Helpless Cong- NCP Join Hands

Facing the onslaughts of Bharatiya Janata Party through extensive poaching of its ranks and file, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress have joined hands for the ensuing Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. Both the parties will contest 125 seats each in next month's elections. NCP chief Sharad Pawar made the announcement on Monday.
Pawar announced that the seat-sharing pact between Congress and and his 20-year-old party has been finalised. As per the arrangement, 38 seats will be left for allies to contest, he tweeted. Maharashtra Assembly has 288 seats. Some seats will be exchanged with the Congress, he added.
The Congress and NCP had parted ways in 2014 after sharing power for 15 years. The two parties had contested the state elections on their own. That was Lso the first election in almost three decades when all parties in Maharashtra had fought separately. The BJP had emerged as the single-largest party in the state with 122 seats, while Congress had won 42 seats and NCP came close with 41 seats.
However, in recent times, the BJP has aggressively poached both the secular parties, especially NCP, leaving them almost bereft of any choice. Many of those who left have joined the BJP and a few have sought shelter with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. There is a general consensus among the political class and observers that neither Congress nor NCP can fight BJP on their own. This has forced Pawar to make reproaches and inch towards Congress.
 The strong performance of BJP led alliance government, supplemented by acute political acumen of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has ensured victory for BJP election at every level, one after another. Even Shiv Sena, the sulking ally which acted as semi-opposition for BJP for five years, is singing praise of Narendra Modi. The alliance arrangement for seats has been finalised and it is a given thing that the saffron parties are fighting together. It has left the secular camp with no other option but to jump into fray together.

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Fingers Crossed on Karnataka

Fingers are crossed on what will happen in Karnataka elections that has witnessed intense drama and intrigue. Both Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling party in the State Congress indulged in a no holds barred fight leveling acquisition after acquisition on each other.
As the state prepares for tomorrow's assembly polls, the Election Commission has issued guidelines to political parties and media for strict compliance with the Model code of conduct till the election is over. The Election Commission has also imposed the ban on public opinion programmes in the media. 
The high-voltage campaigning for the Assembly polls concluded last evening. Polling for 223 assembly segments will be held tomorrow and counting will take place on 15th of this month, i.e. Tuesday. 
The election in Jayanagar Assembly constituency has been postponed following the death of BJP candidate B N Vijay Kumar. Total 2636 candidates are in fray out of which 617 are women. BJP has fielded 223 candidates while Congress has fielded 222 candidates. JD(S) is contesting in 201 constituencies. 
More than 58000 polling booths have been set up for over five crores six lakh voters. The young voters' size has also doubled compared to the last assembly elections in the state. It was 7 lakh 22 thousand in 2013 and now 15 lakh 72 thousand young voters were added in the electoral roll.
There are 58008 polling stations set up, including 1312 auxiliary booths. The Election Commission has identified 12001 of them as critical or sensitive booths The Election Commission has deployed 585 companies of Central forces comprising of 45000 personnel for the poll duty. Over 3,50,000 polling personnel are put on poll duty in the booths. 
Before reaching a standstill, Political parties and leaders made last ditch efforts to woo the voters. 
BJP National President Amit Shah and Congress President Pameshwaran addressed a press conference in Bengaluru yesterday. 
Shah accused Congress of adopting unfair means to rig the election. The BJP President said, there was 173 percent increase in the suicide of farmers in Karnataka and law and order situation has taken a nose dive. Shah alleged that 24 BJP and RSS workers were murdered in the state. 
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, his party fought a very good campaign, it stood together, raised fundamental issues and laid down a vision for the development of Karnataka.

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Gold Slips Below Rs 32,000 on low Demand

The prices of gold is experiencing downward train in a country like India that is obsessed with the precious metal.
Gold prices fell by 20 rupees to 31,980 rupees per 10 grams at the bullion market today on easing demand from local jewellers along with subdued global cues, extending its fall for the third straight day.
However, silver recovered by 100 rupees to 40,300 rupees per kg on scattered enquiries from industrial units. Traders said, besides the fall in demand from local jewellers and retailers at the domestic spot market, a weak trend overseas on a firmer dollar, while investors focused on the US jobs data due later in the day for fresh catalysts, kept pressure on gold prices.
Gold prices fell 0.12 percent to 1,310 US dollar an ounce, and silver by 0.15 percent to 16.37 US dollar an ounce in Singapore.

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Data leak: India to Continue Probe Despite Cambridge Analytica Closure

The government will continue with its enquiry into the Cambridge Analytica data leak issue despite the firm announcing closure of business. 
Sources said, the ongoing probe will continue as the liability of the company existed prior to the closure announcement. 
The UK based data analytics and political consulting firm has been under fire in various countries for allegedly harvesting data from almost 87 million Facebook users and leveraging them for political campaigns.
The government had issued notices to both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, confronting them with questions on data breach issue. The last date for the two companies to respond is 10th of this month.
Yesterday, the British firm announced that it was immediately ceasing all its operations and filing for insolvency in Britain and the United States.

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Congress Allowed Loot of Banks : PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the successive Congress governments at the Centre of allowing a handful of people to loot banks while denying loans to poor. 

Begining his election campaign in Karnataka, Modi addressed several public rallies. He said, despite the nationalisation of banks poor remained out of the banking system until his government started helming the country. 

Modi said, there was a time when the poor had no bank accounts, they could not even think of going to a bank. He said, the poor were out of economic mainstream and banking system. 

Modi said, his government started the Jan Dhan scheme for them. 

The Prime Minister told the gathering that 28th April got a momentous day in the history of the country when all un-electrified villages were connected with power lines. 

He said, the NDA government will embark on a task of connecting 4 crore households which do not have electricity even after 70 years of independence.

The Prime Minister dared Congress President Rahul Gandhi to speak in any language for 15 minutes about the achievements of Karnataka's Siddaramaiah government without referring to a piece of paper. 

Mr. Modi said, he is a person from the working class and any criticism by Naamdhar, a person from famous family, will not deter him from taking up the development work. 

He assured people of Karnataka that all the pending projects in the state will be speeded up when BJP comes to power. Mr. Modi claimed over two dozen BJP workers were killed under the Congress government in Karnataka in political violence. 

He also spoke about his government promulgating an ordinance to pave the way for providing stringent punishment, including the death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

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Karnataka Election : Amit Shah Ups the Ante

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has established himself as a fearsome strategist not for nothing. He comes with newer moves and counter moves with every poll. It is as if he especially relishes the electoral battles that bring to forth his unfathomable mastery in the poll strategies.
The newest salvo comes as he slough it out in the scorching sun of Karnataka. Shah has said that his  party will give account for the money spent during the 2019 election to  the Lok Sabha.
  "NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra  Modi will give account for the money spent during its five year term in  office," he said  addressing a  public meeting at Hungund.
In the same breath, he challenged Congress President Rahul Gandhib as well.
"Since it is a Assembly  election, he (Rahul) should give details of Siddaramaiah  government's performance during the last five years in office," he said.
Asserting that the BJP will form  the next government in Karnataka, Mr Shah said that Congress has already  lost Assembly elections in 12 States and in May 12 election also same  thing will happen and Congress will lose power.
The move is a smart one as it allows BJP to project itself as a transparent party. At the same time, it puts Congress in a tight spot as the latter is married by corruption scandals.
With this announcement, Amit Shah has upped the ante and now one waits for the response from Congress camp.

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Baseless : Says SC on Plea to Probe Judge Loya's death

The Supreme Court today dismissed a batch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge BH Loya.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said there is no reason to doubt the statements of judges accompanying Justice Loya that the death was due to a natural cause.
Holding that there was absolutely no merit in the petitions, the bench said, attempts were made to scandalize the judiciary by leveling serious allegations against judicial officers and judges of the Bombay High Court.
The court said, with these petitions, it is clear that a real attempt and a frontal attack was made on the independence of the judiciary.
It said, frivolous and motivated litigation has been filed to settle political rivalry. Justice Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, had allegedly died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on 1st December 2014 when he had gone to attend a wedding.

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India Bans Imports of Oxytocin

The Central government has banned the import of Oxytocin and asked the customs department to prevent any attempt to smuggle it into the country.

The move comes after the Prime Minister's Office held a meeting to check the "harmful effects of Oxytocin" as cases of its misuse by some dairy owners and farmers to boost milk production and increase the size of vegetables had come to light.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs, in an order issued recently, has banned all imports of Oxytocin in any name with immediate effect. It said all bona fide requirements of Oxytocin would be met by indigenous production.

There were some reports in the Media regarding misuse of oxytocin injection. However, scientific data on the extent of such practices was not available. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) had earlier said that no ill effects have been observed in the animals in experiments carried out on the use of oxytocin.

In view of the reports of misuse of oxytocin by dairy owners in milch animals, the manufacture and sale of oxytocin injection was regulated under section 26 A of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940 published vide notification number G.S.R. 29 (E) dated 17.01.2014.

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TRAI Proposes Public Wi-Fi Access Grid

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today mooted an ambitious model of a public Wi-Fi grid that aims to slash Internet access cost by 90 per cent, and push broadband proliferation in India.

TRAI Chairman RS Sharma told reporters that the regulator's concept involves Public Data Office Providers (PDOs) - much like PCOs of yesteryears that galvanised connectivity.

The PDOs will be companies, or even small merchants, interested in providing Wi-Fi hotspots to public using either free or paid model.

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Reservation Policy Is Here to Stay : Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Friday said that the Modi government will neither scrap the reservation policy nor allow anyone else to do so. While addressing the gathering at the Maharashtra BJP's Maha Melava rally on the 38th Foundation Day of the BJP, Shah accused the Opposition of not allowing the Budget session of Parliament to function.

Shah said in a press conference  that the journey of the party has been a difficult journey and full of sacrifices. He said BJP sacrificed maximum number of its leaders after independence as compared to any other political party. 

Shah was addressing a in Mumbai after the Maha-BJP-Maha Melava .The party President said BJP is a democratic party and it follows an ideology. Shah added that BJP from two MPs in Parliament, has now 330 members in Parliament. He said there are 1600 BJP MLAs in the country today.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with thousand of the BJP workers on the occasion of 38th Foundation Day of party.

Addressing through video conferencing, Mr Modi said, the BJP is a party which is completely driven by democratic rules.He said, there is no dynasty and casteism in the party. He said the party has brought a new hope for development of the country. 

Earlier, in his message, Modi said that the BJP is the party of a New India and is privileged to receive the blessings of people of all age groups, across all sections of society. He said party believes in diversity, unique culture of the country and above all the strengths of 125 crore Indians.

Prime Minister thanked people for their unwavering faith in BJP. He said, it is party's commitment that it will continue to devote itself towards India’s transformation.

Modi said that for BJP, the party workers are everything and they are the heart and soul of the party, whose sweat has taken the Party to new heights. He said party remember, with great pride, the heroic service and sacrifice of all party workers who built the BJP and committed themselves towards creating a stronger and better India.

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Journalist Accreditation Could be Permanently Cancelled for Fake News

The government has said that the accreditation of a journalist can be permanently cancelled if the person is found generating or propagating fake news. 

As per the amended guidelines for the accreditation of journalists, if the publication or telecast of fake news is confirmed, the accreditation of that journalist will be suspended for a period of six months in the first violation and for one year in case of a second violation. 

In case of a third violation, his or her accreditation will be cancelled permanently, the information and broadcasting ministry said in a release. 

It said any complaint of instances of fake news will be referred to the Press Council of India (PCI), if it pertains to print media, and to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), if it relates to the electronic media, for determination of the news item being fake or not. 

This determination is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies, the ministry said. Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the accreditation of the journalist, whoever created and/or propagated the fake news, will be suspended till the determination regarding the fake news is made, the ministry said.

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Russia Takes Tough Stand, To Expel 50 diplomats

Russia has stiffened its stand over the spy-poisoning case. It has told Britain that more than 50 of its diplomats will have to leave, amid a deepening row over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK.
Moscow initially expelled 23 British diplomats after 23 Russian diplomats were ordered out by London.
Moscow says the UK and Russian diplomatic missions should be the same size in each country.
The British government blames Russia for the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal, but Moscow denies it.
Russia expelled 59 diplomats from 23 countries yesterday and said that it reserved the right to take action against four other nations in a worsening standoff with the West over the poisoning issue.
A day earlier, Moscow ordered the expulsion of 60 U.S. diplomats and the closing of the U.S. consulate in St Petersburg, Russia’s second city, in retaliation for the biggest ejection of diplomats since the Cold War.

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Amit Shah Confident of Winning Assembly Elections in Karnataka

BJP President Amit Shah has expressed that his party will gain absolute majority in Karnataka Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference in Mysuru today, he said that a strong anti-incumbency is seen against the Congress government in the state.
Mr Shah pointed out that a progressive state with strong IT sector like Karnataka does not have 24 hours electricity, water supply and health infrastructure is in shambles. He said, more than 3,500 farmers have committed suicide, women are unsafe and investments have slowed down.
Mr Shah accused the Congress of using Karnataka as an ATM to fill its coffers. He also accused Congress of doing politics in giving minority status to Lingayats. This move just before the assembly election is a ploy to divide Lingayat votes in the state, he said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is campaigning in Chamundeshwari constituency today has attacked BJP through his tweet. He has tweeted that Kannadigas will not trust Mr Shah, as his home state Gujarat witnessed atrocities against Dalits.

