Page 24 - India

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

Industry's share in GDP declining, but big business growing: Cong

The Congress on Monday accused the Modi government of focussing on big businesses and alleged that the growth of such business groups is not accelerating economic growth. In a post on X, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the industry's share in GDP has been declining, just as concentration in the industry is increasing and this, in turn, is one of the main causes of inflation due to rising prices. "While tall claims continue to be made by the PM and his drumbeaters on industrial growth, three facts are incontrovertible - Industry's share in GDP has been declining, just as concentration in industry has been increasing. This has raised prices for consumers and is one of the main sources of inflation," he claimed in his post. Ramesh said within the 'G25' in Indian business, there is a 'G5' whose increasing share is coming at the expense of the remaining 'G20'. "Big business groups are growing even bigger but that is not acclerating economic growth-- in fac

India-EFTA trade pact likely to be implemented in coming months: Goyal

The free trade agreement between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA is likely to come into force in the next couple of months, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates, and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. "I think it should come into effect, I believe in the next couple of months," Goyal said here at an event of SGS India. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Talking about the government's initiative to promote manufacturing of quality products in the country, Goyal said in the last 10 years, 156 quality control orders (QCOs) covering 672 products have been issued to cut import of sub-standard goods into th

BEML secures $6.23 million export orders from Russia, Uzbekistan

State-owned BEML on Friday said it has secured two export orders worth USD 6.23 million for supply of heavy-duty bulldozers and motor graders to Russia and Uzbekistan. The company has secured two distinct orders, including one from a CIS nation for the supply of 10 units of its heavy-duty bulldozers, specially engineered to perform in extreme cold climates with temperatures plunging as low as -50C. The second, maiden-order from Uzbekistan, includes the supply of one unit of the high-performance motor grader, essential for infrastructure development and road maintenance within mining operations. With Uzbekistan becoming the 73rd nation to be added to BEML's global exports portfolio, this development reinforces the company's expanding international reach and its credibility as a preferred partner for advanced, mission-critical equipment. The latest order strengthens BEML's presence in the resource-rich Russian and CIS mining markets, known for their complex terrain and high demand fo

Jaishankar to visit China for SCO meet, first since 2020 Galwan standoff

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to visit China around July 13 to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), people familiar with the matter said on Friday. It would be Jaishankar's first visit to China after the ties between the two countries came under severe strain following the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The external affairs minister is likely to travel to Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi before going to Tianjin for the conclave of the SCO foreign ministers that will be held on July 14 and 15, the people cited above said. Jaishankar's visit is taking place less than three weeks after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh travelled to the Chinese port city of Qingdao to participate in the SCO defence ministers' conference. China is the current chair of the SCO and it is hosting the meetings of the grouping in that capacity. The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in Ma

India's fintech funding dips to $889 mn in H1 2025: Tracxn report

Indian fintech sector raised USD 889 million in the first six months of 2025, a drop of 26 per cent from USD 1.2 billion of H2 2024 and a five per cent slide from USD 936 million seen a year ago, according to a report by market intelligence platform Tracxn. As per the report, India ranked third globally, trailing only the United States and the United Kingdom. "While the Indian fintech sector has seen a temporary dip in funding, the steady momentum in early-stage investments and growing acquisition activity indicate that investor interest remains strong, particularly in scalable, innovation-led models," Neha Singh, Co-Founder of Tracxn, said. Bengaluru's dominance and the continued emergence of breakout companies reinforce India's position as a global fintech powerhouse, Singh added. Funding trends across stages in H1 2025 revealed a nuanced landscape for India's fintech sector as early-stage funding fared better than seed-stage and late-stage infusions. Seed-stage startups raised