Birthday boy Manmohan says he’s indebted to Indians (Lead, Changing Dateline)

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Ever so shy when it comes to his personal life and plaudits, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who turned 77 Saturday, said he was indebted to the people of India for the faith they have reposed in him, even as he treated the accompanying delegation to a cake.

Government still undecided on special forces against Maoists

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - The government is yet to take a firm view on using special forces against the Maoist rebels whom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the “gravest threat” to the country’s internal security.

Government may support Bharti-MTN deal

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - The government may support the proposed $23-billion cash-cum-equity-swap deal between Bharti Airtel and South African telecom major MTN that seems to have run into turbulent weather after new norms on takeover announced by India’s capital markets watchdog.

Government rubbishes claims that Pohkhran-II was failure

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - The government has rubbished the claim by a retired senior scientist that the nuclear tests India conducted 11 years ago were a failure and questioned the timing of his statement.

PM sees room for intellectuals in ‘governance process’

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an economist turned politician, Saturday said former Infosys co-chairman Nandan Nilekani’s appointment as head of a government project was “only a beginning” and there was room for more intellectuals in governance.

I want reaffirmation from Gilani that Mumbai attackers will be punished: Manmohan Lead)

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - India wants Pakistan to punish those behind the Mumbai terror attack and is looking for a reaffirmation of this when he meets with his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Egypt next week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

I didn’t want to hurt President Zardari’s feelings with my terrorism remark: India PM

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - The ‘open’ talk by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on the need for Pakistan to curb terrorism against India in front of the media in Russia last month continues to reverberate between both sides. But Manmohan Singh Saturday clarified that he “had no intention to hurt the feelings of President Zardari”.

India, China have to resist pressure on climate change: PM

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - India and China need to resist pressure from industrialised countries on the issue of climate change, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday.

Not going to be easy but India can come out of economic crisis: PM

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Sounding a note of caution that the international environment was not gong to be supportive in the current phase of global economic crisis, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that he is confident that India will be able to sustain its 8-10 percent growth rate to come out of the crisis.

Manmohan Singh realized Barack Obama is ‘very supportive’ towards India in G8

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said talk of US President Barack Obama and his administration being not supportive towards India had “no basis”.

PM wants credible action from Pakistan

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Credible action is required from Pakistan to deal with terrorists working against India from its territory, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday ahead of his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Egypt next week.

India has borne global financial crisis well: PM

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - With the Indian economy showing signs of recovery, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the country had borne the global downturn “well” and called for a new world economic architecture.

Zardari did not raise Kashmir issue: Manmohan

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - With India putting Pakistan on the defensive over cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said President Asif Ali Zardari did not raise the Kashmir issue during his discussions with him in Russia.

Manmohan open to talks with all Kashmiri groups

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday offered to hold talks with all Kashmiri groups, including the separatist Hurriyat Conference, for peace and development in the state, even as he underlined “zero tolerance” of rights violations days after the alleged rape and murder of two women in the state.

Manmohan assures effective action against Maoist violence

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said his government has plans to take “effective action” against violence propagated by radical leftwing militants.

Manmohan’s blunt message to Zardari was choreographed

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s blunt message to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari within earshot of reporters in Yekaterinburg was an astutely choreographed move aimed at critics back home who might see the meeting as a softening of India’s stance.

India puts Pakistan to terror test, sets mid-July deadline

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - A day after his meeting with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday put Pakistan to the ‘terrorism test’ and said he had agreed to give Islamabad “some time” to take action against anti-India terror outfits before the two leaders meet again in Egypt mid-July.

No gloating over BJP’s infighting: Manmohan

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday reacted cautiously to bitter infighting in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying he did not want to gloat over difficulties of other political parties.

Manmohan Singh, Advani make up

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Putting months of bitterness in the run up to elections behind, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said he and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani had apologised to each other over “hurtful” remarks.

PM promises justice to Shopian rape victims

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Days after the alleged rape of two women in Shopian town of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the government will take effective action against the perpetrators and offered to hold talks with all groups, including those outside the political mainstream, to bring peace and stability to the state.

India to review Pakistan’s actions on terror before talks: PM

ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - India would review Pakistan’s actions against anti-India terror outfits before deciding on resuming the composite dialogue mid-July, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday, a day after he met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia.