In meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang, NSA Doval calls for countering terrorism
New Delhi (PTI): In an oblique reference to Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorist activities, NSA Ajit Doval on Monday emphasised the need to counter terrorism in all its forms for regional peace and stability during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
Doval's call for countering terrorism comes nearly a month-and-a-half after India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistani territories early on May 7 in response to the horrific Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians.
NSA Doval is visiting China to attend a conclave of top national security officials of the member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an influential regional grouping focused on security related issues.
Doval and Wang also deliberated on various aspects of India-China relations amid efforts by the two sides to rebuild the ties that came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border standoff.
Both sides reviewed recent developments in India-China relations and underscored the need to promote the overall development of the ties, including by fostering greater people to people engagement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said
"The NSA also emphasized the need to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations to maintain overall peace and stability in the region," it said.
The remarks are also seen as an indirect message to China to put pressure on its all-weather ally Pakistan to take action against terror outfits operating from its soil.
Wang noted that China-India relations have made some positive progress and it is essential that both sides further enhance communication, build mutual trust, and work toward resolving practical issues, according to Chinese envoy to India Xu Feihong.
"Only when the dragon and elephant dance together can there be a win-win outcome. China and India should properly handle sensitive issues and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border regions," Xu said in a social media post.
"Doval said that India is willing to strengthen collaboration with China in multilateral fields and fully supports China's role as the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in hosting a successful summit," the envoy said.
"As two major Asian nations, India and China can make even greater contributions to the international community," he added.
The MEA said Doval and Wang also exchanged views on other bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
"The NSA noted that he looked forward to meeting with Wang Yi in India at a mutually convenient date for the 24th round of the Special Representative (SR) talks," it said.
China is hosting the SCO conclave in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping.
The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020 and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe downturn in ties between the two neighbours.
The face-off effectively ended following completion of the disengagement process from the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang under an agreement finalised on October 21 last year.
In December, NSA Doval visited Beijing and held talks with Wang under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary dispute.
The decision to revive the SR mechanism and other such dialogue formats was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23.
The Modi-Xi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok.
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Commercial LPG hike: Delhi restaurant owners warn of higher menu rates, job losses
New Delhi (PTI) A day after a 50 per cent rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices, Delhi's food business, with restaurant owners and street vendors have warned of higher menu rates, financial strain and potential job losses if the trend persists.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder, marking the third consecutive monthly hike amid rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
For many in the restaurant industry, the spike has been both sudden and steep.
Manpreet Singh, honorary treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said that eateries are already grappling with supply challenges alongside rising costs.
"There is a huge difficulty in getting these cylinders, and black marketing is also increasing in many unregulated sectors," he said, noting that prices that were once around Rs 1,600, often dropping to nearly Rs 1,300 with discounts, have now surged to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per cylinder.
He further added that a medium-sized restaurant typically uses between two and five cylinders daily, making the increase particularly burdensome as costs mount.
Singh further said that as costs mount, smaller establishments could struggle to stay afloat. Instead, the association has advised restaurants to shift towards piped natural gas connections through Indraprastha Gas Limited as a more sustainable alternative.
"If this problem continues, PNG is the only long-term solution," he said, adding that temporary measures like coal offer limited relief due to slower cooking times and that it can largely be used only for tandoors.
Echoing similar concerns, Kabir Suri, owner of Mamagoto in Khan Market, said the impact is already visible across the industry. "There has been almost a threefold increase in cylinder prices for restaurants," he said, adding that rising fuel and logistics costs are compounding the pressure.
"If this continues, it will become a significant financial burden, and food prices will inevitably go up. Adding to this burden, higher fuel costs are also affecting logistics and transportation, making a price rise unavoidable. The extent of the impact will vary between small eateries and large chains depending on their scale," he said.
Global oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent following disruptions in energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, pushing up commercial fuel costs and transport expenses.
A West Delhi-based restaurateur said they are trying to manage rising costs while keeping their staff secure. "We are trying to ensure that our staff, from kitchen workers to waiters, are paid on time and do not face immediate hardship," the owner said.
"We are a small restaurant with seating for about 20 to 25 people at a time. But if this continues for long, we will have to take difficult calls. There is only so much we can absorb, and menu prices will have to go up. We hope this does not continue for a longer period," he said.
Another restaurant owner in North Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said operational adjustments alone may not be enough. "We are checking our costs very carefully and trying to cut wherever possible, but if fuel prices remain high, it will eventually affect how we run the business," the owner said.
"Coal helps in tandoor cooking, but it takes more time," the owner further added.
The strain is even more acute among street vendors, many of whom operate on thin margins. A vendor in Saket said he had recently expanded his business, moving from a mobile cart to a rented outlet.
"I have a family to feed and more responsibilities now. Earlier, I managed with a moving cart, but after renting the place, expenses increased," he said. "Whenever cylinders were unavailable, I had to buy them at higher rates in the black market. Now even regular supply is too expensive, and if this continues, we may have to shut down," he added.
In Laxmi Nagar, another vendor said they are struggling to keep the business running. "Sometimes we even used domestic cylinders from home when supply ran out because we had to keep the stall running," he said, adding that rising costs leave little choice but to increase prices or bear losses.
On April 1, the rates of commercial LPG cylinders were hiked by Rs 195.50 per cylinder, followed by a Rs 114.5 hike on March 1, taking the total increase over the past three months to Rs 1,303. With the latest revision, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,371.5 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.5 earlier.
The prices of domestic LPG cylinders used for household cooking have remained unchanged. They were last increased by Rs 60 per 14.2 kg cylinder on March 7 and currently cost Rs 913 in Delhi.
