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[1/2] A man charges an electric vehicle (EV) at the charging hub of Indian ride-hailing BluSmart Electric Mobility in Gurugram, India, December 9, 2022. SCALING UPIndia's ride-hailing market is currently worth $13.4 billion - a tenth of China's - and penetration is just 7%, according to Statista, making the country of 1.4 billion a lucrative opportunity. BluSmart, which operates in just two cities with 5,000 vehicles, says it commands 9% market share of Delhi's ride-hailing market. In February, Uber's India chief Singh dismissed concerns about BluSmart, saying Uber still offered more diverse ride options, including scooters and autorickshaws. "In a way it (BluSmart) has forced Uber to reimagine how it wants to play in India," WEF's Khurana said.

☆ WTO panel rules against India in IT tariffs dispute with EU, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GENEVA, April 17 (Reuters) - A World Trade Organization panel said on Monday that India had violated global trading rules in a dispute with the European Union, Japan and Taiwan over import duties on IT products. "We recommend that India bring such measures into conformity with its obligations," the WTO panel's report said. The EU is India's third largest trading partner, accounting for 10.8% of total Indian trade in 2021, according to the European Commission. The WTO panel said that India had already brought some of the challenged tariffs into line with global trading rules since last year. While the panel broadly backed the complaints against India, it rejected one of Japan's claims that New Delhi's customs notification lacked "predictability".

☆ India has not suspended trade talks with UK, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW DELHI, April 10 (Reuters) - Trade talks between India and Britain have not been suspended and will continue this year, three officials said on Monday, responding to a British newspaper report that said India had "disengaged" from the talks after London failed to condemn Sikh separatists. An official in India's foreign ministry said progress in the trade talks and New Delhi's concerns around Sikh separatist activities in Britain should not be interlinked. A diplomatic official in the British High Commission in New Delhi said trade talks will continue in a scheduled manner and security officials in London were addressing India's concerns about Sikh separatist activities in Britain. "Both the UK and India are committed to delivering an ambitious and mutually beneficial FTA and concluded the latest round of trade talks last month," a spokesperson for Britain's Department for Business and Trade said. A second Indian foreign ministry source said that trade talks with Britain had not been suspended, and described the media report to be "baseless".

[1/2] An Air India Airbus A320neo passenger plane moves on the runway after landing at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, in Ahmedabad, India, October 22, 2021. In another sign of the formerly government-owned carrier's whirlwind transformation under its new owner Tata Group, Air India is testing ChatGPT, OpenAI's popular chatbot, to replace paper-based practices. Air India is not only reworking every aspect of operations - from systems to supply chains - but integrating four Tata-related airlines, with Air India due to merge with Vistara while low-cost Air India Express and AirAsia India also converge. Airline mergers in India have had little success with Air India still hobbled by the botched integration of Indian Airlines in 2007. Air India's planes are already a mix of Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N) jets with multiple cabin configurations.

Yet he remains at the centre of India's opposition politics and the main target of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu- nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Gandhi entered politics and was first elected to parliament in 2004 from his family borough of Amethi in the northern heartland state of Uttar Pradesh. He repeated that victory in 2009 and 2014 but suffered a shock setback in 2019 when he lost the seat. However, he had also contested a seat in the Kerala state and won there to return to parliament. Outside parliament, he has often reminded his supporters of his family's commitment and sacrifices, talking about the assassinations of his grandmother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and his former prime minister father, Rajiv Gandhi.

☆ Lahore is most polluted city, Chad worst among countries - survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lahore's air quality worsened to 97.4 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic meter from 86.5 in 2021, making it the most polluted city globally. Hotan, the only Chinese city in the top 20, followed Lahore with PM2.5 levels of 94.3, an improvement from 101.5 in 2021. While Chad had an average level of 89.7, Iraq, which had the second most polluted air for a country, averaged 80.1. Bangladesh's air quality improved from 2021, when it was tagged as the country with the worst air. The index was prepared using data from more than 30,000 air quality monitors in more than 7,300 locations in 131 countries, territories and regions.

