News Analysis -August 2006 @ whatisindia.com

Left Assault on EC (August 31, 2006)
Bruised from stricter enforcement of electoral norms by the Election Commission in the recently concluded elections in West Bengal (WB), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have launched a campaign aimed at culling the EC’s authority and control.<More>

SC Panel to Examine Extra-Constitutional Legislation (August 31, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) said that a 9-judge panel will examine extra-constitutional legislation through legislation under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution which makes these laws beyond judicial scrutiny and convenient politically motivated policies.<More>

Security Concerns Bar Chinese Investment (August 31, 2006)
After a year of internal discussions, India intelligence agencies rightly barred Chinese investments in ports and handling thus rejecting 14 port construction and management projects valued at Rs. 61,000 crore (USD 13.26 billion) citing security threats.<More>

India, EU Exploring CECA (August 30, 2006)
India and the EU have set up a high level group to study possibilities of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) that would cover trade in goods, services, and investments and submit a proposal during the Helsinki summit in October. <More>

TN to Also Get a Mega Power Plant (August 30, 2006)
The Federal Minister for Power Sushil Kumar Shinde revealed that he has in concept agreed to grant one mega power project capable of producing 4000 megawatt (MW) to Tamil Nadu (TN) in addition to the other 7 states.<More>

BSF, BDR Exploring Better Inter-working (August 30, 2006)
Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) are meeting in Assam to find ways to work better together and are considering a range of initiatives that would better confidence between the two forces bickering over one issue or the other.<More>

Baloach Leader Bugti Suspiciously Killed (August 30, 2006)
Rebel Baloach leader and popular face of opposition against Pakistan military in the tribal areas, Nawab Akhbar Bugti, has been killed in suspicious manner leading to widespread protests against President Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial rule.<More>

Nathu-La Not as Spectacular As Expected (August 30, 2006)
With the hype over the reopened Nathu-La Pass dying down, India and China now understand that the modern trade potential on ancient silk route now replaced by a 56 kilometer stretch connecting the two nations is not spectacular as expected.<More>

Iranian Official Visits India (August 30, 2006)
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Asia, Oceania and Commonwealth, Dr Mehdi Safari is visiting India to appraise India of its position over the nuclear stand-off with the West reiterating that it is open to negotiations and diplomatic solution. <More>

HC Says No to Yatra Subsidies (August 29, 2006)
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) has restrained the Federal and State Governments from subsidizing Yatra expenses for the Haj and other pilgrimages leaving politicians using these sops as ways to create and retain vote banks in quandary. <More>

US Seeks Tariff cut on Environment Products (August 29, 2006)
As a co-member of the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP), the US wants India to reduce its tariffs on imported environmental goods and services from the current 15% to allow free flow of technology to reduce green house gases (GHG) emission.<More>

Is Project Tiger a Failure? (August 29, 2006)
An investigation into the effectiveness of the federally funded Project Tiger, launched in 1973 to protect tigers in the 15 Tiger sanctuaries to ensure a viable population, concluded that the program is a failure because of insufficient training and inadequate methods.<More>

Nepal Has a New Draft Constitution (August 29, 2006)
A team of legal and political experts in Nepal have drafted a new lob-sided Constitution that will withdraw many privileges of the King and retaining the right of the Maoist terrorists that does not necessarily create stability to one of the world’s poorest nations.<More>

Israel & Lebanon Welcome EU Plan (August 29, 2006)
Israel & Lebanon welcomed the EU plan to dispatch 7000 peacekeeping troops, to be led initially by France and later by Italy, in Southern Lebanon that is capable of maintaining a buffer between the two nations with stronger defensive capabilities. <More>

Iran Expands Heavy Water Project (August 29, 2006)
A defiant yet indulgent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated a new phase in the Arak heavy-water reactor project dismissing global concerns of its controversial program but asserting that “Iran is not a threat to anybody." <More>

No Ore Exports Say CMs (August 28, 2006)
The Chief Ministers (CMs) of Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal (WB), have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing proposals to liberalize iron ore exports warning disastrous effects on the fast growing Steel industry. <More>

ASEAN Unified Market by 2015 (August 28, 2006)
To stave off competition from India and China, Economic Ministers of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) adopted urgent measures and advanced deadlines to develop a unified and integrated market by 2015.<More>

