WEDNESDAY SAUDI TO BUY $142 BN WORTH ARMS FROM US 14 “THE UNITED STATES AND SAUDI ARABIA SIGNED THE LARGEST DEFENCE SALES AGREEMENT IN HISTORY,” THE WHITE HOUSE SAID MAY, 2025 The deal was inked during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi, the first foreign tour in his 2nd term epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Trump and Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also signed a host of bilateral pacts ALBANIA ELECTION CLEAR WIN FOR SOCIALISTS Preliminary results on Tuesday give a clear victory to PM Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, which attracted voters supporting the country’s effort to join the EU. PAGE 9 Trump and Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman | AP/PTI Trump to normalise ties with Syria A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00 MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS 3 terrorists killed in J&K Normal flight ops from Thu Pak spy expelled Defusing artillery Three Lashkar-eToiba terrorists, including its top commander Shahid Kuttay, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday, officials said As disruption in flight operations continues, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said airlines would resume their normal operations to the 32 closed airports from May 15, when the NOTAM ends India on Tuesday declared an official at the Pak High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata. The staffer — not an not officer — has been ordered to leave in 24 hours for being caught for spying Bomb disposal squads are at work in J&K’s border villages to defuse unexploded artillery. Displaced residents will be allowed to return after clearance from the security agencies Modi makes an Adampur point to call out Pakistani disinformation  PAGES 12 Trump also announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria, a move sought by the new leader whom he plans to see in Riyadh. “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” he said in Riyadh. Trump on Wednesday will meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa who last year led the overthrow of former leader Bashar Assad. | P9 Now, India gears up to strike the US with retaliatory tariffs D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi INDIA has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) about its plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on select US metal imports in response to Washington’s protectionist tariffs on steel, aluminium and related products. India’s decision to end concessions for the US will effect an increase in import tariffs on selected products originating in the US. The countermeasures could come into effect as early as June 8, 2025, unless consultations are initiated or the US withdraws its safeguard tariffs. The notice was filed on May 12 under Article 12.5 of the WTO Ag reement on Safeguards, which allows retalia- Goyal to visit US for trade talks Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead a team of officials to Washington starting May 17 for talks with US on the proposed bilateral trade agreement tion when a member imposes safe guard measures without adequate notification. India has estimated the US tariffs have affected $7.6 billion in Indian exports, resulting in an additional $1.91 billion in duties. It, therefore, now plans to impose retaliatory tariffs. Never discussed trade with US during Op Sindoor: MEA R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at the Adampur air base on Tuesday | PTI CLEARLY exposing Pakistan’s lie that it destroyed Indian Air Force’s Adampur airbase in Punjab, which houses the S-400 air defence system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited the airbase and interacted with the soldiers. “What you have achieved is unprecedented, unimaginable and amazing,” he told the airmen in his first speech to armed forces since Operation Sindoor, with an S-400 missile defence system in the backdrop. Pakistan had claimed it had inflicted significant damage on the Adampur airbase and destroyed the S-400 air defence system there. The PM’s presence at the airbase debunked Pakistan’s tall claims. Upon arriving at the airbase in the morning, Modi engaged with air warriors and soldiers in full public view. He walked near fighter jets ready for deployment, with the S-400 system on standby within , a fully operational and normallooking base. “He came, walked openly on airbase, interacted with the air warriors and conquered their hearts,” said a senior official. The prime minister’s visit, a day after his address to the nation, delivered yet another pow- ‘No place in Pakistan is safe for terrorists’ In a dire warning to terrorists, Modi said, “There will be only one consequence of killing innocents: destruction, total annihilation”. Terrorists may have Pak army protection, but there’s no place where they can feel safe, he added erful message to the international community—laying bare Pakistan’s falsehoods while cautioning it against any future misadventures. In a veiled reference to Pakistan, Modi said: “When our drones destroy the enemy and when our missiles strike with precision, the enemy hears only one thing: the chant of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Terming Operation Sindoor a confluence of India’s niti (policy), niyati (intentions), and nirnayak (decision-making capability), Modi