Nayara Energy seeks ships from India to ferry refined fuels: Report
The ministries of shipping, oil and foreign affairs will shortly meet to look into Nayara's request, the source told reporters after a meeting with Nayara officials.New Delhi is exploring possibilities of arranging India-flagged vessels of local companies for the private refiners. Vessel owners are citing problems including availing insurance cover for undertaking voyages for Nayara, the source added. - Ends
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Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Japan presses US on auto tariff cut, seeks clarification on other levies
Japan pressed the United States to swiftly implement an agreed cut to auto tariffs and sought clarification on levies for other goods, as conflicting interpretations of the bilateral trade deal further pressured Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's shaky administration. In a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington on Wednesday, top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa urged the U.S. to implement at an early date an agreed cut to U.S. tariffs on Japanese auto and auto parts, Japan's government said. Akazawa also sought confirmation and "immediate execution" of the two countries' agreement on U.S. levies for other goods imported from Japan, the government said in a statement released on Thursday. The meeting came hours before President Donald Trump's higher tariffs on dozens of trading partners kicked in on Thursday, as Japan scrambles to clarify divergences with Washington on details of their bilateral trade deal. Under the deal clinched last month, the U.S. agreed to cut tariffs on Japanese car imports to 15 per cent from levies totalling 27.5 per cent previously, but did not announce a timeframe for the change to take effect. While the two agreed that U.S. duties on most other Japanese goods will be cut to 15 per cent from 25 per cent effective Thursday, a lack of written confirmation of the deal has led to confusion over whether the new 15 per cent tariffs will be stacked on top of existing levies. Japan argues the two countries had agreed its goods imported to the U.S. would be exempt from such "stacking". But a Federal Register attached to President Donald Trump's July 31 executive order that addressed tariff rates for many trading partners showed a "no stacking" condition applies to the European Union, but no such clarification was issued for Japan. "We have confirmed with the U.S. that there is no discrepancy",...that the 15 per cent tariff will not be added on top of existing levies, Ishiba told reporters on Thursday. "Japan is strongly requesting the U.S. to swiftly amend the executive order," the premier said. Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Akazawa said Japan wanted to make sure goods such as Japanese beef, which already carries tariffs above 15 per cent, will not be charged the new 15 per cent rate in addition. Japan's Asahi newspaper reported on Thursday, citing an unnamed White House official, that the U.S. will stack the tariffs. But in a regular news conference held shortly afterwards, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the U.S. was unlikely to do this, adding that Akazawa had confirmed the point during a visit to Washington on Wednesday. Ishiba, who is facing calls to step down after the ruling coalition's huge loss in last month's upper house election, has come under attack in parliament and domestic media for not crafting a written joint statement stipulating details of the trade deal. He has defended the decision, telling parliament on Monday that Japan decided to forgo a written statement for fear that producing one could delay the reduction in tariffs. Some lawmakers have warned the lack of written confirmation could backfire given Trump's unpredictable decision-making. "In negotiating with the U.S., Minister Akazawa at least ought to have nailed down exactly when U.S. automobile tariffs would be lowered to 15 per cent," ruling party heavyweight and former trade minister Ken Saito told Reuters on Tuesday. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of opposition Democratic Party for the People, urged Akazawa to press Trump's administration harder to adhere to the bilateral agreement. "After all, I do feel that a document on the agreement was necessary," Tamaki wrote in an X post on Thursday.
Hans India
26 minutes ago
- Hans India
Putin says he hopes to meet Trump as White House presses for peace deal on Ukraine
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he hopes to meet next week with US President Donald Trump, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. The news came on the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine. Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov had said earlier a summit could possibly take place next week at a venue that has been decided 'in principle.' Ushakov brushed aside the possibility of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joining the summit, something the White House had said Trump was ready to consider. Putin has spurned Zelenskyy's previous offers of a meeting to clinch a breakthrough. 'We propose, first of all, to focus on preparing a bilateral meeting with Trump, and we consider it most important that this meeting be successful and productive,' Ushakov said, adding that US special envoy Steve Witkoff's suggestion of a meeting including Ukraine's leader 'was not specifically discussed.' Putin made the announcement in the Kremlin after his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE. There was no immediate comment Thursday from the White House and it was unclear how the announcement of the meeting would affect Trump's Friday deadline for Russia to stop the killing or face heavy economic sanctions. Asked who initiated the meeting, Putin said that didn't matter and 'both sides expressed an interest.' Speaking of the possible involvement of Zelenskyy in future talks, Putin said he has mentioned several times that he wasn't against it, adding: 'It's a possibility, but certain conditions need to be created' for it to happen. Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund who met with Witkoff on Wednesday, said a Trump-Putin meeting would allow Moscow to 'clearly convey its position,' and he hoped a summit would include discussions on mutually beneficial economic issues, including joint investments in areas such as rare earth elements. The meeting would be the first US-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva. It would be a significant milestone toward Trump's effort to end the war, although there's no guarantee it would stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace. Next week is the target date for a summit, Ushakov said, while noting that such events take time to organise and no date is confirmed. The possible venue will be announced 'a little later,' he said. Months of US-led efforts have yielded no progress on stopping Russia's invasion of its neighbour. The war has killed tens of thousands of troops on both sides as well as more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. Western officials have repeatedly accused Putin of stalling for time in peace negotiations to allow Russian forces time to capture more Ukrainian land. Putin previously has offered no concessions and will only accept a settlement on his terms. A meeting between Putin and Trump on the war would be a departure from the Biden administration's policy of 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' — a key demand from Kyiv. At the start of his second term, Trump was conciliatory toward Putin, for whom he has long shown admiration, and even echoed some of his talking points on the war. But he recently has expressed increasing exasperation with Putin, criticising the Kremlin leader for his unyielding stance on US-led peace efforts, and has threatened Moscow with new sanctions. Zelenskyy seeks European involvement Zelenskyy said he planned calls with European leaders Thursday to discuss the latest developments amid a flurry of diplomatic activity. European countries must also be involved in finding a solution to the war on their own continent, he said on Telegram. 'Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same bold approach from the Russian side. It is time to end the war,' he added. A ceasefire and long-term security guarantees are priorities in potential negotiation with Russia, he said on social media. Securing a truce, deciding a format for a summit and providing assurances for Ukraine's future protection from invasion — a consideration that must involve the US and Europe — are crucial aspects to address, Zelenskyy said. He noted that Russian strikes on civilians haven't eased off despite Trump publicly urging Putin to relent. A Russian attack Wednesday in the central Dnipro region killed four people and injured eight others, he said. Poll shows support for continuing the fight waning in Ukraine A new Gallup poll published Thursday found that Ukrainians are increasingly eager for a settlement that ends the fight against Russia's invasion. The enthusiasm for a negotiated deal is a sharp reversal from 2022 — the year the war began — when Gallup found that about three-quarters of Ukrainians wanted to keep fighting until victory. Now only about one-quarter hold that view, with support for continuing the war declining steadily across all regions and demographic groups. The findings were based on samples of 1,000 or more respondents ages 15 and older living in Ukraine. Some territories under entrenched Russian control, representing about 10 per cent of the population, were excluded from surveys conducted after 2022 due to lack of access. Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. On the 1,000-kilometre front line snaking from northeast to southeast Ukraine, where tens of thousands of troops on both sides have died, Russia's bigger army is slowly capturing more land. In the new Gallup survey, conducted in early July, about seven in 10 Ukrainians say their country should seek to negotiate a settlement as soon as possible. Zelenskyy last month renewed his offer to meet with Putin, but his overture was rebuffed. Most Ukrainians do not expect a lasting peace anytime soon, the poll found. Only about one-quarter say it's 'very' or 'somewhat' likely that active fighting will end within the next 12 months, while about seven in 10 think it's 'somewhat' or 'very' unlikely that active fighting will be over in the next year.
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First Post
26 minutes ago
- First Post
Will Trump's tariffs result in China-India-Russia joining hands?
US President Donald Trump seems to be picking fights on all fronts. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit China soon, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is slated to come to India. This comes in the backdrop of Trump imposing a 50 per cent tariff on India for its relationship with Russia. There is also talk of reviving the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping that was founded in the 1990s. But what do we know? read more Advertisement Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reuters Will India China and Russia join hands as a result of Trump's tariffs? The US president seems to be picking fights on all fronts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit China soon, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is slated to come to India. This comes in the backdrop of Trump imposing a 50 per cent tariff on India for its relationship with Russia. There is also talk of reviving the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping that was founded in the 1990s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Let's take a closer look Modi in China The three countries already seem to be making moves against America. Modi will travel to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in late August. This is his first trip to China since 2018. The summit is related to be held from August 31 to September 1. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to undertake a trip to India ahead of Modi's visit. Wang, who is a member of powerful Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), will meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on 18 August. Wang and Doval are set to discuss the border issue between the two countries. China and India have slowly mended relations since the 2020 stand-off. The two countries share a 3,800-kilometre border in the Himalayas. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in June visited China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's meeting of defence ministers. The SCO is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping whose members include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran. Rajnath met his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the summit – the highest-level dialogue between the countries in months. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in late August. AP Rajnath was also the first Indian defence minister to visit China since 2013. He shared a four-pronged approach with Dong for better ties. He also said both nations should seek a 'permanent solution' to the border dispute. He also announced the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – which had been suspended since COVID-19 pandemic and then the Galwan Valley clash. India and China previously met at a high-level to work on the disengagement process at Demchok and Depsang Plains in October 2024. That development came after intense negotiations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting President Xi Jinping meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024. Putin in India Meanwhile, Putin is slated to visit India later this year. His visit comes in the backdrop of Trump and other high-ranking US officials accusing India of funding Russia's war in Ukraine by continuing to purchase crude oil and trade with Russia. India has hit back at the US-led West and pointed out that both Washington and the European Union continue to trade with Russia. India has also defended its purchase of crude oil from Russia, pointing out that Russian oil has not been sanctioned and that India is not violating any international laws. New Delhi has also about to put its national interest above all else. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Interestingly, NSA Doval is currently in Moscow. The Indian NSA is will discuss Trump's tariffs as well as lay the groundwork for Putin's trip. External Affairs Minister S Jaishanka will also visit Russia later on this month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin. , Putin, who has limited his travel since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, is slated to visit India later this year. PTI The Russian president has is yet to visit India since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022. He has also limited his trips around the world Send the International Criminal Court in 2023 issued a warrant against him for 'war crimes'. While this affects his travel to states that are signatories to the Rome Statute, it would not interfere with him traveling to India. Putin met Modi at the 22nd Annual Summit in July 2024 in Moscow and the 16th Brics Summit in Kazan in 2023. The two men previously met in December 2021 at the 21st India–Russia Annual Summit. Modi previously called for peace in Ukraine and famously told Putin 'this is not the era of war'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD New Delhi continues to view Russia as a 'longstanding and time-tested partner'. The two countries signed the 'Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership' in October 2000 during Putin's visit. In 2010, the two countries elevated ties from a strategic partnership to a 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'. Total bilateral trade between the two countries touched $65.7 billion in the 2023-2024 financial year. India exported goods worth $4.26 billion to Russia and imported items worth $61.44 billion. This was an around 33 per cent increase from the 2022–23 financial year, where total trade was valued at $49.36 billion. Mineral fuels, oils, and petroleum products particularly crude oil comprise the bulk (76 per cent) of India's imports from Russia. Pharmaceuticals, organic chemicals, electrical machinery, mechanical appliances, iron and steel are India's main imports. Both countries have announced they want to increase trade to $100 billion by 2030. The two countries also have vibrant defence ties including the supply of S-400, licensed production of T-90 tanks and Su-30 MKI, supply of MiG-29 and Kamov helicopters, INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov), production of Ak-203 rifles in India and BrahMos missiles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD RIC grouping to be revived? It is also possible that the Russia, India and China (RIC) grouping could be revived. The grouping was established at the behest of Russian politico Yevgeny Primakov. It was viewed as a 'a counterbalance to the Western alliance.' India, Russia and China could be a powerful troika. Together, they account for 19 per cent of the world's landmass. They also comprise more than 33 per cent of the world's GDP. Russia's foreign minister earlier this year mused about reviving the dormant group. The last meeting of the RIC was held in 2020 before the stand-off between India and China. What do experts say? Experts say they see an opportunity especially when it comes to the RIC. 'Restarting the RIC mechanism now holds particular importance. All three nations are key advocates for a genuinely multipolar international order. As major powers facing unilateral pressure from the US, they share both the incentive and the imperative to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to bolster global economic stability,' Xie Chao, an associate professor, Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, wrote in Global Times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xie said the revival of the RIC will come down to whether India and China can build sufficient trust to expand their relationship. Timofei Bordachev, program director of the Valdai Discussion Club, added, 'The trilateral dialogue between China, India and Russia does not constrain the foreign policy autonomy of its participants. Instead, it can make a significant contribution to the global balance and to the fulfillment of their own interests, while also creating additional confidence among other countries in Asia and Eurasia'. Bordachev said reaching a shared understanding in the fast-changing international environment will be the key to the RIC. 'The most likely task for the RIC at the present stage is to jointly articulate what is equally important to all three countries - regardless of short-term political disagreements which are always present in international relations. It is hard to imagine who, besides these three states, could do this better right now', Bordachev wrote. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A piece in SCMP said that the RIC being revived could benefit the Global South as a whole. 'With many nations watching the G7 and Brics from the sidelines, RIC offers a pragmatic, issue-specific alternative that emphasises dialogue over confrontation. Its resurrection would send a signal that Asia's major powers are willing to engage even if they disagree amid a model of strategic realism over ideological alignment. Even in a limited form, it can foster regional stability and predictability amid global uncertainty'. The piece noted that while Russia, China and India might never get on the same page for all issues, that is far from a necessity. 'The new realism that defines their interactions is sufficient for this moment in Asian geopolitics', the piece concluded. However, others remain cautious. Indrani Bagchi, writing in Economic Times, noted, 'India has spent the last decade moving closer to the West, both strategically and economically. That has not gone unnoticed in Beijing, Moscow or, for that matter, in all of Asia.' She warned that China has the same position on India's 'strategic autonomy' as the US. 'It has been many years since China became convinced that India has 'pivoted' to the Western camp, and is determined to make it difficult for India,' Bagchi noted. She called for India to get its own house in order. With inputs from agencies
