4 Key Takeaways From India's Dominating Win Over Pakistan In Asia Cup

At the end, it was worth the wait for Indian cricket team fans. A one-day match that spilled over to two days, due to rain in Colombo, provided the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team an opportunity to test their mettle against world No. 2 ODI side Pakistan. And, they ticked the all right boxes. The India vs Pakistan Super 4 clash has always been billed as the ‘Big One’. The special status of the India vs Pakistan match can be gauged from the fact that it was the only Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match that was given a reserve day. Although controversial, the move helped the fans see a full India vs Pakistan ODI game over two days.

Indian cricket team set Pakistan a massive 357-run target. The Babar Azam-led team could only notch 128 runs.

India had some major takeaways from the match:

Firstly, after the India vs Pakistan match, KL Rahul‘s position as the No. 4 batter can be safely said to be safe. Playing an international game after a long gap, Rahul stepped up with the team under pressure. He scored a brilliant century and was involved in a record stand with Virat Kohli. he also kept the wickets. With this innings Rahul has shut up his detractors.

Secondly, Kuldeep Yadav‘s form. India needs a bowler who can provide them the breakthroughs in  the middle overs. The Chinaman bowler proved that he is the answer to the problem by spinning a web around the Pakistan batters. He finished with a five-wicket haul on a pitch where pacers looked to have the upper-hand initially.

Thirdly, the form of the Indian top-order batters. Sachin Tendulkar summed up this point beautifuuly in a post in X on Monday. “Congratulations to Virat and KL for their 100s. One big positive sign for #TeamIndia is that all our top 6 batters – Rohit, Shubman, Virat, KL, Ishan and Hardik have scored runs at various stages in the 2 matches. Well played! Keep it up,” he wrote. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill to hitting classy half-centuries on Sunday, Indian top-order will feel more confident going forward.

Fourthly,and most importantly, the form of Virat Kohli. The master batter slammed his 47th ODI century and absolutely lorded over the Pakistan bowlers. He stayed unbeaten on 122* off 94 balls. If India are to do well in the Asia Cup and then the Cricket World Cup, Kohli’s form will be crucial. He is a big match player and he proved that once again.

India still need to do well in its remaining matches of the Asia Cup. But the signs are positive.

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West Bengal CM Mamata on 11-day tour of Spain, Dubai from Tuesday

“I am going (abroad) after five years. We did not get the necessary permission in the last five years. There are several invitations… I do not want to go to far-off places so that I can return quickly in case of any emergency,” she said.

Published Date – 11:02 PM, Mon – 11 September 23


West Bengal CM Mamata on 11-day tour of Spain, Dubai from Tuesday



Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she will attend business summits and hold meetings with several businessmen during her 11-day tour of Spain and Dubai to attract investments to the state.

Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee said she will leave for Dubai on Tuesday morning, where she will spend the night due to the unavailability of connecting flights, before flying to Spain’s capital Madrid the next day.

“We will stay in Madrid for three days, during which we will attend a business summit and meet non-resident Bengalis. From there, we will take a train to Barcelona, where we will participate in a two-day meeting for the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS),” she said.

She said this will be her first foreign tour in five years as the Centre “had not given her necessary permission earlier”.

“I am going (abroad) after five years. We did not get the necessary permission in the last five years. There are several invitations… I do not want to go to far-off places so that I can return quickly in case of any emergency,” she said.

Banerjee will be accompanied by Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi and senior office-bearers of renowned Kolkata football clubs Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting.

She said former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly will join her team in Madrid.

“Spain was the theme country of this year’s International Kolkata Book Fair, and it also participated in our film festivals. They are good in (apparel) manufacturing. We hope they will participate in this year’s BGBS,” she said.

Banerjee said she and her team will return to Dubai, where one meeting on BGBS and some other meetings are scheduled.

“We will stay in Dubai for one-and-half days before returning to Kolkata on September 23,” she said.

On whether she will meet any office-bearer of any football club during her stay in Barcelona, which is known to be the home of several world-famous football clubs, Banerjee said, “Let there be some surprises. When I am going there, I want to do something for Bengal.” Sources in the state government said Banerjee may meet La Liga president Javier Tebas during her stay in Barcelona.

Banerjee urged the people of the state to take proper measures to diffuse any attempts to disrupt law and order during her absence and said that she has held meetings with senior officials and given necessary instructions to them.

Clashes, arson mar Chile march to commemorate Pinochet victims

Chileans have clashed with police and committed acts of arson in the capital Santiago during a Sunday march to commemorate the victims of Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship, 50 years after the coup d’etat that brought him to power.

Civilians and police skirmished outside the presidential palace, La Moneda, where then-president Salvador Allende was overthrown on September 11, 1973, and at the cemetery that houses a memorial to the victims of Pinochet’s brutal regime.

Police used tear gas and water cannon in confrontations that left three officers injured, according to the government. Three people were arrested.

President Gabriel Boric, who had briefly joined the procession of some 5,000 people, according to official estimates, condemned the lawlessness after demonstrators broke through security barriers at La Moneda and damaged the building’s façade.

“As President of the Republic, I categorically condemn these events without any nuance,” he wrote on X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, adding, “The irrationality of attacking what Allende and so many other Democrats fought for is vile.”

Half-a-century after the coup, Chile remains divided among those who defend the dictatorship and those who repudiate it.

Boric on Sunday became the first president to take part in the annual commemoration since the end of the dictatorship in 1990.

There were also clashes with police at other points during the march, with some marchers hurling Molotov cocktails and setting up burning barricades.

Inside the cemetery, some mausoleums were damaged, including the tomb of a right-wing senator killed in 1991.

“Those responsible for this violence are adversaries of the government,” said Manuel Monsalve, deputy interior secretary.

The bulk of the participants, bearing Chilean flags and chanting slogans such as “Truth and justice now!” or “Allende lives,” marched peacefully.

“September 11 is a date that fills us with memories, but also gives us some anguish, because instead of advancing we have regressed,” 76-year-old Patricia Garzon, a former political prisoner, told AFP along the route.

“With this march, we remember that 1973 broke democracy in Chile, and now we continue fighting to maintain and strengthen it,” said Luis Pontigo, 72, a retired teacher.

More than 3,200 people were killed or “disappeared” — abducted and presumed killed — by Pinochet’s security forces, and about 38,000 were tortured. 

The general died of a heart attack on December 10, 2006, aged 91, without ever setting foot in a court.

Fifty years later, Chile is still trying to find its post-coup identity and shape a new political system.

In May, the far-right Republican Party led by conservative lawyer Jose Antonio Kast — a Pinochet apologist — won 23 of 51 seats on the council that will write a new constitution to replace the one dating from the dictatorship era.

In the morning, Boric inaugurated an exhibition dedicated to Allende’s memory at La Moneda, in the presence of the deceased Marxist leader’s family members.

(Source: AFP)

Pakistan vs India: Asia Cup 2023 Live Cricket Score, Live Score Of Today's Match on NDTV Sports

A dedicated team of experts bring you live score, live cricket score, live match update on Sports.NDTV.com. After 32.0 overs, Pakistan, chasing a target of 357, are 128. The live updates of Pakistan vs India scorecard is also available. It is the perfect platform to follow your favourite teams in Asia Cup 2023. Keep a track on your favourite batsmen and bowlers through Asia Cup 2023 today match, ball by ball commentary, Pakistan vs India, Pakistan vs India live score, Pakistan vs India scorecard. Follow the excitement of the Asia Cup 2023 on Sports.NDTV.com as you can follow live match updates and live cricket score through our platform.

Right then, Round 2 of the Pakistan-India rivalry in the 2023 Asia Cup is done and it is India who get crucial two points on the board in the Super Four stage. India though have a tough task ahead as in about half a day’s time they have to do it all again as they go up against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, the 12th of September in Match number of the Super Four stage at the very same venue. With both teams on two points, a win could almost guarantee in the final. That match will begin at 3 pm IST (9.30 am GMT) given there’s no rain but our build-up, as usual, will begin much sooner. Do join us then and till then, take care and goodbye!

Virat Kohli is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his brilliant ton. Kohli says that he always prepares his game to help his team and credits KL Rahul for getting a good start. He mentions that his job was the rotate the strike and once he completed his half-century he started taking on the bowlers. His target was the keep the partnership going. He talks about that cheeky shot where he opened the face of his bat and says that he doesn’t play that shot often and that he is a conventional player along with KL Rahul who bats the same way. He mentions that it is a memorable partnership for him and credits KL Rahul for coming back from an injury. He says that matches on back-to-back days is a different challenge and that he is ready for the next match and adds that he will take care of his recovery. He also thanks the groundsmen for their unwavering effort for the match to happen smoothly.

