India will be gifting Sri Lanka 500,000 doses of India made COVID vaccines on Thursday (January 28) on a special Air India plane. It will be the 8th country in the region to get New Delhi's vaccine gift. The gift will ceremonially be handed over by High Commissioner Gopal Baglay at the Bandaranaiake International Airport.

Last week India gifted vaccines to 8 countries-- Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Seychelles and Mauritius and sent commercial consignments to 3 countries--Brazil, Morocco and Bangladesh. &nbsp;A release from the Indian high commission in Colombo said, "The gift from India is keeping in line with India’s continued support to Sri Lanka in fighting the COVID pandemic. "

The vaccine, Oxford-Astrazeneca’s Covishield is manufactured by Serum Institute of India. It was approved for use by govt last week. Interestingly, India's vaccine consignment comes to the country on auspicious Duruthu Poya Day and marks the day when Gautama Buddha first visited Sri Lanka.

Amid the pandemic, India has been supplying medicines to many countries in the region including Sri Lanka. In May 2020, India had sent 12.5 tons of medical supplies to the country to deal with the pandemic. Under mission sagar 1, supplies were sent onboard Indian navy ships to 5 Indian ocean countries including Sri Lanka.

India will be gifting Sri Lanka 500,000 doses of India made COVID vaccines on Thursday (January 28) on a special Air India plane. It will be the 8th country in the region to get New Delhi's vaccine gift.

India will be gifting Sri Lanka 500,000 doses of India made COVID vaccines on Thursday (January 28) on a special Air India plane. It will be the 8th country in the region to get New Delhi's vaccine gift. The gift will ceremonially be handed over by High Commissioner Gopal Baglay at the Bandaranaiake International Airport. Last week India gifted vaccines to 8 countries-- Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Seychelles and Mauritius and sent commercial consignments to 3 countries--Brazil, Morocco and Bangladesh. A release from the Indian high commission in Colombo said, "The gift from India is keeping in line with India’s continued support to Sri Lanka in fighting the COVID pandemic. " The vaccine, Oxford-Astrazeneca’s Covishield is manufactured by Serum Institute of India. It was approved for use by govt last week. Interestingly, India's vaccine consignment comes to the country on auspicious Duruthu Poya Day and marks the day when Gautama Buddha first visited Sri Lanka. Amid the pandemic, India has been supplying medicines to many countries in the region including Sri Lanka. In May 2020, India had sent 12.5 tons of medical supplies to the country to deal with the pandemic. Under mission sagar 1, supplies were sent onboard Indian navy ships to 5 Indian ocean countries including Sri Lanka.

India to gift Sri Lanka 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine on Thursday

India has once again called for United Nations Security Council reforms, with permanent membership reflecting the "contemporary realities" and one that includes "adequate representation from all regions of the world".

Highlighting the present UNSC unable to deal with global challenges, India's envoy to UN TS&nbsp;Tirumurti said, "It is evident that inaction on our part is not without cost. The Security Council is being called upon to address increasingly complex issues of international peace and security" Elaborating, "Yet, it finds itself unable to act effectively, for it is lacking inclusivity of those who need to be there, and therefore lacking legitimacy and credibility."

The Indian envoy was speaking at the Informal meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on UNSC reforms. Established in 2008, the Intergovernmental Negotiations framework or IGN is a body of countries within the United Nations working for reforms, but its conversation remains informal. Pointing out to "impasse in the IGN", Tirumurti said, "What is clearly deliberate is preventing the IGN from following some basic ground rules of multilateral processes."&nbsp;

Countries like China, while claiming to back reforms, have been blocking IGN to follow basic rules of procedure and records. The process also lacks any "single draft outcome document" for negotiations. A normal UN process begins with the initial sharing of views, followed by written documentation provided by those stewarding the process, which is then the basis for transparent give-and-take negotiations through attributed additions, deletions or amendments.

India has called for "Immediate application" of UN General Assembly Rules of Procedure to the IGN Process and "outcome text" to capture the views and positions expressed by all delegations, with attributions. Additionally, operational changes have also been suggested--which includes, live broadcast/webcast of the proceedings.&nbsp;

Envoy Tirumurti said, "we simply cannot allow the IGN to continue to serve as a convenient smokescreen for a handful of reform naysayers" and the "success and continued relevance of the IGN will be measured by whether or not, we have a common text with attributed positions to base our future discussions".

The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan, calling for the UN reforms also spoke at the meet. German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen to UN speaking on behalf of G4 retreated the call for single text for UN Reforms and application of rules of procedure of general assembly.

India has once again called for United Nations Security Council reforms, with permanent membership reflecting the "contemporary realities" and one that includes "adequate representation from all regions of the world".

India has once again called for United Nations Security Council reforms, with permanent membership reflecting the "contemporary realities" and one that includes "adequate representation from all regions of the world". Highlighting the present UNSC unable to deal with global challenges, India's envoy to UN TS Tirumurti said, "It is evident that inaction on our part is not without cost. The Security Council is being called upon to address increasingly complex issues of international peace and security" Elaborating, "Yet, it finds itself unable to act effectively, for it is lacking inclusivity of those who need to be there, and therefore lacking legitimacy and credibility." The Indian envoy was speaking at the Informal meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on UNSC reforms. Established in 2008, the Intergovernmental Negotiations framework or IGN is a body of countries within the United Nations working for reforms, but its conversation remains informal. Pointing out to "impasse in the IGN", Tirumurti said, "What is clearly deliberate is preventing the IGN from following some basic ground rules of multilateral processes." Countries like China, while claiming to back reforms, have been blocking IGN to follow basic rules of procedure and records. The process also lacks any "single draft outcome document" for negotiations. A normal UN process begins with the initial sharing of views, followed by written documentation provided by those stewarding the process, which is then the basis for transparent give-and-take negotiations through attributed additions, deletions or amendments. India has called for "Immediate application" of UN General Assembly Rules of Procedure to the IGN Process and "outcome text" to capture the views and positions expressed by all delegations, with attributions. Additionally, operational changes have also been suggested--which includes, live broadcast/webcast of the proceedings. Envoy Tirumurti said, "we simply cannot allow the IGN to continue to serve as a convenient smokescreen for a handful of reform naysayers" and the "success and continued relevance of the IGN will be measured by whether or not, we have a common text with attributed positions to base our future discussions". The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan, calling for the UN reforms also spoke at the meet. German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen to UN speaking on behalf of G4 retreated the call for single text for UN Reforms and application of rules of procedure of general assembly.

UNSC permanent membership should reflect contemporary realities: India

An incident of minor face-off occurred between Indian and Chinese troops last week,&nbsp;Army sources said on Monday.

"We have received several queries regarding a face-off between Indian Army and PLA troops in Sikkim sector. It is clarified that there was a minor face-off at Naku La area of North Sikkim on January 20 and the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols," said the Army in a statement. 
 
The Indian Army also said that the media is requested to refrain from overplaying or exaggerating reports which are factually incorrect.

Earlier on May 9, 2020, soldiers of the Indian Army and Chinese PLA were involved in another fierce face-off in Nakula area of North Sikkim in which men from both sides sustained minor injuries. 
 
The clash comes amidst the ninth round of military talks between India and China which lasted for nearly 16 hours as the two sides held detailed deliberations on disengagement of troops from all friction points in eastern Ladakh. 
 
The ninth Corps Commander level talks between both the countries took place at the Moldo Meeting point in Ladakh region. It had started at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday and ended at 2.30 a.m. on Monday.

Lieutenant General P.G.K. Menon, the Corps Commander of Leh-based HQ 14 Corps, led the Indian delegation. India has sought complete disengagement and withdrawal of forces from the disputed areas.

It happened after almost two months after the last dialogue.

The details of the meeting were yet to come. The military commanders will convey the details of the meeting to the Prime Minister Office.

On June 15, 2020, India lost 20 soldiers during a violent clash at Galwan Valley with Chinese People`s Liberation Army soldiers. Chinese never made their casualty public.

India and China are engaged in a nine-month-long standoff at the LAC. Despite several levels of dialogue, there has not been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues.

(With inputs from agencies)

An incident of minor face-off occurred between Indian and Chinese troops last week, Army sources said on Monday. "We have received several queries regarding a face-off between Indian Army and PLA troops in Sikkim sector.

An incident of minor face-off occurred between Indian and Chinese troops last week, Army sources said on Monday. "We have received several queries regarding a face-off between Indian Army and PLA troops in Sikkim sector. It is clarified that there was a minor face-off at Naku La area of North Sikkim on January 20 and the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols," said the Army in a statement. The Indian Army also said that the media is requested to refrain from overplaying or exaggerating reports which are factually incorrect. Earlier on May 9, 2020, soldiers of the Indian Army and Chinese PLA were involved in another fierce face-off in Nakula area of North Sikkim in which men from both sides sustained minor injuries. The clash comes amidst the ninth round of military talks between India and China which lasted for nearly 16 hours as the two sides held detailed deliberations on disengagement of troops from all friction points in eastern Ladakh. The ninth Corps Commander level talks between both the countries took place at the Moldo Meeting point in Ladakh region. It had started at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday and ended at 2.30 a.m. on Monday. Lieutenant General P.G.K. Menon, the Corps Commander of Leh-based HQ 14 Corps, led the Indian delegation. India has sought complete disengagement and withdrawal of forces from the disputed areas. It happened after almost two months after the last dialogue. The details of the meeting were yet to come. The military commanders will convey the details of the meeting to the Prime Minister Office. On June 15, 2020, India lost 20 soldiers during a violent clash at Galwan Valley with Chinese People`s Liberation Army soldiers. Chinese never made their casualty public. India and China are engaged in a nine-month-long standoff at the LAC. Despite several levels of dialogue, there has not been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues. (With inputs from agencies)

Minor face-off between India, China troops in Sikkim, resolved by commanders

India's Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said on Saturday that bird flu cases had been found in 13 Indian states. The Avian Influenza has been reported in poultry birds from nine states while in wild birds from 12 states.

As on January 23, outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird flu) have been confirmed in nine states (Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab) for poultry birds and in 12 States (Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab) for crow/migratory/wild birds, said the ministry in a statement.

However, crow/pigeon samples submitted from Rudraprayag, Lansdowne Forest Range and Paudi Forest Range of Uttarakhand; pigeon samples from Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan; crow and peacock samples from Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh have been found negative for Avian Influenza, the statement added.

Control and Containment is going on in epicentres of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Kerala.

Compensation is paid to the farmers whose poultry birds, eggs and poultry feed are culled/disposed of by the state as per the action plan. The Department of Animal Husbandry &amp; Dairying (DAHD) provides funds to states/UTs on a 50:50 sharing basis under ASCAD component of its LH &amp; DC Scheme, said the ministry.

The statement said that all the states are reporting to the department on a daily basis about control measures adopted by them based on the Revised Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza 2021.

(With agency inputs)

India's Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said on Saturday that bird flu cases had been found in 13 Indian states. The Avian Influenza has been reported in poultry birds from nine states while in wild birds from 12 states.

India's Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said on Saturday that bird flu cases had been found in 13 Indian states. The Avian Influenza has been reported in poultry birds from nine states while in wild birds from 12 states. As on January 23, outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird flu) have been confirmed in nine states (Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab) for poultry birds and in 12 States (Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab) for crow/migratory/wild birds, said the ministry in a statement. However, crow/pigeon samples submitted from Rudraprayag, Lansdowne Forest Range and Paudi Forest Range of Uttarakhand; pigeon samples from Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan; crow and peacock samples from Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh have been found negative for Avian Influenza, the statement added. Control and Containment is going on in epicentres of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Kerala. Compensation is paid to the farmers whose poultry birds, eggs and poultry feed are culled/disposed of by the state as per the action plan. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) provides funds to states/UTs on a 50:50 sharing basis under ASCAD component of its LH & DC Scheme, said the ministry. The statement said that all the states are reporting to the department on a daily basis about control measures adopted by them based on the Revised Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza 2021. (With agency inputs)

Bird Flu cases in 13 Indian states so far, says government

Even as the situation remains precarious in Syria, the United Nations Security Council discussed the issue with India pointing to the "politicization and militarization of the conflict" bringing "disastrous consequences".

India's envoy to United Nations TS Tirumurti said, "India supports the UN continuing its humanitarian relief operations through all possible channels, with the cooperation of the Syrian Government" and highlighted that it "is important to delink humanitarian assistance from progress on the political track." Tirumurti explained, "We believe that the noble and necessary cause of humanitarian assistance should always be bereft of politics."

This year marks 10 years since the conflict began in 2011. India had provided $12 million in humanitarian assistance to the Syrian government. Last year to fight the COVID pandemic, India sent a gift of 10 metric tonnes of medicines to Damascus.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-secretary-of-state-nominee-tony-blinken-says-india-has-been-a-bipartisan-success-story-357838">US Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken says India has been a bipartisan success story</a>

Calling on the international community to "provide assistance to Syria in rebuilding its infrastructure, safeguarding people's livelihoods and fighting COVID-19", Tirumurti said, "we should be sensitive to the debilitating impact that sanctions continue to have on the lives of the common people of Syria."

India has provided scholarships to 1000 Syrian students to study in India. In December 2019, it organized an artificial limb fitment camp in Damascus which benefited over 500 Syrians. The Indian envoy expressed concerns over "terrorism emanating from Syria" spreading "far, even reaching parts of Africa" with "foreign fighters involved in the Syrian conflict having moved to other places as mercenaries" and the "humanitarian situation has worsened, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic."

During its previous term at the UNSC in 2011-12 under India's presidency, the top UN body adopted the first Presidential Statement on the crisis. &nbsp;Subsequently, the first resolution on Syria was adopted in March 2012, despite deep divisions among Council members, endorsing the six-point plan of the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, Kofi Annan.

Even as the situation remains precarious in Syria, the United Nations Security Council discussed the issue with India pointing to the "politicization and militarization of the conflict" bringing "disastrous consequences".

Even as the situation remains precarious in Syria, the United Nations Security Council discussed the issue with India pointing to the "politicization and militarization of the conflict" bringing "disastrous consequences". India's envoy to United Nations TS Tirumurti said, "India supports the UN continuing its humanitarian relief operations through all possible channels, with the cooperation of the Syrian Government" and highlighted that it "is important to delink humanitarian assistance from progress on the political track." Tirumurti explained, "We believe that the noble and necessary cause of humanitarian assistance should always be bereft of politics." This year marks 10 years since the conflict began in 2011. India had provided $12 million in humanitarian assistance to the Syrian government. Last year to fight the COVID pandemic, India sent a gift of 10 metric tonnes of medicines to Damascus. Also Read | US Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken says India has been a bipartisan success story Calling on the international community to "provide assistance to Syria in rebuilding its infrastructure, safeguarding people's livelihoods and fighting COVID-19", Tirumurti said, "we should be sensitive to the debilitating impact that sanctions continue to have on the lives of the common people of Syria." India has provided scholarships to 1000 Syrian students to study in India. In December 2019, it organized an artificial limb fitment camp in Damascus which benefited over 500 Syrians. The Indian envoy expressed concerns over "terrorism emanating from Syria" spreading "far, even reaching parts of Africa" with "foreign fighters involved in the Syrian conflict having moved to other places as mercenaries" and the "humanitarian situation has worsened, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic." During its previous term at the UNSC in 2011-12 under India's presidency, the top UN body adopted the first Presidential Statement on the crisis. Subsequently, the first resolution on Syria was adopted in March 2012, despite deep divisions among Council members, endorsing the six-point plan of the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, Kofi Annan.

At UNSC, India highlights politicisation of Syrian conflict

In growing convergences between India, France and Japan's "strategic triangle", all three countries have strongly backed the Indo-Pacific vision which has increasingly gained currency within democratic nations of the region and around the world.

Speaking at a virtual event, India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said, "India, France and Japan are leading stakeholders in the region and with other like-minded countries, it is upon us to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains peaceful and open, taking into account needs and concerns of all its inhabitants."

