Asia News Agency (ANA) is the original and only diplomatic news consultancy in India and South Asia. It has been serving the India based diplomatic community since 1972 through its editorial services. Among its clients are Ambassadors and High Commissioners of almost all embassies and international organisations based in India.
News behind the News (NbN) is a weekly journal published by Asia News Agency. It is structured to suit the needs of the India based diplomatic community. It analyses week after week, key issues and developments talking place in respect of India’s polity, foreign policy, defence and economy.
Special Studies are prepared by Asia News Agency in partnership with Society for Policy Studies (SPS). These are in the nature of in-depth analytical backgrounders / desk reviews on topics of current interest to its clients.
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INDIA - CHINA DYNAMICS IN SOUTH ASIA, ASIA-PACIFIC AND INDIAN OCEAN
China’s moves to increase its footprint in India’s neighbourhood appears to be facing an interesting scruti-ny in Afghanistan and Nepal. The study explains how.
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ECONOMY RECOVERING, BUT CHALLENGES AHEAD
As per the latest World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report, India is expected to grow at 5.4% in fiscal year 2021/22 and 5.2% in fiscal 2022/23 after an expected contraction of 9.6% in fiscal 2020/21.
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“MUTUAL CONSENSUS” ON MINOR DEMANDS: STALEMATE ON MAJOR DEMANDS
After weeks of stalemate, there are signs of a thaw in talks between the government and farmer unions. In talks on 30 December, there was “mutual consensus” on two issues, not linked to the main demands. Analysts believe while the concessions may not be seen as substantive by farmers, there has been some progress.
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A TWO-FRONT CHALLENGE FROM CHINA-PAKISTAN
Indian traditional military thinking has changed and it now realises the real threat of a two front war.
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INDIA - NEPAL: CHINA INTERVENES WHILE INDIA STAYS OUT OF NEPAL’S INTERNAL AFFAIRS
There have been tectonic shifts in the approaches of India and China towards Nepal. Simultaneously, there have been major shifts in Nepal. The study examines these shifts; the relevance of the anti-India card in future; a possible waning of China’s influence; India in danger of becoming a side-show; the role of US and the manner in which India should leverage its assets.
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FARMER PROTESTS: BUILD UP FOR FURTHER TALKS - CRITICAL ISSUES
Talks are to resume again even as the government and farmer unions remain firm on their demands. In a virtual interaction with farmers Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again targeted the Opposition for “pushing a political agenda” by “spreading myths and lies” over the new farm laws.
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INDIA - CHINA: COUNTERING CHINA’S MILITARY AND POLITICAL OBJECTIVE
India and China on 18 December, resumed diplomatic talks under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs. In the virtual meeting, both sides agreed to continue work towards ensuring complete disengagement of troops in all friction points along the LAC in eastern at the “earliest”.
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FARMERS AND GOVERNMENT, BOTH FIRM
Protesting farmer and the government, both have hardened their respective stances on the contentious farm laws. While farmers are firm that the three laws be repealed, the government has stayed firm even as it has never stopped to explain their benefits.
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FARMERS REMAIN ADAMANT; IGNORE GOVERNMENT OVERTURES
Even as the Bharat Bandh (All India strike) on 8 December evoked a mixed response, leaders of the ‘Samyukta Kisan Morcha’ (Unified Farmer Forum), an umbrella body representing several farmers unions, unanimously rejected the amendments offered in writing by the government to the three contentious farm laws, calling them “insincere”. Meanwhile 15 Opposition extended support to farmers.
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INDIA - CHINA: EXAMINING THE ‘WATER WARS’ SCENARIO
Even as stalemate on the borer continues, Chinese media has upped the ante announcing that the country could build up to 60 GW of hydropower capacity on a section of the Brahmaputra, known in China as Yarlung Tsangpo.
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ECONOMY IS STUCK IN A ‘QUAGMIRE’: QUESTIONS ON DATA
Data released by the National Statistical Office, shows the GDP for the second quarter (July-September) of 2020-21 declining by “only” 7.5 per cent compared to the second quarter of the previous year.
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FARMER PROTESTS: NO BREAKTHROUGH AS GOVERNMENT SOFTENS STANCE
With no breakthrough in talks with 40 farmer unions on the three farm laws, the government is consider-ing an option to convene a special Parliament session. The government has adopted a conciliatory stance that is influenced by ground reports about deep resentment among farmers in Punjab, particularly in the Malwa region that borders both Haryana and Rajasthan.
