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New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit London for three days starting Tuesday to engage in high-level discussions on various economic matters, including a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) and a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with the United Kingdom.

The visit will also see her participating in the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue, where key issues like market access for goods and services, dispute resolution mechanisms, and financial services will be on the agenda.

While the negotiations for the FTA fall under the jurisdiction of the Union Commerce Ministry, matters relating to the investment treaty and financial services regulations fall under the purview of the Finance Ministry.

These discussions are especially important as the two countries continue to negotiate a comprehensive trade pact that is expected to bolster economic ties and enhance trade relations.

Despite significant progress in negotiations, several crucial aspects of the trade agreement remain unresolved, particularly regarding the BIT. The BIT aims to enhance protection for investments between India and the UK.

However, one major point of contention is the dispute resolution mechanism. India insists that foreign investors must exhaust local judicial remedies before seeking international arbitration.

In recent months, the UK and India have resumed negotiations for the FTA after an eight-month hiatus.

The talks, which first began in January 2022, have so far resulted in 14 rounds of discussions.

Trade between the two nations saw a notable increase in 2023-24, with bilateral trade reaching $21.34 billion, up from $20.36 billion the previous year.

The UK remains one of the largest foreign investors in India, with a total of $35.3 billion in foreign direct investment between April 2000 and September 2024.

This three-day visit by FM Sitharaman highlights the increasing economic ties between India and the UK, aiming to address key issues to further enhance their trade relations.

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar praised the lionhearted effort by his bowlers on a dew-plagued wicket for their 12-run win over the Mumbai Indians that ended their 10-year win-drought at the Wankhede Stadium in the Indian Premier League on Monday

Krunal Pandya claimed 4-45, including three wickets in the final over as RCB quelled a brilliant fight back by MI, fuelled by a blazing half-century by Tilak Varma (56) and a 15-ball 42 by Hardik Pandya, who had brought Mumbai from needing 132 off 56 balls to 41 off 18. Though both Varma and Hardik were out in quick succession, Mumbai Indians needed 28 off 12 balls but fell short by 12 runs. Mumbai Indians ended with 209/9 while chasing RCB's 221/5 built on quickfire half-centuries by Virat Kohli (67) and skipper Patidar (64).

Though Patidar was declared the Player of the Match for his astute handling of the bowling in a tense situation, he said the bowlers were the heroes, and one of them should have got the award.

"It was a really amazing match. It was very hard. The way the bowlers have shown their courage was amazing to watch. This award goes to the bowling unit. It is not easy to stop any team, especially at this ground, and the way they have done it was incredible. The way the fast bowlers executed their plans was amazing," said Patidar after the match.

He showered special praise on Krunal Pandya for the final over he bowled on Monday.

"The way KP (Krunal Pandya) bowled that last over, it was not easy and the way he bowled was amazing. The way he showed courage was fantastic. It was pretty clear (at the second time-out) that we had to take the game as much deep as we could, and then we could use one over of KP at the last. The wicket was really amazing to bat on. Typical Mumbai wicket, and the ball was coming nicely onto the bat with bounce," said Patidar.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain said he decided to go berserk in the hunt for quick runs after Hardik Pandya completed his fourth over. Pandya was the best bowler for MI on Monday as he claimed 2-45.

RCB's left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya said it was difficult bowling against his brother Hardik, but said both wanted to win the match, and on Monday, only one Pandya could have won it.

"The bond that we have, at the end of the day, we knew only one (Pandya) would win. But the love and affection we have for each other is very natural. He batted well. We won, and I also wanted to win; he also wanted to win.

"I feel for him. When I came on to bowl, when Santner was batting, the leg-side was shorter. The amount of games I have played in the last ten years, whatever experience I had, it had to come in, right?

"Sometimes, you want to commit, but you know it is important to commit 100%, so the execution becomes much on your side. I was clear in a way where I wanted to commit fully to whatever ball I wanted to bowl," said Krunal.

Hardik said his team put up a big fight but fell short by two hits. "We fell short with two hits, don't know what to say. The way the wicket was, the bowlers did not really have much space to hide. It came down to execution. You can stop the batters, but I don't want to be harsh on the bowlers. It was a tough track, not many options. 5-10, maybe 12 runs I can say (we conceded more)," said Hardik.

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Pulled out retired hurt by Mumbai Indians in their previous match, Tilak Varma hammered a half-century off 26 balls and raised 89 runs for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya, but their effort went in vain as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated the five-time winners by 12 runs in Match 21 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 here on Monday.

Varma hammered a brilliant 56 off 29 balls and skipper Hardik Pandya blasted 42 off 15 to propel Mumbai Indians from needing 132 off 56 balls to 41 off 18, However, RCB ended their sensational fightback as Bhuvneshwar Kumar sent back Varma, and Josh Hazlewood got Hardik in the death overs.

From Mumbai needing 28 runs off 12 balls, they succumbed as Krunal Pandya claimed three wickets in the final over, including the wickets of Mitchell Santner, who struck a six off Hazlewood, and Deepak Chahar off successive balls.

Though Boult survived the hat-trick delivery, a wide, and Naman Dhir struck a four, to make it 12 needed off two balls to take it to a super over, two off successive balls, Krunal got Naman Dhir on the fifth ball to seal a memorable victory over MI in a thriller.

Krunal Pandya ended with 4-45 while Yash Dayal (2-46) and Hazlewood (2-37) came good with the ball to restrict Mumbai Indians to 209/9 after quickfire half-centuries by Virat Kohli (67) and Rajat Patidar (64) helped RCB post a massive 221/5 to register their first win at the Wankhede Stadium since 2015 and end a 10-year jinx.

After being hammered around by the RCB batters, Mumbai Indians landed in trouble with Rohit Sharma (17 off 9) and Ryan Rickelton (17 off 10) falling to Dayal and Hazlewood. Will Jacks got a start and made 22 from 18 balls, and Suryakumar Yadav (28 off 26 balls) struggled to score against Krunal and Suyash Sharma, and that is where Mumbai lost the match.

Though Tilak Varma, who struggled to hit boundaries against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and had retired out, and Hardik struck some brilliant shots as they put Mumbai back on rails, only to see things unravel due to the brilliance of Krunal Pandya.

Asked to bat first, Royal Challengers Bengaluru made a brisk start despite losing Phil Salt (4) to Trent Boult on the second ball of the match.

Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli blasted 91 runs for the second wicket, hitting boundaries and sixes off Bout, Deepak Chahar, Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Vignesh Puthur. Padikkal blasted back-to-back sixes through mid-on and mid-wicket in Chahar's second over, followed it up with a four. By the end of the power-play, RCH had reached 73.1 in six overs.

Padikkal departed for 37 off 22 balls, hitting eight boundaries and two sixes, but Virat Kohli struck eight fours and two sixes -- one off Bumrah and one off Puthur, this one hit on one knee, bringing in his 29-ball fifty.

Pandya ended his India teammate's hopes of reaching his first century of the season, Naman Dhir picking up an easy catch at deep mid-wicket as Kohli miscued a back-of-length ball wide outside off, trying to manufacture a boundary behind square on the leg side. Kohli scored 67 off 42, his second half-century of the season. Liam Livingstone fell for a two-ball duck to Pandya, but Patidar and Jitesh Sharma ensured RCB reached a big total.

Patidar struck some superb shots in a display of sheer power-hitting. He blazed to his fifty off 25 balls, and along with Jitesh Sharma added 69 runs for the fifth wicket.

Patidar and Sharma hammered Pandya for 23 runs in the 17th over as the former blasted two sixes and a four off successive balls, while the latter helped himself to a four. They manhandled Boult for 15 runs in the 19th over before the New Zealand pacer got Patidar for 64, caught by keeper Ryan Rickelton off an attempted scoop.

Jitesh Sharma struck a couple of hefty blows as he remained unbeaten on 40 off 19 balls, hitting Bumrah for a big six in the penultimate delivery as RCB posted a big total.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 221/5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 67, Rajat Patidar 64, Jitesh Sharma 40 not out; Hardik Pandya 2-45, Trent Boult 2-57) beat Mumbai Indians 209/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 56, Hardik Pandya 42; Krunal Pandya 4-45, Yash Dayal 2-46, Josh Hazlewood 2-37) by 12 runs.

--IANS

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Guwahati, April 7 (IANS) A Bangladeshi infiltration attempt was foiled by Assam Police on Monday, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday.

Moshida Begum, a citizen of the neighbouring country, was arrested by security personnel along the international border of Bangladesh and later pushed back.

