Indian Charity in Kailash-Mansarovar

Just discovered this interesting charitable initiative to help the people of the Kailash-Mansarovar area. it stems from the June 1998 Yatra. It should be noted that later in that same year, heavy monsoons claimed the lives of dozens of pilgrims in Malpa including noted dancer Protima Bedi.

The charitable trust organized by Swami Chidanand Saraswati from Rishikesh supports an ashram and a hospital in the region. It took the Indian Heritage Research Foundation two years to negotiate the agreement with the Chinese government for the setting up of the trust in Tibet. [link]

Trade at all time high between India and China

According to Chinese custom figures, trade between India and China has supposedly increased by 88% in the first half of 2004 over the same period in 2003. That's about $7.7 billion US, and the countries are on track for passing the $10 billion mark for the first time ever. The past five years have seen outstanding growth and the next ten probably reaching $20 billion. [link]

India, China for joint action to tackle floods

In response to the potentially disastrous flood threat along the Sutlej from early August, it looks like India and China have gone ahead and held follow up discussions to evolve "joint strategies".

This includes a "comprehensive action plan" to prevent annual flooding in the northeastern region and greater exchange of flood warning and rainfall data, as well as collaboration between the Central Water Commission and the Geological Survey of India and their Chinese counterparts. Part diplomatic and part scientific, the mission represent the latest in a series of high level meetings that are bolstering relations across the frontier. [link]