Page 29 - India

Chinese spy balloons have targeted several countries, including India: Rpt

China has operated a fleet of spy balloons targeting several countries including India and Japan, a media report has said, days after the US military shot down a Chinese surveillance craft floating over sensitive installations in the country. US officials have briefed its friends and allies including India on the finds of the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down by a fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday. On Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman briefed officials from about 40 embassies here about it. The surveillance balloon effort, which has operated for several years partly out of Hainan province off China's south coast, has collected information on military assets in countries and areas of emerging strategic interest to China including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday. The Post's report was based on interviews with several anonymous defence and intelligence ...

India should aim for 4-0 win in Border-Gavaskar Trophy, says Ravi Shastri

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the Rohit Sharma-led side should have the mindset to win 4-0 over top-ranked Test team Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy

India hands over six tonnes of relief materials to quake-hit Syria

India on Wednesday handed over six tonnes of relief materials, including essential medicines and medical equipment, to earthquake-hit Syria. The consignments were sent on a C-130J military transport aircraft on Tuesday night and were handed over to the Syrian authorities by India's Charge'd Affaires S K Yadav this morning. India has already sent to Turkiye relief materials, a mobile hospital and specialised search and rescue teams in four C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft on Tuesday to support the country's rescue efforts following the massive earthquake that has killed thousands of people. In the wake of tragic earthquake that struck North-Western Syria on February 6, causing massive destruction and loss of precious lives, the government of India has despatched six tonnes of emergency relief assistance through a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force to Syria, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said the consignments were handed over by Yadav to the Deput

India highest attacked country by hackers in Asia, 2nd globally in 2022

India was the highest attacked country by hackers in Asia and the second-most attacked country globally (after the US) in 2022, a report showed on Wednesday.

Three million people in India at risk of flooding by glacial lakes: Study

Three million people in India are at risk of flooding caused by glacial lakes, the highest number of those exposed in the world, according to new study. The study by an international team led by scientists at UK's Newcastle University, UK is the first global assessment of areas at greatest risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF). Published in the journal Nature Communications on Tuesday, it estimates that 15 million people around the world are at risk from flooding caused by glacial lakes. The researchers, which also identified priority areas for mitigation, said more than half the globally exposed populations are found in just four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru, and China. India and Pakistan contain the highest number of exposed people -- nearly three million and two million people respectively, or one-third of the global total combined -- while Iceland contains the least (260 people), they said. As the climate gets warmer, glaciers retreat and meltwater collects at the fr

India is Sri Lanka's biggest friend in time of crisis, says Sri Lanka PM

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has said that India is the biggest friend of the island nation in times of crisis. Sri Lanka declared bankruptcy last year and defaulted on its USD 51 billion foreign loans for the first time since independence from Britain in 1948. India has played a significant role in aiding the island nation over the last year to tide over the economic crisis. Addressing the Tata Tiscon Dealer Convention 2023 in Colombo, Prime Minister Gunawardena called on Indian companies to invest further in Sri Lanka. He further said that India is the biggest friend of Sri Lanka in times of crisis, the Colombo Gazette portal reported. Outlining the benefits of Indian investments in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Gunawardena highlighted that 90 per cent of components used by Lanka Ashok Leyland were indigenous, it said. Speaking at the event, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay said that both Government of India and Indian corporates are working to build relationships tha

Big Russia presence in India Energy Summit indicates stronger ties

The European Union ban on seaborne Russian fuel shipments, coupled with earlier restrictions on the bloc's crude purchases, give more impetus for Moscow to ramp up the flows to India

Meritocracy and Indian society

The testing and examination system of ordering society in a chronological order of talent and skill is deeply flawed, argues a new book

Coal import cannot be zero as thermal power projects designed for dry fuels

Coal imports cannot be reduced to zero as several thermal power projects in India are designed to utilise the imported dry fuel for its high calorific value and blending it with domestic coal is also needed to maintain fuel stocks, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. "The power plants designed for utilizing high Gross Calorific Value (GCV) non-coking coal, and cement, sponge iron, aluminum customers are utilizing high-ranked low ash coal. The coal requirement for such category of consumers cannot be substituted by domestic coal. Thus, import of coal cannot be reduced to zero," Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. Singh said thermal power plants have been importing coal for blending since 2009. During 2022-23 (till January 2023), Coal India Ltd despatched 485.99 million tonne (provisional) coal to the power sector as compared to 440.05 MT during the same period a year ago, registering a growth of about 10 per cent. However, he stated that with the ris

Turkish ambassador calls India 'dost', thanks for sending relief aid

On Tuesday, India dispatched the first batch of humanitarian aid along with a rescue team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Turkey

$20 bn worth 5G smartphones shipped to India in 2022, shipments rise 74%

Samsung led the 5G segment with 23 per cent market share, followed by OnePlus with 15 per cent market share

Active Covid-19 cases decline to 1,771 in country, death toll at 530,745

India logged 89 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases declined to 1,771, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. The death toll stands at 5,30,745, the data updated at 8 am stated. The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,83,543). The daily positivity was recorded at 0.14 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.08 per cent. The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.81 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,51,027, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.57 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on Sept

India dispatches first consignment of earthquake relief material to Turkey

Hours after the announcement made by the Prime Minister's Office, India has dispatched the first batch of earthquake relief material to Turkiye aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft. The shipment consisted of an expert National Disaster Response Force search and rescue team, including both male and female personnel, highly-skilled dog squads, an array of medical supplies, advanced drilling equipment, and other crucial tools required for the aid efforts. "India's Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities in action. The 1st batch of earthquake relief material leaves for Turkiye, along with NDRF Search and Rescue Teams, specially trained dog squads, medical supplies, drilling machines and other necessary equipment," Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs tweeted. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished for a speedy recovery of the injured. He also instructed officials to

India's decarbonisation efforts lauded at Energy Week: Oil India CMD

De-carbonisation via electric vehicles and hydrogen is among the four verticals in India's strategy for the energy sector, he said

India drops to third spot in MSCI EM index amid rout in Adani group stocks

Red-hot Taiwanese market, Adani rout erode India's weighting

India, EU set up three working groups under Trade and Tech Council

Ministerial meet of Council to be held within two weeks

India's steady appetite for Russian crude lifts Jan inflows to record high

India's appetite for Russian crude oil in January rose to unseen levels, continuing to remain above traditional middle eastern suppliers for the fourth month in a row, as refiners rushed to snap up plentiful cargoes available at a discount to other grades. From a market share of less than 1 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia's share of India's imports rose to 1.27 million barrels per day in January, taking a 28 per cent share, according to energy cargo tracker Vortexa. India, the world's third-largest crude importer after China and the United States, has been snapping Russian oil that was available at a discount after some in the West shunned it as a means of punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. From a market share of just 0.2 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia's share of India's imports rose to 28 per cent in January 2023. Officials attending India Energy Week (IE

India adds 91 new Covid-19 infections, active case tally unchanged at 1,817

India on Monday logged 91 fresh COVID-19 cases, while the number of active cases remained unchanged at 1,817, according to Union health ministry data. With the fresh cases, the COVID-19 caseload climbed to 4.46 crore (4,46,83,454). The death toll stands at 5,30,745, the data updated at 8 am stated. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.14 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate was 0.08 per cent. The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,50,892, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.57 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and

Amid backlog, now Indians can apply for US visa from other countries

Earlier, the US had launched initiatives like including scheduling special interviews for first time applicants and increasing strength of consular staff

Pervez Musharraf: The firebrand general who morphed into a non-starter neta

Impatient yet pragmatic and flexible where required, he ultimately died in exile, paying a huge price for the place he earned in history