Days after reviving a controversial project to develop Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini, Nepal, with the aid of a China-backed non-profit organization, the former leader of Nepal's Maoist rebellion has invited India, too, to join in creating what some have derided as "Disneyland for Buddhists."

"Nepal, China and India should come together and form a strategic partnership through this Lumbini project for peace, stability and development in the region and Asia," said Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, according to India's Saturday Hindustan Times.

He also mentioned discussions with top Chinese and Indian leaders on the project but didn't give any information on how Indian government or companies could get involved, the paper reported.

As GlobalPost reported earlier this week, Prachanda, who is now the chairman of Nepal's Unified Communist Party, has reportedly inked a deal with the China-backed Asia Pacific Exchange Cooperation Foundation that will bring in $3 billion to develop Buddha's birthplace at Lumbini into a "world-class city attracting tourists and pilgrims from across the world."

According to the Indian Express, the agreement was signed by Linus Xiao Wunan, executive vice chairman of the APEC Foundation and Prachanda in his capacity as chairman of Nepal's steering committee. But members of Nepal's other political parties challenged his right to sign the deal unilaterally.

“The issue was not discussed in the committee, and it has not authorised Prachanda to sign it in the manner he did,” the Express quoted Minendra Rizal, former Minister for Culture and a Nepali Congress leader, as saying.

“This project has enormous potential and will benefit Nepal, India and China and I have spoken to Indian authorities and they are positive about the project,” Prachanda said during the signing ceremony, according to the report. He did not disclose the details of the project, its total cost, or the time needed to complete it, however.

As GlobalPost reported in January, some see China's enthusiasm for Lumbini as part of a larger "battle for Buddha," pitting Beijing versus New Delhi in the quest to expand "soft power," or cultural influence, within the region.

In this struggle, India seeks to use its common cultural heritage to overcome China's ethnic ties to the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, and China seeks to limit the damage from its repression of religious freedom in Tibet and its incessant sparring with the Dalai Lama.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to sign four pacts involving mining leases and other business cooperations during a visit to India that begins in Mumbai on Friday.

The Afghan leader is also expected to discuss a possible larger role for India in the training of Afghan security forces, according to the Press Trust of India.

In general, India's role in security operations in Afghanistan has been limited, due to opposition by Pakistan. But New Delhi is keen to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a fiefdom of its oldest adversary--which it accuses of fostering terrorist groups to wage a "proxy war." And Karzai has increasingly been seen as attempting to hedge his bets when it comes to reliance on Islamabad.

Karzai, who will begin his tour from Mumbai, will interact with the business community there and seek greater investment in his country in various sectors, Zee reported. Briefing the reporters on the Presidential visit, Afghan Ambassador Shaida Mohammad Abdali said that Karzai was coming to India at "a critical time" as international combat troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014, the news agency said.

Four MoUs will be signed between the two countries in areas of mines, youth affairs, small development projects and fertilizers, PTI reported Abdali as saying. 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Karzai will also discuss the regional security situation and safety of Indian nationals and Indian projects on November 12 in New Delhi.

An unarmed man went berserk on an Air Indigo flight from Mumbai to Delhi on Wednesday, slapping a flight attendant and making a break for the cockpit before he was subdued by crew and passengers. 

Though early reports do not suggest the incident was a planned terrorist attack, 40-year-old Mursalin Sheikh, a bearded man in a pathani suit, according to NDTV, allegedly threatened to bring the plane down. The Times of India reported that Sheikh allegedly shouted "Islamic slogans" during the altercation. 

In case you're planning a quick trip, please note that the mid-air scare follows another close shave on Tuesday, when four aircraft nearly collided above New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport when one of them misheard instructions from air traffic controllers.

As for Wednesday's dust up:

"This unruly passenger started screaming and also physically assaulted a crew member. The passenger also got violent with co-passengers, and tried to access the forward of the aircraft. IndiGo crew made appropriate announcements and deployed security measures to block access to the front of the aircraft and the front galley," NDTV cites a statement from IndiGo as saying.

Meanwhile, the TOI reports "Male passengers and the crew together pinned Shaikh down" -- which begs the question: How do you say "Let's roll" in Hindi?

Twitter survey says:

"Chalo, ho jaye" - @saltandpepper

"Dhoom machale" - @chai09

"Chalo shuru kare" - @charuhas11

"Aage badho" - @Oberoi_R_US

He hasn't made any friends in Washington with his dogged opposition to the US drone attacks in Pakistani territory. But former cricketer Imran Khan--a darkhorse candidate for Pakistan's prime minister as head of the Tereek-e-Insaaf party--made some of the right noises in a freewheeling interview with India's Mail Today newspaper this week.

In town to attend the World Economic Forum being held in Gurgaon, Khan made a measured promise to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai to justice, saying, "India must understand the legal process takes time, but I will bring the Mumbai perpetrators to justice."

"We have to follow the rule of law."

That said, Pakistan has long delayed action with the argument that it lacks sufficient evidence to convict the alleged planners of the attacks--which India and the US have both alleged includes members of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency, as well as Lashkar-e-Toiba's Hafiz Saeed. And Khan reportedly waffled when confronted with a pointed question about how he'd handle a potential prosecution of Saeed if he were elected.