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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russian President Vladimir Putin is engaging in a war of attrition in Ukraine.</li><li>Russia has more to gain by prolonging the war, regardless of who wins the US presidential election.</li></ul>Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have starkly different visions of how they'll seek to end one of the gravest security crises in recent decades: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zelenskyy-ukraine-north-korean-troops-preemptively-long-range-strike-restrictions-2024-11">the</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zelenskyy-ukraine-north-korean-troops-preemptively-long-range-strike-restrictions-2024-11"> Ukraine war.</a>Harris has pledged to continue the policy of President Joe Biden, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-soldiers-look-up-abrams-tanks-face-new-threats-ukraine-2024-8">arming Ukraine to defend itself </a>against Russia's two-year invasion.Trump, meanwhile, claims he can bring about a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-trump-could-handle-ukraine-war-if-reelected-scenarios-2024-10">rapid end to the conflict </a>through negotiations.Whoever is in charge in the White House come January, analysts believe Putin is likely wagering that he has more to gain by prolonging his war of attrition than ending it.<h2 id="3a744150-ba82-4dfb-b30b-8811820f42fe">Pressure mounts on Ukraine</h2>Russia has, in recent months, been ratcheting up pressure on Ukraine, bringing its larger troop numbers and artillery supplies to bear, and making incremental but important gains on the front lines."There are plans to call up more than 160,000 people," the secretary of Ukraine's National Security Council, Oleksandr Lytvynenko, told parliament last week.North Korea is also believed to have <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-appears-show-north-korean-soldiers-gearing-up-in-russia-2024-10">sent thousands of troops</a> to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, per officials from South Korea, Ukraine, and the US."The key advantage gained by Russia [in prolonging the war] is 'events'" Robert Dover, Professor of Intelligence and National Security at the University of Hull in the UK told Business Insider."Ukraine seems to be highly strained by the conflict, and this is - in part - a product of the numbers Russia is able to throw into the conflict," he said.<div type="image" title="Trump n Putin" height="820" width="1024" msid="114953184" hostid="261" sizebytes="31598"></div><h2 id="712a570c-ce6b-49c6-b90b-0c08b2faeb64">Trump's peace plans could embolden Russia</h2>The terms on which Trump would seek to broker peace in Ukraine are unclear, though he's criticized the aid Biden sent to Ukraine, suggesting it could be used as leverage.He has also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://newrepublic.com/post/185652/trump-sanctions-promise-adviser-charged-russia-media">questioned the effectiveness </a>of the administration's sanctions against Russia.His running mate, JD Vance<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-trump-could-handle-ukraine-war-if-reelected-scenarios-2024-10">, recently outlined a </a><a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/12/vance-trump-ukraine-russia-war-plan/">plan for ending the war in Ukraine</a> under a possible Trump administration, with the establishment of a "demilitarized zone" in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.Both candidates have also questioned US commitments to NATO, the security pact that has been the main bulwark against Russian aggression in Europe.However, in reducing aid to Ukraine and, in effect, handing over swaths of territory to Russia, the US would likely embolden Kremlin aggression, say critics."If Russia knows its territorial revisionism in Ukraine can be permissible by Washington, it is hard to see how Moscow will not see the same elsewhere (or even further in Ukraine, like it did after 2014)," Paul Cormarie, a policy analyst at the RAND Coproration, told BI."Peace in Ukraine in favor of Russia isn't peace, it's a truce."Undermining Western unity by criticizing NATO could have much the same effect.<div type="image" title="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden shake hands during a joint press conference at the Masseria San Domenico on the sidelines of the G7 Summit hosted by Italy." height="683" width="1024" msid="114953181" hostid="261" sizebytes="29734"></div><h2 id="43d5159f-1892-46df-b087-cadcd5c43edf">Harris pledges to continue backing Ukraine – but it likely won't be enough</h2>Harris, by contrast, has pledged to continue US support for Ukraine, which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.state.gov/u-s-security-cooperation-with-ukraine/#:~:text=To%20date%2C%20we%20have%20provided,invasion%20of%20Ukraine%20in%202014.">has cost $64.1 billion</a> in military assistance since the 2022 Russian invasion.US aid has played a key role in helping Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion and inflict vast losses on Russia's forces.But the Biden administration has long placed limits on how Ukraine can use the weapons. Ukraine also says US aid often arrives in a piecemeal way.It's part of a US effort to balance support for Ukraine with not provoking Russia and causing a bigger war.But it means that Putin likely believes he can continue to wage his war of attrition against Ukraine with Harris as president as she likely won't provide enough military aid to defeat his forces.It's a war Putin has staked Russia's economic future on, underlining the importance of victory for the Russian leader.One key tool Biden has used to punish Russia is sanctions designed to damage its economy by limiting its capacity to sell oil and gas internationally.However, Russia has managed to open new export markets in major economies including China and India, making the economic damage of the sanctions has been more limited than some experts projected.Economist <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-crisis-ukraine-war-moscow-inflation-sanctions-putin-spending-2024-10">Alexander Mertens recently wrote</a> that Russia would likely suffer economic damage regardless of whether it continues the war or not, meaning there's not a major incentive for Putin to stop now.<div type="image" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping enter the hall for Russian-Chinese talks on May 16, 2024 in Beijing, China." height="760" width="1024" msid="114953186" hostid="261" sizebytes="24578"></div><h2 id="41991dd2-f4c0-4eea-aac2-1fdc873df772">Putin plays the long game</h2>Putin's thinking about the global picture, too said Dover.China is observing the Ukraine conflict closely as it weighs whether to launch an invasion of US-ally Taiwan, say analysts, while the Middle East is engulfed in a conflict that could spiral into a much bigger war.Dover said a major conflict in either region could draw in US resources and energy and distract from Ukraine."A regional conflict in the Middle East will help Russia maintain a conflict in Ukraine, with lower risks," he said, cautioning though that the situation was a "fluid assessment conditioned by events."Overall, Putin's mission is to not just seize Ukraine but also work in tandem with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-china-brink-military-alliance-may-overwhelm-us-putin-xi-2023-12">other authoritarian leaders</a> to damage US global power."In the near-term, Russia and China have embraced a strategy of joint confrontation with the United States and its Allies in Europe and Asia respectively," analyst Jonathan Ward of the Hudson Institute told BI last year.Neither Harris nor Trump are likely to get Putin to change course in his pursuit of victory in Ukraine, and his bigger global ambition."He has taken personal responsibility for achieving that outcome and likely judges it as worth nearly any cost. Trying to coerce him into giving up is a fruitless exercise that just wastes lives and resources," wrote Peter Schroeder, former Principal Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://archive.is/Y92WB#selection-1479.348-1479.412">Foreign Relations in September.</a>The best course, writes Schroeder, is for the US to play Putin at his own game and outlast him in his war of attrition, waiting for him to die or leave office."Only then will there be a chance for a lasting peace in Ukraine," he said.

