<ul><li>The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> of India has decided to suspend the implementation of India’s three new farm laws until further notice. </li><li><keyword id="45053" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-Justice-of-India">Chief Justice of India</keyword> <keyword id="2193113" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="SA-Bobde">SA Bobde</keyword> instructed the formation of a four-member committee — all of whom are pro-reform — to bridge the divide between the government and the protestors.</li><li>The hearing will resume on January 18.</li></ul>The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bodbe has hit pause on India’s new farm laws. "We are going to suspend the implementation of the three farm laws until further orders", he said. The apex court has also stepped in to resolve the deadlock between farmers unions and the government by constituting a committee of agricultural economists and experts. However, all four members — Ashok Gulati, PK Joshi, Bhupinder Singh Mann and Anil Ghanwat— are pro-reform. None are a part of the farmer groups who want the laws repealed entirely. <div type="twitter" handle="barandbench" handlename="Bar &amp; Bench" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1304761912068984833/5-qPfQOb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="102" retweetcount="38" status="Supreme Court stays the implementation of Three Farm Legislations#SupremeCourt #FarmersProtests #FarmLaws https://t.co/qoq9sWkud5" createdat="1610439109000" id="1348905510175531008"></div> “We are forming a committee so that we have a clearer picture. We don't want to hear arguments that farmers will not go to the committee. We are looking to solve the problem," the Chief Justice said. A stay on the new farm laws means that while the laws have not been repealed, the government cannot forcefully implement them until further notice. Members of the <keyword id="10583038" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="farm-laws-committee">farm laws committee</keyword> Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati has been a vocal supporter of deregulating agricultural markets. “I’ve been asking for this for 20 years,” he told Business Insider in an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/ashok-gulati-interview-on-essential-commodities-act-and-apmc-changes/articleshow/75760364.cms">earlier interview.</a> <div type="image" title="ashokgulati_edited" msid="80233351" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Agricultural expert and former director of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) PK Joshi too is another propagator of the new farm laws. His published articles praise the government’s efforts to assuage the farmer’s concerns. “Scrapping the three farm laws will be disastrous for the entire agricultural sector, more so for the farmers,” he wrote in one the editorials published in the <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/need-to-think-beyond-minimum-support-prices/2167394/">Financial Express</a> <div type="image" title="pk joshi" msid="80233394" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Agricultural expert and former director of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) PK Joshi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The two farm union members — National President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Bhupinder Singh Mann and President of the Shetkari Sanghatana Anil Ghanwat — are part of the pro-reform farm groups. In mid-December, the two met with Agriculture Minister NS Tomar and <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pro-reforms-farm-groups-seek-implementation-of-new-laws-with-amendments/article33327886.ece">called for</a> the implementation of the laws after bringing certain amendments to satisfy the protesters. <div type="image" title="VS 2021 (1)" msid="80233488" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;National President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Bhupinder Singh Mann (L) and President of the Shetkari Sanghatana Anil Ghanwat (R)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="80211336" title="‘You tell us whether government is going to put on hold farm laws or we will do this,’ Supreme Court tells Centre" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> India’s three new farm laws: <ol><li>Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agree of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020</li><li>Farmers Produce Trade &amp; Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act</li><li>Amendment to the Essential Commodities Act</li></ol>In addition to the farmers’ objections to the new laws, it was also contended that the laws are unconstitutional. They were passed at the height of the pandemic at a time when the opposition had boycotted the Monsoon Session of Parliament and requests for a recorded vote — instead of a voice vote — were ignored. Attorney General KK Venugopal added allegations that Khalistani’s have infiltrated the protests. “If there is an infiltration by a banned organization, and somebody is making an allegation here on record, you have to confirm it. You file an affidavit by tomorrow,” Bodbe told Venugopal. The hearing will resume on January 18. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indian-army-remains-on-high-alert-in-eastern-ladakh-as-deadlock-with-china-drags-on/articleshow/80228816.cms">Indian Army remains on high alert in Eastern Ladakh as deadlock with China drags on</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-says-your-privacy-wont-be-affected-if-you-dont-use-these-features/articleshow/80225748.cms">WhatsApp says your privacy won't be affected if you don't use these two optional features</a>

All four members on the panel appointed by the Supreme Court have openly supported the farm laws in recent days

<ul><li>The annual <keyword id="2426742" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Malabar-exercise">Malabar Exercise</keyword> kicks off today with Australia as a permanent member. </li><li>This is the first time that all four <keyword id="887681" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quad">QUAD</keyword> members — the US, Australia, India and Japan — are participating in the Malabar Exercise together in over a decade. </li><li>The timing of their cooperation is significant with China’s growing assertiveness in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and, of course, Eastern Ladakh.</li></ul>India, the US, Japan, and Australia haven’t had their navies alongside each other for over a decade. Today, they kick off the first phase of the annual Malabar Exercise in the Bay of Bengal. The last time around, in 2007, Singapore was also among their ranks for the first-ever Malabar Exercise conducted outside of the Indian off the Japanese island of Okinawa. The event was a ‘test drive’ for how QUAD could coordinate on the open seas. While the partnership between India and the US remained strong — Australia withdrew in 2008 after a slew of diplomatic protests from China and India’s narrative under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that year to prioritise the India-China relationship. The QUAD was also on a nearly decade-long hiatus. In 2020, that is no longer the case. Japan became a permanent member of the Malabar Exercise in 2015. And this year, Australia also accepted India’s invitation to join in with its Royal Australian Navy (RAN). <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Navy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ships participating in the Malabar Exercise </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Royal Australian Navy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">HMAS Ballarat </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">US Maritime Forces </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">USS John S McCain </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indian Navy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Shakti, Ranvijay, Shivalik, Sindhuraj </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Japan Maritime Self Defence Force </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">JS Onami </td></tr></tbody></table> <div type="image" title="malabar 2017_edited" msid="79018793" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;US and Japanese (R) Navy ships are pictured docked at a harbour during the inauguration of joint naval exercises with India in Chennai on 10 July 2017&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The significance of the Malabar Exercise The coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing conflict along the border with China only served as more incentive for India to make the QUAD work. The members have refrained from referring to China directly and claim the organisation’s goal is to work towards a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’. <div type="image" title="quad malabar." msid="79018706" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sships of the Indian Navy and U.S. Navy sail in formation in the Bay of Bengal during the Malabar Exercise 2017 between India, Japan and the US&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Even at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministerial Summit, the countries were careful not to name China but insist that the QUAD has a positive agenda based on shared interests and democratic values. However, this is the first year that all four member countries of the QUAD, or the Asian NATO, are ‘officially’ participating in the Malabar Exercise. The solidification of the alliance between them is a strong signal to China who has been asserting itself in the straits of Taiwan, South China Sea, Hong Kong and, of course, Eastern Ladakh. On its part, China has made it clear that it's not particularly comfortable with the Malabar Exercise. “We hope relevant countries’ military operations will be conducive to regional peace and stability, instead of the contrary,” said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during the regular press conference in Beijing on Tuesday. The 2020 Malabar Exercise The 2020 Malabar Exercise makes its 24th iteration. Alongside the Indian Navy, the RAN, and Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Force (MJSDF), the US will be sending its Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain. “It is fitting to see our Navies operate in a high end, tactically relevant exercise like Malabar. It is another opportunity to further strengthen our combined capabilities and enhance our partnerships," said <a href="https://t.co/YEqTr6tyT0?amp=1">Captain Steven DeMoss</a>, commodore of the US Destroyer Squadron Fifteen in a statement. This year’s exercise at sea includes a variety of high-end tactical training aimed at specific interactions designed to enhance interoperability between the navies of the four counties. The Indian Navy’s participation will be led by Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan. Along with its ships, India will also be sending its submarine dubbed Sindhuraj and many aircraft, including the advanced jet trainer Hawk, martin patrol aircraft Dornier, and the long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I. Once the first phase of the Malabar Exercise is complete on November 6, the second phase is scheduled for mid-November in the Arabian Sea. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-and-others-to-see-more-freshers-than-lateral-hires-in-the-next-six-months/articleshow/79014794.cms">TCS, Infosys, HCL Tech, and others to see more freshers than lateral hires in the next six months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/prajakta-koli-aka-mostlysane-advice-for-content-creators-on-the-fine-line-between-brand-collaborations-and-staying-honest-on-social-media/articleshow/79013162.cms">Prajakta Koli aka MostlySane’s advice for content creators on the fine line between brand collaborations and staying honest on social media</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/flipkart-acquires-gaming-startup-mech-mocha-as-it-looks-to-tap-the-social-gaming-space-for-more-consumers/articleshow/79014466.cms">Flipkart acquires gaming startup Mech Mocha as it looks to tap the social gaming space for more consumers</a>

