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NEW DELHI: Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan on Saturday took a swipe at neighbouring Pakistan while referring to Operation Sindoor, saying “victory is not declared by mere rhetoric.” He made the remarks while reflecting on India’s defence preparedness and stressing the need to strengthen national security systems. He also said that a sense of victory cannot be built on “dysfunctional air defence systems.”Speaking at the opening session of the ‘JAI Se Vijay’ seminar in Pune, Gen Chauhan referred to India’s success in Operation Sindoor and emphasised that “actual vijay lies in demonstrated evidence.” He said India must carry out a “sober assessment” of its defence systems to prepare for present and future challenges.
Without directly naming Pakistan, the CDS highlighted the damage it suffered during India’s counterterror operation in May, launched after Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.“With respect to the defence forces, victory is not declared by mere rhetoric. As some entities in our neighbourhood have done so, but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during Operation Sindoor. A sense of victory cannot be built on demolished terror infrastructure, damaged runways, crippled airfields, and dysfunctional air defence systems. Such kinds of victories or slogans do not endure. Actual Vijay lies in demonstrated evidence rather than verifiable outcomes…,” the CDS said.Highlighting future risks, General Chauhan said India’s defence posture over the next decade must be based on a realistic evaluation of emerging threats.“Why this is important is because currently, India’s defence posture for the next decade is required to be shaped by a sober assessment of what lies ahead, what kind of challenges lie ahead. And I believe it’s increasingly becoming very competitive, confrontational, combative, fragile, and technologically very disruptive,” he added.He also said that in today’s changing global environment, countries can no longer assume permanent friendships or rivalries, and India must be ready to act independently if needed.“Assumptions about permanent friends or adversaries are increasingly becoming unreliable. In today’s world, it is difficult to define who your friends are, who your allies are, who your enemies are and who your adversaries are. India must therefore be prepared mentally, structurally and materially to act independently when required,” he said.The CDS said partnerships remain important but cannot replace India’s own capabilities or freedom to make independent decisions. He stressed the need to strengthen domestic defence capacity to ensure strategic autonomy.Explaining the theme ‘JAI Se Vijay,’ Gen Chauhan said that in modern warfare, victory cannot be based on rhetoric or symbolic claims but must rest on “demonstrated evidence and verifiable outcomes.” He warned that damaging infrastructure or airfields alone does not guarantee lasting victory.Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of JAI — which stands for Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation — Gen Chauhan said it reflects freedom from foreign dependence and outdated thinking. “It is not just victory over an adversary, but equally victory over inertia, prejudices, and institutional comfort,” he said.
The United States carried out 10 strikes on more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria between February 3 and 12, aiming to maintain sustained military pressure on the remaining elements of the terrorist network, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement released on Saturday.The strikes under Operation Hawkeye, focused on ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage facilities, with precision munitions deployed using fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial systems.CENTCOM noted that US forces had previously carried out five strikes between January 27 and February 2, targeting an ISIS communication site, critical logistics nodes, and weapons storage facilities.“More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations,” CENTCOM said.The latest targeted strikes in Syria come as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike and follow a US strike in Syria last month that killed a senior militant leader linked to a deadly ambush on American personnel, marking the third round of retaliatory action by Washington, according to US officials.US Central Command had said the strike in northwest Syria killed Bilal Hasan al‑Jasim, an Al‑Qaeda‑affiliated figure with operational ties to the Islamic State militant responsible for the December 13 ambush in Palmyra that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter.Operation Hawkeye Strike was launched in a retaliatory response by the US to a December 13 attack in Palmyra, which targeted US and Syrian forces. The ambush resulted in the death of two US service members and an American interpreter.The operation focuses on targeting ISIS infrastructure, weapons storage, and logistical networks. The strikes are part of a broader US campaign in Syria under President Donald Trump to degrade ISIS capabilities and maintain military pressure on the terrorist network. US forces have maintained a presence in eastern Syria since 2014, supporting allied groups and conducting targeted operations against ISIS leaders and facilities.
