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US Sees No Alarming Outcomes from Modi-Putin Meeting: NSA

Sullivan acknowledged that the US was not indifferent to the meeting between PM Modi and President Putin…reports Yashwant Raj

The US understands that India has historic ties with Russia that it will not cut off overnight but the important issue is whether or not New Delhi was deepening military and technology relationship with Moscow and the Joe Biden administration saw no evidence of that in the outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, American National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said.

The meeting between PM Modi and Putin continues to reverberate in Washington DC’s policy circles. It has been raised and addressed many times at the state department’s daily briefings and Sullivan was asked about it in an interview on MSNBC earlier this week and then once again on Friday at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, whose transcript was released by the White House on Sunday.

“The biggest question for me is,” Sullivan said in response to a question from the host, Financial Times’ Demitri Sevastopilo.

“Do we see tangible evidence that India is deepening its military and technology relationship with Russia or not? And I did not see out of that visit tangible evidence that it was, in fact, deepening; that I didn’t see deliverables in that space.”

Sullivan went on to reiterate that while the US understands India’s historic ties with Moscow which it will not cut. But, he added, the US would like to “continue to have a deep dialogue with India about the specifics and the nature of that relationship and whether it evolves over time”.

He said that though New Delhi does not need to hear it from the US, the changing ties between Russia and China, where Russia “as the junior partner to China, is not necessarily going to be a great and reliable friend to India in a future contingency or crisis”.

PM Modi’s Moscow visit received outsized attention in Washington also as it coincided with the 75th anniversary of NATO that the US hosted. The NATO summit was dominated by concerns about Russia and its ongoing conflict with Ukraine and growing economic and military ties between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

Sullivan acknowledged that the US was not indifferent to the meeting between PM Modi and President Putin.

“We never want to see countries that we care about, who are partners and friends of ours, show up in Moscow and hug Putin. Of course, we don’t. I’m not going to sit here and tell people otherwise.”

At the same time, however, the American NSA asked for not too much to be made of Prime Minister Modi’s “bear hug”, as the moderator described the Indian leader’s meeting with Putin.

“PM Modi has a certain way, of course, of greeting world leaders,” he said, adding: “I’ve seen it up close and personal, actually.”

Sullivan, who was in New Delhi in June for the second meeting of the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), said that in ties with India, the Biden administration sees “enormous opportunity on technology, on economics, and in the statecraft and geopolitics of the wider Indo-Pacific region” and “we want to deepen that relationship as equals, as two sovereign countries who also have relationships with other countries. And India has a historic relationship with Russia that they’re not going to cut off”.

On the indictment alleging India’s involvement in an assassination attempt on a Khalistani activist, Sullivan said talks with India continue behind closed doors.

“I don’t think that there’s a lot of value in talking about the nature of that conversation publicly. It is sensitive. It is something we are working through. The story in my view has not yet been completely written; we need to keep working through it. But we have had a constructive dialogue with India on this issue. And we have made it very clear where we stand on it and what we would like to see. And it’s been respectful, and it has been effective, in my view, mostly because it is taking place behind closed doors.”

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, is in US custody for trying to organize the murder plot.

ALSO READ-US Sends NSA Sullivan for Modi 3.0 Talks

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Modi, Sullivan Discuss Deepening India-US Strategic Partnership

The US NSA arrived in India after attending and addressing the Peace Summit on Ukraine hosted by Switzerland over the weekend…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured the visiting US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan of deepening the India-US strategic partnership during his third term.

“Met US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. India is committed to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for global good,” Prime Minister Modi posted on X after Sullivan called him here on Monday evening.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that NSA Sullivan briefed PM Modi on the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, telecom, defence, critical minerals, and space, among others. “PM expressed satisfaction at the speed and scale of the growing bilateral partnership in all areas and the convergence of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” it said. Sullivan’s visit to India takes place after last Friday’s interaction between PM Modi and US President Joe Biden following the conclusion of the G7 Summit’s Outreach Session in Italy’s Borgo Egnazia.

The Prime Minister recalled his “recent positive interaction” with President Biden and reaffirmed his commitment to continue to strengthen the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for global good and take it to greater heights in his new term. Earlier, Sullivan called on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar before holding the annual review meeting of the iCET along with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. “Delighted to welcome US NSA Jake Sullivan in New Delhi today morning. A comprehensive discussion on a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. Confident that India-US strategic partnership will continue to advance strongly in our new term,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X after he met Sullivan.

The US NSA arrived in India after attending and addressing the Peace Summit on Ukraine hosted by Switzerland over the weekend. India also attended the event, but did not associate itself with any communique or document emerging from the Summit. Sullivan visited Delhi around the same time last year, meeting PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar, and NSA Doval as both countries unveiled a roadmap for cooperation at a stakeholder event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on advancing India-US iCET partnership, just ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s landmark visit to Washington. Both NSAs have acknowledged that the iCET unveiled by PM Modi and US President Biden in May 2022 will play a defining role in deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.

ALSO READ-US Concerned Over Deepening North Korea-Russia Military Ties

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Nothing to Announce on Biden’s India Visit: NSA Sullivan

He made the remarks in response to a question regarding Biden’s visit to India in January, amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada…reports Asian Lite News

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Thursday (local time) said he did not have anything to announce regarding US President Joe Biden’s visit to India in January or any other time.

Addressing a press briefing, Sullivan said, “I am not going to speak to either intelligence or law enforcement matters from this podium. I will let that process play out. We are in as I said before, continuous communications and consultation with the Canadian govt and we will remain so as we go forward…and I don’t have anything to announce today about travel by the President [US] to India in January or any other time.”

He made the remarks in response to a question regarding Biden’s visit to India in January, amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada.

Bilateral relations between India and Canada have hit a sharp downward spiral after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on Monday accused the Indian government of being behind the fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India, however, rejected the allegations levelled by the Trudeau administration, terming them “absurd” and “motivated”.

Earlier on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a press briefing said that India will make an announcement regarding these engagements at the appropriate time.

Asked if India has invited US President Joe Biden for the Republic Day celebration as chief guest, Bagchi said, “On the issue of the invitations, look, for the 26th January, as you’re all very well aware and I don’t do crystal ball gazing. These engagements are announced at the appropriate time. We will certainly share with you information once we are in a position to do so.”

US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, on Wednesday, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited President Biden to the Republic Day celebrations next year, as the chief guest.

Garcetti said the invitation to Biden was extended by PM Modi on the sidelines of the bilateral that took place between the two leaders at the recently concluded G20 Summit. During the bilateral talks, India and the US also settled the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed United States President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., to India today, reaffirming the close and enduring partnership between India and the United States. The leaders expressed their appreciation for the substantial progress underway to implement the groundbreaking achievements of Prime Minister Modi’s historic, June 2023, visit to Washington,” the India-US joint statement read.

The two leaders called on their governments to continue the work of transforming the India-US Strategic Partnership across all dimensions of our multifaceted global agenda, based on trust and mutual understanding.

After the meeting, Biden and PM Modi lauded the India-US relations and said that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good. (ANI)

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Peace eludes Ukraine at Jeddah NSAs meet

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed G7( https://www.facebook.com/zelenskiy.official/videos/1211736476236426)

Ukraine has proposed its widely-expected 10-point peace formula at talks in Saudi Arabia attended by senior officials from some 40 countries including US, China and India…reports Asian Lite News

Ukraine has proposed its widely-expected 10-point peace formula at talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, according to reports.

Senior officials from some 40 countries including the US, China and India met in Jeddah for discussions that Ukraine and its allies hope will lead to agreement on key principles for a peaceful end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

A source from the Ukrainian delegation told Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath that the proposals were “supported by several countries.”

The two-day meeting is part of a diplomatic push by Ukraine to build support beyond its core Western backers by reaching out to Global South countries to help reach a solution to the conflict, which has hit the global economy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said this week that the meeting would focus on the 10-point peace formula that calls for the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

The Jeddah meeting follows talks in Copenhagen in June that were designed to be informal and did not yield an official statement, and the Ukrainian source said the 10-point formula “received more support than in Copenhagen.”

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is leading Washington’s delegation to the Saudi city, a senior White House official said.

The meeting highlights Saudi Arabia’s “readiness to exert its good offices to contribute to reaching a solution that will result in permanent peace”, the official Saudi Press Agency said Friday.

