FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Iran warns oil tankers to use approved routes in Hormuz Golden Boot race heats up as Harry Kane, Erling Haaland close in on Kylian Mbappe, Messi at top Page 9 Pakistan’s water woes precede IWT abeyance Page 12 WORLD Digital dividend Page 6 Page 7 India, Japan unveil ambitious roadmap, PM Modi, Takaichi deepen strategic ties SHAHID K ABBAS IN A WARM PERSONAL GESTURE, MR MODI REFERRED TO PM TAKAICHI AS HIS ‘YOUNGER SISTER’ AS HE WELCOMED HER TO INDIA. New Delhi, 2 July I ndia and Japan on Thursday unveiled an ambitious new roadmap to significantly deepen their Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced a series of landmark initiatives spanning artificial intelligence, defence co-development, economic security, clean energy, semi-conductors and next-generation mobility during the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi. Following wide-ranging bilateral talks at Hyderabad House, the two leaders adopted three major strategic documents ~ a Joint Declaration on Economic Security, a Joint Statement on Cooperation in the Field of Artificial Intelligence, and a Joint Statement on Energy Resilience ~ while witnessing the exchange of several agreements and memoranda of Photo by Subrata Dutta understanding covering defence, clean energy, critical technologies, research and development, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and resilient supply chains. Addressing a joint Press conference, PM Modi said the India-Japan partnership had become a model of trust and stability in an increasingly uncertain global environment. Friday, 03 July 2026 SPORTS PERSPECTIVE EDITORIAL | “At a time when the world is passing through uncertainty and rapid geopolitical changes, mutual trust is India’s and Japan’s greatest strategic asset. Our partnership has fully stood the test of time and emerged as an important pillar for global peace, progress and stability,” he added. In a warm personal gesture, Mr Modi referred to PM Takaichi as his “younger sister” as he welcomed her on her first official visit to India. He congratulated her on becoming Japan’s first woman Prime Minister and noted that she hails from Nara Prefecture, a historic centre of the shared Buddhist heritage linking the two countries. Recalling his remarks at the recent G7 Summit, Mr Modi said mutual trust had become the most valuable strategic asset in today’s volatile geopolitical landscape, adding that India and Japan had consistently demonstrated the strength of that trust over several decades. He said Japan had played a pivotal role in India’s development journey ~ from automobiles and electronics to infrastructure and manufacturing ~ and that PM Takaichi’s visit marked the beginning of a new chapter in the bilateral partnership. Positioning technology at the centre of future cooperation, PM Modi announced a Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence, saying AI would become the strongest pillar of bilateral collaboration. “Technology partnership will become the strongest pillar of our cooperation in the coming years. Today, we have adopted a Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence, which will open new avenues of collaboration between our innovation ecosystems,” he said. Several leading institutions from India’s AI ecosystem also signed agreements with Japanese counterparts, with Mr Modi saying the combination of Japan’s precision engineering and India’s software capabilities would provide new momentum to global AI development. • Related reports: Page 5 Petrol, diesel price reduction not feasible now: Hardeep Puri STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 2 July Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday said there is no justification for lowering retail fuel prices at this stage. Addressing the issue of fuel pricing, Mr Puri said petrol and diesel prices have remained largely stable despite significant fluctuations in global crude oil markets. He noted that petrol prices have increased by only 5.58 per cent over the past four years, while diesel prices have risen by 6.23 per cent during the same period. The minister said state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) are still recovering cumulative under-recoveries of around Rs 2.18 lakh crore. He added that these companies also continue to hold fuel inventories purchased when international crude oil prices were much higher, making an immediate reduction in retail prices impractical. “So the question of bringing fuel prices down is not legitimate at this point in time,” Mr Puri said. Highlighting the government’s handling of global energy market disruptions, Puri said India has successfully protected consumers from much of the volatility caused by international crude oil prices. Referring to the recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, he said the country managed the situation without any disruption in fuel availability. “Not one retail outlet reported a dry-out,” the minister said, adding that India's network of around 1.07 lakh fuel retail outlets continued to operate normally throughout the crisis. He credited the government with absorbing most of the shocks arising from fluctuations in crude oil markets. Mr Puri also outlined the government’s long-term plans to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure. He said India’s refining capacity is projected to increase to 309.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) by 2030. Several refinery expansion and greenfield projects are currently under implementation, with some expected to be completed over the next two years, further enhancing the country’s energy security and refining capabilities. ‘Zero-tolerance for AI-generated fake ECI seeks responses from Mamata, NEET-UG retest results by material during adjudicatory process’ Ritabrata over rival claims in TMC 20 July; academic session PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 2 July Underscoring its resolve to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) in aid of the adjudicatory process while retaining human control at every stage of adjudication, the Supreme Court on Thursday called for a zero-tolerance policy towards the production, citation or reliance upon AI-generated fake, non-existent or hallucinated material without verification. The court declared that any decision tainted even by an iota of such material would be liable to be set aside as it strikes at the very sanctity and integrity of the judicial process. Terming the citation of such fabricated precedents without verification as professional misconduct on the part of an advocate, a Bench of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, said that judicial reliance on such material would amount to an equally serious lapse. “It is necessary for Courts to adopt a zero-tolerance mode for producing, citing or using AI-generated precedents without verification. It is a misconduct on the part of an advocate to cite such judgments without verification. Equally, it is a serious lapse if a judge relies on such a fake or hallucinated AI-generated material as precedents in support of the determination”, the judgment said. The observations came while setting aside the judgments of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and the National CompanyLawAppellateTribunal (NCLAT) after finding that the Tribunal had relied upon a non-existent AI-generated precedent as though it were a genuine judicial authority. The Court held that such orders could not be sustained as they undermined the integrity of the adjudicatory process. The Court emphasised that adjudication must always remain under “a human in the loop at every stage.” The Court observed that advocates are duty-bound to verify every precedent before citing it and judges must equally ensure that the authorities relied upon are genuine. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 2 July The Election Commission of India on Thursday sought responses from rival factions of the All India Trinamul Congress over competing claims concerning the party's organisational elections and authorised signatories, signalling the poll body’s intervention in the internal dispute. Seven Bihar labourers killed in Bengaluru quarry rock collapse STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Bengaluru, 2 July Seven migrant labourers from Bihar were killed and several others injured after a massive boulder crashed onto workers at a stone quarry in Bengaluru South Taluk on Thursday morning, in one of Karnataka’s deadliest quarry accidents in recent years. Preliminary investigations indicate possible negligence during excavation operations. The tragedy occurred at Madapattana, where workers employed by Kaveri Company were engaged in quarrying activities at a stone crusher unit. Police said the victims, all daily-wage labourers, were buried under a giant rock that broke loose from an elevated section of the quarry and died on the spot. According to the preliminary probe, a Hitachi earthmoving machine was clearing space nearly 100 feet above the worksite for the installation of a new crusher unit when the massive boulder became dislodged and rolled downhill, crushing labourers working directly below. Around 15 to 20 workers were present at the quarry when the accident occurred. Investigators suspect the machine operator may have failed to notice workers beneath the excavation zone. Several other workers sustained injuries and were shifted to a private hospital. Police said the exact number of injured was still being verified. Rescue teams, police and local officials rushed to the quarry and launched a search-and-rescue operation. The area was sealed off while heavy machinery was deployed to remove debris and ensure no workers remained trapped. Police confirmed that all seven deceased were natives of Bihar. Authorities have begun the process of informing their families. A comprehensive investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the collapse. Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed profound grief over the incident, calling the loss of lives “deeply saddening.” “The collapse of a crusher wall in Madapattana of Bengaluru South Taluk has caused the death of seven workers, bringing immense sorrow. I pray that the departed souls attain eternal peace, that their families are granted the strength to bear this grief, and that the injured recover swiftly,” he said in a post on X. Emphasising accountability, the Chief Minister said ensuring the safety and security of workers in quarry operations was the responsibility of quarry owners and warned that the government would initiate strict action against those found violating safety norms. In a Press note, the Commission said it has written separate letters to former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee and party leader Ritabrata Banerjee regarding the “claims and counter claims by both factions with respect to organisational elections/ authorised signatories of All India Trinamul Congress.” The Commission said both sides have been directed to submit their responses by 5.30 p.m. on Monday, 6 July 2026. The development comes amid a dispute within the Trinamul Congress over the party’s organisational structure and the authority to act on its behalf before the Election Commission. Such disputes are governed by the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, under which the Commission examines rival claims, supporting documents and submissions from the contending factions before taking a decision, where necessary. The ECI has not expressed any view on the merits of the rival claims and has sought written responses from both factions before proceeding further in the matter. won’t be delayed : NTA STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 2 July The academic year for MBBS students will not be delayed, as the results of the re-National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) will be announced by 20 July, a senior official at the National Testing Agency (NTA) confirmed. At present, the agency is resolving the challenges raised by candidates On 25 June, the NTA had released the provisional answer key, and candidates were given time till 28 June to challenge it. A fee of Rs 200 is charged per question, which is refunded if the student’s challenge is found to be correct. Around 10,000 challenges were received from aspirants, the official said. The official stated that the agency is working on a war footing to release the results soon; however, the exact date could not be confirmed. The official, however, assured that the academic year for MBBS students will not be delayed. The NEET-UG re-examination was held on 21 June after the cancellation of the 3 May examination over the alleged paper leak, with over 20 lakh candidates taking the retest. Following the release of the results, the counselling schedule is released both for the Central and state quota seats, which stand at 15 per cent and 85 per cent respectively. ` 7.5 lakh crore to be spent on VB-G RAM G in five years: Shivraj Singh Chouhan STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Tirupati, 2 July Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced that the government will spend Rs 7.5 lakh crore under Viksit Bharat ~ Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission ~ Gramin (VB-G RAM G) in five years. He formally launched the scheme at an event held at Mukkavaripalle in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan and Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar. Mr Chouhan said that under the scheme, on the first day (1 July), more than 5 lakh people have been provided employment at over 50,000 locations across the country He said, unlike the UPA government, which took three years to implement MGNREGA across the country, the NDA government rolled out the scheme in a single day. He also stated that while the UPA spent Rs 2.13 lakh crore on MGNREGA, the NDA government spent Rs 8.63 lakh crore in 10 years, and it will spend another Rs 7.5 lakh crore in five years. The Union minister said under VB-G RAM G, labourers will get 125 days of employment and the wages will not be less than Rs 300. He recalled that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, the 'Total Rural Employment Scheme' was created. That scheme, through successive transformations, became 'MGNREGA' and has now become ‘VB - G RAM G’. Mr Chouhan distributed ‘VB G-RAM-G’ cards to beneficiary workers. The national launch of the scheme was held with the laying of the foundation stone for a farm pond by the Union minister and the Chief Minister. Ten varieties of timberyielding saplings ~ including Teak, Maddi (Arjun), Neem, and Eucalyptus ~ were planted by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan, and others. Priority is being given to timber production and the establishment of wood banks under the special action plan devised by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan to boost greenery, protect the environment, and increase the revenue of panchayats. Subsequently, the 'Magic Drain' model set up near the venue was displayed, and the concept was explained to Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The structure of the ‘Magic Drain’ ~ an innovative wastewater management solution introduced by the Andhra Pradesh government ~ was demonstrated, highlighting its three-layer composition.