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: India on Friday categorically rejected recent remarks by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, dismissing his claim that tariffs imposed by the United States had prompted India to question Russia over its Ukraine strategy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that no such discussions had taken place and urged the NATO chief to exercise greater caution in the future. In a strongly worded official statement, the MEA rebuked Rutte for asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directly spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the matter. "We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary-General Mr Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin. The statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless. At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place," the MEA said. MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while speaking to the media, said, "We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless. At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place." "We expect the leadership of an important and esteemed institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister's engagement or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable. As previously stated, India's energy imports are meant to ensure a predictable and affordable energy cost to the Indian consumer. India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security..." he further marked. Speaking to CNN on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte claimed that tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on India were significantly impacting Russia. He further alleged that New Delhi had contacted President Putin, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly asking him to clarify his strategy on Ukraine, as India was being adversely affected by the tariffs. In response, India urged Rutte to exercise greater caution in his public remarks, expressing hope that the NATO chief would act more responsibly in the future. "We expect the leadership of an important institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister's engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable," the Ministry of External Affairs said. The government further reiterated its long-standing position on energy security, "As previously stated, India's energy imports are intended to ensure predictable and affordable energy prices for Indian consumers. India will continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard its national interests and economic security," it added.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries ...Read More >
A top NATO chief has urged business leaders to begin preparing for a 'wartime scenario' following rising tensions across the world. The warning comes as Germany announced it was drawing up a list of bunkers and other underground facilities that could provide shelter for civilians in the event of an attack. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer (pictured) warned that NATO members needed to adjust their production and distribution lines in order to be less vulnerable to blackmail from countries such as Russia and China. The chair of NATO's military committee said: 'If we can m ...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 >
Bengaluru -- Gold prices rose for a second session on Tuesday as the dollar weakened, with markets evaluating the possible consequences of US President Donald Trump's policies in his second term after his inauguration. Spot gold gained 0.6% to $2,724.74/oz by 2.40am GMT. US gold futures was 0.2% lower at $2,742.50. The dollar was down about 1% after reports suggested any new taxes would be imposed in a "measured" way. A weaker dollar makes gold more attractive to foreign buyers. "There is a sense of relief in risk sentiment to know that tariffs have not been an immediate focus. The unwindin ...Read More >
New Delhi: Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's decision to visit China before India after assuming office in 2024 had reignited speculations about the trajectory of India-Nepal bilateral ties. While some analysts see this as a shift in Kathmandu's diplomatic priorities, New Delhi has downplayed concerns, maintaining that relations between the two South Asian neighbours remain strong. "I can tell you that the relations between the two countries remain good and strong and we want to further strengthen these," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his regular medi ...Read More >
Mumbai, Feb 10: The rupee on Monday plunged 45 paise and moved closer to the 88 per US dollar-level, weighed down by the strength of the American currency tariff concerns, but eventually settled at 87.45, up 5 paise, following RBI intervention. The American currency gained in the overseas market after US President Donald Trump's plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, along with reciprocal tariffs targeting countries taxing US exports. The move has added jitters over the global trade war with China's reciprocal duties coming into effect, they said. At the interban ...Read More >
Russian President Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to visit India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with plans for the visit to be finalized in early 2025. This announcement was made by Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov during a recent briefing. According to Ushakov, the two leaders have agreed to meet annually, and this time it is Russia's turn to host the meeting. "Our leaders have an agreement to hold meetings once a year. This time, it's our turn," the diplomat noted. "We received Mr. Modi's invitation and we will certainly consider it positively," he stated. Regarding the tentative date ...Read More >
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia and Canada on Monday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that aims to strengthen economic ties between the two G20 members, three years after negotiations began. The agreement will take effect in 2026 and was signed in Jakarta by trade ministers of both countries. Indonesia's trade minister, Budi Santoso, said Indonesia appreciated Canada's support for its plan to prioritise its critical minerals sector, which was vital for its sustainable growth. "Together, we advance sustainable critical mineral management, supporting Indonesia's net ...Read More >
As per Moneycontrol's calculations, a 7 per cent growth in the remaining two quarters will put India's GDP at 6.5 per cent. The Indian economy would find it challenging to achieve over 7 per cent growth for the fourth consecutive year, economists said. They pointed out that the second-quarter (Q2) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, which was announced on November 29, has made the task even more daunting for the government. "A sharper than expected growth slowdown in Q2 has tilted risks to our outlook of 6.8 per cent for the current fiscal downwards," said DK Joshi, chief economist, Crisil. ...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 >
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Import tariffs expected to be implemented by the administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could lower economic growth and inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro, European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone said on Tuesday. Most economists agree that the possible tariffs would impact growth, though views diverge on the effect on consumer prices. Some argue the U.S. trade barriers will push up the value of the dollar, making imports of key commodities more expensive, while likely retaliation from Europe will also raise costs. Cipollone, speaking i ...Read More >
New Delhi: India has intensified its calls for the immediate discharge and repatriation of all remaining Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army, following the tragic death of one Indian national in Russia. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has once again stressed the urgency of bringing back Indian nationals involved in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Indian National from Kerala Dies, Another Injured in Russia In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that an Indian national from Kerala, who had been recruited to serve in the Russian Army, tragically died, while ...Read More >
