"Modi Stands Like A Wall For Farmers": PM's Message Amid Trump Tariff Row
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India will not compromise on the interests of farmers, livestock rearers and fishermen, asserting that he is standing like a wall to protect them.
The remarks are important as the US is seeking duty concessions from India in agriculture and dairy sectors in the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA), being negotiated between the two countries.
The US has also imposed steep tariffs on India. Trump has ratcheted up tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, which will come into effect from August 27. At present, an additional 25 per cent tariffs are there on Indian goods entering American market.
"Modi is standing like a wall against any harmful policy related to the farmers, fishermen and cattle rearers of India. India will never accept any compromise regarding its farmers, its livestock rearers, its fishermen," he said while addressing the nation on the 79th Independence Day.
In the proposed BTA, the US is seeking reduced tariffs on products like corn, soybeans, apples, almonds and ethanol, as well as increased access for US dairy products. New Delhi is, however, strongly opposing these demands as these will have a direct bearing on farmers.
India has never given any duty concessions to any of its trading partners, including Australia and Switzerland, with whom it has signed trade agreements.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
PM Modi reviews Delhi sections of UER-2, Dwarka Expressway before inauguration
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reviewed the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway and the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and interacted with the construction workers of both the highways, before inaugurating the projects which are worth a combined cost of nearly ₹11,000 crore. According to the Prime Minister's office, the projects have been developed under a comprehensive decongestion plan for Delhi.(ANI File Photo) The Prime Minister along with union minister of road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, chief minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta and chief minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini reviewed the two projects. The first stretch is Alipur to Dichaon Kalan part of Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) along with new links to Bahadurgarh and Sonipat, which is built at a cost of around ₹5,580 Crores. He also inaugurated the 10.1 km long Delhi section of Dwarka Expressway, that has been developed at a cost of around ₹5,360 crore. Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II): Alipur to Dichaon Kalan stretch The Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) is aimed to ease traffic on Delhi's Inner and Outer Ring Roads and busy points like Mukarba Chowk, Dhaula Kuan, and NH-09. The 76-km Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), designed as Delhi's third Ring Road, will give direct access to Bahadurgarh and Sonipat, improve industrial connectivity, cut city traffic, and speed up goods movement in the National Capital Region, reported PTI. According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Modi will flag off four of the five packages of UER-II, connecting Mahipalpur near IGI Airport to Alipur in North Delhi. UER-II will link to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, starting near Akshardham temple, enabling faster routes from Haryana and Rajasthan towards Dehradun. A new 65 km highway from Tronica City to the under-construction FNG Expressway has also been approved. In future, the corridor will connect five major NCR expressways: Delhi-Dehradun, Delhi-Meerut, Noida-Greater Noida, DND-Faridabad, and Yamuna Expressways. Also read: PM Modi to inaugurate UER-II, Dwarka Expressway shortly: What to know about the mega highway projects Delhi section of Dwarka Expressway The fresh 10.1 kms of the Dwarka expressway, or the Delhi section of the expressway adds on to the 19 km long Haryana section that was earlier inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2024. The Delhi section of the expressway will comprise a four level interchange, with two of them constructed under the ground. Marked with an eight-lane shallow and four-lane airport tunnel, it will also usher in Multi-modal connectivity to Yashobhoomi, DMRC Blue line and Orange line, the upcoming Bijwasan railway station and the Dwarka cluster Bus Depot, ensuring a seamless commute across the national capital region. It would also cut short the travel time from Sonipat, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh and Gurugram to the Delhi airport, significantly. A 34-lane wide toll plaza will also be constructed as a part of this expressway, said a PTI report. A stretch of 5.9 km of this section from Shiv Murti intersection to the Road Under Bridge (RUB) at Dwarka Sector-21 and another stretch of 4.2 km from Dwarka Sector-21 RUB to the Delhi-Haryana Border, will be providing direct connectivity to Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II). It would also be linking the proposed 'twin tube tunnel' on NH 148AE, connecting Shiv Murti intersection to Nelson Mandela Marg. Seamless mobility across NCR According to the Prime Minister's office, the projects — the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway and the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) — have been developed under a comprehensive decongestion plan for Delhi. With the objective of smoothening connectivity, cutting short travel time, and easing traffic disruptions, these initiatives reflect Prime Minister Modi's vision of creating world-class infrastructure that enhances ease of living and ensures seamless mobility, read a statement by the PMO on Saturday.
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
PM Modi inaugurates Dwarka Expressway, UER-II: Impact on NCR housing, commercial and warehousing markets
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 17 inaugurated the 76-km Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), envisioned as Delhi's third Ring Road, along with the 29-km Dwarka Expressway. Together, these projects form a key part of the Centre's decongestion strategy for the capital, aimed at cutting travel time across Delhi and adjoining regions while easing pressure on the existing Ring Road and other arterial routes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 17 inaugurated the 76-km Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), envisioned as Delhi's third Ring Road, along with the 29-km Dwarka Expressway.(ANI, PTI) For NCR residents, the enhanced connectivity is expected to drive residential and commercial growth. According to real estate experts, the corridor is set to emerge as a hub for mid-segment and premium housing, while also boosting logistics and warehousing activity. This is what real estate experts have to say The Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-2) along with the Delhi stretch of the Dwarka Expressway, has been built at a cost of around ₹8,000 crore. The four-to-six-lane expressway will connect Alipur to Mahipalpur through Mundka, Bakkarwala, Najafgarh, and Dwarka, dramatically reducing travel time from Indira Gandhi International Airport to various NCR cities. With seamless links to the Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Rohtak, and Delhi-Mumbai Expressways, UER-2 is expected to ease congestion, lower fuel costs, and enhance connectivity to Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Ambala, Rohtak, Jind, and Bahadurgarh, said experts. Commercial real estate stands to gain significantly as UER's connectivity to major highways will spur demand for warehouses, logistics hubs, and retail spaces in Bahadurgarh and Rohtak, real estate experts said. The Urban Extension Road, connecting Alipur, Dwarka Expressway, Mahipalpur and Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway is set to enhance connectivity and reduce commute time in the entire National Capital Region. 'These flagship projects have the potential to uplift the real estate landscape in catchment areas such as Dwarka, Najafgarh, Rohini and localities along NH-48 and Dwarka Expressway, particularly bolstering commercial, residential and warehousing demand in the long-term. With close to 3 million sq ft of Grade A office stock nearing completion in the NH-48 micro market, commercial real estate activity across demand segments is likely to gain traction in the next few years,' said Vimal Nadar, national director and head, Research at Colliers India. The inauguration of UER II (Urban Extension Road II) marks a milestone for Delhi NCR. This high-speed, signal-free corridor connects major routes including NH 44, NH 9, and NH 48, along with the Dwarka Expressway, the Delhi Mumbai Expressway, and the international airport. 'From a property market perspective, the operationalisation of UER II is set to spark a significant revaluation across several micro markets. It will likely boost residential activity in Dwarka as well as in peripheral locations such as Kundli, Sonipat, and Narela. We believe, the impact will go beyond simple price appreciation. The new connectivity corridor is expected to create a broader and more resilient base of demand. It will open access to budget friendly locations for both homebuyers and businesses while preserving seamless connectivity to Delhi's primary commercial hubs,' said Ravi Nirwal, sales director and principal partner, Square Yards. Navdeep Sardana, founder, Whiteland Corporation said, ' UER-II will seamlessly connect key destinations such as Sonipat and Panipat while easing travel across the region, setting the stage for stronger economic lifelines and future-ready development. Importantly, this will give emerging micro-markets along the corridor far greater accessibility to mainstream hubs of Gurugram, catalyzing both residential and commercial growth." The Dwarka Expressway corridor, now at the heart of this transformation, is fast emerging as one of NCR's most promising destinations, he said. Also Read: Gurugram homebuyers hit by steep hike in circle rates, face higher stamp duty burden The connector will cut travel time from Gurugram and Delhi to Sonipat, Panipat and beyond, while enabling seamless access from the Delhi border to IGI Airport. By bypassing traditional chokepoints, this connectivity will redefine how people and businesses engage with emerging locations. 'The government's focus on world-class infrastructure is not only unlocking new growth corridors but also instilling fresh confidence in Tier-2 cities like Panipat, where improved accessibility drives economic vibrancy, stronger business ecosystems, and sustained real estate growth,' said Robin Mangla, president M3M India. Also Read: Is Gurugram's luxury real estate boom sustainable? Experts weigh in on price and demand trends "Sonipat's real estate is on the brink of a major boom post-UER-2 inauguration, with enhanced connectivity slashing commute times from Sonipat to IGI Airport by over half and linking seamlessly to Dwarka Expressway. Property prices here remain 30-50% lower than Gurugram or Noida, yet Kundli land values have surged 190% since 2020, while Sector 35 saw 252% appreciation in three years. Developments like Maruti Suzuki's Kharkhoda plant, alongside UER-2's spurs, will attract industries and professionals, spurring demand for affordable homes and logistics hubs,' said Abhay Kumar Mishra, president and CEO, Jindal Realty. This enhanced connectivity will ripple across the region, linking key highways such as Delhi-Chandigarh and Delhi-Jaipur, said Harinder Dhillon, National Sales Head, BPTP.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump says Ukraine deal ‘close' as Putin seeks Donbas, Crimea recognition and Nato block
At their Alaska summit, Trump and Putin discussed a peace framework in which Russia would return small occupied areas of Ukraine in exchange for Kyiv ceding larger eastern territories, halting Nato ambitions, and recognising Crimea. While Trump claimed the two leaders were 'close to a deal,' Ukraine and its allies remain firm on rejecting land-for-peace concessions. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump pose on a podium on the tarmac after they arrived to attend a meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, US. Reuters Under peace offers discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump at their Alaska meeting, Russia would give up small areas of occupied Ukraine and Kyiv would give up large areas of its eastern territory that Moscow has been unable to seize, according to sources briefed on Moscow's thinking said. The account emerged the day after Trump and Putin met at an Alaskan air force station, the first meeting between a US president and the Kremlin top since before the Ukraine crisis began. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Washington on Monday to explore a possible resolution to Putin's full-scale war, which began in February 2022. Although the summit failed to secure the ceasefire he said he had wanted, Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, and had 'largely agreed'. 'I think we're pretty close to a deal,' he said, adding: 'Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they'll say 'no'.' The two sources, who sought anonymity to discuss issues that are sensitive, said their understanding of Putin's suggestions was mostly based on talks among leaders in Europe, the United States, and Ukraine, and that it was incomplete. Trump briefed Zelenskyy and European leaders on his summit talks early Saturday. It was unclear if Putin's recommendations were intended to serve as a starting point for discussions or as a final offer that was not open to reconsideration. Ukrainian land for peace At face value, at least some of the demands would present huge challenges for Ukraine's leadership to accept. Putin's offer ruled out a ceasefire until a comprehensive deal is reached, blocking a key demand of Zelenskyy, whose country is hit daily by Russian drones and ballistic missiles. Under the proposed Russian deal, Kyiv would fully withdraw from the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in return for a Russian pledge to freeze the front lines in the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the sources said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine has already rejected any retreat from Ukrainian land such as the Donetsk region, where its troops are dug in and which Kyiv says serves as a crucial defensive structure to prevent Russian attacks deeper into its territory. Russia would be prepared to return comparatively small tracts of Ukrainian land it has occupied in the northern Sumy and northeastern Kharkiv regions, the sources said. Russia holds pockets of the Sumy and Kharkiv regions that total around 440 square km, according to Ukraine's Deep State battlefield mapping project. Ukraine controls around 6,600 square km of Donbas, which comprises the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and is claimed by Russia. Although the Americans have not spelled this out, the sources said they knew Russia's leader was also seeking - at the very least - formal recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, which Moscow seized from Ukraine in 2014. It was not clear if that meant recognition by the US government or, for instance, all Western powers and Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies reject formal recognition of Moscow's rule in the peninsula. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They said Putin would also expect the lifting of at least some of the array of sanctions on Russia. However, they could not say if this applied to US as well as European sanctions. Trump said on Friday he did not immediately need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China for buying Russian oil - which is subject to a range of Western sanctions - but might have to 'in two or three weeks.' Ukraine would also be barred from joining the Nato military alliance, though Putin seemed to be open to Ukraine receiving some kind of security guarantees, the sources said. However, they added that it was unclear what this meant in practice. European leaders said Trump had discussed security guarantees for Ukraine during their conversation on Saturday and also broached an idea for an 'Article 5'-style guarantee outside the Nato military alliance. Nato regards any attack launched on one of its 32 members as an attack on all under its Article 5 clause. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Joining the Atlantic alliance is a strategic objective for Kyiv that is enshrined in the country's constitution. Russia would also demand official status for the Russian language inside parts of, or across, Ukraine, as well as the right of the Russian Orthodox Church to operate freely, the sources said. Ukraine's security agency accuses the Moscow-linked church of abetting Russia's war on Ukraine by spreading pro-Russian propaganda and housing spies, something denied by the church which says it has cut canonical ties with Moscow. Ukraine has passed a law banning Russia-linked religious organisations, of which it considers the church to be one. However, it has not yet started enforcing the ban.
