India Narrative

The Joe Biden administration has outlined its Indo-Pacific strategy vowing to build a free and open region, by building the capacity of its regional allies like India. The aim of the much-awaited strategy is to balance China's attempts at global domination through coercion. The US now plans to take action over the next one to two years to ensure that its allies in the region who are at the receiving end of Chinese military aggression are supported by building deterrence. Regarding India, the Indo-Pacific strategy says: "We recognise that India is a like-minded partner and leader in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, active in and connected to Southeast Asia". It took note of the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control with India and said it supports "India’s continued rise and regional leadership". Washington has also taken note of Beijing's moves in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait where the communist giant is targeting Taiwan as well as

  Complaints are pouring in from Athletes at the Winter Olympics in Beijing about being forced to compete in freezing temperatures due to the bad timing of events and chaotic implementation of quarantine rules. Some participants say they are living and training in dismal conditions, and want the organisers to improve arrangements, according to a BBC report. The Swedish delegation called for cross-country skiing events to be held earlier in the day to protect athletes from freezing temperatures - after Swedish athlete Frida Karlsson was seen shaking and close to collapse at the end of her women's 7.5km+7.5km skiathlon on Saturday, the BBC report said. Under the International Ski Federation rules, competitions are not allowed to take place when temperatures plunge below -20C (-4F). Read More

 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to the Philippines starting this weekend is set to cement special ties between New Delhi and Manila riding of their recent BarhMos missile deal, widely touted as a game-changer in the South China Sea. The two countries are now looking at working together in the fields of maritime security, intelligence-sharing, military training, procurement and logistics.  The Philippines' Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and BrahMos Aerospace Director General Atul Dinkar Rane had signed the contract worth PHP 18.9 billion in a virtual ceremony at the DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on January 28. Calling it a landmark move, the western Pacific Ocean country said it realises the importance of the contract considering escalating regional tensions, especially China's strategic expansion into the South China Sea. "Equipping our Navy with this vital asset is imperative as the Philippines continues to protect the integrity o

  Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chains KFC and Pizza Hut have both apologised after they faced an outrage on social media over posts from the twitter handles of their franchises in Pakistan supporting Kashmiri separatists. Several screenshots of posts by KFC Pakistan surfaced online in which the fast-food chain had claimed support for "Kashmir Solidarity Day". In a social media post, a verified account of KFC had supported the separatists in Kashmir and posted "Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris." Similarly, an Instagram post from the verified account of 'Pizzahutpak' had said, "We stand with you. Kashmir Solidarity Day." This triggered a huge backlash as #BoycottKFC and #BoycottPizzaHut started trending on Twitter after which both fast-food chains issued statements to apologise and distance themselves from their Pakistani counterparts. "We deeply apologize for a post that was published on some KFC social media channels outside the country. We hono