15 SEPTEMBER 2016

Ø  Defeating of terrorism, Dr. Ghani said during his speech titled ‘Fifth Wave of Political Violence and Global Terrorism’ at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), needs internationally coordinated effort covering a network of states, civil society and the market institutions. India announced it would extend $ one billion of development assistance India’s development assistance, will focus on capacity building in the social sector as well as clean energy projects of hydel-power and solar energy. President Ghani accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to revisit India for the Heart of Asia summit to be held on December 4 in Amritsar. The $ one-billion assistance which will add to roughly $ two billion India has already committed to Afghanistan in the past decade, will be used for “capacity and capability-building” in education, health, agriculture, skill development, empowerment of women, energy, infrastructure and strengthening of democratic institutions, said a joint statement issued during the working visit of Dr. Ghani after he met Mr. Modi. The supply of medicines and flights between India and Afghanistan were discussed as areas of importance. “Both leaders reaffirmed their resolve to counter terrorism and strengthen security and defence cooperation as envisaged in the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement,” the statement added. However, the two countries did not make any reference to military assistance that Afghanistan has requested from India. During a visit to Delhi a few weeks ago, Afghan Army chief General Qadam Shah Shahim put in requests for more helicopters, tanks, artillery and ammunition, as well as training for more Afghan forces. Despite being asked on the specifics of what India, which has traditionally been wary of supplying Afghanistan lethal military hardware, would provide Afghanistan, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said he had nothing to add beyond the joint statement. Raising concerns over Pakistan’s blockage of transit rights for goods to flow between India and Afghanistan, Mr. Jaishankar said the two leaders had expressed their disappointment over the fact that 1.7 lakh tonnes of wheat that India had offered Afghanistan in December 2015 remain undelivered. Pakistan has access to the sea but behaves like a land-locked country. We say, if you block us, we will block you,” Dr. Ghani said, indicating that Afghanistan would stop Pakistan’s trade routes to Central Asia if Islamabad declines to give Kabul access to the Wagah border. A senior Pakistani official accepted that the request had been received from India “some time this year”, but told The Hindu that it was still “under consideration” and had not been rejected. Under the Afghanistan-Pakistan transit trade agreement, trade and goods are allowed from Afghanistan only up to the Wagah border with India, but not from India to Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan also signed an extradition treaty to facilitate exchange of wanted terrorists and criminals as well an agreement on mutual legal assistance.

Ø  Raising the issue of Balochistan for the first time before the UN, India on Wednesday accused Pakistan of widespread human rights violations there as well as in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Ø  The Defence Ministry has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe allegations of corruption in the purchase of three aircraft from Embraer following reports of investigations in Brazil and the U.S. In 2008, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a $208-million deal with Embraer for three ERJ-145 aircraft to build indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AEW&C) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The DRDO has already sought explanation from Embraer within 15 days on the issue. Defence officials said while that would go on separately, the Defence Ministry has decided to refer the case to the CBI. “Information will also be sought through diplomatic channels from Brazil and the U.S.,” an official said on Wednesday. The Defence Ministry has written to the Ministry of External Affairs to pursue the matter through Indian missions in the respective countries. Media reports in Brazil revealed the aircraft maker was under investigation by there and in the U.S. for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts in several countries. Explaining the process of shortlisting of the Embraer for the AEW&C project, officials said it was done by a joint committee after evaluating several options. India is likely to offer Nepal’s new Prime Minister help in building an east-west railway line and better access to its ports on his first visit this week, as it tries to regain ground lost recently to China. Pusp Kumar Dahal, or Prachanda, a former Maoist rebel commander, has chosen New Delhi as his first foreign stop, seeking to rebalance ties that chilled under his pro-China predecessor. K.P. Oli had sealed trade deals that sought to reduce landlocked Nepal’s economic dependence on India.

Ø  The United States will provide Israel’s military with $38 billion during the next 10 years, officials said on Tuesday, the largest batch of military assistance the U.S. has ever pledged to another country.

Ø  Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday. Mr. Obama said the U.S. is prepared to lift economic sanctions on Myanmar.

Ø  Anil Ambani- led Reliance Communications ( RCom) has signed a definitive agreement to merge its wireless business with Aircel Ltd, marking the largestever consolidation in the Indian telecom sector. RCom and Maxis Communications Berhad ( MCB), the largest shareholder in Aircel, will each hold 50 per cent in the joint venture into which the two businesses would be merged, forming the 4th largest telecom operator, by revenue, in the country. “ The new entity will be one of India’s largest private sector companies, with an asset base of over Rs. 65,000 crore and net worth of Rs. 35,000 crore,” said a spokesperson for RCom. On the basis of subscribers, the merged entity would have about 200 million users, ahead of Idea Cellular’s 167 million.