JAKARTA, 09 December 2022, (TON): Indonesia hosted the first international conference to garner support for Afghan women’s education.

Afghan girls and women have been facing growing uncertainty since the Taliban took control of the country last year, with an estimated 3 million secondary school girls kept out of school for more than a year.

The International Conference on Afghan Women’s Education was held in Bali, co-organized by the governments of Indonesia and Qatar, the first such meeting to take place since the Taliban takeover, gathering representatives of 38 countries, international organizations, NGOs and academics.

DHAKA, 09 December 2022, (TON): The outgoing ambassadors of Japan and China separately called on President M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban.

President's Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS that Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki and Chinese Ambassador Li Jimming held separate subsequent meetings at the Bangabhaban.

During the meetings, the president thanked the outgoing ambassadors of Japan and China for their successful performance in Dhaka.

RIYADH, 09 December 2022, (TON): China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as part of a three-day visit to the Kingdom.

State agency reported “Xi was invited by King Salman to attend a Saudi-Chinese summit in the Kingdom, which will run until Dec. 9.”

The summit, headed by King Salman, will also see the participation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Xi is set to attend two more conferences, the Riyadh Gulf-China Summit for Cooperation and Development and the Riyadh Arab-China Summit for Cooperation and Development during his visit.

JERUSALEM, 09 December 2022, (TON): Israel’s prime-minister designate Benjamin Netanyahu struck a deal with an ultra-Orthodox Jewish party on allocating cabinet jobs in a key step toward forming a government ahead of a looming deadline.

The deal announced overnight promises the Shas party five ministerial jobs in Netanyahu’s incoming government, which is expected to be the most right-wing in Israel’s history.

Netanyahu said “we have achieved another step toward forming a government.”

Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party has already signed coalition deals with three controversial extreme right parties Religious Zionism, Jewish Power and the virulently anti-LGBT Noam.

BERLIN, 09 December 2022, (TON): The federal police chief said “a German far-right group busted for plotting to topple the government was heavily armed and posed a real threat.”

Holger Muench told “those arrested included a dangerous mix of people with irrational convictions, some with a lot of money and others in possession of weapons.”

He said “they had put in place a plan that they also intended to carry out... That makes it dangerous and that is why we intervened.”

Weapons were found in 50 of the locations searched, Muench said, including crossbows, rifles, and ammunition.

NEW DELHI, 09 December 2022, (TON): White House said “the Biden Administration is aware of the long delays in visa appointments in India and is working to respond to the significant demand of these visa services.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters "I can say that the Biden administration is aware of the issues.”

She was responding to a question on the agonizing long visa appointment period at the US missions in India, which currently runs into more than 1,000 days.

DHAKA, 09 December 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said “resettlement of a few Rohingyas in the US is not a viable solution, rather the solution is repatriation to their homeland in Myanmar's Rakhine state.”

While talking to reporters, Momen said “the United States is taking a few Rohingyas as a follow up to his discussion with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.”

The foreign minister said “Bangladesh is requesting big countries to take at least 100,000 Rohingyas each, to share Bangladesh's burden.”

Momen said “Bangladesh government wants a better life for the Rohingyas.”

DHAKA, 09 December 2022, (TON): Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming said “China hopes that the repatriation of displaced Rohingya people will start next year.”

The outgoing Chinese Ambassador expressed the expectation when he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter's official residence Ganabhaban this morning.

PM's Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said “they expressed hope that that the return of Rohingyas to their own country would start within the next year.”

By Ali Hassan

Sri Lanka has widely caught the eyes on two pieces of news related to China in recent days. On august 2022 earlier for the sake of one china policy this month, according to which Taiwan is being reconsidered under Chinese government and hence U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’ paid a sneaky visit to China’s Taiwan region, upon which Chinese side responded with firm countermeasures immediately. Over 170 countries around the world have all expressed their firm support for the One-China Principle and strong objection against the US provocation.

