INDIA, CHINA HOLD ANNUAL DEFENSE DIALOGUE
In their annual dialogue on defense, India and China discussed ways to enhance military cooperation and maintain peace along their disputed border. Four areas were designated as points for emergency meetings between the border forces of both sides. These areas, all in Ladakh, include Track Junction, Pangang Tso Lake, Demchock, and Chumar. India and China will also engage in confidence building measures among border personnel in Arunachal Pradesh at the Mana Pass. The latest round of "Special Representatives" talks, designed specifically to pursue a resolution to the border dispute, were held earlier this year and yielded little tangible results. (The Hindu April 10, 2015)
RAFALE DEAL SEES PROGRESS
India has agreed to purchase 36 Dassault Rafale fighter jets in a sign that the long-stalled deal is moving forward. The fighters will be manufactured in France and will be ready to fly "off-the-shelf." Delhi originally intended to have just 18 aircraft produced in France before an additional 108 were constructed in India with French assistance. The two governments are still stuck negotiating a price dispute over the larger deal for 126 Rafale fighters. Under the government-to-government agreement, France would purchase the aircraft from Dassault and sell them to India. (Defense News April 12, 2015)
LAKHVI RELEASED, AQIS TARGETED IN DRONE STRIKES
Pakistan has released on bail the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was originally granted bail in December, but the government detained him again under the “Maintenance of Public Order” law. The move was condemned in India. Elsewhere, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) announced that U.S. drone strikes had killed 50 of its members, including two senior leaders. Deputy Head Ustad Ahmad Farooq and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan leader Qari Imran were among those killed. The strikes primarily took place in North Waziristan. The announcement comes as unidentified militants killed over 20 workers in Sindh after arriving on motorbikes and opening fire at sleeping laborers. (Reuters April 11, 2015; Zee News April 12, 2015; The Hindu April 11, 2015)
PAKISTAN, U.S. SEAL WEAPONS DEAL
The United States approved a $952 million arms deal with Pakistan in an effort to bolster Islamabad’s counterterrorism efforts. The sale includes 15 AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters, 1,000 AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles, 32 T-700 GE 401C Engines, 36 H-1 Technical Refresh Mission computers, 32 Helmet Mounted Display/Optimized Top Owl, and 17 AN/AAR-47 Missiles Warning Systems. Pakistan claims its needs the platforms to combat militants more effectively in North Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Separately, the Pakistani parliament has declined to join the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in Yemen. Saudi Arabia requested Pakistani ships, aircraft, and ground troops, but Pakistan's parliament voted overwhelmingly against sending ground troops to aid its ally, earning rebukes from some Gulf Arab states. (Zee News April 8, 2015; The Guardian April 10, 2015)
BANGLADESH EXECUTES JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI LEADER
Convicted of crimes against humanity during Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami leader MohammadQamaruzzaman has been sentenced to death by a tribunal. According to prosecutors,Qamaruzzaman led an armed group that killed at least 120 civilians during the war. Following the verdict, the capital Dhaka witnessed unrest by supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, which insists the tribunals are politically motivated. (Al Jazeera April 12, 2015)