Business
Budget 205-26: FDI limit for insurance sector raised to 100 per cent

New Delhi, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an increase in the FDI limit for the insurance sector from 74 per cent to 100 per cent in the Budget for 2025-26 as part of far-reaching reforms in the financial sector.
This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified, the Finance Minister said.
Budget 2025-26 aims to initiate transformative reforms across six domains which will augment our growth potential and global competitiveness during the next five years, she while presenting the Budget in Parliament.
One of these domains is the financial sector which encompasses sectors like insurance, pensions, bilateral investment treaties (BIT) and so forth, she said.
A forum for regulatory coordination and development of pension products will be set up, the Finance Minister stated.
Besides, to implement the earlier announcement on simplifying the KYC process, the revamped Central KYC Registry will be rolled out in 2025. A streamlined system for periodic updating will also be implemented, she added.
The Finance Minister also said that requirements and procedures for speedy approval of company mergers will be rationalised. The scope for fast-track mergers will also be widened and the process will be made simpler.
The FDI reforms assume significance as India has emerged as a hot investment destination with multinational giants such as Apple and Tesla looking for alternative supply chains after the US sanctions against China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that the Indian automobile sector had attracted more than $36 billion in FDI over the last four years and this figure would go up several times in the coming years as he exhorted vehicle manufacturers to follow the mantra of ‘Make in India and Make for the World.’
Inaugurated the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, the Prime Minister said that India presented a huge opportunity and is an ideal destination for investors. The government was paving the way for global investors to bring more FDI into the automobile sector which was technology and innovation-driven, he pointed out.
Sectors such as electronics have attracted major investments with the semiconductor units also coming up in the country for the first time.
Crime
2002 import-export fraud case: CBI takes custody of Monika Kapoor in US

New Delhi, July 9: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken the custody of Monika Kapoor, an alleged economic offender, in the US and will bring her back to India, ending an over two-decade-long run from the law, officials said on Wednesday.
The development comes after Kapoor’s extradition from the US.
The CBI in a press release said the chase has ended after two decades “with the successful extradition of Fugitive Ms. Monika Kapoor, who is accused in a 2002 Import-Export fraud and was on run since then, from USA.”
According to the information provided by the Central agency, fugitive Monika Kapoor, Prop. of M/s Monika Overseas in conspiracy with her brothers, namely Rajan Khanna and Rajiv Khanna forged export documents viz. Shipping Bills, Invoices and Bank Certificates of Export and Realisation during the year 1998.
She obtained six Replenishment (Rep.) Licenses for the import of duty-free gold worth Rs 2.36 crore.
“In furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, they sold the said Rep. Licenses to M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad, on premium. M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad utilised the said licenses and imported duty-free gold, which caused a loss to the Government Exchequer to the extent of Rs 1.44 crore during the year 1998,” the press release mentioned.
The CBI, on the completion of the investigation, filed a charge sheet on March 31, 2004, against Monika Kapoor, Rajan Khanna, and Rajeev Khanna under sections 120-B r/w 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, District Court Saket, New Delhi, vide order dated December 20, 2017, had convicted Rajan Khanna and Rajeev Khanna.
The CBI said the accused, Monika Kapoor, did not join the investigation and trial; she was declared a proclaimed offender by the trial court on February 13, 2006. The Ld. Trial Court had issued an open non-bailable warrant of arrest on April 26, 2010, and a Red Corner Notice was also issued against her.
A request for extradition was sent by the CBI on October 19, 2010, to the US authorities. Following intense coordination with authorities in the US, a CBI team travelled to the country to take custody of the fugitive.
This extradition marks a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice and reiterates CBI’s commitment to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, irrespective of international boundaries.
The CBI team is returning to India with the fugitive. Monika Kapoor is being produced before the concerned court and will now face the trial.
The press release said that the CBI remains steadfast in its mission to combat economic crimes and will continue to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that the fugitives are brought to justice.
International
Trump doubles down on 10 per cent tariff for BRICS; threatens 200 per cent tariff on pharma

