INDIA INTELLIGENCE REPORT
 

   News Analysis - January 2007

  • India on GLONASS GPS (January 31 , 2007)
    After failing to secure a berth in the US and European Global Positioning Systems (GPS) because it failed to get guarantees of uninterrupted service contract, India gained access to the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).<More>

  • Russia Uranium Pilfered? (January 31 , 2007)
    Georgia revealed that its agents posing as Islamic rebels arrested a Russian businessmen trying to sell weapons-grade uranium hidden in his jacket a independent reports quoted US authorities confirming that the uranium was 90% enriched.<More>

  • MiG-35 on IAF Radar (January 31 , 2007)
    The impending 126 IAF fighter aircraft contract is seeing spirited competition from Russia’s MiG-35, the enlarged and more advanced version of the MiG-29/MiG-33 family and seen as a potential replacement for the MiG-29 and Su-27.<More>

  • Jintao Travels to Africa Again (January 31 , 2007)
    Chinese President Hu Jintao is traveling to Africa again that the African Development Bank (ADB) says is focused on trade and to strengthen bonds with ignored nations and population and making “Africa one of the major areas of attention.”<More>

  • SLG Criticized for Military Emphasis (January 31 , 2007)
    As donor nations pledged large sums of money to help civil-war torn Sri Lanka, donor nations also criticized the government’s overemphasis on military option and widespread skepticism over the recent splitting of the Opposition for political gain.<More>

  • IPI Agreement Closer to Reality (January 31 , 2007)
    As US-Iran relations nosedived over accusations of meddling over Iraq and Tehran’s nuclear program, India, Pakistan, and Iran seemed to have agreed on a price to transport natural gas to India over the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project.<More>

  • US-China IPR Spat (January 31 , 2007)
    As trade gap between the United States and China widened, the countries appeared to be on collision course over intellectual property rights (IPR) with Washington accusing Beijing of counterfeiting American goods.<More>

  • SC Allows TV Evidence (January 30 , 2007)
    In a significant move, the Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that it will allow television interviews by accused “shall be considered at the appropriate state in the trial” and thereby affecting ongoing trials.<More>

  • Political Color to Religion through Sachar Report (January 30 , 2007)
    With elections coming up in Uttar Pradesh, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is reportedly reading democratic statistics to execute minority welfare schemes even as Muslims accuse the Sachar Report of ignoring their women.<More>

  • Aerospace Command to Protect Space Assets (January 30 , 2007)
    Responding to the Chinese satellite killer weapon, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi said that India is in the process of setting up a separate “aerospace command” to exploit outer space and also to protect “space assets.”<More>

  • Hurriyat Wants to Stop Violence (January 30 , 2007)
    In sharp variance with its past of supporting armed insurgency as a means to achieve a “solution” to the Kashmir question, the Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella group of separatist organizations has called for a cessation of violence as means to achieve their objectives.<More>

  • US Anti-Proliferation US Law (January 30 , 2007)
    The Democrat controlled US Congress passed a new law that will require the US President to take “punitive action” against nations with dubious proliferation records or those that cooperate with those that proliferate.<More>

  • Heart Disease Incidence Rising (January 30 , 2007)
    An international study on heart disease covering 52 countries and 30,000 patients found that changing lifestyles and diet along with “harmful factors such as cholesterol and history of diabetes” cause heart attack 5-10 years earlier in India than elsewhere.<More>

  • Large Budget Allocation for AIDS Control (January 30 , 2007)
    The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) proposes to spend 67.2 per cent of the total budget on prevention of HIV/AIDS under phase III of the National AIDS Control Programme on targeted interventions and anti-retroviral treatment.<More>

  • Indo-Australia Trade Prospects (January 30 , 2007)
    In an interview with Deccan Herald, Australian Trade Commissioner for South Asia Michael Moignard advocated increased trade and value addition from Australia to boost bilateral trade levels from USD 8.6 billion.<More>

  • First India-Russia-China Structured Meeting (January 30 , 2007)
    India, Russia, and China will hold their first structured foreign ministerial meeting in New Delhi seen as an effort to coordinate response and efforts in international affairs, although the foreign ministers have met thrice over the last 2 years .<More>

  • Indian Economy to Surpass US by 2050 (January 29, 2007)
    A recent Goldman Sachs study projected that India, along with China, will surpass the US economy by 2050 as India has moved onto a much faster trajectory fueled by strong and steady manufacturing productivity gains.<More>

  • Space Arming Realities, Abe Wants Cons Change (January 29, 2007)
    With new nuclear weapons state in the neighborhood and testing of anti-satellite missile by China leading to possible arming of space, is compelling Japan to reconsider changing its pacifist Constitution to protect its interests.<More>

  • Foreign Defense Contracts (January 29, 2007)
    As part of its new defense procurement policy, India is all set to sign offset agreements with two foreign companies requiring foreign vendors to source one-third of the value of the contract from within India.<More>

  • Lebanon Aid Pledge Mired in Internal Strife (January 29, 2007)
    Saudi Arabia and United States got 30 other nations to pledge USD 7.6 billion to shore up a shaky Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora under siege by Hezbollah-led Shiite population.<More>

  • US Plans Large Afghan Package (January 29, 2007)
    The US President George Bush is reportedly seeking Congressional approval for another USD 7-8 billion for security, reconstruction, and counter-offensive operations including training and policing operations against a resurgent Taliban.<More>

  • UN Lauds Role of Women in Governance (January 29, 2007)
    A UN report noted the increasing participation of women in politics and governance in India and lauded government policies for reserving up to a third of seats for women in local-level administration to promote gender equality and empowerment.<More>

  • EU Help to Clean Ganga (January 29, 2007)
    To provide safe drinking water, the European Union is collaborating with many renowned Indian institutes to introduce natural and proven techniques of water filtration techniques and begun a EU-India River Bank Filtration Network.<More>

  • Russia Wants Energy, Military Pie (January 25, 2007)
    Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India to rejuvenate ties hoping to win a strong share of India’s large energy and military budget and also be the Guest of Honor of the Republic Day Parade that showcases Indian military and cultural might.<More>

  • Karuna Group Destabilizing, SLG Colludes (January 25, 2007)
    Annoyed by selective leaks of an internal document by the Sri Lankan Government (SLG), donor nations outed the report blaming the SLG-supported Karuna faction as a major destabilizing factor and the Human Rights Watch (HRW) also blamed the government for “willful blindness.”<More>

  • NK Nuclear Help to Iran, Indian Help Sought (January 25, 2007)
    The Daily Telegraph carried an expose that accused North Korea (NK) of helping Iran with nuclear testing similar to the one it carried out last October by providing Iranian scientists relevant data and know-how.<More>

  • Wipro in Saudi JV (January 25, 2007)
    Wipro Infotech and Dar Al Riyadh Group formed a joint venture called the Wipro Arabia Ltd specifically to cater to the IT market in Saudi Arabia with Wipro owning 2/3rd and the Saudi partner the rest.<More>

  • “Red Tapism” Slowing Indo-UK Trade (January 25, 2007)
    Chairman of the Indo-British Partnership Network (IBPN) Lord Karan Bilimoria said in an interview with the Times of India that although “reduced to a great extent,” the biggest bottleneck to further bilateral trade is “Red tapism.”<More>

  • Pak Hurdles on SAFTA (January 25, 2007)
    Hailing Afghanistan’s entry into the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), an Indian official complained about Pakistan’s refusal to implement South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) which impeded regional trade.<More>

  • Satellite recovered from sea (January 24, 2007)
    The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-I) was a “grand success” as the capsule “gently” splashed down into the Bay of Bengal and recovered by the Coast Guard.<More>

  • Russian Engines and Chinese Planes (January 24, 2007)
    Russia has assured India that it will not allow China to use its RD-93 engines in the JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter aircraft in planes it plans to sell to Pakistan and is apparently covered in the end0user certificate contracts barring export of technology to Pakistan.<More>

  • Pak Forces Attacked by NATO (January 24, 2007)
    NATO troops using helicopter gun-ships returned fire on a Pakistani check post on the Afghanistan border in an obvious retaliation for Pakistani Army giving covering fire for infiltration of terrorists in North Waziristan.<More>

  • M&A Worth $8B in FDI (January 24, 2007)
    Global economists have predicted that the “high performance of the Indian economy” infused by “the improving policy environment” is expected to accelerate “direct investment” to USD 8 billion from USD 6.5 billion the previous year.<More>

  • IT Revenues Projected at USD 47B (January 24, 2007)
    An industry review of Information Technology and Information Technology Enhanced Services (IT/ITES) projected a 28% growth revenue from these sectors to net USD 47.8 billion and its portion of gross domestic product (GDP) at 5.4% in 2006-07.<More>

  • Iran Bars IAEA Inspectors, US Warns (January 24, 2007)
    In an apparent retaliation against UN sanctions imposed last month on its controversial nuclear program, Iran barred 38 UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country and the US upped the ante saying that rapprochement with Iran was “not possible.”<More>

  • Nepal King Public Appearance (January 24, 2007)
    Since being sidelined by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), Nepali King Gyanendra made his first appearance in connection with a Hindu festival Vasanta Panchami but government officials and politicians who traditionally the attend the festivities remained aloof.<More>

  • India Bullish on Growth (January 23, 2007)
    A recent survey of 200 business houses found that business confidence index for October 2006-March 2007 was higher by 2.5 points at 71.8 from the previous 6 months and 85% of the respondents revealed plans for increased investments.<More>

  • Stalemate on SEZ (January 23, 2007)
    The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) ended its review meeting “inconclusively” but said that it is considering ways of infusing “export obligations” in order to differentiate between proposals.<More>

  • Personality-Neutral Relations with Iran (January 23, 2007)
    In an act of militant defiance in response to the second US aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis into the Persian Gulf, Iran tested short range Zalzal and Fajr-5 missiles ostensibly to evaluate “defensive and fighting capabilities of the missiles.” <More>

  • Chavez Armed With Decree Powers (January 23, 2007)
    Empowering President Hugo Chavez with sweeping powers to enforce economic, social, and political change via, Venezuelan lawmakers called such measures a “historic necessity” to initiate an “unstoppable” process.<More>

  • China Satellite Killer Missile (January 23, 2007)
    After many wishy-washy statements, China for the first time confirmed the successful testing of a satellite killer missile but insisted that it was “peaceful development of outer space” and “opposes the arming of space and military competition in space.” <More>

  • Islamic Leader Surrenders in Kenya (January 23, 2007)
    An Islamic leader of Somalia’s ousted Islamic movement surrendered to Kenyan authorities raising hopes that the moderate Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed can facilitate moderation of widespread Jihadist insurgency in Africa..<More>

  • SC Stays Sidhu Conviction (January 23, 2007)
    In a surprising verdict, the Supreme Court (SC) stayed a High Court verdict convicting Navjot Singh Sidhu of third-degree murder of an old man in a fit of road rage and allowing him to contest in the by-election for the Amritsar constituency.<More>

  • Halted Support for US Iraq Strategy (January 22, 2007)
    Even as US allies in West Asia expressed support for the US’s new Iraq strategy, Riyadh haltingly expressed support but also doubted the even-handedness of the government in Baghdad to deal with the Sunni population or its capacity to stop sectarian violence.<More>

  • Mexican War on Drugs (January 22, 2007)
    Mexico said that it has deployed 7,600 soldiers in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero to neutralize drug gangs who have committed atrocities such as beheadings and perpetrated violence in resort haven Acapulco.<More>

  • SLG, LTTE Criticized for Child Soldiers (January 22, 2007)
    As the Sri Lankan Army (SLA), helped by Israeli and Pakistani mercenaries, claimed success to take a key town in the East, a UN report has criticized the insurgent groups, the government, and their sponsored militia of abducted conscription of children.<More>

  • Bangla CEC Quits, Elections Cancelled (January 22, 2007)
    Bangladesh’s controversial Chief Election Commission M.A. Aziz resigned citing a “rapidly changed” political landscape and visibly resigned President Iajuddin Ahmed accepted the resignation and called off the elections.<More>

  • FDI Grows 120% (January 22, 2007)
    Commerce & Industry Minister Kamal Nath said that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow surpassed all previous projections and is expected to grow at 120% to USD 15 billion this fiscal year.<More>

  • Over 200m Jobs by 2020: Brown (January 22, 2007)
    British Prime Minister in waiting and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said that India is set to create 25% of extra jobs or an estimated 200 million jobs by 2020 which will be more than the numbers created in the US, Europe, and China put together.<More>

  • Bird Flu in South Korea, Egypt, Indonesia (January 22, 2007)
    South Korean official revealed plans to cull “273,000 poultry within a 500 meter radius” while Egypt reported the 11th death and Indonesia culled thousands of chicken after the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was found.<More>

