Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit that underscores the rapid expansion of India&ndash;Israel ties, according to The Times of Israel, even as his planned address to parliament faces a boycott by sections of the Israeli opposition and criticism from within India.&nbsp;Modi landed at Ben Gurion Airport and is scheduled to hold a private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Jerusalem.&nbsp;The visit, billed by New Delhi as an effort to strengthen relations with a key trade and defence partner, comes at a time when both governments face sustained international criticism over human rights and democratic backsliding.&nbsp;Modi is set to become the first Indian prime minister to address the Knesset, a move Israeli officials have described as a &ldquo;strategic leap&rdquo; in bilateral relations.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our nations share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership,&rdquo; Modi said in a departure statement before leaving India.&nbsp;&ldquo;Ties have significantly strengthened in the last few years,&rdquo; he added, confirming he would meet Netanyahu and address the Knesset.&nbsp;However, the address is expected to be partially boycotted by Israel&rsquo;s opposition. According to Israeli media reports cited in the draft, opposition leader Yair Lapid is locked in a standoff with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana over the decision not to invite Supreme Court President Isaac Amit to the special parliamentary session.&nbsp;Lapid has urged Netanyahu to reverse the decision, calling the exclusion a break from parliamentary custom.&nbsp;Growing cooperationIndia has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel across defense, agriculture, technology, and cybersecurity, while publicly maintaining that it balances its interests across the Middle East.&nbsp;This week, Indian and Israeli technical teams opened talks in New Delhi on a proposed free trade agreement. India&rsquo;s government has said total merchandise trade between the two countries stood at $3.62 billion in 2024&ndash;25.&nbsp;Defense cooperation is expected to feature prominently during Modi&rsquo;s meetings. Israeli officials have signaled that discussions will include deeper defense integration, with media reports citing proposals for a multi-billion-dollar package covering advanced air defense and missile systems.&nbsp;For Netanyahu, the visit is being framed as part of a broader regional security vision that links Israel more closely with India and select European partners.&nbsp;Political backlashInside India, the visit has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, who say Modi is abandoning India&rsquo;s long-standing position on Palestine.&nbsp;Senior Congress Party leader Priyanka Gandhi wrote on social media that she hoped Modi would mention the killing of &ldquo;thousands of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza&rdquo; during his Knesset address.&nbsp;The criticism reflects wider unease over India&rsquo;s increasingly close alignment with Israel during the war in Gaza, which has drawn global condemnation.&nbsp;India has also faced scrutiny for its growing military ties with Israel. New Delhi used Israeli military drone technology during its May 2025 clash with Pakistan, while Indian arms firms supplied military equipment to Israel during its 2024 Gaza offensive.&nbsp;Wider regional stakesThe visit unfolds amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran and the United States, and as India seeks to maintain parallel relationships with Israel, Gulf Arab states, and Tehran.&nbsp;India, home to around 1.4 billion people, includes an estimated 220 million Muslims. Critics argue that Modi&rsquo;s embrace of Israel under Netanyahu sends a stark signal about India&rsquo;s shifting foreign policy priorities.&nbsp;Full diplomatic relations between India and Israel were established in 1992, but ties accelerated sharply after Modi, a Hindu nationalist leader, took office in 2014. Modi last visited Israel in 2017, with Netanyahu returning the visit in 2018. Both leaders have publicly referred to each other as a &ldquo;friend.&rdquo;&nbsp;As Modi prepares to address Israel&rsquo;s parliament, observers say the visit will be judged as much by what is left unsaid, particularly on Gaza, as by the promises of deeper strategic cooperation.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel for a two-day visit as Israeli opposition parties plan to boycott his Knesset address, highlighting political divisions amid deepening India–Israel strategic ties

Modi’s Israel visit spotlights deepening alliance amid Gaza, democracy concerns

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said Tuesday it had not received any indication from India that it would stop buying Russian oil following the announcement of a trade deal with US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Trump said he had struck a deal to reduce tariffs on India and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to stop buying Russian oil over the war in Ukraine.&nbsp;India&#39;s purchases of Russian oil -- discounted due to Western sanctions complicating logistics and cutting off markets -- have surged since Russia launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.&nbsp;Ukraine and its Western allies have been seeking to cut off the billions of dollars in revenue, a vital source of income for Russia&#39;s stretched economy and its military.&nbsp;&quot;So far, we haven&#39;t heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP.&nbsp;Trump said he was cutting levies on Indian goods to 18 percent. He had previously imposed 25 percent &quot;reciprocal&quot; tariffs on many products, plus an additional 25 percent for New Delhi&#39;s purchases of Moscow&#39;s oil.&nbsp;While Modi thanked Trump for the &quot;wonderful&quot; phone call and the easing of tariffs, he made no reference to Trump&#39;s assertion about halting oil purchases.&nbsp;In 2024, Russia supplied nearly 36 percent of India&#39;s total crude imports, around 1.8 million barrels of discounted oil per day.&nbsp;But after Trump hit New Delhi with tariffs, India&#39;s monthly oil imports from Russia plunged by 38 percent, local media reported, citing India&#39;s Ministry of Commerce and Industry&#39;s data.&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin promised &quot;uninterrupted shipments&quot; of oil during a visit to New Delhi in late 2025.&nbsp;Bilateral trade between the two sides reached $68.7 billion in 2024-25 -- almost six times higher than the pre-pandemic levels -- dominated by Moscow&#39;s energy sales, with Indian exports to Russia accounting for under $5 billion.

This combination of pictures created on February 02, 2026 shows, L/R, US President Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, February 1, 2026 and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on January 29, 2026. (AFP/File)

Europe

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the country has not heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter.

Russia says India has not said it will halt oil purchases

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, on Sunday posted an image on X mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, captioned &ldquo;Trump&rsquo;s puppet.&rdquo; The social media post comes after an email, released as part of the latest tranche of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/epstein-files-claim-modi-sang-and-danced-to-court-us-president" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Epstein-related</a>&nbsp;documents declassified by the US Department of Justice on Friday, claimed that the Indian prime minister &ldquo;danced and sang&rdquo; in Israel for the benefit of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-sec-asks-court-to-bypass-indian-government-to-serve-adani" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US president</a>&nbsp;following a meeting weeks earlier.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 753px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2017848017756549585&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=2cb4db0916aee510872ef08fb588a1cae4e23768&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The declassified email from the Jeffrey Epstein files has triggered controversy in India, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to ingratiate himself with the United States president during a 2017 overseas visit, a claim seized upon by India&rsquo;s opposition as deeply damaging and warranting public explanation. Modi and Epstein&ldquo;The Indian Prime Minister Modi took advice and danced and sang in Israel for the benefit of the US President. They had met a few weeks ago. IT WORKED,&rdquo; the email states. The Congress reacted sharply, alleging that the disclosure points to a &ldquo;deep and long-standing&rdquo; association between Modi and Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose international connections continue to draw scrutiny. Shameful for India&ldquo;Now it is clear that Prime Minister Modi has a very deep and long-standing connection with Jeffrey Epstein, which is shameful for India,&rdquo; the Congress said in a post on its X account.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 946px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2017606087365824569&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=2cb4db0916aee510872ef08fb588a1cae4e23768&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The party noted that Modi undertook an official visit to Israel from July 4 to 6, 2017, and that the email was dated just three days later. It further pointed out that the Indian prime minister had met Trump in Washington shortly before that visit, on June 25-26. India&rsquo;s Foreign Office dismissed the claims, rejecting the substance of the email while acknowledging the timing of the prime minister&rsquo;s official travel.

Opposition party's social media post comes after an email, released as part of Epstein-related declassified documents, claims Modi ‘danced and sang’ in Israel for the benefit of the US president following a meeting weeks earlier.

