New Delhi, Dec 18: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India’s Armed Forces had demonstrated “high-impact, short-duration operational capability” during Operation Sindoor, underlining the growing role of air power in safeguarding national interests amid a rapidly evolving global security environment.

Addressing the Air Force Commanders’ Conclave in New Delhi on December 18, 2025, Rajnath Singh described the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a technologically advanced, operationally agile and strategically confident force.

He praised the speed, precision and courage with which the IAF destroyed terror camps during the operation, and its effective handling of what he termed Pakistan’s “irresponsible reaction” following the strikes.

Highlighting public confidence in India’s air defence preparedness, the Defence Minister said that people remained calm and continued with their daily lives even when Pakistani forces attempted to target Indian installations.

“This is proof of the trust of every Indian in our operational preparedness,” he said, urging IAF commanders to draw lessons from Operation Sindoor and remain vigilant in the face of future challenges.

Referring to the changing nature of warfare, Rajnath Singh said recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Balakot air strikes and Operation Sindoor, had shown that air power had emerged as a decisive force.

He stressed that air power was not merely a tactical asset but a strategic instrument, characterised by speed, surprise and shock.

“Through speed, reach and precision, air power has become an effective tool for aligning national objectives with military means,” he said.

While commending the performance of India’s air defence systems and other equipment used during Operation Sindoor, Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s security apparatus.

He said modern warfare was increasingly shaped by cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, satellite-based surveillance and space-enabled operations, making precision weapons, real-time intelligence and data-driven decision-making essential for success.

The Defence Minister expressed confidence that the Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address this year, would play a key role in protecting national assets.

He also said the development of indigenous jet engines had become a national mission, with the government fully committed to achieving self-reliance in this critical area.

Describing Operation Sindoor as a “shining example” of tri-service synergy, Rajnath Singh underlined the importance of jointness among the three Services to effectively counter emerging threats.

He also lauded the IAF’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in India and abroad, saying such missions had strengthened public trust in the force.

The conclave was attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and senior IAF commanders.

Rajnath Singh was received by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh and briefed on the IAF’s operational readiness.

The conclave serves as a key platform for the IAF leadership to review operational priorities, address emerging challenges and advance self-reliance in defence capabilities.

Mumbai, Dec 18: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday demanded an apology from his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar for pulling down a woman doctor’s veil, while simultaneously accusing the BJP of maintaining “double standards” based on the religious identity of the victim. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 11th Edition of India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) “Role Model” series, Abdullah expressed shock over the incident, which occurred on Monday in Patna during an appointment letter distribution ceremony.

The incident gained national attention after a video showed Nitish Kumar publicly removing the ‘naqab’ (veil) of a young Muslim doctor while questioning her choice of attire.

Abdullah questioned the necessity of the act and said “why did Nitish feel the need to touch the woman’s clothes? I would not do such a thing. He should realise his mistake and apologise to her.”

Responding to Union Minister Giriraj Singh’s defence of the Bihar chief minister, Abdullah claimed the reaction would have been far more explosive if the roles were reversed.

“One cannot expect anything different from the BJP. If a Muslim leader had touched the veil of a Hindu woman in Haryana or Rajasthan, what a hue and cry there would have been. It would have been a disaster,” Abdullah said.

“But because this doctor was a Muslim, the BJP’s reaction is different.”

He urged Kumar to persuade the doctor to join government service, as she has reportedly refused to accept her appointment letter following the humiliation.

Speaking about a recent controversy sparked by Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan with his comments about Operation Sindoor, Abdullah dismissed the claim as a personal opinion.

“The Congress has not said anything like this. In fact, the Congress and other opposition parties stood in support of the government and the defence forces after the Pahalgam terror attack,” he said, adding that a single leader’s comment cannot be viewed as the official party line.

Reflecting on the “Idea of India,” Abdullah reminded the audience of Jammu and Kashmir’s historic decision in 1947 saying that as a Muslim-majority state sharing a border with Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir “willingly chose” not to join Pakistan but to align with India’s secular vision.

“That is the idea of India we need to protect,” he stressed.

Abdullah also spoke about the two controversies in Jammu and Kashmir — Vaishnodevi Medical College and selection of team for Santosh trophy.

He said 42 out of the 50 inaugural MBBS students admitted through the NEET merit list were Muslim, adding, “…why should that be a case for discussion? If they pass the exam, regardless of their religion, they deserve the chance to become a doctor.”

Addressing regional complaints regarding the selection of the Jammu and Kashmir football team, he insisted that the only choice that matters is between “the talented and the untalented.”

Abdullah also reflected on his interactions with the younger generation, noting their anxiety over the examples set by current politicians.

“The responsibility that rests on our shoulders is to try and hand over to them a country that is at least as good as it was when we took it over,” he said.

Regarding the newly proposed Viksit Bharat G RAM G Bill (statutory replacement for MGNREGA), Abdullah said he would withhold comment until he had thoroughly studied its provisions.

New Delhi, Dec 18: The Union Government on Thursday said that development and promotion of tourism is primarily the responsibility of the State governments and Union Territory administrations. This was stated by Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Giving details about the efforts primarily necessary for development and promotion of tourism in the country, the Union Minister of Tourism said that development and promotion of tourism destinations and products is primarily undertaken by the concerned State Government (SG)/Union Territory Administration (UTA). However, the Ministry of Tourism through its central sector schemes of ‘Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0)’& ‘Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)’, a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan scheme complements the efforts of tourism infrastructure development in the country by extending financial assistance to the SGs/UTAs in synergy with the scheme guidelines, receipt of the project proposals from the concerned State Governments/Union Territory Administrations, availability of funds etc., Ministry of Tourism has revamped the Swadesh Darshan Scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) with the objective to develop sustainable tourism destinations. Accordingly, a total of 53 projects for Rs.2208.27 Crore are sanctioned under SD2.0 scheme and 36 projects for Rs.648.11 Crore are sanctioned under CBDD initiative. Under these schemes, the funds are authorized by the Ministry of Tourism for implementation of projects and is utilized by the concerned State/UT Implementing Agency.

The Minister said that information on tourist destinations in the country is promoted through the Incredible India Digital Portal. Also, Ministry of Tourism has launched the Incredible India Content Hub on the revamped Incredible India digital portal (www.incredibleindia.gov.in). The Incredible India Content Hub is aimed to be a comprehensive digital repository of high-quality images, films, brochures and newsletters which can be easily accessed by the industry stakeholders (travel media, tour operators, travel agents) across the globe, required to amplify Incredible India in all their marketing and promotional efforts. In addition to this, Ministry of Tourism also promotes tourism in India through various initiatives including events, social media and campaigns.

He stated that the Ministry of Tourism, through the Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) scheme, provides education, training, and certification to tourism service providers at various levels of the hospitality sector to upgrade skills, enhance employability. To further enhance the tourist experience, the Ministry also offers the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme, a Pan-India online learning initiative, and implements a national responsible tourism initiative titled Paryatan Mitra/Paryatan Didi.

Presently, e-visa facility under nine sub-categories is available to nationals of 171 countries for entry through 31 designated international airports and 06 major seaports. Processing of e-visa is totally on the online platform, the Union Minister of Tourism said.

He continued that Ministry of Tourism is working very closely with Ministry of Civil Aviation for improving the air connectivity to important tourist destination and to lesser known/new destinations with high potential. It has coordinated with Ministry of Civil Aviation under their Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-Udan) and sharing the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amount for 53 tourism routes identified for this purpose.

He concluded that to give fillip to private investment in tourism, three-star or higher category classified hotels located outside cities with population of more than 1 million, ropeways & cable cars and Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre Projects with minimum built-up floor area of 100,000 square metres of exclusively exhibition space or convention space or both combined, have been included in the Harmonized Master List of infrastructure sub-sectors.

Muscat, Dec 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Thursday conferred with the Order of Oman, the Sultanate’s uniquely distinct civilian honour, by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for his “exceptional contribution” to India-Oman ties and his “visionary leadership”.

Modi received the award during his ongoing two-day visit to Oman, the final leg of his three-nation tour that included Jordan and Ethiopia.

“Honoured to receive the Order of Oman (First Class). My gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Government and people of Oman for this honour. This is a symbol of affection and trust between the people of India and Oman,” Modi said.

This is the latest addition to PM Modi’s distinguished list of over 28 highest civilian awards from foreign nations, including recent honours such as Ethiopia’s Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia and Kuwait’s Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer.

“For centuries, our ancestors have been connected with each other, engaged in maritime trade with one another. The Arabian Sea has become a strong bridge between our nations. I dedicate this honour to the people of India. I also dedicate this honour to our ancestors who laid the foundations of this relationship by travelling from Mandvi to Muscat,” Modi said.

He also dedicated the award to the seafarers who have, through centuries of exchange, contributed to the progress of both nations.

Instituted in 1970 by Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Order of Oman (First Class) has been bestowed upon select global leaders in recognition of their contribution to public life and bilateral relations.

Modi’s visit to Muscat marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Oman, with both sides focusing on deepening strategic partnership in trade, investment, energy, defence and culture.

Modi arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit and was accorded a warm welcome, including a guard of honour.

New Delhi, Dec 18: India and Oman have taken a significant step in building a stronger economic partnership with the signing of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement today under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion H.E. Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef signed the agreement.

This Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) marks an important milestone in India’s engagement with the Gulf region and reflects the shared commitment to deepen bilateral economic integration. Oman is an important strategic partner in the region and is a key gateway for Indian goods and services to the wider Middle East and Africa. Nearly 7 lakh Indian nationals reside in Oman, including Indian merchant families with a presence of over 200–300 years, contributing significantly to Oman’s economy and society. Indian enterprises have built a strong presence in Oman, with over 6,000 Indian establishments operating across sectors. Annual remittances of around USD 2 billion further reflect the depth of economic engagement. Bilateral trade between India and Oman stands at over USD 10 billion, with strong potential for expansion under the CEPA framework.

This is the 2nd Free Trade Agreement signed in the last 6 months after United Kingdom and is a part of strategy to sign trade agreements with developed economies that are not competing with our labour-intensive interests and provide opportunities for Indian businesses.

The CEPA secures unprecedented tariff concessions for India from Oman. Oman has offered zero-duty access on 98.08% of its tariff lines, covering 99.38% of India’s exports to Oman. All major labour-intensive sectors including Gems & Jewellery, Textiles, leather, footwear, sports goods, plastics, furniture, agricultural products, engineering products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and Automobiles receive full tariff elimination.  Out of the above, immediate tariff elimination is being offered on 97.96% Tariff Lines.

India is offering tariff liberalization on 77.79% of its total tariff lines (12556) which covers 94.81% of India’s imports from Oman by value. For the products of export interest to Oman and which are sensitive to India, the offer is mostly a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) based tariff liberalization.

To safeguard its interest, sensitive products have been kept in the exclusion category by India without offering any concessions, especially agricultural products, including dairy, tea, coffee, rubber, and tobacco products; gold and silver bullion, jewellery; other labour-intensive products such as footwear, sports goods; and scrap of many base metals.

The Services sector, a strong driver of India’s economy, will also see wide-ranging benefits. Oman’s substantial global services imports amounting to USD 12.52 billion, with the share of India’s exports in Oman’s global imports basket as 5.31%, indicating significant untapped potential for Indian service providers. The agreement features a comprehensive and forward-looking services package, with Oman extending substantial commitments across a broad spectrum of sectors including Computer Related Services, Business and Professional Services, Audio-visual Services, Research and Development, Education and Health Services. These commitments are expected to unlock significant new opportunities for Indian service providers, promote high-value job creation, and support expanding commercial engagement between the two countries.

A major highlight of the CEPA is the enhanced mobility framework for Indian professionals. For the first time, Oman has offered wide-ranging commitments under Mode 4, including a notable increase in the quota for Intra-Corporate Transferees from 20 per cent to 50 per cent, together with a longer permitted duration of stay for Contractual Service Suppliers—extended from the existing 90 days to two years, with the possibility of a further two-year extension. The agreement also provides for more liberal entry and stay conditions for skilled professionals in key sectors such as accountancy, taxation, architecture, medical and allied services, supporting deeper and more seamless professional engagement.

The CEPA further provides for 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment by Indian companies in major services sectors in Oman through commercial presence, opening a wide avenue for India’s services industry to expand operations in the region. In addition, both sides have agreed to hold future discussions on social security coordination once Oman’s contributory social security system is implemented, reflecting a forward-looking approach to facilitating labour mobility and worker protection.

A landmark element of the Agreement is Oman’s commitment on Traditional Medicine extended across all modes of supply representing the first such comprehensive commitment made by any country, and creating a significant opportunity for India’s AYUSH and wellness sectors to showcase its strength in the Gulf region.

Apart from the above, provisions in CEPA also address non-tariff barriers persisting despite tariff concessions, limiting real market access.

This is the first bilateral agreement that Oman has signed with any country since United States of America in 2006.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, expressed profound gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his visionary guidance, stating: “The India-Oman CEPA strengthens the historical strong ties of India with Oman and signifies an ambitious and balanced economic framework that significantly enhances opportunities for Indian exporters and professionals. It unlocks nearly universal duty free access for Indian goods in the Omani market, expands services commitments across key high growth sectors, and ensures greater mobility for Indian professionals. The agreement reinforces India’s commitment to inclusive growth benefiting farmers, artisans, workers, MSMEs while safeguarding core national interests.”

The CEPA is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade, generate employment, expand exports, strengthen supply chains, and open new avenues for deeper, long-term economic engagement between India and Oman.