The protesting farmers had declared a “ceasefire” last night and promised to “try again” today. Prohibitory orders are clamped down and a huge security force has been deployed to stop them.
Tuesday saw a flashback of the 2020-21 protest with tear gas and water cannons being used to prevent the farmers from crossing the Punjab-Haryana border. The protest three years ago had lasted 13 months, choking the Delhi borders.
The farmers say they are prepared for the long haul and have enough diesel to reach Delhi and ration to last six months. A farmer told NDTV they won’t return until their demands are met, even if it takes months.
The farmers are protesting over a list of demands. The government has accepted most of their demands, except three key ones – a law on MSP, farm loan waiver and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendation.
The government yesterday called for more talks to resolve the deadlock, but the farmers allege they are just wasting their time and have no intention of meeting their demands.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur yesterday said talks are taking time because the farmers are making new demands. He urged them not to indulge in violence and arson, and invited them for a new round of dialogue.
The police have fortified Delhi, barricading borders with concrete blocks and tyre deflators. But the first line of defence was at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana, where the action played out yesterday.
The Centre and the Delhi government are at odds again over the farmers’ protest. The Arvind Kejriwal government has declined the centre’s proposal to convert a stadium into a “holding area” to confine them if they manage to enter the city.
Public gatherings have been banned in entire Delhi for a month and restrictions imposed on vehicle movements across the border. The police are also checking all vehicles to ensure protesters are able to cross into the city.
These and multiple diversions on border points connecting Delhi with its satellite towns led to a traffic nightmare yesterday. Commuters, mostly goers, were stuck for hours at different city border points due to a crawling traffic.

Sensex fell over 700 points this morning amid concerns over US inflation delaying the easing rate. The Nifty was also down 200 points, riding on market sentiments.

Its Asian peers too opened lower while the Wall Street equities fell overnight after data indicated higher than expected US inflation in January. This led to concerns in the markets expecting a Federal Reserve rate cut.

The week had been volatile for the Indian indices – Sensex and Nifty – which lost about 0.75% on Monday but rebounded 0.5% on Tuesday.

Bilateral meetings and the inauguration of a grand Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi are part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s packed schedule on the second day of his trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Prime Minister will be holding a bilateral meeting with Emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al Maktoum. He will then inaugurate Bharat Mart, a warehousing facility that will enable Indian exporters to showcase their products under one roof. The concept is similar to Dragon Mart, a trading hub and retail complex for Chinese products in Dubai.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister will be participating in the World Government Summit as the Guest of Honour. He will also deliver a keynote address. Ahead of the summit, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai lit up with the words ‘Guest of Honor – Republic of India’.

We extend a warm welcome to the Republic of India, the guest of honour at this year’s World Governments Summit, and to His Excellency Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The strong ties between our nations serve as a model for international cooperation.
The… pic.twitter.com/enMaunw4oT

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) February 13, 2024

In a post on X, Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “We extend a warm welcome to the Republic of India, the guest of honour at this year’s World Governments Summit, and to His Excellency Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The strong ties between our nations serve as a model for international cooperation.”

Around 6 pm (local time), the Prime Minister will inaugurate the BAPS temple, UAE’s first traditional stone temple, in Abu Dhabi’s Abu Mureikhah district. The grand temple on a 27-acre campus has come up on land gifted by the UAE government. The Prime Minister had in 2018 laid the foundation for the temple, the construction of which cost approximately 400 million dirhams — about 900 crore rupees.

The Prime Minister has thanked UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his support for the temple project.

“I consider the construction of BAPS temple here as a reflection of your love for India and your vision for the bright future of the UAE. This couldn’t have been possible without your support. During our first meeting, I had just put up a simple request for you to look into it and you took a prompt decision, asking me to ‘Put your finger on any piece of land, you will get it’. Perhaps, this level of love and trust showcases the unique relationship,” he said yesterday.

Had an excellent meeting with my brother HH @MohamedBinZayed. India-UAE friendship is growing stronger and stronger, greatly benefitting the people of our nations. pic.twitter.com/QTdYgrMN3o

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2024

Following the temple ceremony, the Prime Minister will proceed to Qatar capital Doha. The Doha trip comes right after New Delhi’s huge diplomatic feat of getting eight Navy veterans released from prison in Qatar. The Navy veterans were last year sentenced to death in Qatar. While reports claimed that they were convicted in a spying case, neither India nor Qatar have made the allegations public. The Prime Minister will be holding a bilateral meeting with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He is scheduled to return tomorrow.

Incredibly honoured by the warm welcome from the Indian Community in Abu Dhabi today. The vibrancy of our diaspora never ceases to amaze me. pic.twitter.com/yqQRRoEAEu

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2024

On the first day of his Gulf trip, the Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with the UAE president, during which several MoUs were signed. The Prime Minister last evening attended a grand disapora event — called Ahlan Modi — organised by the Indian community there. “I have come to meet my family members. I have brought the fragrance of the soil where you were born and have brought the message of 140 crore people. The message is that Bharat is proud of you,” he said to loud cheers from the over 65,000 crowd.