Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna has been instrumental in inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the joint session of US Congress on June 22, 2023. This came as a surprise to many of his constituents who voted for him after he declared in 2019: “It’s the duty of every American politician of Hindu faith to stand for pluralism, reject Hindutva, and speak for equal rights for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist & Christians.”
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| L to R: Narendra Modi, JOe Biden, Ro Khanna |
What caused this change of heart? Is it the donation of $110,000 to his campaign by Hindu Nationalist donors in the United States, as reported by The Nation? Fellow Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has also supported Modi's invitation. She will be among members of Congress who will escort Modi to the podium. Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal are both supposedly "liberal" Democrats.
While Khanna says that he “strongly opposes any form of caste discrimination”, he has not endorsed California SB 403, a bill sponsored by Senator Aisha Wahab and supported by Dalit activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan, that outlaws caste discrimination in the state.
Modi’s US visit comes at a time of rising state persecution of religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians. Modi's BJP-affiliated politicians have called for genocide against Indian Muslims, attacked mosques and churches, and demolished homes, according to The Nation. The Biden administration has been silent on these issues, choosing instead to try and strengthen the US-India relationship and deepen the ties between the countries’ military and technology sectors. For the last four years, the Biden Administration has ignored the USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedom) recommendation to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” and impose strategic sanctions on Indian government officials and agencies involved in religious freedom violations.
On the eve of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Washington, the USCIRF has urged President Biden to discuss with him its concerns about the lack of religious freedom in India. “With India’s upcoming state visit, the Biden administration has a unique opportunity to explicitly incorporate religious freedom concerns into the two countries’ bilateral relationship,” said USCIRF Commissioner David Curry. “It is vital the U.S. government acknowledge the Indian government’s perpetration and toleration of particularly severe violations of religious freedom against its own population and urge the government to uphold its human rights obligations.”
Instead of condemning India for allowing the oppression of minorities and denying media freedom, US officials have applauded the Modi government. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has described Modi as “unbelievable, visionary” and “the most popular world leader.” Donald Lu, the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, has praised press freedom in India: “You have India as a democracy in part because you have a free press that really works.” This is in sharp contrast with the findings of the media watchdog Reporters Without Borders 2023 World Press Freedom Index, which has ranked India 161, out of 180 countries due to its crackdown on the press. India's neighbor Pakistan ranks 150, 11 places above India, on this Index.
Khanna's recent about-face is seen as a betrayal by many of his constituents who supported him because of his rejection of Hindutva. South Asian social justice activists Anu Mandavilli, Deepa Iyer, Karthikeyan Shanmughan and others have strongly criticized Khanna.
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
South Asia Investor Review
Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto Lashes Out at India's Jaishankar
Ro Khanna Rejects Hindutva
India-Pakistan Nuclear Arms Race
Kashmir: 700,000 Indian Soldiers vs 7 Million Kashmiris
US Brackets India's Modi With Murderous Dictators Aristide, Kabila, Mugabe and MBS
Hateful Hindutva Ideology Infects Indian Hindu Diaspora
Caste Discrimination Rampant Among Silicon Valley Indians
Total, Extended Lockdown in Indian Occupied Kashmir
What is India Hiding From the UN Human Rights Team?
Indian JNU Professor on Illegal Indian Occupation of Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland
Riaz Haq Youtube Channel
Riaz Haq's YouTube Channel
24 comments:
Secretary Gina Raimondo has described Modi as “unbelievable, visionary” and “the most popular world leader.”
FOR AMERICANS SAFFRON = GREEN = USD !
THAT IS ALL THAT COUNTS ! THE CORNEA CAPTURES THE USD AND TRANSMITS IT TO THE BRAIN !
CHAIWALA IS UNBELIEVABLE AND A VISONARY ?
Donald Lu, the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, has praised press freedom in India: “You have India as a democracy in part because you have a free press that really works.”
THIS FOOL - SAYS "IN PART" ! WHAT IS THE OTHER PART ? CHAIWALA ?
FREE PRESS ? IN HINDOOSTHAN ?
ANOTHER DUMB AMERICAN SAID THAT PAHADI PANDOO AJIT DOVAL IS AN "INTERNATIONAL TREASURE". THAT AMERICAN FOOL IS IN INDIA ! THE US AMBASSADOR TO INDIA
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/doval-an-international-treasure-us-envoy/articleshow/100977519.cms
IT IS THESE FOOLS WHO SANK THE US IN 9/11 !
OR IS IT OSMOSIS ? U LIVE WITH MONGRELS ,U BECOME A MONGREL !
OR IT IS LIES - WHICH THE AMERICANS HAVE MASTERED,AND HINDOOS ARE SUCKERS FOR BELIEVING SUCH LIES !
EITHER WHICH WAY - SOME DISASTER WILL STRIKE THE USA,IN THE NEXT 3 MONTHS ! dindooohndoo
WHEN I HEAR A INDIAN SCUM AND THAT TOO A HINDOO TALK OF "HUMAN RIGHTS",IT IS TIME TO PUKE
THIS MAN HAS HIS LINEAGE FROM SARGODHA,AND HIS ANCESTORS,FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE,WITH LAJPAT RAI
EVEN AT THAT TIME,IT WAS HINDOO WEASEALS COAGULATING AROUND AN ANTI-BRITISH AGENDA. NO BRAVERY IN THAT
HINDOOS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SERVILE SLAVES FO4 5000 YEARS
THE FACT THAT THEY ARE STILL HINDOOS,AND HAVE NOT QUESTIONED THEIR FAITH,FOR 5000 YEARS - PROVES THAT THEY ARE TUNED,TO BE SERVILE SLAVES !
A SLAVE IS ALWAYS A COWARD,AND THAT IS Y HINDOODTHAN WAS PILLAGED FOR 2000 YEARS.
ONLY MONKEYS PRAY TO MONKEYS !
THE "HINDOOS" WHO OPPOSED CHAIWALA IN US- ARE WITH DUBIOUS IDEOLOGICAL BASIS.TO SAY THAT ONE IS A "HINDOO" OUT OF CONVICTION,IS PROOF THAT THE PERSON IS A "CREATURE", WITH NO SENTIENCE.THEIR OPPOSITION MEANS NOTHING !
ASK A HINDOO WORM 3 QUESTIONS
WHAT CAUSE OR IDEOLOGY OR PHILOSOPHY OR WAY OF LIFE CAN THEY DIE FOR (SORT OF LIKE JESUS)
WHAT CAUSE OR IDEOLOGY OR PHILOSOPHY OR WAY OF LIFE CAN THEY KILL FOR (BESIDES NATION, RELIGION AND FAMILY)
WHY ARE THEY STILL HINDOO ?
A MONKEY WHO PRAYS TO A MONKEY FOR 100 YEARS,WILL DIE WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE,IF HE GETS A BANANA EVERY DAY AND SO DOES HIS FAMILY.DOES THE MONKEY GET SALVATION OR TRUTH ? DOES THE MONKEY WANT SALIVTION OR TRUTH OR THE MEANING OF THESE WORDS ? MONKEY WANTS SALLIVATION !
THE ANSWER IS NEIN !
LIFE PASSES THE MONKEY FOR 100 YEARS,W/O HIS CRANIUM PONDERING OVER THESE ISSUES
MONKEY WANT BANANA !
THE GITA PROVES THAT HNDOOS ARE "CREATURES" AND A HINDOO WHO TALKS OF "HUMAN RIGHTS",NEEDS TO READ THIS
BHAGWAD GITA
CHAPTER 18 VERSE 17
मूल श्लोकः
अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम्।
विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम्।।18.14।।
18.17 He who has not the “feeling of egoism”, whose intellect is not tainted, he does not kill, nor does he become bound-“even by killing these creatures” !
SO MANGAL PANDEY WAS A DRUNKEN IMPOTENT LOUT WHOSE GROUSE WAS BEEF TALLOW - NO BRAVERY HERE ! HE WAS A VERMIN PANDEY BRAHMIN SCUM WHO SPENT ALL HIS LIFE IN BROTHELS AND CHEAP LIQUOR
BHAGAT SINGH REVILED HINDOOISM AND ITS SATANIC MORE AND TRADITIONS, BUT HE VENTED HIS HATE ON THE BRITS (BY DEFAULT OR BY DESIGN) - AS HE DID NOT DO WAHT JESUS DID - TARGET THE PHARISEES ! BHAGAT SINGH TARGETTED CAESAR ! THE BRIT JAILOR SAW HIS TALENT - BUT BHAGAT SINGH BEING THE FOOL THAT HINDOO COWARDS ARE - DID NOT DEFLECT HIS BARREL ONTO HINDOOISM AND HINDOO ELITE ! HE DID NOT HAVE THE "VISION,FORESIGHT AND INTUITION" TO SEE THE HATE OF HINDOOS FOR SIKHS (JUST LIKE HARI SINGH NALWA,BANDA BAHADUR,GOBIND SINGH AND TEGH BAHADUR) !
DAYANAND SARAWATI SAW A RAT ON SHIVA IDOL WHO SHAT ON THE IDOL - AFTER EATING THE OFFERINGS !
DAYANAND WAS SHOCKED !
HIS 2 YEAR OLD SISTER DIED IN HIS HANDS ! THE FOOL PRAYED TO SATANIC SHIVA ! THEN DATANAND AWOKE ! AND BROKE THE IDOLS OF SHIVA THE VERMIN ! NOTE THAT DAYANAND DID NOT "EVOLVE" HIS THOUGHT LIKE KANT,HUME,SPINOZA,PLATO,ARISTOTLE,HEGEL............. HE WAS SHOCKED AND JOLTED INTO ACTION ! SO HE COULD HAVE BEEN WRONG
SAME WAY THE WRITINGS OF GOBIND SINGH AND TEGH BAHADUR WERE INDUCED BY ANTI- MUGHAL DNA ! ONLY NANAK HAD PURITY OF THOUGHT AS IT WAS PURE PHILOSOPPHICAL EVOLUTION,W.O ANY HATE IN THE BACKGROUND
2.5 BILLION HINDOOS OVER 5000 YEARS ARE FOLLOWING THE SAME BUNK AND CULTURE !
THAT IS MASS HYPNOTIC DEMENTIA !
A HINDOO CANNOT HAVE COURAGE,VISION OR ANY IDEOLOGICAL OR PHILOSOPHICAL RIGOR - AS THE BACKGRUND MUSIC = HINDOOISM !
RO KHANNA = HINDOO - DUD - COWARD = WEASEL ! ANY DONKEY CAN BE A IIT GOLD MEDALLIST AND MAKE ENERGY,FROM DOG SHIT ! BUT SO WHAT ? IS THAT THE PURPOSE OF LIFE ?
QED
END OF STORY !
HINDOOS ARE LIKE COW DUNG - CAN BE MOULDED INTO ANY SHAPE OR SIZE, TO BE EATEN OR USED AS BIO FUEL !
These 3 Stupid fools are all “ Snakes that Speak with Forked Tongues “………They will Talk & Speak something One day to Some People and then Turn around 180 degrees the next day and Lie to another group of People !!!!
I am now watching these Liars Modi & Sleepy Dementia Joe lying thru their teeth to the whole World when asked a simple question by a reporter : " You both claim to be Democracies but Why have You both not criticized & expressed outrage at the Treatment,
Suppression & Freedom of Minorities ( Muslims , Christians , Sikhs & Bhuddists ) in India by Modi & his BJP party “ ???………Both these criminals DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION TO THE POINT……instead they beat around the bush and in typical
Politician responses Said that they were both the Worlds biggest democracies & believed in freedom for all…….Blah , Blah , Blah !!!………..That my good Friends WAS NOT THE QUESTION ASKED OF THEM ???
India has been in bed with Russia ever since independence in 1947 , they are now buying hundreds of Millions of Barrels of Cheap Russian Oil & Gas & Bypassing USA & NATO Sanctions , India is still using 70% of their Coal Resources for electricity Generation
and Polluting the Globe…….Yet Modi Just Lied in his interview and said he was one of the biggest Champions of " Climate Change " for India ? REALLY ???……….Thats what we call " Snakes Speaking with Forked Tongues “ & Khanna is not an exception
either ……..
India has always depended on Russia for all their War Planes , Arms & Ammunition ( and still are today )……..BUT here is Modi today wanting to buy 3 Billion $$ worth of “ Advanced Military Drones " from the USA ?……..Which they will use to their advantage if
any conflict Or Wars break out with Pakistan ???…………The USA should refuse to give them Any Military Support or Hardware -
The Above Statements made are “ The Truth , The Whole Truth & Nothing but the Truth "………so nobody should be afraid to State them as such ?
Great and timely piece, Riaz Sahib.
Ro Khanna has been a big disappointment. I was a big fan of him too. In the end all the politicians are in self preservation mode and their political survival takes precedence over principles.
AI in Pakistani courts of law | International Bar Association
https://www.ibanet.org/AI-in-Pakistani-courts-of-law
Abstract
A judge in a Pakistani court recently employed GPT-4, Open AI’s most advanced chatbot, to help render a judgment in a case. This decision sparked widespread debate regarding AI’s capabilities and the possibility of it replacing legal professionals, including judges. This article explores each aspect of the debate, as well as discussing the potential shortcomings and detriments of AI in a court of law.
The judgment
The case of Muhammad Iqbal v Zayad in the Sessions Court in Phalia, Punjab was a civil suit brought by the plaintiffs over a petrol-pump property dispute. Judge Amir Munir dismissed their appeal for an injunction. The court used GPT-4 to formulate the decision based on existing laws, finding that the chatbot’s suggestions were consistent with Pakistani law, specifically the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. The judgment includes an explanation of how AI is shaping the future of legal decision-making, citing countries such as the UAE and China which have already used AI in courtrooms. It further reinforces the fact that the chatbot provides a logical explanation of relevant laws and procedures and states that the difference between GPT-4’s and the judge’s answers is ‘only in form and not in substance’. A point to note is that the use of GPT-4 did not influence the judgment and was only a test to explore the use of technology in deciding cases and reducing the burden on courts.
AI’s capabilities, shortcomings, and its role in courts
First and foremost, the information cut-off date for ChatGPT is September 2021 which makes it an unreliable legal assistant as it cannot advise on any laws or amendments preceding the cut-off date.
A more pressing issue is that of Open AI’s political compass. The software is essentially trained by human feedback, which results in it inheriting human-like qualities, specifically the general political biases of its users. While this could be a useful quality for content-writing, there is no place for a political bias in a court of law. Researcher David Rozado gave GPT-4 four political orientation tests, all of which came out as ‘broadly progressive’. Although ‘OpenAI is trying to make their latest GPT model more politically neutral’, Rozado notes, ‘this is a very hard problem to solve’ because much of the training material is itself biased. While AI made available to the public is in its nascent stages of development, it will require strict centric political moderation in the future if it is to be properly used in a court of law.
Unclear standards of accountability are another shortcoming of the use of AI in courts. If a case were to be misjudged based on the AI chatbot’s recommendations, it is unclear on whom the liability will fall: the judge who relied on the AI, the AI system, or the developers?
Lastly, there is currently no statutory framework regarding the use of AI in courts in Pakistan or any other country for that matter. AI cannot be completely integrated in courts unless it is heavily regulated by the law, providing limits and liability procedures.
In Australia, however, a decision from the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2016, McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd v Santam Ltd & Ors (No 1), required the review of a large number of documents which would require over 23,000 hours of manual review. The judge ordered the use of Technology Assisted Review (TAR) and stated that a seemingly impossible manual review would undermine the Code of Civil Procedure. Evidently, AI can be used to perform simple but time-consuming tasks involving legal expertise but it is not capable of formulating a judgement that takes into account not just the law but societal implications, human emotions and nuances.
RO OR PO OR TOE KHANNA CAN LEARN FROM BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
“If the (US) President meets with Prime Minister Modi, then the protection of the Muslim minority in a Hindu majority India is worth mentioning. If I had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, who I know well, part of my argument would be that if you don't protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, there is a strong possibility that India would at some point start pulling apart,” Obama had said.
FINALLY THE FOLLOWER OF MALCOLM X AND FARRAKHAN HAS AWOKEN !
IF A MUSLIM CANNOT SPEAK THE TRUTH AGAINST A TYRANT - THEN THAT IS DUBIOUS THEOLOGICAL FAITH !
