The Indian Panorama

Year: 2023

  • Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani tie the knot in Jaisalmer

    Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani tie the knot in Jaisalmer

    Bollywood couple Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra tied the knot at Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer on February 7 among family and close friends in a lavish wedding. The varmala and the pheras took place in the courtyard of the hotel. A special ‘bavdi’ was set up for this purpose. The wedding festivities started on February 6 with mehendi and sangeet. The wedding day started with the haldi ceremony followed by the wedding.

    The mehendi ceremony was attended by Bollywood celebrities like Karan Johar, Juhi Chawla, Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira Rajput.  Both Sidharth and Kiara set the dance floor on fire during the mehendi ceremony celebrations.  The ceremony started at the Suryagarh Hotel lakeside. The guests were seated in the Sunset Patio Garden by the lake. Mehendi was first applied to Kiara’s hands, and it was Siddharth’s turn next.

    Later, the women of the two families, including the bride’s mother, Genevieve, aunt Sumita and maternal grandmother Valerie. Meera Rajput also got mehendi applied to her hands.

    When the ceremony was on, DJ Ganesh kept the guests grooving to Bollywood and fusion numbers. The families of both Sidharth and Kiara also put up performances tailored for the occasion.

    As the evening descended upon the lakeside, DJ Ganesh pumped up the pace of the music, and Kiara’s rapper brother Mishaal Advani, apart from Punjabi electronic folk artistes Hari and Sukhmani, also belted out peppy numbers to keep the guests grooving through the evening.

    More than 100 dishes from 10 countries were reportedly served to the guests at the wedding. The menu included Italian, Chinese, American, South Indian, Mexican, Rajasthani, Punjabi, and Gujarati cuisines. Jaisalmer’s Ghotwan Ladoo was also among the sweets. Sidharth and Kiara started dating while working together in ‘Shershaah’.

  • ‘It really hurts’, says Janhvi on being called ‘nepotism ki bachchi’

    ‘It really hurts’, says Janhvi on being called ‘nepotism ki bachchi’

    Janhvi Kapoor, who is basking in the success of her last two films (GoodLuck Jerry and Mili) that were released in 2022, opened up about dealing with criticism. Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, the actress revealed that it’s “hurtful” when anonymous people on the Internet call her “nepotism ki bacchi? (nepo-baby)”.

    Janhvi is the daughter of the late veteran actress Sridevi and film producer Boney Kapoor. Also, she is the sister of Arjun Kapoor. “No matter what you do, somebody will find faults or have something to say, because that makes them feel important. Next thing you know, you’ve made the headlines…and unfortunately, people feed off of that,” Janhvi told Harper’s Bazaar.  Revealing how she deals with criticism, Janhvi Kapoor added, “I’m extremely thankful that I’ve gotten to a point where I can laugh it off. I know my strengths and weaknesses… I’m objective enough to know when I’ve done a good job, and when I haven’t. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I also know when I have made some headway, and have given something my all. And through my last two films, I think, I’ve at least established that I have something to offer as an actor.”

    Source: NDTV

  • Kriti Sanon and Prabhas to get engaged soon?

    Kriti Sanon and Prabhas to get engaged soon?

    Kriti Sanon who previously denied dating reports with co-star Prabhas, is now rumoured to get engaged soon. Reacting to the speculations, Prabhas’ team has dismissed the claims. Kriti and Prabhas will be starring together in their upcoming film, Adipurush.

    It all started when self-proclaimed film critic Umair Sandhu tweeted, “BREAKING NEWS: #KritiSanon & #Prabhas will get engaged next week in Maldives!! So Happy for them.” Earlier, dating rumours between Kriti and Prabhas sparked after the release of Adipurush teaser launch. Varun Dhawan who worked with Kriti in Bhediya, further fuelled the fire by hinting at Kriti’s relationship. However, he didn’t name Prabhas.

    While Kriti strongly quashed any such claims back then, now Prabhas’ team reacted to reports for engagement. His team told ETimes, “’Prabhas and Kriti are just friends. The news about them getting engaged is not true.” Earlier, Varun Dhawan was asked by Karan Johar on a show to name ‘eligible single women from the Hindi film industry.’ He skipped Kriti from the list and reasoned, “Kriti ka naam isiliye nahi tha kyunki Kriti ka naam kisi ke dil me hai. Ek aadmi hai jo Mumbai me nahi hai, vo iss waqt shooting kar raha hai Deepika (Padukone) ke saath. (Kriti’s name is not here because her name is in someone’s heart. That man is not in Mumbai because right now he is shooting with Deepika).”

    Later, Kriti clarified on her Instagram Stories, “It’s neither pyaar (love), nor PR.. our Bhediya just went a little too wild on a reality show. And his fun banter lead to some Howl-arious rumours (woman facepalming emoji). Before some portal announces my wedding date-let me burst your bubble. The rumours are ABSOLUTELY baseless! (folded hands and shrug emoji).”

    Meanwhile, Adipurush is produced by T Series and Retrophiles and directed by Om Raut. It is slated to hit the theatres on June 16, 2023. The film is based on the epic Ramayana. While Prabhas plays Lord Ram, Saif Ali Khan stars as the antagonist Lankesh in the movie. Kriti will be seen as Janaki and Sunny Singh as Lakshman.

    Source: HT

  • Jennifer Lopez posts clip defending Ben Affleck at Grammys after ‘snapping’

    Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez has shared a snap of kissing her husband Ben Affleck backstage at the Grammy Awards following claims that the actor looked “miserable”.

    Fans were convinced they saw the ‘Hustlers’ star “snapping” at her new hubby while they “didn’t know the cameras were rolling” during an awkward exchange at Sunday night’s ceremony, reports ‘Mirror.co.uk’.

