India's government is investigating rising steel imports, particularly in two categories of flat-rolled steel products (HS 7208 and 7210), which account for over 75% of the surge in imports. Instead of implementing global safeguards, experts suggest that India should focus on Free Trade Agreement (FTA)-specific safeguards and measures targeting China. Many imports come duty-free under FTAs with coun

The year 2024 was dramatic for the US, with President Joe Biden abandoning his reelection bid after a poor performance in a debate against Donald Trump. Trump, who had been absent from the White House for four years, made a triumphant return after defeating Kamala Harris in the presidential race. His comeback marks the first time since Grover Cleveland that a president has been evicted from the White House and returned four years later. While the Biden administration exits, the Indi

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently responded to a discussion about foreign-born tech workers in the U.S., defending their contribution to the industry. The conversation began when Amjad Masad, CEO of Replit, questioned whether foreign workers were truly displacing qualified Americans in the tech sector. Masad pointed out the large number of unfilled tech jobs, expressing skepticism about claims that foreign workers were taking opportunities from native-born Americans. Musk, who is origina

As India prepares for the Union Budget of 2025-26, the finance ministry has highlighted the need for flexibility in fiscal policy, given the ongoing global economic and geopolitical challenges. While the fiscal deficit for FY26 is expected to be below 4.5% of GDP, there are concerns over the ability to accurately project receipts and expenditures in the current uncertain environment. The global situation has worsened, with escalating conflicts, further complicating fiscal planning.

In a significant change to school education, the Centre has scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in schools under its control. This means that students who fail the year-end exams will no longer automatically be promoted. Instead, they will have the chance to retake the exam after additional coaching within two months of the results. If they still fail, they will be held back in the same grade. This move follows amendments to the Right to Education Act (RTE

On Sunday, US President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author, as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Krishnan, who has held leadership roles at major tech companies such as Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap, will work alongside David O. Sacks, who will serve as the White House AI & Crypto Czar. Krishnan's role will involve ensuring that

China, the world's second-largest economy, is working to recover from the effects of its three years of pandemic isolation. In a bid to attract more international visitors and boost its economy, China recently announced an expansion of its visa-free transit policy. The new policy, which is effective immediately, allows travelers from 54 countries, including the US, Canada, and several European and Asian nations, to stay in parts of China for up to 10 days. Previously, the visa-f

The Telangana Assembly was adjourned on Monday after BRS MLAs raised slogans and disrupted the debate on the Telangana State Tourism Policy. The debate, which resumed after a tea break, was halted when opposition members continued to protest against the Congress government. In response to the disruption, Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu criticized the BRS legislators for not adhering to the rules and traditions of the House. Speaker G. Prasad Kumar intervened, directing

The Indian rupee opened at 84.83 against the US dollar on Monday, a depreciation of 4 paise compared to the previous close of 84.79. The decline in the rupee is largely attributed to the uncertainty following the announcement of a leadership transition at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Shaktikanta Das will be succeeded by Sanjay Malhotra, sparking initial concerns in the market. However, markets quickly adjusted to the news, with experts noting that the RBI is closely monitoring banking sys

Elon Musk’s Tesla has become one of the top employers of H-1B workers, with over 1,700 H-1B visas approved for Tesla employees in 2020. This marks a significant reliance on skilled foreign workers as Tesla continues to grow. Musk’s early career began with illegal work on a student visa in the U.S., but now Tesla’s future is intertwined with the availability of H-1B workers, a visa program that is crucial for attracting talent to the tech industry. The Trump adminis

The Indian rupee ended the trading session stronger after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the benchmark interest rates unchanged, while unveiling measures aimed at improving liquidity in the banking system. The domestic currency gained 3 paise, closing at 84.70 against the US dollar, compared to 84.73 in the previous session. As part of the monetary policy changes, the RBI raised the interest rate ceiling on one-year Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) deposits by 200 basis p

Oil prices have shown remarkable stability, remaining in a narrow range since mid-October, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fluctuating around $70 per barrel. This rangebound trend has been characterized by a significant drop in volatility, with recent levels at their lowest since August. Despite ongoing geopolitical risks, such as the tensions between Iran and Israel and the potential impacts of a second Donald Trump presidency, traders have remained cautious. The market's curren

In response to growing concerns over liquor shops charging more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for bottled liquor, the Andhra Pradesh government has introduced strict corrective measures. A new Government Order (G.O.) has been released, which imposes a fine of Rs 5 lakh for the first offense if liquor stores are found violating MRP regulations. The government aims to ensure that consumers are not charged unfair prices and that liquor sales are conducted with transparency. The n

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

In a recent initiative to transform Andhra Pradesh into a technology hub, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu introduced a comprehensive new IT policy designed to promote Deep-Tech and Artificial Intelligence. During a review meeting, Naidu revealed plans to build an iconic Deep-Technology structure in Amaravati, aimed at harnessing the latest advancements in technology. The state government also announced a seed funding scheme under the Start-Up Policy to support SCs, STs, BCs, minorities, a

The 1990 Immigration Act brought significant changes to the H-1B visa program and employment-based green cards, imposing caps of 65,000 and 140,000 annually, respectively. These restrictions were implemented without considering the growing demand for skilled labor fueled by technological advancements. The arbitrary cap on H-1B visas quickly became insufficient as more than 70% of graduate students in tech fields at US universities were international students. In response to the escalat

Donald Trump’s presidential appointments of Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz mark a decisive shift in U.S. foreign policy, particularly in relation to China. Rubio, tapped as Secretary of State, and Waltz, named National Security Advisor, represent a hawkish approach to international relations, one that sharply contrasts with

Donald Trump’s recent vow to stop renewable energy projects, particularly offshore wind farms, on the first day of his potential presidency has raised alarm bells across the clean energy sector. In a statement that shocked industry leaders, Trump promised to “make sure that ends on day one,” referring to the offshore wind farms that are seen as a key component of the Biden administration’s green energy agenda. The pledge sent ripple effects through the stock market, wi

The possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2024 raises important questions about the future of India-US relations. A second Trump presidency could bring significant shifts across several key areas, including trade, immigration, military cooperation, and broader diplomatic engagement. During his first term, Trump’s “America First” agenda and his transactional approach to foreign policy led to major policy changes such as tariffs on foreign goods

In a notable shift in immigration policy, Canada has decided to cut its immigration targets significantly, responding to increasing public concerns regarding the impact of new arrivals on housing and resources. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government will lower its immigration goals from a planned 500,000 new permanent residents in 2025 to 395,000 for 2025 and 380,000 for 2026. This decision follows a recent survey indicating that a majority of Canadians now believe the co