
India-UK Free Trade Deal in Focus as PM Modi Lands in London
All eyes on Free Trade Agreement between India and UK as PM Modi lands in London for a crucial two-day visitAll eyes are on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a crucial two-day visit to London. With trade talks entering a decisive phase, this visit is expected to shape the contours of one of the most anticipated bilateral agreements in recent years.The proposed FTA aims to boost trade, cut tariffs, and open new opportunities across technology, defense, and services sectors. Analysts believe this deal could unlock billions in trade benefits and strengthen India's position as a global economic powerhouse ahead of 2047.News18's @AnchorAnand explains why this agreement is being hailed as a potential landmark deal, its impact on businesses, and how it could redefine India-UK relations in the post-Brexit era. Stay tuned for expert insights and LIVE updates from London. n18oc_world
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The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
House of wars: on Parliament, Operation Sindoor discussion
The government and the Opposition crossed swords in Parliament during a discussion on Operation Sindoor this week. There was unanimity in praising India's armed forces, but there was little common ground beyond that. Operation Sindoor was India's military response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives. The elimination of three terrorists behind the attack, just before the parliamentary debate, helped the government's case. It told Parliament that these terrorists were Lashkar-e-Taiba members from Pakistan. The Narendra Modi government's strident approach seeks to change the behaviour of Pakistan and reassure its domestic audience. The success of this approach is debatable and the Opposition sought to put the government on the spot on both counts. A demonstrated willingness to use force against Pakistan in the event of a terrorism incident is a definitive turn in India's strategy, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) takes pride in that. But there is no evidence yet that it is working though there has been chest thumping around it by the ruling party. The discussion in Parliament barely addressed the implications of this approach, which is being touted as the new normal. The Opposition and the government agreed on the need to punish Pakistan, and also disagreed on who would do it better. The government claimed success in meeting its objectives of launching a military operation and denied that it had acted under pressure in ending the war. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanded a pointed response to repeated claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that he mediated the ceasefire but the Prime Minister evaded a direct response on it. The government contradicts itself when it says that the operation was a success, and that it is continuing. It is also exasperating to hear a party that is now in its eleventh year of uninterrupted power, blame people who passed away decades ago for any challenge that India faces now. There was little self-reflection regarding the lapses that led to the terrorism incident, and whether and how the government plans to address them. The government had sent joint teams including several MPs from the Opposition abroad to garner support for India in the aftermath of the operation, but that sign of statesmanship was a short-lived aberration, as it turns out. The world is changing rapidly and India's capacity to navigate those changes will be largely determined by its own character. Questioning the patriotism of political opponents is an easy route to take to evade tough questions, but the BJP must realise that such an approach has diminishing returns.


New Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
India slams UK parliamentary report on ‘Transnational Repression' as baseless, cites dubious sources
NEW DELHI: India on Friday strongly rejected a British parliamentary panel's report that accused it of engaging in "transnational repression' within the United Kingdom, calling the allegations baseless and rooted in anti-India propaganda. 'We have seen the references to India in the report and categorically reject these baseless allegations,' said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a strong rebuttal. The UK report, published by a parliamentary committee, had cited India among several countries allegedly involved in targeting dissidents abroad. However, New Delhi dismissed the credibility of the report, asserting that its claims were based on 'unverified and dubious sources.' 'These claims stem from unverified and dubious sources, predominantly linked to proscribed entities and individuals with a clear, documented history of anti-India hostility,' Jaiswal said. 'The deliberate reliance on discredited sources calls into question the credibility of the report itself.'


The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Letters to The Editor — August 2, 2025
Misplaced remark U.S. President Donald Trump's remark, calling India a 'dead economy', is both inaccurate and disappointing, especially when leading global institutions continue to recognise India as among the fastest-growing major economies. That the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have all projected India's economic stability is a clear indication of economic vitality, not decline. With a young and dynamic population — in sharp contrast to aging demographics and slowing growth in many advanced economies, India's demographic strength, combined with prudent macroeconomic policies and digital advancement, positions it as a key driver of future global growth. Mr. Trump's comments appear to be politically charged rather than fact-based. Rukma Sharma, Jalandhar, Punjab What is odious is that Mr. Trump did not stop with just announcing tariffs. He has revived the U.S's old myopic game of trying to maintain a geo-political strategic balance in South Asia by supporting Pakistan, India's war-happy neighbour. One cannot but notice the fact that Mr Trump has been upping the ante against India ever since it successfully carried out post-Pahalgam retaliatory strikes against Pakistan's terror infrastructure. That India proved its military prowess with minimum collateral damage and the use of indigenous armaments has not gone down well with the Trump administration. Nalini Vijayaraghavan, Thiruvananthapuram The cartoon (Inside pages, 'On the draw' August 1), on Mr. Trump's decision, may be a correct portrayal. The U.S. President is publicity savvy and wants to take the credit when it comes to all major global events. He wants the Nobel Prize and has shamelessly expressed his desire. He is just another politician and not a statesman. Imposing shockingly high tariffs will hurt the business of the exporters to the United States of America, which will, in turn, affect the economies of many countries. Mr. Trump does not care one bit about the sufferings of others. He is whimsical, which is a bad trait for anyone in power. Here is an elected leader who is an example of how one should not be. V. Lakshmanan, Tirupur, Tamil Nadu One cannot help notice these contrasts — ISRO and NASA have successfully launched their NISAR satellite into orbit, which highlights the power of science and cooperation, but the U.S. President seems intent on giving pinpricks to India and the Indian government. One wonders how things will play out. Dhanaraj S., Bodinayakanur, Tamil Nadu The debate in Parliament The parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor unfolded as expected, with few surprises. The ruling party remained determined to portray the operation as an unqualified success, while key questions raised by the Opposition were left unanswered. Vital issues deserving serious deliberation such as Mr. Trump's repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire, and the alarming security lapses in Pahalgam were largely ignored. From the outset, the ruling party's reluctance to engage in a substantive debate was unmistakable. Repeated references to events under the past dispensation did little more than deflect attention from the core concerns. One can only hope that future parliamentary discussions will rise above partisan posturing and offer genuine, meaningful exchanges. V. Nagarajan, Chennai Civic responsibility India-Bangladesh relations may be strained but there are areas of policy in that country which may be worth considering in India. I recently came across a video on YouTube, on an organisation called BD Clean ( It is a platform of 50,000 volunteers who work with the aim of ensuring a clean Bangladesh and bringing about a change in mentality in the disposal of garbage. The transformation in the country has been spectacular with heavily polluted areas undergoing remarkable transformations. It is an idea that is worth emulating in Indian cities and towns. V. Subramaniam, Chennai