www.thestatesman.com | FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | @thestatesmanltd Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA PM Modi embarks on France-Slovakia tour STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Trump, PM to hold bilateral meet on 17 June New Delhi, 13 June P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday embarked on a six-day visit to France and Slovakia, a tour aimed at strengthening strategic partnerships, expanding technology and innovation cooperation, enhancing economic engagement, and reinforcing India’s role as a leading voice of the Global South. The visit, from 13 to 18 June, will see Mr Modi hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, participate in the G7 Summit, inaugurate major innovation-focused events, engage with business leaders, and undertake the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to independent Slovakia. Before departing, Mr Modi said the tour would focus on advancing economic, technological and cultural partnerships with key European nations. “Over the next few days, I will be in France and Slovakia to attend various programmes, including bilateral talks, multilateral engagements and interaction with the Indian diaspora. The focus will be on boosting economic as well as cultural linkages,” he said in a post on X. The first leg of the visit will take Mr Modi to the French city of Nice, where he and Mr Macron will jointly inaugurate “Bharat Innovates,” a flagship event being held as part of the India-France Year of Innovation. Mr Modi will thereafter travel to Bratislava for a State Visit to Slovakia, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country since its independence in 1993, before returning to France to attend the G7 Summit in Evian on 16 and 17 June. Washington: US President Donald Trump will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders during next week’s G7 Summit in France, with discussions expected to focus on economic growth, supply chains, Artificial Intelligence (AI), investment partnerships and a range of global security challenges, the White House said Saturday. Mr Trump is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi before joining a working lunch attended by G7 leaders, outreach partners and technology executives, a senior administration official said. Five Air Force personnel die as AN-32 transport aircraft crashes in Jorhat STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 June Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed during a routine sortie while attempting to land at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday, the IAF said. An IAF spokesperson said: “An IAF AN-32 aircraft met with an accident during a routine sortie today at approximately 1000 hours at Jorhat, Assam. Crash site management and initial enquiries are on at this time.” The spokesperson urged restraint in drawing conclusions before the completion of preliminary investigations, stating that the Air Force would share further details as information becomes avail- able. The IAF also expressed grief over the loss of personnel and extended support to their families. In a post on X, the Air Force identified the deceased as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam. “The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the AN-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam. They made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. IAF extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands firmly History created: First batch of women officers pass out from IMA, AFA, join forces STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Dehradun/New Delhi, 13 June The Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, witnessed a historic moment on Saturday as the first-ever batch of nine women officers passed out from the Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Army alongside 481 male officers. The women officers marched shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts during the Passing Out Parade (POP), which was reviewed by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, who attended the event as the Chief Guest and Reviewing Officer (RO) for the IMA Spring Term 2026 POP. The Academy’s first batch of nine women officers was part of the 158th Regular Course and the 141st Technical Graduate Course. A total of 515 Gentleman Cadets participated in the Spring Term 2026 Passing Out Parade, presenting an impressive march past before the Reviewing Officer, their families, and other dignitaries gathered at the Academy’s iconic Chetwode Drill Square in the early morning. Of the 515 newly commissioned officers, 481 were Indian cadets, including the nine women officers, while the remaining 34 cadets belonged to 16 friendly foreign countries. Separately, five women officers were commissioned as Flying Officers at the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Dundigal. These 14 women officers were the first to join the armed forces on permanent commissions through the National Defence Academy (NDA)-IMAAFA route after the Supreme Court opened the NDA to women in 2021. Until now, women officers in the non-medical branches of the Army and Air Force have entered through the Short Service Commission (SSC), becoming eligible for permanent commission only after years of service. People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 with them in this hour of grief,” the force said. According to initial reports, the aircraft was on final approach to the Jorhat airbase when the accident occurred. Fire and rescue teams were immediately rushed to the site, and firefighting operations were launched to contain the blaze and secure the crash area within the airbase premises. Officials said emergency response measures were activated soon after the crash, while technical teams began the process of securing the site and gathering evidence for the investigation. The AN-32, a twin-engine tactical transport aircraft, has been a key component of the IAF’s airlift capability for decades. | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | 14 June 2026 Jaishankar raises death of three Indian Govt takes seafarers in US naval strikes with Rubio control of Jaipur Polo MEA denies reports of fourth attack: New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday Ground dismissed reports of a fresh attack by the US military on an Indian-crewed vessel near the coast of Oman, calling the building claims completely false. The clarification came after reports ARTI BALI New Delhi, 13 June External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Helsinki to convey India's strongest protest over the killing of three Indian seafarers in US Navy strikes on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman.The deaths have triggered outrage in India, and the government has taken up the issue with the United States at the highest diplomatic levels. At least three vessels predominantly crewed by Indian sailors were hit in strikes by US military aircraft for allegedly attempting to evade the USimposed blockade on Iran-linked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. In the worst incident, three circulated on social media alleging that another Indian-linked commercial vessel had come under attack near the Strait of Hormuz. Several posts claimed that the vessel Liaki Freedom, had been struck by the US military off the Omani coast. The MEA said the ministry had verified the vessel's status directly with its captain. “We have spoken with the Master of the vessel Liaki Freedom, who has confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the reported information