DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PATNA, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2025, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 22 PAGES 2025NOBEL PEACE PRIZE MARIACORINAMACHADO EXPLAINED PAGE16 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY JAISHANKAR HOLDS TALKS WITH TALIBAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUTTAQI India resets ties with Taliban-ruled Kabul, to upgrade ‘technical mission’ to embassy Two Afghanistan flags, no women journalists — and the Bamiyan Buddhas Kabul to send diplomats; won't let Afghan soil be used to threaten others: Muttaqi SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 AS A first step towards normalising diplomatic ties with the Taliban since the group seized power in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US-led forces in 2021, India on Friday said it would upgrade its “technical THE WORLD NOBEL PANEL PLACES POLITICSOVERPEACE: WHITE HOUSE PAGE 14 `7.00 (`8 RAIPUR, `15 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi. ANI mission”inKabultothestatusof an embassy. External Affairs Minister SJaishankarmadetheannounce- ment during his first meeting withTaliban-ruledAfghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MINUTES BEFORE Taliban-led Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi walked into the Afghan embassy in Delhi, an angry young Afghan stomped out with a flagpole. “I will not let them hoist the Taliban flag as long as I am around,” he said. “Let the Indian government officially recognise the Taliban government, then they can hoist the Taliban flag,” said the youth, who has worked at the Afghan embassy here for several years. He requested anonymityfor fear of retribution back home. Amid the face-off with the visiting Taliban members, the Afghans stationed in Delhi stood their ground, not allowing them to hoist the flag of the Islamic CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 GEORGE MATHEW AMID TRUMP TARIFF TENSION, NEW U.S. ENVOY SERGIO GOR BEGINS INDIA VISIT CENTRE NOTIFIES BINDING EMISSION CUT TARGETS FOR 4 SECTORS PAGE 6 MoF proposal: No more than 3 years in a department, total 5 years in govt AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 THEGOVERNMENTisworkingon anewpolicythatseekstocapthe numberandtenureofconsultants engagedbyministriesanddepartments, and also standardise their remuneration and approval process, The Indian Express has learnt. The Ministry of Finance is likely to steer the formulation of thepolicy,thoughotherministries mayalsoberopedin,government officials said. The proposal, which was discussed recently among departments and ministries, is likely to limit the engagement of Young Professionals or senior professionals/ domain experts to no more than three years in a single ministry or department. Young Professionals can work in another department, but the num- PROPOSED PAY CAP `70,000 for Young Professionals with over 5 yrs experience `1.2 lakh for those with 11–15 years experience. `1.8 lakh for those with 16–20 yrs experience `1.9 lakh for those with 21–25 yrs experience and PG or tech degree `50 cr or 2% of project cost for consultants hired through agencies Muslim population up EXPRESS NETWORK SP Group wants Tata because of large-scale PANEL FOR GREEN NOD TO SAWALKOTE Sons listed, underlines infiltration, says Shah PROJECT transparency, legacy After PM meet, message to Secys: Push AMID TUSSLE WITHIN TATA TRUSTS PAGE 8 GOVT & POLITICS Govt plans uniform pay, cap on tenure and number for outside consultants MUMBAI, OCTOBER 10 THE SHAPOORJI Pallonji (SP) Group,whichisakeystakeholder in Tata Sons, has demanded the public listing of the Tata Group’s influential holding company — a move that comes amidst an ongoing dispute between two factions within Tata Trusts. In a statement Friday, the SP Group said listing Tata Sons was notmerelyafinancialreformbut a“moral”obligation.Itdescribed suchamoveasastepthatwould revivefounderJamsetjiTata’svision of transparency and restore faith among stakeholders, employees,investorsandthepublic. “The SP Group has consistentlyadvocatedthelistingofTata Sons,” it said in the statement. “The public listing of Tata Sons is not merely a financial step — it is a moral and social CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 homegrown social media platforms NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 UNION HOME Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that the increase in the country’s Muslim population was not due to the fertilityratebutbecauseof largescale infiltration. Shah made these remarks while delivering the 'Narendra Mohan Memorial Lecture' on 'Infiltration, Demographic Change, and Democracy' organised by Dainik Jagran. ber would be capped at five years across the government. The government is also keen HARIKISHAN SHARMA NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, Friday. PTI Referring to Pakistan, BangladeshandAfghanistan,the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PROMOTING “INDIGENOUS development” of digital and social media platforms was one of the key“action”pointsthatemerged from an interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government's top bu- Cab Secy T V Somanathan wrote to top officials on October 9 reaucrats earlier this week, The Indian Express has learnt. Sources told this newspaper thatthedirectivewasamong“28 points” that resulted from the meeting held in Delhi on October 6 between the Prime Minister and Secretaries helming ministries and departments in the Central Government. Three days later, on October 9, Cabinet Secretary Dr T V Somanathan wrote to the Secretaries, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Asia’s best coming to Sri Narendra Modi Prime Minister Bhubaneswar Sri Mohan Charan Majhi Chief Minister, Odisha 11-15 October, 2025 Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar Tickets Live On DSPL-312 Sports & Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha OIPR/29001/13/0111/2526