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New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI) There is a need for deeper collaboration among research institutions, industry and startups to accelerate the translation of scientific knowledge into market-ready solutions and national development outcomes, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday.

He said industry leaders should actively engage with research institutions and participate in shaping the country's scientific agenda.

"The objective is not merely to generate knowledge but to create technologies, enterprises and solutions that contribute to employment generation, industrial competitiveness and improved quality of life," Singh said.

He made these comments while addressing an industry-interaction session on the sidelines of the RISE Conclave 2026 in Bengaluru.

Singh emphasised the importance of shared scientific infrastructure in reducing entry barriers for startups and small enterprises.

The minister added that sophisticated facilities developed through public investment should increasingly function as common platforms accessible to innovators and industries working in emerging sectors.

During his address, Singh also highlighted that initiatives, such as the 2015 Startup India programme, have helped build a supportive ecosystem that enables the country to harness its demographic dividend and emerge as a global innovation hub.

"The country's start-up ecosystem, which comprised only around 350-400 startups about 10 years ago, has today expanded to nearly 2.3 lakh ventures, making India the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem," the minister said.

He noted that the start-up movement has emerged as a major driver of employment generation, creating nearly 24-25 lakh jobs over the last 10 years.

More than 50 per cent of India's startups are now emerging from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, demonstrating that innovation is no longer confined to metropolitan centres, according to Singh.

"Entrepreneurship today is accessible to individuals with commitment, passion and technological aptitude, regardless of their location or formal educational qualifications," he said. PTI ALC RC

New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials have seized 17 kg of foreign-origin gold valued cumulatively at Rs 25 crore in a coordinated operation in Kolkata and Agartala, and arrested 10 persons, the finance ministry said on Saturday.

On June 12, in Kolkata, DRI busted a smuggling syndicate while they were attempting to smuggle 11.6 kg of gold from Thailand through Kolkata airport. Seven persons, including one woman, have been arrested in the case.

The estimated value of the seized gold is Rs 17 crore.

On the same day in Agartala, DRI seized around 5.1 kg of foreign-origin gold, valued at approximately Rs 8 crore, and smuggled through the Tripura sector of the Indo-Bangladesh border. Three persons were arrested in connection with the case. The operation was conducted in coordination with Railway Protection Force. PTI JD MR

Washington, Jun 13 (PTI) The US on Saturday said it conveyed to India that any violation of its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed this to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who spoke with him on Friday to lodge a strong protest against the death of Indian nationals in US attacks on ships off the coast of Oman.

“The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

Rubio underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, Pigott said in a statement here.

The US has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, preventing transit of ships to and from the ports of the Islamic Republic as part of its efforts to restrict Tehran from profiting from oil trade.

Three vessels with Indian crew came under attack off the Oman coast this week. One of them resulted in the death of three Indian seafarers on Wednesday.

Jaishankar then called Rubio to protest their death in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

“Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after he spoke with Rubio.

Earlier on Friday, India summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks in New Delhi and told him that the American military's lethal strikes on commercial vessels with Indian crew members off the coast of Oman are unacceptable.

Hours later, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of carrying out drone attacks against Indian ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was “totally unacceptable.”

“Their (Iran's) totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together and FAST,” Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social.

Iran vehemently rejected Trump's allegation. “The US president's accusation against Iran regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is simply baseless,” the Iranian Embassy in India said.

“It is an attempt to divert public attention from the brutal fact that the US has attacked 3 Indian vessels in less than a week and killed 3 innocent Indian sailors. That's pathetic!” it said in a social media post late Friday night.

Shippings through the strait have been severely disrupted since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes. Disruptions in marine traffic continue even though a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8. PTI SKU NPK

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Indore (MP), Jun 13 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday assured that enough fertilizer stocks were available in the country, and also stated that the government had made preparations to handle the possible El Nino impact.

Urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) would continue to be available at subsidised rates despite concerns over supplies amid the West Asia crisis, he said.

India has adequate fertiliser stocks for the ongoing kharif season and the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure sufficient availability for the rabi crop cycle as well, he said.

"Our government has decided that farmers will continue to get urea and DAP at affordable rates. The government is bearing the burden of increased prices," Chouhan told reporters after the conclusion of the five-day BRICS agriculture meeting in Indore.

"This will put an additional burden of thousands of crores of rupees on the exchequer, but we are prepared to bear it in the interest of farmers," he added.

"Our government is making every possible effort to ensure sufficient fertiliser availability for rabi crops as well. I am confident that we will succeed in these efforts under all circumstances," he added.

The BRICS discussions also touched on the balanced use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, Chouhan said, noting that India was already implementing several programmes to promote organic and natural farming to make agriculture more sustainable.

Asked about concerns about the El Nino impact on India, Chouhan said the government was prepared to handle it.

"El Nino will have an impact on India as well as other countries, but we have made adequate preparations. We will also cooperate with other nations through exchange of information and best practices," he said.

El Nino is a climate phenomenon that has historically been associated with weaker monsoons. PTI HWP LAL KRK

Chandigarh/Ludhiana, Jun 13 (PTI) Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said there is no shortage of energy in the country and the supply situation of crude oil, LPG and natural gas is quite comfortable.

Speaking with reporters in Ludhiana, Puri further asserted that, while fuel prices rose considerably in many countries, rates in India dropped by 3.1 per cent from May 2022 to May 2026.

The petroleum and natural gas minister said oil prices rose across the world in the wake of the Iran conflict.

Sharing data of fuel prices during May 2022 to May 2026, Puri said petrol prices in Pakistan rose by 70 per cent, Sri Lanka by 66 per cent, France by 47 per cent, Italy 46 per cent, Bangladesh 36 per cent and the US 35 per cent.

"In India between May 2022 and May 2026, prices dropped by 3.1 per cent. On one hand, prices rose by 70-80 per cent in the world, but here (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji reduced prices by 3.1 per cent," he said.

"How did it happen? The cost of petrol at the extraction point, then add insurance cost, freight, margin, Centre's excise duty and states' VAT.

Fuel prices dropped after the Prime Minister reduced the central excise duty three times in November 2021, May 2022 and now recently, he pointed out.

"A few weeks ago, excise duty on petrol and diesel was reduced by Rs 10 a litre," he said, adding that it put an additional burden of Rs 1 lakh crore on the budget.

But the PM did not want people to face any financial burden, he said.

"When we raised petrol and diesel prices, how much did it increase? Fuel prices rose by Rs 7.60 a litre," he said. In addition to Japan, there was the lowest increase in fuel prices in India, he said.

Replying to a question on capping sale of diesel at 200 litres a day, he said it was done to curb black marketing.

To another question, Puri said the supply situation is quite comfortable. "We have a stock of crude oil for over 60 days, we have natural gas stock for over 60 days," he said.

On the LPG situation, he said it is also quite comfortable.

For example, if 80,000 metric tonne of LPG per day were used, we ourselves used to make 32,000 MT and it has now been raised to 54,000 MT, he said, which led to reduction in dependence on its import.

He further said LPG connection holders were being asked to shift to piped gas. "We have a maximum stock of LPG which is 75-80 days of stock," he said.

On E85 fuel (85 per cent ethanol blended petrol), he said at present, there are 47 E85 fuel pumps in the NCR.

By December 2026, the strength of pumps would go up to 500 and by December 2027, it would further increase to 5,000 pumps, he said.

To a question on the killing of three Indian seafarers in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman, he said India has lodged a strong protest.

India summoned US Charge d'Affaires twice, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised it with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in this regard, he said. PTI CHS MR