India and ASEAN / East Asia

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 09 Mar 2015 17:10

http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/b ... d-exports/

akarta. Indonesian commodity producers and economists have hailed the Indian central bank’s rate cut as good for boosting exports from Southeast Asia’s biggest economy to one of its major markets.

“In the past year, India has been the biggest importer of coal from Indonesia, after China’s imports slowed down,” said Supriatna Suhala, executive director of the Indonesian coal miners’ association, or APBI, adding that India’s lower interest rate was “good news” for Indonesia.

Indonesia exported 90 million metric tons of coal to India last year a year, or 27 percent of the total 330 million tons of the fossil fuel that it exported. Exports to China amounted to 80 million tons.

“I predict the export figure could be bigger this year because our coal production could increase up to 8 percent,” Supriatna said.

“India also wants to raise its coal royalty rates. If our royalties don’t increase, our coal could be very competitive there.”

The Reserve Bank of India lowered its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 7.5 percent last Wednesday, the second time it has cut the rate this year. It followed that up two days later by easing requirements for home loans.

The lower rate environment puts India in position to stimulate its economy, which translates, among other things, into a boost in imports of commodities from Indonesia, says Ryan Kiryanto, the chief economist at state-controlled Bank Negara Indonesia.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 09 Mar 2015 18:10

Using this td. for the same.The anniversary of MH-370. But were the wrong reports sent to Viet ATC deliberate? the Malaysians were also been so slow in releasing details,esp with regard to passr and cargo manifest,which took days if at all,that the whole affair stinks of a conspiracy.

MH370 search: Malaysian Airlines flight flown off course deliberately – and search was hampered by airline's mistakes, report shows
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 94224.html

The aircraft's transponder was turned off by someone on the flight deck, rendering the plane invisible to civilian radar

Simon Calder
Sunday 08 March 2015

Whoever was at the controls of MH370 when it disappeared a year ago wanted to evade detection. The interim report into the loss of the Boeing 777 and its 239 occupants shows the culprit was inadvertently helped by mistakes in the airline’s duty office.

The Malaysia transport ministry released the report on the anniversary of the disappearance of the scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

A damning transcript of conversations in the hours after the plane vanished shows that, long after contact was lost, Malaysia Airlines insisted that the aircraft was flying over Cambodia - a story that was later changed to suggest it was east of Vietnam’s coast.

The transcript with air-traffic controllers in Kuala Lumpur is an appendix to the interim report into the loss of MH370 with its 227 passengers and 12 crew. The transcript reveals how the events unfolded through the early hours of 8 March last year, after the captain signed off from Malaysian air-traffic controllers with the words “Goodnight Malaysian Three Seven Zero” at 1.19am local time.

Chronological Sequence of Events of Disappearance of MH370 (The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370) Chronological Sequence of Events of Disappearance of MH370 (The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370) The aircraft was expected to continue flying north at 35,000 feet and to make contact with controllers at Ho Chi Minh City. But its transponder was turned off by someone on the flight deck, rendering the plane invisible to civilian radar. One Vietnamese controller says:

“We just see him on the radar screen one time and after a few minutes later disappear.”

Forty-five minutes after the final contact, Vietnamese controllers are growing increasingly concerned about the flight, but were told by their Malaysian counterparts: “The aircraft is still flying, is over somewhere over Cambodia”. That information had come from the Malaysia Airlines operations centre.

Further reassurance is given around 2.35am when controllers in Kuala Lumpur tell Ho Chi Minh City staff that Malaysia Airlines is still in communication with the jet: “Affirm Malaysian 370 still flying aircraft keep sending position report to the airline.” The reported position, though, changes to latitude 14.9N and 109E, placing the jet somewhere east of Vietnam.

Diversion from Filed Flight Plan Route (The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370) Diversion from Filed Flight Plan Route (The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370) At the Malaysia Airlines operations centre, a hurried and misspelt message is sent to flight MH370 asking the pilots to contact air-traffic controllers at Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam:

“Urgent request. Pls contact Ho Chi Ming ATC ASAP. They complain cannot track you on their radar.”
This message was never received.

Read more:
• Flight MH370: What we still don’t know

At the time the jet was still airborne, but had turned west to fly over northern Malaysia and the island of Penang - as revealed by later examination of military radar data. Had a distress phase been declared sooner, and the authorities alerted to the disappearance while the jet was still being tracked by military radar, the aircraft might have been intercepted.

Infra-red images taken by the geostationary satellite Multifunctional Transport Satellites at 1732 on 7 March 2014 (Figure1.7A below) showed that there were no significant clouds at the last civil radar point at 1722. (The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370) Infra-red images taken by the geostationary satellite Multifunctional Transport Satellites at 1732 on 7 March 2014 (Figure1.7A below) showed that there were no significant clouds at the last civil radar point at 1722. (The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370) Richard Quest, CNN aviation correspondent, said: “Prompt action would have let us know the plane’s location. There were plenty of missed chances.”

Much attention has focused on Captain Zaharie Shah, with a number of theories asserting he was involved in the disappearance. But the report has analysed CCTV footage of the captain immediately before the flight, and compared it with corresponding footage for his three previous departures: “The gait, posture, facial expressions and mannerism were his normal characteristics.” It also says: “There were no significant changes in his life style, interpersonal conflict or family stresses.”

If the pilot was acting normally,then the plane was most probably hijacked.The phone call allegedly located and made from DG about a hijack and uniformed men aboard,the aircraft also seen flying low over the Maldives,is perhaps nearer the truth. This would've been possible only with the connivance of the Malaysian authorities who would've allowed the hijackers to get aboard the aircraft with weapons and eqpt. probably already stashed in the OH lockers above their seats/elsewhere. Which is why the Malaysian air farce were so slow to get their act together.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 09 Mar 2015 21:31

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/ ... ramthanga/

India begins to play official role in Myanmar peace process: Zoramthanga

As New Delhi begins to play an official role in peace talks between Naypyitaw and Myanmar’s ethnic rebel armies, the neighbouring country is gearing up to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May (which would be Modi’s second visit there in seven months), said peace envoy and former Mizoram CM Zoramthanga on Monday.

The former rebel leader and current supremo of the Mizo National Front, which waged a two decade insurgency for an independent country for ethnic Zos, also said New Delhi has agreed to facilitate visits by Myanmar’s rebel leaders to India to study the processes that led to the Mizo Accord of 1986, often hailed as one of the most successful peace deals between a government and an armed insurgency.

“I found that both sides really wanted to have peace but were unable to find a way towards it. In my view they are like an aged bachelor and spinster who really want to marry but just do not know how to set the ball rolling,” he had said earlier, stressing the two sides appeared not to know how to achieve lasting peace in spite of years of negotiations and often failed ceasefires.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 10 Mar 2015 17:32

http://www.thestar.com.my/Business/Busi ... ?style=biz

AirAsia expands connectivity to India, Indonesia with 3 new routes

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia today announced three new routes, namely, to Visakhapatnam in India, as well as, Pontianak and Medan in Indonesia.

In a statement here today, the low-cost airline said the thrice weekly Kuala Lumpur-Visakhapatnam direct flights would commence on May 7.

The Kuala LumpurPontianak and Johor BahruMedan flights would commence on March 27 with twice weekly flights.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 10 Mar 2015 17:34

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 515989.cms

LETPADAN, Myanmar: Myanmar police beat students with batons and detained some of them as they broke up a group of about 200 protesters who had been locked in a standoff with security forces for more than a week, a Reuters witness said.

The students were protesting an education bill they say stifles academic independence, and a group of them set out on foot from the central city of Mandalay more than a month ago in a symbolic protest. They made it as far as Letpadan, a town about 140 km (90 miles) north of Yangon, where police blockaded them behind vehicles and barriers made of wood and barbed wire.

Although the police initially said they would allow the students to continue their march on Tuesday, the agreement fell apart. Riot police moved into the protest site and used batons to beat students, monks who had join the protest and journalists, said the witness.

Police chased the students and monks into a Buddhist monastery where they had taken refuge, said the Reuters witness.

The witness saw police using the batons to smash the windows of a car belonging to a student and an ambulance where some protesters had taken shelter.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 10 Mar 2015 17:36

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuter ... Times.html

Vietnam has been expanding its rubber export markets to India and Japan, reducing its reliance on China where demand for the commodity has fallen, the Vietnam Economic Times newspaper reported, citing industry sources.

Revenue from rubber exports to India jumped 41 percent in January from a year earlier to $12.4 million, while top producer Vietnam Rubber Group has formed a venture with a Japanese firm to boost sales in the country, the report said. Rubber sales to China have dropped to nearly 50 percent of Vietnam's total exports in January-February from 90 percent in 2010.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 11 Mar 2015 15:18

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-pa ... 22-2067861

Noting that the India-ASEAN trade was well below potential, a top government official today said the regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) pact -- expected to conclude later this year -- will help boost trade to $200 billion by 2022.

"The FTA in goods has helped us but now we have signed the comprehensive FTA, which is going to conclude later on this year. Only three countries have ratified from ASEAN. We are waiting for the rest of the ratifications. We think it (conclusion of RCEP) might be towards October".

"Our aspiration is to take ASEAN-India trade to $200 billion by 2022, and the RCEP negotiations, which are currently underway will also contribute to this," Secretary East in the External Affairs Ministry Anil Wadhwa said.

The implementation of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Goods was signed in 2009.

The agreement has translated into a significant increase in bilateral trade, which has risen from under $44 billion in 2009-10 to over $74 billion in 2013-14.

"The negotiations for the RCEP would be completed by this year-end. The conclusion of these agreement will go a long way in boosting bilateral trade and investments, which is currently much below the potential," Deputy Secretary General, ASEAN Secretariat Dr AKP Mochtan said while addressing the Delhi Dialogue.

