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In a significant diplomatic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu at <keyword id="20751669" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hyderabad-House" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Hyderabad House" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Hyderabad House">Hyderabad House</keyword> in Delhi on Monday. This visit is widely seen as an effort to reset ties between the two nations after a year of tense relations. <keyword id="20101322" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="President-Muizzu" source="keywords">President Muizzu</keyword>, who arrived in India on Sunday for a five-day visit, received a red carpet welcome. During a joint press briefing, President Muizzu expressed heartfelt gratitude to India, thanking President Droupadi Murmu, <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> and the people of India for their warm reception. He emphasised the Maldives' deep-rooted ties with India, noting that tourism — especially Indian visitors—remains a crucial pillar of the Maldivian economy. “India is our largest source market for tourists, and we hope to welcome even more Indian visitors in the future,” Muizzu remarked. Key areas of cooperation discussed included economic ties and maritime security, critical given the Maldives' position in the Indian Ocean. Following their talks, India granted the financially struggling Maldives a rollover of USD 100 million in Treasury bills, in addition to formalising a <keyword id="23458604" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="currency-swap-agreement" source="keywords">currency swap agreement</keyword> and a ₹3,000 crore currency swap. Prime Minister Modi characterised the "development partnership" as a key component of India-Maldives relations, asserting that India has consistently prioritised the needs of the Maldivian people. "Our development partnership is vital to our relationship with the Maldives, and we have always placed importance on the priorities of its people. This year, SBI rolled over USD 100 million in Treasury Bills, and a USD 400 million currency swap agreement was signed based on the Maldives' requirements," he explained. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="106837748" title="Withdraw troops by mid-March, Maldives tells India" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In September, India announced that the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="State-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="State Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="State Bank of India">State Bank of India</keyword> would purchase Maldivian government bonds worth USD 50 million, following a similar USD 50 million transaction in May 2024. Additionally, Prime Minister Modi and President Muizzu witnessed the first <keyword id="20563654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RuPay-card" source="keywords">RuPay card</keyword> payment transaction launched in the Maldives and virtually inaugurated the runway at Hanimaadhoo International Airport. Modi stated that India and the Maldives would soon be connected through UPI. "Recently, we launched the RuPay card in the Maldives, and in the future, we will link both countries via UPI," he said during a joint press briefing. Muizzu also expressed his desire to conclude a <keyword id="19945642" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Free-Trade-Agreement" source="keywords">Free Trade Agreement</keyword> with India, a step he believes will open the door to greater Indian investment in the Maldives. Modi emphasised India's commitment to supporting the Maldives through various initiatives, including supplying essential commodities and Covid vaccines, inaugurating airports, and constructing social housing. He noted that a new drinking water project is now operational on 28 islands, providing clean water to over 30,000 residents. The leaders also discussed the opening of consulates in Addu and Bengaluru. Tensions between India and the Maldives escalated following Muizzu's election last year, which saw a shift towards a pro-China stance and the promise to withdraw Indian troops stationed in the archipelago. His visit to China before India in January had raised eyebrows in New Delhi, as it was perceived as a slight. However, since attending Modi's swearing-in ceremony for a third term in June, Muizzu has moderated his anti-Indian rhetoric, signalling a thaw in relations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that the discussions provided "a new impetus" to the relationship. This meeting likely marks a positive turn in Indo-Maldivian relations, setting the stage for further cooperation between the two South Asian neighbours. (With inputs from agencies) <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112094153" title="Maldives President Muizzu thanks India for economic support, affirms hope of signing FTA" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Maldives President Muizzu met with PM Modi in Delhi today. Here’s how it went!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia's Navy Day saw participation from India and China, bolstering Putin's anti-Western ties.</li><li>There was a notable absence of Russia's Black Sea Fleet at the parade, after losses to Ukraine.</li></ul>Russia's Navy Day saw warships from India and China join the celebrations as President Vladimir Putin sought to project the strength of his anti-Western alliance.China sent the Jiaozuo, a Type 052D destroyer, and India sent the Tabar, a stealth frigate, to the naval parade in St Petersburg on Sunday, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://t.me/MID_Russia/43624">according to Russia's foreign ministry</a>.Algeria also sent La Soummam, a training ship, the ministry said.<div type="image" title="Chinese navy destroyer Jiaozuo in St Petersburg, Russia to participate in the Navy parade in July 2024." height="667" width="1000" msid="112115940" hostid="261" sizebytes="68584"></div>According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-28-2024">the Washington DC-based Institute for the Study of War</a>, the gathering was meant "to showcase Russia's relations with a number of non-Western states as part of efforts to create a supposed Russian-led group of states to rally against the West."In total, representatives of 31 countries — including Cuba, Vietnam, Egypt, and Brazil — attended, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://aif.ru/politics/russia/ne-odna-na-prostorah-okeana-v-parade-vmf-prinyali-uchastie-druzya-rossii">according to Russian state-owned outlet Argumenty i Fakty</a>.The parade came amid ongoing efforts by the Kremlin to deepen ties with countries like India and China, which have sent warships to the Navy Day celebrations in previous years.<div type="image" title="Four children wave flags saying 'welcome back' in front of India's Tabar stealth frigate in Bombay, on 31 July 2004" height="500" width="1000" msid="112115942" hostid="261" sizebytes="51970"></div>Despite claiming not to support Russia's war in Ukraine, China has emerged as a major supplier of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/04/12/china-sending-russia-missile-and-drone-parts-for-ukraine-war-us-reportedly-warns/">dual-use parts</a> crucial to its war effort — the sort of support that the US government has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-says-china-giving-russia-support-behind-scenes-ukraine-war-2024-5">repeatedly called it out for</a>.The two countries have also long participated in joint military exercises and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jul/22/2003507411/-1/-1/0/DOD-ARCTIC-STRATEGY-2024.PDF">the Pentagon recently said</a> they are showing increasing willingness to collaborate in the Arctic.Even so, China and Russia's ties appear to be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-and-russia-are-in-a-bad-marriage-that-the-west-shouldnt-try-to-break-up-2024-6">uneasy</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-china-putin-russia-frenemies-limits-power-sphere-influence-2024-7">opportunistic</a>, built more on a common desire to tamp down Western influence.Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">recent trip</a> to Russia to meet with Putin also appeared to signal an indifference to US disapproval from India.President Joe Biden has attempted to persuade Modi to take a harder line on Russia, but this has <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-biden-narendra-modi-india-82c9273cf3143cf16e9da23c3dd48170">largely failed</a>.<h3 id="ce577fa9-a485-44dd-a9e2-a3d031d664c7">A conspicuous absence</h3>While Russia's Navy Day celebrations typically involve all its main military port cities, this year's didn't include Sevastopol, the naval base in occupied Crimea that hosts Russia's Black Sea Fleet.Prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Sevastopol regularly featured in the parade despite <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5f1fce329a79479d6ddfc9ad">the objections</a> of Ukraine's government.But now it is an active hot-war zone under continual pressure from Ukrainian forces, and Russia has largely relocated the remains of the fleet to the safer port of Novorossiysk, on its own shores.Commentators were quick to point out Sevastopol's absence, with European Council on Foreign Relations chief Carl Bildt posting the following graphic to X, making plain the extent of the fleet's losses: Meanwhile, Putin devoted part of his speech on the day to warning the US that Russia would retaliate if it pressed ahead with recently announced plans to locate long-range missile systems in Germany by 2026.Putin said his forces will take "mirror measures" in response.

India and China joined Russia's Navy Day celebrations as Putin tries to project anti-Western group

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party has suffered a devastating blow.</li><li>Though Modi is claiming victory, his party is seeing major losses in the country's general election.</li></ul>For a decade, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a decisive grip on his country's politics.But as election results rolled in Tuesday, it appeared Modi's grip may be slipping.Modi, who leads India's Bharatiya Janata Party, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-election-results-narendra-modi-bjp-congress-2024-6">claiming victory</a> for a historic third term as the country's prime minister. But even though Modi will hold on to his position, his party didn't do as well as he'd predicted.India wrapped up counting the votes in its general election, and Modi's party lost its majority in Parliament. That's a big blow to Modi, whose party was long expected to win a majority.Now, he'll have to gather enough allies to form a government.The BJP's main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, performed better than expected.The Indian National Congress had set a goal to double its 52 seats in Parliament, and as of Tuesday evening Eastern Time, it had won 99 seats.In an election that saw record voter turnout — with 642 million people voting, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://aje.io/hcofgh">Al Jazeera</a>, in the seven-phase process that began in April and ended Saturday — the surprise results indicate that voters' trust in the BJP is waning.The BJP's Hindutva ideology promotes Hindu nationalism, which critics have accused of stoking anti-Muslim hate and right-wing extremism.Modi has even accused the Congress party of plotting to redistribute India's wealth to the Muslim minority, Business Insider previously reported. Modi has denied targeting the Muslim minority to win the favor of the Hindu majority, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-modi-denies-stoking-divisions-win-election-files-nomination-2024-05-14/">Reuters reported</a>.Though Modi is still popular across India, some see him as an <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/india-election-narendra-modi-hindu-nationalism-rss-79c30c8ae750a9c037d86b9e2c1b640c">authoritarian leader</a>, and his opponents on Tuesday called signs of his fading power a victory for democracy.The president of the Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, called the election a "moral and political loss" for Modi, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/modi-wins-3rd-term-in-indias-general-election-narrowly-securing-majority">PBS NewsHour reported</a>. "This is public's victory and a win for democracy," he added.Raghuram Rajan, a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, echoed Kharge's sentiment in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/activity%3A7203737299170312192/So ">a LinkedIn post</a>."The Indian voter has spoken," Rajan wrote. "And what a wise decision! This is a win for Indian democracy and a win for the Indian economy. Regardless of what happens over the next few days, we will have a strong opposition that forces the government to change course."Update: June 4, 2024, 6:27 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect the latest election result numbers.

Shocking Indian election results are a crushing blow to Modi

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Narendra Modi continues to be prime minister, but how he won was a major blow to the leader.</li><li>His ruling party expected to smash the polls but couldn't secure a majority without the help of allies.</li></ul>Narendra Modi has been prime minister of India for 10 years.On Tuesday, he extended his tenure by another potential five years when his ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, secured a majority in the lower house of parliament <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-election-results-narendra-modi-bjp-congress-2024-6">with its allies.</a>That's the key to everything being said about the world's biggest election — without his allies, Modi would have lost control of parliament and, by extension, India.It's why the election results have been a shocking blow to Modi and the BJP despite them winning.Anyone seeking a majority in India's parliament — the prerequisite for naming a prime minister — needed to win 272 out of 543 seats. And this time, the BJP won only 240, relying on smaller parties under a coalition called the National Democratic Alliance to carry it past the finish line.For a BJP that previously enjoyed a majority on its own with 303 seats in 2019, that's a stark shift in its grip on power. Its alliance only managed to secure 293 seats, just 21 more than needed for a majority.The result was especially humbling for Modi because the NDA was projected to slam-dunk the election with a whopping 400 seats. The incumbent seemed so confident that he declared victory three days before the result announcements, saying<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1796910902983450823"> his voters turned out in "record numbers."</a>Now, though, his allies hold the enviable position of being the difference-maker in deciding who leads India. Should they all ditch Modi for his rivals in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, they could oust him from leadership.Two of the biggest players in that gaggle of kingmakers, the Telugu Desam Party and the Janata Dal (United), hold a combined 28 seats and are led by politicians known for switching loyalties, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-04/here-are-the-india-kingmakers-who-will-determine-modi-s-future">per Bloomberg.</a>Modi now must ensure his coalition holds so he can remain in office, and is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-05/modi-seeks-to-shore-up-coalition-to-secure-third-term-in-power?srnd=homepage-asia">set to enter talks</a> with allied leaders to secure their support.His weakened hold on India's parliament was big news to observers concerned about the rise of his ideology, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2024/03/07/what-is-hindutva-the-ideology-of-indias-ruling-party">Hindutva</a>, which promotes building a Hindu nation and has been criticized as right-wing and anti-Muslim extremism.<h2 id="7046a70a-a5bf-475f-8bc3-8b85cd3edb40">So why did the stock market tumble?</h2>Tuesday's result surprised a world expecting Modi to trounce his opponents and widen his lead in parliament.India's stock market <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/india-stock-market-news-narendra-modi-election-nse-nifty-50-2024-6">posted its worst day in four years</a> after the announcement, dropping by as much as 8.5% on Tuesday before ending the day at 5.9%.Why the loss of faith? Experts aren't expecting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-india-election-economy-russia-oil-wealth-dimon-cook-musk-2024-5">monumental change for India's economy</a>, but a coalition government will likely be far less nimble with major policies."India's economic and security drivers will remain unchanged. However, a coalition government will often take big decisions more slowly and be less inclined to push states to meet national objectives in areas like the energy transition," wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/indias-national-election-surprise-and-stability">Richard Rossow</a>, chair of US-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies.And with uncertainty hanging over the BJP's hold on power, questions are growing about what India's policies might soon look like.Experts like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/experts-react-modi-loses-ground-electoral-surprise/">Jeff Lande</a>, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center, think it's highly unlikely we'll see any reversal in the overall direction of India's economy.Modi's heavy investment style and capital expenditure should still continue, Lande wrote."Policy and political decisions will likely be delayed," he added. "Industry, particularly multinational corporations, and partner governments may hold off on some decisions as they wait and see how the new government develops."This year's shock result also casts doubt on whether Modi can decisively coalesce enough momentum to rocket the Indian economy forward and allow it to one day catch up with China's.The country has lagged behind Beijing's rapid growth since the 1980s, and Modi wants to lay the groundwork for India to become<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-modi-plans-post-election-reforms-rival-chinese-manufacturing-2024-06-03/"> a global manufacturing hub</a> in the next few years.But Kapil Sharma, acting senior director of the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center, said the BJP slipping is good for India's economy as a whole.The votes show that the average Indian citizen isn't feeling the economic benefits that Modi's policies have brought to the wider nation, and the ruling party will have to govern with extra care to maintain its lead, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/experts-react-modi-loses-ground-electoral-surprise/#kapil">Sharma wrote.</a>"The BJP and its coalition government are now operating in a 'now or never' moment," he wrote.As for foreign policy, most experts say Modi's allies are unlikely to fundamentally alter India's approach.Rossow of CSIS said Chinese aggression should continue pushing India to work closely with the US."The United States' willingness to share advanced weapons systems, contribute to India's domestic defense manufacturing, and offer assistance during periods of military tension with China provides a strong foundation that should withstand political change," he said.Most experts say the election results show that the world's largest nation still holds onto its democracy.<a target="_blank" href="https://ash.harvard.edu/articles/indias-surprising-election-results-a-watershed-moment/">Gautam Nair</a>, an assistant professor of public policy at Harvard, called Tuesday a "watershed moment" that showed Modi's nationalist message wasn't resonating with voters.Rossow said that despite Modi extending his influence over key institutions such as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/12/27/in-india-narendra-modi-s-grip-on-the-supreme-court_6378593_4.html">courts</a>, voters are still making their choices count. "This election, even if Prime Minister Modi retains power, shows the power of India's democracy," said Rossow.

Modi thought he would smash the polls. Now he has to answer to a group of kingmakers.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>John Oliver, the host of Last Week Tonight, turned his satirical eye to India's elections. </li><li>Oliver called out the country's polarizing leader, Narendra Modi, for censorship and anti-Muslim violence. </li></ul>TV host John Oliver took aim at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-election-results-narendra-modi-bjp-congress-2024-6">India's elections and its prime minister, Narendra Modi, </a>on Sunday night, warning that the nation was "sliding towards authoritarianism.""Basically, if you criticize Modi, there's a good chance that things are going to be very unpleasant for you," Oliver said on the latest episode of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-oliver-hbo-streaming-youtube-jon-stewart-daily-show-free-2024-2">Last Week Tonight</a>. "Meaningful criticism of Modi is scarce on TV in India."In his classic "roast" style, Oliver noted Modi's increasing tendency towards censorship and anti-Muslim rhetoric."There's been a noticeable shift in his rhetoric this election season," said the HBO host."Modi and his party have seemed increasingly comfortable threatening democratic institutions by, among other things, stifling political opposition and freedom of the press," he added, pointing to cases of intimidation toward rival political parties and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/bbc-tax-raids-shine-light-indian-media-freedom-under-modi-some-journalists-say-2023-03-04/https://www.reuters.com/world/india/bbc-tax-raids-shine-light-indian-media-freedom-under-modi-some-journalists-say-2023-03-04/">raids at critical news networks</a>."It's worth remembering: that is not a bug of Modi's leadership, it is a feature," he said.Oliver also joked about Modi's tendency to take credit for things, showing an ad that suggested the leader had personally halted the war in Ukraine to bring home an Indian student.He also ridiculed Modi's economic policies, saying that despite the narrative around India's recent growth, the country has "fallen in the Global Hunger Index, and now sits behind North Korea and war-torn Sudan.""Anyone can get rid of 'all' poverty if you just change the definition of poor people to something else like, I dunno, 'fire hydrants' or 'opposite snakes,'" joked the British comedian.Finally, Oliver called for an end to the "uncritical, fawning praise" for Modi coming from the international community.Over the past six weeks, hundreds of millions of Indian citizens have been voting in the country's election, and on Tuesday, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-election-results-narendra-modi-bjp-congress-2024-6">Modi secured a third term,</a> though his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indian-election-results-shocking-blow-narendra-modi-2024-6">fell well short of securing an expected majority</a> in India's 543-member parliament.Prior to voting, Modi said the BJP sought to win around 400 seats, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-india-69072275">per the BBC.</a> In reality, the party gained only 240 seats, and must now seek to build a coalition government. Modi, who has been in office since 2014, is a highly popular leader among a large segment of the Indian population. He's credited with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-economy-growth-booming-modi-seize-moment-problems-davos-2024-2">driving forward India's economy</a> and raising its standing on the global stage.However, others have criticized Modi for divisive Hindu nationalist policies, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-citizenship-laws-muslims-modi-2020-2">persecution of Muslims</a>, erosion of the judiciary, and suppression of protests and the free press."It should be possible to acknowledge the good things that Modi has managed to do for India, while also acknowledging that many Indians live in active fear of what he seems more than happy to represent," Oliver said.

John Oliver warns India is 'sliding towards authoritarianism' as Modi wins in tighter-than-expected election

Mumbai filmmaker <keyword id="4410429" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="payal-kapadia" source="Orion">Payal Kapadia</keyword> has recently graced our news after winning the ‘Grand Prix’ — the second-most prestigious award at the 77th <keyword id="6366702" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cannes" source="Orion">Cannes</keyword> International <keyword id="1666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="film-festival" source="Orion">Film Festival</keyword>. This award was won by an international co-produced film called ‘All We Imagine As Light’, a 115-minute-long drama written and directed by Kapadia herself. While the win has directed much discourse towards the current state of Indian cinema, it also spurred another surprising detour towards a controversial avenue after the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) decided to congratulate Kapadia on her well-deserved win. Here’s the entire tea. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How did it start?" comment="subhead" text="How did it start?">How did it start?</cmsannotation> The story goes back all the way to 2015, while Kapadia was still a student at FTII — India’s oldest and most premiere film board that is also under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. With a legacy of appointing many prestigious filmmakers as its president, such as the legendary Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal, the institute settled on the decision to appoint Gajendra Chauhan as its next chairman. Many FTII students protested the move as felt betrayed by this appointment. They claimed that Chauhan had not played any significant part in Indian entertainment industry, with him acting as Yudhishthira in the 1980s Mahabharat being his most prominent role. They claimed that Chauhan lacked the expertise and credentials to assume such a pivotal role at the esteemed institution, with some even even painting the move as a political ploy to saffronise yet another of India’s major institutions. The students feared that this appointment would hinder the artistic freedom and creative liberty that was erstwhile celebrated at the campus. In response to the nomination, a Kapadia-led group of students allegedly organised a 139-day mass protest that involved boycotting classes, even trapping the then-Director Prashant Pathrabe in his office until more clarification was provided. To say that this revolt was not taken lightly would be an understatement. After the office confrontation, the police were called to stifle the protest and 35 students were charged with various crimes, of which Kapadia and few other students faced the strictest charges. Academic “disciplinary action” was carried out after the arrests of Kapadia and four other protesters – a case still unresolved by the Indian courts. This involved depriving Kapadia and several other students of a scholarship and the chance to participate in foreign exchange programs, in addition to vacating them from their hostels. Many of these students were also demonised by Chauhan supporters, branding them as ‘anti-nationals’ and the like. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="FTII softens stance" comment="subhead" text="FTII softens stance">FTII softens stance</cmsannotation> While the charges still remain unwavered, Payal Kapadia refused to allow these harrowing circumstances to hinder her artistic productivity. Channelling the dissent around her, Kapadia made a documentary titled ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’, a 2021 documentary about a university student writing letters to her estranged lover in the backdrop of the FTII student protests. This film premiered at Cannes, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival the same year. The docu-film was subsequently awarded prestigious awards at many of these events. However, this was hardly Kapadia’s first brush with international fame. In 2017, ‘Afternoon Clouds’, a 13-minute-long film about a 60-year-old Mumbai widow and her Nepali domestic help, was selected for screening at the Cannes International Festival. Recognising this, FTII issued a letter of support, offering to cover Kapadia’s travel expenses to the prestigious film festival. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="FTII faces backlash for congratulating Payal" comment="subhead" text="FTII faces backlash for congratulating Payal">FTII faces backlash for congratulating Payal</cmsannotation> After Kapadia’s historic win at Cannes this year — an award that made her the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix — the FTII congratulated the alumna on X, a move criticised by many. The post read: “It is a moment of pride for FTII as its Alumni create history at Cannes. As we witness a phenomenal year for Indian Cinema at 77th <keyword id="6362016" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cannes-film-festival" source="Orion">Cannes Film Festival</keyword>, FTII cherishes the glorious achievements of its Alumni at this Mega International Stage of Cinema.” <div type="twitter" handle="FTIIOfficial" handlename="FTIIOfficial" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1794623468195270913"></div> Since their official statement, many prominent celebrities have called the FTII out on their hypocrisy. These personalities deemed that the institute was trying to claim credit for Kapadia’s international success, despite its behaviour towards her and other dissenters in the past. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ali Fazal, other personalities react to FTII celebration" comment="subhead" text="Ali Fazal, other personalities react to FTII celebration"><keyword id="486750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ali-fazal" source="Orion">Ali Fazal</keyword>, other personalities react to FTII celebration</cmsannotation> Ali Fazal, known for his role in 3 Idiots, also criticised FTII for celebrating Payal Kapadia's Cannes win. The actor responded to the FTII congratulatory post with the caption ‘Uhhh… please don’t. Just don’t’. <div type="twitter" handle="alifazal9" handlename="alifazal9" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1794659194446172374"></div> In addition, sound designer Resul Pookutty, who won an <keyword id="21112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oscar" source="Orion">Oscar</keyword> for Slumdog Millionaire, also called out the FTII for celebrating Payal's win. On Facebook, the personality explained that Kapadia's win at Cannes highlighted a significant gap in the Indian film industry's support for independent filmmakers. While the Government of India's annual delegations to Cannes predominantly feature familiar faces from the mainstream industry, Kapadia's success underscores the importance of recognising and supporting passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, Pookutty asserted. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="PM Modi congratulates Payal, Shashi Tharoor reacts" comment="subhead" text="PM Modi congratulates Payal, Shashi Tharoor reacts"><keyword id="2238662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pm-modi" source="Orion">PM Modi</keyword> congratulates Payal, <keyword id="42749" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shashi-tharoor" source="Orion">Shashi Tharoor</keyword> reacts</cmsannotation> Soon after Kapadia’s win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to X to congratulate the filmmaker. He writes: “India is proud of Payal Kapadia for her historic feat of winning the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her work ‘All We Imagine as Light’.” <div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="narendramodi" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1794670131009790207"></div> The PM also highlighted Kapadia’s background as an alumnus of FTII, explaining that her new prestigious accolade will continue to inspire a new generation of Indian filmmakers. However, many have pointed out that Kapadiy’s earlier four-month-long institutional struggles arose from the Government’s decision to appoint Chauhan as the FTII chairman. Chauhan is also a noted BJP leader, belonging to the same ruling party as PM Modi. Some netizens also responded to the post urging that the party make Chauhan apologise to the filmmaker. In a separate post, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdraw all cases against Kapadia and the other FTII students who protested the appointment of the institute’s chairperson in 2015. Sharing a post from Resul Pookutty, which alleged that Payal would have to attend a court hearing regarding the FTII incident soon after returning from Cannes, Tharoor reprimanded the Prime Minister for his hypocrisy in applauding her success. <div type="twitter" handle="ShashiTharoor" handlename="ShashiTharoor" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1795284408532103215"></div> We’ve all dealt with terrible authority figures. Unfortunately for the newest pride of Indian cinema, her adversary ended up being the institution and government itself. However, Payal’s ardent ferocity helped the filmmaker overcome systemic obstacles that would topple most. While Kapadia has expressed gratitude towards FTII for helping fund earlier movies, it remains to be seen how court hearing will unfold further for the talented director.

How did Payal Kapadia’s historic win at Cannes lead to a showdown between Shashi Tharoor and PM Modi? Here’s the complete timeline

New Delhi, From appealing people not to vote for them to flaunting the unsuccessful tag, changing name in each election to losing huge sums of money in security deposits -- some tenacious <keyword id="20022603" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="independent" source="keywords">Independent</keyword> candidates have tried these all but losing elections became a habit for them. Tamil Nadu's K Padmarajan, who proudly calls himself the "Election King", might be the only candidate in the election fray who urges people not to vote for him, so he can retain his tag of being "most unsuccessful candidate", a feat also registered in the Limca Book of records. The 65-year-old tyre repair shop owner also finds pride in his entry in the <keyword id="19981515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="guinness-book-of-world-records" source="keywords">Guinness Book of World Records</keyword> for candidate with most contested elections. He claims to have lost Rs 80 lakh so far in security deposits which gets forfeited every time he loses an election besides expenses for filing nomination amid fanfare. Gearing up for his 239th attempt, Padmarajan has filed his nomination for the 18th <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections from Thrissur in Kerala and Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu. "I began fighting elections in 1988 from my home town of Mettur, located in Tamil Nadu. I have contested 238 elections so far including against former prime ministers <keyword id="20374221" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="atal-bihar-vajpayee" source="keywords">Atal Bihar Vajpayee</keyword>, P V Narsimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. This will be my 239th attempt. I pick a unique battle every time," he told PTI. Asked about his campaign plans, Padmarajan said, "I ask people not vote for me, I don't want the votes but I want to continue to hold the tag of most unsuccessful candidate. I don't campaign but when I go for filing nomination, I do that in a grand way." From former chief ministers like Jayalalitha, M Karunanidhi, YSR Reddy and AK Antony to filmstars Hema Malini and Vijayakanth -- the list of bigwigs against whom Padmarajan has contested is long. Indore's Parmanand <keyword id="21190647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tolani" source="keywords">Tolani</keyword> is taking forward his father's legacy who fought elections as independent candidate for three decades. "My father passed away in 1988 and I am taking forward his legacy. I have contested 18 elections so far including eight Lok Sabha and eight Vidhan Sabha. I will be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls too," 65-year-old Tolani told PTI. "My father's wish was that we do not have to stop the trend till someone from the family gets elected. If I am not able to do it in my lifetime, my two daughters will carry forward the baton," said Tolani, who is a property broker. <keyword id="21190648" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-prakash-kodekar" source="keywords">Vijay Prakash Kodekar</keyword> from <keyword id="19897309" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pune" source="keywords">Pune</keyword>, a retired staffer from state electricity board, has a different agenda behind contesting elections as independent candidate -- advocating zero budget poll campaigns. He can be seen pushing a steel cart on wheels in streets of Latur, where he is planning to contest the Lok Sabha polls. A flex board on the cart says "Main bhi Pradhanmantri". "The message why cannot any poor individual be the Prime Minister of the country. Why this exorbitant expenditure by parties on election campaigns? Polls can be fought on zero budget and the money can be utilised for public welfare," said 78-year-old Kodekar, who campaigns wearing a white dhoti. Having contested 24 elections so far, Kodekar uses a different name for different elections. "Some elections I have contested using the name Vijay, some with 'Rashtrapati' and some with the name 'Znyosho' -- as I am a disciple of Osho. I complete the name change formalities and then I contest the polls using the new name," he said. Hyderabad techie Ravinder Uppula, uses different campaign strategies for each Lok Sabha election he fights. In 2014 -- it was anti-corruption march and in 2019 it was a liquid only fast. "I promise during my campaign that if I get elected, I will get a lie detector test done every 100 days so public who votes for me doesn't feel cheated. That is how our politicians should do as well to weed out corruption," he said. Uppula, however, is disappointed with the poll campaign expenses. "It should not be an expensive deal to canvass in this country, an agenda and the right promise should be enough rather than the poll fray leaving the voters with no choice except voting for a smaller thief or a bigger thief," he added. The strange obsession of the independent candidates has also been featured in the book "The Power of The Ballot: Travail and Triumph in the Elections". Sharing the saga of some of the independent candidates' stint at the elections, the book decodes "why do some people contest every time knowing they will lose?" Kaka Joginder Singh, also known as "Dhartipakad", was a textile-shop owner who contested and lost over 300 elections. He died in 1998. In elections, he always contested independently, and always lost his security deposits. He earned the nickname Dhartipakad after several unsuccessful runs for the post of the President of India. The year with the greatest yield for him was during the tenth presidential elections in 1992 in which he earned fourth place in the polling with 1,135 votes, losing to Shankar Dayal Sharma; it was his best performance. He also contested elections from 14 states of India in the 1990s, mostly for state assemblies. Singh died in 1998. Long before <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> chose Varanasi as an election destination, the city had Narendra Nath Dubey "Adig". Often referred to as Kashi's Dhartipakad, he has been fighting every election as an independent candidate since 1984, losing his security deposit each time. He passed away in 2022.

