DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES, `20 IN ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 Pakistan escalates; India blocks second wave of attacks, hits its air defence radar Blackouts from Srinagar to Jaisalmer; Ferozepur residents injured during Pakistani drone attack DRONES TARGET MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN 26 LOCATIONS FROM GROUND ZERO MODI, RAJNATH, DOVAL MEET CHIEFS OF ARMED FORCES Pathankot, key base in north, under attack again, braces for long night MAN AMAN SINGH CHHINA AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA, BASHAARAT MASOOD, RAAKHI JAGGA & PARUL KULSHRESTHA PATHANKOT, MAY 9 NEW DELHI, SRINAGAR, LUDHIANA, BARMER, MAY 9 FOR THE second consecutive night, Pakistan Friday launched swarms of drones targeting military installations in multiple cities along India’s northern and western borders. While multiple drones were interceptedandshotdownbyair defencesystemsdeployedbythe Indian military, an armed drone fell in a civilian area in Ferozepur in Punjab, injuring members of a family. The Indian Army said Pakistani drones were sighted at 26 locations — from Baramulla in J&K to Bhuj in Gujarat — along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan. The locations included Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Kuar Bet and Lakhi Nala. The Army said these drones posedpotentialthreatstocivilian and military targets. It said the armed forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked andengagedusingcounter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, have been advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential, the Army said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 From offering drones to solidarity: Turkey’s hand in Pakistan’s attacks Debris analysis points to Songar drones made in Turkey: Govt SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, MAY 9 A PRELIMINARY probe into the debrisafterPakistan’sattemptto breachthenorthernand westernfrontsThursday night suggests that the drones used by Pakistan are of Turkish origin, the Songar armed drone system, the government said Friday. Briefing reporters, Wing CommanderVyomikaSinghand ColSofiyaQureshisaidthatalong theinternationalborderandLine of Control,droneintrusionswere attempted from Siachen to Sir Creek at 36 locations with approximately 300-400 drones. Forensic examination of the dronedebrisisbeingundertaken. Preliminaryreportssuggestthey are Asisguard’s Songar drone from Turkey. Songar is an armed drone system designed and manufactured by ● Asisguard, part of Asis Electronics and Information Systems, to serve as a force-multiplier for low-intensity conflicts. It is the first domestic armed drone system to be operated by EXPLAINED E BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PM Modi holds a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, CDS and chiefs of the three services. ANI Pak gets IMF tranche but economy too stretched to sustain long standoff AANCHAL MAGAZINE & SUKALP SHARMA NEW DELHI, MAY 9 THE BOARD of the International Monetary Fund Friday cleared $2.3 billion in funding for cashstrapped Pakistan, even as New Delhiabstainedfromthevoteafter having firmly opposed the move stating that providing funds to a country that supports cross-border terrorism carries reputational risks and undermines international norms. Thelifelinenotwithstanding, highdebtandperilouslylowforeign exchange reserves significantly add to the fragility of the Pakistaneconomy,whichisgrappling with an almost perennial balance of payment crisis and high inflation in recent years. Its external debt jumped to over $130 billion in 2024, with more than a fifth of this estimatedtobeownedbyitskeyally China. Its forex reserves are peggedatalittleover$15billion, capable of paying for just about three months of imports. The forex reserves remain low relative to funding needs, with over $22 billion of public external debt, including nearly $13 billion in bilateral deposits, maturing in FY25, according to a NEW DELHI, MAY 9 AFTER A night of blackouts in over15citiesallthewayfromJ&K and Punjab to Rajasthan and Gujarat, and cross-border drone andmissilestrikesfromPakistan, which were repelled by India’s defence systems, a clear, articulateframingof thechallengeand the road ahead has come from DEVENDRA PANDEY MUMBAI, MAY 9 VIRAT KOHLI has told the Indian cricket board that he wishes to retire from Test cricket, but top officials have asked him to reconsider the decision, The Indian Express has learnt. “He has made up his mind and informed the board that he is moving on from Test cricket. The BCCI has urged him to rethink as the crucial England tour is coming up. He is yet to revert on the request,” sources told this newspaper. Kohli’sdecisioncomesonthe back of Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement a couple of days ago. India’s selectors are set to meet in a few days to pick the team for the five-Test series in England next month. ItislearntthatKohlihasbeen contemplating his Test future since the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia earlier this year when he went through a PAGE 14 Terror HQ, Pakistan WhytakingoutMuridkeand Bahawalpurcampsiskeyto India’swaronterror Army mobilises additional forces for border