Sunday, December 28, 2025

Nations that openly support terrorism continue to be rewarded, says PM Modi

By
Tehelka Bureau
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Calls for ‘strict action against countries who support and promote terrorism’

Reaffirming India’s stand against terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged leaders of the G7 to galvanise global action against terrorism, underscoring the need for strict action against those who “promote and support” it. “On the one hand, we are quick to impose various sanctions based on our own preferences and interests. On the other hand, nations that openly support terrorism continue to be rewarded. I have some serious questions for those present in this room,” PM Modi said at G7 Outreach Session in Canada

Calling on G7 leaders to take strong global action, PM Modi said countries that support terrorism must face consequences. “For global peace and prosperity, our thought and policy must be clear – if any country supports terrorism, it will have to pay the price for it,” he said.

“The terrorist attack that took place on April 22 was not just an assault on Pahalgam, but a direct attack on the soul, identity, and dignity of every Indian. It was an assault on all humanity,” he said

Calling terrorism is the enemy of humanity, PM Modi said, unity in the fight against terrorism is imperative. “Unfortunately, our own neighborhood has become a breeding ground for terrorism. For the sake of global peace and prosperity, our thinking and our policies must be extremely clear – any country that supports terrorism must be held accountable and made to pay the price.

“Are we truly serious about addressing terrorism? Will we understand the true meaning of terrorism only when it knocks on our own doors? Can those who spread terror and those who suffer from it be weighed on the same scale? Are our global institutions at risk of losing their credibility?

“If we don’t take decisive action today against this terrorism that stands against humanity, history will never forgive us. Turning a blind eye towards terrorism for the sake of vested interests, or extending support to terror or terrorists, is a betrayal of all humanity,” he said

Earlier, the Prime Minister said he held “productive” exchanges with G7 leaders on key global challenges and shared aspirations for a better planet.

Bali volcano erupts, sends 10-km high ash, several flights cancelled 

By
Vibha Sharma
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Flights of several airlines, including Air India, were cancelled on Wednesday after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia erupted, sending an ash column of as high as 10 km, according to local reports.

The volcanic eruption forced Air India to divert mid-way the Delhi-Bali flight back to Delhi.

“Due to volcano activity of Lewatobi Laki-Laki in East Nusa Tenggara, several flights at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport are cancelled,” airport operator Angkasa Pura Indonesia was quoted as saying.

The eruption occurred on Tuesday on the eastern island of Flores, where the 1,584-metre (5,197-foot) volcano erupted, sending a towering column of ash into the sky, resulting in the authorities raising the alert to the highest level and expanding the exclusion zone.

The ongoing eruption in the volcano since December 23, 2023, has displaced thousands of people so far, as per local reports

Lewotobi is a twin volcano located in the southeastern part of the island of Flores, Indonesia. It has two peaks—Lewotobi Laki-laki (Male Lewotobi) and Lewotobi Perempuan (Female Lewotobi) stratovolcanoes. The more active Lewotobi Laki-laki is about 2.1 km (1.3 mi) northwest of the taller Lewotobi Perempuan.

This is not the first time a volcano eruption sent airlines into a tizzy

The 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland caused widespread disruption to air travel, with over 100,000 flights cancelled across Europe due to concerns about volcanic ash affecting aircraft engines. The eight-day airspace closures/restrictions, left millions of passengers stranded, incurring loss worth around $1.7 billion to the airline industry.  

According to USGS, there are about 1,350 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, apart from the continuous belts of volcanoes on the ocean floor at spreading centers like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. About 500 of those 1,350 volcanoes have erupted in historical time. Many of those are located along the Pacific Rim in what is known as the “Ring of Fire”.

Just fresh paint on existing dispensaries: Congress on Ayushman Arogya Mandirs

By
Priyanka Tanwer
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Photo: Naveen Bansal

Soon after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated health facilities, Delhi Congress alleged that BJP has only applied fresh coat of paints on existing dispensaries to pass them off as modern ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs’.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav said that these dispensaries with all the health facilities were established by the Congress government.

“CM Rekha Gupta had announced the opening of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs with pomp and show, but according to health department data, out of the 33 new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, 29 were already functioning as primary health centres and four as sub-centers. The BJP Government has turned the health facilities from ICUs to ventilators in the past 100 days,” he said.

