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New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
RIP VS Achuthanandan: Everyone's favourite Comrade
Iconic Communist and former Chief Minister of Kerala VS Achuthanandan has passed away. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the capital, following a cardiac attack on June 23rd morning. He was earlier incapacitated following a stroke in 2019. A founding leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), VS Achuthanandan had turned 101 last October. VS was the last of the 32 leaders who walked out of the historical CPI national council meet in 1964 to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist). VS began his political career as a trade unionist at the forefront of land struggles. He was also part of the now iconic Punnapra-Wayalar struggle. A former Chief Minister, VS was undoubtedly the CPM's most popular leader in the state, evoking genuine affection among the masses right down to the grassroot levels. Began by assisting brother at tailoring shop Born on October 20, 1923 as the son of Sankaran and Akkamma, VS had a difficult childhood after losing his mother at the age of four. Initially, he assisted his brother at a tailoring shop, and subsequently a coir factory worker. Initiated into the state's political movement by P Krishna Pillai, he started his early political life as a trade union activist in 1938, by organising agricultural workers at Kuttanadu. He went on to become a member of the Travancore State Congress. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1940 and was later part of the undivided CPI state Secretariat in 1957. VS was also part of the country's freedom struggle and underwent imprisonment many a time. During one such incarceration, the police had brutally pierced his soles with a bayonet at the Poonjar station lock-up. He spent around five-and-a-half years in prison and four years underground. Legendary for his firm stance VS was at the forefront of 'land' struggles, starting with the Alappuzha declaration in 1970 demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act passed by the EMS Government in 1967. In 1957, he became the CPI state secretariat member. On numerous occasions, he faced opposition and criticism from various corners for raising his voice against corrupt practices indulged in by fellow leaders. In 1962, during the Sino-Indian war, he was demoted within the party for supporting blood donation camps for Indian soldiers. A long-term CPM state secretary (from 1980 to 1992), VS was legendary for his firm stance in dealing with issues — both inner-party and socio-political.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
RIP VS Achutanandan: Everyone's favourite Comrade
Iconic Communist and former Chief Minister of Kerala VS Achuthanandan has passed away. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the capital, following a cardiac arrest on June 23rd morning. He was earlier incapacitated following a stroke in 2019. A founding leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), VS Achuthanandan had turned 101 last October. VS was the last of the 32 leaders who walked out of the historical CPI national council meet in 1964 to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist). VS began his political career as a trade unionist at the forefront of land struggles. He was also part of the now iconic Punnapra-Wayalar struggle. A former Chief Minister, VS was undoubtedly the CPM's most popular leader in the state, evoking genuine affection among the masses right down to the grassroot levels. Began by assisting brother at tailoring shop Born on October 20, 1923 as the son of Sankaran and Akkamma, VS had a difficult childhood after losing his mother at the age of four. Initially, he assisted his brother at a tailoring shop, and subsequently a coir factory worker. Initiated into the state's political movement by P Krishna Pillai, he started his early political life as a trade union activist in 1938, by organising agricultural workers at Kuttanadu. He went on to become a member of the Travancore State Congress. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1940 and was later part of the undivided CPI state Secretariat in 1957. VS was also part of the country's freedom struggle and underwent imprisonment many a time. During one such incarceration, the police had brutally pierced his soles with a bayonet at the Poonjar station lock-up. He spent around five-and-a-half years in prison and four years underground. Legendary for his firm stance VS was at the forefront of 'land' struggles, starting with the Alappuzha declaration in 1970 demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act passed by the EMS Government in 1967. In 1957, he became the CPI state secretariat member. On numerous occasions, he faced opposition and criticism from various corners for raising his voice against corrupt practices indulged in by fellow leaders. In 1962, during the Sino-Indian war, he was demoted within the party for supporting blood donation camps for Indian soldiers. A long-term CPM state secretary (from 1980 to 1992), VS was legendary for his firm stance in dealing with issues — both inner-party and socio-political. A Politburo member for almost three decades since 1985, he was dropped from the Politburo in 2009 while serving as the Chief Minister. He was also thrice Opposition leader and served as Chief Minister from 2006-11. He was elected to the state Assembly in 1967, 1970, 1991, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. VS was hands-down the party's most popular leader among the masses and was the main campaigner in the 2016 State Assembly polls that saw Pinarayi assuming the CM office for the first time. He is survived by his wife K Vasumathy and two children VA Arunkumar and VV Asha. The 'comrade with an anti-party mindset' Maintaining his own stance even at the cost of opposing the party, VS always had the image of a leader of the masses. The Alappuzha strongman always had to bear the brunt of scores of disciplinary actions by the very party he helped form. Public censuring and demotion from the Politburo were just a few of the punitive actions that the centenarian had to face in the course of his long political career as an uncompromising Communist. It was during the Indo-China war in 1964 that VS was first subjected to party disciplinary action. He was demoted from the Central Committee. He was warned in 1998 and suspended from the Politburo for factionalism in 2007. Though he was taken back keeping in mind his mass appeal, VS had to leave the Politburo again in 2009. This was followed by censuring by the Central Committee for his visit to Koodamkulam. But what could be termed as the most drastic of the series of disciplinary actions initiated against him was the party resolution terming him a 'comrade with an anti-party mindset' on the eve of the 2015 Alappuzha conference. That such an open declaration was made in front of the media by none other than his bête noire Pinarayi Vijayan only served to further underline the extent to which the veteran was being isolated within the party itself. Till a decade ago, the CPM witnessed bitter factional feuds between the factions led by VS and current Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. In fact, it was the bitter fight between the two over the SNC Lavalin controversy involving Pinarayi that led to his demotion from the Politburo in 2009. The 2011 Assembly elections stands testimony to VS' mass appeal which forced the party to field him, following widespread protests from various corners for initially denying him a seat to contest. The chances of the Communist Party seeing another popular giant like him are very slim.
