India's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> caseload rose to 9.3 million on Friday after it witnessed 43,082 new cases in the last 24 hours.

As per the latest updates by the healthy ministry, India recorded 492 deaths in the previous 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 135,715 as the total Covid-19 cases stood at 9,309,787.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker-pm-modi-to-visit-serum-institute-of-india-on-november-28-345653">Coronavirus vaccine tracker: PM Modi to visit Serum Institute of India on November 28</a>

As many as 8,718,517 people have recuperated from the deadly virus, bringing the recovery rate to 93.64 per cent.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-pandemic-can-be-stopped-if-70-per-cent-of-public-wore-masks-consistently-study-345679">Covid-19 pandemic can be stopped if 70 per cent of public wore masks consistently: Study</a>

The case fatality rate has further reduced to 1.45 per cent.

Amid approaching winter, several cities and states in the country are reimposing strict measures in view of the next wave of Covid-19, including limiting social gathering and curbing movements outside the house.&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interacted via video conferencing with the chief ministers of states in view of the pandemic.&nbsp;

In the meeting, Modi urged states to take measures to prepare for vaccine distribution once the candidates get regulatory approval.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the United States saw its deadliest day in six months on Thursday as it recorded over 2,400 deaths in 24 hours with the beginning of Thanksgiving holiday.&nbsp;

At least 262,283 deaths have been reported in the US so far, most globally and Brazil and India respectively follow the US.&nbsp;

More than 60.4 million people have contracted the deadly virus and 1.4 million have lost their lives, as per an AFP tally from the official sources on Thursday.

 
&nbsp;

India's coronavirus caseload rose to 9.3 million on Friday after it witnessed 43,082 new cases in the last 24 hours. As per the latest updates by the healthy ministry, India recorded 492 deaths in the previous 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 135,715 as the total Covid-19 cases stood at 9,309,787.

India's coronavirus caseload rose to 9.3 million on Friday after it witnessed 43,082 new cases in the last 24 hours. As per the latest updates by the healthy ministry, India recorded 492 deaths in the previous 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 135,715 as the total Covid-19 cases stood at 9,309,787. Also read | Coronavirus vaccine tracker: PM Modi to visit Serum Institute of India on November 28 As many as 8,718,517 people have recuperated from the deadly virus, bringing the recovery rate to 93.64 per cent. Also read | Covid-19 pandemic can be stopped if 70 per cent of public wore masks consistently: Study The case fatality rate has further reduced to 1.45 per cent. Amid approaching winter, several cities and states in the country are reimposing strict measures in view of the next wave of Covid-19, including limiting social gathering and curbing movements outside the house. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interacted via video conferencing with the chief ministers of states in view of the pandemic. In the meeting, Modi urged states to take measures to prepare for vaccine distribution once the candidates get regulatory approval. Meanwhile, the United States saw its deadliest day in six months on Thursday as it recorded over 2,400 deaths in 24 hours with the beginning of Thanksgiving holiday. At least 262,283 deaths have been reported in the US so far, most globally and Brazil and India respectively follow the US. More than 60.4 million people have contracted the deadly virus and 1.4 million have lost their lives, as per an AFP tally from the official sources on Thursday.

Coronavirus in India: Total caseload jumps to 9.3 million, death toll stands at 135,715

The 47th meet of the foreign ministers of the OIC or Organisation of Islamic Cooperation took place at an India-built convention center in Niger's capital Niamey. The Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre (MGICC) is the first such centre which was established in Africa by India to honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi whose 150th birth anniversary was observed in 2019.

Maldives Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted a picture of himself at the convention centre saying, OIC meet was "taking place at the beautiful Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Center in Niamey, at this time of crisis it is crucial to build solidarity, togetherness and friendship to overcome the many challenges the world faces today!"

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The 47th Council of Foreign Ministers of <a href="https://twitter.com/OIC_OCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OIC_OCI</a>, taking place at the beautiful Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Center in Niamey, at this time of crisis, it is crucial to build solidarity, togetherness and friendship to overcome the many challenges the world faces today! <a href="https://t.co/RM9C2MNq1x">pic.twitter.com/RM9C2MNq1x</a>
— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) <a href="https://twitter.com/abdulla_shahid/status/1332324120965623809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The centre was jointly inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou during the former's visit to the country in January of this year.&nbsp;

A Ministry of External Affairs release that time said, "The establishment of the Centre is a landmark for India-Niger friendship, as also a symbol of India’s firm commitment towards Africa."

The plenary hall of the centre has a capacity of 2000 people and with total cost being at USD 56 million. It was constructed by Shapoorji Pallonji Private Limited with Government of India's NBCC being the project management consultant for the project.&nbsp;

The total duration of construction was 13 months, and India is building more such centres across the continent. India offered to establish Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centres in more than 20 countries in Africa. The centres in 9 countries are being built in the immediate phase.

The 47th meet of the foreign ministers of the OIC or Organisation of Islamic Cooperation took place at an India-built convention center in Niger's capital Niamey.

The 47th meet of the foreign ministers of the OIC or Organisation of Islamic Cooperation took place at an India-built convention center in Niger's capital Niamey. The Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre (MGICC) is the first such centre which was established in Africa by India to honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi whose 150th birth anniversary was observed in 2019. Maldives Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted a picture of himself at the convention centre saying, OIC meet was "taking place at the beautiful Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Center in Niamey, at this time of crisis it is crucial to build solidarity, togetherness and friendship to overcome the many challenges the world faces today!" The 47th Council of Foreign Ministers of @OIC_OCI, taking place at the beautiful Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Center in Niamey, at this time of crisis, it is crucial to build solidarity, togetherness and friendship to overcome the many challenges the world faces today! pic.twitter.com/RM9C2MNq1x — Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) November 27, 2020 × The centre was jointly inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou during the former's visit to the country in January of this year. A Ministry of External Affairs release that time said, "The establishment of the Centre is a landmark for India-Niger friendship, as also a symbol of India’s firm commitment towards Africa." The plenary hall of the centre has a capacity of 2000 people and with total cost being at USD 56 million. It was constructed by Shapoorji Pallonji Private Limited with Government of India's NBCC being the project management consultant for the project. The total duration of construction was 13 months, and India is building more such centres across the continent. India offered to establish Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centres in more than 20 countries in Africa. The centres in 9 countries are being built in the immediate phase.

OIC meet takes place at India-built convention centre in Niger

India’s economy shrank 7.5 per cent in the fiscal second quarter, after seeing a record contraction of 23.9 per cent in Q1.

