Trade War: Why India is Cautious of Opening Up to China | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G

Summary

The Vantage episode with Palki Sharma explores the current global trade tensions, emphasizing India's cautious stance towards China amidst a trade war driven by US tariffs under Trump's administration. While China attempts to mend relations and offer business opportunities to India, India remains hesitant due to concerns about trade deficits and the potential implications of aiding China in circumventing US tariffs. The episode also discusses related global political maneuvers and tensions, including Europe's diplomatic engagement with the US, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the economic struggles in Pakistan.

Highlights

• Trump's tariffs are biting, prompting India to tread carefully with China. 🤔
• China proposes business charms to India, but India is vigilant due to trade deficits. 📊
• Europe ropes in Meloni to negotiate with Trump, aiming to dodge tariff troubles. 💬
• The US military is flexing its muscles at the southern border with a massive deployment. 🪖
• A potential habitable exoplanet discovery sparks excitement in the search for extraterrestrial life. 🛸

Key Takeaways

• Trump's tariffs are shaking the global economy, with India playing it cool towards China's advances. 🤨
• India's trade deficit with China is a whopping $99 billion, a concern amidst the trade shuffle. 📉
• Europe sends Italian PM Meloni as their 'Trump whisperer' to strike a tariff deal, looking for a win in Washington. 🗨️
• China is sweet-talking India with fast-tracked visas and joint ventures, but India's eyes are wide open. 🤝
• Israel's military moves in Gaza are stirring the pot further in an already tense West Asia. 🚁

Overview

The trade tensions simmer globally as Trump's tariffs rattle economies. India remains cautious with China despite Beijing's offers, wary of its significant trade deficit and the geopolitical implications. The discussion centers around India's strategic approach to ensure economic stability and safeguard its interests amidst the global shuffle.

Europe finds its ally in Italian PM Georgia Meloni, hoping her rapport with Trump can negotiate favorable terms in the trade spat. Her visit is seen as a diplomatic chess move to benefit the EU amidst the tariff turmoil, showcasing Europe's strategic footwork.

Meanwhile, in a different sphere of intrigue, the potential discovery of a habitable exoplanet has stirred scientific communities worldwide. These findings could redefine our understanding of life beyond Earth, adding another layer of excitement to the global narrative of exploration and discovery.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 10:00: Introduction and Headlines Introduction to 'Vantage' with host Pali Sharma, setting the stage for the content of the show.
• 10:00 - 20:00: Economic Crashes and Trump's Tariffs This chapter discusses the potential impact of Donald Trump's policies, particularly tariffs, on the global economy. The text expresses concerns about alarming numbers and projections, with economists and regulators warning of negative consequences. The American central bank is noted to be anxious, and global markets are described as struggling. Efforts to mitigate the situation include diplomatic moves from Europe and Asia. Italy, under Prime Minister George Maloney, is attempting to persuade the US to abandon tariffs, while China is engaging India with various incentives to mitigate the impact of tariffs.
• 20:00 - 30:00: Georgia Maloney's US Visit The chapter covers Georgia Maloney's visit to the US, highlighting international political dynamics, including Xi Jinping's diplomatic charm offensive in Southeast Asia, amidst tensions in the South China Sea. It touches on the rhetoric of Pakistan's army chief regarding the country's identity. The chapter poses questions about Israel's potential actions in Gaza, referencing a recent military statement. Additionally, it discusses the Blue Smart fraud and its implications for India's startup ecosystem.
• 30:00 - 40:00: China's Relations with India The chapter explores the geopolitical relationship between China and India, with a focus on recent developments and tensions.
• 40:00 - 50:00: Xi Jinping's Southeast Asia Tour In a surprising political turn, Germany's chancellor in waiting, Friedrich Med, has expressed openness to supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, a move previously ruled out by current Chancellor Olaf Scholes. This discussion follows the precedent set by the US and the UK, which have already delivered similar military aid to Ukraine amid ongoing conflicts.
• 50:00 - 60:00: Pakistan's Army Chief Rant The chapter titled 'Pakistan's Army Chief Rant' includes references to geopolitical issues and conflicts, not directly related to Pakistan's army, but includes broader military and political activities worldwide. It begins with the mention of the Taliban, which was outlawed by Russia in 2003, and transitions to news of a significant conflict in North Dur between the Sudin army and paramilitary rapid support forces. More than 50 casualties were reported in the capital city due to the ongoing violence. The paramilitary RSF has escalated its actions against Darur city after the army regained control of Kartu. Meanwhile, it briefly touches upon a separate, inconclusive subject regarding a meeting held by Nvidia's CEO.
• 60:00 - 70:00: Israel-Gaza Conflict The chapter titled 'Israel-Gaza Conflict' discusses the implications of the US restricting sales of AI chips, particularly from Nvidia, to China amid a trade war led by President Trump. Additionally, it touches on Myanmar's government granting amnesty to nearly 5,000 prisoners in celebration of the country's new year, including the pardon of 13 foreign nationals, despite criticism.
• 70:00 - 80:00: Indian Startup Frauds The chapter discusses the impact of the 2021 coup, during which thousands of protesters and activists were arrested by the Huta. It highlights the severe actions taken against dissent and the role of music ('Heat') in the protest environment.
• 80:00 - 90:00: Tourist Fees Worldwide In the chapter titled 'Tourist Fees Worldwide', the discussion revolves around the significant economic disruptions caused by two major events in the last two decades. The first is the 2008 collapse of the US banking sector, resulting in a global recession. The second is the 2020 crisis triggered by the Wuhan virus, noted as the largest economic downturn in over a century.
• 90:00 - 100:00: US Army at the Mexico Border In 2025, the world faces a potential economic crash driven largely by actions of the US President Donald Trump. His policies are causing global economic instability, drawing concerns from economists and regulatory bodies worldwide. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has publicly expressed its concerns over the unfolding situation.
• 100:00 - 110:00: Extraterrestrial Life Discovery The chapter discusses the unexpected downturn in global trade, which is attributed to tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. Originally, the WTO predicted a 2.7% growth in goods trade by 2025, but the forecast has been adjusted to a decline of 0.2%. North America is projected to be the most adversely affected region with the sharpest drop in trade activity.
• 110:00 - 115:00: Vantage Shots and Conclusion This chapter discusses the impact of tariffs on global economies, specifically highlighting the trade tensions between the United States and China. The World Trade Organization (WTO) chief expresses concern, describing the US-China trade war as 'really worrying', and emphasizing the risk of a significant reduction in bilateral trade, with projections suggesting a possible 80% decrease in merchandise trade between the two nations.

Trade War: Why India is Cautious of Opening Up to China | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Hello namaskar. This is first post and you're watching Vantage with me Pali Sharma. [Music] [Music]
• 00:30 - 01:00 Is Donald Trump crashing the global economy? The numbers and projections do not look good. Economists and regulators have sounded an alarm. America's central bank is worried and markets are still bleeding. Meanwhile, Europe has sent its Trump card to Washington. Can Italian Prime Minister George Maloney convince the US president to drop tariffs? In Asia, China is wooing India to soften the tariff blow. From quick visas to full compliance, Beijing is offering everything on a platter. They're turning
• 01:00 - 01:30 on the charm. In Southeast Asia, too, after bullying neighbors and militarizing the South China Sea, Xi Jinping talks about an Asian family. Over in Pakistan, the army chief is ranting about partition and how Pakistanis are quote unquote different from Hindus. We'll discuss why. In West Asia, will Israel take over Gaza? Their latest statement says it is part of the military plan. A report on the blue smart fraud and what it means for India's startup
• 01:30 - 02:00 story. Do tourist taxes work? Why are more and more countries imposing them? Why has the US army taken over the Mexico border complete with tanks and combat ready troops? And is there life beyond Earth? Scientists say they've found the strongest evidence yet. All this and more coming up. The headlines first. Russia warns Germany against supplying tourist missiles to Ukraine. Moscow says this would be a direct participation by Berlin in the conflict. Ongoing outgoing
• 02:00 - 02:30 Chancellor Olaf Scholes had ruled out sending the missiles to Kiev, but Germany's chancellor in waiting Friedrich Med says has said that he's not opposed to the move. The US and the UK have already supplied longrange missiles to Ukraine. Russia removes the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist groups. Since the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, Moscow has taken steps to normalize relations with the Taliban authorities. Last October, the group's top diplomat met Russian foreign minister in Moscow.
• 02:30 - 03:00 The Taliban was outlawed by Russia in 2003. Clashes erupt between the Sudin army and the paramilitary rapid support forces. More than 50 people have been killed in the besieged capital, capital city of North Dur. The violence comes days after the paramilitary killed more than 400 people there. The RSF has ramped up its attacks on the Darur city. Ever since the army recaptured the capital, Kartu Nvidia CEO holds talks with
• 03:00 - 03:30 Chinese leaders in Beijing. This comes after the US curbed sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to to China. Nvidia is a key provider of chips used in AI. It is trying to maintain sales in China as US President Trump wages a trade war with Beijing. And Myanmar's Huna releases nearly 5,000 prisoners. Claims the amnesty is to mark the country's new new year festivities. 13 foreign nationals have also been pardoned. Critics allege that
• 03:30 - 04:00 the Huta has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since the 2021 coup. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]
• 04:00 - 04:30 In the last two decades, there have been two major economic crashes. In 2008 2008, the US banking sector collapsed. It caused a worldwide recession. Then 12 years later in 2020, the Wuhan virus struck. It triggered the largest economic crisis in more than 100 years.
• 04:30 - 05:00 Now we are in 2025 and the world is on the brink of another crash. But it's also different this time because this crisis has been crafted by just one man, US President Donald Trump. He is singlehandedly rattling the global economy. The world's top economists and regulators are sounding alarms. Today the World Trade Organization has weighed in. It's better known as the WTO, the World Trade Organization. The WTO says
• 05:00 - 05:30 that global trade will shrink this year and it blames Donald Trump's tariffs for this. The WTO has slashed its trade forecast. Earlier it expected goods trade to grow by 2.7%. That was the forecast for 2025, 2.7% growth. But now it predicts a drop of 0.2%. And it says that the worst hit will be North America. It will see the steepest decline in trade. So the message is
• 05:30 - 06:00 clear. Tariffs are tearing economies apart. The WTO chief highlighted the USChina divide. She called their trade war and I'm quoting really worrying. Escalating trade tensions between the United States and China pose a significant risk of a sharp contraction in their bilateral trade. Our preliminary projections suggest that merchandise trade between these two economies could decrease by as much as 80%. You don't need a rocket scientist
• 06:00 - 06:30 to figure this out. American tariffs come with consequences. They have raised uncertainty. They can shrink trade. They will certainly hit exports and ultimately they will slow down growth. The US Federal Reserve agrees. That's the American Central Bank. Its chair Jerome Powell is concerned. He says tariffs are putting the central bank in a bind because tariffs will make things more expensive. This will raise inflation and it will force the Fed to
• 06:30 - 07:00 raise interest rates. If they raise rates, loans will become expensive. It will hurt economic growth and it will lead to more unemployment. The level of tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated and the same is likely to be true of the economic effects which will include higher inflation and slower growth. Powell says this is a challenging scenario. He has compared the situation to a penalty shootout
• 07:00 - 07:30 where the the Fed is the goalkeeper. Jerome Powell says the Fed must die one way or the other. It can either fight inflation or it can protect jobs. It may not be able to do both. And this is going to be a tough call. This warning shook the American markets. The Dow Jones fell nearly 700 points in yesterday's trade. The NASDAQ dropped more than 3%. Technology stocks led this slide. The overall investor mood is grim. It is not a recession yet, but
• 07:30 - 08:00 investors say they can see it coming. According to the Bank of America, global investors are spooked. The bank has conducted a survey. It spoke to 164 global fund managers. They manage assets worth almost $400 billion. Now, these managers are rethinking their investments in the US. They want to cut their holdings in US equities. Almost half of them believe that a hard landing is likely. That
• 08:00 - 08:30 means a sharp slowdown with falling growth, rising layoffs, and real financial pain. In February, just 6% of these investors felt that this was possible. But now, 49% of them say that a hard landing is the most likely outcome. Here's another interesting fallout. Indian exports to the US surged last month. In the month of March, total exports from India crossed $86 billion,
• 08:30 - 09:00 which is a record high. They shipped goods worth $10 billion to the US alone. Now this is a jump of 35% compared to last year and this spike is thanks to tariffs. Companies rushed to ship goods before the tariffs kicked in. Of course, the surge is temporary, possibly a one-off. Chinese imports into India have also soared. They jumped by 25% last month. As a result, India's trade deficit with China has crossed $99 billion.