  • New Initiatives for Tigers at Sariska (January 22, 2007)
    After being severely criticized for the disappearances of tigers from the Sariska Reserve, the Rajasthan government has started relocating villages that fall inside the Sariska reserve to pave way for the re-entry of the big cats.<More>

  • Involve Myanmar in ULFA Hunt (January 20, 2007)
    With increased violence from United Liberation of Asom (ULFA), External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is visiting Myanmar over the weekend to cement oral agreement on the sidelines of the ASEAN meet in the Philippines on joint operations.<More>

  • New Amphibious Ship is 'Jalashva'  (January 20, 2007)
    The Indian Navy took possession of US Trenton and rename it INS 'Jalashva' in the hope that it will greatly enhance rescue operation and troop transportation capabilities.<More>

  • Majors at Aero India Expected (January 20, 2007)
    With a planned purchase of 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) valued at more than USD 7 billion still undecided, the Aero India in Bangalore this Bangalore is expected to attract major players.<More>

  • Need to Resuscitate Doha Round  (January 20, 2007)
    “Confident that India will make a constructive contribution to the last laps,” World Trade Organization (WTO) Chief Pascal Lamy warned that the “window of opportunity” will “close sometime this year.”<More>

  • SEZ Policy on Hold (January 20, 2007)
    Spreading protests from farmers arbitrarily thrown out of their land for below-the-market payments to create under-planned Special Economic Zones (SEZ) has prompted the government to suspend this policy.<More>

  • Nepal Maoists Start Disarmament (January 20, 2007)
    About 350 combatants including 150 women handed over their arms to UN officials as part of a deal that granted them a 1/3rd of Parliament seats and a Deputy Prime Minister post so they can work on elections in June.<More>

  • India-Sino Border Talks Resume (January 20, 2007)
    Special Representatives of India and China resumed the border settlement talks into the 9th round but as usual refused to divulge details of deliberations but are apparently still working on the April 2005 “political parameters” and “guiding principles.”<More>

  • AEC Chairman Guarded on Nuke Deal (January 18, 2007)
    In an interview with The Hindu, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was guarded on the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Deal only to list the concerns that the Indian establishment still hankers but also said that these are issues that can be clarified.<More>

  • India in New Security Block (January 18, 2007)
    A new four party security block including the US, Japan, Australia, and India is being formed and apparently discussed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Japan with his counterpart Shinzo Abe Indian PM Visit to Japan.<More>

  • Indo-Russia Trade Needs Addressing (January 18, 2007)
    Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit later in January, Indian industry leaders want a permanent vehicle to discuss and manage non-tariff barriers and developing reliable trade routes is created.<More>

  • UK Interests in Indian Agriculture (January 18, 2007)
    The largest business delegation from the UK totaling representatives from 150 businesses has promised investments in food processing, agriculture retail, and manufacturing and also seeks deregulation of financial, legal services, and retail sectors.<More>

  • China Tries to Curb Export Growth (January 18, 2007)
    Aiming to better strained relationship with the US and the EU over out-of-control trade surplus, Beijing is trying to adopt new polices to cut its export growth to avoid a potentially disastrous “political” problem.<More>

  • ICDS Needs Overhaul (January 18, 2007)
    Concern over poor implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) has prompted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to write to all States and Union Territories asking them to set up a process of dealing with child development.<More>

  • SC Upholds MP Expulsion (January 17, 2007)
    The Supreme Court (SC) upheld the Parliament’s controversial expulsion of 11 Members of Parliament (MPs) caught in a media sting over the cash for query scandal and said that the expulsion was in accordance to law. The Constitutional bench voted 4-1 upholding the expulsion but the dissenting judge said that the MPs should have been tried under the Prevention of Corruption Act.<More>

  • NHRC Orders Compensation for STF Victims (January 17, 2007)
    In a landmark verdict, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) found the Special Task Force (STF) charged to capture now-dead criminal Veerappan guilty of perpetrating atrocities on civilians and order an interim compensation of Rs. 2.8 crore. <More>

  • US Accuses Pak of Harboring Taliban (January 17, 2007)
    NATO troops claimed to have killed 150 ill-equipped and ill-trained insurgent recruits sent to fight by Jalaluddin Haqqani whom senior US officials lives in Pakistan even as there is a surge of Taliban fighters crossing the border to fight coalition troops.<More>

  • “Progress” in Indo-Pak Talks (January 17, 2007)
    Urging analysts to take a “holistic view of relations with Pakistan,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh guardedly said the 3 year old peace process was making “progress” but acknowledged that it was “premature” to conclude to claim success. <More>

  • Maoist Join Nepali Government (January 17, 2007)
    In a landmark event, Nepal’s Maoist insurgents gave up violence and joined the interim government and assumed “responsibility to conduct the elections for the constituent assembly” as part of a peace deal with mainstream political parties. <More>

  • US for More Sanctions on NK (January 17, 2007)
    The US complained that the UN committee monitoring sanctions on North Korea (NK) has not adopted US-sponsored and other amendments to October 14 sanctions that would limit transfer of equipment, goods, and technology to the communist regime. <More>

  • FDI & FII May be Merged (January 17, 2007)
    The government is reportedly mulling to amend the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to remove theoretical distinction between foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign institutional investor (FII). <More>

  • Tele-Density Rises (January 17, 2007)
    Keeping pace with a smart economic growth, tele-density (the number of telephone subscribers) surged to 17.16% or 189.33 million users in December 2006 with wireless subscribers registering the largest segment with 149.5 million. <More>

  • Stronger Pitch in Sakhalin Bid (January 17, 2007)
    Responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation of a higher Indian participation in his country’s energy sector, Indian oil major Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC) may tie-up with Russian firms for a larger bid in Sakhalin-III project. <More>

  • ASEAN Terror & Economic Plans (January 16, 2007)
    Anxious to remain competitive against China and India, Southeast nations met in Philippines created a rules-based foundation for cooperation on economic, political, and terrorism policies along the lines of the European Union, but disagreed on Myanmar. <More>

  • Hamas Wants Internal Peace (January 16, 2007)
    Hamas leader and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh urged Palestinians to “halt internal clashes” and renewed his call for a “national unity government” but President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fattah party quickly rejected the call as “vague.” <More>

  • Economic Outlook for 2006-2007 (January 16, 2007)
    Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s high-powered economic advisory council (EAC) presented their economic outlook projecting current account deficit (CAD) of 1.5%, foreign direct investment inflow of USD 9 billion, and reserve buildup of USD 22.6 billion.<More>

  • New Govt in Bangladesh (January 16, 2007)
    In a dramatic move, bowing to international pressure President President Iajuddin Ahmed resigned his position of caretaker prime minister paving way for former Bangladesh central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed to take over the government.<More>

  • Gender Imbalance in China (January 16, 2007)
    Thanks to its one-child policy introduced in 1970s, the Chinese Government acknowledged that it in less than 30 million more men of marriageable men than women resulting from a hard choice parents had to make to prefer male children.<More>

  • Indo-Portugal Ties Takes Off (January 16, 2007)
    Portugal President Professor Anibal Cavaco Silva, a politically representative parliamentary delegation, and large business delegation visited India and signed 4 significant agreements.<More>

  • More Areas for Wheat & Maize (January 16, 2007)
    An Agriculture Ministry note claims that the area with wheat and maize cultivation this year is larger than that of 2005-06 in Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh lending hope of higher production of these staple crops.<More>

  • 2006 Exports Topped Expectations (January 11, 2007)
    Indian exports achieved a key milestone when it crossed the psychological barrier of USD 100 billion in 2006 with a growth rate of 24% and over 13% of total gross domestic product (GDP) valued at USD 800 billion compared to 6% in 1990-91.<More>

  • Problems with SEZ Policy (January 11, 2007)
    The Industry and Commerce Ministry has rightfully taken credit for the creation of the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act 2005 but the policy lacks transparency and seems ad hoc in implementation.<More>

  • Russia to Scale Back Oil Output (January 11, 2007)
    Citing “problems in transiting crude across Belarus,” Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Cabinet colleagues to lean on oil companies to explore “the possibility of scaling down extraction of oil” and hinted at diverting oil transit routes away from Minsk.<More>

  • Venezuela to Nationalize Telecom (January 11, 2007)
    Bucking the global trend to privatize and globalize businesses and state-owned enterprises, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced plans to nationalize his country’s electrical and telecommunication companies.<More>

  • UN Withdraws Aid for Bangla Poll (January 11, 2007)
    As tens of thousands of troops take up positions to stop the opposition blockade of a discredited poll on the 22nd, the United Nations said that it withdrawing assistance in the upcoming poll and that it was “concerned” about the future of democracy in that country.<More>

  • Israel-China Sign New Treaties (January 11, 2007)
    Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chinese Premier Web Jiabao signed three agreements covering cultural exchange, export of Israeli citrus fruit, and sale of water purification technology to China.<More>

  • US Bombs Islamists in Somalia (January 11, 2007)
    At least two incidents of US plane and helicopter bombed Islamists caught in a pincer between Ethiopian and Somali forces on the one hand and Kenyan troops on the other and many believe that key al Qaeda militants may have been killed in the attack.<More>

  • Ortega Assumes Power in Nicaragua (January 10, 2007)
    Ringing warning bells in Washington, former revolutionary Daniel Ortega assumed office in a ceremony attended by a dozen anti-American world leaders and left ideologues even as he promised to balance economic and ideological considerations.<More>

  • Saudi Cabinet Changes Possible (January 10, 2007)
    Saudi Arabian King Abdullah is reportedly considering his first Cabinet reshuffle and could include changes to important positions as foreign minister and oil minister in order to induce new talent into his regime.<More>

  • Olmert Seeks China’s Help on Iran (January 10, 2007)
    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is visiting China and is expected to lobby Beijing to take a tougher stand against Tehran’s controversial nuclear program especially if the recent sanctions on Iran would not influence its behavior.<More>

  • ULFA Killing Wave in NE (January 10, 2007)
    Army and paratroopers searched remote jungles trying to flush out United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) terrorists who killed 69 migrant workers from Bihar and their excuse is that they do not want non-Assamese in Assam.<More>

  • Advanced Defense Lab in Bangalore (January 10, 2007)
    The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is starting a Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) in its campus in Bangalore and expected to become the most elite laboratory for defense research and development (R&D).<More>

  • Next Outsourcing Wave Anticipated (January 10, 2007)
    A recent study suggests India would start seeing a new wave of Business Transformation Outsourcing (BTO) where consultants will advice clients on transforming businesses, enhance performance, and make strategic decisions.<More>

  • Call to Open Govt IT Procurement (January 10, 2007)
    A non-profit public policy think tank asked India to open up government Information Technology (IT) procurement policies by removing restrictions on foreign manufactured equipment and instituting stronger intellectual property rights (IPR) protection mechanisms.<More>

  • Moon Rover Plans (January 09, 2007)
    As part of the second Chadrayan mnission in 2010-11, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is planning to land a motorized rover on the moon to pick up samples of soil or rocks, perform chemical analysis, and beam data to mother spacecraft.<More>

  • Madras Regiment for Congo (January 09, 2007)
    The oldest infantry regiment in the Indian Army, the 26 Madras Infantry Battalion Group, drawing its troops from South Indian states, has been selected to represent the nation for UN peacekeeping duties in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<More>

  • Indo-Singapore Air Force Exercise (January 09, 2007)
    The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) completed a bilateral exercise in December with the IAF fielding Mirage and Jaguar aircraft and RSAF’s F-16 C/D Fighting Falcons and F-5E Tiger aircraft.<More>

  • Hardware Blossomed in 2006 (January 09, 2007)
    Having established itself as a major information technology and related services sector, India saw an increasing number of hardware manufactures attracted to the country driven largely by the promising domestic market.<More>

  • Biogas Innovations Promising (January 09, 2007)
    Ashden Awards extended to “organizations which have carried out truly excellent, practical, yet innovative schemes demonstrating sustainable energy…at a local level” has come to many Indian organizations.<More>

  • Mush Wants Support to Fight Terror (January 09, 2007)
    State-run television reported that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has called his nation to support his policy stopping militants from using the nation as recruitment ground for suicide members to be used by terrorist groups for attacks world-over.<More>

  • Bolivians Go on Rampage (January 09, 2007)
    Thousands of leftist supporters of Bolivian President Evo Morales, including Indian groups, labor unions, and coca farmers, burnt furniture and official records in a state capitol demanding the resignation of a governor supporting conservative opposition.<More>

  • New Goal-Oriented Iraq Strategy (January 08, 2007)
    As US Generals gave a sobering view of progress made by their troops in Iraq, a recent report suggested that President George Bush may introduce a new policy in Iraq that includes a set of goals that the government must meet.<More>

  • Israel Plans to Strike Iran (January 08, 2007)
    In what could transform the whole West Asian region into decades of crisis and human suffering, Israel is reportedly planning to launch low-yield nuclear “bunker busters” to destroy Iran’s contentious nuclear sites at Ishafan, Natanz, and Arak.<More>

