- 13 hours ago
This special report covers President Donald Trump's significant diplomatic engagements, including a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and a summit with Central Asian leaders focused on rare earth minerals. A central and explosive story is the allegation that the Pakistani military leadership demanded a hefty price for deploying its soldiers. Veteran Pakistani journalist Asma Shirazi claims, 'Pakistan apparently put a price tag on patriotism, demanding $10,000 per soldier from Israel.' The programme also delves into the implications of Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accords, the delay of the Quad Summit in India, and the widespread student-led protests erupting in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir against the Shahbaz Sharif government.
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00:01Hello and welcome, I'm Geeta Mohan and you're watching India Today Global, the top story as India-U.S. continued trade talks and after the signing of a 10-year defense framework agreement between Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegsud, President Donald Trump, while speaking to reporters at the White House, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
00:21Describing Prime Minister Modi as a great man and a friend, President Trump said discussions with Modi were going great on the trade front.
00:30He made this remark during an announcement about a new deal to lower prices of weight loss drugs.
00:36When a reporter asked if President Trump had plans to visit India, he said he is likely to visit India next year.
00:43The United States imposed 50% tariff on India, which includes a 25% additional tariff for purchasing Russian oil.
00:51Earlier, White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt had stressed that Trump was positive and feels strongly about India-U.S. relationship.
01:00Meanwhile, it's the Quad that faces fresh uncertainty, but Donald Trump not going to be traveling to India this year.
01:09New Delhi is the current host of the Quad summit, but no date has been announced and Donald Trump says he'll be coming early next year.
01:19How are the talks with Prime Minister Modi going on at the trade?
01:21He's going good. He stopped, largely stopped buying oil from Russia.
01:26And he's a friend of mine and we speak and he wants me to go there. We'll figure that out. I'll go.
01:33I had a great trip there with Prime Minister Modi. He's a great man. And I'll be going.
01:39Are you planning to go to India next year, sir?
01:41It could be, yeah.
01:41Well, blowing hot, blowing cold.
01:45Donald Trump talking about Prime Minister Modi, lauding Prime Minister Modi when it comes to the relationship the two countries share.
01:52But in terms of doing what he has to do when it comes to enhancing ties, it seems like it's a downward spiral.
02:01While Donald Trump will not be visiting India this year, India was to host the Quad summit.
02:06It is most likely that the U.S. president will be visiting India next year.
02:13In that entire interaction, he also reiterated the claims that he made.
02:18India, Pakistan, ceasefire, brokered by him, and that he used tariff as threat.
02:25But listen in to what he had to say earlier.
02:30How are the talks with Prime Minister Modi going on?
02:32Great. He's going good. He stopped, largely stopped buying oil from Russia.
02:38And he's a friend of mine and we speak and he wants me to go there.
02:42We'll figure that out. I'll go.
02:44I had a great trip there with Prime Minister Modi. He's a great man.
02:49And I'll be going.
02:50Are you planning to go to India next year, sir?
02:52It could be, yeah.
02:53Okay, that's President Trump again talking about the fact that he is likely to come and visit India next year,
03:02early next year, which really would cause problems for India when it comes to hosting of the Quad summit.
03:09This is most likely the third year in a row that India will not be or will not be able to host the Quad summit.
03:16A summit-level meeting requires all four leaders of India, U.S., Japan, Australia to be present.
03:25And Donald Trump will not be coming to India this year round.
03:30Rohit Sharma, my colleague, joins me from Washington.
03:33Rohit makes signals when it comes to Donald Trump.
03:35On the one hand, he lauds Prime Minister Modi.
03:37On the other hand, the fact that his decisions are not absolutely aligned with his statements.
03:46He's not coming to India, most likely early next year.
03:49Well, you know, again, you know, I think it was one of those Donald Trump's off-the-cuff comment.
03:56He was slated, well, the U.S. was slated to be in India this year for the Quad summit.
04:01The expectation was we still had time in November and December.
04:03And I think that was the reason that question was asked, if he was going to go or not.
04:07And he said probably early next year, we'll see.
04:09He's also committed to going to China next year in spring.
04:15So it remains to be seen how that will play out in terms of optics and whatnot.
04:20But the biggest story here is, Gita, I think everybody had a lot of expectations from his visit to India,
04:26especially for the Quad summit, and maybe an announcement in person for the impending trade deal.
04:31So I don't think he's traveling to India.
04:33So even if there's going to be a trade deal announced, which could be by some people saying November,
04:37I think it would be done virtually.
04:38And I think that was one of the biggest takeaways from what he said yesterday.
04:42But the positive over here, Rohit, then, is that there is a trade deal that would conclude by the end of the year.
04:48Is there confidence there that they're moving in the right direction to have a trade deal conclude by the end of the year?
04:56Well, that's exactly what a lot of people have been saying, Gita.
04:59In fact, even the president said that yesterday, that, you know, the clocks are progressing pretty well.
05:04That's what we've also heard from the Indian side.
05:06We've also known for the longest time that India had announced, or at least Mr. Goyal had said, that there could be an announcement in November.
05:14We are in November.
05:15So hopefully in the next two weeks, if something was to pan out, it might just be the time to do it.
05:20But again, you know, we're not going back to the summer where things are falling apart.
05:24Looks like both the sides have made real good progress and there could be a trade deal, you know, for all of us to report on.
05:31OK, finally, in a very brief answer from you on the fact that things are not looking good in terms of where they're going,
05:39but in terms of where they're headed when it comes to a leadership level conversation,
05:44he keeps saying that he's been speaking to Prime Minister Modi,
05:47whereas there's been no confirmation on that front of regular conversations between the leaders.
05:52Well, you know, President Trump surprises everybody.
05:59And sometimes, you know, he, as I said, off the comments, there could be back channeled talk talking.
06:04Maybe he's involved in those talks.
06:07But yeah, again, no official transcript as such.
06:09But we do know that he wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday.
06:12That was a telephone conversation that happened last.
06:15And if there are a few more, you know, that has taken place since, I'm pretty sure in time we'll find out.
06:20OK, in time we'll find out.
06:22Rohit, keep tracking developments from Washington, D.C. for us.
06:27For now, thank you so much for joining.
06:33Kazakhstan has officially joined the Abraham Accord,
06:36signaling a strategic shift in Central Asia's geopolitical landscape.
06:40Despite existing ties with Israel, this move strengthens Kazakhstan's role as a bridge between East and West,
06:48while boosting U.S. influence amid regional tensions.
06:52What's behind the symbolic but powerful step?
06:55Here's a report.
06:55Kazakhstan has now officially joined the Abraham Accords,
07:09the U.S. brokered framework that normalized ties between Israel and several Muslim-majority countries.
07:16Now, the interesting part is that Kazakhstan already had full diplomatic and economic relations with Israel.
07:22So, why is this a big deal?
07:25Why does joining the Abraham Accords matter if the relationship already existed?
07:29Well, the key word here is symbolism and strategy.
07:34Kazakhstan's President, Kasim Jomar Tokayev, is visiting Washington and meeting President Donald Trump.
07:39This comes alongside the leaders of other Central Asian states,
07:42as part of Washington's push to regain influence in a region that traditionally fell under Russia's political shadow,
07:48and more recently, China's economic spear.
07:51This evening, I'm also delighted to report that Kazakhstan has officially agreed,
07:57and that's official now, as of about 15 minutes ago,
08:03a tremendous country with a tremendous leader,
08:06has officially joined the Abraham Accords,
08:10and I just want to thank you, Mr. President.
08:13It's a great honor.
08:14It's a tremendous honor to have you.
08:15Really great.
08:17Central Asia today is like a geopolitical tug-of-war rope,
08:20and the United States wants back in the game.
08:23For the US, Kazakhstan joining the Accords is a diplomatic signal.
