India's Homegrown Trainer Aircraft 'Hansa NG' Set To Soar Higher

India's aviation sector is booming with over 10 crore passengers flying every year. To keep up with the demand, India needs at least 30,000 new pilots in the next few years.

India's pilots are currently trained in foreign planes. However, today a new Indian bird has come into the market, namely Hansa Next Generation trainer plane, developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories which will help in training pilots.

Science Minister Jitendra Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced a new private sector partnership between Pioneer Clean Amps Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, which makes about 110 of these planes.

Civil Aviation Minister K Ramomohan Naidu said 10 crore passengers are flying every year with just 840 aircraft, and the aviation industry has ordered another 1,700 planes. To service them, some 30,000 new pilots will be required. Hansa NG offers a domestic solution to this booming sector, he added, especially because very soon India will have 300 airports from today's 159.

"Hansa NG is a world class plane with a Make in India welcome twist," Mr Naidu said.

Hansa NG is an indigenous two-seater trainer aircraft, made by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru. It costs about Rs 2 crore less than half of the imported planes. Hansa NG could help fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of "hawai chappal to hawai udan."

Abhay A Pashilkar, Director, CSIR-NAL, told NDTV, "Hansa NG is the first aircraft designed and produced in India."

CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), a constituent of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), under the aegis of the Science and Technology Minister, indigenously designed and developed HANSA-3 (NG) trainer aircraft for commercial pilot licensing (CPL).

The aircraft offers a digital display (glass cockpit) system and is powered by an advanced fuel-efficient Rotax 912 iSc3 Sports engine, bubble canopy with a cabin width of 43 inches. It is equipped with electrically operated flaps to meet the user's requirements. It offers excellent aircraft performance with a higher range of 620 nautical miles, 7 hours endurance, and a maximum cruise speed of 98 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS).

Jitendra Singh said the aircraft can also be used for surveillance purposes and environmental monitoring. In fact, NAL is also making an all-electric version of the Hansa plane in view of the concerns of climate change.

CSIR-NAL has embarked upon the design and development of the Electric-HANSA (E-HANSA).

N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR complementing the scientists said the successful flying demonstration of HANSA-3(NG) at the recent Aero India 2025 shows the commitment of CSIR towards the national need of developing indigenous technologies to the end customers like Flying Training Organizations (FTOs) to ensure a complete ecosystem for successful commercialization of CSIR technologies.

"To meet the domestic demand as well as export potential, CSIR NAL has teamed up with the industry partner Pioneer Clean Amps Pvt Ltd., Mumbai, who will aim to set up its manufacturing facility to build about 36 aircraft per year, and gradually upscale to 72 aircraft per year, furthering the aims and objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat," she said.

Jitendra Singh praised the efforts of scientists for the successful demonstration and commercialization of the indigenous HANSA-3(NG) with the industry partner Pioneer Clean Amps Pvt Ltd.

He said the aircraft will satisfy the requirements of flying clubs for obtaining PPL (Private Pilot License) and CPL (Commercial Pilot License) for the young generation.

The minister said there is a need to develop a large and world-class flying training ecosystem in the country to meet the Indian aviation sector's rapidly growing demand.

The availability of CSIR's indigenous HANSA-3(NG) aircraft will make India's aviation industry robust and to realise PM Modi's vision of India becoming a leading aviation hub by the end of the decade and Viksit Bharat by 2047.

He said the indigenous small aircraft manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat will further support the development of infrastructure and small and medium-scale private entrepreneurs for production of airworthy components, including assembly and integration of aircraft in the country.

Further, it will help to create employment opportunities with on-the-job training for ITI and diploma holders in various disciplines of aircraft building and AME training.

The Hansa-3(NG) aircraft would be an affordable and appreciable trainer aircraft for the young generation of pilots.

CSIR-NAL has been in the forefront of designing indigenous civil aircraft in the country. The all composite two-seater HANSA-3 ab-initio trainer aircraft was certified in 2000. Subsequently, CSIR in partnership with M/s Mahindra developed a 5-seater CNM-5 aircraft and flew it successfully. HANSA-NG (i.e., Next Generation) was certified in 2023 having advanced glass cockpit, bubble canopy and improved fuel efficiency comparable to the best in the world.

