The Indian Armed Forces have once again highlighted their success in the retaliation against Pakistan. In a joint press briefing on Monday afternoon, the Indian Air Force, Navy, and Army shared further details of the damage inflicted on Pakistan’s security establishments. They also emphasised the robustness of Indian defence systems which neutralised Pakistan’s attacks.
PM Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting at his residence. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. It was held ahead of the scheduled talks between the military operations chiefs of India and Pakistan.
Big Relief For Air Travellers
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has announced that civilian flight operations will resume at 32 airports that were temporarily shut last week. The airports, across northern and western India, included Srinagar and Amritsar. These closures were implemented in view of the military standoff between India and Pakistan.
Indian Equities Soar
It was a magnificent Monday for Indian equities. The Sensex rallied by 3,000 points, inching closer to 82,500. The Nifty also gained nearly 1,000 points, ending the day just below 25,000. The surge was driven by two major triggers – the India-Pakistan ceasefire and the US-China trade deal.
United States-China Trade Deal
The United States and China have agreed to suspend parts of their tariffs on each other’s goods for a 90-day period. As per the agreement, both countries will reduce their “reciprocal” tariffs from 125% to 10%. However, the 20% duties that the US has imposed on Chinese imports related to fentanyl will remain in place. This means total tariffs on China stand at 30%, while those on the US drop to 10%.
Kohli Retires From Test Cricket
Indian cricket star Virat Kohli on Monday announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 36-year-old Kohli represented India in 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs with 30 centuries. Announcing his decision, Kohli said, and I quote: “I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude – for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way.”