MAINTENANCE OF PEACE ALONG LAC IS BASIS OF TIES WITH CHINA: INDIA

At an online media briefing, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said another

round of diplomatic talks under the framework of the Working Mechanism for

Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) is expected to be scheduled soon. "The

maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is the basis of

our bilateral relationship," he said.

"Therefore it is our expectation that the Chinese side will sincerely work

with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of

peace and tranquillity in the border areas at the earliest as agreed to by

the Special Representatives," Srivastava added.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

held a nearly two-hour-long telephonic conversation on July 5 to bring down

tension between the armies of the two countries in eastern Ladakh. Both

sides began the disengagement process from July 6 following the talks

between Doval and Wang who were Special Representatives for the boundary

question.

"We have also made it clear that India is fully committed to observing and

respecting the LAC and that we will not accept any unilateral attempts to

change the status quo along the LAC," said Srivastava.

He said the two sides have agreed during the conversation of the Special

Representatives to work towards complete disengagement of the troops along

the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration

of peace and tranquillity.

INDIA TOUGHENS IMPORT RULES FOR BIDDERS FROM BORDERING NATIONS

Amid border row with China, the government on Thursday imposed restrictions

on public procurement from China and other countries with common border.

The Government of India amended the General Financial Rules 2017 to enable

imposition of restrictions on bidders from countries which share a land

border with India on grounds of defence of India, or matters directly or

indirectly related thereto including national security, an official

statement said.

As per the order, it said, any bidder from such countries sharing a land

border with India will be eligible to bid in any procurement whether of

goods, services (including consultancy services and non-consultancy

services) or works (including turnkey projects) only if the bidder is

registered with the Competent Authority.

"The Competent Authority for registration will be the Registration Committee

constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

(DPIIT). Political and security clearance from the Ministries of External

and Home Affairs respectively will be mandatory," it said.

The order takes into its ambit public sector banks and financial

institutions, autonomous bodies, Central Public Sector Enterprises and

public private partnership projects receiving financial support from the

government or its undertakings, it added.

KULBHUSHAN JADHAV CASE: PAKISTAN HAS BLOCKED ALL AVENUES FOR EFFECTIVE

REMEDY, SAYS MEA

A week after Pakistan did not provide "unimpeded" consular access to former

Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav - who is on death row in Pakistan on

charges of spying and terrorist activities - India on Thursday said

Islamabad has "blocked all the avenues for an effective remedy" available

for India.

On July 16, Pakistan did not allow Indian diplomats to carry the "Power of

Attorney" legal document that could be signed by Jadhav.

"Pakistan advised India that the relevant documents could be handed over

only to an authorised Pakistani lawyer. Thereafter, India appointed a

Pakistani lawyer to obtain the relevant documents. To our surprise, as

advised by the Pakistani authorities, when the authorised Pakistani lawyer

approached the concerned authorities, they declined to handover the

documents to the lawyer," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag

Srivastava said on Thursday.

"In the absence of an unimpeded and unhindered consular access as well as of

the relevant documents, as a last resort, India tried to file a petition on

18 July. However, our Pakistani lawyer informed us that a review petition

could not be filed in the absence of power of attorney and supporting

documents related to Jadhav's case," the MEA spokesperson said.

INDIA APPRECIATES B'DESH STAYING AWAY FROM J&K ISSUE

Following Pakistan PM Imran Khan's conversation with his Bangladeshi

counterpart Sheikh Hasina during which he raised the Kashmir issue, New

Delhi on Thursday said its ties with Bangladesh were time-tested and

historic and that it appreciated Dhaka's stance that Jammu & Kashmir is

India's internal matter.

MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava said India and Bangladesh on Thursday marked

another historic achievement towards strengthening their maritime and

economic partnership. The first ever movement of container cargo from

Kolkata to Agartala through the Chattogram Port was successfully concluded

on Thursday. "With this, the distance and time taken in transportation of

goods for India particularly the north eastern states will get reduced," he

said.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD - (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 12,87,713 (+48,443) / 1,56,54,428 (+2,80,812)

Total Deaths 30,645 (+755) / 6,36,475 (+6,282)

Total Recovered 8,17,593 (+33,326) / 95,35,616 (+1,86,415)

Active Cases 4,39,475 (+14,362) / 54,82,337 (+88,115)

TOP IMPACTED NATIONS SO FAR: (AND SOME OF INDIA'S NEIGHBOURS)

Country, Total Cases / Total Deaths / Recovered Cases / Active

Cases

1 USA 41,69,991 / 1,47,333 /

19,79,617 / 20,43,041

2 Brazil 22,89,951 / 84,207 /

15,70,237 / 6,35,507

3 India 12,88,130 / 30,645 /

8,17,593 / 4,39,892

4 Russia 7,95,038 / 12,892 /

5,80,330 / 2,01,816

5 South Africa 4,08,052 / 6,093 /

2,36,260 / 1,65,699

6 Peru 3,71,096 / 17,654 /

2,55,945 / 97,497

7 Mexico 3,70,712 / 41,908 /

2,36,209 / 92,595

8 Chile 3,38,759 / 8,838 /

3,11,431 / 18,490

9 Spain 3,17,246 / 28,429 / N/A

/ N/A

10 UK 2,97,146 / 45,554 / N/A

/ N/A

11 Iran 2,84,034 / 15,074 /

2,47,230 / 21,730

12 Pakistan 2,69,191 / 5,709 /

2,13,175 / 50,307

17 Bangladesh 2,16,110 / 2,801 /

1,19,208 / 94,101

111 Sri Lanka 2,753 / 11 /

2,077 / 665

TOP IMPACTED INDIAN STATES SO FAR

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 3,47,502 / 1,40,093 /

1,94,253 / 12,854

Tamil Nadu 1,92,964 / 52,939 / 1,36,793

/ 3,232

Delhi 1,27,364 / 14,554 / 1,09,065

/ 3,745

Karnataka 80,863 / 49,928 / 29,310 /

1,616

Andhra Pradesh 72,711 / 34,272 / 37,555 /

884

Uttar Pradesh 58,104 / 21,003 / 35,803 /

1,298

Gujarat 52,563 / 12,248 / 38,059 / 2,256

West Bengal 51,757 / 18,846 / 31,656 /

1,255

Telangana 50,826 / 11,052 / 39,327 /

447

Rajasthan 33,220 / 8,811 / 23,815 /

594

Bihar 31,691 / 10,519 / 20,959 / 212

Haryana 28,975 / 6,348 / 22,249 /

378

Assam 28,792 / 8,019 / 20,700 / 70

Madhya Pradesh 25,474 / 7,335 / 17,359 /

780

Odisha 21,099 / 6,561 / 14,393 / 145

Jammu and Kashmir 16,429 / 7,438 / 8,709 /

282

Kerala 16,111 / 9,459 / 6,594 / 51

Punjab 11,739 / 3,721 / 7,741 / 277

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

IF THE FREE WORLD DOESN'T CHANGE COMMUNIST CHINA, IT WILL CHANGE US: MIKE

POMPEO

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday once again attacked China over

its expansionist policies and cover-up of COVID-19 outbreak and urged the

international community to join hands in stopping Chinese Communist Party's

aggressive policies.

Pompeo called on "free nations" to counter Chinese President Xi Jinping's

regime, whom he accused of being a "true believer" in the "bankrupt"

totalitarian Marxist-Leninist ideology. "His ideology informs his

decades-long desire for global hegemony built on Chinese Communism," the top

US diplomat said while speaking on 'Communist China and the Free World's

Future' at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library here.

Pompeo accused the CCP of suppressing the people of China through

surveillance and other means. "Communists always lie, but the biggest lie is

that the Chinese Communist Party speaks for 1.4 billion people who are

surveilled, oppressed and scared to speak out," he said.

Pompeo's speech was a new level hard-line approach towards China by

President Donald Trump's administration.

"Today, China is increasingly authoritarian at home, and more aggressive in

its hostility to freedom everywhere else," Pompeo said, adding that "If the

free world doesn't change Communist China, Communist China will change us."

CHINA MEDIA TERMS HOUSTON CONSULATE SHUTDOWN AS TRUMP ELECTION GAMBIT

The move by the United States government to shut down China's consulate in

Houston is an attempt to blame Beijing for American failures ahead of

presidential elections in November, Chinese state media said in editorials

published on Thursday.

China's embassy to the United States described the move to close the Houston

consulate as a "political provocation" and called on Washington to

"immediately revoke" the decision.

The official English-language newspaper China Daily described the move as "a

new gambit in the US administration's bid to paint China as a malevolent

actor on the world stage, and thus make it an outlaw to the international

community." "The move shows that lagging behind his presidential election

opponent in the polls... the US leader is going all out in his attempts to

portray China as an agent of evil," it added.

THE REST

========

SC REFUSES TO RESTRAIN RAJASTHAN HC FROM PASSING FRIDAY ORDER ON REBEL CONG

MLAS' PLEA

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to restrain the Rajasthan High Court

from delivering its verdict on rebel Congress MLAs' petition challenging the

disqualification proceedings initiated against them by state Assembly

Speaker CP Joshi.

Nineteen rebel Congress MLAs, including sacked Deputy Chief Minister Sachin

Pilot, have challenged the validity of Speaker CP Joshi's decision to issue

show-cause notices to them under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution i.e.

the anti-defection law.

"Let the high court deliver the verdict tomorrow," a SC Bench headed by

Justice Arun Mishra said.

However, the top court made it clear that the high court's judgment will be

subject to the outcome of the proceedings before it.

Noting that there was a large question of the functioning of the democracy,

the Bench said it will further hear the matter on July 27.

During the hearing, the Bench raised the issue of intra-party democracy.

"This is not a simple matter and these MLAs are elected representatives...

Voice of dissent in democracy cannot be shut down," the Bench said, adding,

"We are trying to find out whether this process (disqualification) was

permissible or not."

AUDIO CLIPS ON TOPPLING RAJASTHAN GOVT GENUINE: CM GEHLOT

Training his guns on Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Rajasthan

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the purported audio clips on

toppling the Congress government were genuine and it could be sent abroad

for forensic tests. Without taking the minister's name, Gehlot questioned

why he was not coming forward to give a voice sample.

The development comes a day after CM Gehlot wrote to Prime Minister Narendra

Modi, accusing Shekhawat and other BJP leaders of attempts to topple the

state government through "horse trading". Shekhawat had earlier denied that

he figured in the audio clip and said he is open to a probe.

EC DEFERS BY-POLLS FOR ONE LOK SABHA, 7 ASSEMBLY SEATS

The Election Commission has deferred by-elections for one Lok Sabha and

seven Assembly seats due to "some extraordinary circumstances peculiar to

these constituencies".

The poll panel will meet on Friday to discuss scheduling of these

by-elections.

The states where the by-polls have been deferred are Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha

seat in Bihar, two assembly seats each in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, and

one each in Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.

Most of these seats fell vacant due to the death of sitting members.

The six-month deadline to hold by-elections in these eight seats was ending

on different dates in July, August and September, respectively.

Under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in certain cases, the EC,

in consultation with the Central Government (the Union Law Ministry), can

certify that it is difficult to hold the by-election within the six-month

period.

WOMEN NOW ELIGIBLE FOR PERMANENT COMMISSION IN ARMY

Five months after the Supreme Court called for a "change in mindsets"

regarding women officers of the Indian Army, the government on Thursday

issued an order for permanent commission of women officers in the force.

Army Spokesperson Col Aman Anand said the order "paved the way for

empowering of women officers to shoulder larger roles in the Army". "The

order specifies grant of permanent commission to Short Service Commissioned

(SSC) women officers in all 10 streams of the Indian Army," he added.

While male SSC officers could opt for permanent commission at the end of 10

years of service, this option was not available to women officers. They

were, thus, kept out of any command appointment, and could not qualify for

government pension, which starts only after 20 years of service as an

officer.

BENGALURU CIVIC BODY SEALS APARTMENT DOOR, UNSEALS AFTER PIC GOES VIRAL

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) came under a spot Thursday

after it had to remove a temporary sealing at an apartment complex in the

city following outrage on social media. The staff of the civic body had

sealed two flats in the apartment complex after the domestic help of one of

the families had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The incident came to light when another resident shared the pictures of the

sealed apartment on Twitter.

"BBMP sealing done in our building for a confirmed Covid case. Lady with 2

small children, next door neighbours are an aged couple. What if there is a

fire, @BBMPCOMM? Understand the need for containment, but this is an

extremely dangerous fire hazard - please address urgently," Satish

Sangameswaran, a resident of the apartment complex tweeted.

After the tweet drew flak to the BBMP online, civic officials removed the

metal sheet.

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad apologized through twitter. "Apologies

for the over-enthusiasm of the local staff," he wrote on Twitter. "We are

committed to treat all persons with dignity. The purpose of containment is

to protect the infected and to ensure uninfected are safe," he added.

JOSHI FACES BABRI QUERIES

Denying his involvement in the alleged conspiracy for demolition of Babri

Masjid on December 6, 1992, former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi told

the special CBI court on Thursday that he was falsely implicated due to

'political malice'.

Joshi, who is among the 32 accused in one of the two FIRs registered in the

case, deposed before the court from Delhi through video conferencing.

He said, "The entire investigation was conducted under political influence

and I was charged on the basis of false and fabricated evidence." The judge

asked Joshi 1,050 questions through online proceedings and he categorically

replied to all of them.

On being asked by Judge SK Yadav why the witnesses gave evidence against

him, Joshi replied, "All witnesses are liars."

4 INTEL, INVESTIGATING AGENCIES ALSO GET ACCESS TO YOUR I-T RECORDS

The Cabinet Secretariat, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Narcotics Control

Bureau (NCB) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have been formally

authorised to access income-tax returns (ITRs) and other tax-related

information of individuals or firms, a move that will help these agencies in

their efforts to curb terrorism and check drug trafficking.

A notification to this effect was issued by the CBDT on Tuesday, the

officials said requesting anonymity. Section 138 of the Income-tax Act, 1961

empowers CBDT to furnish information received or obtained by income tax

authorities to any other enforcement authority, they added.

This provision enables "automatic" exchange of information relating to

income-tax assesses with any tax authority, the Reserve Bank of India, and

any other authority notified by the government, Naveen Wadhwa, a deputy

general manager at Taxmann said. "The recent notification allows the tax

department to share information of a taxpayer which might be relevant for

the notified enforcement agencies," he added.

AIR INDIA PILOTS' UNION ISSUES A VEILED THREAT OVER PAY CUT

Air India's cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts and compulsory leave

without pay (LWP) scheme could have "potentially disastrous psychological

impact" on some employees, a leading pilots' union of the airline said on

Thursday.

Air India on Wednesday announced up to 50 per cent reduction in monthly

allowances of its employees, who have a gross monthly salary of more than Rs

25,000.

"We shudder to think of the kind of desperate and extreme acts that could be

triggered off because of the prevailing situation - as has been repeatedly

proven many times in the past," the EPA said on Thursday. "Our association

is...extremely concerned about the potentially disastrous psychological

impact that the massive forced pay cuts and Compulsory LWP scheme may create

on some employees," it added.

All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, LWP

and firing of employees in order to conserve cash. On Monday, India's

largest airline IndiGo had announced it would lay off 10 per cent of its

workforce due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Air India announced on Thursday that none of its employees will be

laid off.

INDICATORS

Sensex 38,140 (+269), Nifty 11,215 (+83), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

56,389

Nasdaq 10,461 (-245) Dow 26,652 (-354), S&P 3,236 (-40)

US$-Rs. 74.52 GBP-Rs. 94.86, Euro-Rs. 86.35, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.28, Can$-Rs.

55.62, Aus$- Rs. 53.10

GBP 0.78 /US$, Euro 0.86 /US$, Jap.Yen 107.02 /US$, Aus$ 1.40 /US$, Sing

1.38 /US$, Bang Taka 83.24 /US$, Can$ 1.33 /US$, Mal Ring 4.25 /US$,

Pak Re 167.25 /US$, Phil Peso 49.38 /US$, Russian Rouble 71.22 /US$, NZ$

1.50 /US$, Thai Baht 31.64 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.61 /US$, Norway NOK 9.17

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 9,578

Dollar Index 94.58 Brent Crude 43.50 BDI 1,388

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,887 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,020 / 4,920

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 60,800

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes

another's. - Jean Paul Richter

OFF TRACK

A Texan farmer goes to Australia for a vacation. There he meets an Aussie

farmer and gets talking.

The Aussie shows off his big wheat field and the Texan says, "Oh! We have

wheat fields that are at least twice as large".

Then they walk around the ranch a little and the Aussie shows off his herd

of cattle.

The Texan immediately says, "We have longhorns that are at least twice as

large as your cows." The conversation has, meanwhile, almost died when the

Texan sees a herd of kangaroos hopping through the field.

He asks, "And what are those?"

The Aussie asks with an incredulous look, "Don't you have any grasshoppers

in Texas?"