☆ Nepal seeks easier trade access to Chinese markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Beijing accounts for 14% of Nepal's international trade while India holds nearly two-thirds of it, trade officials said. Beijing will also help Nepal construct a trans-Himalayan railway network linking Kathmandu with the Tibet region of China. He had requested China to give access to "some 512 tradable Nepali products" to the country's duty-free and quota-free market, he said. "Trade is the engine of growth and our future prosperity lies in our capacity to produce and trade more," Dahal added. China allows duty and quota free entry to 8,030 items from least-developed countries including Nepal, officials said.

[1/3] Sales representatives stand outside their kiosks inside a luxury residential project by Indian property developer DLF in Gurugram, India, February 28, 2023. Many people want to upgrade their homes after the COVID-19 pandemic confined them indoors, industry executives say. "I haven't seen such a mad rush in a decade," said Prashant Thakur, head of research at real estate consultant Anarock. Mercedes sold a record number of high-end cars in India last year and luxury goods are in high demand too. So far, around 160 people were invited for a viewing and 17 of 46 flats sold in the eight-storey project.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to end the war and urged Moscow to reverse its suspension of the New START nuclear treaty, a senior U.S. official said. The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov and Blinken spoke "on the move" for less than 10 minutes at the end of the closed-door session, and did not engage in any negotiations, Russian news agencies reported. Blinken later told a news conference he had told Lavrov to engage in diplomacy during the unscheduled encounter. [1/6] U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken (top L) walks past Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (lower) during the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on March 2, 2023. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said the war in Ukraine had hurt "almost every country on the planet, in terms of food, energy, inflation".

☆ India says its infrastructure boost could create much-needed jobs. Economists aren't so sure
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

High unemployment remains a challenge for India, and has been one of the biggest criticisms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesIndia is pumping up its infrastructure spending, a move the government says will create much-needed jobs. On the other hand, 94% of jobs are in the unorganized sector — with half the jobs in agriculture. watch nowAs India's infrastructure sector becomes more reliant on technology and automation, the upcoming boom in projects will create jobs for the organized sector, Kumar said. A lack of investments in the unorganized sector hence leaves many stuck with unstable jobs without a fixed income.

[1/3] FILE PHOTO-Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a meeting with heads of foreign media outlets in Moscow, Russia, February 15, 2023. Last July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov walked out of a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, also in Bali, after the West strongly denounced the war. The G20 bloc includes the wealthy G7 democracies, as well as Russia, China, India, Australia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia among other countries. The foreign ministers' meeting will also be watched for how tensions between Washington and Beijing play out, including over the Ukraine war. "It is unlikely that G20 foreign ministers can agree on common language suggesting ways and mechanisms to deal with the situation in Ukraine," he said.

☆ Top Delhi minister arrested in India liquor probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Feb 27 (Reuters) - India's federal investigating agency arrested a top local minister in the capital territory of New Delhi late on Sunday in connection with alleged irregularities in a liquor policy, the most high-profile arrest in the case so far. Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister in the Delhi government was arrested by India's federal crime agency, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) late Sunday night and will be produced in a local court on Monday. Sisodia was arrested in an ongoing investigation in "a case related to alleged irregularities in framing & implementation of the excise policy", the CBI said in a release. His arrest is dirty politics," Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi's chief minister and head of the Aam Aadmi Party said in a tweet hours after Sisodia's arrest. India's financial crime-fighting agency, the Enforcement Directorate is separately investigating French liquor major Pernod Ricard for allegedly violating the same liquor policy.

☆ Germany's Scholz committed for Free Trade deal between India, EU
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the only G-7 leader to do so. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that he and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi were committed to sealing a free trade deal between India and the European Union (EU). The EU and India revived negotiations to forge a free trade agreement last year with the aim of completing talks by the end of 2023. For the EU, a free trade agreement with India would fit its strategy of increasing engagement with the Indo-Pacific region, where the bloc is targeting bilateral deals to take advantage of expected higher economic growth. Modi said India and Germany were committed to realizing their untapped potential in sectors such as security and defense cooperation.

