Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Saturday and reviewed various aspects of the India-Nepal cooperation to strengthen the deep bonds of friendship between the two countries. The telephone conversation between PM Modi and Prachanda continues the tradition of high level exchanges between the two countries. “The two leaders reviewed various aspects of the India-Nepal bilateral cooperation and followed-up on discussions held during Prime Minister Prachanda’s recent visit to India from 31 May to 3 June 2023, so as to advance the bilateral partnership and to further strengthen the deep bonds…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India has started manufacturing 38 active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, in the last one and a half years on which it was import-dependent, under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the sector, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said here Saturday. Mandaviya said that the 2017 border standoff with China at Doklam triggered India to rethink its self-reliant strategy regarding active pharma components as it was dependent on just one country for the import of 95 per cent of APIs for the formulation industry. The health minister was speaking at the inaugural event of the Healthcare Summit organised at…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India’s ambitious third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3 has successfully entered the lunar orbit on Saturday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed through its Twitter. The required maneuver was done from an ISRO facility stationed in Bengaluru, the city-headquartered space agency said. “Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully inserted into the lunar orbit. A retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC ( ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network ), Bengaluru,” the agency said in a tweet. Perilune is the spacecraft’s closest point to the moon. The next operation after entering lunar orbit is the reduction…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: K V Kamath, chairman of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), expressed his confidence in India’s potential to achieve the $5-trillion economy target within 18 months. “Between 2003 and 2008, we doubled our growth, which was the fastest growth till now. There were various reasons we slowed down, but we caught up again. Now, we are confidently talking of taking our $3.5 or $4 trillion (economy), somewhere in between, to $5 trillion in the next 18 months or so,” Kamath said at the annual Maharashtra Green Infrastructure Conclave 2023. He added, “These numbers are also…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: It took the Supreme Court four long years to find time for taking up plethora of writ petitions challenging the validity of the government’s drastic action in Jammu and Kashmir- revocation of Article 370, downgrading and splitting Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories. Even so, there is no definite sign yet of when and how the Union government intends to sort out its crucial political aftermath and restore the democratic power structure. Restoration of the UT’s erstwhile state level status is a popular demand almost across the board. Political vacuum caused by the Centre’s action on…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Pakistan government had to impose additional taxes of 215 billion Pakistani Rupees (PKR) and slash expenditures by 85 billion PKR in order to strike an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), The News International reported on Saturday. Although Pakistan was able to secure the IMF deal just in time, the conditions imposed by the body are turning out to be tedious to implement. The announcement was made by Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at the National Assembly. While briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenues, Dar said that when the government had presented…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Rallies and demonstrations were held in different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday to protest against the “unjust taxes in electricity bills, unavailability of subsidized wheat flour, increase in the luxuries of the ruling elite” and other issues of public concern. The biggest show was, however, held in Rawalakot, the divisional headquarters of Poonch which is also known as Pearl Valley due to its scenic beauty, under the aegis of local traders’ body and other civil society organisations. It was a rally of thousands of people from all walks of life amid a symbolic three…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India, under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, has always come forward to help debt-ridden Sri Lanka, and in the latest instance, Indian High Commissioner handed over a cheque of 450 million for the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) Project. Taking to Twitter, High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka said, “High Commissioner handed over a cheque of INR 450 million to State Minister Hon. @kanakadh, in the gracious presence of Hon. @SagalaRatnayaka today for SLUDI project, which is being implemented through grant assistance by Govt of #India.” The SL-UDI project holds immense promise in bolstering Sri Lanka’s…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Indian embassy in Kathmandu and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration of Nepal on Friday signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to undertake the developmental projects, which will be built under the grant assistance of India. Among the four projects, three will be in the education sector and one project in Water Supply and Sanitation, at a total estimated cost of NRs. 170 million, a release from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu read. “These four projects, namely:- construction of School Building of Shree Galainath Secondary School, Shailashikhar Municipality; School Building of Shree Himalaya Secondary School,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Executive Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez on Friday and underlined the importance of business collaboration for mutual benefit. Taking to Twitter. Jaishankar said, “A good meeting with Executive Vice President @delcyrodriguezv of Venezuela during her visit for the 9th India-LAC Conclave. Exchanged perspectives on the global situation and noted our cooperation in multilateral domain. Spoke about our respective approaches to development challenges. Underlined the importance of business collaboration for mutual benefit.” Earlier, Rodríguez arrived in India on Wednesday to participate in the ninth Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) India-LAC Conclave. In…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In an effort to promote the work of Kashmiri artisans and acknowledge the significant contributions of women in the artistic field, Zoya Khan, an architect-artist leading the international organization Fearless Collective, has unveiled a groundbreaking mural in Srinagar. The mural, a first of its kind in Kashmir, features the portraits of women karigars (craftswomen) who have made a profound impact in the handicraft industry. The awe-inspiring artwork, now the 52nd mural created by the community-driven Fearless Collective, serves as a celebration of the unsung heroines of the city. Funded by the NGO itself, the mural art has quickly…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif showed his willingness to talk to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said that India wanted neighbourly ties with Pakistan but there should be an atmosphere free from terror and violence for such a relationship. During a weekly briefing of MEA, Bagchi said, “We have seen reports regarding the comments by the Pakistan PM on this issue. India’s clear and consistent position is well known that we desire normal relations with all our neighbouring countries including Pakistan. For this environment free of terror and hostility…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Aiming at fewer fruit seeds but high value ones that can generate more revenue, more than 1.3 million fruit trees were planted across Bhutan, reported The Bhutan Live. The second phase of the million fruit tree plantation project was completed on Monday. The project was a joint initiative by DeSuung National Service and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock which aims to improve the livelihood of the rural communities, said the report by Bhutan Live. The focus was on planting 13 high-value fruit crops such as almonds, pecan nuts, walnut, kiwis, avocados, dragon fruit, Miyazaki mango, dekopon citrus, Macadamia…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India on Thursday handed over the 14th consignment of humanitarian aid comprising essential medicines to crisis-hit Ukraine. The aid was handed over by Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Harsh Jain. The consignment was handed over to Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Health, Ihor Kuzin and commenting on this, Ukrainian Minister thanked the Government of India for the assistance. “Ambassador Harsh Jain handed over the 14th consignment of humanitarian aid comprising essential medicines to H.E. Mr. Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health, who thanked the government of India for the assistance @MEAIndia @MFA_Ukraine @MoH_Ukraine,” tweeted Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, emphasized on Thursday that the armed forces will not be permitted to take any actions that violate the Constitution as a six-judge bench heard a set of petitions challenging the trials of civilians in military courts, ARY News reported. This statement came during a session of a six-judge panel, led by the Chief Justice himself and including Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik. Today, the six-judge bench heard a set of petitions where the CJP said that the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a rapid development with steady rise in tourism, startups and investment. In June, J-K experienced a record-breaking influx of foreign and domestic tourists which led the region’s tourist department to take proactive measures for tourism promotion, including visual tours, airline promotions and other online marketing tools. The choice of Kashmir as a site for the G20 Working Meeting on tourism in May this year, was obvious and yet symbolic. The beauty of Kashmir which renders it the title ‘Paradise on Earth’ makes it an obvious choice for the tourism…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Journeying across the mountainous terrains, ancient valleys, and the spiritual landscapes of India and beyond, the remarkable Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of the Sikh religion (1469-1539), spent 24 years traversing thousands of miles by foot. He ventured not only across the vast stretches of his homeland but also across distant shores, weaving the fabric of co-existent humanity. Embarking on four extensive journeys known as Udasis, Guru Nanak Dev Ji traversed through landscapes both physically and spiritually demanding. The third Udasi, between 1515 to 1517, saw him navigating mountains to reach Sumer Parbat. Each step of his journey…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The claim of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) that Pakistan’s financial sector remains resilient amid challenges does not reflect the actual plight of its banking sector. The Financial Stability Review – 2022 is not telling the truth. Distress in Pakistan’s banking sector often comes upfront amidst the severe economic crisis. Recently, the IMF said that delays in structural reforms – such as ‘resolving’ the four undercapitalized banks – can hamper stability in the country’s financial sector. It suggested SBP accelerate the recapitalization process using its existing powers. According to the IMF, the SBP has also committed to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India has emerged as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. As of May 31, 2023, over 99,000 startups have been recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) spanning over 670 districts across the country. The Indian startup ecosystem has witnessed exponential growth in the past few years, especially since 2015. In the past eight years, an average of four startups were registered every hour in India. Notably, nearly 47 per cent of the total startups in India are in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Giving wings to women’s aspirations, more than…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Stating that multiple challenges confront the G20 grouping, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India adopted an unconventional approach to its Presidency, making it much more connected with people. A major highlight of the second day of the Think20 (T20) Summit in Mysuru on Tuesday was a virtual address by Jaishankar, followed by a high-level interaction with him. Speaking on India’s G20 Presidency, Jaishankar said that there have been “some achievements, some work in progress, and some hope in progress”. The T20 is an official Engagement Group of the G20 and serves as an “ideas bank” for…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Jammu and Kashmir administration recently established a state-of-the-art Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) Centre and gymnasium at the Government Medical College, Baramulla in North Kashmir. This is the first such centre in North Kashmir. The centre caters to the specific needs of post-trauma, post-stroke, orthopaedic, and congenital orthopaedic patients with a focus on their rehabilitation and recovery. The centre is fitted with advanced equipment and offers specialised care to facilitate the healing process and enhance the quality of life for patients. Around 10 machines worth crores of rupees had been purchased by the hospital authorities to empower…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: A group of progressive Bangladeshi NGOs in association with some Indian representatives and local district administration officials organised a candlelight vigil to mark the eighth anniversary of the landmark event of the exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh. Uddipan and North Bengal Museum were among the NGOs present along with district officials from Rangpur and Kurigram at the event that was held on Monday and saw people from all walks of life gathering in the 111 enclaves which are now in Bangladesh. The Land Boundary Agreement of 2015 resolved a long pending issue of enclaves in adverse…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The two-day G20 policy workshop on the Green and Sustainable Growth Agenda for the Global Economy, held in New Delhi, marked a pivotal moment in environmental progress. It was organised by NITI Aayog, in collaboration with IDRC and GDN, the workshop brought together over 40 global experts from diverse fields. It served as a side event of the G20 and delved into crucial themes of green growth, energy, climate, technology, and policy, among others. The gathering generated valuable recommendations for green and sustainable growth, emphasizing a resolute commitment to a greener future. Concurrently, the 4th and last ECSWG…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Following further dire economic news, China launched a number of initiatives to increase domestic demand on Monday, CNN said. However, the country has made no significant announcements regarding fresh spending or tax cuts. According to information provided by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday, the official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which gauges activity in the manufacturing sector mostly at larger businesses and state-owned organisations, registered 49.3 in July. That result was slightly up compared with 49 in June but the industry has now contracted each month since April. A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion, while anything…