India's response to Pahalgam attack was limited to terror targets: Vikram Doraiswami
He also showed an image on air of US-designated terrorist Abdur Rauf leading prayers for those killed in India’s Operation Sindoor. This image was also shared during a briefing by India's foreign secretary Vikram Mistry in New Delhi.
Doraiswami gave interviews to several British media outlets on Thursday to outline India’s position on the current tensions with Pakistan.
INDIAs high commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, said India’s response to last month’s terrorist attacks in Pahalgam was limited, targeted and aimed only at terror infrastructure. He said Pakistan has instead chosen to escalate the situation rather than take an “off-ramp” to end the crisis.
Doraiswami gave interviews to several British media outlets on Thursday to outline India’s position on the current tensions with Pakistan. Speaking to Sky News, he said the international community should urge Pakistan to take the opportunity to de-escalate.
He also showed an image on air of US-designated terrorist Abdur Rauf leading prayers for those killed in India’s Operation Sindoor. This image was also shared during a briefing by India's foreign secretary Vikram Mistry in New Delhi.
“Everybody knows that for the last 30 years, Pakistan has used this (terrorism) as a means of sub-critical warfare against India,” Doraiswami said.
“If the international community really wants to be able to look at this and worry about it, the simple solution is to tell Pakistan it has an opportunity for an off-ramp. These are things that the world should have compelled Pakistan to do 30 years ago, and to compel them to implement their promises about taking down this infrastructure. It has not done so,” he said.
Asked whether India fears a further escalation in the region, Doraiswami said the “original escalation” came from Pakistan-backed terror groups who attacked and shot civilians in Pahalgam on April 22.
“Our response thereafter was precise, targeted, reasonable and moderate. It was focused principally and solely on terrorist infrastructure. We did not strike the Pakistani military establishment. We did not strike national infrastructure, and we made it abundantly clear… that the object of this exercise was clearly to avoid military escalation – a fact actually acknowledged in a left-handed way, of course, by the Pakistani side in terms of their own official statements which said that the airspace hadn't been violated,” he said.
“The logical solution would be, as we've said repeatedly, for Pakistan to take the opportunity of an off-ramp, which we have made abundantly clear, including this morning, that if Pakistan stops attacking our military facilities, the matter ends there, but it is for them to decide,” he said.
The high commissioner was also asked about reports of Indian jets allegedly being shot down, which remain unverified.
“If it satisfies Pakistan's ego to say that they've done something, they could have used that as an off-ramp to move on. But clearly they chose not to and they've continued to escalate the matter,” he added.
Ambulance are seen parked near the post-mortem room at a hospital before transferring victims' dead bodies to a mortuary in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025, a day after Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area.
GRIEVING families waited on Saturday for updates after one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent decades, as the death toll from the Air India crash rose to 279.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner issued a mayday call shortly before crashing around midday on Thursday. The aircraft burst into flames as it hit residential buildings in the northern Indian city of Ahmedabad.
A police source confirmed to AFP on Saturday that 279 bodies had been recovered from the site. The crash is among the worst aviation disasters of the 21st century.
There was one survivor among the 242 passengers and crew members on board. The tail section of the aircraft remained lodged in a hostel for medical staff.
At least 38 people on the ground were also killed.
"I saw my child for the first time in two years, it was a great time," said Anil Patel, whose son and daughter-in-law had come to visit before taking the flight.
"And now, there is nothing," he said, breaking down. "Whatever the gods wanted has happened."
Search for black box continues
Relatives of the victims have been providing DNA samples in Ahmedabad. Some family members have flown in to assist in the identification process.
The final casualty figure will only be confirmed once DNA testing is completed.
According to Air India, the aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian citizen, along with 12 crew members.
The victims included a senior politician and a teenage tea seller.
The only survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, spoke to national broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed. A British citizen, Ramesh said, "Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive."
Aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Friday that a flight data recorder had been found. "It would significantly aid" the investigation, he said.
Forensic teams are still searching for the second black box as investigators try to determine why the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, reaching a height of only 100 metres (330 feet).
