[🇮🇳] Indian Economy watch- All new developments.

[Krishna with Flute]

India's Automobile Exports Rise 14% in April-Sept FY 2024-25, Led by 2 Wheelers​

Overall exports stood at 45,00,492 units in the last fiscal year as compared with 47,61,299 units in FY23.​

• India News
• 2 min read

Reported by: Press Trust Of India
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India's Automobile Exports Rise 14% in April-Sept FY 2024-25, Led by 2 Wheelers | Image: Reuters

​

New Delhi: Automobile exports from India in the first six months of the current fiscal year rose 14 per cent year-on-year, led by gains in shipments of passenger vehicles and two-wheelers.
According to Siam data, the overall exports in the April-September period stood at 25,28,248 units, up 14 per cent as compared with 22,11,457 units in the year-ago period.

​

"Key markets like Latin America and Africa, which had slowed down for various reasons, have bounced back. This has been the main reason for exports coming back," Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) President Shailesh Chandra said.
He was replying to a query on the reasons for the bouncing back of vehicle exports in the April-September period.

​

Various African nations and other regions faced challenges due to devaluation of currencies. This impacted the vehicle shipments as the nations focussed on import of essential items.​

Automobile exports declined 5.5 per cent in FY24 due to the monetary crisis in various overseas markets.

Overall exports stood at 45,00,492 units in the last fiscal year as compared with 47,61,299 units in FY23.​

Total passenger vehicle shipments rose 12 per cent year-on-year to 3,76,679 units in the first half of the current fiscal year as against 3,36,754 units in the September quarter of FY24.

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki led the vertical with shipments of 1,47,063 units, an increase of 12 per cent over 1,31,546 units in the year-ago period.​

Hyundai Motor India exported 84,900 units, a drop of 1 per cent, as against 86,105 units in April-September period of the previous fiscal year.

Two-wheeler exports rose 16 per cent year-on-year to 19,59,145 units in the April-September period this fiscal year as compared with 16,85,907 units in the year-ago period.​

Scooter shipments increased 19 per cent to 3,14,533 units while motorcycle exports rose 16 per cent to 16,41,804 units during the period under review.

​

Commercial vehicle exports rose 12 per cent year-on-year to 35,731 units in the first six months of the fiscal year.
Three-wheeler shipments, however, declined 1 per cent during the period to 1,53,199 units as compared with 1,55,154 units in the April-September period of the 2023-24 fiscal year.

(Except for the headline, Republic has not edited the content and the story has been published from a syndicate feed)​

India's Automobile Exports Rise 14% in April-Sept FY 2024-25, Led by 2 Wheelers

Overall exports stood at 45,00,492 units in the last fiscal year as compared with 47,61,299 units in FY23.

www.republicworld.com

 

[Krishna with Flute]

India's small town is the hub of Ceramic hub with second largest capacity to produce ceramic with production of over 50000 crore.

Morbi's ceramic industry puts glaze on Gujarat growth story, set for further growth: Industry experts​

Read more at:
Morbi's ceramic industry puts glaze on Gujarat growth story, set for further growth: Industry experts

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Another masterstroke by Mukesh Ambani, which may change future of telecom industry in India​

RELIANCED roping fast

Another masterstroke by Mukesh Ambani, which may change future of telecom industry in India
Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani, is set to lead on a new chapter with the upcoming IPO of Reliance Jio. The ambitious move aims to challenge global tech and telecom giants, particularly Elon Musk's Starlink. The estimated valuation for this IPO is around Rs 8,41,157 crore, and if successful, it could become the largest IPO in the history of the Indian stock market.

Mukesh Ambani Future Plans For IPO​

The primary goal of Jio's IPO is to attract significant investments that will be utilized to expand its footprint in 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cloud services. Mukesh Ambani has set a vision of bringing 5G connectivity to every corner of India, showcasing the company's commitment to building a robust digital infrastructure in the country. Additionally, Jio aims to expand its reach in the Internet of Things (IoT) and high-speed cloud network services, targeting both Indian and international markets.

Reliance began planning for this IPO as early as 2019. Mukesh Ambani had announced a strategy to list Jio and Reliance Retail on the stock market within the next five years. This initiative has garnered support from major investors, including KKR, General Atlantic, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which has led to the valuation of these ventures exceeding $100 billion.

Mukesh Ambani To Challenge Elon Musk's Starlink​

Mukesh Ambani's move is seen as a direct challenge to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service. Jio plans to compete in the satellite internet sector with support from key partners like Google and Meta, aiming to capture a significant share of this market. In addition, Jio has collaborated with NVIDIA to develop its AI infrastructure, which will enhance its technological capabilities.

Jio's strategy is not limited to the Indian telecom market; it also aims to provide affordable and high-quality internet services on a global scale. The company has plans to launch multiple products and services to strengthen its presence internationally.

Mukesh Ambani's​

Mukesh Ambani's decision to launch Jio's IPO is not just about spearheading a digital revolution in India but also about establishing a significant footprint as a global technology leader. By investing and strategic partnerships, Jio aims to become a major player in the global telecom and technology landscape.​

MSN

 

[Krishna with Flute]

India will develop complete solar manufacturing ecosystem in 4-5 years: Avaada Group​

India will develop complete solar manufacturing ecosystem in 4-5 years: Avaada Group
India will develop the complete ecosystem of solar equipment manufacturing in the next four to five years compared to other countries which have taken over 20 years says Vineet Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Avaada Group.

Mittal spoke exclusively with on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference at Abu Dhabi.


Indian companies are dependent on other countries for solar energy components, which are hindering the abilities of Indian solar companies, expressing optimism that the situation will change soon.

On the development of a complete manufacturing ecosystem of solar energy, Mittal said

"What other countries have done in the last 20 years, they have built the complete ecosystem of every component of supply chain, which India would take four to five years to develop," Mittal said.

