WEDNESDAY 21 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR EAM LAUDS NETHERLANDS’ FIRM STAND AGAINST TERRORISM DELAYS IN REGULATORY APPROVALS CAN DISRUPT BUSINESS TIMELINES: FM P5 SENSEX 81,186.44 q872.98 WEATHER TEMPORARILY REACHING TO 50 KMPH DURING THUNDERSTORM WITH DUST RAISING WINDS. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 39 AND 28 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: nill RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 70 % TEMPERATURE P10 NIFTY 24,683.90 q261.55 ` vs $ 85.59 P9 GOLD `96,405 PM describes the treaty as ‘a shared commitment’ to tackle future pandemics We stand united in fight against terrorism: PM to new German Chancellor Min: 28.7 °C (+2.2) SUN SETS 19:09 hrs MOON SETS 12:55 hrs STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE THUMBNAILS NEW DELHI, 20 MAY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MAY Army personnel display the success of Operation Sindoor in targeting and destroying terrorist infrastructure during a media tour in Kupwara on Tuesday. nANI Ashoka University professor sent to judicial custody for 14 days: Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad on Tuesday was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a Haryana court in connection with FIRs registered against him for his allegedly objectionable remarks on Operation Sindoor. "The police had sought an extension of his remand by seven days, but on our objection, the court refused the plea and sent him to judicial custody for 14 days," said a lawyer representing Mahmudabad. On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Mahmudabad's petition challenging his arrest in the coming days. P rime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva via videoconference, underscored the importance of global cooperation under the theme ‘One World for Health’. He stated that “the future of a healthy world depends on inclusion, integrated vision and collaboration,” while highlighting the need to prioritise care for the most vulnerable. Mr Modi welcomed the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Treaty—finalised after three years of negotiation in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic—which aims to address healthcare disparities and strengthen global preparedness for future health emergencies. He described the treaty as “a shared commitment” to tackling future pandemics through enhanced international collaboration. Reaffirming India’s dedication to inclusive healthcare, the Prime Minister highlighted flagship initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, the world’s largest health insurance scheme, now extended to cover all citizens over the age of 70. He also noted India’s extensive network of health and wellness centres, which facilitate early detection of diseases including cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. Emphasising the role of technology in healthcare, Mr Modi spoke of India’s digital health innovations, including a platform for tracking vaccinations for pregnant women and children, and a unique digital health identity system. He also cited the success of India’s free telemedicine service, which has provided over 340 million consultations to date. Recognising the particular challenges faced by the Global South, Mr Modi said India’s approach offers “replicable, scalable, and sustainable models”, and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to sharing its experience and best practices with the world. Looking ahead to the 11th International Day of Yoga in June, he invited global participation in the celebration. This year’s theme, ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, reflects India’s continuing emphasis on holistic well-being. The 78th World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, is being held in Geneva from 19–27 May. The Assembly brings together member states to shape global health policies and strategies. P12 SILVER `97,000 Modi backs WHO Pandemic Treaty, urges global unity Min. 43 % Max: 41.8 °C (+1.4) SUN RISES 05:27 hrs MOON RISES 01:52 hrs MI EYE PLAYOFF BERTH, DC FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL VERY PRODUCTIVE EXCHANGE, SAYS PUTIN ON TALKS WITH TRUMP Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and said India and Germany are united in the fight against terrorism. Both the leaders exchanged views on regional and global developments. The prime minister reaffirmed the commitment to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership between India and Germany. In a post on X, Modi said, "Spoke to Chancellor @_FriedrichMerz and congratulated him on assuming office. Reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership between India and Germany. Exchanged views on regional and global developments. We stand united in the fight against terrorism." On May 6, PM Modi extended his warm congratulations to Friedrich Merz on taking office as the new Federal Chancellor of Germany. Modi also expressed his eagerness to work closely with Chancellor Merz to further strengthen the India-Germany Strategic Partnership. Op Sindoor: Misri briefs parliamentary delegations ahead of diplomatic outreach STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MAY Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Tuesday briefed three of the seven multiparty delegations on Pakistan's long-standing sponsorship of terrorism in India and emphasized the country's firm resolve to respond decisively to any terror incidents on its soil. Following the briefing, Congress leader Salman Khurshid stated there was “no interference by any external party in the understanding reached between India and Pakistan.” “Domestic politics is our right and duty, and it's a separate matter. But what we communicate outside the country must be united,” said Mr. Khurshid, a member of one of the delegations. He further stressed, “The ceasefire was initiated by Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), and there was no mediation by any third party.” “Whatever happened, happened solely between the two nations. When tensions escalated, it was between our two countries. When it deescalated, it did so between the two. It was Pakistan's DGMO who proposed the ceasefire. We responded that it could proceed, provided they were serious,” Mr. Khurshid added after the meeting. Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Jha, who is leading a delegation to Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Operation Sindoor row: Congress says Jaishankar PM reviews tourism sector amid challenges alerted Pakistan, BJP calls claim ‘Pak propaganda’ from security concerns & global competition STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MAY The BJP and the Congress traded fresh barbs on Tuesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar of warning Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor—an allegation the BJP dismissed as “the language of Pakistan”. On Saturday, Mr Gandhi had claimed the minister committed a “crime” by notifying Islamabad before Indian airstrikes on terrorist targets. Posting a clip on his WhatsApp channel, he quoted Dr Jaishankar as saying: “At the start of the operation, we sent a message to Pakistan saying we are striking terrorist infrastructure, not the military, so the military has the option of standing aside.” Calling the minister’s subsequent silence “damning”, Mr Gandhi asked whether wanted militants Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed had escaped because they were forewarned. The BJP counter-attacked through its IT-cell chief Amit Malviya, who reposted an 11 May statement by Army CGMO Lt-Gen Rajiv Ghai refuting the story. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Malviya said: “It is unsurprising that Rahul Gandhi echoes Pakistan’s narrative… Instead of Tapan Deka to remain at helm of IB for another year STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MAY Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Kumar Deka’s tenure has been extended by one more year, an official order said. The extension was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is his second extension as was previously granted an extension in 2023, which was to conclude in June 2025. According to the central government’s order issued here on Tuesday, Deka's service will be extended for a period of one year beyond June 30, 2025, or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. The extension was granted by relaxing the provisions under Fundamental Rule (FR) 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cumRetirement Benefits) Rules, 1958 - a measure rarely used and indicative of the government's strong trust in Deka's leadership. Deka, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, was appointed as IB chief in July 2022 for a two-year term. The officer is known for his operational expertise and has had a long and distinguished career in the intelligence community. He is also considered a key figure behind India's counterterrorism strategy. The IB, during his tenure, is said to have enhanced its coordination with other intelligence and enforcement agencies, and strengthened surveillance on internal threats. lauding the flawless #OperationSindoor, he keeps asking how many jets we lost—questions already answered in DGMO briefings.” He added that Mr Gandhi had never asked “how many Pakistani jets were downed or destroyed on the ground… What next— Nishan-e-Pakistan for Rahul Gandhi?” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera fired back, noting that former prime minister Morarji Desai—whom the BJP counts among its ideological forebears, remains the only Indian to hold Pakistan’s highest civilian honour. “We want to know whether Azhar Masood and Hafiz Saeed fled because Pakistan was tipped off,” Mr Khera said. He suggested other BJP figures deserved the Nishan-e-Pakistan, naming L. K. Advani and those who “went uninvited to eat biryani with Nawaz Sharif”. Turning his sights again on Dr Jaishankar, Mr Khera remarked: “He reportedly has close ties with the United States—let’s see which country honours him next.” The Ministry of External Affairs has since dismissed Mr Gandhi’s charge, stating that Pakistan was informed only after the strikes on terrorist camps and that the minister’s comment was being wilfully misrepresented. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, MAY 20, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a highlevel meeting to review the progress of the tourism sector. This renewed focus on tourism carries significant implications, especially in the aftermath of the heinous terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which was seen as an attempt to dissuade and discourage tourists from visiting the region. The recent military conflict between India and Pakistan, following the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure, has further impacted the tourism sector, which had been gradually recovering over the past few years. Despite persistent tensions between India and Pakistan, India’s foreign tourist arrivals have been experiencing a decline compared to pre-pandemic levels. Although the sector has shown some signs of recovery, inbound international travel continues to lag. While domestic tourism is witnessing strong growth, foreign arrivals stood at 9.5 million post-COVID, compared to 10.5 million in 2019. This decline has been attributed to several factors, including global economic uncertainty, safety concerns,inadequateinfrastructure, and growing competition from other international destinations. The India-Pakistan tensions have also affected outbound tourism,particularlytocountries like Turkey and Azerbaijan. Both nations witnessed a sharp drop in Indian tourist arrivals after they criticized India’s strike on terror camps in PakistanandPakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Central government is expected to address these challenges and implement targeted measures to reinvigorate both inbound and outbound tourism in the coming months. ‘Unseen, Unstoppable, Unmatched’: IAF showcases combat readiness post-ceasefire PARWINDER SANDHU NEW DELHI, 20 MAY Reaffirming its combat readiness in wake of the recent ceasefire announced by India and Pakistan following days of heightened military escalation, the Indian Air Force released a video showing its recent operations and exercises undertaken in the past. The video which was posted on X starts with a statement, "Indian Air Force responds with resolve, always.” It uses Piyush Mishra’s iconic song, 'Aarambh Hai Prachand Hai' as the background score in the video. It also includes phrases such as 'Unseen, Unstoppable, Unmatched' and 'Swift, Lethal, Agile'. Earlier, during a media briefing, Director General Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti had spoken at length about the IAF’s role during Op Sindoor. Bharti quoted a verse from Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas. "Vinay na maanat jaladh jad gaye teen din beeti. Bole Ram sakop tab, bhay binu hoye na Preeti,” which translated means "The ocean, unmoved by polite requests, remained obstinate for three days. Then Lord Rama, in anger, said — without fear, love does not arise". The passage refers to a lesson accorded by Lord Rama who despite advocating the path of humility, had to resort to invoking fear to overcome obstacles. “All our military bases, all our systems continue to remain fully operational and ready to undertake any future missions should the need so arise,” he had stated while speaking about the operational preparedness in event of any retaliatory action. In the strikes launched BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 65.54 at the nine terror hubs located in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) under Operation Sindoor on May 7, the Indian defence forces targeted terror camps of Hizb-ul-Mujahidin (HM, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) located in both Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It included Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur – JeM, Markaz Taiba, Muridke – LeT, Sarjal, Tehra Kalan – JeM, Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot – HM, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala – LeT, Markaz Abbas, Kotli – JeM, Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli – HM, Shawai Nalla Camp, Muzaffarabad – LeT, and Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad – JeM. and Indonesia, said, “Our message to global leaders will be that enough is enough. Pakistan has repeatedly behaved like a thief investigating his own crime, especially when India has taken their promises on counterterrorism at face value in the past.” Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, heading another delegation to the UAE and select African nations, said their objective is to highlight Pakistan’s links to terrorist incidents in India. Foreign Secretary Misri, who on Monday appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs—chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor—provided a detailed briefing on Operation Sindoor and the recent escalation with Pakistan. He clarified that the United States had no role in brokering the ceasefire, which was initiated by Pakistan’s DGMO following Indian precision strikes that hit Pakistani military installations. These included a Chinese-made missile defence system in Lahore and the strategically significant Nur Khan Air Base. On Saturday, the Indian government announced the deployment of multiple allparty delegations comprising Members of Parliament to key world capitals. The diplomatic mission aims to expose Pakistan’s involvement in the recent Pahalgam terror attack and to rally international support against crossborder terrorism. Covid-19 situation in India remains under control: Health Ministry STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 MAY The Union Health Ministry on Monday said that the COVID-19 situation in India remains under control as of May 19, despite a recent uptick in active cases, which have risen to 257 nationwide. “As per the preliminary information available, the cases are mostly mild, not associated with unusual severity or mortality,” said an official from the Ministry. The government has heightened surveillance following a rise in COVID-19 infections reported from Singapore and Hong Kong in recent weeks, driven by a new Omicron subvariant similar to JN.1. While India has not seen a similar surge, authorities are monitoring the situation closely. “The Union Health Ministry remains vigilant and proactive, ensuring that appropriate public health measures are in place,” the official noted. To assess the current situation, the Ministry convened a high-level review meeting chaired by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), with experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) division, Disaster Management Cell, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Central government hospitals in attendance. Kerala currently reports the highest number of active COVID-19 cases at 69, followed by Maharashtra with 44 and Tamil Nadu with 34. Several other states and Union Territories — including Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Karnataka — have reported fewer than 10 active cases each.