Amid the ongoing feud between India and Canada, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington. Jaishankar arrived in Washington from New York after addressing the 78th UNGA.

Indian EAM S Jaishankar meets US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, hold talk amid India-Canada row

An iPhone assembly facility in Southern India gradually restarted its operations and this comes after the factory suffered downtime in the aftermath of a fire accident. The factory is run by Taiwanese contract manufacturer Pegatron which is among those entrusted with the Assembly of Apple iPhones in India.

iPhone assembly facility in South India resumes work, 4 days after fire incident

India is on the threshold of completing a major project which will provide the country with an alternative route to the remote but Indian Army's strategically important outpost near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), said the top officials on Thursday (Sep 28) as reported by the Hindustan Times. 
 
The new road, which will connect India’s northernmost military base Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), will allow the movement of weapons, logistics and soldiers for reinforcements on the front lines. 
 
As reported, the new road is not visible from across the LAC, which is an advantage that the only existing road to DBO from Darbuk does not have. Also, since the road is far away from the LAC it will remain less vulnerable to any attack launched from across the LAC.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-president-volodymyr-zelensky-keen-on-india-visit-later-this-year-640807">Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky keen on India visit later this year</a>

An official said that the road will be ready by November-end to support critical military movement and should be fully blacktopped in a year, reported the Hindustan Times. More than 2000 people have been working towards meeting the deadline. 
 
The construction of the 130km long road, which runs from Sasoma in the Nubra Valley to DBO near the Karakoram Pass, is in its final phase. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is required to finish a stretch in steep glaciated terrain and it will be constructing a bridge on the Shyok River.

<h2>BRO places road under Hardness Index-III, classifies it as tough project</h2>

An official told the Hindustan Times that they are using the latest technologies to remove “construction hurdles in the final lap”. The road has been placed under Hardness Index-III, which is the top-most classification of BRO for tough projects. 
 
The existing Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) road, which is 255km long, runs near the LAC. Darbuk and Sasoma are accessible from Leh via two different road axes. 
 
The officials further confirmed that various key sections of the Sasoma-Saser La-Saser Brangsa-Gapshan-DBO road were completed.

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: India's anti-terror crackdown, Khalistan-Gangster nexus with links to Canada raided

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Former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd), told HT that ‘Sub Sector North’, which consists of Karakoram Pass, Depsang plains and the DBO landing ground, is a strategically important area. 
 
“The DS-DBO road leading to this area runs close and parallel to the LAC for much of its length north of Galwan. It could be interdicted during operations, cutting off support to troops in this sector. An alternative route via Nubra Valley and over Saser La provides a safer road that cannot be easily interfered with. Constructing a road over the glaciated region of Saser La was a huge challenge and BRO should be complimented for overcoming this,” Hooda stated.

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India is on the threshold of completing a major project which will provide the country with an alternative route to the remote but Indian Army's strategically important outpost near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), said the top officials on Thursday (Sep 28) as reported by the Hindustan Times.

