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Earlier this week, former US President Donald Trump revealed that Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> is scheduled to meet with him next week. This potential gathering, set against the backdrop of Trump’s bid for a return to the White House, highlights how global leaders are positioning themselves in anticipation of possible changes in US leadership. “He happens to be coming to meet me next week, and Modi, he’s fantastic,” Trump said on Tuesday during a town hall event in Flint, Michigan, while discussing free trade and US job protection. He even went on to call India a “very big abuser” in trade, Al Jazeera reported. Most likely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting up with Trump could be an acknowledgment of the latter's potential return to power in the November election, as foreign leaders carefully navigate diplomatic relations with key US political figures. However, neither the Trump campaign nor India’s Ministry of External Affairs have clearly commented on the matter yet, meaning that the Indian leader’s plans of a tête-à-tête with ex US President Trump are foggy at best. During a press conference, foreign secretary <keyword id="20181706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-misri" source="keywords">Vikram Misri</keyword> said, "there are many meetings with the Prime Minister right now which we are trying to fix. Right now, I will not be able to tell you about any specific meeting, whether the meeting has been fixed or not." "We are looking from all angles as to how much time we have and with whom we can hold meetings. We will keep updating you about the meetings," he added. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113444882" title="Trump says PM Modi will meet him during US visit, calls him &amp;#39;fantastic&amp;#39;" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>What we do know with certainty is that Mr Modi is indeed scheduled to travel to the US over the weekend and his calendar is going to be jam-packed. His visit coincides with his planned participation at the <keyword id="23145156" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quad-Leaders-Summit" source="keywords">Quad Leaders Summit</keyword> (including representatives from Australia, India, Japan and the US) in Wilmington, Delaware, hosted by President Joe Biden. As per a White House official, the meet-up will feature "ambitious announcements in multiple areas such as maritime security, high-quality infrastructure and critical and emerging technologies to demonstrate the group’s endurance". Prime Minister Modi will have bilateral meetings with President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday, following the conclusion of the Quad Summit. A special event, the Cancer Moonshot initiative, is also scheduled on the sidelines of the summit. In his meeting with President Biden, India and the US are anticipated to sign several agreements, including those related to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on drug frameworks. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi and Biden will review the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US, which spans over 50 areas of engagement and bilateral dialogue mechanisms. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113085171" title="India is likely to benefit if Trump wins US elections, per Nomura Global Research" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Both leaders will also assess progress in areas of cooperation, though tensions remain due to the alleged assassination plot involving Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The investigation is ongoing, and India has formed a committee to examine the accusations. This visit may serve to ease some of the friction in the relationship. Defence cooperation remains a key area of collaboration between India and the U.S., including agreements on the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones, joint manufacturing of Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles, and co-production of GE F414 engines in India. The Ukraine conflict is also expected to be a topic of discussion. Prime Minister Modi is supposed to attend the "Modi &amp; US" community event at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island. The event, already overbooked with more than 24,000 Indian Americans registered for a venue with a capacity of 15,000, has attracted attendees from 42 states, especially the tri-state area. Additionally, PM Modi will allegedly lead a roundtable with CEOs of American companies working in fields like AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, and cutting-edge technology. Lastly, on September 23, Modi will address global leaders at the United Nations' Summit of the Future (SOTF) and is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state attending the UN General Assembly. Obviously, squeezing in a meeting with Trump and Democrat Candidate Kamala Harris (you know, to balance things out) seems unlikely given Mr Modi’s tight schedule. But we’ll have a clearer picture only in the coming days. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111770277" title="PM Modi likely to address high-level UNGA session on Sep 26" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Why is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the US this weekend?