Mittal added that his company, a green energy company headquartered in Mumbai with business interests in renewable energy generation using Solar energy, Wind energy, Pumped Hydro, and Green Fuels, aims to eliminate dependence on imported components, reducing costs and increasing competitiveness.

"We are setting up a campus where you insert a wafer at one end of the factory and the solar panel will be coming out on the other side of the factory," he said, positioning the model as a game-changer in India's renewable energy sector.



He further added that country like India should encourage e-methanol for the transport sector.

"We are already using grey methanol in the North East to run cars and it's the best solution for heavy transport, car transport, and green ammonia for fertilizers. So I think opportunity is humongous. The government should bring out the policy through mandates, through aggregating the demand, and by making it as a fuel of choice," Mittal said.

The founder of Avaada group highlighted the need for long-term government support through mandates and off-take contracts for future development in hydrogen energy sector.

Hydrogen energy is a reliable source of energy but there is a need to work on the cost structure front globally.

"The cost is still high because the whole ecosystem is not well developed. And unless we grow it like solar sector, in solar, when I did my first project, the tariff was closer to 30 US cents. Now we are doing it less than four US cents. So, basically, unless global government decides and brings several projects through long-term off-take contract, the sector would find it difficult to bring prices closer to grey ammonia and blue ammonia," he said.



To encourage green fuels, Mittal asked the government to establish a carbon market to accelerate the transition to green fuels, which is still very costly compared to traditional fuel sources.

A carbon market would provide incentives that are currently missing for businesses and individuals to shift toward cleaner fuel options.

"The biggest practical advice would be for governments to introduce carbon market, in absence of carbon market, there is no incentive for the user community to go for the green fuel," he said.

Mittal said that Avaada Group is advancing India's renewable energy goals through significant investments in solar and wind power. The company has an ambitious plan to contribute to India's 2030 target of 500 gigawatts of renewable energy.

"Currently, Avaada Group is focusing on building 30 gigawatt projects of solar and wind across India," he said, noting that the portfolio includes 5 gigawatt-hours of battery storage and 10 gigawatt-hours of long-duration pumped hydro storage.

With government policies now encouraging the addition of storage systems to existing renewable energy farms, companies can store energy for use during peak hours, effectively stabilizing the market.
For more news like this visit The Economic Times.

MSN

 

[Krishna with Flute]

India need to speed up Solar energy production and Production of aircrafts domestically.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Vardhaan Lithium To Establish India’s First Lithium Refinery In Nagpur​

Story by JE News Desk
• 19h • 2 min read

Vardhaan Lithium To Establish India’s First Lithium Refinery In Nagpur
India is set to achieve a significant milestone in its energy and industrial sectors with the establishment of its first lithium refinery and battery manufacturing facility in Additional Butibori, Nagpur, Maharashtra. Backed by an investment of Rs 42,532 crore, this project by Vardhaan Lithium (I) Pvt. Ltd. aims to reduce the nation’s dependence on lithium imports and solidify its position in the global clean energy market.

The 500-acre facility, led by Chairman Sunil Joshi and Managing Director Vedansh Joshi, will have the capacity to refine 60,000 tonnes of lithium annually and produce 20 GWh of batteries. It will cater to India’s growing demand for lithium-based products, supporting sectors such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and industrial manufacturing.

Advancing ‘Make in India’ Vision

Aligned with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, this state-of-the-art factory underscores India’s commitment to achieving self-reliance in critical resources. By leveraging advanced technologies from the USA and Europe, Vardhaan Lithium aims to meet global quality standards while enhancing India’s clean energy capabilities.

Leadership and Collaboration

The project has received strong support from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, whose proactive leadership facilitated the agreement signing at the WEF 2025 in Davos. This initiative positions Maharashtra as a hub for industrial innovation and energy transformation.

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Transforming India’s Energy Landscape

The refinery’s establishment comes at a time of surging global demand for lithium-ion batteries, driven by electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions. It is expected to create thousands of jobs, boost the local economy, and attract ancillary industries, fostering a sustainable clean energy ecosystem in Maharashtra. The Vardhaan Lithium project is poised to redefine India’s energy future, strengthening its journey toward self-reliance and global leadership in clean energy innovation.

 

[Saif]

India budget opts for economic sugar rush over reform

India’s annual budget announcement was a bigger deal than usual this year: As the first full budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term, it will set the tone for how the world’s fifth-largest economy confronts slowing growth and sagging markets.

www.thedailystar.net

India budget opts for economic sugar rush over reform

Visitors look at the chrysanthemum flowers during the All India Horticulture, Agriculture, and Nursery Expo in Hyderabad on January 31. The government has forecast India’s GDP growth will slip to a four-year low of 6.4 percent in the current financial year to March 31. photo: AFP

India's annual budget announcement was a bigger deal than usual this year: As the first full budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term, it will set the tone for how the world's fifth-largest economy confronts slowing growth and sagging markets.

But the year's top economic policy event opted mainly for short-term economic relief through middle-class tax cuts, while passing up a chance to go big on reforms needed to reignite rapid growth - once the envy of the world at more than 8 percent.

The budget also scaled back the government's emphasis on capital spending and infrastructure, another key driver for India's growth ambitions since the pandemic.

Without a strategy to regain high growth rates and assure jobs for India's young population, the budget disappointed analysts and markets, alarmed in recent months by weak earnings growth and an exodus of foreign investors.

"India is aspiring for 8 percent growth but we don't have a path to 8 percent - a growth strategy is not there," said Madhavi Arora, chief economist at Emkay Global Financial Services.

The government has forecast India's GDP growth will slip to a four-year low of 6.4 percent in the current financial year to March 31 and stay close to that level next year as well, compared with 8.2 percent in 2023-24.

While the latest tax cuts may help urban consumers, who took some steam out of the economy as weak wage growth and high living costs curtailed their spending habits, economists see deeper problems that need to be addressed.

"Eight percent will require far deeper interventions in agricultural markets, human capital and ease of doing business," said Dhiraj Nim, an economist at ANZ Research.

