"Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories," says India :::: US grants India six-month exemption from sanctions on Chabahar port

"Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories. 

Pakistan seems to think that it has the right to practice cross-border terrorism with impunity. Its neighbors find it unacceptable," MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal. 

India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan, he said. 

The United States has granted India a six-month exemption from American sanctions on the Chabahar port in Iran, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

A speed boat passes by oil docks at the port of Kalantari in the city of Chabahar, east of the Strait of Hormuz. (File photo/Reuters )

A speed boat passes by oil docks at the port of Kalantari in the city of Chabahar, east of the Strait of Hormuz. (File photo/Reuters )

Responding to a question, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “For Chabahar port in Iran, we have been granted exemption for a six-month period on the US sanctions.”

The move will allow New Delhi to continue its engagement in the strategically important port project, which serves as a key trade and connectivity route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.

The latest US decision to grant India a temporary exemption comes a month after sanctions on the Chabahar port project in Iran took effect on September 29.

The sanctions were part of US President Donald Trump’s broader effort to step up pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme, a move that also affected India.

The restrictions specifically targeted India’s participation in the development of the Chabahar port. These measures followed the reimposition of wider United Nations sanctions on Iran.

In 2018, the Trump administration had made an exception for India, granting a waiver that allowed Indian companies to continue operations at Chabahar despite broader US sanctions on Iran.

However, shifting regional dynamics, particularly the fall of the Western-backed government in Afghanistan compelled Washington to withdraw the waiver last month, bringing the project under the ambit of its latest sanctions.  

Responding to a query on India’s oil imports from Russia, Jaiswal said, “Our decisions naturally take into account evolving dynamics of global oil market.”

“We are studying implications of recent US sanctions on Russian oil companies,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Commenting on India’s ties with Washington, Jaiswal said New Delhi continues to value its partnership with the United States. 

“India-US relationship is a comprehensive global strategic partnership. We remain engaged with both countries to strengthen it further,” he said.

China’s trade surplus is likely to be larger than last year’s ::::: “We have a deal ..... Now, every year we’ll renegotiate the deal" - says Trump after meet with Xi

Beijing agreed to pause for one year the sweeping export controls on rare earths announced on Oct. 9 that pushed China and the U.S. toward a trade war.

China successfully used the rare earths export controls

The U.S. cut tariffs on China related to fentanyl to 10% from 20%.

The U.S. will postpone a rule announced on Sept. 29 that blacklisted majority-owned subsidiaries of Chinese companies on an entity list, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Commerce. 

The U.S. and China also agreed to suspend fees for one year on ships that dock at each other’s ports.

China’s dominance of the global supply chain for rare earths gave it significant leverage over the U.S.  

More importantly over the past six months both sides have learned about the other’s leverage and vulnerabilities, including which trade weapons work best. For the US it will be disturbing the extent to which China was able to divert US-bound exports to other mainly Asian markets once the US tariffs struck. 

Those who predicted China would spill into a crisis will have been sobered by a stock market that has risen by 34% in dollar terms, double the rise for the S&P 500 index. 

China’s trade surplus is likely to be larger than last year’s. Meanwhile US inflation figures, driven by tariffs, crept up to a politically perilous 3%.  President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping reached a trade truce during a high-stakes meeting in South Korea on Thursday, de-escalating a dispute over rare earths elements that had threatened to push the world’s two largest economies into a full-blown trade war.

China agreed to pause for one year the sweeping export controls on rare earths announced on Oct. 9 that had touched off the dispute.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the rare earths agreement is a one-year deal that will be “very routinely extended as time goes by.” The president said he plans to visit China in April and Xi will come to the U.S., either Palm Beach, Florida or Washington, D.C., at a later date

“We have a deal,” Trump said. 

“Now, every year we’ll renegotiate the deal, but I think the deal will go on for a long time, long beyond the year. But all of the rare earth has been settled, and that’s for the world.”  

"The truce is only for a year, but that may be to China’s advantage. It buys Xi time to push China further ahead in the technologies of the future, including green technology and manufacturing, the field it now dominates, and the centrepiece of the new five-year economic plan," says -- The Guardian's Diplomatic Editor Patrick Wintour.  

"One of the difficulties has been that Trump’s strategic objectives in launching the trade war were not articulated ...," he says. 

"... the balance between protecting traditional US manufacturing, ring-fencing modern technology-based industries critical to US national security, punishing Chinese trade practices, or more broadly generally overpowering China as a competitive threat, were fudged. 

