Morning Brief: China Spread Disinformation To Back Pakistan’s Claim Of Rafale Kills: French Intel; India, US Near Mini Trade Deal Ahead Of 9 July Deadline; And More

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China Spread Disinformation To Back Pakistan’s Claim Of Rafale Kills

French intelligence has concluded that China deployed its embassies to discredit the Rafale fighter jet after its combat debut in the India-Pakistan clashes this May, in a bid to derail French arms exports. According to an Associated Press report, French intel agencies found that Chinese defence attaches urged countries like Indonesia to cancel or reconsider Rafale purchases, promoting Chinese-made alternatives instead.

The campaign allegedly included viral disinformation online, featuring fake images of debris, AI-generated content, and even video-game simulations, to depict the Rafale as ineffective in combat. French officials deny claims that three Rafales were downed, saying only one was lost alongside a Sukhoi and a Mirage. While Beijing dismissed the accusations as “groundless rumours,” Paris sees the effort as a coordinated attempt to damage the reputation of its flagship fighter in key export markets.

India, US Near Mini Trade Deal Ahead Of 9 July Deadline

India and the US are close to finalising a limited trade deal, though politically sensitive sectors like dairy and agriculture are expected to remain outside its scope for now. The agreement, focused solely on goods, could be announced within days as both sides race against a 9 July deadline, after which the US has warned of reimposing steep tariffs.

India is pushing for greater market access for its textiles and electronics, while the US wants entry for genetically modified crops and cattle feed—areas New Delhi views as highly sensitive. Washington is unwilling to reduce its baseline 10 per cent tariff, and failure to reach a deal could trigger a 26 per cent duty on Indian exports starting 1 August.

Other Developments

Centre Plans New Push To Boost Indian-Flagged Ships

The Indian government is drafting a fresh plan to promote Indian-flagged ships after its existing Rs 1,624 crore scheme failed to significantly raise their share in import cargo. Despite being launched in 2021, the scheme has only disbursed Rs 330 crore so far, and Indian ships still carry just 8 per cent of the country’s imports.

A new strategy involving public sector companies from petroleum, steel, and fertiliser sectors could see the joint ownership of 200 domestically built ships worth Rs 1.3 lakh crore. The move is aimed at reducing India’s $70 billion annual shipping outgo and reviving domestic capacity. However, industry stakeholders have warned that high operating costs, a skewed GST structures, and the lack of tax parity with foreign players remain major hurdles to competitiveness.

LeT furious Over Bilawal’s Offer To Extradite Terrorists To India

Former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto’s recent statement offering to extradite wanted terrorists to India has drawn sharp criticism from Lashkar-e-Taiba, with Talha Saeed, son of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, calling it an “irresponsible offer.” In a video statement, Talha accused Bhutto of siding with India and the West, and said the remarks had brought “shame” to Pakistan.

Bhutto, in an interview with Al Jazeera, had said Pakistan was open to extraditing individuals like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar as a confidence-building gesture, provided India showed willingness to cooperate. Talha responded by demanding instead the extradition of Indian leaders, warning that any move to hand over Pakistani citizens would be strongly opposed. The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, linked to LeT, also accused India of sponsoring terrorism globally.

Speculation Grows Over Xi Jinping’s Retirement Plans

Speculation is mounting that Chinese President Xi Jinping may be preparing for a power transition or even retirement, after he began delegating authority to key Communist Party organs for the first time in over a decade. A June 30 Politburo meeting chaired by Xi reviewed new rules to standardise how top party bodies function, seen by some as groundwork for a leadership shift before the 2027 Party Congress.

Xi also skipped the BRICS summit in Brazil, fuelling further talk of internal recalibration. Analysts say he may be stepping back from day-to-day governance to focus on broader priorities, amid economic headwinds and rising political pressures. While some see this as a tactical move, others caution that Xi’s grip remains firm, and the long-term implications of these changes are still unclear.

From The States

Team Uddhav Mocks Raj Thackeray After Reunion Rally

A day after the high-profile reunion of estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray at the ‘Awaj Marathicha’ rally, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack on Raj, questioning his ties with the BJP and his political relevance. Writing in his weekly column Rokthok, Raut alleged that Raj Thackeray’s repeated engagement with the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s camp served “Delhi’s strategy” to divide Marathi votes.

Raut also claimed the MNS gained little from its proximity to Amit Shah and accused the BJP of manipulating voter rolls with migrant names. Calling for unity among Marathi voters, he said only a consolidated front could protect their political dignity. The cousins' reunion, he warned, would be hollow if not backed by meaningful electoral unity.

EC Defends Bihar Electoral Roll Drive, Clarifies No Rule Change

Chief Election Commissioner on Sunday (6 July) defended the ongoing revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls, saying all parties had concerns with the existing rolls and the Election Commission had followed due process. Confusion erupted after a Bihar CEO advertisement suggested voters could submit forms without documents, prompting Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge to accuse the EC of enabling voter manipulation.

The EC clarified that the rules remain unchanged: forms must be submitted by July 25 to be included in the draft rolls on August 1, and missing documents can be provided during the claims-and-objections phase ending September 1. Opposition parties and civil society groups have flagged concerns over the process potentially excluding marginalised voters.

Punjab To Table Sacrilege Bill With Death Penalty Provision

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab will convene a special Vidhan Sabha session on July 10-11 to introduce legislation aimed at imposing harsher penalties for sacrilege, potentially including the death penalty. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the move was necessary because the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita does not specifically address desecration of Sikh holy scriptures, requiring state-level amendments.

Earlier efforts to enact similar laws, including one by the SAD-BJP in 2016 and another by the Congress-led government in 2018, had proposed life imprisonment but were stalled after failing to secure Presidential assent. The Centre returned the 2018 Bills, asking the state to align with the new national criminal code.

You’re all caught up—until next time.