Geographically New Delhi sees the Indo-Pacific as a "seamless interface" of the Indian and Pacific ocean from the western coast of North America to the eastern shores of Africa. Over 50 per cent&nbsp;of global trade traverses this maritime domain which is also home to over 60 per cent of the world’s population and the global GDP.&nbsp;

Calling his country an "Indo-Pacific power" due to its territories in the region, French envoy Emmanuel Lenain said, "We are building piece by piece a strategic triangle between Paris, Tokyo and Delhi committed to a rules-based Indo-Pacific order."

France has its territories in the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Indian Ocean. It also has 8,000 military personnel based in the region. In 2018, the country published its Indo-Pacific strategy whose main objective was to promote a rules-based, multilateral regional order, free of any hegemony.&nbsp;

Japanese envoy Satoshi Suzuki who was also present in the event highlighted his country's "unwavering" commitment to the vision, pointing out that "free and open Indo-Pacific vision has been the core diplomatic concept that Japan stands on".

He cited the first foreign visit of the new Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga’s to Vietnam and Indonesia and hosting of Quad Foreign ministers meet last year as the testament to Tokyo's efforts.

It was in 2007, in Delhi, that the then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe had spoken about the emerging dynamics of the region that links Pacific and Indian ocean. Almost a decade later in 2016 in Kenya, Abe unveiled Japan’s “Indo-Pacific Vision”.

In growing convergences between India, France and Japan's "strategic triangle", all three countries have strongly backed the Indo-Pacific vision which has increasingly gained currency within democratic nations of the region and around the world.

In growing convergences between India, France and Japan's "strategic triangle", all three countries have strongly backed the Indo-Pacific vision which has increasingly gained currency within democratic nations of the region and around the world. Speaking at a virtual event, India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said, "India, France and Japan are leading stakeholders in the region and with other like-minded countries, it is upon us to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains peaceful and open, taking into account needs and concerns of all its inhabitants." Geographically New Delhi sees the Indo-Pacific as a "seamless interface" of the Indian and Pacific ocean from the western coast of North America to the eastern shores of Africa. Over 50 per cent of global trade traverses this maritime domain which is also home to over 60 per cent of the world’s population and the global GDP. Calling his country an "Indo-Pacific power" due to its territories in the region, French envoy Emmanuel Lenain said, "We are building piece by piece a strategic triangle between Paris, Tokyo and Delhi committed to a rules-based Indo-Pacific order." France has its territories in the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Indian Ocean. It also has 8,000 military personnel based in the region. In 2018, the country published its Indo-Pacific strategy whose main objective was to promote a rules-based, multilateral regional order, free of any hegemony. Japanese envoy Satoshi Suzuki who was also present in the event highlighted his country's "unwavering" commitment to the vision, pointing out that "free and open Indo-Pacific vision has been the core diplomatic concept that Japan stands on". He cited the first foreign visit of the new Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga’s to Vietnam and Indonesia and hosting of Quad Foreign ministers meet last year as the testament to Tokyo's efforts. It was in 2007, in Delhi, that the then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe had spoken about the emerging dynamics of the region that links Pacific and Indian ocean. Almost a decade later in 2016 in Kenya, Abe unveiled Japan’s “Indo-Pacific Vision”.

India, France, Japan strongly back Indo Pacific vision

Two newly inducted Rafale fighter jets will be a part of this year's India's Republic Day flypast, to be held in the national capital city, New&nbsp;Delhi. This is the first time that these fighter jets will be part of Republic Day flypast.&nbsp;

They will be a part of two different formations. The name of the mixed formation in which the first Rafale will take part is Eklavya. Interestingly, the name of the last formation that will see a single Rafale is "Brahmastra", which means weapons that can destroy everything.

Have a look|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tracking-rafales-journey-to-ambala-indias-new-beast-undergoes-air-to-air-refueling-316539">Tracking Rafale's journey to Ambala: India's new beast undergoes air-to-air refueling</a>

Speaking to WION, Indian Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Indranil Nandi PRO said, "There will be a mixed formation. Single rafale, flanked by two Jaguar and two MiG 29, and single Rafale will carry out vertical Charlie."

Vertical Charlie is a manoeuvre in which fighter jets fly at a low height, and pitch vertically, followed by a succession of roles before stabilising. In all, 38 IAF aircraft will be part of this&nbsp;grand parade.&nbsp;

India had inducted the fighter jets in&nbsp;batches last year, amid rising fanfare. Under the 2016 agreement, worth Rs 59,000 crores, India will procure 36 Rafales. The first five Rafales were inducted at Ambala airbase on September 10 in the presence of the French defence minister Florence Parly and Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Two newly inducted Rafale fighter jets will be a part of this year's India's Republic Day flypast, to be held in the national capital city, New Delhi. This is the first time that these fighter jets will be part of Republic Day flypast.

Two newly inducted Rafale fighter jets will be a part of this year's India's Republic Day flypast, to be held in the national capital city, New Delhi. This is the first time that these fighter jets will be part of Republic Day flypast. They will be a part of two different formations. The name of the mixed formation in which the first Rafale will take part is Eklavya. Interestingly, the name of the last formation that will see a single Rafale is "Brahmastra", which means weapons that can destroy everything. Have a look| Tracking Rafale's journey to Ambala: India's new beast undergoes air-to-air refueling Speaking to WION, Indian Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Indranil Nandi PRO said, "There will be a mixed formation. Single rafale, flanked by two Jaguar and two MiG 29, and single Rafale will carry out vertical Charlie." Vertical Charlie is a manoeuvre in which fighter jets fly at a low height, and pitch vertically, followed by a succession of roles before stabilising. In all, 38 IAF aircraft will be part of this grand parade. India had inducted the fighter jets in batches last year, amid rising fanfare. Under the 2016 agreement, worth Rs 59,000 crores, India will procure 36 Rafales. The first five Rafales were inducted at Ambala airbase on September 10 in the presence of the French defence minister Florence Parly and Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Two newly inducted Rafales to be part of Republic Day flypast

A day after India began the biggest coronavirus vaccine drive for locals, its neighbouring country, Nepal, has lauded the South Asian country as&nbsp;frontrunner.

Kathmandu, on Sunday, claimed India's vaccine drive has given the Oli government "great hope"&nbsp;and Nepal's&nbsp;Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has requested India's vaccine for Nepal locals now.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/first-person-to-receive-covid-19-vaccine-in-india-urges-everyone-to-go-for-it-357159" hreflang="en">First person to receive COVID-19 vaccine in India urges everyone to 'go for it'</a>

"Today as we wait for the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, India is one of the frontrunners. This has given us great hope. I take this opportunity to congratulate India and its innovative companies for success. Being next door, we believe we too will be availing these vaccines,"&nbsp;Gyawali said during an event of&nbsp;Indian Council of World Affairs.

India, through a press release, has accepted the request.&nbsp;"Nepal congratulated India on the remarkable success in the production of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines in India and requested for early provision of vaccines to Nepal," the release read.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-vaccine-border-issue-discussed-during-india-nepal-talks-in-delhi-357059" hreflang="en">Covid vaccine, border issue discussed during India-Nepal talks in Delhi</a>

As per a report by an Indian media house, Hindustan Times, the Indian government has&nbsp;they will be provided with these vaccines on priority saying the "requirements of Nepal would be in priority consideration after the roll-out of vaccines."

It also claimed that the Indian government will be announcing&nbsp;the supply schedule of the vaccines in the coming week. This decision was, as per the report, conveyed to&nbsp;Gyawali during his recent India visit.&nbsp;

This has come a day after Nepal approved emergency use of the Covishield vaccine,&nbsp;developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

A day after India began the biggest coronavirus vaccine drive for locals, its neighbouring country, Nepal, has lauded the South Asian country as frontrunner. Kathmandu, on Sunday, claimed India's vaccine drive has given the Oli government "great hope" and Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has requested India's vaccine for Nepal locals now.

A day after India began the biggest coronavirus vaccine drive for locals, its neighbouring country, Nepal, has lauded the South Asian country as frontrunner. Kathmandu, on Sunday, claimed India's vaccine drive has given the Oli government "great hope" and Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has requested India's vaccine for Nepal locals now. Also read| First person to receive COVID-19 vaccine in India urges everyone to 'go for it' "Today as we wait for the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, India is one of the frontrunners. This has given us great hope. I take this opportunity to congratulate India and its innovative companies for success. Being next door, we believe we too will be availing these vaccines," Gyawali said during an event of Indian Council of World Affairs. India, through a press release, has accepted the request. "Nepal congratulated India on the remarkable success in the production of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines in India and requested for early provision of vaccines to Nepal," the release read. Also read| Covid vaccine, border issue discussed during India-Nepal talks in Delhi As per a report by an Indian media house, Hindustan Times, the Indian government has they will be provided with these vaccines on priority saying the "requirements of Nepal would be in priority consideration after the roll-out of vaccines." It also claimed that the Indian government will be announcing the supply schedule of the vaccines in the coming week. This decision was, as per the report, conveyed to Gyawali during his recent India visit. This has come a day after Nepal approved emergency use of the Covishield vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

Nepal requests India's COVID-19 vaccines on priority; India approves

Fast pacing the work on the crucial Chabahar port, the Government of India has supplied the much-awaited first shipment of mobile harbour cranes to Iran. Two 140-ton mobile harbour cranes arrived at the Chabahar port on Saturday night and are being currently unloaded. India has supplied the cranes via an Italian company called Italgru.

Chabahar has been a key connectivity project of India that aims to connect it with Iran, Afghanistan, and beyond. More and more countries are keen to join the port now. December saw the first India-Uzbekistan-Iran trilateral working group meeting on the joint use of the port for trade and transit purposes and enhanced regional connectivity. New Delhi will be inviting Afghanistan for the next meeting. India is also pursuing the inclusion of Chabahar port in INSTC.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kazakhstan-bats-for-chabahar-port-envoy-says-process-underway-for-use-via-caspian-sea-354885">WATCH|</a>

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Kazakhstan envoy speaking to WION highlighted the importance of the port for the country. Kazakh envoy Yerlan Alimbayev to India said, "Kazakhstan will not only join, we are actually in a process. We initiated this process and we were expected the Chabahar connection will be done"

India is involved with the development of phase-I of the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar. In December 2018, an Indian company, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) took over the port operations, and as of December 2020, the port has handled 1.75 million tonnes of bulk cargo and more than 13,000 TEUs of container cargo.&nbsp;

India has used the port to send 75,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan in 2020 as part of the humanitarian aid amidst the covid pandemic. India also supplied 20,000 litres of the pesticide Malathion 96 per cent ULV to Iran via Chabahar port in 2020 to help Iran curb the menace of desert locusts. Another Malathion consignment from India to Iran is due this year.

Fast pacing the work on the crucial Chabahar port, the Government of India has supplied the much-awaited first shipment of mobile harbour cranes to Iran. Two 140-ton mobile harbour cranes arrived at the Chabahar port on Saturday night and are being currently unloaded.

Fast pacing the work on the crucial Chabahar port, the Government of India has supplied the much-awaited first shipment of mobile harbour cranes to Iran. Two 140-ton mobile harbour cranes arrived at the Chabahar port on Saturday night and are being currently unloaded. India has supplied the cranes via an Italian company called Italgru. Chabahar has been a key connectivity project of India that aims to connect it with Iran, Afghanistan, and beyond. More and more countries are keen to join the port now. December saw the first India-Uzbekistan-Iran trilateral working group meeting on the joint use of the port for trade and transit purposes and enhanced regional connectivity. New Delhi will be inviting Afghanistan for the next meeting. India is also pursuing the inclusion of Chabahar port in INSTC. WATCH| Kazakhstan envoy speaking to WION highlighted the importance of the port for the country. Kazakh envoy Yerlan Alimbayev to India said, "Kazakhstan will not only join, we are actually in a process. We initiated this process and we were expected the Chabahar connection will be done" India is involved with the development of phase-I of the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar. In December 2018, an Indian company, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) took over the port operations, and as of December 2020, the port has handled 1.75 million tonnes of bulk cargo and more than 13,000 TEUs of container cargo. India has used the port to send 75,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan in 2020 as part of the humanitarian aid amidst the covid pandemic. India also supplied 20,000 litres of the pesticide Malathion 96 per cent ULV to Iran via Chabahar port in 2020 to help Iran curb the menace of desert locusts. Another Malathion consignment from India to Iran is due this year.

Work on Chabahar fast-paced as India begins handing over cranes to Iran

Bird flu cases are growing at an alarming rate in Asia. The continent's poultry farmers are facing an unprecedented situation. Birds are being culled and people are staying away from poultry meat.&nbsp;

It is the worst such outbreak in the region's history. From Japan to India, the deadly virus is affecting birds across farms. Millions of chickens, ducks and turkeys have been culled. Poultry prices have dropped to an all-time low.

And Asia's farmers are staring at an unprecedented crisis. While bird flu is common in Asia during this time mostly due to migratory patterns. New strains of the virus have become more lethal. This makes countries on the flight path especially vulnerable.

In India, at least 10 states have reported cases of bird flu. Over 850 cases of bird deaths have been reported in the national capital. In Rajasthan-- over 4,000 birds died because of the flu. The Uttar Pradesh government has banned poultry from other states till January 24.

In Kerala, tens of thousands of birds were culled last week. Maharashtra has detected avian influenza in crows as well. Chicken prices in India fell almost a third last week. Wary customers have steered clear of meat.

Not just India, Japan too is dealing with its worst outbreak. A quarter of all prefectures are affected. More than 3 million birds have been culled so far. South Korea also dealt with an outbreak at a duck farm. With the virus strain being similar to the one in Japan.

Compulsory flu vaccination for poultry has protected China for now but the virus has still killed wild swans in the country.

Countries like Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have been spared for now. But continue to face risks due to the movement of goods. What makes the virus even more dangerous is its contagious nature. Infected birds have to be culled to contain the spread. But amid all this- the biggest question is can we consume poultry meat?

According to governments, there is nothing to be worried about. The World Health Organisation says it is safe. That you will be safe if you eat well-cooked meat. However, health experts are not convinced. They are concerned about a species jump. This is when a virus strain moves from one species to another. In this instance -- it could be from birds to human beings.

It has happened once in 1997. While human to human transmission has not been detected yet it cannot be ruled out.

The last time, a virus jumped species tt led to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bird flu cases are growing at an alarming rate in Asia. The continent's poultry farmers are facing an unprecedented situation. Birds are being culled and people are staying away from poultry meat.

Bird flu cases are growing at an alarming rate in Asia. The continent's poultry farmers are facing an unprecedented situation. Birds are being culled and people are staying away from poultry meat. It is the worst such outbreak in the region's history. From Japan to India, the deadly virus is affecting birds across farms. Millions of chickens, ducks and turkeys have been culled. Poultry prices have dropped to an all-time low. And Asia's farmers are staring at an unprecedented crisis. While bird flu is common in Asia during this time mostly due to migratory patterns. New strains of the virus have become more lethal. This makes countries on the flight path especially vulnerable. In India, at least 10 states have reported cases of bird flu. Over 850 cases of bird deaths have been reported in the national capital. In Rajasthan-- over 4,000 birds died because of the flu. The Uttar Pradesh government has banned poultry from other states till January 24. In Kerala, tens of thousands of birds were culled last week. Maharashtra has detected avian influenza in crows as well. Chicken prices in India fell almost a third last week. Wary customers have steered clear of meat. Not just India, Japan too is dealing with its worst outbreak. A quarter of all prefectures are affected. More than 3 million birds have been culled so far. South Korea also dealt with an outbreak at a duck farm. With the virus strain being similar to the one in Japan. Compulsory flu vaccination for poultry has protected China for now but the virus has still killed wild swans in the country. Countries like Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have been spared for now. But continue to face risks due to the movement of goods. What makes the virus even more dangerous is its contagious nature. Infected birds have to be culled to contain the spread. But amid all this- the biggest question is can we consume poultry meat? According to governments, there is nothing to be worried about. The World Health Organisation says it is safe. That you will be safe if you eat well-cooked meat. However, health experts are not convinced. They are concerned about a species jump. This is when a virus strain moves from one species to another. In this instance -- it could be from birds to human beings. It has happened once in 1997. While human to human transmission has not been detected yet it cannot be ruled out. The last time, a virus jumped species tt led to the coronavirus pandemic.