☆ Uber says Delhi's plans to allow only electric bike taxis to impact millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Uber Technologies Inc FollowBENGALURU, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N) said on Friday plans by the local government in India's Delhi city to only allow electric vehicles to function as bike taxis would risk "finishing off the sector" and impact the mobility needs of millions. Uber, in a blogpost, said any such move would put at risk the livelihood of over 100,000 drivers in the city. Uber has set a 2040 target for 100% of its rides to be in zero-emission vehicles, public transport or with micro-mobility, including in India. Earlier this month, Uber announced plans to introduce 25,000 EVs over three years in India. Uber, which offers bike rides in Delhi and many other states in India, did not respond to a Reuters request for a comment on the advertisement.

☆ Germany's Scholz says want to deepen relations with India, meets Modi
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Adnan AbidiNEW DELHI/BERLIN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday said he wanted to deepen his nation's relationship with India ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. "India and Germany have very good relations and want to deepen them. That will be the topic of our talks and, importantly, peace in the world," Scholz said on Twitter. India has also sharply raised its purchases of oil from Russia, its biggest supplier of defence hardware, although prices have fallen. Scholz is travelling with a business delegation in a hope of growing that number, with a focus on investment in green technology.

☆ India finance minister and U.S. Treasury's Yellen discuss debt, crypto
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks during a side event on the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, 14 July 2022. Made Nagi/Pool via REUTERSBENGALURU, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discussed strengthening multilateral development banks, global debt vulnerabilities and crypto assets on the sidelines of the G20 finance chiefs meeting on Thursday, the finance ministry said. India is hosting the first major G20 event under its year-long presidency at the summer retreat of Nandi Hills near tech hub Bengaluru. "The two leaders discussed their perspectives on strengthening MDB (multilateral development banks), global debt vulnerabilities, crypto assets besides the Just Energy Transition Partnership," New Delhi's finance ministry said in a tweet. Under the partnership, the United States and its allies, as well as multilateral development banks and agencies, provide funding to developing economies to move away from coal production and consumption.

☆ A first-of-its-kind fighter jet landing shows India's big ambitions for its growing aircraft carrier fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Two fighter jets landed on and took off from India's new aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, this month. The continued growth of India's carrier fleet reflects New Delhi's ambitions in the region. Indian carriersA naval variant of India's Tejas fighter jet lands on INS Vikrant on February 6. Indian navyThough Vikrant is India's first domestically built carrier, it is actually the fourth to enter service with the Indian Navy. The third carrier, INS Vikramaditya, is a modified Kiev-class carrier India purchased from Russia in 2004.

[1/2] The Gateway of India monument in Mumbai is lit up to mark India's G20 presidency on December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File PhotoBENGALURU, Feb 22 (Reuters) - India does not want the Group of 20 nations to discuss additional sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine during New Delhi's one-year presidency of the bloc, six senior Indian government officials told Reuters. "India is not keen to discuss or back any additional sanctions on Russia during the G20," said one of the officials. "The existing sanctions on Russia have had a negative impact on the world." India has also sharply raised purchases of oil from Russia, its biggest supplier of defence hardware.

☆ U.S. tries to woo India away from Russia with display of F-35s, bombers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Krishn Kaushik | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BENGALURU, Feb 17 - The United States brought its most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, to India for the first time this week alongside F-16s, Super Hornets and B-1B bombers as Washington looks to woo New Delhi away from its traditional military supplier, Russia. The American delegation to the week-long Aero India show in Bengaluru, which ends on Friday, is the biggest in the 27-year history of the show and underlines the growing strategic relationship between the United States and India. Its state-owned weapons exporter Rosoboronexport had a joint stall with United Aircraft and Almaz-Antey, displaying miniature models of aircraft, trucks, radars and tanks. "Even if weapons sales aren't the cornerstone of the relationship, there is a cooperation and collaboration at the military level between India and the U.S.," he added. The United States is selective about which countries it allows to buy the F-35.

