Page 18 - India

India should continue buying Russian oil; must reject US pressure: GTRI

India should resist the US pressure to stop purchasing oil from Russia and continue buying the commodity from Moscow as it has helped India manage inflation and maintain economic stability in a volatile global environment, economic think tank GTRI said on Thursday. US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariffs on Russian oil buyers. "India must reject this pressure and stay firm on its Russia strategy. Buying discounted Russian oil has helped India manage inflation and maintain economic stability in a volatile global environment," the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivastava said. Altering that policy will not stop US threats and it will only invite more, he said, adding this isn't an isolated demand, Trump regularly issues tariff threats for various reasons. "Given this pattern, India sees no value in giving in to US pressure on Russian oil. It won't resolve the larger issue of future unpredictable US demands. Even a trade deal wi

'Cautions against double standards': MEA hits back at Nato chief's warning

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'We have seen reports on the subject and are closely following the developments'

India's goods exports may face pressure in fiscal 2026 amid tariffs: Crisil

Ratings firm CRISIL said that India's goods exports are likely to face some headwinds in fiscal 2026, as reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US are seen to aggravate this. With the tariff hikes expected to come into effect from August, India and the US are negotiating on a bilateral trade agreement and a key monitorable, the report said. The World Trade Organisation forecasts a 0.2 per cent decline in the volume of merchandise trade in 2025 compared to 2.9 per cent in 2024. The report said global growth is expected to slow down to 2.9 per cent in 2025 from 3.3 per cent. Growth in the US, India's largest export destination, is projected to slow to 1.7 per cent from 2.8 per cent. Accordingly, India's merchandise trade is expected to come under pressure this fiscal. However, the current account deficit (CAD) is expected to stay in the safe zone at 1.3 per cent of the GDP in the current financial year. The surplus in services trade, a robust flow of remittances is expected to cushion

Russia to bring in 1 million skilled Indian workers to fill labour gap

Russia will import up to 1 million workforce by the end of this year to address labour shortage in the country's highly industrialised areas, a business leader said. "As far as I know, by the end of the year, 1 million specialists from India will come to Russia, including the Sverdlovsk region. A new Consulate General is opening in Yekaterinburg, which will deal with these issues," Andrey Besedin, the head of the Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the RosBusinessConsulting (RBC) news agency. Besedin said the migration of Indians would fill the shortage of a highly qualified workforce in the Sverdlovsk region. Sverdlovsk, with the capital Yekaterinburg, is situated in the Ural mountains and is home to Russian heavy industry and military-industrial complex, including world-famous Uralmash and T-90 series tank maker Ural Wagon Zavod. Besedin stressed that industrial enterprises needed to increase production volumes, but the region faced a shortage of skilled workers. Some ..

India reaches 50% non-fossil power milestone ahead of 2030 target

India has achieved 50 per cent non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity of 242.8 GW out of the total 484.8 GW installed capacity, five years ahead of its 2030 target, Union New & Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Monday. This assumes significance in view of India's commitment at international fora to increased non-fossil fuel-based power generation in the country. India has set an ambitious target of having 500 GW of renewable energy-based electricity generation by 2030. "Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendrmodi ji, a major climate commitment has been fulfilled. India's total installed power capacity now stands at 484.8 GW, with 242.8 GW coming from non-fossil fuel sources -- a powerful testament to our green progress. This is not just a milestone -- it's a giant stride towards a greener, cleaner Bharat by 2047," Joshi said on X. "Historic Green Leap for India! India achieves 50 per cent on non-fossil fuel capacity -- 5 years .

India's new copper cathode rule risks supply shortages, says trade body

The quality control curbs have led to a decline in imports, the Bombay Metal Exchange (BME) said - a claim rejected by the government

X slashes premium and basic subscription prices by up to 48% in India

Social media platform X has slashed subscription fees for account holders in India by up to 48 per cent, according to updates on its portal. The social media firm has slashed premium account subscription fee for mobile app by about 48 per cent to Rs 470 from Rs 900 it charged earlier on a monthly basis. The subscribers of premium and premium-plus service at X get a checkmark next to their name or id. Similarly, X has reduced premium subscription fee by about 34 per cent for web accounts to Rs 427 from Rs 650 charged earlier. The charges for premium subscription on mobile apps are higher at Rs 470 due to additional fees charged by app stores. The company has slashed monthly subscription for basic subscribers on their handle by 30 per cent to Rs 170 from Rs 243.75 earlier. The basic account holder gets featured to enable them to edit posts, write longer posts, background video playback and they can download videos. The reduction is about 34 per cent for the annual subscription fee

Prada explores collaboration with Indian footwear artisans after sandal row

The furore even saw sales of Indian sandals boom, with sellers and artisans seeing the controversy as a way to promote the heritage craft by tapping into nationalist pride

India's forex reserves fall by $3 billion to $699.736 billion: RBI data

India's forex reserves dropped by USD 3.049 billion to USD 699.736 billion in the week ended July 4, the RBI said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the overall reserves had jumped by USD 4.849 billion to USD 702.784 billion. The reserves had touched an all-time high of USD 704.885 billion in end-September 2024. For the week ended July 4, foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, dropped by USD 3.537 billion to USD 591.287 billion, the data released on Friday showed. Expressed in dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves. The gold reserves were up by USD 342 million to USD 84.846 billion during the week, the RBI said. The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were up by USD 39 million to USD 18.868 billion, the apex bank said. India's reserve position with the IMF jumped by USD 107 million to USD 4.735 billion in the reporting wee

