Latest news with #OperationSindor
Hindustan Times
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Modi must show courage to rebut Trump's claims: Rahul Gandhi
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged the Centre lacked 'political will' during Operation Sindor and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not sacrifice the armed forces for 'petty political gains', daring him to categorically rebut US President Donald Trump's claims about brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi speaks during the discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. (Sansad TV/ANI Grab) Gandhi cast doubts on defence minister Rajnath Singh's remarks about the Indian director general of military operation's communication with his Pakistani counterpart on May 7, challenged external affairs minister S Jaishankar's assertions on diplomacy, and hit out at the PM. 'This is a very dangerous time, and we can't afford a PM who lacks the courage to utilise the army the way it has to be used. We can't afford a PM who doesn't have the guts to say from here that Donald Trump is a liar, that he didn't stop India from fighting and is lying about the planes,' Gandhi said in the Lower House during a special discussion on Operation Sindoor Gandhi alleged that Trump has stated '29 times' that he brought about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. 'If he is lying, the PM should say here that Trump is lying. If he has the courage of Indira Gandhi, let him say here, 'Trump, you are a liar, you did not make a ceasefire and we did not lose any planes',' Gandhi said. Participating in the discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said Jaishankar's statement on China being a bigger economy in the context of bilateral tensions showed 'complete bankruptcy' 'He said they have a bigger economy and he said, are we going to fight China? This means he is scared. Don't allow India to be reduced to a battlefield where large powers are fused together. I want to tell Modi, the nation is above your image, politics and PR (public relations). Our forces are above your image, PR and politics. Have humility and dignity to understand and do not sacrifice our armed forces for your petty political gains,' Gandhi said. Gandhi questioned India's diplomatic success and said, 'The man behind the Pahalgam attack was Munir (Pakistan army chief Asim Munir) and he was having lunch with the US President. PM Modi never asked, why did Trump have lunch with Munir? According to this government, they have deterred Pakistan. But the mastermind was having lunch with President Trump.' Gandhi quoted Trump saying that he wanted to thank Munir for ending the war and said, 'Right now, General Munir, a US general and others are having a conference on tackling terror. I don't know which planet our external affairs minister is sitting on. Please come down.' Gandhi also questioned the policy of the new normal of the Centre, which has said that an act of terror amounts to an act of war, and argued that any terrorist can start a wart by launching a terror attack in India. 'You have taken the entire idea of deterrence and turned it upside down. This government is clueless about deterrence,' he said. India's biggest foreign policy challenge, Gandhi argued, was to keep Pakistan and China separate. He said that the Centre 'destroyed' the foreign policy as China and Pakistan got fused. 'The truth is: the government thought they were fighting against Pakistan. But they realised that the Pakistan air force was attached to the Chinese air force. The Chinese were feeding critical battlefield information and satellite information.' Gandhi said Jaishankar's ideas about a two-front war were wrong. 'We are facing China and Pakistan fused as one militarily. It is dangerous for the PM to use forces to protect his image. Forces should be used for national interest. Fight properly and defeat Pakistan once and for all.' The Congress leader also took on Rajnath Singh. He said that Indian armed forces' 'hands were tied' during Operation Sindoor as restrictions were imposed on what all they could attack. Gandhi pointed at recent statements made by captain Shiv Kumar, India's defence attache to Indonesia, and Lt. General Rahul R Singh. 'He (Rajnath) said the most shocking thing: We don't want escalation. The DGMO of India was told by the govt of India to agree to a ceasefire. You said, will not hit military targets. You told Pakistan your political will that you don't want to fight. The govt of India informed the govt of Pakistan that we have no political will. It amounts to immediate surrender in 30 minutes,' Gandhi said. Gandhi raked up the issue of how many fighter jets India lost and blamed the political leadership for it, while supporting the armed forces and said India wouldn't have lost any plane if Modi had 50% of late PM Indira Gandhi's courage. Gandhi compared the 1971 Bangladesh War with Operation Sindoor. 'Our soldiers are like tigers. But they have to be given full freedom. There must be political will and freedom of operation. If you want to use Indian armed forces, you should have political will and you have to give full freedom of operation. In 1971, there was political will. The US 7th fleet was coming to India. Then PM Indira Gandhi said, we have to do what we need to do in Bangladesh. The superpower of the world is coming with its aircraft carrier. But she had political will. Indira Gandhi gave full freedom to the armed forces. 1 lakh Pakistani soldiers surrendered and a new county was born.'
Mint
19-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Is the Israel-Iran war a billion-dollar threat to Adani Ports & SEZ?