  • Abbas Shows Street Muscle (January 08, 2007)
    Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’s supporters showed their strength through a massive congregation at a stadium in Gaza City and encouraged Fattah party strongman Mohammed Dahlan threaten hard-line party Hamas of reprisals.<More>

  • Bangladesh in Turmoil (January 08, 2007)
    Bangladesh police fired tear gas and charged with batons on demonstrators in Dhaka to break up opposition blockades for the second day trying to force a delay in elections scheduled January 22.<More>

  • Bigger S&T Budget (January 08, 2007)
    With increased input from educationalists and technologists, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised a significant increase in budget allocation for science and technology (S&T) so there is a “new thrust to and renewed investment in basic sciences.”<More>

  • US Warns NK of N-Tests (January 08, 2007)
    The US warned North Korea of "severe consequences" to the diplomatic effort in response to a South Korean legislator’s warning that Pyongyang is now fully prepared to carry out a second nuclear test.<More>

  • Longest Rock Art Chain (January 08, 2007)
    The Rock Arts Society of India (RASI) has claimed that Madhya Pradesh hosts the world’s longest rock art chain near Mandsaur district near Malwa for 12 kilometers (kms) with most of its petroglyphs intact.<More>

  • Bangla Polls Dubious (January 05, 2007)
    After indicating their participation in the January 22 polls, the 14-party opposition led by former Prime Minister and Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina have now decided to boycott the elections alleging that it was “stage-managed.”<More>

  • UN Calls for Ceasefire in Lanka (January 05, 2007)
    A top UN official appealed to the Sri Lankan Government (SLG) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to stop their fighting as the citizens “continue to suffer deeply” and the recent civilian death from SLG air attack is causing “deepest concern.”<More>

  • Russian Air Defense for Iran (January 05, 2007)
    Ignoring international sanctions on Tehran for its suspected nuclear weapons program, Moscow supplied “at least half” of the contracted Tor-M1 short-range air defense systems valued at USD 1.4 billion to be deployed around strategically sensitive centers.<More>

  • Indo-Japan Ties Need Boost (January 04, 2007)
    Given regional and global developments arising out of globalization and nuclear weapons program of North Korea, industry leaders are asking for a more active political engagement of Japan which they say will be more active this century.<More>

  • YSR’s Electricity Sops (January 04, 2007)
    Andhra Pradesh (AP) Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) said that his government will absorb the additional cost burden of electricity incurred because of purchases from federal pools at a higher cost.<More>

  • RBI Rate-Based Navigation (January 04, 2007)
    While the economy was in full throttle last year, increasing concerns on excess liquidity and inflation saw the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) trying to steer the economy to sustainable levels through a process of rate hikes.<More>

  • No SLMM in Combat Areas (January 03, 2007)
    As the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) withdrew from combat areas in the North and East, the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) raid killed 15 civilians (including 4 children), wounded dozens, and destroyed all but 5 houses in Northern coast near Mannar.<More>

  • Diplomatic Curb in Pak (January 03, 2007)
    Pakistan has instituted travel curbs on Indian diplomats where they need to seek advanced permission from authorities for travel to Murree (a hill station) and Rawalpindi (a twin city to Islamabad) but no official announcement has been made.<More>

  • Tiger Conservation Gaps (January 03, 2007)
    An international panel said that lack of proper amenities, delays in payment of compensation for human and cattle losses, illegal fishing, and illegal minor forest activity are seriously affecting tiger conservation efforts.<More>

  • Islamists Driven Out of Mogadishu (January 02, 2007)
    Islamists controlling Somali capital Mogadishu the last 6 months and enforcing medieval laws were driven out by Western-supported Somali government troops and backed by Ethiopian tanks and MIG fighter jets.<More>

  • Saddam Hanged, West Asia Crisis Intensifies (January 02, 2007)
    Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein convicted by a court of questionable credentials following controversial judicial process was hanged heightening the growing divide in the Islamic world that threatens to envelop the region and indirectly the world.<More>

  • Belarus-Russia Gas Conflict (January 02, 2007)
    Allies Russia and Belarus seem to be heading for a stalemate over the price of gas that can plunge Europe into gas shortages if supplies are halted by Russian company Gazprom and affect its living and businesses.<More>

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