Gradually the battle morphed in some US administration minds from a trade war into a geopolitical trial of strength between the two world’s superpowers, a trial that left the whole world awaiting its outcome."  

The U.S. is dependent on China for rare earths, which are used to produce magnets that are key inputs in weapons platforms, semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles and other applications.

China successfully used the rare earths export controls and a soybean embargo to force the U.S. to lower tariffs, Wolfe Research strategist Tobin Marcus told clients in a note.

Farewell party of Nagaland House staffer Madan Lal .... :::: Take away is -- Madan ji evolved in ways that he could have never anticipated when he joined the job

Left to them ... Nagas would have used Friendship ... as a tool or something with which they can change history. They could have bought Peace and given peace and Solution to others.  

But other human weaknesses also come in. There is suspicion .... and worse mutual suspicion. There are other baser human instincts. -- 

---

Easily misguided .... Love for money .... elementary human greed. Ego hassles .... to be short tempered etc etc. But we are talking a light event this time. 

Farewell of one Himachal Pradesh-based Madan Lal --- who served Nagaland Govt and more precisely Nagaland House (29 Aurangzeb Road/APJ Abdul Kalam Road) for 35 years since 1990.  

His retirement date is Oct 31, 2025.

In many offices especially in Delhi such an occasion would have been given a pass. But the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Nagaland Govt (Delhi unit) hosted a small party for him and his wife making the occasion memorable on Oct 30 itself.

"Everyday is good day .. Thursday is the best day," remarked one official in a lighter vein. 

Of course, the head of DIPR cell in Delhi Koule Angami played the chief organiser and host. He was ably supported and assisted by his colleague Ms Noune Peseyie.

It was an emotional moment as officers and others hugged Madan Lal and with folded hands said 'namastey' to Mrs Lal. 

Koule shared one secret - "Madan ji's job was confined to certain thing... one particular nature. But he mastered the art of multi-tasking ... from getting tickets done of Naga students to even rush to Pragati Maidan and almost discharging the role of a sincere photo journalist.

In short -- as I could observe from outside: Clearly Mr Madan evolved in ways that he could have never anticipated when he joined the job". 

One colleague struggled with his Hindi and mixed his emotional punches of affection with Nagamese. "Beshi khushi ho gaya".  And as one can predict - the house broke into peels of laughter. Naga ladies can do that much better and in a much intoxicating manner. 

It becomes infectious !! 

Bollywood writers must have got the inspiration to come out with the line -- 

"Hasie toh phasie" from such experiences only.

Here it's much more than that.  This blogger can smile and laugh .... half of it came from my father. Dad also loved laughing --- my mom used to say when dad was young ! 

But my propensity to laugh and laugh ... and at times even at the cost of 'myself' -- comes from the Naga mannerism.  

And those who have some bad experience about Nagas ... may not agree with me. That liberty is granted and guaranteed too. 

Koule also did the good thing and touched our emotional chord when he took the name former PROs in Delhi Nagaland House - K Peseyie, Chipeni Merry (my bosom friend in Kohima in later days and a constant guide during my tough times ) and Late Dominique. 

In fact, Madan had joined Nagaland Govt service on the advise of a friend during the tenure of Dominique - another individual with multi-facet qualities.

We may decide later what is the moral of the lesson of such a farewell party.... 

We may also wonder -- Can Nagas really get angry with their friends?

Meanwhile, we may still talk and wonder -- what memories Madan ji takes back home. 

His wife had one sweet one-liner 

-- "Yeh peeten toh haen  .... kya ab kam peeten haen (My husband loves drinking ... has he minimised drinking after serving in Nagaland House I have to find out that once we are back in the village in Himachal Pradesh)".  

This was after the tea-party ... even the fun part was over ... but still people did laugh out. So sweet ... the Naga style.  

"It's Naga style ho" -- I remarked. Koule was provoked. 

We know things do not come out of nowhere. Koule knew I was teasing him. He shot back - "Angami style kabi na (Say... for once it is Angami style). 

Again ... there was laughter.

Ends 

Arya originally from Pune !! .... who held children hostage in Mumbai's Powai studio ... sustained serious injuries during Operation and later died

 Who was Rohit Arya, man who held children hostage in Mumbai's Powai studio?

