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| India virtually self-sufficient in missile programme: Report WASHINGTON, Oct 23: India has become "virtually self-sufficient" in its missile programme enabling it to avoid international.....more China
welcomes BEIJING, Oct 23: Ahead of Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf’s visit here, China today lauded India for.....more Every
village in India to be LONDON, Oct 23: India plans to provide electricity in every village by 2007 and every house by 2012 by generating an....more ON BOARD SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, Oct 23: President A P J Abdul Kalam has said the development of UAE had give.......more |
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Calculated risk should be taken to succeed: Kalam ON BOARD SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, Oct 23: President A P J Abdul Kalam has said that the transformation of UAE from.....more India,
Sudan KHARTOUM, Oct 23: Condemning terrorism in all forms and manifestations, India and Sudan have joined hands to....more OIC
condemned for NEW DELHI, Oct 23: The All India Muslim Majlis-e- Mushawrat (AIMM) today condemned the Organisation of Islamic. .......more Sudan
welcomes India’s KHATTOUM, Oct 23: Sudan has welcomed India’s latest peace initiatives to normalise its relations with Pakistan, saying......more |
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India virtually self-sufficient in missile programme: Report WASHINGTON, Oct 23: India has become "virtually self-sufficient" in its missile programme enabling it to avoid international export control regime and difficulties arising out of foreign involvement in its programme, a US congressional body has said. Ever since the 1998 Pokharan detonations, India’s decision making is a key factor in regional stability in south Asia, the Congressional Research Services (CRS) said in a report. The CRS, which advises the Congress, attributes this self-sufficiency to the fact that "most likely in anticipation of the missile technology control regime, India went on what was described by some analysts as a shopping spree for gyroscopes, accelerometers, and motion simulators from suppliers in the US, Germany, France and Sweden. "India then reverse-engineered these high quality foreign missile components, and that was a key factor in her subsequent self-sufficiency." On the assumption that American interests require a balance between India and Pakistan and that India should not compare itself with China, CRS says that ever since the 1998 nuclear tests in south Asia, it has appeared that India’s decision-making is a key factor in shaping regional stability. According to the Pentagon, "India’s development of medium-range ballistic missiles is motivated by its desire to be recognized as a great power and strategic competitor with China." China, says CRS, seems content with its existing deterrent against India, and Pakistan’s limited resources appear to constrain its ability to initiate an Indo-Pakistan arms race. "Thus, a key variable in the future evolution of south Asian nuclear proliferation is India’s strategic intention in relation to China." One of the "more dangerous scenarios," says CRS, is one in which India actively seeks to gain nuclear parity with China by building a larger nuclear arsenal and long-range delivery force. "In the middle term, the deployment of Agni missiles capable of striking China’s eastern population centres could spur Beijing to re-target more nuclear orces to the south and likewise move Islamabad to seek some form of parity in this arena, "thus potentialy setting in motin a full-blown arms race on the Asian sub-continent", the report says. Moreover, it says, "some observers" suggest that US sales of theatre missile defence systems in Asia—or the deployment of a national system covering US territory—could spur further ballistic missile proliferation in south Asia. In contrast to the "proliferation pessimism" expressed by some US Government officials, especially those in the State Department, says CRS, "Bush administration officials have been more muted in their criticism of south Asian strategic arsenals." Some experts believe, says CRS, that India acquired Sukhoi-30Mki aircraft from Russia, with a reported capacity to carry an 8,000 Kg payload, and with a normal range of 3,200 Km and an air-to-air refueling range of about 7,000 Km, gives India a nuclear deep strike capability . "Some experts believe that India acquired the Sukhoi to counter China’s deep-strike capability", the report observes. While not a weapon or delivery system, says CRS, India’s satellites contribute to its stratgic capabilities by providing a strategic early warning capability that could help ensure the survivability of its nuclear forces and also help improve India’s military command, control, communication and intelligence capacities. Agni III, says CRS, is believed to have a range of 5,000 Km (a range of approximately 4,000 Km would be required for a missile to reach Beijing from India) and "is presently assessed to be under development." Without identifying them, CRS says "senior Indian Defence Officials reportedly claim that the Agni III is a `China-specific’ missile and not intended for use against Pakistan." (PTI) |
