World | SabrangIndia https://sabrangindia.in/category/politics/world/ News Related to Human Rights Wed, 02 Jul 2025 04:51:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://sabrangindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Favicon_0.png World | SabrangIndia https://sabrangindia.in/category/politics/world/ 32 32 New York’s New Equation https://sabrangindia.in/new-yorks-new-equation/ Wed, 02 Jul 2025 04:51:30 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42570 At 11:47 PM on June 24, 2025, Andrew Cuomo walked to the microphone at his campaign headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, the flesh sagging beneath his eyes betraying three years of scandal-driven exile from power. Around him, donors who had written six-figure cheques to resurrect a disgraced political career stood in stunned silence, their investment in […]

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At 11:47 PM on June 24, 2025, Andrew Cuomo walked to the microphone at his campaign headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, the flesh sagging beneath his eyes betraying three years of scandal-driven exile from power. Around him, donors who had written six-figure cheques to resurrect a disgraced political career stood in stunned silence, their investment in damaged goods suddenly worthless. The man who once strutted through Albany like Caesar, who had covered up nursing home deaths and faced over a dozen sexual harassment allegations, could barely force the words through his lips: “The people have spoken.”

The people had indeed spoken—and they had rejected everything Cuomo represented. The former New York governor, married into the Kennedy dynasty through his union with Kerry Kennedy, had tried to buy his way back to relevance with billionaire money and the weight of two of America’s most storied political families. The political titan who had resigned in disgrace had just been crushed by a nobody. A housing counsellor from Queens. A 33-year-old democratic socialist whom most New Yorkers couldn’t have picked out of a police lineup six months earlier.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during an election party in New York City on June 24, 2025.

Across the city in Astoria, that nobody—Zohran Kwame Mamdani, son of Indo-Ugandan exiles, former rapper, sometime housing advocate – stood before a crowd of volunteers who had just rewritten the rules of American politics. They had not merely defeated a former governor; they had obliterated him, turning Cuomo’s 30-point lead into a seven-point rout that would make their candidate the Democratic nominee for mayor of America’s largest city.

This was not supposed to happen. Not in New York, where money and connections have long determined who gets to compete for City Hall. Not to Andrew Cuomo, scion of political royalty, armed with $33 million and the backing of Wall Street’s finest. And certainly not at the hands of an obscure Assemblyman whose campaign headquarters doubled as a community organizing centre in Queens, whose previous claim to fame was battling foreclosure notices in immigrant neighbourhoods nobody else bothered to visit.

Zohran Mamdani speaks to supporters during an election night gathering on June 24, 2025 in New York City.

Yet here was Mamdani, with 93 per cent of ballots counted, claiming 43.5 per cent of first-choice votes against Cuomo’s 36.4 per cent. His primary victory, powered by 50,000 volunteers and $8 million in small-dollar donations, represented something unprecedented in American politics: the emergence of a candidate who successfully translated policy prescriptions into cultural resonance, whose “exuberant economic populism” became, in the words of campaign observers, “a love song to a city yearning for change.” His victory positions him as the Democratic nominee who could become New York’s first Muslim, Indian-American, and millennial mayor—a symbolic breakthrough that extends far beyond representation to embody resistance against the nationalist currents of Donald Trump’s second presidential term.

Roots of Rebellion

To understand how Mamdani reached this moment, one must look to the inheritance that shaped him. Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents, Mamdani grew up carrying the legacies of dislocation and resistance. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a renowned Gujarati Shia Muslim scholar at Columbia University, whose work on decolonisation reshaped how generations understood power and citizenship. His mother, Mira Nair, an acclaimed Punjabi Hindu filmmaker, gave voice to diaspora stories through her cinema.

The middle name Kwame, a tribute to Ghanaian revolutionary Kwame Nkrumah, was entirely intentional. It was a signal. Mahmood Mamdani’s own life had been a study in resistance: expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin for being Indian and outspoken, he passed through London refugee camps before returning to a post Amin Kampala. His resignation from the University of Cape Town, after white faculty resisted efforts to decolonise the curriculum, led to his landmark book Citizen and Subject, which reframed Africa’s colonial inheritance as one that divided urban citizens from rural subjects.

That defiant, searching spirit filtered down. Zohran’s undergraduate thesis at Bowdoin, on Uganda’s expulsion of Indians, reflected far more than an academic interest but a personal reckoning. It brought him closer to immigrant communities whose lives echoed his family’s. The narrative of loss and return, of exile and belonging, lived in him.

After arriving in New York at age seven, Mamdani came of age in the city’s multitudes. At Bowdoin, he studied Africana Studies and co-founded Students for Justice in Palestine—his politics expanding beyond borders, his compass set to global justice.

From the Streets to the Statehouse

The path from Bowdoin College to City Hall was anything but conventional for Mamdani. After graduating with a degree in Africana Studies, where he co-founded Students for Justice in Palestine, he spent time pursuing an unlikely passion: hip-hop music. Under a stage name he now prefers to keep private, Mamdani briefly tried his hand as a rapper, before concluding that community organizing offered more direct routes to social change.

His transition to housing advocacy proved formative. Working as a foreclosure prevention counsellor in Queens, Mamdani spent his days in cramped apartments with families facing eviction, navigating bureaucratic mazes to keep people housed. The work provided intimate knowledge of the housing crisis that would later inform his policy prescriptions, but more importantly, it connected him to the human cost of policy failures that most politicians encounter only in statistics.

Mamdani during campaign

By 2019, Mamdani was organizing tenant unions in Astoria. Renters, once isolated, began to act collectively. They fought back. And in those tight hallways and cramped living rooms, he learned what real power looked like. The power of platforms paled next to the power of listening, of showing up, of helping people see themselves as part of something larger.

His 2020 election to the New York State Assembly at age 29, defeating a four-term incumbent in Astoria’s diverse district, marked his formal entry into electoral politics. The victory, followed by unopposed re-election, established him as a rising star in progressive circles. His legislative record, including securing $100 million for subway service improvements and piloting fare-free bus programmes, demonstrated his ability to navigate Albany’s complex coalition politics while maintaining his progressive credentials.

The 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes offered another proving ground. Mamdani stood with the unions. His face became familiar on picket lines. His solidarity went beyond symbolism and built the trust that would carry him through a citywide campaign.

A City Crying Out for Bold Answers

When Mamdani unveiled his mayoral platform, critics immediately branded it “radical.” The label didn’t seem to bother him. “These policies reflect what working people demand,” he argued in response, “not what billionaire donors or real estate speculators prefer.” It was classic Mamdani—turning a potential weakness into a populist rallying cry.

His comprehensive agenda reads like a progressive wish list: freeze rents on over one million stabilised apartments, eliminate fares on city buses, fund universal childcare, raise the minimum wage to $30 by 2030, and establish city-run grocery stores to combat food inflation. The financing mechanism—a $10 billion tax on corporations and the ultra-wealthy—represents perhaps the most controversial aspect of his platform, prompting business elites to threaten a capital strike.

Mamdani’s housing strategy represents a particular departure from conventional wisdom, shifting emphasis from developer incentives to tenant-owned buildings—a approach he describes as informed by his years of tenant organising experience. “We’re not going to build our way out of this crisis by making developers richer,” he said during a campaign debate, a line that became a signature applause generator at his rallies.

