NEW DELHI, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) — The following are major news items in leading Indian newspapers on Tuesday:

The Hindu:

– India needs to import 2 million tons of sugar till next September, in addition to the 5.3 million tons already bought from abroad in 2009-10, to meet domestic demand, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said on Monday.

The Times of India:

– A study carried out by Washington-based Pew Research Center, the highly respected U.S. thinktank, said India is next only to Iraq when it comes to social hostility and religious discrimination perpetrated by individuals and groups.

Indian Express:

– Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab on Monday denied in the special court that he shot police officers Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salasakar on the night of Mumbai attacks, claiming he was not present at the site.

Hindustan Times:

– A statement by senior White House advisor David Axelrod that the U.S. will be able to “challenge” India if it fails to meet the climate change goals it has agreed to under the Copenhagen Accord will provide further ammunition to opposition parties, which are claiming India succumbed to U.S. pressure at the meet.