Page 15 - West Asia

US likely to use Iranian assets to help Gulf allies recover from war

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also directed a team to assess costs for damage already inflicted on Gulf allies by Iran

Demand, fares may support H2 cash flow despite fuel shock: Alaska Air

Chief Financial Officer Shane Tackett said fuel markets had become less volatile in recent weeks, but prices were still moving by about 5% over a couple of days

RBI, govt charm offensive may draw up to $50 billion global flows

Bond tax exemption, easier access for foreign funds may help cover FY27 BoP gap

A monetary policy beyond rates: Why RBI's latest moves matter more

Most importantly, the slew of reforms announced in today's meeting to support the rupee augurs well for the economy and markets while keeping the growth momentum sacrosanct

Parliamentary panel flags weak private investment, FPI outflows

Parliamentary committee raises concerns over weak private investment, foreign capital outflows and global economic headwinds

Fuel supplies stable, 2,557 Indians moved out of Iran amid West Asia crisis

Government says energy supplies, aviation services and maritime operations remain stable as evacuation efforts continue and Gulf connectivity gradually improves

Need of hour is to use petro products with restraint, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the need of the hour, in the wake of the West Asia crisis, is to use petro products with restraint. Speaking at an event here where he virtually laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore in Telangana, he said the imported petro products should be used only as per need, as it will not only save foreign exchange but also reduce the adverse impact of war. Observing that, over the past few years, India has reached a spot among the top countries in the world in terms of solar power, he said, unprecedented work has been done in ethanol blending in petrol. First, the government is focused on 100 per cent LPG coverage, and now, it is focused on the supply of piped gas economically. The government is also promoting a CNG-based system. Due to all these efforts, India is dealing with the major energy crisis in the world, he said. "But, today, the need of the hour is also to use petrol, gas, dies

1 killed, several injured in Iranian attack targeting Kuwait airport

The strikes came as semiofficial Iranian news agencies said the country had stopped communicating with mediators about extending a ceasefire

Policy complexity: RBI MPC will have to reckon with several moving parts

With oil prices elevated and monsoon risks looming, the RBI is expected to hold rates steady while reassessing inflation and growth forecasts

West Asia conflict: Trade optimism, supply crisis boost Indian tea demand

Merchant exporters are building inventories in anticipation of a recovery in shipments to West Asia, supporting orthodox tea prices despite higher freight costs and trade disruptions

RBI monetary policy: The critical need to attract foreign savings

Rising fuel prices and tighter global conditions are reshaping India's funding landscape, increasing reliance on bank credit as foreign and domestic savings slow

What is Beaufort Castle, Lebanon's Crusade-era fortress seized by Israel

Perched above the Litani gorge, the 12th-century fortress played a key role during the Crusades and has remained strategically important through successive conflicts in southern Lebanon

West Asia crisis: ECLGS 5.0 draws ₹1.71 trn credit demand, says govt

Emergency credit applications have crossed Rs 1.71 lakh crore as the government moves to secure fertiliser supplies and safeguard food and energy security amid the West Asia crisis

West Asia tensions may soften Q2 office leasing: KRT CEO Shirish Godbole

KRT expects continued growth in occupancy and distributions despite short-term leasing caution amid West Asia tensions and rising construction costs

West Asia conflict fallout: India's GDP growth likely slowed in Q4

India's economic growth likely moderated in the March quarter as supply-chain disruptions and weaker high-frequency indicators tempered momentum, though overall activity remained resilient

RBI MPC meet: Amid inflation, growth concerns, rate hike can wait for now

Inflation will rise in the second half of the year. Growth, too, will falter. It's time to explore other options

US close to 'good deal' with Iran: Trump amid reports of changes to pact

President Donald Trump has said the US and Iran are close to a "very good deal," but if Washington does not get what it wants, then it will "end it in a different way." Trump's remarks came during an interview to his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, which was telecast on Fox News on Saturday night. "We're close to a very good deal. If you're going to be in a hurry, you're not going to make a good deal, and slowly but surely, we're getting what we want - and if we don't get what we want, we're going to end it a different way," Trump said. Trump said the Iranians are "good negotiators," but argued that the United States now holds "all the cards" because Iran has been "militarily defeated." "But we're close to a very good deal. If we can make it, good. Otherwise we just start up with the Department of War as we call it," the US President said. Trump said the Iranians had stated they were not developing a nuclear weapon, but he countered by asking what if they bought one. "I said, well wh

Iran war forces farmers towards fertiliser alternatives like compost

When Senegalese farmer Abou Sow first watched US missiles strike Iran on social media, he had a sinking feeling it would soon affect agriculture in the West African nation. Since the war began on February 28, fertilizer prices have risen by 40%. Sow was better prepared than most. Eight years ago, he gave up chemical fertilizers for organic compost and other natural sources. He now rallies farmers in Senegal to buy manure from local herders and gives advice on how to make a rich compost, picking out wriggling worms a healthy sign. "We can't afford to wait for a ceasefire," Sow said. "It's risky to depend on chemical fertilizers." Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz has affected the supply of natural gas, essential for making chemical fertilizer, as well as global shipping. The Gulf region produces 30% of globally traded chemical fertilizer, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute, and global prices have increased by 50%, according to the World Bank's fertilizer

West Asia conflict to marginally impact steel prices: SAIL chairman

State-owned SAIL expects the ongoing West Asia crisis to have only a marginal impact on its steel prices and is establishing alternative shipping routes to ensure the uninterrupted supply of raw material from the region, a top company executive said. The company buys raw materials, such as limestone from Dubai, Ashok Panda, the newly appointed Chairman of the steel major said. "So far as SAIL is concerned, we will have some impact with respect to the fluxes, limestone, et cetera, which we are buying from Dubai. So, the landed cost, the CFR (cost and freight) cost is going to go up, because it was around USD 23-24, now it will be around USD 35," the official said in reply to a question related to the impact of the West Asia crisis. But overall, in sellable steel, its impact will be hardly Rs 100 or Rs 200, the chairman said. Panda also said that in times of crisis, the availability of raw materials is crucial rather than their cost, for uninterrupted operations, and that SAIL is ...