DeepSeek model

Refer to ‘DeepSeek saga holds lessons for India’; the meteoric rise of the Chinese model shows how low-cost innovation and autonomy can reshape the AI order any time. These are key lessons as the government-funded BharatGen builds sovereign multilingual models suitable for Indian needs. However, the absence of private Indian tech giants in foundational AI is worrying since firms with huge revenues remain adopters, not creators. Also, BharatGen must avoid Western bias, Chinese-style influence and bureaucratic inertia. India must invest steadily, mobilise its private sector and enforce ethical safeguards to secure technological sovereignty and public trust.

Chanchal S Mann, Una

Need openness in AI technology

With reference to ‘DeepSeek saga holds lessons for India’; with the crashing of stocks of many US tech companies, DeepSeek cocked a snook at Trump when he started his second term as President, but can it defeat US in the AI race? Eventually the goal is AGI — artificial general intelligence, a hypothetical type of AI that can understand, learn and apply knowledge across any intellectual task a human can. DeepSeek is impressive mainly because it was built on a small budget. As for research, China has been neck and neck with US for years. However, for AI or any other technology to survive, openness is a must.

PS Kaur, by mail

West’s misplaced criticism

Apropos of ‘Can India trust the West: UK must answer’; the writer rightly argues that the British media unjustifiably and selectively blames India for purchasing crude oil from Russia. New Delhi cannot allow any big power to breathe down its neck in its foreign policy matters. It is not the India of 1947, but of 2025 and a lot of water has flown down the Ganges since then. Why should New Delhi bother about the West’s misplaced criticism about its deep bonds with Russia and bilateral ties with countries of its preference? It is for the UK to introspect as to why India should be on its side.

Raj Bahadur Yadav, Fatehabad

Egalitarian society

Reference to ‘Vande Mataram is a song for unity, not division’; the national song represents India’s rich cultural heritage and a shared pride even today. But to invoke its enduring legacy to slam Congress-led Opposition for political polarisation is unwarranted. Real nationalism involves justice, liberty, pluralism, communal harmony and peaceful co-existence. A perfect balance between old values and inclusivity is imperative for the creation of a developed egalitarian society. The controversy surrounding the sacred national song that symbolised patriotism, national unity and inspired freedom fighters to resist colonial rule is unfortunate, to say the least.

DS Kang, Hoshiarpur

Shared vigilance needed

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s push to ensure road construction quality is a welcome and a long-overdue step. Samples of materials used for construction should be collected and nearby residents should be encouraged to monitor the work to create a powerful system of shared vigilance. When citizens act as the government’s eyes, supervision becomes stronger and malpractices by contractors becomes harder to hide. With Rs 16,209 crore earmarked for building 44,920 km of roads, quality must not be compromised on — these roads should not crumble after one or two spells of rain. Public participation, combined with strict technical checks, can ensure durable roads and prevent scarce funds from being wasted.

RS Narula, Patiala

Illegal immigration a global issue

The Congress’ opposition to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is illogical on a sensitive subject relating to illegal migrants. Deportation of illegal migrants is being done by the US and the UK. The Opposition should refrain from ‘mean’ politics over illegal non-Indians; if developed nations cannot sustain the flow of such migrants, how will an over-populated country like India deal with overflow of Bangladeshi citizens and Rohingyas in the country.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar