logo
India at UN forum: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery calls India an 'anchor of stability', highlights growth-led development model

India at UN forum: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery calls India an 'anchor of stability', highlights growth-led development model

Time of India22-07-2025
India's sustained economic growth positions it as an 'anchor of stability' for the world at a time of deep uncertainty and shifting global dynamics,
Niti Aayog
Vice Chairman Suman Bery said at the
United Nations
on Monday.
Addressing the ministerial segment of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Goals at UN Headquarters, Bery said the world urgently needs 'anchors of stability, new engines of growth and development models that can be scaled and shared.'
'India, with its unique strengths and experience, is ready and willing to offer all three.' he added, quoted PTI.
He described India as a vibrant democracy with steadily improving socio-economic indicators, enabled by inclusive digital technologies, principled reforms, and a focus on empowering all segments of society.
'India's sustained economic growth makes it an anchor of stability for the global community and an example of what is possible,' Bery said.
Bery emphasised India's commitment to the Global South, saying the country's development path offers lessons in scale, speed, and stability. 'India's development journey, marked by scale, speed and stability, offers a credible and replicable pathway for fellow developing countries,' he told the international gathering.
He noted that an estimated 248 million Indians escaped poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23, and that India now hosts the world's largest cohort of youth entering the workforce. 'India is committed to making sure they have a bright and productive future,' he said.
'India's journey demonstrates that inclusive and sustainable development is both possible and scalable,' he said, pointing to the country's efforts in extending concessional finance, sharing digital governance tools, and supporting solar infrastructure in fellow developing nations.
With the UN marking 80 years, Bery reaffirmed India's commitment to multilateralism. 'The UN must continue to serve as a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable development. India supports a more representative and effective UN system that reflects contemporary realities and empowers all nations to shape our shared future,' he said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his address to the forum, said that rising global conflicts, economic headwinds, and mounting inequalities are threatening to derail progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
'The SDGs are still within reach—if we act with urgency and ambition,' Guterres said, urging nations not to surrender to the growing strain on the international system.
Stay informed with the latest
business
news, updates on
bank holidays
and
public holidays
.
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

50% vehicles in India uninsured, PUCC below 30% in these states: Report
50% vehicles in India uninsured, PUCC below 30% in these states: Report

Time of India

time28 minutes ago

  • Time of India

50% vehicles in India uninsured, PUCC below 30% in these states: Report

A new report has raised serious questions about how responsibly Indians are maintaining their vehicles. While the country is witnessing a boom in vehicle ownership, many motorists are still missing out on basic legal requirements like insurance and pollution checks. Despite stricter laws and increased awareness around road safety, millions of vehicles across the country continue to ply without valid insurance or a Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). These findings are part of the latest ORBIT data study by CARS24. Here's a quick look at some key findings. According to the report, more than 50 percent of vehicles in India do not have valid insurance, and two-wheelers account for the majority of these cases. In addition, states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu show less than 30 percent compliance with PUCC norms. The report shows that even as the number of vehicles grows year after year, legal and environmental compliance is not keeping pace. Interestingly, the data also reveals that while southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala fare slightly better, with average compliance enforcement rates of around 9.6 percent, northern states are further behind at 5.6 percent. In the northern region, the bigger issue is lapsed or expired insurance, whereas in the southern states, the focus area remains PUCC violations. Maharashtra has an enforcement rate of just 1.9 percent. Rajasthan stands out with a relatively better rate of 6.74 percent. The study also sheds light on how people are using FASTags. Between June 2024 and June 2025, FASTag toll collections have grown by 17.53 percent, and the average FASTag wallet balance is ₹ 408. While this shows that digital toll payments are on the rise, the lack of basic vehicle documents points to a disconnect between digital adoption and legal compliance. Another major concern is the massive backlog of unpaid traffic fines. Since 2015, traffic challans worth ₹ 5.11 lakh crore have been issued. However, only ₹ 1.92 lakh crore has been paid so far, while the remaining ₹ 3.18 lakh crore is stuck in courts. As many as 7.69 crore challans are still pending litigation.

Astrotalk to create subsidiary to focus on devotion as a business
Astrotalk to create subsidiary to focus on devotion as a business

