August 25, 2026

File photo: A plane prepares to land at an airport in New Delhi NEW DELHI: Commercial pilots in India could soon be subjected to annual dope tests that may be conducted at random for the surprise factor. After the pilot in command of Air India’s Aug 4 Phuket-Delhi flight had reportedly tested positive, govt had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to review the existing rules for these tests.“The DGCA is having stakeholder consultation right now on what the current regulation says and how do we ensure there is a strict policy around this (drug tests for pilots) in the future. This consultation is going on right now. There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test. So right now the rule says 10% across the overall pilot network but just like I said DGCA is engaging and one of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it in the year at a random time,” Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said Tuesday.“We have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this because one is the safety aspect of to ensure safety intact and the second is the operational impact. That also has to be taken into consideration.. We are going to balance both. If we do 100%, if every pilot has to go through the dope test once a year, then what can happen, what can be the impact of that, that is what DGCA is looking at,” Naidu added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAir India group has initiated a one-time dope test on all its pilots. Other airlines are also doing the same voluntarily, the minister said.The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the why the Air India Airbus A320 had suffered a sudden loss of altitude by about 300 while operating as AI 2379 on Aug 4 from Phuket to Delhi which had left 20 passengers and four crew members injured. European aerospace major Airbus and France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) also joined the probe under AAIB whose report is expected in a week, according to officials.“Because everything is intact, the data recorder and everything is intact, the plane has also been in their possession…So I believe that we can expect some preliminary report very early from now,” Naidu said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSupreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | Exclusive123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the courtSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude123Hot PicksGurgaon schoolAAP councillorsNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins
File photo: A plane prepares to land at an airport in New Delhi NEW DELHI: Commercial pilots in India could soon be subjected to annual dope tests that may be conducted at random for the surprise factor. After the pilot in command of Air India’s Aug 4 Phuket-Delhi flight had reportedly tested positive, govt had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to review the existing rules for these tests.“The DGCA is having stakeholder consultation right now on what the current regulation says and how do we ensure there is a strict policy around this (drug tests for pilots) in the future. This consultation is going on right now. There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test. So right now the rule says 10% across the overall pilot network but just like I said DGCA is engaging and one of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it in the year at a random time,” Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said Tuesday.“We have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this because one is the safety aspect of to ensure safety intact and the second is the operational impact. That also has to be taken into consideration.. We are going to balance both. If we do 100%, if every pilot has to go through the dope test once a year, then what can happen, what can be the impact of that, that is what DGCA is looking at,” Naidu added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAir India group has initiated a one-time dope test on all its pilots. Other airlines are also doing the same voluntarily, the minister said.The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the why the Air India Airbus A320 had suffered a sudden loss of altitude by about 300 while operating as AI 2379 on Aug 4 from Phuket to Delhi which had left 20 passengers and four crew members injured. European aerospace major Airbus and France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) also joined the probe under AAIB whose report is expected in a week, according to officials.“Because everything is intact, the data recorder and everything is intact, the plane has also been in their possession…So I believe that we can expect some preliminary report very early from now,” Naidu said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSupreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | Exclusive123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the courtSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude123Hot PicksGurgaon schoolAAP councillorsNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy


India mulls annual dope tests on all commercial pilots on a random basis
File photo: A plane prepares to land at an airport in New Delhi

NEW DELHI: Commercial pilots in India could soon be subjected to annual dope tests that may be conducted at random for the surprise factor. After the pilot in command of Air India’s Aug 4 Phuket-Delhi flight had reportedly tested positive, govt had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to review the existing rules for these tests.“The DGCA is having stakeholder consultation right now on what the current regulation says and how do we ensure there is a strict policy around this (drug tests for pilots) in the future. This consultation is going on right now. There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test. So right now the rule says 10% across the overall pilot network but just like I said DGCA is engaging and one of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it in the year at a random time,” Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said Tuesday.“We have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this because one is the safety aspect of to ensure safety intact and the second is the operational impact. That also has to be taken into consideration.. We are going to balance both. If we do 100%, if every pilot has to go through the dope test once a year, then what can happen, what can be the impact of that, that is what DGCA is looking at,” Naidu added.

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Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul at Congress headquarters on Independence Day. NEW DELHI: Is the Congress trying to send out a subtle message signalling “soft minority appeasement”? Or has the party played to BJP’s strength by lapping up a controversy that may push it into a corner?The Congress’s decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events signalled a rare hardening of stance on an issue that the party knows could make it vulnerable to attacks over both minority appeasement and nationalism.As expected, the Congress decision, which cited a 1937 resolution, triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, with Union home minister Amit Shah accusing the Congress of repeating “politics of appeasement.”Union Minister JP Nadda also slammed the Congress, alleging that the party’s 1937 resolution was driven by “appeasement politics” and contributed to the circumstances that led to the Partition. In a post on X, Nadda said the Congress’ decision in 1937 to divide ‘Vande Mataram’ into two parts fuelled the two-nation theory and ultimately led to the partition of the country.’This was followed by attacks questioning Congress’s commitment to nationalism and patriotism.Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress leadership of disrespecting the legacy of India’s freedom fighters and operating under ideological pressure. “This is not just opposition to Vande Mataram but against our revolutionaries,” Singh said, adding, “Now, the Congress has become the Muslim League. This is not Gandhi ji’s Congress but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress,” the BJP leader said.BJP MP Dinesh Sharma also accused the opposition leadership of harbouring “Muslim League-like thinking.” He equated senior Congress leaders with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan who spearheaded the Two-Nation Theory, to criticise the Congress party’s approach toward national symbols.Later, the BJP passed a resolution condemning the Congress Working Committee’s decision to sing only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ and announced a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the history and significance of the National Song.No surprises here. All these attacks were on expected lines. Surely, the Congress would have anticipated these high-pitched narratives questioning its nationalism and accusing it of appeasement.Congress fights backCongress leaders defended the party’s stand, saying ‘Vande Mataram’ was associated with the freedom struggle and held emotional significance for the Congress. They accused the BJP of politicising the issue and diverting attention from the issue of Ram Mandir donation theft.”BJP was not a part of the freedom struggle. Vande Mataram was a part of the freedom struggle; it is emotional for us, but political for them (BJP),” Venugopal said, adding, “We have been reciting Vande Mataram since 1937, more than 90 years. What is new for us?”The Congress leaders alleged that political rivals led by the BJP were deliberately stoking nationalist narratives to cover up their failures. What the Congress perhaps did not realise, or chose to ignore, was that the BJP had already set the stage for bringing Vande Mataram to the centrestage of its politics.Why the 1937 reference created more problems than it solvedBankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote ‘Bande Mataram’ in the late 19th century in Sanskritised Bengali. The original version consisted of six stanzas. The song was first inserted into the pages of his novel, Anandamath, set during the late 18th century when famine and rebellion tore through Bengal.In 1950, alongside ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the national anthem, Vande Mataram received the honour of a national song following a decision of the Constituent Assembly, under the guidance of Rajendra Prasad, considering the historic role it played in India’s freedom struggle.However, only the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as the national song.The Congress Working Committee (CWC), in a resolution of October 29, 1937, decided that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at national and public gatherings.This had followed advice from Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first to set Vande Mataram to music and publicly sing it at the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. In a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, he suggested that only the first two stanzas of the song be used for public and national gatherings.Tagore then noted that the later verses — which invoked Hindu deities like Durga within the context of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Anandamath—could alienate non-Hindu communities.The fact that the Muslim League and M A Jinnah were among the most vociferous critics of the song made the Congress’s 1937 resolution vulnerable to Muslim appeasement attacks ever since.BJP’s Vande Mataram push BJP’s Vande Mataram push began in May this year when the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and put the National Song, Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, on the same footing as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.It was during the special discussion of Parliament on “150th Year of Vande Mataram” in December last year that defence minister Rajnath Singh had strongly advocated for elevating the status of Vande Mataram to match the National Anthem. Rajnath had then accused the Congress of historically communalising the song and sidelining it due to appeasement politics.Earlier in January this year the Union home ministry had outlined appropriate conduct and protocols concerning Vande Mataram. The ministry had issued an order that all six stanzas of the official version must be rendered first whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are performed together. It said that the full six-stanza version was to be sung or played on key state occasions.These proposals became law in the just-concluded Monsoon session after Parliament amended the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, giving Vande Mataram equal legal standing to the National Anthem. The government is also midway through a year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary.The amended Act mandates Vande Mataram shall be honoured equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and shall have equal