US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday, where he paid his respects at the Sikh shrine. Authorities made extensive security arrangements in and around the complex ahead of the visit. Gor has been travelling across different parts of India as part of his diplomatic responsibilities. His recent visits included Srinagar and Leh.

The Ambassador’s Amritsar visit also drew attention from Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), with its Acting President Emaan Singh Mann indicating that he intended to discuss a range of Punjab-related and Sikh community issues with the US envoy. Mann described the visit as important for the Sikh community and said he planned to raise matters concerning Punjab, Sikh rights and India-Pakistan relations.

Mann pointed to the security concerns faced by Punjab’s border districts, particularly Amritsar, amid tensions between India and Pakistan. He referred to Operation Sindoor and the Indus Waters Treaty while calling for dialogue and renewed cooperation between the two countries on water-related matters.

According to Mann, his party has submitted a seven-point list of demands. These include continued US diplomatic efforts to help prevent further India-Pakistan tensions, restoring cooperation under the Indus Waters Treaty, examining the possibility of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, and facilitating legal movement of people, trade and pilgrimage across the India-Pakistan border. He argued that greater cross-border connectivity could support Punjab’s economy and create opportunities for trade with Central Asian markets. Mann also highlighted concerns over the smuggling of drugs and weapons across the border.

Other issues he said he wanted to raise included elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), religious freedom and the case involving Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Mann also spoke about what he described as the Sikh community’s right to self-determination and said his party had asked Washington to support an inquiry into matters related to Sikh rights. Security was tightened significantly around the Golden Temple before Gor’s arrival. Amritsar DCP Law and Order RPS Sandhu said police had made arrangements to deal with any possible security situation.

Sandhu said around 150 personnel, including officers in uniform and plain clothes, were deployed both inside and outside the shrine complex. He also said security teams were monitoring the area and that arrangements had been made to prevent any untoward incident during the Ambassador’s visit.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York to revive Islamabad’s longstanding positions on the Indus Waters Treaty and Jammu and Kashmir, while portraying Pakistan’s role in the May 2025 military confrontation with India as a success. Sharif’s remarks came at a time when his government is facing political, economic and security challenges at home. Pakistan continues to deal with economic pressures, protests linked to the detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and security concerns in several provinces. Against this backdrop, Sharif used the international platform to project a message of national strength and draw attention to issues that remain central to Pakistan’s foreign-policy narrative.

Speaking about the May 2025 confrontation with India, Sharif said Pakistan had responded to what he described as Indian aggression and claimed that Islamabad had gained the upper hand. His remarks drew a visible reaction from Indian diplomat R Srinivas, who was seen laughing as the Pakistani prime minister discussed Pakistan’s claimed success.

Sharif also credited US President Donald Trump with helping prevent the confrontation from developing into a wider conflict. He said Trump’s intervention came at a critical moment when the two nuclear-armed neighbours were close to a much more serious escalation. Sharif argued that the episode showed why efforts must be made to prevent India and Pakistan from reaching such a dangerous situation again.

India has presented a different account of the events surrounding the end of the fighting. New Delhi has maintained that the cessation of military action followed direct communication between the Indian and Pakistani militaries and has rejected claims that the United States or another third party brokered the understanding.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. New Delhi said the operation targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and described the action as a response to cross-border terrorism. India subsequently highlighted the operation as part of its broader strategy to target terrorist networks while keeping escalation under control.

The May confrontation has since produced competing narratives from both countries. Pakistan has described its military response as successful, while India has focused on the destruction of terrorist infrastructure and its stated objective of deterring further attacks. The two sides continue to differ over both the circumstances of the conflict and the events that brought the fighting to an end.

Sharif also strongly criticised India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. The agreement, signed by India and Pakistan in 1960, establishes a framework for the sharing and use of the waters of the Indus river system. Under the treaty, the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — are primarily allocated to India, while the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — are primarily allocated to Pakistan, subject to specific provisions.

Describing the Indus river system as vital to Pakistan and the wider region, Sharif argued that India’s decision to place the treaty in abeyance had no legal basis and insisted that the agreement remained binding. He warned against using water as a political or strategic tool and said any attempt to stop, restrict or divert Pakistan’s share of the waters would be viewed by Islamabad as an act of war.

India placed the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack and said the arrangement would remain suspended until Pakistan took credible and irreversible action against cross-border terrorism. New Delhi has linked the future of the treaty to Pakistan’s conduct on terrorism, while also maintaining that its position should not be interpreted as an intention to deprive Pakistan of water.

