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GST Council Approves Major Two-Slab Tax Overhaul

In a landmark move, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, during its 56th meeting that stretched over 10 hours, approved sweeping reforms to India’s indirect tax system. The Council endorsed a simplified two-rate structure of 5% and 18%, while reserving a 40% levy solely for luxury, sin, and demerit goods such as cigarettes and pan masala. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who chaired the meeting with ministers from 31 states and Union Territories, announced that most changes will be effective from September 22, coinciding with ..... Read More

Tariff Pressure Pushing India to Russia, China: Bolton

Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has strongly criticized former President Donald Trump for undermining US-India relations and inadvertently pushing Prime Minister Narendra Modi toward closer engagement with Russia and China. His remarks came amid escalating tensions following Washington’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on Indian imports, along with an additional 25% linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. In a series of posts on X, Bolton accused Trump of destroying decades of carefully built diplomatic progress. He ..... Read More

Putin to Trump: Can't Talk to India, China Like That

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a striking declaration on Wednesday in defense of India, shortly after participating in China’s grand military parade in Beijing. Speaking to reporters, Putin pushed back against the growing economic pressure directed at both India and China, asserting that the two nations are global economic powers that deserve respect. “You cannot talk to India or China like that,” Putin remarked firmly, sending an unmistakable signal about shifting global dynamics. His words underscored how Moscow views New Delhi and ..... Read More

UCSB’s Arpit Gupta Wins Google Honor for AI Models

UC Santa Barbara computer scientist Arpit Gupta has been recognized by Google with two distinguished awards for his groundbreaking research on low-cost AI network models. His work seeks to make artificial intelligence infrastructure more affordable, scalable, and efficient, with the long-term goal of transforming how global networks are built and managed. Gupta received the Google Research Scholar Award, which supports promising early-career faculty, and the inaugural Google ML and Systems Junior Faculty Award, given to rising researchers wh ..... Read More

GST Council Proposes Major Tax Slab Overhaul

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, began its 56th meeting in New Delhi this week, focusing on sweeping reforms aimed at simplifying India’s indirect tax system. The two-day session, held on September 3-4, discussed moving away from the current four-tier GST framework to a more streamlined two-tier structure. At present, goods and services are taxed under four slabs of 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%. The Council is now considering retaining just two primary slabs—5% for essentials and 18% for non- ..... Read More

Mahesh Bhatt Reflects on 26 Years of Sangharsh

Twenty-six years after its release, Sangharsh continues to be remembered as a bold experiment that defied the formula-driven cinema of its time. Written and produced by Mahesh Bhatt and directed by Tanuja Chandra, the film blended suspense, emotion, and imagination into a narrative that was both unsettling and timeless. In a conversation with ETimes, Mahesh Bhatt revisited the journey of Sangharsh—a film that not only presented Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta in unconventional roles but also quietly introduced a young Alia Bhatt to the screen. ..... Read More

Putin Reveals Modi Car Talks on Alaska Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has, for the first time, shared details of his candid conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their drive in Tianjin after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Putin revealed that part of their one-on-one dialogue centered around his recent Alaska Summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. After attending the SCO proceedings, Modi and Putin traveled together in the Russian leader’s limousine to the location of their bilateral talks. The journey itself was just 15 minutes, but ..... Read More

Eight Essential Books to Explore Hinduism’s Teachings

Hinduism, often described as the world’s oldest living faith, is more than a religion—it is a philosophy, a cultural framework, and a way of life. With its vast spectrum of traditions, myths, rituals, and spiritual practices, it can feel overwhelming to those trying to explore it. Thankfully, a range of timeless scriptures and modern works provide guidance. Here are eight books that offer meaningful entry points into Hinduism’s spiritual and cultural landscape. The Bhagavad Gita (translated by Eknath Easwaran / Swami Prabhavananda / others) ..... Read More

India, Russia Discuss Expanded S-400 Missile Deliveries

India and Russia are exploring the possibility of expanding their defense partnership with fresh deliveries of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems. The update emerged soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. According to Russian news agency TASS, Dmitry Shugayev, who heads Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, confirmed that discussions are underway. He noted that India already operates the advan ..... Read More

Shubhanshu Shukla Shows How Astronauts Eat, Drink on ISS

Indian astronaut and IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has offered an engaging look at life aboard the International Space Station (ISS) through a video he recorded himself. In the clip, Shukla highlighted the unusual process of eating and drinking in microgravity, stressing the need for careful handling of food to prevent floating spills. The video demonstrated how sipping coffee in space differs drastically from Earth, as liquids float in suspended blobs instead of pouring naturally. He emphasized patience while dining, sharing his motto ..... Read More

Modi Bets Big on Chips, Unveils $18B Projects at Semicon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the second day of the fourth edition of SEMICON India 2025 at Yashobhoomi, the India International Convention and Expo Centre, on Wednesday. The event is part of India’s drive to transform itself into a global semiconductor hub. Opening the summit on Tuesday, PM Modi had described semiconductors as the “digital diamonds” of the modern age, comparing their importance today to oil in the last century. While oil wells dictated the global economy in the 20th century, he noted, the power of ..... Read More

India’s GST collections hit $21.1 billion in August

India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue climbed to $21.1 billion in August 2025, reflecting a 6.5% year-on-year increase, according to official data released by the government. The surge is largely attributed to strong consumer spending ahead of the festive season, underscoring the economy’s resilience. Net GST revenue stood at $18.9 billion, recording a 10.7% growth compared to the same period last year. Both Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST) registered double-digit gains, supported by healthy collections in gross domestic revenu ..... Read More

