baltistan end the headache for Pakistan? With its economy in doldrums Pakistan also has very limited financial elbow room to bribe its way through. Left with not much of soft options Pakistan Army may end up doing what it does best, that is use repression. This would end up making the lives of people in GB extremely miserable. If the scale of the recent protests is any indication, the people of GB are unlikely to take this lying down anymore
The history of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is mired in pain and confusion. Taking advantage of the haze of war focused mainly on Kashmir valley, Pakistan surreptitiously occupied GB in 1948. Being an illegal occupation, Pakistan has neither been able to give all the constitutional rights due to a citizen to the people of GB nor declare it a province. It has tried to keep a lid on these ‘peripheries’ either through bribes or through punishment. With unprecedented financial hardships in Pakistan, now proverbial carrot is gone and people are left with more and more of sticks.
The latest stick came in the form of the withdrawal of wheat subsidies leading to an increase in wheat prices from Rs. 20 to Rs. 52 and then a partial reduction to Rs. 36. This nearly 75% increase in one stroke started widespread protests and demonstrations. Wheat subsidy was one of the subsidies provided on 28 essential items like oil, gas, PIA tickets etc to the people of GB. They were granted by ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1970s in view of adversities associated with the region like its disputed status, high poverty index, lack of industries, less agricultural land etc.
As time passed, all subsidies were withdrawn except subsidies on wheat. In the last nine months, the price of wheat has increased. Being mired in poverty, a large segment of people in GB find wheat subsidies related to their survival. Its withdrawal gets accentuated as the region neither has constitutional rights nor any real legislative powers. They also believe that budget allocation for subsidy can be easily made if corruption and freebies at higher levels of governance and armed forces can be curbed.
Withdrawal of wheat subsidy proved to be that proverbial straw which broke the camel’s back. With long pending resentment bottled up, people came out of their homes in the cold, every day continuously for more than a month. Frustrated with the unchanging government stance, they escalated their protest and held a complete shutdown and wheel-jam strike with the support of advocates, traders, transporters and hotel owners. Finally, with mounting pressure and national elections around the corner, the government decided to withdraw its decision and restore the wheat subsidy partially and bring the rate back to Rs. 20. But the cat is out of the bag now. This decision has not solved the problem and the people of GB are coming up with ever-increasing demands, some of which challenge the very basis of Pakistan’s relationship with GB.
Awami Action Committee (ACC), an alliance of several political and religious parties and civil society organisations, which is spearheading the protests, wants restoration of the previous price prevailing in 2022, ie Rs. 7.50 per kg, and hence rejected the notification. The Alliance announced that they have come up with a ‘15 points charter of demand and not for a sack of wheat. To placate the protestors, the GB government has suspended taxes imposed through the Finance Act 2023, which was one of the demands. But that still leaves 13 demands unmet. Apart from more mundane demands like cheaper electricity supply, some of these demands challenge the foundations of Pakistani claim on GB. Demands like setting up of constituent assembly to replace the existing GB assembly or domicile rule which helps settle ‘outsiders’ (read Punjabi Sunnis in Shia-dominated GB) or land acquisition for Chinese projects are something that Pakistan cannot possibly accommodate. As of now, ACC has postponed its protests for three weeks, following assurances from the government to address their demands within this time frame. So, what are the options before a new federal government is expected to be formed post-election?
Pakistan may think of merging it and making GB one of its provinces, thereby settling any confusion about its status. But that will fly in the face of its historical stance that the status of Jammu and Kashmir is disputed which needs settlement as per the UN Security Council resolutions. Though this is a traditional demand of the people of GB, it may not be sufficient now as a lot of water seems to have flown into the river Indus since. With better living conditions across in India, the people of GB are also looking towards Kargil and Leh and understanding what is denied to them despite historical trade and cultural ties. With its economy in the doldrums, Pakistan also has very limited financial elbow room to bribe its way through. Left with not much of soft options Pakistan Army may end up doing what it does best, that is use repression. This would end up making the lives of people in GB extremely miserable. If the scale of the recent protests is any indication, the people of GB are unlikely to take this lying down anymore.
New Delhi, Feb 10 (ANI): International Court of Justice, Judge Hilary Charlesworth at an event marking the Supreme Court's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, at Supreme Court in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo)
Charlesworth said that the international judiciary can draw inspiration from the distinguished history of independence of India’s apex court…reports Asian Lite News
The Judge of the International Court of Justice, Hilary Charlesworth, on Monday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar in the Supreme Court.
ICJ judge Charlesworth sat on the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and witnessed judicial proceedings.
As the bench assembled in the morning, CJI said, “I have great pleasure in welcoming ICJ judge Hilary Chalesworth among us. She has taught earlier at the Mayo College here. She is a distinguished jurist.”
CJI said called Charlesworth a friend of India.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “We all welcome her Ladyship to the court.”
Charlesworth is an Australian international lawyer who has been a judge of the International Court of Justice since 5 November 2021.
ICJ judge Charlesworth on Saturday delivered a lecture at the Supreme Court as part of the annual lecture series organised to commemorate the Supreme Court’s diamond jubilee. The topic of the lecture was “The International Court of Justice: A legal forum in a political environment.”
Charlesworth had come to India to be a part of the annual lecture series organised to commemorate the Supreme Court’s diamond jubilee celebration. She, on Saturday, delivered a lecture at the Supreme Court on the topic, “The International Court of Justice: A legal forum in a political environment.”
Charlesworth, an Australian international lawyer who has been a judge of the ICJ since 5 November 2021, is in India at present.
On Saturday, she delivered the second annual lecture on ‘The International Court of Justice: A legal forum in a political environment’ on the Supreme Court premises.
Referring to the role of the ICJ in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, she said though the international court’s judgement did not resolve the tension between India and Pakistan, it “at least it provided a resolution and (that too a) legal resolution to an acute problem dividing them.” On April 10, 2017, Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Field General Court Martial in Pakistan. The ICJ stayed his execution pending final adjudication of the case.
The ICJ had held that Pakistan will have to review the entire process of trial and conviction of Kulbhushan Jadhav and provide consular access to India.
She said judicial independence in the international context was aimed at eliminating any non-legal considerations that might affect a judge’s reasoning.
“Judicial independence is critical to the operation of legal institutions, particularly in volatile political contexts,” she said.
Charlesworth said that the international judiciary can draw inspiration from the distinguished history of independence of India’s apex court.
“Our two courts, the Supreme Court of India and the ICJ, while very different, I noticed that we are of a very similar age, you are going into your 75th year, we’re going into our 78th year,” she said.
But both faced the task of “navigating highly charged political environments,” Judge Charlesworth said. “The international judiciary, I think, can draw inspiration from the Supreme Court of India’s distinguished history of independence, innovation. What is also really impressive to me, is the Supreme Court’s courageous capacity of introspection,” she said.
Quoting Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud’s recent talk at the ICJ’s ceremonial sitting, the judge said, “Introspection is the art of bringing the seemingly unattainable within the line of vision.” She congratulated the SC on its foundation day and wished it a “rich and rewarding future.” Judge Charlesworth said the idea of an international judicial tribunal came to fruition after the first world war through the covenant of the League of Nations in 1919. It conducted its last public sitting in 1939, just after the outbreak of the second world war, she said.
The ICJ, established under the charter of the United Nations was distinct from the earlier court and elevated to the status of a principal organ of the UN, She said.
She said the ICJ is composed of 15 judges who are required to be of different nationalities and are elected by the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council, which vote simultaneously, for nine-year terms which are renewable.
Experts laud Indian diplomacy for securing release of 8 Navy veterans detained by Qatar on espionage charges, marking a major triumph….reports Asian Lite News
International affairs experts have hailed Indian diplomacy after its major triumph helped secure the release of eight Indian Navy veterans who were detained by Qatar on espionage charges.