Congress mocks Modi as ‘Trump's puppet’ amid Epstein email controversy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Armed Forces had taught India a lesson for attacking Pakistan in May. He was addressing a ceremony under the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Laptop Scheme at the University of Haripur. Referring to an incident during his speech, the prime minister said he apologized after his gesture caused the microphone to switch off, adding that &ldquo;this very punch was also that of the Pakistan Armed Forces, which taught the Modi government a lesson they will never forget in their lifetime.&rdquo; During the address available on the Pakistan government&rsquo;s official X account, the prime minister announced the establishment of a Daanish School in Haripur, a separate campus for female students, and the construction of a bridge in response to a long-standing public demand.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2001363325385675082&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=9da9a22aca226e1317e9d4532fc77849d4a0c603&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 622px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>He said that plots would be allotted strictly to those entitled to them and that a committee would be formed to ensure transparent decision-making. Targeting growth &nbsp;Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan&rsquo;s economy, which had been struggling, had, by the grace of Allah, emerged from crisis and was now stable at the macro level.&nbsp; He said the next goal was to spur economic growth, adding that Pakistan would achieve its rightful place in the world, just as it had militarily. He urged the nation to accept challenges collectively and move forward in unity. The prime minister said he did not believe in receiving a guard of honor for himself, stating that the police guard of honor presented at the event was in recognition of the hard work and capability of the people.&nbsp; He said fulfilling the responsibility entrusted to him by Allah would be his legacy. Speaking about beneficiaries of the laptop scheme, Prime Minister Sharif said the recipients included sons of martyrs who had sacrificed their lives to protect millions of the nation&rsquo;s children.&nbsp; He said honoring martyrs was a national duty and warned that those who mocked or insulted them would neither earn respect in this world nor forgiveness from Allah. He said the country faced challenges and that unity among the people would enable Pakistan to regain its lost global economic and social standing. Students to be sent abroad&nbsp;Highlighting the role of youth, the prime minister said Pakistan&rsquo;s progress and prosperity depended on the younger generation.&nbsp; He said that during his tenure as chief minister of Punjab, scholarships and laptops were provided to students across the country, not just in Punjab. He announced that students from across Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, would be sent on merit to Europe and China for advanced training in artificial intelligence. &lsquo;Brave and courageous&rsquo;&nbsp;Prime Minister Sharif said that despite criticism of the laptop scheme, his conscience remained satisfied as 600,000 laptops were distributed transparently on merit.&nbsp; He said students continued their education during the COVID period through these laptops and that many were now earning income and contributing to Pakistan&rsquo;s exports. The prime minister also paid tribute to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing them as brave, and said their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism had helped restore peace in the country.&nbsp; He said history would never forget their sacrifices.

Foreign Affairs

Says the next goal is to bring growth into the economy, adding that Pakistan will achieve its rightful place in the world economically, just as it has done militarily; urges the nation to accept challenges collectively.

Prime Minister Sharif chides Indian counterpart for attacking Pakistan 

KOLKATA:&nbsp;Angry spectators broke down barricades and stormed the pitch at a stadium in India after football star Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of the country, abruptly left the arena. As a part of a so-called GOAT Tour, the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar touched down in the eastern state of West Bengal early Saturday, greeted by a chorus of exuberant fans chanting his name. Hours later, thousands of fans wearing Messi jerseys and waving the Argentine flag packed into Salt Lake stadium in the state capital Kolkata, but heavy security around the footballer left fans struggling to catch a glimpse of him.<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2ce5531b-722c-4bf1-a3ff-b463a45089cc.jpg" style="width: 727px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">KOLKATA: Inter Miami&#39;s Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi arrives at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on December 13, 2025. (Photo: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP) Messi walked around the pitch waving to fans and left the stadium earlier than expected. Frustrated fans&nbsp;Frustrated fans, many having paid more than $100 for tickets, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles onto the track. Many others stormed the pitch and vandalized banners and tents.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/9c7e4f83-11c2-4bdd-9f67-8807a4d8cee9-Messi - - - - -.jpg" alt="Messi - - - - -.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 1000px; height: 563px;"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">KOLKATA: Security personnel shield themselves with chairs whilst the crowd reacts as Inter Miami&#39;s Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi departs from the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on December 13, 2025. (Photo: AFP/Dibyangshu Sarkar)</figcaption></figure> &ldquo;For me, to watch Messi is a pleasure, a dream. But I have missed the chance to have a glimpse because of the mismanagement in the stadium,&rdquo; businessman Nabin Chatterjee, 37, told AFP. Before the chaos erupted, Messi unveiled a 21-metre (70-foot) statue which shows him holding aloft the World Cup. He was also expected to play a short exhibition game at the stadium. Another angry fan told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that people had spent &ldquo;a month&#39;s salary&rdquo; to see Messi. &lsquo;Management is to blame&rsquo;&ldquo;I paid Rs5,000 ($55) for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians. The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame,&rdquo; Ajay Shah, told PTI. State chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was &ldquo;disturbed&rdquo; and &ldquo;shocked&rdquo; at the mismanagement. &ldquo;I sincerely apologize to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,&rdquo; she said in a post on X, adding that she had ordered a probe into the incident. Messi will now head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi as part of the four-city tour. Possible meeting with ModiHis time in India also includes a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker will spearhead Argentina&#39;s defense of the World Cup in June-July in North America.