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing said it was in contact with Air India and "ready to support them" regarding the incident. A source close to the investigation said this was the first crash involving a 787 Dreamliner.
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A view shows the wreckage of the tail section of an Air India aircraft, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, which crashed during take-off from airport in Ahmedabad. (Photo: Reuters)
THE INVESTIGATION into the Air India crash that killed more than 240 people is focusing on the aircraft's engine, flaps, and landing gear.
The Indian aviation regulator has ordered safety checks on the airline’s entire Boeing 787 fleet, reported Reuters.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, with 242 people on board and headed to Gatwick Airport near London, began losing altitude shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. CCTV footage showed the aircraft crashing into a residential area and erupting into a fireball after hitting buildings.
Only one passenger survived. Local media reported that up to 24 people on the ground were also killed when the plane hit a medical college hostel during lunchtime.
This is the deadliest aviation accident globally in the past ten years.
Probe focuses on aircraft components
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters the investigation is examining several factors, including engine thrust, flap deployment, and why the landing gear was still down during take-off. The plane lost height and crashed moments after leaving the runway.
The probe is also looking into possible maintenance issues and whether Air India was at fault, the source said.
A bird-hit is not among the primary areas being investigated, the source added. Anti-terrorism teams are also involved in the probe.
The Indian government is considering whether to ground the Boeing 787 fleet during the investigation. Air India, Boeing, and the aviation ministry have not commented on this yet.
Air India operates more than 30 Dreamliners, including Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. An Air India source said the airline has not received any communication about grounding the fleet so far.
Safety checks ordered on Dreamliner fleet
India’s aviation regulator has directed Air India to carry out additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft with GEnx engines. This includes a "one-time check" of take-off parameters before each flight starting from midnight on 15 June.
The regulator also asked the airline to add flight control system checks during transit inspections and to complete power assurance checks within two weeks. These are aimed at confirming the engine can generate the necessary power.
Flight data recorder recovered
The aviation ministry said investigators have recovered the digital flight data recorder from the rooftop of the building where the plane crashed. The cockpit voice recorder, the second black box, has not yet been found.
The Tata Group, which took over Air India from the government in 2022 and later merged it with Vistara, is part of the investigation. Tata Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said in an internal memo that investigators from India, the UK, and the US have arrived. “We don’t know right now,” he said. “We want to understand what happened and will be fully transparent.”
GE Aerospace, which manufactures the aircraft engines, said it supports the regulator’s actions. “Safety is our top priority,” a GE Aerospace spokesperson said. “We are committed to providing all technical support necessary to understand the cause of this accident.”
Rescue operations completed
On Friday, rescue workers completed search operations at the crash site. Teams were searching buildings for missing people, bodies, and aircraft parts that could assist the investigation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site in Gujarat, where he was briefed on rescue operations and met some of the injured in hospital. “The scene of devastation is saddening,” he said on X.
This is the first crash involving a Boeing Dreamliner since the aircraft began commercial service in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network. The aircraft involved in Thursday’s crash first flew in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, according to Flightradar24.
The passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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A view shows Air India flight AI 379 that had to make an emergency landing back at Phuket Airport, due to a note of a bomb threat discovered mid-air, in Phuket, Thailand, June 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
AN AIR INDIA flight from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi returned to the Thai island on Friday after a bomb threat was discovered on board, according to Thailand’s airports authority.
The flight had taken off from Phuket and was en route to India when the pilot reported a possible threat and made an emergency landing.
Airports of Thailand stated on its Phuket Facebook page that the pilot of the Airbus A320 informed air traffic control after a message indicating a bomb threat was found inside the aircraft.
"We received a report of a bomb threat written inside the aircraft's bathroom, so the pilot informed the control tower and decided to divert the flight to Phuket International Airport after circling to burn off fuel," said Monchai Tanode, director of Phuket International Airport, at a press conference.
"Police have brought in several suspects, but have not yet been able to identify who wrote the message," Monchai added.
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the aircraft made a U-turn over the Andaman Sea shortly after takeoff, then circled repeatedly off Phuket’s coast before landing back at the airport.
The website showed that the flight departed again at 4:28 pm (0928 GMT), more than seven hours after its scheduled departure.
The incident took place a day after another Air India flight, bound for London, crashed in Ahmedabad, killing at least 265 people both on board and on the ground.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Debris of Air India flight 171 is pictured after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
INVESTIGATORS have recovered the black box from the site of Thursday’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick airport went down shortly after takeoff, killing at least 265 people, including those on the ground.
The aircraft issued a mayday call shortly before crashing into a residential area around lunchtime. The plane had barely lifted 100 metres from the ground before it came down, with its tailpiece left protruding from the second floor of a hostel for medical staff from a nearby hospital.
Air India said the flight carried 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian and 12 crew members. According to police, 265 bodies have been counted so far, including at least 24 on the ground. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as more remains are recovered.
Deputy commissioner of police Kanan Desai confirmed the body count on Friday. Home Minister Amit Shah said in a statement that the official death toll would be announced after DNA testing is completed. Samples will also be collected from family members living abroad, he added.
A formal investigation has been launched by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said. The probe will follow International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) protocols. He said a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines was also being set up to examine the incident and improve aviation safety.
Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy. pic.twitter.com/R7PPGGo6Lj — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 13, 2025
Prime minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and met survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, at the hospital. Ramesh, who was injured in the crash, said, “Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive.”
“Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn’t believe how I managed to come out alive from that,” he added. “Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly... it felt like something got stuck... I realised something had happened, and then suddenly the plane’s green and white lights turned on.”
Eyewitnesses said the nose and front wheel of the aircraft landed on a canteen where students were having lunch. Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the black box flight recorders, which are expected to provide vital information about the plane’s final moments.
The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has offered assistance to India, and the US National Transportation Safety Board will also help with the investigation. Boeing said it was supporting Air India and was “working to gather more information” on the crash.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Narendra Modi meets family members of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who died after an Air India plane carrying him and 241 others crashed in Ahmedabad. (@narendramodi via PTI Photo)
INDIA's prime minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to his longtime colleague Vijay Rupani, the former Gujarat chief minister who died in Thursday's (12) devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Speaking after meeting Rupani's family on Friday (13), Modi said it was "unimaginable" that his old friend was no longer with them.
"I've known him for decades. We worked together, shoulder to shoulder, including during some of the most challenging times," the prime minister wrote on social media.
Modi described Rupani as "humble and hardworking, firmly committed to the party's ideology" and praised his rise through the ranks to serve as Gujarat's chief minister.
The 68-year-old BJP leader was among 242 people aboard the London-bound Air India flight that crashed into a medical college building moments after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. Only one person survived the tragedy, which claimed 265 lives in total.
— (@)
Rupani was travelling to visit his daughter in London, where his wife Anjaliben was already staying. She returned to India on Friday morning.
The former chief minister had a peculiar connection to the crash date - he considered 1206 his lucky number and used it on all his vehicle registration plates throughout his career. The number has now become synonymous with his final journey on June 12 (12/6).
Rupani served as Gujarat's chief minister from August 2016 to September 2021, steering the state through challenging times including the Patidar community protests and the post-Covid recovery period. He stepped down in September 2021, making way for current chief minister Bhupendra Patel ahead of state elections.
FILE PHOTO: Vijay Rupani (L) with Narendra Modi (Photo: X/@narendramodi)
His political journey began in student activism with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad during his college days. In 1975, he was jailed for a year in Bhavnagar for protesting against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi's government.
He entered public service in 1987 as a Rajkot Municipal Corporation councillor and later became mayor. Between 2006 and 2012, he served as a Rajya Sabha member before Modi appointed him chairman of the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board.
As chief minister, Rupani launched the state Industrial Policy 2020 and championed tribal development initiatives. He was known for his composed manner and firm administrative style during his tenure.
After stepping down as chief minister, Rupani was appointed as the BJP's in-charge for Punjab, a role he held until his death.
The crash has sent shockwaves through Gujarat's political circles, where Rupani was respected across party lines for his dedication and service to the state over nearly three decades in public life.