AMRITSAR, India (AP) -- A U.S. military plane carrying 104 deported Indian migrants arrived in a northern Indian city on Wednesday, the first such flight to the country as part of a crackdown ordered by the Trump administration, airport officials said. The Indians who returned home had illegally entered the United States over the years and came from various Indian states. The move came ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington, which is expected next week. U.S. President Donald Trump and Modi discussed immigration in a phone call last week and Trump stressed the impo ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): Criticising the BJP-led NDA government, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that India's foreign policy has collapsed. In a post on X, Gandhi raised three questions to the central government. "Will JJ explain, Why India has been hyphenated with Pakistan? Why didn't a single country back us in condemning Pakistan? Who asked Trump to "mediate" between India & Pakistan?" the LoP said. Reposting a video of S Jaishankar's interview with a media outlet, he said, "India's foreign policy has collapsed," he added. Earlier, Gandhi q ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...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 >
Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar Dec 2 (Reuters) - A gauge of emerging market stocks rose on Monday, driven by positive manufacturing data from China and expectations of continued policy support from Beijing, while India's rupee hit a record low because of weaker-than-expected economic data. As of 0932 GMT, the MSCI's index for emerging market stocks had risen by 0.7%, on track for its biggest percentage gain in over three weeks. China's blue-chip CSI 300 climbed 0.8%, and the Shanghai Composite index jumped 1.1% after a private survey indicated that Chinese factory act ...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 >
The U.S. dollar continued its strong run on Monday, bolstered by soaring Treasury yields and expectations of limited Federal Reserve rate cuts. Meanwhile, the yen steadied ahead of a key speech by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, where he may hint at a possible rate hike in December, with markets pricing a 55% chance of such a move. Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato's warning on yen intervention caused a temporary pullback, while the dollar index touched a one-year high of 107.07. Analysts forecast further dollar gains as U.S. economic policies and performance outshine global peers. K ...Read More >
Euro zone government bond yields increased slightly as investors await upcoming inflation data that may influence the European Central Bank's policy direction. Concerns over potential tariff hikes from the U.S. could further impact ECB strategies. Germany's bond yields and political tensions in France also add to the economic uncertainties. On Tuesday, euro zone government bond yields saw a minor increase after hitting multi-week lows in the previous session. Investors are keenly awaiting inflation data later this week that could provide insight into the European Central Bank's potential poli ...Read More >
China and Hong Kong stock markets are experiencing a downturn due to rising concerns over the U.S.-China trade war, particularly regarding proposed tariffs and chip sales restrictions. The CSI300 and Shanghai Composite indexes fell, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dropped 1.32%. Investors are wary of potential new restrictions on semiconductor and AI chip exports to China, further exacerbating market uncertainty. The automotive sector, led by BYD, also suffered from intense price competition among Chinese carmakers. Investor sentiment remains cautious, reflecting fears of escalating trade te ...Read More >
The Chinese yuan was also facing its own challenges from the growing threat of more U.S. tariffs on China, pushing it down to a 13-month trough. Japan's tech-heavy Nikkei jumped 1.6% as of 0200 GMT, and South Korea's KOSPI advanced 1.7%. Taiwanese shares gained 1.1%. Australia's stocks benchmark rose 0.7% and reached a fresh all-time high. However, Chinese stocks were under pressure, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng edging slightly lower and mainland blue chips falling 0.3%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares added 0.7%. Both S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were flat after the cash indexes ...Read More >
New Delhi [India] January 22 (ANI): Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a stand in defending the rights of Indian immigrants in the United States. Surjewala also highlighted the contributions of over 20,000 Indian immigrants and expressed concerns over the government's silence on the deportation orders under President Donald Trump's administration. Sharing a detailed post on X Surjewala said, "Dear Prime Minister Modi ji, Pls spare a few moments to watch Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde speaking the truth to President of United States of Amer ...Read More >
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Tuesday said the government has taken measures to lower fiscal deficit and delivered a non-inflationary Budget, and hoped that the RBI's monetary policy will work in tandem with fiscal policy to support growth. He also said that although rupee depreciation increases inflation on imported inputs, it also adds to export competitiveness. Pandey said that the government has bettered its fiscal deficit projections for the current fiscal as well as the next. The fiscal deficit for FY'25 has been pegged lower at 4.8 per cent of GDP, low ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): After a federal court of the United States struck down a reciprocal tariff announced by US President Donald Trump, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that India should proceed cautiously in its ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the US. A Manhattan-based federal court on May 28 struck down Trump's move to impose reciprocal tariffs on the trading partners of the US and ruled that he can't use emergency power to impose tariffs on foreign countries; it has to come from Congress. The order of the court determined that the tariffs, ...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 >
Russia's nuclear doctrine has been updated to affirm its nuclear umbrella for primarily the six member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), including an explicit focus on Belarus. The announcement followed a joint meeting of the CSTO's Council of Foreign Ministers, Council of Defense Ministers, and Committee of Security Council Secretaries held in Astana. According to the state news agency TASS, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu highlighted the revisions, emphasizing Moscow's commitment to protecting its allies under the CSTO. The CSTO, formed in 2002 ...Read More >
Trump's pressure on countries to remain tied to a US-dollar-based financial system could backfire, with potential increased motivation for BRICS to create alternatives. While the dollar's dominance persists due to existing economic strengths, recent global currency agreements indicate a cautious shift away from reliance on the greenback.Donald Trump's pressure on countries around the world to stay anchored to a US-dollar-based financial system is a tactic that risks backfiring, market watchers say. Dollar dominance looks set to continue for the foreseeable future and emerging nations' idea of ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong on Wednesday said that China is ready to work with India and put into action the understandings between Indian and Chinese leaders. The comments come ahead of the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. In a post on X, Ambassador Xu Feihong, "China is ready to work with India to implement the important common understandings between the leaders of China and India, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, str ...Read More >