WION Dispatch: India’s economy shrinks 7.5% in Q2, falls into recession

A very severe cyclonic storm slammed into India's southern coast -- near Puducherry in the early hours of Thursday, uprooting trees and power lines.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Nivar made landfall near the city of Puducherry in the southern state of Tamil Nadu with winds of up to 130 km per hour (81 miles per hour).

Cyclone Nivar weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after it crossed coast near Puducherry, the IMD said.

As per updated meteorological data, Puducherry received the highest rainfall of 30 cm, followed by Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu with 27 cm. Nagapattinam recorded 6.3 cm rainfall, Karaikal 9.6 cm and Chennai 11.3 cm.

There were, however, no immediate reports of loss of life or extensive damage to property.

The department said Nivar's intensity had dropped to 85 to 95 kph (53 to 59 mph) and is expected to weaken further.

Heavy rains triggered by the storm caused flooding in some streets of the city of Chennai.

Television networks showed fallen trees in Chennai and people walking in knee-deep water in some streets. No casualties were immediately reported, local media said.

Chennai's city corporation said on Twitter it was working to clear the roads.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu ahead of the storm's landfall.

Power supply, which was disconnected in most coastal regions was in the process of restoration and water logging being drained out, authorities said.

Earlier, the IMD had said Nivar would cross coast near Puducherry with a wind speed of 120-130 kmph, gusting up to 145 kmph. The landfall of Nivar began late on Wednesday night.

"Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: Center lies over Land. Crossed coast near Puducherry during 2330 of 25th Nov- 0230 IST of 26th Nov," the IMD said in a tweet.

"Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: weakens into a Severe Cyclonic storm," it said in another tweet.

According to estimates, over 1,000 trees were uprooted in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. 
The approach roads to the Marina beach, off the arterial Kamaraj Salai, were flooded and sheets of water reached close to the main road where the city's fishermen had securely tied up their boats.

As rains lashed Mamallapuram near here, troops of monkeys sought refuge under the decorative, cave-like arches, dotted with images of deities carved in stone at the ancient Sri Sthalasayana Perumal temple.&nbsp;

A very severe cyclonic storm slammed into India's southern coast -- near Puducherry in the early hours of Thursday, uprooting trees and power lines. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Nivar made landfall near the city of Puducherry in the southern state of Tamil Nadu with winds of up to 130 km per hour (81 miles per hour).

A very severe cyclonic storm slammed into India's southern coast -- near Puducherry in the early hours of Thursday, uprooting trees and power lines. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Nivar made landfall near the city of Puducherry in the southern state of Tamil Nadu with winds of up to 130 km per hour (81 miles per hour). Cyclone Nivar weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after it crossed coast near Puducherry, the IMD said. As per updated meteorological data, Puducherry received the highest rainfall of 30 cm, followed by Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu with 27 cm. Nagapattinam recorded 6.3 cm rainfall, Karaikal 9.6 cm and Chennai 11.3 cm. There were, however, no immediate reports of loss of life or extensive damage to property. The department said Nivar's intensity had dropped to 85 to 95 kph (53 to 59 mph) and is expected to weaken further. Heavy rains triggered by the storm caused flooding in some streets of the city of Chennai. Television networks showed fallen trees in Chennai and people walking in knee-deep water in some streets. No casualties were immediately reported, local media said. Chennai's city corporation said on Twitter it was working to clear the roads. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu ahead of the storm's landfall. Power supply, which was disconnected in most coastal regions was in the process of restoration and water logging being drained out, authorities said. Earlier, the IMD had said Nivar would cross coast near Puducherry with a wind speed of 120-130 kmph, gusting up to 145 kmph. The landfall of Nivar began late on Wednesday night. "Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: Center lies over Land. Crossed coast near Puducherry during 2330 of 25th Nov- 0230 IST of 26th Nov," the IMD said in a tweet. "Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: weakens into a Severe Cyclonic storm," it said in another tweet. According to estimates, over 1,000 trees were uprooted in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The approach roads to the Marina beach, off the arterial Kamaraj Salai, were flooded and sheets of water reached close to the main road where the city's fishermen had securely tied up their boats. As rains lashed Mamallapuram near here, troops of monkeys sought refuge under the decorative, cave-like arches, dotted with images of deities carved in stone at the ancient Sri Sthalasayana Perumal temple.

Cyclone Nivar wreaks havoc in India; no casualties reported so far

The country's coronavirus tally mounted to 92,66,705, while the death toll climbed to 1,35,223 with 524 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

With 44,489 new cases of Covid infections, India's total cases reached 92,66,705 on Thursday. It is the 19th straight day when India reported less than 50,000 cases in a day.

The last time daily new cases crossed the 50,000-threshold was on November 7.

The country's coronavirus tally mounted to 92,66,705, while the death toll climbed to 1,35,223 with 524 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

The COVID-19 active caseload has risen to 4,52,344, an increase of 7,598 cases from Wednesday, even though it remained below 5 lakh for the 16th consecutive day.

The active cases comprise 4.88 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

The total number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 86,79,138, pushing the national recovery rate to &nbsp;93.66 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.46 per cent.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5.

It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, and surpassed 90 lakh on November 20.

According to ICMR, over 13.59 crore samples have been tested for COVID-19 till November 25, with 10,90,238 samples being tested on Wednesday.

The 524 new fatalities include 99 from Delhi, 65 from Maharashtra, 51 from West Bengal, 42 from Haryana, 31 from Punjab, 29 from Uttar Pradesh and 26 from Kerala.

A total of 1,35,223 deaths reported so far in the country includes 46,748 from Maharashtra followed by 11,714 from Karnataka, 11,655 from Tamil Nadu, 8,720 from Delhi, 8,172 from West Bengal, 7,644 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,962 from Andhra Pradesh, &nbsp; 4,684 from Punjab and 3,906 from Gujarat.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of &nbsp;Medical Research (ICMR)," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

(With inputs from agencies)

The country's coronavirus tally mounted to 92,66,705, while the death toll climbed to 1,35,223 with 524 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

The country's coronavirus tally mounted to 92,66,705, while the death toll climbed to 1,35,223 with 524 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed. With 44,489 new cases of Covid infections, India's total cases reached 92,66,705 on Thursday. It is the 19th straight day when India reported less than 50,000 cases in a day. The last time daily new cases crossed the 50,000-threshold was on November 7. The country's coronavirus tally mounted to 92,66,705, while the death toll climbed to 1,35,223 with 524 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed. The COVID-19 active caseload has risen to 4,52,344, an increase of 7,598 cases from Wednesday, even though it remained below 5 lakh for the 16th consecutive day. The active cases comprise 4.88 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. The total number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 86,79,138, pushing the national recovery rate to 93.66 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.46 per cent. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, and surpassed 90 lakh on November 20. According to ICMR, over 13.59 crore samples have been tested for COVID-19 till November 25, with 10,90,238 samples being tested on Wednesday. The 524 new fatalities include 99 from Delhi, 65 from Maharashtra, 51 from West Bengal, 42 from Haryana, 31 from Punjab, 29 from Uttar Pradesh and 26 from Kerala. A total of 1,35,223 deaths reported so far in the country includes 46,748 from Maharashtra followed by 11,714 from Karnataka, 11,655 from Tamil Nadu, 8,720 from Delhi, 8,172 from West Bengal, 7,644 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,962 from Andhra Pradesh, 4,684 from Punjab and 3,906 from Gujarat. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. (With inputs from agencies)

India's COVID-19 tally reaches 92.66 lakh, recoveries surge to 86.79 lakh

In modern India, there cannot be a bigger endorsement than what comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So when he, on one fine day, tweeted about a certain book that he was left impressed with, the world, along with India, took notice.

