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☆ Modi's weaker-than-expected election win raises questions over his economic and political agenda
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he arrives at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi, India, June 4, 2024. he said, adding Modi will likely have an "uneasy relationship" with its coalition partners. Veteran investor David Roche called the election outcome an exercise of "karma," adding that this was Modi's election to lose. The party suffered some of its high-profile losses here, with political BJP heavyweights like Smriti Irani among others, losing their seats. A 'humbling moment'Going into the election, Modi's popularity endured despite India's economic problems such as high youth unemployment, inflation and income inequality.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Adnan Abidi, Modi, Neelanjan Sircar, We've, Sircar, CNBC's, —, David Roche, Roche, Smriti Irani, overreach, he's, Michael Kugelman, Wilson Organizations: Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Centre for Policy Research, Indian National Congress, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Independent, South Asia Institute Locations: New Delhi, India, INDIA, Uttar Pradesh, Ayodhya, Faizabad, Maharashtra, Rajasthan

☆ A bloodthirsty ISIS branch is 'on the upswing' after the US left Afghanistan in a lurch, a former top commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementIn the years since the US and its NATO allies left Afghanistan, a particularly violent branch of the Islamic State terror group has grown stronger. During the first few years of its existence, ISIS-K attacks were mainly confined to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The first year under the Taliban's rule saw a sharp uptick in terror attacks inside Afghanistan. But that trend has changed in recent months; attacks inside the country declined while attacks beyond its borders have increased. Thus, the conditions inside Afghanistan have awarded the terror group space to develop a greater capacity to stage external attacks.

Persons: —, Joseph Votel, Hamid, Taylor Crul, Michael Kugelman, Kugelman, MARCUS YAM, Votel, that's, Doug Ellis, Qassem, STRINGER, Michael Kurilla, John Kirby, Biden, Kirby Organizations: Service, NATO, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S . Air Force, US Air Force, REUTERS ISIS, Islamic, ISIS, Department of Defense, Hamid, AP, South Asia Institute, Wilson, Kabul International Airport, ANGELES, US Central Command, Security Forces, Staff, Getty, White, National Security, Department, Defense Locations: Afghanistan, Moscow, Kabul, Handout, Khorasan Provence, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Washington, Darzab district, Jowzjan province, Mar, Iran, Central Asia, Iranian, Kerman, Europe, Russia, Islamic State, Crocus, American, Achin, Nangarhar Province

Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack. Two sources familiar with the American information said that since November there had been a steady stream of intelligence that ISIS-K – an affiliate of ISIS that is active in Afghanistan and the surrounding region – was determined to attack Russia. Moscow has intervened tellingly in Syria’s civil war, to the support of President Bashar al-Assad and against ISIS. A US official said Friday that Washington had no reason to doubt ISIS’ claim that it was responsible for the latest attack. On Friday, following reports of the Crocus City Hall attack, the US embassy advised US citizens not to travel to Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Gunmen, Isis, Putin, Adrienne Watson, “, tellingly, Bashar al, Assad, ” Michael Kugelman, Washington Organizations: CNN, ISIS, Crocus, Hall, US National Security, RIA Novosti, Wilson Center, Reuters, Central Asian Locations: Moscow, Russia, United States, ”, Khorasan, Kaluga, Afghanistan, Washington, Crocus

☆ What we know about the Moscow concert hall attack — and why ISIS-K is claiming responsibility
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A group of unidentified individuals opened fire at the Crocus City Hall, a music venue located on the western edge of Moscow, on Friday evening. The Ministry of Emergency Situations told the Russian news agency that a third of Crocus City Hall was engulfed. If ISIS-K is confirmed to have carried out the attack, the group may have done so on Friday simply because they were ready, Byman said. The warning was partly based on intelligence that indicated an ISIS-K presence in Russia, two US officials told The Washington Post. Three days before the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the warnings, calling them "provocative."

