MUMBAI: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and 123Carbon announced a strategic collaboration to develop interoperability between their respective Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) registries. Interoperability shall enhance transparency, prevent emissions reporting discrepancies—including duplicate issuance—and optimise certificate management across SAF registries, said IATA in a press release issued recently.
The airlines’ trade body said that the collaboration between IATA and 123Carbon shall concentrate on three fundamental elements: a unique identifier and alignment of the relevant data points to exchange between registries, a process for the exchange of information to prevent any potential duplicate issuance and a dispute resolution process. 123Carbon is an independent platform for carbon offsetting across all modes of transport. It has over 50 global users. It supports fuel suppliers, fleet operators, forwarders and cargo owners in the issuance, management and transfer of Environmental Attribute Certificates across all modalities and technologies, including SAF.
“User trust is essential. The transparency that comes with interoperability will ensure that our registries can function cohesively to maximise SAF’s potential to support aviation’s decarbonisation. The broader the alignment among registry providers, the better. We welcome all entities active in this field to work with IATA and 123Carbon towards global interoperability between all registries,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.
“123Carbon is committed to establishing integrity and trust in the market for Environmental Attribute Certificates (EACs) within multi-modal transportation (e.g. air, sea, road & rail). With IATA, we have found a strong partner in the aviation sector that shares our beliefs. This collaboration allows SAF providers, airlines, freight forwarders, and corporate entities to utilise our platforms without the concern of duplicate issuance, whilst managing their SAF certificates digitally on our platform,” said Jeroen van Heiningen, Managing Director, 123Carbon.
IATA and 123Carbon will seek engagement with other SAF stakeholders to join this initiative to deepen the interaction between registries, said the release. “The IATA SAF Registry will launch in April 2025 with the aim to facilitate the broadest possible use of SAF in aviation’s decarbonisation by standardising the market for SAF certificates. SAF certificates are issued after a SAF batch is registered and contains product and environmental attribute information,” said IATA. As part of its preparation for the Registry’s launch, IATA recently released the IATA SAF Accounting and Reporting Methodology.
The development of the IATA SAF Registry is supported by over 50 organisations, including airlines, fuel producers, and State authorities. In developing the IATA SAF Registry, IATA is also consulting with a broad range of SAF stakeholders, including 123Carbon.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has expressed hope that the India-US defence deals signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit will boost India’s defence production and promote self-reliance. The Army Chief lauded the 10-year plan that will be laid out, as he said, “We have received very good news that a 10-year plan will be laid out. The joint production will greatly benefit the defence production in our country.”

General Dwivedi, who was attending the annual reclaiming ceremony in Noida, also underscored that the Indian Army has a great role to play in nation-building and not just providing security.

How will the agreement impact India-US defence ties

This year, India and the United States are set to begin talks to sign a new 10-year defence framework that will be for the period between 2025 and 2035. After this agreement is inked between New Delhi and Washington, it will facilitate the easy transfer of defence equipment and services between both countries, ultimately promoting efficiency in procurement processes.

During their bilateral discussion earlier, PM Modi and US President Donald Trump reaffirmed their commitment to a robust and dynamic defence partnership, with both leaders agreeing to review their respective arms transfer regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

How India is a strong defence partner of the US

The review is likely to streamline the defence trade along with technology sharing. It will also have a positive impact on the maintenance and repair of US-provided defence systems in India. Notably, India’s status as a ‘Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1)’ as well as a QUAD partner has already solidified its position for defence cooperation with the US.

The US also plans to expand defence sales and co-production with India, including new procurement and co-production initiatives for “Javelin” anti-tank guided missiles and “Stryker” infantry combat vehicles.

Additionally, the two countries have agreed to finalise the procurement of six more P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft, which will enhance India’s maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.

Mann drew severe ire from the BJP and even some other opposition leaders.

