New Delhi, Nov 14,2024: The Central Government has declared Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) along with all its factions, wings and front organisations of Meghalaya as an unlawful association with immediate effect for a period of five years.
The Ministry of Home Affairs through a Gazette Notification dated November 13 said, “The Central Government declares the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), along with all its factions, wings and front organisations as an unlawful association with immediate effect.”
“(The Government) In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 3 of the said Act, hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act, have immediate effect from the November, 16, 2024 for a period of five years,” the notification said.
The notification said that HNLC along with all its factions, wings and front organisations has been involved in activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The notification further said that the Government is of the opinion that the HNLC has declared objective for secession of areas in Meghalaya, largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia tribes from India.
The Meghalaya Government had also recommended that HNLC be declared as an unlawful association under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), it said.
The Government is also of the opinion that the activities of HNLC are detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, and if these are not immediately curbed and controlled, the HNLC may regroup and rearm itself, expand its cadres, procure sophisticated weapons, cause loss of lives of civilians and security forces and properties and thereby accelerate its anti-national activities, the notification added.
Nov 11,2024: Saudi Arabia’s top military official has visited Tehran for talks with Iranian officials in a rare high-level meeting since the countries restored ties last year, Iran’s state media reported,
General Chief of Staff Fayyad al-Ruwaili of the Saudi armed forces met his Iranian counterpart, General Mohammad Bagheri, at the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff Headquarters in Tehran on Sunday, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported.
“The development of defence diplomacy and the expansion of bilateral cooperation are among the main topics of this meeting,” it added.
The country’s Fars news agency said that Bagheri called for increased security cooperation between the two countries at the meeting.
“We would like the Saudi navy to join Iranian naval exercises next year, either as participants or observers,” Fars quoted Bagheri as saying.
Separately, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the phone, Iranian media said.
New Delhi, November 11,2024: At a time when defence forces are looking at creating a rocket force, India is all set to soon test fire a new long-range anti-ship ballistic missile which would be able to hit moving warships or aircraft carriers at distances of over 1,000 kms.
The ballistic missile is expected to be tested in the next few days by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, defence sources told ANI.
The anti-ship ballistic missile would be capable of being launched from both warships and shore-based locations, the sources said.
The missile system is being developed for the Indian Navy and would give it the capability to take out enemy vessels from a long-range, the sources said.
Indian forces have been increasing the number of ballistic missiles in their inventory with Pralay ballistic missiles being ordered by both Indian Army and Indian Air Force.
The numbers are going to be gradually increased with the induction of short and medium-range missiles in the three services which would give them the capability to sustain long-term conflicts.
In recent times, there has been a large-scale use of ballistic missiles in conflicts where even non-state actors have been seen firing hundreds of ballistic missiles on enemy locations in just one night.
The Indian forces have been in conflict with China in northern borders which has a huge rocket force and which has a huge inventory of such long-range weapons in conventional or non-nuclear roles.
Indian forces have held detailed discussions on the need for the creation of such an organisation with a large size inventory to meet all security challenges.
Tokyo, Nov 11,2024: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned with his cabinet on Monday ahead of a parliament vote later the day to select the country’s next prime minister following the general election last month.
Cabinet ministers of the Ishiba administration submitted letters of resignation en masse at a cabinet meeting Monday morning.
As the ruling bloc of LDP and Komeito holds less than a majority in the House of Representatives, Monday’s vote is likely to head to a runoff between Ishiba and major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party leader Yoshihiko Noda.
It will mark the first runoff in nearly 30 years.
Moscow, Nov 5,2024: Russia launched a Soyuz-2.1b rocket Tuesday from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East to deploy two heliophysics satellites and 53 smaller ones into orbit, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The primary payload, two “Ionosphere-M” satellites, are set to monitor Earth’s ionosphere to study structural changes, electromagnetic disturbances, atmospheric composition, and ozone distribution in the upper layers, as well as radiation conditions.
