SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Friday, April 11, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Taliban morality enforcers arrest men for having the wrong hairstyle or skipping mosque, UN says (AP)
AP [4/10/2025 8:26 AM, Staff, 54903K]
The Taliban morality police in Afghanistan have detained men and their barbers over hairstyles and others for missing prayers at mosques during the holy month of Ramadan, a UN report said Thursday, six months after laws regulating people’s conduct came into effect.
The Vice and Virtue Ministry published laws last August covering many aspects everyday life in Afghanistan, including public transport, music, shaving and celebrations. Most notably, the ministry issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public.
That same month, a top UN official warned the laws provided a "distressing vision" for the country’s future by adding to existing employment, education, and dress code restrictions on women and girls. Taliban officials have rejected UN concerns about the morality laws.
Thursday’s report, from the UN mission in Afghanistan, said in the first 6 months of the laws’ implementation, over half of detentions made under it concerned "either men not having the compliant beard length or hairstyle, or barbers providing non-compliant beard trimming or haircuts.".
The report said that the morality police regularly detained people arbitrarily "without due process and legal protections.".
During the holy fasting month of Ramadan, men’s attendance at mandated congregational prayers was closely monitored, leading at times to arbitrary detention of those who didn’t show up, the report added.
The UN mission said that both sexes were negatively affected, particularly people with small businesses such as private education centers, barbers and hairdressers, tailors, wedding caterers and restaurants, leading to a reduction or total loss of income and employment opportunities.
The direct and indirect socio-economic effects of the laws’ implementation were likely to compound Afghanistan’s dire economic situation, it said. A World Bank study has assessed that authorities’ ban on women from education and work could cost the country over $1.4 billion per year.
But the Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has emphasized the primacy of Islamic law and the role of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue in reforming Afghan society and its people.
In a message issued ahead of the religious Eid Al-Fitr festival that marks the end of Ramadan, Akhundzada said it was necessary "to establish a society free from corruption and trials, and to prevent future generations from becoming victims of misguided beliefs, harmful practices and bad morals.".
More than 3,300 mostly male inspectors are tasked with informing people about the law and enforcing it, according to the report.
The ministry has resolved thousands of people’s complaints and defended the rights of Afghan women, according to its spokesman Saif ur Rahman Khyber.
This was in addition to "implementing divine decrees in the fields of promoting virtue, preventing vice, establishing affirmations, preventing bad deeds, and eliminating bad customs.".
The ministry was committed to all Islamic and human rights and had proven this in practice, he said Thursday, rejecting attempts to "sabotage or spread rumors" about its activities. Elderly British couple ‘interrogated 29 times by Taliban’ since imprisonment (The Guardian)
The Guardian [4/10/2025 5:55 PM, Donna Ferguson, 78938K]
An elderly British couple taken captive by the Taliban have been interrogated 29 times since they were imprisoned more than two months ago, and still have "absolutely no idea" why they have been incarcerated, their daughter has said.
No charges have been brought against Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife, Barbie, 75, who ran school training programmes and were arrested alongside an American friend, Faye Hall, as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, in central Afghanistan, in February.
Hall was released last weekend after the Trump administration lifted bounties worth $10m (£7.8m) from the heads of senior Taliban figures, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister.
Their daughter, Susie Romer, told Channel 5 that hearing her parents cry on the phone was "excruciating" for her, and called on the UK government to do more to secure their release.
Romer said that although the British government had been assisting the family, she would like the government to do more to make it clear to the Taliban that her parents "should be immediately released", she said.
"It’s been 10 weeks now, and we’ve not been reassured that this message has been conveyed, but this is really urgent.
"Each day that they remain in prison, they’re at risk, so we’ll keep on asking the government to send that message.".
The couple have endured 29 interrogations so far, and have now been told "there is not actually a charge against them", she said.
She described the conditions her parents were being held in as "absolutely horrific". Mice and cockroaches are "running about" their cells and they receive just one meal a day.
In recordings shared with the Sunday Times last week, Peter Reynolds said: "I’ve been joined up with rapists and murderers by handcuffs and ankle cuffs, including a man who killed his wife and three children, shouting away, a demon-possessed man.".
He said he was living in "a cage rather than a cell", but described his circumstances as "VIP conditions" compared with where his wife was being held.
During an interview with BBC News last week, the couple’s son, Jonathan Reynolds, said he had been "interacting" with the US government after a video plea to Donald Trump for help to have his parents released.
This week, the Taliban told the Associated Press the case "will soon be resolved" and "should not be a cause for concern".
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting the family of two British nationals who are detained in Afghanistan.". Fourth Man Publicly Executed In Afghanistan In Same Day: Supreme Court (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/11/2025 3:28 AM, Staff, 931K]
A fourth man was publicly executed in Afghanistan on Friday, the country’s Supreme Court said.
"Today, in the sports stadium in the centre of Farah province, God’s order was implemented on a murderer," the Supreme Court said in a statement, after earlier announcing the executions of three other convicted murderers. Pakistan
Pakistan To Send Delegation To The US For Tariff Negotiations (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/10/2025 4:23 AM, Staff, 931K]
Pakistan will send a delegation to the United States in the coming weeks to negotiate new tariffs, the government said in an announcement before Donald Trump announced a delay to the measures.
Washington announced a 29 percent duty on Pakistani goods last week as part of a blitz against trade partners that roiled global markets.
However, the US president said late Wednesday that he would hold off their imposition for 90 days, though all countries would still face a baseline rate of 10 percent.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said late Wednesday that a delegation would go to the United States.
On Thursday a source from the Ministry of Commerce, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP on Thursday that the visit wouf still go ahead.
"A high-level government delegation is scheduled to depart for Washington in the coming weeks to hold talks with US officials," the source said.
According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, bilateral trade between Pakistan and the United States totalled $7.3 billion, with Washington importing $5.1 billion worth of goods from Islamabad in 2024.
Cotton and textiles are among Pakistan’s biggest exports.
The announcement came as a US delegation led by a State Department official Eric Meyer held talks with Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday.
A statement from the prime minister’s office said both sides expressed the desire to strengthen bilateral ties.
Pakistan came to the brink of default in 2023, as a political crisis compounded an economic downturn and drove the nation’s debt burden to terminal levels.
It was saved by a $7 billion bailout from the IMF and has enjoyed a degree of recovery, with inflation easing and foreign exchange reserves increasing.
Pakistan’s strategic importance to the United States has diminished since foreign forces withdrew from Afghanistan and relations between Washington and Islamabad are now largely limited to counterterrorism cooperations. After Ukraine, Trump is now eyeing Pakistan’s rare minerals (The Independent)
The Independent [4/10/2025 7:28 AM, Arpan Rai, 126906K]
After Ukraine, the US is looking at Pakistan in its continued hunt for rare minerals, Islamabad announced on Wednesday.
Pakistan has one of the world’s largest copper and gold deposits as well as rich quantities of lithium, a key component in batteries.
In return for past and future military and financial support in the war against Russia, the Donald Trump administration has been asking Ukraine for a deal that would give the US nearly half of the war-torn country’s revenues from critical minerals, oil and gas as well as stakes in key infrastructure like ports through a joint investment fund.
Now, American companies are looking at Pakistan for minerals. Their interest was conveyed to prime minister Shehbaz Sharif by Eric Meyer, senior official at the State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, at a meeting in Islamabad, the government said in a statement.
This comes a day after Pakistan hosted a Minerals Investment Forum, an international summit aimed at attracting foreign investment in the country’s mining sector.
The summit saw participation from international companies such as Canada’s Barrick Gold as well as government officials from the US, including Mr Meyer, the UK, Saudi Arabia, China, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
Mr Meyer "acknowledged the potential of Pakistan’s mineral sector", the statement said, adding that American companies were keen to explore investment opportunities.
He reaffirmed Washington’s interest in expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and counterterrorism.
Mr Sharif said Pakistan possessed mineral reserves worth trillions of dollars, offering "immense opportunities" for foreign investment that could help the debt-ridden nations climb out of its current financial morass and escape the burden of debt.
He also expressed Islamabad’s desire to strengthen ties with the Donald Trump administration.
He clarified, however, that Pakistan would not permit export of raw minerals. They expected foreign companies to process the extracted materials locally and export the finished products, he said.
In a statement issued later on Wednesday, Mr Sharif’s office said he was sending a delegation to negotiate with the Trump administration over the US president’s newly imposed tariffs and discuss ways to enhance bilateral trade.
Pakistan’s major deposits of copper and gold are in the restive province of Balochistan, where an ethnic armed insurgency has seen violence spiral in recent years. Pakistan warns it may expel thousands of Afghans hoping for resettlement in the West (AP)
AP [4/10/2025 11:11 AM, Munir Ahmed, 3572K]
Pakistan said Thursday that thousands of Afghan migrants who have applied for resettlement in third countries could face forced expulsion if they are not relocated by host nations before the end of April.
Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry did not mention specific host countries, but his announcement follows the suspension of U.S. refugee admissions programs that has left over 25,000 Afghan nationals facing uncertainty. Some of the Afghans also are trying to resettle in other Western countries, including the U.K.
Chaudhry said an April 30 deadline for resettlement of applicants has been communicated to potential host countries. He also said that any foreigners in the country illegally would be deported immediately, and that those who have obtained U.N. refugee status would be allowed to stay at least through June.
Many Afghans fled their country after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, fearing reprisals. Some had worked with the U.S. military, international organizations, aid agencies, media outlets or human rights groups.
Thousands already have been relocated to the United States, with those who worked for the U.S. military given a priority by the U.S. government. Thousands more have been living in Pakistan while seeking relocation to the United States or other Western countries.
Chaudhry said thousands of Afghans have been sent back over the past week as part of expulsions that began in October 2023, when Pakistan launched a crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Pakistan. Since then, more than 850,000 Afghans had been repatriated.
He said an estimated 800,000 additional Afghan migrants are in the country illegally, and that 1.4 million are in Pakistan with U.N. refugee status.
Spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a news conference that the expulsions were not targeted specifically at Afghans and that any foreigners in the country illegally were being deported.
He also said Pakistan was engaged with U.N. agencies for the protection of people in vulnerable situations. ‘‘There is hardly any example of a country which has been more generous to refugees than Pakistan,’’ he said. Pakistan’s Deportation Drive Sees Mass Exodus Of Afghans Ahead Of Deadline (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [4/11/2025 4:02 AM, Staff, 235K]
Thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan have left via the Torkham border crossing as part of Islamabad’s large-scale deportation campaign.
The government initially set a March 31 deadline for Afghan nationals to leave voluntarily, but the deadline was extended to April 10. Still, thousands have been forcibly removed since the beginning of the month.
The stepped-up deportation campaign comes as Pakistani authorities charge that "illegal immigrants" pose security concerns and economic challenges.
The Pakistani government has frequently linked Afghan nationals to militant violence and criminal activity -- claims the Taliban-led administration in Kabul firmly denies.
The deportation campaign has sparked strong criticism as authorities move forward with the controversial policy.Human rights organizations warn that those forced to return to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan may face serious dangers including persecution, violence, and extreme economic hardship. Particularly at risk are vulnerable groups such as women, journalists, human rights advocates, and former government employees.
Pakistan’s deportation drive targets Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, undocumented migrants, and those who arrived after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.
There are roughly 800,000 ACC holders and 1.4 million Afghans with Proof of Registration (POR) cards issued by the UN refugee agency. While POR holders are currently exempt from deportation -- at least until their permits expire in June -- ACC holders lack such protection. Their temporary residency in Pakistan is subject to the federal government’s discretion, with no assurance of extension beyond official deadlines.
This policy creates complications, as members of the same family may have different legal statuses.
Many of those being forced to leave have never lived in Afghanistan and see Pakistan as their only home. China’s loan rollovers keep Pakistan afloat amid record debt (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [4/11/2025 12:37 AM, Adnan Aamir, 1.2M]
The continuous rollover of debt to China is keeping Pakistan’s economy afloat while Islamabad’s debt service to Beijing is expected to hit a record this year.
Experts say that Islamabad’s economic reliance on China could jeopardize Pakistan’s self-reliance policy that has prevented Chinese security personnel from being able to protect their nationals in Pakistan.
In March, Pakistan repaid a $1 billion loan to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in two tranches of $500 million. Beijing will relend the loan back to Pakistan, according to Pakistani officials.
According to World Bank statistics, Pakistan has to repay $7.2 billion to China in 2025, including principal repayments and interest payments on multiple loans -- the largest-ever Pakistani repayments to China. Some $5 billion reportedly needs to be paid by June.
External debt repayments usually require debtor nations to prepare sufficient provisioning in their foreign exchange reserves. But Pakistan’s reserves dropped to a six-month low of $10.6 billion -- equivalent to slightly more than two months of imports -- after a $1 billion repayment to China last month.
On condition of anonymity, a Pakistani government official confirmed to Nikkei Asia that China has rolled over loans worth $15 billion in the last couple of years. These include cash deposits, commercial loans and trade financing facilities.
The refinancing of debt to make up for inadequate official reserves has helped China remain Pakistan’s largest creditor. According to the World Bank’s International Debt Report released in December, Pakistan owed $29 billion to China, which represents 22% of the country’s total external debt.
But Pakistan’s economic reliance on China appears to be much more than that suggests. Experts say that Chinese loan rollovers are now crucial to Pakistan’s economic stability, and that the economy would not remain afloat without Beijing continuing to facilitate them.
"Since 2023, timely loan rollovers from China have played an instrumental role in helping Pakistan avert default," Naafey Sardar, an assistant professor of economics at U.S.-based St. Olaf College, told Nikkei.
Muhammad Shoaib, a postdoctoral fellow at George Mason University in the U.S., describes China’s position for Pakistan’s economy more straightforwardly, saying: "Chinese loans are perhaps as important as IMF programs for keeping the economy afloat. No IMF program for Pakistan is complete without consideration of the loans Pakistan owes to China."
Saleem Lalani, a senior finance professional based in Karachi, concurs. "Even if Pakistan undertakes the much-needed structural reforms [that IMF demands], the results will accrue in the long term [only after] stabilizing Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves," leaving Pakistan no choice but to rely on Chinese debt rollovers in the short term, he told Nikkei.
Other experts say the rollovers will not benefit Pakistan’s economy in the long run. Sardar argues they only offer short-term relief. "Repeated reliance on such rollovers may weaken Pakistan’s standing with other international creditors, as it raises concerns about the country’s long-term debt sustainability and repayment capacity," he said.
Others warn that Beijing might decide to use the loans as leverage for security concessions that would be problematic for Pakistan.
Twenty Chinese nationals have been killed and 34 injured 14 attacks since 2021, according to Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority. This has put pressure on Islamabad to protect over 20,000 Chinese nationals working in the country on projects, including Chinese Belt and Road Initiative flagships.
In recent months, Beijing has stepped up pressure on Islamabad to allow in security personnel to protect Chinese citizens -- a demand the Pakistanis have so far resisted.
"It is our commitment to ensure the security of Chinese personnel in Pakistan. The ongoing dialogues between Pakistan and China on this subject are part of that arrangement," Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Nikkei.
Shoaib said continuing to reject Beijing’s security demands is a big challenge.
"Financial leverage by China, in addition to Pakistan’s failure to secure Chinese personnel and interests, can force Pakistan to accept China’s demand to allow its security personnel in," he said.
Sardar points to the risks of giving Beijing access: "Allowing Chinese security personnel on Pakistani soil would carry significant geopolitical risks and could severely strain Pakistan’s relations with the United States and other Western partners," he said. Pakistan to seek fresh bids for national airline, says adviser (Reuters)
Reuters [4/10/2025 9:15 AM, Ariba Shahid, 2456K]
The Pakistani government will seek fresh expressions of interest for the sale of Pakistan International Airlines later this month, a government adviser said on Thursday, two days after PIA reported its first annual profit in over two decades.
Pakistan has been looking to offload a 51-100% stake in debt-ridden PIA, part of an effort to raise funds and reform cash-bleeding state-owned enterprises as envisaged under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund programme.
However, Islamabad’s attempt to privatise PIA last year fell flat when it received only a single offer, well below the asking price of more than $300 million.
Pakistan has offloaded almost all of the national carrier’s legacy debt and shifted it to government books after bidders raised issues that had led to the failed attempt, according to the privatisation ministry.
"In our last attempt to privatise PIA, pre-qualified bidders had some issues with taxation and the balance sheet. Those are taken care of now," Muhammad Ali, government adviser on privatisation, told Reuters. "We plan to publish the new Expression of Interest (EoI) by the last week of April 2025," he said.
The government plans to complete the airline’s privatisation before the end of this year.
"We are also revising the pre-qualification criteria," he said, adding that the reference price could also be revised keeping in view the latest accounts and changes in the balance sheet.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last year announced plans to sell all SOEs.
The adviser said that the process to privatise power distribution companies had also started, terming it a "high priority transaction".
He said some companies previously due to be sold in the second phase were being pushed into the first phase.
The adviser said the government had appointed Jones Lang LaSalle to advise on exploring different sales options for the PIA-owned Roosevelt hotel building in Manhattan, New York. They include selling the building as it is or opting for a joint venture with a top tier developer, which has the potential to generate proceeds five times higher, Ali said. India
India Wants a US Trade Deal With an ‘Urgency’ Not Seen Before (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [4/11/2025 4:12 AM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Shruti Srivastava, 5.5M]
India’s trade teams are “really charged up” and want to swiftly seal a bilateral deal with the US, a minister from Narendra Modi’s government said, as the South Asian nation scrambles to shield itself from Washington’s on-again, off-again tariff strategy.“This time around we are certainly geared up with a very high degree of urgency,” Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said Friday at an event in New Delhi. In the past, India has often been accused of dragging its feet when it comes to trade negotiations, but this time New Delhi is the one pushing “the other party,” he added.“So far, the US has been quick to respond to what has been tabled,” Jaishankar said at the Global Technology Summit hosted by Carnegie India.
During Modi’s visit to the White House in February, India and the US had said that they plan to sign a trade deal by the fall of this year. Despite that, US President Donald Trump hit India with 26% reciprocal tariffs on April 2, before announcing a 90-day reprieve for most nations.
While the additional levies are a growth-dampener for Asia’s third-largest economy, it also sees these disruptions as an opportunity to play a bigger role in global supply chains, as the levies on India are way less than what some of its regional rivals face.“We want to seize that window so our trade teams are really charged up,” Jaishankar said, adding that India has had more rounds of discussions with the US in the past six weeks, than with European nations in the last two years.
Other Pacts
India is also in the midst of negotiating free trade deals with the European Union and the UK. At another event in New Delhi, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, said that his country has been “pushing hard in Brussels” to expedite the India-EU trade pact.
The two sides have been discussing a deal since 2007, but have approached talks with much more urgency since Trump’s return to the White House. In February, EU President Ursula von der Leyen said that she aims to seal the deal by this year, adding that “you can count on my full commitment.”
On Friday, at the event with Tajani, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters “all trade talks are progressing well.” When asked if India would be able to conclude talks on trade deal with the US within 90 days, Goyal said “we don’t negotiate with gun to head.”“It’s good to have time frames to speed up talks, but till we can ensure national interest and public interest, it’s not good to rush.” US Extradites Key Suspect in Mumbai Terror Attacks That Killed 166 People (AP)
AP [4/10/2025 10:00 AM, Sheikh Saaliq, 24727K]
The United States has extradited one of the suspected plotters of the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed over three days, India’s premier investigating agency said on Thursday.
India’s National Investigation Agency, which deals with anti-terror crimes, said Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-born Chicago businessman and Canadian citizen, was extradited to India after he "exhausted all legal avenues." Rana, 64, is wanted in India for allegedly aiding Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani militant group blamed for the attacks.