reiterated his government’s firm stance on combating terrorism, adding that any act of terror would be met with a decisive response. “Hum ghar mein ghus kar maarenge aur bachne ka ek bhi mauka nahi denge (We will enter their (terrorsts’) house and kill them without giving a chance to escape),” he said. MORE REPORTS ON P7 & 8 THE external affairs ministry asserted on Tuesday that trade was never discussed with the US during Operation Sindoor, where the might of Indian armed forces compelled Pakistan to seek a ceasefire, and that India will suspend the Indus Waters Treaty until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “Now, as per the Cabinet Committee on Security There is now a (CCS) decision of 23 April, India will keep the new normal. The Treaty in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and sooner Pakistan irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border gets used to it terrorism. Please also note that climate change, the better demographic shifts and technological changes Randhir Jaiswal, have created new realities on the ground.” MEA spokesperson As for the issue of trade, it did not come up in any of the discussions with the US, Jaiswal said rebutting claims made by President Donald Trump of how he had used the issue of trade as a leverage to broker a ‘full and immediate ceasefire’ between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that it was Pakistan which had approached India for a ceasefire. DRDO’S ‘IRON DOME’ MAKES A PAK-CRUSHING DEBUT HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @ Bhubaneswar INDIA thwarted over 600 drone attacks in last six days. How? While the Russian-made S-400 air defence system was given the credit initially, it has been the indigenously developed ‘Iron Dome’ by DRDO, which proved to be a game-changer in effectively neutralising the drone swarms launched by Pakistan in response to India’s precision strike on the terror infrastructure there. The system was developed in a record two years time. “It was the advanced drone detect, deter and destroy system deployed by India that neutralised all aerial threats from Pakistan,” a defence official told this newspaper. The counter-drone system developed by DRDO labs, including Bengaluru-based Electronics and Radar Development Establishment, Hyderabadbased Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences and Dehradun-based Instruments Research and Development Establishment, successfully detected the incoming drones within no time and destroyed the aerial threats. The newly developed groundbased invisible shield has been instrumental in preventing Pakistani drones from penetrating Indian airspace and causing damage in realtime combat scenario since May 7. India’s move targets US duties that have been in place since 2018, and recently extended via presidential proclamations on February 10, 2025. Although imposed under the guise of national security, India argues these tariffs are de facto safeguard measures that violate WTO rules. It further contends the US failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 12.3, which mandates prior consultations. This isn’t India’s first WTOsanctioned retaliation. In 2019, it had raised tariffs on 28 US products following the removal of its GSP status and continued metal tariffs. Those duties were rolled back in 2023 as part of a bilateral truce. Shah, Meghwal meet Prez amid spl session buzz Visits airbase Islamabad claimed it had destroyed along with its S-400 air defence system RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR & HARPREET BAJWA @ New Delhi/ Chandigarh After interacting with the 39-year-old crown prince, Trump said: “I really believe we like each other a lot” Class 12 students celebrate after the results in New Delhi on Tuesday | PARVEEN NEGI City records over 95% pass rate in CBSE board exams 61,290 were boys and 60,121 were girls. The pass percentage DELHI students have achieved for girls was higher in this reimpressive pass rates of over gion. The Class 12 exams were 95% in both classes 10 and 12 conducted between February for the academic year 2024-25, 15 and April 4. as per results released A total of 3,28,701 stuby the Central Board of QUICK TAKE dents registered for the Secondary Education class 10 exams of which CLASS XII: East Delhi 3,11,138 passed, leading (CBSE) on Tuesday . recorded a success For the Class12 exam, to 95.14% pass percentrate of 95.06%, a total of 3,08,105 stu- West Delhi 95.37% age. The pass percentdents registered from age for boys was 93.98% 96.71% of girls national capital, of and 95.71% for girls. cleared, compared which 3,06,733 actually In the Delhi-East retook the exams, CBSE to 93.76% of boys gion, 1,89,362 students said. Of these, 2,91,962 passed, with 95.07% CLASS X: West passed. The pass perpass percentage. Out of Delhi reported a centage for girls and the 1,99,180 students, pass percentage boys were 96.71% and 98,336 were boys and of 95.14%, East 93.76%, respectively . 