Tharoor slams Emergency; Manickam asks if 'bird is becoming a parrot'

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticised the Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 as a "dark chapter" in India's history and asserted that the people of the country responded clearly to the excesses of that period by voting her party out of power by a large margin. In an article published in the Malayalam daily 'Deepika' on Thursday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member also mentioned Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi's notorious acts, including forced sterilisation campaigns and the merciless demolition of slums in New Delhi. Recalling the dark era of the Emergency declared between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977, Tharoor said Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was seen as having endorsed harsh actions. "Some may argue that the Emergency brought about a temporary order and offered brief relief from the disorder of democratic politics. However, these violations were the result of unchecked power turning into authoritarianism. Whatever order may .

How China is trying to choke India’s manufacturing rise | iPhones in India | China+1| Foxconn

India’s rise as a global manufacturing hub is hitting a silent wall—China. From iPhone production glitches to fertiliser freezes and stalled high-speed rail projects.

World Population Day 2025: Date, theme, significance and why it matters

World Population Day 2025 is celebrated every year on July 11, highlighting key issues, like population growth, healthcare, sustainability, and rights

India urges IMO probe into maritime incidents involving foreign ships

India on Wednesday highlighted recent maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels operating in Indian waters and urged the International Maritime Organization to review all such incidents, according to an official statement. Shipping secretary TK Ramachandran, while participating in the 134th session of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), said recent maritime incidents caused by undeclared hazardous cargoes have raised serious safety concerns. "India delivered a strong and principled statement addressing recent maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels operating in Indian waters," the statement said. India urged the IMO to undertake a comprehensive investigation and global review of all such incidents involving container ships, it added. Citing the proactive role of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard in ensuring the safety of life at sea, the statement said India called for urgent enhancements in the safety ...

PM Modi concludes visit to Brazil, sets $20 billion trade goal: Key highlights | India-Brazil

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded his two-day visit to Brazil, where he and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed key issues across strategic sectors

Bharat Bandh: Will schools, banks and other services be affected on July 9?

Many major cities may see major disruptions on July 9 as over 25 crore workers join a nationwide strike protesting government policies seen as anti-worker

India tests extended range anti-submarine rocket system to boost navy power

India has tested an extended range anti-submarine rocket system that is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy's fire power. The user trials of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) have been successfully carried out from INS Kavaratti, officials said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Defence Research Development Organisation, Indian Navy and the industry involved in development and trials of the system. "He has added that the successfully induction of this system will boost the striking power of the Indian Navy," Singh's office said on 'X'.

UAE's ₹23L Golden Visa stuns Indians-memes, dreams and drama follow

The UAE's new Golden Visa scheme has transformed Indian social media into a meme battlefield. Here are some of the funniest reactions flooding across the internet

India in talks with Australia to source rare earth minerals, says official

India is in talks with Australia to source rare earth minerals, an Australian official said on Tuesday. The development assumes significance in the wake of rare earth magnet shortage caused by Chinese export restrictions. "They (India and Australia) are talking about rare earth and there are blocks available. So there is an opportunity for India to take an early-stage block and have tie-ups with a few companies," Malini Dutt, Trade and Investment Commissioner, New South Wales Government, Australia, said. Besides rare earth, both private and public sectors in India have shown interest in copper blocks in Australia, she said on the sidelines of India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2025, organised by India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). "There is a lot of interest around copper as well, given some of the conversations I have had. The interest is both from private sector and a PSU which is quite on the hunt for copper (blocks), Malini said. You are aware there are smelters and companies

PM Modi meets Presidents of Bolivia, Uruguay to boost trade, bolster ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Bolivian President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora and discussed ways to bolster cooperation in areas such as critical minerals, trade and investment, healthcare and space, among others. In a social media post, Modi said he had a "fruitful meeting" with President Catacora on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. He described Bolivia as a valued partner in Latin America and said that bilateral ties between the two countries have become much stronger in recent years. "We talked about the need for improving and diversifying trade linkages on a priority basis. We discussed how we can collaborate in sectors such as digital technology, critical minerals, healthcare, space and more," Modi said. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the two leaders discussed cooperation in critical minerals, trade and commerce, digital public infrastructure & UPI, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, small & medium Industries, .

Future 'very strong' as India's consumption boosts travel: Tata Sons chief

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Monday exuded confidence that the future looks "very strong and bright" as growing consumption in India will drive the growth of the travel sector, sharing his outlook at the Tata Group-owned Indian Hotels Company Limited's (IHCL) AGM. Addressing shareholders of IHCL, the country's biggest hospitality player, Chandrasekaran shared that the "intent is to achieve a total global footprint of 700 hotels by 2030 and double the revenues to cross Rs 15,000 crore". The Tata Sons Chairman began his address at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) by paying tributes to those who lost their lives at the Air India plane crash recently, and also expressed a "deep sense of loss" at the passing away of Ratan Tata last October. "To lose a single person we know is a tragedy, but for so many deaths to occur at once is incomprehensible. Our thoughts are with them. I also would like to express a deep sense of loss on the passing away of Ratan Tata in October 2024. "He