The next pandemic?: Bird flu spreads like wildfire across Asia

Whatsapp is changing its privacy policy, and if the users don't agree within 26 days, then they must delete the app. However, it applies only to its users in India. Europe, on the other hand, doesn't have to bother about the new policy which means WhatsApp will not share the continent's data with Facebook.

“There are no changes to WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices in the European region arising from the updated terms of service and privacy policy. For the avoidance of any doubt, it is still the case that WhatsApp does not share European region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or advertisements,” a spokeswoman said.&nbsp;

WhatsApp's executives in Europe said: "There are no changes to WhatsApp's data-sharing practices in the European region."

"WhatsApp does not share European region user data with Facebook", they added.&nbsp;

WhatsApp has issued more clarifications. Niamh Sweeney, WhatsApp's director of policy for Europe, West Asia and Africa took to Twitter.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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1/5 I don't usually tweet about work-related issues, but this one is important:
— Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NiamhSweeneyNYC/status/1347183889995935744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
3/5 There are no changes to WhatsApp's data-sharing practices in the Europe arising from this update. It remains the case that WhatsApp does not share European Region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or ads.
— Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NiamhSweeneyNYC/status/1347184963016339457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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5/5 It's also about improving how businesses use WhatsApp to connect with customers. The updated Policy provides info on how businesses using the WhatsApp API to talk to customers can now do so using a Facebook-provided service to help them manage their chats with customers.
— Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NiamhSweeneyNYC/status/1347185463057117190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Why are there different rules for Europe and India?

It is because of European laws. Europe has tougher laws to protect user privacy. Facebook must comply with those laws.

Facebook has been punished and fined for sharing data in Europe a few years ago. &nbsp;

In 2017, Facebook was fined 122 million dollars.&nbsp;

Facebook is the parent company of WhatsApp. When it bought WhatsApp, Facebook promised not to use the app's data. However, it did not keep its promise.&nbsp;

According to European regulators, Facebook had misled them and due to which the social media giant was slapped with a fine.

In the same year --- France gave a warning to Facebook. It threatened to fine Facebook if data from Whatsapp is shared with Facebook.

In 2019 --- Germany imposed a ban on similar Facebook policies. German regulators said Facebook cannot collect and mix up user data from WhatsApp and Instagram. Until they have explicit consent from the user to do so.

All these governments are legislating to protect the data of their citizens which has forced Facebook to comply.

Turkey, also, has launched a probe. The competition authority there is investigating the changes in WhatsApp's privacy policy. Until then, Facebook has been asked to suspend the changes.

So until the govt clears, WhatsApp cannot implement the new policy.

In the United States, the home base of Facebook, the tech giant is facing an antitrust lawsuit. 46 states have sued the company claiming that Facebook is now a monopoly --- and it must be broken.

The focus of the investigation is on data. How does the company manage its data?&nbsp;

It gets data from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Where does it go? How is it shared? What are the checks and balances?

America is investigating all this.

What is the Government of India doing to protect the data and privacy of its citizens? Why has New Delhi no legislated?

India is WhatsApp's biggest market with more than 400 million users. A market that WhatsApp wants to take for a ride because the govt has failed to come up with stricter privacy laws.&nbsp;

Whatsapp is changing its privacy policy, and if the users don't agree within 26 days, then they must delete the app. However, it applies only to its users in India.

Whatsapp is changing its privacy policy, and if the users don't agree within 26 days, then they must delete the app. However, it applies only to its users in India. Europe, on the other hand, doesn't have to bother about the new policy which means WhatsApp will not share the continent's data with Facebook. “There are no changes to WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices in the European region arising from the updated terms of service and privacy policy. For the avoidance of any doubt, it is still the case that WhatsApp does not share European region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or advertisements,” a spokeswoman said. WhatsApp's executives in Europe said: "There are no changes to WhatsApp's data-sharing practices in the European region." "WhatsApp does not share European region user data with Facebook", they added. WhatsApp has issued more clarifications. Niamh Sweeney, WhatsApp's director of policy for Europe, West Asia and Africa took to Twitter. 1/5 I don't usually tweet about work-related issues, but this one is important: — Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) January 7, 2021 × 3/5 There are no changes to WhatsApp's data-sharing practices in the Europe arising from this update. It remains the case that WhatsApp does not share European Region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or ads. — Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) January 7, 2021 × 5/5 It's also about improving how businesses use WhatsApp to connect with customers. The updated Policy provides info on how businesses using the WhatsApp API to talk to customers can now do so using a Facebook-provided service to help them manage their chats with customers. — Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) January 7, 2021 × Why are there different rules for Europe and India? It is because of European laws. Europe has tougher laws to protect user privacy. Facebook must comply with those laws. Facebook has been punished and fined for sharing data in Europe a few years ago. In 2017, Facebook was fined 122 million dollars. Facebook is the parent company of WhatsApp. When it bought WhatsApp, Facebook promised not to use the app's data. However, it did not keep its promise. According to European regulators, Facebook had misled them and due to which the social media giant was slapped with a fine. In the same year --- France gave a warning to Facebook. It threatened to fine Facebook if data from Whatsapp is shared with Facebook. In 2019 --- Germany imposed a ban on similar Facebook policies. German regulators said Facebook cannot collect and mix up user data from WhatsApp and Instagram. Until they have explicit consent from the user to do so. All these governments are legislating to protect the data of their citizens which has forced Facebook to comply. Turkey, also, has launched a probe. The competition authority there is investigating the changes in WhatsApp's privacy policy. Until then, Facebook has been asked to suspend the changes. So until the govt clears, WhatsApp cannot implement the new policy. In the United States, the home base of Facebook, the tech giant is facing an antitrust lawsuit. 46 states have sued the company claiming that Facebook is now a monopoly --- and it must be broken. The focus of the investigation is on data. How does the company manage its data? It gets data from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Where does it go? How is it shared? What are the checks and balances? America is investigating all this. What is the Government of India doing to protect the data and privacy of its citizens? Why has New Delhi no legislated? India is WhatsApp's biggest market with more than 400 million users. A market that WhatsApp wants to take for a ride because the govt has failed to come up with stricter privacy laws.

WhatsApp's new privacy policy: How Indian rules vary from rest of the world

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said on Sunday that he will get back the territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh from India. He remarks came during his address to National Assembly or upper house of Nepal's parliament. Oli's remarks have come just days before Nepal's foreign minister's India visit on January 14.

"Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh which are located east of the Mahakali River belong to Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty. We will get them back through diplomatic talks with India," Oli said.

"Our foreign minister will visit India on January 14 during which his discussion will be centred on the issue of the map that we have published with the inclusion of the three territories," said Oli, who had triggered the border row last year after his government came out with a new political map that showed Indian territories as part of Nepal.

After Nepal released the map last year, India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioning Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it.

India said that Nepal's action violated an understanding reached between the two countries to resolve the boundary issues through talks.

The bilateral exchanges that had stalled due to the bitter boundary dispute were reset in the later part of 2020 with a series of high-level visits, as New Delhi emphasised that it sees itself as the Himalayan nation's "foremost friend" and development partner.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-cabinet-recommends-ending-winter-session-of-national-assembly-355821">Nepal cabinet recommends ending winter session of National Assembly</a>

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's maiden visit to Nepal in November was largely aimed at resetting bilateral ties. Shringla met Prime Minister Oli and other top political brass and emphasised that India and Nepal are on the same page and share the same vision.

Addressing the lawmakers, Oli said that his government has made sincere efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with both India and China.

"We are working to deepen ties with India based on sovereign equality. In fact, we want to deepen the relationship with India in true sense and we should not hesitate to raise our issues of genuine concerns with India," said Oli, who is known for his pro-Beijing leanings.

The prime minister also said that recent high-level visits from India and China were goodwill ones. "They came here to convey their good wishes. There is nothing to worry much about that," he was quoted as saying by My Republica newspaper.

Oli also defended his decision to dissolve parliament, saying "I was forced to dissolve the House of the Representatives as some people in my party did not allow the government to perform well."

(With PTI inputs)

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said on Sunday that he will get back the territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh from India. He remarks came during his address to National Assembly or upper house of Nepal's parliament.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said on Sunday that he will get back the territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh from India. He remarks came during his address to National Assembly or upper house of Nepal's parliament. Oli's remarks have come just days before Nepal's foreign minister's India visit on January 14. "Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh which are located east of the Mahakali River belong to Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty. We will get them back through diplomatic talks with India," Oli said. "Our foreign minister will visit India on January 14 during which his discussion will be centred on the issue of the map that we have published with the inclusion of the three territories," said Oli, who had triggered the border row last year after his government came out with a new political map that showed Indian territories as part of Nepal. After Nepal released the map last year, India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioning Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it. India said that Nepal's action violated an understanding reached between the two countries to resolve the boundary issues through talks. The bilateral exchanges that had stalled due to the bitter boundary dispute were reset in the later part of 2020 with a series of high-level visits, as New Delhi emphasised that it sees itself as the Himalayan nation's "foremost friend" and development partner. Also Read | Nepal cabinet recommends ending winter session of National Assembly Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's maiden visit to Nepal in November was largely aimed at resetting bilateral ties. Shringla met Prime Minister Oli and other top political brass and emphasised that India and Nepal are on the same page and share the same vision. Addressing the lawmakers, Oli said that his government has made sincere efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with both India and China. "We are working to deepen ties with India based on sovereign equality. In fact, we want to deepen the relationship with India in true sense and we should not hesitate to raise our issues of genuine concerns with India," said Oli, who is known for his pro-Beijing leanings. The prime minister also said that recent high-level visits from India and China were goodwill ones. "They came here to convey their good wishes. There is nothing to worry much about that," he was quoted as saying by My Republica newspaper. Oli also defended his decision to dissolve parliament, saying "I was forced to dissolve the House of the Representatives as some people in my party did not allow the government to perform well." (With PTI inputs)

Will get territories back from India: Nepal PM Oli

India had a poor day of cricket on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia, however, the visitors suffered another blow as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and key spinner Ravindra Jadeja sustained injuries while batting against world-class pace attack.&nbsp;

Both players have been taken for a scan after being struck by the ball. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja were hit on the left elbow and left thumb respectively.&nbsp;

Pant and Jadeja both decided to bat further despite being struck, but when India came down to field again Saha donned the wicket keeper's gloves for India.&nbsp; 
"Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting in the second session on Saturday. He has been taken for scans," the Indian cricket board tweeted.

It was a similar story for Jadeja, who took four wickets in Australia's first innings but did not appear for their second after being hit on the left thumb.

"He has been taken for scans," the cricket board tweeted separately, with Mayank Agarwal on the field as a sub.

They now join the likes of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma, who have been injured.&nbsp;

Batsman KL Rahul was ruled out of the rest of the four-Test series ahead of Sydney with a sprained left wrist, while skipper Virat Kohli is on paternity leave.

The series is locked at 1-1 after Australia won in Adelaide and India bounced back in Melbourne.

India had a poor day of cricket on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia, however, the visitors suffered another blow as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and key spinner Ravindra Jadeja sustained injuries while batting against world-class pace attack.

India had a poor day of cricket on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia, however, the visitors suffered another blow as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and key spinner Ravindra Jadeja sustained injuries while batting against world-class pace attack. Both players have been taken for a scan after being struck by the ball. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja were hit on the left elbow and left thumb respectively. Pant and Jadeja both decided to bat further despite being struck, but when India came down to field again Saha donned the wicket keeper's gloves for India. "Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting in the second session on Saturday. He has been taken for scans," the Indian cricket board tweeted. It was a similar story for Jadeja, who took four wickets in Australia's first innings but did not appear for their second after being hit on the left thumb. "He has been taken for scans," the cricket board tweeted separately, with Mayank Agarwal on the field as a sub. They now join the likes of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma, who have been injured. Batsman KL Rahul was ruled out of the rest of the four-Test series ahead of Sydney with a sprained left wrist, while skipper Virat Kohli is on paternity leave. The series is locked at 1-1 after Australia won in Adelaide and India bounced back in Melbourne.

Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja go for scan after being struck by ball

Lithium is a metal of utmost importance. It is everywhere today. It's the juice that powers our smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops and even cars. This element is the driver of the technology age. And it could dictate the future of civilization.

Lithium is used to make batteries. Almost everything today and tomorrow, will run on batteries.

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India plans to buy Lithium to ensure supplies that could potentially last decades and make India self-reliant. New Delhi has started a massive effort to make India a world leader in Lithium batteries.

A giant stockpile will allow Indian companies to make batteries for all the gadgets.

The strategy to acquire Lithium has three steps.

First, secure supplies from the largest reserves in the world.

Two, build infrastructure to process Lithium, Like refineries.

And third, leverage alliances to enter the global markets.

India is working on all three fronts.

First, the supplies.

New Delhi is going straight to the source. Argentina, Chile and Bolivia have largest stockpiles of Lithium.

A new company namely Khanij Bidesh India Limited. It was incorporated by three state-owned companies NALCO, Hindustan Copper and Mineral Exploration Limited.

Khanij Bidesh India limited has a very specific mandate. It will acquire strategic mineral assets like Lithium and Cobalt.

The foundation has already been laid This company inked a pact with a firm in Argentina.

Together they'll hunt for reserves. Chile and Bolivia are the two other potential sources.

As of last year, India was the largest importer of Lithium-ion batteries. This is the most commonly used battery in portable electronics like smartphones and tablets.

Since 2016, there has been a four fold jump in imports. India bought batteries worth 1.2 billion dollars in 2019-20. A large chunk of this business went to China. India was buying batteries from China.

Of course, we want to change that India now wants to make batteries at home. But, it needs raw materials first. So it is reaching out to Argentina, Chile and Bolivia that are the top three countries with the largest lithium reserves in the world.

Now to step two of India's strategy, infrastructure.

India will build its first Lithium refinery in Gujarat. A state-owned company will invest one thousand crore Rupees for this. That's more than one hundred million dollars.

The facility will process Lithium ore to produce battery-grade Lithium.

That brings us to step three, competing in the global markets.

For this, India will have to eat into China's global market share. Reports say Chinese firms control almost half of the global Lithium production.

And China has a 73 per cent share in global cell manufacturing capacity.

It's time to change that.. &nbsp;

India is making the moves. Australia wants to collaborate with India. The Australian High Commissioner in India Barry O'Farrell issued a statement this week.

He said India and Australia both stood to gain from the promise of expanding trade in Lithium.

Australia is one of the largest producers of Lithium. It has a reserve of more than six million tonnes. India could leverage these supplies. And Australia is ready to offer them.

The envoy said, Australia was well placed to support India's ambitions around the development of new economic sectors.

This is a tough game, ramping up manufacturing depends on investment. But the biggest challenge here is the procurement of Lithium. Lithium makes up only 0.002 per cent of the earth's crust. The supply is scarce. And securing that is India's top priority.

Lithium is a metal of utmost importance. It is everywhere today. It's the juice that powers our smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops and even cars. This element is the driver of the technology age.