status with it, and whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian National Anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with a fine, or both.Could Congress have avoided this rowClearly, given the BJP moves, the Congress would have been aware of the political fallout of its Vande Mataram decision. Minority appeasement has been one of the biggest weapons, which the BJP has used very effectively to attack and corner the Congress.In the last 12 years, we have seen the Congress suffer politically over allegations of minority appeasement. The Congress leadership has tried to fight back with a calculated push for soft Hindutva. Rahul Gandhi and other top Congress leaders have visited temples to counter BJP’s attacks on minority appeasement.In the 1980s, the Congress faced a Shah Bano moment, which is still used to target and corner the party over allegations of minority appeasement. The then Congress government led by Rajiv Gandhi enacted a law in Parliament to limit a Muslim husband’s maintenance obligation to the three-month iddat period, neutralizing a Supreme Court maintenance order under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).Minorities, especially Muslims, for a very long time were part of Congress’s core vote bank and supported the party electorally. However, as the Congress lost political heft, the minorities gradually shifted to other regional parties. The same happened with other social groups like the SCs, STs and the OBCs. For the last many years, the Congress has been forced to align with the regional parties that weaned away its core voters. Now, as it tries to script its revival, it is trying to win back these communities into the party fold.We have seen Rahul Gandhi aggressively woo the SCs, STs and the OBCs by repeatedly taking up issues that impact them. The Congress leader’s sustained pitch for caste census was an open move to reach out to these core voters. But when it comes to wooing back the minority voters, the Congress perhaps wants to play it safe. And it’s not just the Muslim appeasement attack that the Congress wants to avoid, it perhaps also does not want to antagonize its ally in Uttar Pradesh – the Samajwadi Party.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Interestingly, Rahul and Akhilesh Yadav appeal to the same social support base and hence the alliance chemistry is always overshadowed by competing interests.It is in this context that one is left wondering: Has the Congress taken a calculated gamble?Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul at Congress headquarters on Independence Day. NEW DELHI: Is the Congress trying to send out a subtle message signalling “soft minority appeasement”? Or has the party played to BJP’s strength by lapping up a controversy that may push it into a corner?The Congress’s decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events signalled a rare hardening of stance on an issue that the party knows could make it vulnerable to attacks over both minority appeasement and nationalism.As expected, the Congress decision, which cited a 1937 resolution, triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, with Union home minister Amit Shah accusing the Congress of repeating “politics of appeasement.”Union Minister JP Nadda also slammed the Congress, alleging that the party’s 1937 resolution was driven by “appeasement politics” and contributed to the circumstances that led to the Partition. In a post on X, Nadda said the Congress’ decision in 1937 to divide ‘Vande Mataram’ into two parts fuelled the two-nation theory and ultimately led to the partition of the country.’This was followed by attacks questioning Congress’s commitment to nationalism and patriotism.Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress leadership of disrespecting the legacy of India’s freedom fighters and operating under ideological pressure. “This is not just opposition to Vande Mataram but against our revolutionaries,” Singh said, adding, “Now, the Congress has become the Muslim League. This is not Gandhi ji’s Congress but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress,” the BJP leader said.BJP MP Dinesh Sharma also accused the opposition leadership of harbouring “Muslim League-like thinking.” He equated senior Congress leaders with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan who spearheaded the Two-Nation Theory, to criticise the Congress party’s approach toward national symbols.Later, the BJP passed a resolution condemning the Congress Working Committee’s decision to sing only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ and announced a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the history and significance of the National Song.No surprises here. All these attacks were on expected lines. Surely, the Congress would have anticipated these high-pitched narratives questioning its nationalism and accusing it of appeasement.Congress fights backCongress leaders defended the party’s stand, saying ‘Vande Mataram’ was associated with the freedom struggle and held emotional significance for the Congress. They accused the BJP of politicising the issue and diverting attention from the issue of Ram Mandir donation theft.”BJP was not a part of the freedom struggle. Vande Mataram was a part of the freedom struggle; it is emotional for us, but political for them (BJP),” Venugopal said, adding, “We have been reciting Vande Mataram since 1937, more than 90 years. What is new for us?”The Congress leaders alleged that political rivals led by the BJP were deliberately stoking nationalist narratives to cover up their failures. What the Congress perhaps did not realise, or chose to ignore, was that the BJP had already set the stage for bringing Vande Mataram to the centrestage of its politics.Why the 1937 reference created more problems than it solvedBankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote ‘Bande Mataram’ in the late 19th century in Sanskritised Bengali. The original version consisted of six stanzas. The song was first inserted into the pages of his novel, Anandamath, set during the late 18th century when famine and rebellion tore through Bengal.In 1950, alongside ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the national anthem, Vande Mataram received the honour of a national song following a decision of the Constituent Assembly, under the guidance of Rajendra Prasad, considering the historic role it played in India’s freedom struggle.However, only the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as the national song.The Congress Working Committee (CWC), in a resolution of October 29, 1937, decided that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at national and public gatherings.This had followed advice from Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first to set Vande Mataram to music and publicly sing it at the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. In a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, he suggested that only the first two stanzas of the song be used for public and national gatherings.Tagore then noted that the later verses — which invoked Hindu deities like Durga within the context of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Anandamath—could alienate non-Hindu communities.The fact that the Muslim League and M A Jinnah were among the most vociferous critics of the song made the Congress’s 1937 resolution vulnerable to Muslim appeasement attacks ever since.BJP’s Vande Mataram push BJP’s Vande Mataram push began in May this year when the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and put the National Song, Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, on the same footing as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.It was during the special discussion of Parliament on “150th Year of Vande Mataram” in December last year that defence minister Rajnath Singh had strongly advocated for elevating the status of Vande Mataram to match the National Anthem. Rajnath had then accused the Congress of historically communalising the song and sidelining it due to appeasement politics.Earlier in January this year the Union home ministry had outlined appropriate conduct and protocols concerning Vande Mataram. The ministry had issued an order that all six stanzas of the official version must be rendered first whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are performed together. It said that the full six-stanza version was to be sung or played on key state occasions.These proposals became law in the just-concluded Monsoon session after Parliament amended the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, giving Vande Mataram equal legal standing to the National Anthem. The government is also midway through a year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary.The amended Act mandates Vande Mataram shall be honoured equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and shall have equal status with it, and whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian National Anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with a fine, or both.Could Congress have avoided this rowClearly, given the BJP moves, the Congress would have been aware of the political fallout of its Vande Mataram decision. Minority appeasement has been one of the biggest weapons, which the BJP has used very effectively to attack and corner the Congress.In the last 12 years, we have seen the Congress suffer politically over allegations of minority appeasement. The Congress leadership has tried to fight back with a calculated push for soft Hindutva. Rahul Gandhi and other top Congress leaders have visited temples to counter BJP’s attacks on minority appeasement.In the 1980s, the Congress faced a Shah Bano moment, which is still used to target and corner the party over allegations of minority appeasement. The then Congress government led by Rajiv Gandhi enacted a law in Parliament to limit a Muslim husband’s maintenance obligation to the three-month iddat period, neutralizing a Supreme Court maintenance order under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).Minorities, especially Muslims, for a very long time were part of Congress’s core vote bank and supported the party electorally. However, as the Congress lost political heft, the minorities gradually shifted to other regional parties. The same happened with other social groups like the SCs, STs and the OBCs. For the last many years, the Congress has been forced to align with the regional parties that weaned away its core voters. Now, as it tries to script its revival, it is trying to win back these communities into the party fold.We have seen Rahul Gandhi aggressively woo the SCs, STs and the OBCs by repeatedly taking up issues that impact them. The Congress leader’s sustained pitch for caste census was an open move to reach out to these core voters. But when it comes to wooing back the minority voters, the Congress perhaps wants to play it safe. And it’s not just the Muslim appeasement attack that the Congress wants to avoid, it perhaps also does not want to antagonize its ally in Uttar Pradesh – the Samajwadi Party.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Interestingly, Rahul and Akhilesh Yadav appeal to the same social support base and hence the alliance chemistry is always overshadowed by competing interests.It is in this context that one is left wondering: Has the Congress taken a calculated gamble?Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

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NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted between Congress MP Manish Tewari and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sambit Patra after the former warned that India could soon face a robot-driven Chinese Army on the Line of Actual Control.In a social media post on X, Tewari said that “impressive development of humanoid robots” by China should give India a “reality check.””If India is not careful it could be very soon fighting a robot PLA on the LAC . The impressive development of humanoid robots by China should give us a reality check that despite all the bombast of being an emerging great power really how far behind we are qua China in the technology game – and this is only one of the genres,” Tewari said.”China is today ahead of the US in 67 of the 75 critical technologies,” he added.BJP MP Patra countered Tewari and accused Congress of spreading misinformation and discouraging Indian Army.”First we have to fight the Congress mindset at the LoC, and at the international borders also. Because they are the ones who in fact are the prop-ups of our enemies. They are the ones who spread misinformation. They are the ones who were found inside the Chinese tent when the Doklam standoff was taking place,” Patra said.He also attacked leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, terming him as “Chinese robot.””They were the ones who were discouraging Indian Army when Indian Army and the Chinese army were hand-on-hand. And in fact, the words used by Rahul Gandhi, I remember, were: ‘Maar daala hamaare Army ko’. Such were the discouraging words of Mr. Rahul Gandhi. Robot of China is Rahul Gandhi,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA Chinese humanoid robot captured global attention with a claimed 100-metre time of 9.39 seconds, beating Usain Bolt’s men’s world record of 9.58 seconds.The robot, named “Superman”, was developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree, which claimed it can reach a top speed of 12.66 metres per second, or about 45.6 kilometres per hour.Unitree also said “Superman” can perform a standing jump of around two metres. The robot has legs measuring 0.85 metres and can achieve the jump without a running start.However, the performance claims have not been independently verified.