In modern India, there cannot be a bigger endorsement than what comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So when he, on one fine day, tweeted about a certain book that he was left impressed with, the world, along with India, took notice. For authors Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri, a recommendation from PM Modi served as a validation of their hard work and the distinct political philosophy they harbour for modern India. Their book 'A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State' is an essay on what India has been lacking in past few decades, and what it needs to do come on par with the more developed nations of the world. The authors, through their book, give their audience an essential reminder that India is a civilisational State and not just a post-colonial entity. PM Modi said in a tweet that he had read the book and recommended it to his followers. He wrote, “Over the past few days, I have been reading, ‘A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State’ by two bright minds @harshmadhusudan and @RMantri. Their work makes rich contributions to intellectual discourse. I hope you read it too…” Over the past few days, I have been reading, 'A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State’ by two bright minds @harshmadhusudan and @RMantri. Their work makes rich contributions to intellectual discourse. I hope you read it too... https://t.co/fcAiPr4mM4 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 19, 2020 × "Our book is about political philosophy and public policy, so there could not be a bigger recognition than the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi himself, reading and recommending it. We did not expect PM Modi’s praise for our work. We are grateful that he took the time to engage with the ideas we presented in the book, and it goes without saying that has increased the effective audience of the book multifold," the authors told wionews.com, in an exclusive conversation. The name of the book is particularly interesting. Because every person has his/her own understanding and idea of what India has been and what it should be. So how does their idea of new India stand to influence people differently? "The idea of India we espouse is not one that is definitive or exclusive, and it is as descriptive as it is prescriptive. It is one of 'individual rights in a civilisational state', which is also the subtitle of the book. It builds on the ancient ethos of India - Dharma - while contextualizing it for the present times. After Partition and Independence, India formed a Republic which still emphasised group rights and identities in the eyes of the State while underplaying the ancient heritage of the land and its peoples," they said, adding, "India chose a hypocritical, inefficient and corrupt economic model while declining to ally with the leading democracies of the era in the name of postcolonialism. Our book is meant as a corrective, but we welcome critiques and new ideas. India is ancient but the republic is new. Similarly, our cultures are old but our citizens are young. We try to reconcile that." Talking of critiques, for the better part of seven decades after India achieved its Independence, the Nehruvian idea of the country held sway in its polity. And any criticism of the way India has been functioning can be attributed to that period of time. The authors partly agree. They said, "Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his colleagues -- initially including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, BR Ambedkar, SP Mukherjee and C Rajagopalachari -- had a very challenging task when India became independent. Nehru’s governance paradigm had three key pillars of socialism, non-alignment (that eventually placed India in the Communist camp during the Cold War), and a politically convenient distortion of secularism. This paradigm was carried forward by his daughter, grandson and in a different version his granddaughter-in-law but it did not succeed in building a secure, prosperous India even as decade after decade rolled on after 1947. "Yes, there was much progress in absolute terms but compared to people's aspirations and many other similarly placed countries, India did not quite succeed. That is fairly obvious even though we can quibble on the details." But didn't the class difference and the basic way of governing came as an extension of the monarchy and British rule that were there till India gained its Independence? "To some extent, yes, they did. But this too was a failing of -- or choice of -- those who led India after Independence. In many ways, the new elite decided -- perhaps, subconsciously -- that it wanted to replace the colonial elite," Madhusudan and Mantri said. The young authors consider the lack of awareness among people of India as one of the major challenges towards achieving the ultimate goal. "We think a key challenge will be simply for people to learn about the issues from first principles. The issues need to be discussed threadbare, and another key challenge will be achieving an exchange where all sides approach each other with respect when debating these critical national issues. Important topics in areas as diverse as economic policy, national security, historiography, the freeing of Hindu temples and schools, personal civil laws, gender equity and so on need to be discussed with scholarship," they told wionews.com. Harsh Madhusudan added, "We are against political correctness for the sake of it, but we must also work towards more sensitivity without totally giving up on wit and the occasional barb. Some excusable mistakes will be made but we can collectively make present day India worthy of its heritage again." In every democratic system of the world, the opposition plays the most important role -- to question the governance. But the recent victories of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have decimated the concept. Does India feel the lack or need? "Every democracy should have a robust opposition. However, opposition can come from many sources, not just from political parties although that is also necessary. India in any case has federalism and a bicameral legislature. We feel that any BJP-led government is additionally kept in check by its own supporters. That is the power of a movement committed explicitly to ideas - the focus stays on the policy and political objectives of the movement. The philosophy is the north star. Contrast this with political parties that are essentially crowds around a family," the authors said. So has the Indian National Congress failed to capitalise on its foundation? "Unfortunately, there is nothing Indian or National or Congressional about the Indian National Congress anymore - pardon our reference to the famous quip about the Holy Roman Empire. The Congress is a party that has strayed very far from its roots, which is why the people of India are rejecting it. To remain relevant, the Congress will have to make ideological concessions and reinvent itself," Madhusudan and Mantri said. An excerpt from the book -- On Kashmir, Pakistan and Karl Popper -- has particularly caught everyone's attention for the juxtaposition of political views it stands to represent. It says, "There is an inherent tension between, for example, support for absolute free speech and other liberties and the dystopia that may be caused by irrational and possibly violent intolerance of the chronically intolerant. Ideally, we would not like this tension to exist and prefer individual rights to be fully guaranteed by the State at all times. But there are cases where the exercise of such individual rights can lead to the demise of the very State that is supposed to protect these rights. How then does one square the circle once again?" (The excerpt is given at the end of the copy.) Experts have partly agreed, and begged to differ too. At the same time. To this end, the dynamic authors explained, "Karl Popper is among the greatest philosophers and thinkers of all time, and one of the key ideas he postulated, and which we have presented in the book, is that one should not tolerate those who are intolerant beyond a point. He also talked about historicism but let us focus on the insight that liberalism should not be used to destroy the conditions that enable that liberalism to survive and thrive. "Admittedly, the question of when the transitional point threatening the openness of societies occurs is subjective, and that is what we try to debate in the book. In most stable areas and normal conditions, where there is no de facto war-like situation, we would like near-absolute freedom of speech alongside an increase in state, policing and judicial capacity. Importantly, the lack of blasphemy and apostasy as concepts in our Dharmic heritage provide strong support for this position." They added, "But Popper's key point remains that ultimately freedom cannot be used to subvert freedom itself. In 1863, US President Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the American Civil War, when he was leading the fight to preserve the American republic and end the scourge of slavery. India too should preserve this civilisational republic of ours and defeat any theocratic or separatist designs that some groups may have. To that extent, it does not matter what some intellectuals or commentators may say here or abroad." The book 'A New Idea of India' constructs and expounds on a new framework beyond the rough and tumble of partisan politics. It has been authored by Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri, and the foreword has been written by Sanjeev Sanyal. Madhusudan and Mantri's partnership has been over a decade long. "We connected first on social media just before the 2009 general election campaign. We have known each other for over a decade now and have collaborated on over fifty articles and essays," Rajeev Mantri said, adding, "Sanjeev Sanyal has been a mentor and friend to both of us, and he along with the bestselling author Amish was instrumental in encouraging us to write this book. Their support gave us a lot of confidence to pursue the project. When we finished the manuscript, Sanjeev Sanyal was the first person we thought of when we thought of the Foreword, and we were delighted when Sanjeev agreed to do so." 'A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State' has been published by Westland, and is priced at a little over Rs 600. It's Kindle edition is also available on amazon.in -- at the price of Rs 499. Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri aim to release at least one Indian language translation of the book next year. EXCERPT: On Kashmir, Pakistan and Karl Popper The philosopher Karl Popper wrote in his classic work The Open Society and Its Enemies that if we want to see tolerance thrive, it is very important that we do not tolerate intolerance beyond a point. I do not imply, for instance, that we should always suppress the utterance of intolerant philosophies; as long as we can counter them by rational argument and keep them in check by public opinion, suppression would certainly be unwise. But we should claim the right to suppress them if necessary even by force; for it may easily turn out that they are not prepared to meet us on the level of rational argument, but begin by denouncing all argument; they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols. We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant. There is an inherent tension between, for example, support for absolute free speech and other liberties and the dystopia that may be caused by irrational and possibly violent intolerance of the chronically intolerant. Ideally, we would not like this tension to exist and prefer individual rights to be fully guaranteed by the State at all times. But there are cases where the exercise of such individual rights can lead to the demise of the very State that is supposed to protect these rights. How then does one square the circle once again? Let us go from the abstract to the specific and consider the case of Kashmir. The issue there is much less complicated than has been made out by umpteen talking heads and commentators, who cannot see the obvious reality right in front of them due to their desire for political correctness. The Kashmir valley, an area of about 4,000 square kilometres, has an overwhelming demographic dominance of Sunni Muslims, a dominance that was secured by the violent and brutal expulsion of Kashmiri Hindus from there in 1990. The area being adjacent to Pakistan, a few want to secede from ‘Hindu’ India in the name of their religion. The media often conflates this relatively small area with all of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, which has a total land area of over 222,000 square kilometres. There are obviously geographical, historical and legal factors that can be debated about this region until the cows come home, but the fundamental sore point for Pakistan is, how can a Muslim-majority border region be a part of India and not of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? How should India react to Pakistan’s revanchism? One school of thought says let us not hold any people, even if within a small valley, against their will. But then, what would be the implications of a second religious partition for India? It would imply that a minority that becomes a majority in an Indian state can never be truly Indian, and this may cause further fissures within the rest of India. This is not just a hypothetical scenario. Demographic changes in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam are moving in that direction, as census data from 2001 and 2011 show. In West Bengal, the Muslim population increased by 21.8 per cent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 10.8 per cent for the Hindu population. In Kerala, the Muslim population increased by 12.8 per cent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 2.2 per cent for the Hindu population. In Assam, the Muslim population increased by 29.5 per cent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 10.9 per cent for the Hindu population. Should India just wait for that to happen? Obviously not. No State would tolerate that, and the civilisational state of India, that is Bharat certainly would not. For Bharat is nothing without Dharma, as Sri Aurobindo said in his 1909 Uttarpara speech80 before he retired to a life of spiritual exploration. It is important to contrast the secessionist demands of the Sunni Muslim Kashmir Valley with such demands in, say, Catalonia (Spain), Scotland (United Kingdom) or Quebec (Canada). Any successful secession in the latter cases would result in a new nation–state within the broader West. In the first two cases, the new countries would be within not just the West but also within the European Union. Even a free Quebec would almost certainly be absorbed into NAFTA’s successor trade framework and the NATO security grouping. There is a civilizational logic to these inclusions and exclusions. Turkey, for example, could never enter the European Union and is plausibly going to leave NATO as well. The renowned British philosopher Roger Scruton remarked while building on the work of constitutional jurist Jeremy Rabkin, ‘The nation–state has been the greatest guarantor of freedom in the modern world, precisely because it establishes a territorial, rather than religious, jurisdiction. It is this that enables the nation–state to treat citizenship, rather than creed, as the criterion of membership.’81 Still, his view must be seen in the European historical context of medieval religious wars. It is important to belabour this point—if Northern Ireland unites with the Republic of Ireland and breaks with Union of England and Wales (and perhaps Scotland), as is plausible in the next few years,82 it is partially because of demographic changes (for the first time in centuries probably Catholics outnumber Protestants), but also because of ideological changes, namely, the Republic of Ireland as part of the larger civilisational entity of the European Union and in keeping with the zeitgeist of secular modernity, has given up draconian restrictions on abortion and has had a mixed-race prime minister from the LGBT community. No heretics are of course being killed, and there is no de facto concept of religious speech being declared as blasphemous by the State. With the sharp edges gone, the two Irelands can focus on the commonalities of their shared ethnolinguistic, Christian and now liberal heritage, egged on by the decision of Brexit. Seen from this civilisational framework, any new Western country would simply mean a rearrangement of internal civilisational boundaries akin to the creation of a new state such as Telangana or Jharkhand within India. On the other hand, the so so-called freeing of Kashmir—whether through ‘azaadi’ or formal merger with Pakistan—would mean the loss of territory to a hostile civilisational unit. That is the reality. Let us, for a moment, see Kashmir as Northern Ireland, Pakistan as the Republic of Ireland, and India as the United Kingdom (in which case, the rest of India is Great Britain). Some people can argue that for demographic and geographical reasons, Kashmir (more specifically the Valley districts) should go to Pakistan. But there are many objections to this. First, the Partition was never about a one-to-one mapping to religious demographics even though that was the broad principle. Second, Pakistan is not like the Irish Republic in this thought experiment. Pakistan has not even remotely experienced any period of secular–liberal Enlightenment which would make the minorities, including many Shias and Muslim liberals, in the Valley comfortable about joining that setup (and even independence would be practically joining Pakistan, given the Valley’s landlocked geography). Third, even if Pakistan were to miraculously go through a genuine secularisation process, the principle of self-determination applies significantly less to a democratic, pluralistic setup such as India’s as compared to a theocratic or authoritarian one. If the United States can sacrifice around 6,00,000 of its young men in the sparsely populated 1860s and temporarily suspend civil liberties to preserve the Union and break the back of slavery, India can, and will, fight to keep the Union and defeat theocracy. Finally, quite simply, Kashmir is integral to India’s civilisational heritage, given its millennia-old Hindu and Buddhist history. FUN FACT: Within minutes of the prime minister posting the appreciation tweet, the mentioned website crashed due to unexpected traffic. Rajeev Mantri informed he was working with the hosting service providers to fix the server. He wrote, “The book website linked to by the Prime Minister has gone down due to the surge in traffic, we are working with the hosting provider to fix it! Please bear with us.” The book website linked to by the Prime Minister has gone down due to the surge in traffic, we are working with the hosting provider to fix it! Please bear with us 🙏 https://t.co/rYo0PvX9Y2 — Rajeev Mantri (@RMantri) November 19, 2020 ×