Football

Frustrated fans, many having paid more than $100 for tickets, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles onto the track; many others stormed the pitch and vandalized banners and tents.

Fans vandalize India stadium after Lionel Messi's abrupt exit

ISLAMABAD: A right to information (RTI) request has revealed that India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly collected donations for its party by soliciting contributions under the guise of government welfare schemes Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Kisan Seva, without any official authorization. According to a report published in Indian media, private platforms, the NaMo app, and the narendramodi.in portal still show options to contribute to government schemes on their donation pages. The RTI responses to queries filed by an Indian journalist showed that the BJP did not have any permission or authorization from central ministries or the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO) to collect donations for the Union government&rsquo;s welfare schemes. According to the report, the BJP ran a fundraising campaign between December 2021 and February 2022 on private platforms such as narendramodi.in and the NaMo app, in which it solicited donations for Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Kisan Seva &ndash; all government schemes. &lsquo;Party fund&rsquo;&nbsp;Both the website and the app asked donors to choose between one of these three government schemes and list &ldquo;party fund&rdquo; as &ldquo;cause for donation&rdquo; while contributing to the BJP. However, ministries responsible for implementing these schemes have now clearly stated in their RTI responses that none of these platforms, or, for that matter, any other, had been promoted, authorized, or given special permission to raise funds for the schemes. In 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed a &ldquo;micro-donation&rdquo; campaign to strengthen the party from his X (then Twitter) handle, and urged people to donate to the fund.&nbsp; &ldquo;Your support will enthuse millions of Karyakartas (party workers) who are selflessly devoted to the cause of nation building,&rdquo; Modi said. Although the campaign ended in February 2022, both platforms still offer the option to contribute to government schemes on their donation pages. According to the report, three key ministries, Ministry of Jal Shakti (Swachh Bharat Mission &ndash; Gramin), Ministry of Women and Child Development (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao), and Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (Kisan Seva), confirmed in response to the RTI queries that the &ldquo;micro-donation&rdquo; campaign carried out by the BJP had not been authorized by the Union government or any other government body. Ministry of Jal Shakti (Swachh Bharat Mission &ndash; Gramin)The public information officer, responding to the senior journalist&rsquo;s RTI query to the union ministry of Jal Shakti&rsquo;s department of drinking water and sanitation, said, &ldquo;There is no provision in SBM(G) Phase-II guidelines regarding raising of funds by NGO or individuals for Swachh Bharat projects.&rdquo; Ministry of Women and Child Development (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao)The union ministry of women and child development&rsquo;s response to the RTI query was similar. Information officer Rachana Bolimera stated, &ldquo;There is no provision to give special permission to raise funds through the NaMo App for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.&rdquo; Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (Kisan Seva)The director of the digital agriculture division, Vijay Raj Mohan, said that, &ldquo;No such apps are promoted by the Department; (b) the Government of India does not raise funds for any welfare apps relating to dissemination of information to farmers/farming community.&rdquo;

India's Bharatiya Janata Party ran a fundraising campaign between December 2021 and February 2022 on private platforms, asking contributors to donate to Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Kisan Seva – all government schemes.

BJP collected ‘party funds’ in Indian government’s name: Report 

ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Pretoria, South Africa, on Friday, ahead of the G20 Summit scheduled for November 22&ndash;23 in Johannesburg, according to Indian media.&nbsp;Since US President Donald Trump is skipping the G20 Summit, Modi&rsquo;s decision to attend, after missing earlier international gatherings where Trump was present, gives credence to the Indian opposition&#39;s criticism that the Indian premier is &ldquo;frightened&rdquo; of the US president. Modi, in a post on X on Friday, announced, &ldquo;will be attending the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a particularly special Summit as it is being held in Africa. Various global issues will be discussed there. Will be meeting various world leaders during the Summit.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991689920365367791&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=dc03ef7bb17bffe0847e38e588d871b60b14ea48&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 712px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1991689920365367791">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>India&rsquo;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend two recent major international gatherings attended by the US president, -- the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia held on October 26&ndash;28 as well as the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt on October 13. Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi had earlier tweeted that &ldquo;PM Modi is frightened of Trump.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1978669002798055695&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=dc03ef7bb17bffe0847e38e588d871b60b14ea48&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 416px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1978669002798055695">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The Indian opposition has also highlighted Modi&rsquo;s contradictory stance during the May conflict with Pakistan. On one hand, India&rsquo;s leadership claims no Indian Air Force planes were downed; on the other, the same leaders remain silent whenever Trump asserts that seven jets were destroyed.&nbsp;Trump has additionally claimed credit for brokering peace between India and Pakistan, a claim Modi reportedly finds humiliating; yet has neither refuted nor directly addressed it with the US president.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1950181582901215683&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=dc03ef7bb17bffe0847e38e588d871b60b14ea48&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1950181582901215683"></iframe></div></div>

Since US President Donald Trump is skipping the G20 Summit, Modi’s decision to attend, after missing earlier international gatherings where Trump was present, gives credence to the Indian opposition's criticism that the Indian premier is “frightened” of the US president.

With Trump skipping G20 Summit, Modi arrives in South Africa   

ISLAMABAD: The spike in social spending in recent years in India has been driven by State governments, despite cuts in Central transfers, says an Indian media report. &nbsp; The report published by The Hindu Business Line challenges the perception that the Narendra Modi government&rsquo;s political success stems from extensive delivery of social services. The report suggests that, as with many other aspects of the regime, the success may instead reflect effective public relations and perception management. The report has sourced data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)&rsquo;s publications, Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy and Handbook of Statistics on Indian States. Share of social spending&nbsp;According to the report, data shows that the share of social spending in the total budgetary outlays of the central government declined from 2014-15, the first year of the Modi government, and largely remained lower until the Covid-19 pandemic year of 2021-22. The average share of social spending in total expenditure dropped from 8.5% under the previous UPA government to as low as 5.3% during the 11 years under Modi. In contrast, State governments consistently demonstrated a higher tendency to spend on social sectors throughout this period. The report notes that state-level social spending exceeded that of the central government by more than four times under the UPA and more than eight times under the Modi government.

An Indian report finds state governments, not Modi’s Centre, drove recent social spending growth; it shows central social outlays fell under Modi versus UPA, while states spent far more, challenging Modi’s welfare-focused political image narrative.

Report debunks myth of Indian PM Modi’s social spending image

PATNA: India&#39;s poorest state, Bihar, goes to the polls on Thursday, and for many of its 130 million people, one issue overshadows all others: money. That&#39;s what Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hopes to capitalize on, wooing voters with economic incentives in a bid to win full control. A win here, strategists say, could &quot;energize&quot; the BJP&#39;s prospects in other key states heading into next year&#39;s elections. Bellwether battlegroundHindu-majority Bihar, the country&#39;s third-most-populous state -- roughly the size of Mexico -- is a bellwether battleground. It remains the only state in the Hindi-speaking north where Modi&#39;s Hindu nationalist party has never ruled alone. For housewife Rajkumari Devi, feeding her three children depends on the daily wage her husband earns as a laborer in the Muzaffarpur district.He takes home about 400 to 500 rupees (about $5) on the days he finds work. &lsquo;Unemployment everywhere&rsquo;&quot;There is no stability,&quot; said the 28-year-old, outside her modest one-room home overlooking agricultural land. &quot;There have been times when he has not had work for days -- so we stretch the little money we have,&quot; she added. &quot;There is unemployment everywhere.&quot; Bihar ranks worst in India on poverty indicators, according to the government&#39;s NITI Aayog policy think tank, with a GDP per capita of 52,379 rupees, just ahead of the Central African Republic. Cash promises In September, Modi announced investment projects worth $8 billion, including rail and road upgrades, new agricultural schemes, and an airport terminal. He also unveiled an $844 million initiative to support women entrepreneurs, offering 7.5 million women cash transfers of 10,000 rupees each. The BJP, allied with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar&#39;s Janata Dal (United) in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), faces a stiff challenge from the opposition. At a rally in the state capital Patna on Sunday, Modi urged voters to &quot;bless the NDA.&quot; Election in two phases&nbsp;<h2 style="line-height: 2;">A BJP victory in Bihar could, analysts say, boost its momentum in opposition-held states, such as neighboring West Bengal, as well as Tamil Nadu in the south.</h2> &quot;This is the election which will decide whether the BJP can form a government on its own,&quot; said Pushpendra, a political analyst who uses only one name. A BJP win could &quot;energize&quot; the party elsewhere, he said. The election will be held in two phases, on Nov. 6 and 11. Results are due on Nov. 14.

