MONDAY 17 MARCH 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘CENTRE TO FULLY IMPLEMENT BODO PEACE ACCORD’ P8 WEATHER Maximum and Minimum temperature most likely to be around 35˚C and 27˚C respectively. P9 Pakistan met every effort for peace with hostility: PM MCLAREN’S NORRIS WINS AUSTRALIAN GP P12 Modi, New Zealand PM to jointly open Raisina Dialogue NIKHIL VYAS Min. 60% TEMPERATURE Max: 33.7˚C SUN RISES 05:42 hrs MOON SETS 17:11 hrs P6 Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens up during three-hour podcast with Lex Fridman RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 89% REPLACEMENTS ARRIVE FOR STRANDED NASA ASTRONAUTS NEW WORLD ORDER NEW DELHI, 16 MARCH Min: 26.5˚C SUN SETS 17:46 hrs MOON RISES 20:23 hrs P New Moon on 29 March THUMBNAILS Devotees gather at Jama Masjid to break their fast with Iftar during the month of Ramadan, in New Delhi on Sunday. n ANI Nightclub fire in Macedonia kills 51: A massive fire tore through a nightclub in North Macedonia’s eastern town of Kocani early Sunday, killing 51 people and injuring more than 100, authorities said. The blaze broke out around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at the Pulse nightclub, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said. He said pyrotechnics caused the roof to catch fire. The injured have been taken to hospitals around the country, including the capital, Skopje, many with severe burns. (Page 9) rime Minister Narendra Modi has said India's numerous and sincere efforts to establish peace with Pakistan were met with hostility and hoped that the neighbouring country learns from its mistakes and chooses the correct path. In a podcast with AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman released on Sunday, PM Modi, called out Pakistan’s long-standing role in fostering terrorism, emphasising that the world is no longer in doubt about where the roots of terror lie. The PM said that time and again, Pakistan has become the epicentre of terror, causing immense suffering not just to India but to the entire world. Expressing disappointment, PM Modi highlighted India’s numerous, sincere efforts to establish peace. From his visit to Lahore to inviting Pakistan to his swearing-in ceremony in 2014, every attempt at reconciliation was met with hostility, he said. "The people of Pak- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calls on New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in New Delhi on Sunday. n ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 MARCH istan deserve a future free from violence and fear and wish that Pakistan learns from its mistakes and chooses the correct path," Mr Modi said. PM Modi in the threehour podcast talked on a wide range of subjects. Talking about US President Donald Trump, PM Modi said Trump appears highly focused in his current term and has built a Rajouri attack mastermind LeT terrorist Abu Qatal, armed guard shot dead in Pakistan AGENCIES ISLAMABAD, 16 MARCH Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba (LeT) terrorist Abu Qatal, chargesheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the January 2023 Rajouri attacks, has been shot dead in Pakistan after an assailant opened fire on his vehicle on the ManglaJhelum Road, local media reported on Sunday. An armed guard of Qatal’s was also killed in the attack that took place on Saturday night, according to a report in Islamabad-based outlet The News International. At the time of the attack, Abu Qatal, whose real name is Zia ur Rehman, was travelling in his black jeep, The News International reported. Both Qatal and his armed guard died on the spot. Following the attack, the suspected assailant was apprehended, The News International reported, citing sources. However, there has been no official confirmation of the arrest. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had chargesheeted five accused, in the case of the January 2023 attacks in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. The case RC-01 & 02/2023/NIA/JMU, relates to a heinous terror attack on civilians at village Dhangri, District Rajouri on 1 January 2023, followed by an IED blast the next day, the NIA said. Seven people, including two children, were killed and several others severely injured in the attacks. The three charge-sheeted LeT handlers had been identified as Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi, Saifullah whose alias include Sajid Jutt, Ali, Habibullah, Nouman and Mohd Qasim. While Abu Qatal and Sajid Jutt were Pakistani nationals, Qasim had crossed over to Pakistan around 2002 and had joined the LeT. Investigations had revealed that the trio had orchestrated the recruitment and deployment of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as security personnel. strong team, with whom he also had the opportunity to meet. Speaking about the good relations between him and the US President, PM Modi said Trump’s America First approach aligns with his own philosophy of Nation First and Bharat First, fostering a natural synergy between the two leaders. The PM said on all plat- NSA Doval meets US DNI Tulsi Gabbard NEW DELHI, 16 MARCH forms he stands firm with India’s interest on top, without intending any harm to others. He said by keeping the nation's interests on priority he is just fulfilling the expectation of 140 crore Indians who have bestowed this responsibility upon him. On India-China relations, Mr Modi said the 21st century is the century of Asia and good relations India to host ASEAN defence ministers’ meet on counter-terrorism on 19 March STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, who is America's Director of National Intelligence (DNI) here in New Delhi on Sunday. According to sources, Tulsi Gabbard met NSA Doval earlier this evening in New Delhi and they had a detailed discussion on several facets of the IndoUS relationship. Ms Gabbard is visiting India as a part of a multination visit and will be participating in the Raisina Dialogue, to which she had been invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As per the official website of Raisina Dialogue, Ms Gabbard will participate in a keynote conversation with Samir Saran, President, ORF. AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 16 MARCH The 14th meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers’ MeetingPlus (ADMM-Plus) Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter-Terrorism will be held in New Delhi on March 19-20. India and Malaysia will co-chair the meeting. Delegations from 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand) and eight dialogue partners (Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, USA and Russia) along with Timor Leste and ASEAN Secretariat will be participating in the meeting. India will co-chair the EWG on Counter-Terrorism Ministry of Home Affairs seeks umbrella probe in cases of illegal Bangladeshi nationals AGENCIES As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, between