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In medieval India, the royal courts buzzed with foreign dignitaries. Back then, India was a trading hub. A military power with huge standing armies. So, Indian friendship was a strategic goal. Today, centuries later, we are witnessing a revival. A global realignment is underway and India finds itself at the centre of it. &nbsp;

New Delhi is preparing for a busy summer, a summer of diplomacy. It started with a Quad summit in March. It was the first head of state-level meeting. For India, it was a new chapter. Remember, New Delhi is a non-aligned country. It has stayed away from political alliances. The Quad is the closest India has come to joining one. So, has India abandoned its commitment to neutrality?&nbsp;

Far from it, the Quad is an exercise in deterrence. It does not seek power in the Indo-Pacific. It just wants China to follow the rules as the only Quad member that shares a border with China, the stakes are higher for India but so are the opportunities. &nbsp;

The West sees India as a bulwark against China's rise and for a change, they are right. In the next few years, New Delhi could become one of the most powerful capitals in the world. Today, India hosted top officials from the US and Russia.&nbsp;

Not many countries in the world can do that but New Delhi is neutral turf. It has excellent ties with Moscow and Washington. Lavrov has left, Kerry will leave in a few days but India's summer of diplomacy isn't quite over.&nbsp;

Later this month, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be paying a visit. He will arrive as Britain's first post-Brexit prime minister. His intentions are clear. The UK is thinking beyond Europe. It wants in on the Indo-Pacific and India fits the bill:&nbsp;a massive trading machine with strong regional influence.

So, here's a quick round-up of who has visited India. First, the Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin, then Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov.&nbsp;

US climate envoy John Kerry and capping the summer will be Boris Johnson. What does this train of foreign leaders symbolise?&nbsp;

India's rise, its position of pre-eminence across the board. Just think about the scope. From Delhi, the democratic axis can keep a check on China. They can keenly monitor the Afghan peace process and at the same time, keep an eye on Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. The bottom line is it pays to be a stable and prospering democracy. Who will the world trust to guard the peace in Afghanistan?&nbsp;

A country that is one bad week away from a military coup? Or the largest democracy in the world?&nbsp;

It's a no-brainer. The world needs New Delhi to ensure ever-lasting peace in Afghanistan but like all partnerships, this is a two-way street. India too needs world powers in its corner, especially in defence. &nbsp;

Russia's ties with India were forged over time. It is something America will have to contend with. Take the S-400 missile system for instance. Later this year, India will take delivery of the Russian missiles. This will put New Delhi in America's CAATSA bracket. CAATSA stands for Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.&nbsp;

In theory, the US could sanction India, once the Russian missiles arrive but will America actually do so?&nbsp;

That's a whole different question. Joe Biden has certain foreign policy pet peeves, such as climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and the Indo-Pacific. He can't achieve any of these without Indian support. So, there is a growing caucus in Washington that wants a sanctions-waiver for India. The CAATSA is supposed to target America's adversaries. Is that really how Joe Biden wants to categorise India? As an adversary? Highly unlikely. The world's interests are converging with india's. These are exciting times in New Delhi's south block. World powers are courting the Indian leadership. Climate, peace, defence, you name it. They want New Delhi on board. If India plays its cards right, the summer of diplomacy could mark the beginning of pax indica, a world order built around India.&nbsp;

In medieval India, the royal courts buzzed with foreign dignitaries. Back then, India was a trading hub. A military power with huge standing armies. So, Indian friendship was a strategic goal.

In medieval India, the royal courts buzzed with foreign dignitaries. Back then, India was a trading hub. A military power with huge standing armies. So, Indian friendship was a strategic goal. Today, centuries later, we are witnessing a revival. A global realignment is underway and India finds itself at the centre of it. New Delhi is preparing for a busy summer, a summer of diplomacy. It started with a Quad summit in March. It was the first head of state-level meeting. For India, it was a new chapter. Remember, New Delhi is a non-aligned country. It has stayed away from political alliances. The Quad is the closest India has come to joining one. So, has India abandoned its commitment to neutrality? Far from it, the Quad is an exercise in deterrence. It does not seek power in the Indo-Pacific. It just wants China to follow the rules as the only Quad member that shares a border with China, the stakes are higher for India but so are the opportunities. The West sees India as a bulwark against China's rise and for a change, they are right. In the next few years, New Delhi could become one of the most powerful capitals in the world. Today, India hosted top officials from the US and Russia. Not many countries in the world can do that but New Delhi is neutral turf. It has excellent ties with Moscow and Washington. Lavrov has left, Kerry will leave in a few days but India's summer of diplomacy isn't quite over. Later this month, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be paying a visit. He will arrive as Britain's first post-Brexit prime minister. His intentions are clear. The UK is thinking beyond Europe. It wants in on the Indo-Pacific and India fits the bill: a massive trading machine with strong regional influence. So, here's a quick round-up of who has visited India. First, the Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin, then Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov. US climate envoy John Kerry and capping the summer will be Boris Johnson. What does this train of foreign leaders symbolise? India's rise, its position of pre-eminence across the board. Just think about the scope. From Delhi, the democratic axis can keep a check on China. They can keenly monitor the Afghan peace process and at the same time, keep an eye on Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. The bottom line is it pays to be a stable and prospering democracy. Who will the world trust to guard the peace in Afghanistan? A country that is one bad week away from a military coup? Or the largest democracy in the world? It's a no-brainer. The world needs New Delhi to ensure ever-lasting peace in Afghanistan but like all partnerships, this is a two-way street. India too needs world powers in its corner, especially in defence. Russia's ties with India were forged over time. It is something America will have to contend with. Take the S-400 missile system for instance. Later this year, India will take delivery of the Russian missiles. This will put New Delhi in America's CAATSA bracket. CAATSA stands for Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. In theory, the US could sanction India, once the Russian missiles arrive but will America actually do so? That's a whole different question. Joe Biden has certain foreign policy pet peeves, such as climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and the Indo-Pacific. He can't achieve any of these without Indian support. So, there is a growing caucus in Washington that wants a sanctions-waiver for India. The CAATSA is supposed to target America's adversaries. Is that really how Joe Biden wants to categorise India? As an adversary? Highly unlikely. The world's interests are converging with india's. These are exciting times in New Delhi's south block. World powers are courting the Indian leadership. Climate, peace, defence, you name it. They want New Delhi on board. If India plays its cards right, the summer of diplomacy could mark the beginning of pax indica, a world order built around India.

The summer of diplomacy has begun for India? 

New Delhi is in a dilemma.&nbsp;Russia is India's biggest&nbsp;defence&nbsp;partner&nbsp;and the US&nbsp;is a key partner in the Indo-Pacific.&nbsp;So far,&nbsp;India has carefully built an independent relationship with both countries.&nbsp;But as the friction between the Kremlin and the White House increases,&nbsp;India is walking a diplomatic tightrope.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kremlin,&nbsp;a cold war ally&nbsp;and&nbsp;White House&nbsp;is&nbsp;an Indo-Pacific partner.&nbsp;

One has been a critical source of military equipment&nbsp;and&nbsp;the other is crucial for safeguarding strategic interests.&nbsp;In maintaining one partnership,&nbsp;India has been careful not to damage the other.&nbsp;

It has enjoyed an independent relationship with both Moscow&nbsp;and&nbsp;Washington.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This has been the state of play for several years.&nbsp;But the US-Russia&nbsp;acrimony is entering a new phase.&nbsp;

A new president is in the White House&nbsp;and&nbsp;he is trying to distinguish himself from his predecessor&nbsp;and assert&nbsp;America's&nbsp;place in the world.&nbsp;

Words have been flying like missiles&nbsp;and&nbsp;in this growing friction between the two super-powers,&nbsp;India faces the real test.&nbsp;Which way will it tilt?&nbsp;So far,&nbsp;New Delhi has successfully struck a balance.&nbsp;In&nbsp;February,&nbsp;India's&nbsp;foreign secretary travelled to Moscow for a&nbsp;two-day visit.&nbsp;In March,&nbsp;US&nbsp;defence&nbsp;secretary&nbsp;Lloyd&nbsp;Austin&nbsp;visited&nbsp;India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now,&nbsp;the US climate envoy John Kerry&nbsp;is in New Delhi&nbsp;and so is Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.&nbsp;India is actively engaged with both countries&nbsp;but one bargain hangs above India-US ties like the sword of&nbsp;democracies.&nbsp;

The S-400 deal!&nbsp;New Delhi's decision to purchase this anti-aircraft missile system from Russia&nbsp;has raised the risk of US sanctions.&nbsp;America&nbsp;has imposed sanctions on Turkey for a similar deal with Russia.&nbsp;

The delivery in India is due in December&nbsp;and the Pentagon has not indicated that it won't impose sanctions on India.&nbsp;

On the other hand,&nbsp;Moscow's biggest worry is&nbsp;India's&nbsp;growing security ties with the&nbsp;US.&nbsp;Prime Minister Modi attended the first-ever Quad summit last month.&nbsp;Signs of discomfort have surfaced at Kremlin.&nbsp;

Russia along with China is proposing a new regional security bloc aimed at countering any US-led blocs.&nbsp;

It already seems to be laying the groundwork.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lavrov will be visiting Islamabad after his India visit.&nbsp;This will be the first such visit by a Russian Foreign Minister in nine years.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;the challenge before India is quite complex&nbsp;and it comes at a crucial time.&nbsp;

Right across the Himalayas,&nbsp;Chinese still pose a significant threat to&nbsp;India's&nbsp;security.&nbsp;New Delhi will have to choose wisely.&nbsp;It will have to ask serious questions about American reliability in the face of this potent threat&nbsp;and align its approach in the Indo-Pacific in a way that does not damage the Delhi-Moscow dynamics.&nbsp;As the stakes go higher,&nbsp;the balancing act will only become tougher for India.&nbsp;

New Delhi is in a dilemma. Russia is India's biggest defence partner and the US is a key partner in the Indo-Pacific. So far, India has carefully built an independent relationship with both countries.

