<p>IndiGo Airlines, operated by InterGlobe Aviation Limited, is in the news for all the wrong reasons, having gamed the rostering system until the government intervened, and responding to the crackdown with sudden cancellations that left thousands of passengers stranded. The carrier's journey began in 2005 at the right place and the right time, as India’s low-cost aviation boom was taking off. Here is its story.</p><h2>The early days of IndiGo</h2><p>IndiGo was founded by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal, an Indian-American aviation veteran and former CEO of US Airways. Before the launch of the airline, Bhatia had built InterGlobe Enterprises’ travel and aviation business portfolio. IndiGo is short for “India on the Go,” with a mission to provide affordable, accessible air travel.</p><p>Even before it started operations, the airline made a bold move in June 2005, ordering 100 Airbus A320-200 aircraft worth 6 billion dollars at the Paris Air Show, the largest such order by any Indian airline at the time. As demand in India’s aviation market grew, this order ensured fleet availability at deep bulk discounts and positioned IndiGo as a low-cost carrier.</p><p>The airline’s first commercial flight took off on 4 August 2006 from Delhi to Imphal via Guwahati, using a leased Airbus A320. By the end of 2006, IndiGo operated six aircraft, flying routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. For passengers accustomed to delays at state-run Air India, IndiGo quickly won loyalty with punctual operations, often called “IndiGo Standard Time,” and a minimal-frills model.</p><h2>An opportune moment to grow as rivals crumbled</h2><p>Between 2008 and 2012, the Indian private aviation sector experienced both growth and turbulence. Headwinds included the 2007–08 global financial crisis and rising fuel prices, which accounted for up to 45 per cent of operating costs. Carriers such as Kingfisher Airlines and Air Sahara suffered heavy losses, while Air India struggled under chronic debt. IndiGo succeeded by operating a single aircraft model, maintaining lean operations, managing rapid turnaround times, and using sale-and-leaseback agreements for aircraft. While competitors struggled, IndiGo added nine aircraft in 2007, and by 2010 it overtook Air India to become India’s third-largest carrier, behind Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, with a domestic market share of 17.3 per cent.</p><p>In 2012, Kingfisher Airlines collapsed after its promoter, Vijay Mallya, failed to pay salaries and service billions of rupees in debt to a banking consortia. Mallya fled India for UK, leaving the airline's operations grounded. With fewer choices, passengers flocked to IndiGo.&nbsp;</p><p>Between 2008 and 2012, the airline’s market share rose from around 6 per cent to about 27 per cent. It also became known for its ancillary practices, such as food priced at 200–300 per cent markups and fines for excess baggage.&nbsp;</p><p>Six years after its first flight, IndiGo became India’s largest airline. It also began international operations, starting with Dubai, and placed a new order for 180 Airbus A320-family aircraft valued at around 15 billion dollars, the world’s largest commercial aircraft order at the time.</p><h2>Expansion and going public</h2><p>Virtually unrivalled as other airlines collapsed or shrank operations, IndiGo tightened its grip on the domestic market between 2013 and 2019. SpiceJet faced financial stress, GoAir (later rebranded GoFirst) suffered engine-related groundings, and Jet Airways ceased operations in 2019 under debts exceeding 20,000 crore rupees. IndiGo expanded aggressively, adding routes in both primary and secondary cities, supported by the Indian government’s regional connectivity programme, UDAN.</p><p>By 2015, IndiGo commanded a domestic market share of 36.5 per cent. That same year, it went public, raising 3,000 crore rupees in its IPO. The fleet reached 100 aircraft. Armed with public market funds, IndiGo placed an order for 250 Airbus A320neo planes for 26.5 billion dollars, the largest single order ever with Airbus at that time. By 2019, the airline operated 1,500 daily flights, flying over 100 million passengers annually with a fleet exceeding 250 aircraft.</p><h2>Ancillary charges become main cash cow</h2><p>During this period, IndiGo’s revenue increasingly depended on ancillary charges. The airline monetised seat selection, excess baggage fines, priority boarding, and in-flight meals under rules permitting service unbundling. Excess baggage fees rose from 400 rupees per kilogramme to 600 rupees, while sandwiches cost around 150 rupees in 2018 and nearly 300 rupees by 2025. These charges accounted for up to 15 per cent of revenue, while base fares remained low on paper.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indigo-crisis-indigo-expects-flight-operations-to-stabilise-by-december-10-1765165776876/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/indigo-crisis-indigo-expects-flight-operations-to-stabilise-by-december-10-1765165776876/embed</a></p><h2>Surviving the pandemic turmoil with mega orders</h2><p>The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 grounded roughly 90 per cent of flights. Despite losses, IndiGo expanded its net fleet by 45 aircraft, surpassing 262 in service, and carried approximately 75 million passengers amid restrictions. At the same time, the airline invested in new-generation engines to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Competitors suffered more acutely: GoFirst, burdened with 6,500 crore rupees in debt, filed for bankruptcy in 2023, and SpiceJet continued to struggle with financial and operational stress. IndiGo absorbed many routes and airport slots vacated by rivals.</p><p>In 2022, IndiGo became the first Indian airline to carry over 100 million passengers annually. In 2023, it made commercial aviation history with an order for 500 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft valued at 55 billion dollars, the largest purchase ever in the sector.</p><h2>Taking wings as time flies: Global ambitions and regional footprint</h2><p>By early 2023, IndiGo’s fleet exceeded 300 aircraft. For the first time, it operated a Boeing aircraft, wet-leasing a 777-300ER to meet international demand. In 2024, it ordered 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, expanding its long-haul capability. By its 20th anniversary, the airline had a fleet of 434 aircraft, a domestic market share of 64.2 per cent, and operated approximately 2,700 daily flights to 137 destinations, including 94 domestic and 43 international. Regional connectivity was strengthened using ATR 72-600 aircraft for smaller cities such as Hubli and Gorakhpur.</p><p>In the first quarter of 2025, IndiGo earned nearly 17.6 billion rupees from ancillary services, representing 14 per cent growth year-on-year. Pricing for baggage, meals, and other add-ons helped offset volatile fuel costs.</p><h2>One dominant airline for 430 million passengers</h2><p>IndiGo benefited from the near-collapse of India’s private aviation sector, with at least nine major carriers failing since the early 1990s. The end of Kingfisher Airlines in 2012 and Jet Airways in 2019 redirected up to 30 per cent of their traffic to IndiGo. Ongoing troubles at GoFirst and SpiceJet from 2023 further strengthened its market position.</p><p>IndiGo’s revenues rose from roughly 11,200 crore rupees in fiscal year 2015 to about 83,314 crore rupees in 2025. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, total income reached 20,250 crore rupees, with ticket revenue of 16,500 crore rupees and ancillary revenue of 1,760 crore rupees, recording a net profit of 5,062 crore rupees.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/fresh-chaos-alert-delhi-airport-warns-indigo-delays-may-continue-urges-flyers-to-check-flight-status-1765163526025">Fresh chaos alert: Delhi Airport warns Indigo delays may continue, urges flyers to check flight status</a></p><h2>Who are the shareholders of IndiGo?</h2><p>Promoters own 41.6 per cent of the company. InterGlobe Enterprises, led by Rahul Bhatia, holds roughly 35.7 per cent, remaining the dominant promoter entity. The Gangwal family, through personal holdings and a family trust, holds about 13.5 per cent. Foreign institutional investors account for approximately 52.5 per cent, domestic institutional investors 17.2 per cent, retail investors nearly 4 per cent, with the remainder held by corporate and trust entities.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-nothing-happened-overnight-indigo-employee-s-open-letter-makes-big-revelations-1765186606777">'Nothing happened overnight': IndiGo employee's open letter makes big revelations</a></p><h2>How the IndiGo flight chaos of December exposed a civil aviation crisis</h2><p>In December first week, operational disruptions arose after the government implemented flight duty time regulations, requiring longer rest periods for pilots and crew. IndiGo’s previously frozen hiring left it short-staffed, leading to over 1,000 flight cancellations in three days. Pilot unions blamed insufficient workforce planning, while passengers were left stranded. Regulators temporarily relaxed duty requirements to stabilise operations.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indigo-flight-crisis-not-urgent-cji-declines-immediate-hearing-on-pil-says-1765177884996">IndiGo flight crisis 'not urgent'? CJI declines immediate hearing on PIL, says...</a></p><h2>IndiGo: Too big to fail?</h2><p>The incident exposed the systemic risks of over-reliance on a single dominant carrier. IndiGo, alongside Air India, controls around 92 per cent of domestic capacity, effectively making it “too big to fail.”</p><p>After the December disruption, IndiGo’s legacy is at a crossroads. Is it an airline that democratised flying for millions of Indians through disciplined operations and low fares, or one that poorly managed customer and labour relations? As it enters its third decade, IndiGo’s future remains secure, largely because no rival appears on the horizon, capable of challenging its dominance in the near term. Yet, regulators are likely to scrutinise the carrier more closely following the operational embarrassment of 2025, even as it pushes full-page ads for a safe landing from the PR disaster.</p>

Since 2005, IndiGo Airlines has grown to dominate India’s skies in two decades, aided by low-cost operations, fleet expansion, ancillary revenue and rivals’ failures. But the December flight chaos is a wake-up call. Can Indian flyers trust one single dominant airline?

IndiGo Airlines, operated by InterGlobe Aviation Limited, is in the news for all the wrong reasons, having gamed the rostering system until the government intervened, and responding to the crackdown with sudden cancellations that left thousands of passengers stranded. The carrier's journey began in 2005 at the right place and the right time, as India’s low-cost aviation boom was taking off. Here is its story. The early days of IndiGo IndiGo was founded by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal, an Indian-American aviation veteran and former CEO of US Airways. Before the launch of the airline, Bhatia had built InterGlobe Enterprises’ travel and aviation business portfolio. IndiGo is short for “India on the Go,” with a mission to provide affordable, accessible air travel. Even before it started operations, the airline made a bold move in June 2005, ordering 100 Airbus A320-200 aircraft worth 6 billion dollars at the Paris Air Show, the largest such order by any Indian airline at the time. As demand in India’s aviation market grew, this order ensured fleet availability at deep bulk discounts and positioned IndiGo as a low-cost carrier. The airline’s first commercial flight took off on 4 August 2006 from Delhi to Imphal via Guwahati, using a leased Airbus A320. By the end of 2006, IndiGo operated six aircraft, flying routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. For passengers accustomed to delays at state-run Air India, IndiGo quickly won loyalty with punctual operations, often called “IndiGo Standard Time,” and a minimal-frills model. An opportune moment to grow as rivals crumbled Between 2008 and 2012, the Indian private aviation sector experienced both growth and turbulence. Headwinds included the 2007–08 global financial crisis and rising fuel prices, which accounted for up to 45 per cent of operating costs. Carriers such as Kingfisher Airlines and Air Sahara suffered heavy losses, while Air India struggled under chronic debt. IndiGo succeeded by operating a single aircraft model, maintaining lean operations, managing rapid turnaround times, and using sale-and-leaseback agreements for aircraft. While competitors struggled, IndiGo added nine aircraft in 2007, and by 2010 it overtook Air India to become India’s third-largest carrier, behind Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, with a domestic market share of 17.3 per cent. In 2012, Kingfisher Airlines collapsed after its promoter, Vijay Mallya, failed to pay salaries and service billions of rupees in debt to a banking consortia. Mallya fled India for UK, leaving the airline's operations grounded. With fewer choices, passengers flocked to IndiGo. Between 2008 and 2012, the airline’s market share rose from around 6 per cent to about 27 per cent. It also became known for its ancillary practices, such as food priced at 200–300 per cent markups and fines for excess baggage. Six years after its first flight, IndiGo became India’s largest airline. It also began international operations, starting with Dubai, and placed a new order for 180 Airbus A320-family aircraft valued at around 15 billion dollars, the world’s largest commercial aircraft order at the time. Expansion and going public Virtually unrivalled as other airlines collapsed or shrank operations, IndiGo tightened its grip on the domestic market between 2013 and 2019. SpiceJet faced financial stress, GoAir (later rebranded GoFirst) suffered engine-related groundings, and Jet Airways ceased operations in 2019 under debts exceeding 20,000 crore rupees. IndiGo expanded aggressively, adding routes in both primary and secondary cities, supported by the Indian government’s regional connectivity programme, UDAN. By 2015, IndiGo commanded a domestic market share of 36.5 per cent. That same year, it went public, raising 3,000 crore rupees in its IPO. The fleet reached 100 aircraft. Armed with public market funds, IndiGo placed an order for 250 Airbus A320neo planes for 26.5 billion dollars, the largest single order ever with Airbus at that time. By 2019, the airline operated 1,500 daily flights, flying over 100 million passengers annually with a fleet exceeding 250 aircraft. Ancillary charges become main cash cow During this period, IndiGo’s revenue increasingly depended on ancillary charges. The airline monetised seat selection, excess baggage fines, priority boarding, and in-flight meals under rules permitting service unbundling. Excess baggage fees rose from 400 rupees per kilogramme to 600 rupees, while sandwiches cost around 150 rupees in 2018 and nearly 300 rupees by 2025. These charges accounted for up to 15 per cent of revenue, while base fares remained low on paper. https://www.wionews.com/videos/indigo-crisis-indigo-expects-flight-operations-to-stabilise-by-december-10-1765165776876/embed Surviving the pandemic turmoil with mega orders The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 grounded roughly 90 per cent of flights. Despite losses, IndiGo expanded its net fleet by 45 aircraft, surpassing 262 in service, and carried approximately 75 million passengers amid restrictions. At the same time, the airline invested in new-generation engines to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Competitors suffered more acutely: GoFirst, burdened with 6,500 crore rupees in debt, filed for bankruptcy in 2023, and SpiceJet continued to struggle with financial and operational stress. IndiGo absorbed many routes and airport slots vacated by rivals. In 2022, IndiGo became the first Indian airline to carry over 100 million passengers annually. In 2023, it made commercial aviation history with an order for 500 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft valued at 55 billion dollars, the largest purchase ever in the sector. Taking wings as time flies: Global ambitions and regional footprint By early 2023, IndiGo’s fleet exceeded 300 aircraft. For the first time, it operated a Boeing aircraft, wet-leasing a 777-300ER to meet international demand. In 2024, it ordered 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, expanding its long-haul capability. By its 20th anniversary, the airline had a fleet of 434 aircraft, a domestic market share of 64.2 per cent, and operated approximately 2,700 daily flights to 137 destinations, including 94 domestic and 43 international. Regional connectivity was strengthened using ATR 72-600 aircraft for smaller cities such as Hubli and Gorakhpur. In the first quarter of 2025, IndiGo earned nearly 17.6 billion rupees from ancillary services, representing 14 per cent growth year-on-year. Pricing for baggage, meals, and other add-ons helped offset volatile fuel costs. One dominant airline for 430 million passengers IndiGo benefited from the near-collapse of India’s private aviation sector, with at least nine major carriers failing since the early 1990s. The end of Kingfisher Airlines in 2012 and Jet Airways in 2019 redirected up to 30 per cent of their traffic to IndiGo. Ongoing troubles at GoFirst and SpiceJet from 2023 further strengthened its market position. IndiGo’s revenues rose from roughly 11,200 crore rupees in fiscal year 2015 to about 83,314 crore rupees in 2025. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, total income reached 20,250 crore rupees, with ticket revenue of 16,500 crore rupees and ancillary revenue of 1,760 crore rupees, recording a net profit of 5,062 crore rupees. Also read: Fresh chaos alert: Delhi Airport warns Indigo delays may continue, urges flyers to check flight status Who are the shareholders of IndiGo? Promoters own 41.6 per cent of the company. InterGlobe Enterprises, led by Rahul Bhatia, holds roughly 35.7 per cent, remaining the dominant promoter entity. The Gangwal family, through personal holdings and a family trust, holds about 13.5 per cent. Foreign institutional investors account for approximately 52.5 per cent, domestic institutional investors 17.2 per cent, retail investors nearly 4 per cent, with the remainder held by corporate and trust entities. Also read: 'Nothing happened overnight': IndiGo employee's open letter makes big revelations How the IndiGo flight chaos of December exposed a civil aviation crisis In December first week, operational disruptions arose after the government implemented flight duty time regulations, requiring longer rest periods for pilots and crew. IndiGo’s previously frozen hiring left it short-staffed, leading to over 1,000 flight cancellations in three days. Pilot unions blamed insufficient workforce planning, while passengers were left stranded. Regulators temporarily relaxed duty requirements to stabilise operations. Also read: IndiGo flight crisis 'not urgent'? CJI declines immediate hearing on PIL, says... IndiGo: Too big to fail? The incident exposed the systemic risks of over-reliance on a single dominant carrier. IndiGo, alongside Air India, controls around 92 per cent of domestic capacity, effectively making it “too big to fail.” After the December disruption, IndiGo’s legacy is at a crossroads. Is it an airline that democratised flying for millions of Indians through disciplined operations and low fares, or one that poorly managed customer and labour relations? As it enters its third decade, IndiGo’s future remains secure, largely because no rival appears on the horizon, capable of challenging its dominance in the near term. Yet, regulators are likely to scrutinise the carrier more closely following the operational embarrassment of 2025, even as it pushes full-page ads for a safe landing from the PR disaster.