January 2024 and January 2025, a total of 2601 Bangladeshi citizens were apprehended on the IndoBangladesh border. NEW DELHI, 16 MARCH The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought an umbrella probe in the cases of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants staying in the country. A senior officer informed that in a recent meeting, instructions have been passed to all states and UTs to investigate the cases of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants as umbrella cases and identify the persons who have helped the illegal immigrants in obtaining documents to generate Aadhaar and other documents pertaining to the citizenship of India. The officer added that in some cases, it has been found that the documents were prepared for the purpose of travel to European countries or the Middle East, and the persons didn't stay for long in India. The investigation officers have been instructed to also identify the persons who have helped the illegal immigrant in generating documents and make them accused in the case. During the investigation, it has been instructed to identify the loopholes used to generate documents. All suspicious Aadhaar cards have been sent for re-verification, which includes scrutiny of the documents submitted for Aadhaar generation. In a meeting with Aadhaar officials, they have been asked to pass instructions to all Aadhaar centres to inform the police in case they find any person trying to modify or generate between the two countries are not just beneficial but also important for global stability and prosperity. He highlighted the deep cultural connection between India and China, acknowledging that differences exist, much like within a family. However, the PM emphasised that efforts are being made to ensure (Turn to Page 4) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, will jointly inaugurate the tenth edition of Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, to be held here from 17-19 March. The New Zealand Prime Minister arrived in India on Sunday on a 5-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. Mr Luxon, who will be in India till 20 March, will be the chief guest and the keynote speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, hosted annually by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Founda- Aadhaar on suspicious documents. In case of confirmation of illegal Bangladeshi nationals, the persons will be kept in the detention centre, and FRRO will be informed to facilitate their safe return as per protocols. In a special operation, Delhi Police arrested more than 20 Bangladeshi nationals who were residing illegally in the national capital. As per the MHA, between January 2024 and January 2025, a total of 2601 Bangladeshi citizens were tion (ORF). The forum serves as a multilateral platform where heads of state, cabinet ministers, diplomats, corporate leaders, media professionals, and scholars come together to assess the evolving geopolitical landscape. The dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia. India and New Zealand meanwhile, have launched negotiations for a "comprehensive and mutually beneficial" Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Union commerce ministry said in a statement soon after Mr Luxon’s arrival. apprehended on the IndoBangladesh border. The government has strengthened IndoBangladesh border security through advanced surveillance, enhanced manpower, and technological integration. The measures adopted include Surveillance equipment like Hand Held Thermal Imager (HHTI), Night Vision Device (NVD), UAVs, CCTV/PTZ cameras, IR sensors, and the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) pilot in Dhubri (Assam). To keep a check on the issue of illegal border crossing, the Border Security Force (BSF) interacts with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at various levels. Further, a Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) signed in 2011 between BSF and BGB exists for meeting of BSF-BGB Nodal Officers. for the first time. On March 19, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh will deliver the keynote address during the opening ceremony. This will be the first meeting for activities planned for EWG on Counter-Terrorism for the ongoing cycle from 20242027. Discussions will focus on evolving a robust and comprehensive strategy designed to tackle the evolving threat of terrorism and extremism. The meeting aims to share the on-ground experience of the Defence Forces of ASEAN and its dialogue partners. It will lay the foundation for the activities/ exercises/ seminars/workshop planned for the cycle 2024-2027. The ADMM-Plus serves as a platform for practical cooperation amongst the participating countries’ defence establishments. It currently focuses on seven areas of practical cooperation – Counter-Terrorism, Maritime Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Management, Peacekeeping Operations, Military Medicine, Humanitarian Mine Action and Cyber Security. EWGs have been established to facilitate cooperation in these areas. The EWGs are each cochaired by one ASEAN member state and one dialogue partner following a threeyear cycle. The task of the co-chairs is to lay down the objectives, policy guidelines and directions for the EWG for the three-year cycle. A Chinese shipyard completes a second submarine for ally Pakistan AGENCIES TAIPEI, 16 MARCH A Chinese shipyard has completed a second submarine for the Pakistan navy, further strengthening military ties between the two countries. The diesel-electric Hangor class craft was launched on Thursday at China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s shipworks in the central city of Wuhan on the Yangtze River, Chinese state media reported Sunday. Pakistan contracted to buy eight of the submarines, the final four of which are to be built by the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works in the Pakistani port city of the same name. The Hangor class is believed to be an export version of China’s 039A submarine, with a crew of 38 plus eight spaces for special forces troops and equipped with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. Pakistan has used sub- marines in the past to confront India as part of their land wars over disputed territory in the north. Prohibitions on dual military and civilian use of technology by European nations that make diesel submarines has left China Pakistan’s best option for modern military equipment. According to a Swedish military think tank, China has accounted for more than 81 per cent of Pakistan’s weapons imports over the past five years. Joint venture projects include the Hangor as well as the JF-17 fighter jet. Meanwhile, China and India have agreed to work toward a solution to their long-running border dispute in the Himalayas after a military standoff that flared with a deadly clash in 2020 but dates back decades.