New Delhi is in a dilemma. Russia is India's biggest defence partner and the US is a key partner in the Indo-Pacific. So far, India has carefully built an independent relationship with both countries. But as the friction between the Kremlin and the White House increases, India is walking a diplomatic tightrope. Kremlin, a cold war ally and White House is an Indo-Pacific partner. One has been a critical source of military equipment and the other is crucial for safeguarding strategic interests. In maintaining one partnership, India has been careful not to damage the other. It has enjoyed an independent relationship with both Moscow and Washington. This has been the state of play for several years. But the US-Russia acrimony is entering a new phase. A new president is in the White House and he is trying to distinguish himself from his predecessor and assert America's place in the world. Words have been flying like missiles and in this growing friction between the two super-powers, India faces the real test. Which way will it tilt? So far, New Delhi has successfully struck a balance. In February, India's foreign secretary travelled to Moscow for a two-day visit. In March, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin visited India. Now, the US climate envoy John Kerry is in New Delhi and so is Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. India is actively engaged with both countries but one bargain hangs above India-US ties like the sword of democracies. The S-400 deal! New Delhi's decision to purchase this anti-aircraft missile system from Russia has raised the risk of US sanctions. America has imposed sanctions on Turkey for a similar deal with Russia. The delivery in India is due in December and the Pentagon has not indicated that it won't impose sanctions on India. On the other hand, Moscow's biggest worry is India's growing security ties with the US. Prime Minister Modi attended the first-ever Quad summit last month. Signs of discomfort have surfaced at Kremlin. Russia along with China is proposing a new regional security bloc aimed at countering any US-led blocs. It already seems to be laying the groundwork. Lavrov will be visiting Islamabad after his India visit. This will be the first such visit by a Russian Foreign Minister in nine years. So, the challenge before India is quite complex and it comes at a crucial time. Right across the Himalayas, Chinese still pose a significant threat to India's security. New Delhi will have to choose wisely. It will have to ask serious questions about American reliability in the face of this potent threat and align its approach in the Indo-Pacific in a way that does not damage the Delhi-Moscow dynamics. As the stakes go higher, the balancing act will only become tougher for India.

India walking on a diplomatic tightrope? 

It was a hectic day for Indian diplomats as the country was hosting two high-profile leaders on the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US special envoy for climate John Kerry.&nbsp;

What makes this all the more crucial is the dynamics between Russia and the US. They are arch enemies. Their presidents call each other names but, their top diplomats were in New Delhi at the same time. Was this a coincidence? Possibly but, we're not surprised that their schedules overlapped.&nbsp;

World leaders are actively engaging with India. This is turning out to be the summer of high profile engagements.&nbsp;

Let's look at what happened today. Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry arrived in India's national capital on Monday. Both of them are on different missions. The Russian Foreign Minister was here to prepare the ground for an annual summit that will be held later this year. John Kerry was meeting different stakeholders to discuss climate goals. Let's start with the Russian mission.&nbsp;

Sergey Lavrov met India's External&nbsp;Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. They discussed a whole lot of issues, such as the UN Security Council, Afghanistan, West Asia, the Gulf, Myanmar, Asean, space, the Indo-pacific and vaccine production. &nbsp;&nbsp;

India and Russia vowed to deepen their defence cooperation. They are looking for ways to expand the production of Russian weapons in India and this despite, the threat of American sanctions.&nbsp;

Remember, the US sanctions countries that buy Russian weapons. India is a big buyer of Russian weapons. The latest purchase is the Russian S-400 missile defence system. The delivery is expected in December this year. Will the US sanction India?&nbsp;

There's no clarity yet. More importantly, no assurance from Washington that Delhi won't face sanctions. As for Delhi and Moscow, they say they remain committed to strong defence ties. &nbsp;

The other elephant in the room was China. Lavrov said Russia is watching the border situation in Ladakh. He addressed a joint press conference with India's S Jaishankar.&nbsp;

He was asked a pointed question. Is Russia working on a military alliance with China?&nbsp;

He said no but went on to speak about another military alliance in the region, the Quad. &nbsp;&nbsp;

India's position is clear. It will not engage in a Nato-like military alliance with the Quad and that's the challenge for Delhi, striking the right balance between Russia and the Quad. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Lavrov has already left India and landed in Pakistan, that's his next destination and that makes the India-Russia equation more intriguing. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, John Kerry, the US special envoy, is going to be in India for four days and he's not going to Pakistan. US President Joe Biden has appointed Kerry as his special envoy on the climate crisis. &nbsp;

It's a position that includes a seat on the US national security council. This council is the principal forum for the US president to discuss national security.&nbsp;

What does this mean? It means that US has put climate change on a par with national security priorities. So, what is Kerry doing in India? &nbsp;&nbsp;

Meeting representatives from the government, the private sector and NGOs on Tuesday. He met India's environment minister Prakash Javadekar and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.&nbsp;

The purpose was to get India to commit on climate action, and to cut back on the use of fossil fuels. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Remember, India too has been at the forefront of climate action and sustainable development goals.&nbsp;

Joe Biden has now formed an alliance of like-minded countries to take this forward. Kerry was all praises for India.&nbsp;

Calling India a world leader in deployment of renewable energy, Kerry said India is setting a 'very strong example' for other nations. So, that's how the day panned out for Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry.&nbsp;

You may be wondering if their paths crossed. Did Lavrov and Kerry meet in New Delhi? The answer is yes, they did!&nbsp;

They were staying in the same hotel. They met in the lobby. What did they talk about? Climate change. That's what the Russians have told the press. The Americans are much more guarded about this engagement. The US embassy in Delhi said the leaders 'ran into each other by happenstance’. Believe what you will. &nbsp;We'll give you a short backgrounder. When John Kerry was the US secretary of state in the Obama era, there was a lot of talk about the 'bromance' between him and Lavrov.&nbsp;

On several occasions, the leaders have exchanged gifts too. Once Kerry had gifted Lavrov two potatoes from Idaho. Why? Because the Russian Foreign Minister had mentioned them in an earlier conversation. Then, Lavrov had returned the favour with some tomatoes from Sochi. &nbsp;

He had even gifted a T-shirt to Kerry with symbols of victory. That was almost six years back. Now, their presidents are hurling abuses at each other. But why should that stop them from a quick catch-up in New Delhi?&nbsp;

It was a hectic day for Indian diplomats as the country was hosting two high-profile leaders on the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US special envoy for climate John Kerry.

It was a hectic day for Indian diplomats as the country was hosting two high-profile leaders on the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US special envoy for climate John Kerry. What makes this all the more crucial is the dynamics between Russia and the US. They are arch enemies. Their presidents call each other names but, their top diplomats were in New Delhi at the same time. Was this a coincidence? Possibly but, we're not surprised that their schedules overlapped. World leaders are actively engaging with India. This is turning out to be the summer of high profile engagements. Let's look at what happened today. Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry arrived in India's national capital on Monday. Both of them are on different missions. The Russian Foreign Minister was here to prepare the ground for an annual summit that will be held later this year. John Kerry was meeting different stakeholders to discuss climate goals. Let's start with the Russian mission. Sergey Lavrov met India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. They discussed a whole lot of issues, such as the UN Security Council, Afghanistan, West Asia, the Gulf, Myanmar, Asean, space, the Indo-pacific and vaccine production. India and Russia vowed to deepen their defence cooperation. They are looking for ways to expand the production of Russian weapons in India and this despite, the threat of American sanctions. Remember, the US sanctions countries that buy Russian weapons. India is a big buyer of Russian weapons. The latest purchase is the Russian S-400 missile defence system. The delivery is expected in December this year. Will the US sanction India? There's no clarity yet. More importantly, no assurance from Washington that Delhi won't face sanctions. As for Delhi and Moscow, they say they remain committed to strong defence ties. The other elephant in the room was China. Lavrov said Russia is watching the border situation in Ladakh. He addressed a joint press conference with India's S Jaishankar. He was asked a pointed question. Is Russia working on a military alliance with China? He said no but went on to speak about another military alliance in the region, the Quad. India's position is clear. It will not engage in a Nato-like military alliance with the Quad and that's the challenge for Delhi, striking the right balance between Russia and the Quad. Meanwhile, Lavrov has already left India and landed in Pakistan, that's his next destination and that makes the India-Russia equation more intriguing. Meanwhile, John Kerry, the US special envoy, is going to be in India for four days and he's not going to Pakistan. US President Joe Biden has appointed Kerry as his special envoy on the climate crisis. It's a position that includes a seat on the US national security council. This council is the principal forum for the US president to discuss national security. What does this mean? It means that US has put climate change on a par with national security priorities. So, what is Kerry doing in India? Meeting representatives from the government, the private sector and NGOs on Tuesday. He met India's environment minister Prakash Javadekar and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The purpose was to get India to commit on climate action, and to cut back on the use of fossil fuels. Remember, India too has been at the forefront of climate action and sustainable development goals. Joe Biden has now formed an alliance of like-minded countries to take this forward. Kerry was all praises for India. Calling India a world leader in deployment of renewable energy, Kerry said India is setting a 'very strong example' for other nations. So, that's how the day panned out for Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry. You may be wondering if their paths crossed. Did Lavrov and Kerry meet in New Delhi? The answer is yes, they did! They were staying in the same hotel. They met in the lobby. What did they talk about? Climate change. That's what the Russians have told the press. The Americans are much more guarded about this engagement. The US embassy in Delhi said the leaders 'ran into each other by happenstance’. Believe what you will. We'll give you a short backgrounder. When John Kerry was the US secretary of state in the Obama era, there was a lot of talk about the 'bromance' between him and Lavrov. On several occasions, the leaders have exchanged gifts too. Once Kerry had gifted Lavrov two potatoes from Idaho. Why? Because the Russian Foreign Minister had mentioned them in an earlier conversation. Then, Lavrov had returned the favour with some tomatoes from Sochi. He had even gifted a T-shirt to Kerry with symbols of victory. That was almost six years back. Now, their presidents are hurling abuses at each other. But why should that stop them from a quick catch-up in New Delhi?