<p>Since 2005, IndiGo Airlines has grown to dominate India’s skies in two decades, aided by low-cost operations, fleet expansion, ancillary revenue and rivals’ failures. But the December flight chaos is a wake-up call. Can Indian flyers trust one single dominant airline?</p>

The IndiGo story: 1.4 billion Indians, 430 million flyers, one dominant airline. Will it be IndiGone soon?

<p>The right to disconnect – or ‘do not disturb after work hours’ rules – are in place in some form or the other in at least 25 countries, ranging from absolute bans to restrictions with caveats. In India, a much-watched bill has been introduced by parliamentarian Supriya Sule. But in a nation where ‘overtime’ without payment is the norm, she might not succeed. The private sector, which thrives on overwork and underpayment, is likely to scuttle it.&nbsp;</p><h2>Nations are waking up to overwork, burnout and intrusion into private time</h2><p>In the post-pandemic world of remote work, your phone is your workstation, and through direct or group chat messages, phone calls, video conferencing, the work continues into the after-hours.<br>But now, there is an increasing recognition that protecting personal time has become a defining labour issue of the digital age. Changes are slowly coming, from universal rules for all employees, to those specific for teleworkers, remote workers, or digital nomads. Implementation is not perfect, but the intent is there.</p><p>Als read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/work-life-balance-for-workers-private-members-bill-seeks-legal-right-to-ignore-calls-emails-after-office-hours-1765018139773">Work–life balance for workers: Private members’ Bill seeks legal right to ignore calls, emails after office hours</a></p><h2>India’s push for the Right to Disconnect</h2><p>On December 6, Supriya Sule reintroduced the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament. The bill allows employees the legal right to ignore work-related calls, messages, and emails after working hours without the fear of retaliation from the employers. It wants organisations to negotiate clear conditions under which such out-of-office working is structured and compensated. It also provides for an Employees’ Welfare Authority to enforce compliance. There would be fines of up to one per cent of employee salary for violations. But will it pass in India? Highly unlikely, as private members’ bills rarely succeed in Indian Parliament.</p><h2>This is not the first attempt at right to disconnect in India</h2><p>Sule had proposed a similar measure in 2019, before the COVID pandemic made remote work ubiquitous, enabled and enhanced by digital technologies. But that did not take off. In the post-pandemic world, the hangover from the 24-hour availability continued, and employees are reporting burnout, overwork without remuneration, lack of work-life balance and the erosion of personal boundaries, particularly in the IT and service sectors.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australians-cheer-right-to-disconnect-a-new-era-in-work-life-balance-753657/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/australians-cheer-right-to-disconnect-a-new-era-in-work-life-balance-753657/embed</a></p><h2>The world is waking up: Traditional labour laws amended to cover digitally mediated workplaces</h2><p>The ability of employers to contact employees at any hour has resulted in a virtual 24/7 availability expectation. But countries across Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and parts of Africa have introduced binding national laws requiring employers to respect off-hours boundaries.<br>While the rules apply to all employees in some countries, they are specific for teleworkers, remote workers, home-office employees, or digital nomads in others.</p><h2>Europe: Global leader in right to disconnect</h2><p>France was the first country to adopt a law in 2017, which made it mandatory for employers to define periods during which workers are not expected to engage in work communications. Belgium followed, asking firms with 20 or more employees to develop written disconnection policies, which was implemented from 2022. Italy made the right to disconnect law for smart-working arrangements in 2017, with all remote-work contracts required to introduce ways to ensure rest and digital disconnection.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/uk-to-allow-workers-to-ignore-calls-texts-from-bosses-after-work-hours-742409">UK to allow employees to ignore calls, texts from bosses after work hours</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Spain, between 2018 and 2020, asked employers to respect digital disconnection, especially for remote workers. Portugal has one of the strictest national laws since 2021, that prohibits employers from contacting workers outside their scheduled hours, except in emergencies. Greece’s laws in 2021 grant teleworkers the right to disconnect during off-hours and holidays. Luxembourg in 2023 required employers to establish internal or bargained disconnection rules. Slovakia in 2021 amended its labour code to protect teleworkers from after-hours digital contact, while Croatia added right-to-disconnect rules in 2023. Slovenia made the law in 2024 for the right to disconnect during rest, illness, and holidays. Finland and the Netherlands have binding sectoral collective agreements that include disconnection protections for remote workers. Germany enforces binding rules in the public sector and certain industries with legally enforceable disconnection rules.</p><h2>Latin America's rules mostly apply to teleworkers</h2><p>In Latin America, the right to disconnect rules largely apply to remote and teleworkers. Argentina’s telework law of 2021 guarantees remote employees the right to disconnect during non-working hours. Chile’s remote-work reforms in 2023 require employers to respect digital disconnection for home-office workers. Mexico’s Federal Labour Law was reformed in 2021 to regulate telework more strictly, preventing employers from demanding after-hours availability without compensation. Telework protections in Brazil were strengthened in 2022, penalising firms that pressure remote employees through after-hours digital messages. Colombia’s telework regulations of 2021 include a formal right to digital disconnection. Peru’s Remote Work Law of 2023 protects teleworkers and digital nomads.</p><h2>Asia-Pacific region is making progress on right-to-disconnect rules</h2><p>Australia amended its Fair Work Act in 2024, which included a national right-to-disconnect provision barring all unreasonable employer contact after working hours. The Philippines’ Telecommuting Act of 2018 requires employers to respect agreed working hours for teleworkers. Kazakhstan recognises digital disconnection through flexible-hour provisions that apply to remote workers. In Thailand’s remote-work legislation of 2023, overtime payment has to be given for after-hours duties.</p><h2>African countries are slowly introducing remote work protections</h2><p>Kenya’s updated labour code of 2022 requires remote-work contracts to specify working and communication hours. Mozambique implemented a telework decree in 2022, giving teleworkers the right to uninterrupted rest.</p>

In some form or the other, at least 25 countries now have right-to-disconnect rules for workers. But India’s new bill faces scepticism as unpaid overtime and an entrenched overwork culture are the norm. Here is a global comparison

The right to disconnect – or ‘do not disturb after work hours’ rules – are in place in some form or the other in at least 25 countries, ranging from absolute bans to restrictions with caveats. In India, a much-watched bill has been introduced by parliamentarian Supriya Sule. But in a nation where ‘overtime’ without payment is the norm, she might not succeed. The private sector, which thrives on overwork and underpayment, is likely to scuttle it. Nations are waking up to overwork, burnout and intrusion into private time In the post-pandemic world of remote work, your phone is your workstation, and through direct or group chat messages, phone calls, video conferencing, the work continues into the after-hours. But now, there is an increasing recognition that protecting personal time has become a defining labour issue of the digital age. Changes are slowly coming, from universal rules for all employees, to those specific for teleworkers, remote workers, or digital nomads. Implementation is not perfect, but the intent is there. Als read: Work–life balance for workers: Private members’ Bill seeks legal right to ignore calls, emails after office hours India’s push for the Right to Disconnect On December 6, Supriya Sule reintroduced the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament. The bill allows employees the legal right to ignore work-related calls, messages, and emails after working hours without the fear of retaliation from the employers. It wants organisations to negotiate clear conditions under which such out-of-office working is structured and compensated. It also provides for an Employees’ Welfare Authority to enforce compliance. There would be fines of up to one per cent of employee salary for violations. But will it pass in India? Highly unlikely, as private members’ bills rarely succeed in Indian Parliament. This is not the first attempt at right to disconnect in India Sule had proposed a similar measure in 2019, before the COVID pandemic made remote work ubiquitous, enabled and enhanced by digital technologies. But that did not take off. In the post-pandemic world, the hangover from the 24-hour availability continued, and employees are reporting burnout, overwork without remuneration, lack of work-life balance and the erosion of personal boundaries, particularly in the IT and service sectors. https://www.wionews.com/videos/australians-cheer-right-to-disconnect-a-new-era-in-work-life-balance-753657/embed The world is waking up: Traditional labour laws amended to cover digitally mediated workplaces The ability of employers to contact employees at any hour has resulted in a virtual 24/7 availability expectation. But countries across Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and parts of Africa have introduced binding national laws requiring employers to respect off-hours boundaries. While the rules apply to all employees in some countries, they are specific for teleworkers, remote workers, home-office employees, or digital nomads in others. Europe: Global leader in right to disconnect France was the first country to adopt a law in 2017, which made it mandatory for employers to define periods during which workers are not expected to engage in work communications. Belgium followed, asking firms with 20 or more employees to develop written disconnection policies, which was implemented from 2022. Italy made the right to disconnect law for smart-working arrangements in 2017, with all remote-work contracts required to introduce ways to ensure rest and digital disconnection. Also read: UK to allow employees to ignore calls, texts from bosses after work hours Spain, between 2018 and 2020, asked employers to respect digital disconnection, especially for remote workers. Portugal has one of the strictest national laws since 2021, that prohibits employers from contacting workers outside their scheduled hours, except in emergencies. Greece’s laws in 2021 grant teleworkers the right to disconnect during off-hours and holidays. Luxembourg in 2023 required employers to establish internal or bargained disconnection rules. Slovakia in 2021 amended its labour code to protect teleworkers from after-hours digital contact, while Croatia added right-to-disconnect rules in 2023. Slovenia made the law in 2024 for the right to disconnect during rest, illness, and holidays. Finland and the Netherlands have binding sectoral collective agreements that include disconnection protections for remote workers. Germany enforces binding rules in the public sector and certain industries with legally enforceable disconnection rules. Latin America's rules mostly apply to teleworkers In Latin America, the right to disconnect rules largely apply to remote and teleworkers. Argentina’s telework law of 2021 guarantees remote employees the right to disconnect during non-working hours. Chile’s remote-work reforms in 2023 require employers to respect digital disconnection for home-office workers. Mexico’s Federal Labour Law was reformed in 2021 to regulate telework more strictly, preventing employers from demanding after-hours availability without compensation. Telework protections in Brazil were strengthened in 2022, penalising firms that pressure remote employees through after-hours digital messages. Colombia’s telework regulations of 2021 include a formal right to digital disconnection. Peru’s Remote Work Law of 2023 protects teleworkers and digital nomads. Asia-Pacific region is making progress on right-to-disconnect rules Australia amended its Fair Work Act in 2024, which included a national right-to-disconnect provision barring all unreasonable employer contact after working hours. The Philippines’ Telecommuting Act of 2018 requires employers to respect agreed working hours for teleworkers. Kazakhstan recognises digital disconnection through flexible-hour provisions that apply to remote workers. In Thailand’s remote-work legislation of 2023, overtime payment has to be given for after-hours duties. African countries are slowly introducing remote work protections Kenya’s updated labour code of 2022 requires remote-work contracts to specify working and communication hours. Mozambique implemented a telework decree in 2022, giving teleworkers the right to uninterrupted rest.

