TUESDAY 13 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR GEHLOT QUESTIONS US ROLE IN INDIA-PAKISTAN CEASEFIRE ‘REVANTH MORTGAGING INDUSTRIAL LAND’ P8 SENSEX 82,429.90 p2,975.43 ` vs $ 84.88 GOLD `95,885 SILVER `97,900 Prevented nuclear conflict between India & Pakistan, claims Trump NEW DELHI, 12 MAY Min. 30 % P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, asserting that India will "not tolerate any nuclear blackmail" and will deliver a "befitting response to any terror attack on its territory." In his first address to the nation since the India–Pakistan ceasefire was announced, the Prime Minister outlined three key pillars of India’s security doctrine, emphasizing, "We won't differentiate between governments that sponsor terrorism and terrorist masterminds." Calling Operation Sindoor a "new precedent in the fight against terrorism," Modi declared, "Operation Sindoor is an unwavering pledge for justice." The address followed four days of hostilities and came after Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike launched on May 7 targeting nine terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistanoccupied Jammu and Kashmir, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. "The brutal attack in Pahalgam shook the nation and the world," Modi said. "Innocent civilians were targeted based on their religion, and families were bru- Min: 24.6 °C (-1.0) SUN SETS 19:04 hrs MOON SETS 06:11 hrs THUMBNAILS Young monks perform rituals to celebrate Buddha Purnima, at the Mahabodhi Society, in Chennai on Monday. nANI Sensex, Nifty clock best single-day rally in 4 years: Market indices staged a record rally on Monday clocking their best-day ever in absolute terms as well as their biggest gain since February 2021 in percentage terms. Sensex and Nifty 50 gained nearly 4 per cent each as a host of positive news, from India-Pakistan ceasefire to US-China trade deal, lifted investor sentiment. At close, Sensex was up 2,975.43 points or 3.74 per cent at 82,429.90, and the Nifty 50 was up 916.70 points or 3.82 per cent at 24,924.70. (See Page 10) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 12 MAY tally murdered in front of their children." He stressed that the entire nation—across communities and political parties—stood united against terrorism, adding, "We gave our armed forces complete freedom and a free hand to act against this brutal act of terror." Referring to the global context, the Prime Minister remarked, "This is not an era of war, but it is not an era of terrorism either. Zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee of a better world." Highlighting the precision and boldness of India’s response, Modi said, "Pakistan had prepared to strike our borders, but India hit them at their core." Praising the armed forces for their bravery, he added, "Our soldiers achieved their objectives. I dedicate this operation to every mother, sister, and daughter of our country." He underscored that Indian missile and drone strikes had not only destroyed terrorist hideouts and training centers but also shattered Pakistan’s morale. "The terrorists never imagined such a bold move by India. But when the nation stands united with ‘Nation First’ as its guiding principle, firm decisions yield impactful results," he said. Modi mentioned key terrorist hubs like Bahawalpur and Muridke, saying these had long been linked to global terror incidents including the 9/11 attacks in the US, the London Tube bombings, and several attacks in India. "Since terrorists dared to insult the dignity of Indian women, India eliminated the headquarters of terror," he asserted. US, China to roll back bilateral tariff hike for 90 days AGENCIES GENEVA, 12 MAY US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced here on Monday that an agreement has been reached with China, at the trade talks held here, for a bilateral reduction in tariffs with effect from May 14 for a 90-day period. The US will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 per cent to 30 per cent for 90 days, while China said it will cut tariffs on US goods from 125 per cent to 10 per cent for 90 days. “We have reached an agreement on a 90-day pause and to substantially move down the tariff levels. Both sides on the reciprocal tariffs will move their tariffs down 115 per cent,” Bessent said at a press conference. “We had a very robust and productive discussion on steps forward on fentanyl. P12 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 66.07 Modi says the forces had been given full freedom to wipe out terrorists SHAHID K ABBAS RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max: 38.3 °C (-1.2) SUN RISES 05:31 hrs MOON RISES 19:55 hrs P9 Will not tolerate any Pak invited retaliation by supporting terror camps: nuclear blackmail: PM IAF on Operation Sindoor MAINLY CLEAR SKY BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS (SPEED 20-30 KMPH) OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO 40 KMPH. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 40 AND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. TEMPERATURE P5 NIFTY 24,924.70 p916.70 WEATHER Max. 64 % PAST & PRESENT HEAP PRAISE ON VIRAT KOHLI RUSSIAN DRONES ATTACK UKRAINE We are in agreement that neither side wants to decouple,” he added. According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, after taking the aforementioned actions, the two countries will establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations. The representative from the Chinese side for these discussions will be He Lifeng, Vice Premier of the State Council, and the representatives from the U.S. side will be Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury, and Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative. These discussions may be conducted alternately in China and the United States, or a third country upon agreement of the two Parties. As required, the two sides may conduct working-level consultations on relevant economic and trade issues, the statement explained. US Trade Representative Greer told journalists that “differences were not as large as maybe thought.” Greer said the two sides are having constructive conversations on the issue of fentanyl. "The deal we struck with our Chinese partners that will help reduce the $1.2 trillion U.S. global goods trade deficit," he added. This was the first faceto-face meeting between high level US and Chinese officials since Donald Trump took over as President and triggered a global trade war with a massive hike in US tariffs as part of his America First policy. US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that his administration helped broker an immediate ceasefire between India and Pakistan and prevented a nuclear confrontation in which millions could have been killed. Addressing a press briefing at the White House, Trump stressed the significant impact of US diplomatic efforts in facilitating the truce. "On Saturday, my administration helped broker an immediate cessation of hostilities, I think a permanent one between India and Pakistan - the countries having a lot of nuclear weapons," he said. Speaking on India-Pakistan understanding, the US President said, "We stopped a nuclear conflict." "I think it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed. I also want to thank VP JD Vance and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, for their work," he said. NCW condemns online abuse targeting Foreign Secy Misri & daughter AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 12 MAY The National Commission for Women (NCW) has strongly condemned the online abuse and doxxing directed at Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his family, particularly his daughter, following a ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan. In a statement posted on X, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar denounced the trolling campaign & the unauthorised sharing of personal information. The NCW expressed grave concern over the public circulation of Misri’s daughter’s contact details, calling it a serious breach of privacy that could put her safety at risk. PARWINDER SANDHU NEW DELHI, 12 MAY Highlighting the "strong ties" between Pakistan-harbored terrorists and its military, Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal A K Bharti on Monday said it was unfortunate the Pakistani military chose to side with terrorists, thus meriting a strong response from the Indian side. Addressing a media briefing here, Bharti, while talking about Operation Sindoor, said it was always aimed at the terrorists’ infrastructure in Pakistan. "Our fight was with the terrorists and their infrastructure, and not Pakistan's military. That's why we struck only terror camps on May 7. It is a pity that Pakistan's military chose to bat for the terrorists and made it their own fight. That's why our retaliation was necessary. They are themselves responsible for their losses," he said. Stating that all of India’s military bases and airfields, and systems continue to remain fully operational, Bharti said they were ready to undertake any future missions should the need arise. During the briefing, Bharti also gave details pertaining to how Indian Forces minimized damage to both civilian and military infrastructure during the escalated military action. Speaking about India’s multi-layered and integrated air defence systems of the tri-services, Bharti said, "This robust air defence system comprises a large variety of multi-layered air defence sensors and weapon systems. From point defence weapons, like the low-level air defence guns, shoulder-fired MANPADs, and short-range surface-to-air missiles, to area defence weapons, like the air defence fighters, and longer-range surface-to-air missiles are within our infantry." He further went on to claim that the drones and unmanned combat aerial vehicles used by Pakistan to target Indian military bases and civil areas were neutralised by the indigenously developed soft-and-hard kill counterUA systems and the air defence personnel. “Not just the new ones, even the older battle-proven air defence systems like the Pechora, Osa-AK, and the LLAD guns in countering the Pakistani threat vectors in the current operations,” he said. "These battle-proven systems stood the test of time and took them head-on. Another highlight has been the stellar performance of indigenous air defence weapon systems like the Akash system," he added. Air Marshal Bharti further said that Pakistan’s PL-15 missile of Chinese origin missed the targets and loiter munitions and unmanned aerial systems were brought down. India, Pak DGsMO talk on hotline for border calmness restoration: The second round of talks between the Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan were held today evening. The talks, which were initially planned for noon were deferred till the evening. In an official statement, the army spokesperson stated that the talks between DGsMO were held at 5:00 PM, on 12 May. “Issues related to continuing the commitment that both sides must not fire a single shot or initiate any aggressive and inimical action against each other were discussed. It was also agreed that both sides consider immediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas,” the statement read. Temporary closure of 32 airports lifted after India-Pakistan ceasefire STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Travellers are advised to check flight status directly with the Airlines and monitor airlinesÊ websites for regular updates. NEW DELHI, 12 MAY India reopened its 32 airports on Monday that had been shut since May 9, owing to the conflict between India and Pakistan. The Centre ordered the closure of airspace across northern and western India, including Srinagar and Amritsar, from May 9 to May 15 due to the military standoff between India and Pakistan. ''Temporary closure of 32 Airports for civil Aircraft operations till 05:29 hrs of 15 May 2025 has been lifted. These Airports are now available for civil Aircraft operations with immediate effect,'' according to a Civil Aviation Ministry statement. Travellers are advised to check flight status directly with the Airlines and monitor airlines’ websites for regular updates. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other relevant aviation bodies had issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), announcing the temporary suspension of civil flight operations at 32 airports in Northern and Western India. Major airports affected include Chandigarh, Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhuntar, Kishangarh, Patiala, Shimla, Dharamsala, and Bathinda. Additionally, strategically important locations such as Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Leh, Bikaner, Pathankot, Jammu, Jamnagar, and Bhuj were also closed. India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an "understanding" to stop all firings and military actions on land, air, and sea, with immediate effect. This indicates a significant de-escalation in the heightened military alert that had followed recent hostilities with the neighbouring country. King Kohli announces retirement after 14-year Test career END OF AN ERA 14 years career Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket after a 14-year career. 123 9,230 46.85 Tests Played Runs Average CAPTAINED INDIA 40 Win 17 Loss 68 Total tests 11 Draws TRIDIB BAPARNASH NEW DELHI, 12 MAY Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing the curtain down on a career, spanning 14 years in which he featured in 123 Tests - 68 of them as captain - and amassed 9230 runs at an average of 46.85. “It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life,” Kohli announced on social media. “There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. “As I step away from this format, it's not easy — but it feels right. “I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” he concluded in the statement issued on Monday. As reported by The Statesman on Saturday, the 36year-old had already expressed his desire to retire from Test cricket to the BCCI, and has been having such discussions with the top brass for quite some time. Kohli’s decision to retire from the longest format, comes less than a week after Rohit Sharma gave up the format ahead of India’s crucial tour to England for a fiveTest series, starting June 20. Kohli, who retired from T20Is after helping India lift the 2024 T20 World Cup, his statement on Monday mentioned only Tests, which means like Rohit, he will continue playing ODIs. Kohli’s form in Tests has witnessed a sharp decline over the past five years, during which he could manage only 1,990 runs in 37 Tests with only three centuries. In the Border-Gavaskar series that India lost for the first time in a decade, Kohli’s form blew hot and cold. Barring an unbeaten century in the opening Test at Perth, Kohli failed to find the rhythm and continued to succumb to balls outside the off-stick on consecutive instances. Eventually, he managed only 190 runs across five appearances. Despite that, it has been learnt that the selectors wanted him to continue for the England series, as the team management and selectors felt that his experience would be crucial in the conditions, where India will be playing under a new captain. Witjh Shubman Gill emerging the frontrunner to take over the reins of the side, it appears that the selectors will now have to pick a new No.3 for the side. Apart from Rohit and Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin had also retired from international cricket late last year. The absence of the trio will mean more responsibility on the shoulders of KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah as the team undergoes a cru- cial phase of transition. It was under Kohli’s leadership that India reached the first World Test Championship (WTC) final before going down to New Zealand. Under Rohit, too, India reached a second consecutive WTC final but went down to Australia. Both Kohli and Rohit were included in Grade A+ category in the recent BCCI annual contracts, usually meant for players who play all three international formats. Kohli, who made his Test debut during India's tour of the West Indies in mid-2011, had a quiet start to his career, but gained the limelight four years later during India’s tour of Australia in 2014-15, when he came up with twin centuries in Adelaide, and followed it up with centuries in Melbourne and Sydney to aggregate 692 runs for the series at an average of 86.50. His performances in the series earned him the title ‘King Kohli’ on Australian soil, and that particular series was memorable for his coronation as India’s new Test skipper, following MS Dhoni’s retirement after the third Test in Melbourne. Under his leadership, India won 40 of the 68 games, losing just 17. The 40 wins made Kohli India's most successful Test captain of all time. He was followed by Dhoni with 27 from 60 and Sourav Ganguly with 21 from 49 as India’s most successful Test skippers. In the overall list of most successful Test captains, Kohli stood at fourth after Graeme Smith (53 from 109), Ricky Ponting (48 from 77) and Steve Waugh (41 from 57). (SEE ALSO P12)