THERE IS RO AND THERE IS BO(BARACK OBAMA) !
STILL BO CALLS CHAIWALA HIS FRIEND !
AND THIS THE PROBLEM WITH THE AMERICANS !
VERY VERY SHALLOW JUDGMENT OF OTHER RACES,ON MATTERS OF CHARACTER,INTEGRITY,MORALS AND ETHICS !
BUT EXCEPTIONAL JUDGMENT OF OTHER RACES ON THEIR WEAKNESSES AND THEIR INTELLECT (LACK THEREOF, TO BE PRECISE).
Modi's Gaffes in US Congress
In a humorous scene during PM Modi's address to the US Congress, the Indian prime minister made a faux pas by switching the word 'Investing' with 'Investigating'. During his speech, PM Modi said, "I believe that investigating in a girl child lifts up entire family," instead he was supposed to say "Investing in a girl child lifts up entire family." Modi was seen trying to read out his speech from a teleprompter.
Congress Sevadal, grassroots frontal organisation of Indian National Congress took it to their Twitter and took a jibe at PM Modi's slip of tongue and shared the video with a humourous caption. Higlighting PM Modi's earlier blunders during his speech, Congress Sevadal captioned the post as, "After reading Mrs. from teleprompter MRS and explaining extra 2ab in a plus b whole square formula, here comes 'INVESTIGATING' in a girl child..!"
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/investigating-in-a-girl-child-congress-takes-a-jibe-at-pm-modis-slip-of-tongue-incident-during-his-speech
---------------------
Prashant Bhushan
@pbhushan1
He should have stuck to Hindi. You can be a Viswaguru, yet refrain from showing off your English. Reading English from a teleprompter can also be difficult for an MA in 'Entire political science'
https://twitter.com/pbhushan1/status/1672214888792621058?s=20
---------------
Ashok Swain
@ashoswai
This guy can’t even read from teleprompters but claims that he has a Master in Entire Political Science!
https://twitter.com/ashoswai/status/1672182808574406657?s=20
----------------
Netta D'Souza
@dnetta
Modi ji —
▪️We must 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 in our girl child never 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞 her
▪️Hope we have laid nearly 400,000 miles of 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 fiber and not 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 fiber
▪️Hope we have a 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 with the United States and not 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢.
https://twitter.com/dnetta/status/1672188884074233857?s=20
@Riaz
Trolling Modi is a waste of time and counterproductive. Once he is back in his village in North India with Man Ki Bath program, he is going to claim that these mistakes make him a villager and humble and anti-nationals are trying to berate him. In India, left and liberals/Muslims have been trying to point out his mistakes for last 10 years with no use. He is a cunning politician and sometimes you have to accept some merit -- he is way better than leaders of much of muslim world, not because of his ideology, but the barriers are too low.
Brofessor sb,
Your handsome ex PM made Germany and Japan neighbours. Now Modi is an illiterate chaiwallah. But IK is an Oxford graduate. What is his excuse?
Satish Acharya
@satishacharya
We don't discriminate on the basis of religion-PM Modi in the US.
@moliticsindia
cartoon.
https://twitter.com/satishacharya/status/1672277338330140674?s=20
See new Tweets
Conversation
Derek J. Grossman
@DerekJGrossman
Me: "What the US is really looking for is access to India, in the case of a conflict against China. The hope is that over time, as we continue our security cooperation, India will kind of bend a little bit, to be more flexible and maybe allow us access...
https://twitter.com/DerekJGrossman/status/1672282612554162176?s=20
Why the US is selling India so many weapons
Prime Minister Modi visits the White House, and arms deals follow.
By Jonathan Guyer
https://www.vox.com/world-politics/2023/6/23/23770369/why-us-selling-india-so-many-weapons-drones-jet-engines
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington for a state visit this week. Beyond the black-tie dinner at the White House and a speech to Congress, there have been a lot of arms deals.
Jets, drones, cyber capabilities, and more.
It’s a significant list, and builds on an expanding military partnership. The US has partnered with India more and more in response to China’s rise, seeing New Delhi as a valuable counterweight. This is happening as India advances grievous human rights abuses against minorities, against journalists, and against political critics — all in contradiction of America’s stated values.
And yet this week, the White House is promoting a “next generation defense partnership” with India. This includes the co-production of cutting-edge technologies like jet engines and semiconductors, the prospect of new arms sales, and agreements that would allow the US to have its navy ships repaired in India. The country will also purchase 31 advanced drones from General Atomics in a deal that will cost some $3 billion. And the Pentagon and the Indian Ministry of Defense have established a new military-tech incubator called INDUS-X.
Experts point out that India under Modi increasingly does not share American values, and some of the advanced military technologies that the US is providing the country could be used against dissidents or journalists.
“If we’re just going to go full-on countering China with India as a realist approach to things, that can come back and bite us,” says Derek Grossman, a defense analyst at the RAND Corporation. “Because, as we saw during the Cold War, a lot of the dictators or semi-authoritarian regimes that we cozied up with, they were not our friends in the long run.”
US-India defense cooperation, very briefly explained
India built a relationship with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and to this day, most of the Indian military’s weapons come from Russia. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s that India started buying arms from the United States, growing from around nothing in 2008 to $8 billion of US sales to the country by 2013, and to $20 billion in 2020.
Now, the new agreements will help create capacities for India as an arms producer. The Pentagon’s top Asia official, Ely Ratner, says the US was helping modernize the Indian military. The US Embassy in New Delhi described an initiative to “fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat and land mobility systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, munitions, and the undersea domain.”
