India

NEW DELHI (REUTERS) - India on Saturday (April 13) said a French media report linking a tax exemption given to a French subsidiary of Reliance Group and an US$8.7 billion (S$11.77 billion) fighter jet deal between the two countries was "totally inaccurate". French newspaper Le Monde reported on Saturday that France waived a tax demand of 143.7 million euros on a French subsidiary of Reliance Communications in 2015 when it was negotiating to sell the jets to India. The longstanding tax dispute was resolved between February and October that year, Le Monde said. India's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday the report was drawing a conjectural connection between the tax relief and the jet deal. "Neither the period of the tax concession nor the subject matter of the concession relate even remotely to the Rafale procurement concluded during the tenure of the present government," the ministry said in a statement. "Any connections drawn between the tax issue and the Rafale matter is totally … [Read more...] about India says no link between Reliance tax relief in France and jet deal

AMRITSAR, INDIA (AFP) - India was to mark on Saturday (April 13) the 100th anniversary of the Amritsar massacre, one of the worst atrocities of British colonial rule for which London has yet to apologise. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, as it is known in India, saw British troops fire on thousands of unarmed people in Amritsar on April 13, 1919. The number of casualties is unclear, with colonial-era records showing about 400 deaths, while Indian figures put the number at closer to 1,000. Former British prime minister David Cameron described it as "deeply shameful" in a visit to the northern Indian city in 2013 but stopped short of an apology. In 1997, Queen Elizabeth II laid a wreath at the site but her gaffe-prone husband Prince Philip stole the headlines by reportedly saying that Indian estimates for the death count were "vastly exaggerated". This week, British Prime Minister Theresa May told the House of Commons that the massacre was "a shameful scar on British Indian history". "We … [Read more...] about India to mark 100th anniversary of Amritsar massacre

Countries across the Asia-Pacific region are on alert for any potential outbreak of the Candida auris fungal infection, a watch that has been heightened since last week when the microbe was cast in the international spotlight in an article in The New York Times.The rise of the superbug in locations ranging from the United States to India was presented as a serious and growing public threat. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy unlimited access to ST's best work Exclusive stories and features on multiple devicesIn-depth analyses and opinion piecesePaper and award-winning multimedia content Subscribe Now … [Read more...] about Asia on high alert for invasive fungus

KARACHI (REUTERS, AFP) - Pakistan has “reliable intelligence” that India will attack again this month, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Sunday (April 7), as tension over a February standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours had appeared to ease. The attack could take place between April 16 and 20, he said. A suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police on Feb 14 and the risk of conflict rose dramatically on Feb 27, when India launched an air strike on what it said was a militant training base. The following day Pakistan shot down an Indian fighter jet and captured its pilot who was later released. “We have reliable intelligence that India is planning a new attack on Pakistan. As per our information this could take place between April 16 and 20,” Mr Qureshi told reporters in his hometown of Multan. He said the ambassadors of the permanent members of the UN Security … [Read more...] about Pakistan says India preparing military aggression this month

It is undoubtedly one of the most closely watched contests in the upcoming Indian parliamentary elections. Dr Kanhaiya Kumar, a 32-year-old fresh doctorate holder known for his radical charisma and mesmerising oratorical skills, is up against Mr Giriraj Singh, a 66-year-old political firebrand and incumbent minister in the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government.This political duel in Begusarai, Bihar state, is even more gripping because of Dr Kumar's underdog status as a representative of one of India's poorest political parties and Mr Singh's membership of the richest. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy unlimited access to ST's best work Exclusive stories and features on multiple devicesIn-depth analyses and opinion piecesePaper and award-winning multimedia content Subscribe Now … [Read more...] about New way to raise funds in India’s elections