    The ‘Jenny from the Block’ songstress, 53, and Ben, 50, attended the glitzy bash in Los Angeles on Sunday night. She took to her social media on Tuesday to share a highlight reel of her star-studded night out with her husband and included a picture of her smooching Ben backstage.

    “Always the best time with my love, my husband,” she captioned the clip.

    As per ‘Mirror.co.uk’, the Instagram reel came after clips shared all over social seemed to show the moment JLo and Ben seemed to be involved in a tense exchange while host Trevor Noah filmed a segment right next to them.

    Ben was spotted saying something into Jennifer’s ear before she quickly moves away from him, pulling a somewhat uncomfortable face at the star. Her expressions quickly change after clocking that live TV cameras are pointed right in her direction as she sits up straight and laughs at Trevor’s jokes.

  • Salma Hayek was considered ‘too sexy’ for comedy genre

    Salma Hayek was considered ‘too sexy’ for comedy genre

    Salma Hayek revealed in a recent interview that Hollywood had blocked her from starring in a comedy for nearly 20 years because she was deemed too sexy for the genre. Although Hayek acted in romantic comedies such as 1997’s Fools Rush In (opposite Matthew Perry) and Breaking Up (opposite Russell Crowe), she said it wasn’t until 2010’s Grown-Ups that she got the chance to star in a traditional comedy movie. Hayek credited Adam Sandler with finally giving her the chance to be funny. “I was typecast for a long time. My entire life I wanted to do comedy and people wouldn’t give me comedies. I couldn’t land a role until I met Adam Sandler, who put me in a Grown Ups, but I was in my forties then. They said, ‘You are sexy, so you’re not allowed to have a sense of humour’.

    Source: IANS

  • ‘Ageism, misogyny’ behind criticism of her Grammys look: Madonna

    ‘Ageism, misogyny’ behind criticism of her Grammys look: Madonna

    Madonna has written a lengthy social media post saying that “ageism and misogyny” are behind the commentary about her look at the Grammys. Unbowed and far from bloody after being the talk of Twitter for two days, Madonna ended her missive with a command: “Bow down, b****es!” She also borrowed the words of the ceremony’s leading winner, Beyonce, writing: “You won’t break my soul,” reports Variety.

    The pop superstar said that she believes criticism of her look is rooted far less in her appearance than longstanding historical resistance to her brazen attitude – combined with a desire to push back at women just for refusing to step outside of the limelight as they age.

    “A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous,” she wrote. She wrote on Instagram: “It was an honour for me to Introduce Kim Petras and Sam Smith at the Grammys. I wanted to give the last award which was Album of the Year, but I thought it was more important that I present the first trans-woman performing at the Grammys – a history-making moment!! And on top of that she won a Grammy!! “Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech, which was about giving thanks for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim, many people chose to only talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens camera by a press photographer that would distort anyone’s face!! “Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in.”

    “A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong-willed, hard-working and adventurous.” “I have never apologised for any of the creative choices I have made nor the way that I look or dress and I’m not going to start. I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career, but I understand that this is all a test, and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come.” “In the words of Beyonce, ‘You won’t break my soul.’ I look forward to many more years of subversive behaviour – pushing boundaries, standing up to the patriarchy and most of all, enjoying my life.”                

    Source: IANS

  • Pakistan’s Ex-Prez Musharraf laid to rest; several including military officers attend funeral

    Pakistan’s Ex-Prez Musharraf laid to rest; several including military officers attend funeral

    KARACHI (TIP): Pakistan’s divisive former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was buried on February 7 in a muted funeral that was never officially announced. The country’s serving army chief, the prime minister and the president all stayed away from the event, with media blocked from covering it and local television not airing the service.

    Musharraf, who became a key US ally during Washington’s “war on terror” after the September 11 attacks, died exiled in Dubai on Sunday aged 79, having suffered a long illness.

    In Pakistan, where the military is supremely powerful, Musharraf remains a controversial figure who left many Pakistanis with a deep distaste for direct military rule.

    Prayers were held at the grounds of a military compound in Karachi in a funeral ceremony attended by around 10,000 people, mostly retired and serving military officers, an AFP reporter observed.

    “He was not given the honour that he deserved… the government has done nothing — it should have arranged the funeral at the national stadium,” Rubina Mazhar, a herbal medicine doctor, told AFP after the prayers.

    Wajid Noor, a 71-year-old retired government official, said “thousands of people wanted to participate in the funeral but no details were provided.”

    The body was later transported to a nearby military graveyard where the coffin, draped in the national flag, was buried as hundreds of people watched surrounded by tight security. A junior army officer at the site who asked not to be named said a gun salute was given to the former leader.

    Economic boom, democratic decline

    The four-star general seized power in a 1999 bloodless coup and was acting simultaneously as Pakistan’s army chief, chief executive, and president when the 9/11 attacks on the United States took place.

    He became Washington’s chief regional ally during the invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan, a decision which put him in the crosshairs of Islamist militants, who made several attempts on his life. But it also brought a huge influx of foreign aid, which bolstered the economy and helped modernise Pakistan.

    The general twice suspended the constitution and was accused of rigging a referendum shoring up his power as well as rampant rights abuses including rounding up opponents during his nearly nine-year rule.

    In 2007, Musharraf ordered troops to storm a mosque in Islamabad where more than a hundred students calling for the imposition of sharia law were killed, sparking a major militant backlash.

    In the same year, he attempted to challenge the independence of the judiciary, leading to widespread protests and was accused of involvement in the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. He became increasingly isolated before ultimately losing power in 2008. In an editorial published by Pakistan’s leading English-language newspaper on Monday, Musharraf was described “as something of an enigma as his authoritarian rule was also interspersed with liberal reforms.”

    “Yet the late general’s mistakes were considerable, the biggest and most unforgivable being the derailing of the constitutional order.” (AFP)

  • In final stages of negotiations with IMF on bailout package: Sri Lanka President

    COLOMBO (TIP): President Ranil Wickremesinghe on February 9 said Sri Lanka was in the final stages of negotiations with the IMF on the much-awaited USD 2.9 billion bailout package that could help the debt-trapped island nation recover from the unprecedented economic crisis. Wickremesinghe also said that his government was having “direct discussions” with Beijing to restructure the country’s debts with China.

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September last year approved Sri Lanka the USD 2.9 billion bailout package for over 4 years pending the island nation’s ability to restructure its debt with creditors — both bilateral and sovereign bond holders.

    By the end of June 2022, Sri Lanka owed nearly USD 40 billion to bilateral, multilateral and commercial loans, according to the figures released by the Sri Lankan Treasury.

    With assurances from creditors, the USD 2.9 billion facility could get the IMF board approval in March, officials said.

    The IMF facility would enable Sri Lanka to obtain bridging finance from markets and other lending institutions such as the ADB and the World Bank.

    “We are in the final stages of negotiations with the IMF. India has agreed to debt restructuring & extended financial assurance. We are in direct discussions with China. The Paris Club announced its support. The international support is a sign that we are on the right track,” Wickremesinghe tweeted on Thursday.

    Last month, India’s finance ministry issued a letter to the IMF confirming its support to Sri Lanka on the issue of debt restructuring.

    Subsequently, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his visit to Sri Lanka, also announced India’s assurances to Sri Lanka for the bailout package. Sri Lanka has also completed its debt restructuring talks with Japan, its other big creditor, last month.

    Wickremesinghe, who is also Sri Lanka’s finance minister, said inflation levels, which was 70 per cent when he took over as the president in July last year, had now been reduced to 54 per cent as of January 2023.

    “When I first addressed parliament as President, inflation stood at 70%. It’s now down to 54%. Exports have risen to $13b; imports are down to $18b; remittances are up to $4b. Foreign reserves are up to $500m,” he tweeted, a day after making a policy statement in Parliament. Sri Lanka was hit by an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022, the worst since its independence from Britain in 1948, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves.

    (PTI)

  • Peshawar mosque attack: Conspiracy hatched in Afghanistan, says Pakistan’s law enforcement officials

    PESHAWAR (TIP): The plot to target a highly secure mosque here in the capital of Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was hatched in Afghanistan and funded by their intelligence agency, the country’s law enforcement officials probing the suicide attack said on Feb 7. On January 30, a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up during the afternoon prayers in a Peshawar mosque, killing 101 people and injuring more than 200 others.

    The bomber disguised himself in a police uniform to sneak into the high-security zone and was riding a motorcycle with a helmet and mask on, a top police official said previously.

    The Peshawar mosque suicide attack conspiracy was hatched in Afghanistan and funded by the intelligence agency based in Kabul, investigating officials said. The motorcycle used in the blast was sold twice in Sarki Gate, Peshawar’s bustling market, officials said.

    Police said they have arrested the sellers of the motorcycle. Police sources said the security agencies have arrested 17 suspects involved in the devastating blast – the deadliest attack on security personnel in decades in Pakistan.

    Meanwhile, the Counter Terrorism Department Peshawar has announced a bounty of PKR 10 million for the facilitators of the suicide bomber. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Police Chief Moazzam Jah Ansari said the suicide bomber’s identity has been identified through his DNA samples. The bomber left his helmet at the gate before entering the highly-secured mosque which was captured in the CCTV footage.

    “The facilitators behind this heinous attack will be arrested soon,” he said.

    Pakistan has been hit by a wave of terrorist attacks, mostly in the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but also in Balochistan and Punjab. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

    (PTI)

  • Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party quits coalition government, three ministers resign

    KATHMANDU (TIP): The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the third largest member of the ruling coalition in Nepal, has quit the government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ after he denied reinstatement of the party’s chairperson Rabi Lamichhane to the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. Three ministers of the RSP on Sunday resigned after a joint meeting of the party’s central members and lawmakers decided to quit the government.

    Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Dol Prasad Aryal, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Shishir Khanal, and Minister of State for Health and Population Toshima Karki submitted their resignations to the Prime Minister.

     (PTI)

  • Kim Jong Un shows off daughter, missiles at N. Korean parade

    Kim Jong Un shows off daughter, missiles at N. Korean parade

    SEOUL (TIP): North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his young daughter took center stage at a huge military parade, fueling speculation that she’s being primed as a future leader of the isolated country as her father showed off his latest, largest nuclear missiles. February 8 night’s parade in the capital, Pyongyang, featured the newest hardware in Kim’s growing nuclear arsenal, including what experts said was possibly a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile he may test in coming months.

    That missile was part of around a dozen ICBMs Kim’s troops rolled out at the event, an unprecedented number that underscored how he continues to expand his military capabilities despite limited resources in face of deepening tensions with his neighbors and the United States.

    The parade was the fifth known public appearance by Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, his second-born child who is believed to be around 10 years old. On Tuesday, Kim Jong Un brought his daughter to visit troops as he lauded the “irresistible might” of his nuclear-armed military.

    State media have signaled a lofty role for Kim Ju Ae. She’s been called “respected” and “beloved,” and a photo released Tuesday showed her sitting in the seat of honor at a banquet, flanked by generals and her parents.

    North Korean photos released Wednesday showed Kim, wearing a black coat and fedora, attending the parade with his wife and daughter. Kim smiled and raised his hand from a balcony as thousands of troops lined up in a brightly illuminated Kim Il Sung Square, which is named after his grandfather, the nation’s founder.

    North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said all of the soldiers and spectators at the square raised “stormy cheers of ‘hurrah!’” and chanted the name of their ruler, a “great brilliant commander” who is “beefing up the military muscle with his outstanding military strategic ideas.”

