SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Thursday, January 9, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
U.S. in talks with Taliban for release of Americans held in Afghanistan, source says (NBC News)
NBC News [1/8/2025 7:58 AM, Mushtaq Yusufzai and Jennifer Jett, 50804K, Neutral]
The Biden administration has been in talks with the Taliban to exchange Americans detained in Afghanistan for Afghans in U.S. custody, a senior Taliban leader with direct knowledge of the negotiations told NBC News on Wednesday.
The Taliban leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, said the two sides had been negotiating for the past two years but had so far failed to reach a deal.
He said the Taliban had demanded three Afghan nationals including Muhammad Rahim, the only Afghan prisoner left at Guantánamo Bay, a detention site in Cuba for the mostly Muslim men taken into custody around the world in the U.S. "war on terror.".
U.S. officials say Rahim, who has been held there without charge since 2008, was a senior aide in Al Qaeda, the terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden that carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Others say he held a much lesser role as a courier and translator and is not a national security threat.
"His mother has been protesting and made several demands for his release," the Taliban leader said.
The Taliban leader, who said he has personally participated in some of the meetings with U.S. officials, confirmed that the Taliban had captured three American nationals in the past two years.
"We believe that the U.S. administration will make it happen as they are very interested in getting back their three nationals currently held in Afghanistan," he said.
He did not name the three Americans, whom he said were accused of spying and preaching Christianity in Afghanistan. But the Taliban have previously confirmed they are holding Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, both of whom the State Department has classified as wrongfully detained.
Corbett, a longtime resident of Afghanistan before the U.S. withdrawal, was arrested while on a business trip to the country in August 2022, while Glezmann was arrested during a trip to Afghanistan in December of that year. Both men are said to have experienced declining health during their detention.
The Taliban have not confirmed whether they are holding a third person, Mahmood Habibi, a naturalized American who worked for an American consulting group and was arrested in his native Afghanistan in August 2022 after the U.S. drone strike that killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
In addition to Rahim, the Taliban leader said, Afghan officials also demanded the release of two other Afghan nationals imprisoned in the United States who "have nothing to do with terrorism or politics.".
"The charges leveled against them are different and we will hopefully get them back to the Afghanistan," he said.
A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said that "the safety and security of Americans overseas is one of the Biden-Harris Administration’s top priorities, and we are working around the clock to ensure George, Ryan, and Mahmood’s safe return.".
The spokesperson said that "President Biden and his team continue to work, often in partnership with key allies, to negotiate for the release of Americans held hostage or unjustly detained abroad so that they can be reunited with their families, and the Administration will do so throughout the remainder of the term.".
According to a 2014 Senate report, the Central Intelligence Agency subjected Rahim, who was captured in Pakistan, to enhanced interrogation techniques that included sleep deprivation sessions lasting up to almost six days. They did not produce any intelligence.
Rahim is currently ineligible to leave Guantánamo, having been deemed a continuing national security threat by a federal review panel multiple times, most recently in November 2023.
The U.S.-Taliban negotiations were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
In the past four years, Biden has brought back more than 75 American citizens and residents detained around the world, including three from China in a prisoner swap this fall and four from Russia in a multinational prisoner swap last summer. In 2022, Biden approved the release of an Afghan drug lord in U.S. custody in exchange for Navy veteran Mark Frerichs, who was held captive in Afghanistan for 2½ years.
But agreeing to release an Afghan prisoner at Guantánamo could be politically trickier for Biden, who has come under withering criticism from lawmakers over the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan in August 2021.
The White House has said Biden is determined to close Guantánamo Bay before the end of his term.
On Monday, the Pentagon said it had transferred 11 Yemeni men to Oman this week who had been held without charge at Guantánamo for more than two decades. Their release brings the total number of remaining detainees at Guantánamo to 15, the fewest since 2002. Hundreds of veterans, others urge Trump to continue resettling at-risk Afghans (Reuters)
Reuters [1/8/2025 5:27 PM, Jonathan Landay, 48128K, Negative]
Hundreds of veterans and current and former U.S. officials want President-elect Donald Trump to preserve U.S. special visa and resettlement programs for Afghans at risk of retribution for working for the United States during the 20-year war against the Taliban, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters.
The letter, signed by the veterans, officials and others, will be sent to Trump and congressional leaders and was organized by #AfghanEvac, the leading coalition of groups that work with the U.S. government to help Afghans start new lives in the United States.
"Many of us have worked closely with Afghan interpreters, soldiers and families who risked everything to protect and guide us," said a draft of the letter. "To abandon them now would be a betrayal of the values we fought to defend and the trust built through years of shared struggle and sacrifice.".
The letter calls on Trump and congressional leaders to continue funding the resettlement of at-risk Afghans and their families and for Congress to approve an additional 50,000 Special Immigration Visas (SIVs).
The current cap of 50,500 SIVs is expected to run out late this summer or early fall.
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Shawn VanDiver, the head of #AfghanEvac, said the letter reflected concerns that Trump will curtail the SIV and resettlement programs as part of his promised crackdown on immigration.
"There’s a real fear that President Trump and Stephen Miller will once again erect bureaucratic barriers that slow down or even stop the SIV and refugee resettlement programs, abandoning our Afghan allies once more," VanDiver told Reuters.
Miller was the architect of Trump’s first-term hardline immigration policies and is expected to maintain that role as deputy chief of staff when Trump is sworn in for a second time on Jan. 20.
Former U.S. officials and immigration advocates say Miller instituted during Trump’s first term bureaucratic hurdles, including "extreme vetting," that contributed to a slowdown in SIV processing and a massive application backlog.However, Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Michael Waltz, a former U.S. special forces officer who served in Afghanistan, has fiercely advocated for the SIV and resettlement programs.
His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump made immigration a major issue of his presidential campaign, promising to ramp up border security and deport record numbers of illegal immigrants. He tried during his first term to restrict legal immigration.
VanDiver said that as of Wednesday afternoon, the letter had been signed online by more than 380 veterans, including Jack McCain, the son of the late Senator John McCain, former and current federal, state and local officials, and many ordinary Americans.
He planned to send the letter to the Trump transition team on Friday and hand-deliver it to Republican and Democratic congressional leaders next week.
More than 183,000 at-risk Afghans and family members have been resettled in the United States since the Taliban seized Kabul as the last U.S. troops withdrew in August 2021, according to the State Department.
Afghans who worked for the U.S. military, civilian agencies or other U.S.-affiliated groups continue seeking resettlement amid U.N. reports that the Taliban have killed, arrested and tortured hundreds of former officials and soldiers.
The Taliban, who instituted a general amnesty for officials and troops of the former U.S.-backed government, deny the U.N. charges.
There currently are more than 20,000 SIV applications being processed, said a State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity. They do not include applicants’ families.
About 40 percent of completed applications have been rejected. Taliban refute Trump’s claims on US financial aid to Afghanistan (VOA)
VOA [1/8/2025 12:39 PM, Ayaz Gul, 2717K, Neutral]
Taliban leaders in Afghanistan on Wednesday denied President-elect Donald Trump’s assertions that they have received billions of dollars in U.S. financial aid since regaining control of the country.
Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy Taliban spokesperson, responded to Trump’s claims by asserting that the Kabul administration neither anticipates nor seeks any assistance from the United States.
"In reality, the United States has not provided a single penny to the Islamic Emirate," Fitrat stated, referring to Afghanistan’s official name under Taliban rule. "Instead, it has confiscated and frozen billions of dollars that rightfully belong to the people of Afghanistan.".
The Taliban’s sharp response followed Trump’s news conference in Florida on Tuesday, when he was asked to comment on the alleged monthly payments of millions of dollars by the Biden administration to the de facto Afghan rulers.
"It’s not even believable. Billions of dollars, not millions — billions. We pay billions of dollars to essentially the Taliban Afghanistan," Trump stated. "This can’t be allowed to happen.".
Fitrat claimed that the U.S. funds in question were primarily utilized for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and the relocation and resettlement of their Afghan allies.
"A portion of this money may have also been used under the pretext of ‘humanitarian aid’ by international organizations. … [The] U.S. directed all this money to Afghanistan, primarily for its own interests, and now exploits it as propaganda against the Islamic Emirate," the Taliban spokesperson alleged.
The controversy surrounding provision of financial aid to the Taliban intensified following a Jan. 2 letter by Congressman Tim Burchett to President-elect Trump, which expressed concern over foreign aid being directed to the de facto Afghan authorities.
"These cash shipments are auctioned off, and after that, they are nearly impossible to track. This is how the Taliban is being funded and plans to fund terrorism around the world," warned Burchett. "The United States of America should not fund its enemies abroad.".
He cited U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as having confirmed that non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan had paid nearly $10 million in foreign aid to the Taliban in taxes.
The Taliban swept back to power in August 2021, prompting Washington and the West at large to suspend development aid to the country and effectively isolate the Afghan banking sector, freezing billions of dollars of central bank assets in the United States.
The flow of humanitarian assistance, however, has primarily remained intact under the United Nations’ supervision.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) refutes allegations that some of the funds it receives for humanitarian operations are being diverted to the Taliban.
UNAMA has maintained that it transports cash into the country for the use of U.N. agencies and "approved and vetted" humanitarian partners to assist millions of Afghans needing support.
The mission has emphasized that all cash is deposited in designated U.N. accounts in a private bank before being distributed directly to the United Nations and other entities. It has also clarified that none of the cash brought into the country is deposited in the Central Bank of Afghanistan or provided to de facto Taliban authorities by the U.N. Is the US Funding the Taliban? What Records Show (Newsweek)
Newsweek [1/8/2025 5:31 PM, Dan Gooding, 56005K, Neutral]
A Republican representative alleged Monday that the United States is funding the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the comments have sparked renewed scrutiny of the financial aid that is being sent to the country.Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett was responding to Elon Musk on X, formerly Twitter, after he shared an open letter from Burchett to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to stop funds from reaching the terrorist group.
Newsweek reached out to Burchett’s office for comment Wednesday morning.
Why It Matters
The United States categorizes the Taliban as a terrorist organization. When the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2021, following the 9/11 attacks, it ousted the Taliban from power and later helped to install replacement governments.
When the U.S. withdrew its remaining forces from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban reclaimed control. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heavily criticized for his part in the operation, which led to the collapse of Ashraf Ghani’s government.
What To Know
The U.S. is the largest humanitarian donor in Afghanistan, providing nearly $2 billion in assistance since mid-August 2021, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a January 2024 report.
In that report, USAID said that it was not providing any assistance to the Taliban.
A May 2024 report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that since the Taliban’s August 2021 return to power, around $10.9 million in American aid had made its way into the Taliban’s pockets.
This was possible because of a system set up by the previous Afghanistan government to benefit from agencies working on behalf of the U.S. and its allies to deliver humanitarian aid, SIGAR said.
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations (PIOs) were deemed necessary to "help the people of Afghanistan," the report said, but a system of taxes, utility bills, and other fees for operating in the country meant the Afghan government would take a share.
Meanwhile, any money the United Nations spends similarly is exempt from such taxes.
SIGAR’s report said that making sure the money is spent on those needing assistance was hindered at times by the Taliban-controlled government’s interventions in NGO and PIO activity, such as trying to force its people into roles.
"The direct collection of taxes, fees, duties, and utilities from U.S. government-funded activities risks contributing to the legitimization of the Taliban-controlled government in the eyes of the Afghan people," the report said. "For example, implementing partners reported the Taliban uses aid delivery as propaganda by taking credit for the aid provided to the Afghan people.".Another problem that may fuel concerns from Burchett and others is that organizations are not consistently reporting the taxes and fees levied by the Afghanistan government, meaning oversight is limited.
A U.S. Department of State spokesperson told Newsweek that the $10.9 million in the SIGAR report was for salary withholdings essential for humanitarian operations. They said the U.S. was not providing assistance to the Taliban or Afghanistan’s Central Bank.
A report from USAID in September 2024 showed that $697,019,00 had been spent by the U.S. government on the humanitarian response in Afghanistan in fiscal year 2024, citing over 23.7 million people in the country needing help.
Burchett introduced a bill in December 2023 called the No Tax Dollars for the Taliban Act, which sought to stop U.S. funds from making their way to the group, but the bill did not progress to the Democrat-controlled Senate.
What People Are Saying
Representative Tim Burchett, in an open letter to President-elect Donald Trump: "The United States of America should not fund its enemies abroad. I implore you to take action to put an end to wasteful foreign aid spending and to support efforts in Congress to put Americans first.".
Former CIA intelligence official Sarah Adams, on X: "The truth is that these terrorists have successfully deceived our Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense, and even some of the smartest minds among us. If the Taliban can manipulate them, imagine what a near-peer adversary can accomplish.".
USAID, in its January 2024 report: "USAID does not provide any assistance to or through Taliban authorities. We continuously analyze the operational environment to prevent and mitigate risks of fraud, diversion, and abuse—and to ensure that USAID assistance does not reach the Taliban.".
What’s Next
Trump has been critical of President Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and will likely take a tougher stance on foreign policy once he returns to the White House.
In his letter, Burchett asked the incoming president for his support in resurrecting his bill, which could have an easier path with a GOP-controlled Congress. U.K. Special Forces Allowed to ‘Get Away With Murder’ in Afghanistan, Inquiry Told (New York Times)
New York Times [1/8/2025 4:14 PM, Mark Landler, 831K, Neutral]
British special forces soldiers used extreme methods against militants in Afghanistan, including covering a man with a pillow before shooting him with a pistol, as well as killing unarmed people, according to testimony released Wednesday by an inquiry into the actions of British troops during the war there.“During these operations it was said that ‘all fighting-age males are killed’ on target regardless of the threat they posed, this included those not holding weapons,” one officer said in a conversation with a fellow soldier in March 2011 that he confirmed in testimony given during a closed-door hearing.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense announced in 2022 that it would institute the inquiry to investigate allegations of war crimes by British armed forces in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. In 2023, it confirmed that the allegations related to special forces troops.
The hundreds of pages of evidence released Wednesday, which includes email exchanges, letters and witness statements by senior officers and rank-and-file soldiers, painted a disturbing portrait of an elite fighting force with a culture of impunity, which placed body counts above all other benchmarks.
One member of a British unit said that the troops appeared to be “beyond reproach” during the long years of combat in Afghanistan, which amounted to “a golden pass allowing them to get away with murder.”
Like all of the witnesses, that soldier’s identity was not revealed. Many of the statements and other documents were heavily redacted to suppress names, units and the location of operations.
But even with those details withheld, there were revealing descriptions of junior officers raising concerns with their superiors about tactics used during nighttime raids on militants.
In an email exchange from February 2011, a soldier told a senior officer of a raid in which a lone Afghan fighter, ordered to go back inside a building, returned with a weapon, even though he was heavily outnumbered. The soldier questioned whether the SAS units were ordering Afghans to fetch their weapons, “thereby setting the conditions for their execution?”“A good point,” his superior replied. “There appears to be a casual disregard for life, COIN principles and credible reporting.”
COIN refers to the counterinsurgency doctrine used by American, British and other NATO troops during much of the war in Afghanistan. Among other concerns, the wanton killing of Afghan fighters and civilians was viewed as destroying trust between foreign troops and the civilian population.
In another exchange, the same senior officer described how the SAS seemed to be reverting to “the good ole tactics.”
When he raised a question in an email about whether SAS units were manufacturing scenarios that allowed them to kill Afghan combatants, another officer replied, “these Afghans are so stupid they deserve to die.” The first officer said he viewed the reply as “a glib comment on his part reflecting the fact that the way it is described that the Afghans were killed doesn’t add up.”
The Ministry of Defense said it was “appropriate that we await the outcome” of the inquiry “before commenting further.”Allegations of war crimes by British troops in Afghanistan are not new. They have been highlighted in media reports, most notably by the BBC investigative program Panorama. American special operations troops have also been accused of repeated cases of misconduct in Afghanistan, including killing civilians in raids and then trying to cover it up.
The conduct of Britain’s elite troops flared into a political dispute last fall when the Conservative Party was choosing a new leader. Robert Jenrick, one of the candidates, claimed without evidence that they “are killing rather than capturing terrorists” and said that was because a European human rights court would otherwise force Britain to release them.
Mr. Jenrick came under sharp criticism from two other candidates, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly, both former soldiers. Mr. Tugendhat said his comments showed a “fundamental misunderstanding of military operations and the law of unarmed conflict.”
Some of these disclosures came to light because of a fierce rivalry between the SAS, or Special Air Services, the special forces unit of the British Army, and the SBS, or Special Boat Service, its counterpart in the Royal Navy. SAS troops arrived in Afghanistan in 2009, many fresh from the war in Iraq, and took over the mission of hunting Taliban militants from the SBS. Many of the concerns about their methods were raised by SBS soldiers and their commanders.
Several witnesses expressed frustration that there was a culture of covering up misdeeds by falsifying operations reports. In the case of the Afghan man whose head was covered by a pillow, “It was implied that photos would be taken of the deceased alongside weapons that the ‘fighting age male’ may not have had in their position when they were killed,” one soldier recounted to the inquiry.
Another soldier said in a February 2011 email that when people raised concerns, they were met with the response, “‘What doesn’t everyone get about how important these ops are?’ The guys appear to be beyond reproach,” he wrote. “Astonishing.”
Some warned that British forces were vulnerable to the same embarrassment as their American allies, who were tarred in 2010 by the leaking of military logs documenting six years of the Afghanistan war by WikiLeaks, the antisecrecy group established by Julian Assange.“If we don’t believe this,” an officer said in an email, “then no one else will and when the next WikiLeaks occurs then we will be dragged down with them.” The Hidden Lifeline for Afghans: Remittances (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [1/8/2025 9:16 AM, Kritika Jothishankar and Nara Sritharan, 857K, Neutral]
"It is hard for women to think about rights when their children are starving." This stark observation, shared during a key informant interview in 2020, lays bare the grim realities faced by families in Afghanistan. With international sanctions and economic instability worsening under the Taliban’s rule, millions are grappling with food insecurity and dwindling resources. The erosion of critical lifelines, from humanitarian aid to remittance flows, has plunged countless households into desperation, leaving women and children particularly vulnerable. This humanitarian crisis demands urgent global action to address not just survival needs but the systemic barriers keeping families trapped in cycles of poverty and repression.The challenges faced by families in Afghanistan echo those of displaced communities worldwide, where survival often hinges on fragile support systems. For many, the focus is not on long-term rights or recovery but on immediate survival – finding the next meal or securing basic shelter. Despite the critical need, bureaucratic inefficiencies, political stagnation, and restrictive policies choke the flow of essential lifelines, leaving millions in conflict zones to navigate a humanitarian landscape fraught with barriers and uncertainty.
Our recent research on post-conflict Sri Lanka underscores the transformative impact of remittances. Using household-level data, we found that these flows not only help families meet immediate needs but could also enable wealth accumulation over time, playing a pivotal role in economic recovery. Globally, remittances to low- and middle- income countries totaled $656 billion in 2023 – far exceeding the $256 billion in official development assistance. When disrupted by forced repatriation policies or resettlement delays, this lifeline frays, exacerbating hardship for refugees and their families alike.
At a time when remittances often double the scale of official aid, addressing systemic barriers to their flow is imperative. By reforming refugee resettlement processes and supporting remittance systems, policymakers can unlock their full potential, offering stability and hope to millions of displaced individuals.
Although often overshadowed in policy debates, remittances are a hidden backbone of economic resilience for conflict-affected families. These funds go beyond meeting immediate needs; they enable families to rebuild their lives and navigate long-term uncertainties. In fragile contexts, where traditional support systems are weakened or nonexistent, remittances fill critical gaps that official aid cannot reach.
Our research in post-conflict Sri Lanka highlights this transformative role. We found that remittances significantly increased household wealth over time, even in areas lacking robust financial infrastructure. Families invested in education, improved housing, and started small businesses – decisions that fostered economic stability and created ripple effects of growth across entire communities.
The power of remittances, however, depends on their uninterrupted flow. For displaced individuals, restrictive policies and bureaucratic delays can cut off this lifeline, pushing families further into poverty. Without these funds, hard-earned gains risk being eroded, leaving vulnerable populations trapped in cycles of instability.
With the right support, remittances could move from being a stopgap measure to a cornerstone of global recovery strategies. Policymakers must address key barriers by reducing high transaction fees, formalizing remittance channels, and ensuring refugees achieve financial stability. These reforms would amplify the impact of remittances, ensuring they remain a vital resource for families navigating the uncertainties of displacement.
For Afghan refugees, displacement often leads to years of uncertainty, compounded by slow and cumbersome resettlement processes. The U.S. Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, created to protect those who worked alongside U.S. forces, faces severe backlogs, with some applications taking years to process. Similarly, humanitarian parole offers only temporary relief, leaving many without pathways to permanent residency or stable employment. These bureaucratic hurdles trap thousands of Afghan refugees in limbo, preventing them from rebuilding their lives or sending critical financial support to families back home.
The consequences are devastating. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, remittance flows to Afghanistan have plummeted by 60 percent, according to the World Bank. This collapse has cut off a vital lifeline for families already grappling with economic instability and rising poverty. For the United States’ Afghan allies across the world who are awaiting news about resettlement, the inability to consistently send money exacerbates hardship for relatives in Afghanistan, creating a ripple effect of poverty and instability.
Policy inaction has only worsened the situation. While the U.S. Congress has increased the number of SIVs, systemic issues in the resettlement process remain unaddressed. The Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA), which would provide a pathway to permanent residency for those on humanitarian parole, remains stalled despite bipartisan support. Without these reforms, Afghan refugees face ongoing legal and economic uncertainty, limiting their ability to contribute to their host communities or support families abroad.
The U.S. has both the opportunity and the responsibility to address these gaps. Streamlining the SIV process, passing the AAA, and providing comprehensive support for Afghan refugees would not only fulfill U.S. commitments but also restore vital remittance flows. These changes would demonstrate how effective refugee policies can serve both humanitarian and strategic goals, setting an example for other nations.
The transformative potential of remittances in conflict-affected regions cannot be fully realized without systemic reforms. Refugees face significant barriers, from navigating resettlement processes to accessing the tools needed to support their families. Addressing these challenges requires both short- and long-term solutions.
In the short term, the United States must streamline refugee resettlement processes. Reducing backlogs in the SIV program and accelerating the Afghan Adjustment Act would provide stability for Afghan refugees, enabling them to secure employment and resume sending money home. These steps would uphold the U.S. commitments to its allies while mitigating economic hardship for families in Afghanistan who depend on remittances.
Long-term reforms are equally critical. Formalizing remittance channels is essential to ensure funds reach recipients safely and efficiently. High transaction fees and reliance on informal systems, like hawala, often reduce the impact of remittances. Policymakers should work with financial institutions to lower fees, expand banking access, and implement financial literacy programs. These efforts would empower families to maximize the benefits of remittances, turning them into engines of sustainable growth.
Beyond practical reforms, the United States has an opportunity to set a global standard. Our research in Sri Lanka illustrates how remittances can help rebuild war-affected communities when supported by effective policies. By investing in these systems, the U.S. can lead on both humanitarian and economic fronts, inspiring other nations to follow suit.
As global displacement increases due to conflict and climate change, stabilizing and optimizing remittance systems is no longer optional. It is both a moral obligation and a strategic imperative, redefining how we support displaced populations and the communities they are forced to leave behind. Pakistan
Aid convoy reaches remote district in NW Pakistan after prolonged blockade amid sectarian violence (AP)
AP [1/8/2025 9:08 AM, Staff, 33392K, Negative]
Aid trucks carrying medicines, food and other relief supplies for hundreds of thousands of besieged residents reached a remote region in restive northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, a government spokesman and local officials said.
A key highway leading to the Kurram district was closed by authorities over three months ago following violent clashes between rival Shiite and Sunni tribes in which at least 130 people have died.
The convoy had been waiting for a security clearance since Saturday when gunmen opened fire on government vehicles and wounded some officials who were on their way to supervise the supply of aid to Kurram, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Muhammad Ali Saif, a spokesman for the provincial government, said Wednesday that dozens of trucks and vehicles carrying food, medicines, tents and other essential items, have reached the Kurram district.
The latest development comes two weeks after authorities with the help from elders secured a ceasefire in Kurram.
Road closures had disrupted the local population’s access to medicine, food, fuel, education and work since October, but violence flared on Nov. 21, when gunmen ambushed a convoy of vehicles and killed 52 people, mostly Shiite Muslims, in a dispute over land.
Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram, although they are a minority in the rest of Pakistan, which is majority Sunni. The area has a history of sectarian conflict, with militant Sunni groups previously targeting minority Shiites. Separatists attack a government office and burn a police station in restive southwest Pakistan (AP)
AP [1/9/2025 2:35 AM, Staff, 456K, Neutral]
Dozens of armed Baloch separatists seized a government office, robbed a bank and partially burned a police station in a remote district in southwestern Pakistan before fleeing when security forces arrived, police said Thursday.
The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack Wednesday in Khuzdar in Balochistan, where analysts say separatists are becoming as large a threat to national security as the Pakistani Taliban.
There were no casualties in the attack, authorities said.
Suhail Khalid, a local police officer, said the insurgents fled when security forces arrived and the situation was under control.
In recent months, Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have experienced a surge in militant violence, most blamed on the Baloch army and the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The Pakistani Taliban is an ally of the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021. The Afghan Taliban’s takeover has emboldened the Pakistani Taliban, whose leaders and fighters are hiding in Afghanistan.
Oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but also least populated province. It is the home of the country’s ethnic Baloch minority, who say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government. Looser oversight of Pakistan religious schools spurs extremism fears (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [1/9/2025 2:49 AM, Adnan Aamir, 1.3M, Neutral]
Molvi Obaidullah teaches at a religious school in the Pakistani city of Quetta, where his students get free meals, housing and an education focused on Islamic theology.
Pakistan’s estimated 30,000 seminaries, known as madrassas, serve as primary education for about 3 million students across the South Asian nation, filling a gaping hole in the struggling public school system. While some see seminaries as crucial for poor children who might otherwise not attend school at all, critics warn that they’re fertile ground for religious extremism and recruitment into militant groups.
"Some isolated cases of extremism in limited [seminaries] can’t be used to paint all of them as centers of extremism," Obaidullah told Nikkei Asia. "This is an unfair characterization."
Pakistan’s religious schools have been at the center of a simmering conflict between the government and Islamist political parties over how they’re financed and monitored.
Facing threats of protests, the government last week reluctantly changed how the schools are registered so they can now operate as charities and collect donations with little oversight, a move that observers warned could push Pakistan back on a global terror financing watchlist.
Pakistan’s largest Islamist political party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), spearheaded a push for the changes, which upend government efforts to more closely monitor the schools and their funding sources. Seen as a crucial support base, thousands of seminaries are operated by the party’s rank and file.
The JUI-F won approval for the changes late last year after agreeing to support the government’s unrelated move to exert more control over judicial appointments. But officials then stalled on allowing madrassas to switch from being educational institutions to charities, citing regulatory issues.
To force the government’s hand, JUI-F gave it an ultimatum to pass the legislation or else party members would march on the capital, after a series of protests in support of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan paralyzed Islamabad in recent months.
In a letter made public last month, President Asif Ali Zardari warned his boss Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other lawmakers that the legislation "would invite international criticism/sanctions for Pakistan."
Madrassas fell under tighter government scrutiny and were subject to raids after the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. They also came under the spotlight after a 2014 attack on a military-run school in Pakistan that killed nearly 150 people, most of them children.
Five years later, the government took control of several schools linked to banned militant groups and many were forced to register with the education ministry. That left registered schools dependent on government grants instead of donations and their own revenue-generating efforts.
Scores of future Taliban leaders were educated at such schools. While not all madrassas are linked to militancy, many promote a strict interpretation of Islam and little in the way of courses to prepare students for the modern job market.
"After 9/11, the global community labeled [seminaries] as centers of extremism, where individuals were being prepared for [Islamic] militancy. This forced Pakistan to start bringing the seminaries into government ambit," said Sabookh Syed, a political analyst based in Islamabad.
As charities, seminaries can receive donations more easily and are tax-exempt with limited government scrutiny. Madrassas could not accept donations and were subject to financial scrutiny when they were previously registered with the education ministry.
In 2022, Pakistan was removed from the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) "grey list" after four years on the register, which tracks countries with deficiencies in combatting money laundering and terrorism funding. Pakistan was also placed on the watchlist twice before dating back to 2008.
"Pakistan has committed to FATF to register the seminaries to prevent potential terror financing," a security official told Nikkei on condition of anonymity. "Now that seminaries are registered as charities, the government will have limited oversight over their finances. We fear that some of them can be used as a conduit for terror financing."
The changes will be a "disaster for Pakistan’s economy as well as security," he added.
Ending up back on the FATF watchlist is a grave concern for Pakistan, analysts warned, as it grapples with an economic crisis that has forced it to take multiple International Monetary Fund loans, including a $7 billion bailout last year. The designation can hurt foreign investment, heighten scrutiny of cross-border financial transactions and make it tougher for countries to secure international financing.
Pakistan’s multiple stints on the watchlist cost its economy an estimated $38 billion, according to Islamabad-based think tank Tabadlab."The non-regulation of [seminaries] and giving them concessions from auditing their finances can have serious ramifications for Pakistan’s dealings with FATF," said Ikram ul Haq, an expert on economy and taxation who holds a doctorate in law. "The government must scrutinize the sources of funding to these religious schools to counter the financing of terror." India
The Biden Administration Pursues Last-Minute Diplomacy With India (Foreign Policy)
Foreign Policy [1/8/2025 4:15 PM, Michael Kugelman, 1436K, Positive]
The highlights this week: U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan makes an eleventh-hour trip to India, Pakistan’s government begins talks to resolve tensions with the beleaguered opposition party, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation could create an opportunity for rapprochement with India.
Jake Sullivan Visits New Delhi
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other top officials in New Delhi on Jan. 6. Sullivan’s visit came on the heels of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s trip to the United States last December, which featured meetings with senior officials and lawmakers.
This flurry of high-level diplomacy at the tail end of U.S. President Joe Biden’s term highlights the depth of the U.S.-India partnership—as well as some shakiness as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office for a second time.
By visiting India just two weeks before the end of the Biden era, Sullivan sent a strong message. In a speech at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Sullivan said that this overseas trip marked his last as national security advisor. "I cannot think of a better way to end my tenure in the White House—visiting India … to mark the advances we have made together," he said, mentioning achievements in defense and technology cooperation.
Sullivan also announced that obstacles preventing the full implementation of a 2008 civil nuclear agreement—long envisioned as a cornerstone of U.S.-India cooperation—will soon be removed. There is strong bipartisan support in Washington for partnership with India, especially because of its envisioned role helping the United States counter China. Trump will undoubtedly support this position.
Still, Sullivan’s trip also hinted at possible concerns about momentum in the relationship amid the U.S. leadership transition. The visit can be read in part as an effort to foolproof what both sides regard as a signature achievement of bilateral cooperation during the Biden era: the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), which was a major focus of Sullivan’s meetings in New Delhi.
The initiative has inspired collaborations on defense, space, and artificial intelligence. Significantly, iCET is led by both countries’ national security advisors, which reduces the risk of it getting bogged down by bureaucracy. But this advantage could become a vulnerability with a leadership change.
Trump will support technology collaborations with India, especially if they relate to countering China. But he has previously taken a hard line on export controls and threatened to impose tariffs on India—both of which could constrain tech cooperation. Sullivan’s discussions in India likely touched on how to ensure that iCET can withstand any resistance from the next administration.
Likewise, Jaishankar probably used his meeting with Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security advisor, to reinforce the importance of iCET. The initiative may not be the only Biden-era achievement that Washington and New Delhi are looking to safeguard: Sullivan said that he was in touch with Trump’s team about the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, a connectivity initiative that was announced in 2023.
Finally, both Sullivan and Jaishankar’s visits probably focused on one of the biggest tension points between the United States and India: the U.S. Justice Department case against an Indian national accused of a failed assassination plot against a Sikh activist and U.S. citizen in New York on behalf of New Delhi.
The White House has sought India’s cooperation in the U.S. investigation through India’s own inquiry committee; Sullivan has reportedly been a lead interlocutor. The issue likely figured into many of his engagements in New Delhi and his meeting with Jaishankar in Washington.
The U.S.-India relationship will have a relatively easy transition to Trump’s second term, thanks to the many areas of cooperation publicly celebrated during the Jaishankar and Sullivan visits. But that heady rhetoric hides the hard work that remains. Eleventh-hour diplomacy is likely intended to help ease the burden.
What We’re Following
Opposition negotiations underway in Pakistan. Pakistani officials have begun talks with leaders from jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party after months of tensions and government crackdowns on the party and its supporters. Khan has been in jail since August 2023 on charges that his supporters denounce as politically motivated.