08:27Washington is still relevant in shaping alliances in the Muslim world,
08:31especially after the Gaza crisis trained West Asia's diplomatic landscape.
08:34You are the great leader.
08:37You are the great leader, statesman, sent by Haven to bring common sense and traditions
08:46that we all share and value back into the United States policy,
08:54either domestic or foreign.
08:57Therefore, millions of people in so many countries are so grateful to you.
09:04And I'm convinced that your wise and bold policy needs to be strongly supported worldwide.
09:13But why would Kazakhstan sign up now?
09:15Kazakhstan has always followed a multi-vector foreign policy,
09:19basically balancing Russia, China, the West, and regional Muslim-majority partners.
09:23By joining the Abraham Accords, Kazakhstan positions itself as a bridge
09:28between East and West, between Muslim states and Israel,
09:32between Washington and the region.
09:34And there's economic logic too.
09:36Israel is a tech powerhouse.
09:37Kazakhstan wants to diversify its economy beyond oil.
09:41Think agriculture technology, cyber security, water management,
09:45areas where Israel has serious expertise.
09:47But here's where the geopolitics gets more interesting.
09:50Trump wants to revive and expand the Abraham Accords.
09:53And this move helps him argue that his foreign policy blueprint is still alive and working,
09:58even in the middle of the Gaza war.
10:00The expansion of the Accords had been stuck since the conflict escalated.
10:04So Kazakhstan joining injects momentum.
10:06A diplomatic, see, it's still happening.
10:09And yes, the bigger prize is still Saudi Arabia.
10:12Trump has repeatedly spoken optimistically about Riyadh eventually joining.
10:16But Saudi Arabia has been crystal clear.
10:18No recognition of Israel without a meaningful pathway to Palestinian statehood.
10:23So Kazakhstan joining becomes a quite stepping stone,
10:27not dramatic like UAE or Bahrain in 2020, but diplomatically useful.
10:31It keeps the narrative running.
10:33The Accords are expanding, not collapsing.
10:36Now let's connect this with another planned meeting.
10:38Trump is also set to meet serious President Ahmed al-Shara,
10:41a man once tied to Al-Qaeda and even held in US custody years ago.
10:45That meeting, paired with Kazakhstan's Accords announcement, paints a picture.
10:50Trump is trying to present himself globally as the dealmaker who can reshape West and Central Asia.
10:56Whether or not that works is another debate entirely.
10:59So what does Kazakhstan gain?
11:01Stronger ties with Washington.
11:03Always handy when Russia and China loom large next door.
11:05Access to Israeli technology, agriculture, medical and cyber security industries.
11:11A reputation boost as a diplomatic stabilizer rather than a passive observer.
11:15And what does the US gain?
11:17A foothold in Central Asia to counter China's Belt and Road.
11:21A revived narrative that the Abraham Accords are not dead.
11:23And a way to keep Saudi Arabia engaged in dialogue, even if quietly.
11:29Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accords isn't about creating ties with Israel.
11:33It's about making a geopolitical statement in a region where symbolism is strategy and timing is power.
11:40With Farhan Khan, Bureau Report, India Today Global.
11:42The Central Asia outreach and Trump's upcoming meeting with Syria's Al-Shara on Monday speak volumes of Trump's agenda.
11:55Strengthening its position in the region, but more importantly, resources.
11:59From Syrian oil to Central Asia's rare earths, uranium and lithium.
12:03On Statecraft, we tell you what's at stake.
12:07Catch the full episode on India Today Global's YouTube channel.
12:12The man once hunted with a $10 million bounty on his head by the US is now being welcomed with a red carpet by President Trump,
12:35who once vowed to crush terrorists.
12:38He is the president of post-Assad Syria, Ahmed Al-Shara.
12:43The man Washington called a jihadist is now Trump's newest partner.
12:48A handshake that rewrites decades of US policy.
12:51A summit that smells less like diplomacy and more like strategy.
12:56But what is Trump really after?
12:58A stable Syria or a slice of its reconstruction riches?
13:02And why, days before this high-stakes meeting, did Trump quietly host five Central Asian leaders in Washington,
13:10all sitting atop mountains of rare earth and uranium?
13:13Is this about peace, power or profit?
13:16Or is it all part of one grand Trump deal?
13:19So what game is Donald Trump really playing in Syria and Central Asia?
13:23Hello and welcome.
13:24You're watching Statecraft with me, Gita Mohan.
13:26Just months ago, Syria was still a pariah.
13:37Its president, a wanted man.
13:39Ahmed Al-Shara, once Abu Muhammad Golani, was branded a terrorist by the same government.
13:45Now, welcoming him to the White House.
13:48But after Al-Shara overthrew Bashar al-Assad with the help of the United States of America,
13:55particularly CIA, in late 2024,
13:58he reinvented himself, trading the AK-47 for a presidential suit.
14:03Trump now calls him a tough young guy doing a great job.
14:08Sanctions lifted, UN restrictions eased,
14:11and the world suddenly clapping for a former militant turned statesman.
14:15So what's behind this sudden US pivot?
14:17Redemption, realpolitik, Iran, or raw resource hunger.
14:24Let's call it what it is.
14:26A Trump power play.
14:28Because every time the world thinks Trump has flipped the script,
14:31he's really writing a new one.
14:34In May 2025, Trump met Al-Shara for the first time in Riyadh.
14:39Cameras flashed.
14:40Trump called him strong, young, and attractive.
14:43The language of admiration, not accusation.
14:46Sanctions began to melt away.
14:49The US delisted HTS from its terrorist registry by July.
14:53In November, Trump prepared for the ultimate spectacle,
14:57a White House welcome for the same man once branded America's enemy.
15:01The symbolism is seismic.
15:04For the first time ever, a Syrian leader would step foot inside the Oval Office,
15:09not as a threat, but as a partner.
15:12The meeting was built as a new dawn.
15:15Reconstruction deals, counter-Islamic state or ISIS collaboration,
15:19and even whispers of bringing Syria into the Abraham Accords.
15:23But beneath the ceremony lies a harder question.
15:27What is Trump really buying?
15:29Trump's critics say it's about oil.
15:32And there's some truth to that.
15:34For decades, Syria's northeastern oil fields were battleground prizes.
15:39First for IS, that's Islamic State, then for US-backed militias.
15:44But the equation has changed.
15:47With Assad gone, sanctions lifted, and General License 25 signed,
15:52American companies like Baker Hughes are eyeing Syria's energy sector,
15:57not as spoils of war, but as assets of recovery.
16:01Billions in reconstruction contracts now dangle over the desert.
16:05Pipelines, refineries, and power grids waiting for investment.
16:08Trump's new Syria policy isn't about occupying oil fields.
16:13It's about owning the future of them,
16:15legally, lucratively, and under the banner of peace.
16:20And yet, one detail stands out, the timing.
16:24Barely days before al-Shara's arrival,
16:26Trump held court with five presidents from Central Asia,
16:29Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan,
16:34in what he called a meeting of strength.
16:37The C-5 plus-1 summit looked like routine diplomacy.
16:41It wasn't.
16:42Trump's real prize wasn't regional stability or goodwill.
16:45It was minerals.
16:47Rare earths, uranium, lithium,
16:49the invisible gold-fueling modern technology,
16:52AI systems, and fighter jets.
16:55Central Asia holds massive reserves of these minerals,
16:58especially Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
17:01And Trump knows whoever controls them, controls the future.
17:05Trump boasted,
17:07I understand its importance.
17:08Trump is building what looks like a mineral alliance,
17:12from oil in Syria to rare earths in Kazakhstan,
17:15a network designed to bypass China and outmanoeuvre Russia.
17:21Pakistan's military reportedly demanded $10,000 per soldier from Israel
17:27to join the International Stabilisation Force in Gaza,
17:30sparking outrage.
17:32This marks a potential shift in Pakistan's historic stance on Israel
17:36and raises questions about the army's priorities,
17:39whether patriotism or profit.
17:41Watch this report.
17:44What if your country decided a soldier's worth in dollars?
17:48Would you be shocked, angry, or both?
17:52That is the claim rocking Pakistan today.
17:54Reports suggest Islamabad demanded $10,000 per soldier
17:59from Israel to deploy troops to Gaza
18:01under the new International Stabilisation Force.
18:04The peacekeeping plan, part of US President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza proposal,
18:10called for the ISF to secure the territory.
18:13The ISF would train Palestinian police,
18:16prevent munitions from entering Gaza,
18:18and facilitate reconstruction without American troops on the ground.
18:22Among the countries supporting the initiative,
18:25Pakistan stepped forward.
18:27Defence Minister Khawaja Asif publicly declared,
18:30if Pakistan has to participate,
18:32it will be a matter of pride for us.
18:35The country would reportedly send 20,000 soldiers to Gaza.
18:39Secret meetings between Pakistan's Army Chief,
18:42Field Marshal Asam Munir,
18:44Israel's Mossad and the CIA outlined the force's mandate,
18:48neutralise Hamas elements,
18:50and stabilise Gaza under Western supervision.
18:54This would mark Pakistan's first indirect involvement
18:57in Israeli security operations.
19:00Remarkable, given Islamabad does not officially recognise Israel.
19:05Experts call it a historic realignment in West Asia.
19:08But then came a revelation that has sparked outrage.
19:12Veteran Pakistani journalist Asthma Shirazi claims
19:15Pakistan apparently put a price tag on patriotism,
19:19demanding $10,000 per soldier from Israel.
19:23Israel, in what must have been a shock to Islamabad,
19:26reportedly offered a mere $100 per soldier.
19:30If accurate, this exposes a transactional approach
19:33by Pakistan's military.
19:35It raises questions about the country's so-called image
19:38as a defender of Muslim causes.
19:41The army's demand paints a picture
19:43of profit-driven priorities over principles,
19:46undermining Pakistan's credibility
19:48on the international stage.
19:50This is not unprecedented.
19:52Pakistan has a long history
19:54of what analysts call a renter army.
19:57From sending troops to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan
20:00for billions of dollars from the US,
20:02to deploying forces for Saudi Arabia
20:05in regional conflicts,
20:07financial incentives have often driven deployments.
20:10In 1979,
20:12Pakistani commandos helped Saudi Arabia
20:15reclaim the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
20:17Riyadh reportedly paid with financial aid
20:20and oil supplies.
20:22More recently,
20:23Pakistani troops were deployed
20:25for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar,
20:28coinciding with a $2 billion bilateral aid deal.
20:31The latest revelations have triggered public anger.
20:35Many Pakistanis question
20:36if their army is on rent or for sale.
20:39With tens of thousands of troops
20:41reportedly to be deployed to Gaza,
20:43the world watches.
20:44Are they peacekeepers or mercenaries?
20:47Pakistan faces scrutiny
20:48not just for the decision,
20:50but for the price tag attached to it.
20:53With Rudrishish Kanjalal,
20:55Bureau Report, India Today Global.
20:57What began as anger over exam results
21:01has exploded into a youth rebellion
21:03in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
21:06Gen Z protesters are now taking to streets
21:08and taking on Shabazz Sharif government.
21:11Here's more.
21:11Weeks after violent unrest
21:25shook Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,
21:27another wave of anger has erupted,
21:30this time led by the region's Gen Z.
21:32What began as a peaceful student protest
21:43over rising university fees
21:45and a flawed evaluation system
21:47has now snowballed into a wider rebellion
21:49against the Shabazz Sharif government.
21:53The demonstrations began earlier this month
21:55at a top university in Muzaffarabad.
21:58But when an unidentified gunman
22:00allegedly opened fire on students,
22:03injuring one,
22:04everything changed.
22:07Viral videos on social media
22:09reportedly show a man firing shots
22:11as police look on.
22:13Furious students took to the streets
22:15burning tires,
22:16vandalizing property
22:18and chanting slogans
22:19against Islamabad.
22:20The scenes mirror youth uprisings
22:30in Nepal and Bangladesh
22:32where Gen Z anger has toppled governments.
22:34So what are these students demanding?
22:46It started with education reforms,
22:48complaints over high semester fees,
22:50delayed results
22:51and a controversial new e-marking system.
22:55After a six-month delay,
22:56exam results released on October 30
22:58left students stunned.
23:00Many scored abnormally low marks
23:02while others were allegedly passed
23:04in some subjects
23:05they never even sat for.
23:08The government has yet to respond
23:10though the Mirpur Education Board
23:12has reportedly formed a committee
23:14to probe the issue.
23:15But outrage has spread,
23:17especially over the hefty rechecking fee
23:19of Rs.1500 per subject.
23:22Now, intermittent students and teachers
23:30have joined in,
23:30raising issues beyond the classroom,
23:32crumbling infrastructure,
23:34poor health care
23:35and lack of jobs.
23:45Adding weight to their agitation
23:47is the Joint Awami Action Committee,
23:49the same group that led
23:50the deadly May protests
23:52which left over a dozen civilians dead
23:54and forced Islamabad into concessions.
23:59But this time,
24:00this movement has a new face,
24:02young, connected and defiant.
24:05The same generation
24:06that watched protests
24:07shake Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
24:09is now making its own stand
24:12in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir.
24:18And as the unrest grows,
24:20one thing is clear,
24:21Pakistan's youngest generation
24:23isn't just asking for marks
24:24or money anymore.
24:26They are demanding a future,
24:28one that Islamabad
24:29seems increasingly unable to deliver.
24:33With Jyoti Shukla,
24:34Bureau Report,
24:35India Today Global.
24:39Let's take a look at
24:40what are the other stories
24:41making headlines
24:42across the globe
24:43in World at a Glance.
24:44Chinese President Xi Jinping
24:57attended the commissioning
24:58and flag-presenting ceremony
25:00of the Fuqin,
25:01China's first aircraft carrier
25:03equipped with
25:04electromagnetic catapults.
25:08Xi boarded the aircraft carrier
25:10to inspect the vessel
25:11after the ceremony.
25:12On the flight deck,
25:14new generation carrier-based aircraft
25:16including
25:16the J-35 and J-15T fighter jets
25:20and the Kong Jing 600
25:22early warning aircraft
25:23were parked in sequence.
25:25Xi was briefed
25:26on the functional layout
25:27of the deck
25:27and observed the equipment
25:29and facilities.
25:29Explosions at Mosque in Indonesia,
25:37capital Jakarta
25:38that injured dozens of people
25:40during Friday prayers
25:41could have been an attack,
25:43officials indicated,
25:45with a 17-year-old student
25:47identified as
25:48the suspected perpetrator.
25:50Police said 55 people
25:51were in hospitals
25:52with minor to serious injuries.
25:54The U.S. Supreme Court
26:01will meet behind closed doors
26:03to consider a pending appeal
26:04to overturn
26:05its decade-old
26:06same-sex marriage
26:07precedent.
26:09The appeal comes from
26:10Kim Davis,
26:11a former county clerk
26:12from Kentucky
26:13who refused to issue
26:14marriage licenses
26:15after the Supreme Court's
26:16blockbuster 2015 decision.
26:19Typhoon Kalmaegi
26:26has left at least
26:27five people dead
26:28and caused widespread damage
26:30after making landfall
26:31in central Vietnam
26:32on Thursday evening.
26:34The typhoon has also brought
26:35torrential rains,
26:37uprooting trees,
26:38damaging roofs
26:38and shattering glass windows
26:40of buildings
26:41in several localities.
26:46That's all in this edition
26:48of India Today.
26:48Global.
26:49Do stay in tune
26:49to India Today
26:50for all the latest news
26:51and updates.
26:52With that,
26:53it's a wrap.
26:53Goodbye and take care.
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