Morning Brief: Trudeau Drilled Over Chinese Interference As He Tries To Shift Spotlight Onto India; Pakistan, India Foreign Ministers Hold First Talks Since 2015; And More

Dear reader, here’s a roundup of what’s making headlines this morning.

Trudeau Drilled Over China, Tries To Shift Spotlight Onto India

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent hours fumbling to defend his Liberal government's weak response to Chinese interference in the country's politics. In a desperate bid to deflect criticism, he attempted to shift the focus onto India's alleged role in the killing of a terrorist on Canadian soil.

Despite mounting evidence of Chinese efforts to ensure his victory in the 2019 and 2021 elections, Trudeau tried to throw the Conservative Party under the bus, claiming that his agencies had information indicating that Conservative politicians were “engaged” in or at risk of foreign interference schemes. Ironically, he was later forced to admit that many of his own party members were implicated in similar activities.

Regarding India, Trudeau, wittingly or unwittingly, told the inquiry that it was under pressure from "South Asian" MPs and members of the Sikh community that his government implicated India in the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He told the inquiry that the initial assessment of Nijjar's death was "gang-related or criminal-related."

This admission only strengthens India's assertion that Trudeau is manipulating the situation to win favour with the relatively large Sikh community as his approval ratings continue to plummet. Furthermore, India had predicted that Trudeau would harp on about Indian interference to distract from the serious allegations against him for neglecting Chinese interference in Canadian politics.

India, Pakistan Foreign Ministers Hold First Talks Since 2015

The Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan held their first direct talks since 2015, with S. Jaishankar and Muhammad Ishaq Dar speaking twice in less than 24 hours. These discussions, which took place during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, hinted at the possibility of reviving cricketing ties between the two countries.

Reports indicate that the talks are still in the early stages and require careful consideration, especially given the prolonged freeze in relations. On the Pakistani side, Rawalpindi will play a key role in approving any normalisation of ties, and there are speculations that it may be inclined to do so as it focuses on internal challenges, particularly the need for political stability essential for economic recovery.

This dialogue could serve as a stepping stone, especially with the Champions Trophy set to be hosted by Pakistan next February. There’s already speculation about whether the Indian team will travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Shehbaz and PM Narendra Modi are expected to come face to face next month at COP29 in Azerbaijan.

Noel Tata Set To Be Appointed To Board Of Tata Sons

Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, is set to join the board of Tata Sons, where Tata Trusts holds approximately a 66 per cent stake. He will be the only member of the Tata Group's founding family on the boards of both Tata Sons and Tata Trusts, joining Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh as nominees from the Trusts.

His anticipated appointment comes as many observers have long speculated about his potential leadership role within the group. Speculation about his candidacy for the chairman's position arose after he became a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust in 2019 and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in 2022. Ultimately, the chairman role was given to Cyrus Mistry, Noel's brother-in-law, and then N Chandrasekaran.

Other Developments

Haldiram Now Seeks To Sell Only A Minority Stake

The promoters of Haldiram are now considering selling a 10-15 per cent stake instead of the initially planned majority holding in India's largest snack maker, which has attracted interest from prominent global investors. Private equity firms Bain Capital, Blackstone, and Temasek Holdings are currently evaluating the potential deal.

According to reports, the family has decided against selling a controlling stake, indicating a shift toward a minority deal. This change is attributed to Haldiram's strong profitability and cash generation capabilities, making a minority investment more appealing.

Earlier reports in May noted that these firms were interested in acquiring a controlling stake of 51 per cent, valuing the company between $8-10 billion, as they pursue a share of India’s expanding snacks market, projected to reach Rs 95,521.8 crore by 2032.

Liam Payne, Former One Direction Member, Dies

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, according to local officials. Police reported that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood, sustaining “extremely serious injuries.” Medics confirmed his death at the scene.

The communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry stated that it appeared Payne had jumped from the balcony of his room. Police responded to an emergency call just after 5 p.m. local time, which reported an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

Canada Rift Brings 'Good News' For Indigenous Defense Manufacturing

Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada have cast uncertainty over the Indian Army's plans to procure Stryker armored vehicles produced in Canada. These infantry combat vehicles, primarily used by the US military, were part of discussions for co-production of military equipment, with a senior US official reporting progress in June.

Manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, the Strykers were intended for deployment in forward areas, particularly along the border with China in Ladakh. However, sources indicate that there has been no significant movement on the issue.

The proposal to buy and jointly produce these vehicles has raised concerns among Indian defense companies, which have invested heavily in developing similar vehicles. Some view the stalled procurement as positive news for indigenous defence manufacturing.

New Road To Ladakh's DBO Crosses Another Hurdle

The National Board for Wildlife has approved five key road stretches, including four that pass through the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This includes a new route to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), India's northernmost military outpost in Ladakh and the location of its highest airstrip. Most of these roads are situated in areas that have seen significant military standoffs with China since April 2020.

A total of 35 kilometres of road have been cleared for the new route to DBO, which runs parallel to the LAC. The existing DS-DBO route is 255 kilometres long and runs along the LAC. It was near this road, that passes just west of the mouth of the Galwan River, that Indian and Chinese troops clashed in June 2020, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and dozens of PLA conscripts.

From The States

Temple In Heart Of Delhi To Get An Elephant

A temple atop a four-storey apartment in south Delhi’s Greater Kailash is set to acquire an elephant from Assam. The Maa Baglamukhi Temple is known for its 2018 Rashtra Raksha Mahayagya, which was attended by top BJP and AAP leaders. During the event, priests prayed to Goddess Baglamukhi for the "protection of the nation" and the "defeat of enemies," both external and internal. The temple has earmarked 1.5 acres in the Sainik Farm neighbourhood to house the elephant. In April, the owner of a female elephant in Jorhat, Assam, applied to transfer the animal to the Delhi temple, and the divisional forest officer of south Delhi has inspected the proposed facilities.

NDA's Show Of Strength After Haryana Victory

To maintain pressure on the Opposition after a major victory in Haryana, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will hold a meeting of its chief ministers and deputy chief ministers in Chandigarh on Thursday, coinciding with Nayab Singh Saini's second swearing-in as chief minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the meeting. The BJP has 13 chief ministers and 16 deputy chief ministers participating, along with representatives from other NDA parties. The meeting will also set the tone ahead of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, the dates for which were announced by the Election Commission earlier this week.

Prashant Kishor Fields Ex-Army Vice-Chief For Bihar Bypoll

Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) has announced Lt General (Retd) Krishna Singh, who served as the Vice Chief of the Indian Army between 2011 and 2013, as its candidate for the upcoming Tarari Assembly bypoll. The Tarari seat, previously held by CPI(ML)L's Sudama Prasad, was vacated after Prasad’s election to the Lok Sabha. Kishor expressed pride in fielding Singh, aiming to free the seat from the influence of the land mafia. The bypolls for Tarari, Ramgarh, Belaganj, and Imamganj will be held on November 13.

Stay tuned for more insights throughout the day.