SC slams Rahul over remarks against Army
The top court was hearing Gandhi's appeal challenging the Allahabad High Court judgment refusing to stay the proceedings initiated in a Lucknow trial court against him over his comments that 'Chinese soldiers are beating up Indian Army personnel'.
As per the complainant, Uday Shankar Srivastava, the former director of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the comments made on December 16, 2022, during Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, defamed the Army. Presiding over a two-judge bench, Justice Dipankar Datta told Senior Advocate A M Singhvi, who appeared for the Congress leader, 'We have read the comments… Tells us…
How do you get to know that 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory have been occupied by the Chinese? Were you there? Do you have any credible material? Why do you make these statements without having any…?' 'If you are a true Indian, you would not say all these things,' Justice Dutta said. Singhvi said the comments were in 'public interest', and added, 'It is also possible that a true Indian will say look, our 20 Indian soldiers were beaten up and killed. This is also a matter of concern.'
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Economic Times
9 minutes ago
- Economic Times
BrahMos, naval drills and a strategic pact: PM Modi pitches defence as the bedrock of India-Philippines deep mutual ties
Synopsis India and the Philippines have upgraded their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, putting defence and maritime cooperation front and centre. Prime Minister Modi and President Marcos Jr held detailed talks in Delhi, covering weapons procurement, naval exercises, and shared regional concerns in the South China Sea. The visit also marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Six new agreements are in the pipeline, and India will boost its development projects in the Philippines while exploring deeper trade and digital cooperation. Agencies Defence topped the agenda as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr met in New Delhi on Tuesday, confirming a major upgrade in their relationship to a Strategic Partnership. 'Strengthening defence relations are a symbol of deep mutual trust,' said Prime Minister Modi at Hyderabad House after their the first time, three Indian Navy ships are currently taking part in exercises in Philippine waters. This marks a significant expansion of India's security presence in the Indo-Pacific, and a tangible response to the region's growing tensions.'Today, when the President is in India, three ships of the Indian Navy are participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines for the first time,' Modi Marcos' five-day visit comes as the Philippines strengthens its defence partnerships to counter Chinese expansion in the South China Sea. Speaking earlier at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Marcos said, 'Indo Pacific is the correct evolution of Asia Pacific.'The phrase reflects a shift in Manila's foreign policy thinking, increasingly aligned with like-minded democracies in the region, including India. Ahead of the visit, General Romeo Brawner, Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, confirmed that Manila is eyeing more defence purchases from BrahMos missile system, co-developed by India and Russia, is already on order, with two more sets expected to arrive in the Philippines over the next few years. Brawner pointed to India's quality and affordability as key reasons for expanding military has also offered a concessional Line of Credit to help fund future defence acquisitions. Talks between Modi and Marcos also covered expansion of joint training, naval asset acquisition, and maritime security and the Philippines are due to conduct a joint naval patrol in the South China Sea this week, signalling stronger strategic alignment. Both sides continue to urge China to abide by the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that invalidated its broad claims in the region.'It is a matter of pleasure that today we have decided to elevate our relations to the status of a Strategic Partnership,' said Modi, calling the decision a major step forward.'A comprehensive Action Plan has also been formulated to translate the potential of this partnership into results,' he Marcos, who arrived on August 4 with First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and several Cabinet ministers, received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan.'A special welcome for a special partner!' the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X. A Guard of Honour was presented before formal discussions is Marcos' first visit to India since taking office in 2022, and it coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two a personal note, Modi expressed appreciation for Manila's support following the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.'To strongly condemn the Pahalgam terrorist attack and for standing with us in our fight against terrorism, we express our gratitude to the Government of the Philippines and its President,' he two leaders also discussed broader regional and global developments, agreeing on the importance of peaceful cooperation in a rapidly changing geopolitical defence, India pledged to scale up development efforts under its Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) scheme.'I am pleased to say that under the Development Partnership, we will increase the number of Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines,' Modi projects target areas such as disaster management, agriculture, healthcare, and livelihood support, with six already underway under a 2023 also confirmed India will help build a sovereign data cloud infrastructure in the Philippines to support digital independence and cybersecurity.'And we will also cooperate in the development of sovereign data cloud infrastructure in the Philippines,' he trade has crossed the 3 billion dollar mark for the first time, and both countries have now agreed to begin formal negotiations for a Preferential Trade however, hasn't been smooth sailing. The US has imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods and 19 percent on Philippine products. Delhi and Manila are now exploring joint approaches to navigate future global trade to the Ministry of External Affairs, six new agreements covering science and technology, law, and culture are expected to be signed during this Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, summed up the visit in a post on X:'India and the Philippines share close bonds based on the foundation of our civilisational, historical and people-to-people connections. Comprehensive discussions aimed at further cementing our enduring friendship and strong bilateral relations lie ahead.'President Marcos' visit ends on August 8. The direction of travel is clear: deeper ties, shared risks, and a growing understanding that defence and diplomacy must now go hand in hand.