RCEP is a proposed comprehensive free trade pact among 10 ASEAN countries -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and six partners with which they have free trade agreements (FTAs), including Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

The pact seeks to include goods, services, investments, competition and intellectual property and is targeted to be concluded this year.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 11 Mar 2015 15:24

http://www.vancouverdesi.com/lifestyle/ ... ia/853830/

akarta, March 10 (IANS) — In a unique gesture, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi made by Indonesian artist Bambang Winaryo was unveiled on Tuesday at the House of Culture in West Sumatra province, which is associated with the House of Poetry dedicated to famous Indonesian poet Taufiq Ismail.

The statue was inaugurated by the Ambassador of India to Indonesia Gurjit Singh and Deputy Speaker of the house of representatives of Indonesia Fadli Zon, an official release said. Governor of West Sumatra Irwan Prayitno was also present on the occasion along with a large number of dignitaries.

The installation of the statute was an important part of ‘Sahabat India: The Festival of India in Indonesia’.

People of Indian origin who have been living in West Sumatra for generations have organised themselves into an association, Himpunan Kelurga Mohamedan, and the ambassador was welcomed to this community. They expressed their desire to engage with India.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 11 Mar 2015 15:28

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/mag ... 525209.cms

....hailand is a favourite destination for most ad-film makers for official reasons also. Even as the country gets tourists by the planeloads, quietly Thailand is also emerging as the Number One destination for the Indian advertising community.

....
Multiple reasons. Locations to begin with and their ease of availability . Not just the diversity of beaches, waterfalls and forests but even urban spaces -schools, malls, offices and houses. Says Vinil Mathew, director, Breathless Films "The country is like the supermarket of locations - there is so much variety available."

For Jerald Packiasamy of Still Waters Films, the top 3 things in the order of preference that work in favour of Thailand are, "production friendly atmosphere, great crew at a phenomenally competitive cost, and a lovely country with really good people." The Thai mastery in the technical and production related aspects adds the extra layer ramping up its competitive strength.

Visa on arrival for Indians makes it very easy for the ad-makers to fly in at short-notice as well, what with the time for execution getting shorter by the day in the advertising industry .

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 12 Mar 2015 15:19

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/mal ... 60328.html

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has lauded Indian Navy's search efforts to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that mysteriously disappeared over a year ago, saying it demonstrated close maritime ties between the two countries.

The Indian forces have been continuously in touch with the Malaysian Navy since the plane disappeared mid-air on March 8, 2014, and they fully rendered all possible help towards search and rescue operations, Royal Malaysian Navy assistant chief of staff operations and exercises, Rear- Admiral Mior Rosdi Mior Jaafar said at Port Klang near here.

"This is a testimony of the close maritime friendship we have between India and Malaysia over the years," he said after attending a dinner on board the Indian navy ship, 'INS Kesari' at the Port Klang Cruise Centre, last night.

Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia T S Tirumurti also attended the dinner.

'INS Kesari' is one of four Indian naval ships which docked at Port Klang on Tuesday for a four-day visit to Malaysia together with 'INS Tir', 'INS Varuna', and 'INS Sudarshini' as part of its overseas deployment training for 137 sea trainees in areas concerning seamanship, navigation and ship handling.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 12 Mar 2015 15:21

http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=10..120315.mar15

New Delhi, March 11 2015: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh remarked that the opening of the border trade pact in Moreh had begun to restore bilateral trade between Manipur and Myanmar.

Strategically situated in the eastern most corner of the country, Manipur is a natural corridor to Myanmar and to the rest of South East Asia.

He was speaking at the seventh edition of Delhi Dialogue hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and other select partners from India and ASEAN countries at Oberoi Hotel here today.

The overall theme of this year's edition was "ASEAN-Indian : Shaping the Post 2015 Agenda" .

The event was particularly significant from the point of view of the North Eastern States, given the potential to develop closer links between them and ASEAN countries in several sectors.

As such, Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had personally invited the Chief Ministers of the NE States.

Union Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj delivered the key note address at the inaugural session.

After the deliberation of the speeches of the ASEAN Cabinet Ministers, there was a panel discussion by ASEAN heads of delegations and North East Chief Ministers on 'Building Connectivity between India and ASEAN' and 'Future Direction on India-ASEAN Strategic Partnership' .

Manipur Chief Minister congratulated the Government of India and IDSA for the initiative in organizing this important event with an effort to develop the North Eastern Region of India.

He said, "It is important for us from the point of view of connectivity, employment generation, sustainable development, raising incomes, and promotion of varieties of enterprises in different sectors" .

He stated that the Act East Policy had begun to open the connectivity opportunities for the North Eastern States.

He hoped that the meeting would provide a further fillip in carrying forward the Act East Policy which is intended to improve the economic condition of the North East States.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 13 Mar 2015 16:14

http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/ind ... 60623.html

New Delhi: Amid territorial dispute in South China Sea, India on Thursday underlined the need for enhanced India- ASEAN cooperation for maritime security, freedom of navigation and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the international law.

Noting that there have been "unprecedented changes" in global dynamics, a top Indian diplomat said these underline the need for a stable and a peaceful regional environment, ASEAN's centrality in the evolving regional architecture and enhanced India-ASEAN cooperation.

Anil Wadhwa, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said this cooperation should be for maritime security, freedom of navigation and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the international law.

"Our collaboration should deepen in the realm of maritime security, humanitarian and disaster relief, anti-piracy and counter-terrorism," he said, addressing the Academic Session of the 7th Delhi dialogue at IDSA.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 14 Mar 2015 18:15

Vietnam-USA-Russia triangle.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/ ... 2320150313

Russia on Friday rejected U.S. concerns about its use of a former American base in Vietnam for the refueling of Russian bomber flights around U.S. territory in the Pacific, dismissing recent U.S. statements as "puzzling" and "strange".

Reuters reported on Wednesday that the United States had asked Vietnam to stop letting Russia use Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay for tanker aircraft that have refueled nuclear-capable bombers engaged in shows of strength over the Asia-Pacific region.

“It is strange to hear such statements from representatives of the state whose armed forces are permanently stationed in a number of Asia-Pacific countries and which continues to increase its level of military activity in the region," Russia's Defense Ministry said.

It said U.S. statements that the refueling of Russian bombers from Vietnam could lead to increased regional tensions was "puzzling."

The ministry said Russian Air Force activities and cooperation with Vietnam were "carried out in strict accordance with international norms and bilateral agreements are not directed against anyone whatsoever and shall not be a threat to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.”

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 15 Mar 2015 02:44

http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/mal ... 61686.html

Chennai: Malaysia is exploring the possibility of a new flight connectivity between Perak and Chennai, Chief Minister of Perak, Malaysia, Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir said on Saturday.

"There are areas some airports which can provide further connectivity between Chennai and Malaysia. And we are also trying to work out within that three hours of range (like Kuala Lumpur to Chennai). In the context of Perak, we are also looking into that opportunity," Kadir told PTI here, after chairing a meeting organised by CII.

"The Malaysian government is looking into that. But it will also take some time to materialise and after that we will announce. Yes it will be from Perak to Chennai," he added.

Earlier, addressing the members of CII, Kadir on his third visit to Chennai, said that Tamil Nadu was a major producer of automobile and Perak was also a hub for Proton type of cars.

"So, we have strategic interest here. Let us work together for the benefit of the two Nations," he said.

Kadir said: "Our visit for the past two days has been very fruitful, we had very healthy discussion, enquiries from the members of business community in Chennai and also at Tamil Nadu at large.

"Based on the interaction that we had with the business community, it will definitely grow the potential of having business between the two Nations and also to the State of Perak and State of Tamil Nadu."

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 15 Mar 2015 02:45

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/98105 ... -aac-naasp

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A special envoy of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, A. M. Fachir, visited India to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) and the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP).

Director for Asia-Pacific and African Intra-Regional Cooperation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Benyamin Carnadi said here on Saturday that President Widodo considered India as one of the strategic and primary countries of the region.

In addition, as India was one of the countries that supported the first AAC in 1955, Prime Minister Modis attendance will encourage the spirit of south-south cooperation.

"Moreover, India has shown vibrant economic growth and development of late," Carnadi remarked.

The special envoy to India, A. M. Fachir, who is also the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, was received by Indian Foreign Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on March 11.

According to a press statement, Fachir conveyed President Jokowis request for Prime Minister Modis attendance and his availability as one of the keynote speakers at the Asian-African Business Summit, one of AACs side events to be held in Jakarta on April 21.

President Widodo also requested that Modi deliver a speech on behalf Asian countries during the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the AAC in Bandung, West Java, on April 24.

Minister Swaraj noted that the Indian government welcomed the AAC and would convey the invitation to Prime Minister Modi soon after he returned from his visit to Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 16 Mar 2015 07:13

http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267 ... t-sea.html

The two sides agreed to continue implementing the common perceptions of high-ranking leaders from both countries and comply with the agreed basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea between Viet Nam and China to discuss co-operation for co-development. This was in accordance with international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.

China is pretending it will operate in consonance with the UNCLOS, when it has refused to be any part of, and refused to ratify the treaty in its politburo.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 16 Mar 2015 07:15

http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267 ... jects.html

Vietnam is playing a good game here. Working with Venezuela, China and Cuba simultaneously.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 16 Mar 2015 07:16

http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267 ... eader.html
Vietnam-Myanmar relations

The Myanmar official affirmed that his country—and Yangon in particular—is eager to strengthen the bilateral relations as well as those with the region and with Ho Chi Minh City, saying that the Vice President's visit will contribute to forging links in a number of fields.

He spoke of Viet Nam 's successful investment projects in Yangon and promised to facilitate Vietnamese business operations and the country's trade promotion activities.

