TRUMP MULLS SUSPENDING H-1B VISAS
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? Indians students and white-collar professionals are ditching the “American dream” to pursue a Canadian one because of the increasingly restrictive visa and immigration policies of the Trump administration. Details There are growing rumors and expectations that the U.S. President is going to scrap or freeze the H-1B visa […]
A SELF-RELIANT FOREIGN POLICY
Focus: GS-II International Relations Introduction Self-reliance is the theme of India’s 74th Independence Day. This concept is commonly associated with the economy and production of key goods and services within the country in light of the global ‘supply shock’ caused by the pandemic, but it also has a parallel dimension in the domain of foreign […]
INDIAN, AFGHAN OFFICIALS DISCUSS LOYA JIRGA
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? Indian and Afghan officials in Delhi and Kabul discussed the outcome of the Loya Jirga, or grand assembly, in Afghanistan that advised the release of 400 Taliban militants convicted of serious crimes. The two sides discussed the likelihood of intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha, Qatar, as well as the […]
INDIA, PAKISTAN SPAR OVER INDUS WATER TALKS
Focus: GS-II International relations, GS-I Geography Why in news? India has refused a request by Pakistan to hold a meeting on issues around the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) as India had suggested a virtual conference but Pakistan had insisted on a physical meeting. Details The practice at the IWT meetings is that they are led […]
INDIA, CHINA HOLD CORPS COMMANDER-LEVEL TALKS
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? India and China held the fifth round of Corps Commanders-level talks at Moldo on the Chinese side to take forward the stalled process of disengagement on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Details As with earlier rounds, the talks were led by Leh-based 14 Corps commander Lt. Gen. […]
INDIA TO REVIEW CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAMMES
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? Close on the heels of its decision to drop Mandarin from its list of suggested languages under the National Education Policy, the Ministry of Education (Ministry of Human Resource Development) has decided to put several higher education institutes that offer Chinese language training under the scanner. Details he […]
FORCED DECOUPLING WILL HURT INDIA AND CHINA: CHINESE ENVOY
Focus: GS-II International relations Why in news? As India reassesses its trade relations with China and considers a range of moves to reduce dependencies, China has called for ‘equal’ treatment for its firms and described ‘forced decoupling’ between the two economies as being harmful to both. Details India has rolled out moves to more tightly […]
GANDHI-KING INITIATIVE PASSES U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE
Focus: GS-II International relations Why in news? A bill which seeks to establish an exchange program between India and the U.S. to study the work and legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., passed an important Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Details The bill will establish annual scholar […]
PLA HOLDS DRILLS IN TIBETAN PLATEAU
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has held “long-range precision” strike drills on the Tibetan plateau bordering India and flown latest jet bombers over the South China Sea (SCS) amid ongoing border friction with New Delhi and rising tension with the US over disputes with littoral countries in SCS […]
CLARIFYING LAC COULD CREATE NEW DISPUTES: CHINESE ENVOY
Focus: GS-II International relations Why in news? China was not in favour of resuming the process of clarifying the Line of Actual Control (LAC) because it could “create new disputes”, its Ambassador to India said. The ambassador said While the Foreign Ministry said earlier this week border troops “completed disengagement in most localities”, defence sources […]