Month: February 2025

Star couple Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal have come up with ‘TAPS’, a poignant LGBTQ+ relationship drama that celebrates love beyond boundaries.

‘TAPS’ tells the intimate story of a couple navigating their way back to each other. It stars debutants Ullas Samrat and Rohit Mehra.

The film has been lauded for its delicate yet powerful portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships, winning the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant.

Speaking about the project, Richa Chadha said, “Cinema is powerful because it can shift perspectives. ‘TAPS’ is one of those stories that gently yet powerfully peels back the layers of identity, love, and self-acceptance. We want people to open their hearts a little more,” in a press note.

Ali Fazal added, “Love has always been painted in broad strokes–roses, candlelight, grand gestures. But love is so much more than that. ‘TAPS’ captures something intimate, raw, and real. It reminds us that love isn’t just about who we love but how we love with honesty, courage, and resilience.”

Producer Sudhanshu Saria said, “TAPS reminded me of when I was making my first film, LOEV, ten years ago. It felt like the perfect way to build on LOEV’s legacy in queer cinema by supporting another story that normalizes queer representation on our screens.”

The KASHISH Arts Foundation, a co-producer of the film, also said, “We live in a world where love is still policed, where identity is still debated, and where so many individuals are still searching for acceptance. ‘TAPS’ subtly makes us think about why we still struggle to embrace love in all its diversity.”

The film, directed by Arvind Caulagi and produced by Sudhanshu Saria’s Four Line Entertainment, will be released on YouTube on Thursday, February 20. (ANI)

The Mahakumbh festival in the holy city of Prayagraj is estimated to have generated business of over Rs 3 lakh crore (USD 360 billion) through goods and services, making it one of the biggest economic events in India, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General and Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal said.

Mahakumbh, which happens after 144 years, is being held in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26, witnessing the arrivals of millions of devotees over these six weeks.

Trade leader and parliamentarian Khandelwal noted that this world’s largest human gathering has firmly established the connection between faith and economy.

The Mahakumbh is boosting local trade with a surge in demand for Mahakumbh-themed products like diaries, calendars, jute bags, and stationery. Sales are reported to have increased due to meticulous branding.

Khandelwal mentioned that before the commencement of the Mahakumbh, initial estimates projected the arrival of 40 crore people and business transactions worth around Rs 2 lakh crore.

However, due to the unprecedented enthusiasm across the country, it is now expected that nearly 60 crore people will participate in the Mahakumbh by February 26, leading to a massive business turnover exceeding Rs 3 lakh crore.

This, he said, has provided a significant boost to Uttar Pradesh’s economy and created new business opportunities.

Highlighting the economic impact of the Mahakumbh, Khandelwal noted that several business sectors have witnessed large-scale economic activities, including hospitality and accommodation; food and beverage sector; transport and logistics; religious attire; puja samagri, and handicrafts, textiles, apparel and other consumer goods; healthcare and wellness services; media, advertising and entertainment; civic services; telecom, mobile, AI-based technology, CCTV cameras, and other equipment.

Khandelwal further pointed out that the economic benefits of Mahakumbh are not limited to Prayagraj.

Cities and towns within a 150 km radius have also experienced a significant business surge, strengthening local economies.

Additionally, Ayodhya, Varanasi, and other religious destinations have seen an increase in pilgrim visits, as devotees travel for the darshan and worship of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, Lord Shiva in Varanasi, and others in the nearby districts. This has further fueled massive economic activities in these areas.

The Delhi MP said Mahakumbh is expected to positively shape India’s trade, commerce, and cultural landscape, setting a new economic benchmark for years.

The Uttar Pradesh government has spent Rs 7500 crore for the improvement of Prayagraj’s infrastructure – flyovers, roads, and underpasses The Rs 7500 crore spending included Rs 1500 crore that was earmarked specifically for Mahakumbh arrangements. (ANI)

The swearing-in ceremony of the Delhi Chief Minister and new cabinet will be held at Ramlila Maidan on February 20 at 11 a.m. Lt Governor VK Saxena will administer the oath of office to the CM designate and the cabinet at 12:35 p.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with other Union Ministers and NDA Chief Ministers and Deputy Ministers will be present at the ceremony.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and the party’s national Secretary Om Prakash Dhankar have been appointed as the central observers for electing the leaders of the Delhi BJP Legislature party.

BJP leader Tarun Chugh said that the swearing in ceremony will be a historic event for the national capital. Further, he mocked AAP on their loss in the Delhi assembly elections and said that the people of Delhi had punished a tyrant ruler for his lies, deceit and fraud.

Speaking to ANI, Chugh said “People of Delhi have given their blessings to PM Narendra Modi. These abundant blessings have transformed into mandate. Tomorrow, a historic event will take place in Delhi. I think this will be the most historic event in Delhi to be taking place in Ramlila Maidan…People of Delhi have punished a tyrant ruler for his lies, deceit and fraud.”

Further, he said that under the leadership of PM Modi, the city would become a world-class capital.

He also said that the common people would be the biggest VIPs at the ceremony and bless PM Modi and the new cabinet.

“Under the leadership of PM Modi, Delhi will head towards being a world-class capital…Every poor, common people are the biggest VIP and they will be present here to bless PM Narendra Modi and new cabinet…Ceremony is scheduled to be held at 11 am tomorrow…” he further added.

Meanwhile, MLA elect and BJP leader Mohan Singh Bisht spoke of his chances to be chosen as a possible speaker of the new assembly after the CM is chosen.

“The party will decide it. It is a fact that a BJP worker will be the (Delhi) CM’s face. The party will assign the responsibility…If I will be (the CM), then I will see what all to be done,” he told ANI.

On if he gets chosen as the Speaker, he said, “My priorities will be smooth conduct of the House and raising important issues of Delhi in the House.” (ANI)

Tesla CEO and DOGE Head, Elon Musk, criticised the current state of US spending, saying that an average citizen in the country “should be mad as hell” over the expenditure of the tax money.

In an interview with Fox News telecast on Tuesday (local time), Musk said that US President Donald Trump inherited a USD 2 trillion trade deficit. He further warned that “America will go bankrupt” if it fails to bring the deficit under control.

Criticising the USAID spending, he added, “I think the average taxpaying American should be mad as hell because their tax money is being poorly spent.”

“Well, the — the overall goal is to try to get a trillion dollars out of the deficit. And if we if the deficit is not brought under control, America will go bankrupt. This is a very important thing for people to understand. A country is no different from an individual, in that if an individual overspends, an individual can go bankrupt, and so can a country. And the out, the massive waste, fraud, and abuse that has been going on, which is leading to a USD 2-trillion-a-year deficit, that’s what the president was handed on Jan 20th, a USD 2 trillion deficit. It’s insane,” he said in the interview.

Donald Trump agreed, saying, “Yes, we inherited it.” He said that inflation is back, but he has nothing to do with it, as the Democrats ran the country for the last 4 years.

“No, think of it, inflation is back. And they said, “…I had nothing to do with it. These people have run the country. They spent money like nobody has ever spent. They were given USD 9 trillion to throw out the window — USD 9 trillion, and they spent it on the Green New Scam, I call it. It’s the greatest scam in the history of the country. One of them. We have a lot of them, I guess. But one of them,” Trump said.

Stating that there are “hundreds of billions of dollars worth of fraud” in the system, Trump said Musk is doing an “amazing job” with the DOGE.

Trump spoke about the waste and fraud that Elon Musk and DOGE is finding and stressed that Musk is doing an “amazing job.”

“They’re finding things far worse than that. And they’re finding billions and it will be hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of fraud. I say waste and abuse, but fraud, waste, and abuse. And he’s doing an amazing job. And he attracts a young, very smart type of person. I call them high-IQ individuals, and they are very high IQ. And when they go in to see the people and talk to these people — you know, the people think they’re going to pull it over. They don’t. These guys are smart, and they love the country. You know, there’s a certain something. But he uses the word “care.” So, people have to care,” Donald Trump told Fox News.

The DOGE Head also hit back at the criticism faced by Democrats over DOGE cuts and blamed the bureaucracy for the criticism for not allowing the implementation of presidential orders.

In the interview, Musk said that they are trying to restore the will of the people through the president and if the will of the president, who is the representative of the people, is not implemented, it implies that they do not live in a democracy but bureaucracy.

He said that there’s a vast bureaucracy that is opposed to President Trump and the Cabinet and cited the voting in favour of former US Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, DC.

When asked about Democrats’ criticism over DOGE cuts, Musk said, “Why are they reacting like this…Well, I guess…if we’re the target, we’re doing something right. Like, they wouldn’t be complaining so much if we weren’t doing something useful, I think. All we’re really trying to do here is restore the will of the people through the president. And what we’re finding is there’s an unelected bureaucracy. Speaking of unelected, there’s a vast federal bureaucracy that is implacably opposed to the president and the Cabinet. And you look at, say, DC voting. It’s 92 percent Kamala. Okay, so we’re in 92 percent Kamala. That’s a lot,” he added.

“I think about that number a lot. I’m like, 92 percent. That’s, basically, almost everyone. And so but if — but how can you — if the will of the president is not implemented, and the president is representative of the people, that means the will of the people is not being implemented, and that means we don’t live in a democracy, we live in a bureaucracy. And so, I think what we’re seeing here is the sort of, the thrashing of the bureaucracy as we try to restore democracy and the will of the people,” Musk further said.

US President Donald Trump said that he aimed to get good people on board and praised Musk, calling him an “amazing and caring person.” He mentioned an example that if a government agency signs a contract for three months and leaves that signed contract and they pay the contract for 10 years.

“And my goal was to get great people. And when you look at what this man has done, I mean, it was something — I knew him a little bit through the White House. Originally, I’d see him around a little bit. I didn’t know him before that, and I respected what he did. And he fought hard. You know, he was maybe questioned for a while. He was having some difficulties. It was not easy doing what he did. I mean, how many people have started a car company and made it really successful and made a better car where it’s, you know, beating these big companies that that’s all they do is cars? I mean, it’s really amazing the things that he’s done. But, I didn’t know it as much then as now. I mean, the fruits have sort of taken hold. But I wanted great people, and he’s a great person. He’s an amazing person. He’s also a caring person. You know, he uses the word care,” Trump said.

“So, they sign a contract in a government agency, and it has three months. And the guy leaves that signed the contract, and nobody else is there, and they pay the contract for 10 years. So, the guy is getting checks for years and years and years, and he’s telling his family, obviously — maybe it was crooked, maybe he paid to get the contract, or maybe he paid that they didn’t terminate him. But, you know, we have contracts that go forever, and they’ve been going for years, and they’re supposed to end in three months or five months or two years or something, and they go forever, So, the guy is either crooked — you know, where he knew this was going to happen — or he’s crooked because he’s getting payments that he knows he shouldn’t be getting. But they’re finding things like that,” he added.

Elon Musk said that winning the election is opportunity to fix the system and “restore the power of democracy.”

During the interview, Trump also slammed some media outlets like MSNBC, CNN, PBS, AP and CBS, calling them “bad, horrible and terrible.” He even accused CBS of changing an answer of Kamla Harris. (ANI)

Rajasthan Government on Wednesday proposed to provide 150 units of free electricity for households.

During the ongoing Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Budget Session, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Diya Kumari presented the state budget, unveiling several major initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure, energy access, and urban development in Rajasthan.

She also highlighted that homes of eligible families would be equipped with solar panels to promote sustainable energy use.

As per the announcements, for those without space for solar panels, community solar plants will be established to ensure equal access.

In addition, the budget proposed 5 lakh new domestic electricity connections and 5,000 new agricultural connections, ensuring greater access to electricity across the state.

In State Assembly, Rajasthan Deputy CM-Finance Minister Diya Kumari said, “I am delighted to tell the Members of this House that under the able leadership of CM Bhajanlal Sharma, in FY 2025-26, GSDP of the state is estimated to increase to more than Rs 19.89 Lakh Crores.”

The Minister also announced plans for enhanced urban mobility, including the removal of the BRTS system in Jaipur and the introduction of a new phase of the Jaipur Metro.

