6.1 magnitude quake rattles Afghanistan; tremors in Pak, India

Islamabad/Kabul, Jan 31: A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan today, with the tremors felt as far away as India and Pakistan, where one girl was killed and 19 people were injured.

The quake hit at 12:37 IST near Afghanistans northern border with Tajikistan in the Hindu Kush mountains at a depth of 191 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre was in Jurm district of Afghanistans Badakhshan Province, Tolo News reported.

In Kabul, at least two heavy tremors were felt ? which sent people running out on the streets.

No casualties were immediately reported in Afghanistan, the agency said.

Jurm is the same area which was the centre a devastating 7.5 magnitude quake in October 2015 that triggered landslides and flattened buildings, killing more than 380 people across the region, AFP news agency said.

Across the border in Pakistan, homes, offices and schools were quickly evacuated in Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore.

Kabul ambulance bomb toll rises to 103, number of wounded goes up to more than 200

KABUL, Jan 28: The death toll from a devastating suicide bomb blast in Kabul has risen to 103 with hundreds more wounded, officials said Sunday, making it the worst attack in the Afghan capital in months.

“Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103,” interior minister Wais Barmak told reporters, adding that another 235 were wounded.

Afghanistan on Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people, sharply raising tensions after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week.

At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday’s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals.

Kabul remained on high alert as the presidential palace declared a national day of mourning for Sunday, with flags flying at half-mast. The attack was one of the worst to strike the capital in recent years.

US President Donald Trump called for “decisive action” against the Taliban over the assault as other international leaders also condemned the attack.

The attack came exactly a week after Taliban insurgents stormed Kabul’s landmark Intercontinental hotel and killed at least 25 people, the majority foreigners.

Rising Seine river poses flood risk, nearly 1,500 evacuated in Paris region

PARIS, Jan 28: Nearly 1,500 people have been evacuated from homes in the Paris region, with authorities on alert for any major flood risk after the levels of the swollen Seine river rose further on Sunday.

Michel Delpuech, head of the Paris police body, told reporters that around 1,500 people had been moved out of homes in the Ile de France region comprising the French capital and its suburbs.

“The waters will only go away slowly,” added Delpuech.

The Seine’s waters were set to peak later on Sunday or early on Monday close to levels which led to similar flooding in 2016, authorities said.

The overflowing waters have already engulfed riverside walkways in Paris and led the world-famous Louvre museum to close a basement display of Islamic art.

Paris’s Bateaux Mouches tourist boats have been shut down due to the high waters while swans have been seen swimming where there are usually pavements and rats forced up onto the streets.

Flooding caused destruction in Paris in 1910 when the Seine rose by 8.65 metres, although no deaths were recorded.

Indian Republic Day Celebrated in Jakarta

By Deepak Arora

JAKARTA, Jan 26: The 69th Republic Day was celebrated at the Embassy of India in Jakarta earlier today. Prakash Gupta, Charge de Affairs, hoisted the National Flag at the Embassy premises as large gathering of Indian nationals and members of Indian diaspora watched with pride and joy. Similar ceremonies took place at the Indian Consulates in Bali and Medan.

Excerpts of Indian President’s address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day was read out by the Charge de Affairs.

Nearly 300 members of the Indian community, Persons of Indian Origin and Friends of India participated in the ceremony. About 80 school children from three Indian schools - Gandhi Memorial International School, the Rama International School, Texmaco DPS School and Beacons Academy - sang the National Anthem and patriotic songs.

The students of Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre (JNICC) also performed patriotic songs and a dance on the occasion. Subsequently, the Charge de Affairs interacted with members of Indian community and gave a broad overview of various functions scheduled to be held later in the year by the Mission.

It may be noted that for the first time ever, the 69th Republic Day Celebrations in India are being attended by all ten Heads of States/Governments of ASEAN, as Guests of Honour to mark the jubilee year of India – ASEAN ties. President Joko Widodo, along with the First Lady, Madam Iriana Joko Widodo, is also gracing the 69th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, and is accompanied by a high-level delegation.

As a special gesture, Prime Minister of India has also contributed an Op-Ed for the KOMPAS, the largest selling Bahasa newspaper in Indonesia, earlier today, titled: “ASEAN-India: Nilai Bersama, Tujuan Bersama” , which is attached herewith along with its English copy (ASEAN-India: Shared Values, Common Destiny).

Nutella discount sparks chaos in French supermarkets

PARIS, Jan 26: There is a saying amongst chocolate-spread connoisseurs that although you can't buy happiness, you can buy a jar of Nutella. So when a French supermarket chain discounted the chocolatey goodness by 70%, shoppers were keen to get more than their fair share.

Chaotic scenes were reported at branches of Intermarche as customers fought to take advantage of the offer. Videos posted online showed the lengths to which people were prepared to go in order to get their hands on the spread.

"It was a real disaster, 200 people were outside waiting for the supermarket's opening," one employee at a store in Metz, northeast France," told CNN. "All of this mess for a Nutella jar."

"People just rushed in, shoving everyone, breaking things. It was like an orgy," said another employee in Forbach, northeast France, told AFP. "We were on the verge of calling the police."

Staff at one store, in Otstricourt, were forced to call police after disturbances broke out.

The regular price of Nutella at Intermarche is at €4.50 ($5.60). It was discounted to €1.41 ($1.75).

Intermarche apologized to its customers, saying it had been "surprised" by the demand.
It is not the first time that demand for Nutella has turned violent. In September 2015, a 78-year-old shopper in California said he was punched in the face after complaining that another customer took too many Nutella waffle samples.

The makers of Nutella, Ferrero Brands, said that the decision to discount the product was made unilaterally by Intermarche.

Police in Otstricourt said that when officers arrived, the crowd calmed down and no arrests were made.

Climate Change, Terrorism, Protectionism Are Major Global Threats: Modi

DAVOS, Jan 23: Indian prime minister Narendra Modi told a packed forum in Davos on Wednesday that the world in its current state looked rather unprepared to face the big challenges of the future.

Delivering the keynote address at the World Economic Forum, he urged sweeping reforms to modernize and restructure current political and economic institutions, also with a view to reflecting the needs and developments of emerging economies.

Modi singled out three major challenges mankind was facing right now. He said the greatest threat came from rapid climate change and the resulting extreme weather conditions, natural disasters and rising sea levels which threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world..

The prime minister identified terrorism, and the radicalization of people in many societies, as the second-biggest threat. Without providing concrete examples, he criticized world powers for, in his eyes, making the problem worse by artificially distinguishing between "bad terrorists" and "good terrorists."

Thirdly, Modi said there was no denying the fact that many nations have become increasingly focused on themselves again as globalization "was losing its luster." He mentioned that many trade agreements "had come to a standstill," with cross-border financial investments dropping in many areas.

Modi argued that networked societies in the era of big data, artificial intelligence and robots probably had all the tools to address current challenges, but it needed a lot of political will and coordination to use these tools for the benefit of all.

In the final part of his speech in Davos, the prime minister touched upon the economic development of his own nation, now the fastest-growing economy of the world.

He said his government had enforced a number of reforms that had made investing and manufacturing in India a lot easier for foreign entrepreneurs by opening up "almost all sectors of the economy to foreign direct investment (FDI) and creating a unified tax system.

Modi emphasized that growth needed to be achieved in a sustainable and responsible way. "I see many moving from need-based consumption to greed-based consumption," he said through an interpreter in Davos.

"The question is: Is this really development, or is it the beginning of society's downfall?"

Hafiz Saeed seeks protection from arrest ahead of UN team's arrival

LAHORE, Jan 23: Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed on Tuesday filed a petition in the Lahore high court seeking protection from arrest ahead of the arrival of the UNSC's sanctions monitoring team, saying the government wants to arrest him at the behest of India and the US.

The monitoring committee of the United Nations Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee will be visiting Islamabad this week for an assessment of Islamabad's compliance with the world body's sanctions regime. The two-day visit is likely to begin from Thursday.

A media report yesterday said Pakistan will not allow+ the committee any direct access to Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) chief Saeed or his entities.

Saeed, anticipating a possible action against him and his organisations, filed the petition through his counsel A K Dogar seeking the court's direction to the PML-N government restraining it from arresting him and taking action against JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation.

The founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) said the government of Pakistan has plans to take adverse action against him.

"The PML-N government wants to arrest me at the behest of United States and India," he said, adding that the US and Indian lobby for the last many years has been trying to prove that he was "somehow involved in Mumbai attacks".

Saeed further said the Punjab government of Shahbaz Sharif had detained him for 10 months without any legal ground. A judicial review board, however, ordered his release after the government's failure to justify his house arrest.

Saeed requested the court to restrain the government from "acting in a manner which is not permitted by law and direct it to enforce fundamental rights of the petitioner under Article 9 of the Constitution at remain at liberty".

Saeed also boasted that he is "founder/chairman of JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and has established 142 schools, three universities and for the last many years is engaged in activities of public welfare".

Talking to reporters here, Saeed said he would welcome the UN team to visit the JuD and FIF centres in the country.

"The UN team will come to know our public welfare work if it visits our centres," he said.

The UN team's visit is taking place amid increasing pressure on Pakistan from the US and Indian governments with respect to inadequate implementation of the sanctions on Saeed and entities linked to him.

The State Department had said last week that the US had clearly conveyed its concern to Pakistan on Saeed and called for his prosecution "to the fullest extent of the law".
It also said that Saeed's name was on the UN list of designated terrorists.

Saeed was listed under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The UNSC sanctions list includes the names of JuD, Lashkar-e-Taiba, al-Qaida, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, FIF and other groups and individuals.

The UNSC monitoring committee oversees the sanctions measures imposed by the Security Council under the rules. The member states are required to freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.

Last week, Pakistan banned companies and individuals from making donations to the JuD, the FIF and other organizations on the UNSC sanctions list.

Saeed was released from house arrest in Pakistan in November. He was under detention since January, 2017.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

Taiwan demands immediate halt to new China flight routes

By Deepak Arora

TAIPEI, Jan 18: Taiwan (Republic of China) has protested Beijing's unilateral launch of the northbound M503 flight route in the Taiwan Strait and the W121, W122, and W123 east-west extension routes earlier this month. The ROC government calls on all parties not to use these flight routes as serious safety concerns remain.

Taiwan has also called on the Beijing authorities to cherish hard-won peaceful and stable cross-strait relations.

Mainland China initiated these four routes on January 4 this year without prior communication with Taiwan. Taiwan believes this action violates the negotiation results reached between the Taipei Airlines Association and China Air Transport Association in March 2015, when mainland China repeatedly pledged to use the M503 route only for one-way southbound flights, and not to activate the W flight routes until after confirmation through further negotiations.

The unilateral launch of these routes also runs entirely counter to international civil aviation regulations, disregards aviation safety, and disrespects Taiwan. The ROC government calls on all parties not to use these flight routes as serious safety concerns remain.

On January 7, ROC President Tsai Ing-wen convened a meeting of the National Security Council to review developments in East Asia including the situation with North Korea, tensions throughout the region caused by mainland China’s frequent military actions, and Beijing’s one-sided launch of these flight routes.

Following the meeting, President Tsai issued the following points:

The unilateral launch of controversial aviation routes is a provocation impacting regional security. The activation of these contentious routes has not only severely influenced regional security and flight safety, but constitutes a political and military threat to Taiwan, and as such destabilizes the region. As a member of the regional community, mainland China has a duty to preserve regional stability, and such actions are irresponsible.

Taiwan will continue to strengthen its national security. Taiwan will minimize the risks to national security while maximizing regional cooperation in the face of regional challenges and tension-raising developments.

Taiwan will defend the nation’s core values of freedom and democracy. The ROC military will bolster its ability to comprehensively monitor and respond to mainland China’s military maneuvering.

Taiwan will communicate fully with the international community. The one-sided launch of controversial flight routes without prior negotiation by the Beijing authorities endangers aviation safety and upsets the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing should fulfill its responsibilities to the region and resume negotiations with Taiwan promptly.

To resolve the negative impact of this move on regional stability, aviation safety, and cross-strait relations, Taiwan is ready to act responsibly and cooperatively. Taiwan calls on the Beijing authorities to cherish hard-won peaceful and stable cross-strait relations.