Yadav said that the BJP Government has merely repaired and painted these existing dispensaries to rename as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to mislead the public.

He said that an old clinic in Tis Hazari was presented as the first “Ayushman Arogya Mandir,” even though there is neither sufficient staff nor medicines, pharmacists, yoga trainers and data entry operators in the ‘Mandir’, as the Rekha Gupta Government was also playing fraud on the poor people like the Kejriwal government had done by setting up some “Mohalla Clinics” to loot the people in the name of conducting over 200 tests in such clinics.

He said that the Rekha Gupta government’s move to run the Arogya Mandirs with just four employees as a model health center was an attempt to play with the health of the common people who cannot afford to go for treatment in private hospitals.

“With a budget of only Rs 56.31 crore received from the National Health Mission, there is severe financial constraint for the appointment of staff, who  include only 98 medical officers, 123 staff nurses, 33 lady health visitors, and 33 public health managers, thus making effective operation of the 123 Arogya Mandirs impossible,” he said.  

He further stated that the total budget provision for the Ayushman Arogya Mandir was  just Rs 320 crore, but so far only Rs. 56.31 crore have been sanctioned, indicating that both the government’s intentions and plans are questionable.

Yadav stated that the government claims it will also provide services such as cancer screening, immunization, and family planning, but there is neither extra funding nor necessary infrastructure for this. Each center is only allocated 1,000 rupees per month — that is, just 250 rupees per week — for wellness sessions, which will merely become a tokenistic scheme.

He said that the BJP government should focus on strengthening primary health services rather than changing names and engaging in false promises. “The Congress party strongly opposes this kind of deceptive and superficial politics and will continue to inform Delhi’s people of the truth,” he added. 

PM Modi-Trump call—BJP, Congress trade blows

By
Vibha Sharma
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Opposition Congress today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call an all-party meeting to take opposition parties in confidence on India’s stance on US President Donald Trump’s mediation claim in the India-Pakistan ceasefire. “For 37 days, the PM did not say anything,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s briefing on PM Modi’s telephonic conversation with Trump.

“Today, we are told that he had a 35-minute call with President Trump, and there is a readout of what the Prime Minister is supposed to have said to Mr Trump. President Trump has also put out a statement from the White House; there is a difference between the two statements,” Ramesh said.

Ramesh later retracted the part about a statement by White House, saying “I never claimed to be non-biological. An inadvertent error was made and immediately rectified,” reiterating that PM Modi needs to call an all-party meeting to take opposition parties into confidence. But by then BJP’s Amit Malviya had already put out his statement calling “Ramesh a congenital liar — much like Rahul Gandhi” asking Congress to “stop maligning India’s firm and principled foreign policy just to feed its petty narratives”

“He Ramesh) is now peddling yet another falsehood, claiming that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s statement doesn’t match the US readout — while dramatically waving his phone around

“But here is the catch: the readout he is citing is from January 2025! And there is no official U.S. release yet on the latest call.

“The Congress and its troll army simply can’t digest the fact that Prime Minister Modi told President Trump in clear terms — India neither needs nor accepts any third-party mediation.

The de-escalation with Pakistan happened through DGMOs, and at Pakistan’s own request.

“Under Congress, India was seen as a weak, third-world country. Today, India is a rising power — a bright star in the global order. No amount of lies can dim that truth,” Malviya wrote on X

According to Misri, PM Modi told Trump that India never asked for and will never accept any third-party mediation to resolve the issue of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir.  In his 35-minute phone call with Trump, PM Modi also made it clear that India’s counter-terrorism operation, Operation Sindoor, is ongoing, he said.

PM Modi dials Trump, dismisses any US mediation in India-Pakistan ceasefire

By
Vibha Sharma
-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unequivocally told US President Donald Trump that India never asked for and will never accept any third-party mediation to resolve the issue of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir. 

In his 35-minute phone call with Trump, PM Modi also made it clear that India’s counter-terrorism operation, Operation Sindoor, is ongoing.

Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for negotiating the Operation Sindoor ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which India has dismissed.

Briefing media persons, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that since Trump had to leave the G7 Summit in Canada early, the two leaders had a telephonic conversation during which the US President asked PM Modi details about Operation Sindoor.

