8:58 AMIndia set to miss 2022 solar target by 27%: Report
India is projected to fall "well short" of its target for 2022 of having 100 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity, largely due to slow uptake of rooftop solar, a new report by JMK Research and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said on Tuesday.
As of December 2021, India's cumulative installed solar capacity was 55GW, with grid-connected utility-scale projects contributing 77 per cent and the balance coming from grid-connected rooftop solar (20 per cent) and mini or micro off-grid projects (three per cent).
With just eight months of 2022 remaining, only about 50 per cent of the 100GW target, consisting of 60GW of utility-scale and 40GW of rooftop solar capacity, has been met.
8:57 AMChhattisgarh: Voting underway for Khairagarh Assembly seat bypoll
Voting began on Tuesday amid tight security for the bypoll to Khairagarh Assembly seat in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-affected Rajnandgaon district.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) legislator and former MP Devvrat Singh last November.
A total of 10 candidates are in the fray.
Polling began at 7 am and it will be held till 5 pm," a poll official here said.
As many as 2,11,516 voters- 1,06,266 males and 1,05,250 females - can exercise their franchise, for which 291 polling stations have been set up. Of these, 53 have been recognised as hypersensitive polling booths and 11 as sensitive, he said.
8:56 AMIndia, US signed bilateral space situational awareness arrangement: Austin
India and the US have signed a bilateral space situational awareness arrangement, adding a new dimension to the growing defence relationship between the two countries, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
The agreement was signed by officials of the two countries on the sidelines of the India-US 2+2 ministerial here co-hosted by Austin along with the Secretary of State Tony Blinken.
The Indian delegation was led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
"I'm pleased to announce that just a few moments ago, we signed a bilateral space situational awareness arrangement, and this will support greater information sharing and cooperation in space, Austin told reporters at the conclusion of the 2+2 ministerial.
8:44 AMIndia probably buys less oil from Russia in month that what Europe does in afternoon: Jaishankar
India's total purchase of oil from Russia in a month is probably less than what Europe does in an afternoon, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.
"I noticed you refer to oil purchases. If you are looking at energy purchases from Russia, I would suggest that your attention should be focused on Europe. We do buy some energy, which is necessary for our energy security. But I suspect looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon," Jaishankar told a reporter when asked about India's oil purchase from Russia.
Jaishankar was addressing a joint news conference with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with their American counterparts Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after the conclusion of the 2+2 ministerial.
8:08 AMUS orders consular to leave Shanghai amid COVID outbreak
The US has ordered all non-emergency consular staff to leave Shanghai, which is under a tight lockdown to contain a COVID-19 surge.
The State Department said the order is an upgrade from the "authorized" departure issued last week that made the decision voluntary.
The order covers "non-emergency US government employees and their family members from US Consulate General Shanghai."
In its late Monday announcement, the department said, "Our change in posture reflects our assessment that it is best for our employees and their families to be reduced in number and our operations to be scaled down as we deal with the changing circumstances on the ground."
8:01 AMIndia's ties with Russia developed when US was unable to be its partner: Blinken
India's relationship with Russia was developed over decades at a time when the US was not able to be a partner of the South Asian country, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said as top officials of the Biden administration on Monday showed an understanding of New Delhi's position on Ukraine war.
"India's relationship with Russia was developed over decades at a time when the United States was not able to be a partner to India. Times have changed," Blinken told reporters at a joint press conference with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
7:50 AMIndia working towards mitigating global volatility, unpredictability: Jaishankar
The discussions during the India US 2+2 ministerial here has helped the two countries to strategize on mitigating the volatility and unpredictability that the world is currently experiencing, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.
"It has helped us today to strategize on mitigating the volatility and unpredictability that the world is currently experiencing. That will be naturally reflected in our policies," Jaishankar told reporters addressing a joint news conference with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and their American counterparts Secretary of State Tony Blinken and the Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The fourth 2+2, the first under the Biden administration, was held here on Monday.
The discussions have also encouraged the two countries to think together on long-term challenges, especially in the Indo-Pacific. "It has energized our collaborative endeavours to build what is emerging as a key bilateral relationship of our times," he said.
Responding to a question, Jaishankar said india is pressing for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. "I think part of what we are doing is to press for a cessation of hostilities, which I think everybody would agree would mitigate matters and clearly make the world less unpredictable."
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