THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR CATASTROPHIC ACCESS, CONFLICTED INTERESTS NETANYAHU THREATENS TO RESUME FIGHTING IN GAZA P9 SENSEX 76,171.08q122.52 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. OCCASIONAL STRONG SURFACE WINDS(SPEED 20-30 KMPH) LIKELY DURING THE DAY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 26 AND 10 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY P7 23,045.25q26.55 ` vs $ 86.87 GOLD 87,620.00 India, France sign key accord to deepen ties The decision announced on Wednesday is the outcome of bilateral talks PM leaves France, heads to Washington NEW DELHI, 12 FEBRUARY Min. 28% Max: 26.5 °C (+3.1 ) SUN RISES 7:00 hrs MOON RISES 18:58 hrs Min: 11.6 ˚C (+1.4) SUN SETS 18:10 hrs MOON SETS 08:00 hrs THUMBNAILS A devotee performs a ritual while walking over burning coal during a procession to mark the Thaipusam festival in Chennai. n ANI Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar convicted in 1984 anti-Sikh riots murder case: The Rouse Avenue court convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 Anti Sikh riots case. This case is linked with the killing of a father-son duo in Saraswati Vihar area on 1 November, 1984. Sajjan Kumar is serving a life sentence in another anti-Sikh riots case of Delhi Cantt. Special judge Kaveri Baweja pronounced the judgement and convicted Sajjan Kumar. (P2) I ndia and France have added a new dimension to their partnership in the area of civil nuclear energy with a declaration of intent on establishment of a partnership on advanced modular reactors and small modular reactors. The decision which was announced on Wednesday is the outcome of bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Marseille. A joint statement outlining the way forward for India- France ties was adopted after the talks. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), ten outcomes in the areas of Civil Nuclear Energy, Technology and Innovation, Triangular Cooperation, Environment, Culture and People to People relations were also finalised. The three agreements between India and France in the area of Civil Nuclear Energy are Declaration AGENCIES MARSEILLE, 12 FEBRUARY of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors; Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) and Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Tech- nology (INSTN) France. Among the other MoUs signed are India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI); Launch of the Logo for the IndiaFrance Year of Innovation 2026; Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Centre for the Digital Sciences and Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station F. Retail inflation eases to 4.6 pc in Jan; IIP stands at 3.2 pc for December STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 12 FEBRUARY India's Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail inflation eased to 4.6 per cent in January from 5.22 per cent in December.This marks a decline of 91 basis points in headline inflation compared to the previous month, making it the lowest year-on-year inflation since August 2024. Corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban sectors are 6.31 per cent and 5.53 per cent, data from the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said. The significant decline in headline inflation and food inflation during the month of January 2025 is mainly attributed to decline in inflation of vegetables, egg, pulses & products, cereals and products, education, clothing and health. Further, the year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price P5 NIKHIL VYAS Max. 95% TEMPERATURE NIFTY Index (CFPI) for the month of January 2025 over January 2024 is 6.02 per cent. The data said a significant decline was observed in headline and food inflation in the rural sector at 4.64 per cent (provisional) in January, 2025 compared to 5.76 per cent in December last. The CFPIbased food inflation in the rural sector is observed as 6.31 per cent in January 2025 in comparison to 8.65 per cent in December last. In the urban sector, a sharp decline from 4.58 per cent in December, 2024 to 3.87 per cent (Provisional) in January, 2025 is observed in headline inflation. A similar decline is observed in food inflation which has decreased from 7.9 per cent in December 2024 to 5.53 per cent in January 2025. The Housing inflation rate for January on year-on-year basis has been recorded at 2.76 per cent as compared to 2.71 per cent in December. The MoSPI also released the Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) which stands at 3.2 per cent for December 2024 as compared to 5.2 per cent in November. The growth rates of the three sectors, Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity for the month of December 2024 are 2.6 per cent, 3 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively. The top three positive contributors for the month of December are manufacture of basic metals (6.7 per cent), manufacture of electrical equipment (40.1 per cent) and manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (3.9 per cent), the data from the Ministry said. Underscoring the strong ties between the two countries, and his personal friendship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron personally came to see off PM Modi at the airport as the latter wrapped up a historic visit to the country on Wednesday. “Thank you France! A productive visit concludes, where I attended programmes ranging from AI, commerce, energy and cultural linkages. Gratitude to President Emmanuel Macron and the people of France," said PM Modi as he emplaned for the United States. Mr Modi will meet US President Donald Trump tomorrow afternoon in Washington. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday addressed claims about the supposed capabilities of China's sixth-generation fighter aircraft, indicating that they are likely still in the developmental phase. Addressing the claims regarding their advanced fighter jets, Gen Chauhan explained that numerous countries are pursuing sixthgeneration fighter programs, but he personally believes that all such developments are still some distance away from reaching full operational capability. “It's very difficult to assess these kinds of platforms with six-generation capability, especially when we're only seeing brief external clips of the aircraft. A few seconds of footage is not enough to make definitive claims. It’s important to note that many nations are working on their sixth-generation programs, but I believe all of them are quite far from completion,” he said on the sidelines of Aero India 2025, currently underway at Bengaluru. Gen. Chauhan also referenced China’s earlier claims about the WS 10 and WS 15 engines used in their fifth-generation aircraft and the country’s hiring of former American and British Air Force pilots. “Such moves suggest that China is still refining not only its technology but also its tactics,” he remarked. Further discussing his understanding of sixth-generation aircraft, the CDS clarified that a universally accepted definition does not yet exist. However, he defined these next-gen aircraft as platforms capable of both manned and unmanned operations. These planes could serve as aerial command posts, controlling P12 SILVER 1,07,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 76.32q0.68 Are we not creating a class of parasites? SC takes a dig at freebies promised before polls The stinging observation on the freebies creating a new class of parasites came from a bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, saying it would be better to make people a part of the society's mainstream and contribute towards national development. PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 12 FEBRUARY In an apparent dig at the political parties for promising “freebies” before elections, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked whether, instead of bringing people into the mainstream for national development, “are we not creating a class of parasites?” The stinging observation on the freebies creating a new class of parasites came from a bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, saying it would be better to make people a part of the society's mainstream and contribute towards national development. “Rather than promoting them to be a part of the mainstream of the society by contributing to the development of the nation, are we not creating a class of parasites?”, the bench said, with Justice Gavai further observing: “Unfortunately, because of these freebies, which just non the anvil of elections are declared, like ‘Ladli Bahin’ and other schemes, people are not willing to work.” The observation from the bench came in the course of the hearing of a matter relating to the rights to shelter of homeless people in urban areas. As advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for a petitioner, said that there was hardly anybody in the country who did not want to work, if they had work, Justice Gavai said: “You must be having only onesided knowledge. I come from an agricultural family. Because of freebies in Maharashtra which they just announced prior to elections, agriculturists are not getting labourers.” Refusing to enter into a debate on the issue, the court said that even Attorney General R Venkataramani feels that providing shelter to the homeless requires consideration. PELICAN SIGHTING A flock of white pelicans swims in the Anasagar Lake in Ajmer. n ANI 6th generation fighter aircraft: CDS debunks claims of Chinese supremacy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 12 FEBRUARY 3RD ODI: INDIA THRASH ENGLAND FOR SERIES SWEEP ‘PM MODI JEOPARDISING NATIONAL SECURITY’ multiple unmanned systems such as drones, and allowing for a new approach to combat strategy. “Sixth-generation aircraft would integrate numerous advanced technologies, such as sophisticated networks, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, to provide pilots with superior decision-making capabilities in combat,” Gen. Chauhan noted. He added that such aircraft would also include longrange smart weapons, enhanced stealth technology, and self-healing capabilities, marking a significant leap forward in aerial warfare. While India is pursuing its own fifth-generation fighter programme, the AMCA, Gen. Chauhan remained confident that the country’s defense innovations will continue to make strides in the near future, even as other nations continue to explore the evolving concept of sixth-generation aircraft. BJP's brainstorming continues for 4th day over selection of next Delhi CM NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 12 FEBRUARY After the BJP's historic win in the Delhi Assembly elections, the party's brainstorming continued for the fourth consecutive day over the selection of the next chief minister of Delhi. BJP National President JP Nadda is regularly holding key meetings with newlyelected party MLAs. The saffron party secured a landslide victory in the Delhi assembly elections on February 8 winning a twothirds majority bagging 48 seats in the 70-member assembly. However, the BJP is yet to announce the chief ministerial face for the national capital. Amid suspense over the Chief Minister's face in Delhi, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal (photo) said on Wednesday that the BJP is a workersbased party and in the case of Delhi, and the leadership will nominate one dedicated worker who will lead Delhi to become a world-class city. "BJP is a workers-based party. Whenever such a situation arises the party's national leadership takes the decision. In the case of Delhi, it is the same. BJP aims to make Delhi a world-class city. The national leadership of the party will nominate one dedicated BJP worker who will lead Delhi,” Mr Khandelwal told a news agency. According to sources, the final decision by the BJP regarding the next chief minister of Delhi will be taken only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from the United States. The sources said, the swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister is likely to be held after 13 February, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his foreign tour. Ten newly-elected BJP MLAs met Nadda on Tuesday. The BJP MLAs, including Anil Sharma, Shikha Roy, Satish Upadhyay, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Vijender Gupta, Ajay Mahawar, Rekha Gupta, Kapil Mishra, Kulwant Rana, and Dr. Anil Goyal paid a courtesy call to the BJP president in Parliament.