India not neutral, it is on the side of peace: PM Modi to Putin on Ukraine conflict
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday strongly backed the latest efforts to end the war in Ukraine and conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin that India will stand shoulder-to-shoulder in all peace efforts to find an amicable solution to the conflict.
The Ukraine issue figured prominently at the annual summit talks between the two leaders that is aimed at further shoring up a nearly eight-decade bilateral partnership that remained in firm footing notwithstanding fractious geopolitical environment and tensions.
In his televised opening remarks at the summit, Modi said India is not neutral as it is on the side of peace to end the Ukraine conflict.
"We have been holding discussions following the start of the Ukraine conflict. As a close friend, you have been regularly apprising us on the situation. I think trust is a major strength," Modi said.
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"We all should find the path of peace. I am aware of the latest efforts and I am confident that the world will turn to peace," he said.
"I have always said that India is not neutral; India has a side and that side is peace. We support all peace efforts and we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in all peace efforts," he said.
On his part, the Russian president said Moscow is working towards a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Putin was accorded a red carpet welcome on Thursday evening on his first visit to India in four years. It is also his first trip to India since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
PM Modi personally received the Russian leader with a hug at the Palam airport before travelling together in a white SUV to the prime minister's official residence for a private dinner.
The conversation between the two leaders over dinner is known to have set the tone for the 23rd India-Russia summit talks that is expected to produce a number of tangible outcomes to further broadbase the time-tested relationship.
Boosting defence ties, insulating India-Russia trade from external pressure and exploring cooperation in small modular reactors are set to be the focus of the summit.
The Russian leader's visit to New Delhi has assumed greater significance as it is taking place against the backdrop of rapid downturn in India-US relations.
Following the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides are expected to ink a plethora of agreements, including one on facilitating the movement of Indian workers to Russia, and another on logistical support under a broader framework of defence cooperation.
It is learnt that under the trade basket, Indian exports to Russia are expected to significantly increase in areas of pharma, agriculture, food products and consumer goods.
The move comes amid concerns in New Delhi over a ballooning trade deficit in favour of Russia. India's annual procurement of goods and services from Russia amounts to around USD 65 billion, while Russia's imports from India stand at around USD 5 billion.
Officials said India is also looking at boosting cooperation in the fertiliser sector. Russia supplies three to four million tonnes of fertilisers to India annually. The Indian and Russian sides are also likely to discuss New Delhi's proposed free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
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Samson's hundred, Overton's miserly spell give CSK first win of IPL 2026
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Chennai (PTI): After three silent outings, Sanju Samson rediscovered his batting range with a fabulous hundred and bowlers’ fangs regrew as Chennai Super Kings defeated Delhi Capitals by 23 runs to register their first win of IPL 2026 here on Saturday.
Samson (115 not out, 56 balls) and Ayush Mhatre (59, 36 balls) milked 113 runs for the second wicket to power CSK to a competitive 212 for two and the Delhi Capitals stumbled against Jamie Overton’s superb spell (4/18) to get bundled out for 189.
Tristan Stubbs (60) delayed the inevitable for DC with a gutsy half-century.
While it was the super Kings’ first win of the season, the Capitals slumped to their second defeat in a row.
Chasing 213, Delhi made a bold start, making 61 in just five overs through a fine stand between openers KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka (41).
But the dismissal of Nissanka took some steam away from DC. Nissanka, whose catch was grassed by Khaleel Ahmed off Anshul Kamboj, could not use the let off as he spooned the next ball off the pacer to Dewald Brevis at the edge of the circle.
At 61 for two in 5.2 overs, DC were still in a good position but the Chennai bowlers redrafted their strategy at this stage.
Their pacers -- Overton, Khaleel and Kamboj -- began to bash the ball into the red-soil surface and extracted good bounce, cramping the DC batters for space to execute their shots effectively.
Sameer Rizvi and Axar Patel fell to such deliveries, and Sarfaraz Khan played a big role in the latter’s dismissal with a tremendous full-length diving catch at point.
They still had David Miller and Tristan Stubbs at their roster to challenge CSK, but Overton’s lovely hard-length ball clipped Miller’s leg-stump bails to compound the worries for the Delhi side.
But Samson was the chief architect of CSK’s wonderful Chepauk night.
After being asked to bat first, Sasmson brought up his first substantial knock in a Yellow jersey, and was involved in an excellent stand with Mhatre, who underlined his massive potential in bold letters, for the second wicket -- 113 runs in a little over 11 overs.
It was Samson’s fourth IPL hundred, the first for CSK and the first one in this IPL season.
A big score from Samson was essential for himself and CSK to restore the belief of ‘Anbu-den’ faithfuls in their team, and he did that on the night with a brilliant innings in front of home fans.
It was the typical Samson innings. The Kerala batter had looked unsure of his feet and field placings in earlier matches this season, but on this instance a familiar Samson returned.
The feet, eyes and hands rediscovered their coordination and consequently the shots flowed in all directions off the field. However, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad failed to accelerate even in Power Play, and his 62-run opening wicket alliance was entirely built on Samson's aggression.
Samson gave an early indication of his touch with two back-to-back fours off pacer Mukesh Kumar but the stand out shot during his stint was a six over extra cover off left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Fortune too lent its assistance to Samson as he was dropped on 55 by Pathum Nissanka near long-off off Axar Patel.
The 31-year-old fully exploited his reprieve and made DC pay for their lapse. Samson fetched his fifty in 26 balls, one less than Mhatre, and hundred in 52 balls as CSK moved on nicely.
Mhatre, on the other hand, was a real treat to watch until he was retired out after a well-compiled knock, to give the big-hitting Shivam Dube a chance.
But till that moment, Mhatre entertained the Chepauk crowd with some handsome shots.
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