The extradition comes after the issue was raised during talks in Washington between the U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February. Trump said his administration would extradite Rana and called him "one of the very evil people in the world".
The U.S. Supreme Court had rejected Rana’s review petition against his extradition.
The National Investigation Agency said Rana was extradited under an agreement between India and the U.S. "after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice.".
India accuses Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency of working with Lashkar-e-Taiba to mastermind the 2008 attacks. Pakistan insists that ISI has no links to militant group and denies any connection to the attacks.
India’s government has said Rana was an associate of David Coleman Headley, one of the conspirators of the three-day attacks on hotels, a train station and a Jewish center, which began on Nov. 26, 2008, when a group of 10 men rampaged across the city after they sneaked into India’s financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea.
In 2016, Headley testified before an Indian court by video conference from an undisclosed location in the U.S., where he is serving a prison term for his role in the attack. A prosecution lawyer at that time said Headley admitted he had used Rana’s Chicago-based immigration services firm as a cover to scout targets in India.
The lawyer also said Headley gave the Indian court in Mumbai details of his role in planning the attack and said Pakistan’s main spy agency was deeply involved in planning the attack’s preparations and execution. The Mumbai court investigating the attack gave Headley a conditional pardon, which allowed him to become a witness.
In 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from the attack group, was hanged in an Indian jail.
Rana was arrested by the U.S. police in 2009, but a court in 2013 acquitted him of conspiracy to provide support to the Mumbai attacks.
He was, however, found guilty in another case linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, which is designated by the United Nations as a terrorist organisation. A U.S. court charged him for conspiring to attack a Danish newspaper for publishing cartoons which depicted the Prophet Mohammad and he was sentenced to U.S. federal prison. Canadian wanted for 2008 Mumbai attacks arrives in India after US extradition (Reuters)
Reuters [4/10/2025 4:12 PM, Staff, 126906K]
A Pakistani-born Canadian businessman accused of helping to orchestrate the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, one of India’s deadliest, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday after the U.S. extradited him in the first such transfer in a terrorism case.
Tahawwur Rana, 64, a doctor-turned-businessman, was extradited in connection with the November 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 people.
"The National Investigation Agency on Thursday successfully secured the extradition...after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator...to justice," said NIA, India’s anti-terror agency.
He was accompanied back by Indian security agencies after his petitions challenging the extradition were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rana’s extradition is a "great success" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s diplomacy, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.
"It is the responsibility of the Indian government to bring back all those who have abused the land and people of India," he posted on X.
TRUMP ANNOUNCED TRANSFER
India formally sought Rana’s custody in June 2020, and President Donald Trump announced Rana’s transfer in February this year during a joint press conference with Modi in Washington.
Rana was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the U.S. in 2013 for providing support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani Islamist group that India says was responsible for the 2008 attacks.
"As far as our record indicates, he (Rana) did not even apply for renewal for his Pakistani-origin documents for the last two decades," Shafqat Ali Khan, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, said at a media briefing on Thursday.
Rana’s lawyer has said that Rana was a "good man and got sucked into something.".
Over the course of three days in November 2008, ten heavily armed attackers targeted major landmarks across Mumbai, including two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and the main train station, killing 166 people.
India has said Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the U.S. State Department has designated a terrorist organisation, orchestrated the attacks. Pakistan denies supporting extremist activities.
Rana was also found guilty in June 2011 of conspiring to attack a Danish newspaper, a plot hatched by the militant group that was never carried out. Alleged co-conspirator in Mumbai terror attacks lands in India after being extradited from US (CNN)
CNN [4/10/2025 9:54 PM, Rhea Mogul and Esha Mitra, 126906K]
A suspect accused of facilitating the deadly Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 has been extradited by the United States to India, 17 years after the country was jolted by one of the worst tragedies to occur on its soil.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, landed in New Delhi on Thursday, two police officials with knowledge of his movements told CNN Thursday. He faces trial in India after the US approved his extradition following years of legal wrangling over the case.
India accuses Rana of conspiring to carry out one of the country’s deadliest attacks, when 10 Pakistani men associated with the terror group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba killed more than 160 people during a four-day rampage through Mumbai that began on November 26, 2008.
That date is etched in the memory of the nation and is often referred to as India’s 9/11.
The attackers traveled to Mumbai by boat from the Pakistani port city of Karachi, hijacking a fishing trawler and killing its five crew members along the way. The men then docked at the waterfront near the iconic Gateway of India monument and split into at least three groups to carry out the attacks, according to police.
Using automatic weapons and grenades, they targeted the city’s largest train terminal, the luxury Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi Trident hotels, the popular Leopold restaurant, a Jewish community center, and a hospital.
Nine of the 10 terrorists were killed by police during a cat-and-mouse chase across the city. The lone surviving gunman, Ajmal Kasab, was executed in 2012.
Rana, who lived in the US at the time, is accused by New Delhi of conspiring with the terrorists and proving them with information required to carry out their attack. He previously denied similar accusations in a US court.
India’s federal investigative agency has charged Rana with several crimes, including attempting to wage war, murder and forgery. If found guilty, the 64-year-old could face the death penalty.
On Thursday, the country’s National Investigation Agency confirmed Rana’s extradition, writing in a statement that he was sent to India after he exhausted all legal avenues to stay in the US.
In 2011, a US court acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material to support the Mumbai attackers, but he was found guilty of two other charges, including providing material support to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba.
He was serving a 14-year sentence in a Los Angeles jail for those charges when his extradition was approved earlier this week.
India’s foreign ministry on Wednesday said the US Supreme Court had rejected Rana’s plea to stay his extradition, but did not answer further questions about the case. Man accused of Mumbai terror attacks remanded in custody (BBC)
BBC [4/11/2025 2:11 AM, Cherylann Mollan, 52868K]A Pakistan-born Chicago businessman wanted in India for his role in the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai city has been remanded in custody for 18 days.Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen, landed in Delhi on Thursday. India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirmed his extradition had been successful.Indian authorities accuse 64-year-old Rana of aiding the Mumbai attacks by working with childhood friend David Headley to support Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani group blamed for the assault.On 26 November 2008, 10 militants launched deadly attacks across Mumbai, killing 166 and injuring hundreds, before being stopped by security forces on 29 November. Rana was extradited from the US and arrested by the NIA upon arrival in Delhi on Thursday evening.He was escorted to a special court under heavy security, trailed by dozens of journalists vying for a glimpse of Rana.On Friday, the NIA said in a statement that the agency would question Rana "in detail in order to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks".India’s home ministry has appointed well-known lawyer Narendra Mann to lead the prosecution in the case.Rana or his lawyers have not made any public comments yet.On Friday, the US Embassy in Delhi said in a press release that Rana was to stand trial in India on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the attacks."Rana’s extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks," it said.In 2011, a US court cleared Rana of directly plotting the attacks but convicted him of supporting the Lashkar-e-Taiba.He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2013 but released in 2020 on health grounds. He was re-arrested later that year after India requested his extradition.A US court approved Rana’s extradition in 2023, but he remained in custody awaiting final government clearance.In February, President Donald Trump approved the move following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The US Supreme Court later rejected Rana’s appeals against the decision.US prosecutors in the case said that in 2006, Rana allowed Headley to open an office of his Chicago-based immigration services firm in Mumbai, which Headley then used as cover to scout sites for the 2008 attacks.The charges brought against Rana by the NIA include criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Indian government and terrorism. Apple airlifts 600 tons of iPhones from India ‘to beat’ Trump tariffs, sources say (Reuters)
Reuters [4/10/2025 5:58 PM, Aditya Kalra, Abhijith Ganapavaram and Munsif Vengattil, 126906K]
Tech giant Apple chartered cargo flights to ferry 600 tons of iPhones, or as many as 1.5 million, to the United States from India, after it stepped up production there in an effort to beat President Donald Trump’s tariffs, sources told Reuters.The details of the push provide an insight into the U.S. smartphone company’s private strategy to navigate around the Trump tariffs and build up inventory of its popular iPhones in the United States, one of its biggest markets.Analysts have warned that U.S. prices of iPhones could surge, given Apple’s high reliance on imports from China, the main manufacturing hub of the devices, which is subject to Trump’s highest tariff rate of 125%.That figure is far in excess of the tariff of 26% on imports from India, but which is now on hold after Trump called a 90-day pause this week that excludes China.Apple "wanted to beat the tariff," said one of the sources familiar with the planning.The company lobbied Indian airport authorities to cut to six hours the time needed to clear customs at the Chennai airport in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, down from 30 hours, the source added.The so-called "green corridor" arrangement at the airport in the Indian manufacturing hub emulated a model Apple uses at some airports in China, the source said.About six cargo jets with a capacity of 100 tons each have flown out since March, one of them this week just as new tariffs kicked in, the source and an Indian government official said.The packaged weight of an iPhone 14 and its charging cable come to about 350 grams (12.35 oz), Reuters measurements show, implying the total cargo of 600 tons comprised about 1.5 million iPhones, after accounting for some packaging weight.Apple and India’s aviation ministry did not respond to a request for comment. All the sources sought anonymity as the strategy and discussions were private.Apple sells more than 220 million iPhones a year worldwide, with Counterpoint Research estimating a fifth of total iPhone imports to the United States now come from India, and the rest from China.Trump consistently increased U.S. tariffs on China, to stand at 125% by Wednesday, from 54% earlier.At the 54% tariff rate, the $1,599 cost of the top-end iPhone 16 Pro Max in the United States would have surged to $2,300, calculations based on projections by Rosenblatt Securities show.SUNDAY SHIFTSIn India, Apple stepped up air shipments to meet its goal of a 20% increase in usual production at iPhone plants, attained by adding workers, and temporarily extending operations at the biggest Foxconn India factory to Sundays, the source added.Two other direct sources confirmed the Foxconn plant in Chennai now runs on Sundays, which is typically a holiday. The plant turned out 20 million iPhones last year, including the latest iPhone 15 and 16 models.As Apple diversifies its manufacturing beyond China, it has positioned India for a critical role. Foxconn and Tata, its two main suppliers there, have three factories in all, with two more being built.Apple spent about eight months to plan and set up the expedited customs clearance in Chennai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government asked officials to support Apple, one senior Indian official said.Foxconn shipments from India to the United States surged in value to $770 million in January and $643 million in February, compared to the range of $110 million to $331 million in the prior four months, commercially available customs data shows.More than 85% of the January and February air shipments of Foxconn were offloaded in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.Foxconn did not respond to Reuters’ queries. Will trade-shy India gain edge in tariff-driven slowdown? (BBC)
BBC [4/10/2025 5:21 PM, Soutik Biswas, 52868K]
India is the world’s fifth-largest and fastest-growing major economy.
