Central News Hub

Month: December 2024

  • India, Kuwait sign MoU to establish Joint Commission for Cooperation 

    India, Kuwait sign MoU to establish Joint Commission for Cooperation 

    The JCC would also oversee existing working groups in areas such as hydrocarbons, health, and consular matters. …reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al Yahya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to establish a Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) at the level of foreign ministers. 

    According to a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, the agreement outlines the formation of new Joint Working Groups in sectors including trade, investment, education, technology, agriculture, security, and culture, and these groups will operate under the JCC to review and monitor bilateral relations between the two nations. 

    The JCC would also oversee existing working groups in areas such as hydrocarbons, health, and consular matters. 

    “New Joint Working Groups in areas of Trade, Investment, Education, Technology, Agriculture, Security and Culture, will be set up under the JCC. The JCC mechanism will act as an umbrella institutional mechanism to comprehensively review and monitor the entire gamut of our bilateral relations under the new Joint Working Groups and the existing ones in areas including Hydrocarbons, Health and Consular matters,” the statement read. 

    Abdullah Ali Al Yahya was on an official visit to India at the invitation of the EAM. This is the first official visit of Abdullah Ali Al Yahya as the foreign minister of Kuwait to India. 

    During his visit, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who affirmed confidence in advancing the historical and deep-rooted ties between the two countries. 

    Taking to X, PM Modi lauded the Kuwaiti leadership for ensuring the welfare of Indian nationals. 

    “Glad to receive Foreign Minister of Kuwait H.E. Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya. I thank the Kuwaiti leadership for the welfare of the Indian nationals. India is committed to advancing our deep-rooted and historical ties for the benefit of our people and the region,” he stated on X. 

    Kuwait’s Foreign Minister also held a bilateral meeting with the EAM, and during the bilateral meeting between them, the leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Kuwait ties in areas including political, trade, investment, energy, food security, and people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs noted in a press statement. 

    During the bilateral meeting, Jaishankar congratulated Kuwait on its successful leadership of the Gulf Cooperation Council and also highlighted areas of cooperation between the two countries and thanked his counterpart for taking care of the Indian community in Kuwait. 

    “Our two countries enjoy a long-standing friendship, and in our case, centuries old. We are committed to strengthening our bilateral ties across various domains, including trade, investment, energy, IT, culture, and consular,” he said. 

    Kuwait Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, during the meeting, called India a “very important partner,” adding that he looks forward to upgrading their bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership. He also expressed gratitude on meeting PM Modi and called him “one of the wisest people worldwide. The prime minister put India at a better level. And I’m sure he will continue for that.” (ANI) 

    ALSO READ: ‘Modi’s Oversight Drives India’s Growth’ 

  • ‘730 suicides amongst CAPFs, NSG and Assam Rifles’ 

    ‘730 suicides amongst CAPFs, NSG and Assam Rifles’ 

    MoS Home Nityanand informed the Upper House that there have been 47891 Voluntary Retirement, 7664 Resignation and 730 suicides amongst the security forces from 2020 to 2024 …reports Asian Lite News

    Union Minister of state for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that there have been 730 suicides amongst Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), National Security Guard (NSG) and Assam Rifles (AR) from 2020 to 2024. 

    MoS Home Nityanand informed the Upper House that there have been 47891 Voluntary Retirement, 7664 Resignation and 730 suicides amongst the security forces from 2020 to 2024 

    Rai further said in a written reply that generally, “the working hours in the Central Armed Police Forces are 8 hours shifts. This, however, varies depending on operational exigencies. Necessary leave/training reserve is built in the structure of battalions so that the personnel get rest and leave. Measures have been taken to implement a transparent, rational and fair leave policy and to regulate duty hours to ensure adequate rest and leave.” 

    “Improvement in working conditions/amenities and welfare of CAPFs, NSG & AR is a constant endeavour of the Government. The measures taken to improve working conditions including providing some time to rest or posting at a peace station of CAPFs, NSG & AR personnel” MoS Rai added. 

    Earlier in Rajya Sabha, the upper housed passed the Boilers Bill, 2024. 

