THURSDAY 10 APRIL, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard MODI-LED CABINET APPROVES `64,000 CR MARINE RAFALE DEAL GAZA THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON SECURITY CLEARED BUYING OF 26 RAFALE MARINE JETS FROM FRANCE TO BOOST AIR COMBAT CAPABILITIES 8 CHILDREN DEAD IN APARTMENT ATTACK Israeli aircraft struck a residential block in war-ravaged northern Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 23 people, including eight children, health officials said. PAGE 9 SHORT-TERM REPLACEMENT FOR ITS MIG-29K A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 CHANGES POLICY STANCE TO ACCOMMODATIVE 26/11 The deal includes 26 Rafale M aircraft, comprising 22 single-seaters and four twin-seater trainer versions. The Navy is acquiring Rafale M as a shortterm replacement for its ageing MiG-29Kd until India develops its own twinengine deck-based fighter. Their delivery will begin around five years after signing the contract under an inter-governmental framework | P7 3 Scorpene-class submarines are also proposed to be bought CUTS GROWTH FORECAST TO 6.5% Central bank cuts rate again to fuel growth CO-CONSPIRATOR TAHAWWUR RANA B E N K O C H U V E E D A N @ Mumbai FACE OF TERROR TAHAWWUR RANA, 64, WAS BORN IN PAKISTAN’S PUNJAB PROVINCE AND WENT ON TO JOIN THE PAKISTAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS Migrated to Canada after leaving Pak Army in 1990s, got Canada citizenship Sentenced to 14 years in US prison for role in plan to attack Danish newspaper Tahawwur Rana being extradited, to reach India today MUKESH RANJAN AND S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi NIA says Rana reviewed 26/11 attack logistics TAHAWWUR Rana, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, is being extradited to India on a special Indian Air Force plane that is expected to arrive by Thursday noon, sources said. His extradition follows the exhaustion of all legal options in the United States. A multi-agency team is in place to complete the necessary formalities, sources added. The IAF aircraft carrying Rana will make a stopover in Europe for refueling before reaching Delhi. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed Rana’s extradition is underway after the US Supreme Court rejected his plea. The court dismissed concerns over his Pakistani origin and potential torture. Discussions on the extradition of another 26/11 accused David Coleman Headley (alias Dawood Gilani) are still on. Rana’s last legal defence, citing humanitarian grounds, failed to convince the US judiciary . Authorities have made high-security arrangements at two jails in Delhi and Mumbai, where he is expected to be lodged initially He will spend . NIA investigations revealed that Rana traveled to Mumbai via Dubai between November 11 and 21, 2008, and stayed at Hotel Renaissance, Powai, where he reviewed logistical preparations for the attacks a few days in the national capital before possibly being moved to Mumbai for joint interrogation by the National Investigation Agency and Mumbai Police. Upon arrival, Rana will be arrested by the NIA, which will seek his custody from a special court for initial interrogation, sources said. The extradition process is being closely monitored by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, along with senior officials from the NIA and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Rana, a Canadian of Pakistani origin, was an LeT operative who aided Headley, a Pakistani-American, scout targets in Mumbai that were attacked on November 26, 2008. India sought Rana’s extradition in June 2020. This February, Trump confirmed it, stating he would “go to India and face justice.” HOME, AUTO LOAN RATES SET TO DIP THE Reserve Bank’s rate-setHOME, AUTO LOANS TO COST LESS AS RBI CUTS REPURCHASE OR REPO RATE BY 25 BPS TO 6% ting body on Wednesday shifted Hours later, Bank Growth estimate cut to RBI changes its gears to support growth, havof India, UCO 6.5% for FY26 from policy stance to ing nearly achieved its objecBank trimmed 6.7% earlier amid accommodative tive of ensuring price stability . their lending rates global tariff war from neutral, Acknowledging that the fastindicating changing global environment Borrowing cost at Inflation projection possibility of following the raging tariff wars lowest level since lowered to more rate cuts would drag FY26 growth down November 2022 4% from 4.2% in future from 6.7% to 6.5%, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI voted for growth. Apart from slashing the GDP Accordingly the six-member growth forecast to 6.5%, down , panel unanimously reduced 20 bps from the previous forethe repurchase or repo rate by cast, the rate-setting panel also 25 basis points (bps) to 6% with pared the retail inflation target immediate effect and changed by 20 bps to 4% this fiscal. the policy stance to accommoThe rate cut and the change dative from neutral, indicating in policy stance come in the that the days of easy wake of fears that money are back again. higher