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 LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | SPORTS WORLD Not all is well with Europe Bolsonaro arrested for alleged plot to flee 27-year sentence Page 7 Page 9 PERSPECTIVE BUSINESS India, Israel to roll out FTA in two phases: Piyush Goyal Jansen, Muthusamy lift SA to 489, India reach 9-0 at Stumps on Day 2 Page 12 Page 10 COP30: Ambitious $1.3T plan on paper, delivery in question Belem outcomes: India hopes Rio promises will be fulfilled APART FROM THE COMMITMENT TO TRIPLE ADAPTATION FINANCE BY 2035, KEY AGREEMENTS INCLUDE A BRAZILIAN-LED EFFORT FOR A ROADMAP TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS AND END DEFORESTATION, AN IMPLEMENTATION ACCELERATOR TO KEEP 1.5°C ALIVE, AND A NEW MECHANISM TO ENHANCE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON A JUST TRANSITION. VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 23 November U N climate conference negotiations mostly exceed schedules and deadlines and the UNFCCC COP30 in Belem, Brazil, was no different. However, unlike many such meetings held since the Paris Agreement, this conference made progress in easing some of the tension between ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ nations over climate finance, with countries agreeing to establish a two-year plan aimed at helping developing nations raise at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 ~ funding crucial for their climate goals in the coming decade. In the year of the second US withdrawal from Paris, 194 countries came together and sent a message that the rest of the world is moving ahead on the understanding that climate leadership brings economic protection, with the Monday, 24 November 2025 COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago sits as United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell, (left) speaks with other UN officials during a plenary session at the UN Climate Summit. AP Baku-to-Belem roadmap setting out a plan to scale up global climate finance to at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035. Rich countries committed to a tripling of adaptation finance as part of the $300 bn New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) ~ designed to set a new financial target to support developing countries in their climate actions post-2025 ~ by 2035, meaning that around $120 bn of the $300 bn climate finance goal will be dedicated to adaptation measures in the most vulnerable countries. At least $6.5 billion was announced for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility to support forest protection and community-led conservation. Apart from the commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2035, key agreements include a Brazilian-led effort for a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels and end deforestation, an implementation accelerator to keep 1.5°C alive, and a new mechanism to enhance international cooperation on a just transition. But there is a catch: there are no firm financial pledges from developed countries, which major emerging economies like India and China have been pushing for. The goal of tripling adaptation finance also remains vague, with no specific accountability of contributors, according to the CSE’s Avantika Goswami. Many activists called Belem an important political step, highlighting the urgency of closing the climate-finance gap and keeping pressure on wealthy nations to increase their contributions. “The challenges of climate impacts, conflict, rising debt, trade whiplash, and economic woes have upended relations. The COP demonstrated a new multilateralism that reflects the new era of multipolar politics,” they said, even though there was no clear global commitment to phase out fossil fuels. But they also talked of “genuine investment pathways, honest recognition of the scale of loss & damage, adequate concessional finance, and a system that judges COPs the way company boards judge annual performance ~ not on plans, but on delivery.” • Takeaways: Page 9 Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav at the COP30 Summit in Belem. FILE PHOTO STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 November India on Sunday reaffirmed its strong backing for the inclusive leadership of the COP30 Presidency, describing the final resolution of the UN Climate Summit in Brazil’s Belem as fair, balanced, and reflective of Brazil’s collaborative ‘Mutirão’ spirit for the common good. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India, while welcoming progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), underscored the crucial equity dimensions of the decision and stressed the urgent adaptation needs of developing countries. A key point in India’s intervention was the continued obligation of developed nations to deliver on climate finance commitments. India also appreciated the COP30 Presidency’s support as it works to bring overdue attention to Article 9.1, expressing hope that promises made three decades ago at Rio will finally begin to materialise through the steps taken in Belém. Welcoming outcomes from COP30, India highlighted the creation of the Just Transition Mechanism as a major achievement, saying it could advance principles of equity and climate justice globally and nationally. India also thanked the Presidency for enabling discussions on Unilateral Trade-restrictive Climate Measures which it argued disproportionately harm developing countries