tirupati l friday l july 25, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur EDITION No plan to remove ‘secularism’, ‘socialism’ from Preamble: Govt The Centre told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday it has “no plan or intention” to remove the words ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’ from the Preamble debates in public circles only: meghwal Dhankhar called them ‘festering wound’ In a written reply, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said while there may be debates in public or political circles, “no formal decision has been announced by the government” regarding amendments to these terms. Last month, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale called for a national debate on whether the two terms should remain in the Preamble ■ ■ Hosabale’s comments had kicked off a political row. Wading into the controversy created by Hosabale, then Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar had said the added words were a “festering wound” The Supreme Court last year had said “socialism” does not impede private sector growth, while “secularism” is integral to basic structure 42nd consitutional amendment in 1976 introduced socialism, secularism 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 7/11 Mumbai train blasts: Apex Court stays Bombay HC verdict Landmark free trade deal with UK signed in the presence of PMs Modi and Starmer slashes most tariff lines to zilch the POWER OF ZERO 0% Duty on the following, down from 4-20% now Marine products Arms and ammunition Over Base metals Chemicals & Minerals Electrical machinery Plastic/Rubber Furniture/Sports goods Gems & jewellery Headgear/Glass/Ceramic Instruments/Clocks tariff lines down to zero duty for Animal products Leather/Footwear Wood/Paper Mechanical machinery Textile/Clothing 99% Processed food Transport/Auto Veggies, fruits, spices, cereals & oils J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi India and the UK signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Thursday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to London, sealing the most significant trade pact for Britain since Brexit and marking a major breakthrough in India’s global trade strategy . The deal, finalised after three years of stop-start negotiations, cuts tariffs on key goods like textiles, whisky, automobiles, and electronics, and is expected to double the current bilateral trade of 56 billion by 2030. Negotiated amid shifting global trade dynamics and rising protectionism, the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Ag reement (CETA) opens up one of the world’s fastest-growing markets to UK firms while giving Indian exporters critical access to one of the G7’s leading economies. The agreement is set to take effect after a formal ratification process in the UK, likely within a year or less. “This is a new chapter in the Naidu’s 6-day Singapore tour from tomorrow Indian farmers to get Uk access Indian farmers to get preferential access to UK’s $37.5 billion agriculture market Sensitive Indian sectors like dairy, vegetables, apples, cooking oils, oats fully protected under the deal Big catch for Indian fishermen as the $5.4 billion British market opens for marine exports with zero duty as against up to 20% now Big boost for UK job creation as labour-intensive sectors get competitive edge India–UK economic partnership,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “CETA reflects our shared commitment to enhancing trade, driving inclusive growth, and creating opportunities for farmers, MSMEs, women, youth, and professionals,” Modi said at Chequers , his British counterpart Keir Starmer’s countryside residence. For India, the deal delivers duty-free access on 99% of its exports, spanning labour-intensive sectors such as apparel, marine products, footwear, and engineering goods. High-growth sectors like electronics, chemicals, and auto components are poised for major export gains. In return, India will slash tariffs on 90% of UK goods. The average tariff on UK exports will drop from 15% to 3%. The UK, facing slower postBrexit trade momentum, has touted the deal as its biggest trade success since leaving the EU. “This is the biggest and most economically significant trade deal the UK has made since Brexit,” British PM Keir Starmer said. Zero duty on major sectors Massive gain for rural India and exporters with zero duty on processed foods as against up to 70% earlier 75,000 Indian workers in UK will benefit from Double Contribution Convention, as it exempts workers from social security contribution for three years Professionals to get better mobility access to the United Kingdom. Up to 1,800 Indian chefs, yoga instructors and classical musicians can move temporarily to Britain to provide services s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer | PTI Modi, Starmer rap democratic space abuse by Khalistanis J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi India and the United Kingdom on Thursday sent a strong, united message against terrorism, with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Star mer agreeing that there can be no double standards in tackling extremism. Following a bilateral meeting at the Chequers Estate, Modi thanked Starmer for the UK’s strong condemnation of the April terrorist attack in J&K’s Pahalgam that had claimed 26 lives. “We are united in our view that there can be no place for double standards in the fight against terrorism,” Modi said. “We also agree that forces with extremist ideologies must not be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms. Those who misuse democratic freedoms to undermine democracy itself must be held to account.” The statement is also seen as a veiled reference to pro-Khalistani activities abroad, amid growing Indian concern over threats to Indian diplomats and missions in the UK. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later said that India had raised the issue during the bilateral talks. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to enhancing cooperation between their security agencies, including on extradition of economic offenders, a longstanding demand from India involving several high-profile fugitives residing in the UK. They also discussed regional and global challenges. despite pain, pant hits 54 India’s wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant shocked everyone by coming out to bat with a broken foot and extending his overnight retired-hurt score of 37 to 54. During this unexpected extension of his innings, he hit his 90th six in Test cricket to level the record set by Virender Sehwag. E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Aimed at attracting investments to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will embark on a sixday visit to Singapore from July 26 to 31. During the visit, he will engage with representatives of leading global companies, business leaders, prominent industrialists, and other notable personalities. According to a release issued on Thursday, this marks Naidu’s second foreign tour since the formation of the coalition government, following his earlier visit to Davos. The Singapore visit is expected to serve as a key platform to promote Brand AP and showcase the state’s new industrial policies and ease-of-doing-business initiatives. The Chief Minister will highlight Andhra Pradesh’s robust infrastructure, including ports, airports, highways, harbours as well as its abundant water and land resources, a 1,053 km coastline, and a skilled talent pool. He will urge global investors to explore opportunities in the P4 state.  AP State braces for heavy rain in next 2 days due to low pressure E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh is bracing up for heavy rains, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a five-day weather warning for the state, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds due to a low-pressure system over the north Bay of Bengal. An orange and yellow alert has been issued. As of 8:30am on Thursday, the lowpressure area, centered over the central parts of the north Bay of Bengal, is expected to intensify into a well-marked low-pressure area within the next 24 hours. The associated cyclonic circulation, extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and tilting southwestwards, is likely to move west-northwest towards the coasts of West Bengal and north Odisha within 48 hours. For Andhra Pradesh, the IMD predicts significant weather impacts over the next five days. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP) and Yanam, with heavy rain likely in South Coastal AP (SCAP) in the next two P4 days.  THE Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Bombay high court verdict of July 21 acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case, but said they need not return to jail. A two-judge bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh issued notice to all the accused in the case and sought their responses on the appeal filed by Maharashtra challenging the Bombay HC judgment. During a brief hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, requested the court for a stay of the judgment, citing that some observations made by the high court in its verdict of July 21 can impact other pending trials express read Railway Board gives nod for revised DPR for SCoR Zone Visakhapatnam: The Railway Board has approved the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the South Coast Railway (SCoR) Zone, headquartered in Visakhapatnam. The approval comes with a set of observations and modifications related to jurisdiction, infrastructure, staffing and service management | P3 File Photo under the MCOCA. Mehta also clarified that he was not seeking an order from the court to direct the accused, who were released from prison following the ruling, to surrender. The bench said it had been informed that all respondents have been released and there was no question of bringing them back to the prison. “Taking note of submissions made by the SG on the question of law, we are inclined to hold that the impugned judgment shall not be treated as a precedent. To that extent, there is a stay of the judgment,” said the court. On July 21, a special bench of the Bombay high court of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak acquitted all the 12 accused, saying the prosecution utterly failed to prove the case and it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime”. The Maharashtra government on July 22 knocked the doors of the Supreme Court challenging the verdict. More than 180 people were killed when seven blasts ripped through Mumbai local trains at various locations on the western line on July 11, 2006. CCTVs every 50 kms on AP roads E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to install CCTV cameras every 50 km along all roads to monitor vehicular movement. Chairing a review meeting with officials of the Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department at the State Secretariat on Thursday, the Chief Minister instructed them to construct 2,000 kilometers of new state and district roads with an estimated budget of `1,000 crore. He said that cost estimations and the tender process must begin immediately An additional `500 crore . will be allocated for repairing damaged roads across the state, and the CM emphasised that repairs must P4 continue during monsoon.