The decision to hold talks is encouraging: There has been little dialogue between the two sides since Khan was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022. Violent protests targeting military facilities after his arrest in 2023, an election last year criticized for irregularities, a crackdown against PTI protesters in November, and military court convictions of political protesters in December have further inflamed the political environment.
Khan likely agreed to talks because the PTI is in a tough spot. The November protests in Islamabad achieved little, and divides are growing among the party leaders who are not in jail. But the discussions have made little progress so far.
The PTI’s main demands are that its supporters be released from jail and for independent investigations into the 2023 protests targeting military facilities (which the PTI says that it was not involved with) and the November crackdown in Islamabad. The party has also called for "unfettered" access to Khan to discuss its negotiating strategy.Of course, its most important demand is the release of Khan. Pakistan’s military leadership may be open in principle to a deal that would free him. But it would likely condition such a move on Khan going into exile or pledging to stay quiet—neither of which he would agree to. Ideally, each side would make a gesture of good will to provide a more conducive environment for talks, but in the current climate, that might be asking for too much.
India-Canada rapprochement? Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s impending resignation may clear a path for New Delhi to ease deep tensions with Ottawa. Relations are in deep crisis over Canadian allegations that the Indian government is sponsoring campaigns against Sikh separatists in Canada, including a 2023 assassination in British Columbia.
Meanwhile, India contends that Canada is coddling extremists who call for the establishment of a Sikh state in India known as Khalistan. Indian officials view Sikh separatists as dangerous terrorists. New Delhi has singled out Trudeau for the diplomatic crisis—its only major tensions with a Western state—and accuses him of appealing to Sikh separatists for political reasons.
Trudeau’s departure certainly isn’t guaranteed to stabilize the free-falling relationship with India. Canada’s investigations will continue under the next prime minister, which could bring fresh public allegations against India to light. And domestic political factors in Canada—including powerful Sikh constituencies—suggests that Trudeau-era policies won’t necessarily change.
Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, who may become the next prime minister, has criticized the rhetoric and actions of Sikh separatists in Canada—but some Indian commentators say that he hasn’t gone far enough. Still, the leadership transition provides an opportunity for a fresh start for New Delhi.
Tibet earthquake felt in South Asia. A massive earthquake that struck Tibet on Jan. 7 affected a few South Asian states. The epicenter was near the border with Nepal, and Kathmandu residents reported shaking in their homes. Tremors were also felt in Bhutan and the northern Indian state of Bihar.
Despite some injuries and property damage, no deaths were reported in Nepal, Bhutan, or India. But the earthquake was an unsettling reminder of how vulnerable these parts of South Asia are to temblors along the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. One of the most destructive of these seismic activities in recent years was the 2015 Nepal earthquake that killed around 9,000 people.
Under the Radar
On Jan. 7, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia flew out of Dhaka on an air ambulance sent by the Qatari government. After a brief stopover in Doha, she arrived in London the next day for immediate medical treatment.
Zia, the 79-year-old ailing leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), suffers from liver disease and other chronic ailments. Her personal physician said this week that she may need a liver transplant, noting that she might travel to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States for additional treatment.
The BNP is the main rival of the Awami League—the party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled Bangladesh amid mass protests last August. Zia spent time in detention on corruption charges during the latter part of the Hasina era, and her condition may have worsened after her time in prison.
Zia’s health also might have raised succession questions. The BNP, like the Awami League, has long been run by a family dynasty. It was founded by Zia’s late husband, Ziaur Rahman, who served as president from 1977 until his assassination in 1981. Zia assumed leadership of the party soon afterward. In recent years, her son Tarique Rahman, who is based in London, has taken on a greater role in the party.
At the same time, a few senior BNP leaders based in Bangladesh, led by secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, have also exerted more authority. The succession plan might take on more urgency when Bangladesh’s interim government, which has no formal BNP representation, announces a timeframe for elections. The BNP has called for polls to take place soon, and they would be favored to win.
Regional Voices
A Dawn editorial expresses cautious optimism about a new peace accord intended to end years of violence in the northwestern Pakistani region of Kurram, but it warns that it shouldn’t be taken for granted: "The recently concluded peace deal offers a roadmap to lasting calm, but it can only work if the state has the will to enforce it, and the local tribes agree to abide by all its points.".
In the Kathmandu Post, journalist Dinesh Kafle laments the loss of Sachin Pariyar, a 15-year-old Nepalese singer who died last week after a long illness: "No child should die thinking that their utility in this world is over because their growth is stunted and they cannot earn for others anymore," Kafle writes. "Let’s mourn young Sachin’s passing as the death of our collective conscience as a society.".
An editorial in the Hindu decries the apparent resurgence of Maoist militants, known as Naxalites, in central India but warns against militarized responses: "As tempting as it is to wipe out the Maoist movement through military means … it is still prudent to use civil society actors to work out a ceasefire agreement and utilize it to end the conflict.". At least 6 die in a stampede at a temple in southern India, a report says (AP)
AP [1/8/2025 2:10 PM, Staff, 33392K, Negative]
At least six people died and dozens were injured in a stampede Wednesday among hundreds at the entry of a temple in southern India, the Press Trust of India news agency said.
The stampede occurred as police opened the temple gates, the agency cited temple Chairman B.R. Naidu Naidu as saying.
Devotees had congregated from across India for a 10-day festival at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati town in Andhra Pradesh state.
Deadly stampedes are relatively common around Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with shoddy infrastructure and few safety measures. In July at least 116 people died, most of them women and children, when thousands at a religious gathering in northern India stampeded at a tent in Hathras town.
The state’s top elected official, N. Chandrababu Naidu, said in an X post the latest deaths "grieved me intensely.". India’s Tirupati temple stampede: Six dead as thousands gather for free pass (Reuters)
Reuters [1/8/2025 11:51 PM, Rishika Sadam, 48128K, Neutral]
At least six people were killed and several others injured late on Wednesday in a stampede in southern India after thousands of devotees queued outside one of the most visited Hindu temples to collect tokens for a free visit to the deity.Authorities had set up counters at a school to issue tokens from Thursday for devotees to visit The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, popularly known as the Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh state during Jan. 10-19, a period considered auspicious by the locals, the Indian Express reported.People started queuing from as early as Wednesday for the tokens to visit the almost 2,000-year-old temple and pushed and jostled leading to the stampede, according to the office of the chief minister of the state."Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones," India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X. India: At least 6 dead in temple stampede (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [1/8/2025 9:40 PM, Midhat Fatimah, 13448K, Negative]
At least six people have died and several others were reported injured after a stampede broke out at the entry of a temple in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday evening.
What do we know about the stampede?
The stampede occurred during a 10-day annual festival at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in the city of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh state.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the affairs at the temple, had arranged for ticket counters to issue tokens to devotees on the occasion of the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival.
Thousands of devotees from across India had gathered to visit the temple. According to the temple chairman, the stampede was triggered when the gate was opened to let out a woman who was feeling uneasy.
At least three women were among those who died, according to a report by the Indian newspaper The Indian Express. It reported that at least 30 persons sustained serious injuries and have been taken to hospital.
Condolences offered, investigation launched
The state government ordered a probe into the incident, NDTV reported.
State chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu offered condolences to the families of the deceased, saying the deaths "grieved me intensely.".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered his condolences.
"Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones," his office quoted him as saying.
Stampedes at religious festivals are common in India, where masses of people gather in small areas. Survivor recounts harrowing escape from deadly mine collapse in India (BBC)
BBC [1/8/2025 6:13 AM, Nikita Yadav, 57114K, Negative]
A survivor of a coal mine disaster in India has shared a harrowing account of the moments after the tunnel was suddenly engulfed by water.
Ravi Rai was working in the mine in the north-eastern state of Assam on Monday morning when water entered the pit.
"We were holding on to a rope in 50-60ft (15-18m) deep water for at least 50 minutes before being pulled out," he said.
Rescuers are racing to save the miners trapped in the flooded mine in a remote area in Assam. Officials say one body has been recovered and according to reports, two more are feared dead. Six others are believed to still be trapped in the mine.
Mr Rai, who is from Nepal, says he was working inside a so-called "rat-hole" mine - a narrow hole dug manually to extract coal - when water suddenly started flooding in.
Such pits are narrow, often dug just wide enough for one person to extract coal. Miners climb down narrow shafts, sometimes using ropes or ladders, leading to horizontal tunnels where coal is extracted.
"We were working inside the mine and water entered suddenly. We don’t know from where [the water came]... We ran to save our lives. We were then hanging by a rope in some 50-60 ft deep water," he said.
For almost an hour, he and some others were hanging by a rope attached to a crane, and Mr Rai says there were moments when he feared they wouldn’t survive.
"We [slipped] back into the water again, but we managed to escape," he says.
Local media reports say more than a dozen miners managed to escape from the tunnel but no official figure has been given yet.
Despite his injuries, Mr Rai is relieved to be safe. However, his colleague, also from Nepal, remains among the trapped.
"My family has still not come [to the site] - I don’t think they’ve been informed yet," he said.
The accident occurred on Monday, when nine men were trapped inside the mine in the hilly Dima Hasao district after water from a nearby unused mine suddenly gushed in, according to reports.
The navy has deployed deep-sea divers and teams to rescue the trapped miners and pump out water from the mine, while the army has sent helicopters, engineers and divers to assist in the rescue, ANI news agency reported.
Officials say high water levels in the mine have posed significant challenges to the rescue and recovery operation.
HPS Kandhari, a senior official in the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), said it was difficult to estimate the duration of the operation.
"It is very difficult to get inside the water, there’s hardly anything visible and we don’t know what is inside," he said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the flooded mine appears to be illegal.
The police is investigating the case and a person has been arrested, he said.
India banned so-called rat-hole mining in 2014, but despite this, small illegal mines continue to operate in Assam and other northern and north-eastern states. Accidents are not uncommon here.
Six workers were killed in January 2024 after a fire broke out in a rat-hole coal mine in Nagaland state.
In 2018, at least 15 men were trapped in an illegal mine in Meghalaya after water from a nearby river flooded it.
Five miners managed to escape, but rescue efforts for the others continued until March of the following year. Only two bodies were recovered. India to sign mining pact with Mongolia soon, govt source says (Reuters)
Reuters [1/9/2025 2:34 AM, Neha Arora, 5.2M, Neutral]
India is expected to sign a preliminary agreement with Mongolia soon in the area of geology and exploration, a senior Indian government official with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Landlocked Mongolia is rich in deposits of copper and coking coal, and India is mostly dependent on imports to meet rising demand for the red metal used in power, construction and electrical vehicles as well as coking coal for steelmaking.
"India’s cabinet has approved the MoU (memorandum of understanding) and both countries are expected to sign it soon," the source said, declining to be identified as the deliberations are not yet public.
India’s federal mines ministry did not respond to a Reuters email seeking comment.
Mongolia’s Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry did not immediately respond to a Reuters email seeking comments.
Companies such as Adani, Hindalco and Vedanta have expressed an interest in sourcing copper from Mongolia, the source said. All three companies did not respond to emails from Reuters seeking comment.
Both Indian and Mongolian officials are working out supply routes for Indian companies to source copper and coking coal, with India preferring the route from Vladivostok in Russia despite the longer distance, the official said.
