4 “Indo-Bangla Regional Meeting Ends,” The Daily Star, January 15, 2015 at http://www.thedailystar.net/indo-bangla-regional-meeting-ends-60050. 5 “Bangladesh, India Open Third Border Haat,” The Daily Star, January 14, 2015 at http://www.thedailystar.net/.
Russia
The Indian team had Ministry of External Affairs under Secretary Mini Kumam, two Superintending Engineers of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, one Superintending Engineer of PWD's Road and Bridge Division and Deputy Director of the Transport Department. On the other hand, the Myanmar team had Supervising Engineer of Public Works, Ministry of Construction, from Sagaing Region; Ministry of Construction, Deputy Commissioner, Tamu Region; officials from Myanmar Traffic Police Force and Ministry of Rail Transport. He further mentioned that Malaysia must show sensitivity to all religions so that peace and harmony can be maintained in the country.
Yanghee Lee, UN human rights envoy for Myanmar, who had urged the Myanmar government and Rakhine State to be tolerant towards the Rohingya Muslims in the country. Wirathu, the leader of the Committee for the Protection of Nationality and Religion (Mabatha), said the UN's calls regarding religious tolerance towards the Rohingyas are against Myanmar's sovereignty and that is why they called the protest launched. The protesters also demanded that the country's 1982 citizenship law be brought into force so that the Rohingyas can be identified as non-Myanmarese people.
Before Lee’s visit to Myanmar, UN had passed a resolution urging Myanmar identify the Rohingyas as citizens.
Russia
The United States of America
National
Reshaping the Defense Department's premier information technology agency is vital to how it will improve its agility and leverage its capabilities for the future, the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) said in Washington on January 13. On January 20, during his State of the Union address to Congress, President Barack Obama will announce cybersecurity initiatives designed to improve legislative loopholes that he, cabinet members and senior military officials have. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James announced a new initiative designed to help the Air Force partner with industry, encourage innovation and reduce the cost of systems.
In dual remarks during the State of the Air Force press briefing in Washington on January 15, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and the Air Force chief of staff announced plans to bring the service’s research, science and technology ideas to the Defence Innovation Initiative, led by Deputy Secretary of Defence Bob Work. Mark Welsh III, the chief of staff, said the overall vision realized will help the Air Force and each of the services reduce costs, maintain a technological edge and enhance the procurement process.69. Airmen are pursuing the fight against terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) over the skies of Syria and Iraq, she said during a “State of the Air Force” Pentagon press briefing.
To date, we have secured more than 60 percent of the more than 16,000 flights we have flown,” noted James.
International: Asia
State Department officials made the intentions clear on the evening of January 12 in Islamabad after Secretary of State John Kerry and other US diplomats had a working dinner with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and some of his aides. On January 13, the State Department designated Maulana Fazlullah, also known as Mullah Fazlullah, a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," a designation intended to target "terrorists and those who support terrorists or acts of terrorism." The label makes it a crime for the US. In talks with senior government leaders of Myanmar (also known as Burma), Tom Malinowski, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, said on January 16 that the U.S.
The government is taking action, including tougher regulations and new anti-trafficking measures, after coming under criticism from rights groups and the United States. Japan announced on Jan. 14 that its defense budget for the coming year will rise to nearly $42 billion, which will be used to continue controversial changes to Japan's military that have already sparked anger in Beijing. New sanctions announced by President Barack Obama on January 2 offered "a tremendous amount of flexibility" and were aimed at identifying remaining financial institutions that have given North Korea access to the global system, which could themselves face sanctions staring, Glaser told a House of Representatives briefing. .83.
The world's two biggest polluters, the United States and China, recently announced a landmark agreement aimed at breathing new life into global efforts to address climate change.
India-US Relations
D EFENCE R EVIEWS
The third ship in the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk IV project, Yard 2094, is indigenously designed. Considered a milestone in India's quest for self-reliance in sophisticated shipbuilding, the LCU L53 is the third vessel in the series of eight Landing Craft Utility Ships being built by GRSE for the Indian Navy. The eight LCUs will play an essential role in transporting the main tanks, armored vehicles and troops of the Indian Army during amphibious operations.
The first vessel in the series was launched on March 12 last year, followed by the second on September 23. Two CRN-91 indigenous 30 MM guns to provide fire support during operations will also be mounted on board. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that his ministry will come up with a defense procurement policy (DPP), preferring procurement of equipment made in India, within three months.
The defense minister said: "The government hopes to come out with a document in two or three months on an appropriate model for defense production and procurement. We have listed certain items which will not be imported from 2016.
International
I NTERNAL S ECURITY R EVIEWS
Jammu & Kashmir
Meanwhile, Sopore city also witnessed a shutdown on January 15, a day after a Lasher-e-Taiba militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore.104. Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen said on January 16 that the BJP government's move to grant citizenship rights to refugees settled in Jammu is not only insidious and dangerous but also a calculated attempt to change the Muslim demographics of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Two Jaish-e-Muhammed militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir's Sopore town.
Security forces cordoned off Saidpora village in Sopore following information about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said. He said when the forces closed in on the target house, the militants opened fire which was retaliated, triggering the gun battle.106.
Northeast Insurgency
Operation All Out', with CRPF and SSB, Chirang District Police has achieved a major success by capturing 12 active NDFB(S) cadres with arms and ammunition from the northern forest of Chirang District under Amguri and Bijni Police Stations. The operation team also recovered four AK 56 rifles, four 9 mm pistols, one 7.65 caliber pistol, one 303 rifle, one 315 rifle, three high explosive grenades, one Chinese grenade and 784 bullets from the possession of the cadres.108. In yet another joint operation launched by troops of the Red Horns Division and Assam Police along the jungles of the Assam-Bhutan border in Chirang district on January 13, eight die-hard members of the NDFB(S), including self-styled Second Lieutenant Enon Bargoyary alias Erkhang and the senior recruiting officer and self-styled platoon commander of Amteka area Rinen Basumatary alias Majhi, were apprehended.
Enon Bargoyary is the chief recruitment officer of NDFB(S), central committee member and a Bhutan-trained militant. He was involved in recruiting and motivating NDFB(S) militants, including women cadres, and sending them to various camps outside the country. Self-styled platoon commander of Amteka area Rinen Basumatary who surrendered after Operation All Clear in 2003 rejoined the NDFB(S) two years back.
Four weapons including two AKs, two pistols and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered from the arrested ultras.109.
Left-wing Extremism
111 Chatterjee, Mohua, “Maoists Call For People To 'Condemn And Boycott' Obama Visit,” The Times of India, January 14, 2015 at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Maoists-call-for-people- condemn-and-boycott-Obama- visit/articleshow/45880512.cms. 112 “Rajnath Singh asks states to appoint DMs, SPs with 'zeal' to fight Maoists”, Indian Express, 16 January 2015 at http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/rajnath-singh -asks-states-to-appoint-dms-sps-officials-with-zealous-fighting-maoists/. They are part of the group of Ajay Rajbhar, who works for the Tritiya Prastuti Committee, a Naxal group operating in southern Bihar and Jharkhand.110 Ahead of the visit of US President Barack Obama, who will be the chief guest at the 65th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, the Maoists have appealed to people , to "condemn and boycott" the visit.
In a written statement issued by the Dandakaranya Special Zone Committee of the CPI (Maoist) dated January 5, Maoist party spokesperson Gudsa Usendi said rallies would be organized across the country with the slogan "Obama go back." Calling Obama “the gang leader of American imperialism,” the Maoist party statement says: “American imperialism is the number one enemy of the oppressed masses and nationalities of the world. Describing the Naxal problem as the biggest challenge facing India, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing the Eastern Zone Council (EZC) meeting at Patna in Bihar on January 17, asked all states grappling with this menace to to appoint district magistrates and police inspectors. such officers who have the “zeal” to fight the rebels.112.
The conference, which will be held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on January 13, is expected to be attended by the chief ministers of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar and ministers of public works departments (PWD) of other states.
