Starting August 1, 2025, all consular services, including passport, visa, OCI, surrender certificate, life certificate, birth/marriage certificate, police clearance, attestations, and more, will be provided exclusively through VFS Global Centres.
Strategic affairs experts express concern over US President Donald Trump's tariffs on India, his 'bullying tactics,' and increasing attempts to hyphenate New Delhi with Islamabad, signaling a potential shift in the bilateral relationship.
The schools included Delhi Public School, Modern Convent School, and Shree Ram World School, a senior police officer said, adding that the threats were received via e-mail.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor welcomed the revival of long-stalled India-UK FTA negotiations, posting a selfie with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the UK's Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds. Tharoor's post comes amid a row over his recent article praising the Kerala government's investment climate, which drew criticism from some Congress leaders.
India's decision to reserve its rights to impose retaliatory duties on the US over imposition of tariffs on auto parts is a procedural move under the WTO agreement on safeguards and it will not affect ongoing negotiations on the proposed trade pact between the two countries, an official said. India on Friday proposed imposing retaliatory duties under the WTO (World Trade Organisation) norms against the US over American tariffs on imports of the country's auto parts in the name of safeguard measures.
"For instance, you generally buy your military gear from Russia. That's a way to kind of get under the skin of America, if you go to buy your armaments from Russia."
India and the UK on Thursday inked a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) that will cut tariffs on British whisky, cars and an array of items, besides boosting bilateral trade by around $34 billion annually.
China on Friday raised its additional tariffs on imports from the United States to 125 per cent in retaliation to the Trump administration's 145 per cent levies on Chinese exports.
The move comes in response to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce's (KFCC) recent announcement that it would not permit the screening of the film in Karnataka unless Haasan issues a public apology for his comment suggesting that Kannada evolved from Tamil.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he "helped settle" the tensions between India and Pakistan and that he told the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours that America would do a "lot of trade" with them if they stopped the conflict.
Kamal Haasan starrer Thug Life will not be released in Karnataka on June 5, the scheduled date for the pan-India release of the much-anticipated movie, its producers informed the Karnataka high court on Tuesday.
China on Wednesday hit back at United States President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese exports with 84 per cent levies on its imports from America, intensifying the trade war between the top two economies of the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (the then) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched an 'Enhanced Trade Partnership' (ETP) to unleash the trade potential between the two economies. As part of the ETP, they agreed on a roadmap to negotiate a comprehensive and balanced FTA.
China on Friday said it is assessing whether to start trade talks with the US on tariff reductions following recent approaches by Washington, a move that would possibly ease the tit-for-tit tariff war between the world's two largest economies. "China is making assessments as the United States has recently reached out to convey messages to China through relevant parties many times, expressing hope to engage in talks with Beijing over tariff issues," the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement in Beijing.
The state has clocked more than 8 per cent growth in the last three financial years, braving global headwinds and thriving on its manufacturing strength
According to Khemka's family members, his son was also shot dead by criminals six years ago in Hajipur.
Indian and US officials will begin deliberations on the proposed bilateral trade agreement in Washington from Wednesday with an aim to iron out issues and give an impetus to the negotiations.
India would neither succumb to the Americans on issues of national security, such as its defence ties with Russia, nor cede ground on its domestic interests in the agriculture and dairy sectors.
'Militants are taking over the administration. Fundamentalists have been released from jail.'
India on Thursday said it expects the United States to consider visa applications of Indian students on merit amid growing concerns over the Trump administration halting new student visa interviews.
Actor Kamal Haasan has sparked outrage in Karnataka after he said "Tamil gave birth to Kannada" at an event in Chennai. Pro-Kannada groups have staged protests across the state, demanding an apology from the actor. They have also threatened to disrupt screenings of his upcoming film "Thug Life" in Karnataka. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce is also set to discuss a possible ban on the actor.
There was no immediate reaction from the government on it but it has maintained that India-Pakistan understanding on cessation of hostilities was arrived at following direct negotiations between the two sides.
President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will introduce a 'gold card' for wealthy foreigners, granting them the right to live and work in the country, with a pathway to citizenship, in exchange for a $5 million fee, CNN reported.
India on Thursday said the issue of trade did not come up at all in talks between Indian and American leaders during its military clashes with Pakistan, virtually rejecting Washington's repeated claims that its offer of trade stopped the confrontation.
Very sensitive items -- such as apples, which carry political weight and are closely tied to farmer interests in states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- may face restricted concessions.
'There's been interest from multiple states, and exploratory conversations are ongoing.'
Zepto co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha has accused the chief financial officer of a competing company of orchestrating a smear campaign against his quick commerce platform. In a LinkedIn post on late Sunday, Palicha, not taking names, alleged that the CFO of one of Zepto's competitor firms has been reaching out to Zepto's investors with unsubstantiated claims, distributing false financial data to journalists, and employing bots to spread negative narratives about Zepto on social media.
A government official said India and the US are exploring an interim trade deal within 90 days.
The Quad grouping has called for bringing the perpetrators, organisers and financiers of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice without any delay and urged UN member nations to extend cooperation for it.
'We remain in touch with the Chinese side, in Beijing as well as in Delhi, to bring predictability in the supply chain.'
Artisans from Maharashtra have cried foul after footwear similar to the famous Kolhapuri chappals featured in Prada's show. They alleged violation of geographical identification (GI) rights.
India and the US desire to give preferential market access to each other's businesses and teams of both the countries are working together on the proposed bilateral trade agreement, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said. In February, US President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced plans to negotiate the first tranche or phase of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) of 2025.
Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) said on Thursday that it will not allow the release of Kamal Haasan's film Thug Life in Karnataka unless he issues a public apology by May 30 for his controversial remark about the Kannada language.
Senior officials of India and the US will begin three-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement in New Delhi on Wednesday amid threats of reciprocal tariffs from the Trump-administration, an official said. To formally start the negotiations on the pact, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, along with a team of officials, is in New Delhi.
'I don't know how long cinema will survive.'
The CII Business Summit 2025's inaugural session witnessed a rousing standing ovation and a felicitation ceremony for the defence top brass sending a strong message about India's rising military industrial complex and hghlghting that security is a top-of-the-mind issue for India Inc.
Kamal Haasan stoked a controversy during the audio launch event for his film Thug Life in Chennai, by remarking that Kannada was born out of Tamil.
He had promised his daughter that he would be there, come what may, a kin said. But fate had a different plan.
'That way you're not hostage just to US sort of exports to India.'
The move by the US President came following a retaliatory move by China, where it increased its tariff on US goods from 34 per cent to 84 per cent starting April 10.