Netanyahu pays tribute to 26/11 terror attack victims, meets survivor Moshe

MUMBAI, Jan 18: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met top business leaders for breakfast on Thursday, and paid tributes to the November 2008 terror attack victims during his visit to Mumbai.

Netanyahu addressed the India-Israel Business Summit at the iconic Taj hotel, and laid a wreath for the 26/11 terror attack victims. He will later proceed to Nariman House, where he will meet 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg, whose parents Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and Rivka were killed during the attacks.

The Israeli Prime Minister will meet members of the Jewish community at the Taj hotel, and attend the Shalom Bollywood event, in which people from the Indian film industry including megastar Amitabh Bachchan will take part.

Here are the live updates:

3.35pm: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu meets 26/11 survivor Moshe Holtzberg at Nariman House.

3.17pm: Netanyahu lays wreath at the memorial to 26/11 terror attack victims at Taj Hotel in Mumbai.

3.15pm: Netanyahu arrives at Chabad House. Moshe and Israeli PM to inaugurate 26/11 memorial

2.47pm: “Following the talks I had with my friend Prime Minister @NarendraModi, the Indian government has informed us that it is putting the Spike deal back on track. This is very important and there will be many more deals,” says Netanyahu.

2.45pm:Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweets that following his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India informed Israel that it was putting the deal with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. back on track.

1.46pm: Israel’s Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon says Netanyahu, while interacting with leaders of the business community, suggested that they contemplate setting up R&D centres in Israel as many international players have already done.

1.30pm: Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posts quiz on India-Israel bilateral ties.

1.20pm: Countries like India and Israel if they come together I’m sure the fight against terrorism can be intensified and the world can win this fight: CM Fadnavis.

1.08pm: We are also signing an MoU for a huge water grid in Marathwada. We want to collaborate more with Israel for the welfare of our farmers: CM Fadnavis.

1.07pm: I’m sure in time to come, we will see many Israeli businesses mainly in technology and agriculture flourishing, collaborating and cooperating with Indian businesses: CM Fadnavis.

1.06pm: Maharashtra is the right place to forge alliance. I look forward to many more alliances between Maharashtra and Israel, says Fadnavis.

1.05pm: Maharashtra is a business leader in India. Maharashtra contributes most to national GDP, the state attracts majority FDI coming into India: CM Fadnavis at India Israel Business Summit.

1.02pm: “We acknowledge the role of the Jewish community in India’s journey of development. We are looking forward for more and more cooperation and engagement and wish to take this age old friendship to the next level”, says CM Fadnavis.

12.58pm: CM Fadnavis welcomes Netanyahu “on behalf of 120 million people of Maharashta”, says Mumbai is not only the financial capital of India but also the city of dreams.

12.56pm: We are trying to develop Israel with the changing times and for that we wish to collaborate with our old friend India : Netanyahu.

12.55pm: Indo-Israel partnership reaching unprecedented heights; This is the beginning of a wonderful friendship, and possibilities are boundless: Netanyahu.

12.50pm: India and Israel are democracies, share a love for freedom; we are a match made in heaven: Netanyahu at Business Summit in Mumbai.

12.45pm: CM Devendra Fadnavis meets Israeli PM Netanyahu, Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon at the India-Israel Business Summit in Mumbai.

12.10pm: I also visited iCreate, an impressive hub where brilliant young minds come to solve problems. I was particularly impressed with a 14-year-old boy. This was slumdog millionaire. He produces drone which goes up the sky and identifies landmines, it’ll save lives: Netanyahu.

12.05pm: India knows the value of competition and the glory of competition. How many of you know who won the 1983 World Cup? If you were not in London, then you must be on streets honking when India defeated West Indies. That is competition, says Netanyahu.

12.01pm: Israel is an innovation nation, India is an innovation nation. The two innovation nations must come together to define the future: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu at India-Israel Business Summit.

11.30am: Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweets video on India-Israel diplomatic ties, says the “friendship continues to grow and reach new heights”.

11.24am: “So it is leaders. It is people. But I think the most important thing is to have it among business leaders and technological leaders and entrepreneurs like yourself. This is the cherry on the pie! What a cherry! I thought we will discuss the cherry,” says Netanyahu.

11.23am: “There is an instant chemical reaction of tremendous solidarity and identification and I see it in my Facebook followers. They haven’t changed the algorithm yet and I see it very very strongly. We see it when we walk the streets, the responses that we get here. And Indian citizens, when they come to Israel, they can see it. It is powerful,” says Israeli PM.

11.22am: On the partnership between Israel and India, Netanyahu says, “It is on the level first of a deep personal friendship between Prime Minister Modi and myself… In addition, there is a partnership of genuine sympathy between our people. And that is not obvious. Our two civilisations are very old and we have not met each other in real sense...”

11.20am: “Innovation doesn’t happen by itself. Some of it does. But it can be nurtured, it can be encouraged. It also can be discouraged. The job of governments like that of Prime Minister Modi and my own government is to facilitate your competitive advantages and ability to innovate,” says Netanyahu.

11.17am: “We in Israel are seizing the future, you in India are seizing the future. Together, you will get there a lot quicker and also get a lot further,” says Netanyahu.

11.15am: “It is very, very crucial today for you and your Israeli counterparts to meet up, because the future belongs to those who innovate,” Netanyahu tells business leaders.

10.45am: Future belongs to those who innovate; innovation doesn’t happen by itself, it has to be encouraged: Netanyahu tells business leaders.

10.40am: Business leaders present at the breakfast included Ajay Piramal, Rahul Bajaj, Adi Godrej, Harsh Goenka, Anand Mahindra, Dilip Shanghvi, Ashok Hinduja, Atul Punj and Chanda Kochhar, say reports.

10.38am: “Our job is to encourage you to innovate. Partnership between India and Israel is doing wonders. I have a strong personal friendship with PM Modi,” says Israeli PM.

10.35am: Netanyahu meets Indian CEOs, says future belongs to those who innovate.

10.23am: The India Palestine Solidarity Forum along with 38 other groups to protest against Netanyahu’s visit to India at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan.

10.20am: Netanyahu and Devendra Fadnavis to attend the India-Israel Business Summit at 11.30 at Taj hotel.

9.15am: “Maharashtra looks forward to discussions and collaboration with @Israel for development in agriculture, sustainable irrigation and technologies for security !” says Fadnavis.

9.14am: “Tomorrow (Thursday), I will be joining Hon @netanyahu in Business Forum Meet in the morning and at wreath laying ceremony at 26/11 memorial in the afternoon,” tweets Maharashtra CM Fadnavis.

9.05am: There may be a one-on-one meeting between Fadnavis and Netanyahu after which the Maharashtra chief minister will be hosting a lunch for the Israeli premier and the visiting delegation, sources said.

Modi will visit Palestine in February

NEW DELHI, Jan 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will create history as he becomes first-ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine on February 10.

The announcement of the Palestine visit comes at a time when Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting India. The news is seen as a balancing act by India in the region.

It should be noted that India had opposed the UN resolution moved by the US in support of making Jerusalem as Israeli capital.

Even though the Israeli Prime Minister has said that ‘one vote can’t change the dynamics of India-Israel’ relationship, tel Aviv would be keely watching the Palestine visit by PM Modi.

PM Modi is likely to travel to Ramallah in a chopper from Amman in Jordan. The Palestinians regard the West Bank city of Ramallah as their capital. The city is just 8 km away from Jerusalem.

Israel-India guided missile deal back on track: Netanyahu

NEW DELHI, Jan 17: sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday during a tour of India he had been informed by the Indian government that it had decided to put a major anti-tank missile deal back on track.

There was no immediate comment from Indian authorities.

Earlier this month, Israel's state-owned defence contractor Rafael said India's Ministry of Defence had cancelled the deal worth about $500 million to buy Spike anti-tank guided missiles.

"Following talks I have held with my friend, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian government has informed us that it is putting the Spike deal back on track. This is very important and there will be many more deals," Netanyahu said in a brief video statement during his five-day visit to India.

There were no additional details of how the deal might be consummated but Israel's Channel 1 television said the original half-billion-dollar value would be cut in half.

