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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Imputations, misrepresentations': India rejects US human rights report; calls it 'one-sided projections'
NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Thursday outrightly rejected a human rights report released by the United States, terming it "imputations, misrepresentations, one-sided projections". However, it expressed confidence in New Delhi-Washington ties having "weathered several transitions and challenges" as it remains strained due to tariff imposition from Donald Trump. "As we have always maintained, these reports are a mix of imputations, misrepresentations and one-sided projections that demonstrate a poor understanding of India's democratic framework, pluralistic society and robust institutional mechanisms for protecting human rights. We do not attach any credence to such biased assessments. We remain focused on advancing human rights of our people through inclusive governance and development," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. What US report says The report titled 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, "government took minimal credible steps or action to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses." It also mentions terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern areas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Treatment That Might Help You Against Knee Pain Knee pain| search ads Find Now Undo "Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, northeastern states, and Maoist terrorism-affected areas committed abuses, including killing 20 security personnel and 18 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir as of September 10," the report said. It also pointed out that "media organizations and individual journalists who expressed views critical of the government were at times subjected to arrest, threats, or intimidation." "There were also reports of nonstate actors including criminal groups perpetrating killings, violence, and intimidation against journalists critical of the government or for exposing corruption," the reports said. All these allegations were dismissed by MEA as Jaiswal emphasized that India's democratic institutions and safeguards were strong and fully capable of upholding human rights.
Hans India
11-08-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Govt briefs Tharoor-led panel, conveys India's ties with US extend beyond trade
Congress MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor on Monday said that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, has made it clear that India's relationship with the United States remains "very important" and extends beyond trade to several other areas where the New Delhi-Washington engagement continues. Tharoor made the comment after a three-hour committee meeting where the 22 participating members interacted with the Foreign and Commerce Secretary on the latest issues concerning India's Foreign Policy, especially the ongoing US-India trade negotiations and tariffs. "I think the 22 members asked over 50 questions to the Foreign Secretary and the Commerce Secretary... Our Foreign Secretary mentioned that ties with America are quite important and trade is just one aspect. Several other issues are being discussed between both countries at the same time. It was explained to us in detail and whatever clarifications the members required were given," Tharoor told the waiting reporters after the meeting. Tharoor also slammed Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for making controversial remarks on India during his trip to the United States over the weekend. "The question of General Munir's statement on American soil has been brought up, concern was expressed about the misuse of a friendly country's soil to say something about us in this manner. At the same time, nuclear sabre-rattling is something the Pakistanis like to do, has been dismissed by the MEA in a statement that was issued just as our meeting was beginning. We will echo that statement, as the committee shares the same view that we are not going to allow this kind of nonsense to influence our thinking. Nuclear blackmail will not work with India, and no party and no representative of any party disagrees with that principle." During his US visit, Munir had warned that Pakistan will never allow India to choke the Indus River and will defend its water rights at all costs even if the forces will have to destroy any dam that India sought to build on it. "We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it ... The Indus River is not the Indians' family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river," Munir was quoted as saying by leading Pakistani daily Dawn at an event organised by members of the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida. Earlier in the day, India, which has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail, reacted strongly to the comments made by Munir. "Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade. The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups," read a statement issued by Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday. Munir, the Pakistani media reported on Monday, visited two US cities over the weekend and flew to Belgium on Sunday after completing his second high-profile trip to the United States in less than two months. "It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country. India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security," the MEA statement mentioned.
Time of India
11-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Our relationship with US important, trade just one aspect: Vikram Misri briefs Shashi Tharoor-led Parliamentary panel
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Congress MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor on Monday said that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, has made it clear that India's relationship with the United States remains "very important" and extends beyond trade to several other areas where the New Delhi-Washington engagement continues."... Our Foreign Affairs Secretary clearly said that our relationship with America is important, and trade is just one aspect of this, but we are still in touch on many subjects. The Commerce Secretary also told us about this in detail. They gave us all the clarifications that our members needed," says Congress MP and Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi week, President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods due to Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil, bringing the total duty on Indian exports to the U.S. to 50% - among the highest of any American trading partner."Our relations with the U.S. are multi-dimensional, and should not be seen only through the prism of trade," one of the lawmakers said, citing the foreign secretary's briefing to the trade between the United States and India - the world's biggest and fifth-largest economies, respectively - was worth about $87 billion in the last fiscal year, according to Indian government panel separately voiced concerns over Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's reported remarks on nuclear threats in South Asia during a visit to the U.S."Nuclear blackmail will not work with India, and no party, or representative disagrees with this view," Tharoor said, adding the external affairs ministry had condemned the comments.