Yet, a recent legacy of protectionism and inward-focused trade policies have held back its global competitiveness.
Its tariffs are high and the share of global exports remains under 2%. India’s vast domestic market has fuelled its growth - outpacing many others, economists argue, largely because the rest of the world is slowing. But in a turbulent, increasingly protectionist era, India’s instinct for self-reliance may oddly serve as a short-term shield.
As countries scramble to recalibrate in response to shifting US trade policies - like Donald Trump’s latest 90-day tariff pause after weeks of sabre-rattling - India’s relative detachment may have helped it weather shocks that have jolted more trade-dependent economies.
"India’s lower exposure to global goods trade could work in our favour. If export-driven economies slow down under tariff pressure, and we continue growing at 6%, we’ll start looking stronger by comparison - especially with our large domestic market to fall back on," says Rajeswari Sengupta, an associate professor of economics at Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research.
"Being trade-shy has turned into an advantage - but we can’t afford complacency. To seize new opportunities, India must stay nimble and open up more to trade gradually and strategically," she adds.
It may not be easy, given India’s long and complicated relationship with trade barriers and tariffs.
In 2024, India exported $89bn worth of goods to the American market [AFP].
In his book India’s Trade Policy: The 1990s and Beyond, Columbia University economist and noted trade expert Arvind Panagariya traces the complex and often inconsistent evolution of India’s approach to trade.
During the inter-war years, industries like textiles and iron and steel lobbied for - and received - high levels of protection. The chronic shortages of World War Two led to even stricter import controls, enforced through an elaborate licensing system.
While Asian peers such as Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore shifted to export-led strategies in the 1960s - and began posting impressive growth rates of 8–10% annually - India chose to double down on import substitution. As a result, imports as a share of GDP shrank from 10% in 1957–58 to just 4% by 1969–70.
By the mid-1960s, India had banned imports of consumer goods altogether. This not only removed the pressure on domestic producers to improve quality but also denied them access to world-class inputs and technology.
As a result, Indian products lost their competitiveness in global markets and exports stagnated. The resulting foreign exchange shortages led to even tighter import controls, creating a vicious cycle that stifled growth. Between 1951 and 1981, per capita income grew at a sluggish pace of just 1.5% a year.
The turning point came in 1991. Faced with a balance-of-payments crisis, India dismantled many import controls and let the rupee depreciate - a move that gave a much-needed boost to exporters and domestic producers competing with imports. Import licensing on consumer goods ended only in 2001, after the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled against it.
The impact was striking: between 2002–03 and 2011–12, India’s exports of goods and services surged six-fold, soaring from $75bn to over $400bn.
With trade liberalisation and other reforms, India’s per capita income grew more in the first 17 years of the 21st Century than it did throughout the entire 20th Century, notes Prof Panagariya.
But the pushback to trade didn’t end.
Trade liberalisation in India was reversed twice - in 1996–97 and again since 2018 - with extensive use of anti-dumping measures to block imports from the most competitive sources, according to Prof Panagariya.
"Many post-colonial states like India harbour a deep-rooted suspicion that international commerce and trade are simply new forms of colonisation. Unfortunately, this mindset still lingers among some policymakers - and that’s a shame," says Vivek Dehejia, a professor of economics at Carleton University in Canada.
Many economists argue that a decade of protectionist policies has undercut Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India initiative, which focused on capital and technology-intensive sectors while sidelining labour-intensive industries like textiles. As a result, the programme has struggled to deliver meaningful gains in manufacturing and exports.
"If foreigners cannot sell their goods to us, they will not have the revenues to pay for the goods they buy from us. If we cut back on their goods, they will have to cut back on ours," Prof Panagariya wrote.
Such protectionism has also led to allegations of cronyism.
"Tariffs have created protectionism in several Indian industries, disincentivising investments in efficiency by cosy incumbents and allowing them to steadily garner market power by building up concentrated positions," according to Viral Acharya, a professor of economics at New York University Stern School of Business.
With the US turning inward and China under pressure, countries belonging to the European Union are scrambling for reliable trade partners - and India could be one of them. To seize this moment, economists believe India must lower its tariffs, boost export competitiveness and signal its openness to global trade.
Sectors like garments, textiles and toys present a golden opportunity, especially for the medium and small-scale sectors. But after a decade of stagnation, the big question is: can they scale up - and will the government back them?
If Trump follows through on his tariff plans after the current pause, India could see a $7.76bn - or 6.4% - drop in exports to the US this year, according to an estimate by Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think tank. (In 2024, India exported $89bn worth of goods to the American market.).
"The Trump tariffs are expected to deliver a mild blow to India’s merchandise exports to the US," says Ajay Srivastava of GTRI.
He emphasises the need for India to broaden its trade base after securing a balanced deal with the US. This includes fast-tracking agreements with the EU, UK and Canada, while deepening ties with China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Asean.
At home, real impact hinges on reforms: simpler tariffs, a smoother goods and services tax (GST), better trade processes and fair implementation of quality controls. Without these, India risks missing the global moment. The India-US Nuclear Deal: Untying the Gordian Knot of Nuclear Liability (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [4/10/2025 9:40 AM, Sanaa Alvira, 777K]
It’s been almost 20 years since India and the United States announced the launch of a civil nuclear cooperation initiative. That laid the framework for the epochal India-U.S. nuclear deal, a watershed moment in the bilateral relations between the two countries. The deal ended India’s decades-long nuclear isolation, allowing it to resume civil nuclear cooperation while implicitly being recognized as a responsible nuclear-weapons state outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) – a big shift in U.S. policy that drew sharp criticism for undermining long-standing nonproliferation norms.
This agreement is now back in the spotlight after many lost years of unrealized potential. A United States firm, Holtec International, has been greenlit by the U.S. Department of Energy to jointly build and design nuclear reactors in India. This is a significant breakthrough, since under the deal, U.S. firms could only export nuclear reactors to India and not engage in any design or manufacturing process.
This important regulatory clearance for Holtec International comes against the backdrop of recent high-level meetings between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump, during the former’s visit to the United States in early 2025. In a tacit acknowledgement of the lack of progress to date, both sides expressed their renewed commitment to the full implementation of the agreement. In addition, both sides welcomed New Delhi’s decision to take up amendments to its Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) of 2010 as part of India’s broader efforts to advance its new Nuclear Energy Mission, announced as part of the country’s 2025-2026 Union Budget.
Twenty years on, while it is clear that the India-U.S. nuclear deal has not weakened the global nonproliferation regime as claimed by critics, the full potential and promise of it is yet to be realized. Most significantly, the deal did not lead to the set-up of U.S.-designed reactors in India. Among the many hurdles, a key issue has been India’s nuclear liability law. Amending the long-controversial CLNDA, the nuclear liability law of India, is a welcome move that could be the key to fully reviving the deal by aligning it with international norms and restoring the confidence of U.S. suppliers entering the Indian nuclear energy market.
If foreign suppliers, particularly private cooperatives, were to enter the Indian nuclear energy sector, India needed a clear framework for dealing with liability issues in the event of a nuclear accident. Until then, it was understood that all liability issues were the responsibility of the central government, as it owned and operated all nuclear facilities. In signing the nuclear deal with the United States, India agreed to first sign and ratify the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC), which required the establishment of a clear domestic liability framework. In addition, since India is not a party to the NPT or any of the international nuclear liability conventions, the government felt it necessary to draft legislation to incentivize both domestic and foreign suppliers to participate in the country’s nuclear power expansion.
The Indian government passed the CLNDA in September 2010. However, this act went beyond the international standards such as those set by the CSC, which requires all liability burdens to be placed solely on the power plant operator (not the supplier) to provide compensation to victims in case of a nuclear accident. The CLNDA also holds suppliers liable. What this means is that operators have the right to seek legal recourse against its suppliers in case of a nuclear accident on grounds of faulty or defective technology or components.
It was not the original intention of the Manmohan Singh government at the time to enact such a unique law. The Singh government had initially sought legislation in line with the said international standards. On May 7, 2010, the bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. Coincidentally, at the same time, the Supreme Court delivered a decision on the deadly 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. This decision brought back painful memories for the public, and the fact that there was no regulatory framework in place to hold the U.S. company Union Carbide accountable was uncomfortably glaring.
The timing of the decision allowed the opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to press for more accountability for suppliers. Arun Jaitley, leader of the BJP opposition, stated in Parliament:
As long as these plants are to be operated… either by the government or by the public sector, why must the government of India and the public sector take the liability if the mistake is committed by some third party? The equipment may be defective; the equipment may have a latent or patent defect…that is why, it compelled me to say that we turn our law upside down.
The draft bill was hotly debated in the Parliament on several issues such as liability thresholds of the operator, maximum liability, and exemption of suppliers from liability charges. In the end, Section 17 of the Act provided the operator the "right to recourse" from suppliers. The Bhopal gas tragedy was the primary reason for the inclusion of Section 17(b). It says:
17. Operator’s right of recourse. – The operator of the nuclear installation, after paying the compensation for nuclear damage in accordance with section 6, shall have a right of recourse where –.
(b) the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of an act of supplier or his employee, which includes supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services;
Since the Singh government lacked an absolute majority in the Parliament, the bill was subject to many revisions on account of the BJP. The resulting law now accepted the supplier’s liability: "Thus, Section 17(b) of the bill introduced the concept of supplier liability, a ‘watershed moment in international nuclear liability jurisprudence,’ given the current norm of assigning nuclear liability ‘exclusively to operators.’".
After establishing its domestic liability framework, India signed the CSC in October 2010 and ratified it in February 2016.
The resulting law drew widespread criticism from foreign suppliers as well as supporters of India’s nuclear power expansion. It raised doubts about how India would secure the advanced reactors and components that were initially expected to be the early results of the India-U.S. nuclear deal.
U.S. suppliers like GE Hitachi and Westinghouse were hesitant to engage in nuclear commerce in India for fear of liability claims and did not want to undertake any risk. They argued that such a law set a wrong precedent by allowing the operator to sue the supplier "for absolute, unlimited, and non-delegable liability that could prevent them from taking insurance cover and bankrupt them in case of a nuclear accident." It was not just private U.S. suppliers who opposed the act, but also suppliers from France and Russia as well.
To ameliorate these concerns, the Indian government created the Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP) "with a capacity of 1500 crore [15 billion] rupees to provide insurance to cover the liability as prescribed under the CLNDA 2010." In 2015, the government tried to provide a workaround to the act by claiming that the supplier’s liability would not be a mandatory part of the contracts signed with foreign suppliers. While the Russian state-owned Rosatom has accepted these assurances due to protections from their government, U.S. suppliers do not enjoy the same immunity and have still been hesitant.
The recent approval for Holtec International to build its flagship small modular reactors in India is a long-awaited breakthrough – an early but significant sign that the original promise of the deal is finally beginning to be realized. The online readout announcing the authorization also showcases this optimism:
We understand that the GOI is actively working on legislation to permit private sector investment in the nuclear sector and to align the suppliers’ financial exposure with global norms… With the necessary legislation passed by Lok Sabha, we believe that the nuclear renaissance, now sweeping the world, will arrive in that vast land transforming its clean energy generation landscape.
The Modi government currently enjoys a majority in both houses of the Parliament. Continuing the momentum created by the government’s Union Budget speech, the amendment process has already begun – the Department of Atomic Energy has set up committees to discuss and propose amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the CLNDA. However, the opposition has a relatively stronger presence compared to previous terms and opposes the amendment. The opposition accuses the BJP government of taking a "U-turn" from its previous stance. Despite the unfortunate likelihood of a repeat of debates on the same issues discussed almost 15 years ago, it seems unlikely that the amendment will not be adopted.
There is more to look forward to soon. In December 2024, there were some intermittent discussions between the Indian government and Westinghouse to finalize the construction of six AP1000 reactors for the Kovvada nuclear power plant in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. This interest in collaboration traces its origins back to the nuclear deal itself but has been slow in materializing, particularly due to concerns on India’s liability laws. Hopefully, the proposed amendment can provide the necessary impetus to fast-track this dialogue.
Similarly, in February 2025, India and France signed a declaration of intent to partner on advanced and small modular reactors. On India’s side, "it will be necessary to communicate transparently with the private sector on the progress of proposed changes and the regulatory process so that they can better plan for implementation and potential obstacles." This will set the stage for more suppliers to win contracts in India’s nuclear sector and allay previous fears about liability.
Originally conceived in the late 1940s and 1950s to financially protect and encourage supplier participation in the nascent nuclear sector, operator liability is now firmly established as a global norm. As India seeks to multiply its nuclear power output from 8,180 MWe to 100 GWe by 2047, the full implementation of the India-U.S. nuclear deal has never been more timely or crucial. Fifteen years ago, it was the BJP that opposed the CLNDA in its nascent stages, and 10 years ago it said there was no proposal to amend the law. Now, one can only hope that the change in stance reflects the government’s full commitment to expanding India’s nuclear energy program for a cleaner and a more sustainable future. From Daikin to Samsung, companies fight Modi over e-waste policy (Reuters)
Reuters [4/11/2025 3:04 AM, Aditya Kalra and Arpan Chaturvedi, 5.2M]
India wants to tackle its mounting e-waste problem. Global electronics companies say the cost is too high.
Daikin, Hitachi and Samsung are among manufacturers alarmed by new Indian government rules that require them to pay significantly more to recycle air conditioners, refrigerators, TVs and other appliances, court papers and lobbying letters show.
The electronics giants are urging environment officials to abandon the approach, with four companies suing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration in New Delhi over the measures they say will heighten compliance woes and unsettle businesses.
The previously unreported standoff marks the latest chapter in foreign companies’ battles with India over what some perceive as protectionist policies and shifting regulatory goal posts.
India is the third-biggest e-waste generator behind China and the U.S. But government data shows only 43% of the country’s e-waste last year was recycled and at least 80% of the sector comprises informal scrap dealers, whose methods can pose environmental and health risks.
Concerned about poor waste-processing practices, New Delhi in September set a floor price that electronics makers must pay recyclers, with the aim of formalising the sector and encouraging investment in e-waste management.
A Reuters review of hundreds of pages of non-public court papers and letters to the government by an industry group representing Samsung and LG reveals the impasse over the new rates, which the industry says have roughly tripled manufacturers’ recycling costs.
Johnson Controls-Hitachi, Japan’s Daikin (6367.T), India’s Havells (HVEL.NS), and Tata Group’s Voltas (VOLT.NS), each sued Modi’s government between November and March to quash the pricing rules.
The measures are unconstitutional, exceed the government’s powers under environmental law, and raise compliance costs manifold, the companies said in submissions to New Delhi judges. The government has called for the cases to be dismissed.
Daikin said no Indian government had ever previously drafted policies with the "sole intention" of providing financial gain to some businesses, in this case recyclers, at others’ expense. Voltas predicted a "cascading effect" on product prices.
The companies are part of an Indian consumer electronics market Euromonitor estimates will be worth $62 billion this year. The sector has experienced average annual growth of 10% since 2021.
As sales of consumer electronics skyrocket due to rapid urbanisation, companies such as Daikin, Hitachi and Samsung have expanded production in India. In line with global trends, India’s e-waste reached 1.7 million metric tons in 2023-24, more than doubling in six years.
Samsung declined to comment. The other companies and India’s Environment Ministry didn’t respond to Reuters queries about the pricing rules and the industry’s response.‘REASONABLE’ INTERVENTION
For years, India has resisted foreign companies’ demands to revoke protectionist policies. Lobbying by Walmart and Amazon, for example, failed to ease regulations that protect small retailers.
On e-waste, too, Modi’s administration is digging in.
In a March 18 submission, the Environment Ministry urged the judges to dismiss the lawsuits, saying it was "reasonable" and within its powers to fix prices.
The alternative of letting companies and recyclers determine prices may not account for all costs of environmentally sound waste management, the ministry said, adding that it wanted to prevent a "race to the bottom" in pricing.
India’s government says there are 322 authorised recyclers in the country.
But informal waste handlers flourish nationwide, using methods such as open burning and acid leaching to extract metals and components, which can release hazardous materials.
In western Gujarat state, 60-year-old scrap dealer Mustakeem Malik uses a hammer to dismantle televisions, air conditioners and routers.
Inside his tin-roofed shed where electronic equipment was stacked in haphazard piles, Malik told Reuters he earns 50,000 rupees, or about $580, a month by selling the plastic, circuit boards and copper he extracts from the devices. He doesn’t want to work in the formal e-waste sector.
That business has a lot of expenses. It’s for the big guys," he said.
HAPPY RECYCLERS, WORRIED COMPANIESIndia’s new rules mandate a minimum payment of 22 rupees (25 U.S. cents) per kilogram to recycle consumer electronics and 34 rupees/kg for smartphones.
Makers of heavier devices such as air conditioners are likely to be hit hardest because their per-unit recycling cost has risen by a greater amount compared with makers of lighter gadgets like smartphones.
Research firm Redseer in February said India’s recycling rates were still low compared with the U.S., where they are up to five times higher, and China, where they at least 1.5 times higher.
"We are talking about peanuts here," said Nitin Gupta, CEO of one of India’s biggest recyclers, Attero, who added that the government rates require manufacturers to pay about $10 to recycle a washing machine.
"If you have to create scientific capacity for recycling, you need extra profits. This is good for us," said Gupta, whose firm counts LG and Daikin as clients.
The electronics makers, though, feel threatened.
India’s Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association, which represents LG and Samsung, among others, said in a letter to the government in November that e-waste compliance expenses had risen to 2% to 8% of production costs. The group asked environment officials to reconsider the pricing rules.
Samsung and LG haven’t sued the government but have signaled concern. LG India’s December IPO prospectus warned without specifics that higher recycling rates "had a significant financial impact on our company".
A person with direct knowledge of the matter said Samsung had told senior Indian officials its recycling costs would be five to 15 times the previous rates, and urged New Delhi not to interfere in commercial dealings with recyclers.
In court, Johnson Controls-Hitachi was the only company to reveal what it previously paid for recycling: 6 rupees per kg, or 7 U.S. cents. That figure has now almost quadrupled.
The company disclosed that it recycled more than 10,000 tons of air conditioners last fiscal year, which would amount to roughly $2.6 million under the new rates. Its India business reported a net loss of $8.8 million the previous year. NSB
Bangladesh Families Seek Sons Feared Fighting For Russia (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/11/2025 3:30 AM, Sheikh Sabiha Alam, 931K]
Young Bangladeshi men desperate for work allege they have been tricked into fighting for Russia against Ukraine, with the reported death of a 22-year-old sparking a surge of worried calls.Bangladesh’s embassy in Moscow has said around a dozen families have contacted them seeking to bring back their sons they allege were duped into joining the Russian army.