In May, the Kingdom hosted Zelensky at an Arab summit also in Jeddah, where he accused some leaders of turning “a blind eye” to the horrors of Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskyy posted a video message on Twitter, saying that a total of 42 countries are represented at the peace talks in Jeddah and everyone is united by the priority of international law.

“Today is another active day for our international efforts. Our team is working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the meeting of advisors to the leaders of the states on the Peace Formula. In total, 42 countries are represented there. Different continents, different political approaches to global affairs, but everyone is united by the priority of international law. And it is for this that Ukraine proposed the Peace Formula because the international rules-based order, violated by Russian aggression, must be restored,” Zelenskyy said.

He added, “It is very important that there, on the sidelines of the meeting in Jeddah, bilateral negotiations with partners take place. Thankful to our delegation for this work. Consolidation of the world is one of the most essential tasks”.

ALSO READ-Doval in Jeddah for Saudi Arabia hosted Ukraine peace talks

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Ukraine tables 10-point formula to strike peace

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (File Photo: State Dept/IANS)

Saudi Arabia hosts Ukraine peace talks. The war ravaged country has proposed 10-point peace formula at the meet. National security advisors from 40 countries are attending the meeting…reports Asian Lite News

Ukraine has proposed a 10-point peace formula at talks in Saudi Arabia. National security advisors 40 countries including the US, China and India met in Jeddah for discussions that Ukraine and its allies.

A source from the Ukrainian delegation told Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath that the proposals were “supported by several countries.”

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is leading Washington’s delegation to the Saudi city, a senior White House official said. India’s national Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui are attending the meeting.

The two-day meeting is part of a diplomatic push by Ukraine to build support beyond its core Western backers by reaching out to Global South countries to help reach a solution to the conflict, which has hit the global economy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said this week that the meeting would focus on the 10-point peace formula that calls for the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

The Jeddah meeting follows talks in Copenhagen in June that were designed to be informal and did not yield an official statement, and the Ukrainian source said the 10-point formula “received more support than in Copenhagen.”

The meeting highlights Saudi Arabia’s “readiness to exert its good offices to contribute to reaching a solution that will result in permanent peace”, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

In May, the Kingdom hosted Zelensky at an Arab summit also in Jeddah, where he accused some leaders of turning “a blind eye” to the horrors of Russia’s invasion.

India’s Stance

India’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval has said that India has engaged with both Russia and Ukraine on a regular basis at the top most level, ever since the conflict between the nations broke out.

Doval was quoted as saying at the summit by reports that India supports the global order as framed on the principles of UN charter. He emphasised on all nations respecting each others’ territorial sovereignty and that efforts to maintain peace should be pursued to find a peaceful end to the ongoing conflict between the two nations, reports quoting him as saying.

The NSA also noted that the entire Global South is bearing the consequences of the conflict, however India is providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as it has always believed in promoting dialogue and diplomacy.

Doval is learnt to have said that the NSAs’ meeting faces a two-fold challenge — resolution of the situation and softening the consequences of the conflict, and efforts are needed on both fronts. This, he is said to have observed, will require a lot of groundwork as despite efforts to provide peaceful solutions to both the nations, none have borne fruit.

Doval said that the Jeddah meet should look for a solution which is acceptable to all stakeholders, reports said.

Cost of War

Ukraine’s conflict-related budget expenditures will reach about 1.8 trillion hryvnia (about 49.2 billion U.S. dollars) this year, the government press service reported, citing Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

“A hundred percent of taxes paid by businesses and citizens go to support the needs of the security and defense forces,” Shmyhal said.

Besides, Ukraine has already attracted 28 billion dollars in financial aid from partners this year, he added.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Ukraine’s military expenditures reached about 44 billion dollars last year.

ALSO READ-India stresses peaceful solution to Russia-Ukraine conflict

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NSA talks tough with Yi over LAC situation

Johannesburg [South Africa], July 25 (ANI): National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval poses for a group picture with Russian NSA Nikolai Patrushev, South African Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and others during the 13th BRICS NSA meeting, in Johannesburg on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

In a meeting with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, Doval stressed the significance of continuing efforts to thoroughly address the issue and re-establish peace in the border regions…reports Asian Lite News

In a stern message to China on the sidelines of the 13th BRICS National Security Advisor’s (NSA) meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday, NSA Ajit Doval said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has eroded the strategic trust between the two nations.

In a meeting with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, Doval stressed the significance of continuing efforts to thoroughly address the issue and re-establish peace in the border regions. “During the meeting, NSA conveyed that the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China boundary since 2020 had eroded strategic trust and the public and political basis of the relationship,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated in an official release.

“NSA emphasised the importance of continuing efforts to fully resolve the situation and restore peace and tranquility in the border areas, so as to remove impediments to normalcy in bilateral relations. The two sides agreed that the India-China bilateral relationship is significant not only for the two countries but also for the region and world,” the release added.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met the Member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Political Bureau and Director of the Office of the CPC Foreign Affairs Commission, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs’ Meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

India and China have time and again faced border disputes dating back to 1962. The most recent clash was in June 2020, when Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a scuffle in the Galwan valley.

Earlier, on July 24, Doval participated in the ‘Friends of BRICS’ meeting in Johannesburg.

According to sources, he said the gravity of cyber risks will increase exponentially with the advent of disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Internet of Things.

Doval also held a working meeting with the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev and discussed the cooperation between the two countries in the field of security and economy, the Russian embassy in India said in a statement.

He added that terrorism remains one of the key threats to national peace and security.

Asserting that terror organisations in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region continue to operate with impunity, he added that listing terrorists and their proxies under the United Nations counter-terrorism sanctions regime is an area on which BRICS can work together.

Doval said it was important that the decision-making of the UN Security Council sanctions committee is free from politicisation and double standards, adding that the meeting is being held at a time of great churn in the international security environment.

The NSA said further the global security situation is marked by uncertainty and rising tensions. The global economy is still covering the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also appreciated the cooperation extended by South Africa for India’s G20 Presidency, assuring India’s continued support for South Africa’s BRICS chairship this year.

Iran’s security chief meets Doval, discusses Chabahar  

Acknowledging India’s growth as an emerging power, Tehran has urged New Delhi to accelerate the process of Iran’s admission to the powerful five-member BRICS grouping that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Iran’s new security chief Ali Akbar Ahmadian discussed the matter in detail during his meeting with Doval on the sidelines of the BRICS NSA and ‘Friends of BRICS’ gathering in Johannesburg that was also attended by national security secretaries and advisors of Iran, Burundi, Egypt, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, UAE and Belarus.

Earlier this month, Iran – an observer state till now – got a full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) under the rotating chairmanship of India while the official procedure for Belarus’ admission to the grouping has also begun.

This was the first meeting between NSA Doval and Ahmadian who was appointed by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as the Secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council on May 22. He replaced Admiral Ali Shamkhani who held the top position for 10 years.

Before his appointment, Ahmadian was in charge of the strategic centre of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a permanent member of the Expediency Council, an advisory body assisting the country’s leader.

During Monday’s meeting with NSA Doval, Ahmadian praised India’s growth as an emerging power and “a large economy in the global arena based on multilateralism” while pointing to the historical relations and the numerous cultural and civilizational commonalities that binds both nations.

He referred to Chabahar port being built with India’s help in Iran, as a symbol of cooperation between the two countries and emphasised on accelerating the implementation of agreements between the two countries in the field of transportation, energy and banking cooperation. Any obstacles in the path to develop bilateral relations in all fields, stated Ahmadian, should be prioritized and resolved quickly.

The two security chiefs also also discussed common positions and concerns in the fight against terrorism and drug production and trafficking.

ALSO READ-India, Brunei review entire gamut of bilateral ties

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Crack down on Khalistani radicals, Indian NSA tells Barrow

New Delhi, July 07 (ANI): National Security Advisor Ajit Doval meets United Kingdom's National Security Advisor Tim Barrow, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo)

Tim Barrow, National Security Advisor of the UK is on an official visit to India for the India-UK Strategic Dialogue at the invitation of NSA Ajit Doval…reports Asian Lite News

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, on Friday discussed the issue of the safety of the Indian High Commission and Indian diplomats in the UK with his UK counterpart Tim Barrow, according to sources.

“The issue of the safety of the Indian High Commission and Indian diplomats in the UK was discussed with the British NSA. The British side assured adequate safety and security of the High Commission and the Indian diplomats in the UK,” said a source familiar with the matter. Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Thursday said that any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable.

“Any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable. We have made clear to @VDoraiswami and the Government of India that the safety of staff at the High Commission is paramount,” tweeted Cleverly.

