logo
After Sierra Leone, Liberia Observes Silence In Memory Of Pahalgam During All-Party Team's Visit

After Sierra Leone, Liberia Observes Silence In Memory Of Pahalgam During All-Party Team's Visit

News182 days ago

Last Updated:
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde's all-party team met Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr, foreign minister Sarah Beysolow Nyanti and other leaders as well as officials
Liberia expressed its support to India in its fight against terrorism as its Parliament observed a minute's silence in memory of the victims killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.
This was the second time, after Sierra Leone, that a country offered its condolences to the all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde. On their final day of the four-nation tour, the team was warmly received in Liberia.
Shinde's team met Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr, foreign minister Sarah Beysolow Nyanti and other leaders as well as officials. They then went on to meet the speaker and the pro-term speaker from the Liberian Parliament along with members of the Senate.
According to sources, this Indian delegation was assured that Liberia will stand shoulder to shoulder with India in its fight against terrorism and will support the country on every possible front.
It should be noted that Liberia's support comes at a time when it is scheduled to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Shinde's team conveyed India's 'united" resolve to combat terrorism in 'all its forms and manifestations" and expressed concerns that cross-border terrorism was Pakistan's only agenda. It spoke at length about the importance of Operation Sindoor, why it is on pause and not completed yet.
Shinde is the youngest MP in all seven delegations to lead one. The team left India about 10 days ago and embarked on a visit to the UAE, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
First Published:
June 02, 2025, 22:41 IST

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Troubling gaps in India's coastal governance
Troubling gaps in India's coastal governance

Hindustan Times

time14 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Troubling gaps in India's coastal governance

More than a week after a container ship with sensitive cargo sank off the Kerala coast, there are few indications of how the incident occurred, or of the full extent of environmental damage. While port authorities maintain there has been no significant oil spill, the discovery of floating nurdles along coastlines in Kerala and Tamil Nadu has raised red flags. The underlying regulatory questions, perhaps more pressing, remain unanswered. The capsizing of the Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3, about 40 nautical miles off Kochi, has exposed troubling gaps in India's coastal governance. The vessel was carrying 643 containers, including a declared consignment of hazardous materials such as calcium carbide, a volatile chemical known to react explosively with seawater. It was also reportedly laden with furnace oil and diesel for propulsion. That such a ship, operating under opaque ownership and sailing under a flag of convenience, was allowed to transit between two Indian ports without closer scrutiny reveals a deeper malaise — a regulatory culture overly reliant on paperwork and cursory checks, rather than robust, ground-level enforcement. Yet effective crisis management is no substitute for strong preventive oversight. The ELSA 3's passage from Vizhinjam to Kochi, a short domestic leg possibly linked to cargo bound for a longer voyage, should have raised multiple red flags. The vessel was registered in Liberia, a country known for its open registry and lax regulatory controls. As one of the most prominent 'flags of convenience' (FoC) states, Liberia is frequently used by shipowners seeking to avoid stricter labour, safety, and environmental standards. Tellingly, Liberia has reportedly declined to cooperate with any formal investigation, forcing Indian authorities to confront the legal and regulatory fallout alone. The vessel's crew composition and operational history only deepen concerns. Over the past two decades, the MSC ELSA 3 had reportedly changed names and flags multiple times, a practice known as flag hopping, often used to evade regulatory scrutiny. Its multinational crew, comprising Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians, and Filipinos, is not unusual in global shipping, but such combinations often signal low-cost, third-party management with diffuse lines of accountability. These are not trivial procedural lapses. When hazardous cargo is transported through domestic waters, transparency of ownership, clarity about crew competence, and rigour in cargo verification must be non-negotiable. Yet there is no evidence that authorities conducted meaningful checks before the ELSA 3 sailed from Vizhinjam. Equally troubling is the failure to translate technical risk into public safety measures. Fisherfolk and environmental groups along the Kerala coast have expressed frustration over the absence of timely advisories and delayed official communication. Even as coastal communities reported floating debris, tar balls, and chemical odours, government response remained muted. India's legal frameworks for hazardous cargo management are reasonably comprehensive on paper. The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Cargo) Rules, 1995, issued under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, require detailed cargo manifests, safety protocols, and hazard disclosures. For hazardous materials, India follows the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, enforced through the directives of the directorate general of shipping. The country is also a signatory to the MARPOL Convention, which sets international standards for oil-spill prevention and marine pollution control. Yet the gap between regulation and enforcement remains glaring. Inspections are often perfunctory, reduced to formalities on paper with little physical verification. This incident is not a one-off. The 2017 oil spill near Chennai and a chemical leak off Mumbai in 2010 both exposed severe shortcomings in enforcement and emergency preparedness. The 2011 sinking of the MV Rak, a poorly maintained Panama-flagged vessel off the Mumbai coast, revealed similar flaws. The ship had continued operating in Indian waters despite repeated warnings about its condition. Subsequent investigations pointed to inadequate port inspections and poor inter-agency coordination, failings that mirror many aspects of the MSC ELSA 3 episode. A recurring theme in these incidents is the weakness of port state control — the mechanism by which countries inspect foreign-flagged vessels in their waters to ensure compliance with international standards. Indian authorities have long hesitated to strengthen this function, allowing substandard ships to operate with impunity. The MSC ELSA 3, flagged for deficiencies during previous inspections — including one at Tuticorin last year—should have attracted far greater scrutiny. India's cargo carriage norms also deserve closer examination. While coastal trade is nominally reserved for Indian-flagged vessels, a 2018 exemption permits foreign ships to carry certain categories of EXIM and agricultural cargo without a DG Shipping licence. The ELSA 3's voyage likely qualified under these rules, but its hazardous cargo should have triggered a more rigorous inspection regime. At the very least, consignments involving reactive chemicals like calcium carbide must be publicly disclosed and centrally tracked. Fixing this ecosystem will require more than bureaucratic tightening. India must fundamentally reconsider its engagement with vessels flagged to jurisdictions known for lax compliance. This means expanding satellite tracking and Automatic Identification System (AIS) coverage, joining international efforts to monitor shadow fleets, and advocating for reform within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). As coastal states like Kerala contend with the fallout from the ELSA 3 incident, India cannot credibly claim maritime leadership in the Indo-Pacific while tolerating regulatory blind spots in its own backyard. Maritime power is not only about naval presence or port expansion, it is also about governance, oversight, and accountability at sea. ELSA 3's capsizing may not have caused an immediate ecological catastrophe. But it has spotlighted India's chronic regulatory complacency. The next incident may not be so forgiving. Abhijit Singh is the former head of the maritime policy initiative at ORF, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal

Withdraw tender inviting private CA firms to assist CAG: MP
Withdraw tender inviting private CA firms to assist CAG: MP

Time of India

time20 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Withdraw tender inviting private CA firms to assist CAG: MP

1 2 3 Madurai: Madurai MP Su Venkatesan has sought the withdrawal of a tender issued by the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) of India, inviting private chartered accountant (CA) firms to assist the CAG in the audit of public sector companies and local bodies. In a letter to President of India Droupadi Murmu on June 3, Venkatesan urged her immediate intervention to withdraw the tender. He argued that the decision of the CAG to invite private CA firms to assist in the audit would dilute the independence of the CAG and the principles envisaged by the Constitution. He stated that private CA firms are expected to work alongside the audit officers carrying out the audit. He emphasised that the CAG is the highest auditing authority in the country, established by the Constitution, and is only accountable to Parliament. The audit conducted by private CA firms is not the same. He further mentioned that the CAG was granted independent status to ensure that the audit work is done without any political interference. The distinct and independent nature of the CAG should be protected, as the move to issue the tender is dangerous. He also expressed concern that confidential and sensitive information of private sector companies and local bodies may fall into private hands.

'Carrying explosives without declaring': DGCA warns Turkish Airlines to follow rules after surprise checks of its flights
'Carrying explosives without declaring': DGCA warns Turkish Airlines to follow rules after surprise checks of its flights

Time of India

time20 minutes ago

  • Time of India

'Carrying explosives without declaring': DGCA warns Turkish Airlines to follow rules after surprise checks of its flights

This is an AI-generated image, used for representational purposes only. NEW DELHI: India has warned Turkish Airlines to comply with all rules after a surprise inspection of its aircraft at four airports over the last one week revealed lapses, including the alleged carriage of explosives without disclosing the same on one flight. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had conducted 'safety oversight and ramp (SOFA/RAMP)' inspections of the airline's passenger and cargo flights at Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru from May 29 to June 2, 2025. The operations of Turkish to India will be under the lens as the regulator says it will conduct flow-up inspections 'as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight.' The key lapses found during this surprise 'surveillance of foreign (Turkish) aircraft' include: 'The cargo contained dangerous goods for which permission is required from DGCA for carriage of explosives to/from over India. This was not found to be attached, nor was it mentioned in the dangerous goods declaration,' according to an aviation ministry statement. The other findings include: 'At Bengaluru, the marshaller handling ground operations lacked proper authorisation and a valid competency card for marshalling functions. During the arrival of aircraft, the aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) was unavailable, and the arrival procedure was carried out by a technician instead. Airworks is the authorised engineering service provider for Turkish Airlines,' it added. The check revealed there was no 'service level agreement in place between Turkish Airlines and its ground handling agent (GHA). Equipment such as ladders, step ladders, trolleys and ground power units (GPUs) lacked proper accountability and monitoring at Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where Globe Ground India was providing ground services without formal handover from Celebi,' the ministry statement said. 'The DGCA emphasises its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of all foreign operators within Indian airspace. Turkish Airlines has been directed to address these findings promptly and ensure full compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and recommended practices as well as DGCA regulations. Further follow-up inspections will be conducted as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight. ' Senior officials say the checks were conducted on Turkish Airlines aircraft operated by the airline and not the two Boeing 777s wet-leased (hired with crew) by IndiGo from it. Turkish and IndiGo each operate a daily passenger flight between Delhi & Istanbul and Mumbai & Istanbul. Following Turkey's support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and the firing of Turkish drones by Pakistan, New Delhi is reviewing its ties with Istanbul. The security clearance of Turkish ground handler Celebi was withdrawn last month and it had to wind up activities from nine Indian airports. Then the DGCA asked IndiGo to wrap up its wet lease of two Boeing 777s from Turkish by Aug 31, 2025, by giving a 'last and final three-month extension. ' This final extension was given after getting an 'undertaking from (IndiGo) that they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period, and not seek any further extension for these operations.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store