News for 'Indian Foreign Service'

3 of 5 top rank holders are IPS trainees, 1,016 qualify for civil services

3 of 5 top rank holders are IPS trainees, 1,016 qualify for civil services

Rediff.com17 Apr 2024

A total of 1,016 candidates -- 664 men and 352 women -- have qualified in the examination and have been recommended by the Union Public Service Commission for appointment to various services.

India maintains high import duty on American goods: US report

India maintains high import duty on American goods: US report

Rediff.com1 Apr 2025

India maintains "high" import duties on a wide range of American goods such as agricultural items, drug formulations, and alcoholic beverages, besides imposing non-tariif barriers, a US report has said. A day before announcing reciprocal tariffs, the US Trade Representative (USTR) released the 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on March 31.

ED probes agents' network facilitating Indians' illegal US entry via Canada

ED probes agents' network facilitating Indians' illegal US entry via Canada

Rediff.com7 Feb 2025

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a complex network of agents and facilitators in India, Canada, and the US who assist Indians in illegally entering the US through fraudulent admissions to Canadian colleges. Over 8,500 financial transactions are under scrutiny by the ED in a case related to money laundering, stemming from a 2023 Gujarat Police crime branch FIR. The investigation includes international financial companies involved in remittances abroad, with the ED conducting 35 searches in the past year and seizing assets worth Rs 92 lakh. The issue has gained significant attention following the deportation of 104 Indians from the US on Wednesday. The investigation is linked to the tragic death of an Indian family in January 2022, who perished while attempting to cross the Canada-US border illegally. The ED has identified a network of agents and facilitators who manage and facilitate the stay, transportation, visa arrangements, and legal matters of illegal immigrants who gained admission to Canadian colleges through fraudulent means. The investigation has revealed that the fees paid to Canadian colleges were remitted back to individuals' accounts, with around 8,500 transactions identified between September 2021 and August 2024. The ED suspects that approximately 370 individuals have entered the US using this illegal immigration scheme. The agency has recorded statements from parents and guardians of students enrolled in Canadian colleges and continues its investigation.

MI worst hit as SA players to give IPL playoffs a miss

MI worst hit as SA players to give IPL playoffs a miss

Rediff.com15 May 2025

WTC-bound SA players to miss play-offs after BCCI asks teams to release them by May 26

Man who led funeral of terrorists is on US wanted list

Man who led funeral of terrorists is on US wanted list

Rediff.com13 May 2025

In trying to portray a globally sanctioned terrorist as a 'common man', Pakistan was exposed when its top official publically outed crucial details about Hafiz Abdul Rauf, including his national identity number which matched details in the database of the United States sanction list of terrorists.

FPIs withdraw Rs 30,000 cr from equities in first 15 days in March

FPIs withdraw Rs 30,000 cr from equities in first 15 days in March

Rediff.com16 Mar 2025

Foreign investors continue to pull back money from the Indian equity market withdrawing a little over Rs 30,000 crore in the first fortnight of the month amid escalation in global trade tensions. This came following an outflow of Rs 34,574 crore from equities in February and Rs 78,027 crore in January.

Don't equate victim, perpetrator of terror attacks: Misri in Tokyo

Don't equate victim, perpetrator of terror attacks: Misri in Tokyo

Rediff.com22 May 2025

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has underscored the importance of not equating the victims and perpetrators of terror attacks, highlighting the need for global unity in combating terrorism. Speaking at Raisina Tokyo 2025, Misri expressed appreciation for Japan's support following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, India. He also cautioned against the trend of some Western countries hyphenating India and Pakistan in the context of their recent military confrontation. Misri further outlined India's economic aspirations and its commitment to becoming a factor of stability in a turbulent world.

Now, Trump credits 'very smart' leaders of India, Pak for ceasefire

Now, Trump credits 'very smart' leaders of India, Pak for ceasefire

Rediff.com19 Jun 2025

Two 'very smart' leaders of India and Pakistan decided to end last month's conflict that could have turned into a nuclear war, United States President Donald Trump said after holding a rare luncheon meeting with Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House.

