Quick notes: Tibet advantage | Urban farming...

• Claude Arpi: Is the ‘Tibet card’ in play? A dramatic Indian Army operation last week has given India tactical advantage in the 4-month-long confrontation with China. It was the first time in those four months that the Indian Army could ‘pre-empt’ the Chinese grabbing more Indian territory. For India, this is the first real good news since the beginning of the bitter conflict. The best bet for India and the exiled Tibetans is to work closely together; it could pay rich dividends.



• PLA failures: Xi Jinping plans to purge Chinese military after failures on Indian border. Xi is pushing China to the brink of military confrontations in several theaters by personally taking a hand in provocative actions like the August 26 launch of “aircraft carrier killer” ballistic missiles into the South China Sea. 



• Peaceful fall: Decoupling with U.S. would cut China’s growth to 3.5%. China would face even more disastrous consequences if the U.S. can coordinate its key allies, such as Japan, South Korea, Germany and France, to also decouple. In that case, China’s growth potential could fall to 1.6% in 2030.



• Dr D Nageshwar Reddy: Initially, people were talking about the importance of handwashing but now we know they are less important than wearing masks. One study has said that if masks are put on properly and if physical distancing is followed, it is equivalent to 90% effect of lockdown. Instead of lockdown, the same effect can be achieved by people wearing masks and maintaining distance.



• Urban farming is catching on: It can make us healthier and more resilient: Getting out into nature and gardening can improve your mental health and physical fitness.
  



• Afghan company introduces locally made vehicles! A Kabul-based company unveiled a fleet of locally made solar- and battery-powered passenger vehicles, as well as hybrid and conventional gas-powered cars and trucks, designed to give Afghans an alternative to imports.



• Vinasha Kale Viprita Buddhi: China funding anti-India stir on Nepal border.
  
  China eyes military facilities in Pak, Myanmar, 10 other nations: Pentagon.
  
  China could eye Bangladesh as the next potential target for its debt-trap diplomacy and get access to strategic ports.
  
  China Cracks Down on Mongols: Inner Mongolia’s ethnic minority fears Beijing’s education policies are phasing out local history and literature, erasing its culture



• Jet fighter of the future: A common element to emerge at this point is more of modular design that could enable the aircraft to tackle a variety of missions, while swarms of drones or similar mini-aircraft could work to provide defense and reconnaissance for the fighter.