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Launching the second phase of RuPay card, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that India will soon be sending Bhutanese satellite to space. "India opened its space sector for private enterprises. It will boost innovation, capacity and skills. ISRO will be sending Bhutan's satellite next year and work on that is progressing fast," He said. "Like other Indians I have great love and friendship with Bhutan, when I meet you all its like meeting our own," Prime Minister told the Bhutanese audience on the occasion. "The relation between India and Bhutan is important and best example for the world," the prime minister added. He said he is happy that 11,000 transaction took place through RuPay card in Bhutan, and if the Covid pandemic would not have hit the volume could have been greater. "From my visit to Bhutan, in the phase-1 of RuPay card launch, till now, 11,000 successful RuPay transactions have taken place in Bhutan. Today with the launch of phase-2, we welcome Bhutan as a full-time partner in the RuPay network," Modi said. Prime Minister along with Bhutan Prime Minister had launched the first phase of RuPay card last year during his visit. Prime Minister of Bhutan lauded Modi's efforts in tackling the pandemic. "The Excellency's (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) leadership in tackling the pandemic at home is highly commended," Lotay Tshering said. "I am sure India will come out much stronger from the pandemic. The lead that India is taking in developing vaccines is source of hope for all of us." The Bhutan Prime Minister thanked India for promising to provide vaccine when it is ready. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/mumbais-massive-power-cut-last-month-may-have-been-the-work-of-hackers/articleshow/79318282.cms">Mumbai’s massive power cut last month may have been the work of hackers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/vodafone-idea-shares-jump-after-selling-stake-in-indus-towers-for-3760-crore/articleshow/79316662.cms">Vodafone Idea soars nearly 5% on fund infusion from Indus Towers stake sale</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/pubg-mobile-india-was-supposed-to-launch-today/articleshow/79315462.cms">PUBG Mobile India was rumoured to launch today — but there is no official update from the company</a>

ISRO to launch satellite for Bhutan next year and train four Bhutanese space engineers

<ul><li>India has transformed from ‘recipient’ to a ‘donor’ of foreign aid over the last few years. </li><li>A recent global public opinion survey by <keyword id="69007" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Economic-Forum">World Economic Forum</keyword> (WEF) has shown that ver 95% of Indian population expecting their nation to help other countries. </li><li>India has donated chunks under its foreign aid, with Bhutan receiving the most of it under the ‘neighbourhood first’ policy followed by Afghanistan — a distant second receiver. </li></ul>With India emerging as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it has transformed from ‘recipient’ to a ‘donor’ of foreign aid over the years. A recent <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/wef-2019/wef-2019-blogs/indians-biggest-supporters-of-international-aid-wef-global-survey/story/311943.html">global public opinion</a> survey by World Economic Forum (WEF) has shown that Indians have emerged as the most optimistic towards international aid — with over 95% of Indian population expecting their nation to help other countries. The WEF report that surveyed over 10,000 people noted that the South Asian countries — including India, Pakistan and <keyword id="6354759" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword> tops the charts displaying highest levels of support for other countries. On the other hand, other neighbours including Pakistan and Bangladesh land at 94% and 87%, respectively. Overall, India has been the <a href="https://thepolicytimes.com/india-is-evolving-from-being-a-recipient-to-a-donor/">second largest</a> donor country for international aids, according to Center of Global Development. India has donated chunks under its foreign aid, with Bhutan receiving the most of it under the ‘neighbourhood first’ policy followed by Afghanistan — a distant second receiver. While Bhutan received over ₹37.14 billion donation from India’s foreign aid for the financial year 2017-2018, Afghanistan shared ₹3.5 billion international aid,<a href="https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/ub2017-18/eb/sbe28.pdf"> reports</a> India’s Ministry of External Affairs. In all, the country spent ₹64.7 billion in 2017-18, compared to ₹59.3 billion during the previous fiscal. Two years ago, in order to strengthen global ties with countries including Vietnam, Myanmar among others, the country, in 2016, dedicated a ₹5 billion ‘Project Development Fund’ to strengthen economy. According to the global survey, nearly 80% of people across the globe think that all countries benefit at the same time, and aid does not mean that the donor country loses out. Interestingly, 63% of participants from the US find that immigrants are ‘good’ for their country. That comes at a time when the US government has been tightening immigration laws in the country. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-to-overtake-the-uk-in-the-rankings-of-the-worlds-largest-economies-thanks-to-brexit/articleshow/67188514.cms">India may become the world's fifth largest economy in 2019: Report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/violence-cost-indias-economy-9-of-its-gdp-last-year/articleshow/64635460.cms">Violence cost India's economy 9% of its GDP last year</a>

Over 95% Indians support foreign aid efforts — and it seems like India has stood up to that expectation

<ul><li>Experts believe that China wants to fulfil its territorial ambitions without firing a shot — and it’s on a 10-year timeline.</li><li>The time is centred around the 2021 100th anniversary of the CCP and the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049.</li><li>The fear is that if China is unable to meet the deadlines, it may resort to large scale military conflict.</li></ul>Experts believe that we are entering a decade of concern with respect to China. Over the last 20 years, China has built up its military and has been using influence to fulfil its territorial ambitions. Not just when it comes to the India-China border, but also when it comes to Taiwan, Hong Kong and the <keyword id="430735" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-China-Sea">South China Sea</keyword>. “We are entering the decade of concern and in the next 10 years, if the Chinese leaders are unable to acquire the territory that they believe is theirs through non-kinetic means then the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and those using the PLA will try to convince the leadership that its time to use military force,” said James Fanell, the former director of intelligence and information operations of the US Pacific Fleet in the US Navy. China is on a timeline Experts are concerned that since Chinese President Xi Jinping came into power in 2013 — China has been on a timeline. “They’ve [China] told us that their timeline is centred around two centennials — one is in 2021 on the 100th anniversary of CCP and then in 2049, the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China,” Fanell pointed during a webinar with Mumbai-based think tank Gateway House and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftun (KAS). The fear is that if China is not able to “restore its territorial sovereignty,” within the prescribed timeline, military conflict may be on the cards. Without firing a shot Fanell believes that China would prefer to get what it wants without having to fire a shot.“They would prefer to use influence and the art of war without ever actually having to use contact,” he said. “Fundamentally, many of the issues that trouble the QUAD countries — at least two or three of the QUAD countries — are territorial. It’s less about the freedom of navigation than what is happening in the South China Sea, which is about the violations of sovereignty while China insists about its own sovereignty sensitivities and stepping on other people’s toes,” added Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande, former head of naval intelligence in the Indian Navy. The build-up of territorial pressure over the last month Just yesterday, China passed the controversial Hong Kong security law. According to Beijing, it’s necessary to deal with separatism and foreign interference. On the other hand, critics argue that it will outlaw dissent and destroy the autonomy promised when the territory was returned to China in 1997. In Bhutan, China is claiming rights over the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary calling it ‘disputed’ territory. “We’ve also seen over the last six to eight weeks, North Korea is suddenly up again after they were relatively quiet for the last couple of years,” pointed out Fanell. This month, there have been <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-china-defence/chinese-bomber-approaches-taiwan-in-latest-fly-by-near-island-idUSKBN23T19Z">reports</a> of Chinese bombers entering Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. Around the disputed Senkaku Islands, intelligence suggests that there is increased activity, not just at the ports but also of tiny submarines in the waters near the area. Chinese Coast Guard vessels are setting records of duration inside contiguous zones. India has its own experience along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) where 20 soldiers were killed after both sides decided to de-escalate tension along the shared border. “They are going to use everything in their, what they call, comprehensive national power — diplomacy, economic, information, military — to get to their objective which is to have territorial integrated sovereignty and inclusion of everything that they believe is their sovereign territory,” said Fanell. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/the-next-few-days-are-going-to-stormy-for-india-and-china-says-a-former-diplomat-and-retired-lieutenant-general/articleshow/76438507.cms">The next few days are going to be stormy for India and China say a former diplomat and retired lieutenant general</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/four-types-of-chinese-apps-making-big-money-in-india-experts-believe-at-least-three-should-be-done-away-with/articleshow/76681232.cms">Four types of Chinese apps making big money in India — experts believe at least three should be done away with</a>

China may keep pushing into neighbouring territories for the next ten years, experts say based on Beijing's timelines

<ul><li>India and Bangladesh are set to inaugurate a new railway line that will resume trans-border railway connectivity between the two countries after 55 years. </li><li>It will also serve as a way for India to bolster its connectivity to Chicken’s Neck, also called the <keyword id="1088089" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Siliguri-corridor">Siliguri Corridor</keyword>, that connects the rest of the country to the eight northeastern states. </li><li>The slender transit zone is flanked by China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.</li></ul>India and Bangladesh are set to inaugurate a new railway line that will connect West Bengal to Chilahati across the border on December 16. On paper, the route will serve to improve trade and trans-border railway connectivity will resume between the two countries after a gap of five decades. But, on the ground, the 75-kilometre long railway line will bring the rest of India a little closer to the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, also called the Siliguri Corridor, to counter China’s <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/chinese-pla-patrolling-in-arunachal-time-for-action-on-the-border-bjp-mp-tapir-gao/443248/">growing aggressiveness</a> in the North East. According to the <a href="https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/twisting-india-s-chicken-s-neck">Lowly Institute</a>, it’s integral that India saves its Chicken’s Neck from China — especially considering that it’s already locked in a face-off against the dragon in Eastern Ladakh. <div type="image" title="chicken&amp;#39;s neck" msid="79750861" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Chicken&amp;#39;s Neck that connects the rest of India to its eight northeastern states&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The thin stretch of land gets its name from being only 22-kilometres wide. And, it will be less than 100 kilometres from the new railway line. The narrow bridge of land is the only connection between the rest of India and its eight north-eastern states. At the same time, the slender transit zone is flanked by China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. ‘Chicken’s Neck’ is a point of strategic anxiety for India In the past, Nath-La Pass and <keyword id="4708082" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="doklam">Doklam</keyword>, have served as the stage for the two Asian giants to battle their claims. And, for China to take over Chicken’s Neck, it would only have to move its army inland by 130 kilometres. The strategic anxiety around the region is only heightened by China’s continued road and airstrip construction activities on its side of the border, which could allow it to mobilise rapidly in the region. Cognizant of the threat, the area is constantly patrolled by a number of entities including the Indian Army, the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force, and the West Bengal Police. India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is also known to closely monitor activity in the region as well. India is also looking at fast-tracking the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India Nepal (BBIN) initiative which will boost connectivity among the South Asian neighbours through rail and road. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-and-reliance-industries-mukesh-ambani-spoke-but-had-no-chemistry/articleshow/79739547.cms">Zuckerberg spoke to Ambani but there was no chemistry — even with a multi-million dollar partnership between them</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/hdfc-bank-ceo-aditya-puri-says-banks-must-change-every-3-4-years/articleshow/79734617.cms">"Banks must change every 3-4 years," says Aditya Puri, the recently retired chairman of HDFC Bank, dubbed as 'the world's best banker'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/pornhub-adult-video-streaming-website-deletes-over-9-million-videos-to-remove-child-porn/articleshow/79732612.cms">Two in every three Pornhub videos are gone after a purge to remove child porn</a>

After 55 years, India will inaugurate a new railway line with Bangladesh to save its ‘Chicken’s Neck’ from China

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6356598" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="bhutan">Bhutan</keyword>'s king has been making personal trips across the country to visit remote regions and meet <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">Covid-19</keyword> taskforces.</li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KingJigmeKhesar">His Facebook page</a> shows him donning a baseball cap, hiking attire, and a backpack on his treks.</li><li>Bhutan is one of the world's most mountainous countries, with an average elevation of 8,000 feet.</li></ul>The king of Bhutan has taken it upon himself to hike across mountains, visit remote villages, and trudge through leech-infested jungles to help his country curb the Covid-19 pandemic.King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has been making trips by car, horse, and foot across his kingdom to supervise pandemic measures and warn his people of the coronavirus, according to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KingJigmeKhesar">official royal Facebook page. </a>He's been making the trips over the last 14 months and has managed to span Bhutan's eastern border - which is more than 400 miles long - <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/bhutan-king-treks-across-mountains-hold-down-covid-19-fatality-count-2021-06-25/">reported Reuters.</a>One of his latest treks lasted five days across 41 miles, according to the royal Facebook page, in which he sported an outdoor backpack, hiking gear, and sometimes a pair of sunglasses or a dark baseball cap.Camping on the slopes and among the trees by night, and dropping by rural settlements in the day, he has spoken to health workers in various regions and inspected several border posts.Whenever he finishes a tour and arrives back in the capital of Thimpu, he quarantines himself in a hotel according to protocol, said Reuters.The monarch is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/wedding-of-bhutans-beloved-young-king-seen-as-another-step-toward-modernization/2011/10/12/gIQA2HDgfL_story.html">immensely popular among the people of Bhutan</a>. He's known for traveling to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110713173514/http://kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&amp;file=article&amp;sid=8317sid=8317">meet and discuss the country's policies with his people</a>. When he took the throne in 2006, he relinquished his absolute powers to turn Bhutan into a constitutional <keyword id="90317" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Monarchy">monarchy</keyword> as part of a democratization process."When the king travels for miles and knocks... to alert people about the pandemic, then his humble words are respected and taken very seriously," Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering told Reuters."His Majesty's presence is far more powerful than just issuing public guidelines," said Tshering, who accompanies the 41-year-old king on his trips.According to the royal Facebook page, the king is concerned by a recent "large number" of community infections in the region.Bhutan, a land-locked kingdom of 700,000 people that is surrounded by China and India, is <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/mapped-countries-highest-average-elevation/">one of the world's most mountainous countries with an average elevation of 8,000 feet</a>. Its southern neighbor, India, has been battling one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks in the world but Bhutan has had relatively few cases. As of June 28, Bhutan has reported <a href="https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/bhutan/">2,052 Covid-19 cases and one death caused by the coronavirus.</a>As a Covid precaution, Bhutan <a href="https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/469156/bhutan-nonessential-activity-restricted-in-border-districts-as-of-april-20-due-to-covid-19-update-25">closed its borders</a> to all but essential travel in April. However, there is concern about "frequent interactions between people across the porous border" with India, according to the royal <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KingJigmeKhesar/posts/10159175655988260">Facebook page</a>."(The king) has been to all high-risk border areas time and again to monitor every measure put in place and to ensure best practices are followed within limited resources," Rui Paulo de Jesus, the World Health Organization representative in Bhutan told Reuters.Bhutan is currently struggling with a severe vaccine shortage. While it managed to provide around 90% of the country with one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, it does not currently have enough doses to ensure that its citizens receive a second dose.The government is contemplating offering mixed doses of another vaccine to residents. Both Canada and Spain have already approved mixing vaccines, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/spanish-study-finds-astrazeneca-vaccine-followed-by-pfizer-dose-is-safe-2021-05-18/">studies</a> have shown that taking the Pfizer vaccine as a second dose to the Astrazeneca vaccine is safe.