Alia Bhatt’s festive fashion highlights this season

The festive season always brings an explosion of color, sparkle, and the irresistible urge to dress in outfits that make a bold statement. This Ganesh Chaturthi was no different, as Alia Bhatt turned her celebrations into a style showcase, offering a preview of what’s trending this season. Sharing glimpses of her Ganpati festivities on Instagram with the caption, “Love, blessings & modaks,” Alia delivered more than just warm wishes—she dropped major festive fashion cues. For one of her appearances, styled by Priyanka Kapadia, Alia cho ..... Read More

Param Sundari crosses $6 million worldwide in 4 days

Param Sundari, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, had a sharper-than-expected dip on its first Monday but still managed to deliver steady numbers. Thanks to decent overseas earnings along with its Indian run, the film has already crossed the $6 million milestone at the global box office, making it Malhotra’s top-grossing film in the post-COVID era. Four-day worldwide performance The romantic comedy, backed by Maddock Films, is benefiting from positive word-of-mouth and brand credibility. In India, the movie collected around $3.8 m ..... Read More

India and UAE strengthen CEPA ties for 2030

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have taken another significant step toward strengthening their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). On August 29, 2025, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, met with UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, to review progress under the agreement and chart out new areas of cooperation. Both leaders reaffirmed their ambitious goal of achieving $100 billion in non-oil, non-precious metals trade by 2030. Discussions focused on expanding collaboration i ..... Read More

Young Engineer Joins Meta With $400K Package

At just 23, Indian-American machine learning engineer Manoj Tumu has made a headline-grabbing career leap. After spending time at Amazon, he has joined Meta with a total compensation package exceeding $400,000, a move that highlights both his talent and the growing opportunities in artificial intelligence. Speaking about the shift, Tumu explained that although Amazon gave him valuable learning experiences, Meta’s projects appeared more engaging. “As soon as I received the offer, I knew I wanted to accept it,” he said, reflecting on his decis ..... Read More

Southern Miss Scientist Wins $500K Global Research Grant

The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) announced that Dr. Vijay Rangachari has been awarded a prestigious $500,000 research grant, part of a $2.5 million global initiative supporting innovative work in neurodegenerative disease research. He is one of only five scientists worldwide to receive this recognition, placing the university on the international stage. The award was presented under the 2025 Tauopathy Challenge Workshop, a funding program organized by the Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF), one of the largest indepen ..... Read More

Moscow Eyes Su-57 Jet Build in India as Tariff Tensions Rise

As Washington imposes steep tariffs on Indian exports, Moscow is moving in the opposite direction—considering joint production of its advanced Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets in India. According to defence insiders, Russian officials are currently evaluating the scale of investment needed to manufacture these fifth-generation aircraft locally. The timing is striking. President Donald Trump’s administration recently announced a 25% tariff across multiple sectors and tacked on an additional 25% levy over India’s Russian crude imports, bringing dutie ..... Read More

Modi: Nothing Can Stop India’s Growth Amid Tariffs

At the Semicon India 2025 summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India’s recent economic performance, pointing to the country’s strong GDP figures as evidence of resilience and growth. Referring to the first-quarter data, he stressed that India has once again surpassed all predictions and expectations. “The results show that India cannot be stopped now,” he said, setting an optimistic tone for the event. Despite global economic turbulence and the United States under Donald Trump imposing tariffs as high as 50% on Indian goods a ..... Read More

Vikram-32 Chip Gifted to PM Modi—But What Exactly Is It?

India reached a major milestone in its pursuit of semiconductor independence with the unveiling of the Vikram-32 chip at Semicon India 2025. Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented the nation’s first indigenously developed 32-bit processor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a proud step forward in India’s technological capabilities. The Vikram-32 was created by the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, Punjab. Specifically designed to endure the demanding environ ..... Read More

Xi, Modi Meeting: ‘Right Choice to Be Friends’

Chinese President Xi Jinping extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. Xi described friendship between India and China as the “right choice” and recalled their previous meeting in Russia’s Kazan during the BRICS Summit in October 2024. Addressing Modi, Xi said, “It is a great pleasure to meet you again, Mr Prime Minister. We are two ancient civilisations, the world’s most populous nations, and important me ..... Read More

Srinivas Rautwar Named CIO at American Systems

American Systems, a well-known provider of mission-critical engineering and IT solutions for federal clients, has elevated Srinivas Rautwar to the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective August 25. Rautwar takes over from Brian Neely, who retired after an impressive tenure of more than 20 years shaping the company’s technological vision. In his new role, Rautwar will oversee the organization’s overall technology strategy, information security, and enterprise-wide IT management. As an employee-owned company, American Systems re ..... Read More

After Modi-Putin Meet, Trump Slams India Tariffs

On September 1, President Donald Trump described trade relations between the United States and India as a “one-sided disaster,” claiming that India’s offer to reduce import tariffs on American goods to zero comes far too late. Trump argued that American businesses have been blocked from tapping into the Indian market because of what he called “the highest tariffs of any country.” Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “India sells us vast amounts of goods, and we buy from them in large volumes, but the reverse is not true. For dec ..... Read More

Modi Calls Russia-India-China Troika ‘Delight’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday was seen sharing lighthearted and warm exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin. The three leaders exchanged handshakes, hugs, and laughter, creating a rare display of camaraderie among Asia’s top powers. Posting photographs of the moments on X, Modi wrote, “Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit.” In ..... Read More

Modi Outlines India’s Three-Pillar Vision at SCO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday presented India’s long-term vision for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), outlining three guiding principles: Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. Speaking at the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Tianjin, he underlined India’s consistent and constructive role in shaping the future of the grouping since becoming a full member in 2017. Modi said security and stability remain the foundation for development, warning that terrorism and separatism continue to pose gra ..... Read More