<ul><li>Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Thursday presented the Interim Budget 2024-25.</li><li>This budget outlines expenditures and revenues till the formation of the next government.</li><li>Here are the top highlights and major announcements of the Interim Budget 2024-25.</li></ul> Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Interim Budget 2024-25 at <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> on Thursday, February 1 announced that the FY25 capex outlay has been increased by 11.1% to ₹11.11 lakh crore. The FY25 capex outlay is now at 3.4% of the GDP. Fiscal deficit, the gap between the government’s revenue and expenses, is expected to be 5.8% of gross domestic product, said the FM. “The gross market borrowing for the financial year ending March 2025 will be ₹14.3 lakh crore (less than the borrowing in the current financial year).” The FM began her speech by giving a summation of the Narendra Modi government's performance in the past ten years. "The Indian economy has witnessed positive transformation in the last 10 years. Our development steps have covered all elements of inclusivity," she said. This is the final budget of the second term of the Narendra Modi government before the country heads to elections later this summer. Sitharaman stressed on the government's aim to make India developed -- Viksit Bharat – by 2047. The government has tried to provide inclusive development and growth, both socially and geographically, she said in the opening minutes of her sixth budget speech as the country’s finance minister. It is to be noted that this Vote on Account or an Interim Budget is only for the next three months as the next government after the election will come out with a comprehensive budget for the financial year 2024-25 later. In other words, this budget outlines expenditures and revenues till the formation of the next government. Key announcements by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: <ol><li>No relief for taxpayers: Same tax slabs to continue, says FM. “I propose to retain the same tax rates for direct and indirect taxes.”</li><li>FY25 divestment target at ₹50,000 crore. The FY24 target has been curbed to ₹30,000 crore</li><li>Gross market borrowing for FY ending March 2025 will be ₹14.3 lakh crore.</li><li>FY25 capex outlay increased by 11.1% to ₹11.11 lakh crore. The FY25 capex outlay is now at 3.4% of GDP.</li><li>The revised estimate of the fiscal deficit is 5.8% of GDP. The FY25 fiscal deficit target is set at 5.1%.</li><li>The FY25 revenue deficit is set at 2% versus FY24 revised estimate of 2.8%</li><li>The FDI during 2014 to 2023 was $596 billion. India is negotiating bilateral treaties with foreign partners. FM adds that FDI is now “First Develop India”.</li><li>Three major economic railway corridors announced to boost GDP. This includes an energy mineral and cement corridor, port connectivity corridor and high traffic density corridor.</li><li>40,000 rail bogies to be converted to Vande Bharat standards. Airports have doubled to 149 in the last decade.</li><li>Boost for tourism: Projects for enhancing tourism revenue will be taken up, especially for islands, including Lakshawdeep.</li><li>FM says the government has assisted 25 crore people to escape from multidimensional poverty.</li><li>Free ration: Worries of food have been alleviated as 80 crore people are provided with ration.</li><li>Direct benefit of ₹34 lakh crore via Jan Dhan has led to savings of ₹2.7 lakh crore for the government.</li><li>The PM PM SVANidhi scheme has supported over 78 lakh vendors. Out of this, 2.3 lakh vendors have received loans more than two times.</li><li>11.8 crore farmers have been assisted under the PM Kisan Yojna.</li><li>₹30 crore Mudra loans have been given to women entrepreneurs in the last ten years.</li><li>Average real income of people has risen by 50%.</li><li>India-Middle East-Europe Economic corridor is a game changer for India and others.</li><li>Artisanal support: PM Vishwakarma Yojana provides end-to-end support to artisans and crafts people engaged in 18 trades.</li><li>GDP new definition: FM Sitharaman has said that the government is focussed on GDP (governance, development and performance)</li><li>Real estate boost: Government close to achieving the target of three crore houses under the PM Awas Yojana Grameen. Additional two crore houses to be built in five years.</li><li>Sustainability &amp; free electricity: Rooftop solarisation scheme announced to help one crore houses, enabling free electricity and selling of surplus energy. First three hundred units for solar homes.</li><li>Nari Shakti: FM says that female enrolment in higher education is up by 28% in 10 years in STEM courses. Free healthcare under Ayushman Bharat to be extended to Asha workers and Anganwadi workers.</li><li>Target for Lakhpati Didi scheme enhanced from 2 crore to 3 crore.</li></ol>

Interim Budget 2024: FY25 capex hiked 11%; no change in tax slab, says FM Sitharaman

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party has suffered a devastating blow.</li><li>Though Modi is claiming victory, his party is seeing major losses in the country's general election.</li></ul>For a decade, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a decisive grip on his country's politics.But as election results rolled in Tuesday, it appeared Modi's grip may be slipping.Modi, who leads India's Bharatiya Janata Party, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-election-results-narendra-modi-bjp-congress-2024-6">claiming victory</a> for a historic third term as the country's prime minister. But even though Modi will hold on to his position, his party didn't do as well as he'd predicted.India wrapped up counting the votes in its general election, and Modi's party lost its majority in Parliament. That's a big blow to Modi, whose party was long expected to win a majority.Now, he'll have to gather enough allies to form a government.The BJP's main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, performed better than expected.The Indian National Congress had set a goal to double its 52 seats in Parliament, and as of Tuesday evening Eastern Time, it had won 99 seats.In an election that saw record voter turnout — with 642 million people voting, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://aje.io/hcofgh">Al Jazeera</a>, in the seven-phase process that began in April and ended Saturday — the surprise results indicate that voters' trust in the BJP is waning.The BJP's Hindutva ideology promotes Hindu nationalism, which critics have accused of stoking anti-Muslim hate and right-wing extremism.Modi has even accused the Congress party of plotting to redistribute India's wealth to the Muslim minority, Business Insider previously reported. Modi has denied targeting the Muslim minority to win the favor of the Hindu majority, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-modi-denies-stoking-divisions-win-election-files-nomination-2024-05-14/">Reuters reported</a>.Though Modi is still popular across India, some see him as an <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/india-election-narendra-modi-hindu-nationalism-rss-79c30c8ae750a9c037d86b9e2c1b640c">authoritarian leader</a>, and his opponents on Tuesday called signs of his fading power a victory for democracy.The president of the Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, called the election a "moral and political loss" for Modi, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/modi-wins-3rd-term-in-indias-general-election-narrowly-securing-majority">PBS NewsHour reported</a>. "This is public's victory and a win for democracy," he added.Raghuram Rajan, a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, echoed Kharge's sentiment in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/activity%3A7203737299170312192/So ">a LinkedIn post</a>."The Indian voter has spoken," Rajan wrote. "And what a wise decision! This is a win for Indian democracy and a win for the Indian economy. Regardless of what happens over the next few days, we will have a strong opposition that forces the government to change course."Update: June 4, 2024, 6:27 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect the latest election result numbers.

