Latest news with #Srinagar
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
India asks IMF to reconsider Pakistan programme over ‘terror funding'
Pakistan came to the brink of default in 2023 but was saved by a US$7 billion bailout from the IMF. (Reuters pic) SRINAGAR : Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh said today the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should reconsider a US$1 billion loan to Pakistan, alleging Islamabad was 'funding terror'. 'I believe a big portion of the US$1 billion coming from IMF will be used for funding terror infrastructure,' Singh told troops at an air force base in western India. 'I believe any economic assistance to Pakistan is nothing less than funding terror'. India and Pakistan last week launched missiles, drones and artillery strikes on each other before a ceasefire that began Saturday. The IMF last week approved a loan programme review for Pakistan, unlocking around US$1 billion in much-needed funds and greenlighting a new US$1.4 billion bailout despite India's objections. India – which also represents Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh on the IMF board – abstained on the review vote, a statement from its finance ministry voicing 'concerns over the efficacy of IMF programmes in the case of Pakistan given its poor track record'. Pakistan came to the brink of default in 2023, as a political crisis compounded an economic downturn and drove the nation's debt burden to terminal levels. It was saved by a US$7 billion bailout from the IMF – its 24th since 1958. Singh claimed it was 'now clear that in Pakistan terrorism and their government are hand in glove with each other'. 'In this situation there is a possibility that their nuclear weapons could get their way into the hands of terrorists. This is a danger not just for Pakistan but the entire world,' he said. Fighting between New Delhi and Islamabad began when India launched strikes on May 7 against what it called 'terrorist camps' in Pakistan following an April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir which killed 26 people. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the rebels it claimed were behind the attack – the deadliest on civilians in Kashmir in decades. Pakistan denies the charge. Four days of intense drone, missile and artillery exchanges ensued, leaving around 70 people, including dozens of civilians, dead on both sides.
Times of Oman
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
DGCA probing IndiGo hailstorm incident; Minister lauds crew's efforts, promises action if lapses found
New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the incident involving IndiGo flight 6E2142 from Delhi to Srinagar, which encountered a sudden hailstorm en route. He also commended the pilots and crew for their professionalism and presence of mind in handling the emergency situation, ensuring the safety of all passengers on board. The minister added that the government is awaiting the DGCA's investigation report and assured that appropriate action will be taken if any lapses are found. "Regarding the emergency landing that has happened with the Delhi-Srinagar flight, we are looking into the incident. DGCA is investigating it. I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts of the pilots and the crew. We are very thankful that everyone is safe. But we are going to investigate it thoroughly. We are waiting for the investigation report from the DGCA once that comes, and if we see any wrongdoing, then we are going to take action," Naidu told reporters. This comes as India also announced the extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting its airspace for Pakistani aircraft and airlines till June 23. Naidu said the government has "maintained the status quo" on the matter. Naidu said the government has simply maintained the existing status. "The NOTAM has been extended. We have maintained the status quo..." he told reporters. This comes amid heightened security considerations and recent incidents involving Pakistani airspace. Separately, on the revocation of security clearance to Turkish firm Celebi Airport Services, the Civil Aviation Minister assured that airport operations across the country remain unaffected. "For the time being, on grounds of national security, we've removed the Turkish players from ground handling services, cargo are not seeing any problem in the operations. We are going to take guidance from the security agencies in this regard..." he said. Celebi was responsible for handling about 70 per cent of ground operations at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, including passenger handling, load control, cargo services, postal services, warehouse management, and bridge operations. It also operated at multiple airports across India. The Central government has revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi NAS Airport Services, citing national security concerns. Earlier in the day, India announced the extension of the ban on closure of its airspace for Pakistani aircraft till June 23. India has extended NOTAM for Pakistan flights for one month, which will be in effect till June 23, 2025. The Ministry stated, "Indian airspace is not approved for ACFTs registered in Pakistan and ACFTs operated/owned or leased by Pakistani airlines/operators, including military flights." On May 21, it was reported that IndiGo's Delhi-Srinagar flight (6E 2142), which was caught in a sudden hailstorm near Pathankot on May 21, was denied entry into Pakistani