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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Cleaner air in east Asia may have driven recent acceleration in global warming, our new study indicates

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Laura Wilcox, Professor, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading

    A traffic jam in Beijing in China, where air pollution has drastically reduced. Hung Chung Chih/Shutterstock

    Global warming has picked up pace since around 2010, leading to the recent string of record warm years. Why this is happening is still unclear, and among the biggest questions in climate science today. Our new study reveals that reductions in air pollution – particularly in China and east Asia – are a key reason for this faster warming.

    Cleanup of sulphur emissions from global shipping has been implicated in past research. But that cleanup only began in 2020, so it’s considered too weak to explain the full extent of this acceleration. Nasa researchers have suggested that changes in clouds could play a role, either through reductions in cloud cover in the tropics or over the North Pacific.

    One factor that has not been well quantified, however, is the effect of monumental efforts by countries in east Asia, notably China, to combat air pollution and improve public health through strict air quality policies. There has already been a 75% reduction in east Asian sulphur dioxide emissions since around 2013, and that cleanup effort picked up pace just as global warming began accelerating.

    Our study addresses the link between east Asian air quality improvements and global temperature, building on the efforts of eight teams of climate modellers across the world.

    We have found that polluted air may have been masking the full effects of global warming. Cleaner air could now be revealing more of the human-induced global warming from greenhouse gases.

    In addition to causing millions of premature deaths, air pollution shields the Earth from sunlight and therefore cools the surface. There has been so much air pollution that it has held human-induced warming in check by up to 0.5°C over the last century.

    With the cleanup of air pollution, something that’s vital for human health, this artificial sunshade is removed. Since greenhouse gas emissions have kept on increasing, the result is that the Earth’s surface is warming faster than ever before.

    Modelling the cleanup

    Our team used 160 computer simulations from eight global climate models. This enabled us to better quantify the effects that east Asian air pollution has on global temperature and rainfall patterns. We simulated a cleanup of pollution similar to what has happened in the real world since 2010. We found an extra global warming of around 0.07°C.

    While this is a small number compared with the full global warming of around 1.3°C since 1850, it is still enough to explain the recent acceleration in global warming when we take away year-to-year swings in temperature from natural cycles such as El Niño, a climate phenomenon in the Pacific that affects weather patterns globally.

    Thick smog influences the effect of greenhouse gases.
    Shaun Robinson/Shutterstock

    Based on long-term trends, we would have expected around 0.23°C of warming since 2010. However, we actually measured around 0.33°C. While the additional 0.1°C can largely be explained by the east Asian air pollution cleanup, other factors include the change in shipping emissions and the recent accelerated increase in methane concentrations in the atmosphere.

    Air pollution causes cooling by reflecting sunlight or by changing the properties of clouds so they reflect more sunlight. The cleanup in east Asian air pollution influences global temperatures because it reduces the shading effect of the pollution over east Asia itself. It also means less pollution is blown across the north Pacific, causing clouds in the east Pacific to reflect less sunlight.

    The pattern of these changes across the North Pacific simulated in our models matches that seen in satellite observations. Our models and temperature observations also show relatively strong warming over the North Pacific, downwind from east Asia.

    The main source of global warming is still greenhouse gas emissions, and a cleanup of air pollution was both necessary and overdue. This did not cause the additional warming but rather, removed an artificial cooling that has for a time helped shield us from some of the extreme weather and other well-established consequences of climate change.

    Global warming will continue for decades. Indeed, our past and future emissions of greenhouse gases will affect the climate for centuries. However, air pollution is quickly removed from the atmosphere, and the recent acceleration in global warming from this particular unmasking may therefore be short-lived.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Laura Wilcox receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.

    Bjørn H. Samset receives funding from the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.

    – ref. Cleaner air in east Asia may have driven recent acceleration in global warming, our new study indicates – https://theconversation.com/cleaner-air-in-east-asia-may-have-driven-recent-acceleration-in-global-warming-our-new-study-indicates-260601

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ivey, Van Hollen, Klobuchar Lead Over 70 Members in Pressing Administration on Conflicting Orders Fueling Uncertainty Among Afghans Living in U.S.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Ivey – Maryland (4th District)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), .S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.),, and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led 73 of their colleagues in pressing U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for answers on the Trump Administration’s inconsistent policies regarding Afghanistan and the legal status of Afghan nationals living in the U.S. – many of whom played important roles in supporting American servicemembers during the war in Afghanistan over two decades. In the letter, the lawmakers point out that the justifications for the decisions to implement a large-scale travel ban, which applies to Afghanistan, and terminate Temporary Protected Status conflict with one another. The lawmakers ask Secretary Rubio how the State Department arrived at these determinations and whether it can guarantee that Afghans who may be forced to leave the U.S. will not face danger upon their return to their home country – should the termination of Afghanistan’s TPS designation be upheld. 

    The lawmakers’ concerns over the safety of Afghan nationals who may be forced to leave the U.S. stem from a recent State Department human rights report covering Afghanistan finding that the Taliban has increased restrictions on freedom of expression and significantly eroded women’s rights. Additionally, Afghanistan remains gripped by violence and instability; the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS), continues to launch attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and against the Taliban, leading to innocent civilian casualties. If Afghan nationals are forced to return to Afghanistan, many risk being caught in the crossfire between the Taliban and ISKP, threatening their human rights and freedoms. These risks are on top of those already incurred by the men and women who have previously assisted the United States military and face retribution for their support to our armed forces. 

    “We write to you with deep concern over President Donald Trump’s recently announced so-called travel ban and its striking inconsistency with the Department of Homeland Security’s justification for termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan. We respectfully request that you provide detailed information regarding the State Department’s assessment of the conditions in Afghanistan to clarify the Trump Administration’s position,” the lawmakers began.

    They quoted the determination that Secretary Rubio made upon consultation over the decision to include Afghanistan in the Administration’s travel ban proclamation, writing, “Specifically, the proclamation bans most entry into the United States from Afghanistan, stating the following as justification: ‘The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan. Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.’

    “As you know, the U.S. visa vetting system is a multi-layered process involving extensive background checks, biometric data collection, interagency information sharing, and screening against a range of national security databases that works to keep residents of our country safe,” the lawmakers continued. “According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “[m]ore than 40 national security experts from across the political spectrum have unequivocally told courts that travelers to the U.S. should not be vetted on religious or national stereotypes, but rather on specific threat information.” Categorically banning foreign nationals from coming to the United States based on their country of origin is discriminatory and harmful to our nation’s international relations and security interests. 

    Highlighting the inconsistencies between the reasoning for including Afghanistan in the travel ban and ending the country’s TPS designation, they wrote, “This [travel ban] determination appears to be at odds with the Trump Administration’s stated position just weeks ago. May 12, 2025, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem announced that DHS was ending TPS for Afghanistan. The basis offered in the Federal Register notice for this decision was ‘notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.’

    “As you are aware, many Afghan allies that received TPS stood shoulder to shoulder with American servicemembers for nearly two decades during the war in Afghanistan. Many fled to the United States out of fear of persecution by the Taliban or retaliation for such cooperation with the United States. It is unsafe for political targets of the Taliban to be forced to return against their will. TPS protections must be maintained for Afghan nationals in the United States,” they went on to write.

    They asked Secretary Rubio to address the following questions:

    1. Please provide detailed reports or information that the State Department is relying upon in advising the Department of Homeland Security and the White House as to the conditions in Afghanistan.
    2. How can you assure Afghan nationals fearing persecution in Afghanistan that the Taliban will not retaliate against them based upon their relationship with the United States?

    In addition to Congressman Ivey, Senator Van Hollen, and Senator Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Representatives Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Adam Smith (D-Calif.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.).

     

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Rubio:

    We write to you with deep concern over President Donald Trump’s recently announced so-called travel ban and its striking inconsistency with the Department of Homeland Security’s justification for termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan. We respectfully request that you provide detailed information regarding the State Department’s assessment of the conditions in Afghanistan to clarify the Trump Administration’s position. 

    On June 4, 2025, President Trump announced via a proclamation entitled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats” that he was imposing travel restrictions for foreign nationals entering the United States. Among the countries included in this proclamation is Afghanistan. Specifically, the proclamation bans most entry into the United States from Afghanistan, stating the following as justification: 

    “The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan. Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.” 

    As you know, the U.S. visa vetting system is a multi-layered process involving extensive background checks, biometric data collection, interagency information sharing, and screening against a range of national security databases that works to keep residents of our country safe. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “[m]ore than 40 national security experts from across the political spectrum have unequivocally told courts that travelers to the U.S. should not be vetted on religious or national stereotypes, but rather on specific threat information.” Categorically banning foreign nationals from coming to the United States based on their country of origin is discriminatory and harmful to our nation’s international relations and security interests.

    The proclamation further states that you, as the Secretary of State, were directed to make this determination, in consultation with other members of the President’s Cabinet including the Secretary of Homeland Security. Per the proclamation, you ultimately determined that “a number of countries remain deficient with regards to screening and vetting,” including the country of Afghanistan. Placing a blanket ban on another country’s citizens is a severe action, and the title of the proclamation states that it is being done “to protect the United States from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats.” This determination appears to be at odds with the Trump Administration’s stated position just weeks ago. On May 12, 2025, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem announced that DHS was ending TPS for Afghanistan. The basis offered in the Federal Register notice for this decision was “notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.” Specifically, the notice points to:

    1. the totality of Taliban rule and lessening overt presence of ISIS-K and other various terrorist organizations;
    2. a decrease in large-scale violence and humanitarian need;
    3. a growing economy; and
    4. increased tourism, with tourists “sharing their experiences on social media, highlighting the peaceful countryside, welcoming locals, and the cultural heritage.”

    Further, Secretary Noem found that “permitting Afghan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.” The Federal Register notice cited consultation with your Department in making this determination.

    These seemingly incompatible recent decisions indicate a troubling lack of consistency in the Administration’s analysis of country conditions in Afghanistan. Either Afghanistan is safe for the return of Afghan refugees and nationals that fled following the return of the Taliban to power or it is not. 

    According to Human Rights Watch, in 2024, Taliban authorities intensified their crackdown on human rights, especially against women and girls, who are banned from attending secondary school or university and are unable to move freely. The Taliban also continues to detain and torture journalists, curtailing free speech and media. The 2023 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report covering Afghanistan found that women’s rights rapidly declined and restrictions on freedom of expression increased. The horrific human rights conditions in Afghanistan are unsafe for Afghan nationals to return to and returning would put their personal safety at immediate risk. Additionally, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS), continues to launch attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and against the Taliban, leading to innocent civilian casualties. If Afghan nationals are forced to return to Afghanistan, they will be caught in the crossfire between the Taliban and ISKP.  

    As you are aware, many Afghan allies that received TPS stood shoulder to shoulder with American servicemembers for nearly two decades during the war in Afghanistan. Many fled to the United States out of fear of persecution by the Taliban or retaliation for such cooperation with the United States. It is unsafe for political targets of the Taliban to be forced to return against their will. TPS protections must be maintained for Afghan nationals in the United States. 

    We would request that you immediately provide answers to the following questions:

    1. Please provide detailed reports or information that the State Department is relying upon in advising the Department of Homeland Security and the White House as to the conditions in Afghanistan.
    2. How can you assure Afghan nationals fearing persecution in Afghanistan that the Taliban will not retaliate against them based upon their relationship with the United States?

    Congress has a strong interest in understanding what information the Trump Administration is using to carry out its policies and how it is making national security decisions that impact all of our constituents. We look forward to receiving your response.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: A competition has been announced for the concept of a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in the last battle of World War II on Shumshu

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev, an open creative competition has been announced for the best architectural and artistic concept for a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in the final battle of World War II. The monument will be erected on the Kuril Island of Shumshu. The organizers are the Russian Military Historical Society and the Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “This year our country celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. We honor the feat of our fathers and grandfathers who shed their blood for the freedom of the Motherland and a peaceful sky above their heads, the feat of workers who forged Victory in the rear. One of the most important tasks facing us is not just to remember the heroism of our people, but to pass on the memory of this to our descendants. World War II ended in the Far East. Here, on the Kuril island of Shumshu, the Kuril landing operation was carried out. During the war, Shumshu was an almost impregnable fortress. According to the laws of military art, in order to take fortified positions, the attackers must have at least a threefold superiority in forces. But here it was exactly the opposite: the Japanese troops were many times superior to the Soviet landing force. But we won, and our country put an end to World War II. Now, on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, a military-historical memorial complex dedicated to the Kuril landing operation is being created on Shumshu. A decision has been made to erect a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in this battle on the top of Mount Severnaya on Shumshu Island – in close proximity to the historical battlefield of Soviet paratroopers with Japanese tanks. A competition has been announced for this purpose. I am sure that there will be a great response from sculptors, artists and other creative people,” said Yuri Trutnev.

    The competition will be held until August 29, 2025 inclusive. Concepts will be accepted until 18:00 Moscow time on August 8, 2025. The expert committee will sum up the competition and announce its results on August 29, 2025.

    There are several requirements for the concept of the monument. The main artistic idea of the monument being created is the image of the rapid advance of the Red Army, breaking through the line of defense of the Japanese troops in the final battle of World War II. The composition must be visually readable from all directions and become a key point of the space of the memorial ensemble.

    The location of the monument was not chosen by chance. The most difficult moment of the Kuril operation was the landing of Soviet troops on the northernmost island of the ridge – Shumshu – with numerous defensive fortifications, underground tunnels and pillboxes.

    The liberation of the Kuril Islands put an end to the Soviet-Japanese War and became one of the bloodiest operations of August-September 1945. The 2nd Far Eastern Front and the Pacific Fleet participated in the Kuril landing operation. The Soviet landing force landed on the islands without tanks and artillery, and had only light weapons.

    The bloody battles for the capture of Shumshu Island lasted for several days. After the capitulation of the Japanese garrison of Shumshu on August 23, 1945, the islands of the northern and central part of the ridge were liberated, and a successful operation was carried out to capture the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai.

    The operation to liberate the Kuril Islands ended on September 1, 1945, one day before the end of World War II. Many soldiers distinguished themselves in valiant battles, 52 people were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

    The regulations for holding an open creative competition for the best architectural and artistic concept of a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in the last battle of World War II are posted at the link.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the conclusion of the Open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General welcomes the consensus adoption of the final report of the Open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) 2021-2025, marking the conclusion of four years of steady efforts to safeguard the peace and security of the ICT domain.
     
    The Secretary-General expresses his sincere appreciation to Ambassador Burhan Gafoor (Singapore), Chair of the Open-ended working group, for his tireless efforts and leadership.
     
    He congratulates the Open-ended working group on its many concrete achievements, which demonstrate that even in the most challenging international security environment, collective action is still possible.
     
    He welcomes, in particular, the agreement to establish a new ‘Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs.’
     
    The Secretary-General now calls upon all States to work together through the Global Mechanism to tackle digital risks and ensure these technologies are leveraged for good.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong, agency leaders meet with Turtle Mountain officials in Belcourt to strengthen partnerships

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong and representatives from more than a dozen state agencies visited the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) today in Belcourt to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and identify shared priorities for further collaboration.

    The visit was part of Armstrong’s commitment to visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to the tribal nations introduce the new administration and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.

    “We want to build on our relationships, partnerships and conversations that began at the Government to Government seminar and bring these conversations to you,” Armstrong said.  “These visits serve as listening sessions, opportunities to hear directly from tribal leaders and community members, gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each nation faces and foster mutual respect rooted in history, culture and sovereignty.”

    The governor and Cabinet agency leaders met with TMBCI Chairman Jamie Azure and Tribal Council members and agency representatives, District 9 state legislators and other stakeholders at Sky Dancer Event Center. Discussion covered a wide range topics including health care and behavioral health, education, economic and workforce development, public safety and law enforcement, corrections, emergency management, transportation, gaming, natural resources, hunting access, and the need to extend natural gas service to the reservation.

    State agencies and offices represented in today’s discussions included the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Human Services including the Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Office, Game and Fish Department, and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Job Service ND, Insurance & Securities Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state-tribal Northland Narcotics Task Force. Other participating partners included the North Dakota Tribal College System, First Nation Women’s Alliance (MMIP), Broadband Association of North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation, and United and Turtle Mountain Communications, Tribal Nations Research Group, USDA Rural Development, Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

    Before breakout sessions, Armstrong challenged participants to move the dialogue forward into actionable solutions and address problems before they become crises. He emphasized the importance of open lines of communication, citing as an example the state’s role in helping Turtle Mountain battle wildfires that burned thousands of acres in early May.

    Azure, the TMBCI chairman, said he’s hoping the dialogue and “hard discussions” can lead to more substantive action, and he thanked Armstrong for bringing his administration and other state agencies to Belcourt.

    “We appreciate people coming to our lands,” he said. “You can see with your own eyes … a lot of the issues, a lot of the infrastructure needs. While you’re here, you are guests, you are friends.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong, agency leaders meet with Turtle Mountain officials in Belcourt to strengthen partnerships

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong and representatives from more than a dozen state agencies visited the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) today in Belcourt to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and identify shared priorities for further collaboration.

    The visit was part of Armstrong’s commitment to visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to the tribal nations introduce the new administration and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.

    “We want to build on our relationships, partnerships and conversations that began at the Government to Government seminar and bring these conversations to you,” Armstrong said.  “These visits serve as listening sessions, opportunities to hear directly from tribal leaders and community members, gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each nation faces and foster mutual respect rooted in history, culture and sovereignty.”

    The governor and Cabinet agency leaders met with TMBCI Chairman Jamie Azure and Tribal Council members and agency representatives, District 9 state legislators and other stakeholders at Sky Dancer Event Center. Discussion covered a wide range topics including health care and behavioral health, education, economic and workforce development, public safety and law enforcement, corrections, emergency management, transportation, gaming, natural resources, hunting access, and the need to extend natural gas service to the reservation.

    State agencies and offices represented in today’s discussions included the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Human Services including the Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Office, Game and Fish Department, and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Job Service ND, Insurance & Securities Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state-tribal Northland Narcotics Task Force. Other participating partners included the North Dakota Tribal College System, First Nation Women’s Alliance (MMIP), Broadband Association of North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation, and United and Turtle Mountain Communications, Tribal Nations Research Group, USDA Rural Development, Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

    Before breakout sessions, Armstrong challenged participants to move the dialogue forward into actionable solutions and address problems before they become crises. He emphasized the importance of open lines of communication, citing as an example the state’s role in helping Turtle Mountain battle wildfires that burned thousands of acres in early May.

    Azure, the TMBCI chairman, said he’s hoping the dialogue and “hard discussions” can lead to more substantive action, and he thanked Armstrong for bringing his administration and other state agencies to Belcourt.

    “We appreciate people coming to our lands,” he said. “You can see with your own eyes … a lot of the issues, a lot of the infrastructure needs. While you’re here, you are guests, you are friends.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: IoT Microcontroller Market to Reach USD 18.76 Billion by 2032 at 16.50% CAGR, Driven by Surge in Smart Device Adoption: AnalystView Market Insights

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Francisco, USA, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The global IoT Microcontroller Market is on a robust growth path, projected to reach a market size of USD 18,765.80 million by 2032, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.50% during the forecast period. This rapid expansion is largely fueled by the ever-growing deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) devices across both consumer and industrial landscapes.

    IoT microcontrollers are compact, power-efficient chips that function as the brains of connected devices. These chips manage real-time operations, data processing, and communication between sensors, actuators, and networks. As the number of connected devices continues to grow exponentially, so does the need for smarter, faster, and more energy-efficient microcontrollers. From smartwatches and home appliances to industrial machinery and autonomous vehicles, IoT microcontrollers play a pivotal role in enabling seamless device intelligence. According to the OECD, the number of IoT connections globally surpassed non‑IoT connections in 2020, marking a pivotal shift toward smart, interconnected devices.

    Get Instant Access to the Sample Report PDF @ https://analystviewmarketinsights.com/request_sample/AV3782

    Proliferation of Smart Devices and Systems- Primary Driving Forces Behind Market Growth

    One of the primary drivers propelling this market is the proliferation of smart devices and systems across virtually every sector. In the UK, Ofcom reports growth from 13.3 million IoT connections in 2016 to an estimated 39.9 million by 2024, driven by smart device proliferation. In the consumer space, applications such as smart homes, fitness trackers, and wearable health devices rely on microcontrollers to perform quick computations while conserving battery life. On the industrial side, microcontrollers are integral to smart factories, smart agriculture, and automated energy systems. These applications demand rugged, reliable chips that can function under a wide range of operating conditions.

    The increasing adoption of edge computing is another major catalyst. As businesses and developers move processing capabilities closer to the data source, there is a growing demand for microcontrollers that can handle localized, real-time processing without constant reliance on cloud infrastructure. This reduces latency, improves performance, and supports faster decision-making—particularly important for critical applications like industrial automation, autonomous systems, and healthcare diagnostics.

    Technological Advancements Pushing Innovation

    The IoT microcontroller space is witnessing continuous innovation aimed at increasing processing power, improving wireless communication, and extending battery life. Manufacturers are focusing on integrating support for the latest communication standards, including 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), NB-IoT, and LoRaWAN. These features are crucial for seamless device-to-device communication and for supporting massive IoT deployments in smart cities and industrial environments.

    Another key area of focus is low-power architecture. With many IoT devices operating on small batteries or energy-harvesting solutions, minimizing power consumption is a top priority. Modern microcontrollers are now equipped with advanced sleep modes, efficient wake-up cycles, and intelligent power management features that help extend device life significantly.

    Moreover, the integration of AI and machine learning at the edge is pushing the development of smarter microcontrollers capable of performing data analysis directly on the device. This is particularly useful in applications such as predictive maintenance, facial recognition, and anomaly detection, where real-time insights are critical.

    Industrial IoT as a Core Growth Segment

    Industrially, IoT microcontrollers are becoming a foundational technology for Industry 4.0 initiatives. Smart manufacturing, energy monitoring, predictive maintenance, and asset tracking all rely on microcontrollers to collect and process sensor data on-site. According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the demand for industrial IoT solutions is growing rapidly due to the global push toward automation and operational efficiency.

    In manufacturing, microcontrollers are used to monitor equipment health, control robotic systems, and enable adaptive production processes. In the energy and utilities sector, they support applications such as smart meters, grid automation, and energy-efficient building systems. As industries seek to digitize operations, the need for reliable and intelligent microcontrollers continues to intensify.

    TABLE OF CONTENT:

    1. IoT Microcontroller Market Overview
    1.1. Study Scope
    1.2. Market Estimation Years
    2. Executive Summary
    2.1. Market Snippet
    2.1.1. IoT Microcontroller Market Snippet by Product Type
    2.1.2. IoT Microcontroller Market Snippet by Application
    2.1.3. IoT Microcontroller Market Snippet by Architecture
    2.1.4. IoT Microcontroller Market Snippet by Country
    2.1.5. IoT Microcontroller Market Snippet by Region
    2.2. Competitive Insights
    3. IoT Microcontroller Key Market Trends
    3.1. IoT Microcontroller Market Drivers
    3.1.1. Impact Analysis of Market Drivers
    3.2. IoT Microcontroller Market Restraints
    3.2.1. Impact Analysis of Market Restraints
    3.3. IoT Microcontroller Market Opportunities
    3.4. IoT Microcontroller Market Future Trends
    4. IoT Microcontroller Industry Study
    4.1. PEST Analysis
    4.2. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
    4.3. Growth Prospect Mapping
    4.4. Regulatory Framework Analysis ……

    Regional Insights: North America Leading the Way

    North America currently dominates the global IoT microcontroller market, thanks to its well-established tech ecosystem, advanced research facilities, and widespread adoption of IoT technologies across multiple industries. The region is home to numerous cloud service providers, semiconductor giants, and IoT platform companies, all contributing to a strong demand for microcontroller solutions. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, over 100 U.S. cities have launched smart grid and intelligent transportation initiatives that rely heavily on IoT microcontroller-based sensors and gateways—fueling North America’s roughly 30% share of the global IoT MCU market in 2024.

    Asia-Pacific, however, is rapidly emerging as a high-growth market, driven by massive manufacturing capabilities in China, South Korea, and Japan, as well as increased IoT adoption in India and Southeast Asia. The region benefits from a large consumer base, expanding smart city projects, and rising investments in industrial automation.

    Strategic Moves by Market Players

    Companies in the IoT microcontroller space are employing diverse strategies to stay ahead in this competitive landscape. Key among these are:

    • Product Innovation: Firms are continually enhancing chip design to offer better performance, lower power consumption, and improved security.
    • Collaborations & Alliances: Semiconductor manufacturers are partnering with cloud providers, IoT platform developers, and system integrators to deliver end-to-end solutions tailored to specific use cases.
    • R&D Investment: Significant resources are being allocated to research next-generation microcontrollers that can handle AI tasks, secure communications, and complex real-time analytics.

    Moreover, many vendors are embracing open-source development platforms and providing developer tools, software libraries, and modular hardware kits to encourage rapid prototyping and foster developer communities. This lowers the barriers to IoT product development and helps accelerate market adoption.

    Outlook: A Foundation for the Connected Future

    As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the demand for smart, efficient, and reliable microcontrollers will only rise. The convergence of IoT, AI, and edge computing is transforming how data is processed and used, and microcontrollers sit at the heart of this transformation.

    Take a deep dive into regional competitiveness, market clusters, customer distribution, and business leaders@ https://analystviewmarketinsights.com/reports/report-highlight-iot-microcontroller-market 

    Browse more Reports from AnalystView Market Insights:

    Tire Cord and Tire Fabrics Market

    Semiconductor Plating System Market

    Motorcycle Chain Sprocket Market

    Car Carrier Market

    Automotive Structural Insert Market

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and India should adhere to the course of good-neighborliness and friendship – Chinese Foreign Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) — China and India should adhere to the policy of good-neighborliness and friendship and find a path of mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, common pursuit of development and win-win cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

    Wang Yi made the announcement during talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Beijing. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Philipp Kastner, Senior Lecturer in International Law, The University of Western Australia

    The governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda concluded a peace treaty in June 2025, aimed at ending a decades-long war in eastern DRC. The United Nations welcomed the agreement as “a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability” in the region.

    I have analysed several different peace negotiations and agreements. It’s important to distinguish between what’s needed to get warring parties to the table, and what’s eventually agreed on. In this article, I examine whether the DRC-Rwanda deal has got the four essential components that usually signal that an agreement will hold.

    Two broad points about peace agreements, first – and one particular complication in the DRC-Rwanda case.

    Firstly, one agreement is rarely enough to resolve a complex conflict. Most deals are part of a series of agreements, sometimes between different actors. They often mention previously concluded ones, and will be referred to by subsequent ones.

    Secondly, peace is a process, and requires broad and sustained commitment. It is essential that other actors, like armed groups, are brought on board. Importantly, this also includes civil society actors. An agreement will be more legitimate and effective if different voices are heard during negotiations.

    One major complication in relation to the DRC-Rwanda deal is that the United States has been the prime broker. But rather than acting as a neutral mediator trying to bring about peace, Washington seems to be pursuing its own economic interests. This does not bode well.

    There is no simple recipe for a good peace agreement, but research shows that four elements are important: a serious commitment from the parties, precise wording, clear timelines and strong implementation provisions.

    What underpins a good agreement

    First, the parties need to be serious about the agreement and able to commit to its terms. It must not be used as a cover to buy time, re-arm or pursue fighting. Moreover, lasting peace cannot be made exclusively at the highest political level. Agreements that are the result of more inclusive processes, with input by and support from the communities concerned, have a higher success rate.

    Second, the agreement must address the issues it aims to resolve, and its provisions must be drafted carefully and unambiguously. When agreements are vague or silent on key aspects, they are often short-lived. Previous experiences can guide peace negotiators and mediators in the drafting process. Peace agreement databases established by the United Nations and academic institutions are a useful tool for this.

    Third, clear and realistic timelines are essential. These can concern the withdrawal of armed forces from specified territories, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and the establishment of mechanisms providing reparations or other forms of transitional justice.

    Fourth, an agreement should include provisions on its implementation. External support is usually helpful here. Third states or international organisations, liked the United Nations and the African Union, can be mandated to oversee this phase. They can also provide security guarantees or even deploy a peacekeeping operation. What is crucial is that these actors are committed to the process and don’t pursue their own interests.



    Read more:
    DRC and Rwanda sign a US-brokered peace deal: what are the chances of its success?

    To know what to realistically expect from a specific peace agreement, it’s important to understand that such agreements can take very different forms. These range from pre-negotiation arrangements and ceasefires to comprehensive peace accords and implementation agreements.

    A lasting resolution of the conflict should not be expected when only a few conflict parties have concluded a temporary ceasefire.

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement: an important step with lots of shortcomings

    It’s difficult to tell at this point how serious the DRC and Rwanda are about peace, and if their commitment will be enough.

    Their assertion that they will respect each other’s territory and refrain from acts of aggression is certainly important.

    But Rwanda has a history of direct military activities in the DRC since the 1990s. And the treaty only includes rather vague references to the “disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda”. It doesn’t specifically mention the withdrawal of the reportedly thousands of Rwandan troops deployed to eastern DRC.

    The Paul Kagame-led Rwandan government has also supported Tutsi-dominated armed groups in the DRC since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) is the current primary military actor in eastern DRC. But the agreement between the governments of DRC and Rwanda didn’t include the M23 or other groups. The two governments only commit themselves to supporting the ongoing negotiations between the DRC and the M23 facilitated by Qatar.

    The agreement also foresees the “neutralisation” of another armed group, the Hutu-dominated Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). This group claims to protect Rwandan Hutu refugees in the DRC, but is considered “genocidal” by the Rwandan government. The group has reacted to this plan by calling for a political solution and a more inclusive peace process.

    What’s needed

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement includes provisions that are vital to the people most affected by the conflict, such as the return of the millions of people displaced because of the fighting in eastern DRC. But it does not address other key issues.

    For instance, aside from a general commitment to promote human rights and international humanitarian law, there is no reference to the widespread violations of human rights and war crimes reportedly committed by all sides. These include summary executions, and sexual and gender-based violence, including violence against children.

    Some form of justice and reconciliation mechanism to deal with such large-scale violence should be considered in this situation, as for instance in the fairly successful 2016 agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC). This could contribute to preventing further violations as it sends a clear signal that committing crimes will not be rewarded. It also helps the population heal and gives peace a better chance.

    There is no single model for this, and so-called transitional justice (defined as the “range of processes and mechanisms associated with a society’s attempts to come to terms with a legacy of large-scale past abuses, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation”) remains highly controversial. For instance, insisting on war crimes trials can be seen as endangering a fragile peace process.

    But peace agreements across the world, from Libya to the Central African Republic, have over past decades moved away from blanket amnesties. They have increasingly included provisions to ensure accountability, especially for serious crimes. The DRC-Rwanda deal is silent on these questions.

    A twist in the tale

    The DRC-Rwanda deal is complicated by Washington’s role and pursuit of economic interests.

    The two states agreed to establish a joint oversight committee, with members of the African Union, Qatar and the United States. It foresees a “regional economic integration framework”, which has been criticised as opening the door for foreign influence in the DRC’s rich mineral resources. The country is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, for instance, which is essential for the renewable energy sector.

    Such a neocolonial “peace for exploitation bargain” does not send a positive signal. And it will probably not contribute to ending an armed conflict that has been fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources.

    Philipp Kastner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up – https://theconversation.com/4-things-every-peace-agreement-needs-and-how-the-drc-rwanda-deal-measures-up-260944

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu Attends the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 OCAC Overseas Mandarin Teachers Training Program in Sydney

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    The OCAC held the Sydney session of its 2025 Overseas Mandarin Teachers Training Program, providing a valuable opportunity for local teachers to recharge and reconnect. Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu attended the opening ceremony alongside Director Chia-Hui Chiang of the Sydney Education Division and Principal Min-Huei Chien of the Australian Oriental Culture School.
    DG Wu praised the teachers for contributing to the impressive Mandarin skills of second- and third-generation students in the community. He also expressed confidence that the lectures by Professor Shih-Wen Chyu (NTNU) and Professor Tzu-Ching Lin (Providence University) would provide participants with the latest insights and practical tools.
    The two-day workshop, hosted by the Australian Oriental Culture School, featured classroom management, curriculum design, AI-assisted teaching, and Mandarin assessment system. Through these efforts, we aim to strengthen the connection between Taiwan and new generations of overseas Taiwanese, and elevate Taiwan’s brand in global Mandarin education.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OmegaPro founder, promoter charged for running global $650 million foreign exchange and crypto investment scam following ICE New York investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEW YORK — An investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations New York, alongside several partners, has resulted in an indictment charging two men for their alleged roles in operating and promoting OmegaPro, an international investment scheme that defrauded victim investors of over $650 million.

    According to court documents, Michael Shannon Sims, 48, of Georgia and Florida, was a founder, strategic consultant, and promoter of OmegaPro, and Juan Carlos Reynoso, 57, of New Jersey and Florida, led OmegaPro’s operations in Latin America and parts of the United States, including Puerto Rico.

    “This case highlights the critical role international partnerships play in dismantling transnational financial fraud schemes that exploit global markets and victimize unsuspecting investors,” said ICE HSI International Operations Assistant Director Ricardo Mayoral. “HSI remains committed to working with our partners worldwide to disrupt criminal networks that weaponize emerging technologies to conceal illicit profits and defraud the public.”

    Mayoral; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico; Assistant Director Joe Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division; and Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS Criminal Investigation announced the charges on July 8.