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made a statement in Rajya Sabha on the recent developments in India-China relations, a day after he addressed the Lok Sabha on the matter. 

    During his address, Jaishankar said, “let me share with Hon’ble Members our expectation regarding the direction of our ties with China in the near future. Our relationship had progressed in many domains, but was obviously negatively affected by recent events.” 

    He also maintained that the commitment to peace on the border is important for developing ties between the countries, and that both the sides will also be discussing de-escalation and “effective management of activities.” 

    “We are clear that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas is a pre-requisite for the development of our ties. In the coming days, we will be discussing both de-escalation as well as effective management of our activities in the border areas. The conclusion of the disengagement phase now allows us to consider other aspects of our bilateral engagement in a calibrated manner, keeping our national security interests first and foremost.” 

    Parliament proceedings have been stalled since the beginning of the Winter Session amid protests by opposition parties over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal. (ANI) 

    ALSO READ: ‘Modi’s Oversight Drives India’s Growth’ 

  • US sanctions 2 Indian shipping firms alleging role in Iran oil trade 

    US sanctions 2 Indian shipping firms alleging role in Iran oil trade 

    The two companies were among the 35 ships and companies sanctioned on Tuesday by the Treasury Department….reports Asian Lite News

    The US is sanctioning two Indian shipping sector companies alleging that they played a “critical role” in transporting Iranian oil in defiance of the US embargo. 

    The two companies were among the 35 ships and companies sanctioned on Tuesday by the Treasury Department. 

    They are Thane-based Vision Ship Management LLP and Navi Mumbai-based Tightship Shipping Management (OPC) Private Limited which, the department alleged, operate or manage ships in the “shadow fleet” that transport Iranian oil. 

    Announcing the sanctions, Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said the US was “committed to disrupting “shadow fleet of vessels and operators” who facilitate Iran’s ability to fund it nuclear, ballistic missile, and drone programmes, and to sponsor “regional terrorist proxies”. The list included companies based in China and the United Arab Emirates. 

    The Treasury Department alleged that Vision managed and operated a ship that “carried millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil” for China Concord Petroleum Co (CCPC), which had already been sanctioned.  

    The company owns the Cook Islands-flagged Rio Napo, which carried “naphtha worth approximately $21.5 million to the UAE”, and the Panama-flagged LARA II. Intriguingly, the Treasury Department accused Tightship of being involved in the management of Panama-flagged Tonil, which it said, “is managed and operated by Ukraine-based Lightship Management Ltd and has skirted sanctions to carry millions of barrels of oil for Iran”. 

    Ukraine is an ally of the US and is ranged against Iran, which it said is supplying drones to Russia which is invading the country. The Treasury Department also said that Tightship managed three ships that collectively carried tens of millions of dollars worth of oil for the government-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and one of them was involved in transferring oil from Iranian-flagged ships. 

    Last month, the US had sanctioned another Indian company, Gabbaro Ship Services Private Ltd, accusing it of involvement in Iranian oil trade. The sanctions freeze properties belonging to those companies in the US and prohibit others from transacting with them. 

    ALSO READ: ‘Modi’s Oversight Drives India’s Growth’

  • Fadnavis to be sworn in as Maha CM 

    Fadnavis to be sworn in as Maha CM 

    The oath-taking ceremony will see the participation of several NDA chief ministers and leaders….reports Asian Lite News

    Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Thursday. 

    Two deputy chief ministers, NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, will also be sworn in at the ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

    Meanwhile, the posters of Maharashtra CM-designate Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar covered the area around Azad Maidan in Mumbai. 

    The oath-taking ceremony will see the participation of several NDA chief ministers and leaders. 

    Ending the long-drawn suspense over who would get the top job, Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar met Governor CP Radhakrishnan to stake their claim to form the Mahayuti government. 

    It will be Fadnavis’ third term in the top post after being unanimously elected as the Leader of the Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party on Wednesday. 

    At the legislature party meeting held in Vidhan Bhawan, former Gujarat CM and BJP’s central observer Vijay Rupani announced that Fadnavis has been unanimously elected the BJP legislature party leader. 

