Rahul Gandhi's forecast on trade deal: Modi will bow to Trump tariff deadline
Trump, who has previously called India a big abuser of tariffs and a "tariff king", had announced a 26% duty on Indian products as part of his April 2 "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariffs. The US President later suspended the tariffs for 90 days, allowing countries to strike a deal with the US.Thus, without an interim trade deal agreement, India must prepare for a 26% tariff.A major sticking point has been India's hard stance on not reducing tariffs on American agricultural imports such as maize and soybeans. The Trump administration's demand for wider access to the dairy sector, which employs over 80 million people in India, has also been a bone of contention.On the other hand, India has demanded greater access to US labour-intensive industries, including textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, and chemicals.The issue has not been resolved despite India's negotiating team, led by special secretary Rajesh Agarwal, extending their stay in Washington for discussions.Speaking at a business event in Delhi, Goyal underscored that India would not compromise the interests of farm and dairy sectors."India never enters into trade deals based on deadlines or time pressure. It should be a win-win agreement, and only when India's interests are safeguarded, if a good deal is formed, India is always ready to engage with developed countries," Goyal said.- EndsMust Watch
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The Wire
36 minutes ago
- The Wire
India's Non-GMO Soy Sector Prepares for EUDR Compliance with Support from SOPA and TRST01
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India Today
37 minutes ago
- India Today
Salute to sacrifice: How disability pension for armed forces veterans won legal sanctity
The Delhi High Court, in a landmark verdict, has delivered a decisive blow to the ministry of defence's move to deny disability pensions to hundreds of retired armed forces personnel.A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur dismissed nearly 300 writ petitions, upholding the Armed Forces Tribunal's rulings in favour of the veterans. The pension claims were initially denied due to the disability being deemed 'Neither Attributable nor Aggravated' (NANA) by the competent medical board, as per the pension December, INDIA TODAY's story War Over The Wounded (edition dated December 16, 2024) had highlighted the issue wherein the ministry of defence resorted to filing hundreds of appeals in higher courts to challenge disability pensions to armed forces personnel by contradicting the government's stated policy to reduce defence ministers Manohar Parrikar and Nirmala Sitharaman had issued directives not to challenge tribunal orders granting disability benefits. Yet the ministry continued to file appeals, often against widows and disabled soldiers. For veterans, the percentage of disability is a critical factor that determines their pension and associated benefits. In September 2023, the ministry of defence revised the disability benefit rules, but clarified that the rule would apply only to those persons who retire after September 21, 2023, with no retrospective of defence staff General Anil Chauhan made it clear the disability pension-related rules had been revised to protect genuine soldiers' requirements. 'A study was [done] to protect the genuine interest of the personnel, who acquired disability during service, while preventing the exploitation of its liberal provisions from misuse,' he July 1, while delivering the order, the high court bench stated that the purpose of granting disability pension to personnel of the Indian armed forces was to provide necessary financial support to those who had sustained a disability or illness during their service, due to service conditions.'It is not an act of generosity but a rightful and just acknowledgement of the sacrifices endured by them, which manifests in the form of disabilities/disorders suffered during their military service. Such a pension ensures that a soldier who suffers injury or disability due to service conditions is not left without support and is able to live with financial security and dignity. It is a measure that upholds the State's responsibility towards its soldiers, who have served the nation with courage and devotion,' the court on behalf of the government, the attorney general informed the high court that in the present batch of petitions, none of the 'individuals has been out of service'. Consequently, not a single one of them is, per se, eligible to be considered for the award of disability pension. He further submitted that the Armed Forces Tribunal did not consider the revised entitlement rule of 2008 by the ministry of defence while passing on judgment. 'Such a departure from the provisions clearly enunciated by the government of India has rendered its policies on the subject completely irrelevant, redundant and ineffective,' the attorney general challenging the disability element to pensioners, the attorney general submitted that in the current cases, the disabilities of the respondents were assessed by the Release Medical Board (RMB) as well as by the competent/appellate authorities as neither attributable to nor aggravated by the military service, after considering their entire medical history and service concluding his stand, the attorney general stated that the medical board consists of experts who thoroughly assess individuals and their complete medical history in accordance with the relevant medical provisions. Based on this examination, they determine whether the disability can be considered attributable to or aggravated by military service. 'Therefore, the courts, within their limited scope of judicial review, should refrain from disputing the opinion of the medical board unless there is compelling medical evidence on record to contradict it,' he the court stated that it must always be kept in view that the armed forces personnel, while defending the country, have to perform their duties in extremely harsh and inhuman weather and conditions, wherein surviving each day is a challenge. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the RMB to furnish cogent and well-reasoned justification for their conclusions that the disease/disability suffered by the personnel cannot be said to be attributable to or aggravated by such service onus is not discharged by the RMB by simply relying on when such disability/disease is noticed also said that it must be noted that even in peace stations, military service is inherently stressful due to a combination of factors, such as strict discipline, long working hours, limited personal freedom and constant readiness for deployment. The psychological burden of being away from family, living in isolated or challenging environments, and coping with the uncertainty of sudden transfers or duties adds to this strain. The toll of continuous combat training further contributes to mental fatigue.'Despite the absence of active conflict or the challenges of hard area postings, the demanding nature of military life at peace stations can significantly impact the overall well-being of personnel,' the court said, adding that soldiers are always aware that threat is never far environment, wherein danger is a constant reality for their peers and could become their own at any moment, creates a persistent state of mental and emotional strain that cannot be overlooked. Thus, military service, whether in peace locations or operational zones, inherently carries stress that may predispose armed force personnel to medical conditions, including hypertension, the court to India Today Magazine- Ends
Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Who was Sewdass Sadhu, mentioned by PM Modi in Trinidad & Tobago speech?
Addressing a large gathering of the Indian diaspora in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned several eminent personalities with Indian roots, including the mathematician and politician Dr Rudranath Capildeo (1920-70), the Trinidadian musician, 'King of Chutney' Sundar Popo, and the former West Indies batsman Daren Ganga. Modi also mentioned the somewhat lesser-known Sewdass Sadhu, an indentured labourer who is credited with single-handedly building the famous 'Temple in the Sea' in the Gulf of Paria, the shallow body of water between the island of Trinidad and Venezuela in the South American mainland. We look at the story of Sewdass Sadhu, sometimes called the Dashrath Majhi of Trinidad & Tobago. Also known as Sewdass Sadhu Shiva Mandir, the temple off Waterloo, Carapichaima, south of Port of Spain, was first constructed in 1955. The temple, surrounded by the scenic waters of the Gulf of Paria, is connected to land by a walkway, somewhat like the Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai. The 85-foot Hanuman statue at the Dattatreya temple in Carapichaima stands nearby. The Sewdass Sadhu Shiva Mandir is a spiritual and cultural landmark that attracts pilgrims and visitors from around the world. It has classic Hindu architectural features like domed mandaps, colourful gopurams (entrance towers that are a distinctive feature of Dravidian temple architecture), and ornate ceiling designs. The temple becomes a vibrant hub during religious celebrations in the country, which has a significant Hindu population with Indian roots, especially during festivals like Diwali. The Sadhu who built it Sewdass Sadhu had constructed the first temple on the seashore in 1947, but it was demolished because it was built in MacMillan Park, a private property belonging to Tate and Lyle Limited, a leading sugar company, and Sadhu was sent to prison. But he was determined to build the temple, and subsequently built it the sea, arguing that the water does not belong to any one individual. He did this alone, over 25 long years, using only his bicycle to transport building material to the site where an octagonal, one-storey temple finally came up. Sewdass Sadhu's story echoes that of Dashrath Majhi, the 'Mountain Man' of Bihar, who worked for 22 years with only a hammer and chisel to singlehandedly carve a path through rocks to connect his village Gehlaur to the city of Gaya. The diaspora connect Indian-origin people make up almost 40 per cent of the population of Trindad and Tobago. About half of all Indo-Trinidadians are Hindu; the rest are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and Sikh. The first Indians arrived in the islands in 1845, mainly from Bhojpur and Awadh regions in today's Bihar and Uttar Pradesh respectively, as indentured labourers. In 2025, T&T is celebrating 180 years of the arrival of Indians. During his address, Prime Minister Modi announced that OCI cards would now be issued to the 6th generation of the people of Indian origin in Trinidad & Tobago. He also underscored that the Indian government will support several initiatives to nurture the Girmitiya legacy. Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More
