India declines UN investigator’s participation in Air India crash probe: Report
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had offered to provide assistance by sending one of its investigators, following the crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner earlier this month.
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Vivek Mishra works as an Assistant Editor with Eastern Eye and has over 13 years of experience in journalism. His areas of interest include politics, international affairs, current events, and sports. With a background in newsroom operations and editorial planning, he has reported and edited stories on major national and global developments.
INDIA has declined a request from the United Nations aviation agency to allow one of its investigators to observe the probe into the Air India crash that killed 260 people in Ahmedabad on June 12, Reuters reported, citing two senior sources familiar with the matter.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had offered to provide assistance by sending one of its investigators, following the crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner earlier this month. It was an unusual move, as ICAO typically deploys investigators only upon request from the country leading the investigation.
In this case, ICAO had asked Indian authorities to allow the investigator already present in India to join the probe as an observer, the sources told Reuters. However, Indian officials refused the offer. Times Now was the first to report this development on Thursday.
The civil aviation ministry said on Thursday that the flight recorder data was downloaded around two weeks after the crash.
Some safety experts had earlier raised concerns over the delay in the analysis of the black box data and a lack of information on the progress of the probe. The first combined black box unit was recovered on June 13, and a second set was found on June 16.
It is still unclear whether the black boxes are being read in India or the US. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is also participating in the investigation. The Indian government has held only one press conference so far, where no questions were taken.
According to global aviation norms under "Annex 13", a decision on where to read the flight recorders should be made immediately if the information obtained could help prevent similar accidents in the future.
An unnamed aviation ministry official said earlier this week that the ministry is "following all the ICAO protocols." The official also said that media representatives have been sharing updates on major developments.
Most air accidents result from a combination of factors. A preliminary report is expected within about 30 days of the crash.
The deal was formalised during Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s brief visit to the UK, where he held talks with his British counterpart Keir Starmer. (Photo: Getty Images)
INDIA and the United Kingdom signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Thursday during Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s brief visit to the UK. The deal, finalised after three years of negotiations, aims to boost annual bilateral trade by around £25.5 billion.
The agreement was signed by India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal and the UK’s secretary of state for business and trade Jonathan Reynolds following formal talks between Modi and prime minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, northwest of London.
Modi arrived in London at around 8.30 pm on Wednesday and is scheduled to leave later on Thursday, spending less than 24 hours in the country.
After the signing, Modi was expected to have lunch with Starmer and meet King Charles at Sandringham.
getty images
Deal details and economic impact
The agreement will reduce tariffs on a wide range of goods and services. India will lower tariffs on nearly 90 per cent of UK goods. Scotch whisky tariffs will fall from 150 per cent to 75 per cent immediately and reduce to 40 per cent over the next decade. Tariffs on cars will drop from over 100 per cent to 10 per cent under a quota system. The UK will also cut tariffs on cosmetics, medical devices, salmon, chocolates, biscuits, clothes, footwear, and food products such as frozen prawns.
The UK will offer duty-free access to 99 per cent of Indian goods. Indian exports including textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, auto components, chemicals, furniture and machinery will benefit. Average tariffs UK firms face in India will fall to 3 per cent from 15 per cent.
According to the UK government, the agreement is expected to increase UK GDP by £4.8 billion annually in the long term. The UK and India are the sixth and fifth largest global economies, respectively, with current bilateral trade worth around £41 billion. The deal is the UK’s most economically significant bilateral trade agreement since leaving the European Union.
Standing alongside Modi, Starmer said, “This is not the extent or the limit of our collaboration with India. We have unique bonds of history, of family and of culture and we want to strengthen our relationship further, so that it is even more ambitious, modern and focused on the long term.”
He described the agreement as a “landmark moment” and said it would bring “huge benefits” for both countries, making trade “cheaper, quicker and easier.”
Modi called the deal a “blueprint for our shared prosperity” and said the visit would “go a long way in advancing the economic partnership between our nations.”
The FTA includes provisions for temporary business visitors, contractual service providers, yoga instructors, chefs, and musicians, though visa arrangements are not covered.
Indian workers and their employers on temporary postings in the UK will be exempt from paying social security contributions, with estimated annual savings of around £342 million.
Modi and Starmer meet children playing cricket at Chequers.
UK businesses will gain access to India’s non-sensitive government procurement market, which includes about 40,000 tenders worth around £38 billion annually.
The agreement also covers services such as insurance and includes provisions for British firms to participate in Indian projects in areas like clean energy.
Modi and Starmer having tea at Chequers.
India did not receive an exemption from the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which will come into effect in 2027. Talks on a separate bilateral investment treaty are still ongoing.
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Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
SEVERAL British families who lost loved ones in the Air India crash on 12 June say they received the wrong remains, according to aviation lawyer James Healy-Pratt.