PM campaign on a cart, most unsuccessful record: Independents who never call it quits

<ul><li>India is asking <keyword id="6356687" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="canada" source="Orion">Canada</keyword> to take action against those facing charges related to terrorism.</li><li>Canadian PM unequivocal about the importance of the rule of law and protecting Canadians.</li><li>Both the countries have fired a diplomat each in a tit-for-tat move.</li></ul> Canada Prime Minister <keyword id="1740494" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="justin-trudeau" source="Orion">Justin Trudeau</keyword> on Thursday said that India is a country of growing importance, adding that Canada is not looking to provoke or cause problems and called upon the government of India to work with Ottawa to establish processes to uncover the truth in the murder of Khalistan extremist, <keyword id="7575364" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="Hardeep-Singh-Nijjar" source="Orion">Hardeep Singh Nijjar</keyword>. Trudeau's recent statement comes as the diplomatic standoff between India and Canada escalated to a level that the envoys of both countries have been expelled in a tit-for-tat move. He also stressed that Canada is unequivocal about the importance of the rule of law and protecting Canadians as well as standing up for values. "There is no question, India is a country of growing importance and a country that we need to continue to work with not just in a region but around the world and we are not looking to provoke or cause problems but we are unequivocal about the importance of the rule of law and unequivocal about of the importance of protecting Canadians and standing up for values," Trudeau said while addressing a press conference at Canada's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. "That's why, we call upon the government of India to work with us to establish processes to uncover the truth of the matter and to allow justice and accountability to be served," Trudeau added. Trudeau's recent statement comes as the diplomatic standoff between India and Canada escalated to a level that the envoys of both countries have been expelled in a tit-for-tat move. Indian <keyword id="193522" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="External-Affairs-Ministry" source="Orion">External Affairs Ministry</keyword> in its response to the allegations by Canada had said, "Yes these allegations were raised by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau with PM (Modi) and PM rejected them." Indian government's stance The MEA said that allegations were raised by Trudeau when he was in India to attend the G20 Summit and that PM Modi had rejected them. MEA spokesperson <keyword id="10953867" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arindam-Bagchi" source="Orion">Arindam Bagchi</keyword> said that Canada has not shared any specific information regarding the allegations and that India is asking Canada to take action against those facing charges related to terrorism."We are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us, but so far we have received no specific information from Canada," Bagchi said on Thursday answering queries. "We are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us, but so far we have received no specific information from Canada," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday answering queries. Moreover, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also took questions about Canada's tensions with India during a press conference. On sharing evidence, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said, "Canada has a rigorous and independent justice system, that we trust, to follow through the processes, we will ensure that those processes are strictly, abided by and respected." Regarding the safety of Canadians, he said, "I can tell everyone that Canada is a safe country. We always take Canadians' safety seriously, whether they are at home or abroad." "Canada has a rigorous and independent justice system, that we trust, to follow through the processes, we will ensure that those processes are strictly, abided by and respected. In terms of safety in Canada and the safety of Canadians, we always take the safety of Canadians extremely seriously, whether at home or overseas, I can assure everyone that Canada is a safe country," Trudeau said, while adding, "I continue to call, for calm, and for Canadians to remain true to who we are, open, respectful, grounded in, respect and trust in our institutions and, our law enforcement and justice systems." Speaking further, the Canadian PM repeated his allegations over the killing of the Khalistani leader and stated, "I think it's extremely important that as a country with a strong and independent justice system. We allow those justice processes to unfold themselves with the utmost integrity. But I can assure you, the decision to share these allegations on the floor of the House of Commons was not made lightly. It was done with utmost seriousness..." Nijjar, the chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) - a Sikh extremist organisation banned by India and a "designated terrorist" was killed in a targeted shooting at British Columbia in Canada's Surrey in June 2018. India, however, rejected the allegations by the Trudeau administration, terming them "absurd" and "motivated". "We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. "Allegations of Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated," the MEA added in its statement. "Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister and were completely rejected. We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to the rule of law," it added. Diplomatic action India on Tuesday expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a reciprocal move to Canada expelling a senior Indian diplomat in light of the claim of New Delhi's involvement in the killing of the wanted separatist leader. The MEA said that the Canadian diplomat was asked to leave India within the next five days. "The High Commissioner of Canada to India was summoned today and informed about the decision of the Government of India to expel a senior Canadian diplomat based in India," the MEA stated. "The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days. The decision reflects the Government of India's growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities," it added. (With text input from ANI)

India-Canada tension: Trudeau says not looking to provoke; MEA says no specific information shared

<ul><li>The first-ever meeting of QUAD leaders may reportedly take place within this month.</li><li>Australian Prime Minister <keyword id="826044" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Scott-Morrison">Scott Morrison</keyword> has confirmed that it is likely to take place ‘soon’ and that he has already had bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan’s <keyword id="1524166" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yoshihide-Suga">Yoshihide Suga</keyword> about the same.</li><li>The development comes at a time when India and China are finally disengaging after a 10-month long faceoff along their shared border.</li></ul>The ‘QUAD’ is a security dialogue between the US, India, Japan and Australia. Till now all stakeholders have asserted that it's nothing more than an informal gathering of allies. But things may be ready to change as the QUAD gets ready to host its first-ever leaders’ summit soon. People familiar with the matter told <a href="https://www.axios.com/biden-australia-india-japan-d599a11d-d8fd-410c-ba1d-fbcdaebe53a4.html">Axios</a> that the meeting could be held virtually in March itself. This means that, for the first time ever, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the newly elected US President <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword>, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese head of state Yoshihide Suga will be meeting under the umbrella of the QUAD. "I am looking forward to that first gathering of quad leaders. It will be the first-ever gathering of quad leaders,” Morrison <a href="https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/first-ever-quad-head-of-states-to-meet-soon20210305123915/">told reporters</a> confirming the plans. “I already had bilateral discussions with Narendra Modi and Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister of Japan and Prime Minister of India." Why does a meeting of QUAD leaders matter? Biden has just been sworn in as President and he has already spoken to each head of state individually. Putting a <keyword id="6869877" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="quad-meeting">QUAD meeting</keyword> on his schedule gives the US President an opportunity to address all of them as a collective. After all, his niche is diplomatic relations. While the QUAD has never officially been called anti-China, its moves have been to <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">counter China’s growing influence</a> in the Indo-Pacific region. How India proceeds in this situation will be key. It is just coming off a heated stand-off against China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two Asian giants were caught in border tensions for over 10 months after a clash in Galwan Valley left twenty Indian soldiers dead and at least four casualties on the Chinese side — the People Liberation Army (PLA) has not yet issued an exact number of deaths during the incident. In February, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that China and India have successfully reached an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-and-china-begin-to-disengage-from-friction-areas-along-the-border/articleshow/80831679.cms" id="docs-internal-guid-92a67d57-7fff-3f46-2166-22ab9e31ddf8">agreement to disengage</a> from the friction points along the southern banks of the Pangong Tso Lake. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="80850208" title="India's disengagement plan looks a lot like China's 1959 claim on the LAC, according to Indian Army veteran H.S. Panag" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Anything to upset the delicate peace that the two countries have been able to achieve may throw a wrench in their plans. However, “China’s growing ambitions, its increasingly aggressive foreign policy posture, and its border skirmishes with New Delhi have evoked a disconcerting feeling, forcing India to focus its energies on the rise of Beijing and establish itself in a leading role in the Indo-Pacific,” writes Observer Research Foundation’s (<a href="https://www.orfonline.org/research/india-china-indo-pacific-new-delhi-recalibration-underway/">ORF</a>) Harsh V. Pant. According to him, India is following the lead of several other countries in the Indo-Pacific and hardening its policy posture versus China. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/chinese-cybercriminals-are-targeting-the-indian-power-sector-according-to-a-report/articleshow/81274093.cms">Chinese hacked into India’s power grid just to show that they can</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-say-india-and-china-both-need-to-show-their-voters-that-they-won-in-ladakh-for-the-disengagement-to-be-successful/articleshow/80876036.cms">Experts say India and China both need to show their voters that they won in Ladakh⁠ for the disengagement to be successful</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-tensions-are-a-part-of-mind-games-ahead-of-the-meeting-between-the-two-foreign-ministers-says-former-diplomat/articleshow/78031314.cms">India-China border tensions are a part of "mind games" ahead of the meeting between the two foreign ministers, says former diplomat</a>

