<keyword id="19897536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="keywords">Netflix</keyword> recently released Anubhav Sinha’s <keyword id="20777484" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IC-814" source="keywords">IC 814</keyword>: The <keyword id="22293323" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kandahar-Hijack" source="keywords">Kandahar Hijack</keyword>, a show based on true events detailed in Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury’s book Flight into Fear: A Captain’s Story. It's suffice to say that the show has garnered quite a bit of attention, considering it is a chilling reminder of the harrowing, 8-day-long Indian Airlines flight hijack that eventually ended in the Taliban-controlled territory of Kandahar. The star-studded cast, which included <keyword id="19901508" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-varma" source="keywords">Vijay Varma</keyword>, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Aravind Swamy and Dia Mirza, the supporting cast and the show's makers did a phenomenal job in stitching together a gripping narrative around what went on during the 1999 hijack. We get to see a representation of the brave captain, five disconcerting hijackers and the only casualty from the hijack, Rupin Katyal, as Rupesh, among others. The hijackers addressed one another as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar, as per the Union home minister's statement, published on January 6, 2006. The same names have been used in the series that has sparked a fresh controversy now with some netizens accusing the makers of hiding the real names of the terrorists: Ibrahim Athar, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhter and Sayed Shakir. Amid all this controversy, one key detail that the show missed has failed to get any spotlight! <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112990033" title="I&amp;amp;B Ministry summons Netflix India&amp;#39;s head of content over &amp;#39;IC 814&amp;#39; web series" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Omission by choice?</h2>For those who remember the entire hijack episode when it happened, the show IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack may feel incomplete as it failed to highlight one key element. On the show, there was one white passenger who demanded to be seated in the business class even as the armed men threatened to harm him and were later subjected to plenty of torment by the hijackers. While the show didn’t name him as such, it did lead us to wonder if that character was a reference to <keyword id="23021199" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Roberto-Giori" source="keywords">Roberto Giori</keyword> — a special passenger on IC 814 who might’ve played a huge role in mounting international pressure on the Indian government’s to release three prisoners from Indian jails. Roberto Giori was a Swiss-Italian businessman whose influence in global finance added a crucial dimension to the crisis. Giori, the then owner of De La Rue Giori, controlled 90% of the world’s currency-printing business, making him a <keyword id="23021200" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="high-profile-hostage" source="keywords">high-profile hostage</keyword>. Giori was returning from a holiday in Kathmandu with his companion, Cristina Calabresi, when the plane was hijacked by five armed men from the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terrorist group, TIME <a href="https://time.com/archive/6954850/who-was-that-special-passenger/">reported</a> in 2000. “At one point during the eight-day hijacking of <keyword id="20779541" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Airlines-Flight-814" source="keywords">Indian Airlines Flight 814</keyword>, the abductors demanded $200 million from the Indian government. Little did they know that one of the hostages could have effortlessly written them a check for that amount,” said the TIME. <h2>A high-profile hostage</h2>The flight’s descent into chaos saw all passengers experience extreme duress, including threats to their lives, substandard living conditions and constant psychological pressure. And despite his stature, Giori wasn’t treated any differently. It is suspected that the hijackers weren’t aware of his position either. But what made Giori’s presence on the flight particularly intriguing was the response it elicited from the <keyword id="20900102" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swiss-government" source="keywords">Swiss government</keyword>. Switzerland, fully aware of Giori’s influence, reportedly dispatched a special envoy to Kandahar and is said to have quietly pressured the Indian government to ensure his safe release. This <keyword id="20546334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diplomatic-intervention" source="keywords">diplomatic intervention</keyword> was not widely publicised at the time, but it likely added another layer of urgency to the already intense negotiations. After seven days of tense standoff, the Indian government made the difficult decision to release three high-profile militants, including Maulana Masood Azhar, to secure the safe return of all hostages. The experience left a lasting impact on Giori, who later reflected on the ordeal as a life-changing event. He noted that the determination and preparedness of the hijackers were a stark reminder of the real and present dangers in the world. He also remarked on how what he experienced on the plane had changed him forever. “I don’t know what it is: Hinduism, the so-called fatalism of Indians. But the way the passengers stayed so calm throughout, even the children, was exemplary. I told myself, if the plane had been full of Italians or French, it would have been very different,” he was quoted as saying. The Netflix series, as it receives praise for its gripping depiction of the hijacking, surprisingly missed the opportunity to explore this fascinating angle. Giori’s presence on the flight was not just a footnote; it is said to be a pivotal element that underscores the global ramifications of the event. His story is a reminder of how international diplomacy, wealth and power intersect in the most unexpected ways, even in situations as harrowing as an aircraft hijacking. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112857213" title="MH370: Exploring compelling conspiracy theories around Malaysian Airlines’ mysterious flight disappearance episode" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Missing link in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack had one “very important” European passenger — one the Netflix show surprisingly didn’t highlight

The content head of <keyword id="19923295" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTT" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="OTT" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="OTT">OTT</keyword> platform <keyword id="19897536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Netflix" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> has been summoned on September 3 by the <keyword id="19967269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Information-and-Broadcasting" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ministry of Information and Broadcasting" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ministry of Information and Broadcasting">Ministry of Information and Broadcasting</keyword> over the series 'IC-814 - The Kandahar <keyword id="20102314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hijack" source="keywords">Hijack</keyword>' which has triggered a row on social media over the depiction of the hijackers. In the OTT series, the five hijackers of the flight from Kathmandu are referred to as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar. "I vividly remember IC-814. I was very aware of that accident and very involved in following that. Every man and woman in India and indeed in South Asia knows that the hijack of IC-814 from Kathmandu was committed by Pakistan's ISI-backed terrorists. Now, nobody thinks that there were some people from India who did the hijacking. So how the people have Hindu names in that movie, I don't know. But I'm very happy that the I&amp;B Ministry and the GoI have taken cognizance of this and have summoned Netflix" BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said. The Hijack drama created by <keyword id="19913032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anubhav-Sinha" source="keywords">Anubhav Sinha</keyword> and Trishant Shrivastava stars actors Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Arvind Swamy, Patralekhaa and Dia Mirza. The six-episode series is based on real events. On December 24, 1999 flight <keyword id="20777484" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="IC-814" source="keywords">IC 814</keyword> an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 enroute to Delhi gets hijacked after take off from the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal shortly after it entered Indian airspace. Soon after take-off, five hijackers, who were posing as passengers, took control of the plane. The hostage crisis lasted for seven days and ended after the then <keyword id="23009406" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister-Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee" source="keywords">Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword> government agreed to release three militants. There were 191 passengers on board including 15 crew members, where one person was stabbed, who succumbed to his injuries, while several others were wounded. BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya had posted on X, "The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who acquired aliases to hide their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, legitimised their criminal intent, by furthering their non-Muslim names. Result? Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814." Malviya further posted, "This will not just weaken / put in question India's security apparatus in the long run, but also shift the blame away from the religious cohort, that is responsible for all the bloodshed." In a suo motu statement by then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh in Parliament stated that the hijacked IC-814 aircraft made several landings at Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai before being taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan. The government, then led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was forced to release three terrorists -- <keyword id="6459729" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Masood-Azhar" source="Orion">Masood Azhar</keyword>, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar -- from Indian prisons to secure the release of the hostages. Later, Masood Azhar went on to form Jaish-E-Mohammad, which claimed responsibility for Pulwama attack in India in 2019, 2001 Parliament attacks and 2016 Uri attacks, amongst others. Currently in Pakistan, Azhar remains active, and was seen attending a wedding in Bahawalpur city of Pakistan's Punjab last month, per media reports. As per a January 6, 200 statement by the Union Home Ministry the names of the hijackers were identified as Ibrahim Athar, Bahawalpur; Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Karachi; Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Karachi; Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Karachi and Shakir from Sukkur city "To the passengers of the hijacked place these hijackers came to be known respectively as (1) Chief, (2) Doctor, (3) Burger, (4) Bhola and (5) Shankar, the names by which the hijackers invariably addressed one another," the statement read.

I&B Ministry summons Netflix India's head of content over 'IC 814' web series

Propelled by the popularity of titles such as "<keyword id="19983826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Heeramandi" source="keywords">Heeramandi</keyword>: The Diamond Bazaar", "<keyword id="20780480" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Great-Indian-Kapil-Show" source="Orion">The Great Indian Kapil Show</keyword>" and "<keyword id="1047212" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amar-Singh-Chamkila" source="Orion">Amar Singh Chamkila</keyword>", India has emerged as the third country in <keyword id="22467054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="revenue-per-cent-growth" source="keywords">revenue per cent growth</keyword> for streaming service <keyword id="19897536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Netflix" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> in its second quarter. The streamer released its second quarter earnings for 2024 on Thursday and <keyword id="1943179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-content" source="Orion">Indian content</keyword> seems to have made significant strides this year alongside popular international shows such as "Bridgerton 3", "Baby Reindeer", Korean drama "Queen of Tears" and films such as "Hit Man" and "Under Paris". India and the UK have had especially strong slates this year, according to the streamer. In Q2, India was the second and third country in terms of paid net adds and revenue per cent growth, respectively, due to the success of titles like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar", which had 15 million views to become the streamer's biggest Indian drama series ever. Imtiaz Ali-directed biopic "Amar Singh Chamkila" with 8.3 million views was another major title for Netflix, which also registered success with licensed films such as Kiran Rao's "Laapataa Ladies" and Ajay Devgn-starrer horror drama "Shaitaan". From the UK, "Baby Reindeer", which has earned 11 Emmy nominations, emerged as the big hit with 88.4 million views. "The Gentlemen", "One Day" and "Fool Me Once" also spent multiple weeks on the streamer's global TV top 10 list. The upcoming line-up for India in 2024 includes non-fiction content such as "Modern Masters feat. SS Rajamouli", "Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale" and "Yo Yo Honey Singh". In the fiction space, most anticipated returning titles are "Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein" season two, "Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba", "The Great Indian Kapil Show S2", the third season of "Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives". Anubhav Sinha's gripping drama "IC814: The Kandahar Hijack", "Do Patti" and "Vijay 69" are some of the other projects from India to come out on the streamer this year.

India becomes third country in revenue percent growth for Netflix in Q2, aided by 'Heeramandi', 'Chamkila' success

The December 24, 1999 hijack of the Indian Airlines flight is getting a series treatment at Netflix with <keyword id="19913032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anubhav-sinha" source="keywords">Anubhav Sinha</keyword> attached as creator and director. The show is titled "IC 814: The Kandhar Hijack" and stars <keyword id="19901508" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-varma" source="keywords">Vijay Varma</keyword>, Patralekha, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Amrita Puri, and Anupam Tripathi. According to the makers, the series revolves around "the 24th December 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 which was en route from Kathmandu to New Delhi. It was taken to Kandahar. The hijack lasted seven days and while the crew and passengers suffered, officers back home tried to find a solution to bring them home." Sinha, known for films such as "Mulk", "Article 15" and "Bheed", said it was a responsibility to be as authentic as possible while working on the series. "When I started doing research, almost everyone remembers a few things about the hijack, and what all happened during the process. I realised it is a very complex story and a lot of things happened in those seven days and not many people know about it. "I met a lot of officers, passengers, the pilot, and there was a lot more to share. We have put it all in the show... We had to make it factually correct and yet dramatic and engaging... It was an interesting process," the director said at the Next on Netflix event here. Sinha added Monika <keyword id="20775712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shergill" source="keywords">Shergill</keyword>, Vice President, Content, Netflix India, had promised him that the shooting of the series will conclude within eight months but it went on for two years. Shergill described the show as a "thrilling, propulsive rendition of the longest hijacking in the history of aviation in the world". "When we started out on this story, it took us a while to get down to actually making it in the right way. It was a journey for us because it is such a journalistic sort of piece, but it is such a large story of human interest and it had to be told in the most dramatic and thrilling fashion," Shergill told PTI. Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Pooja Gor, Kanwaljit Singh, Aditya Srivastava, <keyword id="19983483" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sushant-singh" source="keywords">Sushant Singh</keyword>, and <keyword id="20361223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="yashpal-sharma" source="keywords">Yashpal Sharma</keyword> also round out the cast of "IC 814: The Kandhar Hijack". SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oppo-f25-pro-with-a-32mp-selfie-camera-launched-starting-at-23999/articleshow/108102680.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oppo-f25-pro-with-a-32mp-selfie-camera-launched-starting-at-23999/articleshow/108102680.cms" target="_blank">Oppo F25 Pro with a 32MP selfie camera launched starting at ₹23,999</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-launching-in-india-in-march-2024/slidelist/108095936.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-launching-in-india-in-march-2024/slidelist/108095936.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming cars launching in India in March 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-march-2024/slidelist/108090741.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-march-2024/slidelist/108090741.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in March 2024</a>

