Page 119 - India

India, Bhutan closely coordinate on shared security interests: Kwatra

Against the backdrop of renewed focus on the Doklam tri-junction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Tuesday held talks focusing on a five-point broad roadmap to expand the "time-tested" relations besides delving into shared national security interests. At a media briefing after the talks, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India and Bhutan closely coordinate on shared national and security interests and that security concerns of both sides are intertwined and indivisible. The talks between Modi and the visiting King took place days after Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said that China has an equal say in resolving the border dispute relating to the strategically-located Doklam tri-junction. When asked whether the Doklam issue figured in the talks, Kwatra said India-Bhutan ties are based on mutual respect, trust, close understanding and sensitivity to each other's concerns, adding Modi and the King covered the entire gamut of ..

Social welfare state being created in India with schemes: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said a social welfare state is being created in India with a slew of schemes which are changing the socio-economic landscape of the country and asserted that none of that would happen if the bureaucracy was not there to deliver them. Speaking after launching a book titled 'Transforming the steel frame promise and paradox of civil service reform' edited by former bureaucrat Vinod Rai, Jaishankar said the future of the country is very much dependent on how well the politics and the "steel frame (bureaucracy)" work together. "We are actually today creating a social welfare state in this country. Nobody has created a social welfare state at USD 2,000 per capita...there are today a range of programmes which are changing the socio-economic landscape of India, but none of that would happen if the bureaucracy was not there to plan it, chart it, deliver it, monitor it and change it," he said. The minister said that after 40 years of ...

India needs its conglomerates

A call to dismantle them when the world hasn't done so is economic hara-kiri

India will not be impacted by Opec+ production cut, officials say

Industry executives said imports from Russia may rise further as talks are on to address difficulties in paying for Russian crude

Lord Mahavir showed way to build peaceful, harmonious society: PM Modi

Lord Mahavir showed the way to build a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous society, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday and hoped that his teachings will inspire people to bring a positive difference in the lives of the poor and downtrodden. In a tweet to mark Mahavir Jayanti, Modi said it is a special day to recall the noble teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir. "He showed the way to build a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous society. Inspired by him, may we always serve others and also bring a positive difference in the lives of the poor and downtrodden," the prime minister said.

India hopes for SL's early recovery from economic crisis: Commissioner

India on Tuesday expressed hope that Sri Lanka would soon achieve early economic recovery, with the Indian Deputy High Commissioner here, reaffirming New Delhi's steadfast support to the island nation through the crisis. Sri Lanka has been struck by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis sparked by years of mismanagement and the raging pandemic. Vinod K Jacob, the Deputy High Commissioner of India, speaking at the Coordination Forum of Development Partners of Sri Lanka, said that "India had steadfastly supported the people of Sri Lanka through the economic crisis as well as at the IMF," a press release by the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. Jacob expressed hope that Sri Lanka will achieve early economic recovery. Explaining the flagship development cooperation partnership between Delhi and Colombo, the Deputy High Commissioner said that the engagement was based on the principles of South-South cooperation between friendly neighbours. The projects are selected in l

India, European Union speed up work on free trade agreement negotiations

The fifth round of negotiations will be held in New Delhi from June 19-23, 2023

India has 3rd highest number of billionaires in the world, shows Forbes

India, which has the third-most billionaires, with 169, had a more mixed year. Indian billionaires as a group - worth $675 billion - are $75 billion poorer than in 2022

Nepal-India railway line from Jaynagar to Kurtha completes 1 year

The first broad-gauge passenger railway service connecting Bihar's Jaynagar with Kurtha in Nepal's Janakpur city completed a year of operation and is running profitably, a media report said on Tuesday. The 35-kilometre railway line started its commercial operation on April 3, 2022, and has been making two round trips between its destinations daily, The Rising Nepal newspaper said. It was virtually inaugurated last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then-Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba. The Jaynagar-Kurtha section is 35 km long and 3 km of which lies in Bihar and the rest in Nepal. It is part of the Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas rail link, executed with grant assistance of Rs 548 crore from India. According to the report, the rail service started operations last year after remaining closed for more than a decade. We were worried about whether we would get passengers or be able to make a profit, General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited (NRCL), Niranjan Kumar

As China renames 11 places in Arunachal, here's a look at recent conflicts

Reacting to the latest move at renaming places, India said that China was inventing names that would not alter reality

Works of artists from G20 countries to be exhibited in Bihar Museum

The Bihar Museum, one of the largest such facilities in India, has been selected for a two-month-long international exhibition for the artists of G20 countries. Selected artists of the G20 countries will be displayed in the exhibition, christened Together We Art', from August 7, an official said. The Bihar Museum is now organising and implementing the project for the G20 Initiative. Together We Art is based on the theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', a concept from the Maha Upanishad, state Art and Culture Secretary Bandana Preyashi told PTI on Tuesday. The exhibition will continue till October 7 after which it will move to a venue in New Delhi, she said. The artist selected by the respective governments would work through their medium of expression - paintings, graphics, etching, photography, film, video or even a combination of mediums, said Preyash. The artists whose work will be exhibited in the event are yet to be chosen. The artists would also be part of a symposium One World

