Is political consensus on Operation Sindoor over? Democratic Newsroom debates
In this edition of the Democratic Newsroom, the big focus is on the political war between the government and the opposition over Operation Sindoor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is now on a two-day tour of West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim, has been hailing Operation Sindoor and the armed forces. But, after supporting the government on Operation Sindoor, the Opposition has slammed the government and alleged that it is politicising Operation Sindoor. They are now claiming that PM Modi has made Operation Sindoor now operation votebank. So, is political consensus on Operation Sindoor over? Has Operation Sindoor turned into Operation Votebank? Watch as India Today's editors share their perspectives on these and more on the show.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rajnath Singh briefs counterparts from Tajikistan, Belarus & Kazakhstan on Pahalgam terror attack, Op Sindoor
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Tajikistan, Belarus and Kazakhstan on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in China's Qingdao and briefed them regarding the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor launched by India to dismantle terrorist networks in Pakistan. During his meeting with Belarus Defence Minister Lieutenant General Victor Khrenin, Tajikistan Defence Minister Lieutenant General Sobrizoda Emomali Abdurakhim and Kazakhstan Defence Minister Lieutenant General Dauren Kosanov on Thursday, Rajnath Singh highlighted the importance of continued engagement in defence cooperation and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in areas of technical collaboration. In a press release, Ministry of Defence stated, "He highlighted the rapid advances made by India in the field of defence production and achieving self-reliance in meeting its defence requirements in several key areas." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Chi phí cấy ghép răng là bao nhiêu vào năm 2025 (kiểm tra giá) Cấy ghép răng | Quảng cáo tìm kiếm Tìm hiểu thêm Undo "Shri Rajnath Singh also briefed his counterparts on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor launched by India aimed at dismantling the terrorist networks in Pakistan," it added. According to the press release, the leaders agreed to continue cooperation to enhance capacity building, training, military technical cooperation, military education, amongst other areas of common interest. Live Events In a post on X, Rajnath Singh stated, "Enriching interaction with the Belarusian Defense Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin in Qingdao." Rajnath Singh arrived in China's Qingdao on Thursday to attend SCO Defence Ministers Meeting. Upon his arrival, Rajnath Singh was welcomed by the Chinese Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun. India declined to sign the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in China on Thursday, which, according to sources, did not have any mention of the dastardly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam but mentioned incidents in Pakistan. According to government sources, Rajnath Singh did not sign the SCO document as India is not satisfied with the language of the joint document, as there was no mention of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, there was mention of the incidents that happened in Pakistan, so India refused to sign the joint declaration, and there is no joint communique either.
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
From cotton to carbon fibre, Modi government is quietly rewriting India's textile script
This is not a revival. It is reinvention. To build a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the foundations must reach beyond concrete and steel. They must be grounded in communities, livelihoods and cultural continuity. Nowhere is this vision more vividly realised than in the textile sector. As the second-largest employer with 4.6 crore people, it is more than an industry. It is a living ecosystem of skill, identity, and opportunity. Once seen as lagging, it has quietly transformed into a modern economic engine. Traditional weaves are entering global markets, while technical textiles are making inroads into aerospace and agriculture. And at the grassroots, every loom and spindle carries a deeper story of dignity, renewal, and quiet strength. This revolution was not televised. It was woven. While the world tracked digital breakthroughs and infrastructure booms, something quieter and more profound was unfolding on Bharat's looms. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, what was once dismissed as a legacy industry has been recast into a force of resilience, innovation and pride. From Bhagalpur's shimmering silk to Panipat's recycled threads, the transformation has been slow, steady and stunning. We often speak of textiles in the language of trade. Exports and imports, deficits and surpluses. But that narrow lens misses the scale of what's truly at work. The strength of Bharat's textile sector doesn't lie only in its foreign shipments. It is anchored in something far more enduring. A rising population, a domestic engine that refuses to slow down, and an evolving taste for both heritage and innovation. It is driven by 143 crore Indians seeking comfort, identity, and aspiration in what they wear, the homes they furnish, and the traditions they uphold. Also read: Why India's critical textile sector, employing 4.5 crore people, is facing challenges A decade of growth When our government assumed office in 2014, India's textile sector stood at a crossroads, rooted in legacy but adrift in a globalising competitiveness. Once marked by stagnation, the textile sector's scale and structure have been rewoven through