"China is convenient but we prefer the route from Russia," the official said.
Relations between Asian giants India and China were strained after a deadly military clash on their disputed border in 2020 but have been on the mend since they reached an agreement in October to pull back troops from their last two stand-off points in the western Himalaya mountains.
Unlike China, India has traditionally maintained close ties with Russia.
Resource-rich Mongolia can offer superior grades of coking coal, industry officials say.
In November, India’s JSW Steel (JSTL.NS) and state-run Steel Authority of India (SAIL) (SAIL.NS) were in talks with Mongolian authorities to import two shipments of coking coal, Reuters reported. H-1B: Visa row under Trump fuels anxiety for Indian dreamers (BBC)
BBC [1/8/2025 5:24 PM, Soutik Biswas and Zoya Mateen, 57114K, Neutral]
Ashish Chauhan dreams of pursuing an MBA at an American university next year - a goal he describes as being "stamped in his brain".
The 29-year-old finance professional from India (whose name has been changed on request) hopes to eventually work in the US, but says he now feels conflicted amid an immigration row sparked by President-elect Donald Trump’s supporters over a long-standing US visa programme.
The H-1B visa programme, which brings skilled foreign workers to the US, faces criticism for undercutting American workers but is praised for attracting global talent. The president-elect, once a critic, now supports the 34-year-old programme, while tech billionaire Elon Musk defends it as key to securing top engineering talent.
Indian nationals like Mr Chauhan dominate the programme, receiving 72% of H-1B visas, followed by 12% for Chinese citizens. The majority of H-1B visa holders worked in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with 65% in computer-related jobs, in 2023. Their median annual salary was $118,000 (£94,000).
Concerns over H-1B visas tie into broader immigration debates.
A Pew Research report shows that US immigration rose by 1.6 million in 2023, the largest increase in more than 20 years. Immigrants now comprise over 14% of the population - the highest since 1910. Indians are the second-largest immigrant group - after Mexicans - in the US. Many Americans fear this surge in immigration could harm job prospects or hinder assimilation.
India has also surpassed China as the leading source of international students, with a record 331,602 Indian students in the US in 2023-2024, according to the latest Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Most rely on loans, and any visa freeze could potentially devastate family finances.
"My worry is that this [resistance to H-1B visas] could also spark animosity towards the Indians living there. But I can’t park my ambitions, put my life on hold and wait for the volatility to subside because it’s been like this for years now," Mr Chauhan says.
Efforts to restrict the H-1B programme peaked under Trump’s first term, when he signed a 2017 order increasing application scrutiny and fraud detection. Rejection rates soared to 24% in 2018, compared to 5-8% under President Barack Obama and 2-4% under President Joe Biden. The total number of approved H-1B applicants under Biden remained similar to Trump’s first term.
"The first Trump administration tightened H-1B visas by increasing denial rates and slowing processing times, making it harder for people to get visas in time. It is unclear whether that will happen again in the second Trump administration," Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration scholar at Cornell Law School, told the BBC.
"Some people like Elon Musk want to preserve the H-1B visas, while other officials in the new administration want to restrict all immigration, including H-1Bs. It is too early to tell which side will prevail.".
Indians have a long relationship with the H-1B visa. The programme is also the reason for the "rise of Indian-Americans into the highest educated and highest earning group, immigrant or native in the US", say the authors of The Other One Percent, a study on Indians in America.
US-based researchers Sanjoy Chakravorty, Devesh Kapur and Nirvikar Singh noted that new Indian immigrants spoke different languages and lived in different areas than earlier arrivals. Hindi, Tamil and Telugu speakers grew in number, and Indian-American communities shifted from New York and Michigan to larger clusters in California and New Jersey. The skilled visa programme helped create a "new map of Indian-Americans".
The biggest draw of H-1B visas is the opportunity to earn significantly higher salaries, according to Mr Chauhan. The US offers higher pay, and for someone who is the first in their family to achieve professional qualifications, earning that much can be life-changing. "The fascination with H-1Bs is directly tied to the wage gap between India and the US for the same engineering roles," he says.
But not everybody is happy with the programme. For many, the H-1B programme is an aspirational pathway for permanent residency or a US green card. While H-1B itself is a temporary work visa, it allows visa holders to live and work in the US for up to six years. During this time, many H-1B holders apply for a green card through employment-based immigration categories, typically sponsored by their employers. This takes time.
More than a million Indians, including dependents, are currently waiting in employment-based green card categories. "Getting a green card means signing up for an endless wait for 20-30 years," says Atal Agarwal, who runs a firm in India that uses AI to help find visa options globally for education and jobs.
Mr Agarwal moved to the US after graduating in 2017 and worked at a software company for a few years. He says getting the H-1B visa was fairly straightforward, but then it seemed he had "reached a dead end". He returned to India.
"It’s an unstable situation. Your employer has to sponsor you and since the pathway to a green card is so long, you are basically tied to them. If you lose your job, you only get 60 days to find a new one. Every person who is going on merit to the US should have a pathway to a green card within three to five years.".
This could be one reason that the visa programme has got tied up with immigration. "H-1B is a high-skilled, worker mobility visa. It is not an immigration visa. But it gets clubbed with immigration and illegal immigration and becomes a sensitive issue," Shivendra Singh, vice president of global trade development at Nasscom, the Indian technology industry trade group, told the BBC.
Many in the US believe the H-1B visa programme is flawed. They cite widespread fraud and abuse, especially by major Indian IT firms which are top recipients of these visas. In October, a US court found Cognizant guilty of discriminating against over 2,000 non-Indian employees between 2013 and 2022, though the company plans to appeal. Last week, Farah Stockman of The New York Times wrote that "for more than a decade, Americans working in the tech industry have been systematically laid off and replaced by cheaper H-1B visa holders".
Mr. Singh of Nasscom argues that H-1B visa workers are not underpaid, as employers must pay them above the prevailing or actual wage of comparable US workers in the area. Companies also invest tens of thousands of dollars in legal and government fees for these costly visas.
Also, it has not been a one-way traffic: Indian tech giants have hired and supported nearly 600,000 American workers and spent over a billion dollars on upskilling nearly three million students across 130 US colleges, according to Mr Singh. The Indian tech industry has prioritised US worker hiring and they bring employees on H-1B visas only when they are unable to find locals with the skills they need, he said.
India is working to ensure the H-1B visa programme remains secure as Trump prepares to take office later this month. "Our countries share a strong and growing economic and technological partnership, and the mobility of skilled professionals is a vital component of this relationship," India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told journalists last week.
So what should students aspiring for jobs in the US do? "Any immigration changes in the US will take time to implement. Students should pick the best college for them, wherever that may be. With good immigration counsel, they will be able to figure out what to do," says Mr Yale-Loehr.
For now, despite the political turbulence in the US, Indian interest in H-1B visas remains steadfast, with students resolute in pursuing the American dream. India’s Deepening Slowdown Dashes Hopes for New Era of 8% Growth (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [1/8/2025 4:30 PM, Anup Roy and Dan Strumpf, 21617K, Neutral]
For years, India’s booming economy fueled exuberance that the South Asian nation had entered a new era of faster growth, powering its markets to new heights and raising expectations it would exit the trenches of developing-nation status in a few decades.Now, a deepening slowdown is raising concerns that a three-year boom wasn’t the start of a new era but a blip. The latest government figures show the economy will expand at a four-year low of 6.4% in the current fiscal year, a return to a slower pre-Covid norm.Moreover, analysts say growth in the coming years will likely remain well below the 8% average of the past three years — and the pace Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to meet his ambitious economic goals.Concerns about the world’s fifth-largest economy had been mounting for weeks. Business spending has slowed, consumers have cut back as inflation remained high and wages slid, while corporate profits have taken a hit. Investors have already turned bearish, with the S&P BSE Sensex Index falling nearly 9% from its peak in less than a month and the rupee hitting a record low of 85.8725 per dollar on Wednesday.The slowdown is casting doubt on whether the post-pandemic boom years were little more than a short-term rebound in pent-up consumer demand following two years of government-imposed lockdowns.
“What we are seeing now is that the economy is slowly going back to its potential growth rate of 6%-6.5%,” said Gaurav Kapur, chief economist of IndusInd Bank Ltd.The new, slower rate of growth — still the envy of many nations and a world-beater, to be sure — presents fresh challenges for the Modi government following elections last year in which his Bharatiya Janata Party lost ground in parliament, largely over bread-and-butter economic worries like high inflation, which remains well above the central bank’s 4% target.Modi wants to make India a “developed country” by 2047, a goal that requires growth closer to 8%. Most economists and multilateral institutions think the required target will be difficult to achieve consistently in coming years.The International Monetary Fund predicts India’s growth will average 6.5% over the next few years, while the World Bank estimates 6.7%. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. sees growth of just 6% for the current fiscal year ending in March and 6.3% in financial year 2025-26.Indranil Sen Gupta, economics professor at Shiv Nadar University, sees India’s potential growth rate — the maximum pace the economy can expand without stoking inflation — at around 6.5% through 2040.“An 8% growth rate is possible only when the global economy is on an upturn,” he said. “That’s not happening anytime soon.”In the decade until the pandemic struck in 2020, India’s average growth rate was 7%, which the country’s central bank sees as the economy’s potential rate. Pressure will now build on Modi’s new central bank governor, Sanjay Malhotra, to begin cutting rates sooner rather than later. Under his predecessor, Shaktikanta Das, the Reserve Bank of India has kept interest rates unchanged for almost two years. Economists expect Malhotra — who has pledged that the RBI would remain focused on growth — could cut rates as early as February.The slowdown also presents challenges for Modi’s economic planners, who have promised to bring down the fiscal deficit to 4.5% of GDP by the next financial year from 4.9% estimated for the current year — a difficult target given that the government needs to step up spending to compensate for lackluster investment by private firms. India’s slowdown will have “many ramifications for consumer and business confidence, wage growth, corporate revenues, consumption, investment, credit demand and, most importantly, the fiscal arithmetic,” Bank of America’s India economist Rahul Bajoria wrote in a note.Some economists are more optimistic. Rumki Majumdar, an economist at Deloitte India, called the recent slowdown “an aberration,” with weak private investment driven by last year’s election uncertainties in both India and the US. Citigroup Inc. also continues to see robust corporate earnings growth and double-digit gains for the stock market, even with a sub-par economic performance.“While geopolitical uncertainties are likely to persist, investors are expected to adapt and proceed with their decisions throughout the year rather than delaying them further,” Majumdar said. NSB
Bangladesh Garment Industry Rebounds, But Workers Say Little Change (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [1/8/2025 10:27 PM, Staff, 660K, Neutral]
In a vast Bangladeshi factory hall thrumming with sewing machines, garment workers churn out seemingly endless pairs of mountain hiking trousers for customers in Europe and North America.
Bangladesh’s key clothing manufacturing industry supplying global brands was crippled by a revolution that toppled the government last year, in which garment sector protesters played an important role.
While owners say business has bounced back, frustrated workers say hard-won concessions have done little to change their circumstances, and life remains as hard as ever.
"It is the same kind of exploitation," said garment worker Khatun, 24, asking that only her first name be used as speaking out would jeopardise her job.
Production in the world’s second-largest garment manufacturer was repeatedly stalled by the months-long violence, before protesters forced long-time autocrat Sheikh Hasina to flee in August.
An interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, took over.
Scores of factories closed and tens of thousands lost their jobs.
But after a five percent wage hike was agreed in September, the industry rebounded.‘Operating at full swing’
"We are doing well," said garment producer factory owner S.M. Khaled, who heads the Snowtex company, employing 22,000 workers.
The South Asian nation produces garments for global brands -- ranging from France’s Carrefour, Canada’s Tire, Japan’s Uniqlo, Ireland’s Primark, Sweden’s H&M and Spain’s Zara.
The apparel industry accounts for about 80 percent of Bangladesh’s exports, earning $36 billion last year, dropping little despite the unrest from the $38 billion exported the previous year.
"I am working with at least 15 international brands, and our products will be available in 50 countries," Khaled said.
"Almost all garment factories are operating at full swing after waves of unrest. We are on the growth side.".
Despite challenges with a cooling of demand, Anwar Hossain, the government-appointed administrator of BGMEA, said the industry was returning to strength.
"The largest contributor to exports was the apparel sector," Hossain said.
The garment industry recorded a 13 percent increase from July-December 2024 -- the period after the revolution -- compared to the same period the year before, he said.- ‘Half my basic wage’
Workers tell a different story.
Khatun welcomed the wage rise but said factory managers then hiked already onerous demands for "nearly unachievable production targets".
Scraping by in the capital Dhaka’s gritty industrial suburb of Ashulia, she earns $140 a month including overtime and benefits to support a family of four.
The wage increase of $8.25 a month seems a miserly addition.
Opening her fist, she showed a 500-taka note, just over four dollars, all she had left after paying rent and other expenses.
"We have good facilities inside the factory, like toilets, a canteen, and water fountains," she said. "But we don’t get even a 10-minute break while trying to meet the targets".
Many factory owners were close to the former ruling party.
In the immediate days after Hasina was toppled, several factories were damaged in retaliatory attacks.
Some owners were arrested and accused of supporting Hasina, who is herself in exile in India skipping an arrest warrant for "massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity".
"We weren’t receiving salaries on time after the owner was arrested," said worker Rana, also asking not to be identified.
"Now, they’ve offered me half my basic wage, around $60 to $70. I have a six-month-old child, a wife, and elderly parents to support", he added.
Hussain, who lost his job in the unrest, tells a common tale.
While he has since found work packing clothes, the new job means he "doesn’t benefit from the increment" deal, while living costs have risen.
"House rents have shot up with the news of the pay rise," he said.‘Take more responsibility’
Taslima Akhter, from the Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Solidarity (BGWS) group, a labour rights organisation, said that "workers are struggling to maintain a minimum standard of living".
Akhter said factory bosses must push back against global purchasers wanting to maximise profits at the expense of a living wage.
"Garment (factory) owners need to take more responsibility and learn to negotiate better with international buyers," she said.
"This industry is not new, and problems are not impossible to solve.".
Despite the industry’s apparent fiscal success, Abdullah Hil Raquib, a former BGMEA director, warned it was on fragile ground.
"The stability in the garment sector we see now is only on the surface," he said. Sri Lanka Jails Firebrand Monk For Insulting Islam (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [1/9/2025 12:00 AM, Staff, 1.4M, Neutral]
A Sri Lankan court jailed a politically influential, firebrand Buddhist monk on Thursday, putting him behind bars for a second time for insulting Islam and stoking religious hatred in the island nation.
Galagodaatte Gnanasara was sentenced on Thursday to nine months for his anti-Muslim remarks, which date to 2016.
He was previously jailed last year on a similar charge of disparaging Sri Lanka’s minority Muslims, who account for just over about 10 percent of the 22 million population.
He was on bail while appealing that four-year sentence.
The monk is a close associate of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who made him the head of a panel to reform Sri Lanka’s legal system to ensure religious harmony in 2021.
At the time, opposition lawmaker Shanakiyan Rasamanickam described Gnanasara’s appointment as "the definition of irony".
In 2018, Gnanasara was also sentenced to six years for intimidating the wife of a missing cartoonist and contempt of court, but was freed nine months later after former president Maithripala Sirisena pardoned him.
His patron Rajapaksa was forced to step down following months of protests over the country’s unprecedented economic crisis in 2022 and Gnanasara once again fell from grace and faced prosecution. Sri Lanka’s Dilemmas Over Chinese ‘Research’ Vessels (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [1/8/2025 9:02 AM, Ajay Darshan Behera, 857K, Neutral]
Sri Lanka finds itself at the heart of a geopolitical tug-of-war between China and India, with far-reaching implications across the Indo-Pacific region. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to New Delhi in December 2024 underscored the delicate balance the island nation must maintain.
In a public assurance to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dissanayake unequivocally stated that Sri Lanka would not allow its territory to be used in any way detrimental to India’s security. Yet, this commitment is under strain as Colombo wrestles with the pressures of economic dependence on China, particularly in light of the controversy surrounding Chinese research vessels docking at Sri Lankan ports.
These vessels, often classified as dual-use platforms with civilian and military functions, have raised significant security concerns in India and among Western powers. In the recent past, the docking of the Yuan Wang 5 and Shi Yan 6 vessels sparked apprehensions due to their advanced surveillance capabilities, which India perceives could be used to monitor its defense infrastructure.
India’s apprehensions are not unfounded. Such ships reportedly possess advanced tracking capabilities for missiles and satellites and could significantly compromise India’s strategic assets in the Indian Ocean.
Security analysts have noted that such vessels are often used to gather intelligence on naval activities and defense installations. To address growing Indian apprehensions, Sri Lanka implemented a year-long moratorium on foreign research vessels docking at its ports in 2024, a move partly influenced by India’s insistence during earlier high-level meetings.
Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has deepened its reliance on Chinese investments, with Beijing accounting for over 20 percent of its external debt in 2022. China’s financial leverage is evident in its significant infrastructure investments, such as Sinopec’s $4.5 billion Hambantota refinery project. While providing much-needed financial inflows, these investments have also restricted Colombo’s ability to outright deny docking requests from Chinese vessels.
China’s strategic interest in Sri Lanka extends beyond research vessels. Its "Look South" policy aligns with its broader ambitions in the Indo-Pacific, seeking to secure influence in key maritime zones. With its prime location along these routes, Sri Lanka is an essential asset in this strategy.
To advance these objectives, Beijing has invested heavily in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure and energy sectors. These investments cement China’s role as a dominant creditor and provide a platform for future strategic and economic activities in the region.
Moreover, China’s potential leverage over Sri Lanka’s International Monetary Fund negotiations emerged as a critical obstacle, forcing Colombo into a vulnerable position. This dynamic became glaringly apparent during the controversy surrounding the docking of the Yuan Wang 5 vessel.
Analysts noted that China’s refusal to restructure Sri Lanka’s debt significantly delayed the approval of the IMF bailout package. Given that the IMF requires creditor nations to agree on debt sustainability measures before disbursing funds, China’s hesitancy to support restructuring was pivotal in prolonging Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. Beijing’s tactics reinforced accusations of "debt-trap diplomacy," as its inflexibility kept Sri Lanka tied to its financial dependence on China.
The broader geopolitical ramifications are significant, with Sri Lanka caught in the complex interplay of influence between India, China, and the United States. India’s proactive engagement has included financial assistance and infrastructure investments, such as the U.S.-supported West Container Terminal project in Colombo, designed to enhance regional economic integration and bolster Sri Lanka’s growth. This partnership underscores India and the United States’ intent to counterbalance China’s extensive economic and strategic footprint on the island.
As Sri Lanka navigates the tumultuous waters of international diplomacy, it stands at a crossroads where its decisions today will shape its sovereignty and stability for years to come. Dissanayake’s administration faces a daunting task: finding a path forward that mitigates economic dependence on China while safeguarding its strategic autonomy in a region teeming with geopolitical rivalries.
The natural starting point for Sri Lanka lies in deepening its relationship with India. Colombo’s northern neighbor has proven to be a steadfast ally during the island nation’s most challenging moments, offering critical financial aid and technical assistance.
By fostering stronger bilateral ties, Sri Lanka could unlock new opportunities for collaboration. Joint maritime research, for instance, could serve as a diplomatic counterweight to China’s presence in Sri Lankan waters, reassuring New Delhi of Colombo’s commitment to regional security.
However, Sri Lanka’s path forward cannot solely rest on India’s shoulders. It must embrace the difficult but necessary task of diversifying its economic partnerships. China has dominated Sri Lanka’s infrastructure development for years, leaving the country heavily indebted and diplomatically vulnerable.
Colombo should actively court investments from other regional powers, such as South Korea and the ASEAN countries, to break free of this dependency. Diversifying its sources of investment would reduce the outsized influence any single player may wield over its policies.
At the same time, Sri Lanka recognizes the urgent need for clarity and consistency in its maritime policies. The government’s plan to establish a standard operating procedure (SOP) for foreign vessels is a step in the right direction.
Such a framework may bring much-needed transparency to decision-making, ensuring that all nations – friends or otherwise – are subject to the same rules. This approach would signal to the international community that Sri Lanka is committed to fairness and sovereignty while also addressing security concerns raised by its closest neighbors.
Sri Lanka can enhance its diplomacy by engaging actively with multilateral forums like the Quad and other Indo-Pacific initiatives. These platforms offer Colombo the opportunity to establish itself as a stabilizing force in the region.
Positioned strategically along key maritime routes, Sri Lanka is well-placed to promote maritime security and boost regional trade. Such collaboration allows the nation to balance the competing influences of India and China, steering clear of perceptions of aligning too closely with either power.
However, the most pressing issue for Sri Lanka is restructuring its overwhelming debt. With China as one of its largest creditors, Colombo faces the delicate task of negotiating debt relief while maintaining Beijing’s goodwill. This will require deft diplomacy and a willingness to engage multilaterally, leveraging institutions like the IMF and World Bank to ensure that debt restructuring serves the broader goal of economic recovery rather than merely servicing existing obligations.
Sri Lanka stands at a critical juncture, navigating the complexities of economic dependency and strategic vulnerabilities. Dissanayake’s assurances to India reflect a commitment to regional stability, but actions must follow words.
By adopting a balanced approach that prioritizes transparency, economic diversification, and multilateral engagement, Colombo can navigate its dilemmas without succumbing to the pressures of great-power rivalry. However, the road ahead will demand astute diplomacy and resolute policymaking to secure Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and long-term stability. Central Asia
Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uzbek Prime Ministers Meet at Trilateral Junction (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [1/8/2025 10:12 AM, Catherine Putz, 857K, Neutral]
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan held a trilateral meeting on January 8, marking the significant progress made on settling the borders between the three Central Asian neighbors.
Adylbek Kasymaliev, the new head of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, met with his counterparts, Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.
According to a Kyrgyz government readout, "The prime ministers of the three countries emphasized that the countries have great potential for strengthening cooperation in key areas such as trade, logistics, water and energy, and cultural and humanitarian ties." The statement also cited "the development of cross-border and interregional cooperation" as critical.