Malabar Exercise kicks off today with the QUAD countries reuniting after over a decade

New Delhi, In what could finally end the fortnight-long deadlock between <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> and the Indian government, the micro-blogging platform has either withheld or suspended at least 90-95 per cent <keyword id="6374937" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="accounts">accounts</keyword> as directed by the IT Ministry in two <keyword id="10754859" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="separate-notices">separate notices</keyword>, government sources confirmed on Friday. Among those whose accounts have been withheld include Sukhram Singh Yadav, a Rajya Sabha member and Samajwadi Party leader, and several politicians from the <keyword id="6354944" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="aam-aadmi-party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> (AAP) and the Congress. "@MPSukhram's account has been withheld in <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> in response to a legal demand," is the message posted on his account to users who access the page from India. This account, however, can be accessed from outside of the country. The company, facing penal action if does not comply with the directions given by the IT Ministry in three notices to block nearly 1,435 accounts in the wake of the farmers' protests, had earlier said that it withheld a portion of the accounts identified in the blocking orders under its 'Country Withheld Content' policy within India only. The company earlier said that it took a range of <keyword id="6641634" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="enforcement-actions">enforcement actions</keyword>, including permanent suspension in certain cases, against more than 500 accounts escalated across orders from the Indian government for clear violations of its rules. According to government sources, Twitter has almost complied with the IT Ministry's orders. Some of the accounts that have been withheld belong to Anand Singh, member of Aam Aadmi Party (account deleted); @AdilKhanINC (account deleted); Anjana Om Modi (account withheld in India); Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) (Ugrahan) (account withheld in India); CP Gurjar, Member of Congress in Rajasthan (account and his tweet withheld in India); @indijaswal, Canada-based user with over 40,000 followers (account withheld in India), and several others. India had sought action against 1,435 accounts in two separate notices. The details of the accounts in question have not been made public yet. Twitter had said that it did not believe that the actions it has been directed to take by the IT Ministry are consistent with the Indian law. "In keeping with our principles of defending protected speech and freedom of expression, we have not taken any action on accounts that consist of news media entities, journalists, activists and politicians. To do so, we believe, would violate their fundamental right to free expression under Indian law," the micro-blogging platform had said in its blog post earlier this week. Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad replied in Rajya Sabha on Thursday: "There is freedom of speech but Article 19A says that it is subject to reasonable restrictions." SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/comparison-between-realme-x7-pro-5g-and-xiaomi-mi-10i-mobile-phones-with-price-and-specifications/articleshow/80873224.cms">Realme X7 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 10i – best mid-range device under ₹30,000 in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-say-india-and-china-both-need-to-show-their-voters-that-they-won-in-ladakh-for-the-disengagement-to-be-successful/articleshow/80876036.cms">Experts say India and China both need to show their voters that they won in Ladakh⁠ for the disengagement to be successful</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/why-grofers-may-allow-an-american-blank-cheque-firm-to-buy-it-out-instead-of-fighting-ambani-and-bigbasket-for-ipo/articleshow/80874979.cms">Here’s why Grofers may allow an American “blank cheque” firm to buy it out instead of fighting Ambani and BigBasket for IPO</a>

Twitter suspends 90-95% of accounts listed by Indian government

New Delhi, Jun 18 () As the telecom department gears up to ask private telcos to gradually lower their dependence on Chinese equipment, industry body COAI on Thursday said geopolitical issues are the under the purview of the government and should be kept separate from corporate decisions. Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) -- whose members include private telcos such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea -- further said that so far, the government had not mandated exclusion of any vendors' equipment from private operator networks. When government makes laws, companies are "duty-bound" to comply with them, it said. "Geopolitical issues are the provenance of the government and such decisions are distinct; and should ideally be kept separate from commercial decisions which are the provenance of companies," COAI Director General, Rajan Mathews told . As such, companies are driven in their decisions by the interest of provisioning the best possible service to their customers and to take care of the interest of their stakeholders, he said. In a hardening of stance in the backdrop of tensions at the Indo-China border, the government has decided to ask state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) not to use Chinese telecom gear in its 4G upgradation, which is being supported as part of the company revival package, according to sources. The development comes at a time when Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in a standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. The standoff has stirred anti-China sentiments in India, with protesters and some trade bodies like Confederation of All India Traders calling for a boycott of Chinese products in protest to border standoff. Sources privy to discussions being held in Department of Telecom said it has been decided that BSNL will be asked not to use Chinese equipment in upgradation to 4G network, which is being supported by its revival package. The department is likely to seek tweaking of the tender in this regard. A similar message will be conveyed to Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), sources said. Moreover, the department is even considering measures to urge private telecom operators to bring down their dependence on Chinese-made telecom equipment. "When government makes laws, then companies are duty-bound to adhere to them. To date, government had not mandated the exclusion of any vendors equipment from private operator's networks," COAI's Mathews said. Amid the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley, hashtags like "HindiCheeniByeBye" and "BharatVsChina" were trending on Twitter. Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese handset maker Oppo cancelled the livestream launch of its flagship 5G smartphone in the country amid protests calling for the boycott of Chinese products in various parts of the country. Oppo, which ranks among the top five smartphone vendors in India, had said it will livestream the launch of its Find X2 smartphone via YouTube. However, the livestream was cancelled later on, and the company instead uploaded a pre-recorded video. Notably, four of the five top smartphone brands in India (Xiaomi, Vivo, Realme and Oppo) are from China and accounted for almost 76 per cent share of smartphones shipped in India in the quarter ended March 2020. South Korea's Samsung, which ranked third and cornered 15.6 per cent share of shipment in the said quarter is the only non-Chinese firm in the top five tally. MBI ANS ANS