However, how the UK authorities handle the Khalistani protestors when they demonstrate tomorrow in front of the Indian High Commission in London will be the true test of the British assurances.

Tim Barrow, National Security Advisor of the UK is on an official visit to India for the India-UK Strategic Dialogue at the invitation of NSA Ajit Doval.

He is accompanied by a delegation of senior UK government officials.

The two NSAs agreed to enhance India-UK cooperation to address violent extremism and radicalism. The two sides agreed that there can be no justification for violent extremism and radicalization in a democracy.

The two National Security Advisors (NSA) on Friday met for restricted discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest. This was followed by delegation-level talks where both countries reaffirmed their close strategic partnership and agreed to accord maximum priority to further enhance security linkages, as per sources.

Both sides agreed to work closely on counter-terrorism, counter-terror financing, use of the internet for terrorism purposes, illicit drug trafficking and counter-radicalisation.

The two sides agreed to deepen mutually beneficial collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.

The two NSAs have engaged regularly in extensive discussions on a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda. The current visit will give them the opportunity to continue their high-level dialogue, which will include a review of the multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries as well as explore futuristic areas for technology collaboration, as per sources.

Tim Barrow will also meet other dignitaries of the Government of India during his visit to India. (ANI)

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India to host SCO NSA meet

New Delhi, Dec 06 (ANI): National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval addresses during the first India-Central Asia meeting of the National Security Advisers/Secretaries of Security Councils, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

The eight-member countries of SCO represent around 42% of the world’s total population and 25% of the global GDP…reports Asian Lite News

India, as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), will host a meeting of national security advisors (NSA) and top officials in the national capital on Wednesday.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will make opening remarks before the SCO NSA-level meeting that is scheduled to be held today. Pakistan has also decided to participate in the National Security Advisor meeting of the SCO, which is being hosted by India, according to a source. The mode of participation is yet to be finalised, the source said further. Sources said the Pakistan representatives will also participate in the meeting.

The next important SCO meet will be the defence ministers’ meet from April 27-29, to be hosted in Delhi.

The next SCO meet is the Foreign Ministers meet that would be held in Goa on May 4 and 5 and the SCO Summit in July – which is likely to see the participation of heads of states of SCO members.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization established in 2001 and it comprises eight member states, namely, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India became a full member of SCO on 9th June, 2017. There are four Observer States viz Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia and six dialogue partners – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a major regional powerhouse that was established over two decades ago with the aim of promoting economic, political, and military cooperation among its member nations

The eight-member countries of SCO represent around 42 per cent of the world’s total population and 25 per cent of the global GDP.

Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, will attend the annual meeting of the secretaries of security councils of SCO member states in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to a statement by Russian Security Council, a Russian embassy official confirmed to ANI.

As India currently holds the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) presidency, it expects all member countries including Pakistan to attend the events under its SCO chairmanship, the Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi during a press briefing in February.

“We hold the current presidency of SCO. As customary, we extend invites to all SCO countries including Pakistan. We expect them all to attend the events,” Bagchi said in response to a question on India’s SCO invite to Pakistan.

“I think Pakistani officials might have attended such events. I don’t know who all have confirmed. We’ll let you know closer to the date,” Bagchi added while speaking during the MEA weekly media briefing.

The invitation has been extended to SCO members including the new Foreign Minister of China Qin Gang and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

India has formally sent invitations to all members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) including Pakistan and China for the upcoming SCO meeting which will be held in Goa from May 4-5. While the SCO summit is set to take place in Goa this summer, India is holding a host of events leading up to it.

Earlier this month, Pakistan also attended the meeting of heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism administrations held in Kashi.

Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Culture and Sports Yerzhan Yerkinbayev, China’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Lu Ying Chuan, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy Samat Bekturovich Shatmanov and Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Azamov Ulugbek Axmatovich, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Uzbekistan in person attended the meeting of heads of the SCO tourism administrations held in Kashi.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Evgenyvich Ilyichev, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development, Russia, Muminzod Kamoliddin, Chairman of the Tourism Development Committee, Tajikistan and Aun Chaudhry, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Tourism and Sports, Pakistan, virtually participated in the SCO meeting held in Kashi earlier this month, according to Tourism Ministry’s press release. (ANI)

Russia’s top official to take part  

Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, will take part in the annual meeting of the secretaries of security councils of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) member states in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to a statement by Russian Security Council, a Russian embassy official confirmed.

