The China-Pak Link-Up

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Watching The Dragon: The China-Pak Link-Up

In its global strategy of enlarging its influential presence in the Asia-Pacific region and in that process encircle India which it sees as its Asian rival there are reports that China is about to establish a link-up with Pakistan through occupied Kashmir which could have direct military implication. This is indicated in the Defense Ministry's annual report for 2008-09 tabled in Rajya Sabha recently.

China had seized 38,000 sq km in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1962 war with India, while Pakistan unilaterally ceded another 5,120 sq km territory it had occupied in 1947-48 to China under a pact in 1963. There is also increasing concern about the enhanced military assistance China is providing to Pakistan.

Chinese military posturing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, of which Beijing claims about 90,000 sq km territory as its own, particularly its positioning 30 military divisions that indulged in frequent incursions across the line is another thorn in the flesh. Of course the two neighbors are engaged in negotiations on the 4,500-km boundary dispute and have agreed to maintain peace through mutually agreed confidence building measures, pending final settlement.

However, In the backdrop of greatly increasing military prowess of China, India should keep itself in readiness to counter any measures having the potential to adversely impact on our security and sovereignty.

It is to be noted that China's 2008 White Paper on Defense outlined its policy on developing strategic missiles, space-based assets and blue-water naval capabilities, raising Chinese defense expenditure (that stood at seven per cent of its GDP) by double digits over the last two decades.

"China's stated objectives, in their White Paper, of developing strategic missile and space-based assets and of rapidly enhancing its blue-water navy to conduct operations in distant waters, as well as the systematic upgrading of infrastructure, reconnaissance and surveillance, quick response and operational capabilities in the border areas, will have an effect on the overall military environment in the neighborhood of India," the report had pointed out.

Although we have a strategic and cooperative partnership with China, which had further progressed during high-level visits in 2008-09, and Beijing's stated policy in its White Paper "never to seek hegemony or engage in military expansion in the future, no matter how developed it became." is reassuring, China's armed forces' modernization need to be "monitored carefully" for implications on India's defense and security.

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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2009

Japanese Sea Lion

 

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has added several new entries to the Red List of Threatened Species In its latest four-year assessment of endangered species.

The report warns, the world is unlikely to meet a goal of reversing The trend toward species depletion by 2010. The report, "Wildlife In A Changing World," estimates that 22 percent of known mammals are either facing the threat of extinction or are already extinct. It also found great stress for amphibians, with more than 30 percent classified as threatened or extinct, and more than 1 in 8 of all bird species at risk of extinction

The 2008 review covers 44,837 species, up from 38,047 in 2004 and 16,507 in 2000. Thus far, IUCN has recorded 869 separate cases of plant and animal extinctions, including 804 wiped out and 65 others considered extinct in the wild.

Scientists say the numbers of total recorded extinctions could rise to 1,159 if they add 290 or so critically endangered species now labeled "possibly extinct." There are insufficient data on another 5,561 species.

Recent additions to the list of extinctions are large marine mammals The newest report also includes assessments of 845 species of corals. Already more than a quarter are considered threatened, with climate change added to the list of threats they face.

Though the overall picture is bleak, scientist also point to signs that conservation efforts are bringing back from the brink some animals previously facing annihilation.

In North America, the Fish and Wildlife Service is credited with probably saving the black-footed ferret from being classified as extinct in the wild to endangered after a 10-year effort to reintroduce the species to eight Western states and Mexico. A conservation effort to save a species of wild horse in Mongolia also saw that animal being bumped from extinction in the wild to "critically endangered."

 

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Bangalore Woman Can Compete With World - Obama

 

After the row over his 'Bangalore to Buffalo' remark, U.S. President Barrack Obama's affinity towards the people in Bangalore is witnessed in his recent speech, in which he emphasized their strength. "A young woman with an Internet connection in Bangalore, India, can compete with anyone, anywhere," he said.

Obama said that if market is allowed to run rampant - through excessive risk-taking, a lack of regulation or corruption - Then all are endangered, whether we live on the Mississippi or the Volga. And while this crisis has shown us the risk that comes with change, that risk is overwhelmed by opportunity.
The U.S. President Barrack Obama said that it is good for U.S. and the west if countries like India and China prosper as it will open new market for them and push their business to innovate. "That's good for all of us - because when prosperity is created in India, that's a new market for our goods; when new ideas take hold in China, that pushes our businesses to innovate; when new connections are forged among people, all of us are enriched," Obama said addressing the New Economic School in Moscow. He also added that they have met at Moscow in the midst of worst global recession in generations. He believes that market will be the greatest force for creating and distributing wealth that the world has known. He further added that the greatest resource of any nation in the 21st century is its people, and the countries which tap that resource are the countries that will succeed.

Budget Aftermath

Govt spending spree spooks market, Sensex tanks 5%

MUMBAI: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex tanked 700 points at noon on Monday even as Budget presentation by the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee continued in Parliament.

Market participants said Mr Mukherjee pegging fiscal deficit at a high of 6.8 per cent of GDP for 2009-10 is a cause of concern, triggering hectic sell-off. Fiscal deficit in the previous fiscal was 6.2 per cent of GDP. They further said markets fell drastically even though the Fringe Benefit Tax, seen as an irritant of corporate, has been abolished. The surcharge on personal income tax has also been abolished

At 12.45 pm, the Sensex tumbled 873 points at 14,239.80 with most of the heavy-weights recording losses. Sector-wise analysis shows Bankex was the worst bit followed by oil and gas and metal indices.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty tumbled 196.30 points at 4,227.95 at the same time.

Technorati Tags: Budget 2009,Bombay Stock Exchange,Sensex,National Stock Exchange,Nifty

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RAIL BUDGET 2009

Rail Budget 2009 highlights: Trivandrum-Ernakulam-Calicut train

Watch the highlights of Interim Railway Budget 2009 presented by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in the parliament.

Video - MSN India: Edit... • 10 min

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