Busy day for diplomacy in India as Lavrov, Kerry pay visit 

International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday raised its growth forecast for Indian economy by 100 basis points to 12.5 per cent for fiscal year 2021-22. India is the only country expected to register a double-digit growth this fiscal.

India's growth projection raised to 12.5% for FY22 by IMF

US Climate Envoy John Kerry, who is on a three-day visit to India, lauded India for “getting the job done on climate” and said it is a world leader already in deployment of renewable energy.

India is major player on global stage: U.S. envoy John Kerry

Lashing out against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the fourth phase of the West Bengal elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she is a `Bengal tigress`&nbsp;who will not bend in front of BJP`s attacks.

Speaking at a public gathering in Cooch Behar, Banerjee said: "They (BJP) will bring goons from Assam. They will explode bombs and threaten people. Do not be afraid. They do not want our mothers and sisters to vote.&nbsp;

Central forces are blocking ur mothers and sisters from voting."She claimed that if the BJP comes to power in the state, they will build detention camps like in Assam.

"They have kept 14 lakh Bengalis in detention camps, who have no future. We are fighting for those poor people. They were not even voting, police made raids on them."

"BJP cannot do anything to me with their money. I am a Bengal tigress, I break but I do not bend," she further remarked. Banerjee appealed to the people to vote for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) if they did not want to see "Gujaratis capturing Bengal".&nbsp;

She also raised slogans such as `BJP hatao` and `BJP ke chai na` (We do not want BJP).

"We will not let Gujaratis capture Bengal. Bengal will stay in Bengal, we will not let goons from Gujarat take over Bengal," she said.

West Bengal has witnessed three out of the eight phased polls so far to the 294-member state Assembly.&nbsp;

Counting of votes will be held on May 2. The fourth phase of the elections will be held on April 10. A total of 373 candidates will contest for 44 constituencies in the upcoming phase, which will cover five districts of West Bengal - Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly.

Lashing out against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the fourth phase of the West Bengal elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she is a `Bengal tigress` who will not bend in front of BJP`s attacks.

Lashing out against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the fourth phase of the West Bengal elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she is a `Bengal tigress` who will not bend in front of BJP`s attacks. Speaking at a public gathering in Cooch Behar, Banerjee said: "They (BJP) will bring goons from Assam. They will explode bombs and threaten people. Do not be afraid. They do not want our mothers and sisters to vote. Central forces are blocking ur mothers and sisters from voting."She claimed that if the BJP comes to power in the state, they will build detention camps like in Assam. "They have kept 14 lakh Bengalis in detention camps, who have no future. We are fighting for those poor people. They were not even voting, police made raids on them." "BJP cannot do anything to me with their money. I am a Bengal tigress, I break but I do not bend," she further remarked. Banerjee appealed to the people to vote for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) if they did not want to see "Gujaratis capturing Bengal". She also raised slogans such as `BJP hatao` and `BJP ke chai na` (We do not want BJP). "We will not let Gujaratis capture Bengal. Bengal will stay in Bengal, we will not let goons from Gujarat take over Bengal," she said. West Bengal has witnessed three out of the eight phased polls so far to the 294-member state Assembly. Counting of votes will be held on May 2. The fourth phase of the elections will be held on April 10. A total of 373 candidates will contest for 44 constituencies in the upcoming phase, which will cover five districts of West Bengal - Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly.

I am a Bengal tigress, will break but won't bend: Mamata Banerjee

IT spending in India is projected to total $93 billion in 2021, an increase of 7.3 per cent from 2020, according to a forecast by Gartner on Wednesday. 
 
The growth in India will be lower than the global average, as worldwide IT spending is projected to total $4.1 trillion in 2021, an increase of 8.4 per cent from 2020. 
 
"IT no longer just supports corporate operations as it traditionally has, but is fully participating in business value delivery," John-David Lovelock, Distinguished Research Vice President at Gartner, said in a statement. 
 
"Not only does this shift IT from a back-office role to the front of the business, but it also changes the source of funding from an overhead expense that is maintained, monitored and sometimes cut, to the thing that drives revenue." 
 
All IT spending segments are forecast to have positive growth through 2022. 
 
The highest growth will come from devices (14 per cent) and enterprise software (10.8 per cent) as organisations shift their focus to providing a more comfortable, innovative and productive environment for their workforce, Gartner said. 
 
Cloud is expected to drive the majority of the expected software growth in India during 2021, it added. 
 
"The Indian economy is observing a slow but steady growth trajectory this year," said Naveen Mishra, Senior Research Director at Gartner. 
 
"Additionally, the government relaxation of foreign investment in certain sectors such as insurance, infrastructure, telecommunications will provide additional funds for business and IT leaders to accelerate their digital transformation journey."

IT spending in India is projected to total $93 billion in 2021, an increase of 7.3 per cent from 2020, according to a forecast by Gartner on Wednesday. The growth in India will be lower than the global average, as worldwide IT spending is projected to total $4.

IT spending in India is projected to total $93 billion in 2021, an increase of 7.3 per cent from 2020, according to a forecast by Gartner on Wednesday. The growth in India will be lower than the global average, as worldwide IT spending is projected to total $4.1 trillion in 2021, an increase of 8.4 per cent from 2020. "IT no longer just supports corporate operations as it traditionally has, but is fully participating in business value delivery," John-David Lovelock, Distinguished Research Vice President at Gartner, said in a statement. "Not only does this shift IT from a back-office role to the front of the business, but it also changes the source of funding from an overhead expense that is maintained, monitored and sometimes cut, to the thing that drives revenue." All IT spending segments are forecast to have positive growth through 2022. The highest growth will come from devices (14 per cent) and enterprise software (10.8 per cent) as organisations shift their focus to providing a more comfortable, innovative and productive environment for their workforce, Gartner said. Cloud is expected to drive the majority of the expected software growth in India during 2021, it added. "The Indian economy is observing a slow but steady growth trajectory this year," said Naveen Mishra, Senior Research Director at Gartner. "Additionally, the government relaxation of foreign investment in certain sectors such as insurance, infrastructure, telecommunications will provide additional funds for business and IT leaders to accelerate their digital transformation journey."

IT spending in India to reach $93 billion in 2021: Gartner

Taiwan&nbsp;Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Wednesday that his country&nbsp;worked with other democracies to help its diplomatic ally Paraguay get COVID-19 vaccines after China put pressure on the South American country to ditch Taipei in exchange for shots, and India stepped in to help.

Paraguay&nbsp;is one of only 15 countries that officially recognise Taipei over Beijing, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory.

Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen because she rejects its stance that the island is part of China.

It has poached seven of Taiwan's official allies since then,&nbsp;including Panama, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.

On Wednesday Taiwan's foreign minister said China was trying to woo&nbsp;Paraguay&nbsp;with the promise of badly needed vaccines.&nbsp;

"This is a period of time when we see Chinese 'vaccine diplomacy' has been flexing its muscles in many parts of world, especially in central and south America," Joseph Wu told reporters.&nbsp;

"The Chinese government was very active in saying... if the&nbsp;Paraguay&nbsp;government is willing to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan, they will be able to get quite a few million vaccine doses from China," he added.

"It generated a lot of pressure on the government of President Mario Abdo Benítez and this also generated a lot of pressure on us to find the necessary support," Wu said, adding that&nbsp;Paraguay's political opposition was "very willing to link up with China".

