Category: National

“While some measures can be taken, several Chinese investments are quite substantive. It is not possible to fully block them. A worrisome factor is that these Chinese companies have linkages of some sort with the Chinese military,” one government official said on condition of anonymity

India has so far banned 106 Chinese apps, citing national security. File | Photo Credit: AP

Despite the uproar against the use of Chinese products amid the standoff on the border in eastern Ladakh and the government’s decision to ban several apps recently, government officials say it is not possible to fully decouple the trend due to the substantial investments by Chinese companies in India.

Intelligence assessments have also cautioned on the direct and indirect links many of these companies have with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

“While some measures can be taken, several Chinese investments are quite substantive. It is not possible to fully block them. A worrisome factor is that these Chinese companies have linkages of some sort with the Chinese military,” one government official said on condition of anonymity.

India banned 59 Chinese apps on June 29 citing national security; another 47 were also put on the proscribed list later.

Significant new law

In June 2017, China passed a national intelligence law which gave Beijing powers over Chinese companies’ overseas investments as well. As per the Annual report of the U.S. Secretary of Defence to the Congress on the “Military and Security Developments involving the People’s Republic of China 2019”, this law requires Chinese companies, such as Huawei, ZTE, Tik Tok and others to support, provide assistance, and cooperate in China’s national intelligence work, wherever they operate.

Article 7 of the law states, “Any organisation or citizen shall support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work in accordance with the law… The state protects individuals and organisations that support, assist and cooperate with national intelligence work.”

The law has direct security implications for all overseas Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from China, a second official said.

Intelligence assessments have flagged some large Chinese companies with major presence in India having direct or indirect links with the PLA. This includes Xindia Steels Limited, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), Huawei, Alibaba and Tencent.

For instance, Xindia Steels Limited is considered one of the largest joint ventures (JV) between India and China and has commissioned a 0.8 mtpa iron ore pelletisation facility in Koppal district of Karnataka at a cost of over ₹250 crore. Its main investor is Xinxing Cathay International Group Co. Ltd. which, as per its website, is “reorganized, reconstructed and unhooked from previous production department and subordinate enterprises and institutions of the General Logistics Department of the PLA”.

Similarly, Huawei, which has generated global concern over its 5G services, was founded by Ren Zhengfei, a former deputy director of the PLA’s engineering corps in 1987. Huawei is quite popular in India and a government decision on its bid for 5G services in India is expected shortly.

Multi-million funding

CETC had in 2018 announced a $46 million investment in a 200 MW photo-voltaic manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh. Officials pointed out that CETC is China’s leading military electronics manufacturer and also makes Hikvision CCTV cameras.

Several CETC research institutes and subsidiaries have been added to the U.S. government’s entity list, restricting exports to them on national security grounds, officials pointed out.

CETC has been implicated by the U.S. Department of Justice in at least three cases of illegal exports and many CETC employees have also been convicted for military espionage, the second official stated.

CETC also provides technology used for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, where around one million are held in re-education camps, assessments noted.

Similarly, SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, the parent company of MG Motors, which sells MG Hector in India has also raised concerns. One of the subsidiaries of SAIC is Nanjing Automobile, which was previously a vehicle servicing unit of PLA, the official added.

Another aspect that has raised red flags is Chinese investments in Indian technology start ups. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a U.S. congressional commission, said in its 2019 report, “The Chinese government’s military-civil fusion policy aims to spur innovation and economic growth through an array of policies and other government-supported mechanisms, including Venture Capital (VC) funds, while leveraging the fruits of civilian innovation for China’s defence sector.”

This raises a direct question mark on Chinese VC investments in India including big names like Alibaba and Tencent, the second official stated.

Leveraging AI

Sources said Alibaba along with Baidu and Tencent is developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a range of sub-domains for China under its military-civil fusion initiative. Alibaba and Tencent have raced against one another to invest in the Indian start-ups. Alibaba has made strategic investments in Paytm and its e-commerce arm Paytm Mall, Zomato, BigBasket, Snapdeal and logistics firm Xpressbees.

Tencent, too, has made a string of mega-investments in the Indian tech space, outpacing Alibaba, ranging from transport, food delivery, education and health, officials noted. Some notable investments are $400 million in Ola Cabs and $700 million in Flipkart in a deal that made Tencent the biggest Chinese investor in India.

