Page 22 - India

We stand up for BBC: UK govt in Parliament after India's I-T survey

The British government has strongly defended the BBC and its editorial freedom in Parliament after the Income-Tax department's survey operations on the UK-headquartered media corporation's New Delhi and Mumbai offices over three days last week. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) junior minister responded to an urgent question raised in the House of Commons on Tuesday to say that the government cannot comment on the allegations made by the I-T department over an ongoing investigation but stressed that media freedom and freedom of speech are essential elements of robust democracies. David Rutley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the FCDO, pointed to a broad and deep relationship with India which meant the UK was able to discuss a wide range of issues in a "constructive manner". We stand up for the BBC. We fund the BBC. We think the BBC World Service is vital. We want the BBC to have that editorial freedom, said Rutley. It criticises us (government), it criticises t

Indian firms to generate 49% of revenue from digital infra by 2027: Report

Indian organisations are expected to generate as much as 49 per cent of the revenue from digitally connected products, services, and customer experiences by 2027, a report showed on Wednesday

One Earth, One Family, One Future uplifting and mobilizing motto: IMF MD

The 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' motto of G-20 announced by India is very uplifting and mobilizing, IMF Managing Director Kristina Georgieva has said adding that it resonates on a human level with all. "It has chosen a great motto for the presidency that I think resonates on a human level with all of us: One Earth, One Family, One Future. It is the most uplifting, motto of G-20, that I can think of. Very mobilizing for all of us," Georgieva told PTI ahead of her India travel to attend the G-20's financial track meeting in Bengaluru. Unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, the theme of India's G20 Presidency - 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth One Family One Future' - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life human, animal, plant, and microorganisms and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe. It also spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), with its .

India can achieve its goal of being carbon neutral much before 2070: IMF MD

India, which has taken it upon itself to be carbon neutral by 2070, could achieve this ambitious goal even earlier, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said. Georgieva added that it is so very important that a large country like India plays a leading role in the fight against climate change. She noted that what India has done is "quite admirable" because it is a country that has nearly 1.4 billion people that need access to development opportunities. And therefore, the pressure to expand the use of resources is exceptionally high. Yet India is managing to put in place very ambitious objectives: reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by the year 2030, from 2005 level, Georgieva told PTI in an interview as she applauded New Delhi for its programme of using solar as a main source of energy and taking it to the global level through the International Solar Alliance. "And more recently thinking more seriously about innovation, for ...

India remains 'bright spot' to contribute 15% of global growth in 2023: IMF

India continues to remain a relative "bright spot" in the world economy, and will alone contribute 15 per cent of the global growth in 2023, International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva said. While digitisation pulled out the world's fifth-largest economy from pandemic lows, prudent fiscal policy and significant financing for capital investments provided in the next year's budget will help sustain the growth momentum. "India's performance has been quite impressive. For this year, we expect India to retain a high growth rate, 6.8 per cent for the year that ends in March. For FY 2023/24 (April 2023 to March 2024) we project 6.1 per cent, a bit of slow down like the rest of the world economy, but way above the global average. And in that way, India is providing about 15 per cent of global growth in 2023," Georgieva told PTI in an interview. That is the fastest growth rate among major economies. India remains a bright spot at a time when the IMF is projectin

HC asks Waqf Board to file plea against Centre's decision on properties

The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Delhi Waqf Board to file a separate substantive petition to challenge the Centre's decision to take away 123 waqf properties. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri refused to grant any interim relief in the board's application filed in a pending petition challenging the Centre's decision to re-examine the de-listing of its 123 properties. You file a fresh substantive petition to challenge the Centre's February 8 letter, the judge told the counsel for the board and listed the application along with the pending petition on August 4. The Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) recently decided to take over 123 properties of the Delhi Waqf Board, including mosques, dargah and graveyards, based on the report of a two-member committee. Board chairman Amanatullah Khan has said the report of the committee was not shared with the board, and added that a case challenging its formation was already pending in the high ..

Host India does not want G20 to discuss more sanctions on Russia: Report

The officials said the war's macroeconomic impact would be discussed but India does not want to deliberate on additional actions against Russia

Under PM Modi, India does not shy away from taking a stand: J P Nadda

BJP president J P Nadda said on Wednesday that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership does not shy away from taking a stand on complex issues, asserting that he has changed the way the country is looked at globally. Releasing the book, "Modi: Shaping a Global Order in Flux", Nadda said Indian government leaders earlier did not "dare" to visit Israel due to domestic vote bank politics. "The domestic vote bank politics compelled, and India couldn't develop a relationship with Israel," he said, adding Prime Minister Modi visited Israel as well as Palestine. This shows India is capable of handling two different countries in the best possible manner, the BJP president said. Modi has also succeeded in dehyphenating India with Pakistan which was not the case earlier, he said. Relatively less is written on Prime Minister Modi's contribution in changing how India is looked globally, and this book will start a debate, he said. Nadda said, "It is necessary to understand what

Not an era for war, India reiterates, as G20 finance meet starts

India has kept a neutral stance on the war, declining to blame Russia for the invasion, seeking a diplomatic solution and increasing its purchases of Russian oil over the past year

