SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Tuesday, March 4, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Taliban dismiss Trump’s claim about Chinese presence at Bagram airfield (The Independent)
The Independent [3/3/2025 6:58 AM, Alisha Rahaman Sarkar, 126906K]
The Taliban dismissed Donald Trump’s claim of Chinese presence at one of the former American military bases in Afghanistan.
The US president claimed Washington was planning to return to the Bagram Air Base, a large airfield in the Parwan province of the embattled nation due to the alleged presence of Chinese troops.
He suggested the US should move to reclaim disused and demilitarised military equipment that was not brought home with departing troops during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
"I’m the one who got our military presence to under 5,000 but we were going to keep Bagram," Mr Trump said, "not because of Afghanistan but because of China, because the air base is exactly one hour from where China makes its nuclear missiles. So, we were going to keep Bagram.".
"Bagram airbase is one of the biggest airbases in the world. It has one of the biggest and most powerful runways. And we gave it up," Mr Trump said, "and you know who is occupying it at the moment? China. Because Biden gave it up. So, we are going to keep that.".
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed Mr Trump’s remarks as "emotional", and said US officials should "refrain" from making "statements based on unsubstantiated information".
Mr Mujahid told state media outlet RTA that the airfield was "controlled by the Islamic emirate", referring to the Taliban government, and "not China".
"Chinese troops are not present here nor do we have any such pact with any country," he said. "We request that Trump’s team explain to him and correct his information about Afghanistan.".
Mr Trump had claimed during his election campaign that the sprawling airfield was under the control of the People’s Liberation Army, a claim he repeated after taking office.
China previously denied that its troops were stationed at Bagram.
The Bagram airfield, located about 44km north of the capital Kabul, served as the central command for the US-led Nato military campaign for two decades before the withdrawal four years ago. It was also the US epicentre of the war to oust the Taliban and hunt down the Al Qaeda leadership held responsible for 9/11.
Mr Trump has routinely criticised the previous administration of Joe Biden for "badly handling" the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and leaving behind heavy equipment.
"We left billions, tens of billions of dollars worth of equipment behind, brand new trucks. You see them display it every year...someplace where they have a road and they drive the, you know, waving the flag and talking about America," he said. "That’s all top of the line stuff. I think we should get a lot of that equipment back.".
Mr Trump also accused the Taliban government of selling American gear which he claimed made Afghanistan "one of the biggest sellers of military equipment in the world".
"Can you believe it? They’re selling 777,000 rifles, 70,000 armour-plated trucks and vehicles," he said. "This is 70,000 vehicles we had there, and we left it for them. I think we should get it back.".
The Taliban spokesperson argued that the weapons belonged to the previous Afghan government – which was backed by Nato and collapsed when the Western troops withdrew – and were considered "spoils of war". The Taliban, he added, was using the weapons to protect the country.
The US provided $18.6bn worth of equipment to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces between 2005 and August 2021, according to a Pentagon report.
The $7bn worth of equipment that was left behind during the 2021 withdrawal included aircraft, air-to-ground bombs and missiles, vehicles, weapons, and communications gear. Taliban accuses Trump of spreading misinformation (The Telegraph)
The Telegraph [3/3/2025 2:49 PM, Samaan Lateef, 126906K]
The Taliban has accused Donald Trump of spreading misinformation in a pointed retort over claims of Chinese influence at Bagram air base.
The former US base was abandoned by American forces when they withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. The Taliban – which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US – seized control of the country shortly afterward. It took control of Bagram and the $7 billion worth of US-funded military equipment left behind.
Mr Trump said last week: "Bagram air base is one of the biggest air bases in the world. It has one of the biggest and most powerful runways. And we gave it up. And you know who is occupying it at the moment? China. Because Biden gave it up.".
In response, the Taliban said: "There is not a single armed Chinese individual here, nor do we have any such agreement with any country. Why is he spreading such misinformation at such a high level? The United States is a major country, and its leader should speak with great accuracy.".
During his election campaign, Mr Trump repeatedly claimed that China had taken control of Bagram.
He reiterated the allegation during his first cabinet meeting of the new administration last Wednesday and criticised Joe Biden, the former US president, for relinquishing the military hub. He added that he wanted to recover the weaponry left behind.
After the withdrawal of US troops, Beijing has strengthened ties with the Taliban but has denied any military presence in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan shares a border with China and Bagram is only about 400 miles away from a Chinese military base.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said: "Now [Trump] claims that Bagram is in the hands of the Chinese, whereas Bagram is under the control of the forces of the Islamic Emirate. We request that Trump’s team explain to him and correct his information about Afghanistan.".
He called the idea of Mr Trump reclaiming Bagram a "dream and fantasy" and said that the leftover American stockpile was in the possession of the Taliban as spoils of war.
On July 6 2021, the American troops and their Western allies departed the former US-operated base with little fanfare and no public ceremony as Taliban advances grew.
Ashraf Ghani’s government collapsed quickly and 13 US service members were killed as American forces left Kabul.
In August 2021, the Taliban returned to power and enforced a strict version of Sharia, severely curbing free speech and women’s rights.
Women face strict dress codes, bans on education beyond the age of 11, and exclusion from work. Public flogging and stoning to death for adultery are common.
Last week, the Taliban held a public execution of a man convicted of murder in front of thousands of people at a sports stadium. It was the third such death sentence to be carried out in five days.
Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said that the Taliban had publicly flogged at least 128 people, including 27 women, in recent months.
No country recognises the Taliban government due to these abuses.
The group withdrew from membership of the International Criminal Court in February after prosecutor Karim Khan sought arrest warrants for Hibatullah Akhundzada, the reclusive Taliban supreme leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the interim Afghan chief justice.
Mr Khan accused both of being "criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women". Taliban arrest Afghan activist who campaigned for education of girls (The Independent)
The Independent [3/3/2025 11:02 AM, Arpan Rai, 44.8M]
Taliban officials have arrested an Afghan educator who has been campaigning for the education rights of girls in the country, his family members have confirmed.
Wazir Khan, 25, was arrested from his residence in the Kabul area on 24 February, his family has said. The arrest was carried out by four of the Taliban’s local officials who took him to their intelligence facility General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI).
He was picked up from his house in Butkhak in Kabul, taken out by the Taliban officials who tied his hands and blindfolded his eyes, his brother Amir Khan Zaland told The Independent.“We have no idea where he is right now and how he is. It has been more than seven days since he was picked up,” he said.“Wazir Khan worked for human rights, was an activist for children’s education, why was he arrested? What sin did he commit? Instead of being praised, he is being imprisoned in Afghanistan,” his brother told The Independent.“As of Monday, more than a week after his arrest, we have no idea about Mr Khan’s whereabouts and his safety. It is believed he is in the Taliban’s detention facility,” said Samantha Leaning, a human rights advocate working closely with Mr Khan for nearly two years.
Mr Khan was running Today Child, a non-profit organisation for raising awareness of education for girls since 2022, which he said was his tool for supporting education in the rural areas of Afghanistan and wiping out illiteracy in the country.“The Taliban has a red line with activism on girls education inside Afghanistan but Mr Khan was campaigning for both – girls and boys education – and that too for the age under 12 years, which the Taliban allows under its Sharia law,” Ms Leaning told The Independent, stating that he was “worried about his security”, in a likely sign he was already under threat from the Taliban.
She added that the young Afghan educator has been using the “let Afghan girls learn” hashtag in his social media which probably “tipped it” with the Taliban.
Several social media photos and videos of Mr Khan show him reaching the hinterlands of Afghanistan where he campaigned among the rural elders and tribal leaders to continue educating their children.
Mr Khan is also seen distributing storybooks and notebooks and narrating stories to groups of Afghan children during his regular outreach activities.
The Taliban have not released any official statement confirming the arrest of Mr Khan.
However, this is not the first such arrest of Afghan educators campaigning inside the hardline Islamist regime for education of girls and women.
The Taliban has banned the education of girls and women above sixth grade for more than three years now inside the country, leading to a widespread shutdown of education for millions of girls and women.
In March 2023, the Taliban arrested a prominent Afghan educator Matiullah Wesa from Kabul after he spent months travelling to remote parts of the country with his mobile library.
He was severely assaulted and tortured in his prison detention at the GDI facility and was released only after 215 days in prison.
Mr Wesa was seen as outspoken in his demands for girls to have the right to go to school and repeatedly called on the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan to reverse its bans on female education.
After his release from the detention, Mr Wesa has maintained a low profile in public and abstained from actively campaigning for Afghan girls’ right to education. Pakistan
Taliban commander killed in Pakistan: Reports (Amu TV)
Amu TV [3/4/2025 4:09 AM, Ahmad Azizi]
A Taliban commander was killed in a security operation in Pakistan last week, according to reports from Pakistani media citing security sources.
The commander, identified as Mujeebur Rehman, also known as Mansoor, was among 14 militants killed on Feb. 28 during an operation in Ghulam Khan Kalay, a town near the Afghan border, the reports said. Rehman, an Afghan national, was the son of Mirza Khan and hailed from Dandar village in Afghanistan’s Maidan Wardak province. He had served as a commander in the third battalion of the Taliban’s National Military Academy, according to the Pakistani news outlet Geo News, which cited unnamed security officials.
The operation follows a similar incident on Jan. 30, when Pakistani security forces killed another Afghan militant, Badruddin, in the city of Dera Ismail Khan. Badruddin, the son of Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad, was reportedly a lieutenant in the Taliban army and the son of the Taliban’s deputy governor of Afghanistan’s Badghis province, Geo News reported.
The developments come amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border militancy. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led government in Kabul of allowing militant groups to operate from Afghan territory, a claim that the Afghan authorities have denied.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 1,550-mile border, which remains largely porous despite security measures. Several key crossing points facilitate trade and the movement of people between the two countries, though security concerns have increasingly strained relations. Pakistan ‘well positioned’ for first review of IMF bailout, finance minister says (Reuters)
Reuters [3/4/2025 3:31 AM, Asif Shahzad, 5.2M]
Pakistan was "well positioned" for the first review of its $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout programme as talks with the global lender began on Tuesday, the country’s finance minister told Reuters.
Islamabad secured the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility last summer to help claw its way out of an economic crisis.
The programme has played a key role in stabilising Pakistan’s economy and the government has said the country is on course for a long-term recovery.
"They are here. We will have two rounds of talks, first technical and then policy level," Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said.
"I think we are well positioned" for the review, he said.
The finance ministry released a picture on Tuesday morning showing its officials meeting with IMF representatives.
The IMF team usually spends around two weeks reviewing fiscal reforms and policy.
