- 2 days ago
This edition of India First covers the escalating conflict along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where Afghan Taliban forces claim to have captured a Pakistani army tank after launching retaliatory strikes against Pakistan for alleged airstrikes and artillery shelling.
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00:00Good evening. There's a massive spike in tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
00:06Fresh firings being reported and it's not just restricted to small arms.
00:10There's artillery shelling that's intensified along the 2,600 km long Durand line after fierce exchanges.
00:18Initially small arms then escalated to artillery.
00:21We're told drones and airstrikes have also happened.
00:25Afghanistan is saying so. Pakistan isn't confirming it.
00:27Between the Pakistani security forces and Afghan Taliban along the AFPAC border.
00:33The images that you're seeing on your television screen.
00:36Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabiyullah Mujahid.
00:40He's put out a video claiming Afghan forces carried out a raid inside Pakistan.
00:46Raid was carried out after Pakistan launched fresh drone and artillery attacks inside Afghanistan.
00:52Taliban forces, they killed and captured several Pakistan army positions, weapons, ammunition and even claim to have captured a Pakistan army tank.
01:02There are reports of firing and shelling and armour engagement along the border from Spinboldak to Torkham.
01:10Reports now say Pakistani forces have targeted a civilian home in the Spinboldak area.
01:18Reports also say that there were children inside the house.
01:21They've been rushed to hospital.
01:23Would this lead actually to an escalation?
01:25Because if Pakistani artillery shelling has led to loss of life of children,
01:31this would mean Taliban will react and respond.
01:37Reports say civilian homes in Spinboldak have been targeted.
01:46Costings have been shut down and Afghanistan army has ordered civilians to evacuate from the border bench.
01:53We'll get you that story.
01:54We'll get you all details on that story.
01:55Coming up at 8.30 tonight, big red terror surrender in Maharashtra.
02:0161 Maoists surrender in Garcharoli in Maharashtra and 15 Chaktisgarh.
02:07So 111 red terrorists have surrendered.
02:11Only three districts now remain most affected by red terror.
02:15Down from nearly one third of the country.
02:17That was impacted a decade and a half ago.
02:19Also coming up on India First, we're changing that story.
02:24Also coming up at India First, renowned Indian origin defense expert, Ashley Tellis.
02:30He played a crucial role, a very critical role in the India-US civil nuclear deal.
02:34He's been arrested in the US over handling of secret defense documents and meetings with Chinese officials.
02:40We get you that story.
02:42Also, Israel's ambassador to India, Ruben Azar.
02:45He red flags Hamas' refusal to give up arms and the killings that have begun in Gaza.
02:51Lots happening over the course of the next one hour.
02:53Action facts, 60 minutes.
02:55I'm Gaurav Savant.
02:56As always, let's get started with the headlines on India First.
03:00Late night, NDA's seat sharing drama in Bihar.
03:10Kushwaha miffed over Maua's seat going to LJP.
03:13Kushwaha says all is not well within the NDA.
03:16Tejasvi Yadav files his nomination from Radhapur.
03:20Lalu and Rabri Devi accompany him.
03:22The male friend of the Bengal rape survivor has been arrested.
03:32The friend has been identified as Vasif Ali.
03:35He was the classmate of the victim and accompanied her to the forest area.
03:39Statement of the survivor has now been recorded in court.
03:42Aryana, Top Cop's family relents after 9th day of his suicide.
03:52IPS Puran's family permits a post-mortem after court issued notice to the IPS officer's wife,
03:59who's an IES officer herself.
04:07Supreme Court permits green crackers in Delhi.
04:10Green crackers to be sold only by certified companies.
04:13Delhi to have a cracker of a Diwali this year.
04:22Big push towards a Naxel-free India.
04:25Number of affected districts reduced to three.
04:28Government targets complete eradication of Red Terror by March 31, 2026.
04:40Big story coming in.
04:50Amdavad is set to host the centenary Commonwealth Games in India in 2030.
04:58India's bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 has been accepted.
05:04The executive board of the Commonwealth Sports confirms that it will recommend Amdavad India as the proposed host city for the 2030 centenary Commonwealth Games.
05:18Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken to social media platform X to post a message and say,
05:24A day of immense joy and pride for India.
05:29Heartiest congratulations to every citizen of India on the Commonwealth Association's approval of India's bid to host the Commonwealth Games 2030 in Amdavad.
05:41It's a grand endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relentless effort to place India on the world sports map.
05:54Raising world-class infrastructure and raising a nationwide pool of sports talent,
06:00Modiji has made India a marvel of a sports destination.
06:06This is a very important step.
06:092030, the Commonwealth Games will be held in India and in Amdavad.
06:15That's the big headlines.
06:17I want to quickly cut across to Pyush Mishra, FOMO on this, who joins us with the latest.
06:22Pyush, give us details.
06:24India had campaigned very hard, had a very strong case for Commonwealth Games, the centenary games to be held in Amdavad.
06:32And this actually is a very major stepping stone for the Olympic Games in India.
06:40Well, also at the same time, Gaurav, it is going to be a proud moment for India as India is going to host the centenary celebrations of Commonwealth Games.
06:48Remember that in September of 2025, there was a cabinet meet which took place at PM Modi's residence.
06:55In that cabinet, it was decided that India is going to propose a bid to have the celebrations, to have these Commonwealth Games here in India.
07:04After that, the sports minister of the state of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghi, along with Olympic India Association President, P.T. Ushadi, had gone to London.
07:13They had presented a bid before the evaluation committee of Commonwealth Sports to let Amdavad host the Commonwealth Games.
07:22And after the thorough scrutiny, looking into the infrastructure development, governance, technical deliveries, and also the experience which the players will have, the committee, the evaluation committee has now finally given a go-ahead.
07:39And now India is going to host Commonwealth Games' celebration celebration, and that will be held in Ahmedabad.
07:47And a major part will take place there in Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
07:53The executive board of Commonwealth Games has decided to hand over the bid, to hand over the entire process to India, to Ahmedabad.
08:01And this has taken place after thorough scrutiny.
08:04There were a lot of candidates, various countries, various cities have put forth their bid.
08:08But Ahmedabad has won the bid, and that has happened after thorough scrutiny, Gaurav.
08:14Piyush, give us details of the kind of preparations that are already in place in Ahmedabad,
08:18and how they will now need to be scaled up from 2025 to 2030.
08:23You have five years, but a lot of effort has already been put in.
08:27Well, absolutely, Gaurav, like you directly mentioned that, yes, the state and city will have to be totally decked up for the mega event,
08:45because a lot of sports are part of these Commonwealth Games.
08:49To hold these sports, one should have the capability.
08:51And yes, Ahmedabad has Narendra Modi Stadium, which can accommodate thousands and thousands of people,
08:58can hold such games, such sports.
09:02And that's why Ahmedabad has won the bid.
09:04And now we have the bid.
09:06We are going to host the Commonwealth Games Centenary celebrations.
09:10The preparations will now begin.
09:12The primary preparations, the infrastructure thing which is required,
09:16the technical delivery which Ahmedabad can give,
09:20and also the kind of governance which it needs.
