Morning Brief: NYT Called Out In US For Biased Reporting On Pahalgam Attack; India To Fast-Track Power Projects On Chenab, Jhelum, Indus; Pahalgam Attackers Linked To Earlier Strikes

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NYT Called Out In US For Biased Reporting On Pahalgam Attack

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority, currently led by Republicans in the US Congress, has sharply criticised The New York Times for referring to the Pahalgam terrorists as “militants,” calling it a blatant attempt to downplay terrorism. This influential committee in the House of Representatives, which helps shape American foreign policy through oversight and legislation, posted an edited NYT headline on X with the word “terrorists” replacing “militants,” saying, “Hey @nytimes, we fixed it for you.” 

The April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists, drew strong condemnation from US leaders across the board — including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, all of whom assured full support to India. Trump and Vance both spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing condolences and solidarity.

India To Fast-Track Power Projects On Chenab, Jhelum And Indus

India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is expected to fast-track several long-stalled hydropower projects along the Chenab-Jhelum-Indus axis, potentially adding nearly 10,000 MW of power to the Himalayan region. The move could bypass the treaty’s requirement of a six-month notice to Pakistan before starting new projects— a condition that has led to repeated delays due to Pakistani objections.

Top-priority projects include the 540 MW Kwar, 1,000 MW Pakal Dul, 624 MW Kiru, and others, which together could significantly ease Jammu & Kashmir’s power shortage. India also plans to halt all IWT-related meetings, stop sharing hydrological data with Pakistan, and suspend the existing dispute resolution mechanism.

Terrorists Behind Pahalgam Attack Linked To Multiple Strikes

Investigators are exploring links between the Pahalgam attack and two other terror strikes in October 2024, which killed non-local labourers and Army personnel. The suspects, Adil Hussain Thokar, Hasim Musa aka Suleiman, and Ali Bhai aka Talha, are believed to be part of a pattern of targeted killings by Pakistani terrorists, aided by local operatives.

Musa has been identified as a common perpetrator in all three attacks, with evidence from a slain terrorist's mobile device linking the perpetrators. Local terrorist Asif Shaikh is suspected of facilitating the Pahalgam attack, while authorities are analyzing over two lakh calls made at the attack site for further leads. In response, J&K authorities are strengthening security around tourist spots and non-local labourer settlements.

Other Developments

India Not Bound By LOC After Pakistan Suspends Simla Agreement

India is no longer obligated to respect the Line of Control (LoC) following Pakistan's decision to suspend the Simla Agreement, according to official sources. They explained that by putting the agreement on hold, Pakistan has effectively invalidated the LoC, giving India the right to cross it. This move is significant, as realigning the LoC through force remains one of the options India could consider to punish Pakistan and block terrorist infiltration routes.

India had previously planned such a move in the early 2000s under an operation named Kabbadi, which sought to shift the LoC through military action. However, the plan was never executed after the 9/11 attacks, when the US was forced into a closer partnership with Pakistan due to its strategic importance for access routes to Afghanistan.

India Could Beat Others To US Trade Pact

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said India is likely to be the first country to finalise a bilateral trade agreement with the US, which would help avoid the 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs currently on pause until July. Bessent noted that India has fewer trade barriers, minimal subsidies, and no currency manipulation, making it easier to strike a deal.

The first in-person meeting between the chief negotiators began in Washington this week, with India’s Rajesh Agrawal leading the delegation. Both nations are working toward an interim agreement before the tariff pause ends, aiming for a deal by the fall. The proposed agreement, first discussed during Prime Minister Modi’s 2020 meeting with then-President Trump, targets doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

Over 17 Crore Lifted Out Of Poverty In India: Word Bank

The World Bank reports that India has made progress in poverty reduction and employment growth, with employment surpassing the growth of the working-age population. Extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15 per day, has decreased from 16.2 per cent in 2011-12 to just 2.3 per cent in 2022-23, lifting 17.1 crore people out of poverty.

Rural extreme poverty has fallen from 18.4 per cent to 2.8 per cent, while urban extreme poverty dropped from 10.7 per cent to 1.1 per cent, significantly narrowing the rural-urban gap. India has also moved into the lower-middle-income category, with poverty at the $3.65 per day line falling from 61.8 per cent to 28.1 per cent. This reduction has lifted 37.8 crore people out of poverty.

Tesla Faces Rising Competition As It Prepares For Indian Market

Tesla is finally preparing to enter the Indian market, but it faces growing competition from both local and international electric vehicle (EV) makers, including the rapidly expanding VinFast. VinFast, a Vietnamese EV maker, plans to open a car assembly plant in India by June, signaling its entry into an already crowded EV space.

Tesla’s delay in entering India has allowed rivals like Tata Motors, MG Motor, and Mahindra & Mahindra to establish a strong foothold. Although Tesla will face intense competition, especially from local players offering affordable options, the growing demand for premium EVs may still provide it a niche. Despite challenges from rivals like BYD, which has overtaken Tesla as the world's largest EV maker, India remains a large, untapped market that could help Tesla revive its performance globally.

From The States

SP-Linked Influencer Spreads False Conspiracy Theory On Pahalgam Attack

Neha Singh Rathore, a Samajwadi Party-linked influencer, has sparked widespread outrage by spreading a false and divisive conspiracy theory about the Pahalgam attack. In a tweet, Rathore suggested that the widely reported claims that victims were targeted for being Hindu and, therefore, unable to recite the Kalma were false, asking, "Who told the media this story?"

The claim was made by multiple women who lost their husbands in front of their eyes as they were shot at point-blank range after being confirmed as Hindus. Rathore’s remarks have been widely condemned for spreading misinformation and undermining the gravity of the attack. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party, including leader Akhilesh Yadav, has maintained silence in order to safeguard its Muslim vote bank.

You’re all caught up—until next time.