India is on the threshold of completing a major project which will provide the country with an alternative route to the remote but Indian Army's strategically important outpost near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), said the top officials on Thursday (Sep 28) as reported by the Hindustan Times. The new road, which will connect India’s northernmost military base Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), will allow the movement of weapons, logistics and soldiers for reinforcements on the front lines. As reported, the new road is not visible from across the LAC, which is an advantage that the only existing road to DBO from Darbuk does not have. Also, since the road is far away from the LAC it will remain less vulnerable to any attack launched from across the LAC. ALSO READ | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky keen on India visit later this year An official said that the road will be ready by November-end to support critical military movement and should be fully blacktopped in a year, reported the Hindustan Times. More than 2000 people have been working towards meeting the deadline. The construction of the 130km long road, which runs from Sasoma in the Nubra Valley to DBO near the Karakoram Pass, is in its final phase. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is required to finish a stretch in steep glaciated terrain and it will be constructing a bridge on the Shyok River. BRO places road under Hardness Index-III, classifies it as tough project An official told the Hindustan Times that they are using the latest technologies to remove “construction hurdles in the final lap”. The road has been placed under Hardness Index-III, which is the top-most classification of BRO for tough projects. The existing Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) road, which is 255km long, runs near the LAC. Darbuk and Sasoma are accessible from Leh via two different road axes. The officials further confirmed that various key sections of the Sasoma-Saser La-Saser Brangsa-Gapshan-DBO road were completed. WATCH | Gravitas: India's anti-terror crackdown, Khalistan-Gangster nexus with links to Canada raided Former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd), told HT that ‘Sub Sector North’, which consists of Karakoram Pass, Depsang plains and the DBO landing ground, is a strategically important area. “The DS-DBO road leading to this area runs close and parallel to the LAC for much of its length north of Galwan. It could be interdicted during operations, cutting off support to troops in this sector. An alternative route via Nubra Valley and over Saser La provides a safer road that cannot be easily interfered with. Constructing a road over the glaciated region of Saser La was a huge challenge and BRO should be complimented for overcoming this,” Hooda stated. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India lays down new road to Daulat Beg Oldi, secures key point at LAC

The Ukrainian side has expressed keen interest with the Indian side on the visit of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky&nbsp;to India later this year. The discussions regarding this proposed visit are currently in their initial stages. If materialised, this visit would mark a significant milestone as it would be the first visit by a Ukrainian President to India since the conflict in Ukraine erupted last year.

The matter of President Zelensky's visit has been discussed at several levels with the Indian side including at the National Security Advisor (NSA) level mechanism. Under this mechanism, Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval have engaged in deliberations.

Since the outbreak of the conflict last year, India has consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means of resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. New Delhi has underscored Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that "this is not an era of war."

It has also drawn attention to the collateral consequences of the Ukraine conflict, which have led to soaring prices of essential commodities such as food, fuel, and fertilisers, adversely impacting not only India but also the global community, especially the member states of the Global South. India's G20 Presidency has played a pivotal role in highlighting these economic challenges faced by developing nations on the G20's global platform.

It is worth noting that Ukraine was not formally invited to attend the proceedings of the G20 Summit, unlike Indonesia in the previous year. Nonetheless, there has been sustained engagement between the two nations.

Earlier this year, India's Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Sanjay Verma, paid a visit to Kyiv, while Ukraine's first deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Dzhaparova, made a diplomatic trip to Delhi. These interactions mark the first government-to-government visits between the two nations since the onset of the Ukraine conflict.

In a significant diplomatic engagement earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky&nbsp;met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

During their meeting, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the profound global impact of the Ukraine conflict and emphasised that, for him, it transcends political and economic considerations; it is fundamentally an "issue of humanity and human values". He commended Ukraine's co-operation in ensuring the safe evacuation of Indian students and warmly welcomed Ukraine's decision to conduct examinations in India for these students.

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The Ukrainian side has expressed keen interest with the Indian side on the visit of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to India later this year. The discussions regarding this proposed visit are currently in their initial stages.

The Ukrainian side has expressed keen interest with the Indian side on the visit of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to India later this year. The discussions regarding this proposed visit are currently in their initial stages. If materialised, this visit would mark a significant milestone as it would be the first visit by a Ukrainian President to India since the conflict in Ukraine erupted last year. The matter of President Zelensky's visit has been discussed at several levels with the Indian side including at the National Security Advisor (NSA) level mechanism. Under this mechanism, Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval have engaged in deliberations. Since the outbreak of the conflict last year, India has consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means of resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. New Delhi has underscored Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that "this is not an era of war." It has also drawn attention to the collateral consequences of the Ukraine conflict, which have led to soaring prices of essential commodities such as food, fuel, and fertilisers, adversely impacting not only India but also the global community, especially the member states of the Global South. India's G20 Presidency has played a pivotal role in highlighting these economic challenges faced by developing nations on the G20's global platform. It is worth noting that Ukraine was not formally invited to attend the proceedings of the G20 Summit, unlike Indonesia in the previous year. Nonetheless, there has been sustained engagement between the two nations. Earlier this year, India's Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Sanjay Verma, paid a visit to Kyiv, while Ukraine's first deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Dzhaparova, made a diplomatic trip to Delhi. These interactions mark the first government-to-government visits between the two nations since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. In a significant diplomatic engagement earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima. During their meeting, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the profound global impact of the Ukraine conflict and emphasised that, for him, it transcends political and economic considerations; it is fundamentally an "issue of humanity and human values". He commended Ukraine's co-operation in ensuring the safe evacuation of Indian students and warmly welcomed Ukraine's decision to conduct examinations in India for these students. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky 'keen' to visit India later this year