    HSI New York, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case, with assistance from HSI Bangkok; HSI Bogota; HSI Frankfurt; HSI Istanbul; HSI London; HSI Miami; HSI New Delhi; HSI The Hague; the FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit; the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia; and the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement, an alliance between the Australian Taxation Office, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from the U.K., and IRS-CI.

    According to the investigation and as outlined in court documents:

    Sims and co-conspirators established OmegaPro in or about January 2019, and Reynoso joined a few months later, in or about April 2019. As alleged, the defendants and others operated and promoted OmegaPro as a multi-level marketing scheme for investors to purchase “investment packages,” which the defendants and others falsely promised would generate 300% returns over 16 months through foreign exchange trading by elite traders. Investors were instructed to purchase these investment packages using virtual currency.

    Sims allegedly misled victims by vouching for OmegaPro’s trading performance and the skills of the hired traders and by falsely advertising the safety of investment in OmegaPro. Reynoso allegedly falsely and misleadingly represented that OmegaPro was operating pursuant to a legitimate license and, at other times, that OmegaPro was not subject to any country’s legal rules. The indictment alleges that Sims and Reynoso, together with co-conspirators, hosted lavish OmegaPro promotional events and trainings all over the world including, for example, projecting the OmegaPro logo onto the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, at an event in Dubai. The objective of these promotional events allegedly was to convince existing and prospective investors that OmegaPro was a legitimate enterprise that offered a path to wealth and a luxurious lifestyle.

    Further, Sims, Reynoso, and their co-conspirators used social media to display their expensive vacations and cars, as well as their designer clothes and watches. The indictment alleges that through the defendants’ and others’ misrepresentations, OmegaPro raised over $650 million in virtual currency from thousands of investors. After OmegaPro announced that it had suffered a network hack, Reynoso and others told victims in or about January 2023 that their investments were secure and that OmegaPro was transferring their investments to another platform called Broker Group. Despite these representations, victims were unable to withdraw money from either their OmegaPro accounts or their accounts at Broker Group, resulting in millions in victim losses.

    The more than $650 million in funds raised from victims allegedly was first sent to virtual currency wallet addresses controlled by OmegaPro executives and then allegedly transferred to OmegaPro insiders and high-ranking promoters to disperse the funds and obscure their origins. As alleged, Sims and Reynoso both profited millions from this scheme.

    “As alleged, the defendants preyed upon vulnerable individuals in the U.S. and abroad, defrauding them of over $650 million by making false promises of substantial returns and that their money was safe,” said Galeotti. “The Criminal Division is committed to prosecuting these bad actors and pursuing justice for their many victims. Thanks to the dedicated work of our multiagency and international law enforcement partners, we are leading efforts to combat these complex and insidious digital asset investor scams.”

    “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants operated a global fraud scheme through OmegaPro that deceived investors with false promises of extraordinary returns, only to misappropriate hundreds of millions of victim funds,” said Muldrow. “We remain committed to dismantling international financial schemes that target U.S. victims — including here in Puerto Rico — and to recovering illicit proceeds through criminal prosecution and asset forfeiture.”

    “The FBI will not stand by while the American public is defrauded,” said Perez. “Through coordination with our partners, these individuals will have to defend their actions in a court of law.”

    “This case exposes the ruthless reality of modern financial crime,” said Ficco. “OmegaPro promised financial freedom but delivered financial ruin — stealing over $650 million from everyday people and vanishing it into virtual currency. These weren’t just scams; they were precision-engineered betrayals. Our job is to stand up for those who’ve been exploited and continue our cross-agency collaboration until those responsible are brought to justice.”

    Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Sims and Reynoso each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Philipp Kastner, Senior Lecturer in International Law, The University of Western Australia

    The governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda concluded a peace treaty in June 2025, aimed at ending a decades-long war in eastern DRC. The United Nations welcomed the agreement as “a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability” in the region.

    I have analysed several different peace negotiations and agreements. It’s important to distinguish between what’s needed to get warring parties to the table, and what’s eventually agreed on. In this article, I examine whether the DRC-Rwanda deal has got the four essential components that usually signal that an agreement will hold.

    Two broad points about peace agreements, first – and one particular complication in the DRC-Rwanda case.

    Firstly, one agreement is rarely enough to resolve a complex conflict. Most deals are part of a series of agreements, sometimes between different actors. They often mention previously concluded ones, and will be referred to by subsequent ones.

    Secondly, peace is a process, and requires broad and sustained commitment. It is essential that other actors, like armed groups, are brought on board. Importantly, this also includes civil society actors. An agreement will be more legitimate and effective if different voices are heard during negotiations.

    One major complication in relation to the DRC-Rwanda deal is that the United States has been the prime broker. But rather than acting as a neutral mediator trying to bring about peace, Washington seems to be pursuing its own economic interests. This does not bode well.

    There is no simple recipe for a good peace agreement, but research shows that four elements are important: a serious commitment from the parties, precise wording, clear timelines and strong implementation provisions.

    What underpins a good agreement

    First, the parties need to be serious about the agreement and able to commit to its terms. It must not be used as a cover to buy time, re-arm or pursue fighting. Moreover, lasting peace cannot be made exclusively at the highest political level. Agreements that are the result of more inclusive processes, with input by and support from the communities concerned, have a higher success rate.

    Second, the agreement must address the issues it aims to resolve, and its provisions must be drafted carefully and unambiguously. When agreements are vague or silent on key aspects, they are often short-lived. Previous experiences can guide peace negotiators and mediators in the drafting process. Peace agreement databases established by the United Nations and academic institutions are a useful tool for this.

    Third, clear and realistic timelines are essential. These can concern the withdrawal of armed forces from specified territories, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and the establishment of mechanisms providing reparations or other forms of transitional justice.

    Fourth, an agreement should include provisions on its implementation. External support is usually helpful here. Third states or international organisations, liked the United Nations and the African Union, can be mandated to oversee this phase. They can also provide security guarantees or even deploy a peacekeeping operation. What is crucial is that these actors are committed to the process and don’t pursue their own interests.

    Read more: DRC and Rwanda sign a US-brokered peace deal: what are the chances of its success?

    To know what to realistically expect from a specific peace agreement, it’s important to understand that such agreements can take very different forms. These range from pre-negotiation arrangements and ceasefires to comprehensive peace accords and implementation agreements.

    A lasting resolution of the conflict should not be expected when only a few conflict parties have concluded a temporary ceasefire.

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement: an important step with lots of shortcomings

    It’s difficult to tell at this point how serious the DRC and Rwanda are about peace, and if their commitment will be enough.

    Their assertion that they will respect each other’s territory and refrain from acts of aggression is certainly important.

    But Rwanda has a history of direct military activities in the DRC since the 1990s. And the treaty only includes rather vague references to the “disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda”. It doesn’t specifically mention the withdrawal of the reportedly thousands of Rwandan troops deployed to eastern DRC.

    The Paul Kagame-led Rwandan government has also supported Tutsi-dominated armed groups in the DRC since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) is the current primary military actor in eastern DRC. But the agreement between the governments of DRC and Rwanda didn’t include the M23 or other groups. The two governments only commit themselves to supporting the ongoing negotiations between the DRC and the M23 facilitated by Qatar.

    The agreement also foresees the “neutralisation” of another armed group, the Hutu-dominated Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). This group claims to protect Rwandan Hutu refugees in the DRC, but is considered “genocidal” by the Rwandan government. The group has reacted to this plan by calling for a political solution and a more inclusive peace process.

    What’s needed

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement includes provisions that are vital to the people most affected by the conflict, such as the return of the millions of people displaced because of the fighting in eastern DRC. But it does not address other key issues.

    For instance, aside from a general commitment to promote human rights and international humanitarian law, there is no reference to the widespread violations of human rights and war crimes reportedly committed by all sides. These include summary executions, and sexual and gender-based violence, including violence against children.

    Some form of justice and reconciliation mechanism to deal with such large-scale violence should be considered in this situation, as for instance in the fairly successful 2016 agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC). This could contribute to preventing further violations as it sends a clear signal that committing crimes will not be rewarded. It also helps the population heal and gives peace a better chance.

    There is no single model for this, and so-called transitional justice (defined as the “range of processes and mechanisms associated with a society’s attempts to come to terms with a legacy of large-scale past abuses, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation”) remains highly controversial. For instance, insisting on war crimes trials can be seen as endangering a fragile peace process.

    But peace agreements across the world, from Libya to the Central African Republic, have over past decades moved away from blanket amnesties. They have increasingly included provisions to ensure accountability, especially for serious crimes. The DRC-Rwanda deal is silent on these questions.

    A twist in the tale

    The DRC-Rwanda deal is complicated by Washington’s role and pursuit of economic interests.

    The two states agreed to establish a joint oversight committee, with members of the African Union, Qatar and the United States. It foresees a “regional economic integration framework”, which has been criticised as opening the door for foreign influence in the DRC’s rich mineral resources. The country is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, for instance, which is essential for the renewable energy sector.

    Such a neocolonial “peace for exploitation bargain” does not send a positive signal. And it will probably not contribute to ending an armed conflict that has been fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources.

    – 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up
    – https://theconversation.com/4-things-every-peace-agreement-needs-and-how-the-drc-rwanda-deal-measures-up-260944

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Estes Talks One Big Beautiful Law with Andy Hooser

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined the Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser to talk about the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). President Trump signed the bill into law on July 4, 2025.

    Rep. Estes spoke about provisions within the OBBBA that will improve the lives of Americans through tax cuts, economic growth and the promotion of American innovation. He also spoke about border security funding and the creation of a Golden Dome to strengthen our national security.

    Listen to the interview here. 

    On passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

    “…It was a monumental thing just because of the amount of work that we had to go through. In fact, we started this years ago. We knew after we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 that there were provisions that were going to expire. Some of them already have expired and we’ve seen some slowdown in the economy because of that. Others are expiring this year and so we wanted to make sure that we address those provisions and we looked at the future and how do we move forward from here. And so it was a lot of heavy lifting in terms of a lot of work and how do you sort through that process. 

    “I said in a lot of cases, it’s one step at a time. The first step was to get the Republicans elected in the majority in the House and the Senate and President Trump elected in the White House. That was the first thing we had to do to make this happen. It’s just been a series of steps since then.”

    On how the One Big, Beautiful Bill will grow the economy:

    “…We’ve seen over and over again the Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, has missed on scoring. In fact, they scored that the Inflation Act was not going to increase the deficit when as soon as the act was passed by the Democrats, then it showed, well now it’s really going to cost hundreds of billions of dollars more than what was described. We really have to come up with some better guestimates in terms of the decisions we make because we’re making trillion-dollar decisions. We’ve got to do that.

    “When we look at the One Big, Beautiful Bill on paper, in a static world, they’re saying it costs over $3 trillion dollars. But that’s if you say, somebody gets a tax cut or they don’t get a tax increase, because that’s really a lot of cases what it was, that their behavior wouldn’t change.

    “And I would say the argument is that if we raise taxes on people, they don’t have the money to invest. Businesses don’t have the money to invest. Individuals don’t have the money to go out and buy the new car, to go out and do the other decisions that they want to make for their family. 

    “And so when we were going through this on the Budget Committee, we were looking at, you know, even if the economic growth went from roughly 1.8%, 1.9%, where CBO was project it, up by less than 1%, that would raise almost $3 trillion in extra tax revenue over 10 years. Yet that’s not included in some of these numbers that are being reported about what the true cost of that is. 

    “We really wanted to focus on, how do we make good economic growth? How do we put as much as we could permanent, whether it was for small businesses … or whether it’s things like research and development, which Americans have led the innovation across the world for years. And I’ve been a big advocate that when you invest money on research and development or new ideas, that you can deduct that off your taxes in the year that incurs. And that’s one of those provisions that expired three years ago, and we’ve seen a slowdown in research and development spending.

    “In fact, we’ve seen … after 2017, it increased by 18%. And now, it has dropped. And the important thing about that is three-fourths of that money goes to jobs. And then those research and development jobs lead to more manufacturing work in the United States. So for over a longer period of time, it is a jobs program. And we need to make sure that those provisions, and that was a big piece of what we wanted to make sure were permanent in the bill, to help make sure that the economy continued to grow and people had more money in their pocket and paid less in taxes.”

    On Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries holding up the vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

    “Here’s what he was trying to advocate for. He was trying to advocate that able-bodied adults without children should be entitled to Medicaid and not have to go look for a job. Americans want to, we’re beneficial people, we’re charitable. We want to give hand ups to people. But we also expect that you should do your own part and have the responsibility.

    “Basically, the Democrat position was, ‘No these people shouldn’t have to go look for a job.’Their argument was that illegal aliens should be entitled to getting free Medicaid. And this bill is going to prohibit that. And this bill is also going to prohibit people who maybe they qualified one year, but their income’s gone up this year because they have gone to work, but states weren’t required to certify that their income is as low as it was. Therefore, they were automatically re-enrolled. 

    “We’re saying, ‘Let’s go make sure that these processes work. Let’s go make sure that the money’s saved on people that shouldn’t be receiving Medicaid so that we have the money available for the disabled and the low income.’” 

    On improving national security at home and abroad:

    “We need to make sure that we clean up the mess that President Biden left the country in. Looking at new things on the defense side. You know, the world’s a dangerous place as we see now with Iran and North Korea and China and even Russia, in some of the things they’re doing. And [we] need to make sure that we have the next generation of technology out there to help with the sport. That we look at the Golden Dome process.”

    “I’ve been amazed going to Israel and seeing the Iron Dome and seeing that work. Seeing the interaction of technology to be able to detect a missile launch and track it and determine where it’s going and determine is it going to land in a field or is it going to land in a populated area? And then, how do you fire a missile to stop it? And to be successful at that and to make that process work. It’s great technology, great interaction there. It’s the type of thought process that we need to have to protect our country going forward.” 

    On the United States investing in a strong military and national defense:

    “One, we’ve seen, ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, we saw a huge decline in the 1990s, the so-called peace dividend. And that really led into, there was a slight buildup with the fighting Al-Qaeda after 2001. And 9/11 results out of that. But then after that, there started to be a wind down again in terms of that.

    “We’re at an inflection point now and we’ve seen it both in Israel, and we’ve seen it in Ukraine. We’re at a point where some of the old technology or some of the things that may not be the right answers going forward. 

    “For example, we can shoot down a lot of the missiles that are fired at Israel but if you take a million dollar missile to shoot down a $50,000 drone that’s being fired at it, that’s not a smart use of resources. So we’ve got to look at some of those new technologies and things that we do going forward.”

    On the budget reconciliation process:

    Basically the reconciliation process is driven off of the budget process. And you want to prepare a budget each year, each fiscal year. This was off of the 2025 fiscal year budget … We’re now working on the 2026 fiscal year budget, and we’ll also have to work on the 2027 fiscal year before the end of next year.

    “Obviously, there’s a lot of work to do. I mean, we made some great strides in this One Big, Beautiful Bill. One of the things we want to really push on is, let’s get as much done as we could, knowing that we couldn’t get everything done.

    “So we’ve got a lot more to do, and we still have a whole lot of work we have to do to actually address some of the things with the spending at the federal level and making sure we address the budget and making sure, how do we make the United States stronger again.”

    On working towards a balanced budget:

    “We’ve still got a lot of work to do in that regards. I mean, we’re borrowing one out five dollars that the federal government is spending. So, it’s a terrible place to be in. It’s something that … our predecessors should not have gotten into that situation. And, it’s not something that we want to leave to our kids and grandkids. And really, that debt’s mostly being spent on today’s lifestyle. That’s the bad part about it. 

    “It’s not like it’s investing in a whole lot more infrastructure and other things. It’s today’s preferences that [it] is being spent on. So we’ve got to focus on both the discretionary side, which is the smallest piece of the budget, it’s really about 25% of it. And that’s what we’ll look at on the 2026 appropriations. 

    “But then we’ve got some big mandatory spending projects we’ve got to work on now. And those are the ones that are growing the fastest. Part of it’s the Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, … we put money into Social Security and Medicare, but it’s not enough for what’s being spent out of those programs.

    “The SNAP food stamp program, which got some improvements now, obviously that’s growing. And that’s what, 80% of the Farm Bill? We really should be calling it the Farm and Food Stamp Bill. And so we’ve got a lot of work as we focus on that.

    On drafting the FY2026 budget:

    “Technically for 2026 we’ve already missed the date in terms of what we wanted to do. But with the discussion now that we’ve passed, and part of that was because we focused so much on the One Big, Beautiful Bill. We knew we had to get that done. There are some things we needed to get done in July. There are some things we wanted to get done now instead of waiting until December so that people could start making decisions about, because they know what their tax bill is going to be next year through that process. That’s good. Now let’s go focus on the 2026 budget and how that’s going to drive reconciliation. At the parallel process, which we’re working on appropriations for the discretionary pieces, and we can attack them both directions in terms of the problems that we’re trying to face.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • India-China relationship gradually moving in a positive direction: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024.

    “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-sighted approach to our ties. Since our leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    He added, “We have made good progress in the past nine months towards the normalization of our bilateral relations. This is a result of resolving friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there. This remains the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for the smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.”

    The EAM is currently in China — his first visit to the country since the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 — to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Tianjin.

    Congratulating China on a successful Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar noted that the two sides have had several opportunities in recent months to meet at international events and maintain strategic communication.

    “We will be meeting tomorrow and India is committed to ensuring good outcomes and decisions,” he said, expressing hope for more regular bilateral meetings to take place in each other’s countries.

    The External Affairs Minister also thanked China for its cooperation in resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years.

    “As neighbouring nations and major global economies, there are various facets and dimensions to our ties. Measures towards normalising our people-to-people exchanges can certainly foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided. I hope to discuss these issues in further detail,” Jaishankar said.

    Highlighting that both countries are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the EAM emphasised that stable and constructive ties between India and China are in the interest of the entire world.

    “This is best achieved by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. We have also agreed earlier that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever turn into conflict. On this foundation, we can continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he stated.

    During Monday’s meeting, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues and will hold discussions in the SCO format on Tuesday.

    Looking forward to a “constructive and forward-looking exchange” of views, the EAM reiterated that the SCO’s primary mandate is to “combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

    “This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” Jaishankar said.

    –IANS

  • India-China relationship gradually moving in a positive direction: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024.

    “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-sighted approach to our ties. Since our leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    He added, “We have made good progress in the past nine months towards the normalization of our bilateral relations. This is a result of resolving friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there. This remains the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for the smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.”

    The EAM is currently in China — his first visit to the country since the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 — to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Tianjin.

    Congratulating China on a successful Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar noted that the two sides have had several opportunities in recent months to meet at international events and maintain strategic communication.

    “We will be meeting tomorrow and India is committed to ensuring good outcomes and decisions,” he said, expressing hope for more regular bilateral meetings to take place in each other’s countries.

    The External Affairs Minister also thanked China for its cooperation in resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years.

    “As neighbouring nations and major global economies, there are various facets and dimensions to our ties. Measures towards normalising our people-to-people exchanges can certainly foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided. I hope to discuss these issues in further detail,” Jaishankar said.

    Highlighting that both countries are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the EAM emphasised that stable and constructive ties between India and China are in the interest of the entire world.

    “This is best achieved by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. We have also agreed earlier that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever turn into conflict. On this foundation, we can continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he stated.

    During Monday’s meeting, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues and will hold discussions in the SCO format on Tuesday.

    Looking forward to a “constructive and forward-looking exchange” of views, the EAM reiterated that the SCO’s primary mandate is to “combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

    “This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” Jaishankar said.

    –IANS

  • India-China relationship gradually moving in a positive direction: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024.

    “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-sighted approach to our ties. Since our leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    He added, “We have made good progress in the past nine months towards the normalization of our bilateral relations. This is a result of resolving friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there. This remains the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for the smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.”

    The EAM is currently in China — his first visit to the country since the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 — to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Tianjin.

    Congratulating China on a successful Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar noted that the two sides have had several opportunities in recent months to meet at international events and maintain strategic communication.

    “We will be meeting tomorrow and India is committed to ensuring good outcomes and decisions,” he said, expressing hope for more regular bilateral meetings to take place in each other’s countries.

    The External Affairs Minister also thanked China for its cooperation in resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years.

    “As neighbouring nations and major global economies, there are various facets and dimensions to our ties. Measures towards normalising our people-to-people exchanges can certainly foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided. I hope to discuss these issues in further detail,” Jaishankar said.

    Highlighting that both countries are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the EAM emphasised that stable and constructive ties between India and China are in the interest of the entire world.

    “This is best achieved by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. We have also agreed earlier that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever turn into conflict. On this foundation, we can continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he stated.

    During Monday’s meeting, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues and will hold discussions in the SCO format on Tuesday.

    Looking forward to a “constructive and forward-looking exchange” of views, the EAM reiterated that the SCO’s primary mandate is to “combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

    “This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” Jaishankar said.

    –IANS

  • India-China relationship gradually moving in a positive direction: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024.

    “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-sighted approach to our ties. Since our leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    He added, “We have made good progress in the past nine months towards the normalization of our bilateral relations. This is a result of resolving friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there. This remains the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for the smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.”

    The EAM is currently in China — his first visit to the country since the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 — to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Tianjin.

    Congratulating China on a successful Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar noted that the two sides have had several opportunities in recent months to meet at international events and maintain strategic communication.

    “We will be meeting tomorrow and India is committed to ensuring good outcomes and decisions,” he said, expressing hope for more regular bilateral meetings to take place in each other’s countries.

    The External Affairs Minister also thanked China for its cooperation in resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years.

    “As neighbouring nations and major global economies, there are various facets and dimensions to our ties. Measures towards normalising our people-to-people exchanges can certainly foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided. I hope to discuss these issues in further detail,” Jaishankar said.

    Highlighting that both countries are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the EAM emphasised that stable and constructive ties between India and China are in the interest of the entire world.

    “This is best achieved by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. We have also agreed earlier that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever turn into conflict. On this foundation, we can continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he stated.

    During Monday’s meeting, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues and will hold discussions in the SCO format on Tuesday.

    Looking forward to a “constructive and forward-looking exchange” of views, the EAM reiterated that the SCO’s primary mandate is to “combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

    “This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” Jaishankar said.

    –IANS

  • India-China relationship gradually moving in a positive direction: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024.

    “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-sighted approach to our ties. Since our leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    He added, “We have made good progress in the past nine months towards the normalization of our bilateral relations. This is a result of resolving friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there. This remains the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for the smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.”

    The EAM is currently in China — his first visit to the country since the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 — to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Tianjin.

    Congratulating China on a successful Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar noted that the two sides have had several opportunities in recent months to meet at international events and maintain strategic communication.

    “We will be meeting tomorrow and India is committed to ensuring good outcomes and decisions,” he said, expressing hope for more regular bilateral meetings to take place in each other’s countries.

    The External Affairs Minister also thanked China for its cooperation in resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years.

    “As neighbouring nations and major global economies, there are various facets and dimensions to our ties. Measures towards normalising our people-to-people exchanges can certainly foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided. I hope to discuss these issues in further detail,” Jaishankar said.

    Highlighting that both countries are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the EAM emphasised that stable and constructive ties between India and China are in the interest of the entire world.

    “This is best achieved by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. We have also agreed earlier that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever turn into conflict. On this foundation, we can continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he stated.

    During Monday’s meeting, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues and will hold discussions in the SCO format on Tuesday.

    Looking forward to a “constructive and forward-looking exchange” of views, the EAM reiterated that the SCO’s primary mandate is to “combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

    “This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” Jaishankar said.

    –IANS

  • India-China relationship gradually moving in a positive direction: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024.

    “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-sighted approach to our ties. Since our leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    He added, “We have made good progress in the past nine months towards the normalization of our bilateral relations. This is a result of resolving friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there. This remains the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for the smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.”

    The EAM is currently in China — his first visit to the country since the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 — to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Tianjin.

    Congratulating China on a successful Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar noted that the two sides have had several opportunities in recent months to meet at international events and maintain strategic communication.

    “We will be meeting tomorrow and India is committed to ensuring good outcomes and decisions,” he said, expressing hope for more regular bilateral meetings to take place in each other’s countries.

    The External Affairs Minister also thanked China for its cooperation in resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years.

    “As neighbouring nations and major global economies, there are various facets and dimensions to our ties. Measures towards normalising our people-to-people exchanges can certainly foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided. I hope to discuss these issues in further detail,” Jaishankar said.

    Highlighting that both countries are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the EAM emphasised that stable and constructive ties between India and China are in the interest of the entire world.

    “This is best achieved by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. We have also agreed earlier that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever turn into conflict. On this foundation, we can continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he stated.

    During Monday’s meeting, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues and will hold discussions in the SCO format on Tuesday.

    Looking forward to a “constructive and forward-looking exchange” of views, the EAM reiterated that the SCO’s primary mandate is to “combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

    “This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” Jaishankar said.

    –IANS

  • MIL-OSI: Click Holdings Limited (CLIK) Secures Landmark HK$21.6 Million Government Contract with Major Hong Kong Postal Service Provider

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Hong Kong, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Click Holdings Limited (“Click Holdings” or “Click” or “we” or “us”, NASDAQ: CLIK) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), a leading human resources and senior care solutions provider based in Hong Kong, announced it has been recently awarded a three-year, HK$21.6 million contract by a prominent Hong Kong government-affiliated postal and courier service provider. The contract, marking Click’s first successful government tender, engages the Company to provide staffing solutions for warehouse operations near Hong Kong International Airport, supporting critical air courier logistics. With monthly billing of approximately HK$600,000, this agreement underscores Click’s growing recognition as a trusted partner in the public sector.

    This milestone reflects Click’s robust market position and the strength of its proprietary AI-powered HR platform, which connects over 300 vacancies with registered freelancers, daily. The Company’s talent pool continues to expand at a rate of over 40% annual growth rate annually, enabling efficient matching of skilled professionals with dynamic workforce needs. The contract with the postal service provider is projected to drive a 25% revenue increase for Click, establishing a stable income stream and reinforcing its strategic focus on securing government tenders.

    “We are honored to partner with a leading postal and courier service provider in Hong Kong in this landmark contract, which validates our innovative approach to staffing solutions,” said Jeffrey Chan, Chief Executive Officer of Click. “Our AI-driven platform not only streamlines workforce deployment but also positions us to meet the evolving demands of government and private sector clients. We anticipate further opportunities to serve public institutions, fostering sustainable growth for our business.”

    Click’s embrace of artificial intelligence extends beyond recruitment, enhancing operational efficiency across its services. By integrating AI into daily operations, the Company expects to optimize output while reducing reliance on permanent roles. This shift is poised to increase demand for short-term vacancies, aligning with Click’s expertise in connecting freelancers with flexible job opportunities. As a result, Click is well-positioned to capitalize on emerging market trends, delivering value to clients and stakeholders alike.

    About Click Holdings Limited (CLIK)

    Click Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: CLIK) is a Hong Kong-based leader in AI-powered human resources and senior care solutions. Through its proprietary platform, CLIK connects clients with a talent pool of over 20,500 professionals, serving nursing, logistics, and professional services sectors.

    For more information, please visit https://clicksc.com.hk.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov.

    For enquiry, please contact:

    Click Holdings Limited
    Unit 1709-11, 17/F
    Tower 2, The Gateway
    Harbour City, Kowloon
    Hong Kong
    Email: jack.wong@jfy.hk
    Phone: +852 2691 8200

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Quartus Capital Partners is Delighted to Announce the Final Closing of Quartus AI Fund LP with $50 Million Plus in Commitments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quartus Capital Partners LLC is delighted to announce the final closing of Quartus AI Fund LP with $50 million plus in commitments. The firm attracted a diverse set of LPs, including endowments, foundations, RIAs and family offices.

    “This fund was built around one simple idea: the future of business and society will be defined by AI that works,” said Afzal M. Tarar, Founder and Managing Partner of Quartus. “We invest in growth-stage AI and technology ventures and scale them into market leaders of the future that drive innovation, performance and impact.”

    While fundraising, the Fund has deployed capital into a curated portfolio of 9 AI and technology ventures across sectors including healthcare, education, security and logistics. The Fund is benchmarked by Cambridge Associates and has been in the top quartile for net IRR and TVPI for most of the past 2 plus years.

    With the Fund’s final closing, the firm is turning its attention to deploying the remaining capital and harvesting the Fund.

    About Quartus Capital Partners
    Quartus Capital Partners LLC is an AI and technology investment firm with partner presence in New York City, Miami, Silicon Valley and Asia. The firm is led by AI pioneers, technologists, and seasoned operators.  It invests in growth-stage ventures and scales them into market leaders that drive innovation, performance, and impact.

    Media Contact:
    Afzal M. Tarar
    Founder and Managing Partner
    afzal@quartuscap.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China expands trade network amid protectionism

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Facing unilateralism and protectionism, China has continued to broaden its global trade network in the first half of this year, said a China Customs official Monday. The country’s trade volume with Africa and Central Asia grew 14.4% and 13.8%, respectively.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI to conduct 3-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction under LAF on July 15, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    On a review of the current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on July 15, 2025, Tuesday, as under:

    Sl. No. Notified Amount
    (₹ crore)    		 Tenor
    (day)    		 Window Timing Date of Reversal
    1 1,00,000 3 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM July 18, 2025
    (Friday)

    2. The operational guidelines for the auction as given in the Reserve Bank’s Press Release 2019-2020/1947 dated February 13, 2020 will remain the same.

    Ajit Prasad           
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/712

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI to conduct 3-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction under LAF on July 15, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    On a review of the current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on July 15, 2025, Tuesday, as under:

    Sl. No. Notified Amount
    (₹ crore)    		 Tenor
    (day)    		 Window Timing Date of Reversal
    1 1,00,000 3 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM July 18, 2025
    (Friday)

    2. The operational guidelines for the auction as given in the Reserve Bank’s Press Release 2019-2020/1947 dated February 13, 2020 will remain the same.

    Ajit Prasad           
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/712

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI to conduct 3-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction under LAF on July 15, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    On a review of the current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on July 15, 2025, Tuesday, as under:

    Sl. No. Notified Amount
    (₹ crore)    		 Tenor
    (day)    		 Window Timing Date of Reversal
    1 1,00,000 3 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM July 18, 2025
    (Friday)

    2. The operational guidelines for the auction as given in the Reserve Bank’s Press Release 2019-2020/1947 dated February 13, 2020 will remain the same.

    Ajit Prasad           
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/712

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Courts UAE Investment During Dubai Visit, Secures Major Partnership Commitments

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.

    On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.

    Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.

    Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.

    Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.

    Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.

    Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.

    The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.

    The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.

    The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Courts UAE Investment During Dubai Visit, Secures Major Partnership Commitments

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.

    On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.

    Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.

    Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.

    Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.

    Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.

    Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.

    The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.

    The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.

    The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Courts UAE Investment During Dubai Visit, Secures Major Partnership Commitments

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.

    On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.

    Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.

    Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.

    Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.

    Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.

    Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.

    The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.

    The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.

    The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Courts UAE Investment During Dubai Visit, Secures Major Partnership Commitments

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.

    On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.

    Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.

    Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.

    Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.

    Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.

    Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.

    The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.

    The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.

    The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Courts UAE Investment During Dubai Visit, Secures Major Partnership Commitments

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, currently on a three-day visit to the UAE as part of his Dubai-Spain tour from July 13–19, is making strong headway in attracting international investments. His meetings with UAE officials and global investors have already yielded substantial commitments.

    On the second day of his Dubai visit, Dr. Yadav held in-depth talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, focusing on investment prospects under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the I2U2 collaboration. He outlined Madhya Pradesh’s strengths, including its industrial infrastructure, supportive policies, and investor-friendly environment across sectors such as electric vehicles, textiles, pharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and food processing.

    Significant investment commitments have already been secured. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO of Grew Solar, confirmed an existing investment of ₹3,000 crore in the state, with plans to scale it up to ₹10,000 crore, covering renewable energy, textiles, and other key sectors.

    Another key development came from Dr. Yadav’s meeting with Mukesh Vora, Chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). Both sides agreed to establish an MP-JITO investment platform in Dubai. The initiative will promote joint ventures in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy, while also supporting skill development, MSME growth, and educational exchange.

    Highlighting the broad scope of his visit, the Chief Minister said, “We have been meeting with various stakeholders since morning, including embassy officials. We discussed how the Indian and MP governments can make doing business with foreign partners simpler.” He also mentioned plans to develop food parks, explore mining potential, and support industrial setups.

    Aviation also emerged as a focus area. Dr. Yadav noted efforts to boost flight connectivity and promote the state’s Air Ambulance service, with investor support under the Indian government’s guidance.

    Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, expressed strong interest in partnering with the state. “It was a terrific opportunity to meet the CM of Madhya Pradesh. Having been in India for seven years, I’ve seen the scale of investment and vision the CM brings,” he said.

    The Dubai leg of Dr. Yadav’s tour spans multiple sectors, including energy, health, services, and wellness. Particular investor interest has been noted in Madhya Pradesh’s mineral wealth, specifically gold, diamonds, and cement. The CM emphasized the state’s diverse offerings: mineral resources, tourism, healthcare, plug-and-play industrial parks, and air cargo facilities.

    The collaboration frameworks laid out during the visit are expected to deepen India-UAE ties while furthering the vision of a ‘Developed Madhya Pradesh.’ The Chief Minister’s targeted approach, through structured discussions with officials and direct engagement with investors, is positioning the state as a top destination for UAE and global investment.

    The visit began with Dr. Yadav’s address to the Indian diaspora on Sunday and continued with presentations to international investors, projecting Madhya Pradesh as one of India’s most investment-friendly and fastest-growing states.