Nepal seeks 'transformative' ties, says no grudge against India

Protests continue at Jantar Mantar NEW DELHI: Govt made a fresh outreach Thursday to agitating students for talks over the issues being raised by them, emphasising that a solution to the crisis cannot be found without dialogue.”I very humbly invite you on behalf of govt to come forward and hold dialogue,” Union minister Jitendra Singh, who has joined govt’s main emissary and health minister J P Nadda in holding talks with activist Sonam Wangchuk, said, adding the Centre has reached out to Cockroach Janta Party protesters four times since Wednesday afternoon, but has not received any response.CJP has, however, refused to hold another round of talks after meeting Nadda at his residence on July 20, alleging they ended up “wasting” four hours without any outcome. It has insisted on holding the next meeting at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue and not at Nadda’s residence or office. However, Nadda made it clear the meeting can happen at either of the two places, shrugging off CJP’s suggestion.The govt has contested CJP’s version of the July 20 meeting. On Thursday, though, the Centre emphasised its keenness to continue with talks to defuse the crisis whenever the protesters want and for as much of length of time as they wish.Union minister Jitendra Singh said, “We are ready to discuss the NEET issue and all other related issues with an open mind.” Appealing to protesters, he added, “You will appreciate as much as I do that without talks we cannot find a solution. Without a solution, we cannot lay out further roadmap… Govt does not stand on prestige. Please come forward so that we can find a way out in the larger interest of the youth and the nation at large.”Highlighting PM Modi’s announcement of setting up a fast-track court to ensure swift punishment for those involved in paper leaks, he said it attested to govt’s commitment to going to any extent to safeguard students’ welfare.Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation is a key CJP demand, and govt has so far given little indication that it is even considering the removal of one of its key figures, who has been a member of the Union Cabinet since 2014. Govt has instead conveyed its willingness to engage in talks with protesters over all the issues being raised by them.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Protest: Injured Protester Returns, Another Searches For Missing StudentIndia Conducts Maiden Flight Test Of Long-Range ‘Kusha’ Air Defence Missile SystemWhere Are CJP Leaders? Questions Rise Over Jantar Mantar Protest Management Amid Clashes, Heckling”Sent Four Proposals”: Govt Reaches Out To Protesters, Jitendra Singh Calls For DialogueFree Food, First Aid, Sanitary Pads: What’s Keeping the CJP Protest Going | Jantar MantarPriyanka Gandhi Targets PM Modi Over Student Protests, Says ‘Students Are Not Terrorists’Houses of Two ‘Pak Sponsored’ Militants Demolished Overnight After Deadly Attack In AnantnagWhy The Indian Army Says The Siliguri Corridor Is No Longer A “Chicken’s Neck”?Tehseen Poonawalla Alleges “Gadkari’s Son Got Richer” Over E20 Fuel Policy37,000 Lives Lost On Known Highway Death Traps In 3 Years: Who Is Responsible?123PhotostoriesWhy are more healthy young adults getting cancer? Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee’s eye-opening answer to Oprah is making people think differentlyUsing a microwave? Here are 5 common mistakes you need to stop making today and whySreeleela’s emerald green saree is what happens when royal romance meets timeless fashionMeet the ‘vampires’ of the Amazon: Animals that survive by drinking blood10 gender-neutral baby names that are growing in popularity around the worldThe secret history of 5 Indian bridal fashion traditions that never went out of style’Speed’, ‘M3GAN’ , ‘Smurfs’ – The last village’ and others: Top 7 OTT releases on Netflix in August10 Dosa types to get your protein sorted for breakfast5 most dangerous birds of prey that rule the skies with deadly precision5 Indian fabrics that were once more valuable than gold123Hot PicksMHT CET merit listDelhi metroCJP ProtestNTA NET Answer KeyDU UG admissionsJPSC recruitmentNEET paper controversyAAI recruitment 2026Caitline ClarkTop TrendingOba FemiCJP ProtestersCJPCJP ProtestHyderabad RapeSamras Vidya Setu campaignSupreme CourtZlatan ibrahimovicHarbhajan singhIND U19 vs Sri Lanka U19