Paraguay&nbsp;has reported 224,000 coronavirus infections and 4,500 deaths in a population of seven million.&nbsp;

Fatalities have risen alarmingly in recent weeks during a fresh wave of infections that have hammered its healthcare system.

There have been violent protests over the government's response as well as an ultimately failed attempt to impeach Abdo Benítez.&nbsp;

Wu said Taiwan had reached out to countries including Japan, the United States and India on the issue.

"In the last few weeks, we have been speaking to like-minded countries, including Japan, the United States, India etcetera, and India fortunately has been able to provide some COVAXIN vaccines to Paraguay," he said, referring to a shot developed by India's Bharat Biotech and a state research institute.

India has already shipped 100,000 doses to Paraguay and there will be another 100,000, Wu added.

Paraguay&nbsp;has also received 36,000 doses from AstraZeneca, 4,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and 20,000 of the Chinese Coronavac donated by Chile.&nbsp;

Abdo Benítez has said he hopes to secure enough vaccinations by the middle of the year. He blamed the lack of doses on delays in Covax, a mechanism supported by the World Health Organization to widen access to vaccines.

Washington is also looking at ways to help countries struggling to secure enough vaccine supply, Wu said.

China has been a crucial source of vaccines for many poorer nations especially with wealthier countries snapping up supplies of Western-made doses.

It has previously denied using vaccines as a diplomatic pressure device.

Taiwan -- population 23 million -- has been hailed as a global success story in containing the virus, with around 1,050 confirmed cases and 10 deaths.&nbsp;

But it has struggled to secure vaccines and has so far only received 117,000 doses of AstraZeneca purchased from the manufacturer and another 199,200 doses of the same vaccine via Covax.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Wednesday that his country worked with other democracies to help its diplomatic ally Paraguay get COVID-19 vaccines after China put pressure on the South American country to ditch Taipei in exchange for shots, and India stepped in to help.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Wednesday that his country worked with other democracies to help its diplomatic ally Paraguay get COVID-19 vaccines after China put pressure on the South American country to ditch Taipei in exchange for shots, and India stepped in to help. Paraguay is one of only 15 countries that officially recognise Taipei over Beijing, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen because she rejects its stance that the island is part of China. It has poached seven of Taiwan's official allies since then, including Panama, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. On Wednesday Taiwan's foreign minister said China was trying to woo Paraguay with the promise of badly needed vaccines. "This is a period of time when we see Chinese 'vaccine diplomacy' has been flexing its muscles in many parts of world, especially in central and south America," Joseph Wu told reporters. "The Chinese government was very active in saying... if the Paraguay government is willing to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan, they will be able to get quite a few million vaccine doses from China," he added. "It generated a lot of pressure on the government of President Mario Abdo Benítez and this also generated a lot of pressure on us to find the necessary support," Wu said, adding that Paraguay's political opposition was "very willing to link up with China". Paraguay has reported 224,000 coronavirus infections and 4,500 deaths in a population of seven million. Fatalities have risen alarmingly in recent weeks during a fresh wave of infections that have hammered its healthcare system. There have been violent protests over the government's response as well as an ultimately failed attempt to impeach Abdo Benítez. Wu said Taiwan had reached out to countries including Japan, the United States and India on the issue. "In the last few weeks, we have been speaking to like-minded countries, including Japan, the United States, India etcetera, and India fortunately has been able to provide some COVAXIN vaccines to Paraguay," he said, referring to a shot developed by India's Bharat Biotech and a state research institute. India has already shipped 100,000 doses to Paraguay and there will be another 100,000, Wu added. Paraguay has also received 36,000 doses from AstraZeneca, 4,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and 20,000 of the Chinese Coronavac donated by Chile. Abdo Benítez has said he hopes to secure enough vaccinations by the middle of the year. He blamed the lack of doses on delays in Covax, a mechanism supported by the World Health Organization to widen access to vaccines. Washington is also looking at ways to help countries struggling to secure enough vaccine supply, Wu said. China has been a crucial source of vaccines for many poorer nations especially with wealthier countries snapping up supplies of Western-made doses. It has previously denied using vaccines as a diplomatic pressure device. Taiwan -- population 23 million -- has been hailed as a global success story in containing the virus, with around 1,050 confirmed cases and 10 deaths. But it has struggled to secure vaccines and has so far only received 117,000 doses of AstraZeneca purchased from the manufacturer and another 199,200 doses of the same vaccine via Covax.

Taiwan praises India for helping Paraguay get vaccines amid Chinese pressure

The 11th round of India-China military talks is expected to take place on Friday, April 9. The key focus will be early disengagement in other areas of Eastern Ladakh such as Hot&nbsp;Springs, Gogra and Depsang Plains.

Both countries were able to achieve complete disengagement at Pangong lake in February.&nbsp;

Last week, in response to a question, the spokesperson of India's external affairs ministry said the country "hopes&nbsp;that the Chinese side will work with us to ensure that disengagement in the remaining areas is completed at the earliest".

He pointed out that this "would allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces in Eastern Ladakh" as that "alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquility and provide conditions for the progress of our bilateral relationship."

Last year, there were&nbsp;aggressive actions from the Chinese side at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, including at the Galwan in which India lost 20 soldiers. Since then, ties remain strained, even as New Delhi undertook measures to cut investment from China. &nbsp;

The 10th round of &nbsp;India-China military talks happened in February, after complete disengagement at the Pangong Lake. The same month saw telephonic talks between External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Chinese FM Wang Yi. During the talks, both sides decided to establish a hotline for "timely communication".

The 11th round of India-China military talks is expected to take place on Friday, April 9. The key focus will be early disengagement in other areas of Eastern Ladakh such as Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang Plains.

The 11th round of India-China military talks is expected to take place on Friday, April 9. The key focus will be early disengagement in other areas of Eastern Ladakh such as Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang Plains. Both countries were able to achieve complete disengagement at Pangong lake in February. Last week, in response to a question, the spokesperson of India's external affairs ministry said the country "hopes that the Chinese side will work with us to ensure that disengagement in the remaining areas is completed at the earliest". He pointed out that this "would allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces in Eastern Ladakh" as that "alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquility and provide conditions for the progress of our bilateral relationship." Last year, there were aggressive actions from the Chinese side at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, including at the Galwan in which India lost 20 soldiers. Since then, ties remain strained, even as New Delhi undertook measures to cut investment from China. The 10th round of India-China military talks happened in February, after complete disengagement at the Pangong Lake. The same month saw telephonic talks between External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Chinese FM Wang Yi. During the talks, both sides decided to establish a hotline for "timely communication".

India, China to hold military talks on April 9

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday cast her vote here in Kannur during the single-phase State Assembly polls and said that Left Democratic Front (LDF) will be voted to power for the welfare measures brought by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government and containing COVID-19 spread.&nbsp;

"The COVID-19 mortality rate in Kerala is too low, 0.4 per cent. Kerala is thickly populated...We were able to contain the virus. Now the pace of the spread of the virus has declined,... it is lower than other states... We brought many social welfare measures since the start of the pandemic, such as the supply of food kits for needy people and community kitchens.&nbsp;

We also supplied proper medicines for the non-COVID-19 patients.&nbsp;

People are seeing all this and they will vote for us," Shailaja, who is contesting from Mattanur in Kannur, told ANI.&nbsp;

Targetting the BJP, she said: "I think BJP has no chance in Kerala despite their "propaganda" through the media. A "non-secular party" following the same economic policies of Congress have no chance in secular-minded Kerala," she further said.&nbsp;

The results of the Kerala Assembly polls will be announced on May 2.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday cast her vote here in Kannur during the single-phase State Assembly polls and said that Left Democratic Front (LDF) will be voted to power for the welfare measures brought by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government and containing COVID-19 spread.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday cast her vote here in Kannur during the single-phase State Assembly polls and said that Left Democratic Front (LDF) will be voted to power for the welfare measures brought by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government and containing COVID-19 spread. "The COVID-19 mortality rate in Kerala is too low, 0.4 per cent. Kerala is thickly populated...We were able to contain the virus. Now the pace of the spread of the virus has declined,... it is lower than other states... We brought many social welfare measures since the start of the pandemic, such as the supply of food kits for needy people and community kitchens. We also supplied proper medicines for the non-COVID-19 patients. People are seeing all this and they will vote for us," Shailaja, who is contesting from Mattanur in Kannur, told ANI. Targetting the BJP, she said: "I think BJP has no chance in Kerala despite their "propaganda" through the media. A "non-secular party" following the same economic policies of Congress have no chance in secular-minded Kerala," she further said. The results of the Kerala Assembly polls will be announced on May 2. (With inputs from agencies)

India polls: LDF will be elected for welfare measures, COVID management,  says Kerala minister Shailaja

A night curfew has been imposed in Delhi starting April 6 upto April 30 in the wake of increasing coronavirus cases which constitutes what many are calling the second-wave of infections in the country.&nbsp;

With immediate effect, a curfew would be put in place from 10 pm to 5 am to limit the spread of infection, the Delhi Government announced on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported.

On Monday, the country crossed the 100,000 daily infection mark for the first time since the pandemic began. Last year, a nationwide lockdown was imposed to prevent mass transmission. Now, cases are rising again after the country witnessed a fall over the winter months.

On Monday, Delhi reported 3,548 new cases of COVID-19 along with 2,936 recoveries and 15 deaths. The national capital has recorded 6,79,962 cases so far, and currently has 14,589 active cases.

On Tuesday, India reported 96,982 new cases of coronavirus, as per data from the Union Health Ministry.

(more details awaited)

A night curfew has been imposed in Delhi starting April 6 upto April 30 in the wake of increasing coronavirus cases which constitutes what many are calling the second-wave of infections in the country.

A night curfew has been imposed in Delhi starting April 6 upto April 30 in the wake of increasing coronavirus cases which constitutes what many are calling the second-wave of infections in the country. With immediate effect, a curfew would be put in place from 10 pm to 5 am to limit the spread of infection, the Delhi Government announced on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported. On Monday, the country crossed the 100,000 daily infection mark for the first time since the pandemic began. Last year, a nationwide lockdown was imposed to prevent mass transmission. Now, cases are rising again after the country witnessed a fall over the winter months. On Monday, Delhi reported 3,548 new cases of COVID-19 along with 2,936 recoveries and 15 deaths. The national capital has recorded 6,79,962 cases so far, and currently has 14,589 active cases. On Tuesday, India reported 96,982 new cases of coronavirus, as per data from the Union Health Ministry. (more details awaited)

Delhi imposes night curfew till April 30 as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

All NDA candidates will win and AIADMK will form the government in the state said Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam after casting cast his vote on Tuesday in Periyakulam.

"All NDA candidates will win. AIADMK is going to form the government for the third consecutive time in the state," said Panneerselvam while speaking to media persons.

Panneerselvam has been representing the Bodinayakkanur constituency since 2011 and is attempting a hat-trick from here in the April 6 assembly elections. Panneerselvam, considered as the most loyal minister of late Jayalalithaa was chosen to follow in Amma`s footsteps.

When Jayalalithaa was jailed in 2014, Panneerselvam was anointed chief minister as a stop-gap arrangement. In the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, AIADMK candidate Paneerselvam retained Bodinayakkanur by a margin of 15, 428 votes.&nbsp;

He had also won the seat in the 2011 polls. Polling across 234 Assembly constituencies in 38 districts of Tamil Nadu started at 7 am. A total of 3,998 candidates are in the poll fray.

To combat the COVID-19 spread, the number of polling stations has been increased to 88,937. Tamil Nadu is witnessing a fierce battle between arch-rivals All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and DMK.&nbsp;

MK Stalin-led DMK, which has been out of power since 2011 in the state, is in a head-to-head battle with the ruling AIADMK in nearly 130 constituencies.AIADMK is contesting the poll in a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).&nbsp;

PMK and BJP are contesting in 23 and 20 constituencies respectively in the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly while the AIADMK has fielded its candidates for the rest of the seats.

While the DMK has allotted 25 seats to its Congress party, and six each for CPI, CPI (M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Vaiko`s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

All NDA candidates will win and AIADMK will form the government in the state said Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam after casting cast his vote on Tuesday in Periyakulam.

All NDA candidates will win and AIADMK will form the government in the state said Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam after casting cast his vote on Tuesday in Periyakulam. "All NDA candidates will win. AIADMK is going to form the government for the third consecutive time in the state," said Panneerselvam while speaking to media persons. Panneerselvam has been representing the Bodinayakkanur constituency since 2011 and is attempting a hat-trick from here in the April 6 assembly elections. Panneerselvam, considered as the most loyal minister of late Jayalalithaa was chosen to follow in Amma`s footsteps. When Jayalalithaa was jailed in 2014, Panneerselvam was anointed chief minister as a stop-gap arrangement. In the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, AIADMK candidate Paneerselvam retained Bodinayakkanur by a margin of 15, 428 votes. He had also won the seat in the 2011 polls. Polling across 234 Assembly constituencies in 38 districts of Tamil Nadu started at 7 am. A total of 3,998 candidates are in the poll fray. To combat the COVID-19 spread, the number of polling stations has been increased to 88,937. Tamil Nadu is witnessing a fierce battle between arch-rivals All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and DMK. MK Stalin-led DMK, which has been out of power since 2011 in the state, is in a head-to-head battle with the ruling AIADMK in nearly 130 constituencies.AIADMK is contesting the poll in a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). PMK and BJP are contesting in 23 and 20 constituencies respectively in the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly while the AIADMK has fielded its candidates for the rest of the seats. While the DMK has allotted 25 seats to its Congress party, and six each for CPI, CPI (M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Vaiko`s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

India polls: AIADMK will form government in Tamil Nadu, says Panneerselvam

From Pakistan to India and Bangladesh, a deadly second wave is sweeping through South Asia. All countries are reporting a record spike in cases. India reported more than 100,000 new infections in a day, becoming only the second country in the world after the United States to hit that mark.&nbsp;

A grim milestone in India's fight against the coronavirus. On Monday, more than 100,000 cases of new infections were found, the highest single day figures for India since the pandemic began.&nbsp;

At the beginning of the new year, India was breathing easy, but now it seems like the virus has come back with a vengeance even with vaccination.&nbsp;

Hospital beds are filling up fast and the restrictions are returning. The state of Maharashtra has accounted for nearly 60 per cent of all the new cases in the last two weeks. Reports say eight out of 10 worst affected districts are in Maharashtra. The state govt has announced a night and weekend curfew. Public spaces like parks, shopping malls and cinemas have been closed again.&nbsp;

India's neighbourhood is battling a surge too. Bangladesh has decided to impose a week-long lockdown after recording more than 7,000 new cases on Sunday. This is the highest daily count for Bangladesh. Only utility and emergency services will run for the next seven days. Factories can remain open but they will have to follow strict hygiene rules.&nbsp;

The second wave has swept Pakistan too. On Saturday, the country reported more than 5,000 cases.&nbsp; 
Islamabad says this surge is worse than last year's wave. Pakistan has also become the first country to allow the commercial sale of vaccines. Russian made shot Sputnik V is now available in the open market. It has been priced at 12,000 Pakistani rupees or 80 dollars. A cost price that may keep the life- saving jabs out of the hands of the poor, who make up almost one fourth of Pakistan.&nbsp;

Beyond South Asia, Europe is struggling with a third wave of the pandemic. Many countries are reimposing lockdowns and restrictions. Last week, France announced its third national lockdown. Thousands of cops were seen on the streets of Paris on Monday, asking people to wear masks.

Those who broke the rules were fined on the spot.&nbsp;

In contrast is the United Kingdom, which is gradually opening up. New coronavirus cases have reduced dramatically in the UK, thanks to its vaccination programme.&nbsp;

After inoculating more than 47 per cent of its population with at least one dose, new infections are now down to just six per cent of the peak, that was reported in January. That's when the so-called UK strain had led to a big rise in cases.&nbsp;

Three months on, the British government is lifting lockdown restrictions. People can now meet outside and outdoor sports facilities have reopened. For the rest of the world, the writing is on the wall. It is critical to vaccinate large sections of the population to beat the surge, and it must be done sooner, rather than later. 
&nbsp;

From Pakistan to India and Bangladesh, a deadly second wave is sweeping through South Asia. All countries are reporting a record spike in cases. India reported more than 100,000 new infections in a day, becoming only the second country in the world after the United States to hit that mark.

From Pakistan to India and Bangladesh, a deadly second wave is sweeping through South Asia. All countries are reporting a record spike in cases. India reported more than 100,000 new infections in a day, becoming only the second country in the world after the United States to hit that mark. A grim milestone in India's fight against the coronavirus. On Monday, more than 100,000 cases of new infections were found, the highest single day figures for India since the pandemic began. At the beginning of the new year, India was breathing easy, but now it seems like the virus has come back with a vengeance even with vaccination. Hospital beds are filling up fast and the restrictions are returning. The state of Maharashtra has accounted for nearly 60 per cent of all the new cases in the last two weeks. Reports say eight out of 10 worst affected districts are in Maharashtra. The state govt has announced a night and weekend curfew. Public spaces like parks, shopping malls and cinemas have been closed again. India's neighbourhood is battling a surge too. Bangladesh has decided to impose a week-long lockdown after recording more than 7,000 new cases on Sunday. This is the highest daily count for Bangladesh. Only utility and emergency services will run for the next seven days. Factories can remain open but they will have to follow strict hygiene rules. The second wave has swept Pakistan too. On Saturday, the country reported more than 5,000 cases. Islamabad says this surge is worse than last year's wave. Pakistan has also become the first country to allow the commercial sale of vaccines. Russian made shot Sputnik V is now available in the open market. It has been priced at 12,000 Pakistani rupees or 80 dollars. A cost price that may keep the life- saving jabs out of the hands of the poor, who make up almost one fourth of Pakistan. Beyond South Asia, Europe is struggling with a third wave of the pandemic. Many countries are reimposing lockdowns and restrictions. Last week, France announced its third national lockdown. Thousands of cops were seen on the streets of Paris on Monday, asking people to wear masks. Those who broke the rules were fined on the spot. In contrast is the United Kingdom, which is gradually opening up. New coronavirus cases have reduced dramatically in the UK, thanks to its vaccination programme. After inoculating more than 47 per cent of its population with at least one dose, new infections are now down to just six per cent of the peak, that was reported in January. That's when the so-called UK strain had led to a big rise in cases. Three months on, the British government is lifting lockdown restrictions. People can now meet outside and outdoor sports facilities have reopened. For the rest of the world, the writing is on the wall. It is critical to vaccinate large sections of the population to beat the surge, and it must be done sooner, rather than later.

