Saturday, August 16, 2025 | Vol. 68 No. 270 | 33 Pages THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL HAPPY DAHI HANDI INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation NATION SC Collegium can’t dictate the names high courts should recommend for judgeship: CJI Gavai AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, FISHERIES ‘Standing like a wall against any harmful policy’ Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 GAMES Cinema Check out our verdict on OTT releases Lionel Messi’s three-city tour of India in December has got its final seal of approval Edit ASI: The age of biotech and brain-based superintelligence FESTIVAL DHAMAKA | Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifts nation a feel-good reforms package that touches every Indian MESSAGES FROM THE RAMPARTS DOUBLE DIWALI WITH LOWER GST AND TAXES Indus Water Treaty: India has decided that blood and water can’t flow together. Defence: India to launch Mission Sudarshan Chakra to create powerful weapon system to thwart any attempt by enemies to attack us. Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Indicating for the second time there would be no compromise with the US on tariffs in some areas, the Prime Minister declared, “India's farmers, India's cattle rearers, India's fishermen, these are our biggest priorities. Modi is standing like a wall against any harmful policy related to the farmers of India, the fishermen of India and the cattle rearers of India. India will never accept any compromise regarding its farmers, its livestock farmers, its fishermen.” He largely stepped around the issue of imposition of 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs and an additional 25 per cent punitive tariff on India by United States President Donald Trump during the Independence Day speech. He spoke though about how despite “so much instability” India was moving at a “fast pace” towards becoming the “third largest economy”. The assertion is connected to Trump bracketing India and Russia as two “dead economies” and announcing higher tariffs against India for purchasing Russian oil, which he had claimed was funding the Ukraine war. Moreover, only a day earlier US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned of even more “sanctions or secondary tariffs” on India should the talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled on Friday, fail in Alaska. Modi on Friday said, “Today the entire world is confident about India's economy and economic condition. Amidst so much instability, India’s financial discipline, the energy of India's finance, remains a ray of hope.” 4Contd on | nation Op Sindoor: We gave our armed forces a free hand. They decided the what, when and how. Security: All public places will be covered by expanded nationwide security shield by 2035. N-threats: India has decided that it will not tolerate nuclear threats anymore, we won't fall for any blackmail. Farm sector: I will stand like a wall against anyone who tries to force such policies (tariffs) on us. GST: This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you. We are bringing nextgeneration GST reforms. This will reduce the tax burden. Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday assured citizens that this Diwali will bring a “very big gift” in the form of sweeping reforms to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), coupled with substantial tax reductions and enhanced facilities. Addressing the nation from the Red Fort, Modi declared, “This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you. In the last eight years, we have implemented major GST reforms, reduced the overall tax burden, and simplified the tax regime. But after eight years, it is time for a review.” He said a high-powered committee had been set up for the review, followed by detailed discussions with state governments. “We are now coming with the next generation of GST TAX BONANZA GST rate structure simplified into two main slabs: 5% and 18%. A separate 40% rate for luxury and sin goods. MORE CHEERS 28% slab cut to 18%. Around 90% of taxable goods presently under the 28% category will move to the 18% slab. Petroleum goods will still be outside GST regime. Items such as tobacco will attract 40% rate. Overall tax incidence will remain at its current level of 88%. reforms. This will be your Diwali gift — taxes on essential goods needed by the common man will be substantially reduced, and a host of new facil- COMMON MAN’S BASKET Pared from 12% to 5%. Essential goods and daily-use items to be in the 5% bracket. Nearly 99% of items currently taxed at 12% will be shifted to the 5% slab. ities will be introduced,” he said. The Prime Minister emphasised that the changes would particularly benefit Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and small entrepreneurs. “They will receive a huge boost. Everyday items will become cheaper, which in turn will provide fresh momentum to the economy,” he added. Modi also noted that his government’s reform drive extends beyond the economic sphere to improving daily life. “The speed of income tax refunds is the result of reforms. Cashless assessments are the result of reforms. Exempting income up to ₹12 lakh from tax has brought immense relief to middle-class families eager to contribute to nation-building,” he said. Calling the tax exemption unprecedented, Modi remarked, “Never before did anyone imagine that income up to ₹12 lakh could be completely tax-free. We have made this a reality.” 4Contd on | nation 4See also | money, nation Atmanirbhar: A nation's true pride lies in self-reliance, and that is the foundation of Viksit Bharat. Jobs: On this very day, we are launching a scheme worth `1 lakh crore for the youth. Semiconductor: We are working in mission mode in semiconductor sector, made-in-India chips will hit markets by end of this year. Energy: We have decided to make India selfreliant in energy; taking several initiatives in solar, hydrogen, nuclear sectors. Constitution: For the past 75 years, the Constitution of India has been a guiding lighthouse for us. PM’S ‘DEMOGRAPHIC CONSPIRACY’ WARNING Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday used his Independence Day address to sound an alarm over what he described as a “deliberate conspiracy” to alter India’s demographic composition, particularly in border areas, posing grave risks to national security. “Today, I wish to warn the nation of a grave concern and challenge. As part of a deliberate conspiracy, the demography of the country is being altered. Seeds of a new crisis are being sown. These infiltrators are snatching away the livelihoods of our youth. These infiltrators are targeting our sisters and daughters. This will not be tolerated,” he declared. He went on to say, “These infiltrators are misleading innocent tribals and seizing their lands. The nation will not endure this. When demographic change occurs, particularly in border areas, it creates a crisis for national security. It threatens the unity, integrity, and progress of the country. It sows the seeds of social tension. No country can hand itself over to infiltrators. No nation in the world does so—how then can we allow Bharat to do so? “ Announcing the creation of a High-Power Demography Mission, Modi said the initiative would tackle this “looming crisis” in a “deliberate and time-bound manner.” WORDS’ WORTH odi's 103-minute speech featured recurring themes, underscoring his vision for the future. He invoked 'atmanirbharta' more than 20 times. 'Security' too remained a dominant thread. He mentioned 'youth' over 25 times, 'kisan' appeared 27 times, while 'jawan' was invoked repeatedly. He used 'reform' more than 20 times. In 2024, the three most used words were ‘country’, ‘new’ and ‘Bharat’. M Russian oil imports up: 2 mn barrels/day 6-7 planes came down, says Trump PTI WASHINGTON Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, on Thursday criticised the Union government for not restoring statehood to the region, announcing a door-to-door campaign to rally public support for the cause over the next eight weeks. Abdullah’s remarks came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech, in which the PM said the country had united after the nullification of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Concerning Pahalgam, "unfortunate", the CM said, "Will the killers of Pahalgam and their masters in the neighbouring country (Pakistan) decide whether we will be a state?" Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Referring to how Indian Armed Forces successfully repulsed Pakistani missile and drone attacks during Operation Sindoor through use of indigenous weapon systems, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that India will now create an all-encompassing “security shield” within the next 10 years under the Sudarshan Chakra Mission. Emphasising its priority he said, “we want to take it forward with great intensity in the coming 10 years. “ Prime Minister Modi said the mission takes its inspiration from Lord Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra and the indigenous security platform, Sudarshan Chakra Mission, will provide a comprehensive security shield to all “strategic as well as civilian areas, like hospitals, railways and centres of faith”. He said, “Many of you might remember that when the battle of Mahabharat was going on, Shri Krishna had Agencies It’s up from July, and purchases will continue unless sanctions are imposed. It’s business as usual ‘Will not budge on Indus waters’ Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated during the 79th Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort that Operation Sindoor was India's “expression of outrage” after Pahalgam killings and that the country would “no longer tolerate nuclear threats”. He said India would give a “fitting and crushing response” to any misadventure. He also asserted that India has understood how “unjust and one sided the Indus Water Treaty was” and that “blood and water will not flow together”. On the Indus Water Treaty, which India suspended post the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Modi justified its suspension saying “this was an agreement that has caused unimaginable loss to our farmers M Saleem Pandit Any impact from tariffs, payment issues, or shipping challenges would likely show from late September or October, he said. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney said there had been no government directive to alter Russian oil purchases following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India. “Neither we are being told to buy nor told not to buy,” he said. Russian crude made up about 22 per cent of IOC’s processed oil in April-June, with volumes expected to remain steady. 4Contd on | nation Delhi’s response to Islamabad’s aggression after Operation Sindoor. The operation saw the Indian Armed Forces carry out precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. Earlier this month, Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh claimed that India had downed six Pakistani planes, but without elaborating what planes they were. 4See also | world 4Contd on | nation for the past seven decades – now the water that rightfully belongs to Bharat will be reserved solely or it and its farmers. The agreement is unacceptable to us in the interest of our farmers, and in the interest of the nation.” Modi’s assertion follows threats emanating from Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as also its former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in recent days.   Modi said the Army was given “complete freedom” for Operation Sindoor and it “accomplished something that had not happened in decades - penetrating hundreds of kilometres into enemy territory, they reduced terrorist headquarters to dust and turned terrorist headquarters into ruins.” 4Contd on | nation OMAR: WHAT ABOUT STATEHOOD FOR J&K? NEW DELHI India’s imports of Russian crude oil rose to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, accounting for 38 per cent of the country’s total crude imports in the first half of the month, according to data from global analytics firm Kpler. This is an increase from 1.6 million bpd in July. The rise came alongside a drop in imports from Iraq, which fell to 730,000 bpd from 907,000 bpd, and from Saudi Arabia, which declined to 526,000 bpd from 700,000 bpd. The United States was the fifth-largest supplier at 264,000 bpd. Kpler’s Lead Research Analyst, Sumit Ritolia, said the stability in Russian flows was due to August cargoes being booked in June and early July, before recent policy changes. blocked the sunlight with his Sudarshan Chakra and made it dark during the day. Sunlight was blocked with Sudarshan Chakra and Arjuna was able to fulfill the oath he had taken to kill Jayadratha. This is the result of the might and strategy of Sudarshan Chakra.” Noting that “the methods of warfare are changing all over the world today”, the PM said India needs to be “capable of handling every new method of warfare.” He said Operation Sindoor had demonstrated its expertise in technology which helped it repulse Pakistani missile and drone attacks. But now, he said, “we need to further expand the expertise that we have gained” and “in the coming 10 years, by 2035, all the important places of the nation, which include strategic as well as civilian areas, like hospitals, railways, any centre of faith, will be given complete security cover through new platforms of technology.” The Sudarshan Chakra Shield is to be an indigenous, “powerful weapon system that will not only neutralise the enemy’s attack but will also hit back at the enemy many times more.” It would “calculate possibilities of the future in terms of warfare and work out the strategy of Plus One.” SRINAGAR US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) once again asserted that he played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, claiming that “6-7 planes” were brought down in the conflict, without specifying which side suffered the losses. The number is up from the figure five he mentioned the last time. “I have solved six wars in the last six months. I am very proud of that,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “If you look at Pakistan and India, planes were being knocked out of the air, six or seven planes came down. They were ready to go nuclear, we solved that.” Trump has repeatedly credited himself with halting hostilities between the two neighbours following New ‘National security shield’ in 10 years Will the killers of Pahalgam and their masters in the neighbouring country (Pakistan) decide whether we will be a state? Omar Abdullah Chief Minister of the Union Territory of J&K "Every time we are close to statehood, they will do something to sabotage it. Is this fair? Why are we being punished for a crime in which we had no role?" “I, along with my colleagues, will visit every Legislative Assembly segment and gather public signatures and thumb impressions in support of restoring statehood,” Abdullah said, adding that the Supreme Court had given eight weeks for this effort. He said the campaign would include those unable to sign as well. Reflecting on the past, Abdullah noted it had been over six years since he addressed people in such a capacity. “Back then, I was the Chief Minister of a state with its own identity, constitution, flag, and statehood. Today, all of that is gone,” he said. While acknowledging that Jammu and Kashmir now had an elected government, Abdullah expressed disappointment over the absence of a significant announcement for the region on August 15, despite being told that paperwork for restoring statehood was underway. 4Contd on | nation