The Catch Up - 9 May

This is the Catch Up on 3 things by The Indian Express and I am Ichha Sharma
Today is the 9th of May and here are this week’s headline

In a decisive military action, India launched "Operation Sindoor" in the early hours of Wednesday, executing precision strikes on nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists. During a press briefing in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh detailed the operation's objectives and outcomes. They confirmed the destruction of camps associated with notorious terrorists Ajmal Kasab and David Headley. The strikes were meticulously planned to avoid civilian casualties, utilizing advanced weaponry and precision-guided munitions. Targets were carefully selected to dismantle terrorist infrastructure while sparing Pakistani military installations, underscoring India's intent to avoid escalation.

A day after India struck Pakistan terror camps, during a special briefing on Operation Sindoor the government said today that the “Pahalgam attack was the first escalation,”. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the media again on a day India neutralised an air defence system in Lahore. This comes on a day of fast-paced developments after India asked OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content originating from Pakistan. Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned that those trying to test India’s patience should be ready to face ‘quality action’ like yesterday’s in a reference to Operation Sindoor. The day started with India’s reveal that Indian Armed Forces neutralised an air defence system in Lahore after Pakistan attempted overnight strikes on multiple Indian cities.

India conducted a nationwide civil defence exercise, codenamed 'Operation Abhyas,' across 244 districts. This large-scale mock drill, organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs and coordinated by the National Disaster Management Authority, aimed to bolster emergency preparedness amid escalating tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The drills simulated various hostile scenarios, including air raids with siren activations, blackout procedures, urban fire emergencies, search and rescue operations, casualty evacuations, and the establishment of temporary hospitals. Major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Pune participated, with specific activities like a 10-minute blackout observed in Haryana and siren activations in Delhi's 11 districts.

The Supreme Court warned Indraprastha Apollo Hospital on March 25 that AIIMS may take over its management if it continues to violate land lease terms requiring free treatment for poor patients. Over 12 years, Apollo reportedly allocated only 17% of its mandated Economically Weaker Section (EWS) beds, with some years as low as 12%. The court’s rebuke follows a review of internal records revealing chronic underperformance. The hospital was granted land at concessional rates with the condition of providing EWS care, a commitment it now risks losing if non-compliance continues.

India and the United Kingdom inked a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday (May 6), bringing to an end around three years of negotiations. The timing of the deal, signed by the world’s fifth and sixth largest economies, respectively, is significant. It comes as global trade is reeling under the tariffs unleashed by US President Donald Trump in early April. The agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion a year, from 2040 onwards, Britain said. Trade between the two nations totalled £42.6 billion in 2024. Total UK exports to India amounted to £17.1 billion, while total UK imports from India amounted to £25.5 billion in 2024. India was Britain’s 11th-largest trading partner last year. Britain said the deal was the “biggest and most economically significant” bilateral trade agreement it had signed since leaving the European Union in 2020 (what was dubbed “Brexit”).