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Schneider Electric mulls buying Temasek's 35% stake in Indian JV
Schneider Electric SE is considering buying out the remaining stake in its India venture from minority partner Temasek Holdings Pte, according to people familiar with the matter.
Schneider is in talks to buy the 35 per cent stake held by the Singapore state investment company in Schneider Electric India Pvt for about $1 billion, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. A potential transaction could value the whole venture at roughly $5 billion including debt, the people said.
Talks are ongoing and no final decisions have been made, the people said. Representatives for Schneider Electric and Temasek declined to comment.
Schneider Electric India is 65 per cent owned by the French company with the reminder held by Temasek, according to a statement from 2020, when it completed the merger of its Indian low voltage and industrial automation product unit with Larsen & Toubro Ltd.'s electrical and automation operations.
Schneider, one of France's oldest and biggest industrial companies, has evolved from primarily a maker of electrical gear to a provider of software and equipment for buildings, data centers and factories.

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Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
ETtech Explainer: X, Centre at loggerheads over social media misuse
In a legal battle on accountability versus liberty, the government of India and Elon Musk's microblogging platform X are slugging it out in the Karnataka High Court. At the eye of the storm are the government's content-blocking orders and issues arising out of them. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Indian government and Elon Musk's X are engaged in a legal battle before the Karnataka High Court over the question of accountability versus liberty. The microblogging platform has argued that the government's content-blocking orders hinder its business. In response, the government has advocated for justified action against misleading content on social matter has raised questions over the Information Technology Act, 2000 provisions that mandate taking down problematic content and grant 'safe harbour' to intermediaries that host take a look at arguments set forth so far by both parties and their prospective implications:In its plea before the Karnataka High Court, X has asked for the scrapping of Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology Rules as unconstitutional. It also wants the court to declare that the government cannot take down content under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, and only the procedure under Section 69A of the Act, read with the IT Rules, allows 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, 2021, mandates that intermediaries should take down unlawful content following a court order or appropriate government notification under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, which rescinds 'safe harbour' against criminal liability granted to such entities if they fail to take down information after being notified.X has been vocal about takedown orders from the government, calling them unjustified and detrimental to its business in a hearing earlier this month, KG Raghavan, representing X in the matter, had told the court that every "Tom, Dick, and Harry" government official had been authorised to issue content takedown orders, which evoked sharp rebuke from the government's the legal spat is unfolding as Musk is looking to launch and expand his companies—Tesla and Starlink—in Indian government has been proposing regulations for content on social media platforms to curb the proliferation of harmful the central government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that X has been trying to shirk its responsibility by hiding behind 'safe harbour' provisions. The platform allowing unlawful content in the name of free speech is endangering democracy, Mehta the hearing on Friday, the law officer presented before the court a verified account of the 'Supreme Court of Karnataka' on X to make the point that creating fake accounts and getting them verified are easy on the platform."We have created an AI-generated video where Your Lordship appears to speak against the nation. It's unlawful, but it doesn't fit any category under Section 69A," Mehta told the single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna, pressing his point that many instances of online harm fall into a regulatory grey explained that the legal framework includes both severe and minimal interventions and advocated for cautious, proportionate responses in certain court will now hear the matter next on July the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April, several social media accounts across platforms were blocked by the Indian government to check the spread of misinformation amid heightened bilateral tensions. While the accounts were primarily from Pakistan, some Indian accounts were affected in the action as May 9, X blocked its own Global Government Affairs account, a day after revealing that it was asked by the government to restrict 8,000 accounts of prominent news organisations and individuals. The social media platform said the government threatened significant fines and imprisonment of its employees upon failure to comply. The account was later July 6, official accounts of the global news portal Reuters and Reuters Global were withheld in India. While the IT Ministry denied issuing any order to this effect, X said that it was asked to block 2,355 accounts, along with the two from Reuters, under Section 69A of the IT response, the government blamed X for delaying the restoration of the two accounts and denied its claims that it wanted to block any international news ongoing spat has also brought into focus the 'safe harbour' accorded to internet intermediaries against third-party content they host. In his arguments, Mehta has noted that safe harbour is not an absolute right but a privilege granted to intermediaries who adhere to a written submission to a parliamentary committee, the government had said that it is reconsidering the concept of safe harbour to curb the spread of fake news. Changes in provisions would affect all social media platforms operating in India, not just X.


Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Is Global South ready to lead—Or just done being ignored?
'We were never voiceless. You just refused to listen.' This silent refrain echoes from Accra to Jakarta, from the favelas of Rio to the corridors of Delhi. The world's power architecture, once held firmly by the hands of the Global North, now quivers as tectonic shifts emerge. But as the Global South finds its voice amplified on the world stage—through economic leverage, demographic might, and climate urgency—the question is no longer if it can lead, but whether it wants to. Has the Global South arrived at the helm—or is it simply done being dismissed? The great recalibration: Why 2025 feels like a pivot year In 2025, the term Global South is no longer code for 'underdeveloped.' It's shorthand for undervalued—and now ascendant. According to the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects Report (June 2025): Emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) are projected to grow at 4.5% this year—nearly twice the rate of advanced economies (2.3%). India alone will contribute 16.2% to global growth in 2025, surpassing the EU bloc (14.9%) for the first time. ASEAN economies together are now the fourth-largest economic bloc, overtaking Japan. South-South trade now accounts for approximately 33% of total global trade, though trade in goods has recently contracted by 7% to $5.7 trillion, reflecting volatility in global supply networks (UNCTAD, 2025). Yet, this moment isn't defined solely by statistics. It's powered by assertion—and a mounting refusal to be seen as a footnote in someone else's economic story. Redrawing the world map—One rebuff at a time This isn't noise—it's navigation. The Global South is no longer asking to be seen; it's redesigning the frame. With India at the helm, the 2024 expansion of BRICS to include Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the UAE was less about membership and more about momentum. BRICS+ now speaks for 46% of the global population and commands 32% of global GDP, fundamentally tilting the scales of influence. At COP30 in Brasília (March 2025), assertive Indian diplomacy, backed by African and Latin American allies, blocked diluted climate pledges from the Global North and clinched a $50 billion binding Loss and Damage Fund—not positioned as aid, but as owed accountability. Meanwhile, Africa's ambitions are no longer theoretical. With its digital economy expanding at 11% annually, the continent is rewriting its future. Kibera Tech City in Nairobi, once overlooked, has emerged as a ground-up AI innovation zone rooted in local resilience. Across the Indian Ocean, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are quietly architecting the Global South's digital DNA—from semiconductors to sovereign AI stacks—indigenously developed and locally governed systems—turning India into a strategic innovation corridor between East and West. These aren't just responses—they are strategic assertions of autonomy, reshaping global power through precision, not protest. Leading, but differently: The southern style of stewardship Leadership, as defined by the West, has long revolved around dominance. But the Global South isn't interested in mimicking. It's innovating. India's Vaccine Diplomacy 2.0 now includes mRNA tech transfer agreements with 22 low-income countries—driven by strategic solidarity. Indonesia and Brazil, once labelled resource exporters, are spearheading a tropical green alliance, commanding 78% of global rubber and 52% of soy production, asserting commodity sovereignty. The UN Global Digital Compact, slated for signing in late 2025, saw Chile and Ghana co-authoring the data sovereignty clause—insisting on algorithmic fairness for AI tools deployed in the Global South. This is not the South asking for a seat at the table. It is crafting its own table, one that trades power for purpose. Growth with fragility But beneath this renaissance lie unresolved realities that must be reckoned with: Debt stress at historic levels Global public debt has now crossed $100 trillion, with developing countries owing over $31 trillion. External public debt service for Global South nations reached $487 billion in 2023, while net interest payments globally rose to $921 billion in 2024. More than 3.4 billion people now live in countries spending more on interest than on health or education. The world's poorest 75 nations owe $22 billion to China in 2025 alone, under the weight of Belt and Road-related repayments. In Africa, 57% of the population lives in countries where debt servicing exceeds public investment in core social services. This is not just economic distress—it is structural inequity. The very systems through which the South is expected to lead are shackling it. Trade and finance imbalances While global trade expanded by $300 billion in the first half of 2025, developing economies saw a 2% decline in imports, indicating uneven recovery. Africa's intra-regional trade, however, surged by 16%, showing regional resilience amid global fragmentation. Global FDI dropped by 11% in 2024, yet Africa posted record highs, though largely driven by extractives and infrastructure—a volatile foundation. Official net financial flows to developing economies turned negative, as debt repayments outpaced aid and investment. This dual reality—of rising ambition and restricted access to capital—defines the paradox of the Global South's moment. From dependency to interdependence: A Southern remix of global power The future isn't North-led. It's network-led. A Southern-led multilateralism is emerging—messier, more localised, but grounded in dignity and innovation. Latin American feminist diplomacy is reshaping peace narratives and environmental treaties. Bangladesh's solar microgrid exports are decentralising power in Sub-Saharan Africa. India's digital public infrastructure, including Aadhaar and UPI-like models, is now being adapted in Southeast Asia and Africa, establishing a tech stack rooted in inclusion. This isn't the Global South catching up. It's changing the race entirely. From margins to mandate To ask if the Global South is ready to lead is to cling to a dated worldview—one where leadership is something bestowed from above. But in 2025, leadership is something built from below. Yes, the Global South still battles internal contradictions, fiscal pressures, and geopolitical risks. But it no longer waits for permission. It redefines participation, reimagines prosperity, and reclaims its narrative. It isn't just knocking at the door. It is reconstructing the house. And if the old world refuses to listen, the Global South will speak louder—through trade, through treaties, through technology—and in a language it never needed permission to use. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
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Business Standard
19 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Firstsource signs pact to acquire UK-based Pastdue Credit Solutions
Firstsource Solutions Limited, a part of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, has announced a deal to acquire Pastdue Credit Solutions, a UK-based debt collection company, which serves several of the United Kingdom's (UK's) leading organisations, including major banks, utility providers, telecom firms, and government agencies. The acquisition is subject to UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approval, Firstsource announced in an exchange filing. Firstsource Solutions is a global provider of specialist Business Process Services (BPS), delivering end-to-end customer lifecycle solutions across industries such as healthcare, telecom and banking, financial services and investments (BFSI). Founded on July 21, 2005, Pastdue Credit Solutions offers white-label, early arrears, and debt collections and recovery services. Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman of RPSG Group and Firstsource, said, 'Pastdue Credit Solutions' deep expertise in first- and third-party collections, particularly across utilities, financial services, and the public sector, strengthens our capabilities in a space that is both critical and growing. This acquisition aligns with our long-term strategy to build a differentiated collections business with strong sectoral depth and local delivery capabilities across the UK.' Phil Grant, Chairman of Pastdue Credit Solutions, said, 'With Firstsource's global reach, deep domain expertise, and strong culture of innovation, coupled with its long-established credentials in debt collection, this move will pave the way for us to scale our impact, strengthen our services, broaden our offering and unlock new opportunities together.' The company aims to use artificial intelligence and digital-first approach, "With rising consumer debt, a growing role for private agencies in public sector collections, and over £1.9 billion in market opportunity. Firstsource is strongly positioned to scale with purpose - delivering greater value to clients and expanding its footprint in the market." Pastdue Credit Solutions was recently ranked third among top Indian employers in the UK, according to the India Meets Britain Tracker 2025 report by Grant Thornton. From November 2023 to October 2024, Pastdue Credit Solutions Limited reported a turnover of £16.9 million, marking a 40.8 per cent increase year-on-year, and an operating profit of £3.4 million, up 277.8 per cent YoY. From November 2022 to October 2023, the company recorded a turnover of £12.0 million, a 3.2 per cent decline from the year before, and an operating profit of £0.9 million, down 52.6 per cent. For the period from November 2021 to October 2022, turnover stood at £12.4 million, with an operating profit of £1.9 million.