hyderabad l Monday l November 24, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE City EDITION British Indian spy honoured with new stamp in France Noor Inayat Khan, Tipu Sultan’s descendant, has become the only Indian-origin woman honoured with a French postage stamp for her WWII role leading light of figures de resistance moved to london after fall of france ■ Born Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan in Moscow in 1914 to an Indian Sufi saint father and American mother, Noor moved to London before settling in Paris for her school years ■ Following the fall of France during WWII, her family escaped to England and Noor joined the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force The French postal service, La Poste, honoured Noor with a stamp issued to honour the ‘Figures of the Resistance’ who fought against Nazi Germany. She is among a dozen war heroes and heroines chosen on the set of stamps issued this month to mark 80 years since the end of World War II. Britain honoured Noor in 2014 to mark the centenary of her birth 30 years noor’s age when she was executed by nazi forces in 1944 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 HILTP leak to BRS PM moots global AI compact to check misuse rattles govt, hunt UN reforms a necessity, on for oppn ‘moles’ Says critical technologies must be human-centric, not finance-centric; announces AI summit in India next year J AYA N T H J A CO B @ New Delhi I r e d d y S r ini v as R e d d y @ Hyderabad A major storm has erupted within the state government after highly sensitive information on an industrial land decision was allegedly leaked to opposition leaders even before the official GO was issued. The explosive leak has triggered uproar within the administration and raised grave questions about the presence of “covert operatives” embedded deep inside the government machinery . The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the Chief Secretary are understood to be trying to identify those responsible for leaking the information related to the government’s ‘Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transfor mation Policy’ (HILTP) to the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS). Officials were left red-faced when BRS working president KT Rama Rao disclosed the details of the policy at a press conference on Friday — even before the Government Order was officially released, which happened a day later. The ruling establishment was caught off-guard when Rama Rao raised the issue at M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi AMID Pakistan’s reported plans to boost its underwater combat strength, the Indian Navy will commission INS Mahe, the first of the Maheclass Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on Monday. The ceremony will be presided over by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. Announcing the induction, the Navy said the commissioning of Mahe marks the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants—sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian. “She will his press meet to criticise the government. Key functionaries are now scrambling to identify the pro-BRS employees within the system. The spotlight is currently on staff working in ministers’ offices as well as the chambers of senior officials. Intelligence agencies, too, are on the job, keeping a close watch on “deep moles” believed to be embedded within the government machinery . Highly placed sources said the CMO has taken a serious view of the breach and is keen to identify the black sheep. The government is reportedly examining whether the leak originated from ruling party leaders themselves or from the administrative apparatus. Sources in the government said senior officials are particularly worried because detailed information — even at the discussion stage — appears t o h ave r e a c h e d t h e opposition. A senior minister expressed shock that BRS “spies” seemed to be active within the government, enabling the party’s working president to level allegations with clockwork precision. continued on p4 PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged world leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg to forge a global AI compact, and stressed the need to prevent misuse while harnessing artificial intelligence for inclusive and responsible global development. “We all have to ensure that AI is used for the global good and its misuse is avoided. For this, we need to create a global compact on AI that is based on some core principles,” Modi said, putting emphasis on oversight, safety-by-design, transparency , and strict restrictions on AI in dee pfakes, crime, and terrorism. “AI systems that affect human life, security, or public trust must be responsible and accountable. Most importantly , AI should enhance human capabilities, but the ultimate responsibility for decision-making will always remain with humans,” he said. The PM also announced that the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in February next year will be themed Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay (Welfare for all, Happiness for all) and invited all G20 countries to take part in the mission. He stressed the need to shift from “jobs of today” to “capabilities of tomorrow,” underlining the importance of constant innovation. Outlining India’s approach no longer optional: Modi “At a time when the world appears fragmented and divided, IBSA can provide a message of Prime Minister Narendra unity cooperation, and human, Modi on Sunday made a strong ity,” Modi added, addressing appeal for reforms in the UN South African President Cyril Security Council and urged Ramaphosa and Brazil’s Presithat the India-Brazil-South Af- dent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. rica (IBSA) grouping should He called for institutionalissend a clear message that ing NSA-level meetings within changes to global governance IBSA to strengthen security coinstitutions are no ordination among the longer optional but a three countries in the pressing necessity . fight against terrorS p e a k i n g at t h e ism. “There is no place Global institutions IBSA leaders’ summit for any double standno longer on the sidelines on the represent today’s ards on such a serious G20 summit in Johan- world. Therefore, issue,” he added. nesburg, Modi under- IBSA must send a Modi also highlightscored the role of the unified message ed the potential of to the world: grouping in projecting technology in fosterinstitutional unity and cooperation ing human-centric dereform is not an at a time when the velopment. He prooption but a world appears increasposed an IBSA Digital prerogative ingly fragmented. Innovation Alliance to “First, we all agree facilitate the exchange Narendra Modi, PM that global institutions of digital public infrado not reflect the realities of structure, including India’s the 21st century None of us is a Unified Payments Interface, . permanent member of the UN health platfor ms such as Security Council. This clearly CoWIN, cybersecurity framedemonstrates that global insti- works, and women-led technoltutions no longer represent to- ogy initiatives. The alliance day’s world. Therefore, IBSA aims to help member countries must send a unified message to leverage digital innovation to the world: institutional reform drive inclusive growth while is not an option but a preroga- strengthening collaboration on tive,” Modi said. emerging technologies. E x p r e ss n e w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends a session at the G20 Summit, in Johannesburg | AP to AI, Modi said it rests on three pillars of equitable access, population-scale skilling, and responsible deployment. “Under the India-AI Mission, we are creating accessible high-performance computing so that the benefits of AI reach every district and every language,” he told the G 20 leaders. The PM emphasised that technology must be human-centric, global, and open-source rather than Modi meets key leaders Modi held a series of meetings on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He separately met the prime ministers of Japan, Netherlands and Jamaica, and IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva finance-centric, national, or exclusive. “We have to promote technology applications that are ‘human centric’ instead of ‘finance centric’, which are ‘global’ instead of ‘national’ and ‘open source’ instead of ‘exclusive models’. We have tried to integrate this vision in all technology projects of India.” He cited India’s leadership in digital payments and its effective response during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering vaccines and medicines to more than 150 countries, to underline the potential of inclusive technological and economic growth. “Development should be sustainable, business should be trusted, finance should be fair, and progress should bring allinclusive prosperity the prime ,” minister said. This is the first G20 summit held in Africa. express read first Mahe class anti-submarine vessel joins navy serve as a silent hunter on the Western Seaboard, powered by self-reliance and dedicated to safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers,” the Navy said. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Mahe has more than 80 percent indigenous design, and highlights the country’s growing expertise in warship technology and qualities critical for coastal and littoral operations. Equipped with advanced sensors and weapon systems, the vessel can conduct anti-submarine missions, coastal patrols, and mine-laying operations. The Mahe-class ships, 78 metres long with a displacement of about 900 tonnes, can reach speeds up to 25 knots and have an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles. A total of 16 ASW-SWC vessels are being built—eight each at Cochin Shipyard and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata—under contracts signed in 2019. Named after the historic coastal town of Mahe, the ship’s crest features the Urumi, the flexible sword of Kalaripayattu, symbolising agility and lethal grace. These ships will strengthen coastal defence along India’s 7,516km coastline and enhance Navy’s shallow-water antisubmarine capabilities. The induction is keeping in mind China’s Hangor-class submarine project for the Pakistan Navy . TGPSC may take legal remedy over Group-II posts Hyderabad: With the high court scrapping Group-II selection list 2019, TGPSC is planning to seek legal recourse soon. The court has set aside the selection of candidates for 1,032 Group-II posts over alleged tampering of OMR answer sheets | P2 WhatsApp groups of ministers’ PROs hacked Hyderabad: Cybercriminals on Sunday compromised a reporter’s phone and sent APK files to several Telangana ministers’ WhatsApp groups that were being run by their PROs to share information with the media | P4 French Navy calls out Pak media misinformation spiritual act Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy pays obeisance at the memorial of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi on Sunday | P4 Claims made by Geo TV, attributed to a French commander, contained “misinformation and disinformation, it said | P7 Anti-drone systems at all civilian airports, shortly CM tells officials to ensure foolproof security for Global Summit on Dec 8 m u k e sh r an j an @ New Delhi THE Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) at a joint meeting, held recently have decided to deploy , anti-drone systems at all major and minor civil airports in view of “a possible war-like situation emerging in future,” officials said on Sunday . According to them, initially, it has been decided to install the system at major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar and also Jammu and Srinagar. The decision has been taken in view of the experience gathered during ‘Operation Sindoor’ and also due to global military escalations that have featured an increased use of drones. It is reliably learnt from of- ficials that the anti-drone equipment will thwart any possible attack using ro gue drones. The system will be installed for the first time at civilian airports only a senior official told , this paper on Sunday . The decision was arrived at after multiple high-level meetings. Though the MHA has been overseeing the project, a committee has been constituted by the BCAS, with members drawn from aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and other stakeholders. Officials said the modalities and specifications of the equipment are cur rently being looked into and once everything is finalised, the MHA will coordinate with the Ministry of Civil Aviation in implementing and commissioning the project. However, officials said the entire project would be commissioned only in a phased manner, with sensitive airports express illustration like Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, Srinagar and Jammu covered in the first phase followed by the scheme being rolled out in the remaing airports. A senior official in the know said, “The authorities will fix deadlines for commissioning the equipment at different airports only after finalization of specifications ... then airport operators will be directed to install the technology that fits our criteria. Models successfully existing at other airports outside India are also being examined for ef fective implementation.” e x p r e ss n e w s s e r v i c e @ Hyderabad Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has instructed officials to make foolproof arrangements for the prestigious Global Summit scheduled to be held on December 8 and 9 at Bharat Future City . He inspected the venue on Sunday and reviewed the ongoing arrangements. During the review, the chief minister inquired about the security measures being made in view of the scheduled participation of several important dignitaries and VIPs from across the world. Revanth Reddy stressed that the arrangements must be made in such a way that not a single representative faces any inconvenience during the twoday summit. “Representatives from across the world and ambassadors of various countries will be attending the event,” he said, directing that no one be allowed entry into the venue without a valid pass. He also instructed that individuals not connected with the summit must not be allowed inside under any circumstances. A department-wise list of officials should be prepared in advance, he added. Stating that he will conduct regular reviews of the arrangements, the chief minister issued specific instructions to the police to ensure robust security He emphasised that po. lice personnel deployed at the venue should be provided with adequate facilities to perform their duties without difficulty . He also reviewed parking arrangements and the special facilities being planned for the media covering the event.