Karnataka Minister Sparks Uproar with ‘Suicide Bomb' Remark Amid Indo-Pak Tensions
Karnataka Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan has ignited controversy with an explosive statement: 'I'll wear a suicide bomb and go to Pakistan.' The remark comes at a time of heightened Indo-Pak tensions following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. His comment has drawn sharp criticism across political lines, with many calling it reckless and inflammatory. As calls for action against Pakistan intensify, is such rhetoric helping or hurting India's diplomatic position? Watch the full report on the minister's shocking statement and its fallout.#toibharat #ZameerKhan #KarnatakaPolitics #karnataka #siddaramaiah #congress #IndiaPakistan #SuicideBomb #PahalgamAttack #ModiGovernment #IndoPakTensions #PoliticalControversy #TerrorismDebate #BreakingNews
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Carney had no options': Foreign affairs expert KP Fabian on Canada's invitation to PM Modi for G7 Summit
Foreign affairs expert KP Fabian on Sunday shared his insights on Canada's decision to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit. Speaking with ANI, he said, "Carney had no options. The others said, Listen, India must be there. It's a vital link in the supply chain and any talk of Indo-Pacific stability ." Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, the host of this year's summit, reportedly faced significant pressure from other G7 members after initially hesitating to invite Prime Minister Modi . This reluctance was largely due to domestic political backlash within Carney's own Liberal Party, triggered by a diplomatic row linked to the killing of a Khalistseparatist in British Columbia in June 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo He added, "Now, of course, one should expect big demonstrations by the World Sikh Federation and others, but then it is for the government of Canada to deal with it." Fabian remarked that India, as the world's fourth-largest and fastest-growing economy, must be included in G7 discussions given its strategic importance in global trade and Indo-Pacific stability. Live Events Fabian pointed out that India has participated in the G7 Summit in the past, including five times during former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's tenure. He added that Canada's hesitation ultimately yielded to pressure from the G7 nations, who recognised India's critical role. He further said, "Carney is walking a tightrope when it comes to Canadian values. At a press conference, he was asked whether he believes the Indian government was involved in the killing of Nijjar. He refused to answer, citing the ongoing RCMP investigation. That's quite ironic. When did this happen, and why is the RCMP taking so long to conclude the investigation? And if you recall, why did Justin Trudeau accuse India before the investigation was even complete? Canadian political leaders have shown a lot of inconsistency. In the end, Mark Carney did the right thing, though it took some time -- and that's that." The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating the incident, but no conclusions have been drawn yet. Despite these political challenges, Carney reaffirmed Canada's commitment to the G7 summit's agenda. On Friday (local time), he said that G7 countries will discuss important issues, including security and energy, emphasising that India's presence at this intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential. Carney emphasised that India, being the fifth-largest economy and the most populous country in the world, must be at the table. "Let's put the two aspects in context -- first is, we are in the role -- Canada's in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world," he said. Prime Minister Modi received a call from his Canadian counterpart, who extended India's invitation to attend the G7 Summit. "Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit," PM Modi wrote in his post. The G7 Summit (Group of Seven) is an informal grouping of seven of the world's advanced economies and the European Union. Its members meet annually at the G7 Summit to discuss global economic and geopolitical issues, according to the G7's official website. The members of the G7 are France, the US, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the UK.
Economic Times
3 hours ago
- Economic Times
This deal can trigger a new India-China power play
Chagos and the colonial legacy India's stakes in Mauritius Live Events China's expanding footprint Chagos, India's strategic leverage? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The recent agreement between the UK and Mauritius , where the UK has agreed in principle to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, marks a watershed moment in post-colonial geopolitics. While India has officially hailed the move as the completion of Mauritius's decolonisation process, the implications go far beyond historical justice or moral diplomacy. For India, this development opens new possibilities in its ongoing strategic contest with China for influence across the Indian Ocean region. On this wider maritime chessboard, the Chagos Islands may prove to be a crucial Chagos Archipelago, a group of over 60 small islands in the central Indian Ocean, has been under British control since the 1960s, when it was separated from Mauritius prior to the latter's independence. The United Kingdom then leased the largest island, Diego Garcia, to the United States, which turned it into a major military base. For decades, the Chagos issue remained a sticking point in Mauritius's decolonisation narrative, and its legal claim was supported by international courts and the United has consistently backed Mauritius's claims, both out of principle and geopolitical calculation. The transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius — albeit with the U.S. base likely to continue operating under existing arrangements — allows New Delhi a more open and potentially influential role in shaping the future security architecture of the central Indian stakes in Mauritius are not new. The two countries enjoy strong diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties, underpinned by a shared history and a large Indo-Mauritian population. Nearly 70% of Mauritians are of Indian origin. Under a unique tradition, only Indian citizens, often top officials of Indian security and defence services, are appointed Mauritius' national security