Indians now eligible for 5-year Schengen visa under new cascade scheme, details here

In effect since April 18, 2024, the scheme allows eligible Indians to obtain multi-year, multi-entry visas without being tied to a specific travel purpose Indian travellers with a clean visa history now have access to a fast-tracked, long-term Schengen visa under a new “cascade” system rolled out by the European Commission. In effect since April…

$220 million worth of deals under scanner: After 25% tariffs, US sanctions 6 Indian firms; move taken over oil trade with Iran

The US State Department, on Wednesday, unveiled the sanctions against 6 India-based companies, claiming these firms deliberately participated in “significant transactions” involving the acquisition and sale of Iranian petroleum products, breaching American restrictions on Iran. Among the sanctioned Indian enterprises are prominent petrochemical traders. The heaviest accusations fell on Alchemical Solutions Private Limited, which allegedly…

Some relief for Nayara Energy! Microsoft restores IT services to Russia-backed Indian oil refinery; US company abruptly halted operations after EU sanctions

EU sanctions on Russia: Global IT giant Microsoft has restored IT services to Russia-backed Indian oil refinery Nayara Energy, according to a Reuters report. Nayara had sued Microsoft for abrupt suspension of services following European Union’s fresh sanctions on Russia.   Read More…

RBI bets on gold! Reserve Bank of India buys half a tonne of gold in June; yellow metal fastest growing component of India’s forex reserves

RBI gold reserves: After a relatively conservative spell of gold buying, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stacked up almost half a tonne of gold in the last week of June. In India’s foreign exchange reserves, gold has shown the most substantial growth in recent years, with its value increasing by more than 80% over…

India-US trade deal: Commerce Ministry advised against accepting ‘unilaterally framed obligation’ on digital taxes

Legal advisers to the Commerce and Industry Ministry have suggested that Indian negotiators dealing with their US counterparts should not accept Washington’s proposal that prohibits India from reintroducing equalisation levy-style taxes, such as the ‘Google tax’, in the future, a person aware of the negotiations told The Indian Express.   Read More…