Daily Briefing: Brief pause on US-India trade negotiations
In a first in India, a decommissioned Indian Navy warship, INS Guldar, will soon be sunk, deliberately, where it will be transformed into an artificial reef, and would act as an underwater tourist attraction. Located in Maharashtra's coastal Sindhuburg district, the underwater museum-cum- artificial reef will witness at least 71,000 tourists visiting the site in its first year. If successful, this would become India's first operational submarine tourism experience. My colleague Sonal Gupta, in our latest Express Specials, dives deeper into the process of scuttling, and explains how an artificial reef is created.
With that, let's move on the top 5 stories from today's edition:
🚨 Big Story
Uncertainty: Negotiations between India and the US for a trade agreement have hit a pause, just two days after US President Donald Trump escalated tensions between the two countries by doubling tariffs on India to 50 per cent, the highest globally. Moreover, the arrival of the US trade team is uncertain, given absence of any communication from the US side. The halt comes after New Delhi decided to dig in its heels over market access in the agricultural sector, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring that he 'personally will have to pay a very heavy price', but he was 'ready for it'.
Modi-Putin talks: Amid strained ties with the US, PM Modi held a conversation with President Vladimir Putin over phone on Friday to discuss 'the latest developments on Ukraine' and 'reaffirm' their 'commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'. This call comes three days after Russia criticised Trump's tariff action and backed India's right to choose its trading partners. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has issued a statement indicating a likely meeting between Putin and Trump next week over the war in Ukraine.
HPCL clears the air: Amid US' criticism of India's import of Russian crude oil, Public sector refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) chairman Vikas Kaushal said that the company has cut down on processing Russian oil as it has lost much of its price advantage over competing crude grades. He, however, clarified that the move is not because of geopolitical considerations or any signal from the government. In the absence of a directive from the government, the refiner is free to look for alternatives if it were to completely stop buying Russian crude in the future due to any sanctions-related reason, Kaushal said.
⚡ Only in Express
From meetings at the Yorkshire Cricket Club, a roller-coaster series for Rishabh Pant, Ben Duckett's knock that helped England win, a missing cat, Shubman Gill's 269, India's victory at the Test, ritual days at Lord's, the Gujarat Express restaurant shop, Curator vs Gambhir, to Mohammad Siraj winning hearts, India's tour of England has been all joy, and little emo. In his latest Sports column, Sandeep Dwivedi takes us through the days of Indian cricketers' time in England during an enthralling series, highlighting how they kept the 'thrill' going despite all odds.
💡 Express Explained
Over the past few weeks, Mumbai civic authorities have cracked down on the feeding of pigeons in public places in the city, acting on directives issued by the state government and the Bombay High Court. Public opinion has remained divided between those who have welcomed the action, citing health concerns linked with the birds, and critics including animal rights activists and members of the Jain community, for whom the feeding of pigeons holds religious significance. Why is the feeding of pigeons significant? Where does the matter stand now? We explain.
✍️ Express Opinion
In our Opinion section today, Pulapre Balakrishnan highlights the need for India to assert its sovereignty in times of escalating trade tensions with the United States. He writes: 'Despite the naivete he has displayed in his dealings with Trump, Prime Minister Modi is not responsible for his perfidy. In dealing with the national emergency that we now face, he needs to be supported politically. Every section of India depends on oil, almost all of which is imported. It is indisputably in India's interest to assure its supply even as we reduce our dependence on it.'
🍿 Movie Review
Wondering what to watch this weekend? We've got you covered! Debutant Director Eva Victor's comedy-drama 'Sorry, Baby' has hit the screens, bringing you a story of assault, pain, loneliness and angst, told with a dash of humour and humanity. Calling it 'bitingly real,' Shubhra Gupta, in her review, writes: 'What is remarkable about Victor's Sundance breakout, a taut 104 minutes, is the way it refuses to position Agnes as a classic victim, even though there's enough reason for it… we see how Victor refuses to box in her character, showing Agnes's leaning into her assaulter's circle of charm – you can see a mutual attraction spark at an admiring glance or text– as something completely natural.'
That's all for today. Have a lovely weekend!
Until next time,
Ariba
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