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China welcomes India’s new peace moves with Pakistan BEIJING, Oct 23: Ahead of Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf’s visit here, China today lauded India for initiating new steps to ease the situation in south Asia, which is in accordance with the wishes of the international community. "China welcomes all the efforts for the relaxation of relationship between Pakistan and India," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told reporters when asked to comment on New Delhi’s latest peace moves to ease ties with Islamabad. "We sincerely hope that Pakistan and India can properly solve their disputes through dialogue and can calmly commit themselves to regional stability and development," she said. "This is not only in the interest of the two countries and two peoples but is also a common expectation of the international community. So we welcome the decisions made by the Indian side," Zhang said. India yesterday announced a set of proposals including a bus service across the Line of Control between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad in PoK and restoration of cricketing and other sporting links. Earlier, Zhang announced that Musharraf would pay a state visit to China from November three to five to meet with the new Chinese leadership for the first time. Commenting on Musharraf’s visit, Zhang said that it would be of great importance to provide a further momentum to the smooth development of Sino-Pakistani ties. Musharraf would be visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China. Apart from holding talks with Hu, Musharraf would also meet with a host of new Chinese leaders, who assumed Government positions in March this year. "This visit will be beneficial for the further strengthening of bilateral relationship. Of course they will exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern," Zhang said. "This visit will of be great significance for promoting the full and comprehensive cooperation with Pakistan. Therefore, we are actively preparing for this visit in all areas," Zhang commented. On the first-ever Sino-Pakistani Naval exercises from October 21 off the east coast of Shanghai, Zhang said it was not aimed at any other nation. "This is the first joint exercise between China and Pakistan since the People’s Republic was found in 1949," she said. (PTI) |
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Every village in India to be electrified by 2007: Geete LONDON, Oct 23: India plans to provide electricity in every village by 2007 and every house by 2012 by generating an additional 100,000 Mw in the next nine years, Minister for Power Anant Gangaram Geete has said. "At present we are not in a position to provide electricity to 45 per cent of our population," Geete said in an interview to PTI here last night. He said in the 10th five year plan ending in 2007, 41,000 Mw would be added to the power generation capacity and another 59,000 Mw would be added in the 11th plan period. Out of the 41,000 Mw, Central Power Projects with a total capacity of 32,000 Mw were at various stages of implementation. The remaining 9,000 Mw would be generated in the state sector. Stating that review meetings were being held twice in a year at the ministerial, Secretary and State level, Geete said "I have full confidence that we will achieve the target within the stipulated period." To a question, the minister said in all 162 hydel projects have been identified in different parts of the country particularly in the Himalayan region including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal and North East. Most of the thermal projects were in the eastern regional adjacent to coal belts. Geete, accompanied by R V Shahi, Secretary, Ministry of Power, said the five regional grids - east, west, south, north and north east - have become operational and the national grid would be set up soon. By the year 2005, Delhi would get power from the Thala hydel project in Bhutan. Not only Delhi, all states from where the transmission lines would pass through would also get power, he said. The minister said the country could not achieve the power generation target set for the 9th plan which in turn resulted in power shortage experienced in most part of the country. He said the power situation in Delhi this year was much better than last year. Geete who arrived here on Tuesday on a four-day visit would participate in an international conference on renewable energy and energy efficiency in which experts from European countries would participate. (PTI) |
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ON BOARD SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, Oct 23: President A P J Abdul Kalam has said the development of UAE had given out a message that nothing could be achieved without a calculated risk. "If you want to succeed take a calculated risk. This is the message I got," Mr Kalam said while talking to reporters on board special aircraft, enroute to Sofia after conclusion of his tour of UAE and Sudan last night. Dr Kalam said when he had last come to UAE it was a desert and now it was transformed to a developed country. It had been possible as its rulers who had vision had taken a calculated risk. They had converted a desert into a prosperous place. They were working to increase tourists inflow to their country from five million to 25 million annually. Summing up his visit to Sudan, the President said India can contribute in a big way in the reconstruction of Sudan once peace was established there. He regretted that a resource rich country like Sudan remained backward because of the civil war in the past two decades. "But I am hopeful that peace will be established there soon. We can help in their endeavour in their reconstruction. India has good experience in the infrastrucure and IT sector, he said. The President said he informed the Sudanese about the India 2020 vision to be a developed country. He identified five areas which needed to be developed. These were agriculture and food processing, education and health care, infrastructure, knowledge-based society with information and communication technology, and critical technologies and strategic industries. In this pursuit he said media had a big role by propagating the positive aspects of the programme. In this context he said "without drag there is no lift," indirectly hitting out at the tendency of negative reporting. The President praised the Indians settled in the UAE, saying they were very progressive and were contributing a lot in the development of that country. He said he had met the rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai and also industrialists and other people. They were all appreciative of the one million Indians settled there. The President identified water shortage as a big problem the world over. The President said