Lithium is a metal of utmost importance. It is everywhere today. It's the juice that powers our smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops and even cars. This element is the driver of the technology age. And it could dictate the future of civilization. Lithium is used to make batteries. Almost everything today and tomorrow, will run on batteries. India plans to buy Lithium to ensure supplies that could potentially last decades and make India self-reliant. New Delhi has started a massive effort to make India a world leader in Lithium batteries. A giant stockpile will allow Indian companies to make batteries for all the gadgets. The strategy to acquire Lithium has three steps. First, secure supplies from the largest reserves in the world. Two, build infrastructure to process Lithium, Like refineries. And third, leverage alliances to enter the global markets. India is working on all three fronts. First, the supplies. New Delhi is going straight to the source. Argentina, Chile and Bolivia have largest stockpiles of Lithium. A new company namely Khanij Bidesh India Limited. It was incorporated by three state-owned companies NALCO, Hindustan Copper and Mineral Exploration Limited. Khanij Bidesh India limited has a very specific mandate. It will acquire strategic mineral assets like Lithium and Cobalt. The foundation has already been laid This company inked a pact with a firm in Argentina. Together they'll hunt for reserves. Chile and Bolivia are the two other potential sources. As of last year, India was the largest importer of Lithium-ion batteries. This is the most commonly used battery in portable electronics like smartphones and tablets. Since 2016, there has been a four fold jump in imports. India bought batteries worth 1.2 billion dollars in 2019-20. A large chunk of this business went to China. India was buying batteries from China. Of course, we want to change that India now wants to make batteries at home. But, it needs raw materials first. So it is reaching out to Argentina, Chile and Bolivia that are the top three countries with the largest lithium reserves in the world. Now to step two of India's strategy, infrastructure. India will build its first Lithium refinery in Gujarat. A state-owned company will invest one thousand crore Rupees for this. That's more than one hundred million dollars. The facility will process Lithium ore to produce battery-grade Lithium. That brings us to step three, competing in the global markets. For this, India will have to eat into China's global market share. Reports say Chinese firms control almost half of the global Lithium production. And China has a 73 per cent share in global cell manufacturing capacity. It's time to change that.. India is making the moves. Australia wants to collaborate with India. The Australian High Commissioner in India Barry O'Farrell issued a statement this week. He said India and Australia both stood to gain from the promise of expanding trade in Lithium. Australia is one of the largest producers of Lithium. It has a reserve of more than six million tonnes. India could leverage these supplies. And Australia is ready to offer them. The envoy said, Australia was well placed to support India's ambitions around the development of new economic sectors. This is a tough game, ramping up manufacturing depends on investment. But the biggest challenge here is the procurement of Lithium. Lithium makes up only 0.002 per cent of the earth's crust. The supply is scarce. And securing that is India's top priority.

India makes moves to tackle Chinese dominance in Lithium market

More than &nbsp;2 million electric vehicles were sold in 2019 globally. India wants to make transition to electric vehicle. One, because its the future. And two because we need clean air. The government has been at it. In 2019, India announced a tax cut to encourage people to buy electric vehicles.

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Sales grew by 20 per cent in just a year.

The total number of elecric vehicles (EVs) sold in 2019 was 1.56 lakh.

Of these, 1.52 lakh were two-wheelers. 3,400 were electric cars. And there were 600 electric buses.

India has a long way to go. 2021 is expected to be a defining moment for EVs in India. Most major automobile players are launching electric vehicle models.

Experts say, the biggest market is still for 2-wheelers. India aims to increase the number of EVs by 30 per cent by the end of this decade.

So, there's a plan in place. There's demand. But there is also a problem.

There's no Lithium. The element is not usually found in this part of the world. So while india manufactures most of the components of an EV at home. It relies on China, Taiwan and Japan for Lithium-ion batteries.

The import adds to the cost of an EV &nbsp;and stands in the way of India's goal number 2, which is to become a global hub for making EVs.

Currently, China holds that spot. It is the world's largest electronic vehicle maker. But countries are now distancing themselves from China and for India, it's an opportunity both, to expand its manufacturing secto and become Atmanirbhar, or self-reliant.

The task before india is four-fold.

First, to access Lithium outside China.

Second, to process Lithium and make Lithium-ion batteries at home.

Third, to find alternatives to this technology. Becuase lithium reserves are limited.

And fourth, to become the world's top manufacturer of EVs.

The govt has already announed a 1.4 billion dollar plan to pave that path. This was in 2019.

A lot has happened since.

Number 1, India is setting up its first Lithium refinery in Gujarat.

Number 2, A joint venture called Khanij Bidesh India Limited- or KABIL - has been formed between three state-run companies.

Its objective is to acquire Lithium and Cobalt mines overseas.

Number 3, India has inked a pact with an Argentinian firm for Lithium.

So, india is already looking beyond China.

Number 4:

According to reports, India's second-biggest traditional battery maker Amara Raja is looking to build a Lithium-ion assembly plant.

Number 5:

Suzuki motor Corp, along with Toshiba, and Denso are setting up a Lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in India.

So to come back to the question of India's strategy. India has set its goal. It knows its challenges. And has accordingly come up with a long-term plan. A plan that goes beyond EVs and Lithium

To encorporate alternative fuel, infrastructure for consumers at home. And also the plan of becoming the world's top EV manufacturer.

India's Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari summed it up at WION's E-Mobility Summit in 2019. EVs will hit 10 per cent of the global passenger vehicle sales by 2025. That means that 10 per cent of the vehicles sold the world over will be electric. By 2040, almost 60 per cent of the vehicles sold globally will be electric.

India is plugging into the future with a strategy to become the world's top EV manufacturer.

More than 2 million electric vehicles were sold in 2019 globally. India wants to make transition to electric vehicle. One, because its the future. And two because we need clean air.

More than 2 million electric vehicles were sold in 2019 globally. India wants to make transition to electric vehicle. One, because its the future. And two because we need clean air. The government has been at it. In 2019, India announced a tax cut to encourage people to buy electric vehicles. Sales grew by 20 per cent in just a year. The total number of elecric vehicles (EVs) sold in 2019 was 1.56 lakh. Of these, 1.52 lakh were two-wheelers. 3,400 were electric cars. And there were 600 electric buses. India has a long way to go. 2021 is expected to be a defining moment for EVs in India. Most major automobile players are launching electric vehicle models. Experts say, the biggest market is still for 2-wheelers. India aims to increase the number of EVs by 30 per cent by the end of this decade. So, there's a plan in place. There's demand. But there is also a problem. There's no Lithium. The element is not usually found in this part of the world. So while india manufactures most of the components of an EV at home. It relies on China, Taiwan and Japan for Lithium-ion batteries. The import adds to the cost of an EV and stands in the way of India's goal number 2, which is to become a global hub for making EVs. Currently, China holds that spot. It is the world's largest electronic vehicle maker. But countries are now distancing themselves from China and for India, it's an opportunity both, to expand its manufacturing secto and become Atmanirbhar, or self-reliant. The task before india is four-fold. First, to access Lithium outside China. Second, to process Lithium and make Lithium-ion batteries at home. Third, to find alternatives to this technology. Becuase lithium reserves are limited. And fourth, to become the world's top manufacturer of EVs. The govt has already announed a 1.4 billion dollar plan to pave that path. This was in 2019. A lot has happened since. Number 1, India is setting up its first Lithium refinery in Gujarat. Number 2, A joint venture called Khanij Bidesh India Limited- or KABIL - has been formed between three state-run companies. Its objective is to acquire Lithium and Cobalt mines overseas. Number 3, India has inked a pact with an Argentinian firm for Lithium. So, india is already looking beyond China. Number 4: According to reports, India's second-biggest traditional battery maker Amara Raja is looking to build a Lithium-ion assembly plant. Number 5: Suzuki motor Corp, along with Toshiba, and Denso are setting up a Lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in India. So to come back to the question of India's strategy. India has set its goal. It knows its challenges. And has accordingly come up with a long-term plan. A plan that goes beyond EVs and Lithium To encorporate alternative fuel, infrastructure for consumers at home. And also the plan of becoming the world's top EV manufacturer. India's Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari summed it up at WION's E-Mobility Summit in 2019. EVs will hit 10 per cent of the global passenger vehicle sales by 2025. That means that 10 per cent of the vehicles sold the world over will be electric. By 2040, almost 60 per cent of the vehicles sold globally will be electric. India is plugging into the future with a strategy to become the world's top EV manufacturer.

India strategises to become top electric vehicle manufacturer

India, as a member of the United Nations Security Council will be heading 3 crucial committees — the Taliban sanctions committee, the counter-terrorism committee for the year 2022, and the Libya sanctions committee.&nbsp;

With New Delhi chairing the Taliban sanctions and counter-terror committees, India gets a crucial multilateral say in the Afghan peace process and Pakistan's terror record, which will increase the heat on Islamabad.&nbsp;

India's envoy for UN TS Tirumurti said, "The UNSC establishes subsidiary bodies on specific issues, including on sanctions regime....The Taliban sanctions committee also called the 1988 sanctions committee has always been a high priority for India keeping in mind our strong interest and commitment for peace, security, development, and progress of Afghanistan."

With a clear foothold in the Taliban sanctions committee which is also a committee dealing with terror and counter-terror committee, the spotlight will come even more on Islamabad's lacklustre record on acting on cross-border terror.

The Indian envoy highlighted, "our chairing of the committee in this juncture will help keep the focus on the presence of terrorists and their sponsors threatening peace process in Afghanistan. It has been our view, which peace process and violence cannot go hand in hand"

It is important to recall, that the Taliban has to take approval from the sanctions committee members for travel. Recently the top members of the group including, Abdul Ghani Baradar was in Pakistan and met the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi. An increased level of violence may dissuade members to give future approval on travel for the Taliban.

India already has a bilateral focus in Afghanistan, by building a number of major infrastructure projects in the country and be part of the capacity building. The current development increases New Delhi's engagement in a global format. 
&nbsp; 
On chairing the Counter Terror body, the envoy said, "The chairing of this committee has been a special resonance for India which has not only been in the forefront of fighting terrorism especially cross border terrorism but has also been one of its biggest victims"

India chairs the committee in 2022, which is also its 75th Independence year with New Delhi expected to put further scrutiny on terror sponsors by being part of the body. The committee was formed after the 9/11 attacks in New York and bolsters the ability of United Nations Member States to prevent terrorist acts both within their borders and across regions. India had chaired the committee in its last tenure at UNSC in 2011-2012.

When it comes to the Libya Sanctions Committee, also known as the 1970 sanctions committee, the Indian envoy said, "we will be assuming the chair of the committee at a critical juncture when there is international focus on Libya and on the peace process"

The committee implements the sanctions regime, a 2-way arms embargo on Libya, assets freeze, travel ban, measures on the illicit exports of petroleum etc. The permanent five members of the UNSC play an important role in this committee and development comes as New Delhi increases its wider engagement in that part of the world.

India, as a member of the United Nations Security Council will be heading 3 crucial committees — the Taliban sanctions committee, the counter-terrorism committee for the year 2022, and the Libya sanctions committee.

India, as a member of the United Nations Security Council will be heading 3 crucial committees — the Taliban sanctions committee, the counter-terrorism committee for the year 2022, and the Libya sanctions committee. With New Delhi chairing the Taliban sanctions and counter-terror committees, India gets a crucial multilateral say in the Afghan peace process and Pakistan's terror record, which will increase the heat on Islamabad. India's envoy for UN TS Tirumurti said, "The UNSC establishes subsidiary bodies on specific issues, including on sanctions regime....The Taliban sanctions committee also called the 1988 sanctions committee has always been a high priority for India keeping in mind our strong interest and commitment for peace, security, development, and progress of Afghanistan." With a clear foothold in the Taliban sanctions committee which is also a committee dealing with terror and counter-terror committee, the spotlight will come even more on Islamabad's lacklustre record on acting on cross-border terror. The Indian envoy highlighted, "our chairing of the committee in this juncture will help keep the focus on the presence of terrorists and their sponsors threatening peace process in Afghanistan. It has been our view, which peace process and violence cannot go hand in hand" It is important to recall, that the Taliban has to take approval from the sanctions committee members for travel. Recently the top members of the group including, Abdul Ghani Baradar was in Pakistan and met the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi. An increased level of violence may dissuade members to give future approval on travel for the Taliban. India already has a bilateral focus in Afghanistan, by building a number of major infrastructure projects in the country and be part of the capacity building. The current development increases New Delhi's engagement in a global format. On chairing the Counter Terror body, the envoy said, "The chairing of this committee has been a special resonance for India which has not only been in the forefront of fighting terrorism especially cross border terrorism but has also been one of its biggest victims" India chairs the committee in 2022, which is also its 75th Independence year with New Delhi expected to put further scrutiny on terror sponsors by being part of the body. The committee was formed after the 9/11 attacks in New York and bolsters the ability of United Nations Member States to prevent terrorist acts both within their borders and across regions. India had chaired the committee in its last tenure at UNSC in 2011-2012. When it comes to the Libya Sanctions Committee, also known as the 1970 sanctions committee, the Indian envoy said, "we will be assuming the chair of the committee at a critical juncture when there is international focus on Libya and on the peace process" The committee implements the sanctions regime, a 2-way arms embargo on Libya, assets freeze, travel ban, measures on the illicit exports of petroleum etc. The permanent five members of the UNSC play an important role in this committee and development comes as New Delhi increases its wider engagement in that part of the world.

India gets multilateral foothold in Afghan peace process, Pakistan's terror record as it heads crucial UNSC committees

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is on a visit to Sri Lanka at&nbsp;a time when growing Chinese influence is testing this relationship.

Jaishankar is on a two-day visit and he will be holding bilateral talks with his counterpart, as well as the Rajapaksa brothers — President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and&nbsp;the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The agenda

The first agenda of this visit is the proposal to build a terminal at the Colombo port, also known as&nbsp;the East Container Terminal. India, alongside Japan, has an agreement to develop this terminal for Sri Lanka.

In 2019,&nbsp;the three countries had signed a memorandum of cooperation. The terms were that the Sri Lanka ports authority will retain 100 per cent ownership, the terminal would be run by a joint company — owned collectively by India, Japan and Sri Lanka, and&nbsp;Sri Lanka will be the majority owner with 51 per cent, India and Japan will have a 49 per cent stake.

This agreement&nbsp;is starkly different from the one Sri Lanka signed with China for the Hambantota port —a&nbsp;project that was largely funded by China.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/foreign-minister-jaishankar-to-visit-sri-lanka-in-the-first-visit-of-2021-354393" hreflang="en">Foreign Minister Jaishankar to visit Sri Lanka in the first visit of 2021</a>

The arrangement pushed Colombo into a debt trap. Ultimately, it had to lease the port to China for 99 years in 2017.

Now with the Indian minister in Sri Lanka, we might get an indication about Sri Lanka's thinking; which way its leaning for the Colombo port project because&nbsp;it has faced opposition from workers and some politicians.

However, the early signs are promising. Before Jaishankar's visit,&nbsp;Sri Lanka's port and shipping minister issued a statement saying&nbsp;the east container terminal will be developed and&nbsp;not sold to anyone. He claimed the terminal will be an "Economic and naval hub".

The second item on agenda could be&nbsp;financial assistance. Last year, Colombo had made a request to New Delhi. The Sri Lankan government wanted a special one billion currency swap facility with India as well as a debt moratorium.

These are testing times for the Sri Lankan economy. It faces what many are calling its "worst economic slump".

Last month, Colombo announced that its GDP for the second quarter plunged by 16.3 per cent. The Sri Lankan central bank projects a 3.9 per cent contraction this year mainly due to the coronavirus.

The pandemic has hit Sri Lanka's tourism sector badly too. International arrivals fell by close to 71 per cent in March last year. Before the pandemic, Sri Lanka reportedly lost 1.5 billion from tourism because of the easter bombings. So, the virus came as a double whammy for Colombo.

Now, Sri Lanka has ordered tight controls over foreign exchange. A ban has been imposed on all non-essential imports, including&nbsp;all types of vehicles.

Colombo's debt obligation amounts to around four billion a year, but Sri Lanka says it will honour all commitments. However, international ratings agencies have slashed the credit worthiness of Sri Lanka.

At a time like this, any assistance from India will be welcome in Colombo. More importantly,&nbsp;Jaishankar's visit could decide the future trajectory of this relationship.