    The parade marked the 75th founding anniversary of North Korea’s army and came after weeks of preparations involving huge numbers of troops and civilians mobilized to glorify Kim’s rule and his relentless push to cement the North’s status as a nuclear power.

    Photos released by state media showed transport and launcher trucks carrying about 10 of the country’s Hwasong-17 ICBMs, which demonstrated a flight range that would allow them to reach deep into the U.S. mainland during a flight test last year. Those missiles were followed by another large missile encased in a canister and transported on a 9-axle vehicle.

    It wasn’t immediately clear whether the missile was a mockup or an actual rocket, but Kim Dong-yub, a professor at Seoul’s University of North Korean Studies, said the missile was likely a version of a solid-fuel ICBM the North has been trying to develop for years. He added that the unprecedented number of Hwasong-17s paraded in Wednesday’s event suggests progress in efforts to produce those weapons in larger numbers. (AP)

  • Ukraine’s Zelenskyy makes emotional appeal for EU membership

    Ukraine’s Zelenskyy makes emotional appeal for EU membership

    BRUSSELS (TIP): President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked his Western allies February 9 for more weapons and said “a Ukraine that is winning” its war with Russia should become a member of the European Union, arguing the bloc won’t be complete without it.

    Zelenskyy made his appeal during an emotional day at EU headquarters in Brussels as he wrapped up a rare, two-day trip outside Ukraine to seek new weaponry from the West to repel the invasion that Moscow has been waging for nearly a year. As he spoke, a new offensive by Russia in eastern Ukraine was underway.

    Zelenskyy, who also visited the U.K. and France, received rapturous applause and cheers from the European Parliament and a summit of the 27 EU leaders, insisting in his speech that the fight with Russia was one for the freedom of all of Europe.

    “A Ukraine that is winning is going to be a member of the European Union,” Zelenskyy said, building his appeal around the common destiny that Ukraine and the bloc face in confronting Russia. “Europe will always be, and remain Europe as long as we … take care of the European way of life,” he said.

    EU membership talks should start later this year, Zelenskyy said, an ambitious request given the huge task ahead. Such a move would help motivate Ukrainian soldiers in their defence of the country, he said. “Of course, we need it this year,” he said, then looked at European Council head Charles Michel, and insisted, tongue-in-cheek: “When I say this year, I mean this year. Two, zero, 23.”

    EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, however, said “there is no rigid timeline.” In practice, membership often has taken decades to complete.

    He held up an EU flag after his address and the lawmakers stood in sombre silence as the Ukrainian national anthem and the European anthem “Ode to Joy” were played in succession.

    Before his speech, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said allies should consider “quickly, as a next step, providing long-range systems” and fighter jets to Ukraine. The response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine “must be proportional to the threat, and the threat is existential,” she said. Metsola also told Zelenskyy that “we have your back. We were with you then, we are with you now, and we will be with you for as long as it takes.”

    A draft of the summit’s conclusions seen by The Associated Press said “the European Union will stand by Ukraine with steadfast support for as long as it takes.”

    During his time in Brussels, Zelenskyy asked Slovakia’s Prime Minister Eduard Heger to give Ukraine its Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, and he replied: “We will work on” the request. Slovakia grounded its fleet of MiG-29s last year. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the bloc will send Zelenskyy “this signal of unity and solidarity and can show that we will continue our support for Ukraine in defending its independence and integrity.”

    Military analysts say Putin is hoping that Europe’s support for Ukraine will wane as Russia is believed to be preparing a new offensive. The Kremlin’s forces “have regained the initiative in Ukraine and have begun their next major offensive” in the eastern Luhansk region, most of which is occupied by Russia, the Institute for the Study of War, said in its latest assessment. “Russian forces are gradually beginning an offensive, but its success is not inherent or predetermined.”

    Zelenskyy used the dais of the European Parliament hoping to match Wednesday’s speech to Britain’s legislature when he thanked the nation for its unrelenting support. That same support has come from the EU. The bloc and its member states have already backed Kyiv with about 50 billion euros ($53.6 billion) in aid, provided military hardware and imposed nine packages of sanctions on the Kremlin.

    (Associated Press)

  • Australia blocks proposed mine to protect Great Barrier Reef

    CANBERRA (TIP): Australia has for the first time rejected a coal mining application based on environmental law. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek on February 9 blocked the proposed coal mine to protect the Great Barrier Reef. The mine’s owner, the controversial Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, has not yet responded to the rejection, BBC reported. Plibersek had recently announced she has rejected plans for the Central Queensland Coal Project because of the risks it posed to the iconic reef, freshwater creeks and groundwater, reports Xinhua news agency. She proposed blocking the site in August 2022 and launched a public consultation process, receiving more than 9,000 submissions — about 98 per cent of which were in favour of rejecting the project.

    “I made this decision after a lot of careful consideration because I decided based on the evidence before me that there was an unacceptable risk to the Great Barrier Reef, to freshwater creeks and groundwater leading into the reef,” she told Sky News on Thursday. “The freshwater and the groundwater that would be around the mine site — they were part of my considerations as well.” The planned mining site was about 10 km from the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area. If approved, the open-cut pits would have been constructed on the site to extract up to 10 million tonnes of coal annually for the next 20 years.

    Plibersek’s decision was welcomed by the state government and environmentalists after an independent regulator found the project posed a risk to the reef.

    Jaclyn McCosker, a campaigner from the Australian Conservation Foundation, said the mine would have been a climate and natural disaster, damaging local habitats.

    It may be recalled that in Queensland, Australia, Adani Group has developed the Carmichael open-pit coalmine, a hugely controversial project built on land that some local indigenous groups claimed was obtained without their permission, though they lost their legal bid to block the mine on this basis. According to a report in The Guardian dated December 20, 2022, Adani became the focus of protest in the UK, after the London Science Museum announced that it would be opening an Energy Revolution gallery, focusing on green energy, in 2023, with sponsorship from an Adani subsidiary.

