NEW DELHI, July 30:
US Secretary of State, John Kerry arrived here today to hold 5th Indo-US Strategic Dialogue tomorrow during which India will be raising issues of snooping by the US’ NSA and terrorism even as the two sides will explore “transformative initiatives” in key areas such as defence and energy.
Kerry along with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj will co-chair the Dialogue which will also be attended by senior representatives of various ministries including home and defence. Union Minister of State for Commerce (Independent charge) Nirmala Sitharaman will also participate in the Dialogue which will explore ways to strengthen bilateral business ties.
Noting that the Indo-US ties were at a stage of “stable and mature growth”, the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said the two ministers are expected to explore new frontiers and initiatives to further promote bilateral relations.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s September visit to the US during which he will hold talks with President Barack Obama in Washington at the invitation of the American leader, the Spokesperson said, “The opportunity (of Dialogue) will be taken to explore transformative initiatives which can move the Indo-US relations to the next level. In this context, Kerry will also meet the Prime Minister…”.
He also said the focus area during Swaraj-Kerry talks would be security, energy, trade and investment, science and technology, human resource development and regional issues.
Asked if India would raise the issue of snooping by US’ National Security Agency (NSA) on BJP among others, he said there was “considerable disquiet” in the country over the issue and leaders do reflect the public concerns. The issue is expected to be discussed under the cyber-security section, he indicated.
After reports emerged that BJP was among a group of foreign political parties targeted by the NSA in 2010 earlier this month, MEA had summoned a top US official and conveyed that the allegations were unacceptable and sought assurances from the US that it would not happen again.
On whether India would raise the issue of movements of JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed, designated terrorist by the US, he said any issue which impinges on India’s security, of which the homeland security was an important part, and where the Government thinks that the US can assist will be raised.
On the defence front, the two sides are in consultation to upgrade their ties by simplifying technology transfer policies and exploring possibilities of co-development and co-production of defence systems to invest the relationship with strategic value.
The defence trade has shown significant growth in recent years with aggregate worth of defence acquisition from the US crossing over USD 10 billion.
While major initiatives in defence field are likely to be discussed during US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel’s visit next month, tomorrow’s dialogue will set the tone for the same.
The US Secretary of State’s visit is first high-level interaction at the political level after the new government came to power here, the MEA Spokesperson said.
Kerry’s visit two months ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s trip is aimed at instilling some vigour in bilateral ties, which appeared to have lost momentum in the final years of UPA regime.
While the ambitious civil nuclear cooperation agreement is stuck with American companies apprehensive of Indian liability law, the trade ties have also not shown impressive growth. Total bilateral trade in goods touched USD 63.7 billion in 2013, registering a mere growth of 1.7 per cent over the last year.
India-US ties hit a low at the end of last year after senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was arrested in New York, strip-searched and charged with visa fraud for allegedly underpaying her babysitter. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 30:
Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, whose appointment as Army chief had kicked up a row, will tomorrow take over as the next head of the 1.3 million strong force succeeding Gen Bikram Singh who is retiring.
Suhag was designated as Army chief in May by the outgoing UPA Government ignoring protests from his predecessor Gen V K Singh and BJP.
59-year-old Lt Gen Suhag, a Gurkha officer who had participated in the 1987 Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka, is currently the Vice Chief of Army Staff.
He will have a tenure of 30 months as the 26th Chief of the armed forces.
Suhag was made the Vice Chief of Army Staff in December last year. Earlier, he had taken over as the Eastern Army Commander on June 16, 2012.
He was at the centre of a controversy triggered by ‘Discipline and Vigilance’ ban imposed on him by the then Army chief Gen V K Singh in connection with an intelligence operation in Assam earlier.
The ban on Suhag, the then 2 Corps Commander, was lifted soon after Gen Bikram Singh took over in May, 2012.
BJP had questioned the “hurry” in making the appointment and insisted that the matter be left to the next Government.
However, soon after the NDA Government took over, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the new dispensation will continue with the appointment made during UPA rule.
Suhag was a Company Commander in ‘Op Pawan’ in Sri Lanka in 1987 and commanded 53 Infantry Brigade engaged in counter insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley from July, 2003 to March, 2005.
An alumnus of Sainik School, Chittorgarh, he joined NDA in 1970 and was commissioned into 4/5 GR (FF) in June 1974.
The General Officer has attended various career courses in India and abroad which include LDMC at CDM, Secunderabad in 1997-98, NDC Course at New Delhi in 2006, Executive Course in USA in 2005 and Senior Mission Leaders Course (UN) in Kenya in 2007.
He holds the distinction of commanding 8 Mountain Division in Kargil from October 2007 to December 2008.
Traditionally, the appointment is made two months ahead of the retirement of the incumbent Army chief but the UPA Government deviated from this practice when Bikram Singh was appointed in 2012. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 30:
IAF chief Arup Raha today took over as the Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee from incumbent Gen Bikram Singh who is retiring tomorrow.
The Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee is the senior-most military officer in the country.
Raha was handed over the baton of the CoSC by Gen Singh at a ceremony in South Block, Defence officials said.
Raha, 59, will hold the office for a period of 29 months and would probably be the longest-serving officer in the chair.
He has got the long tenure because of the resignation of former Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi in February after a series of mishaps involving naval warships.
Raha will continue in office till December 2016 and is expected to push for increasing jointmanship among the three services as the CoSC.
He is also expected to push for the creation of three new tri-services commands including Space, Cyber and Special Operations.
The proposal for raising the three new formations is with the Government for quite some time now and deliberations are being held between all the stakeholders for an early decision on the issue. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 30: A missing woman was found murdered in the forest area of Ding village in tehsil Nowshera today.
A police spokesman identified the deceased as 33-year Bholla Devi, wife of Tilak Raj, resident of village Ding. On July 24, the husband of the deceased lodged a report with the Nowshera police that his wife was missing. For two days, he also remained searching for the woman along with his relatives and in-laws and then went underground on July 28 along with his two minor children Ajay and Aman Kumar.
Today morning a villager noticed the body of the woman lying in the forest. It was wrapped in a blanket and half dumped in the earth. He informed the matter to the other villagers. They contacted Nowshera police about the matter.
A police party from Nowshera rushed to the spot and removed the body to Sub District Hospital for postmortem. The police also examined the spot and it was found that woman had been apparently done to death by strangulating her throat and then wrapped in a blanket. The accused had left the body half dumped in the earth.
The police registered a case and started investigation. It was also looking for the husband who has also gone missing along with his children. The in-laws alleged that the girl has been murdered by Tilak Raj and he has gone under ground to evade arrest by police. After postmortem, the body was handed over to the relatives.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 30: One person died and three others were injured when a Santro car fell into Dal Lake near Lalit Grand Palace, Srinagar today.
Reports said that driver of a Santro car bearing registration number JK0 1G-7183 coming from Grand Palace lost control over the vehicle and it fell into Dal Lake today injuring four boatmen and one of them Abid Ahmad Kaloo son of Mohammad Maqbool of Tailbal Srinagar succumbed to injuries in the hospital.
The injured have been identified as, Suhail Ahmad Kaloo son of Mushtaq Ahmad, Bilal Ahmad Kaloo son of Shabir Ahmad both residents of Karpora Brain Nishat.
Police arrested three persons identified as Ajay Khar son of Moti Lal of Jammu, Sanjay Bhan son of M K Bhan of Shivpora Srinagar and Imran Khan son of Farooq Ahmad of Sazgaripora, Hawal Srinagar and seized the Santro car. The driver of Santro car escaped from the spot. Police have registered a case.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 30: Thieves barged into the house of former Minister and decamped with gold ornaments and cash worth around Rs 10 lakh in Nowshera town of Rajouri district. However, the police have arrested the ex-servant of the Minister’s house in the case.
As per police sources, some unidentified thieves barged into the house of former MoS and Congress leader Dr Ramesh Chander and decamped with gold ornaments and cash worth around Rs 10 lakh.
The family members were not present, when burglars entered the house and decamped with gold ornaments and cash.
A case under relevant Sections was registered at Nowshera Police Station and manhunt was launched to nab the thieves.
When contacted SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi said that ex-servant of Minister’s house identified as Purshotam Lal has been arrested and during questioning he has confessed his involvement in the theft.
Further investigation into the case is going on.

NEW DELHI, July 30:
CBI has registered 50 cases in Jammu and Kashmir between 2011 and 2014 of which eight have been closed during the period, Lok Sabha was informed today.
Minister of State for Personnel and Training, Jitendra Singh said 14 cases were registered in 2011 and 2012 each while in 2013, 17 cases were registered and in 2014 till June 30, five cases have been taken up for probe.
The Minister said four preliminary enquiry were registered in 2011 and 2012 each.
In 2013, eight enquiries were registered while in 2014 till June 30 two preliminary enquiries have been registered by the agency, he said.
The Minister said five cases and three preliminary enquiries have been closed during the period.
“The remaining regular cases which have not been closed by CBI are 45 in number and are at different stages of trial/investigation in CBI. So far as remaining PEs (15) are concerned their status are such as ‘referred to department for regular departmental action’ or ‘converted into RC’,” he said.
The Minister said there was no delay in closure of cases as it is done as per due process of law.
“Out of five regular cases closed by CBI in four cases, closure report has been accepted by the Court concerned whereas in one case court has taken decision on closure report. Hence there is no delay,” he said.
In a separate reply, Singh said CBI has registered 134 cases in Uttar Pradesh in which accused were arrested by it.
“The record of number of arrests carried out in individual cases either by CBI or by the State Police is a matter of individual case record and is not being maintained centrally,” he said.
The Minister said no time frame can be assigned for completion of investigation as it varies from case to case. (PTI)