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
India foreign minister's China visit marks restart in relations amid capricious US trade policy
– External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's first visit to China in nearly six years has highlighted New Delhi's increasing appetite for improved ties with Beijing, marking an ongoing reset for the 'dragon and elephant' amid the growing global uncertainty fuelled by US President Donald Trump's trade and foreign policies. A deadly border clash in 2020 in the Galwan valley along the disputed border in the Ladakh region had derailed Sino-Indian ties. It's only since October 2024 that the two countries have started working towards stabilising ties, with the pace of the diplomatic engagement picking up.
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
China and India's Top Officials Meet Amid Tensions Over Pakistan, Border
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's top diplomat, met with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) foreign ministers' summit. The trip marks Jaishankar's first to China since 2019, before the deadly June 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley in the porous, de facto Sino-Indian border in the Himalayas. Newsweek contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email. The 2020 incident sharply escalated tensions, though ties have seen some improvement following a series of military-to-military talks, which culminated in Indian Defense Chief Rajnath Singh's meeting with Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in late June. Yet friction remains over the frontier, the geopolitical rivalry in the broader Asia Pacific and China's role in India's four-day conflict with Pakistan in the contested Kashmir region in May. Singh accused Beijing of providing its Pakistani ally "all possible support" during the hostilities. During his meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Sunday, Jaishankar "conveyed India's support for China's SCO presidency," the foreign minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He "noted the improvement in our bilateral ties and expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory." According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout, Zheng said it was Chinese President Xi Jinping's "successful" meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during October's BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, that led to a resumption of ties. Zheng added that it is the "right choice" for China and India, as major developing nations, to pursue a partnership of win-win achievement in a "dance of dragons and elephants." During Jaishankar's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that same day, the Indian official called for continued efforts to de-escalate tensions along the border, per an Indian Foreign Ministry news release. He warned against "restrictive trade measures" as both sides work toward normalization. Jaishankar also emphasized the need for cooperation on rivers that cross the border and urged China to resume providing hydrological data. Rajan Menon, the Spitzer professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York and a senior research fellow at Columbia University's Saltzman Institute, told Newsweek: "Both foreign ministers said the right things about avoiding confrontations along the border; but the fact remains that the long-standing dispute over the 2,400-mile-long India-China border remains in dispute, and there's no sign that that will change. "Plus, China continues to be India's primary security threat and has every reason to maintain, on India's flank, its strong, decades-long security ties with Pakistan so as to complicate India's overall security environment. Nothing that happened in the meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi changes this larger reality." China, Russia and several Central Asian countries founded the SCO in 2001 to promote cooperation on security and economic development. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017. The group, which is touted as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among major regional powers, is holding its summit in Tianjin on Tuesday. Related Articles FAA, Boeing Say Fuel Switch Locks Safe After Fatal Air India Crash-ReportNeighbor Intrigued by Woman's Mysterious Artwork on Doorway: 'What Is It?'China's Quiet Role in Pakistan's Air War With IndiaThousands Gather for Dalai Lama's 90th Birthday in India 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
China and India's Top Officials Meet Amid Tensions Over Pakistan, Border
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's top diplomat, met with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) foreign ministers' summit. The trip marks Jaishankar's first to China since 2019, before the deadly June 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley in the porous, de facto Sino-Indian border in the Himalayas. Newsweek contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters The 2020 incident sharply escalated tensions, though ties have seen some improvement following a series of military-to-military talks, which culminated in Indian Defense Chief Rajnath Singh's meeting with Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in late June. Yet friction remains over the frontier, the geopolitical rivalry in the broader Asia Pacific and China's role in India's four-day conflict with Pakistan in the contested Kashmir region in May. Singh accused Beijing of providing its Pakistani ally "all possible support" during the hostilities. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's foreign ministers' meeting in Beijing on July 14. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's foreign ministers' meeting in Beijing on July 14. India Ministry of External Affairs What to Know During his meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Sunday, Jaishankar "conveyed India's support for China's SCO presidency," the foreign minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He "noted the improvement in our bilateral ties and expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory." According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout, Zheng said it was Chinese President Xi Jinping's "successful" meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during October's BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, that led to a resumption of ties. Zheng added that it is the "right choice" for China and India, as major developing nations, to pursue a partnership of win-win achievement in a "dance of dragons and elephants." During Jaishankar's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that same day, the Indian official called for continued efforts to de-escalate tensions along the border, per an Indian Foreign Ministry news release. He warned against "restrictive trade measures" as both sides work toward normalization. Jaishankar also emphasized the need for cooperation on rivers that cross the border and urged China to resume providing hydrological data. What People Have Said Rajan Menon, the Spitzer professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York and a senior research fellow at Columbia University's Saltzman Institute, told Newsweek: "Both foreign ministers said the right things about avoiding confrontations along the border; but the fact remains that the long-standing dispute over the 2,400-mile-long India-China border remains in dispute, and there's no sign that that will change. "Plus, China continues to be India's primary security threat and has every reason to maintain, on India's flank, its strong, decades-long security ties with Pakistan so as to complicate India's overall security environment. Nothing that happened in the meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi changes this larger reality." What Happens Next China, Russia and several Central Asian countries founded the SCO in 2001 to promote cooperation on security and economic development. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017. The group, which is touted as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among major regional powers, is holding its summit in Tianjin on Tuesday.