Deadly wave strikes South Asia hard as record coronavirus cases reported

With India facing the worst wave of pandemic yet, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting vaccination should be open to all people above the age of 18 years.

"At present, we are vaccinating the population above 45 years. Given the rapid spread of the second wave of the disease, we suggest that our vaccination strategy needs to be geared up with immediate effect on war foot. We request the following suggestions in the Covid Vaccination Drive. All citizens above 18 years of age shall be permitted to receive Covid vaccination," IMA said.

The association also urged the Prime Minister that private sector family clinics should also be included actively in the vaccination drive along with private hospitals, as availability of vaccination with all doctors and family physicians will have a positive impact on the drive.

According to IMA, the vaccination certificate should be made mandatory for entering into public places and receiving products under the public distribution system.IMA said as there is an acute spurt of this disease, as a measure to immediately break the chain, a limited period of continuous lockdown should also be implemented especially for all the non-essential areas like cinema, cultural and religious events, sports, among others.

"Zero tolerance against the non-compliance of Covid appropriate behaviours, augmentation of infrastructure beds and oxygen availability, moral support and enthusiastic engagements of frontline health workers ensuring adequate health care protective gears support and strict adherence to the evidence-based treatment protocols are the key factors needed at this moment," IMA`s letter added.

With India facing the worst wave of pandemic yet, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting vaccination should be open to all people above the age of 18 years.

With India facing the worst wave of pandemic yet, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting vaccination should be open to all people above the age of 18 years. "At present, we are vaccinating the population above 45 years. Given the rapid spread of the second wave of the disease, we suggest that our vaccination strategy needs to be geared up with immediate effect on war foot. We request the following suggestions in the Covid Vaccination Drive. All citizens above 18 years of age shall be permitted to receive Covid vaccination," IMA said. The association also urged the Prime Minister that private sector family clinics should also be included actively in the vaccination drive along with private hospitals, as availability of vaccination with all doctors and family physicians will have a positive impact on the drive. According to IMA, the vaccination certificate should be made mandatory for entering into public places and receiving products under the public distribution system.IMA said as there is an acute spurt of this disease, as a measure to immediately break the chain, a limited period of continuous lockdown should also be implemented especially for all the non-essential areas like cinema, cultural and religious events, sports, among others. "Zero tolerance against the non-compliance of Covid appropriate behaviours, augmentation of infrastructure beds and oxygen availability, moral support and enthusiastic engagements of frontline health workers ensuring adequate health care protective gears support and strict adherence to the evidence-based treatment protocols are the key factors needed at this moment," IMA`s letter added.

IMA urges PM Modi to start vaccination for all above 18 years

India reported more than 96,982 cases new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday. 
 
With these additional cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 1,26,86,049. With 446 new deaths, the death toll in India has gone up to 1,65,547. 
 
There are 7,88,223 active cases in the nation as of now. Furthermore, 50,143 people were discharged after recovery on Monday, taking the nationwide recovery tally to 1,17,32,279. 
 
As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 12,11,612 samples were tested on Monday. A total of 25,02,31,269 samples have been tested so far. 
 
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 7,91,05,163 people have been vaccinated across the country till now. 
 
On Monday, hitting a grim milestone, India recorded over 1 lakh COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, the highest single daily spike in infections since the pandemic started last year. 
 
With this, India has become the third country after the US and Brazil to register a six-figure addition in COVID-19 cases in a single day. From April 2, the government started vaccinating all people above 45 years. 
 
India started its vaccination drive on January 16 with priority given to all healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase. The second phase started on March 1 where doses were administered to people above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years with specific comorbidities.

India reported more than 96,982 cases new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday. With these additional cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 1,26,86,049.

India reported more than 96,982 cases new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday. With these additional cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 1,26,86,049. With 446 new deaths, the death toll in India has gone up to 1,65,547. There are 7,88,223 active cases in the nation as of now. Furthermore, 50,143 people were discharged after recovery on Monday, taking the nationwide recovery tally to 1,17,32,279. As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 12,11,612 samples were tested on Monday. A total of 25,02,31,269 samples have been tested so far. Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 7,91,05,163 people have been vaccinated across the country till now. On Monday, hitting a grim milestone, India recorded over 1 lakh COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, the highest single daily spike in infections since the pandemic started last year. With this, India has become the third country after the US and Brazil to register a six-figure addition in COVID-19 cases in a single day. From April 2, the government started vaccinating all people above 45 years. India started its vaccination drive on January 16 with priority given to all healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase. The second phase started on March 1 where doses were administered to people above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years with specific comorbidities.

India reports 96,982 new Covid-19 cases, 446 deaths

The President of India Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Justice NV Ramana as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI).

He will be the 48th Chief Justice of India. The president appointed him by accepting the recommendation made by the outgoing CJI SA Bobde, who is retiring on April 23.

As the CJI, Justice Ramana will have a term till August 26, 2022.

 
<img alt="Chief Justice of India" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c1732499-d045-4aba-85c5-85ba69f2b687" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/president%20order.jpg" />

Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana was born in an agrarian family on August 27, 1957, in Ponnavaram village of the State of Andhra Pradesh.

He was enrolled as an advocate at the bar on February 10, 1983, was appointed as permanent Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on June 27, 2000.

He also functioned as Acting Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court from March 10 to May 20, 2013.

(With inputs from agencies)

The President of India Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Justice NV Ramana as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). He will be the 48th Chief Justice of India. The president appointed him by accepting the recommendation made by the outgoing CJI SA Bobde, who is retiring on April 23.

The President of India Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Justice NV Ramana as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). He will be the 48th Chief Justice of India. The president appointed him by accepting the recommendation made by the outgoing CJI SA Bobde, who is retiring on April 23. As the CJI, Justice Ramana will have a term till August 26, 2022. Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana was born in an agrarian family on August 27, 1957, in Ponnavaram village of the State of Andhra Pradesh. He was enrolled as an advocate at the bar on February 10, 1983, was appointed as permanent Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on June 27, 2000. He also functioned as Acting Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court from March 10 to May 20, 2013. (With inputs from agencies)

Justice NV Ramana appointed next Chief Justice Of India

India and Vietnam on Tuesday deliberated on maritime security cooperation as well as on the evolving regional situation during a virtual dialogue. 
The discussions took place as part of the second maritime security dialogue.

"The consultations involved exchanges on developments in the domain of maritime security, regional cooperation activities and opportunities for cooperation between the two countries," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The defence and security ties between the two countries have witnessed steady expansion.

In December last, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc during which both sides vowed to boost overall defence and security cooperation, including in the maritime sphere.

In the wake of growing military muscle-flexing by China in the South China Sea region, the two leaders had specifically reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

Vietnam, an important country of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), has territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea region 
China claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei, have counter claims

India and Vietnam on Tuesday deliberated on maritime security cooperation as well as on the evolving regional situation during a virtual dialogue. The discussions took place as part of the second maritime security dialogue.

India and Vietnam on Tuesday deliberated on maritime security cooperation as well as on the evolving regional situation during a virtual dialogue. The discussions took place as part of the second maritime security dialogue. "The consultations involved exchanges on developments in the domain of maritime security, regional cooperation activities and opportunities for cooperation between the two countries," the Ministry of External Affairs said. The defence and security ties between the two countries have witnessed steady expansion. In December last, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc during which both sides vowed to boost overall defence and security cooperation, including in the maritime sphere. In the wake of growing military muscle-flexing by China in the South China Sea region, the two leaders had specifically reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. Vietnam, an important country of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), has territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea region China claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei, have counter claims

India and Vietnam hold maritime security dialogue

Indian pharma Cadila Healthcare has sought approval from local regulators to use a Hepatitis C drug as a treatment for COVID-19 following promising interim results from a late-stage trial.

Indian pharma Cadila seeks approval to repurpose Hepatitis C drug for COVID-19

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised India as a world leader in renewables as he began talks with government leaders aimed at cutting carbon emissions faster to slow global warming.

India is the world’s third biggest emitter behind the United States and China and is under pressure to commit itself to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with pledges made by several other countries.

"India is getting the job done on climate, pushing the curve," Kerry said.&nbsp;

"You (India) are indisputably a world leader already in the deployment of renewable energy."

Government sources said that India was unlikely to bind itself to a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as its energy demand was projected to grow more than that of any other nation over the next two decades.

Kerry is leading efforts to get countries to step up commitments ahead of a summit of 40 leaders on April 22-23 called by US President Joe Biden.&nbsp;

Later this year, world leaders are due to gather for a UN climate summit to build on the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming.&nbsp;

Kerry said India was setting a ‘very strong example’ for other nations on powering a growing economy with clean energy.

"That kind of urgency is exactly what we need to confront global climate change," he said.