Harsh Madhusudan, Rajeev Mantri speak to WION about their book, the one that PM Modi endorsed on Twitter

For years India's ties with the Gulf have been anchored on oil. It's time to go beyond it and focus on numerous untapped avenues. As India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Tours West India, WION's Molly Gambhir tells you about the various areas where India and The Gulf can expand cooperation.

Gravitas: Untapped avenues in India, Gulf ties

PM Narendra Modi has been accorded with State Honours by leading Gulf Nations. The partnership has yielded diplomatic and political gains for the Indian Prime Minister. WION's Molly Gambhir tells you how India can help the Gulf, as the region tries to reinvent itself.

Gravitas: How Prime Minister Modi built an alliance with the Gulf

India is making plans to inoculate millions in 2021. According to a report, 250-300 million citizens could get a shot by July 2021. WION's Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Here is how India could distribute its vaccines

After India handed a dossier against Pakistan to the UNSC, Islamabad has retaliated with a dossier of its own. India's Permanent Representative to UN PR Tirumurti has called it a 'dossier of lies'. WION's Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: India-Pakistan dossier war

At least three people have been killed after powerful cyclonic storm hurtled into India's southeastern coast on Thursday, uprooting trees and packing strong winds and rains as tens of thousands of people took refuge in shelters.

The centre of Nivar made landfall at 3:05 am local time near Puducherry with winds of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour.

Thousands of state and national emergency personnel were deployed in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry as authorities suspended power supply across several cities to prevent damage to the electricity grid.

"It was a very serious cyclone. Due to measures taken by the state government, things are very much in control. As of now, only 3 deaths have been reported while 3 people were injured. 101 huts damaged, and 380 fallen trees removed. There is a complete restoration of essential services. There is no problem of drinking water, electricity, or any healthcare," Atulya Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary of the state said.

Waterlogging in parts of Chennai city was seen following overnight rainfall due to the cyclone. India Meteorological Department (IMD) said "severe" cyclonic storm Nivar weakened into a cyclonic storm over north coastal Tamil Nadu.

"It would continue to move northwestwards and weaken further into a deep depression during the next 6 hours and into a depression by subsequent 6 hours," IMD said. According to the IMD, Chennai will have moderate rainfall till tomorrow. Fishermen have been advised not to go to sea in South-coastal Andhra Pradesh and North-coastal Tamil Nadu.

The storm crossed the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from 11:30 pm on Wednesday to 2:30 am on Thursday and moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 9 kmph. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held a meeting with Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami and V Narayanaswamy respectively and assured all possible help from the Centre in the wake of the cyclone.

"We are closely monitoring the situation in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the wake of Cyclone Nivar. Have spoken to CM Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami and CM V Narayanaswamy and assured all possible help from the Centre. NDRF teams already on the ground to help people in need," Amit Shah tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least three people have been killed after powerful cyclonic storm hurtled into India's southeastern coast on Thursday, uprooting trees and packing strong winds and rains as tens of thousands of people took refuge in shelters.

At least three people have been killed after powerful cyclonic storm hurtled into India's southeastern coast on Thursday, uprooting trees and packing strong winds and rains as tens of thousands of people took refuge in shelters. The centre of Nivar made landfall at 3:05 am local time near Puducherry with winds of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour. Thousands of state and national emergency personnel were deployed in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry as authorities suspended power supply across several cities to prevent damage to the electricity grid. "It was a very serious cyclone. Due to measures taken by the state government, things are very much in control. As of now, only 3 deaths have been reported while 3 people were injured. 101 huts damaged, and 380 fallen trees removed. There is a complete restoration of essential services. There is no problem of drinking water, electricity, or any healthcare," Atulya Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary of the state said. Waterlogging in parts of Chennai city was seen following overnight rainfall due to the cyclone. India Meteorological Department (IMD) said "severe" cyclonic storm Nivar weakened into a cyclonic storm over north coastal Tamil Nadu. "It would continue to move northwestwards and weaken further into a deep depression during the next 6 hours and into a depression by subsequent 6 hours," IMD said. According to the IMD, Chennai will have moderate rainfall till tomorrow. Fishermen have been advised not to go to sea in South-coastal Andhra Pradesh and North-coastal Tamil Nadu. The storm crossed the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from 11:30 pm on Wednesday to 2:30 am on Thursday and moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 9 kmph. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held a meeting with Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami and V Narayanaswamy respectively and assured all possible help from the Centre in the wake of the cyclone. "We are closely monitoring the situation in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the wake of Cyclone Nivar. Have spoken to CM Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami and CM V Narayanaswamy and assured all possible help from the Centre. NDRF teams already on the ground to help people in need," Amit Shah tweeted. (With inputs from agencies)

Three killed as powerful Cyclone Nivar buffets Southern India

In another major blow to Chinese tech giants, the Indian govt has banned 43 Chinese Apps. WION's Molly Gambhir tells you how this move is set to reduce China's influence on the internet economy.

