- 3 months ago
The big talking point of this episode of News Today is Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would halt Russian oil imports, a statement the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied.
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00:00Good evening. Hello and welcome. You're with the news today. This is your prime time destination news, newsmakers, talking points. You may have just listened to that big interview with Amit Shah in Aajtak's Bihar Panchayat. Bihar's politics is boiling, but there's plenty else that's happening across the country today. In a moment, I'll bring you all the headline stories that are taking place today.
00:26But first, let me turn to what is our top story of the day.
00:32The headlines at this hour.
00:35India rejects Donald Trump's claim. Ministry of External Affairs claims there was no conversation held between Trump and the Prime Minister on Wednesday.
00:46The US President claimed that Modi assured him India will stop buying Russian oil.
00:52With less than 24 hours to go for the Phase 1 nomination deadline, the seat-sharing deadlock continues within the Mahagadbandan.
01:04Sources say Rahul Gandhi and Malik Arjun Karge dial Lalu Prasad now to resolve issues in the opposition ranks.
01:11The NDA goes a step ahead, declares candidates on all seats.
01:15All 16 Gujarat ministers resigned from their post.
01:22New Gujarat cabinet to take oath tomorrow in Gandhinagar.
01:25Home Minister Shah, BJP President to attend the oath ceremony.
01:33Kapil Sharma's Cafe in Canada targeted for a third time.
01:37Shots fired again outside Caps Cafe in Saray.
01:41Lawrence Vishnoyi Gang takes responsibility.
01:43Over 170 Naksal surrendered in Chhattisgarh's North Vastar.
01:51Around 258 Maoists have surrendered in two days.
01:55Home Minister Amit Shah reiterates vow to make India Naksal free by March 31st, 2026.
02:01Infosys founders, the Moortis, refused to participate in Karnataka's caste survey.
02:11Rajasawa MP Sudha Moorti reportedly says they don't belong from backward class and survey holds no relevance in their case.
02:19Ruckus in Tamil Nadu assembly over alleged kidney racket.
02:27AIDMK claims agents luring poor workers into selling their kidneys for money.
02:38AI-171 pilot Samarwal's father moved to the Supreme Court seeking a court monitored probe into the June 12th crash.
02:45Lee also requests that the probe carried out so far, including a preliminary report of the air safety board be treated as closed.
02:56Israel threatens to resume Gaza fighting as Hamas struggles to recover hostage remains.
03:01This comes hours after Trump's signal that Israel could re-enter Gaza if Hamas doesn't uphold the ceasefire terms.
03:15But our top story tonight is coming once again in what is becoming now almost a daily ritual.
03:26Donald Trump is once again shooting his mouth off and thereby stirring a controversy
03:32and catching Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his crosshairs.
03:36Donald Trump claims that the Prime Minister spoke to him and assured him that India would cease to buy Russian oil.
03:46A ticklish issue which has been at the heart of the stalled India-US trade negotiations.
03:52The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly denied that any such conversation took place
03:57or that India had given any such commitment.
04:00What does this now mean?
04:03Is India now going to abandon its oil policy towards Russia because it needs a trade deal with the US?
04:10What really is in the national interest?
04:13A trade deal with the US or an oil import policy with Russia?
04:18We'll have guests on that big story in a moment.
04:21But first, take a look at this report.
04:23Donald Trump, India and tall claims.
04:31A drama that just won't cease.
04:37After all his cringe-inducing antiques at Sharm al-Sheikh,
04:41the US president is back to making eyes roll with his love-hate relationship with the Indian state.
04:47India, however, has flatly rejected his claim.
05:14The MEA has clarified that for India, its consumers and their interests are of utmost priority.
05:23Over the years, India has diversified its energy sources to ensure steady supply and affordable prices,
05:30irrespective of Washington's wishes.
05:32And it has no intention of going back on its policy.
05:36On the question of whether there was a conversation or a telephone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump,
05:44I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders.
05:50At the same time, Russian envoy Denis Alipov has reaffirmed the India-Russia strategic partnership,
05:57adding that Russia remains the most cost-effective energy source, supplying one-third of India's oil imports.
06:03Indian government is, as I said, is acting, having in mind the interests, national interests of this country in the first place.
06:19And our cooperation in energy is very much in tune for those interests.
06:25Interestingly, while making tall claims about India's oil purchases, Trump did not hold back on compliments either.
06:34First, hailing Prime Minister Modi as one of India's longest-serving leaders.
06:38I've watched India for years. It's an incredible country.
06:43And every single year, you'd have a new leader.
06:46I mean, some would be in there for a few months.
06:47And this was year after year after year.
06:50And my friend has been there now for a long time.
06:53Then, even claiming that Prime Minister Modi loved him.
06:57You're great. He's a great man, you know.
07:00Modi is a great man.
07:02That he loves Trump.
07:04Now, I don't know if the word love, I don't want you to take that any different.
07:08I don't want to destroy his political career, okay?
07:11But the reception back home hasn't been so complimentary for Prime Minister Modi,
07:16with Rahul Gandhi's Congress renewing its claim of Prime Minister Modi surrendering to Trump's arm-twisting.