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is on a visit to Sri Lanka at a time when growing Chinese influence is testing this relationship. Jaishankar is on a two-day visit and he will be holding bilateral talks with his counterpart, as well as the Rajapaksa brothers — President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is on a visit to Sri Lanka at a time when growing Chinese influence is testing this relationship. Jaishankar is on a two-day visit and he will be holding bilateral talks with his counterpart, as well as the Rajapaksa brothers — President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The agenda The first agenda of this visit is the proposal to build a terminal at the Colombo port, also known as the East Container Terminal. India, alongside Japan, has an agreement to develop this terminal for Sri Lanka. In 2019, the three countries had signed a memorandum of cooperation. The terms were that the Sri Lanka ports authority will retain 100 per cent ownership, the terminal would be run by a joint company — owned collectively by India, Japan and Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka will be the majority owner with 51 per cent, India and Japan will have a 49 per cent stake. This agreement is starkly different from the one Sri Lanka signed with China for the Hambantota port —a project that was largely funded by China. Also read| Foreign Minister Jaishankar to visit Sri Lanka in the first visit of 2021 The arrangement pushed Colombo into a debt trap. Ultimately, it had to lease the port to China for 99 years in 2017. Now with the Indian minister in Sri Lanka, we might get an indication about Sri Lanka's thinking; which way its leaning for the Colombo port project because it has faced opposition from workers and some politicians. However, the early signs are promising. Before Jaishankar's visit, Sri Lanka's port and shipping minister issued a statement saying the east container terminal will be developed and not sold to anyone. He claimed the terminal will be an "Economic and naval hub". The second item on agenda could be financial assistance. Last year, Colombo had made a request to New Delhi. The Sri Lankan government wanted a special one billion currency swap facility with India as well as a debt moratorium. These are testing times for the Sri Lankan economy. It faces what many are calling its "worst economic slump". Last month, Colombo announced that its GDP for the second quarter plunged by 16.3 per cent. The Sri Lankan central bank projects a 3.9 per cent contraction this year mainly due to the coronavirus. The pandemic has hit Sri Lanka's tourism sector badly too. International arrivals fell by close to 71 per cent in March last year. Before the pandemic, Sri Lanka reportedly lost 1.5 billion from tourism because of the easter bombings. So, the virus came as a double whammy for Colombo. Now, Sri Lanka has ordered tight controls over foreign exchange. A ban has been imposed on all non-essential imports, including all types of vehicles. Colombo's debt obligation amounts to around four billion a year, but Sri Lanka says it will honour all commitments. However, international ratings agencies have slashed the credit worthiness of Sri Lanka. At a time like this, any assistance from India will be welcome in Colombo. More importantly, Jaishankar's visit could decide the future trajectory of this relationship.

Jaishankar visits Sri Lanka as island faces economic crisis

In the first interview of 2021, Nepal's envoy to India Nilamber Acharya has said that India and Nepal have "enormous goodwill" and "close friendship at a high political level."

Speaking exclusively to WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Acharya said, foreign minister of Nepal will visit India for the joint commission meet, a visit he said, "will give impetus for further development of our extensive relations."

A key focus during the visit will be on COVID vaccine — even as India has given approval to two vaccines over the weekend. Citing the approval, Nepal&nbsp;congratulated "India and its scientists" for their "achievements leading to the production of affordable vaccines suitable to our countries."

The visit by Nepal FM Pradeep Gyawali will be a first of&nbsp;such high-profile visits from Kathmandu to India in over a year. Last year, a number of such visits from New Delhi to Nepal happened as both sides showed the intent to firm up ties.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rpp-demands-reinstatement-of-constitutional-monarchy-in-nepal-353943" hreflang="en">RPP demands reinstatement of constitutional monarchy in Nepal</a>

WION: How do you see India-Nepal ties? 
Nilamber Acharya: India-Nepal ties are historical, time-tested, exemplary, and ever-growing. The very fabric of our relationship is finely weaved through the people-to-people exchanges and cross-border social and cultural ties. There are enormous goodwill and close friendship at a high political level. We are very close neighbours and friends with a common way of life. We share many values from spiritual to political, civilisational to religious, ancient to modern. We have benefitted from our comprehensive cooperation and easy access to each other's country, thanks to open borders and cultural affinity. There have been some differences and issues to be resolved and as good friends, we agree to sort out and resolve them through dialogue. We don't allow differences in some questions to impact other areas of our extensive cooperation. We are moving ahead.

WION: How are India and Nepal engaging on COVID-19 vaccine? 
Nilamber Acharya: Our cooperation against COVID-19 has been beneficial for us and it will grow. I congratulate India and its scientists for their achievements leading to the production of affordable vaccines suitable to our countries. We have received India's assurances and expect the early availability of vaccines produced in India to meet the needs of Nepal.

WION: How do you see India’s development partnership with Nepal? 
Nilamber Acharya: India is a permanent development partner for Nepal. From highways to hydropower, cross-border railways, inland container depots (ICDs), integrated check posts (ICPs) to cross-border transmission lines; India has always remained a partner for Nepal’s development. India is also our largest trading partner — one of the largest investors — and the largest source for inbound tourists. Cross-border petroleum pipeline and power trade arrangements have become the hallmarks of strategic partnership in the energy trade. India is the major transit route for Nepal’s overseas trade through Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam ports. We'll see more cooperation in the days to come. This year is expected to be a productive year for our friendly relations.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-approves-astrazeneca-and-local-covid-19-vaccines-354166">WATCH|</a>

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WION: Can we see a high-level engagement from the Nepal side, as there have been a number of visits from India?

Nilamber Acharya: It is good to see that high-level visits have resumed after an interval due to some difficulties of Covid time and others. Even during these days, there were high-level contacts. For instance, Independence Day phone conversation between the two prime ministers.

Recently, Foreign Secretary of India Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited Nepal. Just before him, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane visited Nepal to receive the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army. In the last week of December, a high-powered delegation led by the power secretary of Nepal visited India.

Now, we are working on the visit of the Foreign Minister of Nepal and foreign minister-level Joint Commission meeting in India. This visit will give impetus for further development of our extensive relations. We have good prospects and the overall environment is improving. We have just ushered in the year 2021, the days ahead will unfold the details about the level of exchanges and visits. We are optimistic.

In the first interview of 2021, Nepal's envoy to India Nilamber Acharya has said that India and Nepal have "enormous goodwill" and "close friendship at a high political level.

In the first interview of 2021, Nepal's envoy to India Nilamber Acharya has said that India and Nepal have "enormous goodwill" and "close friendship at a high political level." Speaking exclusively to WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Acharya said, foreign minister of Nepal will visit India for the joint commission meet, a visit he said, "will give impetus for further development of our extensive relations." A key focus during the visit will be on COVID vaccine — even as India has given approval to two vaccines over the weekend. Citing the approval, Nepal congratulated "India and its scientists" for their "achievements leading to the production of affordable vaccines suitable to our countries." The visit by Nepal FM Pradeep Gyawali will be a first of such high-profile visits from Kathmandu to India in over a year. Last year, a number of such visits from New Delhi to Nepal happened as both sides showed the intent to firm up ties. Also read| RPP demands reinstatement of constitutional monarchy in Nepal WION: How do you see India-Nepal ties? Nilamber Acharya: India-Nepal ties are historical, time-tested, exemplary, and ever-growing. The very fabric of our relationship is finely weaved through the people-to-people exchanges and cross-border social and cultural ties. There are enormous goodwill and close friendship at a high political level. We are very close neighbours and friends with a common way of life. We share many values from spiritual to political, civilisational to religious, ancient to modern. We have benefitted from our comprehensive cooperation and easy access to each other's country, thanks to open borders and cultural affinity. There have been some differences and issues to be resolved and as good friends, we agree to sort out and resolve them through dialogue. We don't allow differences in some questions to impact other areas of our extensive cooperation. We are moving ahead. WION: How are India and Nepal engaging on COVID-19 vaccine? Nilamber Acharya: Our cooperation against COVID-19 has been beneficial for us and it will grow. I congratulate India and its scientists for their achievements leading to the production of affordable vaccines suitable to our countries. We have received India's assurances and expect the early availability of vaccines produced in India to meet the needs of Nepal. WION: How do you see India’s development partnership with Nepal? Nilamber Acharya: India is a permanent development partner for Nepal. From highways to hydropower, cross-border railways, inland container depots (ICDs), integrated check posts (ICPs) to cross-border transmission lines; India has always remained a partner for Nepal’s development. India is also our largest trading partner — one of the largest investors — and the largest source for inbound tourists. Cross-border petroleum pipeline and power trade arrangements have become the hallmarks of strategic partnership in the energy trade. India is the major transit route for Nepal’s overseas trade through Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam ports. We'll see more cooperation in the days to come. This year is expected to be a productive year for our friendly relations. WATCH| × WION: Can we see a high-level engagement from the Nepal side, as there have been a number of visits from India? Nilamber Acharya: It is good to see that high-level visits have resumed after an interval due to some difficulties of Covid time and others. Even during these days, there were high-level contacts. For instance, Independence Day phone conversation between the two prime ministers. Recently, Foreign Secretary of India Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited Nepal. Just before him, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane visited Nepal to receive the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army. In the last week of December, a high-powered delegation led by the power secretary of Nepal visited India. Now, we are working on the visit of the Foreign Minister of Nepal and foreign minister-level Joint Commission meeting in India. This visit will give impetus for further development of our extensive relations. We have good prospects and the overall environment is improving. We have just ushered in the year 2021, the days ahead will unfold the details about the level of exchanges and visits. We are optimistic.

'We have close friendship,' says Nepal envoy to India Nilamber Acharya ahead of Nepal FM's Delhi visit

The four-member delegation deputed by President Xi Jinping of China and led by GuoYezhou, a Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee concluded its four days visit to Nepal (30th December). Reports at hand suggest that Guo Yezhou failed in his mission to resolve the intra-party feud in the ruling Nepal Communist Party. He also&nbsp;could not&nbsp;derive any assurances from the top leadership of the party in this context.

The current constitutional crisis and political instability in Nepal are a result of Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli’s surprise decision (20th December) to dissolve the Parliament in which his ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) enjoyed&nbsp;a two-third majority. The mid-term elections are due in April/May next year.

The crisis was in the making for the past several months due to intra-party squabbles in NCP. The feud is largely over the issue of power-sharing between the two top party leaders- former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and current PM KP Oli. Both of them&nbsp;were elected as Co-Chairs of the Nepal Communist Party when it was formed in May 2018&nbsp;through the merger of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), led by K.P. Oli and the Communist Party of Nepal&nbsp;(Maoist-Centre) led by Prachanda; Several agreements in the past two-and-a-half years including the one in mid-September this year have failed to resolve this key issue.&nbsp;

The failure of the Chinese&nbsp;delegation should be viewed as a setback for China and a personal humiliation for Guo Yezhou who had played an important role in the unification of the two left parties to create the largest communist party in South Asia.

There are enough reasons for China to feel concerned over the political instability in Nepal. China’s footprints in Nepal have steadily increased in recent past as reflected inter-alia in its large scale investments and pledges, particularly in energy and infrastructure and connectivity sectors, enhanced political influence and Nepal’s subscription to China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative; some of this has arguably come at the expense of India.&nbsp;

A split in the NCP would reduce the combined influence of the leftists on Nepal’s political horizon and diminish the chances of the NCP returning to power as a single largest party at the mid-term elections. Further, from China’s perspective, a change in guard in Nepal could mean the loss of an important ally in South Asia and to that extent its ability to reduce India’s influence in its immediate neighbourhood.

India appears to have treaded carefully and cautiously while responding earlier to anti-India actions and utterances by PM Oli and now to the situation of political instability in Nepal. India did react through a very strongly worded statement when Nepal released a new political map in May 2020 which included some of the Indian territories e.g. Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh within its own borders.

However, India took no such measures as could be viewed even remotely as retaliatory or punitive in nature. Instead, India pursued uninterruptedly its development assistance to Nepal while continuing to engage its leadership at different levels. The visits of the R&amp;AW chief, army chief and foreign secretary to Nepal were some of the important links in this chain of sustained bilateral exchanges.

India’s studied silence on political developments in Nepal is in sharp contrast with China’s blatant interference in the internal affairs of Nepal, initially by China’s ambassador to Nepal and recently through the CPC delegation’s visit to Kathmandu and its interaction with major political parties in Nepal.

India has obviously learnt a lesson from the past that perceptions are often louder than actions. On a previous occasion when a segment of the Nepali population’s agitation against new constitution of Nepal had caused blockades at Nepal –India borders causing enormous disruptions in supplies of essential commodities to Nepal, the popular perception in Nepal was that the blockades had been engineered by India to arm-twist the Nepalese government to amend constitution to accommodate the demands by the agitating Nepalese of Indian origin residing largely along India-Nepal border areas. The erroneous perceptions had caused a certain degree of damage to the goodwill India has enjoyed all along in Nepal.

Further developments in Nepal would depend to a great extent on the much-awaited verdict of the Supreme Court of Nepal which is looking into the constitutional validity&nbsp;of the dissolution of Parliament without exploring the possibility of formation of an alternative government. Meanwhile, India’s current approach should help restore and strengthen its reputation in Nepal where a large number of people see their future in good relations with India as these relations are rooted in history, language, religion and social believes and customs.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

The four-member delegation deputed by President Xi Jinping of China and led by GuoYezhou, a Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee concluded its four days visit to Nepal (30th December).

The four-member delegation deputed by President Xi Jinping of China and led by GuoYezhou, a Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee concluded its four days visit to Nepal (30th December). Reports at hand suggest that Guo Yezhou failed in his mission to resolve the intra-party feud in the ruling Nepal Communist Party. He also could not derive any assurances from the top leadership of the party in this context. The current constitutional crisis and political instability in Nepal are a result of Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli’s surprise decision (20th December) to dissolve the Parliament in which his ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) enjoyed a two-third majority. The mid-term elections are due in April/May next year. The crisis was in the making for the past several months due to intra-party squabbles in NCP. The feud is largely over the issue of power-sharing between the two top party leaders- former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and current PM KP Oli. Both of them were elected as Co-Chairs of the Nepal Communist Party when it was formed in May 2018 through the merger of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), led by K.P. Oli and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) led by Prachanda; Several agreements in the past two-and-a-half years including the one in mid-September this year have failed to resolve this key issue. The failure of the Chinese delegation should be viewed as a setback for China and a personal humiliation for Guo Yezhou who had played an important role in the unification of the two left parties to create the largest communist party in South Asia. There are enough reasons for China to feel concerned over the political instability in Nepal. China’s footprints in Nepal have steadily increased in recent past as reflected inter-alia in its large scale investments and pledges, particularly in energy and infrastructure and connectivity sectors, enhanced political influence and Nepal’s subscription to China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative; some of this has arguably come at the expense of India. A split in the NCP would reduce the combined influence of the leftists on Nepal’s political horizon and diminish the chances of the NCP returning to power as a single largest party at the mid-term elections. Further, from China’s perspective, a change in guard in Nepal could mean the loss of an important ally in South Asia and to that extent its ability to reduce India’s influence in its immediate neighbourhood. India appears to have treaded carefully and cautiously while responding earlier to anti-India actions and utterances by PM Oli and now to the situation of political instability in Nepal. India did react through a very strongly worded statement when Nepal released a new political map in May 2020 which included some of the Indian territories e.g. Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh within its own borders. However, India took no such measures as could be viewed even remotely as retaliatory or punitive in nature. Instead, India pursued uninterruptedly its development assistance to Nepal while continuing to engage its leadership at different levels. The visits of the R&AW chief, army chief and foreign secretary to Nepal were some of the important links in this chain of sustained bilateral exchanges. India’s studied silence on political developments in Nepal is in sharp contrast with China’s blatant interference in the internal affairs of Nepal, initially by China’s ambassador to Nepal and recently through the CPC delegation’s visit to Kathmandu and its interaction with major political parties in Nepal. India has obviously learnt a lesson from the past that perceptions are often louder than actions. On a previous occasion when a segment of the Nepali population’s agitation against new constitution of Nepal had caused blockades at Nepal –India borders causing enormous disruptions in supplies of essential commodities to Nepal, the popular perception in Nepal was that the blockades had been engineered by India to arm-twist the Nepalese government to amend constitution to accommodate the demands by the agitating Nepalese of Indian origin residing largely along India-Nepal border areas. The erroneous perceptions had caused a certain degree of damage to the goodwill India has enjoyed all along in Nepal. Further developments in Nepal would depend to a great extent on the much-awaited verdict of the Supreme Court of Nepal which is looking into the constitutional validity of the dissolution of Parliament without exploring the possibility of formation of an alternative government. Meanwhile, India’s current approach should help restore and strengthen its reputation in Nepal where a large number of people see their future in good relations with India as these relations are rooted in history, language, religion and social believes and customs. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

Opinion: What options does India have amid political instability in Nepal?