The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defence organisation. Meanwhile, it was also reported that Pakistan has decided to participate in the upcoming SCO National Security Advisor meeting which is being hosted by India, said a source, adding that the mode of participation is yet to be finalised.

On March 29, India will host the meetings of SCO national security advisers (NSA) and top national security officials in New Delhi.

NSA Ajit Doval is likely to make opening remarks before the SCO NSAs level meeting will begin on Wednesday.

Nikolai Patrushev

Earlier, Pakistan also participated in the Meeting of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Administrations held in ‘Kashi’ (Varanasi).

G Kishan Reddy, Union minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region, chaired the SCO Meeting. The action plan for ‘Year of Tourism Development in the SCO Space in 2023’ was also adopted at the meeting. (ANI)

ALSO READ-India gearing up to host SCO Summit in outreach to Eurasia

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Sunak to join NSA dialogue between Doval, Barrow

The ties between India and the UK are often described as a Living Bridge, a dynamic economic force of people, businesses and ideas…reports Asian Lite News

As a special gesture, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will join the National Security Advisor (NSA) Dialogue ‘for a while’ between Ajit Doval and Tim Barrow in London.

The High Commission of India in London tweeted and informed about the same and said that the governments of both countries value strengthening strategic partnerships in trade, defence, Science and Technology. “A special gesture by PM @rishisunak to join for a while NSA dialogue btwn Sir Tim Barrow & Mr Doval at @cabinetofficeuk. Deeply value PM’s assurance of his Govts full support to deepen strategic partnership in trade, defence, S&T. Look forward to visit of Sir Tim to soon,” the High Commission of India in London tweeted.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is set to meet his UK counterpart Tim Barrow in London, sources said. In September 2022, Tim Barrow was chosen to serve as the National Security Adviser of the UK.

Barrow was once the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) Political Director and Second Permanent Under-Secretary, according to the official website of the Government of the UK.

The ties between India and the UK are often described as a Living Bridge, a dynamic economic force of people, businesses and ideas.

India and the United Kingdom (UK) share a comprehensive strategic partnership with each other. The two nations have also concluded six rounds of negotiations for a trade deal and will begin the next round very soon.

Notably, India and UK began the negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement between the two nations in January 2022. The UK-India free trade agreement is well-advanced. Although trade at the moment is worth 29.6 billion pounds, India is only the 12th largest trading partner of the UK.

Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had earlier conveyed his hope of finalising the trade agreement during a call with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

The visit of NSA Doval to London comes right after he met his US counterpart Jake Sullivan in Washington last week. (ANI)

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3 commandos dismissed for lapse in NSA Doval’s security

Doval is provided ‘Z plus’ category armed security by the Special Security Group (SSG) unit of the CISF round-the-clock Central VIP security cover…reports Asian Lite News

Three Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel have been dismissed while two officers of the force were transferred following a security breach at the residence of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in February this year, officials said on Wednesday.

The action was taken in the first week of this month following a court of inquiry established by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) into the February 16 incident. Five officers were held guilty on various counts and action was recommended against them.

Three CISF Constables were dismissed from service following a court of inquiry while a Deputy Inspector General and a Commandant rank officer were transferred as part of the action taken by the force.

Doval is provided ‘Z plus’ category armed security by the Special Security Group (SSG) unit of the CISF round-the-clock Central VIP security cover.

The security breach at Doval’s official residence in Central Delhi was reported around 7.30 am on February 16 when a man from Bengaluru attempted to enter through the gate of the premises by driving a red-coloured SUV.

The vehicle was intercepted and the man was nabbed by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel who guards NSA Doval’s house. Later, the Delhi Police arrested the man, identified as Shantanu Reddy, who then claimed he had a chip in his body and was being controlled externally. However, no chip was detected in the MRI scan.

Doval was present at his residence when the incident took place.

According to sources, the CISF had submitted a report to the MHA, in which it was said that the commandos deployed in security should have understood that it could be a “Fidayeen” attack, but the response was not shown in that way. “This is the reason why action against the three commandos was recommended.”

The three commandos, who have been dismissed, were present at the NSA’s residence that day as part of the security detail. (ANI)

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