Ahead of the high-voltage India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup clash, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has again stirred debate around the handshake controversy with a fresh remark. Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Agha said he hopes the game will be played in the right spirit but added a cryptic line about India’s stance: “I hope match will be played in a true sportsmanship.” If Indian team plans to shake hands, “We’ll find that out tomorrow,” he said, adding fuel to the ongoing narrative.
India reached Colombo on Friday to a festive welcome, with local dancers and drummers greeting the team at the airport. Arshdeep Singh caught everyone’s attention with his dance moves, while head coach Gautam Gambhir stayed focused and serious. Both teams will train separately on Saturday, with Pakistan practising in the afternoon and India in the evening. The ICC confirmed, “Pakistan will have a training session at the RPICS from 14h00 to 17h00 local time and hold a media interaction at the Press Conference Room starting around 13h45.” For India, “India will have a training session at the RPICS from 18h00 to 21h00 local time and hold a media interaction at the Press Conference Room starting around 17h30.”On the field, India will rely on key batters like Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, and either Abhishek Sharma or Sanju Samson. Abhishek is recovering from illness, while Arshdeep and Hardik have strong past records against Pakistan. With Sri Lankan pitches expected to assist spin, Varun Chakravarthy could play a crucial role.Earlier, Agha had criticised India’s refusal to shake hands during the Asia Cup, calling such actions bad for the game and young fans. He had said, “We don’t really feel hurt or anything like that. But, yeah, for the game is not good.” He also stressed that players are role models and should set the right example.
India and Pakistan will collide in a high-stakes Group A encounter at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Scheduled for Sunday, February 15, at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, this marquee clash features two unbeaten heavyweights vying for group supremacy and a guaranteed ticket to the Super 8s.
India will enter the fray as favourites, boasting a clinical winning streak and a massive Net Run Rate of +3.050, while Pakistan arrives with a revamped spin-heavy arsenal led by the ‘mystery’ of Usman Tariq. The rivalry carries an emotional weight like no other, with India holding a dominant 7-1 head-to-head record in T20 World Cup history, though Pakistan’s recent form and familiarity with Sri Lankan tracks suggest a closer contest than the numbers imply.
Choosing between Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma for the high-stakes India-Pakistan clash on Sunday, February 15, is the ultimate selection dilemma. While Abhishek is a generational talent, here are three undeniable, high-impact reasons why India must stick with Samson:
1. Extreme medical risk vs match-readiness
A world-class athlete cannot be expected to perform at elite levels in the world’s most intense rivalry just days after being hospitalized. Abhishek Sharma has recently suffered a severe stomach infection that required hospitalization and led to a significant 2kg weight loss and physical depletion.
2. Neutralizing the ‘mystery spin’ and Usman Tariq’s lefty trap
The R. Premadasa Stadium surface is notorious for being “tacky,” offering significant turn. Pakistan has a specific tactical weapon: the off-spinner Usman Tariq, whose side-arm action and mid-action pause create a “mystery” effect.
Also READ: Mohammad Amir mocks unwell Abhishek Sharma ahead of IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 clash
3. Strategic ‘double-keeper’ Insurance
In tournament play, team balance is the highest priority. With Ishan Kishan recently sustaining a foot injury from a Jasprit Bumrah yorker in the nets, India is one wrong step away from a wicketkeeping crisis.
TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: The marquee India vs Pakistan match on February 15 will take place on a used pitch in Colombo, with the surface expected to be slow and testing for batters, the TimesofIndia.com can confirm. The match will be played on the same pitch, where Zimbabwe defeated Australia by 23 runs on Friday.Interestingly, it was the fast bowlers who called the shots. Blessing Muzarabani (4/17) starred with the ball, registering the best bowling figures for Zimbabwe in a T20 World Cup match. Muzarabani and fellow pacer Brad Evans (3/17) shared seven wickets between them. The duo were superb with the new ball, slicing through Australia’s top order.
Batting first, Zimbabwe scored 169 for 2 and, in reply, the 2021 champions were bundled out for 146.At the pre-match press conference, Salman Ali Agha hinted that the spinners might play a big role on Sunday.“It’s possible that spinners dominate here,” Agha told reporters in Colombo.“I feel fast bowlers will also have a role to play. Fast bowling is such a skill that on any surface you can’t write it off. So I think they will surely have a role. We have good spinners but also quality pacers who can be called upon if needed,” he added.The big boundaries and the used surface could test India’s belligerent batting line-up. Pakistan might opt for a five-prong spin attack against India. It is likely they will field Abrar Ahmad, Usman Tariq, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.India could also be tempted to add either Washington Sundar or Kuldeep Yadav to their playing XI.After all these years, this could be the first time the focus shifts to Pakistan’s spinners versus Indian batters. Earlier, it used to be Pakistan’s pace attack against India’s batters. Times have changed, and the used surface could make the contest more balanced.
NEW DELHI: For decades, India’s fiscal federal system has had one core element that stood out: poorer states would be supported so that growth could be shared.The 16th Finance Commission has not broken that promise on paper. States will still receive 41 percent of the divisible pool of central taxes. But beneath that headline number, the logic of how money moves across the Union is beginning to change.For the first time, economic output shapes transfers. Long-running revenue deficit grants — once a fiscal buffer for states — have been eliminated. Parts of local government funding are now tied to performance benchmarks. Disaster funding is moving towards risk-indexed allocation rather than discretionary relief.The shift is subtle in design but important in consequence. Transfers are no longer only about closing gaps. They are increasingly about shaping behaviour — rewarding growth, nudging fiscal discipline, and linking public money to administrative capacity.“Considering India’s growth imperative, there is a need for at least a small shift in the devolution criteria towards efficiency,” the Commission said, capturing the direction of travel.
Under Article 280 of the Constitution, a Finance Commission is appointed roughly every five years to recommend how Union tax revenues are shared with states and how that share is distributed among them.The 16th Commission covers the period from 2026-27 to 2030-31. Its recommendations come at a time when India is expected to remain one of the fastest-growing major economies and set to become world’s third largest economy in the recommendation period.
The core decisions are twofold. Vertical devolution determines what share of central taxes goes to states. Horizontal devolution determines how that pool is divided among them. The vertical share remained unchanged. The horizontal framework has changed.
For the first time, contribution to national GDP has been included as a horizontal devolution criterion with a 10 percent weight. Karnataka gains 0.48 percentage points. Kerala gains 0.45 percentage point. Madhya Pradesh loses 0.50 percentage point. Bihar loses 0.11 percentage points . The formula now combines income distance, population, demographic performance, area, forest, GDP contribution. Income distance continues to drive equalisation. GDP contribution introduces an efficiency signal.In response to TOI queries, DK Srivastava, Chief Policy Advisor at EY India, questioned the conceptual basis.“Linking devolution to production efficiency does not appear to be justified,” he said.He said variation in state GDP contribution reflects structural economic factors rather than fiscal management.“It is important to distinguish between efficiency of a production system and efficiency of a fiscal system. GSDPs and GDP are the outcome of the production system in a country which is largely driven by market forces. Inter-state variation in the contribution of the GSDP of an individual state to the overall GDP depends largely on the inter-state concentration of capital stock, inter-state movement of financial and human resources and state level availability of infrastructure,” Srivastava said.He said fiscal rules themselves reinforce divergence.“The differences in inter-state infrastructure depends largely on the limit of fiscal deficit of 3% of GSDP which is by definition higher for higher GSDP states,” he said. “Lowering of the weight attached to the income distance criterion and giving a relatively high weight to the contribution criterion would reduce the degree of equalization.”Ranen Banerjee, Partner and Leader, Economic Advisory, PwC India, said the change sends a policy signal rather than creating an immediate redistribution shock.“The introduction of contribution to GDP as a parameter is a bold step as it clearly puts growth and consequent improvement in the per capita incomes of citizens as an important imperative,” he told TOI.
He said states are already competing on growth and investment metrics.“The states have been competing in attracting investments and improving their ease of doing business as well as articulating ambitious growth targets,” Banerjee said. “The signalling through this indicator could possibly work towards restraining populist expenditures and encouraging capital output enhancing expenditures that lead to economic growth.”He added the numerical impact remains modest.“While this may not be counted as a structural shift given the highest negative impact of just 50 basis points in the share of a state with all the changes in the weights and introduction of this parameter, it is a big incentive for states to perform well and provide growth to its population,” he said.Rumki Majumdar, Economist at Deloitte India, said the shift formally introduces performance into federal fiscal thinking.“The introduction of GDP contribution marks an important evolution: for the first time, economic performance finds measured recognition in horizontal devolution,” she said.
The Commission has eliminated revenue deficit grants entirely, ending a mechanism historically used to support fiscally weaker states.The Commission’s reasoning is behavioural. It argues that persistent revenue support created ‘adverse incentive structures’ and weakened fiscal reform pressure.Srivastava said stronger design could still have been built around subsidy discipline.“One possible approach could have been to more explicitly exclude excessive or unjustified subsidies in the assessment of states’ expenditure needs during the award period,” he said. “Designing calibrated fiscal incentives or disincentives linked to subsidy discipline may enhance accountability.”
Local bodies will receive Rs 7.91 lakh crore between 2026 and 2031, with 60 percent going to rural bodies and 40 percent to urban bodies.
Within this, 80 percent is basic grants and 20 percent is performance-linked.Performance conditions include audited accounts publication, property tax system strengthening, and own revenue growth targets.Majumdar said transparency reform is foundational.“Uniform on-budget reporting becomes the first step toward discipline,” she said.She said transparency alone is insufficient without incentive design.“A shift to uniform, on-budget accounting will ensure states remain committed to the path of fiscal prudence. That said, transparency will have to paired with targeted incentives for efficiency and progressive designs,” she said.
The Commission has expanded formula-based disaster allocations using a disaster risk index based on hazard, exposure and vulnerability.Banerjee said the framework attempts to balance predictability with flexibility.“The sixteenth finance commission’s disaster relief and mitigation fund related recommendations have built in fiscal flexibility,” he said.He said extreme disaster funding scales with the size of the event.“The risk to extreme tail end disaster events that essentially entails relief has been adequately provided for with a graded contribution from states and centre based on the size of relief,” he said.He said fund stockpiling is controlled while allowing emergency replenishment.“The commission has also recommended capping of accumulation in the SDRF to the extent of past 3 years allocation,” he said.“In the event the fund gets depleted on account of a disaster, it has given provision for its replenishment,” he said.He said mitigation spending remains underused.“The challenge has been utilisation of the State Disaster Mitigation Funds,” he said.“Work on mitigation measures utilising the mitigation funds will be the best way to bring down the risks to be within modelled risk scenarios,” he said.Srivastava said tail-risk disasters remain a central government stabilisation responsibility.“Tail-risk disasters refer to high impact, low probability events such as natural disasters and pandemics,” he said.
(Credit -Sandeep Adhwaryu)
“In the macro-fiscal stabilization framework, dealing with these disasters is largely the responsibility of the central government,” he said.He said fiscal rule flexibility may be necessary in extreme events.“This calls for some flexibility in the fiscal deficit to GDP targets provided in the Centre’s FRBM Act,” he said.He cited pandemic precedent.“For events such as Covid-19 also, it was the central government that increased its fiscal deficit to an inordinately high level of 9.2% of GDP in 2020-21 to cope with the Covid led economic contraction,” he said.He said long-term catastrophic planning remains incomplete.“There is also a case to plan for dealing with disasters like pandemics, nuclear and biological holocausts in advance,” he said.Majumdar framed the shift as systemic resilience building.“When the next black swan arrives, the question is not whether models predicted it, but whether financing can move at the speed of need,” she said.“By modernising risk indices, widening eligibility and introducing market-based risk transfer, the framework somewhat ensures that public finances retain the agility required for a new era of tail-risk volatility,” she said.
The Commission has recommended subsidy rationalisation, improved targeting, sunset clauses and stronger disclosure.Banerjee said fiscal deficit limits already create indirect discipline.“The fiscal federalism structure has an in-built mechanism that penalises fiscal profligacy by states,” he said.“This is through capping of the fiscal deficit that means limiting the borrowing that a state can undertake,” he said.He said adjustment pressures fall on capital spending.“When states are faced with serious fiscal constraints on account of excessive subsidy, the borrowing limit forces it to rationalise expenses,” he said.“Given the rigidity of expenditure for salaries, pension and interest payments, the casualty of such rationalisation is the capital expenditure,” he said.
Representative image
He said transparency can create market pressure.“More transparency on the fiscal condition of a state should upward pressure on the yields of the state development loans raised by the states making borrowing more expensive,” he said.Srivastava said stronger incentive architecture could have been considered.“One possible approach could have been to more explicitly exclude excessive or unjustified subsidies in the assessment of states’ expenditure needs,” he said.“Designing calibrated fiscal incentives or disincentives linked to subsidy discipline may enhance accountability,” he said.
The Commission does not abandon equalisation. Income distance remains the dominant driver.But incentive-linked federalism now sits alongside support-based transfers.Growth versus redistribution, performance versus protection and fiscal discipline versus political economy pressures now operate within the same transfer structure.Over the next five years, states will adjust spending, borrowing and welfare design around this framework.
PUDUCHERRY: Union home minister Amit Shah took a dig at the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of lying repeatedly about the India-US trade deal. Addressing a public meeting at Karaikal, Puducherry’s enclave, 140km south of its headquarters, during his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Shah brushed aside the opposition charges and maintained that the interests of the farmers and fishermen were “protected 100%” in the agreement. He said the farmers’ interests were compromised only during the previous UPA govt. “Rahul Gandhi’s policy is to lie, lie loudly and repeat it,” he said. Shah paid tributes to the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama terror attack. He said the previous Congress-led UPA govt had not retaliated strongly to the terror attacks, but the NDA govt led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out Balakot airstrikes targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan. Shah complimented the NDA govt led by All India NR Congress (AINRC) founder-president and chief minister N Rangasamy of curbing corruption, ensuring political stability and strengthening Puducherry’s autonomy. He charged that the previous Congress govt led by former chief minister V Narayanasamy of turning Puducherry into an ‘ATM for the Gandhi family’. He said the previous govt had sold UG, PG and diploma medical seats, including those reserved for SC and ST candidates, to rich people. The NDA secured 44% vote share in the 2021 assembly polls and the alliance “aims at securing 60% and winning 24 out of 30 seats in Puducherry in the ensuing polls,” he added. Shah later met the office-bearers of the BJP party’s Puducherry unit and chaired a meeting with Rangasamy, election in-charges and state in-charges at Karaikal in the afternoon, marking the commencement of seat-sharing talks.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman on Saturday said that Dhaka’s foreign policy would be guided by the principle that “people come first,” including in its ties with India.In his first address after the party’s sweeping electoral victory, Rahman said that the country’s national interest would remain the central focus of his government’s external engagement.Responding to a question on relations with New Delhi, Rahman said: “The interests of Bangladesh and its people comes first and it will determine our foreign policy,” he said.Rahman also used his first address to call for national unity following the decisive mandate. The BNP secured more than a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary elections, the first since the 2024 uprising that led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.According to the Election Commission, the BNP-led alliance won 212 seats, while the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance secured 77 seats. Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League was barred from contesting the polls.In his speech, Rahman dedicated the victory to those who, he said, had sacrificed for democracy. “Freedom loving pro-democracy people of the country have once again brought victory to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party,” he said.“This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy, this victory belongs to people who aspired to and have sacrificed for democracy,” he added.He urged political forces to work together despite differences. “Our paths and opinions may differ, but in the interest of the country, we must remain united,” Rahman said.