Taking to X, Sarma wrote, “Zero tolerance. Constant alert. Bangladeshi infiltrator Moshida Begum was apprehended near the international border and immediately pushed back. Thanks to the relentless vigilance of @assampolice and @BSF_India, state's borders remain secure.”

Earlier, the Chief Minister said: “We have put the security forces on high alert at the international border following the unrest in Bangladesh to check infiltration. The police have detected a good number of illegal immigrants on a daily basis along the international border; however, no Hindu infiltrator from Bangladesh was arrested in the last five months.”

Sarma argued that the Hindu community people have immigrated from Bangladesh 30 or 40 years ago, and the rest of the people have been living in the neighbouring country for different reasons. “Most of the Hindu community people who had the desire to cross the border and come to India had come here 30 or 40 years ago. The rest of the minority people have been living in Bangladesh despite facing large-scale atrocities in the neighbouring country. I guess they have their own reasons for staying there - maybe a love for the soil or patriotism towards Bangladesh,” he said.

Sarma also stated that the Bangladeshi infiltration spiked up in the last few months due to the collapse of the textile industry in the neighbouring country, leaving many jobless there. He stated that the economy of Bangladesh has collapsed due to unrest, and the majority of the community people were more affected than the minority section.

“So far, we have arrested around 1000 Bangladeshi people in the last few months. They were pushed back immediately after their arrest,” the CM mentioned. He also attributed the illegal infiltration to incentives offered by a few textile industry owners in India.

--IANS

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Patna, April 7 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, the Bhojpur Police, in collaboration with the Bihar Special Task Force (STF), arrested a close aide and kin of dreaded gangster Butan Choudhary and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition during a joint raid conducted on Monday.

The operation was carried out at Belaur village under Udwant Nagar police station limits, considered a stronghold of criminal activities.

The primary target of the raid, Butan Choudhary, who carries a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on his head, managed to evade arrest and is currently on the run.

“We have arrested Upendra Choudhary, Butan’s brother, under multiple sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. He has been taken into custody, and intensive efforts are underway to trace and arrest Butan Choudhary,” said Raj, SP of Bhojpur, speaking to the media.

“During the raid conducted at the house of Butan Chaudhary, an AK-47 assault rifle, two magazines of AK-47, 43 live cartridges of AK-47, two hand grenades, and two magazines of INSAS rifle have been recovered from his house,” Raj said.

The arrest and seizure are being termed as one of the biggest recent successes of the Bhojpur Police, which is intensifying its crackdown on organised crime in the region.

Upendra Choudhary, the arrested individual, is the husband of Urmila Devi, the Mukhiya of Belaur Panchayat, a post that underscores the family's significant local influence.

The police have hinted that further legal action may follow, as investigations continue into the extent of criminal involvement and possession of illegal materials.

Belaur village is historically infamous for its association with the late Brahmeshwar Singh Mukhiya, the chief of the upper-caste militia Ranveer Sena, which was active during the 1990s and linked to numerous violent incidents in Bihar’s caste conflict-ridden past.

Authorities are continuing raids across nearby areas in a bid to nab the absconding gangster and dismantle any criminal infrastructure linked to him.

--IANS

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Patna, April 7 (IANS) Bihar Information and Technology Minister Krishna Kumar Mantu inaugurated office spaces for 10 new IT startups and handed them over to young entrepreneurs free of cost at Biscomaun Tower, providing a fresh boost to the startup ecosystem in Bihar.

The spaces, located on the 9th and 13th floors, were handed over to young entrepreneurs in a symbolic key-handover ceremony.

These companies are Hiprotech India Technology Pvt. Ltd., Green Stark Electronics Pvt. Ltd., Flow APIs Pvt. Ltd., Sevacity Technology Pvt. Ltd., Skaas Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Ostomverse Innovation Pvt. Ltd., Momentum Plus Online Technology, Polytropic System Pvt. Ltd., Makasa Industries Pvt. Ltd. and HPF Venture India Pvt. Ltd.

Under the Bihar IT Policy-2024, the government offers a host of incentives to budding entrepreneurs, including Capital Investment Subsidy, Interest Subsidy, Lease Rental Subsidy, Electricity Bill Subsidy and Employment Generation Subsidy.

"Providing employment to Bihar’s youth is our top priority. To achieve this, we must empower and promote startups across the state," Mantu said while addressing the gathering.

The state government is offering startups more than just financial support. Free office space for the first six months - extendable based on performance - is provided to eligible IT startups.

