Deeply shocked: India on killing of over 100 in Gaza
New Delhi, Mar 1: India on Friday said it is "deeply shocked" at the loss of lives in northern Gaza during the delivery of humanitarian aid, a day after more than 100 people were killed and over 700 injured in an incident.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said such loss of civilian lives and the larger humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be a cause for "extreme concern".
"We are deeply shocked at the loss of lives in northern Gaza yesterday during delivery of humanitarian assistance," the MEA said.
"Such loss of civilian lives and the larger humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be a cause for extreme concern," it added.
India also called for safe and timely delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to the people of Gaza.
"We reiterate our call for safe and timely delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance," the MEA said.
There was no reference to Israel in the statement.
More than 100 people were killed and over 700 injured when Israeli troops fired on a large crowd of Palestinians trying to pull food off an aid convoy in Gaza, according to reports.
India has been calling for de-escalation of the situation and creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations towards a two-state solution to the Palestine issue.
There have been sharp international reactions to the incident, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemning it.
"I condemn Thursday's incident in Gaza in which more than 100 people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking life-saving aid," he wrote on X.
"The desperate civilians in Gaza need urgent help, including those in the north where the UN has not been able to deliver aid in more than a week," Guterres added.
Israel has been continuing its military offensive in Gaza as part of its retaliation to an unprecedented attack on Israeli cities by Hamas on October 7 last year.
Hamas killed around 1,200 people in Israel and abducted more than 220, some of whom were released during a brief ceasefire.
More than 29,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli offensive, according to Hamas-run authorities in Gaza.
India expresses deep shock at the loss of lives in Northern Gaza:https://t.co/MKxte3e9lG pic.twitter.com/IPkyIIje8U
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2024
I condemn Thursday’s incident in Gaza in which more than 100 people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking life-saving aid.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 1, 2024
The desperate civilians in Gaza need urgent help, including those in the north where the @UN has not been able to deliver aid in more than a week.
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India achieves major milestone in wind energy; capacity now 56 gigawatts: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): India has achieved a major milestone in wind energy, with the country's wind energy generation capacity exceeding 56 gigawatts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
In his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi also said the country must save electricity and adopt clean energy.
“India recently achieved a major milestone in wind energy. India's wind energy generation capacity has now exceeded 56 gigawatts. In just the past year, nearly 6 gigawatts of new capacity have been added,” he said.
Underlining that solar and wind energy are essential for India's development, Modi said, “It is not just about the environment; it is about securing our future, and we all have a role to play in it.”
On April 22, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, said that India has recorded its best-ever year in wind energy capacity addition, with a historic 6.1 GW added during 2025-26.
India currently ranks fourth globally in wind energy, with more than 56.1 GW installed capacity and an additional 28 GW under implementation.
Emphasising the vast untapped potential of the sector, Joshi highlighted that India's wind energy potential at 150 metres hub height is estimated at nearly 1,164 GW.
He expressed confidence that with sustained efforts, the country will achieve 100 GW wind capacity by 2030 and 156 GW by 2036, contributing significantly to the net-zero target by 2070.
Joshi also underlined that wind energy plays a critical role in stabilising India's energy system, particularly due to its peak generation during evening and night hours, which aligns with high demand periods.
He noted that nearly 45 per cent of wind power generation occurs during peak demand hours, making it a vital complement to solar energy.
