'The one thing India has over these two States, whose toughness awes us, is our ability to embrace diversity with ease. 'The way ahead lies in learning from Vajpayee's method, not in Xi Jinping's,' says Shekhar Gupta.
Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.
In his first media interaction after assuming the position of the CDS, Rawat also said that his focus as the CDS will be to integrate the efforts of the three services and to work as a team.
India on Tuesday summoned Pakistan Acting High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmad in connection with the suspension of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot-Poonch bus services by Pakistan, which has demanded release of its national arrested for smuggling narcotics worth Rs 100 crore across the LoC.
'Have you met anyone who said "I will not boycott Chinese products"?'
In the first of the series of recruitment drives launched in Kupwara and neighbouring areas in 20 years, the response has been overwhelming, an army official said. It may be recalled that during the height of militancy from 1990 to 2005, security forces were unable to hold or even think of any recruitment camps.
The Goa chief minister said, "The surgical strikes against militants in PoK was planned 15 months in advance."
Briefing leaders from PoK on its Kashmir policy ahead of crucial meetings with India to review the composite dialogue process, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi noted that the issue had remained "unresolved despite several attempts at bilateral and multilateral levels" over the last six decades. Pakistan "was ready to engage with India in a constructive dialogue to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties, in particular the people of Kashmir," he was quoted.
'They know that India is no pushover.' 'We have to be extremely vigilant, remain ready and keep strengthening our positions.' 'We have to be militarily strong, whatever be the cost.'
Wrestler Bajrang Punia pledged to donate his sixth months' salary towards Haryana's COVID-19 Relief Fund.
'India in 2020 is a lot better prepared than in 1962.' 'It is no longer a pushover; and anything other than a crushing Chinese military victory will be a major loss of face for China,' observes Rajeev Srinivasan in the first of a three part column.
The medium-lift helicopter, which was carrying Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi and other security and staff officials, was following the President's aircraft when it crashed near Gari Dupata town after catching fire
Two suspected operatives of a jihadi organisation, who were allegedly planning to carry out attacks in the national capital during Christmas and New Year, were detained by the special cell of the Delhi police on Tuesday.
Gilgit Baltistan's large frontage with Kashmir and Ladakh across Kargil and the Siachen Glacier gives Pakistan and China the perceived scope for conduct of collusive operations against India and wrest control of the major course of the Indus and Shyok, observes Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
China's closer and enhanced relationship with Pakistan is putting considerable strain in India-China relations, says former RA&W officer Jayadeva Ranade.
The project envisages providing unique National Identity Number to each person in the National Population Register, he said.
"Each violation of any kind must be responded to with full force in the most effective manner," he said during a visit to the 10 Corps Rawalpindi and troops at forward locations along the Line of Control.
The PM said that countries sponsoring, aiding and funding terrorism must be held accountable.
The JeI (J&K) also has several trusts for running schools to disseminate orthodox Islamic education, has a youth wing and has numerous publications for spreading its fundamentalist ideology.
Amid heightened tension on the border, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a campaign through which people can send their Diwali greetings and messages to soldiers guarding the nation's frontiers to boost their morale.
In a move that is bound to raise hackles in India, Pakistan is working on raising the constitutional status of its occupied Gilgit-Baltistan to address China's concerns over the $46-billion economic corridor through the strategic region.
As a part of confidence building measures between the two countries, 191 people of divided Indian and Pakistani families were allowed to cross over the Line of Control at Chakan-da-Bagh point in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.
The Army on Sunday foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control in the Rajouri district of Jammu region.
Official sources said a police patrol party on a routine checking for the security of the Muzaffarabad bound passengers, noticed a tin on the roadside at Lawaypora, about 15 km from Srinagar in north Kashmir this morning at 0720 IST.
He said time had come to accept that there were militant training camps in Pakistan and 'Azad Kashmir' in the past, which were boldly closed down by President Pervez Musharraf.
'We are talking of a problem which is more than 50 years old. It cannot be solved overnight. It is going to take time,' says PoK leader Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan.
Gokhale will be visiting China for regular consultations, the Indian Embassy in Beijing said on Saturday.
Asserting that it was a matter of concern that Prime Minister Modi was comparing the Kashmir issue with Balochistan, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said the former should not take up two issues together.
He was arrested while he was demonstrating against the Kashmir policy of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
There is a high demand for IT professionals who can envision, design and develop applications for the future.
Of these 120 militants, 33 are Pakistani nationals while the rest are Kashmiris, the source said.
Addressing a rally in Karkardooma in east Delhi, Modi alleged that the AAP and the Congress were provoking people and misinforming them. They were keeping the Constitution and tricolour in the forefront, but the aim was to 'divert attention from the real conspiracy', Modi said ahead of the Delhi elections on February 8.
'A couple of hours before the H-Hour, the Kupwara division opened small arms and mortar fire on posts opposite its area of operation.' 'This was a diversionary tactic.' 'As Pakistani forces began to react to the firing, special forces teams began to slowly cross the LoC into PoK.' Nitin Gokhale reveals how planning for the surgical strikes began hours after the Uri attack.
India on Sunday reaffirmed adherence to three conditions including having an atmosphere "free of terror and violence" as a precursor to any engagement with Pakistan and demanded action against terrorists including Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
Supporting the India-Pakistan talks and peace process, he said dialogue was imperative but there should be the world community's involvement at a certain level to reach a solution acceptable to all the parties concerned.
A Border Security Force jawan and a woman were injured and two houses damaged on Saturday when Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Nowshera and Sunderbani sectors of Rajouri district with mortar bombs and small arms fire, prompting the army to give a "befitting response".
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India has friendly ties with both the countries.
Jammu and Kashmir police Wednesday evening filed an FIR against hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Masarat Alam Bhat and other separatist leaders 'for provocative activities and hoisting Pakistan flag' in summer capital Srinagar.
The complete 172-km-long Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road will be operational for the movement of cross-border bus, launched on April 7 this year, in a couple of days.