These spaces come fully equipped with cabins and workspaces, air conditioning, high-speed internet connectivity, reception and security services, housekeeping, parking and cafeteria facilities and dedicated elevator access.

This initiative is part of a larger push to turn Bihar into an emerging IT destination. So far, 13 startups have already benefited from this scheme, and the recent addition of 10 more takes the momentum forward.

IT Secretary Abhay Kumar Singh, present at the event along with Special Secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary, emphasised that the government is committed to long-term support.

“These early-stage companies need the right environment to grow, and we are offering just that. Our review-based extension policy ensures that resources are allocated to performing ventures,” he said.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Special Secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary, highlighting the government’s dedication to transforming Bihar into a startup-friendly, tech-enabled economy.

--IANS

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Agartala, April 7 (IANS) A suspected Bangladeshi drone was found inside the Indian territory of southern Tripura on Monday, triggering tension in the border villages, officials said.

Police, quoting the local people, said that farmer Sadhan Mazumdar first spotted the mini drone in a paddy field near the India-Bangladesh border at Ballamukha, under Bilonia subdivision. The drone was found inside the barbed wire fencing and around 600 meters from the zero-line of the border. Villagers immediately informed the local police.

A police official claimed that a few days ago, the villagers saw a drone flying over the area from the direction of Bangladesh, appearing to conduct an aerial survey. The villagers suspect the recovered drone might be the same one, the official said. Both the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Tripura Police have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the drone and the purpose behind its flight in the sensitive border region.

Police official Swapan Sen, who is also part of the investigating team, stated that the drone might have originated from the Bangladesh side of the border. The discovery of the drone has triggered concern and curiosity among locals, who fear possible surveillance or cross-border intrusion activities.

Tripura shares the second-longest international frontier of 856 km with Bangladesh after West Bengal, which shares 2216 km borders with the neighbouring country. Four northeastern states of Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km) share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha earlier this week said that the state government has taken a series of steps to prevent illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, and the BSF as well as the state forces, including the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), are on a strict vigil round-the-clock. The Chief Minister, while addressing the state Assembly session, informed that 742 cases were registered under the Indian Passports Act and the Foreigners Act in three years.

He said that besides joint patrolling by the BSF and the state forces in the unfenced areas along the international border, raids are being conducted on the basis of intelligence reports. District-level Anti-Human Trafficking units were formed to curb human trafficking, he said.

Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that currently, cases are being registered against illegal infiltrators under two laws – the Indian Passports Act and the Foreigners Act. Under these two laws, a total of 112 cases were registered in 2022, 303 cases in 2023, and 327 cases in 2024, he told the House.

--IANS

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Bhubaneswar, April 7 (IANS) Odisha has attracted investment to the tune of over Rs 30,595 crore, with a potential to create around 48,390 jobs in the state on the first day of the two-day visit of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to New Delhi, an official said on Monday.

The strategic two-day visit of the Chief Minister to the national capital is aimed at enhancing the state’s industrial ecosystem and attracting substantial investments across key sectors.

An official said the state secured investment intents from 14 companies, amounting to investments worth Rs 3,000 crore, which has the potential to generate around 21,390 jobs in Odisha.

He said that additionally, the state government also formalised 11 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) valued at Rs 27,595 crore, which is expected to create 27,000 employment opportunities.

He further noted that the total investment generated during the interactions with various industry leaders in New Delhi amounts to Rs30,595 crore, with a potential to create jobs for around 48,390 individuals in Odisha.

“These interactions revealed considerable interest in establishing manufacturing units that would not only bolster local economic development but also create numerous employment opportunities for the youth of Odisha. We look forward to building on these collaborations and continuing to enhance the economic landscape of our state,” he said.

The Chief Minister on Monday visited the HCL Tech Campus in Noida and interacted with Ms. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies. There he explored the innovative initiatives being undertaken at their Mega IT Campus, AI Lab, and IoT Lab.

The visit also included an insightful tour of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, showcasing the intersection of technology and culture.

The official further noted that discussions during this engagement centered around establishing collaborative opportunities within the IT and ITeS sectors.

The Chief Minister emphasised Odisha’s commitment to becoming a hub for technology-driven enterprises.

He expressed optimism about the potential for HCL to expand its footprint in Odisha, reinforcing the state’s efforts to foster innovation and technological advancement.