The three countries’ prime ministers met at the junction where Kyrgyzstan’s Batken Region, Tajikistan’s Sughd Region, and Uzbekistan’s Fergana Region come together. They gathered in a tent that appeared to have been specifically constructed for the meeting.
Following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asia’s borders became international boundaries. As the newly independent states of the region strived to define themselves, and in particular establish their sovereignty, the crooked borders of the Fergana Valley became a point of contention, and violence.
For example, in 2015 – incidentally not too far from the spot where the three prime ministers met in 2025 – an Uzbek border guard reportedly shot and killed a 22-year-old Kyrgyz man attempting to smuggle potatoes out of Sokh district, an exclave of Uzbekistan surrounded completely by Kyrgyz territory whose population is mostly ethnic Tajiks.
At the time, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had delimitated around 70 percent of their border but relations between the two were not, then, conducive to making further progress.
The death of Uzbekistan’s long-time President Islam Karimov in 2016 opened a door that had been closed. One of Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s first acts as president following his ascension to the office was to dial down tensions with Kyrgyzstan. In the years since, while some parts of his reform push have fallen to the wayside or eroded, Uzbekistan’s commitment to regional cooperation has only intensified.
Although not without domestic contention, in late 2023 Uzbekistan’s and Kyrgyzstan’s presidents signed a final border deal into law. The following month, in January 2024, Mirziyoyev traveled to Bishkek to mark the process completed.
With the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border issues settled, attention turned to the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, which in recent years – 2021 and 2022 – witnessed significant violence that had escalated beyond civilian-on-civilian clashes to involve border forces, mortars and drones.
In early December 2024, after months of alternating negotiation meetings, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan announced that they had come to an agreement. In the following week, they announced that they had completed a draft description of the border.
The two sides are working on preparing final documents; those are expected to be completed in January, after which we can expect legislative ratification in Bishkek and Dushanbe and presidential signatures, likely with some celebratory fanfare.
The Kyrgyz government’s readout of the recent prime ministerial trilateral mentioned in vague terms a meeting of their respective heads of states in the future, which "will contribute to the development of good-neighborly relations and multifaceted partnership between the fraternal countries.".
The signing of agreements is not the end of the journey, but it’s an important milestone and a testament to the earnest efforts on the part of regional officials and leaders at regional cooperation. Central Asian states contending with HMPV cases (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [1/8/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
Unsubstantiated reports swirling on social media are sowing fear among parents in Central Asian states about the rapid spread of the HMPV virus out of China. The panic reached such a point in Uzbekistan that the country’s Health Ministry issued a statement to dispel rumors that its main pediatric care hospital was full of sickened children.
According to the ministry, the facility in question underwent routine maintenance work, which was completed on January 6. The full resumption of operations “naturally led to an increase in the flow of patients," the ministry said, adding that the pediatric hospital did not treat children with infectious diseases in any event.
Hospitals in China have been flooded with suspected HMPV cases in recent weeks. The virus, which causes flu-like symptoms, has existed for decades and does not pose anywhere near as mortal a threat to sufferers as did Covid-19 during that virus’ initial outbreak. But HMPV can pose considerable danger to very young children and those with weakened immune systems.
While rumors now circulating in Central Asia may be overblown, there appears to be some basis for public concern about the spread of the HMPV. Health officials in both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have issued health advisories cautioning families with small children to avoid crowded public spaces.
Many cases have already been reported in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Two local cases of HMPV have also garnered headlines in Kyrgyzstan. Tajikistan is claiming no cases exist, echoing government claims a few years ago that the country was “Covid-free.” No information about possible infections in Turkmenistan is publicly available. Indo-Pacific
India, Afghanistan Seek to Revive Trade As Relations Thaw (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [1/8/2025 11:32 PM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, 21617K, Neutral] India and Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government will use Iranian ports to revive bilateral trade as the two countries move to normalize relations.
The decision was an outcome of a Wednesday meeting in Dubai between India’s top diplomat Vikram Misri and Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, India’s External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. This is the first meeting between the two officials since the Islamic establishment seized power in 2021 amid a chaotic withdrawal of US forces.
The two sides “agreed” to use the Chabahar port in Iran to promote “trade” and “commercial activities,” the ministry said. It adds that India is considering engaging in development projects in near future in Afghanistan.
Muttaqi said that there will be “no threat” from Afghanistan to the Indian territory, according to a separate statement from Taliban’s foreign ministry. He also asked New Delhi to provide more visas for Afghans visiting India for medical and trade purposes.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes amid growing tension between Afghanistan and India’s rival, Pakistan. In recent weeks, Pakistan has bombed parts of Afghanistan alleging that the Taliban-led regime was harboring terrorists, who were carrying out attacks inside its territory.
Amid souring relations between the two Islamic nations, New Delhi is trying to improve ties with Kabul. In a first, India sent its diplomat to Afghanistan to meet the defense minister last November.
Only a handful of countries, including China, Pakistan and Russia, have accepted Taliban diplomats. Many others don’t formally recognize the government, which has been condemned internationally for human rights violations. China was the first nation to grant diplomatic credentials to the conservative Islamic establishment last year.
India’s foreign ministry said it would provide more aid for “health and for the rehabilitation of refugees,” and also explore ways to strengthen cooperation in sports.
Indian and Afghan officials meet again despite lack of formal diplomatic ties (AP)
AP [1/8/2025 10:56 AM, Ashok Sharma, 1129K, Neutral]
A top Indian foreign ministry official met with Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister on Wednesday as the countries without formal diplomatic ties met for the second time in two months on practical matters like business and humanitarian aid.
India’s foreign ministry said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
India’s statement said Misri conveyed India’s readiness to respond to Afghanistan’s urgent humanitarian and development needs. It said they also discussed how the Afghan business community could use the Chabahar port in Iran for the import and export of goods involving India.In November, an Indian delegation led by J P Singh, a joint foreign ministry secretary in charge of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, visited Kabul and met with acting Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid and other ministers. He also met former President Hamid Karzai and the heads of UN agencies.
Since the fall of Afghanistan in 2021 as U.S. and other troops withdrew, no country has recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. India says it will be guided by the United Nations on the issue.
Wednesday’s meeting came amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, which last week launched an operation to destroy a training facility and kill insurgents in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province. The strikes killed dozens of people, primarily women and children.
Islamabad often claims that the Pakistani Taliban use Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan, a charge Kabul has denied. Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said Saturday its forces hit several areas inside Pakistan in retaliation.
India and Pakistan have long been rivals and have fought three wars over control of Kashmir since they won independence from Britain in 1947.
On Wednesday, the Afghan side underlined its sensitivities to India’s security concerns and said they "agreed to remain in touch and continue regular contact at various levels," the Indian statement said.
The two sides also evaluated India’s ongoing humanitarian assistance programs. India said it offered additional support to the Afghan health sector and for the rehabilitation of refugees. The countries also discussed the strengthening of sports ties, particularly in cricket, the statement said.
Since 2022, India has had a technical team in Kabul to monitor and coordinate efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance. India to consider engaging in development projects in Afghanistan (Reuters)
Reuters [1/8/2025 9:10 AM, Tanvi Mehta, Shanima A, 48128K, Positive]
India will consider engaging in development projects in Afghanistan in the near future, India’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, despite the lack of diplomatic relations.The statement followed a meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai."In response to the request from the Afghan side, India will provide further material support in the first instance to the health sector and for the rehabilitation of refugees," the statement said.India has so far dispatched several shipments consisting of wheat, medicines, COVID vaccines, and winter clothing to Afganistan.India does not recognise the Taliban government which seized power in 2021 and closed its own embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took control that year.Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi was closed in November 2023 after diplomats appointed by the Afghan government ousted by the Taliban failed to secure visa extensions from their Indian hosts. Taliban say India is a ‘significant regional partner’ after meeting (Reuters)
Reuters [1/9/2025 4:31 AM, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, 5.2M, Neutral]
The Taliban’s foreign office said they saw India as a "significant regional and economic partner" after meeting with its most senior foreign ministry official, the highest level talks with Delhi since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai on Wednesday.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that they had discussed expanding relations with Afghanistan and to boost trade through Chabahar Port in Iran, which India has been developing for goods to bypass the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in its rival Pakistan.
"In line with Afghanistan’s balanced and economy-focused foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate aims to strengthen political and economic ties with India as a significant regional and economic partner," the statement from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said late on Wednesday.
India’s foreign ministry said after the Dubai meeting that India was considering engaging in development projects in Afghanistan and looking to boost trade ties.
No foreign government, including India, officially recognises the Taliban administration.
However, India is one of several countries with a small mission in Kabul to facilitate trade, aid and medical support and has sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under the Taliban.
Regional players including China and Russia have signalled they are willing to boost trade and investment in Afghanistan.
The Delhi meeting could ruffle Pakistan, which borders both countries and has fought three wars in the past against India.
Pakistan and Afghanistan also have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several militant attacks that have occurred in its country have been launched from Afghan soil - a charge the Afghan Taliban denies.
Earlier this week India’s foreign office told journalists they condemned airstrikes conducted late last year by Pakistan on Afghan soil. India boosts diplomatic contacts with Afghanistan’s Taliban (VOA)
VOA [1/8/2025 3:30 PM, Ayaz Gul, 2717K, Neutral]
India pledged Wednesday to collaborate with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to undertake development projects in the impoverished nation that has endured years of devastating war and natural disasters.
The pledge stemmed from a Wednesday meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as the two countries move to strengthen bilateral trade and political ties.
Misri conveyed New Delhi’s "readiness to respond to the urgent developmental needs of the Afghan people," India’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said after he met with Muttaqi.
The Taliban said in a post-meeting announcement that the two sides reviewed the security situation in the region. Mutaqqi appreciated and thanked New Delhi for its sustained humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
"In view of the current need for development activities, it was decided that India would consider engaging in development projects in the near future, in addition to the ongoing humanitarian assistance program," said the Indian statement.
It added that in response to the Taliban’s request, New Delhi also agreed to provide additional material assistance to the health sector and the rehabilitation of refugees in Afghanistan.
The Afghan delegation "underlined its sensitivities to India’s security concerns." Both countries agreed to remain in touch and continue regular contact at various levels, the Indian ministry stated.
The Taliban stated that Muttaqi assured the Indian delegation that his government is pursuing a "balanced and economy-oriented foreign policy." He expressed his desire for political and economic relations with India, recognizing its significance as a prominent economic country in the region.
"[Our] foreign minister assured the Indian side that there is no danger to anyone from Afghanistan and expressed hope for strengthening diplomatic relations and creating facilities related to visas for businessmen, patients, and students," said the Taliban statement.
It added that the Indian foreign secretary "praised the Islamic Emirate’s fight against drugs and corruption in the country," referring to the Taliban’s official name for Afghanistan. Misri said India was willing to expand relations with Afghanistan in political and economic areas and to promote trade through the port of Chabahar in neighboring Iran.
The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 when all U.S.-led international troops withdrew from the country.
No countries have formally recognized the Taliban as legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, but several neighboring and regional countries, including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and Qatar, have retained their embassies. India recently reopened its diplomatic mission in Kabul, manned by lower-level diplomats.
New Delhi’s stepped-up engagement with de facto Afghan leaders is expected to raise tensions with neighboring archrival Pakistan, as noted by analysts.
Kabul’s ties with Islamabad have lately been strained over allegations that the Taliban harbor and support fugitive militants linked to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in carrying out "terrorist" attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces.
Last month, the Pakistani military allegedly carried out airstrikes against suspected TTP hideouts in an Afghan border province, drawing strong condemnation from the Taliban. Kabul claimed the bombardment took the lives of nearly 50 "refugees" from Pakistan.
Islamabad has publicly refrained from acknowledging the cross-border attack, but Pakistani officials anonymously confirmed it and reported the death of more than two dozen TTP commanders and operatives.
India also objected to Pakistan’s military aggression against Afghanistan.
"We unequivocally condemn any attack on innocent civilians. It is an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbors for its own internal failures," an Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said while responding to Pakistan’s aerial attack on Dec. 24.
Several days later, Taliban security forces said they launched retaliatory fire against multiple locations on the Pakistani side of the border that they claimed were servicing "as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organized and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan.".
Pakistani officials reported the death of one security personnel and injuries to several others due to the Taliban military action, marking a sharp escalation in bilateral tensions. Twitter
Afghanistan
Freshta Razbaan@RazbaanFreshta
[1/8/2025 6:20 PM, 5.1K followers, 3 retweets, 11 likes]
Dear America, the world watched as you stood tall for freedom and democracy in Afghanistan. But let’s not forget the Afghans who stood with you every step of the way. They were your truest allies, and now they need your help. As a grateful Afghan, I ask you to honor their service and sacrifice by bringing them to safety. They are part of your legacy in Afghanistan. Please, don’t leave them behind.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[1/8/2025 11:08 AM, 217.3K followers, 23 retweets, 167 likes]
One can speak of India’s outreach to the Taliban as an effort to counter Pakistan in Afghanistan. But it’s also something simpler: A pragmatic step that better enables India to pursue a core interest of ensuring Afghan soil isn’t used to host terrorists that threaten India.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[1/8/2025 11:08 AM, 217.3K followers, 3 retweets, 20 likes]
It also smooths the way for India’s efforts to try to establish connectivity links with Afghanistan via Iran (Chabahar) & onward into Central Asia. And it facilitates India’s ability to pursue projects (aid, refugee relief) that help it maintain influence/public goodwill in Afg.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[1/8/2025 11:08 AM, 217.3K followers, 3 retweets, 17 likes]
Pakistan’s conundrum in Afghanistan—it’s been spurned by a longtime Taliban asset that’s unwilling to curb anti-Pakistan militants—has reduced its influence/leverage in Afg, which benefits India. But best not to look at India-Taliban engagement solely through Pakistan lenses.
Yalda Hakim@SkyYaldaHakim
[1/8/2025 1:27 PM, 218.2K followers, 77 retweets, 336 likes]
Lots of talk about whether or not England should play Afghanistan in a cricket match next month because of the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls. But perhaps this issue is bigger than the ECB. Lots of people are saying that the ICC needs to take action at an international level. So, I invite the @ICC to come on my show and address these comments. Pakistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan@ForeignOfficePk
[1/7/2025 8:30 AM, 480.6K followers, 21 retweets, 53 likes]
Mr. Donald Blome, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, made a farewell call on the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 today. The DPM/FM congratulated Amb. Blome on successfully completing his tenure in Pakistan and appreciated his role in strengthening Pakistan-US relations. He expressed the Government of Pakistan’s resolve to continue positive engagement with the new U.S. Administration.
Imran Khan@ImranKhanPTI
[1/8/2025 9:03 AM, 21M followers, 11K retweets, 23K likes]
Deeply saddened to hear the passing of Air Commodore Sajjad Haider. He was truly a warrior, who played a heroic role in defending the country during the 1965 war. His commitment to fighting the war of Pakistan’s survival, and leaving a better future for the coming generations remained unwavering till the end . His passing is not just a loss to his family but to the entire nation.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[1/8/2025 11:35 AM, 217.3K followers, 16 retweets, 111 likes]
Much geopolitical churn in South Asia in recent months. One change that truly stands out: Opportunities for partnership between Pakistan, which has few friends in the region, and Bangladesh. One of many consequences of the Sheikh Hasina ouster that pose challenges for New Delhi.Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office@amnestysasia
[1/8/2025 11:33 AM, 95.6K followers, 111 retweets, 216 likes]
Responding to reports of arbitrary detention and harassment of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers by law enforcement agencies in Islamabad, Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said: “The requirement that all Afghan refugees in Islamabad must obtain a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) places onerous obligations on them in addition to existing documentation requirements. The Pakistani government has repeatedly and arbitrarily enacted policies increasing the precarity of Afghan refugees inside the country, leading thousands to return to Afghanistan in the last 15 months, and this newest policy measure has endangered an already at-risk population." Read more: https://amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/01/pakistan-renewed-arrests-detention-and-harassment-of-afghan-refugees-must-stop/ India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/9/2025 12:13 AM, 104.6M followers, 2K retweets, 8.3K likes]
Pleased to speak at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Bhubaneswar. The Indian diaspora has excelled worldwide. Their accomplishments make us proud.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/9/2025 12:03 AM, 104.6M followers, 3.6K retweets, 29K likes]
Saddened by the passing of Hav Baldev Singh (Retd). His monumental service to India will be remembered for years to come. A true epitome of courage and grit, his unwavering dedication to the nation will inspire future generations. I fondly recall meeting him in Nowshera a few years ago. My condolences to his family and admirers.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/8/2025 10:09 AM, 104.6M followers, 3.5K retweets, 21K likes]
Glimpses from today’s public meeting in Visakhapatnam. The NDA Government in AP, under the leadership of my friend Chandrababu Naidu Garu is ensuring all-round progress for the state. @ncbn
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/8/2025 8:11 AM, 104.6M followers, 4.8K retweets, 23K likes]
It is a big day for Andhra Pradesh as we launch significant green energy initiatives and crucial infrastructure development projects. Watch live from Visakhapatnam.
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[1/8/2025 11:41 PM, 3.3M followers, 119 retweets, 546 likes]
Delivering the welcome remarks at the inaugural session of 18th #PravasiBharatiyaDivas in Bhubaneswar. #18PBD #PBD2025 #OdishaDr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[1/8/2025 10:19 PM, 3.3M followers, 85 retweets, 704 likes]
Great to speak with @SecRaimondo today. Appreciate our many conversations over the past 4 years. Her contribution to strengthening India-US strategic partnerships has been notable.
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[1/8/2025 8:46 PM, 3.3M followers, 205 retweets, 2.5K likes]
Saddened by the unfortunate stampede at Tirupati Temple. Heartfelt condolences to the families who lost dear ones. Pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[1/8/2025 4:17 AM, 3.3M followers, 356 retweets, 2.3K likes]
Pleased to join CM @MohanMOdisha at the Pravasi Bhartiya Business Leaders meeting, on the sidelines of #PravasiBharatiyaDivas2025. Underlined PM @narendramodi Government’s steadfast commitment to Mission Purvodaya, and the role of Odisha to its success. Highlighted Odisha’s potential in 3Ts - #Trade #Technology #Tourism - that makes it an excellent investment destination. #PravasiBharatiyaDivas #Odisha #PBD2025
Rahul Gandhi@RahulGandhi
[1/8/2025 12:51 PM, 27.5M followers, 3.1K retweets, 11K likes]
The tragic stampede in Tirupati is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing a swift recovery to all those injured. I urge Congress leaders and workers to provide all possible assistance during this difficult time. NSB
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[1/8/2025 11:44 AM, 7.7K followers, 3 likes]
India not respond to #Bangladesh’s extradition letter concerning Sheikh Hasina, which was expected. It also extended her visa to protect her. This is symbolic of the fact that India can never be considered an ally. Hasina was an Indian creation & agent created to destroy 🇧🇩.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[1/9/2025 12:54 AM, 111.6K followers, 68 retweets, 70 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu arrives in Dhevvadhoo Island in North Huvadhu Atoll. Upon arrival the President received a warm welcome from the Island’s community. The President is scheduled to meet with the Island council, WDC and Island community during his visit.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[1/9/2025 12:38 AM, 111.6K followers, 63 retweets, 65 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu visits Maamendhoo Island in North Huvadhu Atoll and inspected the areas affected by severe beach erosion. During the visit, he met with the Council President and discuss the urgent need for a temporary solution to minimise further damage to the island. He also stressed the importance of conducting a detailed evaluation of the issue to develop and implement a sustainable, long-term solution that addresses the causes of the erosion.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[1/8/2025 12:47 PM, 111.6K followers, 95 retweets, 100 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu meets with the residents of Maamendhoo Island in North Huvadhu Atoll. The meeting was held at the Maamendhoo harbour area. During the meeting, the President addressed their concerns, shared the island’s development vision, and proposed solutions to resolve the key issues raised by the residents.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives@BDMOFA
[1/8/2025 7:28 AM, 69.7K followers, 7 retweets, 136 likes]
.@ForeignAdviserGOB met with the visiting UKBCCI delegation today at #MoFA. The discussion highlighted Bangladesh’s reforms under the Interim Govt, trade ties, investment prospects, potential of BD youth, and tackling misinformation campaign, etc. E23@BDMOFA#UKBangladesh #Trade
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[1/9/2025 2:14 AM, 38.9K followers, 1 retweet, 2 likes]
The Government and the people of Sri Lanka are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives and extensive damage to property caused by the earthquake which occurred on 07th January in the Xizang Autonomous Region. (1/3)
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[1/9/2025 2:14 AM, 38.9K followers]
We extend sincere condolences to the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China, particularly the families of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to those injured by this calamity. (2/3)
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[1/9/2025 2:14 AM, 38.9K followers]
Further, we stand in solidarity with the people and the Government of the People’s Republic of China during this challenging time. (3/3) @MFA_China @ChinaEmbSL @Slembassycn #DiplomacyLK #lka
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[1/8/2025 7:58 AM, 144K followers, 27 retweets, 187 likes]
Today (08), I launched the "National Initiative for R&D Commercialization," aimed at transforming Sri Lanka into an innovation hub. With a clear strategy for new product development, we will create opportunities, drive sustainable economic growth and empower grassroots innovators. Central Asia
Bakhtiyor Saidov@FM_Saidov
[1/8/2025 9:09 AM, 12.9K followers, 2 retweets, 8 likes]
On behalf of @UzbekMFA, we offer our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake in the #Tibet Autonomous Region of #China. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, and we wish a full and speedy recovery to all who were injured.
Bakhtiyor Saidov@FM_Saidov
[1/8/2025 8:38 AM, 12.9K followers, 5 retweets, 10 likes]
Met with the @UsAmbUzbekistan H.E. Jonathan Henick. We explored ways to deepen our collaboration across key areas and reviewed the schedule of upcoming events and engagements at various levels. Uzbekistan and the U.S. strategic partnership was productive in 2024 and it is going to bring even more achievements in 2025.{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.