hyderabad l saturday l october 25, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION MODI obliquely endorses Nitish as Bihar Chief Minister candidate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the National Democratic Alliance under the leadership of Nitish Kumar will script a record win in Bihar polls PM’s statement comes after Tejashwi jibe Modi’s statement indirectly endorsing Nitish as the NDA’s CM face comes a day after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Opposition INDIA bloc’s CM candidate, had claimed that the BJP would not let Nitish become CM again. Modi’s stance is different from Union home minister Amit Shah’s recent remark that the NDA would decide on CM after the elections ■ Nov 14 20 yrs of nda rule did NO GOOD: RJD leader ■ Modi said people can’t expect the RJD-Congress to solve any of their problems. “They (RJD-Cong) are a problem by themselves,” he said Meanwhile, Tejashwi alleged there is widespread unemployment and rampant corruption. “Despite 20 years of NDA rule in Bihar, the state’s per capita income is the lowest and farmers remain poor,” he claimed When Bihar Assembly election results will be announced 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-US trade deal to be inked very soon: Govt PUSHPITA DEY @ New Delhi 20 lose lives Kurnool Bus Tragedy Six of the victims on ill-fated bus were from Telangana on the ground K M a d h u S u d h a k a r @ Kurnool Twenty people, including two children, were killed when an AC sleeper bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire after colliding with a motorcycle on NH-44 near Chinnatekuru in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh early Friday . The private bus, belonging to Vemuri Kaveri Travels, burst into flames around 3 am after it hit a motorcycle and dragged it for some distance, generating sparks that ignited its fuel tank. The biker too died in the incident, taking the toll to 20. There were 46 people on board, including two drivers and four children. As the blaze spread rapidly passengers were , trapped inside the vehicle. Despite heavy rain and the intensity of the flames, locals and police rushed to the spot and managed to rescue several passengers. Fire service personnel, police and medical teams worked through the early hours to douse the flames and shift the injured to Kurnool Government General Hospital. Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said heart wrenching Darkness envelops kin of victims Serial violator The Kaveri Travels bus has 16 challans pending in Telangana alone, worth `23,000. However, the ill-fated bus had all valid fitness, permit and insurance documents, according to officials. Vehicle hit a bike, dragged it for some distance; sparks led to fire Relief and assistance n PM’s relief: `2 lakh to families of deceased; `50,000 to injured n Telangana govt: `5 lakh to families of deceased from the state; `2 lakh to injured; helpline set up for victim families n Andhra Pradesh govt: `5 lakh to families of deceased from the state; `2 lakh to injured n forensic teams deployed, 10 16 for DNA testing, four for physical and blast analysis, two for chemical analysis n Both bus drivers detained for preliminary questioning n Inquiry ordered: High-power committee to frame new safety SOPs for inter-state buses the victims included six each from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, two each from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and one each from Odisha and Bihar. The identity of one passenger who boarded the ill-fated bus at S i d d h a r d h a G at t i m i @ Hyderabad The families of the six passengers from Telangana who perished in the blaze were struggling to come to terms with the loss on Friday . The victims from Telangana were identified as Argha Bandopadhyay (23), Meghanadh (25), Anusha (22), Giri Rao (48), Sandhya Rani (43) and her daughter Chandana (23). All were travelling to Bengaluru in the ill-fated bus. Anusha, a software engineer Journey to tragedy n am – Bus travelling from 3 Hyderabad to Bengaluru hits a motorcycle near Chinnatekuru village, Kurnool district n Collision drags the bike for some distance; sparks ignite bus fuel tank, triggering a blaze n spreads rapidly, trapping Fire passengers inside the vehicle n Locals and police rush to rescue passengers, battling flames amid heavy rain Despite geopolitical challenges, India and the US are close to concluding a bilateral trade deal, a commerce ministry official said on Friday adding ma, jor differences have been ironed out and both sides are now on the same page on most matters. “We are very near as far as the deal is concerned,” said the official while disclosing that both countries are now working on the language of the trade deal. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who is in Germany for the Berlin Global Dialogue, had on Thursday said the trade talks were progressing well with both the sides working towards a fair and equitable deal. Speaking to Doordarshan in Berlin, Goyal said, “We are in dialogue with the US; our teams are engaged. We recently had the commerce secretary visit the US and meet his counterparts. We continue to engage with them and talks are progressing. We hope to work towards a fair and equitable agreement in the near future.” However, he reiterated that India “does not do deals with deadlines or with a gun to its head”. So far, India and the US have completed five rounds of talks. A team of Indian delegates from headed by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal visited Washington last week. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump met in February a target , was set to negotiate a bilateral trade deal by November. However, relations soured as Trump announced a 50% tariff on Indian goods from August onwards as a penalty for buying Russian oil. A US delegation’s visit to India was also cancelled. However, both sides continued talks. The momentum was restored when Brendan Lynch, assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia, met Indian officials in New Delhi. The proposed pact aims to double the bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. While the US remained India’s largest trading partner, merchandise exports to the US fell 20% to $5.43 billion in September from $6.87 billion in August. Reliance to comply with US sanctions Reliance Industries Ltd, India’s largest buyer of Russian oil and most impacted by the latest US sanctions, on Friday said it will comply with all applicable restrictions and will adjust its refinery operations to meet compliance requirements. A company spokesperson said RIL is “currently assessing the implications” of the latest sanctions on two Russian oil giants—one of which has a crude oil supply agreement with RIL P10 Taliban to build dam to limit water to Pak J AYANTH J ACO B @ New Delhi IN a move that could have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan’s already strained water and energy security, Afghanistan’s Taliban government has said it will build a series of dams on the Kunar River. Taliban’s announcement comes on the heels of India’s decision in April to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and signals Kabul’s determination to assert its ‘water sovereignty’. According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information, Taliban Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered the Ministry of Water and Energy to begin dam construction on Kunar “as fast as possible” and award contracts to domestic firms. “The directive reflects Afghanistan’s right to manage its natural resources for the benefit of its people,” Deputy Information Minister Muhajer Farahi said in a post on X. The decision comes just weeks after deadly clashes along the Durand Line between Afghan and Pakistani border forces, which left several dead and heightened diplomatic friction. Relations between the two countries deteriorated in recent months, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants. If Kabul walks the talk, Pakistan may face a squeeze on its rivers from India in the east and Afghanistan in the west. GOLD RECORDS WORST SINGLE-DAY HYDERABAD  THURSDAY  OCTOBER 23, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 12  CITY EDITION PLUNGE SINCE 2013, FALLS OVER 6% n Fire service and medical teams arrive; blaze brought under control after several hours PROFIT BOOKING, TRADE TALKS BEHIND SLUMP ANALYSTS WARN OF SHORT-TERM VOLATILITY The sharp fall in prices is attributed primarily to profit booking and a slew of positive news flows which have shaved the sheen off the safe-haven metal. A key factor is the upcoming meeting of US president Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping to iron out their trade differences. Other factors are a strong dollar and the likelihood of US shutdown ending | P10 ■ Trump nuances After TNIE report, foresters clear stance on India’s Russian oil buy plastic waste at Bogatha waterfall After record rally of more than 70% so far this year, the yellow metal fell 6.3% on Tuesday, its biggest single-day fall in more than 12 years n Injured shifted to Kurnool GGH; DNA sampling initiated for identification of charred bodies Aramgarh in Hyderabad was yet to be confirmed. Several bodies were charred beyond recognition, and forensic teams were deployed to collect DNA samples for identification.  Continued on P2 from Vastakonduru village in Yadadri district, had gone home to celebrate Diwali and was returning to Bengaluru. “She called her parents before boarding the bus at Khairatabad,” said her uncle. “By morning, the news we received was unbearable.” Meghanadh, 25, had secured his first job in Bengaluru just five months ago. His family said he spoke to them before departure. “In the morning his phone was switched off. Later, we got the news we feared most,” a relative said.  continued on P2 Piyush Pandey 5 Sept 1955-24 Oct 2025 D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi Express News Service Mandar Pardikar P iyush Pandey was the odd man out at a RedInk Awards panel discussion soon after Prime Minister Modi was voted in for the first time in 2014. As an advertising creative executive, he didn’t fit into a panel of popular news anchors Rajdeep Sardesai and Arnab Goswami, and Star chief Uday Shankar. Not surprisingly he drew fire , for his catch line: Aab ki Bar, Modi Sarkar — a slogan that `1,32,294 PER 10 GRAMS—THE RECORD P PEAK GOLD TOUCHED LAST FRI Only joint secy, DGP can orde removal of social media conte US prez says Modi isn’t going to buy much @ Mulugu Following a report by TNIE titled “Bogatha Waterfall – Where Nature Meets Plastic” published on Thursday, Wazeedu Forest Range staff undertook a clean-up drive at the Bogatha waterfall in Mulugu district on Friday . Wazeedu Forest Range Officer B Chandramouli said the clean-up was part Express tourists are found carryof a “clean and ing plastic bottles or Impact green” initiative other banned items, carried out twice a they are cautioned and week. “Our staf f informed about the prohimanage the plastic rebition on plastic use at the moval process regularly. The site. Boards have been set up collected plastic is handed to remind visitors that plastic over to authorised recyclers,” is