VIF Information Alerts - 12 Mar 2018

India to help 15 nations tap Sun
Published: The Pioneer
12 Mar 2018

As a demonstration of its commitment to ISA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to fund 27 solar projects worth $1.4 billion in 15 countries through Lines of Credit. This is in addition to the projects worth $143 million that are already under implementation in 13 countries. India will be helping these countries, most of which are in Africa, in rural electrification, mini-grid and off grid usage, irrigation, street lighting etc. Click here to read... [2]

India, France to work for Indian Ocean freedom of navigation
Published: The Times of India
11 Mar 2018

India and France pledged Saturday to work together to ensure freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean and signed an agreement to expedite construction of a major nuclear power plant in India by a French company. After talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also highlighted a solar alliance and cooperation between the two countries in defense, security, technology, space and counterterrorism. Click here to read... [3]

India, France sign strategic pact on use of each other's military basesc
Published: The Times of India
10 Mar 2018

Reflecting a growing depth in defence ties, India and France on Saturday inked a strategic pact providing for the use of each other's military facilities including opening naval bases to warships, an agreement that comes amid China's growing military expansionism in the Indo-Pacific region. Click here to read... [4]

How Vladimir Putin 'gave order to shoot down passenger plane' at Sochi Winter Olympics
Published: The Telegraph
11 Mar 2018

Russia's Vladimir Putin in 2014 ordered a passenger aircraft which was reported to be carrying a bomb and targeting the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi to be downed, the president said in a film shown on Sunday.
In a two-hour documentary titled "Putin" and available on Russian social media, Mr Putin told reporter Andrey Kondrashov he received a telephone call from security officers responsible for the Sochi Olympics on Feb. 7, 2014, shortly before the opening ceremony was due to start. Click here to read... [5]

India, Pakistan in diplomatic spat after ISI raids Indian complex
Published: The Times of India
12 Mar 2018

India and Pakistan are in the middle of a major diplomatic spat with both sides accusing each other of harassing, even intimidating, diplomats. While Pakistan has now issued a demarche to India saying it was becoming difficult for its diplomats to function in Delhi, sources here said the present round of hostility was initiated by an ISI raid on a residential complex under construction for Indian diplomats in Islamabad. Click here to read... [6]

UN to seek $1b for Rohingya refugee effort in Bangladesh
Published: Daily Mail
11 Mar 2018

UN officials said Sunday that nearly $1 billion will be needed this year to feed and care for the roughly one million Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in southeastern Bangladesh. The $950 million for this year's aid effort was "a very legitimate and valid" request given the magnitude of the crisis, the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh said. Click here to read... [7]

MHA says security was under control in 2016, parliamentary panel rejects citing J-K
Published: Hindustan Times
11 Mar 2018

A parliamentary panel has rejected the Home Ministry’s suggestion that the overall internal security scenario in the country was under control in 2016, saying Jammu and Kashmir remained on the boil throughout the year and there was a “huge upsurge” in number of infiltration attempts.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, also said lack of financial resources has resulted in loss of lives of police and paramilitary personnel in the fight against Naxals. Click here to read... [8]

Criminal cases against Indian lawmakers; Criminal cases against Legislators double in 4 yrs to 3,045
Published: Business Standard
12 Mar 2018

As many as 1,765 members of Parliament and state legislative Assemblies (MPs and MLAs) – or 36 per cent of all lawmakers in the country – are at present facing criminal trial in 3,045 cases, an affidavit by the Centre has informed the Supreme Court. The number of criminal cases against them is almost twice as much as 1,581 in 2014. Click here to read... [9]

Gujjars want Forest Act extended to state
Published: The Tribune
11 Mar 2018

Gujjar’s today urged the government to extend the Forest Rights Act-2006, passed by Parliament, to Jammu and Kashmir. They said it was the only way to end the problems faced by the tribals whose issues have been politicised by political parties.
The tribal community has said that the extension of the Act will help in the rehabilitation of the nomads who are facing social pressures. Click here to read... [10]