Shocking Indian election results are a crushing blow to Modi

New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> is set to present the <keyword id="15626720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024" source="Orion">Union Budget 2024</keyword> in Parliament today, marking her seventh consecutive budget and eclipsing the late Moraji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets, which is likely to focus on changes in the income tax structure and improving the ease of doing business in India. At 11 am today, the much-awaited full budget for 2024-25, the first under the Modi 3.0 government, will be presented on the floor of the Parliament. All eyes will be on the major announcements made by the finance minister and the government's forward-looking guidance about the overall economy. Sitharaman will lay on the table a statement (in English and Hindi) of the estimated receipts and expenditures of the government for the year 2024-25 in the Rajya Sabha. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111946291" title="Union Budget 2024-25: Focus on employment, skilling, MSME and middle class" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>She will table the budget one hour after the conclusion of the presentation of the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Minister also lay on the table, under subsection (1) of Section 3 of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003, a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers: medium-term fiscal policy strategy statement and macro-economic framework statement. The Finance Minister will further lay on the table statements (in English and Hindi) of the estimated receipts and expenditures (2024-25) of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (with the legislature). The interim budget, tabled on February 1, took care of the financial needs of the intervening period until a government was formed after the Lok Sabha polls, after which a full budget was to be presented by the new government. With this upcoming budget presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will surpass the record set by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented five annual budgets and one interim budget between 1959 and 1964 as finance minister. The <keyword id="105431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-session" source="Orion">budget session</keyword> of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12. Before presenting the Budget, the finance minister will go to the North Block, where the Ministry of Finance is housed. She will meet the secretaries of her ministry, and later, along with them, she will reach the President's residence to get permission before presenting the Budget. About half an hour before the budget is presented, a Cabinet meeting headed by the prime minister is usually held, where ministers are briefed about the budget and Cabinet approval is taken. Putting aside the details of the upcoming budget, let us review the budget-making process and sequence of events typically followed. The Ministry of Finance typically issues circulars to all ministries, Union territories, States, and autonomous entities to send their demands and recommendations for the Union budget around September-October, with budgets typically tabled on February 1. Another key event before the budget presentation is the 'halwa ceremony'. A few days before the budget is presented, the government has a tradition of conducting a 'halwa ceremony', marking the start of budget document printing. The Halwa ceremony is significant as it also marks the beginning of a lockdown at the finance ministry, meaning no official is allowed to leave the ministry compound. Everyone on the budget team is allowed to leave only after the financial document is presented in Parliament. The printing of the Union Budget inside the basement located in the North Block has been a permanent feature since 1980. A day before the budget is scheduled to be tabled, the government typically releases its Economic Survey. This year, too, the same norms were followed. The Economic Survey serves as a crucial input for budget formulation. It is prepared by the Chief Economic Advisor and provides an overview of the country's economic performance, prospects, and policy recommendations, including future outlook. India is poised to remain the fastest-growing major economy in 2024-25, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said in a press conference after the tabling of the Economic Survey. The Economic Survey tabled projected India to grow at 6.5-7.0 percent in 2024-25. As per the Economic Survey 2023-24 tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Indian economy is on a strong and stable footing, demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. The first Economic Survey reportedly came into existence in 1950-51, when it used to be a part of the budget documents. In the 1960s, it was separated from the budget documents and presented a day before the Union Budget. The budget, once it is presented, is then subjected to detailed debate and discussion in both houses of Parliament, allowing members to scrutinise its provisions, raise concerns, and propose amendments. Following its presentation and approval by Parliament, the Union Budget sets in motion a series of post-budget activities aimed at implementing its provisions and achieving the outlined objectives. Like the previous few full Union budgets, the Budget 2024 will also be delivered in paperless form. An Interim Union Budget 2024 was presented on February 1, as the country was due for general elections later in the year. All the Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as the Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), and Finance Bill, as prescribed by the Constitution, will be available on the "Union Budget Mobile App" for hassle-free access to budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public. The app is bilingual (English and Hindi) and available on both Android and iOS platforms. The app can also be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in). SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: PM Modi arrives in Parliament ahead of Budget 2024 presentation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/why-did-the-latest-economic-survey-of-india-heavily-shun-the-western-ways-of-climate-action/articleshow/111947230.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Why did the latest Economic Survey of India heavily shun the ‘Western ways’ of climate action?</a>

Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today

The counting of votes cast by 64.2 crore hopeful Indian voters during the six-week-long 18th <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> officially began at 8 AM today and it is suffice to say that the air is crackling with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Over 700 aspiring parties participated in the world’s largest democratic exercise. But the main duelling parties remain consistent with previous trends: the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) led by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> and the opposition bloc led by the <keyword id="19964138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-National-Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian National Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</keyword> (INC). Modi is shooting for a third, historic win after spending the last ten years in office, but the road ahead does not seem as smooth as anticipated. A political party in India requires at least 272 seats to cross the majority mark in the 543-member lower house of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha. The PM has audaciously declared that he is expecting a huge win exceeding 400 seats, the slogan ab ki baar 400 paar is stuck in every Indian’s head — irrespective of their political inclination. The Congress-led India bloc, on the other hand, is aiming for a relatively modest 295. On Saturday, most exit poll surveys predicted 350-370 seats for the BJP and between 107-140 seats for the opposition. However, the early trends are showing a very different picture with the INDIA bloc exceeding expectations in many states. Polls have been off the mark a few times before, but as NDA looks poised to win a third term, albeit with a few last-minute struggles, here’s a look back at the previous elections responsible for Mr Narendra Modi’s unmatchable dominance over <keyword id="20184421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-politics" source="keywords">Indian politics</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak" comment="subhead" text="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak">Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak </cmsannotation>The BJP has come a long way since 1984 when the party won just two seats. Its pro-Hindutva stance pushed it to prominence over the decades, especially in the 1990s. The BJP was in power for a considerable amount of time under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership at the turn of the century. But the kind of support that Narendra Modi has received since 2014 has been unmatched in the history of modern Indian politics. In 2014, the BJP saw a surprising landslide victory with 282 of the 543 seats. But what factors contributed to its sweeping win with a 31.3% majority? Throughout its campaigning ahead of the general elections that year, the BJP kept stressing its interest in fixing the economy and combating corruption allegedly caused by the Congress party’s rather inept governing. Modi, who called himself a chowkidar or watchman, vowed to set the government and bureaucracy to rights. He promised more jobs for young Indians and even launched a social media campaign to appeal to the younger generation. Many experts suggested that Modi created the brand “NaMo'' for himself through relentless media campaigning, something that <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> and other major political leaders could not do at the time. Additionally, he is also said to have had the support of the 45,000 country-wide RSS branches — the Hindu cultural nationalist parent of the BJP. However, after the leader had managed to comfortably settle into his new role as the Prime Minister of India, he announced the demonetisation of all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series on 8 November 2016. As per a 2018 report from the Reserve Bank of India said that “the effort had failed to remove black money from the economy”. Modi was widely criticised for the way this move impacted the middle-class people of India. Despite this setback as well as criticism against his economic reforms like GST, he continued to implement bold policy changes to strengthen the core economy. His tilt towards a digital economy and seemingly tough actions against corrupt practices received widespread acclaim. He also successfully invoked a strong sense of nationalism and security in the people through the Balakot airstrike, a bombing raid conducted by Indian warplanes in February 2019. And it worked! BJP came to power again in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this victory being bigger than the last. The BJP won a whopping 37.36% of the vote — the highest by a political party since the 1989 general elections with 303 seats. However, similar to 2019, towards the end of his second term in 2024, joblessness appears to be on the rise and incomes of farmers continue to plummet. Amid major issues like food inflation and the threat of AI to the job market, the ruling party relied on not-so-subtle religious polarisation and a ton of welfare programmes. From being chowkidar in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been depicted to be a saint today by many of his followers. While past leaders in India have tried to hold on to their secular image, Mr Modi has been seen flouting this convention on multiple occasions, expressing that he takes pride in his religion. With crores of followers still supporting him, the PM seems to be already on a path to victory. Only time will tell if the struggles during the last phases of this year’s election will come back to haunt him. In the meantime, stay tuned to Business Insider India for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-counting-begins-at-8-am-as-bjp-led-nda-hopes-for-a-historic-third-term/articleshow/110685785.cms">more updates on the Lok Sabha elections 2024</a>.