Mint

time28 minutes ago

  • Mint

Astrotalk to create subsidiary to focus on devotion as a business

Faith-tech startup Astrotalk is looking at launching a new line of businesses that will focus on devotion, its founder said, amid rising demand for online and home-based religious rituals. 'We are looking to invest ₹50-100 crore behind this new subsidiary that is focusing on helping people do pooja online or at their home," founder Puneet Gupta said in an interview. Astrotalk, which offers online astrology advise, is gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO) in calendar year 2027. The company already claims to earn ₹6 crore in monthly revenue from online poojas, driven by word-of-mouth recommendations by its partner astrologer – chiefly pundits in temples. Customers will be given the choice to perform an online ritual - a puja for instance - at home or in a temple. The decision to create a subsidiary for devotion is based on differentiation for the Indian customer. 'We've not seen success in Indian businesses that do 10 different things. Indians need a different brand name, but we'll make sure that it says 'Powered by Astrotalk,' so it gives users the trust that they associate with our brand," Gupta said. Astrotalk has no fixed timeline on when the devotion business will go live, but has begun the hiring process for the leadership team. While one person is being moved internally, two others have been offered roles for the devotion business. The company expects the team to be finalized by September. 'Leadership is first, product is second because once we start talking to people we'll realise what they want. I can say 10 things now, but it could make no sense if the customer isn't sure," Gupta said. 'We already have ₹700 crore in the bank and we're currently fundraising $50 million (around ₹434 crore). The company will have enough money down the line to take these calls." The main focus for the new business is to tie up with large well-known temples and offer customers the chance to offer prayers to deities there, instead of the ones at their homes or those provided by their astrologers. 'We want to be able to have different temples which specialize in different things so customers have options," said Gupta. Astrotalk wants to market places of worship as well, directing people to certain temples based on where they'd like to make donations or offer prayers. 'We will create the entire ecosystem for a temple in that whatever is associated with it, we will do that for the consumer," said Gupta. 'We're looking to on-board as many temples as we can." Eventually, the company hopes that it will also be able to set up live streams within temples to allow consumers to interact without having to be there in-person. Astrotalk's revenue more than doubled to ₹651 crore in FY24 from ₹283 crore in FY23. Profits too increased, over 12 times to hit ₹100 crore in FY24, up from ₹8 crore in FY23, according to data from Tofler. While the company's FY25 number's haven't been disclosed yet, Gupta said that Astrotalk's annual revenue currently stands at ₹1,650 crore. It is targeting an ARR of ₹2,000 crorebythe end of FY26. Astrotalk's pitch is ambitious, given that there are thousands of temples across India attracting millions of devotees. In 2024 alone, over three million people visited the Badrinath and Kedarnath Dhams, according to an official statement from the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee. Earlier this year, the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj was estimated to have spawned $30 billion of financial transactions, according to Sprout Research. The first day alone dwarfed the number of people visiting the Badrinath and Kedarnath Dhams, coming in at six million. Fundraising to set benchmarks Currently, the company is in the process of raising $50 million at a unicorn valuation, where a startup is valued at over $1 billion. 'We're bringing in public market investors in this round who would be able to help anchor an IPO," said Gupta, clarifying that the company isn't calling the latest fundraise a pre-IPO round. Astrotalk plans to file for an IPO early in the calendar year 2027. Should the company list successfully, it'll be the first in the faith-tech space to do so. Faith-tech startups are gaining momentum in India, with funding into these digital platforms surging from $4.3 million in 2023 to $50.7 million in 2024, according to market intelligence platform Tracxn. The company's closest competitor is AppsForBharat, which has raised $20 million in a Series C round led by Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital with participation from Nandan Nilekani's Fundamentum, Elevation Capital, and Peak XV Partners. AppsForBharat is currently valued at $175 million. The ongoing fund-raise is a mix of primary and secondary rounds, with new investors joining the cap table. However, Astrotalk declined to name the new investors. In fact, the company said that its early investors aren't willing to dilute too much of their equity in the new round. 'No one wants to fully exit and I've made it clear that I won't be diluting my shares alone, everyone will have to do a little bit," Gupta said. Astrotalk is currently backed by Elev8 Venture Partners, New York-based Left Lane Capital and QED Innovation Labs. Overall, the company has raised a total of $30 million so far, and its last funding round in 2024 took its valuation to $300 million. The latest fundraise will take its valuation to over 3x of its current value. 'We don't really need the money right now, we're doing it to benchmark the valuation and bring good people on board," according to Gupta.

Amit Shah must take responsibility for 'security lapse' at Pahalgam: Mallikarjun Kharge in RS
Amit Shah must take responsibility for 'security lapse' at Pahalgam: Mallikarjun Kharge in RS

New Indian Express

time37 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

Amit Shah must take responsibility for 'security lapse' at Pahalgam: Mallikarjun Kharge in RS

He then posed direct questions to Amit Shah, "I would like to ask the home minister, who is responsible for this?... What did you do to rectify the mistake?... I would like to ask the home minister, that who is responsible for this? Vacate your post if you are. If no, what action is the PM taking?" Demanding accountability, Kharge said the government should admit its 'lapses' and 'failure' in stopping terror attacks. He asked if Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor's statement on security lapses was aimed at "saving" the home minister. "Jammu Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha himself admitted that Pahalgam was a security lapse and what happened in Pahalgam was unfortunate, innocent people were brutally killed. (Sinha said) I take all responsibility for the incident. "However, the home minister must take responsibility for security lapse not the LG," Kharge said. He asked when the accountability will be fixed and also accused the Modi govt of being arrogant, and not responding to letters by opposition. Kharge also questioned how terrorists were able to carry out the Pahalgam attack after entering India, while citing claims of the government that terrorist infrastructure has been crippled in the country. Citing media reports, the Congress president said even as the prime minister was silent, three key security officials made important disclosures. He referred to reports quoting Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan in Singapore saying "tactical mistakes were made during the first two days of the operation", and sought to know the government's views regarding it. Kharge further cited a report quoting the defence attache in Indonesia as saying that political constraints hampered military decision-making. He said if no Indian fighter jet has been downed, the prime minister should tell the country. He further asked why the prime minister is silent on Trump's claim on ceasefire and the media reports about downed fighter jets. Kharge asked if there was any intelligence about the terror attack in Pahalgam, as Prime Minister Modi cancelled his scheduled visit to Kashmir three days before the attack. "Was there intelligence about an attack? If so, why were tourists and pilgrims allowed?" the Congress chief asked. He claimed that the government failed to take adequate steps to protect Indians living along border from Pakistan shelling during Operation Sindoor. Kharge said the government should find and eradicate remaining terrorists behind Pahalgam attack. Kharge said the prime minister should have been present at all-party meet instead of campaigning in Bihar, and questioned Modi's sincerity towards national security. "Why was PM Modi not present. Where was he? We attend the meeting (on Pahalgam) while the PM does campaigning in Bihar. Is this your (PM's) patriotism?. He (PM) should have sat in both the Houses (of Parliament) today and heard. If you do not have the ability to listen, you are not worthy of occupying that Chair," Kharge said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store