"We had no idea we’d end up on the battlefield," said Mohammad Akram Hossain, who claimed he and his brother-in-law had registered with a recruiting agency and were originally promised jobs in Cyprus, before being offered work in Russia.
"The recruiting agency said that only work visas for Russia were available, and we agreed to go," the 26-year-old told AFP, now back home in the South Asian nation.
"But we never imagined we would be abandoned like that."
Unemployment is high in Bangladesh and the economy was hit hard by protests last year that toppled the government.
Worried relatives have been messaging Bangladeshi diplomats in Moscow after one family said their son Mohammed Yasin Sheikh, 22, was killed on March 27 while serving in the Russian army.
Abul Hashem, Sheikh’s uncle, said the family was called by his friend during the Muslim holiday of Eid at the end of March.
"Yasin’s friend, who is also fighting for the Russian side and a Bangladeshi, called us on Eid and informed us that Yasin had been killed," Hashem told AFP.
"Later, we received a call from a Russian commander."
Sheikh’s family say they gave him money to travel when he left Bangladesh in September 2024, after a broker promised him work with a Chinese company in Russia as an electrician. But, they said, he ended up joining the Russian army in December.
"We spent a lot to send him, and now we are waiting for his dead body," Hashem said.
"We’ve requested the Bangladesh government to take steps so that his mother can bid him farewell."
AFP could not independently verify the family’s claims.
But Farhad Hossain, Bangladesh’s charge d’affaires in Moscow, said the embassy was aware of the reported casualty.
"We learned about Md Yasin Sheikh a few days ago, and have engaged with our Russian counterparts on the issue," he said, adding that the embassy could not confirm his death, or any other Bangladeshi casualties, and was awaiting a response from Moscow.
But Hossain did confirm that other Bangladeshis had contacted the embassy.
"We’ve been receiving requests from parents seeking information about their sons, and so far we’ve responded to around a dozen requests," he said.
The war in Ukraine has taken a heavy toll on Russian troops, and Moscow has been on a global quest for more forces to fight.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine will say how many foreigners are serving in their militaries or how many they are holding as prisoners of war.
Recruits from several South Asian nations -- including India, Nepal and Sri Lanka -- have already been reported to have fought for Russia against Ukraine, lured by promises of work.
Hossain told AFP that Russian authorities have said those fighting on the side of Moscow had signed contracts, were on the payroll and were governed by the rules of war.
He could not confirm how many Bangladeshis were thought to have joined Russia’s army, although one Bangladeshi newspaper cited security sources suggesting there were more than 100.
In Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, Mustafizur Rahman, superintendent of police at the Criminal Investigation Department, said one Bangladeshi woman had been arrested in connection with alleged human trafficking, and six other cases had been opened.
"Operations are ongoing to arrest the others," Rahman said.
Mohammad Akram Hossain, the man who claims to have escaped Moscow’s army, was among the first to alert Bangladeshi police of the trafficking network he said brought him to Russia.
He said he was part of a group of 10 Bangladeshis who flew first to Saudi Arabia on a pilgrimage visa in September 2024.
"After staying there a few weeks, we flew to Russia," he said, adding he was then given a contract in Russian that he could not understand but signed anyway.
"From St. Petersburg, we were taken by bus to a camp where we spent the night," he added.
"The next morning, they gave military uniforms to some of us and took them away for training."
Before being taken to fight, Mohammad Akram Hossain said he escaped -- along with a group of men from Senegal -- and managed to fly home.
"I returned after losing several thousand dollars," he said, adding his brother-in-law remains in Russia in the army.
"He calls home regularly, begging us to get him back to Bangladesh." Case for the US and Bhutan to Establish Formal Diplomatic Relations (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [4/10/2025 10:52 AM, Abhinav Seetharaman, 777K]
Amid the high-profile examples of U.S. engagement with South Asia – including last February’s visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States – there lies a great opportunity for Washington to deepen its ties with smaller countries in the region. Bhutan is one such example: a country with which the United States should consider establishing diplomatic relations. As a landlocked kingdom nestled in the Himalayas, Bhutan has largely built its international image through its Gross National Happiness index, measuring itself on happiness instead of economic growth. The emphasis that it places on cultural preservation and spiritual harmony – as exemplified by recent projects such as Gelephu Mindfulness City – have piqued the interest of different countries and people worldwide. Although the United States and Bhutan do not currently maintain official ties, both countries maintain warm and informal relations that are primarily driven through the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and Bhutan’s Mission to the United Nations in New York. Today, conditions are ripening for both countries to establish official ties, a goal supported by three trends: tourism, high-level communication, and the strengthening India-U.S. relationship. TourismFirst, data from Bhutan’s tourism industry indicates that more Americans are visiting the Himalayan kingdom, learning about it, and increasingly considering it as a holiday destination. From 2005 to 2019, the number of American tourists to Bhutan increased four-fold: from 3,000 in 2005 to over 9,000 in 2015 to nearly 12,000 in 2019. Last year, Americans represented the second-largest tourist group to Bhutan, after Indians. On paper, these numbers may not seem significant. However, they are consequential as they fall in line with the “high value, low impact” tourism strategy that Bhutan has adopted to prioritize sustainable development, minimize the environmental footprint of tourism, and cultural impact on its local communities.Just as the number of American visitors to Bhutan has gone up, so should the number of Bhutanese visitors to the United States. Providing American consular services in-country is paramount to expanding opportunities for Bhutanese citizens to travel to the U.S. The current set-up forces Bhutanese citizens to travel to India to apply for visitor or student visas to the United States. The end goal here would be to establish embassies in both countries; however, a more realistic first step from a U.S. standpoint could be to bring the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) model to Thimphu. Setting up a similar American Institute in Bhutan will likely require an act of Congress, as AIT receives its funding from a specific Congressional appropriation and is mandated by separate statutes. Doing so would allow for a more consistent U.S. presence in Bhutan, especially through the provision of consular services.High-Level CommunicationSecond, bilateral communication between the two countries and their senior government officials has steadily gained momentum over the last decade. Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held historic talks with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in 2015 on the sidelines of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in India, becoming the first U.S. secretary of state to meet with a Bhutanese prime minister.In August 2019, during the first Trump administration, then-Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan became the highest-ranking U.S. government official in two decades to visit Bhutan. Sullivan met with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, former Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, and former Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji.Past U.S. ambassadors to India have also made routine visits to Bhutan during their tenure. Recently departed Ambassador Eric Garcetti visited Bhutan twice, emphasizing shared values through sports and food diplomacy.His predecessor, Kenneth Juster, visited Bhutan three times, including an unprecedented visit to the sacred Bumthang Valley to tour the Wangduechhoeling Palace – known as the birthplace of Bhutan’s monarchy.More recently, Prime Minister Tobgay was in the United States for the 79th U.N. General Assembly in September 2024, and held constructive talks with then-U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, also a former ambassador to India.The continued touchpoints between senior U.S. and Bhutanese officials also pave the way for a groundbreaking and logical next step in Bhutan-U.S. ties: a visit to Bhutan by a U.S. secretary of state. To date, no sitting secretary of state has visited Bhutan. Such a trip would undoubtedly underscore U.S. commitment to the Himalayan kingdom and represent a major act of goodwill. India-U.S. RelationsFinally, the India-U.S. relationship will be critical to bolstering the United States’ ties with Bhutan. Since 2000, ties between India and the U.S. have been on a steady upward trajectory, with significant progress made on the economic, defense, trade, and people-to-people fronts. Bhutan and India famously share a very close bond, one that has been meticulously built over several decades by leaders on both sides. It is a win-win relationship whose dividends have manifested in several areas, such as India’s developmental assistance toward Bhutan and Bhutan’s deference toward India’s security concerns with China. India has also served as Bhutan’s security guarantor under the “special relationship” formed by a 1949 treaty that was updated in 2007 to emphasize noninterference in each other’s internal affairs. Given the strength and depth of Bhutan-India relations, how the United States and India continue to deepen their cooperation on multiple fronts could play an important role in facilitating the growth of Bhutan-U.S. ties. As Bhutan’s largest trading partner, India will assuredly keep a close eye on any moves by Bhutan and countries that seek to formalize ties with it. It is additionally worth noting the Bhutanese government’s historic wariness of establishing diplomatic relations with the United States or any of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (P5). There are concerns from the Bhutanese side that formally recognizing ties with the U.S. and not the other P5 members may carry territorial ramifications, as much of Bhutan’s northern borders with China remain poorly demarcated. Assuaging these worries will require adeptness from the U.S. and India – both of whom have arguably entered an era of multifaceted convergence in their relationship – which could manifest through additional security guarantees, economic cooperation, and impactful cultural initiatives that showcase Bhutanese values.As Bhutan continues to captivate more Americans, the United States has a strong opportunity to take its relations with the Himalayan kingdom to the next level and strengthen its position in a region of strategic importance. Above all, Bhutan is a country whose people possess a deep pride for their culture and a steadfast resolve to preserve it. Any moves by the U.S. on Bhutan should thus be made with a fundamental understanding that Bhutan will seek to uphold its Buddhist traditions at any cost, promote sustainable development, and prioritize the happiness and well-being of its citizens. Sri Lanka Police Chief Gets Bail Ahead Of Likely Sacking (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/10/2025 10:02 AM, Staff, 931K]
Sri Lanka’s police chief was granted bail Thursday after three weeks in jail, following the launch of a parliamentary process to remove him over a litany of criminal allegations.
A magistrate in the southern city of Matara released Inspector-General Deshabandu Tennakoon, setting the bail at two million rupees ($6,660) and scheduling the next hearing for May 22.
Tennakoon surrendered last month after more than two weeks on the run. He is accused of ordering a botched drug raid in 2023 that resulted in the death of a police officer.
On Tuesday, legislators voted unanimously to open a formal investigation into his conduct. He is widely expected to be impeached unless he resigns.
Tennakoon was appointed Inspector General of Police in November 2023, despite Sri Lanka’s highest court having previously found that he had tortured a suspect in custody by applying menthol balm to the victim’s genitals.