Modi, who returned to power in July of last year with a weaker-than-expected mandate, has turned to appeasing politically important constituencies in the months since the election, analysts said. His party has reversed agricultural trade policies to favour farmers, offered cash handouts to women and, now, cut taxes for the middle class.

Analysts noted that this is not the first time, however, that Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party failed to push economic reforms, which also got brushed aside in his previous two terms when the party had won more decisively and had greater political capital.

"In 2019, the BJP got more than 300 seats and had a window (for reforms)," said Amit Ranjan, research fellow at Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore. "But the government gave in to the needs of electoral politics as the government knows reforms do not immediately benefit the large section of voters."

In 2015, Modi let lapse an executive order making it easier for businesses to buy land, after failing to win support from opposition parties in the parliament. And in 2020, both houses of parliament approved new labour codes, but they have yet to be implemented across all states.

Plans for large-scale privatisations of state-owned enterprises, aiming to reinvigorate them by reducing government involvement, have also faltered, with the government now opting to put fresh funds into ailing state firms.

The case for reforms, however, has not come just from analysts and economists, but from government leaders as well.

On Friday, India's chief economic adviser, V. Anantha Nageswaran, made a pitch for rapidly easing rules covering land, labour and factories, among other areas, arguing that government should "get out of the way" as one way to push up growth.

"Business as usual carries a high risk of economic growth stagnation, if not economic stagnation," Nageswaran said in a report presented a day ahead of the budget.

The tax cuts' 1 trillion rupee ($11.56 billion) price tag also reduced the government's leeway to further ramp up spending on infrastructure.

The budget includes 11.2 trillion rupees for capital expenditure in 2025-26, close to the level of spending planned for the current year, although actual outlays fell short of that due to delays linked to national and state elections.

"We think that capital expenditure and infrastructure development will provide a longer-term, longer-lasting boost to growth than things like tax measures," said Christian de Guzman, senior vice president and lead sovereign analyst for India at Moody's Ratings.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has raised capital expenditure sharply in the hope of fashioning an investment-led recovery but the strategy is yet to pay off, with job creation and wage growth remaining weak.

The slower increase in capital spending knocked the share prices of capital goods firms lower on Saturday, while the broader market ended marginally weaker.

"At the margin, there is a tilt towards supporting consumption through tax cuts for middle class households, relative to the public capex push seen over the last four years," said Sonal Varma, Nomura chief economist, India and Asia ex-Japan.

"This shift takes into account the difficulty in executing public capex projects due to budget and institutional capacity constraints," she said.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

India budget opts for economic sugar rush over reform

India’s annual budget announcement was a bigger deal than usual this year: As the first full budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term, it will set the tone for how the world’s fifth-largest economy confronts slowing growth and sagging markets.

www.thedailystar.net

India budget opts for economic sugar rush over reform

View attachment 13974
Visitors look at the chrysanthemum flowers during the All India Horticulture, Agriculture, and Nursery Expo in Hyderabad on January 31. The government has forecast India’s GDP growth will slip to a four-year low of 6.4 percent in the current financial year to March 31. photo: AFP

India's annual budget announcement was a bigger deal than usual this year: As the first full budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term, it will set the tone for how the world's fifth-largest economy confronts slowing growth and sagging markets.

But the year's top economic policy event opted mainly for short-term economic relief through middle-class tax cuts, while passing up a chance to go big on reforms needed to reignite rapid growth - once the envy of the world at more than 8 percent.

The budget also scaled back the government's emphasis on capital spending and infrastructure, another key driver for India's growth ambitions since the pandemic.

Without a strategy to regain high growth rates and assure jobs for India's young population, the budget disappointed analysts and markets, alarmed in recent months by weak earnings growth and an exodus of foreign investors.

"India is aspiring for 8 percent growth but we don't have a path to 8 percent - a growth strategy is not there," said Madhavi Arora, chief economist at Emkay Global Financial Services.

The government has forecast India's GDP growth will slip to a four-year low of 6.4 percent in the current financial year to March 31 and stay close to that level next year as well, compared with 8.2 percent in 2023-24.

While the latest tax cuts may help urban consumers, who took some steam out of the economy as weak wage growth and high living costs curtailed their spending habits, economists see deeper problems that need to be addressed.

"Eight percent will require far deeper interventions in agricultural markets, human capital and ease of doing business," said Dhiraj Nim, an economist at ANZ Research.

Modi, who returned to power in July of last year with a weaker-than-expected mandate, has turned to appeasing politically important constituencies in the months since the election, analysts said. His party has reversed agricultural trade policies to favour farmers, offered cash handouts to women and, now, cut taxes for the middle class.

Analysts noted that this is not the first time, however, that Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party failed to push economic reforms, which also got brushed aside in his previous two terms when the party had won more decisively and had greater political capital.

"In 2019, the BJP got more than 300 seats and had a window (for reforms)," said Amit Ranjan, research fellow at Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore. "But the government gave in to the needs of electoral politics as the government knows reforms do not immediately benefit the large section of voters."

In 2015, Modi let lapse an executive order making it easier for businesses to buy land, after failing to win support from opposition parties in the parliament. And in 2020, both houses of parliament approved new labour codes, but they have yet to be implemented across all states.

Plans for large-scale privatisations of state-owned enterprises, aiming to reinvigorate them by reducing government involvement, have also faltered, with the government now opting to put fresh funds into ailing state firms.

The case for reforms, however, has not come just from analysts and economists, but from government leaders as well.

On Friday, India's chief economic adviser, V. Anantha Nageswaran, made a pitch for rapidly easing rules covering land, labour and factories, among other areas, arguing that government should "get out of the way" as one way to push up growth.

"Business as usual carries a high risk of economic growth stagnation, if not economic stagnation," Nageswaran said in a report presented a day ahead of the budget.

The tax cuts' 1 trillion rupee ($11.56 billion) price tag also reduced the government's leeway to further ramp up spending on infrastructure.