• 09:00 - 09:30 Long story short, the trade climate is precarious. Trump has paused tariffs for 90 days. This should have calmed markets and investors, but that has not happened. In fact, the opposite is happening. Fears of a recession are growing. This time, not from a virus or a credit crisis, but from an ego trip that turned into a policy decision in Washington. Its ripple effects across the world are just beginning to show.
• 09:30 - 10:00 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]
• 10:00 - 10:30 We love you. Donald Trump and Georgia Maloney. They share what many believe is a special relationship. He calls her a rising star. She praises his politics. And that's because Trump and Maloney speak the same political language. Tough on borders, big on tradition, and unapologetically nationalistic. It is strongman politics with a personal touch. No wonder they
• 10:30 - 11:00 get along. Since Donald Trump was elected to office, Georgia Maloney has met him thrice and she's set to do it again. The Italian prime minister is in Washington DC. She will meet the US president in a few moments from now. And on the agenda is a deal, a trade deal, not just for Italy, but for the whole of Europe. Can she manage it? Is Georgia Maloney Europe's Trump whisperer? A quick primer first. The European Union is one of America's biggest allies and trading partners. In
• 11:00 - 11:30 2024, it was the largest single market for US exports, the EU. This month, Donald Trump announced his new round of tariffs. And Europe did not walk away unscathed. 20% on all imports and 25% on steel, aluminium, and cars. This is what the US slapped on the EU. Europe retaliated with 25% reciprocal tariffs. But then Trump hit a 90-day
• 11:30 - 12:00 pause. So Europe responded in kind. They paused, too. But now they face a stark choice. Should the EU negotiate or should it retaliate for the moment they've chosen to talk they want a trade deal to make sure that the they can in they can evade the US tariffs. They want a deal for that. And so they've sent Georgia Maloney. Why her? Because she has Trump's attention. They're hoping that she can convince him to strike a deal.
• 12:00 - 12:30 Earlier today, Maloney spoke to Ursula Vanderlayan, the president of the European Commission. The two are said to have coordinated her messaging on what she's going to say to Trump. They discussed that. So, Europe is counting on Maloney to get the job done. But what's in it for her? Well, this is a leader who has positioned herself as a bridge between Europe and Trump's America. She has been panned for her closeness to the new US
• 12:30 - 13:00 administration, but the Italian prime minister has maintained that it will pay off and this is her test. I'm convinced that we must work to avert a trade war in every possible way. That would benefit no one, neither the United States nor Europe, which of course does not exclude, if necessary, also having to imagine adequate responses to defend our production. Plus, there's national interest involved here. The US and Italy have a trade
• 13:00 - 13:30 surplus of more than $40 billion. So, Rome exports more products than it imports from Washington. The top exports include vehicles, fashion, food, and beverages. So, Maloney is feeling some domestic pressure, too. She must shield Italian businesses from American tariffs. The US is clearly a key market for us. It is clear that the introduction of new tariffs would have heavy repercussions for Italian producers. I personally
• 13:30 - 14:00 think it would also be an injustice for many US citizens because it would limit the possibility of buying and consuming our excellence only to those who can afford to spend more. So right now she's on a mission impossible. Not everyone is optimistic about it. Reports suggest that some European officials were not in favor of this visit. They think it undermines European unity, that Europe should put up a
• 14:00 - 14:30 united defense and not depend on individual friendships. Many also fear that Maloney will freelance, that she will cut a good deal for Italy and leave the rest of of the EU in the dust. Now, we'll have to wait and see how this plays out, but we do know that the Italian prime minister is no stranger to balancing acts. Since taking office, she has walked the diplomatic tight rope, signaling solidarity with Europe on Ukraine while maintaining ideological sympathy with
• 14:30 - 15:00 Trump. She's condemned Russia's invasion, but she's also avoided the zealous moralism of some European counterparts. She talks to Macron, and she also talks to Elon Musk. So Georgia Maloney knows how to work with all camps, but this is a risky gambit. If she fails, Europe may not forgive her. If she succeeds, she will be hailed as the unlikely savior of the transatlantic alliance. So there is a lot riding on her back. The next few hours will tell
• 15:00 - 15:30 us if Georgia Maloney is just Trump's friend or Europe's fixerinchief. Now, let's talk about China. It is knocking on India's doors once again with some urgency this time. The US has slapped 245% tariffs on China. Striking a deal is out of the question at the moment. So, Beijing is looking for backups and India is a fantastic option for them. Chinese firms are warming up to Indian
• 15:30 - 16:00 regulators. They are willing to accept New Delhi's terms. They're keen to do business with India and in India and they're ready to take a backseat in joint ventures anything to get them an entry. More and more Chinese companies are ready to accept this like the Shangghai highly group. They make air conditioners and hire which is an electronics company. Reports say that they're open to India's rules now because if they lose the
• 16:00 - 16:30 American market, they will need India and if they wait too long, other competitors could take the lead. Companies from South Korea, Japan, and Europe, they're all fighting for the same market share. So, Chinese companies are feeling the heat and Beijing is trying to help them out. China is ready to work with India to view and handle China India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries. Taking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic
• 16:30 - 17:00 relations as an opportunity, China will work with India to enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, deepen communication and coordination on major international affairs, jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the China India border areas and promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations. So, China wants to improve ties with India and it is starting with the
