The Asian Star - Jan 17, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney looks to reset Canada-China relationship in Beijing

Prime Minister Mark Carney landed in Beijing on Wednesday for the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China in eight years — part of his government's efforts to rebuild Canada's fractured relationship with China and expand non-U.S. trade.

After declaring in 2022 that China is a "disruptive global power" that does not share Canada's values, the Liberal government is now shifting its China policy in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to upend global trade with tariffs.

Upon landing in Beijing, Carney posted on social media that the relationship between Canada and China has created prosperity on both sides of the Pacific.

"We’re ready to build a new partnership, one that builds on the best of our past and responds to the challenges of today," Carney said on X.

Continued on Page 10...

Well-known Surrey businessman killed in daylight shooting

Prominent businessman Baljinder (Binder) Singh Garcha has been identified by homicide investigators as the victim of a fatal shooting in Surrey this week. Just after noon on Tuesday, a man was found by police lying in the street near a roadway with gunshot wounds, in the 3500-block of 176th Street in South Surrey. The man, now identified as the 46-year-old Garcha, was pronounced dead at the scene. About an hour before, Surrey police responded to a vehicle fire in the 18900-block of 40th Street that is believed to be related to the shooting investigation, said the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, which has taken over the case. Continued on Page 10...

3 South Asian men including an international student killed couple for money

Three men accused of killing an elderly Abbotsford couple in 2022 were motivated by “debt, financial pressure and greed,” a packed courtroom was told Monday (Jan. 12) at the opening of their trial.

Co-Crown counsel

Dorothy Tsui, in her opening statements in B.C. Supreme Court in Abbotsford, said Khushveer Toor, Gurkaran Singh and Abhijeet Singh of Surrey acted together to commit first-degree murder.

“The ultimate cost of accomplishing their shared

objective of stealing money were the senseless deaths of Arnold and Joanne De Jong,” Tsui said.

The bodies of the De Jongs were discovered on the morning of May 9, 2022 in their home in the 33600 block of Arcadian Way, a rural road in east Abbotsford.

Tsui told the court that Joanne, 76, was found in her bed with her hands and feet tied by rope and surrounded by a “significant amount” of blood.

Continued on Page 10...

India is aggressively seeking trade deals to open markets for exporters and soften the blow of steep US tariffs, as efforts to secure an agreement with Washington remain elusive.

Relations between Washington and New Delhi plummeted in August after President Donald Trump raised tariffs to 50 percent, a blow that threatens job losses and hurts India's ambition of becoming a manufacturing and export powerhouse.

That pressure, experts say, has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.

India signed or operationalised four trade agreements last year, including a major pact with Britain -- the fastest pace of dealmaking it has seen in years -- and is now eyeing fresh deals.

Continued on Page 6...

Surrey police are investigating a business in Newton after another extortion-related shooting early on Wednesday morning. The Surrey Police Service said officers responded to a shots-fired call just after 2 a.m. near 80th Street and King George Boulevard. They discovered that the front of a business, the Bojhan Sweets and Restaurant, was damaged and bullet-holes could be seen in the windows, but luckily, no one was injured. Surrey’s major crime section has now taken over the investigation as they believe this to be linked to the ongoing series of extortions in the area.

South Asian man charged after an attempt to light SkyTrain passenger's clothes on fire

A Surrey man is facing assault and arson charges after someone tried to set a man on fire aboard a SkyTrain car last month.

Transit Police said it happened on a SkyTrain travelling from Vancouver to Burnaby on Dec. 16 when, just before 3 p.m., a man poured liquid on a sleeping man’s clothing and tried to ignite it, said Transit Police.

Bystanders jumped in and held a suspect at Patterson SkyTrain Station until police arrived.

Const. Amanda Steed, spokeswoman for the Metro Vancouver Transit Police, said the assault on the sleeping man was unprovoked, and commended the witnesses for their actions.

“This was a terrifying ordeal and thankfully,

the victim did not suffer any serious physical injuries,” she said in a statement. “Transit Police would never ask that anyone place themselves in harm’s way, but we need to acknowledge the bravery and selflessness of the bystanders who rushed to assist the victim and held the suspect until police arrived.”

Sukbinder Sogy, 37, of Surrey was charged with assault with a weapon, mischief causing actual danger and possession of incendiary material.

He remains in custody until his next court appearance in Vancouver provincial court on Jan. 21. He also faces similar charges from a separate incident in Vancouver in August 2024.

ICBC/Personal Injury

Immigration

Premier David Eby said he was “incredibly concerned” to see news reports about an internal RCMP memo containing talk of an alleged link between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the Indian government right after he landed in the country on a trade mission.

“It was challenging,” he said. “We almost cancelled meetings here until we were able to see the full document.” Eby downplayed the significance of the information after seeing the three-page document.

“It turned out to be a three-page briefing note, and the paragraph in question that was cited in the initial news report was a summary of publicly available news articles from the October 2024 period, allegations we were aware of that were very fully canvassed at the time, citing news outlets like Al-Jazeera,” Eby said.

“This was not an RCMP intelligence report.” Black Press Media has reached out to the RCMP for more information.

or anything else will all be going through the criminal trial process, which is underway right now,” Eby said.

The Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility online for some of the recent extortion-related violence in B.C. Eby said the gang could be just trying to claim credit to gain notoriety, but it does seem to be at least “tangentially involved” and should be held accountable. He pushed for

Eby said he was “frustrated” to hear of this possible connection after being “extremely careful” to ensure he fully understood the current relationship between India and Canada. This included obtaining briefings from defence and intelligence officials.

The India trip comes amid continued tensions between the countries. Eby’s decision to go to India angered many in B.C.’s Sikh community, who do not want normalized trade relations until pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Nijjar’s killers and those who ordered his killing are brought to justice. Nijjar was killed in Surrey in 2023, allegedly shot by Indian hitmen. Four men have been arrested and charged with his murder. According to Eby, the situation with the Bishnoi gang, extortions and the killing of Nijjar are getting “conflated,” but he did not rule out the possibility of a connection.

“Any connections to government officials

the federal government to designate the group as a terrorist organization, which it did this past September.

Meanwhile, extortion-related shootings are on the rise, especially in Surrey. In 2025, there were 132 reported extortion-related crimes, 49 shootings and 88 distinct victims. As of Jan. 12, there have been 16 reported extortions, three shootings and 12 distinct victims for 2026. Eby defended the response thus far, saying that “there are more police in Surrey right now than ever before.”

He also said police told him the task force working on the extortion cases will provide a public update on progress next week. Another extortion-related shooting was reported early Thursday morning (Jan. 15), and two people were killed earlier in the week, one found after a Monday-morning house fire, and another shot to death on Tuesday.

Abhishek Parmar has spent more than six years making Windsor-Essex his new home. But now he is one of the 2.1 million temporary residents who may have to leave Canada this year.

“I have never even thought of leaving this place," he said. "And now, things are coming to an end. It is not a good feeling."

The 25-year-old arrived in Windsor-Essex in 2019 from India to pursue mechanical engineering technology at St. Clair College. After having spent more than $80,000 on tuition and living expenses, Parmar said he landed a job at an automotive company in LaSalle. He filed for permanent residence (PR) in 2024 with an Ontario immigration pathway.

“Then the news of tariffs hit and I was laid off,” he said. “Then I worked in another automotive company in Windsor, and again, I was laid off after a couple of months because of tariffs.” He found a similar role again, he said. But it meant his dreams of getting PR via the provincial immigration pathway fell through as it was linked to his employment.

“I completely lost everything regarding PR, on a whim,” he said. “It was heartbreaking.”

Parmar’s work permit expires mid-March. Now his plans of making Windsor his forever home, starting a business and buying his first house here are on hold. Parmar is not alone.

According to the data shared by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 1.49 million temporary residents had their permits expire last year. Another 1.4 million will expire this year, for a total of 2.9 million over two years. These do not include study permit or study permit

extension holders.

Of those 1.4 million expiring this year, 55 per cent are due to expire by June alone.

IRCC says 395,000 spots were available for PR last year and another 380,000 this year. While some of those 2.9 million will get PR status, at least 2.1 million people will still be left with expired or expiring visas.

If nothing works out, Parmar said like his friends, he will go back to India and apply for PR from there. He’s also considering trying to get his work permit extended.

“Temporary residents in Canada must comply with the requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and must leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for their stay,” IRCC said in an emailed statement.

“Having a temporary status does not guarantee that a person will eventually be accepted as a permanent resident.” If someone is out of status, IRCC said, they may be able to apply to restore it. Foreign nationals have 90 days from the date they lose their temporary resident status to apply for restoration.

“Little is known about the undocumented population in Canada, and gathering data is very challenging as this population generally tries to stay undetected due to their fear of removal,” IRCC said.

“However, research indicates that there may be 200,000 to 500,000 undocumented migrants in Canada.” “Canada is regaining control of its immigration system in order to restore balance and sustainability, while continuing to meet its humanitarian commitments," IRCC said.

Four-in-five report fraud attempts; 30% say money or personal information was taken

As the federal Liberal government proposes changes to the country’s criminal justice system aimed at concerns over violent repeat offenders, Canadians are expressing a growing concern about rising crime in their own individual communities. Some of the most common crimes facing Canadians, however, don’t involve ever seeing another person’s face.