Sharif also used his UN address to renew Pakistan’s position on Jammu and Kashmir. He called for international attention to the issue and repeated Islamabad’s demand for what it describes as a fair settlement based on the principle of self-determination. He said Kashmiris had waited for decades for the United Nations to fulfil what Pakistan considers its commitment to a plebiscite under UN auspices.

The Pakistani prime minister also levelled allegations concerning human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated Pakistan’s stated commitment to providing diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri cause. India rejected Sharif’s references to Jammu and Kashmir and has consistently maintained that the region is an integral part of India. New Delhi has also accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism and argued that terrorism remains a central obstacle to improved bilateral relations.

India has opposed third-party involvement in its disputes with Pakistan and has maintained that bilateral matters should be addressed directly between the two countries. New Delhi has also rejected attempts to separate discussions on Kashmir from the issue of cross-border terrorism. Sharif’s UN address therefore brought together several familiar elements of Pakistan’s international messaging, including criticism of India’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty, renewed calls for international attention to Kashmir and an effort to present Pakistan’s role in the May 2025 confrontation as a strategic success.

The speech also came as Sharif’s government faces domestic political and economic pressure. By placing emphasis on sovereignty, water security, Kashmir and Pakistan’s military narrative, he used the UN platform to reinforce Islamabad’s established foreign-policy positions. Continues to describe Operation Sindoor as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack and maintains that the subsequent cessation of hostilities resulted from direct military communication between the two countries. The sharply different accounts presented by New Delhi and Islamabad show that the May 2025 confrontation remains a major source of tension, with the Indus Waters Treaty, Jammu and Kashmir and competing accounts of the conflict continuing to shape relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian Defence News.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced repeated questions from journalists about Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed during his visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York, but did not respond to the queries. Sharif was in New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly when reporters approached him as he entered the UN premises. Journalists questioned the Pakistani leader about his government's position on individuals accused of involvement in terrorism and asked when Islamabad would take action against Hafiz Saeed.

The prime minister did not answer the questions and continued into the UN headquarters. Reporters raised the issue again as Sharif left the venue. He was asked whether his government intended to prosecute Saeed, the founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Sharif again declined to comment and walked past the media. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is from Pakistan's Punjab province, is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an organisation designated as a terrorist group by several countries. He has long been associated with the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which more than 160 people were killed. India has designated Saeed as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The issue has gained renewed attention following developments in India's investigation into the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam. The National Investigation Agency has alleged that the attack was part of a conspiracy involving Pakistan-based members of Lashkar-e-Taiba. In a supplementary chargesheet filed before the designated court, the agency named Hafiz Muhammad Saeed as an accused in the case.

The development has further intensified India's criticism of Pakistan over alleged activities of terror networks operating from its territory. New Delhi has repeatedly called for stronger action against individuals accused of planning, supporting or facilitating cross-border terrorism. The questions directed at Sharif came shortly after India delivered a strong response to Pakistan at an international UN forum. Exercising India's right of reply at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi criticised Islamabad over what New Delhi described as its focus on territorial claims and cross-border terrorism.

Tyagi said Pakistan should focus on addressing its economic and domestic challenges instead of pursuing territorial ambitions or activities that, according to India, contribute to instability in neighbouring countries. He also referred to Pakistan's dependence on external financial assistance and argued that confrontation with neighbouring states would not resolve its economic problems. India also raised allegations concerning the human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Tyagi referred to protests in the region and alleged that Pakistani authorities had responded with force while restrictions affected access to essential supplies, including food, fuel and medicines.

The Indian diplomat further referred to allegations involving civilian deaths and arrests of students in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. According to India's position at the UNHRC, Pakistan had responded to some of these concerns through procedural objections rather than addressing the allegations directly. The latest exchanges at the United Nations come amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over terrorism, Kashmir and human rights. Both countries have continued to present sharply contrasting positions on these issues at international forums.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian Defence News.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind has highlighted the expansion of social and economic inclusion as a key feature of the Narendra Modi government, arguing that communities and regions that were historically left on the edges of India’s development story are now receiving greater attention. In an opinion article published by Hindustan Times on September 17, Kovind wrote that the lasting significance of the Modi era should be viewed through the expansion of what he described as the Indian mainstream. He linked this change to efforts aimed at reaching people and communities that, according to him, had remained underserved by governance for decades.

Kovind, who served as President between 2017 and 2022, said the approach was visible in a range of government programmes and infrastructure projects. Rather than focusing on a single scheme or reform, he presented inclusion across different regions and sections of society as a broader governance objective. The Northeast was one of the main examples cited in the article. Kovind said the region, which was frequently viewed as geographically distant from India's economic centres, has increasingly been presented as a gateway to Southeast Asia. He pointed to improvements in transport links, infrastructure, investment and peace initiatives as signs of the changing approach.

Among the projects mentioned were the Bogibeel Bridge and the Sela Tunnel, both of which have improved connectivity in difficult terrain. He also referred to the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram, the first direct rail connection linking the state capital Aizawl with the wider Indian railway network, as well as the development of AIIMS Guwahati. He further pointed to the semiconductor manufacturing facility in Assam as an example of high-technology investment reaching the Northeast.

The former President also focused on remote settlements along India's international borders. He noted that the government's terminology has increasingly shifted from describing such locations as the country's "last villages" to calling them "first villages". The change, he argued, reflects a wider policy effort to improve roads, connectivity, livelihoods and basic services in border areas.

The Vibrant Villages Programme is part of that effort, while the Aspirational Districts Programme seeks to improve development outcomes in districts that have historically performed poorly across indicators such as health, education and infrastructure. Kovind also mentioned the Aspirational Blocks Programme, which extends the model to smaller administrative units.

Tribal communities were another major focus of the article. Kovind referred to programmes targeting Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and other tribal populations, including the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, or PM-JANMAN. The programme is designed to improve access to essential services and infrastructure for 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups across the country, with areas such as housing, drinking water, roads, healthcare and connectivity among its priorities.

Financial inclusion, according to Kovind, has also helped broaden access to formal economic systems. He pointed to the expansion of Jan Dhan bank accounts and Direct Benefit Transfer as important elements of the government's strategy to connect previously underserved households with banking services and welfare payments. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana has now crossed 59 crore beneficiaries, according to government data.

The article also highlighted programmes covering electricity, cooking fuel and tap-water access. Kovind cited Saubhagya, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission as examples of schemes intended to extend basic services to households that previously had limited or no access to them. Women’s economic participation formed another part of his argument. Kovind pointed to initiatives such as MUDRA, PM SVANidhi and the Lakhpati Didi programme, saying that the policy focus has increasingly moved beyond viewing women only as recipients of welfare and towards encouraging entrepreneurship, income generation and greater economic participation.

The larger message of the former President's article is that development should not be limited to major cities or traditionally stronger regions. Instead, he argues, national growth becomes broader when remote communities, tribal populations, women, border residents and financially excluded households are able to participate in it.

Kovind's article comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks his birthday and looks ahead to the government's longer-term vision of a developed India by 2047. While the article presents the government's record from a supportive perspective, the effectiveness of individual programmes ultimately depends on implementation, access, regional differences and measurable outcomes on the ground.

The debate over India's development model is therefore likely to increasingly centre not only on headline economic growth, but also on how evenly the benefits of that growth reach different parts of society. The central transformation is a change in how the country's development map is viewed: communities once regarded as peripheral are increasingly being brought into the centre of policy attention.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from The Hindu.

Singapore is set to increase the salaries of its political officeholders by as much as 9 per cent, marking the first adjustment to ministerial pay in 15 years. The move has renewed debate over how Singapore determines compensation for its political leaders, including whether salaries should continue to be linked to earnings among the country’s highest-paid private-sector professionals. Elakeyaa Selvaraji and Hairianto Diman explore the principles behind Singapore’s political pay framework and the broader question of how public service should be valued. They also discuss the issue with Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU).

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

As floods continue to affect communities across Nepal and Tibet, the Red Cross is assessing the urgent humanitarian needs, efforts to locate missing people and the difficulties involved in delivering assistance to hard-hit areas. Elakeyaa Selvaraji and Hairianto Diman also examine how the Singapore Red Cross’s S$50,000 humanitarian contribution will aid relief operations, the circumstances that could lead to a deployment in Nepal and how members of the public in Singapore can support the response. They discuss these issues with Benjamin William, Secretary General and CEO of the Singapore Red Cross.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Singapore’s prison population is ageing, with one in six inmates now aged 60 or above, compared with one in 10 in 2019. Daniel Martin spoke with Quentin Lee, Assistant Director and Lead Psychologist at the Singapore Prison Service’s Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division, who is part of a National Committee sub-group focused on preventing offending and re-offending among older adults. They explored the factors driving the rise in elderly inmates and examined the support needed to help older offenders and ex-offenders break the cycle of crime and reintegration into society.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Rescue teams in Japan have continued their search operations overnight as they race to find survivors following a powerful earthquake that struck Kyushu Island. Several people remain unaccounted for after the 7.1-magnitude quake caused buildings to collapse, with many feared trapped beneath the debris of a shopping centre. CNA Senior Correspondent Michiyo Ishida joins Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman to provide the latest updates on the rescue efforts and situation on the ground.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.