BHUBANESWAR  THURSDAY  MARCH 13, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 14  JEYPORE EDITION TRUMP’S 25% TARIFF ON ALL STEEL AND ALUMINIUM IMPORT KICKS IN The US increased tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports to 25% on Wednesday, saying this will create more factory jobs in the US CANADA LINES UP $20BN RETALIATORY TARIFFS EU TO TARGET U.S. GOODS WORTH $28 BILLION President Trump says new tariffs will help steel and aluminium makers in the US. However, economists warn they will raise the cost for US manufacturers that use these metals as raw materials. Canada, the largest supplier of steel and aluminium to the US, called the measures “completely unjustified” and has lined up $20.7 bn in retaliatory tariffs ■ ■ The European Union, which will also be hit hard by Trump’s policy, announced its countermeasures targeting US goods worth $28 bn including textiles, home appliances and agriculture products Both Australia and Mexico expressed their displeasure, but said they would not announce any retaliatory measures for now 26.4 million TONNES OF STEEL IMPORTED BY THE UNITED STATES IN 2023 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 Retail inflation below 4% for 1st time in 6 months At 3.61% in February, low CPI inflation raises hopes for another rate cut by RBI next month D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi BRIGHTENING the prospects of another interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India next month, retail inflation eased to a seven-month low of 3.61% in February driven by a sharp de, cline in food prices, government data released on Wednesday showed. Notably consumer , inflation has fallen below RBI’s 4% target after a gap of six months, and is the lowest since July 2024. In January 2025, retail inflation was at 4.26%. Food inflation fell to 3.75% in February from 5.97% in January on the back of a significant cut in the prices of vegetables, eggs, meat and fish, pulses, and dairy products. Vegetable prices saw an annual drop of 1.07%, egg prices 3%, and spices 5.85%. Prices of meat and fish showed a moderate growth of 2.11%, while that of milk and milk products grew 2.68% year-onyear. Rural inflation fell to 3.79% in February from 4.59% in January. Food inflation in rural regions also softened to 4.06% from 6.31%. Urban areas reported a similar trend, with headline inflation falling to 3.32% from 3.87%. Food inflation in cities declined to 3.20% from 5.53% in January . “In coming months, we expect food inflation to remain soft,” said Dipti Deshpande, Ahead of Holi, scorching heat warning for Odisha dists EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar AN unusually early spell of heatwave is expected to grip western and northern Odisha from Thursday with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) coming out with an advisory for the public on Wednesday . Over the next four days, including the Holi festival, heatwave conditions may prevail in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Balangir and Boudh districts on Thursday. Similarly conditions are likely in the four districts along with Sundargarh and Angul on Friday More districts such as . Sonepur, Mayurbhanj and Bargarh will come under the grip of the heatwave in the subsequent two days. Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said, some parts of the state are likely to experience heatwave and other parts warmer nights due to dry and hot north-westerly winds blowing towards the CONTINUED ON P7 state. IIP REBOUNDS Factory output, measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), grew 5% in January against 3.2% in December 2024, driven by the robust growth of the manufacturing sector (5.5%). Mining and power output grew 4.4% and 2.4%, respectively. Within the manufacturing sector, the top three contributors were basic metals (6.3%), coke & refined petroleum products (8.5%), and electrical equipment (21.7%), data showed principal economist, Crisil. Core inflation (non-food, non-fuel inflation), on the other hand, crossed the 4% mark for the first time since November 2023, reaching 4.1% in February 2025. This was driven by surging gold and silver prices. “The CPI inflation print falling well below 4% has cemented the expectation of a back-toback 25 bps rate cut in April 2025. This may be followed by another 25 bps repo rate cut either in June 2025 or August 2025,” said Aditi Nayar, chief economist, ICRA. On state-wise inflation, Kerala topped the list of major states with the highest yearon-year inflation rate at 7.31%. SAGAR grows into a Train hijack drama over, 21 passengers killed, says Pak army MAHASAGAR vision AGENCIES PAKISTAN military operation to rescue hostages from a train hijacked by terrorists ended on Wednesday with all hostages recovered, Dawn reported. All terrorists involved have been killed, the report said. Head of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said all hostage passengers were recovered. A total of 21 passengers were killed, he said, adding no passenger was injured in the final clearance operation. “This operation was conducted with great skill and care since terrorists were using them as human shields,” Paramedics treat an injured passenger at the Mach railway station in Balochistan | AFP Chaudhry said. He said 33 terrorists were killed in the operation. The Jaffar Express carrying around 450 passengers were hijacked on Tuesday. Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. Chaudhry said the terror- 9 INDIAN INSTITUTIONS IN QS RANKINGS Nine Indian institutions figure in the world’s top 50 in the QS subject-wise rankings, though most of them saw a drop in their positions. A look IIT Bombay: 28 79 Indian universities feature 533 times across this year’s rankings, marking a 25.7% increase compared to the previous edition IIT Kharagpur: 45 QS statement Engineering-Mineral and Mining Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad: 20 Engineering and Technology IIT Delhi: 26 IIT Bombay: 28 Business and Management Studies IIM Ahmedabad: 27 IIM Bangalore: 40  Rank ists were in contact with their supporters and masterminds in Afghanistan during the operation via satellite phone. Earlier in the day officials , said some of the terrorists wearing vests loaded with explosives had formed groups of women and children and forced them to sit near them. Due to the presence of women and children with the suicide bombers, the operation was being conducted with utmost caution, they added. A security source earlier said that around 30 people who sustained injuries had been sent to hospitals. He said two drivers in the main engine and eight security personnel were killed during the operation. J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi launched MAHASAGAR, a vision for security and growth for the Global South, as India and Mauritius strengthened their strategic partnership amid China’s growing influence in the region in Mauritius on Wednesday . The two sides also signed eight aggrements. “Ten years ago, the foundation of Vision SAGAR, which stands for “Security and Growth for All in the Region” was laid here in Mauritius. We’re moving ahead with the SAGAR Vision for the stability and prosperity of this region,” said Modi. “Today building upon this, I , want to say that our vision for Global South will be going be- Smart Prime Minister Narendra Modi being conferred with Mauritius’ highest honour by its president on Wednesday yond SAGAR — it will be MAHASAGAR, i.e. “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions,” he said. MAHASAGAR shall encompass the ideas of trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future, the PM explained.