Nepal evacuates 253 students stranded in Israel
Kathmandu (PTI): Nepal's Foreign Minister N P Saud on Thursday left Israel along with 253 students who were stranded in the war-torn country following the surprise multifront attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, officials here said.
"Rescue aircraft has just taken off from Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv," Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X.
It thanked Israeli authorities for their prompt support in relocating Nepali nationals to safe zone, movement to airport, flight clearance and other procedures.
"We commend (the) tireless works of our Embassy in Tel Aviv and duly acknowledge support and cooperation received from various agencies back home to make this possible," the ministry said in another post.
The flight is expected to arrive in Kathmandu at 1.30 am on Thursday, according to the secretariat of Foreign Minister Saud, who arrived in Israel on board the same aircraft earlier in the day.
Ten Nepalese students were killed when Hamas launched a sudden strike at a farm in Israel's Kibbutz.
There were 17 Nepalese students on the farm where the Hamas launched the attack. Ten Nepalese nationals were killed, six escaped and one went missing in the incident.
Four of the students who sustained injuries in the incident are currently undergoing treatment in a hospital with the assistance of the Israeli government.
After the killing of 10 students of agriculture working as interns in Israel under a learn and earn scheme, the Nepal government with the assistance from Israel military relocated the remaining Nepalese students to a safe zone.
Besides 265 agriculture students, who have gone to Israel from different universities in Nepal under the 'Learn and Earn' internship programme, there are 450 other Nepalese working in different fields in Israel.
Israel has vowed an unprecedented offensive against Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, after its fighters broke through the border fence and stormed into the country's south through air, land and sea on October 7. The conflict that has already claimed more than 2,500 lives on both sides.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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