Additionally, the budget proposed the creation of 9 new greenfield expressways and 15 ring roads in major cities, such as Balotra, Jaisalmer, Jhalawar, and Dungarpur, aimed at reducing traffic congestion and boosting connectivity.

She has proposed to form of 1,050 new technical posts in the Piped Water Supply Department, as well as plans to install 1,500 hand pumps and 1,000 tube wells across Rajasthan in the coming year to improve water access.

In the realm of urban development, the budget allocates provisions for 2 lakh new land pattas for families, ensuring better housing opportunities.

Additionally, a Rs 1,750 crore TSP fund will be dedicated to the development of backward areas. The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Urban Development Scheme will be implemented with a budget of Rs 12,050 crore.

Furthermore, the budget proposes the construction of 500 pink toilets in urban local bodies to ensure better sanitation for women.

In terms of infrastructure, Rajasthan will see the development of 9 greenfield expressways, spanning over 2,750 kilometers, at a total cost of Rs 60,000 crore.

Additionally, 21,000 kilometers of roads will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore under the Bharat Mala Project.

The state government also plans to build non-pachable roads in every assembly constituency with an allocation of Rs 10 crore per constituency and Rs 15 crore for desert areas.

For rural connectivity, 1,600 settlements will be connected to paved roads under the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana. A total of 500 villages will benefit from this initiative at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

In an effort to improve transportation, the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) will acquire 500 new buses for both urban and rural areas, helping improve the state’s public transport infrastructure.

In her budget speech, Rajasthan’s Minister emphasised that the government has set new benchmarks for development and is committed to building a more connected, prosperous, and sustainable Rajasthan for its citizens. (ANI)

Newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Wednesday took charge and in his message to the voters said that the first step for nation building was voting.

He further stated that in accordance with the Constitution, the electoral laws and rules issued therein, the Election Commission always stood with the voters.

“First step for nation building is voting. Therefore, every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote. In accordance with the Constitution of India, electoral laws, rules and instructions issued therein, the Election Commission of India was, is and will always be with the voters,” Kumar said speaking to the media.

Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and is senior to the two other commissioners on the three-member panel that was led by Rajiv Kumar. The other commissioner on the panel is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, an officer from the Uttarakhand cadre and Vivek Joshi. The other newly appointed election commissioner Vivek Joshi also assumed charge as the Election Commissioner in pursuance of Ministry of Law & Justice, Gazette notification dated 17.02.2025. He is a 1989 batch officer of the IAS of Haryana cadr

Meanwhile, Rajiv Kumar, who served as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India, bid farewell to the Election Commission of India on Tuesday, describing it as “the place of worship of democracy.”

He expressed optimism about the institution’s future, stating that it would “rise higher than where it stands today” under the leadership of the incoming team.

Kumar emphasised the pivotal role of voters and political parties in strengthening India’s democracy and extended his best wishes to all voters.

Speaking to ANI, Rajiv Kumar said, “This building is the place of worship of democracy. Through great hard work, it has amassed heritage in the last 75 years. I am very hopeful that in the time to come, this will rise higher than where it stands today. This is going to very capable hands. The new team will take it even higher.”

“The country’s democracy will remain strong and intact and will earn honour before the world. I hope that people will remember and learn lessons from Indian democracy and Indian elections. The biggest contribution towards this is by the voters and political parties. I wish all the best to everyone, all voters,” he said.

According to the statement released by the Commission, Kumar joined the ECI as Election Commissioner on September 1, 2020, and assumed charge as the 25th CEC of India on May 15, 2022.His tenure spanning 4.5 years in the Commission was characterised by silent yet deep-rooted reforms across various domains spanning structural, technological, capacity development, communication, international cooperation and administration.

Kumar, during his tenure, had completed one full electoral cycle with the conduct of elections in 31 states and Union Territory, the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections in 2022, Lok Sabha elections of 2024 and Rajya Sabha renewals–a rare and monumental feat in electoral management. The elections were conducted peacefully with near-zero repolls and incidents of violence, the Commission stated. (ANI)

Mool Pravah Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj Bhubaneswar President Rekam GC on Wednesday, confirmed that the body of the B.Tech third-year student from Nepal, who was found dead in the KIIT University hostel in Odisha, was sent to Nepal, for the final rites to be performed in her village. 

Speaking to ANI, Mool Pravah Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj Bhubaneswar president, Rekam GC said, “Her body was taken to the airport from AIIMS this morning. The body will be taken from here to Delhi and then to her village (in Nepal) via Gorakhpur. Her last last rites will be performed in her village…KIIT will bear accommodation expenses for the students who were sent to Nepal…Protests are taking place…”

The organisation expressed concerns about the police’s handling of the situation, questioning why the incident was initially reported as a suicide and urging the authorities to investigate further.

He mentioned that the arrested individual should be interrogated for more clarity on what happened. 

Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj chief said, “The Nepal Govt has decided to not provide NOC (to students) for KIIT as long as the situation remains grim…We want action against the guilty and that no innocent is punished.”.

Meanwhile, student unions from various political parties on Tuesday staged a demonstration in front of the Indian embassy in Kathmandu demanding a probe into the death of a student from Nepal who was found dead at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha. 

The third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, following which Nepali students staged a protest claiming that she was harassed by her fellow student and demanded justice for her. 

An accused student, identified by police as Advik Srivastava, was arrested on February 17 and sent to judicial custody on the same day, as per a press statement by Police Commissionerate, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack. (ANI)

Jammu and Kashmir is staring at a water crisis this year, the state’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday. The CM said he is also reviewing various measures the state’s Jal Shakti department intends to take to deal with the crisis.

“J&K is staring at a water crisis this year. It’s not a recent phenomenon. Actually, it’s been building up for a few years now. While the government will have to adopt a more proactive approach for water management & conservation, it can’t just be a government centric approach,” read an X post by the CM.

He further urged the people of the union territory to “change the way we take water for granted,” and that he would be talking with various constituents on the next steps for water saving and conservation.

“All of us residents of J&K will have to change the way we take water for granted. I’ll be reviewing the measures the Jal Shakti (PHE) Dept intends to take to deal with the developing crisis & I’ll also be talking to the people of J&K over the next few months about what we can do collectively,” his post read.

Earlier yesterday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with the J-K CM and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, held a review meeting on the implementation of new criminal laws in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the meeting, CM Abdullah said that the Union Territory’s role in the implementation of these laws was good and wherever there has been a little weakness that would be rectified.

“The Home Minister has been continuously reviewing the criminal laws that have been implemented in the country and to what extent they are being used. In this regard, this time, it was Jammu and Kashmir’s turn. Before this, a review of 11 states and union territories was done. To a large extent, Jammu and Kashmir’s role in the implementation of these laws was good,” he said. (ANI)

Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Wednesday wrote a letter to Aam Aadmi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal urging him to announce a Dalit leader as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

Swati Maliwal said that Kejriwal had promised to make a Dalit Deputy CM in Punjab during the 2022 assembly elections but later ‘backtracked’ on his promise. Maliwal urged him to make a Dalit LoP and pay “true tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar.

AAP suffered a major setback in the Delhi Assembly election, in which the people’s mandate went against the ruling party, throwing them out of power. AAP secured only 22 seats — a fall of 40 seats — while BJP secured a majority by winning 48 in the 70-member legislative assembly, marking its return in the national capital after 27 years.

“During the Punjab elections in 2022, you had promised that after winning, we will make a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister, it is very sad that even after 3 years this promise has not been fulfilled. Now, when the time has come to appoint a Leader of Opposition in Delhi, I request you to make an MLA from the Dalit community of the party from Delhi as the Leader of Opposition in Delhi,” Maliwal wrote to Kejriwal.

“I hope this time he will pay true tribute to respected Babasaheb Ambedkar by making a Dalit MLA from Delhi the LOP,” she added.

Meanwhile, BJP will hold a legislative meeting today with its top leadership to finalise the Chief Minister and Cabinet Minister of Delhi as the party is set to return to the capital after 27 years.

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 20 at 4:30 pm Ramilila Maidan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states, NDA leaders, Union Ministers, and other prominent figures will attend the ceremony, a top party source told ANI.

A cultural program featuring music and songs will precede the ceremony, Around 30,000 guests have been invited to the ceremony. RSS leaders and spiritual Dharm Gurus will also attend the oath ceremony. Industrialists, celebrities likely to attend the programme, BJP leaders and workers from other states who were deployed for the Delhi Assembly elections have also been invited to the ceremony. Laddli Bahanas, Delhi farmers, and around 30,000 guests are also invited to the oath-taking ceremony. (ANI)

India is in the process of negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and is also considering an FTA with Qatar.

This move aims to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation in various fields such as trade, energy, investment, security, and regional and international affairs.

During a special briefing on the state visit of the Amir of Qatar to India on Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary, CPV & OIA, Arun Kumar Chatterjee said that India and GCC “at this moment negotiating about having a free trade agreement,” and in addition, India is also exploring the possibility of signing a similar agreement with Qatar in the future.

“India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), we are at this moment negotiating about having a free trade agreement. As far as Qatar is concerned, both sides are exploring the possibility of signing a free-trade agreement in future and that was one of the discussions that took place in this round of talks,” said Chatterjee.

India has enjoyed centuries of good relations with countries like Iran, while smaller gas-rich nation Qatar is one of India’s closest allies in the region. India shares good relations with most of the countries in the Gulf.

The two most important reasons for the relationship are oil and gas, and trade. Qatar accounts for 41% of India’s total natural gas imports. Two additional reasons are the huge number of Indians who work in the Gulf countries, and the remittance they send back home.

As per a research paper published by the Reserve Bank of India, in the financial year 2020-21, remittances from the UAE to India were USD 15.40 billion, which is 18% of India’s total inward remittances.

Overall, these agreements have the potential to significantly boost India’s economic and strategic ties with the GCC and Qatar and could have far-reaching implications for the country’s trade, energy, and security policies.

“As far as strategic partnership agreement is concerned, it actually elevates the present state of bilateral relations to a strategic level. What we are looking at is deepening the cooperation in the fields of trade, energy, investment, security as well as in the regional and international flora…,” added Chatterjee.

According to MEA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Amir of Qatar held discussions on wide-ranging topics including FTA, technology, energy and people-to-people ties.

GCC is a union of six countries in the Gulf region — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. The council is the largest trading bloc of India. A free trade agreement between India and the GCC has been in the works since 2004 when a Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation was signed.

Although negotiations stalled, they have resumed, with India seeking to increase trade with the GCC, which is currently its largest trading partner bloc, with bilateral trade valued at over USD 154 billion in FY 2021-22.

Earlier today, India and Qatar signed an agreement to formally elevate their relations to a strategic partnership and exchanged multiple memorandums of understanding (MoU) with a focus on trade, energy, investments, innovation, technology, food security, culture & people-to-people ties.

The MEA Secretary, CPV & OIA, also stated that Qatar was a key “energy supplier” for India and that both leaders noted the agreement made back in February 2024, where Qatar Energy and Petronet LNG Limited stated that it would send 7.5 million metric tonnes per annum of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Qatar to India, starting in 2028, for 20 years.

“India and Qatar share a very vibrant partnership in the area of energy. Qatar is a major source of energy for India. Both leaders today noted that in February 2024, Qatar Energy and Petronet LNG Limited signed an agreement for the supply of 7.5 million metric tonnes per annum of LNG from Qatar to India for 20 years starting 2028,” Chatterjee said.

“Both leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen and broaden the energy partnership, including exploring mutual investments. India and Qatar today enjoy deep-rooted, friendly relations anchored in historic trade and people-to-people ties…The prime minister thanked the Amir of Qatar for his support for the large Indian community in Qatar, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic period…Two agreements and five MoUs were signed during the state visit of the Amir of Qatar,” he added.

Earlier today, the Amir of Qatar, who arrived in India on a two-day visit on Monday, received the Guard of Honour and a ceremonial welcome in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Meanwhile, the Agreement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the two countries was exchanged in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, at the Hyderabad House here in the national capital. (ANI)