Factors that will drive the markets this week

Factors that will drive the markets this week

Rediff.com28 Apr 2025

Geopolitical developments between India and Pakistan, quarterly earnings and macro data will be the key drivers of stock markets in the holiday-shortened week, say analysts.

FTA talks may figure in Sitharaman's London meetings

FTA talks may figure in Sitharaman's London meetings

Rediff.com31 Mar 2025

Issues related to the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) and bilateral investment treaty between India and the UK are expected to figure during the three-day visit of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to London from April 8-10, official sources said. The minister will attend a host of meetings, including the India-United Kingdom Economic and Financial Dialogue, in London.

Will Trump-Putin Reach A Deal On Ukraine?

Will Trump-Putin Reach A Deal On Ukraine?

Rediff.com2 Apr 2025

Putin is keen on establishing a good personal rapport with Trump and anchor a meaningful US-Russia partnership, realistic enough to accept that Trump is as good an American president as Russia would ever get, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Punjab Kings poised for play-offs as RR play for pride

Punjab Kings poised for play-offs as RR play for pride

Rediff.com17 May 2025

Punjab Kings will look to renew their bid for a play-off berth with another commanding performance in Jaipur on Sunday against Rajasthan Royals, who have failed to rise above mediocrity despite possessing the resources this season.

Quota fraud: Puja Khedkar sacked from IAS with immediate effect

Quota fraud: Puja Khedkar sacked from IAS with immediate effect

Rediff.com8 Sep 2024

Khedkar, who was from the 2023 batch, has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes and disability quota benefits to ensure her selection in the government service.

Sensex jumps over 700 points, Nifty reclaims 25,000

Sensex jumps over 700 points, Nifty reclaims 25,000

Rediff.com6 Jun 2025

Maruti, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Eternal, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Titan, HDFC Bank, and NTPC were among the other major gainers. Bharti Airtel and Sun Pharma were the laggards.

India foils Pak's drone strikes at 26 sites; Punjab family hurt

India foils Pak's drone strikes at 26 sites; Punjab family hurt

Rediff.com10 May 2025

Meanwhile, a precautionary blackout has been enforfced in the multiple areas amid the esclating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Gogoi's wife collected sensitive info for Pakistan: Sarma

Gogoi's wife collected sensitive info for Pakistan: Sarma

Rediff.com29 May 2025

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi's British wife of collecting intelligence documents on behalf of the Pakistani climate lobby. Sarma claims to have documentary evidence of Gogoi and his wife's ties with Pakistan and will reveal everything publicly by September 10. Gogoi has denied the allegations, calling them a "C-grade Bollywood movie" and stating that he has only visited Pakistan once 12 years ago. Sarma alleges that Gogoi's wife, Elizabeth Colburn, worked for the climate lobby and had a close relationship with Pakistan.

Bangladesh summons Kolkata mission head amid protests

Bangladesh summons Kolkata mission head amid protests

Rediff.com6 Dec 2024

Bangladesh has summoned its Acting Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata for urgent consultations following protests over attacks on Hindu minorities. The mission in Kolkata has witnessed multiple protests over the past week by political parties and religious groups condemning the reported atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. In a related development, the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Tripura, suspended all visa and consular services on Tuesday, citing security reasons. The decision followed an incident where protesters breached the mission's premises on Monday to protest the arrest of Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka.

Will AI, Like Y2K, Be Gamechanger For Indian IT Cos?

Will AI, Like Y2K, Be Gamechanger For Indian IT Cos?

Rediff.com1 Jan 2025

'The race is now on for Indian IT firms to develop their AI prowess and focus on a software-first approach to services as the people element becomes more complicated with Trump's expected new regulations.'

Sensex, Nifty end in red on rising India-Pak tensions

Sensex, Nifty end in red on rising India-Pak tensions

Rediff.com8 May 2025

From the Sensex firms, Eternal, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Bajaj Finance, Tata Steel, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, Asian Paints, Power Grid and State Bank of India were among the laggards. Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, Titan, HCL Tech, Tata Motors, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were the gainers.

MP minister refers to Col Quershi as 'sister of terrorists', apologises

MP minister refers to Col Quershi as 'sister of terrorists', apologises

Rediff.com14 May 2025

Madhya Pradesh Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Shah has sparked a major controversy with objectionable comments that appeared to be directed at Colonel Sofia Qureshi, whom he tried to project as a 'sister of terrorists'.