Vamsikrishna3 minutes ago 0

Gitanjali J Angmo, activist Sonam Wangchuk’swife, called “insincere” the flash protest led by CongressMP Rahul Gandhi NEW DELHI: Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, has criticised the flash protest led by Congress neta Rahul Gandhi near PM Narendra Modi’s residence on July 21 as “insincere”.”The protest outside the PM’s house lacked sincerity. It would have been more sincere if it had been done by joining hands at Jantar Mantar. So, the public cannot be fooled anymore. This is an awakened India,” Angmo told India Today in an interview.”The awakened India movement has shown us and shown every political functionary that they now have to walk the talk. They cannot gaslight or be insincere anymore. They have to be sincere, otherwise, they will be thrown out by this young generation that has understood what they have to do and what they have to stand for…”Her remarks came two days after Rahul and other senior netas staged a sit-in near the PM’s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg over the crackdown on student protesters during their march towards Parliament on July 20. Taking on BJP, Angmo said, “I am very ashamed to say that BJP calls itself a Hindu nationalist party. Because there is nothing about them that is Hindu, and there’s nothing about them that is nationalistic,” she was quoted as saying.”Everybody was there for a cause. That was a demonstration of what Hinduism is. Obstruction of justice, obstruction of freedom, obstruction of protest and terming youths as anti-nationals – this is not nationalism,” she said.In an X post, Angmo, who is the co-founder of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), said, “As an educator, I find it deeply painful to watch the image of our students being tarnished on media… The students’ protest is taking place peacefully at Jantar Mantar. If there are reports of violence elsewhere in Delhi, please do not rush to attribute them to this movement without evidence.” She added, “Our children deserve to be protected, not portrayed as villains. Their voices deserve to be heard, not drowned out by narratives that serve vested interests.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Protest: Injured Protester Returns, Another Searches For Missing StudentIndia Conducts Maiden Flight Test Of Long-Range ‘Kusha’ Air Defence Missile SystemWhere Are CJP Leaders? Questions Rise Over Jantar Mantar Protest Management Amid Clashes, Heckling”Sent Four Proposals”: Govt Reaches Out To Protesters, Jitendra Singh Calls For DialogueFree Food, First Aid, Sanitary Pads: What’s Keeping the CJP Protest Going | Jantar MantarPriyanka Gandhi Targets PM Modi Over Student Protests, Says ‘Students Are Not Terrorists’Houses of Two ‘Pak Sponsored’ Militants Demolished Overnight After Deadly Attack In AnantnagWhy The Indian Army Says The Siliguri Corridor Is No Longer A “Chicken’s Neck”?Tehseen Poonawalla Alleges “Gadkari’s Son Got Richer” Over E20 Fuel Policy37,000 Lives Lost On Known Highway Death Traps In 3 Years: Who Is Responsible?123PhotostoriesUsing a microwave? Here are 5 common mistakes you need to stop making today and whySreeleela’s emerald green saree is what happens when royal romance meets timeless fashionMeet the ‘vampires’ of the Amazon: Animals that survive by drinking blood10 gender-neutral baby names that are growing in popularity around the worldThe secret history of 5 Indian bridal fashion traditions that never went out of style’Speed’, ‘M3GAN’ , ‘Smurfs’ – The last village’ and others: Top 7 OTT releases on Netflix in August10 Dosa types to get your protein sorted for breakfast5 most dangerous birds of prey that rule the skies with deadly precision5 Indian fabrics that were once more valuable than goldWhy does bread smell so irresistible when it’s baking?123Hot PicksMHT CET merit listDelhi metroCJP ProtestNTA NET Answer KeyDU UG admissionsJPSC recruitmentNEET paper controversyAAI recruitment 2026Caitline ClarkTop TrendingOba FemiCJP ProtestersCJPCJP ProtestHyderabad RapeSamras Vidya Setu campaignSupreme CourtZlatan ibrahimovicHarbhajan singhIND U19 vs Sri Lanka U19

Vamsikrishna20 minutes ago 0

Road crashes claimed a little over 1.8 lakh lives in 2025 Road crashes claimed a little over 1.8 lakh lives in 2025, translating into 502 deaths per day, which is the maximum since govt started collating data. While the highest increase in such fatalities was reported in Uttar Pradesh — from 24,118 in 2024 to 27,550 last year — Punjab saw a major dip in road deaths — from 4,759 in 2024 to 3,062 last year.Data that the road transport ministry provided to Lok Sabha on Thursday show that road crashes shot up by 5.3% to over 5.1 lakh in 2025 and fatalities increased by 3.5%. Ministry’s written reply indicates that 18 states and UTs saw a rise in road deaths in 2025 while 17 others reported a decline. Significantly, Lakshadweep has not reported any road death in the past two years.Death tol lrisesMinistry said data for West Bengal, which reported fewer number of fatalities in road crashes, have been taken from eDAR records as of Jan 2, 2026, while in the case of all others, data have been taken from eDAR records as of July 22. The e-Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) is a digital central accident database management system designed to analyse causes of crashes and devise safety measures. Officials said the overall number of fatalities may increase when the data for West Bengal is updated.Experts say the rise in road deaths despite efforts of govt to bring them down indicates that the current strategies have not proven that effective, even in states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Assam where non-profit organisations in the sector have collaborated with local govts.On Wednesday, the ministry had informed Rajya Sabha that 6,358 “black corridors” on the National Highway (NH) network were identified during 2023-25, which recorded 37,164 deaths. The maximum such black corridors were in Tamil Nadu (958), followed by UP (671) and Karnataka (607). Among districts, Viluppuram in Tamil Nadu had a maximum of 70 such corridors.As per ministry, unlike isolated black spots, these corridors are continuous stretches of NH that have recorded a higher number of road crashes that led to fatalities and grievous injuries. The identification is expected to help the authorities prioritise engineering interventions and improve road safety outcomes, officials said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Protest: Injured Protester Returns, Another Searches For Missing StudentIndia Conducts Maiden Flight Test Of Long-Range ‘Kusha’ Air Defence Missile SystemWhere Are CJP Leaders? Questions Rise Over Jantar Mantar Protest Management Amid Clashes, Heckling”Sent Four Proposals”: Govt Reaches Out To Protesters, Jitendra Singh Calls For DialogueFree Food, First Aid, Sanitary Pads: What’s Keeping the CJP Protest Going | Jantar MantarPriyanka Gandhi Targets PM Modi Over Student Protests, Says ‘Students Are Not Terrorists’Houses of Two ‘Pak Sponsored’ Militants Demolished Overnight After Deadly Attack In AnantnagWhy The Indian Army Says The Siliguri Corridor Is No Longer A “Chicken’s Neck”?Tehseen Poonawalla Alleges “Gadkari’s Son Got Richer” Over E20 Fuel Policy37,000 Lives Lost On Known Highway Death Traps In 3 Years: Who Is Responsible?123PhotostoriesUsing a microwave? Here are 5 common mistakes you need to stop making today and whySreeleela’s emerald green saree is what happens when royal romance meets timeless fashionMeet the ‘vampires’ of the Amazon: Animals that survive by drinking blood10 gender-neutral baby names that are growing in popularity around the worldThe secret history of 5 Indian bridal fashion traditions that never went out of style’Speed’, ‘M3GAN’ , ‘Smurfs’ – The last village’ and others: Top 7 OTT releases on Netflix in August10 Dosa types to get your protein sorted for breakfast5 most dangerous birds of prey that rule the skies with deadly precision5 Indian fabrics that were once more valuable than goldWhy does bread smell so irresistible when it’s baking?123Hot PicksMHT CET merit listDelhi metroCJP ProtestNTA NET Answer KeyDU UG admissionsJPSC recruitmentNEET paper controversyAAI recruitment 2026Caitline ClarkTop TrendingOba FemiCJP ProtestersCJPCJP ProtestHyderabad RapeSamras Vidya Setu campaignSupreme CourtZlatan ibrahimovicHarbhajan singhIND U19 vs Sri Lanka U19

