In a dynamic world where information is abundant, understanding India’s global representation is essential. This edition of “Unveiling Global Narratives: India in Focus,” spanning June 15 – June 30offers an in-depth exploration of India’s portrayal through the lenses of international news outlets. Delve into this fortnightly compilation as we navigate the narratives that frame India’s image on the world stage.
Gulf News – India mulls budget tax relief as part of $6 billion consumer boost
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is considering consumption-boosting measures worth more than 500 billion rupees ($6 billion) in India’s upcoming budget, including tax cuts for lower income individuals for the first time in seven years, according to people familiar with the matter.
- Officials in the Ministry of Finance have discussed proposals to reduce taxes for consumers with the highest propensity to spend, the people said, asking not to be identified because the talks are private. Individuals with annual earnings of 500,000 rupees ($5,987) to 1.5 million rupees – currently taxed anywhere from 5%-20% – could benefit from the move, the people said. A new tax slab may also be considered, they said.
For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/business/tax-news/india-mulls-budget-tax-relief-as-part-of-6-billion-consumer-boost-1.1718959076674
Associated Press – India’s president inaugurates newly elected parliament and sets out economic reforms as a key agenda
- India’s president inaugurated a new parliament on Thursday after national elections, listing the priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’sgovernment in coming years, including fast-tracking economic reforms and boosting small and medium-size enterprises to create jobs.
- President Draupadi Murmu said India’s economy grew the fastest among the world’s major nations at an average of 8% over the past four years.
- The International Monetary Fund has put India’s growth forecast at 6.8% for 2024-25.
- Modi’s government was elected to a record third term despite failing to win a majority on its own. Modi is dependent on his Hindu nationalist party’s coalition partners to govern the country for another five years.
- The government will present its 2024-25 budget next month, setting out its vision of making India a developed country by 2047, Murmu said in a speech to the lawmakers.
For detailed report click on : https://apnews.com/article/india-new-parliament-meets-after-national-election-5a9fb097df13dba10a75e96269c6b656
BBC – What record air conditioner sales reveal about India heatwave
Over the past five decades, India has faced over 700 heatwaves but this summer’s severe and unrelenting heat has to count among the worst, experts believe. Some 97% of Indian households are electrified, this year, India’s air conditioning market has surged like never before.
The International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based energy think tank, predicts a nine-fold rise in home air conditioner ownership in the country by 2050, outpacing growth in ownership of all other household appliances, including TVs, refrigerators and washing machines.
For detailed report click on :https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw555ny3q9xo
Gulf News – India’s planned Middle East economic corridor looks to the bigger picture
- The India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEEC) represents a significant initiative aimed at enhancing economic integration and cooperation. This not only boosts India’s economic ties with a geopolitically important region but plays a crucial role in the country’s strategy of securing and diversifying its supply chains.
- The IMEEC is a planned network of trade routes and infrastructure projects, and includes multiple components such as sea routes, roadways, railways, pipelines, and digital networks. It aims to facilitate a more efficient movement of goods, energy, and information. Geographically, this corridor serves as a bridge between South Asia and the Middle East, further extending to Europe and Africa, thus making it a critical link in the global trade ecosystem.
For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/business/analysis/indias-planned-middle-east-economic-corridor-looks-to-the-bigger-picture-1.1718958707740
New York Times -Why Do India and China Keep Fighting Over This Desolate Terrain?
- The 2,100-mile border separating India and China passes through some of the world’s most inhospitable terrain. In the west, it runs along India’s Ladakh region, at an altitude of 13,000 to 20,000 feet.
- In the absence of any fencing or barbed wire to demarcate territory, soldiers from each nation contend with considerable ambiguity when conducting patrols along what’s known as the Line of Actual Control.
- Despite his party’s loss of its majority in the recent election, Modi’s decision-making power on nationalistic issues like border disputes with China is unlikely to diminish in his third term, which in turn means India’s assertiveness along the Line of Actual Control is likely to continue. “Today, after what happened in Galwan, there is no question that China can come more than a few hundred meters inside India’s territory,” Arpi says. “India has responded very strongly for once.”
For detailed report click on :https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/magazine/india-china-border.html
Reuters – Anti-money laundering watchdog FATF says India in compliance with its rules
- A global anti-money laundering watchdog said on Friday that India had largely complied with its rules, although it needs to strengthen supervision of its non-financial sectors to prevent financial crime.
- The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said India had reached a high level of technical compliance, as the country was effective in curbing money laundering and terrorist financing.
- India also needs to address delays in concluding money laundering and terror financing prosecutions, the FATF said in its statement.
- The FATF is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1989 as the international watchdog to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. India became a member of the FATF in 2010.
For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/india/anti-money-laundering-watchdog-fatf-says-india-compliance-with-its-rules-2024-06-28/
Gulf News – How India’s capital Delhi went from extreme heat to heavy floods
- The residents of Delhi, who endured one of the worst heatwaves in history earlier this month, now face severe water-logging with record-breaking rainfall in just 24 hours, surpassing the city’s average for the entire month of June.
- The torrential downpour caused a fatal airport roof collapse, disrupted flights, closed a metro station, blocked underpasses, and led to massive traffic jams, turning the city’s relief from the heat into chaos.
For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/how-indias-capital-delhi-went-from-extreme-heat-to-heavy-floods-1.1719573742392
Reuters – Women’s wing of Modi’s party calls for probe into Foxconn India hiring practices
- The women’s wing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party on Friday urged the National Commission for Women to launch an investigation after Reuters reported that Apple supplier Foxconn rejects married women from iPhone assembly jobs in the country.
- “It is imperative to conduct a thorough investigation into these claims and ensure that the rights of women employees at Foxconn Hon Hai are protected,” Vanathi Srinivasan, national president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) women’s wing wrote in a letter to the Commission, posted on X.
For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/india/womens-wing-modis-party-calls-probe-into-foxconn-india-hiring-practices-2024-06-28/
BBC – Indian accused of plotting US Sikh murder pleads not guilty
- Nikhil Gupta appeared for the first time in court on Monday afternoon after being extradited from the Czech Republic and landing in the US on Friday.
- He is charged by US authorities with trying to hire a hitman to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen.US prosecutors allege Mr Gupta was directed by an unnamed Indian government official. India denies having anything to do with the alleged plot.
- Mr Gupta’s lawyer said they would file a bail application at a later date, meaning Mr Gupta will be detained for now.
- His lawyer also complained to the judge during the 20-minute arraignment about the conditions of Mr Gupta’s detention. He had not been provided a vegetarian meal since he arrived at a Brooklyn detention facility on Friday, the lawyer said.
- “Essentially, my client has not been able to eat,” he said.He would also need to be allowed to pray, Mr Chabrowe said.
For detailed report click on :https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ggy5ypj68o
Gulf News – UAE ranked India’s 9th largest seafood export market
- The UAE continues to be the second most important export destination for India, according to annual trade figures released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- The US and the UAE retained the first and second places respectively in this category during the financial year 2022-23, the Ministry’s figures showed.
- The figures for the year were released a fortnight after the new year began. They showed that India’s overall exports of merchandise and services rose by six percent during the financial year that ended last month.
For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/business/markets/uae-ranked-indias-9th-largest-seafood-export-market-1.1718991768277
(The Report is curated by Dr Vinay Nalwa)