tariff rates J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi “An accommodative may lead to increase policy stance means in trade tensions and HOURS after sweeping US rethere are two options a lower growth in the ciprocal tariffs kicked in, raisbefore us — to cut rate world economy and ing concerns about a global again or retain status also hit the domestic economic downturn, President Donald Trump announced a 90quo,” RBI Gover nor economy . Sanjay Malhotra told “I am more worried day pause for all nations except China, though his 10% tariff reporters. about the impact of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping . With the second sucthe tariff wars on our on all global imports will stay cessive cut, the RBI has growth than inflation On China, he slapped a whop- to speak about what would be lowered the repo rate by now. Global economic ping 125% tax rate, up from the impact, because we don’t Impact of US 50 bps since February. tariff hike is much outlook is fast chang- 104% when the tariff war be- know. What is our strategy? I In the previous easing less on India than ing. FY26 has started gan in the day, after it an- think that’s pretty clear,” Jais. cycle, it had delivered a others; we have on an anxious note nounced 84% retaliatory levy hankar said. comparative Back home, the impact of cumulative 250 bps cut, “We decided that we will enand some global trade advantage taking the rate down to frictions are coming Trump’s tariffs is still unclear, gage the Trump administraa historic low of 4%. true,” Malhotra said but New Delhi’s strategy is to tion early on this set of issues Sanjay Malhotra, In the February polias the rationale for the secure a bilateral trade agree- and we were very open with RBI Governor cy review, the MPC, for rate cut and policy ment with Washington by this them, very constructive with fall, External Affairs Minister them as they were with us, and the first time in nearly stance change. five years, reduced the repo Another reason is “the deci- S Jaishankar said on Wednes- what we agreed to do was to try . rate by 25 bps. sive improvement in absolute day Jaishankar who spoke with to negotiate a bilateral trade The second successive rate inflation numbers and also in his US counterpart Marco Ru- agreement by fall of this year... bio on Monday on the early And I should add that in an inaction will leave banks with no inflation expectations. Even if choice but to lower rates for ex- the trade wars lead to imported conclusion of the Bilateral teresting way, this has long isting customers who are on inflation, and this affects the T r a d e A g re e m e n t ( B TA ) been our objective,” he said. the floating rate regime based rupee too badly, the declining stressed that India is likely the Jaishankar also said that the on the external benchmark commodity prices, especially only country to have reached present situation may have crelinked loans such as home, per- that of crude oil will cushion an understanding with Wash- ated the right conditions for sesonal, and vehicle loans in the that. So the priority is to sup- ington to negotiate a trade pact rious trade talks. “The Biden after Trump assumed presiden- administration was very averse coming days. This will also re- port growth now,” he said. sult in lower fixed deposit rates. to a bilateral agreement, but for January-February inflation cy for a second term. India has taken a cautious India, working out something Hours after the RBI decision, is tracking an average of 3.9%, Bank of India and UCO Bank below the quarterly projection. approach, engaging with the bilaterally with the US is not became the first banks to cut The RBI had projected inflation Trump administration on the negative. It’s actually something BTA. “I don’t think it’s possible we’ve long aimed for,” he said. their lending rates. at 4.8% for the March quarter. 90-DAY PAUSE ON TARIFF WAR, BUT CHINA FACES 125% `208 cr plan to transform Noida into ‘Safe City’ S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi In order to strengthen security of citizens, especially the women, the Yogi Adityanath government is fast-tracking the implementation of the ‘Safe City’ project in Noida and allocated `208.47 crore. A key highlight of the project is the modernisation of Noida’s Integrated Command and Control Centre, which will serve as the central hub for monitoring and coordination of the prestigious project. U’khand records slump in school enrollment INDIA-UK TIES Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer of UK, at 11 Downing Street, on Wednesday | PTI | P9 RAPS MOEFCC How forest land diverted for mining in Aravallis, asks NGT J I T E N D R A C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi THE National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought an explanation from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the auctioning of mining rights in protected areas of the Aravalli forest, particularly the land swap in the Great Nicobar Island. Accepting an