In July, India and US were close to finalising a deal. But #Trump intervened and made unrealistic demands. While India wanted a win-win deal and sought middle ground, Trump didn't want a deal but surrender, risking decades of progress in ties. My report. https://t.co/O3XUHNGVoz

For the right, every mass-movement is a foreign conspiracy and every act of dissent is a foreign plot at regime change. For the left, all violence in the name of opposing the state, irrespective of killings and destruction of uninvolved people/places, is a noble revolution.

#FPWorld: The United States is observing the 24th anniversary of 9/11 at a time when Trump has teamed up with Pakistan, the regime that sheltered the 9/11 mastermind and financed the hijacking. @madhur_mrt✍️ https://t.co/i1uWqO1vvj

The #Nepal Army told Firstpost that it was "compelled to intervene only to mitigate the unexpected escalation of violence and lawlessness". The full story. https://t.co/uRLuVEGGti

The #Nepal Army is not part of talks between the government and protesters, but it's facilitating such talks to resolve the crisis, Firstpost can report. Amid speculation about a takeover, the Army said it "will abide by the democratic political process" that has already begun.

Just FYI: It's 'Nepali', not 'Nepalese'. The word 'Nepalese' is a Western imposition. In Nepal and South Asia, it has always been 'Nepali' for the language as well as people of the country (just like English for the language as well as people of England).

The Reuters feed has plenty of photos wherein folks armed with rifles and blades are seen attacking government buildings. No one knows where this is headed — not the gen z protesters, not these rioters, and certainly not the politicians. Again, there is barely any precedent.

There are clear signs of concern. What started as a protest against failed leadership of more than a decade has become a campaign that's burning everything — there are reports of mobs killing policemen and burning to death a former PM's wife. And prisons have been broken.

To sum up the #Nepal episode so far, it has few precedents — if any at all. All three branches of the government torched, all state symbols torched, former PMs assaulted, and media offices torched. It's as if they're rejecting and torching the entire sociopolitical system.

Just FYI: There is no credible report in the Nepali media that President Ram Chandra Paudel has resigned. And, yes, almost every Indian news channel ran that story.

Indians often accuse the Western media of having arrogance and a sense of superiority in their coverage of India. Many in the Indian media have same problems in their coverage of Nepal.

'Untold' stories about what's still formally an ongoing operation published by a retired person —who is supposed to not know anything— gives you full marks for operational security. They won't tell battlefield losses as it's supposedly an ongoing op but will publish a book. :)

Previously, it was reported that India and China were part of efforts to discourage #Russia's nuclear threats. And Doval was seen as an emissary of sort last year when he met Putin. There has, of course, been no on-the-record confirmation of either.

Amid continuing #Ukraine war-related conversations involving India, which everyone in the know is tightlipped about, one tidbit from the past: India has been publicly reported to be a channel of communication on at least two occasions.

#Putin-#ShehbazSharif meeting in Beijing: https://t.co/4JsxPHBPxQ

"Pakistan remains our traditional partner in Asia," said #Putin in his meeting with Shehbaz Sharif today. In July, #Russia deputy PM visited #Pakistan and called the two countries "natural allies". In June, Putin endorsed US-Pak stand that Trump was behind India-Pak ceasefire.

@somnath1978 Another question: When they get surprised by China the next time (almost certainly at some point) and need emergency supply of equipment, housing modules, etc (like 2020), will Russia supply that — considering China-Russia ties? Or will they turn to West again after losing face?

However, both the sides agreed that #India-#China were partners rather than rivals and that differences should not turn into disputes. Interestingly, India said both India and China pursue strategic autonomy and "their relations should not be seen through a third country lens".

Why? For a long time, #China has stressed that the broader bilateral relationship should be separated from boundary disputes/border clashes. But #India has always maintained that peace and tranquility at the border as the basis of the broader bilateral relationship.

#Modi "underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations", per Indian readout. He further called "mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity" as the basis of a cooperative relationship.

Despite hype of an #India-#China alliance, differences between the two countries' (and their approaches) were clear today. 🧵 #XiJinping said that the two sides should "avoid letting boundary issues define the overall relationship", as per the Chinese readout.