Persons: —, Mikhail Murashko, Amaq, Hamid Karzai, Daniel Byman, Byman, Michael Kugelman, Vladimir Putin, Colin P, Clarke Organizations: Service, Crocus City Hall, TASS, Federal Security Service, Business, Crocus City, Associated Press, Russian, Ministry, ISIS, CNN, The New York Times, Islamic, Center for Strategic & International Studies, CSIS, Wilson, Reuters, Washington Post, Soufan, New York Times, Kremlin Locations: Crocus, Moscow, Russian, Russia's, Khorasan Province, Afghanistan, Islamic State, Washington, DC, Pakistan, Kabul, Russia, Chechnya

☆ China slams the U.S. for interfering in Arunachal Pradesh border dispute with India
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A tableau of Arunachal Pradesh state during the Republic Day parade along Kartavya Path in New Delhi, India, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. China slammed the United States for interfering in its border dispute with India, after Washington said it recognized the disputed Arunachal Pradesh as a part of Indian territory. China, which refers to the territory as Zangnan, claims Arunachal Pradesh is part of southern Tibet. India rejects those claims, stating Arunachal Pradesh has always been a part of India. Kugelman pointed out that the U.S. typically refrains from commenting on some Indian border disputes, such as the one with Pakistan over Kashmir.

Persons: Washington, Lin Jian, China's, Narendra Modi, Vedant Patel, Zangnan, Lin, Michael Kugelman, Kugelman Organizations: India's, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, United, LAC, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, CNBC Locations: Arunachal Pradesh, New Delhi, India, China, United States, Beijing, Indian, Tibet, U.S, Pakistan, Kashmir, Washington

Ajay Bisaria, India's ambassador to Canada from 2020 to 2022, said the relationship is in a "de-escalation phase" following "quiet diplomacy". "This is not a thaw," an Indian foreign ministry official told Reuters. 'MODEST DE-ESCALATION'Officials in India and Canada spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak on the subject. The Indian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Canada's foreign ministry pointed to comments made by Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie on Oct. 30.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Justin Trudeau, Evan Vucci, Michael Kugelman, Ajay Bisaria, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India's, Ottawa’s, Melanie Jolie, Jolie, Modi, Kugelman, Michael Bociurkiw, Krishn Kaushik, Steve Scherer, YP Rajesh, William Mallard Organizations: Indian, Canada, Bharat, DELHI, Mutual, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, Reuters, Canadian, Foreign, Atlantic Council, YP, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Canada, OTTAWA, Punjab, Delhi, Ottawa, Washington, China, Vancouver, Hardeep, Vienna

ISLAMABAD, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Pakistan's three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to arrive back home on Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile in London to kick-start his party campaign three months ahead of a general election. Sharif has not set foot in Pakistan since he left for London in 2019 to receive medical treatment while serving a 14-year prison sentence for corruption. When he was removed as premier in 2017, Pakistan's GDP growth rate was 5.8% and inflation was hovering around just 4%. In September, inflation registered at over 31% year-on-year, and growth is projected to be less than 2% this financial year. "Over his long political career, Sharif's relationship with the military brass has blown hot and cold.

Persons: Nawaz Sharif, Sharif, Imran Khan, Khan, Sharif's, Shehbaz Sharif, Michael Kugelman, Asif Shahzad, Stephen Coates Organizations: London, International Monetary Fund, South Asia, The Wilson, Thomson Locations: ISLAMABAD, London, Lahore, Dubai, Pakistan

Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was expected to seize on India’s geopolitical high in his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday. But circumstances have changed — quite abruptly — and India comes to the General Assembly podium with a diplomatic mess on its hands. India has long sought greater recognition at the United Nations. For decades, it has eyed a permanent seat at the Security Council, one of the world’s most prestigious high tables. The U.N. Security Council, he said, “will be compelled to provide permanent membership."

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, ”, Michael Kugelman, Wilson, Gandhi’s, Happymon Jacob, ” Jacob, Jaishankar, couldn’t, “, United States —, “ There’s, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, there's, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Kugelman, Robert Rae, he’s, ” Kugelman Organizations: DELHI, African Union, United Nations, “, South Asia Institute, Strategic, Defense Research, Security Council, . Security, . Security Council, —, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, White, Canadian, Associated Press, General Assembly Locations: India, African, Canadian, Vancouver, New Delhi, Ottawa, Canada, China, France, Russia, Britain, United States, Ukraine, U.S, Delhi, Washington, Australia, Japan

