- 17 hours ago
The latest episode of Statecraft covers three major geopolitical developments. In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, large-scale protests have erupted over alleged economic blockades and shortages of essential goods.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:15hello and welcome you're watching statecraft with me geeta mohan now what happens when people living
00:20under your control begin asking your rival for help and what does it mean when one clenched fist
00:26becomes more powerful than a thousand speeches tonight two stories about the power of perception
00:31in pakistan occupied kashmir protesters have given islamabad an ultimatum and are now appealing
00:37to india for humanitarian aid then in iran the fist of defiance has become the defining symbol
00:42of ayatollah khamenei's funeral turning one image into a powerful national message one story exposes
00:49a crisis of governance the other shows the power of symbolism days after returning from seychelles
00:56and aspiring to make indian ocean an ocean of opportunity prime minister narendra modi embarked
01:02on a six-day visit to indonesia australia and new zealand starting from the 6th of july he's
01:07expected to hold bilateral talks with the leaders of the three countries review key areas of cooperation
01:12engage with business leaders and address members of the indian diaspora the prime minister begins his
01:19trip with a visit to indonesia from july 6th to the 8th at the invitation of president prabovo subianto
01:25this is his fourth visit to indonesia and the first bilateral visit since india and indonesia
01:31elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in may 2018. besides both the leaders
01:38reviewing progress in their partnership prime minister modi addressed a gathering of the indian
01:42diaspora and then travels to yogi akarta and visits the unesco world heritage listed prambanam temple
01:50complex the visit to prambanam temple reflects the cultural and historical ties between both the
01:56nations prime minister modi will then travel to melbourne australia from the 8th to the 10th of july at
02:02the invitation of australian prime minister anthony albanese besides holding bilateral talks prime
02:07minister modi will also call on governor general sam mosteen in australia modi also is likely to
02:13participate in the india australia cus forum and interact with the indian diaspora there as well
02:18the final stop will be new zealand where the prime minister will be on a two-day visit from the
02:2310th to
02:24the 11th of july at the invitation of prime minister christopher luxon this will be the first
02:29state visit by an indian prime minister to new zealand in four decades both countries had signed free
02:34trade agreement earlier this year to boost trade in goods and services and encourage investment
02:39between the two countries prime minister narenda modi's visit to indonesia comes at a time when
02:45the indo-pacific is witnessing growing strategic competition and shifting geopolitical equations from
02:51defense cooperation and critical minerals to maritime security and digital partnerships several key issues
02:57are on the table but can this visit elevate india-indonesia ties into a defining strategic partnership
03:03for the region rudra shishkan jilal with this report
03:16indian prime minister narendra modi has landed in indonesia but this isn't just another diplomatic stop
03:23this is where india's act east policy meets hard geopolitical reality indonesia is southeast asia's largest
03:32economy it is the world's biggest muslim majority nation it sets astride some of the world's busiest
03:39sea lanes and it's emerging as one of india's most important strategic partners in the indo-pacific
03:46so what should we expect from this visit first defense the biggest headline could be the long
03:54discussed brahmos missile deal indonesia has reached out to new delhi seeking one more brahmos missile
04:01battery from india over and above the one signed up for in march but indonesia is asking for a
04:07favorable line of credit to procure it discussions are likely to go beyond the initial agreement
04:13reached in march for a single brahmos system the two sides are expected to explore a broader package
04:20that could include coastal and mobile launchers surveillance radars training maintenance and long-term
04:27logistical support second maritime security india and indonesia share concerns over securing critical
04:35sea lanes that connect the indian and pacific oceans expect discussions on naval cooperation maritime domain
04:43awareness defense training and closer coordination in the indo-pacific these are practical measures aimed at
04:50improving regional stability rather than forming a military alliance third critical minerals indonesia
04:58controls around one-fifth of the world's nickel reserves a metal vital for electric vehicle batteries
05:04and clean energy technologies as india accelerates its manufacturing ambitions securing reliable access to
05:12such resources has become a strategic priority supply chains not just trade will be high on the agenda
05:19then comes the digital push indonesia is looking to deepen cooperation with india's digital public
05:26infrastructure including upi linked payment systems if progress is announced it would make transactions
