FRIDAY 08 MARCH 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR CONGRESS PROMISES EMPLOYMENT REVOLUTION CONTEXTS OF PYONGYANG’S SABRE-RATTLING P7 SENSEX 74,119.3933.40 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 27 AND 09 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 88 % TEMPERATURE Max: 26.4 °C (-2) SUN RISES 6:37 hrs MOON RISES 05:59 hrs P5 NIFTY 22,493.5519.50 ` vs $ 82.72 THUMBNAILS Students making ‘rangoli’ on the campus of Patna Women's College during a programme on the eve of International Women's Day, in Patna on Thursday.  ANI Kerala Guv sacks vice chancellors citing violation of UGC rules: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Thursday sacked the vice chancellors of the University of Calicut and Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, citing that their appointments were not according to the UGC rules. (Pg4) O n his first visit to Srinagar after the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lashed out at the Congress and others that he called dynasts for misleading the people on Article 370 for their political gains. “For decades, the Congress and its allies misled the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country for political gains in the name of Article 370. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are now aware of the truth about whether Jammu and Kashmir benefitted from Article 370 or only a few families took advantage of it. The talent of Jammu and Kashmir is getting its due respect today as there is no Article 370 now,” Mr Modi said. Mr Modi unveiled a slew of development projects worth more than Rs.5,000 crore before addressing a public meeting in the Bakshi Stadium. Underlining that the new Jammu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at the gathering during the 'Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu Kashmir' programme at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar on Thursday. SNS Kashmir has been awaited for decades, the prime minister said: “Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerji had sacrificed for this Jammu and Kashmir.” He stated that the new Jammu and Kashmir has the sparkle for the future in its eyes and the determination India, Japan need to strengthen defence capabilities for region's benefit, says EAM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 MARCH Observing that maritime safety and security have become pressing concerns for the globe, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday pitched for India and Japan strengthening their defence capabilities for the benefit of the larger region. Addressing the first Raisina Roundtable in Tokyo, Mr Jaishankar, who is on a threeday visit to Japan, also noted that trade between India and Japan has stagnated but investments have been much more dynamic. ''Make in India'' and ''Export from India'', are two possibilities which should be explored by Japanese companies, he added. Hailing India's growth story, Mr Jaishankar said it is important that Japan appreciates the pace of change in India. ''This is a country today which is building 28 km of highway every day, which is creating 8 new airports every to clear all obstacles. “140 crore citizens feel at peace when they see the smiling faces of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” Mr Modi said. Expressing his gratitude for the affection of the people who had turned out in large numbers to listen to CCS approves DRDO project to develop 5th generation stealth aircraft NEW DELHI, 7 MARCH External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar speaks at the Inaugural Raisina Roundtable in Tokyo on Thursday.  ANI year, which is establishing one and a half to two metros every year, which has for the last 10 years built two new colleges every day," he pointed out. Emphasising India's flourishing growth, the Indian minister said: "This transformation of India makes us a more effective and credible partner, whether it is the ease of doing business, ease of living, digital delivery, startup, and innovation culture or shaping the international agenda, India is clearly a very different country today." He said India is working on major corridors today, both to its east and west. "They include the IMAC (India Middle East-Europe Corridor) initiative through the Arabian Peninsula and the international north-south transport corridor and towards east the trilateral highway...these corridors, when completed, will connect the Atlantic to the Pacific through Asia. Two nations (India and Japan) have converging views about the need for transparent and collaborative connectivity," Mr Jaishankar said. In a major development, the Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared the project to design and develop the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft fifth generation stealth fighter jet project to be undertaken by the DRDO. Under the around Rs 15,000 crore project, Defence Research and Development Organisation's Aeronautical Development Agency would develop the stealth fighter jet and its technologies in partnership with various private and public sector agencies and build around five prototypes in around five years, government sources told ANI. The project would see the prototype manufactured by industry including the public sector unit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, AGENCIES they said. We have set a target of defence exports worth ` 50,000 cr by 2028-29: Rajnath STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 MARCH “India's defence apparatus is today stronger than ever as the government is focusing on bolstering it with the sentiment of Indianness,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. The country has set a target of defence exports worth Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29, he added. At a Defence Summit organised by a private media organisation in New Delhi, the defence minister termed ‘perspective’ as the major difference between the current and the previous dispensations, stating that the present government ardently believes in the capabilities of the people of India, while those in power earlier were somewhat skeptical about their potential. Mr Singh described pro- GOLD 65,560430 PM unveils a slew of development projects worth more than `5,000 crore SRINAGAR, 7 MARCH Min: 08.8 °C (-5) SUN SETS 18:25 hrs MOON SETS 16:11 hrs P4 INDIA IN COMMANDING POSITION P12 SILVER 75,000500 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 81.890.24 saves 21 Congress, allies misled Indian warship after vessel crew members people on Art 370: PM comes under drone attack SP SHARMA Min. 29 % T’GANA HC QUASHES GOVERNOR’S ORDERS REJECTING NOMINATIONS Union Minister for Defence, Rajnath Singh speaks at the Defence Summit organised by a private media organisation in New Delhi.  ANI moting ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence manufacturing as the biggest change brought about by the government, which is giving a new shape to the defence sector. He enumerated the reformative steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to achieve selfreliance, including the setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; notification of positive indigenisation lists; reserving 75% of capital procurement budget for domestic industry; corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board; and schemes/initiatives such as Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), iDEX Prime, Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) & Technology Development Fund (TDF). Highlighting the positive impact on the defence sector due to these decisions, the minister said, “The annual defence production, which was around Rs 40,000 crore in 2014, has now crossed a record Rs 1.10 lakh crore. The defence exports today have touched Rs 16,000 crore from a meagre Rs 1,000 crore nine-ten years ago. We have set a target to achieve Rs 50,000 crore of exports by 2028-29.” Mr Singh emphasised that the country’s defence system has been induced with new energy by the government, as per the vision of the people of the country. This, he said, has resulted in India emerging as a powerful nation on the global stage with a strong and self-reliant military. “Today, our forces possess a strong willpower due to a powerful leadership at the centre. We are working continuously towards keeping the morale of the soldiers high. They are equipped, capable and ready to give a befitting reply to anyone who casts an evil eye on India,” he added. him, he said: “I have always treated the people of J&K as my family and Modi will not leave any stone unturned to repay this debt of affection. I have been doing all this hard work since 2014 to win your hearts and I believe that I am on the right path. I will continue my efforts to win your hearts.” “This is Modi’s guarantee and all of you know that Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee of fulfilment of the guarantee.” "The feeling of coming to this heaven on earth is beyond words. There was an era when the law implemented in other parts of the country could not be enforced in Jammu and Kashmir. There was an era when schemes for the welfare of the poor were implemented across the country, but our brothers and sisters of Jammu and Kashmir were deprived of the benefits. And see now, how the times have changed," Mr Modi said. “Jammu and Kashmir is not only a region but is the crown of India. A head held high is the sign of development,” he added. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 MARCH The Indian Navy's guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata came to the rescue of 21 crew members, including an Indian national, after their cargo vessel was hit by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, a Navy spokesperson said on Thursday. The crew members had abandoned the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier MV True Confidence after it caught fire following the attack on Wednesday. INS Kolkata, deployed for maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden, rescued the crew with the help of a life raft using its integral helicopter and boats, Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said. The rescued crew, including the critically injured personnel, have been evacuated to Djibouti. The Barbados-flagged vessel was reportedly hit by a drone approximately 55 nm south west of Aden resulting in the fire on board and critical injuries to some of the crew members, forcing the crew to abandon the ship, the spokesman said. Indian Navy personnel rescue 21 crew members from a drone-hit vessel in the Gulf of Aden, on Wednesday.  ANI Reports said three crew members were killed and four injured onboard the merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday in missile attacks by Yemenbased Houthi rebels who have relentlessly pounced on these waters to protest Israel’s war in Gaza. On social media platform 'X', the US’ Central Command (CENTCOM) said an anti-ship ballistic missile was launched from the Iranbacked Houthi areas of Yemen towards the Barbados-flagged merchant vessel MV True Confidence. One of the 11 unified combatant commands of the US, CENTCOM further said: “The missile struck the vessel, and the multi- national crew reports three fatalities, at least four injuries, of which three are in critical condition, and significant damage to the ship.” The latest incident comes only two days after the INS Kolkata’s firefighting team escorted the merchant vessel, MSC Sky II, with a crew of 23 (including 13 Indians), to safety. India, which is not part of a US-led multinational coalition in the area, has been independently assisting ships in distress. The Red Sea crisis hit close to home last December when a commercial vessel carrying oil from Saudi Arabia to Mangaluru came under attack by a drone, about 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast.