NEW DELHI, 3 December 2003 — India yesterday proposed to hold talks with Pakistan on Dec. 18 and 19 on resuming passenger train services suspended after a militant attack on Indian Parliament in 2001.
“Today we have proposed to Pakistan Dec. 18 and 19 as the dates for holding technical talks on resumption of the Samjhauta Express,” said India’s new Foreign Secretary Shashank, who uses only one name. On Monday the two South Asian nuclear rivals decided to resume air links from Jan. 1.
Train, air and bus links were severed after militants attacked the Indian Parliament on Dec. 13, 2001 and brought the two nations close to war. Relations have begun improving between the two after Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee offered a “hand of friendship” to Pakistan on April 18.
India, Russia Agree on Price for Aircraft Carrier
India will buy Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov for less than 30 billion rupees ($652 million), the navy chief announced yesterday. The price includes two squadrons of MiG 29 K fighter jets, Adm. Madhvendra Singh told reporters.
Negotiations for the Russian aircraft carrier have been continuing for the past three years due to differences over the price and other contractual terms.
New Delhi has been looking for a new aircraft carrier for more than a decade.
Bus Plunges Into River, Killing 25
An overloaded bus plunged into a river yesterday in northern India, killing at least 25 passengers and injuring 29, the news agency UNI reported.
Among the seriously injured was the bus driver, who initially was unable to tell how he lost control of the vehicle. Rescuers in Himachal Pradesh had recovered 25 bodies, but authorities told UNI they were uncertain how many passengers were aboard.