The Wire
13-07-2025
- The Wire
Left High and Dry: A First Hand Account From an AI 103 Aborted In Vienna
Society Annie Mathew Mathew John a few seconds ago After the New Delhi-Washington flight was aborted in Vienna, we passengers – mostly seniors – endured much physical and mental pressure. atmanirbhar considerations, but for the simple reason that we are on its attractive 'frequent flyer' programme and hope someday to log up a few free rides amidst the travails of travelling by the national carrier. So, as usual, we confirmed our booking by AI 103 scheduled to leave New Delhi at 12:45 am on July 2 and routed via Vienna to reach Washington Dulles at 11:15 am on the same day, a 19-hour journey that began smoothly. The turbulence hit upon landing in Vienna at 6:30 am local time for routine refuelling. Soon after, the local ground engineers came on board, bustling about between the cockpit and the underwing. At around 8:15 am, we got the first announcement from the cabin supervisor that the plane was still being refuelled. She regurgitated the same bulletin every once in a while. This charade went on till about 10:45 am, when the captain made the big announcement that the flight was being aborted due to technical problems. Even as our hearts sank in dismay, we couldn't help but chuckle at his unintended ghoulish humour. He ended his apology by stating that though the plane was functional, a decision was taken not to risk flying over the Atlantic due to the 'intermittent problem'! He seemed to suggest that we were lucky to come this far and should be thankful for the cancellation of the onward flight! Consider the following: of the 200-odd passengers on board, the majority were senior citizens, a fair sprinkling of whom were wheelchair-bound. As the plane was parked in the service area, the old and the infirm who could still walk without assistance – including the two of us – had to negotiate the steep aircraft stairs while clutching onto our hand baggage. At the passenger terminal, we were herded together and subjected to the most rigorous security check – our belts, shoes and even our boarding passes put through the scanner. Thereafter, we were escorted by the surly armed police who commanded us to walk in step, rudely pulling up those who were unable to keep pace or strayed away. We were made to walk an interminable distance to the third floor and then down to the ground floor to an earmarked waiting area – G 76 – which operated as the main internment centre – our Gulag – for the next two days. There we were greeted by three Air India personnel who did what they could to assuage our anger. But what one noticed was that they got no support from the higher Air India management and were helpless in the face of the hostile, unhelpful and racist attitude of the Austrian airport and police personnel. The Air India manager indicated that 100 rooms were being organised for our stay in a nearby hotel and he would arrange for all passengers to be booked on various flights to Washington DC the next day. However, at about 5 pm, he informed us that the hotel was willing to provide only 25 rooms. There followed further arguments and complaints. We were among the lucky 55 passengers who got hotel accommodation, whereas the rest had to make do, in Dharamshala style, with makeshift beds provided in the G 76 waiting area. Those of us in the NH hotel that was a kilometre away were given peremptory orders to stay in our rooms, with even the in-house restaurant being out of bounds. We, vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, were all served a sparse non-vegetarian platter. The vegetarians went to bed hungry. As the checked baggage was kept in safe custody beyond the reach of passengers, many had to manage without their medicine and cope with the same set of clothes the next day. At 2:47 am on July 3, we received a message from Air India that the two of us had been booked on an Austrian Airlines flight at 10:50 am on the morning of July 4. We were hopping mad that our departure had been put back by another day, but when we got the gory details of the crazy travel arrangements made by Air India for other passengers, we realised that we were among the few lucky ones. Barring a handful who managed to fly out to Washington DC on July 3, most other passengers were denied direct flights to Washington DC, and were instead randomly routed via Dubai, Doha, Istanbul and Chicago on the July 4 and 5. Clearly, the higher Air India management had left us high and dry! Despite our revised booking being for July 4, we were all ordered to vacate the hotel on the morning of July 3, again escorted out like criminals and after yet another rigorous security check taken to G 76. On the evening of July 3, again we were put through the tiresome drill of fighting for hotel rooms and deciding who would be accommodated. The sheer physical and mental pressure took its toll on most of us. Everyone vowed never to travel by Air India ever again! Air India couldn't have done worse, but could it have done better? We have damning evidence to prove that if one had contacts 'in the right places', one could get a great deal. An elderly fellow passenger who is highly diabetic and had run out of medicine was initially booked on a flight to Washington DC via Doha on July 4, which meant that he would reach his final destination only on July 5. Distraught, he spoke to a close relative who works with the high and mighty in Delhi and sought his help. Within an hour of his call, the local Air India manager informed him that he was booked on a direct flight to Washington DC on the evening of July 3 itself to reach DC the same night. As has rightly been said, where there is a will… But clearly, the Air India management was indifferent to our plight! We reached Washington in the late hours of July 4, but our checked-in baggage was delivered only on July 6. But that's not all! Even as we struggled to cope with the terrible situation in Vienna, our distraught daughter in Washington DC sent an SOS email to Air India about our plight, pleading with the airline to bail us out. The final response of Air India to her cry for help was staggering in its criminal callousness and deceit. In an email dated July 7, Air India stated that the diversion to Vienna 'was caused due to Iran airspace closure, a situation that is beyond the airline's control', further adding that in such cases compensation was not applicable. Not even a word of apology for the pain inflicted on the hapless passengers! Moreover, far from being unforeseen, the stopover in Vienna was planned in the aftermath of Pakistan closing its airspace following Operation Sindoor and had nothing to do with Iran's airspace closure. What does all this say of Air India's concern for their passengers? It hurts to think that when Air India was taken over by the Tatas in 2022, we were cock-a-hoop that Air India would soon be transformed into the world's premier carrier. Instead, it is now an international pariah airline. In recent months there have reportedly been other cases of Air India flights being aborted or detained due to technical problems – an unacceptable rate of failure by international standards. Is Air India in terminal decline, able to be turned around only by a miracle? Mathew John is a former civil servant. Annie Mathew is an author. The views are personal. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