he had started his visit to UAE with a visit to a desalination plant. Of the six billion population of the world only about two billion people had access to potable drinking water. "I wanted to see how the 40 lakh people of UAE are getting drinking water. They are doing it but they want to bring down its cost," he said. President Kalam said solar energy too could be converted into electrical power and energy and solar power would be cost effective in running the desalination plants to supply water for drinking and irrigation. About Bulgaria, he said he would like to see what changes had taken place in that country after the break-up of the Soviet Union. "what industrial development and cultural changes had taken place," he said. To a pointed question as to how he was so fit at the age of 73 years, he gave an indirect reply, saying "how I can smile when 260 million people are living below the poverty line. It provides me strength." (UNI) |
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Calculated risk should be taken to succeed: Kalam ON BOARD SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, Oct 23: President A P J Abdul Kalam has said that the transformation of UAE from a desert land to a prosperous place sends out the message that one needs to take a "calculated risk" to succeed. Summing up his visit to UAE and Sudan before the start of the third leg of his tour to Bulgaria, Kalam told reporters that "nobody has succeeded without taking a risk and if you want to succeed, you have to take a calculated risk." "That is the message I got and than you see 40 years back UAE was just desert land. Sheikh Zayed had a vision and he converted the desert land into a place of what you have seen. A prosperous place and one can share this experience with them." Kalam said he chose UAE, Sudan and Bulgaria because "I wanted to see three continents and I want to see different types of people and the quality of life and where we can contribute." On his visit to UAE, he said "the rulers of Dubai and others are very proud of Indian people there and their contribution. Many of the Indians have become part and parcel of these countries and are contributing in a big way for the development of the country." Elaborating on his visit to UAE, he said "as soon as I got in Dubai I went to my interest. What is my interest? My interest is how do you desalinate because they have water problem in the country and it is not only in one country but the whole world is going to have this problem for out of six billion people less two billion have water to drink. I was interested to know how these 40 lakh people are given water to drink." The President said that the Emirates is working on how to cut down costs at the plant which is providing water to the whole region. He said during the discussion with the UAE leaders it was felt that solar power could be used to convert water into electric power and energy. The thinking in India and UAE, the President said is "can we use solar power for setting up cost effective desalination plant so as to provide drinking water as also water for irrigation. This is one area in which both sides are interested." The President said there were many similarities between Sudan and India as both have abundant natural resources, human resources. Moreover, Sudan also has two large rivers - white Nile and blue Nile. "What amount of water it (Nile) brings so they have water and they want only planning and implementation and they want support from us for agriculture, information, communication and technology and we are working with them in certain areas of oil sector and they want us to expand and the message I got from Sudan was that it was a country with a lot of hope," Kalam said. On his interaction with school children in Sudan, he said they asked him the same question which children have been always doing so "Mr President tell us how we can become a prosperous, peaceful and safe country?. "For this, it is the scientists, visionaries, politicians and rulers who have to give the answer," he said. On his visit to Bulgaria, he said "I would like to understand their industrial status and also their cultural revolution and India can cooperate in this direction." (PTI) |
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India, Sudan join hands to combat terrorism KHARTOUM, Oct 23: Condemning terrorism in all forms and manifestations, India and Sudan have joined hands to combat the global scourge. A joint statement issued at the end of President A P J Abdul Kalam’s three-day visit to Sudan here last evening said, "terrorism knows no religion or geographical boundaries". It must be condemned in all forms, it said. The statement also called for international efforts to root out the menace. (UNI) |
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OIC condemned for excluding india from summit NEW DELHI, Oct 23: The All India Muslim Majlis-e- Mushawrat (AIMM) today condemned the Organisation of Islamic Conference for inviting Russia to participate in their just concluded summit in Malaysia while excluding India. "We fail to understand why Russia with 20 million Muslims has been invited to the OIC summit and India with 150 million Muslims has been treated as Pariah," the AIMM said in a statement here. Moreover, the invitation extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin to address the OIC summit will justify the continuance of the "massive and barabaric violation of human rights of the Chechen people by the Russian occupation forces," the Majlis said. It urged the OIC to amend its charter to permit the association of all states with substantial Muslim minorities to attend as observers. (UNI) |