airspace, which was sought by the pilot to avoid turbulence. "IndiGo flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered a sudden hailstorm en route. The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol, and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar. The airport team attended to the customers after the arrival of the aircraft, prioritising their well-being and comfort. The aircraft will be released post-necessary inspection and maintenance," the airline said in a statement. According to the crew's statement to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilot's request was dismissed by the Lahore Air Traffic Control. "On 21.05.2025, Indigo A321 Neo aircraft VT-IMD operated flight 6E-2142 (Delhi -Srinagar). While cruising at FL360, aircraft entered hailstorm and severe turbulence near Pathankot. As per the crew statement, they requested Northern control (IAF) for deviation towards left (International Border) due to weather on the route; however, it was not approved," the DGCA said. "Later, the crew contacted Lahore to enter their airspace to avoid the weather, but the same was refused too," it added. The DGCA said that the crew initially attempted to return, but as they were close to the thunderstorm cloud, they decided to penetrate the weather. "Subsequently, they encountered a hailstorm and severe turbulence. The crew chose to continue on the same heading to exit the weather by the shortest route towards Srinagar. While in a thunderstorm cloud, warnings of Angle of Attack fault, Alternate Law protection lost, and backup Speed scale unreliable were triggered," DGCA said. It said that due to updraft and down draft encountered by the aircraft, the Autopilot tripped, and the aircraft's speed had wide variations. "As a result, Maximum Operating Speed/Maximum operating Mach (VMO/MMO) warnings and repeated stall warnings were triggered. During this period the aircraft rate of descent reached 8500 fpm crew flew the aircraft manually till they exit the hailstorm," the DGCA said. "After carrying out all checklist actions (ECAM actions), the crew declared PAN PAN to Srinagar ATC and requested RADAR vectors and made a safe landing with Auto Thrust operating normally. There was no injury to any of the passengers on board the flight. Post flight walk around revealed damage to the Nose radome. The matter is under investigation by the DGCA," it added.
Skift
23-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
The Leela's $400 Million IPO to Fund Luxury Expansion in India
The Leela plans to pay down debt and expand its luxury footprint across spiritual, heritage, and wildlife destinations. No new brands. Niche luxury segments. That is what The Leela is planning post its IPO – $400 million (INR 35 billion) offering set for Monday. Parent company Schloss Bangalore aims to use proceeds to pay down debt, said Ankur Gupta, managing partner at Brookfield Asset Management, which acquired The Leela in 2019. The remaining IPO proceeds are meant to be used for acquisitions, marketing, and other initiatives at the company, which has 13 properties, including five owned hotels. In a press conference Friday, the company shared more on its future plans. Here's what we learned: Sticking with luxury: Schloss Bangalore is not planning to move away from luxury and ultra-luxury. 'There is a lot of opportunity in this space,' said CEO Anuraag Bhatnagar. No new brands: Unlike its competitors, it will not be adding brands. It will open hospitality assets under The Leela brand, further segmented into Palaces, Hotels, and Resorts. The pipeline: In its Red Herring Prospectus, the company said it has a pipeline of seven hotels with 678 keys in development. They are expected to be operational by 2028. Niche luxury segments: It is planning to enter spiritual luxury accommodation segment with an upcoming property in Ayodhya, the hill station leisure space in Srinagar and Gangtok, wildlife offerings in Bandhavgarh, and heritage space in Agra and Ranthambore. New business segment: It is also entering the business segment with serviced apartments in Mumbai. Staying domestic: The Leela currently has no plans for international expansion, but it is considering options, and noted that locations such as Maldives and Dubai are under-penetrated by Indian luxury brands. Pipeline Details By 2028, The Leela's inventory will reach 4,200 keys, about 18% of the total luxury rooms in the country, Bhatnagar said. Currently, the company accounts for over 10% of the rooms in the luxury hotels space in India, according to The Leela's estimates. The pipeline is a part of The Leela's efforts to diversify its luxury offerings in different niche segments. In its prospectus, The Leela said that it will focus on gateway cities such as Mumbai, wildlife destinations, heritage spaces, wellness destinations, and spiritual tourism destinations for expansion. Most of the properties in its current pipeline have a low room inventory to maintain the luxury experience. For instance, the upcoming property in Ranthambore is expected to have only 76 rooms, while the Bandhavgarh resort is currently slated to have 30 keys. Diversifying in the Luxury Space 'We have refined and perfected ourselves in the luxury space,' Bhatanagar said, when asked about why the company is choosing to remain in the luxury segment and not diversify. He also cited examples of global companies such as Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental, which continue to operate in the luxury space without getting 'distracted by