A separate IMF team was in Pakistan last week to discuss around $1 billion in climate financing on top of the EFF. Female suicide bomber kills 1 person and injures 3 in southwest Pakistan (AP)
AP [3/3/2025 9:38 AM, Abdul Sattar, 456K]
A female suicide bomber killed one person and injured three when she targeted the vehicle of a paramilitary patrol in Pakistan’s southwest Balochistan province, a police official said Monday.
Female suicide bombers are rare in Pakistan. The last confirmed suicide attack by a woman was in 2022, when three Chinese teachers and their Pakistani driver were killed in an explosion that ripped through their van at a university campus in Karachi.
Monday’s assault was in Kalat, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) southwest of Balochistan’s capital Quetta.
Images from the blast site showed a scorched Frontier Corps vehicle with its doors blown off.
The explosion killed the vehicle driver and injured three security personnel, Kalat police official Habibullah said. Body parts of the assailant were recovered from the scene, Habibullah said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, but suspicion is likely to fall on the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army. It is waging an insurgency against the central government and wants independence.
Authorities estimate that the group, which Pakistan and the U.S. have designated a terrorist organization, has around 3,000 fighters.
It regularly targets security forces but has also in the past attacked Chinese nationals working on megaprojects in the country. Female bomber’s attack on military convoy in southwest Pakistan kills 1 (VOA)
VOA [3/3/2025 11:33 AM, Ayaz Gul, 2913K]
Police in Pakistan reported Monday that a female suicide bomber detonated herself near a military convoy in southwestern Balochistan province, killing at least one security personnel and injuring four others.
The bombing in the insurgency-hit Kalat district reportedly targeted a commander of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force, but he was unharmed.
A local police officer, Habibullah, confirmed the casualties, telling VOA by telephone that investigators had recovered body parts of the bomber and concluded that the perpetrator was female.
No immediate claims of responsibility for the Kalat attack were made. However, previous similar acts of violence in natural resources-rich Balochistan, including those involving female bombers, had been claimed by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
In Pakistan, suicide bombings by women are rare. The last known female suicide attack happened in 2022 when a bomber targeted a van carrying Chinese teachers to the university campus in Karachi. The driver and three teachers were killed.
BLA-led attacks against security forces and settlers from other Pakistani provinces, particularly Punjab, have lately increased in Balochistan, which sits on the country’s border with Afghanistan and Iran.
Series of attacks
Last month, BLA insurgents ambushed a bus transporting paramilitary forces in Kalat and killed 18 of them. Just days later, a roadside bomb blast killed 11 coal miners in the city while BLA took credit for attacking a military vehicle securing a supply convoy for a mining company operated by China. Pakistani authorities reported that the convoy was passing through Kalat when it came under attack, resulting in injuries to eight security personnel.
BLA has justified its attacks on infrastructure projects funded by China, claiming that Beijing is aiding Islamabad in exploiting local resources without sharing the benefits with the impoverished Baloch residents.Pakistan and China deny the allegations, asserting that BLA and other separatist organizations are actively engaged in campaigns aimed at hindering economic development in Balochistan.
Monday’s bombing occurred a day after an alliance of ethnic Baloch separatist groups, including BLA, resolved at a joint meeting to escalate their "war against Pakistan and China" by implementing a "blockade on all important highways of Balochistan to disrupt the logistical, economic, and military interests" of the Pakistani state.
The insurgent alliance shared the information with reporters via email but did not disclose the location or timing of the meeting. BLA is believed to be the largest and most lethal group active in Balochistan, and it has also been designated as a global terrorist organization by the United States. Growing space cooperation between Pakistan, China presents risks and opportunities, experts say (VOA)
VOA [3/3/2025 3:07 PM, Sarah Zaman, 2913K]
China is ramping up cooperation with Pakistan in space exploration, but experts say Islamabad must develop its own strengths if it aims to benefit from Beijing.
Pakistan’s Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, or SUPARCO, and China Manned Space Agency, or CMSA, announced Friday they will train Pakistan’s first astronaut for a mission aboard Chinese space station Tiangong.
The agreement comes just weeks after the two sides announced China’s Chang’e-8 moon lander mission in 2028 will carry a Pakistani rover.
Last year, China put Pakistan into the moon’s orbit taking the first Pakistani lunar satellite ICUBE-Q, aboard its historic Chiang’e 6 mission, designed to retrieve samples from the little explored far side of the moon.
Weeks later, Beijing put another Pakistani communication satellite into orbit.
Picking Pakistan
The latest agreement makes Pakistan the first country with an astronaut to work at Tiangong.
Experts say picking Pakistan as the first guest for China’s space station is not surprising as Islamabad hosts the flagship project of China’s global Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. The multibillion-dollar program includes a plethora of investment projects aimed at extending Beijing’s influence, especially in the developing world.
"In this kind of increased polarization of interest in the world, China, both politically and also from the technological point of view, is trying to be the front-runner of, we can say, the Global South," said Carlo Iorio, director of the Center for Research and Engineering in Space Technology at the Free University of Brussels.
"So, it’s quite straightforward to think that one of the possible first candidates to be granted to use the Chinese Space Station could have been Pakistani astronauts or an astronaut," Iorio told VOA.
Last October, China announced a 25-year plan outlining its ambitious vision for space exploration.
It includes Beijing’s goals of searching for extraterrestrial life, exploring Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, sending space crews to the moon and building an international lunar research station.
"Pakistan’s participation in the China Space Station program reflects the deep-rooted ties between the two countries," said Lin Xiqiang, director general of CMSA, according to the Pakistani statement.
Lin was quoted as saying Pakistan’s inclusion "will contribute to mutual knowledge-sharing and the broader vision of peaceful space exploration for the benefit of humanity.".
Equal footing
Collaboration with China opens access to a treasure trove of technical knowledge and expertise for Pakistan as Beijing has managed the world’s first soft landing and roving on the far side of the moon and landed a rover on Mars.
"They have capabilities to indigenously design and develop satellites and launches for all types of applications," said Amer Gilani, secretary of the Pakistan Human Spaceflight Cooperation at SUPARCO about China’s capabilities.
"Pakistan wants to achieve self-reliance in design and development of satellites for remote sensing, communication, deep space exploration, lunar missions," Gilani told VOA in written comments. "With collaboration with China our space ambitions can progress much better.".
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the latest space collaboration as "a defining moment in the nation’s space journey," but experts say the nuclear-armed country will benefit from the collaboration only if it becomes an equal partner.
"What I want to see is cooperation on equal footing," said Yarjan Abdul Samad, assistant professor of aerospace engineering at Khalifa University in UAE.
Samad, who is also affiliated with the University of Cambridge, said that while Pakistan may not be able to contribute equally now, it should aim to do so in the near future.
"If you go on these projects and you are just on the receiving end and you get services, what you asked for, then your technological development is very limited," Samad told VOA.
Chinese edge
The International Space Station, or ISS, and China’s Tiangong are currently the only two space stations orbiting Earth.
Managed by a partnership among 15 countries, the ISS is set to be retired in 2030.
Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX and special advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, recently called for deorbiting the ISS soon in favor of missions to Mars.
As the market for commercial space exploration expands, Iorio said, that leaves China’s Tiangong as the only official government-based space station for further experiments and other activities for years to come.
While this makes collaborating with China attractive for developing countries, Samad said Pakistan should consider more than national pride when putting an astronaut into space.
Sending a Pakistani into space will only make sense, Samad said, if they will "assist in carrying out work which is not possible with unmanned vehicles and which is not possible in ground conditions and which is helping us in finding solutions to technological problems.".
SUPARCO has said the mission will involve "cutting-edge scientific experiments in various fields, including biological and medical sciences, aerospace, applied physics, fluid mechanics, space radiation, ecology, material sciences, microgravity studies, and astronomy.".
Despite receiving more than $25 billion in Chinese loans and investments for energy and infrastructure projects as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Pakistan is yet to turn its economy around. Experts largely blame governance issues.
Iorio warned that Pakistan must strengthen its technology landscape or risk losing some of its brightest.
"Without supporting research in the country, [it] will drain more talent towards foreign nations, including China," the Brussels-based expert said.
For now, Pakistanis have an exciting opportunity ahead of them as SUPARCO searches for the country’s first astronaut.
The criteria?
"Pakistan will select astronauts from Pakistani citizens with background suited for astronauts which could be flying, medical fitness, physical fitness, psychological fitness, research/analytical skills, and high qualifications etc.," Gilani told VOA. "Hopefully [we] will be able to get good candidates.". India
Modi Says Global Turmoil Is Time for Indian Firms to Invest More (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [3/4/2025 3:33 AM, Ruchi Bhatia and Swati Gupta, 5.5M]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the changes in the global economy and trade could be an opportunity for Indian firms to invest more and take advantage of the world’s need for alternative supply chain hubs.“We have seen that when supply chains are disrupted, it affects the global economy,” Modi told business leaders during an online session on Tuesday. “The world needs a trusted partner which produces high-quality products and the supply is reliable.”
The prime minister asked manufacturers and exporters to “take big steps” to not only benefit from the changing global order but also the various reforms his government has introduced since he came to power.“This reform consistency will continue in the coming years and I urge you to move ahead with full confidence,” he said. “This is a big opportunity for us. I want our industry not to look at global expectations as mere spectators.”
Modi’s comments come at a time when India is in the midst of negotiating deals with major trading partners. The world’s fastest-growing major economy aims to conclude a trade pact with the US by fall this year, in an effort to shield itself from Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. Both the UK and the EU are also in talks to sign a free trade agreement with the South Asian nation.“India continues to be a growth engine for the global economy,” Modi said, adding that several nations want “to establish an economic partnership” with it. India’s steel industry contemplates potential fallout from Trump administration tariffs (AP)
AP [3/3/2025 9:03 PM, Sibi Arasu, 126906K]
Rows of small factories line the streets of a dusty suburb in Bengaluru, where workers weld and cast Indian-made steel into everything from car parts to kitchen sinks. Here, U.S. President Trump’s announcement to impose high trade tariffs on steel imports has some unexpected supporters.
Many industry workers and experts expect that the result of tariffs will be that cheap steel gets dumped in places like India. That’s because the announced 25% tariff will make it too expensive for many companies in countries like China and South Korea to keep exporting to the U.S.
For B. Praveen of Sun Techpro Engineering, which makes products from steel metal sheets, it means his "wafer-thin" profit margins will probably grow as the steel he buys gets cheaper.
"For thousands of companies like mine, this can be a good thing," he said. Businesses such as Praveen’s employ over 200 million Indians and are key drivers of India’s economy.
But cheaper steel in India isn’t good for everyone. In February Naveen Jindal, the president of the Indian Steel Association, which represents all India’s steelmakers, said that he was "deeply concerned," especially since "India is one of the few major markets without any trade restrictions," making it a target for potential steel dumping. And the increased competition could impact efforts by India to produce its own steel more cleanly. The current production of most Indian steel releases high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change. Reduction efforts could be cut in the interest of keeping profits up.