India wants to manufacture military and aerospace products. In this respect, the prospective General Electric engine deal represents a major change. Export controls and trade regulations have previously been a challenge for forging advanced production lines in India. “Engine technology is pretty sensitive,” says Vikram Singh of the United States Institute of Peace and the consulting firm WestExec Advisors. “This is a big, ambitious agenda.”
Why the US is selling India so many weapons
Prime Minister Modi visits the White House, and arms deals follow.
By Jonathan Guyer
https://www.vox.com/world-politics/2023/6/23/23770369/why-us-selling-india-so-many-weapons-drones-jet-engines
Both countries are eyeing China’s growing military and technological prowess, and the US is particularly concerned about the perceived threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
But Grossman, who previously spent a decade working on China policy at the Pentagon, says that the US goal of bolstering India’s defense is less about creating a partner who would actively participate in any US-China confrontation and actually more about India providing safe harbor on the continent. “What the United States is really looking for is access to India, in the case of a conflict against China,” he told me. “But the hope is that over time, as we continue our security cooperation, India will kind of bend a little bit, to be more flexible and maybe allow us access at certain times to certain places that can help us conduct operations.”
The US Navy established ship repair agreements with India that would enable the US to service its boats in Indian shipyards, with more agreements forthcoming, according to the White House. Grossman also emphasized that, in 2020, US Navy aircraft refueled on India’s base in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. “They’re letting us do that in peacetime; why wouldn’t they let us do that when the stakes are much higher?” he said.
But even beyond the democratic issues, there are limits to how close this partnership could get in the near term. India remains non-aligned: It hasn’t taken a side in the Ukraine war, nor signed on to the sanctions against Russia. While India is a member of the “Quad,” an informal partnership with the US, Japan, and Australia, it is not a treaty ally of the United States. Grossman said that many in the Defense Department would like to see the US move toward a formal alliance with India.
That would be messy, notably because Pakistan is India’s prime rival and Pakistan is a close partner of the United States. Both countries have nuclear weapons, so if the US were to establish a treaty with India, the dynamics of a potential India-Pakistan conflict would be staggeringly complex for the US and dangerous for the world.
Nevertheless, the US military partnership with India has become a pillar of the Biden administration’s policy toward Asia. Interestingly, the US goes out of its way to not say it has anything to do with China, although analysts uniformly agree that it’s all about China. “The strategic environment that we’re facing in the Indo-Pacific challenges to peace and stability, I think those have animated a sense of Indian purpose more generally,” a senior US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters.
The defense sector, unsurprisingly, is thrilled. Just ask the Asia Group, a consulting firm that advises clients like General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon and was founded by Kurt Campbell, who’s now the Biden White House’s point person on Asia policy.
Campbell’s former firm says the time is now to invest in India. “Companies that postpone entry or expansion in India might miss opportunities to maximize their long-term returns,” Gopal Nadadur, an Asia Group executive based in India, wrote recently. “Defense and aerospace companies like Airbus, Boeing, Dassault, General Electric, General Atomics, Raytheon Technologies and Pratt & Whitney have boosted their engineering and manufacturing operations in India.”
Why the US is selling India so many weapons
Prime Minister Modi visits the White House, and arms deals follow.
By Jonathan Guyer
https://www.vox.com/world-politics/2023/6/23/23770369/why-us-selling-india-so-many-weapons-drones-jet-engines
Will defense innovation make Asia safer?
Bringing in military-tech startups and investment firms has been a core strategy of the Pentagon in recent years, and that’s also now going to play a part in the US-India relationship. On Wednesday, the Chamber of Commerce hosted what it called an “innovation bridge” — the INDUS-X event.
US and Indian startups that focus on the military, aerospace, and satellites attended, alongside venture capital firms and major defense contractors like Raytheon and Boeing. The proceedings were sponsored by General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and one of the big Indian companies, Mahindra Defence. The INDUS-X joint initiative will be “a catalyst for India to achieve its target of $5 billion in defense exports by 2025 and for India to diversify its defense supply chain,” according to the Chamber.
One of the keynote speakers, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, told attendees that he expected “huge growth,” in the two countries’ defense partnership, “the hockey stick curve that all entrepreneurs dream of.”
Participants did not directly discuss China, according to Pushan Das of the US-India Business Council, but it was the impetus for the gathering. “The reason why we’re doing all of this — the reason why there is the US-India defense-industry road map — it is because both countries have a common threat. They face a common challenge,” he told me. “And that’s pushing the defense relationship forward.”
But the focus on business interests has often meant that less attention has been paid in the commercial community to how increased military production and surveillance technologies in India could embolden Modi.
Modi is a Hindu nationalist leader who journalist Fareed Zakaria says is responsible for the decay of Indian democracy. His attacks on political rivals, the press, and minorities call into question the strategic benefits of growing military cooperation with the country. To cite a recent example, India arrested Vivek Raghuvanshi, a contributor to the US-based outlet Defense Times, in May.
Senior Biden administration officials told a press conference that raising human rights concerns would be part of President Biden’s private conversations with Modi, but declined to provide specificity. Human rights concerns did not come up in the conversations at INDUS-X, according to Das, and Air Force Secretary Kendall did not raise them in his remarks.
Singh, who worked in the Obama Pentagon, says that pragmatism is necessary to counter China. “We look at Prime Minister Modi, like a lot of other complicated partners, be it in Southeast Asia, like Vietnam or Thailand, or in Europe, like Poland, or Hungary, or Turkey,” he told me. “But I think we’ve reached a point where American leaders are able to talk to Indian leaders about these sorts of concerns.”
