Politics

India demands immediate access to restore ‘vandalized’ Buddhist structures in Gilgit-Baltistan
Politics

India demands immediate access to restore ‘vandalized’ Buddhist structures in Gilgit-Baltistan

A week after images of vandalized Buddhist carvings surfaced on social media, India sought immediate access to the area in Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan where Buddhist archaeological sites have been destroyed for its expert team to restore vandalized structures.“We have conveyed our strong concern at reports of vandalism, defacement and destruction of invaluable Indian Buddhist heritage located in so called “Gilgit-Baltistan” area of the Indian territory under illegal and forcible occupation of Pakistan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on Wednesday.Srivastava said “egregious activities” of this nature which display contempt for the ancient civilizational and cultural heritage are “highly condemnable”."It is a matter of grave concern that the Buddhist sym
What happened to Tibet could also happen to India, warns Tibetan PMexile
Opinion, Politics

What happened to Tibet could also happen to India, warns Tibetan PMexile

Lobsang Sangay, President of the Tibetan government-in exile, has warned that Ladakh is the latest addition to China’s expansionist policy and that “what happened to Tibet, could also happen to India”.Lately, China’s People’s Liberation Army has made alarming advances towards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which extends from Ladakh in the north to as far as Arunachal Pradesh in the north-east.Since the beginning of May, the Chinese army has been attempting to encroach into Indian Territory which has also led to multiple face-offs between troops from both sides.Looking back at the shared history between China, India and Tibet, Sangay said: “If we look at history, India never shared a border with China, but it has always shared a border with Tibet. During that period, Indo-Tibetan border w
Indonesian President thanks Modi for pharma supplies
Business, Politics, World

Indonesian President thanks Modi for pharma supplies

The two leaders discussed issues related to citizens stuck in each other’s nations       Indonesian President Joko Widodo has appreciated India’s efforts in in ensuring continued supplies of pharmaceutical products to his country in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.   In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, the two leaders discussed issues related to their citizens present in each other’s countries, and agreed that their teams would remain in touch to ensure all possible facilitation in this regard, according to an official release.   “Discussed COVID-19 pandemic with good friend President @Jokowi,” the PM tweeted after the call. Modi assured the Indonesian President that India would do its best to prevent disruption in supplies of medical produ
Tribes along India-Myanmar border dream of a ‘united Nagaland’
Asia, Business, Politics, World

Tribes along India-Myanmar border dream of a ‘united Nagaland’

Dozens of Naga tribes yearn to reunite the 3 million living in India with their 400,000 estranged cousins in Myanmar.The king of the Konyak tribe sleeps in Myanmar, but eats in India - his house, village and people divided by a mountain border which serves as a vulnerable lifeline now severed by a coronavirus lockdown. The Konyak are just one of dozens of Naga tribes, a people yearning to reunite the 3 million living in India with their 400,000 estranged - and much poorer - cousins in Myanmar's isolated far north.Many from Myanmar cross the border to attend school, sell vegetables or visit a hospital, as it is a days-long journey by foot to the nearest town in Myanmar. Even in normal times, they live at the mercy of Indian soldiers guarding checkpoints against the threat of armed groups fi
Virus Surge in Southeast Asia Migrant Workers Serves as Warning
Politics, Singapore, World

Virus Surge in Southeast Asia Migrant Workers Serves as Warning

Virus flareups among migrant workers are fueling a second wave of infections in Southeast Asia, forcing governments to shift direction to contain resurgent outbreaks, and serving as a warning to other countries looking to ease restrictions as cases ease. Singapore and Thailand have been caught out by infections among foreign workers, who come from other parts of the region to work on building sites, in low-wage industries and as domestic labor. The countries are now scaling up testing of these communities, with the cramped dormitory-style or temporary accommodation they’re often housed in leaving them vulnerable to infection from the highly contagious coronavirus. An explosion in cases among Singapore’s 1-million strong migrant worker population has seen it become Asia’s most-infected nati
Coronavirus: India cancels order for ‘faulty’ China rapid test kits
Politics

Coronavirus: India cancels order for ‘faulty’ China rapid test kits

India has cancelled orders for about half a million coronavirus rapid testing kits from China after they were found to be "faulty". Delhi has also withdrawn the kits that were already in use in several states. The kits take around 30 minutes to deliver a result and are supposed to detect antibodies in the blood of people who may have had the infection. They help officials quickly understand the scale of infection in a particular area. China disputes India's claims. "The quality of medical products exported from China is prioritised. It is unfair and irresponsible for certain individuals to label Chinese products as 'faulty' and look at issues with pre-emptive prejudice," Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong said in a statement issued on Tuesday. The rapid testing kits canno...