New York, July 9: US President Donald Trump doubled down on his threat to charge BRICS members an additional 10 per cent tariff and alleged that the group was “set up to degenerate our dollar”.
Speaking to reporters as he presided over a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump said: “Anybody that’s in BRICS is getting a 10 per cent charge” — and that would include India.
On another trade issue that could affect India, Trump said that a 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals would come soon, but added he would “give people about a year, year and a half”.
“We’ll give them a certain period of time to get their act together,” he said about the pharmaceutical companies.
India’s pharmaceutical exports to the US last year was nearly $9 billion.
A reporter recalled that he had said Monday night that trade deal was coming with India soon and asked him about the applicability of the proposed BRICS tariff.
He said: “Anybody that’s in BRICS is getting a ten per cent charge. If they’re member of BRICS, they’re gonna have to pay per cent tariff just for that one thing, and they won’t be a member for long.”
India has opposed a BRICS currency for trade to compete with the dollar and exercised a virtual veto on the proposal.
Laying out India’s policy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in March: “I don’t think there’s any policy on our part to replace the dollar.”
Affirming the importance of the dollar to the world’s and India’s economy, he added: “At the end of the day, the dollar as the reserve currency is the source of international economic stability, and right now, what we want in the world is more economic stability, not less.”
The letter he sent to BRICS member South Africa on Monday said only that it would face a 30 per cent tariff starting next month, but made no mention of BRICS penalty.
Trump said the BRICS tariff would come “soon”.
Despite India’s so far successful efforts to stop the creation of a BRICS currency, Trump continued to complain about a BRICS conspiracy.
“BRICS was set up to hurt us. BRICS was set up to degenerate our dollar and take our dollar as the standard, take it off as the standard,” he said.
He said that he would oppose it because it would be like losing a war, he said.
“And that’s okay if they want to play that game, but I can play that game too,” he said.
He said he thought BRICS “largely broke up” with only a couple of countries hanging around.
“BRICS is not, in my opinion, a serious set-up,” he said.
But he said that they want to destroy the dollar “so that another country can take over and be the standard, and we’re not going to lose the standard”.
In fact, opposition from India to a BRICS currency is because of the threat of China manipulating it to its benefit.
National
Congress backs PM Modi’s BRICS stand, vows firm fight against terrorism

New Delhi, July 7: Backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s firm stance on terrorism at the BRICS Summit, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday expressed his complete faith that India will fight terrorism with full resolve and determination.
His remarks came in response to PM Modi’s statement at the global summit, where he called terrorism “the most serious challenge facing humanity” and emphasised that condemning terrorism must be a matter of principle, not convenience.
Speaking to Media, Pramod Tiwari supported the Prime Minister, stating, “At the BRICS Summit, voices should have been more vocal against terrorism. The platform should also raise social, economic, and global concerns of its member nations. India has consistently spoken for global peace and justice.
“I have full faith that our country will fight terrorism with unwavering determination. I wish those responsible for the recent attack in Pahalgam had been caught — it would have revealed who trained and supported them. Such information is crucial and would have commanded greater respect globally.”
Tiwari also took a swipe at US President Donald Trump, who recently lashed out at the BRICS alliance and warned of an “additional 10 per cent tariff” on countries aligning with what he termed “anti-American policies.”
“BRICS is for protecting nations who are in it. President Trump had previously issued similar warnings during his visit to India. At that time, Prime Minister Modi should not have laughed or responded lightly. He should have stood firm and reminded Trump that BRICS works on its own principles and is committed to its founding objectives,” said Tiwari.
The Congress leader criticised the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
On Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that extensive consultations had been held with political parties and acknowledged that “no one was satisfied” with the current status of the electoral rolls.
Reacting to the development, Tiwari said, “We are not satisfied with the Election Commission of India’s response. The documents required for voter list revision are unnecessarily complicated and impractical. If the process is designed to make it difficult for traditional voters who are against the BJP, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and minority voters, to remain on the rolls, then this raises serious questions about the Election Commission’s intent. If the ECI wants to remove them.”
He added that while some groups have approached the Supreme Court, others are considering forming “people’s courts” to ensure fairness.
“The Congress has always upheld the voter’s right to participate in democracy. We will continue to stand by that principle and ensure that all necessary documentation is provided,” he asserted.
Tiwari also took aim at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, particularly targeting Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan.
During a political rally in Saran district on Sunday, Chirag announced that he would contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and urged his party workers to prepare for all 243 constituencies in alliance with the BJP and JD(U).
Mocking the move, Tiwari remarked, “The NDA in Bihar is a sinking ship. Chirag Paswan, despite being the son of a respected leader like Ram Vilas Paswan, is trying to stay afloat in turbulent political waters. If he’s contesting all 243 seats, it means internal cracks have widened and many alliance members are already looking for the exit door ahead of elections.”
He continued, “It’s clear that NDA leaders are aware they are going to lose many seats. Their desperation is evident. While they are forming the central government, they are losing their grip on the state. This creates confusion among their own allies.”
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Chirag Paswan’s LJP had contested 137 seats but managed to win only one, Matihani. Despite this, Chirag currently holds a Lok Sabha seat and serves as a Cabinet Minister in the BJP-led central government, which includes JD(U) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as key allies.
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