07:22So, in this ongoing saga of politics and praise,
07:41India remains unmoved, pragmatic, and firmly focused on its own energy interests.
07:46While the world debates, who loves whom more?
07:50Bureau Report, India Today.
07:54Okay, let's then try and dive into exactly how this Russian oil deal has become such a ticklish issue.
08:05India's imports of oil from Russia.
08:08Why does that anger America?
08:10How is India's oil basket looking at the moment when it comes to oil imports?
08:14Karishma Asudani from Business Today breaks it down for us.
08:20Well, if we look at the official data for the last six months,
08:24India imported close to about, say, 1.75 million barrel per day of crude from Russia,
08:30which is close to about 35% of our domestic needs when it comes to the crude oil.
08:37And now, just to explain, what does the crude oil chessboard look like for us?
08:41We started buying from Russia because Russia was offering it to us at a very cheaper price.
08:46And with this price also came in an added responsibility of the fact,
08:51which could cut our excessive import bill,
08:53but also keep the crude oil prices stable
08:56and not have a major haywalk in the global economy market.
09:00Now, the US has been batting for the fact that they want India to diversify its imports
09:06when it comes to the energy sector and also look at the US and probably cut down with Russia.
09:11While this is a lopsided approach in order to cut down overnight with another country,
09:16India is willing to diversify its energy imports and also look at the United States of America.
09:22In fact, official data from India's Commerce Ministry tells us that our imports from the US
09:28when it comes to energy has touched in close to that of $22 to $24 million.
09:34And there is still a headroom of taking in about more $12 to $13 million,
09:39only if it is given to us at an economical or an accommodative price.
09:43So, current trade conversations which are underway in Washington
09:47where India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal is meeting to discuss
09:52on at least trying to make some finalizing with the first tranche of the trade deal.
09:59I'm sure that the back-end conversations on energy will also continue.
10:05Okay, so let's raise the big questions.
10:07Has Donald Trump put India in a diplomatic spot once again with his remarks?
10:13Is there more than meets the eye to what Donald Trump is doing, his so-called theatrics?
10:18Should India publicly call out Donald Trump's falsehoods more strongly?
10:23Is India walking a dangerous diplomatic tightrope?
10:26And the key question, is the choice now between Russian oil and a US free trade
10:33or a trade agreement with the US, what is in India's national interest?
10:37Joining me now, Casey Singh, former Indian ambassador, Ashok Malik, partner at the Asia Group.
10:44Alexander Slater, MD Capstone, joins me from Washington.
10:49One of the world's leading economists, William Buter, joins me.
10:52American-British economist, someone who's been chief economist with Citibank,
10:56has worked with leading universities, joins me.
10:59Rahul Aluwalia, founder, director of Foundation for Economic Development, is also with us.
11:04I appreciate all of you joining us and I want to get each of you to respond to that.
11:09Let's first get in an Indian perspective.
11:12Rahul Aluwalia, your first reactions to what you've heard Donald Trump do.
11:16And I want to pose that question.
11:18Is it now Russian oil versus a US free trade agreement?
11:22What do you believe is in India's interest?
11:25Thanks, Rajdeep.
11:26This whole thing reminds me of this statement, you know, never argue with a fool.
11:29They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
11:32And I think in following Donald Trump, we have to be very careful in how we respond.
11:38We should not follow his lead in two things.
11:41The first is that we should not make public any agreements or disagreements.
11:45And for the first half of our handling of this affair, we were being very careful about this.
11:51We were doing strategic backroom deals instead of trying to drag this fight out into the public.
11:56And I think we should continue that strategy.
11:58It was a great strategy.
11:59The second thing is we should stop phrasing trade as a win-loss kind of affair.
12:06Trade is win-win.
12:08If we manage to get a trade deal with the USA, it is a win for the USA.
12:13It is a win for India.
12:15This is a mistake on Donald Trump's view that he thinks that trade is win-loss.
12:20He thinks that the US is losing when it is trading with other countries.
12:25This is simply not true.
12:26So we should not follow that.
12:28When it comes to the US versus Russia, my personal opinion is that the US matters a great deal more than Russia.
12:35Russia is a power of the past.
12:38The US is the largest economy in the world.
12:40It's one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world.
12:43It's a very complementary economy to ours.
12:46It is a fantastic trading partner.
12:48I don't think there is any doubt when it comes to choosing between the two.
12:52There are transactional minor wins on one side and huge strategic wins on the other.
12:57The choice is clear.
12:59Okay.
13:02Okay.
13:03That's an interesting argument to take forward, William Buter.
13:07Do you believe it's as stark as that, that India should be focusing more on managing its relationship with the US,
13:13hopefully working towards a trade agreement rather than getting caught up in its oil transactions with Russia
13:23and therefore the choice in that sense may at some, is Donald Trump pushing India to make that choice?
13:30And is that a choice that should be made, choosing the United States in a trade deal with the US
13:35over importing relatively cheap oil from the Russians?
13:41I think it is a very easy choice, actually.