There’s also another risk of flooding India with arms that Campbell, who served in the Obama State Department, warned of in his 2016 book The Pivot: The Future of American Statecraft in Asia.
“China and India both remain under 2 percent of GDP for defense spending, while, for comparison, between 2009 and 2013, US Defense spending averaged 4.4 percent of GDP,” he wrote. “If Asian powers were to devote the same proportion to defense spending as the United States, the region would quickly become even more dangerous.”
Just curious, how and why does it matter to Pakistanis or Pakistani-Americans how Modi or any other Indian leader is received in US? How does it impact them? What difference does it make for them? Modi's politics might be a cause of concern for Indians, but I have no clue how it impacts American interests in any manner.
Last I checked, the military-led ruling junta in Pakistan has been throwing all laws and democratic norms to the wind and dismantling a political party through arrests, threats and coercion. Media has been effectively banned from airing a popular political leader's speeches or even mentioning his name. US government has said nothing. So why do you expect the US government to behave any different in case of Modi?
Dear Sir
I hope you are doing well , pls check this latest news of yahoo . The meeting between President Biden and PM Modi was a failure . Can you pls make a blog about it ?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-modi-meeting-failure-democracy-100000370.html
Dear Sir
Mashallah another good news , 10 Pakistani universities have been ranked in the top 200 universities of Asia .
Pls check this :
https://startuppakistan.com.pk/10-pakistani-universities-ranked-in-top-200-times-asia-university-rankings-2023/?fbclid=IwAR3sgKmenUQe-47-Ck5bjwLk78XzKlJVJMGOTk5wxGTUajreCWdLDxH4Vek_aem_AZMO8HxBwO-X_Gf2fiShJL0iWY3P3n4hM1Cq_Yau9cYJ_Oua1td2EckTGakqNDFcgVw
Can you pls also make a blog about it ?
Thanks
The Biden-Modi Meeting Was a Failure for Democracy | Time
https://time.com/6289932/the-biden-modi-meeting-was-a-failure-for-democracy/
by Knox Thames
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received VIP treatment at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue this week, including a state dinner with President Biden and an address to Congress. Modi’s red-carpet treatment was a significant endorsement of his governance, and one few world leaders have received. However, under Modi’s premiership, India has moved away from shared values and democratic norms, embracing Hindu nationalism and scapegoating religious minorities. While President Biden and Congressional leaders spoke about human rights and religious freedom, talk alone will not move Modi to change course.
Modi accomplished much during his brief time in Washington, at little cost to his political agenda. The Joint Statement from the United States and Indiacovers a laundry list of Indian priorities. While the document references human rights at the beginning, its 58 paragraphs overwhelmingly focus on technology and trade in ways hugely beneficial to India. Modi also scored a renewed pledge to permanently include India in a reformed United Nations Security Council and joint slap down of archrival Pakistan for terrorism.
But did Modi deserve this treatment? The U.S. secured little in hard security commitments from him or other items that could bolster democracy and human rights in the region. For instance, Modi has been lukewarm at best regarding support for Ukraine. During the White House press conference, Modi could only vaguely speak of ending the “dispute through dialogue and diplomacy.” There was no joint condemnation of Russian aggression, a low bar to meet.
In contrast, Modi’s visit vastly exceeded Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent trip, who received neither coveted invitation of a state dinner or congressional speech, “special relationship” notwithstanding. In fact, when Modi took the rostrum before Congress on Thursday, it was his second address before a joint session, while the last British Prime Minister spoke in 2006.
But in the contest with Beijing, commitment to “shared values” was a constant refrain to justify Modi’s lavish treatment. Indeed, a democratic India would be a powerful partner in countering authoritarian China, but these values are under attack in India. Indian activists and political analysts I contacted all expressed deep concern about the state of affairs, most only agreeing to talk off the record. One highlighted, “Serious violations of human rights, especially of Muslims, Christians, and other minorities, and of human rights defenders and dissenters, have been increasing in India over the past years, some becoming widespread and systematic.” Another analyst described the defamation case against opposition leader Rahul Gandhi as “pure vendetta politics.” A third activist spoke of the ongoing “desecration, destruction and torching of over 300 Churches in Manipur [that] is unprecedented in the history of religious violence in India,” which continues in India’s far east.
The Biden-Modi Meeting Was a Failure for Democracy | Time
https://time.com/6289932/the-biden-modi-meeting-was-a-failure-for-democracy/
by Knox Thames
When a journalist asked Modi at the White House about declining respect for human rights and democracy, he dodged, saying, “I’m actually really surprised that people say so.” While Biden acknowledged our shortcomings, demonstrating humility but a commitment to civil rights, Modi offered no such concession, saying Indian democracy has delivered for all “regardless of caste, creed, religion, gender.” He added, “There’s absolutely no space for discrimination,” which would surprise religious minorities in India.
As the visit approached, many feared officials would overlook these issues, and 75 Democratic Members of Congress wrote Biden to urge him to raise human rights. To his credit, the President did so repeatedly, but always as a joint endeavor. For instance, he said, “Equity under the law, freedom of expression, religious pluralism, and diversity of our people—these core principles have endured and evolved, even as they have faced challenges throughout each of our nations’ histories, and will fuel our strength, depth, and future.” At another point, he noted, “Indians and Americans are both peoples who … cherish freedom and celebrate the democratic values of universal human rights, which face challenges around the world and each—and in each of our countries but which remain so vital to the success of each of our nations: press freedom, religious freedom, tolerance, diversity.”