ONGC Proposes to Buyout Sakhalin-I (August 28, 2006)
With the Iran-Pakistan-India and Myanmar-Bangladesh-India pipelines not making progress, the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is proposing to buy the entire gas supply from the Russian Sakhalin-I field and import the gas as in liquefied form.<More>

Grid Synchronized with Power from Bhutan (August 28, 2006)
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGIL) announced that it has successfully synchronized the north, east, north-east, and western grids to allow free flow of electricity across one of the largest power grids in the world including carrying power from Bhutan. <More>

Iran Proposes Talks to Resolve Stalemate (August 28, 2006)
Iran once again reiterated its willingness to negotiate a way out of the impasse over its controversial nuclear program but the US said that while it would study the Iranian counter proposal to the EU offer, it is prepared to move with or without the UN.<More>

First Indo-Russian Joint Study Group on Trade (August 28, 2006)
Indian and Russian trade experts are meeting this week to explore and discuss options that will remove bilateral trade blocks to achieve a USD 10 billion trade and lead to a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). <More>

Corp Expansion despite Stalled Reforms (August 24, 2006)
Despite a stalled disinvestment process and halt to reforms, several positive factors in the Indian economy, perhaps not to the optimal level, have emerged encouraging targeted overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) by many Indian companies. <More>

ONGC Unveils Massive Investments (August 24, 2006)
To fund expected growth, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) unveiled plans to invest Rs. 130,000 crore (USD 28.2 billion) from 2007-2012 in oil and gas exploration, overseas acquisition of captive resource assets, and expansion of infrastructure. <More>

OOP Signed and Challenged in SC (August 24, 2006)
The political parties’ collusion to resend the exact same Office of Profit (OOP) bill back to the President despite it being returned for reconsideration has been challenged by the Trinamool Congress through a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court. <More>

Hindu Group Wants Army to Help Reclaim Land (August 24, 2006)
A Hindu Vasihavaite sect in Assam says that illegal migrants from Bangladesh have usurped over 400 religious places owned by the Asom Sattra Mahasava with administrative and political connivance and has petitioned the Army for help. <More>

India Holds Pak Responsible for Terror (August 24, 2006)
India says it has evidence of Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism and the involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in the 7/11 serial blasts after anti-terrorism squad (ATS) killed a Pakistani in Mumbai and captured another in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). <More>

Naxals Strike Mangalore Forest Office (August 24, 2006)
In typical military style, Naxal terrorists attacked the Range Forest Office in Karnataka damaging the building, burnt official records, wirless set, computer equipment, and a jeep after destroying a local telephone exchange ahead of the raid. <More>

US Arrests 13 for Trying to Buy Missiles for LTTE (August 24, 2006)
In a major sting operation spanning several cities, the US said that it had arrested 13 people for trying to buy surface-to-air missiles and other weapons in the black market for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) seen as a “dangerous terrorist group." <More>

Japan Investment Bank Opens India Operations (August 23, 2006)
Japan’s leading global investment bank Daiwa Securities SMBC has started operations in India to market various investment banking products for prospective Indian investors and also as a vehicle for Indian companies to seek funding from Japan. <More>

Controversial Provision in Religious Bill Withdrawn (August 23, 2006)
After facing < initial defeat in the Supreme Court (SC), the Tamil Nadu (TN) Government withdrew controversial provisions on appointment of priests in Hindu temples by the state irrespective of caste, religion, or parameters for qualification. <More>

‘Cash-for-query’ MPs Pardoned? (August 23, 2006)
Rendering its ire over corruption a sham, the Parliament is planning to pardon the 11 Members of Parliament (MP) suspended for taking cash to asking questions in the Parliament. <More>

SC Demands Identity of Person Withholding Pay (August 23, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) rebuked the Federal Government in harshest terms over the non-payment of salaries to doctors who went on strike over the reservation quota issue and demand that the name of the individual stopping the payment be disclosed. <More>

Diluted Wildlife Bill Passed (August 23, 2006)
After promising major reforms, the Federal Government greatly diluted the Wildlife Bill in a bid to appease the tribal lobby and passed the Wildlife Bill in great hurry that could greatly affect conservation efforts and endangered species.<More>

Ramdoss Absolves Cola Companies (August 23, 2006)
Expectedly, Federal Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss absolved the cola companies in the Lok Sabha that pesticide levels in their products were “within the permissible levels” and called an independent report “inconclusive."<More>

