In a dynamic world where information is abundant, understanding India’s global representation is essential. This edition of “India in Global Media,” spanning to March 24 – March 30, offers an in-depth exploration of India’s portrayal through the lenses of international news outlets. Delve into this weekly compilation as we navigate the narratives that frame India’s image on the world stage.

 

Reuters – India keen on trade deals with Britain, Oman early in Modi’s probable third term, sources say

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to prioritise completion of free trade deals with Britain and Oman in the first 100 days of the next government if he wins upcoming elections as opinion polls predict, two government sources said.
• Modi has asked Indian ministries to set annual goals for the next five years that will fit into a 100-day action plan as he chalks out a strategy to fuel further growth in Asia’s third-largest economy.

For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-keen-trade-deals-with-britain-oman-early-modis-probable-third-term-sources-2024-03-29/

 

Reuters – Indian Navy rescues Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by pirates

• The Indian Navy said it had freed a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel from nine armed pirates in the Arabian Sea on Friday, rescuing its crew unharmed.
• The fishing vessel, Al-Kambar 786, was southwest of the Yemeni island of Socotra on March 28 when it was reported to have been boarded by pirates, according to a statement from the navy late on Friday.
• The ship was intercepted by the INS Sumedha and INS Trishul, leading to “over 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures” forcing the pirates to surrender, the navy said.

For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/indian-navy-rescues-iranian-fishing-vessel-hijacked-by-pirates-2024-03-30/

 

Gulf News – Indian navy says intercepted hijacked vessel near Somalia

• India’s navy said Friday it intercepted a fishing vessel in the Arabian Sea after a suspected hijacking, its latest anti-piracy operation after a spate of regional attacks on shipping.
• Two Indian vessels had approached the Iranian-flagged FV Al Kamar 786 around 165 kilometres southwest of the Yemeni island of Socotra, not far from the eastern tip of Somalia.
• An operation was “currently underway by the Indian Navy towards rescue of hijacked FV & its crew,” the navy said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
• The statement added that nine armed pirates were believed to have taken over the vessel. It did not say how many crew members were aboard.

For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/indian-navy-says-intercepted-hijacked-vessel-near-somalia-1.1711737191189

 

BBC – Airlines are roaring back in places you might not expect

• When India’s Tata Group bought the country’s national airline, it was welcomed as something of a miracle. Air India had been mired in debt and under-funded state management for decades. No-one wanted even a piece of the iconic but loss-making carrier.
• But a deal was struck in 2021, just as the world was emerging from the pandemic – and airlines were betting big on revenge travel once borders reopened.
• The rebound is well and truly under way and air travel is off to a roaring start in 2024. There have been warnings of slower growth in the US, where spending is expected to plateau after a post-pandemic spike. But it is a different story on the other side of the world in Asia.
• “If we look at the size of the opportunity in India, it’s already the world’s most populous country,” Air India’s chief executive Campbell Wilson told the BBC at a recent aviation event in Singapore. “It has the geographic advantage… connecting regions of the world together. And it is a hugely underserved market.”

For detailed report click on : https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68573429

 

Reuters – India mandates weekly reporting on wheat stocks to prevent hoarding

• India has asked traders, major retailers and food processors to declare wheat stocks every Friday from April to prevent hoarding and price spikes, the government said on Friday.
• The world’s second-biggest wheat consumer after China has been trying to contain wheat prices after heat waves curtailed production for two straight years, forcing the government to sell record volumes to boost domestic supplies.
• India had imposed a limit on how much wheat stock traders could hold to moderate prices. However, the limit is set to expire on March 31st and after that, traders must declare their wheat stocks, the government said in a statement.
• The measure is aimed to “”manage overall food security and prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation,” it added.

For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-mandates-weekly-reporting-wheat-stocks-prevent-hoarding-2024-03-29/

 

Arab News – Ukraine FM arrives in New Delhi to boost ties with India, a historical ally of Russia

• Ukraine’s foreign minister arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day visit to boost bilateral ties and cooperation with India, which considers Russia a time-tested ally from the Cold War-era.
• Dmytro Kuleba will meet with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday, as well as the deputy national security adviser, according to India’s Foreign Ministry. On Thursday, Kuleba will pay his respects to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat memorial site.
• His visit comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladmir Putin, whom India has so far avoided criticizing over the war in Ukraine. Instead, New Delhi has stressed the need for diplomacy and dialogue on ending the war and has expressed its willingness to contribute to peace effort

For detailed report click on :https://www.arabnews.com/node/2484556/world

 

Arab News – Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal’s custody extended until April 1 in graft case

• An Indian court extended the custody of opposition leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal until April 1 on Thursday in a graft case related to the national capital territory’s liquor policy, local media said.
• India’s financial crime-fighting agency arrested Kejriwal last week in connection with corruption allegations related to the city’s liquor policy and he was remanded to its custody until Thursday, weeks before India begins voting in general elections on April 19.
• The issue has also drawn international attention with the US and Germany calling for a “fair” and “impartial” trial in the case, causing New Delhi to tell Washington and Berlin that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary and that they should stay away from its internal affairs.

For detailed report click on : https://www.arabnews.com/node/2484296/world

 

CNN – India summons US State Department official over call for fair legal treatment of arrested opposition leader

• India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned a US State Department official after the department called for a fair legal process for opposition leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal following his arrest last week.
• “We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India,” the Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
• “In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies,” the statement added.
• The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned Gloria Berbena, the State Department Minister-Counselor for Public Diplomacy, according to a diplomatic officer with knowledge of the matter.

For detailed report click on : https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/28/india/india-state-department-kejriwal-objection-intl-hnk/index.html

 

CNN – Court ruling effectively outlaws Islamic schools in India’s most populous state

• A court in India’s most populous state has effectively banned Islamic schools by striking down a law governing madrasas, weeks before a nationwide election that could further polarize the world’s largest democracy along religious lines.
• The Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh on Friday declared the Madrasa Act of 2004 to be unconstitutional, according to a court order seen by CNN, while ordering the state government to move students enrolled in the Islamic system into mainstream schools.
• “We hold that the Madarsa (sic) Act, 2004, is violative of the principle of Secularism, which is a part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India,” the high court said in its order.
• “Since providing education is one of the primary duties of the State, it is bound to remain secular while exercising its powers in the said field. It cannot provide for education of a particular religion, its instructions, prescriptions and philosophies or create separate education systems for separate religions.”

For detailed report click on : https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/24/india/india-madrasa-court-ruling-uttar-pradesh-intl-hnk/index.html

 

BBC – Holi 2024: Indians celebrate festival of colours

• The festival celebrates the beginning of spring and the victory of good over evil. Held on the last full-moon day of the lunar month, the festival sees people smearing bright colours on friends and family and offering prayers.
• Holi is based on the Hindu legend of Holika, a female demon, who tries to kill her nephew Prahlad because he worships the Hindu god Vishnu. But Prahlad miraculously survives the burning fire even as Holika is consumed by the flames.
• As part of the festivities, bonfires are lit the evening before Holi in the belief that they will destroy the bad so that good can triumph.
• As it’s one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India, millions of people travel to their hometowns and villages in the days leading up to Holi. Huge processions are held in several parts of the country to mark the festival.

For detailed report click on : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68653560

 

Reuters – Ukraine and India agree to restore ties to pre-war levels, discuss peace plan

• The foreign ministers of India and Ukraine said on Friday they had agreed to restore trade and cooperation to levels before Russia’s invasion, as Kyiv seeks to build support for its peace plan with an old friend of Moscow.
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was in India on the first visit by a top official from Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, ahead of a possible international summit in the coming months to advance its blueprint for peace.
• Jaishankar said that “our immediate goal is to get trade back to earlier levels”.
• In newspaper interviews ahead of his talks, Kuleba said Ukraine was not against cooperation between India and Russia, but urged New Delhi to stand by Kyiv, saying India’s close ties with Russia were based on a Soviet legacy that was evaporating.

For detailed report click on : https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-urges-india-rethink-soviet-legacy-russia-ties-ft-reports-2024-03-29/

(The Report is curated by Dr Vinay Nalwa)