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Tilak Retired Out During MI's Run Chase vs LSG. Shocking Decision Explained

Mumbai Indians decided to retire out Tilak Varma with seven balls remaining in their run chase against Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2025 match on Friday. Tilak, who was batting on 25 off 23 deliveries, suddenly went off the pitch before the final ball of Shardul Thakur's over and was replaced by Mitchell Santner. MI need 24 off 7 balls at that moment but Avesh Khan successfully defended 22 runs in the final over to clinch the match for LSG. "It was obvious that we needed some hits and he was not getting... in cricket, one of those days come when you really try but it does not happen. I think the decision speaks for itself why we did it," Hardik Pandya said after the defeat. 

Retired out in the IPL

R Ashwin vs LSG, Wankhede, 2022

Atharva Taide vs DC, Dharamshala, 2023

Sai Sudharsan vs MI, Ahmedabad, 2023

Tilak Varma vs LSG, Lucknow, 2025*

Suryakumar Yadav's fighting half-century went in vain as Lucknow Super Giants defeated Mumbai Indians by 12 runs in an Indian Premier League match on Friday.

Batting first, LSG, riding on half-centuries from openers Mitchell Marsh (60 off 31 balls) and Aiden Markram (53 off 38 balls), scored 203/8 despite MI skipper Hardik Pandya (5/36) taking his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.

In reply, MI were restricted to 191 for five despite Suryakumar scoring a 43-ball 67, studded with nine boundaries and a six.

Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan and Digvesh Rathi took a wicket each for LSG.

Former MI skipper Rohit Sharma sat out of the contest after being hit on the knee during nets.

(With PTI inputs)

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US Moves Largest B-2 Bomber Fleet, 3 Aircraft Carriers To Indo-Pacific

While the world was busy figuring out Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff move and its fallout, the United States quietly made a massive military move in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific region.

The Pentagon ordered the largest-ever deployment of B-2 bombers in the Indian Ocean. Satellite images have shown at least six B-2 stealth bombers parked along the military base runway in Diego Garcia - a joint Indian Ocean military base of the US and Britain. There may be more in shelters or hangars impenetrable by satellite or radar.

The United States has a total of 20 B-2 stealth bombers - the world's most advanced military aircraft, of which six have now been deployed in the Indian Ocean Region - that's roughly 30 per cent of its fleet, accounting for a massive strategic move.

This satellite image by Planet Labs PBC shows six American B-2 bomber planes in Diego Garcia (AFP Photo)

Besides this, the US has also planned to increase its aircraft carrier presence in the Indo-Pacific region from one to three - two in the Indian Ocean and one in the western Pacific, near the South China Sea.

The Pentagon has planned for the USS Carl Vinson to head to the Middle East while the USS Harry S. Truman will continue ops from the Arabian Sea. The third aircraft carrier - the USS Nimitz and its carrier strike group fleet will move towards the South China Sea.

But this is not the end of US' massive deployment surrounding Asia. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that US Secretary of Defence Peter Hegseth has "also ordered the deployment of additional squadrons and other air assets that will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities." He however, did not elaborate what these squadrons or assets would comprise.

WHY THE SUDDEN MASSIVE DEPLOYMENT?

After the sudden and massive military deployment, the Pentagon justified it saying "This has been done to improve America's defensive posture in the region. The United States and its partners remain committed to regional security, and are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region."

YEMEN AND THE HOUTHIS

Though no country or terrorist organisation was named directly, several defence analysts point to the situation in the Middle East and south Asia - especially Iran and Yemen. Over the last fortnight, US President Donald Trump has steadily increased military action against the Yemen-based Houthis - a militant group backed by Iran - which has been targeting American merchant and military ships over US' support to Israel. Iran and all its "proxies" have been supporting Hamas - a US-designated terror organisation in Gaza, which is currently at war with Israel.

But defence experts say that the scale of the US military deployment is far too big to be just for the Houthis or for Iran. They argue that two B-2 bombers - each with a payload capacity of 40,000 pounds - would have been more than sufficient to tackle the militants in Yemen.

