[🇮🇳] India---News & Views

[Saif]

US plane carrying 112 deported Indians reach Amritsar

On Saturday, another US military aircraft carrying 117 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amristar

www.thedailystar.net

US plane carrying 112 deported Indians reach Amritsar

A US military aircraft carrying illegal Indian immigrants upon its landing at the Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport, in Amritsar, Punjab, on February 5, 2025. File photo: PTI

A US military aircraft carrying 112 Indian illegal immigrants reached the north Indian city of Amritsar last night in the third such flight bringing deportees as part of a crackdown by the Trump administration against undocumented immigrants.

The plane landed at the airport at 10:03pm, said sources.

On Saturday, another US military aircraft carrying 117 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amristar.

The first batch of Indian deportees reached Amritsar on February 5. Several deportees on that flight claimed their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the journey and they were unshackled only after landing in Amritsar.

This triggered nationwide outrage with opposition parties demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with the US during his visit to Washington.

India has conveyed its concerns to the US about the treatment of deportees.​

 

[Saif]

Indian man sentenced to life for rape, murder of Irish tourist

A court in India’s western resort state of Goa sentenced a 31-year-old man to life in prison on Monday for raping and murdering an Irish tourist eight years ago...

www.newagebd.net

Indian man sentenced to life for rape, murder of Irish tourist
Agence France-Presse . Mumbai 18 February, 2025, 00:04

A court in India’s western resort state of Goa sentenced a 31-year-old man to life in prison on Monday for raping and murdering an Irish tourist eight years ago.

The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was discovered naked in a field near a beach in the south of the picturesque state in 2017.

Police charged local resident Vikat Bhagat with the murder of McLaughlin, who was from Buncrana in Ireland.

Bhagat was pronounced guilty of the crime on Friday and on Monday the court sentenced him for life.

‘He has been convicted for life and it’s rigorous imprisonment,’ prosecutor Vikram Varma told reporters.

‘As per my understanding, the victim’s family is relieved that there is closure.’

McLaughlin had been celebrating the Indian spring festival of Holi at Goa’s popular Palolem beach when she was attacked, according to police.

Her badly bruised body was found a few kilometres away in Canacona by a farmer.

‘We, as Danielle’s family and friends, are so thankful to everyone involved in our fight for justice,’ a family statement said, according to local media reports.

‘They have treated her like their daughter and have tirelessly fought for her.’

Goa, a former Portuguese colony, lures millions of tourists every year with its nightlife, sandy beaches and laid-back coastal atmosphere.

But its reputation as a tropical paradise has been marred by high-profile crimes involving foreigners.

In 2008, British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling, 15, was drugged, raped and murdered in Goa in a case that made global headlines.

Chronic backlogs in India’s criminal justice system mean some cases take years to be resolved.

More than 43 million cases were pending before courts across the country in 2022, according to government figures.​

 

[Saif]

India summons UK envoy after Sikh 'separatist' breaches Jaishankar’s security, tears national flag

The UK charge d'affaires was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and was served a demarche

www.thedailystar.net

India summons UK envoy after Sikh 'separatist' breaches Jaishankar’s security, tears national flag

File photo of S Jaishankar

India today summoned the British charge d'affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest against a breach in security for External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in London as an alleged Sikh separatist protester tried to break through a police cordon and tried to stop his motorcade.

The UK charge d'affaires was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and was served a demarche, PTI reported quoting people familiar with the matter.

India condemned the incident and said it expects the host government to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations in such a case. It also deplored the "misuse of democratic freedoms" by the "small group of separatist" elements.

Video footage showed that the protester stood in front of the minister's car and tore the Indian flag before he was whisked away.

The videos posted on social media showed a handful of protesters waving flags of a Sikh separatist movement called "Khalistan" and shouting slogans outside think-tank Chatham House in London on Wednesday where Jaishankar was speaking.

Jaishankar is on a six-day trip to the UK and Ireland.