Even as Rahman adopted a measured tone on foreign policy, his adviser Humayun Kabir made pointed remarks about radicalisation in the region.In an interview with PTI, Kabir said, “Radicalisation is a problem in South Asia. We see Hindu extremism and far-right intolerance growing in Indian society, and in Pakistan, we also hear of extremist elements. In Bangladesh, it is not at that level, but there are some issues.”He called for stronger regional cooperation and information sharing to counter extremism and said a BNP government would seek “balanced relations” with all countries, including India.“What we want are balanced relations. We will not limit our relationships to a single country,” Kabir said, referring to criticism that the previous government was overly aligned with New Delhi.
Soon after the results were declared, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Rahman on his party’s victory and reaffirmed India’s commitment to strong bilateral ties.In a post on X, PM Modi wrote: “I convey my warm congratulations to Mr Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership.” He added, “I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals.”PM Modi also spoke with Rahman and reaffirmed India’s commitment to close bilateral ties. In a post on X, PM said, “Delighted to speak with Mr. Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections.” He added, “I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.” The BNP, in turn, thanked India for recognising the electoral verdict and expressed hope that relations would strengthen under the new government.
Rahman’s return marks a significant political shift in Dhaka. The 60-year-old leader returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in Britain. He is the son of former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.Under Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, India and Bangladesh developed close strategic and security ties. However, relations saw strains after her ouster.The BNP’s earlier terms in office were marked by periodic friction with India, particularly during its 2001–06 coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami, when New Delhi raised concerns about insurgent groups allegedly operating from Bangladeshi territory. In contrast, India viewed Hasina as a dependable partner on security cooperation.Despite that history, Rahman has recently signalled a pragmatic approach. In previous remarks, he has emphasised “mutual respect and mutual understanding” in ties with India.Several sensitive issues are expected to shape the next phase of bilateral relations — including border security, alleged illegal migration, water-sharing of transboundary rivers such as the Teesta, and the safety of minorities.The safety of the Hindu community, in particular, remains a closely watched issue. Just days before the elections, a 62-year-old Hindu trader, Susen Chandra Sarkar, was hacked to death in Mymensingh district. Authorities have said investigations are ongoing. India has previously expressed concern over attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, calling them a matter of grave concern.
Rahul Gandhi and Piyush Goyal (R)
NEW DELHI: Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday continued his barrage of attacks on Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi over his concerns on the India-US trade deal, saying that “he is exposing himself with his own foolishness.” He once again put forward the Centre’s clarification on the trade pact, which followed nearly a year of negotiations, as the war of words over the issue continued.He also alleged that the Lok Sabha LoP is “trying to sabotage India’s growth story with his politics of negativity.”
Taking aim at Rahul Gandhi, Goyal claimed he had countered Rahul’s “fearmongering,” which he said was misleading farmers and exporters, by presenting what he described as “hard facts” on the India-US trade deal.He posted on X, writing in three points:
Clarifying further on the deal, Goyal added, “Rahul ji, both Indian farmers and textile workers stand to gain hugely by the US trade deal and other FTAs done by the NDA Govt… and the people of India trust PM Modi. Your bundle of lies will fail.”Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi also stepped up his attack on the recently finalised trade deal with Washington, claiming that the agreement would hurt India’s cotton farmers and textile exporters. In a post on X, he alleged that the government had walked into a “trap” that leaves millions of families staring into an “abyss of unemployment.”“18% Tariff versus 0% – Let me explain how the Prime Minister, a master at telling lies, and his Cabinet are spreading confusion on this. And how they’re deceiving the country’s cotton farmers and textile exporters through the India-US trade deal.”Rahul said that after Indian garments were subjected to an 18% tariff in the US market, he raised in Parliament the issue of a special concession being extended to Bangladesh. According to him, a minister replied, “If we want the same benefit, we’ll have to import cotton from the US.”