    The decision came after days of speculation and political manoeuvring as Eknath Shinde wanted to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. However, the BJP, refused to budge and later, Shinde said he would back the PM Modi’s pick. 

    In the year 2019, Pawar had taken oath as the deputy chief minister with Fadnavis as the chief minister in an early morning ceremony at Raj Bhavan. 

    In the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls, Fadnavis fought the elections from the Nagpur South West constituency and defeated Prafulla Vinodrao Gudadhe of Congress. This seat has been his stronghold since 1999. 

    ‘Shinde era is over, will never be CM again’ 

    Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday took a jibe at outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after the Mahayuti alliance picked Devendra Fadnavis to be the next CM, saying that “Shinde era is over” and he will never be CM again. 

    Sanjay Raut’s remark came after the incumbent Mahayuti alliance picked Devendra Fadnavis to be the next CM and offered the outgoing CM Eknath Shinde the post of deputy CM, following their historic win in Maharashtra. 

    Raut claimed that Shinde was ‘used’ by the Bharatiya Janata Party and now “has been tossed aside.” 

    “Shinde era is over, it was just for two years. His usage is now over and he has been tossed aside. Shinde will never be the CM of this state again. They (BJP) can even break Shinde’s party, this has always been BJP’s line in politics. They break and finish the party of those who work with them,” Raut said. 

    Raut further questioned the delay in revealing the CM of Maharashtra despite having a clear majority. He suggested something was wrong within the Mahayuti alliance. 

    “Devendra Fadnavis will be the CM of the state from today. He has the majority but despite that, they were unable to form the Government for 15 days – it means that there is something wrong within their party or Mahayuti. This issue will start showing from tomorrow,” Raut said. 

    Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai today. 

    Two deputy chief ministers, NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, will also be sworn in at the ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

    The decision came after days of speculation and political manoeuvring as Eknath Shinde wanted to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. However, the BJP, refused to budge and later, Shinde said he would back the PM Modi’s pick. 

    The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats. 

    The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively. 

    While, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback with Congress winning just 16 seats. Its alliance partner, Shiv Sena (UBT), won 20 seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured only 10 seats. (ANI) 

    ALSO READ: ‘Modi’s Oversight Drives India’s Growth’ 

  • India seeks withdrawal of Israel from Palestine 

    India seeks withdrawal of Israel from Palestine 

    India was among the 157 nations that voted in favour, while Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the US voted against it …reports Asian Lite News

    India voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly [UNGA] resolution that called for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and reiterated the call for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in West Asia. 

    The draft resolution ‘Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine’ tabled by Senegal was overwhelmingly adopted in the 193-member General Assembly on Tuesday (December 3, 2024).  

    India was among the 157 nations that voted in favour, while eight Member States – Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the United States voted against it. Cameroon, Czechia, Ecuador, Georgia, Paraguay, Ukraine and Uruguay abstained. 

    The resolution, adopted as orally revised, reiterated its call for the “Achievement, without delay, of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East [West Asia]” based on the relevant U.N. resolutions and an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, including of East Jerusalem. 

    The resolution called for the “withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem” and for the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent State. 

    Through the resolution, the General Assembly reaffirmed its unwavering support, per International law, for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders, based on the pre-1967 borders. 

    It also demanded that Israel, “the occupying Power, comply strictly with its obligations under International law, including as reflected in the advisory opinion of the International Court of 19 July 2024, including to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible, to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to put an end to its unlawful Acts, including by repealing all legislation and measures creating or maintaining the unlawful situation.” 

    It rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of Gaza. The resolution further stressed that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, and “reaffirms the vision of the two-state solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State”. The resolution further stressed the need for an immediate and complete cessation of all Acts of violence, including military attacks, destruction, and Acts of terror, as well as all Acts of provocation and incitement. 

    India also voted in favour of a resolution in the General Assembly that demanded that Israel withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of June 1967 in the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. 

    The resolution was adopted with 97 votes in favour, 64 abstentions, and 8 votes against, including by Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States. The resolution expressed deep concern that Israel has not withdrawn from the Syrian Golan, which has been under occupation since 1967, contrary to the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. 

    It stressed the illegality of the Israeli settlement construction and other activities in the occupied Syrian Golan since 1967. It declared that the Israeli decision of December 1981 to impose its laws, Jurisdiction, and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan is “null and void” and has no validity whatsoever and called upon Israel to rescind it. 

    Jaishankar meets Israeli minister, discuss trade, technology   

    External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat, in New Delhi to explore avenues for bolstering trade, technology, and investment ties. 

    In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar said, “Great to meet Minister of Economy & Industry Nir Barkat of Israel today in Delhi. Discussed strengthening the potential of our trade, technology and investment cooperation. Also exchanged views on developments in the region.” 

    During his visit, Minister Barkat emphasised the need for enhanced connectivity between the two nations, particularly through increased flight operations. Speaking to ANI, he said that greater connectivity would significantly boost business and tourism ties. 

    He highlighted the immense potential of India-Israel cooperation, noting, “The sky is the limit” for bilateral business growth. Barkat added, “Once we have a better trade understanding, more agreements and more collaborations between the countries and flights, I believe you can scale in double-digit numbers every year in the next foreseeable years.” 

    The Israeli minister also addressed concerns regarding safety following recent conflicts in the region. He assured that Israel is “100 per cent safe” for travel and business, citing the continued operations of Israeli carrier El Al as evidence of the region’s stability. 

    Barkat stressed, “We want to encourage people, get the flights back on track, and for people to come and visit and do business. I look at the future and I see the opportunity.” 

    ALSO READ: ‘Kerala a Jewel in India’s Startup Crown’ 

  • India’s Housing Market Set to Soar 

    India’s Housing Market Set to Soar 

    Led by factors such as urbanisation and employment opportunities, 22.2 million units of housing will be required in urban centres in the country…reports Asian Lite News

    India’s affordable housing market is projected to reach Rs 67 lakh crore by 2030, with cumulative demand likely to be 31.2 million units, a report showed on Wednesday.  

    The existing shortage as well as upcoming demand for the affordable housing segment in India is estimated to be 30.7 mn units by 2030 and the opportunity to finance these units is calculated to be Rs 44 lakh crore, according to the report by Knight Frank India and CII. 

    Led by factors such as urbanisation and employment opportunities, 22.2 million units of housing will be required in urban centres in the country. Almost 95.2 per cent of this demand, equivalent to 21.1 million units, will be concentrated in the affordable housing segment, the report mentioned. 

    A predominant share of 45.8 per cent of the demand will be concentrated among the economically weaker section (EWS) households as there is already an existing shortage of 10.1 million units. 

    The current portfolio of the affordable housing loan market in India is estimated to be Rs 13 lakh crore, with Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) constituting Rs 6.9 lakh crore and Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) holding a share of Rs 6.2 lakh crore. 

    “As urbanisation accelerates and income levels rise, affordable housing is positioned to play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s real estate landscape,” Knight Frank India Chairman and Managing Director, Shishir Baijal, said. 

    Addressing this demand will require innovative strategies, including public-private partnerships, policy interventions, and advancements in construction technologies, making affordable housing not just a social imperative but also a critical driver of economic growth, he added. 

    The loan market in this category is anticipated to experience significant expansion due to the escalating potential demand for affordable housing. 

    The reliance on loans is notably high in the affordable housing segment as compared to premium in India. 

    Based on an assumption of a 77 per cent loan dependency and loan-to-value (LTV) ratios applied at various loan thresholds, the potential financing opportunity for banks and Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) in the affordable housing segment is estimated to be Rs 45 lakh crore, said the report. 

    ALSO READ: ‘Kerala a Jewel in India’s Startup Crown’ 

  • Bitcoin Hits $100K, Eyes $120K 

    Bitcoin Hits $100K, Eyes $120K 

    Discussions around a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and corporate treasury integration signal a shift toward mainstream adoption. …reports Asian Lite News

    World’s largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin has crossed the historic milestone of $100,000 apiece, driven by favourable market dynamics, growing US regulatory clarity, and institutional adoption through Bitcoin ETFs, industry experts said on Thursday.  

