Flag-hoisting at Ram temple likely in Nov; PM Modi may attend as chief guest
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
A flag-hoisting ceremony is set to take place at the Ram temple in Ayodhya in November with thousands of special guests expected to attend and Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to be the chief guest.An official of the temple trust, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told PTI on Monday that the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust has shortlisted two dates in November for this significant event. Preparations for the ceremony are gaining momentum."Prime Minister Narendra Modi might be present as the chief guest on this auspicious occasion," the official said.According to sources within the temple, the Ram flag will be hoisted atop the 161-foot-high spire of the temple. In addition, flags will also be hoisted on the spires of all other temples within the complex, marking a major milestone towards the completion of the temple's construction.Anil Mishra, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra told PTI, "The final programme is still being prepared. As soon as it is ready, it will be shared."Temple sources further told PTI that the flag-hoisting ceremony is expected to be as grand as the consecration of Lord Ram. The trust is preparing an extensive guest list that includes saints, religious leaders, distinguished dignitaries and devotees from across India and abroad. The trust estimates that thousands of guests will witness this second historic occasion following the consecration ceremony of the deity Ram Lalla.A senior official from the Ayodhya administration confirmed that preparations are in full swing to welcome the guests.The temple trust and the administrative machinery have started booking rooms in hotels, while arrangements are also being made in major dharamshalas and guest houses across the city, the official added.According to temple sources, astrologers are determining the most auspicious time for the ceremony in November. Discussions are underway to finalise one of the two proposed dates -- November 16 or November 25.The flag will be hoisted on the temple spire amid Vedic chants, music and special worship rituals. Several other rituals will also be part of the programme.A Ram Katha may be organised, and renowned musicians and artists from across the country are expected to perform, further enhancing the grandeur of the ceremony.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
India-UK free trade pact gets cabinet nod, signing set for 24 July in London
New Delhi: The Union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the India-UK free trade agreement, paving the way for the much-awaited formal signing of the pact during Modi's visit to London on 24 July, said two government officials, asking not to be identified. Advertisement The agreement, aimed at boosting goods and services trade between the two countries, will be signed by commerce minister Piyush Goyal and his British counterpart Jonathan Reynolds in the presence of Modi and British prime minister Keir Starmer, as per the first official, who is involved in preparations for the signing ceremony. Modi begins a four-day trip on Wednesday that will take him to the UK and the Maldives, with the signing of the free trade agreement (FTA) in London expected to be a key highlight. India and the UK had concluded negotiations for the deal on 6 May after more than two years of talks. Also read | India-UK FTA sets precedent with dedicated anti-corruption, anti-bribery chapter The FTA—formally known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement—seeks to double bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030 by eliminating or significantly reducing customs duties on a wide range of products. Advertisement India is set to benefit from a zero-duty regime for crucial labour-intensive exports such as textiles, leather goods, and footwear, while the UK will see tariff reductions on luxury items such as Scotch whisky and premium cars. UK Parliament must ratify The pact, which also includes chapters on services, innovation, government procurement, intellectual property rights and anti-corruption, will come into effect after it is ratified by the UK Parliament, which may take another six months. As per practice, the agreement will be signed by the commerce ministers of both countries, but officials said the Prime Minister's presence will add political significance to the event. The pact will mark India's first major bilateral trade agreement with a developed Western economy since the Modi government accelerated its FTA agenda -- part of a wider strategy to diversify export markets and attract investments. Advertisement Also read | India-UK FTA talks likely to resume only next year to resolve pending issues 'This deal has a strategic significance beyond trade, especially at a time when India is recalibrating its global economic partnerships and the talks with US for a bilateral trade agreement is in progress,' said the first officials, who was involved in the talks. Separately, India and the UK have also concluded negotiations on a social security agreement—called the Double Contribution Convention—that will allow Indian professionals working in Britain on short-term assignments to avoid paying into both countries' social security systems. The FTA does not include the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) —the so-called carbon tax—at this stage, but both officials said it will be taken up for discussions later. Advertisement India's merchandise exports to the UK rose 12.6% to $14.5 billion in 2024-25, while imports grew marginally by 2.3% to $8.6 billion. The total bilateral trade stood at $21.34 billion in 2023-24, up from $20.36 billion in the previous year.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
India and UK working on legal scrubbing, other work for FTA: FS Misri
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Foreign secretary Vikram Misri, on the eve of PM Narendra Modi's London trip, stated that India is continuing to "make the case" for the extradition of fugitives Lalit Modi, Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom as part of their ongoing efforts to secure the return of these individuals wanted for legal proceedings in said the issue of Khalistani extremists in the UK is also a matter of concern for New a special briefing here, Misri said, "We are working on the legal scrubbing and other last-minute work for the UK is the sixth-largest investor in India, with cumulative investment of $36 billion. Interestingly, India is also a major investor in the UK, with nearly $20 billion in cumulative FDI."The highlight of the UK tour could be the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). "There are a few questions related to fugitives from Indian law and Indian justice in the UK. These have been a matter of discussion between both sides, and we have continued to make the case for these fugitives to be rendered to India. Obviously, there is a legal process that such requests and such issues go through in the other country, and we continue to follow up very closely with our partners in the UK on these," he said the Prime Minister will embark on an official visit to the UK on July 23, for discussions with Keir Starmer, UK's PM. He will also call on King Charles III. An interaction is also planned with the business leaders, from India and the UK. This will be Modi's fourth visit to the UK since assuming office.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
PM Modi's Zagreb trip spurs €1.1 bn Indian bids for Croatian projects
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Zagreb last month is prompting growing interest from Indian companies in major infrastructure projects in Croatia. Over the past week, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd submitted three bids for state railway and road-building projects in the euro area's newest member, worth 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in total. Another Indian company, a conglomerate led by Ashoka Buildcon Ltd, is also vying for the same railway reconstruction contract as Afcons. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic praised India's growing interest in maritime trade routes to the Mediterranean when he met his Indian counterpart in June to discuss mutual economic and defense cooperation. New Delhi is a relative newcomer to the Balkans where Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure projects through its Belt and Road initiative. A Chinese consortium led by China Road and Bridge Corporation built a 2.4 kilometre (1.5 miles) Peljesac bridge, Croatia's largest sea bridge, that opened in 2022 and was paid for mainly using European Union funds. It helped connect the country's coastal territory and bypass a strip of Bosnian territory in a boost to transport and tourism. As part of the tender process, the Mumbai-based Afcons on Monday submitted the lowest bid in the railway reconstruction tender by HZ Infrastruktura, estimated at 620 million euros. It's one of the biggest railroad plans in Croatia's modern history, financed in part from EU funds. In the two other highway-building projects in southern Croatia, Afcons is facing competing bids from China Road and Bridge Corporation. Afcons bid 240.5 million euros and 214.4 million euros respectively. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