Gravitas: India bans 43 Chinese apps

As countries compete in the vaccine race, they are all leaning on India for the vaccine supplies. India holds the key to vaccine manufacturing - and unlike some countries, India is not prioritising profit over the health of billions. WION's Molly Gambhir has the details.

Gravitas: Wuhan Vaccine: The World turns to India

A Brazilian fashion clothes brand has removed ads for its line of shorts for men and women that used an image of Lord Ganesha, in response to complaints of sacrilege.

The Jon Cotre brand based in Sao Paulo state said the ads were removed from its website and it stopped making the shorts.

"I apologise on behalf of the company for what happened. Our intention was never to 'trivialise' or offend," a spokeswoman for the firm said.

India's ambassador in Brazil, Suresh Reddy, spoke to the company's owner Jon Cotre to explain the sensitivities related to using images of Lord Ganesha, the embassy said.

Cotre immediately agreed to remove the images and material from his stores, the embassy said in a statement.

A Hindu cleric based in the United States, Rajan Zed, had criticised the inappropriate commercial use of Lord Ganesha images, complaining about "religious appropriation, sacrilege and ridiculing entire communities."

A Brazilian fashion clothes brand has removed ads for its line of shorts for men and women that used an image of Lord Ganesha, in response to complaints of sacrilege.

A Brazilian fashion clothes brand has removed ads for its line of shorts for men and women that used an image of Lord Ganesha, in response to complaints of sacrilege. The Jon Cotre brand based in Sao Paulo state said the ads were removed from its website and it stopped making the shorts. "I apologise on behalf of the company for what happened. Our intention was never to 'trivialise' or offend," a spokeswoman for the firm said. India's ambassador in Brazil, Suresh Reddy, spoke to the company's owner Jon Cotre to explain the sensitivities related to using images of Lord Ganesha, the embassy said. Cotre immediately agreed to remove the images and material from his stores, the embassy said in a statement. A Hindu cleric based in the United States, Rajan Zed, had criticised the inappropriate commercial use of Lord Ganesha images, complaining about "religious appropriation, sacrilege and ridiculing entire communities."

Brazilian clothes brand removes image of Hindu deity from shorts after protest

The government of India has blocked 43 new Chinese mobile apps in the country, including shopping website AliExpress. This is the third time when India has taken action against Chinese apps.

Your Story: India bans 43 more Chinese apps | Third round of ban on Chinese apps

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that India and Europe`s ability to work together can help shape global outcomes, adding that the partnership could create fairer globalisation and more effective multilateralism. 
The external affairs minister called Europe a natural partner when it comes to best practices for an India that is focussed on "deep reforms and profound transformation". 
 
"For an India which is focused on deep reforms and profound transformation, Europe is a natural partner when it comes to resources, technology or best practices. Europeans need to appreciate the scale of this change and the opportunities that emerge from it," Jaishankar said at the India-Europe Strategy Group meeting virtually. 
 
"My focus is on the larger relevance of the India-EU partnership for the world. We are each political and economical poles in an increasingly multipolar world. Our ability to work together can help shape global outcomes,"Jaishankar pointed out that India-EU cooperation can take many forms and "unfold in many ways". 
 
"We can make a big difference in vaccine production and renewable energy. We can harmonise our developmental partnerships from Africa to CARICOM and the Pacific Islands. We can influence the creation of fairer globalisation and more effective multilateralism," he said.The India-EU partnership could help create a greener, human-centric, and cooperative world, he said further.&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that India and Europe`s ability to work together can help shape global outcomes, adding that the partnership could create fairer globalisation and more effective multilateralism.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that India and Europe`s ability to work together can help shape global outcomes, adding that the partnership could create fairer globalisation and more effective multilateralism. The external affairs minister called Europe a natural partner when it comes to best practices for an India that is focussed on "deep reforms and profound transformation". "For an India which is focused on deep reforms and profound transformation, Europe is a natural partner when it comes to resources, technology or best practices. Europeans need to appreciate the scale of this change and the opportunities that emerge from it," Jaishankar said at the India-Europe Strategy Group meeting virtually. "My focus is on the larger relevance of the India-EU partnership for the world. We are each political and economical poles in an increasingly multipolar world. Our ability to work together can help shape global outcomes,"Jaishankar pointed out that India-EU cooperation can take many forms and "unfold in many ways". "We can make a big difference in vaccine production and renewable energy. We can harmonise our developmental partnerships from Africa to CARICOM and the Pacific Islands. We can influence the creation of fairer globalisation and more effective multilateralism," he said.The India-EU partnership could help create a greener, human-centric, and cooperative world, he said further.

India, EU can help shape global outcomes together: Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar

Almost after eight months, 221 people who were stranded in Pakistan due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown returned to India on Monday.

"Out of the total passengers, 135 are NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa holders, 11 are Pakistan nationals and 75 Indians. These people were stranded due to the lockdown," an officer at the Attari border told ANI.

He added that a medical team from a local hospital would conduct COVID-19 test of all the people arriving here.A returnee, who had gone to Pakistan to attend the last rights of her mother, said that she was unable to return home because of the lockdown.

"I had gone to Pakistan because my mother had passed away, but due to the lockdown, we could not return home. With great difficulty, after eight months, I have come back home," Heena said.

Another returnee, who had gone to visit his wife and child in Pakistan, was elated when asked how he felt to finally coming back to India after eight months.

"It feels good to finally come back home," he said.The Indian High Commission in Pakistan last week announced that it will be facilitating the return of 221 people, including 75 stranded Indian nationals, to India on November 23.