    Bitcoin was trading at $1,03,095, after gaining 4.39 per cent. According to Vishal Sacheendran, Head of Regional Markets at Binance, the cryptocurrency market is experiencing a surge in optimism as governments and institutions worldwide begin to embrace blockchain technology, paving the way for broader adoption and investment in digital assets. 

    “This renewed enthusiasm reflects a maturing ecosystem poised for sustained growth,” he added. 

    Discussions around a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and corporate treasury integration signal a shift toward mainstream adoption. 

    “The coming year promises enhanced regulatory frameworks, greater transparency, and innovations in DeFi, tokenized assets, and blockchain interoperability, paving the way for a more inclusive global economy,” said Sacheendran. 

    Rahul Pagidipati, CEO, ZebPay, said that Bitcoin is now effectively one of the top 10 most valued assets in the world, ranking above all commodities except gold and higher than most companies. 

    “The crypto market’s total capitalisation has also crossed the $3.5 trillion mark, demonstrating the scale of interest and widespread adoption in the space,” he said. 

    Nigel Green of deVere Group predicted over a month ago that Bitcoin would hit $100,000 following Donald Trump’s re-election and his upcoming inauguration as the 47th President of the United States. 

    “I believe Bitcoin could reach $120,000 in the first quarter of 2025 as the rally gains further traction,” he predicted. 

    “The growing narrative of Bitcoin as digital gold is becoming impossible to ignore. It’s increasingly viewed as a hedge against inflation and a tool for portfolio diversification. Institutional interest is at an all-time high, and the infrastructure to support mass adoption continues to expand,” said Green. 

    Bitcoin’s recent rally can be attributed to a combination of factors. First, the political alignment of a pro-crypto administration is invigorating market confidence. Second, the ongoing economic environment, characterised by likely inflationary pressures, has driven institutional and retail investors toward alternative assets. 

    ALSO READ: India Charts Steady Growth Path 

  • ‘Modi’s Oversight Drives India’s Growth’ 

    ‘Modi’s Oversight Drives India’s Growth’ 

    Dutta noted that with infrastructure being a key focus of government spending, PM Modi leveraged digital tools to monitor the progress of various struggling infrastructure projects in real time….reports Asian Lite News 

    It is the real-time monitoring by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself that has expedited the completion of large-scale infrastructure projects in India and spurred economic growth in the country over the last 10 years, according to Professor Soumitra Dutta of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.  

    In an exclusive interview with IANS, the Dean and Professor said, “Because of the PRAGATI ecosystem, there’s much more real-time monitoring of what is actually happening on the ground. And in fact, there’s quite impressive drone technologies and real-time sensors that are used in the program and meetings to actually give data to the Prime Minister himself.” 

    “So he’s actually able to relate to data and identify problems in real-time, often in the meetings. And he’s able to, in fact, create the sense of, let’s come together and work for the good of India. And I think that is very important. That’s a role model sort of behaviour change, which is extremely important,” he said. 

    He pointed out that typically, large infrastructure projects have traditionally had problems in terms of time overruns, budget overruns and other kinds of issues hampering the successful execution. The PRAGAT ecosystem has successfully helped unblock some of the major projects which were lying blocked for a long time. 

    “For example, the Brahmaputra River in Assam has long been considered one of the unbridgeable rivers. And the project to build a bridge with a road and rail link was first approved in 2002, but even a decade later, almost nothing actually happened in the project.” 

    Dutta is a co-author of a just-released study titled, “From Gridlock to Growth – How Leadership Enables India’s PRAGATI Ecosystem to power progress.” 

    Explaining the rationale behind the study, he said, “The goal always has been to study how India’s progress in building out the national digital infrastructure has impacted the development of the nation.” 

    He pointed out that PRAGATI essentially built a whole digital ecosystem of tools, including the Privilege and Project monitoring group, to bring information agencies together to share the information, sharing it to a higher level. But that alone is not enough. What you see happening in the PRAGATI ecosystem is the direct involvement of the Prime Minister focused attention on the minds of several key bureaucrats in the central government and relevant states to try to address some of the conflicts and try to solve them. 

    And you often found that people came together and tried to address it even before the review because no one liked being called up in front of the Prime Minister and being asked to explain and know why some action hadn’t been taken or why some coordination was not being done successfully, he explained. 

    “So I think the fact that the Prime Minister’s presence and his direct involvement itself put some pressure on the system to be able to solve the problems which were difficult earlier,” he remarked. 

    “And certainly what we have seen the jam trinity of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile has been very instrumental in building a good platform for India,” he added 

    Dutta said because infrastructure was going to be a major part of the government spending, PM Modi really tried to use digital tools to help monitor, in real time the progress of various infrastructure projects that were having trouble. He tried to, in fact, pull together the key leaders in the central government and the state governments and tried to bring them together in one meeting on a monthly basis to try and address some of the complex issues that were blocking the execution of the projects. 

    “General studies show that for every rupee that is spent successfully in building infrastructure, the GDP sees an improvement of about two and a half to Rs 3. So this 2 to 3 times improvement in GDP, essentially translates into development as a nation. India hopes and aspires to be a fully developed nation by 2047, which is 100 years after Independence,” he explained 

    To achieve those goals, India needs to actually ramp up its infrastructure projects significantly, not just about roads and highways and power plants but also increasingly about social projects. For example, such as providing water, sanitation and electricity to various villages in the frontier parts of the country, he said. 

    “So what you see is that you need a way to manage these large projects that span different aspects of society, that span different boundaries across the country. So large-scale systemic change is very important for India to be able to achieve as it develops national goals by 2047. So the PRAGATI system really what it does at the heart of it is a mechanism for the country to successfully speed up and successfully leverage the resources of the country for executing large system-wide changes,” he added. 

    ALSO READ: India Charts Steady Growth Path 

  • India Stuns Pakistan, Retains Junior Title 

    India Stuns Pakistan, Retains Junior Title 

    India has now won this tournament for a record five times, including their previous triumphs in 2023, 2015, 2008 and 2004…reports Asian Lite News 

    Araijeet Singh Hundal was the star performer with four goals as the Indian junior men’s hockey team defeated archrivals Pakistan 5-3 in a high-scoring final of the Men’s Junior Asia Cup to successfully defend their title, bagging a record fifth crown in the history of the competition here on Wednesday.  

    Araijeet Singh Hundal was in top form and scored in the 4th, 18th, 47th and 54th minutes for India and Dilraj Singh (19’) contributed a goal to join him on the scoresheet. Captain Shahid Hannan (3’) and Sufyan Khan (30’, 39’) did their utmost to keep Pakistan in the tie for the majority of the game but their efforts eventually proved futile. 

    India has now won this tournament for a record five times, including their previous triumphs in 2023, 2015, 2008 and 2004. Hockey India, on this occasion, announced a cash reward of 2 lakh to each player and 1 lakh to each support staff for their impeccable title defence and dominating performances in the Men’s Junior Asia Cup. 

    While India were settling into the game, Pakistan’s captain Shahid Hannan pounced on a stray ball in the shooting circle and beat Bikramjeet Singh in a one-on-one to steal a goal for Pakistan. 

    India responded immediately by earning a penalty corner and Araijeet Singh Hundal unleashed a powerful drag flick to the right top corner to restore parity. Both teams went on to trade circle entries without finding the back of the net till the end of the first quarter. 

    Within three minutes of the second quarter, India were awarded another penalty corner and Araijeet stepped up again, finding the gap between Pakistan’s goalkeeper Muhammad Janjua and the postman with a thunderous drag flick to give India the lead. Following this, the Indian forwards relentlessly pressured Pakistan’s defence. 

    Soon, Dilraj weaved past two defenders on the left wing and struck the board, extending India’s lead to 3-1. Although Pakistan mounted occasional attacks on the Indian goal and earned a penalty corner as the first half came to a close, Sufyan Khan showcased his drag-flicking skills, beating Bikramjit Singh in goal to make it 3-2. 

