FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW Page 5 Page 11 Page 16 Modi pitches responsible AI as India hosts global summit STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 16 February P Seven burnt alive in Rajasthan factory fire: New Delhi: At least seven persons were burnt alive in a massive fire that broke out at a chemical factory in the Khushkhera industrial area of Khairthal-Tijara in Rajasthan on Monday morning. According to police and fire brigade sources, the blaze broke out with a loud explosion early in the morning and soon engulfed the entire factory premises, creating panic among people in nearby areas. (See Page 5) Sri Lanka’s crushing blow all but eliminates Australia: New Delhi: Australia’s depleted bowling attack proved its undoing as they failed to stop an inspired Sri Lanka side from chasing down the target of 182. With the defeat at Pallekele Stadium, they were all but knocked out of the T20 World Cup. Australia were bowled out for 181 against Sri Lanka. At one stage, it appeared they would post a total in excess of 200, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and opted to bowl against Australia in their T20 World Cup match on Monday. (See Page 16) Tuesday, 17 February 2026 Someone had to take responsibility: Surya hails Ishan’s batting effort NATION Stock market ends two-day losing streak BRIEFLY | Congress slams India-US Trade Pact Trump would back Israeli strikes on Iran if talks fail Page 12 SILIGURI SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | rime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers, and technology enthusiasts from across the globe to the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are among 20 world leaders who are attending the Summit 2026 which commenced in the national capital on Monday. India is hosting the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from 16–20 February 2026. The Summit is anchored in three Sutras: People, Planet and Progress, which define India’s approach to cooperation on AI. The Summit, themed “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya — Welfare for All, Happiness for All”, reflects India’s commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress and inclusive development. The Prime Minister highlighted the transformative role of AI across diverse sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and enterprise. He expressed confidence that the deliberations at the Summit will enrich global discourse on innovation, collaboration, and responsible use of AI, shaping a future that is progressive, innovative, and opportunity-driven. PM Modi underscored India’s leadership in the global AI transformation, powered by the strength of its 1.4 billion people, robust digital public infrastructure, vibrant startup ecosystem, and cutting-edge research. He emphasised that India’s strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility, positioning the nation at the forefront of technological advancement. Sharing a thread post on X, Mr Modi wrote: “Bringing the world together to discuss AI! Starting today, India hosts the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. I warmly welcome world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the world for this Summit. The theme of the Summit is Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya or welfare for all, happiness for all, reflecting our shared commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress.” “AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise. The AI Impact Summit will enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, responsible use and more. I am confident that the outcomes of the Summit will help shape a future that is progressive, innovative and opportunity-driven.” “Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. From digital public infrastructure to a vibrant StartUp ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility.” PM Modi, French President Macron to hold bilateral talks in Mumbai today STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Mumbai, 16 February Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Mumbai on Tuesday, 17 February, at 2.15 pm on a one-day visit to hold discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron at Lok Bhavan (formerly called Raj Bhavan, which is the Maharashtra Governor's official residence) at 2.30 pm, sources said. A bilateral meeting will be held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron at 2.30 pm at the Lok Bhavan facing the Arabian Sea, after which both the leaders will have a roundtable discussion with CEOs of various companies at Hotel Taj at 5 pm. An Indo-French cultural programme as well as a joint ‘India-France Year of Innovation Programme’ organised by the French Consulate will also be held at the Gateway of India in Mumbai’s Colaba area near Hotel Taj at 6.30 pm in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Accordingly, several roads in South Mumbai will be closed for traffic, the Mumbai Police said, adding that changes have been made to the traffic. In view of the India-France ‘Year of Innovation’ programme to be held at the Gateway of India until February 22, 2026, there is a possibility of traffic congestion on the nearby roads, the Mumbai police said. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk will be closed for traffic. These routes will be open only for emergency vehicles, while P Ramchandani Road from North Court to Adam Street Junction will also be closed to traffic. Vehicles approaching Regal Cinema Junction have been diverted to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg, Mahakavi Bhushan Road and BK Boman Behram Road, the police said. Traffic on P Ramchandani Marg will be diverted via Alva Chowk, Radio Club, Haji Niaz Azam Road and Jagannath Palav Chowk, while taxi stands and BEST bus stops on Adam Street and P Ramchandani Marg will remain closed, the police said. (File Photo) India-Bangladesh ties will be reset, but incrementally JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY New Delhi, 16 February Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of BNP leader Tarique Rahman (photo) as Bangladesh's Prime Minister, mandarins in India's South Bloc are working overtime on the country's outreach to its eastern neighbour. For Indian policymakers, the real challenge in resetting ties with Dhaka is not one of intent but of calibration, understanding what is politically feasible in Bangladesh's new landscape, and what is not. "We should not think of an immediate reset in ties. It will be a gradual process …However with Foreign Secretary travelling to Dhaka for the swearing in ceremony along with Speaker Om Birla, informal talks are likely on the sidelines," said top officials of the Ministry of External Affairs. The last one-and-a-half years are seen by South Bloc as "wasted time" on the Bangladesh front as the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus was seen as jeopardising every attempt made at normalising relations. Pinak Chakravarty, former Secretary-Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, told UNI, "There will be incremental improvement in relations. The new PM has to settle in before decisions can be taken." Both countries may tackle issues such as "trade, rail connectivity and visas in the first instance, as these produce visible, tangible people-to-people benefits," added Riva Ganguly Das, former Secretary-East in the MEA. Tarique Rahman has signalled a clear desire to stabilise relations with India. Throughout his campaign, he refrained from the familiar anti-India rhetoric that has periodically animated Bangladeshi politics. "Rahman has displayed considerable political maturity both during the campaign and in pronouncements afterwards," agreed Shantanu Mukharji, former National Security Advisor to Mauritius. The BNP leader's advisers have been unusually forthcoming, projecting goodwill and even extending an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The tone, at least rhetorically, has been constructive. Yet rhetoric and governance are two different arenas. "Tougher issues such as renewal of river water treaty will take time …expectations have to be managed and should not be allowed to reach a high pitch," said Ganguly Das, who has earlier served as High Commissioner to Bangladesh. For Rahman, moving too quickly or too visibly toward India carries domestic political risk. Bangladesh has long contained a vocal anti-India constituency, rooted in sections of nationalist politics, Islamist groups, and segments of the urban middle class that perceive India as overbearing. The electoral presence of the National Citizen Party (NCP), however limited in seats, alongside a strengthened Jamaat, ensures that such voices will remain amplified in Parliament and on the streets. Any early, high-profile overtures toward New Delhi could invite accusations of capitulation or dependency. "We should, however, not be complacent. We have seen how Jamaat has performed better than ever before, taking virtually all the Parliament seats from districts on India's border. We need to be careful on the possible regrouping of militants and radicals there," said Mukharji, a former IPS officer. However, Chakravarty revealed that talks with Bangladeshi politicians have yielded promises that the country will guard against allowing its soil to be used against India or for terrorist activities. At the same time, structural imperatives argue for cooperation. "Both governments understand that trade normalisation, travel facilitation, and cross-border connectivity are not optional extras but necessities" said MEA officials. Bangladesh's export ambitions and India's interest in regional integration converge here. Likewise, border management and security coordination remain critical, particularly amid concerns that dormant militant networks could attempt to regroup in transitional political phases. Confidence-building measures, reopening suspended dialogue mechanisms, easing visa processes, quietly strengthening intelligence cooperation, may precede any grand political gestures. Symbolism will matter, but sequencing will matter more. Public optics in Dhaka will need