Corporate decisions separate from geopolitical issues, says COAI amid India-China standoff

<ul><li>Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> said that there have been no foreign incursions into India. </li><li>China has staked claim over <keyword id="9241086" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Galwan-Valley">Galwan Valley</keyword> pointing the finger at India for unilaterally developing its infrastructure in border areas.</li><li>In order to ease the situation, China and India have stayed in close communication through military and diplomatic channels, according to China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian.</li></ul>After Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there are no foreign incursions into India, China has once again claimed that Galwan valley of Ladakh union territory is located on the Chinese side of <keyword id="9262087" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-line-of-actual-control">the Line of Actual Control</keyword> (LAC). <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76462632" title="China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> In an official statement on the step-by-step account of the Galwan face-off where 20 Indian soldiers were killed, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian has said the Galwan valley is located on the Chinese side of the LAC in the west section of the China-India boundary. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76457856" title="China reportedly released 10 Indian soldiers from its custody after the clash in Galwan Valley" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> "For many years, the Chinese border troops have been patrolling and on duty in this region," Zhao said alleging that since April this year, the Indian border troops have unilaterally and continuously built roads, bridges and other facilities at the LAC in the Galwan Valley. China has lodged representations and protests on multiple occasions but India has gone even further to cross the LAC and make provocations, Zhao said. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76438507" title="The next few days are going to be stormy for India and China say a former diplomat and retired lieutenant general" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> By the early morning of May 6, the Indian border troops, who had crossed the LAC by night and trespassed into China's territory, built fortification and barricades, which impeded the patrol of Chinese border troops, Zhao said adding that they deliberately made provocations in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of control and management. The Chinese border troops, he said, were "forced to take necessary measures to respond to the situation on the ground and strengthen management and control in the border areas." In order to ease the situation, China and India have stayed in close communication through military and diplomatic channels, he said. "In response to the strong demand of the Chinese side, India agreed to withdraw the personnel who crossed the LAC and demolish the facilities, and so they did. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76444767" title="Talking through the hat⁠ — the bizarre change in the tone of Chinese media" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> On June 6, the border troops of both countries held a commander-level meeting and reached consensus on easing the situation. The Indian side, he said, promised that they would not cross the estuary of the Galwan river to patrol and build facilities and the two sides would discuss and decide phased withdrawal of troops through the meetings between commanders on the ground. "Shockingly, on the evening of June 15, India's front-line troops, in violation of the agreement reached at the commander-level meeting, once again crossed the Line of Actual Control for deliberate provocation when the situation in the Galwan Valley was already easing, and even violently attacked the Chinese officers and soldiers who went there for negotiation, thus triggering fierce physical conflicts and causing casualties." <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76128454" title="India and China are testing each other at the Ladakh border— but it won’t be another war like in 1962, according to experts" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> "The adventurous acts of the Indian army have seriously undermined the stability of the border areas, threatened the lives of Chinese personnel, violated the agreements reached between the two countries on the border issue, and breached the basic norms governing international relations," the spokesperson said. Beijing, he said, hopes that India will work with China, follow faithfully the important consensus reached between the two leaders, abide by the agreements reached between the two governments, and strengthen communication and coordination on properly managing the current situation through diplomatic and military channels, and jointly uphold peace and stability in the border areas. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-believe-that-the-india-china-border-dispute-is-unlikely-to-turn-into-another-war-like-the-one-in-1962/articleshow/76128454.cms">India and China are testing each other at the Ladakh border— but it won’t be another war like in 1962, according to experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/the-fear-of-china-has-put-the-global-spotlight-on-india-its-raked-up-three-comprehensive-strategic-partnerships-in-the-last-24-months/slidelist/76258833.cms">The fear of China has put the global spotlight on India ⁠⁠— its raked up three Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships in the last 24 months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat</a>

After Modi says no incursions, China claims Galwan valley

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper will arrive here on October 26 for the third edition of the two-plus-two <keyword id="3097277" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministerial-Dialogue">ministerial dialogue</keyword> which is taking place just a week ahead of the American presidential election and in the midst of India's festering border row with China. The two-plus-two dialogue will be held on Tuesday. The Indian side at the talks will be represented by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. A host of crucial bilateral, regional and global issues including China's efforts to expand influence in the Indo-Pacific region as well as its aggressive behaviour in eastern Ladakh is likely to figure in the talks. In the last few months, the US has been ramping up attack on China over a range of contentious issues including the border row with India, its military assertiveness in <keyword id="9256875" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-south-china-sea">the South China Sea</keyword> and the way Beijing handled the anti-government protests in Hong Kong. Last week, <keyword id="193522" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="External-Affairs-Ministry">External Affairs Ministry</keyword> Spokesperson <keyword id="916281" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anurag-Srivastava">Anurag Srivastava</keyword> said the talks will entail a comprehensive discussion on cross-cutting bilateral issues as well as deliberations on regional and global developments. Pompeo and Esper will have bilateral meetings with their Indian counterparts as well. They are also scheduled to make a joint call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Officials said US Secretary of Defence Esper will be given a tri-services guard of honour at the lawns of South Block in <keyword id="10169121" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-raisina-hills">the Raisina Hills</keyword> on Monday afternoon. It is expected that the two sides may finalise the long-pending BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The BECA will provide for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries. The Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the last few years. In June 2016, the US had designated India a "Major Defence Partner" intending to elevate defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners. The two countries inked the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies as well as provides for deeper cooperation. The two countries signed another pact called COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 that provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for sale of high end technology from the US to India. The first edition of the two-plus-two dialogue was held in Delhi in September 2018 after the mechanism was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword>. The second edition of the dialogue took place in Washington in December last year. The new framework of the ministerial dialogue was initiated in order to provide a forward-looking vision for the strategic partnership between the two countries. MPB RT

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper to arrive in India today

<ul><li>US Representative Eliot L. Engel believes that the ongoing border dispute between India and China is just another example of the former’s will to bully its neighbours. </li><li>After US President Donald Trump’s pitch to help mediate, Engel has expressed concern about the ‘ongoing Chinese aggression’. </li><li>However, both India and China, have made it clear that while they stand firm — they will resolve the dispute through bilateral means. </li></ul>US Representative Eliot L. Engel, chairman of the house committee on foreign affairs, released a statement to press on the India-China border dispute. “China is demonstrating once again that it is willing to bully its neighbours rather than resolve conflicts according to international law,” he said. Expressing concern about the “<a href="https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/2020/6/engel-statement-on-chinese-aggression-along-india-china-border">ongoing Chinese aggression</a>” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh where the India-China country boundaries are not demarcated, Engel said, “Countries must all abide by the same set of rules so that we don’t live in a world where ‘might make right’.” <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76128454" title="India and China are testing each other at the Ladakh border— but it won’t be another war like in 1962, according to experts" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The tensions between India and China along the LAC aren’t uncommon. However, this is the first time the two countries have been face-to-face along the border for this long — over 25 days — since the Dokhlam standoff in 2017 that extended for 73 days. India stands firm “It is true that on the ground, we are firm, we are taking a firm ground posturing but we are proactively engaged with the Chinese leadership diplomatically,” said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav during an interview with BBC. However, sources told the <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-china-border-lac-dispute-ram-madhav-6438077/">Indian Express</a>, that talks at military level at yet to yield results. “But talks are on at the diplomatic level with the Chinese in Beijing and we are hopeful that some solution will be found there,” he said. Both India and China have been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-dispute-beijing-sends-more-troops/articleshow/76060995.cms">building up troops</a> on either side of the border along with artillery guns and armoured vehicles. At the time of Dokhlam, it took 13 rounds of diplomatic talks to settle the border dispute. Experts believe the recent rise in tensions could just be a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-believe-that-the-india-china-border-dispute-is-unlikely-to-turn-into-another-war-like-the-one-in-1962/articleshow/76128454.cms">largest shift in China’s foreign policy</a> — and a way for them to distract of issues back home with Hong Kong and Taiwan. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76085340" title="India says there are five treaties to push the Chinese army behind the Line of Actual Control⁠ — while experts tell Modi to remain cautious" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> China’s new security laws for Hong Kong led to the country banning the Tiananmen Vigil for the first time to challenge the ongoing protests on the ground. The prohibition order was reportedly issued by the Hong Kong police force, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/world/asia/Hong-kong-Tiananmen-vigil-banned.html">NYT</a>. No thank you, Trump Engel’s comments come after US President Donald Trump offered to mediate on the ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/donald-trump-offers-to-mediate-india-china-border-dispute/articleshow/76037792.cms">raging</a>’ border dispute between the two countries. However, China’s spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, and India’s defence minister, Rajnath Singh, believe the intervention is unnecessary. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76037792" title="Donald Trump offers to mediate the ‘raging’ border dispute between India and China" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Singh disclosed that he had a telephonic conversation with his US counterpart Mark Esper last week on Friday, May 29. “I told him [Esper] that India and China already had a mechanism that if there is any problem between the two countries, it is resolved by military and diplomatic dialogue. That mechanism is in place and the dialogue is on,” he said. He added that, for now, both India and China have declined US’ offer of help. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76084815" title="Last conversation between Modi and Trump was about hydroxychloroquine not India-China border dispute, clarify government sources" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> “Between China and India, there are unimpeded channels for border-related communication in diplomatic and military fields. We believe the issues can be properly resolved after bilateral negotiations and consultations,” Lijian told the press yesterday, June 1. “We are fully capable of properly resolving any issue between us through dialogue and consultation. There is no need for a third party to intervene,” he added addressing Trump’s offer to mediate. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-believe-that-the-india-china-border-dispute-is-unlikely-to-turn-into-another-war-like-the-one-in-1962/articleshow/76128454.cms">India and China are testing each other at the Ladakh border— but it won’t be another war like in 1962, according to experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/remove-china-apps-races-to-1-million-downloads-within-two-weeks-as-anti-china-sentiment-gains-momentum/articleshow/76128369.cms">‘Remove China Apps’ races to 1 million downloads within two weeks as anti-China sentiment gains momentum</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/five-treaties-to-address-india-china-border-issue-experts-warn-modi-to-remain-cautious/articleshow/76085340.cms">India says there are five treaties to push the Chinese army behind the Line of Actual Control⁠ — while experts tell Modi to remain cautious</a>

China is a ‘bully’ says US Representative on India-China border issue

The US on Friday criticised the Chinese Army for "escalating" the border tension with India and described the ruling Chinese Communist Party as a "rogue actor." Launching a scathing attack on the Chinese government, <keyword id="52233" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-secretary-of-state">US Secretary of State</keyword> <keyword id="3109665" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mike-Pompeo">Mike Pompeo</keyword> said the Chinese Communist Party wants to undo all the progress the free world has made through institutions like NATO and adopt a new set of rules and norms that accommodate Beijing. "The PLA (People's Liberation Army) has escalated border tensions with India, the world's most populous democracy. It's militarising the South China Sea and illegally claiming more territory there, threatening vital sea lanes," Pompeo said, a day after he expressed deep condolences to India on the death of 20 soldiers in violent clashes with Chinese troops at <keyword id="9241086" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Galwan-Valley">Galwan Valley</keyword> in Ladakh early in the week. In his virtual address on "Europe and the China Challenge" during the 2020 Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday, the top American diplomat said that for many years, the West, in an era of hope, believed they could change the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and improve the lives of the Chinese people along the way. "Along the way, the CCP took advantage of our goodwill while assuring us they wanted a cooperative relationship. As (former Chinese politician) Deng Xiaoping said 'Hide your strength, bide your time.' I've talked in other venues about why this happened. It's a complicated story. It's no one's fault," Pompeo said. Over decades, European and American companies have invested in China with great optimism. It outsourced supply chains to places like Shenzhen, opened education institutions for PLA-affiliated students and welcomed Chinese state-backed investment in their countries, he said. But the CPC decreed an end to freedom in Hong Kong, violating an UN-registered treaty and the rights of its citizens. This is one of many international treaties the party has violated, the secretary said. "General Secretary Xi Jinping has greenlighted a brutal campaign of repression against Chinese Muslims, a human rights violation on a scale we haven't seen since World War II. Now, the PLA has escalated border tensions with India," he said. The clash in Galwan Valley is the biggest confrontation between the two militaries after their 1967 clashes in Nathu La when India lost around 80 soldiers while the death toll on the Chinese side was over 300. The Chinese soldiers used stones, nail-studded sticks, iron rods and clubs in carrying out brutal attacks on Indian soldiers after they protested the erection of a surveillance post by China on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Galwan. "The CCP isn't just a rogue actor in its own neighbourhood. It lied about the coronavirus and let it spread to the rest of the world, while pressuring the WHO to assist its cover-up campaign. Hundreds of thousands of people have died, and the global economy has been decimated," Pompeo said. Even now, months into the pandemic, China has not provided access to live virus samples, facilities, or information about patients in December in Wuhan, he said. China is pushing disinformation and malicious cyber campaigns to undermine governments and to drive a wedge between the US and Europe, Pompeo alleged. "It's saddling developing nations with debt and dependency. It's strong-arming nations to do business with Huawei, an arm of the CCP's surveillance state. It's flagrantly attacking European sovereignty by buying up ports and critical infrastructure from Piraeus to Valencia," said the top American diplomat. "We must take off the golden blinders of economic ties and see that the China challenge isn't just at the gates; it's in every capital. Every investment from a Chinese state-owned enterprise should be viewed with suspicion," he said. "Europe faces a China challenge, just as the United States does, and just as our South American, African, Middle Eastern, and Asian friends do. As I said earlier this week to my EU counterparts, I know there's fear in Europe that the United States wants you to choose between us and China," he said. "It's the Chinese Communist Party that's forcing the choice. The party wants you to throw away the progress we in the free world have made, through NATO and other institutions – formal and informal – and adopt a new set of rules and norms that accommodate Beijing," Pompeo said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-believe-that-the-india-china-border-dispute-is-unlikely-to-turn-into-another-war-like-the-one-in-1962/articleshow/76128454.cms">India and China are testing each other at the Ladakh border— but it won’t be another war like in 1962, according to experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/the-fear-of-china-has-put-the-global-spotlight-on-india-its-raked-up-three-comprehensive-strategic-partnerships-in-the-last-24-months/slidelist/76258833.cms">The fear of China has put the global spotlight on India ⁠⁠— its raked up three Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships in the last 24 months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat</a>

US Secretary of State tears into 'rogue actor' China for 'escalating' border tension with India

<ul><li>India's Narendra Modi government has made a historic move to annul Constitutional provisions that confer Jammu and Kashmir a 'special' status that allows it to make its own laws and ward off 'outsiders.</li><li>India's Home Minister Amit Shah declared in the Parliament today that Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution will be abrogated.</li><li>The government also informed the Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be split into two Union Territories, which will be the entire region directly under the Centre's rule.</li><li>Ahead of this announcement, Section 144 was imposed in Kashmir valley-- internet services have been suspended, political leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been placed under house arrest-- to prevent any backlash.</li></ul> The Narendra Modi government is keen to create history by putting an end to provisions in the Indian Constitution that confer a special status to state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the centre of a conflict with Pakistan as well as a hotbed for separatists in the region. The government's overpowering majority in the Indian Parliament as well as the fact that the state is under President's rule for now, help Modi get his way. India's Home Minister Amit Shah declared in Parliament that Article 35A and Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that give special status given to Kashmir -- and rights to make its own laws-- will be abrogated. "The entire constitution will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir state,” Shah said. In a subsequent order, India’s president approved the government’s changes. He also proposed splitting the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir being one and Ladakh being the other-- bringing the entire region under New Delhi's direct rule and administration. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Shah's declaration was faced with an uproar from the opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad argued that Article 370 has been a crucial factor in keeping Jammu and Kashmir united with India since its independence in 1947. Shah responded saying that Azad's argument was a lie perpetuated by the Congress for decades and Article 370 only managed to isolate Kashmiris from the rest of India. What it means India's first Prime Minsiter Jawaharlal Nehru and Kashmiri icon Sheikh Abdullah agreed to a 'special' status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir to protect the land rights of the 'permanent citizens'. Article 35A prohibits 'outsiders' from owning property, getting government jobs and scholarship, and from settling in the state. The Article, also called the Permanent Residents Law, also prohibits women from inheriting property if they marry someone from outside the state. Apart from the autonomy, Article 370 -- which makes Artice 35A possible-- allows the state to make its own law and also makes it compulsory for the state assembly to agree to any move proposed by the central government in New Delhi. However, as of now, the state is under President's rule and there is no need for consent from the state assembly. Those against the 'special' status given to Jammu and Kashmir argue that Article 370 was a 'temporary' provision but the courts, including the Supreme Court, have held that it is a permanent part of the Constitution, in a judgement as recent as 2018. However, Parliamentarians from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argued in the Parliament the it is indeed a temporary provision, which must be abolished now. So this move by the Narendra Modi government is expected to land in litigation as well draw some international attention. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 It is also claimed by many experts that Article 35A stems from the powers conferred upon the President under Article 370 of the Constitution, and therefore one cannot be annulled without the other. The deletion of Article 370 will automatically render Article 35A null and void. Two Parliamentarians tore up copies of the Constitution in protest of the move to abrogate Article 370 and 35A. Both of them were forced out of the house by the Speaker of Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu, the country's Vice President. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/section-144-in-kashmir-latest-news-developments/articleshow/70529285.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">All that's happened in Kashmir over the last 72 hours – from movement of troops to suspension of internet to political leaders under house arrest</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/jammu-and-kashmir-and-ladakh-will-now-be-two-separate-union-territories/articleshow/70531866.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will now be two separate Union Territories</a>

Article 370 and Article 35A which give Kashmir a special status will be annulled, Amit Shah tells Indian Parliament