The Punjab chief minister asked the external affairs ministry about the “criteria” based on which Amritsar was selected to land the US military aircraft carrying the deported Indian immigrants from America. “You select Amritsar to defame Punjab…So, at the same time when PM Modi and (US President) Trump were meeting, they (US officials) must have been putting shackles on our people. Is this the gift Trump has given?” Mann asked during a press conference.

BJP vs Mann

Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party immediately hit back at the Punjab chief minister, advising him to “avoid doing politics on such sensitive issues”. BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party leaders “do not care about the security of the country. They only do politics…”

Citing that travel agents looted the youth of Punjab, prompting them to sell their lands to go to America, BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that these agents sent them to the US by illegal routes.

He further slammed the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government and the state police of taking money from the travel agents, despite knowing about their acts. “How could such travel agents flourish? They made thousands of people jobless…AAP should think about how they destroyed Punjab. They said that people would leave everything (in the US) and return to Punjab, but they are selling their lands to leave Punjab and AAP is still creating a drama,” Sirsa added.

Fatehjung Singh Bajwa, vice president of the saffron party’s Punjab unit, said that CM Mann was “degrading his own state”.

He noted how majority of the persons, 67, who will be returning in the second batch of deported Indian immigrants are from Punjab and how politicising this matter would only damage the state’s reputation.

Bajwa also asked as to what action has Mann taken against those who sent these people through illegal immigration. Resounding Sirsa’s remarks, the Punjab BJP vice president said, “They are taking huge sums of money and sending the children to other countries. Immigration is the biggest industry in Punjab. What action has been taken against illegal immigration centres?… This issue should not be politicised. The families of Punjab are already under pressure… Nothing was done when they were leaving and now the CM is making it political.”

He slammed the AAP-led Punjab government for its lack of actions over employment, saying that these immigrants went to the US due to unemployment. “No industry is entering or investing in Punjab… The CM should rehabilitate them by offering them loans for opening startups,” Bajwa added.

BJP’s national spokesperson RP Singh asked Mann as to why he has not told people that most of the deportees are from Punjab, slamming his government for not taking action against those mediums who facilitate their illegal migration to begin with.

Jaiveer Shergill, another national spokesperson of the saffron party, told news agency ANI that CM Mann has “no right to ask questions but today he has to give answers”.

Shergill said that Mann should tell as to why the youths of Punjab were leaving the state. “Is it because AAP has miserably failed to generate employment…What has Bhagwant Mann done to crack down on these fraud agents who are misleading the youth of Punjab looting the youth of Punjab?” he asked.

He added that the Punjab chief minister should focus on restoring the state’s glory instead of creating unnecessary controversies and sensationalising the issue.

BJP’s state general secretary Anil Sarin also condemned the way Mann spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Notably, some Congress leaders also criticised Mann for his remarks. Party MP Gurjit Singh Aujla said the Punjab CM’s statement was “merely to create headlines. It was all meaningless”.

“The flight should have been landed in Delhi… Punjab is not getting defamed in any way. Punjab has a lot of NRIs, and they contribute to our economy in a big way,” Aujla added. He said that Indians immigrating to Europe and UAE in large numbers “shows the condition of our country”, adding that the BJP and AAP government should look into it.

(with ANI inputs)

With over 500 million devotees taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati on Friday and millions more devotees are expected to descend for Mahakumbh 2025, Northern Railway announced to operate a special Vande Bharat train on February 15, 16, and 17 for devotees.
For the convenience of devotees intending to visit the Maha Kumbh Mela, Railways will run Vande Bharat Special train No. 02252/02251 on February 15, 16 and 17 between New Delhi and Varanasi (via Prayagraj).

The Vande Bharat Special Train no 02252 will depart from New Delhi at 5.30 hrs (via Prayagraj at 12.00 hrs) to reach Varanasi at 14.20 hrs.

In the return direction, Vande Bharat Special train no 02251 will depart from Varanasi at 15.15 hrs (Prayagraj at 17.20 hrs) to reach New Delhi at 23.50 hrs. the same day.