Netanyahu is making the first visit by an Israeli prime minister to India for 15 years and Modi's nationalist government has rolled out the red carpet, regarding Israel as an ally in the fight against terrorism.

Netanyahu and Modi have pledged to deepen economic and security ties in a more open embrace of the relationship which New Delhi had long kept at a low profile, largely for fear of upsetting Arab nations on which it depends for oil.

Israel has given initial approval for Indian energy companies to explore oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean. Bilateral trade has jumped from $200 million in 1992, when the two countries opened diplomatic relations, to $4.16 billion in 2016, largely in favour of Israel.

Israel has emerged as one of India's biggest suppliers of weapons alongside the United States and long-term partner Russia. Last year, Modi made a first trip to Israel by an Indian prime minister ever.

If we are to live in a world that protects democracy, India, Israel need to form alliance to secure future: Netanyahu

NEW DELHI, Jan 17: India and Israel are an “alliance”, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his inaugural address at the annual Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The two countries officially hold each other as “strategic partners,” a stand reiterated in the joint statement of Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a day before.

In a speech outlining the sources of national power, Netanyahu said democratic values were the “most important” source of power. “If we are to live in a world that protects democratic norms,” he said, countries such as India and Israel needed to form an “alliance to secure our future.” He also underlined the challenge of “radical Islam and its terrorist offshoots” to the “quest for modernity”.

He said Modi spoke often of the need to secure democracy. “We have discussed how we can strengthen relations of our two countries in security, in civilian areas and every area,” he said, before ending with the line “god bless the India-Israel alliance.”

Earlier in his speech, Netanyahu described India as “one of the great powers of earth”. He cited military capability as the first requirement of national power, noting that in Israel’s case this included considerable investment in intelligence to “compensate for our size.”

Military and intelligence, however, was expensive and therefore this required economic power. This in turn required education. Israel’s own defence forces, he said, were a “giant education machine.” But to convert innovation into economic might needed a free market environment that allowed firms “to do business and add value to the economy.” He cited the growing convergence of big data, connectivity and artificial intelligence. “Countries that seize the future are those that innovate along these lines,” he said.

He spoke of “political power”, “the ability to build relationships and alliances with other countries” before citing values and democracy as the fourth pillar. He said Israel’s long struggle to survive had led it to understand a lesson: “The weak don’t survive, the strong survive.” He noted that “you make peace with the strong, you make alliances with the strong, you are able to maintain peace by being strong.”

Benjamin Netanyahu-Narendra Modi’s friendship kite flies high from Delhi to Mumbai

NEW DELHI, Jan 18: The Israeli Prime Minister was welcomed by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Hebrew and with open arms as he arrived in India for a six-day visit. The visit is a reciprocating gesture from Israel to the first Prime Minister-level visit from India undertaken by PM Narendra Modi in July 2017. This visit is significant as it marks the high point of the 25th anniversary of normal diplomatic ties between the two countries.

In a statement issued on the visit, the Israeli ambassador Daniel Carmon said, “The Prime Minister’s visit to India is the grand finale to celebrations of 25 years of growing partnership between India and Israel. The visit will focus on the progress made between India and Israel since PM Modi visited Israel last summer.” The visit indicates an upswing in bilateral ties between the two nations.

In the course of his visit, apart from attending the events in Delhi, the visiting Prime Minister also travelled to Modi’s home state Gujarat. He will also be reaching out to film world with the ‘Shalom Bollywood’ event.

Here are the 10 key takeaways from the six-day visit of Netanyahu to India so far:

1. The Israeli PM’s visit comes immediately after India joined 127 other nations in voting to declare Donald Trump’s controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void.” However, this hasn’t strained the bilateral relations. Netanyahu said despite his disappointment over the vote, the relationship between Tel Aviv and New Delhi remains strong. “Yes, naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forward,” Netanyahu said in an interview with a private news channel.

2. Netanyahu has come to India with a business delegation of 130 people. The business delegation which consists of 100 companies, 20 start-ups and 30 government officials from the economic arena, aims to collaborate with Indian companies.

