Morning Digest | Revised statement from Modi, Macron drops key points on defence deals; China tells India ‘specific issues’ shouldn’t define ties, and more

Morning Digest, July 16, 2023 | India-France revise joint statement, omissions on defence deals; after Manipur govt. order, Kukis and Meiteis stick to regions; China tells India ‘specific issues’ shouldn’t define ties — here is a select list of stories to start the day

Revised joint statement post Modi-Macron talks drops key points on defence deals

India and France have revised the joint statement initially released after bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, with the new version released on Friday omitting key details on defence deals which are in the works. These omissions included references to a roadmap on the joint development of a combat aircraft engine, and the construction of three additional Scorpene submarines.

In Gujarat, illegal migration to U.S. persists unabated

Six months after Bharat Rabari left Gujarat on his journey to the United States via the Caribbean, his wife Chetna Rabari on Wednesday approached local police in Prantij with a complaint — that her husband has been missing since February 4. She accused two agents, Mahendra Patel and his aide Johny Patel alias Divyesh, of sending people to the U.S. via various illegal routes and claimed that her husband was the latest victim of their work.

‘Specific issues’ shouldn’t define ties, China tells India

In a reflection of continuing differences in how India and China view taking ties forward, Beijing’s top diplomat Wang Yi told External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Jakarta that “specific issues” shouldn’t “define the overall relationship”. In Friday’s talks, which the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday had been held at India’s request, Mr. Jaishankar said both sides had “discussed outstanding issues related to peace & tranquillity in border areas.”

After Manipur government order, Kukis and Meiteis stick to their regions while rejoining work