India's Russian crude buying has to stop, US adviser Navarro says
Peter Navarro said India's purchases of
Russian crude
were funding Moscow's war in Ukraine and has to stop, while adding that New Delhi was "now cozying up to both
Russia and China
."
"If India wants to be treated as a
strategic partner
of the US, it needs to start acting like one," Navarro wrote in an opinion piece published in the Financial Times, adding that it was risky for American companies to transfer cutting-edge military capabilities to India.
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Mint
2 minutes ago
- Mint
Multi-Asset Funds: A smart way to diversify and reduce investment stress
'It's not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for,' said American businessman and author Robert Kiyosaki. Well, what if we told you that there is a type of financial instrument that may take the headache of work (read asset rebalancing) away from you? The answer lies in multi-asset funds. This financial instrument helps navigate between the various asset classes. Such funds reduce the investment woes of the investor. But here too, at the end of the day, long-term vision is needed. 'Multi-asset funds are highly relevant for retail investors seeking a balanced, hassle-free investment approach,' says Ankur Punj, MD & National Sales Head – Equirus Wealth Management. Such funds invest across equity, debt, and gold (or other assets), offering a built-in diversification that helps reduce market risk and smooth out returns. For investors who lack the time, expertise, or emotional discipline to rebalance portfolios themselves, multi-asset funds provide professional management and dynamic asset allocation. Especially in today's volatile markets, these funds act as a cushion—when equities dip, debt or gold components can stabilise the portfolio. In fact, multi-asset funds have come into the investing world for a reason — to take the onus of rebalancing your portfolio away from you. The knack of knowing when to sell a particular asset is psychologically difficult. After all, who would want to sell an asset when it is appreciating in value? That sounds like a counterintuitive prospect, correct? But elevated levels (read value has been reached) are the very time that an investor must sell from the asset class or use an equity term to book profits. That's when the psychological hang-up starts, and that is precisely what multi-asset funds have a remit to take away from you. 'Yes, multi-asset funds are designed to take the burden of portfolio rebalancing off retail investors—and they've been quite successful in doing so,' says Punj. These funds invest across equity, debt, and gold, with fund managers dynamically adjusting allocations based on market conditions. This means investors don't need to worry about when to book profits or shift between asset classes. Historically, multi-asset funds have delivered strong returns, averaging over 16% in the past three years, with some funds exceeding 20%. Their performance during volatile periods, like global trade disruptions, highlights their ability to manage risk through strategic reallocation. 'Retail investors often hesitate to sell winning assets or rebalance portfolios due to emotional biases,' say experts. Multi-asset funds automate this process, offering disciplined diversification and smoother returns. While not fixed income generators, they provide a balanced approach that many individual investors struggle to replicate on their own. Here's where the going gets tricky. While these funds reallocate across asset classes depending on their internal asset allocation models, it's never a one-size-fits-all solution for an investor, says Kaustubh Belapurkar, Director, Morningstar Investment Research India. Investors need to look at the overall fit of the fund in their portfolio and resultant allocation from the context of their desired allocation mix. While these funds may partially help in rebalancing allocation, experts feel that investors may need to carry out additional rebalancing depending upon their portfolio's unique requirements. 'For long-term wealth creation, multi-asset funds are generally sub-optimal for retail investors,' says Harsh Gahlaut, Co-founder & CEO, FinEdge. The very essence of compounding wealth lies in holding a meaningful allocation to high-growth assets, primarily equities, for extended periods. By their very doctrine, multi-asset funds allocate a significant portion (often 30–50%) to debt and gold, which can dilute equity exposure and, in turn, reduce long-term growth potential, explain analysts. The recent popularity of these funds is largely driven by short-term trends, equity market volatility over the past two years and exceptional gold performance. However, for most Indian households, existing exposure to debt and gold is already substantial through fixed deposits, life insurance policies, provident funds, physical gold, and real estate. Adding a multi-asset fund on top of this can unintentionally skew overall asset allocation further away from growth assets, say experts. 'Where they do make sense is for investors whose primary goal is wealth preservation rather than wealth creation, for example, those approaching retirement or seeking lower volatility,' advices Gahlaut. For everyone else, a well-planned, goal-based allocation, periodically rebalanced, is a more effective way to build wealth over decades. 'While Multi Asset funds could be a part of an investor's portfolio, they shouldn't be the entire investor's portfolio,' says Belapurkar. Multi-asset mutual funds do not offer fixed monthly or quarterly income like traditional income funds, but they can provide relatively steady returns over time due to their diversified nature. The remit of such funds is to reduce volatility and smooth out performance across various market cycles by investing across equity, debt, and gold. Top-performing multi-asset funds have delivered consistent 3-year annualised returns between 15% and 23%. While 'They aren't ideal for regular income needs; they are suitable for investors seeking moderate, stable growth rather than unpredictable swings. For predictable cash flows, other options like SWPs or income-focused funds may be more appropriate,' says Punj. 'Investors should NOT look to Multi Asset funds to give consistent/steady returns,' cautions Belapurkar, who advises investors looking to generate steady and regular income to look for products with exposure primarily to asset classes such as fixed income that have more predictable outcomes. Prior to investing in multi-asset mutual funds, retail investors should conduct thorough due diligence to ensure the fund aligns with their goals and risk appetite. The key differentiators include, Review the fund's investment strategy: Understand how the fund allocates across equity, debt, and gold, and whether it uses a fixed or dynamic approach. 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Exit loads may apply if units are redeemed within a specified period, typically 1% for redemptions within 1 year. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or broking firms, not Mint. We advise investors to consult with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly and circumstances may vary.