Putin is in no hurry to end the Ukraine war, no matter who wins the US election

Last week, the President of the United States, <keyword id="19919748" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="joe-biden" source="keywords">Joe Biden</keyword>, announced significant tariffs on a range of <keyword id="20139085" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinese-products" source="keywords">Chinese products</keyword> to protect American workers from unfair trade practices. The targetted measures include a 100% tariff on <keyword id="6354973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="Orion">electric vehicles</keyword>, a 50% tariff on semiconductors and solar cells, and a 25% tariffs on batteries, steel and aluminium products, some critical minerals, and essential health equipment like medical gloves, syringes and needles. In his address from the Rose Garden of the White House, Biden said America can continue to buy any kind of car they want, "but we're never going to allow China to unfairly control the market for these cars. Period." He claimed that the Chinese government has been investing state funds in various Chinese companies for years, spanning industries across the above-mentioned sectors. How does this brewing geopolitical <keyword id="20736760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trade-war" source="keywords">trade war</keyword> impact <keyword id="20742235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-firms" source="keywords">Indian firms</keyword>? Experts say the impact could be in two ways, benefitting some sectors, while harming the few others. Let’s start with the bad news. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Threat to Indian firms" comment="subhead" text="Threat to Indian firms">Threat to Indian firms</cmsannotation> Beijing offers significant subsidies on most of these products, leading to surplus production that exceeds domestic and even regular export demand. Subsequently, Chinese companies are known to flood the global markets with surplus products at unreasonably low prices, forcing local manufacturers out of business in many countries, including <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>. A prime example of this in practice can be found in the steel sector, where weak domestic demand is pushing the world’s largest steel producer China to offload surplus production into Indian markets at cheaper prices. Indian steel manufacturers are already struggling to compete with a glut of cheaper Chinese steel, with shipments nearly doubling year-on-year in the financial year ending March 2024. “India is already under grave threat of import because all major steel consuming economies are shutting their doors on these steel producing countries. We are highly vulnerable to surging and predatory import,” said Alok Sahay, secretary general of the Indian Steel Association, to Reuters. Global trade experts say that a majority of Chinese products are sold at unreasonably low prices in global markets because the companies in these sectors do not have to worry about profits. They are heavily subsidised by the Chinese government. <keyword id="20279291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Steel-Authority-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Steel Authority of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Steel Authority of India">Steel Authority of India</keyword>’s (SAIL) chairman Amarendu Prakash also said that they are keenly watching Chinese imports after the US tariff increases. Additionally, China has been accused of employing anti-competitive strategies like compelling foreign companies to transfer their technology in order to operate in China. These factors have led to the US effectively shutting its door on several Chinese products through heightened tariffs, and other developed markets like Canada are also likely to follow suit. White House also emphasised that it continues to consult with its partners and allies who are facing similar threats from China’s unfair trade practices and are keen on taking action. If more and more global markets restrict entry of Chinese products, the risk of the majority of such products being dumped in neighbouring India increases drastically. Trying to block Chinese excess production "is like squeezing a balloon. It shrinks in one place and pops out in another," William Reinsch, a trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, tells Reuters. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="An opportunity also arises" comment="subhead" text="An opportunity also arises">An opportunity also arises</cmsannotation> While some products risk being dumped into the Indian market, in a few other cases, Indian firms could benefit from fresh openings in the lucrative US market. "Of the products affected, India has opportunities in face masks, PPE, syringes &amp;needles, medical gloves, aluminium, iron, and steel. Opportunity may come in China also with retaliation, provided we have market access in products targeted by China," Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), told ANI. However, China is not likely to retaliate against the US tariffs at the moment, say experts, though the country’s Ministry of Commerce said it would take 'resolute measures to safeguard its own rights and interests' "China's economy is fragile. With household spending and the property market on the wane, manufacturing for export markets is one of its few bright spots. Beijing will not want to cut off its nose to spite its face. More broadly, China is desperately trying to encourage new foreign investment. Rash retaliatory action could spoil its case," Moody's Analytics explained in a recent report. Out of China's USD 420 billion exports to the US, only USD 18 billion is impacted due to the latest hike in tariffs — representing slightly over 4% and therefore considered marginal. But Sahai says that this market will continue to grow with time and provides an opportunity to India and other competitors to chip in the supply gap. Ajay Srivastava, the founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), also echoes Sahai’s opinions. He emphasised that the increased duties on Chinese face masks, syringes, needles, medical gloves, and natural graphite offer a substantial opportunity for India, as quoted by ANI. "By ramping up production and export of these in-demand products, India could enhance its trade footprint in the US market," he added. In terms of products like electric vehicles and semiconductors, India remains a net importer, and therefore, may not be in a position to capitalise right now. In the long term, however, as India begins semiconductor production at scale in 2025, there will be opportunities to export some of it to the US and other European countries, offering fresh impetus for domestic manufacturing. As the security risks associated with importing Chinese semiconductors prompts more and more trade barriers from the Western countries, demand for supply from India is likely to grow. Efforts are already underway for the establishment of four large semiconductor plants in India, with three located in Gujarat and one in Assam. Last fiscal year, Indian exports to the US dipped marginally by 1.32 per cent to $77.5 billion as against $78.54 billion in 2022-23. The new development now gives an unique opportunity to turn the tide over the next few years. Overall, some sectors like steel and aluminium do face a serious challenge due to the fresh US tariffs on Chinese products. However, the development will open new avenues for Western market entry and expansion for several other products. (With inputs from agencies)

US-China tariff war could benefit several sectors in India while harming a few others