Last week, Donald Trump had openly warned the Houthis and its backers in Iran. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump wrote, "Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran."

IRAN'S NUCLEAR FACILITIES

Over the last month, Donald Trump has mounted pressure on Iran to renegotiate its nuclear deal - a move that Tehran has outrightly rejected. In an interview to Fox News last month, President Trump had said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal, because I'm not looking to hurt Iran."

Donald Trump made the US exit what he had called a "bad nuclear deal" with Iran during his first term. He now wants Iran to engage in talks in order to bring a new and improved nuclear deal.

In his 2017-2021 term, Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. President Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions.

But since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment.

President Trump now wants a new deal, and has not ruled out the use of force. Washington may consider destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and labs, and thereby finish off Iran's nuclear weapons programme, should Tehran not be willing to talk.

Speaking about Iran, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Thursday that "The Secretary of Defence continues to make clear that, should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people." Though he did not mention anything about nuclear talks with Tehran.

CHINA AND RUSSIA

Such a massive deployment of America's most advanced fighter aircraft, bombers, and aircraft carriers, is also aimed at sending a signal to China and Russia, who are Iran's allies in the region.

Washington's move to deploy the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in the western Pacific also sends a clear message to Beijing that the US is serious about safeguarding its interest in the Indo-Pacific region.

And the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson in the Middle East sends a similar message to Moscow.
 

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4, 6, 4, 4: KKR's Rs 23.75 Crore Buy Thrashes Cummins, Eden Gardens Erupt

Kolkata Knight Riders' under-fire middle order finally delivered as Venkatesh Iyer silenced his critics with a 25-ball fifty while Angkrish Raghuvanshi struck a fluent half-century to power KKR to 200/6 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL on Thursday. KKR's new-look opening pair continued to struggle, with Quinton de Kock (1) and Sunil Narine (7) falling cheaply after SRH opted to bowl. But an 81-run partnership by skipper Ajinkya Rahane (38 from 27b) and Raghuvanshi (50 off 32 balls; 5x4, 2x6) laid the foundation for a competitive total.

SRH gained ground in the middle overs when 26-year-old Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis delivered a rare sight in IPL history, bowling with both hands in the same over on debut.

The ambidextrous Sri Lankan first bowled left-arm spin to Raghuvanshi before switching to off-spin against the left-handed Rinku Singh.

The over proved pivotal as he dismissed Raghuvanshi, breaking KKR's momentum.

Momentum slowed with boundaries drying up for two overs, but Iyer (60 off 29 balls; 7x4, 3x6) and Rinku (32 not out from 17 balls; 4x4, 1x6) reignited the innings.

Iyer's desperate pull off a Simarjeet beamer ended the drought, and Rinku smashed three consecutive boundaries off Harshal Patel before Iyer tore into Simarjeet with back-to-back fours.

Rinku capped off the over with a massive six over long-on, yielding 17 runs.

Iyer was at his belligerent best against Cummins in the 19th over, hammering the SRH skipper for 4, 6, 4, 4 in succession as KKR notched their first 200-plus total of the season. The hosts hammered 78 runs in last five overs.

Lighting up Eden Gardens with some fireworks

Sit back and enjoy Rinku Singh and Venkatesh Iyer's super striking

up for Iyer in the process!

Updates https://t.co/jahSPzdeys#TATAIPL | #KKRvSRH | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/AAAqnOsRy8

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 3, 2025

Earlier Pat Cummins struck early in the third over, setting up de Kock with a short ball that was miscued to deep midwicket, while Shami dismissed an out-of-sorts Narine with a wide yorker that took the edge behind.

From 16/2 in 2.3 overs, KKR recovered through an 81-run stand between Rahane and Raghuvanshi.

Rahane broke the shackles with two crisp pull shots for sixes off Shami and Cummins, as KKR reached 53/2.

Raghuvanshi complemented Rahane with stylish stroke play, piercing gaps with drives through cover and square region.

His standout strokes came against Zeeshan Ansari -- a clean lofted six over long-off and a well-placed reverse hit past backward point. He reached a well-deserved 50 off 30 balls.

However, Ansari broke the partnership in the same over as Rahane gloved a reverse sweep to Heinrich Klaasen.