Vamsikrishna36 minutes ago 0

India’s space sector has witnessed unprecedented momentum with private investment crossing $618.5 million NEW DELHI: India’s space sector has witnessed unprecedented momentum following the landmark reforms, with private investment crossing $618.5 million, 105 authorisations issued to private entities, and a robust regulatory framework being strengthened to safeguard strategic and national security interests while promoting greater private participation, Space, science and technology minister Jitendra Singh informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.Replying to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said cumulative private funding has expanded nearly six-fold in the last few years, rising from $100.5 million in 2021-22 to $348.5 million in 2023-24, before reaching $618.5 million by March 31, 2026, reflecting the growing confidence of domestic and global investors in India’s rapidly evolving space ecosystem.Singh informed RS that 17 space startups have so far been authorised by IN-SPACe to undertake space activities, reflecting the emergence of a vibrant startup ecosystem that is increasingly contributing to India’s space ambitions. Active space startups have increased from just one in 2014 to over 400 today, while private investment has crossed $600 million. Indian private companies have successfully demonstrated launch and orbital capabilities, placed more than 30 satellites into orbit, and flown nearly 45 payloads through platforms such as the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), signalling the growing technological depth and commercial maturity of the country’s private space sector.The earth observation public-private partnership has brought together leading Indian companies to develop the country’s first privately owned Earth observation satellite constellation with a private investment commitment of around Rs 1,200 crore, demonstrating the growing confidence of industry in India’s space reforms.Highlighting the govt’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that rapid commercial growth is matched by robust national security safeguards, the minister informed the House that every application for private space activities is evaluated under IN-SPACe’s norms, guidelines and procedures with due consideration to strategic, security and national interests before authorisation is granted. He further said IN-SPACe is preparing dedicated safety and security guidelines for space activities in India, in consultation with stakeholders, to further strengthen the country’s regulatory architecture as private participation continues to expand.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Protest: Injured Protester Returns, Another Searches For Missing StudentIndia Conducts Maiden Flight Test Of Long-Range ‘Kusha’ Air Defence Missile SystemWhere Are CJP Leaders? Questions Rise Over Jantar Mantar Protest Management Amid Clashes, Heckling”Sent Four Proposals”: Govt Reaches Out To Protesters, Jitendra Singh Calls For DialogueFree Food, First Aid, Sanitary Pads: What’s Keeping the CJP Protest Going | Jantar MantarPriyanka Gandhi Targets PM Modi Over Student Protests, Says ‘Students Are Not Terrorists’Houses of Two ‘Pak Sponsored’ Militants Demolished Overnight After Deadly Attack In AnantnagWhy The Indian Army Says The Siliguri Corridor Is No Longer A “Chicken’s Neck”?Tehseen Poonawalla Alleges “Gadkari’s Son Got Richer” Over E20 Fuel Policy37,000 Lives Lost On Known Highway Death Traps In 3 Years: Who Is Responsible?123PhotostoriesUsing a microwave? Here are 5 common mistakes you need to stop making today and whySreeleela’s emerald green saree is what happens when royal romance meets timeless fashionMeet the ‘vampires’ of the Amazon: Animals that survive by drinking blood10 gender-neutral baby names that are growing in popularity around the worldThe secret history of 5 Indian bridal fashion traditions that never went out of style’Speed’, ‘M3GAN’ , ‘Smurfs’ – The last village’ and others: Top 7 OTT releases on Netflix in August10 Dosa types to get your protein sorted for breakfast5 most dangerous birds of prey that rule the skies with deadly precision5 Indian fabrics that were once more valuable than goldWhy does bread smell so irresistible when it’s baking?123Hot PicksMHT CET merit listDelhi metroCJP ProtestNTA NET Answer KeyDU UG admissionsJPSC recruitmentNEET paper controversyAAI recruitment 2026Caitline ClarkTop TrendingOba FemiCJP ProtestersCJPCJP ProtestHyderabad RapeSamras Vidya Setu campaignSupreme CourtZlatan ibrahimovicHarbhajan singhIND U19 vs Sri Lanka U19

Vamsikrishna53 minutes ago 0