Tag Archives: Narendra Modi

NATION: INDIA’S GEOGRAPHY: U.S. Senate Committee passes Resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as Integral part of India

The resolution pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory.

Less than a month after the historic visit of Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi to the U.S., a Congressional Senatorial Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

The resolution was introduced by Senators Mr. Jeff Merkley, Mr. Bill Hagerty, Mr. Tim Kaine and Mr. Chris Van Hollen on Thursday, July 13.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC’s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

The resolution will now go to the Senate floor for a full vote.

“America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the centre of all of our actions and relationships around the world – especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision,” said Senator Mr. Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.

“Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India – not the People’s Republic of China – and commits the U.S. to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners,” he said.

Mr. Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region – especially India and other Quad countries – and push back against the Chinese Communist Party’s broader strategy of territorial aggrandisement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, in the Himalayas, and in the southern Pacific.

“As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Senator Mr. Cornyn.

“This resolution would reaffirm that the U.S. recognises the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay,” he added.

China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan. Beijing claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, a claim firmly rejected by the External Affairs Ministry which has asserted that the state is an  “inseparable part of India”.

Beijing routinely protests visits of top Indian leaders and officials to Arunachal Pradesh to reaffirm its claim.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIA IN FRANCE: Indian Military Contingent Marches in Paris to Sare Jahan Se Accha, July 14th

Indian military contingents with connections to France dating back over a century to both World Wars, marched in the Bastille Day parade, while IAF Rafale jets took part in the flypast.

The strains of Sare Jahan Se Accha rang through the Champs-Élysées on July 14, as a 242-member Indian military contingent marching in France’s Bastille Day parade saluted chief guest Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Welcoming Mr. Modi, Mr. Macron said that India was “a giant in world history, with a decisive role to play in the future, a strategic partner, a friend.”

Both the marching contingent and the band have historical connections to France, being some of the oldest units of the Indian Army. They fought in both World Wars, with many members laying down their lives in battlefields here and being decorated for their sacrifices.

Click here for live updates

“This July 14, soldiers and Rafale aircraft from India are marching and flying alongside our troops. We honour the memory of those who fought with the French in the First World War. We shall never forget,” Mr. Macron said on Twitter.

Bastille Day, which is France’s national day, marks the anniversary of the storming of the infamous Bastille prison in 1789 during the French Revolution. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the first Indian chief guest at a Bastille Day parade in 2009. Mr. Modi became the second Indian PM to play this role, as India and France mark 25 years of their strategic partnership this year.

IAF Rafales in flypast

The parade began with a flypast by French aircraft, showing the colours of the French national flag, followed by a formation of three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force and a French Air Force Rafale. The marching contingents began as the flypast ended.

The Indian Army contingent, comprising 68 marching personnel from the Punjab Regiment and 38 band members from the Rajputana Rifles, was led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Their brisk march in unison, hands swinging high, drew applause and appreciation from many onlookers as well as several members of the French military.

World War memories

Indian troops saw participation across theatres in both World Wars. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers participated in World War I; almost 74,000 of these fought in the trenches and never returned, while another 67,000 were wounded. In World War II, a staggering 2.5 million Indian soldiers fought in locales from Asia to Africa and Europe, including the battlefields of France.

Troops of the Punjab Regiment took part in both World Wars, as well as in post-independence operations. In World War I, they were awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours. “The gallant soldiers fought in Mesopotamia, Gallipoli, Palestine, Egypt, China, Hongkong, Damascus and France,” the Army said, in a statement. “In France, they took part in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in September 1915 earning the Battle Honours ‘Loos’ and ‘France and Flanders’. In World War II, they earned 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours.”

The Rajputana Rifles is the seniormost rifle regiment of the Indian Army and took part in some of the bloodiest battles of both the World Wars. The band of the Regiment was raised in 1920 at Nasirabad, Rajasthan. “During the World War II, the battalions of the Regiment fought in every theatre where the Indian Army was involved. They are the recipient of six Victoria Cross prior to independence,” the Army said.

Navy destroyer in France

The Naval contingent comprised four officers and 64 sailors, and was led by Cdr. Vrat Baghel, a specialist in gunnery and missile warfare who earlier sailed on the French ship BCR Var during bilateral exercise Varuna. His three deputies were Lt. Cdr. Disha Amrith, who led the Indian Navy contingent at the Republic Day Parade 2023, Lt. Cdr. Rajat Tripathi, and Lt. Cdr. Jittin Lalitha Dharmaraj.

In addition to the contingent, the Indian Navy was also represented by INS Chennai, an indigenously designed and constructed guided missile destroyer, which is on deployment to France from July 12 to 16. The ship’s crew represented India at the Bastille Day celebrations at Brest, a port city in northwestern France, the Navy said.

IAF’s French connection

The IAF flying contingent in Paris comprised four Rafale fighter jets, two C-17 Globemasters, and 72 IAF personnel. The IAF observed that many Indians — including Welinkar, Shivdev Singh, H.C. Dewan and Jumbo Majumdar — fought over the skies of France during the two World Wars. Some, like Jumbo Majumdar, were also decorated for their gallant actions over the Falaise Gap during the terminal phase of World War II, the IAF noted.

In addition, the IAF has a long history of operating French aircraft, starting with the Ouragan, followed by fighter aircraft like the Breguet Alize, Mystere IVA, SEPECAT Jaguar, and Mirage 2000, with the Rafale jets being the latest in this illustrious line. Helicopters Alouette-III and Lama continue to fly with the three services, acting as a lifeline in remote high altitude areas. The IAF’s marching contingent was commanded by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy, a helicopter pilot who has extensively flown the Alouette-III.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

WORLD: HEALTH & SCIENCE: PM Modi’s ‘Yoga Day Event’ at UN HQ Creates Guinness World Record

The Yoga Day event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday created a Guinness world record.

The Yoga Day event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday created a Guinness World Record for seeing the participation of most nationalities in a Yoga session.

PM Modi – who arrived in the US on Tuesday night (IST) at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, led the historic event at the UN headquarters to commemorate the 9th International Yoga Day. The PM was joined by the President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korisi, deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The event also saw several other UN officials, diplomats, and prominent personalities.

Sporting a customised white yoga T-shirt and trousers, PM Modi thanked the people for attending the celebration. “I’m delighted to see you all. And I thank you all for coming. Friends. I’m told that almost every nationality is represented here today,” he said.

Yoga Day event in Surat sets new Guinness World Record

Earlier in the day, the Yoga Day event organised in Gujarat’s Surat set a new Guinness World Record for the largest gathering for a yoga session in one place with 1.53 lakh people joining the program. The previous world record was set in 2018 in Kota city of Rajasthan when 1,00,984 people participated in a Yoga Day session in one place.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)