Bhutan's king has been hiking and camping across his mountainous kingdom to oversee pandemic measures

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In a Tuesday interview with <keyword id="352115" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stephen-Colbert">Stephen Colbert</keyword>, former President <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword> praised President-elect Joe Biden's <keyword id="44266" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Foreign-policy">foreign policy</keyword> picks for the incoming administration.</li><li>Obama said that he was looking forward to seeing an administration where people "know where countries are," an apparent dig at President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> and his administration.</li><li>In June 2017, Trump <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-called-bhutan-nepal-button-nipple-john-walcott_n_5c58c7b0e4b00187b5544631">reportedly mispronounced</a> <keyword id="12266" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nepal">Nepal</keyword> and <keyword id="6356598" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="bhutan">Bhutan</keyword>, and when looking at a map, had to be told where the countries were located.</li></ul>Former President Barack Obama is thrilled to see his No. 2, President-elect Joe Biden, take office next year, but he's also anxious to see <keyword id="138327" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="geography">geography</keyword> skills make a comeback.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhnPAHQFs_g">During an interview</a> with the "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert that aired on Tuesday, Obama praised Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for the work that they've done so far to build their new administration."Joe's going to be great," Obama said. "Kamala's going to be great. They're going to have big challenges ahead, but we've got the potential of returning to a presidency that is actually paying attention and trying to do right by all people and not just some."Colbert then complimented the incoming administration's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-foreign-policy-will-mitigate-trump-damage-but-have-challenges-2020-11">national security appointments</a> — which include Antony Blinken as the nominee for Secretary of State, Alejandro Mayorkas as the designate for Secretary of Homeland Security, and longtime diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield to serve as the US Ambassador to the United Nations — while reserving criticism for the Trump administration."It's a whole lot of return to the sort of stability and competency of your eight years, which is novel," Colbert said. "It's as good as a vacation right now, with somebody who actually wants to do the job that they were hired to do. That's an interesting idea, isn't it?Obama added: "And have experience and written about stuff and know where countries are. It's great."The former president was likely referencing President Donald Trump's geographic blunders, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-called-bhutan-nepal-button-nipple-john-walcott_n_5c58c7b0e4b00187b5544631">where he reportedly mispronounced</a> Nepal and Bhutan as "Nipple" and "Button" during a June 2017 intelligence meeting and knew little about the respective countries while studying a world map, <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/13/trump-world-knowledge-diplomatic-774801">according to Politico</a>."He didn't know what those [two countries] were," a source told Politico. "He thought it was all part of India. He was like, 'What is this stuff in between and these other countries?'"And then in January 2020, Secretary of State <keyword id="3109665" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mike-Pompeo">Mike Pompeo</keyword> also had a bizarre geography-related incident during an interview with NPR host Mary Louise Kelly.When Kelly asked Pompeo questions about the US's commitment to <keyword id="6355101" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ukraine">Ukraine</keyword> and the dismissal of former US ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mike-pompeo-accuses-veteran-npr-reporter-lying-and-being-unhinged-2020-1">he reportedly became irate</a> with the veteran journalist, cursing her and giving her a geography quiz."He used the f-word in that sentence and many others," <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/799381193/mary-louise-kelly-interviews-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo">Kelly said on NPR</a>. "He asked if I could find Ukraine on a map. I said yes, and he called out for aides to bring us a map of the world with no writing. I pointed to Ukraine. He put the map away."After the interview, <a href="https://twitter.com/amyfiscus/status/1221091732944773121">Pompeo released a statement</a> saying that Kelly had "lied" to him about having an off-the-record conversation and accused her of misidentifying Bangladesh for Ukraine, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/01/25/799584780/npr-responds-to-sec-pompeo-interview">accusations that NPR roundly dismissed</a>.