"We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements. We expect the host government in such cases to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Indian MEA, said in a statement.​

 

[Saif]

Indian fugitive accused in nearly $2b bank fraud arrested in Belgium

Indian fugitive Mehul Choksi, the jeweller accused of being involved in an alleged fraud of nearly $2 billion against Punjab National Bank in 2018, has been arrested in Belgium, a source with India's Enforcement Directorate said. The Indian government had sent a request for Choksi's extradition pr

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Indian fugitive accused in nearly $2b bank fraud arrested in Belgium
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Apr 14, 2025 11:22
Updated :
Apr 14, 2025 11:22

Indian fugitive Mehul Choksi, the jeweller accused of being involved in an alleged fraud of nearly $2 billion against Punjab National Bank in 2018, has been arrested in Belgium, a source with India's Enforcement Directorate said.

The Indian government had sent a request for Choksi's extradition prior to his arrest, but he is likely to challenge it on medical grounds, the source added.

Punjab National Bank, India's second largest state-run lender by assets, had announced in 2018 that it had discovered alleged fraud worth $1.8 billion at a single branch in Mumbai, reports Reuters.

The bank had filed a criminal complaint with India's federal investigative agency against several entities including billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and Choksi, his uncle and the managing director of Gitanjali Gems, saying they had defrauded PNB.

Last week, a Pakistani-born Canadian businessman accused of helping orchestrate the 2008 attacks in Mumbai landed in New Delhi after the US extradited him in the first such transfer in a terrorism case.​

 

[Saif]

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi arrested

Delhi Police detained senior opposition MPs, including the Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, on Monday morning. They were arrested as their protests over the Election Commission's 'collusion' with the ruling BJP spilled over into the streets

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi arrested

FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Aug 11, 2025 13:57
Updated :
Aug 11, 2025 13:57

Delhi Police detained senior opposition MPs, including the Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, on Monday morning.

They were arrested as their protests over the Election Commission's 'collusion' with the ruling BJP spilled over into the streets of central Delhi, according to NDTV.

As Mr Gandhi and his colleagues were bussed away, he told reporters, climbing over each to get a quote, "This fight is not political... it is to save the Constitution. The fight is for 'one person, one vote'."

"The reality is they cannot talk... the truth is in front of the country," he declared.

Joint Commissioner of Police Deepak Purohit confirmed the detention but declined to give a number, telling reporters, "Detained INDIA bloc leaders have been taken to a nearby police station."

Mr Purohit said the opposition did not have police permission for a protest of this scale, and that only a group of 30 MPs had been allowed to march to the Election Commission and submit a complaint.

"The Election Commission said 30 MPs could visit them... but over 200 came marching. We stopped them to prevent any breakdown of law and order. They were then detained. Some MPs tried jumping barricades. They were also detained," Deputy Commissioner of Police Devesh Kumar Mahla said.

Visuals from the protest site outside the Parliament building showed a small army of politicians and party workers, many waving placards, shouting slogans, and pushing back against police barricades.

Another visual showed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav climbing over two police barricades.​

 

[Bilal9]

Newborn bitten by rats in Indore’s MY hospital dies; nurses suspended, State HRC orders probe

BHOPAL: One of the two newborns who were reportedly bitten by rats on successive days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Madhya Pradesh’s largest sta

www.newindianexpress.com

 

[Bilal9]

Neighbors growing wary of a militant Hindutva India

India’s recent political trajectory has been increasingly shaped by the rise of Hindutva, an ideology that seeks to define Indian national identity primarily through Hindu cultural and religious dominance. Championed most prominently by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliated organizations, Hindutva politics has moved from the fringes of Indian political life to the center of state power. While supporters frame it as a project of cultural revival and national strength, its practical consequences have proven deeply divisive—both within India and across South Asia.

At home, Hindutva has challenged India’s long-standing commitment to pluralism and secularism. Policies and rhetoric that marginalize Muslims, Christians, and other minorities—such as citizenship laws perceived as discriminatory, religiously charged political campaigns, and tolerance of vigilante violence—have raised serious concerns about democratic backsliding. These internal tensions do not remain confined within India’s borders. Instead, they spill outward, shaping how neighboring countries perceive India’s intentions and values.

Relations with Pakistan are perhaps the most visibly affected. Hindutva’s hardline stance on Kashmir, coupled with openly antagonistic rhetoric toward Muslims, reinforces Pakistan’s narrative that India is hostile not merely to the Pakistani state but to Islam itself. This deepens mistrust, escalates militarization, and makes diplomatic engagement politically risky on both sides. Even when opportunities for dialogue arise, ideological rigidity often prevents meaningful de-escalation.

Bangladesh, traditionally one of India’s closest regional partners, has also expressed unease. Communal violence and anti-Muslim rhetoric in India resonate strongly in Bangladesh, where the majority population is Muslim and historical memories of partition remain vivid. Statements implying that Bangladeshi migrants are “infiltrators” or demographic threats have strained goodwill and complicated cooperation on trade, security, and migration management.

Smaller neighbors such as Nepal and Sri Lanka have similarly grown wary. In Nepal, perceptions of Indian cultural and political interference—sometimes framed through a Hindu nationalist lens—have fueled nationalist backlash. Sri Lanka, while not directly targeted by Hindutva discourse, watches India’s internal religious polarization with concern, particularly given its own fragile ethnic and religious balance.

Ultimately, Hindutva politics risks undermining India’s soft power in South Asia. For decades, India’s influence rested not only on economic and military weight but also on its image as a diverse, democratic, and inclusive society. As that image erodes, neighboring countries are more likely to hedge their bets, seek alternative partnerships, and resist Indian leadership. In prioritizing a narrow vision of identity, India may be sacrificing the regional trust and moral authority that once anchored its role as South Asia’s natural leader.

 

[Bilal9]

India’s Neighbourhood Diplomacy: A Catalogue of Strategic Failures​

1. India touted a Neighbourhood First policy — a slogan, not a strategy. Instead of building trust, New Delhi’s approach has often been heavy-handed, ideological, and security-dominant, producing resentment rather than cooperation. Neighbours aren’t flocking to India; they’re hedging with China, Pakistan, and other powers to escape India’s shadow. The Diplomat+1​

2. Bangladesh’s relationship with India is seriously strained — to the point where Bangladesh now refuses to play some ICC matches in India due to security concerns and rising tensions. Reuters
Delhi also scrapped transit facilities Bangladesh relied on for exports, disrupting trade and fueling distrust. Reuters
This is not “friendly competition” — it’s a loss of influence in a country India once dominated diplomatically.​

3. Decades of conflict with Pakistan haven’t been resolved — and recent flare-ups have pushed the two nations closer to open confrontation again, with suspended treaties and closed borders instead of dialogue. AP News​

4. Nepal’s politics have flipped unpredictably, with anti-India sentiment and protests erupting, forcing New Delhi to tighten border security and divert resources to crisis management. Foreign Policy
Sri Lanka, once a partial ally, has slid into debt and political instability, opening space for competitors like China to move in. PMF IAS​

5. SAARC — once a platform India could steer — has been effectively dead for over a decade, frozen by India–Pakistan disputes and mistrust. Rokan's Journal
That’s a huge diplomatic embarrassment considering India’s economic clout in the region.​

6. Across Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Pakistan, China’s Belt and Road influence is expanding while India’s promises of trade and connectivity go unfulfilled or stalled. Analysts argue India is losing its diplomatic initiative region-wide as neighbours pivot toward Beijing to balance against Delhi’s perceived dominance. The Diplomat+1​

7. India’s focus on security — drone patrols, military exercises, ideological rhetoric — breeds suspicion among neighbours instead of trust, undercutting even the economic leverage India claims it has. The Diplomat​

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Summary: How Badly Has India Failed, Really?​

Let’s not sugar-coat it:

• India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy has largely failed. Indian National Congress
• Several neighbours are actively distancing themselves. The Diplomat
• Regional cooperation has collapsed into paralysed multilateralism. Rokan's Journal
• China is winning influence on almost every front India claims to lead. Reddit

This isn’t a few diplomatic missteps — it’s a strategic loss of ground in India’s own backyard. Instead of shaping South Asia’s future, New Delhi is now fighting just to maintain its legacy role, while neighbours assert independence or turn to rivals.