<ul class="summary-list"><li>BRICS' Kazan Declaration on Wednesday contained 134 points — and only one discussed the Ukraine war.</li><li>That point was a call for all parties to abide by UN standards, despite Russia hosting this year.</li></ul>Over two dozen world leaders at this year's BRICS summit ended Wednesday's talks with the Kazan Declaration, a 134-point summary of their agreements.The war in Ukraine was only mentioned once in the 43-page document, and though Russian leader Vladimir Putin hosted the event, its wording is a far cry from the Kremlin's preferred rhetoric.That single paragraph contained none of Russia's usual talking points, instead urging all parties to act in accordance with United Nations standards — a more neutral statement often used by nations like China."We emphasize that all states should act consistently with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interrelation," the document reads. "We note with appreciation relevant proposals of mediation and good offices, aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-october-23-2024">The Institute for the Study of War</a> wrote on Wednesday that the language in the document shows that Russia, despite its leading position at the summit, still isn't able to shape the stances of friendly world leaders on its war."The Kazan Declaration notably only mentioned Russia's war in Ukraine once," the Washington-based think tank wrote.Russia has denied the sovereignty of Ukraine and said its invasion is justified as a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-said-invaded-ukraine-stop-nato-expanding-has-achieved-opposite-2022-5">counter to NATO's expansion</a> and due to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-tries-justifying-ukraine-war-denazification-zelensky-jewish-president-2022-2">debunked allegations that Ukraine is a Nazi-run state.</a>The declaration "demonstrated that Russia has not yet secured the international support nor created the alternative security structure that the Kremlin desires," ISW added.That's significant because Moscow has been trying to get its allies on board with its invasion while the West isolates the Russian economy in response. The US and Ukraine have repeatedly accused China, a founding BRICS member, of supplying Russia with weapons parts and economic support.Yet several founding members of the BRICS group, such as Brazil and India, still maintain strong economic ties with the US amid its support for Kyiv.The Kazan Declaration, meanwhile, condemned Israeli actions in the Middle East in five points, including criticism of a strike on the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/deadly-israeli-strike-syria-could-put-us-forces-crosshairs-iran-2024-4">Iranian consulate in Syria</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-attack-lebanon-hezbollah-past-invasion-2024-10">Tel Aviv's invasion of southern Lebanon</a>, and the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gaza-hamas-civilian-casualties-children-deaths-airstrikes-palestinian-2023-10">war in Gaza.</a>World leaders also spent two paragraphs discussing the South Sudanese Civil War.The summit also exposed the difficulties that Western sanctions have inflicted on life in Russia. Leaders met in Kazan, which is in the southwestern Republic of Tatarstan region.Business Insider's Huileng Tan wrote that organizers said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dedollarization-russia-brics-summit-foreign-attendees-cash-usd-euros-putin-2024-10">card transactions there</a> would be unavailable due to restrictions on Mastercard and Visa cards issued outside Russia.Attendees were instead asked to bring cash in US dollars or euros — the same currencies that Putin has been trying to get his allied countries to drop — to exchange for rubles at Russian banks.

BRICS' new declaration shows Russia's war still can't get the international backing that Moscow wants

