Saudi bus accident: Hyderabad Police Commissioner says 45 killed
Hyderabad (PTI): At least 45 people, most of them from Hyderabad, were killed in a bus accident in Saudi Arabia, the city police chief said on Monday, citing preliminary information.
Addressing reporters here, Hyderabad police commissioner VC Sajjanar said a total of 54 people travelled to Jeddah from here on November 9. They were scheduled to return on November 23.
Of the 54, four people travelled separately by car to Madina on Sunday, while another four stayed back in Mecca.
According to the official, 46 people were travelling in the ill-fated bus, which collided with an oil tanker about 25 km from Madina.
Only one person survived the accident and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.
"We are getting information that 45 people died. They were supposed to return to Hyderabad on 23rd (of November)," he added.
AIMIM MLA Majid Hussain said, "We have received information that over 40 people died in the accident, and we are coordinating with the families."
The Consulate General of India in Jeddah, in a statement, said it and the Embassy in Riyadh are extending full support.
“Officials of the Embassy and the consulate are also in touch with the concerned officials of the state of Telangana to coordinate with the concerned families,” it said.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi expressed anguish over the report of deaths of several Hyderabad residents in the accident.
He urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to help bring back the bodies of those who died and provide treatment to those injured, the AIMIM said in a post on X.
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Russian military hardware, spare parts for Indian military to be manufactured in India
New Delhi (PTI): Russia agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of military hardware and spare parts for maintenance of Russian-origin arms and defence equipment.
Ways to bolster overall bilateral defence cooperation figured prominently during summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
It has been a long-standing grievance of armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time, affecting the maintenance of military systems procured from that country.
"Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, aggregates and other products for maintenance of Russian origin arms and defence equipment under Make-in-India programme through transfer of technology," a joint statement said.
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It said both sides also agreed to set up joint ventures for meeting the needs of the Indian armed forces as well as subsequent export to mutually friendly third countries.
The joint statement said the India-Russia defence partnership is being reoriented to take up joint co-development and co-production of advanced defence technology and systems.
In their meeting on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov resolved to expand bilateral defence cooperation.
In the meeting, the Indian side showed keen interest in procurement of additional batches of S-400 missile systems from Moscow to bolster its combat prowess.
In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
The S-400 systems played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor. India may also look at procuring the S-500 missile systems from Russia.
In the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides also agreed to continue jointly developing systems of bilateral trade settlements through the use of national currencies.
Additionally, the two sides agreed to continue their consultations on enabling the interoperability of the national payment systems, financial messaging systems, as well as central bank digital currency platforms.
Modi and Putin appreciated the ongoing intensification of the joint work on a free trade agreement on goods between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, covering sectors of mutual interest, the joint statement said.
They also directed both sides to intensify efforts in negotiations on a mutually beneficial agreement on the promotion and protection of investment, it said.
India and Russia also welcomed steps to ensure long-term supply of fertilisers to India and discussed the potential establishment of joint ventures in this area.
