Trade in Fasteners ā¢ Adjunct Scholar @TakshashilaInst ā¢ Defence ā¢ Geopolitics ā¢ Cottonian - Nec Dextrorsum Nec Sinistrorsum
Oct 6 ā¢ 5 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
Analysts noticed that CCTV cameras in Taiwan and South Korea were digitally talking to crucial parts of the Indian power grid ā for no apparent reason. On closer investigation, the strange conversation was the deliberately indirect route by which Chinese spies were interacting with malware they had previously buried deep inside the Indian power grid
engelsbergideas.com/essays/privateā¦
The attack was not foiled by an Indian intelligence agency or a close ally. It was discovered by Recorded Future, a company in Somerville, Massachusetts, which claims to have knowledge of more global C2 nodes than anyone in the world, and which it uses to constantly disrupt Chinese and Russian intelligence operations.
Sep 19, 2023 ā¢ 36 tweets ā¢ 8 min read
Canadian PM Trudeau accuses Indian gvt of killing a Khalistani in Canada and expelled an Indian diplomat. Relations going to be in deep freeze for the foreseeable future.
If there was credible evidence, Trudeau wouldāve stayed away from G20 summit. I mean thatās a way to show all is not well, like Xi did. But he attended. Now in matter of days he has credible evidence. Doesnāt add up. Putting India-Canada ties at risk for his political problems?
May 20, 2023 ā¢ 9 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse under the weight of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the worldās biggest and most unforgiving government lender, China. fortune.com/2023/05/18/chiā¦
An AP analysis of a dozen countries most indebted to China ā including Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and Mongolia ā found paying back that debt is consuming an ever-greater amount of the tax revenue needed to keep schools open, provide electricity and pay for food and fuel.
Oct 5, 2022 ā¢ 11 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
International relations are and must be guided by cold pursuit of national interests, not emotions.
Many mango Indians get influenced by emotions when it comes to Russia, US, Pakistan, rather than being guided by national interests. Relations are a means to pursue national interests, relations are not the end in itself.
Aug 3, 2022 ā¢ 14 tweets ā¢ 5 min read
If there is downgrading of economic ties between Taiwan & China as a punishment,which is likely, India must look to gain from it as Taiwanese companies look for alternatives. Itās not just semiconductors & electronics, but a whole lot of manufactured goods. Make for India & World
OTOH, It will make strategic sense for Taiwan to try and deepen economic relations with India, which benefits India in terms of technology and manufacturing.
India is the only country which not only has commie Left, but also some commie Right! The Left rightly gets called out for its love for China. But they are irrelevant now. The love for Chicoms among a section of Right, potentially influencing policy, is a national security threat
Subversion to change a rivalās policy is a cheap alternative to coercion,deterrence or diplomacy. Why raise an army & invade an adversary when you can spread propaganda,pay off politicians, or dispatch internet trolls to achieve subtler but tangible gains? foreignaffairs.com/articles/worldā¦
Mar 25, 2022 ā¢ 8 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
Jaishankar on talks with Wang Yi 1- Talks on Ladakh: Still friction on going. Cannot say our relations are returning to normal. Itās not normal as long as there are forces on the border & violation of our agreements. (Did not sound hopeful either)
2- On Ukraine: Both sides have their PoV. BUT there was common agreement on need for diplomacy - impression of largely divergent views on Ukraine. 3- NO talks on Quad or Indo-Pacific 4- SJ raised the statement by Wang at OIC on Kashmir as objectionable. Issue discussed at length
Mar 25, 2022 ā¢ 5 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
Figures maybe off mark but everything from the West canāt be dismissed as propaganda..Their assertion on Russian plan to invade was also dismissed. Russian failure of logistics, vehicles,maintenance etc all a learning for India.India has to do its own assessment on Russiaās war.
Good time to replug this by @StratPost on Indiaās VSHORAD procurement - summer trials held at the Mahajan range in India in 2012, Both missiles fired from the Igla-S ended up in the dirt stratpost.com/indias-vshoradā¦
Mar 2, 2022 ā¢ 4 tweets ā¢ 1 min read
Those targeting Indiaās vote, some eg:
Saudi/UAE war on Yemen condemnable.India has 6 mn people there. Dependent on oil. Wants their investments. India balanced
Khashoggi killing-condemnable: India will avoid.
India abstained on vote against Israel to investigate Gaza conflict.
I dare say if there is a vote on Uighers, India would likely abstain against its arch enemy China. Statement would perhaps read - India supports human rights,is against discrimination against minorities etc, but abstain.
Because India doesnāt like interference in domestic affairs
Iview of @MOFA_Taiwan in @CNNnews18 Lecture from Chini embassy coming in 5,4,3: We want the rest of the world to understand that Taiwan is situated separately from China and we are governing ourselves and we are one of the top democracies in the world. news18.com/news/world/excā¦
.@MOFA_Taiwan : Taiwan is not under Chinaās jurisdiction. The people of the Republic of China and Taiwan have no mutual jurisdiction over each other. In Taiwan,we have a democracy. The president is democratically elected.We also have a parliament that is democratically elected
2/
Feb 12, 2022 ā¢ 4 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
This point was made by @DrSJaishankar yesterday when he said the US has done a lot in the past, but it canāt do it alone. The US too recognises the need for partners. India features high there and thatās Indiaās opportunity for its own development and security
A point that I as someone who backs Quad have made is we cannot view 21st century alliances or partnership if you donāt like the term alliance, from the prism of 20th century alliance. Even the US is getting there. The US Indo-Pacific Strategy is very articulate.
FACT SHEET: Indo-Pacific Strategy of the UnitedĀ States
- Supporting Indiaās continued rise and regional leadership
- to deter aggression against U.S. territory and against our allies **and partners**
whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/ā¦
Link to the US Indo-Pacific Strategy whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uplā¦
- The PRC is combining its
economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might as it pursues a sphere of
influence in the Indo-Pacific and seeks to become the worldās most influential
power
1/
Feb 11, 2022 ā¢ 4 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
The politics and ego behind āchoiceā - Muslim girls holding the ABVP flag as part of a protest demanding a probe into the alleged rape of a Manipal student. In the communally sensitive coastal belt of Karnataka, the pictures ignited a controversy. 1/ theprint.in/india/viral-phā¦2/ A source from the CFI who did not wish to be named told ThePrint that the ABVP protest incident had outraged the organisation. It therefore started encouraging Muslim women to refuse to join ABVP events and to fight for their right to wear hijabs in the classroom
Feb 6, 2022 ā¢ 10 tweets ā¢ 3 min read
I made this post in general. Not directed at anyone. But one section of ppl have replied that they have āwokenā up now. Validating my tweet & also accepting their regression. Sad.
Wow do we call these āwokenā chaps as āwokeā ? šš
Indiaās goal was/is development-become a middle/upper middle income country.We rank 144 (2020). Some got left behind on socio-economic parameters because of their own issues & āappeasementā. Others progressed. Now for some ācivilisational or ideological goalsā we want to go back.
Feb 6, 2022 ā¢ 9 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
Combat drones: We are in a new era of warfare : The combat drone was once the preserve of military superpowers but no longer. Its use by insurgents and smaller nations is already changing the nature of battle
1/ from bbc.com/news/world-600ā¦
the use of UAVs has moved from counter-terrorism or counter-insurgency warfare into full scale conventional combat. Indeed, up ahead, a new third age of drone warfare beckons as technology becomes ever more sophisticated and linked to artificial intelligence
2/
Feb 5, 2022 ā¢ 13 tweets ā¢ 3 min read
Russiaās trade with China more than doubled between 2015 and 2021. From $64 b to $146 b - after Crimea annexation.
In 2010 Ind-Russia set trade target of $15 b by 2015. Our trade was about $6 bn in 2015, largely weapons import.
2025 target is $30 b. 2020-21 trade stood at $8 b
Our external trade is private enterprise driven. Would our businesses invest in Russia or in the West? Where will Indian industry looking for investment and tech head to? India has huge gas requirement. Even that didnāt materialise properly with Russia which sued ONGC for $$
Feb 4, 2022 ā¢ 5 tweets ā¢ 4 min read
#Tibetans Protest against China
Chinese flag burnt in Delhi #BoycottBeijingOlympics #Tibetans Protest against China
Tibetans stamping their feet on Chinese flag in Delhi
IMO, there is no place for burqa in schools & colleges. And these students may end up harming other Muslim girlsā admission in the future, even if they say they donāt wear. Muslim groups will use these students to virtue signal as ārole modelsā & pressure girls to adopt burqa š
From 2008 before Erdogan lifted it: Women have been banned from covering their heads in all state offices and institutions in Turkey for decades. In the 1980s the headscarf was also prohibited at all universities, declared a symbol of political Islam news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/72ā¦
Jan 14, 2022 ā¢ 8 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
On Pakistanās national security policy wrt India: 1- Blames India for impeding connectivity in the subcontinent 2- It wants to challenge India declaring itself as a net security provider 3- Accuses India & genocide in Kashmir.continue to support (= terrorism)
1/4- Wants to improve relations with India with āJust and peacefulā resolution of Kashmir at its core 6- Calls āHindutvaā itās security threat 7- Concerned about Indiaās military modernisation, getting nuke exception.
2/
Feb 14, 2021 ā¢ 5 tweets ā¢ 1 min read
Bhishma says in his instructions to Yudhishthira that whatever creates conflict is Adharma, and whatever puts an end to conflict and brings about unity and harmony is Dharma.... punarnava.org/dharma.php
1n
2n ...Anything that helps to unite all and develop pure divine love and universal brotherhood, is Dharma. Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony and foments hatred, is Adharma....
Oct 25, 2020 ā¢ 4 tweets ā¢ 2 min read
I sent some samples of some products to Australia against payment via courier. Got notice from bank that this payment needs corresponding customs shipping bill. I have none.Possible scrutiny later, all for a small amount. Fix our laws, rather get rid of useless laws & regulations
Was having lunch with my clearing agent. He talked about a couple of cases -
- Garment export. 1- Customs chaps think itās their birthright to pick up stuff they like.
2-Accuse of inflating invoice value to get drawback-time+$+ā¹ lost
Indiaās garments export have shrunk BTW
1/2