91,026 were girls. The Delhi followed at In Delhi-East region, pass percentage for 95.07% where 1,80,162 students boys and girls was registered, a pass per- Girls’ pass percentage 94.43% and 95.78% centage of 95.06% was was 95.78% and respectively . boys’ 93.98% recorded, with 1,70,551 From the Delhi-West students successfully region, 1,21,776 students passing. Of them, 83,537 were of the total 1,27,861 have passed, boys and 87,014 were girls. The taking the pass percentage to pass percentage of boys was 95.14%. Of them, 63,705 were 93.58% and 96.51% for girls. boys and 58,071 were girls. At In Delhi-West region, 1,27,943 96.46%, the pass percentage for students registered with a pass girls stood higher in this region percentage of 95.37%. Of the as well. For boys, the pass per1,21,411 students who passed, centage was 94.16%. E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi AMID demands from the Opposition for a special session of Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor, Home Minister Amit Shah and MoS (Independent Charge) for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday. The meeting sparked speculation over the possibility of either a special House session or a cabinet reshuffle. Opposition parties, including Congress, have been pressing for a special session, insisting that PM Narendra Modi address Operation Sindoor in Parliament. On Tuesday Congress , president Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that a special session was necessary to discuss the Operation Sindoor. Sources, however, said that the government was reluctant to convene a special session ahead of the Monsoon session. “The opposition demand seems unwarranted,” said a BJP leader. When asked about Shah and Meghwal’s meeting with the President, BJP sources said that the discussion might have been on various laws as well as possible cabinet reshuffle. ISRAEL ARMY IN GAZA WITH FULL FORCE SOON PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would enter Gaza “with full force” in the coming days, a statement from his office said on Tuesday. | P9 Punjab hooch toll 21, Majitha DSP suspended 9 get life imprisonment till death in Kingpin among 10 held H A R P R E E T BA J WA @ Chandigarh AT least 21 people died and 10 others were hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in five villages of Punjab’s Amritsar, police said on Tuesday. The toll is likely to rise as the condition of 10 others remains critical. Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, Sakshi Sawhney, said, “An unfortunate tragedy happened in Majitha area. We got to know on Monday night that in five villages, people died after taking illicit liquor. Medical teams were rushed to the spot and are still going door-todoor to check whether people have any symptoms.” Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said Sahib Singh, the kingpin of the racket, and Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, owners of Sahil Chemicals in Ludhiana, were the main suppliers of methanol. Majitha DSP Amolak Singh and SHO were suspended and departmental inquiries were initiated against them. A police official said, “People bought liquor from a single source on Sunday evening. A few died Monday morning, and locals cremated them without informing the police. We received information about the deaths late Monday evening and initiated a probe.” At least 10 people, including the main supplier and the alleged kingpin, have been arrested. Four officers, including the DSP and SHO, as well as the Majitha Sub-Division Excise and Taxation Officer and excise in- spector have been suspended. Sources said the deceased include youths from Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Therewal and Talwandi Ghuman. Critical people have been admitted to Amritsar Civil Hospital. Residents of other villages, Bhullar, Tangra, and Sandha, are also said to have consumed the same illicit liquor. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met the families of the victims at Marari Kalan and announced `10 lakh to the kin of the deceased. He said that the government would bear the education expenses of the victims’ children. These families will also receive all possible help in terms of jobs. sensational TN sexual assault case M S A R A V A N A N @ Coimbatore A Mahila Court in Coimbatore on Tuesday convicted and sentenced nine men to “life imprisonment till death” for criminal conspiracy sexual harassment, , rape, gang rape, extortion and blackmail of multiple women and girls in Pollachi between 2016 and 2018. Judge R Nandhini Devi delivered the verdict in the case in which the first FIR was filed in 2019. The court also awarded `85 lakh compensation to eight survivors. The accused — N Sabarirajan, alias Rishwanth (32), K 1 TO 5 LIFE TERMS Different life terms from one to five were awarded to the convicts, with Thirunavukkarasu getting the highest of five life terms. The court also awarded varying prison terms ranging between 3 and 10 years, and imposed a fine of `1.50 lakh on the nine convicts Thirunavukkarasu (34), M Sathish (33), T Vasantha Kumar (30), R Mani, alias Manivannan (32), P Babu (33), T Haronimuspaul, alias Haron (32), K Arulanandham (39), and M Arun- kumar (33), all hailing from Pollachi —were brought to the court from Salem Central Prison earlier in the day amid tight security. All the accused were convicted under IPC Sections 34 read with 376D (gang rape), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 366 (kidnapping), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (use of criminal force to disrobe a woman), 370 (trafficking for sexual exploitation), and 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), as well as Section 4 of the TNPHW Act (abetment of harassment of women), and Sections 66E and 67 of the IT Act.