• 17:00 - 17:30 lowhanging fruits like visas. China is fasttracking visas to Indians. This year they have issued more than 85,000 visas to Indians already. 85,000 so far. This year the Chinese embassy wants more Indians to visit. They have simplified the visa rules. No appointments to file applications. No biometrics for short trips and fast approvals. That's what the Chinese embassy is promising. Basically, China is trying to build a new image. It is promising a more open, a friendly China to Indians. And the
• 17:30 - 18:00 message comes directly from President Xi Jinping. Earlier this month, he wrote a letter to the Indian President. He spoke of a dragon elephant tango, a metaphor for the two nations working together. But India remains cautious. Commerce Minister Push Goyel has made India's position clear. He said this on multiple forums in recent days that India is not encouraging Chinese investment and that trusted partners would get priority like
• 18:00 - 18:30 countries from Europe and North America. Nations that play by the rules and offer equal opportunities. They will be prioritized. That's what Goyel has repeatedly underlined in his public statements. He highlighted the case of BYD, the Chinese EV maker. BYD is the world's largest seller of EVs. It wanted to build a factory in India but New Delhi rejected the proposal. Push [ __ ] has said that it is a no to BYD. India's position on Chinese companies is quite clear. They will have
• 18:30 - 19:00 to play by by India's rules and that means no dumping and no backdoor deals which happens to be a growing risk for India. Trade data shows a growing imbalance. In 202425, India's trade deficit with China crossed $99 billion. Chinese imports continue to rise, especially in in electronics and consumer goods. And now with the US tariffs biting, Chinese firms might dump even more goods in India. This is a
• 19:00 - 19:30 major concern for the Indian economy and it will have a bearing on the trade negotiations with the US. Let me explain how Donald Trump has singled out China in his trade war. or at the same time he has imposed tariffs on every US trade partner. Why the others? One reason for that was rerouting. Experts believe that Trump wanted to close all back doors so that China could not sneak in goods via other territories and that is why India must
• 19:30 - 20:00 be careful. It cannot be seen as helping China dodge the tariffs even by mistake. This could backfire on New Delhi. It could hurt ties with Washington. And that is why the government of India is setting up a watch unit. Basically, an agency to track cheap imports and stop rerouting. The unit's larger goal is to protect local players and to make sure that Indian firms do not end up helping China dodge US tariffs. So, while Beijing may be
• 20:00 - 20:30 warming up to New Delhi, New Delhi is in no rush to strike deals. It is choosing partners carefully and keeping it its eyes wide open.
• 20:30 - 21:00 family is a funny thing. It can be inherited. It can be chosen. It can be imposed. But in the case of Xi Jinping, it can also be imagined. Let me explain how. The Chinese president is on a tour,
• 21:00 - 21:30 a whirlwind tour of Southeast Asia. The first stop was Vietnam, the second was Malaysia, and now the third stop is Cambodia. So, three countries in one week, all stitched together by one grand narrative, the Asian family. That is Xi Jinping's new business pitch, the Asian family. But who is in this family? And why is the land grabbing dragon suddenly promoting brotherhood? The answer lies in his tour today. Xi Jinping landed in Nonen, the
• 21:30 - 22:00 capital of Cambodia. Do you know who was waiting for him on the tarmac? Cambodia's king, Norod Siharmoni. Not a diplomat, not a minister, but the monarch himself rolling out the red carpet personally. This speaks volumes about the weight of this visit. Cambodia is no stranger to Beijing's embrace. China is, after all, their largest creditor. China has invested in a lot of projects in Cambodia, like roads and
• 22:00 - 22:30 airports. Fun fact, Cambodia is also a major exporter to the US and most of those businesses are Chinese-owned. So, yes, this visit is about diplomacy, but more than that, it is about trade. Donald Trump is waging a trade war. He imposed tariffs on the entire world. Then he paused them for 90 days. In this period, countries should try to secure a deal with the US. But there's no relief for China. China faces 245% tariffs from the US. So
• 22:30 - 23:00 Xi Jinping's visit has one main purpose to present an alternative to the US to pitch China as a reliable trading partner. In the face of shocks to global order and economic globalization, China and Malaysia will stand with countries in the region to combat the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, overcome the countercurrens of unilateralism and protectionism, and safeguard the
• 23:00 - 23:30 promising prospects for development in our shared Asian home. She's message is simple. Resist America's bullying. join hands with China and become part of this wholesome Asian family. And it's a message he's repeated multiple times in the last one week. In Vietnam, he spoke about shared history, protecting multiculturalism and multilateralism and opposing hijgemony. Vietnam is China's biggest
• 23:30 - 24:00 trade partner in the region. So, it was quite the charm offensive. I chose Vietnam as the first stop in my first visit this year. This amply shows how highly China and the Communist Party values China Vietnam relations. Then in Malaysia, she tried to rake up the RZ. There were multiple deals, handshakes and laughter. China is Malaysia's largest trading partner. In 2024, China Malaysia trade touched $212
• 24:00 - 24:30 billion. So the push was to build on it. As of today, the two countries have united and cooperated to build a common destiny. Sino Malaysian relations are entering a new golden age. The long history of friendship between China and Malaysia is nurturing, growing in cultural integration, and being sublimated in the midst of mutual benefits. And now it is Cambodia, the final stop of his family vacation. But here's the
• 24:30 - 25:00 problem. This Asian family is just an elegant metaphor. It is divided and constantly harassed by China. They may share history, borders, and even cultures. But they also share historical grievances, territorial disputes, and trade battles. Xi Jinping may be extending his arms right now, but until recently, he was making news for drawing red lines, for using trade as a weapon, for militarizing the South China Sea, and for sending warning shots to neighbors who dared to lean west.
