THE HEADLINES:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds talks with US Vice President J D Vance in New Delhi; Both leaders welcome progress in India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia this morning.
- World Earth Day being celebrated today; Union Home Minister Amit Shah to inaugurate ‘Save Earth Conclave’ in New Delhi.
- Government declares three-day State Mourning as a mark of respect to Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See Pope Francis.
- IMD forecasts heat wave conditions over central India during next 2 days.
- In Shooting, India’s Simranpreet Kaur Brar clinches silver in women’s 25m pistol at ISSF World Cup in Peru.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the US Vice President J D Vance in New Delhi where both the leaders reviewed the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation. They welcomed the significant progress in the negotiations for a mutually beneficial India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement focused on the welfare of the people of the two countries. They also noted continued efforts towards enhancing cooperation in energy, defence, strategic technologies and other areas. The two leaders also exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward.
“During the meeting Prime Minister Modi fondly recalled his visit to Washington D.C. in February this year and his fruitful discussions with President Trump, which laid down the roadmap for close cooperation between India and the US, leveraging the strengths of Make America Great Again and Viksit Bharat 2047. Mr Modi extended his best wishes to the Vice President, Second Lady and their children for a pleasant and productive stay in India. The Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to President Trump and said that he is looking forward to his visit to India later this year. CHIRAG JHA, NEWS DESK”
The US Vice President arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a four day visit to India. Mr. Vance was accompanied by his wife Usha, their children and senior members of the US administration.
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US Vice President JD Vance has reached Jaipur last night. Vice President Vance will stay in Jaipur for three days. Mr. Vance’s family is accompanying him during his Jaipur visit. Senior officials of the US administration will also be present. More from our correspondent:
“Mr. Vance will visit the historic Amer Fort with his family this morning, where he will be welcomed in traditional culture. He will address the Business Summit on ‘future of India-US trade relations’ in Jaipur this afternoon. He is also scheduled to meet the Governor Haribhau Bagde and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Extensive preparations have been made to make the visit of the US Vice President historic and memorable. Special security and traffic arrangements have also been made in the city in view of this tour. WITH Jitendra Dwivedi, REPORT FROM Jaipur, VISHNU PS Akashvani News, .”
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India is actively engaging with the new US administration and expressed hope that the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement will be concluded by October this year. Finance Minister made these remarks while interacting with the Indian diaspora in San Francisco. Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to launch talks for a bilateral trade agreement, which is part of a new goal-“Mission 500”-aiming to more than double the trade between the two countries to 500 billion US Dollars by 2030.
Later today, delivering the keynote address on ‘Laying the foundations for a developed
India Viksit Bharat by 2047’, at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California. She said India’s journey to become a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 is not merely an aspiration but a shared national mission powered by a vision for inclusive, sustainable, and innovation-led growth.
In Washington DC, Ms. Sitharaman will attend the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, and the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings. After completing her US trip, Sitharaman will travel to Peru for a visit from April 26 to 30.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia from today, at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. This visit underscores the deepening strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia, marked by robust cooperation in trade, energy, defense, and people-to-people ties. The visit is also expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and facilitate new avenues of collaboration aligned with the transformative goals of Vision 2030, with India’s global advocacy on gender equality.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has implemented transformative changes in recent years, dismantling long-standing barriers for women. Legal reforms have lifted the driving ban, reduced male guardianship requirements, and introduced anti-harassment legislation. These changes have empowered Saudi women with significantly greater personal autonomy and legal protections.
Now Let’s hear from Dr Kavitha, a member of the Indian Diaspora who is working as an assistant professor at Jeddah.
The economic impact of these reforms is already evident. Female workforce participation in Saudi Arabia has increased dramatically from 23.2 percent in 2016 to over 36.2 percent by 2025 exceeding the government’s original Vision 2030 targets.
Now Let’s hear from Lamha Hamsa who is working as a Marketing Manager a dates Factory in Jeddah.
Saudi women are increasingly visible in previously male-dominated sectors, with over 3,500 now employed in the justice system as lawyers and legal representatives.THIS IS VINOD KUMAR, AKASHVANI NEWS, JEDDAH.”
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India and Saudi Arabia share a natural interest in safeguarding peace and stability in the region. In an exclusive interview with Arab News ahead of his landmark two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister described the Kingdom as a trusted friend and strategic ally emphasizing that the bilateral relations had expanded significantly since the creation of the Strategic Partnership Council in 2019.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the ‘Save Earth Conclave’ at NASC Complex in New Delhi today to explore the potential of bamboo to mitigate climate change and drive economic growth. Pasha Patel, the chairman of the Chief Minister’s Task Force for Environment and Sustainable Development in Maharashtra, said that Mr.Shah would inaugurate the conclave, which is being orga
nised by Phoenix Foundation Sanstha, Latur, and the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture.
Nearly 1,200 delegates from across the country are expected to attend the conclave.
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Today is Earth Day. The day is celebrated worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day celebrations were held in 1970 after the day was suggested at the UNESCO summit in 1969. The theme for this year is “Our Power, Our Planet”.
“The day aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspiring action to protect our planet. It educates the public on climate change, pollution, and sustainability while mobilising community efforts like clean-ups and tree planting. The day fosters community engagement and promotes eco-friendly practices, encouraging individuals and businesses to adopt sustainable habits. This year’s theme urges individuals, groups, and governments to triple the production of clean energy by 2030, emphasizing the pressing need to switch to renewable energy. The campaign highlights how vital it is to lessen dependency on fossil fuels and invest in a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive energy future in order to tackle climate change. Priya Mondal, for Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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The Joint Parliamentary Committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ will hold a meeting today. In the first session, there will be an interaction with Justice Hemant Gupta, former judge of the Supreme Court. This will be followed by a session with Justice SN Jha, former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The next session will include Dr Justice BS Chauhan, former Supreme Court judge and Chairman of the 21st Law Commission of India.The final session will be with Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Rajya Sabha Member and Senior Advocate.
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The Government of India has declared a three-day State Mourning as a mark of respect to the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See Pope Francis who passed away yesterday. Two days’ State Mourning will be observed today and tomorrow and One day’s State Mourning will be observed on the day of the funeral. During the period of the State Mourning, the National Flag will be flown at Half Mast throughout India on all buildings where the National Flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment.
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The Harvard University filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration to block billions of dollars in proposed funding cuts. The suit, filed yesterday, is part of a feud that escalated last week when the elite institution rejected a list of demands that the Trump administration said was designed to curb diversity initiatives and fight anti-semitism at the school.
Harvard’s president, Alan M. Garber, said in a letter to the university community that the consequences of the government’s overreach would be severe and long-lasting.
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In Shooting, India’s Simranpreet Kaur Brar has clinched her maiden senior international medal with a silver in the women’s 25m pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation, ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru. The Indian shooter shot a total of 33 hits in the 10-series of five rapid-fire shots final, finishing one hit behind China’s Sun Yujie, who won back-to-back World Cup golds in the event. A second Chinese, Yao Qianxun won bronze with 29-hits to her name. Meanwhile, Paris Olympics double medallist Manu Bhaker finished fourth.
This marks India’s fourth silver medal at the Lima World Cup, adding to the country’s tally of two golds and one bronze.
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In IPL T20 Cricket, Gujarat Titans defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 39 runs at Eden Gardens in Kolkata last night. Chasing a target of 199, KKR managed to score only 159 for 8 in 20 overs, falling short due to Gujarat’s disciplined bowling performance. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored a half-century for KKR. Today, the Lucknow Super Giants will take on the Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM. Delhi currently holds the second place in the standings, while Lucknow is placed at fifth.
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In Chess, Indian Grandmaster Humpy Koneru seized the lead at the Women’s Grand Prix in Pune with a crucial victory over Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner in the seventh round yesterday.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heat wave conditions over Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Odisha and Chhattisgarh during the next 2 days. According to the met department, Bihar, Jharkhand, Konkan, Goa, Marathwada, Gujarat, Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and Rayalaseema are very likely to witness hot and humid weather conditions today.
IMD also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya today.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- The world mourns the passing away of the first Latin Pontiff who bent tradition, broadened Vatican’s vision has been covered by all the dailies today. Hindustan Times headline says “Four cardinals from India to vote in conclave to pick successor.”
- The Economic Times mentions the shift of business from tariffed Vietnam under the headline “Alphabet in talks to ramp-up Pixel production in India.”
- The Tribune cites the action plan to be taken by the Delhi government to beat the heat in Capital which recorded the highest maximum temperature of 41.3 degrees this summer.
- The Asian Age writes “Modi will unveil first Namo Bharat train in Bihar on April 24.”
- And Finally, All the dailies carry a picture of US Vice President with his children in traditional Indian attire visiting the Akshardham Temple in the National Capital. Quoting Mr Vance The Hindu writes “Our kids loved it.”
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds talks with US Vice President J D Vance in New Delhi; Both leaders welcome progress in India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia this morning.
- World Earth Day being celebrated today; Union Home Minister Amit Shah to inaugurate ‘Save Earth Conclave’ in New Delhi.
- Government declares three-day State Mourning as a mark of respect to Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See Pope Francis.
- IMD forecasts heat wave conditions over central India during next 2 days.
- In Shooting, India’s Simranpreet Kaur Brar clinches silver in women’s 25m pistol at ISSF World Cup in Peru.
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