During a heavy rainstorm in India's Hyderabad on Wednesday evening (Sept 27), a surprising and potentially dangerous sight emerged from an open drain in the city— that of a baby crocodile.

The reptile made its way out of the drain located in Chintal Basti, Khairatabad, which is in the heart of Hyderabad. This unexpected appearance sent shockwaves among local residents, who quickly alerted the authorities.

As the baby crocodile crawled out of the rapidly flowing drain, people contacted the police, who promptly informed the Forest Department.

The sighting occurred near a construction site for a bridge over the drain, attracting a significant crowd of curious onlookers. It is believed that the crocodile had been washed into the area due to the floodwaters.

Watch the video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crocodile?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crocodile</a> which created panic at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChintalBasti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChintalBasti</a>, in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Khairatabad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Khairatabad</a> area was rescued, which was spotted near nala, after heavy rains. 
 
Police personnel and the DRF team helped the forest dept, to rescue the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/reptile?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#reptile</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HyderabadRains?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HyderabadRains</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hyderabad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hyderabad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wildlife?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wildlife</a> <a href="https://t.co/fFMHR1V0Tn">https://t.co/fFMHR1V0Tn</a> <a href="https://t.co/llz4vknTyx">pic.twitter.com/llz4vknTyx</a>
— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) <a href="https://twitter.com/jsuryareddy/status/1707140035219481060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>Four-hour-long rescue operation</h2>

A four-hour-long operation ensued, involving the Forest Department, Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams, and the police.

With their combined efforts, they successfully captured the crocodile, ensuring its safety. Subsequently, the reptile was relocated to the Nehru Zoological Park within the city.

According to Forest Officer M Joji who spoke to IANS,&nbsp;the crocodile likely originated from Gandipet, situated approximately 25 kilometres&nbsp;upstream from the city.&nbsp;

Similar reports of crocodile sightings in the Musi River had been documented in the past, including an incident in September 2020 when a crocodile was spotted near Rajendra Nagar near Attapur. Unfortunately, despite the swift response from forest and police personnel, the crocodile managed to evade capture on that occasion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-10-year-old-malaysian-girl-arranges-chessboard-in-seconds-while-blindfolded-sets-world-record-640433">WATCH: 10-year-old Malaysian girl arranges chessboard in seconds while blindfolded, sets world record</a>

Osman Sagar, commonly known as Gandipet Lake, is more than a century old and features 15 gates that can be opened to release water into the Musi River. These lakes, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, were constructed outside of the city following the devastating Musi River floods in Hyderabad in 1908. These reservoirs were built based on recommendations from the renowned engineer M Visweswaraya, with the aim of preventing future catastrophic flooding within the city.

&nbsp;

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During a heavy rainstorm in India's Hyderabad on Wednesday evening (Sept 27), a surprising and potentially dangerous sight emerged from an open drain in the city— that of a baby crocodile.