In an apparent dig at the Trump administration, Obama says Biden's foreign policy team will 'know where countries are'

<ul class="generic-article__summary--ul content--ul"><li class="generic-article__summary--li content--li">West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress woos Kolkata’s Chinese community as it faces a tough fight from Narendra Modi’s BJP</li><li class="generic-article__summary--li content--li">Though they do not have the numbers to influence government policy, the head of the Chinese Indian Association says voting is an important activity if you want to feel part of a country</li></ul> Restaurateur Monica Liu, 66, is an ethnic Chinese but has lived in the Indian city of Kolkata all her life. She and her family are among the estimated 6,000 Indian citizens of Chinese origin living in the country – with about 5,000 of them living in Kolkata, many with Hakka heritage. They are mostly descendants of those who fled to India in the middle of the 19th century to escape turmoil caused by the clash between British forces and Qing dynasty troops known as the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2075509/dark-legacy-britains-opium-wars-still-felt-today-amid-fight-against" class="link-text">Opium Wars</a> and the bloody rebellion against dynasty known as the Taiping Uprising. The Chinese community has long been marginalised by Indian authorities despite their presence for over 200 years. Those of Chinese origin born before 1950 cannot get Indian citizenship, leaving them holding on to Chinese and British passports while some have ended up being stateless after deciding not to renew their temporary resident permits. <h3 style="margin-bottom: 2.35714rem; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 300; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.42857rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; display: inherit;"><a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3010741/indian-election-explained-how-narendra-modis-good-days-turned" class="link-text">Indian election: how Modi’s ‘good days’ turned bad </a></h3>But for those who are citizens, more have decided to participate in politics after community leaders began mobilising people to get their voter identity cards in the last two decades, said Bean Ching Law, president of the Chinese Indian Association. Kolkata voters will go to the ballot booth on Sunday, the last day of polling in <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3010741/indian-election-explained-how-narendra-modis-good-days-turned" class="link-text">India’s mammoth six-week general election</a> . In recent weeks, election wall graffiti in Chinese, requesting votes for the candidate of the Trinamool Congress party (TMC), appeared on the walls of Kolkata’s Chinatown in the Tangra district. Trinamool runs the state government in West Bengal, where Kolkata is situated.SUBSCRIBE TO THIS WEEK IN ASIA Get updates direct to your inbox Members of the community say it’s the first time they’ve seen this sort of outreach to them. Most think that it is an extension of the Trinamool’s grass roots-level growth in the state. After all, no one from the party has approached the elders of the Chinese community for votes. Also, Kolkata North, the constituency within which the Chinatown falls, will see tough fight between the candidates of the TMC and <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/narendra-modi" class="link-text">Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s</a> Bharatiya Janata Party, making every vote a crucial one for either side.A history of exclusion Law, a 49-year-old entrepreneur, has fought for the rights for the Chinese community since his return from the US in 2007. One of his strategies has been to attempt to obtain Overseas Indian Citizenship (OCI) for those born before 1950. The OCI, which gives foreign citizens permission to work and live in India indefinitely, will help such individuals avoid having to spend around US$156 annually to renew a permit allowing them to stay in the country. “However, these applications were rejected [by authorities] saying those individuals never showed the need to become an Indian citizen,” he says. “This is false: people applied for passports in the 1960s and were rejected outright. In fact, it was this rejection letter that helped them get other countries’ passports.” Law has been encouraging the community to vote. “Voting is the most important activity if you want to feel part of a country. It differentiates you from a person from another country. It is a sign that you belong here…..For any other Indian, why is it important to vote? The same reasons apply to us,” he said. <h3 style="margin-bottom: 2.35714rem; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 300; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.42857rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; display: inherit;"><a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3010707/india-elections-bjp-may-need-allies-narendra-modi-drove-away" class="link-text">BJP may need the allies Modi drove away </a></h3>But he is pragmatic, pointing out that they do not have the numbers to influence government policy, even about themselves. “[This is the] weakness of democracy as far as microscopic minorities are concerned. Democracy is always about the majority; the minuscule minority is dirt,” he said. For Liu, the memory of how her family was snatched from their homes and thrown in prison for five-and-a-half years after the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1452590/1962-sino-indian-war-still-stirs-bitter-controversy" class="link-text">Sino-Indian war</a> , remains.The clash between tens of thousands of Indian and Chinese troops took place between October and November 1962, after a series of border incidents sparked by India’s decision to grant asylum to the Dalai Lama after a failed Tibetan rebellion against Chinese rule. China declared a ceasefire on November 19 but that was when the danger began for India’s ethnic Chinese residents. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, greets her supporters in Kolkata. Photo: Reuters Liu recalls how her mother saw it coming, her intuition sharpened by listening for Japanese bomber aircraft and running for cover in her village in southern China during the Second World War. “She packed bags full of clothes for each of my siblings and tasked me with equipping them with the bags, when the police came for us,” Liu said. It was 5am when the police knocked on the door and explained that all ethnic Chinese were being rounded up, days before India’s Parliament passed a law that allowed the detention of people assessed to be “of hostile origin”. The Indian government has never released the numbers, so estimates on the number of detainees vary: of the roughly 40,000 Chinese-origin individuals in India at the time, between 3,000 and 10,000 were detained, although no one was successfully prosecuted. Mass deportations to China and migrations to countries like Canada, the US and Australia, mostly from the affluent members of community who were Hakka, followed the detentions. Liu’s family was offered deportation to China soon after internment but her father chose to remain in India. “My mom wanted to go. My daddy didn’t want to. Dad said, “I have nobody in China. When I go back, what will I do?,”she said. <h3 style="margin-bottom: 2.35714rem; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 300; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.42857rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; display: inherit;"><a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3009682/exploiting-islamophobia-election-winning-tool-india" class="link-text">Exploiting Islamophobia: an election-winning tool in India </a></h3>Indian filmmaker Rafeeq Ellias compared the Chinese internment in India to when Americans of Japanese origin were detained during the Second World War. “People have not even spoken about their experiences even to their own children,” said Rafeeq, who made a documentary, The Legend of Fat Mama, about Kolkata’s Chinese community in 2005. Ellias has also written about the need for the Indian government to acknowledge the internment. The Japanese Americans documented their experience and were able to obtain an apology from the US government. The ethnic Chinese in India have been unable to do that. “They have been so marginalised and so few in number and the young people have all migrated at the first opportunity,” he says. “They don’t even have a sense of history or continuity.” Sinking roots But things could be changing. Singapore-based Rinkoo Bhowmick, who founded the CHA project, said she saw younger ethnic Chinese choosing to remain in India instead of migrating to countries like Canada, the US and Australia because the economy was doing well. The CHA project has been attempting a revival of Kolkata’s Old Chinatown in the Tiretta Bazaar area, which is where the first migrants settled, before pollution regulations forced the creation of a New Chinatown in 1910 in Tangra, about 7km away. The project plans to transform the Old Chinatown into a vibrant public space through events and heritage conservation. “The decision of these youngsters to stay back should eventually give rise to a sense of belonging,” Bhowmick said. Others like Thomas Chen, 42, joint secretary of the Indian Chinese Association (ICA), one of the many organisations for ethnic Chinese, have been working to promote Chinese culture and heritage among Indian society. Chen speaks with pride of teaching a contingent of the Indian Army a Mandarin song about friendship. <h3 style="margin-bottom: 2.35714rem; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 300; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.42857rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; display: inherit;"><a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2104347/imagine-what-china-and-india-can-do-together" class="link-text">Imagine what China and India can do together </a></h3>“I also wrote a Chinese song on the Mid-Autumn Festival for the Indian Chinese Association. It was telecast twice last year on China Central Television.” The now-defunct project of the ICA, which has only 10 members, also saw the association organise Chinese-language classes for Indian companies Tata Iron and Steel, and Infosys. Robert Hsu, secretary of the ICA, said he knew of community members who were uncomfortable at how the Indian media took a jingoistic line on the 2017 <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/china-india-border-dispute" class="link-text">border stand-off between the armies of India and China</a> . Indian soldiers wanted China to stop construction of a road extension project in a location claimed by its ally Bhutan as well as Beijing.But Hsu pointed to the organisation’s name and said it served to show that for India’s ethnic Chinese, “it has always been about being Indian first”. Indian PM Narendra Modi at an election rally in Mathurapur, south of Kolkata. Photo: AP For Monica Liu, who now owns five busy restaurants in Kolkata, the state came knocking at her door again some years back but it was for a more pleasant reason: the then-chief minister of West Bengal wanted to dine at one of her eateries. Asked about her feelings about India and her identity, Liu offered a food analogy. “People always ask me: is your food Chinese Indian or Indian Chinese,” she says. “I reply that my food is exactly Chinese. Is there Indian masala in my food? No. The only thing is that we add more of some ingredients to enhance the flavour for the Indian customer.” Her Chinese identity is rooted in India, she continued. “Indian people have never asked me whether I am Chinese. But I am asked this when I visit China. I tell them that I am Chinese, my parents were from China, I was born and brought up in India, I am doing in business in India and my features are Chinese. I then tell them they shouldn’t be asking me that question,” she said.

India election: how will the Chinese community factor play out in Kolkata?

(Photo source: <a href="https://images.news18.com/ibnlive/uploads/2016/09/saarc.jpg">News18</a>) <ul><li>An Indian diplomat, Shubham Singh, walked out on the <keyword id="8470" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="SAARC">SAARC</keyword> summit hosted by Islamabad in protest to their Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (<keyword id="44062" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PoK">PoK</keyword>) minister being present at the event. </li><li>Not only was the PoK minister for <keyword id="3001" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword> present, but was asked to come up to the dias to address rest of the committee, according to a Times of <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> report. </li><li>India, as a policy, has refrained from acknowledging the authority of any ministers appointed by Pakistan in the disputed territory.</li></ul> An official of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, Shubham Singh, walked out during a South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting in Islamabad on Sunday as per the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pok-minister-at-saarc-meet-india-walks-out/articleshow/67018010.cms">Times of India</a>. His actions were registered as a sign of protest over the presence of Pakistan’s minister for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Muhammad Saeed, at the event. PoK has been a hot-button issue between India and Pakistan due to its strategic importance to both nations. And never before, at least during a SAARC summit, has the PoK minister been invited to attend the negotiations since its underlying mission is to achieve regional cooperation and the PoK issue is in direct contradiction of that directive. Singh reportedly left the meeting as soon as Saeed was invited to speak at the dais during the event’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry meeting. The doom of SAARC? Prior to this, the most recent incident where Pakistan reportedly tried to ‘legitimise’ PoK in the eyes of the international community was when Pakistan’s new Prime Minister, Imran Khan, was sworn in. India maintains that Kashmir is an integral part of the country and doesn’t recognise the authority of a ‘minister’ for the people in PoK. This SAARC meeting was the first to be initiated in a long time. In 2016, India pulled out of the 19th SAARC summit that was also supposed to hosted by Islamabad in retaliation of the terrorist attack in Uri on an Indian Army base. After India pulled out, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also pulled out <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/world/neighbours/story/uri-terror-attack-now-bangladesh-slams-pakistan-terms-india-friend-since-1971-342238-2016-09-21">stating</a> that, “We are against terror, against terrorist country and against any country that supports terror.” There have been no subsequent SAARC summits since then. Pakistan has been accused of repeatedly trying to derail international negotiations by bringing up the issue of PoK during international summits, especially those presided over by the United Nations. India’s stance has been that while it too agrees with the gravitas of the situation, its repeated resurgence on international platforms undercuts a lot of other important policy decisions that have be addressed.

Indian diplomat walks out during SAARC summit, takes offence to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir minister’s presence

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> is in <keyword id="6356598" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhutan">Bhutan</keyword> on a two-day visit (June 15-16) to the Himalayan nation – his first foreign visit as the <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> premier. But why did he choose Bhutan as his first foreign destination after assuming office in May this year? 
 
