The Press Roundup

 

January 15, 2024 (Monday)

Curated Summary

Indian Army to deploy Drishti-10 drones near Pakistan border in Punjab (ANI)

• The Indian Army is set to deploy the Drishti-10 medium-altitude, long-endurance drones at a forward base in the Punjab sector, which will enhance their surveillance capability along the border with Punjab. The drones are expected to be inducted into the force in the next two to three months.

• The Indian Army has placed orders for two of these drones from Adani Defence, an Indian firm, under emergency provisions that require the systems to be more than 60% indigenous and under the 'Make in India' initiative in Defense.

• The drones will be deployed in the Punjab sector to monitor a large area, including the desert sector and areas north of Punjab.

• Adani Defence has signed a deal with the Israeli firm Elbit for the transfer of technology for the drones and has indigenized 70% of the drones.

• The Indian Army is already operating the Heron Mark 1 and Mark 2 drones and has also ordered the Drishti-10 or Hermes-900 drones.

Maldives calls for withdrawal of Indian troops by March15 (The Strait Times)

• The Maldives has called for India to withdraw troops from its territory by March 15, 2024, as part of President Mohamed Muizzu's pledge to end the Maldives' "India first" policy. This move is expected to strain ties between the two countries.

• Currently, there are around 80 Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives to provide support for military equipment and assist in humanitarian activities. These troops were given to the Maldives by India.

• President Muizzu campaigned on the promise of removing Indian troops, citing New Delhi's influence as a threat to sovereignty. The government's policy is that Indian troops cannot stay in the Maldives. 

Russia dismisses Davos discussion on Ukraine president's peace plan (Aljazeera)

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a 10-point peace plan at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, calling for Russia to withdraw its troops, restore Ukraine's state borders, and be held accountable for war crimes. The plan was discussed by 83 delegations at the summit of national security advisers at the WEF meeting.
• Russia has dismissed the discussions on the peace plan as pointless, with the Kremlin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stating that the talks will achieve nothing without Moscow's participation.
• The Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, sees the increasing participation of countries from the Global South in the discussions as a positive sign, indicating that the European conflict is a challenge for all humanity.

Pak-Iran talks on security situation start today (The Nation)

• The Pak-Iran talks on the security situation in Afghanistan, particularly the presence of global terror outfits, are set to begin. The talks will be led by Iranian Special Representative for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, and Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan.
• Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Ameri, will also be part of the delegation. Both Pakistan and Iran have concerns about the use of Afghan territory for terrorism against their respective countries.
• The recent terrorist attacks in Kerman, Iran, were reportedly carried out by militants infiltrating from the Afghan province of Nimroz, highlighting the need for regional cooperation.
• Proscribed groups, including the TTP and Baloch insurgent organizations, are also using Afghan territory for their activities against Pakistan and Iran.

Islamabad, Tehran agree to increase trade to $5 billion (Geo News)

• Pakistan and Iran have signed a five-year document on strategic and economic cooperation, highlighting their commitment to promoting trade relations and maintaining peace and stability in the region.
• The two countries have a history of economic relations and cultural exchanges, with a significant number of Pakistani pilgrims traveling to Iran each year.
• Improved bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran has the potential to alleviate Pakistan's economic woes, including inflation and high energy and commodity prices.
• The Pakistani gesture of docking naval ships at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas symbolizes peace, friendship, and the strengthening of friendly relations between the two nations.
• Previous projects, such as the "Mand-Pishin Border Sustenance Marketplace" and "220 kV Polan-Gabd Electricity Transmission Line," have been inaugurated as tangible manifestations of cooperation between Pakistan and Iran.

China calls for specific road map for implementation of two-state solution (Samaa)

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a peace conference on the war in Gaza and emphasized the need for a specific timetable and road map for the implementation of the 'two-state solution' and the resumption of Israel-Palestinian peace talks.
• Hamas released a video of three Israeli hostages and stated that their fate would be disclosed on Monday.
• Around half of the 240 people seized by Hamas were released in a November truce, but 132 remain in Gaza, with 25 reported to have died in captivity.
• Israel claims that more than 1,200 people were killed in Hamas' assault on October 7, while the Gaza health ministry reported almost 24,000 people killed and over 60,000 wounded in the Israeli offensive that followed.

Explainer: Why is North Korea testing hypersonic missiles and how do they work? (Asia One)

• North Korea has tested a new hypersonic missile with intermediate range.
• Hypersonic missiles can travel at more than five times the speed of sound and are difficult to detect and intercept.
• The main feature of hypersonic weapons is their manoeuvrability, not their speed.
• North Korea is developing hypersonic weapons as part of a five-year plan to boost its military power.
• The global push for hypersonic weapons is part of an arms race in which smaller Asian nations are striving to develop advanced long-range missiles.
• Hypersonic weapons could potentially evade missile shields and early warning systems.
• North Korea may be developing hypersonic missiles to strike Guam while evading the US missile defence system.

Pacific island nation Nauru moves to 'One China Principle', severs diplomatic ties with Taiwan (ANI)

• The island nation of Nauru has announced the severing of ties with Taiwan and will be moving to the "One-China Principle" in line with UN Resolution 2758, recognizing the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legal government.
• Nauru will no longer recognize Taiwan as a separate country but as an inalienable part of China's territory.
• Nauru's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan will not affect its existing warm relationships with other countries.
• Nauru remains a sovereign and independent nation and aims to maintain friendly relations with other countries.

PM Kakar land in Switzerland to attend 54th annual WEF summit (Geo News)

• Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar is attending the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
• He will deliver a keynote address on the theme "Trade Tech's Trillion Dollar Promise."
• PM Kakar will also attend three key thematic events on preventing global conflict, restoring faith in the global system, and preventing economic fracture.
• He will hold meetings with government and business leaders during the event.
• PM Kakar will lead a special "Invest in Pakistan" event during his visit.
• The World Economic Forum's annual meeting this year will focus on the theme "Rebuilding Trust" and will be attended by governments, international organizations, partner companies, civil society leaders, experts, youth, social entrepreneurs, and the media.

Red Sea caution (Dawn)

• The Houthi retaliation in the Red Sea poses a threat to worldwide maritime transport, affecting freedom of navigation and endangering critical waterways.
• Major container-shipping companies have halted operations, and BP has paused oil shipments through the Red Sea route, leading to potential capacity shortages and a spike in shipping costs between Asia and Europe.
• Approximately 20% of global container volumes, 10% of seaborne trade, and 8-10% of seaborne energy transit via the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
• The recent surge of attacks in the Red Sea, particularly targeting ships from numerous nations, is a cause for concern and requires a resolute response for sustained global prosperity.
• Effective action is needed to address the situation without escalating Middle Eastern conflicts and to ensure the unimpeded passage of ships through vital chokepoints like the Strait of Malacca and the Panama Canal.