Mint
13 minutes ago
- Mint
‘Setting a plan of action for next 5 year…': PM Modi hails ‘historic day' on Philippines President's Delhi visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr at Hyderabad House, wherein their talks were aimed at further cementing the friendship between the two nations. After the meet, addressing reporters, PM Modi hailed 'a historic day for bilateral relations' between the two Asian nations. PM Narendra Modi said, 'We are taking India to the levels of a strategic partnership. This will give our relationship a new speed and depth, and give strength to our relationship in the Defence and Security Sector.' 'In the last few years, there has been progress in our relations in all sectors- trade, defence, maritime, health, security, food security, development partnership, and people-to-people ties. It is a matter of great happiness that we are setting a plan of action for the next five years.' PM Modi said adding, 'Till July 2027, the Philippines is India's country coordinator. In 2026, you will preside over the ASEAN Chair'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his appreciation for the Philippines' decision to grant visa-free entry to Indian tourists, describing it as a welcome move. He announced that, in a reciprocal gesture, India would offer free e-visas to tourists from the Philippines. PM Modi further stated that efforts would be undertaken this year to establish direct flight connectivity between India and Manila, enhancing travel and tourism ties between the two nations. India and the Philippines have conducted joint naval exercises for the first time in the disputed South China Sea — a significant military deployment that has provoked a strong reaction from China, according to an Associated Press report. Beijing has long-standing territorial disputes with both Asian democracies and a historic regional rivalry with New Delhi. The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, General Romeo Brawner, stated on Monday that the two-day joint naval sail and exercises, which commenced on Sunday, were successfully carried out, the AP report added. Brawner expressed hope that Filipino forces would engage in further joint manoeuvres with the Indian military in the future. When asked whether Chinese forces had responded in any way, General Brawner remarked, 'We did not experience any untoward incident but we were still shadowed. We expected that already.' This is the first visit by the President of Philippines, a Southeast Asian country to India since he assumed office back in 2022, marking a significant milestone, as his visit aligns with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations. He is accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation, including several Ministers from his Cabinet. Philippines President is visiting India from August 4-8.
Mint
13 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump tariffs: Is the Indian stock market downplaying the tariff threat — but for how long?
At first glance, it appears that the Indian stock market is downplaying the threat of Trump's tariffs. Contrary to widespread apprehensions that US President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats would trigger a sharp sell-off in the Indian stock market on Tuesday, the domestic market displayed remarkable resilience. Benchmark indices—the Sensex and the Nifty 50—fell about half a per cent each during the session but pared losses as the day progressed. The Nifty 50 dipped below the 24,600 mark but soon reclaimed the level. On July 30, Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on India and said he would also impose a penalty due to India's energy and defence ties with Russia. On July 4, Trump launched a fresh salvo. Accusing India of profiting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, US President Donald Trump on August 4 said he will substantially raise tariffs on Indian goods. Trump said that India is not only buying Russian oil but also selling it in the open market for significant profits. '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,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump's tariffs may not have a deep impact on the overall market. Rather, they are expected to affect select sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, agriculture, and machinery exports. India is a domestically driven economy, so tariffs are unlikely to hit the economy significantly. "The fact that India is a domestically driven economy with exports of merchandise and services accounting for 21 per cent of GDP as of FY25, should offer some comfort. Furthermore, the share of merchandise exports alone is lower at 11 per cent of GDP. Not only is India's overall export dependence relatively low, but its merchandise export exposure to the US is also low at around 2 per cent of GDP, offering additional resilience," said CARE Ratings. "Factoring in the higher reciprocal tariffs and additional penalty on India's exports to the US, we estimate the potential direct impact on India's GDP to be around 0.3-0.4 per cent," the ratings agency said. Moreover, India could try to offset the impact of tariffs on its goods exports by redirecting them to other countries. While the direct impact is manageable, the bigger challenge is a global trade slowdown, which can affect exports and corporate earnings. "Direct impact is limited as India isn't a primary target. But a broader global trade slowdown could weigh on exports and earnings. Risk-off sentiment can also indirectly impact Indian equities. Trump's 25 per cent tariffs on Indian exports present a near-term headwind for the equity market. The move could damage India's growth prospects, limiting foreign portfolio inflow and contributing to near-term volatility," said Jashan Arora, Director at Master Trust Group. The Indian stock market is still hoping that Trump will eventually reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 15–20 per cent. However, a key risk that the market may be ignoring is Trump's unpredictability. More than the tariffs, Trump's unpredictability is the key risk for the market that appears to be being overlooked at this juncture. "The Indian market may be underestimating the risks posed by Trump's unpredictability," said VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments. Vijayakumar underscored that in market analysis, we often differentiate between known unknowns—risks we're aware of but can't fully quantify—and unknown unknowns—risks we can neither predict nor prepare for. Trump straddles both categories. "While he is a known figure, his actions remain highly unpredictable, making him effectively an unknown-unknown for investors," Vijayakumar said. The market is currently ignoring the threat of Trump's tariffs, as it believes such a scenario is unlikely to materialise—since it would not be in the interest of the United States either. However, if Trump suspends trade negotiations with India and decides to raise tariffs on India by another 20-25 per cent, the market will experience a sharp selloff. "If an additional 20-25 per cent tariff is announced and the Nifty's support of 24,500 is broken decisively, the market may crash. The market may see a fall of 5-6 per cent easily," said Vijayakumar. "Investors should remain invested, but this is not the time to buy in the market. One can consider putting some money in gold and fixed income," Vijayakumar said. Read all market-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or broking firms, not Mint. We advise investors to consult with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly and circumstances may vary.