India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over demolishing of a Hindu Temple in Pakistan. The protest was lodged on Thursday with Islamabad via diplomatic channels.

Highlighting the "repeated instances of similar nature" involving "atrocities against the members of the minority community", Indian government sources told WION, that they expect, "Government of Pakistan to investigate the matter and take strict action against those responsible for this vandalization and demolition of the temple."

Sources said, "our message reiterated that the Government of Pakistan, in discharge of its responsibilities, is expected to look after the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities including protection of their religious rights and cultural heritage."

India has also asked Pakistan&nbsp;to share the investigation report on the incident.&nbsp; 
 
Earlier this week, a Hindu temple was burnt down by a mob in Karak, in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The Pakistani Hindu community staged protest in the aftermath of the demolishment of the temple which was over 100 years old. 
 
Many arrests have been made by local authorities in connection to the incident. The Pakistani Supreme Court has also taken note of the development and takes up the case next week. 
 
Interestingly, the provincial government is ruled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is also the ruling Party of the country. 
 
The temple has been target of attack in the past as well. It was demolished in 1997 and later reconstructed again in 2015.&nbsp;

The demolishing of temple comes even as situation of the minorities in the country continue to deteriorate. Multiple cases of abduction of Hindu, Sikh and Christian girls have been dominating headlines all throughout 2020.

India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over demolishing of a Hindu Temple in Pakistan. The protest was lodged on Thursday with Islamabad via diplomatic channels.

India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over demolishing of a Hindu Temple in Pakistan. The protest was lodged on Thursday with Islamabad via diplomatic channels. Highlighting the "repeated instances of similar nature" involving "atrocities against the members of the minority community", Indian government sources told WION, that they expect, "Government of Pakistan to investigate the matter and take strict action against those responsible for this vandalization and demolition of the temple." Sources said, "our message reiterated that the Government of Pakistan, in discharge of its responsibilities, is expected to look after the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities including protection of their religious rights and cultural heritage." India has also asked Pakistan to share the investigation report on the incident. Earlier this week, a Hindu temple was burnt down by a mob in Karak, in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The Pakistani Hindu community staged protest in the aftermath of the demolishment of the temple which was over 100 years old. Many arrests have been made by local authorities in connection to the incident. The Pakistani Supreme Court has also taken note of the development and takes up the case next week. Interestingly, the provincial government is ruled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is also the ruling Party of the country. The temple has been target of attack in the past as well. It was demolished in 1997 and later reconstructed again in 2015. The demolishing of temple comes even as situation of the minorities in the country continue to deteriorate. Multiple cases of abduction of Hindu, Sikh and Christian girls have been dominating headlines all throughout 2020.

India lodges protest with Pakistan over temple demolition

Gigi Hadid binged on spicey food and her kitchen pantry is proof. Joining in the viral 'Post a photo of' challenge on Instagram, the supermodel shared a picture of her pantry, from the time when she was pregnant and it featured spices, commonly found in every Indian household.&nbsp; 
 
From Cumin seeds (jeera), turmeric powder (haldi), garam masala to tandoori masala, and more, the pantry was stocked with everything. Gigi wrote,&nbsp; "lol I was a psycho pregnant person," over the image. 
 
<img alt="spices gigi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5bad2e05-9237-4872-a080-d5e7fd1757a3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/spices.JPG" /> 
 
It's interesting to note that Gigi has her roots in Palestine as her father belongs to that country while her mother Yolanda is Dutch. Gigi is married to British singer Zayn Malik, who himself, shares his roots in Pakistan. No wonder, that the supermodel is familiar with spices, commonly used in middle-eastern and south-eastern cuisine.&nbsp;

She gave birth to her baby girl in September on her mother Yolanda's farm in Pennsylvania amid the global coronavirus pandemic. Gigi shares her daughter with partner Zayn Malik, who was formerly part of the boy band One Direction before launching a solo career.&nbsp;Recently,&nbsp;Gigi Hadid gave a glimpse of Zayn Malik and their daughter as a treat to the couple's fans. On Christmas Day, the 25-year-old star snapped adorable family photos of Zayn Malik and their newborn daughter enjoying the holidays.

The pair began dating in 2015 before splitting up in 2017, only to rekindle their love multiple times before becoming parents this year

Gigi Hadid binged on spicey food and her kitchen pantry is proof. Joining in the viral 'Post a photo of' challenge on Instagram, the supermodel shared a picture of her pantry, from the time when she was pregnant and it featured spices, commonly found in every Indian household.

Gigi Hadid binged on spicey food and her kitchen pantry is proof. Joining in the viral 'Post a photo of' challenge on Instagram, the supermodel shared a picture of her pantry, from the time when she was pregnant and it featured spices, commonly found in every Indian household. From Cumin seeds (jeera), turmeric powder (haldi), garam masala to tandoori masala, and more, the pantry was stocked with everything. Gigi wrote, "lol I was a psycho pregnant person," over the image. It's interesting to note that Gigi has her roots in Palestine as her father belongs to that country while her mother Yolanda is Dutch. Gigi is married to British singer Zayn Malik, who himself, shares his roots in Pakistan. No wonder, that the supermodel is familiar with spices, commonly used in middle-eastern and south-eastern cuisine. She gave birth to her baby girl in September on her mother Yolanda's farm in Pennsylvania amid the global coronavirus pandemic. Gigi shares her daughter with partner Zayn Malik, who was formerly part of the boy band One Direction before launching a solo career. Recently, Gigi Hadid gave a glimpse of Zayn Malik and their daughter as a treat to the couple's fans. On Christmas Day, the 25-year-old star snapped adorable family photos of Zayn Malik and their newborn daughter enjoying the holidays. The pair began dating in 2015 before splitting up in 2017, only to rekindle their love multiple times before becoming parents this year

Gigi Hadid shows off her kitchen pantry full of Indian spices

India is setting the ground for the post-pandemic world and is&nbsp;slowly but surely stepping into a leadership role. The proofs are the&nbsp;unprecedented visits, cementing of ties, outreach programs, formation of startegic alliances and tapping into opportunities.

In October this year, India's army chief, General MM Naravane&nbsp;was in Myanmar and the next month&nbsp;he was in Nepal. Between the second and the third week of December, General MM Naravane visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The army chief's visit to Saudi Arabia was unprecedented. It came on the heels of Riyadh's deteriorating ties with Islamabad. Pakistan's army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa was not allowed to meet the Saudi crown prince in August but the Indian army chief was welcomed by the top Saudi generals.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jaishankar-meets-qatari-amir-pm-discusses-economic-and-security-cooperation-353013" hreflang="en">Jaishankar meets Qatari Amir, PM; discusses economic and security cooperation</a>

General's visit also came on the heels of India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar's visit to the UAE and Bahrain.

As we speak, Jaishankar is in Qatar for a two-day visit. He attended an India-Qatar business roundtable and interacted with the Indian community there. He is also expected to meet the Qatari deputy prime minsiter and foreign minister&nbsp;Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

At least 700,000 Indians live in Qatar. Many Indian workers have benefited from Qatar's recent labour reforms which includes a 25 per cent&nbsp;hike in the minimum wage and dilution of a clause that required workers to take the employer's consent before switching jobs.

In 2019, the bilateral trade between Qatar and India was worth $10.95 billion. The Qatar investment authority has invested $600 million in two Indian firms.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-army-chief-meets-south-koreas-top-military-brass-to-enhance-bilateral-ties-353007" hreflang="en">Indian Army chief meets South Korea's top military brass to enhance bilateral ties</a>

Jaishankar's visit is expected to focus on trade and energy cooperation. You will also see&nbsp;that the visit goes beyond all of this as it&nbsp;has a lot to do with West Asia's shifting sands and an emerging post-pandemic world — one that's being built on strategic alliances.

India views West Asia at its extended neighbourhood. West Asia is putting an end to historical and regional disputes. In the last five months, four Arab countries have formalised ties with Israel: UAE, Sudan, Morocco and Bahrain.

The gulf cooperation council countries recently held talks on ending a rift with Qatar. It is talking about lifting air, land and water blockade of Qatar because the region has a common enemy — Iran.

It just so happens that Iran is getting closer to China. However, another interesting observation is that China is also a country that India has a stand-off with in Ladakh.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/eam-tells-indian-community-in-qatar-economic-confidence-visible-in-india-352884" hreflang="en">EAM tells Indian community in Qatar, economic confidence visible in India</a>

India's ties with West Asia are no longer anchored on just oil, diaspora and remittances. The relationship is now strategic as there are common foes.

West Asia is distancing itself from Pakistan, it is coming together against Iran and both —&nbsp;Iran and Pakistan — are close to China.

The virtual GCC discussion was held this morning at a time when India's foreign affairs minister is in Qatar.

There is another very significant visit that's underway. India's Army Chief is on a three-day visit to South Korea. Seoul has been one of India's major weapon suppliers. It also happens to be a country that is witnessing growing rift with China.

On General Naravane's agenda is bolstering of military cooperation. He will be calling on the Korean defence minister,&nbsp;Army chief,&nbsp;chairman of joint chiefs of staff and Korea's minister of defence aquisition planning administration.

Another point to consider is that South Korea is fighting Chinese aggression at East China sea. It is pushing for maritime rules-based order. There is also an online war as the South Korean band BTS faced a backlash from Chinese state media. The common foe is very clearly visible in these developments.

India is setting the ground for the post-pandemic world and is slowly but surely stepping into a leadership role. The proofs are the unprecedented visits, cementing of ties, outreach programs, formation of startegic alliances and tapping into opportunities.

India is setting the ground for the post-pandemic world and is slowly but surely stepping into a leadership role. The proofs are the unprecedented visits, cementing of ties, outreach programs, formation of startegic alliances and tapping into opportunities. In October this year, India's army chief, General MM Naravane was in Myanmar and the next month he was in Nepal. Between the second and the third week of December, General MM Naravane visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The army chief's visit to Saudi Arabia was unprecedented. It came on the heels of Riyadh's deteriorating ties with Islamabad. Pakistan's army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa was not allowed to meet the Saudi crown prince in August but the Indian army chief was welcomed by the top Saudi generals. Also read| Jaishankar meets Qatari Amir, PM; discusses economic and security cooperation General's visit also came on the heels of India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar's visit to the UAE and Bahrain. As we speak, Jaishankar is in Qatar for a two-day visit. He attended an India-Qatar business roundtable and interacted with the Indian community there. He is also expected to meet the Qatari deputy prime minsiter and foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. At least 700,000 Indians live in Qatar. Many Indian workers have benefited from Qatar's recent labour reforms which includes a 25 per cent hike in the minimum wage and dilution of a clause that required workers to take the employer's consent before switching jobs. In 2019, the bilateral trade between Qatar and India was worth $10.95 billion. The Qatar investment authority has invested $600 million in two Indian firms. Also read| Indian Army chief meets South Korea's top military brass to enhance bilateral ties Jaishankar's visit is expected to focus on trade and energy cooperation. You will also see that the visit goes beyond all of this as it has a lot to do with West Asia's shifting sands and an emerging post-pandemic world — one that's being built on strategic alliances. India views West Asia at its extended neighbourhood. West Asia is putting an end to historical and regional disputes. In the last five months, four Arab countries have formalised ties with Israel: UAE, Sudan, Morocco and Bahrain. The gulf cooperation council countries recently held talks on ending a rift with Qatar. It is talking about lifting air, land and water blockade of Qatar because the region has a common enemy — Iran. It just so happens that Iran is getting closer to China. However, another interesting observation is that China is also a country that India has a stand-off with in Ladakh. Also read| EAM tells Indian community in Qatar, economic confidence visible in India India's ties with West Asia are no longer anchored on just oil, diaspora and remittances. The relationship is now strategic as there are common foes. West Asia is distancing itself from Pakistan, it is coming together against Iran and both — Iran and Pakistan — are close to China. The virtual GCC discussion was held this morning at a time when India's foreign affairs minister is in Qatar. There is another very significant visit that's underway. India's Army Chief is on a three-day visit to South Korea. Seoul has been one of India's major weapon suppliers. It also happens to be a country that is witnessing growing rift with China. On General Naravane's agenda is bolstering of military cooperation. He will be calling on the Korean defence minister, Army chief, chairman of joint chiefs of staff and Korea's minister of defence aquisition planning administration. Another point to consider is that South Korea is fighting Chinese aggression at East China sea. It is pushing for maritime rules-based order. There is also an online war as the South Korean band BTS faced a backlash from Chinese state media. The common foe is very clearly visible in these developments.

How do India's growing ties with South Korea and Qatar pose a threat to China

The external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar who is on a 2-day Qatar visit has told the Indian community that the economic impact of covid "can be put behind us" and the "economic confidence is visible".

In over one hour virtual meet, EAM said, &nbsp;"The general sense is Economy is coming back and coming back very very strongly. The feeling is Q1 &amp; Q2 of this financial year was obviously extremely tough, the feeling is now, all the feedback we get in terms of the critical sectors of the economy have been very positive."

Explaining that ,"there are areas, particularly the services sector, informal sector where recovery is not going to be so rapid. But again, there is economic confidence which is also visible, both the feeling that we can put the pandemic behind us as well as the economic consequences can be put behind us"

India's growth contracted to minus 23.9% in the first quarter of this financial year, and in the 2nd quarter, it came out at minus 7.5 % as the COVID crisis took a toll on the Economy. India along with all major economies saw contraction due to the pandemic.

EAM said India is "shifting gears" via Atmanirbhar Bharat which is "an expression, a desire to build stronger capabilities at home so that our participation in global economic activities is more effective"

Adding, "one of the issues with COVID has been that a lot of countries have been redoing supply chains, looking at on shoring many activities...Qatar is looking at its own near-term future, they have their own priorities, world cup football is significant among them and these are opportunities to draw the countries closer"

Qatar hosts more than 7 lakh Indians with bilateral trade at $10.95 billion in FY 2019-20. This is EAM's first visit to West Asia amidst the COVID pandemic. In September he made a stopover in Iran while going to Moscow, November saw a visit to UAE and Bahrain and currently, he is in Qatar. The increased high-level engagement between India and West Asian capitals comes even as both sides come closer in a number of areas from security to defence to people to people ties.

The external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar who is on a 2-day Qatar visit has told the Indian community that the economic impact of covid "can be put behind us" and the "economic confidence is visible".

The external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar who is on a 2-day Qatar visit has told the Indian community that the economic impact of covid "can be put behind us" and the "economic confidence is visible". In over one hour virtual meet, EAM said, "The general sense is Economy is coming back and coming back very very strongly. The feeling is Q1 & Q2 of this financial year was obviously extremely tough, the feeling is now, all the feedback we get in terms of the critical sectors of the economy have been very positive." Explaining that ,"there are areas, particularly the services sector, informal sector where recovery is not going to be so rapid. But again, there is economic confidence which is also visible, both the feeling that we can put the pandemic behind us as well as the economic consequences can be put behind us" India's growth contracted to minus 23.9% in the first quarter of this financial year, and in the 2nd quarter, it came out at minus 7.5 % as the COVID crisis took a toll on the Economy. India along with all major economies saw contraction due to the pandemic. EAM said India is "shifting gears" via Atmanirbhar Bharat which is "an expression, a desire to build stronger capabilities at home so that our participation in global economic activities is more effective" Adding, "one of the issues with COVID has been that a lot of countries have been redoing supply chains, looking at on shoring many activities...Qatar is looking at its own near-term future, they have their own priorities, world cup football is significant among them and these are opportunities to draw the countries closer" Qatar hosts more than 7 lakh Indians with bilateral trade at $10.95 billion in FY 2019-20. This is EAM's first visit to West Asia amidst the COVID pandemic. In September he made a stopover in Iran while going to Moscow, November saw a visit to UAE and Bahrain and currently, he is in Qatar. The increased high-level engagement between India and West Asian capitals comes even as both sides come closer in a number of areas from security to defence to people to people ties.