The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma says that they wanted to get some game time which is very important for an ODI. He credits the groundsmen for their effort and thanks them for doing a terrific job. He adds that it is not easy to manage the ground. He mentions that it was a fantastic batting performance and they knew that the wicket was good but the interruptions were a hindrance. He adds that it was a terrific effort from the two centurions. He credits Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah for bowling brilliant spells and appreciates Bumrah for coming back strongly after a long injury. He says that it was an all-round performance and applauds KL Rahul for coming into the team at the last minute and playing a fantastic innings and credits his mindset.

The Presentation ceremony…

Babar Azam, the skipper of Pakistan says that his team were not up to the mark. He adds that he was surprised that the batters attacked their bowlers from the start and credits KL Rahul and Virat Kohli for finishing well. He mentions that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled very well in the first Powerplay and ends by saying that they failed to build strong partnerships.

The man of the moment, Kuldeep Yadav is down for a chat. Kuldeep says that he is very happy for his fifer and owes it to his practice and his consistency. He adds that he has got 4 wickets before on numerous occasions but bowling on a good length helped him achieve this milestone. He mentions that he plans when he is playing against a top side and focuses on his variation. He anticipated that the batters would try to play his across the line so he bowled according to that.

The top-ranked ODI side in the world has had an outing to forget and have crumbled under pressure here but these things are bound to happen every now and then. Pakistan just didn’t get the start with the ball like in the previous game between these two sides and even when they looked to have made a comeback, the rain came. When play finally resumed on the reserve day, they found themselves without the services of the in-form Haris Rauf who picked up a niggle and were forced to use the part-timers in his absence. But even their frontline bowlers couldn’t make a mark and it was a daunting task ahead for the batters. The opening pair of Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman hardly managed to get bat onto ball with the former getting out early. Babar Azam was then dismissed by a gem of a delivery by and so was Mohammad Rizwan. After that, the innings never got back on track and it just kept on going downhill. Agha Salman and Iftikhar Ahmed did manage to get into the 20s but had no answer to the spin of Kuldeep Yadav and ended up losing the game by 228 runs.

India had the platform laid down for them by the two openers when the game started on Sunday and it was all about starting strongly on the reserve day. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were on the top of their game from the get go and took India to a mammoth total thanks to their twin centuries. With the ball, under the floodlights, Jasprit Bumrah found his rhythm and bowled like he has been playing throughout the year. Bumrah got the ball to talk and got the early wicket and Mohammed Siraj too troubled the batters but once Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur came on to bowl, they got quick wickets that put India in the driving seat. Kuldeep Yadav then came on and weaved his magic as he ripped through the Pakistani middle order ending up with five out of the 8 wickets that fell, paving the way for India’s biggest ever victory over Pakistan in terms of runs.

Just under 32 hours before the first ball was bowled, this highly-anticipated contest has reached a conclusion and it is India who have cruised to the win. Haris Rauf was injured before play began on the reserve day and Naseem Shah too picked up a late niggle in the first innings and that means Pakistan will finish with 128/8. All the excitement leading up to the contest, all the rain delays and the use of the reserve day but in the end, this has turned out to be a one-sided affair between these two colossal giants of ODI cricket.

31.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! TIMBER! A FIFER FOR Kuldeep Yadav! He bowled this one a little short and on top of middle and leg. Faheem Ashraf shuffles away trying to cut it but gets an inside edge sending the ball crashing into the middle stump. India has clinched a massive victory over their arch-rivals as Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah will not come out to bat. Kuldeep Yadav will be a happy man with his five-wicket haul.

31.5 overs (0 Run) Floated up and on the pads. Faheem Ashraf misses the shot and the ball hits his pads. There is a loud appeal but the umpire turns it down.

31.4 overs (0 Run) Tossed up and on middle. Faheem Ashraf defends it solidly.

31.3 overs (1 Run) Short and on off. Shaheen Afridi slaps it to long off for a single.

31.2 overs (6 Runs) SIX! WHAT A SHOT! Flighted up and on middle and off. Shaheen Afridi swings hard and sends the ball beyond the long on fence for a maximum. PAK vs IND: Super Four - Match 3: It's a SIX! Shaheen Afridi hits Kuldeep Yadav. PAK 127/7 (31.2 Ov). Target: 357; RRR: 12.32

31.1 overs (0 Run) Full and outside off. Shaheen Afridi misses on the reverse sweep.

30.6 overs (0 Run) Banged in short again on the pads. Faheem Ashraf couldn’t connect on the shot as the ball hits his pads.