7 Nation Futuristic Nuclear Reactor (August 23, 2006)
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) Director at Kalpakkam Baldev Raj has been elected Chairman of a 7 nation collaborative project to define a futuristic fast reactor with closed nuclear fuel cycle capable of generating 300-500 GWe nuclear energy. <More>

Mush Wants to Share Intelligence (August 23, 2006)
In a recent interview to an Indian magazine, Pakistan President < Pervez Musharraf said that the intelligence agencies of the two nations were “operating against each other” and should agree “to stop interference in each other's internal affairs." <More>

No End to Wheat Shortages (August 22, 2006)
Delays in arrival of 3.5 million tons (mt) of imported wheat for the public distribution system in South India and the lack of traction from importers to import wheat at discounted 5% customs duty is resulting in higher prices in the open market. <More>

Govt Plans to Sell Residual Maruti Interest (August 22, 2006)
Faced with increasingly recalcitrant and belligerent opposition from communist allies to disinvestment plans, the Government is apparently proposing to sell all its residual 10.24% stake in Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) to net Rs. 2500 crore (USD 543 million). <More>

Afghan Widows Prefer Suicide (August 22, 2006)
A recent survey by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) found that 50,000 Afghan windows in Kabul prefer suicide to overcome the hardships they continue to face. <More>

Activists Trying to Coerce a Tribal Bill (August 22, 2006)
Tasting success with stopping the Government’s plan to rightfully amend the Right to Information Act, activists are now targeting the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2005, also known as the Tribal Bill (TB), to bulldoze through Parliament.<More>

Contrarian HIV Estimates in New Survey (August 22, 2006)
A study of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) has proposed a contrarian view that the number of those living with this infection may be a third lower than current estimates of 5.2 million but warned that a nation-wide survey is required for a more accurate estimate.<More>

India, Singapore for Air Force Cooperation (August 22, 2006)
In the first ever Air Force-level dialogue, India and Singapore agreed to focus on “mutually supportive roles,” including “interoperability” between respective air forces for disaster management and humanitarian relief in South East Asia. <More>

Scores of Taliban Terrorists Killed (August 21, 2006)
Afghani officials say that their forces assisted by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aircraft and artillery killed 71 Taliban terrorists in Southern Afghanistan where there is a resurgence of Taliban activity and bloodiest clashes since their ouster in 2001. <More>

Iran Test-Fires Short-Range Missiles (August 21, 2006)
A day after large-scale military exercises across the nation, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed that Iran has successfully test-fired 10 short-range surface-to-surface Saegheh missiles. <More>

PM Convinces Commies of Nuke Deal (August 21, 2006)
Facing intense pressure from communists allies for ideological reasons and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for political reasons, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh eloquently defended the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal outlying ways it could help India. <More>

SLA Claims Military Successes as TN Censures It (August 21, 2006)
The Sri Lankan Army has claimed several major successes against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) even as the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution censuring the Government for the death of scores of children by air attacks. <More>

Israeli Commando Operation Tests Ceasefire (August 21, 2006)
Even as thousands of Lebanese troops and French engineers started to occupy areas vacated by Israeli Army to strengthen the ceasefire that promises a stop to rocket attacks by Hezbollah, reports emerge of a clandestine Israeli action deep inside Lebanon. <More>

Use Arbitration Mechanism to Limit RTI Disclosure (August 21, 2006)
Capitulating to pressure from non-government groups that had political support from communist allies and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Federal Government has placed on hold its plan to amend the Right to Information Act (RTI). <More>

Subsidy Cuts on the Cards (August 17, 2006)
Facing unending global fuel price increases and increasingly exposed to global economy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reminded the nation that Government cannot on indefinitely subsidize consumption as there were limits to budgets. <More>

SC Stays TN Temple Ordinance (August 17, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed a politically motivated ordinance by the Tamil Nadu (TN) Government that would allow it to appoint priests in temples without discrimination of caste, creed, custom, or usage. <More>

RTI Amendments Face Opposition (August 17, 2006)
The opposition to proposed controversial amendments to The Right to Information (RTI) Act seems to have gained momentum with most political parties supporting efforts by political rights activists to stop dilution of the Act. <More>

LeT Operatives Disclose ISI, Army Links (August 17, 2006)
Two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives arrested by the Delhi police on August 10, have confessed to their role and disclosed that they have been directed, monitored, and inducted by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Army. <More>