The hostage situation ended when police breached the premises through a bathroom and detained the man. Airguns and chemicals were recovered from the scene. The children, all around 15 years old, had gone for acting auditions and were handed over to their guardians after rescue.

Dramatic scenes unfolded in an acting studio in Mumbai's Powai on Thursday noon, where a man held 19 people hostage, including 17 children and a senior citizen. The man, identified as Rohit Arya, died of bullet injury after being shot during a stand-off with cops at Powai studio.

Arya was originally from Pune. He had secured a tender for a school project linked to the education department during the tenure of then Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar.

However, Arya claimed that he had not received payment for this project. As a result, he had staged multiple protests outside the residence of the minister while Kesarkar was in office.

Rohit Arya had also started Swacchta Monitor concept in Maharashtra in 2023. 

He had alleged that he was not paid dues and credit for this concept was snatched from him.  

The operation was carried out in just 35 minutes. 

A Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of eight commandos barged into the audition room through a bathroom, a small entry point chosen to preserve surprise and prevent hostages from being exposed at the main entrance.  

The lead commander first carried out negotiations with Arya in a final attempt to resolve the crisis without bloodshed. But Arya, who was in possession of a gun, some chemicals and a lighter, repeatedly threatened to shoot and set the room on fire if police moved in.

When talks failed, Arya opened fire using what appeared to be a firearm, prompting the commandos to retaliate instantly. 

The lead commando himself fired at the kidnapper, injuring him. Only later did police confirm that the weapon Arya had used was an air gun.

"We were not in a position to take any chance," a senior officer said, adding that the decision to open fire was taken the moment Arya shot at police. Arya was detained, evacuated from the studio and later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

Inside the studio, the situation was perilous. "The room was completely cramped when the team entered," an official said, describing how frightened teenagers huddled in corners as commandos manoeuvred through overturned camera lights and scattered equipment to shield the children and neutralise the threat.

Forensic teams later seized the air gun, the chemicals and the lighter from the studio and sent them for examination to a forensic lab. Officials said the presence of these materials suggested Arya may have planned to cause further harm.

ends 

People talk about Castes ... But Muslim-dominated segments have always given BJP an edge :::: 51 seats in 7 districts including Kishanganj and Katihar have always helped BJP

Politics can often leave one shell-shocked.
Check out the statistics to verify the authenticity of this claim.

In as many as 51 seats spread across seven districts — Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria, Purnia, Darbhanga, Paschim Champaran, and Sitamarhi -- with substantial Muslim population -- the BJP performance has been always good. 

Believe it or not; in 2020 -- the National Democratic Alliance’s strike rate in 50 Muslim dominated seats was nearly 70 per cent, much higher than the JD(U)-BJP could do in other parts of the state.

The NDA has increased tickets for Rajputs (+8), Bhumihars (+5), Banias (+7),

 The NDA tally vis-a-vis Muslim-dominated seats was even higher in 2010. Their performance dipped in 2015 when the BJP and its key ally, the Janata Dal (United), contested separately. 

The pattern across all three elections - 2010, 2015 and 2020 - remains consistent.

These 51 seats are spread across seven districts — Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria, Purnia, Darbhanga, Paschim Champaran, and Sitamarhi — where the share of the Muslim population exceeds 20 per cent. 

Kishanganj is the only Muslim-majority district in the state, with Muslims comprising nearly 68 per cent of its population. 

In Katihar, they account for 45 per cent, in Araria 43 per cent, and in Purnea 38 per cent. In the remaining three districts, Muslims constitute around 22 per cent of the population. 

Except for Kishanganj, where the BJP has yet to make inroads, the party and its allies have dominated elections in the other six districts. 

** In Katihar -- the BJP won three of the seven seats and one went to its ally the JD(U) in the 2020 polls. 

The situation was similar in Araria and Purnia, where the BJP-JD(U) combine won eight of the 13 seats.

In four districts where Muslims make up 18 per cent or more of the population: Purvi Champaran, Supaul, Madhubani, and Siwan -- in both the 2020 and 2015 elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in these constituencies.

Together, these districts account for 35 Assembly seats. In 2010, that distinction went to the JD(U). The combined tally of the BJP and JD(U) stood at 24 seats in 2020 and a whopping 31 of the 35 seats in 2010.

It is quite likely that the presence of multiple Muslim candidates in many constituencies leads to a fragmentation of the Muslim vote.  

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already launched a strong outreach to the Muslim community, accusing previous regimes of using them merely as a “vote bank”.

