Page 9 - India

Asia's middle-class growth slows, keeping the 'Asian Dream' out of reach

There is no concrete definition of what such a dream with Asian characteristics means, but inspiration could come from the American Dream, a term coined by writer James Truslow Adams in 1931

ISPRL seeks private firms to build 2.5 mn tonnes petroleum reserve at Padur

In 2021, India overhauled its policy to allow part of SPRs to be used commercially, mirroring a model adopted by countries such as Japan and South Korea that allows private lessees, mostly oil majors

HMPV in India: 8-month-old baby suspected to be infected in Bengaluru

If the infection is confirmed, it would be the first reported case of HMPV in India

Quadrantids Meteor Shower 2025: Date, time, and how to watch it in India?

The Quadrantids Meteor Shower peak occurs every year and it will peak on January 4, 2025. Generally, meteor showers peak for two days, but Quadrantids peak for a few hours in January

India to host first WAVES summit in February: PM Modi in 'Mann ki Baat'

India will host the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) for the first time in February next year which will be a global platform for its creative talents, fostering collaborations and showcasing the country's potential as a hub for world-class content creation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke extensively about the WAVES Summit in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' Radio address on Sunday. Comparing the WAVES to global events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Modi said the leaders from the media and entertainment industry as well as creative minds from across the globe will gather in Delhi for the Summit being held from February 5-9. "This Summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation," he said. The prime minister emphasized the pivotal role of young creators in the preparations for WAVES, reflecting the dynamic spirit of India's creative community. He expressed pride in the enthusiasm of the country's youth and their contribution to

China approves world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet: Why is India concerned?

China has approved the construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet. The move has reignited tensions between India and China because of the dam's geographically strategic location.

Brics' influence growing among countries of Global South, says China

China on Tuesday said the appeal and influence of the BRICS bloc is growing more saliently as it is becoming the main platform to promote solidarity and cooperation between the Global South. With the partner countries on board the BRICS family, the BRICS cooperation is elevated to a new height, the BRICS mechanism has greater representation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told the media here while responding to a question on Russia announcing new BRICS partner countries. Mao said a list of BRICS partner countries was finally agreed on with consensus among the member countries. The list included Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Uganda. BRICS originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been admitted as new members. China stands ready to work with other BRICS members and partner countries to follow the spirit of openness, ..

Who is Sriram Krishnan, the Chennai techie chosen by Trump as AI advisor?

Sriram Krishnan is expected to shape the Trump administration's AI policy. In 2021, Krishnan and his wife Aarthi Ramamurthy gained recognition as the hosts of a podcast

Nita Ambani to lead India's global influence at Harvard India Conference

The India Conference at Harvard (ICH) announced on Sunday that Nita Ambani, a trailblazer in philanthropy, education, and culture, will take centre stage at the highly anticipated India Conference at Harvard, scheduled for February 15-16, 2025, in Boston. "As one of India's most influential voices, Ambani has profoundly impacted over 80 million lives through her social equity initiatives and continues to advocate for India's global potential," a statement by the organisers said. Her recent achievements -- including hosting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in India after four decades and championing India's bid for the 2036 Olympics -- symbolise the nation's growing influence on the global stage. The India Conference at Harvard is one of the largest and most influential student-led India-focused conferences in the US. An annual event hosted jointly at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School fosters dialogue on India's evolving role in global affairs, ...

India, Sweden can strengthen ties in climate solutions: Swedish officials

India and Sweden can deepen their collaboration in innovation and green technology with a focus on addressing global climate challenges through sustainable industrial practices and renewable energy solutions, Swedish officials said. Officials of the Embassy of Sweden and Business Sweden, during an interaction with PTI, emphasised the shared potential for innovation and large-scale implementation of sustainable practices. "Sweden is a leader in green technologies while India has unparalleled capacity for large-scale implementation of the same. Together we can explore technologies like green hydrogen, carbon capture and circular economy practices," said Christian Kamill, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden. He highlighted areas like green hydrogen, carbon capture and circular economy practices as promising avenues for collaboration. Kamill also pointed to Sweden's strides in renewable energy and transport electrification, noting that over 50 per cent of Sweden's energy already

Kia unveils Syros subcompact SUV: Bold new design meets smart tech | Car reviews and ratings

Kia India launched the all-new Kia Syros, a subcompact SUV built on its updated K1 platform with a boxy silhouette and a tall-boy design. It offers Level 2 ADAS with 16-autonomous safety features.

India to brace up in future to deal with potential duty measures: Official

India will have to prepare itself in future to deal with issues like non-tariff and unilateral duty-related barriers like the EU carbon tax, a senior government official said on Wednesday. Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi said that countries like the US and the European Union (EU) are trying to boost their domestic manufacturing through such measures. "So the US has been trying to boost its domestic manufacturing through the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act, the EU is trying to do it through CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism)...deforestation regulation is another mechanism of putting non-tariff barriers on goods coming from developing economies. "So both the combination of non-tariff measures as well as potential tariff measures in clear violation of WTO (World Trade Organisation) commitments is something which India has to brace up in future to deal with," Sarangi said. He was speaking at CII's export competitiveness conclave. Asked about

'If they tax us, we tax them': Trump threatens reciprocal tariffs on India

US President-elect Donald Trump vows reciprocal tariffs on India, criticising high taxes on US goods

Swiss MFN move won't impact $100 bn EFTA investment commitment: Barthwal

Under the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), Switzerland had reduced the withholding tax on Indian entities operating in that country to 5 per cent from 10 per cent earlier

Google appoints Preeti Lobana as new country manager, VP for India

Sanjay Gupta, President of Asia-Pacific, Google said India's vibrant digital landscape has been a source of immense inspiration and innovation for the company

India to continue backing Sri Lanka's sustainable economic growth: Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said India would continue to support sustainable economic development of Sri Lanka as its close and trusted partner. Welcoming Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and his delegation to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, she congratulated him for his victory in the recent presidential and parliamentary elections. President Murmu also hosted a banquet in his honour. She said that Sri Lanka is an important part of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and SAGAR Vision, according to a statement issued by her office. President Murmu said that as a close and trusted partner, India would continue to support the Sri Lankan government's efforts for the sustainable economic development of Sri Lanka. Disanayaka, who is on a three-day visit to India, held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day. As a trusted and reliable partner, India has conveyed its continued commitment to working closely with Sri Lanka in advancing its defen

India sees 72% rise in electrical, electronic waste in 5 years : Govt

The country saw an increase of around 72 per cent in e-waste generated from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) such as smartphones, computers, television sets and refrigerators over the past five years, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. According to a written reply to a question by Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, 10.14 lakh tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2019-20 and the figure climbed to 17.51 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. Sahu said 13,46,496 tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2020-21, 16,01,155 tonnes in 2021-22 and 16,09,117 tonnes in 2022-23. Under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, 21 EEE items were notified and information about e-waste generated from these items is available for the last four years (2019-20 to 2022-23). These 21 items include laptops, telephones, cordless telephones, cellular telephones, smartphones, television sets, air-conditioners (excluding centralised air-conditioning plants) and washing machines. Accordi

‘India supported us immensely during economic crisis,’ says Sri Lankan President Dissanayake

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on his maiden bilateral visit to New Delhi since assuming office in Colombo, extended heartfelt gratitude to India on Monday

India has 1,065 dams 50-100 years old, 224 are hundred plus: Govt

India has 1,065 large dams that are between 50 and 100 years old while 224 are over a century old, the Jal Shakti Ministry said on Monday. There are a total of 6,138 constructed and 143 under-construction dams in the country. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said the government enacted the Dam Safety Act, 2021 to address the challenges posed by ageing dams and to prevent disasters arising from dam failures. He said dams, apart from serving irrigation and power generation purposes, play a significant role in mitigating floods. According to the National Register of Large Dams (NRLD-2023 edition), compiled jointly by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and CWC, there are 6,138 constructed and 143 under construction dams which aggregate to a total of 6,281 large dams. Of these numbers, only 224 dams are more than 100 years old and there are 1065 large dams which are 50 to 100 years old. Choudhary said the governm

India has cut malaria cases, deaths significantly, says WHO report

India has significantly reduced its malaria incidence and mortality and exited the High Burden High Impact (HBHI) group of endemic countries officially in 2024, according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) World Malaria Report released on Wednesday. The malaria caseload in India was slashed by 69 per cent from 6.4 million (64 lakh) in 2017 to two million (20 lakh) in 2023. Similarly, the estimated malaria deaths decreased from 11,100 to 3,500 (a 68-per cent decrease) in the same period. The WHO South-East Asia Region had eight malaria endemic countries in 2023, accounting for 40 lakh cases and contributing 1.5 per cent to the burden of malaria cases globally. In 2023, India accounted for a half of all estimated malaria cases in the region, followed by Indonesia, which accounted for just under one third. The estimated malaria deaths in the region fell by 82.9 per cent, from 35,000 in 2000 to 6,000 in 2023. India and Indonesia together accounted for about 88 per cent of malari