One family cancelled funeral plans after discovering the body in the coffin was not their relative, The Guardian reported. Another received “commingled” remains of multiple victims, which had to be separated before burial, The Daily Mail reported.
The errors came to light during checks by senior coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox, who verified identities by matching DNA with samples from relatives, according to The Mail.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people onboard, including 52 Britons. Nineteen people on the ground also died and 67 were seriously injured. A preliminary report said both fuel switches were moved to the cut-off position, stopping fuel to the engines.
Healy-Pratt said the families were in contact with MPs, the Foreign Office, and the prime minister’s and foreign secretary’s offices. “On the known evidence, the chain of custody of these lost loved ones was unacceptably poor,” he said.
Air India declined to comment but told The Guardian the hospital handled identification. India’s external affairs ministry said all remains were identified using established protocols.
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This photo shows the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Nyingchi city, in China's western Tibet Autonomous Region.
CHINA has officially defended the construction of a massive hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River in the sensitive ecological region of Tibet, insisting the project will not negatively affect downstream countries such as India and Bangladesh.
The ambitious initiative, announced last Saturday (19) by Chinese premier Li Qiang, marks the start of what is expected to be the world’s largest hydropower dam, located near Nyingchi City in the Tibetan autonomous region close to the disputed Line of Actual Control with India in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Brahmaputra River, known in Tibet as the Yarlung Zangbo, flows from this high plateau across northeastern India and Bangladesh, providing vital water for irrigation, drinking, and hydropower to millions. Given the river’s critical role, concerns have rapidly mounted in India and Bangladesh about the impact of this colossal Chinese project on water flows and the environment.
At a press briefing on Wednesday (23), Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun asserted that the dam construction “will not have any negative impact on the downstream regions.”
Guo said China has engaged in communication with India and Bangladesh, sharing hydrological data and cooperating on flood prevention and disaster mitigation. He stressed that the project is a sovereign matter of China aimed at generating clean energy, improving local livelihoods, and combatting climate change, with all phases—from planning to design and construction—adhering to strict ecological and industrial standards.
Chinese authorities also highlighted that water releases will be managed carefully to prevent disasters along the entire river. Guo added that the project supports regional cooperation to benefit communities along the river basin.
However, the dam’s scale and proximity to the border have alarmed Indian officials and environmental experts. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu termed the dam a “ticking water bomb” and an existential threat surpassing even military risks.
In a recent interview, Khandu expressed deep mistrust of Chinese intentions, noting Beijing is not a party to any international water treaties that would legally bind it to share data or regulate river use. “No one knows what they might do,” he warned.
Environmentalists observe that the dam will halt the natural flow of sediments vital for sustaining fertile floodplains downstream, potentially disrupting agriculture and ecosystems in India’s Assam state and further south in Bangladesh.
Columbia University geophysics professor Michael Steckler pointed out that upstream detention of sediment could reduce soil nutrients critical for millions who depend on the Brahmaputra basin.
Furthermore, some experts caution that the dam site sits amid tectonically unstable terrain on the edge of the Himalayan seismic belt, making the construction prone to earthquake and landslide risks. The region already experiences glacial lake outburst floods and severe weather events that could compromise dam safety.
Historically, water sharing on the Brahmaputra has been contentious yet relatively cooperative. Since 2006, India and China have operated the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) to discuss transboundary river issues, with China providing hydrological data during monsoon seasons.
However, data exchange stalled following the 2020 border conflict in eastern Ladakh, complicating bilateral water management discussions. Hydrological data sharing was raised last December during talks between India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Contrary to fears of water diversion, experts stress that most Brahmaputra water comes from monsoon rains in India and Bangladesh, not from Tibetan glaciers. The project is reportedly a “run-of-the-river” scheme, implying that water is used primarily for power generation without significant storage or diversion.
Indian hydrologist Sayanangshu Modak noted that India’s own dam proposals on the Siang River—the Brahmaputra’s name in Arunachal Pradesh—are part of efforts to assert upstream use rights and prevent unilateral Chinese diversion.
In Bangladesh, Chinese envoy Yao Wen reinforced Beijing’s assurance that the dam’s purpose is solely electricity generation and will not reduce water flow downstream, during talks with the country’s foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday (21). “China will not withdraw or use any water from the project,” Yao said, aiming to allay Dhaka’s concerns.
The dam plan dwarfs the existing Three Gorges Dam, currently the world’s largest, with an estimated cost of $170 billion and generating more electricity annually than Britain’s consumption. The project is designed to generate over 300 billion kilowatt-hours each year, enough to power more than 300 million people, and to provide stimulus to China’s slowing economy.
