India and the United States of America signed several pacts during the recent visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper. The two senior American officials met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The key aspect of the discussions is the signing of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA). This agreement will give India access to data available with the US military.
BECA assumes strategic importance due to the simmering tensions with China. US President Donald Trump has stayed the course of his run for re-election on the Chinese virus. Given the Democrats have Indian-American Kamala Harris on the bill, Trump has a winner on his hand by tying up with India against China. US politics aside, India has quite a bit to gain.
New equation
Brigadier (Rtd) Vinod Dutta told APN that in the new geopolitical equation, this initiative is going to give good dividends when both countries are looking for peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region. Moreover, it is a clear-cut signal to China’s abusive behaviour and its expansionist designs.
“Two big democracies, 2 real powers and 2 good friends are coming together. Barring Turkey and some odd countries, the entire world has moved towards India, which is seen as a reasonable, formidable regional power,” Dutta said.
Moreover, in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US polls are focused, as noted above, on the Chinese virus with most Chinese products rotting at the ports, he said.
In a similar vein, Japan has already given a $2.2 billion economic stimulus to help manufacturers uproot production from China and relocate else, Dutta noted.
Equal partners, not master-slave
Ambassador (Rtd) Deepak Vohra, the special adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, countered the criticism of India’s American friendship from several quarters. “It is being said that through BECA, India has fallen into the lap of the US. This is not true. This is a partnership between equals and both have fallen into the lap of each other,” he said.
The Indian Army is more than a match to any military in the world, the US has the world’s most awesome technology and when these two powers combine, no one can dare India, Vohra added. Through geospatial intelligence, India will be in a position to see movements of elephants and ants in real time, he said.
The 9/11 effect
Listing the long Indo-US diplomatic journey, Vohra said 9/11 was a watershed moment after which America’s view of India changed. “This got polished with India’s spectacular progress in information technology and military resilience demonstrated in 1999,” Vohra said.
Perhaps, India is being seen by the US as a factor for stability in the arc of Islamic instability stretching from Nigeria to Indonesia. So what we are seeing in Indo-US defence relations in the last two decades is the convergence of security perception and world vision, he added.
Defence ties between India and USA
The world’s oldest and largest democracies have been evolving a defence deal with each other in the recent past. In 2016, the US gave India major defence partner status putting it at par with other major allies. In 2017, the US Congress passed the National Defence Authorisation Act cementing India’s major defence partner status, Vohra said.
Since then the two countries have inked two major agreements, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), and now the BECA, he said.
This indicates the level of trust and comfort in the relations of two countries and a strong message to the world. With the US-India coming together, there is fear and frustration in Beijing and Islamabad, Vohra said.
Amid uncertainties on who will win the US polls, the signing of the BECA deal indicates growing bipartisan support for New Delhi as a bulwark against Beijing despite what occurred in Ladakh.
The RJD on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his unfulfilled promise to revive sugar mills in Bihar and wondered whether the Prime Minister has given up on his promise because of diabetes.
RJD MP Misa Bharti humorously remarked on PM Modi’s unfulfilled commitment to enjoy tea sweetened with sugar from Bihar’s sugar mills, which have remained inactive for many years.
Bharti, the eldest daughter of RJD leader Lalu Prasad, asserted that the sugar industry in Bihar has not been revived so far and questioned whether Modi had abandoned his promise due to diabetes.
“The PM is enjoying his third consecutive term in office and has not fulfilled any of the promises he made before ascending to power,” she stated, emphasising her disappointment as a resident of Bihar who recalls Modi’s grand declarations about revitalizing the state’s sugar mills.
She sarcastically asked, “Why did he not fulfill his own promise? Has he developed diabetes?”
Responding to media inquiries, Bharti also dismissed the concept of “One nation one poll” as a “shigoofa” (gimmick) from the Modi government, arguing that they struggle to conduct elections in four states simultaneously, let alone nationwide.
Her comment referenced the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand occurring after recent elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
Affiliated with the INDIA coalition, Bharti expressed confidence in the alliance’s success in upcoming Assembly elections and by-polls. Additionally, she condemned derogatory comments made by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant against a candidate from Eknath Shinde’s faction, asserting that “no offensive remarks should be made about a woman, even if she is a rival.”
Furthermore, she criticised inflammatory statements from Union Minister Giriraj Singh during the Hindu Swabhiman Yatra, saying it is “appalling” that a Union Minister could incite violence without facing repercussions.
Bharti also raised concerns about the BJP’s silence regarding a new political outfit formed by former Union Minister RCP Singh, who had transitioned to the BJP after being ousted from Nitish Kumar’s JD(U).
She took issue with Prashant Kishor, the Jan Suraaj founder, for making commitments that he never asked BJP and Nitish Kumar to fulfill while he was managing their campaign.
India on Saturday condemned the recent allegations made by the Canadian government against Amit Shah that he was purportedly involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, calling it absurd and baseless.
