Vladimir Putin accepts PM’s invite to visit India New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday President Vladimir Putin has accepted PM Narendra Modi’s invitation to visit India. Lavrov noted that Prime Minister Modi’s first foreign visit after his re-election last year was to Russia. “Now it’s our turn,” said Lavrov | P9 File photo Chennai l friday l march 28, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 40 l late city EDITION 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 Auto sector safe Shastri ‘betting’ ad may attract censure from MIB but parts to feel US tariff heat S w a r o o p S w a m i n at h a n @ Chennai What it means for India No big impact on Indian auto sector, but Tata Motors’ luxury car subsidiary JLR to be hit India’s auto parts exports to US stand at around $2 bn, attracting just 2.5% duty. This will increase 10 times on April 3 Imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts threaten to impair national security Donald Trump D i pa k M o n d a l @ New Delhi THE Trump administration on Wednesday announced a 25% import duty on completely builtup automobiles and auto parts, effective April 3. While the decision has sent shockwaves through the global auto industry, the reaction in India has been mixed. The broader Indian auto industry seems largely insulated, but the auto component sector, which currently attracts just 2.5% duty will feel the tariff heat in the short term. , India exported $2.6 billion worth of automobiles and auto components to the US in FY24 — 13% of total auto and auto ancillary exports of $21 billion. Of this, passenger car exports to the US stood at just $8.9 million, compared to $6.98 billion in global car exports, meaning only 0.13% of India’s car exports are US-bound. Moreover, the 25% duty is still lower than the 70-100% tariffs that could result from reciprocal tariff measures. Trade analysts say India need not be concerned, given the relatively small volume of its car and bike exports to the US. Saurabh Agarwal, tax partner at EY India, says the limited implications for India’s auto industry mean the Indian government may not aggressively seek exemptions from the tariff. Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative, even discourages India from reducing its own import duties in response. He warns that lowering tariffs on passenger cars could be counterproductive, citing Australia’s experience—where import duties were slashed from 45% to 5% in the late 1980s, leading to the collapse of its domestic auto manufacturing industry. With the auto sector contributing one-third of India’s manufacturing GDP policymakers will tread cautiously , . Mrunmayee Jogalekar, an analyst at Asit C Mehta Investment Intermediates, said Tata Motors could face challenges as its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover sells a significant number of cars in the US. P13 A Ravi Shastri advertisement where the cricketer-turnedpundit seemingly endorses a betting company could come under the scanner of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). Over the last 11 months or so, Shastri has used X (formerly Twitter) to promote Stake, a betting company. He did the same on March 21, one day be- fore the start of the IPL’s 18th edition. “Witness the Ultimate Cricket Extravaganza,” he posted to his 2m followers. “Early six? Early wicket? What’s your stake? @Stake” There was also a video message to his followers. He also added a disclaimer: “This content is not intended for the Indian region. Visitors must be 18+ of age to proceed.” This daily has learned that the disclaimer may not be applicable for the purposes of legality as the commentator may still be liable. “This specific advertiser appears to be a betting platform,” Manisha Kapoor, secretary-general of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), told this daily. “Betting is a violation of law, hence adding any disclaimer does not make it okay to advertise. ASCI is reporting such cases to the MIB.” Under Indian law, Bar leaders urge SC collegium to withdraw transfer of judge Varma S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a n t y @ New Delhi Leaders of Bar associations from six high courts met Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and four other Supreme Court collegium members on Thursday, urging them to withdraw the recommendation to transfer Delhi HC judge Yashwant Varma amid a ‘cash burn’ controversy . After the meeting with the CJI and justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath, Allahabad High W ITH THIS ISS U E CHENNAI’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 40 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID) Court Bar Association president Anil Tiwari said, “The CJI assured (us) to consider our demands...” Bar bodies of Allahabad, Gujarat, Kerala, Jabalpur, Karnataka, and Lucknow had sought the meeting. Tiwari said the collegium promised to consider each point within the premises of law. “This is a big statement.,” he added. The collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Varma to Allahabad HC triggered an indefinite strike by the state bar association since March 25. A fire at Justice Varma’s official residence on March 14 led to the alleged detection of wads of burnt cash. Justice Varma has denied the charges. Subsequently, CJI Khanna formed a three-member panel to probe the allegations. The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Friday a plea seeking a direction to the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR over the incident. The PIL was filed by three l aw ye r s — M at h ew s N e dumpara, Hemali Suresh Kurne and Rajesh Vishnu Adrekar — and chartered accountant Mansha Nimesh Mehta. waqf bill TN adopts resolution against bill Tamil Nadu Assembly urges centre to withdraw Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, as it would “affect Muslims”. BJP MLAs stage walkout in protest | P4 games of chance — betting — are banned save a few exemptions as it’s a state subject under the Public Gambling Act. “Any operator,” sports lawyer Vidushpat Singhania told this masthead, “who claims an international license, cannot offer a betting product without a license from an authority in India. They would also need GST registration in India. A celebri- ty before endorsing a brand is required to do a diligence check, otherwise a celebrity can be held liable under consumer protection laws.” Shastri didn’t respond to queries raised by this daily . Indian cricket has been no stranger to betting advertisements in recent years. In 2022, to stop the encroachment of surrogate advertisements, the Union government had issued a strongly-worded advisory . special team formed gang led by ganja peddler kills cop at madurai Tasmac bar said police. Muthukumar, who was the official driver of the Usilampatti police inA 34-year-old police consta- spector, had gone to the liqble of the Usilampatti police uor outlet with his friend station was murdered alleg- Rajaram, a resident of the edly by a gang led by a ganja same village, after duty . peddler at a bar attached An argument broke out to a Tasmac-run liqbetween Ponvandu uor shop at Muthaiyand Muthukumar, anpatti near Usilamwho was not in unipatti in Madurai form at the bar, podistrict on Thursday lice said. evening. In a fit of rage, A special team led Ponvandu and his by Usilampatti depugang allegedly atB Muthukumar tacked Muthukuty superintendent of police Chandrasekamar and Rajaram, ran has been formed to nab who tried to prevent the the gang and its leader. attack. Learning of the inciPreliminary investigation dent, Usilampatti police revealed that the gang, led reached the bar and shifted by Ponvandu, attacked con- Muthukumar to the governstable B Muthukumar with ment hospital in Usilampatstones before thrashing him ti, where he was declared to death around 5.30 pm, dead.  P7 E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Madurai