WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00| LC SINCE 1818 X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN/THUNDERSTORM/ LIGHTNING ACCOMPANIED WITH GUSTY WINDS (SPEED 30-40 KMPH). THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 34 AND 27 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: 000.0 Mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 91% Min. 66% TEMPERATUR Max: 36.1°C (-2.5) SUN RISES 05:26 hrs MOON RISES 05:55 hrs Min: 28.2°C (+0.2) SUN SETS 19:23 hrs MOON SETS 19:41 hrs THUMBNAILS People wade through a waterlogged road after heavy rainfall at Ghatal in West Midnapore on Tuesday. nANI ECI invites Rahul Gandhi to clear his doubts on Maharashtra Assembly polls: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clear his doubts regarding the free and fair conduct of last year's Maharashtra Assembly elections, pointing to his recent article in a newspaper questioning the poll panel's impartiality. Trump furious with Israel & Iran for violating ceasefire Operation Sindoor has made India’s anti-terror policy clear to the world, says PM Modi US President said that both countries ‘violated’ the ceasefire that was announced earlier AGENCIES WASHINGTON, 24 JUNE U S President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a stern warning to both Israel and Iran, accusing them of actions which could shatter a hard-won truce. "These guys gotta calm down. It's ridiculous. I didn't like plenty of things that I saw yesterday. I didn't like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal ... and I didn't like the fact that the retaliation was very strong," Trump told reporters in Washington before leaving for the NATO summit in The Hague. Trump mentioned that both countries "violated" the ceasefire that was announced late Monday. "Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs the likes of which I've never seen before... The biggest load that we've seen, I'm not happy with Israel. When I say now you have 12 hours, you don't go out in the first hour, just drop everything you have on them. So, I'm not happy with him. I'm not happy with Iran either," said the US President. "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*** they're doing. Do you understand that," he added. Earlier, Trump sounded a warning to Israel against launching another attack on Iran. "Israel Do not drop those bombs. If you do it is a major violation. Bring your pilots home, now!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Iran reportedly fired six missiles towards American military bases in Iraq and Qatar on Monday night, escalating the ongoing conflict in the region. As per media reports, the operation was named "Annunciation of Victory". However, there were reportedly no major impacts of the missile attack on the US bases in Qatar as American Patriot missile defence systems intercepted Iranian missiles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday announced that the Israeli defence forces have achieved "all of the objectives of Operation Rising Lion, and much more", thus agreeing to US President Donald Trump's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire. "Israel has removed from over it a double existential threat – on both the nuclear issue and regarding ballistic missiles. The IDF also achieved complete air superiority in the skies over Tehran, struck a severe blow to the military leadership and destroyed dozens of Iran's main regime targets," read a statement issued by Netanyahu's office. "In the last several days, the IDF has also severely struck regime targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminated hundreds of militants from the Basij, the terrorist regime's instrument of repression, and eliminated an additional senior nuclear scientist. Israel thanks President Trump and the US for their defensive support and for their participation in removing the Iranian nuclear threat," it mentioned further. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tuesday afternoon that the military action was in response to US and Israeli "criminal aggressions" and will not affect the "deeply rooted" relationships. "Iran's military strikes on American military base 'Al-Udeid' was in exercise of our self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter in response to the United States' unprovoked aggression against Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty that took place on 22 June 2025. This act of self-defence had nothing to do with our friendly neighbour Qatar as we enjoy excellent and deeply rooted relationships," Baghaei posted on X. SNS & AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Operation Sindoor has sent a strong message to the world about India's uncompromising stance against terrorism and added that no place is safe for those who spill Indian blood. Speaking at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi during the centenary celebration of the historic meeting between Sree Narayana Guru and Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said, "Today, the country is moving on this path. India is rapidly moving towards becoming the world's third-largest economy. Recently, the world has also seen the potential of India. Operation Sindoor has made India's tough policy against terrorism very clear to the world. We have shown that no place is safe India to reaffirm strong anti-terror stance at SCO defence ministers’ summit in China Operation Sindhu: More than 3,000 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran, Israel so far STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to lead a high-level Indian delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, to be held in Qingdao, China, from June 25 to 26. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Ministers are expected to deliberate on a range of issues, including regional and international peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts, and enhanced cooperation among the Defence Ministries of SCO member states. Singh is expected to underscore India’s steadfast commitment to the principles and objectives of the SCO, articulate India's vision for fostering international peace and security, and call for joint and sustained efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in the region. He will also highlight the importance of enhancing trade, economic cooperation, and connectivity among SCO nations. On the sidelines of the summit, Singh will hold bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of several participating countries, including China and Russia. India places special importance on the SCO as a platform for promoting multilateralism and fostering polit- DGCA finds several flaws within domestic airline operations, gives 7 days to fix issues STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE not followed and, in some instances during maintenance safety precautions by aircraft maintenance engineers (AME) per the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM). NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE Aviation safety watchdog DGCA has carried out comprehensive surveillance at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, and found several shortcomings within domestic airline operations at some airports. The DGCA is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation primarily dealing with safety issues and is fully committed for safety and security of air operations in the country. "As part of its commitment, DGCA had issued an Order on June 19 to initiate a focused assessment of the aviation ecosystem to strengthen safety measures across the aviation sector," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Tuesday. The aviation regulator, which ordered a new set of Comprehensive Special Audits of airports to enhance safety following the jolt to the country’s civil aviation sector in the wake of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, found "multiple cases wherein the reported defects reappeared many times on the aircraft indicating the ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects/repeated defects". As part of the inspections, certain safety violations and lapses have been identified and action is being taken, including in line maintenance stores, where tool control procedures were not followed, the aviation regulator said in a statement. The regulator also found that during maintenance of aircraft, the work order was Black Box is in India, being examined by AAIB, says Civil Aviation Minister: Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday made it clear that India is analysing the black box of the Air India aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad, and it has not been sent abroad, contrary to some earlier reports. Addressing an aviation summit, Naidu said, “It is all speculation. The black box is very much in India, and it is currently being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).” On being asked about the black box information to be released, the minister replied that it’s a technical process and will take some time. He went on to say, “Let the AAIB do its job and complete the full investigation.” ical, security, economic, and people-to-people engagement across the region. The SCO adheres to a policy based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, mutual respect, understanding, and equality among member states. Established in 2001, the intergovernmental organisation welcomed India as a full member in 2017. India held the rotating chairmanship in 2023. The current SCO membership includes Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus, and India. China has assumed the Chair of the SCO for 2025 under the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move,” the statement added. NIKHIL VYAS Over 3,000 Indian nationals have been brought back from Iran and Israel so far under Operation Sindhu, India’s evacuation initiative launched amid intensifying hostilities in the Middle East. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Tuesday afternoon, a latest special flight carrying 281 Indian nationals, 3 Sri Lankan and 2 Nepalese nationals arrived in New Delhi from Iran under Operation Sindhu. Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, welcomed them at the airport. In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, "MoS @PmargheritaBJP warmly received 281 Indian, 3 Sri Lankan & 2 Nepalese nationals evacuated from Iran. They arrived in New Delhi on a special flight from Mashhad at 1500 hrs on 24 June. 2576 Indian nationals have now been brought home from Iran as part of #OperationSindhu." Earlier in the day, a total of 268 Indian nationals arrived in Delhi from Israel under Operation Sindhu, the MEA said. The Government of India has launched Operation Sind- hu, a strategic evacuation initiative to repatriate Indian nationals stranded in Israel and Iran. The Indian Air Force (IAF) brought back 268 Indian nationals, who were residing in Israel, from Sharm-ElSheikh, Egypt, bringing the total number of citizens coming home from Israel to 594. Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan welcomed the Indian nationals upon their arrival in New Delhi. In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, " 268 Indian nationals who returned in the third flight from Israel were received by MoS Dr. L Murugan. The IAF C-17 flight from SharmEl-Sheikh, Egypt landed in Delhi at 1100 hrs on 24th June. 594 Indians have returned so far from Israel as part of #OperationSindhu." At long last, NASA gives green signal to Axiom-4 liftoff on 25 June STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE After multiple delays, the Axiom-4 mission is all set for liftoff tomorrow, with SpaceX’s spanking a new Dragon spacecraft set to carry India’s Shubanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on Wednesday. The mission, led by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, is eyeing a new launch date for its fourth private astronaut mission to the orbital outpost on June 25 at 12:01 pm (ISD). According to the American space agency, the crew is expected to dock with the ISS around 4:30 pm IST on June 26, after a spaceflight lasting approximately 28 hours and 30 minutes. Once onboard, the crew will spend 14 days on the ISS, conducting nearly 60 scientific experiments. Among them, seven have been developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in collaboration with Indian scientists from leading research institutions and universities. Shukla will carry out a range of experiments on microgravity, covering topics from muscle regeneration to space farming. One experiment, designed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, will study how humans interact with electronic displays in microgravity. Several other experiments will focus on microalgae, including spirulina and cyanobacteria, to explore their potential as space food by analysing their growth under different growth conditions in the environmentspace of the space. Group Captain Shukla, who will be piloting the Ax4 mission, is poised to make history as the first Indian to fly to ISS and only the second to travel to space. His journey comes 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, spending nearly eight days aboard a Russian space station in 1984. The mission will be commanded by veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, completing the crew. The spacecraft will be launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket, also developed by SpaceX. During his stay aboard the ISS, Shukla is also expected to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, school students, and space industry leaders, further strengthening global and national engagement with the mission. And as a reminder of home, Shukla revealed during a press briefing on June 3 that he would be carrying a taste of India with him—’aam ras’, ‘gajar ka halwa’, and ‘moong dal halwa’—offering a sweet nod to the life he leaves behind, even if just for a few days. for terrorists who shed the blood of Indians." He highlighted that Operation Sindoor not only marked a strategic response to terrorism but also showcased India's growing military self-reliance. "Today's India takes steps according to whatever is possible and right in the interest of the country. Now India's dependence on foreign countries for military needs is also continuously decreasing," PM Modi said. Lauding the indigenous defence industry, he added, "We are becoming selfreliant in the defence sector, and we have seen its effect during Operation Sindoor as well. Our forces forced the enemy to kneel in 22 minutes with weapons developed in India. I believe that in the coming times, the name of Made in India weapons will be heard all over the world." Major reform: CDS, DMA now mandated to issue joint instructions for armed forces STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE In a major move breaking away from the traditional system, the government has authorized the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary, Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to issue Joint Instructions and Joint Orders for all three Services. Dubbed as a major step towards modernisation and transformation of the Armed Forces, the authorization orders were passed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, here today. A statement from the Ministry of Defence stated that the move marks a shift from the earlier system wherein Instructions or Orders pertaining to two or more Services were issued by each Service separately. The first Joint Order on ‘Approval, Promulgation and Numbering of Joint Instructions and Joint Orders’ released today emphasises the need to streamline procedures, eliminate redundancies and enhance crossService cooperation. This initiative lays the foundation for improved transparency, coordination and administrative efficiency in the three Services. It also marks the beginning of a new era of jointness and integration, reinforcing the Armed Forces' unity of purpose in serving the Nation, the statement read.