kochi l wednesday l January 28, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Adani Group, Embraer to set up aircraft-making facility in India Adani Group and Brazilian major Embraer on Tuesday announced a strategic tie-up to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India on the road to manufacturing hub India will need 500 aircraft in 20 years Embraer makes commercial jets with up to 150 seats. Details about the investments and the location of the proposed facility were not disclosed. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the collaboration is not just about assembling a regional aircraft but also about technology transfer, skilling, supply chain and making India a manufacturing hub | P10 ■ ■ The Indian market is expected to require at least 500 aircraft in the 80 to 146 seat range over the next 20 years, Embraer said Tuesday The venture with the Adani Group will be a major fillip for the Brazilian major in India’s civil aviation space. Adani Defence & Aerospace President & CEO Ashish Rajvanshi called it a “watershed” 50 aircraft from emraer’s stable in service currently in india CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI INDIA, e.u. ANNOUNCE fta; 99% OF INDIA’S EXPORTS TO GET DUTY-FREE ACCESS to EUROPEAN NATIONS Prime Minister Narendra Modi This is the tale of two giants who choose partnership in a true win-win fashion, a strong message that cooperation is the best answer to global challenges Indian exports that will have zero duty Leather & footwear European Comn chief Ursula von der Leyen PUS H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi INDIA and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday announced the landmark free trade agreement (FTA), paving the way for duty-free access for 99% of Indian exports to the lucrative 27-nation European market. In return, India has offered significant market access to EU goods. The FTA is expected to provide relief to India’s labour-intensive sectors that have been under pressure due to US tariffs. With negotiations concluded, the agreement is likely to be signed later this year, the commerce ministry said. Calling it India’s largest FTA to date, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the pact would deliver substantial benefits for the country’s 1.4 billion people. “The historic agreement will make access to European markets easier for our farmers and small industries, create new opportunities in manufacturing, and further strengthen cooperation between our services sectors,” Modi said. India will gain preferential access to the European market across 97% of tariff lines, covering 99.5% of trade value. Key labour-intensive sectors—textiles, marine products, leather, footwear, chemicals, plastics & rubber, sports goods, toys, and gems & jewellery—accounting for $33 billion in exports will see import duties ranging between 4% and 26% eliminated from the date the agreement comes into force. The government has clarified that safeguards have been built in to protect sensitive sectors such as dairy, cereals, poultry, soymeal, and certain fruits and vegetables. According to the European Commission, the pact will phase out high tariffs on select EU agri-food exports such as olive oil, processed foods, beverages and fruits. EU food safety standards will remain intact, with no exemptions for Indian exports. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal course. The Opposition demanded structured discussion The government on Tuesday on a range of issues, including rejected the Opposition’s de- the restoration of the UPA-era mand for discussions on the MGNREGA, the ongoing SIR, VB-G RAM G Act in the Budget India’s foreign policy, and the session of Parliament begin- controversy over new UGC ning Wednesday, with Parlia- guidelines. mentary Affairs Minister Kiren The government, however, Rijiju saying that there will be maintained that the primary “no reversing the focus of the Budget gear once the law is Budget focus session would be the before the country”. Budget itself, and said Speaking to the The minister also members could raise media, Rijiju said ruled out discussion other issues during that as per on the Special Intenthe debate on the Moparliamentary sive Revision (SIR) of tion of Thanks to the voter rolls, asserting rules, discussions President’s Address. that both the issues during the Budget On the Opposition’s session should had already been decontentions on the primarily revolve bated by both VB-G RAM G bill, around the Budget which was passed by Houses. Rijiju made these Parliament during the remarks after an all-party meet- Winter Session, the minister ing convened by the govern- said, “Once a law is before the ment. During the meeting, Op- nation, we have to follow it.” position members, including While the government sugthe Congress’ Jairam Ramesh gested that members can disand John Brittas of the CPI(M), cuss the issues during the Moalso objected to the non-circu- tion of Thanks, Brittas objected, lation of government business insisting on structured discusfor the session, which the min- sions that would allow replies ister said would be done in due from concerned ministers. P r eeth a N a i r @ New Delhi described the pact as balanced and equitable. “By leaving sensitive issues aside, we have arrived at a fair and win-win free trade agreement. It opens up a plethora of opportunities for investment and access to complementary markets,” he said. Goyal added that India’s textile exports to EU could surge from $7 billion to $35 billion. The two sides also announced a security and defence partnership and a broader strategic agenda, as Europe looks to reduce its reliance on the US and China. “Today, the world’s two largest democracies launched a Security and Defence Partnership—a platform for stronger cooperation on strategic issues that matter most, from defence industry to maritime security,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Assembly polls: Cong bets on winnability to select candidates K S SR E E J I T H @T’Puram The Congress has decided on winnability as the main criterion for the selection of candidates for the coming assembly elections. Going by the deliberations at the first election committee meeting at Indira Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday state and district-level office-bearers of , the party and its affiliated organisations will be considered for candidature. Though no formal decision has been taken, leaders opined at the meeting that sitting MPs should not contest assembly polls. With just a few months to go for the polls, Congress has started preparing the draft list of candidates, with state president Sunny Joseph and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan meeting district leaderships soon after the meeting. The duo met leaders from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta. The move comes in the wake of the election committee entrusting the two senior leaders with seeking the opinion for preparing the draft list, in consultation with DCC presidents, MLAs ● More on P4 and KPCC office-bearers. EXPRESS READ Budget to cross L2 trillion milestone T’Puram: Kerala, in 2026-27, will cross a milestone of I2 trillion budget size. The upcoming state budget will be a future-ready document anticipating a hattrick for the ruling LDF. P4 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Moving on Arijit retires from playback singing National award-winning singer Arijit Singh on Tuesday shocked fans the world over by announcing his retirement from playback singing in a series of posts on social media. Thanking his fans for giving him love for 15 years, Arijit wrote, “I am happy to announce that I am not gonna be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey. There are several reasons behind this. I have been trying to do this for a long time, but finally got the right courage. I got bored. I need to do some other music to live.” The renowned singer, however, did clarify that he will continue to be active as a musician. “Just to be clear, I won’t stop making music. God has been really kind to me. I am a fan of good music and in future will be learning more and doing more on my own as a small little artist. Thanks again for all your support,” he stated. Music lovers and the industry continue to speculate on the reasons behind this drastic and one-of-a-kind step from Arijit, who has been one of the most active and prolific playback singers in the industry. According to sources, he had been having some conflicts with music labels over several issues, including royalty and copyright. Arijit was one of the few film artists who were vocal on several issues. The singer famously had a fall-out with Salman Khan after he remarked on the actor’s hosting at an award show. For many years, Arijit did not give playback vocals for Salman, breaking the streak only with Tiger 3 in 2023. Arijit has constantly found himself in the Top 10 list of top global artists on popular music streaming platforms, and it is expected that his independent music career might finally give the Indian indie music scene a much-needed fillip. Up to 12.8% Textiles & apparel WE DID IT! ‘No G RAM G Act rollback’: Oppn demand rejected H a r s h B H @ Mumbai Up to 17% Chemicals 12% Marine products 26% 6.50% Plastics / Rubber 10% Base metal Gems & jewellery 4% Current Tariff Source: Ministry of Commerce Lower duty for imports from EU Source: European Commission This historic agreement will facilitate easier access for our farmers and small enterprises to European markets, create new opportunities Cars Duty to drop from 110% to 10% Premium wines From 150% to 20% Spirits From 150% to 40% Beer Duty to reduce from 110% to 50% Olive oil From 45% to 0% Pharmaceuticals From 11% to 0% Aircraft and spacecraft From 11% to 0% Big boost for textile sector India’s textile sector could be the biggest winner as the India-EU free trade agreement will correct the tariff disadvantage faced by the country’s textile exporters against competitors from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Turkey in the 27-nation bloc. P10 NSS suspects BJP hand in SNDP unity push, pulls the plug Hindu organisations was the need of the time. But we sensed The euphoria was short-lived. political agenda behind the The much-hyped NSS-SNDP proposal, which we don’t want unity fell apart before it took to disclose. Given our concerns off with the former unilater- over political motives, we canally walking out. The reason: not risk compromising our deNSS suspects that the BJP is clared stance of equidistance scripting the move through Yo- with political parties,” Nair gam general secretary Vellap- said. pally Natesan. Sources said NateSources close to the san’s decision to step NSS leadership say back from the spotlight the Padma Vibhushan and project Thushar as Unity between awarded to Vellappal- two major Hindu the face of the proly Natesan, coupled posed NSS-SNDP alliorganisations with the SNDP Yogam was the need of ance triggered appredeputing his son and the time. But we hensions about the real BDJS chief Thushar sensed political intent. Vellappally for unity agenda behind Beyond informing the proposal, talks, fuelled suspiNair of Thushar’s inwhich we don’t cions over the real intended visit to Perunwant to disclose tent of the proposed na, the Yogam general unity The NSS leader- G Sukumaran Nair, secretary made no fur. NSS general secy ship then pulled back, ther communication with general secretary with NSS on the issue. G Sukumaran Nair ringing up Nair said it was inappropriThushar and bluntly telling ate to send the head of a politihim to cancel his proposed vis- cal party to initiate discusit to Perunna. sions between two community Subsequently, Nair con- organisations. vened an emergency meeting “I told Thushar that his visit of NSS director board on Mon- could invite political interpreday to ratify the withdrawal. tations and asked him to hold ● More on P4 “Unity between two major it,” he said. A B H I L AS H C H A N D RA N @Kottayam