India’s tax landscape is set for a dramatic transformation as the Central Government works to overhaul the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system into a two-rate structure. The move, targeted for implementation by Diwali 2025, is part of a larger push by the Modi administration to reduce tax burdens and simplify compliance. Described by government sources as a “people-first” reform, the new model is expected to replace the current four primary slabs — 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28% — with just two general rates, supplemented by a few special cases for sin and luxury goods. Proposed Rate Structure Though the…
Author: JITENDRA KUMAR
As the rift between India and the United States deepens under Donald Trump’s second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is recalibrating India’s foreign policy — and China is emerging as a key part of the strategy. In a quiet but deliberate shift, India and China have begun restoring bilateral relations long frozen by years of mutual distrust. This year alone, direct commercial flights between the two countries resumed for the first time since 2020, and India lifted its ban on tourist visas for Chinese citizens. These gestures, while limited, are the first green shoots of a broader diplomatic recovery. The…
New Delhi — In a significant phone call on August 8, 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking another highlight in their countries’ long-standing “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” Modi thanked Putin for providing a detailed update on the Ukraine conflict and seized the moment to invite him to New Delhi for the 23rd India‑Russia Annual Summit later this year. This exchange comes amid two major developments. First, earlier this week, the U.S., under the administration of President Donald Trump, imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods—bringing the total to 50%—as punishment for…
In a landmark ruling delivered on August 1, 2025, a special court in Bengaluru sentenced former Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna to life imprisonment for the rape of a 47-year-old domestic worker, underscoring the judiciary’s firm stand against abuse of power by public figures. The court also imposed a fine of ₹11.5 lakh, directing that ₹11.25 lakh be paid as compensation to the survivor. Background: A House Help’s Fight for Justice The survivor, a woman who worked at the Revanna family’s farmhouse in Holenarasipura, filed a complaint in April 2024, accusing Prajwal Revanna of raping her on two occasions in…
On July 30, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a sweeping new economic measure targeting India: a 25 percent tariff on all Indian imports to the United States, effective August 1. In addition, India will face an unspecified penalty tied to its ongoing procurement of Russian military equipment and energy—moves that have further inflamed geopolitical tensions. This dual action marks a dramatic escalation in India‑U.S. economic relations and sharply complicates bilateral trade negotiations. Background: From “Liberation Day” to Reconfigured Tariffs Earlier this year, on April 2, 2025—self-dubbed “Liberation Day”—Trump had introduced a reciprocal tariff policy, proposing a 26 percent tariff on Indian goods. Negotiations slowed, and the…
In a striking evolution of India’s national security approach, Operation Sindoor—launched in May 2025—has emerged as a defining moment in the country’s counterterrorism doctrine. Speaking on the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi declared the operation a “calibrated, precise, and message-driven” action that set a new benchmark in India’s military response to cross-border terror. The operation came in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 27, 2025, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists from other Indian states. The sheer brazenness of the attack led to unprecedented political pressure and public…
In a turning point for bilateral relations, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer today signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement. The accord, aimed at doubling trade to roughly $120 billion by 2030, removes tariffs on virtually all Indian exports and dramatically lowers duties on key UK goods—boosting growth, jobs, and consumer choice in both countries. A Decade in the Making Negotiations for the India–UK Free Trade Agreement began in January 2022 and unfolded over 15 formal rounds before culminating in today’s signing ceremony in London, attended by PM Modi and PM Starmer. The pact also includes a “double contribution convention”…
In a development that caught both political observers and the public by surprise, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his constitutional post on July 21, 2025, citing health reasons. The resignation, submitted to President Droupadi Murmu under Article 67(a) of the Indian Constitution, brings an abrupt end to his tenure that began in August 2022. Dhankhar, who also served as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, said in his resignation letter that he was stepping down “with a heavy heart” on the advice of medical professionals. The former Governor of West Bengal and seasoned political figure offered words of…
As the war in Ukraine stretches past its second anniversary, the Kremlin has issued a bold proposal: a full ceasefire and the opening of peace negotiations, but only if Ukraine formally withdraws its bid to join NATO and accepts permanent neutrality. The announcement, made by President Vladimir Putin through his press secretary Dmitry Peskov, marks a significant diplomatic maneuver aimed at reshaping the post-war security structure of Eastern Europe. According to the Kremlin, Russia’s “core demand” is the assurance that Ukraine will never again serve as a “launchpad” for Western military influence. The Core Demand: No NATO, No War At…
The European Union’s 18th sanctions package against Russia has sent shockwaves across the global oil industry—but none more acutely than in India, where Nayara Energy has become the first Indian refinery to be directly impacted. With the EU blacklisting Nayara’s Vadinar facility due to its partial ownership by Russian state-controlled Rosneft, a new set of challenges is unfolding for India’s refining sector, foreign investment climate, and geopolitical balancing. Nayara Energy: The Strategic Anchor Nayara Energy, formerly Essar Oil, operates the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat—India’s second-largest private refinery, capable of processing 20 million tonnes of crude annually. Rosneft, Russia’s state-owned oil…