Neighborhood News Digest – 03 April 2023

Afghanistan

U.K. govt 'in negotiations' after three British men held in Afghanistan – The Hindu

Britain's Interior Minister Suella Braverman on Sunday said the U.K. government was "in negotiations" after three British men were detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Media reports have identified the men as charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, the unnamed manager of a hotel for aid workers and YouTube star Miles Routledge. Click here to read... [2]

Aid and assistance in Afghanistan: Challenges and look ahead- ORF

In a controversial op-ed, the Interim Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi wrote in hyperbole about the transformation of Afghanistan under the Taliban. With the country now ruled by an “independent, powerful, united, central and responsible government” willing to positively engage with the international community, he urged the rest of the world to also ‘turn a new leaf’ and look towards the future. Click here to read... [3]

WHO report reveals health emergency situation in Afghanistan - The Print

The healthcare situation in Afghanistan is as deteriorated as any other sector after the Taliban seized power in August last year. The people of the country now, are dependent on humanitarian aid for healthcare as well. Revealing the contributions made to the crisis-hit country in the healthcare sector, the WHO in its 26th Health Emergency Status Report for Afghanistan on Thursday said that the WHO established new primary healthcare facilities in remote areas of the country for the most needful people. Over 2,20,000 people received services through that, TOLO news reported. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

How India-Bangladesh Cooperation and Connectivity Will Benefit From Japanese Support - Swarajya

The Northeast-Bangladesh economic corridor may add a significant geo-economic component to the regional geopolitics. The involvement of Japan in creating an industrial value-chain between Northeast India and Bangladesh and connecting the northeastern region (NER) to the Bay of Bengal, may well lead to significant results on the regional geopolitical front vis-à-vis China. Click here to read... [5]

BNP-Jamaat govt will cause damage to Bangladesh, India: Awami League leader Muzammel Haque – India Today

The Organizing Secretary of the ruling Awami League in Bangladesh, BM Muzammel Haque, believes that if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat-e-Islami comes back to power, control of Bangladesh will go into the hands of the Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh may start trading with India using rupee soon – Financial Express

Bangladesh could soon start trading with India using rupee instead of US dollar, trial for which has been done by Bangladesh Bank recently, reports UNB. The ministry of commerce has placed a written recommendation at the last cabinet meeting regarding the possibility and opportunity of using rupee instead of dollar. Currently Bangladesh exports goods to India worth around $ 2.0 billion. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

All eyes on China boundary talks as Bhutan King arrives in Delhi – The Hindu

As Bhutan’s fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck arrives in Delhi on Monday afternoon at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu, all eyes will be on his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, and any possible discussions on the progress in Bhutan-China boundary talks. While the Bhutanese King last met Mr. Modi in September last year, when he stopped over in Delhi on his way to attend British Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, this is the first such high-level meeting between the two leaders since Bhutan and China’s talks on their boundary made rapid progress. Click here to read... [8]

India major source of investments in Bhutan; provided Rs 4500 cr assistance - Business Standard

The visit of Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel to India from April 3- 5 will further strengthen the close bilateral partnership, including economic and development cooperation between the two nations. India has consistently been Bhutan's top trading partner and remains the leading source of investments in Bhutan. In November 2021, the Indian government formalised the opening of seven new trade routes for Bhutan's bilateral and transit trade with India, new market access was provided for allowing the formal export of 12 agri-products from Bhutan to India, and various special exceptions/ quotas for export are also provided. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

India, Sri Lanka, Maldives have close cooperation on security. But China can test it - The Print

Chinese Spy Ship and Lanka’s Tilt towards Beijing. Colombo had initially denied permission to the Chinese spy ship Yuan Wang 5 to berth at the Hambantota port. However, it later changed its position clearing berthing rights, before reversing it again by denying access to the Chinese vessel. Foreign Minister Ali Sabry explained to the Cabinet that the Chinese vessel had only asked for a refuelling visit, while Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena downplayed the threat of the Chinese visit with an India balancing act, calling it an ‘approach of friendship’. On 16 August 2022, however, the Chinese vessel was given clearance by Colombo to enter the Hambantota port despite the security concerns raised by New Delhi. Click here to read... [10]

Chinese company to develop four regional hospitals across the Maldives - Edition

The government on Sunday, signed agreements with a Chinese company to develop four regional hospitals in the north and south of the Maldives. The projects have been awarded to the Chinese International Development Corporation Agency to expedite the hospitals’ development, the Ministry of Health said without providing any further details. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

Manipur to set up 200-capacity shelter home in Churachandpur for illegal immigrants from Myanmar - Devi Discourse

The Manipur government will set up a shelter home in Churachandpur district's Singngat for illegal immigrants who have fled Myanmar, Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip said on Sunday. Four barracks of the Singngat police station complex will serve as the shelter home for the Myanmar nationals who fled their country in the wake of the unrest there, he said. Click here to read... [12]

Chinese Military Buildup on Myanmar Island - NewsX

Myanmar’s Coco Islands have recently been upgraded with military infrastructure, confirming India’s suspicions that the island is used by the Chinese. In satellite images captured in January of this year, Maxar Technologies shows the construction of two newly-built hangars at the center of Great Coco Island, as well as several new buildings in the north, along with a large pier that could accelerate naval activities. Additionally, the Coco Islands Airbase’s runway has been widened to 2,300 meters from 1,300 meters a decade ago. The issue was first brought to light by Chatham House, a think tank with its headquarters in London. Click here to read... [13]

After Two Years of Junta Rule, the Region Turns into a Vortex of Criminal Activities - Modern Diplomacy

Two years had elapsed since the illegitimate toppling of the democratic government in Myanmar, and since the coup, Myanmar had relapsed into the fold of dictatorship that characterizes much of the history of the nation. This time around, the coercive tactics of the Junta were unavailing, since the diabolical plan of the Junta had punctured owing to a welter of threats that stalked the Junta since its illegitimate grasp on power. The coup triggered a series of issues, which holds ominous ramifications for regional security in the future. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Nepal seeks 25-year bilateral deal with India to sell power - Kathmandu Post

Nepal wants to sign a long-term intergovernmental agreement with India on selling Nepal’s excess power to the southern neighbour during the upcoming India visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Nepali officials said that Prime Minister Dahal could visit India after the second week of April. However, the two sides have yet to announce the dates. Click here to read... [15]

Major China-Nepal land port resumes passenger clearance - China Daily

The Gyirong port in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, one of the largest land ports between China and Nepal, resumed passenger clearance on Saturday. The resumption of personnel exchanges means Gyirong port has now fully resumed passenger and cargo services. The movement of people and goods came to a halt due to COVID-19 restrictions. Two-way cargo transport was restored in December 2022. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

Inflation at 50-year high in Pakistan; death toll from stampedes at free food centers hits 21 – The New Indian Express

Pakistan is facing a major economic crisis triggered by a series of corrupt and failed governments, military coups, rising international debts, no major exports, and a major class divide, Asian Lite reported. Pakistan's economy has been pushed to the brink of collapse, exacerbated by a global energy crisis and devastating floods that submerged a third of the country in 2022. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan: 'Gen Bajwa put pressure on me to develop friendly ties with India, Imran Khan claims – India TV

Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan again targeted the country's former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and claimed he had forced him to give pro-India remarks and develop friendly relations with New Delhi during his tenure. “Gen Bajwa wanted me to develop friendly ties with India. He put pressure on me for this and it was one of the reasons our relationship deteriorated,” Khan claimed during an interaction with social media journalists at his Lahore’s Zaman Park residence on Saturday evening. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan to get crude oil from Russia at same discounted price as India – Firstpost

In a significant move, Pakistan has managed to get the same discount on the import of Russian oil like other nations, including India. This was stated by Pakistan Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik at a Geo News program. According to reports, the minister said that Islamabad will be given same discount like its neighboring countries on the import of Russian crude. However, Malik did not share any details regarding the agreement between the two nations. Click here to read... [19]

Jammu and Kashmir’s budget twice the size of Pakistan’s IMF bailout request, documents show – Wion

The budget of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), announced last month, is twice the size of Pakistan's bailout request to the International Monetary Fund, according to documents. The budget of J&K stood at Rs 1,18,500 crore ($14.5 billion), while Pakistan sought $7 billion from the IMF. Click here to read... [20]

Sri Lanka

Is Transformation Possible in Sri Lanka? – The Diplomat

The Wickremesinghe presidency is confronted with multiple challenges, including worrying socioeconomic indexes. It has also been accused of repression, and most recently of delaying local government elections, thereby undermining the right to vote and representative democracy. These have contributed to new levels of frustration and disillusionment among citizens toward the political and bureaucratic elites, with the first three months of 2023 witnessing continued citizen mobilization and agitation. Click here to read... [21]

India, Japan collaborate to put Sri Lankan economy back on track – Economic Times

India and Japan are collaborating to put Sri Lanka on a sustainable growth trajectory, pointed out a new report by Pathfinder, leading Lankan think-tank founded by Colombo’s current envoy to New Delhi Milinda Moragoda. This report is presented at a time when Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented economic crisis that has caused a significant socio-economic setback in the country, with rising unemployment, rocketing inflation and increasing poverty. Click here to read... [22]

Ramayana Trail to be developed in Sri Lanka; visitors may be allowed to use Indian Rupee - ToI

As per reports, Sri Lanka is in the process of recreating the Ramayana trail and also a separate Sita trail for those interested. Not only that, the possibility of allowing the Indian Rupee (INR) for transactions on the island is also being discussed. There are several places in Sri Lanka that are believed to be associated with the Ramayana. Some popular Ramayana trails in Sri Lanka include Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress believed to be the palace of King Ravana. Click here to read... [23]