In a Twitter post, the High Commission of India in Pakistan said that a total of 135 NORI (No Objection to Return to India) visa holders, 75 Indian nationals and 11 spouses of NORI visa holders will be repatriated to India.

Almost after eight months, 221 people who were stranded in Pakistan due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown returned to India on Monday. "Out of the total passengers, 135 are NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa holders, 11 are Pakistan nationals and 75 Indians.

Almost after eight months, 221 people who were stranded in Pakistan due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown returned to India on Monday. "Out of the total passengers, 135 are NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa holders, 11 are Pakistan nationals and 75 Indians. These people were stranded due to the lockdown," an officer at the Attari border told ANI. He added that a medical team from a local hospital would conduct COVID-19 test of all the people arriving here.A returnee, who had gone to Pakistan to attend the last rights of her mother, said that she was unable to return home because of the lockdown. "I had gone to Pakistan because my mother had passed away, but due to the lockdown, we could not return home. With great difficulty, after eight months, I have come back home," Heena said. Another returnee, who had gone to visit his wife and child in Pakistan, was elated when asked how he felt to finally coming back to India after eight months. "It feels good to finally come back home," he said.The Indian High Commission in Pakistan last week announced that it will be facilitating the return of 221 people, including 75 stranded Indian nationals, to India on November 23. In a Twitter post, the High Commission of India in Pakistan said that a total of 135 NORI (No Objection to Return to India) visa holders, 75 Indian nationals and 11 spouses of NORI visa holders will be repatriated to India.

221 people stranded in Pakistan amid COVID lockdown return to India

India is expected to export smartphones worth USD 1.5 billion (over Rs 11,113 crore) this year to various countries, including the UAE, the US and Russia, according to a report by research firm techARC.

TechARC, in its India Mobile Phone Exports Market Scan Report, pegged the total exports of smartphones to cross USD 1.5 billion by value in 2020, with smartphones accounting for over 98 per cent of the total mobile phones exported from the country.

"India has been exporting mobiles to destinations like UAE and neighbouring SAARC countries for quite some time. However, 'Make in India' initiative has made India a truly global exporter of mobile phones," techARC founder and Chief Analyst Faisal Kawoosa said.

He added that India currently exports to 24 countries, some of which are further re-exporting, like UAE, to other markets, making India-made phones available to millions of users. He further stated that the recently announced production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme will further strengthen India's positioning in the global mobile market and complement manufacturers' goal of making India a global hub of mobile production. PLI scheme extends an incentive of 4 to 6 per cent on incremental sales (over the base year) of goods under target segments that are manufactured in India to eligible companies, for a period of five years subsequent to the base year (2019-20).

Last month, the government had cleared 16 proposals from domestic and international companies entailing an investment of Rs 11,000 crore under the PLI scheme to manufacture mobile phones worth Rs 10.5 lakh crore over the next five years.

The techARC report said a total of 12.8 million mobile phones were exported from India between January and September this year. Of this, 10.9 million were smartphones. "COVID-19 had a severe impact on the exports with volume sharply falling to 1.2 million in April-June quarter from 7.4 million in January-March period. For July-September quarter, the exports were at 4.2 million units indicating recovery due to restoration of supply chain and logistics as well as resumption of work in Indian factories," the report added. Samsung leads the exports significantly with 11.6 million units of phones, distantly followed by Xiaomi at 0.6 million shipments, the report noted. Samsung exported 9.8 million units of smartphones, followed by Xiaomi at 0.6 million and Lava at 0.2 million smartphones. The other smartphone exporters in top 5 are Vivo and OnePlus.

"Lava has emerged as the 'torchbearer' Indian brand which is not only the lone domestic brand exporting mobiles but also pecks in top 5 brands," the report said. It added that while 21 brands are exporting mobile phones from India, 17 brands are exporting smartphones. Seven brands are exporting mobile phones from India to the US. Also, Samsung A51 is the most exported smartphone from India, while the top 10 smartphones exported from India are from Samsung.

India is expected to export smartphones worth USD 1.5 billion (over Rs 11,113 crore) this year to various countries, including the UAE, the US and Russia, according to a report by research firm techARC.

India is expected to export smartphones worth USD 1.5 billion (over Rs 11,113 crore) this year to various countries, including the UAE, the US and Russia, according to a report by research firm techARC. TechARC, in its India Mobile Phone Exports Market Scan Report, pegged the total exports of smartphones to cross USD 1.5 billion by value in 2020, with smartphones accounting for over 98 per cent of the total mobile phones exported from the country. "India has been exporting mobiles to destinations like UAE and neighbouring SAARC countries for quite some time. However, 'Make in India' initiative has made India a truly global exporter of mobile phones," techARC founder and Chief Analyst Faisal Kawoosa said. He added that India currently exports to 24 countries, some of which are further re-exporting, like UAE, to other markets, making India-made phones available to millions of users. He further stated that the recently announced production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme will further strengthen India's positioning in the global mobile market and complement manufacturers' goal of making India a global hub of mobile production. PLI scheme extends an incentive of 4 to 6 per cent on incremental sales (over the base year) of goods under target segments that are manufactured in India to eligible companies, for a period of five years subsequent to the base year (2019-20). Last month, the government had cleared 16 proposals from domestic and international companies entailing an investment of Rs 11,000 crore under the PLI scheme to manufacture mobile phones worth Rs 10.5 lakh crore over the next five years. The techARC report said a total of 12.8 million mobile phones were exported from India between January and September this year. Of this, 10.9 million were smartphones. "COVID-19 had a severe impact on the exports with volume sharply falling to 1.2 million in April-June quarter from 7.4 million in January-March period. For July-September quarter, the exports were at 4.2 million units indicating recovery due to restoration of supply chain and logistics as well as resumption of work in Indian factories," the report added. Samsung leads the exports significantly with 11.6 million units of phones, distantly followed by Xiaomi at 0.6 million shipments, the report noted. Samsung exported 9.8 million units of smartphones, followed by Xiaomi at 0.6 million and Lava at 0.2 million smartphones. The other smartphone exporters in top 5 are Vivo and OnePlus. "Lava has emerged as the 'torchbearer' Indian brand which is not only the lone domestic brand exporting mobiles but also pecks in top 5 brands," the report said. It added that while 21 brands are exporting mobile phones from India, 17 brands are exporting smartphones. Seven brands are exporting mobile phones from India to the US. Also, Samsung A51 is the most exported smartphone from India, while the top 10 smartphones exported from India are from Samsung.

