India

The Economic Times | English | News | Nov. 3, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated for the establishment of a global governance body for artificial intelligence at the APEC leaders' meeting, proposing a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. This initiative aims to set international AI governance rules, foster cooperation, and position AI as a "public good" for all countries. The organization is expected to be headquartered in Shanghai. Xi emphasized AI's importance for future development and its benefits for people worldwide. The U.S. has opposed efforts to regulate AI in international organizations.

During the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, U.S. President Donald Trump was absent, returning to Washington after a separate meeting with Xi. Their discussions resulted in a one-year agreement to partially ease trade and technology restrictions between the U.S. and China. Analysts anticipated Xi would promote China as a leader in multilateral trade cooperation at APEC, especially given the ongoing trade tensions.

China also showcased its push for "algorithmic sovereignty" through companies like DeepSeek, which develops more affordable AI models compared to U.S.-made chips from firms such as Nvidia. Xi additionally called for APEC to support the free flow of green technologies—an industry in which China is dominant—covering sectors like batteries and solar panels. The APEC members agreed on declarations related to AI cooperation and addressing ageing populations. China is set to host the 2026 APEC summit in Shenzhen, highlighting the city’s transformation from a fishing village into a manufacturing and technological hub.

The Hindu | English | News | Nov. 3, 2025 | Cyber Attacks and Data Loss

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Dwibendu Moharana, a key member of a cybercrime syndicate involved in tech support scams targeting Japanese citizens. Moharana was apprehended at Bhubaneswar airport on October 30, 2025, while returning to India, after absconding to the United Arab Emirates following the exposure of his illegal call centre, Voip Connect Private Limited, in Noida.

The CBI’s ongoing ‘Operation Chakra-V’ had previously conducted coordinated searches at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on May 28, 2025, resulting in the arrest of six operatives and the dismantling of two call centres involved in sophisticated social engineering scams. These scammers impersonated multinational company support personnel to defraud Japanese victims.

So far, seven individuals, including Moharana, have been arrested and had chargesheets filed against them; they remain in judicial custody. The operation was executed in close cooperation with Japan’s National Police Agency and Microsoft Corporation, significantly disrupting the syndicate's operations. The arrested associates include Ashu Singh, Kapil Ghakhar, Rohit Maurya, Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar.

The Economic Times | English | News | Nov. 3, 2025 | Terrorism

Hafiz Saeed’s Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) is reportedly expanding its network in Bangladesh amid concerns over the spread of radical ideas and cross-border extremism. This development coincides with the revival of Pakistan’s ISI cell in Bangladesh. Ibtisam Elahi Zahir, general secretary of Pakistan's Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith and close aide to Saeed, is currently visiting Bangladesh, touring areas along the India-Bangladesh border. His visit marks his second to the country since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took power in August last year.

Zahir has been engaging with local religious leaders, including Abdur Rahim bin Abdur Razzak and Asadullah Al Ghalib, delivering speeches at mosques in border areas such as Rajshahi and planning to address a conference of Salafists. These activities have raised alarms among Bangladesh watchers and security agencies in India, who fear a resurgence of terror networks similar to those active between 2001 and 2006.

During that period, terror attacks in India were linked to networks in Dhaka supported by the ISI and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Rebel groups in India’s Northeast, particularly Bangladesh-based ULFA leaders, reportedly collaborated with ISI and elements within the then BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami government. The ISI has been accused of nurturing various radical groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Zahir himself is under surveillance in the UK due to his inflammatory speeches and has faced investigations by the UK Charity Commission, with calls for his entry ban.