The world is once again on the brink. With the war in Ukraine still raging and unrest simmering across the Middle East, a new conflict has plunged global geopolitics into deeper uncertainty. A few days ago, tension between India and Pakistan flared up after 26 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. India launched Operation Sindor, which targeted terrorist camps across the Line of Control. For a brief moment, there was a serious apprehension that both India and Pakistan could go to war. But both sides agreed to a ceasefire, which reduced stress. Also Read: Is India's premium at risk? As Israel-Iran conflict sparks FPI outflows, valuation debate rages But cool in South Asia has been affected by a more explosive conflict in the Middle East. On 13 June 2025, Israel launched a military campaign against Iran, targeting major military and nuclear sites. Since then, the Israel-Iran conflict has entered its fourth day, with no signs of de-escalation. Overnight missile exchanges have intensified, with Iran striking an Israeli oil refinery and crippling parts of its power grid. In this geopolitical storm, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) Ltd has emerged as a company of keen interest on Dalal Street. APSEZ is the largest commercial ports operator in India, accounting for nearly one-fourth of the country's cargo movement. It has a presence in 13 domestic ports in seven maritime states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. Through its subsidiary Adani Logistics, APSEZ operates three logistics parks located at Patli in Haryana, Kila-Raipur in Punjab, and Kishangarh in Rajasthan. The company is engaged in developing, operating, and maintaining ports, developing ports-related infrastructure, and developing infrastructure in special economic zones. On 16 June 2025, shares of APSEZ were in focus amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Some reports suggested that the conflict between the two countries caused damage to the Haifa port in Israel. Late on Saturday night, tensions in the Middle East escalated further as Iran fired missiles at Israel's Haifa port and a nearby oil refinery. Debris from the attack reportedly landed in the chemical terminal of the port, while other projectiles hit the oil refinery. Also Read: Dull summer casts a cloud on Voltas's air conditioner volumes in Q1 While the incident raised immediate concerns, especially for Adani Group's operations in the region, media reports state the Adani-operated section of the Haifa port was not impacted. However, Jugeshinder Robbie Singh, the Adani Group CFO, refuted the reports and said the damage reports were false. News agencyPTIreported on Sunday that the group's port was unaffected. Despite the tense situation, it's business as usual at the port for now. As per reports, eight ships remained docked and cargo handling continued smoothly. Operations stayed on track, with no damage reported to infrastructure or logistics. For now, Adani's key international port remains safe, even as the region braces for what comes next. Adani Ports' stake in the Haifa port In 2023, the Adani Group made a high-profile international expansion by acquiring a 70% stake in Israel's Haifa port for $1.2 billion, in partnership with Israel's Gadot Group, which holds the remaining 30%. The joint venture is set to operate the strategic port until 2054. Haifa serves as a vital maritime gateway for Israel, handling more than 30% of the country's imports. While it contributes nearly 5% to APSEZ's revenue, it accounts for less than 2% of the total cargo volume managed by the company. APSEZ, which handles around 10.57 million tonnes of cargo overall, has always positioned Haifa as a long-term strategic asset rather than a volume play. However, the recent escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict has cast a shadow over the investment. The fear is that ongoing hostilities could delay cargo movements at Haifa and potentially disrupt global shipping routes. The impact was already visible in the market on Friday. Shares of Adani Ports—one of the group's most profitable businesses dropped more than 3% intraday to ₹1,396 before recovering slightly to close at ₹1,405.25, a 2.71% decline. Also Read: Municipal bodies still shun public bond issues. There's a lot that's holding them back While Haifa may represent a small portion of the group's operations, the geopolitical risk it carries now looms large. What if Adani's Haifa port takes a hit? At the moment, Adani's Haifa port is still up and running, with cargo ships docked and operations going on as usual. But there's a growing sense of unease. What happens if things take a turn for the worse? If the port were to suffer serious damage, the impact on Adani Ports could be significant. Early estimates suggest losses could range between $1.9 bn and $2.9 bn. That includes the original $840 million (m) poured into the deal, around $50-100 m in annual revenue, and a potential hit of $1-2 bn in market value. The longer the conflict continues, the more uncertain the returns on Adani's overseas bet become, raising the question of whether this bold global expansion will deliver long-term gains or turn into an expensive mistake. Scaling up Vizhinjam APSEZ is set to invest ₹13,000 crore to expand the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Seaport in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram. This next phase of growth, fully self-funded, comes on the back of successful trial runs and growing demand. The port is already operating at 90% capacity, having handled 280 ships and 620,000 TEUs since trial operations began in June 2024. With an initial ₹7,000 crore already invested, the port's expansion is aimed at keeping up with rising transhipment traffic and unlocking its full potential. 3x global operations by 2030 Looking overseas, APSEZ is laying out bold plans to triple its international operations by 2029-30. With major investments in Israel, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka, the company is aiming to handle 140–150 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo globally by the end of the decade. Domestic volumes are also expected to grow steadily, with capacity projected to reach 820-850 MMT. To fuel this ambition, APSEZ is doubling down on key global assets, including Israel's Haifa port, the under-construction port in Tanzania, and Colombo West International Terminal in Sri Lanka. Conclusion Indian port industry will grow at the rate of 4-7% over the next five years, supported by rising imports, a decline in freight costs, and the normalisation of global supply chains, according to a report by Motilal Oswal. Along with its expansion plans, Adani Ports' is set to benefit from the growth of the industry as well. But with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and uncertainties surrounding its Haifa port investment, all eyes are on the company's global impact. It's important to conduct thorough research on financials and corporate governance before making investment decisions, ensuring they align with your financial goals and risk tolerance. Happy Investing. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from
India.com
06-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Bharat Mata Ki Jai, says Defense Minister Rajnath Singh after India launches Operation Sindoor in Pakistan
Operation Sindor: The Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attacks in which 26 civilians were killed on April 22. Reacting to the India's brave move, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.