09:24All the things are there in place.
09:27And after looking into all these things itself,
09:30the Executive Board of Commonwealth Games has given a go ahead
09:33and has proposed Ahmedabad to be the host city of 2020 Commonwealth Games Centenary.
09:38Keep tracking that story.
09:39I will come back to you for more on this.
09:42Lots done, lots more needs to be done for India
09:45to emerge as that sporting superpower that we aspire to be.
09:50Remember, we've had Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010,
09:53now in Ahmedabad in 2030,
09:56en route to Olympics in 2036.
09:58That's the effort, that's the attempt.
10:01But I now want to shift focus to our top story.
10:03The 2,600-kilometre-long Afghanistan-Pakistan border
10:09is on fire at multiple locations from Torkham
10:12through Khurram, Angur and Spin Boulder.
10:15Afghan forces claimed they responded
10:18to unprovoked Pakistan Army artillery and drone attacks.
10:21Taliban forces crossed the border.
10:24They attacked multiple Pakistan Army locations,
10:26including border posts and camps.
10:27Taliban spokesperson actually put out a video
10:30of the Afghan forces returning with what he claimed
10:34was a Pakistan Army tank.
10:36He also said, and other reports seem to indicate
10:40that it's not just tanks, it's armored personal carriers,
10:43trucks, arms and ammunition,
10:44and they claim prisoners of war.
10:47Pakistan claimed the unprovoked attack was from Afghanistan
10:50and Pakistan was only responding,
10:52which led to massive loss of life on the Afghan side.
10:56Pakistan has reportedly reached out
10:58both to Saudi Arabia and to Qatar,
11:00seeking mediation and peace talks.
11:02We get you more in this report.
11:14Flames of war are raging
11:16on the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
11:19The Taliban claim to have overrun
11:21a key Pakistani military post in Spin Boldak,
11:24confiscating weapons, seizing tanks
11:27and parading them as trophies.
11:38As you know, a state of emergency
11:40has been in place since last Sunday.
11:42Last night at around 3.30 a.m.,
11:44Afghan forces launched an attack
11:45to take revenge on Pakistan.
11:47The Mujahideen are highly motivated
11:49and have captured many of their outposts
11:51and their fighting morale is very high.
11:52It all began at 4 a.m. Wednesday
11:58when Pakistani forces allegedly fired missiles
12:01at Afghan post.
12:03Within minutes, the Taliban retaliated.
12:07Eyewitnesses say a few Pakistani soldiers surrendered.
12:10Pakistan should understand that we will never remain silent
12:15in defending our sacred values,
12:17the Islamic system and our national interests.
12:20If any aggressor attacks us,
12:21we will respond in a way that becomes an example
12:23for future history.
12:25This war is not a difficult struggle for Afghanistan.
12:27We have fought much longer distances
12:29and larger enemies and have defeated them.
12:31This is a relatively easy phase for us.
12:34This is a relatively easy phase for us.
12:35Disturbing visuals from spin-ball dark show bodies
12:39scattered across the battlefield.
12:42This war isn't new.
12:44It's rooted in a 130-year-old dispute
12:46over the Durand Line drawn in 1893 by the British.
12:51The line split Pashtun tribes across modern-day Pakistan
12:55and Afghanistan.
12:55Now, Kabul wants it undone.
12:58Reviving calls for a united Pashtunistan.
13:03Pakistan has called upon Qatar and Saudi Arabia
13:06to mediate with Afghanistan.
13:09Pakistan asked Qatar and Saudi Arabia
13:11to act as mediators
13:12and urged the Afghan side to stop fighting.
13:15About an hour after the fighting began,
13:17Pakistani officials contacted Qatar and Saudi
13:19and requested mediation.
13:22For God's sake,
13:23to stop Afghans from fighting this information
13:25from reliable sources
13:26and accepts full responsibility
13:28for this statement.
13:29Afghanistan has been a very dangerous decision.
13:31Then Afghanistan has been a very dangerous decision.
13:35With history, land and identity on the line,
13:39the war for Pashtunistan
13:40may have just entered a new chapter.
13:43Bureau Report, India Today.
13:48So Afghanistan now claims within 15 minutes
13:50of its action inside Pakistani territory,
13:53Pakistan desperately reached out to Saudi Arabia and Qatar
13:56to seek an immediate ceasefire.
13:58Apparently, a ceasefire is being put in place
14:00for the next 48 hours.
14:01The question remains,
14:02will Afghanistan follow that ceasefire
14:05after children have been targeted in Kandahar?
14:08Remember, Pakistan,
14:10after that October 11 airstrikes
14:12and the drone strikes in Kabul,
14:13has carried out fresh drone strikes
14:15and artillery attacks on the other side of the border.
14:19They've targeted Afghanistan army garrisons.
14:22They've targeted armored personal carriers
14:23and U.S.-made Humvees carrying Taliban commanders.
14:26But what is worse,
14:27information that's just coming out,
14:29is that children were targeted in a building.
14:32A building that was targeted had children in it
14:34and apparently there's been some loss of life.
14:36This clearly goes far beyond regular skirmishes.
14:40Is it escalating into a conflict
14:42and can Pakistan afford tensions on so many fronts?
14:46Joining me on this India Today special broadcast
14:48is Sushant Sareen,
14:49a Strategic Affairs Analyst
14:51and a Senior Fellow
14:52at the Observer Research Foundation,
14:53Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar.
14:55On what's happening in this region,
14:58also with us is Professor Raghav Sharma,
15:01Professor and Director
15:01for Centre for Afghan Studies
15:03at the School of International Affairs
15:05at OP Jindal Global University.
15:07Sushant, what is your reading
15:09of this escalation
15:12that is suddenly taking place
15:13along the AFPAC border?
15:16Well, I think the provocation came clearly
15:18from the Pakistani side.
15:21The fact that they went and bombed Kabul
15:23meant that the Taliban were going to retaliate
15:26and then, you know,
15:27you get into a kind of an escalation spiral.
15:30As long as the Pakistanis were bombing
15:32some remote border areas,
15:35you know, the Afghans were kind of
15:36brushing it aside.
15:37But you can't be going and bombing
15:39the capital city of Afghanistan
15:42and then expect
15:43that the Taliban are going to keep quiet.
15:45Interestingly, what is happening
15:47is that all these Pakistani complaints
15:49which they are, you know, making,
15:51I think they're rather funny
15:52and if not entirely disingenuous
15:54because these are exactly the things
15:57that Pakistan has been accused of doing.
16:00And now they're accusing
16:01the Taliban of doing it.
16:02So from the Taliban point of view,
16:04they've been trying to play down
16:06many of the issues bedeviling their relationship
16:08with the Pakistanis.
16:11But the Pakistanis are constantly upping the ante.
16:14And now if you hear what is happening
16:16in the Pakistani, you know, mind space,
16:20they are now starting to talk about regime change
16:23in Afghanistan,
16:24which means that they're now plotting
16:26to either, you know,
16:29inflict yet another civil war in Afghanistan.
16:31I don't know how that will work out.
16:33Who are the people who are going to play a role in that?