The budget includes 11.2 trillion rupees for capital expenditure in 2025-26, close to the level of spending planned for the current year, although actual outlays fell short of that due to delays linked to national and state elections.

"We think that capital expenditure and infrastructure development will provide a longer-term, longer-lasting boost to growth than things like tax measures," said Christian de Guzman, senior vice president and lead sovereign analyst for India at Moody's Ratings.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has raised capital expenditure sharply in the hope of fashioning an investment-led recovery but the strategy is yet to pay off, with job creation and wage growth remaining weak.

The slower increase in capital spending knocked the share prices of capital goods firms lower on Saturday, while the broader market ended marginally weaker.

"At the margin, there is a tilt towards supporting consumption through tax cuts for middle class households, relative to the public capex push seen over the last four years," said Sonal Varma, Nomura chief economist, India and Asia ex-Japan.

"This shift takes into account the difficulty in executing public capex projects due to budget and institutional capacity constraints," she said.​

Reforms are almost over. Now it was the time to give some relief to middle class who happened to be most honest tax payers. For last many years, government's treasure is flooding with money and has got lot more income than budgeted. Even, toll tax generates huge amount of money. Government runs unparallel and unimaginable welfare schemes such as free ration, 40 million houses to poor, free gas connection over 90 million people, Mudra small finance loan to over 100 million people, free medical to 550 million people upto Rs. 10 lakh. 37 KM highways built every day, Railway is being built at a rapid pace. Air traffic is increase faster than anywhere in the world, record numbers of Planes are being purchased, record numbers of airports are being made. Insite of all of this, Government has excess money to spend. This time, benefit is passed on to middle class. The benefit extended surpassed all expectations putting a very good amount of excess money in the vallate of Middle class to spend and push economy further.

 

[Lulldapull]

Just saw the newj that UP state economy alone will surpass a trillion dollars or has surpassed it already.

The real estate valuation of Bombay alone is multiple times Pakistan's entire GDP worth.

It's fair to say our leadership and establishment in Pakistan have let us down.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Just saw the newj that UP state economy alone will surpass a trillion dollars or has surpassed it already.

The real estate valuation of Bombay alone is multiple times Pakistan's entire GDP worth.

It's fair to say our leadership and establishment in Pakistan have let us down.

A new phase of India's economic development has begun. Whatever investment comes are in multiple billions not in millions. Tata alone has ordered about 530 passenger planes so as Indigo. Ambani is building a city and going to invest around 5 lakh crore. Adani has big plans. Airbus is coming to India with all the products in its portfolio. A rapid infrastructure is taking place. Mittal is investigating 10000 crore in Gujarat. Everything big happening in India. Next 3 decades are going to be of massive economic activities.

 

[Bilal9]

Just saw the newj that UP state economy alone will surpass a trillion dollars or has surpassed it already.

The real estate valuation of Bombay alone is multiple times Pakistan's entire GDP worth.

It's fair to say our leadership and establishment in Pakistan have let us down.

This is all "aspirational statistics" put forward by their CM Aditynath and it is typical of BJP led states. Don't judge Pakistan's situation by what goes on in India.

What Mr. Aditynath fails to mention is that almost a quarter of UP population lives below poverty level (which is Indian standard of poverty).

So - that has to be tackled first. All is not champagne and roses.

https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-07/National-Multidimentional-Poverty-Index-2023-Final-17th-July.pdf

 

[Bilal9]

A new phase of India's economic development has begun. Whatever investment comes are in multiple billions not in millions. Tata alone has ordered about 530 passenger planes so as Indigo. Ambani is building a city and going to invest around 5 lakh crore. Adani has big plans. Airbus is coming to India with all the products in its portfolio. A rapid infrastructure is taking place. Mittal is investigating 10000 crore in Gujarat. Everything big happening in India. Next 3 decades are going to be of massive economic activities.

Don't want to rain on your parade but didn't the Tata-SIA JV airline (Vistara) fold up recently? They had 70 aircraft in their fleet.

Seems every industrialist in India (including that scumbag Adani) has 'big plans' which is typical. Those "big plans" are mostly "vote-getter plans" which often don't materialize.

With the size and corruption in India - all that "big" industrialists in India tend to do is commit massive acts of fraud and run away. Witness Sahara, Vijay Mallya et al.

Gareebon ka huq lootnewalla scum.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

This is all "aspirational statistics" put forward by their CM Aditynath and it is typical of BJP led states. Don't judge Pakistan's situation by what goes on in India.

What Mr. Aditynath fails to mention is that almost a quarter of UP population lives below poverty level (which is Indian standard of poverty).

So - that has to be tackled first. All is not champagne and roses.

https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-07/National-Multidimentional-Poverty-Index-2023-Final-17th-July.pdf

1 Tr is a target by 2030. UP is traditionally a not well off state so far as economy is concerned. However, now UP is developing at a very rapid pace under Yogi Adityanath's leadership.

 

[Bilal9]

A Dainik Jagran guide to Adityanath government’s propaganda​

(note: The Jagran group is a News conglomerate in India which favors and is a representative of Hindutva and BJP views)

The Jagran group is running a disingenuous PR campaign for UP government’s farm policies, and enriching itself in the process.

By:Ayush Tiwari& Basant Kumar


Shambhavi Thakur

For two weeks in January this year, four vans bearing the Dainik Jagran masthead drove across the length and breadth of Uttar Pradesh. They were, as India’s largest newspaper by circulation told us on January 7, meant to spread the word about the Adityanath government’s “pro-farmer, beneficial schemes and how farmers can avail them”.

On January 6, Jagran Josh, the Jagran group’s English news website, announced that a three-week campaign by Adityanath’s BJP government around its farm policies, called Kisan Kalyan Mission, would be “organised in every development block of all 75 districts” of Uttar Pradesh.