13:44Yes, Russian oil is cheaper than alternative sources of oil that are available from the Middle East, especially.
13:57But there's no doubt that India could profitably refine and re-export oil that does not come from Russia.
14:08The second point, which I think people don't focus on much, is that Russia may not be able to reliably supply oil in the future
14:19if Ukraine gets the long-distance missiles, the Tomahawks, et cetera, that is asked for,
14:27and with which it could disrupt the ability of Russia to be an oil supplier.
14:32So these are sort of two practical reasons.
14:36More generally, the US and, of course, the EU are much more important trading partners than Russia.
14:45Russia all provides its oil at a profitable margin, but not enough, I would think,
14:52to risk a non-agreement on trade with the US.
14:59Let me get in Alexander Slater, MD Capstone from Washington, D.C.
15:08Your views, Alexander, is that a choice that Donald Trump is pushing India to make?
15:13And should India hold off in its national interest?
15:16According to you, at the moment, our figures show we import about 35% of our oil basket through Russia,
15:21but we are diversifying. Is it in India's interest, you believe, to diversify our oil basket?
15:30Thanks for inviting me to join the conversation.
15:31It's wonderful to be here with the distinguished panelists and to especially see my friend Ashok Malik.
15:36Good to see you, Ashok.
15:38Look, it's not for me to tell India what its interests are, but I do think that the facts speak for themselves,
15:43and I think some of the panelists who have preceded me have eloquently stated that.
15:49Some other facts that are of interest are that, you know, in the last, since the tariffs were imposed,
15:56the price of oil has gone down 10%, and the discount that India was paying on Russian crude was about 5%.
16:02And so whatever cost India may have had to foot in terms of diversifying away from Russian crude
16:09has basically evaporated if you were comparing the situations today to August.
16:14So that's sort of the first thing.
16:16I think these questions about the reliability of Russian sources is a very good one.
16:20You've seen that Ukraine, even without the Tomahawk missiles,
16:24has stepped up its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure to great effect in Russia,
16:29where energy prices have gone up significantly and they're on the verge of energy rationing for Russians.
16:35And so these are things that I think are in India's interest to consider when they think about that side of the ledger.
16:43On the other side of the ledger, I think it's actually quite clear that the impact of the tariffs has been very negative for the Indian economy.
16:50Goods exports to the United States are down 50%, I think, over the last four months, with the new data in from September.
16:58And that's while the rupee has depreciated 5% against the dollar over that same period.
17:02You would not expect anything like that to happen when, effectively, Indian goods in the United States are becoming cheaper.
17:10You would expect Americans to buy more of them, not less.
17:12But you see the impact of the tariffs, and you see the tariffs having a major impact,
17:16especially since the 50% came into effect in August, where the goods purchases from India by Americans have gone down 12% in that period.
17:26And you see it having a very big impact on areas of the Indian economy, like textiles, jewelry, and even some electronics, steel, and chemicals.
17:37And so all of these calculations have to be balanced against one another.
17:41And it seems based on, I think, some of the things the prior panelists have said,
17:44You know, just let me put that, before I come to you, Ashok, in some stark terms for our viewers.
17:59Cheap oil from Russia or trade deals with America is a dilemma of sorts.
18:04The United States remains India's top trading partner.
18:07Total bilateral trade touched nearly $132 billion in FY2425.
18:13India, importantly, enjoys a surplus here.
18:16Of course, tariffs have, in a way, weakened some of the key sectors like textiles, gems, and jewelry.
18:23We export more over $86 billion worth of goods than we import.
18:27This is prior to the tariffs coming in.
18:29With Russia, it's the opposite story.
18:31Despite being only our fourth or fifth largest partner, India now imports over $63 billion worth of Russian goods,
18:39mainly discounted oil, exporting less than $5 billion.
18:43That's a trade deficit of nearly $59 billion.
18:45Just putting that in some kind of context.
18:48Therefore, Ashok Malik, do you believe Donald Trump is willy-nilly pushing India to make certain choices?
18:54What might have been seen in India's interests a few months ago,
18:57there are those who claim it was in the interests of big business,
19:00who are doing the oil deals, not necessarily the consumers.
19:03That is a separate dispute.
19:04But do you believe that the time has come for India to re-look at the way they've benefited from Russian oil,
19:12but now need to benefit for the trade deal with the U.S.?
19:15One, India needs the trade deal with the U.S.
19:30India also needs reasonably priced energy.
19:33There is no binary choice here.
19:34India needs both.
19:36It's the responsibility of effective diplomacy and imaginative statecraft to make sure both happen.
19:42In 2022, when the Ukraine war began, reasonably priced energy entailed an enormous amount of imports from Russia
19:50because other sources were not available.
19:53For example, Saudi Arabia stopped producing excess oil.
19:57For its own reasons, whatever reasons, it stopped producing oil.
20:01Today, Saudi Arabia is pumping out oil.
20:03Other sources have become available.
20:06The discount at which Russian oil is available has declined.
20:10And organically, Indian buyers, public sector buyers, private sector buyers will make market-driven choices,
20:20some of which might see some diversification from Russia.
20:23The second point, please look at Trump's statement today in response to an answer to a question.
20:29In response to a question.
20:31His tone was collaborative.
20:32It was even dignified.
20:33He spoke about a gradual decline, not tomorrow morning, but a gradual decline.
20:40He even said, once the war is over, we are doing this to put pressure on Russia.
20:44Once the war is over, India can go back to buying Russian oil.
20:47This is all very different from the rhetoric coming out of the Trump administration a few weeks ago,
20:52which leads me to believe that some background diplomacy is working.
20:56And the third point I'd like to raise, is Mr. Trump giving himself wiggle room and the political pathway
21:04to diluting or removing the 25% sanctioned tariffs which he imposed on India,
21:10which is the key question and the proof of the pudding lies there.
21:13Interesting that you believe, therefore, you're seeing even in the seeming bombast of Donald Trump,
21:24as some have seen in the past, now a toning down of rhetoric.
21:27Is that how you see it, Casey Singh, that India needs to, in a way, provide perhaps Donald Trump
21:34some room, some room to wriggle out of the tariff issue so that a trade deal is cemented next month?
21:41Diplomatically, India has been very careful not to challenge Donald Trump beyond the point.
21:46The MEA claimed there was no conversation between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump.
21:50But beyond that, they haven't really taken on Donald Trump at any time.
21:55Even when his advisor spoke of India being a dead economy, we were very quiet.
21:58Is that strategy, in your view, working slowly but surely?
22:03Even today, when he speaks about Russian oil, is there a toning down, as Ashok Malik seems to suggest?
22:10Look, Rajdeep, I don't think you can deal with issues, oil, etc., in separation.
22:15Because you're dealing with Trump as a whole entity.
22:19And for him, the whole Russian oil issue is linked to Ukraine.
22:23And he feels that the Ukraine, and he has said it, India is keeping the Ukraine war going.
22:29Now, the problem is that there are two ways to deal with Trump.
22:32One is the way the Europeans have done it, the way most of the world is doing it.
22:36Just stand there, be embarrassed by Trump, but largely don't take him on.
22:40You can privately do what you want, and publicly you can adopt whatever policy, but don't confront him.
22:46The other one is the Chinese matter.
22:48The Chinese had cut a deal with them, and now they've gone back on that deal.
22:51And they're back again to rare earths.
22:54And Americans are facing a problem there.
22:56Probably that's one of the elements that might help India.
23:00Now, the problem in dealing with Trump is that he publicly embarrasses you.
23:04But then we also make mistakes.
23:06When ambassador-designate Gore was here, never diplomatically, never ever, an ambassador-designate is received by a head of government.
23:15Now, the prime minister met him, took a painting from him, signed by Trump.
23:21Whatever he discussed with him, Gore would have gone and told Trump.
23:25Now, when Trump says, I've been told, it doesn't mean he's been told directly by prime minister.
23:30Maybe that's what Gore went and told him.
23:32So, when you start breaking conventions, you think you can please Trump and get across to him, then you'll always have a mix-up.
23:38I think with Trump, you have to have a very straightforward way of dealing with him.
23:43Russia is, a relationship with Russia is more than just oil.
23:47You know, we have a defense relationship.
23:49Tomorrow, you can have instability in the Gulf, and the oil supplies can seize.
23:52Iran is not part of the Sharm al-Sheikh meeting.
23:57So, the Israelis are not about to stop.
23:58They're still going after Iran.
24:00So, it's a region from which we are getting oil, which is very unstable, and it can get destabilized very rapidly.
24:07Therefore, you need a diversity of relationships, which are necessary for defense equipment,
24:14which are necessary for oil, energy, gas, and so on and so forth.
24:17And also, it is necessary for your international image.
24:21Because the whole world is watching, the smaller countries, global south, they're watching.
24:26Who is able to stand up to Trump?
24:28Now, it doesn't mean you fight with him, but the Chinese are getting that leadership.
24:32The Chinese are the ones who will be seen as the other power which can stand up to the Americans.
24:37Now, if we go on getting embarrassed, and then we have to publicly have the spokesman of the MEA sort of wriggle out of it,
24:45then this will continue.
24:46This will not stop.
24:47Look at the importance.
24:49Prime Minister didn't go to Sharm al-Sheikh.
24:51Why?
24:52Because look at the importance given to the Pakistani Prime Minister.
24:55And there was a danger that Trump may just call Prime Minister Modi and say,
24:58come on, shake hands with Prime Minister Sharif.
25:01You're dealing, you can keep saying in public.
25:04So, he did the right thing.
25:05No, no, let's be clear.
25:06Casey is saying the Prime Minister, you know, let me intervene then.
25:10The Prime Minister did not go to Sharm al-Sheikh.
25:12On hindsight, it was probably the right thing to do.
25:14Absolutely.
25:15I mean, you don't want to be part of some Trump love fest, surely.
25:19Absolutely.
25:20But then keep that message consistent.
25:22You don't receive an ambassador designate and take a painting from him.
25:26God knows what he goes and tells Trump.
