www.thestatesman.com | @TheStatesmanLtd FOLLOW US: India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | 8th Day @thestatesmanltd ` 5.00 | KOLKATA People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR Evolve LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | 07 June, 2026 S P O RT S Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva wins French Open to claim first Grand Slam tennis title Suman Kalyanpur: A serene, enchanting star in the sky of melody A summer evening by the Ganges | Page 15 PM reviews economic strategy amid West Asia uncertainty SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 6 June P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, holding extensive deliberations on India’s economic transformation, long-term development priorities and strategies to sustain growth amid rising global uncertainty triggered by the tensions in West Asia. Sharing details of the meeting in a post on X, PM Modi said: “Chaired a meeting of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. Deliberated on a wide range of issues relating to India’s economic transformation and long-term development priorities. Also shared perspectives on adding more momentum to the reforms journey and ensuring ‘Ease of Living’ as well as ‘Ease of Doing Business.’” The review meeting comes at a time when geopolitical tensions in West Asia are raising concerns over global trade flows, energy supplies and financial market stability. Against this backdrop, the meeting focused on assessing the potential impact of external shocks on India’s economy and identifying measures to strengthen resilience while maintaining the country’s strong growth momentum. According to officials familiar with the discussions, the council undertook a comprehensive assessment of risks arising from the conflict in West Asia, particularly its implications for crude oil supplies, international shipping routes and global commodity markets. Given the region’s strategic importance to India’s energy security and maritime trade, policymakers examined contingency measures to minimise disruptions and protect domestic economic stability. The Prime Minister is understood to have emphasised the need for preparedness in the face of a volatile international Indian GM Pragg wins Norway Chess title; PM Modi lauds feat STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Chennai, 6 June Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa capped a spectacular campaign, highlighted by two victories over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, by winning the Norway Chess 2026 title in Oslo with 18 points from 10 rounds. The tournament concluded late on Friday night with a dramatic final round, in which Praggnanandhaa secured a decisive classical victory to clinch the title. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Praggnanandhaa on his landmark victory, hailing the achievement as a testament to the young grandmaster’s exceptional talent and consistent excellence on the international stage. Facing Germany's Vincent Keymer with the white pieces, Praggnanandhaa capitalised Shreyas replaces SKY as India’s new T20I captain, Sooryavanshi earns maiden call-up TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 6 June Out of the national T20I set-up since December 2023, star batter Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as India’s new T20I captain, replacing two-time World Cup winner Suryakumar Yadav, who has been dropped from the squad for the upcoming series in Ireland and England. The selectors have also handed a maiden senior call-up to 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (photo) as they begin building towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the next T20 World Cup. TilakVarmahasbeenelevated to vice-captain, replacing Axar Patel in the leadership group. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravi Bishnoi and Prince Yadav have also been included in the squad. Rinku Singh and Kuldeep Yadav miss out, while Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested. The Ireland and England tour marks India’s first T20I assignment since Suryakumar led the side to a successful defence of the T20 World Cup title in March. However, with the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2028, the selectors have opted to move in a different direction. As reported by The Statesman earlier, questions overSuryakumar’splaceemerged after a modest T20 World Cup campaign, where he scored 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72, followed by a disappointing IPL 2026 season in which he managed only 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20.76 and a strike rate of 147.54.
The Statesman is one of India's oldest English newspapers. It was founded in Kolkata in 1875 and is directly descended from The Friend of India (founded 1818). The Englishman (founded 1821) was merged with The Statesman in 1934. The Delhi edition of The Statesman began publication in 1931. The Statesman Weekly is a compendium of news and views from the Kolkata and Delhi editions. Printed on airmail paper, it is popular with readers outside India. The Statesman (average weekday circulation approximately 180,000) is a leading English newspaper in West Bengal. The Sunday Statesman has a circulation of 230,000.