During a heavy rainstorm in India's Hyderabad on Wednesday evening (Sept 27), a surprising and potentially dangerous sight emerged from an open drain in the city— that of a baby crocodile. The reptile made its way out of the drain located in Chintal Basti, Khairatabad, which is in the heart of Hyderabad. This unexpected appearance sent shockwaves among local residents, who quickly alerted the authorities. As the baby crocodile crawled out of the rapidly flowing drain, people contacted the police, who promptly informed the Forest Department. The sighting occurred near a construction site for a bridge over the drain, attracting a significant crowd of curious onlookers. It is believed that the crocodile had been washed into the area due to the floodwaters. Watch the video here: The #Crocodile which created panic at the #ChintalBasti, in #Khairatabad area was rescued, which was spotted near nala, after heavy rains. Police personnel and the DRF team helped the forest dept, to rescue the #reptile.#HyderabadRains #Hyderabad #wildlife https://t.co/fFMHR1V0Tn pic.twitter.com/llz4vknTyx — Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) September 27, 2023 × Four-hour-long rescue operation A four-hour-long operation ensued, involving the Forest Department, Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams, and the police. With their combined efforts, they successfully captured the crocodile, ensuring its safety. Subsequently, the reptile was relocated to the Nehru Zoological Park within the city. According to Forest Officer M Joji who spoke to IANS, the crocodile likely originated from Gandipet, situated approximately 25 kilometres upstream from the city. Similar reports of crocodile sightings in the Musi River had been documented in the past, including an incident in September 2020 when a crocodile was spotted near Rajendra Nagar near Attapur. Unfortunately, despite the swift response from forest and police personnel, the crocodile managed to evade capture on that occasion. Also read | WATCH: 10-year-old Malaysian girl arranges chessboard in seconds while blindfolded, sets world record Osman Sagar, commonly known as Gandipet Lake, is more than a century old and features 15 gates that can be opened to release water into the Musi River. These lakes, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, were constructed outside of the city following the devastating Musi River floods in Hyderabad in 1908. These reservoirs were built based on recommendations from the renowned engineer M Visweswaraya, with the aim of preventing future catastrophic flooding within the city. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Surprise guest! Baby crocodile crawls out of open drain during downpour in India. Watch

India's northern east state of Manipur continues to make headlines - now, hundreds of students clashed with Manipur security forces after the pictures of bodies of two teenage students surfaced online. Meanwhile, India's Home Ministry repatriated a top Srinagar police officer to the violence-hit Manipur.

Manipur violence: Tensions over death of 2 students; Home Ministry sends Srinagar top cop to Manipur

Amidst a diplomatic standoff with India, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's popularity has plummeted according to recent polls. Canada is also grappling with domestic issues under Trudeau's Government. Is Justin Trudeau's credibility in crisis? Watch WION Wideangle.

Trudeau's credibility crisis

Officials on Wednesday said that India&nbsp;is now considering importing&nbsp;cheetahs from northern Africa instead of Namibia and South Africa.&nbsp;This is because, even though the cheetahs imported from the two countries were under constant monitoring, nine of them died due to several reasons, including developing winter coats.&nbsp;

News agency PTI cited officials saying that&nbsp;one of the biggest challenges they faced in the first year of managing cheetahs from the two countries was the "unexpected" development of winter coats by some big cats during the Indian summer and monsoon, which is the time of African winter (June to September). The senior official added that even the African experts did not expect it.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Project Cheetah completes 1 year: Events &amp; activities planned to mark milestone

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The Winter coats caused problems when combined with high humidity and temperatures. It caused itching, prompting the big cats to scratch their necks on tree trunks or the ground. This led to bruises and exposed skin where flies laid eggs, resulting in maggot infections, septicemia and other bacterial infections that led to the deaths.

Countries including the UK and the US, have imported cheetahs from northern Africa and recommended the same to India, the official said.

Primarily, cheetahs were found in parts of northern Africa but the population declined in the region and they are now considered extinct or nearly extinct in many northern African countries.

However, the upcoming batch will be imported from South Africa. SP Yadav, the head of Project Cheetah and Additional Director General (Forests) said, "The idea that we may have cheetahs from northern Africa in the future has been discussed but the next batch will come from South Africa. " He added that India now plans to import big cats that do not develop thicker winter coats.