The PM told Mr Trump India’s response was measured and targeted only terrorist camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir. The PM also underlined India’s position on third-party mediation, that it is neither wanted nor needed, and that this has always been the case. He also firmly conveyed that India would not pursue any trade deals while engaged in counter-terrorism efforts, according to Misri.

“PM Modi made it clear to President Trump that India would not engage in any trade negotiations amid ongoing terrorist threats, and that India’s fight against terrorism would continue,” Misri said.

“President Trump and PM Modi spoke for about 35 minutes today. During the conversation, PM Modi told President Trump that India would respond to Pakistan’s bullets with shells. He emphasised that Operation Sindoor is still underway,” he added.

Speaking at the G7 outreach session in Canada, PM Modi called for a unified global stand against terrorism and warned against applying double standards in dealing with such threats. 

Referring to the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir, PM Modi described it as a grave assault on India and  humanity.

Trump-Munir lunch: Congress says Indian diplomacy “shattered”

By
Vibha Sharma
-

Opposition Congress called a scheduled lunch meeting between US Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief General Syed Asim Munir in Washington on Wednesday a”triple jhatka to Howdy Modi by Namaste Trump” 

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also termed the meeting a blow to Indian diplomacy. “This is triple jhatka to Howdy Modi  by Namaste Trump! Indian diplomacy is being shattered and the PM is totally silent.  And tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of his (in)famous clean chit to China,” he wrote on X

Trump is scheduled to meet the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff over lunch on Wednesday. A White House itinerary shows his lunch meeting with Munir, as per reports.

“Field Marshall Asim Munir, the man whose inflammatory, incendiary and provocative remarks were linked directly to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks, is having lunch today with President Trump in the White House. Is this why President Trump abandoned the G7 Summit a day early denying Mr. Narendra Modi a huge hug,” Ramesh wondered.

Gen. Michael Kurilla, the US Central Command Chief calls Pakistan a ‘phenomenal’ partner in counter-terrorism operations, he wrote.

“President Trump himself has trumpeted 14 times that he brought about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan meaning he ended Operation Sindoor,” he added.

The Congress criticism came on a day PM Modi told Trump that India never asked for and will never accept any third-party mediation to resolve the issue of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir.  In his 35-minute phone call with Trump, PM Modi also made it clear that India’s counter-terrorism operation, Operation Sindoor, is ongoing.

India-Canada thaw: Two countries to designate new high commissioners, return to regular services to citizens & businesses

By
Vibha Sharma
-

PM Modi holds bilateral meetings with world leaders

Marking a return to normalcy in relationship, India and Canada on Wednesday agreed to designate new high commissioners in their capitals to return to regular services to citizens and businesses.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with his global counterparts, including Canada’s Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, on various issues, including trade, investment, counter-terrorism and global challenges.

According to a Ministry of External Affairs statement, PM Modi and PM Carney underscored the importance of restarting senior ministerial as well as working-level engagements across various domains to rebuild trust and bring momentum to the relationship. Underlining the deep people-to-people connections between the two countries, they agreed to leverage this living bridge to the benefit of both countries. 

This was the first in-person interaction between the two leaders since Carney assumed office following Canada’s recent general elections. 

The relations between the two nations went south following  Canada’s allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar which New Delhi rejected as “absurd” and “motivated”. The G7 meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to hold frank and forward-looking discussions on the state of India-Canada relations and the way ahead, according to the MEA.

“The leaders reaffirmed the importance of India-Canada ties, based on shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law. and commitment to upholding the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

“They underlined the need to pursue a constructive and balanced partnership grounded in mutual respect for concerns and sensitivities, strong people-to-people ties, and growing economic complementarities. In this regard, both sides agreed to take calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability in the relationship, beginning with the early return of High Commissioners to each other’s capitals,” it added

The leaders also discussed opportunities for future collaboration in areas such as clean energy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, LNG, food security, critical minerals, higher education, mobility, and supply chain resilience.

They reaffirmed their shared interest in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

They also discussed the importance of restarting the stalled negotiations on the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), with a view to paving the way for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and agreed to task their respective officials to engage further in this regard.

Both leaders acknowledged the important progress made at the G7 Summit and the shared willingness to work constructively together on global priorities such as climate action, inclusive growth, and sustainable development, the MEA stated.

Union Home Secretary reviews security for Amarnath Yatra in Srinagar

By
Tehelka Bureau
-

Srinagar: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan visited Srinagar on Tuesday to assess the security arrangements for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3 and continue for 52 days.

Mohan chaired a high-level security review meeting at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC). The meeting was attended by J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava (GOC 15 Corps), ADG (CID) Nitish Kumar, and senior officials from Central Armed Police Forces and intelligence agencies.

The discussion focused on the overall security plan, including close coordination among the Army, CAPFs, and J&K Police. A multi-layered security grid has been put in place along the twin routes—Pahalgam and Baltal—as well as at base camps, transit camps, and for convoy movements from Jammu.

The annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine comes amid heightened security concerns following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Authorities have introduced several measures to ensure pilgrims’ safety, such as RFID tracking, real-time weather updates, medical facilities, and emergency evacuation plans.

Officials said all security and civil agencies are working in close coordination to ensure a smooth and secure Yatra this year.

Caste Census—Congress accuses govt of ‘reluctance’, ‘delay’, questions intention

By
Tehelka Bureau
-
Photo: Naveen Bansal

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Centre of delaying the caste census, saying its intention appears to be to “buy time, grab headlines and manage the narrative”. The objective cannot just be to collect data on an individual’s caste but to understand the living conditions of these families and create policies to substantially improve their livelihoods, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said.

He also expressed doubts about the government’s intentions, pointing that the  required funding for the census is Rs 10,000 crore whereas the government has allocated only Rs 574 crore.

“The demand for a caste census was led by the Congress party, particularly by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who has been raising this issue for several years,” Pilot said adding that the Narendra Modi government needs to explain many things, including “intentional delay” and allocation of “low budget” if it wants to execute a caste census with integrity like Telangana.

Pilot said Gandhi consistently pushed for a comprehensive caste census, raising the issue in Parliament and other forums. “Rahul Gandhi called it an ‘X-ray of the nation’ which was necessary to know the exact population of every caste, their geographic distribution, and the social, economic, and educational conditions they live in,” Pilot said.

Without credible caste data, policies aimed at uplifting marginalised communities remain half-baked, he said. “The Centre and states lack updated, specific data on caste groups. A caste census helps assess whether communities are benefiting from government schemes or not. It shows where we have succeeded and where we have failed,” he added.

But the BJP mocked the demand with PM Modi labelling those advocating for caste census as ‘urban Naxals’ in Parliament. “It was only after consistent public and political pressure that the government surprisingly accepted the demand but only on paper,” he added.

 “What’s more telling is the budget. Conducting a national census usually costs Rs 8,000–10,000 crore but the government has allocated just Rs 570 crore, what message does that send?” he asked.

Pointed to Telangana where an expert-led caste survey, backed by NGOs and academics, produced credible data outside government channels, he said this is how it should be done, professionally, transparently, and with the intent to use the data for justice. He also dismissed claims that caste census would deepen casteism. “That argument is baseless. It’s a tool for equity, not division,” he said, adding that the BJP had similarly delayed women’s reservation before eventually conceding.

India-France to hold joint military exercise SHAKTI  

By
Tehelka Bureau
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The Indian Army contingent departed today to participate in the eight edition of the biennial India-French Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI, underscoring the growing defence cooperation between India and France and strengthening strategic ties between the two friendly nations.

The exercise will be conducted at Camp Larzac, La Cavalerie, France, from June 18 to July 1.

The Indian contingent of 90 personnel is being represented primarily by a Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles besides personnel from other arms and services. The French contingent of 90 personnel will be represented by personnel from the 13th Foreign Legion Half- Brigade (13th DBLE), according to the Ministry of Defence.

“Exercise SHAKTI is a biennial training engagement between the Indian and French Armies, aimed at enhancing interoperability, operational coordination, and military to military connect. This edition will focus on joint operations in a sub-conventional environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, with training being conducted in semi-urban terrain,

“The exercise will provide a platform for both contingents to rehearse and refine tactical drills, share best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs), train on new generation equipment (contemporary military technologies) and strengthen physical endurance. It will also foster esprit-de-corps, mutual respect and professional camaraderie between the two armies,” it added.

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