03032026-TTC-01.qxd 3/3/2026 12:39 AM Page 1 c m y b 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 61 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 AF STRIKES PAKISTAN’S STRATEGIC NUR KHAN AIRBASE WORLD /thetribunechd RLYS PLANS UPGRADE OF KATRA–SRINAGAR VANDE BHARAT J&K TOXIC GAS LEAK AT STRANDED SINDHU SET MAHA’S PALGHAR TO MISS ALL ENGLAND CHEMICAL UNIT NATION CHAMPIONSHIPS SPORT tuesday | 3 march 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Israel exchanges heavy fire with Hezbollah |US targets Iran’s missile arsenal, naval assets |Khamenei’s wife succumbs War engulfs Lebanon; 555 dead in Iran; Indian killed in tanker strike 3 US JETS SHOT DOWN MISTAKENLY BY KUWAIT Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 2 The US-Israeli war against Iran engulfed Lebanon on Monday as Tel Aviv responded to strikes by Hezbollah even as the death toll in Iran crossed 555. India also reported its first fatality in the rapidly escalating hostilities across West Asia and the Gulf region, while three US F-15 fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti defence system. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 555 people were killed across more than 130 Iranian cities since large-scale US-Israeli military strikes began over the weekend, marking one of the deadliest regional escalations in recent decades. Iranian state-linked media, meanwhile, reported that Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, wife of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, suc- A video grab of an F-15 falling from the sky in Kuwait. REUTERS cumbed to injuries sustained during recent strikes that had earlier killed Khamenei and several members of his family, developments that have deepened political uncertainty in Tehran. Among the deadliest incidents in the past 48 hours was a strike on a girls’ primary school in Minab in southern Iran, where Iranian media reported more than 160 fatalities, several of them students, triggering widespread international condemnation. Fresh continued on page 8 edit: Economic tremors Kuwait’s air defences mistakenly shot down three US F-15 jets during active combat on Monday, the US Central Command said. All six crew members ejected safely and were in a stable condition. Kuwait acknowledged the incident and an investigation was on. Iran’s state media earlier claimed that Iranian armed forces hit a US plane that crashed in Kuwait. SENSEX DOWN 1% Sensex & Nifty nosedived over 1% on Monday amid escalating W Asia tensions; rupee too crashed 41 p to end at 91.49 OIL PRICES SOAR Oil prices have surged following the Iran conflict, with the US benchmark jumping 9% to $73 per barrel and Brent crude soaring 10% to around $80 REUTERS FURY Modi dials leaders of Saudi, Bahrain, Israel Tribune News Service INDIA FAVOURS TALKS New Delhi, March 2 As hostilities continue to intensify across West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a series of high-level telephone conversations with key regional leaders, reaffirming India’s support for peace efforts and prioritising the safety of Indian nationals living in the conflict-hit region. The PM spoke with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and discussed the evolving security situation following recent attacks targeting the kingdom. Condemning the strikes as violations of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Modi stressed that the earliest restoration of regional peace and stability remained essential. He also In the first formal stand on the West Asia crisis, India on Monday said dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward even as it called for an early cessation of hostilities between the US-Israel-led coalition and Iran. BACK PAGE BIG WAVE COMING: US US President Trump has said the “big wave” is yet to come in the war with Iran, adding they didn’t know who the new leader would be. “We haven’t even started hitting them hard... The big wave is coming soon,” he said. thanked the Saudi leadership for ensuring the welfare of the large Indian community residing in the country amid the ongoing crisis. In a separate conversation, the PM spoke with Hamad continued on page 8 A demonstrator blocks a police vehicle during a violent protest over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in Srinagar on Monday. At least 14 persons, including six security men, were injured across J&K. The Centre has asked states to remain alert against possible violence in the wake of West Asia situation. ANI 4 Etihad evacuation flights arrive in India; IndiGo to operate10 from Jeddah today Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 2 Etihad Airways operated evacuation flights from Abu Dhabi to India on Monday, with one flight each landing in Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Bengaluru. Additionally, limited flight operations resumed from Dubai, with Emirates and Flydubai too initiating a restricted number of services to clear stranded passengers after 357 FLIGHTS CANCELLED As many as 357 international flights were cancelled by Indian air carriers mostly at four main airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. The Amritsar international airport saw 12 flight cancellations. days of widespread disruption triggered by volatile airspace conditions in West Asia following the Iran conflict. IndiGo has planned 10 spe- cial relief flights from Jeddah to India on March 3 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. The phased resumption, announced by Dubai Airports, applied to select departures from Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, with the airlines prioritising passengers holding earlier bookings and continued on page 8 OPED Dedicated power firm for agri sector, 20% quota for Agniveers: Saini presents ~2.23L cr Budget Anti-terror squad to be set up, will include women commandos | Yamuna to be cleaned 10.28% HIGHER OUTLAY PM Narendra Modi with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. PHOTO: MUKESH AGGARWAL India, Canada ink $2.6 bn uranium supply pact, vow to expand trade to $70 bn Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 2 India and Canada on Monday announced a major expansion of cooperation in civil nuclear energy, including a long-term uranium supply agreement aimed at strengthening India’s energy security and clean power transition, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney. The agreement comes 51 years after India’s 1974 Pokhran-I test, which used plutonium from the Canadiansupplied CIRUS reactor and led to a sharp diplomatic fallout between the two countries. The two leaders welcomed the conclusion of a CAD 2.6 billion commercial agreement between Canadian nuclear major Cameco and India’s Department of Atomic Energy for long-term uranium supply to support India’s civil nuclear energy programme, along with cooperation in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs). The agreement forms a key pillar of a renewed IndiaCanada Strategic Partnership, with both sides emphasising the role of nuclear energy