Tag: India

India successfully gains allies while confronting China

India successfully gains allies while confronting China

"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak”. This is exactly what China seems to have put in action now. China's weakness was highlighted when it failed to effectively handle the outbreak of coronavirus in its initial stages and was caught on the back foot with the U.S., Australia and other countries blaming it and seeking an investigation.So, rather than adopting a remorseful demeanor, China portrayed itself as "strong" by displaying an aggressive attitude. Not only did the Chinese diplomats turn into "wolf warriors," but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime also came down harsh on Hong Kong, displayed belligerence in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea and East China Sea, and engaged in land border clashes with India.But this time, China seems to have gone too far
Construction of roads under development scheme in full swing in J&K’s Baramulla

Construction of roads under development scheme in full swing in J&K’s Baramulla

After a brief halt due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, construction of roads in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) is back on track.Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) – launched by the Indian government to provide good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages across the nation – the government has approved up-gradation of the 5.25-kilometre road from NH1A 46th Delina to Singhpora in Baramulla at the cost of Rs 443.65 lakhs.Local residents were facing many problems due to the bad condition of this road. Many of them now feel that various developmental works have started and going on at a great pace after Jammu and Kashmir became a Union territory in 2019 after the government abrogated Article 370."We were waiting for the construction of the road in our area for
How abrogation of Article 370 reduced stone-pelting in Kashmir

How abrogation of Article 370 reduced stone-pelting in Kashmir

After the abrogation of Article 370 last year and the bifurcation of the Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories, peace has finally returned to the valley and life is getting back to as one normally knows it.Sitting peacefully and looking at the dark blue sky, Mohammed Yousuf says all the protests and stone-pelting incidents that we used to see every day no longer takes place after the nullification of Article 370 in August last year.The youth here has become prudent. The game that few people played with the youth of Kashmir has stopped. Today’s youth is focused on their studies.Stone pelting refers to assault by throwing stones, by a section of Kashmiri youth on security forces, deployed for crowd control. The deadly attacks had become a routine form of protest in the streets o
‘Indian Defense Ministry’s report does not contradict PM Modi’s remarks at all-party meeting’

‘Indian Defense Ministry’s report does not contradict PM Modi’s remarks at all-party meeting’

Remarks made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June about localized events in Galwan Valley were never contradicted by the Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) report about the situation along LAC in Eastern Ladakh, according to sources.The sources further said that there are renewed attempts to misrepresent Prime Minister Modi’s remarks at the All Party Meeting on June 19 and the tool being used for this “insidious purpose” is the Defense Ministry report about the situation all along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.The efforts to conflate the MoD report with PM’s statement of June 19 “are obviously politically motivated”, they said.“Such attempts strengthen the hands of the adversaries who are rattled by India’s increased border infrastructure development in strategically se
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor faces new threats from militancy

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor faces new threats from militancy

Ever since its launch in 2013, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been facing a lot of cynical scrutiny, with the United States cautioning that CPEC projects are neither transparent nor cost-efficient, and warning Islamabad that it is subjecting itself to expensive loans under China’s Belt and Road Initiative – through which Beijing has pledged more than US$60 billion so far.However, supporters of the project, including the Pakistani government, say that Islamabad will not end up being a client state of Beijing’s, and that the CPEC is its best shot at economic development.Indeed, the CPEC has not progressed as planned, with several large projects shelved and others still uncompleted. The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to slow things down further, even though Pakistan has approved
Visitors flock to J&K’s Bangus Valley to beat COVID blues

Visitors flock to J&K’s Bangus Valley to beat COVID blues

Jammu and Kashmir’s Bangus valley has become the favourite getaway for people who have been feeling down being under lockdown for months due to surging coronavirus cases in the country.Surrounded by Shamsbery ranges and Leepa valley, Bangus valley is a unique ecological combination comprising a mountain biome, which includes grassland biome with flora at lower altitudes and coniferous forests."Since the lockdown, this place has seen a rush in visitors. People don't want to be in the city because the number of COVID-19 cases is rising and it is far away from nature. Here, the air is fresh and cool, the water is sweet and we are free of the Coronavirus," Hafiz Manzoor, a frequent traveller to Bangus Valley said.The valley, often known as the hidden paradise amongst locals, lies at an altitud
Abrogating Article 370 empowered Kashmiris: Member of European Parliament

Abrogating Article 370 empowered Kashmiris: Member of European Parliament

A Member of European Parliament (MEP), who visited Kashmir last year, said that revocation of Article 370, under which Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) enjoyed a special status, has empowered Kashmiris in multiple ways and has initiated a process of “healing and homecoming”.Maxette Pirbakas, sharing her experience about closely witnessing and monitoring Kashmir since after August 5, 2019, said, “It (revocation of Article 370) has lifted the artificial barrier that has dwelled in the minds of two generations of Kashmiris on the absence of their links to India and initiated a process of healing and homecoming.”Maxette was among a group of Members of European Parliament who visited Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and interacted with the local people.“The precious hours which I spent in
Article 370 abrogation is brightest light of hope for PoK, Gilgit Baltistan: Activist

Article 370 abrogation is brightest light of hope for PoK, Gilgit Baltistan: Activist

The revocation of Article 370 offered the brightest light of hope for people in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan ever since the occupation of their land by the Pakistani military in 1947, said Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza, a political activist hailing from POK region.“It has broken the chain of violence which started on October 22, 1947 and continued right up to 2019. Cross border infiltration, violence against Kashmiri Pandits, target killings, drug smuggling under the guise of independence movement all came to an abrupt halt on August 5, 2019 with the abrogation of Article 370,” activist Mirza said.He believes that there is a significant decline in violence across the Valley, no protests on July 13 which was falsely hailed as a Kashmir Martyrs Day, the pending bloodshed that P
Post Article 370 abrogation, violence has reduced in Kashmir: Kashmiri activist

Post Article 370 abrogation, violence has reduced in Kashmir: Kashmiri activist

Violence in Kashmir has considerably reduced in the Valley ever since the Indian government scrapped Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir, said Kashmiri activist Javaid Trali.Trali was speaking at a webinar organized under the University Dialogues series hosted by Democracy News Live with a panel of international experts on Asian security."We look forward to some positive movement to the situation here," he said, adding that the Indian government must now start the political process.Satoru Nagao, Fellow Hudson Institute, said restoring peace in Kashmir (like India's Northeast) is an important issue because it is only then the infrastructure can improve and “a country like Japan can help”.The webinar was held to mark the situation emerging in the past one year fol
Beijing’s actions along LAC jeopardised Indo-China relations: Chinese dissident

Beijing’s actions along LAC jeopardised Indo-China relations: Chinese dissident

Chinese dissident and son of a former Communist Party leader, Jianli Yang has stated that Beijing’s recent actions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) have severely jeopardised the cordial relationship that India and China had built over the past years.“The cordial relationship that India and China had built consequent to summit meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan in 2018 and Mamallapuram in 2019 has been jeopardised due to China’s actions along the Line of Actual Control,” said Jianli, who is also the founder and president of Citizen Power Initiatives for China.“In its anxiousness to appear strong, China revealed its ugly, untrustworthy side to India. In response, India adopted a string of measures in various spheres–diplomacy,
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