Captain Cummins' decision to underutilise spin on a pitch with variable bounce was debatable.

Leg-spinner Ansari bowled just three overs (1/25), while Mendis wasn't given another over after his match-turning spell.

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Asked To Wait A Year To Get Married, Man Stabs Woman, Kills Her Mother

Enraged at being asked to wait a year to get married, a man barged into a 20-year-old woman's home in Visakhapatnam, stabbed her and killed her mother when she tried to intervene. 

Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police Shanka Brata Bagchi said the man, Naveen, was in love with Nakka Deepika, 20, for the past six years. He wanted to marry the woman, but her father had asked him to wait for a year as he did not like his behaviour. 

Around 12.30 pm on Wednesday, Naveen barged into Deepika's house in Swayamkrushi Nagar in Visakhapatnam's Kommadi area with a knife. He stabbed Deepika and also attacked her mother, Lakshmi, 43, when she intervened to try and protect her. 

Lakshmi died on the spot while Deepika was rushed to a hospital, where her condition is said to be critical. Naveen fled immediately after attacking the women. After neighbours called the police, they began investigating, and a team arrested Naveen near Srikakulam district.

After they were informed about the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Home Minister V Anitha spoke to police officials. The Chief Minister asked the officials to provide the best possible treatment to the injured woman and take stringent action against the accused.

Ms Anitha also directed the police to ensure that the culprit got the harshest punishment. 

'Many Incidents Every Day'

The opposition YSR Congress accused the Chandrababu Naidu-led government of not being able to curb the rising cases of crimes against women

"Such incidents prove how alarming the situation is in the state when it comes to the safety of women. On average, 70 incidents against women take place every day. The accused in the Visakhapatnam incident must be caught and severely punished," said YSR Congress Party leader and Member of Legislative Council Varudu Kalyani.

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"Like Mahatma Gandhi, I Tear This Bill": A Owaisi During Waqf Bill Debate

Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of AIMIM and the MP from Hyderabad, today held a symbolic protest against the Waqf Bill, citing the example of Mahatma Gandhi. Participating in the debate on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, Mr Owaisi had cited the example of Mahatma Gandhi while he was in South Africa.

"If you read history, you would see that he (Mahatma Gandhi) said about the laws of white South Africa, 'My conscience doesn't accept this' and he tore it up. Like Gandhi, I am also tearing up this law. This is unconstitutional. The BJP wants to create divisiveness in this country in the name of temples and mosques. I condemn this and I request you to accept the 10 amendments," he said.

His outburst was a response of sorts to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who, during the debate, had said, "A member even said the minorities won't even accept it. Who are you trying to scare? It's the parliament's law, everyone will follow and accept it".

Mr Owaisi was speaking towards the end of a marathon debate that had started at noon after the Waqf Amendment Bill was presented in parliament. 

The Opposition had rallied against the bill and had been arguing their case without yielding ground to the government, which already has the numbers. Unlike other times, there have been no slogan-shouting, protests or walkouts.

The Opposition has contended that the bill is unconstitutional and violates the fundamental right to practice religion, Article 14, which guarantees equality before law and Article 15, which bars discrimination on basis of religion. 

Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal has contended that Waqf Amendment Bill "is a dangerous, divisive law".

"I expected so many legislations to come during this period. For last several years, farmers have been on the street, they are demanding legal guarantees for MSP. But the Bill is not coming. Youngsters of this country are unemployed and in despair. So, the country expected legislation for drastic change for the youth of the country. But it didn't come...You can see the legislation that has been given priority by this government. This is to have only one agenda - to divide Bharat Mata in the name of religion," Mr Venugopal said.  

Sections of the Muslim community have maintained that the amendments in the Waqf bill are geared to help the government gain control of the Waqf properties -- arguments the BJP speakers rubbished today.  

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Democrat Cory Booker Sets Record With 25-Hour Senate Speech, An All-Nighter

In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday night, setting a historic mark to show Democrats' resistance to President Donald Trump's sweeping actions.

Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was "physically able." It wasn't until 25 hours and 5 minutes later that the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, finished speaking and limped off the floor. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber's history. Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.