30.5 overs (0 Run) Short and outside off. Faheem Ashraf swings and misses as the keeper collects it.

30.4 overs (0 Run) Full again from around the wicket and onto off. Faheem Ashraf slices it to point.

30.3 overs (0 Run) Fuller and outside off. Faheem Ashraf drives it to the fielder at cover.

30.2 overs (2 Runs) Short and on the thigh pads. Faheem Ashraf nudges it to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

30.1 overs (0 Run) Full and on the off pole. Faheem Ashraf drives it to mid off.

Match Reports

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Nifty Hits All-Time High, Crosses 20,000 Points

Nifty closed at a record 19,996.35 on Monday. (File)

Mumbai:

Benchmark Sensex jumped by 528 points to regain the 67,000 level while Nifty scaled the record 20,000 mark for the first time as robust buying by domestic investors helped equity markets extend the winning run to the seventh straight session on Monday.

The successful G20 summit and buying in index majors Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank also added to the winning momentum in equities.

The 30-share BSE Sensex regained the 67,000 level. The benchmark jumped 528.17 points or 0.79 per cent to settle at 67,127.08. During the day, it rallied 573.22 points or 0.86 per cent to 67,172.13.

The Nifty hit its all-time high of 20,008.15, a gain of 188.2 points or 0.94 per cent, in day trading. The 50-issue barometer closed just below the 20,000 mark at 19,996.35, reflecting gains of 176.40 points or 0.89 per cent.

“Nifty has finally managed to touch the much-anticipated 20,000 mark in the second attempt post-July 2023. Robust flows from local investors amidst mixed/negative flows from foreigners have helped Nifty achieve this landmark.

“Successful achievements recently in space and foreign diplomacy by India has boosted sentiments for Indian stocks generally in an era when the global situation is still shaky,” said Dhiraj Relli, MD & CEO, HDFC Securities Ltd.

Among the Sensex firms, Axis Bank, Power Grid, Maruti, State Bank of India, Tata Motors, ITC, Nestle and Mahindra & Mahindra were the major gainers.

Bajaj Finance and Larsen & Toubro were the laggards.

“The domestic markets began the day on a positive note, bolstered by the historic consensus achieved at the G20 summit, which instilled confidence among investors. Higher-than-expected loan growth data and strong profitability along with lower NPA in PSU banks attracted investor interest.

“Additionally, expectations of easing inflation, driven by a decline in vegetable prices, fueled optimistic sentiment, leading to a market rally,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

India on Saturday pulled off a big diplomatic win after the G20 summit adopted a consensus declaration overcoming major differences on the Russia-Ukraine war, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for ending “global trust deficit”.

PM Modi also announced that African Union was admitted as G20’s permanent member.

In Asian markets, Seoul and Shanghai ended with gains while Tokyo and Hong Kong settled lower.

European markets were trading in the green. The US markets ended in positive territory on Friday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.23 per cent to USD 90.35 a barrel.

The BSE benchmark had jumped 333.35 points or 0.50 per cent to finish at 66,598.91 on Friday. The broader Nifty advanced 92.90 points or 0.47 per cent to settle at 19,819.95.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 224.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Albert Einstein's Rare Manuscript Explaining His Theories Set For Auction

Albert Einstein's Rare Manuscript Explaining His Theories Set For Auction

Einstein had been commissioned to explain the development of his two most famous theories (File)

New Delhi:

A rare autographed manuscript by renowned physicist Albert Einstein explaining the development of his famous contributions to science — theories of special relativity (1905) and general relativity (1915) — is set to go under the hammer at Christie’s ’20th/21st Century Art Evening Sale’ on September 23.

The auction, expected to fetch around $980,000-1,400,000 (Rs 8.13-11.61 crore), will be held at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai.

The manuscript, first published in a special supplement to the New York Times on 3 February 1929, is written in German. Einstein had been commissioned to explain the development of his two most famous contributions to science: the theories of special relativity (1905) and general relativity (1915).

“We are delighted to bring this important manuscript by the renowned scientist Albert Einstein to our Shanghai saleroom for the very first time. Given Einstein’s historical links with Shanghai, alongside the significant interest from Chinese collectors in scientific artifacts, our Shanghai saleroom is a fitting context in which to present this unique manuscript.

“We look forward to exciting global collectors and science enthusiasts with this remarkable piece of history, inextricably connected with Einstein’s groundbreaking contributions,” said Georgina Hilton, head of Classic Art, Christie’s Asia Pacific in a statement.

