The former Jammu and Kashmir governor Karan Singh on Wednesday expressed deep sympathy with the people of Nepal over the loss of life and property in the recent disaster and called for a coordinated regional effort to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.

As per a statement issued, Karan Singh said that the cataclysmic events in Nepal have led to a considerable loss of life and property. I would like to express my deep sympathy with the people of Nepal in this hour of tragedy. My late wife was from Nepal and, therefore, I have a special attachment with that beautiful country and its people.

I must add that the event that triggered the disaster took place in Tibet. In a way the episode has once again reminded of the fragility of the Himalayan region.

This is why many lovers of the Himalayas, like myself, have constantly been urging that the Government of India must take some proactive role in saving the Himalayas from destruction.

The destruction that 4-lane roads in such delicate areas, as the Char Dham in Uttarakhand is reprehensible. This involves massive blasting and widening of the roads. In my view 4-lane roads should totally banned in the Himalayas.

There is no reason why tourists and pilgrims cannot travel on 2-lane roads. I have been suggesting for some time that the Himalayan nations should set up Himalayan authority. This would include Pakistan, Tibet, India all the way to Bangladesh & Bhutan. Only then can a uniform policy be adopted. It would be appropriate if Prime Minister Narendra Modi were to take the initiative in this regard with the Prime Minister of Nepal.

New Delhi, Sep 2: The Government of India welcomed the decision of Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) to upgrade India’s Long-Term Foreign Currency and Local Currency Issuer Ratings by one notch from ‘BBB+’ to ‘A-’, while maintaining the Stable Outlook. JCR has also raised India’s country ceiling by one notch to ‘A’.

The upgrade reflects India’s solid economic growth, the effectiveness of economic policies in strengthening the foundations for growth, and the improved soundness of the financial system. JCR noted that the Indian economy has maintained a high growth rate, supported by robust private consumption and public investment. The latest GDP estimates released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) indicate that real GDP growth remained strong at 7.8 per cent in FY26. The growth momentum was sustained in Q1 of FY27, with real GDP growing by 7.8 per cent, despite prevailing global headwinds. The agency also highlighted the Government’s continued implementation of policies conducive to productivity growth and economic development, including the development of digital public infrastructure and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, which have strengthened India’s economic foundations.

The agency also recognised the improvement in the quality of fiscal expenditure, with greater emphasis on capital expenditure, particularly infrastructure investment. JCR noted that the Central Government’s fiscal deficit declined from 4.7% in FY25 to 4.4% in FY26, while capital expenditure remained high.

JCR also highlighted the significant improvement in the overall soundness of India’s financial system. The asset quality of the banking sector has strengthened, supported by the establishment of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, capital infusion by the Government and strengthened supervision by the RBI. Capital adequacy and profitability in the banking sector have remained sound. The asset quality and capital adequacy of the non-banking financial sector have also improved, further strengthening the financial system.

On the external sector, the agency noted that India’s current account deficit remains contained, supported by a surplus in the services balance. Ample foreign exchange reserves, significantly exceeding short-term external debt, provide strong resilience against external shocks.

The upgrade comes against the backdrop of a challenging global environment and underscores the continued strengthening of India’s economic fundamentals, supported by sustained growth, effective economic policies, improved fiscal quality and a stronger financial system.

It is worth noting that India had previously received sovereign rating upgrades from major international rating agencies over the past year. Morningstar DBRS upgraded India’s sovereign rating in May 2025, followed by S&P Global Ratings in August 2025 and Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I), Japan, in September 2025.

New Delhi, Sep 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired the valedictory session of the two-day National Departmental Summit on Water, organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Summit is the first in a series of Departmental Summits envisioned by Prime Minister to strengthen the spirit of Team India, deepen cooperative federalism and foster collective ownership of national priorities through closer collaboration between the Centre and the States. It brought together Ministers and senior officials from States and Union Territories for focused deliberations on various dimensions of India’s water security.

Prime Minister appreciated the intensive two-day deliberations and emphasised that the actionable and time-bound action points emerging from the Summit should be pursued through a continuous process of review and learning. He suggested that the Summit should not remain a one-time exercise and called for a continuous process of review and follow-up.

Prime Minister called for sensitising Urban Local Bodies to the challenges arising from urbanisation, including population growth and future water requirements, and suggested organising similar Chintan Shivirs for Urban Local Bodies. He called for greater adoption of water-saving technologies. He also suggested dedicated exhibitions and workshops, including exposure to global best practices, to enable Indian manufacturers and stakeholders to develop and scale efficient solutions.

Emphasising Jan Bhagidari, Prime Minister suggested promoting “Jal Utsav” to create greater awareness among people. Prime Minister called for making de-silting a regular programme and developing clear criteria and SOPs for de-silting. On dam safety, he stressed rigorous preparedness before every monsoon, adherence to prescribed precautions and creating awareness among school students, including through suitable incorporation in educational curricula.

Prime Minister further called for strengthening knowledge and capacity on water management and governance in universities and higher educational institutions. He suggested structured inter-State study-visits involving public representatives, officials and farmers to facilitate practical learning and replication of successful interventions.

Prime Minister called for robust water data governance, with water-sector data brought together, systematically managed, analysed and effectively utilised. He recommended the use of AI for data collection and analysis through a uniform format. He also stressed anticipatory and integrated planning to address water scarcity through suitable utilisation of treated water for agriculture and industrial purposes.

Drawing upon his experience as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Prime Minister noted that instances of water scarcity could be transformed into opportunities through systematic planning, commitment and deployment of adequate resources and capable officers.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Patil highlighted four key outcomes of the summit: accelerated completion of water infrastructure projects; strengthening water conservation as a sustained people’s movement; ensuring long-term sustainability of drinking-water sources; and institutionalising effective operation and maintenance of rural drinking-water schemes.