Dainik Jagran was going to promote this government campaign. However, the alliance extended beyond the vans. The paper’s Lucknow supplement carried at least one article on the campaign every day between January 6 and January 21. Cartoons in the daily mocked the ongoing farmer protests on the borders of Delhi and its editorials called for strict action against the protesters.

Simultaneously, a website section dedicated to the campaign ran 11 fawning articles hailing the state’s BJP government for its farm policies.

Staffers at Dainik Jagran told Newslaundry that these articles were passed on to them by the newspaper’s editorial department and published under a reporter’s byline after only a proofread. We found the claims made in these articles were dubious and picked directly from the speeches of BJP leaders without attribution.

Jagran executives, however, maintained that the paper’s promotion of the campaign was not a formal tie-up between the Adityanath government and the media house. However, data published by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, under the central government, reveals that the Jagran group – which publishes the dailies Dainik Jagran in Hindi, Mid-Day in English, and Inquilab in Urdu – earned over Rs 92 crore in revenue from print and digital advertisements by the Modi government between 2015 and 2019.

‘Dainik Jagran is with the government in this campaign’

Over a month into the farmer protests, including at Ghazipur on Delhi’s border with UP, the Adityanath government launched Kisan Kalyan Mission – or Farmer Welfare Mission – at Dadupur village in Lucknow’s Sarojini Nagar on January 6.

Inaugurated by chief minister Adityanath, the campaign, a press release by the state’s information directorate said, was meant “to bring prosperity in the lives of farmers" who would get “useful information about modern farming which will help increase their income”. It would cover 825 blocks in the state between January 6 and January 21.

The same day, Dainik Jagran flagged off four vans from its Lucknow bureau that would “roam across the state” with “progressive farmers sharing inspiring stories of their success” with other farmers. The logo of the government’s campaign was pasted all over the vans. A front-page ad in the newspaper that day called it an “awareness super campaign”, complete with a page-length photo of Adityanath. It declared: “Dainik Jagran appreciates these efforts of the state government taken in the interest of the farmers and is with them in this government campaign.”

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Jagran sent out four vans as part of Kisan Kalyan Mission. Photo courtesy Dainik Jagran
On January 9, the newspaper launched a special section on its website to promote the campaign at an event at Lucknow’s Lok Bhawan. Shishir Singh, director of the state’s information and public relations department, was the chief guest. Dainik Jagran UP editor Ashutosh Shukla and general manager JK Dwivedi were also in attendance.

“The dream of farm prosperity is being fulfilled by the Yogi government,” declared the special section’s “About Us” page. “Due to the historical and revolutionary steps taken in the last 3.5 years, the changes in the villages and fields have increased the income of farmers to double.”

It added that with the “expansion” and “modernisation” of sugar mills in the state, farmers were paid a “record sugarcane price”.

Jagran’s claims are bogus at best. In 2017, the government’s think tank, NITI Aayog, had calculated that doubling of farm incomes by 2022 would require an annual GDP growth rate of 10.4 percent, which hasn’t materialised since. In January 2020, IndiaSpend reported that agriculture experts remained skeptical of this promise, and it was likely farm incomes under the Modi government would remain stagnant.

Sugarcane production in UP faces serious problems. Earlier this month, Newslaundry spoke to protesting sugarcane farmers from western UP at Ghazipur. They claimed that the remunerative price for their crop hasn’t increased in two years and that local sugar mills haven’t paid them for their produce since March 2020, although the Adityanath government had promised the payment of dues within 14 days. Those who did receive payment got it without interest, in violation of the Sugarcane Control Order of 1966.

Here are select headlines from the 11 articles published on Jagran’s website.

• Farmers' living standards improve in Uttar Pradesh, increase in income, smile on faces
• Uttar Pradesh government records highest payment to paddy and wheat farmers
• Every farm in Uttar Pradesh gets plenty of water and abundant crops
• Farmers in UP are benefiting from extensive improvement in irrigation system
• The Yogi government worked for the prosperity and progress of farmers during the coronavirus pandemic

Recycling articles, no attribution

The reports published on Jagran’s website as part of Kisan Kalyan Mission resemble press releases by the Adityanath government. Not only do they regurgitate information and claims made in old news reports, they also contain unverified claims made by BJP leaders, including the chief minister, which are reproduced without attribution.

For instance, a Jagran report from January 8, headlined “UP sets new record by paying dues to sugarcane farmers, with highest sugar production”, states that under the Bahujan Samaj Party government between 2007 and 2012, as many as 19 sugar mills were shut. The succeeding Samajwadi Party government closed 10 mills between 2012 and 2017. As a result, the report adds, sugarcane farmers faced a “big crisis”, which Adityanath “started resolving on a priority basis as soon as he took the reins in 2017”.

These claims are picked entirely from a Zee News report from June 2020 quoting Adityanath himself. It reads: “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that 19 sugar mills were closed in Uttar Pradesh from 2007 to 2012 during the BSP government. He added that during the Samajwadi Party government, Akhilesh Yadav stopped operations at 10 mills. As a result, sugarcane farmers of the state were facing a big crisis. Chief Minister Yogi said that as soon as he took over the reins of Uttar Pradesh in 2017, he started resolving the problems of sugarcane farmers on a priority basis.”

The report published on January 8, titled “The Yogi government worked for the prosperity and progress of farmers during the coronavirus pandemic”, claims the state government provided special facilities to farmers during the pandemic lockdown. It adds that 119 sugar mills were operating during the lockdown, 11,180 lakh quintals of sugarcane was crushed, and 1,264 lakh quintals of sugar were produced.

We are not told how Jagran verified the efficacy or implementation of these measures, or where it got these figures. A Google search reveals these numbers were given by the state’s principal secretary for sugarcane and sugar industry in June 2020. The facilities quoted in the Jagran report were announced by UP’s agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi in April last year.

Similarly, an infographic on the website’s special section says the Adityanath government has paid more than Rs 29,000 crore to over 33 lakh wheat farmers for their produce. Again, no source is cited. An Amar Ujala report from December 2020 tells us this claim was made by a spokesperson of the UP government.

