Op Sindoor showcased India's prowess: Modi
PM Modi made these remarks while addressing the public during the valedictory ceremony of the 'Aadi Thiruvathirai' festival, held in honour of King Rajendra Chola I's birth anniversary at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple in Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu.
Modi also said that Operation Sindoor has sent a clear message to the world that India will respond strongly to any threat against its security and sovereignty.
The event was held at the Gangaikonda Cholisvaram temple, a UNESCO-recognised marvel built by Rajendra Chola I.
'Today's India prioritises its security. During Operation Sindoor, the world witnessed that if anyone threatens India's sovereignty, the country will respond in their own language. This operation has instilled a new sense of confidence and ignited a spirit of unity across the nation. There is no haven for India's enemies and terrorists anywhere in the world," the PM said.
Offering prayers at the feet of Lord Brihadeeswara, Modi said, 'I prayed for the well-being of 140 crore Indians and the continued progress of the nation. I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity.' He announced that grand statues of Chola emperors Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola will be erected in Tamil Nadu to commemorate their contributions to Indian history and culture.
He said the Chola Empire represented a golden era of India, with achievements in architecture, governance, diplomacy, trade, and cultural integration.
'The Cholas established strong political and trade ties with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Southeast Asia. It is a coincidence that I returned from the Maldives yesterday, and today I stand here in the land once ruled by these visionary kings,' he remarked.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
26 minutes ago
- News18
India–Philippines Boost Ties: PM Modi & President Marcos Jr Seal Strategic Partnership
India–Philippines Boost Ties: PM Modi & President Marcos Jr Seal Strategic Partnership | ASEAN Push Last Updated: India Videos Philippine President in India | PM Modi says: 'Today, the President and I held extensive talks. We've become strategic partners. Bilateral trade is growing, and the ASEAN FTA review will further boost it.'Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. held wide-ranging talks in New Delhi during Marcos Jr.'s first state visit to India. The two leaders emphasized strengthening strategic cooperation, with a particular focus on defence, trade, and the Indo-Pacific Modi highlighted the growing momentum in bilateral trade and announced that both countries are set to benefit from the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) review, which could open new avenues for economic visit also marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines. With joint naval sails in the South China Sea, discussions around BrahMos missile systems, and a focus on technology, agriculture, and security, this visit is being seen as a significant diplomatic milestone. n18oc_india
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
26 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Trump's 25% tariff on India: What it means for students and skilled workers
Last week, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order updating 'reciprocal' tariff rates that had been paused since April. Nearly every American trading partner now faces tariffs ranging from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. For India, the rate stands at 25 per cent, with a further risk of penalties tied to its trade dealings with Russia. The question many are now asking—how will this trade war impact Indians planning to study or work in the United States? President Trump's tightening grip on immigration and foreign students has become a cause of concern. Dreamers, international students applying for visas, and those hoping to work in the US post-graduation are all feeling the squeeze as the administration clamps down on universities and pushes back against global talent. 'Everything is so interconnected these days. India's soft power itself is a major advantage, a trade plus, if you will, that the country enjoys over others. So, yes, I do believe the current situation could escalate and spill over into various policy areas—not just F-1, H-1B, or B-1/B-2 visas. It could even touch EB categories. EB-5, I'm not entirely sure, but most other categories are likely to get caught up. They'll end up being affected, directly or indirectly,' said Ajay Sharma, founder of Abhinav Immigration Services, speaking to Business Standard. While the tariff hikes themselves don't directly target Indian students, Sharma explained that the damage often lies in perception. 'There's no direct impact from the tariff hikes. But what tends to happen in such scenarios—and this is quite unfortunate—is that the destination starts getting a negative image,' he said. 'That perception really influences students' future plans. We saw this with Canada recently, and the same could unfold with the US. Already, students are stuck waiting endlessly just to get a visa appointment. Add to that the overall uncertainty, and it's not a good look,' Sharma added. The rupee's weakening against the dollar adds another layer of financial strain, though Sharma believes it's not the most critical hurdle. 'The rupee's depreciation will, of course, hit students' pockets, but perhaps not as severely. That's because the rupee is weakening against most major currencies, not just the dollar. So while it's a factor, it might not be the biggest hurdle for students eyeing the US. What's more worrying is the combination of rising costs, bureaucratic delays, and the growing sense of diplomatic friction between India and the US. That mix creates a perception problem, and once that sets in, it becomes a serious deterrent for students and even businesses,' he said. Nikhil Mudgal, founder and CEO of Lorien Finance, echoed similar concerns. 'With the rupee continuing to weaken and the recent tariff adding to the cost of education in the US, Indian students are indeed feeling the financial pinch,' he said. Mudgal added, 'The need of the hour is transparent, cross-border financing options that don't add to the burden, but genuinely enable global aspirations.' US campuses losing their appeal? Fanta Aw, CEO of the international education group NAFSA, painted a grim picture of the mood among students. 'International students and their families seek predictability, security, and a welcoming environment when choosing where to study,' said Aw in a blog post on NAFSA. 'The US government's recent actions have created an atmosphere of fear and confusion that has students, scholars, and their families understandably concerned about their safety and future in the United States. These actions by the government will likely result in prospective students choosing to study elsewhere and current students accelerating the completion of their degrees so they can return home sooner. Students have many options when it comes to study destinations,' Aw added. Impact on global student mobility may be deeper than it looks Market intelligence group ICEF Monitor expects the fallout from Trump's policies to ripple across global student flows. They note several possible shifts: • Less demand for studying in the US, as students fear visa refusals, revocations, or even detentions if an ICE officer finds their views or activities to be 'contrary to US interests'. • Rising hesitation among students from minority backgrounds, including non-white, LGBTQ+, and other marginalised groups, due to Trump's assault on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programmes. • A broader slump in study abroad volumes, as the administration's reduction of aid to developing countries forces governments to divert funds from education to health sectors. • Student interest moving to alternative destinations, including Canada, Europe, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and even Russia, as the US's global standing continues to wobble. A year ago, IDP Education data had shown the US regaining student demand lost by Australia, Canada, and the UK due to their restrictive visa policies. ICEF believes that trend may now reverse. 'The US may join those other leading destinations in losing share of international students. Great numbers of Asian students may favour other Asian countries, including China, for study abroad, and more EU students may choose to stay within their region as well,' ICEF Monitor noted. Indian workers in tariff-hit sectors could face indirect job hurdles The ripple effects aren't limited to students. Indian workers, especially in sectors like manufacturing or IT hardware—industries directly hit by tariffs—could face subtle disadvantages when it comes to visa sponsorships or job placements. Sharma believes companies aren't planning their hiring purely around visa constraints, but geopolitical strains do make a difference. 'You know, it's not all Indians, because the way I see it, the technology companies do not work or plan their hiring by only visa situations. As the recent layoffs indicate and statements from companies like Microsoft and Google show, when they laid off people, it included not only Americans but even hedge fund workers. So they need people to work, and for how long they'll survive without India's soft power?' Sharma said.
Hans India
26 minutes ago
- Hans India
'Dost dost na raha': Cong takes dig at PM Modi after Trump's fresh threat
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at the government over US President Donald Trump's fresh trade threat against India with the iconic Mukesh song 'dost dost na raha' and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "huglomacy" has "completely collapsed". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also slammed as "meek" the Ministry of External Affairs' statement on the "unjustified and unreasonable" targeting of New Delhi for its procurement of Russian crude oil. Ramesh also said it is the prime minister who should speak up on this issue. The opposition party's attack came after Trump on Monday said he will "substantially" raise US tariffs on New Delhi, accusing it of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big profits. Asked about the remarks, Ramesh told PTI, "Well you know I am reminded of an old Mukesh song from the Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar starrer 'Sangam' -- 'Dost dost na raha, pyaar pyaar na raha, Trump humein tera aitbaar na raha'. This is a complete collapse of the so-called friendship of Mr Modi and Mr Trump." Ramesh said there was 'Howdy Modi' in September 2019, 'Namaste Trump' in February 2020, 'Abki baar Trump Sarkar' slogan was given by Mr Modi and there was photo-op in February 2025. It was said that Modi was amongst the first heads of government to call on the new President Trump, he said. "Our External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) boasted that he had a front row seat in the White House ceremony when President Trump was inaugurated. So everything banked on the personal friendship between PM Modi and President Trump," he said. Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, Ramesh said that the PM once spoke of the TOP -- Tomato, Onion and Potato -- challenges in prices, but the country now has to contend with the political challenges arising out of CAP --China, America and Pakistan. "We were thinking that our relationship with China and Pakistan is a challenge but who would have thought that our relationship with the US would also come under stress. I am afraid this is the collapse of this huglomacy of Mr Modi. There is no substitute to institutional processes of engagement in diplomacy," Ramesh said. He hit out at Modi for personalising diplomacy. This is the same President Trump who gave a special lunch to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, which was unprecedented, the Congress leader pointed out. "President Trump is a transactional president. He claims Mr Modi is his great friend, Mr Modi claims Mr Trump is his great friend. But this has been a very costly friendship," Ramesh said. He alleged that the manner in which Prime Minister Modi has conducted foreign policy has led to its "complete collapse". Ramesh pointed out that over the last three decades, India's relationship with the US had transformed especially after the economic reforms of 1991 as it went through a lot of tension between 1972-82. Indira Gandhi went to the US to meet President Ronald Reagan in 1982 and that was the turning point. Then Rajiv Gandhi visited America in 1985 and that saw the take off of the Indo-US relationship, he said. "But it seems we are back to the period of 1970s when then US president Richard Nixon treated India cavalierly and Indira Gandhi stood up to him... I have no idea what Mr Modi has in mind, he has not said anything unlike Indira Gandhi who spoke in Parliament and outside," Ramesh said. It is not the job of the opposition to repair the Indo-US relationship, but it is that of the government, he said. In a social media post, Trump said, "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits." "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he added. India has said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined. India's import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after China. On August 1, Trump signed an Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', raising tariffs for over five dozen countries, including a steep 25 per cent for India. The executive order, however, did not mention the penalty that Trump had said India will have to pay because of its purchases of Russian military equipment and energy.
