Pioneer in Short

US trade talks hit plateau: Sitharaman  
Negotiations for an India-US trade agreement remain underway but have reached a “plateau”, with limited scope for further concessions from either side, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Monday. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Sitharaman said the US was seeking to reduce its trade deficit with India, while both sides were assessing how much room remained for compromise. She said trade imbalances have traditionally been addressed through negotiations and greater market access, but tariffs are increasingly being “weaponised” as a tool. 

Sitharaman also pointed to India’s widening trade deficit with China since 2014, questioning how far countries can go beyond negotiations to address such imbalances. Her remarks came days after US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington and New Delhi were working to finalise a bilateral trade deal, but an agreement was not imminent. Greer said the two sides had identified unresolved issues and were continuing discussions. On the India-EU trade agreement, Sitharaman described it as a major deal covering two billion people and a significant share of global trade and GDP. She said trade agreements must protect national interests while helping countries navigate a challenging global environment.

Harassment-accused DELHI COP promoted
A Delhi Police assistant commissioner accused of sexually harassing a woman journalist during an October 3 protest against the Election Commission at Jantar Mantar was promoted to the rank of additional deputy commissioner on Monday, along with 11 other officers, according to an official order. The officer, Dr Vikas Sheokand, was among the 12 officers promoted. A senior police officer said the promotions were routine and that the proposal had been sent well before the allegations surfaced.

Three women journalists had accused Delhi Police personnel of sexual harassment during the protest. The complaints have been received by the New Delhi district police and transferred to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial” inquiry, according to a Delhi Police post on X. 

The allegations followed a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Several independent journalists subsequently demonstrated outside Parliament Street police station, demanding that FIRs be registered against the accused officers.