16:36But it will cause even more death
16:38and devastation in Afghanistan.
16:40And of course, there will be a pushback
16:42from the Afghan side,
16:44from the Taliban side,
16:45who have a fairly big constituency
16:48thanks to the myopia of the Pakistani Punjabis
16:52who, you know, encourage this culture.
16:56There is a huge constituency
16:58which is pro-Taliban inside Pakistan.
17:02So this is not...
17:03And not just restricted to Khayyar Pakhtunkhwa.
17:05But I'll just come to the response,
17:07the retaliation in a moment, Sushant.
17:09I want to understand the current escalation.
17:11Professor Sharma,
17:13Pakistan is a nuclear weapons state.
17:16It has a professional armed forces,
17:19army, navy and air force.
17:21And you saw that video
17:22that's been put out by Zabiullah Mujahid,
17:24the spokesperson of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan,
17:28that Afghanistan troops went inside Pakistan.
17:31They killed soldiers
17:33and they came back with war booty,
17:36including a tank.
17:37What do you make of that?
17:38Is this psychological warfare?
17:40Or does this show that Pakistan's morale
17:42is really down in that border belt?
17:44Well, this has truly proved
17:48to be a phiric victory for Pakistan,
17:50you know, the Taliban's return.
17:51And clearly, what this does demonstrate
17:53is the fact that morale in the Pakistani army
17:56is very low.
17:58And Pakistan's actions in Afghanistan
18:00have only reinforced its own popularity
18:02within Afghanistan.
18:05And clearly, it shows there is a crisis brewing
18:07within the Pakistan army.
18:09Its whole project of, you know,
18:12promoting radicalization.
18:14It's a classic case of chickens
18:16having come home to roost, so to speak.
18:20So what it does underscore is
18:21that there is a serious internal crisis brewing
18:24within Pakistan.
18:25And, you know, we do not fully know
18:28the scale of that crisis.
18:31So the fact that, you know,
18:32a force like the Taliban
18:33has been able to stand up
18:36and inflict damage
18:38on the Pakistanis
18:39on such a scale
18:40is certainly going to be,
18:42you know, a huge cause of embarrassment
18:44to the army
18:45and to the self-annointed
18:46Field Marshal Aasim Munir.
18:49This self-annointed
18:50Field Marshal Aasim Munir,
18:52Ambassador Sajjan Har,
18:54what is his thinking?
18:55You know,
18:56first Pahlgaam,
18:57then Operation Sindur,
18:59then the trouble that he is facing
19:00with Tehrik-e-Labbaik,
19:01the trouble in Balochistan,
19:03the trouble in Pakistan-occupied
19:04Jammu and Kashmir,
19:05including Gilgit-Baltistan.
19:06And now,
19:07this escalation with Taliban
19:09sending in his fighter jets
19:11or drones to bomb Kabul.
19:12And I believe there's some
19:13bombing that's happening
19:14even as we speak in Kandahar.
19:16And there are losses of life.
19:18But Ambassador Sajjan Har,
19:19what is Pakistan up to?
19:21Is this part of some
19:22wider game
19:23as far as
19:25pleasing America is concerned
19:26so that America can get
19:28the Bagram airbase?
19:30You know,
19:31thank you very much, Gaurav.
19:33You know,
19:33if it was part of a wider game,
19:35then this is a wider game
19:36that Pakistan is losing
19:37and losing very badly.
19:39Because I think
19:40it has all really started,
19:41meaning all these aspects
19:43that you have mentioned
19:44about the TTP,
19:45about Afghanistan,
19:46about Tehrik-e-Labbaik,
19:47et cetera, et cetera.
19:48You know,
19:49I mean,
19:49all that has been happening
19:50around,
19:51whether it's,
19:52you know,
19:52discontent in Balochistan,
19:54Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
19:55POK, et cetera.
19:56All this has been happening.
19:58Asim Muneer has been
19:59focused much more
20:01on his activities,
20:03visits, et cetera,
20:04outside the country
20:05rather than paying attention
20:06to whatever is happening
20:08at home.
20:09I think basically
20:10what has added
20:11to all this
20:12and, you know,
20:13given him some sort
20:14of an urgency
20:15that he has to act
20:16is,
20:17in my view,
20:17the visit also
20:18of the Afghan
20:19foreign minister to India.
20:21That has completely
20:22unnerved him,
20:23that has completely
20:24rattled him,
20:24and I think
20:25that is what has led
20:26to all this
20:27ill-thought,
20:30you know,
20:30actions that have
20:31been taken
20:31by bombing Kabul,
20:33meaning that is
20:34totally,
20:35as far as the Taliban
20:36is concerned,
20:37unpardonable.
20:38You know,
20:38you mentioned that
20:39it's a nuclear weapon state.
20:41You know,
20:41you don't use
20:42nuclear weapons
20:43in conventional wars
20:45like this.
20:45We have seen that
20:46in Russia,
20:47Ukraine, et cetera.
20:48Russia is a nuclear
20:49weapon state,
20:50but that has not
20:51helped it to sort
20:51of, you know,
20:53cow down
20:53the resistance
20:55that has come
20:56from Ukraine.
20:58As far as,
20:59you know,
21:00it's going to,
21:02appealing to
21:03Qatar and Saudi Arabia,
21:05you know,
21:05it is exactly
21:06a repeat of what
21:07has happened
21:07on the 10th of May.
21:09Because,
21:09you know,
21:10if Pakistan
21:11is saying that
21:12it is getting
21:12the better of
21:14the conflict
21:15with the Taliban,
21:17why would it go
21:18to outside powers
21:20seeking for mediation
21:21and seeking for help?
21:22Because,
21:23you know,
21:23if it has been
21:24started by that...
21:25And seeking visas
21:25repeatedly to get
21:27to Kabul
21:27and those visas
21:28being denied.
21:29Sir,
21:29stay with me
21:30for a moment.
21:30Major General
21:31Sanjay Meston,
21:32our former
21:32defense attache
21:33at Kabul,
21:34joins us on
21:34this broadcast.
21:35General Meston,
21:36you've been
21:37speaking to people
21:38across Afghanistan.
21:40Apparently,
21:41there is some
21:41bombing that's
21:42still on,
21:43even though
21:44Qatar and
21:45Saudi Arabia
21:45seem to have
21:46brokered some
21:47kind of a 48-hour-long
21:48ceasefire
21:49that Pakistan
21:50sought.
21:51But in case
21:52Pakistan is
21:53targeting
21:53civilian areas
21:55in which children
21:56are either being
21:57injured,
21:57God forbid,
21:58dying,
21:59clearly Afghanistan
22:00will be compelled
22:01to respond.
22:01Gaurav,
22:05good evening.
22:05There is no
22:06doubt Afghanistan
22:07is going to
22:08respond in a
22:09very,
22:09very solid
22:10manner.
22:10Now,
22:11what has
22:11happened on
22:11ground today,
22:12which of course
22:13there are
22:13unverified reports.
22:14First is that
22:15Kabul definitely,
22:17you know,
22:18area has been
22:19bombed where I
22:20think some
22:21multi-story
22:21building has
22:22collapsed.