☆ Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar and what just happened between Canada and India?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Blair Gable/ReutersIndia responded hours later by rejecting Trudeau’s allegations, accusing Canada of harboring terrorists and claiming its inaction against extremists had been a “long-standing” concern. Nijjar’s death in June shocked the Sikh community in Canada, one of the largest outside India with more than 770,000 members. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun told CNN that Nijjar was asked to be careful and avoid giving “big talks” or he would be targeted. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with the youngest son of Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while attending a ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on February 23, 2018. When Trudeau visited India in 2018, his calendar, which was light on diplomatic meetings, was seen by many as a “snub” from New Delhi.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Canada wasn’t, ”, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, cratering, Nijjar, Melanie Joly, Blair Gable, –, “, Hardeep Singh, India’s UAPA, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Pannun, Harsh Pant, Modi, Narendra Modi, Canada's, PRAKASH SINGH, ” Pant, Michael Kugelman, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Australia’s Anthony Albanese, Adrienne Watson, Penny Wong, I’m, ” Kugelman, would’ve “, Kugelman, Canada would’ve Organizations: CNN, Canadian, Canada, Reuters, Canada –, British Columbia Gurdwaras, India’s, Indian National Investigation Agency, Khalistan, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Justice, Observer Research Foundation, India's, AFP, Getty, Indian Army, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, British, National Security, Australian Foreign Locations: India, New Delhi, United States, Canada, Ottawa, Indian, Reuters India, Canadian, British, Ontario, India’s Punjab, New York, AFP, Toronto, China, Australia, Britain, New Zealand

But most concurred it was a foreign policy triumph for Modi as he pushes to increase India’s influence on the world stage. “India’s statement embodies the voice of the emerging Global South” said Derek Grossman, an analyst focused on the Indo-Pacific at the RAND Corporation. “It’s emerging as a successful case study of Western and non-Western powers and the Global South working together to pursue shared goals,” he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's leader Xi Jinping skipped the G20 summit this year. Heading into the summit, Modi had argued that the developing countries should have more say, noting that they are disproportionately impacted by many crises including climate change, food shortages and rising energy prices.

Persons: —, Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak, Olaf Scholz, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, ”, Amitabh Kant, Modi, “, Derek Grossman, Michael Kugelman, Wilson, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergey Lavrov, India's, ” Lavrov, Michael Schuman, ” Schuman, ” Kugelman, Krutika Pathi, Adam Schreck, Joanna Kozlowska Organizations: DELHI, British, United, Russia, RAND Corporation, Beijing, ”, Union, South Asia Institute, Global, Russian, Atlantic, European Union, “, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Russia, China, Moscow, United Nations, India, New Delhi, Brazil, South Africa, Beijing, London

☆ Analysis: India is hosting G20 as the world is in crisis but for Modi it's also a chance to shine
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will be absent from the gathering, with Beijing giving no reason for the surprise miss – a move widely seen as a snub to India. Nevertheless, analysts say the gathering affords Modi a unique chance to shine on the world stage and flex India’s geopolitical muscle. India can act as a bridge,” said Kajari Kamal, associate professor at the Takshashila Institution in India. “For a long time, India was perceived as a nation of over 1 billion hungry stomachs,” Modi said in an interview with the Press Trust of India on Sunday. “It’s giving a great boost to infrastructure domestically, and to the world, it’s showcasing India’s culture and its rich heritage,” she added.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Modi’s statecraft, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Mikhail Svetlov, ”, Kajari Kamal, ’, ” Modi, “, Kamal, It’s, Putin, Biden, Akhil Ramesh, Xi, Putin –, Michael Kugelman, it’s, Ramesh Organizations: CNN, Indian, Beijing, Kremlin, East, Takshashila, Press Trust of India, Pacific Forum, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, Ukraine, White, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, Union, Pacific Locations: New Delhi, Ukraine, China, Russia, India, Russian, Moscow, Osaka, Japan, South, “, Australia, United States, Britain, East, Honolulu, Washington, Kremlin Moscow, Delhi

That means the two-day summit from September 9 will be dominated by the West and its allies. The G20 leaders who will attend include U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman and Japan's Fumio Kishida. "If the leaders' summit is a flop, New Delhi and especially Modi will have suffered a major diplomatic, and political, setback," Kugelman said. "The positions have hardened since the Bali Summit," a senior Indian government official told Reuters, referring to the 2022 summit held in Indonesia. Lavrov said last week Russia will block the final declaration of the G20 summit unless it reflects Moscow's position on Kyiv and other crises.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin's, Joe Biden, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman, Japan's, Michael Kugelman, Narendra Modi, Modi, Kugelman, Joko Widodo, Justin Trudeau, Sergei Lavrov, Putin, battlelines, Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Lavrov, David Boling, N.K, Singh, Larry Summers, Katya Golubkova, Kentaro Sugiyama, Sakura Murakami Organizations: REUTERS, West, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, Indian, New, Reuters, Bali, Canada's, Russian, Diplomats, Eurasia Group, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, China, Russia, Saudi, Washington, Bali, Indonesia, Indonesian, CHINA, Brazil, South Africa, Johannesburg, U.S, Tokyo

☆ China can gain leverage over Russia during SCO summit: Wilson Center
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChina may be able to gain more leverage over Russia during SCO summit, says Wilson Center analystChina may be able to gain more leverage over Russia as the Kremlin becomes more dependent on Beijing, says Michael Kugelman, a deputy director at Wilson Center, when asked about what to expect at the virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Persons: Michael Kugelman Organizations: China, SCO, Wilson Center, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Locations: Russia, Beijing

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. rights groups plan protests next week against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington over what they call India's deteriorating human rights record, even though experts do not expect Washington to be publicly critical of New Delhi. Washington hopes for closer ties with the world's largest democracy, which it sees as a counterweight to China, but rights advocates worry that geopolitics will overshadow human rights issues. The United States has said its human rights concerns related to India include the Indian government's targeting of religious minorities, dissidents and journalists. In a letter to Biden, Human Rights Watch's Asia Division director Elaine Pearson urged the White House to raise concerns, both publicly and privately, about human rights in India during Modi's visit. Advocacy groups have also raised concerns over alleged human rights abuses under Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Persons: Narendra Modi's, Modi, Joe Biden, Washington, Howdy Modi, Donald Trump, Biden, Elaine Pearson, Donald Camp, Camp, George W, Bush, Antony Blinken, Michael Kugelman, Kanishka Singh, Simon Lewis, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Don Durfee, Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell Organizations: Indian, Indian American Muslim Council, Veterans, Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition, House, United, Hindu, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, Asia, Reuters, Biden, State Department, Strategic, International Studies, U.S . State Department, World Press, 161st, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, South Asia Institute, Wilson, Thomson Locations: Washington, New Delhi, Peace, China, United States, India, New York, Texas, Gujarat, U.S, Karnataka

☆ India constructs world's highest railway bridge above Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir region
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —India is now home to the world’s tallest railway bridge. Some 35 meters (over 10 feet) taller than the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab Bridge sits 359 meters (around 109 feet) above the Chenab River in India’s contentious Jammu and Kashmir region. The 1,315 meter-long (4,314 feet) bridge is part of a broader project to make the Kashmir Valley accessible by the Indian Railway network. In addition to the Chenab Bridge, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project involves what will become the country’s longest transportation tunnel and Indian Railways’ first cable bridge. “Once we will be connected by train with the rest of India, it will be a big boost to this industry, agriculture as well as fruit.”The Chenab bridge is part of efforts to link Kashmir with the rest of India.

But other potential Chinese investors were less sure. Most investors had decided to head home ahead of Chinese New Year, said Yu. GUNFIRE, PANICNews of the hotel attack spread fast to the investors running China Town - a cluster of 10-storey blocks about 20 minutes drive away, overlooked by snow-topped mountains. After security forces secured the hotel, Yu got through to some of the guests by phone. In all, about 35 Chinese investors were in the hotel, he said - about a third of the number he estimated were in Afghanistan at the time.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global money laundering and terrorism financing watchdog, starts a two-day meeting in Paris on Thursday and is expected to take up removal of Pakistan from a list of countries under "increased monitoring". In a meeting in June, the FATF said it was keeping Pakistan on the list - also known as the "grey list" - but said it might be removed after an on-site visit to verify progress. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterHere are some key points:WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR PAKISTAN? If removed from the list, Pakistan would essentially receive a reputational boost and get a clean bill of health from the international community on terrorist financing. Removal from the FATF list would provide Pakistan a boost after the country's sovereign credit rating was downgraded by Moody's.

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