Page 3 - India

India, Spain must contribute in building open, secure Indo-Pacific: Sanchez

Underlining the need to protect freedom of navigation amid assertiveness of Beijing in the South China Sea, Pedro Sanchez, President of the Government of Spain, on Tuesday said his country and India must contribute in building an Indo-Pacific region that is open and secure. Speaking at an event organised by the Spain-India Forum and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Mumbai, Sanchez maintained that the rules-based international order is at stake and hence Madrid and New Delhi must defend and work towards strengthening multilateral institutions. He said the world's centre of power has shifted towards Asia where India plays a key role. Sanchez announced that Spain is working to launch a new strategy for Asia which will revitalize his country's relations with the largest continent in the world. The central Indo-Pacific region accounts for 36 per cent of the world's GDP, pointed out the Spanish leader who is on an official visit to India. He said the vital region accounts for .

Indonesia plans to import 1 million tonnes of rice from India in 2025

Indonesia's rice output is estimated to fall 2.43% this year to 30.34 million metric tons, due to a delay in planting and harvest season amid longer dry weather in 2023, the statistics bureau

Ericsson anticipates growth in India driven by network densification

Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson expects its next phase of growth in India will be driven by network densification due to the rising data consumption appetite of end users in the country, a senior company official has said. Ericsson's managing director for India and head of networks for market area South East Asia, Oceania and India, Nitin Bansal told PTI that there is significant potential for growth in fixed wireless access in India, and it will soon surpass the number of deployments in the US. "The next phase of growth is focused on meeting increasing traffic requirements, primarily through network densification to enhance network utilisation. Network densification will occur due to increased network utilisation," he said. Ericsson estimates that the data traffic in India will grow from 29 GB per smartphone user per month to 68 GB per smartphone user per month by 2029. "If the trend continues, then service providers will densify the network to enhance the experience of users,

Explained: Details of India-China border agreement on LAC

Winter travel itinerary: Top 8 places to visit in winter in India 2024

India is a country that witnesses all seasons throughout the year. People who love to travel find winter an ideal time to take a break from their daily routine and travel

Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas dazzles in skies across world, here's how to see it

The social media has been flooded with the breathtaking pictures of the Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, leaving astronomers and skywatchers in awe

Key takeaways from Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan | India - Pakistan relation | SCO summit

BS Decoded: How Trump’s tariff plans could impact India and the world | US Election

UN urges Asia-Pacific nations to boost investments in disaster prevention

Disasters, including those wrought by fiercer storms, are threatening more people and could derail economic progress in the Asia Pacific region if governments don't invest more in disaster mitigation and prevention, a U.N. official said Tuesday. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Kamal Kishore, who heads the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, issued the warning in a speech at the start of a regional conference on disaster mitigation hosted by the Philippines, one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. "Disasters are now affecting record numbers of people and threatening their lives and livelihoods, Kishore told hundreds of delegates to the three-day conference in Manila led by ministers in charge of disaster mitigation and response across the Asia Pacific. "Left unchecked, these disaster risks threaten to derail the development aspirations of the Asia Pacific region and push back progress that has taken decades to achieve, he said. Kishore said Asia Pacific countries sho

India, Colombia to deepen engagement, explore new avenues of cooperation

Both sides also exchanged views on regional, multilateral, and international issues of mutual interest during the FOC on Tuesday, the Ministry of Externals Affairs (MEA) stated in a release

India backs statement condemning attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

India has backed a joint statement by the UNIFIL-contributing countries that "strongly condemned" the recent attacks on the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon and said such actions must stop immediately. The joint statement, initially co-signed by 34 countries, came after at least five United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers were wounded in recent days as Israeli troops launched attacks in southern Lebanon as part of its campaign against Hezbollah. "We consider UNIFIL's role as particularly crucial in light of the escalating situation in the region. We therefore strongly condemn recent attacks on the UNIFIL peacekeepers. Such actions must stop immediately and should be adequately investigated," said the joint statement posted on X by Poland's mission to the UN on Saturday. India, initially not mentioned among co-signatories, on Saturday said it aligns itself fully with the joint statement. "As a major Troop Contributing Country, India aligns itself fully with th

Indian tech sector saw deals worth $635 mn in Sep quarter: Grant Thorton

Indian Tech sector witnessed deals worth USD 635 million in July-September period of 2024, registering a 31 per cent increase in value year-on-year, a recent report has revealed. Consultancy firm Grant Thorton Bharat's Q3 Dealtracker report for the tech sector said the quarter witnessed the highest deal volumes since Q2 2023 but the lowest for the year 2024, reflecting more strategic investments rather than large-scale acquisitions. Grant Thornton Bharat Partner Raja Lahiri said the recent interest rate cut by the US Fed, coupled with India's post-election stability, has infused new momentum into the deal landscape, with notable value and volume growth. "With the elections behind in India, we saw an increase in deal activity both in terms of volume and value compared to the previous quarter. "Q3 2024 witnessed 79 deals valued at USD 635 million, representing a 5 per cent increase in volumes and a 31 per cent increase in values," he said. Out of the total deals, 12 were valued at a