India’s steel industry is big and dirty — and is set to keep growing.India is the world’s most populous nation and one of the fastest-growing major economies. Steel demand is rising rapidly due to fast-paced urbanization, infrastructure, and industrial growth, and the government expects steel production to increase from 120 million tons to 300 million tons in the next five years.
Currently, up to 12% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions come from steelmaking according to the Global Energy Monitor, an organization that tracks energy projects around the globe. It found this could likely double in five years if more steel is produced as per the government’s plans.
Henna Khadeeja, a research analyst with GEM, explained that unlike China, Europe, or the United States, Indian steelmakers still mostly use coal-based blast furnaces to make steel, which are more high-emitting. In September last year, the Indian government said it would invest $1.72 billion to help the steel industry transition to cleaner methods of steelmaking.
But Khadeeja said all the new steel expansion plans that have been announced are for coal-based steel production facilities. "Right now, the focus is mostly on producing as much steel as possible. The strategy is mostly to retroactively decarbonize the steel once the capacity is built in place," she said.
Cleaning up steel is vital for India’s future
Building more coal-based blast furnaces make it more difficult for India to export its steel in the future, particularly to Europe, said Easwaran Narassimhan of the New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collective. The European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tax on carbon emissions that Europe will begin charging for all products imported to the bloc from next year, would likely turn off any buyers from steel made with coal-based blast furnaces.
"China’s steel production is less emissions-intensive, which means it’s going to face a lesser impact from European carbon taxes," said Narassimhan. "Any amount of short-term pain today is going to be worth in the long run.".
India too has ambitious climate goals and wants to produce 500 gigawatts of clean power — enough to power nearly 300 million Indian homes — by the end of this decade. The South Asian nation recently crossed the milestone of installing 100 gigawatts of solar power, most of which was installed in the last 10 years.
India also aims to go net zero — that is to stop adding planet-warming gas to the atmosphere, either by preventing the emissions in the first place or removing an equivalent amount through natural or technological means — by 2070.
Indian steelmakers said they recognize the need to emit less but are apprehensive about how much it’ll cost them. "If you’re not financially viable, you cannot exist as a business," said Prabodh Acharya, chief sustainability officer at JSW Group, one of India’s biggest steel companies.
"Steel is essential for the growth of society and economy. We need to find the right balance between growth, economy and decarbonization," he said. India’s exports face pressure from US, EU trade policies, govt official says (Reuters)
Reuters [3/4/2025 4:45 AM, Manoj Kumar, 5.2M]
Indian exports are facing mounting pressure from aggressive trade policies by partners such as the United States and the European Union, a senior trade ministry official said on Tuesday.Citing the U.S. decision to raise import tariffs and initiatives like the CHIPS Act, Santosh Sarangi, head of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), said it was "high time India also looked at our trade and industrial policies comprehensively".U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose reciprocal tariffs from early April on trading partners including India is worrying Indian exporters in sectors ranging from autos to agriculture, with Citi Research analysts estimating potential losses at about $7 billion a year.Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal started on a trip to the United States on Monday to pursue trade talks, ahead of Trump’s planned tariff measures.Limited integration into global value chains, high import tariffs on raw materials, and technological disadvantages in certain manufacturing sectors are hurting India’s export ambitions, Sarangi told business leaders in a virtual address."India needs an average growth of 14.4% per annum to achieve the target of $2 trillion in overall exports by 2030/31," he said, calling the goal "daunting" given that overall goods and services exports have grown at an average of just 5.2% annually over the past decade.Total exports rose to $682.59 billion in the first ten months of 2024/25 fiscal year through January, up 7.2% year-on-year, from $636.69 billion a year earlier, while imports hit $770 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $87.47 billion, commerce ministry data showed.The European Union’s carbon tax and growing use of protective non-tariff measures are also hurting Indian exports, Sarangi said."While exports are growing, India continues to experience a trade deficit, suggesting a need to boost export competitiveness and diversify export markets," he added. India’s fighter jet battle: US v Russia in the skies (BBC)
BBC [3/3/2025 5:45 PM, Soutik Biswas, 52868K]
India faces a crucial choice in modernising its air force - but is a cutting-edge American fighter jet the answer?
During his Washington visit last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump, who announced they were "paving the way" for India to acquire F-35s, a jet primarily sold to close allies and partners.
The F-35 is a "fifth-generation" multi-role fighter jet with advanced sensors, AI-driven combat systems and seamless data-sharing capabilities. Built to evade radar, it’s the most sophisticated jet in the skies - but at $80m a pop, also one of the most expensive. (Stealth is a key characteristic of a "fifth-generation" fighter.).Many believe that with its fighter squadrons dwindling and China’s military growing, India faces a high-stakes choice: splurge on the state-of-the-art but costly F-35 from the US or strengthen defence ties with Russia through local production of its most advanced stealth fighter jet Sukhoi Su-57.
Experts believe the reality is more nuanced, with the US-Russia "dogfight" largely a media hype – fuelled more recently by the appearance of both jets at Asia’s biggest air show, Aero India, in the southern city of Bangalore last month.
Trump’s F-35 offer seems more "symbolic" than practical, driven by his push to sell US weapons, according to Ashley J Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Integrating a "fifth generation" aircraft into the India air force (IAF) plans - centred on the homegrown Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and more Rafales - would be challenging, especially without co-production rights. Being developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the AMCA is India’s own stealth fighter.
"It is unlikely that the F-35 will be offered for co-production to India - any acquisition will likely be a straightforward sale. This is unlikely, among other things, to sit well with Modi’s emphasis on making in India and the significant end-user monitoring in the event of an F-35 sale will likely not be welcomed by India either," Mr Tellis told me.
India’s challenges with the F-35 are its steep cost, heavy maintenance and operational issues - the jet’s availability is around 51% for the US Air Force, according to security expert Stephen Bryen, author of a Substack column, Weapons and Strategy. "The question is whether India is willing to invest billions of rupees in the F-35, knowing it could do better buying the Russian jet.".
But many dismiss the Su-57 as a real contender, noting that India exited the decade-long programme to co-produce the jet with Russia in 2018 over disputes on technology transfer, cost-sharing and specifications.
To be sure, India’s air force is ageing and short on fighter jets.
It operates 31 fighter and combat squadrons - mostly Russian and Soviet-era aircraft - far below the sanctioned 42. A key challenge is finding a long-term replacement for the Sukhoi-30, the IAF’s versatile workhorse from Russia.
Christopher Clary, a political scientist at the University of Albany, recently pointed to unsettling data from the ISS Military Balance for India: between 2014 and 2024, China added 435 fighter and ground attack aircraft, Pakistan gained 31, while India’s fleet shrank by 151.
India’s planned fighter jet expansion is largely homegrown, with plans to acquire over 500 jets, mostly light combat aircraft.
Orders for 83 Tejas Mark 1A - an agile multirole homegrown fighter - are confirmed, with another 97 expected to be ordered shortly. Meanwhile, the heavier, more advanced Mark 2 is in development. The homegrown stealth jet remains at least a decade away.
India also has plans to buy 114 multirole fighter jets under the IAF’s $20bn Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme requiring foreign jets to be built in India under a transfer of technology deal - its biggest hurdle.
Stalled since 2019, the Indian government is looking at a transparent and non-controversial procurement process after it faced criticism over the acquisition of 36 Rafales in a government-to-government deal. Five jets are in contention, with Rafale leading as it is already in service with the IAF.
Experts say India’s air force modernisation faces three key hurdles: funding, delays and dependence on foreign jets.
Defence spending has shrunk in real terms. The foreign fighter jets programme risks a drawn-out fate. While India prioritises home-made, DRDO’s delays force stopgap foreign purchases, creating a repeating cycle. Breaking it requires delivering a capable homegrown jet on time. Deliveries are also delayed due to a holdup in supplies of General Electric’s F-404 engines for the jets.
A key challenge is the mismatch between the defence ministry’s vision and the IAF’s needs, says Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at Eurasia Group, a geopolitical risk consulting firm.
The Tejas Mark 1 faced early scepticism from the air force, leading to upgrades like the Mark 1A and Mark 2. "But the decades-long development cycles frustrate the armed forces, especially as their requirements keep evolving as newer technologies become available, which in turn contributes to further delays," Mr Bhatia told me.
Even the Indian Air Force chief AP Singh has made no secret of his frustration over delays.
"I can take a vow that I will not buy anything from outside or I will wait for whatever is developed in India, but it may not be possible if it does not come at that pace [on time]," Air Marshall Singh told a seminar recently.
"At the moment, we all know that we are very badly off when it comes to numbers [of fighters]. And the numbers which were promised are also coming a little slow. So, there will be a requirement to go and look for something which can quickly fill up these voids," he said, referring to the delayed Tejas Mark 1A deliveries, which were supposed to begin last February but have yet to start.
India’s clear priority is a homegrown stealth fighter, with more than $1bn already committed to its development. "A foreign stealth jet would only be considered if India’s immediate threat perception shifts," says Mr Bhatia. China has two so-called stealth fighters - the J-20 and J-35 - but they likely fall short of US standards.
Most experts believe India will choose neither the American nor Russian fighters. "In the short term, as seen in past conflicts, emergency buys may fill gaps. The medium-term focus is co-production, but the long game is clear - building its own," says Mr Bhatia.
For India, the future of airpower isn’t just about buying jets - it’s about building them, ideally with a strong Western partner. But for that vision to succeed, India must deliver its homegrown fighters on time. USAID cuts shutter India’s first clinic for transgender people (BBC)
BBC [3/3/2025 7:10 AM, Imran Qureshi and Cherylann Mollan, 33298K]
India’s first medical clinic for transgender people has shut operations in three cities after US President Donald Trump stopped foreign aid to it.
Mitr (friend) Clinic, which was started in 2021 in the southern city of Hyderabad, offered HIV treatment, support and counselling services to thousands of transgender people.
Two more Mitr Clinics in Thane and Pune cities in western India, which were established the same year, have also shut down due to the aid cut.
In January, Trump signed an executive order pausing all foreign aid for 90 days, pending a review.
Trump has said he wants overseas spending to be closely aligned with his "America First" approach.
His crackdown on USAID, the US agency overseeing humanitarian aid to foreign countries since the 1960s, has been seen as a step to this end.
The pausing of USAID funds has affected dozens of development programmes all around the world, especially in poor and developing countries.
In India, the shutting down of the Mitr Clinics has impacted the transgender community’s access to crucial medical support.