His public safety vision, prioritising what he calls a “Department of Community Safety” over militarised policing, reflects progressive thinking on criminal justice reform but has drawn scepticism from centrists like Mayor Eric Adams, whose 2024 corruption indictment was ultimately dismissed. When pressed on specifics during a contentious radio interview, Mamdani argued that “public safety means people feeling safe in their homes from eviction, safe in their neighbourhoods from violence, and safe in their workplaces from exploitation.”

David Slays Goliath: How the Upset Happened

The mechanics of Mamdani’s campaign victory represent a masterclass in modern political organising. Defying 31 of 32 polls that favoured Cuomo, the campaign leveraged New York’s ranked-choice voting system with surgical precision. A strategic cross-endorsement with City Comptroller Brad Lander, who secured 11.4 per cent of first-choice votes, provided the crucial margin in reallocations that secured Mamdani’s seven-point victory margin.

The ground game was unprecedented in its scope and intensity. Fifty thousand volunteers conducted 1.2 million door-knocks, reaching diverse communities across the city’s five boroughs. The campaign’s ability to mobilise South Asians in Richmond Hill, Latinos in Jackson Heights, Chinese voters in Flushing, and even make inroads among Brooklyn gentrifiers demonstrated sophisticated targeting and messaging. Even in conservative Staten Island, traditionally hostile territory for progressive candidates, Mamdani narrowed the gap to just nine points.

Voters endorsing Mamdani with placards

The financial contrast between the campaigns tells its own story. Mamdani’s $8 million, raised from 21,000 small-dollar donors—75 per cent contributing under $100—stood against Cuomo’s $33 million war chest, including a $25 million super PAC, Fix the City, backed by billionaire Bill Ackman, a Trump supporter and Israel advocate. This David-versus-Goliath dynamic resonated with voters increasingly cynical about money’s role in politics.

Cuomo’s campaign, by contrast, seemed to embody everything voters found objectionable about contemporary politics. Heir to a political dynasty through his father Mario Cuomo, who served as governor from 1983 to 1994, Andrew Cuomo relied heavily on name recognition but failed to qualify for public matching funds. His record—hiding nursing home deaths during COVID-19, discrediting over a dozen women who accused him of sexual harassment, and cutting a 2022 gerrymandering deal that aided Republican House gains—made him a symbol of status-quo failure, unable to withstand Mamdani’s populist surge.

When Identity Meets Authenticity

Mamdani’s relationship with New York’s 600,000-strong South Asian community exemplifies his sophisticated approach to identity politics. Drawing on his mother Mira Nair’s Sikh heritage, he engaged authentically with community institutions, speaking Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi at gurdwaras and community events. His support for India’s 2020-21 farmer protests and praise for Kerala’s Communist leadership demonstrated his ability to navigate complex subcontinental politics while maintaining progressive credentials.

His critique of Hindu nationalism, including calling Narendra Modi “the butcher of Gujarat” for the 2002 riots and condemning the Ram Temple consecration as majoritarian oppression tied to the Babri Masjid’s demolition, drew predictable criticism from BJP MP Kangana Ranaut but solidified his standing among progressive South Asian groups like DRUM. This willingness to take controversial positions on international issues distinguished him from conventional politicians who avoid diaspora controversies.

Perhaps no issue tested Mamdani’s political courage more than Palestine. His characterisation of Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and his support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement became a litmus test for progressive authenticity. His pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—an indicted war criminal—if elected mayor and Netanyahu visited New York represented a direct challenge to the Democratic establishment’s unwavering support for Israel. During a heated March 2025 confrontation with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, Mamdani demanded the release of detained activist Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-American organizer arrested while protesting weapons shipments to Israel. The moment, widely shared on social media, further galvanized his support among pro-Palestinian groups and cemented his stance as a rare voice of solidarity within mainstream American politics.

Mamdani at a protest against US Government’s involvement in attack against Palestinian people

This stance contrasted sharply with Cuomo’s offer to join Netanyahu’s defence team before the International Criminal Court, aligning him with establishment Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. Mamdani’s position, amplified through 135 mosque visits during the campaign, mobilised Muslim voters despite drawing antisemitism accusations from Representative Laura Gillen. The defence mounted by Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, citing his clear condemnation of antisemitism as a “disgusting and dangerous ideology,” helped neutralise these attacks.

The Hard Part: From Nominee to City Hall

The transition from primary winner to governing will test Mamdani’s political skills in new ways. With the November general election looming, he must first survive what promises to be a bruising campaign against the Republican nominee while managing New York’s complex electoral dynamics. Should he win in November, governing the city’s $115 billion budget and 300,000 employees will require executive experience that his critics, led by Cuomo, have questioned. The New York Post and business elites, alarmed by his tax proposals, may support Cuomo’s rumoured independent run, creating additional political complications.

Federal budget cuts under Trump’s second term, combined with potential state resistance to progressive policies, will create fiscal constraints that may limit Mamdani’s ability to implement his agenda. However, some of his key proposals, particularly the rent freeze, appear feasible through existing mechanisms like the Rent Guidelines Board.

His electoral coalition—South Asians, Latinos, progressive young voters—provides a strong foundation for governance, but maintaining unity while making the inevitable compromises required for effective administration will require careful political management. His consultations with technocrats like Maria Torres-Springer suggest preparation for the practical challenges of potential governance, though media scrutiny and a Republican opponent in the general election will test his campaign from now until November. Should he prevail in November, potential opposition from figures like Eric Adams would test his administration from the outset.

If Mamdani reaches City Hall, he may join the lineage of American progressives who governed boldly: Milwaukee’s “sewer socialists,” Bernie Sanders in Burlington.

“It always seems impossible until it is done,” he said, quoting Mandela. Mamdani has done what many thought impossible. What remains is to prove it was entirely intentional.

Courtesy: The AIDEM

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Hegemony by might: Gaza, Iran and the failures of nuclear power politics https://sabrangindia.in/hegemony-by-might-gaza-iran-and-the-failures-of-nuclear-power-politics/ Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:42:26 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42428 Without a transformation of global governance mechanisms, peace will not be the right of all nations and peoples, weak or powerful, but a privilege of the powerful

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In the current global order, peace is no longer established through diplomacy—it is enforced through might. The principle that governs international relations today is simple: power legitimises itself. Military superiority, especially nuclear capability – now defines who rules, who is shielded, and who is silenced.

A glaring example is Palestine. Since October 2023, Gaza has endured one of the most devastating humanitarian catastrophes in modern times: at least 55,706 Palestinians killed and 130,101 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. By January 2024, UNICEF reported that 14,500 children had been killed, 17,000 orphaned or separated, and Gaza had the highest percentage of child amputees globally. These are not collateral damages – they are systematic violations of law and humanity.

The international legal framework meant to prevent such atrocities such as the Fourth Geneva Convention, Rome Statute of the ICC, Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been consistently ignored. Article 8 of the Rome Statute explicitly defines deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure as war crimes. Yet, violations by Israel are documented in the OHCHR’s 30 December 2024 press release which includes murder, torture, sexual violence, starvation as a weapon of war, indiscriminate attacks on civilian objects, forced displacement, and collective punishment. These are not allegations. They are evidence-backed determinations by UN-mandated experts.

And yet, the world remains largely silent. Why?

Because power protects itself. Nuclear powers whether economically robust or fragile wield an unspoken immunity. Even countries like Pakistan, despite deep economic instability, are seldom threatened directly due to their nuclear deterrence. Their military posture buys them geopolitical respect that their economy cannot.

One of the most guarded secrets in international politics is Israel’s nuclear policy. For decades, Israel has followed a strategy of deliberate ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying possession of nuclear weapons, instead stating: “Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East.” However, in November 2023, amid the intensifying war on Gaza, Israeli Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu publicly floated the idea of dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza, it was a chilling statement that many interpreted as a tacit admission of nuclear capability. While Prime Minister Netanyahu suspended the minister, the world had already taken note. Silence followed.

