www.thestatesman.com | @TheStatesmanLtd FOLLOW US: India’s National Newspaper since 1818 Evolve | Pages 20 | @thestatesmanltd ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC New Delhi, 6 September Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday had a telephonic conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron during which the two leaders discussed various global issues, including efforts to bring the conflict in Ukraine to an end. The two leaders reviewed and positively assessed the Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties A day after he said the USA seems to have ‘lost’ India to ‘deep, dark’ China, US President Donald Trump softened his stance, stating that the USA and India had a ‘special relationship’ and lavishing praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi warmly reciprocated MrTrump'ssentiments,describing the India-US relationship as a "very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership." In comments made at the White House, Mr Trump's called Mr Modi a "great Prime Minister" and stated: “I will always be friends with Modi... India and the United States have a special relationship.” “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties," PM NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER PM Modi & US President Donald Trump deliver a joint press statement after their meeting at the White House, in Washington, DC on 14 February 2025. ANI FILE PHOTO Modi responded in a post on the X social media platform. “There’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion,” Mr Trump told reporters, adding: “I'll always be friends with Modi, he’s a great prime minister. He's great. I'll always be friends, but I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment." Mr Modi, in his response on ‘X’, emphasised the depth of developments in bilateral cooperation across different sectors, including economic, defence, science, technology and space. They also reaffirmed their commitment towards further strengthening of the India-France Strategic Partnership, in line with the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, the Indo-Pacific Roadmap and the Defence Industrial Roadmap. On Ukraine. PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent support for the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the early restoration of peace and stability. He thanked President Macron for accepting the invitation to attend the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in February 2026, and looked forward to welcoming him to India. ' ' H a d a ve r y g o o d conversation with President Macron. We reviewed and p o sitively assesse d the p ro g re s s i n b i l a t e r a l cooperation in various areas. E xc h a n g e d v i e ws o n international and regional issues, including efforts for bringing an early end to the conflict in Ukraine. The I n d i a - Fr a n c e S t r a t e g i c Partnership will continue to play a key role in fostering global peace and stability,'' PM Modi wrote on the 'X' socila media platform later. India and the USA’s bilateral relationship, describing it as a "very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership." This marks Mr Modi’s first public acknowledgment of Mr Trump since the US president imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports. EAM S Jaishankar later asserted that PM Modi attaches “enormous importance” to India-US partnership and shares Dinner meetings of NDA MPs with Modi, Nadda cancelled STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 September The planned dinner meetings of NDA MPs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president JP Nadda have been cancelled in view of floods in Punjab and other parts of India. The NDA MPs, who were asked to be gathered in the national capital by Saturday in view of the upcoming Vice-Presidential election, will not have the planned dinner programme at the Prime Minister’s official residence in New Delhi on 8 September, sources said. The NDA MPs' other dinner parties, which were to be held at the BJP national president’s house on Saturday and Sunday, have also been cancelled. ECI pressing ahead with pan-India SIR, meeting with state CEOs on 10 September AGENCIES ‘Cong video misleading’: New Delhi, 6 September Unfazed by the heat it has been facing over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the poll-bound state of Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has put a pan-India SIR exercise front and centre on its agenda. According to sources, the Election Commission has called a meeting of all the state Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) in Delhi on 10 September and will have a discussion at length on this matter. The meeting will be attended by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, election commissioners and other senior poll body officers. The SIR drive conducted in Bihar had evoked a political storm, with opposition parties, including RJD, Congress, CPI, SILIGURI Trump dials it down, PM Modi reciprocates PM Modi discusses efforts to end Ukraine conflict with Macron STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE | What is Vivekananda's philosophy about ethics, morality, love and compassion? New Delhi, 6 September New Delhi: Sharjeel Imam on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court order that denied him bail in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. On 2 September, the Delhi High Court had refused bail to Imam and eight others ~ Umar Khalid, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima. NEW DELHI CPM, TMC, SP, among others, attacking the poll panel for allegedly working against the commission’s mandate by deleting a large number of voters, mainly from the vulnerable and marginalised sections. As elections are due next year in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, the poll panel, according to the reports, is likely to conduct the SIR in the whole country, which is likely to reignite a political battle between the ruling and the opposition parties. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu's CM Stalin have expressed their opposition to the SIR drive, while BJP-ruled states have supported the poll panel. The CEC last month, in his maiden press conference, dismissed allegations of bias against the poll panel in the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, | BHUBANESWAR | 07 September, 2025 S P O RT S STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Sharjeel Imam moves SC against bail denial: | 8th Day A veteran journalist and film critic finds Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali to be the ‘perfect’ film. BRIEFLY People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 New Delhi: The ECI Saturday issued a fact-check against a video posted by the Congress party's official social media handle, labeling the message tagged "Vote Chor - Gaddi Chhod" as "misleading" and "not in line with existing laws." This comes after the Congress party used the slogan extensively during the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar to accuse the ECI of alleged manipulation of election rolls & results. stressing that “some are trying to fool the voters” by spreading confusion and questioning the credibility of both the poll body and the electorate. a very good personal equation with Mr Trump. “PM Modi attaches enormous importance to our partnership with the US. Where President Trump is concerned, he has always had a very good personal equation with him. We are and remain engaged with the US, and at this time, I can't say more than that. But that's really what I would say,” Mr Jaishankar said. The warm exchange comes at a time of strained relations, particularly due to the tariffs imposed by the USA over India’s energy imports from Russia. US Open: Alcaraz beats Djokovic to set up another Grand Slam final clash with Sinner Page 20 Khalistani extremist groups raising funds inside Canada, says Canadian govt report STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 September Khalistani extremist groups are among “several terrorist entities" that have been receiving financial support originating from inside Canada, according to a new Canadian government report on terror financing and money laundering. The findings are part of the report titled ‘2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks in Canada’, which identifies Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation as among the Khalistani groups that have received funding from inside Canada. The report acknowledged that the Khalistani extremist groups are "supporting violent means to establish an independent state within Punjab, India". It said that Khalistani groups are suspected of raising funds in a number of countries, including Canada. The report said that these groups previously had an extensive fundraising network in Canada but now appear to consist of smaller pockets of individuals with allegiance to the cause but seemingly no particular affiliation to a specific group. Several terrorist entities listed under the Criminal Code in Canada that fall under the Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE) category, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Khalistani extremist groups Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation, have been observed by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to receive financial support originating from Canada, the report said. Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE) encourages the use of violence to establish new political systems, or new structures and norms within existing systems. While PMVE may include religious elements, actors are more focused on political self-determination or representation, rather than racial or ethnic supremacy. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada’s (FINTRAC) 2022 Operational Alert on Terrorist Activity Financing identified Hezbollah as the second most frequently identified international terrorist entity to receive outgoing Canadian funds. • Another report on Pg 17