banned,” he said. he said. He further stated that the Chandramouli added that use of alcohol at the site is forest personnel have been de- strictly prohibited, and no liqployed at the entry point to in- uor bottles were found during spect visitors’ belongings. “If the recent inspection. war with Pakistan and India. That was a very, very good US President Donald Trump thing,” Trump said. has softened his earlier asserThe Diwali call, initiated by tion that India would complete- Trump, was their third publicly ly stop buying Russian crude known conversation since midoil, saying after a Diwali phone September and comes amid oncall with Prime Minister Naren- going tensions in US–India reladra Modi that India tions, particularly “is not going to buy over Washington’s much oil from Rusdecision to impose sia”. It reflects a nusteep tariffs on key anced shift from his Indian exports. This previous claim that includes a 25% levy Modi had promised a linked to India’s confull halt to Russian tinued purchase of MODI UNLIKELY imports, which Russian crude as TO TRAVEL TO was not corroborated Trump seeks to presMALAYSIA by the Indian sure Moscow amid Prime Minister Modi is government. unlikely to participate the ongoing conflict Speaking to reportin Ukraine. in the ASEAN Summit ers after the call, In his Oval Office in Malaysia scheduled Trump added that he for Oct 26–28, which is remarks, Trump dialso spoke about expected to be attended aled back his earlier “let’s not have no by US President Donald stance: “He’s not gowars with Pakistan,” ing to buy much oil Trump, according to a claim refuted sourc- sources. While an official from Russia. He es here in Delhi. wants to see that war word on the level of India’s participation Sources said “Pakiend as much as I do. is awaited, the prime stan was not disSo they’ve cut it way cussed during the minister may address the back, and they’re phone conversation” summit virtually. India is continuing to cut it between the two lead- typically represented at way back.” ers. “I just spoke to the India-ASEAN Summit Modi, in a post on by the prime minister, X responded warmly your prime minister . but there have been today. Had a great “Thank you, Presiexceptions conversation. We dent Trump, for your talked about trade... phone call and warm He’s very interested in that. Al- Diwali greetings. On this festithough we did talk a little while val of lights, may our two great ago about let’s have no wars democracies continue to illumiwith Pakistan. The fact that nate the world with hope and trade was involved, I was able to stand united against terrorism talk about that. And we have no in all its forms.” where; but it was his pioneering effort in changing Indian advertising from borrowed Western idioms to campaigns rooted in the language of our streets and villages that made him a legend. Remember the Mile Sur Mera Tumhara in 1988? It was a jingle for national integration written by him. It took the country by storm as it worked u p a p r i d e fo r u n i t y i n diversity . He also made some big brands daily, household names. Like his 1993 Cadbury’s campaign, Kuch Khaas Hai ham Sabhi Mein, which used local imagery to convince adults there is no sin in enjoying chocolates. The power of ‘gifting’ is another tack Pandey used successfully. He pushed Cadbury (now Mondalez) chocolates as a way to say thank you — Kuch Meetha Ho Jai; as he did with Titan timepieces — ‘The Joy of Gifting’. But who can ever forget Pandey’s incredibly creative Hutch (now Vodafone) campaign with the pug ZooZoo from 2010? The pug was used when ‘Hutch’ STARTING November 1, only senior officials of the rank of joint secretaries or directors general of police can issue orders to social media platforms to remove unlawful content. Besides, every such takedown order will be subject to a monthly review by a secretarylevel officer to ensure the actions remain lawful, necessary , and proportionate. These provisions are part of the amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, notified on Wednesday Under the amended rules, . all takedown requests must include clear legal basis, specific statutory provisions, and details such as URLs or identifi- Labels for deepfakes, AI-generated content To curb deepfakes, the IT ministry has proposed embedded markers and labelling to help social media users identify AI-generated content First notified in Fe 2021 and amended in 2 2023, the IT rules lay d ligations for intermedi ensure online safety countability. Under R (d), they must remove u information upon re a court order or a ment notificatio The ministry proposed new r regulate deepfa AI-generated c The draft rules pr new clause defining sy cally generated inform any content artificially or modified in a mann appears authentic. Su tent could be treated as ful and taken down. Forest staff collect plastic waste from the STEPS OF FAITH vicinity of Bogatha waterfall located in the thick forest area of WazeeduTalks with govt constructive: Leh team mandal in the Mulugu district on Friday (left) following a report published by The New Indian Express Check po (clipping below) on across the Thursday state clos President Droupadi Murmu climbs the 18 holy steps at Sabarimala temple on Wednesday — only the second Indian President to visit the hill shrine | PTI | P5 M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi IN the first sign of a thaw, leaders of Ladakh, where four people died in police firing during the recent pro-statehood protests, met with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday for subcommittee level talks. A nine-member Ladakh delegation comprising three members each from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), along with Ladakh MP Mohd Haneefa Jan, met MHA officials for over two hours. Jan said discussions primarily revolved around four major issues—statehood, Sixth Schedule inclusion, reservation, and the revocation of the National ‘ISSUE CAN’T BE RESOLVED IN ONE OR TWO MEETINGS’ KDA member Sajjad Hussain Kargili said their demand for the past six years has been democracy in Ladakh. “This issue cannot be resolved in one or two meetings. We discussed the implementation of a reservation policy in Ladakh. among other things” File photo ers of the content. The new provisions, introduced through the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2025, aim to make the removal process more transparent, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said. the region’s land, jobs, and cultural rights. On the reservation front, both sides decided to hold further deliberations to evolve a fair framework for all communities. KDA member Sajjad Hussain Kargili said another round of meetings would be held within two weeks. “Our demand for democracy in Ladakh continues. Statehood is the ultimate solution,” he said. Talks between the Centre, LAB and KDA had broken down after four protesters were killed and several injured in widespread violence in Leh on September 24. The invitation for the talks were made by the Centre on September 20. The last round of talks between the two sides was held in May . State releases `2,780 crore Cabinet to discuss quota, 2-child ordinance today to develop 138 municipalities Security Act (NSA) invoked against climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The activist is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail. The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India”. The maximum detention period under the stringent law is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier. Jan described the atmosphere as “positive and constructive,” with both sides agreeing to sustain engagement to secure Ladakh’s identity and equitable representation. The delegation reiterated that statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards were vital to protect EXPRESS READ Assembly prorogued EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Hyderabad Plastic waste and empty liquor bottles strewn around the Laknavaram lake in Govindraopet mandal of Mulugu district BOGATHA WATERFALL — WHERE NATURE MEETS PLASTIC U M A H E S H @ Mulugu THE Bogatha waterfall and Laknavaram lake, nestled deep in the forests of Wazeedu and Govindraopet mandals, were once known for their lush greenery, birdsong and calm waters. Today they boast a new attraction, , an ever-expanding carpet of singleAn awareness poster use plastic and empty liquor bottles. at Laknavaram lake Officially, plastic is “strictly in Mulugu district banned” here. Unofficially, it’s the area’s most loyal tourist. Forest and district officials occasionally remind visitors not to bring plastic, often by putting up a weatherOur dept has beaten board that no one reads. Eninstalled boards forcement, however, appears to be of caution, but it optional. is also up to the Stroll through any of these “ecottourists to take ourism” spots, and you’ll find naresponsibility for ture’s best features reimagined: stopping usage streams clogged with wrappers, trees of plastic to save the environment adorned with plastic garlands, and the discarded bottles underfoot. For B Chandramouli, Wazeedu the residents of nearby agency vilForest Range Officer lages, the growing mountain of waste is not a spectacle but a daily menace. The people here, who once depended on clean water and forest produce, now watch in despair as their environment turns into a landfill dressed as a weekend getaway . Yet, the crowds — students, techies and families — keep coming, all chasing monsoon selfies at Tadvai Huts, Bogatha Waterfall, or Laknavaram Lake. After all, what’s a “nature retreat” without a few plastic plates and cups floating downstream or a couple of beer bottles glinting from the rocks? When asked, Wazeedu Forest Range Officer B Chandramouli admitted that tourists continue to carry plastic. His department, he said, has installed “boards of caution” warning against it. As for enforcement, Chandramouli believes tourists must take “responsibility for stopping usa g e o f p l a s t i c t o s av e t h e environment.” The department’s faith in voluntary human conscience appears unCONTINUED ON P5 shakeable. Piyush Pandey: The adman who spoke to India in its own language moved the anti-incumbency wave. He laughed it off. “We have to deliver the message of our clients. We have nothing to do with politics.” Pandey’s creative campaigns for Ogilvy — the ad agency he started with in 1982 and ended his career and life with at 70 as Chief Creative Officer — grew it to an industry leader even as his creative skills dominated advertising in India for over three decades. He carried his walrus mustache, his broad grin and infectious sense of humour every- Silver too registered a sharp fall of 7.8%—its worst since 2011—on Tuesday as the historic squeeze in the London market began to ease Analysts warn of more volatility in the short term as the market is likely to correct further. On whether the price of gold will fall below `1 lakh per 10 grams soon, one analyst said, it is difficult to predict 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 ■ Everyone’s man G u r b i r S i n g h @ Mumbai ■ was transitioning to ‘Vodafone’; and in a quirky, simple manner the dog symbolised loyalty and connection. The pug campaign became so popular that for years the Chinese ‘pug’ breed became a favourite in India! For his contribution to advertising, Piyush Pandey was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016. He made his mark in advertising using a simple, storytelling style. As a person, he was never the corporate bigwig. An unkempt, easygoing guy he was everyone’s man. , THE state Cabinet, led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will , meet on Thursday to discuss key issues, including providing 42% reservations for BCs in local body elections. The discussion is expected to focus on the future course of action following the High Court and Supreme Court rulings on GO 9, which provided 42% BC reservations. The High Court had stayed GO 9 and directed that the elections be conducted under the previous reservation pattern. The state government later challenged the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court, which dismissed the petition. Following this, the Cabinet on October 16 resolved to act based on the advice of legal ex- perts and directed officials to submit a report within two days. According to sources, the Law department has submitted its report after consultations with senior advocates. The Cabinet is expected to consider this report before deciding on the next steps. The meeting is also likely to approve an ordinance to scrap the two-child policy in local body elections. The previous Cabinet had decided to repeal the rule disqualifying candidates with more than two children from contesting in local body polls in Telangana. In addition, the Cabinet is expected to review the ongoing works related to the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project and consider a proposal to name SLBC Phase-II after former minister Ramreddy Damodar Reddy . Hyderabad: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has prorogued the sixth session of the Legislative Assembly and Council. The state govt plans to issue an ordinance to amend the clause pertaining to the “two-child” policy for local body elections. GI tag for tribal masks An application has been filed for Geographical Indication (GI) registration of Naikpod masks. The tag will help in recognising and protecting the unique cultural heritage of the Naikpod tribal community | P2 E x p r e s s N e w s S e rRizviioptse VRS v c for @ Hyderabad Syed Ali Murtaza Ali Rizvi, a 1999-batch IAS officer who is serving as Principal Secretary, Revenue (Commercial Taxes and Excise) department, has taken voluntary retirement from service. His request has been accepted | P4 E N S @ Hyderabad THE state governm ordered the closur Transport departmen posts across Telanga Wednesday, followin tions from Chief Min Revanth Reddy . The Transport dep issued orders direct cials to immediate check post operatio Commissioner of Tr instructed that staff s at check posts be rea to other official dutie District Transport have been told to remo boards and barricad sure free movement cles. All records, equ and furniture from th posts will be shifted t spective DTO offices. have been asked to ve preserve all financial ministrative records. Transport Minist nam Prabhakar told ers that the Cabine sion followed a di from the Union gove to all states. He said ernment would m strict enforcement the closed check po tions to prevent illeg port activities. The state government on Friday released `2,780 crore for development the line as robots 6 lakh Amazon jobs on works in 138 step municipalities, excluding those under the Telangana Core Urban City area. Officials said 2,432 works would be taken up using funds drawn from Budget allocations and the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF). Under the plan, newly formed municipalities will receive `15 crore each, existing ones that absorbed nearby gram panchayats will get `20 crore, and older municipalities `15 crore. Newly created municipal corporations will get `30 crore each. The Municipal Administration department has issued guidelines for spending on internal roads, drainage, junction improvements, pollution control in local water bodies, parks and culverts. Works are to be completed by March 2026. HUMAN VS MACHINE EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Chennai AMAZON.COM plans to replace more than 6,00,000 employees with robots over the next decade in the US, The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing internal documents. The company is one of the largest employers in the US, with nearly 1.2 million hires. Referring to interviews with staff and internal documents, the NYT reported that the com- pany’s ultimate plan is to automate 75% of its operations and expects to increase sales by a factor of two by 2033 compared to now through automation. Automation would help Amazon avoid hiring 1,60,000 employees by the end of 2027, resulting in savings of $12.5 billion over the next two years, the report said. At the Amazon facility in Shreveport, Louisiana, which is built with automation in mind, a thousand robots already do much of the packing and shipping work, allowing Amazon to employ 25% fewer employees. In 2026, the Louisiana facility would employ only half of the staff compared to what it would have without the deployment of robots. The op- eration of the Shrevepo ity will be replicated in 40 facilities by the end As for Amazon India es said there are no imm plans to deploy robot country as the focus o mation is currently in To avoid backlash, t pany is planning for community involvem changing Amazon’s co language from ‘autom ‘AI’, and ‘robot’ to a m ceptable ‘advanced tech and ‘cobot’ (robots col ing with humans).