careful handling, just as political sensitivities in New Delhi cannot be ignored. Resetting India-Bangladesh ties will not be achieved through dramatic announcements. "It will be built through small, reciprocal steps that gradually create political space for larger moves," said Chakravarty. Both governments appear to understand this. The question is not whether cooperation will occur, it almost certainly will, but how deftly it can be managed in a domestic climate where symbolism is often as powerful as substance. Hype vs reality: Once the ‘mother of all rivalries’, India-Pak now a mismatch TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 16 February For decades, it has been packaged as cricket’s “Mother of all rivalries”, the sport’s biggest spectacle and predictably its most reliable cash cow. An India-Pakistan clash is promoted as more than just a match, it is framed as history, politics, pride and partition-era emotion condensed into 22 yards, guaranteed to command record-breaking viewership and advertising windfalls. Yet beneath the soaring television promos and breathless studio debates lies a far less dramatic reality. Over the past two decades in particular, what continues to be sold as the game’s greatest rivalry has, more often than not, unfolded as a one-sided affair, with India entering as overwhelming favourites almost every time the two sides meet, and usually finishing comfortably ahead, barring a solitary blip in 2021. The numbers leave little room for interpretation. In ICC tournaments, the stages that define legacies, India’s dominance has been emphatic. In the 50-over World Cup, the head-to-head stands at 8-0 in India’s favour from 1992 through 2023. Pakistan have never beaten India in a men’s ODI World Cup. In the T20 World Cup, the margin is nearly as stark: 8-1 to India, with Pakistan’s only win coming in 2021. Across all ICC events combined, India lead 19-4. That is not the statistical profile of a neck-and-neck rivalry, it is the profile of sustained superiority. Historically, the broader head-to-head across formats appears more balanced. Pakistan hold a narrow overall edge in total wins, largely built during the 1970s to early 2000s when bilateral series were frequent and fiercely contested. In Tests, Pakistan lead 12-9 (with 38 draws in 59 matches). In ODIs, they are ahead 73-58. But the modern white-ball era tells a different story. In T20 Internationals, India lead 12-3. Since the early 2000s, particularly in global tournaments, India’s win ratio has surged in tandem with their rise as a cricketing powerhouse. Even within the two camps, the rhetoric has shifted. India captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed the “rivalry” narrative during last year’s Asia Cup: “I would like to say one thing on this question. I feel that you should stop asking this question on the rivalry.” “Standards and rivalry are the same. According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches and if (head-to-head) it is 7-7 or 8-7, then that is called a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1… I don’t know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore. But yeah, I feel we played better cricket than them.” India vice-captain Axar Patel echoed that sentiment after Sunday’s 61-run victory in Colombo: “See, we are seeing them as a team. So, we are not thinking about these rivalry or whatever. So we are playing against one team, and we are just focusing on cricket. I treat it as one match against an opponent. So I’m not thinking about any rivalry or whatever.” Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has also acknowledged that the aura around the contest has faded, pointing to declining standards on one side and increasing depth on the other. And after the latest defeat, former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh put it bluntly: “India vs Pakistan is only hype no contest. Fan made rivalry but one way traffic on the field ….. Again .” Cash-cow for stake-holders: The commercial machinery, however, remains undeterred. An India–Pakistan fixture continues to dwarf most cricket finals in viewership. Advertising rates soar. Broadcasters clear prime-time slots weeks in advance. Sponsors line up. The International Cricket Council understands its value; so do television networks and digital platforms. It remains cricket’s most bankable property, the game’s golden goose. The script has become familiar, weeks of feverish buildup, panels dissecting every tactical nuance, social media sparring on both sides, and then, more often than not in the last 20 years, a result that reinforces the same hierarchy. What was once unpredictable has become increasingly routine. The rivalry still commands attention. It still sells. It still ignites emotion. But statistically and competitively, it no longer resembles the evenly matched duel it is marketed to be. For a contest to remain the “Greatest Rivalry,” it must be defined by balance and uncertainty. Over the past two decades, barring a solitary evening in 2021, India have ensured that uncertainty has been in short supply.