EAM tells Indian community in Qatar, economic confidence visible in India

The Indian Space Research Organization or ISRO has started phase one of the training of 4 Bhutanese engineers. The engineers are being trained under a joint India and Bhutan project to develop a satellite for Bhutan.

Phase one of the training will take place at ISRO's UR Rao Satellite center (URSC) from 28th December 2020 to 25th February 2021 and will involve theoretical and technical aspects. It will also involve visits to labs and test facilities. The 2nd phase of training will focus on developing the satellite for Bhutan--INS-2B.

The satellite will be used to map the country's natural resources and for disaster management. An India Bhutan Joint working group is implementing the project.These engineers are from Bhutan's department of information technology and telecom which comes under Ministry of Information and communication.

A release by the Indian mission in Bhutan said, "Cooperation in new frontiers such as space technology has been given an impetus by the leadership of the countries and will be bolstered further through the joint development of the small satellite for Bhutan."

Last month, during a virtual meet between both the Indian and Bhutanese PM, India announced that the small satellite will be launched in 2021 and for that as part of capacity building, ISRO will train 4 Bhutanese engineers.

Announcing the development at the launch of phase 2 of RuPay card in the country virtually, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said," I am happy to tell you, next year ISRO is planning to send a Bhutanese satellite to outer space next year and work is going on in full pace. For this 4 Bhutanese space, engineers will be trained in India from December by ISRO. I congratulate these Bhutanese nationals. "

The project was first announced during PM Modi's Bhutan visit in August 2019. During that visit, a ground Earth station for South Asia Satellite was inaugurated in Thimphu.

India led south Asia satellite project was launched in 2017. Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are part of the project. New Delhi has offered to increase the bandwidth on an additional transponder on the satellite "as per Bhutan's requirements" and "as a gift".

The Indian Space Research Organization or ISRO has started phase one of the training of 4 Bhutanese engineers. The engineers are being trained under a joint India and Bhutan project to develop a satellite for Bhutan.

The Indian Space Research Organization or ISRO has started phase one of the training of 4 Bhutanese engineers. The engineers are being trained under a joint India and Bhutan project to develop a satellite for Bhutan. Phase one of the training will take place at ISRO's UR Rao Satellite center (URSC) from 28th December 2020 to 25th February 2021 and will involve theoretical and technical aspects. It will also involve visits to labs and test facilities. The 2nd phase of training will focus on developing the satellite for Bhutan--INS-2B. The satellite will be used to map the country's natural resources and for disaster management. An India Bhutan Joint working group is implementing the project.These engineers are from Bhutan's department of information technology and telecom which comes under Ministry of Information and communication. A release by the Indian mission in Bhutan said, "Cooperation in new frontiers such as space technology has been given an impetus by the leadership of the countries and will be bolstered further through the joint development of the small satellite for Bhutan." Last month, during a virtual meet between both the Indian and Bhutanese PM, India announced that the small satellite will be launched in 2021 and for that as part of capacity building, ISRO will train 4 Bhutanese engineers. Announcing the development at the launch of phase 2 of RuPay card in the country virtually, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said," I am happy to tell you, next year ISRO is planning to send a Bhutanese satellite to outer space next year and work is going on in full pace. For this 4 Bhutanese space, engineers will be trained in India from December by ISRO. I congratulate these Bhutanese nationals. " The project was first announced during PM Modi's Bhutan visit in August 2019. During that visit, a ground Earth station for South Asia Satellite was inaugurated in Thimphu. India led south Asia satellite project was launched in 2017. Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are part of the project. New Delhi has offered to increase the bandwidth on an additional transponder on the satellite "as per Bhutan's requirements" and "as a gift".

India begins training of four Bhutanese space engineers for satellite launch

A number of Indian states and cities have re-imposed some lockdown restrictions amid year-end festivities to ensure that infections remain in check.

The number of coronavirus cases rose to 1,01,46,845 on Friday with 23,067 new infections being reported in a day, while total recoveries crossed 97 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The death toll increased to 1,47,092 with 336 new fatalities, the data at 8 am showed.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 97,17,834 during the same period, pushing the national recovery rate to 95.77 per cent.

The case fatality rate stood at 1.45 per cent.

The active caseload remained below three lakh for the fourth consecutive day.

There are 2,81,919 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 2.78 per cent of the total caseload, the data showed.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28 and crossed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 16,63,05,762 samples have been tested for detection of COVID-19 up to December 24 with 9,97,396 samples being tested on Thursday itself.

Of the 336 new fatalities, 89 were reported from Maharashtra, 37 from Delhi, 32 from West Bengal, and 22 each from Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.

Of the total deaths reported in the country so far, Maharashtra accounted for the highest 49,058 fatalities, followed by 12,039 from Karnataka, 12,036 from Tamil Nadu, 10,384 from Delhi, 9,505 from West Bengal, 8,267 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,089 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,260 from Punjab.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

(With inputs from agencies)

A number of Indian states and cities have re-imposed some lockdown restrictions amid year-end festivities to ensure that infections remain in check. The number of coronavirus cases rose to 1,01,46,845 on Friday with 23,067 new infections being reported in a day, while total recoveries crossed 97 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data.

A number of Indian states and cities have re-imposed some lockdown restrictions amid year-end festivities to ensure that infections remain in check. The number of coronavirus cases rose to 1,01,46,845 on Friday with 23,067 new infections being reported in a day, while total recoveries crossed 97 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data. The death toll increased to 1,47,092 with 336 new fatalities, the data at 8 am showed. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 97,17,834 during the same period, pushing the national recovery rate to 95.77 per cent. The case fatality rate stood at 1.45 per cent. The active caseload remained below three lakh for the fourth consecutive day. There are 2,81,919 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 2.78 per cent of the total caseload, the data showed. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28 and crossed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 16,63,05,762 samples have been tested for detection of COVID-19 up to December 24 with 9,97,396 samples being tested on Thursday itself. Of the 336 new fatalities, 89 were reported from Maharashtra, 37 from Delhi, 32 from West Bengal, and 22 each from Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. Of the total deaths reported in the country so far, Maharashtra accounted for the highest 49,058 fatalities, followed by 12,039 from Karnataka, 12,036 from Tamil Nadu, 10,384 from Delhi, 9,505 from West Bengal, 8,267 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,089 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,260 from Punjab. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. (With inputs from agencies)

India reports 23,068 new coronavirus cases, 336 deaths in last 24 hours

The Trump administration has significantly invested in its relationship with India over the past four years, seeing the country as a crucial partner in counterbalancing the rise of China.

Military cooperation and a personal friendship between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India — both domineering nationalists — have pushed New Delhi and Washington closer.

Now, as President-elect Joe Biden is set to move into the White House, U.S. diplomats, Indian officials and security experts are resetting their expectations for relations between the world’s two largest democracies.

On one hand, experts said, Biden’s administration will most likely pay more attention to India’s contentious domestic developments, where Modi’s right-wing party has been steadily consolidating power and becoming overtly hostile toward Muslim minorities. Trump has largely turned a blind eye.

Others believe that the United States cannot afford to drastically alter its policy toward New Delhi because the United States needs its help to counter China and increasingly values India as a military and trade partner.

“The real opening between the United States and India began under President Clinton, it accelerated under President Bush, it continued under President Obama, and it’s accelerating again under our president, President Trump,” Stephen Biegun, the deputy secretary of state, said in October. “One of the constants in U.S.-India relations has been that every presidential administration here in the United States has left the relationship in even better shape than the one it inherited.”

Most experts agree that China will be the driving force behind how India’s relationship with Washington morphs in a Biden administration.

“We need India for various reasons,” said Ashley J. Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. “Most important of which is balancing Chinese power in Asia.”

This year, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the worst border clash between India and China in decades. As relations between New Delhi and Beijing soured, India strengthened its commitment to a multilateral partnership with the United States, India, Japan and Australia — known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad.

China has castigated this forum as an Asian version of NATO, one that is directly aimed at counterbalancing its interests. India, leery of formal alliances and upsetting trade relations with Beijing, was initially hesitant to fully engage.

Biden, who once spoke optimistically of China’s emergence “as a great power,” has become increasingly tough on Beijing, and some analysts said his administration would most likely use the Quad as a way to ensure that the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region does not tilt too far toward China.

“They’ll keep the Quad going,” said Richard Fontaine, chief executive of the Center for a New American Security, adding that the partnership had gone from largely being considered “a meeting in search of an agenda to something real that is doing things.”

But some Indian officials are concerned that the next administration will not be as tough on China as the current one and that Biden will adopt a more nuanced and less favorable position toward India, analysts said.

“If he’s seen as pursuing a softer approach with China, it will make New Delhi have second thoughts about a soft alliance,” said Brahma Chellaney, a professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research, a think tank in New Delhi.

Biden’s administration will inherit a growing military relationship with India. In recent months, the United States and India have shared more intelligence and conducted more coordinated military training exercises. The military cooperation is closest among the navies of the two countries; Kenneth J. Braithwaite, the Navy secretary, visited India last week.

The United States has been trying to increase arms sales to India, but the country's history of buying weapons from nations such as France, Israel and Russia has complicated that effort. American officials are concerned about providing equipment to India if there is a risk that members of the Russian military or other foreign agents would then have access. American and Indian officials signed an agreement to share real-time geographical data through satellite images when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited India in October.

Despite the warming ties, though, Indian officials also worry that Biden might be less critical of Pakistan, the country's archrival, than Trump has been. Biden may even reach out to Islamabad for support as the United States draws down troops in Afghanistan. Early in his presidency, Trump suspended military aid to Pakistan, accusing it of supporting terrorists and giving the United States “nothing but lies and deceit.”

In contrast, Trump has said little about the increasing hostility toward Muslims in India and the divisive politics of Modi’s Hindu nationalist party. The Trump administration has kept largely quiet about Modi’s crackdown on Kashmir last year and the passage of a new, blatantly anti-Muslim citizenship law. And Modi’s recent pro-market agricultural policies have fueled a farmer rebellion that has snarled daily life in the capital and stirred up more anti-government feeling.

Both Biden — who is considered a strong friend of India since his days as a senator when he worked to approve the country’s landmark civil nuclear agreement in 2008 — and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are likely to be more critical of India’s human rights record, both in private and in public, experts said.

Harris, whose mother was Indian and who has remained close to that side of her family, has already indicated that she is concerned about Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim area that has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan.

Biden’s campaign documents specifically called on the Indian government to “take all necessary steps to restore rights for all the people” in Kashmir. His campaign added that he was also “disappointed” in Modi’s citizenship law.

Some American activists want the Biden administration to go even further and warn Indian officials that discontent over some of its current policies could imperil how strong a partner India might be for the United States.

“Human rights first is equally important,” said Simran Noor, chairwoman of South Asian Americans Leading Together, an advocacy group in the United States. “The impacts of not addressing it now could lead to a lot worse conditions in the future.”

Another challenging issue is visas. Trump this year suspended H-1B visas for high-skilled workers, a major setback for U.S. technology companies, which employ many Indians, and the wider Indian diaspora in the United States.

The two countries have also struggled to sign a comprehensive trade agreement, with talks hung up over imports of U.S. dairy products and medical devices such as coronary stents. After two decades of India loosening its trade restrictions, Western officials say the country has been tightening them over the past two years, embracing Modi’s push for a “self-reliant India.”

And many of Biden’s priorities — including climate change — will most likely require India’s cooperation, ensuring that New Delhi remains front of mind for Biden’s chief diplomats.

“There is no relationship today between any two countries that is as important as the relationship between the U.S. and India,” said Nisha D. Biswal, President Barack Obama’s assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs. “Neither of us can go it alone.”

The Trump administration has significantly invested in its relationship with India over the past four years, seeing the country as a crucial partner in counterbalancing the rise of China.

The Trump administration has significantly invested in its relationship with India over the past four years, seeing the country as a crucial partner in counterbalancing the rise of China. Military cooperation and a personal friendship between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India — both domineering nationalists — have pushed New Delhi and Washington closer. Now, as President-elect Joe Biden is set to move into the White House, U.S. diplomats, Indian officials and security experts are resetting their expectations for relations between the world’s two largest democracies. On one hand, experts said, Biden’s administration will most likely pay more attention to India’s contentious domestic developments, where Modi’s right-wing party has been steadily consolidating power and becoming overtly hostile toward Muslim minorities. Trump has largely turned a blind eye. Others believe that the United States cannot afford to drastically alter its policy toward New Delhi because the United States needs its help to counter China and increasingly values India as a military and trade partner. “The real opening between the United States and India began under President Clinton, it accelerated under President Bush, it continued under President Obama, and it’s accelerating again under our president, President Trump,” Stephen Biegun, the deputy secretary of state, said in October. “One of the constants in U.S.-India relations has been that every presidential administration here in the United States has left the relationship in even better shape than the one it inherited.” Most experts agree that China will be the driving force behind how India’s relationship with Washington morphs in a Biden administration. “We need India for various reasons,” said Ashley J. Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. “Most important of which is balancing Chinese power in Asia.” This year, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the worst border clash between India and China in decades. As relations between New Delhi and Beijing soured, India strengthened its commitment to a multilateral partnership with the United States, India, Japan and Australia — known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad. China has castigated this forum as an Asian version of NATO, one that is directly aimed at counterbalancing its interests. India, leery of formal alliances and upsetting trade relations with Beijing, was initially hesitant to fully engage. Biden, who once spoke optimistically of China’s emergence “as a great power,” has become increasingly tough on Beijing, and some analysts said his administration would most likely use the Quad as a way to ensure that the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region does not tilt too far toward China. “They’ll keep the Quad going,” said Richard Fontaine, chief executive of the Center for a New American Security, adding that the partnership had gone from largely being considered “a meeting in search of an agenda to something real that is doing things.” But some Indian officials are concerned that the next administration will not be as tough on China as the current one and that Biden will adopt a more nuanced and less favorable position toward India, analysts said. “If he’s seen as pursuing a softer approach with China, it will make New Delhi have second thoughts about a soft alliance,” said Brahma Chellaney, a professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research, a think tank in New Delhi. Biden’s administration will inherit a growing military relationship with India. In recent months, the United States and India have shared more intelligence and conducted more coordinated military training exercises. The military cooperation is closest among the navies of the two countries; Kenneth J. Braithwaite, the Navy secretary, visited India last week. The United States has been trying to increase arms sales to India, but the country's history of buying weapons from nations such as France, Israel and Russia has complicated that effort. American officials are concerned about providing equipment to India if there is a risk that members of the Russian military or other foreign agents would then have access. American and Indian officials signed an agreement to share real-time geographical data through satellite images when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited India in October. Despite the warming ties, though, Indian officials also worry that Biden might be less critical of Pakistan, the country's archrival, than Trump has been. Biden may even reach out to Islamabad for support as the United States draws down troops in Afghanistan. Early in his presidency, Trump suspended military aid to Pakistan, accusing it of supporting terrorists and giving the United States “nothing but lies and deceit.” In contrast, Trump has said little about the increasing hostility toward Muslims in India and the divisive politics of Modi’s Hindu nationalist party. The Trump administration has kept largely quiet about Modi’s crackdown on Kashmir last year and the passage of a new, blatantly anti-Muslim citizenship law. And Modi’s recent pro-market agricultural policies have fueled a farmer rebellion that has snarled daily life in the capital and stirred up more anti-government feeling. Both Biden — who is considered a strong friend of India since his days as a senator when he worked to approve the country’s landmark civil nuclear agreement in 2008 — and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are likely to be more critical of India’s human rights record, both in private and in public, experts said. Harris, whose mother was Indian and who has remained close to that side of her family, has already indicated that she is concerned about Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim area that has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan. Biden’s campaign documents specifically called on the Indian government to “take all necessary steps to restore rights for all the people” in Kashmir. His campaign added that he was also “disappointed” in Modi’s citizenship law. Some American activists want the Biden administration to go even further and warn Indian officials that discontent over some of its current policies could imperil how strong a partner India might be for the United States. “Human rights first is equally important,” said Simran Noor, chairwoman of South Asian Americans Leading Together, an advocacy group in the United States. “The impacts of not addressing it now could lead to a lot worse conditions in the future.” Another challenging issue is visas. Trump this year suspended H-1B visas for high-skilled workers, a major setback for U.S. technology companies, which employ many Indians, and the wider Indian diaspora in the United States. The two countries have also struggled to sign a comprehensive trade agreement, with talks hung up over imports of U.S. dairy products and medical devices such as coronary stents. After two decades of India loosening its trade restrictions, Western officials say the country has been tightening them over the past two years, embracing Modi’s push for a “self-reliant India.” And many of Biden’s priorities — including climate change — will most likely require India’s cooperation, ensuring that New Delhi remains front of mind for Biden’s chief diplomats. “There is no relationship today between any two countries that is as important as the relationship between the U.S. and India,” said Nisha D. Biswal, President Barack Obama’s assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs. “Neither of us can go it alone.”