Former diplomat Anil Trigunayat said the release of Indian Navy veterans was made possible by continued diplomacy, tremendous goodwill between the two nations as well as due to the friendship between Emir of Qatar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Well, it is a matter of great satisfaction that due process was followed and great regard for the bilateral relationship, which is really a great partnership, in terms of energy security, diaspora security between India and Qatar. I am very happy that all these have prevailed and the Indian Navy personnel have returned home,” Trigunayat said in a video message.
“Apart from the continued pursuit of diplomacy, the legal process, the tremendous goodwill between the two countries, and above all, the great friendship between the Emir of Qatar, and Prime Minister Modi,” he added.
He further said that this development came at a time when the India-Qatar relationship is on a new trajectory with new agreements and opportunities being explored.
“India has always respected the law of the land and will continue to do so. Qatar has also appreciated the strength and potential of our present-day opportunity, diplomacy, goodwill, and larger canvas. This decision, again comes at a time, when the relationship is on a new trajectory. New agreements are being signed, new opportunities are being explored between the two countries and also India-GCC context,” the former diplomat added.
Foreign Affairs expert, Michael Kugelman also heaped praises on the release of Indian personnel and said that it a “major diplomatic feat.”
“A remarkable development that the 8 Indian ex-naval officers on death row in Qatar, reportedly for spying for Israel, have now been released and all but 1 are back in India. That’s a major diplomatic feat to get that result for your citizens held abroad on such serious charges,” Kugelman posted on X.
Earlier, the navy veterans after setting foot in their homeland after months of captivity, heaped praises on PM Modi, saying they wouldn’t have been freed had it for the sustained diplomatic efforts at his behest to secure their release.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced early Monday morning the release of the Indian nationals who were detained in Qatar.
“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and homecoming of these nationals,” MEA said in a statement.
The men — Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh — were detained in August 2022.
Amid desperate pleas by the anxious kin of the Navy veterans to secure their release and safe passage back to their homeland, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had assured that it would mobilise all diplomatic channels and arrange legal assistance to bring them back.
On December 28, 2023, Qatar’s Court of Appeal commuted the death penalty awarded to all eight men in October 2023.
The eight Indian nationals were imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine programme. The retired naval personnel were sentenced to death by a Qatar court on charges that have not yet been made public officially.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai and discussed bilateral partnership and the “well-being of the Indian community” living in Qatar. (ANI)
‘PM personally supervised Qatar developments’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi constantly personally supervised the developments in the release of seven Indian Navy veterans from Qatar, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Monday.
Stating that India is grateful for the release of seven Navy veterans, he said that New Delhi is also working on ensuring the return of the remaining eighth personnel.
“We are grateful, gratified for their return. We deeply appreciate the decision of the Qatari government and Emir to release them. We are happy to have those seven of those eight back. The eight Indian nationals have also been released and we continue to work with the Qatari government to see how quickly his return to India would be possible, ” Kwatra said in a press conference.
“Prime Minister Modi himself personally, constantly supervised all the developments in the case and has never shied away from initiatives for the return of Indian nationals,” he added.
In a major diplomatic triumph, the eight Indian Navy veterans, who were detained on espionage charges, were released by Qatar on Monday, after their death sentence was commuted earlier after New Delhi’s diplomatic intervention.
On being asked about the number of Indian prisoners in UAE and Qatar, the Foreign Secretary said that the Indian government has extensive mechanisms in place to provide assistance including counsellor dialogues to the Indian prisoners.
“The government of India has extensive mechanisms in place of counsellor dialogues and discussions involving the Indian system and the systems in those countries, whose one of the principal tasks is to keep working towards the early release of all the Indian prisoners irrespective of which country they are,” Kwatra said.
He added, “There are also established mechanisms and systems in place which ensure that whatever assistance wherever possible is to be made available to these prisoners, is made available through government mechanisms. These are the systems which have been strengthened enormously, whose remit has been expanded extensively.”
The Ministry of External Affairs announced early Monday morning the release of the Indian nationals who were detained in Qatar.
“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and homecoming of these nationals,” the statement said.
The men — Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh — were detained in August 2022.
On December 28, 2023, Qatar’s Court of Appeal commuted the death penalty awarded to all eight men in October 2023. (ANI)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.(photo:Twitter)
Pakistan faces political turmoil as none of the political parties won a clear majority to form a government…reports Asian Lite News
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for resolving the Pakistan election disputes through legal means.
“The Secretary-General urges the authorities, political leaders to maintain a calm atmosphere and to reject and refrain from all forms of violence and avoid any actions that could increase or enflame tensions,” his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.
Pakistan faces political turmoil as none of the political parties won a clear majority to form a government in Thursday’s elections, with the supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan emerging unexpectedly strong despite the military’s antagonism towards them amid claims of poll fraud.
Dujarric said that Guterres is following the situation “closely” and “urges the authorities, political leaders to maintain a calm atmosphere and to reject and refrain from all forms of violence and avoid any actions that could increase or enflame tensions”.
“He calls for the resolving of all issues and disputes through the established legal frameworks and for human rights and the rule of law to be fully respected in the interest of the people of Pakistan,” Dujarric added.
Of the 268 National Assembly seats that were contested, independents supporting Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), bagged 93 seats, the most of any group.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Union Muslim League-Nawaz finished second with 75 seats and the Pakistan People’s Party of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari came next with 54 seats.
Khan was convicted in four criminal cases, including violating the official secrets law and contracting an illegal marriage, and given prison sentences totalling 34 years.
The PTI has alleged that there was widespread vote rigging and its supporters held protests across the country on Sunday, clashing in some places with police who tried to enforce bans on public gatherings.
Meanwhile, in Washington, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “The claims of interference and fraud that we have seen raised, we want to ensure are fully investigated by Pakistan’s legal system, and we will be continuing to monitor that in the days ahead.”
He added that “political and election-related violence and restrictions on internet and cell phone service” have “negatively impacted the electoral service”.
But he also said that “it was clearly a competitive election in which people were able to exercise their choice”.
On Sunday, the Al-Qassam Brigades announced the deaths of two Israeli captives and the injury of 8 others due to what it said were Israeli shellings on the Strip in the past 96 hours…reports Asian Lite News
Hamas has said that three Israeli hostages have died from their wounds sustained from recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in a press statement on Monday said the three victims were among the eight Israeli captives seriously injured in recent Israeli airstrikes, Xinhua news agency reported.
The statement added that the Al-Qassam Brigades would postpone the announcement of the names and photos of the three deceased until the fate of the remaining wounded becomes clear.
On Sunday, the Al-Qassam Brigades announced the deaths of two Israeli captives and the injury of 8 others due to what it said were Israeli shellings on the Strip in the past 96 hours.
The announcement of the latest three deaths comes hours after the Israeli army liberated two captives held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip early on Monday, namely Fernando Simon Merman, 60, and Louis Herr, 70, who were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip from Kibbutz Nir Eshkol on October 7, 2023.
On January 10, the Israeli army said that 136 hostages were still being held captive in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Raids in Gaza Kill 164, Injure 200 in 24 Hours, Says Health Ministry
Hamas-run Health Ministry has said that more than 100 Palestinians were killed and 160 others injured in the Israeli army’s heavy air strikes on southern Gaza’s Rafah and surrounding areas.
Moreover, 164 Palestinians were killed and 200 others wounded in Israeli raids across the enclave over the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll from the ongoing conflict to 28,340, and injuries to 67,984, the ministry was quoted as saying on Monday by Xinhua news agency.
The Israeli military carried out some 40 airstrikes on the Rafah area in the early hours of Monday, with intensive ground shelling, Palestinian eyewitnesses told the news agency.
“A large number of injured victims suffering from (traumatic) amputations and severe burns fled to our hospital,” said Suhaib Al-Hams, Director of Al-Kuwaiti Hospital in the city crowded with displaced people.