This silence also extends to Iran, a state with one of the world’s largest proven oil and gas reserves and control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 – 30% of global oil supply transits. Iran, often vocal on Palestine, has been strategically cautious. Its economic and geopolitical dependencies, especially in global energy trade and its own fragile economic ecosystem, have kept it from direct military involvement, despite the moral and ideological stakes.

Meanwhile, the world bears witness to selective intervention. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, and Lebanon have all suffered under Western or Israeli military aggression, often framed as anti-terrorism but ending in mass civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of state institutions. The U.S. alone has used its UNSC veto power 42 times to shield Israel, while continuing to provide $3 billion annually in military aid.

This is not a religious war. It is a militarised geopolitical strategy aimed at maintaining global power hierarchies. It poses a question by the experts that law exists only for the weak. Sovereignty applies only until it offends the interests of the powerful. And accountability is demanded from the powerless, not those with nuclear warheads and strategic alliances.

It seems that the international system is thus not failing but it is functioning exactly as it was designed: As it was established to protect the dominant? What is urgently needed is a transformation of global governance mechanisms – the UN, the International Criminal Court, and international law must be empowered to act independently of hegemonic influence.

If the targeting of Palestine and the neutralisation of Iran’s potential role can continue unchecked, the precedent set is clear: peace is not a right, but a privilege of the powerful and the global community truly seeks a world free of nuclear weapons, disarmament must begin with the nine nuclear-armed states. If these powers retain their arsenals, calls for non-proliferation will remain hypocritical. This imbalance fosters power hegemony, where peace is dictated through threats, not diplomacy. Non-nuclear states are left vulnerable and forced to surrender or suffer devastating consequences, as seen in Gaza. Without equal commitment to disarmament, the world risks continuing cycles of coercion, conflict, and undeclared genocides against those who dare to resist dominant powers.

(The author is an assistant professor of law and a mediator based in Dubai. Her work focuses on international law, gender rights, and conflict resolution) 

 

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Who Is India’s All-Weather Friend in This World? https://sabrangindia.in/who-is-indias-all-weather-friend-in-this-world/ Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:57:40 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42355 And who is Pakistan's?

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In his latest book, S. Jaishankar writes: “After all, diplomacy is all about making friends and influencing people”. In the armed conflict between Pakistan and India this May, China reinforced its role as Islamabad’s “all-weather friend”. Beijing took Pakistan’s side far more clearly than in previous wars between the two neighbors. When the likelihood of Indian retaliation to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam increased, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi declared: “As an ironclad friend and an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests“. During the conflict, according to Indian sources, China helped Pakistan with air defense and satellite imagery. And after the guns fell silent, when India – which had just denounced the Indus Treaty – indicated that it might deprive Pakistan of some of the water to which that treaty entitled it, China hinted that it too might deprive India of water from the Brahmaputra.

How do you explain this seemingly unconditional support?

First, Pakistan has become an important customer for Chinese arms dealers, as 80% of its arsenal is Chinese-made. Not only is Pakistan an attractive market for China, it also enables the latter to test on the battlefield weapons that the two countries have sometimes developed together.

Secondly, China has invested $68 billion in foreign direct investment in Pakistan in the framework of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the flagship of the Belt and Roads Initiative, despite the recurring tensions between Beijing and Islamabad stemming from Pakistan’s late payments or attacks on Chinese engineers by Baloch nationalists. What’s more, part of the $68 billion has been used to build roads, railroads and power plants in areas claimed by India, such as Gilgit Baltistan.

Thirdly, China probably wanted to seize the opportunity to make India’s life complicated, as two bones of contention have (re)emerged since Narendra Modi came to power. First, in keeping with Hindu nationalist ideology, the Indian government has expressed revisionist views, proclaiming its desire to restore Akhand Bharat, which would include the part of Ladakh conquered by China in the 1962 war. Secondly, India sought to resist China’s push into other South Asian countries, starting with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. For decades, China has kept India busy on its western flank by arming Pakistan, forcing New Delhi especially towards regional policies like Neighbourhood First or Look East.

Fourthly, India has alienated China by pursuing its rapprochement with the United States, as evidenced by good relations – till recently at least – between Modi and Trump, and India’s intention to attract American companies looking to relocate their Chinese factories to India.

Who is India’s all-weather friend?

While Islamabad can count on a particularly valuable all-weather friend, not only because it is the world’s second major power, but also because China clashes with India in the Himalayas, New Delhi, by contrast, was relatively isolated during the May crisis.

At the United Nations Security Council, India failed to get either Pakistan or the terrorist group to which it attributed the Pahalgam attack mentioned in the press release. Above all, the US intervention caught India off-guard. While the Trump administration, initially, refused to get involved, on the third day of the conflict, the hypothesis of a nuclear escalation led the White House to intervene – and it did without sparing India. On May 10, Donald Trump announced that he had silenced the guns thanks to an express mediation during which he promised good trade deals to the belligerents. He also invited them to negotiate a lasting peace and offered to act as his good offices to settle the Kashmir question. This sequence could only be seen as an affront by New Delhi for two reasons.

First, whenever American presidents have put an end to a conflict between Indians and Pakistanis, it has always been to the benefit of the former. On July 4, 1999, Bill Clinton summoned Nawaz Sharif to Washington to withdraw Pakistani forces from the Kargil heights. This time, Trump presented himself as the saviour who spared the world a nuclear war. While India claimed to have demonstrated its military superiority, the impression the world took away from this episode was that the conflict ended in a draw. The Indians who were the most determined to “do away with Pakistan”, whipped up into a frenzy by the nationalist hysteria of a media in thrall of the government, could only feel immense frustration.

Secondly, Trump was ruining India’s efforts not to internationalise the Kashmir issue, which, since the Treaty of Shimla negotiated by Indira Gandhi in 1972, was to be considered a bilateral affair. Here again, Trump was playing into Pakistan’s hands.

All in all, while India had been striving for years to avoid appearing indissolubly linked to Pakistan on the international stage, Trump marked a return to an “India-Pakistan hyphenation” that was dragging India down: entangled in an endless regional conflict, the country can hardly appear as a global power in the making.

In the aftermath, Trump showed even greater benevolence towards Pakistan when he declared: “Pakistan has very strong leadership. Some people don’t like when I say this, but it is what it is. And they stopped that war. I’m very proud of them”. In unison, General Michael Kurilla, the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), recently hailed Pakistan as “a “phenomenal partner in the counter-terrorism world”.

The fight against terrorism, in fact, could be the explanation for the recent American-Pakistani rapprochement. At the end of February, the Trump administration decided “to exempt $397 million in security assistance to Pakistan from its massive foreign aid cuts. The funds will be allocated to a program that monitors Pakistan’s U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets-to make sure that they are used for counterterrorism, and not for action against India”. But then there is something paradoxical in Trump’s post-Pahalgam treatment of India and Pakistan as equals, as if one were not a victim of terrorism and the other the crucible of so many terrorist groups. Things may become clearer during the five-day official visit of Field Marshal Asim Munir who has been invited in Washington to discuss military and strategic ties between Pakistan and the United States.

Whatever the reason for Trump’s positive assessment of Pakistan, it contradicts India’s efforts to isolate the country. In fact, while New Delhi has been trying for years to marginalise Islamabad on the international stage, the past few weeks have shown that Pakistan retains many supporters – and not just in the United States.

