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 | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘Garbage mountains will go soon’ Page 7 BRIEFLY Flight carrying Odisha CM makes emergency landing: Kolkata: An Air India flight from New Delhi to Bhubaneswar carrying Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was forced to make an emergency landing in Kolkata on Friday afternoon on account of bad weather, officials said. The flight, AI473, departed from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday morning with more than 100 passengers on board. As the aircraft approached Bhubaneswar, air traffic control (ATC) informed the pilots that poor weather conditions made it unsafe to land. The plane was diverted to Kolkata, where it landed around midday, officials said. After refuelling, it departed again and reached Bhubaneswar safely around 1 pm. 26 nations pledge troops for post-war Ukraine force: Macron ‘GST rationalisation big boost for consumption-led growth’ GST rate cut to spur growth, counter US tariff hike: FM STATESMAN NEWS SERVCE Goyal hails GST reforms as the ‘biggest since Independence’ New Delhi, 5 September F STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 5 September A delegation led by BJP MP and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal calls on Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, in New Delhi. ANI Ms Sitharaman also said the government was speaking to different stakeholders and parties to monitor rate reduction and all industry leaders were on board for lowering prices on goods to pass on the benefit of the GST rate cut to consumers. "Industry has assured us they will pass it on," she said. "We are talking with various stakeholders to ensure that STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 5 September unsavoury comments about India in recent days. Mr Jaishankar said the world's architecture is being re-engineered, even as institutions and modes of interaction undergo transformation. ''The political complexities are difficult enough, but its economic volatility has exceeded expectations. The cultural dimensions are still unfolding and will not be easy either. They have to capture the rebalancing of the last many decades even as they reflect the backlash against globalisation,'' he added. He emphasised that while recognising the importance of engaging the world and intensifying this process, there is today a really compelling argument for greater ‘Atmanirbharta’. ''It is natural to define that in material terms. But, at the end of the day, this is built on the foundation of national self-confidence. This is not just for a government or for its policy-makers to ensure. Every citizen, every segment of society, every walk of life can and does make a difference. Intellectual leadership is particularly critical to that endeavour,'' he added. The minister was of the view that understanding traditions and appreciating historical contributions is not just a theoretical exercise. ''It is very much part of building an identity, especially of a civilisational nature. There are many other pathways to that objective, some are very routine, I would say almost mundane, others are much more complex,'' he added. benefits actually reach customers. And most industry stakeholders have assured that they will pass on the benefit.” To monitor the process, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) will spend the next one to one-and-a-half months tracking whether the rate cuts are reflected in actual consumer prices, she said. India in touch with Australian govt: MEA on anti-immigration protests AGENCIES New Delhi, 5 September India remains in touch with the Australian government and various diaspora organisations over the recent anti-immigrant protests that took place in the country, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. While addressing a media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the Indian High Commission in Australia had shared concerns raised by Indian community members with the Australian government before the protests. The High Commission had received a formal response from the Australian side, where they acknowledged that the protests were of concern for diverse communities in Australia. Govt unveils 15-year defence roadmap STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 5 September The Narendra Modi government has prepared a 15-year roadmap to modernise India's armed forces by infusing billions of dollars and cutting-edge technology. The Ministry of Defence’s ‘The Technology Vision and Capability Roadmap’, lists out the requirements for the armed forces over the next 15 years. "As the nation stands on the threshold of embracing greater challenges and responsibilities in the forthcoming decades, it is imperative that the Services be equipped accordingly," said the defence ministry report. The plan includes the addition of nuclear-powered warships, next-generation battle tanks, hypersonic missiles, stealth bomber drones, AI-powered weapons, and space-based warfare technology to India's arsenal. The Indian Army would induct nearly 1,800 future tanks to replace the Soviet era T-72 fleet, 400 light tanks for mountain warfare, 50,000 tank-mounted anti-tank guided missiles, and over 700 robotic counter-IED systems. Similarly, the Indian Navy would also get a new aircraft carrier, 10 next-generation frigates, 7 advanced corvettes, and 4 landing dock platforms. “Nuclear propulsion for warships has been greenlit, as well as electromagnetic aircraft launch systems,” it said. The Air Force would also get 75 high-altitude pseudo-satellites, 150 stealth bomber drones, hundreds of precision-guided munitions, and over 100 remotely piloted aircraft. The forces’ modernisation plan is being seen as a major and bold step to enhance India’s security warfare apparatus, which includes AI, space warfare and other critical domains which have become a necessary tool in the present context, given the lessons being learnt from the ongoing wars between Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Gaza and the concluded war between Israel-Iran-America. After Operation Sindoor, the debates in the Indian security apparatus have gathered pace on the changing structures of warfare tactics and on how India should prepare herself for the 21st-century threats. Terming the latest reforms in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure as “the biggest economic reform since Independence,” Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Friday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling a long-awaited vision to simplify India’s tax system. Mr Goyal, while addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, said the revised GST rates ~ set to come into effect from September 22, the first day of Navaratri ~ mark a transformative moment for the country. US Open: Anisimova beats Osaka, enters women’s singles final Page 12 Page 10 India will pursue nat’l interests without compromise, says EAM Noting that the world is passing through an extraordinary period of change, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the best response to this era is to intensify nation-building, reinforce national identities, and pursue national interests without compromise. “Beyond the obvious, what is at stake are the dignity and self-image of a people, their freedom to exercise choices and their ability to withstand pressures,'' he said at a conference on ''South Asia's Manuscript Traditions and Mathematical Contributions'' at the India International Centre (IIC). Mr Jaishankar's remarks came amid the ongoing trade tensions between India and the United States over President Donald Trump's decision to slap 50 per cent tariffs on Indian products and his BUSINESS Page 9 inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that the GST rate cut would spur growth in the economy which would offset the drag due to the adverse impact of the US tariff hike on Indian exports. She also said that India would continue to buy Russian oil because of economic considerations as crude was the costliest item in the country’s import bill. The government’s main focus would now be on ensuring that the GST rate cuts on various goods and services, that will kick in from 22 September, are passed on to consumers," Ms Sitharaman said in a media interview. “We have a lot of work post-22nd September. It is a big vigilance exercise and we are confident the benefits will reach the common man," the Finance Minister noted. Saturday, 06 September 2025 SPORTS WORLD PERSPECTIVE | Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to ‘darkest’ China: Trump NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 5 September US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the USA may have ‘lost’ India and Russia to China, apparently rattled by the camaraderie displayed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping at the recently-concluded SCO Summit. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump sarcastically wished the three countries a "long and prosperous future together". "Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together! President Donald J. Trump." Along with his message, Mr Trump shared an old photo of the three leaders together. In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal declined to comment on the US President's remarks. The spokesperson also rejected recent remarks made by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, calling them "inaccurate and misleading statements." Mr Navarro, in an interview with Bloomberg Television last week, had alleged, "India is helping feed the Russian war machine. I mean Modi's war, because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi." Mr Jaiswal said: "We have seen the inaccurate and misleading statements made by Navarro, and obviously, we reject them." On ties with Washington, Mr Jaiswal underlined the importance of the bilateral relationship. "We have also spoken about it earlier. This relationship between the United States and India is very important for us. Both our countries share a comprehensive global strategic partnership, which is anchored in our shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties," he said. “This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges. We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to, and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests," he added. Mr Jaiswal also highlighted ongoing cooperation between the two countries, stating: "As you would have seen, I would draw your attention to a joint military exercise that is underway in Alaska. A few days ago, there was a 2+2 inter-sessional meeting... Talks between both countries are going on, and we are committed to strengthening our partnership." On trade issues, the MEA spokesperson affirmed that India "continues to remain engaged with the US side on trade issues."