Each weighing 430 kg, the two satellites will operate at an altitude of 820 km, said the report. They are expected to reach the target orbit 56 minutes and 15 seconds after launch and be joined by the smaller satellites to expand scientific observation.
Of the 53 small satellites launched for scientific, educational and commercial use, 28 are SITRO-AIS satellites from Russian company Sputniks, designed for maritime identification. Also onboard were 16 student-built satellites from the Space-π science and education initiative, and the Kowsar and Hodhod satellites from private Iranian company Space Omid.
New Delhi, Nov 2,2024: India summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission yesterday and handed over a diplomatic note to convey its protest in the strongest terms about the absurd and baseless references made to Union Home Minister Amit Shah by Deputy Minister David Morrison.
“In fact, the revelation that high Canadian officials deliberately leaked unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that Government of India has long held about the current Canadian Government’s political agenda and behavioral pattern.
“Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties,” the MEA spokesperson said.
Morrison, while testifying on October 29 before MPs on the public safety and national security committee, when asked to comment that Canadian officials identified Home Minister Amit Shah as one of the senior officials who authorized intelligence-gathering missions and attacks on Sikh separatists in Canada, confirmed the news.
“The journalists called me and asked me if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” Morrison told the MPs on the panel.
On Canada describing India as a “cyber adversary” in its National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026, the MEA spokesperson said that it “appears to be another example of a Canadian strategy to attack India”.
“As I mentioned earlier, their senior officials have openly confessed that they are seeking to manipulate global opinion against India. As on other occasions, imputations are made without any evidence.”
He also said that surveillance is being done by Canada on Indian Officials there, and that India has formally protested to the Canadian Government regarding that.
“Some of our Consular officials were recently informed by the Canadian Government that they have been and continued to be under audio and video surveillance. Their communications have also been intercepted.
“We have formally protested to the Canadian Government as we deem these actions to be a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions.
“By citing technicalities, the Canadian Government cannot justify the fact that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation. Our diplomatic and consular personnel are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence. This action of the Canadian Government aggravates the situation and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices.”
On the sudden cancellation of Diwali celebrations by the opposition leader Pierre Poilievre that were scheduled to take place at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the spokesperson said:
“We have seen some reports in this regard. It is unfortunate that the prevailing atmosphere in Canada has reached high levels of intolerance and extremism.”
On reports that Canada is issuing fewer visas that was affecting Indian students, he said:
“We are obviously monitoring the well-being of students and temporary workers from India who are currently in Canada. Our concern for their safety and security remains strong.”
Nov 01,2024: Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has conceded defeat as preliminary results showed his governing party lost its parliamentary majority after nearly six decades in power.
Masisi’s concession on Friday came before the final results were announced, with his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) trailing in fourth place, according to tallies by the electoral commission.
“We got it wrong big time in the eyes of the people,” Masisi told a news conference in the capital, Gaborone.
“We were really convinced of our message. But every indication, by any measure, is that there’s no way that I can pretend that we’re going to form a government.”
The president, who was seeking a second five-year term in Wednesday’s election, said he would “step aside”.
New Delhi, Oct 30,2024: The disengagement process between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Depsang and Demchok areas is in its final stage, Defence sources said here on Tuesday.
Official sources on October 25 said that the disengagement process would be completed by the 28th to 29th of this month and the patrolling by the Indian and Chinese troops will resume on October 30.
As a part of the process, both the armies have also dismantled the temporary tents and structures, sources said.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on October 20 had said that an agreement was reached on the patrolling arrangement between the two countries, paving the way for the withdrawal of troops of both India and China and restoration of the situation of April 2020. After this, the process of withdrawal of troops started on October 22.
On October 26, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian at a briefing said that the disengagement process between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh is “going on smoothly”, in keeping with the agreements reached between the two sides.
It may be mentioned that India and China reached an agreement on patrolling along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, ending the over four-year-long military standoff.
The agreement was arrived at only for the two friction points of Depsang and Demchok, and “talks are still underway” for other areas, sources had said.
After the disengagement, the areas and patrolling status are expected to be moved back to the pre-April 2020 level.