Crass remarks by Ranveer Allahbadia, popular on YouTube for his ‘BeerBiceps’ channel, about parents and sex on comedian Samay Raina’s now-deleted YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’ have sparked massive outrage, leading to complaints from several persons.

The Maharashtra government’s move comes after complaints were filed regarding the vulgarity on the YouTube show “India’s Got Latent,” in which Ranveer Allahbadia, who was present as a judge in one of the episodes, made some objectionable remarks.

The complaint was also filed against other similar shows that have been running without proper permission.

A meeting was convened in the department, which was chaired by Ashish Shelar who he has ordered a detailed inquiry after the meeting.

Ranveer Allahbadia, a popular Indian YouTuber and podcaster, has found himself at the centre of a massive row after the controversial comments. The show, which has been criticised for its vulgar and obscene content, has sparked outrage among viewers.

Ranveer Allahbadia’s Mumbai flat locked, summoned again

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police has asked Ranveer Allahbadia to appear before them on Saturday as part of a probe into his controversial remarks as he did not turn up during the day.

Teams of the Mumbai and Assam Police on Friday visited his residence but found the flat locked, an official said.

“The Mumbai police, who have initiated an inquiry in connection with Ranveer Allahbadia’s controversial remarks, on Friday went to his flat in Versova area but found it locked,” news agency PTI quoted an official as saying.

Allahbadia had been asked to remain present at the Khar police station in Mumbai on Thursday in connection with the probe into his controversial comments. But after he failed to appear, the police issued a second summons, asking him to appear on Friday, he said.

The podcaster had requested the Khar police that his statement be recorded at his residence, but his request was turned down, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

The C-17 US military aircraft will carry 67 persons from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three Uttar Pradesh natives, two each from Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and one each native of Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.

Saturday’s flight is expected to arrive at the Amristar airport around 10 pm.

The deportations will continue every other week till all the illegal immigrants are not sent back to their respective homeland, a news agency PTI report said.

Last week, 104 illegal Indian migrants were deported from the US. They were sent in a US military C-17 transport aircraft to Amritsar.

PM Modi on illegal migration, human trafficking

The deportations also come in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US, where he met Trump to discuss several key bilateral issues, including immigration.

Addressing a joint press conference, PM Modi affirmed that New Delhi is ready to take back its citizens living illegally in America. He said most of those staying in the US illegally come from ordinary families, often misguided by human traffickers.

“They are shown big dreams and most of them are such who are misled and brought here. So, we should attack this entire system of human trafficking. Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends… Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem,” the prime minister said at the presser.

Treatment to Indian deportees

However, it is notable that the treatment given to the deported Indians did not sit well, sparking a massive controversy among people and the political circuit alike. Opposition leaders came down heavily on the Centre, asking it to take a stand against the unfair treatment given to the deportees.

The handcuffing and shackling of deportees has been justified by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a standard security protocol used on deportation flights to prevent escape attempts or disruptions.

However, many have argued that such a practice is excessive and inhuman, especially for people who have committed no crimes beyond immigration violations.

EAM Jaishankar’s statement

External affairs minister S Jaishankar addressed the matter in the Parliament and asserted that India is engaging with US officials to ensure that the deportees are given dignified treatment. He further emphasised that while immigration laws must be upheld, humane treatment should be not a compromise.

The Trump administration has brought down a wreck in the lives of thousands of Indians, placing immense pressure on the central government to manage the reintegration efforts.

As the immigration laws in the US are being tightened, India will also have to find ways to curb illegal migration with the help of stronger border management and diplomatic negotiations.

Latest news on February 15, 2025: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary (Org) BL Santosh, Delhi party president Virender Sachdeva, party national vice-president Baijayant Panda, party MP Bansuri Swaraj pose for a picture with newly elected party MLAs Parvesh Verma, Anil Sharma, Satish Upadhyay, Kailash Gahlot, Shikha Roy, Harish Khurana and others at Delhi BJP Office in New Delhi on Sunday.