Automobile industry to log single digit growth in FY24, says Fada

The two-wheeler segment fell to seven years low with total retails of 15.9 million during the year. EV penetration in this category during the year was at 4.5 per cent

India looking to merge hydropower units to create single company: Minister

NTPC, the country's largest power producer, acquired the two hydro companies -- THDC India Ltd (THDCIL) and NEEPCO -- three years ago for about $1.34 billion under a consolidation plan

161.34 sq km of land available with Archaeological Survey of India: Govt

The total land available with the Archaeological Survey of India is 161.34 sq km according to the Government Land Information System (GLIS) portal of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Parliament was informed on Monday. Union Minister for Culture G Kishan Reddy said this in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha. "ASI has 161.19 sq km land available around the Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites and 0.15 sq km of office building/staff quarters belonging to 39 Circles/Mini-Circle of the ASI. Hence, the total land available with ASI is 161.34 sq km as per the Government Land Information System (GLIS) portal of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs," he said. He was asked about the details of land belonging to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the country, with state-wise details. Asked whether any state government agencies or public sector enterprises have encroached the land of ASI, the minister responded, "Yes". In his response, he shared state-wise data

China backs Putin's foreign policy; plans to boost ties with Russia, India

China responded positively on Monday to Russia's new foreign policy concept, saying Beijing, Moscow and New Delhi are emerging "major powers" with "notable influence" and it was ready to boost ties with them and send a "positive signal" to the world in view of the complex changes. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the new Foreign Policy Concept Friday last, which said strengthening and deepening relations with China and India is a diplomatic priority for Russia. Russia will focus on strengthening its strategic partnership and trade ties with India in Eurasia and ensure their resistance to "destructive actions" of unfriendly states and their alliances, according to an updated foreign policy doctrine approved by Putin. The ties between India and Russia remained strong notwithstanding Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. India's import of Russian crude oil has gone up significantly in the last few months despite increasing disquiet over it in many Western countries. Asked for China's .

Surprise oil output cut by OPEC+ to delay price revision in India

The surprise decision of OPEC and its allies, including Russia, to cut oil output may cause an immediate rise in prices, delaying revision in fuel prices in India, industry sources said. The grouping of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, called OPEC+, on Sunday decided to further cut oil output by around 1.16 million barrels. The move led to Brent rising by almost 6 per cent to USD 84.58 per barrel on Monday. This spurt will reverse the softening in rates witnessed in the basket of crude oil that India imports. The Indian basket was hovering in the range of USD 73-74 per barrel for most of the second half of last month and had brightened prospects of a cut in petrol and diesel prices. "Public sector oil companies had been recouping losses they incurred for holding rates when crude oil prices shot through the roof. Last month, international oil prices and retail pump rates had come at par. But now with the prices rising, the difference between cost

India needs to double its share of clean power to meet climate goals

The country will need to reduce the share of coal, which currently accounts for about half of its installed capacity and almost 70% of electricity output

India initiates anti-dumping probe into import of sodium cyanide from China

India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into imports of poisonous chemical sodium cyanide from China, the European Union, Japan and Korea following a complaint by domestic players. Sodium cyanide is used for extraction of gold and silver from their respective ores, manufacturing insecticides, dyes, pigments, and bulk drugs. The commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is probing the alleged dumping of the cyanide originating in or exported from these countries. An application has been filed by Hindusthan Chemical Company and United Phosphorous Ltd for the probe and the imposition of appropriate anti-dumping duty on the imports from these nations. DGTR said in notification that the applicants have alleged that material injury is being caused to the domestic industry due to the alleged dumped imports. It said the normal value and the export price have been compared at the ex-factory level, which prima facie establishes that the dumping mar

Acer launches new laptop with Intel Core i3-N305 processor in India

Priced at Rs 39,999, the new laptop "Aspire 3" will be available to purchase on the company's official website, online, and offline stores

India logs 3,641 new Covid infections, 20,219 active cases; 11 deaths

India recorded a single-day jump of 3,641 fresh COVID-19 cases as the active caseload rose to 20,219, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The toll has risen to 5,30,892 with 11 deaths -- three from Maharashtra and one each in Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan -- recorded in a 24-hour span. The toll also includes four deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data stated. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 6.12 while the weekly positivity was pegged at 2.45 per cent. The total tally of Covid cases was at 4.47 crore (4,47,26,246). The active cases now comprise 0.05 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.76 per cent, according to the ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease is at 4.41 crore (4,41,75,135) while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19. According to the ministry website, 220.66 crore Covid vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwid