Defence Attaché presence, naval exercise among steps by India, EU to strengthen cooperation
The Hindu
“We are now focussing on security, energy, sensitive technologies...,” the official said.
As India and European Union (EU) look to expand defence and security cooperation, the EU’s first Defence Attaché took charge earlier this month while the two sides also held the first naval exercise recently, while officials noted that the ambit of security cooperation is expanding especially with focus on the Indo-Pacific.
“We have increased number of maritime exercises between EU and India… especially France and Italy. EU is now not only a trade and investment partner but also a security partner,” an EU official said on the sidelines of a discussion organised by the think tanks Council for Strategic and Defence Research and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. “We are now focussing on security, energy, sensitive technologies...,” the official said noting that there is lot of focus on digital connectivity.
Last week, Captain (Navy) Fabrizo Falzi who has earlier served as the Italian Defence Attaché in India took over as the first DA in the Delegation of the European Union in New Delhi. The EU has limited number of DA worldwide and the appointment in India shows the importance it attaches, another EU official noted.
“The Government of India, reserves the right, on the principle of reciprocity, to avail suitable reciprocal arrangement, as and when required,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in the letter accepting the appointment.
Recently, India and Italy signed a defence cooperation agreement. The official also noted the agreement between space agencies. India and Europe are the terminals of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) corridor, the official added on the ambitious initiative which was announced on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit in September.
Maiden Naval exercise
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”