As PM Modi awaits his third big win, here’s how BJP created history during the 2014 & 2019 Lok Sabha elections

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won a third term as the country's leader.</li><li>His party is now scrambling to find allies to form a government.</li></ul>Narendra Modi claimed victory as India's prime minister for a rare third term in office, but his future hangs in the balance.Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to secure an overall majority of its own, according to figures from the election commission. His party is now scrambling to find allies to form a government."People have placed their faith in NDA (National Democratic Alliance) for a third consecutive time," Modi said. "This is a historical feat in India's history."A coalition created by Modi's main rival, the Indian National Congress, performed better than expected, mounting a strong challenge to the incumbent.The opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-india-69072275">said Tuesday</a> his party may hold talks to form its own governing coalition. But Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United), who were part of a pre-election coalition with the BJP, said they endorsed Modi for a third term Tuesday, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/two-key-members-modis-alliance-endorse-him-next-india-prime-minister-2024-06-04/">reported Reuters.</a> This was in response to reports that the opposition would seek to prise them away from the BJP.The final votes were cast on Saturday in the seventh phase of the election, which saw people in eight of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-economy-growth-booming-modi-seize-moment-problems-davos-2024-2">India</a>'s 36 states and territories take their turns at the ballot.<h2 id="9a743ef8-257d-41c5-9c79-619d990e5521">Modi had expected a landslide</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-india-election-economy-russia-oil-wealth-dimon-cook-musk-2024-5">Modi</a> and the BJP had long been projected to win decisively. Exit polls, though sometimes inconsistent, showed the party extending its control of the lower house.Modi had set a goal for his BJP-led alliance to secure 400 seats, up from about 350 won in 2019.BJP itself won 240 seats; its allies won 53, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-india-election/">according to Bloomberg</a>.<div type="image" title="People carrying cutouts of Narendra Modi and setting off flares." height="683" width="1024" msid="110700935" hostid="261"></div>The incumbent was so assured of being re-elected this year that he declared victory on social media three days before the official results were announced on Tuesday."I can say with confidence that the people of India have voted in record numbers to reelect the NDA government," he <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1796910902983450823">wrote on X</a>.In January, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Indian officials struck a similarly confident note.Hardeep Singh Puri, India's minister for oil and gas, told Business Insider that Modi would likely get "15 to 20%" more seats than in 2019. "I think we were 303 last time," he said. "So it should be 343-45 but it's a process that is still beginning.""The opposition is in disarray," he added.India's rapid growth has attracted the attention of corporate leaders such as Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook."I think most investors have read the tea leaves and have realized that some of the political stability and predictable policies that they expect…when it comes to making investment decisions, is likely to be available in India," said Rajesh Kumar Singh, a top official in India told Business Insider in Davos in January this year.On Tuesday, <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/india-stock-market-news-narendra-modi-election-nse-nifty-50-2024-6">Indian stocks had their worst day in more than four years</a> as stability looked less likely. This was a day after the stocks hit record highs following a poll showing Modi's landslide victory.<h2 id="da8c5e8d-5c3a-4ce9-90f1-85c679fb0b39">A bitter battle for power</h2>The six-week election involved a bitter feud between the BJP and its main opposition, the Congress Party.The Congress Party has formed its own bloc with about 20 opposition groups to oust Modi, campaigning on promises to relieve the nation's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-economy-growth-booming-modi-seize-moment-problems-davos-2024-2">unemployment woes</a>. However, the new alliance is undermined by differences in ideologies and contested leadership.Modi, a polarizing but popular leader, has spent much of the election blasting the Congress and its promised policies in controversial attacks. At one point, he accused the opposition of planning to take India's wealth and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-30/india-s-former-prime-minister-slams-modi-for-hateful-language">redistribute it to the Muslim minority</a>.<div type="image" title="A crowd of men shouting." height="3872" width="5808" msid="110700937" hostid="261"></div>While not specifically criticizing Muslims in his rally speeches, he's used terms such as "infiltrators" that are widely believed to allude to the minority.His party's ideology, <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/india-election-narendra-modi-hindu-nationalism-rss-79c30c8ae750a9c037d86b9e2c1b640c">Hindutva</a>, promotes building a Hindu nation and has been criticized as a nationalist movement that foments hate speech and right-wing extremism.BJP's rivals have also accused the party of attempting to stifle opposition leaders. Delhi's chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party, was recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indian-opposition-leader-returns-jail-after-vote-ends-2024-06-02/">arrested on corruption charges</a> related to handing out liquor licenses. Kejriwal was granted bail until the end of the election.India's voting population is the world's largest, with 969 million people eligible to cast their ballots. That's more than twice the entire <a target="_blank" href="https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/key-facts-and-figures/life-eu_en">population of the European Union</a>.June 4, 2024, 10:55 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect Narendra Modi's claim of victory.June 4, 2024, 6:29 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect the latest election result numbers.

