Page 151 - India

Satya Nadella checks right boxes talking about G20, Make in India and AI

Looking to help in "amplifying" the India story, Microsoft Executive Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella on Thursday said the country's technology story and the policies that helped it reach here is a tale that needs to be told to the world. Briefing the media after the Future Ready Technology summit in Bengaluru, Nadella said "India is taking the leap to contribute both in the digital technology as well as the soft side of it--the policy side of it, as to how this came about." "That story needs to be written about, talked about so that everyone else in the world can also benefit from it. I think India's leadership of the G20 is obviously a great moment for that. And we at Microsoft want to be as helpful as possible in amplifying what is essentially the output of India," he said. Emphasising often on the growth of digital public goods in India, Nadella said India has created a "virtuous cycle of digital public goods that raises the bar on private enterprises, increases competition, reduc

India records 188 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths; active tally drops to 2,554

India has recorded 188 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases have declined to 2,554, according to Union health ministry data updated on Thursday. The total tally of Covid cases has been recorded at 4,46,79,319 and the death toll stands at 5,30,710, with three deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. The daily positivity has been recorded at 0.10 per cent while the weekly positivity has been pegged at 0.12 per cent, the ministry said. The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national recovery rate has increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the health ministry's website. There has been a decrease of 16 cases in the active Covid caseload in a span of 24 hours, it stated, and added that the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,41,46,055 while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.12 crore doses of Covid vaccine hav

Making every effort to reduce visa interview appointment time in India: US

The United States is making every effort to reduce the waiting time for visa interview appointment in India as soon as possible, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday. "Visa processing is recovering faster than projected and over the coming year, we expect to reach pre-pandemic processing levels," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. The US issued more student visas in fiscal year 2022 than in any year since 2016, he said, adding that its embassy and consulates in India in particular broke their all-time record for the number of student visas issued in a single fiscal year. "We issued nearly 1,25,000 student visas. We recognize that some applicants may still face extended visa wait times, and we're making every effort to further reduce visa interview appointment wait times as quickly as possible in India and around the world, including for first time tourist visa applicants," he said. Responding to a question, Price said he .

India tried to defuse Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant situation: Jaishankar

"India tried to defuse the situation around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Points, we have already helped - very quietly on the grain deal," Jaishankar said

India helped in grain deal between Moscow and Kyiv, says EAM Jaishankar

India tried to defuse the situation around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and quietly helped in the grain deal between Moscow and Kyiv, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said even as he vehemently rejected charges of New Delhi being a war profiteer over its procurement of discounted Russian oil. The external affairs minister also described the cap on the price of Russian crude oil as a Western decision that was taken without any consultations with India, asserting that New Delhi will never automatically sign into what others have cooked up. In an interview to 'Die Press' newspaper of Austria, Jaishankar while replying to a question on the Ukraine conflict, indicated India's readiness to contribute towards defusing the situation. "If we can help, we stand ready. And we have already helped -- very quietly on the grain deal, for example. We also tried to defuse the situation around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," he said. Jaishankar was asked whether he see

India in the GVC diversification strategy: A reality check

For MNCs relocating from China, India needs substantial catching up relative to Vietnam to be considered a significant contender

Indian operations to play key role in Skoda Auto's entry into Vietnam

India is emerging as a key manufacturing hub for the Skoda Group that will venture into the Vietnamese market, the Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Ltd said on Wednesday.

G20 to be tourism ministry's focus in 2023, first meet likely in late Jan

From showcasing Incredible India visiting delegates to positioning the country as a major travel destination during its year-long presidency, G20 will be the Union Tourism ministry's focus area in 2023. India assumed the presidency of the influential bloc on December 1, setting the tone for the ministry's calendar this year. More than 200 meetings will be held across 55 locations, culminating with the annual G20 summit on September 9-10. The Tourism ministry is geared up to put its best foot forward and showcase to the guests from different countries the cultural heritage and culinary delights of India. The first G20 meeting -- the Sherpa meet -- was held in the first week of December in Rajasthan's Udaipur. From artistic murals to decking up of heritage sites with lights, the old city played the perfect host as iconic buildings were chosen as venues, besides sightseeing to Kumbhalgarh Fort -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Preparations for the G20 meetings are underway and the fi

We see this as important nomination: White House on Eric Garcetti

Jean-Pierre also called the nomination of the Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti as well-qualified and meritorious to serve in the role

India logs 175 Covid infections in a day, active caseload declines to 2,570

India recorded 175 new Covid infections in a day while active caseload declined to 2,570, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The tally of Covid cases in India is at 4.46 crore while the death toll is 5,30,707, data updated at 8 am stated. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.09 per cent while the weekly positivity was 0.12 per cent. Active caseload declined by 12 in a day and now comprises 0.01 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,45,854 while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.11 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the COVID-19 vaccination drive. India's Covid tally crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50

US President Joe Biden renominates Eric Garcetti as envoy to India

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday renominated Eric Garcetti, the former Mayor of Los Angeles, as his envoy to India, with the White House exuding confidence that he would be confirmed by the United States Senate this time. "Eric M. Garcetti, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of India, the White House said after sending the nomination to the Senate. Today, the White House will begin renominating candidates who were not confirmed in the last Congress, a media statement said. "As Secretary (of State, Tony) Blinken said very recently, our relationship with India is crucial and it's consequential, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. "Confirmation of Mayor Garcetti, who was voted out of committee unanimously and with strong bipartisan support to serve as ambassador to India. And that's important as we're talking about bipartisanship, as we're talking how

India building a world order based on spirituality, morality: Prez Murmu

The President said that in this era of uncertainty, along with safeguarding its national interests, India is also playing the role of a harbinger of peace in the world

Five cases of Covid's XBB.1.5 variant found in India, says INSACOG

Five cases of COVID-19's XBB.1.5 variant, responsible for the rise in cases in the US, have been found in India, according to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). Of the five, three cases were found in Gujarat and one each in Karnataka and Rajasthan, according to INSACOG figures on Tuesday. The XBB.1.5 strain is a relative of the Omicron XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants. Combined, XBB and XBB.1.5 make up 44 per cent of cases in the US. COVID-19 variant Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant in India with 'XBB' being the most prevalent sub-lineage circulating all over the country, INSACOG has said. INSACOG reports genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across the country through sequencing of samples from sentinel sites and international passengers arriving in India.

The jobs & technology trade-off

Do we need to curb technology that replaces jobs? The jury is out

Second Covid booster shot unwarranted, says report amid infection surge

"There is no data available on the utility of a second booster for the currently used vaccines"

India has every capability to thwart challenges along border: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asserted that India has every capability to thwart challenges along the border to protect the country's territory. Singh also said India never encourages war, and always wants to maintain cordial relations with its neighbours. However, the Indian Army has the capability to face any challenge along the border, and is ready to deal with any situation, he said during the inauguration of a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) bridge here. India is a country which never encourages war and always wants to maintain cordial relations with its neighbours.. This is our philosophy inherited from Lord Rama and from the teachings of Lord Buddha. The country has every capability to face any kind of situation if provoked, Singh said. Indian and Chinese troops had clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, and the face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides", the Army had .

Science should be aimed at making India self-reliant: PM Modi at ISC

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India's scientific community should work to make India 'aatma nirbhar' (self reliant). Development in science should be aimed at fulfilling India's needs, and this should be the inspiration for our scientific community, he said in his address to the Indian Science Congress, being held in Nagpur, via video conferencing. He cited the country's growing energy needs and urged the scientific community to forge such innovations in the field as may benefit the country. Since India is home to 17-18 per cent of world population, progress of such a large number of people will lead to a surge in global advancement as well, he said. India today is using scientific means for progress and its consequences are visible, he said, noting that India jumped to 40th rank in the global innovation index from 81 in 2015 in a list of 130 countries. Scientific attempts can turn into big achievements when it steps out of lab to reach "zameen" (ground), when

TECNO launches PHANTOM X2 in India with MediaTek Dimensity 9000 5G chipset

Priced at Rs 39,999, the smartphone comes in 2 colours- Stardust Grey and Moonlight Silver, both which will be available across both online and offline retail touchpoints, pre-bookings starting Jan 2

India-US relationship can define 21st century: Congressman Ro Khanna

The relationship between India and the United States can define the 21st century, Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said Monday, as a leading American daily in a long-form article articulated that the post-Ukrainian war world would see India's emergence. "The US-India relationship can define the 21st century," Ro Khanna said in a tweet Monday, referring to The New York Times article. Khanna said the prominent American daily writes beautifully about India's rising confidence and paradoxes. The article ends on a hopeful note that pluralism, etched by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, are an indelible part of its palimpsest, the Congressman said. The daily quotes External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as saying that a world order which is still very, very deeply Western, is being hurried out of existence by the impact of the war in Ukraine, to be replaced by a world of multi-alignment where countries will choose their own particular policies and preferences and interests. After

77-year-old organisation like the UN needs a 'refresh': EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said a 77-year-old organisation like the United Nations needs a "refresh", asserting that pushing for a major overhaul in the top global body is an important part of New Delhi's foreign policy. Jaishankar made these comments while addressing members of the Indian diaspora here in the Austrian capital on Sunday. When asked how Jaishankar was planning to undertake the reforms in the UN, and if India would take the leadership in bringing about this change, the minister said:"The UN system was invented in 1945. Now, I tell people to show me something which is 77 years old and you feel doesn't need a refresh. People refresh themselves, institutions need to be refreshed by other people. We need change. Large parts of the world do not believe anymore that the UN system speaks fairly for them." The United Nations (UN) officially came into existence in October 1945, after its Charter was ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, the US an