New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, the first in a series examining crime in Canada, finds three-in-five (62%) believe that over the last five years, crime has been rising in the communities where they live. It’s a proportion that far outnumbers those who say there’s been no change (24%) or a decrease (5%).

In 2014, more than a decade ago, Canadians were more likely to perceive stable crime rates (40%)

than increasing ones (30%). The latter figure has doubled in the intervening years.

The perception is matched by empirical data from Statistics Canada, which shows a rise in both its Crime Severity Index and Violent Crime Severity Index since 2020.

That said, among the most widespread crimes – at least attempted – are fraud and identity theft, which appear to be increasing in frequency and targeting nearly everyone. More than four-in-five Canadians say they have been the target of an online or phone scam over the past two years. For 30 per cent of the population this has resulted in the loss of information or money. Notably, Canadians lost more than $638 million in reported fraud cases in 2024, although only five to 10 per cent of such cases are thought to be reported to authorities.

Maple Ridge councillor charged with

sexual assault

Sikh activists take to B.C. legislature steps, angered by Eby’s India trip

A group of Sikh activists took to the steps of the B.C. legislature on Thursday (Jan. 8), waving Khalistan flags and urging Premier David Eby to cancel his upcoming India trip. They say the India trip sends the wrong message after the death in Surrey of fellow Sikh activist Hardeep Nijjar in 2023, allegedly shot by Indian hitmen. Four men have been arrested and charged with the murder. “The killers are in custody, foot soldiers are in custody, but who’s behind it?” asked Jag Sidhu, a spokesperson for rally organizer Sikhs For Justice.

Eby is set to leave on the trade trip on Friday with Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon. “If you are going to trade deal with India without accountability, without any answers, without any justice for a Canadian citizen, we want you step down,” Sidhu said. Eby defended

his trip on Tuesday when he first announced it, saying when asked about the Nijjar killing that it is up to the courts to bring those responsible to justice, and up to the federal government to deal with any diplomatic fallout. Eby’s trip is purely about economic ties. The Sikh activists were unconvinced, holding signs that read “Do not choose business over blood.”

Sidhu called on NDP MLAs from Surrey — there are four – to condemn Eby’s trip to India, warning that otherwise Sikh activists will work to unseat them. The latest figures from Statistics Canada show more than 290,000 Sikhs were living in B.C. at the time of the 2021 census, with nearly 155,000 of them in Surrey. “You will learn a lesson Eby in the next election, and your MLAs will learn too,” Sidhu said.

A city councillor in Maple Ridge, B.C., is facing four counts of sexual assault, according to a special prosecutor appointed to look into the case.

Ahmed Antar Yousef Mohamed, known publicly as Ahmed Yousef, had been charged with six criminal offences, including assault and firearmrelated charges, last May.

Now, special prosecutor Claire Hatcher has announced four charges of sexual assault — three of which involve one complainant and one that involves another complainant — have been filed against Yousef.

He had earlier been facing four counts of assault, one count of pointing a firearm at another person, and one count of unsafe storage of a firearm.

The sexual assault allegations being faced by Yousef are designated as "K files" in the provincial court system, which the B.C. Prosecution Service uses to indicate alleged cases of intimate partner violence.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page last May, Yousef said he would be stepping away from his council duties effective immediately to "focus [his] time and efforts on some personal matters." "I hope to take my seat back at [council] at the earliest possible opportunity," he wrote. The City of Maple Ridge's website continues to state that Yousef is on leave, and the city had told CBC News last May that council would continue to have quorum in his absence. Yousef was first elected to Maple Ridge council in 2018.

B.C. gov't settles prison solitary confinement lawsuit for $60 million

The B.C. government has settled a class-action lawsuit for up to $60 million over the use of solitary confinement in provincial correctional facilities over a period of 20 years.

The B.C. Supreme Court approved the settlement in October and the claims period for a piece of the money began this month, more than seven years after the lawsuit was filed against the province over correctional institutions' use of segregation.

The lawsuit alleged the practice amounted to "cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment."

Plaintiff Neveah North, formerly known as Cody

Cragg, had been placed in segregation at times while incarcerated at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre from April 2014 to May 2018.

The claim alleged "systemic mistreatment" of inmates, including torture in some cases, when they were placed in solitary confinement.

The institutions listed in the settlement agreement include the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women, the Fraser, Kamloops, Prince George and Vancouver Island regional correctional centres, North Fraser Pretrial Centre, Surrey Pretrial Services Centre and the Ford Mountain, Nanaimo and Okanagan correctional centres.

The settlement includes $30 million for a "common experience fund" and $25 million for a "serious harms fund," which will be bumped up

by $5 million if there are more than 2,500 eligible claims made for serious harms.

The agreement also includes a section dedicated to reforming segregation practices in order to "to work toward improvements on the conditions of separate confinement."

Lawyers for the class and the government also agreed to meet every three months for the next two years to go over policy reforms as part of the settlement.

Those include for inmates to have "meaningful and constitutionally compliant time out of cell" for those removed from general prison populations.

The agreement also calls for improving screening mechanisms for prisoners with serious mental illnesses.

The parties are also obligated to file a report to the court in two years outlining any reforms that have been implemented by B.C. Corrections, the settlement says.

Claims documents posted online say the class includes anyone who served time in a B.C. jail and spent 15 or more consecutive days in segregation, as well as inmates with mental illnesses held in solitary confinement between April 2005 and October 2025.

A legal notice for the settlement in the case says eligible class members could receive up to $91,000 if they submit a claim by Jan. 11, 2027.

Up to $85,000 is available for those who suffered serious harms, while a separate portion of the settlement could result in further payouts of up to $3,000 for those subjected to "prolonged" confinement or $6,000 for those with serious mental illnesses.

The notice says serious harms include new diagnoses of a mental illness within 90 days of being placed in solitary confinement, self-injury during a placement in segregation, or a suicide attempt during or within 60 days of being segregated.

B.C. and feds sign lumber understanding with China, as province looks beyond U.S.

British Columbia's Forests Ministry has entered into a memorandum of understanding with China on modern wood construction, a development that the province hopes will bolster the provincial lumber sector as it seeks alternatives to the U.S. market.

The five-year, non-binding agreement with the Chinese government also involves the Canadian federal Department of Natural Resources and is among the first reached with Beijing after the arrival of Prime Minister Mark Carney in China this week.

On the other side is China's housing and development ministry, with the memo agreeing to co-operation on the integration of modern wood construction into China's urban renewal and rural revitalization strategies and exploring "practical approaches" for green developments.

University of British Columbia political ecologist and China scholar Juliet Lu said the MOU is "relatively low-hanging fruit" in Carney's attempt to rebuild trade momentum with Beijing, compared to dealing with Canadian tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles or China's levies on Canada's canola.

Nonetheless, Lu said the potential for B.C. processed lumber to enter the Chinese market on a larger scale is positive, given China has traditionally relied on carbon-intensive concreteand-steel construction for its large-scale highrise projects.

The MOU says a goal is to strengthen development of an "industrial chain" for wood construction, calling for exchanges and joint research on modern wood construction involving tall wood buildings and mass timber projects. "(Chinese construction) is shifting away from mass production into moments when demand for different types of building structures is growing," Lu said. "Past years of work on opening regulations

to wood-frame construction have allowed for that.

"Plus, we have this new technologies of engineered wood that allow for building bigger buildings, like what we see in China, with wood construction. So, I think there is great possibility (for opportunity)."

She noted that previous MOUs had been

signed between B.C. and China on wood-frame construction in 2010 and 2015, but Chinese building regulations had since opened up to allow for larger wood buildings in Beijing, Shanghai and the southern city of Haikou.

Lu also noted that a shift toward value-added products such as engineered wood and mass timber would provide an added boost to the provincial economy. In a statement, B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said the MOU is one of many moves being taken in the wake of tariffs from the United States placing pressure on the provincial forestry sector's exports.

"The tariffs imposed by (U.S. President) Donald Trump have had a significant impact on B.C.’s — and Canada’s — forestry sector," Parmar said. "That’s why we are exploring other markets to create new and strengthen existing partnerships to stabilize and diversify the sector."

Parmar noted his trade mission to Japan and South Korea last year as well as Premier David Eby's ongoing visit to India as other steps taken by B.C. to "bolster existing partnerships and look for new ones."

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Carney's immigration strategy comes during a shift in the economy — and public opinion on newcomers

Canadians will learn how the federal government is revising its immigration strategy in Tuesday's budget, as public support for immigration is changing and after Ottawa already lowered its targets last fall.

“We are getting immigration under control,” Prime Minister Mark Carney told a room of students at the University of Ottawa in October.

“To match immigration levels with our needs and our capacity, the budget will include Canada’s new immigration plan to do better — for newcomers, for everyone."

The Trudeau government had cut immigration levels after it rapidly increased during the postpandemic labour shortage.

In 2024, the government announced the target for permanent residents this year would be cut from 500,000 to 395,000, with further reductions in subsequent years. The government also said at the time it was lowering the cap on international student permits by 10 per cent.

This came as a majority of Canadians said too many immigrants were coming to Canada for the first time since Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada started polling in 1996. Usha George, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's faculty of community services who focuses on newcomer settlement and integration, said the immigration increase in the years following the pandemic had an impact on public services.

“Our housing, our transport, our health care could not meet the demands of this very large number of people who have come in,” she said.

Canada's unemployment rate has been rising this year, sitting at 7.1 per cent as of September. But the picture is worse for new arrivals.

The unemployment rate for recent immigrants was 11.1 per cent last year, about double the rate for those born in Canada.

And according to Statistics Canada, immigrants are more likely to be working in a field "unrelated to their education or training than their counterparts who were born in Canada." The government lowered standards for the qualifications and skills economic immigrants were required to meet, said

Phil Triadafilopoulos, an associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto.

“I think where we really went off the rails, especially after COVID, is using the economic immigration system to admit people who previously, and now again, would have no hope of gaining entry,” said Triadafilopoulos.

At the same time, there is demand in the business community for more high-skilled labour in emerging industries.

Rob Goehring, the founder and CEO of AI startup Wisr and the executive director of the AI Network of B.C., says a "strong pipeline" of international talent is important for any company in his industry that is "looking to grow and scale." There needs to be a shift away from volume-based immigration toward more precision-based immigration, according to Anne Patterson, the chief research and communications officer with the Information and Communications Technology Council. Immigration pathways

should focus on national technology priorities like semiconductors, AI, cybersecurity and digital public infrastructure, said Patterson.

There have been calls in Canada for the country to capitalize on recent changes to U.S. visa policy to attract specialized talent.

Earlier this fall, the Trump administration imposed a fee of $100,000 on employers applying for an H-1B visa. The visa has allowed employers in the U.S. to hire foreign skilled workers for specialty occupations since 1990.

Goehring thinks this moment is an opportunity to attract new talent to Canada, and to bring Canadians, who had left for American jobs, back home.

On top of the delays and complexity of the Canadian immigration system, lower salaries and expensive housing are structural challenges that face the Canadian tech sector’s ability to attract talent, he said.

B.C. will not be continuing its drug decriminalization project, Health Minister Josie Osborne announced in Victoria Wednesday.

The three-year pilot project, which allowed people to be in possession of small amounts of illicit drugs, began on Jan. 31, 2023, and will expire at the end of this month.

The pilot project was in response to B.C.’s toxic drug crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives since a public health emergency was declared in 2016. Politicians and advocates have argued that decriminalizing drug use removes the associated stigma, treats the crisis as a health issue rather than a criminal one, and makes it more likely for people to seek help.

informed policy and the reality and challenges that we have with the toxic drug crisis,” DeBeck said.

“What I heard is we’re really moving towards policing, and I think we’re still not addressing what’s actually driving overdose deaths and public disorder, which is a very toxic, unregulated drug supply, and a lack of housing and a lack of alternatives for people to go.”

DeBeck said she isn’t surprised about the decision. She noted that “it’s very similar” to the rolling back of the project in April 2024 when Premier David Eby announced that the province would be working with Health Canada to amend the rules of the pilot and recriminalize drug use in public spaces, including in parks, hospitals and on public transit.

An overpass strike is causing delays on Highway 1 eastbound in Surrey on Wednesday morning.

B.C. Highway Patrol says a commercial truck hit the 192 overpass and it has been visibly damaged.

Witnesses said that a commercial truck hit the overpass while towing an excavator on a flat deck trailer.

Police are currently on the scene, working with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to

ensure the roadway is safe.

“Police are working with CVSE (Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement) to investigate how this happened and ensure appropriate enforcement,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol said in a statement.

“The eastbound right lane was immediately shut down due to the collision, and motorists should expect delays in the area.”

But, Osborne said the pilot project “hasn’t delivered the results that we hoped for.”

“At the end of the three-year pilot, it is difficult, if not even possible, to attribute certain changes [in the number of people accessing care] directly to decriminalization,” the minister said. The project was part of a pilot by the federal government, which granted B.C. an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) on May 31, 2022.

Under the exemption, people aged 18 and over have been allowed to possess up to 2.5 grams of cocaine (crack and powder), methamphetamine, MDMA and opioids (including heroin, fentanyl and morphine).

Kora DeBeck, a professor in the School of Public Policy at Burnaby’s Simon Fraser University, said she’s “very disappointed” in the province’s decision to end the drug decriminalization pilot project.

“I felt that really the overall announcement was, in a large way, a move away from evidence-

The move came after mayors of several B.C. municipalities expressed concerns about open drug use and public safety.

“What I think still does continue to surprise me,” DeBeck said, “ is the real absence of a clear rationale for why they rolled decriminalization back, and why they’ve now ended it.”

DeBeck said decriminalization was achieving what it set out to do.

“So, seizures were going down, drug possessions were going down,” she said. “We have a peerreviewed study that shows that young people in Vancouver who use drugs reported being less likely to be deterred to access … harm reduction services because of police.”

Osborne said the province “remains absolutely committed to exploring every option, to using evidence-informed tools that can save lives and help connect people to care.” Since 2017, Osborne said the province has opened more than 760 new beds that support people with addictions.

Housing Minister Christine Boyle says the province plans to stay on course with its housing strategy amid a softening rental market.

“We know the rents are still too high in so many places and we know there’s more work to do,” Boyle said in an interview with Black Press Media. Others say it is becoming difficult for landlords to make ends meet. And purpose-built rental construction is beginning to slow, a warning sign about market profitability.

“The challenging part for the sector right now is that there’s a disconnect,” said David Hutniak, CEO of Landlord B.C., an advocacy organization. “Rents are softening, but expenses are not.”

The latest report from Rentals.ca, which tracks monthly changes in rents in major markets, shows a continued general price slide nationwide, with B.C. leading the decline. Year-over-year rents are down 5.8 per cent in B.C. on average — though the province does still have the highest average rent in Canada across all unit types at $2,382 per month.

Vancouver and North Vancouver have the highest rents in the country for individual markets

Continued from Page 1...

Negotiations are underway with the European Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, Mexico, Chile and the South American Mercosur trade bloc, either for new deals or to expand existing agreements.

If successful, India would have trade arrangements with "almost every major economy", said Ajay Srivastava, from the New Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

Srivastava said 2025 was "one of the most active years" for trade agreements, which he said aimed to "spread risk" rather than to pivot from Washington.

'Expand its destinations'

Washington's punishing tariffs aimed at stopping India's purchases of Russian oil -- which it says finances Moscow's invasion of Ukraine -- have driven New Delhi's desire to grow other markets.

"The strategy was a reaction, as I read it, to what Trump did," trade economist Biswajit Dhar told AFP. "This has now become an imperative for India to actually expand its destinations."

Major deals will help labour-intensive sectors hurt by tariffs.

India's apparel export promotion council projects that the UK trade deal could help double garment exports to Britain over the next three years. The gains from a potential EU agreement could be even bigger.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expected to visit New Delhi later in January, has said it would be the "largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world".

Although the two sides missed a deadline to conclude talks by the end of 2025 -- reportedly

— $2,664 and 2,974 per month, respectively — but are seeing large year-over-year declines. Rent in Vancouver is down on average by 4.8 per cent, and in North Vancouver it is down 7.8 per cent. Burnaby, Coquitlam and Victoria are also on the top-20 list nationally for highest rents, but as with the rest of B.C., those are dropping fast. In Coquitlam, average rent is down 10.2 per cent compared to last year. Meanwhile, vacancy rates are rising, reaching a 30-year high of 3.7 per cent in Vancouver and a 25-year high of 3.3 per cent in Victoria at the end of last year. As a result, landlords are being forced to offer more to find tenants, sometimes going beyond even lower rents.

Boyle said it is good to see that the days are gone when a hundred people would show up to view one apartment.

Despite the softening market, others say not enough is being done to ensure housing is attainable for all. Penny Gurstein, professor emeritus in the University of British Columbia’s School of Community and Regional Planning, says rents still often exceed what people can afford.

over disputes related to steel and auto exports -Indian negotiators remain optimistic.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, holding talks on "intensifying cooperation in trade and investment", Modi's office said in a statement.

Trade between Oman and India totalled less than $11 billion last financial year, but a December deal with Muscat offers "a gateway to the broader Middle East and Africa markets", and a template for a wider "Gulf engagement strategy", analysts at Nomura suggested.

And while a free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand added little to Indian export growth, it secured $20 billion in foreign investment, increased visa access and showed Washington that New Delhi is willing to compromise.

"The New Zealand FTA makes concessions on agricultural produce like apples, even though farmers here may have concerns," said an Indian commerce ministry official, who declined to be identified.

India's goods exports rose a surprising 19 percent in November 2025, reversing an October decline. While the surge was helped by electronics shipments -- still exempt from US tariffs -- marine product exports also posted gains.

"Diversification has certainly happened," KN Raghavan, of the Seafood Exporter Association of India said.

"We have increased exports to the EU and China," he said, adding they were the top markets after the United States.

But exporters caution that alternative markets cannot fully replace the United States, with Raghavan saying a US deal is "paramount".

Judge orders Newton couple to demolish illegal construction

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has granted the City of Surrey an injunction against a couple of Newton property owners ordering them to demolish illegal construction at 13515–79 Avenue. Justice Jasmin Ahmad presided over the City of Surrey versus Manjit Kaur Randhawa and Davinder Singh Randhawa in Vancouver and rendered her judgment on January 7.

Ahmad decided the respondents breached the city’s building bylaws failed to apply for a permit to allow for new construction as ordered, or “for the demolition of the unauthorized construction, as subsequently required” and declared herself satisfied that “there is no reasonable prospect of retroactive approval for the new construction.”

She granted at the City’s request an injunction requiring the Randhawas to “do all things reasonably necessary” to apply for a permit within 15 days of the date of her order for the demolition

Ontario

home

and removal of an accessory building, extended deck, stairs, canopy, and dwelling units and to restore to the property a condition complying with the building bylaws, the British Columbia Building Code, “and any other applicable codes and enactments.” She also ordered the property owners to carry out the demolition and removal within 60 days of receiving a permit for that work.

sells at massive loss of over $600,000

As prospective homebuyers continued to benefit from increased choice in Ontario's real estate market throughout 2025, many sellers were forced to knock off thousands of dollars (or, in some extreme cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars) just to get their property sold.

A recent example involves a four-bedroom, threebathroom home in Kingston, which originally sold for $1.35 million back in July 2022, when home prices reached their peak in most major markets throughout the province, thanks to cheap borrowing rates and skyrocketing demand.

According to the home's sale history, which was circulated on social media this week, attempts to lease out the property fell through, and ultimately, it was put back on the market as a power of sale for $739,000 in November. After two months, the home finally sold for its exact listing price, representing a loss of $611,000 when compared to its price just a few years earlier.

A power of sale, which differs from a traditional home sale, is a clause that's written into a mortgage note that permits the mortgagee to sell their property in the event of default to repay the mortgage debt. Under this scenario, the lender

forces a sale and receives the funds owed to them, while the current owner gets to keep the excess profit.

The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) notes in its latest report that home sales declined in 2025 compared to the year before, as "economic uncertainty weighed on consumer confidence" despite elevated inventory levels.

Greater options meant buyers were able to negotiate prices downward, which helped to improve affordability in the region.

Overall, the annual average selling price last year was $1,067,968, representing a decline of 4.7 per cent when compared to the average selling price of $1,120,241 in 2024. Home sales also declined — exactly 3,697 home sales were reported in December, representing a decline of 8.9 per cent compared to December 2024.

"Reaffirmed trade relationships and large-scale domestic economic development projects will be key for improved home sales moving forward. GTA households must be confident in their employment situation before committing to long-term monthly mortgage payments, even in this more affordable market," said TRREB Chief Information Officer

Jason Mercer.

“We urge governments at all levels to take action now to provide tax relief for consumers and help ease the rising cost of living. Families and individuals need financial breathing room so they can afford a home or apartment and meet their basic needs," TRREB CEO John DiMichele added.

"Fair and responsible tax policies can put more money back into people's pockets, restore consumer confidence, and rebuild trust in the economy."

Surrey, White Rock homes among Top 500 highest-valued residences in B.C.

A few homes in White Rock and South Surrey have made it onto BC Assessment’s Top 500 Valued Residential Properties list for 2026.

British Columbia’s latest property assessments, posted Friday (Jan. 2), show that many homes throughout the Lower Mainland have decreased in value compared to last year.

The 2026 property assessments reflect market values as of July 1, 2025. “The softening housing market is being reflected in 2026 property assessments,” BC Assessment assessor Bryan Murao said in a release.

year, the release noted, with nearly $24 billion of the region’s updated assessments is from new construction, subdivisions and the rezoning of properties. In BC Assessment’s Top 500 list of highest-valued homes, a home in Ocean Park, at 2021 Indian Fort Dr. in South Surrey, was ranked at No. 116, valued at $18,381,000, down by six per cent compared to its 2025 assessed value of $19,646,000. It is the highest-valued home in Surrey in 2026.

In the same neighbourhood, a home at 2165 123 St. is ranked No. 282 on the list. The acreage property is valued at $14,080,000, down 10 per cent from its 2025 listed value of $15,725,000. Rounding out the Surrey homes on the list is another residence nearby, at 2189 123 St.

“Many homeowners throughout the Lower Mainland can expect some decreases in assessed value with most changes ranging between -10 per cent to 0 per cent.” Overall, the Lower Mainland’s total assessments have decreased from about $2.01 trillion in 2025 to about $1.92 trillion this

This single family home is No. 381 on the list and is valued at $12,928,000, a six per cent decrease from 2025’s $13,692,000.

Two White Rock homes also made it to the Top 500 list, with one coming in at No. 188. Located at 13616 Marine Dr., the beachfront acreage property is valued at $15,926,000 this year, down by six per cent compared to $16,971,000 in 2025.

Another Marine Drive property, at 13836, is valued at $12,185,000, coming in at No. 452 on the list, down by about three per cent from 2025’s $12,563,000.

Friend identifies business prof. as Saanich

homicide victim

A longtime friend has identified a woman killed on Jan. 5 in Saanich, B.C., as Laura Gover, a business professor at both Vancouver Island University and Camosun College.

Kelsea McLaughlin, who knew Gover for 25 years, said that she wants the 41-year-old to be remembered as a devoted mother to her two young daughters.

McLaughlin has set up a fundraiser to support the two children, who are seven and 11 years old.

"There's overwhelming sadness at losing someone who's, you know, an amazing friend, an amazing mother," McLaughlin said. "She's an incredible teacher, her students loved her. "But the other feeling that comes up is anger because this felt so needless, and it's just a needless tragedy."

McLaughlin's fundraiser has raised nearly $110,000 as of Tuesday evening, and she said the funds would be held in a trust for Gover's daughters to provide for them going forward.

Saanich police announced Monday that Muhammed Basar, who McLaughlin identified as Gover's ex-husband, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death.

Police were called to the 1600 block of Blair Avenue on Jan. 5 and took Basar into custody that same day. His next court appearance is set for Jan. 21.

The case has been designated a "K file," in the provincial court system, which the B.C. Prosecution Service uses to indicate alleged cases of intimate partner violence.

Burned car in Surrey connected to fatal house fire, homicide team reports

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirms that a burned car found in Surrey on Jan. 12 is connected to the death of a man inside a Surrey house.

Surrey police officers responded to a report of a vehicle fire in the area of Redwood Park at 17900 20th Avenue.

This follows the discovery of a man’s body inside a burned home in the 12700 block of 56 Avenue earlier in the day. Based on initial investigative steps, the death was determined to be suspicious and IHIT was deployed and assumed conduct of the investigation.

Investigators have been collecting CCTV footage and dash camera footage, as well as conducting interviews, to determine the timeline leading up to

the fire at the home on Monday, shortly after 7 a.m.

“We believe this was a targeted incident with a potential nexus to organized crime,” Cpl. Sukhi Dhesi, IHIT media relations officer, said in a statement.

“We are working closely with the Lower Mainland District Integrated Forensic Identification Service (LMD IFIS) and the Combined Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEUBC) to advance the investigation.”

Investigators are looking for anyone who has information or dashcam or CCTV footage from the area of the residential house fire at 12700 block 56 Avenue between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Jan. 12 to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or contact them by email.

Missing Surrey teen last seen Tuesday in Newton

Surrey Police Service (SPS) ask for the public’s assistance to help locate a missing 16-year-old. Chayton Binning was last seen at approximately 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in the area of 146 Street and 64 Avenue, Surrey.

He has not been seen or heard from since. He is described as South Asian, 5’10”, 180 lbs, with curly black hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen wearing a grey hoodie, black pants, dark navy jacket and black shoes.

“He has no phone and is believed to be on foot,” Surrey

Police stated late Wednesday afternoon.

“All attempts to locate him have been unsuccessful and police and family are concerned and are requesting assistance from the public, media and social media to assist in locating him.

He is known to frequent the Surrey and Langley area.”

Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Chayton Binning is requested to contact SPS at 604-5990502 and quote file 264326 (SP).

Police release image of victim in fatal Surrey house fire being investigated as homicide

Homicide investigators have identified the victim of a fatal Surrey, B.C., house fire on Monday. Police say that Naseem Mohammed, 27, was the victim discovered after a blaze at a house on 56 Avenue near 127 Street.

Crews responded to the blaze in the Panorama Ridge neighbourhood just after 7 a.m. Monday, and were searching the home when they found the body of a deceased man.

Mohammed was known to police and linked to the B.C. gang conflict, according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, who released

an image of him as they continue the investigation.

A Surrey Police Service spokesperson had earlier said that investigators do not believe the fire or the man's death is related to ongoing extortion attempts in the Lower Mainland.

In November 2021, Mohammed was arrested by border officers after earlier being listed as a wanted fugitive.

Police had said he was a member of the Brother's Keepers gang.

Anyone who has information about the fire, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage of the area between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., Jan. 12, to contact IHIT.

Police are investigating the death of a cyclist whose body was found along a major route in Richmond, B.C., saying the 34-year-old man may have been struck by a vehicle that did not remain at the scene.

RCMP say they received a report on Monday from one of the man's co-workers expressing concern that he had not shown up for work.

The Mounties say the colleague told police the man's absence was out of the ordinary, and he would usually ride his bike to work.

They say officers worked into the night trying to retrace the man's steps, ultimately finding his body along Westminster Highway on Richmond's east side.