Modi claims a historic 3rd term but he'll have to rely on allies

The votes are in, the election commission is armed, and tallies are finally being made. As lakhs of viewers tune into their news to update themselves, many are coming away shocked at the current standings. Despite confident promises of capturing 400 of the 543 Indian seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) has barely won a dozen or two seats more than the halfway mark of 272, as per the initial few rounds of counting. This is still an impressive position to be in, and certainly enough to help the BJP-led <keyword id="105903" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-democratic-alliance" source="Orion">National Democratic Alliance</keyword> (<keyword id="19938590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA" source="keywords">NDA</keyword>) make another term. However, the overwhelming, yet lukewarm, support has inadvertently deflated the ‘Abki baar 400 paar’ chant echoed by the party throughout its campaigning. Further, this comes mere days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the slogan the ‘common man’s mantra’. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Exit polls gone wrong" comment="subhead" text="Exit polls gone wrong"><keyword id="21129157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exit-polls" source="keywords">Exit polls</keyword> gone wrong</cmsannotation> Party conjecture aside, most exit polls had also predicted a landslide victory for the NDA, with some even predicting the party crossing the 400 marks, helping the alliance comfortably bring in a third term for current Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>. However, Congress leaders staunchly dismissed these findings, asserting that the <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">INDIA</keyword> alliance will achieve at least over 250 seats this election. While exit polls have exercised a notoriously patchy reputation for delivering inaccurate findings in the past, the surveys might have gotten it wrong far more than usual this time around. For instance, the BJP has been predicted to win 400 seats by News 24-Today’s Chanakya poll, 358 as per Times Now-ETG, 392 per India V-CNX. <table class="redcator-table-advance" style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 955.049px; font-family: Merriweather; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;"> </td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">NDA</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">INDIA</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Others</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Times Now - ETG </td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">358</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">152</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">33</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Matrize - Republic</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">361</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">126</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">56</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Jan Ki Baat - NDTV </td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">377</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">151</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">15</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">PMARQ - Republic</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">359</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">154</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">30</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">India News - D-Dynamics</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">371</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">125</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">47</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Today's Chanakya - News24</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">400</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">107</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">36</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">India TV</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">386</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">124</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">33</td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Poll of polls</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">369</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">143</td><td style="padding: 5px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">31</td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> However, the Modi-led alliance has yet to cross the 300 mark. If this trend holds, a majority government will form with BJP-led NDA acquiring slightly below 300 seats, almost mirroring exact forecasts by on-ground reporters and some political experts. However, this is quite in contrast with almost all exit polls this election season. If the scorecard settles at the current mark, this will end up becoming the poorest performance for NDA since their historic win in 2014. The alliance came to power after winning an overwhelming 336 seats in 2014, and 353 seats in 2019. However, the main point of shock has come from the performance of Congress and the INDIA bloc, who have maintained a steadfast 200+ seats since the initial polling rounds. Out of the nine odd exit polls that came out with results recently, none had predicted the INDIA bloc to win over 150-170 seats. As the tallying moves into its final phases, let’s look at how exit polls performed in the previous election cycles. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="2014 elections" comment="subhead" text="2014 elections">2014 elections</cmsannotation> In 2014, 834 million voters participated in the largest-ever elections worldwide — only to be surpassed by the 2019 <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections. An average of eight exit polls had indicated that the BJP would see a 283-seat victory, while the opposition would have had to settle for 105 seats. Just as predicted, the BJP saw a landslide victory and swooped in 282 of the 543 seats, with a vote percentage of 31.3%. This win was a huge blow to the INC, which only won 44 seats compared to the 206 in 2009. Since a party must win at least 55 seats to become an official opposition party in India, the Congress’s defeat meant that there was no official opposition party for India. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="2019 elections" comment="subhead" text="2019 elections">2019 elections</cmsannotation> The previous Lok Sabha elections turned out to be an even bigger win for the BJP! In 2019, exit polls had predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance would peak at 306 and that the INC-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) would win just 120. However, the post-poll statistics turned out to be underwhelming. The BJP won a whopping 37.36% of the vote — the highest by a political party since the 1989 general elections. It won 303 seats, while the NDA collectively won 352 seats. It was another crushing defeat for the Congress, which won just 52 seats, failing to claim the post of Leader of the Opposition once again.

Trends indicate INDIA maintaining 200+ seats, defying all exit poll predictions; how accurate have these surveys been since 2014?