A victory for Modi's party, the BJP, in Bihar could boost its momentum in neighboring West Bengal and Tamil Nadu; election will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11; results are due on November 14.

India's Modi hopes economic incentives will help BJP win in poorest Bihar state

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump and Indian Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi are taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to task for their own reasons. Trump is doing it for Modi&rsquo;s refusal to acknowledge his role in ending the Pakistan-India conflict in May, while Gandhi heads an opposition that has been down for too long. US President Donald Trump claimed he used trade pressure to stop a May Pakistan-India clash, saying &ldquo;seven brand new&rdquo; planes were shot down. Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly deny Trump&rsquo;s account and &ldquo;find the courage&rdquo; to respond. &lsquo;Seven brand new planes&rsquo;&nbsp;US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that &ldquo;seven brand new, beautiful planes were shot down&rdquo; during the Pakistan-India conflict earlier this year. While referring to the aerial encounters between the two countries, the US president said the two countries were &ldquo;going at it&rdquo; in May, during which &ldquo;seven planes were shot down.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Seven brand new, beautiful planes were shot down,&rdquo; Trump said in his speech, available on White House YouTube channel, to business leaders in Japan during a dinner. &nbsp; <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eDOKTKbcJC4" title="President Trump Delivers Keynote Remarks at APEC CEOs Luncheon" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe>&nbsp;</div> India continues to deny that any of its aircraft were lost and rejects Trump&rsquo;s claim regarding the ceasefire. &nbsp; &lsquo;Great service to the world&rsquo;The US president said he told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, &ldquo;We&#39;re not going to do any trade if you&#39;re going to be fighting.&rdquo; The same message was also sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif &mdash; whom he termed &ldquo;a very nice man, a very good man&rdquo; &mdash; and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. &ldquo;And within about 24 hours, that was the end of that,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;It was amazing, actually.&rdquo; &ldquo;A lot of the wars that I stopped were because of tariffs,&rdquo; he said, adding that he was able to do a &ldquo;great service to the world [&hellip;] because of tariffs, because of trade.&rdquo; &nbsp; &#39;Don&rsquo;t be scared Modi ji&rsquo;&nbsp;Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, in a post on X on Wednesday, while hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said: &ldquo;Trump is insulting Modi in country after country. Latest is South Korea. 1. Repeated that he used trade to frighten Modi into stopping Operation Sindoor. 2. Said 7 planes were shot down.&rdquo; &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t be scared Modi ji, find the courage to respond,&rdquo; the opposition leader added, while throwing down the gauntlet.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1983482933160939544&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=82a003937f4acc08242766ee2e8d1415521c90d7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 416px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> This is not the first time; the Indian opposition leader has challenged PM Modi on the issue. Back on July 29 during a debate in the Indian Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, in his speech available on his Youtube channel, said: &ldquo;Donald Trump has said 29 times, 29 times he said he got the ceasefire done, if he is lying than the prime minister should say it here, if he has the courage should say it here that he is lying.&rdquo; &ldquo;If he has the courage, if he has the courage, if he has the courage, if he has the courage of Indira Gandhi, let him say here, that &lsquo;Donald Trump you are a liar, you did not make a ceasefire, and that we did not lose any planes&rsquo;, let him say if he has the courage.&rdquo; &ldquo;If he has even 50% of the courage of Indira Gandhi than say it here, if he has the courage, if he really has the courage, than this evening the prime minister should say it here Donald Trump is a liar, don&rsquo;t have President Trump tell you that I have stopped the war 29 times, have the courage to tell him that no, to hell with you, you cannot stop any war, we are going to fight,&rdquo; Gandhi challenged Modi to loud applause from the opposition benches. <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TFmq0kSb9OU" title="Does Modi Have Courage to Call Trump a Liar? | Operation Sindoor Debate in Parliament | Rahul Gandhi" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe>&nbsp;</div>

Donald Trump claims credit for stopping the Pakistan-India conflict in May; Rahul Gandhi has challenged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show courage and deny Trump’s statements.

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