RCMP say serious crimes investigators have

taken over the case, believing the man may have been struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash, and they're asking anyone who may have dashcam footage from the area to come forward They say the detachment has responded to three other serious crashes involving pedestrians so far this month and remind drivers to be mindful when sharing the roads with pedestrians and cyclists.

"Drivers need to slow down and be extra careful during this time of year," Cpl. Kenneth Lau said in the statement.

"Fog in the mornings, rainy weather and longer nights will affect the driver's ability to see who else is on the road so please give yourself extra time to respond."

3 Surrey men killed Abbotsford couple for money

Continued from Page 1...

A pathologist determined she had died as a result of “sharp-force trauma and blunt-force trauma,” Tsui said. Arnold, 77, was also found in bed – in a separate bedroom – with his hands and feet also bound, and his entire head and face rightly wrapped in duct tape.

His cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation due to smothering, Tsui said. She said the De Jongs were last seen alive on the evening of May 8, 2022.

They had hosted a family celebration earlier in the day, and Arnold’s sister visited them in the evening, leaving at around 10 p.m. His sister later tried to contact the home several times to no avail. The De Jongs’ son-in-law went to check on them the next morning, and called police immediately after discovering Joanne’s body.

Officers who arrived also checked on Arnold, and quickly determined that the pair were the victims of a homicide. Tsui said the De Jongs knew the three accused because Abhijeet Singh owned and ran a cleaning company, called AS Cleaners, which had cleaned the roof and gutters of the De Jong home in July 2021 and April 2022. The other two men also worked for the company, and the three men lived together in Surrey.

Tsui said Gurkaran arrived in Canada on an international student visa on April 16, 2022. She said he was supposed to attend North Lights College in Dawson Creek the next month, but he never made it there. “The Crown’s theory is that the three men acted as a team and violently confined the De Jongs in their separate bedrooms and murdered them,” Tsui said.

She said the three men stole Arnold’s credit cards, cheques and a pressure washer, which was later sold. Tsui said that while investigators were processing the scene, a voicemail message came in on the De Jongs’ landline, indicating there had been suspicious transactions on a credit card.

She said police followed up on that lead and obtained banking and phone records to try to identify potential suspects. Tsui said purchases and attempted purchases on Arnold’s credit card had been made beginning around 4:30 a.m. on May 9, 2022.

“Through their investigation, police learned that these purchases were linked to Rogers Communications accounts associated with customers named Khushveer Toor and Abhijeet Singh,” she said. Tsui said some of the fingerprints lifted from the De Jong home matched Gurkaran Singh. She said later on the day of May 9, 2022, Toor deposited a $5,600 cheque in person at a bank in Surrey. The cheque was purportedly signed by Joanne on May 6, and the memo line stated it was for “cleanup of house.”

Tsui said a second cheque for $5,100 was deposited into Gurkaran’s bank account and was also purportedly signed by Joanne – on May 1 – also for a house cleanup. Two days after the murders, the three men travelled to Brampton, Ont. When they returned to B.C., they immediately moved to a new basement suite that they rented together. They were all arrested together at that residence on Dec. 16, 2022.

Tsui said on the day of the arrest, an object used in the murders was located in the trunk of a vehicle that was jointly used by the three men and parked near their residence. “The Crown anticipates that there will be DNA evidence linking this object to the murders,” she said.

“The Crown’s over-arching theory is that, from cleaning the De Jong residence, the three men knew that the De Jongs were an elderly couple who lived alone and owned a trucking business.” Tsui said the Crown anticipates that cellphone records, financial records and evidence from electronic devices will link each of the accused to the murders. As well, the Crown will present “a body of forensic evidence,” she said.

B.C. woman agrees to explain source of $1 million to buy house allegedly linked to stock fraud

A woman who owns a Salt Spring Island home that the province alleges was bought with money from a US$165-million, pump-and-dump stock fraud has agreed not to fight a demand to provide information on the source of the money.

As part of a civil forfeiture suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, the province had applied for a socalled unexplained wealth order that, if approved by the court, puts a reverse onus on a defendant to explain where money came from to buy assets in cases where there is a suspicion of criminal activity or corruption.

Instead of fighting the unexplained wealth order, Alicia Valerie Davenport has entered into a consent agreement in B.C. Supreme Court to provide the information or records on the acquisition and maintenance of the Salt Spring Island.

Davenport has also agreed to provide the location of original documents and information on records not in her custody or control.

She was given until mid-December, 2025, to provide the information.

The Public Safety and Solicitor General Ministry said Friday that because the matter was before the courts, it wouldn’t say whether the information has been provided. Ministry officials noted that information provided in response to unexplained

wealth orders isn’t filed in court and therefore doesn’t become public.

“In agreeing to do so, counsel for Ms. Davenport explained that although the application is unnecessary, my client has no interest in wasting time and expense arguing over the issue,” said a court response from Davenport.

Davenport denies the money for the purchase in 2017 came from any unlawful activity.

Davenport’s court response adds that if the property was purchased with the money from unlawful activity, she relies on a section of the province’s Civil Forfeiture Act that allows the courts to provide relief if a forfeiture of property isn’t in the interests of justice. According to Davenport’s filing in court, the basis for that relief is that she didn’t directly or indirectly acquire the property on Salt Spring Island because of alleged unlawful action.

Prime Minister Mark Carney looks to reset Canada-China relationship in Beijing

Continued from Page 1...

He is travelling with several members of his cabinet, including Energy Minister Tim Hodgson and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.

"This is a new government with a new prime minister, a new foreign policy and a new geopolitical environment," Anand told reporters in Beijing when asked if she still views China as a disruptive power.

"In this moment of economic stress for our country, it is necessary for us to diversify our trading partners and to grow non-U.S. trade by at least 50 per cent over the next 10 years."

Since taking office last spring, Carney's government has described Beijing as strategic partner. It recently advised two Liberal MPs to quit a Taiwan visit early to avoid confusion over Ottawa's policy of not recognizing the selfgoverning island as an independent country.

Carney will spend two days in Beijing meeting with senior communist leaders and will sit down with President Xi Jinping on Friday. Carney and Xi also met last fall at the APEC summit in Korea.

The Canada-China relationship fell apart in 2018 after China detained two Canadians and held them in custody for nearly three years in retaliation for Canada's arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition

warrant.

The visit comes after years of warnings about Chinese electoral interference in Canada, mounting human rights concerns involving the Uyghur minority and free speech in Hong Kong, and military actions aimed at broadening China's territory beyond the nautical limits laid out by the United Nations.

Human Rights Watch has urged Carney to "make human rights a key focus of his visit," arguing that "the Chinese government’s deepening repression threatens not just the rights of people in China but, increasingly, Canada's core interests and values."

A major topic of Carney's meeting in China will be Beijing's heavy tariffs on pork, canola and seafood, which were imposed after Ottawa ordered tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.

Anand told reporters in Beijing Wednesday that conversations with Chinese officials have been "productive" and negotiations continue.

"We are here to represent all sectors of the Canadian economy and the work continues over the next number of days. We are going to be, as I said, ensuring that all stress sectors of Canadian economy are brought into the negotiations and the conversation," Anand said.

Continued from Page 1...

Garcha was the owner of Studio 12 Movies and Photography, Studio-12 Limousine and the coowner of Empress Palace Ballroom in the Payal Business Centre, a popular South Asian business complex.

According to Studio 12’s Vimeo profile, Garcha founded the small company in 2005, initially running it out of his home. Decades later and the company is filming more than 200 weddings a year, the profile claims.

Garcha was a husband and father of three children, according to social media posts.

“It remains very early on in this investigation,” Sukhi Dhesi, media relations officer for IHIT, said in a news release. “Based on initial investigative steps,

investigators do not believe there is a connection to the B.C. gang conflict and are working diligently to understand the circumstances that led to the death of Mr. Garcha. We are asking anyone with information to please come forward and speak with investigators.”

Investigators haven’t commented on whether the shooting was related to the high volume of extortion shootings impacting South Asian businesspeople in Surrey.

Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage from the 18900-block of 40th Street from 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and from the 3500-block of 176th Street between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., on Jan. 13 is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448 or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Kathak workshop concludes

Students of various age groups were celebrated on Wednesday as 11 participants received certificates at the closing of the second Kathak workshop held at the Fiji Museum.

The workshop was organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) under the High Commission of India and formed part of a series of school holiday programs aimed at promoting Indian classical dance and cultural appreciation in Fiji.

SVCC director Nishi Bala said the diverse age range of the students reflected the inclusive nature of the program and the growing interest in classical arts. “The students came from different age groups, but what they shared was the same dedication, discipline and enthusiasm,” Ms Bala said.

“These certificates recognise not just learning steps, but understanding the rhythm, expressions and stories that are central to Kathak.”

“The museum is a cultural heritage space, and holding this workshop here reinforces the importance of preserving and passing on cultural traditions to future generations.”

Ms Bala acknowledged the guidance of India’s

High Commissioner to Fiji, His Excellency Shri Suneet Mehta, and thanked Fiji Museum CEO Armando Lowe and his team for their collaboration.

Mr Lowe said the museum’s role was to ensure that all communities in Fiji were represented and respected.

“We are a museum for everyone. It is important that people of all ages understand the complex cultural makeup of Fiji, including the heritage of Fijian Indians, in a way that is engaging and meaningful.” Mr Lowe said.

The workshop was conducted by Kathak teacher and performer Abhijit Chakraborty, who has more than 20 years teaching experience.

PSC ends Ali’s term

THE Public Service Commission has confirmed that Shaheen Ali’s 14-year stretch as a permanent secretary, primarily within the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, MSMEs, and Communications, has come to an end.

PSC chair Luke Rokovada said Mr Ali had not been offered a new contract following a competitive recruitment process for the position. “It’s true that Mr Shaheen Ali has not been offered a new contract,” Rokovada said.

“There were other suitable candidates who applied for the position, and one of them has been appointed.”

Rokovada noted that Mr Ali had served as a permanent secretary for 14 consecutive

years, making him one of the longest-serving senior civil servants in the portfolio.

Despite the end of his tenure in the Trade Ministry, Rokovada said discussions had taken place regarding the possibility of Mr Ali continuing his service elsewhere within the civil service.

“I have broached with Mr Shaheen Ali the possibility of moving to another ministry in the civil service,” he said.

Rokovada said PSC would announce the new permanent secretary for commerce and business development before the end of next week. Questions sent to Mr Ali on Tuesday and again yesterday had not been responded to at the time of publication.

‘Vacate for your own safety’

SOME tenants have been living in the Public Rental Board’s (PRB) flats at Mead Road in Nabua, Suva for over 50 years. PRB general manager Timoci Naleba said the board understood the strong attachment tenants had to the site, having lived there for many years.

“Unfortunately, they have to vacate the building for their own safety,” Mr Naleba said. “At present, approximately 147 families are still residing in the Mead Road PRB flats. “The estate originally housed about 144–147 households across its blocks, and nearly all of these tenants remain on site while relocation efforts are in progress. “In other words, only a very small number of families have left so far, and the vast majority of residents are still living in the flats as of this update.

“PRB understands that these families have deep ties to their homes, and we emphasise that we are working diligently to relocate everyone safely given the urgent structural risks.” Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Nalumisa reminded tenants not to take ownership of the property for granted. “So, if you’re living in a flat at some of these Public Rental Board estates, it’s not your property,” Mr Nalumisa said. “What we encourage now is for

people to look somewhere else, but at the same time, we also coming up with some other options at the PRB, where while you stay, you can also rent to own, where you can later acquire some of the flats that you are living or staying in right now.

“So these are some of the options that we have discussed with PRB. “These are some of the arrangements to promote home ownership in PRB estates.”

Naleba: Residents given month-end to vacate

THE 147 families residing in the Public Rental Board’s (PRB) flats at Mead Road in Nabua, Suva have been given until the end of this month to relocate, after which power and water services will be disconnected. PRB board general manager Timoci Naleba said the move was aimed at preventing tenants from being exposed to unnecessary risks.

“In any form of catastrophic event, we are shutting the power and water down,” Mr Naleba said. “In case, they still there in the night, and the building falls and there is electricity and water, the survivor might touch a live wire, or they could even drown because of water if they are stuck in the property. “All first responders when they’ll run in, they’ll touch everything. “So just to protect them, we are cutting off electricity and water because the building can fall anytime, even during the night.”

He said the tenants had been informed of this through their Viber group. “There is a Viber group for all estates, and the tenants of Mead Road estate have been advised that water and electricity will be cut of at the end of the month. “At least we have given them another month, but it is a bit risky for us to continue to keep them there.”

Year 12 exam records 74% pass rate, results out tomorrow

The Fiji Year 12 Certificate Examination (FY12CE) recorded a pass rate of 74 per cent in 2025, according to the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro. The Minister confirmed that a total of 12,020 students sat the examination last year, with results reflecting a slight decline compared to 2024, when 12,868 students sat the FY12CE and achieved a pass rate of 76 per cent. The Education Minister also acknowledged the support provided

by heads of schools, teachers, parents, guardians and school management committees, noting their crucial role in guiding students through their academic journey. Five secondary schools achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in the 2025 examination, an improvement from four schools in 2024. These schools are Nadarivatu High School, Levuka Public School, Rabi High School, Valebasoga Secondary School and Duavata Secondary School.

Fiji only Pacific nation affected by new

U.S. immigrant visa suspension

Fiji has emerged as the only Pacific Island country affected by a sweeping new decision by the United States Department of State to suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries. The suspension, announced on Wednesday, will take effect from January 21 and targets countries whose nationals the Donald Trump administration says are more likely to require public assistance while living in the United States. Among other countries on the list are Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia.

The State Department, under Marco Rubio, said consular officers worldwide have been instructed to halt immigrant visa applications from the affected countries in line with broader guidance issued in November tightening “public charge” rules for prospective immigrants.

The suspension does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, such as tourist or business visas, which make up the majority of U.S. visa applications. Demand for these temporary visas is expected to increase significantly ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic

Games, both to be hosted or co-hosted by the United States. In a statement, the department said the move was aimed at preventing abuse of the U.S. immigration system, adding that immigrant visa processing from the 75 countries would be paused while procedures are reassessed to prevent the entry of foreign nationals likely to rely on welfare and public benefits. The Trump administration has already imposed severe restrictions on both immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing for citizens of dozens of countries, particularly across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Fiji’s inclusion makes it the sole Pacific nation impacted by the latest directive. Under the updated guidance, visa applicants are subject to enhanced scrutiny, including assessments of their health, finances, education, skills, family status, English proficiency and any past use of public assistance. While U.S. law has long required immigrants to prove they will not become a public charge, experts say the expanded criteria could further limit who qualifies for permanent residency at a time when immigration rules are becoming increasingly stringent.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2026

Intel flags ISI-backed LeT fidayeen plot for J&K

Pakistan’s ISI has directed terror outfit Lashkar-eTaiba to embed a 12-member fidayeen squad within Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) for a future strike in Jammu and Kashmir, with intelligence agencies assessing that the hybrid LeT-ISKP module is already active across Budgam, Kishtwar and Srinagar districts, top intelligence sources told

The Tribune on Thursday. The inputs indicate that terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir are currently being overseen by Pakistan’s militaryintelligence leadership, including Lieutenant General Ahmad Ehsan Nawaz, Chief of Pakistan Army’s X Corps, and Brigadier Faiq Ayub, the ISI’s PoK Sector Commander.

"The oversight is aimed at sustaining violence in the region while maintaining plausible deniability for Islamabad," the source said. He further informed that Pakistan’s Army and ISI have also authorised Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba to redraw operational strategies, with explicit instructions that "Pakistan’s direct role must remain concealed".

According to intelligence assessments, the fidayeen squad embedded within ISKP is being led by Abu Hurraira, a senior LeT commander active in India since 2021. His deputy is Mohammad Umar, alias “Khargosh”, active since 2022.

Reportedly, another key operative, Abu Dujana, in his early twenties, infiltrated into India in 2024 after being recruited and indoctrinated at a young age, reflecting LeT’s continued reliance on youthful cadres for high-risk suicide missions.

Intelligence inputs indicate that Abu Dujana was trained in 2018 alongside Umar Lone of Baramulla, who remained active in Jammu and Kashmir until he was killed in an encounter in Bandipora in June 2024. As per the source, the hybrid LeT–ISKP module has been split into smaller operational cells to minimise detection, with separate groups led by Hurraira, Umar, and Dujana.

Pakistan’s

SOUTH ASIA

arms deals cleared for take-off as JF-17 orders soar from Muslim countries

Pakistan is increasingly confident of making billion-dollar arms sales, headlined by the JF-17 fighters its co-produces with China, as up to six Muslim-majority countries look to upgrade their air forces amid growing geopolitical turbulence and civil wars. A preliminary deal worth US$4 billion was struck last month with the Libyan National Army for an unspecified number of JF17s and other training aircraft manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Reuters reported, citing Aamir Masood, an unofficial spokesman for Pakistan’s military.

The Libyan National Army, backed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, controls Libya’s east and rivals the internationally recognised Islamist government in Tripoli, which is supported by Qatar and Turkey.

Masood, a retired Pakistan Air Force air marshal, said a separate US$1.5 billion package had effectively been finalised with Sudan’s military government for light-attack aircraft, surveillance, suicide drones and possibly JF-17s. The deal could help Khartoum gain a decisive advantage over the rebel Rapid Support Forces.

Pakistan is also discussing a US$4 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, according to Masood. Both countries signed a mutual defence pact in September, soon after Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas negotiators in Qatar.

Islamabad has reportedly floated an “armsfor-debt” component worth around US$2 billion, possibly involving Riyadh’s financing of the Sudan sale. But such a proposal is politically complicated by the fact that Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey support the Sudanese military regime, while the UAE backs the Rapid Support Forces.

Nepali villagers struggle to keep age old bull-fight tradition alive

Nuwakot [Nepal], January 15 (ANI): In an arena nestled on the slopes of the hills, bulls fight to show strength and for recognition. This age-old tradition in the Himalayan Nation is slowly fading, with bulls becoming more expensive and rarer even in villages. The annual bull festival, which began over two centuries ago, continues to draw hundreds of revellers from across the nation despite the declining number of participating humpy bulls.

In 2025, a total of 16 pairs of bulls were taken into this very arena; this year, it has dropped to 13 as the annual bull fight commences in mid-January. "We cannot find the calf in and around villages.

