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Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘Just another human being': Dalai Lama's enduring grace, in his translator's words
NEW DELHI, June 28 — With his flowing red monk's robes, beaming smile and contagious laugh, the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, has been the charismatic global face of his people's cause for decades. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning monk, Tenzin Gyatso, is expected to celebrate his 90th birthday on July 6 with huge crowds in northern India, his base since leaving his homeland fleeing Chinese troops in 1959. While China condemns him as a rebel and separatist, the internationally recognised Dalai Lama describes himself as a 'simple Buddhist monk'. Thupten Jinpa, his translator of nearly four decades, described a man who uses humour to calm, fierce intellect to debate, and combines self-discipline with tolerance of others. 'He's never deluded by being extraordinary,' said Jinpa, an eminent Buddhist scholar born in Tibet. The Dalai Lama treats those he meets in the same manner whether they are a president or a peasant, world leader or Hollywood star. 'When he's getting ready to go and see a president or a prime minister, everybody around him is all getting nervous he's just completely relaxed,' said Jinpa, who is now a professor at Montreal's McGill University. 'Once I asked him how is it that he's not nervous, and he said, basically, 'the person I'm meeting is just another human being, just like me!'' 'Self-confidence and humility' Despite being revered as the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, a role stretching back more than 600 years, he does not act with a sense of superiority. 'He is one of the most self-confident people I've ever met in my life,' Jinpa said. 'Self-confidence and humility generally don't go together that well, but in him, they sit beautifully.' Jinpa highlighted the Dalai Lama's ability to bring people together through his 'contagious' sense of humour and famous giggling 'individual laugh'. 'He uses humour immediately, so he has this ability to make you feel at ease.' But the translator also described a man who applied the rigorous education and skills of philosophical debate learned as a monk to address the challenges of a complex world. 'He's gone through a formal academic training,' said Jinpa, who himself studied as a monk and holds a doctorate from the University of Cambridge. 'So when he's sitting down with scientists and philosophers and thinkers in deep conversation, his ability to get to the gist, and ask the question that points towards the next challenge, is an amazing display of his focus.' Jinpa described a man who pursues an austere monastic life with 'very high discipline'. 'He gets up at 3:30am and has meditation. He doesn't eat after lunch, which is one of the precepts of monastic ethics,' he said. 'He has always maintained this strictly.' While he was born to a farming family, the Dalai Lama grew up in Lhasa's Potala Palace, a vast building reputed to have 1,000 rooms. Since then he has spent much of his life in a hilltop monastic complex in India's town of McLeod Ganj. 'His bedroom is actually a small corridor between two large rooms, doors on the two sides, and a three-by-six single bed attached to the wall, and next to it is a shower cubicle — and that's it,' Jinpa said. 'He has got his photographs of his gurus, teachers, above his bed — very simple.' 'Non-judgement' But the Dalai Lama balances that toughness towards himself with softness for those he meets. 'Generally, when people are more pious, more disciplined, more pure, they also tend to be less tolerant,' Jinpa said. 'A lot of the intolerance really comes from puritanism in the world, whether it's religious or ideology,' he added. 'But again, in him, this understanding and non-judgement towards others — and expectation of a high standard for himself — it sits beautifully.' Jinpa added that as the holder of a centuries-old institution, the Dalai Lama places his people before himself. 'In all the negotiations that he has had with China, he has constantly made the point that the issue is not about his return, or his status,' he said. 'The issue is about the Tibetan people — there are over six million of us,' said Jinpa. 'Their ability to be self-governing on the Tibetan plateau, which is their historical home, and their ability to exist with dignity as a distinct people within the People's Republic of China.' — AFP
Times of Oman
8 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
India looking at option of buying more S-400 air defence systems from Russia
New Delhi: With the S-400 air defence missile systems performing very well during Operation Sindoor, India is considering the option of buying two more squadrons of S-400 long range surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, defence sources told ANI. The sources said more systems of the S-400 are being considered due to security threats in view of the recent hostilities and the time to be taken in the development and deployment of the indigenous LRSAM programme, codenamed Project Kusha by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, with Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited as its development and production partners. The Indian side would prefer to get S-500 air defence system which has more range than the S-400 but it would require a clearance from the top Russian leadership for its sale, they said. The S-400 performed exceptionally in Operation Sindoor taking out multiple Pakistan Air Force fighter and airborne early warning aircraft. It also managed to create a record of sorts by successfully hitting an aircraft at a range of 300 plus kilometres. India is also awaiting the delivery of two more squadrons of the five S-400 squadrons that it had ordered in a 2018 deal. The first three squadrons have already been received and operationally deployed. Just before the delivery of the fourth squadron, war broke out between Russia and Ukraine. The systems meant for India were probably used in the war. The Russian side has now assured the delivery of the remaining two systems in the next financial year. Indian defence teams have also raised the issue with the Russian side and they have given assurances to not extend the schedule further.
Times of Oman
8 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
Positive trajectory in Indian economy continues in 2025-26, all indicators indicate resilience: FinMin
New Delhi: The positive trajectory in the Indian economy appears to be continuing in 2025-26, with initial high-frequency indicators suggesting that economic activity has remained resilient, according to the Ministry of Finance's monthly report, released on Friday. High-frequency indicators such as e-way bill generation, fuel consumption, and PMI indices point to continued resilience. "Rural demand has strengthened further, supported by a healthy rabi harvest and a positive monsoon outlook," the monthly economic review of the finance ministry said. "Urban consumption is being supported by increased leisure and business travel, as seen in the rise of air passenger traffic and hotel occupancy." However, the report noted that there are signs of softening in areas like construction inputs and vehicle sales. Retail and food price inflation registered a sustained and broad-based decline in May 2025, driven by robust agricultural production and effective government interventions. Continuing its downward trend, consumer price inflation in India hit an over six-year low in May, in respite to common people. According to the statistics ministry, the year-on-year inflation rate based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of May was 2.82 per cent (provisional). It is the lowest year-on-year inflation since February 2019. The inflation rate is within the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) manageable range of 2-6 per cent. Retail inflation last breached the Reserve Bank of India's 6 per cent upper tolerance level in October 2024. Since then, it has been in the 2-6 per cent range, which the RBI considers manageable. Coming back to the finance ministry report, India's economic momentum continues to grow, reflecting the country's ability to navigate complex global challenges while sustaining domestic growth drivers. In 2024-25, real GDP grew by 6.5 per cent, aligning with the Second Advance Estimates. "This growth came amid a challenging global environment marked by geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties. Robust domestic demand, particularly a rebound in rural consumption, steady investment activity, and a positive shift in net exports, underpinned the economy's resilience. The services sector continued to be the main driver of growth on the supply side. Industrial output also expanded, with strong growth in construction and a stable performance in manufacturing. The agriculture sector rebounded, bolstered by favourable monsoon conditions and record food grain production," the report read. On the external front, India's total exports (merchandise and services) recorded a year-on-year growth rate of 2.8 per cent in May 2025, reflecting the resilience of exports amid tariff uncertainties and subdued global economic conditions. As of June 13, 2025, foreign exchange reserves remain strong, standing at USD 699 billion, which provides an import cover of 11.5 months. Additionally, the Indian rupee has experienced moderate volatility, in contrast to the more pronounced adjustments observed in other economies, the ministry said. The labour market indicators show signs of stability. "White-collar hiring witnessed a rise in hiring with core sectors such as AI/ML professionals, Insurance, Real Estate, BPO/ITES, and Hospitality leading the hiring growth. The employment sub-indices of the PMI indicate strong employment growth, with the employment sub-indices reaching a high. Formal job creation is also on the rise, as indicated by the growing net payroll additions under the Employee Provident Fund Organisation," it added. As was widely expected, the Indian economy grew by 6.5 per cent in real terms in the recently concluded financial year 2024-25, official data showed recently. The Reserve Bank of India had projected 6.5 per cent GDP growth for the fiscal year 2024-25. In 2023-24, India's GDP grew by an impressive 9.2 per cent, continuing to be the fastest-growing major economy. According to official data, the economy grew 8.7 per cent and 7.2 percent, respectively, in 2021-22 and 2022-23. This February, the World Bank said India will need to grow by 7.8 per cent on average over the next 22 years to achieve its aspirations of becoming a developed country by 2047. However, the World Bank asserted that getting there would require reforms and their implementation to be as ambitious as the target itself. To realise the vision of 'Viksit Bharat', a developed nation dream by 2047, India will need to achieve a growth rate of around 8 per cent at constant prices, on average, for about a decade or two, the Economic Survey document for 2024-25 tabled on January 31 asserted. India has made quite a turnaround, climbing the ladder of economic growth. This can be gauged from the 11th in 2013-14, India has positioned itself to become the fourth largest economy in 2025-26. Even as India has overtaken many countries in terms of the size of the economy over the past decade, the per capita income in India however remains very low.