adviser and the head of the coast is among the top trading partners and investors in Mauritius, and it has strategically extended lines of credit, development assistance, and infrastructure investment to maintain its influence. India is building a Metro in Mauritius and also built its new Supreme Court building. Recently, the Indian government asked Indian airlines to bail out loss-hit Air 2015, India built a new airstrip and other military infrastructure on Agalega Island, another Mauritian territory. While officially described as supporting civilian use and improving connectivity, the facility is widely understood to have strategic value, potentially allowing India to monitor key maritime chokepoints and naval activity in the region. This development complements India's broader Indian Ocean strategy, which includes military agreements with Seychelles, Madagascar, and Oman, and a growing naval presence in the however, is not standing still. China's presence in the Indian Ocean has been growing rapidly through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), naval deployments, port development, and strategic partnerships. In 2019, China signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Mauritius — its first FTA with an African country — giving it a crucial economic and legal foothold in the island addition, China has funded infrastructure projects in Mauritius, including smart city projects and port modernization. While these developments are framed in economic terms, they potentially serve dual-use purposes, a hallmark of Chinese strategic investments. This expanding influence has naturally caused unease in New Delhi, which views China's Indian Ocean ambitions with deep the Chagos Islands possibly coming under the sovereignty of a friendly and closely aligned Mauritius, India gains several advantages in its strategic calculus. Control over the Chagos archipelago by Mauritius — a pro-India partner — alters the balance of influence in the central Indian Ocean. India could gain access or leverage over these islands to enhance its maritime domain awareness and patrol Diego Garcia will remain under US military use, Mauritius's sovereignty introduces a third actor into strategic dialogues. India, which shares robust defense ties with the US, could benefit from this triangle, facilitating intelligence sharing and operational Beijing establishing port access and naval agreements across the Indian Ocean — including Gwadar in Pakistan, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, and Djibouti — India needs strategic outposts of its own. The Chagos Islands, along with Agalega and other island partnerships, can serve as a counterweight. India has positioned itself as a net security provider in the IOR. Having influence over Chagos enhances its ability to counter piracy, trafficking, and other non-traditional threats, while also projecting hard power if strategic opportunity presented by the Chagos handover is significant, but it is not without challenges. First, the degree of India's access to or use of Chagos territory will depend on the terms Mauritius establishes, particularly in the context of the existing US lease of Diego Garcia. Second, India must be cautious not to provoke unnecessary tension with China, especially in a region where both nations are vying for influence through economic as well as military means. Moreover, the local sensitivities, especially surrounding the displaced Chagossian population and ongoing human rights concerns, mean that any Indian role must be diplomatically nuanced and development-oriented.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
As Elon Musk's bromance with Trump crumbles, an incident in Mar-a-Lago with Tesla link re-surfaces
As the ongoing feud between US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk continues to escalate, some are taking the opportunity to bring the attention back to Tesla. In a similar stunt to one pulled over a month ago, a plane with the banner "Save Tesla, Fire Musk" soared over Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate this weekend. While the party behind this message remains unknown, this aerial protest follows speculations that surfaced last month about Tesla 's board considering Musk's replacement as CEO. 'Save Tesla, fire Musk' On April 22, a plane with the same banner slogan was spotted flying over the Texas Capitol building and downtown Austin, corresponding with Tesla's earnings call, reports THE Irish Star. The dispute originally began over Trump's budget bill but quickly escalated after Musk claimed that Trump wouldn't have won the election without his help. Trump then hinted that he might turn the federal government against Musk's businesses, including Tesla and SpaceX. ALSO READ: In Georgia, Pak man with UAE residency denied entry to US state, says 'was treated like a criminal'. Know the revised rules The confrontation reached feverish levels as Musk insinuated that Trump's reluctance to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was because Trump himself appeared in them. Live Events The dispute escalated dramatically when Musk claimed that President Trump had not released files related to the infamous paedophile Jeffrey Epstein because Trump himself was implicated in them. On June 5, Musk posted on X, 'Time to drop the really big bomb. @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' Although this post has since been deleted. In response, President Trump appeared unfazed by the controversy, telling CNN, 'I'm not even thinking about Elon. He's got a problem. The poor guy's got a problem.' ALSO READ: Thomas Fugate: A novice who replaced an army veteran to lead US terror prevention centre Meanwhile, Tesla's shares plunged over 14% in a sharp sell-off as investors reacted to the escalating feud between the CEO and the U.S. President. By the close of trading yesterday, Musk's personal fortune had dropped by an estimated $34 billion—nearly matching the largest single-day loss he suffered back in November 2021. Tesla's market value also took a huge hit, shedding about $150 billion. Despite this massive setback, Musk remains the world's richest person, with an estimated net worth of $334.5 billion. In after-hours trading, Tesla shares rebounded slightly, gaining 0.8%. Investors had poured hundreds of billions into Tesla stock following Trump's election, betting that political factors would favor the company. However, the recent turmoil has served as a reminder of the risks involved in such speculation.
