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Alaskan encounter: Only Russian President Putin gained from the meeting
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Hopes for an early end to the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine were comprehensively dashed following United States (US) President Donald Trump's much-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Even given the low expectations from this meeting, the result could not have been worse for embattled Ukraine, for the signals it sends to countries with irredentist ambitions, notably China (Taiwan) and the US (Greenland). At most, it offers more compelling evidence of the US's abdication of its role as a principled interlocutor in global conflicts. After affording Mr Putin a lavish welcome, including a red
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Business Standard
2 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Doing more and differently must be mantra of India-Russia ties: Jaishankar
India and Russia should come out with a creative and innovative approach to confront complex geopolitical challenges, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday amid increasing strains in New Delhi's ties with Washington over its purchase of Russian crude oil. Jaishankar made the remarks at a meeting with Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Moscow. In his televised opening remarks, the external affairs minister said India and Russia should continuously diversify and expand their "agenda" of cooperation including by diversifying the bilateral trade basket and through more joint ventures. "Doing more and doing differently should be our mantras," he said. The comments came against the backdrop of a downturn in relations between India and the US after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. The external affairs minister arrived in Moscow on Tuesday on a three-day visit. The Jaishankar-Manturov talks were held under the framework of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). The meeting was aimed at preparing grounds for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India later this year. Elaborating on the importance of India-Russia ties in the context of current geopolitical upheaval, Jaishankar made specific suggestions to further consolidate the engagement, especially in the economic sphere. "The various working groups and sub groups could perhaps take a more creative and innovative approach towards their respective agendas. The challenges posed by the larger landscape that I mentioned require us to do so," he said. The external affairs minister said both sides should continuously diversify and expand their agenda through mutual consultation. "This will help us tap into full potential of our trade and investment ties. We should not get stuck on a beaten track," he said Jaishankar also called for setting "quantifiable targets and specific timelines" to achieve more in expanding the ties between the two countries. "I would urge that we set ourselves some quantifiable targets and specific timelines so that we challenge ourselves to achieve more, perhaps even surpass what we set out to do," he said. "Each working Group and each sub Group could apply itself to setting of targets and see what we could achieve by the next session of the IRIGC-TEC," he said. "For example, if you are looking at trade barriers, could we pick a certain number and make a commitment? If we have agreed to a certain proposal, can we set a firm timeline for that?" he said. Jaishankar also pitched for a "coordination mechanism" between the business forum and the different working groups of the IRIGC to ensure a two-way flow of ideas. "We will like the IRIGC to become even more result-oriented, relevant and readily available to the business communities of the two sides," he said.
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Business Standard
2 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Texas House approves redrawn maps sought by Trump ahead of 2026 elections
The Texas House has approved redrawn congressional maps that would give Republicans a bigger edge in 2026, muscling through a partisan gerrymander that launched weeks of protests by Democrats and a widening national battle over redistricting. The approval on Wednesday came at the urging of President Donald Trump, who pushed for the extraordinary mid-decade revision of congressional maps to give his party a better chance at holding onto the US House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections. The maps, which would give Republicans five more winnable seats, need to be approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate and signed by Republican Gov Greg Abbott before they become official. But the Texas House vote had presented the best chance for Democrats to derail the redraw. Democratic legislators delayed the vote by two weeks by fleeing Texas earlier this month in protest, and they were assigned round-the-clock police monitoring upon their return to ensure they attended Wednesday's session. The approval of the Texas maps on an 88-52 party-line vote is likely to prompt California's Democratic-controlled state Legislature this week to approve of a new House map creating five new Democratic-leaning districts. But the California map would require voter approval in November. Democrats have also vowed to challenge the new Texas map in court and complained that Republicans made the political power move before passing legislation responding to deadly floods that swept the state last month. Texas maps openly made to help GOP Texas Republicans openly said they were acting in their party's interest. State Rep Todd Hunter, who wrote the legislation formally creating the new map, noted that the US Supreme Court has allowed politicians to redraw districts for nakedly partisan purposes. The underlying goal of this plan is straight forward: improve Republican political performance, Hunter, a Republican, said on the floor. After nearly eight hours of debate, Hunter took the floor again to sum up the entire dispute as nothing more than a partisan fight. What's the difference, to the whole world listening? Republicans like it, and Democrats do not. Democrats said the disagreement was about more than partisanship. In a democracy, people choose their representatives, State Rep Chris Turner said. This bill flips that on its head and lets politicians in Washington, DC, choose their voters. State Rep John H Bucy blamed the president. This is Donald Trump's map, Bucy said. It clearly and deliberately manufactures five more Republican seats in Congress because Trump himself knows that the voters are rejecting his agenda. Redistricting becomes tool nationwide in battle for US House The Republican power play has already triggered a national tit-for-tat battle as Democratic state lawmakers prepared to gather in California on Thursday to revise that state's map to create five new Democratic seats. This is a new Democratic Party, this is a new day, this is new energy out there all across this country, California's Democratic Gov Gavin Newsom said on a call with reporters on Wednesday. And we're going to fight fire with fire. A new California map would need to be approved by voters in a special election in November because that state normally operates with a nonpartisan commission drawing the map to avoid the very sort of political brawl that is playing out. Newsom himself backed the 2008 ballot measure to create that process, as did former President Barack Obama. But in a sign of Democrats' stiffening resolve, Obama Tuesday night backed Newsom's bid to redraw the California map, saying it was a necessary step to stave off the GOP's Texas move. I think that approach is a smart, measured approach, Obama said during a fundraiser for the Democratic Party's main redistricting arm. The incumbent president's party usually loses seats in the midterm election, and the GOP currently controls the House of Representatives by a