At the very time when India and Pakistan were going through a serious crisis, the latter being accused by India of supporting jihadist groups operating on its soil, on May 9, the International Monetary Fund executive board approved a fresh $1.4 billion loan to Pakistan under its climate resilience fund and approved the first review of its $7 billion programme, freeing about $1 billion in cash. India protested at the board meeting that the Pakistan programme raised concerns about the “possibility of misuse of debt-financing funds for state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.” But no other country represented on the board supported it, even if only by abstaining from the vote. A month later, Pakistan obtained two positions in two UN bodies: on the one hand, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, has been appointed chair of the U.N. Security Council’s 1988 Sanctions Committee, which monitors sanctions targeting the Taliban and, on the other, a Pakistani diplomat has also become vice-chair of the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee. These positions could hardly have escaped Pakistan by virtue of its status as a non-permanent member. But Pakistan’s election as a non-permanent member with 182 votes in 2024 alone testifies to the country’s non-marginalisation.

How is India’s longest-standing partner, Russia, behaving in this context?  It has tended to show neutrality, even siding with Pakistan. Not only did Moscow keep silent after the Pahalgam attack, but it also pledged to resurrect a Soviet-era steel mill near Karachi. To give substance to the corridor that Pakistan and Russia are seeking to develop through Central Asia, a Lahore-Moscow train even inaugurated a new rail link this month.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, only two countries showed a vocam solidarity with India: Afghanistan and Israel. The former was responding to India’s overtures, with New Delhi and Kabul seeking to catch Pakistan on the back foot, but this strategy came to a halt when Beijing intervened, determined to pursue the Road and Belt Initiative in the area: Chinese mediation led to Afghan-Pakistani reconciliation, culminating in the opening of a Pakistani embassy in Kabul .

As a “friend of India”, in the words of Kobbi Shoshani, the Israeli Consul General in Mumbai, Israel supported the post-Pahalgam retaliation. Many Israeli observers have also drawn parallels between Netanyahu’s retaliation after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2024 and Modi’s last May. Whether the comparison is apt or not, India abstained – yes, abstained – at the United Nations when a motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza was put to the vote in June 2025 when 149 countries supported it – and failed to condemn Israel’s attack on Iran in mid-June, dissociating itself from the stance taken by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose main pillars are China and Russia.

Are we to conclude from recent developments that Israel is now India’s all-weather friend? It’s too early to say. But another question deserves to be asked: if China is more than ever Pakistan’s all-weather friend, can India afford not to deal China?

India’s dependence on China

The fact is that China has been providing unstinting support to a country that India’s political leadership portrays as ‘public enemy number one’ at a time when India is proving more dependent on China than ever in economic, industrial and commercial terms.

In 2024-25, China’s exports to India represented a record $113.5 billion, while India’s declining exports to China fell to $14.3 billion, resulting in a deficit of $99.2 billion. This figure reflects not only the weakness of Indian industry, which is unable to compete with Chinese manufactured goods, but also its dependence on Chinese suppliers.

Indeed, finished goods represent only a small proportion of India’s imports from China (6.8% in 2023-24), the bulk of which are intermediate goods (70.9%) and production goods (22.3%) that India’s industry and services need to produce and export. As a result, the more India exports, the more it imports from China. This logic is particularly at work in the electronics and pharmaceuticals sectors: while India exports a growing number of smartphones, starting with the iPhone, it imports components from China; while India has become “the world’s pharmacy” thanks to its exports of generic medicines, many of the active ingredients come from China.

It should be noted that India’s dependence on China is even greater than the statistics show, as India imports products manufactured by Chinese firms based in Malaysia or Vietnam – where they have relocated to circumvent the tariff barriers or import quotas set by many countries, including India. Solar panels are a case in point, making India extremely dependent on China for its energy transition.

In this context, the April-May crisis between India and Pakistan gave China the opportunity to put pressure on New Delhi. On April 28, the Indian press reported on additional delays in deliveries to India of iPhone spare parts imposed by the Chinese. Shortly afterwards, China decided to make access to rare earths more difficult, putting the Indian automotive sector in difficulty – hence New Delhi’s idea of sending a delegation to Beijing to negotiate an exceptional regime for India.

Indeed, India has begun talks with China on this and other issues and is seeking a compromise. Earlier this month, the Indian government announced that India would facilitate Chinese investment on its soil, reversing the decision that had been taken in 2020 in the wake of the confrontation between soldiers from the two countries.  At the same time, on June 5, the Indian ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat was received by the Chinese vice-minister of foreign affairs, Sun Weidong, with both parties pledging to “jointly implement the leaders’ important consensus, fostering people-to-people exchanges [and] win-win cooperation, and driving China-India relations forward on a healthy and stable path”.

In conclusion, if, as Jaishankar says, “diplomacy is all about making friends and influencing people”, the question that Indian diplomats should closely examine today is none other than: where are the friends of India who are prepared to support her in adversity and isolate her public enemy number one, Pakistan? The question is all the more pertinent given that Pakistan itself has an all-weather friend on whom India is economically highly dependent – not to mention the Chinese threat in the Himalayas and India’s neighbourhood. If neither the USA nor Russia can play the role of India’s all-weather’ friend, India’s vulnerability to China will be even more difficult to counter.

Indian diplomacy, which had to be supplemented by other forces, as evident from the fact that that New Delhi had to send seven all-party delegations to explain India’s policy in 32 countries, is challenged to find a solution to the risk of New Delhi’s relative isolation vis-à-vis the growing threats coming from the China-Pakistan duo. All in all, isn’t it the transactional philosophy of multilateralism that deserves to be revisited? In his 2020 book The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, S. Jaishankar wrote: “This is a time for us to engage America, manage China, cultivate Europe, reassure Russia, bring Japan into play, draw neighbours in …” But what about making friends, especially if this is what diplomacy is “all about”? Here, it’s India’s tradition of refusing alliances that is at stake. By multiplying its partners the plurilateral way, India has diversified its supports, but it has also diluted them: these transactional links are weak compared to those forged with an ally.

Christophe Jaffrelot is Senior Research Fellow at CERI-Sciences Po/CNRS, Paris, Professor of Indian Politics and Sociology at King’s College London, Non resident Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Chair of the British Association for South Asian Studies.

Courtesy: The Wire

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Iran war: from the Middle East to America, history shows you cannot assassinate your way to peace https://sabrangindia.in/iran-war-from-the-middle-east-to-america-history-shows-you-cannot-assassinate-your-way-to-peace/ Wed, 18 Jun 2025 10:40:26 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42294 In the late 1960s, the prevailing opinion among Israeli Shin Bet intelligence officers was that the key to defeating the Palestinian Liberation Organisation was to assassinate its then-leader Yasser Arafat. The elimination of Arafat, the Shin Bet commander Yehuda Arbel wrote in his diary, was “a precondition to finding a solution to the Palestinian problem.” […]

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In the late 1960s, the prevailing opinion among Israeli Shin Bet intelligence officers was that the key to defeating the Palestinian Liberation Organisation was to assassinate its then-leader Yasser Arafat.

The elimination of Arafat, the Shin Bet commander Yehuda Arbel wrote in his diary, was “a precondition to finding a solution to the Palestinian problem.”

For other, even more radical Israelis – such as the ultra-nationalist assassin Yigal Amir – the answer lay elsewhere. They sought the assassination of Israeli leaders such as Yitzak Rabin who wanted peace with the Palestinians.