The drug bust he ordered led to a gunfight between rival police units in the coastal resort town of Weligama. No narcotics were recovered.
The Supreme Court suspended Tennakoon in July 2024 pending the outcome of a separate case.
The speaker of parliament is expected to appoint a three-member panel, headed by a Supreme Court judge, to examine allegations of corruption and abuse of power.
If he is found guilty, his removal must be endorsed by an absolute majority of MPs. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is believed to command sufficient support in parliament to comfortably secure Tennakoon’s dismissal.A state prosecutor told the court last month that Tennakoon was the "head of a criminal network" and unfit to lead the 85,000-strong police force. Central Asia
Kazakhstan discovers rare earths reserve said to be third-largest in the world (Euronews)
Euronews [4/10/2025 9:18 AM, Galiya Khassenkhanova, 126906K]
On the eve of the EU-Central Asian Summit in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan announced the discovery of a large deposit of rare earth elements.
The find was made in Karagandy, the central region of Kazakhstan.
Now dubbed "New Kazakhstan," the deposit is said to have almost 1 million tonnes of cerium, lanthanum, neodymium and yttrium, elements used as components in devices such as smartphones, digital cameras and computer hard disks.
"Four prospective areas have been identified within the site with total estimated rare earth reserves reaching 935,400 tonnes," said the spokesperson for Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the total reserves at the "New Kazakhstan" site could reach up to 20 million tonnes at a depth of 300 meters, with an average rare earth content of 700 grams per tonne.
If confirmed, this would place Kazakhstan among the world’s top three countries in terms of rare earth reserves.
However, experts have called for caution.
Georgiy Freiman, the executive committee chair of the Professional Association of Independent Mining Experts (PONEN), said things were still at an early stage.
"In order to call it a deposit, you, first, need to fully study all the elements in the area with mineralisation," he said, stressing that more exploratory work is required.
"You need to study hydrogeology, geomechanics, as well as assess the feasibility of extraction and in what form they can be extracted. You need to conduct an economic assessment, taking into account the market situation, the needs of relevant industries," he added.
"Only when all these factors are analysed, and an economic model is developed can it truly be called a deposit. Without that, it remains mere speculation.".
Strategic announcement
Exploration of the site began in 2022, with findings reported to the Kazakh government in October 2024.Analysts said the timing of the public announcement — just before the EU-Central Asia Summit — was strategic.
During the summit, the EU announced its intention to deepen cooperation with Kazakhstan, endorsing a new Roadmap for 2025–2026, which envisages "enhanced cooperation on geological exploration, research and innovation".
"The announcement was well timed because it increased the importance of Kazakhstan in the whole discussion about the critical raw materials," said Aleška Simkić, the EU’s ambassador to Kazakhstan.
"I think it succeeded in putting Kazakhstan on the map for EU," she added, before saying that there were "still some challenges" ahead for the mining of rare earth minerals in the Central Asian country.
What’s next?
According to the exploration company that made the initial discovery, developing the site could take up to six years and could require around $10 million (€9.03m) in investment.
Arthur Poliakov, the executive chairman of the MINEX Forum, believes that it will take between 10 and 12 years for any ore to be extracted.
Kazakhstan currently lacks the necessary technologies for deep processing of rare earth elements and will need the support of foreign partners.
Poliakov noted that China is likely to be involved in this process as they are the biggest consumer of rare earth metals and the largest producer of commodities made using them, including batteries and solar panels.
"The second player will probably be the European Union. Why? Because the green agenda, green technology, everything related to sustainable development of sustainable energy resources is a priority there," Poliakov said.
"The main problem is logistics. The EU and Kazakhstan are far apart, which is why they need to develop the Middle Corridor," he added.
For now, it is thought that Kazakhstan’s national mining company Tau-Ken Samruk will take the lead on the next stage of development.
This includes pre-investment work such as additional geological studies, technology selection and feasibility assessments.
"We are looking at two options: an auction or a local company. There’s the Tau-Ken Samruk national company, which engages in developing deposits. The decision has not been made yet," said Almas Kushumov, director of the Department of Subsoil Use at the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction. US strikes mineral deals with Uzbekistan – Tashkent report (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [4/10/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
It appears that the Trump administration’s single-minded pursuit of critical minerals is starting to bear fruit in Central Asia.
According to an Uzbek government statement April 9, meetings in Washington involving Uzbek Investment Ministry officials and US business executives yielded several agreements covering the exploration, extraction and processing of minerals in the Central Asian state. The deals also reportedly cover the provision of innovative US technologies to Tashkent, and the training of Uzbek specialists.“The agreements were formalized by contracts,” the statement adds. “A manager was assigned to each project.”
Neither US nor Uzbek officials to date have revealed the value of the contracts signed, or the entities involved.
The announcement occurred amid a flurry of diplomatic contacts in Washington between the United States and Uzbekistan, including an April 9 meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov. In summarizing the discussions, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce lauded bilateral cooperation in the “critical minerals and other sectors,” adding that the US will also work with Tashkent “on the modernization of safe nuclear technologies.”
The spokeswoman’s comments reinforce the notion that the United States may gain a role in the development of nuclear power in Uzbekistan. Tashkent already has an agreement in place with the Russian nuclear entity Rosatom to help build the country’s first nuclear plant. But Uzbek officials have stated publicly that they are interested in diversifying the country’s nuclear energy sector.
On April 7, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with the deputy chair of the Uzbek National Security Council, Abdulaziz Kamilov, who previously served as foreign minister. Those talks likewise focused on mining and nuclear power. Landau additionally “expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for its continued cooperation on illegal immigration and counterterrorism,” according to a State Department press release.
Since coming to power in January, the Trump administration’s foreign policy toward Central Asia has fixated on critical minerals and nuclear energy. As an incentive to deepen cooperation in those sectors, the United States has expressed willingness to back Uzbek efforts to gain membership in the World Trade Organization.
The recent advances made by the United States in Uzbekistan’s mining and nuclear power sectors coincide with Tashkent’s deepening cooperation with China in the development of renewable energy capacity. Two Chinese companies recently signed contracts to build a solar and a wind farm in Uzbekistan with a total generating capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. A statement issued by the Uzbek Investment Ministry indicates China is also helping to finance the projects.
The US quest for rare earths in Central Asia is far from limited to Uzbekistan. Speaking at a mining conference in Astana, the top US diplomat in Kazakhstan, Deborah Robinson, reaffirmed “US support for private and public sector cooperation in the critical minerals sector,” according to a statement posted on Twitter, now called X. “We are committed to cooperating with Kazakhstan in this vital sector to facilitate investment, apply advanced technology, and strengthen economic and strategic ties.” Central Asian states join World Health Organization effort to eliminate tuberculosis (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [4/10/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
The World Health Organization is implementing a program to contain tuberculosis in Central Asia by the end of the decade.
Health ministers from the five Central Asian states signed a joint declaration earlier in April to bolster cooperation on prevention measures, and coordinate activities with the WHO. The initiative is designed to “turbo-charge” efforts to “end TB in the subregion by 2030,” according to a WHO statement. “This landmark subregional initiative will serve as a model for other countries both in the WHO European Region and beyond that are facing a significant or growing TB burden, providing opportunities for cross-border collaboration at a time when it’s needed more than ever,” the statement quoted Hans Henri Kluge, the WHO’s Regional Director for Europe.
The initiative seeks to expand the use of rapid diagnostic tests, improve treatment success rates for oral-only treatments, speed up and widen distribution of TB vaccines and make TB treatment more readily available at primary healthcare facilities throughout the region.
TB and drug resistant-TB (DR-TB) “has long posed a significant public health threat in Central Asia,” the WHO statement notes, citing over 35,000 TB and around 8,000 DR-TB cases being reported annually. “Four of the five Central Asian countries rank among the top 30 high-burden DR-TB nations worldwide,” according to the WHO. “In three of these countries, DR-TB rates exceed 50 percent among previously treated patients, and range from 26 percent to 34 percent among new patients, contributing to a quarter of the global DR-TB burden.” “We are now closer than ever to achieving success but navigating this final phase will be challenging,” Kluge said. “It will demand political dedication and consistent investments in diagnostics, treatment and universal health coverage to reach everyone in need.”
Meanwhile, Central Asian health authorities are confronting new public health threats, including an outbreak of measles. Kyrgyzstan’s Health Ministry has issued a notice that the “the epidemiological situation in the country for measles and rubella has deteriorated.” Kyrgyz health officials reported in March that eight children had died from measles. They added that 95 percent of those afflicted had not been vaccinated. Indo-Pacific
Nearly 100 killed after heavy rain in India, Nepal (Reuters)
Reuters [4/11/2025 1:24 AM, Jatindra Dash and Gopal Sharma, 5.2M]
Nearly 100 people have died since Wednesday after heavy rain lashed parts of India and Nepal, officials and media said, and the weather department has predicted more unseasonal rain for the region.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Wednesday raised a multi-hazard warning for the country, with heatwave conditions in the western parts and thunderstorms in the eastern and central region.
In the eastern state of Bihar, at least 64 people died in rain-related incidents since Wednesday, a senior official from the state’s disaster management department told Reuters.
Local media reported that more than 20 people have died in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile in neighbouring Nepal, lightning strikes and heavy rain killed at least eight people, National Disaster Authority officials said.
India’s weather office expects heavy rain with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds over central and eastern India till Saturday.
The monsoon season usually begins in June in southern India, and summer months in the recent past have been marked by intense heatwaves that have killed several people.
State-run IMD said last week that India is expected to experience a much hotter April, with above normal temperatures across most of the country. Twitter
Afghanistan
Bashir Ahmad Gwakh@bashirgwakh
[4/11/2025 2:20 AM, 90.8K followers, 1 retweet]
The Taliban government in #Afghanistan publicly executed 2 men by hanging in Badghis province. The men had been accused of murder. Hundreds of people were gathered by the #Taliban to witness the execution in the provincial capital.
