logo
PM Modi has to answer in Parliament: Congress on Trump's India-Pakistan ceasefire claims

PM Modi has to answer in Parliament: Congress on Trump's India-Pakistan ceasefire claims

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to answer to President Donald Trump's India-Pakistan "ceasefire" claims in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the forthcoming Monsoon session of Parliament.
Tagging a post carrying Trump's latest remarks referring to the trade deal in the works with India, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Today the score stands at 66 days, 23 reiterations."
"Parliament will resume from July 21st. The score will no doubt change before then. But the PM has to answer clearly in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The nation wants to know," Ramesh said, referring to Trump's claims on bringing about a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan.
Trump on Monday had reiterated his claim that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan, which could have turned into a "nuclear war", through trade.
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim on several occasions that he helped settle the tensions between India and Pakistan.
However, India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.
In a nearly 35-minute phone call with Trump last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly stated that India does not and will "never accept" mediation and that the discussions between Indian and Pakistani militaries on cessation of military actions were initiated at Islamabad's request.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US solar panel makers urge tariffs on Indian imports amid ongoing talks over India-US trade deal. Here's why
US solar panel makers urge tariffs on Indian imports amid ongoing talks over India-US trade deal. Here's why

Mint

time26 minutes ago

  • Mint

US solar panel makers urge tariffs on Indian imports amid ongoing talks over India-US trade deal. Here's why

A group of US solar panel manufacturers has urged the Commerce Department to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports from India over allegations that Indian manufacturers are dumping cheap goods in the United States to undermine domestic producers, according to a report by news agency Reuters, citing a statement. The group has sought similar duties in Indonesia and Laos. The petition, filed by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, is the most recent attempt by the small US solar manufacturing sector to secure trade relief. It aims to protect billions of dollars of investments and compete against products primarily made by Chinese companies abroad. The Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade includes First Solar, Hanwha's Qcells, Talon PV, and Mission Solar. The group earlier succeeded in securing tariffs on imports from Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. These tariffs were imposed earlier this year, causing some global producers to shift production to Indonesia and Laos. Both countries filled the import gap as shipments from other South Asian countries fell. In May, Indonesia and Laos made up 44 per cent of US cell and module imports, a significant increase from 1.9 per cent in the same month last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. India's solar exports to the US have risen since mid-2022. "We have always said, vigorous enforcement of our trade laws is critical to the success of this industry,' Tim Brightbill, lead attorney for the petitioners, was quoted by Reuters. The latest trade petition has initiated a process where the US Department of Commerce probes whether imports are unfairly priced or subsidised by a foreign government, and the US International Trade Commission decides whether those imports have harmed the domestic industry. New duties may be imposed if the allegations are proven right, Bloomberg News reported.

India rejects NATO chief's threat of secondary sanctions over ties with Russia, cautions against ‘double standards'
India rejects NATO chief's threat of secondary sanctions over ties with Russia, cautions against ‘double standards'

Mint

time26 minutes ago

  • Mint

India rejects NATO chief's threat of secondary sanctions over ties with Russia, cautions against ‘double standards'

In a firm response to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's threat of secondary sanctions over New Delhi's ties with Moscow, India on Thursday cautioned against "double standards" on the matter and asserted that its energy procurement from Russia is based on national interests and market dynamics. data-vars-page-type="story" data-vars-link-type="Manual" data-vars-anchor-text="Rutt had warned India, China and Brazil">Rutt had warned India, China and Brazil that they could be hit hard by secondary sanctions if they continue to do business with Russia. "We have seen reports on the subject and are closely following the developments. Let me reiterate that securing energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. "In this endeavour, we are guided by what is on offer in the markets, and by the prevailing global circumstances. We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter," he said. Asked about US President Donald Trump threatening 100 per cent tariff on Russian exports and "secondary tariffs" on any country that has trade links with Moscow, Jaiswal said: "We are closely following developments that are in this regard, and the articulations that are being made." India, China and Brazil have been the major buyers of Russian crude oil notwithstanding the Western sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. "My encouragement to these three countries, particularly is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard," Rutte told reporters in Washington DC. "So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way," he said. The NATO chief's remarks coincided with Trump's warning to Russia of major significant trade restrictions if it does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine within 50 days. "We're going to be doing very severe tariffs (on Russia) if we don't have a deal in 50 days," Trump said on Tuesday. India, China and Brazil are members of the BRICS and Trump has been critical of the grouping as well. Earlier this month, Trump had threatened BRICS member nations of 10 per cent additional tariffs on exports to the US apart from reciprocal tariffs. Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS will face those duties, he said. On the proposed trade deal between India and the US, Jaiswal said negotiations between the two sides are underway. "Both sides are in touch with each other. They are trying to iron out issues," he said. On India's negotiations with the European Union for the long-pending free trade pact, Jaiswal said talks are "progressing very well". "The last round, that is the 12th round, happened in Brussels from July 7th to 11th. And the next round of talks are scheduled to be held in September in New Delhi. "It (talks) is progressing well. There is good momentum. And that is how, and we would like to see a positive outcome of it," he added.

US strikes severely damaged just one Iranian nuclear site, new assessment finds: Report
US strikes severely damaged just one Iranian nuclear site, new assessment finds: Report

Mint

time26 minutes ago

  • Mint

US strikes severely damaged just one Iranian nuclear site, new assessment finds: Report

One of the three Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities targeted by US airstrikes last month — the Fordo site — was "mostly destroyed," significantly delaying Iran's enrichment capabilities at that facility by up to two years, according to a recent US intelligence assessment, NBC News reported. The report, based on interviews with five current and former US officials familiar with the matter, also noted that two other sites — Natanz and Isfahan — suffered less damage and could be operational again within several months if Iran chooses to resume activity. 'Iran's key enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,' President Donald Trump said in a post-strike comments, calling the operation a military success. While Fordo was heavily hit, the same assessment reveals that the Natanz and Isfahan facilities were only partially degraded. US officials said these two sites could resume uranium enrichment operations within months. The news outlet citing one current and two former US officials also stated it has learned that US Central Command had crafted a far more extensive strike plan against Iran, which included targeting three additional sites over a multi-week campaign, rather than the single-night operation that was ultimately carried out. 'We were willing to go all the way in our options, but the president did not want to,' one source familiar with internal planning told NBC News. The news outlet citing one of the current officials and one of the former officials said, Trump opted for a more limited strike due to concerns over potential casualties and a desire to avoid deeper US entanglement in foreign conflicts. Officials cautioned that the current assessment is only a snapshot and could change as intelligence collection continues.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store