Mint
2 minutes ago
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Crude oil price hits two-week high on rising demand, uncertainty over Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
Oil prices continued to rise on Thursday, supported by indications of robust demand in the U.S. and lingering uncertainty surrounding efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures reached a two-week high in early trading, gaining 27 cents, or 0.40 per cent, to $67.11 a barrel at 0442 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures increased by 29 cents, or 0.46 per cent, to $63 a barrel. Both benchmarks had advanced by over 1 per cent in the previous session. As U.S. and European military officials started discussing post-war security assurances for Ukraine, Russia on Wednesday warned that addressing security concerns without its involvement would lead to a "dead end." Ongoing challenges in achieving peace in Ukraine have kept Western sanctions on Russian oil intact, with the threat of stricter sanctions and additional tariffs on Russian oil buyers still looming over the market. Meanwhile, Russia maintains its stance on continuing crude exports to interested nations, with its diplomats in India stating that the country plans to keep supplying oil to India despite U.S. warnings. U.S. President Donald Trump had declared a new 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods effective August 27, citing India's imports of Russian crude. Additionally, the European Union has imposed sanctions on Indian private refiner Nayara Energy, backed by Russia's Rosneft. Although Indian refiners initially paused their Russian oil imports, officials from state-run Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum have resumed purchases for September and October deliveries after the discounts on Russian crude increased. According to Rahul Kalantri, VP Commodities, Mehta Equities Ltd, crude oil prices showed sharp volatility but managed to recover from multi-month lows. ' The higher-than-expected drawdown highlighted signs of demand revival, encouraging buying in the market. In addition, ongoing Western sanctions on Russian crude provided a supportive backdrop for prices. We expect crude oil prices to remain volatile in today's session. Crude oil is having support at $62.35-61.80 and resistance is at $63.45-64.05 in today's session. In INR crude oil has support at Rs5,420,-5,360 while resistance at Rs5,540-5,600,' Kalantri said. (With inputs from Reuters) Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Economic Times
2 minutes ago
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Days after Trump–Putin summit, US F-16 jets intercept Soviet-era spy plane near Alaskan skies
Just days after a summit between Presidents Trump and Putin in Anchorage, NORAD detected a Russian IL-20 surveillance aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. The plane, intercepted by US fighter jets, remained in international airspace. While officials downplayed the incident, its timing has raised eyebrows, highlighting ongoing monitoring efforts by NORAD. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked one IL-20 COOT operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 20 August 2025. The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not… undefined North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) August 21, 2025 Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What is the IL-20 'Coot'? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Ilyushin Il-20M variants: Il-20 : Original late-1960s prototype based on the Il-18D with early ELINT and SLAR systems. : Original late-1960s prototype based on the Il-18D with early ELINT and SLAR systems. Il-20M : Standard production model with Igla-1 SLAR and advanced COMINT/ELINT suites. : Standard production model with Igla-1 SLAR and advanced COMINT/ELINT suites. Il-20M1 : Modernized version with digital signal processing, updated avionics, and improved mission systems. : Modernized version with digital signal processing, updated avionics, and improved mission systems. Il-20RT : Telemetry variant for Soviet space missions, designed to track and relay spacecraft data. : Telemetry variant for Soviet space missions, designed to track and relay spacecraft data. Upgraded Il-20Ms: Later refits with satellite comms, improved sensors, and new mission consoles. What is ADIZ? About NORAD Just five days after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Anchorage for the 2025 Russia–United States Summit, the North American Aerospace Defense Command ( NORAD ) says it detected and tracked a Russian surveillance aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).According to NORAD, the aircraft, identified as an IL-20 'Coot' electronic intelligence plane, was intercepted by two US F-16 fighter jets, supported by a KC-135 refueling tanker, on Wednesday, August 20. The plane remained in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign officials stressed that such flights occur regularly and are 'not considered a threat,'.NORAD noted that it maintains a layered defense system of satellites, radars, and fighter aircraft to monitor air activity around North America and remains ready to 'employ a number of response options' if Ilyushin IL-20 'Coot-A' is a Cold War–era Soviet aircraft designed for electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) missions. According to Milifactory, it was derived from the IL-18 passenger IL-20 first flew in 1968 and has been used by the Russian Air Force for decades to intercept communications, radar emissions, and other electronic with specialized sensors and antennas, the IL-20 provides critical battlefield intelligence by mapping and analyzing enemy defense allows Russia to monitor adversaries' military capabilities and, if needed, support offensive operations by exposing vulnerabilities in air defense its design dates back over half a century, the IL-20 remains active in Russia's IL-20 retains most functions of the IL-18, powered by four Ivchenko AI-20M turboprop engines mounted over the low mainplanes. It features a conventional tail with low-set horizontal planes and a retractable tricycle additions include a long ventral radar array and dorsal and side blisters for sensors, enhancing its ELINT capabilities with excellent the IL-20RT variant served as a telemetry and communications relay platform for the Soviet space program, later replaced by the IL-76 to an article by Army recognition, below are it's variants,The Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is a stretch of international airspace off Alaska's coast that acts as a security buffer, giving US and Canadian forces early warning of approaching aircraft before they enter sovereign North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a joint organization of the US and Canada responsible for aerospace and maritime warning in North America. Its aerospace warning mission involves detecting and validating attacks via aircraft, missiles, or space control ensures air sovereignty and defense for both countries. The NORAD Agreement, renewed in May 2006, also includes a maritime warning mission for enhanced awareness of activities in US and Canadian maritime areas.