India points to its target of generating 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 - five times its current capacity and two and half times its Paris pledge.&nbsp;

But officials in India argue against adopting tougher emission goals, noting that its per capita emissions are still only an eighth of those of the United States and less than a third of China’s, even as it tries to bridge a development gap.

Kerry said it was ‘absolutely critical’ that India, the United States and others scale up investments in areas including energy storage, clean fuels and decarbonising industries.

"India, in particular, is a red-hot investment opportunity because of its clean energy transition," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised India as a world leader in renewables as he began talks with government leaders aimed at cutting carbon emissions faster to slow global warming.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised India as a world leader in renewables as he began talks with government leaders aimed at cutting carbon emissions faster to slow global warming. India is the world’s third biggest emitter behind the United States and China and is under pressure to commit itself to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with pledges made by several other countries. "India is getting the job done on climate, pushing the curve," Kerry said. "You (India) are indisputably a world leader already in the deployment of renewable energy." Government sources said that India was unlikely to bind itself to a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as its energy demand was projected to grow more than that of any other nation over the next two decades. Kerry is leading efforts to get countries to step up commitments ahead of a summit of 40 leaders on April 22-23 called by US President Joe Biden. Later this year, world leaders are due to gather for a UN climate summit to build on the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming. Kerry said India was setting a ‘very strong example’ for other nations on powering a growing economy with clean energy. "That kind of urgency is exactly what we need to confront global climate change," he said. India points to its target of generating 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 - five times its current capacity and two and half times its Paris pledge. But officials in India argue against adopting tougher emission goals, noting that its per capita emissions are still only an eighth of those of the United States and less than a third of China’s, even as it tries to bridge a development gap. Kerry said it was ‘absolutely critical’ that India, the United States and others scale up investments in areas including energy storage, clean fuels and decarbonising industries. "India, in particular, is a red-hot investment opportunity because of its clean energy transition," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US envoy Kerry says India is ‘getting job done’ on climate

The two ministers also showed a similar understanding of the Indo-Pacific, where both agreed that the centrality of the Association for South East Asian Nations was paramount.

EAM S Jaishankar discusses Myanmar coup with FM Sergei Lavrov

India and Russia are discussing the possibility of ‘additional’ production of Russian military equipment in India, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference on Tuesday while on a visit to New Delhi.

Lavrov and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar&nbsp;assessed ‘positively’ the economic cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow and noted new opportunities in the Russian far east during the discussion.&nbsp;

In a joint appearance with Lavrov, Jaishankar said they both talked about connectivity, including the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.

Earlier in the day, Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit, held delegation-level talks with Jaishankar. Much of the discussion between the two ministers covered the preparations for President Vladimir Putin’s visit for the annual summit to be held in India later this year.&nbsp;

"Our bilateral cooperation remains energetic and forward-looking. We talked about the longstanding partnership in the nuclear space and defence sectors. We assess positively our economic cooperation noting new opportunities in the Russian far east. We spoke of connectivity including the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor," Jaishankar said.

"We also found an appetite for greater investment in each other by both the countries. Russian support for our Gaganyaan programme has progressed for which deeply appreciate. Our defence requirement in the past year was expeditiously addressed," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

India and Russia are discussing the possibility of ‘additional’ production of Russian military equipment in India, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference on Tuesday while on a visit to New Delhi.

India and Russia are discussing the possibility of ‘additional’ production of Russian military equipment in India, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference on Tuesday while on a visit to New Delhi. Lavrov and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assessed ‘positively’ the economic cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow and noted new opportunities in the Russian far east during the discussion. In a joint appearance with Lavrov, Jaishankar said they both talked about connectivity, including the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor. Earlier in the day, Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit, held delegation-level talks with Jaishankar. Much of the discussion between the two ministers covered the preparations for President Vladimir Putin’s visit for the annual summit to be held in India later this year. "Our bilateral cooperation remains energetic and forward-looking. We talked about the longstanding partnership in the nuclear space and defence sectors. We assess positively our economic cooperation noting new opportunities in the Russian far east. We spoke of connectivity including the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor," Jaishankar said. "We also found an appetite for greater investment in each other by both the countries. Russian support for our Gaganyaan programme has progressed for which deeply appreciate. Our defence requirement in the past year was expeditiously addressed," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

India, Russia discussing Moscow’s military manufacturing in India: Lavrov

More than one in two organisations in India suffered unexpected downtime last year because of data loss, a new report showed on Monday. 
 
This was despite nearly 70 per cent of Indian companies investing in 10 cybersecurity solutions simultaneously. However, investing in more solutions does not necessarily lead to better cyber protection, according to the report by Singapore-based Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection. 
 
"These findings confirm our belief that the smarter approach is cyber protection, which unifies data protection, cybersecurity, and endpoint management in one," said Rustom Hiramaneck, General Manager-South Asia at Acronis. 
 
A shocking 20 per cent of IT professionals in India don`t know if their organisation is subject to data privacy regulations. 
 
"If those responsible for ensuring data privacy don`t know they are culpable, they cannot implement strategies or evaluate the solutions needed to address the requirements. That ignorance puts the business at tremendous risk of major fines for potential compliance violations in 2021," the report warned. 
 
The Acronis survey polled 4,400 IT users and professionals in 22 countries across six continents, including India. 
 
The report found that there is a significant gap in awareness among users and IT professionals in India of what IT and cybersecurity capabilities are available to them, which can cause them to lose valuable time, money and security: 
 
Nearly 35 per cent of IT users and 11 per cent of IT professionals in India would not know if their data had been modified without their knowledge because their solution makes determining that kind of tampering difficult. 
 
"Nearly 10 per cent of IT users in India don`t know if their anti-malware stops zero-day threats, because their solution doesn`t make that information easily available -- but 58 per cent claim to have it," the findings showed. 
 
The survey also revealed a staggeringly lax approach to data protection among IT users in India. 
 
Nearly 98 per cent of IT users spent more time on their devices last year and 85 per cent of them took extra steps to protect those devices. 
 
About 35 per cent admit to not updating their devices until at least a week after being notified of a patch, or even longer, said the report.

More than one in two organisations in India suffered unexpected downtime last year because of data loss, a new report showed on Monday. This was despite nearly 70 per cent of Indian companies investing in 10 cybersecurity solutions simultaneously.

More than one in two organisations in India suffered unexpected downtime last year because of data loss, a new report showed on Monday. This was despite nearly 70 per cent of Indian companies investing in 10 cybersecurity solutions simultaneously. However, investing in more solutions does not necessarily lead to better cyber protection, according to the report by Singapore-based Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection. "These findings confirm our belief that the smarter approach is cyber protection, which unifies data protection, cybersecurity, and endpoint management in one," said Rustom Hiramaneck, General Manager-South Asia at Acronis. A shocking 20 per cent of IT professionals in India don`t know if their organisation is subject to data privacy regulations. "If those responsible for ensuring data privacy don`t know they are culpable, they cannot implement strategies or evaluate the solutions needed to address the requirements. That ignorance puts the business at tremendous risk of major fines for potential compliance violations in 2021," the report warned. The Acronis survey polled 4,400 IT users and professionals in 22 countries across six continents, including India. The report found that there is a significant gap in awareness among users and IT professionals in India of what IT and cybersecurity capabilities are available to them, which can cause them to lose valuable time, money and security: Nearly 35 per cent of IT users and 11 per cent of IT professionals in India would not know if their data had been modified without their knowledge because their solution makes determining that kind of tampering difficult. "Nearly 10 per cent of IT users in India don`t know if their anti-malware stops zero-day threats, because their solution doesn`t make that information easily available -- but 58 per cent claim to have it," the findings showed. The survey also revealed a staggeringly lax approach to data protection among IT users in India. Nearly 98 per cent of IT users spent more time on their devices last year and 85 per cent of them took extra steps to protect those devices. About 35 per cent admit to not updating their devices until at least a week after being notified of a patch, or even longer, said the report.

1 in 2 Indian firms suffer unexpected downtime due to data loss

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to begin his two-day bilateral visit to India on Monday -- with an aim to prepare ground for the annual New Delhi-Moscow summit as well as to discuss bilateral cooperation.

The visit was announced by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova in Moscow on April 1.

On April 5 and 6, Lavrov will visit New Delhi to hold talks with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Zakharova said.

The Russian foreign ministry tweeted that Lavrov would visit Pakistan on April 6 to 7 during which he will hold talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

"The Ministers will discuss bilateral ties, including economic cooperation and counterterrorism #RussiaPakistan," it said.

The India and Russia annual summit was postponed last year because of the Covid pandemic.

According to a statement by the Russian embassy in India, "the heads of the foreign affairs agencies will discuss the current state of bilateral relations, the preparation of the upcoming high-level meeting this year, including cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, will consider key topics on the regional, global agenda, assess approaches to the interaction between Russia and India on the international arena, including at the UN, BRICS."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/russian-foreign-minister-sergey-lavrov-to-visit-india-next-week-374518">Also read |&nbsp;Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to visit India next week</a>

"A special and privileged strategic partnership with India is one of Russia`s foreign policy priorities," the statement read.&nbsp;

The two sides are developing an active political dialogue, trade and economic, as well as military and technical ties, scientific, cultural, and humanitarian contacts, it said.