Despite Rabin’s long personal history as a famed and often ruthless military commander in the 1948 and 1967 Arab-Israeli Wars, Amir stalked and shot Rabin dead in 1995. He believed Rabin had betrayed Israel by signing the Oslo Accords peace deal with Arafat.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat smiles during a meeting at his compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah in 2004. Muhammad Nasser/AP

It’s been 20 years since Arafat died as possibly the victim of polonium poisoning, and 30 years after the shooting of Rabin. Peace between Israelis and the Palestinians has never been further away.

What Amnesty International and a United Nations Special Committee have called genocidal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza have spilled over into Israeli attacks on the prominent leaders of its enemies in Lebanon and, most recently, Iran.

Since its attacks on Iran began on Friday, Israel has killed numerous military and intelligence leaders, including Iran’s intelligence chief, Mohammad Kazemi; the chief of the armed forces, Mohammad Bagheri; and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami. At least nine Iranian nuclear scientists have also been killed.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said:

We got their chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran.

Iran, predictably, has responded with deadly missile attacks on Israel.

Far from having solved the issue of Middle East peace, assassinations continue to pour oil on the flames.

A long history of extra-judicial killings

Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman’s book Rise and Kill First argues assassinations have long sat at the heart of Israeli politics.

In the past 75 years, there have been more than 2,700 assassination operations undertaken by Israel. These have, in Bergman’s words, attempted to “stop history” and bypass “statesmanship and political discourse”.

This normalisation of assassinations has been codified in the Israeli expression of “mowing the grass”. This is, as historian Nadim Rouhana has shown, a metaphor for a politics of constant assassination. Enemy “leadership and military facilities must regularly be hit in order to keep them weak.”

The point is not to solve the underlying political questions at issue. Instead, this approach aims to sow fear, dissent and confusion among enemies.

Thousands of assassination operations have not, however, proved sufficient to resolve the long-running conflict between Israel, its neighbours and the Palestinians. The tactic itself is surely overdue for retirement.

Targeted assassinations elsewhere

Israel has been far from alone in this strategy of assassination and killing.

Former US President Barack Obama oversaw the extra-judicial killing of Osama Bin Laden, for instance.

After what Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced as a flawed trial, former US President George W. Bush welcomed the hanging of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as “an important milestone on Iraq’s course to becoming a democracy”.

Current US President Donald Trump oversaw the assassination of Iran’s leader of clandestine military operations, Qassem Soleimani, in 2020.

Iranians wave images of Qassem Soleimani during the fourth anniversary of his death in January 2024. Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

More recently, however, Trump appears to have baulked at granting Netanyahu permission to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

And it’s worth noting the US Department of Justice last year brought charges against an Iranian man who said he’d been tasked with killing Trump.

Elsewhere, in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, it’s common for senior political and media opponents to be shot in the streets. Frequently they also “fall” out of high windows, are killed in plane crashes or succumb to mystery “illnesses”.

A poor record

Extra-judicial killings, however, have a poor record as a mechanism for solving political problems.

Cutting off the hydra’s head has generally led to its often immediate replacement by another equally or more ideologically committed person, as has already happened in Iran. Perhaps they too await the next round of “mowing the grass”.

But as the latest Israeli strikes in Iran and elsewhere show, solving the underlying issue is rarely the point.

In situations where finding a lasting negotiated settlement would mean painful concessions or strategic risks, assassinations prove simply too tempting. They circumvent the difficulties and complexities of diplomacy while avoiding the need to concede power or territory.

As many have concluded, however, assassinations have never killed resistance. They have never killed the ideas and experiences that give birth to resistance in the first place.

Nor have they offered lasting security to those who have ordered the lethal strike.

Enduring security requires that, at some point, someone grasp the nettle and look to the underlying issues.

The alternative is the continuation of the brutal pattern of strike and counter-strike for generations to come.The Conversation

Matt Fitzpatrick, Professor in International History, Flinders University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Hundreds of Thousands form ‘Red Line’ Around the Hague https://sabrangindia.in/hundreds-of-thousands-form-red-line-around-the-hague/ Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:21:50 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42237 The red line the government has failed to set.

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Hundreds of thousands of people dressed in red marched through the streets of The Hague on Sunday to demand more action against the “genocide” in Gaza.

NGOs such as Amnesty International, Save the Children, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and Oxfam organized the demonstration, which ran through the city to the International Court of Justice. The protesters were all dressed in red, creating a “red line”.

Organisers described it as the country’s largest demonstration in two decades. Many waving Palestinian flags and some chanting “Stop the Genocide”, the demonstrators turned a central park in the city into a sea of red on a sunny afternoon.

“The Dutch cabinet still refuses to draw a red line. That is why we do it, for as long as necessary,” Marjon Rozema of Amnesty International Netherlands said in a statement.

Protesters walked a 5-kilometer loop around the city center of The Hague to symbolically create the red line that the government has failed to set.

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Israel bombs Iran, targets nuclear facilities, military leaders, scientists; US claims it’s not involved https://sabrangindia.in/israel-bombs-iran-targets-nuclear-facilities-military-leaders-scientists-us-claims-its-not-involved/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:50:14 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42205 Immediately following the aftermath of the attack, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted an anonymous official saying Iran will offer a ‘decisive’ response to Israel’s attack.

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New Delhi: Thursday the world woke up to the news that Israel launched an attack on Iran’s capital Tehran on early Friday (June 13), targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missiles factories and military commanders.

“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history. Moments ago Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a recorded video message, reported Reuters.

Following the Israeli strikes on Tehran, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio termed the attack as Israel’s “unilateral” action against Iran. The US washed its hands off the attacks.

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence,” said Rubio in a statement.

“President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” he added.

It should not be seen as a coincidence that on June 13 –the same day of the attacks—the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had overwhelming in a Resolution pulled up Israel for its blockade of Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Following the attack, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Israel will face “severe punishment”, reported the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the IRNA news agency also reported that Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Cops has been assassinated in the Israeli strike. Iranian state media reported that at least two nuclear scientists, Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed in the strikes.

India has meanwhile, according to a report in The Hindustan Times cautioned both Israel and Iran against any escalation. India on Friday expressed deep concern after Israel launched waves of air strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites and urged both countries to avoid escalatory steps.

An Israeli military official told Reuters that Israel was striking “dozens” of nuclear and military targets including the facility at Natanz in central Iran. The official added that Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days.

Along with launching these attacks, reports confirmed that the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defence units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran. In its response after the attack, the government of Iran said that starting a war with the country was like “twisting the lion’s tail”.

The Israeli military said that Iran has launched over 100 drones at Israel in the last few hours.

IAEA confirms Iran’s Uranium enrichment facility hit, UN chief condemns Israeli action

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that that Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz was hit by an Israeli strike.

“The IAEA is closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran. Agency can confirm Natanz site among targets. The Agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country,” said IAEA head Rafael Mariano Grossi in a statement on X.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned the “military escalation” by Israel. In a statement through his spokesperson, Guterres said that he was “concerned” by Israel’s action “while talks between Iran and the United States on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme are underway, reported AP.

“The Secretary-General asks both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford,” said Farhan Haq, the UN spokesperson, said in a statement late Thursday (June 12).

The Indian Embassy in Iran requested all Indian nationals & persons of Indian origin in Iran to remain vigilant, avoid all unnecessary movements, follow the Embassy’s Social Media accounts & observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities.

The Indian Embassy in Israel to issue a similar advisory and urged Indian nationals to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel within the country and stay close to safety shelters. “We are closely monitoring the evolving situation, including reports related to attacks on nuclear sites. India urges both sides to avoid any escalatory steps. Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues. India enjoys close and friendly relations with both the countries and stands ready to extend all possible support,” said the Ministry of External affairs in a statement.

“Our Missions in both countries are in contact with the Indian community. All Indian nationals in the region are advised to exercise caution, stay safe and follow local security advisories,” the MEA statement added.  “We are deeply concerned at the recent developments between Iran and Israel,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

“India urges both sides to avoid any escalatory steps. Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues,” the statement said.

The statement noted that India “enjoys close and friendly relations with both the countries and stands ready to extend all possible support”.

The Indian side is closely monitoring the evolving situation, including “reports related to attacks on nuclear sites”. Indian embassies in both countries are in contact with the Indian community, and all Indian nationals in the region were advised to “exercise caution, stay safe and follow local security advisories”.

The scale and scope of Friday’s air strikes by Israel was much greater than tit-for-tat attacks carried out in 2024.

In April 2024, Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel after the bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. This was followed by another round of hostilities last October, after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel responded on both occasions by targeting Iranian infrastructure and military facilities.

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UNGCA Resolution, Gaza Genocide: Abandoning decades of commitment to non-alignment, India abstains https://sabrangindia.in/ungca-resolution-gaza-genocide-abandoning-decades-of-commitment-to-non-alignment-india-abstains/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:58:06 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42192 The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of a draft resolution for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire and an end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and need for accountability for Israel’s violations. The US and Israel had lobbied internationally to prevent this Resolution Number    even being tabled. An overwhelming majority of states, 149, […]

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The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of a draft resolution for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire and an end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and need for accountability for Israel’s violations. The US and Israel had lobbied internationally to prevent this Resolution Number    even being tabled. An overwhelming majority of states, 149, voted in favour, 12 voted against and 19 abstained. India, shockingly, abandoning decades of commitment to non-alignment and alliance with Palestine abstained.

The resolution reiterated previous United National General Assembly (UNGA) demands for a permanent and immediate ceasefire and the dignified unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups. It also strongly condemned any use of starvation of civilians as method of warfare and demands that Israel, the occupying power, immediately end its blockade of Gaza and ensure humanitarian aid reaches Palestinians throughout the Strip. The Resolution was passed on June 13.

Besides, the UN Resolution that was passed stresses on the need for accountability to ensure Israel’s respect of international law obligations and calls on UN member states to individually and collectively take all measures necessary, in line with international law and the UN Charter, to ensure Israeli compliance with said obligations.

The UN Resolution on Gaza may be read here.

As detailed on the UN website, the Resolution had been brought forward by over 20 countries, and most critically it strongly condemns the use of starvation as a weapon of war, demands a full lifting of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid, and insists on the protection of civilians under international law. Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant political and moral weight.

The Resolution of June 13, followed the developments at the Security Council on June 4: On June 4, the Security Council failed to adopt its draft resolution after a veto by the United States, a permanent member.

“Meanwhile, famine conditions continue to threaten lives across Gaza, and reports persist of civilians being killed or injured while trying to access food at distribution points operated independently of the UN but supported by Israel and the US.

“Assembly steps into as Security Council stalls

“Opening the special session, General Assembly President Philémon Yang said that “the horrors in Gaza must end” after 20 months of war. He criticised the Security Council’s ongoing paralysis and inability to fulfil its core responsibility to uphold peace and security.

“He called the situation on the ground “unacceptable”, highlighting the deprivation of food, water and medicine for civilians, the continued captivity of hostages, and the need for urgent international action.

“Mr. Yang noted that next week’s high-level meeting in New York on implementing a two-State solution, chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, saying it would offer a chance for renewed commitment towards peace in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

“Key elements of the resolution:

  • Ceasefire: Calls for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire by all parties.
  • Hostages: Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups.
  • Implementation: Urges the full and immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 2735 (2024), including the ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchanges, return of displaced persons, and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
  • International law: Reaffirms that all parties must uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, with particular attention to civilian protection and accountability for violations.
  • Starvation as a weapon: Strongly condemns the use of starvation and the denial of aid as tactics of war.
  • Humanitarian access: Demands the full, safe and unimpeded delivery of aid – including food, medicine, water, shelter and fuel – throughout Gaza.
  • Detention practices: Calls for the humane treatment and release of those arbitrarily detained, and the return of remains.
  • ICJ advisory opinion: Recalls the request for an urgent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on Israel’s obligations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
  • End of blockade: Demands Israel immediately lift the blockade on Gaza and open all border crossings for aid deliveries.
  • Accountability: Urges Member States to take necessary steps to ensure Israel complies with its international legal obligations.
  • UN and humanitarian personnel: Calls for full respect for the work and immunity of UN staff and humanitarian workers.
  • Protection of aid workers: Urges both humanitarian and UN bodies to ensure the safety of their personnel.
  • Medical neutrality: Underscores the duty to protect medical workers, health facilities, and transport routes.

 

 

 

Related:

Gaza: 700 citizens demand release of detained Madleen activists, call upon UK to fix Israel’s accountability for genocide, blockade, war crimes in Palestine

 

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Non-transparency in US 2024 elections? Lawsuit points to possible tampering of Voting Machines before 2024 https://sabrangindia.in/non-transparency-in-us-2024-elections-lawsuit-points-to-possible-tampering-of-voting-machines-before-2024/ Thu, 12 Jun 2025 06:30:05 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42171 A lawsuit by Smart Elections has revealed that a private lab with sloppy untested software may have been vulnerable to malware attacks in voting machines used in over 40% of U.S. counties ahead of the 2024 race. Now these (unverified software changes), made with no public notice, no formal testing, and no third-party oversight are being challenged with full disclosure in a US court. That these may have impacted the electoral outcome is a serious question, however the scale is yet to be seen. The plaintiffs have demanded a full hand recount of the Presidential and US Senate races in Rockland County.

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A seminal case questioning the accuracy of the 2024 Presidential and Senate election results in Rockland County, New York, is moving forward. In open court, end May 2025, Judge Rachel Tanguay of the New York Supreme Court, ruled that discovery must proceed, pushing the lawsuit brought by SMART Legislation into the evidence-gathering stage. The lawsuit seeks a full hand recount of the Presidential and U.S. Senate races in Rockland County. The next hearing of the case is in September 2025.

The information in this article has been extracted from the public statements and press releases of SMART Legislation, the action arm of SMART Elections, which is the lead plaintiff in the case. Both organisations have described themselves as “dedicated to ensuring fair and accurate elections.”

The June 11 statement by the organisation questions the conclusions drawn in an article on Msn.com that possibly sensationalises the issue. However the fact that the transparency and accountability of the 2024 US elections are the subject matter of serious investigation is based on fact.

Calling into serious questions the US 2024 Presidential race and the transparency of the electoral process, a non-partisan group, Smart Elections has filed a law suit, demanding answers.

“There is clear evidence that the senate results are incorrect, and there are statistical indications that the presidential results are highly unlikely,” stated Lulu Friesdat, Founder and Executive Director of SMART Legislation in a press release. “If the results are incorrect, it is a violation of the constitutional rights of each person who voted in the 2024 Rockland County general election. The best way to determine if the results are correct is to examine the paper ballots in a full public, transparent hand recount of all presidential and senate ballots in Rockland County. We believe it’s vitally important, especially in the current environment, to be absolutely confident about the results of the election.”

As stated in the complaint, more voters have sworn they voted for independent U.S. Senate candidate Diane Sare than the Rockland County Board of Elections counted and certified, directly contradicting those results. Additionally, the presidential election results exhibit numerous statistical anomalies. The anomalies in the presidential race include multiple districts where hundreds of voters chose the Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand for Senate, but where zero voters selected the Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Additionally, a statistician determined that the 2024 presidential election results were statistically highly unlikely in four of the five towns in Rockland County when compared with 2020 results. Max Bonamente, Ph.D., Professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the author of the textbook, “Statistics and Analysis of Scientific Data,” says in an upcoming paper on the Rockland data, “These data would require extreme sociological or political causes for their explanation, and would benefit from further assurances as to their fidelity.”

Discovery (disclosure of evidence) could give both the court and the public a window into what issues in Rockland County are contributing to irregularities in the election results. Plaintiffs anticipate some depositions as well. Because the source of the discrepancies is unknown, a court-ordered recount could alter the election results or reveal issues in other races

(From the Press Release)

  • District 39 (Exhibit A): Nine voters signed sworn statements saying they cast ballots for Diane Sare in the U.S. Senate race. The Rockland County Board of Elections recorded just five votes-a nearly 50% shortfall.
  • District 62 (Exhibit B): Five voters said they voted for Sare; the Rockland County Board of Elections recorded three – a 40% deficit.

Does this all mean that the Former US Vice-President and Presidential candidate in 2024, Kamala Harris may have actually won the poll race? A report in MSN. Com and then Economic Times suggests that this is possible. However this is what Smart Elections says in response:

“Was There tampering?

Yesterday an article went up on MSN.com with some very serious statements about the 2024 election with information and quotes that were attributed to us – SMART      Elections. We appreciate the long overdue focus on this issue……

The article covers software and firmware updates to 2024 election technology and asks whether those updates had the necessary security and transparency. Although the article gets some of the details incorrect, we agree with the article’s overall conclusion that there were serious failures in the security and transparency of the updates. We disagree with the article’s claim that this proves Kamala Harris won the 2024 presidential election. It’s just not that simple.

Regarding the updates: You want technology to get updates. It’s an important part of good security practices. Often that is how you protect against known vulnerabilities that are discovered. You do a software update.

But in this case, the website of one of the testing labs approved to give software updates, was in disrepair for months. The testing lab, ProV&V is one of two that are authorized to approve software updates for U.S. election technology. Was their website hacked? Unknown. Was the company hacked? Unknown. They say they were building a new website, and eventually after months, a new rather incomplete, lame website did emerge.

Is the testing lab Pro V&V sloppy? Definitely. Are we concerned about all the software updates they released. You bet we are. Can we say conclusively that there was some kind of malware in those updates that changed vote totals? No we cannot. That’s why we’re in court. To get that kind of information.”

Who is behind Pro V&V, and why is there no oversight?

At the centre of the controversy is Jack Cobb, the director of Pro V&V. While he doesn’t appear in the headlines, his lab certifies the machines that millions of Americans use to vote. According to the report, once the controversy began to gain traction, Pro V&V’s website went dark, leaving only a phone number and a generic email address. No public logs. No documentation. No comment.

Pro V&V is certified by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). However, once accredited, labs like Pro V&V faces no real public oversight. There is no hotline, no review board, and no formal process for the public to challenge or remove them.

The EAC itself has four commissioners, two of whom—Benjamin Hovland and Donald Palmer—were appointed by Donald Trump during his first presidency.

As of June 2025, Pro V&V remains fully accredited and un-investigated. 

Will the outcome of the suit change election results?

In May 2025, Judge Rachel Tanguay ruled that allegations raised by SMART Elections were credible enough to move forward. The case, SMART Legislation et al. v. Rockland County Board of Elections, is scheduled for hearing this fall. While the lawsuit won’t change the outcome of the election—Congress already certified Trump’s victory—it could set off wider probes, from state investigations to federal criminal inquiries. The upcoming court case could become a pivotal moment in election security history. The lawsuit claims that a private company quietly changed voting machines in over 40% of U.S. counties—and no one knew until after the votes were counted. 

The implications are serious:

  • Could future elections be altered without oversight?
  • Should the EAC change how it certifies and monitors voting labs?
  • Is the public being kept in the dark about the technology behind their vote? 

SMART Elections warns this isn’t just about one race:

“If one underfunded watchdog group can dig up this much from a quiet New York suburb, what else is rotting in the shadows of this country’s ballots?”

Other findings in the Lawsuit by Smart Elections

Drop-off Irregularities in Rockland County could mean the results are incorrect

  • Drop-off is a measure of the difference between the presidential candidate and a major down-ballot candidate of the same party.
    • A large positive drop-off indicates an “over performance” by a candidate, meaning the candidate received more votes than is typical.
    • A large negative drop-off indicates an “underperformance” by a candidate, meaning the candidate received fewer votes than is typical and could signify votes are missing from the candidate’s totals.
  • Republican drop-off (23%): 23% of Trump’s totals in Rockland County exceed the 2024 Republican Senate candidate. The high drop-off rate illustrates that the presidential candidate far outperformed his down-ballot counterpart.
  • Democratic drop-off is negative (-9%): 9% of Harris’ totals are below the Democratic Senate candidate. This is a highly unusual phenomenon that was repeated across the state andacross the country. Rockland County is the first county where it is being formally investigated.

Why it matters

Typical drop-off rates run 1-2%. Gaps of 23% or -9% are surprising and could indicate that votes were miscounted. 

Statistical Analysis, Manual Counts & Examination of Voting Systems Can Reveal Problems with Elections

In Bladen County, North Carolina, statistical discrepancies helped investigators identify fraudulent absentee ballots in both the 2016 and 2018 elections.

  • In Philadelphia, an election judge repeatedly committed election fraud in multiple elections. It was discovered by a local election official who noticed that the election results did not reconcile correctlyand reported it to law enforcement.
  • In Windham County, N.H., voting machines counted the 2020 election results incorrectly due to dust in the machines and folds in the ballots. The incorrect counts were discovered in a hand recount and explained in a forensic audit.

(SMART Elections is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to making U.S. elections secure, accurate, accessible, inclusive, well-administered, and publicly verifiable. SMART Legislation is the action arm of the organization)

Related:

Waiting for US election results?

Analysing the Feasibility of Simultaneous Elections in India: A Review of Committee Recommendations and Constitutional Implications

 

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Gaza: 700 citizens demand release of detained Madleen activists, call upon UK to fix Israel’s accountability for genocide, blockade, war crimes in Palestine https://sabrangindia.in/gaza-700-citizens-demand-release-of-detained-madleen-activists-call-upon-uk-to-fix-israels-accountability-for-genocide-blockade-war-crimes-in-palestine/ Wed, 11 Jun 2025 09:54:07 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42130 The open letter has been addressed to the UK government via the British High Commission Offices in India

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June 11, 2025: More than 700 activists and concerned citizens from across India wrote to the British High Commission today through its offices in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Goa, conveying concerns regarding Madleen activists and the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

The letter was initiated by the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), a coalition of grassroots movements in India and signed by numerous other people’s collectives and concerned citizens, committed to justice and human rights. The signatories have condemned the capture of the Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen, a UK-flagged civilian ship, by Israeli forces in international waters on June 9, 2025, and the unlawful blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza. They demand the immediate and dignified release of the eight detained Madleen activists, the return of the four ‘deported’ activists to resume their peaceful mission, an end to Israel’s blockade, accountability for its genocidal war crimes and immediate, unhindered access to humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Madleen carried vital aid—baby formula, food, medical supplies—for Gaza’s population facing forced starvation due to Israel’s blockade and ongoing genocide. The letter states that the British Deputy High Commission in Israel has clear legal and diplomatic responsibilities: to intervene in the defence of the UK-flagged Madleen and its detained crew, in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (Article 5). This includes demanding accountability for their treatment, pressing the FCDO to act for the Madleen’s release, and supporting ICC/UN international war crimes investigations.