The project came into existence under the US President’s agency for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003 when George Bush was president. John Hopkins University worked in collaboration with USAID and the Indian government to set it up.
A staff member who spoke on condition of anonymity to BBC Hindi said the three clinics catered to some 6,000 people and about 6% to 8% of the patients were being treated for HIV.
"All these cases were below 30 years of age. And 75% to 80% of this population was accessing health services for the first time," this staff member said.
In Hyderabad, the Mitr Clinic offered care to 150 to 200 transgender patients each month, many of whom suffered from HIV. The clinic had a small team of doctors, psychologists and technical staff.
"We were receiving 250,000 rupees ($2900; £2300) every month to provide services," Rachana Mudraboyina, a trans woman who was in-charge of the clinic, told BBC Hindi.The news of the clinic’s closure has come as a blow to the community.
Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, a trans woman who has visited the clinic, told The Indian Express newspaper that she was "devastated" by the news as the clinic used to offer treatment at subsidised rates.
Another trans woman, who was hoping to use the clinic’s services, told the Express that she was sad that she would no longer be able to do this.
India is estimated to have around two million transgender people, though activists say the number is higher. Despite a 2014 Supreme Court ruling that gives them the same rights as people of other genders, many still struggle to access education and healthcare due to stigma and discrimination.
There are state-run and private hospitals that offer medical help to the community, but many say they prefer going to Mitr Clinics because they find it more affordable and inclusive.
"Transgender people are not treated properly in general hospitals," Rachana says, explaining why the Mitr Clinics were so important for the community.
Trump’s order freezing foreign aid has been criticised by many.
"USAID has made significant contributions in health and education and shutting it down is bound to have an impact on developing countries," Bubberjung Venkatesh, a lawyer, told BBC Hindi.
"It’s a big blow. Its support for HIV prevention was significant," he added.
Last Thursday, the Trump administration said it was going to eliminate more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts. This means that very few projects will survive and the Mitr Clinics are unlikely to be among them.
Elon Musk, a close aide of Trump who also heads a government department in charge of slashing federal spending and jobs, has criticised funding projects for transgender people.
"That’s what American tax dollars were funding," Musk said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday in response to a post about the closure of the Mitr Clinics.
Meanwhile, staff at the clinic say they are looking for funding from other sources and hope that the state government will step in to help.
"We did a lot more than just provide medical help. The clinic also provided us a space to interact with the community, to share advice about various government schemes and health facilities," Rachana says.
"We want to continue [running the clinic] and are trying our best to find donors," she adds. Jagtar Singh Johal acquitted in India terror case (BBC)
BBC [3/4/2025 5:39 AM, Staff, 41523K]
Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, faces several terror charges in connection with political violence in the north of India but has never been convicted.The 37-year-old was arrested in Punjab in November 2017, just weeks after his wedding there.His family and legal team said all the cases against him are similar and the other eight should now be dropped.He is accused of travelling to Paris in 2013 to hand over £3,000 to a co-conspirator in the knowledge the money would be used to fund a series of attacks against Hindu nationalists and other religious leaders in Punjab.Mr Johal’s trial for the eight most serious cases against him started in 2022 and is ongoing. Indian woman, 33, quietly executed in Abu Dhabi for infant’s murder (The Independent)
The Independent [3/4/2025 9:18 PM, Namita Singh, 44.8M]
An Indian woman sentenced to death in Abu Dhabi in the murder of a four-month-old child was executed on 15 February, weeks before her family and the Indian embassy was officially informed, the Delhi High Court was told on Monday.
Shahzadi Khan, 33, had been in custody since 10 February 2023 before being convicted and sentenced to death on 31 July that year. She was held at Al Wathba prison, where she was executed last month.
The revelation about her execution came during a court hearing on Monday following a plea filed by Khan’s father, Shabbir Khan, who had sought information about her legal status and well-being.“It is over. She was executed on 15 February. Her last rites will be held on 5 March,” additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma informed the court. Justice Sachin Datta described the development as “very unfortunate”.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Indian embassy had provided legal support, including submitting mercy petitions and pardon requests to the UAE government. However, the country’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, upheld the death sentence, and UAE authorities officially notified the Indian embassy of the execution on 28 February.
Mr Khan, a resident of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, said he had struggled for clarity on his daughter’s fate, as he lashed out at the Indian government for not taking enough initiative.
In his plea before the court, he stated: "The petitioner, with considerable effort, submitted an application dated February 21, 2025 to the Ministry of External Affairs, seeking to ascertain the current legal status of his daughter and confirm whether she remains alive or has been executed.”“I tried a lot with the Indian government [to help reverse the judgment]. I had been running around since last year,” Mr Khan told the Press Trust of India. “We did not have the money to go there [Abu Dhabi]. The lawyers were expensive and the government did not support us. They hanged her on 15 February and there was no news from MEA. I had a number on which I called and the woman who spoke to me told me my daughter was no more,” he said.
He has now requested the government to arrange his travel to Abu Dhabi to attend his daughter’s last rites. Earlier on 14 February, Mr Khan said, he received a “phone call from my beloved daughter who while crying on phone told me she has been informed about her execution”.“A captain visited me today, and I’ve been isolated. He told me I have no time left,” she said.
Khan was allegedly deceived by a fraudster and trafficked to Abu Dhabi in December 2021 before being implicated in the death of an infant, a crime she vehemently denied committing.
The child, Mr Khan claims, died on 7 December 2022, hours after receiving routine vaccinations. Her legal team argued that she had been pressured into a confession and was inadequately represented during her trial, as Khan’s family maintained her innocence.
According to Abu Dhabi court submissions seen by The Independent, Khan asphyxiated the infant on the “spur of the moment”. She was angry with her employers over “mistreatment and nondelivery of salaries”, the court was told during the trial, and she took out her frustration on their child.
Earlier, her father told The Independent, he had written president Droupadi Murmu and prime minister Narendra Modi to intervene and secure clemency for his daughter.
Her lawyer, Ali Mohammad, criticised the judicial process, alleging that Khan’s execution amounted to an “extrajudicial killing under the guise of legal proceedings”. He said efforts to appeal the sentence were unsuccessful, with a final rejection in February 2024 despite extensive documentation challenging the conviction.
"We wrote to the Indian Embassy, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of External Affairs, urging them to take the matter forward. But what happened in the end, we cannot say," he told India Today.“We approached the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of External Affairs again on February 21, but no information was provided. After two to three days, we filed a writ petition in court, and today, we received official confirmation that she has been executed. Her last rites will be performed in Abu Dhabi on 5 March," he said. China, India Obesity Problems Driving Global Surge, Study Says (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [3/3/2025 6:30 PM, Amber Tong, 5.5M]
China, India and the US will have the world’s largest populations of adults living with overweight and obesity by 2050, according to new research that highlights the global public health crisis and the potential for colossal economic losses.
Without drastic intervention, 3.80 billion adults over the age of 25 years will have overweight and obesity around the world by 2050 compared to 2.11 billion in 2021, researchers wrote in a paper published Tuesday in The Lancet, noting how that will be more than half of the likely global adult population at that time.
Overweight and obesity are tied to higher risks of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. The increased disease burdens could translate into “staggering” economic ramifications, the researchers wrote, citing both direct healthcare costs and indirect loss in productivity.
Forecasts suggest that, by 2035, the obesity epidemic could lead to a 2.9% reduction in global gross domestic product, equating to a loss of $4 trillion.
Around 627 million Chinese adults are projected to be overweight or obese by 2050, followed by 450 million in India, and 214 million in the US — up from 402 million, 180 million and 172 million, respectively, in 2021. Sub-Saharan Africa, on the other hand, will account for the largest percentage increase in overweight and obese individuals — with the population forecast to jump by about 255%.
On top of that, 746 million children and adolescents worldwide – or a third of that population – are projected to live with overweight or obesity by 2050, according to a second study.
The researchers, who comprise a large consortium across Africa, Asia, Europe, New Zealand and the US, made estimates based on existing data from 1990 to 2021 on body-mass index. The projected surge underscores the urgent need for preventative measures on multiple fronts, including changes in policies affecting food supply , built environments and lifestyle choices, they wrote.
In recent years, new pharmaceutical treatments for obesity — particularly so-called GLP-1 drugs from Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co — became a global phenomenon and commanded huge windfalls for their unprecedented ability to spur weight loss and mitigate other conditions tied to obesity. But the researchers said drugs alone are unlikely to be a sufficient remedy.“Although new generation anti-obesity medications appear promising, tactful, whole-system, public health strategies will continue to be crucial to achieving widespread and sustainable impact,” they wrote. India’s north-south divide over Modi’s plan to redraw constituencies (Reuters)
Reuters [3/4/2025 2:42 AM, Rupam Jain, 5.2M]
India’s wealthy southern states are up in arms against a proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to redraw boundaries of parliamentary constituencies, arguing it will result in less representation for them compared to the poorer, more populous north.
M.K. Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, has invited politicians from over 40 parties to a meeting on Wednesday to amplify protests against the federal government’s plan to redefine constituencies in 2026 on the basis of the population.
India’s five southern states include Karnataka, of which tech hub Bengaluru is the capital, industrial powerhouse Tamil Nadu, and Telengana, one of the fastest growing among the country’s 28 states. Together, these five make up about 30% of India’s GDP.
"It is a danger aimed at reducing our representation and crushing our voice," Stalin said of the so-called delimitation exercise, or redrawing constituency boundaries. He has said southern states, none of which are controlled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were being punished for curbing population growth.
The BJP is in power in India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh while an allied party controls neighbouring Bihar. The two states are among the country’s poorest and comprise about 26% of India’s 1.4 billion population, the highest in the world.
According to the constitution, India is supposed to conduct delimitation after every national census.
But India missed the 2021 census due to the pandemic and despite repeated demands, the Modi government is yet to launch the task of counting the estimated 1.4 billion population. The 2011 census had put the national population at 1.21 billion, but the number of elective seats in parliament remains at 543. A new parliament building, inaugurated last year, has allowed for 888 seats.
"Population size alone cannot be the metric to conduct delimitation," Revanth Reddy, the chief minister of Telangana state, said late last month.
He said a new ratio for drawing up constitutional boundaries must be done after a census.
"We (southern states) should not be punished for controlling population and implementing reforms," Reddy said. "The census will show the disparity and a new delimitation plan must be framed."
Home (Interior) Minister Amit Shah has said southern states will not lose representation in the delimitation process.
"The Modi government has made it clear that after delimitation, on pro rata basis, not a single seat will be reduced in any southern state," he said last week.
But Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who uses one name, said on X that Shah’s comments were "not credible".
