&w=3840&q=100)
Niti Aayog paper on India-US trade deal goes offline, raising questions
Delhi
Listen to This Article
It was around May 30, when India's leading think tank and policy-setting body, the Niti Aayog, uploaded a working paper on India-US trade titled 'Promoting India-US Agricultural Trade Under the New US Trade Regime'.
The paper, written by Raka Saxena and Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand, both well-known names in the field of agriculture, evoked strong reactions from a section of farmers' groups as well as some industry associations. Now, just about a month after its publication, the paper no longer exists on the Niti Aayog website. While the paper continues to be listed, the accompanying document is no longer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Putin lays flowers for Soviet pilots buried in Alaska after Trump summit; here's why they are buried there
Russian President Vladimir Putin laid flowers at the graves of Soviet pilots buried in Alaska after concluding his summit with US President Donald Trump. Putin visited Fort Richardson National Cemetery near Anchorage on Saturday, where a section is dedicated to Soviet airmen who lost their lives in Alaska during the war. According to Reuters, the pilots died in training accidents or harsh weather conditions while ferrying US-built aircraft to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease Programme. During the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union were allies against Nazi Germany. Under the Lend-Lease Programme, Washington supplied Moscow with nearly 8,000 aircraft. Between 1942 and 1945, Soviet pilots trained alongside American crews in Fairbanks, Alaska, before flying the planes across the Bering Strait to Siberia. The route, known as the Alaska-Siberia air road, was vital for delivering planes to the Eastern Front. Some pilots, however, died in crashes or due to extreme weather. Initially buried in Fairbanks and Nome, their remains were reinterred at Fort Richardson in 1946 by order of the US administration of the Alaska National Cemetery. For decades, the existence of the cemetery went largely unrecorded in Russian archives. In 1990, a delegation from the Soviet Committee of War Veterans confirmed the site's history. In 2011, then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev awarded Virginia Walker, the cemetery's director, for her role in maintaining the graves, which remain preserved with inscriptions in both English and Russian. Putin's visit came shortly after his one-on-one and expanded meetings with Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which lasted nearly three hours. While the summit did not produce a ceasefire deal in the Ukraine war, Trump said the next steps involve further discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other NATO leaders. (With inputs from Reuters, LiveNOW from Fox)
Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- Indian Express
The Alaska Report Card: First assessment of who won what, and how
The first face-to-face conversation between the leaders of the United States and Russia since the war in Ukraine broke out almost three and half years ago, was significant in itself — even though the three-hour discussion in Alaska did not lead to a ceasefire 'deal'. Details of the outcome of the meeting are sketchy. Both President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin gave vaguely-worded statements to the media, with no specifics or details, and refused to answer any questions. That was especially odd for President Trump, who loves to give long, impromptu press conferences every day. The stage in Alaska's US military base was set with 'Pursuing Peace' as the backdrop, but it did not, it seems, lead to any immediate concrete outcome. Trump, however, said that he would talk to leaders of NATO countries, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and others and brief them on his conversation with Putin. So, in the absence of many details, and based on the statements of the two leaders and their import, this is how the summit in Alaska may be read. For Putin, this was a win from the start. His swagger on the red carpet that awaited him, and the handshake with the US President at a US military base on US soil said it all. He had won the first battle of perception — that he was no longer a global outcast, shunned and sanctioned for invading Ukraine, and terrorising Europe about what he plans to do next. He got a US Air Force welcome with a B-2 bomber and F-22 Raptors, and was honoured by Trump as an equal, a peer, a fellow head of state, and not somebody who is accused of war crimes in the middle of a bloody ongoing war. Putin was clear in his objective: he wanted the sanctions on Russia lifted. And he came prepared with a delegation of businessmen and advisers who deal with the business dealings of the Russian state. While the circle of advisors in the meeting was small, the Russian leader underlined the trade and business component very clearly in his remarks. He said that Russia-US trade had started to grow under Trump, even though the growth rate was not high currently. 'Our trade started to grow after the new US administration came to power. So far, it's merely symbolic, but it's still a rise of 20%. I mean that we have a lot of promising areas for joint work,' he said. Putin also said that Russia and the US have a lot to offer each other in various areas of cooperation. 'Russia-US business and investment cooperation clearly has a lot of potential. Russia and the US have a lot to offer each other in trade, the energy sector, the digital industry, high technology and space exploration. Arctic cooperation also looks relevant, as well as the resumption of interregional ties, particularly between Russia's Far East and the US West Coast.' This was a clear indication of what he wants from the negotiations with the US, as his priority number 1. Putin's other important objective is 'security', and he underlined that as well in his comments. He said that Russia was ready to work to ensure Ukraine's security as well: 'I agree with President Trump — he has spoken about it today — that Ukraine's security also needs to be ensured. We are certainly ready to work on that.' What Putin did not say — and what he obviously meant — was that Ukraine's security umbrella should be with Moscow's approval, and that implied its membership of NATO, or the presence of any NATO troops in Ukraine's periphery, was ruled out. For Trump, the meeting in Alaska was supposed to be the biggest stage for his self-acclaimed deal-making, and he wanted to be seen before the world as the ultimate peacemaker that he believes himself to be. What he did achieve was to get the Russian President to the table to talk about ending the war. That was an incremental step forward for the American President — Putin announced that Russia was interested in putting an end to the crisis: 'Our country is sincerely interested in ending it all.' But Trump got no guarantees beyond that — not in public statements, at least. If he had hoped to close a straight deal on ending the war, that did not happen. To be fair, the US President had moderated expectations ahead of the summit, saying that it would be a 'feel-out meeting' with Russia's leader. It was possibly the other way around though — it was Putin who 'felt out' and took a measure of Trump. In an interview given to Fox News' Sean Hannity, the President said that the meeting was a '10' — even though the vibes and the statements in Alaska did not give others the confidence of that high score. Fox News reporters, who are mostly aligned closely with Trump's agenda and voice, talked down the meeting. The planned luncheon after the discussions — the officials had rationed about 6 to 7 hours — was cancelled, and both Presidents made quick exits from Alaska, which was another indication that the result was not a win for the US. The leaders of Europe and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will now be waiting for a briefing from the US President and his aides. They would be counting on the fact that their own pre-briefing and their warnings that Putin was not serious about 'pursuing peace', would have become clear to the US President. Trump had warned that Russia would face 'very severe consequences' if he determined during the summit that Russia's leader was not serious about ending the war. Zelenskyy will certainly remind Trump of that statement. For India, it was a night on the edge. South Block tracked the meeting closely, and Indian interlocutors will be reaching out to their American and Russian counterparts to get a sense of what happened behind closed doors. India faces a 50 per cent tariff — 25 per cent as 'penalty' for buying Russian oil — and therefore has a clear stake on the outcome of the meeting. Trump, after all, seems to believe that his squeezing of India by slapping the 25 per cent tariff brought Russia to the table. US officials, including the Treasury Secretary, have warned that in case there is no deal, an even higher penalty might be imposed. But a glimmer of hope did seem to appear in Putin's statement that the agreements reached in Alaska 'will be the starting point for resolving the Ukraine issue' and improving Russia-US relations. Trump himself described the meeting as 'productive'. But he acknowledged that the two leaders fell short, at least for now. 'We haven't quite got there, but we've made some headway…There's no deal until there's a deal,' he said. For New Delhi, this little headway is important — and offers some hope of the pressure easing.