India, the US, Japan and Australia on Tuesday agreed to step up coordination in creating a free and open Indo-Pacific, amidst China''s growing assertiveness in the strategically vital region. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, External Affairs Minister <keyword id="491850" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="S-Jaishankar">S Jaishankar</keyword>, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne affirmed strengthening of a free, open and rules-based international order, the Japanese government said in a statement issued after a meeting in Tokyo. The four major Indo-Pacific democracies, collectively known as the Quad, vowed to coordinate in ensuring peace and stability of the region, Kyodo news agency quoted the statement as saying. The in-person meeting of the foreign ministers of the ''Quad'' hosted by Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi took place in the backdrop of China''s aggressive military behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, South China Sea and along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Addressing the 2nd Quad ministerial meeting, Prime Minister Suga said a free and open Indo-Pacific is "widely recognised by the international community as a vision of peace and prosperity of this region," and that his government''s basic policy is to "further continue advancing our members to this end." Suga, who assumed the premiership last month, underscored the need to deepen quadrilateral ties, particularly as the novel coronavirus has spread globally. "The international community is facing multiple and various challenges. This is exactly why right now is the time that we must further deepen our coordination with as many countries as possible that share our vision," he said. In his opening remarks, Jaishankar said that as vibrant and pluralistic democracies with shared values, the four nations have collectively affirmed the importance of maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. "We remain committed to upholding the rules-based international order, underpinned by the rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation in the international seas, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty and peaceful resolution of disputes," he said, amidst growing global concern over China''s expansionist behaviour. "Our objective remains advancing the security and the economic interests of all countries having legitimate and vital interests in the region," Jaishankar said. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. Beijing has also made substantial progress in militarising its man-made islands in the past few years. Beijing claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. But Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. In the East China Sea, China has territorial disputes with Japan. The South China Sea and the East China Sea are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. They are also vital to global trade. Although the US lays no claims to the disputed waters, it has challenged China''s growing territorial claims in the South China Sea by deploying warships and fighter jets to assert freedom of navigation and overflight patrols in the strategically vital region. Meanwhile, Japan has lodged a protest against China''s creation of a digital museum laying out its claims to a group of Japan-controlled islets in the East China Sea, the government''s top spokesman said on Monday. "The Senkaku Islands have been recognised historically and under international law as an inherent part of Japan''s territory and we maintain effective control over them," Kyodo news agency quoted Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato as saying at a press conference. China is "not in a position" to create such a website regarding the islets, Kato said, adding that Japan has demanded through diplomatic channels that it be taken down. The dispute over ownership of the uninhabited islets, which China calls Diaoyu, has often strained Japan-China relations. China frequently sends coast guard or government ships to nearby waters in a bid to push its claims to them, the report said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/malware-infiltrates-the-defenses-of-common-antivirus-softwares-like-mcafee-kaspersky-symantec-and-others/articleshow/78515377.cms">Malware infiltrates the defenses of common antivirus softwares like McAfee, Kaspersky, Symantec and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/andrea-ghez-is-the-fourth-woman-to-win-the-nobel-prize-for-physics/articleshow/78514164.cms">Andrea Ghez is the fourth woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics — found the first signs of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-expected-to-post-higher-revenue-and-margins-led-by-a-streak-of-deal-wins-over-the-last-three-months/articleshow/78511834.cms">TCS expected to post higher revenue and margins led by a streak of deal wins over the last three months</a>

India and fellow QUAD countries agree to step up coordination in Indo-Pacific amid China's growing assertiveness in South China Sea

<ul><li><keyword id="12266" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nepal">Nepal</keyword>'s National Assembly unanimously passed the Constitution Amendment Bill to update the country's map incorporating Indian territories on June 18. </li><li>Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states — Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. </li><li>The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under fresh strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80 km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.</li></ul>Nepal's National Assembly unanimously passed the Constitution Amendment Bill to update the country's map incorporating Indian territories on June 18 deepening the divide between the two countries. India rejected the map — which includes parts of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani areas in the northwest — saying that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claim is untenable. <div type="image" title="nepalmap_edited" msid="76442244" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Areas marked in yellow highlight the disputed regions between India and Nepal&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states — Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In sync with the unique ties of friendship, the two countries have a long tradition of free movement of people across the border The move came two days after India and China engaged in a “violent clash” at Galwan Valley in Ladakh — which killed 20 Indian soldiers. “They have coordinated with Pakistan and Nepal to create embarrassment for India,” former diplomat and a distinguished fellow with Mumbai-based thinktank Gateway House, Rajiv Bhatia, told Business Insider. Rakesh Sood, who was Indian Ambassador to Nepal from 2008 to 2011, told PTI that India and China have allowed the relationship <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/nepalese-domestic-politics-indias-complacency-backing-by-china-drove-nepal-to-escalate-border-row-experts/articleshow/76382080.cms?from=mdr">to come to a "very very dangerous point."</a> He believes that India should have found time to engage with Kathmandu and pressed for talks on the issue since November. China was already helping Nepal reduce its dependence on India In 2015, Nepal’s new constitution did not address the demands of the Madhesis — an ethnic group living mainly in the southern plains of Nepal, close to the border with India. The plains of Madhesh cover 22 of Nepal’s 75 districts and are home to 50% of the country’s population. The land there is fertile and has a concentration of industries yet, the region feels discriminated against by Kathmandu. As a result, protests broke out and the Madhesi movement launched a blockade — instigated by India to force Nepal to amend its constitution — during KP Sharma Oli’s premiership in September 2015 which lasted till February last year. During the course of the blockade, more than 50 people were killed. The agitation also crippled Nepal's economy as supplies from India were blocked. In the absence of supplies from India, China stepped in. It invested heavily in helping the landlocked country layout new roads — including those which connect it to Tibet. The roads, in turn, helped Nepal import essential products like petroleum, which it was only importing from India before the blockade — reducing its dependence on its peninsular neighbour to its big brother in the north. China reportedly also has plans to lay a strategic railway network connecting Kathmandu and Shigatse in Tibet where it would join an existing railway line to Lhasa, Tibet's capital. It has offered Nepal four ports for shipment of goods as well to further reduce the import of materials from India. The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under fresh strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8. Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory. (With inputs from PTI) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/the-next-few-days-are-going-to-stormy-for-india-and-china-says-a-former-diplomat-and-retired-lieutenant-general/articleshow/76438507.cms">The next few days are going to be stormy for India and China say a former diplomat and retired lieutenant general</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/india-says-it-is-yet-to-pick-the-contractor-in-a-tender-where-a-chinese-company-was-the-lowest-bidder/articleshow/76438114.cms">India says it is yet to pick the contractor in a tender where a Chinese company was the lowest bidder</a>

Nepal's new map is eating into India to please China

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Simmering border tensions between <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> and <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> erupted into violence Monday night, resulting in casualties on both sides.</li><li>Initial reports from the Indian military said three soldiers were killed in the fight, but the death toll has since risen to at least 20, India's army said in a follow-up statement.</li><li>China said Indian troops crossed the border, prompting retaliation. India's army said its troops were killed in a "violent face-off" in a disputed border area.</li><li>China has apparently been building up its troop presence in the region. It showed off its border defenses earlier this month.</li></ul>A long-running border dispute between India and China in the <keyword id="52569" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="himalayas">Himalayas</keyword> erupted into violence on Monday evening, killing at least 20 members of India's military.The Indian army said in a statement on Tuesday that a "violent face-off" took place in the Galwan Valley in the Ladakh region."During the de-escalation process under way in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties on both sides," <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/india-says-officer-two-soldiers-killed-on-border-with-china.html">the Indian military said in an earlier statement</a>, according to Reuters. "The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation."Several hours after that statement came out, the Indian military updated the death toll.<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-china-updates-army-officer-2-soldiers-killed-in-violent-face-off-with-china-in-ladakh-2247070">The military said</a>: "17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the standoff location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20."No shots were fired during the border fight, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/india-says-officer-two-soldiers-killed-on-border-with-china.html">Indian government sources told Reuters</a>. Instead, Chinese and Indian troops attacked one another with rocks and metal bars. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53061476">The BBC</a> said local media reported that Indian soldiers were "beaten to death." This has not been confirmed by the military.The area where confrontation escalated into conflict is a disputed land border between the two countries, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/16/asia/china-india-border-clash-intl-hnk/">CNN reported</a>. India and China went to war over the border in the 1960s and never formally agreed on boundaries since, resulting in a standoff that has lasted decades.Zhao Lijian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Tuesday that Indian personnel crossed the border and attacked Chinese troops. Zhao did not say whether there were any injuries or fatalities."Indian troops seriously violated our consensus and twice crossed the border line for illegal activities and provoked and attacked Chinese personnel, which lead to serious physical conflict between the two sides," he said, according to CNN.Forces from both countries have been involved in a standoff in the region for weeks, <a href="https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-india-china/india-says-officer-two-soldiers-killed-in-violent-faceoff-on-border-with-china-idUKKBN23N0ZD">Reuters reported</a>. It is the latest in many standoffs over the course of the decades-long dispute over the border and the territory that both countries claim.Reuters reported that Monday saw the first casualties in the conflict in 53 years.India's army said the latest fighting took place during a "de-escalation process," adding that talks had taken place over the previous 10 days.<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/09/asia/india-china-ladakh-border-media-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN reported last week</a> that Chinese state media was showing footage of planes and trucks filled with troops operating in the region. China's state-run <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1190806.shtml">Global Times reported</a> on an operation earlier this month involving "thousands of paratroopers plus armored vehicles," saying experts said it showed "China's capability of quickly reinforcing border defenses when necessary."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Global Times (@globaltimesnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269567756287897601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>Zhao said in his Tuesday briefing China wanted peace in the region and that the countries were in talks."China has lodged strong protest and representation with the India side, and we once again we solemnly ask the India side to follow our consensus and strictly regulate its frontline troops and do not cross the line and do not stir up troubles or take unilateral moves that may complicate matters," he said."We both agreed to resolve this issue through dialogue and consolation and make efforts for easing the situation and upholding peace and tranquility in the border area."Update: This article has been updated to reflect the higher death toll for the Indian military.

At least 20 are dead after Indian and Chinese troops fought each other with rocks and metal rods in a violent border dispute

<ul><li>Facebook and Twitter have come under the scanner for how they regulate content on their platforms in India for two separate incidents in the past three months.</li><li>The threat to democracy lies in the grey area where freedom of speech ends and crosses over to ‘hate speech’ territory.</li><li>Lawyers told Business Insider that India’s IT (Amendment) Act, 2018, which has been pending for nearly two years now, is far from perfect.</li></ul>In India, Twitter and Facebook are facing two sides of the same coin. While one is under fire for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-removal-of-prashant-bhushan-tweets-opposed-by-internet-rights-body/articleshow/77667757.cms">removing content without being asked</a> to, the other is being asked why it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/facebook-row-escalates-as-bjp-leader-asks-for-shashi-tharoors-removal-from-parliamentary-panel/articleshow/77656021.cms">didn’t remove content</a> that was ‘hate speech’. The power which social networks have over democracies worldwide has come under global scrutiny, whether that’s in India, the US, Australia, or Brazil. The 2016 US election was only one example of how a social network, if manipulated, can influence the behaviour of people across an entire nation. <div type="image" title="mark zuckerberg congress" msid="78121719" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., United States on 10 April 2018 on how he is &amp;quot;responsible for&amp;quot; not preventing the social media platform from being used for harm, including fake news, foreign interference in elections and hate speech.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> At the center of it all is the content they peddle and what they choose to remove — the battle between freedom of speech and where it crosses the line to become ‘hate speech’. “Companies will be better off if they stop this narrative of how they have their own community standards. They can cite the law and explain why they removed a post,” Mishi Choudhary, an online civil liberties activist and the Legal Director of Software Freedom Law Center in New York, told Business Insider. <div type="image" title="jack dorsey rahul gandhi" msid="78121757" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jack Dorsey meets then Congress President Rahul Gandhi in November 2018&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> According to her, companies like Twitter and Facebook have ad-hoc policies that they change on their own or under the pressure of local governments. There is no standardisation. The solution proposed by India, which has been on the docket for nearly two years now, is the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2018. It no longer allows Facebook, Twitter or any other social network to operate as an ‘intermediary’. The inner workings of the IT (Amendment) Act, 2018 The first part of the IT (Amendment) Act, 2018, makes it mandatory for social media apps to trace the origin of content on their platforms — upon receiving a court order. It is an important aspect that has been clarified, according to lawyer Harsh Walia, a partner at Khaitan &amp; Co. “This specific provision may bring much respite to the social media companies as the term “actual knowledge” was a subject of debate/judicial interpretation so far,” he told Business Insider. The second part of the IT (Amendment) Act, 2018, is where content regulation comes in. If social networks are no longer ‘intermediaries’, they will be accountable for what is circulated on their platforms. They will be required to deploy technology or appropriate mechanisms to ‘proactively’ identify and remove access to unlawful content. This is what Twitter already did with <keyword id="6368850" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="prashant-bhushan">Prashant Bhushan</keyword>’s tweets — and why it could be a problem was highlighted in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-removal-of-prashant-bhushan-tweets-opposed-by-internet-rights-body/articleshow/77667757.cms">letter by the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)</a> sent to the social network protesting the move. “This biggest issue is that the term “unlawful” has a broad connotation and social media companies should not be expected to know the intricacies of all statutes to determine what may be lawful or unlawful,” explained lawyer Harsh Walia, a partner at Khaitan &amp; Co. What’s the alternative? One way to standardise the process by which content is regulated and reduce government influence is to have human rights law become the underlying framework. It would also take away the power from social networking platforms to decide what is and isn’t hate speech, according to Choudhary. “Human rights are agreed upon globally, and they also enable transparency. Social networks can cite the law and say why they removed a post. Mark Zuckerberg shouldn’t have to justify his actions — why should he have the power,” she said. The amendment also doesn’t spell out specific consequences — any kind of liability or punishment — for failing to adhere to the requirements. According to Walia, non-compliance with these obligations will lead to a situation where the safe harbor granted to these platforms will no longer be available to violators. “This could expose them to consequences stipulated in respect of the relevant content-related offenses,” he said. India takes center stage “The arguments and the level of scrutiny this time around is different because it’s the US election year. The Indian elections may not have mattered for social media platforms, but the 2016 election <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/a-republican-led-senate-panels-report-on-russian-election-meddling-threw-a-wrench-into-trumps-conspiracies-here-are-its-biggest-findings-/articleshow/77619881.cms">changed the conversation in a very big way</a>,” said Choudhary. The problems of how social networks are operating in India may have pulled it to the spotlight due to the upcoming US elections but India — as the world’s largest democracy — can poise itself as a leader, according to Choudhary. “India will have to rise above party lines. It will also have to consider that governments can’t actually pressurise companies to change their policies as and when they deem fit,” she said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/rajnath-singh-to-address-parliament-on-india-china-border-row-as-tensions-continue-to-simmer-in-ladakh/articleshow/78118498.cms">Rajnath Singh to address Parliament on India-China border row as tensions continue to simmer in Ladakh</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/snapdeal-says-it-has-just-tested-deliveries-using-robots-and-it-was-successful/articleshow/78120511.cms">Snapdeal says it has just tested deliveries using robots and it was successful</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ronnie-screwvala-explains-why-covid-edtech-boom-is-unlike-demonetisation-boost-for-digital-payments/articleshow/78119790.cms">Ronnie Screwvala explains why COVID edtech boom is unlike demonetisation boost for digital payments</a>

