Condolences pour in from world leaders on Manmohan Singh's death
Washington (PTI): Condolences have poured in from across the globe, including from the US, Canada, France and Sri Lanka following the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Leaders from neighbouring countries, including Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan, expressed deep grief over Singh's passing, highlighting his contributions and warm relations with their nations.
Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Thursday night. He was 92.
He is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur, a history professor, and three daughters.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called him "one of the greatest champions of the bilateral strategic partnership."
“Dr Singh was one of the greatest champions of the US-India strategic partnership, and his work laid the foundation for much of what our countries have accomplished together in the past two decades,” US Secretary of State Tony Blinken said.
Offering sincere condolences to the people of India for the passing of Singh, Blinken said the leadership of the former prime minister in advancing the US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement signified a major investment in the potential of the US-India relationship.
“At home, Dr Singh will be remembered for his economic reforms that spurred India’s rapid economic growth. We mourn Dr Singh’s passing and will always remember his dedication to bringing the United States and India closer together,” Blinken said.
President of France Emmanuel Macron on Friday said "India has lost a great man". "India has lost a great man, and France a true friend, in the person of Dr. Manmohan Singh. He had devoted his life to his country. Our thoughts are with his family and the people of India," Macron posted on X.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he was saddened to learn of the passing of his former colleague, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“He was an individual of exceptional intelligence, integrity, and wisdom. Laureen and I wish to convey our condolences to all his family and friends,” he said.
Former Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said in a post on X, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Dr Manmohan Singh, a visionary leader and an extraordinary statesman. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of India. His legacy will inspire generations."
Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed wrote X that he found the former Prime Minister as a "benevolent father figure" and a good friend of Maldives.
"So sad to hear Manmohan Singh has passed. I always found him a delight to work with and like a benevolent father figure. He was a good friend of the Maldives," Nasheed said.
Former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa called him a "visionary economist and the architect of India’s economic liberalisation."
"Deeply saddened by the passing of former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. A visionary economist and the architect of India’s economic liberalization, his contributions shaped a new era for India. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the people of India."
Former President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai in a post on X said that India has lost one of its most illustrious sons.
Calling him an "unwavering ally and friend to the people of Afghanistan", Karzai profoundly mourned Singh's passing and expressed his deepest condolences.
"India has lost one of its most illustrious sons. Dr_Manmohan_Singh was an unwavering ally and friend to the people of Afghanistan. I profoundly mourn his passing and extend my deepest condolences to his family, the government, and the people of India. May his soul find eternal peace," Karzai said.
Government sources said a seven-day national mourning will be observed and that Singh's last rites will be conducted with full state honours.
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim wrote a heartfelt message on X for his "honoured and cherished friend".
"The weight of grief bears down on me at the news of the passing of my honoured and cherished friend: Dr Manmohan Singh. Obituaries, essays and books a plenty there will surely be about this great man, celebrating him as the architect of India’s economic reforms. As Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh was the midwife of India’s emergence as one of the world’s economic giants," he posted on X.
"...The praise that will follow in the days ahead will be truly well-deserved. Dr Manmohan Singh, slightly awkward as a politician but undeniably upright, steadfast and resolute as a statesman, leaves behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come."
"To me, he will be all that and much more. Not many people know this, and it is time that I share it with Malaysians: during the years of my incarceration, he extended a kindness that he didn’t have to... He offered scholarships for my children, particularly my son, Ihsan. Although I had declined the gracious offer, such a gesture undoubtedly showed his extraordinary humanity and generosity, demonstrative, as the Bard would have it, of a man so full of “the milk of human kindness,” Ibrahim posted.
"In those dark days, as I navigated the labyrinth of imprisonment, he stood by me as a true friend. Such acts of quiet magnanimity defined him, and they will remain etched in my heart forever. Goodbye, my mitra, my bhai, Manmohan," he posted.
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Air India resorts to cost-cutting ways amid 'tough times'; layoffs not anticipated
New Delhi/Mumbai (PTI): Hit hard by Pakistan airspace closure and Iran war, Air India has resorted to cost-cutting measures, including holding back annual increments for staff and asking them to cut discretionary spending as well as non-critical expenditures, warning of "tough times".
On Friday, Air India Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director (CEO & MD) Campbell Wilson told the staff it is going to be a "very, very difficult year" if things don't improve on the Middle East front.
A day after the loss-making airline's board discussed various cost-saving steps, Wilson, along with Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sanjay Sharma and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Ravindra Kumar GP, addressed the employees during a townhall on Friday where the emphasis on the need to keep a close watch on costs.
With higher jet fuel prices due to the West Asia conflict and airspace curbs, the loss-making airline's expenses have spiralled in recent times and against this backdrop, Sharma also told staffers that FY26 has seen a softening in revenue amid heightened external uncertainties.
Calling for a relentless focus on costs in these tough times, Wilson urged employees to suspend discretionary spending, renegotiate rates where feasible, and defer non-critical expenditures.
"There must be a laser-sharp focus on eliminating wastage and leakages," he said.
Stressing the need to tighten the belt for a while, Wilson sounded optimistic that travel demand would rebound and the industry would continue on its upward path.
CHRO Ravindra Kumar told staff that the airline will proceed with variable pay for the last financial year and continue with planned promotions while noting that annual increments will be deferred by at least one quarter.
"We don't anticipate layoffs," he said.
At the airline's board meeting on Thursday, various cost-saving steps, including likely furloughs, were discussed. The Tata Group-owned airline has around 24,000 employees.
Generally, furlough refers to sending staff on unpaid leaves by companies during a tough financial situation.
During the townhall, CFO Sanjay Sharma said while strong revenue growth and fleet expansion drove financial momentum through FY25, FY26 has seen a softening in revenue amid heightened external uncertainties.
Air India has seen around 40 per cent CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) in revenue between 2022 and 2025, he added.
The airline was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in January 2022.
The Air India CEO mentioned the external challenges being facing the aviation industry as a whole, including the continued closure of Pakistan airspace that is expected to persist for the foreseeable future and geopolitical conflicts leading to disruptions and airspace closures across West Asia.
Wilson, who is set to step down later this year, also flagged a sharp depreciation of the rupee and a 2.5-3 times increase in jet fuel prices, and added that these factors have adversely affected travel sentiment and consumer confidence, as per the sources.
If the Strait of Hormuz opens, oil prices fall and consumer as well as business confidence come back, there is a decent chance of a solid recovery, Wilson said, adding that unless those circumstances happen, it was going to be "a very, very difficult year".
"I feel somewhat responsible that we ended up with probably the biggest surprise of the year in the external environment which was a full-scale war in our neighbouring region in the Gulf. That has had a huge impact on airspace," he said.
For Air India, Wilson said the situation is compounded by the fact that the airline cannot fly over the neighbouring country and has to take a much longer routing for any west-bound destination.
"Every airline is reporting that they are under some sort of financial pressure as a result of higher fuel prices and economic uncertainty. So, it is unfortunately not a great environment to be running an airline," the Air India CEO said.
The Air India Group -- Air India and Air India Express -- is projected to have incurred more than Rs 22,000 crore loss in the financial year ended March 2026.
At the townhall, Wilson also highlighted various initiatives, including completion of the retrofit of its legacy narrow-body aircraft and rapid network optimisation to redeploy capacity more efficiently.