Modi, Biden, Morrison, and Suga may meet for the first-ever QUAD leaders’ summit this month

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's government called off "Cow Hug Day" that was meant to replace the Valentine's Day holiday.</li><li>The government said Valentine's Day goes against traditional Indian values.</li></ul>A campaign encouraging Indian citizens to "hug a cow" instead of celebrating the 'western' Valentine's Day was called off on Friday after the announcement was <a href="https://twitter.com/ashoswai/status/1623360956133777408?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ridiculed online</a>. In a <a href="https://www.awbi.in/awbi-pdf/Circulars/Cow%20Hug%20Day1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Wednesday, the Animal Welfare Board of India declared February 14 should be "Cow Hug Day," saying that "hugging cows will bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness." The cow is <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/holy-cow-hinduisms-sacred-animal/1811/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worshiped as holy</a> in the Hindu tradition, the majority religion in the country. Replacing Valentine's Day with a new holiday would help counteract the "dazzle of western civilization" that has made Indian "physical culture and heritage almost forgotten," the statement said. This appeal, however, is widely thought to be a transparent push to promote the government's Hindu nationalist values. Many on social media <a href="https://twitter.com/AmarDeepSinghD/status/1623639010592665602">mocked the unusual statement</a> as seeming like a <a href="https://twitter.com/sumanthraman/status/1623331676805017600">spoof or parody</a>. By Friday — while the board was not explicit in their reasoning — the government quickly U-turned, <a href="https://www.awbi.in/awbi-pdf/Circulars/Withdrawal%20of%20appeal%20of%20Cow%20Hug%20Day.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrawing the appeal</a> for "Cow Hug Day."The board did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst, told the Associated Press "Cow Hug Day" was "absolutely crazy, defying logic.""The decision to withdraw the government appeal was to prevent the politics of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) from being ridiculed in the face of severe criticism from all quarters," he said.While Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in the country in recent years, Hindu nationalists see the holiday as encouraging "corrupt" morals. Hannah Ellis-Petersen reported <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/india-urges-citizens-to-hug-a-cow-on-valentines-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in The Guardian</a> that as the prevalence of celebrating Valentine's Day increases in India so does anti-Valentine's rhetoric which is often "targeted at women, alleging that the holiday encourages female promiscuity and vulgar behavior." Far-right Hindu groups have vandalized card stores selling Valentine's day gifts, burned Valentine's flowers, and chased and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/indian-govt-withdraws-appeal-hug-cows-valentines-day-97031006#:~:text=The%20Animal%20Welfare%20Board%20had,goes%20against%20traditional%20Indian%20values." target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted couples holding hands</a> on the holiday. There has also been a recent emergence of so-called <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/02/19/india-vigilante-cow-protection-groups-attack-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"cow vigilante" groups </a>made up of Hindu nationalists who <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/india-politics-religion-cows/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threaten and assault Muslim farmers</a> in the country who own cattle. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP party came to power in India in 2014, they have "legitimized discrimination against religious minorities and enabled violent Hindu nationalism," <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/19/india-government-policies-actions-target-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to </a>Human Rights Watch.Hindus make up about 80% of the <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/9/indian-govt-says-hug-cows-on-valentines-day-twitter-cracks-up">country's nearly 1.4 billion people</a>. Muslims make up 14% of the demographic, while the remaining 6% of the population is made up of mostly Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains.

Indian government cancels 'Cow Hug Day' anti-Valentine's celebration after it was widely mocked

<ul><li>DRDO developed a counter-drone technology system in 2020, however it did not get any order from the Indian armed forces. </li><li>Experts believe that the drone as well as counter-drone technology are fairly young and still need improvements. </li><li>Indian government rolled out guidelines against rogue <keyword id="94769" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="drones">drones</keyword> in 2013, yet the country doesn’t have enough anti-drone devices.</li></ul>As the government of India has just started recognising the potential use cases of drones in the Indian healthcare system, it was hit with a harsh reality that the enemies of the state have taken leaps to incorporate this technology to harm the South Asian nation. Two bombs were<a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/jammu-iaf-base-drone-attack-jawans-saw-heard-bombs-drop-1821316-2021-06-30"> dropped</a> at the Indian Air Force station in Jammu, in the early hours of June 27 this year. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">June 27, 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Two bombs dropped on IAF base in Jammu between 1:43 a.m.-1:50 a.m. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">June 27, 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Two more drones were spotted over IAF military stations at 11:45 p.m. and 2:40 a.m. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">June 28, 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Two similar devices were noticed in Ratnuchak-Kaluchak military area in Jammu. This prompted soldiers to open fire. </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.9375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Source: Media reports </td></tr></tbody></table> This compelled the Indian government and security forces to go on a shopping spree to buy expensive counter-drone systems. While there are not many counter-drone technology makers in India, few of these players include state-owned Defence Research &amp; Development Organisation (DRDO), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), ideaForge and Big Bang Boom Solutions. According to media <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bsf-it-ministry-companies-border-security-drone-attack-7386310/">reports</a>, there are over 500 companies that can help the country find a solution to its drone problem. All these companies may not make devices to harm or kill drones, but can certainly help in tracking them. There are also several military tech private companies in the country, including Adani Defence &amp; Aerospace and Kadet Defence Systems that make drones for surveillance and technology for other combat purposes; Atindriya Systems provides electronic systems and software solutions for defense, and Trijatta that develops radars and encryption devices for the military. The government of India has been aware of the potential threat that rogue drones could pose in the security of the nation and issued a <a href="https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/sites/default/files/Counter_rogue_drone_guidelnes_NSCS.pdf">National Counter Rogue Drone Guidelines </a>two years ago. The policy highlights that the drone factor should be taken seriously as unmanned aircrafts, consumer drones and do-it-yourself (DIY) drones are readily available over the internet. The policy, referring to the Israel-Lebanon war of 2006, highlights "In certain incidents, the small drones were also armed with explosive ordnance, to convert them into potentially lethal guided missiles, thus demonstrating the growing sophistication with which these potent warriors have found relevance in combat zones." Yet it has found itself short of any large scale counter-drone system. The Jammu attack in itself did not cost much, but it did highlight the urgency to invest in a counter-drone system that could prevent bigger attacks in the long run. In the coming months, the government of India wants to sign multi-million dollar [who’s saying this?] contracts with both domestic and foreign firms to procure these technologies. <div type="image" title="India has limited options for weapons that can take down enemy drones" msid="84836842" hostid="261"></div> The anti-drone technology has a massive headroom to cover Kruthi Aramanamada, head of marketing at ideaForge, explained to Business Insider that counter-drone technology is expensive and fairly new as it came into existence only a decade ago. The technology is not fully matured and there is still a lot of scope of research and development (R&amp;D) in this segment, she added. Meanwhile, Anshuman Tripathi, a drone technology expert who is also a member of the National Security Advisory Board, <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/combating-the-drone-menace-india-needs-to-pick-up-pace-with-anti-drone-measures-1823517-2021-07-03">said</a>, "Drones are still evolving and solutions to handle them are incomplete. It's a matter of a few years when the technology matures and you can standardise equipment as you go forward." Even developed countries like the US, Russia and Israel are <a href="https://theprint.in/opinion/brahmastra/india-needs-to-shop-for-anti-drone-systems-we-are-already-late/688517/">pumping billions</a> of dollars into research and development of both drones and counter-drone systems. However, they have not found a foolproof system for both hard and soft kill as yet. Indian armed forces on a look out for counter-drone systems In June 2020, IAF floated a Request for Information (RFI) for Indian vendors for Counter Unarmed Aircraft System (CUAS), which can be used to bring down the rogue drone. Apart from that, other ministries and departments are also looking to sign such contracts. However, there have not been many insights on who may end up getting such contracts. One of the possible beneficiaries of this spree is likely to be Israel-based company Smart Shooter, a company that has been developing systems to help militaries track and engage moving targets. Indian Navy had placed an order to <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/navy-orders-israeli-smash-2000-plus-systems-to-tackle-drones-more-contracts-in-offing/562955/">procure </a>an unspecified number of Smart Shooter’s SMASH 2000 Rifle Sights in December 2020. However, the Indian Army wasn’t quite impressed with it after their trials in January 2021. They found that the system may work well for the Navy as they work in open terrain, but it is not feasible for other terrains. This highlighted another major challenge among the counter-drone technology — use cases. The counter-drone system is not a ‘one size fits all’ type of solution and has to be customised based on the criticality of the situation, Aramanamada added. The debate between indigenous or foreign technology remains Prof. P B Sujit, adjunct faculty at School of Engineering and Technology at BML Munjal University, said that the current counter-drone tech is limited and mostly sourced or licensed from other countries. He also noted that there are few Indian startups in the segment as well, but the quality of those solutions is undetermined at the moment. “The trust in Indian developed tech is low. With the history of India importing from Israel, it's natural to import this. Moreover Israel has good tech which has been field tested with Palestine stuff... So the confidence levels are right with the Israel tech,” he added. Apart from the Israeli plan, the government is also on a look out for the technology developed by domestic players and foreign public as well as private sector units, drone original equipment manufacturers, defence tech firms and Defence Research &amp; Development Organisation (DRDO). Indian stand on the counter-drone infrastructure includes only a few players at the moment: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">DRDO anti-drone system was<a href="https://www.drdo.gov.in/sites/default/files/drdo-news-documents/NPC_15-16_Aug_2020.pdf"> first </a>deployed in India in 2020, during various national events including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech. However, it is not being used. The device had the capability to detect, intercept and destroy small drones. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">DRDO also carried out an urgent demonstration of its anti-drone system to armed forces at Kolar, a city in Karnataka, earlier in July 2021. The system has a detection capability of up to four kilometres with ‘soft kill’ option by radio frequency jamming. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">National Security Guards had <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/india/why-india-needs-israel-as-drone-attacks-become-real-and-threatens-to-be-cataclysmic-9763551.html">awarded </a>a contract worth ₹1.49 crore to Bengaluru-based Accord Software &amp; System for procurement of indigenous Counter Drone Technology System. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ideaForge has partnered with German tech firm Aaronia AG to develop anti-drone tech devices. However, the solutions have not been deployed on the ground yet. </td></tr></tbody></table> Even though the army and security forces are yet to deploy DRDO’s anti-drone system, Bharat Electronics Limited and three<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bsf-to-test-drdo-anti-drone-system-on-border-ied-laden-uav-shot-down-in-jammu-101627010670994.html"> undisclosed </a>private companies have signed a technology transfer agreement with the government. The agreement would enable these players to mass-produce the system. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/political-media/news/there-are-at-least-four-hot-issues-in-india-that-the-government-has-no-data-for/articleshow/84820788.cms">There are at least four hot issues in India that the government has no data for</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/maharashtra-karnataka-and-telangana-plan-to-use-ethereum-in-their-fight-against-fake-degrees/articleshow/84823688.cms">This Indian startup is using Ethereum to help Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana fight against fake degrees</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-expands-esop-pool-to-3000-crore-issues-stock-worth-400-crore-to-employees/articleshow/84820171.cms">Ola expands ESOP pool to ₹3,000 crore, issues stock worth ₹400 crore to employees</a>

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