Trump takes aim at India’s tariffs- promises action if re-elected

India in focus for Booking.com global expansion plans, says country manager

Online reservation platform Booking.com sees India as a "big priority" in terms of its global expansion plans and a long-term strategic player in the travel and tourism space, Santosh Kumar, the firm's Country Manager for India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, said. In an interview to PTI, Kumar said the company is betting big on India and it continues to invest "very heavily" in the country's market. Brazil and Japan, too, are priority markets for Booking.com as it looks at further expansion in markets apart from the US, he said. "When you look at Booking.com and also Booking Holdings, the parent company... post-pandemic, our domestic business has also grown very significantly... It (India) is a very big priority. We continue to invest very heavily in this market and we are really looking at India as a long-term strategic player," Kumar told PTI. Booking.com traditionally was started in Europe, and that's where it has grown very significantly over the years, he said. "US is a

Mayawati opts to stay away from alliance with regional parties, NDA, INDIA

BSP chief Mayawati Friday announced her party will no longer form alliances with regional forces in Uttar Pradesh or any other state, citing unsatisfactory results from previous partnerships, and also continue to maintain distance from the BJP and Congress-led alliances. The decision was taken during a review meeting of the "bitter experience of the Haryana assembly election results and prior Punjab elections", the former four-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister said in a series of posts in Hindi on social media platform X. "The BSP had consistently transferred its votes to alliance partners during elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states, but the inability of these partners to reciprocate had led to disappointing results, which demoralized party workers and hurt the party's movement," she said. She noted that it was important to protect the party cadres from further disappointment and damage to the "movement". "In this context, considering the bitter experience of the Haryana ...

PM Modi, Thai counterpart talk trade and cultural connections at ASEAN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra and discussed ways to improve trade ties and boost cultural linkages between the two nations. Prime Minister Modi is in Laos on a two-day visit to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits. Modi met Shinawatra on the sidelines of the East Asia summit. "Met PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Lao PDR. Thailand is a deeply valued friend of India's," Modi said in a post on X. "Our talks were focused on how to improve trade ties between our nations and to boost cultural linkages. We also see great scope in sectors like defence, shipping, digital innovations and more," he said. Shinawatra became Thailand Prime Minister in August this year.

India, Germany to finalise agenda for PM Modi-Scholz meeting, says envoy

Ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit, the country's Ambassador to India Phillip Ackermann has outlined key discussion areas for the intergovernmental consultations. He said the consultations are being finalised through a series of visits and phone calls between high-level officials from both countries. "I think what we will see is a significant focus on the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership that we have with India, a substantial emphasis on military and strategic policy, and defence. "It will also include important discussions on migration, which is a vital aspect of our cooperation," the ambassador told PTI Videos. Furthermore, the agenda will address the dynamics of German and Indian businesses operating in each other's countries. On Tuesday, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephone conversation with German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius. Ackermann viewed the call as a precursor to the upcoming intergovernmental consultations scheduled

Rajnath Singh, Pistorius discuss strengthening Indo-German defence ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday had a telephonic conversation with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius during which they reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation activities, including exercises in the air and maritime domains. The ministers also discussed ways to further strengthen the defence industrial collaboration and enhance supply chain resilience, the Indian defence ministry said. "Rajnath Singh held a telephonic conversation with the German Federal Minister of Defence Mr Boris Pistorius on October 8," it said. The telephonic conversation comes ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's scheduled visit to India later this month. The ministers "briefly reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation activities including exercises in the air and maritime domains," the ministry said in a statement. Singh and Pistorius discussed ways to further strengthen the defence industrial collaboration and enhance supply chain resilience, it added. "They planned to meet in the near f

India's first consignment of emergency relief reaches flood-hit Nepal

The Indian Embassy here handed over the first consignment of emergency relief materials, including sleeping bags, blankets and tarpaulin sheets, to authorities in flood-struck Nepal, according to an official statement. The 4.2 tonnes of aid supplies handed over on Monday were for families affected by the recent inundation in Nepal, the Indian Embassy said in a press release. Days of relentless downpours late last month triggered widespread floods and landslides, leaving more than 240 people dead across the Himalayan nation. Transported to Nepalgunj from India, the consignment was handed over by Second Secretary Narayan Singh on behalf of the Indian government to the Chief District Officer of Banke, Khagendra Prasad Rijal, the press release said. It comprised tarpaulins, sleeping bags, blankets, Chlorine tablets and water bottles. The Indian government was also "arranging other essential hygiene items and medicines as well as other relief materials, which will be delivered soon," t

Indian Air Force Day 2024: Know history, significance, theme and more

India will observe its 92nd Air Force Day 2024 on October 8, 2024. It is a day to reflect on its contribution to protecting the country and its people. It also engages in rescue and military operation