IIT-Kanpur Develops Biometric Software (August 17, 2006)
The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur) says that it has developed software that will help financial institutions and security agencies create biometric data banks using fingerprints, retinal scans, and signatures. <More>

BSF, BDR to Reduce Tension (August 17, 2006)
After exchanging gunfire, troop movements, and tension the Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) agreed to reduce tensions by pulling out additional troops from the frontier and adhere to border guidelines and land-boundary agreement. <More>

Palm Oil Duty Cut (August 14, 2006)
Citing desire to control prices of palm oil, the Federal Government announced that it will cut customs duty on both crude and refined palms oil and plamolein by 10% to 70% that is estimated to cost the nation Rs. 650 crore (USD 141 million). <More>

China Trade Surplus Dismays Many (August 14, 2006)
Despite measures to arrest exports, trade outflows from China once again exceeded expectations at 40.6% above the previous month and net USD 14.6 billion with exports up 22.6% or USD 80.3 billion and imports up 19.7% at USD 65.7 billion. <More>

The Hindu’s Dubious Survey Analysis (August 14, 2006)
Left-leaning national and well-respected newspaper The Hindu, published a survey it conducted on national perception of Government performance with dubious analysis slanted to favor Sonia Gandhi and anti-National Democratic Alliance (NDA). <More>

Whale Deaths in Ramanathapuram (August 14, 2006)
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park (GMMNP) has reported 10 whales washed ashore in the last 7 ½ months between Mandapam and Pamban compared to 95 whales washed ashore from 1841 to 1995 and wants an expert panel to study this phenomenon.<More>

Kerala Ban Cola Production, Industry Cries Foul (August 14, 2006)
Following reports from a prominent Non-Government Organizations on high pesticide residue in commercially available colas, the State Governments of Kerala banned the production of aerated colas by Pepsico and Coca Cola.<More>

Major Terrorism Attack over Atlantic Averted (August 14, 2006)
British counter-intelligence seem to have averted a major terrorism attack attempt on as many as 10 civil aircraft using common over-the-counter chemicals used by most people that officials say would have been worse than September 11 twin tower bombing. <More>

Pak Navy’s “Offensive punch” (August 14, 2006)
Claiming to not have “offensive designs,” Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf revealed plans that his country was following a strategy of “offensive defensive deterrence” and strengthening its armed forces. <More>

India, Bangla Border Clashes Continue (August 14, 2006)
Indo-Bangla border tensions escalated with heavy mortar attacks from the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to cover mass troop movement along Assam killing 2 women and retaliatory fire from Border Security Force (BSF) resulted in the death of 5 BDR soldiers. <More>

Pressured Iran Threatens NPT Withdrawal (August 14, 2006)
In an interview to national English newspaper The Hindu, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asserted that he still believes in dialogue but did not like the continued pressure and insistence on taking away the rights that his country has. <More>

India May Face US Ire on WTO Failure (August 10, 2006)
In response to the collapse of World Trade Organization (WTO), US Trade Representative Susan Schwab hinted that her country may end a 32-year old program of trade benefits for 13 nations, including India, as retribution for hard-nosed negotiations. <More>

Unchecked AIDS Will Deplete Workforce (August 10, 2006)
Confirming results of a recent study by 3 premier institutions, International Finance Corporation Principal Strategy Officer Sabine Durier warned that India’s booming economic growth will decelerate drastically if it does not check spread of HIV-AIDS.<More>

LTTE to Stay Banned, No Lanka Intervention (August 10, 2006)
The National Security Advisor M K Narayanan said that India has no plans to lift the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and for “direct intervention” in peace initiatives in Sri Lanka where hostilities has escalated rapidly to civil war proportions. <More>

Hezbollah Asks Arabs to Vacate Haifa (August 10, 2006)
In a clear sign of major terrorist activities to come, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah warned Israeli Arabs to leave the port city of Haifa so the guerrilla organization could attack the city unimpeded so as not to “shed” their blood. <More>

Forbes Calls “India is next Great Bull Market” (August 09, 2006)
Confirming other expert opinion, Forbes magazine says that “India has strong potential to be the next great bull market of the 21st century” clearly outpacing China as a better investment opportunity. <More>

SAIL to Invest in WB (August 09, 2006)
Government-owned Steel Authority of India ltd. (SAIL) reveal plans to invest over Rs. 10,300 cores (USD 2.2 billion) in 2 integrated steel plants in West Bengal for modernization and capacity expansion with recently-merged IISCO getting the most. <More>