25:28And then Trump will just, here's a stream of consciousness.
25:32You give him a mic, he'll say whatever occurs to him.
25:35Whether it embarrasses you or it doesn't embarrass you, it's happened time and again.
25:39And I think you have to choose how to deal with Trump.
25:42And if you think that you can appease him, it's not going to work.
25:46Because that is not the way the Chinese are dealing with him.
25:50Okay.
25:52Okay.
25:53I've got your point.
25:55You've made that China point.
25:56I want to take that to you, Rahul, Aluwalya.
25:58The Chinese are using, for example, you know, they're using...
26:02Yes, yes, William, let me get an intervention.
26:06William Buter, you wanted to intervene.
26:07I heard you.
26:08Go ahead.
26:09No, it's just important to recognize that these negotiations are not just about the Russian 25%.
26:16They're about the whole 50%.
26:18And meaningful trade negotiations, they'll have to continue.
26:23Even after India, if they were to do so, discontinuous oil imports from Russia,
26:30there would have to be concessions on tariff barriers and on non-tariff barriers.
26:37So this is not just Russia we're talking about.
26:40So why is Trump again raising Russia again and again is the question.
26:51Is he using Russia as a bargaining chip to push India to the wall?
26:56And should India stand up, Rahul, as is being suggested by Casey saying,
27:00we shouldn't be seen to be bullied by Trump.
27:02Instead, rather than go overboard in any way, we've got to stand up.
27:07The Chinese have done so and have done reasonably successful.
27:10But the Chinese have rare earths.
27:12They have weapons available.
27:13They are a much larger economy.
27:15So they can stand up to Donald Trump.
27:17Can India do so really?
27:18Can we really stand up to Trump?
27:21Or do we need to really work carefully to negotiate a win-win trade deal?
27:25I mean, first of all, China's success is very qualified.
27:30They've just had 100% tariffs announced against them.
27:33And by and large, this whole thing was set off by China.
27:36So I would not qualify China's strategy as a success by...
27:41But they're not concerned about it.
27:42The Chinese don't seem, as of now, just to intervene,
27:45the Chinese don't seem as concerned about it.
27:47They seem to be willing to look at Donald Trump in the eye.
27:51If they're not, that's a mistake.
27:52The Chinese economy is extremely fragile.
27:54They've been in situations of overproduction for almost five or six years now.
28:00Their real estate sector is in massive crisis.
28:03If I were the Chinese, I would be very worried,
28:05no matter what brave front I'm trying to put up to the rest of the world.
28:08So I mean, I would not at all say that we should copy China
28:13in any way, shape or form at all.
28:17But that doesn't mean that we give up self-respect or anything of the sort.
28:21We should just not view it in those terms.
28:23We should view it, we should not take Trump on his terms.
28:27Why are we trying to meet Trump on his terms?
28:30Our strategic interest should be of primal importance to us, right?
28:37And our strategic interests lie in securing a large market with the USA.
28:42Our strategic interests lie in lowering our own trade barriers
28:46so that our economy becomes more competitive,
28:48so that our economy becomes more efficient and grows.
28:52It is in our interest to lower trade barriers.
28:55We should always remember that.
28:57We should reform our economy in such a way that we don't need trade barriers to hide behind.
29:03Our agriculture sector has been crying out for reform for decades.
29:07We could use this as a reason to reform our agricultural subsidies.
29:13It doesn't mean we stop agricultural subsidies.
29:15We should protect our farmers.
29:17We should protect the people who need protection.
29:20We should not protect particular types of crops.
29:24We should not protect particular types of fertilizers.
29:27We should not protect particular types of water withdrawal methods.
29:32This is just inefficient.
29:33It hurts us.
29:35It hurts our environment.
29:36It hurts our farmers.
29:37It hurts our long-term strategic interest.
29:40This is an opportunity to do something about it.
29:42And we should look at it in those terms,
29:44not in the terms of are we winning or losing against Trump.
29:47That's a mistake.
29:51Okay.
29:51Alexander Stater, is there a realization though where you are in Washington
29:58that Donald Trump is leading the world into a very dangerous path
30:02with sort of ultra-nationalism at one end,
30:06upending the multilateral trade order that existed
30:11or a global trade order with his unconventional use of tariffs as a weapon?
30:17Is there finally a recognition that eventually America will pay a price
30:22at some stage for what Donald Trump is doing?
30:24Is there finally that recognition coming in almost six months
30:28after he first sort of used in April tariffs as a weapon?
30:34It's a difficult question to answer because, you know,
30:36the U.S. economy itself is in a strange state.
30:42Earlier in the year, it looked like it wasn't growing at all.
30:44And then the second quarter growth was actually quite impressive.
30:48Parts of the U.S. economy are growing extremely well.
30:51Many people point to the AI boom as the main driver of growth in the United States.
30:57And there's evidence to suggest that that is exactly what's happening.
31:00Other parts of the U.S. economy appear to be weaker.
31:04China's retaliation against the United States in this current trade spat
31:08involves not buying any sorbines from the United States.
31:11And so there's discussions here about a $10 billion bailout for U.S. sorbine farmers.