While understandable Biden wouldn’t be too pointed with his guest, Modi is savvy enough to know that nods towards human rights will be shunted aside for commercial and military relations. He’s seen it before, as silence towards problems in India is not unique to this administration. Then-President Trump ignored riots against Muslims in New Delhi during his 2020 visit, and his administration resisted calls to designate India a “country of particular concern” for the persecution of Christians.
Consequently, to counter India’s drift away from shared values, the U.S. must decide to visibly support Indian civil society, publicly discuss our concerns, and establish consequences for abuses. Aakar Patel, Chair of Amnesty International’s India Board, stressed to me the importance of U.S. human rights advocacy. Amnesty’s India office was forced to close in 2020, and the Indian government tried to prevent him from traveling internationally in 2022. Patel underscored how “India’s friend must press it to do the right thing because often it works.” Jesuit Priest Cedric Prakash, a long-time human rights and peace activist, also agreed. Despite our complicated history in the region, Fr Prakash said, “it’s imperative that the U.S. raise these sensitive issues with the PM and stop pretending that all is well in India.”
India is too important for U.S. policymakers to ignore these trends, and Modi’s damaging policies should not lead to self-censorship. The U.S.’s recent criticism of important partners like Poland, Bangladesh, and Israeldemonstrates we can raise concerns and deepen relationships simultaneously. In addition, we can learn from our disastrous all-carrots-and-no-stick approach to China in the early 2000s. Many believed preferential trade could encourage China in a positive direction when the Senate voted for most-favored-nation status in September 2000. Instead, the Chinese Communist Party gained technology and resources while nose diving on human rights and consolidating power. Modi’s windfall of trade policies absent consequences for rights abuses risks repeating the same mistake.
Speaking at an event, (Bollywood Actor) Kajol said, “…Chnage especially in a country like India is slow. It’s very very slow because for one we are steeped in our tradition, steeped in our thought process and, of course, it has to be with tradition. You have political leaders who do not have educational system background. I’m sorry I’m going to go out and say that.”
https://www.jantakareporter.com/entertainment/kajol-issues-clarification-after-modi-supporters-attack-actor-for-uneducated-leaders-comments/405895/
She added, “We are being ruled by leaders, so many of them, who do not have that viewpoint which I think education gives you.”
Kajol’s comments evoked angry reactions from BJP supporters who felt that the popular actor was taking a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose educational qualification has been a matter of intense scrutiny for many years. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently accused him of being ‘uneducated’ while others raised questions on his alleged fake degree.
Modi and his administration have refused all attempts to make his degree public fearing that this could expose the Indian PM’s educational qualification.
BJP supporters launched brutal attack on Kajol for her comments. Many accused her being influenced by the thought process of Muslim actors particularly Shah Rukh Khan. The pair of Shah Rukh and Kajol ruled the box office in the late 90s and 2020s.
Facing backlash from BJP supporters, Kajol issued a clarification stating that she wasn’t pointing at anyone in particular. She wrote, “I was merely making a point about education and its importance. My intention was not to demean any political leaders, we have some great leaders who are guiding the country on the right path.”
Kajol, meanwhile, has found plenty of support from netizens, who wondered why her comments had irked only Modi supporters even though the actor did not name anyone.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, “So Kajol says we are governed by leaders who are uneducated and have no vision. Nobody outraging since its her opinion not necessarily a fact and also has named nobody but all Bhakts are outraged. Please don’t Yale your Entire Political Science knowledge.”
Comedian Kunal Kamra tweeted, “Everyone is pointing out that Actress Kajol hasn’t finished her education & I believe that’s the only reason that she feels an educated leadership can help our country.”
Speaking at an event, (Bollywood Actor) Kajol said, “…Chnage especially in a country like India is slow. It’s very very slow because for one we are steeped in our tradition, steeped in our thought process and, of course, it has to be with tradition. You have political leaders who do not have educational system background. I’m sorry I’m going to go out and say that.”
https://www.jantakareporter.com/entertainment/kajol-issues-clarification-after-modi-supporters-attack-actor-for-uneducated-leaders-comments/405895/
She added, “We are being ruled by leaders, so many of them, who do not have that viewpoint which I think education gives you.”
Kajol’s comments evoked angry reactions from BJP supporters who felt that the popular actor was taking a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose educational qualification has been a matter of intense scrutiny for many years. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently accused him of being ‘uneducated’ while others raised questions on his alleged fake degree.
Modi and his administration have refused all attempts to make his degree public fearing that this could expose the Indian PM’s educational qualification.
BJP supporters launched brutal attack on Kajol for her comments. Many accused her being influenced by the thought process of Muslim actors particularly Shah Rukh Khan. The pair of Shah Rukh and Kajol ruled the box office in the late 90s and 2020s.
Facing backlash from BJP supporters, Kajol issued a clarification stating that she wasn’t pointing at anyone in particular. She wrote, “I was merely making a point about education and its importance. My intention was not to demean any political leaders, we have some great leaders who are guiding the country on the right path.”
Kajol, meanwhile, has found plenty of support from netizens, who wondered why her comments had irked only Modi supporters even though the actor did not name anyone.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, “So Kajol says we are governed by leaders who are uneducated and have no vision. Nobody outraging since its her opinion not necessarily a fact and also has named nobody but all Bhakts are outraged. Please don’t Yale your Entire Political Science knowledge.”
Comedian Kunal Kamra tweeted, “Everyone is pointing out that Actress Kajol hasn’t finished her education & I believe that’s the only reason that she feels an educated leadership can help our country.”
