Page 16 - India

India-EU trade talks: Commerce Secretary to visit Brussels this week

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal will visit Brussels this week to meet European Commission Director General for Trade Sabine Weyand to give impetus to the ongoing negotiations on the proposed free trade agreement, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday here. The Commerce and Industry Minister said "very" good discussions are going on between the EU and India in Brussels. India is hoping to work together in a spirit of understanding each other's sensitivities so that the two sides can conclude an equitable, fair and balanced free trade agreement, he added. The minister is here on a two-day official visit. He is leading a business delegation to discuss ways to boost trade and investment ties between India and Qatar. "Once this round gets over, Commerce Secretary, Rajesh Agrawal Ji, will be going to Brussels to meet his counterpart, DG Sabine Weyand by the end of this week. After that, we will be working out what are the next steps," Goyal said. When asked about the December ..

'Our red lines must be respected': EAM S Jaishankar on India-US trade deal | Trump tariffs

Any trade deal between India and the U.S. has to respect New Delhi's "red lines" and efforts are underway to find a "landing ground"

Ethanol blending transforms sugar cooperatives' balance sheets: Amit Shah

Ethanol blending has transformed the balance sheets of sugar mills and India's sugar cooperatives sector has benefitted immensely after Narendra Modi became the prime minister, Union minister Amit Shah said on Sunday. He also said that the Centre, under PM Modi's leadership, will extend all possible assistance to farmers in Maharashtra who have suffered losses due to heavy rains in the state recently. The Union Minister for Home and Cooperation was addressing a farmers' rally after inaugurating the expanded capacity of Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district, which has increased its crushing capacity to 10,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day. He also unveiled statues of Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil, a notable figure in the cooperative movement, and his son and former Union minister Dr Balasaheb Vikhe Patil. The sugar cooperative sector has benefitted immensely after Narendra Modi became the prime minister, he said, adding that sugar ...

JVs, tech tie-ups can help cut India's trade gap with Qatar: GTRI

Joint ventures in energy infrastructure, technology collaboration, and cross-border investments can help reduce India's trade deficit with Qatar, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. India's trade with Qatar stood at USD 14.15 billion in 2024-25. The trade relationship remains heavily skewed toward energy imports, with petroleum crude and gas products making up nearly 90 per cent of India's total imports from Qatar, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. India's exports to Qatar totalled USD 1.68 billion, while imports surged to USD 12.46 billion, producing a substantial trade deficit of USD 10.78 billion in the last fiscal. "The figures underscore the energy-centric nature of India's commerce with the Gulf nation, with hydrocarbons making up the bulk of inbound shipments," GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said. Imports from Qatar were overwhelmingly composed of petroleum crude and gas products, amounting to USD 11.08 billion, about 88.9 per cent of the total imports. Key energ

India may procure additional batches of S-400 air defence systems

India is looking at procuring additional batches of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia as the weapons proved to be very effective during Operation Sindoor, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. It is learnt that the proposed procurement may figure in talks between New Delhi and Moscow when Russian President Vladimir Putin visits India in December. In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Three squadrons have already been delivered. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh did not give a direct reply when asked at a press conference if India was looking at buying additional batches of the weapon system. "Obviously, that has done good. So, there's a requirement to have more such (systems); the

India rejects Bangladesh claim of its role in Khagrachhari clashes

India on Friday trashed as "false and baseless" a senior Bangladeshi official's claim of its involvement in violent clashes in Bangladesh. Following the clashes at Khagrachhari district in Chittagong Hill Tracts in southwestern Bangladesh last week, de-facto home minister Jahangir Alam Chowdhury alleged that the unrest was being fuelled by India. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India categorically rejects these "false and baseless allegations". "The interim government, which is unable to maintain law and order in Bangladesh, has routinely sought to shift the blame elsewhere," he said. "It would do well to introspect and conduct serious investigations into the action of local extremists committing violence, arson and land grab against the minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts," he added. Jaiswal was responding to a question on Chowdhury's remarks during a weekly media briefing. There has been a sharp downturn in India-Bangladesh relations a

A-I 171 crash probe agency denies pilots' body request for representation

Pilots' grouping ALPA India on Friday said AAIB has declined the request to include its representative in the team probing the Air India plane crash in June that killed 260 people, citing government norms. Representatives of the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) India on Friday held a meeting with Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Director General GVG Yugandhar in the national capital. The discussion mainly revolved around having subject experts in aircraft accident investigations. After the meeting, ALPA India President Sam Thomas said there was not much discussion on the Air India plane crash due to the ongoing investigation. "AAIB expressed its inability to include pilots from ALPA as subject matter experts in the team probing the Air India plane crash, citing government norms," he told PTI. In one of the worst aircraft accidents in India, a total of 260 people, including 241 passengers, died after Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating flight AI 171 to London

India's power output growth slows in September as industrial momentum eases

Power output rose 3.2% year-on-year but fell short of August's 4% growth, marking the first monthly drop in three months, according to daily analysis of Grid India data

India slams Pakistan at UNHRC, calls rights allegations hypocritical

India slammed Pakistan at the UN Human Rights Council, saying a country with one of the world's worst human rights records should confront the rampant State-sponsored persecution and systemic discrimination of religious minorities in its own society. We find it deeply ironic that a country with one of the world's worst human rights records seeks to lecture others, Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, K S Mohammed Hussain said while speaking during a General Debate at the 60th Session of Human Rights Council at Geneva. Their attempts to misuse this august forum with fabricated allegations against India only expose their hypocrisy. Instead of making baseless propaganda, they should confront the rampant State-sponsored persecution and systemic discrimination (of religious and ethnic minorities) that plague their own society, Hussain said Tuesday without mentioning any country. But it was a clear reference to Pakistan, whose representative, speaking before India, raked

'India won't allow humiliation': Putin praises PM Modi as a very reasonable & wise leader | Tariffs

As India-Russia relationship blossoms amid Donald Trump's tariffs hike, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised PM Narendra Modi as a wise leader at the Valdai Discussion Club.

India's diesel exports to Europe likely hit record high in September

Shiptracking data showed India's exports to Europe reached these levels for the first time since such figures began to be recorded in 2017

Afghan foreign minister Muttaqi to visit India after UN travel ban waiver

Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to visit India next week, in the first high-level trip from Kabul after Taliban captured power overthrowing the Ashraf Ghani government around four years ago. The Afghan foreign minister is expected to visit India from October 10, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. However, there is no official word on the visit yet. Muttaqi was scheduled to visit New Delhi last month but it was called off in view of a travel ban that he faced under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions. On September 30, a UNSC committee approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban, allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16, according to a UN statement. Afghan media reported that Muttaqi will travel to Moscow on October 6 to attend the seventh round of Moscow Format talks. The UNSC has slapped sanctions against all leading Taliban leaders and they have to secure a waiver for foreign travels. Muttaqi's visit is expec

India to become petrochemicals powerhouse with $37 bn capex push: S&P

India is poised to become the next major player in the global petrochemicals industry, backed by a planned capital expenditure of USD 37 billion aimed at boosting self-sufficiency, S&P Global Ratings said in a new report. The report, 'First China, Now India: Self-Sufficiency Goals Will Add To Petrochemicals Supply', warns that India's aggressive capacity expansion - following similar moves by China - will intensify oversupply pressures in Asia's petrochemical sector. India, the world's third-largest petrochemical consumer after China and the US, has historically relied on imports to meet domestic demand. But a shift toward self-sufficiency is underway, and S&P expects India to account for a third of global capacity additions by 2030. S&P Global Ratings, in the report, anticipates that India will stick with major investment plans to reduce import dependency on chemicals used in everyday goods, from plastic bags to auto parts. Overcapacity in Asia-Pacific petrochemicals ...

Centre plans ₹20,000 cr risk guarantee fund to boost infrastructure growth

The government is considering a proposal for creation of a Rs 20,000 crore risk guarantee fund for the infrastructure sector to push investment by the private sector. The establishment of a risk guarantee fund for the infrastructure sector is expected to attract private sector investment by sharing project risks, thereby reducing the burden on project developers, sources said. The fund with initial corpus of Rs 20,000 crore may be managed by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC), sources said, adding, the fund would underwrite development risk of a new project. Besides, there should be additional safeguards by way of a minimum stake by the developer and risk-based premiums may be charged. The fund would cover losses arising from policy uncertainty and other non-commercial risks, thereby encouraging lenders to extend larger loans to big projects, sources added. For the fund to be successful, sources said, the fund's guarantee must be bankable and there must be .

Turbulent times offer India chance for tech self-reliance: Anand Mahindra

Turbulent times offer India a chance to pursue technological self-reliance and achieve global leadership in manufacturing, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said on Thursday, commemorating the conglomerate's 80th anniversary. Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federations of companies with over 3,24,000 employees in over 100 countries. Eighty years ago, the Mahindra Group was born with a crystal-clear purpose to help build our nascent nation," the chairman said. The company's founders pledged to develop industry, create livelihoods, and enable communities to rise from the violent throes of the struggle for independence into a brighter future, he noted. "Today, we once again are in turbulent times, and we have the opportunity to renew that pledge to strive together to propel India towards technological self-reliance and global respect," Mahindra said on the 80th Founders Day. The current geopolitical and economic landscape

President Murmu extends greetings to citizens on eve of Vijayadashami

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday greeted citizens on the eve of Vijayadashami and wished that the festival inspires us to build a society where all people move ahead together, inspired by the ideas of justice, equality and harmony. The festival of Vijayadashami, symbolising the victory of "dharma over adharma", inspires us to follow the path of truth and justice, she said in a message. Celebrated in various parts of the country as "Ravana Dahan" and Durga Puja, this festival reflects our national values, Murmu said. This festival also teaches us to renounce negative tendencies like anger and ego, and embrace positive ones like courage and determination, the president said. "May this festival inspire us to build a society and country where all people move ahead together, inspired by the ideas of justice, equality and harmony," she said. The president extended warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, to be celebrated on

Coal India output falls 3.9% in September to 48.97 MT amid monsoon impact

State-owned CIL on Wednesday reported a 3.9 per cent decline in production to 48.97 million tonnes (MT) in September. The drop in production comes in spite of the government making efforts to increase coal output to bring down the import of dry fuel. The company's output was 50.94 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal year, Coal India Ltd (CIL) said in a filing to the BSE. However, no reasons were given by the company for the decline. CIL subsidiaries, which registered a drop in production in September, are Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL), Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL), Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL), and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL). There was decline in production in North Eastern Coalfields (NEC), a unit of Coal India. According to industry experts, heavy rains and waterlogging during monsoon create operational difficulties in mining, leading to a drop in coal production. Coal production during the April-September period also dropped to 329.14 MT, over 341.35 MT in

India's power consumption rises 3.2% to 145.91 bn units in September

Power consumption in the country grew 3.21 per cent to 145.91 billion units (BUs) in September as widespread rainfall kept temperatures in check in most parts of the country. The peak power demand met during the month was 229.15 GW, which was significantly shorter than government projections. Power consumption was recorded at 141.36 BUs in September 2024, according to official data. The tepid increase in power consumption was attributed to widespread rainfall during the month in most parts of the country, which kept temperatures in check, experts said. Various government sources had said the country will see the peak demand of 277 GW level by September. However, the highest supply in a day (peak power demand met) in September remained at 229.15 GW, marginally down from 230.60 GW in September 2024. Speaking to PTI in August, Ghanshyam Prasad, the Chairperson of Central Electricity Authority (CEA), said the peak power demand is unlikely to touch the projected 277 GW this summer as

Accel, Anthropic to host India's first Developer Day on Oct 11 in Bengaluru

Venture capital firm Accel and AI company Anthropic, which runs Claude, a family of large language models (LLMs), will co-host Anthropic's first Developer Day in India here on October 11. The event comes at a time India's AI adoption is accelerating across enterprises, according to a statement. India is already one of Claude's strongest international markets, contributing about 7.2 per cent of global usage. This is an invite-only programme for top CTOs, product leaders and technical founders focused on practical build-with-Claude workflows and scaling via Application Programming Interface (APIs). The Developer Day will include a deep dive on Claude Sonnet 4.5, Anthropic's latest reasoning and coding model, alongside hands-on sessions using Claude Code and the Claude API for production-grade deployments, the statement said. In the run up to the event, Accel and Anthropic have opened Developer Day Community Demos for India's builders. The top three submissions will present live at th