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
The Trump-Putin Alaska summit explained: A real-time history lesson for students on world affairs
On August 15, 2025, the world watched as US President and Russian President met in Anchorage, Alaska, at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson. At first glance, Alaska might seem like an unusual choice for a summit between two of the most powerful leaders on Earth. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But when you dig deeper, the location, timing, and history behind this meeting reveal a fascinating story that connects history, geography, and global politics. For students, the summit is more than a headline—it's a living lesson in how past events shape current decisions, how physical places influence diplomacy, and how world affairs affect both countries and local communities. From the Cold War to the modern era, US–Russia relations have been complex and ever-changing. The Alaska summit is the latest chapter in a decades-long story of cooperation, conflict, negotiation, and mistrust. By examining the history of previous summits, the significance of Alaska as a venue, and the broader geopolitical context, students can gain a deeper understanding of how international politics works—and why it matters to citizens around the world. A timeline of US-Russia summits Vladimir Putin has met nearly every US president since 1999, making these summits a window into the evolution of diplomacy over time. From early post-Cold War cooperation to the tense interactions of recent years, each meeting reflects the priorities and personalities of its time. Date Location US President Russian Leader Notable Outcome/Context January 31 to February 1, 1992 New York & Camp David, US George H.W. Bush Boris Yeltsin First summits of post-Soviet Russia-US era June 16–17, 1992 Washington, D.C., US George H.W. Bush Boris Yeltsin Early discussions on diplomacy after USSR collapse January 2–3, 1993 Moscow, Russia George H.W. Bush Boris Yeltsin Signing of START II arms reduction treaty 1993–1999 Various worldwide Bill Clinton Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin Frequent meetings to solidify post-Cold War ties June 3–5, 2000 Moscow, Russia Bill Clinton Vladimir Putin First Clinton-Putin summit June 16, 2001 Ljubljana, Slovenia George W. Bush Vladimir Putin Bush: "Looked into his eyes, got a sense of his soul" moment May 24, 2002 Moscow, Russia George W. Bush Vladimir Putin Nuclear arms reduction agreements (SORT) February 24, 2005 Bratislava, Slovakia George W. Bush Vladimir Putin Cooperation on counterterrorism, nuclear security April 8, 2010 Prague, Czech Republic Barack Obama Dmitry Medvedev New START treaty signed July 16, 2018 Helsinki, Finland Donald Trump Vladimir Putin Trump-Putin summit amid US election interference allegations June 16, 2021 Geneva, Switzerland Joe Biden Vladimir Putin First Biden-Putin summit, no major agreements August 15, 2025 Anchorage, Alaska, US Donald Trump Vladimir Putin Attempt to resolve war in Ukraine Why Alaska is more than just a venue Alaska's significance goes beyond geography. Historically, it was Russian territory until 1867, when the United States purchased it for $7.2 million in what was then dismissed as 'Seward's Folly.' Today, Alaska's natural resources, strategic location, and Russian cultural influence make it a meaningful backdrop for diplomacy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Anchorage, in particular, has previously hosted global leaders, such as Emperor Hirohito of Japan in 1971, demonstrating that even remote cities can play a role on the world stage. Holding the summit in Alaska allowed both leaders to signal not only their focus on current geopolitical issues but also a connection to historical ties and territorial significance. Geography, strategy, and global politics The location of the summit underscores the role of geography in international relations. Alaska is separated from Russia by only a few miles across the Bering Strait, making it a natural point for discussions about regional security, Arctic resources, and shipping routes. The military base hosting the summit, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, is a hub for US Arctic defense, illustrating how physical locations can influence the planning and priorities of world leaders. Moreover, the Arctic itself has become an arena for strategic competition, as melting ice opens new trade routes and access to natural resources. In this context, holding the summit in Alaska was a deliberate choice with both symbolic and practical implications. Understanding the summit's broader context The Alaska meeting did not occur in isolation. Historically, US–Russia summits have addressed issues such as nuclear arms control, counterterrorism, European security, and bilateral trade. Over the years, the tone of these meetings has shifted from cooperative to cautious, reflecting growing mistrust due to events such as Russia's annexation of Crimea, its military involvement in Syria, and allegations of election interference. In this sense, the Alaska summit illustrates the ongoing challenges of diplomacy, where leaders must balance national interests, historical grievances, and global responsibilities. For students, observing these dynamics provides insight into how countries negotiate, compromise, and sometimes clash on the world stage.