Dr. Audrey Truschke
@AudreyTruschke
Read for thinking about Hindu nationalist influences in US politics and how some “progressives” are quite the opposite, to the point of pushing far-right interests.
https://twitter.com/AudreyTruschke/status/1682504282908643329?s=20
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The Indian American congressman says he has a duty to reject Hindu nationalism. But does his record stand up to scrutiny?
https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/us-india-khanna-silicon-valley-progressive-pushing-closer-ties
When India was subject to intense international scrutiny following Narendra Modi's decision to annex Indian-controlled Kashmir in late August 2019, an article in The Caravan, India's premier long-form magazine, began doing the rounds on social media.
The long read, written by activist Peter Friedrich, detailed the role of the Hindu nationalist lobby in American politics, and focused on then-Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii.
Friedrich forensically outlined how the Hindu right-wing paramilitary organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had funded Gabbard in exchange for helping rehabilitate Modi's image in the United States.
But it wasn't just the article that caught the attention of South Asian Americans.
Instead, it was the unprompted interjection by an Indian American lawmaker from California.
"Important article," tweeted Congressman Ro Khanna from the 17th district in California, widely known as Silicon Valley, the only district in continental America with an Asian majority.
"It's the duty of every American politician of Hindu faith to stand for pluralism, reject Hindutva, and speak for equal rights for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians. That is the vision of India my grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar fought for," the Congressman added.
Vidyalankar was an Indian activist who became a member of the Indian National Congress and later an MP in post-independent India.
Until then, the question of rising Hindu nationalism in India under Modi was mostly limited to segments of the Indian-American community, particularly Muslims, Dalits and Christians, as well as the Kashmiri diaspora.
But in a single tweet, the pro-union Khanna, known for pushing for stronger gun legislation and a key voice, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, in pushing for an end to US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, had taken the spectre of the role of Hindu nationalism in US politics to the very seat of the US government.
Amar Shergill, an executive board member of the California Democratic Party (CDP) and chair of the CDP Progressive Caucus, described the moment as a "political shift" in the South Asian American community.
"It reverberated from its origin in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party with implications for the United States, India and world geopolitics," Shergill wrote.
Predictably, Khanna endured a blitz of criticism from Hindu nationalist groups and individuals. More than 200 Indian American organisations would go on to register complaints against him, forcing him to hold a town hall to address the allegations.
Khanna was even asked to resign from the Congressional Pakistan Caucus.
At the time Khanna stood firm. He called his detractors fringe elements and Trump supporters.
"I have no tolerance for right-wing nationalists who are affiliating with Trump. And let me tell you something - they're in an echo chamber, but their bigotry, their right-wing nationalism, their support for Trump or for white supremacy is a minority," Khanna said.
"But they will see that our district is pluralistic and I have no problem standing up against them," he added.
The Indian American congressman says he has a duty to reject Hindu nationalism. But does his record stand up to scrutiny?
https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/us-india-khanna-silicon-valley-progressive-pushing-closer-ties
Four years later, activists and observers say, Khanna appears to have adopted a more realist approach to the rise of Hindu nationalism.
When it became known that Modi would be travelling on his first state visit to the US in June, Khanna in his capacity as co-chair of the India Caucus, wrote a bipartisan letter calling for Modi to address a joint seating of Congress.
Ahead of the visit, activists and observers warned that Khanna's invitation was as good as an endorsement of Hindu nationalist policies.
Shergill, chair of the CDP Progressive Caucus, told Middle East Eye that although he understood the need for the US to strengthen ties with India, it was a mistake to have honoured Modi with a state dinner and an address to Congress.
"The India Caucus, the Sikh Caucus, and all South Asian congressional representatives have a special duty to hold Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accountable," he said.
"Representative Khanna must do better," Shergill added.
Activists pointed out that during the four years where Khanna had pointedly rejected Hindu nationalism, the Hindu nationalist project had reached the higher echelons of the Indian state, in which it had become routine for right-wing Hindu monks to call for ethnic cleansing without consequence.
Several indicators, too, showed freedom of speech, along with religious and minority rights, were now in free fall. Indian democracy is now characterised as "flawed," according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Indiex, and in its latest World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders has ranked India 161 out of 180 countries due to media suppression.
In response to the volley of criticism for his now purported endorsement of Modi, Khanna found himself repeating one of the central tenets of his approach to foreign policy: respecting and engaging a democratic elected leadership did not preclude speaking out on human rights.
"I believe that the prime minister is an elected leader of 1.4 billion people and the way to make progress on human rights is to engage with the Indian PM," Khanna told Democracy Now.
But it is an approach that has left activists facing up to Hindu nationalism perplexed.
American interests
Since joining Congress in 2016, Khanna has straddled a fine line between satisfying Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and the employees who work for them.
Not only has this allowed Khanna to position himself as a "progressive" politician, he has skillfully backed himself as an almost indispensible interlocutor between the tech giants and their needs in Washington.
Khanna describes himself as "a leading progressive voice in the House working to restore American manufacturing and technology leadership, improve the lives of working people, and advance US leadership on climate, human rights, and diplomacy around the world."
As a “progressive capitalist”, Khanna proselytises the benefits of democratising access to technology as a means to resurrect the innovative character of the American economy.
He also sees it as the United States' best chance to remain a world leader. As his bio reads: "Silicon Valley's CA-17. New economic patriotism & restoring American manufacturing. Pro working families. Ending endless wars. No PAC $. He/Him."
In an op-ed in 2018, he wrote about his journey from a small town in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to congressman of the "most economically powerful congressional district in the world".
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