<p>In some form or the other, at least 25 countries now have right-to-disconnect rules for workers. But India’s new bill faces scepticism as unpaid overtime and an entrenched overwork culture are the norm. Here is a global comparison</p>

'Don't call, message or email me for work after office hours': People of 25 countries can say this, but not Indians. Right to Disconnect across world

<p>India's civil aviation regulator on Friday (Dec 5) partially withdrew the strict implementation of pilot duty timing rules, moments after the biggest private carrier IndiGo suspended the day's flights out of Delhi and requested more time to implement the new norms. But as a common airline passenger, I knew something was amiss when IndiGo and other airlines started turning long-haul flights into two or three plane changes with stopovers. It became almost impossible to book straight flights for long journeys at what used to be ‘low-cost’ fares. The choice was to either shell out more money or change flights and suffer four or more hours of layovers for three-hour direct flying times. With practically only two or three airlines operating virtually all sectors of India, chaos was bound to happen. The method of continuous operations — sector-hopping — was possible only because airline crews and pilots were forced to work extra hours. But IndiGo chaos is only the tip of the iceberg. There are deeper issues. &nbsp;</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-civil-aviation-agency-dgca-withdraws-weekly-rest-instructions-to-airlines-after-massive-disruptions-across-nation-1764921338252">Indian civil aviation agency DGCA withdraws weekly rest instructions to airlines after massive disruptions across nation</a></p><h2>What is ailing Indian civil aviation?</h2><p>The Air India accident earlier this year served as a literal wake-up call about the extent of pilot fatigue and sleep deprivation. After court orders, the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), &nbsp;cracked down through stricter Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). This upended the previously unchecked exploitation of airline workers, from ground staff to pilots. Work fatigue is real, and many airline employees are either quitting or lining up for interviews with foreign airlines.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chaos-at-major-indian-airports-indigo-finally-gives-an-explanation-1764866098588/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/chaos-at-major-indian-airports-indigo-finally-gives-an-explanation-1764866098588/embed</a></p><h2>Passenger numbers grow, but airline numbers go down</h2><p>As aspirational classes grow, more Indians are flying instead of taking trains — from migrant workers to middle-class families to honeymooners, for work, leisure or business. Domestic air travel reached 161.3 million passengers in 2024. In sharp contrast is the fall in the number of airlines operating: since the low-cost boom of the early 2000s, many airlines have shut down, merged or exited. Deccan Air, Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways, Vistara, Indian Airlines and AirAsia India are no longer operating as independent full-service carriers. Only a handful remain, and Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Go First operate only in limited sectors.&nbsp;</p><h2>Airports are stretched thin, under renovation, while more are expected</h2><p>Despite surging demand that could possibly support more airlines to operate profitably, an artificial scarcity appears to have been created by the above factors. Airport conditions add to the strain. Some military airstrips, such as Hindon Airport, have recently been opened to civil aviation to ease congestion. The proposed Noida International Airport — originally scheduled for a December 2024 opening — is now expected to take at least another year before full operations begin. Meanwhile, major airports such as those in Delhi — including Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminals 2 and 3) — are undergoing continuous cycles of construction and refurbishment. Yet passenger congestion shows little improvement.</p><h2>Poor take-offs, lucky landings: Indian flyers are on a wing and a prayer</h2><p>Airports in India still struggle with weather disruptions, particularly in northern states. In winter, low-visibility ‒ or “fog-delay” mechanisms — often fail despite best efforts, resulting in hundreds of routine delays or cancellations from December to February. Year 2026 appears likely to bring more chaos. Reports suggest that conditions may not stabilise before February, even for major carriers. After the Air India accident, it would not be an exaggeration to say that passengers are on a wing and a prayer, given the numerous near-misses, mid-air turbulence-related incidents, bird hits, weather-caused diversions and emergency landings involving major private airlines.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indigo-flight-cancellations-airline-requests-fdtl-exemptions-as-disruptions-leave-passengers-stranded-on-friday-1764908704130">IndiGo cancels all departures at Delhi airport on Friday, over 500 flights affected</a></p><h2>FDTL, a sudden slap on airlines milking both passengers and crews</h2><p>The 300-rupee sandwich on low-cost airlines is not new. But the exploitation, it now emerges, has affected not only passengers but airline crews too. How much they had been stretched became clear when airlines simply failed to maintain schedules after mandatory rest periods were strengthened by law.</p><p>The disruption at IndiGo came after the full enforcement of revised FDTL rules from November 1. DGCA mandated strict limits on night duties and rest hours to address pilot fatigue. Caught in the bind was IndiGo, the biggest private airline, which operates about 2,300 flights a day with over 400 aircraft in its fleet. It had not hired enough replacement pilots, having long relied on maximising overnight rotations.</p><p>In November alone, IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights, 755 of them directly linked to crew unavailability under the new FDTL norms. On-time performance (OTP), which the airline once boasted as its hallmark (remember IST or Indigo Standard Time?) dropped to 67.7 per cent in November from 84.1 per cent in October. The fallout affected airports nationwide.</p><h2>Airport congestion worsened in past months</h2><p>When pilots rest, aircraft are grounded. This caused a ripple effect on practically all airlines, leading to widespread delays and cancellations, which surged to 170–200 per day. Some days saw over 300 cancellations, leaving many passengers stranded and overwhelmed airports.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indigo-flight-cancellations-fdtl-rule-delays-refund-compensation-2025-1764918319752">Indigo flight cancellations: Will you get a refund? What airlines' rules say?</a></p><h2>These are not the only issues: from technical snags to lack of fleet to fuel cost</h2><p>Airlines are also facing a double whammy of technical issues associated with the duopoly of Airbus / Boeing. In March this year, around 133 aircraft across Indian carriers, which is nearly 16 per cent of the commercial fleet, reportedly remained grounded due to engine-related supply chain delays and defects. Up to 70 planes of IndiGo were grounded as of January 2025, largely due to powder-metal contamination in engines. Replacement with wet-leased or older aircraft raised lease rental costs. Fuel efficiency was low even as fuel cost was going up, squeezing airline profit margins.</p><p>Geopolitical headwinds like the wars in Ukraine and West Asia affected fuel supply, and new aircraft deliveries faced long backlogs.&nbsp;</p><p>The net result is that capacity remains unable to catch up with soaring demand, creating persistent instability in Indian passenger aviation sector.</p><p>So it is time to view the current chaos not as just an IndiGo crisis, but as a symptom of deeper, systemic failure. Stakeholders — the government, private carriers and worker unions — must put their heads together and act before the next major disaster.</p>

IndiGo crisis made one thing clear: India’s civil aviation sector is facing chaos. Passenger demand has collided with pilot shortages.  FDTL rules have hit a sector already reeling under grounded aircraft and airport congestion. This is a systemic crisis.

India's civil aviation regulator on Friday (Dec 5) partially withdrew the strict implementation of pilot duty timing rules, moments after the biggest private carrier IndiGo suspended the day's flights out of Delhi and requested more time to implement the new norms. But as a common airline passenger, I knew something was amiss when IndiGo and other airlines started turning long-haul flights into two or three plane changes with stopovers. It became almost impossible to book straight flights for long journeys at what used to be ‘low-cost’ fares. The choice was to either shell out more money or change flights and suffer four or more hours of layovers for three-hour direct flying times. With practically only two or three airlines operating virtually all sectors of India, chaos was bound to happen. The method of continuous operations — sector-hopping — was possible only because airline crews and pilots were forced to work extra hours. But IndiGo chaos is only the tip of the iceberg. There are deeper issues. Also read: Indian civil aviation agency DGCA withdraws weekly rest instructions to airlines after massive disruptions across nation What is ailing Indian civil aviation? The Air India accident earlier this year served as a literal wake-up call about the extent of pilot fatigue and sleep deprivation. After court orders, the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), cracked down through stricter Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). This upended the previously unchecked exploitation of airline workers, from ground staff to pilots. Work fatigue is real, and many airline employees are either quitting or lining up for interviews with foreign airlines. https://www.wionews.com/videos/chaos-at-major-indian-airports-indigo-finally-gives-an-explanation-1764866098588/embed Passenger numbers grow, but airline numbers go down As aspirational classes grow, more Indians are flying instead of taking trains — from migrant workers to middle-class families to honeymooners, for work, leisure or business. Domestic air travel reached 161.3 million passengers in 2024. In sharp contrast is the fall in the number of airlines operating: since the low-cost boom of the early 2000s, many airlines have shut down, merged or exited. Deccan Air, Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways, Vistara, Indian Airlines and AirAsia India are no longer operating as independent full-service carriers. Only a handful remain, and Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Go First operate only in limited sectors. Airports are stretched thin, under renovation, while more are expected Despite surging demand that could possibly support more airlines to operate profitably, an artificial scarcity appears to have been created by the above factors. Airport conditions add to the strain. Some military airstrips, such as Hindon Airport, have recently been opened to civil aviation to ease congestion. The proposed Noida International Airport — originally scheduled for a December 2024 opening — is now expected to take at least another year before full operations begin. Meanwhile, major airports such as those in Delhi — including Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminals 2 and 3) — are undergoing continuous cycles of construction and refurbishment. Yet passenger congestion shows little improvement. Poor take-offs, lucky landings: Indian flyers are on a wing and a prayer Airports in India still struggle with weather disruptions, particularly in northern states. In winter, low-visibility ‒ or “fog-delay” mechanisms — often fail despite best efforts, resulting in hundreds of routine delays or cancellations from December to February. Year 2026 appears likely to bring more chaos. Reports suggest that conditions may not stabilise before February, even for major carriers. After the Air India accident, it would not be an exaggeration to say that passengers are on a wing and a prayer, given the numerous near-misses, mid-air turbulence-related incidents, bird hits, weather-caused diversions and emergency landings involving major private airlines. Also read: IndiGo cancels all departures at Delhi airport on Friday, over 500 flights affected FDTL, a sudden slap on airlines milking both passengers and crews The 300-rupee sandwich on low-cost airlines is not new. But the exploitation, it now emerges, has affected not only passengers but airline crews too. How much they had been stretched became clear when airlines simply failed to maintain schedules after mandatory rest periods were strengthened by law. The disruption at IndiGo came after the full enforcement of revised FDTL rules from November 1. DGCA mandated strict limits on night duties and rest hours to address pilot fatigue. Caught in the bind was IndiGo, the biggest private airline, which operates about 2,300 flights a day with over 400 aircraft in its fleet. It had not hired enough replacement pilots, having long relied on maximising overnight rotations. In November alone, IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights, 755 of them directly linked to crew unavailability under the new FDTL norms. On-time performance (OTP), which the airline once boasted as its hallmark (remember IST or Indigo Standard Time?) dropped to 67.7 per cent in November from 84.1 per cent in October. The fallout affected airports nationwide. Airport congestion worsened in past months When pilots rest, aircraft are grounded. This caused a ripple effect on practically all airlines, leading to widespread delays and cancellations, which surged to 170–200 per day. Some days saw over 300 cancellations, leaving many passengers stranded and overwhelmed airports. Also read: Indigo flight cancellations: Will you get a refund? What airlines' rules say? These are not the only issues: from technical snags to lack of fleet to fuel cost Airlines are also facing a double whammy of technical issues associated with the duopoly of Airbus / Boeing. In March this year, around 133 aircraft across Indian carriers, which is nearly 16 per cent of the commercial fleet, reportedly remained grounded due to engine-related supply chain delays and defects. Up to 70 planes of IndiGo were grounded as of January 2025, largely due to powder-metal contamination in engines. Replacement with wet-leased or older aircraft raised lease rental costs. Fuel efficiency was low even as fuel cost was going up, squeezing airline profit margins. Geopolitical headwinds like the wars in Ukraine and West Asia affected fuel supply, and new aircraft deliveries faced long backlogs. The net result is that capacity remains unable to catch up with soaring demand, creating persistent instability in Indian passenger aviation sector. So it is time to view the current chaos not as just an IndiGo crisis, but as a symptom of deeper, systemic failure. Stakeholders — the government, private carriers and worker unions — must put their heads together and act before the next major disaster.

<p>IndiGo crisis made one thing clear: India’s civil aviation sector is facing chaos. Passenger demand has collided with pilot shortages. &nbsp;FDTL rules have hit a sector already reeling under grounded aircraft and airport congestion. This is a systemic crisis. Here is why:</p>

IndiGo flight chaos shows Indian passengers are on a wing and a prayer. And it's not a single airline's problem

<p>In the past 72 hours, four senior Apple executives departed, including the head of its Artificial Intelligence division, marking one of the highest-density waves of top-level turnover in the tech giant's modern history. The exits also span design, legal, and environmental policy. Apple is describing the changes as part of planned transitions, but the short burst of departures from strategically crucial roles has raised questions about what is happening inside Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Other major exits this year include that of longtime Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams in July, as well as Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri earlier in 2025.</p><h2>Who is out, who is in at Apple?</h2><p>John Giannandrea, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, has stepped down after nearly eight years and will transition to an advisory role until retiring in spring 2026. Apple’s engineering director Amar Subramanya has been named Vice President of AI, reporting to software chief Craig Federighi. Alan Dye, the design chief and head of Human Interface, is leaving at year-end after more than two decades at Apple, to become Meta’s Chief Design Officer. Veteran designer Stephen Lemay will now lead User Interface design. Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, is retiring in January 2026, with her teams shifting to Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan. Apple’s General Counsel, Kate Adams, will retire in late 2026. Former Meta legal chief Jennifer Newstead will succeed her and oversee both Legal and Government Affairs. Recent months have also seen Apple reassign several AI-related teams to Eddy Cue’s Services group and Sabih Khan’s Operations group, in an ongoing internal restructuring.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/apple-faces-38-billion-fine-in-global-antitrust-dispute-1764236390759/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/apple-faces-38-billion-fine-in-global-antitrust-dispute-1764236390759/embed</a></p><h2>Why is Apple seeing an ‘executive exodus’?</h2><p>From AI innovation and product lags to intensifying regulatory pressure, several factors appear to be driving the turnover. Apple’s AI strategy faced delays, from advanced Siri features to Apple Intelligence products.&nbsp;</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-iphone-17-series-launched-here-s-what-new-in-the-fresh-lineup-1757490724356">Apple iPhone 17 series launched: Here's what new in the fresh&nbsp;lineup</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Talent poaching is another factor. Dye’s move to Meta comes amid aggressive competition for next-generation AR/VR and AI interface design, with Meta expanding its Reality Labs and AI Experiences groups.&nbsp;</p><p>Apple is also under growing legal and regulatory pressure in both the US and Europe, ranging from EU antitrust actions to domestic privacy litigation. Newstead’s appointment, spanning both legal and government affairs, is aimed at addressing this.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meet-amar-subramanya-indian-origin-researcher-appointed-as-apple-s-ai-head-microsoft-google-openai-siri-1764672414420">Meet Amar Subramanya: Indian-origin researcher appointed as Apple’s AI head</a></p><h2>Apple is trying to stabilise the ship, but more exits are likely</h2><p>Apple moved quickly to announce successors, replacements and reassignment of teams, to maintain operational stability. No product delays have been announced. But the renewed talk of Tim Cook preparing for retirement after more than a decade as chief executive, the leadership reshuffle points to a broader generational handover.&nbsp;</p><p>It is not necessarily a crisis, but a recalibration. The company’s AI strategy, regulatory posture and post-Jony Ive design identity are all in transition. Next year will test whether these changes produce renewed momentum for the Big Tech giant.</p>

Apple has seen four top executive exits in 72 hours. This is raising questions on its AI strategy, design shifts, and regulatory pressure, even as Tim Cook’s potential retirement in 2026 looms. What's really happening?


In the past 72 hours, four senior Apple executives departed, including the head of its Artificial Intelligence division, marking one of the highest-density waves of top-level turnover in the tech giant's modern history. The exits also span design, legal, and environmental policy. Apple is describing the changes as part of planned transitions, but the short burst of departures from strategically crucial roles has raised questions about what is happening inside Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Other major exits this year include that of longtime Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams in July, as well as Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri earlier in 2025. Who is out, who is in at Apple? John Giannandrea, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, has stepped down after nearly eight years and will transition to an advisory role until retiring in spring 2026. Apple’s engineering director Amar Subramanya has been named Vice President of AI, reporting to software chief Craig Federighi. Alan Dye, the design chief and head of Human Interface, is leaving at year-end after more than two decades at Apple, to become Meta’s Chief Design Officer. Veteran designer Stephen Lemay will now lead User Interface design. Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, is retiring in January 2026, with her teams shifting to Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan. Apple’s General Counsel, Kate Adams, will retire in late 2026. Former Meta legal chief Jennifer Newstead will succeed her and oversee both Legal and Government Affairs. Recent months have also seen Apple reassign several AI-related teams to Eddy Cue’s Services group and Sabih Khan’s Operations group, in an ongoing internal restructuring. https://www.wionews.com/videos/apple-faces-38-billion-fine-in-global-antitrust-dispute-1764236390759/embed Why is Apple seeing an ‘executive exodus’? From AI innovation and product lags to intensifying regulatory pressure, several factors appear to be driving the turnover. Apple’s AI strategy faced delays, from advanced Siri features to Apple Intelligence products. Also read: Apple iPhone 17 series launched: Here's what new in the fresh lineup Talent poaching is another factor. Dye’s move to Meta comes amid aggressive competition for next-generation AR/VR and AI interface design, with Meta expanding its Reality Labs and AI Experiences groups. Apple is also under growing legal and regulatory pressure in both the US and Europe, ranging from EU antitrust actions to domestic privacy litigation. Newstead’s appointment, spanning both legal and government affairs, is aimed at addressing this. Also read: Meet Amar Subramanya: Indian-origin researcher appointed as Apple’s AI head Apple is trying to stabilise the ship, but more exits are likely Apple moved quickly to announce successors, replacements and reassignment of teams, to maintain operational stability. No product delays have been announced. But the renewed talk of Tim Cook preparing for retirement after more than a decade as chief executive, the leadership reshuffle points to a broader generational handover. It is not necessarily a crisis, but a recalibration. The company’s AI strategy, regulatory posture and post-Jony Ive design identity are all in transition. Next year will test whether these changes produce renewed momentum for the Big Tech giant.

