DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, PATNA, VADODARA ● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2025, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES `5.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 PM’S LONGEST INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS Callingforself-reliance,Modipromises reforms,warnsagainstinfiltrationthreat PM hails the RSS, says he will stand like a wall to protect farmer, dairy interests WHAT THE PM ANNOUNCED HARIKISHAN SHARMA & MANOJ C G NEW DELHI, AUGUST 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PM Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. Praveen Khanna AANCHAL MAGAZINE NEW DELHI, AUGUST 15 TARGETING TO push through next-generation reforms in the Goods and Services Tax regime before Diwali in October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday the lower tax burden will be a Diwali gift to the common man, small entrepreneurs and MSMEs. These reforms are expected toboostconsumptionastheGST rates on goods such as refrigerators, air conditioners and packaged and branded food items like fruit juices, butter, cheese, condensed milk, nuts, dates and sausages, and medical items including medical grade oxygen, gauze, bandages, diagnostic kits are likely to be cut. “This would enhance CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 E ● Simple structure, less burden DOING AWAY with multiple rates will ease compliance and lower tax burden on common people. The complexity of GST structure has made its administration unwieldy. Demography Mission: An idea that aligns with BJP and RSS narratives DEEPTIMAN TIWARY NEW DELHI, AUGUST 15 PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi’s Independence Day announcement on Friday that his government will set up a Demography Mission to study population changes hasbrought into sharp focus the long-held concerns of the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, over demographic shifts in the country. “When demographic change happens, especially in border areas, it creates a crisis for national security… a challenge for unity, integrity and progress... So today, fromtherampartsoftheRedFort, Iwanttosaythatwehavedecided to start a high-powered demog- raphy mission… Yeh mission tay samaymein,suvicharit,nischitroop se, apne karya ko karega. Us disha meinhumaagebadrahehain(This missionwillaccomplishitstaskin CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ‘TROUBLING’: OPP HITS OUT AT PM’S RSS REMARKS PAGE 10 DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 65, RESCUE WORK UNDERWAY 16/08/2025 80 108 132 66 THE CITY 20-YEAR-OLD WOMAN PRISONER FLEES FROM JJ HOSPITAL PAGE 3 PAGE6 Next-gen GST reforms by Diwali, Sudarshan Chakra says PM; just two rates: 5% & 18% defence shield in 10 yrs, EXPLAINED IN HIS Independence Day address that held out promises of changeand reformandreflected his ideological beliefs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday highlighted the “threat” of infiltration or illegal immigration and announced a mission to check “demographic change”, flagged self-reliance as the path to development and prosperity while urging the youth to come forward withinnovativeideas to power the change. He signalled hisintenttostanduplike“awall” to protect the interests of farmersandfishermenamidthestuttering trade talks with the US, andannouncedthataDiwalibonanza for the people was in the offingintheformof GSTreforms and rate cuts. Modi’s 103-minute address, his12thfromtherampartsof the Red Fort and the longest so far, also saw him lavishing fulsome praiseof theRSS.WiththeSangh set to celebrate its 100 years, the PrimeMinisterhaileditsjourney and talked about its nationbuildingefforts,serviceanddedication, remarks that drew criticism from the Opposition parties, especially the Congress whichcalledit“most-troubling”. Amid the shadow of the USimposed tariffs which could impacttheeconomy, Modiputalot of stress on self-reliance in all spheres – from defence, space sector, critical minerals, energy, semiconductors to fertiliser, pharmaceutical production and from operating systems to cyber security,deeptechtoartificialintelligence – saying “the bedrock of a ViksitBharat is alsoa self-reliant Bharat” and “the greater a nation’s reliance on others, the more its freedom comes into question”. He asked influencers EXPANDING nuclear energy capacity 10-fold by 2047 `1 LAKH CRORE employment plan for youths GST REFORMS to bring down tax burden TASK FORCE for nextgeneration reforms LAUNCH of Mission Sudarshan Chakra HIGH-POWERED Demography Mission SELF-RELIANCE in jet engine NATIONAL Deepwater Exploration Mission EMPHASIS on Swadeshi ‘All over within minutes’: Survivors recall Kishtwar flash flood horror AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, AUGUST 15 WEEKS AFTER Indian