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted between Congress MP Manish Tewari and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sambit Patra after the former warned that India could soon face a robot-driven Chinese Army on the Line of Actual Control.In a social media post on X, Tewari said that “impressive development of humanoid robots” by China should give India a “reality check.””If India is not careful it could be very soon fighting a robot PLA on the LAC . The impressive development of humanoid robots by China should give us a reality check that despite all the bombast of being an emerging great power really how far behind we are qua China in the technology game – and this is only one of the genres,” Tewari said.”China is today ahead of the US in 67 of the 75 critical technologies,” he added.BJP MP Patra countered Tewari and accused Congress of spreading misinformation and discouraging Indian Army.”First we have to fight the Congress mindset at the LoC, and at the international borders also. Because they are the ones who in fact are the prop-ups of our enemies. They are the ones who spread misinformation. They are the ones who were found inside the Chinese tent when the Doklam standoff was taking place,” Patra said.He also attacked leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, terming him as “Chinese robot.””They were the ones who were discouraging Indian Army when Indian Army and the Chinese army were hand-on-hand. And in fact, the words used by Rahul Gandhi, I remember, were: ‘Maar daala hamaare Army ko’. Such were the discouraging words of Mr. Rahul Gandhi. Robot of China is Rahul Gandhi,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA Chinese humanoid robot captured global attention with a claimed 100-metre time of 9.39 seconds, beating Usain Bolt’s men’s world record of 9.58 seconds.The robot, named “Superman”, was developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree, which claimed it can reach a top speed of 12.66 metres per second, or about 45.6 kilometres per hour.Unitree also said “Superman” can perform a standing jump of around two metres. The robot has legs measuring 0.85 metres and can achieve the jump without a running start.However, the performance claims have not been independently verified.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

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On Monday, Delhi had intense rain, which left several roadways flooded. NEW DELHI: With torrential rain in Delhi for over two days, the city was left in a state of chaos with various roads waterlogged that created traffic jam and flight delay.Condition turned severe on Tuesday as the heart of the capital Connaught place was also among the affected places, with people still facing the consequences of the intense rain.There was heavy waterlogging at multiple places in CP such as Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Hanuman Mandir Marg, ITO and people faced difficulty to commute due to flooded roads.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued red and orange alerts for heavy rain across Delhi, warning of moderate rain, thunderstorms, lightning and heavy winds of 30-40 kmph.South East Delhi, East Delhi, Shahdara, Central Delhi, South Delhi, North East Delhi, North West Delhi were the most affected places. People are now advised to take proper measures in future.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSupreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | Exclusive123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the courtSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude123Hot PicksGurgaon schoolAAP councillorsNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

On Monday, Delhi had intense rain, which left several roadways flooded. NEW DELHI: With torrential rain in Delhi for over two days, the city was left in a state of chaos with various roads waterlogged that created traffic jam and flight delay.Condition turned severe on Tuesday as the heart of the capital Connaught place was also among the affected places, with people still facing the consequences of the intense rain.There was heavy waterlogging at multiple places in CP such as Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Hanuman Mandir Marg, ITO and people faced difficulty to commute due to flooded roads.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued red and orange alerts for heavy rain across Delhi, warning of moderate rain, thunderstorms, lightning and heavy winds of 30-40 kmph.South East Delhi, East Delhi, Shahdara, Central Delhi, South Delhi, North East Delhi, North West Delhi were the most affected places. People are now advised to take proper measures in future.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSupreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | Exclusive123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the courtSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude123Hot PicksGurgaon schoolAAP councillorsNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