Many southern leaders were expected to attend Wednesday’s meeting called by Stalin. The BJP has said it will not attend. Workers survive 36 hours buried under India avalanche (CNN)
CNN [3/4/2025 1:30 AM, Kathleen Magramo and Esha Mitra, 22.1M]
Dozens of construction workers have been pulled alive from metal containers after they were trapped by a deadly Himalayan avalanche for around 36 hours, according to authorities in northern India.
The Indian Army launched a rescue operation after heavy snowfall triggered the avalanche last Friday near a construction site in the village of Mana, Uttarakhand state, about 10,500 feet (3,200 meters) above sea level.
Some 46 workers survived inside the containers, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Indian Army said. Eight workers were killed, officials said.
Many of those rescued were migrant laborers constructing a highway in the remote region, according to local authorities.
Lt. Col. Manish Srivastava, a defense spokesperson in Uttarakhand state, told CNN on Tuesday that the workers usually pitch tents but had set up temporary accommodation in eight metal containers due to inclement weather.
The decision likely saved many lives, he said.“The containers… kept people safe and in fact made the rescue efforts easier because to find a body buried under such dense snow is much harder than finding a large container,” he said.
Photos posted to an Indian Army X account showed soldiers with sniffer dogs surrounding partially crushed metal containers in deep snow.“Whoever could be taken out immediately was taken out … we got full support,” one unnamed survivor said from his hospital bed in a video attached to the post.
Avalanches and landslides are common in the Himalayas, especially during winter. But the human-induced climate crisis is making extreme weather events more severe and increasingly unpredictable.
Glaciers in the Himalayas melted 65% faster in the 2010s compared with the previous decade, which suggests rising temperatures are already having an impact in the area, according to a 2023 report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
The erosion of glacial slopes also heightens the likelihood of floods, landslides and avalanches, increasing the risk to millions living in mountain communities.
In 2021, more than 200 people died after part of a glacier collapsed in Uttarakhand, carrying a deadly mixture of ice, rock and water that tore through a mountain gorge and crashed through a dam. India, EU Seek to Emerge as Poles of Stability in an Uncertain World (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [3/3/2025 4:14 PM, Elizabeth Roche, 53K]
India and the European Union last week announced a "new era" in ties, unveiling a roadmap for deepening relations as they marked the beginning of the third decade of their strategic partnership amid a major churn in global economics and politics.
European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen, who was in New Delhi on February 27-28, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to upgrade ties in a slew of areas spanning critical and new technologies, security, supply chain de-risking and resilience, and trade.
Some areas that have been listed out – including cooperation in renewables, climate, water, smart and sustainable urbanization, disaster management, mobility and migration of professionals, and security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific – are not new.
However, several new elements have been added. This includes setting a year-end deadline for the completion of talks for a free trade pact, which first started in 2007. The EU is also looking to partner India in defense and security with projects under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and to discuss signing a Security of Information Agreement (SoIA). These underline a sense of urgency in setting an energized agenda amid pressing global uncertainties.
Von der Leyen was accompanied by 25 of 27 EU commissioners for her India visit, making it unprecedented in India-EU relations. This was also the first visit outside Europe for the new College of Commissioners, which took office in December.
"Touchdown in Delhi with my team of Commissioners. In an era of conflicts and intense competition, you need trusted friends. For Europe, India is such a friend and a strategic ally. I’ll discuss with @narendramodi how to take our strategic partnership to the next level," von der Leyen said in a post on X.
India established diplomatic relations with the European Economic Community, the precursor to the EU, in 1962. India-EU summits at the leadership level were institutionalized as an annual feature from the year 2000.
According to an Indian official, von der Leyen’s visit to India was about six months in the making. However, it materialized only after Donald Trump, who sees Europe as a competitor and rival rather than a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally and partner, took over as the 47th president of the United States in January. The trans-Atlantic partnership seems shakier than ever as Europe braces for the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on its exports to the U.S., and as Trump looks to resolve the conflict raging in Ukraine directly with Russia, without Europe or Ukraine at the table.
India has traditionally had strong ties with Russia, which, much to Europe’s chagrin, it maintained even after the Ukraine conflict began in February 2022. New Delhi was pressured to give up buying discounted Russian oil, which Western leaders said generated funds for Russia to keep its war on Ukraine going. India has resisted such pressure, in part due to worries about the growing closeness between Russia and China since the start of the Ukraine war. While individual member-states in Europe perceive China variously as a partner and a competitor, the EU sees it as a "systemic rival.".
Trump’s likely cutback on support to Ukraine could make some quarters in India concerned over the possibility of the U.S. president cutting a deal with China next and pulling back from Asia, giving Beijing unbridled sway on the continent. India is uneasy with the idea of China dominating Asia and has often made a case for a multipolar Asia.
No wonder then that Modi and von der Leyen referenced the global disorder during the latter’s visit to Delhi, as they called for closer ties between the two economic powerhouses. It is clear that both are looking out for options to steady their interests and are hedging their bets in the current global crisis.
"Geoeconomic and political circumstances are rapidly evolving. And old equations are breaking down. In times like these, the partnership between India and the EU becomes even more important," Modi said at the start of talks with von der Leyen. "A shared belief in democratic values, strategic autonomy, and rule-based global order unite India and the EU. Both countries are mega diverse market economies. In a sense, we are natural strategic partners," he continued.
Von der Leyen agreed that India and the EU are confronted by similar headwinds. At a public event in New Delhi, she said the EU and India were uniquely placed to respond to these together, given a great alignment of interests. Pitching the India-EU partnership as indispensable in the current global turbulence, von der Leyen said the two sides could "offer each other distinctive alternatives and tools to make ourselves stronger, more secure, and more sovereign.".
This endowed the collaboration with the potential to be one of "the defining partnerships of this century," von der Leyen said, borrowing a familiar phrase previously used by Indian and U.S. leaders to describe their bilateral relations.
The new phase of the India-EU partnership would see the two sides pursue the new security partnership and connectivity projects like the India-Middle East-Europe-Economic Corridor, besides convergence in areas like "Make in India" and "Made in Europe.".
Areas where complementarities between India and the EU exist include electronics, semiconductors, telecommunications, engineering, pharmaceuticals and the need to secure reliable supply chains. Both sides are also focused on speeding up collaboration in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space technology, and 6G – all of which will help propel ties forward.
During the meeting in New Delhi, the two sides made efforts to highlight common ground. Hence, the stress on shared democratic values, open market economies, and diverse pluralistic societies with "their commitment and shared interest in shaping a resilient multipolar global order that underpins peace and stability, economic growth and sustainable development.".
The Joint Leaders’ Statement also spoke of "shared values and principles," including rule of law and the rules-based international order in line with the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter.
"The India-EU Strategic partnership is needed now, more than ever, to jointly address global issues, foster stability, and promote mutual prosperity," it said.
There was also stock taking of the working of the relatively new Trade and Technology Council. Set up in April 2022, the Council is a crucial platform to smoothen challenges that arise at "the confluence of trade, trusted technology and security.".
"The TTC reflects a shared acknowledgement between the EU and India of the increasingly critical links between trade and technology, the potential of cooperation on these issues to enhance the economies of both partners, and the need to work together on the related security challenges," said a statement after the talks.
While an India-EU partnership forged amid a crisis could deliver results, both sides will have to work hard to keep the bilateral track insulated from outside challenges in a choppy world. Both India and the EU will have to devote time, resources, and energy to make sure the new partnership roadmap is adhered to so that India and Europe emerge stable and reliable poles of reference for others in an unsteady world. NSB
‘Gotham but no Batman’: Crime grips Bangladesh 6 months after Hasina fled (Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera [3/4/2025 12:00 AM, Mehedi Hasan Marof, 18.2M]
When Maydul Hassan was first mugged, he thought he had hit rock bottom. But within a week, the 21-year-old student was battered and robbed again – this time, in front of the police, who, according to Hassan, stood by and did nothing.
Hassan, who participated in last year’s student-led uprising that helped unseat longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now wonders what the nation he risked his life for has turned into. “This is what I got in return,” he said. “The nation is drowning in crime, no one seems to care.”
On February 13, a group of men ambushed him at about 10pm, while he was returning home from his part-time job at a tech firm in the capital’s Mirpur area. The attackers took his Pixel 4XL phone, wallet, university ID and headphones.
Days later, on February 18, he was beaten and robbed. The assailants snatched the new Google Pixel 7 phone he had just bought on a $400 loan, then mocked him as he pleaded with them to return it.
The police were stationed only metres away, Hassan said. “I cried, I begged, but the police did nothing.”
When Hassan later attempted to file a complaint at the nearby police station, a local man claiming to be a member of Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the main opposition parties that has gained influence since Hasina’s ouster, intervened. “You don’t need to file this. I’ll find your phone,” the man assured him, escorting him outside – and then demanded money in return.
Desperate, Hassan withdrew and handed over 3,500 Bangladeshi taka ($29) from a nearby ATM. He soon realised he had been tricked. The man, he later discovered, had also been part of Hasina’s student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) – an all-too-common case of political opportunism where members of fallen parties shift loyalties overnight to align with those in power.
Hassan eventually filed a complaint online, a copy of which he showed to Al Jazeera, but no police action has followed.“I live in a country where, even as a victim, I am harassed inside a police station. Criminals walk freely, flexing their power in front of officers, and the police do nothing. I begged in front of them, and all they did was watch,” Hassan wrote in a Facebook post that went viral overnight.
Ali Ahmed Masud, the chief of Dhanmondi Police Station, where Hassan had gone, insisted that no one was obstructed from lodging a complaint. “From my understanding, there may have been an agreement that the phone would be returned, which is why he initially chose not to file a General Diary [police complaint],” Masud said.“But later, when he did file one, we are actively working to recover the phone and take actions against the muggers.”
However, Masud did not comment on the allegation that police officers stood by without intervening while Hassan was being attacked. “It hasn’t come to my knowledge yet. I’ll look into it,” Masud said.
Safety on edge
Hassan’s ordeal is not an isolated case. Bangladesh, home to 170 million people, is experiencing its worst crime wave in years. Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, the streets have grown increasingly perilous. In January 2025 alone, police reported 242 cases of mugging and robbery – the highest number in six years – across Bangladesh.
At least 294 murders were recorded in January 2025, compared with 231 in the same month the previous year. Robberies surged from 114 to 171, and abductions more than doubled. Police data also show a sharp rise in muggings, robberies and abductions in November and December last year, surpassing figures from the same period over the previous five years.“The figures are alarming,” said Najmus Sakib, a criminology assistant professor at Dhaka University. “People fought for democracy, but now they are afraid to step outside their homes. That doesn’t give a positive sign about the state of our law enforcement.”
However, retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, who is in charge of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs, retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, has dismissed these concerns, claiming that the government is appropriately dealing with the increasing crime rate.“You will feel tonight that our law enforcement activities have increased significantly,” Chowdhury told reporters during an emergency news conference at 3am on February 24 – hours after a wave of muggings in different parts of Dhaka sparked panic among residents.‘Never seen such a bad situation’
In one incident, Anwar Hossain, a jeweller, was attacked outside his home while carrying gold worth approximately 28,100,000 taka ($232,000) in cash. Six men on motorcycles tried to snatch his bag. When he resisted, they shot him and fled. With gunshot wounds in both legs, Hossein is now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The incident, captured on video, went viral and sparked outrage and protests across Dhaka, with demonstrators demanding Chowdhury’s resignation. Between February 1 and February 26, dozens of violent crimes – including murder, rape, robbery and extortion – nationwide were reported in local media, with gruesome videos and firsthand accounts from victims circulated widely on social media.“There was theft and snatching before, but now, it is out of limit,” said Rahmat Ullah, a rickshaw driver in his 50s. He added that he had “never seen such a bad situation” in more than 17 years of work. His passengers have been victims of attacks too, Ullah said.“I used to save up the money I earned over 15 to 20 days and send it home through a bank. Now, whatever I earn each day, I send back home immediately [via a mobile financial service].”
Despite this, the government has been hesitant to acknowledge the crisis. Asif Nazrul, the adviser for the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs ministry, conceded government shortcomings, but insisted that the interim administration under Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was doing all it could.“Sometimes, the situation was good, sometimes extremely bad,” Nazrul said. “But we are making relentless efforts to control the situation.”
For many Bangladeshis, these assurances ring hollow.
Protests have erupted across university campuses, led by several student groups, especially after a wave of reported rapes across the country – of which Al Jazeera could independently verify at least 10. The protesters have demanded the immediate resignation of the Home Affairs adviser and urgent action to tackle the deteriorating law and order situation.“My parents worry every time I step outside, and this is the reality for all women like me. We just want to hustle through our daily life not being raped or hijacked and make it home safely without any fear,” said Eti Akter, one of the protesters, told Al Jazeera. “Life now feels more unsafe than ever.”
Such insecurity was previously associated with the “thugs” of the Chhatra League, the student wing of Hasina’s Awami League, said Tanvir Rifat, another protester. Now, the Awami League is gone, but the crime has only grown.“This is not the Bangladesh we hoped to see after the mass uprising. It feels like everything could be snatched away at any moment,” Rifat said. He compared “the streets of Dhaka” with Gotham, the fictional, crime-riddled metropolis from the DC universe. “But, sadly, we don’t have a Batman.”
Tawohidul Haque, a crime analyst and associate professor at Dhaka University’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research, told Al Jazeera that one of the key indicators of an improving crime situation is whether people feel safe at home, outside and while commuting.”People now do not feel safe any more,” he said.
Farisa Nusrat, a Dhaka University student, said she avoids staying out late. “My parents don’t allow it any more. Even if I stay, they keep calling me,” she said.
Many private university students from different institutions are now demanding online classes during Ramadan, citing safety concerns.Government struggles
On February 8, the government launched Operation Devil Hunt, a joint military and police crackdown that was meant to tackle the rising crime wave. But while more than 9,000 arrests have been made, violent crime continues unabated.
Mubashar Hasan, a political analyst, believes the interim government is struggling to maintain order. “Unlike an elected government with a unified chain of command, the current administration consists of figures from different backgrounds with competing priorities,” he told Al Jazeera.“While there is no lack of intention to curb crime, their capacity to do so remains limited.”
After Chowdhury’s, the Home Affairs adviser, February 24 news conference, police arrested 248 people allegedly involved in various criminal activities in different parts of Dhaka, within 24 hours.
But “arrests mean nothing if we don’t feel safe on the streets,” Hassan, the 21-year-old student, said.
As fear spreads, some citizens have taken security into their own hands. In multiple neighbourhoods, locals have formed self-defence patrols, armed with sticks and batons to fend off muggers. In one shocking case, two men suspected of mugging were beaten and hung upside down from a Dhaka footbridge by an angry crowd on February 25. That same night, another suspected mugger was beaten to death.“This is what happens when people lose faith in law enforcement – they resort to vigilante justice,” said Tawohidul Haque, an associate professor at Dhaka University’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research.
In January alone, 16 people were killed in mob violence nationwide, according to the rights body Ain O Salish Kendra.
Experts attribute the surge in crime to the political turmoil following Hasina’s removal.“A sudden power shift creates unrest and a power vacuum – an environment where lawbreakers thrive,” said criminology assistant professor Sakib. “Criminals saw this instability as an opportunity, which is why crime has peaked.”
Sakib also pointed out that Bangladesh Police, the primary law enforcement agency, are struggling to regain public trust. “During the deadly protest against Hasina, police were widely accused of human rights violations and were seen as an adversary of the people. This loss of ‘moral authority’ has weakened their ability to function effectively.”
Since Hasina’s August removal, the Yunus government has moved out the heads of each of Bangladesh’s 50 police stations for allegedly being close to Hasina’s party.“New officers aren’t familiar with their assigned areas. They lack informants and haven’t had time to develop a comprehensive crime-fighting strategy,” Sakib said. All of this, he added, “has created a vacuum that criminals are exploiting”.
Another driving force behind the crime wave is the release on bail of convicted criminals – some of whom were once listed as “top terror” figures – after the political transition, a senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer said.“We have reports that many of these individuals have returned to crime, reviving old extortion rackets and gang operations,” the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We plan to appeal for bail cancellations, but the issue is that many of these criminals were bailed through the influence of politicians who now hold power.”
Sakid said: “Mass bail for convicted criminals was done so rapidly, and it spreads a negative message to the people in society. Though this is a judicial matter, the sheer speed at which terror-listed figures have been freed is alarming. Public safety should have been carefully assessed before allowing these individuals back onto the streets.”
Weapons looted during political uprisings have also found their way into criminal hands, fulling a rise in armed muggings. Videos of masked gangs wielding weapons have spread fear across social media.
Hasan, the political analyst, argues that a democratically elected government would be far more effective in restoring law and order.“A political government elected by the people will have much more strength and legitimacy,” he said.
The interim government has yet to announce a concrete timeline for elections. However, Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, told the media on February 24 that polls could take place at the latest by March 2026.
But for many young Bangladeshis, every day without a sense of security feels like a betrayal.“We took to the streets last year for a safer Bangladesh where the standard of living will be ensured by the state, and now we are at the mercy of criminals, perhaps patronised by the politicians who will rule the country in the near future,” Rifat, the protester, said.“What was the point?” Art Institute of Chicago returning 12-century sculpture to Nepal after finding it was stolen (CBS News)
CBS News [3/3/2025 8:21 PM, Adam Harrington and Chrissy Amaya, 51.7M]
The Art Institute of Chicago announced Monday that it is returning a 12th-century sculpture to Nepal.
The museum said it learned that the sculpture, "Buddha Sheltered by the Serpent King Muchalinda," was stolen from that country. The discovery was made as part of ongoing research by the Art Institute into the provenance of its collections.
The sculpture depicts what the Art Institute called "a powerful story of divine intervention and protection," in which the serpent king Muchalinda rises to create a protective cave around the Buddha during a sudden and severe storm. This allowed the Buddha to remain in deep meditation.
The Art Institute has had the sculpture on regular view in its galleries since 1997, and has featured it in landmark exhibitions.
But the Art Institute and the Government of Nepal, working together, agreed that the sculpture had been stolen from the Guita Bahi in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.
"This sacred sculpture is a carrier of stories, traditions, and values that have shaped Nepal’s religious, spiritual, and cultural identity for centuries. Its return strengthens the bond between heritage and community, ensuring future generations can connect with their history," Sharad Raj Aran, Chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Nepal, said in a news release. "We deeply appreciate the collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago in making this repatriation possible, and we look forward to building on this partnership through continued dialogue and future collaboration in the areas of cultural preservation, research, and exchange."
The museum is now working with the Nepalese Embassy in Washington, D.C. to return the sculpture. Sri Lanka should avoid tax exemptions, focus on passing budget, IMF says (Reuters)
Reuters [3/4/2025 12:55 AM, Uditha Jayasinghe, 5.2M]
Sri Lanka should avoid tax exemptions and focus on passing a national budget that is in line with parameters set by the International Monetary Fund to continue with a $2.9 billion program from the international lender, an IMF official said on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka mounted a "remarkable" recovery from a deep financial crisis triggered by a record shortfall of dollars three years ago, the global lender said after approving a fourth tranche of $334 million under a Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program.
However, the South Asian island nation must now boost tax compliance, improve targeting of social welfare, and smoothen capital spending to support better management of public finances, Peter Breuer, IMF’s senior mission chief for Sri Lanka told reporters in an online briefing.
The IMF also backed restoring cost-recovery electricity pricing to bolster finances of the island nation’s power monopoly after Sri Lanka reduced tariffs by 20% in January.
"At the next tariff setting it is important to ensure that tariffs are once again set to recover the cost," Breuer said.
"Another important issue for the next review will of course be that the budget that is finally passed this month is consistent with the parameters so this is something we will be watching very carefully."
Additionally, he said it is crucial that Sri Lanka finalises bilateral agreements with official creditors including Japan, India and China after Colombo secured a preliminary agreement on a $10 billion debt rework last June.
The IMF finalised the third review after Sri Lanka’s new president Anura Kumara Dissanayake rolled out his first full-year budget last month, which included committing to a primary surplus target of 2.3% of GDP for 2025 set under the IMF program.
The IMF bailout secured in March 2023 helped stabilise financial and business conditions after Sri Lanka’s economy contracted by 7.3% at the depth of its financial crisis and by 2.3% in 2023.
Sri Lanka’s economy is projected to have grown by 4.5% last year with growth forecast at 3% in 2025, according to latest IMF data. Central Asia
Kazakhstan hikes oil output to a record high of 2.12 million bpd in February, source says (Reuters)
Reuters [3/3/2025 9:08 AM, Guy Faulconbridge and Emelia Sithole-Matarise, 2456K]
Kazakhstan raised crude oil and gas condensate production in February by 13% from January to a record high 2.12 million barrels per day, a source told Reuters on Monday, again exceeding its quota within the OPEC+ group of oil producers.
Excluding gas condensate, a type of light oil, crude oil production jumped last month by 15.5% from January to 1.83 million bpd, according to the source familiar with the official statistics, and Reuters calculations, which take into account Kazakhstan’s tons per barrel ratio of 7.5.
Kazakhstan has persistently exceeded its output quota of 1.468 million bpd under the production-curbing deal struck by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia - together known as OPEC+.
It has promised to cut the output and compensate for overproduction.