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Sudan welcomes India’s latest peace overtures kHATTOUM, Oct 23: Sudan has welcomed India’s latest peace initiatives to normalise its relations with Pakistan, saying it fully supported resolution of all outstanding issues between the two south Asian neighbours through a dialogue and peaceful means. "Sudan welcomes the initiative taken by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee aimed at fostering friendship and good-neighbourly relations with Pakistan," Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir told his Indian counterpart A P J Abdul Kalam during their one-on-one talks yesterday. India yesterday proposed a series of radical steps, including a ferry service between Mumbai and Karachi, opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road link and the resumption of sporting links in a bold effort to impart a fresh impetus to peace process with Pakistan. (UNI) India-China begin talks on boundary dispute NEW DELHI, Oct 23: India and China today began the first round of talks at the political level to find a solution to the vexed boundary dispute. The special representatives of the two countries—National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and Chinese Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo— had a one-to-one meeting lasting about half an hour before they were joined in by their respective delegations. Mr Mishra’s delegation included senior officials in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the External Affairs Ministry. Mr Dai’s delegation comprised Chinese Ambassador to India Hua Junduo and senior officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Mr Mishra and Mr Dai were appointed as their special representatives by the two Governments to find an amicable settlement of the border dispute from the political perspective during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Beijing in June. Mr Vajpayee had earlier this month met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at Bali on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit and the two leaders had expressed the hope that the boundary dispute would be resolved to mutual satisfaction. The talks between the two special representatives were expected to be held shortly after Mr Vajpayee’s visit to Beijing. However, Mr Dai, who is also the Principal Negotiator for China in its talks with North Korea, was said to be busy. The Chinese last month conveyed to India that they were now ready for negotiations on the border issue. (UNI) No need for UN to resolve Iran nuke issue—China BEIJING, Oct 23: China today welcomed Iran’s decision to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and said it was unnecessary for the UN Security Council to resolve the issue. Iran, which faced an October 31 UN deadline to prove it had no atomic bomb ambitions or face possible Security Council sanctions, is expected to submit key documents to the Vienna-based IAEA later on Thursday that it says will prove it has no plans to build a nuclear bomb. "The chinese side believes the issue can be appropriately resolved within the framework of the IAEA through consultation with all parties on equal footing," Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said on the ministry’s web site (www.Fmprc.Gov.Cn). "It is not necessary to submit it to the UN Security Council," she added. China is one of five veto-wielding permanent members of the council along with the United States, Britain, Russia and France. US President George W Bush has singled out Iran as part of an "axis of evil" along with pre-war Iraq and North Korea. Washington has accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, and of harbouring and assisting terrorists — charges Tehran denies. Zhang said China recognised Iran’s right to develop a nuclear energy programme, but called for complete transparency. She also welcomed Iran’s decision to agree to snap inspections of its nuclear sites and to freeze uranium enrichment. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Gulam Ali Khoshroo visited China on Wednesday to explain Iran’s decision. (AGENCIES) Indonesia sentences 2 men over Mcdonald’s blast MAKASSAR, INDONESIA, Oct 23: An Indonesian court convicted two men yesterday for hiding crucial information that could have prevented last year’s bombing at a Mcdonald’s restaurant in eastern Indonesia. Muchtar Daeng Lau, 35, and Hamid Razak, 63, were sentenced to seven and two years in jail respectively for failing to alert authorities about the impending attack in Makassar, on Sulawesi island, which killed three people and wounded a dozen. The two defendants were tried separately but charged under similar articles. "The defendant is legally and convincingly found guilty for hiding information on a terrorism act," presiding Judge Jasollo Situmorang said as he announced the verdict for the first defendant, Daeng Lau. Police have said second defendant Razak was the father of the main suspect in the blast, who remains at large. The Mcdonald’s explosion in the capital of south Sulawesi province, 1,400 Km east of Jakarta, was one of a number of bombing attacks in the world’s most populous Muslim nation in the past two years. The worst was in Bali last October, which killed 202, most of them foreign tourists, and has been blamed on the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah militant Muslim network. Authorities have said there was evidence to link the Makassar blast to the Bali bombings as some of the suspects knew militants on trial over the attacks on the resort island. (AGENCIES) Bush leaves Australia at end of Asia tour CANBERRA, Oct 23: US President George W Bush left Australia tonight, ending a six-nation Asian tour and bound for home, after officially thanking his close ally for helping in the war on terror and the Iraq invasion. Australia mounted an unprecedented security operation for Bush’s 20-hour visit, ensuring up to 2,000 anti-US protesters who poured into the national capital were kept at Bay. But Bush’s speech to the national parliament, defending the US-led invasion of Iraq and war on terror, was disrupted several times by heckling from left-leaning politicians. During his whirlwind trip to visit Australia’s conservative Prime Minister John Howard, Bush also attended a barbecue lunch with some of the nation’s leading business and political figures and visited the Australian War Memorial. (AGENCIES) |
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