CPI(M) calls for an all-party meeting headed by PM, special session of Parliament
The Communist Party of India(Marxist) [CPI(M)], which attended the all-party meeting called by the Centre on Thursday in the wake of 'Operation Sindoor', regretted the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the second consecutive time in the key all-party meeting. John Brittas, leader of the Party in the Rajya Sabha, who attended the meeting on behalf of the CPI(M), urged the government to call an all-party meeting with the participation of the Prime Minister and also a special session of Parliament.
In the context of the government reporting that the 'intended objectives of the Operation are achieved', Mr. Brittas pointed out that given the past experience, it is doubtful, if such military action will be able to target and eliminate terrorist groups. He emphasised that the government should continue pursuing diplomatic actions and build international pressure to bring the terrorists to book. It should also see that the situation does not escalate.
He urged the government to ensure the protection of the people in the border areas and also to provide all required assistance to those who are affected by the situation, He asked the government to place all the facts before the people and counter the spread of all kinds of misinformation. Mr. Brittas also stated that it is the duty of the government to curb the spread of hate, while underlining that terror has no religion. War against terrorism cannot be conducted without fighting the spread of hate.
He also lauded the people of Pahalgam and Kashmir for showing the path to the entire country by unitedly condemning terrorism with compassion, even after suffering from all its ill effects. He demanded that the government lead an all-party delegation to Kashmir at an appropriate time to stand by the people of Kashmir.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
30 minutes ago
- First Post
Can debt-ridden Pakistan afford to hike its defence budget?
Pakistan is expected to raise its defence budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The country's Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, confirmed the move over the weekend, citing tensions with India as the reason. This comes as Islamabad's total public debt has reached a staggering PKR 76 trillion (around $269 billion), as per its economic survey 2024-25. However, the country's defence spending remains dwarfed by India's read more Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) via Reuters Pakistan is increasing its defence budget amid recent tensions with India. The country's Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, said on the weekend that the government will hike its defence budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The move comes even as Pakistan remains debt-ridden and the country faces economic instability and high inflation. As Pakistan increases its defence budget, we take a look at how it compares with India's. Pakistan to raise defence budget Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal confirmed on Saturday (June 7) that the government will increase the defence budget. 'It is our national duty to provide the armed forces with whatever they need in this budget to bolster their capacity and defend our country in the future. It has been proven that we have a dangerous neighbour (India) who attacked us in the night, but we gave them a befitting response,' he was quoted as saying by Pakistan's Dawn. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iqbal said the country must 'remain ready to respond if they attack again'. The likely step comes amid Pakistan's economic woes. The country's economic survey 2024-25 revealed that Islamabad paid $7.8 billion in external debt service payments in the previous financial year. A boy plays with a soccer ball next to a smouldering pile of rubbish, ahead of the World Environment Day, in Karachi, Pakistan, June 4, 2025. Reuters The country is spending more than 1.9 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on debt service payments, according to the survey. Pakistan's total public debt has reached a staggering PKR 76 trillion (around $269 billion), almost double since 2020-21. Of this, Islamabad owes $87.4 billion to other countries and multilateral agencies. Pakistan has to pay China $15 billion – the largest amount among bilateral lenders. This is followed by Japan at $3 billion and France at over $1 billion. The Shehbaz Sharif government's decision to hike the military budget comes amid significant damage to Pakistani airbases and air defence systems in the strikes by India under Operation Sindoor in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan's military budget Pakistan will unveil its annual budget for the coming fiscal year today (June 10), reported to be a PKR 17.6 trillion budget. According to Reuters, analysts predict a rise of about 20 per cent in the country's defence budget. Pakistan had increased its defence budget by 16.4 per cent last year. Pakistan allocated PKR 2.1 trillion for defence in the FY 2024-25, including $2 billion for equipment and other assets. The country's military expenditure stood at $10.2 billion for 2024-25, data by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To counter India's technologically advanced forces, Islamabad has focused its defence spending on maintaining nuclear capabilities and expanding its missile systems. Pakistan has an edge over India only in mobile rocket systems, 600 over New Delhi's 264, as per an Economic Times (ET) report. India, Pak comparison India has a bigger military than Pakistan and notably higher defence spending. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, India set aside $78.7 billion for defence spending, a 9.5 per cent rise from the previous year. India's military spending for 2024-25 was at $86.1 billion, as per SIPRI data. This makes the country the fifth-largest military spender in the world. The world's most populated country's defence budget has grown in the past decade. In 2013, India's military spending was at $41 billion. This nearly doubled to $80 billion by 2024, as per data from Macrotrends. India is seeking to enhance its defence capabilities by expanding the domestic production of weapon systems to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. It has also enhanced its air power by making key purchases such as Rafale fighter jets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When it comes to manpower, India has 14.5 lakh active military personnel, as compared to its rival neighbour's 654,000. India boasts 730 combat-ready aircraft, while Pakistan has 452 military aircraft. India's military has 4,201 tanks and roughly 149,000 armoured vehicles, with Pakistan possessing only 2,627 tanks and 17,500 armoured units. India's naval power is also superior to Pakistan's. The Indian Navy operates 293 vessels, including two aircraft carriers, 18 submarines, and 13 destroyers. Pakistan, on the other hand, has 121 vessels but does not have aircraft carriers or destroyers. With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Jairam Ramesh slams PM Modi for ‘failing to protect dignity of India and Indians'
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government and accused it of "failing" to protect and safeguard the dignity of India and Indians abroad. This comes after a video of an Indian student handcuffed and pinned to the floor at an airport in the United States went viral on social media. The Congress MP Jairam Ramesh again criticised the Modi government after United States President Donald Trump announced the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. In a social media post on X, Jairam Ramesh wrote, 'The Modi government is continuously failing to protect the honour of India and Indians. For the first time in history, a foreign head of state announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in India's absence. US President Trump is constantly claiming to enforce a ceasefire by pressuring India. For the past year, Indian citizens and students living in America have been repeatedly mistreated, but Prime Minister Modi is maintaining silence, or it should be assumed that he is unable to muster the courage to speak.' The Congress leader demanded that Prime Minister Modi immediately talk to President Trump and appeal for intervention in the "mistreatment" and "atrocities" being committed against Indians in America. The social media post reads, "He is the Prime Minister of India, it is his most important responsibility to protect the honour and dignity of India and Indians. We demand that Prime Minister Modi should immediately talk to President Trump and appeal for intervention in the mistreatment and atrocities being committed against Indians in America." Congress leaders have been attacking and questioning the government over Trump's self-claimed intervention during the India-Pakistan conflict. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for stopping hostilities between India and Pakistan after New Delhi's effective response to Islamabad's aggression following precision strikes on terror infrastructure. India had conducted Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Rudram, Astra, SAAW...bad news for Pakistan, China, indigenous missile trinity to arm..., it can travel...
New Delhi: In a major development, the Modi government has taken a major step to strengthen India's defense abilities. According to the reports, the Indian Navy's 26 Rafale-M jets and the Indian Air Force's (IAF) 36 Rafale jets will now be equipped with three indigenous missiles — Rudram-1, Astra Mk1, and the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW). In this article, we will discuss the Rafale jets and its features. The Indian Navy bought 26 Rafale-M jets for whopping 7 billion euros (around Rs 60,000 crore). The Indian Air Force (IAF) already has 36 Rafale jets. These jets will now be equipped with Indian missiles, which will double the strength of both the Navy and the IAF. Rudram-1: Rudram-1 is a missile designed to target enemy radar and communication systems. Rudram-1 has been developed by DRDO. Rudram-1 has a range of 150 kilometers and a 200-kilogram warhead It can destroy enemy radars from a distance. It is specifically designed for 'Suppression of Enemy Air Defense' (SEAD) missions. Astra Mk1: Astra Mk1 is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile with a range of 110 kilometers. Astra Mk1 was developed at a cost of just Rs 10 crore, making it cheaper than the American AIM-120 AMRAAM, which has a range of 105–120 kilometers. India has built a deadly missile at a lower cost. This missile can target enemy aircraft from a long distance. It can be mounted on jets like the Su-30MKI and Tejas. SAAW SAAW, or Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon, is designed to destroy enemy airfields. It has a range of 100 kilometers and is precision-guided, meaning it hits targets with pinpoint accuracy. Dassault Aviation's Stance Dassault Aviation, the maker of Rafale jets, was initially unwilling to share the source code. But India firmly insisted on integrating these missiles with Rafales to reduce dependency on foreign weaponry. Now, Rafale jets equipped with Rudram-1, Astra Mk1, and SAAW will further strengthen India's defense. This will not only enhance our air power but also free us from relying on foreign arms. In the near future, these missiles will leave our enemies shocked and rattled.
