Connect with us
Sunday,29-June-2025
Breaking News

National News

Make in India, Make For The World’: PM Modi Invites Poland To Join Initiative During Landmark Warsaw Visit

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited companies from Poland to join the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative as both countries decided to transform the bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership during his landmark Warsaw visit.

Addressing the media after holding talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk at the Federal Chancellery, PM Modi highlighted that it was a significant day for India-Poland relations as the last visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Poland took place in 1979. Tusk, on the other hand, termed it as a “great privilege” to host Prime Minister Modi on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“This is a sufficient illustration of the significance of this visit and your presence today. This is undoubtedly proof of the increasingly good relations between our countries, of the significance for the entire region, I will not exaggerate if I say for the entire world between India and Poland,” said the Polish PM.

He mentioned that the whole world admires India for the consistently democratic nature of its governance, which is “not common in that part of the world”. Identifying several areas for mutual cooperation, PM Modi remarked that Poland is a world leader in the field of food processing and Polish companies can join the mega food parks being set up in India. He also touched on the issue of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, saying that it remains a “matter of deep concern” for everyone.

“India firmly believes that no problem can be solved on the battlefield. The loss of lives of innocent people in any crisis has become the biggest challenge for the entire humanity. We support dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability. For this, India, along with its friendly countries, is ready to provide all possible support,” said Prime Minister Modi.

Emphasising that there is “no conflict of interests” between India and Poland, Tusk stated that both countries have always understood each other well, despite the distance, different traditions and history. “But it is history that has taught us, as the Prime Minister and I emphasised today during our face-to-face conversation, how important it is to respect rules, borders, territorial integrity, sovereignty of states, the rule of law,” he said.

“I am very glad that the Prime Minister has confirmed his readiness to personally engage in a peaceful, just, and quick end to the war. We are both convinced that India can play a very important role. Which is important because in a dozen or so hours the Prime Minister will be visiting Kyiv. As for this visit, we are all convinced that it can also be historic,” added the Polish Prime Minister.

Earlier, PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome as he reached the Federal Chancellery in Warsaw. The meeting between the two leaders was followed by delegation-level talks. Before Thursday, PM Modi had met Tusk on four occasions in the latter’s earlier capacity as the President of the European Council. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the bilateral trade between India and Poland remains substantial, in the order of US$6 billion, making Poland India’s largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Indian investments into Poland are estimated at around US$3 billion. And the Polish investments into India are around US$1 billion.

Poland has the sixth largest economy within the European Union and will hold the next Presidency of the Council of the European Union. PM Modi is scheduled to call on Poland’s President Andrzej Sebastian Duda later today and will also interact with select Polish business leaders and prominent Indologists. From Poland, PM Modi will be visiting Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelensky which will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine.

National News

241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

Published

on

New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

Continue Reading

National News

Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

Published

on

Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

Continue Reading

National News

Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

Published

on

Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

Continue Reading

Trending