IPL SUSPENDED amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions

IPL SUSPENDED amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions

Rediff.com9 May 2025

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season has been officially suspended due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan.

India Set For Rs 32 Trillion Defence Budget... In 2047

India Set For Rs 32 Trillion Defence Budget... In 2047

Rediff.com2 Jun 2025

'Make-in-India played a key role in India's effective action against terrorism during Operation Sindoor.'

No air defence guns deployed in Golden Temple: Army

No air defence guns deployed in Golden Temple: Army

Rediff.com20 May 2025

The Army Tuesday said no air defence guns or any other air defence resource were deployed within the Golden Temple premises during Operation Sindoor.

Wrong ITR Form Can Delay Tax Returns

Wrong ITR Form Can Delay Tax Returns

Rediff.com27 May 2025

The return filed could be treated as defective, invalid, or even be considered as not filed at all.

FPI inflows into Indian equities drop sharply in 2024; rebound anticipated in 2025

FPI inflows into Indian equities drop sharply in 2024; rebound anticipated in 2025

Rediff.com25 Dec 2024

After a robust 2023, foreign investors significantly scaled back their investments in Indian equities in 2024, with net inflows amounting to over Rs 5,000 crore, as elevated domestic valuations, coupled with geopolitical uncertainties prompted investors to adopt a more cautious stance. Looking ahead to 2025, FPI flows into Indian equities could see a recovery, supported by a cyclical upswing in corporate earnings, particularly in domestic-oriented sectors like capital goods, manufacturing, and infrastructure, Vinit Bolinjkar, head of research, Ventura Securities, said.

The foreign service has lost its Bhishma pitamaha

The foreign service has lost its Bhishma pitamaha

Rediff.com7 Feb 2012

Ambassador A K Damodaran was the last link between the freedom struggle and Indian diplomacy, the last of those, who walked from a British prison to take on national responsibilities.

How China Supported Pakistan's Attacks

How China Supported Pakistan's Attacks

Rediff.com12 May 2025

China supplied more than $20 billion worth of arms to Pakistan. These include 20 J-10CE and JF-17 Block III fighter aircraft, Wing Loong drones, frigates, submarines, Hongqi HQ-9P surface-to-air missiles, 240 PL-15E air-to-air missiles, LY-80 air defence systems, ZDK early warning aircraft and other weapons.

FPIs withdraw record Rs 94,000 cr from Indian equities in Oct

FPIs withdraw record Rs 94,000 cr from Indian equities in Oct

Rediff.com3 Nov 2024

Foreign investors pulled out a massive Rs 94,000 crore (around $11.2 billion) from the Indian stock market in October, making it the worst-ever month in terms of outflows, triggered by the elevated valuation of domestic equities and attractive valuations of Chinese stocks. Before this, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) withdrew Rs 61,973 crore from equities in March 2020. The latest outflow came after a nine-month high investment of Rs 57,724 crore in September 2024.

Operation Sindoor: 300 flights cancelled, 25 airports shut

Operation Sindoor: 300 flights cancelled, 25 airports shut

Rediff.com7 May 2025

More than 300 flights have been cancelled and at least 25 airports, including Srinagar, have been temporarily shut for operations amid restrictions in the wake of the armed forces launching missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan on Wednesday morning.

No Digital Data Protection Act Change Likely

No Digital Data Protection Act Change Likely

Rediff.com7 Apr 2025

The "construct of the DPDP Act" cannot be changed at this stage, though there may be some minor tweaks in the language of the Rules and formats in certain legitimate cases.

IAF martyr's parents feel 'ignored', seek policy change

IAF martyr's parents feel 'ignored', seek policy change

Rediff.com10 Apr 2025

The parents of Squadron Leader Abhimanyu Rai, an IAF pilot who died in a trainer jet crash in December 2023, have expressed their anguish over being ignored for entitlements and honours that were given to their daughter-in-law. They believe the government policy should be revised to include parents of martyred soldiers. Group Captain Amitabh Rai (retd) and his wife Chitralekha, the bereaved parents, say they have received no condolences from the government despite losing their only son. They argue that the current policy unfairly favors the martyr's wife, often leading to neglect of the parents. The Rais claim their son's death is not being recognized as a "battle casualty" and therefore he is not being treated as a martyr. They also raise concerns about the pressure on IAF trainers to complete training programs successfully, even when cadets are not prepared, potentially endangering both the trainer and the cadet.

Pak PM holds high-level meet to discuss India's response

Pak PM holds high-level meet to discuss India's response

Rediff.com24 Apr 2025

Pakistan is holding a high-level security meeting to formulate a response to India's suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and downgrading of diplomatic ties. The meeting, convened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, will include the National Security Committee, three services chiefs, and key ministers. The move comes after India blamed Pakistan for a terror attack in Pahalgam, which Pakistan has denied. Diplomatic observers warn that the escalation could further strain relations between the two countries.

AI plane crash death toll hits 270 as families wait for bodies

AI plane crash death toll hits 270 as families wait for bodies

Rediff.com14 Jun 2025

The process of identification of victims by matching the DNA samples is currently underway, and the bodies will be handed over to their relatives once the process is complete.

LIC Hits Back At USTR Bias Claim

LIC Hits Back At USTR Bias Claim

Rediff.com5 Apr 2025

LIC said USTR's views are based on an incomplete understanding of Indian insurance regulation and LIC's functioning.

US, UK call for calm amid heightened India-Pak tensions

US, UK call for calm amid heightened India-Pak tensions

Rediff.com30 Apr 2025

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the US has called on both countries "not to escalate" the conflict. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow. The US State Department said Washington is reaching out to both India and Pakistan "regarding the Kashmir situation" and telling them "not to escalate the situation."

Factors that will drive the markets this week

Factors that will drive the markets this week

Rediff.com20 Apr 2025

Trading sentiment in the equity market will largely be driven by domestic corporate quarterly earnings, any update related to US tariffs and foreign fund movements this week, analysts said. Investors would also focus on world market trends, movement of global oil benchmark Brent crude and the rupee-dollar trend for further cues, experts noted.

'Difficult To Trust Yunus Govt In Dhaka'

'Difficult To Trust Yunus Govt In Dhaka'

Rediff.com4 Apr 2025

'It was the hostility of the Yunus regime that made India careful and wary of dealing with them.' 'They gradually backed off and lowered the noise, but the damage was done.' 'Their true colours had been exposed.'

HSBC downgrades Indian stock markets to 'neutral' from 'overweight' for 2025

HSBC downgrades Indian stock markets to 'neutral' from 'overweight' for 2025

Rediff.com9 Jan 2025

As India faces slowing economic growth, HSBC Global Research has downgraded the Indian stock market outlook from "overweight" to "neutral". In a report, the global financial services firm said profits at India Inc appeared to have softened while valuations are elevated. After annualized growth of 25 per cent in recent years, profits appear to have softened while valuations are elevated at 23x forward earnings.

FPIs pulled out Rs 10,355 cr from equities in last four trading sessions

FPIs pulled out Rs 10,355 cr from equities in last four trading sessions

Rediff.com6 Apr 2025

Foreign investors withdrew Rs 10,355 crore from the country's equity markets in the last four trading sessions this month due to sweeping tariffs imposed by the US on most nations, including India. The outflow occurred after a net investment of Rs 30,927 crore in the six trading sessions from March 21 to March 28. This infusion helped reduce the overall outflow for March to Rs 3,973 crore, according to data from the depositories.

What Indian taxpayers want from CBDT

What Indian taxpayers want from CBDT

Rediff.com2 Feb 2025

An Income-Tax Department internal committee reviewing the old direct tax law to pave the way for a new one has "largely" received suggestions for "simplifying" the language, better "structuring" the provisions and enlarging the ambit of schemes like presumptive taxation, CBDT chairman Ravi Agrawal said Sunday. Speaking to PTI during a post-Budget interview at his North Block office, Agrawal said the panel also "studied" the deliberations and processes of countries like the UK, Australia and some others where a similar tax law simplification exercise was undertaken.