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China urges US to ease AI chip export controls for trade deal: Report
Chinese officials have told experts in Washington that Beijing wants the Trump administration to relax export restrictions on high-bandwidth memory chips, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
The White House, State Department and China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report.
HBM chips, which help perform data-intensive AI tasks quickly, are closely watched by investors due to their use alongside AI graphic processors, particularly Nvidia's.
The FT said China is concerned because the U.S. HBM controls hamper the ability of Chinese companies such as Huawei to develop their own AI chips.
Successive U.S. administrations have curbed exports of advanced chips to China, looking to stymie Beijing's AI and defence development.
While this has impacted U.S. firms' ability to fully address booming demand from China, one of the world's largest semiconductor markets, it still remains an important revenue driver for American chipmakers.
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Business Standard
28 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit India next week for border talks with NSA Doval
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit India on Monday to hold talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval under the mechanism of Special Representatives on the border issue, authoritative sources said. Wang is travelling to India days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned trip to the Chinese city of Tianjin to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The Chinese foreign minister is visiting India primarily to hold the next round of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question, the sources said on Wednesday. Wang and Doval are the designated SR for talks on the boundary issue. Doval travelled to China in December last year and held the SR talks with Wang, weeks after Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to revive various dialogue mechanisms between the two sides at a meeting in the Russian city of Kazan.


Economic Times
28 minutes ago
- Economic Times
India's hold on Pakistan begins to hurt where it matters
India put the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, signed in 1960, in abeyance following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April, arguing Pakistan violated the treaty through unrelenting cross-border terrorism. Months after the action, India's hold on Pakistan has begun to hurt which is evident from incendiary statements by several Pakistani leaders. Speaking at a private dinner in Tampa, Florida, where he had gone to attend an American military function, a few days ago, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir threatened India that his country would target dams with missiles, as per media reports. Munir told members of the Pakistani diaspora, 'We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, phir 10 missile sey faarigh kar dengey [we will destroy it with 10 missiles].' 'The Indus river is not the Indians' family property. Humein missilon ki kami nahin hai, al-Hamdulillah [we have no shortage of missiles, Praise be to God],' he said. Munir also threatened India with nuclear strike. After Munir's comments, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday warned that any attempt to block water flow into Pakistan would be a violation of the IWT and met with a 'decisive response.' Speaking at an event in Islamabad, Sharif declared, 'The enemy cannot snatch even a single drop of water from Pakistan. You threatened to stop our water—if you try, Pakistan will teach you a lesson you will never forget.' Last month, former Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is the chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, warned India over its unilateral suspension of the IWT. Speaking during the budget session of the National Assembly, said, 'India has two options: share water fairly, or we will take it from all six rivers.' Also Read | 'Enemy can't snatch even single drop of water': After Munir, Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif threatens India on Indus treaty India rejects international court jurisdictionPakistan has welcomed an international court's ruling interpreting design criteria for new run-of-river hydropower projects on the Western Rivers (Chenab, Jhelum and Indus), to be built by India, saying it vindicates its position on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which India put in abeyance after the Pahalgam attack. India, however, has never recognised the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which reportedly ruled that India must "let flow" the waters of the Western Rivers for Pakistan's unrestricted use. India has instead focused on the neutral expert mechanism."The specified exceptions for generation of hydro-electric plants must conform strictly to the requirements laid down in the treaty, rather than to what India might consider an 'ideal' or 'best practices' approach," Pakistan's foreign office said Monday's ruling, Pakistan reiterated its commitment to implementing IWT and urged India to resume functioning of the same. India maintains IWT will remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes action against cross-border terrorism. Also Read | After Asim Munir's nuclear rant, Bilawal Bhutto threatens Pakistan could 'take back six rivers' from India Why are Pak leaders threatening India?Possibly, Pakistan has realised India's suspension of the IWT is not going to be reverted, which poses dire medium- and long-term challenges to the country. Under normal IWT operations, India shared vital water-flow data and alerted Pakistan to seasonal variations and flood risks. Now, India has halted such data sharing, severely impairing Pakistan's ability to anticipate floods or droughts. India no longer needs to follow design and operational restrictions for projects on the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—meaning it can proceed unilaterally with dam construction and modifications. This includes reservoir flushing to clear sediment at projects like Kishanganga, potentially affecting downstream short-term capability is limited due to India's existing infrastructure, long-term construction of dams and reservoirs could significantly alter water availability for Pakistan in dry relies on Indus waters for 80–90% of its irrigated agriculture, which supports roughly 25% of its GDP and up to 37–45% of employment depending on the report. Also Read | 'We'll show them what's next': After Indus dam, Pak Army Chief Asim Munir now fixes target on RIL Jamnagar refinery In the