Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India’s Chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is coming to an end. Dr. Mahip, a leading expert of Indian foreign affairs, provided Dunyo Information Agency with his vision on cooperation between the states of Central Asia and India within the framework of the SCO. “India is poised to host 22nd Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on July 4, an event that will transcend physical boundaries and take place in a virtual mode. Throughout its tenure, India has consistently demonstrated its commitment to fostering constructive engagement within the SCO through various activities and mutually beneficial cooperation among…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As the first batch of pilgrims started its journey towards the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning, an ‘Aarti’was performed at the shrine. “‘Aarti’ performed at Shri Amarnath Cave Shrine in Jammu & Kashmir, today morning. The first batch of pilgrims has started its journey towards the cave shrine,” officials from Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board posted the video. The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Saturday with the first batch of pilgrims starting their journey from Baltal base camp in Jammu Kashmir’s Ganderbal to Amarnath Cave. The Yatra was flagged off by Deputy Commissioner,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Annual profits at China’s industrial firms extended a double-digit decline in the first five months as softening demand squeezed margins, reinforcing hopes of more policy support to bolster a stuttering post-COVID economic recovery. The 18.8% year-on-year slump in profits came on top of the 20.6% contraction in January-April, and added to evidence of an economy that was losing steam on many fronts in May including retail sales, exports and property investment as youth jobless rate scaled a fresh high of 20.8%. Last month alone, industrial earnings contracted by 12.6% from a year earlier, according to data from the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A second solar power plant has been installed in the capital under the Bhutan Solar Initiative Project. Aimed at fulfilling the need for clean and renewable energy, the 500-kilowatt ground-mounted solar power plant was commissioned today coinciding with Guru Rinpoche’s Birth Anniversary. The plant is expected to generate 835,000 units of electricity annually, worth almost Nu 4 M. The solar power plant located at Dechenchholing will generate more than double the electricity generated by the rooftop plant at the Centenary Farmer’s Market. Much like the rooftop solar plant, this plant also has a control room which will display…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As Bhutan celebrates the fifth anniversary of its maiden satellite launch in 2018, the country has reached new heights in space, science and technology since then. To commemorate the milestone, the grand finale of the first-ever National Space Challenge was held in the capital yesterday. The event featured a display of satellite prototypes developed by ten teams from two colleges. The GovTech Agency organised the challenge to foster scientific and technological innovation in the country. At dawn yesterday, the top ten teams selected from the College of Science and Technology and the Jigme Namgyel Engineering College gathered near…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: There’s a revolutionary transition underway in the United States to ease India’s access to critical technologies, US ambassador Eric Garcetti said Wednesday as he described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to America as a celebration of the defining partnership of this century and the unprecedented GE-HAL jet engine deal as one based on trust. The ambassador said the visit showed how ties were accelerating at breathtaking speed and that the projects India and the US were working on together will change the world. Garcetti also said that India and the US can build a bulwark against the “might…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: An Rs 250 crore fund has been created in Assam by multiple stakeholders, including World Bank, to promote small and medium units in the agriculture sector, officials said on Tuesday. Venture capital fund Caspian Impact Investment Adviser said it has joined hands with the Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society to roll out the agribusiness investment firm. The Hyderabad-based company said that according to the agreement, ARIAS will be the nodal agency for establishing and implementing a contributory and determinate investment trust — the Assam Agribusiness Investment Fund (AAIF). “With a corpus of Rs 250 crore,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The rising pace of local economic activities along with stronger corporate sector balance sheets and efficient financial system has brightened the prospects of the Indian economy while the persistent core inflation above 5% and a potential volatility in the global financial system could pose risks to the growth trajectory, the Reserve Bank of India said in its financial stability report. “The Indian economy presents a picture of resilience, supported by strong macroeconomic fundamentals. Sustained growth momentum, moderating inflation and anchoring of inflation expectations, a narrowing current account deficit and rising foreign exchange reserves, ongoing fiscal consolidation and a…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India’s three Rafale fighter jets will fly to France to take part in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees in Paris on 14 July along with other French aircraft. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Guest of Honour for this year’s National Day Parade in France. Modi’s visit marks the 25th anniversary of the “strategic partnership” between France and India. Earlier, Anglo-French Jaguar fighter jets were supposed to join the parade – which were inducted in the Indian fleet in the 1980s. India last took part in the parade in 2009 when former Prime Minister…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) S Somanath on Wednesday revealed that Chandrayaan 3 testing is complete and the window of opportunity for the launch is aimed between July 12 and 19. “Currently the Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft is fully integrated. We have completed the testing and also mated with the rocket compartment… Currently, the window of opportunity for launch is between July 12 and 19 and we will take the earliest possible date, maybe the 12th, maybe the 13th or maybe the 14th. We will announce the exact date after all the tests are completed,” Somanath…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Wednesday that Bangladesh would soon get good news on human rights issues. “The United States is a friend of Bangladesh. They also want to strengthen relations with us. Bangladesh also believes in a balanced foreign policy to improve relations with all countries,” he told reporters at his Sylhet house on Wednesday. Momen said they are looking into the wrong information presented in the US on human rights issues. Bangladesh has become important due to its location, he said. Various countries are visiting Bangladesh frequently to improve relations, said the minister.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi Monday following what can be described as a triumphant maiden ‘official state visit’ to the United States. That this was perhaps the most crucial bilateral engagement between the two countries in years was evident by the expansive 58-paragraph joint statement issued toward the business end of PM Modi’s three-day visit. “No corner of human enterprise is untouched by the partnership between our two great countries, which spans the seas to the stars,” it read. Even as policy wonks pore over the joint statement and diplomacy experts hail PM Modi’s…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The inaugural India-France strategic space dialogue was held on Monday in Paris. “The inaugural India-France Strategic Space Dialogue was held in Paris on 26 June 2023. The Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, and the French side by Secretary-General, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Anne-Marie Descotes,” read the Ministry of External Affairs press release. Both India and France have deepened their cooperation to address contemporary trends in international affairs such as unfolding strategic complexities in the Indo-Pacific Region. In 2022, India and France agreed to set up an Indo-Pacific Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A new initiative that saw Saudi naval cadets training with their Indian counterparts will help to strengthen defense relations between the two countries, the Indian Navy said on Monday, as it considers extending the program. Fifty-five students and five instructors from the King Fahd Naval Academy in Saudi Arabia recently completed four weeks of training aboard two Indian vessels. The students, from the main naval academy of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, traveled to a naval base in Kochi, Kerala last month and were attached to India’s First Training Squadron ships INS Tir and INS Sujata. “Training onboard…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China should allow cross-border sharing of information by financial firms operating in the country, a leading financial lobby group said, as authorities tighten control of data generated within its borders in a national security drive. Last July, China unveiled cross-border data review measures that require a security review for “important” offshore data transfers – a move that triggered confusion and concern among foreign financial firms operating in the country. Foreign interest could be curbed if the country’s data regulations remain vague or stringent, even as China continues to open up its capital markets, said Alice Law, CEO of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir in August 2019, made it clear that India’s Kashmir question is not open for negotiation, or that India need not make concessions on Kashmir in order to have peace with Pakistan, an expert, author and columnist on international affairs, Raja Mohan, said on Monday. He was speaking at a book discussion event on Satinder Kumar Lambadh’s ‘In Pursuit of Peace: India-Pakistan relations under six Prime Ministers’, in the national capital on Monday. Raja Mohan, an author and columnist on international affairs said, “The Modi government came to power with a clear…

INTERNATIONAL DESK:Former president Barack Obama should spend his energy complimenting India more than criticizing it, according to a former commissioner of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Johnnie Moore. “I think the former president (Obama) should spend his energy complimenting India, more than criticizing India. India is the most diverse country in human history. It’s not a perfect country, just like the United States, it’s not a perfect country, but its diversity is its strength, and we should be complimenting the largest democracy in the world every chance that we can, that we have,” Moore, an evangelical leader,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The surge in wearables manufacturing in India is impacting Chinese assembly lines adversely, with many factories in that country facing a sharply reduced order book, several industry executives ET spoke to have said. Top wearables brands such as Boat and Gizmore are making most products locally in key categories audio and smartwatch through electronics contract manufacturers such as Dixon Technologies and Optiemus Electronics, the people added. Because wearables assembly as a whole has shifted from China to India, most of the factories (in China) that were assembling truly wireless earbuds, neck bands and smartwatches are sitting without orders,”…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In the heart of North East India, an unlikely and ordinary plant, the water hyacinth, is being transformed into extraordinary art and craft. Often considered an invasive weed, this aquatic plant grows abundantly in the region’s water bodies. However, thanks to the vision of Paulmie Gogoi and Dr. Tanushree Devi, these weeds are receiving an artistic and sustainable reincarnation. Gogoi and Dr. Devi have established Woven Tales of North East, an initiative that employs local artisans—primarily women—to craft exquisite products from the water hyacinth. Their venture is centered in Nagaon, a quaint town situated 120 km from Guwahati.…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Visiting UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Sunday assured that he would give special consideration to the recruitment of more peacekeepers from Bangladesh. Lacroix made the assurance when he met acting Army Chief Lieutenant General Ataul Hakim Sarwar Hasan at the military headquarters on Sunday. During the meeting, they exchanged greetings and discussed various issues related to the UN peacekeeping mission. During the discussion, the current status of the Mali mission and the future activities of the said mission was given utmost importance, says an Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) Directorate media release. The Acting Army Chief…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo, Egypt. PM Modi on Sunday visited the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Egypt’s Cairo and paid tribute to the Indian soldiers who made supreme sacrifices during the First World War. PM Modi on Sunday also visited the Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo. The Al-Hakim Mosque is an 11th Century significant historical and cultural site in Egypt’s Cairo. The mosque stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage shared by India and Egypt. What adds even greater significance to the PM’s visit is the remarkable restoration…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Advancing India and Egypt’s relationship, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly discussed deepening cooperation across various areas including trade and investment, and renewable energy. Earlier, on Saturday, PM Modi met the Egyptian PM and held a roundtable meeting where seven cabinet ministers and senior officials were present in the meeting. Taking to Twitter, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Advancing India-Egypt civilisational relations! In his first engagement in Cairo, PM @narendramodi held a meeting with the newly setup India Unit in the Egyptian Cabinet @CabinetEgy, headed by PM Mostafa Madbouly. Seven Cabinet…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: The inaugural Bhutan Trade and Investment Fair, a significant milestone in the diplomatic and economic ties between Bhutan and Bangladesh, commenced yesterday in the bustling city of Dhaka. The three-day fair, inaugurated by Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tipu Minshu, has attracted considerable attention from both the business community and the general public. With a total of 25 participating companies from Bhutan, the fair showcases a diverse array of products that highlight the unique craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage of the Land of the Thunder Dragon. This event, organized under the auspices of the Preferential Trade Agreement signed between Bhutan…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his maiden state visit to Egypt, on Saturday met the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam on Saturday. Earlier, he also held a roundtable meeting with the Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly. In his first engagement in Cairo, PM Modi held a meeting with the newly setup India Unit in the Egyptian Cabinet, headed by Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly. Seven Cabinet Ministers and senior officials were present in the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs said. During the meeting, discussions focused on deepening cooperation across a range of areas including trade and investment,…