Later in the middle of August 2022, the Chinese scientific research vessel YUAN WANG 5 (IMO: 9413054) which is a Research/Survey Vessel that was built in 2007 (15 years ago) and is sailing under the flag of China, docked at the Hambantota Port for replenishment after receiving the latest approval from the Sri Lankan government on 16 August 2022. However, Chinese ship Yuan Wang 5 departed from Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port on August 22, due to the controversy over its docking continues to roil the waters around the Indian Ocean Island. India being regional actor in Indian Ocean critically opposed the docking of Yuan Wang 5 upon which Chinese and Indian diplomats in Colombo engaged in a war of words over the vessel’s controversial visit to Sri Lanka. Moreover, India started pressurizing Sri Lanka over allowing docking the Chinese vessel without bringing in the knowledge of Indian authorities and further claimed that the intelligence department of India revealed the presence of Chinese Yuan Wang 5 in Indian Ocean. Furthermore India claimed it as an illegal activity and compromising maritime security. In the reaction to the counterpart’s objection  Sri Lanka's envoy Milinda Moragoda stated that the decision to allow the docking of the Chinese ship 'Yuan Wang 5' was taken at the level of 'officials' in the chaotic time when former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was leaving the country and hence on 22 August 2022 it departed from Sri Lankan’s waters. Moreover, foreign security analysts quoted by Reuters described the Yuan Wang 5 as one of China's latest generation space-tracking ships, used to monitor satellite, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches. Whereas India's concerns came amidst Beijing's increasing influence in Sri Lanka which is currently in a severe economic crisis. Initially China and Sri Lanka having altogether resisted the rude and unreasonable interference from third parties but on returning Chinese ship 'Yuan Wang 5' on 22 August 2022, the Chinese adopted a tough stance at the meetings in Beijing and Colombo. They reportedly warned their Sri Lankan counterparts that calling off the ship visit would impact their decisions on the restructuring of Sri Lankan loans whereas Sri Lanka owes China an estimated $1.5 to $2 billion in debt repayment in 2022 and ongoing bilateral talks relating to a $4 billion aid package and a free trade agreement. However, Beijing has loaned billions of dollars to the country as part of its Belt and Road Initiative to build infrastructure in Asia. However, not all of the funding has worked in Sri Lanka's favor. Despite this all, Unlike China which has provided Sri Lanka with little help to deal with the economic crisis, India has extended the island loans, lines of credit and humanitarian assistance worth $3.8 billion since early this year. This has helped New Delhi regain influence in Sri Lanka, mainly in the form of public goodwill. Furthermore, The Indian High Commission in Colombo clapped back immediately. It criticized Qi for “violation of basic diplomatic etiquette.” It blamed China’s “opaqueness and debt driven agendas” for Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis and went on to point out that Sri Lanka needs support, not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies to serve another country’s agenda,” a dig at China’s reluctance to help Sri Lanka come out of its economic crisis. But these stances were firmly hitting Sri Lanka to remain under the influence of India and Indian policies. Furthermore, Due to India’s insistence, Sri Lanka recently entered into a trilateral agreement with India and the Maldives for Maritime Domain Awareness. As an expert opinion viewed that international tie-ups are necessary because no nation can fight the new threats alone in the vast ocean. Then there are other issues like marine pollution, maritime disasters, and search and rescue to take into notice.

No doubt Sri Lanka is currently facing economic crises at marginal level. It needs support and cooperation either financial or moral but not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies to serve another country’s agenda or to save the third party’s agenda. As Sri Lanka owes great importance in Indian Ocean and hence despite surrounded by crises, Sri Lanka being regional actor has a great stance for other regional entities in maritime security challenges. The need of hour is to take responsibility of helping Sri Lanka to overcome its crises; the regional actor must ensure it and should not hit the sensitivity of Sri Lanka.

By S. Habib

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, recruited Nepalese people from Gorkha District into his army after the battle of Kangra, in 1815. British also when wanted to keep an open border with Nepal to expand the economic and security interests of the East India Company (EIC) to Nepal and beyond; recruited Nepali hill people into the army without restrictions. Independent India again retained the open border with Nepal, and Article VII of the  India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship-1950 grants, “on reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territory of the other the same privileges on matters of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature”. As a result, even though there were check-posts at 26 locations along the India-Nepal border, people from either country could cross over from any point and as many times a day as they liked without any interrogation. With the Treaty of 1950, India and Nepal cemented their diplomatic relations in addition to the free movement of people and goods between the countries, also allowed for collaboration in security matters too.

In 1947, The Tripartite Agreement, which was signed by Nepal, India and Britain which allowed Nepalese soldiers to serve in the Indian Army while assuring them financial security and benefits. Gorkha recruitment into the Indian Army has significant geopolitical implications, especially since it was against Nepal’s foreign policy of non-alignment. Despite opposition from some political parties, Nepali youth from the indigenous hill communities in the western parts of the country were interested in these positions due to the pay, perks, and other social security benefits in the Indian Army. Every year, hundreds of Nepali men joined the armies of India and Britain in an arrangement dating to the early 19th century. Today, there are about 30,000 Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army and the total number of veterans of the force exceeds 100,000. The remittances Gurkhas send home have given Nepal an economic cushion during difficult times. Their contribution to Nepal’s GDP is comparable to that of the country’s fishing or transport sectors, at around 3.7 percent in 2015. Currently, about 122,000 Gorkha pensioners in Nepal receive support from the Indian government.

Critics in Bhutan perceived that treaty of 1950 was signed by India in the wake of threat emanating from the China at that time. Later on in 2006, Nepal dismantled its 240-year-old monarchy as a result of alleged India’s political support. Therefore, the distinctive components of the bilateral relationship began to drift towards China presenting itself as an alternative partner and one key domestic development in Nepal making India an unpopular neighbour.

In 2015, Nepal promulgated a new constitution which also upset India’s interests and expectations, especially since it was promulgated without considering New Delhi’s concerns over the Madhesh province, which borders India. The Madhesi leaders capitalised on India’s soft support by blocking border checkpoints and interrupting the entire supply system, which led to a massive humanitarian crisis in Nepal triggered by fuel and cooking gas shortages. This situation dented India’s image in Nepal’s political and civilian spaces, even as China increased its engagements through aid and assistance.

The demonetisation of specific Indian currency notes in 2016 caused a further strain in the bilateral relationship. Nepali banks, financial institutions, and individuals were said to hold over INR 7 billion (approximately US$108 million) of the banned Indian notes. Nepal has repeatedly urged India to permit the exchange of these notes, but there has been no progress. This has further tarnished India’s image in Nepal.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution in 2019, which ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, India updated its political maps to include within itself the disputed territories with Nepal. The long-standing border issue was aggravated when India opened a strategically important link road connecting the Lipulekh Pass (which Nepal claims) with Dharchula, both in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. In May 2020, Nepal responded by publishing a new political map that included the disputed territory. Since then, neither side has attempted to resolve or mitigate the border dispute.

In 2022, India’s new Agnipath scheme for soldiers is introduced, but the repercussions of scheme were also being felt beyond India’s borders, as it created some tensions in Nepal. Under the policy, youth between the ages of 17-and-a-half to 21 years will be recruited in the armed forces for four years of service. After which only up to 25 percent of each batch will be inducted into the regular ranks to serve for at least another 15 years. The rest will be let go with a lump sum of about $15,000, without the pension or benefits career service members enjoy. India has not consulted Nepal regarding the Agnipath scheme applying to recruitment of Gorkhas, who have loyally served the Indian Army for over 200 years now facing an uncertain future due to the controversial short-term recruitment scheme.

After formation of new government as a result of recent elections, Nepal will apt proclaim its official retort to Agnipath scheme and border disputes with India.  Because implementation of the scheme has invigorated debates over the provisions in the 1947 tripartite agreement also. Nepal’s new government may consider the various factors associated with Gorkha recruitment, including social, economic, political, and diplomatic and regional issues. The Sher Bahadur Deuba administration is also concerned about the future of the Nepali youth after completing the four-year service as per Agnipath and the possible impacts on Nepal’s internal security and may mull over its foreign policy also.