VIF Information Alerts - 22 January 2020

Trump reiterates offer to mediate on Kashmir
Published: Daily Times

22 Jan 2020

US President Donald Trump said the United States was watching developments between India and Pakistan over Kashmir “very closely” and was prepared to help if necessary. Speaking ahead of talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Trump said trade and borders were both critical points for discussion, while Imran said that for him Afghanistan was the top priority.

This is the third meeting of the two leaders in less than a year amid reports that the US and Afghan Taliban are close to striking a peace deal after over yearlong painstaking process.Click here to read... [2]

Defence Ministry shortlists L&T and MDL to build six conventional submarines
Published: The Hindu

22 Jan 2020

In a significant move, the defence ministry on January 21 shortlisted two Indian shipyards and five foreign defence majors for the ₹50,000 crore project to build six conventional submarines in India for the Navy besides approving military procurement worth ₹5,100 crore.

The shortlisted Indian entities to construct the submarines, being billed as one of biggest ‘Make in India’ projects, are L&T group and state-owned Mazagaon Docks Ltd (MDL), official sources said.Click here to read... [3]

PM Narendra Modi, Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli inaugurate second integrated check post
Published: India Today

22 Jan 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday jointly inaugurated the second Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Jogbani-Biratnagar, built with Indian assistance to facilitate trade and people's movement. The project, which will improve bilateral trade and people-to-people contact, was launched by the two leaders via a video link.

During the joint inauguration through video conference, PM Narendra Modi said increasing cross-border connectivity is one of the main goals of his government's 'neighbourhood first' policy.Click here to read... [4]

Myanmar panel: Security forces likely committed war crimes
Published: The Indian Express

21 Jan 2020

An independent commission established by Myanmar’s government has concluded there are reasons to believe that security forces committed war crimes in counterinsurgency operations that led more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.

However, the commission, headed by a Philippine diplomat, said in a report given Monday to President Win Myint that there is no evidence supporting charges that genocide was planned or carried out against the Rohingya.Click here to read... [5]

Thousands missing since end of war 'dead', most of them taken by LTTE: Lankan President
Published: The New Indian Express

21 Jan 2020

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has admitted that thousands of people missing since the end of the civil war between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels over a decade ago are "dead". The President said this during a meeting with UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer last week.

Rajapaksa, the former wartime defence secretary who played a key role in ending Sri Lanka's nearly 30-year civil war with the Tamil rebels, said after the necessary investigations are completed steps would be taken to issue death certificates to these missing persons, the Colombo Gazette reported.

Click here to read... [6]