05:34easier for businesses and travelers while showcasing india's growing digital footprint abroad
05:41and on the sidelines of the visit prime minister narendra modi and president provavo subyanto
05:46are scheduled to visit the unesco listed prambanan temple complex the visit highlights civilizational links
05:54that stretch back centuries reminding the world that india and indonesia are connected not just by trade
06:01routes but by shared cultural heritage at a time when strategic competition is intensifying across the
06:08indo-pacific india is expanding partnerships through diplomacy defense technology and economic cooperation
06:16this visit is less about dramatic announcements and more about steadily building long-term influence
06:22with one of asean's most consequential partners whether the headlines focus on bramos critical minerals
06:29or digital connectivity one thing is clear indonesia is no longer just a neighbor across the sea
06:36it's becoming a key pillar of india's indo-pacific strategy
06:47the biggest challenge to pakistan's control over pakistan-occupied kashmir is no longer coming
06:53from across the line of control it is coming from within protesters have given islamabad 48 hours to respond
06:59to their demands they allege an economic blockade a sweeping crackdown and shortages of food and medicines
07:06and in an unprecedented appeal they're asking india for humanitarian help as the unrest deepens
07:13islamabad is facing uncomfortable questions about its administration of the illegally occupied territory
07:19now the latest escalation is unfolding in a region which is lawfully india's integral part part of the
07:25union territory of jammu and kashmir but which has remained under pakistan's illegal occupation since the year
07:311947 the jammu and kashmir joint awami action committee or jaac has announced that its sit-in
07:39protest will continue indefinitely until its demands are met the group has given islamabad 48 hours to
07:45respond if that deadline passes without action jaac says it will launch what it calls a grand and final
07:54response on the 9th of july it has also urged people across pakistan-occupied kashmir and overseas
08:01kashmiris to join what it describes as a region-wide movement the protest leaders are also taking their
08:09message beyond pakistan jac has invited the united nations the organization of islamic cooperation or oic
08:16international media and global humanity human rights organizations to visit pok on the 9th of july
08:22the committee says the world should witness what it describes as state oppression and the alleged killing
08:28of civilians during the ongoing unrest islamabad has not publicly responded to these allegations
08:35the biggest development however is the appeal directed at india jac leader sardar aman has urged
08:42new delhi to provide ration and medical supplies alleging that the pakistani administration has imposed
08:47an economic blockade following its crackdown on protesters we need india's help aman said claiming
08:55residents are facing shortages of food and essential medicines as security operations intensify aman also
09:02called for the line of control to be opened on humanitarian grounds if conditions continue to
09:06worsen arguing that civilians should be allowed to cross into india if necessary the unrest has
09:13intensified since pakistan banned the jammu and kashmir joint awami action committee under the anti-terrorism act
09:19that decision was followed by a sweeping crackdown according to protest leaders more than
09:24600 workers and senior political figures have been arrested or placed on watch lists they also
09:30alleged that restrictions on the movement of essential goods have deepened humanitarian crisis
09:35across several towns for india pakistan-occupied kashmir remains an integral part of the country under
09:42pakistan's illegal occupation the latest appeal from protest leaders has therefore added a new dimension
09:48to the unrest what began as demonstrations against pakistani administration has now become
09:53an appeal to india for humanitarian assistance it also places renewed international focus on conditions
10:00inside this occupied territory for years pakistan has projected pok as a success story today that
10:07narrative is facing one of its toughest tests today protest leaders say they need food medicines and
10:13humanitarian help and they are seeking that from india that appeal speaks louder than any political slogan
10:20the next 48 hours will determine whether pakistan chooses dialogue or confrontation but one reality is
10:26already impossible to ignore the crisis in pakistan-occupied kashmir has outgrown the streets it is now a test of
10:33pakistan's governance its credibility and its control over the occupied territory people thronged the streets of
10:42the haran waving flags and carrying images and posters of the late leader khamina's coffin along with those of his
10:48daughter son-in-law
10:49daughter-in-law and 14-month-old granddaughter have been brought out of the grand masalla for the people to
10:56offer their last prayers the funeral ceremonies and
10:59processions will continue for the next three days to come and will then be flown to najaf and karbala in
11:06iraq the body of the late ayatollah will then be flown to