intervention plea from Rajawas village whose protected forest land has been diverted for mining and stone crushing, the NGT asked the ministry how could the protected areas be auctioned for mining activities. The auction is linked to the establishment of a large infrastructure project that is causing significant forest loss on Nicobar Island, with compensation planned by designating 24,535 hectares (Ha) of land as forest S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to submit a proposal by April 30 on adopting electric vehicles (EVs) in government departments to reduce pollution. A two-judge bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked Additional Solicitor (ASG) General Aishwarya Bhati to place on record the proposal by April 30. During the hearing, Bhati flagged the issue of a large number of overage vehicles in Delhi-NCR. “While 60 lakh vehicles over the permissible age were plying in Delhi, the number stood at 25 lakh in NCR,” Bhati said. The top court has been monitoring the air pollution crisis in Delhi in an ongoing PIL filed by M C Mehta. After a brief hearing, the SC directed the Centre to complete the study within three months on the use of remote-sensing tech to control vehicular pollution. “Attention is invited to reconsider the issue of remote sensing. Uol (Union of India) has sought 10-12 months to complete the study. This issue is of vital importance for curbing vehicular pollution. We direct the Union of India to complete the study within three months from today the bench said. ,” 10-CARAT BLUE DIAMOND SHINES AT UAE Valued at $20 million, the Mediterranean Blue went on pre-auction display on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. The rare diamond is showpiece of a collection. | P9 Another peegate: Flyer urinates on co-passenger in Del-Bangkok AI flight EXPRESS READ The Uttarakhand government has formed a panel to probe the steady decline in student enrollment in state-run schools over the past decade. Education Director General Jharna Kamthan has mandated the formation of the panel headed by Kuldeep Gairola, Additional State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha, to look into the issue. SC seeks plans for using EVs in govt bodies in Haryana’s Aravalli range. Additionally a portion of the , designated forest areas, specifi- cally 204 hectares, has been officially recognised as ‘Protected Forest’ in Rajawas village. However, the ministry has auctioned off one-fourth of this designated forest area for mining and stone crushing. “We are relieved that NGT accepted the Intervention Application against the allocation of protected forest land for mining and stone crushing,” said Satyanarayan, Nambardar of Raja- was village who is also one of the applicants. “Our prayer is that village’s designated forest areas should not be exposed to any environmentally destructive activities like mining and stone crushing,” he added. The NGT directed the Haryana government not to proceed with mining and stone crushing without the requisite permission and set August 7 as the next hearing date. IN a deeply troubling recurrence that has once again cast a shadow over Air India, a passenger aboard a flight from Delhi to Bangkok allegedly urinated on a fellow traveller mid-air, sources said on Wednesday . In an official statement, Air India said that “an incident of unruly passenger behaviour” occurred on Flight AI2336 from Delhi to Bangkok. The airline added that the matter was promptly reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, in line with standard protocol. The crew reportedly offered the victim assistance, including help filing a formal grievance with authorities upon landing in Bangkok, a gesture that was declined. While AI claimed that the crew strictly followed all prescribed procedures for handling such incidents, public outrage has again erupted over the airline’s repeated run-ins with mid-air misconduct. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, responding to questions from the media, said, “The ministry will take note of the incident and speak to the airline. If there is any Past incidents March 2025 (Chicago to Delhi) A flight was forced to return midair, five hours into the journey, after 8 of 12 toilets were clogged November 2022 (New York to Delhi) A drunken passenger allegedly urinated on a 70-yr-old woman in the business class section December 6, 2022 (Paris to Delhi) A passenger reportedly peed on a vacant seat and soiled a female passenger’s blanket while she was away in the lavatory wrongdoing, we will take necessary action.” According to airline sources, a standing independent committee has been formed to investigate the incident while parallelly interim ban for a month has been imposed on the passenger. “The airline has decided to put the passenger on no-fly list for 30 days, pending investigation,” the source said. T h e a i rl i n e r e i t e r a t e d its commitment to following the Standard Operating Procedures mandated by the DGCA to manage such incidents onboard.