Global Affairs Archives - Read Selective

EAM S Jaishankar highlights ‘double standards’ in global affairs, says ‘dominant countries weaponize…’

Economically dominant countries leverage production capabilities, weaponizing them and creating double standards, says S Jaishankar.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. (PTI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that economically dominant countries are leveraging production capabilities and those who have institutional influence have weaponized these capabilities. He also cited an example of Covid-19 and stressed that it is still a world of double standards.

Addressing an event ‘South Rising: Partnerships, Institutions and Ideas’ here on Saturday, Jaishankar said, “There is a growing sentiment in the world, and the Global South in a way embodies it. But there’s also political resistance. Those occupying positions of influence are resisting pressure to change.”

“They will mouth the right things, but the reality is still today, it’s a world very much of double standards,” he said as quoted by ANI.

Speaking about the Global South and India’s G20 Presidency, the minister highlighted how India was ‘the voice of the Global South’ and how it steered the global conversation back to global growth and development issues.

“To get the G20, to talk about what the world wanted to talk about, that was the real problem with the G20. Our Prime Minister put it very well, he said first let’s talk to the people who are not going to be on the table. We were the voice of the Global South,” said Jaishankar.

“The Global South is an expression, in a way, of a certain solidarity and generosity and sort of a sharing spirit community. I think if you’re part of the Global South, you know it,” he added.

In his Europe’s mindset comment from last year, where he said that “Europe’s problems are the world’s problems but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems”, EAM Jaishankar said that “particular statement had a particular context” while also listing five big problems which is troubling the entire world, ANI reported.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/economically-dominant-countries-weaponize-production-capabilities-jaishankar-11695604171987.html

Morocco earthquake: Race against time to reach survivors as number killed nears 2,900

The United Nations estimates some 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake, with most of the destruction and deaths in the High Atlas Mountains, where homes folded in on themselves and left residents trapped underneath the ruins.

Rescuers are battling to reach remote mountain towns devastated by the earthquake in Morocco, as the number of confirmed deaths from the disaster neared 2,900.

Search teams from the UK, Spain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were joining efforts to help find people buried under debris.

The United Nations estimates some 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake, which was made more dangerous by its relatively shallow depth.

Most of the destruction and deaths were in Al Haouz province in the High Atlas Mountains, where homes folded in on themselves and left residents trapped underneath the ruins.

Much of the quake zone is in hard-to-reach areas and roads have been blocked by rocks, making it hard for rescuers to access the worst-hit locations.

Authorities have not yet issued any estimates for the number of people missing.

The UK has sent a 60-person search team with four dogs, medical staff, listening devices and concrete-cutting gear.

The European Union said it was releasing an initial €1m (£858,000) to non-governmental aid organisations in Morocco.

A search worker stands among rubble in Talat N’yaaqoub, Morocco

Survivors spend three nights sleeping outside

Aftershocks have hit the quake zone, leading those left homeless to spend three nights sleeping on the streets of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in devastated towns.

Survivors struggling to find shelter and supplies have criticised the government’s response, accusing it of being slow.

The army said it was reinforcing search-and-rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents and blankets.

Stronger US-India relationship could help America declare independence from China: Vivek Ramaswamy

‘The US should also have a stronger strategic relationship with India, including even a military relationship in the Andaman Sea’

A stronger relationship with India would help the US declare its “independence” from China, Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy believes and has called for stronger strategic ties with New Delhi, including a military relationship in the Andaman Sea.

At 38, Ramaswamy is the youngest Republican presidential candidate ever. He is currently on a two-day swing to the crucial State of Iowa. On January 15, Iowa would kick off the 2024 Republican presidential primary season.

“A stronger US-India relationship could help the US declare independence from China. The US is economically dependent on China today, but with a stronger relationship with India, it becomes easier to declare independence from that Chinese relationship,” Ramaswamy told PTI in an interview.

A second-generation Indian-American, Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in 2014 and led the largest biotech IPOs of 2015 and 2016, eventually culminating in successful clinical trials in multiple disease areas that led to FDA-approved products, according to his bio.

“The US should also have a stronger strategic relationship with India, including even a military relationship in the Andaman Sea. Knowing that India, if necessary, could block the Malacca Strait where actually China gets most of its Middle Eastern oil supplies. So, these are areas for real improvement in the US-India relationship.

“I think that would be good for the US and that’s exactly why I would lead accordingly,” Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur-turned-politician, said in response to a question.

His polling numbers have gone up after the maiden presidential debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 23.

On the firing line of most of the Republican presidential nominees, in particular former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former vice president Mike Pence and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley; Ramaswamy has suddenly gone up the ladder in polling numbers and in many polls, he is placed second after former president Donald Trump.

In his first interaction with the Indian media, Ramaswamy appeared to be a strong supporter of the growing India-US relationship, which has been a hallmark of multiple presidential administrations across the political aisle since the start of the Bill Clinton Administration.

“I think he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has been a good leader for India, and I look forward to working with him on building the US-India relationship further,” Ramaswamy said in response to a question.

During the first Republican presidential debate, his fellow Indian-American challenger Haley told him that he had no foreign policy experience. But Ramaswamy has developed his own vision of America’s foreign policy.

“The major challenge of US foreign policy is that we’re not protecting the homeland. We’re fighting wars that don’t advance American interests while leaving the homeland actually vulnerable. So I think it’s a mistake for the US to continue engagement in Ukraine. That doesn’t advance US national interest,” he said.

“To the contrary, I think it actually is going to impede US credibility on the global stage. The US needs to focus on Communist China. That’s the top threat abroad. And protecting the homeland has to be the top priority at home with actual defence capabilities of the border,” he argued.

Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/stronger-us-india-relationship-could-help-america-declare-independence-from-china-vivek-ramaswamy/cid/1961886