For her part, the Vietnamese guest congratulated Yangon and its residents on their socio-economic development achievements while hailing the effective recent trade cooperation between HCM City and Yangon , with 120 million USD worth of commodities traded, or 25 percent of the total trade value.

She suggested municipal authorities create favourable conditions for Vietnam 's investment projects in the locality, including the construction of a shopping centre funded by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group.

Doan also expressed her hope that Yangon will continue to enhance trade and investment cooperation with HCM City and assist in the organisation of trade, service and tourism fairs in Yangon in May this year.

During her same-day meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Myanmar , the Vice President urged the diplomatic agency's officials and staff to enhance their efforts and asked overseas Vietnamese nationals to abide by the host country's laws and make active contributions to the country's development.

During her visit to Yangon, the Vice President also met with representatives of the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Myanmar (AVIM) and outstanding enterprises operating in the city before departing Myanmar for Sendai, Japan to attend the 3 rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 16 Mar 2015 07:28

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion ... 56070.html

At the Delhi Dialogue VII last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn was actively engaging India. He was the most senior Asean official to attend this year's dialogue, showing Thailand's strong support for India's "Act East Policy" and seizing the momentum so that Thailand and India can share "progress and prosperity truly meaningful for our peoples."
He also attended briefings on investment opportunities in India with the host's senior officials and pledged to promote investment and trade as well as strengthen overall bilateral relations.

In 1996, Thailand pronounced its first "Look West Policy" aiming at India and the rest of South Asia. A senior Thai diplomat said it was time for Thailand to adopt an "Act West Policy".

Last year, Thailand enjoyed a big trade surplus due to the early harvest scheme of 82 products agreed back in 2005, under the yet-to-be-signed free-trade agreement. Thai-made flat TV panels, air compressors and auto parts are the three biggest Thai exports to India.

Later this month, the Foreign Ministry and Chulalongkorn University's Centre for Indian Studies will invite four Indian ambassadors from recent years to visit as guests of the Thai government to highlight the importance of Thai-India relations and to discuss India's foreign policy under Modi.

Among the guests would be Anil Wadhwa, Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs, who recently served in Thailand.

In addition, Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser to Modi, is visiting Thailand early next month to discuss security and strategic cooperation with his Thai counterpart, the first of its kind. He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. The Prime Minister's Office is also planning an appropriate time for Prayut to visit India followed Modi's invitation in February.

On land connectivity, Thailand and India, as well as Myanmar, are pushing to complete the Trilateral Highway by next year that will link India's least accessible Northeast region to Southeast Asia. And of course, Asean's mainland members would be able to connect to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and the Chennai Bangalore Economic Corridor.

India hopes through this highway, more goods will be able to move faster and cheaper across borders to Myanmar and Thailand as well as its neighbours. At the moment, border trade between Northeast and Myanmar is small. For instance, at the Tamu-Moreh crossing between Manipur and Sagaing only three out of 32 designated customs stations are being put to good use, due to bureaucratic red tape. Border trading posts between Thailand and Myanmar are more efficient.

Linking shipping lanes between the Indian and Pacific Oceans through port infrastructure between Chennai (India) and Dawei (Myanmar) as well as Laem Chabang (Thailand) would strengthen regional production chains. Air traffic between major cities in both countries has increased nearly three-fold over the past two years. Last year, nearly one-million Indian tourists visited Thailand.

Beyond the connectivity, Thailand and India are working on a possible memorandum of understanding to upgrade and strengthen their defence and strategic cooperation - covering transnational crime, counter-terrorism, disaster management and humanitarian assistance, rule of law enforcement, maritime security and intelligent exchanges.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 16 Mar 2015 08:02

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeCo ... _Korea.htm

Vientiane will have a large-scale map to facilitate urban development thanks to the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK), which agreed to provide financial support for the project.

The Korean government has provided US$3.5 million for the project through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for digital topographic mapping and capacity building in Laos. The project started last year and will run until 2017.

South Korea aid to Laos to map urban topography. Notice how much more generous and less mercenary aid between asian countries compared to the scum sucking caucasian colonialists and their "aid" to asian countries.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 16 Mar 2015 08:04

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeCo ... tralia.htm

India could do a better job at clearing Unexploded Ordinance in Laos given their experience than the Australian bigots.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 16 Mar 2015 16:56

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150316/j ... QbIpcYbgoA

New Delhi, March 15: India's marquee infrastructure project in its near east has run into an unlikely speed bump: a tussle over which side of the road vehicles must drive on.

A Myanmar police convoy with arrested student protesters drives on the right side of the road. (AFP)

At the centre of the dispute is a 3,200km three-country highway connecting the nation through Myanmar to Thailand.

The foreign office in New Delhi is negotiating with its counterparts in the two countries to resolve the matter, officials said. The highway has already been delayed because of militancy in Myanmar.

Vehicles have to drive on the left side of the road in India and Thailand but on the right side in Myanmar, home to the longest stretch of the proposed highway. But what may appear merely a logistical challenge can be rooted deeply in national identities.