3. The two nations inked nine MoU’s in the field of co-operation on Cyber Security, Oil, and Gas sector, Film co-production, Homeopathic Medicine, Invest India and Invest in Israel.

4. PM Modi invited Israeli defence companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with Indian companies.

5. Protocol between India and Israel on Amendments to the Air Transport Agreement

6. Besides the MoU’s a letter of intent between IOCL and Phinergy Ltd, IOCL and Yeda Research and Development Co Ltd have also been signed.

7. Along with these collaborations, the two governments have also announced to launch an R&D fund of about 40 million dollars to support business from both countries.

8. Israel is also looking to join hands with bodies like ASSOCHAM, CII, FICCI, and NASSCOM to nurture business in both the countries, as per various media reports.

9. An agreement on film-co-production between India and Israel have also been signed.

10. The Jewish community will mark Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Mumbai visit with the launch of ‘Namaste Shalom’, a regular monthly magazine on bilateral relations between the two friendly nations. In his message to the magazine, PM Modi said, “The deep friendship of the Indian people with Israel is something worth celebrating. The bond between the two nations goes back centuries in time and will continue to grow stronger.”

Notably, bilateral trade with Israel currently stands at 5.04 billion except co-operation in the Defence sector. And it is increasing at a rate of 2.3 percent.

Israel PM visit to shape next 25 years relations with India

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Jan 11: India and the Embassy of Israel here have announced the State Visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to India. The Prime Minister will arrive in New Delhi on January 14 and depart from Mumbai on January 19. The visit will include New Delhi, Gujarat and Mumbai.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will hold meetings in New Delhi with President Kovind, Prime Minister Modi, and Minister of External Affairs Swaraj. In addition, the Prime Minister will give an inaugural speech at the Raisina Dialogue and meet with the Indo-Israeli CEO forum in Delhi.

In Gujarat, the two Prime Ministers will visit the Center of Excellence in Vadrad and inaugurate a Center of Excellence for date palms in Bhuj via video conference. They will also visit the iCreate innovation campus and center.

In Mumbai, the Prime Minister will meet with Jewish community leaders and select members of the Indian business community. The Prime Minister will reach out to Bollywood in an exclusive “Shalom Bollywood” event.

Ahead of the visit, Ambassador Daniel Carmon said, “The Prime Minister’s visit to India is the grand finale to the celebrations of 25 years of Growing Partnership between India and Israel. The visit will focus on the progress made between India and Israel since Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel last summer, and on shaping the next 25 years of relations between our countries and our peoples.”

Pakistan continuing practice of putting out coerced statements: India on Jadhav video

NEW DELHI, Jan 4: India slammed Pakistan on Thursday for releasing another "confessional" video of imprisoned Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and called the stunt an exercise in state propaganda which lacks any credibility.

"This does not come as a surprise. Pakistan is simply continuing its practice of putting out coerced statements on video. It is time for them to realize that such propagandistic exercises simply carry no credibility," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The Pakistan Foreign Office had earlier released a video in which Jadhav is seen confessing that he was a commissioned officer of the Indian Navy and that the diplomat who was accompanying his family for a meeting on December 25 had yelled at his mother. India questioned the veracity of Jadhav's statement and charged that he was forced to admit all this by his Pakistani captors.

"The absurdity of a captive under duress certifying his own welfare while mouthing allegations of his captors clearly merits no comment," said the MEA.

In the purported video, Jadhav said, "I saw fear in her (mother's) eyes, the Indian diplomat was shouting at my mother the moment she stepped out. I saw him shouting, yelling at her. This [meeting] was a positive gesture, so that she [my mother] could be happy and I could be happy."

However, it was not clear how Jadhav saw the diplomat shouting at his mother once she stepped out. The diplomat accompanying Jadhav's family was J P Singh, India's Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad.

Jadhav's so-called "confessional" video was released days after New Delhi had hit out at Islamabad for violating the terms laid out for the Indian national's meeting with his wife and mother. Pakistani media heckled the two ladies, while state officials asked them to remove their bangles, bindi and mangalsutra and even confiscated his wife's footwear.

Taking a stern line, India warned Pakistan against violating Jadhav's rights and grant him consular access.