Addressing a press conference, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India had summoned the Canadian High Commissioner yesterday to protest in the strongest terms for the references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison.
On Tuesday, Morrison claimed that Shah orchestrated a campaign of violence, intimidation, and intelligence-gathering aimed at Sikh separatists on Canadian soil. He informed members of Canada’s national security committee in Parliament that he had confirmed Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which was the first to report the allegations. However, Morrison did not provide details on how Canada became aware of Shah’s alleged involvement.
Jaiswal said the revelation that high Canadian officials deliberately leak unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that the government of India has long held about the current Canadian government’s political agenda and behavioural pattern.
“Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties,” said the MEA.
On the reports of a cancelled Diwali celebration, Jaiswal said, “We have seen some reports in this regard. It is unfortunate that the prevailing atmosphere in Canada has reached high levels of intolerance and extremism.”
He also spoke on the reduction in the number of Visas by the Canadian government and said the ministry has been monitoring the well-being of Indian students and professionals who are working in Canada. “Our concern for their safety and security remains strong,” he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs said some of its Consular officials were recently informed by the Canadian government that they have been and continue to be under audio and video surveillance as well as their communications have also been intercepted. “We have formally protested to the Canadian Government as we deem these actions to be a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions,” the Ministry said.
By citing technicalities, the Canadian government cannot justify the fact that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation, Jaiswal said, adding that India’s diplomatic and consular personnel have already been functioning in an environment of extremism and violence.
He said such action of the Canadian government aggravates the situation and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices.
Regarding the sanction of 19 Indian companies, Jaiswal noted that India has a robust legal and regulatory framework on strategic trade and non-proliferation controls.
India is also a member of three key multilateral non-proliferation export control regimes – the Vasinar Arrangement, the Australia Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime, and has been effectively implementing relevant UNSC sanctions and UNSC Resolution 1540 on non-proliferation, he added.
“Our understanding is that the sanction, transactions and companies are not in violation of Indian laws. Nevertheless, in keeping with India’s established non-proliferation credentials, we are working with all the relevant Indian departments and agencies to sensitize Indian companies on applicable export control provisions and also inform them of new measures being implemented that could impact Indian companies in certain circumstances,” the MEA said.
Regarding deportations from the United States, Jaiswal noted, “We have a consistent dialogue with the United States concerning migration and mobility, aimed at establishing more avenues for legal migration. As part of our ongoing consular arrangements, we have facilitated the movement of individuals who are residing in the United States illegally. This collaboration has been in effect for some time, and we anticipate that through our engagement with the United States on mobility and migration, we can work to deter illegal immigration.”
Hemant Soren urges PM Modi to clear Jharkhand’s Rs 1.36 lakh crore coal dues
“I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues,” Soren posted on X, sharing a copy of a letter to the Prime Minister.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to clear Rs 1.36 lakh crore coal dues to the state.
PM Modi and Shah are scheduled to visit poll-bound Jharkhand. The Prime Minister will address two rallies on November 4 while Shah will address three public meetings on November 3.
In a post on X, Soren said, “The PM and the home minister are coming to Jharkhand. I once again request them with folded hands to clear the outstanding (coal dues) of Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhandis. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand.” Soren also appealed to BJP MPs to facilitate clearance of the amount.
Soren stressed that the outstanding payments owed by central public sector undertakings, particularly Coal India, are legitimate entitlements of Jharkhand and argued that “the delay in payment is causing irreparable harm to the state’s development.”
“I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues,” Soren posted on X, sharing a copy of a letter to the Prime Minister.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, he stated, “I, Hemant Soren, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, would like to bring to your attention a grave issue that is obstructing the development of our state. Our dues from coal companies amount to Rs 1.36 lakh crore.”
He added that, despite legal provisions and judicial verdicts, coal companies have failed to make any payments. “These issues have been raised at various forums, including your esteemed office, the Finance Ministry, and NITI Aayog, yet the compensation of Rs 1.36 lakh crore remains unpaid,” Soren mentioned.
A recent decision by a nine-judge Supreme Court bench reaffirmed the state’s right to collect its mining and royalty dues. Soren pointed out that the non-payment of these dues is hindering vital socio-economic projects in Jharkhand, which is already an under-developed state.
“Numerous socio-economic development projects are being stalled due to the non-payment of our legitimate claims,” he noted.
Last month, he proposed a direct debit arrangement from Coal India’s account to the state, similar to what was established for the Jharkhand State Electricity Board’s dues to the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
“This continued delay in addressing our rightful demands has compelled me to reach out to you, as this negligence inflicts irreparable damage on Jharkhand and its people. Many social sector initiatives in education, health, women’s and child development, clean drinking water, and last-mile connectivity cannot be implemented due to insufficient funding,” Soren asserted.
He previously accused the central government of being indifferent to the challenges faced by the state, drawing attention to the unequal treatment regarding outstanding dues. The Jharkhand Assembly elections are set to take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23.
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