KOLLAM l friday l march 28, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Putin accepts Modi’s invitation to visit India; work underway Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that President Putin has accepted PM Narendra Modi’s invitation to visit India File photo Lavrov lauds india for balanced stance ‘commitment to core interests is key’ 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. Both sides didn’t indicate any date for the visit, maintaining it will take place at the earliest ■ The fact that Modi visited Russia as his first overseas visit after his re-election last year sent a powerful message, Lavrov said in his video address to a conference between the two countries ■ External affairs minister S Jaishankar said strong institutions and commitment to core interests are bulwarks of India-Russia diplomacy $60 billion was India-Russia’s record trade in 2024 despite external challenges 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 What it means for India No big impact on Indian auto sector, but Tata Motors’ luxury car subsidiary JLR to be hit India’s auto parts exports to US stand at around $2 bn, attracting just 2.5% duty. This will increase 10 times on April 3 Imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts threaten to impair national security Donald Trump D i pa k M o n d a l @ New Delhi THE Trump administration on Wednesday announced a 25% import duty on completely builtup 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 million, 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. Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative, even discourages India from reducing its own import duties in response. He warns that lowering tariffs on passenger cars could be counterproductive, citing Australia’s experience—where import duties were slashed from 45% to 5% in the late 1980s, leading to the collapse of its domestic auto manufacturing industry. With the auto sector contributing one-third of India’s manufacturing GDP policymakers will tread cautiously , . 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. Class I admission age to be 6 from 2026-27 academic year E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @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 in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday . Already, over 52% of students admitted to Class I in state schools are aged six and above, he said. A policy decision on making six years the minimum age for admission will be taken by the government soon, the minister said. According to Sivankutty a , time frame of one year has been provided for implementation to enable parents and children to be prepared for the shift. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had mandated admission to Class I at the age of six years and the Union government had been repeatedly urging states to follow the norm. Kerala had deferred the implementation citing the concern that there would be no admission to Class I if it is implemented at one go in a particular academic ● More on P4 year.  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 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kozhikode warm gReetings Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan greets Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi as he leaves the stage after laying the foundation stone of the township project for rehabilitating the victims of the Mundakai-Chooralmala landslides, in Kalpetta on Thursday. Public Works Minister Mohamed Riyas is also seen. Speaking at the function, the chief minister criticised the Union government for failing to provide adequate disaster aid | E Gokul | P4 Bar leaders urge SC collegium to withdraw transfer of judge Varma S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a n t y @ New Delhi Leaders of Bar associations from six high courts met Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and four other Supreme Court collegium members on Thursday urging them to withdraw , the recommendation to transfer Delhi HC judge Yashwant Varma amid a ‘cash burn’ controversy . After the meeting with the CJI and justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath, Allahabad High Court Bar Association president Anil Tiwari said, “The CJI assured (us) to consider our demands...” Bar associations of Allahabad, Gujarat, Kerala, Jabalpur, Karnataka, and Lucknow had sought the meeting. Tiwari said the collegium assured that each and every point raised by them will be considered within the premises of law. “This is a big statement...,” he added. The collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Varma to Allahabad HC triggered an indefinite strike by the state bar association since March 25. A fire at Justice Varma’s official residence on March 14 led to the alleged detection of wads of burnt cash. Justice Varma has denied the charges. Subsequently, CJI Khanna formed a three-member panel to probe the allegations. The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Friday a plea seeking a direction to the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR over the incident. The PIL was filed jointly by three lawyers — senior advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, Hemali Suresh Kurne and Rajesh Vishnu Adrekar — and a chartered accountant, Mansha Nimesh Mehta. Blockbuster cast at CPM national meet 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 indus- Vijay Sethupathi and Prakash Raj try as an actor and director. Prakash Raj, a veteran actor with a penchant for socially relevant films, will address the gathering on April 5. The party has also invited acclaimed filmmakers Rajmurugan, Sasikumar, Vetrimaaran, T S Gnanavel and Mari Selvaraj to share their insights. The CPI-M meet will be a celebration of India’s cultural diversity, with performances by 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 . 10 drug users who shared syringes test HIV-positive top draw Pa r v e z S u lta n @ New Delhi 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, renowned artists and cultural groups from Kerala, Karnataka, 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 car ry the party flag through Madurai, symbolising the party’s commitment to the working-class solidarity and social justice. 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 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 initiatives,” 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, the ● More on P4 DMO said.