Archdiocese of Bangalore mourns the passing of Pope Francis
Bengaluru: The Archdiocese of Bangalore has issued an official statement following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this morning.
The statement, signed by Archbishop Peter Machado, begins: “It is with deep anguish and heavy hearts that we, the faithful of the Archdiocese of Bangalore, join the Universal Church in mourning the sudden and untimely demise of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, who passed away this morning.”
The Archbishop described the Pope as “not just the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, but a shepherd, a father, a friend of the poor, and a living embodiment of the Gospel.” The statement continues: “His Papacy [was] marked not by grandeur, but by grace — a grace that reached out to the peripheries of the world.”
Highlighting Pope Francis’ personal lifestyle choices, the statement says: “In his humility, he chose not to reside in the traditional Apostolic Palace, but in the modest Vatican guest house — a choice that echoed the Gospel call to simplicity and solidarity.”
The Archdiocese noted his focus on the marginalized: “One of the most striking hallmarks of Pope Francis’ pontificate was his tireless advocacy for migrants, refugees, and the displaced. He dared the world to see in the face of the migrant not a problem to be solved, but a brother or sister to be embraced.”
Reflecting on his broader legacy, the statement says: “Today, our hearts are broken, but our spirits are lifted in gratitude for the gift of Pope Francis. His gentle presence, his wise counsel, and his radiant smile will live on in the hearts of millions.”
The Archbishop offered condolences on behalf of the local Church: “On behalf of the clergy, religious and faithful of the Archdiocese of Bangalore, I extend my deepest condolences to the College of Cardinals, to the entire Catholic Church, and to all people of goodwill who saw in Pope Francis a beacon of light in troubled times.”
The statement concludes: “May our dear Holy Father now rest in the eternal embrace of the God he served so faithfully. Let us continue to honour his legacy by walking humbly, loving tenderly, and acting justly — just as he did. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