<keyword id="6355261" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="finance-minister" source="Orion">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Friday said businesses will have to factor in the impact of global terror while making investment decisions. Addressing the Kautilya Economic Conclave 2023, she said <keyword id="6358165" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="terrorism" source="Orion">terrorism</keyword> is impacting the entire globe and no region is spared. With that level of risk or uncertainty coming into business decision-making, investments will face uncertainty and high risk permanently, she said. "Businesses can no longer be just attracted by policies or by the openness of an economy. The risk that investors and businesses will have to factor into their decision-making is going to be strongly influenced by the impact of global terror," she said. On globalisation, she said there is pessimism about it. "Who is grouping with whom, who has left the Group and who and who is remaining outside of all these groups or forming new groups. So re-globalisation but with different shades and colour and flavour," she said. On climate finance, Sitharaman said India used its own resources to fulfill its Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) as outlined in the Paris Agreement under the leadership of Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword>. Anyone suggesting that this should be an obvious course of action must also consider that developing countries may not have the financial capacity for such significant climate financing, she said. "Consider a country like India, where developmental goals and aspirations are being achieved at an unprecedented pace and where a significant portion of the population still requires support. The question arises: Where will the necessary funds come from?," she questioned. With regard to energy transition, she said the world does not have an answer to this. "There is an urgent need for us to sit up and see what this climate action is going to be if you have no clue on where this transition energy is going to come from," she said. Speaking about G20 India presidency, Sitharaman said, the agenda of the Finance Track was chosen on considerations having global implications. Spelling out some of the agenda items of the Finance track, she said these included readying Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) for the 21st Century challenges, regulating crypto assets, debt distress due to lack of timely action by international institutions. Besides, funding of futuristic cities, success of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Two-Pillar solution on Taxation issues were also there. Each one of the agenda points found a very good resonance in the G20 Presidency under India, she said. To come up with a template to regulate crypto assets is one of the high points of India's presidency, she added. Last week, finance ministers of the G20 nations called for swift and coordinated implementation of the G20 roadmap to deal with the issues related to crypto assets. The G20 Roadmap on Crypto Assets adopted by the G20 Finance Ministers was spelt out in a Synthesis Paper prepared jointly by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Stability Board (FSB). It is a detailed and action-oriented roadmap that will help coordinate global policy as well as develop mitigating strategies and regulations on such assets while also taking into consideration the specific implications on Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs). Going forward, regular updates on the progress of the roadmap will be provided by the IMF and the FSB in G20 meetings.

Businesses need to factor in impact of terror while making investment decisions: FM

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-india-israel-failed-moon-landings-failed-final-descent-2019-9">India</a> plans to build on its historic lunar landing by sending people to the moon.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-india-attempt-first-ever-moon-landing-2023-8">India landed its first lunar spacecraft</a>, and the first robotic mission near <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-scientist-microbial-life-hiding-on-moon-south-pole-2023-6">the moon's south pole</a>.</li></ul>Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> confirmed <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s intention to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-helping-private-companies-build-business-moon-make-lunar-billions-2023-6">send people to the moon</a> in the near future as the nation celebrated the successful landing of the world's first-ever robotic mission to the lunar south pole region.India's Chandrayaan-3 probe defeated all odds on August 23 after it managed to successfully land near the south pole of the moon, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-launches-mission-beat-us-india-moon-south-pole-rover-2023-8">beating competing nations</a> to the strategically important site. With the landing, India has become the fourth nation — after Russia, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-china-race-to-the-moon-photos-launches-2022-11">the US, and China</a> — to land on the moon."It definitely puts them on the international stage as an emerging space power," Robert Braun, head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, told Insider.The nation will build on this mission success by launching its first <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moon-missions-why-astronauts-have-not-returned-2018-7">crewed mission to the moon</a>, Modi said in Hindi during a livestream of the landing, Sky News <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/india-moon-landing-live-updates-chandrayaan-3-making-historic-bid-to-reach-south-pole-of-lunar-surface-12945600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.<div type="image" title="room full of men watches narendra modi on a screen under a white ceiling" height="1499" width="1999" msid="102995553" hostid="261"></div>"India is now on the moon," said Modi, per the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-india-66576580#:~:text=Chandrayaan%2D3's%20lander%20touches%20down,to%20the%20hunt%20for%20water." target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>. The nation "will look into a human flight mission as well for the future," he said, per Sky News. <h2>Indian astronauts to Earth's orbit and beyond</h2><div type="image" title="man poses in white waving astronaut uniform with india flag patches on each shoulder" height="1500" width="2250" msid="102995554" hostid="261"></div>India has previously said it will attempt a crewed mission to low-Earth orbit by late <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/gaganyaan-launch-delayed-manned-mission-now-in-fourth-quarter-of-2024/articleshow/96406198.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024</a>, the Times of India reported."India is showing and proving that the sky is not the limit," said Modi per Sky News.<div type="image" title="white rocket with two boosters on its sides launches through clouds with flames shooting out of boosters" height="1500" width="1999" msid="102995555" hostid="261"></div>Per the <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/Gaganyaan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organisation,</a> India plans to first launch two uncrewed missions, Gaganyaan 1 and 2, the first of which is planned by the end of this year. The missions should test the capacity of the nation's rocket, LVM3.This should be followed by the nation's first crewed mission, which will aim to send three astronauts to low-Earth orbit for a three-day mission.<h2>India nailed a difficult feat amid multiple moon crashes</h2><div type="image" title="surface of moon grey rocky cratered with luna 25 spacecraft piece visible in upper left corner" height="1500" width="2000" msid="102995557" hostid="261"></div>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-space-mission-chandrayaan-2-set-to-land-on-moon-2019-9">Chandrayaan-3 mission</a>, which successfully landed the <keyword id="1091" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vikram" source="Orion">Vikram</keyword> lander near the south pole of the moon, cemented India's position as a frontrunner in the race to the moon.The south polar region is strategically important because scientists <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-new-moon-rover-sample-water-ice-lunar-south-pole-2019-10">believe water ice</a> is present in the area. The hope is this water could someday support humans living on the moon and help manufacture fuel for rockets launching from the moon to Mars.Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, tried to land its own robotic mission near the south pole of the moon, but on August 20 it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-luna-25-crash-land-on-moon-2023-8">misfired its engines and crashed</a>.Both Japanese private <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japanese-company-ispace-fears-moon-probe-crash-landed-2023-4">company ispace</a> and Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL have also crashed on the moon in recent years.India's first attempt at the lunar south pole region in 2019, called Chandrayaan-2, crashed as well. Clearly the Indian space agency learned a lot from that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8">failed landing</a>."Last time they got to the playoffs, if you will, and this time they won the Super Bowl," Braun said.Correction: August 28, 2023 — An earlier version of this article misstated Robert Braun's title. He is head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, not head of a Space Exploration Center there.Correction August 23, 2023: An earlier version of this article misstated which entities have tried to land on the lunar south pole. Two countries have attempted this feat so far: India and Russia. Only India has succeeded. An earlier version of this article also misstated the planned orbit of India's first crewed mission. It's expected to orbit Earth. This post has also been updated with new information. It was originally published on August 23, 2023.Editor's note September 1, 2023: This article has been updated to clarify that India's spacecraft landed in the lunar south pole region, not on the point of the lunar south pole.

India wants to fly its own astronauts to the moon, after becoming the first nation to land near the lunar south pole

<ul><li>Shashi Tharoor, the head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT), has called on Facebook to respond to allegations of ignoring hate speech in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). </li><li>The allegations come at a time when the social networking giant is already in hot water in the US over market power. </li><li>Congress has accused BJP and its affiliate the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of being in cahoots with Facebook to propogate one-sided content.</li></ul> Facebook and WhatsApp have come under the scanner in India again, this time for ignoring hate speech in order to rake in more money from its business in India by siding with the party in power, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They may face scrutiny by a Parliamentary panel after the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-hate-speech-india-politics-muslim-hindu-modi-zuckerberg-11597423346">Wall Street Journal</a> reported, citing sources, that Indian politician T. Raja Singh's hateful posts against Rohingya Muslim immigrants was allowed to stay on the platform because Facebook didn't want to be at odds with the BJP. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT), headed by Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor, has called on the social networking giant to respond to these allegations. <div type="twitter" handle="ShashiTharoor" handlename="Shashi Tharoor" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1280501371431800833/aoWxPcWK_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1317" retweetcount="261" status="Our Parliamentary committee will, in the normal course, consider testimony under the topic “Safeguarding citizens’… https://t.co/GJ48dmvzIk" createdat="1597580619000" id="1294973094038089728"></div> The demand for a probe comes after Facebook along with Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google were grilled by the US government over market power. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="77268690" title="Newly surfaced emails show how ruthlessly Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google built their businesses and ate up smaller companies" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Congress demands probe Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused the party in power, the Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP), and its affiliate Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of manipulating Facebook to spread news. He demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into alleged violations by the social media platform and its messaging service. "BJP and RSS control Facebook and WhatsApp in India. They spread fake news and hatred through it and use it to influence the electorate," he tweeted. Not just Facebook, but Congress has also asked the government to clarify any "quid pro quo" it may have had with WhatsApp and Facebook and shed light on what type of business dealings the two had with the government. Manipulating Facebook "There are 40 crore Indians on WhatsApp and over 28 crore on Facebook. So, a probe is necessary into the commercial dealings, propagation of hate content, and connection of Facebook and WhatsApp employees with the BJP," said Congress spokesperson and former Union Minister Ajay Maken said during a virtual press conference, According to him, the bias and alignment of the Facebook India's leadership team with the BJP and RSS is not limited to the Head of Public Policy in India. "There are many others in that leadership team with a close working relationship with the BJP," said Maken. Congress said it had raised the issue with the Facebook team in India. "We met the team of Ankhi Das on May 15 and complained about the manipulative content. The team heard us but did nothing," claimed Rohan Gupta, Congress Social Media head. Das is the Public Policy Director, Facebook-India, South and Central Asia. Facebook's checkered past Asked if the Congress lost past elections due to this "manipulation", the Congress leaders said that it is not only elections but its effect on the nation as a whole. The party asserted that it was like attacking the country's soul by propagating one-sided content which is "mostly of hatred". The Cambridge Analytica scandal is still fresh is in many minds. Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg was summed by the US Congress and investigated Facebook's role in election manipulation. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="71461113" title="The Cambridge Analytica whistleblower explains how the firm used Facebook data to sway elections" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The UK too has issued warnings to Facebook. Facebook was accused of similar interference in Brazil. "India's rich electoral democracy cannot be sacrificed at the altar of Facebook and WhatsApp," the Congress asserted. 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The heat is on Mark Zuckerberg in India as Facebook and WhatsApp incur the ire of Modi's rivals

<ul><li>India’s Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and US President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> had a 25-minute telephone conversation.</li><li>During the interaction, one of the topics of discussion was the India-China border issue. </li><li>The development comes after US Representative Elliot Engel expressed concern over the ‘ongoing Chinese aggression’.</li></ul>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had a 25-minute telephonic conversation last night. Among the topics of discussion — like the upcoming G7 summit and the need for reforms in the World Health Organisation (WHO) — was the issue of the India-China border dispute. The development comes ahead of India and China <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-standoff-reaches-lieutenant-general-level-military-negotiation/articleshow/76167405.cms">negotiations on June 6</a>, according to India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting will be led by senior military officers on both sides with India delegation led by the Corps Commander of the Leh-based XIV Corps. “The two leaders also exchanged views on other topical issues, such as the COVID-19 situation in the two countries, the situation on the India-China border, and the need for reforms in the World Health Organisation,” said the statement issued by the Centre. However, no specifics were shared. The meeting took place after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/china-is-a-bully-says-us-representative-on-india-china-border-issue/articleshow/76147159.cms">US Representative Elliot Engel</a> released a statement calling China a ‘bully’ and stating his concerns over the ‘ongoing Chinese aggression’. "I strongly urge China to respect norms and use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to resolve its border questions with India," he said. Last week, Trump also offered to mediate on the ‘raging border issue’ and claimed to have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/trump-feels-that-modi-is-not-in-a-good-mood-over-big-conflict-with-china/articleshow/76084735.cms">spoken to the leaders</a> of both countries. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/modi-and-trump-did-not-discuss-india-china-border-issue/articleshow/76084815.cms">India later clarified</a> that the last conversation between Trump and Modi was about hydroxychloroquine on April 4 — much before any incursions were reported along the border. The India-China dispute will be resolved using bilateral means The border dispute stems from the fact that India and China have different claims on where the border actually lines. The LAC is not demarcated and not defined. "Whatever is happening at present...It is true that troops from China are on the border. They claim that it is their territory. Our claim is that it is our area. There has been a disagreement over it,” Singh told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faN6M4mldwI">News18.</a> Both India and China have made it clear that any issues over the border dispute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh will be resolved using bilateral means. China spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said, “We believe the issues can be properly resolved after bilateral negotiations and consultations.” Singh expressed a similar view citing that the Dokhlam issue was also resolved through diplomatic and military channels. “We have found solutions to similar situations in the past as well. Talks at the military and diplomatic levels were on to resolve the current issue," he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-standoff-reaches-lieutenant-general-level-military-negotiation/articleshow/76167405.cms">India-China border standoff reaches Lieutenant-General level military negotiation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/china-is-a-bully-says-us-representative-on-india-china-border-issue/articleshow/76147159.cms">China is a ‘bully’ says US Representative on India-China border issue</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-believe-that-the-india-china-border-dispute-is-unlikely-to-turn-into-another-war-like-the-one-in-1962/articleshow/76128454.cms">India and China are testing each other at the Ladakh border— but it won’t be another war like in 1962, according to experts</a>

Narendra Modi and Donald Trump discuss India-China border dispute ahead of New Delhi-Beijing negotiations on June 6

<ul><li><keyword id="57315" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="iphones" source="Orion">iPhones</keyword> made in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> increased in volume and value last year as <keyword id="6354427" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="apple" source="Orion">Apple</keyword> moved to shift some of its production away from China.</li><li>In 2022, the shipment volumes of iPhones manufactured in India increased by 65 per cent year on year. </li><li>Last year, Apple accounted for 25 per cent of the value of India's total smartphone shipments, which shows a rise from 12 per cent in 2021, the SCMP reported citing the Counterpoint.</li></ul>New Delhi [India], April 6 (ANI): iPhones made in India increased in volume and value last year as Apple moved to shift some of its production away from China to diversify its supply chain, South China Morning Post reported. In 2022, the shipment volumes of iPhones manufactured in India increased by 65 per cent year on year. In addition, the value of iPhones rose by 162 per cent, South China Morning Post reported citing a report published by market research firm Counterpoint last week. Last year, Apple accounted for 25 per cent of the value of India's total smartphone shipments, which shows a rise from 12 per cent in 2021, the SCMP reported citing the Counterpoint. China manufactures up to 85 per cent of iPhones around the world, <keyword id="17053494" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="xinmei-shen" source="Orion">Xinmei Shen</keyword> said in the South China Morning Post report. However, Beijing faces the risk of losing its dominance as Apple is taking measures to shift its manufacturing supply chain outside China. Apple is among the global tech brands that are seeking to reduce their reliance on China for production amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington and production disruptions in China due to the Chinese government's stringent COVID-19 measures, according to the South China Morning Post report. In 2020, India launched a USD 6.65 billion plan that offered incentives to global smartphone makers for shifting their production to the country. Apple contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology is reportedly intending to invest around USD 700 million in a new plant in India to enhance local production, according to the news report. The decision has raised concerns among social media users in China that the country was at risk of losing its primary role in Apple's manufacturing supply chain, Xinmei Shen said in the news report. India is expected to assemble up to 50 per cent of Apple's iPhones by 2027, which shows an increase from fewer than 5 per cent at present, The South China Morning Post reported citing Taiwan's Digitimes Research forecast in January. The production will make India on par with the scale of production in mainland China, as per the South China Morning Post report. Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, scrambled to restore full production capacity at its manufacturing complex in Zhengzhou after severe disruptions that included worker protests and an exodus of thousands of employees amid a COVID-19 outbreak. On March 5, Foxconn announced a major investment in Karnataka that will generate over one lakh jobs, according to an official statement. As much as 300 acres of land has been identified for this purpose near the Bengaluru International Airport in Doddaballapura and Devanahalli taluks. During his visit to India, Young Liu met with Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword>. They discussed topics related to enhancing India's tech and innovation ecosystem. Hon Hai Technology (Foxconn) tweeted, "Chairman Young Liu is visiting India. Today we had a warm meeting with Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi and updated him on our good progress in the country. Foxconn will continue to build an ecosystem in India allowing all our stakeholders to share, collaborate and thrive." In response to a tweet by Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), PM Modi tweeted; "Had a good meeting with Young Liu. Our discussions covered various topics aimed at enhancing India's tech and innovation eco-system." (ANI) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/cert-in-warns-of-high-severity-vulnerabilities-in-apple-products-urges-immediate-action/articleshow/99231900.cms">CERT-In warns of high-severity vulnerabilities in Apple products, urges immediate action</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-new-features-to-simplify-travel-planning-including-a-mobile-friendly-hotel-browsing-feature-a-price-guarantee-badge-for-flights-and-more/articleshow/99235884.cms">Google’s new features to simplify travel planning, including a mobile-friendly hotel browsing feature, a price guarantee badge for flights, and more</a>

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