However, it is boosting oil production at the Chevron-led Tengiz oilfield, country’s largest.
The field saw production increase to 904,000 bpd last month from 640,000 bpd in January following completion of maintenance and due to an expansion programme, the source said.
The energy ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Output has also increased despite last-month’s drone attack at a pumping station on Russia’s stretch of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which exports around 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil.
Kazakhstan said last month the oil supplies via CPC were on schedule. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Agent Law Proposal Could Severely Impact Civil Society and Media Freedom (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [3/3/2025 8:12 AM, Albert Otkjær, 777K]
On February 12, a parliamentary inquiry regarding a foreign agent law was presented to the lower house of Kazakhstan’s parliament. The bill was presented by five parliamentarians led by Irina Smirnova from the People’s Party of Kazakhstan. The group cited a desire for greater sovereignty as the rationale behind the proposal. Smirnova argued that the state should not allow the imposition of foreign values on Kazakhstan, pointing to similar laws enacted in other countries as a precedent.
According to Smirnova, nearly 200 NGOs in Kazakhstan receive foreign funding, with 70 percent of these organizations funded through various U.S. sources, a figure that seems to align with publicly available data. Many of these NGOs operate in the media sector or focus on freedom of speech, a common area of work for civil society organizations.
As seen in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and most recently Georgia, laws of this nature often increase financial oversight of NGOs. Given the recent freeze of USAID funding in January, such legislation could further impact Kazakh civil society. Additionally, new regulations might target media outlets like RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, Radio Azattyk, which Smirnova accused of portraying Kazakhstan in a consistently negative light.
Shortly after Smirnova’s inquiry, the proposal faced criticism, primarily for being redundant. According to political analyst Gaziz Abishev, the Kazakh government already has multiple mechanisms in place to control civil society, so a new law isn’t necessary. This was seconded by political scientist Islam Kurayev, who argued that Kazakhstan already established a register in 2023 listing entities and individuals receiving foreign funding. Combined with what he described as "social tensions and restructuring within the public sector," Kurayev believes the state does not need additional legislation.
Kazakh officials claim that the foreign funding register was designed to boost public trust in the state and NGOs. However, multiple human rights organizations have described it as a "foreign agent" list. Despite these concerns, the register itself did not impose any new legal burdens on NGOs.
While the register includes media organizations such as Reuters, the specific outlet Smirnova criticized, Radio Azattyk, is notably absent. This omission raises concerns that a new law could further restrict independent media in Kazakhstan. A foreign agent law could also introduce stricter rules for NGOs and journalists alike, potentially mirroring the measures implemented in Russia and Kyrgyzstan, where such laws have resulted in increased scrutiny, mandatory labeling of published materials, and severe penalties for non-compliance.
Despite USAID only disbursing $9.5 million to Kazakhstan in 2024 according to partially reported official figures, an amount relatively minor compared to neighboring countries, the funds still had a substantial importance for local civil society organizations. Programs in the spheres of democracy, human rights, and governance, which received around $2 million last year via USAID, have been significantly affected by the recent funding freeze. This includes the temporary suspension of an English language training program for journalists and several civic engagement initiatives. Another affected project, the Civil Society Support Program in Central Asia (CSSP), was set to receive $150,000 before its funding was paused just nine months before its scheduled completion. If USAID funding is fully withdrawn, many projects like these may never receive their remaining grants.
Smirnova has suggested that foreign funding should still be permitted for humanitarian and scientific work while imposing restrictions on media and human rights organizations. She stated, "Such an approach will protect national interests but will not lead to persecution or hinder the development of a healthy civil society." However, while some organizations may continue operating without foreign aid, those focusing on discrimination and civil rights are likely to face significant challenges.
On February 17, independent media outlet Mediazona announced its indefinite closure without specifying a reason. While the timing coincides with the parliamentary inquiry, as well as the suspension of USAID funds, it remains unclear whether the events are connected.
The debate over foreign funding in Kazakhstan raises broader questions about the country’s commitment to media freedom and civic engagement in an increasingly restrictive political climate. Uzbekistan trying to lure labor migrants back home (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [3/3/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
The Uzbek government is conducting a campaign to lure labor migrants back home to work on a mega project to remake the capital, Tashkent.
Over the past week, Uzbek embassies in countries that traditionally attract large numbers of Uzbek guest workers, including Russia and Turkey, have posted notices about employment opportunities in Uzbekistan to build “New Tashkent.” The notices say that there are up to 10,000 jobs available offering competitive salaries for skilled construction workers, including electricians and masons. “Go back home … and have an opportunity to earn a decent income,” urges the appeal posted on Telegram by the Uzbek Embassy in Turkey.
The New Tashkent project is a planned expansion of the Uzbek capital, based on a design created by a UK-based firm Cross Works. The government gave its final approval for the plan in late 2024 and it was formally unveiled in January.
The plan envisions the development of 25,000 acres of land capable of accommodating 2.5 million inhabitants on the outskirts of the present city between the Chirchiq and Karasu Rivers. The first phase of construction will involve a parcel of about 6,000 hectares. New Tashkent is projected to eventually house government buildings, including the presidential administration complex and ministries. It will also include a university campus, as well as cultural and retail shopping facilities.
A series of canals are incorporated into the design intended to give the new section of the city a “green Amsterdam” vibe. If built to its current specifications, Tashkent’s population would increase by roughly 50 percent to about 7.5 million. The video presentation designed by urban planners and engineers offers a beguiling glimpse of the city’s potential future. Where the money will come from to turn that vision into reality is anybody’s guess.Government officials believe the New Tashkent can be a driver of growth for the country, which has been running up big trade deficits in recent years. Officials want to retool the economy to transform Uzbekistan into primarily an exporter of finished goods, instead of serving as a source of raw materials and natural resources.
The initiative to attract labor migrants back home to build New Tashkent fits into a government strategy, adopted in 2024, to steer Uzbeks away from seeking low-wage jobs in Russia and elsewhere, and instead ‘train-up’ workers to fill skilled labor positions, including in the European Union. Indo-Pacific
Afghan and Pakistani forces trade fire at the border as a key crossing remains closed (AP)
AP [3/3/2025 8:15 AM, Riaz Khan, 456K]
Pakistani and Afghan forces traded fire overnight at a key northwestern border crossing that has been closed for more than a week over a dispute between the two neighbors, officials said Monday.
The Interior Ministry in Kabul said one Afghan security personnel was killed and another was injured in the incident at the Torkham crossing, which has been shut for 11 days due to Pakistan disputing Afghanistan’s construction of a new border post there.
Both countries have in the past closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman border crossing, most often over deadly shootings and cross-fire. The crossings are vital for trade and travel between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan.
A Pakistani official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said that Taliban security forces opened fire unprovoked in the early hours of Monday, targeting Pakistan’s border post with automatic weapons. Pakistani personnel returned fire, the official said.
The spokesman for the Interior Ministry in Kabul, Abdul Mateen Qani, said Pakistan initiated the violence and that Afghan border police had tried to resolve the issue through dialogue. “But they (Pakistan) continued this fight and our security forces went into defensive mode and responded.”
Qani said Pakistan also suffered casualties, without giving a figure, and damage to border posts.
Thousands of trucks and vehicles were stranded on both sides of the Torkham crossing, leaving people stuck in harsh winter conditions.
Shakirullah Safi, the chief executive of Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said Afghan traders were losing $500,000 a day because of the closure.“When this gate is open, 600 to 700 vehicles travel between us and Pakistan carrying exports and imports,” said Safi. “There are 5,000 containers stuck on both sides and are all at a standstill. Afghan traders are suffering huge losses because they are working on both sides.” Pakistani, Afghan security forces clash at closed main border crossing (Reuters)
Reuters [3/3/2025 8:21 AM, Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Mushtaq Ali, 41523K]
Pakistani and Afghan security forces clashed on Monday at the recently shuttered main border crossing between the two countries, killing at least one combatant and injuring several, officials said.
The conflict erupted on the first working day of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan, which is facing a humanitarian and hunger crisis. A 10-day-old closure of the Torkham border point has stranded thousands of trucks filled with essential goods.
The Taliban-run Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday the latest firing took place overnight and that one Taliban fighter had been killed and two injured. Two Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that members of the Pakistani security forces had been wounded.
Pakistan’s foreign office did not respond to a request for comment.
The neighbouring countries have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several Islamist militant attacks that have occurred there have been launched from Afghan soil - a charge the Taliban deny. Pakistani military aircraft carried out strikes that killed dozens on Afghan territory in December.
Abdul Mateen Qaniee, the Afghan interior ministry spokesperson, said that this week’s clashes had been resolved but did not comment on whether the border crossing would now reopen. It has been shut since February 21.
The latest closure, which chamber of commerce officials said was sparked by a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost, has left 5,000 trucks stranded and traders alarmed at rising losses.
"This is a very serious issue and is badly affecting trade between the two countries," said Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.
The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the two countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.
Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan’s Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located, said the closure had caused at least $15 million in losses.
It could exacerbate the challenges confronting the Afghan economy, which has teetered near crisis since the Taliban took over in 2021, leading to a cut in development aid and sanctions affecting the banking sector that has hampered businesses.
Millions of Afghans are at risk of hunger and around half the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive, according to the United Nations. U.S. actions may set polio eradication back, WHO says (Reuters)
Reuters [3/3/2025 9:33 PM, Jennifer Rigby, 41523K]
The eradication of polio as a global health threat may be delayed unless U.S. funding cuts – potentially totaling hundreds of millions of dollars over several years – are reversed, a senior World Health Organization official has warned.
The WHO works with groups such as UNICEF and the Gates Foundation to end polio. The planned withdrawal of the United States from WHO has impacted efforts, including stopping collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, UNICEF’s polio grant was terminated as the State Department cut 90% of USAID’s grants worldwide to align aid with President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policy.
In total, the partnership is missing $133 million from the U.S. that was expected this year, said Hamid Jafari, director of the polio eradication programme for the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean region. The area includes two countries where a wild form of polio is spreading: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"If the funding shortfall continues, it may potentially delay eradication, it may lead to more children getting paralyzed," he said, adding that the longer it took to end polio, the more expensive it would be.
He said the partners were working out ways to cope with the funding shortage, which will largely impact personnel and surveillance, but hoped the U.S. would return to funding the fight against polio.
"We are looking at other funding sources ... to sustain both the priority staff and priority activities," he said.
He said vaccination campaigns in both Afghanistan and Pakistan would be protected.
UNICEF did not respond to requests for comment, and a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation reiterated that no foundation could fill the gap left by the U.S. Saudi Arabia gave $500 million to polio eradication last week.
