The Press Roundup

 

January 24, 2024 (Wednesday)

Curated Summary

International North-South Transport Corridor: Enhancing Indfia's regional connectivity (Valdai Discussion Club)

• The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a route for moving freight from South Asia to Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia. It involves moving goods from India to Iran by ship, and then by ship, truck, or rail to Southern Russia. From there, the goods are transported by truck or rail to Northern Europe.

• The INSTC project includes countries such as Russia, Iran, India, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, and Oman.

• The commencement of the first commercial consignment through INSTC in July 2022 marked a historic milestone. The new route is expected to have a transit time of 25-30 days, which is shorter and cheaper compared to the previous route.

• The INSTC aims to improve cooperation, communication, and reduce barriers to facilitate economic growth for the benefit of the countries and the region as a whole.

  
  
  

Indian Army develops AI tech to fight honey-trapping (The Defence Post)

• The Indian Army has developed an AI-based technology called Chatbot to combat honey-trapping by enemy spies. Soldiers use WhatsApp to simulate conversations and identify troops susceptible to espionage tactics. The AI bot learns from itself and can easily incorporate new scenarios for effective training.
• The Indian Army has been a target of honey-trapping attempts, primarily by Pakistani spies. In one incident, a Pakistani spy successfully honey-trapped a DRDO official, leading to the disclosure of sensitive information about BrahMos missiles. The spy was apprehended by the Anti-Terrorism Squad.
• The Indian Army has taken other countermeasures, including recruiting cyber-specialists to combat online espionage and implementing strict social media policies for soldiers. These policies prohibit posting photographs of military personnel in uniform and using phones inside military installations.

Circular dept settlement plan (Business Recorder)

• The circular debt settlement plan developed by the Ministry of Energy is considered unique, holistic, and synergistic compared to previous schemes. The Finance Ministry has issued mixed opinions on the plan, with some objections related to the IMF.
• The overall energy sector circular debt is reported to be Rs5,725 billion, with Rs2,703 billion in the power sector and Rs3,022 billion in the petroleum sector.
• This plan aims to address circular debt at the sector level rather than separately for power and petroleum. It involves a seriatim execution sequence, starting with paying the central power purchaser (CPPA) and enabling them to settle with power generators, who will then settle with gas distribution companies, and eventually settling with state-owned EP companies.
• The plan aims to be budget-neutral and utilize technical supplementary grants to increase the settlement amount.

What is known about the crash of IL-76: No survivors on plane Russia says was carrying 65 Ukrainian PoWs (BBC)

• A Russian IL-76 military transport plane has crashed in the south of the Belgorod Region. According to the Russian defence ministry, at least 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been killed. According to the RIA Novosti news agency, there were nine people on board, including six crew members. None of the details of those on board could be confirmed by independent experts.
• Reports from Kiev say the IL-76 was shot down by Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian General Staff, quoted by the Ukrainska Pravda website, said the aircraft was carrying missiles for Russian S-300 air defence systems. The report did not mention prisoners of war.
• A video posted on social media shows the plane crashing around 11:00 local time (0800 GMT) near the village of Yablonovo, 70 kilometres northeast of Belgorod, followed by an explosion.
• According to RIA Novosti, the Ukrainian prisoners were "being transported to Belgorod region for exchange," although this cannot be confirmed.
• Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin was aware of the crash but declined to go into details.

The man who could unseat Netanyahu (The New York Times)

• Benny Gantz, the former leader of a small Israeli opposition party, is now a member of the war cabinet formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lead Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. He is also involved in planning for potential conflicts with Hezbollah on Israel's northern border.
• Gantz has accused Netanyahu of dividing Israeli society in the past, and his opinion of Netanyahu has worsened since the war began.

Turkish parliament approves Sweden NATO bid (The Fresno Bee)

• Turkey's Parliament has approved Sweden's accession to NATO, with a vote of 287-55, clearing a major obstacle for Sweden's bid to join the alliance.
• The approval from Turkey's legislative assembly leaves only Hungary to approve Sweden's accession to NATO. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invited his Swedish counterpart to discuss the ratification.
• Concerns have been raised in Hungary about Sweden's fractious relations with Budapest. Some parliamentary members in Hungary have expressed reservations about Sweden's bid.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed concerns about Sweden's support for Kurdish militants and tied his support for Sweden joining NATO to the sale of American-made F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
• During a NATO summit in July, Erdogan met with the Swedish Prime Minister and smoothed the path for Sweden's eventual approval to join the alliance.

Govt approves army deployment for 'peaceful conduct' of Feb 8 polls (Dawn)

• The caretaker federal cabinet has approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces for the peaceful holding of the upcoming February 8 general elections.
• There has been an uptick in terrorism in Pakistan recently, with an independent candidate being killed in a gun attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan.
• The security personnel will perform duties at sensitive constituencies and polling stations, as well as act as a rapid response force.
• A seven-member committee has been constituted to oversee the security arrangements for the upcoming elections.
• Government and security officials have assured the Election Commission of their readiness to hold the general elections and deal with any kind of situation.