Tencent has also invested $175 million in Hike Messenger, $90 million in healthcare startup Practo followed by a series of investments in the learning app Byju in tranches of $55 million, $40 million and another $11.4 million.

In food delivery, Tencent joined Naspers in $1 billion funding for Swiggy. In online gaming space, it invested $100 million in Dream11 Fantasy and $115 million in the music streaming service, Gaana. Like ByteDance, Tencent also entered the news space investing $50 million in the aggregator app NewsDog.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: Former Home Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram appreciated the six mainstream parties for joining hands to fight repeal of article 370.

“Salute the unity and courage of six mainstream Opposition parties who came together yesterday to fight the repeal of Article 370,” he tweeted.

In another tweet he wrote, “The Constitution of India contains many examples of Special Provisions for states and asymmetric distribution of power.”

He also wrote, “I appeal to them to stand resolutely behind their demand. Ignore the uninformed criticism of self-styled nationalists who do not read history but try to re-write history.

How will the government resolve the Naga issues if it is against making Special Provisions? (KNS)

PTI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday posted a video on his social media accounts in which he is seen feeding peacocks at his residence during his morning exercise routine.

Peacocks are seen as a regular companion of the PM Modi at his residence.

The 1.47-minute video also has a few glimpses of the prime minister’s daily walk from his home to his office within the Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

Peacocks are often a regular companion of the prime minister during his exercise, sources said, noting that he has long shared an “unbreakable bond” with the environment and has also written two books on the matter.

At his residence, Modi has placed elevated structures, often found in rural India, where birds can make their nests, they said.

Modi also posted a Hindi poem, an ode to nature, with the video. He first put the video on his Instagram account and shared on Twitter later.

The two books written by the prime minister to highlight his vision for the environment are ‘Convenient Action: Gujarat’s Response to Challenges of Climate Change’ and ‘Convenient Action- Continuity for Change’, the sources noted.

His other book, ‘Aankh Aa Dhanya Che’, has poems on nature. It was originally written in Gujarati and then translated to several other languages.

When the world spoke of climate change, Modi talked about “climate justice” and linked human value systems with the fight against climate change, they said.

“The prime minister pioneered the launch of International Solar Alliance to harness solar energy for a better future. He appeared on the show ‘Man Versus Wild’ where he highlighted India’s ethos of living in harmony with nature,” the sources added.

As chief minister of Gujarat, Modi ensured that it was among the first states in India and the world to have a climate change department, they said.

PTI

Uttar Pradesh: Two employees of an inter-college in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district were arrested for allegedly raping a woman colleague and making a video of the crime to blackmail her, police said on Sunday.

They were arrested after the woman lodged a police complaint, Station House Officer (SHO) Karmvir Singh said.

The woman has alleged that the two men had raped her and were blackmailing her with the video, police said.

The incident took place at Kandhla town in the district.

PTI

New Delhi: There is no change in the health of former President Pranab Mukherjee and he continues to remain on ventilator support, the Army’s Research and Referral hospital said on Sunday.

Doctors attending on the 84-year-old Mukherjee said his vital parameters are stable.

Mukherjee was admitted to the hospital in Delhi Cantonment on August 10 and was operated for removal of a clot in the brain. He had also tested positive for COVID-19.

Thereafter, he developed lung infection and is being treated for the same, doctors have said.

“There is no change in the condition of Shri Pranab Mukherjee this morning. He remains in a deep coma and on ventilator support. His vital parameters are stable,” the hospital said in a statement.

Mukherjee was the 13th President of India from 2012 to 2017.

India crossed the 20 Lakhs mark in the number of infections late on August 6.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India crossed three million on August 22, show data collated from various State Health Departments. As of 8.30 p.m. IST on August 22, the figure stood at 30,21,908 with 56,577 deaths.

The Health Ministry data, updated at 8 a.m. IST put the tally at 29,75,701 with a record spike of 69,874 infections. Recoveries surged to 22,22,577 pushing the recovery rate to 74.69% according to the Ministry. The death toll climbed to 55,794 with 945 fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said India has the “best” COVID-19 recovery rate of about 75%, which is improving every day, and the “lowest” mortality rate of 1.87% in the world.

India crossed the 2-million mark in the number of infections late on August 6, as per State Health Departments.

According to Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, the global tally stands at 22,998,346. U.S. leads the tally with 56,28,070 followed by Brazil 35,32,330. India is at the third position.

With inputs from The Hindu

PTI

The Ministry of Home Affairs on August 22 issued Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for international travel on non-scheduled commercial flights under Vande Bharat scheme and air transport bubble arrangement.

Accordingly, persons desirous to travel to India on Vande Bharat flights, will register themselves with the Indian missions in the country where they are stranded or residing, along with necessary details as prescribed by Ministry of External Affairs.

However, such a registration may not be required on flights operating under air transport bubbles arrangements, the SOP said.

People who will travel to India by non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) and ships as allowed by Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and Ministry of Shipping (MOS).

The SOP for the operations of these flights or ships will be as issued by MOCA or DMA or MOS from time to time.

India so far has bilateral air travel arrangements or air bubbles with the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, Qatar, Maldives and the UAE while negotiations are going on with 13 more countries.

The Vande Bharat flights have been operating since May 6 and currently the Scheme is in Phase-5.

Only those crew and staff, who are tested COVID-19 negative, will be allowed to operate these flights and ships.

The SOP said priority will be given to compelling cases of in distress, including migrant workers and labourers who have been laid off, short term visa holders faced with expiry of visas, persons with medical emergency/ pregnant women and elderly persons or those required to return to India due to death of family member, and students.

The cost of travel, as specified by the carrier, will be borne by such travellers.

Based on the registrations received for Vande Bharat flights, the MEA will prepare flight or ship wise database of all such travellers, including details such as name, age, gender, mobile phone number, place of residence, place of final destination; and information on RT-PCR test taken and its result.

This data base will be shared by MEA with the respective State and UT in advance.

In case of flights operating under air transport bubbles, passenger manifest containing the same details as given above for Vande Bharat flights or in a revised format as may be finalised by the MEA with the country concerned, will be submitted by the airlines to the Indian mission in the country concerned.

For out-bound flights, the category of persons, who will be eligible to travel on these flights, will be as permitted by MHA from time to time.

The MOCA will display on its website the category of persons eligible to travel out of India.

Such persons will apply to MoCA or to an agency or agencies designated by MoCA for this purpose, along with necessary details, including the places of departure and arrival.

The travel from India shall be on the non-scheduled commercial flights, as are allowed by MoCA.

Indian seafarers and crew seeking to accept contracts to serve on vessels abroad, can travel on the non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by MOCA or the flights arranged by their employers subject to clearance given by the Ministry of Shipping.

Before the tickets of such persons are confirmed, the airline concerned will ensure that the destination country allows entry of such persons with valid visa in that country.

The conditions, if any, imposed by the destination country, will have to be fulfilled by the person intending to travel.

PTI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has extended by a month the deadline for completion of trial in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case involving 32 accused, including BJP veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti, and said that judgement should be delivered by September 30.

The top court, which had earlier fixed August 31 as the deadline for completion of proceedings including pronouncement of the verdict, took note of the report filed by special judge S K Yadav in the high-profile case.

A bench of justices R F Nariman, Navin Sinha and Indira Banerjee said, Having read the report of Surendra Kumar Yadav, learned Special Judge, and considering that the proceedings are at the fag end, we grant one month’s time, i.e., till September 30, 2020, to complete the proceedings including the delivery of judgment .

The order was passed on August 19 and was uploaded on the apex court website recently.

On May 8, the top court had extended by three months the time for completion of trial in the case and said that judgement should be delivered by August 31.

The special CBI court at Lucknow has completed the recording of statements of the 32 accused under section 313 of CrPC in the case.

The mosque in Ayodhya was demolished on December 6, 1992, by ‘kar sevaks’ who claimed that an ancient Ram temple stood at the same site.

Former deputy prime minister LK Advani and BJP veteran MM Joshi, who were among those leading the Ram temple movement at that time, had deposed before the court through video conferencing.

The court has also recorded statements of BJP stalwarts like Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, both of whom appeared in person.

Advani’s statement was recorded barely days before the groundbreaking event on August 5 for a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

Last year, a five-judge Constitution bench of the top court had ruled that the 2.77-acre land claimed by both Hindus and Muslims would be handed over to a trust for the building of a temple.

The court had also ordered the allocation of a five-acre land at another site in Ayodhya for building a mosque.

The top court had in May asked special judge S K Yadav to control the proceedings in accordance with law so that the time-frame is no longer breached.

It had indicated to the special judge to avail the facilities of video conferencing to complete recording of evidence and hearing of applications that are filed during the course of trial proceedings.

The top court order was passed after the special judge had written a letter seeking an extension of time granted to him for completing the trial in the politically sensitive case.

On July 19, last year the top court had asked the special judge to deliver the verdict within nine months, which was to end this April.

It had also extended the tenure of the special judge at Lucknow till the completion of the trial and the delivery of the verdict in the case.

Besides Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti, the accused against whom conspiracy charge was invoked in the case by the top court on April 19, 2017, include former Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh, BJP MP Vinay Katiar and Sadhvi Rithambara.

Three other high-profile accused – Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Giriraj Kishore, Ashok Singhal and Vishnu Hari Dalmia – died during trial and the proceedings against them have been abated.

Kalyan Singh, during whose tenure as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh the disputed structure was razed, was put on trial in September last year after his tenure as governor came to an end.

Exercising its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the top court had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pass appropriate orders in consultation with the Allahabad High Court to extend the tenure of the special judge, who was set to retire on September 30 last year.

On April 19, 2017, the top court had ordered a day-to-day trial in the high profile case and directed the special judge to conclude it in two years.

While dubbing the demolition of the disputed structure as a “crime” which shook the “secular fabric of the Constitution”, it had allowed the CBI’s plea on restoration of the criminal conspiracy charge against the VVIP accused.

The court had come down heavily on the CBI for the delay of over 25 years in the trial.

Issuing a slew of directions, it had said, “The proceedings (against Advani and others) in the court of the Special Judicial Magistrate at Raebareli will stand transferred to the Court of Additional Sessions Judge (Ayodhya Matters) at Lucknow.”

“The court of sessions will frame additional charges under Section 120-B (conspiracy) and the other provisions of the penal code mentioned in the joint charge sheet filed by the CBI against Champat Rai Bansal, Satish Pradhan, Dharam Das, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Mahamadleshwar Jagdish Muni, Ram Bilas Vadanti, Vaikunth Lal Sharma and Satish Chandra Nagar,” the apex court had said.

The court had termed the Allahabad High Court’s February 12, 2001 verdict of dropping conspiracy charges against Advani and others as “erroneous”.

Before the 2017 verdict of the apex court, there were two sets of cases relating to the demolition of the disputed structure on December 6, 1992, going on at Lucknow and Raebareli.

The trial of the first case involving unnamed ‘Karsevaks’ was going on in a Lucknow court, while the second set of cases relating to the eight VVIPs were going on in a Raebareli court.

PTI

New Delhi: With a record spike of 69,874 infections in a day, India’s COVID-19 tally increased to 29,75,701, while the recoveries rose to 22,22,577 pushing the recovery rate to 74.69 per cent on Saturday, according to the Union health ministry data.

The death toll climbed to 55,794 with 945 fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The COVID-19 case fatality rate has declined to 1.87 per cent, it said.

There are 6,97,330 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 23.43 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7.

A cumulative total of 3,44,91,073 samples have been tested up to August 21 with 10,23,836 samples being tested on Friday, the highest done in a day so far, Lokesh Sharma, scientist and media coordinator at ICMR said.

Action towards recovery of ₹1,200 crore.

PTI

The NCLT Mumbai has directed insolvency proceedings against RCom chairman Anil Ambani to recover ₹1,200 crore under the personal guarantee clause of the bankruptcy law.

Mr. Ambani had given a personal guarantee to the loans given by SBI to RCom and Reliance Infratel in August 2016.

The NCLT in its order on August 20, said both RCom and RITL committed default in repayment in and around January 2017. The accounts were retrospectively declared as non-performing with effect from August 26, 2016, even before loan agreements had been entered into.

The NCLT ordered the appointment of a resolution professional and asked SBI to take necessary action.

A spokesperson for Mr. Ambani said: “Mr. Ambani is reviewing the NCLT order and taking advice on filing an appropriate appeal before the NCLAT against the appointment of the resolution professional.”

The NCLT has declined SBI’s request for a restriction on Mr. Ambani from dealing or appropriating his assets, to the prejudice of the interest of SBI, the spokesperson said.