The 14-page manuscript holds tremendous significance as it recounts the history behind the discovery of relativity, explains its working, and looks to the possibility of completing the cycle of relativity in a ‘unified field theory’.

It includes two equations and a diagram illustrating the structure of the spacetime continuum, along with two pages of scientific formulae.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rajkot International Airport Commence Flight Operations

Rajkot International Airport Commence Flight Operations

Flights operations at the Rajkot International Airport in Gujarat commenced on Sunday.

Mumbai:

Flights operations at the Rajkot International Airport in Gujarat commenced on Sunday with the arrival of the first flight from Indore, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has said.

The airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 this year.

The facility has been designed to handle 500 passengers during peak hours, with a plan to scale it up to 2,800 passengers during peak hours with annual passenger handling capacity pegged at 35 lakh passengers, the AAI said in a statement.

The state’s second international airport at Rajkot, connecting the western part of Gujarat, will provide direct connectivity for international travellers visiting the city and nearby areas of Saurashtra. The facility will boost trade, tourism, education and heavy and small-scale industries of the region, it stated.

Moreover, its 3,040-meter-long runway is equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) for the facilitation of 24 X 7 operations, it said and added that the airport is suitable for parking 14 aircraft to cater to more flights.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

"Even My Corpse Will Not Go To BJP": Siddaramaiah

'Even My Corpse Will Not Go To BJP': Siddaramaiah

My political life itself is for secularism, said Siddaramaiah. (FILE)

Mysuru (KTK):

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said even his “corpse” will not go to the BJP, as he outrightly rejected claims that he had made such an attempt in the past.

Noting that throughout his political life he has fought communal forces, the Chief Minister said, he might have met BJP leaders, but that doesn’t mean that he has sacrificed his ideologies.

“Is it possible for anyone to imagine it? My political life itself is for secularism and I have been fighting against communal forces all along,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy’s statement that he had planned to join the BJP in the past and had met the BJP leaders in this regard.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “I might have met leaders…. I might have met Advani (BJP veteran LK Advani), recently I had also met Amit Shah (Union Home Minister)… even my corpse will not go to BJP. My politics has been against communal forces throughout, since socialist party times.” He said.

Mr Kumaraswamy is allying with the BJP for the sake of dynasty politics and is saying all this on the basis of someone’s statement.

“This much is certain that for no reason, whether I am in power or not, there is no compromise with communal forces. Just because I met leaders, it doesn’t mean I have sacrificed my ideologies.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Opinion: For Chandrababu Naidu's Bicycle, A Puncture Is All It Takes

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu would often take a jibe at every public meeting he addressed — that his political rival Jagan Mohan Reddy has spent time in jail.

For the YSRCP and its leader, it rankled.

Mr Naidu liked to say he was the upright one, who was among the first politicians to voluntarily declare his annual income and that of his family. He boasted that he was an apostle of truth and uprightness who stood for development of the state.

Now YSRCP leaders openly say it is payback time. Videos have spawned featuring an old video of Jagan Mohan Reddy saying he took a slap and his time will come.

That time, it seems, is now.

Chandrababu Naidu has been sent to jail by a special court in Vijayawada, which accepted prima facie evidence that he was the prime conspirator in a case of diverting government money to private entities.

There are videos of celebrations by YSRCP leaders and cadre, even though they were reportedly told not to celebrate.

The image of a 73-year-old politician, widely respected by the people, being sent to jail could evoke sympathy. That is a chance the YSRCP would not want to take.

Its leaders, however, say there is no question of sympathy for Mr Naidu.

They point out that when Chandrababu Naidu advanced elections in 2004 following a Maoist attack on his life, hoping to cash in on sympathy, he had lost to the Congress and YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

Telugu Desam leaders and cadre appear stunned and yet to figure out how to fight this onslaught. There were audio leaks of TDP leaders asking its cadre to come out and show their frustration.

But the YSRCP government has managed to stop the protests from turning violent and taking over headlines.

With elections just months away, the YSRCP versus TDP battle will be fought as much, if not more, in the public domain than inside courts — because public perception matters more in the theatre of politics.

This time, if Mr Naidu and his team are busy playing defence, trying to stay out of jail and trouble, putting up a full-fledged fight for victory in elections could become a challenge.

Politics in Andhra Pradesh is personal, vicious and nasty. It is a battle where punching straight and punching below the belt are practised routinely for political impact.

So while the technicalities are argued in court, it will be a free-for-all outside, with YSRCP calling the TDP names and the TDP accusing the YSRCP of playing dirty.

Both YSRCP and the TDP have their loyal following in Andhra Pradesh and so at political rallies, very often, there are clashes when the two come face-to-face. That is only likely to get worse.

Already, Chandrababu Naidu has spent five years out of power and for a regional party, that makes matters tough. Mr Naidu’s Telugu Desam was once a party with deep pockets, with many businessmen-turned-politicians providing it with the fuel to fight elections.

In the last few years, many of those friends in business parted ways with him as criminal cases filed by multiple Central agencies put their primary business interest in danger.

Mr Naidu made a costly mistake in 2018-19, when he split ways with the BJP and took on its leadership, demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Many see it as a trap set for him by Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had played his cards carefully and cleverly.

Mr Naidu has realised that it does not pay to have powerful enemies and tried multiple times to extend a hand of friendship again towards the NDA. But the BJP was apparently not willing to forgive and forget.

For Mr Naidu, walking away from the tag of Remand Prisoner number 7691 at Rajamahendravam Central Jail is going to be tough because while the legal battle is fought, his political opponents will throw it at him at every possible opportunity.

YSRCP leaders are talking about how this is only the beginning. There is much more to come and not for Naidu alone. His son Nara Lokesh will be arrested soon, said state tourism minister Roja. The state CID chief had also hinted at questioning the former IT minister.

Less than two weeks ago, there were reports that Chandrababu Naidu had received notice from the Income Tax department that he had not disclosed Rs 118 crore income that he allegedly got as kickback from top infra firms Shapoorji Pallonji and L&T. The firms were awarded contracts worth thousands of crores in Amaravati when he was Chief Minister.

All that is going to make it tough-pedalling for Chandrababu Naidu. Given his age and a dearth of second rung leaders, it will be an uphill task for the bicycle. A puncture is all it takes.

(Uma Sudhir is Executive Editor, NDTV)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.

Editorial: India’s moment of pride

ndia’s strong support for AU’s entry adds momentum to the push for a more inclusive and representative G20

Published Date – 11:30 PM, Mon – 11 September 23


Editorial: India’s moment of pride

ndia’s strong support for AU’s entry adds momentum to the push for a more inclusive and representative G20

It was India’s moment of glory on the global stage. Overcoming the initial scepticism, it has pulled off a big diplomatic victory at the just-concluded G20 summit at a time when the international order is undergoing a churning process with rapidly shifting geopolitics. Hosting the mega event, attended by leaders from 29 countries representing the world’s most powerful economies and heads of 14 international organisations, New Delhi has delivered a major victory in areas that were thought to be intractable. The key takeaway has been the successful finalisation of the consensus communique — Delhi Declaration — which had eluded the previous summits because of the bitter division among the members over the Ukraine war. The final statement, mirroring a nuanced position without hurting the nations on either side of the divide, reflected the triumph of India’s stewardship and a crowning moment for its diplomacy. This is significant because the grouping was divided on the Ukraine war, with Russia and China on one side wanting to avoid even a discussion on the issue while the western nations were rooting for a strong language to condemn Russia. Eventually, a compromise was brokered that significantly toned down criticism of Russia. Prior to the summit, it was widely believed that India would not be able to forge a consensus on the contentious Ukraine crisis. The Declaration also addressed key global issues — without ruffling any feathers — including climate change, gender equality, financial inclusion, terrorism and money laundering. Admitting the African Union, a regional block of 55 member states, into the G20 has added another feather to India’s crown and strengthened its standing as a voice of the Global South.

The African Union’s entry was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June and it was befitting that he welcomed AU chairperson Azali Assoumani to take the seat as a full member at the start of the New Delhi summit. India, over the past few years, has actively established itself as a prominent advocate of the Global South, highlighting its difficulties and aspirations. India’s strong support for AU’s entry adds momentum to the push for a more inclusive and representative G20. It aligns with India’s vision to foster a multipolar world and a more equitable international order. India and Africa have long-standing trade and economic linkages. The ties have been on the upswing amid China’s efforts to expand its influence. The initiative to back the AU’s G20 bid is not just symbolic but also strategic. The G20 elevation marks a significant stride for Africa’s global presence. The G20, which currently represents 65% of the world’s population, would now speak for about 80% of the global citizens. Within the continent itself, there are concerns over the AU’s lack of political cohesiveness and the multiplicity of regional economic committees. However, these could turn out to be only minor irritants in the long run.