1. BRICS Declares Lashkar, Jaish As Global Terror Groups

My Note:s 05-September-2017

News 1. BRICS declares Lashkar, Jaish as global terror groups BRICS summit has unequivocally named Pakistan based groups Jaish - e - Mohammed, Lashkar E Taiba (LeT) as terror organisation. It has removed a key irritant in ties between India and China. The BRICS leaders also called for greater efficiency in designation of terrorists and terror groups by the UN committee on terrorism. It can make things easy at UNSC 1267 committee for declaring Masood Azhar as an international terrorist.

2. Centre refuses to offer assurance on Rohingya The Centre refused, in theSupreme Court, to give 40,000 Rohingya Muslim immigrants an assurance that it will not move for their deportation back toMyanmar.

3. India pitches for a credit rating agency - Indian prime Minister Modi strongly pitched for the setting up of a BRICS credit rating agency to counter western rating institutions.

Editorial Making up for the lost time In the past half century, India and Myanmar have lost the habit of thinking themselves as neighbours. The major reasons are 1. East Asian tilt of Myanmar - After military Junta came to power in Myanmar, relations with china got depended. Today, China is the largest trade partner, defence supplier to Myanmar. It’s natural deep sea harbor at Kyaukpyu is also expected to become part of BRI if china. However, Myanmar is not too comfortable with china. It is ready to take advantage of two fastest growing economies. There is a general opinion among Myanmar elite that relations with China are largely exploitative. 2. Infrastructure projects : India is the only that has a $2bn developmental partnership sponsored solely by government. But the challenge is in implementation. Trilateral highway, kaladan multi model transport and transit project etc are delayed for long. 3. Trade - As on today, agricultural and forest products form the bulk of imports to India. $3bn trade target set in 2002 is far from reality. import of pulses plays an important role in India’s food security. 4. Insurgency - Myanmar is the traditional hide out for insurgents from north east. India over publicizing events like Hot Pursuit have put defence cooperation in dilemma. On positive side, India and Myanmar enjoy strong cultural relations. Indian Archeological survey of India is face lifting Ananda temple. Democratic transformation of Myanmar can shift political loyalties towards India.

Mind the mandate There is a growing gap between regional aspirations of Assamese and Nationalistic aspirations of state Government. Centre’s decision to ease citizenship access to minorities in neighbouring countries, naming of colleges after BJP ideologues are creating an atmosphere of inconvenience.

Down but not out Failure of PSLV 39 to place IRNSS -1H satellite in to space has an important lesson. Every launch of a satellite in to space is of its own kind. It can not be taken for granted.

Sabre Rattling - North Korea adventurism of testing Hydrogen bomb and missiles clearly shows that it is desperate to be recognized as a de facto nuclear power. In response to this, South Korea and Japan are also strengthening their military capabilities. South Korea accepted deployment of THAAD missiles, Japan is revisiting its post war pacifist defence policies. Though talk is toughening the stand of Kim Jong un, countries are expected to move towards a direct talk with Pyongyang. My Notes: 06-September-2017

06 September 2017 News Modi-xi meet flags forward looking ties, border peace India - china looking beyond the doklam stand off, decided to open a new forward looking round of engagement. It emphasizes on border confidence building measures and strong contact and cooperation between defence and security personnel.

RBI is economy’s risk manager RBI former governor in his book - I do what I do - has clearly stated that RBI’s major function is to act as a risk manager and advisor to Government.

MOdi’s 10 noble commitments for BRICS Prime Minister Modi proposed for 10 noble commitments for creating a safer world through a coordinated and organized action on - terrorism, cyber security and disaster management.

Japan want to develop missiles Japan, moving distant from its post war pacifism is actively looking for development of missiles. China and North Korea are considered as existential threat to the country.

Centre asks banks to restrict accounts of 2.09 lakh firms Centre to shut down shadow companies and money laundering have acted tough on 2.09 lakh firms. It has stuck them from records and freezed their operations.

Editorial Back on Track India and china have revived panchsheel principles of peaceful cooperation at BRICS summit held in Xiamen. They have many common issues to focus upon like resisting growing economic protectionism, development of open and inclusive multilateral trading system etc. In this context, resolving all pending issues through peaceful means makes a clear sense. In this context, BRICS inclusion of Lashkar - e taiba and Jaish e Mohammed among the terrorist groups threatening regional stability is a welcome sign. Added to this, China did not press for Belt and road initiative at the summit. It shows clearly that china and India are heading in right direction. In the light of Doklam stand off, following can be reviewed. 1. Review of existing standard operating procedures at the border. 2. Convening the meeting of special representatives 3. Taking forward an action on Lashkar e taiba and Jaish e mohammed - groups responsible for cross border terrorism in India.

There is a Rohingya in all of us Indian state and idea of Indianness is built on compassion, care and empathy to suffering. Prime Minister Nehru’s acceptance of Tibetans, Indira Gandhi’s action to protect Bengalis from east Pakistan are examples for this. It has given a moral authority to India on issues concerned with Humanitarian crisis in the world. It is either in Sri Lanka, or in china or in syria. Govt of India’s decision to consider Rohingyas as illegal immigrants and deporting them goes against the set norm of Indianess. Rohingyas are stateless citizens who are subjected to persecution in the hands of Buddhist Majority and state in Myanmar. India shall consider their case with Sympathy.

Staring down censorship Recently, china govt has asked for the removal of scholarly articles from public domain from china quarterly. It is an extension of fears of china communist party that an active academic debate may destabilize the present system and order. China is also trying to control the internet and is strongly pitching to define boundaries for internet use and to change the rules how internet functions globally as a discussive space. Internet sovereignty is meant to increase control of national governments.