<p>Apple has seen four top executive exits in 72 hours. This is raising questions on its AI strategy, design shifts, and regulatory pressure, even as Tim Cook’s potential retirement in 2026 looms. What's really happening?</p>

Four top Apple executives exit in 72 hours amid Tim Cook retirement talk: What is happening at The Space Ship of Cupertino?

India–Russia ties, developed since the Soviet era, continue to be one of the most stable strategic partnerships in the world. It is shaped by cooperation in defence, energy trade, and mutual diplomatic support. Here is a detailed look


<p>India–Russia ties, developed since the Soviet era, continue to be one of the most stable strategic partnerships in the world. It is shaped by cooperation in defence, energy trade, and mutual diplomatic support. Here is a detailed look<br>&nbsp;</p>

UNBROKEN: As Putin visits India, here are at all the times Russia and India stood by each other, from Soviet era till now

<p>India–Russia relations go back to the era of the Soviet Union and remain one of the most stable partnerships anywhere in the world. The strong India–Russia bond results from mutual need, shared worldview, demonstrations of support during periods of crisis, and global pressure faced by both India and Russia. Russia stood by India from the early days of its independence. While being non-aligned during the Cold War, India took care not to join any effort to isolate the Soviet Union. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, India and Russia remained strong partners in political, economic, defence, and security affairs. Here are the major instances when Russia – and before that the USSR – stood by India, and when India reciprocated to sustain this deep, time-tested, special and privileged strategic partnership.</p><h2>India's Cold War neutrality and the Non-Aligned Movement during the Soviet era</h2><p>It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Non-Aligned Movement grew partly as a result of pressures on India to side with either the US-led Western or Soviet-led communist blocs during the Cold War era. As India pursued a non-aligned, independent foreign policy, the Soviet Union emerged as one of its most reliable partners, giving large-scale economic assistance to a nation still finding its feet on the global stage. Soviet engineers and planners helped India build the foundations of its heavy-industry ecosystem. This assistance was at the core of steel plants such as Bhilai, as well as numerous factories and technology hubs. India–USSR cooperation at this time would herald the next decades of strong ties.</p><h2>Soviet Union did not join China in the 1962 Sino-Indian War</h2><p>The Soviet Union, which led the communist bloc during the Cold War alongside China, attempted to balance ties during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. At a crucial juncture, the USSR tilted towards India, refusing to support China despite ideological alignment. The Soviet Union chose military and diplomatic neutrality, benefiting India during this vulnerable period.</p><h2>Soviet Union’s stance on the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pak War</h2><p>As India and Pakistan approached conflict during the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation was signed in August 1971. This landmark agreement guaranteed political and strategic support, with the USSR vetoing multiple anti-India resolutions at the UN Security Council. In contrast, the United States deployed the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise to the Bay of Bengal in a show of support for Pakistan. The Soviet Union dispatched elements of its Pacific Fleet, including nuclear-armed submarines, to counter the US and UK naval task forces. This cemented India–Soviet cooperation as one of the most trusted relationships of the Cold War era.</p><h2>Soviet Union's support for India’s nuclear programme in the 1970s and 1980s</h2><p>India conducted its first peaceful nuclear test in 1974, leading Western nations to impose sanctions and curtail nuclear cooperation. The Soviet Union stepped in to provide India with heavy water, fuel-cycle assistance, and technical collaboration to help India sustain its nuclear research programme. This was done quietly, without fanfare, but was crucial for India’s energy security and strategic autonomy in the years ahead.</p><h2>Numerous Soviet vetoes on Kashmir and other political issues</h2><p>The Soviet Union used its veto power in the UN Security Council throughout the Cold War to block resolutions that threatened India’s sovereignty, particularly on the Kashmir issue. This consistently frustrated Pakistan's efforts to internationalise the matter. With Soviet support, India was able to maintain control of the narrative and resist external pressure on one of its longest-standing foreign-policy challenges.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-lands-in-delhi-today-from-poop-suitcase-to-flying-kremlin-inside-his-extraordinary-security-1764812760397">Putin lands in Delhi today: From ‘poop suitcase’ to ‘flying Kremlin’ - INSIDE his extraordinary security</a></p><h2>Longstanding space and technology cooperation</h2><p>In both manpower and material, the Soviet Union offered scientific and technical assistance to India for its entry into outer space, enabling its growth as one of the major space powers. The USSR launched India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975. It also trained Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma, making him the first Indian in space in 1984. Additionally, the Soviet Union provided critical rocket-engine and early cryogenic technology support when Western nations restricted access. India owes much of the foundation of its space programme to Soviet, and later Russian, assistance.</p><h2>India–Soviet defence and military partnership (1950s–1991)</h2><p>India's defence ties with Russia date back to the Soviet era. Nearly 70–85 per cent of India’s military equipment by the end of the Cold War – including MiG-21 fighter aircraft, T-72 tanks, submarines, and missile systems – came from the USSR. Much of this was supplied at concessional “friendship prices,” often supported through rupee–rouble trade arrangements. India also benefited from technology-transfer agreements that were not offered by many Western defence suppliers.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/countdown-for-putin-s-india-visit-begins-india-releases-full-itinerary-and-scheduled-meetings-1764825311787">Countdown for Putin's India visit begins: India releases FULL itinerary and timings for scheduled meetings</a></p><h2>Post-Soviet era: How Russia stood by India during the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests</h2><p>India conducted the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 and immediately faced US-led Western sanctions. However, &nbsp;Russia refused to join the collective punitive measures, continuing defence, nuclear, and technological cooperation with India. This ensured continuity in India’s strategic programme at a time of intense global pressure.</p><h2>Russia’s stance during the 1999 Kargil War</h2><p>During the Kargil conflict with Pakistan, Russian President Boris Yeltsin publicly stated that Pakistan had initiated the aggression, taking an unambiguous position in India’s favour. This diplomatic support provided India with significant international legitimacy during the conflict.</p><h2>The landmark Strategic Partnership agreement of 2000 and its expansion in 2010</h2><p>As Russia stabilised after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, its ties with India grew stronger. The relationship was cemented in 2000 with the Declaration on Strategic Partnership. Annual summits were formalised, with long-term defence, nuclear, and energy cooperation frameworks established. In 2010, this relationship was elevated to the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” providing both depth and continuity despite global headwinds.</p><h2>India's neutral stance on Russian military operations in Crimea and Ukraine</h2><p>Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, India refused to criticise Moscow or join Western sanctions. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India continued to balance its stance despite being a strategic partner of the US and several Western nations. India abstained from nearly all anti-Russia resolutions at the UN. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that “this is not the era of war.” While Western nations sought to curb Russian energy exports, India continued purchasing Russian crude oil and fertilisers even in the face of US pressure and tariff measures.</p><h2>The S-400 deal despite US sanctions pressure</h2><p>Since 2018, India has purchased the S-400 air-defence system from Russia. The acquisition took place despite the threat of American sanctions under CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act). Russia delivered the S-400 Triumf system largely on schedule, even as it was engaged in military operations in Ukraine.&nbsp;</p><h2>Russia’s role in easing tensions during the 2020 India–China border crisis</h2><p>When India and China clashed at the Galwan Valley in 2020, Russia quietly facilitated back-channel diplomacy to help defuse the situation. High-level meetings were held in Moscow, easing tensions between the two Asian powers.</p><h2>India's strong stance on the purchase of Russian oil in the face of US punishment</h2><p>After the Ukraine war in 2022, India emerged as Russia's single largest buyer of seaborne crude oil. Russian oil accounted for only about 1 percent of India’s crude imports in 2021, but as Western nations attempted to reduce Russian energy revenues, India’s imports surged to roughly 35–40 per cent between 2023 and 2024. This came at significant diplomatic risk and punishment by the US through tariffs. A rupee–rouble payment mechanism was established using national financial systems to bypass Western sanctions.</p><p>Even as Russia was engaged in a prolonged conflict in Ukraine, it largely maintained its defence delivery schedules to India, including S-400 regiments and the commencement of AK-203 rifle production. Among the most important areas of cooperation remains the BrahMos missile system, jointly developed by India and Russia. Russia continued to be involved in India’s nuclear power programme, with more units at Kudankulam in the pipeline.</p>

Rooted in the Soviet era and having stood the test of Cold War rivalries, India–Russia ties are one of the most uniquely strong global relationships. This strategic partnership is built on defence, energy, diplomatic support, and shared geopolitical interests for decades.
 

India–Russia relations go back to the era of the Soviet Union and remain one of the most stable partnerships anywhere in the world. The strong India–Russia bond results from mutual need, shared worldview, demonstrations of support during periods of crisis, and global pressure faced by both India and Russia. Russia stood by India from the early days of its independence. While being non-aligned during the Cold War, India took care not to join any effort to isolate the Soviet Union. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, India and Russia remained strong partners in political, economic, defence, and security affairs. Here are the major instances when Russia – and before that the USSR – stood by India, and when India reciprocated to sustain this deep, time-tested, special and privileged strategic partnership. India's Cold War neutrality and the Non-Aligned Movement during the Soviet era It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Non-Aligned Movement grew partly as a result of pressures on India to side with either the US-led Western or Soviet-led communist blocs during the Cold War era. As India pursued a non-aligned, independent foreign policy, the Soviet Union emerged as one of its most reliable partners, giving large-scale economic assistance to a nation still finding its feet on the global stage. Soviet engineers and planners helped India build the foundations of its heavy-industry ecosystem. This assistance was at the core of steel plants such as Bhilai, as well as numerous factories and technology hubs. India–USSR cooperation at this time would herald the next decades of strong ties. Soviet Union did not join China in the 1962 Sino-Indian War The Soviet Union, which led the communist bloc during the Cold War alongside China, attempted to balance ties during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. At a crucial juncture, the USSR tilted towards India, refusing to support China despite ideological alignment. The Soviet Union chose military and diplomatic neutrality, benefiting India during this vulnerable period. Soviet Union’s stance on the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pak War As India and Pakistan approached conflict during the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation was signed in August 1971. This landmark agreement guaranteed political and strategic support, with the USSR vetoing multiple anti-India resolutions at the UN Security Council. In contrast, the United States deployed the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise to the Bay of Bengal in a show of support for Pakistan. The Soviet Union dispatched elements of its Pacific Fleet, including nuclear-armed submarines, to counter the US and UK naval task forces. This cemented India–Soviet cooperation as one of the most trusted relationships of the Cold War era. Soviet Union's support for India’s nuclear programme in the 1970s and 1980s India conducted its first peaceful nuclear test in 1974, leading Western nations to impose sanctions and curtail nuclear cooperation. The Soviet Union stepped in to provide India with heavy water, fuel-cycle assistance, and technical collaboration to help India sustain its nuclear research programme. This was done quietly, without fanfare, but was crucial for India’s energy security and strategic autonomy in the years ahead. Numerous Soviet vetoes on Kashmir and other political issues The Soviet Union used its veto power in the UN Security Council throughout the Cold War to block resolutions that threatened India’s sovereignty, particularly on the Kashmir issue. This consistently frustrated Pakistan's efforts to internationalise the matter. With Soviet support, India was able to maintain control of the narrative and resist external pressure on one of its longest-standing foreign-policy challenges. Also read: Putin lands in Delhi today: From ‘poop suitcase’ to ‘flying Kremlin’ - INSIDE his extraordinary security Longstanding space and technology cooperation In both manpower and material, the Soviet Union offered scientific and technical assistance to India for its entry into outer space, enabling its growth as one of the major space powers. The USSR launched India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975. It also trained Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma, making him the first Indian in space in 1984. Additionally, the Soviet Union provided critical rocket-engine and early cryogenic technology support when Western nations restricted access. India owes much of the foundation of its space programme to Soviet, and later Russian, assistance. India–Soviet defence and military partnership (1950s–1991) India's defence ties with Russia date back to the Soviet era. Nearly 70–85 per cent of India’s military equipment by the end of the Cold War – including MiG-21 fighter aircraft, T-72 tanks, submarines, and missile systems – came from the USSR. Much of this was supplied at concessional “friendship prices,” often supported through rupee–rouble trade arrangements. India also benefited from technology-transfer agreements that were not offered by many Western defence suppliers. Also read: Countdown for Putin's India visit begins: India releases FULL itinerary and timings for scheduled meetings Post-Soviet era: How Russia stood by India during the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests India conducted the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 and immediately faced US-led Western sanctions. However, Russia refused to join the collective punitive measures, continuing defence, nuclear, and technological cooperation with India. This ensured continuity in India’s strategic programme at a time of intense global pressure. Russia’s stance during the 1999 Kargil War During the Kargil conflict with Pakistan, Russian President Boris Yeltsin publicly stated that Pakistan had initiated the aggression, taking an unambiguous position in India’s favour. This diplomatic support provided India with significant international legitimacy during the conflict. The landmark Strategic Partnership agreement of 2000 and its expansion in 2010 As Russia stabilised after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, its ties with India grew stronger. The relationship was cemented in 2000 with the Declaration on Strategic Partnership. Annual summits were formalised, with long-term defence, nuclear, and energy cooperation frameworks established. In 2010, this relationship was elevated to the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” providing both depth and continuity despite global headwinds. India's neutral stance on Russian military operations in Crimea and Ukraine Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, India refused to criticise Moscow or join Western sanctions. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India continued to balance its stance despite being a strategic partner of the US and several Western nations. India abstained from nearly all anti-Russia resolutions at the UN. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that “this is not the era of war.” While Western nations sought to curb Russian energy exports, India continued purchasing Russian crude oil and fertilisers even in the face of US pressure and tariff measures. The S-400 deal despite US sanctions pressure Since 2018, India has purchased the S-400 air-defence system from Russia. The acquisition took place despite the threat of American sanctions under CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act). Russia delivered the S-400 Triumf system largely on schedule, even as it was engaged in military operations in Ukraine. Russia’s role in easing tensions during the 2020 India–China border crisis When India and China clashed at the Galwan Valley in 2020, Russia quietly facilitated back-channel diplomacy to help defuse the situation. High-level meetings were held in Moscow, easing tensions between the two Asian powers. India's strong stance on the purchase of Russian oil in the face of US punishment After the Ukraine war in 2022, India emerged as Russia's single largest buyer of seaborne crude oil. Russian oil accounted for only about 1 percent of India’s crude imports in 2021, but as Western nations attempted to reduce Russian energy revenues, India’s imports surged to roughly 35–40 per cent between 2023 and 2024. This came at significant diplomatic risk and punishment by the US through tariffs. A rupee–rouble payment mechanism was established using national financial systems to bypass Western sanctions. Even as Russia was engaged in a prolonged conflict in Ukraine, it largely maintained its defence delivery schedules to India, including S-400 regiments and the commencement of AK-203 rifle production. Among the most important areas of cooperation remains the BrahMos missile system, jointly developed by India and Russia. Russia continued to be involved in India’s nuclear power programme, with more units at Kudankulam in the pipeline.

<p>Rooted in the Soviet era and having stood the test of Cold War rivalries, India–Russia ties are one of the most uniquely strong global relationships. This strategic partnership is built on defence, energy, diplomatic support, and shared geopolitical interests for decades.<br>&nbsp;</p>

Putin visits India: All the times Russia stood by India, and India backed Russia, since the Soviet era

<p>When Russian President Vladimir Putin visits India this week, the two nations are expected to further boost civil nuclear cooperation. The Russian cabinet has reportedly cleared an MoU to this effect. Russia’s Rosatom is already building several nuclear reactors at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Russian atomic energy agency will sign the MoU with Indian authorities. This is the latest in more than half a century of civil nuclear cooperation between India and Russia, dating back to the Soviet Union days. Here is a timeline.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-russia-putin-s-first-india-visit-amid-ukraine-war-to-focus-on-s-400-su-57-jets-1764730039832/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-russia-putin-s-first-india-visit-amid-ukraine-war-to-focus-on-s-400-su-57-jets-1764730039832/embed</a></p><h2>The Soviet-era cooperation with India on civil nuclear cooperation</h2><p>At the height of the Soviet Union’s emergence as a global power in the 1950s and 1960s, India maintained broad scientific and technical exchanges with the nation.&nbsp;</p><p>India’s first nuclear test in 1974 under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi caused outrage among Western powers, but the Soviet Union stood by New Delhi, continuing its stable political relations. In 1988, India and the Soviet Union signed the first pact on civil nuclear cooperation, to build two VVER-1000 reactors at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. But in the years that followed, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Russia became one of the several new states emerging from the Union.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-putin-s-india-visit-full-schedule-key-meetings-and-strategic-announcements-1764741554697">Russian President Putin's India visit: Full schedule, key meetings and strategic announcements</a></p><h2>1990s to 2000s: Slow progress as Russia emerges from Soviet Union collapse</h2><p>As Russia struggled with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its economic impact, the Kudankulam project slowed down. But the 2000s saw the revival and expansion of cooperation, with agreements reactivating the 1988 plan. Contracts for Kudankulam Units 1 and 2 were finalised, and the construction of the plant began in 2002.<br>Around this time, Russia stood by India even as much of the Western world, led by the United States, tried to stymie India’s progress towards nuclear energy, especially after the Pokhran nuclear tests of 1998 that led to several sanctions.</p><p>In 2008, India got the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver, which lifted global restrictions on nuclear trade with India despite it being a non-signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT. Russia continued to be a key supporter and supplier of India, fulfilling its nuclear energy ambitions, with agreements on fuel supply and more reactor units.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/putin-modi-bromance-times-when-russian-president-and-indian-pm-put-their-chemistry-on-full-display-1764703942216">Putin-Modi bromance: Times when Russian president and Indian PM put their chemistry on full display</a></p><h2>2010s: Commissioning and new construction of nuclear power projects</h2><p>Major operational milestones came in the 2010s, with Kudankulam Unit 1 reaching criticality in 2013. It entered commercial operation in 2014. Unit 2 achieved criticality in 2016 and began commercial operation in 2017. These two reactors rely on Russian VVER-1000 technology and Russian enriched uranium fuel.</p><p>In 2014, the two countries signed a strategic cooperation vision, outlining long-term collaboration and expansion of nuclear sites. The groundwork for Units 3 and 4 at Kudankulam was carried out in 2017–2018. Agreements for Units 5 and 6 were completed too.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-president-vladimir-putin-arrives-in-delhi-tomorrow-for-high-stakes-india-visit-modi-meet-amid-strengthening-ties-1764745421461">Putin arrives in Delhi tomorrow for high-stakes India visit amid strengthening ties</a></p><h2>Continuing cooperation despite geopolitical headwinds</h2><p>Despite the Covid pandemic and events like the Russia–Ukraine war, the India-Russia cooperation continued, including on civil nuclear energy. Russia gives steady fuel and technical support to the reactors. Construction of Units 3 through 6 at Kudankulam is ongoing, with commissioning dates likely between 2026 and 2029.</p><p>There have been discussions on new nuclear sites in India as well as small modular reactors.</p><p>A monument to the India–Russia cooperation, Kudankulam stands tall as India’s largest nuclear power complex. Russia remains India’s only foreign partner in building nuclear power reactors on Indian soil, with lifetime fuel-supply commitments for all VVER units.</p>

When the West shunned India over its nuclear tests, Russia stood by it. India–Russia civil nuclear cooperation, which started from the Soviet Union era, spans decades, with Kudankulam reactors at the heart of this collaboration.



When Russian President Vladimir Putin visits India this week, the two nations are expected to further boost civil nuclear cooperation. The Russian cabinet has reportedly cleared an MoU to this effect. Russia’s Rosatom is already building several nuclear reactors at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Russian atomic energy agency will sign the MoU with Indian authorities. This is the latest in more than half a century of civil nuclear cooperation between India and Russia, dating back to the Soviet Union days. Here is a timeline. https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-russia-putin-s-first-india-visit-amid-ukraine-war-to-focus-on-s-400-su-57-jets-1764730039832/embed The Soviet-era cooperation with India on civil nuclear cooperation At the height of the Soviet Union’s emergence as a global power in the 1950s and 1960s, India maintained broad scientific and technical exchanges with the nation. India’s first nuclear test in 1974 under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi caused outrage among Western powers, but the Soviet Union stood by New Delhi, continuing its stable political relations. In 1988, India and the Soviet Union signed the first pact on civil nuclear cooperation, to build two VVER-1000 reactors at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. But in the years that followed, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Russia became one of the several new states emerging from the Union. Also read: Russian President Putin's India visit: Full schedule, key meetings and strategic announcements 1990s to 2000s: Slow progress as Russia emerges from Soviet Union collapse As Russia struggled with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its economic impact, the Kudankulam project slowed down. But the 2000s saw the revival and expansion of cooperation, with agreements reactivating the 1988 plan. Contracts for Kudankulam Units 1 and 2 were finalised, and the construction of the plant began in 2002. Around this time, Russia stood by India even as much of the Western world, led by the United States, tried to stymie India’s progress towards nuclear energy, especially after the Pokhran nuclear tests of 1998 that led to several sanctions. In 2008, India got the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver, which lifted global restrictions on nuclear trade with India despite it being a non-signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT. Russia continued to be a key supporter and supplier of India, fulfilling its nuclear energy ambitions, with agreements on fuel supply and more reactor units. Also read: Putin-Modi bromance: Times when Russian president and Indian PM put their chemistry on full display 2010s: Commissioning and new construction of nuclear power projects Major operational milestones came in the 2010s, with Kudankulam Unit 1 reaching criticality in 2013. It entered commercial operation in 2014. Unit 2 achieved criticality in 2016 and began commercial operation in 2017. These two reactors rely on Russian VVER-1000 technology and Russian enriched uranium fuel. In 2014, the two countries signed a strategic cooperation vision, outlining long-term collaboration and expansion of nuclear sites. The groundwork for Units 3 and 4 at Kudankulam was carried out in 2017–2018. Agreements for Units 5 and 6 were completed too. Also read: Putin arrives in Delhi tomorrow for high-stakes India visit amid strengthening ties Continuing cooperation despite geopolitical headwinds Despite the Covid pandemic and events like the Russia–Ukraine war, the India-Russia cooperation continued, including on civil nuclear energy. Russia gives steady fuel and technical support to the reactors. Construction of Units 3 through 6 at Kudankulam is ongoing, with commissioning dates likely between 2026 and 2029. There have been discussions on new nuclear sites in India as well as small modular reactors. A monument to the India–Russia cooperation, Kudankulam stands tall as India’s largest nuclear power complex. Russia remains India’s only foreign partner in building nuclear power reactors on Indian soil, with lifetime fuel-supply commitments for all VVER units.

<p>When the West shunned India over its nuclear tests, Russia stood by it. India–Russia civil nuclear cooperation, which started from the Soviet Union era, spans decades, with Kudankulam reactors at the heart of this collaboration</p>

Putin India visit: How India–Russia civil nuclear cooperation stood the test of time in spite of global headwinds

<p>You ask a question, or put a few keywords into Google’s search bar. You get a search result page, with the top section featuring a bunch of paragraphs collected by Google’s powerful AI-bot Gemini. The links to relevant websites are provided at the end of these paragraphs in a “blink and you will miss” clip icon. Most of your query has been answered in this section. Would you waste your time clicking to open the website link from which Google collected the answer, and read it? Most likely, no. That’s the new user experience trend, which means you will never read the website article which Google milked for the summarised answers. That’s zero-click for you, in simplest terms. It’s extremely convenient for the internet user. But it’s a nightmare for digital publishers, who often spend millions of dollars creating teams, investing in research and journalism, and building website designs and infrastructure.</p><h2>Zero-click traffic apocalypse: 60 per cent of search queries end without a direct click to website pages</h2><p>Call it Zero-click searches, zero-click results or Google Zero — it all means the same thing: search queries where the answer is complete or sufficient directly on Google’s search results page (SERP), without any need to click through to external websites. Google is going big on this, with featured snippets, knowledge panels, direct-answer boxes, ‘People Also Ask’ (PAA) results, and AI overviews.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/-milestone-quarter-sundar-pichai-reveals-google-s-bumper-earnings-amid-ai-boom-1761807089387">'Milestone quarter': Sundar Pichai reveals Google's bumper earnings amid AI boom</a></p><h2>Zero-Click searches are growing at mindboggling rates</h2><p>A 2024 study by SparkToro found that 58.5 per cent of Google searches in the US ended with zero clicks; in the European Union the rate was nearly 60 per cent. In other words, out of 1,000 Google searches in the US, only about 360–374 result in users clicking on external websites — the rest stay within Google’s first-page, top part. The global zero-click rate could be around 60 per cent in 2025, according to some reports. This could be even higher on mobile phones.</p><p>By early 2025, AI Overviews — Google's synthesising of content from multiple sources into easy-to-read, conversational summaries at the top of SERPs — became increasingly common. Independent analyses indicate that when such overviews appear, click-through rates (CTR) for traditional links drop sharply: about 34 per cent fall in CTR for the top organic result when an AI-generated summary is present, in some cases.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/-could-change-ai-google-gemini-is-performing-strong-even-without-nvidia-gpus-1763599705063">‘Could change AI’: Google Gemini is performing strong even without Nvidia GPUs</a></p><h2>What does Zero-click mean for online publishers?</h2><p>Publishers who depend on organic search traffic, ad revenue and affiliate links are feeling the pain. News and informational sites have reported traffic drops, with zero-click results particularly dominating in daily news-related searches. Estimates for such zero-click results vary from around 56 per cent in mid-2024 to roughly 69 per cent by mid-2025.<br>Websites that used to get monthly visits of 2.3 billion saw declines to roughly 1.7 billion after widespread AI-overview rollout.<br>Organic referral traffic — once at the core of the publishing business — is down, with the worst-affected sites reporting declines of up to 80 per cent.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/google-invests-2-billion-in-ai-startup-652910/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/google-invests-2-billion-in-ai-startup-652910/embed</a></p><h2>Traffic apocalypse and the impending end of the “click economy”</h2><p>When pageviews go down, ad impressions, subscriptions, conversions and affiliate revenue also fall. Informational content like how-tos, 'what is' articles, and other evergreen content are hit hardest. This is the kind of content once optimised for SEO, and even advocated by Google.&nbsp;</p><p>But even if a page ranks on top of Google search results now, there is no guarantee of traffic when the SERP itself supplies the answer.</p><h2>Old game of search engine optimisation is dying</h2><p>It is no longer enough to only rank on the first page of Google results — even first position no longer guarantees clicks. Publishers are scrambling for answers. They are trying to create content that adds unique value, such as exclusive insights, deep analysis, data-driven reporting, or long-form narratives, hoping that users cannot get those from a quick AI summary.&nbsp;</p><p>Google-mediated traffic is no longer a surefire method to earn revenue. The only way out seems to be going directly to readers to pay: through subscription models, direct apps with adverts, or memberships.</p><h2>From SEO to GEO</h2><p>The new buzzword is “Generative Engine Optimisation” (GEO), which is about publishing content designed to be cited by Google AI Overviews. This would require good metadata, structured data or schema markup, clarity, freshness, reliability and novelty, among other things.</p><p>Research on generative-search behaviour shows that only high-quality or well-structured web pages tend to get citations from Google AI. Low-quality or poorly organised content gets buried — even if it ranks well in traditional search results.</p><p>While this means convenience for users, it is a massive disruption for both big publishers and small content creators — particularly those depending on search traffic for revenue.</p>

Zero-click searches are growing on Google as AI Overviews overtake traditional search results. When users get answers on Google without visiting websites, the resulting traffic apocalypse is bleeding web publishers both big and small.


You ask a question, or put a few keywords into Google’s search bar. You get a search result page, with the top section featuring a bunch of paragraphs collected by Google’s powerful AI-bot Gemini. The links to relevant websites are provided at the end of these paragraphs in a “blink and you will miss” clip icon. Most of your query has been answered in this section. Would you waste your time clicking to open the website link from which Google collected the answer, and read it? Most likely, no. That’s the new user experience trend, which means you will never read the website article which Google milked for the summarised answers. That’s zero-click for you, in simplest terms. It’s extremely convenient for the internet user. But it’s a nightmare for digital publishers, who often spend millions of dollars creating teams, investing in research and journalism, and building website designs and infrastructure. Zero-click traffic apocalypse: 60 per cent of search queries end without a direct click to website pages Call it Zero-click searches, zero-click results or Google Zero — it all means the same thing: search queries where the answer is complete or sufficient directly on Google’s search results page (SERP), without any need to click through to external websites. Google is going big on this, with featured snippets, knowledge panels, direct-answer boxes, ‘People Also Ask’ (PAA) results, and AI overviews. Also read: 'Milestone quarter': Sundar Pichai reveals Google's bumper earnings amid AI boom Zero-Click searches are growing at mindboggling rates A 2024 study by SparkToro found that 58.5 per cent of Google searches in the US ended with zero clicks; in the European Union the rate was nearly 60 per cent. In other words, out of 1,000 Google searches in the US, only about 360–374 result in users clicking on external websites — the rest stay within Google’s first-page, top part. The global zero-click rate could be around 60 per cent in 2025, according to some reports. This could be even higher on mobile phones. By early 2025, AI Overviews — Google's synthesising of content from multiple sources into easy-to-read, conversational summaries at the top of SERPs — became increasingly common. Independent analyses indicate that when such overviews appear, click-through rates (CTR) for traditional links drop sharply: about 34 per cent fall in CTR for the top organic result when an AI-generated summary is present, in some cases. Also read: ‘Could change AI’: Google Gemini is performing strong even without Nvidia GPUs What does Zero-click mean for online publishers? Publishers who depend on organic search traffic, ad revenue and affiliate links are feeling the pain. News and informational sites have reported traffic drops, with zero-click results particularly dominating in daily news-related searches. Estimates for such zero-click results vary from around 56 per cent in mid-2024 to roughly 69 per cent by mid-2025. Websites that used to get monthly visits of 2.3 billion saw declines to roughly 1.7 billion after widespread AI-overview rollout. Organic referral traffic — once at the core of the publishing business — is down, with the worst-affected sites reporting declines of up to 80 per cent. https://www.wionews.com/videos/google-invests-2-billion-in-ai-startup-652910/embed Traffic apocalypse and the impending end of the “click economy” When pageviews go down, ad impressions, subscriptions, conversions and affiliate revenue also fall. Informational content like how-tos, 'what is' articles, and other evergreen content are hit hardest. This is the kind of content once optimised for SEO, and even advocated by Google. But even if a page ranks on top of Google search results now, there is no guarantee of traffic when the SERP itself supplies the answer. Old game of search engine optimisation is dying It is no longer enough to only rank on the first page of Google results — even first position no longer guarantees clicks. Publishers are scrambling for answers. They are trying to create content that adds unique value, such as exclusive insights, deep analysis, data-driven reporting, or long-form narratives, hoping that users cannot get those from a quick AI summary. Google-mediated traffic is no longer a surefire method to earn revenue. The only way out seems to be going directly to readers to pay: through subscription models, direct apps with adverts, or memberships. From SEO to GEO The new buzzword is “Generative Engine Optimisation” (GEO), which is about publishing content designed to be cited by Google AI Overviews. This would require good metadata, structured data or schema markup, clarity, freshness, reliability and novelty, among other things. Research on generative-search behaviour shows that only high-quality or well-structured web pages tend to get citations from Google AI. Low-quality or poorly organised content gets buried — even if it ranks well in traditional search results. While this means convenience for users, it is a massive disruption for both big publishers and small content creators — particularly those depending on search traffic for revenue.

<p>Zero-click searches are growing on Google as AI Overviews overtake traditional search results. When users get answers on Google without visiting websites, the resulting traffic apocalypse is bleeding web publishers both big and small.</p>

Google TRAFFIC APOCALYPSE: Zero click nightmare for websites as 'AI Answers' slowly kill an entire industry

<p>Elon Musk’s idea of a post-work society, mentioned most recently in his podcast with Nikhil Kamath, is raising both curiosity and eyebrows. He envisages a world where work would be optional, with AI and AI-powered robots doing most tasks for humans. Work would then become similar to a hobby, as people automate most of their functions, and everyone receives a universal high income or UHI. It could be the world’s most ridiculous idea, the perfect marketing strategy to sell more of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots, or a landmark prediction of our society’s future shape in the coming decades. Whatever your take on it is, let us understand what Musk means by a post-work society and its key features.</p><h2>Post-work society: Elon Musk's ‘Protopia’ vision</h2><p>In Musk’s vision, nearly all human labour, both manual and intellectual, would soon be automated. This, he argues, will bring about an “age of abundance” or a post-scarcity economy. Work would no longer be a means of survival but an optional pursuit, similar to gardening your own vegetables rather than buying them from a supermarket. This is his vision of a gradually improving world, which he calls Protopia. In this world, scarcities would be eliminated, except in the case of intentionally limited or naturally constrained resources such as land.</p><p>AI would be the “magic genie”: delivering personalised education, providing superhuman medical care, entertainment, and unlimited goods and services.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-says-we-may-live-in-a-simulation-reignites-digital-universe-debate-1764731779847/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-says-we-may-live-in-a-simulation-reignites-digital-universe-debate-1764731779847/embed</a></p><h2>When will a post-work society come into being?</h2><p>According to Musk, there is an 80 per cent chance of post-work societies emerging within the next 10 to 20 years. But he also believes there are risks if AI “doesn’t prioritise truth and beauty”.</p><p>But Musk once worried about automation displacing jobs. What changed? Musk spoke about his fears of automation back in 2016. But since then, he has become more optimistic. He is now less concerned about unemployment and more focused on ‘shared prosperity’. Much of his inspiration comes from science fiction works like Iain M. Banks’s <i>Culture</i> series, which depicts societies where AI ensures abundance while humans pursue creativity and exploration.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/world-to-see-a-major-war-in-5-10-years-elon-musk-s-major-prediction-leaves-internet-speculating-1764681973948">World to see a major war in 5-10 years? Elon Musk’s major prediction leaves internet speculating</a></p><h2>How will people earn a living in Musk’s post-work world?</h2><p>Musk is a proponent of the concept of Universal High Income (UHI), as opposed to people earning wages from employment. He envisions UHI as an unconditional financial distribution to all individuals, far above the level of Universal Basic Income (UBI). UHI would cover things beyond basic necessities such as food and shelter. The high standard of living would be funded by productivity gains from AI and robotics, in Musk's view.</p><p>Labour would be effectively zero cost when robots and AI operate across manufacturing, logistics, farming and services. This would generate enormous wealth, enabling equitable redistribution, potentially via a robot tax or direct AI-generated value.</p><p>Abundance of resources would be the result when AI eliminates production bottlenecks and drives down the cost of everything, from housing to healthcare.</p><p>“There will be no shortage of goods and services, and money will no longer be a ‘database for labour allocation’ but a tool for optional exchanges,” Musk predicts.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/should-us-end-h-1b-programme-know-what-elon-musk-thinks-about-indian-immigrants-donald-trump-elon-musk-tesla-immigration-indian-immigration-us-1764519420595">Should US end H-1B programme? Know what Elon Musk thinks about Indian immigrants</a></p><p>So why would people still want to work?</p><p>In Musk’s view, work would exist only for self-fulfilment, for example in art, science, or volunteering, not for income.</p><p>He is not clear, however, on how people will find meaning and purpose in a jobless world.</p><h2>Musk thinks humanoid robots will outnumber humans by 2030</h2><p>Musk is optimistic about the rapid expansion of AI robots, but critics like Bill Gates argue that the world is not yet ready for full income guarantees, and instead seeks the retraining of workers on new technolgies.</p><p>Musk’s ideas, despite UHI being framed as an equaliser, also risk deepening inequality if the benefits of AI are captured by a small elite.</p><h2>In a post-work society, does everyone have to buy a robot?</h2><p>Nobody buys a power plant to receive electricity. Similarly, Musk argues that individuals will not need to buy their own AI or robots. In a world enabled by AI and robotics, goods and services would become extremely cheap or even free. Once nearly all physical and cognitive labour is performed by robots and AI at near-zero marginal cost, the cost of food, housing, clothing, healthcare, transport, education and entertainment would collapse, in his view. Even the cost of raw materials and energy would fall, as robots mine, refine and transport everything.</p><p>“The cost of goods and services will approach zero, just like the cost of searching on Google is essentially zero today,” he has said.</p><h2>A cheque in your account? How universal high income works</h2><p>The enormous economic surplus would be redistributed as a monthly payment to every adult, and possibly children, similar to certain existing child-payment schemes in the United States.</p><p>This high income would allow people to live comfortably, not merely survive. Under UHI, even the poorest people would have enough money to cover the few remaining costs in society, such as land, experiences and rare physical items.</p><p>In this world, robots and AI would become so ubiquitous that they would be provided like utilities or services, not sold as consumer products, just as one does not need to buy a ChatGPT server to get answers to queries. &nbsp;Governments or companies would own billions of robots and rent them out through tiny subscriptions.</p><p>“In a future of abundance, there will be no poverty… Everyone will have access to whatever goods and services they want,” Musk said.</p><h2>The pitfalls of Musk's future vision without work</h2><p>Almost sounding like a socialist, the potential trillionaire claims that “the poorest person in that world will live better than the richest person today in almost every way, except perhaps square footage of land”.</p><p>But many questions remain unanswered: corruption, the concentration of AI and robotics power in a handful of firms or governments, the use of autonomous machines in warfare, and the erosion of wages before the post-work society is established, which risks worsening income inequalities.</p><p>Musk believes that the same forces eliminating jobs will also end scarcity and poverty, creating a world of abundance. He argues that poverty would be impossible in such a society.</p><p>Do you think Musk should travel the current world a little more, disguised as a commoner, as former kings once did, to see what is really happening on the ground?</p>

Elon Musk imagines an AI and robotics-driven post-work society. Robots would help provide an abundance of goods and services. Wages would be replaced by a universal high income. Work would become optional, like a hobby. But will this end inequality, power concentration and social risks?


Elon Musk’s idea of a post-work society, mentioned most recently in his podcast with Nikhil Kamath, is raising both curiosity and eyebrows. He envisages a world where work would be optional, with AI and AI-powered robots doing most tasks for humans. Work would then become similar to a hobby, as people automate most of their functions, and everyone receives a universal high income or UHI. It could be the world’s most ridiculous idea, the perfect marketing strategy to sell more of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots, or a landmark prediction of our society’s future shape in the coming decades. Whatever your take on it is, let us understand what Musk means by a post-work society and its key features. Post-work society: Elon Musk's ‘Protopia’ vision In Musk’s vision, nearly all human labour, both manual and intellectual, would soon be automated. This, he argues, will bring about an “age of abundance” or a post-scarcity economy. Work would no longer be a means of survival but an optional pursuit, similar to gardening your own vegetables rather than buying them from a supermarket. This is his vision of a gradually improving world, which he calls Protopia. In this world, scarcities would be eliminated, except in the case of intentionally limited or naturally constrained resources such as land. AI would be the “magic genie”: delivering personalised education, providing superhuman medical care, entertainment, and unlimited goods and services. https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-says-we-may-live-in-a-simulation-reignites-digital-universe-debate-1764731779847/embed When will a post-work society come into being? According to Musk, there is an 80 per cent chance of post-work societies emerging within the next 10 to 20 years. But he also believes there are risks if AI “doesn’t prioritise truth and beauty”. But Musk once worried about automation displacing jobs. What changed? Musk spoke about his fears of automation back in 2016. But since then, he has become more optimistic. He is now less concerned about unemployment and more focused on ‘shared prosperity’. Much of his inspiration comes from science fiction works like Iain M. Banks’s Culture series, which depicts societies where AI ensures abundance while humans pursue creativity and exploration. Also read: World to see a major war in 5-10 years? Elon Musk’s major prediction leaves internet speculating How will people earn a living in Musk’s post-work world? Musk is a proponent of the concept of Universal High Income (UHI), as opposed to people earning wages from employment. He envisions UHI as an unconditional financial distribution to all individuals, far above the level of Universal Basic Income (UBI). UHI would cover things beyond basic necessities such as food and shelter. The high standard of living would be funded by productivity gains from AI and robotics, in Musk's view. Labour would be effectively zero cost when robots and AI operate across manufacturing, logistics, farming and services. This would generate enormous wealth, enabling equitable redistribution, potentially via a robot tax or direct AI-generated value. Abundance of resources would be the result when AI eliminates production bottlenecks and drives down the cost of everything, from housing to healthcare. “There will be no shortage of goods and services, and money will no longer be a ‘database for labour allocation’ but a tool for optional exchanges,” Musk predicts. Also read: Should US end H-1B programme? Know what Elon Musk thinks about Indian immigrants So why would people still want to work? In Musk’s view, work would exist only for self-fulfilment, for example in art, science, or volunteering, not for income. He is not clear, however, on how people will find meaning and purpose in a jobless world. Musk thinks humanoid robots will outnumber humans by 2030 Musk is optimistic about the rapid expansion of AI robots, but critics like Bill Gates argue that the world is not yet ready for full income guarantees, and instead seeks the retraining of workers on new technolgies. Musk’s ideas, despite UHI being framed as an equaliser, also risk deepening inequality if the benefits of AI are captured by a small elite. In a post-work society, does everyone have to buy a robot? Nobody buys a power plant to receive electricity. Similarly, Musk argues that individuals will not need to buy their own AI or robots. In a world enabled by AI and robotics, goods and services would become extremely cheap or even free. Once nearly all physical and cognitive labour is performed by robots and AI at near-zero marginal cost, the cost of food, housing, clothing, healthcare, transport, education and entertainment would collapse, in his view. Even the cost of raw materials and energy would fall, as robots mine, refine and transport everything. “The cost of goods and services will approach zero, just like the cost of searching on Google is essentially zero today,” he has said. A cheque in your account? How universal high income works The enormous economic surplus would be redistributed as a monthly payment to every adult, and possibly children, similar to certain existing child-payment schemes in the United States. This high income would allow people to live comfortably, not merely survive. Under UHI, even the poorest people would have enough money to cover the few remaining costs in society, such as land, experiences and rare physical items. In this world, robots and AI would become so ubiquitous that they would be provided like utilities or services, not sold as consumer products, just as one does not need to buy a ChatGPT server to get answers to queries. Governments or companies would own billions of robots and rent them out through tiny subscriptions. “In a future of abundance, there will be no poverty… Everyone will have access to whatever goods and services they want,” Musk said. The pitfalls of Musk's future vision without work Almost sounding like a socialist, the potential trillionaire claims that “the poorest person in that world will live better than the richest person today in almost every way, except perhaps square footage of land”. But many questions remain unanswered: corruption, the concentration of AI and robotics power in a handful of firms or governments, the use of autonomous machines in warfare, and the erosion of wages before the post-work society is established, which risks worsening income inequalities. Musk believes that the same forces eliminating jobs will also end scarcity and poverty, creating a world of abundance. He argues that poverty would be impossible in such a society. Do you think Musk should travel the current world a little more, disguised as a commoner, as former kings once did, to see what is really happening on the ground?

<p>Elon Musk imagines an AI and robotics-driven post-work society. Robots would help provide an abundance of goods and services. Wages would be replaced by a universal high income. Work would become optional, like a hobby. But will this end income and power inequality?<br>&nbsp;</p>

All those who work are fools? Elon Musk's 'Protopian' idea of post-work society and what it means for wage earners

<p>Hearing petitions of YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia (or BeerBiceps) and others from the controversial <i>India Got Latent show</i>, the Supreme Court on Thursday (Nov 27) asked the Indian government what it was doing to regulate social-media content creators. Looking at the sheer volume of harmful, misleading or vulgar content churned out daily on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, it is hard to argue with the Court’s concerns. India today faces a Molotov cocktail of limitless freedom of speech, with near-zero accountability. The apex court noted that self-regulation has failed, hinting that creators cannot simply build their own channels and claim they answer nobody. The justices said that once the objectionable content is up, it goes viral so fast that no authority can control its impact later. This is a different world from phone calls or private conversations. Social media platforms amplify creators to millions, and cannot hide behind the alibi that they are only the conduits of communication. The consequences of harmful, misleading or plainly wrong posts are immediate and far-reaching. Here are 10 reasons why regulation is urgently needed, and why the Supreme Court is right about it.</p><h2>Paid podcasts without transparency: The new-age fraud of YouTube</h2><p>Across YouTube and other platforms, creators have been running high-profile podcasts sponsored by the invitees themselves, reportedly for millions of rupees, without full disclosure. In these completely choreographed charades, private individuals, companies and political groups, and even government agencies are parading falsehoods as gospel truth. Guests are asked soft-ball questions, and their products and services get promoted. Audiences have no clue about the money changing hands under the podcast tables. Stealth advertising is aired without proper classification, and political messaging is masquerading as 'neutral' conversation.</p><h2>Fake 'rich lifestyles' and the mental-health fallout</h2><p>Instagram and YouTube are awash with self-declared “millionaires” flaunting cars, luxury vacations and designer brands. Most of them turn out to be rented, borrowed or staged, sometimes with the connivance of the companies involved. But fear of missing out makes young viewers click on this content, and equate worth with wealth. This then leads to comparison anxiety, body-image issues and feelings of failure. The Supreme Court’s concern about unregulated monetisation of such content could be indirectly hitting at these creators who make money by pushing illusions that harm impressionable audiences.</p><h2>Content-creator rivalries escalating into real violence</h2><p>The last few years have seen rival influencers engaging in public feuds, doxxing, cyberbullying and, in some cases, physical fights and even gun violence. The Elvish Yadav controversies, the shootings linked to vlogger feuds, and street fights livestreamed for views show how online rivalries spill into the real world. Creators are weaponising audiences and escalating conflict for clicks.</p><h2>The menace of fake gurus and ‘spiritual healers’</h2><p>YouTube, Instagram and Facebook host self-styled gurus offering miracle cures, aura cleansing, “manifestation coaching” or chant-based healing, none of which have any scientific basis. These content creators are exploiting the distress of viewers. They are encouraging vulnerable people to abandon real medical treatment for their physical and mental health issues, and instead peddling mystical cures. Without regulation, this commoditising of faith and normalising of superstitions for ad revenue will continue to flourish.</p><h2>'Anti-national' posts with no factual basis</h2><p>There are a plethora of conspiracy theories, manipulated videos or fabricated “alerts” that portray institutions, communities and even public figures as enemies of the nation. Such videos and posts travel faster than fact-checkers can track or react. To address this, we should pay heed to the Indian top court's observation that online spaces cannot become zones where anything can be said without responsibility.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/samay-raina-s-india-s-got-latent-makes-a-comeback-on-youtube-months-after-controversy-involving-ranveer-allahbadia-1750659111756">Samay Raina's India's Got Latent makes a comeback on YouTube months after controversy involving Ranveer Allahbadia</a></p><h2>Whitewashing criminals and financial fraudsters</h2><p>Recently, several YouTubers invited controversial figures – from criminals to financial fraudsters – to podcasts for 'exclusive tell-all interviews'. Some of these went on for hours, presenting these individuals as misunderstood heroes. With no fact-checking or ethical guidelines in place, this type of content - which often goes viral - sanitises wrongdoing and trivialises victims’ experiences, years of fact-based investigative reportage, and court proceedings. Indian content space is now living in an era of rewarding this notoriety.</p><h2>Vulgarity and shock content disguised as comedy</h2><p>Many creators, including those behind <i>India Got Latent</i>, made it fashionable to use profanity, explicit jokes, sexualised thumbnails or offensive skits for views. Age restrictions are easily bypassed, with minors ending up as the audience. The Supreme Court’s remarks about obscene content reflect an urgent concern: when vulgarity becomes the easiest route to fame, platforms end up normalising harmful and unsocial behaviour.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/are-you-a-social-media-creator-brace-for-control-as-indian-top-court-asks-govt-on-regulation-mechanisms-1764238797065">Are you a social media creator? Brace for control, as Indian top court asks government on regulation&nbsp;mechanisms</a></p><h2>Fake business gurus, finfluencers and fitness advisors: Loss of money and health</h2><p>Both in the main content and through advertising on YouTube and other social media platforms, recent years have seen a proliferation of financial and stock-market advisors without any qualifications. These 'finfluencers' promise guaranteed returns, promote high-risk schemes, or push dubious “wealth systems” and get-rich-quick plans. A similar menace exists in the health influencer market. Anybody can peddle anything these days as a cure for any illness. Raw diets, extreme fasting or herbal powders are offered as cures. Their content blurs the line between advice and manipulation.&nbsp;</p><p>Many people lose money by following the stock-investing advice, and lose health due to the 'medical advice' videos, but often do not know where to complain.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-s-got-latent-controversy-sc-slams-comics-over-disability-jokes-orders-public-apology-1756135758542">https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-s-got-latent-controversy-sc-slams-comics-over-disability-jokes-orders-public-apology-1756135758542</a></p><h2>Dagger in the cloak: The spread of pseudoscience and superstition</h2><p>From vastu “fixes” to cow-urine remedies, from past-life regression shows to out-of-body travel claims and alien stories, Indian social media hosts hours of pseudoscience content framed as authentic knowledge. The creators and their hosts speak with such confidence, poise and cinematic flair that unscientific ideas appear credible to the unsuspecting viewer. The steady erosion of rational and scientific thinking is the result. Slowly, those who question these superstitions are being painted as opposing certain religions or rituals.</p><h2>AI-driven harms: Deepfakes, voice clones and nudify apps</h2><p>Recent years have seen most of the main social media players embracing AI-generated content. Creators can now openly fabricate political speeches, make family members beg for money using voice clones, or generate explicit images of women – including politicians, celebrities and actresses – without their consent or knowledge. This is a technology that the current laws of India are yet to catch up with. There are no rules about clearly identifying AI-generated content as such. Tracing and takedown are nearly impossible, also because of how many videos can be created from a single prompt on most of the AI video platforms. The victims are left helpless while such content circulates, which has reportedly even led to suicides.</p><p>The bottom line is straightforward: today’s content creators on social media are not different from broadcasters, and the same standards and regulations should apply to them too. But currently they operate without any standards, obligations or oversight, in the name of free speech.</p><p>Even if the Indian government tries to regulate social-media content through legislation or other measures, how exactly can such rules be implemented across platforms, languages, millions of creators and billions of posts? That’s a story for another day.<br>&nbsp;</p>

The Indian Supreme Court has highlighted the urgent need for social media regulation, while criticising the unchecked freedom of content creators. The court is absolutely on point, as disinformation, hateful posts, and fake gurus are proliferating on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and others.

Hearing petitions of YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia (or BeerBiceps) and others from the controversial India Got Latent show, the Supreme Court on Thursday (Nov 27) asked the Indian government what it was doing to regulate social-media content creators. Looking at the sheer volume of harmful, misleading or vulgar content churned out daily on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, it is hard to argue with the Court’s concerns. India today faces a Molotov cocktail of limitless freedom of speech, with near-zero accountability. The apex court noted that self-regulation has failed, hinting that creators cannot simply build their own channels and claim they answer nobody. The justices said that once the objectionable content is up, it goes viral so fast that no authority can control its impact later. This is a different world from phone calls or private conversations. Social media platforms amplify creators to millions, and cannot hide behind the alibi that they are only the conduits of communication. The consequences of harmful, misleading or plainly wrong posts are immediate and far-reaching. Here are 10 reasons why regulation is urgently needed, and why the Supreme Court is right about it. Paid podcasts without transparency: The new-age fraud of YouTube Across YouTube and other platforms, creators have been running high-profile podcasts sponsored by the invitees themselves, reportedly for millions of rupees, without full disclosure. In these completely choreographed charades, private individuals, companies and political groups, and even government agencies are parading falsehoods as gospel truth. Guests are asked soft-ball questions, and their products and services get promoted. Audiences have no clue about the money changing hands under the podcast tables. Stealth advertising is aired without proper classification, and political messaging is masquerading as 'neutral' conversation. Fake 'rich lifestyles' and the mental-health fallout Instagram and YouTube are awash with self-declared “millionaires” flaunting cars, luxury vacations and designer brands. Most of them turn out to be rented, borrowed or staged, sometimes with the connivance of the companies involved. But fear of missing out makes young viewers click on this content, and equate worth with wealth. This then leads to comparison anxiety, body-image issues and feelings of failure. The Supreme Court’s concern about unregulated monetisation of such content could be indirectly hitting at these creators who make money by pushing illusions that harm impressionable audiences. Content-creator rivalries escalating into real violence The last few years have seen rival influencers engaging in public feuds, doxxing, cyberbullying and, in some cases, physical fights and even gun violence. The Elvish Yadav controversies, the shootings linked to vlogger feuds, and street fights livestreamed for views show how online rivalries spill into the real world. Creators are weaponising audiences and escalating conflict for clicks. The menace of fake gurus and ‘spiritual healers’ YouTube, Instagram and Facebook host self-styled gurus offering miracle cures, aura cleansing, “manifestation coaching” or chant-based healing, none of which have any scientific basis. These content creators are exploiting the distress of viewers. They are encouraging vulnerable people to abandon real medical treatment for their physical and mental health issues, and instead peddling mystical cures. Without regulation, this commoditising of faith and normalising of superstitions for ad revenue will continue to flourish. 'Anti-national' posts with no factual basis There are a plethora of conspiracy theories, manipulated videos or fabricated “alerts” that portray institutions, communities and even public figures as enemies of the nation. Such videos and posts travel faster than fact-checkers can track or react. To address this, we should pay heed to the Indian top court's observation that online spaces cannot become zones where anything can be said without responsibility. Also read: Samay Raina's India's Got Latent makes a comeback on YouTube months after controversy involving Ranveer Allahbadia Whitewashing criminals and financial fraudsters Recently, several YouTubers invited controversial figures – from criminals to financial fraudsters – to podcasts for 'exclusive tell-all interviews'. Some of these went on for hours, presenting these individuals as misunderstood heroes. With no fact-checking or ethical guidelines in place, this type of content - which often goes viral - sanitises wrongdoing and trivialises victims’ experiences, years of fact-based investigative reportage, and court proceedings. Indian content space is now living in an era of rewarding this notoriety. Vulgarity and shock content disguised as comedy Many creators, including those behind India Got Latent, made it fashionable to use profanity, explicit jokes, sexualised thumbnails or offensive skits for views. Age restrictions are easily bypassed, with minors ending up as the audience. The Supreme Court’s remarks about obscene content reflect an urgent concern: when vulgarity becomes the easiest route to fame, platforms end up normalising harmful and unsocial behaviour. Also read: Are you a social media creator? Brace for control, as Indian top court asks government on regulation mechanisms Fake business gurus, finfluencers and fitness advisors: Loss of money and health Both in the main content and through advertising on YouTube and other social media platforms, recent years have seen a proliferation of financial and stock-market advisors without any qualifications. These 'finfluencers' promise guaranteed returns, promote high-risk schemes, or push dubious “wealth systems” and get-rich-quick plans. A similar menace exists in the health influencer market. Anybody can peddle anything these days as a cure for any illness. Raw diets, extreme fasting or herbal powders are offered as cures. Their content blurs the line between advice and manipulation. Many people lose money by following the stock-investing advice, and lose health due to the 'medical advice' videos, but often do not know where to complain. https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-s-got-latent-controversy-sc-slams-comics-over-disability-jokes-orders-public-apology-1756135758542 Dagger in the cloak: The spread of pseudoscience and superstition From vastu “fixes” to cow-urine remedies, from past-life regression shows to out-of-body travel claims and alien stories, Indian social media hosts hours of pseudoscience content framed as authentic knowledge. The creators and their hosts speak with such confidence, poise and cinematic flair that unscientific ideas appear credible to the unsuspecting viewer. The steady erosion of rational and scientific thinking is the result. Slowly, those who question these superstitions are being painted as opposing certain religions or rituals. AI-driven harms: Deepfakes, voice clones and nudify apps Recent years have seen most of the main social media players embracing AI-generated content. Creators can now openly fabricate political speeches, make family members beg for money using voice clones, or generate explicit images of women – including politicians, celebrities and actresses – without their consent or knowledge. This is a technology that the current laws of India are yet to catch up with. There are no rules about clearly identifying AI-generated content as such. Tracing and takedown are nearly impossible, also because of how many videos can be created from a single prompt on most of the AI video platforms. The victims are left helpless while such content circulates, which has reportedly even led to suicides. The bottom line is straightforward: today’s content creators on social media are not different from broadcasters, and the same standards and regulations should apply to them too. But currently they operate without any standards, obligations or oversight, in the name of free speech. Even if the Indian government tries to regulate social-media content through legislation or other measures, how exactly can such rules be implemented across platforms, languages, millions of creators and billions of posts? That’s a story for another day.

<p>The Indian Supreme Court has highlighted the urgent need for social media regulation, while criticising the unchecked freedom of content creators. The court is absolutely on point, as disinformation, hateful posts, and fake gurus are proliferating on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and others.</p>

10 reasons why Indian Supreme Court is right in seeking social media content regulation: The menace of freedom without accountability

<p>President Donald Trump on Thursday night (Nov 27 ) threatened to suspend immigration from what he called “Third World countries” in the wake of a Washington DC shooting of two National Guard soldiers by an Afghan who entered the US as a migrant. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old who entered under a US resettlement programme following the chaotic 2021 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. One of the two injured soldiers later died while the other is fighting for life. While it is not clear if Trump would impose a full immigration suspension, his announcement is similar to what he did in 2017. Soon after starting his first term, Trump issued a sweeping travel ban targeting largely Muslim-majority nations, causing significant disruption at airports, family separations, and legal battles. Here is what unfolded in 2017 and its aftermath. But first, let's look at his latest threat.</p><h2>Trump's latest 'reverse migration' threat: What did he say?</h2><p>On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover.”<br>Blaming the previous administration of Joe Biden, Trump added he would “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen,” and “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country.”</p><p>He also said the US would end all federal benefits and subsidies to non-citizens, “denaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity,” and deport any foreign national deemed a public charge, a security risk, or “non-compatible with Western Civilisation.”</p><p>“Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation,” he concluded, while also sharing an image of the chaotic evacuation of some Afghan civilians in 2021.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-demands-review-of-afghan-immigrants-after-dc-shooting-1764240926003/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-demands-review-of-afghan-immigrants-after-dc-shooting-1764240926003/embed</a></p><h2>Trump triggers memories, alarm among immigrant communities</h2><p>Trump's pronouncements are reviving a nightmare for migrant communities, refugee-rights groups and legal advocates. If a broad migration pause similar to 2017 is imposed, hundreds of thousands of lives will be disrupted. Years of resettlement efforts would be undone. Debates over immigration, security, and civil rights would be reignited on the streets, screens and courts of America.</p><h2>What happened in 2017? The Trump ‘Muslim travel ban’ and its immediate impact</h2><p>In January 2017, soon after assuming his first term in office, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, barring travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen (note that Afghanistan was not included at the time). The order also paused the US Refugee Admissions Programme for four months, and indefinitely stopped Syrian refugee resettlement. Touted as a security measure, the ban’s abrupt rollout caused widespread confusion among government agencies, airlines, airports, passengers, visa-holders and visa-seekers.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-permanently-pause-migration-from-all-third-world-countries-donald-trump-1764305958909">I will PERMANENTLY PAUSE migration from all third world countries: Donald Trump</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hundreds of travellers were detained or denied boarding at American airports nationwide within hours of the executive order.<br>Nearly 90,000 people were affected by visa revocations and restrictions, with airports becoming battlegrounds of arguments and protests. An estimated 60,000 visas were revoked. Many lawful permanent residents from the seven countries were initially barred from entering the US.</p><h2>Airport chaos and protests after ‘Muslim travel ban’</h2><p>The ban was seen as an Islamophobic action, with major airports including JFK, Dulles, O’Hare, LAX and San Francisco seeing large-scale disruptions. Even lawful visa holders were detained for hours, often without rightful access to lawyers, with critics calling it the ‘Muslim ban’.</p><p>Lawyers and community groups mobilised to assist many stranded travellers, even as thousands of protesters gathered outside airports and government buildings. They demanded that stranded individuals be admitted. Even after lengthy vetting, many asylum-seekers, refugees, students and families were denied entry.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-the-animal-that-shot-will-pay-very-steep-price-trump-issues-warning-to-suspect-after-2-national-guard-shot-near-white-house-1764217175279">All immigration requests for Afghan nationals 'stopped indefinitely', says USCIS</a></p><h2>Trump's 'Muslim ban' faced legal battles and led to order revisions</h2><p>Legal challenges were filed soon in local and federal courts, which issued temporary restraining orders within days. This essentially blocked the enforcement of the initial order in many places. By March 2017, the administration was forced to rework the policy with a new executive order. Presidential Proclamation 9645 in September 2017 modified the list of affected countries, removing Sudan and later Chad. Later, North Korea and certain Venezuelan officials were added to the travel ban. In June 2018, the US Supreme Court upheld this final version in a 5–4 decision, bowing to presidential authority over matters of national security and immigration.</p><h2>Revocation of the Muslim ban in 2021</h2><p>After the chaos that continued for several years, Democratic President Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 elections, rescinded all versions of the travel ban on his first day in office in January 2021. This, in practice, reinstated visa processing for previously barred nations.<br>But the damage had been done.&nbsp;</p><p>Many families - mostly Muslim ones - continued to face visa backlogs, months of uncertainty, separation, and economic or psychological hardship. Communities affected by the ban reported lasting damage in trust, social stability and mental health, according to reports.</p>

Trump’s threat to halt immigration from “Third World countries” is reviving horrible memories of his 2017 'Muslim travel ban'. His executive order caused chaos, protests, legal battles and long-lasting family disruptions. Here is a total recall

President Donald Trump on Thursday night (Nov 27 ) threatened to suspend immigration from what he called “Third World countries” in the wake of a Washington DC shooting of two National Guard soldiers by an Afghan who entered the US as a migrant. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old who entered under a US resettlement programme following the chaotic 2021 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. One of the two injured soldiers later died while the other is fighting for life. While it is not clear if Trump would impose a full immigration suspension, his announcement is similar to what he did in 2017. Soon after starting his first term, Trump issued a sweeping travel ban targeting largely Muslim-majority nations, causing significant disruption at airports, family separations, and legal battles. Here is what unfolded in 2017 and its aftermath. But first, let's look at his latest threat. Trump's latest 'reverse migration' threat: What did he say? On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover.” Blaming the previous administration of Joe Biden, Trump added he would “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen,” and “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country.” He also said the US would end all federal benefits and subsidies to non-citizens, “denaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity,” and deport any foreign national deemed a public charge, a security risk, or “non-compatible with Western Civilisation.” “Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation,” he concluded, while also sharing an image of the chaotic evacuation of some Afghan civilians in 2021. https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-demands-review-of-afghan-immigrants-after-dc-shooting-1764240926003/embed Trump triggers memories, alarm among immigrant communities Trump's pronouncements are reviving a nightmare for migrant communities, refugee-rights groups and legal advocates. If a broad migration pause similar to 2017 is imposed, hundreds of thousands of lives will be disrupted. Years of resettlement efforts would be undone. Debates over immigration, security, and civil rights would be reignited on the streets, screens and courts of America. What happened in 2017? The Trump ‘Muslim travel ban’ and its immediate impact In January 2017, soon after assuming his first term in office, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, barring travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen (note that Afghanistan was not included at the time). The order also paused the US Refugee Admissions Programme for four months, and indefinitely stopped Syrian refugee resettlement. Touted as a security measure, the ban’s abrupt rollout caused widespread confusion among government agencies, airlines, airports, passengers, visa-holders and visa-seekers. Also read: I will PERMANENTLY PAUSE migration from all third world countries: Donald Trump Hundreds of travellers were detained or denied boarding at American airports nationwide within hours of the executive order. Nearly 90,000 people were affected by visa revocations and restrictions, with airports becoming battlegrounds of arguments and protests. An estimated 60,000 visas were revoked. Many lawful permanent residents from the seven countries were initially barred from entering the US. Airport chaos and protests after ‘Muslim travel ban’ The ban was seen as an Islamophobic action, with major airports including JFK, Dulles, O’Hare, LAX and San Francisco seeing large-scale disruptions. Even lawful visa holders were detained for hours, often without rightful access to lawyers, with critics calling it the ‘Muslim ban’. Lawyers and community groups mobilised to assist many stranded travellers, even as thousands of protesters gathered outside airports and government buildings. They demanded that stranded individuals be admitted. Even after lengthy vetting, many asylum-seekers, refugees, students and families were denied entry. Also read: All immigration requests for Afghan nationals 'stopped indefinitely', says USCIS Trump's 'Muslim ban' faced legal battles and led to order revisions Legal challenges were filed soon in local and federal courts, which issued temporary restraining orders within days. This essentially blocked the enforcement of the initial order in many places. By March 2017, the administration was forced to rework the policy with a new executive order. Presidential Proclamation 9645 in September 2017 modified the list of affected countries, removing Sudan and later Chad. Later, North Korea and certain Venezuelan officials were added to the travel ban. In June 2018, the US Supreme Court upheld this final version in a 5–4 decision, bowing to presidential authority over matters of national security and immigration. Revocation of the Muslim ban in 2021 After the chaos that continued for several years, Democratic President Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 elections, rescinded all versions of the travel ban on his first day in office in January 2021. This, in practice, reinstated visa processing for previously barred nations. But the damage had been done. Many families - mostly Muslim ones - continued to face visa backlogs, months of uncertainty, separation, and economic or psychological hardship. Communities affected by the ban reported lasting damage in trust, social stability and mental health, according to reports.

<p>Trump’s threat to halt immigration from “Third World countries” is reviving horrible memories of his 2017 'Muslim travel ban'. His executive order caused chaos, protests, legal battles and long-lasting family disruptions. Here is a total recall</p>

'REVERSE MIGRATION only can...': Trump threatens to suspend immigration from ‘Third World’. What happened with the ‘Muslim Ban’ of 2017?

<p>The Arctic Ocean's ice is melting faster than ever due to global warming, opening up more areas in the huge area to global competition for its untapped resources, including an estimated 13 per cent of the world's oil. The US Coast Guard commissioned its first new polar icebreaker ship in over 25 years this August, as part of an $8.6 billion push to expand its Arctic capabilities, with key rivals Russia and China in mind. In this context, here is a look at the Arctic region's resources, the contentious control of its territory, and the countries engaged in the scramble.</p><h2>What are the resources of the Arctic?</h2><p>The Arctic possibly contains up to 13 per cent of the world's undiscovered oil and roughly 30 per cent of global natural gas deposits.&nbsp;</p><p>It is also home to mineral deposits, including rare earth elements critical for green tech and electric vehicles.&nbsp;</p><p>Greenland and northern Scandinavia offer mining opportunities for iron ore and other strategic minerals.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-arctic-space-race-heats-up-china-u-s-europe-build-antenna-farms-in-the-far-north-1764097803450/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-arctic-space-race-heats-up-china-u-s-europe-build-antenna-farms-in-the-far-north-1764097803450/embed</a></p><h2>New shipping routes can drastically reduce global maritime trade costs</h2><p>Besides the Arctic's abundant and critical natural resources, the thawing of ice is slowly opening up more shipping routes, such as the Northern Sea Route along Russia’s Arctic coast and the Northwest Passage through Canada. When fully operational and commercialised, these routes can reduce transit times between Asia and Europe by up to 40 per cent and lower shipping costs by roughly 30 per cent.</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/why-scientists-revive-40-000-year-old-ancient-virus-with-pandemic-potential-from-arctic-ice-1759812221224">Why?? Scientists revive 40,000-year-old ancient virus with 'pandemic potential' from Arctic ice</a></p><h2>Who controls the Arctic?</h2><p>The Arctic Ocean region, spanning approximately 14.5 million square kilometres, is loosely governed through a combination of national jurisdiction, international law, and cooperative bodies like the Arctic Council. Eight countries have coastlines along the Arctic Ocean: Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the US (via Alaska). These countries are part of the Arctic Council, which focuses on non-security issues and environmental protection. China also claims to be a “near-Arctic state,” becoming an active new entrant in the race for the region's resources.</p><p>The coastal states control their land, internal waters, and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) spanning 200 nautical miles.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/scientists-surprised-to-see-organism-alive-and-moving-inside-arctic-ocean-that-they-thought-was-dead-1757656476816">Scientists surprised to see organism 'alive and moving' inside Arctic Ocean that they thought was dead</a></p><h2>Race for more control of the Arctic via UN laws</h2><p>The scramble for the Arctic is evident from new claims by some countries to expand their rights over the continental shelf beyond the EEZ. They have filed petitions under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with Russia and Norway receiving partial approvals. Canada, Denmark, and some others have their claims pending. The US has not ratified UNCLOS, but generally observes its provisions.</p><p>The central Arctic Ocean remains international waters, open for navigation and fishing under UNCLOS.</p><h2>Which countries are interested in the Arctic?</h2><p>While Arctic coastal states naturally have the strongest claims and interests in resource development, shipping, and security, countries like the US, Russia, and China are competing to gain an upper hand. US President Donald Trump's remarks about wanting to buy Greenland should be seen in this context.</p><h2>China: A non-Arctic power operating in the waters</h2><p>Calling itself a “near-Arctic state,” China has expanded its research and commercial shipping activity in the region. The Asian power is testing new maritime routes and building icebreaker capacity in the Arctic.&nbsp;</p><p>Countries and entities with observer status in the Arctic Council, including India, Japan, South Korea, Germany, and the European Union, have invested in scientific research, mining projects, and shipping infrastructure to gain a foothold in the region.</p><h2>Militarising the Arctic</h2><p>De facto enforcement of the Arctic Ocean is carried out by countries like the US using Coast Guard patrols to maintain presence and monitor foreign vessels. Russia maintains the largest military presence and extensive Arctic bases, asserting control over roughly half of the Arctic coastline.</p><p>Canada and Norway also regulate shipping in their waters while pursuing resource extraction.</p><p>In this context, the US commissioning of new icebreakers and plans to acquire more gain significance. The aim is to secure strategic influence, protect shipping routes, and gain access to mineral resources, particularly in Greenland.</p><p>The days when the Arctic could become a conflict zone are not far away, given the current level of intensifying activity around the slowly unfreezing ocean.</p>

The US has commissioned its first icebreaker in 25 years, as melting of Arctic ice opens up more shipping routes and scramble for untapped resources. China and Russia are also racing for dominance. 


The Arctic Ocean's ice is melting faster than ever due to global warming, opening up more areas in the huge area to global competition for its untapped resources, including an estimated 13 per cent of the world's oil. The US Coast Guard commissioned its first new polar icebreaker ship in over 25 years this August, as part of an $8.6 billion push to expand its Arctic capabilities, with key rivals Russia and China in mind. In this context, here is a look at the Arctic region's resources, the contentious control of its territory, and the countries engaged in the scramble. What are the resources of the Arctic? The Arctic possibly contains up to 13 per cent of the world's undiscovered oil and roughly 30 per cent of global natural gas deposits. It is also home to mineral deposits, including rare earth elements critical for green tech and electric vehicles. Greenland and northern Scandinavia offer mining opportunities for iron ore and other strategic minerals. https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-arctic-space-race-heats-up-china-u-s-europe-build-antenna-farms-in-the-far-north-1764097803450/embed New shipping routes can drastically reduce global maritime trade costs Besides the Arctic's abundant and critical natural resources, the thawing of ice is slowly opening up more shipping routes, such as the Northern Sea Route along Russia’s Arctic coast and the Northwest Passage through Canada. When fully operational and commercialised, these routes can reduce transit times between Asia and Europe by up to 40 per cent and lower shipping costs by roughly 30 per cent. Also read: Why?? Scientists revive 40,000-year-old ancient virus with 'pandemic potential' from Arctic ice Who controls the Arctic? The Arctic Ocean region, spanning approximately 14.5 million square kilometres, is loosely governed through a combination of national jurisdiction, international law, and cooperative bodies like the Arctic Council. Eight countries have coastlines along the Arctic Ocean: Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the US (via Alaska). These countries are part of the Arctic Council, which focuses on non-security issues and environmental protection. China also claims to be a “near-Arctic state,” becoming an active new entrant in the race for the region's resources. The coastal states control their land, internal waters, and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) spanning 200 nautical miles. Also read: Scientists surprised to see organism 'alive and moving' inside Arctic Ocean that they thought was dead Race for more control of the Arctic via UN laws The scramble for the Arctic is evident from new claims by some countries to expand their rights over the continental shelf beyond the EEZ. They have filed petitions under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with Russia and Norway receiving partial approvals. Canada, Denmark, and some others have their claims pending. The US has not ratified UNCLOS, but generally observes its provisions. The central Arctic Ocean remains international waters, open for navigation and fishing under UNCLOS. Which countries are interested in the Arctic? While Arctic coastal states naturally have the strongest claims and interests in resource development, shipping, and security, countries like the US, Russia, and China are competing to gain an upper hand. US President Donald Trump's remarks about wanting to buy Greenland should be seen in this context. China: A non-Arctic power operating in the waters Calling itself a “near-Arctic state,” China has expanded its research and commercial shipping activity in the region. The Asian power is testing new maritime routes and building icebreaker capacity in the Arctic. Countries and entities with observer status in the Arctic Council, including India, Japan, South Korea, Germany, and the European Union, have invested in scientific research, mining projects, and shipping infrastructure to gain a foothold in the region. Militarising the Arctic De facto enforcement of the Arctic Ocean is carried out by countries like the US using Coast Guard patrols to maintain presence and monitor foreign vessels. Russia maintains the largest military presence and extensive Arctic bases, asserting control over roughly half of the Arctic coastline. Canada and Norway also regulate shipping in their waters while pursuing resource extraction. In this context, the US commissioning of new icebreakers and plans to acquire more gain significance. The aim is to secure strategic influence, protect shipping routes, and gain access to mineral resources, particularly in Greenland. The days when the Arctic could become a conflict zone are not far away, given the current level of intensifying activity around the slowly unfreezing ocean.

<p>The US has commissioned its first icebreaker in 25 years, as melting of Arctic ice opens up more shipping routes and scramble for untapped resources. China and Russia are also racing for dominance.</p>

Humans are coming: Arctic resource race to intensify with first US icebreaker in 25 years - Why this scramble?

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vinod Janardhanan

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.