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 | BHUBANESWAR | MUMBAI | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Monday, 16 February 2026 SPORTS WORLD INDIA Himachal Budget session begins today with Governor's address Page 5 USA, Iran to hold new round of nuclear talks in Geneva, Swiss government says BUSINESS OpenAI CEO pushes for ‘Democratic AI’ in India Page 9 Holder, Hope help Windies beat Nepal by 9 wickets, seal Super 8 spot Page 12 Page 10 PM to visit Israel soon, hold key talks with Netanyahu Kishan blitz, clinical bowling: India crush Pakistan in marquee clash ASHOK TUTEJA New Delhi, 15 February New Delhi, 15 February P rime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel later this month as the two countries seek to further deepen bilateral ties in key areas, especially defence, agriculture and counter-terrorism, official sources confirmed on Sunday. Though the exact dates of the much-anticipated visit are yet to be announced, indications are the Indian leader will travel to the West Asian nation on 27-28 February. This will be Mr Modi’s first visit to Israel during his third term in office. It comes nearly nine years after Mr Modi visited the country last. He will hold extensive talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he enjoys a close personal relationship. The two leaders are expected not only to discuss bilateral cooperation but also regional and global developments, including the security situation in West Asia. The two leaders had an animated discussion last month during which Netanyahu extended an invitation to the PM to visit his country. The visit comes at a time when both countries are keen to clinch a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar recently said the two countries are set to fast-track negotiations for an FTA. India and Israel have steadily upgraded their ties over the past decade, with defence and security cooperation emerging as one of the central pillars of the partnership. Israel is among India’s key defence technology partners, supplying critical systems ranging from missiles and drones to surveillance and air defence platforms. The two countries have also expanded cooperation in cyber security, space and innovation ecosystems. LS Speaker to represent India at swearing-in ceremony of new govt in Bangladesh New Delhi, 15 February Rahman, whose vision and values have received an overwhelming mandate from the people, the MEA added. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is likely to accompany the Lok Sabha Speaker to Dhaka, it is learnt. Bangladesh had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. However, the Indian leader will be occupied with the AI Impact Summit and the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India on that day. With the newly elected government of Bangladesh, led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Tarique Rahman, set to take oath on Tuesday, the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, invited leaders of 13 countries, including China, India, and Pakistan, to attend the swearing-in ceremony, according to Bangladeshi media. The list of invited countries so far includes China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, and Bhutan, media outlets in Dhaka reported, quoting diplomatic sources. The swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet will be held on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. TRIDIB BAPARNASH The stark difference in quality between India and Pakistan was clearly on display on Sunday during their marquee T20 World Cup Group A clash at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, as India rode another Ishan Kishan blitzkrieg aided by some disciplined bowling to outclass the Men-in-Green by 61 runs, and extend their dominance to 8-1 in World Cups. With that victory, India also sealed their place in the Super Eights stage of the tournament while Pakistan slipped to third in the group, behind USA with an inferior net run-rate. Put in to bat on a sluggish pitch where the ball stayed low, Ishan Kishan dismantled Pakistan’s attack with a stroke-filled 40-ball 77 to power India to a commanding 175/7. In reply, India’s new-ball duo of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah ripped through the Pakistani top order, reducing the side to 13 for 3 inside the first two overs before wicketkeeper Macron arrives today for talks with Modi, to attend AI Impact Summit STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected government of Bangladesh led by Mr. Tarique Rahman, Chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, in Dhaka on Tuesday, it was officially announced on Sunday. “The Hon’ble Speaker’s participation at this important event underscores the deep and enduring friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh, reaffirming India's steadfast commitment to the democratic values that bind our two nations,’’ the Ministry of External Affairs said. As neighbours united by a shared history, culture, and mutual respect, India welcomes Bangladesh's transition to an elected government under the leadership of Tarique The Gaza Peace Plan, the multilateral agreement between Israel and Hamas that aims to address the ongoing Gaza war, will obviously figure during the talks between the two sides. Mr Netanyahu has already briefed the Indian leadership on the implementation and progress of the Gaza Peace Plan even as Modi reiterated India’s consistent support for a just, durable peace in the region. The two countries, both victims of terrorism, have solidly backed each other in the global fight against the menace. India was among the first countries to condemn the 7 October 2023, terror attack by Hamas while Israel came out in full support of India’s stand against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year. PM Modi is expected to be accompanied by a high-powered delegation during his visit, including important ministers and business leaders. New Delhi, 15 February French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in India on Monday on a four-day visit for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai and attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday, followed by signing of accords between their two countries. The Hotel Taj Mahal Palace will host an India-France Innovation Forum, followed by the India-France Year of Innovation and Cultural Commemoration at the Gateway of India. The French President will be accompanied by First Lady Madame Brigitte Macron and a high-level delegation, including ministers and business leaders. After his engagements in Mumbai, the French President and his delegation will arrive in Delhi on Wednesday for the AI Impact Summit. Ahead of President Macron’s visit, the Defence Ministry cleared a mega deal worth Rs 3.6 trillion to buy 114 Rafale jets from France. This will be President Macron’s fourth visit to India at the invitation of PM Modi, signalling sustained momentum in the India-France strategic partnership, with a particular focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) cooperation and emerging technologies. In a post on X on Friday, the French Embassy in India said that President Macron will visit India for bilateral engagements and attend the AI Impact Summit, marking another significant chapter in the expanding ties between New Delhi and Paris. Macron’s upcoming visit comes against the backdrop of a steadily deepening partnership between India and France across defence, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action, education and people-to-people exchanges. Usman Khan raised their hopes with a 34-ball 44 but the rest of the batting were in a rush to return to the dug-out and were eventually bowled out for 114 in 18 overs. Pandya struck in the first over, dismissing the dangerous Sahibzada Farhan for a golden duck in a wicket-maiden. Bumrah endured an early blow when Saim Ayub launched his first delivery over third man for six. The response was immediate, a searing inswinger the very next ball trapped Ayub, before the right-armer capped off a sensational over by removing Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha. Pakistan’s slide continued inside the powerplay, losing Babar Azam to Axar Patel after the former skipper briefly attempted to steady the innings with a 21-run stand with Usman. Usman continued with his rescue work to steer Pakistan to 71 for 4 after 10 overs in the company of Shadab Khan. Brief Scores: India 175/7 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Yadav 32, Shivam Dube 27, Tilak Varma 25; Saim Ayub 3/25) vs Pakistan 114 all out in 18 overs (Usman Khan 44, Shaheen Shah Afridi 23 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 2/17, Hardik Pandya 2/16, Varun Chakravarthy 2/17, Axar Patel 2/29) by 61 runs. India wedded to strategic autonomy: EAM Jaishankar STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Munich, 15 February Speaking at the Munich Security Conference External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Saturday (local time), that India remains firmly committed to strategic autonomy even as global energy markets evolve and partnerships shift. He rejected suggestions that a recent India-US trade understanding would undermine India’s long-standing commitment to strategic autonomy. His comments followed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement that Washington had received assurances from New Delhi that it would refrain from purchasing more Russian oil after the latest round of US sanctions on Moscow’s energy exports. “The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Russia’s oil. In our conversations with India, we’ve gotten their commitment to stop buying additional Russian oil. Europe has taken its set of steps moving forward,” Mr Rubio had said. However, EAM Jaishankar made it evident that India’s foreign policy orientation would remain anchored in its independent decision-making framework. “We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy because it is very much a part of our history and our evolution. And it is something which is very deep, it is something which cuts across the political spectrum as well,” he stated. Referring specifically to energy procurement, the External Affairs Minister described the global oil market as “complex”. “As far as energy issues are concerned, this is a complex market today. I think the oil companies in India, as in Europe, as probably in other parts of the world, look at availability, look at costs, look at risks and take decisions that they feel are in their best interest,” he said. India’s AI governance guidelines based on philosophy of ‘AI for All’ SOURAV SHEKHAR/UNI PM Modi to inaugurate AI Impact Expo today New Delhi, 15 February India’s AI governance guidelines are built around seven core principles that emphasise trust, a “people-first” approach, innovation over restraint, fairness and equity, accountability, understandability by design, and safety, resilience and sustainability, an official explainer issued on Sunday said. These guidelines are intended to position AI as an enabler for inclusive development, economic growth, and global competitiveness, while effectively addressing risks to individuals and society, the statement, issued ahead of the AI Impact Summit 2026 New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam here on Monday. The India AI Impact Expo 2026 will be held from 16 to 20 February 2026, alongside the India AI Impact Summit, to be attended by top global leaders. The expo will serve as a national demonstration of AI in action, where policy meets practice, innovation meets scale, and technology meets the everyday citizen. Spread across ten arenas covering more than 70,000 square metres, the expo will bring together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, Union ministries, state governments, and international partners. The expo will also feature 13 country pavilions, showcasing international collaboration in the AI ecosystem. These include pavilions from Australia, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and Africa. The expo will host over 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations, structured across three thematic chakras - People, Planet and Progress. beginning on Monday, said. Emphasising “AI for All”, India’s AI strategy is rooted in three core principles: (i) democratisation (ii) scale (iii) inclusion. These are aimed at diffusing the transformative potential of AI across key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, governance, manufacturing and climate change. The approach seeks to ensure that AI is not restricted to elite technological domains but becomes a tool for large-scale socio-economic empowerment. To fulfil this mission, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) constituted a drafting committee in July 2025 to develop a comprehensive framework for AI governance in the country. The move aligns with the broader objectives of the IndiaAI Mission, which focuses on safe, trusted and human-centric AI adoption across sectors. Following extensive consultations and rigorous deliberations, the committee presented the AI governance framework structured in four key parts ~ Principles, Key Issues and Recommendations, Action Plan and Practical Guidelines for Industry and Regulators. The framework adopts a risk-based governance model, advocating proportionate regulatory measures depending on the risk profile of AI applications, particularly in high-impact areas such as bias mitigation, misinformation control and critical infrastructure protection. Rather than introducing a new standalone AI law, the recommendations suggest leveraging and strengthening existing legal frameworks, including the Information Technology Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, to address emerging AI-related challenges . The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP Act 2023) and Information Technology Act 2000 (IT Act) represent two distinct phases of India’s data governance framework. Before the DPDP Act, personal protection in India was governed by Section 43A of the IT Act and the accompanying Sensitive Personal Data or Information (SPDI) Rules 2011. In terms of institutional architecture, the report proposes the creation of dedicated oversight mechanisms such as an AI Governance Group, a Technology and Policy Expert Committee, and an AI Safety Institute to guide standards, conduct safety research and support responsible deployment. The Action Plan outlines a phased roadmap covering infrastructure expansion, enhanced access to AI compute resources such as GPUs, development of high-quality datasets, and integration with India’s Digital Public Infrastructure ecosystem.