External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United States from December 24 to 29, 2024. During this trip, he plans to engage with officials from both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration to discuss key bilateral, regional, and global issues. While specific details of his meetings have not been disclosed, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that Mr. Jaishankar will chair a conference of Indian Consul Generals i

As we transition from 2024 to 2025, several global trends and findings have emerged, shedding light on the current state of the world and offering insights into the year ahead Global Happiness Rankings The World Happiness Report 2024 reveals that Finland continues to lead as the world's happiest country, followed closely by Denmark and Iceland. Notably, the United States has dropped out of the top 20 for the first time, ranking 23rd. This decline un

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored with Kuwait's highest accolade, the 'Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer,' on Sunday. The award was presented by Kuwait's Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. This marks the 20th international honor bestowed upon PM Modi by various nations. The 'Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer' is a prestigious Kuwaiti knighthood conferred upon Heads of State, foreign sovereigns, and members of royal families as a sym

Billionaire Jeff Bezos has refuted reports claiming that his upcoming wedding to fiancée Lauren Sánchez will cost $600 million. Addressing the rumors on social media platform X, Bezos labeled the claims as "completely false" and cautioned the public against believing such misinformation.  Investor Bill Ackman also expressed skepticism, suggesting that such a sum would be implausible "unless you are buying each of your guests a house." Bezos con

Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has linked corruption under the UPA government as the primary cause of non-performing assets (NPAs) in Indian banks. In a recent interview, Rajan explained that following the global financial crisis, several projects began facing severe delays due to corruption scandals, land acquisition issues, and other regulatory obstacles. These factors, he argued, significantly contributed to the rise of NPAs. Rajan praised the

 Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest individual, is increasingly becoming involved in global politics, extending his influence far beyond the business world. In recent developments, Musk has met with Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK party, to discuss possible financial support, with Musk considering a $100 million donation to help the party. Farage has expressed admiration for Musk's political strategies, especially his cash incentives to encourage voter turnout, a tactic

The Bharat Mobility Global Expo, scheduled for January 17-22, 2025, is poised to become the world's largest event in the automotive sector, with over 1,500 exhibitors and an expanded exhibition space of 200,000 square meters. This second edition of the expo will bring together leading global vehicle manufacturers, showcasing electric, hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as advanced automotive technologies. The event will include the unveiling of new models and electric vehicles f

Finance Minister’s View on GDP Growth: In a recent statement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the lower-than-expected growth in India’s GDP for the September quarter, calling it a "temporary blip." She emphasized her confidence that India’s economy will regain strong growth in the upcoming quarters. Despite the slowdown in the second quarter, she highligh

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to maintain the status quo on the benchmark repo rate at 6.5% in its upcoming meeting from December 4 to 6. Despite India's GDP growth slowing to 5.4% in the July-September quarter, economists suggest that inflation concerns will likely take precedence, making a rate cut unlikely in December. Retail inflation rose to 6.2% in October, exceeding the RBI’s target range of 2-6%. Though a repo rate cu

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada, set to take effect on his first day in office, January 20. The new tariffs are expected to have severe implications for American consumers, including higher prices on everyday products such as gasoline, produce, cars, and alcohol. Mexico, now the US’s top trading partner, and Canada, a major supplier of oil and agricultural products, will be significantly impacted by these tariffs

A groundbreaking study using data from NASA and German satellites has revealed a concerning and persistent decline in Earth's freshwater reserves since May 2014. The findings, published in Surveys in Geophysics, highlight a significant reduction in the amount of freshwater stored on land, including in lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers. This shift, tracked by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, suggests a transition towards drier conditions across co

US President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed H-1B visa restrictions could have significant implications for India's economy. A report by the State Bank of India (SBI) suggests that while stricter visa rules might increase costs for Indian IT firms operating in the US, they could also encourage India to focus more on domestic manufacturing and economic independence. This potential shift aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative,

India's Nifty 50 index has entered the correction zone, falling over 10% from its peak in late September. This decline comes as foreign investors continue their record-level selloff of domestic stocks, triggering broad market losses. On Tuesday, the Nifty 50 dropped by 1.4%

Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 US presidential election has sent shockwaves through global markets, with countries around the world feeling the effects of his win. The dynamics between nations are shifting, and conflicts are being impacted in new ways, highlighting the significant role Trump plays on the world stage. One country that stands to benefit from Trump's policies is India. With China currently dominating the market as the largest exporter of iPhones, India is

In a bold move towards establishing India as a global sports powerhouse, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formally expressed its intent to host the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics. A Letter of Intent was sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Future Host Commission on October 1, reinforcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of bringing the Games to Indian soil. PM Modi has publicly shared his enthusiasm for the 2036 Games, emphasizing their potential to foster economi

Nara Lokesh, the scion of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is currently on an extended trip to the USA, where he is actively engaging with global tech giants to attract investments to Andhra Pradesh. One of the highlights of his visit occurred in Atlanta, where he unveiled a statue of the legendary Sr NTR, commissioned by the NRI TDP workers. The unveiling ceremony was a grand affair, marked by a unique spectacle of flower petals showered from a helicopter, adding a festive atmosphere

Both political parties have ramped up their outreach to Indian Americans, who wield growing influence and political clout. While Harris remains a key figure for the Democrats, the Republican party also features prominent Indian American leaders, including Nikki Haley, a former presidential contender and ex-ambassador to the United Nations, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Usha Vance, wife of Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance. With four days until the election, the race

During the Seventh Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the significance of the strategic partnership between India and Germany, describing it as a vital anchor in a world beset by tensions and uncertainty. PM Modi emphasized that the relationship between the two nations is transformational, rooted in shared democratic values, rather than merely transactional. As the world navigates complex challenges, pa

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reduced its GDP growth forecast for India to 6.8% for the second quarter of fiscal 2024-25, a decrease of 20 basis points. In its October bulletin titled "State of the Economy," the RBI attributed this revision to a slackening momentum observed in some high-frequency indicators, which were partially impacted by unusual heavy rainfall in August and September. This latest forecast is lower than the previous projection of 7% made by RBI Gov

India's ambassador to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma—who was recently recalled by New Delhi—has accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of severely damaging the diplomatic ties between the two countries. In a statement, Verma emphasized that the allegations brought forward by Ottawa were politically motivated and baseless. These tensions escalated following accusations that Verma was linked to the murder of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep S