Bastille Day celebrations likely in Bengaluru next year
BENGALURU: The French 'Bastille Day' could be celebrated in Bengaluru next year, with Marc Lamy, Consul General of France in Bengaluru, expressing his agreement 'in principle' to the idea. 'I am in favour of it in Bengaluru. We will work out the modalities,' he said on Wednesday.
Lamy was speaking at the launch of 'Vachanas in French', a French translation of 2,500 vachanas by Lord Basaveshwara.
The release, hosted at Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, marks a crucial step in taking Basavanna's teachings to a global audience.
The event was jointly organised by Alliance Française and the Basava Samithi. 'The relationship between India and France is at its best. I am extremely happy to be part of an event that bridges and strengthens cultural and literary ties between our two countries,' Lamy added.
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The Hindu
37 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India, U.S. desire to give preferential market access to businesses; talks on for trade pact: Goyal
India and the U.S. desire to give preferential market access to each other's businesses and teams of both the countries are working together on the proposed bilateral trade agreement, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said. In February, U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced plans to negotiate the first tranche or phase of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) of 2025. It is aimed at more than doubling the bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 from the current level of $191 billion. "Both countries are committed to work together, both countries desire to give preferential access to each other's businesses and we are working towards the bilateral trade agreement," Mr. Goyal told reporters in Paris. Mr. Goyal is here on an official visit to hold talks with French leaders and business representatives to boost trade and investments. When asked about an announcement of Mr. Trump to double tariffs on steel and aluminium to 50%, he also said that the two countries will continue to work together to resolve all these issues bilaterally. "Let us wait and watch ...both the U.S. and India share good relations and we will continue to work together to resolve all these issues bilaterally," he said. Trade experts have stated that the further increase in the import duty by the Trump administration would impact Indian exporters, particularly those engaged in value-added and finished steel products and auto-components. On May 30, Mr. Trump announced that he would double the existing 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from June 4. Mr. Trump originally invoked this provision in 2018 to set the 25% tariff on steel and 10% on aluminium. He raised tariffs on aluminium to 25% in February 2025. In 2024-25, India exported $4.56 billion worth of iron, steel, and aluminium products to the U.S., with key categories, including $587.5 million in iron and steel, $3.1 billion in articles of iron or steel, and $860 million in aluminium and related articles. India has already issued a formal notice at the World Trade Organization (WTO), reserving its rights to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in response to the earlier steel tariffs. A team of U.S. officials is visiting India this week for discussions on the proposed interim trade agreement between the two countries. The visit gains importance as India and the U.S. are likely to agree on an interim trade agreement by the end of June, with New Delhi pushing for full exemption from the 26% reciprocal tariff on domestic goods. India's chief negotiator, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal, last month had concluded his four-day visit to Washington. He held talks with his U.S. counterpart on the proposed agreement. Mr. Goyal too was in Washington to give an impetus to trade talks. There is a possibility that both sides agree on an interim trade deal before the first tranche. Also read | U.S. remains India's largest trading partner for fourth consecutive year in 2024 -25: Government data The U.S, remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at $131.84 billion. The U.S, accounts for about 18% of India's total goods exports, 6.22% in imports, and 10.73% in the country's total merchandise trade. Talking about India's free trade pact with four-European nation bloc EFTA, Mr. Goyal said $100 billion FDI (foreign direct investment) commitment under the agreement does not include money coming into stock market through FIIs. "This is solid FDI coming into the country... This USD 100 billion of FDI comes with technologies... It will (also) catalyse nearly USD 500 billion of investments roughly. With this investment, the whole ecosystem gets created, hotels come up, infrastructure comes up, power and water is utilised. The whole ecosystem will add much more to the economy. So it's a massive investments that we are looking coming through this EFTA agreement," he added. The implementation process of this pact is progressing fast and is expected to come into force before the end of this year. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of $100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. When asked if India would have similar arrangement in the proposed trade pact with the 27-nation bloc EU, he said: "The member countries are large investors in india, so we may not go that ground in our FTA with EU."
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
UK sees record 1,200 boat migrants in a day despite tougher rules on asylum
UK government figures released Sunday show that nearly 1,200 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday, June 1, 2025, the highest daily total this year. Country-wise figures have not been released yet. According to the Home Office, 1,194 people arrived in 18 boats during settled weather, bringing the annual tally so far to 14,811. That's 42% higher than the same period last year, adding pressure on the Labour government, which came to power nearly a year ago partly on voter frustration over the previous Conservative government's handling of the crossings. A Home Office spokesperson said, 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.' The spokesperson added, 'That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage. Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in Northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.' On Saturday, French police officers watched as migrants boarded boats at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk. French authorities said they rescued 184 people from the Channel. Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky News, 'Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday.' He said it was a 'really big problem' that French police cannot intervene in shallow waters. 'The UK is pressing for the French to put new rules into operation so they can intervene,' he added. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said his government would regain control of the border by tackling the gangs and the business models that keep the smuggling routes going. The government has moved to strengthen intelligence-sharing with France and ramp up enforcement operations. Tougher rules were added to immigration legislation last month. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill proposes ending the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers, which has cost billions. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, 'Nor should asylum seekers be stuck in hotels at the taxpayers' expense during lengthy legal battles. That is why we are changing the law to help clear the backlog.' Under the Bill, tribunals will now have 24 weeks to decide asylum appeals for those receiving housing support or for non-detained foreign national offenders. Appeals currently take nearly 50 weeks on average, based on tribunal data. More funds, faster hearings and digital tools The government plans to allocate more funds to increase hearing days at both first-tier and upper-tier immigration tribunals. The Bill also strengthens the powers of the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), which regulates who can provide immigration advice in the UK. Anyone caught pretending to be a registered immigration adviser now faces higher fines—up to £15,000 (around Rs 17 lakh)—and possible prison time. The Home Office warned that some of these unregistered advisers act as middlemen, offering misleading or fraudulent services to migrants. Artificial intelligence will now be used to help process asylum claims more quickly. Officials say the technology will reduce the time that asylum seekers spend in limbo and cut costs for the taxpayer. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is overseeing this broader plan to digitise public services and find up to £45 billion in savings. Asylum claims by nationality Figures show 3,911 Indian nationals claimed asylum in the UK in 2023, up sharply from 1,333 in 2022. However, only 5% of Indian applicants were granted protection at the first stage, in contrast to nearly universal success rates for applicants from conflict zones: 98% for Afghans and 99% for Syrians and Eritreans. That year also saw 1,194 Indian nationals crossing the Channel in small boats, accounting for 4.1% of total arrivals by this route. Returns to home countries at record level Between July 5, 2024 and March 22, 2025, the UK returned 24,103 individuals with no legal right to stay. This included: < 6,339 enforced returns < 3,594 foreign national offenders < 6,781 asylum-related returns < 46 chartered deportation flights to destinations across four continents This was the highest figure in a comparable nine-month period since 2017. Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit on March 31, Prime Minister Starmer said, 'It undermines our ability to control who comes here and that makes people angry. It makes me angry, frankly. It is unfair on ordinary working people who pay the price, from the cost of hotels to our public services struggling under the strain.' New legal presumption for foreign sex offenders The government has also introduced an amendment under the UK Borders Act 2007, creating a legal presumption to refuse refugee status to foreign nationals convicted of a sexual offence serious enough to trigger sex offender registration. Each case will still be reviewed to determine the seriousness of the offence and the danger to the public. 'They're not doing it, but, but for the first time for years … we've got the level of cooperation needed,' Healey told Sky News. 'We've got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore.' The UK Home Office says 36,816 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024, a 25% rise from 2023, when 29,437 people arrived. The peak was in 2022, when 45,774 people made the crossing. Many are believed to be drawn by the UK's language, family connections, or perceived easier access to asylum and work.
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on three-day visit to France, to strengthen economic ties
New Delhi, June 1 (UNI) Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is on a three-day visit to France during which he will hold bilateral meetings with the French Ministers of Economy and Trade to strengthen the economic partnership. While in France, he will also engage in informal WTO Ministers' gathering on the margins of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, and will also hold bilateral engagements with trade ministers of the UK, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Nigeria and Brazil. The Commerce Minister is on a visit to France and to Italy from June 1-5, as part of India's commitment to deepening strategic and economic ties with key European partners and advancing a shared vision for resilient and inclusive global growth. During his engagements in France, Goyal is to hold bilateral meetings with French Ministers, including Eric Lombard, Minister of Economy, and Laurent Saint-Martin, French Trade Minister. The discussions will focus on strengthening the Indo-French economic partnership and exploring new avenues for enhancing trade and investment cooperation, a statement said. As part of the high-level visit to France, a comprehensive agenda of strategic business meetings and engagements has been scheduled - with top leadership of major French companies such as Vicat, Total Energies, L'Oréal, Renault, Valeo, EDF and ATR, the visit will feature the India-France Business Round Table and the India-France CEO Forum, fostering dialogue between leading industry stakeholders from both countries. During his stay, the Minister will also participate in the informal gathering of WTO Ministers on the margins of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. At this crucial forum, he will engage with global counterparts on key multilateral trade issues and articulate the perspectives and priorities of India. As part of the visit, the Minister will hold a series of high-level bilateral meetings with key international partners. These include the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds; Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong; and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Commerce, Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kasabi. Minister Goyal will also engage with Israel's Minister for Trade and Investment, Nir Barkat; Nigeria's Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole OON; and Brazil's Foreign Minister, Mauro Luis Iecker Vieira. These dialogues are aimed at advancing strategic economic cooperation and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships across regions. They will also provide significant impetus to India-EU FTA negotiations. Further reinforcing India's engagement with regional blocs, meetings are planned with key EU officials, including Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, and Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. These engagements reflect India's ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships, and position itself as a pivotal player in global trade and investment. Following his engagements in France, Goyal will proceed to Italy for the next leg of his visit. UNI RN
