FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 250 | INDORE | MONDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2026 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Nation RJD asks Nitish govt to issue white paper P.7 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN WORLD PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit B’desh turns a page, carefully P.6 Open to compromises: Iran on N-deal with US Brand Sutra Where Dreams Begin P.12 WE-ARE-READY MOMENT | PM Modi says this year’s Budget shuns populism, banks on capex to spur jobs and growth besides driving the Reform Express HOLY NIGHT, ‘Political stability powers HOSTILE CRICKET India’s trade deal success’ FP News Service NEW DELHI Calling productive spending a hallmark of his government, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said this year’s Budget deliberately avoids short-term populism and instead channels record capital outlays into infrastructure to drive jobs and sustainable growth. Modi said his government has used its years in office to plug “structural gaps left behind by earlier administrations,” pursue bold reforms and lay the foundations for a developed India. “This Budget represents the next level in this journey, imparting momentum to our ‘Reform Express’. It is designed to accelerate growth and prepare our youth for the opportunities of a rapidly changing world,” he said in a written interview to PTI. Taking a swipe at previous governments, Modi said the Congress-led UPA’s “economic State Budget session from today Broken and outdated infrastructure has no place in a nation that aspires to create a Viksit Bharat None of our budgets has been made with an attitude of creating a run-of-the-mill ‘bahi khata’ documents. Because that is not our approach mismanagement” left India unable to negotiate from a position of confidence and prevented trade talks from reaching meaningful conclusions. He said India’s agreements with Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the EU and the US have opened export opportunities for MSMEs — particularly in labour-intensive sectors — through near-zero tariffs or rates significantly lower than those faced by competing Our Staff Reporter PTI UNITED NATIONS The state assembly’s budget session will start on Monday, with the address of Governor Mangubhai Patel. The budget of more than Rs 4 lakh crore will be tabled on February 18. The Congress is armed with multiple big issues to corner the government, the biggest being the death of several people due to the use of contaminated drinking water in Indore. However, the government is prepared to repel the Opposition attack on the floor of the House and has asked ministers to remain present during the debate. In the meantime, Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar visited the assembly on Sunday and took stock of the arrangements. The session will conclude on March 6. India is a "very successful" emerging economy with a bigger influence in global affairs, and is the "right place" to host the AI summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said. In an exclusive interview with PTI at the UN Headquarters ahead of the India?"AI Impact Summit 2026, Guterres underscored that Artificial Intelligence should benefit the entire world and not just be a privilege reserved for developed nations or two superpowers. "I strongly congratulate India for organising this Summit. It's absolutely essential that AI develops itself to the benefit of everybody, everywhere and that coun- Mule account network busted Security agencies have busted an ever-growing ecosystem of "mule accounts" in J&K that serves as the financial backbone of global scam networks. More than 8,000 mule accounts have been frozen. 4Continued on | P8 ‘India very successful emerging economy’ BHOPAL NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR exporters. “These trade agreements may have materialised recently, but they are the result of a more competitive domestic industry, a confident approach and an open outlook — qualities that are rare in today’s world. Before we speak of India’s successful trade agreements in recent years, it is important to recall where we stood just over a decade ago,” the PM said. tries in the Global South are part of the benefits of AI," he said. The high-powered event being held from February 16 to 20 will be the first-ever AI summit hosted in the Global South and is anchored in the three guiding principles of 'People, Planet and Progress'. Guterres, who will be travelling to India to attend the Summit, asserted "it would be totally unacceptable that AI would be just a privilege of the most developed countries or a division only between two superpowers", an apparent reference to the US and China. "It is absolutely essential that AI becomes a universal instrument for the benefit of humankind," Guterres said. 4Continued on | P8 This is not a 'now or never' moment born out of compulsion. It is a 'we are ready' moment born out of preparation and inspiration. This Budget reflects this yearning to become a developed nation MSMEs must move beyond being peripheral suppliers. They must become technologically upgraded, globally integrated and export-oriented enterprises that form the backbone of India's participation in global value chains These FTAs are tools to ensure that our youth are not just suppliers to the domestic market, but active participants in global trade and growth A country that imported almost all its mobile phones a decade ago is today the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with exports forming a significant share of production Policy can only create the enabling framework. The next phase of transformation requires a decisive response from the private sector As productivity rises, the gains must be shared fairly between workers, shareholders and owner-managers. Sustainable growth requires social legitimacy Satellite images indicate that China is rapidly expanding its nuclear infrastructure in the lush valleys of the country’s southwest. One location, Zitong in Sichuan Province, has seen the construction of new bunkers and defensive embankments. A recently built complex packed with piping suggests the handling of dangerous materials, according to a report by The New York On the sacred occasion of Mahashivratri, Ishan Kishan turned the Premadasa into his personal batting paradise, smashing a sensational 77 off 40 balls to power India to 175/7 against Pakistan. His brutal masterclass left the bowlers clueless on a tricky pitch. Birla to attend Tarique oath FP Special BANGLADESH MANDATE DHAKA The chant that echoed across parts of Dhaka University was a song — “Razakar, Al-Badar kichhui robey na re… shobai bheshe jaabe Bongoposagar-e” (Razakars and Al Badr, none will remain… they all will be flushed into the Bay of Bengal) — and on this humid evening it felt less like a threat than a release. The words, drawn from the bitter lexicon of 1971, carried across the campus lawns as students danced, waving red-andgreen flags and filming themselves on their phones. For PM-elect Tarique Rahman them, it was symbolic of the mood — relief that Islamists and extremists had not managed to win the elections. Ruma Zohra, 21, her hair uncovered and face streaked with glitter from an impromptu celebration, said she had rushed from her dormitory when the early results became clear. 4Continued on | P8 Har Har Mahadev Times on Sunday. In another nearby valley lies a heavily secured, doublefenced site known as Pingtong, where analysts believe plutonium cores for nuclear warheads are being produced. The facility’s main structure, distinguished by a 360-foot ventilation tower, has been upgraded in recent years with improved vents and heat-dispersion systems, and further construction is underway adjacent to it. These facilities are part of a broader network of secretive nuclear-re- lated sites across Sichuan Province that have undergone expansion and modernization. China’s growing capabilities add complexity to efforts to revive global arms-control pacts fol- lowing the expiration of the last remaining nuclear treaty between the US and Russia. Washington maintains any future agreement should include China, but Beijing has shown little willingness to participate. Geospatial intelligence specialist Renny Babiarz told NYT the observable changes reflect China’s broader ambition to strengthen its status as a global power, with nuclear weapons playing a central role. 4Continued on | P8 Siddharth Prabhakar CHENNAI 4Continued on | P8 PTI NEW YORK On the last day of the 10-day 'Shiv-Navratri Festival' at Mahakaleshwar Temple, the presiding deity was anointed with panchamrit during bhasmaarti in the wee hours of Saturday. About 5 lakh devotees had darshan of Baba Mahakal till evening in Ujjain FP Photos Tax hike may light up bootleg tobacco 4Continued on | P8 NEW DELHI Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold talks with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin in Bengaluru on Tuesday, with some key outcomes expected from the dialogue to boost defence cooperation. A defence cooperation agreement is expected to be renewed for another 10 years, with an MoU on joint venture for “manufacturing of Hammer missiles” likely to be signed at the meeting in the presence of both the ministers, the defence ministry said on Sunday. (Detail Report on Sports Page) 61 Runs India’s margin of victory in Colombo, their biggest by runs against Pakistan in men's T20Is. Their previous three wins while batting first were by margins of 11, 6 and 5 runs respectively. A 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student who went missing in the US less than a week ago has been found dead, the Indian mission here has said. Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, hailing from Karnataka, had been missing since Monday. In an X post on Saturday (local time), the Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed the recovery of his body. ok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s next PM, Tarique Rahman, in Dhaka on February 17. It is learnt that Bangladesh had invited PM Narendra Modi to the ceremony. “The Speaker’s participation at this important event underscores the deep and enduring friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh, reaffirming India's steadfast commitment to the democratic values that bind our two nations,” the MEA said in a statement. Indian student found dead days after going missing in US Agencies In response, the Bumrahled pace battery produced fireworks, reducing Pakistan to a shambolic 13/3. Pakistan never recovered, folding for a mere 114. India’s massive 61-run win seals their Super Eight spot, extending their unbeaten World Cup record against Pakistan to 8-1. The Union government’s plan to tax smokers by making cigarettes costlier by Rs 2-5 per stick with an additional excise levy of 40% is likely to boost the smuggling of misbranded and E XC L U S I V E foreign cancer sticks from southeast Asian countries, a trend already on the rise in the last five years. (Cigarettes seized by DRI) Senior officials in the Cen2024-25 9.4 cr tral Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said that 2023-24 9.1 cr the February 1 hike in taxes 2022-23 6.79 cr for cigarettes, which already constitute around 70-75% of 2021-22 7.25 cr retail prices, makes evasion and hence the black market 2020-21 6.03 cr an extremely lucrative trade 2019-20 5.14 cr for organized syndicates operating it. n Mode of smuggling: This not only negates the Via air (13.45%), land government’s intention to (44.91%), sea (41.6%) dent smoking as a habit, but n Cigarettes hidden in also causes losses in several plastic storage boxes, thousand crores in legal tax table top fireplace, revenue, officials said. bathroom and sanitary Latest official data of the fittings, printing ink Directorate of Revenue Intelboxes ligence (DRI) shows that their seizures of smuggled cigarettes went up by 82% from 5.14 crore sticks in 2019-20 to 9.4 crore sticks in 2024-25. In Australia, a pack of These are only a fraction of cigarettes costs on averthe total all-India seizures, as age about 55 Australian sister agency Customs and dollars (almost $40). A other enforcers like Assam series of tax hikes — eight Rifles have also foiled multiple in 10 years — was introsmuggling bids through the duced to cut smoking, land, sea, and air borders. which has steadily fallen. An accepted thumb rule in But the high prices have CBIC is that only 10% of the given rise to a multibilsmuggled goods are stopped, lion-dollar black market, which is an indication of the that accounts for as much size of the growing illicit as half of all tobacco sales trade. L Sufia Chowdhury Sat images spot China’s secret N-growth FP News Service PTI COLOMBO EXTREMISM BURIED, CHEERS FOR ‘SPACE’ India-France talks to focus on Hammer missiles 4Continued on | P8 MUMBAI Blue Brigade Roars Team India celebrates their victory over arch-rival Pakistan during their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match in Colombo on Sunday ANI FP Black market Illicit Smoke Down Under in the country, The New York Times reported on Sunday. Docs formed terror group ‘Ansar Interim’ for J&K, hinterland attacks PTI NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR The 'white-collar' terror module recently busted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police indicates that the doctors arrested in the case had been radicalised since 2016 and formed a new terror organisation named "Ansar Interim" to carry out subversive activities in the Union Territory as well as in the hinterland, officials said on Sunday. 'WHITE-COLLAR' TERROR PROBE The case, which is now being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), also brings to light that Dr Umer-un Nabi -- the man behind the wheel of the explosive-laden car that exploded outside the Red Fort on November 10, killing over a dozen people -- had unsuccessfully attempted to join terror groups in 2016 and 2018, they said. Piecing together evidence gathered so far, officials said the accused doctors - Muzamil Gannie, Umer-un Nabi (now dead), and Adeel Rather, along with his brother Muzzafar Rather (absconding), as well as Maulvi Irfan, Qari Aamir, and Tufail Gazi met at Eidgah in downtown Srinagar in April 2022. 4Continued on | P8