The Janata Dal (United) chief contrasted his government’s record with that of earlier administrations, urging the community to remember his government’s initiatives when casting their votes in the upcoming assembly elections. 

"Before 2005, no work was done for the Muslim community in the state. Prior to that, the government in Bihar used them solely as a vote bank. Communal clashes were a regular occurrence in various parts of the state," the chief minister said in an X post written in Hindi.

Nitish’s salvo apparently targeted the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal, who ran successive governments in the state from 1990 to 2005, barring just a week (in the year 2000) that Nitish himself briefly ruled.

You cannot ignore caste factor.

The BJP has leaned heavily on upper caste representation.

** Rajputs receiving 21 per cent and Bhumihars 16 per cent of BJP

tickets

This exceeds their estimated 3 per cent population share each. 

Muslim representation has been reduced to nearly zero, and Yadavs, a core MGB bloc, have been allocated just 6 per cent of BJP tickets.

JD(U) has stuck to non-Yadav OBCs and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs)

** Nitish Kumar hails from the Kurmi community, the party has reinforced the Luv-Kush bloc by allocating 12 per cent of tickets to Kurmis and 13 per cent to Koeri/Kushwahas. 

EBCs have received 19 per cent of JD(U) nominations, reflecting a strategic effort to consolidate backward communities wary of Yadav dominance.

Muslim representation across the NDA remains minimal-just 2 per cent of seats-despite Muslims constituting 18 per cent of Bihar's population. 

The BJP continues its policy of not fielding Muslim candidates in the state.

The RJD has doubled down on its Muslim-Yadav (M-Y) base.

Yadavs got receiving 37 per cent of its tickets-more than double their 14 per cent population share-and Muslims 13 per cent. 

Together, half of RJD's candidates hail from the M-Y bloc.

The RJD has made tactical adjustments: upper caste representation has been reduced to 8 per cent. Kushwaha and EBC candidates have each received 10 per cent of tickets from Lalu Prasad's party.

ends 

New Secrets, old Lies ::::: Balloons prick..... blood spill .... Power and Pelf are constant things about Northeast insurgency

One fact of life is not appreciated in northeast India.

Despite being a city of Jugaads and fixers; there are a handful of experts, analysts and ex military officials who remain enormously disturbed about killings and violence in the northeast of India.

Hence there are occasions, a few individuals can surprise one with their ideas and vision of Peace, Harmony and Dreams. One calls it Hope and Vision -- mixed something like a cocktail.  

J B Lama, my esteemed and much respected senior colleague in 'The Statesman' (of course JB stayed in Kolkata mostly) used to say -- "If there was peace ... I would have made a cottage in Nagaland and settled near Ghaspani -- also called Medziphema". Those who have seen that place ... could not say no to JB. I could not agree more. 

Likewise, I know former generals who mostly remain -- away from media -- and from them one diagnosis of the malady about Nagas has been -- "The answer to the agony or the genuine payoff for a good Naga future can come from Solution via Peace and Dialogue, higher investments, industrialisation and sound atmosphere for education and avenues to support talents". 

Same again -- I could not agree more.  But there is another issue. 

Now it's clear that a group of leaders have no real interest in resolving the vexed Naga issue. The refrain has gained currency - No Solution is the Solution for all.  

On to a different paradigm and completely about another state, but this may set the ball rolling about Insurgency in northeast as a cash-rich industry and with lots of benefits as they put it.

The militancy in Nagaland and Manipur and even Tripura also moved a lot around money and the art of money spinning.  

ULFA's  freedom fighters ran hotels in Bangladesh. 

In Assam there were two not so popular militant leaders - Niranjan Hojai and Jewel Garlosa. Hojai was commander in chief of the Dima Halim Daoga DHD(J). In the context of these leaders, a former intelligence bureau officer once almost lamented - "Thanks to the peace policy in north east; the gun is the easiest passport to power and pelf".

Google it out and you will be educated that the term Pelf is simple ... -- "money, especially when gained in a dishonest or dishonourable way".

Incidentally, after its christening the anti-terror National Investigating Agency's one of the first cases - was related to Hojai and Jewel Garlosa.  

Both had good and meteoric rise. Hojai reportedly had posh bungalows in Darjeeling and also in Nepal. He dealt with foreign banks and had accounts in places like Singapore. 

One pseudo name Nirmal Rai was allegedly used to operate an account with Kathmandu's well known Everest Bank. He also bought membership of the elite Marriot Club and reportedly had several wives and consorts. All these happened with a lesser-known group and in a poor backyards; imagine what would be the case elsewhere.

But when the case came before authorities after they were apprehended by NIA sleuths, the central government had played 'peacemaker'. At the behest of Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi, the cases against these leaders were tweaked. 

The reason was peace and 'alternative arrangement'. 

In New Delhi, some ex-government officials and a select group discussed over these issues as news came in about recent political developments in states like Manipur, Assam and Nagaland. 

I was not surprised --- a few people even raised eyebrows. Others preferred silence and symbolic smile. A few put forefingers on lips to tell everyone in the room -- hey, even walls have ears.  

This reminded me of R Arnold's quote : "So, if you are too tired to speak, sit next to me .... because I too, am fluent in Silence". 

One participant spoke notwithstanding the cautioning. 

He referred to some regional autonomy politics and said these councils get hefty central assistance and also state funding. There are legislative, judicial and executive powers on certain specified subjects. 

The council bosses also control natural resources; and yet when one goes inside some of the rural areas -- local village women will be struggling for a bucket of water and more ill-fated ones would sleep half-fed.

Life goes on and so does the talk about 'alternative arrangement'. 

On Aug 3, 2015, the Prime Minister sounded much optimistic and declared - "Unfortunately, the Naga problem has taken so long to resolve because we did not understand each other".

Yet again, after so many years .... and counting - there is still need to "understand each other" better.

Otherwise Muivah took Govt of India's help including security and then said:

New Delhi under the same Modi should tender an apology. 

When one surfs internet; uncle-Google offers - one liners - "the whole body politics is today lying diseased".

Take a pause -- another one runs --  "we are unable to respond to the challenges of modern times".

These lines used to appear in all Nagaland weeklies and dailies even in the 1990s.

"The way a crow 

Shook down on me 

The dust of snow 

From a hemlock tree ....

Has given my heart 

A Change of Mood .....  (Robert Frost) 

ends 

Govt of India 'trying' to help .... 500 Indians from Myanmar scam hub stranded in Thailand ::::: 'More than 1,500 people from 28 countries have fled'

India is cooperating with Thailand to return nearly 500 Indian nationals after fleeing a cybercrime hub in neighbouring Myanmar. 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ministry was aware of the happening and about the detained Indians in Thailand, and it's working with authorities to bring them back home.

Myanmar's KK Park is known for its involvement in transnational cyberscams. KK Park and other compounds nearby are run by Chinese criminal gangs and guarded by local militia groups aligned to Myanmar's military.

The move follows a military raid that forced hundreds, including Indians, to cross into Thailand, where they are under detention.  

Around 700 trafficked workers, including Indians, fled the Chinese mafia-run 'KK Park compound' in Myanmar after the junta raided the facility last week.  

The Indian government is now working with Thailand to repatriate nearly 500 nationals detained in the country who fled Myanmar after they were "tricked" into working at a Chinese mafia-run cybercrime hub there. 

Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul said India planned to send a plane to take back its citizens who entered the country from Myanmar.

"We are aware of Indian nationals who have been detained by Thai authorities. They had crossed into Thailand from Myanmar over the past few days. 

Our mission in Thailand is working closely with Thai authorities to verify their nationality and to repatriate them, after necessary legal formalities are completed in Thailand," MEA spokesman Jaiswal said. 

Earlier Thai PM Anutin said the Indian ambassador will meet with the head of immigration to discuss speeding up the legal verification process for the nearly 500 Indian nationals ahead of their flight back to India.

"India has asked for cooperation from Thailand. They don't want this to burden us. They will send a plane to pick these victims up. The plane will land directly in Mae Sot," he was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying.  

JUNTA RAID ON MYANMAR'S KK PARK

Starting last week, the Myanmar military conducted a series of military operations against the KK Park cybercrime compound, driving a large number of people - mostly foreign nationals who worked there - into the Thai border town of Mae Sot.

More than 1,500 people from 28 countries have fled and are now being looked after in Thailand, according to a statement by local authorities.

The border areas between Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia have become hubs for online fraud since the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Earlier this year, India had repatriated its citizens after thousands were freed from cyberscam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border following a regional crackdown.  

The border areas between Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia have become hubs for online fraud since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

According to the UN, billions of dollars have been earned from the trafficking of hundreds of thousands of people forced to work in the compounds.

ends