Author: Deepika chandrasekar

 India’s domestic passenger vehicle (PV) market experienced robust growth in September 2025, with wholesales climbing 5.4% year-on-year to 381,437 units, fueled by GST rationalisation and the festive season surge. Retail sales performed even stronger, reaching nearly 400,000 units, up from 320,000 units a year earlier, according to Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) at Maruti Suzuki. Maruti Suzuki reported a 9.1% increase in domestic wholesales to 144,962 units, with bookings exceeding 350,000—a 35% rise from last year. The newly launched SUV, Victoris, garnered 25,000 bookings, while retail sales climbed 27.5% YoY to 173,500 units. Tata Motors moved into…

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, written and directed by Shashank Khaitan, is a festive romantic comedy that hit theaters on October 2, 2025, coinciding with Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti. Featuring Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf, the film promises a colorful blend of humor, love, drama, and quintessential Bollywood emotions. The story revolves around Sunny Sanskari (Varun Dhawan), who is all set to propose to his longtime girlfriend Ananya (Sanya Malhotra). But his plans crumble when she rejects him and instead chooses to marry billionaire Vikram Singh (Rohit Saraf). Things take a dramatic turn when Vikram is…

During the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, India strongly criticized Pakistan for its human rights record, highlighting the mistreatment of minorities within the country. Indian diplomat Mohammed Hussain described Pakistan’s actions as “deeply ironic,” pointing out that a nation with a troubled human rights history was attempting to lecture others on the subject. He asserted that Pakistan misuses international forums with fabricated allegations against India, which only expose its own hypocrisy. Hussain urged Islamabad to acknowledge and address the state-sponsored persecution and systematic discrimination faced by its religious and ethnic minorities instead of…

 Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, announced that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries—Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland—will officially take effect on October 1. Speaking at the valedictory session of the UP International Trade Show in Greater Noida, Goyal emphasized that developed nations are increasingly keen to sign FTAs with India, which has already concluded agreements with the UAE, Australia, and the UK. Goyal highlighted ongoing discussions with countries including the United States, the European Union, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, and Chile, noting that Qatar and Bahrain have also…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his support for US President Donald Trump’s comprehensive plan to resolve the ongoing Gaza conflict, calling it a viable route toward long-term peace, security, and development for both Palestinians and Israelis, as well as for the broader West Asian region. In a post on X, Modi urged all stakeholders to come together in support of Trump’s initiative to bring an end to hostilities and restore stability. He later shared his statement in Arabic and Hebrew, signaling inclusive outreach to both parties. The Trump-Netanyahu peace plan, announced on Monday, comes nearly three years after the war…

Indian-American executive Srini Gopalan has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of T-Mobile, taking the helm from November 1, 2025. The announcement comes amid growing concern over recent changes in US H-1B visa policies, including the unprecedented $100,000 fee for new visa applications introduced by President Donald Trump. This policy shift has generated widespread apprehension among Indian professionals working in the United States. Gopalan, who currently serves as T-Mobile’s Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Mike Sievert, the company’s CEO since 2020. Under Sievert’s leadership, T-Mobile has expanded its 5G network and strengthened its market position, and Gopalan is expected…

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump share a “very positive relationship” despite recent tensions in India-US ties, according to a senior U.S. State Department official. The official confirmed that a bilateral meeting between the two leaders is expected to take place soon, along with ongoing efforts to schedule the next Quad Leaders summit, either later this year or early next year. “I’m confident you’ll see Modi and Trump meet. They maintain a very strong rapport,” the official said, noting that multiple developments are underway in the India-US relationship, promising continued positive momentum. The official also indicated that discussions…

Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, began a four-day official visit to Sri Lanka with high-level engagements aimed at strengthening defence and maritime partnerships. On Tuesday, he met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya in Colombo, where discussions centred on enhancing naval cooperation, operational collaboration, and regional maritime security. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a long-standing naval partnership through deeper training exchanges, capacity-building initiatives, and joint participation in multilateral maritime platforms such as MILAN, the International Fleet Review, and the Admiral’s Cup Regatta. Prime Minister Amarasuriya emphasised the need for collective regional efforts to secure…

Indian-American organisations have strongly criticised President Donald Trump’s recent order imposing a one-time $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, calling it a reckless and xenophobic move that threatens both America’s economy and immigrant communities. The Trump administration announced the measure on September 19, 2025, sparking widespread concern among foreign professionals and families already dealing with emergencies abroad. Indian American Impact, a leading advocacy group, described the decision as a deliberate attempt to weaponise immigration rather than protect American jobs. “This isn’t about safeguarding employment opportunities—it’s about pushing a xenophobic agenda,” said Chintan Patel, Executive Director of Indian American Impact. He added…

As India celebrates the vibrant festival of Navratri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt wishes to citizens, hoping for health, prosperity, and happiness across the nation. In a letter shared on X, the Prime Minister also announced the launch of the Next Generation GST reforms starting September 22, marking the start of the nationwide ‘GST Bachat Utsav’ or ‘GST Savings Festival.’ The new GST framework simplifies taxation and directly benefits all sections of society, including farmers, women, youth, low-income groups, middle-class families, traders, and MSMEs. The revised structure features two main tax slabs—5% and 18%. Essentials such as food, medicines,…