Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Jammu and Kashmir for three days on Thursday for a comprehensive review of the security situation. Amit Shah, during his visit, will launch various developmental projects and will also interact with political leaders. The officials, while stating about Amit Shah’s visit to Jammu Kashmir, said, “The Union Home Minister will reach Jammu in the evening on February 5. He will meet political leaders at the Lok Bhawan the same evening. In the morning on February 6, the Union Home Minister will visit the international border in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district," as reported by news agency IANS. The Union Home Minister will also inspect the latest equipment installed by the Border Security Force (BSF) to prevent infiltration. The officials further added, "In the afternoon of February 6, he will chair a high-level security review meeting in Jammu. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, senior officials of MHA, IB, chiefs of CAPFs, and senior officers of Jammu Kashmir's civil administration, police, and intelligence agencies will attend the security review meeting," as per IANS. Amit Shah to launch various development projects in Jammu and Kashmir As reported by IANS, “On the morning of February 7, he will leave for Srinagar, where he is scheduled to launch various developmental projects. In the afternoon, he will leave from Srinagar for Chhattisgarh,” official sources said. This will be the second time in less than one month that the Union Home Minister will be reviewing Jammu and Kashmir’s security at the highest level. Earlier on January 8, he chaired a high-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi. Amit Shah’s review of the security situation was followed by the visit of the Union Home Secretary, Gobind Mohan, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Tapan Deka, chiefs of CAPFs and other agencies to Jammu on January 14 and 15. Official sources reveal that the Home Minister is concerned about the presence of foreign terrorists in the upper reaches of the Jammu division, including the Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur districts. The sources further said, “A comprehensive strategy is in place to neutralise the terrorists through joint operations in the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” as per IANS. They also added that the high-level meeting is likely to review and fine-tune the strategy further. Search operations still on to eliminate terrorists Search operations have been going on in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district, besides the upper reaches of Billawar in Kathua and some other districts, to eliminate the foreign terrorists. A paratrooper of the Army was martyred, and seven soldiers were injured in Chatroo (Kishtwar) in an encounter between joint forces and the terrorists on January 18. Also, a top commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit was killed by the security forces in the upper reaches of Billawar in the Kathua district. The Union Home Minister directed to ensure zero infiltration on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir while carrying out aggressive operations against terrorists, their over-ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers to usher in complete peace in the valley. (With inputs from IANS)
03 February,2026 11:14 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentSenior Scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD), Sandeep Kumar Sharma, on Monday, stated that there has been an active western disturbance with light to moderate rainfall and snowfall across Himachal Pradesh, with the highest rainfall received across Kangra and Mandi. "In the last 24 hours, due to the active western disturbance, light to moderate rain and snowfall were recorded across Himachal Pradesh. The highest snowfall of 15 cm was reported from Kothi in Kullu district, followed by 13 cm in Kalpa, 8 cm in Sangla, and 7 cm in Jot. Light snowfall was observed in Kufri in Shimla and Manali..." he told ANI. Sharma said that various parts of Mandi and Kangra received the highest rainfall of 20 cm, followed by a dip of seven degree Celcius in temperature. "Rain accompanied by thunderstorms was recorded in parts of Mandi and Kangra, with Gohar in Mandi district receiving the highest rainfall of about 20 mm. Daytime temperatures dropped sharply due to snowfall and cloud cover, falling by as much as seven degrees Celsius in some places. Cold wave-like conditions were recorded in Manali and Mandi, where maximum temperatures remained significantly below normal. Dense fog was reported in Bilaspur, while shallow to moderate fog was observed in Mandi and Sundernagar this morning..." he added. Regarding the upcoming weather, on Monday and Tuesday, he said that the higher altitude regions such as Kullu, Spiti, Kangra, and Chamba might witness rain and light snowfall. Although for most regions, the weather will mostly remain clear from February 4 to February 8. "The highest districts like Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Spiti may experience rain and light snowfall. Shimla and Mandi have a slight chance of light rain in only one or two areas, that too in the late afternoon or evening. In other areas like Una, Bilaspur, Nurpur, Solan, etc., the weather will remain mostly clear. The forecast is similar for today and tomorrow. From February 4 to 8, the weather will remain mostly clear throughout the state..." he said. Further, he informed of a weak western disturbance on February 6, which will cause light snowfall in areas like Chamba and Lahore. "Only on February 6, there will be a feeble Western Disturbance that affect the region. Due to this, there has been a light snowfall in some areas in Chamba and Lahore. In the last 24 hours, the temperature of the day has fallen significantly due to the rainfall and snowfall activity..." he stated. Sharma said that the temperature will rise till February 4. After that, there will be no significant change till February 5. The temperature from February 6 to 8 will gradually rise by 2 to 3 degree Celcius. There is no possibility of any significant change in the forecast. When the weather opens up, it can fall 2 to 3 degrees, he said. Meteorologist GNRS Srinivasa Rao told ANI that the cold conditions across Telangana are heading towards the end, with temperatures rising since mid-January. Minimum temperatures now range between 14 and 19 degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures are around 28 to 32 degrees. He said early-morning fog may continue for the next three to four days due to moist easterly winds, warning highway travellers of low visibility between 3 am and 8 am. In Hyderabad, temperatures are also climbing, though fog may persist in the outskirts and near Shamshabad airport. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 11:13 AM IST | Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) | ANIAn Air India pilot on Monday reported a possible defect with the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 plane, which has now been grounded for checks, and the incident comes amid the ongoing probe into the airline’s Dreamliner crash last June. The aircraft operated the flight AI132 from London to Bengaluru, and it landed at Bengaluru on Monday morning. There were more than 200 people on board, according to sources. Another source aware about the incident said the fuel control switch failed to be in the ‘RUN’ position and moved towards ‘CUT OFF’ position. ‘RUN’ and ‘CUT OFF’ are used to start or shut down engines, respectively. It could not be immediately ascertained at what stage of the flight did the Air India pilot notice the possible malfunctioning of the fuel control switch. The functioning of the fuel control switch is in focus following the crash of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft or Dreamliner that killed 260 people last June, as the preliminary probe report mentioned about fuel supply being cut off soon after take-off. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 February,2026 10:15 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesFormer Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was questioned by the state police’s SIT at his residence here on Sunday in connection with a case related to alleged “phone tapping” during the previous BRS regime. A team of SIT officials questioned the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president for nearly five hours. After the questioning, flanked by his son and BRS working president K T Rama Rao and other leaders, the former chief minister greeted the party cadre and supporters who had gathered in large numbers outside his residence. In a post on X, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar said: “The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has concluded the questioning of Gajwel MLA and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in connection with the illegal phone-tapping case.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 February,2026 10:14 AM IST | Hyderabad | AgenciesA thick blanket of fog enveloped Delhi on Tuesday morning, blurring skylines, slowing traffic and sharply reducing visibility across several areas. Minimum temperatures remain above seasonal average The minimum temperature was recorded at 9.4 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal for this time of the year, according to official data. Among stations, Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season's average; Palam logged 8.6 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road reported 9.6 degrees Celsius, about two notches above the season's average. The Ridge station recorded 11 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, and Ayanagar registered 10.3 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal. Visibility dropped to 100 metres at both Palam and Safdarjung, the weather office said. Air quality slips into ‘poor’ category across city The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) was clocked at 256 at 9 am, placing it in the 'poor' category. Station-wise data according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed air quality at 19 stations in the poor category, 10 in very poor and 10 in moderate. Several parts of the national capital experienced dense fog on Tuesday morning. The Air Quality Index stood at 256 at 7 am, placing air quality in the poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several monitoring stations across the city reported AQI levels in the poor-to-very poor range. Ashok Vihar stood at 287. Bawana reported an AQI of 239, Burari 234, and Chandni Chowk 324. Dwarka Sector 8 recorded 293, ITO 248, while Mundka recorded 297 and Wazirpur recorded 316. Okhla Phase-2 logged an AQI of 310, Rohini 281, Punjabi Bagh 295, and RK Puram 300. Lower readings were recorded in Narela (168) and Alipur (212), according to the CPCB. According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'. Rahul Gandhi seeks parliamentary debate on air pollution Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, called for a parliamentary debate on air pollution and asked the government to ensure "enough money" in the Union Budget to tackle the issue. In a Facebook post, Gandhi read messages from citizens, and in a self-made video, he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare air pollution a national health emergency. In the self-made video, Lok Sabha LoP said, "It is about time the government allows a discussion in Parliament and the Prime Minister should declare pollution a national health emergency. We need to come together and develop a serious plan. We need to make sure there is enough money in the budget to tackle this problem."
03 February,2026 10:10 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA row erupted in Lok Sabha on Monday when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi sought to quote from a “memoir” of former Army chief M M Naravane on the 2020 India-China conflict but faced strong opposition from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other BJP members who accused the Congress leader of misleading the House, leading to uproar and adjournment of proceedings for the day. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla disallowed Gandhi from raising the issue, but he did not relent and several Opposition leaders also rallied behind him. The House was adjourned twice and later for the day. Earlier, as Gandhi rose to speak on the Motion of Thanks to the president’s address, he said he would first like to respond to the charges made by the previous speaker, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, against the Congress on nationalism and began quoting from what he stated was the “memoir” of Gen. Naravane talking about the India-China conflict of 2020. However, Defence Minister Singh strongly protested this and asked Gandhi to clarify whether the book had been published or not. The uproar went on for about 50 minutes with Speaker Om Birla repeatedly stating that no book or newspaper clipping can be quoted on a matter not related to the proceedings of the House, and Gandhi insisting that the document was authenticated and he could quote from it. Government sources said Gandhi was reading “concocted things” on China. They said there was ample material in the public domain on the decisions taken by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on China, and alleged that he “surrendered thousands of acres of land just to further his own statesmanship.” Who is ex-Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane? General Manoj Mukund Naravane is a former Chief of the Indian Army who served as the 27th Chief of Army Staff from December 31, 2019, to April 30, 2022. Born on April 22, 1960, in Pune, he is the son of a former Indian Air Force officer. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, Naravane holds an MPhil in defence studies. Commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Sikh Light Infantry in 1980, he commanded key formations including Rashtriya Rifles units in Jammu and Kashmir, an infantry brigade, and the Assam Rifles. He led the Army during critical periods, including the Galwan standoff with China, and also served briefly as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee before retirement. Govt heckled Rahul to gag truth: Cong The Congress on Monday alleged that the Modi government “heckled” Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to stop him from speaking in the Lok Sabha on the India-China border conflict of 2020 from former Army chief Manoj Naravane’s “memoir” as it was afraid that the “truth of its incompetence” would be exposed. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said that the government had deployed senior-most Cabinet ministers and “misused” rules to “silence” Gandhi in the House. “This faux nationalist government is so afraid of the truth of their incompetence coming out that they have deployed a bunch of seniormost Cabinet Ministers to prevent LOP Sh. Rahul Gandhi ji from speaking. “They moved heaven and earth to stall the publishing of Ex Army Chief Gen. Manoj Naravane ji’s book - and now when excerpts are coming out which expose their so-called nationalist commitments, they are heckling and silencing the Leader of Opposition,” the Congress leader said in a post on X. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 February,2026 10:10 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesMaharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis lauded the announcement of the India-US trade agreement, referring to it as "a new chapter of friendship" between the two nations. Fadnavis further added that the US-India trade agreement would help the state by providing access to significant investments in cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, as reported by news agency ANI. Fadnavis, while posting on social media platform X, wrote, "A New Chapter of Friendship! The historic trade agreement between India and the United States is truly a victory of the friendship between Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and the President of the United States, Donald Trump. This is also an extremely important moment for global trade.” मैत्रीचा एक नवीन अध्याय!भारत आणि अमेरिकेमधील ऐतिहासिक व्यापार करार हा खऱ्या अर्थाने मा. पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदीजी आणि अमेरिकेचे राष्ट्राध्यक्ष डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प यांच्या मैत्रीचा विजय आहे. जागतिक व्यापारासाठी सुद्धा हा एक अत्यंत महत्त्वपूर्ण क्षण आहे.जगातील प्रमुख निर्यात करणाऱ्या… https://t.co/cOSEDXoVWp — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 2, 2026 “India will now receive preferential tariff rates from the United States among the world's major exporting economies. This marks the beginning of a new era in India-US friendship," the CM added. Highlighting the benefits for Indian businesses, the Maharashtra Chief Minister added, "This agreement will open the doors to many new and exciting opportunities for Indian businesses and will prove beneficial for both countries. Maharashtra has always been a leading state in exports. Therefore, this agreement will open new horizons for businesses in our state. Maharashtra will receive significant investment in data centres, artificial intelligence, and revolutionary modern technology." The India-US trade deal was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump during the late hours of Monday, where the US reduced the tariffs on India to 18 per cent from 25 per cent. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hails US-India trade agreement Following the announcement of the US-India trade deal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hailed the deal as a "landmark moment" for the economic partnership between India and the United States. He further highlighted how this deal would subsequently grant Indian products access to a larger global market. The Uttar Pradesh CM also asserted that this deal will surely then provide fresh opportunities for youth and MSMEs. Yogi Adityanath, while taking it to social media platform X, wrote, "A landmark moment for the India-US economic partnership. A major boost to #MakeInIndia, as Indian products will gain wider global market access, creating fresh opportunities for Indian youth and MSMEs.” Thanking the Prime Minister, he added, “Thank you, Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji, for your decisive and determined leadership in advancing stronger India-US ties. This milestone reflects rising global confidence in Made in India and reinforces India's position as a key driver of global growth." A landmark moment for the India–US economic partnership.A major boost to #MakeInIndia, as Indian products will gain wider global market access, creating fresh opportunities for Indian youth and MSMEs.Thank you, Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, for your decisive and determined… — Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 2, 2026 PM Modi, while hailing the trade agreement, said that when two large economies and the world's largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. The PM asserted, "President Trump's leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights," as cited by ANI. (With inputs from ANI)
03 February,2026 09:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentYSRCP has demanded deployment of central forces in Andhra Pradesh in the wake of alleged unabated politically driven arson and vindictive attacks on opposition leaders' residences. Speaking to the media on Monday, Kurnool Party President SV Mohan Reddy claimed the attacks on the houses of Ambati Rambabu and Jogi Ramesh in the last few days showcase the vindictiveness of the coalition government and how TDP goons are allowed to take law into their own hands and alleged that everything was being enforced under the direction of top leadership, while the police remain mute spectators. He further claimed that the attacks went on unabated for six hours, and petrol bombs were hurled in a planned manner. "When such an anarchy is going on, the Central Intelligence too did not take note of such incidents, which concludes that the coalition partners are endorsing the violence and attacks of political adversaries," he accused. "Unless there is the go-ahead from the top leadership, the attacks on the houses of Ambati Rambabu and Jogi Ramesh cannot be executed in such a manner, and days will change, and people involved in the incidents will have to face the consequences," Mohan Reddy claimed. He said, "Chandrababu, Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan have made arrangements for their stay elsewhere, while it will be the cadre that will have to face the consequences once YSRCP returns to power." He asserted that a handful of police officers will bring a bad name to the entire force by allegedly surrendering to the ruling party, and the effectiveness of the police institution will take a heavy beating if such a situation continues. "Before it is too late, the situation should be corrected, and the Centre should intervene and send forces to control the situation," he stated. Former Andhra Pradesh Minister and YSR Congress Party leader Jogi Ramesh's house was vandalised and set on fire in Ibrahimpatnam, Vijayawada, as political tensions rise in the state. According to sources, a large mob ransacked the premises, damaged household articles, and torched parts of the house, triggering panic in the locality on Sunday. Residents said the attackers acted in an organised manner, leaving behind destruction and fear. YSRCP leaders alleged that Jogi Ramesh, a well-known BC leader, was deliberately targeted, pointing to a pattern of political intimidation. "Back-to-back attacks on former ministers within two days point to a complete breakdown of law and order and reflect a pattern of political intimidation," YSRCP leaders said. This comes a day after the former minister Ambati Rambabu's house and office were allegedly attacked by a group of TDP workers. Ambati Rambabu has been remanded to 14 days' judicial custody over the alleged remarks against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. YSRCP leaders have condemned the attack on Ambati Rambabu, accusing CM Chandrababu Naidu of the "violence and lawlessness" in the state. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 February,2026 09:08 AM IST | Kurnool | ANIThe Union Health Budget 2026 has unveiled a push to the healthcare sector that will make the country self-reliant and globally credible in the long term. "The Union Budget 2026-27 lays a strong foundation for positioning India as a global hub for life sciences innovation and advanced biopharma manufacturing. The Rs 10,000 crore outlay under the Biopharma Shakti initiative, coupled with the expansion and upgradation of NIPERs, will significantly strengthen India's research, talent and innovation ecosystem in high-value biologics and advanced therapeutics. Measures to enhance CDSCO capabilities and streamline clinical trial compliances are particularly encouraging, as they will improve regulatory efficiency and global credibility. The integrated focus on innovation and manufacturing scale-up will accelerate innovation-led pipelines and enable deeper global collaborations," said Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairperson & Managing Director, PI Industries. According to Dr GSK Velu, Chairman & Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare, Maxivision Eye Hospitals & Neuberg Diagnostic, "Budget 2026 positions India to accelerate its transition from volume-driven production to value-driven global leadership across pharmaceuticals, biopharma, and medical devices, with Biopharma Shakti as its anchor and a renewed focus on regulatory and manufacturing reforms that assure reduced compliance." "The Rs 10,000 crore commitment to strengthening the biopharma, biotech, and life sciences ecosystem, alongside support for the drug regulatory framework and biopharma R&D, creates a strong foundation for raising quality benchmarks and aligning Indian innovation with global standards. This integrated approach will help move ideas from the laboratory to the bedside more efficiently, while encouraging closer collaboration between industry, academia, and care providers," he explained. JS Shinde, President, and Rajiv Singhal, General Secretary, of the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), stated that in the interest of patients, the proposal to grant complete exemption from Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on 36 life-saving medicines used for cancer and other serious diseases is a highly sensitive and humane decision. This will lead to a significant reduction in treatment costs and make critical therapies more affordable. "Similarly, the inclusion of 37 new medicines and 13 new programmes under patient assistance initiatives clearly reflects the Government's commitment to placing patient welfare at the highest priority," they said. "The proposal to establish three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and to upgrade seven existing institutions will provide fresh momentum to pharmaceutical education, quality research, innovation, and the development of skilled human resources. In the long run, this will serve as a strong bridge between industry and academia," they further added. Dr Gowthami AV, CEO, Yatharth Hospital, Noida, said, "The Union Budget 2026's focus on upgrading existing institutions for allied health professionals is a highly progressive step towards strengthening India's healthcare delivery ecosystem. By enhancing training infrastructure, modern curricula and hands-on skill development, this initiative will help bridge the critical workforce gap across diagnostics, rehabilitation, emergency care and clinical support services. A stronger allied health workforce will improve patient outcomes, reduce pressure on doctors and hospitals, and ensure more accessible, high-quality care across urban and rural regions alike." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 February,2026 08:52 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIIndia and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from current 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump said on Monday after a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The prime minister said he was delighted that "Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent". "Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement," Modi said. The prime minister said when two large economies and the world's largest democracies work together, it benefits the people and "unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation". "President Trump's leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace," he said on 'X'. Modi noted that he looked forward to working closely with Trump to take the bilateral partnership to unprecedented heights, without mentioning many of the other issues that figured in Trump's post on social media. Trump said India will move forward to reduce "tariffs and non tariff barriers" against the US to zero, adding New Delhi would buy American goods, including energy, worth more than USD 500 billion. "Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a trade deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced reciprocal tariff, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent," the US president said on social media. India will "likewise move forward to reduce their tariffs and non tariff barriers against the United States, to zero", he said. Trump said Modi also committed to buy American goods at much higher level, in addition to over USD 500 billion dollars of US energy, technology, agricultural, coal, and many other products. "Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that get things done something that cannot be said for most," he said. In his remarks, Modi said, "When two large economies and the world's largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation." "I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights," he added. Trump said Modi and he also discussed ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. "He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela," the US president said. "This will help end the war in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week," Trump said. Trump and Modi last spoke on phone in October 2025. The two leaders had agreed at a meeting in February last year to finalise the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement by the autumn. Though the two sides held several rounds of negotiations, forward movement on the trade deal stalled after Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including the 25 per cent punitive tariffs for India's procurement of Russian crude oil. The Modi-Trump phone talks came on a day External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Washington DC. India has now lower tariff compared to competing export economies, officials said. They cited 19 per cent American tariffs on Indonesia, 20 per cent on Vietnam, 20 per cent on Bangladesh and 34 per cent on China. Official sources last week said India and the US have made "very significant" progress in the negotiations for the trade deal. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 08:07 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIIndia and the United States have agreed a trade deal, US President Donald Trump said on Monday following a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reported the PTI. According to Trump, Washington will reduce the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. In a post on social media, Trump claimed that India would also move to reduce its tariffs and non-tariff barriers against US goods to zero. At the time of reporting, India had not issued an immediate reaction to the announcement. Trump said the agreement was made “out of friendship and respect” for Prime Minister Modi and added that the deal would take effect immediately. The US President said that PM Modi had committed to “buy American” at a significantly higher level. Trump also stated that India would purchase over USD 500 billion worth of US energy, technology, agricultural products, coal and other goods. Trump hails strong relationship with India Trump described the US-India relationship as “amazing” and said it would grow even stronger going forward. He added that he and Modi were “two people that get things done”, a quality he said was rare In a social media post, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said that Trump had spoken with Modi on Monday, adding, “President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED.” Congress questions communication Responding to the development, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that the information appeared to have come from the US side rather than India. He commented, “It seems that PM Modi and President Trump spoke to each other today. This information has been provided not by the Indian side but by the US Ambassador to India.” He added that this seemed to have become a regular occurrence, with India finding out about its government’s actions only through President Trump or his appointees, dubbing it “Trump-nirbharta”. Diplomatic talks amid Jaishankar’s US visit The telephone conversation took place on the same day that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar began a three-day visit to Washington. The two countries have been working in recent weeks to resolve tensions and move forward on finalising the proposed bilateral trade deal.
02 February,2026 11:30 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1770085674237_d.png "Narendra Modi (L) and Donald Trump (R). File Pic")
