Ø The government is giving “careful and specific attention” to the
development of infrastructure in the border areas adjoining China, the Union
Minister of State for External Affairs, General (Retd.) V.K. Singh, told
Parliament on Wednesday. The Minister said construction of 27 key road
projects, measuring 804 km, was on the fast track and the procedure for green
clearances had been simplified. The Home Ministry wanted 54 new border outposts
to keep a check on frequent Chinese infiltration. The statement comes
two days after China announced $46 billion of investments in Pakistan as part
of its new Silk Road initiative and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These include
highways to the Gwadar port and a hydel power project in PoK, which, sources
said, the government is closely monitoring as it was in disputed territory.
Ø Agreements on mutual legal assistance, motor vehicles movement and
between chambers of commerce are under discussion ahead of Afghanistan
President Ashraf Ghani’s visit to India from April 27 to 29. The Afghan
President, on his first state visit to India, is expected to meet with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on April 28, when India will announce the handing over
of three Cheetal helicopters. In a sign of the close relationship between the
two countries, President Ghani will be staying at Rashtrapati Bhavan as a guest
of President Pranab Mukherjee. While the mutual legal assistance
agreement will allow India and Afghanistan to cooperate on criminal and civil
matters, the motor vehicles agreement will allow Indian and Afghan vehicles to
traverse each other’s countries. The motor vehicle agreement will only
exist on paper until Pakistan also signs similar treaties with India and Afghanistan.
The agreement is being seen as a way of putting pressure on Pakistan to
expedite the process. Pakistan had held up a SAARC agreement on the issue in
November last year, citing objections from its truckers’ lobby to free access
for vehicles.
Ø Japanese authorities were investigating after a small drone reportedly
containing traces of radiation was found. No injuries or damage were
reported from the incident, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Indonesia to
attend an Asian-African conference.
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