Plabita wants to holiday... Hina returns to Goa...Kushboo says goodbye...
'China did not expect India to show such strategic resolve in defending its territorial integrity.'
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be the first international leader to visit Bhutan,when he undertakes a two-day visit, beginning on Friday.
India is not "rethinking" supporting investments from China, said Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday, referring to a proposal made in the Economic Survey 2024. The survey by India's chief economic advisor last week said India had two "choices" to benefit from the so-called China plus one strategy, either by integrating into that country's supply chain or by promoting foreign direct investment (FDI). "Chief economic advisor's report speaks about new ideas and gives out their own thinking. It is not at all binding on the government and there is no rethinking to support Chinese investments in the country," Goyal told reporters in Delhi.
The government on Saturday lifted the ban on onion exports but imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $550 per tonne, amid ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country. Last night, the government imposed a 40 per cent duty on export of onions. In August last year, India had imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions up to December 31, 2023.
India has slipped two places on the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap index to 129th place, while Iceland retained its top position in the rankings published on Wednesday. Within South Asia, India was ranked fifth after Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, while Pakistan was ranked last. Globally, Sudan was ranked last on the index of 146 countries, while Pakistan slipped three places to 145th.
In an elaborate sacred ceremony marked with chanting of sacred Buddhist sutras, Oxford-educated and Indian-trained Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was coronated as the fifth King of Bhutan on Thursday.
Hong Kong has the highest level of economic freedom worldwide
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recognised the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE) as a self-regulatory organisation (SRO) in the fintech sector, the central bank announced on Wednesday. The banking regulator received three applications for fintech SRO. Of the remaining two applications, one has been returned by the RBI with a provision for resubmission after meeting specific requirements, while the third application is still under examination, said Governor Shaktikanta Das at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.
The coronation of Bhutan's fifth king, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, on November 7-8 promises to be a grand spectacle.
'In Eastern Ladakh the Chinese attempted salami slicing.' 'Our response has been superb. Our military has responded magnificently.'
India will deploy additional 8,000 troops along its borders with Nepal and Bhutan by next month to ensure effective patrolling at these frontiers.
Boxing's already uncertain Olympic future was thrown into further jeopardy after the sport's Asian governing body voted against leaving the suspended International Boxing Association (IBA) to join the rival association.
Projecting a whopping Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) economic engagement with Bhutan in areas like telecom, infrastructure and education, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday unveiled a mega plan for cooperation in the power sector.
The incident occurred when the truck was negotiating a narrow wet stretch of road while returning from their work site near Tala Dam at Wangkha in Chukha district at around 8.30 pm on Saturday. Police said 10 workers died on the spot with their bodies found smashed and scattered beyond recognition.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday left for a two-day visit to Bhutan during which he will seek to further boost India's "unique" ties with the Himalayan nation and address a joint session of its newly elected Parliament. Singh's visit to Bhutan comes at a time when the country is taking steps towards democracy and celebrating 100 years of the Wangchuck dynasty and 50 years of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's month-long tour.
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, led by former premier Jigmi Thinley, said to be popular among the elite and well educated, on Monday scored a landslide victory in the first elections in Bhutan that marks the end of absolute monarchy in this Himalayan Kingdom. DPT, several of whose candidates have been ministers under King Jigme Khesar Namgyel and have experience in the government, made a virtual clean sweep bagging 44 out of the total 47 seats in the National Assembly.
'Given China's past behaviour and their territorial claims, should we be sceptical regarding China's willingness to adhere to these agreements fully? The answer is yes.' 'As Ronald Reagan famously said in the context of the SALT talks, 'Trust, but verify!' India should also do the same.' 'This has already begun with foot patrolling, drones, satellite imagery and so on. India's military deployment did mirror China's and will continue to do so in the future.'
Becoming the first world leader to address the Bhutan Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday strongly pitched for a South Asia that is "at peace with itself" and expressed India's readiness to assist in making the region more secure and prosperous. Singh, who is on a two-day visit, assured Bhutan that India would stand by the Himalayan country as a factor of stability and support.
'You have to be in good spirits to make other people happy'.
Heavy rain in the first week of July compensated for the shortfall but caused flooding in many northeastern states.
Shriya gets magical in Rome... Arjun looks back at July... Tara meets the Queen...
Striker Sunil Chhetri and Clifford Miranda scored two goals each as a rampaging India drubbed Bhutan 5-0 in their second league match to keep their semi-finals hopes in the SAFF Championships alive, in Delhi, on Monday. Chhetri scored in the 69th and 84th minutes while Miranda struck in the 44th and 58th, after Syed Rahim Nabi (29th) had given India the lead.
A multi-layer security arrangement involving five companies of paramilitary personnel, NSG commandoes and snipers have already been deployed around the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Drone cameras have also been put into service.
Have you wondered how many days of work -- depending on your net monthly income -- you would have to put in to buy the top-end iPhone 16 Pro?
Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk embarked on a jungle safari at Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Sunday.
Bhutan's new government will not hesitate to carry out a 2003-like operation against Indian insurgents if they sneak into its territory, the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa said on Wednesday. The DPT swept to power in the country's first general election on Monday."Both India and China are important neighbours and we will continue to maintain excellent relations with them," party spokesman Palden Tshering said. Ugyen denied reports of presence of camps of northeast rebels in Bhutan.
Kate Middleton's recycled outfit failed to make its mark.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Thimphu on a two-day visit to participate in the 16th SAARC Summit that begins on Wednesday. He was received at the Paro International airport, 60 km from the capital, by Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley and Indian's Ambassador to Bhutan Pavan Varma.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Thimphu on a two-day visit to participate in the 16th SAARC Summit that begins on Wednesday.
Amidst strained ties with China, the pre-budget Economic Survey on Monday made a strong case for seeking foreign direct investments (FDI) from Beijing to boost local manufacturing and tap the export market. As the US and Europe are shifting their immediate sourcing away from China, it is more effective to have Chinese companies invest in India and then export the products to these markets rather than importing from the neighbouring country, the Survey said.
As ever, this is the major factor holding Saarc back and neither of the two countries seems to have an initiative.
India Meteorological Department officials said the quake shook Assam, including its capital Guwahati, Meghalaya, West Bengal and neighbouring Bhutan at 6.35 am.
It is likely to inundate the lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Nalbari, official sources said in Guwahati on Saturday.
The Bhutanese Army overran six camps housing over 3000 heavily armed militants in four districts bordering Assam.
With militants belonging to anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation trying to strike fresh routes along the thickly forested and rugged terrain on the India-Bhutan border in North East and North Bengal (West Bengal), both the countries have decided to mount vigil along the border.
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday asked border guarding forces to check anti-national elements from taking advantage of the country's friendly relations with its neighbours for perpetrating their evil designs.
With the commissioning of the 2,000 MW Tala hydel power project scheduled for July 2006, Bhutan is all set to start exporting 2,500 MW power to India by the year end, Bhutan ambassador to India Lyonpo Dago Tshering said on Monday.
Bhutan's dashing King walked hand-in-hand with his beautiful bride and turned his romantic self inside out, publicly kissing the Queen not once but thrice, throwing the people at his wedding reception here into a rapturous frenzy.