• 25:00 - 25:30 Now he suddenly wants a family reunion because he needs these neighbors to fight the trade war with Trump. He's offering brotherhood, a family, an Asian century. Will Southeast Asia take up this offer? Well, these countries aren't exactly spoiled for choice, but they must remember that the dragon has a fork tongue. They should read the fine print if they don't want to be the meat in a trade war sandwich.
• 25:30 - 26:00 Southeast Asia must be cautious. These countries want investments from everyone. They want trade with everyone, but loyalty is to no one. So, they're smiling for the photos, signing the deals, and quietly hedging their bets. Again, because Shri Jinping may want a family, but here's the thing about families. They never forget the past, and they don't trust the one who wants to be big brother.
• 26:00 - 26:30 Let's turn to Pakistan now where the country's leader is in a mood to rant. If you're waiting for Shabbash Sharif to pop up, do not bother. I'm talking about their real leader, Pakistan's army chief, Aim Munir. He spoke at a convention in Islamabad recently. He sounded like those old uncles at a dinner, angry, resentful, and hateful. First he won back the clock to 1947. He spoke about the two nation theory
• 26:30 - 27:00 propounded by Muhammad Ali Jina. Listen to this. possible aspect of life. Our religion is different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different. That was the foundation of the two nation theory that was laid there that we are two nations. We are
• 27:00 - 27:30 not one nation. So because of that our forefathers they struggled mounted that incessant struggle to create this country. Now some background here before 1947 there was no Pakistan. Indian Hindus and Muslims used to live together but Jina demanded a separate nation a nation exclusively for Muslims. He justified this demand using the two nation theory. He claimed that Hindus and Muslims could never live together in harmony. Thus a Muslim Pakistan was
• 27:30 - 28:00 necessary. Why is General Munir talking about this now almost eight decades later? We'll come to that in a bit. But first listen to what the general said on Kashmir. Government's stance on Kashmir is absolutely clear. It was our juggler when it is our juggler. We will not forget it and we will not leave our Kashmiri brethren in their heroic struggle what they are waging against
• 28:00 - 28:30 the Indian occupation. The general is right about one thing. We are very different countries and societies. India is exporting iPhones and laptops to the world. Pakistan is exporting terrorists. India is planning to send people to space. Pakistan is sending beggars to Saudi Arabia. India is aiding and assisting low-income countries. Pakistan is living loan to loan. India is pushing back against Chinese expansionism. Pakistan is willingly becoming a Chinese colony. India's cricket league has become the
• 28:30 - 29:00 envy of the world. Meanwhile, Pakistan's cricket league is gifting hair dryers to top performers. I could go on, but you get the gist. This is a hateful and provocative rant by the Pakistani army chief. India has criticized his comments. New Delhi is asking Pakistan to vacate Kashmir. How can anything foreign be there in a juggler vein? Uh it is uh this is a union territory of India.
• 29:00 - 29:30 Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country. But what triggered all of this? What awoke the sleeping jenna inside General Munir? Simple circumstances. Pakistan is at its weakest point in decades. Let's look at their economy first. 40% people in Pakistan live in poverty. The currency has depreciated and listen to this 177%
• 29:30 - 30:00 in the last decade. Unemployment has risen from 1.5% to 7%. Total debt stands at $280 billion which is around 83% of their GDP. For most countries, this would be the primary challenge fixing their economy. But not for Pakistan. Their biggest challenge is security. Pakistan's provinces are virtually in open rebellion. Balo insurgents are striking at will. Last month they hijacked a train in Balojasthan. At least 60 people were killed in that
• 30:00 - 30:30 attack. This week they targeted a bus carrying security personnel. At least three were killed and 16 injured. Now this is a big province in open rebellion. Balojasthan. It's a very big province. It makes up 44% of Pakistan's total area. If you lose that, you lose nearly half of your country. So that's Baloasan. Next is Kibar Paktunwa. This is home base for the Pakistani Taliban. Their mission is to topple the regime in Islamabad. How? By striking at the military. Last year
• 30:30 - 31:00 around 1,600 people were killed in terror attacks in Pakistan. Almost 700 of them were security personnel. 700 in one year. So that's two provinces with an active insurgency. Next you have Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Last year major protest broke out there. Some political factions in P have threatened to revolt. They had a warning for the army last month. They said dead bodies of soldiers would be found in
• 31:00 - 31:30 dams. It is in this backdrop that Aim Munir took the stage. His country is pulling apart. His soldiers are being hunted and his economy is in ruins. Yesterday the general issued a warning to these insurgents and even here he dragged in India. Listen in. You think terrorists they can take away the destiny of the country from us? If this great Pakistani nation and
• 31:30 - 32:00 the Pakistani armed forces, if 1.3 million Indian army with all their verwithal, if they cannot intimidate us and they cannot coersse us, these terrorists can subdue the armed forces of Pakistan. If you're a Pakistani, there are many ways to interpret this. a desperate rant, a declaration of war on insurgents or an exercise in hate. But for India, the message is quite clear. Pakistan has
• 32:00 - 32:30 no intention of fixing its relations with New Delhi. It is not going to abandon the Kashmir issue either. If anything, they could double down because Pakistan's generals are masters of distraction. Economy not doing well. Rewind to the two nation theory. No jobs for the youth appeal to their Islamic beliefs. No end to insurgent attacks in provinces make up an imaginary threat from India. Aimuni did all of this with one speech yesterday. I'm sure he saw it as a
• 32:30 - 33:00 glorious moment in his career of election rigging and meddling, but in reality he looked weak and afraid. We now turn to West Asia. Israel has made a declaration there that the annexation of Gaza was part of the plan. This was said by Israel's defense minister. He confirmed that Israeli troops now occupy half of Gaza. So is this still about defeating Hamas or is it about redrawing borders?
• 33:00 - 33:30 Half of the Gaza Strip is under Israel's control and they want full control. Israel calls it security. Palestinians call it theft. For now, Hamas has the hostages and Israel's operations are only intensifying. So, what happens if Israel completely controls Gaza? Here's our report. The Israeli army is increasing its operations in Gaza. More troops and tanks have been
• 33:30 - 34:00 deployed in the strip. They are moving doortodoor, conducting operations and hoping to find the hostages that are still being held. captive by Hamas. So why is the operation intensifying again? Israel has made an announcement that the annexation of Gaza is part of the military plan. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz made the statement while standing in northern Gaza. Katz added that
• 34:00 - 34:30 Israeli troops now occupy half of Gaza and they will not let go of the territory. We will never allow this kind of enemy to threaten our communities and our citizens. And therefore, the operation that is currently taking place is pressuring Hamas to first release the hostages. And the more it persists in its refusal, the more we will intensify the blows. It will suffer until it is defeated and all the hostages are returned.
• 34:30 - 35:00 And the Israeli Defense Minister had the approval of his leader. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas is to be blamed for all the destruction. [Music] They are striking the enemy and Hamas will suffer more and more blows. We insist that they Hamas release our hostages and we insist on having achieved all our war goals and we are doing it thanks to our heroic fighters.
• 35:00 - 35:30 Currently, Israeli troops are heavily deployed in northern Gaza. They control the Arez crossing, the Gaza city, and are pushing toward the city of Khan Ununice. But the advances are being made from two directions. The Israeli army is also advancing from the south. Israel already controls the Rafa crossing and they have created a buffer zone between central and southern Gaza. Basically, the Israeli army is splitting Gaza into
• 35:30 - 36:00 multiple pieces and slowly taking control of the strip. Israel says this is going to corner Hamas and force them to release the hostages. But the Palestinians are furious. There is no safe place. Where are we even supposed to go? People ran to the sea last night trying to save themselves, throwing themselves into the water. Yes, people ran to the sea. Where
• 36:00 - 36:30 are people supposed to go? Where are we supposed to go? Lebanon, Jordan, and Gaza have objected to the recent Israeli statements. They say Israel has no right to enex Gaza, but Israel has the support of the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump just last week. Trump said Hamas is the problem and they
• 36:30 - 37:00 need to release the hostages first because if you sit down and talk to them as I have, what they went through is incredible. But we're making progress. We're dealing with Israel. We're dealing with Hamas and it's it's a nasty group. So, Israel is moving forward with military operations in Gaza despite thousands dead and nearly a million displaced. Israel's Gaza annexation plan threatens to push an already volatile region
• 37:00 - 37:30 towards a broader conflict. The honeymoon is over for Indian startups. No more celebratory treatment, celebrity treatment, no more endless checks. Their models and their integrity are being scrutinized. And how are they holding up? Not too well. If you live in Delhi or Mumbai, you must have seen Blue Smart Cabs. It's a taxi
• 37:30 - 38:00 service like Uber and Ola except all Blue Smart Cabs are electric. Users love their service. The the cars were better maintained. The drivers were always helpful and the cost just slightly more than Uber or Ola. But this week, Blue Smart shut down its operations. The reason? Fraud by its founders. Let me introduce them first. Blue SMART was founded by two brothers in 2019, Anmul and Punit Singh Jagi. Along with Bluesmart, they ran another
• 38:00 - 38:30 company, Gensol Engineering Limited. Now comes the complicated part. The brothers would purchase EVs through Jensol Limited, then lease these EVs to Bluesmart. That's how they operated this cab fleet. To buy the EVs, Jens took loans from the government, from governmentr run lenders. How much loan? around 830 cr rupees to buy 6,400 EVs that's
• 38:30 - 39:00 around $97 million but only 568 crores were spent to buy EVs the remaining 262 crore rupees were not accounted for then last month new defaulted on its lease payment that's when regulators ordered a probe and what they found was shocking the brothers were diverting this money 43 crores was spent on buying a luxury apartment in Gorga. 11 crore rupees were transferred to relatives and 26
• 39:00 - 39:30 lakhs spent on American golf kits. Let me recap that for you. The Jugy brothers took loans to buy EVs. Some of it was used to buy electric cars. The rest of the money was used for their own personal expenses, more than 260 crores. This is corporate fraud of the highest order and it's probably the end of Blue Smart's story. This was an aspiring challenger to Uber. But reports say that it will
• 39:30 - 40:00 now be absorbed by Uber. Sort of like their green fleet. This is also a big blow to India's startup ecosystem because it's not about one company failing. It's about corporate fraud. These sort of things create a perception about the whole sector. perception that could scare away investors also because it's not a one-off. In 2023, a car service startup faced the hate. It was called Go Mechanic. Their founders admitted to financial errors in their books. In
• 40:00 - 40:30 2022, it was online commerce startup Trell. They too were accused of fraud. The same year, Bharat Pay accused one of its founders of fraud, Ashnir Grover, of Shark Tank fame. Later both sides reached a settlement. And finally we have the big fish ed startup Baiju. Last month a US court ruled that the company defrauded investors. Baiju is also being accused of misappropriating loans nearly $533 million of
• 40:30 - 41:00 it. None of this bodess well for Indian startups because all these stories are splashed across newspapers. Rest assured investors will be reading them and what impression do you think they'll get that India startup ecosystem is a bit shady but that alone is not the problem here the vision of Indian startups is also being questioned that too by the commerce minister of the country what are India's startups doing today we are focused on food delivery
• 41:00 - 41:30 apps turning unemployed youth into cheap labor So the rich can get their meals without moving out of their house. So Indian startups face three complaints. Number one, they're not thinking big enough. En enough of 10-minute deliveries and food joints. Where are the deep tech startups? That's criticism number one. Number two, the existing startups may not survive in the long run. Look at
• 41:30 - 42:00 this report. It studied 146 startups including your Zumatoss, OO, PTM. 110 of them incurred losses. So the business models have not been perfected yet. Finally, complaint number three, financial irregularities. Way too many cases are popping up. Blue Smart is just the latest example of it. The government will have to play a role in addressing all of this. Until now, we handle startups with kid gloves. Maybe it's
• 42:00 - 42:30 time for a bitter pill. Tourists flooding the city of canals, clogging narrow streets and leaving behind piles of garbage. This is what happens to Venice during the summer season. So the historic Italian city wants to curb over tourism. It has introduced a tourist fee. This is an additional charge to dissuade visitors. Day trippers will have to pay about $6
• 42:30 - 43:00 to enter Venice. If they make a lastminute plan, the charge doubles. And this policy has invited backlash, not from the tourists. They don't seem to mind a few extra bucks, but from the residents of Venice who say that the tourist fee does not work. And they're not completely wrong. But why is that? Why is it not working? And why is country after country introducing it anyway? Here's a report.