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Xi’s expected visit comes as India and China step up high-level talks to maintain peace along the border and rebuild ties. (File photo) Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend next month’s BRICS summit in New Delhi with a large delegation, more than double the Chinese contingent that accompanied him on his last India visit in 2019.s.Xi’s expected visit on September 12-13 with 400 officials, marking his first to India in seven years and comes as the two countries work to stabilise ties after years of tensions over their disputed border, reported Reuters, citing sources.Two Indian sources said Xi was likely to be accompanied by around 400 officials, compared with fewer than 200 during his 2019 visit. “Chinese officials are busy finalising hotels and security protocols,” one Indian source with direct knowledge told Reuters.Xi’s final travel plans and the agenda for any possible bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are yet to be finalised, the sources said.The Chinese foreign ministry said, “China attaches great importance to and actively participates in BRICS cooperation, and supports India, the current chair, in successfully hosting this year’s BRICS summit.”“We currently have no information available to provide” about Xi’s visit, it added.The expected visit comes as India and China continue high-level efforts to improve ties. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing, with the two sides discussing ways to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border and strengthen relations across economic, political and multilateral platforms.“On 25 August, NSA and Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, Ajit Doval called on Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China,” the Embassy of India in China said.Read more: Ajit Doval’s China visit: NSA, Chinese VP Han Zheng discuss border peace, bilateral tiesThe two sides discussed strengthening peace and tranquillity in the border areas and improving bilateral ties “across economic, political and multilateral fora”, the embassy said.Doval is in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The talks are expected to cover the border dispute as well as bilateral, regional and international issues.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIndia-China ties were badly strained after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed. The confrontation led to a prolonged military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control before the two sides reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024.Relations have improved gradually since then, with a series of high-level engagements between Modi and Xi. Their possible meeting in New Delhi during the BRICS summit could give fresh momentum to those efforts.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTrisha MahajanTrisha Mahajan is a journalist with The Times of India digital, with keen interest in covering business and corporate affairs. She also reports on key national and world developments and global news trends. A keen reader with a strong interest in storytelling that adds context, clarity, and depth to complex issues.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSupreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | Exclusive123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the courtSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude123Hot PicksGurgaon schoolAAP councillorsNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Xi’s expected visit comes as India and China step up high-level talks to maintain peace along the border and rebuild ties. (File photo) Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend next month’s BRICS summit in New Delhi with a large delegation, more than double the Chinese contingent that accompanied him on his last India visit in 2019.s.Xi’s expected visit on September 12-13 with 400 officials, marking his first to India in seven years and comes as the two countries work to stabilise ties after years of tensions over their disputed border, reported Reuters, citing sources.Two Indian sources said Xi was likely to be accompanied by around 400 officials, compared with fewer than 200 during his 2019 visit. “Chinese officials are busy finalising hotels and security protocols,” one Indian source with direct knowledge told Reuters.Xi’s final travel plans and the agenda for any possible bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are yet to be finalised, the sources said.The Chinese foreign ministry said, “China attaches great importance to and actively participates in BRICS cooperation, and supports India, the current chair, in successfully hosting this year’s BRICS summit.”“We currently have no information available to provide” about Xi’s visit, it added.The expected visit comes as India and China continue high-level efforts to improve ties. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing, with the two sides discussing ways to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border and strengthen relations across economic, political and multilateral platforms.“On 25 August, NSA and Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, Ajit Doval called on Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China,” the Embassy of India in China said.Read more: Ajit Doval’s China visit: NSA, Chinese VP Han Zheng discuss border peace, bilateral tiesThe two sides discussed strengthening peace and tranquillity in the border areas and improving bilateral ties “across economic, political and multilateral fora”, the embassy said.Doval is in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The talks are expected to cover the border dispute as well as bilateral, regional and international issues.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIndia-China ties were badly strained after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed. The confrontation led to a prolonged military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control before the two sides reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024.Relations have improved gradually since then, with a series of high-level engagements between Modi and Xi. Their possible meeting in New Delhi during the BRICS summit could give fresh momentum to those efforts.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTrisha MahajanTrisha Mahajan is a journalist with The Times of India digital, with keen interest in covering business and corporate affairs. She also reports on key national and world developments and global news trends. A keen reader with a strong interest in storytelling that adds context, clarity, and depth to complex issues.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSupreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | Exclusive123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the courtSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude123Hot PicksGurgaon schoolAAP councillorsNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

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