A total of 20 cheetahs were imported from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno in two batches - one in September 2022 and the second in February 2023. Six of these adult big cats died due to various reasons while three cubs of the female Namibian cheetah died due to extreme heat.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Officials on Wednesday said that India is now considering importing cheetahs from northern Africa instead of Namibia and South Africa. This is because, even though the cheetahs imported from the two countries were under constant monitoring, nine of them died due to several reasons, including developing winter coats.

Officials on Wednesday said that India is now considering importing cheetahs from northern Africa instead of Namibia and South Africa. This is because, even though the cheetahs imported from the two countries were under constant monitoring, nine of them died due to several reasons, including developing winter coats. News agency PTI cited officials saying that one of the biggest challenges they faced in the first year of managing cheetahs from the two countries was the "unexpected" development of winter coats by some big cats during the Indian summer and monsoon, which is the time of African winter (June to September). The senior official added that even the African experts did not expect it. Watch | Project Cheetah completes 1 year: Events & activities planned to mark milestone The Winter coats caused problems when combined with high humidity and temperatures. It caused itching, prompting the big cats to scratch their necks on tree trunks or the ground. This led to bruises and exposed skin where flies laid eggs, resulting in maggot infections, septicemia and other bacterial infections that led to the deaths. Countries including the UK and the US, have imported cheetahs from northern Africa and recommended the same to India, the official said. Primarily, cheetahs were found in parts of northern Africa but the population declined in the region and they are now considered extinct or nearly extinct in many northern African countries. However, the upcoming batch will be imported from South Africa. SP Yadav, the head of Project Cheetah and Additional Director General (Forests) said, "The idea that we may have cheetahs from northern Africa in the future has been discussed but the next batch will come from South Africa. " He added that India now plans to import big cats that do not develop thicker winter coats. A total of 20 cheetahs were imported from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno in two batches - one in September 2022 and the second in February 2023. Six of these adult big cats died due to various reasons while three cubs of the female Namibian cheetah died due to extreme heat. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Project Cheetah: India may import more big cats from Northern Africa, says official

While Canada provides a safe haven to extremist elements, India has launched a massive crackdown on the Khalistan-Gangster nexus. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted multiple raids across at least six Indian states. Watch this video for more details.

Gravitas: India's anti-terror crackdown, Khalistan-Gangster nexus with links to Canada raided

The Indian Navy’s latest indigenisation push, which will be showcased at a mega conclave next week, involves underwater swarm drones, autonomous weaponised boat swarms, and blue-green lasers.

India: Underwater swarm drones part of Navy's indigenisation push

Comedian Trevor Noah's Indian fans were in for disappointment after he cancelled his show in Bengaluru minutes before it was about to begin. Noah informed the fans that he would have to cancel the show because of bad acoustics and that it would have been impossible to go ahead.

Trevor Noah cancels Bengaluru's 'Off the record' show minutes before it began | WION Newspoint

After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put out what he called 'credible allegations' OF the Indian government being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorists in Canada, India has lashed out. There's been a strong crackdown on Khalistani terrorists operating against India from overseas - from confiscation of their properties to withdrawal of the OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards. India's neighbours have come out in India's support, even terming Canada a safe haven for terror.

India-Canada ties in a tailspin

India has shared its concerns with Sri Lanka multiple times on the issue of maritime security. But, still, a new Chinese marine research vessel, Shi Yan 6, is expected to dock at Colombo and Hambantota port in Sri Lanka by October this year AND is likely to stay till November 2023.

Is Sri Lanka veering towards China?

Wood from the willow trees of Kashmir is used to manufacture cricket bats used by top cricketers in India. But rampant felling of trees and cultivation of cheaper poplar wood has meant big challenges for this industry. Some 400 willow bat-manufacturing workshops across the valley face closure. Close to 150,000 workers could lose their jobs. A prided industry could disappear if urgent corrective measures are not taken.

Kashmir’s prized willow tree in crisis

Comedian Trevor Noah's Bengaluru show ended up being a 'comedy of errors'. The event was plagued by traffic snarls & technical glitches. This forced the comedian to cancel the show last minute. Priyanka Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Trevor Noah's Bengaluru show turns into comedy of errors

Driven by increased government spending ahead of the upcoming general election in May, India is set to claim the title of the fastest-growing major economy in the current fiscal year. However, economists, in a Reuters poll, have expressed concerns about downside risks to this optimistic forecast.

Over the past few years, Narendra Modi's government has ramped up spending on infrastructure projects, including roads and railways, contributing to India's resilience against the global economic slowdown. Despite these efforts, the government has struggled to generate sufficient employment opportunities.

According to the median forecasts from a poll of 65 economists conducted between September 20 and 26, India's economy is expected to grow by 6.2 per cent in the fiscal year ending in March 2024, followed by a 6.3 per cent growth rate in the subsequent fiscal year. These projections align with last month's predictions but reveal a wide range of estimates for the current fiscal year, spanning from 4.6 per cent to 7.1 per cent.

However, economists emphasise that the expected growth remains below India's full potential. Furthermore, concerns have arisen regarding the impact of a drier-than-normal monsoon season, which could hinder economic performance in a country where agriculture employs roughly half of the workforce.

After an 7.8 per cent expansion in the last quarter, the growth rate is anticipated to moderate to 6.4 per cent in the current quarter and then decrease to 6.0 per cent in the October-December period, ultimately slowing to 5.5 per cent in early 2024.

Reuters quoted Miguel Chanco, chief emerging Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, as saying&nbsp;that India is currently experiencing a cyclical slowdown, with various factors, including a weak external environment, sluggish private consumption, and subdued investment, impacting economic growth.

A majority of economists, 22 out of 36, believe that the risks to their GDP growth forecasts for FY 2023-2024 are tilted towards the downside.

Regarding inflation, the poll indicates that India's retail inflation is expected to average 5.5 per cent this fiscal year and 4.8 per cent next, exceeding the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) medium-term target of 4 per cent. Alarmingly, more than two-thirds of the surveyed economists, 23 out of 34, believe that the risks are skewed towards even higher inflation figures.

Despite the anticipation of inflation remaining above the target, economists foresee the next move by the RBI to be a rate cut. Nearly 60 per cent of the economists, 28 out of 48, predict that the RBI will cut rates by at least 25 basis points before July, with the median estimate placing the rate at 6.25 per cent in the second quarter of the following year. This potential rate cut aligns with expectations for similar moves by central banks globally.

In the upcoming Oct. 4-6 meeting, all but one of the 71 economists surveyed anticipate that the RBI will maintain its key repo rate at 6.50 per cent, with one economist expecting a 25 basis point increase. Median forecasts suggest that the rate will remain unchanged throughout the rest of the current fiscal year.

Reuters quoted Alexandra Hermann, lead economist at Oxford Economics as saying, "The RBI will likely tolerate supply-driven inflationary pressures as long as core prices continue to ease but will monitor the development of inflation expectations closely."

She also added that they still expected a rate cut early in 2024 and that the recent inflationary trends were making it increasingly likely that a policy tilt would be delayed. She also pointed out that government measures should have a cooling effect on food prices in the coming months, but rising oil prices would probably exert upward pressure on headline inflation.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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Driven by increased government spending ahead of the upcoming general election in May, India is set to claim the title of the fastest-growing major economy in the current fiscal year.

Driven by increased government spending ahead of the upcoming general election in May, India is set to claim the title of the fastest-growing major economy in the current fiscal year. However, economists, in a Reuters poll, have expressed concerns about downside risks to this optimistic forecast. Over the past few years, Narendra Modi's government has ramped up spending on infrastructure projects, including roads and railways, contributing to India's resilience against the global economic slowdown. Despite these efforts, the government has struggled to generate sufficient employment opportunities. According to the median forecasts from a poll of 65 economists conducted between September 20 and 26, India's economy is expected to grow by 6.2 per cent in the fiscal year ending in March 2024, followed by a 6.3 per cent growth rate in the subsequent fiscal year. These projections align with last month's predictions but reveal a wide range of estimates for the current fiscal year, spanning from 4.6 per cent to 7.1 per cent. However, economists emphasise that the expected growth remains below India's full potential. Furthermore, concerns have arisen regarding the impact of a drier-than-normal monsoon season, which could hinder economic performance in a country where agriculture employs roughly half of the workforce. After an 7.8 per cent expansion in the last quarter, the growth rate is anticipated to moderate to 6.4 per cent in the current quarter and then decrease to 6.0 per cent in the October-December period, ultimately slowing to 5.5 per cent in early 2024. Reuters quoted Miguel Chanco, chief emerging Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, as saying that India is currently experiencing a cyclical slowdown, with various factors, including a weak external environment, sluggish private consumption, and subdued investment, impacting economic growth. A majority of economists, 22 out of 36, believe that the risks to their GDP growth forecasts for FY 2023-2024 are tilted towards the downside. Regarding inflation, the poll indicates that India's retail inflation is expected to average 5.5 per cent this fiscal year and 4.8 per cent next, exceeding the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) medium-term target of 4 per cent. Alarmingly, more than two-thirds of the surveyed economists, 23 out of 34, believe that the risks are skewed towards even higher inflation figures. Despite the anticipation of inflation remaining above the target, economists foresee the next move by the RBI to be a rate cut. Nearly 60 per cent of the economists, 28 out of 48, predict that the RBI will cut rates by at least 25 basis points before July, with the median estimate placing the rate at 6.25 per cent in the second quarter of the following year. This potential rate cut aligns with expectations for similar moves by central banks globally. In the upcoming Oct. 4-6 meeting, all but one of the 71 economists surveyed anticipate that the RBI will maintain its key repo rate at 6.50 per cent, with one economist expecting a 25 basis point increase. Median forecasts suggest that the rate will remain unchanged throughout the rest of the current fiscal year. Reuters quoted Alexandra Hermann, lead economist at Oxford Economics as saying, "The RBI will likely tolerate supply-driven inflationary pressures as long as core prices continue to ease but will monitor the development of inflation expectations closely." She also added that they still expected a rate cut early in 2024 and that the recent inflationary trends were making it increasingly likely that a policy tilt would be delayed. She also pointed out that government measures should have a cooling effect on food prices in the coming months, but rising oil prices would probably exert upward pressure on headline inflation. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India fastest-growing major economy but risks persist, says Reuters poll

India's diamond trade bodies are seeking an import ban for two months to manage supplies and bolster prices amid sluggish demand. In a letter, leading diamond trade bodies, including the gems and jewellery export promotion council, are urging their members to halt imports of rough diamonds for a two-month period, from October 15th to December 15th.

India's diamond sector seeks import ban | World Business Watch

Renowned Indian agriculturalist agriculturalist doctor MS Swaminathan widely called the father of India's Green Revolution passed away on Thursday

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S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India, arrived in Washington, DC, from New York on Wednesday (local time). During his visit, he has a series of meetings planned, including discussions with his US counterpart Antony Blinken, White House officials, members of the US administration, business leaders, and representatives from think tanks.

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Days after the resurgence of violence in Manipur, India's Home Ministry repatriated a top police officer to the northeastern state. Rakesh Balwal is a 2012 batch officer of the Indian Police Service. Widespread protests erupted in Manipur after it was confirmed that two Meitei students from the state capital Imphal had been brutally killed.

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Devotees bid farewell to Lord Ganesha as the 10-day festival came to an end. Watch video.

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Long before Canada accused India for its involvement in killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, Indian agencies shared multiple set of documents with the Canadian side over Khalistani movement in their country.

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India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar is in Washington DC. As part of a nine-day US visit, he is set to hold several meetings, including with his US counterpart Antony Blinken. The Jaishankar-Blinken meeting comes amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis between India and Canada.

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