How Putin's BRICS Reach Out Before Trump Meet Is A Blow To West & NATO On Ukraine
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
16 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump upset India didn't credit him for India-Pakistan ceasefire: Ex-envoy Vikas Swarup on US tariffs
US President Donald Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods for many reasons, according to former diplomat Vikas Swarup. The main reason, Swarup said, is that President Trump was "miffed that India has not acknowledged his role" in the cessation of hostilities with Pakistan following Operation Sindoor. Swarup, who is also a renowned author, said that India has not caved in to US pressure in trade talks to provide more access to the country's agriculture and dairy sectors. Swaroop, the author of the famous novel Q & A, said the US is exerting pressure tactics to get India to agree to its maximalist demands. The Q&A novel provided the inspiration for the award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. "We have to understand why these tariffs have been imposed. I personally feel that there are three reasons. One, Trump is not happy with India because we are a member of BRICS, and somehow, in his head, he has got this notion that BRICS is an anti-American alliance which is hell-bent on creating an alternative currency to the dollar. So, because of that, he feels that India should not be a member of the BRICS. Two, Operation Sindoor and his so-called role in bringing about the ceasefire," Swarup, former High Commissioner to Canada, told news agency ANI in an interview. President Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods plus an unspecified penalty in July, even as there were hopes of an interim India-US trade deal that would have otherwise helped avoid elevated tariffs. A few days later, he imposed another 25 per cent tariff, taking the total to 50 per cent, over India's imports of Russian oil. "We have been saying right from the beginning that Trump had no role because we do not accept external mediation. This ceasefire was mediated directly between the DGMOs of Pakistan and India at the request of the DGMO of Pakistan. Trump has now said almost 30 times that it was he who got the two countries to stop back from the brink, who stopped a nuclear conflagration in the subcontinent. So, obviously he is miffed that India has not acknowledged his role, whereas Pakistan has not only acknowledged his role but has even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize," the former MEA secretary said. India had carried out Operation Sindoor in early May in response to Pahalgam terror attack and carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK. India had replled subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases. Referring to Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks between India and US, Swarup said Trump is resorting to pressure tactics to get India to sign on his maximalist demands. "...This is part of his pressure tactics to get India to sign on the dotted line on the maximalist demands that the US is making with regard to access to our dairy and agriculture and GM Crops. We have not caved in and it is also in a way a signal to Russia because he is also frustrated that he has not been able to get President Putin to agree to the ceasefire that Zelenskyy has agreed to," he said. Vikas Swarup referred to the summit meeting between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska on August 15 over the Ukraine conflict. "Now they are meeting in Alaska on 15th August. If there is a positive outcome of the Alaska talks then I am 100% sure that the Russia sanctions will be off the table because Putin is not going to accept a ceasefire and yet be saddled with economic sanctions," he said. India and the US initiated talks for a just, balanced, and mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) in March this year, aiming to complete the first stage of the Agreement by October-November April 2, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order for reciprocal tariffs on various trade partners, imposing varied tariffs in the range of 10-50 per cent. He subsequently kept the tariffs in abeyance for 90 days, while imposing a 10 per cent baseline tariff. The deadline was to end on July 9, and the US administration later pushed it to August 1. Trump is miffed that India has not acknowledged his role, whereas Pakistan has nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. During the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal made a statement in both Houses, affirming that the government is examining the impact of tariffs and will take all necessary steps to safeguard the national interest.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Pakistan reintroduces Anti-Terrorism Act with preventive detention powers for military, civil forces
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The National Assembly of Pakistan passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, restoring the provision of preventive detention for individuals suspected of terrorism, The Express Tribune reported on amendment, which was passed on Wednesday, empowers both military and civil armed forces to detain individuals suspected of terrorism for up to three to The Express Tribune, the bill, presented by PakistMinister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry, was approved after a clause-by-clause reading, with the House rejecting proposed changes by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)'s Aliya Kamran and accepting an amendment from Pakistan Peoples Party's Syed Naveed per the amendment, Section 11EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), initially enacted in 2014 in the aftermath of the Peshawar Army Public School attack, had expired in 2016 due to a sunset clause, The Express Tribune latest amendment reintroduces this provision, allowing authorities to detain individuals based on credible intelligence or reasonable suspicion to preempt terrorist law also allows for the establishment of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs), composed of members from law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to carry out in-depth investigations and gather operational to the bill's statement of objectives, Pakistan's current security landscape demands stronger legal tools to empower the government, military, and law enforcement agencies in dealing with individuals posing a serious threat to national security, as reported by The Express bill was taken up for voting, with 125 members supporting the motion and 59 opposing per the bill, as stated by The Express Tribune, sub-section (1) of Section 11EEEE allows detention beyond three months, subject to constitutional safeguards under Article 10, which protects against unlawful arrest and detention.A key revision to sub-section (1) of Clause 2 states: "The Government or, where the provisions of section 4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces, as the case may be subject to the specific or general order of the Government in this regard, for a period not exceeding three months and after recording reasons thereof, issue order for the preventive detention of any person who has been concerned in any offence under this act relating to the security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, or public order relating to target killing, kidnapping for ransom, and extortion, bhatta, or the maintenance of supplies or services, or against whom a reasonable complaint has been made or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists of his having been so concerned, for purpose of inquiry," as quoted by The Express amendments in sub-section (2) specify that any detention ordered by the armed or civil armed forces must be investigated by a Joint Investigation Team. This team would include a police officer not below the rank of SP, and members from intelligence, military, and other enforcement a new provision (2A) declares that these powers under sub-sections (1) and (2) will remain in effect for three years from the enactment of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified that this law is meant to be used selectively and includes checks."A clause is being added to the bill stating that there are solid reasons for arrest. The arrested person will have to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours, and a clause has also been included to be enforceable for a specific period," he stated, as quoted by The Express to the passage of the amendment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticised the move, calling it a repeat of earlier legislation that infringes on "fundamental human rights".
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Putin Teases WW3 Before Alaska Summit? NATO Nation Scrambles F-35 To Confront Russian Jets
Italy's stealth F-35s were scrambled over the Baltic Sea on August 13, marking the first-ever interception of Russian Su-24 and Su-27 jets near NATO airspace. Neither Russian aircraft had filed flight plans or transmitted active transponder signals, prompting NATO forces to monitor the incursion as a potential reconnaissance or probing mission. This follows a July 22 incident near Alaska where Russian Tu-95MS bombers, escorted by Su-35s and Su-30SM fighters, were monitored by U.S. F-35 and F-16 jets over a 15-hour mission, including aerial refuelling. These consecutive events highlight a growing pattern of Russian military activity near NATO territories. The Baltic and Arctic regions are becoming hotspots, just days before the high-stakes Alaska summit where Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are set to discuss the Ukraine conflict. Watch for more details.#NATO #F35 #Russia #BalticSea #Arctic #AlaskaSummit #Putin #Trump #MilitaryTensions #AirPolicing #donaldtrump #vladimirputin #usa