Russia Today
14 hours ago
- Business
- Russia Today
India and Russia discuss supply of S-400s
Moscow and New Delhi have discussed the supply of the Russian-made S-400 mobile surface-to-air missile systems, the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The discussions took place during a meeting between Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov on Thursday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defense Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China. 'It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, being held in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent necessity of augmenting defense production, especially in critical items such as air defense, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms,' the Indian Defense Ministry said. 'Supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes were some of the key takeaways of the meeting.' 'Operation Sindoor' is the codename given to India's May 7 strikes on alleged terrorist facilities in Pakistan-controlled territory. India has said that the operation was in response to a terrorist attack in India's Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory in April that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. The S-400s played an important role in defending Indian air bases and other military installations against retaliatory Pakistani strikes, earning the praise of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Platforms like the S-400 have given unprecedented strength to the country,' Modi said in an address to the soldiers in May, against the backdrop of an S-400 system. 'A strong security shield has become the identity of India.' India presently has taken delivery of three of five S-400 air defense systems it purchased from Russia for $5.43 billion in 2018. The remaining two are slated for delivery in 2026. India's military currently relies heavily on Russian-origin equipment, with around 60% of its arsenal being of Russian make. New Delhi has a fleet of 259 Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft, with 84 planes due to be upgraded with Russian assistance, according to the Hindu. During Thursday's meeting of defense ministers, Belousov stressed the importance of the Russia-India partnership, noting that Moscow's long-term friendship with New Delhi extended into the military-technical sector.
Reuters
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukraine calls for EU sanctions on Bangladeshi entities for import of 'stolen grain'
NEW DELHI/DHAKA, June 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine plans to ask the European Union to sanction Bangladeshi entities it says are importing wheat taken from Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, after its warnings to Dhaka failed to stop the trade, a top Ukrainian diplomat in South Asia said. Russian forces have occupied large parts of Ukraine's southern agricultural regions since 2014 and Kyiv has accused Russia of stealing its grain even before the 2022 invasion. Russian officials say there is no theft of grain involved as the territories previously considered part of Ukraine are now part of Russia and will remain so forever. According to documents provided to Reuters by people familiar with the matter, the Ukraine Embassy in New Delhi sent several letters to Bangladesh's foreign affairs ministry this year, asking them to reject more than 150,000 tonnes of grain allegedly stolen and shipped from Russian port of Kavkaz. Asked about the confidential diplomatic communication, Ukraine's ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, said Dhaka had not responded to the communication and Kyiv will now escalate the matter as its intelligence showed entities in Russia mix grain procured from occupied Ukrainian territories with Russian wheat before shipping. "It's a crime," Polishchuk said in an interview at Ukraine's embassy in New Delhi. "We will share our investigation with our European Union colleagues, and we will kindly ask them to take the appropriate measures." Ukraine's diplomatic tussle with Bangladeshi authorities has not been previously reported. The Bangladesh and Russian foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment. A Bangladeshi food ministry official said Dhaka bars imports from Russia if the origin of the grain is from occupied Ukrainian territory, adding that the country imports no stolen wheat. Amid the war with Russia, the agricultural sector remains one of the main sources of export earnings for Ukraine, supplying grain, vegetable oil and oilseeds to foreign markets. In April, Ukraine detained a foreign vessel in its territorial waters, alleging it was involved in the illegal trade of stolen grain, and last year seized a foreign cargo ship and detained its captain on similar suspicions. The EU has so far sanctioned 342 ships that are part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet, which the bloc says enable Moscow to circumvent Western restrictions to move oil, arms and grain. Russia says Western sanctions are illegal. A Ukraine official told Reuters Ukrainian law prohibits any voluntary trade between Ukrainian producers, including grain farmers in the occupied territories, and Russian entities. The Ukraine Embassy has sent four letters to Bangladesh's government, reviewed by Reuters, in which it shared vessel names and their registration numbers involved in the alleged trade of moving the grain from the Crimean ports of Sevastopol and Kerch, occupied by Russia since 2014, and Berdiansk, which is under Moscow's control since 2022, to Kavkaz in Russia. The letters stated the departure and tentative arrival dates of the ships that left from Kavkaz for Bangladesh between November 2024 and June 2025. The June 11 letter said Bangladesh can face "serious consequences" of sanctions for taking deliveries of "stolen grain", and that such purchases fuel "humanitarian suffering." The sanctions "may extend beyond importing companies and could also target government officials and the leadership of ministries and agencies who knowingly facilitate or tolerate such violations," the letter added. In a statement to Reuters, Anitta Hipper, EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the vessels in question were not currently subject to any restrictive measures. The sanctions regime was designed to act against activities that undermine the food security of Ukraine including transportation of "stolen Ukrainian grain" and "any proven involvement of vessels in shipping stolen Ukrainian grain could provide the basis for future restrictive measures," she added. The Russia-controlled territories, excluding Crimea, accounted for about 3% of the total Russian grain harvest in 2024, according to Reuters' estimates based on official Russian data. Russian grain transporter Rusagrotrans says Bangladesh was the fourth largest buyer of Russian wheat in May. Ambassador Polishchuk told Reuters their intelligence shows Russia mixes its grain with that from occupied Ukrainian territories to avoid detection. A Russian trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that when the grain is loaded for export at a Russian port, it is very difficult to track its origin. "These are not diamonds or gold. The composition of impurities does not allow for identification," the person said.