areas, calls up reserve forces AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, MAY 9 AMID ESCALATING tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, the Indian military establishment has actively begun large-scale mobilisation of additional forces to the border, including its reserve Territorial Army, to ensure full strength in the event of a contingency. In a notification Friday, the Ministry of Defence announced theactivationof 14of 32infantry battalionsof theTerritorialArmy (TA) for deployment across the country until February 2028. It is learnt that the move marks a key step towards additionalreinforcementof troopsall across to ensure heightened operational preparedness. In such situations, TA personnel step in for regular forces in performing various static duties and assist in the maintenance of essential services. They also perform internal security duties, help civil authorities and provide escorts for the transportation of stores and equipment. The government’s notification invoked Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rule 1948 to empower the Army Chief to exercise powers to call up all officers and enrolled personnel of theTAtoprovideessentialguard or support and supplement regular forces. A regular TA battalion has about750personnel.Itcomprises Congress MP, former diplomat and author Shashi Tharoor who alsoheadsParliament’sStanding Committee on External Affairs. Excerpts from an interview with The Indian Express. Thursday night we saw a sharp escalation by Pakistan. Where do you see this going? I had been of the view that Pakistan would know better than to escalate with attacks THE EXPRESS INTERVIEW SHASHI THAROOR CONGRESS MP against Indian facilities, because Indiahadtakensuchcaretoconvey that ours were not meant to be the first step of a protracted war, but rather a one-off retaliation for the Pahalgam attack. We had demonstrated that by the fact that we chose only known terrorist sites, we had been very careful to ensure we attacked at night when there were no civilians about, so we would 123 31 9,230 254 50s Runs Not out: Highest 30 45.85 100s Weapon debris found in Pathankot on Friday. ANI movement on the roads as the explosions grew louder — cars and trucks moved with their headlights switched off. Some residents were standing atop rooftops, observing the firefight. Gradually, the firing and explosionsabatedandanuneasycalm descended as people for a long night ahead. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ‘Thought civilians safe’: Under Pak fire, Poonch residents move out ARUN SHARMA & KAMALDEEP SINGH BRAR JAMMU, AMRITSAR, MAY 9 THETARGETofintenseshellingby Pakistanitroops,thebordertown ofPoonchisdeserted,itsresidents having moved to safer locations. In the early hours of Wednesday, soon after India struck nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Pakistani forces began an intense bout of shelling across the Line of Control. Officials say 16 civilians, including five children, have died in the barrage of ar- Residents being evacuated to safer zones at Mendhar in Poonch, Friday. PTI tillery fire the likes of which they haven’t witnessed since the 1971 war. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, DELHI Chairman and Members of the Board of Governors cordially invite you to the th 28 ANNUAL CONVOCATION 2025 to be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 05:00 p.m. at LBSIM Auditorium CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 His Test Record Matches PAGES 5, 6, 7, 9 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Weeks before big England tour, Kohli tells board he wants to retire from Tests, asked to rethink PAGE 1 ANCHOR BIG PICTURE CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Key for de-escalation with Pak, if China gives a message, they may dial down, says Tharoor MANOJ C G PAKISTANI DRONES attacked Pathankotinaswarmforthesecond consecutive night Friday, leading to intense counter engagementbytheIndianArmyand IndianAirForceairdefenceunits. The attack, which began around 8.45 pm, lasted close to half an hour during which multipleloudexplosionswereheard and anti-aircraft firing was observed in the night sky. A blackout had been imposed across the city at 7 pm by the district administration. TheArmysaidthataroundthe time Pathankot came under attack, similar drone attacks were underwayinSambaandJammu. There was little vehicular Average lean run after scoring a century in the first Test. If Kohli doesn’t change his mind, and with Rohit out of the picture, it will leave India with a largely inexperienced middleorder to join forces with K L Rahul, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top, and Rishabh Pant down the order. Besides, the team will be left without the guiding hands of two veterans who, between them, have led the Test team for nearly11yearstillnow.Kohlibecame India’s Test captain in Chief Guest Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Verma Vice Chancellor Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University will deliver the Convocation Address Kindly join us LIVE at: https://Ytube.Lbsim.ac.in R.S.V.P . Tel : 011-25307700 Mob. : +91-9958137595, +91-9811320320 Dr. Praveen Gupta Director CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Kolkata