
Need clarity on move to ‘delink' BrahMos Thiruvananthapuram unit: P. Rajeeve
Over the past few weeks, employees at the BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL), situated at Chakka in the State capital, have been concerned over a reported move to separate BATL from BAPL, of which it is a wholly-owned subsidiary. They have sought the urgent intervention of the Kerala government to discourage any move that adversely impacts the future of the unit and jobs.
Mr. Rajeeve said that despite this development, the expansion plans of BrahMos are going ahead in full steam. Discussions regarding the land required for expansion have already taken place, he said.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
35 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BRICS nations to denounce Trump tariffs
BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro from Sunday (July 6, 2025) are expected to decry Donald Trump's hardline trade policies but are struggling to bridge divides over crises roiling the Middle East. Emerging nations representing about half the world's population and 40% of global economic output are set to unite over what they see as unfair U.S. import tariffs, according to sources familiar with summit negotiations. Since coming to office in January, Mr. Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive tariffs. His latest salvo comes in the form of letters due to be sent starting Friday (July 4, 2025) informing trading partners of new tariff rates expected next week on July 9. Diplomats from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have been busy drafting a statement condemning the economic uncertainty. Any final summit declaration is not expected to mention the United States or its president by name. But it is expected to be a clear political shot directed at Washington. 'We're anticipating a summit with a cautious tone: it will be difficult to mention the United States by name in the final declaration,' Marta Fernandez, director of the BRICS Policy Center at Rio's Pontifical Catholic University said. This is particularly the case for China, which has only recently negotiated with the U.S. to lower steep tit-for-tat levies. 'This doesn't seem to be the right time to provoke further friction' between the world's two leading economies, Ms. Fernandez said. Xi no show Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to Western power. But the summit's political punch will be depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who is skipping the annual meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. 'I expect there will be speculation about the reasons for Mr. Xi's absence,' said Ryan Mr. Hass, a former China director at the U.S. National Security Council who is now with the Brookings Institution think tank. 'The simplest explanation may hold the most explanatory power. Mr. Xi recently hosted Mr. Lula in Beijing,' said Mr. Hass. The Chinese leader will not be the only notable absentee. War crime-indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin is also opting to stay away, but will participate via video link, according to the Kremlin. Mr. Hass said Mr. Putin's non-attendance and the fact that India's prime minister will be a guest of honour in Brazil could also be factors in Mr. Xi's absence. 'Mr. Xi does not want to appear upstaged by PM Modi,' who will receive a state lunch, he said. 'I expect Mr. Xi's decision to delegate attendance to Premier Li (Qiang) rests amidst these factors,' he added Still, the Mr. Xi no-show is a blow to host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who wants Brazil to play a bigger role on the world stage. In the year to November 2025, Brazil will have hosted a G20 summit, a BRICS summit, and COP30 international climate talks, all before heading into fiercely contested presidential elections next year, in which he is expected to run. Middle path Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose nation is still reeling from a 12-day conflict with Israel is also skipping the meeting. A source familiar with the negotiations said the BRICS countries were still in disagreement over how to respond to the wars in Gaza and between Iran and Israel. Iranian negotiators are pushing for a tougher collective stance that goes beyond referencing the need for the creation of a Palestinian state and for disputes to be resolved peacefully. Artificial intelligence and health will also be on the agenda at the summit. Original members of the bloc Brazil, Russia, India, and China have been joined by South Africa and, more recently, by Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia. Analysts say that it has given the grouping more potential international punch. But it has also opened many new fault lines. Brazil hopes that countries can take a common stand at the summit, including on the most sensitive issues. 'BRICS (countries), throughout their history, have managed to speak with one voice on major international issues, and there's no reason why that shouldn't be the case this time on the subject of the Middle East,' Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told AFP.


The Hindu
36 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Construction of ₹77-crore Chennai Corporation Council Hall delayed; facility to be ready in 2027
Construction of the Greater Chennai Corporation's (GCC) much-anticipated new Council Hall, which was initially planned to be ready before the 2026 State Assembly election, has now been delayed by a year. According to a GCC official, technical issues have pushed the timeline, and the facility is now expected to be completed only in 2027. In December 2022, Mayor R. Priya announced that the construction would take around 12 months to 15 months, with council meetings likely to begin in the new hall by 2026. However, the tender for the construction is now scheduled to be opened only on July 15, and with a project duration of 24 months from the start date, officials now estimate that the building will be ready in 2027. The project was announced by Minister for Municipal Administration and Water Supply K.N. Nehru in June 2024, as part of the Kalaignar Centenary Year celebrations. The city would undergo a delimitation process, and the council would be expanded to 300 councillors, the Minister had said. 'While the core expenditure for the overall project is an estimated ₹62.57 crore, the overall expenditure is ₹77 crore, considering the additional expenditure and maintenance expenses,' the GCC official said. Design ready 'A private architectural firm proposed the design for the new council hall that was reviewed and finalised three months ago. The new building will consist of four floors, covering a total area of over one lakh square feet. The ground floor will feature an entrance and foyer. The second floor will house offices of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Standing Committees, Ward Committees, the leader of the ruling party, among other party heads. Conference rooms for committee meetings will also be located on the second floor. Rooms designated for the GCC Council Department have also been accommodated. The third floor will be dedicated to the main hall, where council meetings and GCC budget sessions will take place,' he said. He added that the Indo-Saracenic style of the old building is also being incorporated in the new building design. 'The design is finalised, but work order has not been issued to contractors to begin construction. Only after the order is issued, the final design can be released,' he said. The official said the older structure, which will be demolished to raise the new Council Hall, had spaces for certain associations related to the Chennai Corporation, and a canteen for those agencies. These will be accommodated in the main building or other areas within the Ripon Buildings premises, he added.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Russia launches largest missile, drone barrage since war in Ukraine began
Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, officials said Friday, amid a renewed Russian push to capture more of its neighbour's land. Hours after the barrage that killed one person and wounded at least 26 others, including a child, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a very important and productive phone call with US President Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defences might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the US and Ukraine, and broader US-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenksyy. The US has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine's main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine's domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the call. The seven-hour bombardment of Kyiv caused severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught, authorities said. Blasts lit up the night sky and echoed across the city as air raid sirens wailed. The blue lights of emergency vehicles reflected off high-rise buildings, and debris blocked city streets. It was a harsh, sleepless night, Zelenskyy said. Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched what was then the largest aerial assault of the war. That strategy has coincided with a concerted Russian effort to break through parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, where Ukrainian troops are under severe pressure. Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine during the night, the country's air force said. The majority were Shahed drones, but Russia also launched 11 missiles in the attack. Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old Kyiv wedding photographer, said that her home was destroyed in the attack. We were all in the (basement) shelter because it was so loud, staying home would have been suicidal, she told The Associated Press. We went down 10 minutes before and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter, people were panicking. Five ambulances were damaged while responding to calls, officials said, and emergency services removed more than 300 tons of rubble. Trump, Zelenskyy talks In Friday's call, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump and the American people on Independence Day and thanked the United States for its continued support. They discussed a possible future meeting between their teams to explore ways of enhancing Ukraine's protection against air attacks, Zelenskyy said. He added that they talked in detail about defence industry capabilities and direct joint projects with the US, particularly in drone technology. They also exchanged views on mutual procurement, investment, and diplomatic cooperation with international partners, Zelenskyy said. Peace efforts have been fruitless so far. Recent direct peace talks have led only to sporadic exchanges of prisoners of war, wounded troops and the bodies of fallen soldiers. No date has been set for further negotiations. Ukrainian officials and the Russian Defense Ministry said another prisoner swap took place Friday, though neither side said how many soldiers were involved. Zelenskyy said most of the Ukrainians had been in Russian captivity since 2022. The Ukrainian soldiers were classified as wounded and seriously ill. 'I'm very disappointed' The attack on Kyiv began the same day a phone call took place between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Asked if he made any progress during his call with Putin on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, Trump said: No, I didn't make any progress with him today at all. I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin because I don't think he's there. I don't think he's looking to stop (the fighting), and that's too bad, Trump said. According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs adviser, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the root causes of the conflict. Russia will not back down from these goals, Ushakov told reporters after the call. Russia's army crossed the border on February 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify by falsely saying it was needed to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO. Zelenskyy has repeatedly called out Russian disinformation efforts. Constant buzzing of drones The Ukrainian response needs to be speedy as Russia escalates its aerial attacks. Russia launched 5,438 drones at Ukraine in June, a new monthly record, according to official data collated by The Associated Press. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said earlier this week that Russia also launched more than 330 missiles, including nearly 80 ballistic missiles, at Ukrainian towns and cities that month. Throughout the night, AP journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gun fire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault. Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on social media platform X. One of the worst so far. Ukraine's Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described families running into metro stations, basements, underground parking garages, mass destruction in the heart of our capital. What Kyiv endured last night, cannot be called anything but a deliberate act of terror, she wrote on X. Kyiv was the primary target of the countrywide attack. At least 14 people were hospitalized, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Zelenskyy called the Kyiv attack cynical. In Moscow, the Defense Ministry claimed its forces targeted factories producing drones and other military equipment in Kyiv. Russia strikes 5 Ukrainian regions Ukrainian air defences shot down 270 targets, including two cruise missiles. Another 208 targets were lost from radar and presumed jammed. Russia successfully hit eight locations with nine missiles and 63 drones. Debris from intercepted drones fell across at least 33 sites. In addition to the capital, the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions also sustained damage, Zelenskyy said. Emergency services reported damage in at least five of Kyiv's 10 districts. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)