India to export smartphones worth USD 1.5 billion

India will host the G20 summit in 2023 and not in 2022, with a postponement of one year. Sources both in Saudi Arabia and Delhi confirmed the development that India will host the summit of the grouping of the 20 biggest economies in 2023.

Sources told WION, "It has been decided on the basis of consultations and mutual convenience that we will be hosting in 2021 after Italy and Indonesia".

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-exceeding-paris-climate-targets-pm-narendra-modi-at-g20-climate-event-344725">India exceeding Paris climate targets: PM Narendra Modi at G20 climate event</a>

This will be the first such summit of the grouping that will take place in India since its formation after the 2008 financial crisis.&nbsp;

The Riyadh leader's declaration said, "We thank Saudi Arabia for hosting a successful Riyadh Summit and its contribution to the &nbsp;G20 process. We look forward to our next meetings in Italy in 2021, Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024"

India has already started preparation for the summit and building a secretariat as well for the summit meetings in Delhi. India's G20 Sherpa Suresh Prabhu last week told WION, "we have started the preparation, in full swing. It is led by our PM Modi, he is a very hands-on leader of the country and we are already working on a very high-tech, very state-of-the-art efficient secretariat in which there will number of ministries participating."

It was agreed at the Argentina G20 summit in 2018 that India will be hosting the summit in the 75th Independence anniversary year.

Speaking at the G20 summit that time, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "It's India's 75th Independence Day in 2022 &amp; we had requested Italy if we can get '22 instead of '21 (for hosting G20 summit). They accepted our request, others accepted it too.I'm grateful &amp; I invite leadership from across the world to come to India in 2022".

Italy and India had swapped the year for hosting G20 summit. In Asia, South Korea hosted G20 in 2010, followed by Turkey in 2015 and China in 2016 and next will be Indonesia.&nbsp;

India will host the G20 summit in 2023 and not in 2022, with a postponement of one year. Sources both in Saudi Arabia and Delhi confirmed the development that India will host the summit of the grouping of the 20 biggest economies in 2023.

India will host the G20 summit in 2023 and not in 2022, with a postponement of one year. Sources both in Saudi Arabia and Delhi confirmed the development that India will host the summit of the grouping of the 20 biggest economies in 2023. Sources told WION, "It has been decided on the basis of consultations and mutual convenience that we will be hosting in 2021 after Italy and Indonesia". Also read | India exceeding Paris climate targets: PM Narendra Modi at G20 climate event This will be the first such summit of the grouping that will take place in India since its formation after the 2008 financial crisis. The Riyadh leader's declaration said, "We thank Saudi Arabia for hosting a successful Riyadh Summit and its contribution to the G20 process. We look forward to our next meetings in Italy in 2021, Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024" India has already started preparation for the summit and building a secretariat as well for the summit meetings in Delhi. India's G20 Sherpa Suresh Prabhu last week told WION, "we have started the preparation, in full swing. It is led by our PM Modi, he is a very hands-on leader of the country and we are already working on a very high-tech, very state-of-the-art efficient secretariat in which there will number of ministries participating." It was agreed at the Argentina G20 summit in 2018 that India will be hosting the summit in the 75th Independence anniversary year. Speaking at the G20 summit that time, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "It's India's 75th Independence Day in 2022 & we had requested Italy if we can get '22 instead of '21 (for hosting G20 summit). They accepted our request, others accepted it too.I'm grateful & I invite leadership from across the world to come to India in 2022". Italy and India had swapped the year for hosting G20 summit. In Asia, South Korea hosted G20 in 2010, followed by Turkey in 2015 and China in 2016 and next will be Indonesia.

G20 summit in India postponed for one year, now to be held in 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold virtual meetings with chief ministers and other representatives of states and union territories on Tuesday to review the COVID-19 situation and discuss vaccine distribution strategy.

Modi is expected to hold two back to back meetings, one with eight states with high caseloads and another with states and UTs to discuss vaccine distribution strategy, sources said.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-exceeding-paris-climate-targets-pm-narendra-modi-at-g20-climate-event-344725">India exceeding Paris climate targets: PM Narendra Modi at G20 climate event</a>

The prime minister, till now, has held several virtual meetings with states over the coronavirus situation.

While the national daily COVID-19 case count has remained below 50,000 for some time, several urban centres have witnessed a surge, resulting in enforcement of several measures, including curfews in some cities.

The central government has also been putting in place measures for quick and effective distribution of coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available.

Five vaccine candidates are in advanced stages of development in India, out of which four are in Phase II/III and one is in Phase-I/II trials

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold virtual meetings with chief ministers and other representatives of states and union territories on Tuesday to review the COVID-19 situation and discuss vaccine distribution strategy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold virtual meetings with chief ministers and other representatives of states and union territories on Tuesday to review the COVID-19 situation and discuss vaccine distribution strategy. Modi is expected to hold two back to back meetings, one with eight states with high caseloads and another with states and UTs to discuss vaccine distribution strategy, sources said. Also read | India exceeding Paris climate targets: PM Narendra Modi at G20 climate event The prime minister, till now, has held several virtual meetings with states over the coronavirus situation. While the national daily COVID-19 case count has remained below 50,000 for some time, several urban centres have witnessed a surge, resulting in enforcement of several measures, including curfews in some cities. The central government has also been putting in place measures for quick and effective distribution of coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available. Five vaccine candidates are in advanced stages of development in India, out of which four are in Phase II/III and one is in Phase-I/II trials

PM Modi likely to hold virtual meetings with states over Covid-19 situation, vaccine distribution plan

As India's capital chokes under smog, we decode how countries across the world are battling air pollution. Watch 'Fighting Air Pollution' on Wion Wideangle.

WION Wideangle: Fighting Air Pollution

In a strong statement India has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for destabilising Afghanistan, saying, "terror flow across Durand Line should stop".

India slams Pakistan at the UNSC for destabilising Afghanistan

The results for Pakistan's sham & void election in Gilgit-Baltistan are out. Thousands have hit the streets saying the mandate has been stolen by Pakistan-Tehreek-I-Insaaf. Molly Gambhir gets you the story.

Gravitas: Pakistan's sham election in Gilgit-Baltistan

Speaking in Kabul, Imran Khan promised to 'reduce violence' in Afghanistan. WION's Molly Gambhir asks: Will Pakistan reduce violence in Kashmir as well? Is it trying to fool the European Union with such tall promises?

Gravitas: Pak PM promises to reduce violence in Afghanistan

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