• 43:00 - 43:30 This is Venice, an ancient Italian city that finds itself on the bucket list of many travelers. Roughly 30 million people visit each year. On its busiest days, this canal crossed city swells with tourists who clog its streets. So, Venice is trying to fight back. Last year, it experimented with a tourist fee. It started charging people to enter for a few months to dissuade visitors during busy periods. And now
• 43:30 - 44:00 the entrance fee is back. The levy remains at €5 or $5.68. But this time last minute tourists will have to pay double. This fee will apply on 54 dates between April and July. It applies only to day trippers who make up the majority of tourists to the city. The question is, will this tourist fee help the sinking city deter visitors? Last year, when Venice started
• 44:00 - 44:30 charging tourists a little extra, it didn't reduce their numbers. In fact, the city hit a new record for visitors, and more than 3.9 million people stayed overnight. So, the fee didn't have much of an impact. And Venice authorities agree. They say that there's no magic wand solution to the problem of over tourism. So now the goal behind levying an access fee seems to have changed. Authorities
• 44:30 - 45:00 are now using it to fill their coffers. Last year Venice rad in more than $2.7 million between April and July, much more than it had expected to. And this is not a new strategy. Places have long taxed travelers and collected a fee upon their visits. Bhutan, for instance, started collecting it since it opened to travelers in 1974, and it boasts the world's highest tourist tax. It stands at $100 per
• 45:00 - 45:30 person per day. It's a steep price for most travelers, and the country has used it to preserve its natural beauty and traditional Buddhist culture. With over tourism choking cities and travel booming after the pandemic, tourist tax has become the new norm. From Japan to Greece and Indonesia to New Zealand, country after country is taxing tourists. Of course, there are some differences. Like in Spain, some
• 45:30 - 46:00 cities levy the tax. Last year, Barcelona earned $14 million from it. In Japan, specific tourist spots have an additional fee, like the country's tallest peak, Mount Fuji. This is an additional income for the country, and the tourists don't mind it. The fee rarely hurts their pockets. And experts say that it only helps when tourists know where the money is
• 46:00 - 46:30 going. For instance, last month, Sikkim in India began charging an entry fee. It's just about 50 rupees per tourist or $0.59. Authorities say that they want to use it to enhance infrastructure like road connectivity across the state. Iceland charges tourists about $8 per night as a fee. Then it declares where the money is used, like in building infrastructure for whale watching or maintaining hiking paths.
• 46:30 - 47:00 While this is a good strategy to boost a country's income, it doesn't really curb over tourism. So contrary to expectations, the opposition to these tourist taxes are not from travelers, but mainly from the residents of these places who bear the brunt of the crowds and the trail of trash that they leave behind. So, it's about time the governments figure out alternative methods to curb the problem because clearly charging
• 47:00 - 47:30 tourists a bit extra doesn't stop local communities from paying the price for over tourism. Now, we return to the US. It is ramping up its military presence not in Europe or West Asia, but on its southern border. The US Army is being deployed on its own soil. The Trump administration is bringing out all the hardware. We're talking about battleh hardened troops,
• 47:30 - 48:00 special forces, spy planes, armored drones. Donald Trump has issued strict orders. Only the army will control the southern border. Do you know how many troops we're talking about? More than 10,000. This includes 7,000 Marines. These are soldiers who once fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are now patrolling America's southern border. They have gone with the striker armored vehicles. These are basically mini tanks. 50 of these have been deployed and more are on the way. These are meant
• 48:00 - 48:30 for offensive roles like striking and surveillance. They can detect a mouse from a mile away. Basically, these are vehicles and troops meant for war. Trump has deployed them to the American border along with high altitude drones which can track human movement from far away. The idea is to secure the border both from land and air. The scale of the deployment is already massive, but the White House wants more troops. President Trump says only the army can secure the
• 48:30 - 49:00 border. But why is he doing this? Apparently to control illegal immigration. Border patrol agents have been sidelined. Combat troops are the new immigration officers. But is this even legal? Can the US military operate border entry points? Not particularly, but there is a loophole. It was created on day one of Trump's second term. The president declared a national emergency at America's southern border. Now, this puts the region under
• 49:00 - 49:30 executive control. The White House can deploy all federal reserves, everything, including the army. And that's how the military has taken over by declaring the border one massive army base. Let me show you on the map how this works. Trump wants the army to control the border, a specific part called the Roosevelt Reservation. Now, this is a narrow strip of land. It runs from California to New Mexico. It is 60 ft wide and nearly 700 miles long.
• 49:30 - 50:00 That's 1,100 km long. Now, this strip is called the Roosevelt Reservation. And now the entire strip is an army base. Border protection has become the Pentagon's job. This basically means two things. One, only US troops are allowed there. And two, anyone who crosses over now will be on US military property. Domestic law does not apply anymore. Offenders will face US military laws. They can be charged with serious crimes
• 50:00 - 50:30 like threatening national security. The US military has full control over detentions and deportations and their message is quite clear. Cross at your own risk. Did they need so much firepower to secure the border? Well, here's what the numbers say. Data, this is what the data says. Border crossings have plunged since Trump took office. They're down by almost 70%.
• 50:30 - 51:00 So why is Trump increasing military presence? Because border politics wins votes. Republicans are worried about the midterm elections next year. These are held in the middle of a presidential term, hence the name midterm. Trump's party feels that tariffs will hurt them. So how do you garner support? By flexing military muscle. And this is Trump's go-to strategy. He did this in the first term as well, by constantly talking about a wall. You may remember that Trump wanted to build a wall along the Mexico border. Well, he was president
• 51:00 - 51:30 for four years and now he's president again, but that wall is still not complete. He deployed troops the last time too for the same reasons to stop illegal entry. So, the tact tactics have not changed. Only this time, the deployment is bigger. Think about it. The world's biggest military is patrolling its own backyard. Mexico is clearly unhappy. They have sent a memo to the Trump administration. We sent a diplomatic memo in the sense
• 51:30 - 52:00 that it's an autonomous decision in their own territory, but we hope it will not cross the border and that there will continue to be the same collaboration we've had so far in security. We don't know if that's to keep building the wall or the objective. But in any case, we always demand respect and coordination. They say what do you The US Mexico border is no stranger to walls, but tanks and troops is taking it to a whole different level. Trump calls it national security. His critics see it as overreach. So, will this secure America
• 52:00 - 52:30 or isolate it? For centuries now, humans have created stories of beings that may dwell in the skies. In the early 20th century, our ancestors had a hit a mysterious milestone. Astronomers claimed to have seen straight line features on Mars. This raised speculation that the planet may be home to an advanced alien
• 52:30 - 53:00 species and it fueled the rise of pulp science fiction with movies and books about flying spaceships and blue aliens. Now, decades later, scientists have found the strongest evidence yet of life on another planet. And it doesn't come from Mars or any other planet in our solar system. It comes from a world that exists trillions of kilometers away. Here's a report. The search for life beyond Earth is as
• 53:00 - 53:30 old as time. It has led scientists to explore many mysteries from the possibility of an ocean on Mars to clouds of gas on Venus. But despite the advances, the movies with green aliens, the spottings of what look like flying saucers, Earth's inhabitants remain alone into the universe. Well, that may change soon. A team of researchers at the University of Cambridge has found new evidence and it is the strongest indication yet of
• 53:30 - 54:00 extraterrestrial life not in our solar system but on a massive planet. It is known as K218b. This planet is 2 and 12 times the size of Earth. It orbits a star 120 light years away from us. That is more than a thousand trillion km, a distance far beyond what any human could travel in their lifetime. The Cambridge team has been studying this planet's atmosphere using the James Web Space Telescope. This telescope is so powerful
• 54:00 - 54:30 it can analyze the composition of a planet's atmosphere from the light that passes through. And scientists have been doing just that repeatedly. That's when they found signs of molecules which have only one known source on Earth and that is life. They found signs of dimethyl sulfid and dimethyl dulfide. On earth certain forms of algae produce these compounds which then waft into the air
• 54:30 - 55:00 and add to the distinct odor of the sea. I think the only scenario that explains all of this is one where it's a hyishen world that is teeming with life. And what is a hashen world? It's an oceancovered surface with a thin hydrogen-rich atmosphere. So, and the ocean being habitable. The word hyen is a port mantto of hydrogen and oxygen. No matter how many times scientists revisited their readings, they found strong signals leading to the presence of high seas brimming with life on the
• 55:00 - 55:30 planet. In fact, they were surprised by how much gas they detected in the atmosphere. It was thousands of times higher than what is present on Earth. And this is a fascinating potential landmark discovery. We say potential because this is a tentative discovery. Both the team and independent researchers stress that more data is required to confirm the results that said this is a monumental uh discovery. It is
• 55:30 - 56:00 very important but we also have to be extremely cautious. The reason is that this is one of the biggest questions we have asked as a species in all of science in that we want to be really really robust in establishing whether this is actually life that we are seeing. This discovery is exciting in itself. It is a testament to the advances in science and if proven to be true if scientists confirm that there is life on the planet. Experts say that it pretty much confirms that life is very
• 56:00 - 56:30 common in the galaxy and that would be completely out of this world quite [Music] literally. Scientists have not found a panacea yet but Indians certainly have. It is called Doolo 650. Now doulu is a branded paracetamol. It is used to treat mild pains and fevers. But in Indian
• 56:30 - 57:00 households it is part of the weekly diet. Cold, headache, throat pain, you name it. The solution is to pop a dooo. A doctor recently posted about this on social media. He said Indians take doolo 650 like Cadbury gems. What followed was a meme fest. While the jokes are quite good, it is also a timely reminder for us. Do not self-medicate or pop pills. Always consult your doctor. With that said, enjoy the memes.
• 57:00 - 57:30 [Music] [Music]
• 57:30 - 58:00 I [Music] Huh? Huh?
• 58:00 - 58:30 [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat.
• 58:30 - 59:00 [Music] And now it's time for Vantage Shots. Images that tell the story. In Argentina, retirees clash with security forces in Buuna Cyrus. Ukrainian military drones deliver Easter cakes to the frontline soldiers. and wings suit flyers wow spectators in southwest China. Finally, we're taking
• 59:00 - 59:30 you back in history. On this day in 1975, the Kair Rouge seized Nonpen. The K Rouge wanted to create a communist agrarian utopia. Over the next four years, nearly 2 million Cambodians died from starvation, torture, and mass killings. The regime's reign of terror ended in 1979 when Vietnam invaded Cambodia. We're leaving you on that note. Thank you for watching. We'll see you tomorrow.
• 59:30 - 60:00 Hurry, hurry, hurry, do it, do it.
• 60:00 - 60:30 I'm Slava.
• 60:30 - 61:00 [Music]
• 61:00 - 61:30 greeting you with aloha and namaste.
• 61:30 - 62:00 No, I I I love India. presence uh occupation of a territory by another country pertains to India what we saw in Kashmir the prime minister how do you see Trump's America yes the current administration behaves differently from the previous administration [Music] are you saying that there are foreign
• 62:00 - 62:30 powers who are trying to bring down the current government in Syria exactly [Music] Prime Minister Modi committed to South South, you know, cooperations for not over 50%. Is Ukraine prepared to pay the price for that peace? No compromises at the cost of territorial integrity and sovereignity. [Music]
• 62:30 - 63:00 Very much all of I'll clear up [Music] [Applause]