"A considerable experience of fruitful cooperation in a wide range of areas has been accumulated. The interest of the Indian business in the Far East and other regions of Russia is growing," the statement added.&nbsp;

The official release also stated that the Russian foreign minister is also set to implement the outcomes of the 20th Russian-Indian summit held in September last year, in Vladivostok.&nbsp;

Russia has been a time-tested partner for India and the country has been a key pillar of New Delhi's foreign policy. Both the countries have a mechanism under which India's prime minister and the Russian president hold a summit meeting annually to review the entire gamut of ties. Twenty annual summit meetings have, so far, taken place alternately in India and Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to begin his two-day bilateral visit to India on Monday -- with an aim to prepare ground for the annual New Delhi-Moscow summit as well as to discuss bilateral cooperation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to begin his two-day bilateral visit to India on Monday -- with an aim to prepare ground for the annual New Delhi-Moscow summit as well as to discuss bilateral cooperation. The visit was announced by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova in Moscow on April 1. On April 5 and 6, Lavrov will visit New Delhi to hold talks with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Zakharova said. The Russian foreign ministry tweeted that Lavrov would visit Pakistan on April 6 to 7 during which he will hold talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. "The Ministers will discuss bilateral ties, including economic cooperation and counterterrorism #RussiaPakistan," it said. The India and Russia annual summit was postponed last year because of the Covid pandemic. According to a statement by the Russian embassy in India, "the heads of the foreign affairs agencies will discuss the current state of bilateral relations, the preparation of the upcoming high-level meeting this year, including cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, will consider key topics on the regional, global agenda, assess approaches to the interaction between Russia and India on the international arena, including at the UN, BRICS." Also read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to visit India next week "A special and privileged strategic partnership with India is one of Russia`s foreign policy priorities," the statement read. The two sides are developing an active political dialogue, trade and economic, as well as military and technical ties, scientific, cultural, and humanitarian contacts, it said. "A considerable experience of fruitful cooperation in a wide range of areas has been accumulated. The interest of the Indian business in the Far East and other regions of Russia is growing," the statement added. The official release also stated that the Russian foreign minister is also set to implement the outcomes of the 20th Russian-Indian summit held in September last year, in Vladivostok. Russia has been a time-tested partner for India and the country has been a key pillar of New Delhi's foreign policy. Both the countries have a mechanism under which India's prime minister and the Russian president hold a summit meeting annually to review the entire gamut of ties. Twenty annual summit meetings have, so far, taken place alternately in India and Russia.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to arrive in India on Monday

The Centre on Monday requested the Supreme Court to open the sealed cover report of a panel headed by former top court judge D.K. Jain, formed in September 2018 by the court to probe the role of Kerala police officers in the wrongful arrest of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in a 1994 espionage case.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, requested the top court to take up the report for passing appropriate orders on Tuesday. Mehta submitted that the matter is of national importance.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde said there is no doubt that the matter is important, but there is no urgency in hearing it. The top court, however, agreed to hear the matter next week.

79-year-old Narayanan waged a legal battle against the Kerala police officers who accused him of being a Pakistan spy in 1994. Besides appointing the panel, the top court had directed the Kerala government to pay Rs 50 lakh compensation for causing immense humiliation to Narayanan.

In 2018, a bench of the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra decided to appoint a committee under Jain and asked the Centre and the Kerala government to name one person each to the committee under Jain. While the Centre appointed a top official -- D.K. Prasad, the Pinarayi Vijayan government appointed former Additional Chief Secretary V. S. Senthil.

The ISRO spy case surfaced in 1994 when Narayanan was arrested on charges of espionage along with another senior official of ISRO, two Maldivian women and a businessman.

The CBI had held that the then top police officials in Kerala were responsible for Narayanan`s illegal arrest. The panel examined the circumstances leading to Narayanan`s arrest. It was alleged that confidential documents on India`s space programme were allegedly transferred to foreign countries.

Narayanan had maintained that Kerala police fabricated the case and the technology he was accused to have stolen and sold in the 1994 case did not even exist at that time.

The Centre on Monday requested the Supreme Court to open the sealed cover report of a panel headed by former top court judge D.K. Jain, formed in September 2018 by the court to probe the role of Kerala police officers in the wrongful arrest of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in a 1994 espionage case.

The Centre on Monday requested the Supreme Court to open the sealed cover report of a panel headed by former top court judge D.K. Jain, formed in September 2018 by the court to probe the role of Kerala police officers in the wrongful arrest of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in a 1994 espionage case. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, requested the top court to take up the report for passing appropriate orders on Tuesday. Mehta submitted that the matter is of national importance. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde said there is no doubt that the matter is important, but there is no urgency in hearing it. The top court, however, agreed to hear the matter next week. 79-year-old Narayanan waged a legal battle against the Kerala police officers who accused him of being a Pakistan spy in 1994. Besides appointing the panel, the top court had directed the Kerala government to pay Rs 50 lakh compensation for causing immense humiliation to Narayanan. In 2018, a bench of the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra decided to appoint a committee under Jain and asked the Centre and the Kerala government to name one person each to the committee under Jain. While the Centre appointed a top official -- D.K. Prasad, the Pinarayi Vijayan government appointed former Additional Chief Secretary V. S. Senthil. The ISRO spy case surfaced in 1994 when Narayanan was arrested on charges of espionage along with another senior official of ISRO, two Maldivian women and a businessman. The CBI had held that the then top police officials in Kerala were responsible for Narayanan`s illegal arrest. The panel examined the circumstances leading to Narayanan`s arrest. It was alleged that confidential documents on India`s space programme were allegedly transferred to foreign countries. Narayanan had maintained that Kerala police fabricated the case and the technology he was accused to have stolen and sold in the 1994 case did not even exist at that time.

ISRO espionage case: Centre seeks urgent hearing, Supreme Court to hear matter next week

DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a hospital here, party sources said.

Kanimozhi, who has been actively campaigning for the April 6 Assembly polls, has cancelled her programmes after testing positive for the virus, the sources said.

Also the party's women's wing secretary, Kanimozhi has been admitted to a hospital here, they said.

On Friday, she had toured southern regions, including Tirunelveli and Tenkasi.

DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a hospital here, party sources said. Kanimozhi, who has been actively campaigning for the April 6 Assembly polls, has cancelled her programmes after testing positive for the virus, the sources said.

DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a hospital here, party sources said. Kanimozhi, who has been actively campaigning for the April 6 Assembly polls, has cancelled her programmes after testing positive for the virus, the sources said. Also the party's women's wing secretary, Kanimozhi has been admitted to a hospital here, they said. On Friday, she had toured southern regions, including Tirunelveli and Tenkasi.

DMK MP Kanimozhi tests positive for COVID-19

Ahead of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's New Delhi visit, the US has said that India is a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis". Kerry will arrive in New Delhi on Monday (April 5) for a 4-day visit. During his visit, Kerry will call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also hold talks with India's Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

"In New Delhi, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry will meet with representatives of the Indian government, private sector, and non-governmental organizations," said a spokesperson at the US Embassy in New Delhi.

"As one of the world’s largest economies and a global leader in science and innovation, India is a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis. &nbsp;We see India as an important partner on future clean energy research, development, and deployment, not least because of their successful domestic agenda in this area," the spokesperson added further.

John Kerry's visit comes ahead of US President Joe Biden's Climate Summit from April 22nd to 23rd, and the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November. India has been invited to the Climate Summit that will take place virtually later this month. This will be 2nd time that Indian PM Modi, and US President Biden will be together at a virtual summit. They were last together at last month's Quad meeting.

"A key focus for our Administration is supporting and encouraging India’s decarbonization efforts through clean, zero, and low-carbon investment, and supporting India in mitigating its fossil energy use,” said US Embassy spokesperson.

During his India visit, Kerry will also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan 
&nbsp;

Ahead of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's New Delhi visit, the US has said that India is a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis".

Ahead of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's New Delhi visit, the US has said that India is a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis". Kerry will arrive in New Delhi on Monday (April 5) for a 4-day visit. During his visit, Kerry will call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also hold talks with India's Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. "In New Delhi, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry will meet with representatives of the Indian government, private sector, and non-governmental organizations," said a spokesperson at the US Embassy in New Delhi. "As one of the world’s largest economies and a global leader in science and innovation, India is a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis. We see India as an important partner on future clean energy research, development, and deployment, not least because of their successful domestic agenda in this area," the spokesperson added further. John Kerry's visit comes ahead of US President Joe Biden's Climate Summit from April 22nd to 23rd, and the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November. India has been invited to the Climate Summit that will take place virtually later this month. This will be 2nd time that Indian PM Modi, and US President Biden will be together at a virtual summit. They were last together at last month's Quad meeting. "A key focus for our Administration is supporting and encouraging India’s decarbonization efforts through clean, zero, and low-carbon investment, and supporting India in mitigating its fossil energy use,” said US Embassy spokesperson. During his India visit, Kerry will also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

India critical in solving climate crisis, says US ahead of Kerry's visit

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