Before his departure, Modi said Bhutan was a ‘natural choice’ for his visit because of the ‘unique and special relationship’ between the two countries. “Bound by common interests and shared prosperity, India and Bhutan enjoy a unique and special relationship, which has been forged by ties of geography, history and culture. Therefore, Bhutan as the destination for my first visit abroad as Prime Minister is a natural choice,” he said. Modi also described the bilateral ties as B2B relations – Bharat-to-Bhutan relations. 
 Relations between India and Bhutan have always been warm and friendly. Bhutan, along with <keyword id="12266" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nepal">Nepal</keyword>, is India’s closest friend in the neighbourhood. India is the largest trading partner of Bhutan. In fact, Bhutan is fully dependent on India for its trade as India accounts for 98% of its exports and 90% of its imports. 
 India has also played a crucial role in the infrastructural development and security in Bhutan. India provides military training to the Bhutanese army. Bhutan does not have air force and it depends on the <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> for support. Since it is a landlocked country, it does not have navy. 
 The bilateral relations between the two countries have been close historically. In 1949, India and Bhutan signed the <keyword id="2339173" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Treaty-of-Friendship">Treaty of Friendship</keyword>, under which Bhutan agreed to let India ‘guide’ its foreign policy while both nations would consult each other on foreign policies. 
 <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>’s annexation of Tibet brought both the nations even closer. In 1958, the then Indian Prime Minister, <keyword id="6360386" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru">Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword>, went to Bhutan and on his return, announced in the Parliament that “any aggression against Bhutan would be seen as aggression against India.” 
 Bhutan, too, has always stood by India. It supported India on the <keyword id="148052" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Comprehensive-Test-Ban-Treaty">Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty</keyword> (<keyword id="42800" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="CTBT">CTBT</keyword>) issue and the Pokhran nuclear tests. In 2003, Bhutan launched military operations against the <keyword id="534673" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="United-Liberation-Front-of-Assam">United Liberation Front of Assam</keyword> (<keyword id="38341" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="ULFA">ULFA</keyword>), which had established some bases in the Bhutanese territory. 
 
Modi’s visit assumes more significance as it comes before the talks between Bhutan and China. China, of late, has been keen on establishing diplomatic ties with Bhutan.

Why Modi Chose Bhutan For His First Foreign Visit

Addressing the joint session of the <keyword id="6356598" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhutan">Bhutan</keyword> <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>, Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> said the new government is committed to make India-Bhutan ties even stronger. 
 
“Our hearts are always open for friendly relations with neighbours. A change in governance will not change that,” said Modi. “A strong and stable India is needed to make sure that we can help our neighbours with their problems. The stronger India will be, the better it will be for Bhutan and the (other) SAARC nations,” he said. 
 
“If India was to face economic problems, how can it look after its neighbours?” he asked. 
 
Modi also praised the Bhutanese royals for protecting the people’s rights. He said Bhutan has established democracy through awareness and the smooth transition from monarchy to democracy shows maturity in governance. “I congratulate the political family of Bhutan for securing development, protection of traditions and environment,” said Modi. 
 
“Enthusiasm visible in the voters of Bhutan is very important for a vibrant democratic environment... The most important quality for maintaining democracy is self-reliance. Bhutan is working hard not only for the present, but also for the happiness of further generations,” he noted. 
 
Modi also praised the Bhutan government for its focus on education. “(I am) delighted Bhutan has devoted a lot of resources towards education. When a country provides teachers to educate its society, it strengthens democracy,” he said. 
 
Modi said India would assist Bhutan in setting up a digital library to promote education in Bhutan.

New
Government Keen To Make India-Bhutan Ties Stronger: Narendra Modi

Last year, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Air-India-turns-profitable/articleshow/52106655.cms">Air India</a>, the flag carrier Indian airline, spent Rs 117 crore on PM Modi's foreign travel, 25% more from the previous year’s Rs 94 crore. In the year that ended in December saw Modi visiting 22 countries, including Russia, France, Germany, Korea, Mongolia, China, the UAE, Ireland, the UK, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey among others. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Modi-cabinets-expenditure-rose-by-80/articleshow/51491114.cms">Modi’s cabinet is globetrotting too, spends 80% higher on travel than last year</a> 
 
When compared to ex-PM Manmohan Singh, the amount that the national carrier spent was Rs 108 crore, during 2013-2014. 
 
The figures have surfaced as a response to an RTI application by Comm (retd) Lokesh Batra. As per the Ministry of External Affairs, Modi visited 12 countries in his first year of office including Bhutan, Australia, Myanmar, Fiji, Japan, Seychelles, Brazil and Mauritius among others. 
 
The trip that cost the max happened in April 2015, when he visited <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/India-France-to-boost-their-anti-terror-co-operation-ties-calls-on-Pak-to-bring-Pathankot-perpetrators-to-justice/articleshow/50720169.cms">France</a>, Canada and Germany, which cost the exchequer Rs 31 crore. 
 
In comparison, the most expensive trip in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Yearender-2015-PM-Narendra-Modi-around-the-world-in-365-days/articleshow/50382212.cms">2014-2015</a> was to Australia and Myanmar where he spent Rs 22 crore. Year 2016 has already seen him visiting Belgium, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Modi-set-to-Rock-the-US-and-meet-BFF-Obama-over-a-packed-schedule-in-his-second-visit-in-just-under-a-year/articleshow/48665427.cms">United States</a> and Saudi Arabia, following which he is expected to visit Iran sometime later this month. 
 
<a href="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-LC684_imodig_G_20151105015749.jpg">Image source</a>

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