In an age dominated by information flow, understanding how a nation is portrayed on the global stage becomes paramount. The “India in Global Media” weekly digest serves as a compass, guiding readers through the diverse lenses of international news agencies from February 03 – February 10

Associated Press – Indian state passes uniform marriage legislation opposed by Muslims as a Hindu code applied to all

• An Indian state has approved an unprecedented uniform code for marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance for Hindus, Muslims and other religious communities under new legislation that also requires couples that live together to register with the government or face punishment.
• Northern Uttarakhand state lawmakers passed the legislation on Wednesday and its approval by the state governor and the Indian president is seen as a formality before it becomes law in the state.
• “This is a nefarious political design to drive a wedge in the society on religious lines,” said Yashpal Arya, an opposition Congress party lawmaker.
• Pushkar Singh Dhami, the top elected official in Uttarakhand state, said: “The new legislation is not against any religion or community, but will bring uniformity in the society.”

For detailed report click on : https://apnews.com/article/india-marriage-code-muslims-new-law-religion-f335cc642e2c63c92dcbb83650181151?utm_source=RecoReel&utm_medium=articlePage&utm_id=Taboola

DW – Can India’s airports cope with rapid passenger growth?

• India’s aviation sector is poised for impressive and healthy growth in terms of passengers, aircraft and airports. But can its operations and infrastructure expand fast enough to keep up with the demand?
• A passenger sips a drink in the food court of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai
• The airline business is booming in India, where the government has earmarked around $11 billion (€10.22 billion) to build new airports and refurbish existing ones. The goal is to have about 200 airports across India within five years, up from 150 today.
• Rise in demand for air travel- India, with its 1.4 billion people, is home to the world’s fastest-growing air passenger market and is poised to become the world’s third-largest aviation market after China and the United States.
• India’s domestic air passenger traffic is expected to double in the next six years, reaching 300 million by the end of 2030, according to the country’s Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who spoke at last month’s Wings India summit in the southern city of Hyderabad.

For detailed report click on : https://www.dw.com/en/can-indias-airports-cope-with-rapid-passenger-growth/a-68192870

Gulf News – Video: Indian student brutally attacked in Chicago, mission assures assistance

• In yet another distressing incident, an Indian student faced a brutal attack by armed robbers in Chicago on Sunday, February 4, 2024. The victim Syed Mazahir Ali, pursuing Masters in information technology from Indiana Wesleyan University, was attacked and robbed by the men at Campbell Avenue.
• Following the attack, the Indian Consulate in Chicago has stated that it is in touch with the victim, as well as his wife in India. The Indian mission has assured all possible assistance to Ali, who hails from Hyderabad, and his family.
• Ali’s wife Syeda Ruquiya Fatima Razvi, who lives in Langar Houz area in Hyderabad, on Tuesday appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to help in ensuring best medical treatment to him.
• In a letter to the minister, she requested that arrangements be made for her travel to the US along with their three minor children. She said she received a call from her husband’s friend that he was attacked and robbed at Campbell Avenue when he was near his apartment. He was taken to a hospital.

For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/video-indian-student-brutally-attacked-in-chicago-mission-assures-assistance-1.1707282400284

Associated Press – India’s clean energy boom slows as new solar projects get delayed. Experts say it can pick back up

• For years, renewable projects in India have been growing steadily, from small-town rooftop solar installations to large-scale projects across the desert and long stretches of wind turbines and solar panels on farmland all contributing to the country’s climate goal of transitioning to clean energy.
• But a mix of policy decisions, politics and supply chain issues meant solar projects in 2023 have been marred in delays and uncertainty, making the country fall short of its annual clean energy installation target in a year that saw heat records topple and devastating floods batter the country. Experts say this is a significant dent in the country’s ambitions, but some are confident that the shortfall can be made up this year.
• But some analysts believe that most of these issues have now been ironed out and that India can make up for the shortfall of new projects this year.
• There was a sharp rise in solar modular imports toward the end of last year, suggesting that a lot of the delayed projects will soon be completed, said Vinay Rustagi who tracks and analyzes the clean power sector for the financial research firm Crisil.

For detailed report click on : https://apnews.com/article/india-climate-change-renewable-energy-solar-electricity-coal-fossil-fuels-909daa6733be375817d9d37ceb98dc6b

The Guardian – India’s wealthy ‘fear London is worse than Delhi for muggings’

• Indian business people are avoiding being out and about in Mayfair over fears they could be mugged for their expensive watches after a 27% rise in “theft from a person” in London, an entrepreneur has said.
• Devin Narang, an entrepreneur, told a meeting attended by David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, that fear of crime in London was one of the biggest concerns of India’s rich elite.
• “People are being mugged in the heart of London – in Mayfair,” Narang, a member of the executive committee of the federation of Indian chambers of commerce and industry, said at a meeting in New Delhi, according to the Financial Times. “All CEOs in India have had an experience of physical mugging and the police [in London] not responding.”
• Narang said rich Indians considered it safer to walk around New Delhi than London. “Indians do carry expensive things, but the police not responding is a matter of concern,” he said. “London is a walking city. You don’t want to look over your shoulder all the time.. It doesn’t make you feel comfortable. You can walk anywhere in Delhi and you won’t be mugged.”
• Thefts from the person – which includes muggings, bag-snatches and mobile phone theft – in the City of Westminster, which includes Mayfair, rose by 40% last year to 25,650, while in London they rose 27%. There were 72.4 reported thefts from the person per 1,000 people resident in the borough, according to Crime Rate, a website that analyses crime statistics.

For detailed report click on : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/07/indias-wealthy-fear-london-is-worse-than-delhi-for-muggings

Financial Times – India: The UK business opportunity

• With a growing population of increasingly wealthy and aspirational workers, India is rapidly transforming into an economic powerhouse and an exciting opportunity for UK SMEs, explains Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia & Deputy High Commissioner for Western India.
• Even if you think you know India, you probably need to think again. And if you haven’t visited the country recently, you really haven’t been. India has changed dramatically, shifting from a relatively poor agricultural economy to a vibrant and wealthier service-driven industrialised economy. It’s a transformation that is underpinning a tremendous investment opportunity for UK business.
• The numbers speak for themselves. In 2021, India’s GDP overtook our own,1 and it is projected to become the world’s third largest economy by 2035.2 This will see its demand for international goods and services grow (in real terms) from £0.6tn in 2021 to £1.4tn by 2035.3 India is now in ‘pole position’ as a major world economy with an economic growth rate that the International Monetary Fund forecasts at 6.3% (in real terms) each year from 2023 to 2028.4 If you’re looking for the next big thing, it’s India.
• And crucially, it’s a young population: 60 per cent of Indians are under 35 years old6 and highly motivated to improve their lives.
• And India’s Netflix Generation is just the same as those in the UK and US, sharing the same motivations, aspirations, and desires. The University of Mumbai has around 700,000 students,7 training to be doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals, and more. This young, thriving, and achieving demographic is growing wealthier. With about half the nation’s GDP now service driven,8 and by global metrics India’s middle class could reach around 95mn by 2035.9 That’s a population larger than the size of Britain who can afford our goods and services, and that have an affection for British brands.

For detailed report click on : https://www.ft.com/partnercontent/uk-government/india-the-uk-business-opportunity.html?utm_source=FT&utm_medium=Premium_Native_Amplification

Reuters – Modi’s BJP to win India’s 2024 polls, seat share may fall:  survey

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist party will secure a clear majority in general elections this summer, a win that will ensure a comfortable third term for Modi, an opinion poll showed on Thursday.
• Findings from the “Mood of the Nation Poll”, a survey by private media group India Today, showed that voters continue to see Modi as a popular nationalist leader who has accelerated growth and improved foreign ties,

For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/india/modis-bjp-win-indias-2024-polls-seat-share-may-fall-survey-2024-02-08/

(The Report is curated by Dr Vinay Nalwa)