RM meets Russian Defence Minister, supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, procurement of critical military hardware on table
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China
Discussions included a range of subjects covering current geopolitical situations, cross-border terrorism and Indo-Russian defence cooperation.
The Russian Defence Minister highlighted the long-standing Indo-Russian relations which have stood the test of time and expressed solidarity with India on the horrendous and cowardly terrorist act of April 22 in Pahalgam.
“It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, being held in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent necessity of augmenting defence production, especially in critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms.
“Supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes were some of the key takeaways of the meeting,” according to an official statement.
Chandigarh: The northwestern states of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh have demonstrated strong performance in the direct selling sector, registering a collective growth of 15.71% and crossing the ₹2,172 crore sales mark during the financial year 2023-24, according to the Survey data shared by the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) here on Friday.
The survey, compiled by IPSOS for the IDSA, an apex body of the direct selling industry in India, was shared at the ‘Northern Direct Selling Summit’. The event was graced by Sh. Rajesh Nagar, Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) and Mr. D. Suresh, Principal Secretary of the Department from Haryana. The survey also highlighted the growth and expansion of the direct selling sector in the country.
The survey highlighted, these states with over 15.71% growth contributed significantly to the direct selling sector, generating over ₹2,172 crore in sales, making up for more than 33 percent of the northern region’s total of ₹6,600 crore and 9.8 percent of the national industry turnover of ₹22,142 crore. The sector remained a vital source of self-employment, offering income opportunities to over five lakh direct sellers in the UNR alone, which shows an astounding 31.23% rise on a year-over-year basis.
Haryana, continued to be the second largest direct selling market in the northern region and the 7th largest nationally with ₹1041 crore sales, holding over 15.7% of the North and 4.7% of the national market share, supported by over 1.6 lakh direct sellers. The other states contributed ₹1,131 crore in sales, with Punjab ₹686 crore, J&K ₹244 crore, Chandigarh ₹112 crore, and HP ₹89 crore, the survey adds.
J&K witnessed a staggering 234% surge in sales, accompanied by a 173% rise in the number of direct sellers. HP followed with a 117% increase in sales and a 150% jump in direct sellers. Chandigarh showed a 111% rise in business volume and a 25% increase in the direct selling force. Punjab, while already a strong player, also saw an 8 percent growth in sales and a 14 percent increase in its direct seller base. The direct selling industry contributes over ₹350 crore annually to the exchequer of these states, reinforcing its role in the socio-economic development of the region, the IDSA highlighted.
In his address, Shri Nagar acknowledged the vital role of the direct selling industry in advancing self-employment, entrepreneurship, skill development, economic inclusion, and empowerment of women and youth in Haryana. He highlighted the formation of the ‘Haryana Direct Selling Monitoring Authority’ under the Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021, to oversee the industry’s operations and address consumer complaints. He assured the industry of all the government’s support in ensuring a lawful business environment while protecting consumer rights.
IDSA President Vivek Katoch spoke about the direct selling industry landscape and its steady growth in the country, noting the Northwest region as a key market. He urged the Punjab Government to establish a monitoring committee under the same rules and reaffirmed IDSA’s commitment to protecting both consumers and direct sellers.
The event also honoured over 50 women entrepreneurs from various states for their contributions to the direct selling sector. A product exhibition was held, showcasing the industry’s innovation and diversity.
IDSA Treasurer Aprajita Sarkar, senior officials of Punjab and Haryana governments, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and senior representatives, besides a large number of direct sellers of the member companies of the IDSA were present on the occasion.
The Delhi Govt on Thursday organized a public awareness campaign to mark International day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at Yamuna Sports Complex with participation from various departments, including social welfare, education, higher education, youth affairs and sports, women and child development, and police.
The event was attended by Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta along with MP Manoj Tiwari, Delhi government cabinet minister Ravindra Indraj Singh, MLA Om Prakash Sharma, Sanjay Goyal, and Anil Goyal.
Addressing the gathering Gupta said that this public awareness campaign run by Delhi Police is commendable and the Delhi government is participating in it shoulder to shoulder and with determination.
She said, “Drug addiction not only affects the health of an individual but also seriously affects the unity of the family and the foundation of society. Our aim is that the youth of Delhi should use their energy in nation building, social service and positive change, this is the basic resolution of our government.”
She said that the resolution of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a mass movement in the entire country today.
“The active guidance and strong administrative leadership of the union home minister Amit Shah is extremely inspiring is taking this campaign forward strongly. The Delhi government is working with full commitment to fulfill this national objective,” chief minister added.
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) will on Thursday organise a programme to observe the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Every year, June 26 is observed as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) is the nodal Ministry for drug demand reduction in the country, which coordinates and monitors all aspects of drug abuse prevention, assessment of the extent of the problem, preventive action, treatment and rehabilitation of users, dissemination of information.
The MoSJE has initiated an ambitious Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), which is currently operational in all districts with an aim to create awareness about ill effects of substance abuse among the youth, with special focus on higher education institutes, university campuses and schools.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171, in accordance with international aviation norms and India’s domestic regulations.
As a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Chicago Convention of 1944, India is obligated to investigate civil aviation accidents under the standards laid out in ICAO Annex 13. The investigation is being carried out under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.
In line with protocol, the AAIB promptly formed a multidisciplinary investigation team on June 13, 2025. The team is headed by the Director General of AAIB and includes an aviation medicine specialist, an air traffic control officer, and representatives from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as the aircraft was manufactured and designed in the United States.
Both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR), commonly referred to as “black boxes,” have been successfully recovered from the crash site. The CVR was located on a rooftop on June 13, while the FDR was found amidst debris on June 16.
Photo by NTSB via Getty Images
To ensure the integrity of the investigation, the black boxes were secured under 24-hour police protection and CCTV surveillance in Ahmedabad. On June 24, both devices were transported under high security to the AAIB laboratory in Delhi via Indian Air Force aircraft. The front black box arrived at 2:00 pm with the DG AAIB, while the rear box followed at 5:15 pm with a second AAIB team.
On the evening of June 24, a joint team from AAIB and the NTSB commenced data extraction. The memory module from the Crash Protection Module (CPM) of the front black box was safely retrieved and successfully accessed the following day, June 25. The data download was completed at the AAIB Lab in Delhi.
The CVR and FDR data are now under detailed analysis, which will help reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the accident. Investigators aim to identify contributing factors with the goal of enhancing aviation safety and preventing similar incidents in the future.
All steps taken so far have adhered to both Indian law and international obligations, with authorities emphasizing a time-bound and transparent approach to the investigation.
The statement did not mention the Pahalgam terror attack In April that claimed 26 innocent lives, according to source
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has refused to sign a joint statement at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers meet at Qingdao China.
According to sources the statement did not mention the Pahalgam terror attack In April that claimed 26 innocent lives and also did not
reflect India’s position on countering terrorism.
But it did mention the attack in Balochistan—the Jaffar express hijacking in March.
Pahalgam’s exclusion from the document seems to have been done at Pakistan’s behest as its ally, China, is the present Chair of the SCO, said those familiar with developments
China is the present Chair of the SCO
The RM is currently in Qingdao for the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting.
India accuses Pakistan of having masterminded, aided and abetted the Pahalgam terror attack and equivocally trashed its allegations about involvement in Balochistan.
The summit is being attended by member states, including Russia, Pakistan and China, to discuss issues related to regional and international security.
Earlier, Singh also told the meeting, without naming Pakistan, that some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said his party believed in the “country first” mantra, but it was “(Narendra) Modi first and country later” for “some people”.
It was a jibe directed at the party’s Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor who has been in the party’s line of fire for his open support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government on critical issues.
Responding to a question on Tharoor’s article on Operation Sindoor in which he praised PM Modi, Kharge told media persons: “I can’t read English well. His (Tharoor’s) language is very good. That’s why we have made him a Congress Working Committee member.”
“But I want to say the people of the Opposition together are with the Army that is fighting (during Operation Sindoor). We (the Congress) said the country is supreme and we will work together for the country. We said ‘country first, party later’. Some people say ‘Modi first, country later’. What can we do about that,” he added.
On whether the party was considering action against Tharoor, Kharge said: “People will write as they please. We do not want to bother ourselves about it. Our only target is unity in the country and security of the country. We will keep fighting for the country. We have fought in the past and will fight in the future too. There is no need to pay attention to what anyone says.”
Soon thereafter,Tharoor also shared a post, depicting a bird sitting on a branch. It said: “Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours and the sky belongs to no one…”
The big question is, what next.
The Congress may have sidelined Tharoor but it also does not want to be seen taking any action against the party MP, primarily because of messaging. Clearly, the party wants Tharoor to make the first move, resign if he wants to, so that he does not get the opportunity to play a martyr. The grand old party also does not want to give another handle against it to the BJP
Tharoor, meanwhile, seems to be waiting for the party to make the first move. Whether he actually believes that things will be alright between him and the senior leadership after all what has happened is unlikely
So far as the BJP is concerned, it can certainly hope to benefit by having someone like Tharoor by its side in Kerala—a state where it hopes to make inroads. Whether having Tharoor by its side will help BJP, remains to be seen.
Downplaying the prevailing tensions between him and his party, Tharoor recently admitted to “some differences” of opinion which he said he will discuss when someone from the party approaches him.
Congress’ Thiruvananthapuram MP was conspicuous by absence from the campaign trail in Nilambur while senior party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, drummed up support for their candidate. When asked by media persons, Tharoor said: “I wasn’t invited to the party. But that’s alright”.
Tensions have been visible between Tharoor and Congress for a long time, but what seems to have really upset the party were his remarks on the 2016 surgical strikes on the foreign soil and the article praising PM Modi. Tharoor was a part of the all-party delegations sent by the Narendra Modi government to convey India’s view point on Operation Sindoor in foreign countries. His total support to the BJP-led Centre was seen as straying from the party line and he was openly criticised by colleagues who called him a “super spokesperson of the BJP”.
“No place for such double standards; SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations”
Delivering a strong message, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that nations which sponsor and exploit terror for selfish gains, must be held accountable as “peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups”
“It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilise terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences,” Singh said, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers meeting in China’s Qingdao.
“There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations,” he also added.
The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia, and several Central Asian countries, focuses on promoting regional stability and security through cooperation and dialogue.
The RM said India has zero tolerance for terrorism and that the members of the SCO should condemn terrorism. “We have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them,” he said
“Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups
“Dealing with these challenges require decisive action and we must unite in our fight against these evils for our collective safety and security”
“It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilize terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences. Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations: RM
“On 22 April 2025, the terror group ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) carried out a dastardly and heinous attack on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. 26 innocent civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed. Victims were shot at after they were profiled based on religious identity. The Resistance Front which is a proxy of UN designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claimed responsibility for the attack.
“The pattern of Pahalgam terror attack matches with LeT’s previous terror attacks in India. In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross border terrorist attacks, India on 07th May 2025 successfully launched Op Sindoor to dismantle cross border terrorist infrastructure,” Singh said
Extensions will serve key IT hubs, commercial areas, educational institutions, and residential pockets, increasing the share of public transport and ridership across the network
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the expansion of the Pune Metro Rail Project to unlock the city’s economic potential, enhance its urban transport infrastructure, and contribute significantly to sustainable and inclusive development across the metropolitan region.
These two elevated corridors under Pune Metro Rail Project Phase-2—Vanaz to Chandani Chowk (Corridor 2A) and Ramwadi to Wagholi/Vitthalwadi (Corridor 2B)—are extensions of the existing Vanaz–Ramwadi corridor under Phase-1 and will also help decongest arterial routes such as Paud Road and Nagar Road, offering safe, fast, and eco-friendly mobility options, according to an official statement.
They will span 12.75 km and include 13 stations, connecting fast-developing suburbs such as Chandani Chowk, Bavdhan, Kothrud, Kharadi, and Wagholi. The project is scheduled for completion within four years. The estimated project cost Rs 3626.24 crore will be equally shared by the Centre, the Maharashtra government and external bilateral/multilateral agencies, it said.
This strategic proposal is a logical extension of the existing Corridor-2 and aligns with the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), which envisions a continuous Chandani Chowk to Wagholi Metro corridor to strengthen East–West mass transit in Pune. These extensions will serve key IT hubs, commercial areas, educational institutions, and residential pockets, increasing the share of public transport and ridership across the network, it added.
The new corridors will also integrate at the District Court Interchange Station with Line-1 (Nigdi–Katraj) and Line-3 (Hinjewadi–District Court) to enable seamless multimodal urban travel.
Under long-term mobility planning, intercity bus services from cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru will be integrated at Chandani Chowk, while those from Ahilya Nagar and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar will connect at Wagholi, allowing passengers to easily access Pune’s Metro system.
After completion of these corridors, the projected incremental daily ridership for the entire Line 2 is estimated at 0.96 lakh in 2027, 2.01 lakh in 2037, 2.87 lakh in 2047, and 3.49 lakh in 2057.
The project will be implemented by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro), which will execute all civil, electro-mechanical, and related works.
Pre-construction activities such as topographical survey and detailed design consultancy have already commenced.
New Delhi: Piyush Goyal Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, to brief the press on Cabinet decisions at National Media Centre in New Delhi on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS)
Union minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said that India must focus on the sectors in which it has competitive edge over other countries and address the problems faced by the various stakeholders so that country’s exports can grow.
Presiding over the review meeting on Production Linked Incentive Scheme, he stressed on preparing a roadmap for the next five years both on investment and disbursement.
The minister urged the need for becoming self-reliant in the key sectors covered under the PLI Scheme. He emphasized that the ministries should focus on creating quality skilled manpower instead of focusing on the quantity and resolve infrastructure bottlenecks in collaboration with NICDC.
The PLI Scheme is under various stages of implementation in 14 key sectors. The scheme has witnessed investments worth Rs 1.76 lakh crores, which has generated production and sales of over Rs 16.5 lakh crore and employment of over 12 lakhs till March 2025.
“Cumulative incentive amount of Rs 21,534 crore has been disbursed under PLI Schemes for 12 Sectors viz. Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing (LSEM), IT Hardware, Bulk Drugs, Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Telecom & Networking Products, Food Processing, White Goods, Automobiles & Auto components, Specialty Steel, Textiles and Drones & Drone Components,” the ministry stated.
According to the statement, these schemes have incentivized domestic manufacturing, leading to increased production, job creation and a boost in exports.
The pharmaceutical sector has witnessed cumulative sales of Rs 2.66 lakh crore which includes exports of Rs 1.70 lakh crore achieved in the first three years of the scheme.
PLI Scheme for food products has reported investments worth Rs 9,032 crore which has resulted in production and sales of Rs 3,80,350 crores and employment of 3,40,116.
Under the PLI scheme, a significant proportion of beneficiaries are MSMEs, with 70 MSMEs directly enrolled and 40 others contributing as contract manufacturers for larger companies. This has strengthened SMEs by fostering innovation, improving competitiveness, expanding market access, generating employment opportunities, and supporting the broader value chain in the food processing industry.
Meanwhile, exports of Indian Man-made Fibre (MMF) Textiles have reached USD 6 Billion during FY 2024-25 as against exports of USD 5.7 Billion. during the FY 2023-24. The overall exports of Technical Textiles from India reached USD 3,356.5 million during FY 2024-25 as against exports of USD 2,986.6 million during FY 2023-24.
Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly pushing a 19-year-old girl off the roof of her house in Jyoti Nagar on June 23 after she denied marrying him.
According to the police, the accused has been identified as Taufeeq (26) who belongs to Tanda, District-Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
The incident occurred on June 23 at about 08:30 am when she went to wash clothes on the rooftop.
On reaching the spot, the police team found that the injured girl had been taken to GTB hospital for treatment by her father where she succumbed to injuries later.
The police said that a case has been registered under section u/s 109(1)/351(2) BNS at Jyoti Nagar police station.
“On the basis of collected clues and evidence, the accused was identified. Multiple teams of Gokulpuri subdivision and operations unit of NE District were deployed along with the team of PS Jyoti Nagar to arrest the accused. Further, section 103 of the BNS was also added, as the girl succumbed to her injuries during treatment,” the police said in a statement.
According to media reports, the accused had been harassing the girl for a few months and forcing her to marry him.
The victim knew Taufeef for a few years and considered him her brother as he told everyone that he had no sister.
Victim who has been identified as Neha, used to tie rakhi on Taufeeq’s hand who over the years grew closer to Neha’s family.
However, when the family discovered that he already had a sister and he was lying, Neha stopped talking to him which led him to stalk Neha which ended fatally for the victim.
