FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Thursday, 22 January 2026 SPORTS WORLD NATION BMC mayor: Shinde Sena stakes claim, lottery to decide SC asks Delhi, NCR states to submit CAQM action plans: New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi government, the Delhi Municipal Corporation, and authorities of the National Capital Region (NCR) States to submit their respective action plans for implementing the long-term measures recommended by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to address the persistent air pollution crisis in the region, particularly in the national capital. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi made it clear that the Court would not entertain any objections to the recommendations of the Commission for Air Quality Management and that the focus now should be on their implementation. Page 2 Alcaraz survives longest first set at a major to move into Aus Open 3rd round Page 11 Page 12 LAW PAGE Page 9 Page 5 BRIEFLY Is bail the rule or jail the norm? In Davos, Trump says won’t use force to acquire Greenland Intel alerts spurred India to bring diplomat families from B’desh Anti-India sentiment on display at a protest in Dhaka after activist Sharif Osman Hadi’s death in December last year. FILE PHOTOGRAPH JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY New Delhi, 21 January I ndia had received credible intelligence warning of a possible terror threat to its diplomatic presence in Bangladesh, including Indian missions, diplomats, and their families, according to highly placed sources. This led to India taking a decision, not yet formally announced, to withdraw family members of Indian diplomats from the neighbouring country. "The move is a precautionary measure…it is also a signal that relations have been allowed to deteriorate by the Mohammad Yunus led government," said security sources. According to the inputs, a large number of militants who were released following the student-led unrest in August 2024 have since regrouped and reorganised within Bangladesh. The intelligence assessment indicated that these elements could be attempting to target Indian diplomats and their family members. In light of the perceived threat, the Government of India took the decision to ask the families of Indian diplomats posted in Bangladesh to return to India as a precautionary measure. India's strategic establishment has been increasingly alarmed by what it sees as a resurgence of extremist forces in Bangladesh and a sharpening of hostile rhetoric and posture by Islamist militant organisations towards India. Officials believe the evolving security environment marks a significant deterioration from the relative stability achieved over the past decade through sustained counter-terror cooperation between the two countries. In an interview to UNI earlier this month, Shantanu Mukharji, a former national security adviser to the government of Mauritius and a senior retired Indian Police Service officer, said recent developments across India's eastern border suggested a dangerous reversal of hard-won gains against militancy. Radicalised extremist prisoners, he noted, have been released from jail and allowed to reorganise, creating conditions that could once again make Bangladesh a staging ground for transnational "jihadist" networks, similar to those that operated in the 1990s and early 2000s. “The way these groups have regrouped after being freed last year is deeply troubling,” Mukharji had warned. “It raises the risk not only of violence inside Bangladesh but of renewed cross-border threats to India.” Indian officials are particularly concerned about the possibility that Bangladeshi militant groups re-establishing links with extremist organisations in Pakistan and West Asia. ICC rules out schedule change, finds no threat to B’desh team: New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday ruled out any change to the schedule or venues of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, stating that security assessments found no credible threat to the Bangladesh team, officials, media or fans at any of the tournament venues in India. “The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India,” the ICC said. Page 12 Idea of ‘Autumn Davos’ in India emerges: Ashwini Vaishnaw on hosting WEF STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 21 January Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday said there is now a suggestion that India should host a World Economic Forum-style event. “There is a suggestion that now the time has come when we should be having a World Economic Forum in India. So, that idea has also come - a kind of Autumn Davos in India. This is a new idea which has come, which basically shows the recognition of our country, of our economy,” he said. The minister said people see India as the fastest growing major economy, with inflation under control and a very healthy balance sheet of the government, very low debt in the economy. "People understand the reforms which our Prime Minister Modi has flagged off. People really appreciate the reforms in GST, the opening up of the nuclear sector. So many reforms which are happening, practically, in every sector - people recognise that. The investment momentum is very strong,” he said. Further, in a separate panel discussion, the minister also outlined India’s approach to Artificial Intelligence, emphasising large-scale AI diffusion, economic viability, and techno-legal governance. Addressing a question on global AI alignments and geopolitics, the Minister stated that India clearly belongs in the first group of AI nations. Aravalli definition: SC to constitute expert committee; ‘World must display zero-tolerance towards terrorism’ similar to the approach of was jointly inaugurated by seeks names of environmentalists, forest experts Europe. We are confident that the leaders of the two countries PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 21 January The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought suggestions of names of eminent environmentalists and forest experts for inclusion in an expert committee proposed to be constituted to examine issues surrounding the definition of the Aravalli Hills and the environmental implications of mining activities in the region. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi made it clear that the proposed expert committee would function under the direct control and supervision of the Supreme Court. The Bench asked the amicus curiae and Senior Advocate K. Parameshwar, Additional Solicitors General Aishwarya Bhati and K.M. Nataraj, along with other counsel appearing in the matter, to suggest suitable names for the committee. Recording its directions, the Court said that a comprehensive note would be placed on record setting out the questions that arise for consideration. It added that names of eminent environmentalists and forest experts were being sought so that “an expert body can be formed to look into all aspects and assist the Court,” and clarified that such a committee would work “under the direct control and supervision of this Court.” The directions came in continuation of the Court’s earlier order dated December 29, 2025, by which it had kept in abeyance its November 20, 2025 judgment approving an elevation-based definition for identifying the Aravalli Hills for the purpose of regulating mining. The Court had then observed that the issue required greater clarity and an independent re-examination of the environmental impact of the recommendations earlier accepted. In its 20 November decision, the Supreme Court had endorsed an elevation-linked criterion to demarcate the Aravalli Hills, a move which, according to informed opinion, could have excluded more than 90 per cent of the mountain range from mining restrictions. The controversy had its origins in a May 2024 hearing on illegal mining, when the Court noted that different States were following inconsistent definitions of the Aravalli range and called for a uniform framework. When the matter was taken up on Wednesday, Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, appearing for farmers from Rajasthan, raised concerns over the grant of mining leases and urged that mining activities be stopped. “Mining leases have been granted; it has to be stopped,” he submitted. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 21 January Observing that the world order is undergoing a profound change, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday asked the global community to collaborate on shared challenges like terrorism. At a meeting here with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel, he said the world must display zero-tolerance towards terrorism. He was of the view that India and Spain, both victims of terrorism, must come together in the fight against the menace. Mr Jaishankar said he was delighted to launch jointly with the Spanish minister the logo for the ‘’Dual Year’’. The logo, he noted, has been selected from over 1,900 entries received through an open competition. The Indian minister told the visiting leader that India is hosting the AI Impact Summit next month. “Our approach to AI is human-centric, inclusive, and focused on its responsible and ethical use. I think it is very the Dual Year will encourage greater institutional and industry-led collaboration,’’ he added. He observed that economic partnership is an important pillar of the India-Spain relationship. ''Spain is among India’s important trade partners in the EU, and the bilateral trade in goods has crossed USD 8 billion in recent years. Spanish companies have made a significant presence in India, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, urban mobility, engineering, water management, and smart cities. Indian companies are also active in Spain in IT, pharmaceuticals, and automotive components. We see considerable potential to further deepen this business cooperation.'' Mr Jaishankar said the Airbus–Tata C-295 Final Assembly Line in Vadodara in October 2024. ‘’We are expecting the first "Made in India” C-295 aircraft to roll out of the factory before September this year. It reflects the growing depth of our defence industrial collaboration and our commitment to build resilient manufacturing capabilities.’’ He said the India-Spain partnership is enriched by strong cultural ties. The popularity of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Indian culture in Spain, and the growing interest in the Spanish language and culture in India, reflect the deep people-to-people connect between the two societies. Tourism is also an important and growing pillar of our partnership. India, Mr Jaishankar said, is committed to facilitating greater mobility, educational exchanges, and institutional partnerships. Deepfake video falsely attributed to Pakistan carried out 15 lakh cyberattacks and nearly 30 million Army Chief Gen Dwivedi surfaces attacks on NSE during Operation Sindoor: Top Army officer PARWINDER SANDHU, New Delhi, 21 January A deepfake video falsely attributed to Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has surfaced on social media, claiming that India would take at least 50 years to match the technology allegedly used by Pakistan and China in Operation Sindoor, prompting concerns over misinformation and malicious attempts to undermine the armed forces. In the digitally altered video, the Chief of Army Staff purportedly says, "The use of technology is not to establish a soldier, but to make him more powerful. However, we believe that it will take at least 50 years to reach the level of technology used by Pakistan and China in Operation Sindoor." However, in the original video, which was taken during the COAS's media briefing at the Army Day Parade in Jaipur on 15 January, Gen Dwivedi spoke about the fast and timely response of the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor carried out in May 2025. "This operation has demonstrated the fast response of the Indian Army, better coordination, and the ability to carry out precise operations. This shows a picture of self-confidence and responsible strength, which is fully capable of protecting national interests. In the past few years, there has been a clear change in the thinking of the Indian Army. We are working hard not only on the current challenges, but also on the preparations for future wars," the Chief had said. Flagging the claims made in the doctored clip, Press Information Bureau's Fact check team stated on X: "Pakistani propaganda accounts are sharing a digitally manipulated video of the Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, making false claims that it will take us at least 50 years to reach the same technology that Pakistan and China have used in Operation Sindoor." "Beware! This is an AI-generated deepfake video shared to mislead the public. General Upendra Dwivedi has made NO such statement," the department added further while urging the users to report the dubious content. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 21 January The Additional Director General (ADG) of Strategic Communications, Major General Sandeep Sharda, on Wednesday revealed that Pakistan launched a large-scale cyber and information warfare campaign against India during Operation Sindoor, carrying out nearly 15 lakh cyberattacks and approximately 30 million attacks on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on 7 May. Addressing the 22nd Subroto Mukherjee Seminar, General Sharda said that on the very first day of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan launched a coordinated attack to manipulate narratives through biased media reporting, doctored videos, and AI deepfakes. "During the first day of the Operation Sindoor, you see the biases, the reporting channels, what they want you to see.... Each one of them is putting out a certain story based on the editorial board they have... Deepfakes, doctored videos, lies through official channels themselves, through official channels, the press conferences...," he said. He further stated that Pakistan also tried to strike with information which was being fed through a central agency there - the DGISPR. "There have been 7 APT groups, more than 15 lakh cyberattacks on the 7th of May, and approximately 30 million attacks on the National Stock Exchange on the first day itself. Pakistan deployed a large number of YouTube channels, ex-accounts, and government handles towards this spread of fake news." According to General Sharda, a large number of accounts were used to disseminate fake information within 30 to 40 minutes, and the language was nearly the same. More than 1 lakh videos were generated from the same 43 threads of a similar kind. "They tried to influence through influencers," the General said, and cited the example of Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber arrested on charges of espionage. "The Hindu Post took out documents of 15 instances of global media outlets spreading Pakistan's unverified claim... We traced their origins to a large number of Pakistani journalists embedded deep within various media houses and agencies over there. It continues," he said. The officer said that this cycle of fake narratives and AI videos has continued since then. "Even now, on 14th Jan, and even this morning, we have another doctored video circulating. And in the past four months, the ADG Stratcom itself has called out 217 deepfakes, of which 164 relate to the Army, the CDS 9, Chief of the Army Staff 23, the Chief of Air Staff 4, and the Chief of Naval Staff 3," he added.