targeted skilling under Samarth, bold new-age investments via the Mission for Cotton productivity, PLI scheme, and world-class infrastructure through PM MITRA Parks. Employment in Bharat's textile sector has risen sharply from 3 crore in 2014 to 4.6 crore today, marking a robust expansion in both opportunity and capacity to absorb skilled and unskilled labour. Market size has surged from $112 billion to $176 billion, propelled by growing domestic demand and enhanced production depth. Garment exports, long a cornerstone of the sector, have grown from $14 billion to $18 billion, reflecting consistent gains in value-added output. The long-pending India-UK FTA has finally been sealed under the leadership of PM Modi. It promises a decisive edge for Bharat's labour-intensive textile sector by opening the door for the nation to rise as a global hub for manufacturing and exports. But these are more than numbers. They signal a strategic reset. Moving from ad-hoc interventions to long-term vision, our government has broadened the industry's horizon beyond its cotton core to embrace man-made fibres, new-age fibres and technical textiles. The areas once overlooked are now poised for global competitiveness. The vision is no longer stitched to domestic threads alone. It is about integrating Bharat's textiles into global value chains with resilience, skill, and sustainability. This transformation is not by chance. It is the result of focused governance, bold reforms, and unwavering commitment under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Cotton fields to carbon fibre Bharat's textile story today stretches far beyond traditional threads, spanning from cotton fields to carbon fibre, from handlooms to high-performance technical textiles. At the grassroots, the government has extended unprecedented support to natural fibres. With the new Mission for Cotton Productivity, India aims to increase cotton production from 5.70 to 7.70 MMT and productivity from 439 to 612 kg/hectare by 2030. At present, cotton holds 3.16 per cent and Kasturi Cotton holds just 1 per cent of the global cotton export market. Under the Mission for Cotton Productivity, our goal is to position it as 10 per cent of premium global cotton exports by 2030. Cotton procurement by the Cotton Corporation of India has risen 338 per cent in the last 11 years, while Minimum Support Prices for both medium and long staple cotton have more than doubled, delivering direct gains to farmers. Silk production is up by over 58 per cent. Even jute, once a declining segment, has seen renewed momentum. Jute exports have more than doubled from Rs 1,470 crore in 2014 to over Rs 3,000 crore in 2024, driven by a surge in demand for diversified jute products, whose exports have more than tripled over the decade. As Bharat strengthens its roots in natural fibres, it is also reaching decisively toward the future. The Production Linked Incentive Scheme, with Rs 10,683 crore in outlay and over 3 lakh jobs created, has helped position Bharat as a global producer of PPE kits. The technical textile market, once virtually non-existent in exports and modest in scale, has surged to an estimated $26 billion in 2025. From negligible exports, Bharat now records $3 billion in outbound trade. From Agrotech and Meditech, Bharat is making decisive strides across all twelve verticals of technical textiles by positioning itself as a rising global leader in this high-value, innovation-driven domain. Seven PM MITRA Parks are being developed as integrated plug and play, one stop solution textile hubs bringing together the entire value chain from fibre to fashion. Together, they are expected to draw Rs 70,000 crore in investment and generate more than 22 lakh jobs, with Rs 22,000 crore already committed. Apart from PM MITRA Parks, 50 textile parks have been developed under the Scheme for Integrated Textiles Parks, attracting Rs 15,000 crore investment and creating 1.3 lakh jobs. From the cotton farmer to the carbon fibre innovator, the Modi government is quietly rewriting the script. From agriculture to aerospace, Bharat's textile transformation is stitching together the fabric of a truly Viksit Bharat. Also read: North Indian artisans carry a photo of this textile historian — she helped revive their craft Bharat's green textile economy Research and innovation were long the blind spots of Bharat's textile sector. Under previous governments, the industry remained tethered to conventional fibres, with little effort to modernise or lead in sustainability. The Modi government has reversed this inertia by placing R&D at the core of its textile strategy and backing the exploration of next-generation fibres that blend environmental responsibility with global competitiveness. Since 2020, under National Technical Textile Mission, 168 research projects worth Rs 509 crore have been approved, signalling a decisive shift from neglect to strategic investment. With a target to double the sector's value to $350 billion by 2030, sustainability is no longer an afterthought. This comes at a critical time. As fast fashion gains momentum, it is expected to grow into a $50-$60 billion market by 2030. With that, it brings a surge in textile waste driven by quick-changing trends. In response, Bharat has moved swiftly to build a circular and sustainable economy. Panipat has emerged as the world's largest hub for pre and post-consumer textile recycling, anchoring Bharat's leadership in sustainable manufacturing. Today, it is the world's second-largest producer of recycled fibre, converting over 40 billion plastic bottles annually. Over 90 per cent of PET bottles are recycled, among the highest rates globally. To further strengthen sustainable practices, six projects have been approved under the Integrated Processing Development Scheme to promote Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs). This momentum is feeding into the broader bio economy, which contributes 4.25 per cent to the national GDP. It is valued at $165.7 billion and projected to nearly double in the coming years. A key pillar of this transformation is the rise of alternative fibres. Ramie, Milkweed, Flax, Sisal are natural materials that are both high-performance and climate-friendly. Milkweed, once considered agricultural weed, is now being refined into insulation-grade textile for high-end use. By fusing biotechnology with traditional wisdom and scaling research investments, the Modi government is reshaping Bharat's textile future. One that strengthens rural livelihoods, leads in sustainability, and aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat. From local to global Heritage in Bharat is no longer a memory preserved, it is a movement in motion. It has become a source of identity, empowerment, and economic renewal. Nowhere is this transformation more visible than in the handloom sector. On Republic Day, the launch of the e-Pehchaan card marked a quiet revolution. What began as a digital registry for 35 lakh weavers has since grown into a dynamic movement, bringing 35,000 new weavers into the fold. This is more than inclusion, it is revival. The loom is returning to homes, and a new generation is taking it up with pride. While in the handicrafts sector, over 30 lakh artisans have been registered under the Pehchaan card, ensuring formal identity and access to government support. Before 2014, support through the MUDRA scheme reached just 1.25 lakh weavers. Today, over 3 lakh have benefitted. A clear shift from tokenism to meaningful empowerment. The loom is no longer just a symbol of tradition. It is a tool of aspiration, enabling small businesses and opening pathways to global markets. Handicrafts have witnessed a similar resurgence. Exports have risen from Rs 29,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 49,000 crore, as artisans step confidently onto the world stage. With 313 GI tags, two editions of Bharat Tex, and a growing global footprint, traditional crafts have been repositioned as drivers of economic value and cultural prestige. Today, a Banarasi weaver or a Kutch embroiderer is not just preserving a legacy; she is defining contemporary luxury and powering exports. At the centre of this transformation is Samarth, the government's flagship skilling programme launched in 2017. More than 4.3 lakh individuals, predominantly women, rural youth, and traditional artisans, have been trained to meet industry standards. Since 2014, over 12.55 lakh people have been trained under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme and Samarth. With new skills and focused support, they are not just surviving, they are leading. Platforms like ONDC and India Handmade have enabled them to bypass middlemen, access global markets, and build sustainable, self-owned enterprises. This growing pool of skilled talent is fuelling a new creative economy. One where design, innovation, and tradition come together to shape Bharat's global edge. With four new campuses since 2014, NIFT is at the centre of this design revolution by blending tradition with innovation at scale. Through home-grown tools like VisioNxt for trend forecasting and India Size for indigenous sizing, Bharat is no longer following the West. It is setting its own standard. The artisan is no longer on the margins. She is a creator, a change maker, an entrepreneur of a new Bharat. This is not a return to the past, it is the shaping of a future, one skilled hand at a time. Also read: Men get all the credit for bandhani. Zakiya Khatri is on a mission to change that Aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 Bharat's textile journey is no longer about threads and tradition alone. It is about shaping the nation's future. Under our government, the sector has evolved from a legacy industry into a strategic force with creating jobs, boosting exports, upskilling youth, and placing sustainability at its core. It honours its roots while responding to global demands with precision and purpose. Today, Bharat's textile sector is not just growing, it is leading. It is green, it is global, and it is future-ready. As the world searches for models that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, India is not waiting for its turn. It is stepping forward to lead. The world is demanding. Bharat is delivering. And with every step, Modi Sarkar is walking beside its weavers, artisans, and entrepreneurs, turning vision into action, and tradition into triumph. Giriraj Singh is the union minister of textiles. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Donald Tusk's ‘Daddy' Jab Sparks Press Room Frenzy, EU Leaders Struggle To Keep Calm
'Led To End Of Op Sindoor': Cong Jabs Centre As Trump Teases Trade Deal, Takes Shot At Jaishankar As US President Donald Trump declared an imminent 'very big deal' with India, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the Centre, linking it to the "abrupt" conclusion of Operation Sindoor. The US president has consistently stated that he utilised trade discussions with India and Pakistan to halt confrontations following the Pahalgam terror attack, although India has consistently rejected these assertions. Jairam Ramesh demanded transparency from the government and urged Jaishankar to focus on addressing what he called a collapse in Indian diplomacy, instead of speaking about the Emergency imposed 50 years ago. #donaldtrump #indiadeal #jairamramesh #operationsindoor #pahalgamattack #sjaishankar #indiandiplomacy #transparency #tradetalks #usindia #congress #modigovt #foreignpolicy #bilateralrelations #nationalsecurity #politicalcriticism #internationalaffairs #pakistan #emergency #indiapakistan #toi #toibharat 34 views | 47 minutes ago
