MONDAY 23 JUNE 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR KALESHWARAM AN ATM FOR KCR’S FAMILY, SAYS BANDI SANJAY RAIPUR: AMIT SHAH REVIEWS ANTI-MAOIST STRATEGY P4 WEATHER Generally Cloudy sky. One or two spells of rain/ thundershower very likely to occur. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 29 °C and 26 °C respectively. AKHILESH PROMISES POOR WOMEN `3,000 MONTHLY DONE P5 P8 West Asia spiral: US hits 3 Iranian nuclear sites Iran’s Supreme National Security Council mulls closure of Straits of Hormuz RAINFALL: 002.6 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY AGENCIES Max. 94 % Min. 83 % DUBAI, 22 JUNE Max: 30.2˚C (-2.8) SUN RISES 04:53 hrs MOON RISES 02:21 hrs Min: 28.2˚C (+1.4) SUN SETS 18:24 hrs MOON SETS 17:32 hrs T TEMPERATURE New Moon on 25 June THUMBNAILS A worker covered in a plastic sheet rides a cart amid heavy rain, in Ranchi on Sunday. n ANI Air India flight diverted after bomb threat: An Air India flight from the UK's Birmingham to Delhi was diverted to Riyadh on Saturday night after a bomb threat was reported on board, the Tata Group-owned airline said on Sunday. The airline confirmed that flight AI-114 landed safely in Riyadh, where security checks were carried out. According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft took off from Birmingham at 8.26 p.m. and was en route to Delhi when it had to make the emergency diversion. Air India later issued a statement saying that all passengers were safe and efforts were underway to arrange their travel to their final destinations. he United States inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran early Sunday by dropping 30,000-pound bombs on an uranium enrichment site buried under a mountain, a risky gambit that aimed to destroy the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme after months of failed diplomacy. The attack prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Iran lashed out at the US for crossing “a very big red line.” The US also fired dozens of missiles, and President Donald Trump said in a televised address from the White House that the combination of strikes “completely and fully obliterated” three nuclear sites. However, US defence officials said an assessment of the damage wrought by the attack still was ongoing. Hours later, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the time for diplomacy had passed and that his country had the right to defend itself. Araghchi said he would immediate fly to Moscow to coordinate positions with its ally, Russia. “The warmongering and lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression,” he told reporters in Turkey. “They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities.” The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities as well as its Isfahan nuclear site, but it insisted that its nuclear programme will not be stopped. Both Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination around the three locations following the strikes. Countries around the globe are calling for diplomacy and no further escalation. It was not clear whether the US would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a war with Iran for nine days. But US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US does not “seek war” and that the operation would not be “open-ended,” though Mr Trump earlier warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US forces. “There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,” said Mr Trump, who acted without Congressional authorisation. Hours after the US strikes, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multistorey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its entire facade torn away to expose the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel’s military said it had “swiftly neutralised” the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a AI plane crash: DGCA launches safety audit to identify systemic vulnerabilities STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 22 JUNE In the wake of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier this month, aviation safety watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a comprehensive special audit initiative to proactively identify systemic vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience across India’s aviation sector. An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating flight AI-171 on the AhmedabadLondon-Gatwick route, crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June, which claimed the lives of at least 270 people, including 241 passengers and crew members and dozens on the ground. The audit framework will cover the entire range of aviation entities, including scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul organisations (MROs), flying training schools, air navigation service providers, airport operators and ground handling agencies. The audit framework will be in addition to the regulatory audits being carried out as per the annual surveillance programme. It will also have more severe penalties for non-compliance that include grounding of airlines. The process will unfold in three stages: a pre-audit phase lasting five to seven days, a three-to-five-day on- site audit, and a post-audit period of ten to fifteen days for analysis and follow-up. Entities audited are required to submit corrective action plans within 15 days of receiving findings. The DGCA will closely monitor the implementation of these plans. The regulator has deployed multidisciplinary audit teams led by senior officials and supported by subject matter experts drawn from various domains within aviation. These teams are conducting rigorous inspections. The primary focus areas included Safety Management Systems (SMS), operational efficiency, adherence to regulatory frameworks, and crew and resource management protocols. BUMRAH PICKS UP 5-83 AS INDIA TAKE SLIM LEAD series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, meanwhile, is said to be weighing a decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint, in response to the US military strikes after the country’s parliament approved the measure, Iran’s Press TV reported. The move, if approved, would escalate tensions in the region and risk disrupting nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas shipments. Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued that Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The US strikes, called “Operation Midnight Hammer,” involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference. Fourteen of the US’s 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs were used on two nuclear sites, including Fordo, according to Gen. Caine. In all he said, 75 precision-guided weapons were used, including missiles fired from a submarine. (See also Page 9) Air India to cut flights with narrow body aircraft by 5 pc RAHUL GAHLAWAT P12 India urges de-escalation in Iran-Israel conflict as Iran Prez calls up PM Modi SHAHID K ABBAS 1,428 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran so far: MEA NEW DELHI, 22 JUNE Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep concern over the recent escalations tensions inWest Asia, reiterating India’s call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy to restore regional peace, security, and stability. Prime Minister Modi on Sunday received a telephone call from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who briefed him on the current situation in the region, particularly the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. “We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations. Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” PM Modi stated in a post on the X social media platform. President Pezeshkian emphasised the role India could play in de-escalating the conflict, given its good relations with all parties involved. The conversation between the two leaders comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with India advocating for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. US forces had earlier today launched coordinated airstrikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities, which US President DonaldTrump described as a “spectacular military success” and warned Iran to make peace NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 22 JUNE or face further attacks. During their conversation, the Prime Minister thanked President Pezeshkian for the continued support extended to the Indian community in Iran, facilitating their safe return and repatriation. The two leaders discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, economic cooperation, science and technology, and people-to-people ties. PM Modi emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation to prevent further conflict and promote peace asserting that dialogue and diplomacy were the preferred paths to resolve the conflict. The leaders agreed to work together to strengthen cooperation in various areas. India and Iran are important trade partners, with India being among Iran’s five largest trade partners in recent years. In a previous meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, PM Modi and President Pezeshkian discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties, including strategic Over 1,400 Indian nationals have been brought back from Iran so far under Operation Sindhu, India’s evacuation initiative launched amid intensifying hostilities in the Middle East, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday. In view of the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, India launched Operation Sindhu on 18 June to facilitate the safe return of its citizens stranded in Iran. The latest special flight carrying 311 Indians stranded in conflict-hit Iran landed safely in New Delhi on Sunday, bringing the total number of people evacuated under Operation Sindhu to 1,428. This makes the sixth batch of Indians evacuated from Iran as part of the ongoing operation. The evacuation flight from landed in New Delhi at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. (Details on Page 5) projects like the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor. NIA arrests two in connection with Pahalgam terror attack NEW DELHI, 22 JUNE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 22 JUNE Air India will be cutting down some international and domestic routes on its narrow body aircraft by less than five per cent till 15 July, the airline stated on Sunday. The crisis-hit airline said that the decision is aimed at ensuring greater operational stability, better efficiency and minimizing passenger inconvenience amid several compounding challenges. This decision has led to temporary suspension of service on three routes ~ Bengaluru-Singapore, PuneSingapore and MumbaiBagdogra ~ and reduction of frequency on 19 routes. In a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two local Kashmiris on the charges of harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the horrendous attack on 22 April that killed 26 tourists and grievously injured 16 others, NIA spokesman said on Sunday. The two men - Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam – have disclosed the identity of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, as per NIA investigations. The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever. The NIA, which has arrested the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, is further investigating the case RC02/2025/NIA/JMU, registered after the attack that shook the world on 22 April 2025. India to commission powerful new warship Tamal with enhanced indigenous systems STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 22 JUNE The Indian Navy is all set to commission its latest stealth multi-role frigate at Kaliningrad, Russia. Named Tamal, it will be the eighth in the series of Krivak class frigates that would be commissioned from Russia. Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, would preside over the ceremony along with other Indian and Russian government and defence officials. A statement from the Naval spokesperson stated that Tamal is the second ship of the Tushil Class, which are the upgraded versions of their predecessors, Talwar and Teg classes having three ships each. India as part of the broader contract for Tushil class is also building two similar frigates called the Triput class at Goa Shipyard Limited with transfer of technology and design assistance from the Russian Side. By the conclusion of this series of ships, Indian Navy will be operating ten ships with similar capabilities and commonality in equipment, weapon and sensor fit over four different classes. Tamal’s construction was closely overseen by an Indian team of specialists from the Warship Overseeing Team stationed at Kaliningrad, under the aegis of the Embassy of India, Moscow. At the Naval Headquarters, the project was steered by the Directorate of Ship Production under the Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. Tamal has been built at Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, and is the last warship to be inducted from a foreign source, in line with the Government of India’s impetus on Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. The ship has 26 per cent indigenous components, including the BrahMos longrange cruise missile for targeting both at sea and land. The ship has significant upgrades in its arsenal in comparison to its predecessors, such as vertically launched surface-to-air missiles, improved 100 MM gun, new age EO/IR system in addition to the standard 30 MM CIWS, heavyweight torpedoes, urgent-attack antisubmarine rockets, and a host of surveillance and fire control radars and systems, the statement added. Force multipliers include Air Early Warning and Multi Role helicopters, which can operate from the deck of Tamal. The combat capability of the ship is augmented by a host of Network Centric Warfare capabilities and advanced Electronic Warfare suite. Tamal punches well above its weight with a very high tonnage to firepower ratio, extended endurance, and a top speed in excess of 30 knots. The crew, comprising of over 250 personnel have undergone rigorous ashore as well as afloat training in extremely challenging winter conditions of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, Russia. Tamal has successively completed extensive sea trials u n d e r t a k e n ove r t h re e months, proving its systems, weapons and sensors. The 125m long, 3900-ton warship, Tamal is an impressive blend of Indian and Russian cutting-edge technologies and best practices in warship construction. The ship’s new design provides it with enhanced stealth features and greater stability characteristics. With the collaboration of Indian naval specialists and Severnoye Design Bureau of Russia, the indigenous content of the ship has been enhanced to 26 per cent. The number of made-inIndia systems have more than doubled to 33. Tamal is equipped with the latest technology in warfighting, including the BrahMos supersonic missile system for anti-ship and land-attack capabilities, Surface Surveillance Radar complex and HUMSA NG Mk II sonar with the anti-submarine weapon firing complex amongst a host of cuttingedge weapon and sensors of Indian Origin. It also features modern communication and datalink systems, navigation equipment and critical infrastructure, making the ship a powerful asset for naval operations. The major Indian OEMs involved were BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Keltron, Nova Integrated Systems from Tata, Elcome Marine, Johnson Controls India and many more. Upon commissioning, Tamal will join the ‘Sword Arm’ of the Indian Navy, the Western Fleet, under the Western Naval Command. It will not only be a symbol of the Indian Navy’s growing capabilities, but also exemplifying collaborative strength of the India-Russia partnership.