For Facebook and Twitter, the changes to India's IT (Amendment) Act is just what the doctor ordered — or not

<ul><li>High alert prevails in the Kashmir valley as India scrapped special status of Kashmir by revoking <keyword id="405091" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Article-370">Article 370</keyword> and Article 35A of constitution. </li><li>The upper house of the Parliament has passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019. </li><li>“You violated all rules and converted a state into a Union Territory overnight,” said Congress’ Adhir Ranjan in the Lok Sabha session. </li><li>The government is considering deploying nearly 400 more security forces in the valley. </li></ul>The government is moving quick and fast to maintain law order in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, a day after it repealed Article 370 and Article 35A of constitution which had given it special status. As the state has been divided into two union territories, the central government gets a stronger hold on its governance. And, it is making sure it does. A high alert is still underway in the sensitive Kashmir valley. Added to that, the security forces are preparing for possible cross-border terror, ET <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/400-more-companies-of-troops-may-enter-valley/articleshow/70545624.cms">reported</a>. The government could also expand the 38,000 strong troops it had already deployed in the area, prior to the announcement. It is considering deploying nearly 400 more security forces in case of an incident in reaction to the government decision. From house arrest to arrest It has also taken precautions to control the massive protests against the change. Two former chief ministers of the state — Omar Abdullah and <keyword id="6375812" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="mehbooba-mufti">Mehbooba Mufti</keyword> — were arrested late night on Monday. The government had placed them on house arrest a day before the announcement, as they had expected trouble. Both Abdullah and Mufti have been speaking against the government move calling it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/omar-abdullah-mehbooba-mufti-reaction-to-the-scrapping-of-article-370-in-jammu-kashmir/articleshow/70532924.cms">dangerous and catastrophic</a>. Top politicians like Imran Ansari and Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference have also been arrested, according to media reports. ‘Zero Violence’ The Jammu and Kashmir Police DGP Dilbag Singh<a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/jammu-and-kashmir-ladakh-bifurcation-article-370-live-updates-amit-shah-governor-security-situation-1577655-2019-08-06"> however assure</a>d that there is "zero violence in Kashmir Valley”. “And, any report of violence is incorrect. South, north and central Kashmir is completely peaceful," he told India Today. The government also directed all the state governments and police departments to implement law to ensure safety of <keyword id="54151" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kashmiris">Kashmiris</keyword>. Haryana police too stepped up efforts to ensure the safety of its Kashmiri residents. Congress’ Adhir Ranjan has been seeking clarification on the move quoting that the matter is “still pending in the United Nations.” “I don't think you are thinking about PoK, you violated all rules and converted a state into a Union Territory overnight,” he added during the Lok Sabha session. The changes Yesterday, the upper house of the Parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019. With this, the government has rewritten the history of India and the move has bifurcated the ‘state’ into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The move will also enable residents from other states of India to buy property in the land of Kashmir. It will also benefit the women in the region, which will not take away Indian citizenship from them, if they choose to get married in another state or country. From now on, Jammu and Kashmir will not host a separate flag and the government has asked the panchayats in the state to host the tricolour flag this independence day. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pakistan-says-it-will-exercise-all-options-against-delhi-over-scrapping-article-370/articleshow/70535367.cms">Pakistan 'will exercise all options' against Delhi taking over J&amp;K</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-entire-delhi-metro-on-red-alert-after-the-government-strikes-down-article-370-and-35a/articleshow/70533300.cms">Delhi Metro put on 'red alert' citing security threat after India abolished Kashmir's right to make its own laws</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-parliament-debate-on-kashmir-latest-news/articleshow/70530170.cms">India’s opposition wants Narendra Modi to reveal his Kashmir plan in Parliament</a>

You Searched For "protests in Ladakh" and got 14 results

All four members on the panel appointed by the Supreme Court have openly supported the farm laws in recent days

Prabhjote Gill

Malabar Exercise kicks off today with the QUAD countries reuniting after over a decade

Prabhjote Gill

Twitter suspends 90-95% of accounts listed by Indian government

IANS

Corporate decisions separate from geopolitical issues, says COAI amid India-China standoff

PTI

After Modi says no incursions, China claims Galwan valley

IANS

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper to arrive in India today

PTI

China is a ‘bully’ says US Representative on India-China border issue

Prabhjote Gill

US Secretary of State tears into 'rogue actor' China for 'escalating' border tension with India

PTI

Article 370 and Article 35A which give Kashmir a special status will be annulled, Amit Shah tells Indian Parliament

Sriram Iyer

India and fellow QUAD countries agree to step up coordination in Indo-Pacific amid China's growing assertiveness in South China Sea

PTI

Nepal's new map is eating into India to please China

Preeti Soni

At least 20 are dead after Indian and Chinese troops fought each other with rocks and metal rods in a violent border dispute

Sinéad Baker

For Facebook and Twitter, the changes to India's IT (Amendment) Act is just what the doctor ordered — or not

Prabhjote Gill

The situation in Kashmir is more tense after India scrapped 'special' status — forces are on high alert fearing violence

Prerna Sindwani