is false,” the MEA said. Indian seafarers died after a missile strike on the Palauflagged tanker MT Settebello. “Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Mr Jaishankar told Mr Rubio. In a post on X, the EAM said: “I reiterated India’s strong protest over the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners.” The minister’s direct intervention is being viewed as a significant diplomatic step. Such channels are rarely activated for routine concerns, underscoring the seriousness with which New Delhi views the incident. The development is particularly notable as Mr Rubio had visited India only last month as part of efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi. The call came hours after India summoned US Chargé d'Affaires Jason Meeks for the second time in less than 48 hours over the attacks on civilian vessels carrying Indian mariners. • Crossing the line: Page 8 Lt General Dhiraj Seth appointed next Army Chief STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 June Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). He will assume office on the afternoon of 30 June, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who is set to retire from service the same day. The appointment marks the culmination of a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades for the Armoured Corps officer. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Throughout his career, he has commanded formations at every level, ranging from an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector to an Armoured Brigade along the Western Front and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir. Lt Gen Seth commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Army’s principal strike formations. He later served as General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area. As an Army Commander, Lt Gen Seth headed both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, becoming one of the few officers to have led two operational Army Commands. His tenure provided strategic oversight across critical sectors, particularly along India's Western Front. The General Officer has also played a prominent role in shaping the Army's modernisation and capability development efforts. During his service at Army Headquarters, he held several appointments in strategic planning and force development, including roles related to mechanised forces, acquisition planning and long-term capability enhancement. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 June The Central government has taken possession of the Jaipur Polo Ground, located in Delhi's Race Course area near the Prime Minister's Office, after the Patiala House Courts refused to grant interim relief to the Indian Polo Association. The government formally asserted its control over the property by displaying a notice declaring the land to be government property and warning against any unauthorised occupation or encroachment. Delhi's Patiala House Court declined to grant immediate relief to the Indian Polo Association in its challenge to an eviction order concerning the Jaipur Polo Ground property in the national capital, following which the government took control of the concerned building. Vacation Judge Dhirendra Rana was hearing the arguments in the matter. The Indian Polo Association had moved an application under Section 9(3) of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, seeking a stay on the enforcement and execution of an eviction order dated 20 May 2026. During the proceedings, counsel for the Union of India sought time to file replies to both the appeal and the stay application. The appellant opposed the adjournment and requested that the respondent be restrained from executing the eviction order until the next hearing, arguing that the appeal would otherwise become infructuous. (Photo: Subrata Dutta) Bengal liquor scam: Retailers say lost over ` 125 crore since 2021, seek probe SNEHAL SENGUPTA Kolkata, 13 June Corroborating The Statesman’s reporting on a massive scam in West Bengal in which thousands of crores of rupees were siphoned off after tweaking the state's excise policy, one of the biggest bodies representing foreign liquor retailers in the state has accused distributors of imposing unauthorised transport and handling charges on licensed liquor shops since 2021. The Society for the Welfare of West Bengal Foreign Liquor Licencees is demanding that the state Excise Department launch a probe into what it describes as a systematic violation of the state’s liquor distribution policy. The Statesman had reported a possible liquor scam in the state under which the liquor policy was altered in 2017 to introduce West Bengal State Beverages Corporation Ltd (WBSBCL), or Bevco, to enable the state to monopolise liquor distribution. The policy was tweaked in 2021 to introduce a new sustem of distributors, allegedly at the behest of Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The new policy change was structured in a manner that allegedly compelled erstwhile private wholesalers to pay levies, resulting in collections running into thousands of crores of rupees. In a letter submitted to the Commissioner of Excise, the Society for the Welfare of West Bengal Foreign Liquor Licencees has alleged that retailers have been compelled to bear transport-related expenses in contravention of the liquor distribution policy. The association's secretary, Bijon Kumar Patra, claimed that the issue arose after the introduction of the distributorship model under the WBSBCL, or BEVCO. “… during practical application of this module (the new provisions), it transpired that the distributors by using their position and influence with the high ranking officers of Excise Department, coerced the retailers and started levying Rs 10 to 13 per crate for such supplies. The said levy of unauthorised charges was immediately brought to the notices of the Excise Officers, but unfortunately, our pleas were repeatedly ignored. As a result of the same, the retailers were forced to bear such illegal charges, as denial to pay the same would lead to stoppage of supply,” the letter said. All such expenses were paid by the retailers since the introduction of the ‘Distributorship System’ in 2021. Retailers were also allegedly required to pay loading and unloading charges of around Rs 3 per crate each. Another issue highlighted in the letter concerns the absence of documentation for the payments. The association alleges that since distributors were inducted into the supply chain by BEVCO, retailers have not been provided with receipts, bills or any documentary proof showing that transport or labour charges collected from them were actually paid to transporters. “Most importantly since the induction of distributors by BEVCO, and the introduction of the new delivery system throughout West Bengal, the retailers have not received any Receipt/Bill or any document showing the receipt of money paid to transporters by the retailers,” the letter added. “All the payments were made in cash by us. We did not get any receipts or cash memos,” the retailers alleged. “According to our rough estimates, retailers across the state have spent over Rs 125 crore on such charges over the years,” Mr Patra told The Statesman. His organisation represents around 700 licensed liquor outlets across Bengal. There are around 6,000 liquor shops in the state, an official of the West Bengal Excise Department told The Statesman. In its appeal to the Excise Commissioner, the organisation sought an immediate investigation into the matter and requested the department to stop the collection of unauthorised additional transport charges.