VIF Information Alerts - 27 Mar 2018

India, US to reopen talks on Comcasa
Published: The Economic Times
27 Mar 2018

India has agreed to reopen talks with the US on a pact that will allow high-end secured communication equipment to be installed on platforms being sold to India, signalling a willingness to revisit previously-held security apprehensions.

Highly-placed government sources told ET that a US technical team will be visiting India next month to brief New Delhi on this pact, which is called the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (Comcasa). It was earlier referred to as the Cismoa (Communication & Information on Security Memorandum of Agreement). Click here to read... [2]

US, EU expel 90 Russian diplomats over UK spy attack: Top 10 developments
Published: Business Standard
27 Mar 2018

US President Donald Trump ordered 60 Russian diplomats his country considers spies to leave the country in response to the nerve-agent poisoning of a former Russian spy in the United Kingdom (UK) and closed Russia's consulate in Seattle, senior administration officials said Monday as European allies prepared similar measures. Further, fourteen European Union countries announced they were expelling a total of 30 Russian diplomats in a coordinated international response. Australia also announced that it would expel two Russian diplomats over the UK spy attack. Click here to read... [3]

Action against Russia retaliatory; no message for India: US
Published: The Economic Times
26 Mar 2018

The US' expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats is not intended at sending any message to a country like India which has an equally strong relationship with both Moscow and Washington, senior Trump administration officials said today. Click here to read... [4]

India will provide 4 Mi-24 choppers to Kabul, says Afghan envoy
Published: The Hindustan Times
27 Mar 2018

India will underwrite the delivery of four gunship helicopters by Belarus to Afghanistan ahead of the war-torn country’s spring fighting season, the second time New Delhi has supplied lethal military equipment to Kabul.

Afghanistan, Belarus and India inked a trilateral pact for the refurbished Mi-24 helicopters earlier this month, Afghan ambassador Shaida Abdali said in an interview on Monday. “We recently were able to sign a trilateral MoU…India will be paying for the four Mi-24s (which will be delivered) in the next few months. All the four helicopters (will be) paid (for) by India,” he said. Click here to read... [5]

Army general says Afghanistan situation has fundamentally changed
Published: DoD News
26 Mar 2018

The South Asia Strategy has fundamentally changed the situation in Afghanistan, and the Resolute Support mission commander believes it may provide the key for reconciliation and peace in the country. Army Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr. said the military parts of President Donald J. Trump's strategy are now in place and are already making a difference. The general spoke to reporters traveling with Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Click here to read... [6]

India may extend antidumping duty to jute clothes from Bangladesh
Published: Business Standard
26 mar 2018

India may extend the anti-dumping duty to jute sacking clothes from Bangladesh as the commerce ministry has found imports of the product to avoid duties on jute bags from the neighbouring country. The commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has initiated a probe into circumvention of anti-dumping duties on jute sacking bags from the neighbouring country. Click here to read... [7]

‘Cannot ignore India’s influence in Sri Lankan elections’: Namal Rajapaksa to TNM
Published: The News Minute
26 Mar 2018

A lawyer, a member of Parliament and the son of one of Sri Lanka's most powerful politicians. These are amongst the titles that 31-year-old Namal Rajapaksa, son of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa balances.

"India's influence in Sri Lankan elections cannot be ignored. India is important in regional politics and several sectors see mutual involvement of both India and Sri Lanka. We cannot ignore India's influence. We cannot ignore India," says Namal in an exclusive interview to TNM. Click here to read... [8]

Sri Lanka – Pakistan move towards stronger ties; Signs three MoU’s
Published: Lanka Business Online
26 Mar 2018

Sri Lanka and Pakistan have pledged to move forward to achieving economic prosperity while further strengthening the long standing bilateral relations between the two nations. President Maithripala Sirisena who is on an official visit to Pakistan met with Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain and both leaders agreed on this. The Heads of States discussed in detail regarding the need of stand against world terrorism and the President appreciated the assistance given to Sri Lanka by Pakistan in fight against terrorism during the last war period. Click here to read... [9]

Left unification to happen on equal terms, says Dahal
Published: The Himalayan
27 Mar 2018

CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal today said unification of his party with the CPN-UML should be done on the basis of equal representation and rights. Talking to top leaders of his party before meeting UML Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at Baluwatar, Dahal said he was in no hurry to unify unless his party was made an equal partner in the unified outfit. He, however, was positive that unification would be completed by the second week of April.Click here to read... [10]

Defence outsourced
Published The Tribune
25 Mar 2018

Buying weapons to protect over 1.34 billion people and secure borders with seven nations — with a land frontier of over 15,000 km and a coastline extending to over 7,500 km — is a good idea. But the thought to be dependent on foreign defence supplies (India imports some 70 per cent of its equipment) is unsettling, self-defeating even. Click here to read... [11]