Lina Rozbih@LinaRozbih
[4/10/2025 12:58 AM, 428K followers, 1 retweet, 8 likes]
"The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted in favor of a bill sponsored by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) to ensure no more U.S. tax dollars fall into the hands of the Taliban after the Biden administration paid the terrorist regime millions of dollars following the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan." #Afghanistan #Taliban
Yalda Hakim@SkyYaldaHakim
[4/10/2025 7:01 AM, 217.8K followers, 136 retweets, 266 likes]
1300 days since the Taliban banned teenage girls from school. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world to have such a ban on girls’ education. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[4/11/2025 3:27 AM, 62.2K followers, 2 likes]
A few thoughts on this, @FCDOGovUK @FCDOHumanRights. First, please always send women as part of your delegation to meet the Taliban. Second, the second tweet seems to refer to UK enthusiasm for the UN’s new "mosaic" plan. As you know, there are major concerns about this plan.
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[4/11/2025 3:29 AM, 62.2K followers, 1 like]
There are concerns about whether and how Afghan women will be part of this process, and about how--or whether--the UN will ensure that human rights, including women’s rights, are not marginalized and harmed in this process.
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[4/11/2025 3:30 AM, 62.2K followers]
We all understand that this is Taliban propaganda. But states need to be careful not to facilitate it, and the next steps in the Doha process require careful scrutiny, not casual endorsement. Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[4/9/2025 5:07 AM, 3.1M followers, 2 retweets, 22 likes]
A U.S. delegation, led by Mr. Eric Meyer, Senior Bureau Official & Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[4/10/2025 11:40 AM, 219.1K followers, 11 retweets, 41 likes]
South Asia will respond to Trump’s tariff pause the same way it responded to the tariffs themselves—it will push for talks with the Trump administration. This week for @ForeignPolicy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/09/south-asia-trump-tariff-reversal-trade-talks-india-pakistan-bangladesh/
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[4/10/2025 9:08 AM, 219.1K followers, 9 retweets, 44 likes]
In this new essay for @dawn_com, I offer some suggestions for how to strengthen a US-Pakistan relationship that will undoubtedly be a limited one during the second Trump administration. https://www.dawn.com/news/1902851 India
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[4/11/2025 2:52 AM, 3.4M followers, 10 retweets, 60 likes]
Pleased to address the 9th #GlobalTechSummit and join @Rudra_81 for an engaging conversation. Spoke about the global changes underway, its tech consequences and many possibilities. Highlighted the interplay between trade & technology, the imperative of trusted & transparent digital practices and the importance of adjusting to the new global landscape. Do watch https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1DXGyqZogPLGM
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[4/10/2025 8:36 AM, 3.4M followers, 222 retweets, 1.5K likes]
An engaging conversation today at the Asia Business Council Spring Forum 2025. Spoke about the profound changes underway in the international system, the implications for Global South and India’s role in furthering its voice.
Rahul Gandhi@RahulGandhi
[4/10/2025 12:47 AM, 27.7M followers, 1.4K retweets, 3.3K likes]
After the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the "Employment Linked Incentive" scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth. It’s been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn’t even defined it, and has returned the 10,000 crores allotted to it. This shows how serious the PM is about unemployment.
Jobs can’t be created by focusing only on large corporates, promoting cronies over fair-play businesses, prioritising assembly over production, and disregarding India’s indigenous skills. The way to create crores of jobs is through large-scale investment in MSMEs, fair markets where competition can thrive, support for local production networks and youth equipped with the right skills.
The PM won’t agree with these ideas. But I must ask him directly:- Prime Minister ji, you announced ELI with great showmanship - but where has this 10,000 crore scheme disappeared? Have you abandoned our unemployed youth along with your promises?- While you create new slogans every day, our youth are still waiting for real opportunities. What is your concrete plan to generate the crores of jobs India desperately needs, or is this just another jumla?- When will you shift your focus from enriching Adani and your billionaire friends to ensuring that young people from marginalised communities have equal access to employment?
Rajnath Singh@rajnathsingh
[4/10/2025 9:48 AM, 24.4M followers, 156 retweets, 780 likes]
Addressed the Armed Forces officers of India and friendly countries during the Convocation Ceremony of the 80th Staff Course of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington. The Govt is transforming the Indian military into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force. Building an indigenous future-ready defence ecosystem is a strategic necessity. The Armed Forces must operate jointly & remain future-ready in today’s ever-evolving multi-domain environment. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2120678
Sidhant Sibal@sidhant
[4/11/2025 12:08 AM, 310K followers, 152 retweets, 398 likes]
Breaking: US in a statement releases a bit of intercepted conversation between Tahawwur Rana & Headley after 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Rana said LeT terrorists responsible for Mumbai attacks should be honoured with Pakistan’s highest award Nishan-e-Haider. NSB
Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh@ChiefAdviserGoB
[4/10/2025 9:01 AM, 141.6K followers, 65 retweets, 920 likes]
Engro looks for business opportunities in Bangladesh
DHAKA, April 10: Abdul Samad Dawood, CEO of Engro Holdings of Pakistan, called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Thursday to discuss investment opportunities in Bangladesh. During the meeting, the Engro CEO expressed a strong interest in expanding the company’s footprint in Bangladesh, particularly in telecommunications and energy sectors. “We are excited about the potential in Bangladesh’s telecommunications sector, and we also see great promise in partnering to help distribute gas from Bhola to fuel industrial growth,” said Dawood.
Welcoming the interest, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus emphasised the importance of sustainable and forward-looking collaboration. “We should focus on long-term projects that bring improvements to the lives of our people,” he said. Dawood, who came to join the Bangladesh Investment Summit, praised the four-day long conference, which was hosted by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).“The BIDA Summit had a human touch—it felt sincere, welcoming, and purposeful. It was remarkable to see so many top companies represented under one roof,” he said. Professor Yunus encouraged Engro’s leadership to visit Bangladesh again and see the scope for collaboration across sectors. “I invite you to come again. Bangladesh has a lot to offer—not just to investors, but to the world,” the Chief Adviser added. Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Principal Secretary Sirajuddin Sathi were also present at the meeting.
Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh@ChiefAdviserGoB
[4/10/2025 5:50 AM, 141.6K followers, 22 retweets, 385 likes]
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus delivered a speech via video message at the opening ceremony of the Global Government Summit, introduced by the H.E. Georges Mischo, Labour Minister of Luxembourg. The summit brought together 150+ government representatives from 51 Countries including 14 Ministers/Vice-Ministers who are committed to incorporating social business and social innovation into their policy frameworks to shape the future.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[4/10/2025 7:04 AM, 112.6K followers, 93 retweets, 94 likes]
#Livestream: Press Conference at the President’s Office https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mrxmPzLDlnJyPMO Nepal@PM_nepal_
[4/10/2025 8:26 AM, 721.3K followers, 4 retweets, 39 likes]
A high-level discussion was convened today under the leadership of the Rt. Hon. PM KP Sharma Oli, with the participation of distinguished Ministers and Secretaries. The meeting focused on shaping the priorities and finalizing the budget strategy for the forthcoming fiscal year.Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[4/10/2025 9:19 AM, 149.3K followers, 16 retweets, 172 likes]
I met with party leaders today at the Presidential Secretariat to discuss the impact of recent US tariffs on Sri Lanka’s economy. We had a constructive dialogue on proposals for engaging with the US and strategies to diversify our export markets.
Namal Rajapaksa@RajapaksaNamal
[4/11/2025 12:56 AM, 436.6K followers, 3 retweets, 12 likes]
NPP must stop playing dirty politics with northern people’s emotions The government’s move to open the Palaly Road in Jaffna with heavy restrictions is truly concerning. While the road was closed due to security threats, it seems obvious that the government has re-opened it without gaining any security verification - hence the heavy restrictions. This seems another move just to garner votes before an election ignoring all threats. I urge the government not to mislead the people by doing things on the surface and to put the nation’s safety first rather than thinking of only winning votes. If the road is to be opened, it should be done after thorough security verifications and it should be opened without all barriers, keeping in mind the public’s safety.Harsha de Silva@HarshadeSilvaMP
[4/10/2025 4:40 AM, 361K followers, 17 retweets, 131 likes]
Meeting w Pres @anuradisanayake on #TrumpTarrifs successful. Common agreement that while we do everything to strengthen trade with world immediate issue is to arrive at a “HS Code based bilateral trade deal” w the US. Two channels opened. We will support. #ECTA India urgent.
Sajith Premadasa@sajithpremadasa
[4/9/2025 6:44 AM, 234.6K followers, 6 retweets, 72 likes]
Had a constructive discussion today with @USAmbSL on deepening trade ties. I stressed the importance of a fair, forward-looking partnership that unlocks opportunity, supports Sri Lankan industries, and delivers real benefits to both our people. Central Asia
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[4/10/2025 12:38 PM, 215.6K followers, 4 retweets, 23 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde to discuss expanding strategic cooperation on #Uzbekistan’s economic reforms. Key areas included poverty reduction through job creation, support for the private sector, public-private partnerships, privatization of SOE’s. They also focused on joint efforts in decarbonization, urban development, infrastructure modernization, energy efficiency, improving the investment climate and supporting #Uzbekistan’s @wto accession.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[4/10/2025 11:21 AM, 215.6K followers, 3 retweets, 16 likes]
Today, President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with former UK Prime Minister and executive chairman of the @TonyBlairEU @InstituteGC. The guest expressed full support for promoting #Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms. They agreed to cooperate on attracting major strategic investors, advancing technological modernization, accelerating digitalization and AI integration, and implementing joint programs in key areas.
Saida Mirziyoyeva@SMirziyoyeva
[4/11/2025 2:36 AM, 22K followers, 1 retweet, 11 likes]
Our children deserve content that speaks their language and reflects their roots. Yesterday I met with top Uzbek animation studios to support projects like Donocha—we need more local songs, cartoons, and stories that shape young minds.{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.