“These articles come from the editorial department of our paper,” a staffer at Dainik Jagran told Newslaundry. “Then the language is corrected and headlines are prepared, and they are published on the website.”

Another staffer at the daily confirmed this.

Jagran vs farmer protests

Jagran has been vocally opposed to the farmer protests since they arrived along Delhi’s borders in late November. A day after it launched the campaign, the newspaper carried a stinging editorial titled "The Attitude of Farmer Leaders".

"The way these leaders have opened the front against agricultural laws by resorting to lies, it seems that the situation [of agriculture] was better, but it is not true,” lectured the paper, which carries fake news often. “The work of solving the problems of farmers has been done through the new agricultural laws."

The paper advocated state action against these leaders. "Since the farmer leaders are not deterring from tricking the farmers,” it said, “the government should be ready to take strict action against them."

Another editorial on January 13 caricatured the protest as a setup by the Congress and the Left parties. "It is clear from the attitude of the farmer leaders that they want to fulfill their narrow interests rather than seek solutions to the problems of the farmers,” it opined. “With this, it is also clear that the Congress and the Left parties are using them to turn around their political fortunes.”

The volleys did not just come through print. The protests were mocked through cartoons drawn by one Madhav Joshi. One of them printed on January 12 shows a Sikh farmer sitting on a tractor carrying harvested crops. The caption reads: "Paji! Since you’re busy protesting, can I sell my produce outside the mandi? The prices are good!”

Another cartoon printed the next day played on the Hindi word hal, a homophone that means plough as well solution: “Farmers use a hal, but they do not want a hal.”

Is Jagran’s campaign a collaboration with the UP government?

Jagran’s special section on Kisan Kalyan Mission carries the logo of the Uttar Pradesh government beside its own. The campaign logo is plastered across the daily’s website and its vans. One would assume that this entails a paid collaboration between the government and the newspaper.

Newslaundry reached out to Ashutosh Shukla, the editor of Dainik Jagran in Uttar Pradesh, over phone and Whatsapp. Shukla disconnected the call and has not responded to a set of questions we sent him.

Navneet Sehgal, the additional chief secretary of UP’s information directorate, told us the government is not involved with the paper’s campaign. “If someone is running a campaign, then what is your problem?” Sehgal asked. "We advertise with everyone. If one of them wants to support us, we will stop them or ask them why they are doing so.”

Asked about the logo and the pro-government rhetoric of the Jagran campaign, Sehgal said the daily was doing “good work”. “If they do something wrong then do tell me. They are doing good work and we have no objection,” he said.

Sehgal asked us to send him our other questions, which we did. We will update this report if he responds.

Vikas Chandra, vice president of marketing at the Jagran Group, told Newslaundry that the campaign was designed by him. Like Sehgal, Chandra too denied any collaboration with the government.

"This campaign is being done to increase the enthusiasm of the farmers," Chandra told Newslaundry. “Whatever good work has been done by the government, we are spreading among people through news. It is not a crime to send good work to your readers. Jagran has been India's number one newspaper for a long time because of its readers. We get information from the Department of Agriculture in the UP government. We fact-check and convey it to our readers.”

When questioned about the blatant nature of this public relations exercise, the daily’s recycling of old news and non-attribution of claims to BJP leaders, Chandra’s reply did not change. "If we do something for free, then nobody should have any problem. We are not promoting the schemes of the government, but are passing on the work done in the interest of the farmers,” he said.

Rs 92 crore and counting

Government ad money to Dainik Jagran has more than doubled during Modi’s tenure. According to data provided by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, which manages the central government’s advertising strategy and expenditure, the daily received ad revenue worth Rs 85.7 crore between 2015 and 2019.

Between 2010 and 2013, when the Congress-led UPA was in power, Jagran received a total of Rs 33.2 crore in ads. This is dwarfed by the Rs 36.4 crore that it plucked from the Centre in 2017-18 alone.

The English daily, Mid-Day, got Rs 67 lakh in ads between 2010 and 2013. For the 2015-2018 period, this figure stands at Rs 2.3 crores. In December last year, a Caravan report on Inquilab reported that the Urdu daily received Rs 9.3 lakh in ads 2009-10, which increased to Rs 30.1 lakh in 2018-19.

If one includes the digital advertising figures released by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, the total ads for all three Jagran publications and their digital arms comes to a whopping Rs 92.2 crore.

A report from 2019 states that Dainik Jagran cornered over Rs 100 crore in government ad revenue between 2014-15 and 2018-19.

These numbers only reflect the central government’s ads expenditure. The Adityanth government, which advertises with the Jagran group separately, has not made its ad spend public. We filed a Right to Information enquiry with the UP government on January 13, 2021, but didn’t receive a reply as of February 19, 2021.

 

[Saif]

India, EU to finalise free trade deal by year-end

India will finalise a ‘mutually beneficial’ free trade deal with the European Union by the end of this year, prime minister Narendra Modi said Friday after meeting with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.

www.newagebd.net

India, EU to finalise free trade deal by year-end
Agence France-Presse . New Delhi 28 February, 2025, 23:29

India will finalise a ‘mutually beneficial’ free trade deal with the European Union by the end of this year, prime minister Narendra Modi said Friday after meeting with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.

‘We have asked our teams to work out a mutually beneficial bilateral free trade agreement by the end of this year,’ Modi said in New Delhi.

Von der Leyen, who is on a two-day visit to India with her college of commissioners, is seeking to hedge against souring relations with the United States and said they were ‘expecting a lot from our trade negotiators’.

Deeper access to India’s rapidly expanding market was at the top of the delegation’s agenda, and the EU chief looked visibly pleased after her meeting with Modi and his ministers.

The EU is already India’s largest trading partner, accounting for 124 billion euros ($130 billion) worth of trade in goods in 2023 — more than 12 per cent of total Indian trade, according to Brussels.