11:09mashad on the 9th of july where he will be buried at the imam reza shrine people are also carrying
11:16the
11:16posters of students who died in minab from the u.s tomahawk missiles death to america chants reverberated
11:23as processions continued meanwhile much the bahamani who succeeded the late ali khamanai as the ayatollah was
11:29missing from the funeral prayers iranian officials said security of much the power was the prime concern
11:35amid israeli threats of assassination bids but three sons of the late leader were seen praying
11:40and crying beside his coffin mustafa masam and masood khamanai joined mourners and other iranian
11:47leaders at the courtyard of imam khomeini grand masalla in tehran besides the head of the islamic
11:53revolutionary guard corps ahmad wahidi also attended the funeral ceremony this was wahidi's first public
11:59appearance since his appointment one clenched fist has replaced a thousand speeches the fist of defiance
12:07is now the central national emblem of iran's mass multi-day state funeral for late supreme leader
12:14ayatollah ali khamanai right beside it sits the official slogan we must rise but this symbol did not
12:21come from an ancient tradition or some dusty history book it came from a dramatic claim by khamanai's son and
12:27successor moshtabah khamanai he said his father's body was recovered from the site of the fatal us
12:34israeli airstrike with one hand still tightly clenched in a fist that story did not stay a family account
12:41it became a national emblem overnight so how did one closed hand turn into the biggest symbol of iran's
12:48mourning and perhaps much more the answer is simple symbols often travel farther than speeches people may
12:56forget a long political statement by dinner time but they remember one powerful image iran knows that
13:02instead of asking people to remember pages of speeches it offers them one picture that fits inside
13:08every poster every banner and every headline one fist one message one slogan the slogan itself keeps things
13:17even simpler we must rise three words no complicated explanation no footnotes no instruction manual the
13:26message says everything it wants in one breath it turns grief into determination it turns loss into resolve
13:33whether people agree with it or not is another matter the slogan does not ask permission it simply demands
13:40attention the fist also changes the story surrounding khamanai's death instead of focusing only on the airstrike the
13:47narrative shifts to that image that followed it mojtaba khamanai's account gives supporters
13:53something larger than the event itself according to his statement the supreme leader's hand remained
13:59clenched even after death that image now becomes the centerpiece of remembrance think of it like a movie
14:06poster a great film rarely sells itself with the entire script printed across a billboard it picks one
14:12unforgettable image that image does the talking iran has done something similar the clenched fist becomes
14:18the poster the slogan becomes the title together they tell the story the state wants people to
14:24remember that is why the funeral ceremonies revolve around this symbol it is no longer just about
14:30saying goodbye to a leader every banner carrying the fist also carries the slogan every appearance of the
14:37emblem repeats the same idea we must rise the message stays consistent because repetition builds recognition
14:45advertisers know it politicians know it governments definitely know it there's also a reason the symbol
14:52feels so powerful a fist is easy to understand it needs no translation you do not need a dictionary or
14:59a
14:59history lesson you look at it once and instantly you know it stands for resolve resistance and determination
15:07simple symbols usually win because they leave little room for confusion that explains why the fist of
15:14defiance has become the national emblem of these multi-day funeral ceremonies it did not emerge from a long
15:21committee meeting or a complicated slogan contest it grew from one dramatic claim made by mojtaba khamanai
15:28about his father's final moments from that single image came an emblem from that emblem came a slogan
15:36and from that slogan came a new centerpiece for iran's public mourning in the end the story is not really
15:43about
15:43one hand it is about the power of a symbol one closed fist now carries the weight of a national
15:49message
15:51one short slogan now echoes across the funeral ceremonies whether people see defiance determination or
15:56something else entirely iran has made one thing crystal clear sometimes the loudest political
16:03statement says absolutely nothing at all it simply raises a fist that's all in this edition of state
16:10crowd but before we go we leave you with this powerful images continue to emerge from iran where millions
16:16of mourners fill the streets of tehran and other cities for one of the largest funeral processions in
16:21recent memory emotional scenes showed people holding portraits of late supreme leader senior military
16:28commanders clerics and ceremonial displays underscored both the scale of the event and its political
16:33significant significance take a look goodbye and take care
16:37so
16:38and
17:02so
17:04so
17:06and
17:06and
Comments