Putin accepts Modi’s invitation to visit India Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that President Putin has accepted PM Narendra Modi’s invitation to visit India. Lavrov praised India’s balanced approach to the Ukraine crisis, including advocating for resolving the issue through dialogue. He said Russia fully shares India’s concerns and has been expressing its readiness to hold talks from the moment the stand-off started. THRISSUR l friday l march 28, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Auto sector safe Shastri ‘betting’ ad may attract censure from MIB but parts to feel US tariff heat S w a r o o p S w a m i n at h a n @ Chennai Trump signs executive order to impose 25% import duty on automobiles and auto parts D i pa k M o n d a l @ New Delhi THE Trump administration on Wednesday announced a 25% import duty on completely built-up automobiles and auto parts, with effect from April 3. While the decision has sent shockwaves through the global auto industry, the reaction in India has been mixed. At first look, the broader Indian auto industry seems largely insulated, but the auto component sector, which currently attracts just 2.5% duty , will feel the tariff heat in the short term. India exported $2.6 billion worth of automobiles and auto components to the US in FY24, accounting for 13% of the country’s total auto and auto ancillary exports of $21 billion. Of this, passenger car exports to the US stood at just $8.9 mil- lion, compared to $6.98 billion in global car exports, meaning only 0.13% of India’s car exports are US-bound. Moreover, the 25% duty is still lower than the 70-100% tariffs that could result from reciprocal tariff measures. Trade analysts say India need not be concerned, given the relatively small volume of its car and bike exports to the US. Saurabh Agarwal, tax partner at EY India, says the limited implications for India’s auto industry mean the Indian government may not aggressively seek exemptions from the tariff. Mrunmayee Jogalekar, an analyst at Asit C Mehta Investment Intermediates, said Tata Motors could face challenges as its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover sells a significant number of cars in the US. EXPRESS READ Class I admission age to be 6 from 2026-27 year T’Puram: The state government intends to make six years the minimum age of admission to Class I in state schools from 2026-27 academic year, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said. A policy decision in this regard will be taken by the government soon, he said. P3 A Ravi Shastri advertisement where the cricketer-turnedpundit seemingly endorses a betting company could come under the scanner of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). Over the last 11 months or so, Shastri has used X (formerly Twitter) to promote Stake, a betting company. He did the same on March 21, one day be- fore the start of the IPL’s 18th edition. “Witness the Ultimate Cricket Extravaganza,” he posted to his 2m followers. “Early six? Early wicket? What’s your stake? @Stake” There was also a video message to his followers. He also added a disclaimer: “This content is not intended for the Indian region. Visitors must be 18+ of age to proceed.” This daily has learned that the disclaimer may not be applicable for the purposes of legality as the commentator may still be liable. “This specific advertiser appears to be a betting platform,” Manisha Kapoor, secretary-general of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), told this daily. “Betting is a violation of law, hence adding any disclaimer does not make it okay to advertise. ASCI is reporting such cases to the MIB.” Under Indian law, games of chance — betting — are banned save a few exemptions as it’s a state subject under the Public Gambling Act. “Any operator,” sports lawyer Vidushpat Singhania told this masthead, “who claims an international license, cannot offer a betting product without a license from an authority in India. They would also need GST registration in India. A celebri- ty before endorsing a brand is required to do a diligence check, otherwise a celebrity can be held liable under consumer protection laws.” Shastri didn’t respond to queries raised by this daily . Indian cricket has been no stranger to betting advertisements in recent years. In 2022, to stop the encroachment of surrogate advertisements, the Union government had issued a strongly-worded advisory . Blockbuster cast at CPM 10 drug users who shared national meet in madurai syringes test HIV-positive Pa r v e z S u lta n @ New Delhi IN a unique blend of politics and entertainment, the 24th Congress of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) in Madurai will roll out the red carpet for top film stars and directors. The five-day meeting, scheduled from April 2 to 6 at Tamukkam Convention Centre, will feature famed actors Vijay Sethupathi, Samuthirakani and Prakash Raj to share their perspectives on everything politics. Vijay Sethupathi, known for his critically acclaimed performances, will join the Congress on April 4, along with Samuthirakani, who has made a mark in the Tamil film industry as an actor and director. Prakash Raj, a veteran actor with a penchant for socially relevant films, will address the gathering on Vijay Sethupathi and Prakash Raj Only city to hold meet thrice Madurai, which has hosted the CPM Congress twice before, in 1953 and 1972, becomes the only city in India to host the event three times. Madurai MP Su Venkatesan and senior leader Prakash Karat have overseen preparations for the summit April 5. The party has also invited acclaimed filmmakers Rajmurugan, Sasikumar, Vetrimaaran, T S Gnanavel and Mari Selvaraj to share their insights. The CPM meet will be a celebration of India’s cultural diversity, with performances by renowned artists and cultural groups from Kerala, Kar nataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. The event will feature a seminar on federalism to examine challenges and propose ways to strengthen it. Senior party leaders, including party coordinator Prakash Karat and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will address the delegates on April 6, on issues facing the nation, economic policies, social justice, and secularism. The event will conclude on April 6 with a “Red Flag Procession,” where cadres will carry the party flag through Madurai, symbolising the party’s commitment to the working-class solidarity and social justice. E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @Kozhikode Ten people who reportedly shared syringes for shooting up drugs have tested positive for HIV in Valanchery, Malappuram. They include three migrant labourers. The cases were detected during a health inspection targeting suspected drug users in Valanchery and have , raised fresh concerns about the link between substance abuse and disease transmission. The inspections were conducted as part of the state’s ongoing anti-drug campaign, with health authorities working in tandem with the AIDS Control Offices. “We have been carrying out targeted screenings among high-risk groups, including sex workers and injecting drug users (IDUs), under the Kerala AIDS Control Society’s initia- tives,” said District Medical Officer M Renuka. “During one such screening, an individual tested positive for HIV By tracking his needle. sharing contacts, we were able to identify and test more persons. Over the past two months, nine additional cases have been confirmed,” the DMO said. Dr Renuka said those diagnosed have been placed under medical supervision and are undergoing counselling. According to her, early detection plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of the virus. A major challenge in tackling the issue is the reluctance of drug users to disclose their contacts fearing legal consequences. However, in this case, one patient cooperated, which helped track down others who had shared needles with him, ● More on P4 the DMO said.