22:23That is what
22:23the inputs are,
22:24how reliable
22:25they are.
22:26One needs
22:26verification,
22:27which I think
22:28the casualties
22:29have been heavy.
22:30Secondly,
22:30there are also
22:31unconfirmed
22:32reports.
22:33I use the
22:33word unconfirmed
22:34reports about
22:35some bombing
22:36at Kandahar
22:36airfield.
22:37Now,
22:37nevertheless,
22:38I think what
22:39is going to
22:40happen now
22:40in Afghanistan
22:41is the
22:42people of
22:43Afghanistan
22:43definitely now
22:45will not
22:45leave Pakistan.
22:46I have no
22:47doubts on that
22:48because the
22:49way Afghans
22:50are,
22:51they are a
22:51very self-respecting
22:53people and
22:54all the tribes
22:55now,
22:56whether even
22:56if it's the
22:57Tajiks or
22:58the Uzbeks or
22:59Hazaras.
23:00And I've
23:00seen this
23:01one trailer
23:01in 2013
23:02which I
23:03mentioned to
23:03you the
23:04other day
23:04in the
23:05incident,
23:06in Ghoshta
23:06incident,
23:07which was in
23:07Nangarhar
23:08province,
23:09the entire
23:09Afghans had
23:11united.
23:12Now,
23:12since the
23:13casualties have
23:14taken place,
23:15I think the
23:15unified Afghans
23:16will now do
23:18something which
23:19Pakistan will
23:20not realize.
23:21They will
23:21definitely launch
23:22a jihad against
23:23the Pakistani
23:24army.
23:24and I think
23:25what the
23:26assessment is
23:27that firstly,
23:28yes,
23:29Pakistan has
23:29a definite
23:30advantage on
23:31air,
23:32oblique
23:32missile assets
23:34and they have
23:35been using it
23:35over a period
23:36of time,
23:37whether it was
23:37in Khyber,
23:38Paktoonwag,
23:39whether it was
23:39in North,
23:40South,
23:40Waziristan,
23:41all along the
23:42both sides of the
23:43Duran line,
23:44they have been
23:44using this at
23:46their discretion.
23:47No holds,
23:48no barred.
23:48Now,
23:49the advantage
23:50which the
23:50Afghans have,
23:51they have been
23:52fighting for
23:52over five decades
23:53now.
23:54This is the
23:54kind of experience
23:55they have.
23:56They have
23:56dislodged the
23:57Russians who
23:57were there for
23:58almost a decade.
23:59No,
23:59the bigger
24:00advantage vis-à-vis
24:00Pakistan is
24:02Sushant Sareen,
24:03they have stayed
24:04in Pakistan all
24:05through the US
24:06being in Afghanistan.
24:08So,
24:08they know the
24:08lay of the land,
24:09they know where
24:10ISI assets are,
24:11they know where
24:12ISI safe houses
24:14are and they will
24:15be able to hit
24:16them at home
24:17harder,
24:17firmer with
24:19a bigger response
24:20and will they
24:20remain restricted
24:21to Khyber Paktoon
24:22Hwa or could
24:23this fire spread
24:24to Pakistan's
24:25Punjab,
24:25Sushant Sareen?
24:27No,
24:27look,
24:28I think it's
24:28too early to
24:29speculate where
24:30all the fire
24:30will spread.
24:31But supposing
24:32it catches fire
24:33in KP,
24:34then of course,
24:35it will naturally
24:35spread to the
24:37areas across
24:39the Indus River.
24:39But Gaurav,
24:40you have to
24:40understand a
24:41couple of things.
24:42There will be
24:43a lot of tall
24:44talk from the
24:45Afghan side,
24:46from the
24:46Pakistani side.
24:47But militarily,
24:49the dice is
24:50loaded against
24:51Afghanistan,
24:52at least insofar
24:53as conventional
24:53warfare is
24:54concerned.
24:55So if the
24:55Afghans are
24:56going to try
24:56and fight
24:57the Pakistanis
24:58in the
24:58conventional
24:59domain,
25:00it will be
25:00a turkey
25:01shoot,
25:02largely.
25:03Maybe in
25:04some skirmishes
25:04they will get
25:05the better
25:05of the
25:06Pakistanis.
25:07But if this
25:08is going to
25:08be a guerrilla
25:09fight,
25:09which means
25:10that the
25:10Afghans have
25:11to fight
25:11the Pakistanis
25:12on their
25:12own pitch,
25:13not on the
25:14Pakistani
25:14pitch.
25:14The second
25:15and equally
25:16important thing
25:16is that
25:17the Pakistani
25:18will the war
25:20be fought
25:21inside Afghanistan
25:21or will it
25:22be fought
25:22inside Pakistan?
25:24The Pakistanis
25:25warned that
25:25this war
25:26should be
25:26fought inside
25:27Afghanistan
25:28without Pakistan
25:29going inside
25:30Afghanistan,
25:31which means
25:31primarily by air.
25:32the Taliban
25:34would want
25:36to take
25:36the war
25:37inside Afghanistan
25:38and it will
25:39be a ground
25:40kind of an
25:40offensive,
25:42albeit of a
25:42subconventional
25:43or an
25:45unconventional
25:46type,
25:47which means
25:48that they
25:48will bring
25:49into play
25:50the legions
25:51of suicide
25:53bombers that
25:53they have
25:54trained,
25:55the kind
25:56of light
25:57artillery,
25:58sorry,
25:58light infantry
25:59which they
25:59have,
26:00which is
26:00how we
26:02were operating
26:03even in the
26:04past,
26:05IEDs and
26:05other kind
26:06of stuff
26:06and literally
26:08bleed the
26:09Pakistanis
26:10by a thousand
26:10cuts.
26:11So this is
26:12not going to
26:12be a four
26:14day, five
26:15day, ten
26:15day affair.
26:16This will be
26:17a long
26:17drawn out
26:18war of
26:18attrition
26:19and do the
26:20Pakistanis have
26:21the staying
26:21power?
26:22Right now,
26:23they haven't
26:23lost enough
26:24people.
26:24But once
26:25they start
26:26losing people,
26:27that is when
26:27they will
26:28realize.
26:28One last
26:29thing,
26:30Gaurav,
26:30you know,
26:30the Pakistanis
26:31Ambassador
26:32Sajjanar was
26:32mentioning,
26:33the Pakistanis
26:33keep parroting,
26:34I am sick
26:35of hearing
26:35them.
26:36We are a
26:36nuclear power,
26:37we are a
26:37nuclear power.
26:38What they
26:39don't understand
26:39is that they
26:40are so hollow
26:41from within
26:42that it
26:43doesn't take
26:43much to
26:44attack this
26:45nuclear power
26:45by a
26:46determined,
26:47committed and
26:48ideologically
26:48driven force
26:49like the
26:50Taliban.
26:51So frankly,
26:52the Pakistanis
26:53will show a
26:54lot of
26:54bravado,
26:54typical
26:55Punjabi
26:55bluster and
26:57say that
26:57we are going
26:57to go and
26:58kick,
26:59you know,
26:59the backsides
27:00of the
27:00Afghans.
27:01But when
27:02the reverse
27:03kick comes,
27:04I'm not sure
27:05that they'll
27:05be able to
27:06handle it.
27:07Okay.
27:07Professor
27:07Sharma,
27:08you've studied
27:09Afghanistan and
27:11the Afghan
27:11mindset very
27:12closely.
27:13In your
27:14view,
27:14if we were
27:15to talk
27:15about
27:15Pashtuns
27:16on either
27:16side of
27:17the Durand
27:17line,
27:18is this
27:19likely to
27:19reignite that
27:20fire for
27:21a greater
27:21Pashtunistan
27:22and would
27:23that be
27:23Pakistan's
27:24worst nightmare
27:25coming true
27:26because
27:27anywhere
27:27Afghanistan
27:28does not
27:28believe in
27:29the Durand
27:29line?
27:31Well,
27:32if you look
27:32at the last
27:33four and a
27:34half years
27:34since the
27:34Taliban have
27:35been in
27:36power,
27:37they've been
27:37far more
27:37critical of
27:38Pakistan and
27:39their attempts
27:39to fence the
27:40entirety of
27:41the Durand
27:41line than
27:42the governments
27:44of the
27:44republic.
27:45And that
27:45is because
27:46that is
27:47part of
27:48the core
27:48ideological
27:49agenda of
27:49the Taliban,
27:50which is an
27:50ideological
27:51movement at
27:52the end of
27:52the day.
27:53There is a
27:54certain core
27:54constituency that
27:56they cater to
27:56and the
27:57whole idea of
27:58Pashtunistan
27:58panders very
27:59well to that
28:00constituency.
28:02And Pakistan
28:03in this round
28:03by targeting
28:04civilians,
28:05apparently there
28:05were reports
28:06that about 80
28:07civilians have
28:07ended up in
28:08the hospital
28:10in Kandahar
28:10alone.
28:11They widened
28:12the ambit of
28:13conflict.
28:13They have
28:14reinforced
28:14Pakistan's
28:15already unpopular
28:17standing within
28:18Afghan civilians
28:19and this is
28:20going to mount
28:20pressure on the
28:21Taliban to
28:21retaliate and
28:22retaliate decisively.
28:26And, you
28:27know, as
28:28Sushant pointed
28:28out, you
28:29know, if
28:29essentially the
28:32conflict widens,
28:33the ambit of
28:33conflict widens
28:34and goes into
28:35Pakistan, they
28:36are certainly
28:37going to have
28:38it tough in
28:38places like
28:39KPK where
28:40the Pak
28:40Army already
28:41has a crisis
28:42of legitimacy.
28:43And that
28:44crisis of
28:44legitimacy.
28:45Do you see
28:45Ambassador
28:45Sajjan Haar
28:46and I'll take
28:46that to
28:47General
28:47Meston in
28:47just a moment.
28:48Do you see
28:49Tehrik-e-Taliban
28:50Afghanistan,
28:51Tehrik-e-Taliban
28:52Pakistan,
28:53Baluch
28:54Liberation Army
28:55and other
28:56groups uniting
28:57because Pakistan's
28:58attempt has
28:59been to unite
29:00Islamic State
29:01ISKP and
29:03bring in
29:03Lashkar-e-Taiba
29:04to target
29:05Tehrik-e-Taliban
29:07Afghanistan.
29:08So there is
29:08some kind of
29:09civil war that
29:10Pakistan wants
29:11inside Afghanistan
29:12but that's a
29:13game the two
29:14can play, sir.
29:16No, absolutely
29:17you're very
29:17right.
29:18Yeah, you know
29:18that was exactly
29:19the point that I
29:20wanted to come to
29:21that basically,
29:22you know, when
29:22the Taliban,
29:25Afghan Taliban
29:25comes within
29:26Pakistan and is
29:27fighting a war
29:28there, it is
29:29not alone.
29:30It is also, you
29:31know, fighting
29:31along with, there
29:32are other comrades
29:33in arms with it.
29:34There is, of
29:35course, the
29:35TTP, Tehrik-e-Taliban
29:36Pakistan and, you
29:38know, all the
29:38others who have
29:39been fighting
29:40against the
29:41Pakistani
29:41establishment,
29:42against the
29:43Pakistan Army,
29:44against the
29:45Pakistan ISI,
29:46whether it is
29:47the BLA,
29:48whether it is
29:48in KPK,
29:49whether it is
29:50Tehrik-e-Labak,
29:51whether it is
29:52in POK,
29:53all of them
29:54are going to,
29:55you know, find
29:56common cause
29:57and, you know,
29:58get strength
29:59from each other
30:00and fight against
30:01the Pakistan Army.
30:02So I think
30:03Pakistan is going
30:04to have a very
30:05difficult, you
30:06know, customer
30:07on its hands
30:08if it tries to
30:09do this.
30:10And I don't
30:11think it will
30:11be really,
30:12meaning I take
30:13Sushant's point
30:14that if they,
30:14you know, want
30:15to have a
30:16contactless sort
30:17of a thing
30:17from the air
30:18fighting, you
30:19know, sending
30:20aircrafts and
30:21missiles, etc.
30:22But, you know,
30:23that it will not
30:24be able to
30:24sustain for any
30:26length of time
30:26because, you
30:28know, Taliban
30:29also, you
30:29know, I am,
30:30Gaurav, if you
30:31permit, I'll
30:31just say one
30:32sentence.
30:33I'm currently
30:34speaking with
30:35you from
30:35Astana in
30:36Kazakhstan and
30:37there is a
30:38meeting of all
30:39Central Asian
30:39countries and
30:40today we've
30:40had discussions
30:41on Afghanistan
30:42and I can
30:43tell you that
30:44all of Central
30:45Asia is very
30:47keen to engage
30:48with Afghanistan
30:49and willing to
30:51work together.
30:52They have been
30:53doing that for
30:53the last four,
30:54five years and
30:54particularly today
30:55they are very
30:56keen to do
30:57that and they
30:58look upon this
30:59conflict with
31:00Pakistan with
31:01considerable, you
31:03know, sense of
31:04distaste but their
31:05support for
31:06Afghanistan continues
31:08to be as strong
31:09and as robust
31:11that I have seen
31:13today.
31:14So, in your
31:15view, is Pakistan
31:16doing this to
31:17help America get
31:20the Bagram air
31:21base and, you
31:22know, by weakening
31:23the Taliban, by
31:24trying to engineer
31:24some kind of a
31:25civil war within
31:26Afghanistan between
31:27ISKP, Lashkar-e-Taiba
31:30and Tehrik-e-Taliban
31:31Afghanistan and can
31:32Afghanistan pay back
31:34in the same coin
31:34with all these
31:36assorted groups,
31:37TTP, BLA, you
31:41know, now Tehrik-e-Labbaek,
31:42perhaps all of them
31:43joining hands to take
31:44on the Pakistani
31:45establishment?
31:45Gaurav, Pakistan's
31:49strategy is very
31:49clear.
31:50One, they
31:51definitely want to
31:52please President
31:52Trump that, you
31:54know, they will
31:54assist and bring
31:56pressure on Afghan
31:57Taliban to give the
31:58Bagram air feed,
31:59which will never
32:01happen.
32:01That is one.
32:02Second, their
32:02strategy is to use
32:04air power and, of
32:06course, missiles,
32:06etc. to target the
32:07Afghan civilians.
32:09But Pakistan does not
32:11realize that the
32:12Afghans, the kind of
32:13experience they have
32:14when, you know, the
32:15International Security
32:16Assistance Force was
32:17there, in entire
32:18Afghanistan and
32:19including in the
32:20border area, the
32:21U.S. Army were
32:24launching heavy
32:25missile and air
32:27force attacks.
32:28They were using it
32:28as discretion.
32:30So what I'm trying
32:30to say is the kind
32:31of experience now
32:32Afghans have, what
32:34they will not do.
32:35Firstly, all these
32:36other groups, whether
32:37it is BLA, TTP and
32:38everyone, they will
32:40get highly important.
32:41Pakistan Army now
32:42will be committed
32:43very badly all
32:44along.
32:45Now, what was the
32:46strategy of the
32:46Afghans?
32:47Afghans, they will
32:48flitter away into
32:49small, small groups.
32:50Now, since we were
32:51talking about, you
32:52know, the conventional
32:52war, the Russian
32:54tanks, the way they
32:54were hit, the entire
32:57invasion coming
32:58through the Panjshir
32:59Valley, I have seen
33:00and gone in those
33:01areas where so many
33:03tanks were destroyed.
33:04How?
33:05Yes.
33:05The network of
33:06intelligence was very
33:07good.
33:08They had very, very
33:08small groups who
33:10were very well armed
33:11with rocket launchers
33:12and they destroyed
33:13tanks.
33:14Next, what the
33:15Afghans will do,
33:16they will raid
33:16Afghanistan isolated
33:19small, small
33:19posts.
33:20This will demoralize
33:21them and this will
33:22definitely give an
33:23impetus to
33:23deal it.
33:24So, what are
33:25all my suspicions?
33:26Sir, girla
33:26warfare, perhaps
33:27that happens.
33:28The last 30 seconds
33:29I have on this
33:29part of the show.
33:30Sushant Sarin,
33:31Pakistan's lit so
33:33many fires on so
33:34many fronts and
33:35specially the one
33:36with Tehrik-e-Labbayk
33:37in Pakistan's Punjab
33:39province, in
33:40Mureed-ke, in
33:41Lahore.
33:42Will Pakistan be
33:43able to handle
33:43that given that
33:45most of the
33:46Tehrik-e-Labbayk
33:46leadership has
33:47either been
33:48neutralized or
33:48missing?
33:50Yeah, I think
33:51Tehrik-e-Labbayk
33:52is a very
33:53different nature
33:54of conflict that
33:55Pakistan faces.
33:56It's more of an
33:57internal, you
33:58know, it has an
33:59economic dimension.
34:01It has partly a
34:02religious dimension
34:02and you have to
34:04remember who are
34:05these people.
34:05These are basically
34:06the underclass,
34:07the carpenters,
34:09the plumbers,
34:10you know, basically
34:11the lower middle
34:12class lot, which
34:14is part of the
34:15Tehrik-e-Labbayk.
34:16You hardly see
34:16anybody from the
34:18Punjabi elite
34:19being part of
34:20the Tehrik-e-Labbayk.
34:21So, it's easier
34:22to crack them.
34:23But the
34:24Tehrik-e-Labbayk
34:25will also, it's
34:26unlikely to join
34:27hands with somebody
34:28like the Taliban
34:28because doctrinally
34:31they come from
34:31completely different
34:32schools.
34:33I don't think that
34:34is going to be
34:34possible.
34:35But what is
34:36important, Gaurav,
34:37is the sheer
34:38reach that has
34:40already been
34:40established by the
34:41Taliban groups.
34:42Somebody earlier
34:43spoke about the
34:44KP province and
34:45how they can light
34:46fires in KP.
34:47you are forgetting
34:48Balochistan.
34:49Half of Balochistan
34:50is Baloch populated
34:51and burning.
34:52The other half
34:53is Pashtun
34:54dominated.
34:55And that's also
34:56going to get
34:57affected.
34:57And then you
34:58have their
34:59presence already
34:59established in
35:00places like
35:01POGB and POJK.
35:03So, if you
35:04look at the
35:05kind of footprint
35:07they have now
35:08started establishing
35:09inside Pakistan,
35:11you have a real
35:12problem on your
35:13hands if you're a
35:14Pakistani general,
35:15especially if you
35:17are running a
35:18country on the
35:19basis of a
35:20deeply unpopular
35:21regime which has
35:22not been elected,
35:23which is not
35:24popular, which has
35:25been implanted
35:26upon the people
35:27of Pakistan
35:28to a rigged
35:29election.
35:30You have an
35:31army which is
35:32extremely unpopular.
35:34Maybe some
35:34sections of Punjab
35:35continue to support
35:36it.
35:37But by and large
35:37it's extremely
35:38unpopular in rest
35:39of the country.
35:40So, you once
35:42again that
35:43perfect storm
35:44which is
35:44building up
35:45provided this
35:47the trajectory
35:48of events which
35:49they are
35:49continuing,
35:50continue like
35:51this.
35:51But I don't
35:51see this even
35:52there might be
35:54a temporary
35:54pause but
35:55eventually it's
35:56going to keep
35:57erupting every
35:58now and then.
35:59The build up to
36:00that perfect storm
36:01and we'll be
36:01tracking that story
36:02very closely.
36:03I want to thank
36:03all my guests for
36:04joining me here on
36:05this part of
36:06India First.
36:10111 Naxals
36:15have given up
36:15arms just today.
36:1661 in Ghar Chiroli
36:17in Maharashtra
36:18including a top
36:19Naxal commander
36:20M. Venugopal Rao
36:22alias Bhupati.
36:24So Bhupati and
36:2460 armed Naxal
36:26carder they gave
36:27up their weapons.
36:28Another 50 Naxals
36:29gave up their arms
36:30and surrendered
36:30in Chhattisgarh.
36:32This is a major
36:33boost to Prime
36:34Minister Narendra
36:34Modi's government's
36:36mission for a
36:36Naxal Mukht Bharat
36:38or a Red Terror
36:39Free India.
36:40The number of
36:40most affected
36:41districts has now
36:42dropped to just
36:433.
36:44Total left-wing
36:45extremism affected
36:46districts are now
36:47down to from
36:4818 to 11.
36:50This year alone
36:51312 Naxal
36:53carder were
36:53neutralised.
36:54Over 800
36:55arrested and
36:57more than
36:571600 surrendered
36:59to join the
37:00mainstream apart
37:01from 111
37:02today.
37:03So there have
37:04been a record
37:04number of
37:05operational successes
37:07that have been
37:07reported because of
37:09a sustained policy
37:10of establishing
37:12COBs or company
37:13operating bases
37:14in the worst
37:15Red Terror
37:16impacted areas.
37:18Connectivity,
37:19infrastructure
37:20development,
37:21roads,
37:22schools,
37:23hospitals coming
37:24up in that area
37:26and of course
37:26jobs,
37:28employment,
37:28all part of a
37:29national action
37:30plan showing
37:31unprecedented results
37:32according to
37:33government sources.
37:33so the government
37:34is targeting
37:35complete eradication
37:37of Red Terror
37:37by the 31st of
37:39March 2026.
37:40We have
37:43our
37:43all
37:43officials
37:44have
37:45said
37:45that they
37:47want to
37:47come to
37:48come to
37:49the
37:49front of
37:50you.
37:51So I
37:53I said to them, if I am ready to go to the jungle, because if I am ready to go to the jungle,
38:01this is a big deal.
38:03But our police have taken care of them here.
38:10Look, we are all one against the war.
38:14Whether they are 36, whether they are Maharashtra, whether they are Telangada.
38:18We work together in coordination.
38:22Because many days, our police have made a conversation with Bhupati.
38:31They will all be fired from their soul.
38:37I want to bring in my colleague Shivani Sharma, who has been tracking developments on the story very closely.
38:42Shivani, I remember it was 2008, when then Prime Minister, late Dr. Manmohan Singh,
38:48had called left-wing extremism the biggest threat to India's national security.
38:54And that was a time when almost one-third of our country was impacted by left-wing extremism.
39:01In fact, there was an entire Naxal corridor that we were reporting.
39:05Now, most Naxal-infected districts reduced to just three.
39:10Will this aim of Naxal Mukh Bharat be achieved by the 31st of March, 2026?
39:16What's the roadmap?
39:18See, Gaurav, this is unprecedented success in the operations against Naxalism.
39:23And now, as you are also mentioning the figures, the achievement seems to be quite real.
39:29Because, you know, we are witnessing the surrenders taking place almost every week.
39:33Today, also 111 cadres have surrendered.
39:37And this is happening because of an action plan in place.
39:40There's much integrated coordination between the state police and the CAPFs in these Naxal-affected areas.
39:48Now, they have significantly reduced to three.
39:51And LWE-affected districts have also reduced to 11.
39:55So, there is a rehabilitation and a surrender plan in place.
39:58There is better intelligence sharing.
40:00And the whole action plan is working in coordination in these areas.
40:05So, it seems that the target which have been put by the Home Ministry and by the government
40:10of achieving completely Naxal-free India by 31st March, 2026 is quite achievable
40:17as we see the success of these operations in recent months.
40:21Shivani, keep tracking that story.
40:23I will come back to you for more.
40:25It's a very major step, especially when Naxal surrender with weapons, join mainstream
40:32and then many are a part of that effort to bring out others and help them join the mainstream.
40:39Those who don't, then stand the threat of being neutralized.
40:43We will be tracking that story very closely.
40:51Big story coming in.
40:54A renowned Indian origin foreign policy scholar and strategist, Ashley J. Tellis has been arrested
41:02in the United States of America.
41:04Ashley Tellis has been charged with unlawfully retaining classified national security
41:11and national defense information in the United States of America.
41:14The Federal Bureau of Investigation that arrested Tellis followed months of investigation.
41:21There's possible removal of restricted and classified documents from the U.S. State Department
41:27and the U.S. Department of Defense.
41:30Reports say the 64-year-old was also in touch with Chinese government officials,
41:35a claim that's now under investigation.
41:38Now, if convicted, Ashley Tellis could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
41:46And of course, he would have to forfeit all the classified material in his possession.
41:50So over a thousand pages of top secret and secret documents classified as such
41:55were reportedly recovered from his home in Virginia and several rooms and his computer.
42:00Tellis was born and educated in Mumbai, well known in India's diplomatic and academic circles
42:05for his role in the very crucial India-U.S. civil nuclear deal during the George Bush era.
42:12He's worked both with Republicans and with Democrat administrations.
42:16His arrest has actually triggered a political storm even in India.
42:19The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that Ashley Tellis was part of an anti-India lobby
42:24and a certain section of leaders in India used to amplify whatever he said to bring a bad name to India.
42:31Opposition voices including like Priyanka Chaturvedi have dismissed Ashley Tellis as a sellout to the highest bidder.
42:38But let me now get you details of the investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
42:43And these are details that the FBI has put pen to paper to reveal that the agency was tracking his movement for at least months if not years.
42:51It referred to his meeting with Chinese government officials.
42:55The affidavit outlines a pattern of unauthorized access, printing and removal of classified documents from the State Department and from Department of Defense facilities during a specific period.
43:07That's the 12th of September and the 25th of September, 2025.
43:12So Ashley Tellis was under video surveillance during this period.
43:16And these videos have captured him leaving buildings with briefcases or bags or envelopes believed to contain this classified material.
43:24There were specific information and incidents that have also been mentioned.
43:29For example, on the 12th of September, 2025, Ashley Tellis accessed and printed classified documents related to the US defense planning of certain military aircraft capabilities.
43:42Then again on the 25th of September, 2025, and it's classified as evening activity.
43:47At approximately 19 minutes past eight o'clock, Ashley Tellis opened a 1,288 page PDF file titled References to Adversary Fighter Aircraft.
44:00And 2024 marked secret foreign representation, indicating foreign government information releasable to specific allies, no foreign nationals, no Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act protection.
44:13So the document featured the Department of Air Force seal and a detailed US Air Force.
44:19It had details of their tactics, of their techniques and procedures.
44:22He apparently renamed it on his computer as Econ Reform, printed pages from page number 943 to page number 959.
44:31And then went on to delete the file at 8.51 p.m. according to the FBI affidavit.
44:38The same day at 8.52 p.m., he printed all 40 pages of Air Force weapons school documents on aircraft, military aircraft capabilities.
44:47Then at 8.53 p.m., he printed another 40 pages from the same source on military aircraft.
44:54These actions, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, involve printing on government computers or requesting a colleague to do so with topics focused on very sensitive US military assets, posing grave risk to US national security.
45:09I want to quickly cut across to India Today's foreign affairs editor, Geeta Mohan, who joins us with the latest on the story.
45:16Geeta, these charges are extremely serious and based on surveillance and recovery of classified documents.
45:22This would indicate serious trouble for Ashley. Tell us.
45:26Well, not just serious. It's scathing, Gaurav.
45:29The fact that they have him on video surveillance, taking out printing documents from his office when he was there as part of State Department, including the Department, then Department of Defense.
45:44Now, if like you rightly pointed out, should he be held guilty?
45:48He is going to be in for a very, very long time.
45:51We've all known Ashley Tell us, interacted with him, known him as a scholar, a critique in the recent years of India and India's policy, so to say.
46:03But to know now that he was withholding information documents, classified documents in his home after, like we were having a conversation just a while ago, after NSA Bolton was also raided and there were documents that were found there.
46:19Yes.
46:20To have all these documents in his house running thousands of pages is certainly a very, very serious offence, one, in itself.
46:29Secondly, to have video surveillance in which we are looking at videotapes of him having meetings with Chinese officials.
46:36Another very, very serious offence, not because they met, but because there was the file that he carried and the gift that was exchanged.
46:48Now, that is going to be another very scathing evidence against Ashley.
46:52So, Ashley certainly at this point in time looks like he's in a lot of trouble.
46:57And the political war within our country, Geeta, that's also very interesting.
47:02You know, some of his write-ups have been seen to be hostile to the Narendra Modi government.
47:06And would it add up, Geeta, given the FBI investigations, talking about his meeting with Chinese officials,
47:12it would also be very interesting who were the officials or who were the political leaders he was interacting with in India?
47:19Well, absolutely. Who he was meeting, what were the meetings all about.
47:24See, he met a lot of people even in the dispensation because he was close to the dispensation as well.
47:30Becoming a critique or having and starting to criticize India does not mean that his meetings over here would not have people from all walks or all areas of the aisle, so to say, both sides of the aisle, so to say, Gaurav.
47:46That certainly would happen. But in the recent past, he was critical.
47:51Over here, the focus for United States of America will be more to do with what he was sharing in terms of information,
47:57because look at the details you've put out in terms of information with the Chinese that could undermine and compromise American security.
48:05Now, that is certainly going to be what is going to be the focus of the charge sheet, which it certainly looks like having seen what they are putting out there.
48:14And should he be held guilty, it is going to be a lot of trouble.
48:18So all that, I'm sorry to say, but if at all he's earned, all that he's earned is going to go into a lot of lawyers fees in the coming months.
48:28You know, I'm going through those charge sheets and there's lots more that's coming up in the days and weeks ahead.
48:33And Geeta Mohan and I will get you more on this story. Geeta, for the moment, many thanks for joining me.
48:37Images from Gaza that are horrifying the world even today, armed Hamas terrorists, rounding up fellow Palestinians and then killing them in cold blood.
48:52Not once, not twice, not one and not two, but multiple rounds of Gazans being lined up and shot dead.
49:01Some of these images are so horrifying, we can't even show them to you.
49:04Reports say in the past 48 hours, at least 60 people have been killed on the suspicion of being spies for Israel by Hamas.
49:13As these images show you, Hamas is clearly one, not giving up arms, two, not giving up control on power.
49:22So what does this mean for the ceasefire that's in place?
49:25I spoke to Israel's ambassador to India, Reuven Azhar, on whether that ceasefire is holding.
49:30Will Hamas give up arms and what's the road ahead?
49:33For peace in the region, we get you some excerpts.
49:43Have all the bodies been returned?
49:46Has Hamas kept their side of the promise?
49:48Has Israel kept their side of the promise, returning all the prisoners, apparently including some accused of terrorism?
49:55Unfortunately, Gaurav, Hamas is not implementing the agreement.
50:01They were supposed to give us back all the living hostages and all the deceased, all the murdered hostages.
50:07Within 72 hours they didn't do that.
50:09They gave us only four deceased, another four hopefully today, but they haven't met the terms of the agreement.
50:19Look, this is a great opportunity for everybody.
50:22Israel has embraced the plan, the 20 point plan of President Trump.
50:27The world has embraced it.
50:29Hamas has agreed to it.
50:31It means that there is a path for peace, Gaurav.
50:34But in order for that path to be implemented, the sites have to keep to the path.
50:41They have to commit to implement.
50:44This is the great danger.
50:47We need international pressure put on Hamas so they implement the plan that the world and the sites have adopted.
50:54So has Hamas agreed to disarm and how will Israel ensure that Hamas does not remain in power in Gaza?
51:02Or is that not a condition for Israel anymore?
51:05Of course it's a condition.
51:06It's part of the 20 point plan.
51:08Hamas has agreed to one thing in Sharma Shek.
51:11But now some leaders are distancing themselves from that.
51:16They are killing their own people.
51:18They are saying that they are going to stay in power.
51:20So if we do not pressure them, this opportunity can be lost.
51:27We have to be very adamant, very focused on implementing the plan.
51:33So what role can countries like India play in one, ensuring peace remains in that area,
51:40to rebuilding Gaza and, you know, the cooperation with Israel continues or intensifies?
51:47Well, first of all, nobody is going to reconstruct Gaza if Hamas stays in power.
51:51That's very clear.
51:52But if the plan gets implemented, there's going to be hope and opportunity for everybody, for us, the Palestinians.
51:59And India is playing an increasing role in our region because India is a world power, is the fastest growing economy in the world.
52:06India has a lot of states in our region when it comes to workforce, when it comes to logistics, when it comes to trade, when it comes to building infrastructure.
52:14Only, you know, two, three weeks ago, we had here our finance minister that signed with India a bilateral investment treaty.
52:22We invited Indian companies to participate in tenders, infrastructure tenders in Israel that are going to be published in the next 10 years.
52:31We are talking about $200 billion.
52:33And this is besides what opportunities we are going to have in Gaza and other places in the region.
52:39So opportunity is there.
52:41I'm sure that India can play a great role because it has a lot to offer.
52:46When it comes to manpower in Israel, what kind of manpower is Israel looking at in terms of skilled workers, semi-skilled workers?
52:56What kind of role are you looking at?
52:58And is India, you know, making inroads in that direction?
53:03What are your expectations of India?
53:05What we have seen in the last year, Gaurav, is that from the classical jobs that Indians were having, that were mainly in healthcare and unskilled,
53:16we are moving to the skilled labor and to the high skilled labor.
53:20We have recruited very high skilled labor in the construction sector from India, about 20,000, in addition to the 20,000 we had before.
53:31And this will only grow because the economy in Israel that has been growing throughout the war will grow even faster.
53:40You know, our economy is doing very well.
53:42And there is going to be a lot of demand for manpower.
53:45So I'm sure this trend will continue.
53:48I now want to shift focus a little and talk about defense cooperation between India and Israel, which was always very strong.
53:55Post-Operation Sindhur, is it becoming stronger and how?
54:00Gaurav, we are going from strength to strength.
54:03Because as this cooperation succeeds, it also expands.
54:09We gain more achievements.
54:11We gain more trust.
54:12And that means that we have to develop the mechanisms that will allow us to go faster, deeper and to a much sophisticated level.
54:24We already produce together different kinds of defense systems, including drones.
54:29And we want to be able to be in a situation that we can produce much more, that we can rely on each other for solutions that we can develop solutions together.
54:39And this is being discussed between bureaucrats in the defense establishment.
54:44And hopefully we are going to hear news about that soon.
54:48So I believe both India and Israel are working together.
54:52And tell us how in being able to trust each other more in terms of intelligence, operations, weapons, and joint manufacture of those weapons and systems in India, including on air defense.
55:05And there's some kind of a framework you're working on.
55:08What can you tell us about that, sir?
55:09Well, I cannot elaborate at this point.
55:11We are very seriously engaging because we have a lot of things that we need from each other.
55:17And I'm sure that people are going to do a good job because we have a common interest.
55:25So India and Israel, the friendship continues to grow from strength to strength and not just restricted to defense or intelligence sharing, but agriculture, new technology and so much, so much more.
55:38We'll be tracking that story very closely.
55:39But that is all I have for you on this India First special broadcast.
55:42Many thanks for watching.
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