The Indian market offers many opportunities for sectors ranging from defence to agriculture, cars and clean energy. Yet, protected by high tariffs, it currently accounts for only 2.2 per cent of EU trade in goods.

‘We have tasked our teams to build on this momentum and finalise our FTA before the end of the year,’ von der Leyen said in a statement after the meeting.

Standing beside Modi, the EU chief added: ‘We told them they should surprise us’.

The bloc is pushing for a trade deal that lowers entry barriers for its cars, spirits, wines and other products.

India meanwhile hopes for higher EU investments in areas such as clean energy, urban infrastructure and water management.

New Delhi is also pushing for easier mobility for its skilled workforce and higher investments for ventures in India.

Von der Leyen’s visit, billed as the first of its kind to the world’s fifth-largest economy, comes days after US President Donald Trump announced a slew of tariffs against both friends and foes.

The EU also hopes to find common ground with India on their shared concerns over China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific, building resilient supply chains, and the governance of new technologies including artificial intelligence.

‘I can announce that we are exploring a future security and defence partnership with India in the mould of the partnerships we have with Japan and South Korea,’ von der Leyen said on Friday before meeting Modi.

‘This will help us step up our work to counter common threats, whether on cross-border terrorism, maritime security threats, cyber-attacks or the new phenomenon we see: attacks on our critical infrastructure.’

New Delhi hopes to gain from coordinated efforts towards building resilient supply chains by wooing businesses looking to move out of China with tax breaks, simplified investment laws, better infrastructure and access to its massive domestic market.

Creating enough jobs for millions of workers in the world’s most populous country is one of the biggest challenges for Modi’s government.

Von der Leyen and Modi were also expected to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine but the EU chief’s statement after the meeting did not directly mention the subject.

India has resisted Western pressure to distance itself from Moscow, its traditional supplier of military hardware, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Indian officials said that the two sides discussed expanding defence exchanges, naval exercises, and cooperating on Indian efforts to diversify and localise its military hardware manufacturing.

India and the EU ‘have a shared view on peace, security, stability and prosperity’ of the Asia-Pacific region, Modi said after the meeting.

This visit ‘is unprecedented... and we have taken many important decisions on trade, technology, innovation, green growth, security, skilling, and mobility — a blueprint (for future) has been prepared,’ he added.​

 

[Saif]

India’s economic growth picks up on rising govt, consumer spending

India’s economy expanded by 6.2 percent in October-December, picking up on increased government and consumer spending, official data showed on Friday, and the government said it expected a further acceleration in the current quarter.

www.thedailystar.net

India’s economic growth picks up on rising govt, consumer spending

Farmers selling vegetables wait for vendors at a wholesale market of agricultural products in Kolkata on February 28. A stronger rural economy bolstered the world’s fifth-largest economy in the final quarter of 2024. Photo: AFP

India's economy expanded by 6.2 percent in October-December, picking up on increased government and consumer spending, official data showed on Friday, and the government said it expected a further acceleration in the current quarter.

A stronger rural economy also bolstered the world's fifth-largest economy in the final quarter of 2024, but manufacturing growth remained subdued and the overall rise in GDP was well below peak quarterly growth rates seen in the three years after the pandemic.

"GDP figures show that India's economy remained fairly soft by its own standards at the end of last year. But with policy now decisively turning more supportive, economic growth should pick up further over the coming quarters," Capital Economics' Harry Chambers said.

India is still the world's fastest growing major economy, but it also faces uncertainties over its trade with the United States and the Trump administration's plans to impose reciprocal tariffs.

Growth in gross domestic product in October-December was slightly lower than the 6.3 percent expansion projected by analysts in a Reuters poll, and the central bank's estimate of 6.8 percent. The economy grew 5.6 percent in the previous quarter.

The gross value added (GVA), a measure of economic activity that is seen as a more stable measure of growth, grew 6.2 percent in October-December, compared to a revised 5.8 percent expansion in the previous quarter. For the full year, the government now pegs GDP growth at 6.5 percent, marginally higher than its initial estimate of 6.4 percent, but below the revised growth rate of 9.2 percent for 2023-24.

To meet the growth estimate of 6.5 percent for the full financial year, India needs to grow at 7.6 percent in the January-March period.

India's chief economic adviser, V Anantha Nageswaran, sees this as achievable. Resilient rural demand will support India's growth while urban consumption is recovering, Nageswaran said at a press conference.

Urban consumption has weakened due to weak job and income growth while retail inflation remained high through much of last year. Inflation eased to 4.3 percent in January and the central bank expects it to average 4.2 percent in the financial year starting April 1.

Government spending rose 8.3 percent in the last three months of 2024 from a modest 3.8 percent increase in the previous three months.

Private consumer spending jumped 6.9 percent year-on-year, up from 5.9 percent in the previous quarter, buoyed by improved rural demand due to moderating food prices and more spending on purchases for the festival season than a year earlier.

The October-December GDP growth is "marginally better than our expectations," said Gaura Sen Gupta, chief India economist at IDFC First Bank.

She attributed the pick-up to the agriculture sector and to a revival in rural demand.

Agricultural output rose 5.6 percent year-on-year from a revised 4.1 percent in the previous quarter, but growth in manufacturing, which contributes about 17 percent of the economy, remained subdued at 3.5 percent against a revised 2.1 percent in the previous quarter.

To boost the economy, India's central bank cut interest rates this month for the first time in nearly five years and left the door open for further rate cuts as inflation eases.

Personal income tax cuts announced in the annual budget on February 1 are also seen aiding consumption.

Economists see at least one more rate cut in April, when the monetary policy committee meets next, according to a Reuters poll.

"While this growth print brings some relief for the central bank, given continued global headwinds, we expect another rate cut in April 2025," said Sakshi Gupta, principal economist at HDFC Bank.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

India has emerged as world-class manufacturing hub for Hyundai: CEO Jose Munoz​

Story by India Today Auto Desk
• 23h•
2 min read

India has emerged as world-class manufacturing hub for Hyundai: CEO Jose Munoz
Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), which entered the Indian market in 1996 incorporating Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), believes that India has now emerged as a world-class automotive manufacturing and regional export hub for the carmaker.

HMIL presently offers models like the Grand i10 Nios, i20, Aura, Verna, Exter, Venue, Creta, Alcazar, Tucson, Creta Electric and Ioniq 5 EV. It is not only the second-largest carmaker in the domestic market in terms of volumes, but also the second-biggest car exporter from India.



The carmaker recorded its best-ever annual volumes in the domestic market at 6,05,433 units in 2024. It exported 1,58,686 units during the year. Commencing exports in 1999, HMIL has shipped over 37,00,000 cars to more than 150 countries across the globe.

The company has two manufacturing facilities in India, one in Sriperumbudur (Chennai) and the other in Talegaon (Pune). The Sriperumbudur plant has an annual production capacity of 8,24,000 units, while the Talegaon plant, acquired from General Motors last year, is being renovated to produce more than 2,00,000 units annually with operations scheduled to start in Q3 FY26.

During a recent town hall meeting at HMIL headquarters in Gurugram, HMC President and CEO Jose Munoz said: "HMIL is the second-largest passenger vehicle maker in India, an important and growing market. At the same time, India is the third-largest market in Hyundai's global operations."


Related video: “Very Unique…” DC Motors showcases unique range of vehicles at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 (ANI Video)

MSN

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Global investors, NRIs show interest in Gujarat's semiconductor hub Dholera SIR​

1d•
2 min read
In this article

VASCONEQ▼‎-3.74%‎

Global investors, NRIs show interest in Gujarat's semiconductor hub Dholera SIR
Global investors and NRIs mainly from the US,Singapore and the UK, have shown interest in Gujarat's Dholera Special Investment Region which is emerging as a semiconductor hub in the state, according to a developer. Recent months have seen a rise in investor visits and land inquiries, fueled by Dholera's vision to become India's semiconductor hub with four of the five semiconductor plants in India being built in Dholera, Aaiji Group Founder and Managing Director Lalit Parihar said.


Among fresh proposals, NextGen has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government at Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2025 for setting up a Rs 10,000-crore compound semiconductor fab and optoelectronics facility at Dholera.

A tripartite agreement was inked between Tata Electronics, Taiwanese firms PSMC and Himax Technologies for an upcoming semiconductor chip manufacturing facility of the Indian company at Dholera, he said.

Tata Electronics is setting up a Rs 91,000 crore semiconductor project at the Dholera SIR.

"There is now a growing influx of overseas investors, particularly NRIs from the US, UK, UAE-Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong," Parihar said.

The state government has allocated Rs 200 crore for an integrated residential township with facilities like a hospital, school, and fire station at Dholera SIR.

Major infrastructure projects such as the international cargo airport, Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway are set to commence operations in 2025 which would boost the infrastructure development in Dholera, the developer said.


Related video: India’s push for EV investment gains momentum (WION)

MSN

 

[Krishna with Flute]

India's Solar Revolution: PM Surya Ghar Achieves Milestone Of 10 Lakh Solar Installations​

The PM Surya Ghar, the world's largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, has crossed a historic milestone with 10 lakh homes now powered by solar energy. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, the scheme is transforming India's energy landscape. #CNBCTV18 #BusinessNewsLive #MarketNews #CNBCCNBC TV18 LIVE TV: to our Channel: Check Out Top CNBC TV18 Playlist Videos: Young Turks Reloaded with Shereen Bhan: World News: TV18 Classic Interviews: TV18 Digital: TV18 Weekend Special: TV18 Next-Gen: Show: TV18 Newsreels: Streets: can also connect with CNBC-TV18 News OnlineCatch the latest news: CNBC-TV18 round the clock: updated with all the market action in real time: can also stay updated with all the latest news on-the-go with CNBC-TV18 Minis: us on Facebook: us on Twitter: us on Instagram: us on: Linkedin: CNBC-TV18: See less
12

 

[Bilal9]

Global investors, NRIs show interest in Gujarat's semiconductor hub Dholera SIR​

1d•
2 min read
In this article

VASCONEQ▼‎-3.74%‎
View attachment 15322

Global investors, NRIs show interest in Gujarat's semiconductor hub Dholera SIR
Global investors and NRIs mainly from the US,Singapore and the UK, have shown interest in Gujarat's Dholera Special Investment Region which is emerging as a semiconductor hub in the state, according to a developer. Recent months have seen a rise in investor visits and land inquiries, fueled by Dholera's vision to become India's semiconductor hub with four of the five semiconductor plants in India being built in Dholera, Aaiji Group Founder and Managing Director Lalit Parihar said.


Among fresh proposals, NextGen has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government at Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2025 for setting up a Rs 10,000-crore compound semiconductor fab and optoelectronics facility at Dholera.

A tripartite agreement was inked between Tata Electronics, Taiwanese firms PSMC and Himax Technologies for an upcoming semiconductor chip manufacturing facility of the Indian company at Dholera, he said.

Tata Electronics is setting up a Rs 91,000 crore semiconductor project at the Dholera SIR.

"There is now a growing influx of overseas investors, particularly NRIs from the US, UK, UAE-Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong," Parihar said.

The state government has allocated Rs 200 crore for an integrated residential township with facilities like a hospital, school, and fire station at Dholera SIR.

Major infrastructure projects such as the international cargo airport, Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway are set to commence operations in 2025 which would boost the infrastructure development in Dholera, the developer said.


Related video: India’s push for EV investment gains momentum (WION)

MSN

Wiki says,

"Since 2011, the Government of Gujarat has been making plans to develop a smart city at Bhal area.

The economic viability of the project has been questioned by farmer organizations. Several investors who initially signed the Memorandum of Understanding to develop the project, have withdrawn and refused to invest.

Dholera - Wikipedia