    Adani’s representatives have long denied allegations of obtaining land through underhand tactics. “As a responsible corporate citizen, the Adani Group has always conducted its operations in total compliance with the laws of the country,” a spokesperson for the Adani Group told me via email, The Guardian report said. (IANS)

  • China slams Biden’s ‘irresponsible’ remarks on Xi

    BEIJING (TIP): Beijing condemned on February 9 US President Joe Biden’s comments that Xi Jinping faced “enormous problems”, saying the remarks were “extremely irresponsible”.

    The latest rhetorical skirmish between the United States and China came after last week’s downing of a Chinese balloon that Washington said was part of a spy fleet spanning five continents. Following a brief warming after a November G20 meeting between Biden and Xi, US-China relations have once again nosedived, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week calling off a visit to Beijing over the balloon fracas.

    The US has alleged the high-altitude device — which crossed directly over at least one sensitive US military site — was intended for espionage.

    China has angrily denied the claims, arguing it was a weather observation craft that blew off course.

    On Thursday, Beijing confirmed it had refused the offer of a call between the two countries’ defence chiefs after Washington shot down the inflatable aircraft.

    “This irresponsible and seriously mistaken approach by the US did not create a proper atmosphere for dialogue and exchanges between the two militaries,” China’s defence ministry said in a statement.

    The previous day, Washington said the balloon was part of a “fleet”, adding they had been spotted around the world for several years and urged allies to step up vigilance.

    In an interview with PBS NewsHour the same day, Biden defended the decision to shoot it down and stressed that the US is not looking for conflict with China.

    He also said Xi had “enormous problems”, including “an economy that is not functioning very well”.

    “Can you think of any other world leader who’d trade places with Xi Jinping? I can’t think of one,” Biden said. China hit back at the remarks Thursday, with foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning telling a regular briefing that Beijing was “strongly dissatisfied”.

    “This type of rhetoric from the US is extremely irresponsible and runs counter to basic diplomatic etiquette,” Mao said, adding that Beijing “firmly opposed this”.

    It also doubled down on its position that the balloon shot down last week was for civilian purposes, saying claims it was part of a fleet were part of an “information war” against China.

    “The US disregard for China’s repeated explanations and communications, excessive reaction, and misuse of force are irresponsible,” Mao said.

    (AFP)

  • France hit by new strikes, protests over pension reform

    PARIS (TIP): Fresh strikes hit trains, schools and refineries in France on February 7 over an unpopular pension reform pushed by President Emmanuel Macron, as opponents took to the streets for a day of protests.

    The third day of union-backed demonstrations since January 19 was set to test momentum for the protest movement which has vowed to block Macron’s bid to raise the retirement age.

    The head of the hardline CGT union, Philippe Martinez, warned that more “numerous, massive and rolling” strikes were coming if the government did not drop the plan.

    “If the government keeps on refusing to listen then of course things will have to be ratcheted up,” he said, as the demonstration in Paris got underway.

    Macron put raising the retirement age and encouraging the French to work more at the heart of his re-election campaign last year, but polls estimate that two-thirds of people are against the changes.

    Lawmakers began debating the reform, which would see the age for a full pension raised from 62 to 64 and the mandatory number of years of work extended for a full pension, during a stormy session in parliament on Monday.

    Last week’s demonstrations brought out 1.3 million people across the country while a first round on January 19 drew 1.1 million protesters, according to the police. A security source told AFP that between 900,000 and 1.1 million people were expected on Tuesday.

    The crowds so far have been the largest anti-government protests since 2010, during pension reform by right-wing former president Nicolas Sarkozy.

    There were tensions in the western city of Nantes where protesters clashed with security forces who used tear gas pellets, an AFP photographer said.

    Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said Macron had to take account of the mobilisation on the streets. “Unless he has become completely authoritarian, you need to be reasonable in a democracy,” he said, accusing Macron of trying to start his five-year term with a “show of force.”

    ‘Reform or bankruptcy’

    Trains and the Paris metro again faced “severe disruptions”, while cancellations at Orly airport south of the capital were expected to total one in five.

    The overall level of disruption, including in schools, was estimated to be lower than on the previous two days of action. Around half of the long-distance trains were running, the state railway company said. Another day of action is planned by unions on Saturday although, with train unions calling for protests rather than strikes, disruption may be less severe.

    “It’s ok, it’s manageable,” Sylvain Magnan, a 23-year-old told AFP at the main station in the city of Marseille on the Mediterranean. “I just took a later train.” Around one in two workers at oil refineries run by energy giant TotalEnergies had stopped work, the company said, but stocks at petrol stations are sufficiently high to handle any temporary pause in deliveries. (AFP)

  • Australia to remove Chinese-made cameras from defence sites

    SYDNEY (TIP): Australia will strip Chinese-made security cameras from some government buildings to ensure they are “completely secure”, the country’s defence minister said February 9.

    It follows similar moves in the United States and Britain, which have both taken measures to stop government departments from installing Chinese-made cameras at sensitive sites. Britain acted in November last year due to fears that Chinese companies could be forced to share intelligence with Beijing’s security services. The security cameras were installed at more than 200 Australian government buildings — according to official figures compiled by an opposition politician — including at least one run by the Department of Defence.

    Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said officials would find and remove all cameras found within the defence department’s vast collection of offices and facilities.

    “It’s a significant thing that’s been brought to our attention and we’re going to fix it,” he told national broadcaster ABC.

    “It’s important that we go through this exercise and make sure that our facilities are completely secure.”

    The government-funded national War Memorial – a sprawling 14-hectare (35 acres) complex in Canberra — also confirmed it would remove a small number of Chinese-made cameras out of an “abundance of caution”.