The signatories call upon the United Kingdom (UK) to fulfil its legal and moral responsibility, and to act without delay in defence of the 12 activists who were unlawfully abducted and silenced for their solidarity. These brave activists are doing what no international body or state has effectively done: directly confronting the illegal blockade to deliver aid to Gaza’s starving population. They cannot be penalized for upholding human rights that the international community has painstakingly defined and defended since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

  1. The signatories demand has been made of the British High Commission, through its offices across India and its counterpart in Tel Aviv to:
  2. Secure the immediate and dignified release of the eight Madleen activists, including MEP Rima Hassan, ensuring protection from torture and clarifying diplomatic immunities.
  3. Recover the Madleen and its cargo for Gaza’s urgent aid delivery.
  4. Support the Hind Rajab Foundation’s complaint, pushing for a UK criminal investigation into Shayetet 13, Vice Admiral David Saar Salama, and other senior military commanders implicated in war crimes in the Madleen, Conscience, and Mavi Marmara incidents, holding Israel accountable.
  5. Demand the lifting of Israel’s illegal blockade and ensure immediate, unimpeded access to all land and sea routes for humanitarian aid, dismantling the US-Israeli militarized aid model.
  6. Compel the UK to lead decisive diplomatic action to end Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for genocide, aligning with its justice commitments.
  7. Urge the UK to champion EU naval escorts to protect humanitarian missions to Gaza, ensuring safe aid delivery against Israel’s aggression.

The letter states that UK’s obligation to uphold international law is absolute. Israel’s abduction of the Madleen activists, unlawful detention, and prevention of aid delivery demand unequivocal condemnation and strict sanctions on Israel, both by the UK and the international community. The horrific use of starvation as a weapon of ‘war’ by Israel and bombing at aid delivery centres is condemnable.

The signatories call upon government of the United Kingdom to initiate immediate action towards release of all those detained, uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and an urgent investigation and accountability into the genocidal war crimes of Israel. They also demand an end to the impunity being enjoyed by Israel, especially due to inaction by and complicity of the UK and other powerful governments.

The entire text of the memorandum including signatories may be seen here

Related:

Free unrestricted access to Gaza: Reporters without Borders & CPJ issue open letter

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Ex Sec E.A.S. Sarma expresses ‘serious concerns’ over Starlink deal; demands judicial probe https://sabrangindia.in/ex-sec-e-a-s-sarma-expresses-serious-concerns-over-starlink-deal-demands-judicial-probe/ Tue, 10 Jun 2025 09:29:01 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=42116 Sarma, a batch from 1965 IAS officers, has expressed his concerns in the Starlink deal many a time over the past year

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New Delhi: E.A.S. Sarma, a former secretary to the Government of India, has further reiterated his challenge to assigning satellite spectrum directly to Elon Musk’s Starlink, demanding an immediate, independent judicial enquiry. In a strongly worded letter dated June 9, 2025, addressed to cabinet secretary T.V. Somanathan, Sarma repeated that the move violates a Supreme Court order, costs the public treasury dearly and gravely threatens national security.

Sarma’s June 9 letter is his expression of concern. He has also referred to his June 2 letter, which detailed how the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) reportedly made “out-of-the-way, imprudent concessions” to Starlink. Starlink Corporation is owned by USA’s multi billionaire Elon Musk. In that letter, Sarma had argued that allowing the foreign company – which he said was “working in tandem with the US defence services” – a “near monopoly on direct satellite surveillance over India” openly violated the Supreme Court’s 2G spectrum ruling where it said that such resources should not be assigned opaquely.

Sarma also highlighted an “extra-ordinary exemption” granted to Starlink from the standard security rule allowing authorities to monitor a licensee’s equipment near international borders.

Sarma, a 1965 batch IAS officer, has publicly expressed his concerns earlier too. In a letter dated November 14, 2024, to the DOT Secretary, Sarma first warned against directly assigning strategic satellite spectrum, particularly to foreign firms like Starlink with known “close ties with the US Army.”

Sarma has cited reports suggesting Starlink is “a time-tested reliable satellite bus technology that can accommodate various payloads as needed, including radars, optical cameras, and infrared (IR) missile launch signalling systems.” He urged that satellite spectrum be reserved for the Indian Space Research Organisation, the defence forces and strategic Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

From February 23, 2025 onwards, Sarma’s warnings have grown more urgent. Citing news that the US had reportedly threatened to “shut off” Starlink in Ukraine unless it secured a deal for a “lion’s share in its mineral resources,” he urged the DOT to tighten safeguards against Starlink. He expressed dismay that India was welcoming the company “with open arms… against all legal norms, ignoring all strategic implications.”

Sarma raised the issue of monopoly market practices on March 13, 2025, alleging Starlink was “forming a cartel with the two domestic telecom operators, namely, Jio and Airtel.” He suggested this would allow them to “dominate satellite spectrum use at the cost of millions of telecom customers in India,” potentially leading to a “scam far worse and more egregious than the 2G spectrum scam.”

Now, in his latest communication, Sarma points to new foreign events to highlight his security concerns. He cites news reports from early June 2025, including a detailed Washington Post article dated June 7, 2025. According to this report, “Elon Musk’s team at the U.S. DOGE Service and allies in the Trump administration ignored White House communications experts worried about potential security breaches when DOGE personnel installed Musk’s Starlink internet service in the complex this year.”

The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported that a Starlink terminal was installed on the roof of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in February. A “Starlink Guest” WiFi network then appeared on White House phones, asking only for a password without further checks. This setup, the report indicated, could allow data transmission “without any kind of record or tracking,” bypassing normal White House IT security.

One source has told the Post, “With a Starlink connection that means White House devices could leave the network and go out through gateways… It’s going to help you bypass security.” Representative Stephen F. Lynch, the House Oversight Committee’s acting top Democrat, said the situation “could have the potential to undermine our national security by exposing sensitive data and information to hackers, our adversaries, or those wishing to do Americans harm.”

Sarma hopes these reports will “wake up the government to the security risk posed by foreign players in India.” He stated, “Evidently, on extraneous considerations, the government has chosen to ignore my cautionary letters and go ahead with granting clearance to StarLink.”

This senior former bureaucrat from India’s civil services has also pressed for a judicial enquiry to examine several points: whether directly assigning spectrum complied with the Supreme Court’s 2G judgment; changes to StarLink’s security license conditions; the strategic effects of StarLink’s near-monopoly and its US defence ties; and the likely loss to the public treasury from not auctioning the spectrum.

He ended his letter stating that the “manner in which DOT had gone out of the way to give a special treatment to Elon Musk and StarLink, throwing caution and legality to the wind, raises serious concerns about the propriety of the deal itself.”

He warned that failing to start an enquiry “would lead one to draw the inference that the government does not wish to hold itself accountable to the Parliament and the public.”

In his previous letter, Sarma had stated clearly that if the government failed to respond promptly, he would “have no other alternative than to seek judicial intervention.”

The government has not publicly responded to Sarma’s latest claims yet.

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After 18 months, J&K gets 4G internet back!

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