India-China standoff live updates: Rajnath Singh likely to visit Ladakh on Friday

Beijing says app ban will hurt Chinese companies, India may suffer more economic losses than during Doklam crisis

China's state-run Global Times said India's move to ban 59 Chinese apps has dealt a severe blow to the confidence of Chinese investors and traders. "Even during the Doklam standoff in 2017, India's economic losses were limited as bilateral trade ties recovered quickly following the crisis. But that doesn't mean the Indian side should underestimate the consequences of an economic war with China," it said.

Rohatgi, Singhvi refuse to appear in court for Chinese app TikTok against Centre

Two top lawyers in the country on Wednesday said that they will not appear for Chinese video app 'TikTok' in the court against the government of India. Former attorney general and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and senior Congress leader and Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that he will not be representing in courts the Chinese app 'TikTok', which along with 58 others were banned by the Centre on June 29.

BSNL cancels 4G tender after DoT asks it not to use Chinese telecom gear: Report

The source privy to the development said that a new tender will be floated which will have emphasis on preference to Make in India. The source said that the government had told BSNL not to use Chinese equipment in 4G upgrade, and that implementation of the direction meant that the company had to issue a new tender.

Pompeo welcomes India's ban on Chinese apps including TikTok

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday applauded India's sweeping ban on Chinese apps including TikTok, saying New Delhi was ensuring its own security. "We welcome India's ban on certain mobile apps" from China, Pompeo told reporters, saying the move would "boost India's integrity and national security."

Railways scraps tender for thermal cameras after vendors say specifications may favour Chinese firm

The tender for 800 such cameras was floated by Railway PSU RailTel last month for the AI-based surveillance cameras that measure body temperatures of individuals and even detect whether a person is wearing a mask or not. "We received representation from other vendors that they can also offer the solution. Hence, to have wider participation and competition, we have cancelled the EOI and are going in for open EOI,” the spokesperson said. Sources, however, said the tender was scrapped after many Indian vendors in letters to RailTel raised concerns that the specifications mentioned in the tender favoured Chinese company Hikvision.

People will suffer like demonetisation: TMC MP Nusrat Jahan on TikTok ban

"TikTok is an entertainment app. It's an impulsive decision. What's the strategic plan? What about the people who will be unemployed? People will suffer like demonetisation. I don't have any problem with the ban as it is for national security but who will answer these questions," Jahan told reporters

Defence minister Rajnath Singh likely to visit Ladakh on Friday: Sources

PM Modi had 115 posts on Weibo. It was decided to manually delete them & after much effort 113 posts were removed: Sources

As soon as decision was taken to disallow 59 Chinese apps in India, PM Modi also decided to quit Weibo which he had joined a few years ago: Govt sources

For VIP accounts, Weibo has a more complex procedure to quit which is why the official process was initiated. For reasons best known to the Chinese, there was great delay in granting this basic permission: Sources

Read: Indian & Chinese armies emphasised on expeditious, phased de-escalation during talks

Commanders from PLA & Indian Army held a meeting at Chushul, on Indian side, on 30 June 2020

Yesterday's meeting reflected the commitment of both sides to reduce the tensions along the LAC: Military sources

More meetings expected at military,diplomatic levels to arrive at mutually agreeable solution: Military sources on India-China talks on Tuesday

Discussions at Corps Commander talks on Tuesday reflected commitment of both sides to reduce tensions along LAC: Military sources

Indian, Chinese armies emphasised on expeditious, phased and step wise de-escalation as priority: Military sources on corps commanders talks

"This is in keeping with the Agreement between External Affairs Ministers and his Chinese counterpart during their conversation on 17th June that the overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner, and that both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of 6th June sincerely," the sources further said.

'China should de-escalate tensions with India as rivalry with US intensifies'

As its rivalry with the US intensifies and the international environment becomes more hostile, China should improve its relations with its Asian neighbours and India should be its priority, said US-based professor Zhiqun Zhu. In an opinion piece in Al Jazeera, Zhiqun Zhu, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bucknell University, said that India has been cautious not to offend China, even as it beefs up ties with the US. "It serves China's interest to improve relations with its Asian neighbours instead of heavily concentrating on the US. India should be a priority of this new approach," the professor said.

India to ban Chinese cos from highway projects, says Gadkari

India will not allow Chinese companies to participate in highway projects, including those through joint ventures, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday amid border standoff with China. Gadakri also said the government will ensure that Chinese investors are not entertained in various sectors like Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). "We will not give permission to joint ventures that have Chinese partners for road construction. We have taken a firm stand that if they (Chinese companies) come via joint venture in our country, we will not allow it," Gadkari told PTI in an interview.

PLA has deployed over 20,000 troops along LAC, India wary of third division in Xinjiang

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed more than 20,000 of its troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near the Eastern Ladakh sector even as India is closely watching the activities of another 10,000-12,000 Chinese troops deployed in Xinjiang with high mobility vehicles and weaponry in the rear positions with the capability to reach the Indian front in 48 hours time. "The Chinese Army has deployed around two divisions worth of troops (around 20,000) along the LAC in the Eastern Ladakh sector. There is another division (10,000 troops) which has been stationed by it in the Northern Xinjiang province almost a 1,000 kilometres from the front but they can be mobilised to reach our frontiers in maximum 48 hours time due to the flat terrain on the Chinese side," top government sources told ANI. "We are keeping a close eye on the movement of these troops along with the ones which have been deployed close to the Indian territory," the sources said.