air defences successfully intercepted Pakistani missiles and drones during the hostilities that followed Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday announced the launch of Mission Sudarshan Chakra. It is learnt to be an advanced, multi-tiered air defence system, aimed at creating a nationwide security shield to thwart enemy attacks across domains and strengthen the country’s deterrent and offensive capabilities. In his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi drew an analogy between the initiative and the legendary Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Krishna, recalling how it was deployed during the Mahabharat to block the Sun’s rays and create darkness in the morning, enabling Arjun to fulfil his vow of killing Jayadratha. BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY SRINAGAR, AUGUST 15 IN ONE of his sharpest remarks on the non-restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the dual governancesystem in place is structured “not for success” but “for failure” and, for the first time, talked about his government’s decisions that are stuck with the Raj Bhavan. GivinghisfirstIndependence DayspeechafterreturningasCM, atBakshiStadiumhere,Abdullah announcedasignaturecampaign seeking the return of statehood toJ&K,whilequestioningthedelayindoingso.Hewasbeginning to lose hope on this after multiple reassurances, he said. Traditionally, militancy had declined under elected governments in J&K, he said, adding: “Today we are told that the elected government can't be “Inthenext10years,by2035, Iwanttoexpand,strengthenand modernisethisnationalsecurity shield,” he said, adding that the country will launch the Sudarshan Chakra mission. “Taking inspiration from Shri Krishna, we have chosen the path of his Sudarshan Chakra,” he said. The reference came a day ahead of Janmashtami, celebrated across India as the birthday of Lord Krishna. A statement issued by the government after the Prime Minister’s speech said the initiative is designed to enable rapid, preciseandpowerfuldefenceresponses, reinforcing India’s strategic autonomy. It said all public places will be covered by the expanded nationwide security shield by 2035, ensuring comprehensive protection for the nation and demonstrating India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence. While the exact contours of trusted to handle the situation here.”Hearingapetitionseeking restoration of statehood, the Supreme Court Thursday observed that incidents like the Pahalgam terror attack “could not be ignored” and that “the ground situation” would have to be factored in. “I do not want anyone to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Maharashtra’s role integral to country’s growth: Fadnavis EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE MUMBAI, AUGUST 15 MAHARASHTRA CHIEF Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday that the state will play a significant role in realising the ‘ViksitBharat’visionandwillrise to the challenge of shouldering the responsibility to make the THE WORLD ALL EYES ON TRUMP, PUTIN MEETING IN ALASKA PAGE 14 country self-reliant. “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is marchingforward.Injustashort span of a decade, it has emerged asthefourth-largestglobaleconomy. Maharashtra’s role is integral to this growth. The role of Viksit Maharashtra in Viksit Bharat is significant,” Fadnavis CONTINUEDONPAGE2 A sarpanch poll fight settled after 3 years, via EVM recount in SC CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 15 Rescue work in the affected area in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. PTI RELATEDREPORT,PAGE7 J&K CM Omar Abdullah at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium on Independence Day. PTI Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during Independence Day celebrations in Mumbai Friday. Akash Patil SUKHBIR SIWACH JAMMU, SRINAGAR, AUGUST 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BASHAARAT MASOOD plan for own jet engine ARUN SHARMA & BASHAARAT MASOOD IT WAS a loud clap of thunder that alerted Pradeep Singh, sitting inside his makeshift dhaba in Kishtwar’s Paddar. He looked up to see a dust storm coming and immediately ranfor cover— just in the nick of time. Within minutes, the place — around9kmfromthemainMata Machail temple — was covered Losing hope on statehood… This dual system built for failure: Omar AMIDSTTHEdinfromParliament to courts as the government and Opposition fight it out over alleged electoral discrepancies, Mohit Kumar’s small achievement raised barely a ripple. On Thursday, the 27-year-old officiallytookoathasthesarpanch ofBuanaLakhuvillageinPanipat, afteralonglegalbattlealltheway to the Supreme Court. A rare recountof EVMsheldonthepremisesoftheapexcourtfinallyledto theoverturningofthe2022result, asperwhichKumarhadlosttohis Mohit Kumar after taking oath as sarpanch, Thursday rival Kuldeep Singh. “I fought from district courts to the Supreme Court. Villagers and others advised me to give up, saying ‘nothing is going to happen’,” Kumar told The Indian Express. On why he persisted, Kumar, a graduate and the elder of two brothers, whose family owns a modest three acres of land, says: “I had full faith in the judiciary, and this remains intact after the final judgment.” Haryana held panchayat elections on November 2, 2022. Forthepostof sarpanchof Buana Lakhu, there were seven candidates. Voting was conducted across six booths. Singh was declared the winner by a margin of 313 votes, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 In British Chess Championships, a British-Indian bloom of prodigies PAGE 1 ANCHOR AMIT KAMATH MUMBAI, AUGUST 15 IN THE recently concluded national championships, two brothers Amandeep Singh and Adamjeet Singh returned home with seven podium finishes between them. While seven-yearold Amandeep claimed twin titles in the Under-8 Rapidplay and Under-8 Blitz Championships, besides two more top-three finishes, the older sibling, Adamjeet, ended joint top in the Under-10 Rapidplay Championship be- sides a podium finish in the Under-10 Championship. This could have been the result from the Indian national championship, but it isn’t. Amandeep and Adamjeet have been making waves in the British Chess Championships. They weren’t the only ones. There were as many as 20 Indian-origin British children — or British Indians, as they are known — who ended up among the top three finishers at the British Chess Championships, held at Liverpool. In fact, out of the 78 prizes handed out in the three categories (classical, rapid and blitz) across the five age group events from U8 to U16, as many as 26 podium finishes — aboutonethird—weresweptby children of Indian heritage. Away from the top three finishers,participationfiguresinthe U8 to U16 age groups also show that there is a heavy presence of Indian-heritagechildrenpowering British chess at the moment. In one event, the U12 Rapidplay championship, almost half the participants — 21 out of 43 — were British Indian children. To putthesenumbersincontext,as per the 2021 Census, the 1.8 million British Indians residing in England and Wales form just 3.1 percent of the population. Add to thisthe fact thatsome of the most promising Indianorigin British prodigies like 10year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, 11-year-old Supratit Banerjee and 16-year-old grandmaster Bodhana Sivanandan, 10, became the youngest girl to beat a grandmaster during the British Chess Championships in Liverpool last week. Yuri Krylov/English Chess Federation Shreyas Royal opted to compete in the open events (events not restricted by age group) at the British National Championships rather than compete in the age group ones. “In the main event of the British Championship itself (the open event where all the top grandmasters competed), as far as I could tell, there were 18 Indian-origin players out of a field of 100 competitors. This included stars like Bodhana and Shreyas.Buttherewerealsonew namescomingthrough,whoare clearly going to be very strong players. Players such as Supratit Banerjee, Rishi Vijayakumar, Aditya Vaidyanathan and Zain Patel. All these people qualified either by rating or title or because they won qualifying tournaments. Nobody gets into the British Championship without deserving to be there,”TimWall, who is the Director of Junior Chess Development at the English Chess Federation (ECF), tells The Indian Express. Wall’s role at the ECF is to build up the junior pyramid of talent. But what he’s seen at the British Championships is not a surprise to him because it’s something that chess clubs around the country are also witnessing.Atthechessclubheruns atNewcastleuponTyne—called Newcastle Chess Club — he says there is a healthy concentration of children that are of Indian descent. Besides that, he also coaches youngsters like Amandeep Singh and Adamjeet Singh, the brothers who had claimed seven medals in the U8 and U10 events. The English federation is alreadylookingatthetrioof Royal, BodhanaandBanerjeeasstarsof the future. Royal became the youngest-ever British grandmaster last year at the age of 15. Bodhana became the youngest girl in the world to defeat a grandmasterlastweekattheage of 10. Banerjee, 11, who is not yet anIM,tookdowntwoGMsatthe British Championships in Liverpool. Bodhana and Royal are already the face of British chess: they were invited to 10 Downing Street in August 2023 by then British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when he was planning to announce a financial package for chess in the UK. While Wall credits the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2