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Phil Craig tracks Allied powers' duplicitous endgame in Asian colonies
Operation Semut typified the Allied betrayal of Atlantic Charter ideals. It's a pity Mr Craig overlooks similar betrayals of the Nagas and others who served the British in the India-Burma theatre
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1945: The Reckoning: War, Empire and the Struggle for a New World
by Phil Craig
Published by Hachette
380 pages ₹899
Recent popular histories of World War II have focused on the war in Asia, where the post-war political trajectories of former colonial empires have been no less consequential than those in Europe. Those campaigns are an uncomfortable reminder that, whatever the evils of Nazi Germany, World War II was essentially a colonial contest, and the empires relied heavily on colonial troops to fight their good fight.
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
127-year-old Havelock Bridge in Andhra to be revamped
The 127-year-old Havelock Bridge, one of the oldest railway bridges in India, built on Godavari river at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district, will be restored and repurposed into a world-class heritage, cultural, and entertainment zone, according to an official statement. The Havelock Bridge (right) was decommissioned in 1997 after the Godavari Arch Bridge was built next to it. (HT photo) The initiative will be undertaken with an estimated budget of ₹ 94.44 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme for 2024–25, funded by the Central government, tourism and cinematography minister Kandula Durgesh announced on Monday. He said the project is being taken up as part of the Akhanda Godavari tourism project, for which Union minister for tourism and culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat would lay the foundation stone on Thursday. Deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan and Rajamahendravaram MP Daggubati Purandeswari would also take part in the programme, he said. The construction of the Havelock Bridge commenced on November 11, 1897 and opened for traffic on 30 August 1900. The bridge was named after Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock, the then-British governor of Madras Presidency. As per the details mentioned on the plaque installed at the bridge, the construction was taken up by then engineering-in-chief Frederick Thomas Granville Walton, assisted by executive engineers RA Delanougerede, FD Couchman and JE Eaglesome. The Havelock Bridge was constructed with stone masonry and steel girders. It has 56 spans each of 45.7 metres and is 3,480 metres long. The rail bridge, which served as a critical railway bridge across the Godavari river, lies on the busy Howrah-Chennai line. Having served its full life span of 100 years, it was decommissioned in 1997, after the present Godavari Arch Bridge was built on the river adjacent to it, which is now being used to host civic water supply pipelines. According to the tourism minister, out of these 56 spans, 25 spans will be revamped and themed individually. 'Each span will be developed with a unique experiential theme to reflect the cultural, historical, and modern identity of Andhra Pradesh and Rajamahendravaram,' he said. The proposed themes include history of Rajamahendravaram, history of Andhra Pradesh, artificial waterfalls, glass skywalks, gaming zones, space-themed installations, urban handicraft bazaar, hanging gardens, hologram zoo, time travel experience, rail museum and aquarium tunnel. 'In order to support the themed zones, as many as 10 buffer zones will be set up with essential tourist amenities, rest areas, and navigation points. This development aims to convert the non-functional bridge, which was earlier proposed to be demolished by Indian Railways, into a vibrant public space,' he said. He said the decision to revive bridge was taken keeping in view the sentiments of the people of the twin Godavari districts, who view the bridge as a symbol of their cultural heritage. 'The restoration will be carried out in compliance with strict safety standards, ensuring it is structurally safe for visitors. Environmental measures will also be implemented under the National River Conservation Programme, to ensure eco-friendly tourism development around the Godavari riverfront,' Durgesh said. He added that the project is expected to become a major crowd-puller, generating employment, encouraging local artisans, and boosting the regional economy. He said as part of the Akhanda Godavari tourism project, various other projects would be taken up keeping in view the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu (a once-in-12 years religious event on the lines of Kumbh Mela), aiming to make the area accessible to tourists. Tenders have already been finalized for the beautification of Pushkar Ghat, adjacent to the Havelock Bridge. The bridge and Pushkar Ghat will be interconnected to develop it as a dynamic tourist destination.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
From rare earths to trade tariffs: Tata Motors maps strategy to mitigate geopolitical headwinds
New Delhi: Following China's restrictions on rare earth magnet exports, auto major Tata Motors said it is working with the government and is also taking steps to procure magnets from alternate sources. These elements are critical to the production of ICE as well as electric vehicle (EV) components. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Group CFO PB Balaji said there is no immediate concern. 'No panic buttons are being pressed at this stage,' he said. Commenting on the broader geopolitical risks , including the Israel-Iran conflict, he noted that the semiconductor crisis of 2022–23 served as a critical stress test for the automotive ecosystem, which led companies to internalise key lessons and significantly strengthen their supply chain resilience. The automaker stated that it will 'not change any of the product launch plans' at this stage. However, it added that if the situation worsens significantly, a reassessment may be necessary. The company recently launched the Harrier EV, with dispatches scheduled to begin next month, and confirmed that the Sierra EV rollout remains on track. Shailesh Chandra, MD at Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, added that the company is 'comfortable from a stock perspective for the next few months.' However, he acknowledged the strategic need to diversify sourcing in the medium to long term. 'We have identified seven high-impact rare earth elements out of 17 that are most critical to our components. We are closely tracking how to reduce the constitution or mix of these into the components in which it gets into,' Chandra said. He added that while short-term dependency will continue, there are clear pathways to significantly reduce and eventually eliminate this dependence over the long term. Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said the government is likely to decide on a subsidy scheme for domestic production of rare earth magnets within 15–20 days. While actual production is expected to take about two years, interim sourcing alternatives including Japan and Vietnam are being explored. Tariff impact on JLR Tata Motors anticipates a tariff-related impact on its British subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), with EBITDA expected to decline to the 5–7 per cent range, down from its earlier 10 per cent EBIT trajectory. Further, he acknowledged that exports from the company's Slovakia plant to the US remain subject to tariffs, resulting in a cost impact. To mitigate this, the company is rolling out a "cost-out programme over the next 12–18 months." Meanwhile, Balaji confirmed that JLR will commence completely knocked down (CKD) operations at its Ranipet, Tamil Nadu plant in India by early 2026, gradually transitioning from its current Pune base. JLR plans to invest ₹9,000 crore in Ranipet plant over five years, as part of a broader strategy to expand its presence and manufacturing capabilities in the country. He noted that the proposed UK-India trade agreement could ease market entry for future models without requiring CKD scale initially. Hybrids on the cards? When asked about plans to introduce hybrid models by 2030, Chandra said that while the company currently categorises hybrids under the petrol segment, it remains open to the technology. 'If competitiveness requires us to introduce hybrids in certain segments, we will do so– not just for emission compliance, but also for performance-driven reasons,' he noted. However, reiterating its stance on incentivising hybrid vehicles, Tata Motors stated that the company does not view them as a long-term solution deserving of government incentives. 'We are absolutely fine supplying hybrids if that's what the customer wants. But our concern lies with incentivising hybrids. These are not destination technologies, they are transitional, meant to be used for managing CAFE norms by others,' Balaji said. According to him, hybrids are essentially enhanced ICE powertrains, and if they are to be incentivised, then CNG should logically receive similar support. Tata Motors' internal powertrain forecast in the near-term projects 30 per cent of volumes from EVs, 27 per cent from CNG, and around 6–10 per cent from diesel, with the remaining share comprising petrol including hybrids. It may be noted that the automaker's Avinya brand for EVs, which was initially aimed to launch within two and a half years from mid-2022, has been deferred to late 2026 due to 'feasibility challenges in certain subsystems', which required architectural revisions and prolonged engineering cycles. Demerger completion targeted by year-end Tata Motors' proposed demerger process is progressing smoothly, with July 1 this year set as the 'appointed date' for accounting purposes and October 1 as the 'effective date' when the commercial vehicle (CV) and passenger vehicle (PV) businesses begin operating as separate entities. Balaji noted that while the shareholder approval has already been secured, the company is now filing with the NCLT, after which it expects to receive inputs from the ROC and other regulators before final approval. Once the NCLT ruling is received, the company will proceed to operationalise the demerger. Post the demerger, the existing listed entity will become the PV business. The spun-out CV entity, which is set to be renamed Tata Motors, will be listed separately within 45–60 days of the effective date. Tata Motors anticipates the full process, including listing of both entities, to be completed by November–December 2025 period.


News18
2 hours ago
- News18
UK To Purchase Fighter Jets Capable Of Carrying Tactical Nuclear Weapons
Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for battlefield use, as opposed to strategic weapons designed to be fired across vast distances. The British government said on Tuesday that it would purchase a dozen F-35A fighter jets capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons in what it described as the biggest expansion of its nuclear deterrent in a generation. The purchase of the Lockheed Martin jets would allow Britain's air force to carry nuclear weapons for the first time since the end of the Cold War, Downing Street said. 'In an era of radical uncertainty we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my government is investing in our national security," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement. Britain is increasing defence spending and upgrading its military forces, including its submarine fleet, as it faces increasing hostility from Russia and as the United States retrenches from its traditional role as a defender of European security. The British government said the purchase of the jets would allow it to contribute so-called dual-capable aircraft to NATO to carry nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said 'this is yet another robust British contribution to NATO". Britain's nuclear deterrent currently rests solely on the Trident submarine-based system, which misfired during a test last year, the second successive test failure after one veered off course in 2016. The last time Britain possessed an independent air-launched nuclear capability was in 1998 when the WE-177 free fall bomb was withdrawn from service, according to Britain's parliament. The F-35A fighter jets are capable of carrying U.S. B61 tactical nuclear weapons. Britain would likely need the United States to supply those weapons for use on the planes, said one British official who declined to be named. The United States withdrew its last nuclear weapons from Britain in 2008, in a sign at that time that the threat of conflict following the end of the Cold War was receding. Downing Street said buying the new jets would support about 20,000 jobs in Britain and underline its commitment to NATO. The government has pledged to boost overall defence and security spending to 5% of economic output by 2035 to meet a NATO target and said on Tuesday it must 'actively prepare" for war at home for the first time in years. First Published: June 25, 2025, 08:05 IST