Is Qatar putting the squeeze on the anti-Taliban resistance? (Middle East Forum)

• Qatar is under scrutiny for its alleged involvement in the Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent hostage crisis, leading to calls for it to be designated as a state sponsor of terror. Qatar denies culpability and asserts its strong relations with the United States.
• Qatar claims that its ties with Hamas and other radical groups are at the request of Washington and Jerusalem, serving as a middleman.
• Qatar has been accused of being a hub for legitimation and money laundering for radical Islamist and terror groups across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and North America.
• Qatar facilitated the establishment of a Taliban political office, which operated informally from January 2012 and formally opened the following year. Qatar also hosted US-Taliban talks during both the Trump and Biden administrations, leading to a peace deal in February 2020.

Rumors of China's decline are premature and dangerous (The Washington Post)

• Some analysts are concerned about the decline of China's economy, but these fears are premature and the assumptions based on them could hinder an adequate response from the US.
• China's economy has experienced a decline in growth rates, with official figures showing growth at just over 5 percent (others believe it could be as low as 1.5 percent).
• The Chinese economy is facing challenges such as debt problems, a struggling real estate sector, and a declining population.
• Efforts to boost population growth in China have been ineffective, and a significant portion of the population is over 60 years old.

Arab League council backs joint Qatar-Egypt efforts for Gaza truce (Gulf Times)

• The Arab League Council expressed support for Qatar and Egypt's joint efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire and restore normalcy in the Gaza Strip.
• It called on the US and countries supporting Israeli aggression to adopt positions consistent with international law, humanitarian law, and to demand a complete and sustainable ceasefire.
• The statement warned against Israel's plans for forced displacement of 2 million Palestinians and emphasized that Arab countries will take necessary steps to prevent it.
• It urged the implementation of Security Council Resolution No 2720 (2023) for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and the creation of conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.
• The statement denounced Israeli attacks on Lebanese and Syrian territories and emphasized that Palestinian freedom and independence are crucial for regional security and peace.
• It appreciated South Africa and Libya's actions in taking Israel to the International Court of Justice and urged more countries to follow suit.
• The statement called on countries to stop providing weapons to Israel and to hold their citizens accountable for participating in Israeli crimes.

Indian Army inducts logistics drones to replace animal transport fleet (The Defence Post)

• The Indian Army is replacing its fleet of mules with logistics drones for transporting military supplies.
• The army plans to reduce manpower by around 100,000 personnel by 2027 as part of its force restructuring and optimization efforts.
• In addition to drones, the army will also deploy robotic mules and all-terrain vehicles for delivering supplies in treacherous routes and extreme weather conditions.
• The entire animal transport fleet of the Indian Army will be disbanded by 2025, with over 3,300 general service mules being retired by the end of the decade.
• The army has already awarded contracts worth 320 crore Indian rupee (38.5 million) for 563 logistics drones that can carry loads in high-altitude areas.

Peshawar CMH introduces cutting-edge digital system for military, civilian patients (Samaa)

• Adapting to the demands of the modern era, CMH Peshawar has introduced the Smart OPD, a state-of-the-art digital system.
• Through these smart services, the entire system has been centralized, allowing incoming patients to be directed to relevant doctors, and information about them to be provided promptly.
• The inauguration of the Smart OPD was carried out by Commander Peshawar Lieutenant General Hasan Azhar Hayat.

Will Gilgit Baltistan become Pakistan's fifth province? (Modern Diplomacy)

• Gilgit-Baltistan is located at the northern end of the Indian subcontinent, bordering China to the east, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the west, and India to the south.
• The region is divided into three divisions: Gilgit, Diamer, and Baltistan, which are further subdivided into ten districts.
• Gilgit-Baltistan has an estimated population of 1.8 million (2015) and is ethnically divided into two main regions, Dardistan and Baltistan.
• The region is known for its lush nature, snow-capped peaks, glaciers, rivers, and exotic culture, making it a major attraction for tourists and naturalists.
• The principalities of Hunza and Nagar were retained by Pakistan as nominally autonomous entities until 1974.
• The region's locals speak a variety of dialects, including Burushaski, Shina, and Khowar, but no recognized script. Urdu script was introduced in schools after the annexation of these areas by Pakistan.
• Reasons why Gilgit Baltistan cannot become fifth province of Pakistan
• Unclear constitutional status: Not officially a province or federal territory, limited autonomy under 2009 order.
• Disputed territory: Claimed by India, raising tensions if declared a province.
• Diverse population: Complex socio-political structure, fear of losing unique identity as a province.
• Strategic importance: Part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), change could affect project.
• Limited resources: Remote, sparsely populated, reliant on federal aid, difficult to sustain itself as province.
• Uncertain future: Despite promises of full constitutional status, region's status remains unclear.