PM Modi attends Christmas service at Delhi church, greets citizens
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attended a Christmas morning service at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption here along with a large congregation of Christians of Delhi and north India.
The service included prayers, carols, hymns and a special prayer for the prime minister by Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Swarup, the Bishop of Delhi.
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"Attended the Christmas morning service at The Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society," Modi said in a post on X.
Earlier, the prime minister greeted citizens on Christmas.
"Wishing everyone a joyous Christmas filled with peace, compassion and hope. May the teachings of Jesus Christ strengthen harmony in our society," he said in another post on X.
Over the last few years, PM Modi has been regularly attending programmes connected with the Christian community.
During Easter in 2023, he attended a programme at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Delhi.
On Christmas in 2023, he hosted a programme at his residence 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi.
In 2024, he attended a dinner at the residence of Minister George Kurian and also a programme hosted by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.
This shows a regular engagement with the community, sources said.
Meanwhile, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan also greeted people on Christmas.
"Wishing everyone a joyous Christmas, overflowing with hope, love, and kindness. May Christ's message inspire us to build stronger, more caring communities, and may his teachings strengthen our bonds and promote lasting peace," he wrote on X.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
