Students stranded in J&K sent to Kerala amid Indo-Pak tensions
The workers, led by Youth Congress national president Uday Bhanu Chib, on Monday helped the students return to Kerala by trains from New Delhi.
According to a press release issued by the organisation, students from Sher-e Kashmir Agricultural University had contacted them and expressed their desire to go back home.
However, due to the absence of public transport these students were stranded in J&K. The Youth Congress team brought them to Delhi by arranging a special bus for them.
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News18
an hour ago
- News18
Walking Tall: India's Strategic Autonomy In An Era Of Tariffs And Tensions
The wiser course is to endure short-term pain, invest in the enablers of autonomy, and prepare for a world where even close partners may turn adversarial on specific issues The United States and China dominate the global stage, and each sees India through a different lens. Washington views Delhi as a strategic partner, an essential player in the Indo-Pacific, yet also as a country capable of challenging American economic influence. Beijing regards Delhi as its principal regional challenger, a competitor for strategic space from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. Both powers, despite their own differences, have found it useful to encourage Pakistan as a spoiler against India. The latest shock in the Indo-American tariff war came when US. President Donald Trump ordered a doubling of tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, citing New Delhi's continued purchases of discounted Russian oil and its 'unfair" trade practices. This was not an isolated skirmish. It was a reminder of how quickly even 'strategic partners" can weaponise economic measures. Tariffs hit exporters and unsettle investor sentiment. They also embolden domestic sceptics of the relationship, pushing societies back into their ideological dugouts. The Nature of the India-US Relationship For over two decades, India-US ties have been marked by expanding defence cooperation, intelligence sharing, and deep people-to-people links. Agreements such as LEMOA, COMCASA, and BECA have enabled unprecedented military interoperability. The US has supported India's rise in multilateral forums, from the Quad to export-control regimes like the MTCR. Yet the relationship has never been free from transactional calculation. As Sameer Lalwani of the Council on Foreign Relations notes, 'Major differences remain in defence spending priorities, the role of civilian oversight, and the independence of defence-industrial bases." When trade friction escalates, as it has now, these differences surface quickly. The U.S. is pushing for greater market access in agriculture, GM crops, and dairy. This runs into India's domestic political red lines. After three years of farm protests, New Delhi cannot hand opponents a rallying cry. Similarly, Washington's periodic engagement with Pakistan revives Indian concerns about American strategic reliability. China: Rival and Economic Partner China's equation with India is even more complex. The two share a booming bilateral trade, mostly in critical industrial inputs, but remain locked in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control. After the 2020 Galwan clashes, disengagement has occurred at some points, yet Beijing has retained forward deployments in others. Chinese diplomacy has sought to stabilise ties, inviting India's senior leadership for talks and dangling the prospect of economic cooperation. But the distrust is deep. As Jayadeva Ranade warns, 'Any Chinese pullback without genuine de-escalation and de-induction of forces is reversible." Beijing's continued military support to Pakistan, renaming of locations in Arunachal Pradesh, and integration of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into its Belt and Road Initiative are constant reminders of its long-term aims. The MoU with Russia In this fraught environment, New Delhi's signing of a sweeping Memorandum of Understanding with Russia on August 6 was more than a commercial deal. Covering sectors from defence manufacturing to rare-earth mining, the agreement secures supply chains in strategic minerals, aerospace technologies, fertilisers, and energy. By deepening such ties at a moment of tension with Washington, India is asserting its doctrine of multi-alignment. It will not align blindly with any bloc and will diversify its partnerships to maintain room for manoeuvre. The Russia deal also has geopolitical weight. As Western sanctions push Moscow closer to Beijing, a strong India–Russia channel gives both sides leverage. For India, it secures critical inputs for industrial modernisation under 'Make in India" and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. For Russia, it offers an economic lifeline and an alternative to overdependence on China. Why Self-Reliance Matters More Than Ever The tariff episode underscores why India cannot afford to base its strategic future on external goodwill. If access to the US market can be curtailed overnight, and Chinese cooperation is always conditional, then true autonomy demands capacity at home. This means accelerating R&D in areas that will define power hierarchies in coming decades—artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing. Government programmes like the National Quantum Mission, IndiaAI, and the Semiconductor Mission are important steps. But they need scale, urgency, and deep public–private collaboration. Strategic reserves of critical minerals and energy resources should be built now, before geopolitical shocks make them harder to secure. Hedging, With Realism In theory, India can hedge—engaging both Washington and Beijing to maximise benefits. In practice, this is becoming harder. The US expects strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific, reduced Russian defence imports, and concessions on market access. China wants India to mute its Quad role, refrain from criticising Belt and Road projects, and limit its security ties with the US. These expectations are fundamentally at odds. Thus, hedging should be a temporary tactic, used until domestic capacity reduces vulnerability. In the short term, this means keeping dialogue channels open while building leverage. Every bilateral FTA signed with other partners (UAE, Australia, EFTA, UK, and potentially the EU) reduces dependence on any single market. Every step towards de-dollarisation in BRICS settlements adds flexibility in the financial domain. Learning from History India's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty despite decades of pressure is instructive. At the time, it seemed costly. Today, India's nuclear status is accepted as a reality. Strategic patience, backed by capability, can outlast external coercion. Similarly, resisting unreasonable trade demands now, while expanding domestic capacity, may yield greater freedom of action later. The analogy extends to the Swadeshi movement. Reducing critical dependencies is not isolationism but empowerment. As Bob Sternfels of McKinsey observes, 'India has the opportunity to be a unifier in a fractured world, if it stays connected to all, without becoming hostage to any." A Civilisational Approach Tagore's 'Ekla Chalo Re" is not a call for loneliness, but for resolve. Strategic autonomy is not about rejecting partnerships; it is about entering them from a position of strength. In practical terms, this means: Preparing for sanctions or market closures by diversifying supply sources. Investing in human capital—education, skills, and health—to make the demographic dividend real. Building a credible narrative capacity to counter disinformation and explain India's positions to global audiences. These are not romantic ideals. They are necessities in a system where power respects capability. Conclusion The present downturn in India–US trade relations is serious but not terminal. As in the past, cooler heads may prevail, perhaps when high-level negotiations resume. Washington's flirtation with Pakistan is likely to be short-lived. Pakistan has little economic or strategic value to offer beyond nuisance potential. The greater risk is that India becomes reactive, trapped between appeasing one power and containing another. top videos View all The wiser course is to endure short-term pain, invest in the enablers of autonomy, and prepare for a world where even close partners may turn adversarial on specific issues. This is not about walking away from the US or China—it is about walking tall, with the means to chart one's own path. The writer is a retired Brigadier in the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 11, 2025, 17:42 IST News opinion Opinion | Walking Tall: India's Strategic Autonomy In An Era Of Tariffs And Tensions Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
India hands over 5 metric tonnes of black-eyed Cowpea seeds to Fiji for agricultural aid
Suva: In a significant step towards solidarity with its Indo-Pacific partners, the Indian mission handed over five metric tonnes of cowpea seeds as humanitarian assistance to the Fijian government on Monday. This was the first tranche of the seeds sent to Fiji and was delivered to the island nation in Nadi city. The initiative will enhance farming sustainability, support growers, and boost food security in the island nation. Sharing the information on X, the Indian High Commission in Suva posted, "On behalf of the Government of India, High Commission of India in Fiji handed over cowpea seeds to the Fiji Government in Sabeto, Nadi today. This initiative strengthens agricultural resilience, empowers growers, and bolsters food security." "Local farmers stand to gain immensely from Fiji's largest Cowpea project, enjoying improved yields, greater crop diversity and increased incomes -- strengthening rural livelihoods, now and in future," it added. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the 1st tranche of seeds departed from Delhi for Fiji on July 26. In this, India sent humanitarian assistance of 5 metric tonnes of black-eyed cowpea seeds to Pacific partner Fiji to support agricultural production as part of its 'Act East Policy.' Earlier in July, India and Fiji also held the 6th Foreign Office Consultations in Suva and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in agriculture, along with in sectors like health, education, capacity building, trade, investment, renewable energy, climate change, people-to-people and culture exchanges. India has long been a development partner for Fiji, supporting various sectors and capacity-building initiatives, including programmes such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), scholarships for Fijian students, and collaborations in areas like digital transformation. The recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on recognising the Indian Pharmacopoeia also spotlights the enhanced cooperation in pharmaceutical and medical standards.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
How Asim Munir's 'Nuclear Blackmail', Anti-India Rant Expose Real Threat To South Asia
Last Updated: The Pakistani Army Chief's comments are reflective of his country's nuclear sabre rattling from time to time while trying to pass itself off as a responsible nuclear actor Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's latest outburst from the US soil – making a nuclear threat against India and to 'take half the world down" – is not an isolated slip of the tongue. Munir's comments are the latest in a long and troubling pattern that exposes where the real nuclear instability in South Asia lies: in Rawalpindi's General Headquarters and not in any civilian political leadership. They are reflective of Pakistan's record of nuclear sabre rattling from time to time while trying to pass itself off as a responsible nuclear actor. In an address to the Pakistani diaspora in Florida's Tampa, Munir reportedly made the nuclear threat in case his country faced an existential threat in a future war with India. He also warned that Islamabad would destroy Indian infrastructure, if they hit water flow to Pakistan. 'We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us," media reports quoted Munir as saying. He is currently on a visit to the US, his second in two months. Abdul Qadeer Khan, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons programme", ran an illicit network that transferred nuclear technology to Libya, Iran, and North Korea – a proliferation scandal without any parallel. The same state apparatus is now using it as a diplomatic and psychological weapon. Munir's latest rhetoric underscores how dangerous it is to have the nuclear button effectively controlled by the military rather than elected civilian leadership. In a functioning democracy, the commander of the armed forces is subordinate to civilian leadership. In Pakistan, it is the opposite. This concentration of power makes provocative statements like Munir's, like policy signals from the highest levels of the country's real power centre. THE TERROR NEXUS The nuclear threat has not been made in isolation. Weeks before the Pahalgam terror attack, Munir said Pakistan will not forget the issue of Kashmir. 'It was our jugular vein," he had said, while his comments were trashed by India. He had also said Hindus and Muslims cannot stay together. This was followed by the deadly attack in which people were targeted for their religion and killed at point blank range. AN IRRESPONSIBLE NUCLEAR STATE These developments reinforce what security analysts have long warned against: Pakistan is an irresponsible custodian of nuclear weapons and there is a real danger of these assets – or the know-how to use them – falling into the hands of non-state actors. The problem becomes acute when the military feels emboldened by foreign support. Historically, whenever the United States has extended an open hand to Pakistani generals, they have responded by baring their aggressive instincts. WHERE IS US ACCOUNTABILITY? This raises a pressing question: will the US hold Pakistan accountable for such provocative and destabilising statements? President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken about the need to contain nuclear conflict, yet Munir's comments directly contradict that goal. Munir's threats fit a familiar cycle: military leaders tightening their grip on power, sidelining democratic institutions, and using external aggression to bolster their internal standing. Emboldened by his reception in Washington, the next step could be even more dangerous – a silent or open coup and possibly the presidency. The world should take note that this is not just about rhetoric. It is about a nuclear-armed military with a track record of proliferation, terrorism sponsorship, and political dominance – and now, a willingness to openly threaten half the world. tags : Asim Munir donald trump nuclear war nuclear weapons Pahalgam attack view comments Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: August 11, 2025, 17:00 IST News world How Asim Munir's 'Nuclear Blackmail', Anti-India Rant Expose Real Threat To South Asia Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
