visakhapatnam l thursday l april 10, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Modi-led cabinet approves `64,000 cr marine Rafale deal The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared buying of 26 Rafale Marine jets from France to boost air combat capabilities short-term replacement for its MiG-29K The deal includes 26 Rafale M aircraft, comprising 22 single-seaters and four twin-seater trainer versions. The Navy is acquiring Rafale M as a short-term replacement for its ageing MiG-29Kd until India develops its own twin-engine deck-based fighter. Their delivery will begin around five years after signing the contract under an inter-governmental framework ■ 3 jets to operate from ins vikrant ■ Rafale M jets are designed for aircraft carriers, equipped with a reinforced undercarriage for carrier landings and a “Short Take-Off but Arrested Recovery” (STOBAR) system The jets will operate from INS Vikrant, with 80% commonality with IAF’s Rafales, reducing training and maintenance costs Scorpene-class submarines are also proposed to be bought 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 changes policy stance to accommodative 26/11 Central bank cuts rate again to fuel growth co-conspirator Tahawwur rana B e n K o c h u v e e d a n @ Mumbai Face of terror Tahawwur Rana, 64, was born in Pakistan’s Punjab province and went on to join the Pakistan Army Medical Corps cuts growth forecast to 6.5% Migrated to Canada after leaving Pak Army in 1990s, got Canada citizenship Sentenced to 14 years in US prison for role in plan to attack Danish newspaper Tahawwur Rana being extradited, to reach India today MU K E S H RAN J AN a n d S h e k h a r S i n g h @ New Delhi NIA says Rana reviewed 26/11 attack logistics Tahawwur Rana, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, is being extradited to India on a special Indian Air Force plane that is expected to arrive by Thursday noon, sources said. His extradition follows the exhaustion of all legal options in the United States. A multi-agency team is in place to complete the necessary formalities, sources added. The IAF aircraft carrying Rana will make a stopover in Europe for refueling before reaching Delhi. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed Rana’s extradition is underway after the US Supreme Court rejected his plea. The court dismissed concerns over his Pakistani origin and potential torture. Discussions on the extradition of another 26/11 accused David Coleman Headley (alias Dawood Gilani) are still on. Rana’s last legal defence, citing humanitarian grounds, failed to convince the US judiciary . Authorities have made high-security arrangements at two jails in Delhi and Mumbai, where he is expected to be lodged initially He will spend . NIA investigations revealed that Rana traveled to Mumbai via Dubai between November 11 and 21, 2008, and stayed at Hotel Renaissance, Powai, where he reviewed logistical preparations for the attacks a few days in the national capital before possibly being moved to Mumbai for joint interrogation by the National Investigation Agency and Mumbai Police. Upon arrival, Rana will be arrested by the NIA, which will seek his custody from a special court for initial interrogation, sources said. The extradition process is being closely monitored by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, along with senior officials from the NIA and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Rana, a Canadian of Pakistani origin, was an LeT operative who aided Headley, a Pakistani-American, scout targets in Mumbai that were attacked on November 26, 2008. India sought Rana’s extradition in June 2020. This February, Trump confirmed it, stating he would “go to India and face justice.” Beijing: China vowed to “fight to the end” on Wednesday in an escalating trade war with the US as it announced it would raise tariffs on American goods to 84% from Thursday. Beijing also added an array of countermeasures after US President Donald Trump raised the total tariff on imports from China to 104%. Beijing said it was launching an additional suit against the US at the WTO | P9 No Waqf Amendment Act in West Bengal: Didi Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asserted that she would allow neither the implementation of the amended Waqf Act in West Bengal nor the divide and rule of Muslims in the state. “I know you are hurt by the Waqf Amendment Act but nothing of that sort will happen in Bengal that divides and rules us,” she said. @ Vijayawada 90-day pause on tariff war, but China faces 125% Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to bolster the state’s revenue-generating departments to enhance self-sustained income, emphasizing that true growth hinges on increasing the state’s own revenue sources. During a review meeting with officials from revenue departments at the Secretariat on Wednesday he stressed , the need to boost tax collections and explore additional income avenues while identifying and addressing reasons for revenue shortfalls. Naidu advocated for a fully online system for tax payments, receipt issuance, and notices to streamline processes. He underscored the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to curb tax evasion, citing an example where AI identified over 1,000 builders who failed to register despite obtaining occupancy certificates from the Municipal Department. He instructed that government approvals should only be granted to those registered under GST, ensuring compliance. The Chief Minister urged all revenue departments to adopt AI-driven methods to detect tax evaders and enforce rigorous tax collection. He emphasized that leveraging technology would simplify tax payments and permissions for businesses, clarifying that the coalition government’s approach is not to harass traders—as seen in the previous administration—but to collaborate with them to ensure compliance with regulations. Naidu proposed integrating data from taxpayers, the GST portal, the AP State Data Centre, and APCTD using the AI model to enP4 hance efficiency  . Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi railway line doubling work gets Centre’s approval @ Vijayawada/Tirupati China raises retaliatory tariff on US to 84% E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e Home, auto loan rates set to dip The Reserve Bank’s rate-setHome, auto loans to cost less as RBI cuts repurchase or repo rate by 25 bps to 6% ting body on Wednesday shifted Hours later, Bank Growth estimate cut to RBI changes its gears to support growth, havof India, UCO 6.5% for FY26 from policy stance to ing nearly achieved its objecBank trimmed 6.7% earlier amid accommodative tive of ensuring price stability . their lending rates global tariff war from neutral, Acknowledging that the fastindicating changing global environment Borrowing cost at Inflation projection possibility of following the raging tariff wars lowest level since lowered to more rate cuts would drag FY26 growth down November 2022 4% from 4.2% in future from 6.7% to 6.5%, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI voted for growth. Apart from slashing the GDP Accordingly the six-member growth forecast to 6.5%, down , panel unanimously reduced 20 bps from the previous forethe repurchase or repo rate by cast, the rate-setting panel also 25 basis points (bps) to 6% with pared the retail inflation target immediate effect and changed by 20 bps to 4% this fiscal. the policy stance to accommoThe rate cut and the change dative from neutral, indicating in policy stance come in the that the days of easy wake of fears that money are back again. higher tariff rates J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi “An accommodative may lead to increase policy stance means in trade tensions and Hours after sweeping US rethere are two options a lower growth in the ciprocal tariffs kicked in, raisbefore us — to cut rate world economy and ing concerns about a global again or retain status also hit the domestic economic downturn, President Donald Trump announced a 90quo,” RBI Gover nor economy . Sanjay Malhotra told “I am more worried day pause for all nations except China, though his 10% tariff reporters. about the impact of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping . With the second sucthe tariff wars on our on all global imports will stay cessive cut, the RBI has growth than inflation On China, he slapped a whop- to speak about what would be lowered the repo rate by now. Global economic ping 125% tax rate, up from the impact, because we don’t Impact of US 50 bps since February. tariff hike is much outlook is fast chang- 104% when the tariff war be- know. What is our strategy? I In the previous easing less on India than ing. FY26 has started gan in the day, after it an- think that’s pretty clear,” Jais. cycle, it had delivered a others; we have on an anxious note nounced 84% retaliatory levy hankar said. comparative Back home, the impact of cumulative 250 bps cut, “We decided that we will enand some global trade advantage taking the rate down to frictions are coming Trump’s tariffs is still unclear, gage the Trump administraa historic low of 4%. true,” Malhotra said but New Delhi’s strategy is to tion early on this set of issues Sanjay Malhotra, In the February polias the rationale for the secure a bilateral trade agree- and we were very open with RBI Governor cy review, the MPC, for rate cut and policy ment with Washington by this them, very constructive with fall, External Affairs Minister them as they were with us, and the first time in nearly stance change. five years, reduced the repo Another reason is “the deci- S Jaishankar said on Wednes- what we agreed to do was to try . rate by 25 bps. sive improvement in absolute day Jaishankar who spoke with to negotiate a bilateral trade The second successive rate inflation numbers and also in his US counterpart Marco Ru- agreement by fall of this year... bio on Monday on the early And I should add that in an inaction will leave banks with no inflation expectations. Even if choice but to lower rates for ex- the trade wars lead to imported conclusion of the Bilateral teresting way, this has long isting customers who are on inflation, and this affects the T r a d e A g re e m e n t ( B TA ) been our objective,” he said. the floating rate regime based rupee too badly, the declining stressed that India is likely the Jaishankar also said that the on the external benchmark commodity prices, especially only country to have reached present situation may have crelinked loans such as home, per- that of crude oil will cushion an understanding with Wash- ated the right conditions for sesonal, and vehicle loans in the that. So the priority is to sup- ington to negotiate a trade pact rious trade talks. “The Biden after Trump assumed presiden- administration was very averse coming days. This will also re- port growth now,” he said. sult in lower fixed deposit rates. to a bilateral agreement, but for January-February inflation cy for a second term. India has taken a cautious India, working out something Hours after the RBI decision, is tracking an average of 3.9%, Bank of India and UCO Bank below the quarterly projection. approach, engaging with the bilaterally with the US is not became the first banks to cut The RBI had projected inflation Trump administration on the negative. It’s actually something BTA. “I don’t think it’s possible we’ve long aimed for,” he said. their lending rates. at 4.8% for the March quarter. E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e express read AI helps to trap 1,000 builders for tax evasion In a landmark decision for railway infrastructure development, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the doubling of the Tirupati-PakalaKatpadi railway line, a vital 104-kilometer single-line section linking Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Announced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, this `1,332 crore project expands the Indian Railways network by 113 kilometers of track length, promising to decongest one of the busiest rail corridors, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure greater service reliability . Executed under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, the initiative reflects integrated planning to facilitate seamless movement of people, goods, and services, aligning with Modi’s vision of a self-reliant “New India.” The upgraded railway line serves as a critical connector to iconic cultural and religious destinations, including the Tirupati Balaji Temple, Srikalahasti Temple, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, and Chandragiri Fort, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across India. Beyond its cultural significance, the project enhances access to prominent educational and healthcare hubs in Vellore and Tirupati, directly benefiting around 14 lakh residents across approximately 400 villages in three districts: Chittoor and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and Vellore in Tamil P4 Nadu.  temple makeover After Srikalahasti, ASI to begin restoration work in Srisailam D S u r e n d r a K u m a r @ Nellore (L) The completed restoration work at the Srikalahasti temple; (Top) ASI officials at Srikalahasti temple (File photo) | Express After the successful completion of roof restoration work at the historic Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Srikalahasti, similar eco-friendly repairs are set to begin at the Srisailam temple in the first week of May . The project, aimed at addressing the roof leakages and preserving ancient architecture, will be undertaken at an esti- mated cost of `4 crore, with the technical expertise from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Dr K Munirathnam Reddy Director of Epigraphy ASI, , , along with his expert team, had recently visited the Srisailam temple to finalize the restoration plans. The repair works will involve traditional and sustainable techniques, using natural materials such as lime, Arabic tree gum, kadakkai (hirda), jaggery , lady’s finger, jute, and urad dal, a method which proved to be highly effective during the Srikalahasti temple project. The Srikalahasti temple roof restoration, which covered 60,000 sq ft, was completed in 14 months at a cost of `5 crore. According to officials, the structure is now expected to last over 500 years preserving its arP4 chitectural sanctity  . bhumi puja CM Chandrababu Naidu, accompanied by his family members, laid the foundation stone for his new residence in the capital city of Amaravati on Wednesday. The house is being constructed adjacent to E9 Road behind the Secretariat | Express