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US X-37B and China's Shenlong are unmanned spacecraft that play secretive roles in space.</li><li>Space-based technology has long given the US military an edge.</li></ul>Just before the start of 2024, the United States and China <a target="_blank" href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/x-37-chinese-space-plane-launch/">launched</a> what may be their most secretive spacecraft into orbit to little fanfare.Commonly referred to as space planes, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/missions-experiments-for-space-force-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane-2020-5">American X-37B</a> and the Chinese Shenlong are unmanned spacecraft so secretive that their launches were marked with little more than vague general statements from their governments.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-launched-a-top-secret-military-spaceplane-into-orbit-2023-12">launches</a> are the seventh and third missions for the respective spacecraft, and although they are highly classified, observers have had limited success in tracking some of their movements.The missions demonstrate exceptional leaps in the development of space planes, and come at a time when both the Chinese and US militaries have ramped up their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-must-control-space-in-future-wars-top-marine-general-2023-12">space operations</a> — a new frontier that can determine the course of war.Space-based technology has long given the US military an edge. It can track the movements of enemy weapons with powerful <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manned-orbiting-laboratory-crewed-us-spy-satellite-never-sent-to-space-2024-1">spy lenses</a> and provide the navigation and communications systems ships, aircraft, and troops in the field depend upon.Enter the space plane. From one vantage, they could be robot keepers who keep these large networks fueled and functional, but from another, they could be orbiting spies and saboteurs.What's clear is that their missions are getting more complex, as is their centrality to the strategies of the two countries that fly them.<div type="image" title="The uncrewed X-37B, seen here after its 2019 landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, is believed to be about 30 feet long." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112761598" hostid="261" sizebytes="82008"></div><h2 id="3dc83e63-5cf2-42d5-8174-a6f3d2577c69">X-37B</h2>A space plane is a reusable spacefaring craft that can maneuver in space independently and also fly and glide within Earth's atmosphere. They are sent into space via a detachable <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-launch-secret-spy-satellites-space-force-government-2022-8">rocket booster</a>, and contain a cargo bay to deploy satellites and other objects for use and experimentation.After completing their mission, they independently return to Earth's atmosphere, land at a designated landing site on their own power, and prepare for their next mission. The most well-known space planes are the American <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/challenger-video-nasa-space-shuttle-program-2016-1">Space Shuttle</a> and the Soviet <a target="_blank" href="https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/soviet-buran-shuttle-one-flight-long-history">Buran</a>. But in contrast to the Space Shuttle, the X-37B is owned and operated by the military.The X-37B's origin begins in 1999, when the civilian space agency NASA awarded Boeing a contract to develop a small unmanned spacecraft capable of fitting inside the Space Shuttle. What they created was a small space plane measuring approximately 30 feet long and with a wingspan of 15 feet — roughly one-fourth the size of the now-retired Space Shuttle.It also contains a cargo bay measuring about 7 feet by 4 feet, which, in addition to housing satellites and other space cargo also holds a solar panel enabling the space plane to recharge. Boeing says the plane's avionics automate its descent from orbit and landing.In 2004, before a working prototype had even been built, the project was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/337-nasa-transfers-37-project-darpa.html">transferred</a> to the US Defense Department, specifically the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Glide tests on the first testing prototypes (known as the X-37A), <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/1226-rutan-white-knight-carries-37-space-plane-aloft.html">began in 2005</a>, with the first fully successful free glide occurring in 2006.That same year, the project was transferred from DARPA to the United States Air Force Space Command, which then built another model, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/details-about-air-force-space-plane-that-spent-2-years-in-space-2017-5">the X-37B</a>. Also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), two X-37Bs have been built.They have flown seven flights so far, with each being <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unmanned-craft-us-space-force-lands-2-5-years-orbit-2022-11">longer</a> than the previous one. Though most of the details of the flights and their results remain classified, some information has been released to the public.<div type="image" title="The X-37B launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 2017." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112761595" hostid="261" sizebytes="88120"></div>The first flight began on April 22, 2010, and saw the first X-37B remain in orbit for a total of 224 days. The second flight, which was the second X-37B's inaugural mission, began on March 5, 2011, and was extended well beyond its original 270-day limit to a total of 468 days. The third flight, beginning on December 11, 2012, marked the first time an X-37B had been reused, and lasted 674 days.The fourth flight began on May 20, 2015. Over the course of 717 days, the space plane tested new propulsion technology for satellites as well as the effects of radiation on certain objects.The X-37B's fifth flight on September 7, 2017 was launched atop Space X's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/falcon-9/">Falcon 9</a> rocket (all previous launches were with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/atlas-v">Atlas V</a> rocket). Over the course of 780 days — a little over two years — the space plane performed a number of activities and experiments, including the deployment of multiple <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/topics/cubesats">CubeSat</a> satellites, which NASA foresees as an orbiting sensory network that can solve complex tasks with a "powerful central spacecraft."The sixth flight began on May 17, 2020, and lasted <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unmanned-craft-us-space-force-lands-2-5-years-orbit-2022-11">908 days</a>. It was the first mission conducted under the command of the newly formed U.S. Space Force and may have been one of the busiest missions yet. It exposed select materials to space, tested the effects of space radiation on seeds, and deployed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usafa.edu/research/research-centers/space-systems-research-center/">FalconSat-8</a>, a satellite built by US. Air Force Academy cadets to conduct five experiments.The X-37B's most recent and current flight began on December 28, 2023. Its mission is classified, with the Space Force <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3583347/department-of-the-air-force-scheduled-to-launch-seventh-x-37b-mission/">stating</a> only that it will be "operating the reusable space plane in new orbital regimes, experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies, and investigating the radiation effects on materials provided by NASA."The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/space-force-guardian-nick-hague-spacex-rocket-iss-2024-2">Space Force</a> has not given the X-37B's flight path, but because it was launched atop SpaceX's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-spacex-falcon-heavy-launchpad-blasted-lightning-rocket-spaceflight-musk-2023-5">Falcon Heavy rocket</a>, there has been speculation that the space plane could be headed for a much higher orbit than previous missions, as the rocket is one of the most powerful in the world.<div type="image" title="A Long March-2F rocket blasted off in October carrying a manned spaceship from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Shenlong was launched on December 14 from the same center without images or fanfare." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112761594" hostid="261" sizebytes="201664"></div><h2 id="ef23e953-67f4-4399-8bc9-c452d0019685">Shenlong</h2>Named after the most important dragon god in Chinese mythology and first revealed in 2007, the Shenlong is thought to be a direct Chinese response to the X-37B.The program is surrounded in such extreme secrecy that there are no known images of the space plane in its current form. Images of what is believed to be a Shenlong test prototype <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/18410-china-space-plane-project-mystery.html">mounted under the fuselage of an H-6 strategic bomber</a> in 2007 indicate that the craft is likely to be similar in appearance to the X-37B.Though its specific capabilities remain classified, it is known that, like the X-37B, the Shenlong is unmanned, that it is deployed via a rocket, that it is capable of adjusting its position and maneuvering in space, and that it can carry and deploy satellites and other space objects.Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Shenlong is the speed of its development. Though the exact start date is unknown, academic models of a Chinese space plane were reported as far back as 2000.Years of modelling, wind tunnel testing, and prototype test fights via deployment from H-6 bombers followed, and in 2011, the Shenlong reportedly made its first suborbital flight.On September 4, 2020, the Shenlong made its <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinese-reusable-experimental-spacecraft-releases-object-before-returning-to-earth/">first orbital flight</a>, which lasted two days and saw it release an object into orbit before returning to China on its own power. A second orbital flight began on August 4, 2022, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-lands-secretive-space-plane-after-months-in-orbit-2023-5">lasted</a> nine months.<div type="image" title="The X-37B launched on its sixth flight in May 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station." height="1280" width="2000" msid="112761596" hostid="261" sizebytes="165564"></div>In addition to being considerably longer, the Shenlong's second flight was far more eventful. About two months into its flight, the space plane <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinas-spaceplane-conducted-proximity-and-capture-maneuvers-with-subsatellite-data-suggests/">deployed a subsatellite and then practiced recovering it</a> at least two (and possibly even three) times, a capability for so-called proximity operations that may allow it to snatch an enemy's satellite.The Shenlong embarked on its third and current flight on December 14, 2023, just seven months after its second mission. In May, the Shenlong <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinas-secretive-spaceplane-conducts-proximity-operations-with-small-spacecraft/">released an object from its cargo hold, and began proximity operations</a>, possibly even recapturing it.How much longer the Shenlong will remain in orbit, as well as its future plans more broadly, remain secrets that the Chinese government has shown little appetite for divulging. The government has only <a target="_blank" href="https://app.xinhuanet.com/news/article.html?articleId=b9141bb29a221c45ac2ad0d44dc87fc6">said</a> that the space plane will eventually land in China, and that "reusable technology verification and space science experiments will be carried out as planned to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space."The vague wording resembles previous statements, like those of its builder, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which has previously said that the Shenlong "will provide a more convenient and inexpensive way to access space for the peaceful use of space in the future."<div type="image" title="The satellite networks of the US and its allies could be targeted by enemy spaceplanes." height="1280" width="1920" msid="112761592" hostid="261" sizebytes="362914"></div><h2 id="2f25d6b5-fe78-4384-a750-e76f8663eacb">Satellite threat</h2>Given the immense secrecy of the crafts and what is known about their capabilities, it's easy to understand speculation that the two space planes could be orbiting weapons platforms.The very fact that the US Department of Defense is in charge of the X-37B instead of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/nasa">NASA</a> confirms that the US government believes that there is a military application for the space plane. Similarly, the fact that the Chinese government has been so silent on the Shenlong's activities despite its penchant for boasting about its other space accomplishments may be a tacit indication that there is more to the Shenlong than the 'peaceful use of space.'One of the most impactful possible uses of the space planes is as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-condemns-irresponsible-russian-anti-satellite-test-threatening-space-station-2021-11">anti-satellite assets</a>. Both have deployed satellites from their cargo bays, and the Shenlong's proximity operations may be training runs for attacks on hostile satellites in orbit.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-inspector-satellite-chasing-secret-us-military-satellite-cat-mouse-2023-4">Proximity operations</a> are murky. They could be dress rehearsals for disrupting or eavesdropping on an enemy's satellite, just as they could be drills for missions to refuel and repair one of the country's own satellites.Satellites are among the most important assets for any first-rate military, as they are essential for secure communications, navigation, and intelligence gathering via orbital imaging and communication intercepts. They are even sometimes used to guide smart munitions to hostile targets as well.Neutralizing an enemy's satellites would be one of the most important objectives in any potential conflict between the world's foremost military powers. <a target="_blank" href="https://swfound.org/media/9550/chinese_asat_fact_sheet_updated_2012.pdf">China</a>, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4198/1">US</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2019/04/indias-asat-test-an-incomplete-success?lang=en">India</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2021/11/the-dangerous-fallout-of-russias-anti-satellite-missile-test?lang=en">Russia</a> have each demonstrated a capability to destroy satellites in orbit with anti-satellite missiles, but each of those tests resulted in the creation of large debris fields in orbit that took sometimes took years to disappear. Such debris fields could also pose a very severe threat to friendly satellites as well. China's anti-satellite missile test in 2007 triggered a space debris cloud that was an <a target="_blank" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/hollywood-space-disaster-gravity-uses-kessler-syndrome-for-scares">inspiration</a> for the blockbuster film "Gravity."Having a way to neutralize or even capture satellites, then, could be a better alternative. Tapping into enemy satellites to eavesdrop or shut down their data streams and communications could also serve as a better alternative, and may also be possible with the assistance of space plane (similar to the tapping of underwater cables by submarines).With the militarization of space <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/there-path-counter-russias-space-weapons">seemingly fast becoming</a> reality and with China's space program demonstrating that it can <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinas-shijian-21-spacecraft-docked-with-and-towed-a-dead-satellite/">tow away satellites</a>, it is likely that space planes will only become more important in the years ahead.Benjamin Brimelow is a freelance journalist covering international military and defense issues. He holds a master's degree in Global Affairs with a concentration in international security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His work has appeared in Business Insider and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