☆ RBI to hike repo rate by 25 bps in Feb, ending tightening cycle: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Devayani Sathyan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Like many other major central banks, the RBI is expected to then pause, waiting for inflation to fall before considering a shift toward a stimulative stance as Asia's third-largest economy slows. More than three-quarters of economists, 40 of 52, expected the RBI to raise its key repo rate (INREPO=ECI) by 25 basis points to 6.50%, according to a Jan. 13-27 Reuters poll. "They (the RBI) need to pause at some point to see what exactly is the impact of the previous monetary tightening overall on growth and inflation. That is why I believe it is not premature for them to pause after 6.50%," said Upasna Bhardwaj, chief economist at Kotak Mahindra Bank. A deteriorating global economic outlook also suggests downgrades to India's outlook are likely in coming months.

☆ Indian university warns students not to screen BBC documentary on Modi
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW DELHI, Jan 24 (Reuters) - A top Indian university has threatened strict disciplinary action if its students' union carries out plans on Tuesday to screen a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the move might disturb peace and harmony on campus. The students' union of New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, long seen as a bastion of left-wing politics, said on Twitter it would screen the documentary, "India: The Modi Question", at a cafeteria at 9 p.m. (1530 GMT). "The concerned students/individuals are firmly advised to cancel the proposed programme immediately, failing which a strict disciplinary action may be initiated as per the university rules." She declined to comment on the university's threat of disciplinary action, however. The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the threat of disciplinary action.

☆ Indian university warns against screening of BBC documentary on Modi
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Jan 24 (Reuters) - A top Indian university has warned its students' union of strict disciplinary action if it goes ahead with a planned screening of a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, saying it might disturb peace and harmony of the campus. Modi was chief minister of Gujarat during the violence in which more than 2,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims. The university administration said on its website it had not given permission for the documentary to be shown. "This is to emphasise that such an unauthorised activity may disturb peace and harmony of the university campus," the university said. The documentary is also scheduled to be screened at various campuses in the southern state of Kerala on Tuesday.

Food and fertiliser subsidies that help two-thirds of India's 1.4 billion people will also be scaled back, according to the survey. But private investment has lagged New Delhi's lead for about a decade. Capex is set to increase in fiscal 2023/24 by about 17% to 8.85 trillion Indian rupees ($109 billion), from an estimated 7.50 trillion rupees in the current fiscal year, itself up roughly 35% on a year before. Reuters Poll: Indian budget projections - 1The total of public and private investment as a proportion of the economy has declined since 2014, when Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power. The poll also found the government would cut food and fertiliser subsidies by 26% to 3.7 trillion rupees from almost 5.0 trillion rupees expected during the current fiscal year.

☆ Despite India's economic growth, few jobs and meagre pay for urban youth
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Manoj Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

He has since remained unemployed, unable to pay back a 100,000 rupee ($1,224) loan he took to buy a two-wheeler scooter. The rising unemployment in India belies other indicators suggesting the economy is undergoing a healthy rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the surge in people looking for work, many of them rural migrants, raises concerns about consumption and longer term growth prospects. The urban unemployment rate swelled to 10.1% in December, although the total number of jobs in India touched a pre-pandemic level of 410 million, data compiled by Mumbai-based think-tank Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) showed. Urban unemployment spiked during the pandemic years, largely because of lockdowns, but before that it hovered between 6%-7%, according to CMIE data.

Pernod Ricard India said it strongly denies the allegations of the directorate, adding that it "will continue to fully cooperate with the Indian authorities in this matter." Benoy Babu, head for international brands for Pernod India, was arrested in November and remains in jail over the case. He faces allegations of money laundering under Indian laws and violating Delhi's liquor policy rules, but has denied wrongdoing. Under the 2021 Delhi liquor policy, hundreds of store licences were awarded to private players as the city government exited the retail business in a move to liberalise trade and boost local government revenue. One Enforcement Directorate document dated Nov. 10 says: "The main motive of Pernod Ricard in cartel creation was to ensure that the retail shops of the cartel partners purchased higher quantity of Pernod Ricard brands ... in lieu of the financial assistance provided."

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