VIF Information Alerts - 23rd August 2018

US slaps tariffs on another $16 billion in Chinese goods as talks continue

Published: The Economic Times
23 Aug 2018

The United States Thursday imposed steep import tariffs on another $16 billion in Chinese goods over what Washington has called rampant theft of American technology, even as trade negotiators were in talks to avert further confrontations.

The latest action completes the first round of $50 billion in products that President Donald Trump targeted, after $34 billion in goods were hit with punitive duties on July 6.Click here to read... [2]

China Bolsters Its Economy as Debt and Trade Pressures Mount

Published: The New York Times
23 Aug 2018

As China’s economy slows and the trade war with the United States intensifies, Beijing’s economic bosses are swinging into action. Chinese officials are pushing banks to lend more and allowing indebted local governments to spend money on big projects again. They have moved to shore up the value of the country’s currency. They have also helped out the stock market, say financial analysts, as the government works to avert a stock market collapse like the one three years ago that shook the world.Click here to read... [3]

India-Australia-Japan-US: Quad, quo vadis?

Published: The Week
22 Aug 2018

China is worried about another gang of four—this time from outside. The first one was a gang of four political leaders who wielded power in the post-Cultural Revolution period when Mao Zedong's health was on the decline. This time it is a gang of four countries—India, Japan, Australia and the US—who call themselves the Quad.

The Quad is yet to attain the political gravitas or even diplomatic halo, but the idea is gaining increased traction among strategic and economic thinktanks. Now, a report brought out by a Quadripartite Commission on the Indian Ocean Regional Security has recommended that the Quad powers should elevate their dialogue progressively to political level.Click here to read... [4]

India’s Afghan projects face higher risk after Pak army, ISI’s ‘role’ in Ghazni attack

Published: The Economic Times
23 Aug 2018

India- funded projects and programmes in Afghanistan face increased risk as Afghan officials have alleged that the recent attack launched by the Taliban in Ghazni involved presence of Pakistan Army and Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in aid of the terrorist group.Click here to read... [5]

35% of cyber attacks on Indian sites from China: official report

Published: The Indian Express
23 Aug 2018

A report sent to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and other security agencies by a department under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has said that the maximum number of cyber attacks on official Indian websites are from China, US and Russia. It has also flagged the possibility of “malicious actors from Pakistan using German and Canadian cyberspace for intruding into Indian cyberspace and carrying out malicious activities”.Click here to read... [6]

HAL’s Russian JV to submit plan for new chopper to Defence Ministry; deal likely during Putin’s visit

Published: Business Line
22 Aug 2018

Indo Russian Helicopter Pvt Ltd (IRHL) , a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Russian Helicopters, will submit a proposal to supply 200 Ka-226T helicopters in a few days. According to Andrey Boginsky, CEO of Russian Helicopters, the Indian Defence Ministry has extended the deadline for submitting RFP for 200 Ks-226T helicopters, which had earlier been set for August 1.

Russian Helicopters and HAL are now working on crafting a detailed business plan that will identify the order of localisation activities, size of investments from both parties, and preparation of the manufacturing site in India. HAL had earlier offered a site at Tumakuru in Karnataka for the manufacture of Kamov helicopters.Click here to read... [7]