VIF Information Alerts - 21st June 2019

Terrorists cannot be allowed to negotiate from 'place of advantage': India tells UN
Published: The Asian Age

20 Jun 2019

India has told the UN that terror groups enjoying "support and safe havens" to carry out terrorist activities in Afghanistan from across the borders (in Pakistan) cannot be allowed to negotiate from a "place of advantage" as the US and the Taliban are planning to meet for the next round of crucial peace talks in Qatar.

Calling for a need to end the activities of Pakistan-based terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said that the "sanctuaries and safe havens" provided to terror networks have to be addressed for a genuine and sustainable peace in Afghanistan.Click here to read... [2]

China acknowledges hosting Taliban's chief peace negotiator for talks
Published: The Economic Times

20 Jun 2019

China on Thursday for the first time acknowledged that it recently hosted Afghan Taliban's chief peace negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar for talks as part of its stepped-up efforts to enlarge its strategic role in Afghanistan and efforts to restore peace in the war-torn country.
The "head of Taliban political office in Doha, Bardar, visited China", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here Thursday. "During his visit, the Chinese officials exchanged views with him on the peace and reconciliation process as well as the fight against terrorism," he said.
Click here to read... [3]

Sri Lanka seeks US$1 billion loan from China as it struggles to recover from Easter Sunday attacks
Published: South China Morning Post

20 Jan 2019

Sri Lanka is seeking a loan of nearly US$1 billion from China for energy and motorways as the island recovers from the devastating Easter Sunday bombings, the finance ministry said on Thursday. Talks are underway with China’s Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to raise the new loan in addition to the US$1.2 billion obtained from international agencies this year, the ministry said.
Click here to read... [4]

Nepal Army chief meets China's Def Min; discusses plans to upgrade military ties
Published: Business Standard

20 Jun 2019

Nepal Army chief General Purna Chandra Thapa on Thursday met China's Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe and discussed plans to upgrade the military ties between the two neighbouring countries. Thapa is on a week-long official tour to China. He arrived here on June 16 on the invitation of China's Peoples Liberation Army.

During the meeting, Wei said recent years have seen continuous advancement of the China-Nepal comprehensive cooperative partnership with ever-lasting friendship under the guidance of the leaders of both countries, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.Click here to read... [5]

Navy plans to build 6 submarines
Published: The Hindu

20 Jun 2019

The Navy issued an ‘Expression of Interest’ for shortlisting potential strategic partners for the construction of six P-75 (I) submarines costing nearly ₹45,000 crore, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

This is the second project being undertaken under the latest Strategic Partnership (SP) Model, with the first being the procurement of 111 naval utility helicopters (NUH). This will provide a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India, in addition to bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project, the Navy said.Click here to read... [6]