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Centre opposes bringing down age of consent to 16, tells SC would 'open door to child abuse'

Centre opposes bringing down age of consent to 16, tells SC would 'open door to child abuse'

Deccan Herald6 days ago
"The age of consent under Indian law, fixed at 18 years, represents a carefully considered legislative choice aimed at creating a non-negotiable protective framework for children. This flows from the inherent protection provided to children envisaged under the Constitution," it said.
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Modi govt corrected wrongs of Nehru's policies by suspending Indus water treaty with Pakistan: EAM Jaishankar
Modi govt corrected wrongs of Nehru's policies by suspending Indus water treaty with Pakistan: EAM Jaishankar

Time of India

time30 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Modi govt corrected wrongs of Nehru's policies by suspending Indus water treaty with Pakistan: EAM Jaishankar

Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Modi government has corrected the wrongs of Nehru's policies by suspending the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, adding that blood and water cannot flow togetherIndia has faced cross-border terrorism since 1947, he said."The then PM is saying that let us do this treaty (The Indus Water treaty) because the Indian government should put the interest of the Pakistani Punjab. Not a word about the interest of the farmers of Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Himachal... He now says that because people are saying, we felt that in the circumstances, this is the right settlement. We purchased peace and it is good for both countries... 1960, he said that we purchased peace. We didn't purchase peace, we purchased appeasement because within one year, the same PM accepted that with Pakistan, there is no peace."Earlier, Jaishankar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Lok Sabha during a discussion on Operation Sindoor , outlining India's diplomatic efforts and taking sharp aim at the on India's approach in the aftermath of the attack, Jaishankar said the focus of Indian diplomacy was the United Nations Security Council."The focus for our diplomacy was the UN Security Council . The challenge for us was that at this particular point, Pakistan is a member of the Security Council and we (India) are not (at that time)..." he Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday confirmed that three terrorists who were involved in the killing of civilians were eliminated by the security forces during Operation said this as he began his address in Lok Sabha amid the ongoing debate on Operation Sindoor and informed that those who killed our citizens in the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack have been killed."In a joint Operation Mahadev, the Indian Army , CRPF, and J&K Police have neutralised three terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack," Shah said while addressing the lower house.

From Rajouri To Dachigam: Decoding Pakistani Module's Plan To Unleash Terror On Kashmir Valley
From Rajouri To Dachigam: Decoding Pakistani Module's Plan To Unleash Terror On Kashmir Valley

News18

time44 minutes ago

  • News18

From Rajouri To Dachigam: Decoding Pakistani Module's Plan To Unleash Terror On Kashmir Valley

Last Updated: The encounter in Dachigam on July 28, neutralised not only a terror cell but a comprehensive terror syndicate that utilised cross-border support and advanced encrypted technology. Are Pakistani terror groups reviving urban guerrilla warfare tactics in Jammu and Kashmir? In the past few months, Rajouri, Poonch, and the Kashmir Valley has witnessed several terror attacks. Top security sources have told CNN-News18 that these attacks on civilians and security forces were carried out by a group of terrorists, including five Pakistanis and one local operative named Junaid, who was trained abroad. The encounter in Dachigam on Monday, July 28, neutralised not only a terror cell but a comprehensive terror syndicate that utilised cross-border support and advanced encrypted technology. These six individuals, including Junaid, have been a significant problem in the Valley, causing major disruptions and insecurity over the past year. According to top intelligence sources, they are responsible for nearly 100 killings, including civilians and Army personnel. Key attacks in Pahalgam's Baisaran and Gulmarg's Bota Pathri over the last two years, as well as in Rajouri and Poonch, have been attributed to this group. CNN-News18 Decodes The Terror Module Top intelligence sources confirm that four hardcore Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives named Suleman, Musa, Yasir (all Pakistanis), and Junaid (a local Kashmiri) infiltrated into India in 2023 through Rajouri-Poonch. Junaid acted as the local handler, providing terrain knowledge, logistics, and shelter, while the others were seasoned Pakistani infiltrators. The group successfully established Lashkar's operational base in Rajouri and Poonch, opening a new front in proxy warfare. They executed a series of deadly, high-precision attacks, including the Dera Ki Gali ambush, inflicting heavy casualties on the Indian Army. These attacks were characterised by meticulous planning, encrypted communication, and insider knowledge, which led to significant losses among Indian elite forces. After conducting four major attacks, the group altered their strategy and moved undetected via Pir Ki Gali into the Kashmir Valley, using a route traditionally not monitored for infiltration. The group split into two modules: Suleman and Junaid moved towards Gagangir in October 2024, while Musa and Yasir headed to Bootpatri (Bota Pathri). On October 20 and 24, Musa and Yasir carried out twin attacks on Army positions in Bootpatri, while Suleman and Junaid struck in Gagangir, targeting and killing engineers in their first symbolic strike in the Valley. Both modules then regrouped in the Dachigam area, where they were joined by fresh infiltrators from Pakistan -Jibran and a senior Pakistani handler codenamed Afghan Bhai. Dachigam served as their new base, where they received logistics, regrouped, and remained hidden for months. Security agencies picked up digital signatures of Musa and Yasir from Bootpatri, which helped track the group. On December 3, 2024, Junaid was killed in an encounter in Harwan–Dachigam, marking a major intelligence breakthrough. Junaid's death provided Indian agencies with deep insights into Lashkar operations, hierarchy, and movement patterns. Suleman, who escaped the encounter, joined Afghan and Jibran, continuing operations from within Dachigam. In April 2025, following orders from Pakistani handlers, they moved via Tral to Pahalgam to execute a fresh attack. After the attack, the group retreated towards Hapatnar and finally returned to Dachigam, where they were ultimately eliminated in a decisive encounter. The module operated with its own encrypted communication network, bypassing traditional telecom surveillance. Security agencies report that Suleman and Junaid's partnership was strategic, combining foreign tactical expertise with deep local ground intelligence. The group's movement from Rajouri to the Valley marks a shift in Lashkar's playbook from border-centric attacks to deep-infiltration valley-based terrorism. Intelligence believes this module was part of a new Pakistani terror groups' plan to revive urban guerrilla warfare in Kashmir using hybrid militants and foreign commanders. Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : jammu and kashmir Pahalgam attack terrorism view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Ahead of Aug 1, Trump says India faces up to 25% tariff; but multiple question marks loom in the horizon
Ahead of Aug 1, Trump says India faces up to 25% tariff; but multiple question marks loom in the horizon

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

Ahead of Aug 1, Trump says India faces up to 25% tariff; but multiple question marks loom in the horizon

With just a day left for the August 1 deadline set by the Donald Trump administration to wrap up agreements with its trading partners, the American President threatened tariffs of up to 25 per cent on Indian imports if the elusive bilateral trade agreement between the two countries is not in place by that date. 'They are going to pay 25 per cent,' Trump said on Tuesday. When asked during a press interaction if India would pay tariffs of 20 per cent to 25 per cent, Trump said, 'Yeah, I think so. India has been – they're my friends.' US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had told CNBC on Monday that the trade agreement with India would need more discussion between the two countries. Trump had in April set the tariff on Indian goods imported into the US at 26 per cent on April 2, before pausing his so-called 'reciprocal' levies. Earlier, on Monday, Trump had said he is planning tariffs at 'somewhere in the 15-20 per cent range' for 'the rest of the world'. That would mean a significant increase on the 10 per cent 'baseline' tariff that applies to most trading partners now. India Deal Given how talks between Indian and American negotiators have proceeded, an interim deal still seems distant and is unlikely to be clinched before September, with October a possible outer deadline. Indications are a sixth round of talks between the two negotiating teams will take discussions forward in August. For New Delhi, a tariff of 25 per cent is bad news, but something that policy circles seem to have already factored in. This rate essentially means going back to the reciprocal tariff level, which was 26 per cent. The resolve from the Indian side would be to push the interim deal in the meantime, to ensure that Indian goods manage a discounted headline tariff, as has been wrangled by other countries that have struck a deal over the last couple of weeks. Trump's threat of steep tariffs on BRICS countries for buying Russian oil is also a looming concern and the big question is if the 10 per cent BRICS tariff threatened by Trump would be over and above this 26 per cent. Without the BRICS levy, India's 26 per cent will compare reasonably well with countries such as Indonesia (19 per cent) and Vietnam (20-40 per cent) that have wrapped up deals, and could have an advantage over the current levels of tariffs faced by China (30-34 per cent) and Bangladesh (35 per cent). The equation changes when the additional levies are factored in. Once the interim deal is clinched, if the final US headline tariff on India ends up between 10 per cent and 15 per cent, the tariff points offered to the UK and Japan, respectively, New Delhi would have reasons to be satisfied. The advantage starts to taper off once the tariff goes over 15 per cent and inches up closer to 20 per cent, as was offered to Vietnam. A trans-shipment clause, of the kind slapped on Vietnam which levies an additional 20 per cent tariff, could be a problem for India too, given that a lot of Indian exports have inputs and intermediate goods in sectors such as pharma, engineering goods and electronics coming in from outside, including China. Also, New Delhi will be closely looking for clarity on the final American duty offer on China, given its belief that Trump will maintain a tariff differential. US and Chinese officials wrapped up two days of discussions in Stockholm on Tuesday, with no breakthrough announced. After the talks, China's top trade negotiator Li Chenggang declared that the two sides agreed to push for an extension of a 90-day tariff truce struck in mid-May, without specifying when and for how long this extension kicks in. For Indian negotiators, extra tariffs on steel and aluminium, over and above the baseline, is an added complication, alongside the proposed BRICS tariff. Trump's insistence on zero duty access to the Indian markets, like in its deals with Vietnam and Indonesia, is also a problem for India. New Delhi is, however, willing to offer concessions on high-value purchases that the US is keen to package as part of its tariff-setting exercise, like the way it got the EU and Japan to sign up for a commitment on investments and purchases of American goods. India may be open to purchasing three big-ticket items from the US: defence equipment, natural gas imports and nuclear reactors. On specific sectors such as auto or consumer non-durables, India is likely to follow a quota system that progressively opens up market access over a span of multiple years, like it did in the UK deal signed last week. Exporters Struggle Meanwhile, as the uncertainty continues, India's exporters are struggling to navigate the way forward because buyers in the US are not clear as to what the final tariff will be, and are consequently holding back orders. The higher tariffs that the US has imposed on China means a number of Chinese manufacturers are now also rerouting shipments to Europe at throwaway prices, which is impacting India's exports to the EU as well. India, like other countries, had frontloaded shipments ahead of the reciprocal tariff deadline for the ongoing Spring-Summer season, but there is now a question mark over the orders for the Fall-Winter season from October to March. Once the official level discussions wrap up by mid-August, there is a sense that a final call on the deal could come down to a conversation between the two leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump. This is especially so since it is Trump who is the trade negotiator-in-chief. For India, the best-case scenario would be to get a deal of some sort now, and then build on that in the future negotiations that could run into 2026, experts said. Anil Sasi is National Business Editor with the Indian Express and writes on business and finance issues. He has worked with The Hindu Business Line and Business Standard and is an alumnus of Delhi University. ... Read More

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