America's X-37B vs. China's Shenlong: Top space planes and their shadowy role in orbital war

<ul><li>Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauri asserted that the <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) is ready for a two-front war. </li><li>Over the last couple of months, India has been facing off against China as well as Pakistan along its northern borders. </li><li>“The IAF is well-positioned to take on China across all theatres,” said the IAF chief.</li></ul>Amid rising tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Pakistan’s repeated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria asserts that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is ready for a two-front war. <div type="twitter" handle="ANI" handlename="ANI" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1497864299/ani_mic_logo_normal.jpg" favoritecount="281" retweetcount="56" status="#WATCH The emerging threat scenario in our neighbourhood &amp; beyond mandates need to have a robust capability to figh… https://t.co/UZqY1QppdU" createdat="1601882195000" id="1313015209791905792"></div> “The IAF is ready for any possible conflict, including a two-front war,” he said during a press briefing ahead of the National Air Force day 2020 on October 8. “The IAF is well positioned to take on China across all theatres,” Bhadauria added. According to him, the recent addition of the Rafale fighter jet into the Indian Armed Forces’ arsenal gives India an edge over its adversaries. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="78162853" title="India-China decide ‘early date’ needed for military talks on border issue — but stalemate continues" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> “We have operationalised the recently acquired Rafales, Chinooks and Apaches in record time,” said the IAF chief. He also highlighted that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) will remain the IAF’s ‘mainstay’ for at least the next decade or so. “Processes have been set of 6th generation technologies like directed energy, swarm drones, hypersonic weapons and others,” Bhadauri explained. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="77743778" title="Experts explain India’s 'military options' against China" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> According to him, the IAF’s position as a credible combat-ready force is critical towards ensuring victory in any future conflict. Last week, Bhadauri also indicated that India’s northern frontiers’ precarious situation is currently <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-at-no-war-no-peace-status-says-iaf-chief/articleshow/78380509.cms">‘uneasy,’ giving it a ‘no war, no peace’ status.</a> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/supreme-court-defers-loan-moratorium-case-hearing-to-october-13-gives-rbi-and-the-government-another-week-to-file-additional-affidavits/articleshow/78487586.cms">Supreme Court defers loan moratorium case hearing to October 13 — gives RBI and the government another week to file additional affidavits</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/tcs-shares-hit-record-high-board-to-mull-over-share-buyback-and-earnings-on-october-7/articleshow/78486980.cms">TCS rallies nearly 5%, shares hit fresh high — board to mull over share buyback and earnings on October 7</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/indusind-icici-rbl-axis-hdfc-kotak-mahindra-bank-share-price-and-other-stocks-surge-on-loan-moratorium-case/articleshow/78486360.cms">Relief rally in bank stocks continues as Supreme Court defers loan moratorium hearing to October 13</a>

The Indian Air Force is ready for a two-front war, says Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria

Remember the pictures of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin locked in a good-natured embrace that had surfaced on the internet not long ago? While they might not be indicative of the leaders’ alignment in their politics, it is certainly representative of the close ties between India and Russia on multiple strategic aspects, including their respective space programs. The two nations have been mostly pally with each other since India’s post-independence — despite tensions between the US and USSR. And what is perhaps the best example of this friendship would be how the Soviet Union has contributed to the establishment and growth of India's space program. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111577453" title="Modi&amp;#39;s Russia visit shows India isn&amp;#39;t worried about making the US mad" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>India's space program, conceived in the 1960s under the visionary leadership of Dr <keyword id="20550009" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-sarabhai" source="keywords">Vikram Sarabhai</keyword>, was primarily focused on utilising space technology for national development. Unlike the space programs of the United States or the Soviet Union, which were heavily influenced by military competition and the Cold War, India's space endeavours were rooted in civilian and developmental objectives. Recognising the potential of space technology, India sought international cooperation, and the Soviet Union emerged as a crucial partner. As India celebrates its first <keyword id="18542869" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-space-day" source="Orion">National Space Day</keyword>, we would be remiss to not acknowledge all that Russia has done for our nation in terms of space exploration. And here are seven examples of the USSR's involvement during <keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ISRO" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ISRO">ISRO</keyword>'s early years, with multiple instances of assistance. <h2>1. Aryabhata satellite (1975) </h2>The USSR was instrumental in the launch of India's first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975. While the satellite was designed and developed by Indian scientists, it was launched using a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket from the Kapustin Yar launch site in Russia. This marked India's first step into space and would not have been possible without Soviet support. <h2>2. Training of ISRO scientists</h2>Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, many Indian space scientists received training in Soviet institutions. This included training in areas like satellite communications, telemetry, and space mission operations. The transfer of technical knowledge was crucial for ISRO as it developed its own capacity to build and operate satellites independently. <h2>3. Bhaskara-I and Bhaskara-II satellites (1979 and 1981)</h2>The USSR launched two Indian Earth observation satellites, Bhaskara-I and Bhaskara-II, which were crucial for remote sensing applications in areas like meteorology, oceanography, and hydrology. Both satellites were launched aboard Soviet rockets, contributing to India's development of satellite-based Earth observation capabilities. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="109511778" title="US satellites could face threat from Russia and China&amp;#39;s &amp;#39;unfriendly&amp;#39; space behavior, warn defense analysts" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>4. Launch of apple satellite (1981)</h2>The Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE) satellite, India's first experimental communication satellite, was launched in 1981 with Soviet assistance. While the satellite was launched aboard a European Ariane rocket, the Soviet Union provided crucial technical support during its development and also supported telemetry during its early operations. <h2>5. Tracking and telemetry support</h2>The USSR provided technical and infrastructural support to India by helping set up tracking and telemetry stations in India. These facilities were essential for controlling and receiving data from Indian satellites. Soviet technical assistance helped India develop its ground infrastructure for space missions. <h2>6. Interkosmos program (1984) </h2>Under the Soviet Union's Interkosmos program, India participated in a manned spaceflight mission. Rakesh Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot, was sent into space aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft, making him the first Indian to travel to space. This was a landmark event for India's space program, showcasing the close collaboration between ISRO and the Soviet space agency. <h2>7. Support for PSLV development</h2>In the early 1990s, during the development of ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Soviet Union provided guidance and support, particularly in rocket propulsion technology. This collaboration helped ISRO overcome technical hurdles and achieve greater self-reliance in launching satellites. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of an era in Indo-Soviet space collaboration. However, the legacy of the USSR's contributions to ISRO continues to influence India's space program. Russia, as the successor state of the Soviet Union, maintained friendly ties with India, and space collaboration continued, albeit with a different focus and scale. India’s manned space mission project, Gaganyaan, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space, involves training astronauts in Russia, demonstrating the lasting legacy of <keyword id="22892657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indo-Soviet-space-cooperation" source="keywords">Indo-Soviet space cooperation</keyword>. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112569406" title="ISRO targets first Gaganyaan mission launch by December: Chairman" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

7 times Russia aided India's space program — in chronological order

<ul class="summary-list"><li>South Korea experienced a five-fold surge in Russian asylum seekers in 2023.</li><li>The majority of Russian applicants cite conscription avoidance of the war with Ukraine.</li></ul>South Korea is experiencing a dramatic surge in asylum seekers from Russia, per a recent government report <a target="_blank" href="https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240212050135">cited in the Korea Herald.</a>In 2023, over 5,000 Russian nationals submitted refugee applications, a five-fold increase from the previous year's total of 1,038.This surge nearly matches the total number of Russian asylum seekers recorded over 26 years, from 1994 to 2019.Russian asylum seekers are fleeing Russia amid the war against Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russians-fleeing-putin-ukraine-mobilization-face-traffic-expensive-flights-prison-2022-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">of 300,000 individuals</a> in September 2022 pushed many Russian men to avoid conscription by seeking refuge abroad.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/08/23/russians-have-emigrated-in-huge-numbers-since-the-war-in-ukraine">Up to one million Russians</a> had left the country, an Economist report stated in August 2023.In February 2023, Politico reported that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.eu/article/two-russians-to-apply-for-asylum-in-south-korea-after-fleeing-conscription-ukraine-war/#:~:text=Defense-,Two%20Russians%20to%20apply%20for%20asylum%20in%20South%20Korea%20after,near%20Seoul%20since%20last%20October.&amp;text=Two%20Russians%20who%20fled%20their,a%20local%20court%20announced%20Tuesday.">two Russian citizens who had fled to evade conscription</a> had been stranded at Incheon International Airport near Seoul since October. The men were granted the opportunity to enter Korea, but the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/deux-russes-autorises-a-demander-le-statut-de-refugie-en-coree-du-sud-20230214">asylum-seeking process itself could take years</a>, AFP reported at the time.<div type="image" title="View over busy Gangnam district at dusk. Seoul. South Korea." height="683" width="1024" msid="107989504" hostid="261" sizebytes="170182"></div>The influx of asylum seekers isn't limited to Russians alone. Last year, South Korea reported 18,838 refugee applications, marking a 63% increase from the previous year. Nationals from Kazakhstan (2,094), China (1,282), Malaysia (1,205), and India (1,189) also contributed to the surge.<a target="_blank" href="http://koreabizwire.com/record-surge-in-russian-asylum-seekers-in-south-korea-amid-ukraine-conflict/272646">Russian applicants accounted for 30.5%</a> of the total appeals, Korea Bizwire reported.The majority of asylum applications cited "political opinions" as the primary reason for seeking asylum, with 4,580 applicants objecting to conscription, 2,665 concerned about religious issues, 1,205 worried about their membership in specific social groups, 887 seeking to reunite with their families, and 719 citing racial factors. Despite the surge in asylum applications, South Korea's approval rate for refugee status remains low despite the rise in applications. Out of 5,950 cases evaluated last year, only 1.7% (101 applicants) were granted refugee status. The Organization for Economic Cooperation's average approval rate is 24.8%, making South Korea a particularly limiting country regarding asylum applications, per the Korea Herald.

Russians are fleeing to South Korea to escape the war with Ukraine

Chennai (<keyword id="19896558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="keywords">Tamil Nadu</keyword>) [India], March 28 (ANI): Despite the 'Rising Sun' and 'Two leaves', this general election to the Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha revolves around many symbols as some heavy weights are contesting on an independent symbol. Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O Pannerselvam, will contest independently, on an independent symbol from Ramanathapuram constituency. MDMK Headquarters Secretary Durai Vaiko will face the election on an independent symbol from Trichy Constituency. Likewise, <keyword id="21108992" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="naam-thamizlar-katchi" source="keywords">Naam Thamizlar Katchi</keyword> (NTK), which failed took get the Sugarcane farmer as its symbol, is now contesting with the <keyword id="20862692" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microphone" source="keywords">Microphone</keyword> symbol in all constituencies of Tamil Nadu. <keyword id="21109299" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="naam-thamilar-party" source="keywords">Naam Thamilar Party</keyword> coordinator Seeman says that the Microphone symbol gives them hope. The NTK is contesting outside the principal alliances in the state. "Even though we didn't get our sugarcane famer symbol, we are contesting with hope in the 'Mic' symbol. Many revolutionaries used this equipment to put forth their slogans," NTK leader Seeman said. TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK will contest the elections using the <keyword id="20401835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pressure-cooker" source="keywords">Pressure Cooker</keyword> symbol. The 'Pressure cooker' is the lucky symbol on which he had won the RK Nagar by-poll after the death of former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalitha amidst political drama in Tamil Nadu after former CM Jayalalitha's demise. For the candidates it is a question of proving their worth on an unrecognised symbol. O Pannerselvam who was ousted from the AIADMK is out to prove that he still has the support of AIADMK cadres as he seeks victory in Ramanathapuram constituency. "Symbol is a way of identifying with voters, with their ideology. With regard to DMK we have Rising Sun, it symbolise sun will drive away the darkness of ignorance darkness of oppression. Every political party will ask for symbol which signifies their ideology signifies the DNA of the party so that why symbols are important," says DMK spokesperson Sarvanan. Meanwhile, DMK ally Vaiko's MDMK is looking to bolster its vote share to ensure it gets a recognized symbol for the next elections. The ECI refused to allocate the 'Top' symbol to MDMK, saying the party is contesting only in one constituency. The MDMK was under pressure from alliance big-brother DMK to contest on the DMK Rising Sun symbol but Vaiko's party felt it would be better to strike out on an independent symbol. Vaiko's son Durai Vaiko had broken down in a public rally saying, "We are facing indirect pressure to contest the DMK symbol, but that would affect our party's image. Whatever it takes, he would contest their party's independent symbol." In Tamil Nadu's political history, the symbol for the election is a prestigious issue. When former CM and MDMK founder MG Ramachandran passed away, the AIADMK split. One faction was led by MGR's wife Janaki and the other by Jayalalitha. At that time, AIADMK two leaves symbol was frozen and Jayalalitha contest on an independent symbol of 'Two Pigeons' while Janaki's faction was given the Seval (Rooster) as its symbol. For the voter a multitude of symbols could be confusing, so it is really up to the individual leaders to woo their cadres to ensure that their symbol prevails. (ANI)

Microphone to Pressure Cooker - small Tamil parties wage war of symbols

<ul><li>47-year-old Geeta Patil runs a homemade snacks business in Mumbai in partnership with her son, Vinit, and his friend, Darshil Savla. </li><li><keyword id="15957848" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="patil-kaki" source="Orion">Patil Kaki</keyword> received offers from four of the five sharks on <keyword id="11924074" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="Orion">Shark Tank India</keyword> S2 - <keyword id="246967" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vineeta-singh" source="Orion">Vineeta Singh</keyword>, <keyword id="824423" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="peyush-bansal" source="Orion">Peyush Bansal</keyword>, Anupam Mittal, and Aman Gupta. </li><li>Patil Kaki accepted the offer by Bansal and Mittal who invested ₹40 lakh for 4% equity. </li></ul>In its second season, Shark Tank India has seen all kinds of pitches but that of Patil Kaki, a homemade snacks business, sent four of the five judges into a bidding war. This six-year-old business that started in a 200 square feet kitchen in Mumbai is run by 47-year-old Geeta Patil with two 21-year-old partners – her son Vinit Patil, and his friend Darshil Savla. While Geeta Patil, who runs the eponymous business, has been making and selling snacks ever since her husband lost his job in 2016, it’s the younger partners who gave it a digital spin. Vineet Patil and Savla are college dropouts, who at one point, set up and ran a small IT services business. They set up <a href="https://patilkaki.com/">a website for Patil Kaki </a>helping scale up the business from 15-20 orders a day to around 3,000 orders monthly, as per <a href="https://www.thebetterindia.com/286270/mom-sells-authentic-maharashtrian-food-in-mumbai-pune-earns-crores/">reports</a>. Her chaklis, modaks, chivdas, puran poli, and even healthy snacks like makhanas which are now well-packaged well, branded, and available online – generated sales to the tune of ₹1 crore in the first five months of FY23 – as of August 2022 when the Shark Tank episodes were recorded. They hope to end the financial year with sales to the tune of ₹3 crore. “They are the emerging faces of New India. Even two years haven’t passed (since the young partners joined the business), they’ve helped you to make a business worth ₹3 crore,” commented shark and Shaadi.com’s founder Anupam Mittal after hearing their pitch on the show. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The bidding begins" comment="subhead2" text="The bidding begins">The bidding begins</cmsannotation> Patil Kaki’s products and business impressed the judges so much that the sharks were fighting for a piece of its pie. It culminated in a bidding war that saw the startup’s valuations more than double within a matter of minutes. Sugar Cosmetics CEO Vineeta Singh was the first to offer ₹40 lakh for 10% equity that valued Patil Kaki at ₹4 crore. Soon after, Aman Gupta, the co-founder of boAt, trumped it by doubling his offer — ₹40 lakh for 5% equity, valuing it at ₹8 crore. Lenskart’s co-founder Peyush Bansal and Shaadi.com’s founder Anupam Mittal then made an offer that Kaki couldn’t refuse — ₹40 lakh for 4% equity that valued it at ₹10 crore. Gupta too matched their offer and wanted to be a solo investor in the company but the Patil Kaki founders accepted the Bansal and Mittal’s joint offer. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Inspired by her ‘aai’" comment="subhead2" text="Inspired by her ‘aai’">Inspired by her ‘aai’</cmsannotation> Geeta Patil started selling homemade food after she was inspired by her own aai or mother who whipped up tiffins for 20 people every day, <a href="https://www.thebetterindia.com/286270/mom-sells-authentic-maharashtrian-food-in-mumbai-pune-earns-crores/">reports </a>The Better India. She had been making and selling food out of passion before 2016. But afterwards, she converted it into a proper business as she had to shoulder the responsibility of running the household. “I couldn’t afford to take it easy any longer. The first order came from a family in Khar. The best part is that even today, we get orders from them regularly,” shared Geeta with The Better India. Slowly, she started getting orders from offices too. However, it was the pandemic that pushed her to prepare and sell dry snacks too. “We started by serving breakfast at the BMC office. Impressed by our cooking, the employees got a letter from the ward office, allowing us to serve them at the office. However, when the lockdown started, the problems started again. That’s when I started with snacks like chakli, chivda, etc,” said Patil on the show. To cater to the growing business, the team took up a 1,200 sq ft space in Santacruz. Patil Kaki hired its first employee in 2019 and now has a team of <a href="https://patilkaki.com/about-us/">25 people</a>. It claims that 75% of its workforce consists of women who’re working for the first time. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Investors bite into snacks businesses" comment="subhead2" text="Investors bite into snacks businesses">Investors bite into snacks businesses</cmsannotation> Foodtech industry has been one of the fastest-growing businesses amongst startups. Even public market investors have taken a shine to two snacks companies that listed on the stock markets late last year. Both the companies – <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/bikaji-stocks-why-investors-continue-to-snack-on-this-stock/articleshow/95757704.cms">Bikaji Foods</a> and Annapurna Swadisht raised ₹881 crore and ₹30 crore respectively via public offers. They also received strong investor response for the offers in the form of subscriptions, and also provided listing gains to their investors. Uniquely both these snack companies are skewed heavily towards Indian snacks. Bikaji, that’s endorsed by Amitabh Bacchan, is known for its namkeens like Bhujiya, Jalmuri and sweets like Kaju Katli and more. Kolkata-based Annapurna Swadisht is known for sweets like Gohona Bori in addition to chivdas, chips, and more. SEE MORE: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/glass-free-3d-oled-laptop-to-portable-laser-tv-heres-a-look-at-all-futuristic-imaging-and-display-tech-at-ces-2023/articleshow/96789252.cms">Glass-free 3D OLED laptop to portable laser TV: Here’s a look at all futuristic imaging and display tech at CES 2023</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/shark-tank-india-gear-head-motor-rides-high-secures-funding-from-aman-gupta-and-peyush-bansal/articleshow/96785906.cms">Shark Tank India: Gear Head Motor rides high, secures funding from Aman Gupta and Peyush Bansal</a>

An aai and two college dropouts’ home snacks biz sends Shark Tank judges into a bidding war

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Russia to visit its president Vladimir Putin. </li><li>It's a visit that risks annoying India's ally the US. </li></ul>When India's prime minister arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, he greeted Russia's famously chilly president, Vladimir Putin, with an exuberant bear hug.It was a move likely <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">to rile the US, </a>India's most important geopolitical ally, which has placed pressure on New Delhi to loosen its ties with Russia over Putin's invasion of Ukraine.But Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fear of China — a key Russian ally — means that he's willing to risk American anger to keep Putin close."New Delhi sees Moscow as an important buffer in their relationship due to Moscow's strong ties with Beijing," Sarang Shidore, an analyst at the Quincy Institute, told Business Insider."It is not in Russia's interest to have China and India at loggerheads, so it could, to a degree, act as a restraining agent."<h2 id="0ad4840d-1eb0-4f3e-a27c-3953a5a682f0">India ignores US pressure to cut Russia ties</h2>During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was among India's most important allies, with the Kremlin providing military support during India's clashes with Pakistan.They've remained close ever since, but the relationship is being tested anew in the fallout from the Ukraine war.The US has attempted to persuade India to take part <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-biden-narendra-modi-india-82c9273cf3143cf16e9da23c3dd48170">in its campaign to isolate</a> Russia over the Ukraine invasion — but with little success."Russia is one of India's oldest strategic partners, and New Delhi wants to maintain this relationship regardless of Russia's diplomatic isolation following the war in Ukraine," Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at the Eurasia Group, told BI.India has increased its purchase of Russian goods, including oil and fertilizer, at reduced prices after the US imposed sanctions on Russia.It continues to buy Russian armaments, with around <a target="_blank" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/more-than-60-70-of-india-armed-forces-equipped-with-russian-origin-weapons-indian-envoy/articleshow/76903811.cms?from=mdr">70% of its weapons systems believed to be Russian</a>-made, and its military reliant on the Kremlin for spare parts and upgrades."Taking a hardline position against Russia could have both economic and security ramifications for India," said Richard Rossow, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.<h2 id="a68bd311-605c-44db-97ac-44c2056c27c0">China's threat to India increases</h2>The threat from Chinese leader Xi Jinping is another key factor in Modi's determination to ignore US pressure and retain good ties with Putin.China's regional might is growing, and it's menacing India, Asia's other major economic power.In 2020, a long-simmering border dispute resulted in deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops. China ha<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-produces-vast-undersea-maps-submarine-warfare-report-says-2024-1">s bolstered its presence in the Indian Ocean</a>, and the two are jostling for influence in countries in the region.China has built stronger ties with Russia in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, hoping a Russian victory<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-china-putin-russia-frenemies-limits-power-sphere-influence-2024-7"> will damage US power and enhance its own global</a> might. And it's this friendship Modi's seeking to drive a wedge between."There is a real chance of future conflicts, and India would prefer to avoid Russia exporting advanced military hardware to China," said Rossow.Some Indian analysts believe that China poses a greater threat to Russia than NATO in the long term and that India can exploit those differences."The Russia-China 'alliance' may be short-term in nature, and that historical conflicts between the two, such as over their long border and under-developed natural resources in Russia's east, will resurface and trigger renewed tensions," said Morrow.But for the time being, Russia's new "no limits"<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-china-no-limits-partnership-yuan-bank-loans-sanctions-2024-2"> partnership has got Modi worried</a>, and he'll likely be hoping for a swift end to the Ukraine war. By maintaining good relations with Putin he's hoping he can contain the fallout."The war does not at all benefit its interests. The war also opens the door to legitimizing violations of territorial integrity, and endangers a principle that New Delhi has backed strongly," said Shidore.

Fear of China is behind India's exuberant display of friendship with Vladimir Putin 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sarvesh Rajagopal moved back to India in 2024 after a decade in the Middle East and Europe.</li><li>He left due to career stagnation and Europe's economic challenges, including the war in Ukraine.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarvesh Rajagopal, who lived in the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, and Germany before moving back to India. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified his employment history.I joined McKinsey right after graduating from my masters in India.I spent the next three years with the company in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-us-from-india-big-tech-changed-me-2024-7">India</a>, then moved to the company's office in Dubai for two years, and then to Amsterdam. Getting a chance to live and work overseas was a dream.A little while after moving to Amsterdam, I decided that I had had enough consulting. The constant travel was also getting tiring. I left McKinsey and worked for the Dutch bank ING as a corporate strategist for over a year before moving to the logistics company Wayfair in 2019. I was one of the first employees in the Berlin office, tasked with building the company's international business, which I still think was the most challenging but fulfilling period of my career.<h2 id="893dd95a-7f9c-4453-bde6-beb32c14f608">Life in Europe</h2>Things were going well from a lifestyle point of view, too.I enjoyed being done with work by 5 or 6 p.m. and having the rest of the day to myself. Public transport was a big plus — I enjoyed never owning or needing a car to get around to meet colleagues or friends for dinner or a beer.One of the best parts of Europe was that if we had a long weekend, I could go to a nearby country by train in a couple of hours.One of the only drawbacks is that it's not the best place to earn and build wealth because of high taxes.<div type="image" title="Group photo of various colleagues at office event in Berlin" height="1200" width="1600" msid="113377534" hostid="261" sizebytes="247660"></div><h2 id="e8d45754-5383-4984-99de-02128eba0b9f">Slow growth in Europe</h2>The itch to return to India started around three years ago.I'd been watching India's growth since I left and felt like I had missed the boom by leaving in 2014. Many of my friends back home have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-tech-job-launch-startup-now-make-400000-2024-4">built startups</a> or venture capital careers. I wanted to be part of India's growth story.I also felt like there was no career growth for me in Europe. In India, I had a big network from India's top tech and management schools and because of my time at McKinsey.I also wanted to be close to family, especially since my parents are getting older.My inflection point was realizing in mid-2023 that my career had stagnated because I was at a senior level and was finding it difficult to grow. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainian-women-train-blue-collar-jobs-workforce-gap-war-electrician-2024-8">war in Ukraine</a> and other macroeconomic factors like inflation also affected my decision.I worked with a professional coach before making a firm decision. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/took-sabbatical-returned-work-better-employeee-2024-9">I traveled around Latin America</a>, and being in a new environment really sealed the deal for me.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-job-at-meta-bali-trip-moved-into-childhood-home-2024-8">I quit my job</a> and finally moved back to India in May.<h2 id="93bdcf9f-12d3-4eba-9b17-bc4210b5a753">Adjusting back</h2>After <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-and-uk-life-biggest-differences-after-moving-home-space-2024-7">a decade of living away</a>, there are things I'm having to get used to again.I'm still adapting to the pollution, the traffic, and the sheer number of people. The number of cars and two-wheelers on the road has exploded, which makes driving and parking a lot more stressful.But some things have also become much more convenient since I left 10 years ago.I remember having to call a restaurant if I ever wanted to eat in, but India now has food and grocery delivery services that promise to deliver any food or household items in under 10 minutes.It's a lot easier to find and afford domestic support, and I have a cook. For my friends with newborn children, live-in nannies are available. These feel like huge luxuries compared to Europe, where my immigrant friends struggled with childcare — their parents were happy to help but could only stay in Germany for 90 days at a time.I'm also able to afford an all-inclusive apartment complex, where I have easy access to a pool, a gym, and a supermarket.I'm volunteering as a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-vc-wants-see-5-traits-new-founders-fundraising-antler-2024-8">mentor for startups</a> at an incubator at my alma mater and have noticed a big mindset shift among people in their early 20s. When I graduated with my engineering degree, my classmates and I thought our only career options were to join a company, study abroad for a master's, or pursue an MBA at the Indian Institute of Management.But the students now are a lot more willing to take risks and dive into entrepreneurship.I'm currently on a career break. I want to familiarize myself with India again and then hope to build a venture of my own in the next few years.

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