    The cameras were made by companies Hikvision and Dahua, which have both been blacklisted in the United States. The US banned the importation of surveillance equipment made by Hikvision and Dahua in November last year because it posed “an unacceptable risk to national security”.

    In Britain, a group of 67 MPs and lords called for the government to ban Hikvision and Dahua in July last year, following reports their equipment had been used to spy on Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

    It was a Hikvision camera that caught former health secretary Matt Hancock kissing an aide in violation of Covid rules in June 2021, leading to his resignation.

    Hikvision has previously said it was “categorically false” to paint the company as “a threat to national security”.

    Australia’s centre-left government has been trying to repair its relationship with China since coming to power in May last year.

    China slapped hefty tariffs on key Australian exports in 2020 at the height of a bitter dispute with the former conservative government. (AFP)

  • India to host tourism-related activities under country’s SCO presidency

    India to host tourism-related activities under country’s SCO presidency

    New Delhi (TIP)- A number of tourism-related activities will be held in India in the next few months under the country’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), officials said on Thursday, February 9.

    Uzbekistan, in September last year, had handed over the rotating presidency of the eight-member SCO to India in the historic city of Samarkand. As part of the tourism track activities under India’s chairship, the Ministry of Tourism has planned various activities such as SCO Tourism Mart during SATTE (South Asia’s Travel and Tourism Exchange) from February 9-11, they said. An SCO Expert Level Tourism Working Group Meeting and SCO Tourism Minister’s Meeting in Varanasi will be held from March 13-17 and SCO Food Festival in Mumbai from April 13-19, they said.

    India has conceptualised an SCO Tourism Mart along with SATTE to promote the SCO brand of tourism. This will provide an opportunity to the member countries, observer countries and dialogue partners of SCO Fraternity to showcase their varied tourism products and cultural aspects.

    SCO Tourism Mart conceptualises to bring SCO countries to common place for joint awareness of tourism and create adequate tourism movements within the SCO fraternity, officials said.

    Ministry of Tourism has fabricated 390 sqm of space in the SATTE.

    During SCO summit held in September 2022 in Uzbekistan, Varanasi was selected as the first “Tourism and Cultural Capital” of the SCO region 2022-23 and the SCO Tourism Ministers’ meeting will be culminating at Varanasi. Launched in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.

                    Source: PTI

  • In Rajya Sabha, Modi thumps chest, says he alone is more than a match for entire Oppn

    In Rajya Sabha, Modi thumps chest, says he alone is more than a match for entire Oppn

    New Delhi (TIP)- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fresh broadside against the opposition on Thursday, February 9, saying their “keechad” (dirt) of allegations will only help the lotus bloom more and asserting he alone outweighs all who had to take turns to shout slogans to oppose him.

    Thumping his chest, Modi declared that he lives for the country and wants to do something for the country, which has rattled the opposition parties and they are playing political games just to save themselves.

    “Desh dekh raha hai, ek akela kitno ko bhari padh raha hai (the country is watching how one person has outweighed so many),” he said as the opposition members kept shouting “Modi-Adani, bhai-bhai”.

    Unperturbed by the jeering, Modi finished his 90-minute speech in reply to a debate on a motion thanking the President for her address to a joint sitting of Parliament, and listed various achievements of his government. With members of the treasury benches chanting “Modi-Modi”, he pointed at the opposition MPs who had gathered in the well of the House in a bid to shout him down and said, “Naare bolne ke liye bhi unko badal karna padhta hai (they have to take turns even to shout slogans).”

    “Ek conviction ke karan chala hoon, desh ke liye jeeta hoon, desh ke liye kuch karne ke liye nikla hoon (I live for the country and have embarked with the conviction to serve the nation),” he said, adding that his political opponents are playing games as they do not have the courage to take him on.

    The opposition, he said, is resorting to this means to save themselves. Replying to the Congress charge that the Bharatiya Janata Party was ignoring Jawaharlal Nehru’s efforts in nation-building after Independence, Modi retorted that if the first prime minister was so great, why have his scions never used his surname.

    As he rose to speak, opposition MPs, some holding placards, rushed into the well shouting slogans against the prime minister and seeking a joint parliamentary committee probe into allegations levelled by the US short-seller Hindenburg Research against tycoon Gautam Adani.

    Hitting back, Modi said, “Jitna keechad uchaloge, kamal utna hee zyada khilega (the more dirt you fling, the bigger the lotus – also the election symbol of the BJP -will bloom).”

    “Keechad unke pass tha, mere pass gulal. Jo jis ke pass tha, usne diya uchal,” Modi quoted Manik Verma’s poem in response to the allegations opposition parties levelled on him and his government.

    Roughly translated, it means they had dirt and I had gulal, whosoever had whatever they flung in the air.

    Opposition parties used the debate on the motion to attack the government for the Adani group’s phenomenal rise during the last few years. In his reply, Modi accused the Congress of adopting only “tokenism” in solving problems the country faced and said it was bothered only about its political ambitions and not the welfare of the nation. “We don’t believe in tokenism. We have chosen the path of hardwork in taking the country forward,” he said, adding technology was being used as an aid in this mission.

    He accused the Congress of trampling on the rights of states and regional parties by dismissing elected governments on 90 occasions by “misusing” Article 356 of the Constitution. “Who are the people?” he asked and responded that Indira Gandhi alone had used the article 50 times to dismiss governments.

    “This country is not anyone’s fiefdom. Our policies reflect national and regional aspirations,” he said. “But these people who are now sitting (with the Congress), I want to expose them today.”

    He then narrated how elected governments of the Left in Kerala, NT Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh, Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra and M G Ramachandran in Tamil Nadu were dismissed by the Congress. And today these parties are sitting along with the Congress, he said.

    “NT Rama Rao’s government was dismissed when he was in the US for medical treatment,” he said, adding M G Ramachandran must be turning in his grave seeing his DMK align with the Congress.

    He also alleged that the Congress had committed sins in the past and is now trying to mislead the country.

    The prime minister warned states against resorting to populist measures for political gains, saying it would be “anarth-niti” (disastrous policy). With many parties in states promising freebies and reverting to heavy cash outflow schemes like old pension in run-up to elections, he cited examples of near bankruptcy in neighbouring countries to say that they should not play with the financial health and economic policies. “Do not do any such sin which leaves the burden on the next generation.”

    Source: PTI

  • February 10 New York & Dallas E – Edition

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”E-Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F02%2FTIP-February-10-E-Edition.pdf”][vc_single_image image=”138184″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TIP-February-10-E-Edition.pdf”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F”][vc_wp_posts title=”” number=”5″ show_date=”1″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • UK review warns against anti-India rhetoric over Kashmir, pro-Khalistan extremism

    UK review warns against anti-India rhetoric over Kashmir, pro-Khalistan extremism

    London (TIP)- A review into the UK government’s scheme set up to prevent terrorism has made recommendations for improvements to tackle Islamist extremism as the “primary threat” to the country and also flagged other areas of growing concern, including the radicalisation of UK Muslims over Kashmir and “potentially toxic” pro-Khalistan extremism. The review into the government’s counter-terrorism early intervention Prevent strategy published this week warned that rhetoric from Pakistan is impacting UK Muslim communities when it comes to “inflaming anti-India sentiment, particularly around the subject of Kashmir”. It also warns against a false narrative being disseminated by a tiny number of pro-Khalistan groups operating in the UK.

    “There is an element of crossover between those who seek to impose limits around blasphemy with those who voice incendiary rhetoric on Kashmir.

    “I have seen evidence of UK extremist groups, as well as a Pakistani cleric with a UK following, calling for the use of violence in Kashmir. I have also seen evidence demonstrating that flashpoints related to Kashmir lead to a significant surge in interest from UK Islamists,” reads the review. On the issue of pro-Khalistan extremism, the report adds, “Prevent should also be mindful of pro-Khalistan extremism emerging from the UK’s Sikh communities. A false narrative is disseminated by the tiny number of pro-Khalistan groups operating in the UK that the government is colluding with its counterpart in India to persecute Sikhs.”

    “Such groups’ narratives glorify violence carried out by the pro-Khalistan movement in India. While the current threat is low, praise for violence overseas and a simultaneous belief in a state-led campaign of repression domestically is a potentially toxic combination for the future.”     Source: PTI

  • 225,620 Indians gave up citizenship in 2022: Govt tells Rajya Sabha

    225,620 Indians gave up citizenship in 2022: Govt tells Rajya Sabha

    New Delhi (TIP)- A total of 225,620 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2022, the highest in the past 12 years, and more than 1.66 million people have given up their nationality since 2011, according to figures provided by the government in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, February 9.

    The figures were given by external affairs minister S Jaishankar in a written reply to a question from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker Narain Dass Gupta, who sought the number of Indians who relinquished their citizenship during the last three years.

    Jaishankar’s reply provided year-wise figures for Indians who had renounced their citizenship since 2011. For the period from 2011 to 2019, the annual figure ranged between 120,000 and 144,000, before falling to 85,256 in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic broke out and led most countries to restrict the movement of people.

    In 2021, the figure almost doubled to 163,370, and continued to rise to 225,620 in 2022, according to the written reply. Citing information available with the external affairs ministry, Jaishankar said 122,819 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2011, 120,923 in 2012, 131,405 in 2013, 129,328 in 2014, 131,489 in 2015, 141,603 in 2016, 133,049 in 2017, 134,561 in 2018, 144,017 in 2019, 85,256 in 2020, 163,370 in 2021 and 225,620 in 2022.

    The written answer also included a list of 135 countries whose citizenship was acquired by Indians. The list, however, didn’t give specific numbers for each country or specify the period during which these nations granted citizenship to Indians. In reply to a specific query from Gupta, Jaishankar said five Indian nationals obtained citizenship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the past three years.In a written response to a separate question from Gupta, minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan said specific data on the number of businessmen and professionals who have settled abroad during the past four years is not available. “There are no restrictions on Indian nationals regarding travelling to foreign countries for tourism or employment. Some of them settle down in their country of employment and acquire foreign nationality for personal reasons,” the reply said.

    Muraleedharan said the government has brought about a “transformational change” in its engagement with the Indian diaspora around the world.

    “A successful, prosperous, and influential diaspora is an asset for India. India stands to gain a lot from tapping its diaspora networks and productive utilisation of the soft power that comes from having such a flourishing diaspora,” he said. The government’s efforts are also aimed at harnessing the diaspora potential, including through the transfer of technology and expertise, he added.

    Source: HT

  • Russia offers partnership in hi-tech arms

    New Delhi (TIP)- Russia on February 9 said it was offering new points of cooperation for the joint manufacturing of high-tech products under the “Make in India” programme in compliance with all localisation and technology-transfer requirements. This was conveyed in a statement by Rosoboronexport, the Russian state-run arms exporting agency, which will be participating in the Aero India air show at Bengaluru from February 13-17. The agency plans to hold substantive meetings and negotiations with representatives of the Ministry of Defence and other security agencies of India and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the company expects to work extensively with state-owned and private enterprises of the Indian defence industry to expand the scope of industrial partnership between Russia and India in accordance with the requirements of “Make in India” thrust.

    Russia’s collective display at Aero India will include 200 samples of advanced armaments and military hardware, including the fifth-generation Sukhoi-57E multifunctional fighter jet, Checkmate light tactical aircraft, IL-76 military transport plane, Sukhoi-35, Sukhoi-30S and MiG-35D fighter jets.