in ensuring reliable, affordable and low-carbon power genera- tion while advancing climate commitments. In a joint leaders’ statement issued at the conclusion of Carney’s visit to India from February 27 to March 2—the first bilateral visit by a Canadian Prime Minister since 2018—the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation across clean energy, critical minerals, technology, defence and trade. The leaders underlined that enhanced collaboration in conventional and clean energy, including civil nuclear cooperation, would contribute to diversification of energy supplies and longterm economic resilience. Both sides also agreed to advance an India–Canada Strategic Energy Partnership covering liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, refined petroleum products and critical minerals essential for emerging technologies and energy transition. Significantly, India and Canada also agreed to expand cooperation in the security domain. The leaders welcomed progress under the regular bilateral security dialogue held at the level of the National Security Advisers and endorsed a shared work plan to strengthen continued on page 8 Budget size Fiscal deficit Capex Estimated debt Salary/pension Per capita income Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 2 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who also holds the Finance portfolio, today presented the Budget for 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs 2.23 lakh crore, registering a growth of 10.28 per cent. No new taxes have been imposed in the Budget which proposes several key initiatives, including a dedicated power distribution company for the agriculture sector, a mission to cleanse the Yamuna, Rs 100-crore Haryana Green Climate Resilience Fund, 20 per cent reservation for Agniveers and setting up of an anti-terrorist squad (ATS) while making a provision for the inclusion of women commandos in the ATS among others. ~2.23L cr ~40,293.17cr ~28,205 cr ~3.91L cr ~52,419 cr ~3,95,618 SYL FINDS NO MENTION IN CM’S SPEECH Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini plays Holi with flower petals at the Vidhan Sabha on Monday. PARDEEP TEWARI The Budget made no mention of the government’s commitment to the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal. Officials termed it a slip, stating that a budget of Rs 100 crore had been set aside for its construction even though it did not find mention in the speech. REUTERS OP EPIC DR SINGH GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO ASK QUESTIONS Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivered the Dr Manmohan Singh Memorial Lecture in Delhi on February 26. EPFO retains 8.25% interest rate on PF NEW DELHI: The EPFO, for the second year in a row, fixed the interest rate on employees’ PF deposits at 8.25 per cent for 2025-26. The rate would be notified by the Centre, following which the EPFO would credit the interest into the subscribers’ accounts. TNS SCwon’tliftNGTstay ondesiltinginPunjab GURDASPUR: Sporting a saffron turban, Saini, who arrived in the Assembly to present the Budget, was greeted with the slogan “Jo Bole So Nihal” by the treasury benches. The shadow of the Punjab Assembly elections, slated for next year, was clearly evi- dent in the Budget speech presented by the Haryana Chief Minister as he fell back upon the Gurus and their teachings to drive home the point that his Budget was not merely about income and expenditure but was inspired by “kirat karo, naam jappo, vand chhako”. These are the three pillars of the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev. He concluded his over three-hour speech invoking the words of Guru Ravidas that he wanted a state where everybody had food to eat and lived happily. Saini has been entrusted with the task of reaching out to the people of Punjab by the BJP He has been trying . to “bridge the gap between Punjab and Haryana” while showcasing Haryana as a model of good governance. During his speech, he also continued on page 8 The Punjab Government has failed to get relief from the Supreme Court on the NGT’s stay on the process of desilting and dredging in all 85 sites across the state. Mining is often carried out on the pretext of desilting and dredging. The next date of the NGT hearing is scheduled for May 14. INSIDE BJP weighs Bishnoi, Bhatia for Hry RS poll; Bittu also in reckoning Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 2 The ruling BJP in Haryana is facing a problem of plenty while strategising for two Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant from the state and up for grabs in the March 16 biennial elections to the Upper House. Terms of Kiran Choudhry and Ram Chander Jangra are ending in April, necessitating the election for the two seats. Top BJP sources said central leaders had received a panel of around seven names from the state unit for consideration. Sources said Kuldeep Bishnoi, a former two-term Lok Sabha MP and ex-four-term Haryana MLA; another exMP Sanjay Bhatia; and Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli were among the probables. “Just as the party had nominated Kiran Choudhry, a former Congress leader who had joined the BJP there is a , probability that Bishnoi may be considered this time. The list of probables has other names too,” the sources said. Kiran Choudhry is expect- c m y b 7-name panel sent to central party command Kuldeep Bishnoi Ravneet Bittu ing a renomination, as is Jangra, but that is unlikely, say sources. A senior BJP leader today added that the party might also consider sending Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana because his term is ending in June and he has to be renominated, being part of the Council of Ministers. Bittu was previously elected unopposed to the Upper House from Rajasthan. “Politically, the BJP might think of nominating Bittu to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana and send a message of solidarity to the Sikhs of both states — Haryana and Punjab. This strategy does not look improbable given Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s aggressive Sikh outreach over the past few months,” said a BJP source, adding that the move could have political utility ahead of the 2027 Punjab polls. BJP leaders also said if a decision was taken to field a leader from the Scheduled Caste segment, former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal and former Pataudi MLA Satya Prakash Jaravata could be considered. Another source added that the name of Sanjay Bhatia was also among those on the panel sent by the state. A final call on the candidates will be taken by the BJP parliamentary board, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs. March 5 is the last date for the filing of nominations. Of the two RS seats falling vacant from Haryana, the BJP and the Congress are expected to win one each. Haryana has a 90-member Assembly and in the state a candidate to win needs 31 firstpreference votes of MLAs. The Congress has 37 MLAs in the Haryana Assembly and the ruling BJP has 48.