31:15So parts of the U.S. economy are being hurt by these extended trade discussions.
31:20But other parts of the U.S. economy feel very good about it.
31:23I think certain domestic interests like steel producers, lumber producers,
31:30aluminum producers,
31:32think that the tariffs that President Trump has imposed are wonderful
31:36because effectively it allows them to charge higher prices for their goods.
31:42So it's actually a pretty complex question to answer at this point in time.
31:47I do think personally, ultimately, the long-term interest of the United States
31:50involves a more open economy
31:53and good relationships with its allies around the world,
31:57including India.
31:58And I'm hopeful that we'll come to a resolution on that soon.
32:05So let me come, Ashok Malik, to where, in a way,
32:08circle back to that key issue.
32:11Should India now stand up in some way to Donald Trump
32:16every time he makes these comments that seemingly embarrass India,
32:19give the opposition another talking point?
32:22Or should the focus be on quiet backroom negotiations?
32:27We've got the Commerce Ministry team even now in Washington as we speak
32:31and get the trade deal done.
32:33Whatever else happens with the Russian oil deal,
32:35separate that from the trade deal.
32:39To be honest, India has managed this with some dignity
32:43and with some effective diplomacy
32:45because it's Trump's rhetoric that has changed.
32:49Trump is still saying don't buy Russian oil.
32:50Well, I agree. But his language today
32:53was collaborative, was, you know, conciliatory.
32:57It's said that you can do it gradually in the next few,
33:00I presume, weeks.
33:01You can go back to Russia after the war is over.
33:03He didn't call India a dead economy.
33:05He wasn't abusive.
33:07Some weeks ago, he and his team had been, frankly, abusive
33:10and got people very riled up in India,
33:13and justifiably so.
33:14Today, he was more collaborative.
33:15So obviously, some diplomacy has happened in the background,
33:19for which India needs to get credit as well.
33:22And quite honestly, I have to disagree with Mr. Casey's thing.
33:26He's an old friend and he's a diplomat.
33:29I think it required the government in India
33:33to engage an ambassador-designator.
33:36These are extraordinary circumstances.
33:38Yes, it was a violation of diplomatic conventions to engage.
33:41Go off.
33:42But diplomatic conventions exist to facilitate national interest.
33:47National interest doesn't exist to facilitate diplomatic conventions.
33:50And it wasn't a national interest to engage more.
33:54That's it.
33:56Okay.
33:57A final word then, Casey Singh.
33:59Do you go along with Ashok Malik?
34:01That we are seeing, despite what Trump said today about Russian oil,
34:05we are seeing a softening of America's stand,
34:07and that's good news.
34:09And that perhaps our national interest requires us
34:12to, at times, break with diplomatic conventions.
34:16Well, then what was the need for the spokesman of the ministry
34:18to contradict it?
34:20If you think that things are changing
34:22and Trump is only sending positive signals,
34:26what was the need to say there was no discussion
34:28between the prime minister and the president?
34:31We are the ones who reacted to that.
34:32No, because it is embarrassing.
34:33Because it is embarrassing.
34:35It is embarrassing for a government
34:36that claims to have an independent foreign policy
34:38to be told by the U.S. president
34:40that we've got an assurance from the Indian prime minister
34:42we will not buy Russian oil.
34:44I'm answering Mr. Malik's thing
34:46that if we are seeing such positive reaction out of U.S.,
34:51then what will the need to do it?
34:53We are doing it because Trump is unpredictable.
34:57Because you don't know what happens tomorrow.
34:59You don't know what will be the final outcome.
35:01You see, there are two parts to the trade deal.
35:03One is the Russian part, the 25%.
35:05And then there is the other 25%.
35:08The latest Economist magazine has done an article
35:11which says actually most of the tariffs that he has imposed,
35:15in reality, if you take the exceptions that he has made,
35:19it's working out to much less than 20-25% for each country,
35:22even for Canada or for Mexico.
35:24So it's a very confusing and very confused state of affairs.
35:28And in that, to get a trade deal,
35:32you know, one of the gentlemen in your panel was saying
35:36that we can reform agriculture in India.
35:38You saw the farmer's agitation.
35:40It's not an easy thing to just reform agriculture in India.
35:44How do you do it?
35:45The bulk of the people in India are dependent on agriculture.
35:47How do you overnight reform it?
35:50It's just not possible to do it.
35:52You see the kind of agitation which took place over the farm laws.
35:56So it's a very complex thing.
35:59I think the government realizes that you cannot allow,
36:02expose our agriculture and dairy sector.
36:05Sorry, one last thing.
36:06Dairy sector is not just reform.
36:08We are concerned about genetically modified crops coming in.
36:13We are concerned about dairy items coming in
36:16where the cows are being fed non-vegetarian food.
36:19Now, how will BJP, you know, accept that?
36:24When you're going around,
36:26people are getting lynched for supposed selling beef.
36:30Casey, I want to stop you there.
36:32But India, they'll have to be home.
36:34We can go back to the nitty-gritty of the trade deal on another day.
36:37Today, the focus has been more on the choice that was made.
36:45Yes, William, you want to make a final point?
36:47The final point is India really has to reform its agricultural sector.
36:52It is far too large for the growth trajectory that India is capable of.
36:59It has to shift labor and other resources out of agriculture
37:03into manufacturing and services, especially high-tech services.
37:07This is a chance to do so.
37:10Don't protect your farmers through tariffs
37:15if lower tariffs endanger their livelihoods,
37:20temporarily subsidize their incomes.
37:24India has to move into the second quarter of the 21st century.
37:31The agricultural sector should not be an obstacle to trade deals with the US.
37:38Okay, we will leave it there.
37:44I think we've heard various viewpoints.
37:45Clearly, Donald Trump, as I said, keeps upending traditional ways of doing diplomacy,
37:51traditional ways of operating in this multipolar world.
37:57But I appreciate my guests joining us and giving us from the United States and here in India varied viewpoints.
38:04Thank you all very much.
38:04I want to turn back to India where, remember, Bihar is continuing to dominate the headlines.
38:10My colleague Akshita Nand Gopal will come soon to give you a complete blow-by-blow account of what's going on on the ground.
38:16The Mahagadbandan Opposition Alliance has still not firmed its seat alliance.
38:20But also showcased today was Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Patna at Aajtaks Panchayat.
38:27And he gave to us two important news points.
38:29One was, what would happen if the BJP got more seats than the JDU?
38:34Would Nitish Kumar continue as Chief Minister?
38:37And on the government's fight against Naxalism.
38:41Listen in to Amit Shah.
38:43What would you say to NITISH Kumar if the NDA wins?
38:51I don't know, you are asking questions.
38:55Who would I be the one who would be the one who would be the one who would be the one who would be the one?
38:59There are so many parties' attention.
39:01After the party, when we sit,
39:04we will sit in the state of the state of the state.
39:07And we will do our state.
39:08We will do our state of the state of NITISH Kumar Ji.
39:13And we will do our state of the state of NITISH Kumar Ji.
39:17And if your leadership has become more, then...
39:20It is now too much.
39:21It is now too much.
39:23It is now too much.
39:24It is now too much.
39:25You are giving a big headline.
39:26You are giving me this.
39:27No, no.
39:28You don't understand.
39:29It is now too much.
39:30We are also making NITISH Kumar Ji.
39:32Yes.
39:33Like the last time you had made them.
39:35And they said it was on record.
39:36It was also in the interview.
39:38He was saying, don't do it.
39:39But BJP has made it.
39:40What is this, what you did in Maharashtra,
39:44can you do?
39:45It is like that, Anjana Ji.
39:47RADNITI cannot do for your TRP.
39:52You are saying,
39:54Hey,
39:55You are coming,
39:56then what?
39:57I told you,
39:58we are coming,
39:59then we are being made.
40:00You asked what will happen in the future.
40:02So I explained to you,
40:03that all are people,
40:04all are people,
40:05all are people,
40:07all are people,
40:08all are people,
40:09all are people.
40:10And so do it.
40:11How much trust is NITISH Kumar Ji.
40:13How much trust is your trust factor?
40:14What I am asking?
40:15That is,
40:16you have a problem for two times.
40:17you see Nityish Kumar Ji
40:22Bhairat ki Radniti ke
40:26bhoat pramukh nita hai
40:28aur
40:31unke jeevan ka
40:35pura kalkhan
40:36kabhi woh kongres me
40:38nahi rhe
40:39aur kongres ke sath me
40:42rhenne ka unka record bhi
40:44kabhi bhi
40:46dhai saal se lamba nahi raha
40:47toh maan ta hun ki
40:50isi vyakti ke jeevan ka
40:51agar muliakkan karna hai
40:53toh eek bade hisse ko lhe kar hi
40:56karna chahiye
40:56aur thet samajwaadhi neta hai
41:00inkei radnitik janma se
41:02hi kongres ka virot karte raha
41:04JMP andolan ke pramukh
41:06neta raha hai
41:07aur emergency me bhi
41:09achi khasi lada hai kongres ke khilaab lada hai
41:11toh maan ta hun
41:13bharosa bharati janta party ko
41:16toh hai hi hai
41:17parantu bhihar ki janta ko bhi hai
41:20ki aap nne aaj post bhi kiya hai
41:22ki 258 naksaliyo nne khud hi
41:24apne hathiyar Äal diya hai
41:25gharchi roli aur tamam ilaakko me
41:27humne dekha hai pishli dino badlaao
41:28lekin eek bhout bada tapka hai sir
41:30jo ye maanthai ki
41:31dho hzaak chhabbis ki
41:32aap marge ki deadline dhe raha hai
41:33woii kehte hai ki
41:34unke kya human rights nahi hai
41:36ap unko kis dabao mein Äal raha hai
41:38ap unko
41:38bhout saare chal
41:40hathiyar rakhna human right hota hai kya
41:41ap unko kya hathiyar rakhye
41:48human right hai
41:49ap unko kya hathiyar rakhye
41:50human right hai
41:51ap unko kya hathiyar rakhye
41:53human right ki vyakkhya lai hai
41:55unke human right hai
41:57isi liye kah rahao ki
41:59hathiyar Äal dijye
42:00main stream me aayye
42:01aapke sare adhikar milengye
42:03aap chunkar
42:04ghao ke sarpanch vunye
42:07taisil panchaj maayye
42:08jilla panchaj maayye
42:10aapke awaz mukhar karayye
42:11koi problem nahi
42:14magar hathiyar lhekar
42:16dousarokke prati hinsa karna
42:19ee desh ka samvidhan permit
42:21nahi karta hai
42:22aur agar hathiyar hath mein hai
42:24toh unse koji baat nahi
42:26hathiyar Äal diye
42:28inke lirye swaagat hai
42:30aayye
42:31aap mainstream me aayye
42:32pure north east me
42:339,900 loogon
42:35nye hathiyar Äal diye
42:36sare log ab mainstream me
42:37aapna aapna kama kare
42:39naukri kare
42:40nuk saliyo se sirf lada hai
42:44unko sirf yye karna hai
42:45ya joh intellectuals unko support
42:47karte hai
42:47isi liye yomai bhenem prashn kya
42:48nuk saliyo nuk saliyo nuk saliyo
42:55Intellectual activity will remain silent until the intellectual activity will remain silent, there is no hatred.
43:03But by doing intellectual activity, we will also keep relationships with Naksaliyo,
43:08we will also keep them with respect, we will also keep them with moral push-up,
43:12then we will come to the hatred.
43:14Then there will also be action for them.
43:16It will also be action for anyone.
43:17It will also be action for you, if you keep them with respect.
43:20Take a look at this story, a recruitment drive in Madhya Pradesh has led to enormous frustration,
43:33typical of the crisis facing large parts of this country when it comes to jobs.
43:38The staff selection board had opened application for over 900 sub-inspector and assistant sub-inspector's posts.
43:46But guess what? Many of the aspirants, even before they could apply, have found they've lost their chance.
43:53Why? Take a look at Get Real India.
43:55The Madhya Pradesh Staff Selection Board has announced recruitment for the posts of sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors after nearly eight years.
44:16The last such exam was held in 2017. In the current drive, the government is filling 910 posts.
44:25It has set the maximum age limit for unreserved categories at 33 years, while reserve category candidates have a maximum age limit of 38 years.
44:35Many who were waiting for the long-delayed recruitment are now overage.
44:39They point out that a three-year age relaxation was promised in 2022, which has been ignored.
44:44The Vacancy has been given.
44:45The Vacancy has been given when we didn't get a chance, because we got no chance, we didn't get any chance.
44:51The Vacancy has never got any chance.
44:53We got no chance.
44:54The Vacancy has been given 7 years.
44:55The Vacancy has been given by COVID-19, which is the first vacancy.
44:57But now we have no chance.
44:59If we have no chance of giving a chance, then we will not give up.
45:02Then we will keep everything on our plans.
45:04The Vacancy has been given 7 years.
45:06foreign
45:12foreign
45:20foreign
45:26foreign
45:28foreign
45:34It is not just the candidates who are concerned about the age limit.
45:42The ruling BJP's firebrand MLA and former minister Usha Thakur has written to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav,
45:49demanding a relaxation of at least five years.
46:04For thousands of youth, the SI recruitment exam is not just another job opportunity.
46:15It is a culmination of years of hard work and hope.
46:18With tomorrow midnight being the deadline for applications,
46:22it is now the government that stands on test
46:24and come up with a much needed Diwali gift for the state's youth.
46:30With Ravish Pal Singh, Bureau Report, India Today.
46:34Okay, from that story, let me leave you with our image of the day
46:42and it is Prime Minister Modi who never misses an opportunity,
46:46it seems especially at election time, to make a political pitch.
46:50Mr. Modi was today in Shishai Shalamb at a temple in Andhra Pradesh
46:54and guess what?
46:56He wore an Angavastra there with a Madhubani art adornment,
47:02a traditional painting style native to Bihar.
47:06Now, there you have the Prime Minister in Andhra Pradesh
47:09wearing a Madhubani style art Angavastra.
47:14It only remains to be seen whether the Prime Minister's move
47:17manages to win hearts, minds and most importantly, the votes of the people.
47:23For now, you stay well, stay safe, goodnight Shubratri,
47:27Jaihin, Namaskar, Akshita Nand Gopal is up next with the latest from Bihar.
47:32In Shishai Shubratri, I will be yet to be the leader in the Hong Kong
47:38in Shishai Shub flashy liberal direction and out in Shishai Shubhat.
47:42I will be future naaman.
47:44Lamp.
47:45Now.
47:47Lamp.
47:47Shishai Shub production and an Irish artist so now.
47:49Lamp.
47:51Lamp.
47:51Lamp.
47:52Shushai Shubra.
47:54Let me ask you a little bit more.
47:54Lamp.
47:56Kareem.
47:57TaST.
47:58Kareem.
47:58St.
47:59Yul la.
48:00Lamp.
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