09022026-TTC-01.qxd 2/9/2026 12:40 AM Page 1 c m y b 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 10 NO. 39 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 SIT REPORT ON GOGOIS’ ‘PAK LINK’ SENT TO MHA, SAYS ASSAM CM NATION /thetribunechd VAISHNO DEVI BOARD DOUBLES PILGRIM INSURANCE TO ~10L J&K TAKAICHI’S PARTY SWEEPS SNAP POLLS IN JAPAN WORLD LANGUAGE GIVES INFILTRATORS AWAY: RSS CHIEF BACK PAGE monday | 9 february 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com THE TRIBUNEINTERVIEW: PIYUSH GOYAL, MINISTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY Trade deal to power India’s 3rd largest economy journey: Goyal Says it respects sensitivities of India & US, fully protects farmers’ interests Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 8 Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said the India-US interim trade deal was a robust and fair agreement that respected the sensitivities of both nations, and would power India’s journey towards becoming the world’s third largest economy in the next two and a half years. Christening the deal “Kisan Surakshit, Bharat Viksit (secure farmer, developed India) Agreement”, Goyal, in an exclusive interview with The Tribune, today said the government’s aim was an eight-fold growth in the Indian economy from $4 trillion today to $30 trillion plus by 2047. “The US deal will certainly speed up our journey to become the third largest economy. My own sense is that in two and a half years, we will become the world’s third largest economy. More importantly, we want to see India grow eight times to a 30 trillion dollar plus economy. I Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. MANAS RANJAN BHUI am confident that nine free trade agreements covering 38 developed countries which we have done will help this goal,” Goyal said. As India’s chief interlocutor for the US deal, the minister said it offered a win-win for both nations and “protects primary interests of Indian farmers 100 per cent”. “All our products will now enjoy a reciprocal tariff lower than competition. Ultimately, LALIT KUMAR trade is about comparative advantage and our reciprocal tariff is now less than all other emerging markets or developing countries. So, we have an edge. Nearly half of our exports continue to be at zero reciprocal tariff. Pharmaceuticals and smartphones will be at zero duty,” Goyal said. Noting that the deal wasn’t “late” and was done in ten and a half months of PM Narendra Modi and US President Don- ald Trump meeting in February 2025 to commit to a $500 billion annual bilateral trade target by 2030, Goyal said both countries had struck a fine balance on sensitive sectors. “Being an economy with per capita income of $3,000, we were more interested in labour intensive and farm sectors. We have been able to bring a very fine balance and create a win-win situation for both countries,” the minister said, adding that several opportunities had opened up for leather, textiles, handicrafts, gems and diamonds, which would be at zero duty; auto components and aircraft parts, also at zero duty. “So, the deal has opened up a plethora of opportunities while protecting the interests of our farmers in all sensitive areas,” Goyal said, listing “off limit” sectors as meat, poultry, dairy, cereals, GM foods and others where India is selfsufficient. “All primary interests of our farmers have been 100 per cent protected,” the minister said, adding that continued on page 8 ‘Op Prahar 2.0’ begins today, 5,000 gangsters nabbedinPh-1:PbDGP Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during a presentation on the impact of report of the 16th Finance Commission on Himachal Pradesh in Shimla. Grant pulled, HP mulls subsidy cut, DA freeze Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, February 8 Sensing the grim financial scenario arising out of the scrapping of about Rs 40,000 crore revenue deficit grant (RDG) for 2026–31 by the 16th Finance Commission, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said he, along with his ministers, was willing to meet the Prime Minister under the leadership of BJP leaders. A presentation by the Finance Department, made before the Cabinet and Congress MLAs, listed some stringent measures like ending all subsidies, reducing social security pensions, freezing DA, downsizing and CM flags ‘grave’ impact of grant withdrawal, seeks Centre’s help merger of government departments that could be down the line in case the Centre does not come to the rescue of Himachal in the form of some kind of special financial help. The discontinuation of RDG could compel the government to withdraw all subsidies, be it in power, water, subsidised ration and travel, freeze the dearness allowance for employees, rationalise and merge departments, monetise continued on page 8 Chandigarh, February 8 Amid criticism by the Punjab Governor as well as the Opposition over “deteriorating” law and order in the state, DGP Gaurav Yadav on Sunday announced 72-hour “Operation Prahar 2.0” against gangsters from February 9. Addressing mediapersons here, the DGP highlighted the success of the first phase of the operation, saying more than 5,000 gangsters and their associates had been arrested since January 20. Nearly 12,000 personnel, comprising 2,000 teams, would be deployed under the second phase, which comes on the back of the killing of an alleged shooter by the Goldy Brar gang outside the Mohali court on January 28 and of AAP leader Lucky Oberoi in Jalandhar on February 6. Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, in his address at the passing out ceremony of Border Security Force constables in Hoshiarpur on Saturday, had claimed that criminals were Process on to extradite 38 criminals living overseas DGP Gaurav Yadav striking “without the fear of law”. Congress MP and former CM Charanjit Singh Channi and BJP state president Sunil Jakhar, too, had flagged “lawlessness” in the state. The DGP however, noted , that while such cases dominated the headlines, the state’s actual crime rate per lakh population remained significantly below the national average. “The national average of crime is 450 per lakh population, while Punjab’s average is 227 per lakh. The heinous crime average is 31.2 nationally, while in Punjab it is 21,” he asserted. continued on page 8 No fair deal, US apple will hurt us: HP growers Subhash Rajta SKM FAULTS GOVT CLAIM Tribune News Service Shimla, February 8 The steep cut in import duty on US apples has left Himachal Pradesh’s growers worried, with many cautioning that lower priced imports from the US could impact the fruit sales. While the duty has been reduced from 50 per cent to 25 per cent, the minimum import price (MIP) has simultaneously been raised from Rs 50 to Rs 80 per kg. Under this new structure, US apples are expected to land in India at around Rs 100 per kg, nearly Harish Chauhan, convener of the SKM, challenged the government contention that the US apple was landing in India at ~75 per kg prior to the India-US deal, and now it would land at a higher price of ~100 per kg. the same price that premium domestic varieties command. “At this price, the US apple will pose huge competition to our produce since consumers are likely to shift towards the imported fruit," said Harish Chauhan, convener, Sanyukt Kisan Manch (SKM). He challenged the government contention that the US apple was landing in India at Rs 75 per kg prior to this deal, and now it would land at a higher price of Rs 100 per kg. “If the US apple was landing in India at Rs 75 per kg as is being pointed out, how come it is sold at Rs 200-250 per kg in retail,” asked Chauhan. He feared that if the US apple landed at Rs 100 per kg in India, the practice of storing premium apple in CA stores would become unviable. “Why would any CA store owner buy our premium apple at Rs 85-90 per kg, incur the storage cost for nearly six months, and then bring it to the market at a price higher than the US apple. Who would buy it,” Chauhan asked. Chauhan is among the growers who feel the US apple at this price will have a devastating continued on page 8 Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. c m y b B’desh board chief joins ICC talks over Pak’s India tie boycott Efforts underway to convince PCB to play Feb 15 match Karachi, February 8 Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam arrived in Pakistan on Sunday ahead of a crucial International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting on the India match boycott. Aminul will attend an emergency ICC meeting scheduled to be held later today, with other board members also expected to participate, sources said. Aminul met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday. An ICC delegation led by its deputy chair Imran Khwaja also arrived in Lahore for the talks with PCB officials as efforts to resolve the standoff over Pakistan's boycott of the high stakes T20 World Cup match against India gather pace. A source close to the PCB confirmed Khwaja had been nominated by the ICC board as a mediator on the controversial subject. "He has been in talks with Mohsin Naqvi for a while now and he will first talk to the PCB chief and also the BCB president Islam before the virtual meeting later in evening," the source said. Aminul will be part of the discussions aimed at persuading Pakistan to reconsider its decision not to play India in SC to hear Sengar’s bail petition today DELHI: The Supreme Court will on Monday take up expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar's petition seeking bail in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor's father. Sengar has challenged the Delhi High Court's January 19 order refusing to suspend his 10-year jail term in the case on the grounds of delay in trial. BACK PAGE NEW 2 arrested day after Surajkund collapse ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja (L) arrives at the Lahore airport. PHOTO: X Colombo on February 15. The two officials -- Khwaja and Aminul -- were greeted at the airport by senior PCB officials and then driven to the Gaddafi Stadium where they are scheduled to meet with the board's chief Mohsin Naqvi. A PCB source said Khwaja and Aminul, after their discussion with Naqvi, would have a meeting with some ICC governing board members virtually later Sunday. The source said the ICC was doing its best to convince PCB to get permission from its government for the February 15 match. Aminul reached Lahore ahead of Khwaja and his arrival was significant because the dispute between the PCB and ICC began because of the apex body's decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland after the former refused to play their World Cup matches in India citing security reasons. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif recently said that Pakistan's decision to not play against India was taken to show solidarity with Bangladesh, whose request to move their matches from India to Sri Lanka was rejected by the ICC. A reliable source said the situation had changed after the Sri Lankan cricket board sent an email to the PCB, urging them to end the boycott. — Agencies FARIDABAD:Two persons, including a swing operator, were arrested on Sunday in connection with the fatal swing collapse at the Surajkund fair that claimed the life of an inspector and left 11 others injured. The accused have been identified as Mohd Shakir, owner of Himachal Fun Care, and Nitesh, his staff member. INSIDE India,Canadatopost officerstocheckdrugs NEW DELHI: India and Canada have agreed to post lawenforcement liaison officers in each other's countries to facilitate the timely exchange of information on drug smuggling and organised criminal networks, the MEA said. The move followed a meeting of NSA Ajit Doval with Canadian officials on February 7. BACK PAGE