India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Veteran diplomat and India's former Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu has joined the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) as Advisor to the Board and will be the Chairman of the USISPF Geopolitical Institute. In his new role, Ambassador Sandhu will lend his diplomatic acumen to guide USISPF's strategic engagements on the India-Middle-East-Europe-Economic Corridor (IMEC), the Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and the I2U2 (India, Israel, USA, and UAE) initiatives. During his stint in Washington, the seasoned diplomat had played a key role in strengthening the India-US relations and also worked closely with the USISPF before calling time on his 35-year diplomatic career in February 2024. "I am delighted to join the US India Strategic Partnership Forum as Chairman of its Geopolitical Institute. I have had the opportunity to work on as well as follow the India-US story for over three decades. The relationship has evolved into a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, underpinned by shared values and interests, matured in character and nurtured by the vibrant people-to-people ties between the two countries," said Sandhu while highlighting that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump have imparted renewed vigour through the India-US COMPACT that focuses on key sectors including defence, technology, energy and trade. He highlighted that USISPF has played a significant role in forging closer ties between the governments, industry, innovators and academia of India and the United States. With the Indo-Pacific a priority, Ambassador Sandhu is expected to lend to USISPF's work in the Quad, as four democracies - India, United States, Japan and Australia - strengthen defence ties, vaccine diplomacy in healthcare, energy partnerships, and critical and emerging technology. The key focus would also be on strengthening infrastructure, supply chains and economic corridors through the IMEC and the I2U2, which came into existence during Ambassador Sandhu's time in Washington. India and the United States have engaged in deep collaboration in the fields of energy, critical and emerging technology, education, space and defence since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power 11 years ago. "The most important strategic partnership of the 21st century, one between Washington and New Delhi, requires the art of deft diplomacy and sagacious statecraft. New Delhi has always sent its brightest minds to Washington, but few have come more experienced in understanding the contours of US-India relations than Ambassador Sandhu, who in his first stint in Washington, as the First Secretary (Political) as he formed crucial relations on Capitol Hill, with both Democrat and Republican lawmakers, during a time of sanctions from the Clinton Administration," said Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of USISPF, a non-profit, non-governmental, and non-partisan organisation with offices in Washington and New Delhi.
Assam's 75th Constitution Day highlighted the importance of the Indian Constitution, with CM Himanta Biswa Sarma commemorating the contributions of freedom fighters and Dr. BR Ambedkar. The event, held in Guwahati, underscored the Constitution's reflection of India's cultural heritage and its role in ensuring equality, freedom, and justice for all citizens. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma participated in the 75th Constitution Day celebrations in Guwahati, emphasizing the significance of the Indian Constitution. This annual observation, assigned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 ...Read More >
A question. Which party played identity politics in the 2024 campaign? Donald Trump and the Republicans or Kamala Harris and the Democrats? Left-leaning pundits think they know. Political consultant James Carville blamed Democrats' defeat on their "stupid, Goddamn identitarian mission." CNN anchor and Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria argued that one of the big mistakes Harris made was "elevating identity politics." New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd declared that "woke is broke." This one-sided attack on identity politics happens like clockwork when Democrats lose an election, eve ...Read More >
Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Union minister JP Nadda on Thursday said that the Chair should not be questioned or criticised about admissibility, calling it contempt of the House and Chairman. He also condemned Mallikarjun Kharge for criticising the Chair in a press conference the day before, calling it wrong. "The Chair cannot be questioned with regard to admissibility or for any other purposes. The Chairman's ruling cannot be questioned or criticised; to do so is contempt of the Hous ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Thursday backed the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' bill, stating that party supremo Nitish Kumar has always supported simultaneous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. He added that the party had previously voiced its support for the bill and had approached the relevant committee. Jha remarked, "Our party welcomes this. We had approached this committee, and I was also part of the delegation. Nitish Kumar has always advocated for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. We conveyed to the committee that ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 13 (ANI): Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Friday slammed the 'One Nation, One Election' being passed by the Union Cabinet, calling it an "attack on federalism." "The Congress party has already cleared its stand as One Nation One Election is an attack on federalism and there should be a discussion on the election process in the parliament," he said. The 'One Nation One Election' bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday paving the way for its introduction in Parliament. However, before its introduction in the Parliament, the bill initiated debate between the r ...Read More >
Constitution Day, known as Samvidhan Divas, is observed annually on November 26. This day commemorates the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1949. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the chairman of the Drafting Committee, played a pivotal role in shaping this foundational document. The Constitution officially came into effect on January 26, 1950, marking a transformative chapter in India's history. Why Do We Celebrate Constitution Day? Constitution Day is celebrated to remind citizens of their rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Indian Constitution. It serves as an opportunity to appreciate ...Read More >
xternal Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar, on Monday, met with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and discussed the conflict with Russia at the sidelines of the MED Mediterranean Dialogues Conference in Rome, Italy. Apart from Ukraine, EAM Jaishankar met with his counterparts from France, Lebanon, and Croatia as well. On his meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the EAM reiterated India's support for "dialogue and diplomacy" to end the long-running conflict. "Good to meet FM of Ukraine @andrii_sybihain Rome today. Useful exchange on advancing our bilateral cooperation. ...Read More >
Noting that the evolution of Quad has been a "notable development," External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said the Indo-Pacific is experiencing "significant changes" including new convergences and partnerships. "In an era of collaborative endeavours, the Indo-Pacific will require practical solutions, nimble diplomacy, greater adjustment and more open conversations. The G7 can be one such partner," Mr. Jaishankar said as he attended the G7 FMM Outreach Session with Indo-Pacific partners in the Italian city of Fiuggi on Tuesday. G7 ministers throw support behind Israel-Hezbollah ceasefir ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has approved the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, to revive a concept that was once the norm in India's electoral history. The proposal aims to streamline elections across the country by holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. The idea of holding simultaneous elections is not new to India. In the early years after independence, elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies were held together in 1951-52, 1957, 1962, and 1967. However, this practice was disrupted when several State Assemblies were dissolved prematurely in 1968 and 1969. ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): Amid ruckus in the House, Rajya Sabha was adjourned on Thursday till 11 am on December 13. Earlier in the day, the House was adjourned till 2 pm. However, after it reconvened in the afternoon, the House continued to witness the uproar as the Opposition members demanded discussions on various notices they had submitted. The House had to be adjourned within half an hour. Amid the ruckus, Former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda slammed the Opposition for bringing an impeachment motion against the House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. "For the first ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet cleared the bill for the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal on Thursday (December 12). This development comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA have been repeatedly advocating for this initiative asserting that it will "strengthen the democracy" by holding simultaneous elections in the country. "Elections are held at different places every few months and it hampers the developmental work and all of you know it. Therefore, it is must to have deep study and deliberation on 'One Nation, One Election'," the PM said. "Only one voters' list should be used f ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh has demanded that the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' bill be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, asserting that the bill undermines democracy. "The bill will be presented in Parliament, and we want it to be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which will hold discussions on it. The Indian National Congress's position was clarified last year by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who sent a four-page letter to former President Ram Nath Kovind's committee on One Nation, One Election, stating that we oppose the b ...Read More >
The incoming US president has vowed to press for a quick deal to end Russia's war - leaving Kyiv scrambling to position itself ahead of his January inauguration Nato foreign ministers looked set to rebuff Tuesday a push from Ukraine for progress on joining their alliance ahead of Donald Trump taking power in the United States. The incoming US president has vowed to press for a quick deal to end Russia's war - leaving Kyiv scrambling to position itself ahead of his January inauguration. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said getting security guarantees from the Western alliance and ...Read More >
UP: Karnataka Police have arrested the mother-in-law and brother-in-law of late Atul Subhash, who committed suicide on December 9 over alleged demand by his wife's family for Rs 3 crore as settlement. The sensational case has triggered debate over harassment of married men and misuse of dowry provisions in the country. Atul Subhash ended his life on Monday leaving behind a 40-page death note and 90-minute video explaining how he was allegedly tortured by his wife. Atul's In-Laws Arrested On Thursday Night The Karnataka Police arrested Nisha Singhania, Atul's mother-in-law and brother-in-law ...Read More >
Sunmei Hotels Group has announced the launch of Sunmei Group International (SGI) and three new overseas brands—SHANKEE, PENRO, and LANOU—marking its expansion into the UAE market. The company plans to introduce SHANKEE Hotels, a smart economy brand, to cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. SGI focuses on smart marketing, modular renovations, and intelligent operations, leveraging big data and AI to enhance service and guest experiences. Chairman Ma Yingyao aims to open 100 hotels globally within the next decade, doubling revenue and establishing a strong international presence for Chinese ...Read More >
H.E. Josel Francisco Ignacio, current Ambassador of the Philippines to India shares his credentials with President Droupadi Murmu On 16 November 1949, the Philippines and India, the two independent democracies would forge diplomatic ties. The two republics were born just a few years apart, first set out on the road to their bilateral friendship and collaboration. This inaugurated a period of closer government interaction, commerce and investment, and other bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Building on much common ground in history, democratic ideals, socio-economic imperatives and aspi ...Read More >
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as confirmed by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. The exact dates for the visit will be decided in early 2025. Ushakov highlighted that both leaders have an agreement to meet annually, and this year, it is Russia's turn to host the meeting. The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties between India and Russia, with discussions likely to cover key areas of cooperation between the two nations. ...Read More >
Amit Shah congratulates Chandigarh for being the first to fully implement three landmark criminal laws, promising nationwide adoption within three years. These new laws aim to redefine justice, focusing on fairness rather than punishment, and replacing outdated colonial legislation with democratic principles. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday lauded Chandigarh for becoming the first city in the nation to fully implement three groundbreaking criminal laws, signaling a shift in India's legal framework. The new legislation includes the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha San ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Terming the 5.4 per cent GDP growth in the second quarter as a "temporary phenomena", FICCI President Harsha Vardhan Agarwal on Thursday said the industry body expects India to achieve 6.5-7 per cent economic growth in the current financial year, while projecting a pick up in private investment. In an interview to PTI, Agarwal, who is also the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Emami Ltd, said the RBI needs to manoeuvre a "tight-rope balancing act" between inflation and economic growth, as he opined that the central bank has been doing a prudent job. Notably, the FI ...Read More >
Guwahati, Dec 12: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the "One Nation, One Election" bill, a landmark proposal aimed at synchronising elections across the country. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, currently on a visit to Odisha, hailed the move as a significant step toward "minimising disruptions" to developmental work caused by frequent election cycles. Speaking to the press during a visit to Jagannath Temple in Puri, Sarma asserted the rationale behind the initiative, stating, "Recently, we held Lok Sabha elections, and now legislative elections are around the corner in Assam. ...Read More >
Samsung's facing a lot of crises and the company has unable to chart a clear path forward, particularly in the semiconductor market, where its foundry is lagging behind, its next-gen memory products are struggling to compete against SK Hynix, and legacy products are under pressure from Chinese companies. The company does a significant employee reshuffle across the entire organization every year. The process has started a bit earlier this time around as there's very much a sense of urgency to improve things. The reshuffle has reportedly seen some senior executives being fired as well. Samsung ...Read More >
The honour is part of FIFPRO's Annual Merit Awards that recognise players giving back to their communities. The global soccer players' union will donate $10,000 to Onana's foundation. Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has won the FIFPRO Impact Award for humanitarian work, for the medical care his foundation provides to underprivileged communities in Cameroon and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Doctors have performed more than 1,200 surgical operations over the past three years in collaboration with the 28-year-old's Andre Onana Foundation, which works with medical professionals ...Read More >
Beijing: China has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States following recent threats by former President Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods. The statement comes amid growing tensions between the two economic giants over trade practices, technology policies, and geopolitical issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that China was open to "constructive dialogue" with the U.S., emphasizing the importance of cooperation to ensure global economic stability. "China believes that both countries should seek common ground and manag ...Read More >
TOI correspondent from Washington: In a warning shot that echoed across major world capitals and business majors on Tuesday, US President-elect Donald Trump said he will issue executive orders on day one of his presidency imposing new tariffs on all imported goods from China, Mexico and Canada, Washington's three largest trading partners, to stop the "invasion" of illegal migrants and drugs into the United States. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump put the onus of containing illegal border crossings squarely on two immediate neighbors on its southern and northern borders, saying "b ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the government at the Centre has strengthened the spirit of the Constitution over the last 10 years. Addressing the Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, PM Modi highlighted that in the last 10 years, more than 53 crore bank accounts were opened, more than 4 crore pukka houses were given and more than 10 crore free gas connections were given. "In the last 5-6 years, by providing tap water facilities in more than 12 crore houses, the government made the lives of citizens easy, particularly of women," he sai ...Read More >
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, campaigning to invite global investors to the Global Investors Summit to be held in Bhopal in February 2025, addressed an interactive session with industrialists during a roadshow in London, UK, on Tuesday. Yadav praised the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the rapid industrial development seen across India. Inviting the industrialists to invest in Madhya Pradesh, he highlighted that the state possesses one of the largest land banks in the country. Madhya Pradesh has transparent and investor-friendly policies and is a leader in the mining and ...Read More >
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 2 December 2024 - Long recognised as a land of luxury, Hong Kong has levelled up its luxury hub appeal following the Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024. Organised by Robb Report Hong Kong, the summit brought together luxury industry titans to discuss pivotal topics that "Redefine Luxury Through a Global Lens" at Regent Hong Kong on November 26-28, 2024. According to the latest "2024 Billionaire Census" report from Altrata, the city is currently world's no. 2 with the highest number of billionaires. The city is expected to have 22.4% more ultra-high-net-wor ...Read More >
NDIA bloc leaders, who submitted a notice of no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday, blamed the chair for not allowing them to speak in the Rajya Sabha. The leaders held a joint press conference labelling several charges against the chairman. "His behaviour (RS chairman) has damaged the dignity of the country. He has brought such a situation in the history of parliamentary democracy that we had to bring this notice for the resolution (of no confidence ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the 'One Nation, One Election,' bill in the parliament, marking a significant step towards the electoral process, sources told ANI. A comprehensive bill is expected to follow this decision, paving the way for unified elections across the nation. Earlier on Wednesday, former President of India Ram Nath Kovind stated that the Central government must build a consensus on the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, emphasising that the issue transcends political interests and serves the nation as a whole. Speaking to th ...Read More >
ABUJA, Nov 17: Nigeria on Sunday conferred its second-highest national award - the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger - on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making him the second foreign dignitary to receive the distinction. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp "Honoured to be conferred with the 'Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger' Award by Nigeria. I accept it with great humility and dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India and the friendship of India and Nigeria," Modi said after receiving the award from Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Click here to watch vid ...Read More >