    Araijeet created two chances in quick succession as the third quarter began but Pakistan’s goalkeeper Muhammad Janjua pulled out amazing saves on both occasions to keep Pakistan in the match. Both teams went back and forth until Sufyan Khan, with six minutes left in the quarter, flicked the ball into the Indian goal from a penalty corner and ensured Pakistan headed into the last quarter, level on score. 

    As soon as the last quarter began, India seized the initiative. Manmeet Singh skillfully manoeuvred past his marker and found an unmarked Araijeet in front of the goal, who deflected the ball into the goal to restore India’s lead and complete his hat-trick. 

    With ten minutes to go, Zikriya Hayat embarked on a counter-attack, but Indian goalie Prince Deep Singh rushed out to avert any further danger. With six minutes left in the game, India earned a penalty corner and employed a variation to free up Araijeet, who smashed the ball into the top right corner with his flick, making it 5-3 for India. 

    As the game headed to a close, Hannan Shahid carved out a significant goal-scoring opportunity, but Prince Deep stood firm in goal, swatting away the attempt and sealing India’s victory. 

    ALSO READ: US Calls for Hindu Minority Safety

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  • Trump Taps Loyalist for Key Role

    Trump Taps Loyalist for Key Role

    As his Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, Trump said Navarro would work to “protect American Workers and truly Make American Manufacturing Great Again.”…reports Asian Lite News

    US President-Elect Donald Trump has named as his top advisor on trade Peter Navarro, who defied a then-Democratic Party-led Congress and went to prison rather than cooperate in its inquiry into the riots that shook the Capitol.

    Trump said on Truth Social on Wednesday that in his first administration, “few were more effective or tenacious than Peter in enforcing my two sacred rules, Buy American, Hire American.”

    As his Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, he said Navarro would work to “protect American Workers and truly Make American Manufacturing Great Again.”

    About his imprisonment, Trump said that he “was treated horribly by the Deep State, or whatever else you would like to call it.”

    The House of Representatives Special Committee investigating the January 6 riots ordered him to appear in person and hand over documents.

    He was convicted of contempt of Congress and spent four months in jail for refusing to comply.

    The riots followed a rally at which Trump had claimed he was the winner of the 2020 election and the election was stolen.

    Navarro joins another hardliner, Jamieson Greer, who was named US International Trade Representative (USITR) by Trump.

    Trump said that Greer had helped “in imposing tariffs on China and others to combat unfair trade practices” during the first term.

    Navarro is a hawk on China and published a book, ‘Death by China: Confronting the Dragon – A Global Call to Action’, warning about Beijing’s goal of world domination through predatory trade practices.

    He is an advocate for high tariffs to help rekindle US manufacturing beaten down by imports, mainly from China, and he stood by Trump as he hiked tariffs on many products from China.

    Navarro distinguished himself during the Covid pandemic, warned about it and then helped the US overcome the global supply chain hurdles in facing it.

    He was one of the first senior officials to sound an alarm about the Covid pandemic, warning in a January 2021 memo that it “would leave Americans defenceless in the case of a full-blown coronavirus outbreak on US soil” and cost trillions of dollars.

    He made his mark when Trump put him in charge of using the Defence Production Act to ramp up the production of materials needed to fight the pandemic, notably making the car company GM turn to make ventilators for patients.

    When he served as an Assistant to the President and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, Trump said, “he helped me renegotiate unfair Trade Deals like NAFTA and the Korea-UD Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), and moved every one of my Tariff and Trade actions FAST.”

    Trump trashed the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada and replaced it with a new treaty that Trump considered more favourable to the US.

    He also renegotiated the Korean agreement.

    Navarro, who has an economics PhD from Harvard and has been a professor at a California university, is very articulate, and Trump, noting his “extensive Policy analytic and Media skills,” said that “his mission will be to help successfully advance and communicate the Trump Manufacturing, Tariff, and Trade Agendas.”

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