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Amit Shah Begins Karnataka Expedition

BJP chief Amit Shah began his two-day visit to election-bound Karnataka with a visit to Suttur Matt in Mysuru today. He took the blessings of Suttur Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahasamiji’s blessings and appreciated the efforts of Swamiji in spreading the values of Indian culture and traditions.
Later, he paid a visit to Amba Vilas Palace and met erstwhile Mysore royal family. Union Minister Ananth Kumar, BJP state President B S Yeddyurappa and Member of Parliament Pratap Simha were present on this occasion. Amit Shah thereafter visited the house of Kyathamaranahalli Raju, an RSS activist who was hacked to death in 2016.
Speaking on the occasion, he said, 23 BJP workers were murdered in the state under Siddaramaiah Government and people have decided to end his rule. He assured the family members of those killed, that the culprits will be booked and punished when Yeddyurappa comes to power.
BJP national President Amit Shah did not reveal the details of his meeting with Mysore royal family. But this visit is considered important in the political circle. Speaking at the Navashakti samavesha in Mysuru he said Congress has lost many elections under Rahul Gandhi and the same will happen in Karnataka.
Later in the day, BJP President will interact with Dalit leaders today. This is the fourth leg of his tour in the state after his visit in north, central and coastal Karnataka regions. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too is campaigning in the Mysuru district today which will continue till April 2nd.

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Narayan Rane : A Longtime Sulking Leader

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane is sulking for quite a time now. The veteran leader, hailing originally from Shiv Sena and having shifted later to Congress, is hanging around Bharatiya Janata Party's lobby to get a berth in the Maharashtra cabinet.

However, his hopes do not appear to come to fruition anytime soon as BJP choses to place him on its waiting list. On Wednesday night, Rane met BJP President Amit Shah at his residence and later claimed that the latter promised a Rajya Sabha seat to him in lieu of the ministerial berth. CM Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar as also Narayan Rane's MLA son Nitish were also present in the meeting.

Rane's claim cannot be taken at its face value because BJP has made en number of such promises to him in the past but never fulfilled it. Again, Rane himself makes these claims and there is no word from BJP and that makes the matter even more curious.

Rane had formed a new party called 'Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh' last October after quitting the Congress and had indicated his organisation may align with the BJP

The 65-year-old leader known for his outspoken nature has pockets of influence in the Konkan region, mainly Sindhudurg district. Rane served as the chief minister in 1999 when he was in the Shiv Sena but is presently the bete noire of the party, a reason why BJP apparently cosied up to him. The Shiv Sena has been bitterly critical of Rane, who had objected to Uddhav Thackeray's elevation in the party.

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had expelled Rane from the party following which the Maratha leader joined the Congress on July 26, 2005. He was made the revenue minister in the then Congress-NCP government in the state the very next day.

Rane is also known for his aspiration to become the chief minister, an ambition he has professed publicly on many occasion to possess. "I still have an ambition to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. It never dies. I will wait for the right time to come," is his popular refrain. He claims that Congress had promised him to make CM but never made him one.

There were speculations in the past that Rane would join the BJP. However, a large section in the BJP was not in favour of his induction into the party. Rane resigned from the Congress in September last year after accusing the party having reneged on the promise of making him the chief minister. He had also resigned as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

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ED Action : Mehul Choksi Group's 42 Properties Worth Over Rs. 1,200 cr Attached

Enforcement Directorate has attached 42 properties worth over 1,200 crore rupees belonging to Gitanjali Gems and its promoter Mehul Choksi in connection with PNB scam.
The ED has issued a provisional order for attachment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The attached assets include 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nasik, Nagpur, Panvel and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
A 170-acre park in Hyderabad's Ranga Reddy district valued at over 500 crore rupees has also been attached, the ED said on Thursday.
Four flats in Borivali (east) area of Mumbai and nine others in Khemu Towers in Santacruz (east) have been attached as part of the action.
Choksi and designer diamond jewellery businessman Nirav Modi and others are being investigated by the ED and other probe agencies after the PNB scam came to light.
The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case.
AIR Correspondent reports, the Enforcement Directorate issued a provisional order for attachment of the properties in PNB case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
It had attached total 42 assets including 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nasik, Nagpur, Panvel and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
A 170-acre park in Hyderabad's Ranga Reddy district valued at over Rs 500 crore has also been attached. The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case.

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Another Bumper Crop in Offing!

Government has estimated that the foodgrain production will touch a new record of 277.49 million tonnes in 2017-18 crop year as against 275.11 million tonnes last year. 

According to the second estimate for 2017-18 released on Monday, Pulses production is pegged at a record 23.95 MT this year, up by 0.82 MT, from 23.13 MT last year. 

The wheat production is estimated to decline by 1.40 MT to 97.11 MT from the record of 98.51 MT achieved in 2016-17. 

The production of coarse cereals is estimated at record 45.42 MT this year as against 43.77 MT in 2016-17 crop year. 

However, oilseeds production is pegged lower by 1.39 MT at 29.88 MT in 2017-18 as against 31.28 MT during 2016-17. 

The Agriculture Ministry said, as a result of near normal rainfall during monsoon 2017 and various policy initiatives taken by the government, the country has witnessed record foodgrains production in the current year.

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Karnataka : FIR Registered Against Mohammad Nalapad

The police have registered an FIR against Mohammad Nalapad, the Bengaluru district youth Congress leader and son of Shantinagar MLA N A Haris in Karnataka, 

Mohammad Nalapad has been charged for allegedly beating up a person along with 10 of his supporters in a restaurant last night in UB city of Bengaluru. He has also been accused of threatening the victim at a hospital not to register any police complaint. The state Congress has already expelled Nalapad from the party for six years. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has tweeted that he has directed the police to take action as per the rules. Nalapad's whereabouts were not known. The man, identified as Vidwat, has been hospitalised, police said. Nalapad, General Secretary of Bengaluru District Youth Congress, is the son of Shantinagar MLA N A Harris.

According to the FIR, Nalapad and 10 of his supporters thrashed Dollars Colony resident Vidwath after a heated exchange. Vidwath, who already had a fractured leg, was rushed to a nearby hospital, but Nalapad and his supporters reportedly followed him there and threatened against pressing charges.

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Chabahar port : Historic Deal Finalized

Iran has awarded a much-awaited agreement to India over the management of part of its strategic Chabahar port. The historic move could enable India to dodge Pakistan and reach markets in Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond.

The agreement was signed during a visit to New Delhi by President Hassan Rouhani would lease the operational control of Shahid Beheshti port – phase one of Chabahar port - to India for 18 months, said Press TV, 

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi who oversaw the signing of the agreement together with Rouhani later told reporters in a joint press conference that the expansion of connectivity was important for New Delhi. Modi also emphasized that his country was interested in the construction of a rail link between Chabahar and Iran’s southeastern city of Zahedan – a crucial link that India would need to expand its reach northward. 

"We will support the construction of the Chabahar-Zahedan rail link so that Chabahar gateway's potential could be fully utilized," he said.

"We want to expand connectivity, cooperation in the energy sector and the centuries-old bilateral relationship."

Rouhani for his part emphasized that Chabahar could reinforce Iran and India’s historical ties by serving as a bridge connecting the subcontinent to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.

“We are ready to sign bilateral and trilateral agreements to turn the transit route passing through Chabahar into a strategic pathway serving the reinforcement of regional ties,” he said.

On a related front, Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi said Iran and India would jointly operate Shahid Beheshti port, adding that New Delhi would invest as much as $87 million in the project.  Akhoundi emphasized that this would be part of a total investment of $2 billion that India would make in Iran’s port and rail projects.  

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India, Iran Ink Nine Agreements in Different Areas

India and Iran have reiterated their commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and stressed that there can be no justification for any act of terrorism. 

In a joint statement issued after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New Delhi, the two leaders expressed their conviction that the fight against terrorism should not only seek to disrupt and eliminate terrorists and terrorist organizations but should also identify and address conditions conducive to terrorism as well as extremist ideologies. 

The two sides also urged for an immediate end to all support and sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorist groups and individuals. They said, States that aid, abet and directly or indirectly support terrorism should be condemned. 

India and Iran welcomed the growing interaction between their National Security Councils and agreed to enhance regular and institutionalized consultations between them and others concerned on terrorism and security. Both sides also expressed interest in enhancing cooperation possibilities in maritime domain.

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