mere three votes. Trump is going beyond Texas in his push to remake the map. He's pushed Republican leaders in conservative states like Indiana and Missouri to also try to create new Republican seats. Ohio Republicans were already revising their map before Texas moved. Democrats, meanwhile, are mulling reopening Maryland's and New York's maps as well. However, more Democratic-run states have commission systems like California's or other redistricting limits than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps. New York, for example, can't draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval. Texas Democrats decry the new maps In Texas, there was little that outnumbered Democrats could do other than fume and threaten a lawsuit to block the map. Because the Supreme Court has blessed purely partisan gerrymandering, the only way opponents can stop the new Texas map would be by arguing it violates the Voting Rights Act requirement to keep minority communities together so they can select representatives of their choice. Democrats noted that, in every decade since the 1970s, courts have found that Texas' legislature did violate the Voting Rights Act in redistricting, and that civil rights groups had an active lawsuit making similar allegations against the 2021 map that Republicans drew up. Republicans contend the new map creates more new majority-minority seats than the previous one. Democrats and some civil rights groups have countered that the GOP does that through mainly a numbers game that leads to halving the number of the state's House seats that will be represented by a Black representative. State Rep Ron Reynolds noted the country just marked the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act's passage and warned GOP members about how they'd be remembered if they voted for what he called this racial gerrymander. Just like the people who were on the wrong side of history in 1965, history will be looking at the people who made the decisions in the body this day, Reynolds, a Democrat, said. Republicans hit back at criticism Republicans spent far less time talking on Wednesday, content to let their numbers do the talking in the lopsided vote. As the day dragged on, a handful hit back against Democratic complaints. You call my voters racist, you call my party racist and yet we're expected to follow the rules, said State Rep Katrina Pierson, a former Trump spokesperson. There are Black and Hispanic and Asian Republicans in this chamber who were elected just like you. House Republicans' frustration at the Democrats' flight and ability to delay the vote was palpable. The GOP used a parliamentary maneuver to take a second and final vote on the map so it wouldn't have to reconvene for one more vote after Senate approval. House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced as debate started that doors to the chamber were locked and any member leaving was required to have a permission slip. The doors were only unlocked after final passage more than eight hours later. One Democrat who refused the 24-hour police monitoring, State Rep Nicole Collier, had been confined to the House floor since Monday night. Some Democratic state lawmakers joined Collier Tuesday night for what Rep Cassandra Garcia Hernandez dubbed a sleepover for democracy. Republicans issued civil arrest warrants to bring the Democrats back after they left the state Aug 3, and Republican Gov Greg Abbott asked the state Supreme Court to oust several Democrats from office. The lawmakers also face a fine of $500 for every day they were absent. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Business Standard
2 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Amid US tariffs, EAM urges Russian firms to deepen engagement with India
Jaishankar highlighted India and Russia's steady ties, urging more strenuous efforts to diversify and balance trade between the two nations Amid the US imposing a 50 per cent tariff on India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has pushed to increase trade with Russia, encouraging Russian companies to engage "more intensively" with their Indian counterparts. Noting India's rapidly growing economy and initiatives like 'Make in India' that have opened up new windows for foreign businesses, Jaishankar said that these dimensions represent an invitation for Russian companies to engage more. "An India with a GDP of $4 trillion plus growing at 7 per cent for the foreseeable future has an obvious need for large resources from dependable sources. In some cases, it could be assured supplies of essential products, fertiliser, chemicals, and machinery, being good examples. Its rapidly growing infrastructure offers business openings to enterprises with an established track record in their own country," said Jaishankar. "The 'Make in India' and other such initiatives have opened up new windows for foreign businesses. The modernisation and the urbanisation of India generate their own demands, flowing from shifts in consumption and lifestyle. Each of these dimensions represent an invitation for Russian companies to engage more intensively with their Indian counterparts. Our endeavour is to encourage them to rise to that challenge," he added. Mentioning that India and Russia have nurtured one of the steadiest relationships between major nations, Jaishankar pushed for more "strenuous efforts" to diversify and balance trade between both nations. "India and Russia have nurtured one of the steadiest relationships between major nations in current times is now widely recognised. However, that did not automatically translate into significant economic cooperation. Our trade basket remains limited and till recently, so did our trade volume. It may have grown in recent years, but then, so too has the trade deficit. Both the diversification and balancing of trade now urgently mandate more strenuous efforts on our part. At the end of the day, they are essential not just to reach higher trade targets but even to sustain the existing levels," he said. Jaishankar pushed for deeper cooperation to promote growth and accelerate development and expressed India's willingness to contemplate more investments, joint ventures and other forms of collaboration. "It is reasonably evident that there is much that India and Russia can do for each other in promoting growth and accelerating development. What we seek to do as Governments is to provide the guidance and create conditions for economic activities to take place. Clearly much centres around trade but there is growing willingness to contemplate more investments, joint ventures and other forms of collaboration. First DPM Manturov and I are here amongst you to encourage those processes. We want to send a clear message that an enduring strategic partnership must have a strong and sustainable economic component." he said. Further speaking about India signing Terms of Reference (ToR) for the India-Eurasian Economic Union on a Free Trade Agreement, Jaishankar said," We have today concluded the Terms of Reference for the India-Eurasian Economic Union FTA. That will surely make a difference when concluded. We spoke about motivating joint ventures in key areas where the demand is already established. Some initiatives of significant investment levels were also spoken about. Our skilling and mobility endeavours have started to take off. The desire to improve connectivity is also expressed through multiple options." "But in the final analysis, what we really need is for businesses to step forward confidently. Not just that, also ensure that there is a close collaboration between what Governments are discussing and businesses are planning," he added. Jaishankar positive push to increase trade with Russia comes after US levied an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent on Indian goods, but has announced an additional 25 per cent tariff that will take effect from August 27, raising the total duty to 50 per cent. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