It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to show their frustrated supporters that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump's agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist and southern Democrat, to filibuster the advance of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.

"I'm here despite his speech," said Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners. He added, "I'm here because as powerful as he was, the people are more powerful."

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress, slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon. He called it "an incredibly powerful moment" because Booker had broken the record of a segregationist and was "fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy."

Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, "We all must look in the mirror and say, 'We will do better.'"

"These are not normal times in our nation," Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. "And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them."

Booker warns of a 'looming constitutional crisis'

Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to Social Security offices led by Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say the program won't be touched.

Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of annexing Greenland and Canada and a "looming constitutional crisis."

Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.

"Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you're saying," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. "All of America needs to know there's so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration."

As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. He later told reporters that he had fasted for days before the speech and stopped drinking fluids the night before.

He suffered through cramps as the day wore on, he said. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor in support

"Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined," Booker said.

Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Senator Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.

His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record

Still hours away from breaking Thurmond's record, Booker remarked Tuesday afternoon, "I don't have that much gas in the tank."

Yet as anticipation in the Capitol grew that he would supplant Thurmond, who died in 2003, as the record holder for the longest Senate floor speech, Democratic senators filled the chamber to listen and the Senate gallery filled with onlookers. The chamber exploded in applause as Schumer announced that Booker had broken the record.

Booker told reporters afterward that he had thought of Thurmond's speech ever since he arrived in the Senate, calling it a "strange shadow to hang over this institution."

Throughout his determined performance, Booker repeatedly invoked the civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia on Tuesday, arguing that overcoming opponents like Thurmond would require more than just talking.

"You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond - after filibustering for 24 hours - you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, 'I've seen the light,'" Booker said. "No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it."

Booker's speech was not a filibuster, which is a speech meant to halt the advance of a specific piece of legislation. Instead, Booker's performance was a broader critique of Trump's agenda, meant to hold up the Senate's business and draw attention to what Democrats are doing to contest the president. Without a majority in either congressional chamber, Democrats have been almost completely locked out of legislative power but are turning to procedural manoeuvres to try to thwart Republicans.

Can his speech rally the anti-Trump resistance?

Booker, serving his second Senate term, was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2020, when he launched his campaign from the steps of his home in Newark. He dropped out after struggling to gain a foothold in a packed field, falling short of the threshold to meet in a January 2020 debate.

But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker's speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party.

On Tuesday afternoon, tens of thousands of people were watching on Booker's Senate YouTube page, as well as on other live streams. A small group gathered outside the Capitol to cheer him on.

Booker said he was ultimately calling on all Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump's actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.

He said, "I may be afraid - my voice may shake - but I'm going to speak up more."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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धार्मिक कार्यों में रहेगा रुझान, व्यापार में होगा लाभ, सतर्क रहें नौकरीवाले

Aaj Ka Makar Rashifal : मकर राशि के जातकों के लिए आज का दिन सामान्य रहेगा. व्यापारियों को लाभ होगा, नौकरीपेशा लोगों को कार्यभार अधिक रहेगा. स्वास्थ्य पर ध्यान दें और आर्थिक निर्णय सोच-समझकर लें.

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India Talks Of "Lessons" For Both To Remember As Ties With China Turn 75

1. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was the chief guest at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, which organised an event to celebrate 75 years of establishing India-China ties. Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong and the Indian Foreign Secretary cut a cake on the occasion before speaking about the relations between the two Asian giants.
2. In his nearly seven-minute speech, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri highlighted the "lessons" for both nations to keep in mind in order to foster stronger ties. He began his speech by saying, "Even tough, as modern nation states, we have had only 75 years of formal ties, India and China have shared cultural and civilizational ties and people-to-people contacts going back millenia."
3. He spoke about significant "contributions by personalities such as Bodhidharma, Kumarajiva, Xuanzang, and Rabindranath Tagore," towards fostering historical India-China relations. He added that "Our two civilizations have, each in their own unique way, played a significant role in shaping human history. This holds a lesson for contemporary ties."
4. Speaking about the second lesson, Mr Misri said, "In the last few years, India-China relations have gone through a difficult phase. But largely, due to the guidance by our leaders, and untiring efforts by the political leadership, military leaders, and diplomatic colleagues, who maintained communications throughout this time, our two countries have resolved several issues along the border areas. This too, holds a lesson for us (China and India) - which is that peace and tranquility in the border areas is critical for the smooth development of our overall bilateral relations."
5. He went on to say that "It is on the basis of this fundamental understanding, which was shared in the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping in Russia, that both nations are now working together to chart a roadmap for our bilateral relations, to return to a stable, predictable, and amicable path."
6. Sharing specifics about the efforts made at the political, military, and diplomatic levels, the foreign secretary highlighted that "In the last 5 months, we have had two meetings between the foreign ministers - in November, 2024 and February 2025. Our Special Representatives (SRs) for the India-China boundary question met in Beijing in December, 2024 for the 23rd round of SR-level talks. After a gap of nearly five years, our Defence Minister met with his Chinese counterpart in November, 2024, and I (foreign secretary) had the opportunity to visit Beijing in January, 2025 and had a very productive meeting with my counterpart."
7. India and China, he said, have decided to take several steps to "resume practical cooperation between our two countries. Amongst the first of these, is the resumption of the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra this year," he said, adding that "We are also discussing the resumption of cooperation on transport and rivers, and on direct air services."
8. He noted that these steps are important and foremost in order to restore mutual trust between the two nations and enhance people-to-people ties. Highlighting the responsibility that the two major economies must live up to, Mr Misri said, "As two large neighbours in an important part of the world, a stable bilateral relationship between our nations will contribute to humanity as a whole. Let us take this 75th year milestone as an opportunity to rebuild our ties."
9. Before concluding his speech, the foreign secretary spoke about the "third lesson" for both nations to keep in mind. "The durable basis for rebuilding our ties is the three-fold formula of mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest."
10. In his closing remarks, the foreign secretary acknowledged that "The path forward may be a difficult one, but one that we are prepared for", adding that "It is on the basis of these steps that we have already taken in the last five months, that we have seen promising beginnings" at the end of seven-and-a-half decades. This, he said, should now be "turned into tangible benefit" for the people of our two countries.

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Karnataka Government Hikes Sales Tax On Diesel

Karnataka government has hiked the sales tax on diesel to 21.17 per cent with effect from Tuesday, as a result of which there will be an increase of Rs 2 per litre, bringing the sale price to Rs 91.02.

An official statement highlighted that the Karnataka Sales Tax rate on diesel was at 24 per cent prior to November 4, 2021, and the sale price per litre was Rs 92.03. On June 15, 2024, the Karnataka state government issued a notification revising the tax rate on diesel to 18.44 per cent.

"After the approval of the Competent Authority, the Karnataka Sales Tax rate on diesel has been increased to 21.17 per cent, effective from 01-04-2025. As a result, there will be an increase of Rs 2 per litre, bringing the sale price to Rs 91.02," the statement said.

However, even after this increase, the revised sales price in the state will continue to be lower compared to the neighbouring states, it stated.

As on March 31, 2025, the diesel price in Bengaluru is Rs 89.02, whereas in Hosur (Tamil Nadu) it is Rs 94.42, Kasaragod (Kerala) Rs 95.66, Anathapura (Andhra Pradesh) Rs 97.35, Hyderabad (Telangana) Rs 95.70 and Kagal (Maharashtra) Rs 91.07, the statement said.

Criticising the move, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state of imposing taxes on items one by one.

He alleged that the state government was increasing prices and "sucking blood of poor and middle class people." In a post on "X", he said, "This poor @INCKarnaraka government has increased the price of milk, imposed a cess on garbage collection, and now it has suddenly increased the price of diesel by Rs 2 per litre." "Diesel is the fuel used for transporting goods. Doesn't Siddaramaiah, a self-proclaimed economist, know that if the price of diesel increases, the prices of all essential goods and services, including milk, vegetables, fruits, groceries, taxis, will increase? Bus ticket prices were recently increased without money to pay salaries to transport employees.

"Now there is no doubt that bus ticket prices will be increased again on the pretext of diesel price hike. Siddaramaiah, have you been wondering which items should be taxed and which items should be increased in price?", he added.

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