Handing over of Haifa Port to Adani, a reflection of trust: Israeli Envoy

Israel's handing over of the strategic port of Haifa to Indian company, the Adani Group, is a reflection of the trust that the country has on India, Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon said on Wednesday. At a media briefing, the envoy also said that both India and Israel are keen on finalising the proposed free trade pact as it could further boost overall bilateral trade ties. Gilon indicated that there could be a forward movement on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during the upcoming "high-level" visit. Describing defence ties between the two countries as very strong, he said Israel has an advantage to support India in its efforts to become self reliant in defence manufacturing because of the "long-standing" trust in the area between the two countries. On the Adani Group acquiring the Haifa port last month, Gilon said it was sign of Israel's trust on India and it could boost bilateral trade. It was a very important move from our side as Haifa is a strategic port, he said. The Adani Grou

China-US superpower rivalry grows after war sweeps away multipolar world

The world order that seems to be emerging out of the Ukrainian rubble looks an awful lot like that of the Cold War

Indian plate moving 5 cm yearly, raising possibility of earthquakes: NGRI

Weather scientist warned that the Indian tectonic plate is moving about 5 cm every year, leading to accumulation of stress along the Himalayas and increasing the possibility of major seismic events

India reports 125 new Covid cases, one death; active tally rises to 1,935

India recorded 125 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 1,935, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll stands at 5,30,762 with one death reported by Chandigarh, the data updated at 8 am stated. The virus case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,85,257) while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.81 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,52,560, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Visa issue priority, people-to-people ties bedrock of India-US relations

People-to-people ties form the bedrock of the India-US relationship and addressing the visa wait time issue is critical to maintaining them, senior administration officials said here. Reducing the visa wait time is a top priority for Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nancy Jackson told Indian reporters at a roundtable organised on Tuesday by the State Department, along with the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS). "As I look at the relationship, it strikes me that people-to-people ties between our two nations are really the bedrock of what is one of our most consequential relationships in the world and that's the US-India relationship. We can't underscore that enough. So addressing the visa wait times that we've been facing is critical not only to maintaining those people-to-people ties, but to expand them," Jackson said. FIIDS has been working with the Biden Administration for the past several months

Peacekeeping missions should not exist in perpetuity: India to UN

Observing that the security landscape of the UN peacekeeping missions today is more complex, violent and riskier, India has told the United Nations that such missions should not exist in perpetuity. Exit strategies should be part of the plans from the very beginning, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj told the UN General Assembly's Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on Tuesday. "India believes that UN peacekeeping missions should not exist in perpetuity. Exit strategies should be part of the mission planning process from inception," Kamboj said at the UN headquarters in New York. Maintaining redundant missions for political expediency diverts essential resources from other crucial missions, she said, asserting, "It is high time we reviewed the need for continuing such missions." India has been at the forefront of UN peacekeeping missions for seven decades now. More than 2,60,000 Indians have worn the 'Blue Helmet' in 49 missions across t

Adani Group isn't India, but its troubles mirror the nation's woes

The target of Hindenburg Research's attack is the Adani Group, which aggressively marshaled capital from around the world into India's unmet aspirations

Trade in local currency: India may ink pacts with UAE, Nigeria, Malaysia

The move is aimed at reducing transaction costs for exporters and importers, a source said

HSBC's pre-tax profit jumps 15.04% to $1.277 bn in India for 2022

Foreign lender HSBC on Tuesday reported a 15.04 per cent jump in its pre-tax profit from operations in India at USD 1.277 billion for 2022. The bank had reported a pre-tax profit of USD 1.11 billion from its operations in India, which continues to be fourth largest contributor for group profits, in 2021. It has added 1,000 people to its India headcount in 2022, to take the total employee strength to 39,000, its biggest in any market. The bank, like many peers in the foreign lenders space, has huge back office operations in India. In a statement, the bank said it has become the largest foreign lender in the country by both advances and deposits as of March 2022. It also handles 9 per cent of traded forex and 15 per cent of foreign investor custody assets. Among its business lines, the largest segment of global banking and markets saw an uptick in profit before tax at USD 622 million in 2022 up from USD 593 million, while the commercial banking segment delivered profit before tax of

Semiconductor manufacturing to start very soon in India: IT secretary

Electronics and IT secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma on Tuesday said that the production of semiconductors in the country will start very soon. He was responding to a query around plan of action of the Ministry of Electronics and IT after state-owned company Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) raised the issue of shortage of electronic chip and printed circuit board (PCB or motherboard) hindering domestic production of electric meters. "India will be one of those top 6-7 partners which will have semiconductor manufacturing. It will happen very soon," Sharma said. Speaking at a conference on technology transfer by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram for local manufacturing of smart meters and electric chargers, Sharma said Meity has taken lead in technology development, be it electronic or automotive sector, artificial intelligence. "We have taken a lead when it comes to the climate change initiative. One big component is the shift towards green technology, and EV is an important mission in

Private sector will propel country to a different level: Sajjan Jindal

Says public sector has failed worldwide and that he strongly advocates that govt should not do business