I had to bring it from a far-flung area of another district. The local breed has almost become extinct, replaced by the hybrid ones. The local cows are now almost extinct, which is the cause. The hybrid ones also now cost 70 to one hundred thousand (Nepali rupees)," Lokman Shrestha, a bull owner who had been participating in the annual event for two decades and claims to have owned 16 matches till date, told ANI. This annually held, over two centuries old tradition is still continued and maintained

by the villagers in their own effort.

"Tractors have now replaced the bulls, previously used to plough the fields. People have now started to give up herding the bulls, all the grown-up young generations have started fleeing abroad, and the old generations- some have adapted the tractor to plough the field. Only those who have an interest are now herding the bulls," Shrestha added.

The bull owners in this place are rare; they care for the bulls throughout the year and bring them out to fight to show the strength

and might of their reared bulls. Bull owners feed their bull with various cereals, rice flour, oils and vitamins to increase stamina and tame their pet, making it eligible for a fight. Its preparation for the bullfight starts around August- September, during the monsoon.

Farmers make sure their bulls develop both the habit and the will to fight. Once they identify these traits, take special care of them by providing additional training. Bullfighting practice is held occasionally and at various times throughout the year. The practice usually begins in the first week of November and continues every 10 to 15 days.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appeared before the Akal Takht secretariat in Amritsar on Thursday after being summoned over his alleged remarks on Sikh traditions and tenets, and said that he would obey whatever directive was issued.

Officiating Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj said Mann admitted to having made certain statements related to Sikh traditions and religious institutions during public appearances which, he acknowledged, shouldn’t have been made.

Flanked by Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Tek Singh, Giani Gargaj said Mann assured the Sikh clergy of refraining from expressing personal views on Sikh religion and its institutions in the future. He said the Chief Minister’s explanation would be placed for consideration before the next meeting of the five Sikh high priests.

Mann remained at the secretariat for 70 minutes, though the officiating Jathedar arrived 20 minutes

late. Prior to his appearance, the Chief Minister offered prayers at the Golden Temple. He later told reporters that he had submitted his clarification to the Jathedar. He said he appeared before the Akal Takht secretariat as a devout Sikh to offer his clarification and would obey whatever directive was issued.

Accepting that an apostate or ‘Patit’ Sikh (someone who does not follow core Sikh principles) could not be pronounced punishment from the ‘fasil’ (façade) of the Akal Takht, Giani Gargaj said religious punishment could be given only in the form of directions to the Sikh sangat.

Amritsar cultural, spiritual soul of India: President

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday described Amritsar as the cultural and spiritual soul of India. She was presiding over the golden jubilee convocation of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) here.

“Amritsar has Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir and Jallianwala Bagh, which are cultural and spiritual symbols of India. The city is special in that sense,” the President said.

Addressing students and scholars, she described Guru Nanak Dev’s wisdom as a collective legacy for humanity. She said his teachings continue to guide society towards harmony and universal wellbeing. “Guru Nanak Dev gave the world a mantra for social harmony — ‘Naam jappo, kirt karo, vand

chhako’. These principles, when practised, present a solution to most of our social problems,” she said.

The President conferred honorary doctorate degrees on Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney and tech giant Jasvir Gill. She also awarded degrees and medals to meritorious students and scholars. In a lighter moment, Murmu said GNDU deserved additional credit in its NAAC accreditation as 99 per cent of award recipients at the convocation were women, calling it “a true sign of women empowerment through education”.

Punjab Governor and GNDU Chancellor Gulab Chand Kataria, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Bains and Vice-Chancellor Prof Karamjeet Singh were present at the ceremony.

Suspended Punjab DIG Harcharan Bhullar seeks unfreezing of 10 bank accounts

Suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar has filed an application in the CBI Court seeking directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation to unfreeze 10 bank accounts belonging to his father and daughter. The court has issued notice to the CBI and sought its reply by February 6.

Bhullar alleged the CBI froze the accounts during the investigation of a “trap case” without obtaining prior permission from the court. He claimed the action was illegal and arbitrary.

Counsel for the accused, SPS Bhullar, argued the CBI presented the challan in the case on December 3, 2025, against Bhullar and co-accused Krishanu Sharda. He submitted the bank accounts were not part of the challan and were not required for any purpose in the trap case. He also contended that there was nothing on record to show under which legal provision the accounts were frozen.

The counsel said the accounts belonged to Bhullar’s father and daughter and had no connection with the alleged offence. He said Bhullar’s father, an Army veteran and former Punjab DGP, aged about 80, had retired from public service and maintained the accounts from independent sources of income, including pension and agricultural earnings.

AAP govt muzzling media, alleges opposition after Punjab Kesari group claims being targeted

Opposition parties in Punjab hit out at the AAP government, alleging it was using state power to muzzle the press.

The attack came after the Punjab Kesari newspaper group on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that it was being targeted with multiple raids by enforcement authorities.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa alleged that the ruling AAP is using state power to muzzle the press, while BJP state president Sunil Jakhar said he strongly condemns the "attack on media's freedom" and added that a BJP delegation will meet the governor on January 17 in this regard. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal also condemned the alleged action on the newspaper group. "When governments are rattled, and the writing on the wall is clearly visible to them,

the first institutions that come under attack are the free media and opposition parties that stand for the people," Badal said in a post on X.

The newspaper group on Thursday wrote to Mann alleging that it was being targeted with multiple raids by enforcement authorities, events that it said began with a "balanced and fair" news report on opposition allegations against the ruling AAP's national convenor.

The group alleged these raids targeted it and its associate concerns "with an extraneous motive to intimidate the press".

The Punjab government issued an official statement late evening and categorically rejected the Punjab Kesari group's allegations. Shiromani Akali Dal, as always, stands firmly for the freedom of the press, as it is a very important pillar of democracy, he said.

Singapore PM strips opposition leader Pritam Singh of post after lying conviction

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stripped Pritam Singh of his post as Leader of the Opposition on Thursday, saying his position had become untenable after his conviction for lying to parliament.

The move, the first of its kind in Singapore, comes after parliament decided in a vote on Wednesday that Singh of the opposition Workers' Party was unsuitable to continue in the post given his "dishonourable and unbecoming" conduct after a lying conviction.

Wong in a statement said the decision was necessary to uphold the rule of law, as well as the dignity and integrity of parliament.

"Having considered the matter carefully, I have decided that Mr. Singh’s criminal convictions, taken together with Parliament’s considered view of his unsuitability, make it no longer tenable for him to continue... Mr. Singh’s designation as the LO will therefore cease with immediate effect," Wong said.

The Leader of the Opposition is designated by the head of government and not provided for in the constitution or parliament's standing orders. Despite the parliamentary vote, it was entirely up to Wong whether to remove Singh from the role.

The post comes with certain privileges and duties,

such as staff support and an additional allowance, as well as access to confidential government briefings, especially in the event of a national crisis or emergency.

Wong said he has asked the opposition party to nominate another lawmaker not embroiled in the lying scandal to serve as the next leader of the opposition, which he described as an "important position in our parliamentary democracy".

Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, a political scientist at Nanyang Technological University, said he did not think removing Singh from the post would have a big impact.

"The only substantive things he would be losing are his allowance, which won’t affect the party, and speaking time," he said.

Singh will remain a lawmaker and the leader of his party.

The Workers' Party said it would study the letter sent by Wong to its central executive committee.

"We will deliberate on its contents carefully through our internal processes and respond in due course," it said.

In February, a Singapore court found Singh guilty of giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee in 2021 about a fellow party member, Raeesah Khan, who admitted to lying in a parliamentary speech about an account of her accompanying a sexual assault victim to make a police report.

Singh was Singapore's first leader of the opposition and was appointed after the 2020 election, when his party gained five seats in parliament, bringing its total to 10.

In 2025, the People's Action Party won its 14th consecutive election by taking 87 of 97 seats up for grabs to extend its unbroken six-decade rule. The Workers' Party won the remainder and Singh was reappointed as leader of the opposition.

Rolls-Royce bets on India as third ‘home market,’ signals big aerospace investment

British aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce is exploring plans to designate India as its third strategic “home market” outside the United Kingdom, a move that could unlock wide-ranging opportunities across jet engines, naval propulsion, and advanced engineering sectors, company executives and government sources said. In a post on X, the UK in India mission highlighted that Rolls-Royce’s initiative reflects the strengthening

of high-technology cooperation between the two countries, particularly in aerospace, defense manufacturing, and innovation.

The firm is planning a significant investment in India that spans jet engine development, naval propulsion systems, and related advanced engineering segments, according to Sashi Mukundan, Executive Vice-President of RollsRoyce India told PTI few months back.

Germany, India vow closer security ties

Germany and India vowed to strengthen economic and security ties on Monday, as both look to reduce their dependence on China and

hedge against US-driven uncertainty.

New Delhi is “reorienting its partnerships” amid high US tariffs, The Economic Times wrote, and Europe is the “most viable counterweight” to Washington’s economic pressure.

Germany’s chancellor, who met the Indian prime minister in Gujarat, said the EU and India could sign a landmark free trade agreement this month.

EU top leaders to be chief guests at R-Day; India-EU summit on Jan 27

President of the European Council António Luís Santos da Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations, signalling New Delhi's deepening strategic and economic engagement with Europe.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two EU leaders will pay a state visit to India from January 25 to 27, during which they will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit on January 27, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday. During the visit, the EU leaders will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be held on the sidelines of the summit, reflecting the growing centrality of trade, investment and supply-chain cooperation in bilateral ties. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004, with relations expanding across trade, technology, defence, climate action and global governance. Engagement gained renewed momentum following the visit of the EU College of Commissioners to

India in February 2025.

The summit assumes added significance amid fresh momentum in negotiations for a longpending India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Senior officials have indicated that political direction has been given to narrow remaining gaps and accelerate talks, raising expectations of substantive progress -- and possibly a breakthrough -- at the summit. Trade negotiations, revived in 2022 after a decade-long pause, are seen as strategically vital for both sides amid global supply-chain realignments and efforts to reduce over-dependence on single markets. India views the FTA as a gateway to enhanced market access and investment from one of its largest trading blocs, while the EU sees India as a key long-term economic and geopolitical partner. Officials said the participation of the EU’s two most senior leaders as Republic Day chief guests underscores the intent on both sides to elevate the partnership to a higher political and strategic plane. “The visit and the 16th India–EU summit will further deepen the strategic partnership and advance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest,” the MEA said.

Tiger Global loses landmark Indian tax case over Walmart deal

India's top court has ruled that Tiger Global's $1.6 billion stake sale in Indian e-commerce firm Flipkart to Walmart is subject to taxes, handing a win to New Delhi in a landmark ruling that will shape future cross-border deals.

Keenly watched by foreign investors, the dispute relates to how the U.S. investment firm used the India–Mauritius tax treaty to claim tax exemptions and Indian authorities' fierce objections to it.

The ruling will set a precedent for how India - the world's most populous nation and a rapidly growing consumer market - applies tax principles and interprets international tax treaties.

Tiger Global had been locked in a legal tussle with Indian tax authorities over the 2018 stake sale by its Mauritius-based entities to Walmart. That transaction was part of U.S. retail giant Walmart's $16 billion acquisition of Flipkart. Supreme Court

Judge R. Mahadevan said Tiger Global's transaction was designed as an "impermissible tax avoidance arrangement". It, therefore, cannot claim an exemption from paying tax on the profit from the stake sale, he added.

The exact amount of tax and penalties Tiger Global now owes, which would depend on how much profit it made from the deal, was not immediately clear.

The world’s third- and fifth-largest economies have not traditionally had close defense ties, but geopolitical shifts are changing that calculus, too: Germany is building up its defense base as Russia’s threat grows, and Berlin is eager to weaken New Delhi’s defense ties with Moscow. Monday-Friday - 12:00pm - 9:30pm & Saturday-Sunday - 12:00pm - 10:00pm

Tiger Global did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling. The company can ask the Supreme Court to review its verdict, but typically such requests have a low success rate.

"The decision marks a watershed moment in Indian taxation paradigm," said Tarun Jain, a lawyer specializing in taxation at the Supreme Court. It will put "the onus upon the taxpayers to demonstrably engage only in genuine and bona fide deals, which are not motivated by tax considerations," he said.

Fog and frozen lakes as cold weather sweeps northern India

A severe cold wave has tightened its grip on large parts of northern India, with temperatures hovering near zero in several states.

On Thursday, the capital Delhi recorded its coldest morning so far this winter, with the temperature dropping to 2.9C. In neighbouring Haryana state, temperatures in some areas reportedly fell to under 1C, with pictures of frost-covered cars and bikes going viral on social media. The cold weather has persisted for four days and is expected to continue until Friday, according to the weather department.

A cold wave is defined as minimum temperatures falling below 4C in the plains of northern India. The weather conditions

have disrupted flight schedules, with some train services also cancelled. In the early hours of Thursday, Delhi airport warned passengers of possible delays because of poor visibility.

Most homes in India's plains are not designed for harsh winters and lack central heating.

The cold spell comes as air quality in many cities across the region remains in the hazardous category. During winter, low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, reducing visibility and worsening pollution levels.

This can lead to breathing problems, particularly among vulnerable groups - such as children, the elderly and those with existing health conditions.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday announced that a period of two years -- 2026 and 2027 -- will be used to strengthen the ‘networking’ of the force and make it more ‘datadriven’ for battles of the future.

General Dwivedi, announced this at the Army Day Parade at Jaipur on Thursday, adding “this focus will further improve connectivity, information flow and coordination across the force, enabling timely and well-informed decisions”.

The Army Chief also posted a message for his 1.2-million-strong force saying 2026 and 2027 had been declared as “years of networking and data-centricity to transform the Army into a datadriven, network-enabled and fully integrated Army with all other stakeholders, so as to win wars in a multi-domain environment.

The phrase ‘networking and data-centricity’ in armed forces refers to building a digitally connected military where data flows seamlessly across units, enabling faster decisions, resilient communication and integrated operations.

up under the China-focused 17 Mountain Strike Corps. As per the plan, the two division-size formation of the Mountain Strike Corps would be converted into four IBGs to be headed by a Major General-rank officer, the Army Chief said.

The IBGs are envisioned as agile, brigade-sized combat formations.

Each of these will have elements from the infantry, artillery, armoured units, engineers, signals, air defence, and other arms and services, and can launch an operation within 48 hours when tasked. Meanwhile, Defence Minister, speaking at the Army Day celebrations in Jaipur, said Operation Sindoor emerged as a balanced military response amidst the uncertainties prevailing worldwide, and it would be remembered in history as a symbol of India’s courage, strength, restraint and national character.

Earlier at the parade in Jaipur, the Army Chief also mentioned the activities of the year gone by and Operation Sindoor.

India has laid down non-negotiable clauses for French plane maker Dassault on the process, including the level of transfer of technology, for making the next tranche of 114 Rafale fighter jets in India.

Sources told The Tribune that non-negotiables include integration of Indian weapons, missiles and ammunition on all 114 jets; the plane maker will provide secure data links to allow digital integration of the jets with Indian radars and sensors sending imagery to ground-based controllers.

These two clauses look innocuous but need the plane maker to weave in a seamless command system for weapons and also for sending and receiving data. This will need the plane maker to introduce changes to the software of the onboard computing system of the jet.

Also the plane maker will be providing transfer of technology (ToT) for making air frames. Its suppliers like engine maker Safran and avionics provider Thales will be part of the ToT. The indigenous content is expected to be between 55 per cent and 60 per cent once ToT for air frames, engines and avionics is done.

Avionics, weapons and missiles on the Rafale have been upgraded since IAF ordered its fleet of 36 in 2015. The IAF flies what is the ‘F3R’ version of the plane, same as the French air force. Dassault

Aviation has introduced the ‘F-4’ version – an upgrade. India is seeking a mix of the ‘F-4’ version and upcoming ‘F-5’ version. The upgrade includes next generation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for longer detection range and improved resilience to electronic warfare. It is to have a better self-protection system to detect and counter new and emerging threats. Capabilities would include better long-range detection and identification of enemy threats backed by missiles with longer ranges.

It is to be mated with better satellite links and even have artificial intelligence algorithms to assist the pilot with improved situational awareness and decision-making.

The Ministry of Defence is set to finalise the $8 billion deal for filing gaps in air power. The Tribune was the first to report in its edition dated September 12, 2025, that the Indian Air Force had moved a formal proposal seeking 114 of these jets.

The jets will be available under the 'Make in India' scheme with Dassault aviation partnering an Indian firm. In September last year, Dassault increased its shareholding in Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) from 49 per cent to 51 per cent, making the joint venture a majorityowned subsidiary of the French company. Anil Ambani led Reliance Infrastructure is the partner in DRAL.

The IAF already flies 36 Rafale jets while the Navy ordered 26 of the marine variant of same jet. Adding more numbers is expected to reduce maintenance costs. A Rafale flight training and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility is functioning at the IAF base at Ambala. French engine maker Safran, in June last year, announced an MRO hub for its engines in Hyderabad.

Network centricity will alter results in future wars. The side that decides faster, will have the upper hand. While data-centricity ensures informed decisions.

That speed for decision making needs data and satellite images to travel faster to commanders on ground and also at the senior level.

The two-year focus is part of the ‘decade of transformation’ announced by the Army in 2023. This is the second major change announced by the Army Chief in the past two days.

Earlier on January 13, revealed that the government has approved a long-pending proposal for setting up Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs). The first such unit is planned to come

The IAF needs to quickly induct more jets. The number of squadrons are down to 29, the lowest combat strength in the past six decades.

Amid the ongoing protests and mounting tension in Iran over possible military intervention by the US, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday dialled External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar amid calls for the safe evacuation of J&K students from Iran. Omar said on X that he spoke to Jaishankar about the evolving situation in Iran.

“He shared his assessment of the ground situation and the plans that the External Affairs Ministry is working on. I’m grateful for his assurance that all steps will be taken to safeguard the interests and lives of students and other people

from J&K who are in Iran,” Omar said. Meanwhile, India is making preparations to evacuate Indians from Iran. In view of the evolving situation in Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs is making preparations to facilitate the return of Indian nationals who wish to travel back to India, official sources in New Delhi said on Thursday.

It is learnt that the government is exploring the option of bringing back Indians using civil as well as military transport aircraft. According to estimates, a little over 10,000 Indians, including students, are currently living in Iran.