PM Modi arrives in France for G7 Summit
Biarritz: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday arrived in France to attend the G7 Summit where he will speak on burning global issues of environment, climate and digital transformation and also meet the world leaders.
Modi arrived here from Manama after concluding his three-nation tour to France, the UAE and Bahrain where he offered prayers at the Shreenathji Temple, the oldest temple in the Gulf region.
"The Prime Minister reached Biarritz in France, where he will take part in G-7 Summit. In addition to the multilateral components of the Summit, he would also be meeting world leaders in separate bilateral interactions," the Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.
During the G7 Summit, which will be held in the picturesque seaside French town of Biarritz, the Prime Minister will address sessions on environment, climate, oceans and digital transformation.
Though India is not a member of the G-7 grouping, Modi has been personally invited by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that the invitation was a "reflection of the personal chemistry" between the two leaders and also "recognition of India as a major economic power".
The countries which are part of the G7 include the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US.
On the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Modi and US President Donald Trump are likely to discuss the situation in Kashmir, trade issues and other topics of mutual interest.
Earlier this week in Washington, Trump said that he would discuss with Prime Minister Modi the situation in Kashmir and help ease the Indo-Pak tensions when they meet at the G7 Summit in France this weekend.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan.
India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.
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IndiGo Crisis: DGCA suspends 4 Flight Operations Inspectors
Mumbai (PTI): Aviation safety regulator DGCA has suspended four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) over massive disruptions in IndiGo’s operations, which resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights and lakhs of people getting stranded across airports.
The airline cancelled over 50 flights from Bengaluru Airport on Friday.
FOIs are senior officials within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, working as part of its regulatory and safety oversight functions, often deployed to monitor airline operations.
"Four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) at the DGCA have been suspended in connection with the recent large-scale disruptions in IndiGo’s flights," a source said.
These officials ensure aviation safety by inspecting, auditing, and certifying airlines and personnel, such as pilots, dispatchers,and cabin crew, to meet strict regulatory standards, verifying various regulations and overseeing training, flight standards, and accident prevention measures in India.
"IndiGo has cancelled 54 flights -- 31 arrivals and 23 departures -- from Bengaluru Airport on Friday," a source said.
The crisis-hit airline had cancelled over 200 flights from Delhi and Bengaluru on Thursday.
Meanwhile, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras will appear again before the DGCA's investigation panel at 2 PM on Friday.
The DGCA on Thursday stepped up scrutiny of the crisis-hit IndiGo, with officials stationing themselves at the carrier's headquarters to monitor operations, and an inquiry panel grilled CEO Pieter Elbers.
Elbers, who appeared before the DGCA-constituted inquiry panel on Thursday, has been asked to appear again on Friday.
The four-member panel comprises Joint Director General Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal, with a mandate to identify the root causes of widespread operational disruptions at the leading domestic carrier.
The committee's mandate includes assessing manpower planning, fluctuating rostering systems, and the airline's preparedness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots, which came into effect from November 1 this year.