long term, India could ramp up dams, storage, and diversion projects along the western rivers, consolidating significant upstream control. Pakistan, with limited storage capacity, may suffer perennial water shortages, especially in non-monsoon seasons. Domestic instability in Pakistan could intensify—impacting food security, rural livelihoods, trade competitiveness, and energy possible Pakistan has sensed India's long-term plans to restrict water flow and is alarmed at the Indian environment ministry panel has given 'in-principle' approval for diversion of over 847 hectares of reserved forest and 'jungle-jhari' land for construction of the ambitious 1,856-MW Sawalkot hydroelectric project in Ramban district of Jammu & Kashmir, TOI reported last month. Certain key green provisions were set aside for the purpose, keeping in view national interests. Though the final approval will be subject to grant of environment clearance for the project by the UT govt, the move shows the intent to swiftly take up the dam's construction for leveraging Chenab river's potential following suspension of the IWT. The Sawalkot hydroelectric project (HEP) is a major hydropower initiative, intended to harness the potential of the Chenab — one of the western rivers along with Indus and Jhelum whose waters currently flow unchecked to Pakistan despite India's right to use it for non-consumptive purposes, including hydro-power is also set to revive the long-stalled Tulbul Navigation Project in Jammu & Kashmir, PTI has reported recently, based on information from sources. A detailed project report for Tulbul is being prepared and is expected to take about a year to complete. This move, which comes right after the IWT suspension, underscores a significant policy shift: leveraging water resources as a means of strategic assertion. The work was restarted in 2010, with the then irrigation minister of J&K, Taj Mohideen, stating that Article 9 of IWT permitted such projects meant for non-consumptive use. In 2012, unidentified terrorists lobbed a grenade towards a bund raised by the workers for the project. Under the IWT, India was allocated the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej), while the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) were allocated to Pakistan, with limited rights for India. India is allowed to use water from the western rivers for non-consumptive purposes like navigation, power generation and limited storage. The Tulbul Project aligns with these permissible uses. With the IWT in abeyance, there can't be any challenge to this project. After the Uri Terror Attack in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "blood and water cannot flow together" during a high-level review meeting of the IWT. This was a clear signal that India might review or alter its commitment to the IWT in response to Pakistan's failure to curb cross-border terrorism. Nearly a decade later, Modi's indication has become a reality. India's revival of plans to build long-term projects on several rivers suggests it is not going to revert its decision. It also drives home the message in Pakistan that the suspension of the IWT was not a merely tactical move but a long-term strategic shift. Also, India's rejection of international court jurisdiction over IWT underlines this shift. That's what is bothering Pakistan's top leaders.
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First Post
28 minutes ago
- First Post
'We are aware': US State Department tells Firstpost on Munir's nuclear threats
The US Department of State said that it is aware of reports of Pakistani Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's nuclear threats made from American soil. The US Department has told Firstpost that it is aware of reports of Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Pakistani Army chief, making nuclear threats from American soil. When asked by Firstpost's Madhur Sharma about Munir's threats of nuclear catastrophe in general and missile attacks on India in particular made from American soil while on a visit at the invitation of the US government, the State Department said it was aware of the remarks but refused to address them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We are aware of these reports and would refer you to the Government of Pakistan regarding Chief of Army Staff Munir's alleged remarks,' the State Department told Firstpost's Sharma in response to his queries. US Department of State's response to Pakistani Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's nuclear threats. Earlier this month, it emerged that Munir had hade repeated threats to attack India, and unleash a nuclear catastrophe on the whole world, at a private event in the Florida state of the United States. Munir said that 'we are a nuclear nation, if we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us', according to The Print. Specifically referring to India, Munir threatened to attack India with missiles: 'We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, we will destroy it with 10 missiles…The Indus river is not the Indians' family property. We have no shortage of missiles, Praise be to God.' ALSO READ: 'From the soil of a friendly country': India calls Munir's 'nuclear sabre rattling' from US 'regrettable' Munir made these remarks at a black-tie dinner hosted for Munir by businessman Adnan Asad in Tampa, Florida. He was in the country to attend the farewell function for General Michael Kurilla, the head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), who retired last week. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India reacted sharply to Munir's speech and also indicted the US government. 'It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country,' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. As for Munir's remarks, the MEA said that nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade and proves that Pakistan is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups. 'The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups,' the statement read. In his second term, US President Donald Trump has ramped up engagement with Pakistan. He has signed a trade deal with the country and, in an unprecedented act, invited Munir for a meeting at the White House. At the same time, the India-US ties have nosedived as Trump has waged an aggressive tariff war on the country, slapping 50 per cent tariffs and slamming the country over its trade policies. He has also undermined India's position on Operation Sindoor by claiming that it was his intervention —and not Indian military action and Pakistan's request to India— that led to the ceasefire on May 10 after four days of conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD