New Delhi: Six months after Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, where “hopes were high for a quick trade agreement”—there is no deal in sight. Indian officials have been shuttling in and out of the US, with Industries Minister Piyush Goyal saying that “fantastic progress” was being made. However, the US’ other trading partners have already signed deals, reports Alex Travelli in the New York Times.
“The status of the negotiations is murky, and the unpredictable role that Mr Trump has played in other deals makes a possible resolution of the US-Indian talks impossible to map,” says the New York Times, adding that while Modi and Trump are said to enjoy a “personal rapport… the glow has worn off” following Trump’s announcement that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
“India’s all-powerful Home Minister Amit Shah” told Parliament that all three terrorists responsible for the deadly Pahalgam attack have been killed by India’s security forces, report Jyotsna Singh, Krishn Kaushik and Humza Jiliani in the Financial Times.
“Shah said Indian forces had also identified Pakistani voter numbers for two of the suspects. He added that “Pakistani-made chocolates” were also recovered from them,” the report says.
“Pakistan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Shah’s statements,” it notes.
American trading firm Jane Street is preparing to argue that its “controversial” Indian options trades were a response to “an outsized demand from retail investors”, reports Bei Hu in Bloomberg.
“The New York-based firm is expected to argue it was eager to facilitate options bets from the country’s retail investors, knowing it would be largely unhedged, said the people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The firm hedged less in India than in other markets and spread out its hedging activity over multiple hours on that day in January 2024 to reduce its market impact,” the report explains.
“Spicy spats” have supposedly been a feature of the India-England test-series, and the latest involves none other than coach Gautam Gambhir, who had a “row” with Lee Fortis—Surrey’s head groundkeeper, reports Tom Paley in The Guardian.
“Gambhir, who played 58 Tests for India, was seen on camera wagging his finger at Fortis saying: “You can’t tell us what to do… you’re just the groundsman, nothing beyond,” the report says, narrating what transpired. “After walking away in conversation with Kotak [India’s batting coach], who appeared to take on the role of mediator, Fortis told Gambhir that he may be forced to lodge a complaint against him, drawing a response of: “You can go and report to whoever you want.”
In more cricket news, the BBC profiles Akash Deep, spotlighting the personal story behind the right-arm pacer’s bowling prowess.
“While Deep’s name only began resonating in cricket circles after his 10 wickets at Edgbaston, his story stretches far deeper,” reads the article. “Born in a small village in Bihar, one of India’s most economically challenged states, Akash grew up believing cricket was a game for the wealthy. It was his childhood friend Vaibhav Kumar who first instilled belief in him.”
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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