Following the HCL engagement, the Chief Minister conducted a series of one-on-one meetings with various industry leaders at the Taj Palace in New Delhi.

Leaders from various organisations engaged in fruitful discussions aimed at expanding their operations in Odisha.

On Tuesday, the Odisha government is scheduled to sign an MoU with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) for its dual-feed Naphtha Cracker Project in Odisha.

This transformative project is poised to significantly enhance the state’s petrochemical capabilities and foster comprehensive industrial development.

Alongside the IOCL agreement, Majhi will oversee the signing of additional MoUs with the Indian Strategic Petrochemical Reserves Ltd(ISPRL) and Petronet LNG, among others.

CM Majhi will also hold additional one-on-one meetings with industry leaders on Tuesday, aiming to attract more investments.

--IANS

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New Delhi/Shillong/Agartala, April 7 (IANS) Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday has suggested that the tourism model of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and other South Asian nations should be studied and build a model that further boosts the tourism potential of the region.

Attending the virtual meeting of the High Level Task Force (HLTF) on investment promotion in the northeastern region on Monday, Scindia said, “The region can leverage its rich heritage and natural beauty to drive sustainable development, boost local economies and generate employment.”

The DoNER minister in his post on the X said: “With NER’s growth rate surpassing the national average, sustaining this trajectory is imperative. The High Level Task Force on Investment Promotion will serve as a guiding platform for all 8 NER states, driving efforts toward building a Viksit North East.”

The Ministry of DoNER has earlier constituted the HLTF with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha as its convener, DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Ministers Conrad K. Sangma (Meghalaya), Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), and Prem Singh Tamang (Sikkim) as members.

An official in Shillong said that during the meeting, the framework to unlock northeast India’s tourism potential was discussed.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma remarked that tourists from the rest of India and globally identify the northeast region as “one”, and it is imperative that the states work in close coordination to facilitate tourism.

He lauded the DoNER Minister for taking up the initiative to constitute the task force, which the chief minister termed as a “landmark” intervention to boost tourism in the entire northeastern region.

He said that the NE region has come up with industrial policies and is paving the way for industrial growth.

The HLTF would study the tourism potential of the region, suggest interventions, identify strategic gaps and recommend a roadmap for the comprehensive development of the tourism sector in the region.

Tripura Chief Minister Saha suggested intervention, which has been initiated by the state to promote tourism, including presenting unique NE cuisines.

Chief Minister Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang spoke at length on tourism interventions and the flow of tourists to the state, while suggesting promotion of the region through consistent marketing and branding.

Tamang also recommended collaboration amongst all northeastern states to facilitate tourism.

The HLTF was constituted following the 72nd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in November last year at Agartala, Tripura.

The Task Force has been constituted by the Ministry of DoNER in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism.

As part of the intervention, in each of the eight states, one tourism circuit will be identified. Through this intervention, the government aims to attract both domestic and international tourists to the region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is the chairman of the NEC, chaired the NEC plenary session.

--IANS

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Washington, April 7 (IANS) The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition by Tahawwur Rana to stop his extradition to India to face legal consequences for his role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 157 people.

“Application (…) denied by the Court,” read the Supreme Court docket as updated Monday.

Rana had tried to stop his extradition, citing fears of torture, citing a UK case.

“A man convicted of money laundering was prevented from being extradited by a London court upholding his fears of torture. If that person could not be extradited to India because he was likely to be tortured, the petitioner is even more likely to be tortured and similarly should not be extradited,” Tillman J. Finley, counsel to Rana, said in the application.

The application was rejected by Justice Elena Kagan in March. Rana went on appeal to Chief Justice John Roberts, and the matter was posted for conference on Friday.

The justices’ verdict was posted on Monday.

Rana is wanted in India for helping David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American found guilty by a US jury of scoping out the targets hit by the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba terrorists in 2008.

Although he was acquitted by a US jury of providing material support for the attacks, he was found guilty of two other charges for which he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.

Due to failing health in the aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic, he was ordered to be released from jail. But he was rearrested for extradition to India.

Headley had secured himself a guarantee against extradition in a plea deal with US authorities.

Rana appealed against his extradition and had now exhausted his legal options with his appeal to the chief justice being denied.

President Donald Trump had announced his extradition to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House in February.

Rana had subsequently gone to the Supreme Court to stop his extradition.

It could not be immediately ascertained how soon he will be on a flight to India.

--IANS

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