(Agencies)
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Starmer and Modi shake hands during a bilateral meeting in the sidelines of the G20 summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Brazil, on November 18, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)
India and UK to sign free trade agreement in London on July 24
Tariff cuts on whisky, cars and textiles part of the deal
Trade deal aims to double bilateral trade to £89 billion by 2030
Social security pact finalised; investment treaty talks ongoing
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi embarked on a four-day visit to the United Kingdom and the Maldives on Wednesday, July 23. The visit to the UK is at the invitation of prime minister Keir Starmer, while the state visit to the Maldives is at the invitation of president Mohamed Muizzu, the India's Ministry of External Affairs said.
“Leaving for UK, a country with which our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has achieved significant momentum in the last few years. I look forward to my talks with PM Keir Starmer and my meeting with His Majesty King Charles III,” Modi said in his departure statement on X.
The India-UK free trade agreement is set to be the key outcome of the visit to London. The deal will be formally signed on July 24 and will focus on expanding trade and defence ties.
Tariff cuts on whisky, cars, textiles
The trade agreement, concluded in May after three years of negotiations, includes tariff cuts on British whisky, cars, and selected food items. In return, Indian goods such as textiles and electric vehicles will receive duty-free access in the UK. The agreement will come into effect after ratification by the British Parliament and India’s federal cabinet, expected within a year.
"This is a significant agreement," India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Tuesday, adding that legal vetting of the deal was nearly complete. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will accompany Modi for the signing ceremony.
According to Misri, bilateral trade between India and the UK reached £40.7 billion in 2023-24. The UK has become India’s sixth-largest investor with cumulative investments nearing £26.7 billion. About 1,000 Indian companies operate in the UK, employing 100,000 people and investing nearly £14.8 billion.
Under the terms of the agreement, tariffs on Scotch whisky will drop from 150 per cent to 75 per cent immediately, and fall further to 40 per cent over the next ten years, the British government said. On cars, India will cut duties from 100 per cent to 10 per cent under a quota system that will be gradually expanded.
India to gain access for EVs under quota system
Indian manufacturers are expected to gain access to the UK market for electric and hybrid vehicles under a similar quota system, officials from the commerce ministry said.
The ministry also said that 99 per cent of Indian exports to the UK, including garments and textiles, would benefit from zero duties. In return, the UK will see reductions on 90 per cent of its tariff lines.
"The UK is an important market for Indian exporters," said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations. He said the agreement would boost sectors like textiles, footwear, marine and engineering products.
Cabinet clears FTA; Social security pact finalised
On Tuesday, sources said the Indian cabinet approved the free trade agreement, officially known as the comprehensive economic and trade agreement. The pact, which includes chapters on goods, services, innovation, government procurement and intellectual property rights, was finalised on May 6.
The trade deal is also aimed at eliminating duties on labour-intensive products such as leather, footwear and clothing. Imports of whisky and cars from Britain will become cheaper. The agreement targets doubling trade between the two countries to £89 billion by 2030.
Once signed, the agreement will need ratification from the British Parliament before it can take effect.
India and the UK have also concluded negotiations on a social security agreement called the Double Contribution Convention Agreement. It will help Indian professionals working in the UK avoid making double contributions to social security funds. Talks on a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) are still in progress.
Such agreements generally aim to remove or significantly reduce customs duties and ease norms to promote trade in services and bilateral investment.
India’s exports to the UK increased by 12.6 per cent to £10.7 billion in 2024-25, while imports rose by 2.3 per cent to £6.4 billion. Bilateral trade rose to £15.8 billion in 2023-24 from £15.1 billion in 2022-23.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The aircraft had taken off from HMS Prince of Wales on 14 June but could not return to the carrier due to adverse weather conditions.
A BRITISH F-35B fighter jet that had been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for over a month flew out on Tuesday after completing maintenance.
The jet took off at 10.50 am and flew to Darwin in Australia, airport sources told PTI.
"A UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion on June 14, departed today from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. A UK engineering team, deployed since July 06, completed the repairs and safety checks, allowing the aircraft to resume active service," a British High Commission spokesperson said.
In a statement, the spokesperson added that the UK remained very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process.
"We look forward to continuing to strengthen our defence partnership with India," the statement said.
The jet had been moved out of the hangar and positioned at the airport bay on Monday.
The F-35B Lightning fighter jet is part of the British Royal Navy’s advanced stealth fleet. Valued at over USD 110 million, it is considered one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world. It had remained parked at the airport since June 14 after developing a technical issue.
The aircraft had taken off from HMS Prince of Wales on 14 June but could not return to the carrier due to adverse weather conditions. Prioritising safety, it diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and landed safely.
While on the ground, the aircraft developed an engineering issue, delaying its return to the Carrier Strike Group.
Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales assessed the aircraft and concluded that support from a UK-based engineering team was needed.
The UK accepted India’s offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
To avoid disrupting normal airport operations, the aircraft was moved only after the UK engineering teams arrived with the required specialist equipment.