For instance, before last year's Scottish independence vote which they lost, the country's nationalists had promised a switch to an un-British drive-on-the-right rule if they won.

The three-nation or trilateral highway is a critical component of New Delhi's efforts to improve connectivity with its extended eastern neighbourhood, where the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) countries together represent India's fourth-largest trading partner.

Originally slated for completion by 2016, the deadline for the highway has been pushed back to 2017.

Seen from the Indian side, the highway will start from Moreh in Manipur, cross over into Myanmar at Tamu, and run down to Mandalay and the national capital of Nay Pyi Taw before curving east and entering Thailand at Mae Sot.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 17 Mar 2015 00:58

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/119641 ... f-sea-row/

MANILA, Philippines–India has assured the Philippines that it will promote the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea territorial and jurisdictional disputes after Manila called anew for the global community’s assistance in helping put a stop to China’s massive reclamation activities.

India has its own territorial issues with China.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said Foreign Undersecretary Evan Garcia had made the appeal to the global community at the 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-India Senior Officials’ Meeting in New Delhi, India, on Saturday.

The DFA said recent developments in the South China Sea were discussed in the meeting, where Indian Minister of External Affairs Anti Wadha thanked the Philippines for providing India with this information.

“Noting that an important dimension of the Asean-India strategic partnership is its increasing relevance to the political security of the region, Minister Wadha assured the Philippines that India will encourage the peaceful resolution of the dispute,” the DFA said in a statement.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 18 Mar 2015 03:30

http://www.indiagazette.com/index.php/sid/231156571

Indian IT bellwether Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said on Tuesday that it is expanding its operations in Singapore to deliver digital solutions to global banks

"We have opened a 1,000-seat centre to provide banking and financial services in Singapore to leading global banks operating in the Asia-Pacific region," it said in a statement.

Its chief executive N. Chandrasekaran unveiled the centre, which will be a subsidiary christened Singapore Banking and Financial Services.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 18 Mar 2015 15:02

http://www.ianslive.in/index.php?param= ... ATIONAL/13

Yangon, March 18 (IANS) Fighting continued in Myanmar's Kokang region as security forces shelled ethnic army bases near the region's capital of Laukkai.

During clashes in three separate places near Laukkai, three men from the Myanmar military were killed and four others were injured, Myawaddy News portal reported on Wednesday.

As the forces recaptured some strategic hills, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) had to retreat to the north and the northeast, Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, peace negotiators of the Myanmar government and the country's ethnic armed groups resumed a six-day peace talk in Yangon on Tuesday and agreed to seek political ways to reduce conflicts both in Kokang region and Kachin state.

The seventh round of peace talks would focus on eight remaining points out of 104 of the nationwide ceasefire accord.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 18 Mar 2015 15:13

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/03/1 ... OD20150318

Calls by Malaysia's Islamist opposition party for strict Islamic law that includes amputations and stonings is symptomatic of a drift to more conservative Islam in politics and could further strain relations in the multi-ethnic country.

The push by the Islamist Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) for the laws, known as hudud, also threatens to split a fragile opposition coalition that has been challenging the long-ruling Muslim party and its allies.

The disparate three-party opposition alliance that includes PAS won the popular vote for the first time in Malaysia's history in a 2013 election.

While the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and its partners still won the most seats, they are more determined than ever to hold on to power which they have enjoyed since independence in 1957.

In February, the opposition alliance's leader, Anwar Ibrahim, was jailed for five years on a sodomy charge he said was cooked up to finish him politically and foil the opposition challenge.

Any lingering hope the alliance could hold together without Anwar looks doomed with the PAS bent on implementing hudud law in Kelantan state, which it controls.

Anwar's People's Justice Party and the allied ethnic-Chinese Democratic Action Party (DAP) have rejected the hudud proposal and warned that it could mean the end of their Pakatan Rakyat alliance.

"Pakatan would be pushed to a breaking point," DAP leader Lim Kit Siang told Reuters on Tuesday.

Most states in Malaysia implement sharia, the Islamic legal system, but its reach is restricted by federal law.

Hudud stipulates ancient religious punishments for Muslims who violate the law.

"Hudud is a part of the religion. As Muslims, when we are given the mandate as government, it is our responsibility to carry out these laws," said senior PAS leader Nik Amar Abdullah, who is also Kelantan's deputy chief minister.

PAS tabled amendments to introduce hudud in the Kelantan assembly on Wednesday. Media said the amendments stipulated punishments such as impalement and crucifixion for various crimes, and the execution of apostates.

Anxious to be seen just as pious as its opponents, UMNO has not opposed the push for hudud.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 19 Mar 2015 07:49

Growing political crisis in Malaysia?
http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2015/03/18/gr ... -malaysia/

As more and more information has leaked out about the 1MDB fund and it alleged problems, the state fund’s management has been challenged even more by opposition politicians, investors, journalists, and some in the ruling coalition. Malaysia’s Auditor General’s office has begun a probe into the 1MDB fund.

member_27845 · Post by **member_27845** » 19 Mar 2015 08:14

Lee Kuan Yew in critical condition - a true statesman , one who never bothered about being politically correct

He never shied away from taking tough decisions as long as hew convinced it was for the good of the people

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/17/asia/ ... -kuan-yew/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/sin ... story.html

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 19 Mar 2015 18:13

http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/ind ... 64281.html

India and Malaysia have reviewed their bilateral relations in many aspects, including their political and defence ties.

Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) Anil Wadhwa, who is currently on a three-day official visit of Malaysia, met the Deputy Foreign Minister of the federal constitutional monarchy, Dato` Hamzah Zainudin, with the two dignitaries reviewing the forthcoming Joint Commission Meeting, political and defence relations, health and education, and so on.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 20 Mar 2015 17:33

Not strategic, but to learn more about Malaysia.
http://www.nyoooz.com/vadodara/71970/ma ... n-vadodara

VADODARA: Ash — the solid remains of fire — has inspired a budding artist to create artworks from it. Kenli Tang Tze Lye, a native of Malaysia, who is currently studying at MS University`s Faculty of Fine Arts, recently displayed his artworks which he made using ash. Kenli has created paintings, posters and art installations using ash of leaves and tree barks to portray a range of expressions.

"The artworks display my personal connection with ash. There is a lot of similarity between the way ash is used in India and in Malaysia. It is a revered component during cremation rites in Malaysia just like in India.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 20 Mar 2015 21:43

http://www.newkerala.com/news/2015/fullnews-33971.html

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday urged the Southeast Asian nations to scale up their efforts to find, treat and cure the undetected cases of tuberculosis in the region.
As per the WHO currently one million cases of tuberculosis go undetected and untreated every year in the region.

"The southeastern region is making progress in the fight against TB, but to win the battle we need to improve access to treatment and care for the disease. Social, economic and behavioral factors to reach each of the missing TB affected persons have to be addressed," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO's regional Director for the southeast Asian region.

She said that though the access to TB care has expanded substantially since the year 2000 with 88 percent treatment success rates, however the scale of the disease in the region is alarming.

"The region still accounts for 38 percent of the global TB cases. India alone accounts for 26 percent of the TB burden of the region. An estimated 4,50,000 people died of TB in the region in 2013, with most deaths reported from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand," she said.

Stating that concerted action was needed to reach the undetected cases, Khetrapal said that the cases were being missed mainly due to under-reporting from the public and private sectors, social stigma and lack of access to services.

"TB services - screening, testing and care - need to be expanded with a primary health care approach to ensure equitable access. Public-private collaborations should be enhanced for increased case notification. Community-based TB services that have demonstrated cost-effectiveness, higher utilization and better outcomes, should be further strengthened," she said.

"Between 2015 and 2035, global targets are to reduce TB deaths by 95 percent, cut new cases by 90 percent and to ensure that no family is burdened with catastrophic expenses due to TB," she said.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 21 Mar 2015 02:22

This page was taken down, but it is interesting:
"www.charismanews.com/world/48848-watch- ... -to-christ"

48848-watch-indonesian-muslims-make-marketing-push-as-2-million-islam-followers-a-year-turn-to-christ

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 21 Mar 2015 16:17

http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/26920/vi ... india-data

India has become the top car exporter top Vietnam in the first two months of this year, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the total, according to customs data.

Vietnam spent US$320 million on importing 15,099 complete cars in the two-month period, a 146 percent increase in volume, and 173 percent rise in value compared to a year earlier, the Vietnam Customs said in a report released earlier this week.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 23 Mar 2015 11:14

Lee Kuan Yew dies at 91. A visionary who transformed a country .

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Mar 2015 12:12

An Asian giant,who converted a sleepy ,sleazy Singapore into a wealthy,successful modern city-state,much like a Venetian Doge of yesteryear.Not just SPore,but the entire region owes a debt to him for SPore saw itself as a rival to Hong Kong for eco supremacy,plus stability. SPore's stability saw the other states in the region also flourish and the formation and prosperity of the ASEAN states owes a lot to him. The big Q is whether the new younger leadership of SPore will have the same trust from the population as LKY did.He was the supreme ruler to whom almost everyone kowtowed to ,SPore's "fuhrer".The demand for loosening up the restrictive SPorean laws and allowing more openness is sure to start.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 23 Mar 2015 16:52

http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/26943/bu ... businesses

Organized by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the forum provided a good opportunity for the business circles of both countries to further their partnership.

...

Vietnam has achieved an average growth rate of 6.7 percent annually during the past 28 years, 1.36 times higher than that of other newly-emerged and developing countries, and 2.8 times the rate in developed economies, VFF President Nhan said.

