The Union Government’s comprehensive overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), referred to as ‘GST 2.0’, came into effect on Monday, coinciding with the onset of Navratri. The new regime introduces a simplified tax structure, featuring reduced rates on essential goods and steeper levies on luxury and demerit items. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in…
Selling of products and services by US companies in India is likely to get easier with the two countries renegotiating a trade deal, with focus on facilitating digital The two countries have agreed not to demand information concerning source code or other proprietary knowledge, and access to a particular technology, production process, etc, as a…
India is developing ‘bodyguard satellites’ to protect its spacecraft from potential threats, prompted by a near miss with a satellite from a neighboring country in mid-2024. This initiative is part of a larger plan to enhance India’s space security, including deploying surveillance satellites and collaborating with startups for advanced tracking solutions. Read More…
Austria is offering engineering and STEM-focused master’s programmes via its technical universities (TU Wien, TU Graz, TU Leoben) with modest fees and English-taught courses. The new India-Austria pact, via VFS, allows Indian graduates to earn hands-on industry exposure, work while studying, and post-graduation work visas for enhanced mobility. Read More…
Indian equity markets opened lower on Monday, with IT giants like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech and Tech Mahindra dropping up to 6%. The plunge comes in reaction to the U.S. enacting a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applicants, a move seen as threatening cost structures and outsourcing models. Read More…
The BSF’s Drone Warfare School in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh, will soon graduate 47 “drone commandos”, the force’s first cohort trained in drone piloting, surveillance, combat, and counter-UAV operations. Established post-Operation Sindoor, the school also offers leadership courses for officers to strategise drone warfare. Read More…
Nitin Agrawal of Oza Holdings highlights South Africa’s easing mining regulations and infrastructure privatization as significant opportunities for Indian businesses. Addressing a delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry, Agrawal emphasized the potential for Indian companies to contribute to rail services, mineral beneficiation, and skills transfer, fostering a growing India-South Africa partnership in mining and…
The new tax regime, approved at the 56th meeting of the GST Council earlier this month, reduces the existing four-slab structure, 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28% to two primary slabs of 5% and 18%. The Union Government’s comprehensive overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), referred to as ‘GST 2.0’, came into effect on…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Union Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar are set to meet in New York during the UNGA session. Their discussions are expected to cover trade negotiations and the recent increase in H-1B visa fees implemented by the Trump administration. This meeting occurs alongside significant UN events, including commemorations and…
After US President Donald Trump’s move to impose a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas (around 9 million or 90 lakh Indian rupees) — to be paid by employers who sponsor technically skilled overseas staff into the US — Indians are the most worried group. And data can mostly tell you why. Read More…