Al-Hams added that the Kuwaiti Hospital, one of three hospitals in Rafah, suffers from a severe shortage of medicines and cannot deal with “this large number of victims”.
Palestinian security sources in Rafah told the news agency that special Israeli forces secretly arrived at a building located in the Shaboura neighbourhood, central of the city, and after clashes with Hamas members, the two captives were freed.
The sources explained that until now there has been no ground progress and all that happened were successive air strikes on homes and mosques in Rafah.
In an earlier statement, the Israeli army said it conducted a series of strikes on targets in southern Gaza on Monday. The army said it rescued two hostages from Rafah but did not provide other details.
Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.
Combo photo shows former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden (L) and sitting President Donald Trump delivering their respective speeches on different occasions. (Xinhua/IANS)
With a divided electorate and gridlock in Congress, the next American president could easily become consumed by manifold challenges at home and abroad….reports Asian Lite News
As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election, America’s allies are bracing for a bumpy ride.
Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound — and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. With a divided electorate and gridlock in Congress, the next American president could easily become consumed by manifold challenges at home — before even beginning to address flashpoints around the world, from Ukraine to the Middle East.
The first Trump administration stress-tested the bonds between the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Europe. Trump derided the leaders of some friendly nations, including Germany’s Angela Merkel and Britain’s Theresa May, while praising authoritarians such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He has called China’s Xi Jinping “brilliant” and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán “a great leader.”
In campaign speeches, Trump remains skeptical of organizations such as NATO, often lamenting the billions the U.S. spends on the military alliance whose support has been critical to Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.
He said at a rally on Saturday that, as president, he’d warned NATO allies he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that didn’t pay their way in the alliance. Trump also wrote on his social media network that in future the U.S. should end all foreign aid donations and replace them with loans.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Trump risked endangering U.S. troops and their allies. “Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk,” he said in a statement Sunday.
Biden, meanwhile, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But Biden’s assertion after his election in 2020 that “America is back” on the global stage has not been entirely borne out. Congressional Republicans have stalled more military aid for Ukraine, while America’s influence has been unable to contain conflict in the Middle East
Most allied leaders refrain from commenting directly on the U.S. election, sticking to the line that it’s for Americans to pick their leader.
They are conscious that they will have to work with the eventual winner, whoever it is — and behind the scenes, governments will be doing the “backroom work” of quietly establishing links with the contenders’ political teams, said Richard Dalton, a former senior British diplomat.
But many of America’s European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. Some have started to talk openly about the need for members to ramp up military spending, and to plan for an alliance without the United States.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was “currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more” to support Ukraine. Germany is the second-largest donor of military aid to Kyiv, behind the U.S., but Scholz recently told German weekly Die Zeit that the country couldn’t fill any gap on its own if “the U.S.A. ceased to be a supporter.”
Trump’s comments on Saturday about NATO rang alarm bells in Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine. “We have a hot war at our border,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday.
He warned: “We must realize that the EU cannot be an economic and civilizational giant and a dwarf when it comes to defense, because the world has changed.”
Russia, meanwhile, is busy bolstering ties with China, Iran and North Korea and trying to chip away at Ukraine’s international support.
Macron also suggested American attention was focused far from Europe. If Washington’s top priority is the U.S., he said its second is China.
“This is also why I want a stronger Europe, that knows how to protect itself and isn’t dependent on others,” Macron said at a January news conference.
Trump does have supporters in Europe, notably pro-Russia populists such as Hungary’s Orbán. But former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson raised some eyebrows when he argued recently that “a Trump presidency could be just what the world needs.”
Johnson is a strong supporter of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invasion, whereas Trump has frequently praised Putin and said he’d end the war within 24 hours. However, Johnson said in a Daily Mail column that he didn’t believe Trump would “ditch the Ukrainians,” but instead would help Ukraine win the war, leaving the West stronger “and the world more stable.”
Biden was a critic of Trump’s Iran policy but hasn’t managed to rebuild bridges with Tehran, which continues to flex its muscles across the region.
Palestinians and their supporters, meanwhile, implore Biden to temper U.S. support for Israel as the civilian death toll from the war in Gaza climbs. But hard-liners in Israel argue the U.S. is already restraining the offensive against Hamas too much.
Much like its allies, America’s rivals are not openly expressing a preference for the election outcome.
Trump developed a strong rapport with Turkey’s Erdogan, calling them “very good friends” during a 2019 meeting at the White House.
Yet Turkey-U.S. relations were fraught during his tenure. The Trump administration removed Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet project over Ankara’s decision to purchase Russian-made missile defense systems, while Trump himself threatened to ruin Turkey’s economy.
The Israel army said: “This again proves how Hamas’ terror operatives were using hospitals as their base to carry out attacks against the IDF.”…reports Asian Lite News
At least 20 Hamas men were arrested from Al Amal Hospital in Gaza Strip by Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The Israel army in a statement said Hamas men hiding in the hospital were arrested without disrupting the functioning of the hospital.
The Israel army said: “This again proves how Hamas’ terror operatives were using hospitals as their base to carry out attacks against the IDF.”
Search in the hospital was conducted after prior coordination with the hospital staff, the army said, adding that the forces searched the hospital carefully without opening fire and without harming patients or staff.
The IDF said that soldiers were briefed in advance on acting without harming patients, medical teams, civilians, and medical equipment, in accordance with international law.
The IDF also said that after the arrests, the troops facilitated the delivery of dozens of oxygen tanks and additional medical equipment to the hospital.
Both leaders expressed delight at the opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship….reports Asian Lite News
On the sidelines of the 7th Indian Ocean Conference, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart, Senator Penny Wong, held discussions in Perth today on a spectrum of global issues, including the Indo-Pacific and the situation in West Asia.
The meeting commenced with a warm exchange between EAM Jaishankar and FM Wong. Both leaders expressed delight at the opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship.
The talks primarily centered around the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Australia. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in various domains, with a particular focus on matters related to the Indian Ocean region.
EAM Jaishankar and Senator Wong discussed the Indo-Pacific region, acknowledging the strategic importance it holds. The leaders explored avenues for collaborative efforts to address shared challenges and promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. The situation in West Asia also featured prominently in the discussions.
“Delighted to meet FM @SenatorWong of Australia in Perth today as we gather for the 7th Indian Ocean Conference. Good exchange on our comprehensive strategic partnership and convergence on matters related to the Indian Ocean. Also discussed the Indo-Pacific, situation in West Asia and other regional and global topics,” said EAM Jaishankar in a post on X.
Notably, Jaishankar will address the two-day 7th Indian Ocean Conference in Perth that gets underway today with the theme “Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean.”
The Indian Ocean Conference is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the Indian Ocean Region, organised annually by the Ministry of External Affairs, in association with the India Foundation.
The conference will be held in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia, along with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, and the Perth-US Asia Centre in Australia.
According to a Ministry of External Affairs press release, “The theme of this edition of the conference is Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean.”
This significant gathering, organised annually by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with the India Foundation, marks a collaborative effort with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia, the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, and the Perth-US Asia Centre in Australia.
The 7th Indian Ocean Conference brings together distinguished leaders and delegates to deliberate on crucial regional issues.
The event will witness participation from delegations led by ministers from over 22 countries, senior officials from 16 countries, and six multilateral organisations. Furthermore, over 400 social and corporate leaders, policy practitioners, scholars, professionals, and media personnel from about 40 countries actively engaged in the Conference.
Since its inception in 2016 in Singapore, the Indian Ocean Conference has been instrumental in fostering collaboration among nations and principal maritime partners in the region. Through its platform, the Conference endeavours to facilitate discourse on the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
The 7th Indian Ocean Conference stands as a testament to the collective commitment towards enhancing stability and sustainability across the Indian Ocean Region. (ANI)
