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Teaming up with Tokyo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo
Shinzo + Modi = best buddies
For Japan, India is a pivotal country in IOR.
Strong India good for Japan & strong Japan is good for India.
The Abe administration is focusing attention on 2 critical areas 1. Maritime security 2. Strategic connectivity
Kaga: state-of-the-art helicopter carrierdestroyer is in Visakhapatnam for the Japan-India Maritime Exercises.Tokyo is keen that its military exchanges with India also include Army and Air Force exchanges.
Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement is work in progress.
Joint collaboration in unmanned armoured vehicles and robotic systems is also a work in progress.
US-2i amphibious aircraft: deadlock since 2014
Japanese infrastructure initiatives are environmentally friendly and financially sustainable
Tokyo’s insistence on transparency has generated enormous trust.
In the wake of growing challenges in the maritime domain, New Delhi knows that operational synergy with Tokyo is a strategic imperative.

Road Accidents in India report 2017: We are failing in reducing deaths and disabilities.
Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan Committee constituted by the Centre: little has been done.
It is welcome that greater attention is being paid to the design and safety standards of vehicles, but such professionalism should extend to public infrastructure.
From vehicle user to road user.
1,47,913 deaths in 2017
Injuries: 4,70,975

Arrest of R.R. Gopal, Editor of the Tamil magazine Nakkheeran, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Articles: linked Governor (TN) Banwarilal Purohit to the controversy surrounding assistant professor Nirmala Devi, who is in jail for allegedly trying to lure students into sex work.
Abuse of power by TN Governor’s office
Deputy Secretary to the Governor: “intention of inducing or compelling the Governor… to refrain from exercising his lawful powers”.
Generally, lower judiciary reflexively signs remand orders.
Metropolitan Magistrate in Chennai must be commended for realising the absurdity of the prosecution’s case and declining to jail Mr. Gopal.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and its precursor, the Bandung Afro-Asian conference in 1955, were examples of soft balancing by weaker states towards great powers engaged in intense rivalry and conflict.
NAM is often not given credit for what it deserves.
“Naming” and “shaming” were their operational tools.
Western countries: portrayed non-alignment as pro-Soviet or ineffective
1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty
NAM also helped create several nuclear weapon free zones as well as formulate the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Again we are witnessing return of old days and again Global South (South South Cooperation) or NAM can stop it.
‘Bandung spirit’ to take on new realities?

Section 377: it may be surprising for most to learn that an overwhelming majority of those who utilise the section at police stations are abused and physically tormented married women.
Nirvikar Jassal’s analysis found that for every hundred Section 377 cases, more than half are filed by women in the context of Section 498A.
Section 498A was diluted by the Supreme Court
The legal problem is that India, as in large parts of West Asia and Africa, does not recognise marital rape as a crime.
In extreme circumstances, women encourage police officers to register an additional case of Section 377 against their husbands.
Section 498A has the lowest conviction rate of any law in India, and by tacking on Section 377, women are potentially able to increase the likelihood of the husband being punished.
Section 377 emerges as a tool for married women to highlight the “unnatural” abuse they face.
Section 375 says, “sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape.”
While Section 377 will now apply to minors and in cases of bestiality, it is unclear whether abused married women will be able to use the law in quite the same way as they did before.
A far more effective and progressive strategy would be for the state to now criminalise marital rape.

How was decision on Rafale made, asks SC
asked the Centre to submit details of the decision-making process in the Rafale deal with France in a sealed envelope by October 29.
India will soon find out: Trump
whether it will face U.S. sanctions
“India will find out. You’ll see. Sooner than you think,” he told reporters.
5 killed as train derails in U.P.
New Delhi-bound New Farakka Express (train number 14003) derailed near Rae Bareli at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Cyclone Titli to make landfall in Odisha today
originated in the Bay of Bengal, became a “very severe cyclonic storm” on Wednesday and was likely to make landfall, gusting at about 145-165 kmph in Odisha, on Thursday.
Nirmala begins France visit today
a three-day visit to France on Thursday during which both sides are expected to deliberate on further boosting their defence and security ties.
Important to get best talent: Jalan
Former Reserve Bank of India governor Bimal Jalan, who currently heads the committee tasked with selecting the next chief economic advisor (CEA), said his committee was focussed on selecting the best person for the job, a clear signal that the panel wasn’t going to be influenced by the recent controversy over whether the people picked to fill key economic policy positions had studied in India or abroad.
Cooperate to fight trade protectionism, says China
China has asked India to counter jointly the growing threat of trade protectionism championed by U.S. President Donald Trump.