The Editorial Page: This is no island story. Epstein files are about the nature of collective power 10 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026 JOURNAlISM of COURAGE NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 20 PAGES ₹7.00 (₹8 RAIPUR, ₹15 SRINAGAR) l www.indianexpress.com DA I LY F R O M : A H M E DA B A D , C H A N D I GA R H , D E L H I , J A I P U R , KO L K ATA , LU C K N O W , M U M B A I , N AG P U R , PAT N A , P U N E , VA D O DA R A Big thanks to President Trump... When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it unlocks immense opportunities... Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that get things done, something that cannot be said for most... Unlocks unprecedented opportunities... to Make in India for the world, Design in India for the world, and Innovate in India for the world. PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PIYUSH GOYAL, UNION MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY India, US have a deal, 50% tariffs cut to 18% Trump claims India to buy over $500 bn of US goods, stop Russian oil Shubhajit Roy INSIDE New Delhi, February 2 ENDING ALMOST 11 months ofuncertaintythatsawbilateral relations plunge to their lowest in over two decades and the trust deficit deepen, India and the United States agreed to a historic trade deal Monday under whichtheUSwillreduce tariffs from 50% — the highest in the world — to 18%. This announcement came shortly after new US AmbassadortoIndiaSergioGor—hisarrival in New Delhi last month set off a thaw in the chill — announced that US President Donald Trump had spoken to PrimeMinisterNarendraModi. Until now, India was at the receiving end of the harshest tariff rate for two publicly stated reasons: a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil and 25% as reciprocal tariffs. Protracted, see-saw negotiations were on since April and Happening today lSINGAPORE AIR SHOW 2026 begins. The Indian Air Force's Sarang Helicopter Display Team will take part in the event, being held until February 8. lIN THE WOMEN'S PREMIER League, Gujarat Giants and Delhi Capitals face off in the Eliminator for the right to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title clash. lRASHTRAPATI BHAVAN’S Amrit Udyan opens for the public. This year, 85 species of flowers have been selected for the garden. TRACK THESE AND MORE ON WWW.INDIANExPRESS.COM NATION pAgE 8 BJp top BrASS mEEt mANIpUr mLAs IN DELhI Deal clears what was looking hazy: India’s role as US ally, China counter Ravi Dutta Mishra & Anil Sasi New Delhi, February 2 THE STEEP cut in US tariffs to 18 per cent from 50 per cent under the trade deal has reinforced what was always believed in New Delhi but had begun looking hazy — that the US sees an ally in India and a counterweight to China as it seeks to rewrite the norms of the global trade order. pAgE 9 DELhI’S trADE poLIcy: thE trUmp fActor how INDIA DIvErSIfIED IN fAcE of tArIffS how rUSSIAN oIL pUrchASES hAvE chANgED the high rate had disadvantaged Indianexports against all itsregionalandglobalcompetitors in the US market. Monday’s announcement comes days after talks on the India-EU trade deal concluded last week. While India had started reducing import of Russian oil »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor posted this photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump on X with the caption: ‘President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED…’ l UStariffsoncountriesglobally India 18% Vietnam 20% Pakistan 19% Brazil 50% Bangladesh 20% Indonesia 19% China 37% Malaysia 19% European Union 15% South Africa 30% Cambodia 19% UK 10% SOURCE: WHITE HOUSE Rahul raises ex-Army Chief’s unpublished book on India-China standoff, triggers row Speaker adjourns LS; Govt scared, says Rahul; Cong should apologise: Rijiju Jatin Anand & Liz Mathew New Delhi, February 2 LEADER OF Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s reference to China in the unpublished memoirs of formerChiefofArmyStaffGeneral M M Naravane (Retd) triggered a political firestorm on Monday, leading to repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha. Citing House rules, senior ministers including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju objected to Gandhi reading from an unreleased book. InvokingRule349(i)oftheRules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, SpeakerOmBirladirectedGandhi not to quote from a purported extract of the book. Siddharth Upasani & Sandeep Singh New Delhi, February 2 THE SHARP cut in reciprocal tariffs by the US to 18% will “remove all uncertainty” in the minds of global investors, and “the China +1 strategy will be back in the game” brightening theprospectsofFDIinflows,ac- Business as Usual By EP UNNY Amrita Nayak Dutta However,Gandhicontinued to refer to both the memoir — Four Stars of Destiny — and a »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE WORLD pAgE 14 General M M Naravane was the Army chief from 2019 to 2022 lowing the movement of Chinese PLA tanks and troops in Rechin La on the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. The LoPsaidhewantedtoquoteexcerpts of the book from an »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 gAzA’S rAfAh croSSINg opENS AftEr 2 yEArS Delhi Govt to SC: Apollo refusing to A-I pilot flags ‘possible defect’ with treat poor, auction recommended fuel control switch, plane grounded Ankita Upadhyay Sukalp Sharma New Delhi, February 2 ANAIRIndiapilothasflaggeda possible defect with an engine fuel control switch of one of the airline’s Boeing 787 aircraft, following which the plane has been grounded. The nine-yearoldaircraft,operatingaLondon- Bengaluruflight,landedinBengaluru on Monday morning. Engine fuel control switcheshave been at the focus of the investigation into the crash of the Air India Boeing 787 jet (AI-171) in Ahmedabad last June, with the preliminary probe report saying the accident occurred after both en- gines of the aircraft were starved of fuel as both its fuel control switches transitioned from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ position within a second of each other, moments after lift-off. Accordingtoastatementby aviationsafetyadvocacygroup, Safety Matters Foundation,the »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE DELHI government has informed the Supreme Court that Indraprastha Apollo Hospital has repeatedly violated its commitment to provide free treatment to patients from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and that the government has been advised to not »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 cording to Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran. Therupeeislikelytobounce backstronglywhendomesticfinancial markets open on Tuesday.Ithadsettledat91.51toaUS dollaronMonday.Growthforecasts may also be revised up to reflect a sharply improved outlook for the economy in terms of foreign demand for locally- produced goods. The50%tariff,comprisinga reciprocal tariff of 25% and a penal 25% for the purchase of Russian arms and crude, has been in force for nearly half a year — a period that has seen foreign investors exit Indian financial markets amid heightened geopolitical and »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 DAY AfTER BUDGET PRESENTATION Growth remains priority, looking at more PSU divestment: FM New Delhi, February 2 LONDON-BENGALURU fLIGHT: fUEL SWITCH CUT Off New Delhi, February 2 E. Siddharth Upasani & Aanchal Magazine New Delhi, February 2 LoP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha, Monday. ANI IN PARLIAMENT, P 6 cess indicated the fine print of the deal would be key. A convergence between the two countries on the reciprocal tariff was achieved over the last week, with a number of ‘sticky issues’ having beenaddressed.Crucial among those is a commitment to step up buying American goods, in addition to a commitment to purchase Uncertainty over for global capital, China+1 strategy back in game: CEA ‘I had been handed a hot potato’: What memoir says on Ladakh face-off PROCEEDINGS IN the Lok Sabha were disrupted on Monday after Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to quote from the unpublished memoir of former Army chief General M M Naravane,withthegovernmentsaying it is against parliamentary rules. InFourStarsofDestiny,Gen Naravane, who was the Army chief from 2019 to 2022, mentions the conversations he had with the Defence Minister on thenightofAugust31,2020,fol- Prima facie, an 18 per cent headline tariff places India in a reasonably good position against competitors in terms of accessing the American market. India’s deal with the EU, forinstance,waswellnegotiated and strived to balancetheconcernson both sides. Given President Donald Trump’s typically extractive negotiation strategy, an official involved in the pro- extend Apollo’s lease and to seek fresh bids for the land, building, and equipment. The government has said that it has been advised by the “competent authority” that renewal of the joint venture agreement with Apollo Hospital Enterprises Ltd or of the lease deed with Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd (IMCL) “at this stage would be contrary to public interest and contractual discipline”. The affidavit by Dr Vatsala Aggarwal,DirectorGeneral,Directorate of Health Services, Government of the NCT of Delhi, was submitted on January27,counselforDelhigovernment Swati Ghildiyal told The Indian Express. Counsel for Apollo Hospital Lalit Bhasin »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 A DAY after presenting the UnionBudget2026-27inParliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday that growth will continue to be the government’s priority asit moves along thefiscal consolidation path, adding that a sharper reduction in the fiscal deficit could have been opted for, but a choice was made to focus on infrastructure spending as a tool for sustaining growth. Speakingtoreporters,Sitharaman also said that disinvestment and asset monetisation would set the tone for revenue generation. “Below 4.5% was my aim (for fiscal deficit). I have reached 4.4% (for FY26) and I am targeting 4.3% of GDP (for FY27)…we could have brought it down to 4%, but we are comfortableat4.3%. Thefiscaldeficit depends on each year’s situation, with growth being the priority,” Sitharaman said. The Finance Minister said the government has not compressed spending to ensure fiscal consolidation. “We are focusing on the debt-to-GDP ratio, but that doesn't mean we are overlooking the fiscal defi- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha on Monday. ANI ExPRESS interview VUMLUNMANG VUALNAM SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF EXPENDITURE pAgE 13 ExIt cLAUSES mUSt for cASh trANSfEr SchEmES: pANEL p 8 cit as a percentage of GDP. We are looking to bring it down while creating assets,” she said. Speaking more broadly on »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 l HE STOOD UP TO A GROUP OF MEN WHO WERE HARASSING A 70-YR-OLD MUSLIM SHOPKEEPER ON JANUARY 26 Facing FIR and protests, ‘Mohammad Deepak’ says ‘someone has to speak up’ Aiswarya Raj On January 26, Deepak (37) stood up to a group ofmen who were harassing a 70-year-old ON THE Uttar Pradesh-Utta- Muslim shopkeeper, who rakhand border, a heavy police suffers from Parkinson’s disforce screened veease, to drop the hicles. Past multiple word “Baba” from PAGE 1 barricades and his shop’s name. A scrutinous eyes, videooftheconfronKotdwar on Monday tation went viral, was heavily guarded. At the thrustingDeepakintothelimecentre of the security was Hulk light but also bringing unGym, owned by Deepak wantedattention.OnSaturday, Kumar, now better known as severalmembersoftheBajrang “Mohammad Deepak”. Dal gathered to confront Dehradun, February 2 anchor Deepak, but were restrained by the police. On Monday, entry into Kumar’sgymwasrestrictedbythe police. Three FIRs have been filed so far — one on the complaint of Vakeel Ahmed, the shopkeeper who was harassed; one on the complaint of a residentofKotdwaragainstDeepak andhisfriendVijayRawat,who waswithhimonJanuary26and isalsoseeninthevideo;andone by the police against unknown persons of Bajrang Dal. Deepak at a gym he owns in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand. AISWARYA RAJ Speaking to The Indian Express on Monday, Deepak said, “I said my name was Mohammad Deepak because it was the right thing to do. I am accountable only to God, and standing up for a man who was being attacked for his religion was the humanething.I’mnotfazedby these protests.” His friend, Rawat (38), the Youth Congress’s district president, said the FIR has only made more people stand with them. “How can a group enter private property and demand that the owner change the name of the shop?” he said. Deepak said Saturday’s mob hadgatheredafteracallonsocial media. According to him, the video from January 26 was circulatedonlinebyright-wingoutfits, who said Deepak had to be “taughtalesson”,andassembled in front of the gym on Saturday. He said that when he approached the police, they asked him why the January 26 incident was not reported to them. New Delhi “Although the police were there, the mob hurled vile abuses about my family and me. I was at my gym, and hearingthesewords,Iwentdownto confront them, and the police then took us to the police station to avert violence. I still don’t understand why they would register an FIR against us. We submitted videos and identified men who abused us, but we are facing an FIR now. I can’t wrap my head around it,” »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2