and violate the core principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. The statement stressed the need to address such measures urgently and noted that countries have begun reversing this troubling trend. Consistent with its long-standing position, India said that the burden of mitigation must not fall on those least responsible for the climate crisis. Calling for greater global support for vulnerable communities, the statement reiterated India’s commitment to science-based, fair, and equitable climate action. IBSA Summit calls for human-centric global reforms Sindh may return to India PM calls for global compact for the responsible use of AI New Delhi, 23 November Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday participated in the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting in Johannesburg, emphasising the imp or tance of the grouping in promoting human-centric development, multilateral reform, and sustainable growth. The meeting, hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, highlighted IBSA’s role in connecting three continents, three major democratic nations, and three major economies. “IBSA is not just a group of three countries but an important platform connecting three continents, three major democratic nations, and three major economies,” Prime Minister Modi said, stressing the need for global governance reforms, particularly in the again, who knows: Rajnath STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 November New Delhi, 23 November UN Security Council. The leaders discussed cooperation in areas like digital innovation, AI norms, millets, natural farming, disaster resilience, and green energy. PM Modi proposed establishing an ‘IBSA Digital Innovation Alliance’ to share Digital Public Infrastructure and invited IBSA leaders to the AI Impact Summit in India next year. PM Modi also emphasised that India, Brazil and South Africa ’s potential to contribute to sustainable growth and proposed the IBSA Fund for Climate Resilient Agriculture to advance South-South cooperation. The India, Brazil and South Africa Fund has supported projects in 40 countries in sectors like education, health, and solar energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on G20 nations to adopt a “global compact” to ensure the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Addressing the third session of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, focused on critical global issues including AI, the PM emphasised the need for a fundamental shift in how new technologies are developed and promoted. “We need to promote technology applications that are human-centric rather than finance-centric, global rather than national, and based on open source rather than exclusive models,” the PM said. He said that this vision is already integrated into India’s own technological ecosystem, which has led to significant advancements across domains, from space applications and AI to digital payments. The PM outlined India’s AI strategy which prioritises “equitableaccess,population-level skilling, and responsible deployment”. He proposed a global agreement to mitigate risks associated with the technology. “We must all ensure that AI is used for global good and its misuse is prevented,” he urged and announced that India is hosting an AI Impact Summit in February 2026. Mr Modi later in the day left Johannesburg for New Delhi. During the G20 summit, he met several key leaders including France President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Canadian PM Mark Carney, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and others. AGENCIES Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Sunday, referring to a quote of former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, said that the border can change and “who knows, tomorrow Sindh may return to India again.” Sindh region, known as the homeland of the Sindhi people, has been a significant part of India’s civilisation. It was also the centre of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The region became part of Pakistan with the partition in 1947. Addressing the Sindhi Samaj Sammelan Programme in the national capital, Rajnath Singh said: “This is Advani’s (Lal Krishna Advani) quote. Today, the land of Sindh may not be a part of India, but civilisationally, Sindh will always be a part of India. And as far as land is concerned, borders can change. Who knows, tomorrow Sindh may return to India again.” Mr Singh also highlighted the cultural significance of the Sindh region in Indian civilisation. He also added that Many Muslims in Sindh believed that the water of the Indus was no less sacred than the Aab-e-Zamzam of Mecca. “I’d also like to mention Lal Krishna Advani here. He wrote in one of his books that Sindhi Hindus, especially those of his generation, still haven't accepted the separation of Sindh from India. Not just in Sindh, but throughout India, Hindus considered the Indus River sacred. Many Muslims in Sindh also believed that the water of the Indus was no less sacred than the Aab-e-Zamzam of Mecca,” he said. “Our people of Sindh, who hold the Indus River sacred, will always be our own. No matter where they are, they will always be ours,” he added. Mr Singh also spoke about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), highlighting its necessity to protect the minorities communities in neighbouring countries who faced violence. Mr Singh said the Hindu community that deserved help was ignored, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood their pain. He said that this is why the CAA was introduced. After political row, MHA says Chandigarh proposal still under review Red Fort blast case: NIA STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 November As a major political row erupted in Punjab after the Centre signalled its intent to bring Chandigarh under the purview of Article 240 of the Constitution, a move that would empower the President to directly frame regulations for the Union Territory, the Union Home Ministry on Sunday clarified that the prop osal is still under consideration and that it has no intention of introducing any Bill to this effect in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament. At present, Chandigarh is administered by the Punjab Governor and serves as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The reported proposal had triggered strong opposition from the AAP, Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. In a post on X, PIB-Ministry of Home Affairs said: “The proposal only to simplify the Central Government’s law-making process for the Union Territory of Chandigarh is still under consideration with the Central Government. No final decision has been taken on this proposal." “The proposal in no way seeks to alter Chandigarh’s governance or administrative structure, nor does it aim to change the traditional arrangements b etween Chandigarh and the States of Punjab or Haryana,” the Ministry said. “A suitable decision will be taken only after adequate consultations with all stakeholders, keeping in mind the interests of Chandigarh. There is no need for any concern on this matter. The Central Government has no intention of introducing any Bill to this effect in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament," the Ministry further said in the post. However, a Parliament bulletin issued earlier had indicated that the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, is likely to be introduced during the Winter Session beginning 1 December, setting off protests across the political spectrum in Punjab. Many leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and other opposition leaders in the state, slammed the Centre’s proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill for the upcoming Winter Session, which aims to include Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution. Mr Kejriwal termed it as an attempt to “strip Punjab of its rights over Chandigarh.” Calling it an assault on Punjab and the federal structure of administration in India, the AAP leader in a post on X said: “The BJP-led central government's attempt to strip Punjab of its rights over Chandigarh through constitutional amendments is not part of any ordinary step, but a direct assault on Punjab’s identity and constitutional rights. This mindset of tearing apart the federal structure to snatch away Punjabis’ rights is extremely dangerous.” Further, he said Chandigarh, a Union Territory shared by Punjab and Haryana, will remain part of Punjab. “The Punjab that has always sacrificed for the country’s security, grain, water, and humanity is today being deprived of its own rightful share. This is not merely an administrative decision but akin to wounding the soul of Punjab. History bears witness that Punjabis have never bowed their heads before any dictatorship. Punjab will not bow today either. Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and will remain Punjab’s,” Mr Kejriwal added. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also opposed the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, asserting that it goes against Punjab's interests and could weaken the state’s authority over Chandigarh. He asserted that Punjab would not allow any move that threatens its rights over the Union Territory. Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that his party will oppose the plan in “every possible way”. on the hunt for IIT student STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 November In the latest development in the Delhi Red Fort blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is said to be searching for a student from one of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) who had been in contact with the “Doctor Module”. According to sources, the student was in constant touch with Dr. Shahida Syne. The student is said to have taken admission in an IIT in 2019, The sources revealed that Dr. Umar Nabi, who carried out the car bomb attack in the national capital earlier this month, was inspired by slain terrorist Burhan Wani. Furthermore, there were reportedly disagreements over funding between Umar and Muzammil. The disputes are said to have led to an argument between them. The NIA has so far arrested six people in connection with the Red Fort blast case. Initially registered by the Delhi Police, the case was later transferred to the NIA by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The NIA has confirmed that a VehicleBorne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), in the i20 driven by Dr Umar, was used in the Delhi blast. Separately, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has registered two FIRs and issued two summons to Javed Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman of Al Falah University. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a Prevention of Money Laundering Act case and arrested Siddiqui after conducting raids.