chennai l Sunday l April 12, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 28 l late city EDITION India, US step up energy tie-up with focus on coal gasification Both sides agreed to expand collaboration in emerging areas of energy sector, including coal gasification and liquefied petroleum gas exports amid energy crisis, India’s strategic lever identifying new avenues remains key The focus emerged during talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Coal gasification is being positioned as a transformative pathway that converts coal into syngas, which can then be used to produce cleaner fuels, fertilizers, chemicals, and hydrogen. Officials see this as a strategic lever | P9 ■ ■ Misri’s discussion with Wright focused on advancing energy security, deepening bilateral energy trade, and identifying new avenues to strengthen the India-US Energy Partnership India currently imports 83 per cent of its crude, 50 per cent of its natural gas, and over 90 per cent of methanol and fertilizers `64K cr in investment has been earmarked for coal gasification by india 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 Direct US-Iran talks get underway in Pakistan a g en c i e s @ Islamabad Dheeraj out, Manivasan is new home secy E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday ordered the transfer of Tamil N a d u H o m e S e c re t a r y Dheeraj Kumar, appointing senior IAS officer K Manivasan in his place ahead of the Assembly elections. Manivasan subsequently assumed charge as Home Secretary on Saturday after necessary orders were issued by the state government. The move follows a series of bureaucratic reshuffles by the ECI earlier this week, including the transfer of Chief Secretary N Muruganandam, DGP (HoPF) incharge G Venkataraman, ADGP (Armed Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption) S Davidson Devasirvatham, and Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun. In a related development, the ECI modified its earlier order appointing Sandeep Mittal as head of both the Armed Police and the Directorate of Vigilance and AntiCorruption (DVAC). In its revised order issued on Saturday the Commission stat, ed that Mittal would head only the Armed Police. However, sources in the state government indicated that the modification does not necessarily mean that Devasirvatham would continue to head the DVAC, a key wing of the TN police. P7 WITH THIS ISSUE Ballads and Bullets PLUS 12 P AGES AMERICAN and Iranian officials held first face-to-face talks in Pakistan on Saturday, the most significant since the 1979 Islamic revolution as the foes try to end a war that plunged West Asia into violence and severely damaged the global economy . The trilateral direct negotiations took place with host Pakistan in capital Islamabad, a senior White House official said. The US delegation comprises Vice President J D Vance, day special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-inlaw Jared Kushner, the official said, making it the highest level of American contact since the Islamic re public was established. The Iranian delegation, composed of more than 70 members, was being led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, joined by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The talks went on late into the night, with the Iranian delegation deciding to stay over- 43 US Vice President JD Vance (C) arrives for a meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prior to the US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad on Saturday | AFP night at the venue, Serana Hotel. Exchange of drafts at the delegate level indicated there was some progress on a basic framework, but what those points of agreement were remained unclear, Al-Jazeera said. However, sources close to U.S. says 2 destroyers transited Hormuz WASHINGTON: The US military said two destroyers transited the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran said it forced a US ship to turn around. the Iranian delegation said the US demands on the Strait of Hormuz were “too ambitious”. Tehran wants control of the Strait of Hormuz and transit fees from vessels that use the waterway As for the US, it said . it wants free passage for global shipping through the strait. Iran’s 10-point proposal also called for a guaranteed end to the war. It included ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah apart from unfreezing of sanctioned Iranian assets. The US’ 15-point proposal includes restricting Iran’s nuclear program.  P13 Rare bonhomie as PM Modi asks Rahul about his mother’s health r a j e s h k u m a r t h a k u r @ New Delhi Political civility between netas of opposite camps in the Parliament complex isn’t as visible as it was in the past. But on Saturday, on the sidelines of a function at Prerna Sthal within the Parliament premises to mark Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s 200th birth anniversary, there was a rare and interesting exchange. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come to pay his respects at the event. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Minister J P Nadda, and several others were already present. So was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. When the prime minister arrived and spotted Rahul in the gathering, he did not simply nod and move on. He walked over, greeted him, and asked about the health of his mother. “How is Sonia ji?” the prime minister was heard asking. Those standing near- by caught the exchange. Rahul apparently hadn’t expected the query There was a brief moment of sur. prise. But he responded quickly, apprising the PM about his mother’s health, her recent hospitalisation in Delhi, and how she was subsequent convalescence. Sonia was recently admitted at a Delhi hospital and recently discharged. Even though Modi and Rahul spoke for a few minutes, the conversation was unhurried, the kind you might exchange with someone you have known for years under different circumstances. Ministers and officials, including Nadda and Birla, looked on with interest, and perhaps surprise, at such an unusual moment between the country’s two major leaders. For a brief while, they seemed removed from the sharp edges of political rivalry and one-upmanship, especially during poll time. Silent support behind man of moment Ayush Young Ayush Shetty with parents and sister Aadhya | special arrangement country trying to make a mark. Yet, after Ayush graduated to international arena, his parents are yet to watch him live. “We don’t watch his live Chennai: The CBFC has rejected allegations regarding the board’s involvement in the leak of Vijay’s film Jana Nayagan online. All movies submitted for certification are handled through a secure Key Delivery Message (KDM) system, and KDM remains exclusively with producer, officials said | P2 Mumbai: Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle was admitted to a private hospital here Saturday evening due to chest infection, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said. The 92-year-old singer was admitted to Breach Candy hospital in South Mumbai. “My grandmother Asha Bhosle has been admitted to hospital. Treatment is on.” b a d m i n t o n a si a c ’ shi p s As Ayush Shetty was making history in China on Saturday, his parents were staying away from live action. Call it superstition or belief this ritual has become a norm for the family ever since he started playing international events. Instead, they were just doing their prayers and hoping for the best. His mother Shalmili has been part of every victory and loss during his early days. She has been his constant company while travelling across the CBFC denies role in online leak of Vijay’s movie ‘Jana Nayagan’ Asha hospitalised in Mumbai PM Narendra Modi with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, J P Nadda and Om Birla in Delhi Saturday| PTI An m o l Gu r un g @ Chennai e x p r ess r e a d matches. Whatever matches are on, we just pray to God and sit. We never watch live matches. We watch the highlights later. This mostly started after he started playing international matches. We didn’t watch his world junior win too, only highlights,” Shalmili told this daily . Shalmili’s prayers were answered on Saturday. Ayush made history at the Asia Championships, beating World No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsar n in the semis. He is now the first from the country to reach the final (men’s singles) since 1965.  P13 He never misses training. He’ll be away from home mostly (...)When we ask him to come home for a few days, he’ll be saying, ‘now, I’ll have to waste a few of training’. Shalmili Shetty, Ayush’s mother AIADMK will form govt on its own: EPS E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday said there is palpable public anger against the fiveyear DMK rule under Chief Minister MK Stalin and the DMK itself is fully aware that it won’t be voted back to power. In an interview with TNIE, the former CM claimed that voters now regret choosing the DMK over the AIADMK in the 2021 elections. press clusive He expressed absolute confidence that the ‘two-leaves’ symbol will emerge victorious with a single-party majority . Regarding his lowbrow criticism of DMK leaders in recent times, Palaniswami said that since 2019, MK Stalin, his son Udhayanidhi Stalin, and other DMK leaders have been heaping slander on him. “Therefore, left with no alternative, I am compelled to respond in a language they understand. My remarks are nothing more than a reaction to their actions,” Palaniswami added. He also said that if the AIADMK comes to power, it will boost revenue resources without burdening the people with taxes, and prioritise economic stability He also promised tar. geted employment measures for all youth groups. However, he declined to reveal specific economic targets in advance, saying it would not be prudent to do so. FULL Q&A ON: P5