He added that India has become one of the 10 largest trade partners of Vietnam, with two-way trade reaching US$5.6 billion last year, 77 times higher than the $72.1 million mark in 1995.
...
...
In 2013, India had 77 projects worth $254 million in Vietnam, while the Southeast Asian country invested $24 million in projects in the South Asian nation, they said.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 24 Mar 2015 00:56

Act East policy: Centre finalising mechanism to invest in CMLV countries

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/eco ... yndication

Taking forward its ‘Act East’ policy, the BJP government is finalising the mechanism for setting up special purpose vehicles by Export Import Bank of India and private companies to invest in manufacturing hubs in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam (CMLV). “We are hoping to roll out the mechanism in the next three-four months,” Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher told reporters on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi on Monday.

The bigger idea behind investing in CMLV countries is not only to tap these markets but also larger markets like the US with which the group has entered into trade pacts such as the TPP, the secretary said.

The mechanism, which will operate through the SPV, will have a project development facility that will be funded by the government. The project development facility will invest in a country in hubs such as special economic zones (SEZs). “It will invest in the SEZ, develop it and then allocate it to business entities in India against payment,” Kher explained.

He said that the government was making investments to begin with as the private sector was not confident about taking the first step. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in his budget speech that the government will help in setting up manufacturing hubs in CMLV "The 'Act East' policy of the government of India endeavours to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations in Southeast Asia. A project development company through separate special purpose vehicles will set up manufacturing hubs in CMLV," Jaitley had said.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 24 Mar 2015 04:46

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/side ... bie-ym-loh

Malaysia’s undisputed third member, those of Indian origin and ancestry, make up 7.1% of our total population.

That said, their presence in a PPR or low-cost public housing is typically disproportionately high, weighing in between 20% and 30% or higher, of total flat dwellers. Such trends are common in some PPR or low-cost public housing in the Klang Valley.

Recent statistics provided by Ravindran Devagunam (Pemandu) and recorded in Malaysian Issues & Concerns: Some Policy Responses (2013) show staggering figures: the ethnic Indian share of Bursa Malaysia capital stands at a negligible 1.1%; 90% of Indians earn below RM3,000; and “contribute” 30.6% of crime and 70% of violent crime.

The UNDP Malaysia Human Development Report 2014 shows that intra-ethnic inequality is highest for the Indian ethnic grouping, higher than the national Gini. An expose in Al-Jazeera in mid-2014 showed how gangsterism was rampant among Malaysian Indian youths, resulting from social exclusion and systemic corruption.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 24 Mar 2015 17:42

http://www.todayonline.com/rememberingl ... te-funeral

NEW DELHI — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the state funeral of Singapore’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, India’s External Affairs Ministry said today (March 24).

After coming to power in May last year, Mr Modi has made India’s relations with East Asian countries a foreign policy priority and bolstered ties with Singapore through cooperation in urban planning and industrial policies.

Mr Lee, who ruled the city-state for three decades, died yesterday (March 23) at age 91.

Singapore is observing seven days of national mourning ahead of the funeral on Sunday.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 24 Mar 2015 18:21

A few from Roger Cohen of the NYT
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/opini ... n-yew.html
"Can-Do Lee Kuan Yew"

The measure of that achievement is that the ingredients of disaster abounded in Singapore, a country that is “not supposed to exist and cannot exist,” as Lee said in a 2007 interview with The New York Times. “We don’t have the ingredients of a nation,” he noted, “the elementary factors: a homogeneous population, common language, common culture and common destiny.” Instead, it had a combustible ethnic and religious hodgepodge of Chinese, Malays and Indians gathered in a city-state of no natural resources.

Yet Lee made it work, where many nations with far more of those attributes of nationhood — Argentina prominent among them — failed, and where, from the Balkans to the Middle East, sectarian differences have proved insurmountable and often the catalyst of war and national unraveling.
Roger Cohen

The fact that the elements for cataclysm exist does not mean that cataclysm is inevitable. Lee demonstrated this in an age where the general cacophony, and the need to manage and spin every political minute, makes statesmanship ever more elusive. The determining factor is leadership. What defines leadership above all is conviction, discipline in the pursuit of a goal, adaptability in the interest of the general good, and far-sightedness.

A dig at Israel?

Lee’s only religion was pragmatism, of which religion (as generally understood) is the enemy, because, to some adherents, it offers revealed truths that are fact-resistant. Any ideology that abhors facts is problematic. (If you believe land is yours because it was deeded to you in the Bible, for example, but other people live there and have for centuries, you have an issue pregnant with violence.)

My wish for Hindoos, too

Lee had one basic yardstick for policy: Does it work? It was the criterion of a forward-looking man for whom history was instructive but not imprisoning. He abhorred victimhood (an excuse for sloppy thinking and nationalist delusion) and corruption. He prized opportunity, meritocracy, the work ethic of the immigrant and education.

The Republicans with their harsh stance on immigration may not let the following survive:

Lee made one other big Asian contribution: He valued American power, believed in its stabilizing regional influence. He was not an American declinist, once telling the political scientist Joseph Nye that China could draw on a talent pool of 1.3 billion people, but the United States could draw on the world’s seven billion people and recombine them in a diverse culture that exudes creativity in a way that ethnic Han nationalism cannot.