Iran sanctions: India in touch with all stakeholders
New Delhi, Sep 20 : Following fresh US sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme that puts the strategic Chabahar port in jeopardy and calls for a complete stop to all Iranian oil exports, India is in touch with all stakeholders in the matter, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.
"We are very closely monitoring the developments and assessing their implications," ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a media briefing here.
"We are in touch with all stakeholders in the matter," Kumar said.
The sanctions on Tehran that will come into effect in November have jeopardised the Chabahar port project in Iran, being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.
The port facilitates access to Afghanistan by bypassing Pakistan and is also a vital link in the International North-South Transport Corridor.
"Chabahar is a very important project for us not only for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia but also for Afghanistan itself for our own developmental assistance and developmental programmes in Afghanistan," Kumar said.
He said that the matter figured in the discussions during the first ever India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi on September 6 in which External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis participated.
"I can say that these discussions have led to a better understanding by the US of our objectives, concerns, sensitivities and expectations," the spokesperson said.
Also, with the new US fresh sanctions, there have been concerns in New Delhi as India is heavily reliant on Iran for crude oil imports.
"We, of course, will continue to work with the United States and other stakeholders to ensure our energy security and also our national interests," Kumar said.
Earlier this month, briefing the media about the 2+2 Dialogue, a senior US State Department official said that there has been expert-level discussions between India and the US on issues related to crude oil exports from Iran and ways to bring those exports down.
Stating that these conversations are ongoing, Principal Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Alice Wells said: "We are working very hard with our partners so that there are no disruptions in the market and adequate supply is available to substitute for Iranian oil."
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Annamalai questions Naxals surrender policy in Karnataka
Udupi (Karnataka), Jan 11: Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has raised concerns over the Naxal surrender and rehabilitation policy in Karnataka, questioning its effectiveness and transparency.
Annamalai, who had served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Udupi between January 2015 and August 2016 and as SP Chikkamagaluru, considered a hotbed of Naxals in Karnataka, in 2018, had convened a press conference in Udupi on Saturday.
According to him, while the policy aims to reintegrate former Naxals into mainstream society, doubts persist regarding its implementation.
He pointed out that surrender and encounter cases have sparked widespread speculation, with many questioning the circumstances under which these events unfolded.
"The recent Naxals surrenders, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, raise several questions. The process, which involves surrenders in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, appears to have been made too easy for Naxals," he said.
Annamalai also questioned the credibility of the surrender process, stating that the government's approach could create doubts about the policy's integrity. He cited the case of Vikram Gowda's encounter, which has triggered concerns among locals.
"There are reports that the Chief Minister himself was involved in the surrender process, and weapons were displayed in a remote forested location. The public is finding it difficult to believe this narrative," he added.
The remarks come amid growing debates on the handling of Naxal issues in Karnataka, with political leaders and activists weighing in on the government's approach to surrender.
Annamalai was in Udupi to launch "Samvidhana Badalayisisddu Yaaru?" (Who changed the Constitution?), authored by Vikas Kumar P, at an event organised by the Citizens for Social Justice today.
Taking to 'X' post the event, Annamalai wrote, "This book highlights the numerous amendments made during the Congress regime, which sought to undermine our citizens' fundamental rights, civic liberties, and even the very meaning of the Preamble."
He had also posted on X that he met today and received blessings from the current Paryaya Swami, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Sugunendra Theerth Swamiji, of Jagadguru Sri Madhwaachaarya Moola Mahaa Samsthaanam, Shri Puthige Matha, Udupi.