Biden expected to expand US-India relationship while stressing Human Rights

India and South Korea are holding talks on starting transport air bubble arrangements between the 2 countries for the movement of people. Amidst the COVID pandemic global air travel came to a grinding halt and “Transport Air Bubbles” was established which are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services.

During the talks between India's secretary east in the ministry of external affairs Riva Ganguly Das and South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-Kun on Wednesday both sides, "exchanged views on cooperation in the context of COVID-19, including facilitating essential air travel between the two countries", an MEA readout said.&nbsp;

South Korean minister highlighted the steps being considered by his Government to further relax the travel restrictions for foreigners including Indian citizens travelling to the country including relaxing restrictions on numbers per flight and categories of visas.&nbsp;

The readout said, "The two sides also agreed to continue ongoing consultations for an air bubble arrangement." 
 
Transport air bubbles are reciprocal and airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits. India has an air bubble arrangement with 23 countries, while with the UK it has been suspended just recently due to the new strain of corona visit.

During the talks, both sides also planned to deepen cooperation in areas like defence, and in particular on enhancing defence industry cooperation.

India and South Korea are holding talks on starting transport air bubble arrangements between the 2 countries for the movement of people. Amidst the COVID pandemic global air travel came to a grinding halt and “Transport Air Bubbles” was established which are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services.

India and South Korea are holding talks on starting transport air bubble arrangements between the 2 countries for the movement of people. Amidst the COVID pandemic global air travel came to a grinding halt and “Transport Air Bubbles” was established which are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services. During the talks between India's secretary east in the ministry of external affairs Riva Ganguly Das and South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-Kun on Wednesday both sides, "exchanged views on cooperation in the context of COVID-19, including facilitating essential air travel between the two countries", an MEA readout said. South Korean minister highlighted the steps being considered by his Government to further relax the travel restrictions for foreigners including Indian citizens travelling to the country including relaxing restrictions on numbers per flight and categories of visas. The readout said, "The two sides also agreed to continue ongoing consultations for an air bubble arrangement." Transport air bubbles are reciprocal and airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits. India has an air bubble arrangement with 23 countries, while with the UK it has been suspended just recently due to the new strain of corona visit. During the talks, both sides also planned to deepen cooperation in areas like defence, and in particular on enhancing defence industry cooperation.

India, South Korea hold talks on starting a transport air bubble arrangement

The ongoing trend of contraction in India's COVID-19 active infections has led to shrinking of the share of active cases in the total caseload to 2.8 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

The tally of an active case of the disease in the country stands at 2,83,849 as on date.

"A net decline of 5,391 cases from the total active caseload was registered in the last 24 hours," the ministry said.

Daily recoveries have outnumbered the daily new cases after nearly a month (27 days), it said.

"In a span of 24 hours, only 24,712 persons were found to be COVID positive in the country. During the same period, 29,791 new recoveries were registered to ensure drop-in the active caseload," the ministry stated.

"India has recorded less than 30,000 daily new cases continuously since the last 11 days," it said.

Total recoveries are nearing 97 lakhs (96,93,173). The ministry said that 79. 56 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and union territories.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of 7,620 single-day recoveries, followed by 4,808 in Kerala and 2,153 in West Bengal in a span of 24 hours.

The ministry said 76.

48 per cent of the new cases are from 10 states and UTs.

Kerala reports the highest number of 6,169 daily new cases, followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal with 3,913 and 1,628 infections respectively.

The number of case fatalities reported in a span of 24 hours stands at 312.

Ten states and UTs account for 79.81 per cent of the new deaths.

Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (93).

West Bengal and Kerala reported 34 and 22 new deaths respectively.

Daily deaths in India are on a sustained decline.

The daily death count has remained below 400 for 12 days, the ministry said in a statement.

The ongoing trend of contraction in India's COVID-19 active infections has led to shrinking of the share of active cases in the total caseload to 2.8 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

The ongoing trend of contraction in India's COVID-19 active infections has led to shrinking of the share of active cases in the total caseload to 2.8 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Thursday. The tally of an active case of the disease in the country stands at 2,83,849 as on date. "A net decline of 5,391 cases from the total active caseload was registered in the last 24 hours," the ministry said. Daily recoveries have outnumbered the daily new cases after nearly a month (27 days), it said. "In a span of 24 hours, only 24,712 persons were found to be COVID positive in the country. During the same period, 29,791 new recoveries were registered to ensure drop-in the active caseload," the ministry stated. "India has recorded less than 30,000 daily new cases continuously since the last 11 days," it said. Total recoveries are nearing 97 lakhs (96,93,173). The ministry said that 79. 56 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and union territories. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of 7,620 single-day recoveries, followed by 4,808 in Kerala and 2,153 in West Bengal in a span of 24 hours. The ministry said 76. 48 per cent of the new cases are from 10 states and UTs. Kerala reports the highest number of 6,169 daily new cases, followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal with 3,913 and 1,628 infections respectively. The number of case fatalities reported in a span of 24 hours stands at 312. Ten states and UTs account for 79.81 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (93). West Bengal and Kerala reported 34 and 22 new deaths respectively. Daily deaths in India are on a sustained decline. The daily death count has remained below 400 for 12 days, the ministry said in a statement.

India's COVID-19 active cases now comprise only 2.8 per cent of total caseload

Around 27 outcomes in the form of a memorandum of understanding, agreements will be announced on Monday at India, Vietnam virtual summit between Indian PM Narendra Modi and Vietnam's PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. This is the first such virtual summit of PM Modi with an ASEAN country.

The announcements will be on a range of issues from defence to energy, to development partnership to healthcare. On defence, a key focus will be on implementation of India’s Defence Line of Credit for high-speed guard boats for Vietnam. New Delhi has in the past extended defence Lines of Credit worth US $600 million to strengthen Vietnam’s domestic defence manufacturing.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quad-senior-officials-meet-second-time-this-year-india-says-focus-on-covid-vaccine-asean-centrality-350845" hreflang="en">Quad senior officials meet second time this year; India says focus on COVID vaccine, ASEAN centrality</a>

Both countries will discuss projects in water resource management in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, digital connectivity, PhD fellowships, and heritage conservation. They are already engaging under Mekong–Ganga Cooperation, which is a two-decade-old mechanism involving India and five ASEAN countries including Vietnam. They will explore new opportunities in renewable energy cooperation.

This is the ninth such virtual summit of PM Modi. So far, he has had virtual summits with Australia, EU, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh counterparts.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-vietnam-virtual-summit-on-monday-350783" hreflang="en">India, Vietnam virtual summit on Monday</a>

Speaking to WION last month, Vietnam's envoy to India, Pham Sanh Chau said, "Vietnam has been able to establish direct air link between the two countries, it adds to physical connectivity. Now, on infrastructure connectivity, we hope one day we will have highway connecting various countries crossing Thailand, Cambodia, Laos in order to reach Vietnam."

New Delhi and Hanoi will also issue joint vision on the future development of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and explore cooperation potential on India’s IPOI (Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative) and ASEAN’s AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific) that Vietnam subscribes to.

The virtual summit, a new form of digital diplomacy, comes amidst COVID-19 pandemic and both leaders are expectedly going to take stock of the regional and global situation and explore convergences on new and resilient supply chains. ​India and Vietnam will concurrently serve at the UN Security Council in 2021 as non-permanent members and will use this for a stronger voice for reforms at the 75-year-old body.

Vietnam is the chair of the ASEAN grouping this year, and the last few years have seen a number of high-level visits and engagement between the two countries. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind had visited the country in 2018, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu in 2019 and PM Modi in 2016 during which ties were elevated to "comprehensive strategic partnership". President of Vietnam Tran Dai and PM Phuc both were in India in 2018.

Around 27 outcomes in the form of a memorandum of understanding, agreements will be announced on Monday at India, Vietnam virtual summit between Indian PM Narendra Modi and Vietnam's PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Around 27 outcomes in the form of a memorandum of understanding, agreements will be announced on Monday at India, Vietnam virtual summit between Indian PM Narendra Modi and Vietnam's PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. This is the first such virtual summit of PM Modi with an ASEAN country. The announcements will be on a range of issues from defence to energy, to development partnership to healthcare. On defence, a key focus will be on implementation of India’s Defence Line of Credit for high-speed guard boats for Vietnam. New Delhi has in the past extended defence Lines of Credit worth US $600 million to strengthen Vietnam’s domestic defence manufacturing. Also read| Quad senior officials meet second time this year; India says focus on COVID vaccine, ASEAN centrality Both countries will discuss projects in water resource management in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, digital connectivity, PhD fellowships, and heritage conservation. They are already engaging under Mekong–Ganga Cooperation, which is a two-decade-old mechanism involving India and five ASEAN countries including Vietnam. They will explore new opportunities in renewable energy cooperation. This is the ninth such virtual summit of PM Modi. So far, he has had virtual summits with Australia, EU, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh counterparts. Also read| India, Vietnam virtual summit on Monday Speaking to WION last month, Vietnam's envoy to India, Pham Sanh Chau said, "Vietnam has been able to establish direct air link between the two countries, it adds to physical connectivity. Now, on infrastructure connectivity, we hope one day we will have highway connecting various countries crossing Thailand, Cambodia, Laos in order to reach Vietnam." New Delhi and Hanoi will also issue joint vision on the future development of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and explore cooperation potential on India’s IPOI (Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative) and ASEAN’s AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific) that Vietnam subscribes to. The virtual summit, a new form of digital diplomacy, comes amidst COVID-19 pandemic and both leaders are expectedly going to take stock of the regional and global situation and explore convergences on new and resilient supply chains. India and Vietnam will concurrently serve at the UN Security Council in 2021 as non-permanent members and will use this for a stronger voice for reforms at the 75-year-old body. Vietnam is the chair of the ASEAN grouping this year, and the last few years have seen a number of high-level visits and engagement between the two countries. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind had visited the country in 2018, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu in 2019 and PM Modi in 2016 during which ties were elevated to "comprehensive strategic partnership". President of Vietnam Tran Dai and PM Phuc both were in India in 2018.

India, Vietnam virtual summit to see around 27 key outcomes

The total number of deadly coronavirus cases in India reached to 1,00,55,560 with 24,337 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 96 lakh, according to Union health ministry data updated on Monday.

The death toll increased to 1,45,810 with 333 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 96,06,111, pushing the national recovery rate to 95.53 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent, according to the data.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 4 lakh for the 15th consecutive day.

There are 3,03,639 active coronavirus cases in the country which comprise 3.02 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 16,20,98,329 samples have been tested up to December 20 with 9,00,134 samples being tested on Sunday.

The 333 new fatalities include 98 from Maharashtra, 40 from West Bengal, 30 from Kerala and 26 from Delhi.

The 1,45,810 deaths reported so far in the country includes 48,746 from Maharashtra followed by 12,009 in Karnataka, 11,983 in Tamil Nadu, 10,277 in Delhi, 9,360 in West Bengal, 8,196 in Uttar Pradesh, 7,076 in Andhra Pradesh and 5,201 in Punjab.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

(With inputs from agencies)

The total number of deadly coronavirus cases in India reached to 1,00,55,560 with 24,337 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 96 lakh, according to Union health ministry data updated on Monday.

The total number of deadly coronavirus cases in India reached to 1,00,55,560 with 24,337 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 96 lakh, according to Union health ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll increased to 1,45,810 with 333 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 96,06,111, pushing the national recovery rate to 95.53 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent, according to the data. The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 4 lakh for the 15th consecutive day. There are 3,03,639 active coronavirus cases in the country which comprise 3.02 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 16,20,98,329 samples have been tested up to December 20 with 9,00,134 samples being tested on Sunday. The 333 new fatalities include 98 from Maharashtra, 40 from West Bengal, 30 from Kerala and 26 from Delhi. The 1,45,810 deaths reported so far in the country includes 48,746 from Maharashtra followed by 12,009 in Karnataka, 11,983 in Tamil Nadu, 10,277 in Delhi, 9,360 in West Bengal, 8,196 in Uttar Pradesh, 7,076 in Andhra Pradesh and 5,201 in Punjab. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. (With inputs from agencies)

24,337 new Covid-19 cases in India in last 24 hours, recovery rate nears 96 per cent

A day after Pakistan claimed that India fired at UN Vehicles at Line of Control (LoC), New Delhi has conveyed its finds to Islamabad and asked it to "responsibly investigate" lapses on its side.

In the aftermath of Pakistan's allegations, New Delhi has investigated the incident and found the allegations "incorrect and false" and in a strongly worded response, the minister of external affairs said, "Instead of repeating baseless and fabricated allegations against India to cover up its own failure in ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel in territory under its control, Pakistan should responsibly investigate its lapses."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/un-refuses-to-take-position-on-pakistans-claims-of-india-firing-at-agencys-vehicles-350934">UN refuses to take position on Pakistan's claims of India firing at agency's vehicles</a>

Pakistan's army had released pictures of damaged UN vehicles on Friday, claiming they were damaged by Indian forces, something that the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-dismisses-pakistans-claim-of-army-targetting-un-vehicle-along-loc-350912"> Indian Army had immediately dismissed</a>. In fact, the Indian forces were aware of the visit of UN Military Observers in the area and did not conduct any firing that day.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/unmo-vehicle-impacted-while-conducting-routine-monitoring-along-loc-351007">WATCH|</a>

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The United Nations has also refused to take the Pakistani position on the matter. In response to a WION's question, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN Secretary-General said United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP) vehicle carrying UN military observers "was impacted by an unidentified object" while "conducting routine monitoring activities" near Rawalakot as a "part of its mandate to observe and report on ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir."

UN Spokesperson did not identify it as an act of Indian troops as claimed by the Pakistani Army. Farhan said, "UNMOGIP personnel and the driver were not harmed but the vehicle sustained some damage" and the mission is "currently investigating the incident."

A day after Pakistan claimed that India fired at UN Vehicles at Line of Control (LoC), New Delhi has conveyed its finds to Islamabad and asked it to "responsibly investigate" lapses on its side.

A day after Pakistan claimed that India fired at UN Vehicles at Line of Control (LoC), New Delhi has conveyed its finds to Islamabad and asked it to "responsibly investigate" lapses on its side. In the aftermath of Pakistan's allegations, New Delhi has investigated the incident and found the allegations "incorrect and false" and in a strongly worded response, the minister of external affairs said, "Instead of repeating baseless and fabricated allegations against India to cover up its own failure in ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel in territory under its control, Pakistan should responsibly investigate its lapses." Also read| UN refuses to take position on Pakistan's claims of India firing at agency's vehicles Pakistan's army had released pictures of damaged UN vehicles on Friday, claiming they were damaged by Indian forces, something that the Indian Army had immediately dismissed. In fact, the Indian forces were aware of the visit of UN Military Observers in the area and did not conduct any firing that day. WATCH| × The United Nations has also refused to take the Pakistani position on the matter. In response to a WION's question, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN Secretary-General said United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP) vehicle carrying UN military observers "was impacted by an unidentified object" while "conducting routine monitoring activities" near Rawalakot as a "part of its mandate to observe and report on ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir." UN Spokesperson did not identify it as an act of Indian troops as claimed by the Pakistani Army. Farhan said, "UNMOGIP personnel and the driver were not harmed but the vehicle sustained some damage" and the mission is "currently investigating the incident."

UN vehicles targetted: India asks Islamabad to investigate its lapses, conveys finding

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