Netflix announces series on 1999 Kandahar hijack, Anubhav Sinha to direct show

New Delhi, Feb 23 () A day ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to India, the Congress on Sunday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he would raise with him the issue of easing of the H-1B visas for Indians, the restoration of GSP status and the security concerns vis-a-vis the Taliban.Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala wondered why Prime Minister Modi was "silent" on his "India First" policy as President Trump talked of "America First".He asked whether Modi would ensure cheaper oil for India after it stopped buying oil from Iran in view of US-imposed sanctions and if Indian steel exports would get a boost when New Delhi commits to USD 3 billion in defence purchases."As President Trump arrives tomorrow on February 24, relevant questions on national interest must be asked by every Indian and resolved amicably in India's interests," Surjewala said in a video.He said the Trump government's restrictive immigration policies has clamped down on H-1B visas and one should not forget that 70 percent of all H-1B visas are given to Indian professionals - IT and others.The number of Indians getting visas is 60,000, who go to the US to contribute to the American economy as also back home to India's economy, he said."Trump government's restrictive immigration policies have hit H-1B visas. Indians get 70 pc of 85,000 H-1B visas. Now, Rejection Rate for India has increased from 6 pc in 2015 to 24 pc in 2019, especially for IT professionals."Post the '10-million people' gala event, will Prime Minister Modi take care of national interest and tell President Trump to go easy and permit H-1B visas for Indians, so that our young Indians, our IT professional can contribute to America's growth as also to India's growth story," Surjewala asked.He said as the US prepares to sign a deal with the Taliban on February 29, what about India's red lines. "Have we forgotten IC-814 hijacking and release of terrorist Masood Azhar in Kandhar, who's JeM then attacked Parliament and Pulwama? As gala bash unfolds, Will Modiji raise our national security concerns," he said."We sincerely hope India's interests will not be compromised on account of a deal in Afghanistan."Surjewala said India must also raise its concern about any such deal respecting and honouring the democratic and constitutional process including the just-elected Ashraf Ghani government in Afghanistan."What about the new deal and the new Taliban respecting the democratic process as also the human rights and rights of women in Afghanistan? What about this new deal not creating a space for the terror network thriving in Afghanistan," he asked, citing the Islamic State, the 'Haqqani' network, the Al Qaeda and the Jaish-e-Mohammad.The Congress leader said the US removed India from the duty-free imports regime i.e GSP (generalised system of preferences) in June last year, hitting USD 5.6 billion Indian exports to the US."Post 'Howdy Modi' and 'Namaste Trump' gala events, Will PM ensure restoration of GSP status," he asked."As fest continues in Ahmedabad, Will Modiji secure cheaper oil for India," he added.The Congress leader alleged that India's exports of USD 761 million of steel to the US fell by 50 pc to USD 372 million as the Trump government hiked tariffs on import by 25 pc."As India commits to USD 3 billion defense purchases, why zero relief for India's export of steel," he asked."I think it needs to be resolved in favour of India's steel industry, in favour of getting more revenue, in favour of creating more employment," Surjewala said.US President Trump is on a visit to India from February 24 and 25. SKC ABHABH

Cong asks PM Modi if he will raise H-1B visa, restoration of GSP with Trump

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/52183526.cms" />
 Giving more teeth to the exiting <keyword id="1296827" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anti-hijacking-Law">anti-hijacking law</keyword>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hijackers&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">hijackers</a> will now get <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=death+sentence&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">death sentence</a> in case of death of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hostages&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">hostages</a> as well as ground staff and airport personnel.

	Earlier, hijackers could be tried for death penalty only in the event of death of the hostages.

	The Anti-Hijacking Act 1982, which was last amended in 1994, was repelled and replaced with a new one.

	After the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 in December, 1999, it was felt that death penalty should be awarded to the perpetrators. The incidents such as 9/11, where aircrafts were used as weapons, also pushed the need to further amend the existing Act.

	The new act provides death sentence for hijacking, killing hostages, security personnel, airline and airport staff; or with life imprisonment and the moveable and immoveable property of such persons shall also be liable to be confiscated.
 The amendments in the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014 were cleared by the Cabinet In July 2015 and passed by <keyword id="48510" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha">Rajya Sabha</keyword> last week. 
	 

	(Anupama Airy is the Founder and Editor of EnergyInfraPost.com and DefenceAviationPost.com. She can be reached at <a href="mailto:anupama.airy@gmail.com" target="_blank">anupama.airy@gmail.com</a>​, Twitter handle: @anupamaairy)

Hijackers will now get death penalty as India gives more teeth to the anti-hijacking law

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48510684.cms" /> 
After the United States decision of keeping flight marshals in the flights flying into and outside India long back in 2003, Germany and Canada are likely to sign the same pact to have their marshals on board from now on. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in October. 
"With Germany, we will be signing it soon. No dates have, however, come for the MoU with Canada," a civil aviation ministry official told The Economic Times on condition of anonymity. Officials explained that the pact between India and Germany allows both countries to have air marshals on board Indian and German flights. 
 
A decision on a pact with German authorities was taken in April last year at the Indo-German Working Group on counter terrorism, where it was decided to cooperate with each other regarding the deployment on armed law enforcement officers on flights. 
 
Former airline pilots say the presence of sky marshals on board gives confidence to the commander of the flight. "The reason these countries want India to sign an MoU is because of the threat perception they have about India, which may not be true, but it's their perception," said Shakti Lumba, a former pilot and former head of operations at IndiGo. 
Presence of air marshals on board is a comforting factor for any pilot. According to the rules now, the pilot is isolated from the cabin in case of an eventuality and the presence of air marshals provides them the comfort that there's someone to protect the passengers. 
 
While the concept of placing in air marshals was started by the US in 1968, India started placing air marshals after the hijack of an IA flight (IC 814) flying between Kathmandu and New Delhi. As of today, India puts marshals on flights to SAARC nations and various destinations within the country. India puts sky marshals on a minimum of 1,200 flights a month.

Germany and Canada to have air marshals on India flights to counter terrorism

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48526007.cms" /> 
It seems strategies made by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Prime+Minister+Narendra+Modi+">Prime Minister Narendra </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Prime+Minister+Narendra+Modi+">Modi</a>’s are heading in the right direction. India made a right move on Monday when UAE issued a joint statement with India, leaving its close ally Pakistan aside. 
 On his first visit to <keyword id="63248" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Abu-Dhabi">Abu Dhabi</keyword>, Modi and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AI Nahyan agreed to cooperate against terrorism, radicalism and organized crime that, if followed through, could deny the likes of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Dawood+Ibrahim">Dawood Ibrahim</a>, <keyword id="53557" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Lashkar-e-Taiba">Lashkar-e-Taiba</keyword> and other terror groups from using the Emirates as a springboard against India, reported TOI. 
 
For the first time, both the countries have agreed to "enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism operations, intelligence sharing" and control of flow of terror funds. 
 
India and UAE also agreed that they will "control, regulate and share information on flow of funds that could have a bearing on radicalization activities and cooperate in interdicting illegal flows and take action against concerned individuals and organizations". 
 
A joint statement said the two nations "oppose terrorism in all forms and manifestations...calling on all states to reject and abandon the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructures where they exist, and bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice". 
 
This is was direct reference to Pakistan's activities, particularly with reference to 26/11 accused <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Zakiur+Rehman+Lakhvi">Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi</a>, without naming it, and shows <keyword id="3002" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Islamabad">Islamabad</keyword>'s declining equity in what used to be its strategic backyard. 
 
More importantly, both countries have asked all nations (read <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Pakistan">Pakistan</a>) "to fully respect and sincerely implement their commitments to resolve disputes bilaterally and peacefully, without resorting to violence and terrorism". 
 
Not only this, both Modi and the Crown Prince will now meet regularly, while the national security advisers of both the countries will meet every six months to take this forward. 
 
The UAE's shift is remarkable! However, the Emirates' sheikhs continue to have close relationships in Pakistan, including the country being their favourite game hunting destination. The UAE was also one of three countries which supported a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Taliban+">Taliban</a> government in <keyword id="6354541" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="afghanistan">Afghanistan</keyword> in the 1990s. For decades, the UAE has been a safe transit for terror groups, organized crime and drug networks from Pakistan, Afghanistan and even India. According to sources, the UAE signing on to this agreement signals a new dawn. 
 
In the past, India has abandoned its decades-old reticence regarding the Gulf and Middle East — the UAE will be the first Gulf country with whom India is talking "interoperability" for both humanitarian assistance and conflict situations, joint manufacture of defence equipment and maritime security cooperation. 
 India's new outreach to the UAE may have repercussions in two countries — Pakistan and <keyword id="41896" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Iran">Iran</keyword>. The UAE has a contentious relationship with Iran, while Pakistan and the UAE have been very close — the Taliban-hijacked IC-814 made a stop in <keyword id="6354539" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dubai">Dubai</keyword> after taking off from <keyword id="6359825" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="amritsar">Amritsar</keyword>. 
 By upgrading the bilateral relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership", Modi plans to open different sectors of the <keyword id="6356076" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="indian-economy">Indian economy</keyword> to investment from the UAE. India hopes to benefit from the $800 billion UAE sovereign wealth fund and the joint statement gives room for optimism. 
 
It said the UAE will "encourage the investment institutions of UAE to raise their investments in India, including through the establishment of UAE-India Infrastructure Investment Fund, with the aim of reaching a target of $75 billion to support investment in India's plans for rapid expansion of next generation infrastructure". 
 The importance laid on the visit by the hosts was clear when Crown Prince Sheikh <keyword id="3002666" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mohamed-bin-Zayed-Al-Nahyan">Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan</keyword> arrived with all his five brothers to receive Modi at the airport. An additional gesture was grant of land for a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

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Missing link in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack had one “very important” European passenger — one the Netflix show surprisingly didn’t highlight

Ashmita Gupta