Page 107 - India

India right to ask for major course correction of UNSC: Indian envoy Kamboj

India is right in demanding a major course correction of the UN Security Council when the world's largest democracy is kept out of the global decision making, the country's UN envoy has said. India has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the Security Council, saying it rightly deserved a place as a permanent member of the United Nations. Currently, the UNSC has five permanent members China, France, Russia, the UK and the US. Only a permanent member has the power to veto any substantive resolution. India was a founding signatory to the UN Charter when it was signed on June 26, 1945, in San Francisco. Seventy-seven years later, when we see the world's largest democracy, along with entire continents of Africa and Latin America, being kept out of global decision making, we rightly call for a major course correction, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said in the UN Security Council on Monday. She was addressing the Security ...

Indian not allowed to bring pregnant Sudanese wife home, cries for help

An Indian national in crisis-torn Sudan has been left in a spot after the Indian mission in Khartoum approved his evacuation request but left behind his pregnant wife who is a Sudanese national

Can India realise its demographic dividend & outperform an ageing China?

In a world-historical shift, India is surpassing China to become the world's most populous country. But the question often heard in recent days - whether India can realize its demographic dividend?

251 antique artefacts brought back to India till date, says official

More than 250 antique artefacts were repatriated to India from different countries, of which 238 have been brought back since 2014, officials said on Monday. An ancient idol of Lord Hanuman, dating to the late Chola period and stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu, was traced abroad and returned to India recently, a senior official said. The Government of India is working towards safeguarding the country's antiquarian heritage within the nation and is instrumental in retrieving antique artefacts that were unlawfully taken abroad, the official from the Union Ministry of Culture said. "Till date, 251 antiquities have been retrieved from different countries, of which 238 have been brought back since 2014," he said. The sculpture of Lord Hanuman was stolen from Shri Varatharaja Perumal, a Vishnu temple in the Pottaveli Vellur area of Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district, the officials said. It belongs to the late Chola period (14th -15th century), they said. It was documented by the "French .

Witnessed 85% decline in malaria cases from 2015 to 2022: Mandaviya

India witnessed an 85.1-per cent decline in malaria cases and an 83.36-per cent decline in deaths caused by the disease from 2015 to 2022, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday. Malaria is not just a public health issue but also a social, economic and political challenge that requires the cooperation of all the stakeholders, Mandaviya said while virtually addressing the Asia Pacific Leaders' Conclave on Malaria Elimination in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Mizoram's Health Minister Dr R Lalthamgliana, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul and Dr Poonam Khetrepal, Regional Director, WHO-SEARO. "India was the only high-burden, high-impact country in the South-East Asia region to report a decline in malaria cases in 2020 as compared to 2019. "India witnessed an 85.1-per cent decline in malaria cases and an 83.36-per cent decline in deaths during 2015-2022," Mandaviya said. Lauding the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the prime ..

India's first elevated cross taxiway to be operational this year in Delhi

DIAL officials said they have almost completed civil work for the elevated taxiway

India to buy Russian, American missile systems worth Rs 200 mn for Navy

The Harpoon missile system acquisition is expected to cost around USD 80 million to the Indian Navy under a foreign military sales route

Australia to ramp up diplomatic ties with India, Japan in Indo-Pacific

Australia on Monday said it will deepen its diplomatic and defence partnerships with key allies in the strategic Indo-Pacific, including India and Japan, in response to China's growing assertion of sovereignty over the South China Sea and its threat to the global rules-based order. Unveiling the Defense Strategic Review in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government set out a blueprint for Australia's strategic policy, defence planning and resources over the coming decades. The public version of the final report did not label China a direct military threat to Australia, but said Beijing's assertion of sovereignty over the disputed South China Sea threatens the global rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific in a way that adversely impacts Australia's national interests. It labelled the competition between China and the United States the defining feature of our region and our time and noted that America is no longer the unipolar leader of the Indo-Pacific. "Investing in our

India, Guyana forming a partnership fit for contemporary era: Jaishankar

India and Guyana are forging a partnership that is fit for the purpose of the contemporary era, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said while addressing the Indian community here. Jaishankar, who is on his first visit to Guyana, also apprised the Indian community of his discussions with the Guyanese leadership and the two countries' common resolve to upgrade the level of their partnership. "Delighted to interact with the Indian community today evening in Guyana. Thank Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Speaker Manzoor Nadir for joining us. Conveyed that we are forging a partnership that is fit for purpose for the contemporary era," he tweeted after addressing the diaspora on Sunday. Earlier in the day, he met Guyanese service officers who had undergone training in India. Jaishankar also joined President of Guyana Irfaan Ali at the commissioning of the India-made ferry MV MA Lisha. "MA Lisha means friendship. The ferry made by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata i

Indian, US fighter jets take part in joint exercise at Bengal's Kalaikunda

Fighter jets of the air forces of India and the United States took part in a joint exercise at Kalaikunda Air Force Station in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district, an official said on Monday. As part of the Cope India 2023 exercise, five top-notch fighter jets of the two air forces took off in quick succession from the air force base. The Indian Air Force has employed Tejas, Rafale, Jaguar and Su-30 MKI fighter jets while F-15 is representing the United States Air Force in the exercise. The exercise, which began on April 10, will conclude on Monday. A simultaneous 12-day exercise of transport aircraft was held at Panagarh Air Force Station in Paschim Bardhaman district from April 10.

India in talks to open up Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor: Sonowal

India is in discussion with Russia to inaugurate the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor aimed at boosting maritime ties between the two countries, Union Minister Sarabananda Sonowal said on Sunday. The minister of ports, shipping and waterways, who was here to review the performance of Chennai Port and Kamarajar Port, inaugurated a slew of projects worth Rs 148 crore. India was in talks with Russia to open the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor, he said at the event. The discussion between the two countries was aimed at bolstering maritime trade, he said. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India affirms its commitment to rejuvenate its trade and investment potential to propel the growth of India," he said. "This corridor will serve this purpose, acting as a conduit of growth and investment cooperation between two historic cities with rich marine history -- Chennai and Vladivostok -- of the two countries," he said. Sonowal later inaugurated three new proje

Hospitals raise tech bet as India emerges as hub for complex surgeries

Experts say corporate hospitals are estimated to spend anything from 5 to 8 per cent of their top line on acquiring and upgrading technology

India needs over 1 vibrant exchange, tweaking products to enliven BSE: CEO

India needs more than one vibrant exchange, and the BSE is tweaking its capital market products to revitalise the bourse and offer greater flexibility to investors, a top official said. The goal is to encourage technology providers, brokers and end users to actively participate in the BSE, he said. "India requires more than one active exchange, and hence the need to make the BSE more vibrant. We trying to differentiate by tweaking our product offerings," the bourse's MD & CEO Sundararaman Ramamurthy said in an interview to PTI. After taking over the bourse's charge in January, Ramamurthy has taken several measures to reinvigorate the BSE. "We are re-launching Sensex and Bankex derivatives with lower lot sizes and a new expiry cycle of Friday from May 15. The launch of Sensex 30 and Bankex derivatives will provide investors an opportunity to trade these popular and well-tracked indices,'' he said. "We will also be approaching the regulator for introducing weekly options expiries on

Separatism, terrorism come from outside India: Union Minister Mehgwal

Separatism and terrorism come from outside and is not native to people living in India, Union Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal said here on Sunday. Meghwal was in Jammu to take part in an MSME conclave. Asked about the arrest of 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh, Meghwal told reporters, "I was in Delhi for the Global Buddhist Summit and people from Leh and Ladakh were there. Everyone wants peace. "India will lead the process of peace in the world. Separatism and terrorism are not in the hearts of those living in India, it comes from outside." The Punjab Police arrested Amritpal Singh in Moga's Rode village early on Sunday, ending an over a month-long manhunt against the radical preacher who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Amritpal has been taken to Assam's Dibrugarh under the National Security Act. The government is committed to undertaking the welfare of all the people and winning their hearts through good governance

Eastern Ladakh row: India, China hold 18th round of military talks

India and China held a fresh round of high-level military talks on Sunday with a focus on resolving the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh as the border row enters the fourth year, people familiar with the matter said. The 18th round of military talks took place ahead of Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu's visit to India next week to attend a key meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation being hosted by New Delhi under its presidency of the grouping. Sunday's military talks came around four months after the last round of the dialogue between the senior Army commanders of the two sides. The talks were held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, the people familiar with the developments said. It is learnt that the Indian side insisted on resolving the issues at the remaining friction points of Demchok and Depsang in eastern Ladakh as soon as possible. The Indian delegation at the dialogue was led

Industry upbeat as space policy to raise private sector play, funding

More than 1,500 micro small and medium enterprises, over 140 startups and rising investor interest, the Indian Space Policy 2023 is set to be a fillip for the space sector

Archery World Cup: Indian men team wins silver, Dhiraj won bronze

The Indian men's recurve team clinched a silver medal after losing to China by the thinnest of margins in a shoot-off at the Archery World Cup Stage 1 here on Sunday. In pursuit of their first World Cup gold medal since 2010, the men's recurve team, comprising Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Dhiraj Bommadevara, bounced back from 0-4 deficit to level the scores and force a shoot-off. But the Indian trio went down 4-5 (54-55, 50-56, 59-58, 56-55, 28-28*) with the Chinese team of Li Zhongyuan, Qi Xiangshuo and Wei Shahoxu hitting an X (closer to the centre) in the shoot-off in a dramatic finish. Dhiraj then went on to grab a second medal in his World Cup debut when the 20-year-old Army man defeated Ilfat Abdullin of Kazakhstan 7-3 (28-28, 29-26, 28-29, 29-27, 29-27) to bag the bronze in individual recurve section. Dhiraj would regret missing out on a silver as he squandered a 4-0 lead against Dan Olaru of Moldova to go down 6-4 (27-26, 28-27, 28-29, 26-28, 28-30) in the semifinal. India

India will become third largest economy in world by 2030: VP Dhankhar

India is transforming and will become the third largest economy in the world by 2030, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Sunday. Addressing a gathering at a state-level programme on saint Dhanna Bhagat's birth anniversary in Haryana's Kaithal, Dhankhar said India's prestige in the world has never been as high as it is now. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also attended the event. The vice president said the contributions of saints in the country's history have been tremendous. "Today the country is witnessing something that was never imagined before.... India has become the fifth largest economy, surpassing the Britishers who had ruled us for 200 years, and farmers and workers have a major contribution in this. "By the end of this decade...India will be the third largest economy on this planet," he said. Dhankhar lauded the Haryana government for celebrating the birth anniversary of Dhanna Bhagat on a large scale. At the event, Khattar announced that his governmen

PM to lay foundation stone of India's first Digital Science Park in Kerala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to visit Kerala on a two-day trip on April 24, will lay the foundation stone for the country's first Digital Science Park, a Rs-1,500-crore project, here on Tuesday, April 25. The third-generation Science Park (they are located in bustling city centres) will come up close to the Digital University of Kerala at Technopark Phase IV - Technocity, a government release said. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, various ministers of the Left government and Congress's Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor would be attending the event, the release said. The Digital Science Park project had been conceived as a multidisciplinary cluster-based interactive-innovation zone focused on digital technologies and is expected to be completed in two years, it said. In the 2022-23 budget, the state government had announced the establishment of a Digital Science Park in an area of

Defence ministers of Russia, China may attend SCO meet in India next week

Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu are expected to attend a key meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be hosted by India next week under its presidency of the grouping, people familiar with the development said on Saturday. There is no confirmation yet on in-person participation of Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in the SCO defence ministerial meeting scheduled for April 27 and 28, they said, adding he is likely to join the deliberations virtually. The people said defence ministers of China, Russia and other SCO member countries except Pakistan have confirmed their in-person attendance. However, there was no official announcement on the participation at the defence ministerial meeting by the SCO member states. The visit by Li, if it takes place, would come amid the three-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh. The SCO defence ministerial meeting in New Delhi would be followed by the foreign ministerial meeting o