    Russia will also feature the Orlan-30 reconnaissance drone for the first time abroad. The Orlan-30 is intended for conducting aerial reconnaissance and detecting objects in the visible or infrared range.

  • Remarks expunged, Kharge shoots off letter to Dhankhar

    Taking exception to the expunction of certain remarks from his speech made in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, February 8, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, February 9,  shot off a letter to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, saying that it will be an “inversion of the system of governance” if Opposition MPs are to investigate, gather evidence and then raise issues in Parliament.

    Dhankhar expunged Kharge’s remarks linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi with industrialist Gautam Adani and his charge that the PM remains silent on hate speech by BJP leaders.

    Referring to Dhankhar’s direction to authenticate the charges with evidence, Kharge said Parliament was a platform to fix the accountability of the Executive and criticism of policies and decisions of the government should not be construed as allegations against any member of the House.

    Kharge wrote that criticism of the government was natural in a parliamentary democracy. Arguing that there was no personal charge in any of his remarks, Kharge said an MP was required to authenticate only if any document was laid by the MP on the table of the House.

    There was no convention of authentication of points made in a speech in Parliament, Kharge said. Any direction or rule of the House could not subvert the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech laid down for an MP through Article 105. “The member, after due diligence, draws the attention of the House to such issues and it is incumbent upon the government to investigate the matter and take appropriate action in consonance with the law of the land,” the Congress MP wrote.

  • India finds 5.9 million tonnes lithium deposits in Jammu and Kashmir

    The Union Government on Thursday, February 9,  said that 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves have been found for the first time in the country in Jammu and Kashmir. Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries. “Geological Survey of India for the first time established Lithium inferred resources (G3) of 5.9 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir,” the Ministry of Mines said on Thursday. It further that 51 mineral blocks including Lithium and Gold were handed over to respective state governments.

    “Out of these 51 mineral blocks, 5 blocks pertain to gold and other blocks pertain to commodities like potash, molybdenum, base metals etc. spread across 11 states of Jammu and Kashmir (UT), Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana,” the ministry added. The blocks were prepared based on the work carried out by GSI from field seasons 2018-19 to till date. Apart from these, 17 reports of Coal and Lignite with a total resource of 7897 million tonnes were also handed over to the Ministry of Coal.                 Source: ANI

  • Indian American Ro Khanna along with Mike Waltz elected co-chairs of House India caucus

    Indian American Ro Khanna along with Mike Waltz elected co-chairs of House India caucus

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American Democratic lawmaker Ro Khanna and his Republican House colleague Mike Waltz have been chosen as co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans in the 118th Congress. India Caucus is the largest country-specific bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House of Representatives that is committed to strengthening the relationship between the two largest democratic countries of the world. Khanna, 46, is the second Indian American to be elected as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans since it was established in 1993. Congressman Ami Bera served as its co-chair during the 115th Congress (2015-2016).
    At that time, he was the only Indian American serving in the Congress. Now the number has increased to five: DR Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal, and Shri Thanedar.
    “I am honored to chair the India caucus and will look forward to involving the national Indian American diaspora in helping strengthen the US India relationship,” Khanna told media. The Indian American represents the 17th Congressional District of California. Last November he was elected for the fourth consecutive term. The media reported Congressman Andy Barr and Marc Veasey will serve as vice co-chairs. Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), who formerly served as chair, will serve as chair emeritus, a media release said.
    In the new Congress, the members will continue working to strengthen partnerships between policy makers and the Indian American diaspora communities and reduce India’s reliance on Russian defense systems.
    “A strong relationship with India is critical for our economy and national security. It is an honor to serve alongside my colleague Rep. Waltz as co-chair of the India Caucus,” Khanna said.
    “Serving in this role is especially meaningful to me as one of the first Indian Americans to lead the caucus as well as the only representative of an Asian American majority district in the continental United States,” he said.
    Congressman Waltz said that India is the world’s largest democracy and an important strategic partner for the United States. “That’s why I’m honored to serve as the Co-Chair of the House India Caucus this Congress to ensure we continue this partnership, strengthen political, economic, and security ties between our two countries, and protect democracies in Asia and worldwide,” he said.
    Congressman Barr said strengthening bilateral relations via trade and security as well as cooperation through the Quad, presents many opportunities to advance the two countries’ common interests.
    In an interview to media, Khanna said the Indian American diaspora can play an important role in helping strengthen the US-India partnership. “I think this is a historic moment for our community. I think we’re really emerging and coming into our own as a strong voice,” said the Congressman.
    Khanna told media that he is going to try to make the Caucus not just about India-US, but also the Indian American community and highlighting the contributions of that community.
    “I think being Indian America and being part of the community, knowing so many of the community leaders, knowing the passions and interests of young people, I’ll be able to do that,” he said.
    “Khanna says taking on this greater role in the India Caucus feels like the culmination of generations of work in the public sphere. His grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar spent his life fighting for India’s independence from British rule, even spending a few years in jail for the cause. Vidyalankar became a member of India’s first Parliament after independence in 1947,” media reported. Congressman Sherman, who now takes the role of Chair Emeritus, said that he has long advocated for a strong US-India relationship and has worked to highlight the enormous contributions Indian Americans have made in this country. “There is no one more fitting that I could pass the torch of chairing this important Caucus to than Congressman Ro Khanna, along with Congressman Mike Waltz as Co-Chair – both stalwart advocates for the US-India relationship,” he said. “Moreover, I’m encouraged by our Vice Co-Chairs, Congressman Andy Barr and Marc Veasey, who will bring to the Caucus a stellar record of impassioned advocacy for the US-India partnership. I will continue on as Chair Emeritus and look forward to the work ahead of building upon this vital partnership and securing future prosperity between the United States, the world’s oldest continuous democracy, and India, the world’s largest democracy,” Sherman said.