THE HEADLINES:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlights deep personal and people-to-people ties between India and Malaysia; To hold talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.
- India-US interim trade deal cuts tariff on Indian exports to 18 per cent; Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says, it will benefit many sectors including Agriculture and MSMEs beside generating job opportunities.
- Home Minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting to review progress of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Fifty-one Maoists surrender in Bijapur and Sukma districts of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh.
- Russia launches large scale air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities including two thermal power plants, claims Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
- And in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan defeat Netherlands while West Indies beat Scotland ; Another match underway between defending champions India and United States.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today highlighted the deep personal and people-to-people ties between India and Malaysia. Addressing the Indian diaspora at an event in Kuala Lumpur, he described the Indian diaspora as a living bridge connecting the hearts of the two nations. He praised them for contributing to the vision of a prosperous Malaysia and a developed India.
Mr. Modi reached Kuala Lumpur today on a two day official visit to Malaysia where he was accorded a grand welcome. Recalling his long-standing friendship with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister Modi said India and Malaysia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024.
Mr Modi added, over 100 Indian IT companies are operating in Malaysia, generating thousands of jobs. He announced that India’s digital payment platform UPI will be launched in Malaysia soon. The Prime Minister said that India is no longer seen just as a huge market but as a hub for investment and trade, a trusted partner for growth. He added that India has trade deals with the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, the EU, and the USA, and that trust has become India’s strongest currency.
Mr. Modi will hold talks with the Malaysian Prime Minister tomorrow after which several MoUs are likely to be signed.
Our correspondent covering the Prime Minister’s visit has filed this report:
“Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s domestic transformation underlining its rise as the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, the sharp increase in defence exports, and the growth of one of the world’s largest fintech ecosystems.
While mentioning he extension of Overseas Citizen of India card facilities up to the sixth generation the Prime Minister announced several diaspora-focused initiatives, including the introduction of the Thiruvalluvar Scholarship for students studying in India, and plans to open a new Indian consulate in Malaysia.
The first day of the visit concluded on a positive and forward-looking note, setting the stage for delegation-level talks and bilateral meetings on day two, during which the two sides are expected to review the implementations and areas decided in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and sign several memoranda of understanding. DURGESH BHADAURIA FOR AKASHVANI NEWS, Kuala Lumpur.”
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India and the US today announced that they have reached a framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. The Commerce and Industry Ministry shared the India-US Joint Statement which said the framework reaffirms the countries’ commitment to the broader U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations. According to the Joint Statement, the United States will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 percent on Indian goods. India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the framework for an Interim Trade Agreement between India and the US as great news, and thanked the US President Donald Trump for his personal commitment to robust ties between the countries. In a social media post, Mr Modi said this framework reflects the growing depth, trust and dynamism of India-US partnership. He said it strengthens ‘Make in India’ by opening new opportunities for India’s hardworking farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, StartUp innovators, fishermen and more. Mr Modi said it will generate large-scale employment for women and youngsters.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said, 50 percent reciprocal tariff has now been reduced to 18 percent under the India-US interim trade agreement for the Indian Exports. Briefing media on the India-US Joint Statement in New Delhi this afternoon, Mr Goyal said that India has less tariff than its neighboring countries including, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Mr Goyal highlighted that the deal protects the Agriculture and Dairy Sector of the country and agricultural products such as Spices, Tea, Coffee, Cashew nuts, Chest Nuts, Avocado, Banana, Mango, Kiwi and Papaya will attract zero duty in the United States. The Minister added that the trade agreement has been welcomed across all sectors of the country as it will boost them and create job opportunities. He added that the agreement opens opportunities for MSMEs, artisans, weavers and youth engaged in export-oriented sectors and they will be among the key beneficiaries.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah today chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir, with a focus on key infrastructure works and the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes in the Union Territory. Our correspondent reports that the Home Minister reviewed project-wise implementation and issued directions for timely completion of the development works. He said, it is the government’s priority to further accelerate the unprecedented growth in investment, industry, sports, and infrastructure that has taken place in J&K over the past decade. The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and DGP Nalin Prabhat, among others.
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In Chhattisgarh, a total of fifty-one Maoists surrendered before security forces today in Bijapur and Sukma districts of the Bastar division. A reward of one crore sixty-one lakh rupees had been announced on these Maoists.
“In Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, thirty Maoists surrendered today. Among them are twenty women cadres.
Meanwhile, in Sukma district of the state, twenty-one Maoists surrendered. These Maoists surrendered before Bastar Range Inspector General of Police, Sundarraj P., Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, and CRPF Deputy Inspector General Anand Singh Rajpurohit. On the occasion, the surrendered Maoists also handed over automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifle, SLR and barrel grenade launcher.
Under the State Government’s rehabilitation policy, the surrendered Maoists were provided immediate financial assistance of fifty thousand rupees each as an incentive. Vikalp Shukla, Akashvani News, Raipur.”
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President Droupadi Murmu today inaugurated the Bastar Pandum festival at Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar in Chhattisgarh. Addressing the programme, the President said, the people of Bastar live life like a celebration. She said that through the Bastar Pandum festival, the country and the world get a glimpse of the rich tribal culture of the Bastar region.
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Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today launched the nationwide Pulse Self-Reliance Mission from the Food Legumes Research Centre (FLRP) in Amlaha, Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh.
“Addressing the conference, the Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that the country will now move towards becoming a global exporter of pulses. During the meeting, the roadmap for the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission was finalised, with key components including a cluster-based production model, seed villages, establishment of 1,000 pulse mills across the country, and strengthening research-farmer linkages. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of farmers across the country, the Union Minister said that self-reliance in pulse production is essential for building Atmanirbhar India. Pooja P. Vardhan, AkashVani News, Bhopal.”
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Union minister for Electronics and IT, Information and Broadcasting and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has asserted that India is making major progress in the development of Semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem that can provide end to end solutions for other countries. He was addressing media persons after unveiling the 2 nanometer semiconductor chip manufactured by Qualcomm in Bengaluru today. The minister expressed confidence that India will be able to globally offer its talent in the Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductor sector.
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Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has informed that Karnataka has received 7,748 crore rupees for railway projects in this Union Budget, which is nine times more than UPA era allocations. Addressing media persons in Bengaluru today, the minister said that a total investment of 52,950 crore is being made in the state for upgrading railway network, for introducing safety features and to modernise 61 railway stations under Amruth Bharat programme.
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Russia launched a large-scale overnight air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities, targeting electricity generation and distribution infrastructure. Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the assault involved more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles of various types, striking power grids, generation facilities and substations across the country. Ukranian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the strikes hit two thermal power plants in western Ukraine as well as key electricity distribution lines and substations. Russia did not immediately comment.
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In Men’s Cricket, Defending champions India have set a target of 162 runs for United States in the third match of T20 World Cup at Wankhede Stadium,Mumbai. Put into bat first, India posted 161 runs losing 9 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Earlier, the United States won the toss and opted to bowl first. In the opening match of the tournament, Pakistan defeated the Netherlands by 3 wickets at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo today. In the second match, West Indies defeated Scotland by 35 runs at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
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In Shooting, Indian shooters dominated the Asian Rifle-Pistol Championship today as Olympian Elavenil Valarivan won gold in the women’s 10 meter air rifle.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlights deep personal and people-to-people ties between India and Malaysia; To hold talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.
- India-US interim trade deal cuts tariff on Indian exports to 18 per cent; Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says, it will benefit many sectors including Agriculture and MSMEs beside generating job opportunities.
- Home Minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting to review progress of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Fifty-one Maoists surrender in Bijapur and Sukma districts of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh.
- Russia launches large scale air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities including two thermal power plants, claims Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
- In ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan defeat Netherlands while West Indies beat Scotland ; Another match underway between defending champions India and United States.
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