The partnership already faces a $2.4 billion shortfall to 2029, as it accepted last year that it would take longer, and cost more, to eradicate the disease than hoped. Twitter
Afghanistan
Sara Wahedi@SaraWahedi
[3/3/2025 11:19 AM, 99.6K followers, 11 retweets, 57 likes]
Trump defended the Doha Agreement by saying it would stop terrorism. Now, the Taliban has announced it rejects the deal and it is invalid, strongarming the U.S. and leaving the future of ‘counterterrorism’ in the region in question. https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-united-states-doha-agreement/33331666.html
Husna Jalal@HusnaJalal79
[3/3/2025 7:18 AM, 6.8K followers, 21 retweets, 152 likes]
I was honored to participate in the panel on ‘Afghan Women’s Demands for Justice and Accountability’ at the side event of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council @UN_HRC. I discussed the global significance of Afghan women’s courageous resistance against the ongoing deterioration of their rights under the Taliban regime.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[3/3/2025 11:06 AM, 5.5K followers, 100 retweets, 248 likes]
With the arrival of March 8, Afghan women and girls protested inside Afghanistan. They raised their voices against gender apartheid, the denial of education, & loss of freedom. For three years, they have been living under unbearable oppression. World must not forget Afghan women.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[3/3/2025 7:47 AM, 5.5K followers, 2 likes]
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in #Afghanistan, has emphasized that the worsening human rights crisis in Afghanistan is being further compounded by the drastic reduction in support and assistance, including the suspension.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[3/3/2025 7:37 AM, 5.5K followers, 154 retweets, 189 likes]
Taliban forces have arrested Wazir Khan, a 25-year-old Afghan educator and vocal advocate for girls’ education. He was taken from his home in Kabul on February 24 by four Taliban officials and is now held at their General Directorate of Intelligence: https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/taliban-afghan-activist-wazir-khan-arrested-b2707907.html
Beth W. Bailey@BWBailey85
[3/3/2025 7:19 AM, 8K followers, 19 retweets, 107 likes]
16-year-old Mursal talks about threats received for teaching English, escape from Afghanistan, and the hardships facing women in her country in the latest episode of The Afghanistan Project Podcast Please listen, share, and subscribe: https://youtu.be/5kIv-gjDbEQ?si=NEHmZkSsF6m5B0tF Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[3/3/2025 10:36 AM, 3.1M followers, 22 retweets, 35 likes]
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are proving to be a game-changer for Pakistan’s future, driving unprecedented economic and infrastructure growth. By combining the innovation and efficiency of the private sector with the vision and resources of the public sector, these collaborations are unlocking new opportunities. #EconomicGrowth #InfrastructureDevelopment
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[3/3/2025 9:43 AM, 3.1M followers, 11 retweets, 28 likes]
Message of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on #WorldWildlifeDay Our government in collaboration with local communities, conservationists, and international partners continues to strengthen efforts to raise awareness about the critical importance of biodiversity. Let’s join hands to spread the love for Pakistan’s beautiful #wildlife treasures and fulfill our responsibilities as a dutiful member of the global community.
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[3/4/2025 12:58 AM, 8.6M followers, 34 retweets, 117 likes]
Prices go through the roof despite claims by capital admin. Media is pointing out the helplessness of the state against greedy shopkeepers but top government officials are celebrating a drop in inflation through advertisements on public exchequer. India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/4/2025 2:03 AM, 105.6M followers, 533 retweets, 1.7K likes]
MSMEs play a transformative role in the economic growth of our country. We are committed to nurturing and strengthening this sector. Sharing my remarks during a webinar on the MSME sector.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/3/2025 7:48 AM, 105.6M followers, 3.3K retweets, 18K likes]
There have been significant deliberations and outcomes during the meeting of the National Board for Wildlife held in Gir today, which is also #WorldWildlifeDay!
This includes:
Laying the foundation stone of a National Referral Centre for Wildlife at Junagadh.
Announcement of the 16th Asiatic Lion Population Estimation to be conducted in 2025.
Establishment of Centre of Excellence to deal with Human-animal conflict at SACON, Coimbatore.
Allocation of over Rs. 2900 crore for all aspects of lion conservation over the next decade. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2107778
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/3/2025 7:48 AM, 105.6M followers, 182 retweets, 373 likes]
It would make every Indian happy that the report of the first-ever riverine dolphin estimation was released in which we not only got the estimate of the dolphin population but also got valuable insights on how to make their habitats even more secure in the times to come.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/3/2025 7:48 AM, 105.6M followers, 550 retweets, 1.2K likes] We discussed ways to minimise forest fires and human-animal conflicts and also leveraging technology including AI in this endeavour. We are also going to work on Project Gharial to overcome the challenge of their dwindling population and on Project Indian Sloth Bear.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/3/2025 7:49 AM, 105.6M followers, 558 retweets, 1.2K likes]
Community participation is what makes any wildlife conservation effort successful. In this context, we deliberated on ways to boost involvement of local communities and also expressed delight on the rise in community reserves.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/4/2025 2:34 AM, 26.5M followers, 37 retweets, 275 likes]
Officer Trainees of Indian Revenue Service called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President said that IRS officers have crucial role to play, as they would oversee the process to ensure that everyone contributes according to their lawful capacity, while being treated with dignity and respect.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/3/2025 9:58 AM, 26.5M followers, 314 retweets, 2.3K likes]
On the sidelines of the Visitor’s Conference, a group of alumni, eminent personalities and contributors towards CSR called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President told them that they are role models for younger generations. When successful people like them demonstrate generosity, younger people are likely to follow their example.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/3/2025 9:24 AM, 26.5M followers, 200 retweets, 1.2K likes]
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the two-day Visitor’s Conference 2024-25 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President told the heads of the institutions of higher learning that they have a crucial role in achieving the goal of establishing India as an important centre of the knowledge economy.
Richard Rossow@RichardRossow
[3/3/2025 10:47 AM, 29.9K followers, 380 retweets, 1.7K likes]
India’s ability to win job-creating manufacturing investments doesn’t require trade deals, PLI programs, or tariffs. A winning strategy: Concrete reforms & execution by states. Land acquisition, power pricing & availability, flexible labor regs, stable industrial regs.
Richard Rossow@RichardRossow
[3/3/2025 10:39 AM, 29.9K followers, 4 likes]
India’s foreign minister headed to the U.K. and Ireland this week. https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/39117/Visit_of_External_Affairs_Minister_to_UK_and_Ireland_March_0409_2025 NSB
Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh@ChiefAdviserGoB
[3/4/2025 1:12 AM, 119.3K followers, 6 retweets, 98 likes]
Yesterday Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus inaugurates Anjuman JR Tower in Kakrail and shares iftar with orphaned children. #Bangladesh #ChiefAdviser
Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh@ChiefAdviserGoB
[3/3/2025 7:51 AM, 119.3K followers, 25 retweets, 422 likes]
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday inaugurates the new building of charity organisation Anjuman Mufidul Islam in Dhaka. #Bangladesh #ChiefAdviser
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[3/3/2025 12:19 PM, 101.3K followers, 9 likes]
A pleasure to welcome @PioSmith_UN Asia-Pacific Regional Director of @UNFPA, on his first visit to Bhutan. Grateful for @UNFPA’s continued support and look forward to strengthening our partnership for a healthier, more equitable future.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives@MoFAmv
[3/3/2025 4:18 AM, 55.4K followers, 31 retweets, 26 likes]
Statement by the Government of Maldives condemning the Israeli government’s decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip | https://t.ly/tW1ix
Embassy of Nepal, Washington, D.C.@nepalembassyusa
[3/3/2025 1:02 PM, 3.5K followers, 1 retweet, 10 likes]
The Embassy, in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago, held a ceremony today to initiate the return of the revered Nepali sculpture-Buddha Sheltered by the Serpent King Muchalinda-to Nepal.
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[3/3/2025 11:16 PM, 8K followers, 6 retweets, 37 likes]
As economic opportunities return to Sri Lanka, income will increase, poverty will be reduced & it will be more attractive to remain in Sri Lanka, not migrate. Those who have migrated will find opportunities back in Sri Lanka -IMF Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, Peter Breuer-Despite all our challenges, there no other land like Sri Lanka
Harsha de Silva@HarshadeSilvaMP
[3/3/2025 11:03 AM, 360.7K followers, 10 retweets, 52 likes]
In @ParliamentLK today, I exposed contradiction in #energypolicy: Pres @anuradisanayake claims to support market reforms while Min of Energy reverses profitable #CEB reforms to maintain complete state control. #Srilanka needs consistency, not mixed signals https://bit.ly/4kqkzTw Central Asia
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[3/3/2025 8:18 AM, 213.2K followers, 6 retweets, 45 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals on developing international cooperation in agriculture. A seed and nursery system based on #Chinese experience is set to be established in #Yukorichirchik district, implementing a full cultivation cycle. To strengthen private sector collaboration and commercialize quality crop varieties, leading Italian universities will support personnel training. Cooperation will also expand with key agro-industrial leaders, including #Hungary, the #Netherlands, #Canada, #Australia, and #SouthKorea.
Javlon Vakhabov@JavlonVakhabov
[3/3/2025 10:50 PM, 6.1K followers, 1 retweet]
While staying in Moscow, I met with Michael Fradkov, the Director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS). We discussed the Uzbekistan–Russia relations and ways to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two nations. We also shared our vision for the "Central Asia - Russia" format as the Second Presidential Summit is scheduled for later this year. Our discussion ended with a signing of an Action Plan for 2025, which is aimed at further intensifying research collaboration between RISS and The International Institute for Central Asia (@IICAinTashkent) and providing expert support for contacts between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan at various levels.
Javlon Vakhabov@JavlonVakhabov
[3/3/2025 1:20 PM, 6.1K followers, 1 like]
Moscow, Russia – Joined a round table “Central Asia and Russia: Strategic Cooperation in a Changing World”, co-chaired by Alexander Dynkin, President of the IMEMO RAS (@IMEMO_RAN), and Abdulaziz Kamilov, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy. In our discussion, we extensively talked about our vision for "Central Asia Plus" platforms and shared priorities for "Central Asia-Russia" format, especially in the context of current world politics and its impact on Russia’s approaches towards the countries in the region. The Central Asia-Russia format was launched by the foreign ministers of six countries in 2019. However, only after the first presidential summit in 2022 in Astana this format began to crystallize into a solid multilateral mechanism, guided by the priorities of the involved countries.
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[3/3/2025 9:27 AM, 24.1K followers, 2 retweets, 2 likes]
Aziz Toshpulatov, 47, is Uzbekistan’s new Minister of Internal Affairs. The previous person in this position, Pulat Bobojonov, 64, is now the deputy presidential advisor on human resources. More here: https://gazeta.uz/en/2025/03/03/new-interior-ministrer/{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.