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The hub of the matter: Airport competitiveness to shape air treaties
The subtext here is that the Indian airline industry is looking to expand international connectivity substantially
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The recent disagreement between Emirates President Tim Clark and IndiGo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pieter Elbers over bilateral air-service agreements reflects the emerging competitive paradigms between West Asia's state-owned airlines and India's private sector-driven industry. At the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association, Mr Clark, who heads West Asia's largest airline, had criticised the Indian government for its 'restrictive' policies towards bilateral seat agreements with foreign airlines. He had sought increasing seat capacity between India and Dubai from the current 65,000 per week to 140,000. The Indian government has contended that it needs to counter the unfair
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NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
10 BRICS Nations Condemn Pahalgam Attack, Back 'Zero Tolerance' On Terror
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
BJP slams Rahul Gandhi, calls him Pakistan's spokesperson
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India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Peacemaker Or Patron Of Peril? Pakistan's Hollow Gratitude To Saudi Arabia Over India ‘Ceasefire' Reeks of Hypocrisy
New Delhi: In a political theatre draped in hypocrisy and delusion, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's June 6 Eid pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia has revealed more than diplomatic pleasantries, it has exposed Islamabad's deeply flawed obsession with projecting itself as a peace-seeking nation, while covertly fuelling terror and instability across South Asia. While Indian security forces continue to grapple with Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism, the latest being the April 22 deadly Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, Sharif had the gall to thank Saudi Arabia for mediating 'peace' between India and Pakistan. Yes, the same Pakistan whose soil has birthed masterminds like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar now pretends to be a sobered neighbour seeking dialogue. Shehbaz's post-Eid rendezvous with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became a diplomatic masquerade. Pakistan's PM went as far as commending Riyadh's 'positive and constructive' role in de-escalating recent Indo-Pak tensions. But let us not forget: there was no ceasefire agreement because India needed mediation. It was a tactical decision from New Delhi, calibrated, controlled and backed by military superiority. India, unlike Pakistan, does not run to foreign patrons for a bailout every time tensions flare. It responds with surgical strikes, diplomatic isolations, or, most recently, tough measures like suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, choking Pakistan's already struggling agrarian economy. Islamabad calling it 'Indian aggression' is laughable. The real aggression has always flowed from Rawalpindi's GHQ, not Raisina Hill. Pakistan's Saudi Paradox It is ironic and almost insulting that Pakistan speaks of 'responsible restraint' while praising Saudi Arabia for 'peacemaking', even as ISI-trained militants infiltrate Indian borders. This charade seems more like Islamabad seeking validation for a narrative that has lost global credibility. India has made it clear – terror and talks cannot go together. When New Delhi responds, it does so with clarity, whether it is by revoking Article 370, neutralising terrorists with pinpoint military operations or weaponising diplomacy at global forums like the FATF, where Pakistan continues to oscillate on grey lists. Pakistan's efforts to internationalise every skirmish with India, now disguised under the veil of 'Saudi mediation', are nothing but attempts to cover up its diplomatic failures and domestic chaos. The recent Eid-ul-Adha trip, painted as a triumph, only further illustrated Pakistan's dependence on external crutches to remain relevant on the global stage. Meanwhile, India continues to handle its security and diplomacy with maturity. It does not need foreign intervention to speak for it. India's stance is firm: if Pakistan wants peace, it must first stop exporting terror. Can Saudi Arabia Play a Real Strategic Role? The honest answer is yes, but only if it chooses substance over symbolism. Riyadh holds leverage over Islamabad, not just diplomatically but economically, given the billions in aid and loans Saudi Arabia has extended to keep Pakistan afloat. If the Kingdom truly wishes to play a constructive role in South Asia, it should use that leverage to demand accountability from Pakistan's military and intelligence networks that perpetuate terrorism. It should push for genuine de-radicalisation, not lavish state banquets while terror training camps operate across the LOC. The Kingdom's credibility as a regional power hinges not on polite diplomacy, but on tough conversations behind closed doors. Enough of This Farce India sees the visit a bizarre gratitude Pakistan extended to Saudi Arabia over a supposed 'ceasefire' with New Delhi. There was no such peace deal, just India deciding when and how to engage. After all, why would the world's most populated democracy entertain a dialogue with a rogue state where democracy itself is a puppet of the military? Sharif may find joy in royal luncheons and chauffeured rides by the Saudi Crown Prince. But no amount of hospitality or photo-ops can erase Pakistan's record as the fountainhead of terrorism in South Asia. India does not need a peace certificate from a state that harbours fugitives and celebrates terrorists as martyrs. And if Saudi Arabia truly wants to play peacemaker, it should first urge Pakistan to dismantle its terror infrastructure. Until then, these symbolic gestures and orchestrated hugs in palaces will remain what they truly are – diplomatic illusions in a house of cards.