Women Judges to Try Rape (August 09, 2006)
A new legislation has been cleared by the Federal Cabinet that provides for rape victims to be tried by women judges, witnesses provided a protection program, and victims’ right to appeal against acquittal of the accused, and acceptance of video as evidence. <More>

Consultant to Fix IPI Gas Rate (August 09, 2006)
Disagreeing over the price of gas over the USD 7 billion 2100 kilometer Iran-Pakistan-India Pipeline, India, Pakistan and Iran agreed to try one last time to break the impasse by appointing an international consultant to recommend a pricing plan. <More>

UNSC to Demand Iran Suspend Nuclear Enrichment (August 09, 2006)
The UN Security Council (UNSC) looked set to adopt a EU-sponsored and US-backed resolution demanding Iran “suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development” by the end of August. <More>

Japan Keen to Expand Ties (August 09, 2006)
The Japanese Ambassador to India Yasukuni Enoki said that his country wants to expand co-operation in manufacturing technology, civil aviation, and people to people exchange and conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. <More>

Legal Jolt for Disinvestment (August 08, 2006)
Disinvestment in India, frozen for political reasons, may face further shocks with legal opinion that residual equity in public sector utilities (PSU) via a call option violated the rights of the shareholders under section 111 A of the Companies Act. <More>

India-Sino Trade Slows Down (August 08, 2006)
Despite hype by the two Governments, Indo-Sino trade seems to have slowed down to a mere 28% in the 1st half of this year which is only 1/3rd of growth rates seen the last 2 years. <More>

Natwar & Son Indicted, Implodes Under Pressure (August 08, 2006)
Justice Pathak Commission report to the Parliament clearly indicted Former Foreign Minister Natwar Singh and his son Jagat Singh for their role in recommending their family and friends in the oil-for-food scam first disclosed by Paul Volcker. <More>

Norway Initiative Fails in Lankan Water War (August 08, 2006)
The Sri Lankan Government (SLG) rejected a compromise formula worked out by Norwegian peace brokers to open a canal that has killed 425 and caused a mass exodus saying that it did not want “terrorists” to open the waterway. <More>

After 48 hour Ceasefire, Air Strike Resumes (August 08, 2006)
After a 48 hour pause to allow civilians to evacuate, Israeli warplanes struck deeper in Northern-eastern Lebanon seen as a symbol of Hezbollah power while guerrillas fought pitched battles with Israeli ground forces near the border. <More>

US Sanctions on Two Indian Companies (August 08, 2006)
The US government imposed sanctions on 2 Indian and 5 other companies from Russia, North Korea, and Cuba for allegedly supplying banned equipment and technology to Iran held illegal by US laws but did not say what these items were. <More>

SAARC Concluded Amid Indo-Pak Trade Dispute (August 07, 2006)
India complained bitterly to the commerce ministers governing the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) that Islamabad has failed to implement key provisions of the agreement into force and not granting tariff reductions to its exports. <More>

Quota Plan in Shambles (August 07, 2006)
Reports suggest that serious differences over strategy, financial requirements, and concerns of Constitutional validity within the Government may delay the Bill for Other Backward Classes (OBC). <More>

Restrictive Child Labor Bill Passed (August 07, 2006)
Through the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986, the Government warned of prosecution and penal action for the employment of children but child labor activists criticize the legislation as inadequate that could drive children to worse situations. . <More>

SC Allows “Toxic” Ship-Breaking (August 07, 2006)
The Gujarat Maritime Board said that the Supreme Court has granted them permission to break up the 11-storey Blue Lady, believed to be laden with asbestos and other toxic materials, in the Alang ship-breaking yard in Western Gujarat.<More>

Ordnance Board Collaborates with Israeli Company (August 07, 2006)
Government-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is entering into a joint venture with an Israeli company to manufacture “cargo ammunition” (known to maim but does not kill) but raising hackles of human rights organization seeking to stop these products. <More>

Naxals Attack WB IRB Camp (August 07, 2006)
In an area in {West Bengal} adjacent to {Jharkhand}, suspected Naxal terrorists attacked an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) camp and a heavy exchange of fire lasted for over an hour as retribution for arresting a senior local terrorist leader. <More>

Better than Estimated Tea Output (August 03, 2006)
According to the Tea Association, production in the first half of the year increased by about 11% beating earlier estimates of a loss of 20 million kilograms (mkgs) even as Kenya reported a decline of output due to drought by 19%. <More>

EEPC Estimates Engineering Exports at USD 23B (August 03, 2006)
The Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) set an export target of $23 billion for this fiscal year up from $19.18 billion and said that the amount could even go up by another USD 1 billion from miscellaneous items. <More>

Unusual Clouds over Antarctica (August 03, 2006)
Australian scientists say that extreme weather conditions are producing unusual cloud formation, called stratospheric clouds, over Antarctica that could lead to “chemical changes” capable of destroying “vital stratospheric ozone.”<More>

Food Bill Passed as Pesticides Makeup Colas (August 03, 2006)
As a prominent Non-Government Organization (NGO) reported high levels of pesticide and toxins in soft drinks, the Rajya Sabha passed a Bill to consolidate laws relating to food and establish a regulatory body for the food-processing sector.<More>

Army Plans for Nuke Attack (August 03, 2006)
Faced by increasing intelligence that non-state actors plan to attack nuclear facilities in the nation, the Indian Army has set up special teams to coordinate and execute response to nuclear attacks. <More>

India Watches Bangla Elections with Interest (August 03, 2006)
Speaking at a meeting hosted by India-Bangladesh friendship organizations, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed India promised to work with any Government elected by the scheduled January 2007 elections and hoped it will be “truly free and fair.” <More>

India to Export Sugar (August 02, 2006)
Expecting a large increase in sugar production, Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar told the Parliament that the Government is considering allowing its export but said that a review is required in October based on actual output. <More>

Meghalaya Coal Mining Excesses (August 02, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) accepted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) requesting intervention to stop rampant coal mining and limestone quarrying off natural caves in Meghalaya claiming that the Federal Government has not responded to their pleas.<More>

Who Supports Right to Education Bill? (August 02, 2006)
Several state governments are angry at the Federal Government’s plan to pass on financial responsibility of implementing the Fundamental Right to Education for children in the six-to-14 age group out of State Budgets.<More>

LeT Targeting Sensitive Spots (August 02, 2006)
Senior Indian officials took umbrage to US comments absolving Pakistan on the 7/11 Mumbai blasts and said they have actionable intelligence that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was behind the terrorist attack and of plans to attack sensitive spots. <More>

Maoist Terrorists Hunt Indians (August 02, 2006)
With increased Indian insistence on the disarming of Maoist terrorist groups in Nepal, hospitality sector employees and businessmen of Indian origin have become prime targets for extortion and death threats causing a large exodus back to their homeland. <More>

SLMM Collapses, Ceasefire Dead as Civil War Looms (August 02, 2006)
Sri Lanka moved ground troops following air force raids on a “humanitarian operation” to take control of a water reservoir in an ill-defined area but controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sparking the Tamils to declare the ceasefire dead. <More>

Fiscal Deficit Worsens (August 01, 2006)
Runaway unplanned expenditure far exceeding receipts has increased fiscal deficit to over 50% at Rs 77,740 crores (USD 16.9 billion) more than budget estimates of Rs. 148,686 crores (USD 32.3 billion) in the very first quarter. <More>

India Wants Bird Flu-Free Label (August 01, 2006)
In order to resume exports of profitable chicken meat and eggs, India is considering asking the Organisation Internationale d’épizootie (OIE) (also known as the World Organization of Animal Health) to gain a avian influenza (bird flu) free status.<More>

NATO Set to Take Over Afghan Security (August 01, 2006)
In its most ambitious mission in Asia, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has taken control of security operations in insurgency-ridden southern Afghanistan to stop the Taliban with new tactics and approach. <More>

Raytheon Offers AESA Radar to IAF (August 01, 2006)
US defense vendor Raytheon said that it was ready to supply the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar in addition to advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) if the Indian Air Force (IAF) would choose the F-16 and F-18 fighter jets. <More>

India Buys Power from Bhutan (August 01, 2006)
India signed an agreement with Bhutan to buy power from the 1020 megawatt (MW) Tala hydro-electric project, the largest bilateral cooperation project funded by India in a foreign country, which is also the framework for future hydro-electric cooperation. <More>

Thai Bid for Myanmar's Natural Gas (August 01, 2006)
Despite intense pressure from the US not to deal with Myanmar, Thailand’s largest energy firm PTT Plc has bid to compete with India and China for exclusive rights to harness the abundant natural gas in the northwestern areas of the military-run nation. <More>

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