any other brand or any other sub-segment.' Chief financial officer Ravi Shankar claims The Leela commands a 40% premium in its revenue per available room (RevPAR) and non-room revenue over the average in the luxury space. The company is also planning to launch a members-only club called Arq in its New Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai properties to offer exclusive experiences. In October last year, The Leela announced the launch of Arq by The Leela - its collection of 'ultra-luxury villas,' which debuted at The Leela Palace Udaipur. The offering is meant for ultra high-net worth individuals and elite guests and more of these villas are expected to be added in the company's portfolio. While it is currently open to all, The Leela is hoping for this segment to reach a stage in terms of demand where members of the Arq club will get preference over non-members in booking the villas.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pakistan denies airspace access to Kashmir-bound flight caught in storm
Pakistan reportedly rejected an Indian commercial flight crew's request to enter its airspace to avoid turbulence after the aircraft was caught in a storm. The IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Srinagar in India -administered Kashmir, carrying nearly 200 passengers, including five members of parliament, hit severe turbulence during an unexpected hailstorm on Wednesday, which caused minor damage to the aircraft's nose. A viral video captured panicked scenes inside the cabin, with passengers screaming and crying as the plane shook violently from the turbulence. Despite the chaos, the flight landed safely in Srinagar at 6.30pm local time. "It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying and panicking," Sagarika Ghose, MP from the opposition Trinamool Congress party, said. "Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane had blown up.' The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India 's aviation regulator, said the airplane was caught in a hailstorm and severe turbulence near Pathankot in Punjab state near the border with Pakistan. The crew asked the northern control of the Indian air force for permission to deviate towards the international border but were turned down, the aviation body said. 'The crew then contacted Lahore's air traffic control tower to enter into their airspace but same was refused too,' it added. According to the regulator, the crew initially attempted to return but decided to go through the storm as they were close to the cloud. 'There was no injury to any of the passengers on board the flight. Post-flight walk-around revealed damage to the nose radome," it said. India and Pakistan shut their airspaces to each other's planes amid one of the worst military skirmishes in decades between the South Asian nuclear powers earlier this month. In the wake of the conflict, India had to shut nearly 20 airports along its northern and western border for commercial use. The conflict began after India struck alleged militant hideouts in Pakistan to avenge the massacre of 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in a militant attack in Kashmir on 22 April. New Delhi accused Pakistan of supporting the gunmen who had launched the attack, but Islamabad denied the charge and sought an independent investigation. The Indian strikes escalated the tensions into a military skirmish as the two sides exchanged heavy fire along their de facto border in the restive Kashmir region, as well as missile and drone attacks on military installations, leaving dozens of people dead on both sides. The Indian aviation regulator has reportedly directed commercial airlines to ensure that aircraft window shades, except for emergency exit row seats, stay shut during takeoff and landing at airports near the border for "enhanced operational safety and to prevent unintentional sharing of security-related information".
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Passengers scream as plane suffers extreme turbulence before emergency landing
Dramatic footage shows terrified passengers screaming on a terrifying flight as their plane was buffeted by severe turbulence, a hail storm and a bird strike. The flight bound for Srinagar, India, departing from the capital, New Delhi, was subjected to extreme weather conditions on Wednesday and was eventually forced to make an emergency landing. Videos taken from inside the cabin show the moment panic spread. Several terrified passengers can be heard screaming, as lightning flashes inside of the plane. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Despite damage to the nose of the aircraft, no injuries were reported among the 227 passengers. Passengers aboard the flight described being in 'shock' as turbulence violently rocked the aircraft, with the hailstorm impact reportedly causing minor internal damage. One passenger, Owais Hakeem, said: 'I was on this flight, heading now home. It was terrible and I am still in shock.' Fellow passenger Aaqib said: 'I had a narrow escape while flying from Delhi to Srinagar. 'Hats off to the captain for the safe landing. Special mention to the cabin crew for staying calm and professional.' Officials confirmed that the Delhi-Srinagar flight encountered extreme weather conditions, prompting the pilot to alert Air Traffic Control (ATC) Srinagar of an emergency. ATC Srinagar confirmed that all passengers and crew were safe, and the aircraft has since been designated AOG (Aircraft on Ground) for further inspection by the airline.
