Author: Team Admin

New Delhi: The Centre has amended the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 to prohibit the import of goods produced wholly or partly through forced labour, strengthening India’s trade regulations in line with international standards. The move comes weeks after the United States proposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on imports from India, citing concerns over the country’s alleged failure to prevent the entry of goods made using forced labour. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a gazette notification on July 13 introducing a new provision that explicitly bans the import of products manufactured using forced labour. However, the…

New Delhi: India has reaffirmed its long standing position on the South China Sea, emphasising that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The government also reiterated its support for the landmark 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that rejected China’s expansive maritime claims in the disputed waters. Speaking at the Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position remains consistent and is guided by the principles of UNCLOS. He stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation, overflight and…

New Delhi: Thirteen Indian nationals have lost their lives and three others remain missing in the Gulf region since the conflict in West Asia erupted in February this year, according to government sources. The casualties come as renewed military strikes have heightened tensions, raising fresh concerns over maritime security and the safety of Indian citizens working in the region. The conflict, which began on February 28, has involved Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. The continuing hostilities have disrupted shipping routes and energy supply chains, particularly around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.…

New Delhi: Nagpur Cyber Police have registered a case against four social media influencers, including popular YouTuber Manish Kashyap, for allegedly spreading misleading content about the government’s E20 ethanol fuel policy and attempting to tarnish the image of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The other individuals named in the FIR are Desi BoysNCR, Harshit Rathi and Anklesh Invate. Authorities allege that the influencers uploaded videos on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram claiming that large scale fraud and illegal transactions were taking place in connection with ethanol fuel. The videos allegedly suggested that laws were being violated under the cover of…

New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has informed the Supreme Court that the draft final report into the June 2025 Air India Flight AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad is expected to be ready by October 2026. The bureau said the investigation is in its final stages, with remaining technical work likely to be completed within the next six weeks before the analysis is finalised. In an affidavit submitted to the court, the AAIB stated that cockpit voice recordings, airborne image recordings and other sensitive investigation material cannot be disclosed to any external committee or the public. It said…

New Delhi: Tension flared in Manipur’s Senapati town after a violent mob attacked an Assam Rifles Company Operating Base following a security search operation in the nearby Makuilongdi and Oklong areas. The unrest led to stone pelting, arson and damage to military vehicles before security forces brought the situation under control using minimum force. The search operation was launched after intelligence inputs indicated that armed cadres were moving outside designated camps carrying weapons and wearing uniforms, reportedly violating established ceasefire ground rules. The Assam Rifles informed the Ceasefire Monitoring Group before beginning the operation. As troops advanced towards Makuilongdi and…

New Delhi: The United States has introduced a revised version of its proposed Russia sanctions bill, significantly reducing the maximum tariff that could be imposed on countries importing Russian oil and natural gas. The updated proposal lowers the tariff ceiling from the previously suggested 500 per cent to 100 per cent, offering potential relief to major buyers of Russian energy, including India and China. The bipartisan legislation is designed to increase economic pressure on Russia over its prolonged war in Ukraine. Along with sanctions targeting Russian officials and financial institutions, the bill aims to discourage countries from relying heavily on…